Trigger for Iran Attack... Will the US Package Security Budget Bill Be Passed?

In the wake of Iran's airstrikes on Israel, the likelihood of the U.S. Congress passing a package security budget to support Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan, which has been stalled, is increasing.

Mike Johnson, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives
[Photo by Reuters]

According to the internet media Axios on the 15th (local time), bipartisan pressure is mounting on House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, to push for the passage of the security budget. Speaker Johnson appeared on Fox News the day before and stated that he would seek to process the Israel security budget support within this week.

Currently, two bills supporting Israel are pending in Congress. One is a $95 billion package security budget for emergency support for Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan submitted by the Biden administration, and the other is a Republican bill for Israel-only support. The Democrats clearly oppose the Israel-only support. Speaker Johnson has not stated which bill he will process.

However, it is expected to be difficult to pass any security budget unless the Democrats and Republicans cooperate. In the House, Republicans hold 218 seats and Democrats 213 seats, giving Republicans a 5-seat advantage, while in the Senate, Democrats are the majority. House Democratic Whip Hakim Jeffries condemned hardline Republican members who are negative about supporting Ukraine in an open letter sent to party members that day, saying, "Far-right Republicans have no excuse" and "They do not care about the Ukrainian people."

Meanwhile, voices within the Republican Party are calling for the passage of the package security budget. Republican Joe Wilson, chairman of the Middle East Subcommittee under the House Foreign Affairs Committee, signed a letter from Democratic House members requesting the passage of the security package budget within this week.

President Joe Biden also reportedly urged the passage of the security budget during separate calls with the leaders of both parties in the House and Senate the day before, exchanging views on the Middle East situation.