{"id":2210571,"date":"2024-04-01T12:33:02","date_gmt":"2024-04-01T16:33:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/speaker-johnson-teases-innovations-to-move-ukraine-aid-forward-in-house\/"},"modified":"2024-04-01T12:33:46","modified_gmt":"2024-04-01T16:33:46","slug":"speaker-johnson-teases-innovations-to-move-ukraine-aid-forward-in-house","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/speaker-johnson-teases-innovations-to-move-ukraine-aid-forward-in-house\/","title":{"rendered":"Speaker Johnson hints at &#8216;innovations&#8217; to advance Ukraine aid in the House"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fspeaker-johnson-teases-innovations-to-move-ukraine-aid-forward-in-house%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2210571&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>House \u200dSpeaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) hints at changes needed to move \u200ca foreign aid bill for Ukraine through the House, suggesting provisions tied to the conflict with Russia. Johnson discusses innovative measures, including the REPO Act, aiming to make\u200c Russia pay \u2063for\u2064 its invasion. He\u2062 also proposes aid as a loan repayment and\u200b hints at linking assistance to natural gas shipments. House Speaker \u2064Mike Johnson (R-LA) is proposing significant changes to advance a foreign aid bill for\u2064 Ukraine in the House. His suggestions include measures\u2064 related to the conflict with Russia, such as the REPO Act, designed to\u200c hold Russia accountable for its \u2063actions. Additionally, Johnson is considering framing aid as a loan\u200b repayment and\u2063 exploring\u2063 potential ties to natural gas exports.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>For the first time, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is hinting at a number of tweaks he would require in order to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/2943423\/zelensky-briefs-speaker-johnson-congress-struggles-ukraine-aid\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>move a foreign aid bill<\/a> for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ukraine\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Ukraine<\/a> through the lower chamber. <\/p>\n<p>In an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/video\/6350055589112\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>interview with Fox News<\/a> on Sunday, Johnson laid out the provisions he would like to see in any emerging aid proposal, which the speaker called \u201cimportant innovations.\u201d The measures <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/2946827\/recess-request-johnson-three-headed-approach-grip-on-the-gavel\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>floated by Johnson<\/a> were related directly and indirectly to the war with Russia, including the idea of restructuring the aid as a loan repayment. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen we return after this work period, we\u2019ll be moving a product, but it\u2019s going to, I think, have some important innovations,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of things we should do that make more sense, and we\u2019re putting that product together.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Johnson laid out the three main components he said should be included in the legislation, including a bipartisan proposal known as the REPO Act. If included, the provision would seek to seize frozen Russian assets and transfer them to the Ukrainian government to fight against the Kremlin \u2014 a move that Johnson said would be \u201cpure poetry.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Several lawmakers have expressed support for such an idea, noting it would provide a way to make Russia pay for its own invasion. The REPO Act passed out of committee in the Senate in January by a 20-1 vote, indicating it would have widespread support if included in the bill. <\/p>\n<p>The proposal would be easier said than done as much of the frozen assets are in Europe, meaning other countries would need to agree to hand the cash over to the Ukrainian army. <\/p>\n<p>Johnson also floated the idea of providing assistance to Ukraine as a loan payment that could be repaid once the war is over. Republicans, following the lead of former President Donald Trump, have previously suggested this idea on Capitol Hill over the last few weeks, with the loan possibly being structured as zero interest and forgivable.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEven President Trump has talked about the loan concept where we\u2019re \u2026 not just giving foreign aid, we\u2019re setting up in a relationship where they can provide it back to us when the time is right,\u201d Johnson said.<\/p>\n<p>Johnson also hinted at the idea of approving Ukraine aid in exchange for expanding natural gas shipments \u2014 a subtle jab at the Biden administration\u2019s recent decision to freeze the exports of liquefied natural gas exports. <\/p>\n<p>Biden announced the pause on Friday, which will allow the administration to evaluate the effects on the climate and environment of exporting such a \u201csizable\u201d amount of LNG. It will also allow the administration to consider the economic and national security effects of new LNG export facilities, allowing Biden to respond to political pressure to address the effects of climate change. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/2820675\/gop-outraged-biden-administration-pause-lng-exports\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Republicans were quick to decry the move,<\/a> arguing it would empower Russia by forcing U.S. allies to rely on its energy exports. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe want to unleash American energy, have national gas exports that will un-fund Vladimir Putin\u2019s war effort,\u201d Johnson said. <\/p>\n<p>The latest proposals come as congressional leaders have disagreed on how to move forward with providing foreign aid to countries such as Ukraine, with several lawmakers pushing for expedited action as the war against Russia drags on. <\/p>\n<p>There are now two competing discharge petitions circulating among House lawmakers seeking to bring Ukraine aid to the floor, although neither proposal has reached the minimum support needed to advance without Johnson\u2019s approval.\u00a0However, lawmakers behind one of those petitions have expressed support for including some of Johnson\u2019s proposals in order to get legislation moving through the House. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re open to changes,\u201d Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE), one of the leaders on a bipartisan discharge petition to advance a foreign aid bill, told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. \u201cI also fully agree with [Johnson] that we shouldn\u2019t just give a blank check to the White House. We should be direct about what kind of weapons we need to send.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Bacon said he has spoken with Johnson about a path forward, noting he is \u201camenable\u201d to making changes. The Nebraska Republican said he has been adamant about getting something passed as quickly as possible.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe got to get something passed,\u201d Bacon said. \u201cIf we don\u2019t get this done, it\u2019s possible that the Russians could be in Kyiv by January, and that\u2019s unacceptable.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title><strong>CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI understand that the speaker\u2019s got a tough field,\u201d the congressman added, pointing to hard-line Republicans who have rejected any foreign aid bill. \u201cBut in our view \u2026 the history books are going to write about this, and we better be on the right side of it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Johnson has felt pressure from all sides to bring some sort of foreign aid proposal to the floor, including from his Republican colleagues in the upper chamber. The speaker has indicated he will move forward in some fashion to advance Ukraine aid when lawmakers return from recess next week.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is suggesting changes needed to pass a foreign aid bill for Ukraine. In a Fox News interview, Johnson outlined the provisions he seeks in the emerging aid legislation. It marks the first time Johnson has hinted at adjustments necessary to advance the bill through the lower chamber<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2640,"featured_media":2210572,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/wex-s3.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AP24081591127807.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2210571","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/wex-s3.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AP24081591127807.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2210571","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2640"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2210571"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2210571\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2210572"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2210571"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2210571"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2210571"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}