Ryan calls on Republicans to join him in signing discharge petition on Senate-passed aid bill; if 5 Republicans join all Democrats, the bill would get a vote on the House floor

Speaker Mike Johnson and Conference Chair Elise Stefanik have refused to allow a vote on the bill   

WASHINGTON, DC  –  Tue., March 19th, Congressman Pat Ryan escalated his push to send urgent aid to Ukraine, leading an effort to force a vote on the House Floor using a discharge petition. If 5 Republicans join Democrats in signing the petition, the bipartisan, Senate-passed Ukraine aid bill will get a vote on the House floor. Speaker Johnson and Conference Chair Stefanik thus far have refused to even allow the House to hold a vote on the bill. 

“I’m calling on my Republican colleagues to show even a sliver of the courage that our Ukrainian allies are showing every single day. For the good of this country, for the sake of democracy and freedom worldwide, for the Ukrainian people facing an existential threat, bring this bill to the House floor,” said Congressman Pat Ryan. “Decades from now, our grandchildren will ask us if we did everything in our power to stand up to Putin’s authoritarianism. We must act now in defense of democracy.” 

On February 12, the Senate passed a $95.34 billion national security bill that includes $60.06 billion to support Ukraine in its existential war against Russia’s invasion. Much of this aid would be used to purchase weapons and ammunition from U.S. manufacturers, enhancing the U.S. economy. C.I.A director William Burns and the director of national intelligence, Avril Haines, recently warned during public testimony that failing to provide ammunition aid to Ukraine will result in Russian military advances and embolden global adversaries, including China and Russia.