In a fiery House floor speech, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene harshly criticized the Ukraine aid bill as prioritizing “America Last.”
She proposed reducing the aid amount to zero, arguing the U.S. has already sent over $113 billion to Ukraine with lack of accounting.
“My amendment today would… take each dollar amount in this act is hereby reduced to zero. You see, the United States taxpayer has already sent 113 billion dollars to Ukraine, and a lot of that money is unaccounted for,” Greene said.
BREAKING.🚨@RepMTG Submits Amazing Proposal for Ukraine Aid Bill to Stop America's 'Sick Business Model'
"America Last. America Last. That's all this is. Every single day, America Last."
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) delivered a blistering statement on the House's… pic.twitter.com/sWcbOKyDSL
— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) April 20, 2024
Greene asserted this continues the “sick business model” of the military-industrial complex that requires endless war funding.
“This is a continuance of a sick business model… The federal government continues to fund the military industrial complex. And this was a business model that requires Congress to continue to vote for money to continue to fund foreign wars,” Greene said.
“And this is a business model the American people do not support. They don’t support a business model built on blood and murder and war in foreign countries. While this very government does nothing to secure our border,” she said.
In contrast, she noted the U.S. is over $34 trillion in debt and inflation is hurting Americans while the border remains unsecured.
“The American people are over $34 trillion in debt. And the debt is rising by over $40 billion every single night while we all sleep. But yet nothing is done to secure our border or reduce our debt.”
Polls show Americans do not support sending more aid.
Greene condemned members for being unwilling to protect U.S. citizens but demanding protection of Ukraine, which is not a NATO member.
“Inflation has driven out of control. Americans are suffering every single day. They can hardly afford their grocery bills. They can hardly afford gas in their car. They can hardly afford rent. And now mortgage payments are well over $3,000, where they were only just over $1,700 three years ago,” Greene added.
“The youngest generation, young adults don’t even think they’re going to be able to buy a home in their lifetime. And today in Congress, the most important thing that this body thinks should be done is to send another 61 billion dollars to a war in Ukraine that the American people by 70% do NOT support.”
“Mind you, this comes on the very heels of Monday being April 15th, tax day, where every single American had to scrounge up their money and send their dollars in to the IRS, or some of them had to file extensions because they weren’t ready and didn’t have the money to pay their taxes,” she said.
“But today, this body says the most important thing we can do, no, is not reduce spending. That’s not it. Not to do anything to drive down inflation. Oh no, we can’t do that for the American people. It’s not to secure our own border that is invaded every single day. Every single day by people from over 160 different countries. No, don’t secure the American border. Let everyone in. We have over 1.8 million known gotaways. We don’t know who these people are.”
“And yet you have members of this body talking big and tough about, ‘oh, we have to defeat Russia. Oh, we have to protect Ukraine.’ But yet all of you are unwilling to protect the American citizens that pay your paycheck, pay the light bills in this building, and pay for this entire federal government.”
“For what? For nothing. Ukraine is not even a member of NATO. Ukraine is not a member of NATO. But the most important thing you hear in Washington DC is, ‘oh, we have to spend Americans hard-earned tax dollars over to Ukraine and keep the money going to continue to murder Ukrainians, wipe out an entire generation of Ukrainian men, so that there are widows, there are fatherless orphans, there are not enough men to work in their industries. Oh, but you really support Ukraine? Wow. What kind of support is that? It’s repulsive,” Greene said.
“Shame on the American government. Shame on the American government. If we support our military, support our military, we should be funding to build up our weapons and ammunition not to send it over to foreign countries to kill foreign peoples.”
“And if this body was worth what it claims to be what it is, every single one of us would be demanding peace in Ukraine between these countries. Peace for these people, so that no more of them have to die.”
“But you never hear anybody demanding peace. No, no, no, no. Peace is the last thing Washington wants because it doesn’t fit the business model. This is a business model that they say continues our economy, protects American jobs. What a disgusting business model.”
She forcefully declared the government should serve American interests by building up domestic companies, jobs and national security rather than spending tax dollars on foreign wars.
In Greene’s view, the priorities in Washington amount to putting “America Last” every day.
“We should have a business model that builds up our American companies and American jobs to serve American interest. And our military and our government should care about protecting the national security of the United States of America and the Americans that pay their hard earned tax dollars to fund all of this.”
“America Last. America Last. That’s all this is. Every single day, America Last.”
