McCarthy Fails For 2nd Time To Advance Bill Funding Defense Department As Ukraine Sows Division

"With Zelensky in Capitol Hill, and with Ukraine aid hanging in the balance, Kevin

McCarthy has failed for a second time to advance a bill funding the Defense Department, which keeps the government on a path toward a shutdown on Oct. 1. Politico has reported secret, urgent cross-aisle talks as follows: "Small groups of Democrats are holding secret talks with several of McCarthy’s close GOP allies about a last-ditch deal to fund the government, according to more than a half-dozen people familiar with the discussions."
A small group of conservative holdouts are harping on the key controversial issues of Ukraine and the US border: On the prospect of $24 billion for Ukraine, some vocal Republicans have grown bolder in highlighting Ukraine's problems, urging that America must first fix its own pressing crises at home.
Ukrainian President Volodoymr Zelensky is in Washington Thursday, where he's expected at the White House to meet with President Joe Biden. Importantly, he's also soon due to meet with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, at a moment some GOP dissenters are holding up Pentagon funding and the potential for more Ukraine aid.
McCarthy vowed Tuesday to confront and intensely question Zelensky when the two meet. He posed going into the meeting, "Is Zelensky elected to Congress? Is he our president? I don’t think I have to commit anything and I think I have questions for him." ZH