Foreign Aid Showdown

US House leadership proposed a $95B foreign aid package yesterday consisting of three funding bills for Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan. The vote, expected to occur Saturday night, will come two months after the House declined to take up similar legislation passed by the Senate. Lawmakers faced renewed pressure to pass the aid after Iran's missile-and-drone attack against Israel last weekend. 

The package designates $61B for Ukraine in its fight against Russia, $26B for Israel and Gaza, and $8B for security in the Indo-Pacific region. The legislation is generally in line with the Senate's February bill, though roughly $10B of economic assistance grants to Ukraine were changed to loans (see breakdown). Leadership is expected to release a fourth bill composed of other GOP priorities. 

Speaker Mike Johnson (R, LA-4) is expected to need substantial Democratic support for the Ukraine bill, as a faction within the GOP conference opposes continued support for Ukraine. A second GOP lawmaker this week agreed to a motion to remove Johnson as speaker.