Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy (Republican Party, California) said on Saturday that he would retain $300 million in aid to Ukraine in the Pentagon funding bill, the American publication Hill reports.

McCarthy told reporters in the Capitol that he decided to keep the $300 million of Ukraine aid in the bill after recognizing that another spending measure set to come up next week - one that funds the State Department and foreign operations - also includes money for Kyiv. The Speaker said stripping the Ukraine aid out of the State Department and foreign operations measure "becomes more difficult to do," which led him to decide to keep the money for Kyiv in both measures.

The House, however, will vote on amendments to strike the Ukraine aid from both the Pentagon and State Department spending bills, Rep. Garret Graves (R-La.) said. But those votes may not take place if lawmakers block the measures from being debated.

According to the publication, the House of Representatives next week is going to hold a single procedural vote on four bills on appropriations, including funding for the Pentagon and Department of State, as well as foreign operations.

The Pentagon funding bill includes $300 million "to provide assistance, including training; equipment; lethal assistance; logistics support, supplies and services; salaries and stipends; sustainment; and intelligence support to the military and national security forces of Ukraine, and to other forces or groups recognized by and under the authority of the Government of Ukraine, including governmental entities within Ukraine, engaged in resisting Russian aggression against Ukraine, for replacement of any weapons or articles provided to the Government of Ukraine from the inventory of the United States."