In a recent statement, Representative Chip Roy of Texas expressed his admiration for former president Trump and criticized what he perceived as unlawful actions by a radical district attorney in New York.
Roy emphasized the importance of the former president’s statement amidst the ongoing legal proceedings, suggesting that the situation was a sham and a violation of norms by stretching federal crimes into state crimes.
Roy highlighted the issue of aid to Ukraine, pointing out that while $113 billion had been appropriated for Ukraine, only a fraction of that amount – around $44 to $47 billion – was allocated for lethal aid.
He questioned the purpose of the remaining $66 to $69 billion and suggested that if those funds had been used more responsibly, Ukraine might have had the resources necessary to procure essential supplies for their defense efforts.
Here is his statement:
Today, I voted “no” on H.R. 8038, H.R. 8036, H.R. 8035, and H.R. 8034 and the rule providing for their consideration. These bills were brought forward under a contrived process to achieve a pre-determined outcome — a $100 billion, unpaid-for foreign aid package while failing to secure the southern border.
For months, House Republicans — specifically, Speaker Mike Johnson — have been unequivocal that we would not send billions in additional aid to Ukraine without securing our own border first. This package represents a complete reversal of a position that previously unified the Republican conference, despite the clear and present danger the southern border represents to U.S. national security.
Instead, House Republicans held a show-vote on H.R. 3602, a version of H.R. 2 that stripped E-Verify and added $9.5 billion in funding to support border states like Texas. While I voted for this bill, it was designed to fail under suspension of the rules as a “cover” vote because House Republicans chose not to attach it to the foreign aid package that passed the House today – and in so doing, gave cover votes to Democrats who have been blocking actual border security.
Further, despite assertions of an “open” process, the foreign aid bills were brought forward with anything but. While individual votes were held on assistance for Ukraine, Israel, and the Indo-Pacific, and a package that included a bill forcing the CCP to divest from TikTok (among other items), the rule providing for their consideration packaged the bills together as an amendment to the Senate-passed foreign aid bill. Worse still, a mere seven amendments received consideration on these bills, despite over 300 having been filed, and not a single amendment to secure the border was made in order.
As a matter of policy and principle, I strongly support providing aid to our friend and ally Israel to support them generally, and particularly in the wake of Hamas’ barbaric terror attack and Iran’s recent strike. I was proud to pass Israel funding in November, fully paid for – and was prepared to advance an Israel-only bill now to stand with Israel. However, the Israel aid package was paired to gain Democrat support with over $9 billion in humanitarian aid to Gaza and other areas, which will certainly and inevitably find its way into the hands of Hamas — effectively funding both sides of the war and undermining Israel. Therefore, I was unfortunately forced to vote no on this measure, a position only reinforced when AIPAC scored the “rule” vote to proceed to the total package, despite the aforementioned aid to Hamas and the lack of border protection for America in the package.
With respect to Ukraine, I support its effort to defeat Putin but cannot support sending $60 billion in additional unpaid-for funding, much of which fails to go to lethal aid, without both a clear mission and the policy changes necessary to force the securing of our own border. The Biden administration has still failed to outline a clear mission for U.S. involvement in Ukraine, despite having sent the country $113 billion previously, from which only $47 billion went to lethal aid, and another supplemental funding request is all but inevitable.
The congressman emphasized the need for responsible allocation of resources and expressed support for securing the border. He echoed sentiments made by President Trump and Donald Trump Jr., criticizing what he saw as a failure by Speaker Pelosi to act responsibly.
Roy also raised concerns about potential financial fraud in relation to US funding, drawing parallels to alleged fraud in Biden’s COVID assistance program.
Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX): God bless the former president. He’s sitting there between like jury pools getting selected there in New York before this radical DA which is completely unlawful, a complete violation of norms stretching a federal crime into a state crime. It’s all a sham we all get all that. And the president, to take the time, breaking between all of that nonsense to make this statement is really important. He believes, as I do, that sure there’s a world in which you could figure out making sure there’s appropriate lethal aid, if they’re actually lethal aid.
But I want everybody out there in the audience to remember, the $113 billion. I want to repeat, the $113 billion that’s already been appropriated for Ukraine – Only $44 to $47 billion of that, two different reports I’ve seen, is lethal aid. So what was the other $66 to $69 billion dollars for? If they had held that back and used it responsibly, then maybe they’d still have money to come over and try to buy the stuff they need. I don’t want to get into the details in terms of classified stuff, but the stuff that they need to continue to fight.
So that’s what they did. And so now we’re trying to be responsible. We want to secure the border… So the President (Trump) is exactly right. Don Jr is exactly right. This is a complete capitulation by the speaker. It’s completely irresponsible.
There have been no audits conducted on the US funding, raising concerns about potential financial fraud on a historic scale.
