According to a letter sent by Speaker Mike Johnson to his colleagues on Saturday, the House intends to vote next week on a standalone Israel aid bill. This marks a change of strategy by House Republicans, who previously approved a plan last year that provided significant aid to Israel while reducing funds for the IRS. The previous plan did not include funding for Ukraine and other national security priorities. In response to this, Johnson has opted for a narrower bill to avoid Democrats’ support, rather than a larger package that could have garnered bipartisan backing. House Democrats had urged members to vote against the earlier bill, arguing that it departed from bipartisan tradition by including spending cuts in an emergency aid package. The Senate also refused to support the package, with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer criticizing its omission of aid for Ukraine and humanitarian funding for Gaza, among other priorities.
Johnson’s letter attributes the change in strategy to the actions of Democrats and the Senate. He criticized Senate leaders for not involving House leaders in their negotiations on the emergency plan, which encompasses aid for Ukraine and Israel. The White House condemned the move by House Republicans, stating that it opposes this tactic and that the security of Israel should not be politicized. Johnson clarified that the new aid package will not include cuts to other programs and emphasized the need to swiftly prepare an Israel aid package.
Kathryn Watson contributed to this report.
