‘MOVE THE NEEDLE’
Ukrainian-Americans call on James to support homeland
More than three dozen members of the Ukrainian-American community in southeast Michigan rallied in front of Republican Congressman John James’ office in Warren on Monday in an effort to “move the needle” and win his support.
They held a rally in a pair of two-hour time slots in the morning and afternoon to nudge James and the Republican Party to take action to support the critical Ukraine military and economic aid package stalled in Congress.
Holding signs that stated “Every day Russia has killed our kids, relatives, friends and animals,” the group waved at passing motorists who honked their horns in unity with the Ukrainian-Americans.
“We want to ask John
James to support us because the aid is very important to us,” organizer Olena Danelyuk of Bloomfield Hills said. “Because a lot of Ukrainian Americans live in his district, we want him to move the needle and hear us, hear our voices.”
The rally included residents of
Warren, Sterling Heights and Troy, Danelyuk said. They gathered on a berm outside of James’ District 10 headquarters on Van Dyke Avenue near Kennedy Circle North.
Earlier Monday, plans were announced to have President Joe Biden meet the top four congressional leaders at the White House today to press lawmakers on passing an emergency aid package for Ukraine and Israel, as well as averting a looming government shutdown next month, according to a White House official.
During the meeting, the president will discuss the “urgency” of passing the aid package, which has bipartisan support, as well as legislation to keep the federal government operating through the end of September, said the White House official, who was granted anonymity to discuss a meeting not yet publicly confirmed.
The Republican-led House is under pressure to pass the $95 billion national security package that bolsters aid for Ukraine, Israel as well as the Indo-Pacific. That legislation cleared the Senate on a 70-29 vote earlier this month, but House Speaker Mike