House of Representatives | Green light for crucial aid to Ukraine

(Washington) The House of Representatives gave resounding support on Saturday for aid of 95 billion US dollars intended for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, put his position on the line to advance this long-stalled aid program by securing the support of elected Republicans and Democrats.

In four straight votes, overwhelming bipartisan coalitions of lawmakers approved new rounds of funding for the three U.S. allies, as well as a bill aimed at cajoling conservatives that could lead to a ban of TikTok nationwide.

The scene in the House of Representatives reflects both the broad support in Congress for continued aid to the Ukrainian military to repel Russia and the extraordinary political risk taken by Mr. Johnson in defying the the anti-interventionist wing of his party, which had sought to defeat the measure. Minutes before the vote on aid to Ukraine, Democrats began waving small Ukrainian flags on the House floor, to boos from hard-right Republicans.

The legislation provides US$60 billion for Ukraine, US$26 billion for Israel and humanitarian aid to civilians in conflict zones, including the Gaza Strip, and US$8 billion for the Indo-Pacific region. The text calls for the president to demand that the Ukrainian government repay $10 billion in economic aid, an idea supported by former President Donald Trump, who pushed for any aid to Ukraine to take the form of a loan. . But it would also allow the president to waive the repayment of these loans from 2026.

It also contains a measure to pave the way for the sale of frozen Russian sovereign assets to finance the war effort in Ukraine, as well as a new round of sanctions on Iran. The Senate is expected to pass the legislation as early as Tuesday and send it to President Joe Biden’s desk, ending its tortuous journey through Congress.

Thanks from Zelensky

“Our adversaries are working together to undermine our Western values ​​and demean our democracy,” Michael McCaul, chairman of the Texas Foreign Affairs Committee, said Saturday as the House of Representatives debated the measure. “We can’t be afraid right now. We must do what is right. Evil is on the move. History calls out to us and it is time to act. »

Aid to Ukraine was approved by a vote of 311 to 112, with the majority of Republicans voting against and only one, Dan Meuser (Pennsylvania), voting “present.” The House approved aid to Israel by a vote of 366-58 and aid to Taiwan by a vote of 385-34, with Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Michigan) voting “present.” The bill to impose sanctions on Iran and require the sale of TikTok by its Chinese owner or ban the app in the United States passed by a vote of 360 to 58.

“Today, members of both parties in the House of Representatives voted to advance our national security interests and sent a clear message about the power of American leadership on the international stage,” Biden said. “At this critical inflection point, they came together to answer the call of history, passing necessary and urgent national security legislation, for which I have fought for months. »

Minutes after the vote, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked lawmakers, citing Mr. Johnson by name, “for the decision that keeps history on track.”

“Democracy and freedom will always matter globally and will never fail as long as America helps protect them,” he wrote on social media. “The Lifesaving Aid to America bill passed by the House today will prevent the war from spreading, save thousands upon thousands of lives, and help our two nations become stronger. »

Turnaround situation

Outside the Capitol, a jubilant crowd waved Ukrainian flags and chanted “Thank you USA” as lawmakers leaving the compound waved and waved small flags.

For months, Congressional approval of any new funding for Ukraine remained uncertain, even as dynamics shifted in Moscow’s favor. The situation sparked a wave of concern in Kyiv and Europe, where there were fears that the United States, Ukraine’s main provider of military aid, was turning its back on the young democracy.

There have also been questions about whether the political turmoil in the United States has effectively destroyed what has long been a strong bipartisan consensus for the influence of American values ​​around the world.

The last time Congress approved a significant tranche of funding for Ukraine was in 2022, before Republicans took control of the House of Representatives.

But after the Senate passed its own $95 billion emergency aid bill for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan without any immigration measures, Mike Johnson began — first privately, then vocally high – to tell his allies that he would ensure that the United States sent aid to Ukraine.

Ultimately, even in the face of a threat of ouster from ultraconservative members, he bypassed the contingent of hardline lawmakers that had previously made up his political base and relied on Democrats to pass the measure. This is a remarkable turnaround for a right-wing lawmaker who repeatedly voted against aid to Ukraine when he was a mere representative and who, just a few months ago, declared that he would not would never allow the issue to be put to a vote until his party’s border demands were met.

“An important moment,” says Johnson

In the days leading up to the vote, House Speaker Mike Johnson began forcefully arguing that it was Congress’ responsibility to help Ukraine beat back the advances of authoritarian rule. . Warning that Russian forces could move through the Baltics and Poland if Ukraine fell, Mr Johnson said he had made the decision to advance aid to Kyiv because he “would rather send bullets to Ukraine than American men.”

“I think this is an important moment and an important opportunity to make this decision,” Mr. Johnson told reporters at the Capitol after the votes.

Mr. Johnson structured the measures, which were sent to the Senate as a single bill, to gain support from different coalitions without opposition to any one element being able to do so. fail the whole thing.

“I will allow each member of the House to vote according to their conscience and their will,” he declared.

In a concession to right-wing demands, Mr Johnson allowed a vote just before the foreign aid bills on a measure to strictly control the border with Mexico, but the measure was rejected after failing to achieve the two-thirds majority necessary for its adoption. The president also refused to tie the immigration bill to the foreign aid program, knowing that doing so would derail the spending plan.

His decision to move forward with the package infuriated ultraconservatives at his conference who accused Johnson of reneging on his promise not to allow a vote on foreign aid without first securing significant policy concessions on the southern border. . That prompted two Republicans, Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Paul Gosar of Arizona, to join Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia’s attempt to oust Mike Johnson as speaker.

M^me Taylor Greene said the Ukraine aid bill supports “a business model built on blood, murder and war in foreign countries.” “We should replenish our stocks of weapons and ammunition, not send them to foreign countries,” she said before her proposal to cut funds for Ukraine was rejected by 351 votes to 71 .

Much of the funds allocated to Ukraine are aimed at replenishing U.S. stockpiles after sending supplies to Kyiv.

This article was originally published in the New York Times.

Read the article on the website New York Times (in English; subscription required)