The US House has agreed to give $95 billion in aid to Ukraine, Israel, and other US allies. Democrats and Republicans worked together in a rare Saturday meeting after months of disagreement over helping Ukraine fight against Russia.
With strong support, the US gave $61 billion to Ukraine to show they support them in their war. Lawmakers are trying to give more US support to Ukraine soon. Some politicians clapped and waved Ukraine’s flags in the House.
Help for Israel and other friends also got accepted by big margins, and a plan to control TikTok also got approved. Different groups came together to support these bills. The entire package will be sent to the Senate, and they might approve it as early as Tuesday. The President of the United States, Joe Biden, said he will sign it right away.
“I did my job here, and I think history will see it as a good thing,” said tired House Speaker Mike Johnson, who is putting his own job at risk to get the package passed.
Biden said thanks to Johnson, Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, and the lawmakers from both parties who voted to prioritize our national security.
“I want the Senate to send this package to me fast so I can sign it and we can quickly send weapons and equipment to Ukraine to help them in battle,” said the president.
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said he was thankful to both political parties in the House and particularly to Speaker Mike Johnson for the decision that he believes is the right choice for history.
“Thank you, America. ” he said on X.
The US Congress showed a lot of activity after months of not getting things done. The Republicans, who have the most power, are arguing about giving aid to Ukraine. They can’t agree because they are divided on the issue. Johnson needed the support of Democrats to make sure that the first big money package for Ukraine got approved. It included funding for the military and for humanitarian aid. The last time a similar package was approved was in December 2022.
The morning started with a serious discussion. Both Republican and Democratic leaders came together to urge quick approval of a plan to support our allies and keep the United States strong in the world. Many people are in the visitor area of the House watching.
“The whole world is watching us, and future generations will decide if what we do is right. ” CongressmanMichael McCaul, a politician from Texas, is in charge of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Going through the House made it easier for Biden to get the money he asked for. He first asked for it in October when Ukraine needed more military supplies.
The Republican-led House had a hard time deciding what to do about helping Ukraine. They wanted to make sure that any help to Ukraine was connected to changes at the U.S-MexicoBut then, they said no to a plan from the Senate that included those changes.
Getting to the end has been really hard for Johnson. It has tested his strength and his support from Republicans. Some are now openly telling him to step down as speaker. Congressional leaders voted on an important decision that could change history. They see it as a necessary sacrifice because US allies are facing wars and threats from Europe, the Middle East, and the Indo-Pacific region.
“Today, we’re making history with the decisions we make in this House. It can be hard to see the impact of these votes right away, but they will have a big effect in the future,” explained New York Rep Gregory Meeks, a leading Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “This is a very important moment in history. ”
The people against it, especially the strong conservative Republicans who support Johnson, said the US should work on problems at home like domestic border security and the country’s growing debt. They also said we shouldn’t spend more money on making weapons for other countries, because most of that money goes to American defense companies.
Yet, many world leaders have visited Congress in the past few months, including Zelenskyy and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. They are asking lawmakers to approve the aid. Around the world, many people were doubting if America was really committed to its allies because of the delay.
One of Biden’s main foreign policy goals is to stop Russian President Vladimir Putin from taking over more land in Europe. After having private conversations with Johnson, the president agreed to support Johnson’s plan. This allowed the Democrats to help clear the steps needed for a final vote.
“We all have a duty as Americans to protect democracy, no matter our political party,” said Jeffries during the debate.
Most Democrats will probably support helping Ukraine, but some progressive Democrats will probably vote against helping Israel because they want the bombing of Gaza to stop.
Also, Donald Trump, who is expected to be the Republican nominee for president, has been influential in the debate. He has been expressing his opinions through social media and phone calls with lawmakers, and is shifting the Republican Party to a more isolationist position with his “America First” politics.
Ukraine used to get strong support from both political parties in Congress for its defense, but now many Republicans are against giving more help as the war goes on for a third year. Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene tried to remove the money, but it didn’t work.
The very conservative House Freedom Caucus criticized the legislation as an “America Last” foreign wars package and encouraged lawmakers to go against Republican leadership and oppose it because the bills did not have border security measures.
Johnson’s control over being the speaker is becoming less strong. Three Republicans, led by Greene, are supporting a motion to have a vote on removing the speaker. Encouraged by far-right figures, more and more politicians, including Reps, are joining her. Paul Gosar from Arizona and Thomas Massie from Kentucky are asking Johnson to agree to step down on his own.
The package had many things Republicans wanted, which Democrats agreed to or were okay with. Some suggestions have been made. They want the US to take Russia’s frozen bank money to help Ukraine. They also want to punish Iran, Russia, China, and criminal groups that sell fentanyl. Plus, they want to make the company that owns TikTok sell its part to someone else within a year. If they don’t, TikTok might be banned in the US.
However, the strong effort to pass the bills in Congress shows that it’s not just about politics, but also about what’s really happening in Ukraine. Important people who are in charge of the country’s safety are worried about the war in Ukraine. Russia is winning the war because Ukrainian forces don’t have enough soldiers or weapons.
Senate leader Chuck Schumer said that the Senate will start voting on the package on Tuesday. He added that our friends around the world have been waiting for this.
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said we need to act quickly. He is working to get support from his party members. “It’s time for the Senate to make history again. “