Newly-minted Speaker of the House Mike Johnson spoke with Senate Republicans Wednesday about his controversial Israel-only aid package in an effort to gain their support.
New House Speaker Mike Johnson spoke with Senate Republicans Wednesday about his controversial Israel-only aid package in an effort to gain their support, telling them that he wants to get additional aid for Ukraine passed, but the Israel aid will likely have to move through first and separately.
Johnson addressed the Senate Republican Conference in a closed-door lunch that lasted about an hour Wednesday afternoon. During it, Johnson discussed his aid package, and signaled a new willingness to advance aid to Ukraine, something that he has voted against in the past.
He’s pushing a vote on the House floor Thursday on the bill that would provide more than $14 billion to the American ally — but not include $61 billion in aid to Ukraine as President Joe Biden, House and Senate Democrats — and even many Senate Republicans — want tied to the same measure.
“He made it very clear that he understands how critical Ukraine aid is,” said Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D.
But aid for Ukraine, Johnson said, will require some major concessions from the Biden administration, Senate Democrats and those Senate Republicans, including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who wish to see Ukraine aid move as part of a robust package that includes funds for Israel, Taiwan and the border.
Johnson told senators that Israel aid will have to go first and separately, according to multiple lawmakers who were in the closed-door lunch.
“He said he has to separate them — he cannot get his majority to pass them together,” Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said. “He wants to do Israel first.
