While facing threats of a motion to vacate his seat, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has unveiled the text of three foreign aid bills providing assistance to Ukraine and Israel amidst their military conflicts, along with other allies in the Indo-Pacific.
The proposed bills will feature a loan structure for aid, similar to that originally suggested by former President Donald Trump, along with enhanced strategy and accountability measures. The Speaker is also reportedly planning to unveil a fourth bill tackling other matters of national security including the contested TikTok ban, along with other provisions to allocate further foreign aid from seized Russian assets, sanctions, and other measures, per The Hill.
The bills allocate funds for foreign aid citing emergency requirements of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985. Over $60 billion has been allocated for aid in Ukraine, along with over $26 billion for Israel, and another $8 billion for the Indo-Pacific region.
Congressional GOP members have taken issue with Johnson's stump for further assistance to Ukraine and Israel, along with other decisions made by the Speaker since assuming his position in October last year.
"Speaker Johnson and the Uniparty are united behind their laundry list of bad ideas," wrote Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul in an X post. "From borrowing $95 billion from China to send it to other countries to killing a FISA warrant requirement."
"They're ticking all the boxes to put America last," he added.
Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has led the charge for vacating Johnson from his seat, also blamed the Speaker for his record.
"News flash for Speaker Johnson, we have already passed HR2, the Senate has it and refuses to secure our border, they want 5,000 illegals per day to come in," Greene wrote to X, noting the House had previously passed $14 billion in aid for Israel last November which the Senate has yet to pass. "You, Speaker Johnson, voted against $300 million for Ukraine before we gave you the gavel along with the majority of Republicans, no one understands why it is now your top priority to give Ukraine $60 billion more dollars."
"You are seriously out of step with Republicans by continuing to pass bills dependent on Democrats. Everyone sees through this," she added.
President Joe Biden issued a statement in support of Johnson's aid packages on Wednesday afternoon.
"I strongly support this package to get critical support to Israel and Ukraine, provide desperately needed humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza, and bolster security and stability in the Indo-Pacific," Johnson wrote. "Israel is facing unprecedented attacks from Iran, and Ukraine is facing continued bombardment from Russia that has intensified dramatically in the last month."
"The House must pass the package this week and the Senate should quickly follow," Biden added. "I will sign this into law immediately to send a message to the world: We stand with our friends, and we won’t let Iran or Russia succeed."
