WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — House Speaker Mike Johnson has a Ukraine problem.
He’s facing heat from his party’s defense hawks and a large faction of House Republicans opposed to heaping on more aid for the war-beleaguered Eastern European country.
Landmines in his way include GOP opposition to more Ukraine aid, a staggering national debt with no clear way to pay for aid, and an appropriations process that he has committed to finishing first.
Mr. Johnson, Louisiana Republican, signaled at the House Republican retreat this week that he’s considering Ukraine aid for a vote. But he seems unwilling to cave to pressure to put the Senate’s $96 billion aid package on the floor, which passed in the upper chamber last month.
“They worked on that bill, the Senate, for about four months by my count, and they’re expecting me to process it in days or weeks,” he said. “I understand the timetable and understand the necessity of the urgency of the funding.”
The speaker said he’s still processing the Senate bill and will likely send something back to the upper chamber that “may not look exactly” like its funding package.
Mr. Johnson on Thursday told Politico he anticipated putting Ukraine and Israel aid on the floor, either as one bill or in two separate measures under a process known as suspension, which means two-thirds of the House will have to vote in favor of either to pass.
Senate Democrats have been anxious to get Ukraine aid handled, and their feelings could reach a boiling point this week. Sen. Michael Bennet, Colorado Democrat, urged his colleagues to vote against the upcoming spending package to fund the government unless Mr. Johnson ties Ukraine to it.
The White House has already moved without Congress, sending $300 million in military aid to Ukraine this week.
Meanwhile, House Democrats and Republicans are working on a pair of discharge petitions, which require 218 signatures to force a vote, to get Ukraine aid on the House floor.
One comes from Rep. James McGovern, Massachusetts Democrat, that would force a vote on the Senate’s bill, and another from Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick that would force the House to consider the Pennsylvania Republican’s pared-down aid package that includes the Trump-era Remain in Mexico policy.
Mr. McGovern told The Washington Times that his discharge petition is a way to keep pressure on Mr. Johnson to do something for Ukraine.
“I mean, you know, for Christ’s sake, I don’t know what the hell he’s waiting for,” Mr. McGovern said.
Rep. Jared Golden, Maine Democrat and one of the architects of Mr. Fitzpatrick’s $66 billion military aid and border package, believes their legislation is the only viable option to gain traction with Republicans.
“I think that this issue may resolve itself through other means, but if the only way to do it is through a discharge, I think ours is the much better option,” Mr. Golden said.
Then there’s House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael T. McCaul, Texas Republican, who is working on his own foreign aid package. It could aim to use seized Russian assets to pay for Ukraine aid or pitch funding as a loan program.
He has discouraged his colleagues from undermining the speaker and forcing a vote, but recognizes that something needs to be done.
“We need to pass it,” Mr. McCaul said. “Like it’s dire, so we need to pass it soon.”
• Alex Miller can be reached at amiller@washingtontimes.com.
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