House Discharge Petition Forces Ukraine Aid Vote, Bypassing Speaker Johnson
A discharge petition introduced by Rep. Greg Meeks (D-NY) reached the required 218 signatures on May 13, 2026, forcing a House floor vote on the Ukraine Support Act (H.R. 2913) — bypassing Speaker Mike Johnson, who had blocked the legislation. The bill would authorize $1.3 billion in military aid and other assistance to Ukraine, up to $8 billion in loans, and impose new sanctions on Russia. Rep. Kevin Kiley (I-CA) provided the decisive 218th signature. All 215 House Democrats signed, joined by Republicans Brian Fitzpatrick (PA) and Don Bacon (NE). The vote is expected to be scheduled for early June. Even if the bill passes the House, it faces significant headwinds in the Republican-controlled Senate and from the White House. The development marks the sixth successful discharge petition of the 119th Congress — an extraordinary number for a maneuver that had succeeded only a handful of times in the previous quarter-century.