On Friday, the House of Representatives voted to move forward with a total of 4 different bills that include crucial aid for both Ukraine and Israel.
The move came after Speaker Mike Johnson, who is facing opposition from some members of his own party, received support from Democrats to advance the bills through a procedural vote. The “rule” to set up the votes passed with 316 votes in favor and 94 against, with more Democrats (165) than Republicans (151) voting in support.
The four bills that are now set for House votes, expected to take place on Saturday afternoon, cover the following areas:
1. $26.38 billion aid to Israel
2. $60.84 billion aid to Ukraine
3. $8.12 billion for Indo-Pacific security
4. A measure that includes a reworked bill to ban TikTok in the U.S. if ByteDance does not divest ownership.
If passed, these measures would be combined into a single package and sent to the Senate for consideration.
The White House has endorsed the House of Rep’s package, stating that its passage “would send a powerful message about the strength of American leadership at a pivotal moment.” The administration urged both chambers of Congress to swiftly send the supplemental funding package to the President’s desk.
Speaker Johnson, who previously opposed Ukraine aid before becoming Speaker, has acknowledged the importance of supporting Ukraine based on intelligence briefings and the potential consequences of inaction. “I think Vladimir Putin would continue to march through Europe if he were allowed,” Johnson said, adding that he would “rather send bullets to Ukraine than American boys.”
The decision to advance the bills came after a contentious Rules Committee vote, where all four Democratic members broke ranks to support the rule, rescuing it from being blocked by three Republican dissenters.
While Johnson faced threats from some GOP members, including Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene and Thomas Massie, who oppose additional aid to Ukraine, he remained resolute in his commitment to “do the right thing.”
The inclusion of the TikTok provision, which would force China-based ByteDance to sell the popular app within a specified timeframe or face a ban in the U.S., has also garnered support from both the Senate and President Biden, bringing TikTok closer than ever to a potential prohibition in the country.
