House Republicans vote to enforce tougher Iran sanctions and stop China from buying its oil as they strongly condemn missile strikes on Israel

House Republicans are planning dozens of votes on measures to support Israel and condemn Iran after the weekend’s attacks, but still have no way forward on funding the U.S. ally.

Speaker Mike Johnson has put 17 new bills involving Iran and Israel on the floor of the House after Iran launched drone strikes on Israel over the weekend.

He has pushed back plans for “Appliance Week,” in which the House was expected to vote on a series of notification measures against the Biden administration’s rules on home appliances like gas stoves.

The bills would require the US to “fully implement” sanctions against Iran and ensure there are no loopholes, limit Iranian imports and crack down on financial transactions between the US and Iran, and sanction Chinese companies that buy oil from Iran.

Republicans are planning dozens of votes on measures supporting Israel and condemning Iran, led by Ayatollah Khameini, above, after the weekend’s attacks, but still don’t have a way forward on funding the U.S. ally

Another of the bills would declare the phrase ‘from the river to the sea’, controversially used by Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., for being anti-Semitic, and another would call on the EU to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. a terrorist organization.

In light of the attacks, Democrats have pushed Johnson to put the $95 billion Senate-passed supplemental funding bill with money for Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific on the House floor.

Conservative hardliners have warned Johnson against tying any Ukraine funding to an Israeli aid bill. Johnson has been tight-lipped about how he would like to move forward, but called an emergency meeting with all Republicans on Monday night.

Israel has deemed Iran’s 350 missile strikes a ‘declaration of war’, although it said 99 percent of the missiles were intercepted.

The strike was in response to Israel’s drone strike in Syria that killed 12 Iranians, including two top generals.

Meanwhile, President Biden is facing mounting pressure to contain the crisis, with defense experts claiming the president has allowed the conflict in Gaza to spread and that the expanding battle lines risk drawing in allies, including the United States.

Donald Trump last night accused Biden of ‘weakness and incompetence’ as he accused his electoral rival of failing to address the American public after the attack by Tehran, its first ever direct attack on Israel.

IDF spokesman Peter Lerner confirmed on Monday morning that there would be retaliation from Israel, stating that this could involve ‘a strike or no strike’.

He explained that top military leaders had submitted ‘a wide range of options’ and that there are ‘many different scenarios’ on the table.

Iranian missiles fired into Israel as seen on Iranian television

An anti-missile system works after Iran launched drones and missiles at Israel, as seen from Ashkelon, Israel April 14, 2024

The Israeli government will “decide on steps forward” as early as Monday or within the next few days, Lerner told reporters.

Johnson has signaled that he wants to get foreign aid to both Israel and Ukraine over the finish line. But he has not said whether it will consist of one vote or several.

Appearing with Johnson on Friday, Trump said he is ‘taking a look’ at Ukraine aid but prefers it in the form of a loan rather than an outright grant.

Johnson and his aides have discussed using the Lend-Lease Act, which would require Ukraine to return all military equipment not destroyed after a certain time frame, and the REPO Act, which would seize Russian assets that have been frozen across the country. globe for Ukraine.

An image from a video taken early on April 14, 2024 shows rocket trails in the sky above the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem

But a motion to vacate has loomed over Johnson’s head since Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene launched an effort to unseat him last month. The Georgia Republican is a staunch opponent of Ukraine aid and has already threatened to try to kill Johnson if he brings it to the floor.

With the Republicans’ razor-thin majority, Johnson can only afford to lose three Republicans and keep his job.

The bill passed by the Senate included both humanitarian and military aid: $61 billion for Ukraine, $14 billion for Israel in its war against Hamas and $4.83 billion to support partners in the Indo-Pacific.

Johnson suggested he would not put the Senate bill on the House floor, adding that military-only aid is “more palatable” to members.

‘No American taxpayer should be tasked with supporting the pension system of the nation of Ukraine.’

Any foreign aid proposal would likely have to come to the House floor under suspension of the rules, meaning it would require a two-thirds majority to pass.

The bill would lose a number of Democrats would oppose further aid to Israel without humanitarian conditions. It would lose a number of Republicans who directly oppose Ukraine aid — potentially jeopardizing its chances of passing.

But Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries insisted the bill would pass, even under suspension — he would provide enough Democratic votes.

“I believe there is a sufficient number of votes to ensure that the national security bill reaches the legislative finish line,” Jeffries said.