Prime Minister Johnson essentially cuts aid to Ukraine from aid to Israel, which faced a barrage of missiles and drones from Iran over the weekend in retaliation for a deadly airstrike on its consulate in Syria. There are four different bills scheduled to be debated. He is controversial within his conference. The speaker will then vote separately on measures to meet Republican foreign policy demands, including aid to Taiwan and the seizure of Russian assets.
It’s a big gamble by the embattled Mr. Johnson, who was elevated to lead a fractious Republican conference following the unprecedented ouster of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). The former low-profile lawmaker has struggled to muster a majority in the chamber on nearly every issue and has had to rely on Democrats on substantive issues, including keeping government open.
Nevertheless, Prime Minister Johnson intends to try to pass the bill in the normal order, requiring approval by a simple majority. It’s a near-impossible feat that would require the support of nearly every Republican, given the Republican majority is just two votes.
Mr. Johnson intends to push legislation on Ukraine, which could trigger a vote by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) to remove him from office. Mr. Green has threatened to do so if the Speaker allows a vote on aid to Ukraine.
Greene has labeled Johnson’s plan a “fraud” but has not yet said whether she will move to remove him from office.
“This is a critical moment for the United States, and we must not shirk our responsibilities,” said Representative Marcus J. Molinaro of New York during the meeting. But Molinaro said the speaker did not encourage people to vote for his plan, instead urging them to “vote their conscience.”
