House GOP plans vote on Israel aid; Senate tries to close a broader deal

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., pledged Saturday that the House would stage a vote this week on legislation to speed $17.6 billion in security assistance to Israel with no strings attached, a move likely to complicate Senate leaders' efforts to rally support for a broader package with border security measures and aid to Ukraine.

Johnson's announcement to members of his conference came as senators were scrambling to finalize and vote on a bipartisan national security bill that has taken months to negotiate. The move could further erode GOP support for the emerging compromise, which was flagging under criticism from party leaders including Johnson and former President Donald Trump.

Johnson has said that the Senate package would be dead on arrival in the House, arguing that its border security measures are not stringent enough to clamp down on a recent surge of immigration. He said the House instead would focus its efforts on the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas — a vote on which is now expected to take place this week.

Senate negotiators have been working on a national security funding bill to address Republican demands that any legislation sending military aid to Ukraine also significantly improve security at the southern border with Mexico. The emerging legislation, which includes measures making it more difficult to claim asylum and increasing detentions and deportations, also would send more military aid to Ukraine and Israel, dedicate humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in Gaza and fund efforts to counter Chinese threats to the Indo-Pacific region.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., announced this past week that the Senate would vote no later than Wednesday on whether to take up the bill, the text of which negotiators are expected to publicize no later than today.