House Republicans on Monday prepared a series of bills in response to Iran’s unprecedented attacks on Israel last weekend as Speaker Mike Johnson announced that the House would vote on separate aid bills for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, Axios reported.
In a policy conference meeting on Monday evening, House Republicans discussed multiple bills targeting Iran. The series of bills includes bolstering sanctions on Iran to ensure they are “fully implemented” and cannot be bypassed. Republicans will also introduce legislation aimed at restricting Iranian imports and limiting transactions between Iran and US financial institutions.
Republicans have also prepared several resolutions, including a call for the European Union to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. a terrorist organization. Another resolution would declare the slogan “from the river to the sea…” antisemitic.
Rep. Tom Kean (R-NJ) also proposed a resolution declaring that the US House of Representatives stands with Israel in the wake of Iran’s unprecedented missile and drone attacks. The resolution affirms that Israel has a “right to respond” to the attack by any “necessary means.”
According to House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, the bills proposed “represent a comprehensive response” by the House to the attack by Iran and “demonstrate our support of Israel.”
Following Monday’s meeting, Speaker Johnson announced that the House would take up the supplemental defense funding for Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan in separate bills, CNN reported.
The White House and Democrat lawmakers are unlikely to support the move.
In a letter to House members on Monday, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called for the House to vote on the supplemental aid package passed by the Senate rather than holding votes on separate funding bills.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said in Monday’s press briefing that the White House opposed a stand-alone aid bill for Israel and urged the speaker to allow a vote on the Senate aid package.
