President Biden on Wednesday said the southern border needs to be addressed as record numbers of migrants continue to overwhelm authorities while criticizing House Republicans over their impeachment inquiry into the business dealings of his son, Hunter Biden.
In a statement released by the White House, Biden responded to the Republican-led House formally approving the impeachment inquiry.
“The American people need their leaders in Congress to take action on important priorities for the nation and world,” the president said, before saying Congress should do more on a host of issues, including on Ukraine, Israel, the border, and the economy.
On the border specifically, Biden said, “We have to address the situation at our southern border, and I am determined to try to fix the problem. We need funding to strengthen border security, but Republicans in Congress won’t act to help.”
Republicans have long called for increased border measures, arguing the record number of migrants poses a security threat as border authorities cannot properly screen them.
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Last week, a 49-51 Senate vote to issue billions of dollars in military and security aid to Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific fell short because Republicans wanted the president to focus on the border. Biden has asked Congress for nearly $106 billion to fund the wars in Ukraine and Israel and other security needs.
On Wednesday, Biden noted that he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy this week.
“He came to America to ask us for help. Yet Republicans in Congress won’t act to help,” he said.
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Biden has signaled his willingness to make some compromises at the border, but has not said what policies he would embrace. He’s accused Republicans of wanting a political issue ahead of the 2024 presidential election more than bipartisan compromise.
“Republicans think they get everything they want without any bipartisan compromise,” Biden said last week. “Now they’re willing to literally kneecap Ukraine on the battlefield and damage our national security in the process.”
The president also accused the GOP of attacking his family amid a probe into his son. Hunter Biden on Wednesday defied a subpoena and refused to testify in front of House lawmakers about his business activities.
He has maintained that his father was not involved in those deals.
“They belittled my recovery, and they have tried to dehumanize me, all to embarrass my father, who has devoted his entire life to public service,” the younger Biden said at a news conference on Capitol Hill. “For six years I have been a target of the unrelenting Trump attack team. ‘Where’s Hunter?’ Well, here’s my answer. I am here.”
President Biden said Republicans were “choosing to waste time on this baseless political stunt that even Republicans in Congress admit is not supported by facts.”
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