US House Speaker Mike Johnson to provide aid to Ukraine and Israel

The 220-209 vote made Johnson, 51, the Speaker of the House, a position that has been vacant since Kevin McCarthy was ousted on October 3.

New US House Speaker Mike Johnson. Photo: AFP

In the weeks that followed, Republicans who control the House considered and rejected three possible replacements before selecting Mr. Johnson, a Louisiana lawyer who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump.

Mr Johnson said he would soon introduce legislation to show support for Israel, which has stepped up its bombing of Gaza following a cross-border attack and kidnapping by Hamas militants earlier this month.

President Joe Biden urged the new House speaker to act quickly to approve military aid to Israel and Ukraine. “We need to act quickly to address our national security needs and avoid a 22-day shutdown,” Biden said in a statement congratulating Johnson.

“While we have real disagreements on important issues, there needs to be a collective effort to find common ground wherever possible. This is a time for all of us to act responsibly,” he added.

First elected to the House in 2016, Johnson will be the least experienced House speaker in decades. He is best known as the author of an unsuccessful appeal by 126 House Republicans after the 2020 election to ask the US Supreme Court to overturn election results in states Trump lost.

In a letter to colleagues, Mr Johnson pledged to push through spending legislation and ensure the US government would not shut down when current funding expires on November 17.

Mr Johnson will also have to meet Democratic President Joe Biden’s request for $106 billion in aid for Israel, Ukraine and US border security. While his Republican Party broadly supports aid for Israel and the US border, it is divided over further aid for Ukraine.

Huy Hoang (according to AFP, CNA)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/tan-chu-tich-ha-vien-my-mike-johnson-tuyen-bo-se-som-vien-tro-cho-ukraine-va-israel-post269953.html