[Tee tiong huat]

This $14 billion US aid package for Israel crafted with eye to ‘multi-front war,’ not just Gaza

Most of the funds in hotly debated bill would go to Ukraine, about US$60 billion and some to Taiwan and others,  though it also proposes spending billions to bolster Israeli air defenses, ammo stockpiles and weapons systems

Mike Johnson sticks by Ukraine aid plan, setting up showdown with conservatives while his job's at risk. 

WASHINGTON – House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., announced on Wednesday morning that he's sticking by his original plan to provide foreign aid to key U.S. allies, a move that's already inciting conservative fury.


The House is slated to take up three national security-focused bills that include funding for Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific on Saturday. A fourth bill is set to include other GOP priorities – such as provisions to seize Russian assets to distribute them to Ukraine and to force TikTok's Chinese parent company to sell it or face a practical ban in the United States.

The lower chamber is expected to vote on all four bills on Saturday evening.

Johnson’s decision comes after a day of dithering on Tuesday as conservatives pressured the speaker to change the plan surrounding the four bills to include spending cuts and changes to border and migrant policy. 

The speaker met with GOP lawmakers for over three hours late Tuesday evening to discuss the path forward.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/poli.../?tbref=hp