By STEPHEN GROVES and LISA MASCARO (Associated Press)
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House quickly agreed to provide $95 billion in aid to foreign countries such as Ukraine, Israel, and other U.S. allies in a rare Saturday session, as Democrats and Republicans worked together after facing resistance from hard-right groups for renewed American support against Russia’s invasion.
With a large majority vote, the $61 billion aid for Ukraine was approved within minutes, showing strong support as American lawmakers hurry to give more U.S. support to the ally that is suffering from war. Many Democrats cheered and waved Ukraine's blue-and-yellow flags on the House floor.
Aid for Israel and the other allies also got approval by significant margins, along with a measure to control the popular social media app TikTok, with different groups forming alliances to advance separate bills. The entire package will go to the Senate, which could pass it by Tuesday. President Joe Biden has promised to sign it right away.
“We completed our work here, and I believe history will view it positively,” said a tired Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who took a risk to guide the package to approval.
In a statement, Biden thanked Johnson, Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, and the bipartisan group of lawmakers “who voted to prioritize our national security.”
“I urge the Senate to quickly send this package to my desk so that I can sign it into law and we can quickly send weapons and equipment to Ukraine to meet their urgent battlefield needs,” the president said.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to both House parties and personally Speaker Mike Johnson for making a decision that he believes will go down positively in history, he said on X, formerly Twitter.
“Thank you, America!” he said.
The scene in Congress showed action after months of dysfunction and deadlock caused by Republicans, who are divided over foreign aid, especially for Ukraine. Democrats were relied upon to ensure that the military and humanitarian funding — the first major package for Ukraine since December 2022 — was approved. Johnson The morning began with a serious debate and a sense of purpose as Republican and Democratic leaders joined together to urge quick approval, stating that it would ensure the United States supported its allies and remained a leader on the world stage. The House’s visitor galleries were full of spectators.
“The world is watching us, and history will judge what we do here and now,” said Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
Passage through the House cleared the biggest obstacle to Biden’s funding request, first proposed in October as Ukraine’s military supplies started to run low.
The GOP-controlled House struggled for months, first insisting that any aid for Ukraine be linked to policy changes at the U.S.-Mexico border, and then immediately rejecting a bipartisan Senate offer with those same conditions.
Reaching a final stage has been a difficult journey for Johnson
that has tested both his determination and his support among Republicans, with a small but growing number now openly urging his removal from the speaker’s office. Yet congressional leaders cast the votes as a turning point in history — an urgent sacrifice as U.S. allies are beleaguered by wars and threats from continental Europe to the Middle East to the Indo-Pacific. “Sometimes when you are living history, as we are today, you don’t understand the significance of the actions of the votes that we make on this House floor, of the effect that it will have down the road,” said New York Rep. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “This is a historic moment.” Opponents, especially the hard-right Republicans from Johnson’s majority, argued that the U.S. should focus on the home front, addressing domestic border security and the nation’s rising debt load, and they warned against spending more money, which largely flows to American defense manufacturers, to produce weaponry used overseas.
Still, Congress has seen a stream of world leaders visit in recent months, from
to Japanese Prime Minister
Fumio Kishida Zelenskyy , all but pleading with lawmakers to approve the aid. Globally, the delay left many questioning America’s commitment to its allies. At stake has been one of Biden’s top foreign policy priorities — halting Russian President Vladimir Putin’s advance in Europe. After engaging in quiet talks with Johnson, the president quickly endorsed Johnson’s plan, paving the way for Democrats to give their rare support to clear the procedural hurdles needed for a final vote.“We have a responsibility, not as Democrats or Republicans, but as Americans to defend democracy wherever it is at risk,” Jeffries said during the debate.
While aid for Ukraine failed to win a majority of Republicans, several dozen progressive Democrats voted against the bill aiding Israel as they demanded an end to the bombardment of Gaza that has killed thousands of civilians. A group of roughly 20 hard-right Republicans voted against every portion of the aid package, including for allies like Israel and Taiwan that have traditionally enjoyed support from the GOP.
At the same time, Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, has loomed large over the fight, weighing in from afar via social media statements and direct phone calls with lawmakers as he tilts the GOP to a more isolationist stance with his “America First” brand of politics.
Ukraine’s defense once enjoyed robust, bipartisan support in Congress, but as the war enters its third year, a majority of Republicans opposed further aid. Trump ally Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., offered an amendment to zero out the money, but it was rejected.
The ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus has derided the legislation as the “America Last” foreign wars package and urged lawmakers to defy Republican leadership and oppose it because the bills did not include border security measures.
Johnson’s hold on the speaker’s gavel has also grown more tenuous in recent days as three Republicans, led by Greene, supported a “motion to vacate” that can lead to a vote on removing the speaker. Egged on by far-right personalities, she is also being joined by a growing number of lawmakers including Reps. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who is urging Johnson to voluntarily step aside.
The package contained many things that Republicans wanted and Democrats agreed to, or at least are okay with. These things include plans that let the U.S. take control of frozen Russian central bank money to help Ukraine; put restrictions on Iran, Russia, China, and criminal groups that sell fentanyl; and require the Chinese owner of TikTok to sell its part of the company within a year or else it will be banned in the U.S.
to require the China-based owner of the popular video app TikTok to sell its stake within a year or face a ban in the United States.
However, the strong effort to pass the bills through Congress shows not only politics, but also the real situation in Ukraine. Important lawmakers on national security committees, who know secret information, have become very worried about the direction of the war as Russia strongly attacks Ukrainian forces who have a lack of soldiers. legislation shortage of troops
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the Senate would start procedural votes on the package Tuesday, and stated, “Our allies across the world have been waiting for this moment.” Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, while getting ready to deal with concerns from his party next week, said, “The task before us is urgent. It is once again the Senate’s turn to make history.” and ammunition.
The House has approved a $95 billion package of foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel, and other U.S. allies after months of turmoil on Capitol Hill. Congressional leaders put aside opposition from hard-right conservatives to finish the bill in a rare Saturday session. The whole package will go to the Senate, which could pass it as soon as Tuesday. Speaker Mike Johnson has relied on Democratic support at every stage of the process and put his position on the line. The four bills, to provide aid to Ukraine, Israel, Indo-Pacific allies, and a measure dealing with TikTok, were all very widely approved. President Joe Biden has promised to sign the package.
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, as he prepared to overcome objections from his right flank next week, said, “The task before us is urgent. It is once again the Senate’s turn to make history.”
