Speaker of the House of Representatives, efforts to unblock aid to Israel and Ukraine

2024-04-14 20:50:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Speaker of the House of Representatives, efforts to unblock aid to Israel and

House Speaker Mike Johnson said Sunday he will try to speed up the process of approving aid to Israel this week as he faces the difficult task of unblocking a national security bill that also provides funding for Ukraine. and allies in Asia.

Republican Speaker Johnson is under tremendous political pressure from lawmakers in his own party and is trying to find common denominators among opposing positions within Republicans to help Kiev defend itself against Moscow's aggression.

The $95 billion additional funding bill that would provide support to US allies, humanitarian aid to civilians in Ukraine and Gaza and military aid to Taiwan has been stalled in the House of Representatives for two months.

Iran's unprecedented attack on Israel on Saturday added to the pressure on Mr Johnson, but also gave him a chance to underline the urgency of approving the funds.

In an interview with Fox News, Mr. Johnson said he and Republicans "understand the necessity of support for Israel" and that he would try this week to make steps toward approving aid.

"We are currently working on the details of the bill. We are considering alternatives," he said.

Republican lawmaker Mike Turner of Ohio, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, told NBC television that Mr. Johnson "has made it clear" that he sees an opportunity for discussion of the bill in the hearing this week.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives has expressed support for a variant, according to which part of the funds for Kiev would be given as a loan, would open the way for the United States to use the frozen funds of the Russian central bank and would include some other changes.

Mr. Johnson has demanded that Mr. Biden's administration abandon the ban on the export of Liquid Natural Gas, as well as changes in policies related to immigration on the US border with Mexico.

But currently, the only bill with broad bipartisan support in Congress is the Senate-passed one that includes nearly $60 billion for Ukraine and $14 billion for Israel.

White House Homeland Security spokesman John Kirby called on Speaker Johnson to bring the bill to the floor for discussion as soon as possible.

"We didn't need any reminders of what's going on in Ukraine," Mr. Kirby said on NBC television.

"But last night certainly highlights the threat Israel faces in a very, very difficult region," he said.

Support for Ukraine has gradually shrunk since the start of the war two years ago, and its cause, which once enjoyed widespread support, has become one of the sharpest challenges for Mr. Johnson./ VOA