By John Q. Hosedrinker Democrats propose discharge petition to get past Mike Johnson
When it comes to getting legislation passed in the House of Representatives, sometimes it feels like navigating through a minefield. And one of the biggest obstacles in our path right now is Mike Johnson, a Republican Congressman who has refused to bring a crucial bill to the floor for a vote.
The bill in question is one that would provide an additional $60 billion of military aid for Ukraine. This aid is desperately needed, as Ukraine continues to face aggression from Russia. But Johnson has chosen to criticize the legislation, claiming that it does not address the issue of illegal immigration, which he views as the most pressing issue facing our country. This is a baffling stance, considering that Johnson himself recently shut down his own border bill. It’s enough to make you wonder if we’re living in a parallel universe.
Thankfully, there is a way to bypass Johnson and bring the bill to the floor for a vote. Democrats have proposed a discharge petition, which would require the support of 218 members, including at least four Republicans. This would force the bill onto the floor and allow it to be voted on like any other piece of legislation. However, due to the packed congressional schedule, this is unlikely to happen until the end of the month.
The question now is, how likely are we to find four Republicans who are willing to defy their party and support this discharge petition? Dealing with the GOP House is like negotiating with toddlers – they don’t know what they want, except that it isn’t whatever is offered to them. It’s hard to have much hope for a few Republican defections to actually make this happen.
But we must remain hopeful. Letting Ukraine fail now would be a blow not only to Ukraine but to democracies around the world. We cannot let Johnson and his fellow Republicans hold this aid hostage to their own misguided priorities.
Johnson’s claims that the bill ignores border reform are baseless. The bill he rejected in the first place did include immigration language. It’s clear that he and his Republican colleagues are playing political games and making excuses to block any progress.
What’s frustrating is the lack of productivity in the House. The article mentions a packed schedule, but what packed schedule? If these politicians were in the private sector, they would be fired for their lack of productivity. It’s clear that the GOP doesn’t actually want border security or aid to Israel. They just want to obstruct and play politics.
And let’s not forget that Johnson himself voted against a bill that contained both border security and aid for Israel and Ukraine. He can’t have it both ways – demanding separate bills and then rejecting them when they don’t contain the border provisions he wants. It’s hypocrisy at its finest.
It’s time for Democrats to show some guts and push forward with the discharge petition. The bipartisan support in the Senate should be a clear signal that this aid package is crucial and deserves to be voted on. The GOP’s obstruction tactics are putting our national security at risk and undermining our standing in the world.
We need to hold Johnson and his fellow Republicans accountable for their actions. They claim to be religious, but their dishonesty and obstruction make a mockery of that claim. It’s time for them to put the country above their party and actually do their jobs.
So let’s hope that Democrats can rally enough support for the discharge petition and get this bill passed. It’s time to prioritize the needs of Ukraine and send a message that we will not let partisan politics stand in the way of doing what is right. Johnson may be a roadblock, but together we can find a way to get past him and make progress.