Speaker Mike Johnson said he will try to advance wartime aid for Israel this week as he attempts to win House approval for a national security package that also includes funding for Ukraine and allies in Asia.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said Sunday he will try to advance wartime aid for Israel this week as he attempts the difficult task of winning House approval for a national security package that also includes funding for Ukraine and allies in Asia.
Johnson, R-La., is already under immense political pressure from his fellow GOP lawmakers as he tries to stretch between the Republican Party’s divided support for helping Kyiv defend itself from Moscow’s invasion.
The Republican speaker has sat for two months on a $95 billion supplemental package that would send support to the US allies, as well as provide humanitarian aid for civilians in Ukraine and Gaza and funding to replenish US weapons provided to Taiwan.
The unprecedented attack by Iran on Israel early Sunday further ratcheted up the pressure on Johnson, but also gave him an opportunity to underscore the urgency of approving the funding.
Johnson told Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures” that he and Republicans “understand the necessity of standing with Israel” and he would try this week to advance the aid.
“The details of that package are being put together right now,” he said. “We’re looking at the options and all these supplemental issues.”
GOP Rep. Mike Turner of Ohio, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that Johnson “has made it clear” that he sees a path for funding for Israel, Ukraine and allies in Asia to come to the House floor this week.
The speaker has expressed support for legislation that would structure some of the funding for Kyiv as loans, pave the way for the US to tap frozen Russian central bank assets and include other policy changes.
Johnson has pushed for the Biden administration to lift a pause on approvals for Liquefied Natural Gas exports and at times has also demanded policy changes at the US border with Mexico.
