United States – US House Speaker Mike Johnson said on Sunday he would try to consider aid to Israel that Iran has recently massed with its drones and missiles attack, but he did not say whether the law would still help Ukraine and other allies aside.
Aid for Israel
To Johnson, who is split in his Republican majority and faces an exit threat, the former president described his twice-doomed effort on legislation aimed solely at an aid package for Israel, as reported by Reuters.
“We’re going to try again this week, and the details of that package are being put together right now. We’re looking at the options and all these supplemental issues,” Johnson told Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” program.
The office of President Johnson, however, remained silent on the issue.
Uncertainty Over Ukraine Support
Speaker of the House, Steve Scalise, addressed the chamber as their Majority Leader, making his remarks, saying that the House will respond to Iran’s attack with “legislation that supports our ally Israel and holds Iran and its terrorist proxies accountable,” while stopping short of specifics.
Calls for Action
John was trying to contact the lawmakers focused on national security issues after meeting with House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul later on Sunday.
McCaul said on CBS’s “Face the Nation” that his vote determination procedure was left to Johnson but that it had to be done as soon as possible. “Against the clock, it is here we don’t,” McCaul stated. “We need to nail this.”
The House is still unable to come up with an action plan on the continued support for the Ukrainian nation. No substantial aid bill for Kyiv has passed since in January 2023 after Republicans took control of the Senate.
Internal Divisions
The House members who love the funds and are confident that it will pass smoothly, with high approval ratings of 70 % if voted, sometimes face the Trump allies who are against the aid funds. Instead, they prefer that such funds be reserved for issues within the country.
Potential Leadership Challenges
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene may attempt to oust John Williamson as speaker due to disputes, such as his stance on Ukraine.
Representative Mike Turner, the chair of the House Intelligence Committee, said on Sunday’s Meet the Press that he expected the House to approve a large aid package this week.
“I think it will have overwhelming support both the Ukraine, Israel, and Asia packages, not just because of what’s happened with Iran escalating the conflict in the Middle East, but because these are allies that need and deserve our support,” Turner said.
Iran did this by sending more than a couple of hundred drones and missiles in its very first direct attack on Israel, which took place this weekend. Both enemies now find themselves closer to a war that can spill over to the United States, the world’s superpower.
White House and Senate Calls for Action
The White House, as well as the top Democrats and Republicans in the Senate, demanded that Johnson should sign into law the aforementioned USD 95 bipartisan package that allocated USD 14.1 billion to Israel and USD 60 billion to Ukraine.
“They should put it on the floor as soon as possible,” White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told NBC’s “Meet the Press” program.
The senator has rung out of the Senate bill. On the contrary, rather than accompanying Congress, he has opted to craft his bills with Ukraine aid structured as borrowed funds at President Donald Trump’s urging, as reported by Reuters.
As the election cycle heated up, Johnson defended the unity he had with Trump, stating, “He and I are 100% united on these bigger items,” Johnson said.