The Republicans regained control of the House of Representatives in the 2022 midterms. In a time of great political division, the historically unproductive 118th Congress has struggled to pass meaningful legislation. Four bills providing aid to Ukraine were passed in 2022 but none at all in 2023. While there is growing skepticism over the war on the right, there is still broad bipartisan support for Ukraine. This article will examine the seven Republicans in the House with a perfect voting record for Ukrainian aid.
Why This Matters
The 2024 presidential election may greatly impact the outcome of the war in Ukraine but the down ballots are just as vital. The makeup of the legislature will determine what actually gets through Congress. Domestic bills will be an uphill battle for either candidate but, as this article will show, there may be a fair amount of wiggle room for foreign aid.
Voting Records
59 GOP representatives hold an ‘A’ rating from Republicans for Ukraine. To be included in this collection, representatives need to have voted for every Ukraine aid bill possible and the discharge petition to bring to the floor.
Don Bacon
Nebraska 2nd Congressional District
Assumed office: 2017
Bipartisan Ranking: 8th
A member of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, Nebraska’s Don Bacon serves on the House Committees for Agriculture and Armed Services. Rep. Bacon is an outspoken supporter of Ukraine and made his position clear in April 2024. He spoke of the importance of stopping Putin’s aggression in its tracks:
I just think we gotta stop the bully now, ‘cause it’s gonna get worse if we don’t stand up to it.
Lori Chavez-DeRemer
Oregon 5th Congressional District
Assumed office: 2022
Bipartisan ranking: 29th
Lori Chavez-DeRemer was elected to represent Oregon’s 5th Congressional District in 2022. She spoke of the frustration of the gridlock of the historically unproductive 118th Congress and the importance of backing America’s allies around the world:
It’s disappointing that supporting our democratic allies has become a contentious issue, but I’m confident that those who show support for democracy during this tumultuous time are doing the right thing – and with this being one of the most impactful votes I’ll take this Congress, I find that it would be much harder to do the wrong thing than it is to do the right thing in this moment.
Anthony D’Esposito
New York 4th Congressional District
Assumed office: 2022
Bipartisan ranking: 56th
Anthony D’Esposito became the first Republican to represent New York’s 4th Congressional District since 1996 with a narrow victory in 2022. While still a Councilman he made a strong statement of support for Ukraine:
The people of Ukraine deserve to live in peace and dignity, free from the aggressive tendencies of their bully neighbor, Russia
Since being elected, D’Esposito faced protests from his constituents to do more for Ukraine which his office responded positively towards.
Brian Fitzpatrick
Pennsylvania 1st Congressional District
Assumed office: 2018
Bipartisan ranking: 1st
Pennsylvania’s Brian Fitzpatrick is the most bipartisan member of the House of Representatives. He is the co-chair of the Problem Solvers Caucus and the Congressional Ukraine Caucus. In February 2024, he spoke of the vital importance of passing an aid package for Israel, Taiwan, and Ukraine and was prepared to circumvent his own party’s leadership by signing a discharge petition to force the vote.
if we don’t nip this problem in the bud now it’s going to become much more costly in terms of dollars and lives.
Jen Kiggans
Virginia 2nd Congressional District
Assumed office: 2023
Bipartisan ranking: 19th
A former Navy helicopter pilot, Jen Kiggans won a tight race to represent Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District in 2022. She was one of the strongest proponents of the April 2024 foreign aid bill:
Every day we fail to get aid to our allies, the world grows more dangerous and threats to our own nation and military increase. Our adversaries are watching while we struggle to support our friends. I refuse to sit by as the world implodes due to Washington’s inaction
Mike Lawler
New York 17th Congressional District
Assumed office: 2023
Bipartisan ranking: 4th
Mike Lawler won an extremely close race for New York’s 17th Congressional District in 2022, becoming the first GOP representative since 1981. Accordingly, Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of the House. He is a member of both the Ukraine and Taiwan Caucuses and has spoken of the importance of supporting allies aboard:
Certainly, this is critically important for our allies. We are the leader of the free world, and we cannot shirk on our responsibility to uphold and defend democracies across the globe.
Joe Wilson
South Carolina 2nd Congressional District
Assumed office: 2001
Bipartisan ranking: 50th
Joe Wilson is the most experienced representative featured in this article, he has represented the solidly Republican district since winning a special election in 2000. He spoke of the importance of Ukraine winning the conflict in a bipartisan press release in April 2023:
Ukrainian victory is the only path to peace. We must ensure that Ukraine is well-armed and outfitted so that the upcoming counteroffensive can meet expectations and Ukraine can win the war as quickly as possible. Ukrainian victory is good for U.S. national security and economic stability, denies Putin any reward for his invasion, and deters China and Iran.
Conclusion
Republican skepticism over supporting Ukraine is by no means universal. A substantial portion of GOP House members do have solid voting records in favor of Ukraine and the handful talked about here have gone even further. There aren’t many truly bipartisan positions left in American politics but Ukraine still has support from members of both parties.
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