Senate to Take Up House-Passed Foreign Aid Package
The package deal worsened divisions inside the Home GOP that might quickly spark one other speakership stalemate.
The Senate’s first vote on April 23 shall be on a nationwide safety package deal that features overseas assist for the war-torn nations of Ukraine and Israel, in addition to the Indo-Pacific.
The vote comes three days after the Home handed the payments with bipartisan help over the objections of these among the many GOP’s proper flank.
“The Senate now stands able to take the following step,” Senate Majority Chief Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) assured after the vote, promising fast passage of the payments within the Senate.
“I thank Speaker [Mike] Johnson and Chief [Hakeem] Jeffries for working collectively to do the appropriate factor for our nation. I do know it was a tough street, however the Home is on the appropriate aspect of historical past for approving this invoice,” he added.
Collectively, the package deal contains $61 billion for Ukraine, $8.1 billion for the Indo-Pacific, and $26.4 billion for Israel and humanitarian assist for Gaza. It additionally features a measure forcing Chinese language divestment of TikTok and permitting the federal government to present seized Russian property to Ukraine.
The laws confronted fierce opposition from Republican members who felt that securing the southern border ought to take priority over sending monetary help to overseas international locations.
And people issues have been echoed by some Republicans within the Senate.
“Because the Senate passes on Tuesday what the Home handed final evening, we can have relinquished what little bargaining energy we had left” to safe the border, Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) instructed Fox Information’ “Sunday Morning Futures.”
Mr. Lee famous that a part of the GOP’s technique in holding off on further Ukraine funding was to “pressure Joe Biden’s hand” on the border. “That didn’t occur, and the Republican-led Home of Representatives walked away from that yesterday,” he stated.
Nonetheless, Mr. Johnson (R-La.) instructed reporters that he felt bringing the payments to the Home ground was the appropriate transfer.
“I’ve completed right here what I imagine to be the appropriate factor, and that’s to permit the Home to work its will. And as I’ve stated, you do the appropriate factor and also you let the chips fall the place they might,” he stated after the package deal was handed.
Mr. Johnson’s willingness to affix with Democrats on different current payments had already fractured the Home GOP and thrown his speakership into query. Now, with this newest transfer, he could have sealed his destiny.
“Speaker Johnson refuses to make use of his energy as speaker of the Home to do any sort of negotiating to safe the southern border and cease the insanity in our nation,” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) instructed Fox Information.
Charging the speaker with betrayal, the congresswoman known as on him to resign.
“Mike Johnson’s speakership is over. He must do the appropriate factor—to resign and permit us to maneuver ahead in a managed course of. If he doesn’t achieve this, he shall be vacated,” she stated.
Her transfer to oust the speaker, she added, is “coming no matter what Mike Johnson decides to do.”
Doubling down on her place on April 22, Ms. Greene stated GOP voters had been fed up with Republican management.
The congresswoman famous that the 2020 election angered Republicans for the numerous election integrity issues it raised. However now, she stated, their anger has reached “an entire different degree.”
“And right here’s what actually worries me,” she stated. “They’re completed with the Republican Occasion. They’re completely completed with Republican management like Mike Johnson, who completely bought us out to the Democrats.”
And that frustration might lead to Republicans dropping the Home, Ms. Greene stated, if the speaker isn’t held to account.
However Mr. Johnson, for his half, stated he’s unconcerned about the potential of his elimination.
“As I’ve stated many occasions, I don’t stroll round this constructing worrying a couple of movement to vacate,” he instructed reporters on April 20. “I’ve to do my job. We did.”
President Biden has promised to signal the nationwide safety package deal if it lands on his desk.
Jackson Richman, Joseph Lord, and The Related Press contributed to this report.