Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) told an Axios reporter Wednesday that she would introduce a motion to vacate House Speaker Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) if he passes a deal with Democrats to fund Ukraine.
“I would introduce the motion to vacate myself,” if House Republican leadership agrees to funding for Ukraine, Greene reportedly said to Axios reporter Andrew Solender.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene tells me “I would introduce the motion to vacate myself” if Speaker Johnson passes funding to Ukraine.
— Andrew Solender (@AndrewSolender) January 17, 2024
Ukraine has been at war with the Russian Federation since Feb 2022. Rep. Johnson and other congressional leaders met with President Joe Biden on Wednesday over a monthslong stalemate over a spending request for military assistance for Ukraine and Israel. More conservative Republicans think funding for the U.S. border should be part of the bill.
Johnson argues that there is not enough time for a comprehensive legislative solution to the immigration crisis and that the “catastrophe” at the border “has to be addressed” sooner.
Senate Republicans are eager to put funding for a border security plan together with a military aid package to Israel and Ukraine despite the hesitation from Speaker Johnson and several House Republicans. The Senate Republicans argue this could be the best chance the party has to get significant concessions from Democrats for the U.S. southern border with Mexico.
A showdown on Capitol Hill as Congress mulls short-term funding bills, but still no aid for Ukraine with Russia threatening to take more territory. @TSoufiBurridge reports as Ukraine’s top diplomat pleads for more ammunition from the west as stocks run low. pic.twitter.com/O1vFErkKQ0
— World News Tonight (@ABCWorldNews) January 15, 2024
“If we had a 100% Republican government — president, House, Senate — we probably would not be able to get a single Democratic vote to pass what Senator Lankford and the administration are trying to get together on,” Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said to reporters on Wednesday shortly before the meeting with Biden.
“So this is a unique opportunity to accomplish something in divided government that wouldn’t be there under unified government,” McConnell said.
“If Republicans had a spine, and if our conference stuck together, we have all the power that we need to solve the border crisis right now,” Greene said on Monday. “I completely disagree with [Speaker] Mike Johnson that we aren’t going to be able to do it. I think if we just refused to fund anything, and we stood our ground, that we would come out winning that.”
