House Speaker Mike Johnson is facing a crucial week in his role, balancing the threat of a potential ouster and the pressure to decide on aid to Ukraine. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has been vocal in her opposition to Ukraine aid, but Johnson is working to find a package that could garner enough Democratic support. The challenge lies in creating legislation that can attract Democratic votes while also including funding for Israel, especially after an Israeli strike that killed aid workers. Johnson may face difficulty passing either a comprehensive Ukraine aid package or Israel aid through Congress, as more Democrats are signaling interest in attaching conditions to aid for Israel.
GOP leaders are looking at breaking the aid package into pieces to navigate through the Senate, but this remains a challenging endeavor. Johnson’s focus this week will be on reauthorizing Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, a move that may spark party infighting and put the speaker at odds with members of his right flank. Additionally, Congress will address major issues such as sending articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to the Senate and responding to the collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key bridge.
The House will also face the looming question of whether a vote will be called to remove the speaker, with Greene previously filing a motion to oust Johnson. House Intelligence Committee Chair Mike Turner believes Johnson is not at risk of being ousted and criticized those seeking to disrupt important work in Congress. The threat against Johnson follows a similar challenge faced by former Speaker Kevin McCarthy last year, which led to weeks of chaos within the House GOP conference.
On Wednesday, the House will send articles of impeachment against Mayorkas to the Senate, but it is expected that the Democratic-led Senate will vote to dismiss the case promptly. Some Republican senators seek a full trial, but their efforts are unlikely to gain traction. Democrats and some Republicans anticipate moving to dismiss the case before a full trial. The impeachment focuses on Mayorkas’ handling of the southern border, a move Democrats criticize as a political stunt without a proper basis.
Lawmakers must address the rebuilding and recovery effort following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, with pressure mounting for Congress to pass additional funding. Congress also faces a deadline to reauthorize Section 702 of FISA, a controversial surveillance law, by April 19. The bill titled the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act aims to reauthorize Section 702 with reforms. While supporters argue the critical role of Section 702 in safeguarding national security, critics raise concerns over potential misuse and breaches of privacy. House Republicans have been divided on the issue, increasing pressure on Johnson to find a compromise within his conference.
