During the morning hearing portion of the Rules meeting, Massie raised several concerns with the legislation, including whether military assistance to Ukraine could be used to purchase cluster munitions, which can be effective in spreading bomblets over a wide area but pose a risk to civilians.

House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, who testified before Rules, said he understood Massie’s concerns but added that Russians are using those bombs against the Ukrainians in Ukraine. “The Ukrainians just want to use them in their own country to get the Russians out,” he said. “They are highly effective weapons.”

Massie also criticized a provision of the package that allows for seizing Russian assets held in the U.S., saying such a move could make foreign creditors “have less appetite for what was the most secure investment in the world, which is the U.S. Treasury.”

He said Russia might retaliate by seizing American assets in Russia.

McCaul defended the provision, which he said would “let Russia pay for its own war crimes, not the American taxpayers.”

Massie sought to have his amendment barring Ukraine aid funds from being used to purchase cluster munitions included among those considered on the floor. But the Rules panel rejected his proposal on a 2-10 vote, with only Massie and Roy in support.

Olivia Bridges and Aidan Quigley contributed to this report.

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