5 things to know for April 18: Capitol Hill, Plane safety, Abortion, 911 outages, Volcano eruption | Nation & World [Video]

(CNN) — Ford is recalling more than 450,000 vehicles because they might lose drive power resulting from a battery issue. In January, the automaker also recalled more than 100,000 F-150 pickup trucks for an axel issue that could increase the risk of a crash.

Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.

1. Capitol Hill

House Republicans released the text of three bills Wednesday that would provide aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, with the latter intended to protect US allies in the region from Chinese aggression. Despite opposition from hardline conservatives, House Speaker Mike Johnson advanced the foreign aid plan that, taken together, adds up to about $95 billion in aid. The House is expected to vote on the bills Saturday. Meanwhile, in the Senate, Democrats were quick to dismiss articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkason Wednesday as the historic trial barely got underway. …