Republican congressman preparing discharge petition to force House vote on Ukraine war funding

Fitzpatrick has introduced a bipartisan funding bill totaling $66 billion that would provide foreign aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan as well as enact U.S. border security provisions.

By Nicholas Ballasy

Published: February 29, 2024 1:59pm

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., co-chairman of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, is preparing a discharge petition to force a House vote on Ukraine war funding.

To reach 218 signatures, Fitzpatrick needs five Republicans to support the petition, assuming all Democrats in the chamber support it.

Democrats such as Rep. Bill Pascrell of New Jersey have indicated that they would sign a discharge petition to force a vote.

It is unclear at this time which piece of legislation Fitzpatrick would attach to the discharge petition.

"It's existential, it's time sensitive. Whether that's our product or somebody else's, we've just got to get the money out the door to them," he said on Thursday, according to Axios.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has not put the Senate-passed $95 billion foreign aid bill up for a vote yet. The legislation includes about $61 billion for Ukraine and the rest of the funds would apply to Israel, Taiwan and humanitarian efforts in Gaza.

Fitzpatrick and Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, have introduced a bipartisan funding bill totaling $66 billion that would provide foreign aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. The bill also includes U.S. border security provisions.