Democrats aim to 'box Speaker Johnson in' to vote on Ukraine aid, Politico
Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson (Photo: Getty Images)
Democrats hope to drive Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson into a corner, enabling a vote on the bill to aid Ukraine, reports Politico.
Johnson's position
Earlier, Speaker Mike Johnson stated that he would not support the Senate-passed additional bill on national security in its current form, insisting that House Republicans would write their own legislation.
In a late Monday statement, Johnson rejected the Senate bill worth $95 billion in aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan because it did not include provisions to enhance border security.
"In the absence of having received any single border policy change from the Senate, the House will have to continue to work its own will on these important matters," he said.
Pressure on Johnson
Sources referring to the Speaker's aide suggest that Johnson will not be "boxed" in the Senate's plan.
Instead, House Republicans will find their own means to address national security and border issues. Johnson faces pressure from conservatives demanding opposition to any funding for Ukraine.
Additionally, some members of the House suggest they will seek to oust him if the Republican Party leader brings a bill to support Ukraine to the table.
Democrats aim to 'box Johnson in'
Meanwhile, Democrats are hoping they can box Johnson in, pushing a procedural maneuver known as a discharge petition that would allow them to force a floor vote on the Senate-passed bill," the material writes.
It is crucial for Democrats to secure the agreement of the majority of House members, including some Republicans, to achieve this.
Yet, it remains unclear whether they will receive such support.
U.S. aid to Ukraine
Last year, U.S. President Joe Biden asked Congress to allocate over $100 billion in aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, as well as to protect the American border.
Republicans refused to support the initiative, demanding stricter measures for border protection. Thus, aid to Ukraine became dependent on the position of members of the Republican Party.
Recently, the U.S. Senate began considering a bill to aid Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan without funding for border security. Today, February 13, the senators endorsed it.
For the bill to become law, it still needs to pass the House of Representatives and be signed by President Joe Biden.
