In what can only be described as an extraordinary move, Representative Anna Paulina Luna, who served as an airfield management specialist in the U.S. Air Force from 2009 to 2014, has drafted legislation that could radically change the accountability landscape for elected officials.
The bill, which was not meant to be public knowledge just yet, was leaked to The Daily Mail.
Dubbed the SCHUMER Act, an acronym for Senators Can Help Underpin Military Engagement and Readiness, the proposed bill aims to mandate that members of Congress who support military aid to Ukraine must themselves serve on the front lines of the conflict.
This initiative directly challenges the support for a Schumer-backed proposal that advocates for an additional $60 billion in aid to Ukraine.
In a bold post on social media, Rep. Luna addressed the leak, stating, “To whoever leaked my bill: Congratulations, you played yourself. I make no apologies. My bill, the SCHUMER Act, would require Members of Congress to fight on the front lines in Ukraine if they support Schumer’s calls for American sons & daughters to fight.”
To whoever leaked my bill:
Congratulations, you played yourself.
I make no apologies. My bill, the SCHUMER Act, would require Members of Congress to fight on the front lines in Ukraine if they support Schumer’s calls for American sons & daughters to fight.…
— Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (@RepLuna) February 8, 2024
According to the Daily Mail, the legislation would “require Members of Congress who advocate for providing military support for Ukraine to enlist in the armed forces and to serve on active duty in support of a contingency operation.”
The bill states, “If a Member of Congress advocates for providing military support for Ukraine, the Member—
- shall enlist in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, or Coast Guard; and
- shall be assigned for not fewer than 6 months to active duty in support of a contingency operation.”
Since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, the US has committed over $75 billion in assistance, including $46.3 billion in security assistance to Ukraine.
The Florida Republican’s proposed bill is a reaction to an MSNBC interview in which Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer issued an ultimatum, suggesting that failure to pass the bill could lead to American involvement in the war, a claim that has been met with criticism, especially given that Ukraine is not a NATO member and therefore not under U.S. protection.
“If we don’t aid Ukraine, Putin will be walk all over Ukraine, we will lose the war and we could be fighting in eastern Europe and a NATO ally in a few years. Americans won’t like that,” Schumer said.
On Wednesday, GOP Senators voted against advancing a compromised ‘border security bill’ that would have allocated more money to foreign countries while largely ignoring the US border.
The contentious debate in Congress now turns to the proposal to allocate foreign aid without the border security provisions.
On Thursday, Schumer fulfilled his promise, and the Democratic-led Senate advanced a streamlined bill aimed at providing aid to Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan, but not the southern border that is currently invaded by illegal immigrants.
In a 67-32 cloture vote, the Senate crossed party lines, with several RINO senators joining Democrats to move the foreign aid bill forward.
Republicans who joined Democrats in voting in favor include:
- Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
- Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
- Bill Cassidy (R-LA)
- Roger Wicker (R-MS)
- Todd Young (R-IN)
- Susan Collins (R-ME)
- Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV)
- John Kennedy (R-LA)
- John Thune (R-SD)
- Dan Sullivan (R-AK)
- Mitt Romney (R-UT)
- Joni Ernst (R-IA)
- Mike Rounds (R-SD)
- Thom Tillis (R-NC)
- John Cornyn (R-TX)
- Chuck Grassley (R-IA)
- Jerry Moran (R-KS)
According to CNN’s Manu Raju, Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD) explicitly stated his support for the bill’s final passage, while Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) is non-committal.