After Iran’s drone and missile strikes on Israel on April 13, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said in an interview on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo on April 14 that he would try to pass aid to Israel this week.
“We’re going to try again this week, and the details of that package are being put together right now. We’re looking at the options, and all these supplemental issues,” Johnson declared, recalling two previous failed efforts to pass standalone support for Israel.
Notably, Johnson’s remarks came after House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, the chamber’s No. 2 Republican, announced that the House will react to Iran’s attack with “legislation that supports our ally Israel and holds Iran and its terrorist proxies accountable.” Scalise did not provide more details as to what the House’s response would entail.
The past weekend was a wild one in the Middle East, with Iranian drone attacks signifying a major intensification of conflict in the region. While Israel, the United States, and other countries intercepted most of the Iranian drones, the latest escalation of hostilities ignited renewed calls in the House to vote on a bill to accelerate military aid to both Israel and Ukraine.
When questioned about Ukraine aid, Johnson did not elaborate when it would be pushed forward or whether it would be linked to Israel funding. Nonetheless, the Louisiana Republican quoted a recent meeting with former President Trump in Florida, alluding to various proposals he formerly introduced, such as sending more money to Ukraine in the form of loans.
As cited by left-wing news outlet Politico, Johnson said that Trump has “introduced the loan-lease concept which is a really important one, which I think has a lot of consensus, as well as these other ideas, the Repo Act, which is seizing the assets of corrupt Russian oligarchs to help pay for this resistance.”
Politico furthermore admitted that Johnson has been facing pressure for months from both Republicans and Democrats to conduct a vote on delayed military aid for Kyiv. In February, the Senate approved a $95 billion foreign aid bill to help arm Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. In contrast, House GOP leaders have merely held votes on military assistance for Israel.
Following the October 7 attack on Israel last year, Johnson pushed through an Israel-only aid bill, but Democrats decried his decision to cut funding for the IRS.
On April 14, Johnson condemned President Biden and House Democrats for resisting stand-alone Israel aid bills.
If Johnson were to advance the cause for Ukraine aid, the status of his position as House Speaker could very well be challenged by Representive Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.).
Greene in March filed a motion for Johnson to vacate the speaker’s chair due to the latter’s actions regarding Ukraine aid.
“I filed the motion to vacate today, but it’s more of a warning and a pink slip,” Greene said to reporters in March.
“I respect our conference. I paid all my dues to my conference. I am a member in good standing and I do not wish to inflict pain on my conference and to throw the House in chaos.”
“But this is basically a warning and it’s time for us to go through the process, take our time and find a new speaker of the House that will stand with Republicans and our Republican majority instead of standing with the Democrats,” Greene said.
Meanwhile, House Intelligence Chair Mike Turner (R-Ohio) on April 14 speculated that a combined aid bill will finally be approved by the House this week with “overwhelming support.”
“I think that the speaker has been very clear: He supports Ukraine funding. He supports funding for Israel. He supports the Asia package,” Turner, a key GOP supporter of Ukraine, said in an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday. “It’s part of the national security supplemental and he has made it clear that he sees that the path is for that to come to the House for this week.”
House Foreign Affairs Chair Michael McCaul (R-Texas) also reiterated that whether the Senate-passed bill comes up for a vote “is a speaker’s determination.”
“We have to get this done. I would implore — what I need to educate my colleagues [on] is they’re all tied together,” McCaul declared, contending the threats posed by Iran, Russia and China are intertwined.
The White House and top Democrats and Republicans in the Senate urged Johnson to authorize a $95 billion bipartisan Senate-passed package that would supply $14.1 billion in aid to Israel and $60 billion to Ukraine.
“They should put it on the floor as soon as possible,” White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told Meet the Press.
