Washington – The House votes Saturday on a $95 billion foreign aid package, a key moment for House Speaker Mike Johnson as he tries to fend off a right-wing rebellion.
The package consists of four bills that are voted on separately and then combined into one before being sent to the Senate. The first three bills include $60.8 billion to help Ukraine in its war with Russia; $26.4 billion to support Israel, which is fighting Hamas and Iran; and $8.1 billion to counter China in the Indo-Pacific. Also included is humanitarian aid for Gaza, which Democrats said was necessary for their support.
The fourth bill would allow the sale of frozen assets of Russian oligarchs to help fund future aid to Ukraine, potentially forcing the TikTok sale and authorize tougher sanctions on Russia, China, and Iran. The House passed the fourth bill on Saturday by a vote of 360 to 58.
The House voted overwhelmingly to approve the Indo-Pacific Allies Aid bill by a vote of 385 to 34, with one vote present. In a more contentious vote, 311 to 112 with one present, lawmakers also approved the aid bill for Ukraine.
The speaker said that separating the bills would allow members to vote their “conscience” on each.
Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, unveiled the package Earlier this week, amid mounting pressure from other congressional leaders and the White House to hold a vote on a similar $95 billion package that passed the Senate in February. The Senate package has been inactive in the House for months as the speaker debated a way forward and faced threats from a small number of Republicans, who oppose sending more aid to Ukraine and want border measures , to hold a vote on the dethronement. he
“This is the best possible product that we can get under these circumstances, to address these really important obligations,” Johnson said Friday.
He said if he hadn't moved forward with his plan, an effort to bypass it and force a vote on the Senate bill would have garnered more support. House Democrats tried to use an unsuccessful legislative maneuver known as a pull petition to do so, but they fall short of the required 218 signatures.
“We would have had to eat the Senate supplemental bill,” Johnson said.
The effort to oust Johnson had three Republican supporters as of Friday afternoon: Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Paul Gosar of Arizona. to dare announced his support after Friday more Democrats than Republicans voted to advance the packagesetting it up for last past saturday.
The rebellion puts Johnson's job in jeopardy if Democrats don't step in to save him if the hardliners force a vote. But Greene has not given a timetable on whether and when he plans to force a vote.
Johnson has backed his decision to put Ukraine's aid up for a vote. Citing classified briefings he has received, Johnson called the aid “critically important” to curbing Russian aggression.
“If I had operated out of fear of a motion to vacate, I could never do my job,” Johnson said earlier this week.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, said Friday that the upper chamber will “move quickly” to send the package to President Biden, who has said he will sign it.
Jaala Brown and Ellis Kim contributed to this report.
