House GOP lines up bills targeting Iran as Congress remains divided over how to send aid to Israel
Originally Published: 15 APR 24 12:45 ET
By Clare Foran and Haley Talbot, CNN
(CNN) — House Republicans have lined up a slate of bills targeting Iran and showing support for Israel, but the exact path forward for aid to Israel remains unclear as Congress remains divided over the issue in the wake of Iran’s unprecedented retaliatory strikes on Israel.
In the aftermath of the attack, Democrats have called on Speaker Mike Johnson to bring up a Senate-passed foreign aid package that includes aid to Israel and Ukraine, but hardline conservatives have urged Johnson against attaching Ukraine funding to any Israel aid package – a warning that comes as the Louisiana Republican faces the threat of a potential vote to oust him from his leadership post.
Johnson did not respond to questions from CNN on Monday on how Congress will respond to Iran’s attack, including whether he will tie Israel and Ukraine aid together.
In the meantime, House Republicans have announced that a series of pro-Israel and anti-Iran bills will be taken up, including a measure condemning the attack by Iran and affirming that lawmakers stand with Israel and support its right to respond to Iranian aggression.
Johnson has indicated he will put some sort of Israel aid bill on the floor but has said the details are still being finalized. The House GOP Conference will meet Monday evening to discuss the Iran-Israel situation and their legislative plans going forward, according to GOP sources.
“The House Republicans and the Republican Party understand the necessity of standing with Israel. We’re going to try again this week, and the details of that package are being put together right now. We’re looking at the options and all these supplemental issues,” Johnson told Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo over the weekend.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries urged immediate passage of the foreign aid package passed by the Senate in a new letter to colleagues.
“The gravely serious events of this past weekend in the Middle East and Eastern Europe underscore the need for Congress to act immediately. We must take up the bipartisan and comprehensive national security bill passed by the Senate forthwith,” Jeffries wrote.
In November, the House passed a bill to provide $14.3 billion in aid to Israel, but Democrats objected to the fact that the bill did not include aid to Ukraine and would enact funding cuts to the Internal Revenue Service.
The Senate passed its bill in February – a $95.3 billion foreign aid bill with assistance for Ukraine, Israel and other priorities.
A significant number of House Republicans are opposed to sending further aid to Ukraine. Now, Johnson faces the most significant threat to his speakership to date after GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is among those who oppose additional Ukraine aid, filed a motion against him that could be used to force a vote on his ouster.
Johnson called Greene’s decision to file the motion to vacate a “distraction” during the interview on Fox News.
“That’s a distraction. What Marjorie has done with the motion to vacate is not helpful for our party, for our mission to save the country, because if we don’t grow the House majority, keep the House majority, win the Senate and win back the White House for President Trump, we’re going to lose the republic,” he said.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
