House adjourns, Senate stays to work on funding for Ukraine and Israel: The Morning Rundown, Dec. 15, 2023
With the House adjourned for the holidays, the Senate said it’s staying put to work on the Ukraine aid package. And, train passengers in New Jersey are joined by an unusual traveler during a wild morning commute. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Friday, Dec. 15, 2023.
House adjourns for holidays, Senate to continue talks on Ukraine aid
The House kicked off its holiday recess after passing the bipartisan $886 billion defense bill on Thursday, Dec. 14. But the Senate is delaying its Christmas break, which was scheduled to start this weekend. Instead, Senators will be returning next week to try to reach a deal on passing the military aid package for Ukraine and Israel.
They’re heading home for the holidays while Ukrainians are heading right back into the fight.
National Security Council John Kirby
While making the announcement on the Senate floor, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said negotiators have made “good progress” over a path forward on the $110 billion package, which Republicans say needs to include stricter immigration policies.
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“If we believe something is important and urgent, we should stay and get the job done,” Schumer said. “So, for the information of all Senators, after we finish today, the Senate will return on Monday. That will give negotiators from the White House, Senate Democrats, and Senate Republicans a time to work through the weekend in an effort to reach a framework agreement.”
But with the House adjourned, any votes would have to wait until next year unless House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., calls on members to return to vote. In a statement, Johnson said Thursday night, Dec. 14, “the House will not wait around to receive and debate a rushed product.”
National Security Council John Kirby accused House Republicans, who last week blocked the package from passing due to the border policy, of abandoning Ukraine in its time of need.
“They’re heading home for the holidays while Ukrainians are heading right back into the fight,” Kirby said.
EU to open membership talks with Ukraine, fails to agree on aid
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is reacting to some mixed news coming from the European Union. On Thursday, Dec. 14, the EU agreed to start membership talks with Ukraine, despite opposition from Hungary’s prime minister, the closest ally to Russia in the group.
However, the bloc could not agree on a $54 billion aid package for Ukraine. It’s not clear when talks for Ukraine’s entry into the EU will begin, a process that could take years but is still seen as a victory for Zelenskyy.
The Ukrainian president posted on X, “I thank everyone who worked for this to happen and everyone who helped. I congratulate every Ukrainian on this day.”
The EU has also agreed to start talks with Moldova, which, like Ukraine, is another former Soviet Union republic.
As for the economic aid, EU leaders said 26 of the 27 member states agreed on the package, all but Hungary, and the decision needs to be unanimous. Talks are set to resume early next year.
White House national security advisor to visit West Bank
A day after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, White House national security advisor Jake Sullivan is set to travel to the West Bank today to speak with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
A U.S. official said Sullivan will discuss “ongoing efforts to promote stability in the West Bank” by confronting terrorism and revamping and revitalizing the Palestinian Authority, the governing body of the West Bank.
The meeting comes as Israel and the U.S. continue to differ on what Gaza would look like once the war with Hamas ends; the United States said the Palestinian Authority should have a governing role in the territory, and Israeli leaders have rejected that idea.
Sullivan’s visit comes as the Biden administration continues to show its support for Israel’s fight against Hamas while also calling for Netanyahu to focus on saving civilian lives. President Biden on Thursday, Dec. 14, said Israel should “not stop going after Hamas, but be more careful.”
Terror suspects reportedly linked to Hamas arrested in Europe
Denmark and Germany say seven terror suspects, some said to be members of Hamas, have been arrested, suspected of plotting attacks on Jewish institutions across Europe amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.
German prosecutors say three of the suspects arrested in Berlin and one arrested in the Netherlands are long-standing members of Hamas with close ties to the high ranks of the terror group. However, a Hamas official denied any connection between the group and those who were arrested in Europe.
According to Danish police, three people were arrested on suspicion of plotting to carry out an “act of terror.”
It is unclear how or if the arrests in Denmark are connected to those made in Germany and the Netherlands.
The German justice minister said in a statement that they must do everything they can to keep the Jewish community safe, adding attacks on Jewish institutions have increased in their country in recent weeks.
2 men charged for allegedly killing 3,000 birds, including protected eagles
Two men have been charged with killing over 3,000 birds, including federally protected eagles, over a two-year period. According to the indictment, between January 2019 and March 2021, the two men, Simon Paul and Travis John Branson, deliberately killed 3,600 birds of prey, including Bald Eagles, and sold them on the black market.
Federal prosecutors said they had messages from Branson that said he was going on a “killing spree” to get eagle tail feathers for future sales.
The indictment alleges that Branson would travel from Washington state to meet Paul on the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana to help kill and ship the eagles to buyers for “significant sums of cash across the United States and elsewhere.”
Point phone camera here
The defendants have not been arrested but have been ordered to appear in court on Jan. 8. The two face charges for violating the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, as well as a conspiracy count, which has a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison.
Loose bull causes train delays in New Jersey
It’s something many people do every day: take a train to work. While delays are expected, what happened at Newark Penn Station in New Jersey on Thursday, Dec. 14, was not.
A bull was spotted running along the tracks.
The 800-pound loose steer caused delays of up to 45 minutes as police officers tried to corral it. Around noon, New Jersey Transit said the bull had been removed from the tracks, and service had resumed.
Police said no injuries were reported during the incident. The bull was taken to an animal sanctuary, where he is said to be resting after his busy morning commute.
Tags: antisemitism, Benjamin Netanyahu, Chuck Schumer, Denmark, European Union, Germany, Golden eagles, Hamas, House of Representatives, Hungary, Israel, Jake Sullivan, Jewish, John Kirby, Mike Johnson, Montana, Netherlands, New Jersey, Russia, U.S. Senate, Ukraine, Ukraine aid, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Washington, West Bank
WITH THE HOUSE ADJOURNED FOR THE HOLIDAYS, THE SENATE SAYS IT’S STAYING PUT TO WORK ON THE UKRAINE AID PACKAGE
AND — TRAIN PASSENGERS IN NEW JERSEY ARE JOINED BY AN UNUSUAL TRAVELER DURING A WILD MORNING COMMUTE
THE MORNING RUNDOWN STARTS NOW
TODAY IS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15TH.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
I’M KARAH RUCKER.
ON THURSDAY — AFTER PASSING THE BIPARTISAN 886 BILLION DEFENSE BILL — THE HOUSE KICKED OFF ITS HOLIDAY RECESS.
BUT THE SENATE IS DELAYING ITS CHRISTMAS BREAK – WHICH WAS SCHEDULED TO START THIS WEEKEND –
INSTEAD, SENATORS WILL BE RETURNING NEXT WEEK TO TRY TO REACH A DEAL ON PASSING THE MILITARY AID PACKAGE FOR UKRAINE AND ISRAEL.
IN MAKING THE ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE SENATE FLOOR — MAJORITY LEADER CHUCK SCHUMER SAID NEGOTIATORS HAVE MADE “GOOD PROGRESS” OVER A PATH FORWARD ON THE 110 BILLION DOLLAR PACKAGE – WHICH REPUBLICANS SAY NEEDS TO INCLUDE STRICTER IMMIGRATION POLICIES.
SCHUMER SAYING “IF WE BELIEVE SOMETHING IS IMPORTANT AND URGENT WE SHOULD STAY AND GET THE JOB DONE.”
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER | SENATE MAJORITY LEADER (D): “So for the information of all senators, after we finish today, the Senate will return on Monday. That will give negotiators from the White House, Senate Democrats, and Senate Republicans a time to work through the weekend in an effort to reach a framework agreement.”
BUT WITH THE HOUSE ADJOURNED – ANY VOTES WOULD HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL NEXT YEAR UNLESS HOUSE SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON CALLS ON MEMBERS TO RETURN TO VOTE.
JOHNSON SAYS – “THE HOUSE WILL NOT WAIT AROUND TO RECEIVE AND DEBATE A RUSHED PRODUCT.”
HOUSE REPUBLICANS BLOCKED THE PACKAGE FROM PASSING LAST WEEK SAYING IT LACKED CHANGES NEEDED TO **U.S. BORDER SECURITY –
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL JOHN KIRBY CRITICIZED THE HOUSE GOP SAYING — “THEY’RE HEADING HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS WHILE UKRAINIANS ARE HEADING RIGHT BACK INTO THE FIGHT.”
UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY IS REACTING TO SOME MIXED NEWS COMING FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION.
ON THURSDAY THE EU AGREED TO START MEMBERSHIP TALKS WITH UKRAINE – DESPITE OPPOSITION FROM HUNGARY’S PRIME MINISTER – THE CLOSEST ALLY TO RUSSIA IN THE GROUP.
HOWEVER THE BLOC COULD NOT REACH AN AGREEMENT ON A FIFTY FOUR BILLION DOLLAR AID PACKAGE FOR UKRAINE.
IT’S NOT CLEAR WHEN TALKS FOR UKRAINE’S ENTRY INTO THE EU WILL BEGIN –
A PROCESS THAT COULD TAKE YEARS – BUT IS STILL SEEN AS A VICTORY FOR ZELENSKYY.
THE UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT POSTING ON X — “I THANK EVERYONE WHO WORKED FOR THIS TO HAPPEN AND EVERYONE WHO HELPED. I CONGRATULATE EVERY UKRAINIAN ON THIS DAY.”
THE EU HAS ALSO AGREED TO START TALKS WITH MOLDOVA – WHICH LIKE UKRAINE – IS ANOTHER FORMER SOVIET UNION REPUBLIC.
AS FOR THE ECONOMIC AID – EU LEADERS SAID 26 OF THE 27 MEMBER-STATES AGREED ON THE PACKAGE – ALL BUT HUNGARY — AND THE DECISION NEEDS TO BE UNANIMOUS. TALKS ARE SET TO RESUME EARLY NEXT YEAR.
A DAY AFTER MEETING WITH ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU IN JERUSALEM –
WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR JAKE SULLIVAN IS SET TO TRAVEL TO THE WEST BANK TODAY TO SPEAK WITH PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY PRESIDENT MAHMOUD ABBAS.
A US OFFICIAL SAYING SULLIVAN WILL DISCUSS “ONGOING EFFORTS TO PROMOTE STABILITY” – BY CONFRONTING TERRORISM –
AND REVAMPING AND REVITALIZING THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY – THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE WEST BANK.
THE MEETING COMES AS ISRAEL AND THE U.S. DIFFER ON WHAT GAZA WOULD LOOK LIKE ONCE THE WAR WITH HAMAS ENDS – WITH THE UNITED STATES SAYING THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY SHOULD HAVE A GOVERNING ROLE IN THE TERRITORY – ISRAELI LEADERS HAVE REJECTED THAT IDEA.
THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION CONTINUES TO SHOW ITS SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL FIGHTING HAMAS WHILE ALSO CALLING FOR NETANYAHU TO FOCUS ON SAVING CIVILIAN LIVES.
PRESIDENT BIDEN ON THURSDAY SAID ISRAEL SHOULD QUOTE “NOT STOP GOING AFTER HAMAS, BUT BE MORE CAREFUL.”
DENMARK AND GERMANY SAY SEVEN TERROR SUSPECTS – SOME SAID TO BE MEMBERS OF HAMAS – HAVE BEEN ARRESTED — SUSPECTED OF PLOTTING ATTACKS ON JEWISH INSTITUTIONS ACROSS EUROPE.
GERMAN PROSECUTORS SAY THREE OF THE SUSPECTS ARRESTED IN BERLIN AND ONE ARRESTED IN THE NETHERLANDS ARE LONG STANDING MEMBERS OF HAMAS WITH CLOSE TIES TO THE HIGH RANKS OF THE TERROR GROUP.
A HAMAS OFFICIAL DENIED ANY CONNECTION BETWEEN THE GROUP AND THOSE WHO WERE ARRESTED IN EUROPE.
ACCORDING TO DANISH POLICE, THREE PEOPLE WERE ARRESTED ON SUSPICION OF PLOTTING TO CARRY OUT AN “ACT OF TERROR.”
IT IS UNCLEAR HOW OR IF THE ARRESTS IN DENMARK ARE CONNECTED TO THE ARRESTS MADE IN GERMANY AND THE NETHERLANDS.
THE GERMAN JUSTICE MINISTER SAID IN A STATEMENT THAT THEY MUST DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO KEEP THE JEWISH COMMUNITY SAFE – ADDING ATTACKS ON JEWISH INSTITUTIONS HAVE INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY IN RECENT WEEKS.
TWO MEN HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH KILLING OVER 3 THOUSAND BIRDS INCLUDING FEDERALLY PROTECTED EAGLES OVER A TWO-YEAR PERIOD.
ACCORDING TO THE INDICTMENT, BETWEEN JANUARY OF 2019 AND MARCH OF 2021 – THE TWO MEN – SIMON PAUL AND TRAVIS JOHN BRANSON – DELIBERATELY KILLED 36-HUNDRED BIRDS – INCLUDING BALD EAGLES – AND SOLD THEM ON THE BLACK MARKET.
FEDERAL PROSECUTORS SAY THEY HAVE MESSAGES FROM BRANSON SAYING HE WAS GOING ON A QUOTE “KILLING SPREE” – TO GET EAGLE TAIL FEATHERS FOR FUTURE SALES.
THE INDICTMENT ALLEGES BRANSON WOULD TRAVEL FROM WASHINGTON STATE TO MEET PAUL ON THE FLATHEAD INDIAN RESERVATION IN MONTANA TO HELP KILL AND SHIP THE EAGLES TO BUYERS FOR “SIGNIFICANT SUMS OF CASH ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND ELSEWHERE.”
THE DEFENDANTS HAVE NOT BEEN ARRESTED, BUT HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO APPEAR IN COURT ON JANUARY 8TH.
THE TWO FACE CHARGES FOR VIOLATING THE BALD AND GOLDEN EAGLE PROTECTION ACT — AS WELL AS A CONSPIRACY COUNT WHICH HAS A MAXIMUM SENTENCE OF 5 YEARS IN PRISON.
FINALLY THIS MORNING – IT’S SOMETHING MANY PEOPLE DO EVERY DAY – TAKE A TRAIN TO WORK. AND WHILE DELAYS ARE EXPECTED – WHAT HAPPENED AT NEWARK (NEW-ORK) PENN STATION IN NEW JERSEY ON THURSDAY WAS NOT.
A BULL WAS SPOTTED RUNNING ALONG THE TRACKS.
THE 800-POUND LOOSE STEER CAUSED DELAYS UP TO 45 MINUTES FOR HUMAN TRAVELERS AS POLICE OFFICERS TRIED TO CORRAL IT.
THE ANIMAL WAS EVENTUALLY REMOVED SAFELY FROM THE TRACKS AND SERVICE RESUMED.
THE BULL WAS REPORTEDLY HEADED TO THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE WHEN IT GOT LOOSE.
NOW — HE HAS A NEW DESTINY.
THE BULL WAS TAKEN TO AN ANIMAL SANCTUARY WHERE HE IS SAID TO BE RESTING AFTER HIS BUSY MORNING COMMUTE.
THESE ARE YOUR TOP STORIES FOR THIS FRIDAY.
AND BE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE MORNING RUNDOWN NEWSLETTER TO GET THE TOP STORIES EACH WEEKDAY MORNING.
JUST GO TO SAN DOT COM SLASH RUNDOWN TO SIGN UP.
UNBIASED. STRAIGHT FACTS. THAT’S STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS.
WE’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE TOMORROW.
UNTIL THEN I’M KARAH RUCKER. HAVE A GREAT DAY!
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