The U.S. House approved $95 billion in foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel and other U.S. allies in a rare Saturday session. Democrats and Republicans banded together after months of hard-right resistance.

It was a move celebrated by Democrats, but one that could cost Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson his job.

What You Need To Know

  • Appearing on CNN this past weekend, Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, said U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson will not be ousted

  • The comments came after the House passed a $95 billion foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel and other U.S. allies

  • Gonzales railed against his far-right Republican House colleagues, referring to some of them as “scumbags”

  • The aid package will go to the U.S. Senate, which could pass it as soon as Tuesday. U.S. President Joe Biden has promised to sign it immediately

Some Democrats say that, unlike their refusal to help McCarthy stay in office, they would vote to save Johnson’s job — if he wants it.

Johnson has support among Republicans as well.

Appearing on CNN this past weekend, Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, who voted yes on the foreign aid package, told host Dana Bash that Johnson will not be ousted.

“He will survive. The House is a rough and rowdy place, but Mike Johnson is gonna be just fine,” Gonzales said. “I served 20 years in the U.S. military. It’s an absolute honor to be in Congress. But I serve with some real scumbags.”

Among the House lawmakers Gonzales called out were Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., and Rep. Bob Good, R-Va.

“(It didn’t) surprise me that some of these folks voted against aid to Israel. I was encouraged to see that by nearly a 10-to-1 mark that Republicans supported our allies on the battlefield,” Gonzales continued.

Gonzales continued to rail against his far-right House Republican colleagues, calling them the “fringe.”

“Members are tired. We’re exhausted. It has been a brutal Congress. But we’re also dug in. For some reason, these fringe people think as if they have the high ground. They do not,” he said. “I assure you, the rank-and-file members that normally are kind of easygoing, doing the right thing, putting their head down, they vote yes or no, they’re not public about it – those days are over. The fight is here.”  

“They way you take care of a bull is you bloody their nose. And that’s where we’re at. We’re at a point where – we’re just trying to govern. And that’s what Mike Johnson has done. Govern in an honorable way,” Gonzales continued. “You do not leave your allies on the battlefield to bleed out. I know that because I served 20 years in the military and five years in Iraq and Afghanistan. The politics is pretty thick right now, but we have to stand up.”  

Meanwhile, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Georgia, who is leading the charge to oust Johnson, on Sunday called for his resignation.

“Mike Johnson’s speakership is over. He needs to do the right thing to resign and allow us to move forward in a controlled process. If he doesn’t do so, he will be vacated,” Greene said on Fox News.

The aid package will go to the U.S. Senate, which could pass it as soon as Tuesday. President Joe Biden has promised to sign it immediately.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.