Biden Open To Meeting With Speaker Johnson
President Joe Biden expressed his willingness to meet with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) on Monday regarding a foreign aid package that is currently being considered by Congress.
The approximately $95 billion bill, which would provide funds for countries such as Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, as well as humanitarian aid, was passed by the Senate last week. However, its prospects in the House are uncertain.
In response to a question about a potential meeting with Johnson, Biden stated that he would be open to the idea if the House Speaker had anything to discuss. He made the comment as he returned to the White House after a weekend trip to Delaware.
Biden’s statement was met with a positive response from Raj Shah, a spokesman for Johnson. Shah stated that the House Speaker welcomes Biden’s change of heart and looks forward to scheduling a meeting to discuss the best way to secure the nation. He also noted that Johnson is waiting for the White House to communicate a convenient time for the meeting.
We welcome the President’s reversal and openness to meeting with Speaker Johnson about the best path forward for securing the nation. It’s long overdue.
We look forward to hearing from the WH when he’ll be available for a 1-on-1 meeting that the Speaker has requested for weeks. https://t.co/ko4dHSNUG5
— Raj Shah (@RajShahDC) February 19, 2024
When the Senate bill was passed, Johnson was critical of the lack of changes to border security policies. He noted that the original version of the legislation had included an immigration deal, but it was removed after a group of Republican and Democrat Senators blocked the larger bill from advancing. Johnson stated that without any changes to border security policies, the House would have to come up with its own solutions.
Following Biden’s statement, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) said that a meeting between the President and the House Speaker could lead to a resolution that would allow some form of the legislation to pass. He stated that Biden and Johnson could come to an agreement that could become law, which would benefit both the nation and the President. Scalise also criticized Biden for refusing to meet with Johnson, accusing the President of not being serious about issues such as Ukraine and border security.
On Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked about the potential meeting between Biden and Johnson. She responded by saying that the President had previously declined several requests for a one-on-one meeting with the House Speaker. Jean-Pierre also questioned the need for a meeting, stating that the President had been presented with exactly what he had asked for, and there was no need for negotiations.
During his trip to Europe, Biden rejected a reporter’s suggestion that the recent death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny could be attributed to the Republicans in the House. He stated that he would not use such strong language, but noted that the House was making a mistake by not responding to key issues.
The potential meeting between Biden and Johnson is significant, as it could pave the way for the passage of the foreign aid package in the House. Johnson’s criticism of the Senate bill highlights the divide between Republicans and Democrats on immigration and border security policies, two key issues for the current administration. The meeting would also bring together two important players in the nation’s political landscape and could lead to a resolution that benefits the country and strengthens its relationships with other nations.