Senator Shelley Moore Capito supports aspects of a $106 billion package that President Biden has proposed to aid Ukraine and Israel and to provide additional financial support for border security.
But Capito suggested Congress should work through the legislation to make changes.
“As it comes from the president, no, I can’t support his package. I think it needs to be scrubbed. We are in the process of doing that, to go where we have the most critical needs and where we have the most unity,” Capito said today on MetroNews’ “Talkline.”
“I do believe that we need to support Israel and their ability to root out these murderous terrorists of Hamas. We support that; I believe West Virginians support that. In terms of Ukraine, I think this is in our own national interest to be able to weaken and defeat (Russian President Vladimir) Putin in Ukraine and help them do it without American lives at stake.”
Biden proposed the aid package during an Oval Office address last week that made a case for countering Russia’s authoritarianism and the terrorist acts of Hamas.
The proposal includes $61.4 billion for Ukraine military and economic assistance, $14.3 billion for Israel military assistance, $14 billion for immigration enforcement, $9 billion for humanitarian assistance, $4 billion aimed at countering China’s influence in developing countries and the Indo-Pacific, and $3.4 billion for submarine industrial base.
Senate Republicans, at a regular press conference on Tuesday, said they want to modify the proposal.
“It’s pretty clear that the supplemental that was sent over is just a starting point,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said then. “We are going to go over it with a fine tooth comb.”
The most likely aspects to change are how the allocation would be used for southern border security as well as portions of Ukraine aid that are aimed at economic and humanitarian aid.
Right now, the proposal includes $4.4 billion for the Department of Homeland Security and $3.1 billion for additional Border Patrol agents, asylum officers and processing personnel. It also includes $1.4 billion to help state and local governments with shelter and services for migrants. And the request seeks $1.2 billion in additional funding to boost narcotics detection and interdiction at the border.
“This cannot be a border thing where you say ‘OK, we’re gonna spend more money — which is part of this package — to New York so that they can handle the migrant crossing problem, the migrants that are coming there,” Capito said. “My thing is, we need deterrence here at the border. And what the president’s put forward does not represent deterrence, does not represent how we’re gonna keep 269,000 people from coming across our border.
“And so this is a package I can’t support on the face of it, but I support the parameters the president has put forward.”
Capito is also skeptical of parts of the proposed allocation representing humanitarian and economic support for Ukraine. That funding is meant to help Ukraine avoid cuts to pensions, hospitals and other government programs. It also would go toward investments in infrastructure, civilian law enforcement and getting rid of mines.
“Apparently in the Ukraine package, there’s several hundreds of millions of dollars to help Ukraine with their drug problem. You know what, I’m not interested in that,” Capito said. “I’m interested in defeating Putin with weapons that will push him back and keep him out of NATO countries. So these are the kinds of examples where we need to look at this.”
Capito spoke on the Senate floor today about addressing national security concerns at home and abroad. She made her remarks with an “America stands with Israel” sign behind her, but her comments touched on broader issues too.
“Now is the time to make intentional investments into our national security across the board. Support for Israel, Ukraine, the Indo-Pacific, and our southern border is paramount and will serve to directly invest back into our own country and our own defense,” Capito said.
“America’s place on the world stage requires a level of leadership and accountability that we must accept with authority, while always prioritizing the needs of our country first and the support of our allies. The good news is, when we support the defense of our allies, we are also supporting our own security and deterrence.”