House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) is preparing to introduce a standalone Israel aid bill for a vote in the House on Tuesday, three people familiar with the matter told Fox News Digital. Early opposition from the right may already force Republican leaders to introduce legislation. Passage requires cooperation from the Democratic Party.
Over the weekend, Prime Minister Johnson announced his intention to pass legislation that would send $17.6 billion to Israel as it fights war against Hamas.
But hardliners in the Republican Party have already expressed opposition, potentially forcing House leaders to fast-track passage of the bill through a suspension of rules.
In exchange for raising the threshold for passage to two-thirds of the chamber rather than a simple majority, it would bypass a procedural hurdle known as a rules vote.
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House Freedom Caucus leaders said Sunday that Congress should cut funding to the United Nations, repeal expansion of the Internal Revenue Service, cancel the Commerce Department’s “slush fund,” or eliminate the left’s climate change tax credit. “We can cover the cost of aid to Israel.” “Conservatives must either borrow money to support our special friend Israel or make additional unpaid spending that will exacerbate our nation’s unsustainable fiscal crisis and further jeopardize our ability to respond to future crises. You shouldn’t have to choose between keeping your promise to quit.”
Votes on proposed rules have traditionally been bipartisan. Even members who oppose the bill itself will vote with their leaders to pass this rule. However, many times during the 118th Congress, bills were intentionally sunk by Republican factions protesting the way Republican leadership was handling issues, even if they were unrelated to the bill being voted on. or weaponized.
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If the Israel aid bill is put on hold, which two Republican aides told Fox News Digital is likely, Democratic support will be essential for passage.
Johnson has used his suspension to pass several important pieces of legislation this year, including recently a bipartisan, bicameral tax bill.
But what makes the situation even trickier this time around is that the Senate intends to vote on a $118 billion security deal that includes overhauling border security and funding for Israel, among other things.
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The bill is supported by both White House and Senate leaders and is expected to be voted on Wednesday.
The White House threatened Monday night to veto Johnson’s Israel bill, which the speaker called an “act of betrayal,” which could give Democrats more room to vote against it.
House Majority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York also blasted Johnson’s bill, accusing him of trying to undermine the Senate agreement on former President Trump’s behalf.
Johnson has repeatedly denied following Trump’s orders, but the former president has vocally opposed the bill.
Jeffries called Johnson’s Israel aid plan an attempt to undermine bipartisan efforts in the Senate, given that House Republicans were ordered by the former president not to pass border security legislation or aid to Ukraine. “It’s a cynical attempt to do something,” he criticized.
But at least two Democrats, Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D.N., and Rep. Jared Moskowitz, R-Fla., both of whom are Jewish, said they would vote in principle for the Israel aid bill. However, he criticized Prime Minister Johnson as follows: It was separated from the broader supplemental funding bill because it does not include humanitarian aid to Gaza.
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The pro-Israel lobby group AIPAC also voiced support for the bill on Monday, telling ” he wrote.
The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations announced Monday night that it supports both Johnson’s bill and the Senate agreement, which includes about $14 billion for Israel.