House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is facing criticism from conservatives due to the lack of border security provisions in his latest foreign aid proposal.
What Happened: Johnson dismissed the criticism on Wednesday, attributing the lack of action to Senate and White House Democrats. He stated, “Some of my colleagues want the Speaker of the House to have a magic wand. If we could close the border ourselves, we would have done it a long time ago,” reported The Hill.
The Speaker’s comments came after the release of legislative text for three bills that would combine military assistance to Ukraine, Israel, and allies in the Indo-Pacific with humanitarian aid for Gaza. These bills, however, do not include a border security measure, a reversal from Johnson’s previous indication that aid for Ukraine would be tied to such measures.
Despite Johnson’s efforts, several conservatives criticized his move, accusing him of making bipartisan deals with President Joe Biden. Johnson defended his actions, pointing to the House’s passage of H.R. 2 last year and the Democratic-controlled Senate’s decision not to move it forward.
Johnson also announced plans to bring a border bill, titled the End The Border Catastrophe Act, to the House floor later this week. However, he acknowledged that the GOP conference may not get everything they want due to their slim majority.
The Speaker’s position has been further threatened by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who introduced a motion to vacate Johnson last month. Despite this, several GOP members have voiced opposition to removing Johnson, and multiple Democrats have indicated they would support the Speaker depending on his handling of Ukraine aid.
Why It Matters: The criticism of Johnson’s foreign aid proposal comes amid an ongoing campaign by Greene to unseat him. Her efforts, however, lack momentum and support.
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) has joined Greene’s campaign. Amid these developments, former President Donald Trump has expressed his support for Johnson. The outcome of these political maneuvers remains uncertain.
Photo via Shutterstock.
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