Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson vowed to move forward with a $14.5 billion aid package for Israel when the House returns to session later this week.
The decision to move a standalone funding bill for Israel without any inclusive funding for Ukraine will tee up a showdown with the Democratic-controlled Senate and White House. The latter prefers to have the two issues attached together as Kyiv faces its own uncertain path in the GOP-led House.
Israel Aid Package
During Johnson's first week as House speaker, he is set to face the issue of government funding en route to run out next month. The situation sets up an immediate test of the Louisiana Republican's ability to move appropriations bills and aid to Israel in the middle of efforts for motions that target specific lawmakers.
Sources said that during Sunday's conference call, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise walked members through the entire floor schedule for the week. Additionally, Republican Majority Whip Tom Emmer stressed the importance of attendance, as per CNN.
Leadership requires all members in Washington this week as they were initially supposed to be in recess, partly due to potentially taking close votes. On top of spending bills, the House will also have to consider various measures that seek to punish specific lawmakers, including a resolution to expel New York Rep. George Santos.
The embattled lawmaker pleaded not guilty in federal court on Friday to 10 charges that accuse him of stealing donors' identities and running up thousands of dollars in fraudulent charges on their credit cards, among other crimes.
Another resolution on the table this week is an effort to censure Michigan Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib as well as a resolution to censure Georgia GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. These efforts, while previously uncommon and used typically for the gravest of offenses, have become increasingly frequent.
House Republicans have also revealed plans to move on legislation that targets Iranian oil sales as well as putting previous sanctions back into place, according to Politico.
Voting on the Package
The situation surrounding aid for Israel and Ukraine comes after Johnson called for Congress to "bifurcate" support for the two nations. He said that they would need to move a standalone Israel funding bill.
United States President Joe Biden had been seeking to pair Israel and Ukraine support together in order to increase the chances of providing more funds to Kyiv through a skeptical GOP-controlled House.
The White House previously rolled out a sprawling $106 billion supplemental package and sought $61.4 billion for Ukraine, $14.3 billion for Israel, $14 billion for immigration enforcement, and $16.55 billion for other issues such as Taiwan.
The newly elected House speaker also spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week. He underscored the need to marshal support to the American nation's Middle Eastern ally expeditiously.
In an interview, Johnson said that they cannot allow Russian President Vladimir Putin to prevail in Ukraine because the conflict would not stop there. He added that the United States will not abandon Kyiv in its war against Moscow, said the New York Post.
