In a recent vote, the House of Representatives approved four separate proposals that will now be developed into one bill for further consideration in the Senate. These proposals include transferring $60.8 billion in critical security aid to Ukraine, $8.1 billion to Taiwan and other allies in the Indo-Pacific region, and a ban on TikTok activity in the US if it does not break away from China.
The Senate had previously approved a similar proposal two months ago, which included an allocation of $14 billion for Israel, $60 billion for Ukraine, and $5 billion for aid to allies in the Indo-Pacific region. However, today’s vote represents a significant victory for Mike Johnson, the chairman of the Republican House of Representatives, who decided to split the original Senate proposal into four separate proposals to facilitate their passage. The inclusion of humanitarian aid to Gaza was intended to secure support from Democrats, while the TikTok boycott was intended to garner support from most Republican lawmakers.
This shift in position by Johnson comes after weeks of pressure from members of the extreme wing of the Republican Party, including former President Donald Trump, who demanded that aid to Ukraine be contingent on stricter security measures on the southern border with Mexico. However, escalating Russian aggression against Ukraine led to a change in Johnson’s stance. It is anticipated that these four proposals will now be combined into one bill and sent to President Biden for signature once approved by both chambers of Congress.
