House Speaker Mike Johnson has proposed sending wartime aid to Israel and Ukraine in an effort to maintain his leadership and appease members of his conference. Johnson plans to introduce four separate bills, each addressing aid for different countries, including Israel, Ukraine, Taiwan, and other Republican foreign policy demands. He hopes to release the bills’ text on Tuesday, with a potential vote as soon as Friday if they survive the House Rules Committee.
Johnson has faced pressure from defense hawks to bring up a $95 billion package for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan that passed the Senate in February. However, fractures among Republicans and Democrats over emergency assistance have complicated the path forward. The recent drone-and-missile attack on Israel by Iran has increased pressure on Johnson to hold a vote on the Senate bill this week. Proponents of the bill believe it has enough support to pass the House, but some conservatives, like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, have threatened to oust Johnson if he moves forward with an aid package for Ukraine.
Despite threats of a vote to remove him, Johnson remains focused on governing and doing his job. Rep. Kevin Hern of Oklahoma and the Republican Study Committee have endorsed Johnson’s plan, while the House Freedom Caucus has warned against using the emergency situation in Israel to push through Ukraine aid. Splitting the aid into individual bills may appease conservatives but could make passage in the Senate uncertain. Progressives also oppose additional aid to Israel over its actions in Gaza, which could further complicate the situation.
Lawmakers have attempted to bypass Johnson and force a vote on foreign aid through a discharge petition, but have not yet gathered the necessary signatures. A bipartisan group of House members is also working on a competing effort to force a vote on a smaller foreign aid bill. Johnson has previously brought up Israel aid in the House, passing funding for Israel in November that was not approved by the Senate. Another standalone bill for Israel aid in February failed to meet the required threshold for passage.
The situation surrounding the proposed aid packages for Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan remains complex, with various factions within the House expressing differing opinions and concerns. Johnson’s leadership is being tested as he navigates the challenges of bringing these bills to a vote while also facing potential threats to his position as speaker. The outcome of these efforts will have significant implications for U.S. foreign policy and aid distribution to key allies in the region.
