Mike Johnson doesn't want to consider an Israel, Ukraine aid bill. Democrats are eyeing a workaround.

WASHINGTON – House Democrats are laying the groundwork to force a vote on the $95 billion foreign aid bill that passed in the Senate early Tuesday morning, despite fierce opposition from House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. to the legislation.

It would mark a significant coup if Democrats were successful. They're aiming to use the rare procedural move known as a discharge petition, which would require at least 218 signatures – including at least some Republicans – to bring the legislation up for a vote.

The package would appropriate $60 billion to support Ukraine, which has been battling Russia since February 2022. It would also send $14 billion in military assistance to Israel, $9 billion in humanitarian assistance to Gaza and elsewhere, and nearly $5 billion to defend Taiwan.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. sent a letter to his fellow Democrats Tuesday saying the caucus would “use every available legislative tool” to advance the bill and called upon “traditional Republicans” to step up in the House.

The Democratic leader said during a press conference that he believes there are at least 300 votes in the House to pass the foreign aid bill, including an “overwhelming majority” of Democrats.

“It’s not too much to ask in America’s national security that we get an up or down vote and let the House of Representatives actually work it’s will,” Jeffries said.

There are other signals that there’s enough political will in the lower chamber to pass the aid. Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., a member of the ultraconservative Freedom Caucus, said he’s a “hard no” on the bill, but he told a conservative talk radio host Tuesday that “if it were to get to the floor, it would pass – let’s just be frank about that."

The legislation cleared the Senate with 70 votes on Tuesday. Only two Democrats and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., voted against the legislation, alongside a majority of the chamber’s Republicans.

The Senate's vote is a reflection of similar divisions in the House. A growing number of Republican lawmakers have raised concerns about sending additional aid to Ukraine, and the progressive wing of the Democratic Party has protested further aid to Israel without conditions for more humane treatment of Palestinians in Gaza.

But the moderate coalitions in both parties appear to remain the dominant voice in the House and Senate – and they're preparing to flex their muscles.

“This place runs on majority… think we’ll probably do it on a discharge,” Rep. Annie Kuster, D-N.H., chair of the centrist New Democrat caucus, told USA TODAY in an interview last week.

She argued that bringing the left wing of her party on board would be possible by adding conditions that the Israel aid is used “in accordance with international law.” In addition to those lawmakers, Kuster predicted there are likely more than the five necessary Republicans willing to stand up to their GOP leaders.

Still, passing the foreign assistance will be no easy task. As the Senate prepared to vote for the aid bill Monday evening, Johnson released a statement saying the House would not consider the package because it does not include border security policy.

His comments come after he, former President Donald Trump and Senate Republicans rejected a bipartisan agreement last week to add border provisions, arguing the measures didn’t go far enough to tighten America's immigration system.

“In the absence of having received any single border policy change from the Senate, the House will have to continue to work its own will on these important matters,” Johnson said, despite his criticism of the bipartisan border agreement senators negotiated for months.

Several moderate Republicans who represent crucial swing districts also indicated to USA TODAY that they weren’t quite ready to go against their leader.

Asked whether he would sign on to a discharge petition, Rep. Marc Molinaro, R-N.Y., said: “All I will tell you is we have an obligation to secure our border and support our allies… hopefully we can come to some agreement to be supportive.”

Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., said he would “need to discuss with the speaker first.”

Additionally, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., contested that “the speaker has a lot on his plate. He’s been elected to make tough decisions.”

Diaz-Balart noted that the House passed its own bill to fund Israel aid that the Senate has not picked up yet. That bill also included costly cuts to the Internal Revenue Service, which made it unpalatable to many in the upper chamber.

“I don’t think there should be a surprise that there may be some reluctance on the speaker’s side to just accept anything that the Senate just sends over without making potential corrections, changes,” he said. “Because it works both ways.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: House Democrats eye backdoor to force vote on Israel, Ukraine aid bill