Israel, Ukraine aid stays on track in House

Debate starts today, with final vote on Saturday

Apr 19, 2024

Also in today’s edition of ‘Regular Order’ for April 19, 2024:

Republicans on key House committee defy the Speaker.
Senate presses ahead with FISA bill.
Another unexpected House GOP retirement.

CONGRESS. After months of delays by House Republicans, a military aid plan for Israel and Ukraine took a big step forward last night in Congress, as a key panel voted to send the package to the House floor. With several Republicans opposing the plan, Democrats on the House Rules Committee stepped in to help keep the bill on track for Speaker Mike Johnson. A final vote is expected on Saturday.

JOHNSON. "A strong America is good for stability around the world," the Speaker said in an interview on the Mark Levin radio show, as Johnson tried to make the case to conservative listeners on why the aid package deserves GOP support. "We've got to show that we are the leader of the free world."
FOREIGN AID. Senior Republicans echoed that. "Speaker Johnson understands how important it is to aid Ukraine," said Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH), the head of the House Intelligence Committee. “This is very serious," added Rep. Mike McCaul (R-TX), who leads the House Foreign Affairs Committee. "It's a time for choosing, as Reagan said."
МОСКВА РАДИО. "Unfortunately, a few of my colleagues would like to see the Russians win," said Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE). "This is not only about safeguarding ideals of democracy and peace - but also central to our own national security,” argued Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK).
TODAY. The House is expected to take the first step on these foreign aid plans by starting debate this morning. Final action won’t come until Saturday on the $95 billion national security package. Then it will have to go back for another vote in the Senate early next week.

OPPOSITION. For many GOP lawmakers, the move by Speaker Johnson to press ahead with aid to Ukraine is a major political mistake. “We shouldn’t send more taxpayer dollars to Ukraine," said Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA). "All Republicans should vote no,” argued Rep. Bob Good (R-VA).

MEETING. On the House floor yesterday, Freedom Caucus members expressed their anger directly to the Speaker. "We don't want to pass this bill," said Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), who described an impromptu discussion with the Speaker as 'tense.' "He views the Ukraine issue very differently than we do," Gaetz said.
TUBBY. The floor discussion evidently took an odd turn when Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI) began jabbing at the GOP rebels, daring them to try to oust the Speaker. Gaetz later called Van Orden ‘not particularly intelligent.’
VAN ORDEN. "The vast Majority of the Majority is done with being blackmailed by the minority of the majority," Van Orden said last night.

RULES. Last night's 9-3 vote in the House Rules Committee in favor of the Israel and Ukraine aid plan was highly unusual, because three Republicans refused to back the Speaker on that bill - while all four Democrats voted for the rule. "I’m holding the line on what I said I would do and not blinking," said Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), who voted ‘no’ along with Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY).

SASSY. After calling for Speaker Johnson to resign earlier this week, Massie lobbed more verbal arrows at the Speaker on Thursday. “Is he working for Democrats or Republicans now?” Massie said.
TIME OUT. I have to stop right here to emphasize how absolutely crazy this situation is among Republicans. The Rules Committee is the Speaker’s committee. To have members on that panel openly defying the Speaker is completely unacceptable. But that’s where the GOP is right now.
HISTORY. "We haven't seen stuff like this in decades," said Josh Huder, a Congressional expert at Georgetown University, comparing it to how Republicans helped to push Civil Rights legislation in the 1960's over the objections of southern Democrats in the House.

BYE FELICIA. Some Republicans said Roy, Massie, and Norman should be punished. "The three members who refuse to support the Speaker’s agenda should resign from the Rules Committee immediately," said Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY). "If they refuse, they should be removed immediately."

REFRAIN. That was echoed by Lawler's neighbor. "It's been made pretty crystal clear that those on the Rules Committee were supposed to carry out the will of the Speaker," said Rep. Anthony D'Esposito (R-NY). "I would be in favor of his decision replacing those individuals."

GOP INFIGHTING. All of this is yet another reminder of the absolutely nutty situation that this Congress is in. Usually, we write about how Democrats are fighting with Republicans. But this Congress is all about the GOP fighting with the GOP. It's not normal. More in my column for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

PARLIAMENTARY NERD NOTE. There is a bit of parliamentary sleight of hand going on with this Israel/Ukraine/Taiwan/national security package. While there are four different aid bills which will go to the House floor for debate and votes - it won't be four bills being sent to the Senate.

AMENDMENT. Instead, after all the votes are over, the four bills will be rolled into one measure - as a House amendment to the Senate Amendment to the bill H.R. 815. That's being done to speed up consideration in the Senate, as only one vote to break a filibuster will be needed there next week.

JOHNSON. The latest dustup involving House Republicans again raised questions about whether GOP rebels would try to take out their party's Speaker in the days ahead. "I don't care if the Speaker's office becomes a revolving door," said Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA). "Mike Johnson should act like a Republican."

MOTION. But there was reluctance among Republicans to force Johnson out - even those who are disappointed in the Speaker's choices. "I just think it would be handing the gavel over to the Democrats," said Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN).
SUPPORT. As for Democrats, a number of them say that they won't let the GOP push Johnson out simply because he's letting the House vote on aid for Ukraine. "We have to make sure that we don't see somebody who's trying to do the right thing get punished for that," said Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY).

VACATE. Despite a lot of talk, Speaker Johnson announced on Thursday afternoon that he will not be pressing for any House Rules changes right now which would alter the process for a motion to oust a Speaker of the House. "We will continue to govern under the existing rules," Johnson said.

RULES. When Republicans took charge, one of the demands from conservative rebels was that they wanted the ability for just one member to offer a motion which declares the post of Speaker to be vacant. When Democrats were in charge, you needed a majority of the majority to get permission to do that.
ACTION. "We need to change the rules," said Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD), one of a number of GOP lawmakers calling for a change in what's become known in the hallways as the 'motion to vacate.' "This has weakened our majority and Congress as a whole," said Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE).

REWRITING HISTORY. A number of House Republicans who wanted border security provisions added to Israel and Ukraine foreign aid package - have conveniently forgotten what went on in the U.S. Senate earlier this year, ignoring the bipartisan border security deal that was torpedoed by Donald Trump and the GOP.

ACTION. "I cannot for the life of me understand why the Senate Democrats won't give anything as it relates to the border," said Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), acting like that bipartisan deal on border security never existed (it was blocked by a GOP filibuster in the Senate).
PATROL. Remember, the head of the Border Patrol union - a fierce critic of President Biden - endorsed that bipartisan deal, because it had a ‘significant’ increase in immigration detention beds, a ‘huge’ increase in border agents, and ‘key’ incentives to retain them.
HALF A LOAF. Would that deal have solved everything that's going wrong at the border? Of course not. But is doing nothing better than doing something? For most Republicans, that answer seems to be 'Yes.' If they don't get exactly what they want, they won't vote for it. (Narrator: That's not how you get things done in Congress.)

BORDER. A day after Senate Democrats voted to dismiss two impeachment articles against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Senators were squabbling about border security and illegal immigration during a hearing with Mayorkas on Thursday. And one Democratic Senator had an interesting take.

OSSOFF. Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) started by blasting Republicans for their refusal to act on border security policy reforms in Congress. "No one - and I mean, no one - is interested in, or takes seriously, lectures on border security from Senate Republicans," Ossoff said, accusing the GOP of 'hypocrisy' and 'political cowardice' for opposing a bipartisan Senate plan on the border.
WARNING. But Ossoff also had a warning for Mayorkas and the White House - saying if Congress won't act, then the President must do something about the border. "Only you have the power to address this crisis," Ossoff bluntly told Mayorkas at the hearing. "And I urge you, I urge you to act with utter urgency to do so."

RETIREMENT. Rep. Jake LaTurner (R-KS) announced on Thursday that he will not run for another term in Congress, citing the pressure of four young kids at home. "It is time to pursue other opportunities and have the benefit of spending more time with my family," said LaTurner - who is 36 years old.

NUMBERS. LaTurner's departure means 44 House members won't be back after the next election - split 24 Democrats and 20 Republicans. I still think there will be a few more incumbents who decide to throw in the towel soon.
EXTRA DAY. Today is supposed to be the final day in office for Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) - but he's evidently going to stick around through the weekend to help vote on a package of foreign aid bills proposed by Speaker Johnson. When Gallagher resigns, the GOP edge will shrink to 217-213 in the House.

SENATE. Normally, the Senate tries hard never to be in session on a Friday. But today is different, as Senators are still trying to finish a bill dealing with foreign intelligence surveillance authorities. The Senate voted 67-32 yesterday to shut off debate on the motion to start debate on the bill (you read that right).

FISA UPDATE. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer wants to reach a deal with Senators to hold votes on certain amendments and then final passage of the FISA bill later today. The plan allows U.S. Intelligence to collect emails, texts, and other communications of foreigners without a warrant - even if a U.S. citizen is one of the parties.
NEXT WEEK. Both the House and Senate were originally scheduled to be off next week. With the House likely to vote Saturday on a foreign aid package, there was talk last night that final action would be likely by Tuesday.

MENENDEZ. Lawyers for Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) are back in court today in New York City for meetings on his bribery and corruption case. Originally, Menendez had been ordered to appear - but then Senate business got in the way. Judge Sidney Stein said last night that Menendez may ‘participate by telephone if possible.’

GOLD BARS. The trial for Menendez is slated to begin on May 6. Earlier this week, it was revealed that Menendez might try to blame his wife, arguing that she did not disclose unlawful acts to him. (Narrator: Try that argument on your spouse and see if it works.)

RAP SHEET. A Pennsylvania man has been arrested for assaulting police officers at the Capitol on Jan. 6. Joshua Atwood joined other rioters in attacking police in the Lowest West Terrace Tunnel, throwing metal poles and bottles at officers. "Fuck off, you guys are all pieces of shit," Atwood said to police.

MUSE OF HISTORY. April 19, 1974. Already beset by the Watergate scandal, President Nixon faced more bad economic news on this date as well. The latest inflation figures showed consumer prices were up at an annual rate of 14.5 percent just in the first three months of the year, as gasoline prices had surged by 31 percent. The national average at the pump was 52.8 cents per gallon - that's equal to about $3.36 a gallon today.

LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM:

The House convenes at 9 am.

The Senate meets at 11 am.

Check President Biden’s schedule.

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Email me at jamiedupree@substack.com

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