Brooklyn, NY — Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries released the following statement upon the Senate’s passage of the critical national security package:

Congratulations to Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and members of the Senate on swift passage of bipartisan legislation important to America’s national security interests. Led by Chuck Schumer, highly consequential legislation that supports democracy and freedom throughout the world and provides humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza and other theaters of conflict is on its way from the Senate to President Biden’s desk. 

The House Republican majority irresponsibly delayed critical security assistance to our democratic allies in Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific for months, until a bipartisan coalition led by President Joe Biden ultimately prevailed. It was an epic struggle to get to this point.  

At every step of the journey, House Democrats provided the votes necessary – procedurally and substantially – to secure military and economic aid for Ukraine, repeatedly breaking with congressional customs and traditions. In the end, House Democrats concluded to a person that standing up for democracy and American leadership of the free world was far more important than letting the GOP civil war crash and burn the legislative process. House Democrats were determined to break the extreme MAGA Republican wing in our chamber, so that pro-Putin Republicans could not break democracy in the free world. 

Mission accomplished.