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WASHINGTON – House Democrats laid the groundwork to force a vote on a $95 billion foreign aid bill passed by the Senate early Tuesday, despite fierce opposition from House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. ing. To the law.
If the Democratic Party succeeds, it will be a major coup. They are seeking to use an unusual process known as an expulsion petition, which requires signatures from at least 218 people, including at least some Republicans, to bring the bill to a vote.
The policy earmarks $60 billion to aid Ukraine, which has been fighting Russia since February 2022. It would also send $14 billion in military aid to Israel, $9 billion in humanitarian aid to Gaza and other areas, and nearly $5 billion to defend Taiwan.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D.N.Y., sent a letter to his fellow Democrats on Tuesday saying the caucus would “utilize every available legislative tool” to advance the bill, adding that “traditionally He called on “Republicans” to make strides in the House of Representatives.
Democratic leaders said at a news conference that they believed they needed at least 300 votes, including a “supermajority” of Democrats, in the House to pass the foreign aid bill.
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“It’s not too much to ask for a yes or no vote on America’s national security and for the House to actually make its will work,” Jeffries said.
There are other signs that there is enough political will in the House to pass aid. Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), a member of the ultra-conservative Freedom Caucus, said he was “firmly opposed” to the bill. But he told a conservative talk radio host: “If it gets to the floor, it’s going to pass. Let’s be frank about that,” he said Tuesday.
The bill passed the Senate with 70 votes on Tuesday.. Only two Democrats and Sen. Bernie Sanders (R-Vt.) voted against the bill, as did a majority of Republicans in the chamber.
The Senate vote reflects a similar divide in the House. A growing number of Republicans have voiced concerns about additional aid to Ukraine, and progressive Democrats have protested any additional aid to Israel without conditions for more humane treatment of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
But moderate coalitions from both parties appear to still have a powerful voice in the House and Senate, and they are preparing to flex their muscles.
Rep. Annie Kuster (D.N.H.), chair of the centrist New Democratic Caucus, told USA TODAY in an interview last week that “this seat is run by a majority…we’ll probably do it with expulsion.” Ta.
She argued that adding a condition that Israeli aid be used “in accordance with international law” could bring the left wing of the party on board. In addition to those members, Kuster predicted there would likely be five or more Republicans needed who would be prepared to stand up to Republican leaders.
Still, passing foreign aid is no easy task. As the Senate prepares to vote on the aid bill Monday night, Prime Minister Johnson issued a statement saying the House of Commons will not consider the aid bill because it does not include border security policy.
His comments come after he, former President Donald Trump, and Senate Republicans rejected a bipartisan agreement last week to add border provisions that would not go far enough to strengthen the U.S. immigration system. he claimed.
While Prime Minister Johnson criticized the bipartisan border agreement that senators have been negotiating for months, he said: “If we do not receive any changes to border policy from the Senate, the House of Commons will have no control over these important issues. We’re going to have to keep working on it with our will.”
Several moderate Republicans representing key battleground states also told USA TODAY they don’t think they’re ready to take on their leaders.
Asked if he would sign the discharge petition, Rep. Mark Molinaro of New York said, “All I can say is we have a duty to secure our borders and support our allies…hopefully.” “We will be able to come to some kind of agreement.” To support. ”
“We need to talk to the speaker first,” said Rep. Don Bacon (R-Nebraska).
Additionally, Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida said, “The speaker has a lot of work to do. He was elected to make difficult decisions.”
Díaz-Balart noted that the House passed its own bill to fund aid for Israel, which the Senate has not yet taken up. The bill also included costly cuts to the Internal Revenue Service that made many members of the Senate uncomfortable.
“I don’t think it’s surprising that there would be some reluctance on the part of the Speaker to just accept what the Senate sent to him without any potential amendments or changes,” he said. “Because it works both ways.”
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