McConnell backs border concessions for Ukraine aid, uniting with Johnson

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has backed House Speaker Mike Johnson's bid to secure border concessions in exchange for approving a $106 billion funding request to provide aid to Ukraine.

McConnell, who has long supported funding Kyiv's war effort, urged Republicans to oppose a procedural measure this week to advance the measure, saying "I'm advocating, and I hope all of our members vote no on the motion to proceed to the shell, to make the point – hopefully for the final time – that we insist on meaningful changes to the border," according to Fox News.

"We've had a number of members who have been involved in it over the years without much success," he continued. "Now is the time to pay attention to our own border in addition to these other important international concerns."

Johnson last month expressed confidence that aid to both Israel and Ukraine would ultimately pass the House, but has advocated advancing the legislation separately and to pair Ukraine aid with border reforms.

"What we’ve said is that if there is to be additional assistance to Ukraine — which most members of Congress believe is important — we have to also work on changing our own border policy," he said at the time.

Office of Management and Budget director Shalanda Young on Monday wrote to Congress, urging it to approve the requested aid as the Pentagon has already used roughly 97% of previously allocated resources to aid Kyiv.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter.