WASHINGTON—Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts released the following statement Monday ahead of the Senate’s vote on a $40 billion Ukraine supplemental: 

“The federal government has a moral and constitutional responsibility to put Americans and our interests first, both here at home and on the world stage. However, as with so many other major pieces of spending legislation in recent memory, Congress and the Biden administration are failing on both fronts.  

 

“America has clear national security and economic interests in a Europe that is stable and secure. Providing military resources to the people of Ukraine in their fight against Russia’s brutal invasion is a worthy cause that also advances those interests. However, this package is being used by the usual suspects to spend far more than is necessary or justified. None of it is paid for with offsetting cuts in this year’s $5.5 trillion budget. And there is not nearly enough accountability for how these hard-earned taxpayer dollars will be spent.   

 

“Heritage will not rubberstamp the Swamp’s attempt to use the latest crisis of the moment, especially when it will push our country further into debt, drive up inflation, and reward special interests and even foreign bureaucrats with our citizens’ money. The United States has no business funding other government workers’ salaries and pensions, yet this bill allocates nearly $10 billion for that very purpose—that’s how broken this process is.  

 

“We do not need to choose between governing responsibly and advancing American interests on the world stage, no matter how much manipulative rhetoric is coming from Capitol Hill trying to convince us otherwise.”