Speaker Mike Johnson announced on Wednesday that he is moving forward with his plan to introduce a series of foreign aid bills, including funding for Ukraine, despite facing significant pressure from hardliners within his party.
Johnson informed members that a vote on these bills will take place on Saturday evening. The proposed bills aim to provide funding for America's national security interests and allies in Israel, the Indo-Pacific, and Ukraine, with a loan structure for aid and enhanced strategy and accountability.
The decision to include a loan structure in the aid package follows a meeting and news conference with former President Donald Trump, who advocated for structuring foreign aid as loans rather than grants.
Johnson had initially planned to introduce separate bills for aid to Israel and Ukraine but left open the possibility of packaging them together, which could potentially anger the right-wing faction of the House GOP conference.
Pressure on Johnson to modify the aid package has been mounting, not only from conservative members but also from moderate Republicans like Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, who called for including a border security measure in the aid package.
Despite attempts to address concerns by including a border bill in the package, some far-right House Republicans, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, remain critical of Johnson's decision to move forward with the foreign aid bills.
The intense pressure on Johnson culminated in Rep. Thomas Massie co-sponsoring a motion to vacate the speaker's position, with other conservative hardliners expressing discontent over the aid package.
With Republicans holding a slim majority in the House, Johnson may need Democratic support to pass the aid bills and potentially retain his speakership in the face of a motion to vacate.
House Democrats are awaiting details on the aid package, particularly regarding $9 billion in humanitarian aid to conflict zones, before deciding on procedural votes. The party is divided on whether to support Johnson in the event of a motion to oust him, with institutionalists and progressives holding differing views on the matter.
If Johnson is ousted, it could lead to legislative gridlock until a new speaker is elected, further complicating the political landscape in the House.
