U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson has engaged in discussions with Republicans who advocate for military aid to Ukraine to develop an alternative foreign aid bill in the House, according to a report by CNN on March 3.
The Republicans aim to finalize their proposal and bring it to a vote by late March or April. However, their efforts faced opposition from Johnson when a border policy and foreign aid bill, which allocated $61 billion to Ukraine and gained bipartisan approval in the Senate, reached the House. The delay in U.S. aid to Ukraine persisted as Republican members of Congress continued to withhold funding.
House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul, a Republican, is spearheading discussions to formulate an alternative bipartisan plan distinct from the Senate package. “We are currently working on a draft,” McCaul informed CNN.
Although Johnson has not endorsed the House proposal or committed to scheduling a floor vote, Republicans leading the negotiations anticipate that he will present the plan for consideration. Mike Lawler, a New York Republican involved in the talks, expressed confidence that Johnson is not seeking to derail the initiative. “I think he understands the need to get support for Israel, for Ukraine, for Taiwan. … It’s a function of process and working through these issues within the conference,” Lawler stated.
The proposed House bill, reportedly allocating $66 billion to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, excludes humanitarian aid and imposes stricter immigration restrictions at the U.S.-Mexico border. These measures include denying entry to asylum seekers until the U.S. achieves “operational control of the border” and requiring migrants to remain in Mexico or their home countries during asylum processing.
If the proposal advances to the House floor, it is likely to encounter opposition from both Democrats and Republicans. Democrats may object to the border restrictions, lack of humanitarian aid, and funding for Israel’s actions in Gaza, despite their support for aid to Ukraine. Meanwhile, hard-line Republicans aligned with former President Donald Trump may oppose providing military assistance to Ukraine.
Chip Roy, a pro-Trump House Republican who opposes aid to Ukraine, expressed skepticism about Johnson’s support for the bill but acknowledged the influence of defense hawks within the party. “The defense hawks usually get their way. And that’s just the way this town works,” Roy remarked.