US ‘doesn’t have $95 billion’ to fund foreign aid bill: Sen. Ron Johnson

(NewsNation) — In a bipartisan move, the Senate greenlit a $95 billion foreign aid bill, despite vocal opposition from some lawmakers who warned of the dangers of overspending.

Passage of this bill marks an important milestone in the ongoing debate over fiscal responsibility and foreign policy priorities. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), who voted against the bill, didn’t mince words in expressing his concerns in an interview on NewsNation’s “On Balance.”

“First of all, we don’t have that $95 billion. Don’t have it,” Johnson stressed, arguing that spending should be redirected to pressing national concerns such as border security. “It’s a bad idea to spend money you don’t have. It’s dangerous to waste money you don’t have.”

The $95 billion price tag attached to the bill has drawn intense scrutiny, with lawmakers and analysts alike struggling to understand the scale of such a large allocation.

But supporters of the bill argue that foreign aid is essential to promoting stability and advancing U.S. interests abroad. They point to the geopolitical implications of withholding aid from key allies and stress the importance of honoring international commitments.

Despite Senate approval, the fate of the bill, which heads to the House for further consideration, remains uncertain.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) criticized the package in a statement, saying it lacks border security provisions and is “silent on the most pressing issues facing our country.” This was the latest and potentially most significant sign of conservative opposition to aid for Ukraine. Conservatives have been pushing for border security to be included in the policy for months, but as recently as last week they rejected a bipartisan proposal aimed at curbing the number of people entering the country illegally. At the US-Mexico border.

“The House of Commons has been pretty straightforward. They’re not going to take up this support bill,” Johnson said, reflecting on the uphill battle the bill faces in the House of Commons.

While acknowledging the challenges posed by the current political climate, Johnson criticized the handling of the negotiations, particularly the role of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell in putting together a “terrible” deal. “It was worse than doing nothing,” Johnson said.