Feb 13, 2024
CHIP SOMODEVILLA/GETTY
Senior Democrats are suggesting that a discharge petition could be introduced to bring a $95-billion overseas aid bill to a vote in the House of Representatives if Speaker Mike Johnson refuses to introduce it.
On Tuesday the bill passed the Senate in a 70-29 vote, but it must also be approved by the House before President Joe Biden can sign it into law.
Johnson has refused to say he would bring the bill to the floor of the House, potentially halting its passage. On Monday he criticized the legislation, which would provide an additional $60 billion of military aid for Ukraine, claiming it is “silent on the most pressing issue facing our country” in reference to illegal immigration.
However, the legislation could also be brought to the floor via a discharge petition, which would require the support of 218 members, including at least four Republicans. It would then be voted on like any other piece of legislation, though this is unlikely to take place until the end of the month because of the packed congressional schedule.
Posting on X, formerly Twitter, Democratic Rep. Ami Bera wrote: “If Speaker Johnson won’t bring this critical aid package to the floor, I stand ready to sign a discharge petition to get the job done. The world is watching.”
Speaking to CNN on Monday former Speaker, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, said: “Our leader, Hakeem Jeffries, said he has not ruled out using a discharge petition, which is a parliamentary maneuver to try and bring a bill to the floor.”
A number of pro-Ukraine conservatives have also suggested a discharge petition could be introduced, including Adam Kinzinger, a former Republican House representative and fierce Trump critic.
Posting on X, in response to comments from Johnson, who he branded an “idiot,” Kinzinger said: “Time for a discharge petition, or for three republicans to vote against every rule until he agrees. You will not win unless you fight fire with fire.”
Alyssa Farah Griffin, a conservative commentator who served as Donald Trump‘s White House Director of Strategic Communications in 2020, also backed the move commenting: “Great time for Mike Gallagher to lead a discharge petition effort to get aid to Ukraine, Israel, & Taiwan out the door.”
Newsweek has reached out to the Speaker Johnson’s office for comment by email.
In a statement released on Monday, Johnson was critical of the aid bill then in the Senate.
He said: “House Republicans were crystal clear from the very beginning of discussions that any so-called national security supplemental legislation must recognize that national security begins at our own border…
“In the absence of having received any single border policy change from the Senate, the House will have to continue to work its own will on these important matters. America deserves better than the Senate’s status quo.”
The aid bill approved by the Senate on Tuesday contains $60 billion of military aid for Ukraine along with $14 billion for Israel, $8 billion for Taiwan and under $10 billion in wider humanitarian assistance.
Last week, a bipartisan Senate bill that would have included the aid package plus a tightening of security along the southern border was rejected by Republican hardliners, including Johnson, who argued it was insufficient to tackle illegal immigration.
https://www.newsweek.com/democrats-propose-discharge-petition-get-past-mike-johnson-1869521
The decent politicians in our government must do what is possible to get this bill through and stop the pro-russian maga faction dead in its tracks. These cretins are in the process of ruining the reputation of this great nation and our security to boot. They are dead set to bring us down into the stinking swamp where russia, china, iran, north korea and every other trash country and terrorist entity exists.
“A number of pro-Ukraine conservatives have also suggested a discharge petition could be introduced….”
If you are not pro-Ukraine, you are not a Republican and not a conservative. It’s as simple and straightforward as that.
I think Reagan would agree with that.
It would put Johnson between a rock and a hard place if half a dozen Republicans said to him, “allow a vote, or we will sign the discharge petition.”
I hope that something positive will happen. Either way, I hope that Johnson gets kicked off the speaker’s seat. He doesn’t deserve it one bit.
That sentiment is why I’m spending a lot less time here. Congratulations. Why would us Conservative Republicans come here and be attacked daily? I guess we’re lucky you’re not calling for us to be burned alive anymore. If you really supported Ukraine (instead of Scradge) you would welcome everyone. Ukraine does.
What sentiment exactly?
You must be replying to a different comment. What has my comment got to do with you exactly? Read it again.
I said “if you are NOT pro-Ukraine.” Are you actually a fan of those who are not pro-Ukraine? Please explain? You want to show solidarity with those magaputler dreck who are responsible for the deaths of thousands of Ukrainians? How are they conservatives? They are killers.
You have not expressed even one word of sympathy for the thousands of loved ones of Ukrainians killed needlessly by filthy savages as a direct result of the atrocious actions of the magaputler cult.
boohooo
Don’t be such a cry baby
If you support a pro-Russian guy on a website that is called Ukraine Today you shouldn’t be whining that people make fun of you or complain.
There are plenty of conservatives here and only you seem to be having problems.
^bert
You never get tired of lying do you? Karl Marx would be very proud of you.
Red, we never speak bad about conservative Republicans. I am one myself. We’re trouncing on pro-russians. Is this so hard to accept?