A bipartisan group of House lawmakers is beginning its effort to put a foreign aid and border security bill on the floor — without the consent of Speaker Johnson and his leadership team. 

“There are some time-sensitive, existential things going on both at our own border and at the borders of our allies overseas,” one of the leaders of the effort, Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, said. The Pennsylvania Republican worked with a moderate Democrat, Congressman Jared Golden, and six other House members to craft a bill that would provide money for Ukraine, Israel, Free China, and border security.

The members — four Republicans and four Democrats — introduced the Defending Borders, Defending Democracies Act on February 16 after Mr. Johnson and his deputies said that they would not even bring the Senate’s compromise bill up for a vote. Another sponsor, Congressman Mike Lawler, said in a statement, “Our porous border and state-sponsored aggression pose an existential threat to the democratic world order and to our nation. We simply cannot let partisanship or gridlock prevent us from tackling these challenges.”

Most of the members currently signed on to the petition are Republicans who represent districts won by President Biden or Democrats who represent districts won by President Trump in the last presidential election. In total, five of the eight authors of the bill currently serve districts that were won in 2020 by the presidential candidate of the opposite party. 

The legislation would grant more leeway to border patrol agents in expelling migrants at the border if it can reasonably be believed that they have committed crimes in their home countries or are seeking asylum under false pretenses. It would also include nearly $50 billion in military aid for foreign allies. 

“It’s no secret we’re in a period of gridlock with divided chambers — with tight margins in both chambers — and that’s a problem with any issue, but it’s especially a problem when you have time-sensitive, existential matters,” Mr. Fitzpatrick said Wednesday. 

Messrs. Fitzpatrick and Golden, along with their six colleagues, announced that they would begin gathering signatures on what is known as a discharge petition — a tool that can force a vote on the House floor over the objections of leadership so long as the petition gets 218 signatures. 

Mr. Fitzpatrick has promised that an “open amendment process” will take place on the floor, allowing members to change the bill should the discharge petition be successful. 

Mr. Johnson does not seem to have much of a plan to prevent his Republican colleagues who support Ukraine aid from signing on to the petition. When asked by reporters how he would prevent members from signing, the speaker simply said: “By encouragement.” Mr. Fitzpatrick said on Wednesday that he had spoken to Mr. Johnson and the minority leader, Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, about the discharge petition. 

It is not yet clear if the petition can reach the requisite number of 218 yea votes. Conservatives disagree vehemently with sending even one more dollar to Ukraine, and liberals say that the border security provisions are too harsh on migrants and asylum seekers. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez previously told the Sun that she “would not” sign any discharge petition that included changes to asylum laws or processes. 

Congresswoman Marie Perez, a Democrat in a Trump-won Washington state district, said it is vital for lawmakers to actually get something done for allies abroad. 

“Nations have a right and a duty to defend their borders. That goes for our southern border as well as the Ukrainian border,” she said. “I’ve been dismayed that some of my colleagues have put partisanship and self-interest and their fundraising numbers ahead of their patriotism and the values they espouse.”

“To my colleagues who are not on this: ask yourself what your favorability rate is going to be when you’re coming back for funding after Ukraine has fallen and they’re coming for Moldova,” Ms. Perez added. 

One member who did not author the bill, Congresswoman Jen Kiggans, represents a district won by Mr. Biden in 2020. She says that Taiwan’s safety and security is a vital interest to America. 

“The United States leads — we are the super power in the world — but there is a price that comes with being that super power,” Ms. Kiggans said. “We know that President Xi from China is being more aggressive every single day.”