U.S. Democrats said on Tuesday they would wait to respond to a proposal by the Republican-led House of Representatives to consider national security aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan separately, rather than as one bill.
More than two months after the Senate approved a $95 billion security aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan and other U.S. partners in the Indo-Pacific region, House Speaker Mike Johnson said on Monday that the House will consider the aid this week, but This would not be done as stand-alone legislation.
The proposal adds to uncertainty over a long-awaited aid package, particularly for Ukraine, amid strong opposition from some far-right Republicans, who have threatened to oust Johnson if he allows a House vote on Kyiv aid. Johnson will be ousted.
Democrats in the House and Senate, as well as the White House, have said they will consider Johnson’s proposal, although they stressed that the best and fastest strategy is for the House to pass the legislation the Senate approved in February.
Johnson’s plan was endorsed Tuesday by leaders of the House Appropriations, Armed Services, Foreign Affairs and Intelligence committees and the chairman of the defense appropriations subcommittee.
Representatives Tom Cole, Mike Rogers, Michael McCaul, Mike Turner and Ken Calvert said in a joint statement: “When it comes to national security, we don’t have time to spare. We need to do this right now. passed this aid package.”
Turner and Rep. Jim Himes, the Democratic leader on the intelligence panel, issued separate statements after a confidential briefing, saying the situation on the ground in Ukraine was critical and aid must come through immediately.
Consideration of a separate bill could add weeks to the time it takes for the aid to become law, as it would have to pass the House and return to the Senate for a vote before being sent to the White House for Democratic President Joe Biden’s signature.
“Until we know more about the substance of the proposal and the process for implementing it, I am reserving judgment on what the House will decide,” Senator Chuck Schumer said as he opened the Senate floor.
“Hopefully we’ll have details on the speaker’s proposal later today. Again, time is of the essence,” Schumer said.
Rep. Pete Aguilar, a member of House Democratic leadership, said at a news conference that he would wait for the substance of the bill before drawing any conclusions.
“We don’t want to undermine any plans to provide aid to our allies,” he said.
The text of the bill has not yet been released – it is expected to be released as soon as late Tuesday – but would provide separate measures to provide aid to Ukraine to counter the Russian invasion and to Israel in response to the October 7 Ha Mas attacks and weekend airstrikes. Iran and its partners in the Indo-Pacific face an increasingly aggressive China.
It’s unclear which country the House will consider first for aid. Republicans have repeatedly tried to push aid to Israel without providing any help to Ukraine, but Democrats have rejected that approach.
The White House also opposes separate aid to Israel.
Asked whether the White House would support the four separate bills, White House national security spokesman John Kirby said the administration was waiting for more information.
“At first glance, the speaker’s proposal would actually help us provide aid to Ukraine, provide aid to Israel, and provide the Indo-Pacific with the resources it needs to respond to a variety of contingencies. We just want to know more details,” he Tell reporters.
Johnson told Fox News on Tuesday that the fourth bill would include additional sanctions on Russia and Iran as well as a “buyback bill” that would involve seizing Russian assets to help Ukraine.
Ukraine’s supporters have been urging Johnson to allow a vote on replenishing funding since last year. But Johnson gave various reasons for the delay, including the need to focus taxpayer money on domestic issues.
Many far-right Republicans, particularly those close to former President Donald Trump, who is challenging Biden in November’s presidential election, strongly oppose billions more dollars being sent to Ukraine.
At least two far-right Republicans have threatened to seek to remove Johnson as speaker if he allows a vote on aid to Ukraine. Johnson said he would not resign.
It’s unclear whether he would be removed from office in the event of a far-right insurrection, as some Democrats have said they would vote to keep Johnson in office to prevent chaos in the House. It took Johnson three weeks to get elected last year when conservatives ousted then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
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