Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) raged at Republicans lawmakers on the House floor for opposing an aid package to Ukraine before Saturday’s vote.
The House passed a $61 billion aid bill for Ukraine amid the country’s current war with Russia. Lawmakers also passed other bills providing assistance to Taiwan and other U.S. allies.
Hardline conservative lawmakers opposed the bipartisan legislation by arguing the money should have gone towards security at the U.S. southern border. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) worked with Democratic lawmakers to bring the aid bills to the floor and ensured it’s passage.
Connolly responded to those complaints by noting that the “the Ukrainian-Russian border is our border” and is vital to U.S. national security.
“Some say, well, we have to deal with our border first,” the Virginia lawmaker said during his speech. “The Ukrainian-Russian border is our border! It’s the border between depraved autocracy and freedom loving people seeking our democratic way of life! Do we have a stake in that outcome? Yes. Undeniably, yes.”
Republican lawmakers have refused to work with the White House and Congressional Democrats in the past over differences regarding immigration policy and border security.
Watch the clip above.
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