Washington, D.C. – In a rare turn of events on Thursday, Democratic lawmakers broke party lines to support Republican leaders in advancing legislation to allocate billions in delayed security funding for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. This move brings the measures closer to passage over the weekend.
Following a nine-hour recess, the House Rules Committee reconvened late Thursday night and approved GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson’s foreign aid bills in a 9-3 vote. The support of all four Democrats on the committee, including Ranking Member Jim McGovern, played a crucial role in advancing the legislation.
While conservative Republican hardliners on the committee opposed the rule due to the lack of pairing border security with foreign aid, Speaker Johnson is set to bring a border bill to a vote on Friday morning. This bill, having failed to pass out of the Rules Committee, will require two-thirds support for passage under a suspension of the rule.
The House is anticipated to conduct a procedural vote on the bill on Friday morning, with a final vote on the foreign aid package scheduled for Saturday afternoon. The three foreign aid bills aim to provide substantial support to Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan, along with counteracting China in the Indo-Pacific region.
Additionally, a fourth bill focuses on addressing other GOP foreign policy priorities, including measures to allow the sale of frozen assets of Russian oligarchs, fund future aid to Ukraine, and enforce stricter sanctions on Russia, China, and Iran. President Biden has expressed support for the package and urged swift passage in both chambers of Congress.
Speaker Johnson introduced the proposal earlier in the week to address mounting pressure from members of both parties to vote on bipartisan Senate legislation that includes aid for U.S. allies. The $95 billion supplemental funding package, approved by the Senate in February, has faced delays in the House as Johnson deliberated on the path forward.
Foreign aid has sparked divisions among House Republicans, with some far-right members threatening to remove Johnson from the speakership over additional funding for Ukraine. Johnson defended his decision, emphasizing the importance of providing lethal aid to Ukraine in the current geopolitical climate.
In response to criticism, Johnson stated that he is focused on doing what he believes is right for the country, despite potential challenges. GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado predicted potential consequences for Speaker Johnson due to his stance on foreign aid.
Overall, the unexpected bipartisan support for advancing foreign aid legislation highlights the complexities and tensions within Congress on critical international issues.