US House Speaker reveals vote schedule on aid to Israel and Ukraine

Mr Johnson said in a statement to lawmakers that they would vote on the issues on the evening of April 20.

Johnson, a Republican, has faced growing pressure to act on President Biden's long-delayed request for billions of dollars in security assistance.

It has been more than two months since the Senate passed a $95 billion aid package, which included $14 billion for Israel and $60 billion for Ukraine. Despite opposition from conservatives to the Ukraine aid, Johnson said earlier this week that he would push the package to a single-debate vote in the House, then hold separate votes on aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan as well as some foreign policy proposals, according to Republican lawmakers.

“After significant feedback and discussion from members, the House Rules Committee will soon post the text of three bills that would fund U.S. national security interests and those of our allies in Israel, the Indo-Pacific, and Ukraine, including an aid and strategic lending structure and enhanced accountability,” Johnson wrote on Wednesday.

The bills that will be introduced in the House, along with a fourth bill, include the REPO Act (which gives the president the authority to seize Russian assets in the US), the TikTok bill, sanctions and other measures “to confront Russia, China and Iran,” he added.

“By posting the text of these bills as soon as they are finalized, we will ensure time for robust amendments. We expect a vote on final passage of these bills to take place on Saturday evening,” Johnson said.

The House Speaker has recently indicated that he would support sending more money to Kiev if it were a loan rather than a grant. This week, he has been under increased pressure following Iran’s retaliatory strike on Israel, which West Jerusalem said could have been prevented with help from the United States.

Meanwhile, New York Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis urged Mr. Johnson to “go back to Biden & Schumer and tell them he needs border security to pass foreign aid.”

Johnson said in a letter to members of Congress that he would introduce an immigration bill similar to the House’s HR 2. HR 2 would restore many of the policies pursued by former President Donald Trump, including building more of the border wall and imposing new restrictions on asylum seekers./.