Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) on Thursday signed a discharge petition circulated by Democrats forcing a vote on a bipartisan foreign aid package.
Buck is the lone Republican supporting the move which would overcome House Speaker Mike Johnson’s blockade of the $95.3 billion foreign aid bill with assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan that was passed on a bipartisan vote in the Senate last month.
The petition is now up to 188 signatures according to the office of the House clerk. 218 signatures are needed to force a vote.
Buck also signed a competing discharge petition circulated by a group of centrist lawmakers providing aid to Ukraine but it also includes GOP border provisions. That petition only has 16 signatures, 10 of which are Republicans, according to the clerk’s website.
“We’ve got to fund Ukraine and help people who are yearning for freedom,” Buck told reporters.
Buck signed the petitions one day before he retires from Congress. The congressman had announced that he would not seek re-election at the end of his term, but moved up his decision to Friday, March 22, saying that the House has become too ‘dysfunctional’
The move triggers a special election to replace him which will be held on June 25.
Buck‘s signature on the petitions will remain valid until he is replaced in the special election.
Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) who decided to skip the special election and focus on the GOP primary after switching district to run for re-election in Buck’s seat, slammed the outgoing congressman for the move.
“In one of his last acts as a Congressman, Ken Buck signed on to the Democrat discharge petition to give Ukraine even more of your money!” Boebert wrote on X/Twitter. “Odd, because I’ve been traveling all around the Fourth District and haven’t yet seen the part that borders on Kyiv. Makes sense thats (sic) he’s also trying to help the Ukraine First candidate in my election.”
“I have an extra copy of ‘Drain The Swamp,’ would be a good read for him!” she added. “Then again… seems he’s too far gone and has forgotten who he was supposed to be.”
