Three centrists join House Dems to force a vote on sending $1.3 billion to Ukraine
Two House Republicans and one independent are joining every single Democrat to force Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) into holding a vote on legislation sending $1.3 billion in aid to Ukraine and instituting new sanctions on Russia.
Reps. Don Bacon (R-NE), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and Kevin Kiley (I-CA) joined Democrats to reach the 218-signature threshold needed for a discharge petition. The parliamentary procedure bypasses the committee process and forces legislation directly to the floor for a vote.
Kiley, an independent who caucuses with Republicans, said he was convinced to support the maneuver because “the collapse of the recent ceasefire shows that leverage is needed for diplomacy to succeed.
“Congress can act now, in a bipartisan way, to strengthen that leverage and advance a durable peace that protects the interests of the United States and our allies,” Kiley wrote in a statement. “We must also send a strong message that Russian support for Iran’s targeting of U.S. military assets will not be tolerated.”
Bacon, Kiley, and Fitzpatrick’s support for the legislation comes as all three have expressed skepticism about approving $1 billion for security upgrades to the East Wing of the White House, where President Donald Trump is currently moving forward with the construction of a new “ballroom.”
Democrats have long sought to bring a Ukraine aid bill to the House floor. The measure, authored by Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY), would provide $1.3 billion in new aid to Ukraine and implement new sanctions on Russia.
The majority of House Republicans have opposed additional aid to Ukraine over concerns about corruption in Kyiv. Instead, Trump has pushed NATO allies to purchase weapons directly from the U.S. and transfer them to Ukraine.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has also faced skepticism from lawmakers of both parties during multiple Capitol Hill budget-related hearings in recent weeks regarding Ukraine aid. Last month, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) accused the Pentagon of failing to disburse $400 million in aid to Ukraine.
Comments
No comments yet. Be the first.
Sign in to leave a comment.