The House is holding a rare Saturday session to approve $95 billion in foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel, and other U.S. allies. Democrats and Republicans are coming together to support the legislation after months of fighting over American support for repelling Russia’s invasion into Ukraine. Speaker Mike Johnson is relying on Democratic support to ensure the package is approved. Before the voting, there was a somber but purposeful debate with top committee members urging swift passage to show U.S. support for its allies and uphold its leadership on the world stage. The package includes aid bills for Ukraine, Israel, and the Indo-Pacific, as well as other foreign policy proposals like TikTok regulation.
Passage through the House would clear the biggest hurdle to President Joe Biden’s funding request, first made in October as Ukraine’s military supplies began to run low. The process has been a challenging one for Johnson, with some Republicans openly urging his removal from the speaker’s office. The delay in approving aid has left many questioning America’s commitment to its allies globally. The aid is also vital to Biden’s foreign policy priority of halting Russian President Vladimir Putin’s advance in Europe. World leaders have visited Congress, urging lawmakers to approve the aid, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
Voting on the aid package is expected to create unusual alliances in the House, with progressive Democrats likely opposing aid to Israel due to the situation in Gaza, while a significant number of Republicans oppose further aid to Ukraine. Former President Donald Trump has influenced the debate with his “America First” stance, questioning the need for foreign aid. The House Freedom Caucus has criticized the legislation as the “America Last” package and urged opposition. There have been efforts to remove Johnson from his speaker position, further complicating the debate.
The aid package includes Republican priorities that Democrats are willing to accept, such as proposals to seize frozen Russian assets, impose sanctions on various countries and organizations, and regulate TikTok ownership. The push to get the bills through Congress reflects the dire situation in Ukraine, with concerns growing among national security lawmakers about Russia’s tactics. Russia has been using advanced weapons to attack Ukrainian forces, who are facing severe shortages of troops and ammunition. The urgency of the situation has led to a united effort to pass the aid package and support U.S. allies in the face of global threats.
