The House recently approved a set of long-awaited foreign aid bills that would provide funds to Ukraine, Israel, and the Indo-Pacific region after months of being stalled by Republican infighting. Speaker Mike Johnson could potentially lose his leadership position and status as second in line to the presidency as a result of the bills. The legislation mostly mirrors an earlier foreign aid package passed by the Senate, but is broken up into separate bills to allow GOP lawmakers to choose which aspects they support. Johnson’s plan includes bills to fund Ukraine, Israel, and the Indo-Pacific region, as well as a fourth bill with GOP-backed foreign policy priorities such as seizing frozen Russian assets and potentially banning TikTok.
The House passed all four bills on a bipartisan basis, with the funding for Ukraine proving to be the most contentious due to waning GOP support for continued aid to Kyiv. The bill allocating approximately $60 billion to Ukraine passed by a vote of 311-112. The bill providing over $26 billion in aid to Israel, including humanitarian assistance in the Gaza strip, also faced challenges from progressive Democrats but was ultimately approved with a vote of 366-58. The bill allocating $8 billion to the Indo-Pacific region with the aim of deterring China passed by a vote of 385-34. The sweetener bill, which includes various GOP foreign policy priorities, was also approved by a vote of 360-58.
The combined package of all four bills will now be sent to the Senate, where it is expected to be approved. President Joe Biden has pledged to sign the legislation immediately. The bills finally came together after months of delays, with Johnson initially aligning with ultraconservative lawmakers who tied foreign aid to changes in border and immigration policy. However, Johnson eventually shifted his position, emphasizing the importance of supporting allies like Ukraine and expressing the urgent need to provide lethal aid to the country against threats from Russia and other adversarial nations.
The passage of the foreign aid package puts Johnson’s speakership in jeopardy, with conservative Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and others seeking to oust him for working with Democrats to pass the legislation. Greene has hinted at moving to remove Johnson as soon as the House passes Ukraine aid, although no specific timeline has been provided. Despite the risk to his leadership position, Johnson remains committed to doing what he believes is the right thing and is prepared to accept the consequences. The process of passing the aid package in the House involved splitting the bill into separate components and making modifications to win Republican support.
As House lawmakers depart Washington for a week-long recess following the passage of the foreign aid package, the political future of Speaker Mike Johnson remains uncertain. Upon their return to Capitol Hill, Johnson is expected to face a challenge from Greene and other conservatives who are determined to replace him. The path forward for the House and the fate of Johnson’s speakership will likely be the focus of intense political battles and negotiations in the coming weeks.
