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Marco Rubio Decries ‘Legislative Blackmail’ in Voting Against $95B Foreign Aid Package

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) on the Senate ground Tuesday decried the $95 billion international assist bundle, calling it “legislative blackmail” to get Republicans to drop their demand for border safety.

The Senate is ready to approve the $95 billion international assist bundle; Republicans equivalent to Rubio oppose the bundle as a result of they imagine that any extra assist have to be coupled with laws to fight the migrant disaster on the southern border.

Rubio was one of many 19 senators to oppose the movement to invoke cloture on the international assist bundle.

The Florida senator stated on the Senate ground that Congress should prioritize the problems going through America first earlier than tackling different points.

He stated, “I have senior citizens, I have veterans, and they call my office and they say, ‘I have nowhere to live, housing is too expensive’ … And the most we can often do is help get them on a waiting list for section eight housing. This is a problem that exists in America right now.”

Rubio added, “But if I want to help Israel, if I want to help Taiwan, if I want to help Ukraine, if I want to ban TikTok, I have to vote for spending billions of dollars to give to charity groups so they can fly people around the country here and put them up in hotel rooms, or so they can help resettlement in another country?”

Rubio in contrast this invoice to “legislative blackmail,” saying lawmakers ought to quit their calls for for border safety in alternate for passing international assist.

He stated:

But this invoice isn’t that. This invoice isn’t a compromise. This invoice is principally saying that if I don’t conform to drop my calls for that the president safe our border, if I don’t conform to spend billions of taxpayer {dollars} all around the world to resettle folks right here and in different locations in the midst of our personal migratory disaster, if I don’t conform to all of that, then Israel and Taiwan and Ukraine don’t get the assistance they want—and that I support—and that TikTok doesn’t get banned. This isn’t a compromise. This is legislative blackmail, and I cannot vote for blackmail. [Emphasis added]

This isn’t compromise. This is legislative blackmail. And I cannot vote for blackmail. pic.twitter.com/atNSFeWxR1

— Senator Marco Rubio (@SenMarcoRubio) April 23, 2024

Rubio represents the dwindling variety of Republicans which are against congressional management’s international assist technique.

In February, 29 senators opposed the international assist bundle; now, solely 19 senators oppose the laws.

Conservative leaders equivalent to Rachel Bovard have famous the importance of Rubio opposing the international assist bundle.

She wrote:

Marco Rubio, rating member of the Senate Intel Committee is on the Senate ground explaining his no vote on the UKR supplemental. Even although he helps assist to Ukraine, Israel, and TikTok divestment, “this bill is not compromise, this is legislative blackmail. And I will not vote for blackmail” — as a result of it additionally accommodates large migrant resettlement language and no border safety.

Marco Rubio, rating member of the Senate Intel Committee is on the Senate ground explaining his no vote on the UKR supplemental. Even although he helps assist to Ukraine, Israel, and TikTok divestment, “this invoice isn’t compromise, that is legislative blackmail. And I cannot vote…

— Rachel Bovard (@rachelbovard) April 23, 2024