The US House of Representatives will be reviewing individual legislations for aid to Israel and Ukraine this week, revealed the Republican Speaker, Mike Johnson on Monday. This comes more than two months after a bill combining aid for the nations was ratified by the Senate.
At the conclusion of a House Republicans’ meeting on Monday, Johnson stated that the closely-split House will be weighing up four separate bills which also consider support for Taiwan, allies in the Indo-Pacific, and priorities for the security of the US.
“Everyone is keeping a close eye on our actions.” Johnson remarked. “They are monitoring if the US will stand for its allies and act in our global interest. We will rise to the occasion.”
The delay in aid was attributed to Johnson’s reluctance to examine a bipartisan bill of $95 billion (€89.4 billion), that was earlier approved by the Senate. It proposed $14 billion for Israel and $60 billion for Ukraine among others.
The bill also included funds to fortify allies in the Indo-Pacific in light of China’s increasing assertiveness, and financial assistance for international humanitarian agendas.
Johnson explained that the fresh set of House bills would allocate roughly the equivalent in foreign aid as the Senate’s, albeit with variations, inclusive of some assistance shaped as a loan.
The Republicans are targeting the disclosure of legislative text by early Tuesday and will adhere to a 72-hour scrutiny period before commencing voting. Projected voting on acceptance could be as late as Friday, Johnson hinted.
Following Iran’s weekend attack on Israel, the urgency to pass the aid has increased, despite the stark opposition within the deeply split Congress.
Johnson proposed that three out of the four bills would serve Ukraine, Israel, and the Indo-Pacific, whereas the composition of the fourth was not immediately discernable.
Supporters had claimed that the comprehensive foreign aid bill, which secured 70% support in the Senate, would garner a similar reaction in the House. Nonetheless, Johnson had used various pretexts for the delay, these include a necessity to direct taxpayer money towards domestic issues and reluctance to adopt Senate measures without detailed information.
Johnson also faces the risk of hard-lien Republicans ousting him from his speaker role if he allows the aid for Ukraine to proceed. Many of them, particularly those closely associated with the ex-president Donald Trump, who is known for his scepticism towards aiding Kyiv in their conflict with Russia, fervently object to sending billions of additional dollars to Ukraine.
The Freedom Caucus, comprising approximately three dozen steadfast Republicans, issued a statement on Monday. They advocated for Israel’s assistance, but not Ukraine’s, and dismissed any idea that Israel’s attack should foster further Ukrainian funding as “baseless”.
The Caucus’ member, Representative Andy Biggs, informed the press that he was amenable to separate legislative measures, but needed to confirm their details before pledging his vote.
This matter is of paramount importance to the industrial sector. In the event the supplemental funding is approved, US defence manufacturers could potentially receive significant contracts for the provision of equipment to Ukraine and other American associates. Supporters of the aid emphasised that the pass of the Ukrainian bill would generate a vast number of jobs in America.
Both the White House, alongside Republicans and Democrats in the Senate, have been exerting pressure on Mr Johnson to permit a vote. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer announced on Monday that if the House Republicans were to place the Senate’s supplemental funding bill for a vote, he was certain it would be passed within the day. Subsequently, it would arrive on the president’s desk by evening and provide Israel with the necessary aid the following day.
In the words of Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell in his address to fellow lawmakers, the time had come for Congress to secure the pressing investments essential for our industrial base, troops, and allies’ ability to encounter and surpass the emerging, interconnected challenges we face.”
Representative Hakeem Jeffries, the leading Democrat in the House, expressed the urgency of supporting both Ukraine and Israel in a letter to his caucus on Monday.
The critical events that transpired this past weekend in the Middle East and Eastern Europe reinforces the need for urgent action from Congress. We must launch the cross-party, exhaustive national security bill that the Senate endorsed, without delay,” Jeffries remarked.
Ukraine renewed its appeal on Monday for “resolute and daring measures” from its allies, seeking the provision of air defence systems in the face of persistent Russian airstrikes on its energy infrastructure in the preceding weeks – Reuters.
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