Both the House and the Senate are on Easter break this week, but they return next week with the House ready to see the Republican majority shrink to just one vote, finding a pathway to approve aid to Ukraine and Israel, while the Senate will get the impeachment resolution against Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas.
During the break Speaker Mike Johnson announced that when the House returns on April 10 their first act of business will be to send the articles of impeachment against Mayorkas to the Senate. The impeachment passed the House on a party line vote of 214 to impeach and 213 against. Three Republicans voted against impeachment. The Speaker has told Senate Leader Chuck Schumer that the House will formally send the article of impeachment to the Senate on April 10. Senator Schumer has announced that the Senate will immediately take up the Mayorkas impeachment and likely quickly dispose of the issue, but Schumer has not yet discussed his specific strategy.
An impeachment of a cabinet official has not taken place in over 100 years, and while the House can impeach on a simple majority vote, to convict in the Senate requires a 2/3rds majority, something that isn’t going to happen in a closely divided Senate. Even some Republicans have expressed skepticism over the House action. What to do with the impeachment articles will be the call of Leader Schumer, but with a crowded schedule he will likely come up with a plan that disposes of the impeachment quickly.
Important travel
Last week Washington and Tokyo announced that Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio will be visiting President Biden on April 10. The President and Mrs. Biden will be hosting a State Dinner for the Prime Minister and Mrs. Fumio the evening of April 10.
Both Japan and the US are focused on the growing military presence of China in the Pacific, and mutual defense issues and trade are likely to be the focus of the talks. Related to trade, the Japanese Prime Minister may bring up the proposed acquisition of US Steel by Nippon Steel, a deal President Biden has opposed.
Another planned trip this month which was announced last week is the visit of US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to China. While the exact date has yet to be disclosed it is part of the continuing Biden Administration strategy to have a regular dialogue between the world’s great superpowers.
House Ukraine action
During the break Speaker Johnson has reportedly told colleagues that he is working on a plan to bring aid to Ukraine and Israel before the House. While he is dealing with a paper-thin majority, most vote counts have a substantial majority in favor of the aid, but a group of conservative Republicans continue to oppose aid for Ukraine.
The flow of migrants pouring over the border continues to be a major point of contention for Republicans and there are reports that the Speaker may try to craft a border provision into the military assistance package. He is very public with his position that the House will not approve the bi-partisan Senate bill, therefore he needs to craft a House package that can also be swiftly approved by the Senate. This may become a top priority when the House returns next week.
