Several Republicans vote with Democrats to pass Ukraine aid, Russia sanctions package

The House passed a measure to provide almost $2 billion in aid to Ukraine and impose new sanctions against Russia Thursday, sending the measure to the Senate behind a 226-to-195 tally — despite GOP leadership in full opposition to the measure.

Eighteen Republicans voted in favor of the bill — creating a bipartisan majority — although Democrats carried most of the water on the vote.

Just one Democrat, Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, opposed the measure.

“Today’s bipartisan vote sends a strong message to Ukraine that we support them and a clear message to Putin that we stand against Russian tyranny,” Republican Rep. Michael McCaul said in a statement after the vote.

The legislation, led by House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Democratic Rep. Gregory Meeks, imposes sanctions on Russia’s oil and gas, boosts restrictions on financial institutions that conduct business with Russia and eliminates a sanctions waiver President Donald Trump approved earlier this year. It would allocate $1.8 billion in aid for Ukraine.

A vote on the package was forced after a discharge petition amassed 218 signatures, the threshold of support required for lawmakers to circumvent the majority leadership’s will and force a floor vote. Two moderate Republicans, Reps. Don Bacon and Brian Fitzpatrick, as well as independent Rep. Kevin Kiley, crossed party lines and signed onto the Democrat-led effort — much to the chagrin of Speaker Mike Johnson.

The measure faces a challenging path in the Senate, where the support of 60 senators is required before it could be presented to Trump for his approval or, more likely — his veto. Trump has vetoed just two measures so far in his second term.

The White House has not weighed in on this specific measure. 

The success of discharge petitions is historically rare in the House, but several have recently prevailed, including one to compel the Department of Justice to release its files on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. 

Congress passed the National Defense Authorization Act at the end of last year, providing $800 million for Ukraine, including $400 million for FY2026 & FY2027 each. That funding is part of the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which pays U.S. companies to provide weapons for Ukraine’s military. 

In 2024, the GOP-led House passed a foreign aid package, which included $60.8 billion in funding for Ukraine by a vote of 311-112-1.