Moderate Members of the House to Confront Speaker Johnson regarding Ukraine

A bipartisan group of moderate House members led by Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., is urging Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to bring a revised piece of legislation to a vote that combines foreign military aid with domestic border security, as reported by The Washington Times.

Fitzpatrick stated that he prefers the normal process to bring the legislation to the House floor but is prepared to force a vote through a discharge petition if Johnson does not comply.

According to The Hill, discharge petitions are challenging to succeed as they require 218 signatures to force a floor vote on a proposed bill, drawing support from both parties, which may find the bill lacking in key areas.

The current legislation lacks humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza, which may face opposition from Democrats unless included before a final vote, The Hill noted.

Fitzpatrick emphasized the urgency of providing aid to Ukraine while enhancing border security, stressing the need for a unified bill to address both issues. He viewed this as a critical pressure tactic to bring the legislation to a vote.

Democrats prioritize aid to Ukraine while Republicans prioritize border security, creating a challenge for finding common ground on the legislation, The Hill reported.

In pushing for support from his colleagues, Fitzpatrick highlighted the bill as Congress’ best opportunity to secure aid for Ukraine this year amid growing concerns over border security.

“It is unsustainable to prioritize defending foreign borders over our own. We must address both priorities,” Fitzpatrick explained, underscoring the main hurdle to passing the Senate bill.