{"id":2156636,"date":"2024-01-23T08:10:03","date_gmt":"2024-01-23T13:10:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/mcconnell-hails-lankford-deal-with-democrats-the-most-substantial-border-security-policy-in-30-years\/"},"modified":"2024-01-23T08:15:59","modified_gmt":"2024-01-23T13:15:59","slug":"mcconnell-hails-lankford-deal-with-democrats-the-most-substantial-border-security-policy-in-30-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/mcconnell-hails-lankford-deal-with-democrats-the-most-substantial-border-security-policy-in-30-years\/","title":{"rendered":"McConnell praises Lankford&#8217;s bipartisan deal as &#8216;best border security policy in 30 years"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmcconnell-hails-lankford-deal-with-democrats-the-most-substantial-border-security-policy-in-30-years%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2156636&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>MCCONNELL: \u2018NOT A MOMENT TOO SOON\u2019<\/h2>\n<blockquote>\n<p>In \u200bremarks on \u200bthe \u2062Senate floor that alternated between praise for the border security\u200d deal being negotiated by \u200cSen. James Lankford (R-OK) and sharp condemnation of President Joe Biden\u2019s ineffective enforcement policies, Majority\u200c Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY)\u2063 signaled support\u200b for\u2062 the pending deal, which could also unlock \u2062vital aid\u200b for\u200d Ukraine.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>\u201cThis week, Sen. Lankford and several colleagues will continue their work to finalize \u200cthe most substantial border security policy in 30 years. This agreement would come not a moment too soon,\u201d\u200c McConnell said in a speech\u200b that blamed Biden\u2064 for promoting \u201copen borders\u201d at home and projecting \u200dweakness abroad.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re a global superpower with global responsibilities. \u2064\u2026 That\u2019s reality\u200c whether or not our commander\u200c in chief\u200c acknowledges \u200bit,\u201d McConnell said. \u201cAmerica\u2019s allies looked to us to lead by example, to deliver decisive capabilities to Ukraine, and to step up investments in upgrading our arsenal and \u200dexpanding our capacity \u200cto stock \u200dit.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>While faulting Biden for halfhearted \u200dhalf-measures that \u200dhave undermined American deterrence, McConnell nevertheless came around to supporting Biden\u2019s\u200b aid package for Ukraine and the compromise border deal being drafted in the Senate.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWill\u2063 we act to secure\u200c America\u2019s sovereign borders and help our friends fighting for theirs?\u201d McConnell said\u200b at the conclusion of \u2063his speech. \u2062\u201cVery soon, \u2063the responsibility to answer these questions will rest on the Senate, and\u200c we need to answer \u2063in the affirmative.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>SENATE BORDER NEGOTIATIONS \u2018WRAPPING UP\u2019 AS LEADERSHIP EYES UKRAINE VOTE<\/h3>\n<p>SCHUMER: \u2064\u2018NOT A DONE\u2063 DEAL YET\u2019<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Democrats seem willing to brush \u200boff McConnell\u2019s tongue-lashing so long as it results in an agreement that can\u200b break \u200bthe impasse that \u200dhas threatened\u200c to leave \u200cUkraine in the lurch.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>\u201cUkraine is already\u200b running low on armaments and munitions that were in large part provided by the United States. A mere month from \u2063now, the tide of the war could turn greatly in \u200dRussia\u2019s favor to the detriment of the West, in all probability,\u200b for many \u200byears to come,\u201d Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY)\u2062 said, also in remarks on the Senate floor. \u201cThe future of the war in \u2062Ukraine hangs in the balance. The security \u2064of Western democracy hangs in the balance. The \u2062safety of our friends in Israel, our partners in the \u200cIndo-Pacific, and more humanitarian\u200b aid for innocent civilians in Gaza all hang in the\u2063 balance.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe remain hopeful, \u2063but it\u2019s certainly not a done deal yet. There are a handful \u200bof issues \u2062that have not yet been agreed to,\u201d Schumer said. \u201cSo \u200bnegotiations are\u2062 not done yet. Nevertheless, Democrats \u200dremain serious about finishing \u2063the job.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>BIDEN HAS\u200d TOOLS TO SECURE THE BORDER BUT \u2018WON\u2019T USE THEM\u2019: MARCO RUBIO<\/h3>\n<p>A \u200dWAY AROUND \u200bJOHNSON:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>The biggest roadblock remains \u2063the \u2064House, where Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is effecting under orders from former, and possibly future,\u2063 President Donald Trump to\u200b reject any border deal that isn\u2019t \u201cperfect.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The Senate \u200bdeal would easily pass the House with Democratic votes, but Johnson can only bring it to the floor by putting his own job in peril while risking the\u200d ire of Trump \u2063and the hard-line Freedom Caucus.<\/p>\n<p>One possible workaround would be to bring the national security supplemental bill, or perhaps a \u200cUkraine funding\u2063 measure, to the\u2062 House floor for a vote by means of a \u200ddischarge petition, which would require a\u2063 simple majority vote.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA senior House Democratic\u2064 leadership source tells Fox there \u200care likely enough votes \u2014 \u2063if and when it \u200ccomes to that \u2014\u200c for approve a discharge petition to \u200cgo\u200d over \u2063the\u2063 head of House Speaker Mike\u200c Johnson (R-LA)\u200c and put a Ukraine-only plan on the floor,\u201d Chad Pergram, \u200csenior \u2063congressional correspondent for Fox News, posted\u200d on X. \u201cBut it\u2019s unclear how that would ever get 60 yeas in the\u200b Senate since GOPers are demanding linkage of the two issues.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>On Fox Business yesterday, former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy blamed the Freedom Caucus for the failure of the House to pass \u200cany significant legislation, \u2063aside from temporary budget extensions that maintain government spending at \u2063current levels.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey\u2019re the ones who have stopped \u200cthe Republicans\u2064 from being able to govern. So what they are doing is \u200cthey\u2019re\u2064 locking in the Democratic policies, they\u2019re actually spending more money now \u2063than if we\u2019d go to the debt ceiling numbers,\u201d McCarthy said. \u201cThat would mean government \u2064would spend less, we could put Republican policies in. But they continue to stymie this \u200bmajority \u200dto be able to do anything.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>HOUSE REPUBLICANS FEAR REELECTION CHANCES IN WAKE OF CHAOTIC TERM: \u2018WE HAVE NOTHING\u2019<\/h3>\n<p>Good Tuesday morning and welcome to Jamie\u200c McIntyre\u2019s Daily on Defense, written and\u200d compiled\u200b by Washington Examiner\u200d National Security Senior\u2063 Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre) and\u200c edited by Stacey Dec. Email here with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at\u200b DailyonDefense.com. If signing up doesn\u2019t work, shoot us an email and\u200b we\u2019ll add you to our list.\u200d And be sure to follow me\u200d on Threads and\/or on X @jamiejmcintyre.<\/p>\n<p>CLICK \u2062HERE TO SIGN UP OR \u2064READ BACK ISSUES OF DAILY ON DEFENSE<\/p>\n<h3>HAPPENING TODAY: Defense Secretary Lloyd\u200c Austin hosts the 18th meeting\u2064 of the 50-plus nation Ukraine Defense Contact Group this morning and will deliver opening remarks at 8 a.m. from his home in Fairfax County, Virginia, where he is convalescing \u2062after prostate surgery. For the first time, Austin will have nothing new to offer Ukraine because\u2064 Pentagon money has run out, and there is no telling when or if Congress will act.<\/h3>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s not just the United States that \u2063has been critical in providing security assistance to Ukraine. Our partners, our allies continue to do \u2062that despite the \u2062fact that we do not have a supplemental that\u2019s been passed by Congress,\u201d Sabrina Singh, the Pentagon\u2019s deputy press secretary, told reporters yesterday. \u201cSo it will be another opportunity to touch on, you know, certain milestones that need to be met but also to continue to coordinate on the fact that even though we aren\u2019t \u2062able to provide \u200csecurity assistance right now, our partners are continuing to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>MCCONNELL AND \u200dSCHUMER STAY UNITED ON SUPPLEMENTAL PUSH AMID BIPARTISAN\u2062 DEFECTIONS<\/h3>\n<h3>ALSO TODAY: POSSIBLE TURKEY VOTE \u200bON\u2064 SWEDEN:<\/h3>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Reports from various\u200c news organizations \u2063including the BBC and Reuters indicate the Turkish \u200dparliament\u2019s general assembly is poised to approve Sweden\u2019s membership in \u200bNATO after a long delay.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan succeeded \u2062in extracting concessions \u200dfrom Sweden to crack down on members of Turkish opposition groups Erdogan \u200bconsiders terrorists. Erdogan is \u2064also banking on getting U.S. F-16s in return\u200d for lifting his block on Sweden\u2019s membership bid.<\/p>\n<p>If Erdogan, \u200das expected, signs the final legislation, it will \u2063leave\u200c Hungary\u2064 as the last NATO nation needed to approve Sweden\u2019s accession to the\u200b 31-nation alliance.<\/p>\n<h3>MORE STRIKES IN YEMEN:<\/h3>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Last night, the Pentagon announced the \u200blatest round of strikes \u2064aimed at degrading and deterring the Houthi militia, which \u2064controls western Yemen, from its continuing attacks on \u200bcommercial shipping \u200cin the Red Sea.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>\u201cThe strikes were launched from air, surface, and subsurface platforms targeting eight locations consisting of Houthi missiles, unmanned aerial systems, \u200cand weapons storage areas,\u201d a senior military official told reporters on a Zoom call last night. \u201cWe conducted the strikes with Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles, or TLAMs, and manned aircraft from the United States Navy and \u2063the U.K. Armed Forces. Precision-guided munitions were\u2063 used to destroy the targets and \u200calso to minimize collateral damage.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The strikes\u2064 were conducted by U.S. and British aircraft and\u2064 ships, with \u2063support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands, and are separate from the multinational Operation Prosperity\u2063 Guardian.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSince Nov. 19, 2023, Houthi rebels have launched attacks\u2064 on at least 33 commercial vessels using a range of weaponry, including\u200d anti-ship ballistic missiles, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/us-launches-strikes-targeting-iranian-proxy-facilities-in-iraq-following-ballistic-missile-attack\/\" title=\"US launches strikes targeting Iranian proxy facilities in Iraq following ballistic missile attack\">close-range ballistic missiles<\/a>, land \u2063attack cruise missiles, \u200duncrewed aerial vehicles, and unmanned surface vehicles,\u201d a \u2062senior defense official who was\u2064 also on the call told reporters.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThese \u2064strikes, while necessary, do not indicate a shift in \u200bour approach to the region,\u201d the official \u2063said. \u2063\u201cWe stand ready to take further actions to neutralize threats or respond to attacks, ensuring the\u200c stability and security of the Red Sea region and international trade routes.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>US\u200c AND\u200c UK LAUNCH NEW ROUND OF STRIKES AGAINST HOUTHIS<\/h3>\n<h3>MORE ATTACKS IN IRAQ, SYRIA:<\/h3>\n<blockquote>\n<p>The Pentagon also said yesterday \u2062that there have been 151 attacks by Iranian-back proxy \u2063groups against U.S. forces in \u2062the Middle East since Oct. 19.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>While the attacks, which include the\u2064 targeting of U.S. bases with ballistic missiles, \u2062have not resulted \u200din any U.S. deaths, a number of American troops have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/39-soldiers-awarded-the-purple-heart-after-2020-missile-attack\/\" title=\"39 soldiers awarded the Purple Heart after 2020 missile attack\">suffered traumatic brain injuries<\/a> of varying degrees.<\/p>\n<p>The Pentagon is not releasing exact numbers, and yesterday Singh told reporters only two U.S. military members have received a diagnosis of TBI. \u201cThey have since returned to duty. That number, as you know, can \u200dalways grow, but \u2063right now, it\u2019s just the \u200ctwo.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But Carla Babb, Pentagon correspondent \u2064for Voice of America, \u2063posted on X that a U.S. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/navy-seizes-iranian-weapons-shipment-as-biden-administration-seeks-new-deal\/\" title=\"Navy Seizes Iranian Weapons Shipment as Biden Administration Seeks New Deal\">defense official told<\/a> her that since\u2062 mid-October, there have been at least 83 American injuries from Iranian-backed proxy attacks and that \u201call but two have returned to duty.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>US KEEPING ALASKA:<\/h3>\n<blockquote>\n<p>It appears a viral social media post claiming \u200cthat Russian President Vladimir Putin\u2062 signed an order declaring the 1867 sale of Alaska to the U.S. \u201cillegitimate\u201d was made up. Nevertheless, the \u200bState Department \u2064yesterday was asked to clear up the U.S. position on Alaska\u2019s status as \u2064the 49th\u200b state.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>\u201cPutin apparently today signed an order declaring a 1983 sale of Alaska \u200cto\u2064 the United States as\u2063 \u2018illegitimate,\u2019 quote\/unquote. Do you have any response \u200cto that?\u201d spokesman Vedant Patel was \u200basked.<\/p>\n<p>Patel seemed confused. \u201cSo let\u2063 me just understand \u200bthat. He signed something saying that sale of Alaska is\u200c illegitimate? Well, I think I can\u2062 speak for all of us\u2063 in the U.S. government to say that, \u2063certainly, he \u2062is not getting it back.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>THE RUNDOWN:<\/h3>\n<p>Washington Examiner: US and UK launch new round of strikes against Houthis<\/p>\n<p>Washington Examiner:\u200d Senate\u2064 border negotiations \u2018wrapping up\u2019 as leadership eyes Ukraine vote<\/p>\n<p>Washington Examiner: Biden has tools to secure the border but \u2018won\u2019t use them\u2019: Marco Rubio<\/p>\n<p>Washington Examiner: \u200bTester \u2062calls on Congress to find \u2062bipartisan solution to \u2018unacceptable\u2019 border crisis<\/p>\n<p>Washington Examiner: House \u2063Republican \u200btells Texas to ignore Supreme \u200bCourt ruling, as Biden is \u2018staging a civil war\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Washington Examiner: McConnell and Schumer \u2063stay united \u200bon supplemental \u2063push amid bipartisan defections<\/p>\n<p>Washington Examiner: House Republicans fear\u200d reelection chances in wake of chaotic term: \u2018We have nothing\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Washington Examiner: \u200bRepublicans losing lead over Democrats as infighting\u2063 saps majority\u2019s momentum<\/p>\n<p>Washington Examiner: California Senate hopefuls spar over Israel\u2019s war\u2064 in Gaza at first 2024 debate<\/p>\n<p>Washington Examiner: Trump proposes reviving Reagan-era \u2018Star Wars\u2019 missile defense program<\/p>\n<p>Washington Examiner: Navy identifies SEALs presumed dead in Houthi weapons interdiction<\/p>\n<p>AP: 21 soldiers are killed in the deadliest single attack on \u2062Israeli forces since the \u200bwar in Gaza began<\/p>\n<p>Military.com: The Military Recruiting Outlook Is Grim \u2064Indeed. Loss of\u200d Public Confidence, Political Attacks, and the Economy Are All Taking a Toll.<\/p>\n<p>Air &#038;\u200b Space Forces Magazine: With First Flight Achieved, Northrop Grumman Gets B-21 Production Contract<\/p>\n<p>Wall\u200d Street\u200b Journal: America\u2019s Nuclear Weapons Are Dangerously Out of Date<\/p>\n<p>Space News: Space Race\u200c 2024: A Critical Year Ahead \u2063for\u2064 US Space Force<\/p>\n<p>War on the Rocks: A Conversation with Gen. David Allvin, Chief \u200bof Staff of the Air Force<\/p>\n<p>Inside Defense: Initial Reports on New Integrated Air and Missile Defense for INDOPACOM Due Soon<\/p>\n<p>Air &#038; Space Forces Magazine: Two B-1 Bombers Deploy to Indo-Pacific, \u200bTrain with Singapore and Japan<\/p>\n<p>The War Zone: F-35 \u2063To Get Meteor, SPEAR 3 Missiles \u2018By End of\u200b Decade\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Defense News:\u2063 South Korean Official Touts Fledgling Drone\u2062 Command as Global Model<\/p>\n<p>Defense One: The Pentagon Is Already Testing Tomorrow\u2019s AI-Powered Swarm Drones, Ships<\/p>\n<p>DefenseScoop: OSD to Host Industry Confab in Search \u2064of High-Tech Solutions for\u2062 \u2018Unleashing Data\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Breaking Defense: NGA \u2063to Gather More Unclassified Economic, \u200dMilitary Intel from Commercial Sats<\/p>\n<p>Forbes: Opinion: Pentagon Makes It Official: U.S. Industrial Decline Is Undermining National Defense<\/p>\n<h3>THE CALENDAR:<\/h3>\n<p>TUESDAY | JANUARY 23<\/p>\n<p>8 a.m. \u2014 Virtual meeting of the Ukraine \u2062Defense Contact Group hosted by U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin https:\/\/www.defense.gov\/News\/Live-Events<\/p>\n<p>9 a.m. 1201 Pennsylvania Ave. NW \u2014 \u200dHudson Institute\u2062 discussion: \u201cA Look at Taiwan\u2019s Election Results,\u201d with Bonnie Glaser, \u2063managing\u2062 director of the Indo-Pacific Program, German Marshall\u200d Fund; \u2064Ryan Hass, \u200cchairman in Taiwan studies \u2064and director of the Brookings Institution\u2019s China Center; Russell Hsiao, executive director of the Global Taiwan Institute; and Riley \u200dWalters,\u2063 senior fellow, Hudson Institute https:\/\/www.hudson.org\/events\/look-taiwans-election-results<\/p>\n<p>9 a.m.\u2063 \u2014 Center for Strategic and International Studies its\u2064 virtual U.S.-Vietnam Conference with Andreyka Natalegawa,\u2062 associate fellow of the\u2062 CSIS\u2019s Southeast Asia Program; Harrison Pretat, deputy director and\u2064 fellow,\u200b CSIS Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative; Murray Hiebert, nonresident \u200bsenior associate, CSIS Southeast Asia Program; Gregory Poling, senior fellow and director,\u200d CSIS Southeast Asia\u200d Program and Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative; and Erin Murphy, senior fellow, CSIS Asia Program https:\/\/www.csis.org\/events\/us-vietnam-conference-2024<\/p>\n<p>9:30 a.m. 1030 15th St. NW \u2014 Atlantic Council discussion: \u2063\u201cHow\u200b Can Central Asia Help Break China\u2019s Rare Earth Dominance?\u201d with \u200cYerlan Galiyev, chairman of the\u200c board\u200d of the\u200c National Geological Survey of Kazakhstan; Wesley Hill, international manager\u2062 of the International\u200b Tax and Investment Center\u2019s Energy, Growth, and Security Program; and Wilder Alejandro Sanchez,\u200b president of Second Floor Strategies https:\/\/www.atlanticcouncil.org\/event<\/p>\n<p>9:30 a.m. G-50 Dirksen \u2014 Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the nominations of Melissa Dalton to be \u200dAir \u200dForce undersecretary, Douglas \u200cSchmidt to be director of operational test and evaluation at the\u200c Defense \u2064Department, and \u2062Aprille Ericsson to be assistant Defense secretary for science\u2062 and technology https:\/\/www.armed-services.senate.gov\/hearings<\/p>\n<p>11:30 a.m. \u2014 Washington Post Live virtual discussion: \u201cUkraine\u2019s Counteroffensive Against Russia, U.S. Aid, and Her Country\u2019s Future,\u201d with Oksana Markarova, Ukrainian ambassador to\u2064 the U.S. https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/washington-post-live<\/p>\n<p>1 p.m. 1211 Connecticut Ave.\u200c NW \u2014\u200b Henry L.\u2062 Stimson Center book discussion: China\u2019s Use of Armed Coercion: To Win Without Fighting, with author retired Navy Adm. James \u200cFoggo, dean of the Navy League of \u2063the U.S. \u2063Center for Maritime Strategy; Ketian Zhang, assistant professor at George Mason\u200b University; and Melanie Sisson, fellow, Brookings Institution Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology\u2063 https:\/\/www.stimson.org\/event\/chinas-use-of-armed-coercion<\/p>\n<p>1 p.m. \u2014 National Defense Industrial Association virtual launch of a \u200dreport: \u201cDirected Energy Weapon Supply \u200dChains:\u2063 Securing \u2063the Path to the Future,\u201d with Frank Peterkin, principal director for directed energy in\u200c the Office of the Defense Undersecretary for\u2063 Research and Engineering. RSVP: [email\u00a0protected]\n<p>3:30 p.m. 1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW \u2014 Wilson Center Kennan Institute discussion:\u2063 \u201cUkraine\u2019s Development and De-oligarchization Dilemma,\u201d with Mykhailo Minakov, senior adviser and \u2062editor-in-chief of the Focus Ukraine blog; and William Pomeranz, director of the Wilson Center Kennan Institute https:\/\/www.wilsoncenter.org\/event\/ukraines-development<\/p>\n<p>4 p.m. \u200d1957 E \u2064St. NW \u2014 George\u2064 Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs discussion: \u201cWhy Ukraine\u2019s\u2062 Civilians are Integral to the \u200cWar Effort: Understanding the Roles \u2063and Motivations of Wartime Civilian Actors,\u201d with Emma Mateo, postdoctoral research scholar in Ukrainian studies at Columbia University https:\/\/calendar.gwu.edu\/event\/why_ukraines_civilians_are_integral<\/p>\n<p>4 p.m. \u2014 Center\u200c for the National Interest virtual debate: \u201cShould Washington Talk to Moscow Now?\u201d with Anatol \u200bLieven, director, Eurasia\u2064 Program, Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft; Andrew Kuchins, senior fellow, Center for the National Interest; and Jacob Heilbrunn, the editor of\u2062 the National\u2064 Interest https:\/\/us02web.zoom.us\/webinar\/register<\/p>\n<p>8 p.m. \u2014 Carnegie Endowment for International Peace virtual discussion: \u201cChina and the Pacific Islands,\u201d with Denghua Zhang, research fellow, Australian \u200bNational University Department of Pacific Affairs; Darshana Baruah, director, CEIP Indian Ocean Initiative; and Satyendra Prasad, nonresident senior \u200cfellow, CEIP South Asia Program https:\/\/carnegieendowment.org\/2024\/01\/23\/carnegie-global-dialogue<\/p>\n<p>WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 24<\/p>\n<p>9:30 a.m. G-50 Dirksen \u2014 Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the nominations of Melissa Dalton to\u2062 be Air Force undersecretary; Douglas\u2062 Schmidt to be director of operational test and evaluation,\u2064 Defense Department; and\u200b Aprille Ericsson to\u200c be assistant Defense secretary for science and technology. https:\/\/www.armed-services.senate.gov\/hearings<\/p>\n<p>10 a.m. S-116, U.S. Capitol \u2014 Senate Foreign Relations Committee \u2063markup of\u2064 S.2003, to authorize the Secretary of State to\u200c provide additional assistance to Ukraine using \u200dassets confiscated from the Central Bank of the Russian Federation and other sovereign assets of the Russian Federation and to \u2062vote on the nominations of Kurt Campbell to be deputy secretary of State, Cardell Richardson Sr. to be inspector general of the State Department, Nicole Shampaine for the \u200drank of \u200dambassador \u2062during her tenure of service as U.S. representative to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, Sean Maloney \u200bto be representative of the\u2064 U.S.\u2064 to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Jeffrey \u200cPrescott to be U.S. representative to the United Nations Agencies for Food and\u200d Agriculture, Charlie Crist to be representative of the U.S. on the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization, Joann Lockard to be ambassador to Burkina Faso, and Robert Gioia to be a commissioner on the part of the U.S. on the International Joint Commission, U.S. and Canada http:\/\/foreign.senate.gov<\/p>\n<p>11 a.m. 1616\u200c Rhode Island Ave. NW \u2014 Center for Strategic and International Studies Aerospace \u2063Security Project and \u2062Defense Budget\u200c Analysis in-person and virtual discussion: \u201cAir Force Priorities in an Era of Strategic Competition,\u201d with Kristyn Jones, performing the duties of the undersecretary of the Air Force; Lt. Gen. Richard Moore, deputy chief of staff for plans and \u2063programs; Kari Bingen, director, CSIS Aerospace Security Project; and Seamus \u200dDaniels, fellow, Defense Budget Analysis \u2064https:\/\/www.csis.org\/events\/air-force-priorities-era-strategic-competition<\/p>\n<p>12 p.m. 208 Massachusetts Ave. NE \u2014 Heritage Foundation in-person and \u200bvirtual discussion: \u201cA Decade of Decline: The\u200b Need to\u200b Restore America\u2019s Military \u200cPower,\u201d \u200bwith Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS); retired Lt. Gen.\u2062 Keith Kellogg; \u200dnoted grand strategist Elbridge Colby, former deputy assistant secretary \u2062of defense for strategy and\u2063 force development; and former Green Beret\u2063 Joe Kent https:\/\/www.heritage.org\/defense\/event\/decade-decline<\/p>\n<p>1 p.m. \u2014 \u200dHudson Institute virtual discussion: \u201cSolving Operational Problems with Today\u2019s Technology: Launching the Apex Conference Series,\u201d with Aditi Kumar, deputy director for \u2062strategy, policy, and national security\u2062 partnerships, Defense Innovation Unit; Margaret \u2063Palmieri, deputy chief digital \u2062artificial intelligence officer, Department of Defense; Shyam Sankar, chief technology officer, Palantir; Scott Forney, president, General Atomics\u200b Electromagnetic Systems; Thomas Browning, assistant secretary of defense for mission capabilities; Jimmy Jones, STITCHES Warfighter Application \u2064team lead, U.S. Air Force; Sally de Swart, managing director, Clarion Defense and Security; \u200dBryan Clark, senior fellow and director, Center for Defense Concepts and Technology; and Vago Muradian, editor, Defense and Aerospace Report https:\/\/www.eventbrite.com\/e\/solving-operational-problems<\/p>\n<p>3 p.m. \u2014 Middle East Forum virtual discussion: \u201cIsrael Insider,\u201d\u200d with Alex Selsky, senior adviser, MEF Israel \u200dVictory Project, and lecturer \u200cat Hadassah \u2064Academic College https:\/\/us02web.zoom.us<\/p>\n<p>THURSDAY | JANUARY 25<\/p>\n<p>6:30 p.m. Grand Rapids, Michigan \u200b\u2014 Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum \u2063and Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation book discussion: UFO: The Inside Story\u2063 of the U.S. Government\u2019s\u200c Search for Alien Life Here \u2014 and Out There, with author Garrett Graff https:\/\/us06web.zoom.us\/webinar\/register<\/p>\n<p>FRIDAY | JANUARY\u200b 26<\/p>\n<p>12:30 p.m. \u2014 Arms\u2063 Control Association and Physicists Coalition \u200bfor Nuclear Threat Reduction virtual discussion: \u201cThe Sentinel ICBM\u2062 program: Risks, Costs, and Alternatives,\u201d with Sebastien\u200d Philippe, research scholar, Princeton University Program on Science and Global Security; Sharon Weiner, associate professor, American University School of International Service; \u200dFrank von Hippel, professor emeritus, Princeton Program on Science and Global Security; and Zia Mian,\u2062 physicist and co-director, Princeton University Program on Science and Global Security https:\/\/us02web.zoom.us\/webinar\/register<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What\u200b is the purpose \u2064of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee&#8217;s markup session\u200c on the\u200c bill \u2062regarding \u2062additional assistance to Ukraine<\/h2>\n<p><span>  MCCONNELL: \u2018NOT\u200d A MOMENT TOO SOON\u2019<\/p>\n<p>In a recent speech on the Senate floor, Majority \u2063Leader Mitch\u2062 McConnell expressed his support \u200cfor the border security \u2062deal being negotiated by Sen. James Lankford and condemned President \u2062Joe Biden&#8217;s ineffective enforcement policies. McConnell \u200demphasized the need\u200c for a\u2062 substantial \u2063border security \u200cpolicy, stating that it comes &#8220;not a \u200bmoment too soon.&#8221;\u2063 He criticized\u200d Biden for promoting open borders and projecting\u200c weakness abroad.<\/p>\n<p>McConnell emphasized the global\u2063 responsibilities of \u2063the United \u2064States as a global superpower. He highlighted the importance\u2064 of leading\u2063 by example, providing \u200bdecisive capabilities to Ukraine,\u2062 and investing in upgrading the military arsenal. Despite his criticism\u2062 of \u200bBiden&#8217;s policies, McConnell pledged\u200d his support for the aid package for Ukraine and\u2062 the compromise border \u2062deal being drafted in the Senate.<\/p>\n<p>On the\u2062 Democratic \u2062side, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer\u2063 recognized the \u200ddire situation in Ukraine and the potential ramifications\u200d for Western democracy and\u200b international security. He expressed hope for a \u2062resolution but acknowledged that the deal is not yet \u200cfinalized and that \u2064there\u200b are still issues to be addressed. Nevertheless, Schumer reiterated the Democrats&#8217; \u2062commitment to finding \u200ba solution and finishing the job.<\/p>\n<p>However, the \u200bbiggest obstacle\u200d to the border \u200bdeal\u2064 lies in the House, where Speaker Mike Johnson is \u200dunder \u200cpressure from former President \u2063Donald \u2064Trump to reject\u2062 any deal that isn&#8217;t deemed &#8220;perfect.&#8221;\u2062 While the Senate deal could easily \u200dpass with \u200cDemocratic votes, Johnson&#8217;s resistance could prevent\u200c it\u200b from reaching \u2062the House floor. A possible workaround could involve bringing a\u2063 national security supplemental bill or a \u2063Ukraine\u200d funding \u2063measure to the\u200d House floor through a discharge\u2063 petition.<\/p>\n<p>Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy\u200b blamed the Freedom Caucus for hindering the passage of significant legislation in the \u2062House. He accused them of blocking Republican policies and preventing the majority from governing effectively. McCarthy voiced \u200cconcerns over the Republicans&#8217; declining lead over Democrats and the negative impact it \u200ccould \u200dhave on their chances of reelection.<\/p>\n<p>In other \u2062news, Defense Secretary \u2063Lloyd Austin hosted a virtual meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact \u200bGroup, highlighting the urgent\u200d need for security assistance to Ukraine. However,\u200d due to the\u200c lack of a passed\u2062 supplemental \u2064bill, the Pentagon&#8217;s ability to provide assistance is currently limited. The potential\u2064 approval of Sweden&#8217;s membership \u200cin NATO by the Turkish parliament and\u200d ongoing strikes\u200c against\u200c the Houthi militia in Yemen and\u2062 Iranian-backed proxy\u200c groups \u200cin \u200cIraq and Syria were also reported.<\/p>\n<p>As the situation continues to unfold, McConnell and Schumer\u2063 remain united in\u200b their push for the\u200b supplemental bill, despite \u200dbipartisan defections. \u200cThe articles also included \u2064discussions\u200d on \u200cvarious\u200c defense-related topics, including missile\u2064 defense programs, military recruiting outlook,\u200c and recent developments in the \u200dAsia-Pacific region.<\/p>\n<p>The Senate Foreign\u200b Relations Committee is\u2064 scheduled to hold a\u2062 markup session on\u2062 a bill that \u2063would authorize additional assistance to \u2064Ukraine using\u2063 assets confiscated\u2062 from the Russian Federation. The committee will also vote on \u2063several nominations, including Kurt Campbell for deputy secretary of State.<\/p>\n<p>Throughout these developments, the need for bipartisan cooperation and effective governance remains crucial to address \u200dthe\u200c pressing issues at hand. The fate of the pending border\u200c deal, aid package for Ukraine, and other defense-related \u2064matters will be determined in the coming\u200d weeks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>McConnell hails border security deal by Lankford, criticizes Biden&#8217;s policies. Supports pending agreement, potentially unlocking crucial aid<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2639,"featured_media":2156637,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2156636","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2156636","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2639"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2156636"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2156636\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2156637"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2156636"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2156636"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2156636"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}