The House of Representatives took a significant step forward on Friday, demonstrating rare bipartisan unity, as it moved forward with a foreign aid package totaling $95 billion. This package is aimed at providing support to Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, and humanitarian efforts. Thanks to a strong coalition of lawmakers, the package overcame a procedural obstacle and is now heading towards final votes over the weekend. In an unusual turn of events, Democrats joined forces with Republican Speaker Mike Johnson, resulting in an overwhelming 316-94 vote in favor of advancing the plan. If approved by the House, the package will then be sent to the Senate for further consideration.
After two months of deliberation, Johnson’s strategy finally paid off with a victory. However, he still had to work hard over the past 24 hours to gain support for the wartime funding, especially for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. Additionally, Johnson had to defend his position as speaker amidst a growing effort to remove him from his role.
According to Johnson, the legislation may not be perfect, but it is the best possible outcome that Republicans could achieve with their limited majority in one chamber of Congress.
“The Congress’s actions are being closely observed by the global community,” stated the White House. “Enacting this legislation would convey a strong message about the unwavering strength of American leadership during this critical juncture.”
Late on Thursday night, in an unprecedented move, the House Rules Committee members came together and joined forces. The four Democrats showed their support by voting in favor of a procedural step, overcoming the resistance from the three hardline holdouts within the Republican majority. This resulted in a 9-3 vote, allowing the package to be sent to the House floor for debate. This moment was truly remarkable and had not been witnessed in the House for quite some time.
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House Speaker Mike Johnson spoke with reporters and expressed that the aid package is a result of a divided government.
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic leader, revealed that he had a conversation with Johnson on Thursday evening to ensure the successful passage of the bill through the Rules Committee.
After the vote, Jeffries emphasized the urgent need to provide support for our democratic allies.
House Democrats have once again paved the way for legislation that holds immense importance for the American people.
Johnson will once again rely on Democrats on Saturday to counter the amendments put forth by Republicans, which have the potential to fatally undermine the package. A particularly intense amendment proposed by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene aims to eliminate all spending for Ukraine.
Rep. Greene has taken action by filing a motion to vacate the speaker from office, and her efforts gained additional support when Rep. Paul Gosar, an Arizona Republican, co-sponsored the motion. Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, another co-sponsor, hinted that more representatives might join in before the House adjourns next week, increasing the pressure on Speaker Johnson to resign.
Rep. Eli Crane, a staunch conservative from Arizona, expressed his willingness to join the effort to remove Johnson.
“I can definitely feel a growing dissatisfaction with Republican leadership,” he expressed.
If Johnson decides to bring the matter to a vote, Greene has the ability to initiate a bid to remove Johnson from the speaker’s office, similar to the way Republicans removed Kevin McCarthy from the position last year. Jeffries, the Democratic leader, has not made a firm commitment to supporting Johnson in maintaining the speaker’s gavel. However, some Democrats have indicated that they might employ procedural tactics to help prevent the motion to vacate from succeeding.
Without full support from his Republican majority, Johnson was unable to shape the package according to the demands of the ultra-conservatives, as it would risk losing Democratic backing. Consequently, he had to abandon stringent security measures aimed at curbing migration at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Johnson has successfully divided a Senate-passed version of the bill into separate parts, which aligns with the preference of House Republicans. The upcoming final votes will be focused on specific measures that address the needs of Ukraine, Israel, and Indo-Pacific allies.
The package would also incorporate a fourth provision that encompasses several Republican priorities that Democrats support, or at least are open to embracing. These priorities consist of measures that grant the U.S. the authority to confiscate frozen assets of the Russian central bank to aid in the reconstruction of Ukraine. Additionally, it includes the imposition of sanctions on Iran, Russia, China, and criminal organizations engaged in fentanyl trafficking. Furthermore, it has the potential to prohibit the video app TikTok if its China-based owner fails to divest its stake within a year.
According to Meeks, the inability of the Republicans to effectively manage the House and the House floor is evident in their inability to accomplish tasks.
Republicans, including those who had previously supported the process, expressed deep disappointment at the current state of affairs.
“I have concerns,” expressed Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., who supported the procedural measure but remained dissatisfied with the overall process. “This situation reflects the ongoing controversy in our country: how much assistance should be provided?”
