As the House moves toward passing a $95 billion foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan on Saturday, House Speaker Mike Johnson is risking his job and pushing ahead despite opposition from hardliners in his own party. long-stalled legislation.
Lawmakers are expected to vote separately on Saturday afternoon on aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, as well as another bill, including one that could lead to a nationwide ban on TikTok and new sanctions on Iran. The fourth bill aims to sweeten the conservative deal.
Mr Johnson laid out the measures, which will be combined into one as each is approved, to draw out a different coalition of support without allowing opposition to any one element to undermine the entire deal. Each aid bill for the three countries is expected to pass overwhelmingly, with the Senate expected to quickly consider and send the bill to President Joe Biden, ending its tortuous path to enactment.
This legislation includes $60 billion for Kyiv; $26 billion for Israel and humanitarian aid to civilians in conflict zones, including Gaza; $8 billion for the Indo-Pacific. It would direct the president to seek repayment of $10 billion in economic aid from the Ukrainian government, a provision backed by former President Donald J. Trump, who had pushed for any aid to Ukraine to be in the form of loans. But the legislation also allows the president to forgive those loans starting in 2026.
The scene unfolding in the House of Representatives on Saturday is expected to reflect broad bipartisan support in Congress for continuing to help Ukrainian forces repel Russian forces, as well as the extraordinary political risks Mr. Johnson is taking to stand up to rebel forces. The party’s interventionist wing has blocked the measure for months. Finally, the speaker himself, an ultraconservative who had previously voted against funding the war effort in Ukraine, ultimately bypassed his right wing and relied on Democrats to push the bill through.
For months, there has been uncertainty over whether Congress would approve a new round of funding for Ukraine, even as momentum in the war in Ukraine shifted in Russia’s favor.Republicans staunchly opposed another aid package to Kyiv unless President Biden agreed to tough anti-immigration measures, then refused to accept them legislation This combines aid with stricter border enforcement rules.
But after the Senate passed a $95 billion emergency aid bill for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, Johnson began declaring — first privately, then loudly — that he would ensure that the United States “do our job well” and offered aid to Kiev, sticking to his oath even in the face of expulsion threats from the right.
Johnson warned that Russian President Vladimir V. Putin could send troops to the Balkans and Poland if Ukraine fell, saying he decided to send aid to Kiev because “he would rather send bullets to Ukraine, And don’t want to send bullets to American boys.”
“My son will start at the Naval Academy this fall,” Mr Johnson told reporters at Parliament House earlier this week. “This is a live-fire exercise for me, and it is for many American families. This is not a game. This is not a joke. We can’t play politics with this. We have to do the right thing, and I’m going to let “Every member of the House has the opportunity to vote to express their conscience and will.”
His decision angered ultraconservative Republicans, who accused Johnson of reneging on a pledge not to advance foreign aid without first securing sweeping policy concessions on the southern border. On Friday, a third Republican, Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona, announced his support for removing Johnson as speaker.
“I’m concerned that the deal the speaker has made with Democrats is about funding foreign wars rather than protecting our borders,” Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., said Friday, objecting to procedural steps to advance the package that would require Democrats to People’s votes are needed to get approval.
Massey has been one of the most vocal opponents of foreign aid legislation and joined the push to oust Johnson as a result.
Republicans opposed the measure in both the House and the key Rules Committee, forcing Johnson to rely on Democrats to bring it to a vote, where they held a key test vote on Friday.
“Democrats will once again be the adults in the room, and I’m glad Republicans are finally realizing the gravity of the situation and the urgency with which we must act,” said Democratic leader Rep. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts. Rules Committee. “But you don’t get rewards here for doing your damn job.”
One of the bills considered on Saturday would help pave the way for the sale of frozen Russian sovereign assets aimed at financing the war in Ukraine. U.S. allies, including France and Germany, have been skeptical of the feasibility of such a move under international law and have instead been pushing for interest proceeds from Russia’s nearly $300 billion in frozen assets to be donated directly to Ukraine. To borrow money as a loan or as collateral.
The bill would also impose sanctions on Iranian and Russian officials and further restrict exports of U.S. technology used to build Iranian drones.
Lawmakers are also expected to vote on a series of amendments, including two proposed by Republicans, that would eliminate or limit funding to Ukraine. These efforts are expected to fail.
Ellen Rapeport Contributed reporting.
