Infighting among US House Republicans, including a threat to oust Speaker Mike Johnson, has put him under pressure to further delay action on a long-sought aid bill for Ukraine, Israel, and other key US allies, Reuters says. This comes as Kyiv is running short of munitions in its fight against the Russian invasion, and US lawmakers have other priorities, including providing funds to rebuild a key bridge and renew domestic surveillance programs.
Hardline Republicans demanding border security provisions and spending cuts to offset the aid are driving the delay, while Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene has threatened to force a vote to remove Johnson as speaker, when the House reconvenes on 9 March after a two-week recess. Some Democrats have suggested they could reject a motion to oust Johnson if the Ukraine aid package is adequate, but the situation remains uncertain.
This latest Republican discord follows more than six months of stalling on the aid package, which was approved by the Senate in a bipartisan 70-29 vote in February. Lawmakers are now running short on time before they turn their attention to the upcoming elections, with control of the House, Senate, and White House at stake.
According to Reuters, some warn that reaching a deal with majority support among Johnson’s Republicans could take months. Republican strategist Ron Bonjean, a former senior House aide, mentioned that negotiations might extend into early July.
Representative Don Bacon, a retired Air Force general, warned that Kyiv’s position has worsened in the absence of new American assistance, saying, “I don’t think we have weeks” to act. The White House is aware of the pressure on Johnson to satisfy hardline members of his caucus, even as it believes the spending measures have large, bipartisan support.
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