Money on the Table

Inside the House's foreign aid bills. [For the best experience, read in browser.]( [Wake-Up Call] [by Katie Couric Media] April 18, 2024 Good morning. On Capitol Hill, we’ve got the details of the foreign aid bills headed to the House, plus a thought-provoking op-ed on [how to fix this dysfunctional Congress](. And over in Flavor Town, we’ll share [a sandwich that’ll knock your socks off]( and [how to find the freshest fruits and veggies](. All that, plus [tips to get the most out of your doctor’s appointment]( and [the books every grandparent needs to read](, right this way!   In the News [An illustration of the Capitol building split in red and blue]( Getty Images Money on the Table On Wednesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson unveiled three separate foreign aid bills after months of delay. Here’s a closer look: Israel would receive $26.4 billion. This includes roughly $9.5 billion in humanitarian aid to Gaza, as well as funding for global refugee and disaster assistance programs. Ukraine’s $61 billion portion would provide much-needed support, but it includes several caveats aimed at pacifying Republican hardliners, such as conditioning the aid as a loan. Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific are expected to get $8.1 billion to counter threats from China, a longtime U.S. adversary. What’s next? Johnson said lawmakers have 72 hours to consider each bill separately, with a vote on Saturday. A hardline GOP faction has already rejected the foreign aid proposals. President Biden backed them, though he previously said he’d veto a standalone bill for Israel. From passing aid to funding the government, it seems like everything is a fight these days. Have lawmakers always struggled to get things done? My friend author Michael S. Johnson sounds off on [what's wrong with Congress](. [READ MORE]( PASS THIS STORY ALONG: mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20this%20story%20from%20Wake-Up%20Call%21&body=https%3A%2F%2Fkatiecouric.com%2Fnews%2Fopinion%2Fhow-to-fix-congress-essay%2F   More Stories [Nemat Shafik sitting in court speaking into mic]( Getty Images Columbia University President Nemat Shafik faced a four-hour congressional hearing on antisemitism on campus. She said calls for the genocide of Jews violate campus rules, but [faced scrutiny]( over a professor who cheered on the October 7 attacks — and remains chair of the academic review committee. The European Union's foreign policy chief warned this morning that the Middle East is on the "edge of regional war." This comes as Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu says Israel will make its "own decisions" about how to respond to Iran's airstrikes. Arizona's GOP-controlled House quashed an effort to repeal the state's 160-year-old abortion ban. 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