Bloomberg Audio Studios, podcasts, radio News. Joining us now is Congressman Mike Turner of Ohio, chair of the House Select Committee on Intelligence, who has been pushing for these votes for some time now. Mister Chairman, welcome to Bloomberg. We're glad to have you here. I wonder your thoughts on what we just heard from the Speaker of the House.
I really do believe the intel and the briefings that we've gotten, and it comes just hours after your committee, yourself and the ranking member of the Intelligence Commission Committee issued a statement that made clear that Ukraine funding needed.
To pass this week.
Can you speak to the urgency as to why this week and what you told Speaker Johnson to bring him to this point?
Joe, Well, the intelligence is very clear. Ukraine is at a critical point. As the Speaker just said, they are running out of ammunition. Russia is certainly surging and putting additional pressure on that front line, and also the lack of US support is impacting morale even in Ukraine. But their ability to be able to sustain the fight, and they are fighting honorably to keep Russia from taking additional ground in Ukraine is essential. Also, we have the issue
of that in this package. I think this will result in the Administration giving additional weapons capabilities to Ukraine so we can change the.
Dynamics on the battlefield.
They need longer range weapons, they need to be able to hit Crimea, they need to be able to hit the supply lines of Russia as they're coming into Ukraine as part of this aggression.
I think this package is.
Desperately needed to turn the tide on this conflict and support Ukraine.
But sir, how quickly can it do? So you speak of changing the dynamics on the ground, how quickly can this make a difference in a fight that Ukraine has already engaged in, knowing there may be a lag for them to receive some of this.
So I've asked this question both to our Department of Defense.
We had the US ambassador from Ukraine, the US Master Chie Ukraine that was here with us today. All of them report that we are boys going to get this aid to them immediately. So if this passage passes, and I think it will overwhelmingly this Saturday, the United States is POI to make certain that the ammunition is in the hands of the Ukrainians and that they're able to take it directly to the fight with Russia.
There's been a call for border funding as well. Of course, this is a big debate leading into the Senate bill that passed. I know border aid was a question in the Senate, Congressman, and there was an attempt to get some border legislation cleared through rules last evening.
It didn't work out.
Congressman chip Roy, you're a colleague from Texas, issued a statement saying sorry, not sorry. If we're opposing a crappy rule that is a show vote, a cover vote for funding Ukraine instead of border security. The refrain been hearing from the Republican conferences. Protect our own border before we do so our allies. Will there be a border piece that comes along with this legislation this weekend?
The House has.
Already passed HR two that would effectively complete the border wall and close the border and at the same time hold accountable the administration for what they've created.
In this open border situation. Well over inter still in peace.
It didn't get a single democratic Bothe though, mister Chairman, will it be attached to this package again for another look?
I want to see what the final packages that comes off the House floor Saturday, but currently it is not expected to be attached to the Ukrainian funding, the Israeli funding and the other and the funding for Southeast Asia. But this bill is sitting over in the Senate and it is a bill.
That needs to pass.
Overwhelmingly, the American public are just disgusted and just shocked if the administration is not doing anything to protect what is the environment, the threat environment that we have in the country as a result of these eight million people who walked across the border. The FBI director has repeatedly said that we're the highest threat level currently for a terrorist attack in this country as a result of the
open border. The Biden administration needs to take action, and certainly this House has with SAR two and the City should take up that bill immediately.
Well, mister Chairman, as you rightly point out, it's not just aid for Israel and Ukraine and Taiwan that are included. There are other elements as well. But on the subject of Israel, of course, we are still waiting to see what the response from Israel might be to the Iranian attack over this past weekend, which of course the US, together with others like the UK, did intercept the vast
majority of what was sent Israel's way. Knowing that that attack largely was unsuccessful, what would be a proportionate response from Israel. Is it possible in your mind, Sir, that Israel could go too far?
I will leave it to what their response should be, But first of all, let's put this in perspective. Unfortunately, this administration believes that if you use missile defense to thwart an attack, that the attack didn't happen.
The attack did happen.
Iran attacked Israel directly from its soil with over three hundred drones and missiles. Previously, though Iran has been continuously attacking Israel through Hamas HESBLA and of course through the Hoho thies have been even attacking our commercial shipping lanes. They train them, they equipped and provide them weapons.
To these groups and terrorist organizations.
Of course, AMAS or betraying the October seventh attackle on Israel. So Iran already has been attacking Israel. This is the first time that it was direct and certainly I don't think that just because missile defense is effective that Iran or the United Say.
Should look the other way.
So if the attacker doesn't lay a glove on you. You still respond, is what you're saying, mister Chairman. But what is a proportionate response? What could Israel do here as a military answer that would not wear on the alliance that includes the UK, France and others. This has been a very delicate matter, of course domestically for President Biden.
What's the right move?
Well, you know, certainly they won't be sending three hundred missiles and kamikaze drones into Iran. So I think if you're asking for what is a proportionate issue, I think certainly Israel's not going to be responding at the same level that I Ran did. Iran sent a lethal force toward Israel, and it just because we have invested with them, we've co developed their missile defense, and of course we ate it. As you widely reported, Joe, the u K was part of that umbrella that gave missile defense its
ability to take down these missiles. But this was a serious threat and attack by Iran and it should be be viewed as such.
Sir. We'd like to turn back to just the affairs in your chamber with our final minutes, with you knowing that the cost of bringing aid for Israel and Ukraine and everyone else to the may be ultimately the Speaker's gavel. What is your degree of confidence that Mike Johnson, having said today that he will not change the rules that allows any one member to bring forward a motion to vacate, is going to be able to make it out the other side of this. Is it a mistake for him
not to change those rules? Would that be a better decision?
Now we Speaker Johnson is being incredibly courageous, and you've heard him as you were reporting. He is saying he's doing the right thing, and certainly he should be rewarded for doing the right thing bringing this bill to the floor so that we can pass this on to the Senate, and since the presence desk is essential for our national security, and I certainly did, but I think overwhelmingly the membership
of Congress is thankful that he's doing so. Now. I don't think that the small band of the Chaos Caucus, those who want to remove to Johnson, have the votes on the Democrat side to be able to remove. You have to remember that the small group that removed Kevin McCarthy could only do so with the support of the Democrats on the floor, and I think this time that if they go to the floor, they're going to stand alone.
There'll be a very small minority, they'll be exposed for being a very small minority, and they will be unsuccessful.
All Right, mister chairman, thank you so much for joining us this evening. That's House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner of Ohio. We appreciate your time, sir,