On Monday, House Speaker Mike Johnson announced the House will take up separate bills to provide aid for Israel and Ukraine this week, acknowledging demands from conservatives to keep the issues separate as threats of ousting him loom.
The announcement marks a crucial moment for Johnson as he is under pressure from his party over handling foreign aid to U.S. allies. He predicted the vote on the separate bills would occur Friday evening.
“There are precipitating events around the globe that we’re all watching very carefully,” Johnson told reporters. “And we know that the world is watching us to see how we react.”
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia) immediately criticized the foreign aid plan.
Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter!
A week of political news in your in-box.
We find the news you need to know, so you don't have to.
“I am firmly against the plan as it stands right now,” Greene told reporters, though she hasn’t decided whether to force a vote on the motion to vacate.
Johnson dismissed the pushback, telling CNN, “I don’t spend my time worrying about motions to vacate. We’re having to govern here, and we’re going to do our job.”
In a post on X, the speaker also said the bills would support allies in the Indo-Pacific and include additional measures to “counter our adversaries and strengthen our national security.”
Johnson said there was still a possibility that the bills could be packaged together.
“We’re discussing whether they would be merged together in one package that’s sent to the Senate or if it goes over as individual measures,” Johnson said. “My personal preference is to do it individually, but we’ll let the body decide.”
Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Arizona) expressed concern about merging the bills.
“Israel funding should not be held hostage by Ukraine funding. The American people deserve to know where their senators stand on each funding component,” Biggs said on social media.
Back in November, the House passed a bill to provide $14.3 billion to aid Israel, but Democrats were angry that the bill did not include aid to Ukraine. The Senate passed its bill in February, allotting $95.3 billion in foreign assistance to Ukraine, Israel and other allies.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6Funs6yyEw With just days remaining before the 2024 presidential election, Democratic nominee Kamala Harris made a surprise…
https://youtu.be/q-mZ4qmOGkw Rapper Cardi B riled up the crowd and endorsed Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris…
https://youtu.be/PA_bbsbPivk Actor Robert De Niro stumped for Vice President Kamala Harris at a Philadelphia Eagles…
After Puerto Rican pop star Bad Bunny dropped an eight-minute video on Instagram endorsing Kamala…
https://youtu.be/PB6BcCkYtDk A Halloween parade that took place on Oct. 30 in Mt Pleasant, Pennsylvania, sparked…
Vice President Kamala Harris recently released her medical records and dared former President Donald Trump to do the same.…