Discharge Petition Against Mike Johnson Moves Closer: 'Votes Are There'

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson pictured at the U.S. Capitol on February 15, 2024 in Washington, DC. Democrats are reportedly preparing a discharge petition to get around Johnson’s refusal to hold a House vote on a bill providing additional funding to Ukraine.

Democrats are planning to introduce a discharge petition in a bid to force a House vote on providing additional support for Ukraine, after Speaker Mike Johnson declined to allow one, according to one of their representatives.

Posting on X, formerly Twitter, New Jersey Democrat Bill Pascrell Jr. said a discharge petition would be “coming soon” and questioned whether there are “a dozen Republicans with a shred of courage to sign it.”

The Senate passed a $95 billion aid package, including an additional $60 billion in military assistance to Ukraine, on February 13 but the legislation must also pass the House before it can be signed into law by President Joe Biden. However, Johnson has refused to hold a House vote on the package which he said is “silent on the most pressing issue facing our country,” in reference to illegal immigration.

A successful discharge petition would allow the legislation to be brought to a vote without Johnson’s backing, but this would require the support of 218 House members including at least four Republicans, and likely more as some Democrats oppose the package because it also sends aid to Israel.

On X, Pascrell Jr. posted: “Coming soon: Democrats will introduce a discharge petition to bring Ukraine funding to the House floor. I will be on line to sign it. The votes are there. Are there a dozen republicans with a shred of courage to sign it and help Ukraine survive? Stay tuned.”

He accompanied this with a mocked up discharge petition with his signature and a note reading: “Needed: Just 10-15 Republicans with a shred of courage.”

Pascrell Jr.’s message was widely shared, receiving more than 390,000 views and 4,300 reposts.

Newsweek reached out to the office of Speaker Johnson at 5 a.m. ET. This article will be updated if they decide to comment.

Campaign group Republicans for Ukraine has launched a six-figure advertising bid calling on House GOP members to support a discharge petition to force a vote on the overseas aid bill.

They campaign is being targeted at the ten House Republicans they deem most likely to sign such a motion. These are Mike Gallagher (WI), Ken Buck (CO), Mike McCaul (TX), Mike Rogers (AL), Mike Turner (OH), Don Bacon (NE), Steve Womack (AR), Jake Ellzey (TX), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA) and Dan Crenshaw (TX).

A one-minute video produced by the group, which has been viewed more than a million times on YouTube, features a number of “lifelong Republican voters” explaining why they think Ukraine needs additional American support against the Russian invasion.

Speaking to Newsweek, Gunner Ramer, a Republicans for Ukraine spokesperson, said: “For generations, the Republican Party prided itself on standing up to dictators and leading the free world. Many Republicans, including many in Congress, still identify with that party and that role for America. Right now the critical issue in the world is whether free countries will help defeat Putin in Ukraine.

“Republicans have a chance to make history, but only if they get to vote. That’s why they should sign a discharge petition—it only takes four, but there’s safety in numbers. These 10 members have been leaders on Ukraine and American national security in the past, and it’s time for them to be leaders again.”

Last week, the Donbass city of Avdiivka fell to Russian forces, making it the first major Ukrainian settlement to be captured since May 2023. Defenders complained repeatedly about shortages of ammunition, and in particular artillery shells, during the battle.

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