LOC22:38
19:38 GMT
WASHINGTON, April 19 (KUNA) -- The House has reportedly voted 316-94 to tee up votes on four separate bills that include aid packages to Ukraine and Israel, a good sign for the prospects of Congress approving US funding for the two countries after months of delay and partisan fighting.
Speaker Mike Johnson, facing intense opposition from right-wing members, received crucial help from Democrats to move forward with the votes, NBC News reported on Friday.
More Democrats (165) than Republicans (151) voted to pass the "rule," a procedural step to set up the votes, according to the report.
The move tees up four House votes that are expected Saturday afternoon: one on Israel aid, another on Ukraine aid, another on Indo-Pacific security and a fourth bill that includes a bill designed to ban TikTok in the US if it does not divest from its China-based owner, as well as various national security priorities.
If they pass, the measures would be packaged together and sent to the Democratic-controlled Senate.
Taken together, the foreign aid measures closely resemble the $95 billion national security package pushed by President Joe Biden.
The Senate would have to pass it again, due to some differences with the version that passed the upper chamber in February.
Johnson's decision to move forward with the bills comes as two of his members - Massie and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga. - threaten to remove him as speaker. They and many other House conservatives oppose additional aid to Ukraine. (end)
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