After months of delay, this week House Speaker Mike Johnson advanced hismuch awaited version of the Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan foreign aidpackage.

Standing between that legislation and the House floor: two very powerfulcommittees. 

First, the House Appropriations Committee, which controls about a thirdof federal spending. And second, the Rules Committee, which controlsaccess to the House floor, and which has become a problem for GOPleaders in this Congress.

Johnson needed to pick the lock on both of these committees. And thereis one Member of Congress who has chaired them both. Not just in thepast year — but in the past month: Oklahoma Republican Tom Cole.

Deep Dive host and Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza caught up with Cole onThursday afternoon after he’d just testified in support of the foreignaid bill in front of his old committee. 

They got deep into the weeds of why the Rules Committee has been such atrouble spot for recent GOP speakers; and they discussed Johnson’stenure so far and whether Cole thinks the Speaker can hang on as membersthreaten to oust him. 

Cole also previewed how he will run the Appropriations Committee,including how he’ll handle the controversial earmarks process. And Coleanswered some prying questions from some of his favorite historians onthe subject of Donald Trump.

Ryan Lizza is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO.Tom Cole is the chair of the House Appropriations committee. Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio. Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio.