Citing the national debt, U.S. Rep. Ben Cline (R-6th) voted against legislation that could send Ukraine $60 billion in foreign aid that passed the House over the weekend with bipartisan support.

But Cline backed three other measures contained in the $95 billion package the House approved on Saturday, which included $8.1 billion for the Indo-Pacific region to deter China; about $26 billion for supporting Israel and providing humanitarian relief for people in Gaza, and a measure that could force TikTok to sever ties with its parent company, Bytedance, or face a nationwide ban.

“States and cities across our Nation are grappling with the consequences of Biden’s border crisis, inflation continues to squeeze the budgets of every American household, and our country is over $34 trillion in debt,” said Cline in a statement he posted on X, formerly Twitter, about his vote on Ukraine aid.

The statement continued: “As I continue fighting for the people of Virginia’s Sixth District, I urge my colleagues in Congress and the Biden Administration to listen to the American people.”

The House broke up the aid package into several different bills so that lawmakers could vote on them individually.

Republicans in the House remain split over foreign aid for Ukraine in particular. The House passed the $60 billion in foreign aid for Ukraine on a 311-112 vote, with 112 Republicans dissenting; 101 members of the GOP joined Democrats in supporting the bill.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) brought the bill to the floor over the weekend with his job apparently in jeopardy because Georgia Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene has filed a “motion to vacate” the speaker from office.

The Senate is expected to take procedural votes on the package this week.

“FINALLY. After months of pointless, painful inaction, I’m deeply relieved to see the House pass sorely needed aid for Ukraine,” said U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) in a media release. “It never had to be this way or take this long, but this is an important step towards standing with the Ukrainian people, countering Putin’s bloodthirsty authoritarian ambitions, and keeping our word to our NATO allies.”

Effort to oust Mayorkas

The Senate dismissed all articles of impeachment against U.S. Homeland Secretary Alejandro J. Mayorkas last week, ending the push from House Republicans to oust the Cabinet secretary over his handling of the southern border.

The Democratic-controlled Senate voted along party lines — 51-48 and 51-49 — to reject the two articles of impeachment against Mayorkas, who was accused of “willful and systemic refusal to comply” with immigration law and a “breach of trust.”

The Senate ended Mayorkas’ trial before arguments could begin. Democrats have been critical of the impeachment effort against Mayorkas, calling it a “sham.”

Named one of 11 impeachment managers in the effort to remove Mayorkas, Cline was among those who delivered the articles of impeachment to the Senate on April 16. He spoke at a news conference held by Senate Republicans and House impeachment managers shortly after the impeachment articles were delivered.

“I would only ask, we would only ask as managers, that the Senate show us the same respect by hearing those facts, by hearing that evidence, and by respecting the American people who sent us to Congress and on behalf of whom we are presenting these articles to the Senate,” said Cline at the press conference.

Later, after the Senate voted to dismiss the charges, Cline called it a “betrayal of the American people,” in an interview on Newsmax.

“Every district in the country has become a border district because of the illegals who are being shipped across the country. We are seeing increases in the cost of goods, the cost of housing, the impact on education,” Cline said during the interview.

U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) — who’s seeking reelection on Nov. 5 — was critical of the effort from House Republicans to oust Mayorkas in a social media post.

“This impeachment is a political stunt designed to distract from congressional Republicans’ decision to tank the bipartisan border security deal,” Kaine wrote on X. “What a waste of time. I stand ready to work with anyone who wants to actually work together in a bipartisan way to secure our border.”

Cline is also seeking reelection this fall. The 6th District stretches from Winchester to Roanoke along Interstate 81. He is being challenged by Rockingham County Democrat Ken Mitchell.