GOP Speaker’s Job in Jeopardy as Ukraine Aid Bill Passes Republican House

Lawmakers in Washington DC have finally passed military aid for Ukraine through the GOP-controlled House following months of delays. The $60.8bn package, part of a three-part national security supplemental that passed the Senate in February, now heads back to the upper chamber for a final vote on Tuesday before reaching Joe Biden’s desk for signature.

Republicans and Democrats in the upper chamber had been pressing their House colleagues to pass the legislation for months, citing Ukraine’s increasingly desperate situation. However, the lower chamber took its time and quibbled over the bill’s intricacies, eventually splitting it into three parts and turning much of the aid to Ukraine into a loan system.

Speaker Mike Johnson faced criticism during this process, with three Republicans signing on to a motion to vacate. Despite some members of the president’s party saying they would support him if a vote were called, many are keeping their cards close.

The legislation not only provides funding for the US to restock munitions and other supplies sent to Ukraine but also sets aside billions for the procurement of new weapon and defence systems. Two other pieces of legislation passed as part of the supplemental package provided funding for Israel and Taiwan’s defences.

The passage of the legislation was celebrated by both Democrats and Republicans in leadership, as well as by Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, who personally lobbied for its passage during a recent trip to Washington. The House floor erupted in cheers as the legislation passed, with lawmakers waving Ukrainian flags in celebration.

The future of Ukraine aid under a Republican House caucus during a Biden presidency now seems secure, but the fate of Speaker Mike Johnson’s leadership remains uncertain as he faces criticism from within his own party.