The ongoing resolution battle among House Republicans spurred a heated discussion between Fox News's Maria Bartiromo and Representative Matt Gaetz (R-FL). More recently, Representative Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) spoke with Bartiromo, where he said the resolution is "a really good compromise."
Rep. Gimenez previously stated that most House Republicans supported the resolution introduced by Representative Byron Donalds (R-FL). However, he clarified that it is not a continuing resolution that would keep funding Democrat-led policies. Instead, it is a "funding resolution" that would cut 8% of discretionary spending and force the Biden Administration to secure the southern border.
"I think that is a really good compromise, I think it gives us the 45 days we need to finish all of the appropriations bills, And so we have got to get those five or six Republicans to change their minds. If not, you are kind of forcing those moderate Republicans to start working with the Democrats. I think that is the last thing we want to say," said Rep. Gimenez. Bartiromo had similarly said Rep. Gaetz was "enabling" the Democrats by refusing to budge.
Additionally, Gimenez said a top-line number for spending has already been reached, the goal of which is to reduce the size of government. Moreover, Speaker Kevin McCarthy has committed to getting the appropriations bills on the House floor.
Bartiromo pointed out that the hardliners claim more money is spent on Ukraine than our own border, which Gimenez called a "red herring."
"Actually," Gimenez continued, "the problem at the southern border is not money. It is policy. And we have had all the money in the world. I mean, we were under a Democrat budget for God's sake for the last year, and we have still had millions of migrants flowing through during the Biden Administration. So that is a red herring. That is the policies that the Biden Administration has implemented, the policies that they took away. The Trump-era policies they took away are the direct cause of the problems at the border. It is not the money."
Regarding Ukraine, Bartiromo played a portion of her discussion with Representative Jim Jordan (R-OH), who stated funding should not go to Ukraine unless there is a clear goal.
Gimenez agreed, saying the only money going to Ukraine in the Department of Defense (DOD) appropriation bill is the same money that has been going there since 2016 to help train their military.
More to the point, to completely "cut and run" would damage the United States' credibility as a security partner, especially at a time when China is threatening Taiwan.
"What will China look into us cutting and running from Ukraine right now? Especially just training the Ukrainian soldiers? What does that do to our credibility to our security partners around the world that are relying on the United States to keep them safe and also try to keep China at bay? So it is not just about Ukraine. It is about security around the world. And frankly, security here in the United States," Gimenez concluded.
