House set to vote on $95 billion in foreign aid bills despite staunch opposition

Republican Speaker Mike Johnson announced that the House of Representatives is set to vote on aid for Ukraine, Israel, and the Indo-Pacific as early as Saturday. Despite opposition from the right-wing of his party, the legislation includes over $95 billion in security assistance, with significant allocations for Ukraine, Israel, and humanitarian needs.

The bill earmarks $60.84 billion to address the conflict in Ukraine and $26.38 billion for Israel, including funding for recent military operations. Additionally, $9.1 billion is allocated for humanitarian needs, although funding for the U.N. Palestinian refugee agency is excluded.

The urgency for security aid escalated following Iran’s attacks on Israel, prompting the Indo-Pacific measure totaling $8.12 billion. Johnson has given House members until Saturday to review the legislation and propose amendments before the vote.

President Biden urged Congress to pass the bill swiftly to demonstrate solidarity with allies. The Senate had previously approved a similar foreign assistance package, but Johnson faced resistance within his party before moving forward with the vote.

The bill includes provisions for economic assistance to Ukraine, although the Biden administration could potentially waive the repayment requirement. Democrat support is crucial for the passage of the legislation due to opposition from far-right Republicans.

While some House members had threatened to oust Johnson over the aid to Ukraine, others supported the plan, emphasizing the importance of providing aid to allies and humanitarian assistance. There are objections from both ends of the political spectrum, but Johnson remains committed to supporting Ukraine.

The House Rules committee plans to post additional national security measures, including the REPO Act, House TikTok bill, and sanctions. Johnson also pledged a separate border security bill to address conservative concerns leading up to the elections.