The House of Representatives passed a series of foreign aid bills on Friday, totaling over $60 billion in aid to Ukraine, Israel, and the Indo-Pacific region. The bills also included a provision to ban TikTok, a popular social media platform.
The aid package, which will now be sent to the Senate for consideration on Tuesday, received support from both Democrats and Republicans. An amendment was added to the bill requiring the Treasury Department to submit a report on Iranian assets and sanction exemptions.
One of the most significant bills in the package provided $8 billion in military aid to the Indo-Pacific region, with a focus on supporting Taiwan. President Joe Biden lauded the House members for passing the aid package, emphasizing the importance of supporting Ukraine and Israel.
Both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed gratitude for the aid bills’ passage, recognizing the crucial support for their countries’ security.
However, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson’s support for the aid packages has sparked backlash from some far-right members of his party. They have threatened to oust Johnson from his speakership, criticizing his focus on foreign aid over addressing domestic issues like immigration.
Despite the growing efforts to remove him from his position, Speaker Johnson defended the aid bills as the best possible outcome given the circumstances. The potential for a vote to vacate the speaker’s chair remains uncertain, with Democrats potentially needing to step in to support Johnson.
As the aid package heads to the Senate for consideration, the future of Speaker Johnson’s leadership hangs in the balance as tensions within the Republican Party continue to escalate. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.
