NYET, MOSCOW MARJORIE
GOP rebels defeated as House passes $61B in Ukraine aid
The score in Congress is now “Jewish space lasers” lady 0, common sense 1. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and other Republican renegades failed to stop Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) from pushing through a bipartisan deal Saturday that funds the fight against Russia and sends more weapons to Israel. “Moscow Marjorie has reached a new low,” said former Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) of the fringe-right lawmaker, who in 2018 infamously blamed “laser beams” made by a Jewish-controlled company for a massive California wildfire.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Saturday crushed a putsch by farright Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Republican rebels — pushing through a $95.3 billion aid package that funds the fight against Russia, the defense of Israel and Taiwan resistance against China.
Lawmakers in a rare bipartisan effort overwhelmingly approved the four-bill package, including one measure providing $60.8 billion for Ukraine. About 80% of that money will go toward replenishing supplies of US-made weapons and ammunition. Another $9.5 billion is in the form of a forgivable loan.
The bill passed 311-112 with all “nay” votes coming from Republicans, including Greene, who was hailed as “Moscow Marjorie” by members of both parties.
The GOP majority that voted against the bill included New York’s Nick Langworthy, Nicole Malliotakis, Elise Stefanik and Claudia Tenney.
“Putin’s Special Envoy to Congress already delivering for Mother Russia,” quipped Rep. Jared Moskowitz (R-Fla.).
He was responding to a social media post by Greene saying, “Mike Johnson’s House of Representatives so proud to work for Ukraine. Not the American people!!! It’s despicable.”
Former Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) a day earlier told CNN “Moscow Marjorie has reached a new low . . . She is just mouthing Russian propaganda.”
Johnson told reporters the foreign aid package is desperately needed.
“Three of our primary adversaries, Russia, Iran, and China are working together . . . and they’re a global threat to our prosperity and our security,” he said. “Their advance threatens the free
world, and it demands American leadership.”
“If we turn our backs right now the consequences could be devastating,” he added. “It’s an old military adage, but we would rather send bullets to the conflict overseas than our own boys, our troops.”
Greene unsuccessfully attempted to derail the deal with multiple amendments, including one meant to troll her critics, calling “for the development of space laser technology on the southwest border.”
Before being elected to Congress, a post of hers on Facebook in 2018 alleged that the Rothschild banking family helped deploy “laser beams” that caused wildfires in California.
Ironically, the bill will help fund Israel’s Iron Beam particle weapon that is designed to use lasers to shoot down drones and missiles.
Final congressional approval is expected to come Tuesday in the Senate. President Biden has said he’ll sign it into law.
In addition to Ukraine support, a measure in the bill provides $17 billion in direct military aid for Israel, and a little over $9 billion in humanitarian aid for Gaza and other wartorn regions. It passed 366-58 with dissenting members including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY).
A third amendment provides $8.1 billion for the Indo-Pacific region to help ward off China, about half of which is set aside for Taiwan. It passed 385-34.
Many House Republicans backed Johnson’s plans — with the exception of Ukraine aid — despite threats by Greene, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and other far-right lawmakers to oust him as speaker if he pushed through Ukraine aid rather than prioritizing border security. Donald Trump hasn’t criticized Johnson’s efforts, despite opposing most overseas aid for Ukraine.
The funding for Ukraine comes at a crucial time, with CIA officials saying Ukraine could lose the war in a year without it.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Johnson and other House members who voted to assist his country, saying it “keeps history on the right track.”
“Democracy and freedom will always have global significance and will never fail as long as America helps to protect it,” he posted on X. “The vital U.S. aid bill passed today by the House will keep the war from expanding, save thousands and thousands of lives, and help both of our nations to become stronger.”