The House of Representatives on Friday took a key step toward approving a long-delayed aid package for Ukraine, Israel and other U.S. allies. That's because Democrats provided the key votes that allowed the bill to be debated over Republican opposition.
The 316-94 vote cleared the way for the House to propose the aid package, with separate votes in each part on Saturday. But there is no doubt that the passage of these bills, each with bipartisan support from different coalitions, is a key indicator that Friday's action is almost certain to pass. Ta.
If that happens with a vote scheduled for Saturday afternoon, the Senate is expected to quickly pass the bill, and President Biden has said he intends to sign it into law.
On Friday, the rules for considering the bill (historically a straight partisan vote) had more support from Democrats than Republicans, but it also received a majority of Republican votes, despite deep resistance from the far right. It was clear that the bill had passed. , the $95.3 billion package has broad bipartisan support.
The vote was a major victory in a long-running effort to provide funding to Ukraine to fight Russian aggression, a key priority for President Biden. It was a victory over isolationist forces within the Republican Party and a key moment of consensus in Congress, which has been defined for much of the past year by Republican dysfunction.
But that comes after Speaker Mike Johnson put his job at risk by leaning on Democrats in a serious breach of convention in the House, putting his position even more at risk while clearing the way for the bill to be voted on and approved. Met.
On the House floor, Democrats held off on voting until it became clear they did not have enough Republican support to pass the bill without support, but then “yes” votes started pouring in. In the end, 165 Democrats voted in favor of the bill. over the 151 Republicans who supported it.
“Democrats are the adults in the room again,” said Rep. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, the top Democrat. “I'm so happy that Republicans are finally recognizing the gravity of the situation and the urgency with which we need to act.” ” he said. Rules Committee. “But here, you don't get an award for doing your job.”
Mr McGovern blamed the long delays in approving aid to Ukraine on a “MAGA minority unwilling to compromise”. But he said Democrats are offering votes because “there's more at stake here than frivolous partisanship.”
It was the second time this Congress that Republicans had to rely on Democratic votes in the House to advance legislation to address important issues. They did so last year to suspend the debt ceiling bill and allow a vote to avert a catastrophic federal debt default. In that vote, 29 Republicans voted against the rule. On Friday, 55 Republicans voted against their own chair's agenda.
After the vote, Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar became the third Republican to say he supported removing Johnson from office. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, Republican of Georgia, has already introduced a resolution calling for Johnson's removal from office, but he has not yet called for a vote.
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the New York Democratic minority leader, said that while Johnson did not directly seek Democratic votes to pass the rules on Friday, his significant support was needed to pass the bill. He said it was clear that it was necessary. . He added that a majority of Democrats also support elements of Saturday's aid package.
On Friday, 39 Democrats voted against the rule, including many progressives who oppose unlimited aid to Israel because of the way it attacks Hamas in the Gaza Strip. ing. Health officials say more than 33,000 people have been killed and the population is at risk. hunger crisis.
Top Democrats have repeatedly declined to say whether their members would vote to keep Johnson in office if Republicans try to remove him from office, but Jeffries has previously said he clearly believes that is a possibility. He said that discussions “will take place at the appropriate time.” ”
“I think what the American people are interested in right now is meeting their needs in a very dangerous world, supporting our democratic allies,” Jeffries said. “It will be the ultimate test by which Speaker Johnson, myself, and all of my colleagues in the House on both sides of the aisle will be judged.”
Many Republicans spoke in favor of a bill that would send aid to Ukraine and Israel. Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas, chairman of the Rules Committee, asked the Biden administration to explain how foreign aid funds have been spent so far and what the long-term goals are for ending the conflict in Ukraine. He said he would like to see more information provided as to whether this is the case.
He said Republicans will continue to demand accountability, but acknowledged that “Today, we are at a tipping point.”
“If we don't get help now, we could end up paying a bigger price later. I don't want that to happen,” he said.
However, the far-right wing of the Republican conference, which has wielded tremendous power through its small majority, voiced opposition to the bill.
“I'm more concerned that the Speaker has struck a deal with Democrats to fund foreign wars than to protect our borders,” says the bill's most vocal opponent, threatening to vote to repeal it. said Representative Thomas Massey, Republican of Kentucky. Mr. Johnson, because of that.
To avoid opposition from members of his own party, Mr Johnson split the bill into three parts and added a fourth bill that would make the deal more favorable to conservatives.
This rule was crucial to Johnson's strategy. That's because the rules allow separate votes on support for Israel and support for Ukraine supported by different coalitions, but combine them without requiring lawmakers to vote in favor. Entire bill.
This made the rule the only all-or-nothing vote lawmakers faced on the foreign aid package, making it in many ways more important than any vote on individual parts of the plan. The measure also includes a series of sweeteners, including bills that would require TikTok to be sold by its Chinese owners or ban the app in the United States.
“This was all prearranged,” exclaimed far-right Republican Rep. Chip Roy of Texas as he rose to oppose the rule. “That's why President Biden and Chuck Schumer are praising it.”
Friday's vote came after Republicans on the House Rules Committee were also forced to rely on Democratic votes to move the bill from committee to the House floor late Thursday night. Far-right lawmakers who tried to block the rule in committee, including Massey, Roy and South Carolina Rep. Ralph Norman, were allowed to vote on tough border security provisions they had argued should be a priority. I opposed it because it would disappear. Concerning support for Ukraine.
Under the rules approved Friday, Republicans will have two chances to zero out or limit funding to Ukraine. These efforts are likely to fail.
katie edmondson Contributed to the report.