LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made his second public appearance since he froze up mid-sentence at Capitol Hill in July.
The senator spoke at a luncheon hosted by Greater Louisville Inc. (GLI) and Norton Healthcare aimed at discussing local, state and federal issues on Wednesday.
One point he mentioned was the unemployment rate in the Commonwealth and how businesses have been effected.
"I'm familiar with the fact that Kentucky has the seventh worst labor participation rate in the country," McConnell said. "That means an awful lot of our people have simply decided they're better off, for one reason or another, than to go back to work. I haven't run into a single business in Kentucky that's not been effected by this."
In an update to lawmakers in Frankfort last week, the state had about 20,000 fewer workers this May compared to January 2020, pre-COVID.
McConnell also reaffirmed his support for Ukraine at the luncheon.
He pushed back against recent polling showing a majority of Americans say Congress shouldn't authorize any more funds to support Ukraine.
The senator said most of the money going to support Ukraine is actually coming back to the United States.
"Most of the money that we spend related to Ukraine is actually spent in the US, replenishing weapons, more modern weapons," McConnell said. "And improving our own military, for what may lie ahead."
Congress sent $113 billion to Ukraine in 2022. About three-fifths of that money was allocated to defense needs.
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