House moves forward with bipartisan support on crucial foreign aid bills, paving the way for Saturday's decisive vote
In a display of bipartisan unity, the House has made significant progress towards passing essential foreign aid legislation, including support for Ukraine and Israel. The final vote is anticipated to take place on Saturday following the successful advancement of the aid package.
The House took a bipartisan vote on Friday to move forward with an important foreign aid package. This paves the way for aid to be sent to Ukraine and Israel, with a final vote expected as early as Saturday.
In a surprising turn of events, a higher number of Democrats (165) backed the measure compared to Republicans (151). This was crucial as Democratic support was needed to overcome resistance from Speaker Mike Johnson's conservative allies, who may now push harder for his removal.
The tension over the bills has put Speaker Johnson under the most intense pressure he has faced since taking on the role. Rep. Thomas Massie announced on Tuesday that he would support Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's motion to remove Johnson from his position. Despite this, the speaker stood firm and informed reporters that he had no intention of stepping down.
After the vote, Greene left the US Capitol on Friday without taking any further action to remove Johnson.
The GOP-led House Rules Committee advanced the bills late Thursday night with the help of Democratic support. This decision is expected to anger conservatives who oppose providing more aid to Ukraine and have even threatened Johnson's job because of this issue.
Another heated day in Capitol Hill concluded with a committee activity that highlighted the ongoing division among House Republicans regarding the proposed foreign aid to Ukraine. The right wing of the GOP has expressed opposition to the plan and also criticized a separate proposal to change House rules related to removing the speaker, which Johnson confirmed he would not implement.
During the committee session on Thursday night, three Republicans – Massie, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, and Chip Roy of Texas – voted against the foreign aid legislation, while all Democrats on the panel voted in favor of it.
Three bills in the foreign aid package aim to provide assistance to Ukraine, Israel, and the Indo-Pacific region. The bill for the Indo-Pacific region is specifically designed to help prevent Chinese aggression in the area. Another bill includes various House GOP priorities such as sanctions on Iran, seizing frozen Russian assets, and potentially banning TikTok nationwide.
The total amount for the three House aid bills is approximately $95 billion, matching the Senate bill. However, there is a slight adjustment as $10 billion of the aid allocated for Ukraine is in the form of a repayable loan, according to a report by CNN.
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The three assistance bills mirror the foreign aid legislation that was approved by the Senate back in February. However, the fourth House bill was not included in the Senate package.
Johnson, who was on Newsmax, mentioned that the vote on the package is expected to take place "early Saturday." However, his office informed CNN that the exact timing is still being determined.
As per the rule, if the bills are approved by the House, they will be consolidated into a single amendment before being forwarded to the Senate.
Earlier today, the House Freedom Caucus advised House Republicans to vote against the procedural vote. They believe that in order to secure the border, the rule must be rejected.
In a statement shared on X, the House Freedom Caucus announced that they will be voting against the rule for the 'America Last' foreign wars supplemental package. They are calling for zero border security measures and are encouraging all House Republicans to follow suit.
With the House being controlled by Republicans with a very small margin, Johnson will need the support of many Democrats to navigate the procedural obstacles and pass the bill. This is particularly important as more hardliners are expressing dissatisfaction with the border security measures.
This story and headline have been revised to include new updates.
CNN’s Haley Talbot, Katie Lobosco, Tami Luhby and Brian Fung contributed to this report.
Editor's P/S:
The passage highlights the contentious debate surrounding the House's foreign aid package. Despite bipartisan support, the measure has drawn opposition from conservative Republicans who oppose aid to Ukraine and a potential change in House rules. The pressure on Speaker Johnson has intensified, with Rep. Massie announcing support for his removal.
The vote exposes the division within the GOP on foreign policy and leadership. The House Freedom Caucus's opposition to the rule due to border security concerns underscores the challenges Johnson faces in passing the bill with a narrow Republican majority. The outcome of the final vote remains uncertain, and further developments are likely as the House navigates the procedural hurdles and seeks to consolidate the bills into a single amendment before sending it to the Senate.
