Congress has really been working hard recently!

Four months spent negotiating a border control bill that Senate Republicans insisted on adding to a military aid bill for our allies. The combined bill gave Senate Republicans most of what they wanted, but when it came to a vote, many of the same Republicans who had been for the bill voted against it, reportedly because Donald Trump told them to vote against it so he could use the border as a political tool in the election.

What the Republicans have done is taken the “open border” issue away from Democrats and placed it squarely around their own necks. Any criminals that might be considering crossing the border will be cheering the Republicans as nothing will be done on this issue anytime soon.

The Senate did pass a military aid bill for our allies, but House Speaker Johnson said he wouldn’t bring it to a vote as it did not include a border bill! The bill the Republican Senators killed.

Then, since he was working so hard, Johnson called for a two-week “recess” for the House. Meanwhile hundreds of Ukrainians are being murdered by Putin’s war criminals every day as Ukrainians are in desperate need of military equipment, especially ammunition of all types, made in the U.S. by U.S. workers. Responsibility for these deaths falls partly on Speaker Johnson’s shoulders as he is enabling Putin by his inaction. Kremlin propagandists applaud the speaker.

When the House returns from recess, they will have 72 hours to approve funding of the U.S. budget or our government shuts down.

Does this sound like a good time for a recess? I hope the members of the House are enjoying their time on the playground. How about some milk and cookies for them when they get back work?

James Salmon

Bowling Green