A meeting to discuss Speaker Mike Johnson’s border security bill took a surprising turn this week, with the session ending abruptly without a vote on whether the bill will hit the House floor. Rep. Chip Roy expressed strong opposition to a rule that he believed was a cover vote for funding Ukraine instead of prioritizing border security measures.
Johnson had initially planned to consider separate foreign aid bills for Ukraine, Israel, the Indo-Pacific, and other foreign policy provisions, as well as a bill similar to the comprehensive immigration and border enforcement bill passed last year. However, Rep. Jim McGovern acknowledged a lack of support from Democrats for the bill, casting doubt on its survival in the committee vote.
Conservative rebels on the House Rules Committee criticized Johnson’s decision not to link border security measures to the foreign aid plan. The situation worsened with threats from fellow Republicans to trigger a vote on Johnson’s ouster, adding pressure to an already tense situation.
Johnson defended his decision by arguing that tying U.S. border measures to foreign aid, particularly for Ukraine, would ultimately hinder the bill’s chances of passing. The chaos of the Wednesday evening meeting may even impact the planned Saturday vote on foreign aid bills and the border security measure.
The future of Johnson’s border security bill remains uncertain as tensions rise and conflicting opinions create a challenging environment for lawmakers. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.
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