WASHINGTON, March 13 (Reuters) - U.S. House Speaker John Boehner on Thursday urged the Senate to pass a House bill backing $1 billion in loan guarantees for Ukraine and said he did not think IMF reforms should be in a Ukraine bill.
"The IMF money has nothing to do with Ukraine," Boehner said at his weekly news conference.
The House of Representatives last week passed a bill addressing the Ukraine crisis that contained backing for $1 billion in loan guarantees.
It did not contain other provisions - such as aid for Ukraine, sanctions and reforms of the International Monetary Fund - that were contained in a bill passed by a Senate committee on Wednesday.
The IMF reforms are unpopular with many Republicans, particularly in the House. Boehner said the Senate should take up the narrower House bill before Congress leaves on Friday for a week-long recess.
"The House has acted on a loan guarantee package with strong bipartisan support. The Senate should pass this bill and send it to the president's desk before leaving for the district work period," Boehner said.
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