U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) is advocating for a negotiated end to the current hostilities between Russia and Ukraine as additional Ukrainian funding lies at the heart of a congressional debate that could force a government shutdown.
The U.S. Senate and House must pass 12 spending bills by the end of the week or force a government shutdown, but several House Republicans have refused to approve any bills with more funding for Ukraine attached.
The Senate passed all 12 spending packages through committee as of Wednesday night. It also advanced a continuing resolution funding the government through November 17. The resolution contains $6 billion in Ukraine funding, assuring dissent and gridlock in the House of Representatives.
Tubervills has said he does not support a government shutdown over the spending packages. He also said he does not support perpetual funding for Ukraine and desires a negotiated end to the war.
"We want [Ukraine] to have success and be able to defend themselves, but somebody has got to come to a realization that we've got to negotiate our way out of this thing," Tuberville said on Wednesday.
He continued, "We have no plan, no game plan of getting this war over. All this is is we're spending money to think that, 'Hey, we're going to bankrupt Russia.' Folks, that's not happening. I mean, we found out very quickly that Russia can hold their own, they can continue to make armaments, and they can continue to fight as long as they want. If we continue to do this and send money to Ukraine, as I said earlier, over 250, 60, 70 million dollars a day. The American taxpayers are funding not just their war, but their country, their border, their farmers, their first responders, and we can't fund what we have here. It is just absolutely amazing to me that the people up here can't see the forest for the trees."
Tuberville also pointed out that the $6 billion in funding for Ukraine is a drop in the bucket considering the billions given already.
"They passed that supplemental last night that was $6 billion more for Ukraine," Tuberville concluded. "And, by the way, they'll be broke in a few weeks even with that money we're sending. We've got NATO; they're supposed to be spending all this money, as we're really one of the few countries in NATO that's actually paying the bills here. So, I want to get this war over with. I want to start saving lives over there and get this war over with. And quit having this dream world that Putin's going to continue on and conquer the world. That's not going to happen, and we're using that as an excuse."
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email craig.monger@1819news.com.
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