House Democrats and a faction of moderate Republicans embarked on separate endeavors on Tuesday to push for a vote on substantial wartime aid for Ukraine, heightening the pressure on Speaker Mike Johnson to address the foreign funding package.
As the minority party in the House, Democrats initiated efforts to gather signatures for a “discharge petition,” aiming to force a floor vote on the Senate’s $95 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. Concurrently, a group of Republicans launched their own signature drive for a proposal, seeking to reduce the package to $66 billion, primarily allocated for military aid, while including provisions for border security.
These actions underscored the persistent deadlock in Congress concerning military aid for Ukraine, with conservatives hesitating to supply additional ammunition and weaponry to Kyiv. Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, has been reluctant to take up the Senate-passed package and has insisted that the House prioritize other matters, including government funding and border policy adjustments.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces have faced ammunition shortages as U.S. supplies have dwindled in recent months.
“We have repeatedly attempted to engage with the speaker to bring the bill to the floor as a bipartisan measure,” remarked Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the leading Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee. “Why not simply bring it to the floor? It would garner overwhelming support.”
For either petition to prompt action in the House, it must garner signatures from a majority of lawmakers, or 218 members. Given the Republican majority in the House (219-213), some Republicans would need to defy their leadership and endorse the Democratic-backed petition, which allocates $60 billion for Ukraine, to reach a majority. Furthermore, certain progressive Democrats may hesitate to endorse the petition due to its inclusion of military aid for Israel.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal, chair of the House Progressive Caucus, expressed concerns about Israel’s actions, stating, “What Israel is doing — and I think the president is starting to express this as well — is absolutely unacceptable.”
Amidst these dynamics, Johnson faces internal pressure within his own party to address aid for Ukraine, despite resistance from some conservative members opposed to escalating military aid to the country.
A group of centrist Republicans initiated their own discharge petition effort, advocating for a $48 billion aid package for Ukraine, mainly focusing on providing ammunition and weaponry. Additionally, it proposes a one-year requirement for asylum seekers to remain in Mexico while awaiting case decisions. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, a Republican from Pennsylvania, spearheaded this initiative, which garnered support from six Republicans and six Democrats.
Fitzpatrick emphasized ongoing efforts to finalize legislative text for the proposal, noting that the discharge petition represents the only bipartisan option in the House.
Furthermore, another group of House Republicans is endeavoring to draft an alternative foreign aid package in a bid to break the deadlock. Their version seeks to reduce aid to Ukraine exclusively for military purposes, excluding support for the country’s governance.
Johnson has urged Republicans to refrain from endorsing any discharge petitions and has not yet articulated a clear plan to address Ukraine aid.
Rep. Joe Wilson, a Republican from South Carolina supporting Fitzpatrick’s effort, underscored the importance of demonstrating solidarity with Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan.
The last successful employment of a discharge petition occurred in 2015, when a bipartisan coalition compelled a vote to revive the U.S. Export-Import Bank, more than three months after its charter expired.
Reflecting on the difficulty of minority-initiated discharge petitions, Rep. Frank Lucas, an Oklahoma Republican, emphasized that success typically requires instigation by the majority party, with minority support later added.
