Takeaways from Mike Johnson's first week as speaker: Censure fights, Israel aid and tumultuous times ahead

WASHINGTON – House Speaker Mike Johnson’s first week serving as the top leader in the lower chamber revealed the tumultuous times ahead for the Louisiana Republican as he embarks on his first legislative battle with the Senate and White House − while members of his own party fight each other. 

Johnson on Monday unveiled legislation from House Republicans that would provide $14 billion in U.S. military assistance for Israel as it fights its war against Hamas. But the bill is a non-starter for both the Democratic-controlled Senate and President Joe Biden's administration because it doesn't include provisions for other U.S. allies, such as Ukraine. 

The bill will be taken up by the House against the backdrop of multiple resolutions that failed or were effectively blocked to censure Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga. The pushes showed how unruly the lower chamber can be at times, all in Johnson’s first week.

Here’s what Johnson, a relative political newcomer, has had to fare with in his first week as speaker:

Johnson hits out against Democrats on Israel aid

Johnson’s proposal, which would provide $14 billion in funding for Israel, faced immediate blowback from congressional Democrats and the White House. 

Biden previously requested Congress approve an all-encompassing national security bill that would have supported Israel along with other U.S. allies, including Ukraine and Taiwan. Senate leadership has also expressed support for tying Israel aid to other foreign packages.

But Johnson’s Israel bill, is a clear rebuke of Biden’s supplemental request. The legislation would take $14 billion in funding for the Internal Revenue Service from the Inflation Reduction Act, Democratic legislation that has become one of Biden's signature policies.

The provision to offset additional Israel funding by reeling back funding for the IRS has made the bill unpalatable for most Democrats. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., slammed Johnson’s Israel bill in remarks on the Senate floor Tuesday. 

“The new speaker knows perfectly well if you want to help Israel, you can’t propose legislation that is full of poison pills and this partisan legislation sends the wrong message to our allies around the world,” Schumer said.,

A report on Johnson’s Israel proposal from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found that the bill would add $26.8 billion to the federal budget deficit. The IRS funding, the office said, would allow for stronger tax enforcement and higher revenues. 

Political tit-for-tat takes up floor time

Just a day after Johnson was elected speaker, Greene, a notorious conservative bomb-thrower, introduced a resolution to censure the only Palestinian American member of the House, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich. 

Greene alleges Tlaib incited an “insurrection” last month when protestors occupied a House office building, calling for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war. The demonstration was organized by two progressive Jewish groups.

The Georgia Republican introduced the resolution as privileged, a procedural move that forced the lower chamber to take a vote on it within the next two legislative days. House Democrats responded in kind with Rep. Becca Balint, D-Vt., who introduced her own privileged resolution to censure Greene over her past controversial remarks. 

Greene's resolution to censure Tlaib was dismissed Wednesday evening, while Balint withdrew her resolution.

Johnson risks whittling down majority with George Santos

If that wasn’t enough for Johnson, the Louisiana Republican also had to handle another effort to expel embattled Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y. this week.

Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., introduced a resolution to boot Santos from Congress earlier this year, but the matter was referred to the House Ethics Committee. 

But the most recent effort to remove Santos from the lower chamber came from Johnson's own GOP conference. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, R-N.Y., introduced a privileged resolution last Thursday to remove Santos from the lower chamber. Similar to Greene and Balint’s resolution, D’Esposito’s bill had to see a floor vote within the following two legislative days. 

Expelling Santos would have a major consequence for House Republicans’ narrow four-seat majority in the lower chamber. The move would whittle that majority to three seats, which would make Johnson’s new job and passing Republican priorities even harder.

The effort to remove Santos ultimately failed, not reaching the two-thirds vote threshold it required. The push failed to garner noticeable support from both sides of the aisle, due to reservations about Santos' right to due process.