Ukraine, Israel aid advances in rare House vote as Democrats help Republicans push it forward

[BumRushDaShow]

Last edited Fri Apr 19, 2024, 02:04 PM - Edit history (2)

Source: AP

Updated 1:14 PM EDT, April 19, 2024


WASHINGTON (AP) — With rare bipartisan momentum, the House pushed ahead Friday on a foreign aid package of $95 billion for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan and humanitarian support as a robust coalition of lawmakers helped it clear a procedural hurdle to reach final votes this weekend. Friday’s vote produced a seldom-seen outcome in the typically hyper-partisan House, with Democrats helping Republican Speaker Mike Johnson’s plan advance overwhelmingly 316-94. Final House approval could come this weekend, when the package would be sent to the Senate.

It was a victory for the strategy Johnson set in motion this week after he agonized for two months over the legislation. Still, Johnson has had to spend the past 24 hours making the rounds on conservative media working to salvage support for the wartime funding, particularly for Ukraine as it faces a critical moment battling Russia, but also for his own job as the effort to oust him as speaker grew.

“Ukrainians desperately need lethal aid right now. ... We cannot allow Vladimir Putin to roll through another country and take it,” Johnson told the conservative host of The Mark Levin Show about the Russian president’s invasion of Ukraine. “These are very serious matters with global implications.” Johnson said after the vote that while it wasn’t “perfect legislation,” it was the “best possible product” Republicans can get given their thin majority in one chamber of Congress.

After months of delay, the House worked slowly but deliberately once Johnson made up his mind this week to plough ahead with a package that matches, with a few alterations, what the Senate passed in February. President Joe Biden sent a swift endorsement of the speaker’s plan and, in a rare moment, Donald Trump, the Republican presumed presidential nominee who opposes most overseas aid for Ukraine, has not derailed the speaker’s work.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/house-ukraine-speaker-johnson-mtg-68a810a998381dfd9f4c3c4e452b9f51

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Don't know what the details are but based on the amount, this almost sounds like the Senate bill (with some apparent tweaks if it is intended to go back to the Senate again).


Article updated.

Previous article -

Updated 12:00 PM EDT, April 19, 2024


WASHINGTON (AP) -- With rare bipartisan momentum, the House pushed ahead Friday on a foreign aid package of $95 billion for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan and humanitarian support as a robust coalition of lawmakers helped it clear a procedural hurdle to reach final votes this weekend. Friday's vote produced a seldom-seen outcome in the typically hyper-partisan House, with Democrats helping Republican Speaker Mike Johnson's plan advance overwhelmingly 316-94. Final House approval could come this weekend, when the package would be sent to the Senate.

It was a victory for the strategy Speaker Mike Johnson set in motion this week after he agonized for two months over the legislation. Still, Johnson has had to spend the past 24 hours making the rounds on conservative media working to salvage support for the wartime funding, particularly for Ukraine as it faces a critical moment battling Russia, but also for his own job as the restless right flank threatens to oust him over the effort. "There's a lot of misinformation about what we're doing here and why," Johnson told the conservative host of The Mark Levin Show.

"Ukrainians desperately need lethal aid right now. ... We cannot allow Vladimir Putin to roll through another country and take it," he said about the Russian president's invasion of Ukraine. "These are very serious matters with global implications."

After months of delay, the House worked slowly but deliberately once Johnson made up his mind this week to plough ahead. President Joe Biden sent a swift endorsement of the speaker's plan and, in a rare moment, Donald Trump, the Republican presumed presidential nominee who opposes most overseas aid for Ukraine, has not derailed the speaker's work.

Original article/headline -

Ukraine, Israel aid back on track as House pushes toward weekend votes

Updated 11:10 AM EDT, April 19, 2024


WASHINGTON (AP) -- With rare bipartisan momentum, the House pushed ahead Friday on a foreign aid package of $95 billion for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan and humanitarian support as a coalition of lawmakers helped it clear a procedural hurdle to reach final votes this weekend. Friday's vote produced a seldom-seen outcome in the typically hyper-partisan House, with Democrats helping Republican Speaker Mike Johnson's plan advance 316-94. Final House approval could come this weekend, when the package would be sent to the Senate.

It was a victory for the strategy Speaker Mike Johnson set in motion this week after he agonized for two months over the legislation. Still, Johnson has had to spend the past 24 hours making the rounds on conservative media working to salvage support for the wartime funding, particularly for Ukraine as it faces a critical moment battling Russia, but also for his own job as the restless right flank threatens to oust him over the effort.

"There's a lot of misinformation about what we're doing here and why," Johnson told the conservative host of The Mark Levin Show.

"Ukrainians desperately need lethal aid right now. ... We cannot allow Vladimir Putin to roll through another country and take it," he said about the Russian president's invasion of Ukraine. "These are very serious matters with global implications."

[femmedem]

1. I remember him nodding in agreement during SOTU when Biden talked about aid to Ukraine.

He seemed sincere, especially given all the disapproving faces and head shakes he gave during other parts of Biden's speech. As much as I dislike him, I'll give him credit on this one for doing something that Trump and his sycophants oppose.

[GregariousGroundhog]

2. Yes, the Ukraine piece is only a slightly tweaked Senate bill

Ukraine essentially gets:

1) Up to $27.7 billion in military equipment
2) A cash loan of approximately $10 billion on the condition that foreign allies provide an equal amount of aid. The President can cancel up to half of this debt after November 15, although this is subject to congressinal review and can be overturned by a joint resolution.

The United States gets:
1) $13.4 billion to replenish U.S. stockpiles of previously sent aid
2) $7.3 billion to fund operations related to Ukrainian assistance

[Bayard]

3. Johnson has some balls afterall?

He'll be outta there soon.

Good news though.

[Warpy]

5. Not really, he's still playing games, making aid for Ukraine andaid

for Israel separate bills, thinking the House would OF COURSE pass the Israel aid and not the Ukraine aid. Or passing them both by a razor thin margin and sending them back to the Senate, which might alter them again and send them back to the House, and that would likely take until June, after which he'd send the House out on unplanned vacations until the election.

Biden has said he will not sign a stand alone aid bill for Israel. Johnson knows this too.

Johnson is still playing games for Fatso. That's why he visited him at MaraLardo last week.

[Qutzupalotl]

7. This tracks with the hosts on Russian state TV

saying the speaker was “their” Mike Johnson.

He's cunning but inept. If aid gets to Ukraine, it will be despite his best efforts to gum up the works.

[orangecrush]

4. Good news for Ukraine

For Putin, nyet.

?si=KnDEdMbk3t5m_Jx_

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

6. So did Marjorie Traitor Greene have another roid rage fit?

[IbogaProject]

9. Take their help

But do not let them slither away from the damage they have done by waiting so long to finally help.

[bluestarone]

10. You know what wouldn't surprise me?

Johnson's body showing up some where's.