With less than one day left in Congress, Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) is leaving Congress with one last parting gift, or shot, depending on your perspective.
The conservative congressman signed the House Democrats' foreign aid discharge petition for Ukraine late last night. He is the first Republican in the chamber to do so. If the petition reaches 218 signatures, it will force a vote on a $95 billion Ukraine aid package, an increasingly unpopular proposition with MAGA Republicans.
The New Republican's Tori Otten reports:
House Speaker Mike Johnson has refused to consider the aid package, which would also give aid to Israel and Taiwan, despite it passing the Senate with broad bipartisan support, because it does not include regulations for the U.S.-Mexico border that he considers strict enough. But if the aid bill makes it to the House floor, it is expected to pass, again with bipartisan backing.
As of Thursday night, the discharge petition had 188 signatures. It needs just 30 more to pass.
Buck also signed a competing discharge petition to force a vote on a package that includes both Ukraine aid and new border restrictions. Other Republicans have also signed on to that petition, which has only 16 signatures so far.
Although Friday is Buck's last day in Congress, his signatures will remain on both petitions until his temporary successor is chosen in a special election. If the successor also signs either petition, Buck's name will be removed. The special election to replace Buck won't be held until June, coinciding with the Colorado primaries.
On Tuesday, the conservative House Freedom Caucus decided to expel Rep. Buck from their ranks.
The decision to cleave Buck from the herd was allegedly due to his lack of active participation in the group, including failure to attend meetings regularly.
However, one source claimed that Buck, known for his increasing frustration with – and opposition to – former President Trump, was ousted for political reasons.
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