Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson Wednesday announced plans for a vote on aid to embattled Ukraine, angering right-wing hardliners in his own party and could lead to a push for his ouster.
Johnson released the text of a bill to send about $60 billion in military aid to Ukraine, along with aid to Israel and Taiwan. The move could end a log jam that has stretched on for several months as Republican supporters of former President Trump seek to scuttle any help for Ukraine as it fights a Russian invasion.
After a 72-hour waiting period, the Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan bills may now be voted on as early as Saturday evening.
The bills largely resemble the provisions of a Senate catch-all aid bill that passed months ago. By splitting it up, Johnson hopes to allow factions of GOP lawmakers to vote against Ukraine aid without blocking it from passing.
President Biden said Wednesday that he supports the new move.
A healthy majority of the entire House supports aid to Ukraine, which is running out of ammunition and weapons as Russian strongman Vladimir Putin readies a spring offensive. But the GOP caucus is split virtually down the middle, making it an extremely controversial move for Johnson to allow.
The move quickly sparked angry outcry from MAGA lawmakers, with Rep. Matt Gaetz calling it an “abject surrender” to Democrats.
Two GOP lawmakers have already vowed to support a so-called motion to vacate, which amounts to a vote of no confidence in Johnson.
With Republicans holding just a five-seat majority, Johnson could afford to lose no more than two GOP votes if all Democrats voted against him in that motion. That number will shrink to just one when a Republican lawmaker’s resignation becomes effective this weekend.
A similar revolt led to the historic ouster of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy last year. That move led to an epic round of GOP infighting that ended with Johnson’s election.
Democrats say they are open to negotiating a compromise that could lead to some of them sitting out the vote and allowing Johnson to survive.
