DEAR COLLEAGUE ON ADDRESSING OUR NATIONAL SECURITY INTERESTS

Letter

Dear Colleague:

I write to update you on our continuing efforts to address America's national security challenges in an increasingly dangerous global environment.

In the context of divided government, we must work across the aisle to find commonsense and decisive solutions to the pressing needs we face here at home and throughout the world. Over the last several weeks, the Senate has been working feverishly on bipartisan legislation to ensure Israel can decisively defeat Hamas, surge humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians in Gaza, support Ukraine against Russian aggression, tackle the challenges at our Southern border and strengthen our democratic allies in the Indo-Pacific region. It is possible that legislative text will be released by the Senate and made available for us to review in the next twenty-four to thirty-six hours. Upon release of the Senate bill, we will be in a better position to evaluate the bipartisan proposal and discuss it as a Democratic Caucus.

At the same time, House Republicans have released legislation that provides critical aid to Israel but irresponsibly fails to address the other national security issues that are important to the American people, as set forth above. There is reason to believe that this eleventh-hour standalone bill is a cynical attempt to undermine the Senate's bipartisan effort, given that House Republicans have been ordered by the former president not to pass any border security legislation or assistance for Ukraine.

Clearly, the most responsible legislative approach with respect to our national security needs is a comprehensive one. That said, I look forward to a robust discussion upon our return to Washington over the next few days about the best path forward with respect to the standalone Republican bill, America's broad national security interests as well as support for our democratic allies in the Middle East, Eastern Europe and throughout the world.

Thank you for your continued leadership.

Sincerely,

Hakeem Jeffries

Source