Ken Buck, a Republican representative from Colorado, made headlines as the first GOP member to endorse the House Democrats’ discharge petition for foreign aid on Thursday, just a day prior to his retirement from Congress.
Launched earlier this month by House Democrats, the discharge petition aims to compel consideration of a Senate-approved foreign aid package worth $95 million, which allocates $60 billion specifically for Ukraine.
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As of Thursday, the petition, backed by Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), had garnered 188 signatures according to records from the House clerk. To move forward, it requires 218 signatures.
Democrats assert that this discharge petition represents the most effective means to secure aid for Ukraine, as funding for the war-torn nation has stalled despite congressional divisions.
The Senate passed the foreign aid package last month with a 70-29 vote, including support from 22 Republican senators. However, when the legislation reached the House, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) declined to consider it due to the absence of stricter provisions regarding the U.S.-Mexico border.
Should the petition achieve the necessary votes, Democrats would bypass Johnson’s opposition to the Senate package and bring it to the House floor, where they anticipate it would pass with a majority exceeding 300 votes.
In addition to signing the Democratic petition, Buck also endorsed Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick’s (R-Pa.) competing discharge petition, which already has support from several GOP members.
Fitzpatrick’s version aims to force a vote on a broader Ukraine aid package, incorporating the border provisions that House Republicans are demanding. As of Thursday, this petition had received 16 signatures.
Although Buck is set to retire on Friday, his name will remain on the petition until a successor is appointed. Colorado Governor Jared Polis (D) announced last week that a special election to fill Buck’s seat will likely coincide with the state’s primary election on June 25. If his successor also supports the petition, Buck’s name will be removed.
This action undermines Johnson and other Republican members, who have insisted on stringent border security measures as a prerequisite for additional aid to Ukraine, particularly after a bill that combined these issues was defeated following former President Trump’s urging to Republican lawmakers against its passage.
Buck’s departure comes just days after he was expelled from the conservative House Freedom Caucus. A member of the caucus informed The Hill that Buck was removed due to his lack of “good standing” and his failure to regularly attend meetings for several months.
At 65, Buck has often diverged from GOP stances on various issues in recent years. When announcing his retirement last fall, he cited the party’s election denialism and their unfounded claims regarding the 2020 presidential election as concerns.
According to a Freedom Caucus member who requested anonymity to discuss internal matters, Buck’s removal stemmed from his inconsistent alignment with conservatives on key issues.
The member further noted that Buck’s upcoming retirement leaves House Republicans “hanging with a historically narrow margin.”
Earlier this month, Buck accelerated his resignation timeline, announcing he would leave Congress on Friday instead of at the end of his term as previously indicated last fall. His exit will reduce the House GOP’s majority by one, resulting in a composition of 218 Republicans and 213 Democrats.
Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), who is campaigning for Buck’s seat in Colorado’s 4th Congressional District, criticized his decision to sign the discharge petition.
“Ken Buck signed onto the Democrat discharge petition to give Ukraine even more of your money!” Boebert posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. “It’s strange because I’ve been traveling throughout the Fourth District and haven’t seen the part that borders Kyiv. It’s clear he’s also trying to support the Ukraine First candidate in my election.”
“I have an extra copy of ‘Drain The Swamp’ that would be a good read for him!” she added. “But it seems he’s too far gone and has forgotten who he was supposed to be.”
