WASHINGTON — When Congress returns from a two-week recess, all eyes will be on House Speaker Mike Johnson as he faces divisive issues including an ever-shrinking Republican majority — and a far-right threat to oust him.
Topping the list of contentious issues is a long-delayed military aid package for Ukraine and other allies. Also approaching are the April 19 deadline to renew a controversial surveillance program and the May reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration.
And lawmakers are battling over funding for a new bridge in Baltimore after the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. told colleagues that in the coming months the upper house could take up issues such as rail safety, children's online safety and the TikTok law after it is passed in the House, which could impose social restrictions. media app in usa
Just five months into the job, Johnson is once again on the hot seat, facing immense political and international pressure to deliver on his promise to pass new aid for Ukraine. Although he has vowed to return billions in foreign aid to the House when lawmakers return, doing so has angered one of his most vocal critics, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga. There may be a vote to exclude him from the speech under the leadership of. An ally of Donald Trump who opposes aid to Ukraine and instead wants to focus on the US border.
Greene took the first step toward ousting Johnson just before the House left for a two-week recess, but fell short of forcing a vote.
“We are losing our country to illegal invasion – it is happening every day at our southern border. And I'm very angry about it because the American people are angry about it,'' he said recently tucker carlson show on x, “We don't have this Republican speaker right now; “This is the Democrat Speaker of the House because there is no difference between what Nancy Pelosi did in the last Congress and what Mike Johnson is doing now as our so-called Republican Speaker of the House.”
Republicans' slim, two-seat lead over Democrats means a handful of GOP insurgents could team up with all Democrats to eliminate Johnson's nascent speakership, in the same manner that toppled his predecessor, Kevin McCarthy. Some Democrats say they could save Johnson if such a vote were held, although Johnson's allies believe these comments would only weaken his position within his own party.
If Greene or any other Republican forces a vote to oust Johnson, only a majority vote would remove him from the position of speaker.
a major surveillance power
Republican division over surveillance powers under FISA Section 702 could also affect Johnson's fate. An influential faction of conservatives — including members of the House Freedom Caucus and its former leader, Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio — is demanding reforms to limit federal authority to spy on Americans. Two conservative aides said members are unhappy Johnson appeared to be siding with House Intelligence Chairman Mike Turner, R-Ohio, to expand the powers. turner,legislation of The bill doesn't go as far as the Jordan-led bill, but it does include reforms like cutting the number of FBI personnel authorized to approve U.S. person searches and requiring independent audits of all those searches.
On Friday, Johnson urged his conference to support the newly released compromise bill, called the Reforming Intelligence and Surveillance Act. In a letter to his conference, Johnson said passage of the legislation is “extremely important.”
“If our bill fails, we will be faced with an impossible choice and we can hope that the Senate will stop us with a blanket extension that does not include any reforms,” he warned Republicans. That the Democratic-controlled Upper House can do so. Take advantage of GOP divisions. “This is clearly an unacceptable option.”
The House could vote on the legislation next week after a classified briefing of all members with intelligence community officials on Wednesday.
Ukraine and Israel aid
In February the Senate approved a $95 billion supplemental aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. Johnson rejected that bill but did not explain how he would structure his package. Hill Democrats and the White House have poured cold water on Johnson's pitch to tie Ukraine aid to overturning President Joe Biden's moratorium on new liquefied natural gas export terminals. But linking the aid to the proposed repo act — which would seize the assets of Russian oligarchs and use the proceeds to help pay for the Ukrainian war effort — is gaining ground.
The speaker, who has insisted for months that he would not approve new aid to Ukraine without passing tougher border policies, reiterated one point in response to Greene's criticism: “Any funding to the President's supplemental request will come at the expense of the U.S. It must be based on meaningful policy to help people and ultimately address the invasion at our southern border.
Meanwhile, a growing faction of Democrats say they oppose unconditional lethal aid to Israel, especially after the killing of seven World Central Kitchen humanitarian workers in Gaza last week. Some prefer to wait until the May 8 deadline, on which Israel must certify that it is following international law in order to receive continued US military support.
The Senate has approved aid to both countries simultaneously, but if the US delays sending aid to Ukraine until mid-May, it could be disastrous because of ammunition shortages as Kiev tries to fend off a Russian offensive. Used to be.
“This is a real dilemma because Ukraine urgently needs to get aid. They're running out of ammo,” Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., told NBC News. “I think support for aid to Israel is declining in the House. I think we should have separate votes on both.
Johnson has indicated openness to holding separate votes. But at the same time, aid to Israel is more popular in their Republican conference than aid to Ukraine. The Senate-passed package, which has been stalled in the House for nearly two months, may be Johnson's only option, according to several Republican and Democratic lawmakers, including Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell.
Former Navy helicopter pilot, Rep. Mickey Sherrill, D-N.J. Said, “It's too late to test it at the eleventh hour.” “If you do not pass the Senate bill the coalition will fall apart. “It is almost impractical at this point.”
House Republicans have scheduled a vote next week on a messaging bill that would reject Biden's latest call for an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza. It seeks to capitalize on divisions among Democrats who find themselves in an increasingly fractious political landscape, torn between pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian factions of their base.
Mayorkas impeachment
House Republicans in February impeached Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over his handling of the border and are expected to introduce both articles of impeachment in the Senate on Wednesday. Senators will be sworn in to begin the hearing on Thursday afternoon and Democratic leaders believe they will quickly wrap up the process that same day.
Democrats believe they have 51 votes to table the articles or quickly reject them. The most conservative Democrat, Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, has criticized the mayor's impeachment efforts and called them “ridiculous”, asking Republicans to raise their concerns if they don't like how the mayor is handling immigration. Take it to the ballot box.
Retired Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, an independent from Arizona, is expected to vote with Democrats and does not support a lawsuit for Mayorkas, two sources with knowledge of her situation told NBC News.
Along with Sens. James Lankford, R-Okla., and Chris Murphy, D-Conn., Sinema worked for weeks with Mayorkas to craft a bipartisan border package, which Republicans blocked within days. He drew heavy criticism from the other side of the aisle, labeling the move “political theater” and criticizing GOP leaders for backing away from the need for legislation to solve the problem.
Meanwhile, Republicans are expected to push for a full Senate trial.
There's also a possibility that a handful of moderate Republicans could join Democrats in rejecting the Mayorkas impeachment articles. Leadership will work hard to prevent that from happening, said two GOP aides with knowledge of the process.
baltimore bridge collapsed
The unexpected and fatal collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26 added another item to Congress's full plate – and created another headache for Johnson.
During a visit to the site of the collapse in Baltimore on Friday, Biden, standing alongside Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Maryland Governor Wes Moore, called on Congress to quickly pass funding for a new bridge. Some estimates have set the price $400 million,
Biden said, “As the governor knows, it is my full intention that the federal government cover the cost of building this entire bridge – all of it, all of it – as we have done in other parts of the country in similar circumstances.” ” , with submerged steel trusses as its backdrop. “I stand here, calling on Congress to authorize this effort as soon as possible.”
But the same day, the Freedom Caucus, which has been a thorn in Johnson's side, rejected several conditions for emergency federal funding for a new bridge: the cost must be compensated by cuts elsewhere; Federal regulations should be waived “to avoid all unnecessary delays and costs”; And funding should be restricted to physical infrastructure repairs and not go to unrelated projects.
On top of this, the Freedom Caucus is demanding the Biden administration's LNG export moratorium “be lifted before Congress can consider any funding for bridge reconstruction.”
The Freedom Caucus's long list of demands adds to the group's complex and often thorny relationship with Johnson as he tries to survive in this Congress. Johnson, who was a member of the caucus for some time, has a mixed record on similar emergency disaster relief aid; He has voted for some disaster packages and opposed others.