House to vote on key foreign aid package

3 weeks ago 26

1 min ago

House passes bill providing aid to Indo-Pacific region

From CNN’s Haley Talbot

The House passed the Indo-Pacific Security Supplemental bill with a bipartisan vote of 385-34 plus one present vote: Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib.

Here's what the package includes:

$8.1 billion to counter China’s actions in the Indo-Pacific region
$3.3 billion to develop submarine infrastructure
$2 billion in foreign military financing for Taiwan and other key allies
$1.9 billion to replenish defense items and services provided to Taiwan and regional partners

The Senate bill contained very similar provisions to bolster security in the region.

7 min ago

House passes bill that includes potential TikTok ban

From CNN’s Haley Talbot

The House passed the 21st Century Peace through Strength Act with a bipartisan vote of 360-58.

The bill includes national security priorities, including sanctions on Iran, the seizure of frozen Russian sovereign assets and a measure that could lead to a nationwide ban of TikTok.

Remember: The House is also voting on three separate bills to provide foreign aid to Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific region. If the bills pass the House, the legislation will be combined into one amendment before being sent to the Senate.

1 min ago

Luna and Gaetz reject the idea of ousting Speaker Johnson

From CNN's Kit Maher

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna listens to reporters in Washington, DC, on April 19.

Republican Florida Reps. Anna Paulina Luna and Matt Gaetz rejected the idea of ousting Speaker Mike Johnson on Saturday.

“I think right now, it's dangerous to me to do something like that,” Luna told CNN. "There's a potential that people could resign. ... I'm not going to knock my colleagues because I have an immense amount of respect for my colleagues, but I just don't think it's the right time."

Asked by CNN whether he believes there should be a motion to vacate — a rarely used procedural tool to remove the House speaker — Gaetz said, “No.”

Rep. Matt Gaetz speaks to a reporter in Washington, DC, on April 19.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise doesn't think Johnson is going to lose his job due to putting the foreign aid package on the floor, which was advanced by the help of Democrats.

"I don't think so," Scalise told reporters.

He also said, "I don't think so," when asked whether he believes there will be a motion to vacate today.

16 min ago

House Democrats won't say whether they would help save Johnson

From CNN's Manu Raju and Alison Main

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries speaks with reporters in Washington, DC, on April 17.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries continued to dodge on whether House Democrats would be willing to help save Speaker Mike Johnson from a potential ouster led by members of his own party.

"We're working right now to get the national security legislation over the finish line. Once that's completed, we'll take up any other matters," the New York Democrat said when asked by CNN's Manu Raju whether it would be worth saving Johnson due to his actions to advance foreign aid bills despite pushback from right-wing Republicans.

Asked for his message to his caucus ahead of Saturday's votes on foreign aid, Jeffries said, "Let's get this done for the good of the American people."

Democratic Rep. Dan Goldman also would not say Saturday whether he would be willing to offer a vote to save Johnson.

"We'll have to see if they actually do it. ... Again, it would cause more chaos and disorder in this institution," he told reporters. "We saw in October that there is no easy fix, and that's because the problem is not the speaker; the problem is the party."

Pressed on whether Johnson's role in advancing foreign aid bills would make Goldman more willing to save him, the New York Democrat said, "Everyone on our side recognizes that in the face of significant opposition and threats from extortionists on the extreme MAGA wing of his party that he has stood up to do the right thing because he recognizes that Congress and the House must govern."

Rep. Richie Neal, a Democrat from Massachusetts, told reporters it was "premature" to answer whether he'd save Johnson.

26 min ago

Mike Johnson doesn't answer questions on ouster threats

From CNN's Kit Maher

House Speaker Mike Johnson walks toward the House Chamber at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on April 20.

Speaker Mike Johnson walked to the House floor without commenting on efforts from GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene to oust him from leadership.

When asked whether he expected a motion to vacate — a rarely used procedural tool to remove the House speaker — Johnson did not respond and continued to walk to the floor.

Asked by CNN whether he sees the attempt by Greene as an empty threat, Johnson did not comment.

43 min ago

How the foreign aid package could lead to a TikTok ban

From CNN's Brian Fung

A TikTok logo is seen displayed on a smartphone screen. Peerapon Boonyakiat/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images

House Republicans have slipped TikTok legislation into the foreign aid package in hopes that it forces the Senate to a quick vote on the measure.

While three of the four measures in the package focus on aid to Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific, the fourth bill could lead to a ban of the popular social media app, which has links to China.

If passed, the app’s Chinese parent, ByteDance, would have nine months to sell the social media company. If it misses the deadline, TikTok would be banned from US app stores. However, the measure authorizes President Joe Biden to extend the deadline by another 90 days if he determines there’s been progress toward a sale.

Remember: The House in March passed TikTok legislation, which gave ByteDance roughly six months to sell the company. Some senators had then expressed concern that the deadline may have been too short.

59 min ago

Mike Johnson faces threats of an ouster. He advanced the foreign aid package anyway

From CNN's Kaanita Iyer

House Speaker Mike Johnson talks with reporters about his proposal of sending crucial bipartisan support to aid Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan at the Capitol in Washington, DC, on Wednesday.

After months of resisting putting a foreign aid bill on the House floor, Speaker Mike Johnson finally moved to advance a package this week, drawing ire from some hardline members of the Republican Party who are now supporting an effort to oust him.

Three House GOP members have said they will support a motion to vacate the speaker: Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene — who leads the effort — Thomas Massie and Paul Gossar. Greene could move to oust Johnson as early as Saturday.

Remember: House Republicans have a razor-thin majority and Johnson would need Democratic support to save his speakership. Johnson has maintained that he will not resign.

This is the second motion to vacate in nearly six months. The attempt to oust Johnson comes just months after former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was removed from the top leadership post in early October. Such efforts reveal the divide among House Republicans as they look to expand their majority in November.

Read CNN's Stephen Collinson's analysis on how doing "the right thing" may cost Johnson his speaker’s gavel here.

CNN's Melanie Zanona, Annie Grayer, Manu Raju, Lauren Fox, Haley Talbot, Melanie Zanona and Michelle Shen contributed to this post.

1 hr 6 min ago

Here’s what foreign aid the House bills would provide

From CNN's Katie Lobosco, Tami Luhby and Brian Fung

Israel's Iron Dome air defense system intercepts rockets launched from Gaza on October 11, 2023.

The House is set to vote Saturday on a nearly $95 billion package, which includes three bills that aim to provide aid to Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific Region.

Here’s what’s included in the bills, according to a summary provided by House Republicans earlier this week:

Nearly $61 billion for Ukraine

About $23 billion would be used to replenish US weapons, stockpiles and facilities
$11 billion would fund current US military operations in the region
Nearly $14 billion would help Ukraine buy advanced weapons systems and other defense equipment

More than $26 billion for Israel

$4 billion for the Iron Dome and David’s Sling missile defense systems
$1.2 billion for the Iron Beam defense system, which counters short-range rockets and mortar threats
$4.4 billion to replenish defense items and services provided to Israel.
$3.5 billion for the procurement of advanced weapons systems and other items through the Foreign Military Financing Program
$9.2 billion in humanitarian assistance

More than $8 billion for Indo-Pacific security

$3.3 billion to develop submarine infrastructure
$2 billion in foreign military financing for Taiwan and other key allies
$1.9 billion to replenish defense items and services provided to Taiwan and regional partners

1 hr 25 min ago

House is set to vote on a key foreign aid package Saturday. Here's how we got here

From CNN's Kaanita Iyer

The US Capitol is seen in Washington, DC, on Tuesday.

The House is set to vote on a foreign aid package Saturday after the chamber voted Friday to bring the measures to the floor for a vote.

More Democrats than Republicans voted in favor of advancing the package — a blow to House Speaker Mike Johnson, who faces intraparty efforts to oust him over the measure, which provides aid to Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific Region.

The House package is similar to a bill passed by the Senate in February, except House Republicans added a fourth bill that includes other GOP priorities, including sanctions on Iran and a measure that could lead to a TikTok ban.

Following passage in the Senate, Johnson said he would not bring the measure to the floor. While President Joe Biden for months has been urging Congress to work together to pass the measure, particularly stressing how critical aid is to Ukraine, Trump signaled opposition before the Senate vote, saying the US should stop providing foreign aid unless it is structured as a loan.

Since then, Johnson's position has changed in light of "precipitating events around the globe," the speaker said Monday. Last weekend, Iran attacked Israel, escalating regional tensions over the war in Gaza.

CNN's Melanie Zanona, Manu Raju, Annie Grayer, Haley Talbot and Clare Foran contributed to this post.

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