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U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson (R) gives a short statement to reporters about the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine, after meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC, on October 26, 2023. , Louisiana). Albanese visited the White House on Wednesday for an official visit and state dinner.
CNN
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House Speaker Mike Johnson vowed Sunday in his first Republican conference call since taking over to advance the $14.5 billion aid package for Israel when the House reconvenes later this week, according to people familiar with the matter.
The decision to move a separate funding bill for Israel, which Johnson told lawmakers would be fully paid for, and to decouple it from aid to Ukraine comes at a time when the Democratic-controlled Senate and White House are seeking to link the two issues. will be faced with a confrontation. Going it alone with Ukraine aid would face an uncertain path in the Republican-led House. Prime Minister Boris Johnson told CNN last week that he supports aid to Ukraine, but he said it would require “conditions.”
The first week in the House, led by Johnson, has seen the Louisiana Republican Party move on spending bills and aid for Israel, as government funding looks set to run out next month and motions targeting specific members move forward. Your abilities will be tested immediately.
In a conference call Sunday, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise briefed lawmakers on the week’s full floor schedule, and while the House returns to vote Wednesday night, Republican Leader Tom Emmer was not present, according to officials. emphasized the importance of
Leadership needs all members of Congress to be in Washington this week, which was originally supposed to be a recess week, in part because of the potential for close races.
In addition to the spending bill, the House must consider a range of measures aimed at punishing specific members of Congress, including a resolution to expel New York Republican Rep. George Santos, who pleaded not guilty in federal court on Friday. 10 charges They allege that, among other crimes, he stole the identities of donors and fraudulently charged their credit cards for thousands of dollars.
Also on the table this week are resolutions to censure Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Republican of Georgia. These accusations, once uncommon and usually used for the most serious crimes, are now increasingly being adopted.
Johnson did not say explicitly how Republicans should respond to efforts to oust Santos, but he seemed wary of efforts to denounce Tlaib, which sparked retaliation with Democrats.
“We should fight Democrats on policy,” Johnson told Republicans, according to people who participated in the conference call.
