Washington — Rep. Michael McCaul, the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, emphasized on Sunday that the timing and method of bringing Ukraine aid up for a vote in the House ultimately rests on the decision of Speaker Mike Johnson. McCaul mentioned that he had scheduled a discussion with Speaker Johnson later in the day, acknowledging that there are some within their conference who oppose any aid package.
"We are running out of time," McCaul stated during his appearance on "Face the Nation" on Sunday. "We need to make this happen."
- Transcript: House Foreign Affairs Committee chair Rep. Michael McCaul on "Face the Nation," April 14, 2024
McCaul indicated that he had received assurance from Johnson that the Ukraine aid would be brought to the House floor, expressing his preference for this to occur within the week. However, Johnson is faced with various conflicting considerations in making this decision.
The speaker had committed to addressing the issue once Congress reconvened following a recent recess. While the Senate had passed a supplementary funding package in February that included aid for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, Johnson had prevented the bill from advancing in the House, emphasizing that the House would chart its own course regarding foreign aid matters.
In the ongoing debate over funding for Ukraine, the path forward remains uncertain. Some Republicans are against providing the funding without certain concessions, such as tying it to issues like Ukraine aid, natural gas export permitting, or the sale of assets of Russian oligarchs. Former President Donald Trump has suggested that the aid should be in the form of a loan.
Speaker Johnson recently met with the former president at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, where Trump voiced his support for Johnson's efforts. However, Johnson is facing a challenge to his position as speaker from a House Republican, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is an ally of Trump. Greene disagreed with Johnson's approach to the funding issue last month and has cautioned him against moving forward with aid to Ukraine.
Interestingly, a recent CBS News/YouGov poll revealed that when it comes to information about the Ukraine-Russia conflict, Republicans place more trust in Trump than in the U.S. military, Pentagon, conservative media sources, or the U.S. State Department. Representative McCaul explained that this is why Johnson visited Trump at Mar-a-Lago to discuss the Ukraine matter, highlighting Trump's significant influence within the Republican party.
The recent events unfolded with an unprecedented attack by Iran on Israel on Saturday, triggering a swift response from congressional leaders to provide additional aid to Israel. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell urged the House to approve the Senate-passed national security supplemental, which includes support for both Israel and Ukraine. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise also announced plans for the House to pass legislation this week in support of Israel.
