Israeli President and House Speaker Mike Johnson spoke at the ‘March for Israel’ rally in Washington, D.C. amid calls for a ceasefire, as Congress aims to pass a foreign aid package to provide support for Israel and Ukraine. The bipartisan deal is facing hurdles in the House and Senate over funding sources, immigration reform, and Israel’s war in Gaza. The package, which President Joe Biden has requested to include humanitarian aid to Gaza, border security, and efforts to deter China, among other provisions, is still being negotiated.
The chair of the House Foreign Affairs and Senate Foreign Relations committees believe that both chambers could deliver a national security bill to Biden’s desk next month. However, the agreement might face obstacles as House Republicans are demanding payment for the assistance to Israel through cuts to the Internal Revenue Service budget, while multiple GOP lawmakers are linking Ukraine aid to immigration reform.
The package is still up in the air, as the House’s Israel funding bill has zero chance of passing the Democratic-controlled Senate. Despite this, members of Congress are urging for a deal to be reached, as time is running out for Ukraine which has seen dwindling support among Congressional Republicans as the country runs out of ammunition.
Efforts to pass a foreign aid package for Israel and Ukraine are intertwined, and the urgency to address both threats is being stressed by various lawmakers. While the Biden administration has announced $100 million in military assistance for Ukraine, the Pentagon may soon have to choose between arming Ukraine or lowering the readiness of U.S. forces. The situation complicates further as three GOP senators released a proposal detailing their demands for changes to border policy in exchange for their support of Biden’s Ukraine funding. Despite these challenges, there is bipartisan appetite for a deal, with senators hoping to move a bill with a commanding majority to get it over to the House.