Democrats bypass Mike Johnson on Ukraine aid with GOP help

A man in a blue suit and glasses stands at a wooden podium with microphones, smiling. He wears a white shirt, blue tie, and a small U.S. flag pin. — House Speaker Mike Johnson speaks at a National Day of Prayer service at the U.S. Capitol on May 7, 2026. Photo: Jim WATSON / AFP via Getty Images

House Democrats on Wednesday secured the necessary signatures to bypass Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and force a vote on a package of Russia sanctions and billions of dollars in Ukraine aid.

Why it matters: This is the eighth time in the last three years that a discharge petition has been used by some combination of Democrats and Republicans to do an end-run around GOP leadership.

Just in the 119th Congress, lawmakers have succeeded in garnering the necessary 218 signatures to force votes on a half dozen bills covering everything from proxy voting in the House to releasing the Epstein files to extending Affordable Care Act tax credits.
Now they will get a vote on supporting Ukraine in its war with Russia — though likely not until after Memorial Day.

Driving the news: The Ukraine discharge petition, introduced by House Foreign Affairs Committee ranking member Greg Meeks (D-N.Y.), reached 218 signatures on Wednesday after Rep. Kevin Kiley (I-Calif.) signed on.

The petition was signed by all 215 Democrats in the House along with Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) and Don Bacon (R-Neb.), both staunch supporters of Ukraine.
"Recent Ukrainian gains have created an opportunity for peace, but the collapse of the recent ceasefire shows that leverage is needed for diplomacy to succeed," Kiley said in a statement.

The details: The bill would authorize $1.3 billion in military aid and other assistance to Ukraine and as much as $8 billion in loans while imposing new sanctions on Russia.

While it may pass the House, however, the bill faces significant headwinds from both the GOP-controlled Senate and the White House, making it unlikely to become law.

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Democrats bypass Mike Johnson on Ukraine aid with GOP help

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