House Democrats To Try To Force Vote On Ukraine Aid ‘Soon,’ New Jersey Rep. Says

A House Democrat said Thursday the party would try to force a vote on stalled aid for Ukraine in its fight against Russian invaders, a process that could ratchet up the public pressure on Republicans on the issue.

“Coming soon: Democrats will introduce a discharge petition to bring Ukraine funding to the House floor. I will be on line to sign it,” said Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.) in a social media post Thursday.

“The votes are there. Are there a dozen republicans with a shred of courage to sign it and help Ukraine survive? Stay tuned,” he posted.

While the gambit is unlikely to succeed — only two have worked to get a bill on the House floor for a vote since 2000 — it could raise the pressure on House Republicans, who have so far steadfastly backed the decision by their leader, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), to not bring up a $95 billion Senate bill that would provide weaponry to Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, and humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Pascrell’s post did not give a timeline for the introduction of the petition or specifics on whether it would be for Ukraine aid only or, more likely, the Senate bill. The soonest a petition could be filed would be Friday, when the House is next scheduled to be in session, although only briefly as House lawmakers are not due back in Washington until Wednesday.

Following the loss of a strategic town in eastern Ukraine called Avdiivka and the death of Russian dissident Alexei Navalny at the suspected hands of Russian President Vladimir Putin, resupplying Ukrainian troops has taken on more urgency among the county’s supporters even as Congress is on a previously scheduled break until next week.

John Kirby, the White House’s national security communications adviser, said Tuesday