Embattled House Speaker Mike Johnson plowed forward Thursday with plans to pass a $95 billion foreign aid package, despite staunch opposition from conservatives and a threat to oust him by a pair of GOP hardliners.
Embattled House Speaker Mike Johnson plowed forward Thursday with plans to pass a $95 billion foreign aid package despite staunch opposition from conservatives and a threat to oust him by a pair of Republican hard-liners.
The House is slated to vote Saturday on a four-part aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan that mirrors legislation the Democratic-led Senate passed two months ago, but with the addition of a provision requiring Ukraine to pay back some of the money.
It includes other national security provisions and a requirement that the social media platform TikTok divest from China within a year.
President Biden has endorsed the package and said he would sign it.
Many House Republicans abhor the proposal, and a pair of conservatives are threatening to try to oust Mr. Johnson over it.
Rep. Michael McCaul, Texas Republican and chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said Mr. Johnson, a Southern Baptist, is supporting the package over fierce Republican resistance after praying about it.
Mr. McCaul and other leaders have warned that leaving Ukraine without U.S. aid would guarantee Russia’s takeover of the country, which would threaten the region and embolden China to invade Taiwan.
“He got down on his knees and prayed for guidance, about what is the best path,” Mr. McCaul said. “He told me the next day, ‘I want to be on the right side of history,’ and he’s choosing to be on the side of Churchill.”
Republican opponents of the bill want Mr. Johnson to make changes to the legislation and link U.
