Speaker Johnson led House passage of Israel aid. But the hard part comes next in confronting Biden

By LISA MASCARO
AP Congressional Correspondent

WASHINGTON (AP) — New House Speaker Mike Johnson is showing what hardball partisan tactics might come next. The House this week passed a nearly $14.5 billion military aid package to Israel. It was the new speaker’s first big test. But what’s normally a bipartisan effort ended up deeply splitting Democrats and Republicans after Johnson linked it to government spending cuts. President Joe Biden threatened a veto. Democrats say Johnson chose to cater to the hard-right flank. Now Johnson faces a government shutdown deadline, as well as Biden’s nearly $106 billion request for aid to Israel, Ukraine, Taiwan and U.S. border security, and the presidential impeachment inquiry.