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Will House Members Use ‘Discharge Petition’ To Force Vote On Senate Foreign Aid Package?
After the U.S. Senate passed the $95 billion foreign aid package without border security provisions‚ House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) emphasized his opposition to the bill.
“The Republican-led House will not be jammed or forced into passing a foreign aid bill that was opposed by most Republican senators and does nothing to secure our own border‚” Johnson said.
WATCH:
.@SpeakerJohnson: "The Republican-led House will not be jammed or forced into passing a foreign aid bill that was opposed by most Republican senators and does nothing to secure our own border." pic.twitter.com/7U8KefUIfj
— CSPAN (@cspan) February 14‚ 2024
“The Senate did the right thing last week by rejecting the Ukraine-Taiwan-Gaza-Israel-Immigration legislation due to its insufficient border provisions‚ and it should have gone back to the drawing board to amend the current bill to include real border security provisions that would actually help end the ongoing catastrophe. Instead‚ the Senate’s foreign aid bill is silent on the most pressing issue facing our country‚” Johnson said in a statement.
My statement on Senate’s failure to address the most critical aspect of national security supplemental legislation: pic.twitter.com/ENjJ0WzKsK
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) February 13‚ 2024
However‚ it appears back-door deals are in motion to force a House vote on the Senate-approved legislation.
According to reports‚ House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) vowed to “use every available legislative tool” to pass the bill.
“I predict Hakeem Jeffries‚ Pelosi and the rest of the House Dems will now move to hold a press conference to begin the process of a DISCHARGE PETITION process to pass the bill‚” investigative journalist Laura Loomer stated.
.@JoeBiden just gave his remarks about the Senate foreign aid bill.
He just called on Mike Johnson @SpeakerJohnson to bring the bill to the floor.
Johnson won’t do it. He said it’s DOA.
I predict Hakeem Jeffries‚ Pelosi and the rest of the House Dems will now move to hold a…
— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) February 13‚ 2024
Axios also stated a “discharge petition” may be utilized to force a House vote on the foreign aid package.
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) discussed the potential discharge petition:
.@SenMullin is trying to encourage Republicans to sign a DISCHARGE PETITION with Democrats to force the Senate’s “Ukraine First” bill forward! He didn’t have the guts to vote for it in the Senate but wants the House to pass it.
I will stand with @SpeakerJohnson to STOP this… pic.twitter.com/esUocfWNug
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) February 13‚ 2024
Axios reports:
The statement was widely viewed as a reference to a “discharge petition‚” a once-obscure method of allowing 218 members — a bipartisan majority — to circumvent the speaker and force a House vote.
Jeffries declined to disclose his strategy at a press conference‚ but he claimed there are “more than 300 bipartisan votes” in the House for the foreign aid package.
Johnson‚ who preemptively rejected the Senate’s foreign aid package in protest of its lack of border security measures‚ told reporters Tuesday that he would “certainly oppose” a discharge petition.
GOP hardliners repeatedly have defied Johnson over the last several months‚ but the appetite for rebellion among the moderate Republicans likely to support Ukraine aid remains untested.
Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) said the bill would likely pass if brought to a vote on the House floor.
“If it were to get to the floor‚ it would pass — let’s just be frank about that‚” he commented.
“AOC and other far left House reps say they WILL NOT sign a discharge petition which would force a vote on the $95 billion foreign aid supplemental because it includes aid for Israel. Moderate Rep Don Beacon also signals he will NOT sign the petition. A discharge petition requires 218 members to force a vote‚” Charlie Kirk said.
AOC and other far left House reps say they WILL NOT sign a discharge petition which would force a vote on the $95 billion foreign aid supplemental because it includes aid for Israel. Moderate Rep Don Beacon also signals he will NOT sign the petition. A discharge petition requires…
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) February 14‚ 2024
Per Semafor:
Democrats are eying a plan to bypass House Speaker Mike Johnson and force a vote on a sweeping foreign aid package‚ but it’s quickly running into hurdles — and not just from Republicans.
Progressive firebrand Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez‚ D-N.Y. told Semafor Tuesday evening that she would not sign onto a discharge petition to force a vote on the national security package in part because of the assistance it would provide to Israel. “Am I signing it? No‚” she said.
The foreign aid bill combines billions of dollars in aid for Ukraine‚ Israel‚ and allies in the Asia Pacific.
Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH) is one Republican urging to get the legislation passed in the House.
I led a bipartisan CODEL to Kyiv‚ where we met with President @ZelenskyyUa‚ @USAmbKyiv Blank‚ and senior Ukrainian officials.@RepFrenchHill‚ @RepJasonCrow‚ @RepSpanberger‚ Rep. @ZachNunn‚ and I reiterated America’s commitment to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia. pic.twitter.com/dduQuLPB9D
— US Rep. Mike Turner (@RepMikeTurner) February 9‚ 2024
WATCH:
Ukraine: Bipartisan congressional delegation‚ led by House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner (R) arrived in Kyiv today: Funding for the military support package for Ukraine will get done. pic.twitter.com/jzUfq5I5Dz
— Igor Sushko (@igorsushko) February 9‚ 2024
From POLITICO:
The chair of the House Intelligence Committee is warning that time is running out for Ukraine in its fight against Russian invaders — and he’s pushing Speaker Mike Johnson to step up.
Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) spoke days after leading a bipartisan congressional delegation to Kyiv‚ his third visit to the embattled nation since Russia’s invasion‚ where he tried to assure Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that reinforcements are on the way.
The situation back in America has not been so encouraging for Zelenskyy: GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump is taking fresh aim at America’s foreign aid commitments‚ and questions abound over just what Johnson’s intentions are as the Senate presses forward with an aid package that includes $60 billion for Ukraine.
The message Turner brought back from Kyiv is that there’s not a moment to spare: Soldiers‚ he said‚ “are already rationing munitions” and “are unable to fully defend themselves on the battlefield.”
“We have to get this done‚” he said. “This is no longer an issue of‚ ‘When do we support Ukraine?’ If we do not move‚ this will be abandoning Ukraine.”
Turner’s visit is particularly timely. The Senate is on track to pass its supplemental spending bill‚ which includes funding for Israel and Taiwan as well as Ukraine‚ no later than Wednesday. But what happens after that remains in question‚ even though Turner predicts the bill would have “overwhelming support” in the House.