Mike Johnson sets up weekend showdown on foreign aid bills
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House Republicans are prepared to unveil the much-anticipated foreign aid bills on Wednesday, Speaker Mike Johnson told members this morning.
Why it matters: The timing sets up weekend votes on bills for foreign aid, national security and the southern border — and comes as members of both parties are openly considering a discharge petition that would force the House to vote on the Senate-passed aid bill.
- Sources close to Johnson said he isn't afraid of a potential motion to vacate that would try to oust him from his role.
- A separate source said they expect more Republicans to join Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) in their motion to vacate effort.
- Greene immediately criticized Johnson's plan, calling him "seriously out of step with Republicans by continuing to pass bills dependent on Democrats."
Zoom in: Johnson laid out his plan in a text to members, saying it came after "significant Member feedback and discussion."
- He said the text of three separate bills aiding Israel, Taiwan and Ukraine – the latter of which will be structured as a loan and include "accountability" measures – will be posted "shortly."
- A fourth bill that pulls together measures to force a sale of TikTok, sell off seized Russian assets, and sanction and "confront Russia, China and Iran will be posted "later today."
- Those four bills will be moved together procedurally, while another bill with "core components" of Republicans' Trump-era border policy bill will be introduced separately, he said.
Between the lines: Johnson's first hurdle will be on the vote to advance the bills to the floor, as they currently don't have the GOP votes to pass it alone, sources told Axios.
- A senior House Democrat told Axios it's "possible" that Democrats help on the rule.
