House on track to pass separate Israel, Ukraine aid packages

The House of Representatives is set to approve aid to the war-hit nations of Israel and Ukraine later this week, Republican and Democratic members and staff told The Post Monday — setting up a battle with both the Democrat-controlled Senate and the White House.

The Israel Supplemental Appropriations Act, proposed by Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas), would provide $14.3 billion for the Jewish state’s Iron Dome missile defense system, as well as military equipment for the Israel Defense Forces.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) rolled out the Israel aid plan Monday afternoon ahead of a likely Thursday vote, announcing that the House legislation would pay for itself by redistributing funds from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) that were set aside for the IRS.

Under former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), the House passed legislation rescinding $72 billion provided to the IRS by the IRA. The bill never received a Senate vote.

Johnson told Fox News on Sunday the “standalone Israel funding bill” was “a pressing and urgent need” as the Jewish state fights Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip following the Oct. 7 attacks that killed more than 1,400 people — including at least 33 Americans.

The measure has picked up support from both factions of the GOP, with aides telling The Post that most members — from the conservative House Freedom Caucus to the moderate Problem Solvers Caucus — are ready to pass it.

“So long as the standalone Israel aid bill is paid for without gimmicks, conservatives feel good about it,” a senior Republican aide told The Post.

House GOP lawmakers are also poised to pass another appropriations bill to fund Ukraine, aides told The Post, but topline funding numbers and a floor vote date have yet to be announced.

“The people that are against Ukraine — that’s a fringe group,” one aide said. “The overwhelming majority of the members of Congress on the GOP side support funding for Ukraine.”

House Democrats are also prepared to get behind the Israel and Ukraine funding requests, aides confirmed to The Post, despite pressure from some left-wing members who have advocated against defense aid being provided to Israel.

“If the extreme-right plays politics with assistance to Israel and Ukraine during times of crises, it will only empower America’s enemies, including Iran, Russia, and China,” Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) told The Post.

“This is about fighting against terror and protecting global democracy and our national security. America must help our allies crush Hamas terrorists and stand up to murdering dictators.”

Johnson last week said House Republicans would “bifurcate” the Israel funding from support to Kyiv to fight the Russian invasion after President Biden had asked Congress to pass a comprehensive package.

“We can’t allow Vladimir Putin to prevail in Ukraine because I don’t believe it would stop there, and it would probably encourage and empower China to perhaps make a move on Taiwan,” Johnson told Fox News last week.

Biden’s initial funding request included $61.4 billion for Ukraine, $14.3 billion for Israel, $14 billion for immigration enforcement and $16.55 billion for other concerns, including further aid for Taiwan.

“Like President Biden said when he addressed the nation from the Oval Office, Hamas and Putin both want to viciously annihilate a neighboring democracy,” White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates said in a statement. “In fact, Russian officials met with Hamas representatives in Moscow just this week.”

“For American national security, it is critical to stand with Israel as they defend themselves against Hamas terrorists who unleashed pure evil on October 7th; and to stand with Ukraine as they defend themselves against Russian brutality — carried out in part with Iranian weapons — and Russia’s kidnapping of Ukrainian children,” Bates also said. “There is strong bipartisan support in the House and Senate for both.”

Johnson voted for $80 million being given to Israel as part of the fiscal year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, but voted down $300 million in Ukraine aid — along with along 116 House Republicans — that was passed separately after being stripped from the defense budget.

He also opposed nearly $40.1 billion in security assistance to Kyiv that passed the House in May 2022.

Johnson in an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity said House Republicans were “not going to abandon” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky but stressed the importance of the lower chamber’s “stewardship responsibility.”

“We have to make sure that the White House is providing the people with some accountability for the dollars,” he said.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has resisted calls from his party to divide the funding requests and instead backed the president’s joint package, with some other measures for border security added.

Last week, Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Ky.) introduced a separate Israel funding bill along with seven other Republican senators, which they hope will replace McConnell’s favored package following the House vote, according to a Senate GOP aide.