Speaker Johnson sets out separate bills for foreign aid votes, with $60bn for Ukraine and $26bn for Israel
Mike Johnson released the bill texts amid calls by two far-right representatives to remove him from the speakership
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Speaker Mike Johnson has released a much-anticipated series of foreign aid bills, teeing up the House of Representatives for a vote within days as President Joe Biden vows to sign it into law “immediately.”
The supplemental security funding outline proposes $26.38bn in aid to Israel and $60.84bn in aid to Ukraine. Taiwan could also receive $8.12bn. Aid for each of the three countries will be voted on as a separate bill. The $94bn package has been Senate-approved since February and subsequently stalled by the GOP-led House. Voting is expected on Saturday.
In a text to the House GOP conference, Mr Johnson said he will also introduce a fourth bill this week. That text will include the REPO Act, which aims to seize frozen Russian assets to aid Ukraine, and a TikTok bill. It will also include “sanctions and other measures to confront Russia, China, and Iran,” the speaker wrote.
The president praised Mr Johnson’s decision to put the bills forward, pledging to sign them into law if passed.
“I strongly support this package to get critical support to Israel and Ukraine, provide desperately needed humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza, and bolster security and stability in the Indo-Pacific,” Mr Biden said. “Israel is facing unprecedented attacks from Iran, and Ukraine is facing continued bombardment from Russia that has intensified dramatically in the last month”
“I will sign this into law immediately to send a message to the world: We stand with our friends, and we won’t let Iran or Russia succeed,” he continued.
The push for aid comes in the wake of an Iranian attack on Israel over the weekend, which the US and eight other countries helped stop. Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials have been awaiting this bill as they face ammunition shortages and intense Russian attacks.
However, aid to Ukraine has faced opposition from several GOP representatives, meaning Mr Johnson will need Democratic votes to pass the bills.
This release comes as Mr Johnson faces calls for his removal from far-right members of the House. Kentucky Representative Thomas Massie urged Mr Johnson to step down during a meeting of the House GOP conference on Tuesday.
The call came after Mr Johnson said he was putting forth the foreign aid legislation.
“I am not concerned about this, I am going to do my job, and I think that’s what the American people expect of us,” the speaker said on Tuesday.
Last month, Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene also filed a motion to remove him as Speaker after he allowed the House to vote on funding the federal government for the rest of the current fiscal year. Mr Massie has since said he would support her measure.
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