The House of Representatives on Friday advanced a long-stalled foreign aid package of $95 billion for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, clearing the way for passage on Saturday and consideration in the Senate — despite a growing movement from House Speaker Mike Johnson’s own party to remove him.
The procedural hurdle in the House was cleared with a widely bipartisan 316-94 vote, with 165 Democrats joining 151 Republicans in the majority to push the measure over the top. 55 Republicans and 39 Democrats opposed the rule vote.
The package of four bills also includes a measure that would ban or force the sale of popular social media app TikTok, impose sanctions on Iran, Russia, China and criminal organizations that traffic fentanyl and a proposal that would allow the U.S. to seize Russian assets to help aid Ukraine.
“Ukrainians desperately need lethal aid right now,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said on The Mark Levin Show, a conservative talk program. “We cannot allow Vladimir Putin to roll through another country and take it. These are very serious matters with global implications.”
While the action from Johnson scored rare approval from President Joe Biden — and, in an even more rare move, no detraction from former President Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president — the Louisana Republican is facing backlash from a motivated far-right wing of his conference, which could cost him his leadership job.
“The world is watching what the Congress does,” the Biden administration said. “Passing this legislation would send a powerful message about the strength of American leadership at a pivotal moment.”
Far-right Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene filed a “motion to vacate” the speaker from office, and has drawn at least one other Republican, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky as a co-sponsor. It could launch a bid to evict Johnson from the speaker’s office, should she call it up for a vote, much the way Republicans booted Kevin McCarthy from the position last fall.
Greene would not comment when asked if she would call for a vote on her motion to oust Johnson.
Massie told POLITICO on Friday that another lawmaker will join the effort to remove Johnson from leadership, expected Friday.
“The strategy all along has been to ask the speaker to resign in a fashion like John Boehner resigned after he cleaned the barn,” he said.
Shortly after Massie’s comment, Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar joined the growing movement to oust Johhnson, writing in a statement largely focused on criticizing President Biden’s policies governing the U.S.-Mexico border that “we need a Speaker who puts America first.”
Ohio Rep. Warren Davidson told CNN and Axios that “there’s probably a clear consensus” that Johnson would not be House Speaker should the GOP retain control of the House after November’s elections; he “can’t say,” however, if he supports the motion to vacate.
Johnson told reporters on Friday that he is “not concerned” about threats to his speakership. Some Democrats have suggested that they will bail Johnson out should he face a vote to remove him from leaderhsip.
“We’re gonna do the right thing and let the chips fall where they may,” Johnson said.
With one of the most narrow House majorities in modern times, Johnson can only afford to lose a single vote or two from his Republican ranks to pass any bill. That dynamic has thrust him into the arms of Democrats as he searches for votes to pass the package.
Without his Republican majority fully behind him, Johnson cannot shape the package as the ultra-conservatives demand lest he lose Democratic backing. It has forced him to leave behind tough security measures to clamp down on migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border and other priorities.
At best, Johnson has been able to carve up a Senate-passed version of the bill into separate parts, as is the preference among House Republicans, and the final votes will be on distinct measures — for Ukraine, Israel and Indo-Pacific allies.
Passing each bill, in votes expected Saturday, will require Johnson to form complicated bipartisan coalitions on each, with Democrats for example ensuring Ukraine aid is approved, but some left-leaning progressives refusing to back military aid for Israel over the destruction of Gaza.
The components would then be automatically stitched back together into a single package sent to the Senate where hardliners there are also planning procedural moves to stall final approval.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., told lawmakers to prepare to stay in Washington over the weekend for votes on the foreign aid package.
Associated Press
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