Stand-alone foreign aid bill

Johnson expects a stand-alone foreign aid bill that would need Democratic votes

He added in the interview that splitting Ukraine and Israel aid into two separate bills is “under consideration.”

By OLIVIA BEAVERS

Speaker Mike Johnson shared new details of his plans to take up Ukraine aid in an interview with POLITICO, including his expectation to pass it with Democratic votes.

The Louisiana Republican said in a Thursday interview at the House GOP retreat that taking up aid to Ukraine and Israel is “very much a priority,” stopping short of full commitment to a House vote on the long-stalled assistance. But he made clear that once the aid does come up, it would be a “stand-alone” bill that’s not attached to a must-pass vehicle like government funding legislation.

Johnson also said he expects that foreign aid would come up on the House’s suspensions calendar, which requires a two-thirds majority to pass any bills — in other words, he’ll be relying on Democratic votes to pass the bill, as he has with most measures given his thin majority. He added in the interview that splitting Ukraine and Israel aid into two separate bills is “under consideration.”