Democrats attempt to force Ukraine aid vote through House

Democrats in the lower chamber of Congress on Tuesday began an attempt to secure support for procedural move that would force a vote on a Senate-approved foreign aid package for Ukraine, Taiwan, and Israel.

The upper chamber approved the legislation last month, though House Speaker Mike Johnson has refused to permit a vote on the matter. Now, Democrats hope to circumvent him using a discharge petition, The Hill reported. House Rules Committee Ranking Member Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., announced the move on Tuesday. The petition would need 218 signatures, a full House majority, to force the chamber to take up the measure.

"What we are asking our colleagues — Democrats and Republicans — is to sign the discharge petition that will bring to the floor the Senate national security bipartisan supplemental," Democratic California Rep. Pete Aguilar said.

Complicating matters for Democrats, however, are increasing internal concerns about the package's inclusion of aid to Israel, which is currently attempting to occupy Gaza and oust Hamas from power. The invasion has prompted international criticisms of Jerusalem over its tactics and the civilian death toll. Progressive lawmakers such as Michigan Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib, who is of Palestinian background, have furiously condemned the Biden administration's support for Israel amid the conflict.

On the Republican side, meanwhile, are concerns that the Senate package includes nothing to secure the southern border. The original Senate plan paired the foreign aid with border security reforms, though the upper chamber ultimately approved only the foreign aid portions due to Republican criticisms that the border provisions would not address the unprecedented alien influx.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter.