Path for Israel aid is uncertain after the house disarray

The U.S. House of Representatives has a Problem with the War Between Israel and Hamas, and it is Imminent to Support Further Military Assistance to Ukraine

It is not clear whether the broad support on Capitol Hill for aiding Israel’s war effort might help break the logjam over sending more military supplies to Ukraine, or simply complicate the heavily politicized negotiations over doing so. A growing number of Republicans are resisting continued aid for Ukraine and suggesting that any additional assistance would have to come with major Democratic concessions, including more restrictive immigration laws.

The crisis of terror in Israel has made it even more urgent that the House of Representatives move past its schoolyard infighting, elect itself a speaker and demonstrate that the United States still has a functional government, one that can play a significant role in supporting democratic allies around the globe. So far, however, the Republican House majority has shown no indication it is up to the job.

“The House as a legislative body is not powerless. It can come into session and consider legislation,” said Sarah Binder, a congressional expert and professor of political science at George Washington University. It is a matter of interpretation at the end of the day.

The war between Israel and Hamas has led to slams on the Republicans who voted to remove Mr. McCarthy from the speakership. The G.O.P. rebels tactics have neutered the House from responding to the worst fighting in over 50 years between Israelis and Palestinians.

Only two candidates, Representatives Steve Scalise of Louisiana and Jim Jordan of Ohio, are officially running for speaker. Neither seems to have a majority of Republicans locked up yet, and both are trying to appeal to the party’s worst instincts — making it clear they would perpetuate the chaos that was unleashed during the reign of Kevin McCarthy, who was overthrown by a group of far-right rebels on Oct. 3. In several ways, Mr. Scalise and Mr. Jordan would probably be worse.

On Mr. McCarthy’s battle with the anti-McCarthyites in Washington, D.C. (New York Times, 17 March 2005)

If you missed it, Washington uses the term leverage to refer to Mr. McCarthy’s battle. By holding the country’s credit hostage, or shutting down government functions, a small band of wrecking-ball ideologues can try to get a win on some unrelated matter. He failed to use his speakership to rewrite the rules in Washington according to the anti-McCarthyites.