Johnson tells senators he’s still looking for path on Ukraine aid

Sen. Markwayne Mullin, a Republican from Oklahoma, told CNN that Johnson made clear “he understood the importance and the urgency of it and was looking for a path forward.”

But Johnson’s message to senators also indicated the package he is looking at is unlikely to look like the $95 billion package the Senate passed. Republicans have been looking at using some kind of loan program, which wouldn’t outright give equipment to Ukraine, but would be part of a kind of lend-lease program.

CNN reported earlier this month that Johnson has been working closely with House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul, a Texas Republican, to find a way to craft a Ukraine aid package that could include elements like McCaul’s REPO Act, which would seize Russian assets and transfer them to Ukraine – and perhaps a way to include some of the aid in a loan program, an idea originally floated by former President Donald Trump.

The goal of McCaul and Johnson’s efforts was always to get the bill to the floor by late March or early April.

Johnson echoed his comments to senators Wednesday at the GOP retreat in West Virginia, telling reporters that the package the House puts together “may not look exactly like the Senate supplemental” and that the House GOP  is “processing through all the various options right now.”

Still, Johnson’s assurances to Senate Republicans come as Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has made no secret he wants the House to take up the Senate package now and stop dithering.

“The only way to get relief to the Ukrainians and the Israelis quickly is for the House to figure out how to pass the Senate bill,” the Kentucky Republican told reporters, a reference to how the Senate bill also includes aid to Israel. “Anything that’s changed and sent back here, as you all know, even the simplest thing can take a week in the Senate. We don’t have time for all of this.”

McConnell continued, “We’ve got a bill that got 70 votes in the Senate. Give members of the House of Representatives an opportunity to vote on it. That’s the solution.”

Democrats are also not committed to passing a House version of aid, warning that some of the ideas being floated could further complicate aid that is necessary now.

“You know, it feels like Speaker Johnson makes up his strategy one or two days at a time. So it’s really hard to know what the next step is,” said Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut. “Speaker Johnson doesn’t need to make up a new plan. He has a bill that’s already passed the Senate that the president says he will sign that he knows has the votes right now in the House. Just call that bill up for a vote.”

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