Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wisconsin, had initially planned to leave Congress on Friday, but a crucial vote on foreign aid scheduled for Saturday night has prompted him to consider extending his tenure for another day.
Gallagher is contemplating delaying his resignation in order to support House Speaker Mike Johnson’s foreign aid package, which includes provisions for allies such as Ukraine and Israel.
However, with several Republican congressmen, including Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, expressing opposition to the package, Johnson will likely need bipartisan support to pass the bill.
Rep. Mike Gallagher (Credits: Politico)
A spokesperson for Gallagher indicated that he has the flexibility to remain and vote in support of the aid package on Saturday, according to Politico. The package also includes Gallagher’s legislation mandating the forced sale of TikTok by its Chinese owner, providing an additional incentive for him to stay.
In March, Gallagher announced his decision to resign from Congress, following his earlier declaration that he would not seek reelection for a fifth term.
Apart from assistance to Israel and Ukraine, the aid package allocates resources to Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific region, and incorporates the REPO Act, which directs assets to Ukraine using funds seized by the Central Bank of the Russian Federation.
Rep. Mike Gallagher (Credits: Select Committee on the Chinese Communist)
The necessity of garnering Democratic support to pass the aid package may exacerbate criticism against Speaker Johnson from within the Republican Party.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., and Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., have announced their intention to call for Johnson’s removal, citing his reliance on Democratic votes to advance legislation.
Greene took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to express her disapproval, stating, “You are seriously out of step with Republicans by continuing to pass bills dependent on Democrats. Everyone sees through this.” In addition to the aid package, a separate border security bill is also scheduled for a vote.
