Conservatives warn Johnson not to include funding for Ukraine as parliamentary leaders clash over next steps to aid Israel

CNN
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Congressional leaders from both parties were quick to condemn Iran’s retaliatory attack on Israel this Saturday, but remain at odds over how to pass additional funding for Israel in the wake of the attack.

House Speaker Mike Johnson said Sunday he would move forward with a vote on additional Israel aid, but did not go into details of the plan as he is at odds with conservatives over possible funding for Ukraine.

“House Republicans and Republicans understand the need to support Israel. We plan to try again this week and are currently finalizing the details of that package. We have options and all of these complementary issues. We’re looking into it,” Johnson told Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo on “Sunday Morning Futures.”

But hardline conservatives have warned Johnson not to add Ukrainian funds to any aid package for Israel, contradicting the prime minister as he considers key decisions about the path forward after Iran’s attack on Israel. It highlights the pressure.

“Congress must be clear: No action by Iran or Israel deserves a vote on the Ukraine general election the Senate is calling for,” Republican Rep. Warren Davidson wrote on social media.

Johnson’s right-wing pressure campaign comes amid bipartisan calls, including Republican leader Mitch McConnell, to take up the Senate-passed foreign package that includes funding for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. , claims it is the quickest way to get aid to Israel.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has vowed to table some sort of aid bill for Israel this week, but said details are still being worked out.

For Johnson, it all amounts to a complex calculation. The House of Commons has struggled to pass a unilateral support bill for Israel, but if Johnson links it to Ukraine or considers a Senate bill, it could anger the right.

But the chairman is trying to get key buy-in from former President Donald Trump for a more Republican aid package for Ukraine, including structuring the aid as a loan, and Trump said in a press conference with Johnson in March that He took a positive attitude towards this. -a-largo.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said President Joe Biden spoke with the top four leaders of Congress on Sunday regarding the situation in the Middle East. And New York Democrats at a news conference reiterated their call for the Republican-led House to move instead on the national security aid package passed by the bipartisan Senate. This includes funding for Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan. Iranian attack.

“The best way to help Israel and help Ukraine is to pass the supplement this week,” Schumer said.

“I called on Speaker Johnson to do that,” the New York Democrat said, according to records provided by his office.

The House of Representatives has so far refused to vote on the bill passed by the Senate, and many House conservatives oppose additional aid to Ukraine and want any aid package to include tougher U.S. southern border policies. I’m here. However, it is unclear how the Democratic-controlled Senate will respond to the bill introduced by the Republican-led House.

While many Republicans are urging Schumer to act only on Israel, Democrats are pleading with Johnson to table the foreign aid package in the Senate, and individual members are also weighing in on the conflict since Iran’s attack on Israel. Says.

In response to a request from Mr. McConnell to send the $95.3 billion additional foreign aid package passed by the Senate in February to the House, Republican Sen. Marco Rubio said Sunday that the Senate would pass standalone aid to Israel. This was avoided by claiming that it could be approved by the House of Representatives. .

“I can go to Washington, D.C. on Monday, and I can get aid to Israel right away,” Rubio told CNN’s Jake Tapper, adding: “If the Senate were to send an Israel aid bill to the House,” the House would likely pass it on Monday. ”

Democratic Sen. Chris Coons emphasized the urgent nature of the issue and called on Prime Minister Johnson to bring the additional foreign aid package passed by the Senate in February to the floor on Monday. .

“I think the most important deterrent Congress can take…is for Speaker Johnson to pass additional legislation tomorrow instead of spending days and weeks coming up with other policies,” Coons said. he told Tapper in a separate interview.

The Senate passed a foreign aid bill in February, but Prime Minister Johnson has said he has no intention of bringing it to the floor. Meanwhile, the House of Representatives unsuccessfully tried to pass a standalone $17.6 billion aid package for Israel amid opposition from both Republican and Democratic leaders.

Resistance from members of the conservative House of Commons Freedom Caucus had forced Johnson to introduce the bill through a process that required a two-thirds vote in the House of Commons. That means he needed the support of a significant number of Democrats to support him, and he was unable to cross that threshold. In a closed-door caucus meeting ahead of the vote, House Democratic leaders urged their members against supporting a standalone aid package for Israel.

But given the attacks by Iran and its proxies, pressure is mounting on leaders in both chambers to reach a deal.

CNN’s Haley Talbot, Lauren Fox, Manu Raju, Aileen Graef and Avery Lotz contributed to this report.