US Congressmen Deny $17.6 Billion in Military Aid to Israel
The vote was set by Republicans in the House of Representatives following the unveiling on Sunday of a bipartisan package by the Democratic-led Senate that combined some of the toughest immigration restrictions in decades with billions of dollars in funding for Israel and Ukraine.
Tuesday’s vote by US senators resulted in the rejection of a stand-alone Israel aid bill, which opponents criticized as a cynical attempt to block a cross-party border security and foreign aid package that included funding for Ukraine’s war-torn country.
The vote was set by Republicans in the House of Representatives following the unveiling on Sunday of a bipartisan package by the Democratic-led Senate that combined some of the toughest immigration restrictions in decades with billions of dollars in funding for Israel and Ukraine.
However, backing for that $118 billion plan has diminished as a result of pressure from Donald Trump, the Republican nominee for a second term in office, on lawmakers not to give President Joe Biden a legislative triumph before November’s election.
The overwhelming majority of members from both parties firmly support the $17.6 billion in military aid for Israel that the stand-alone Israel bill would have delivered in response to the horrific strikes carried out by Hamas militants on October 7.
However, 167 Democrats voted against the bill after Biden threatened to veto it. They were incensed that the measure seemed to be intended to undermine the broader package, which had been hashed out via months of negotiations with a group of senators from both parties.
Thirteen Republicans also opposed the stand-alone plan because it lacked the budgetary offsets that conservatives have been demanding be included in every proposal for increased spending.
After taking office in the fall, one of Johnson’s first tasks was to move a bill through the House that would have given Israel $14.3 billion.
However, Biden disagreed with the drastic reduction made to the Internal Revenue Service.
Johnson came under fire from the fiercely conservative House Freedom Caucus for surrenderin” in order to push for an even bigger package that does not include any cuts.
Biden’s Office of Management and Budget, the Republican ploy would impede attempts to protect US borders and defend Ukraine from Russian aggression while depriving Palestinian victims caught in the crossfire of the Israel-Hamas conflict of humanitarian help.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Johnson retorted that Biden’s suggestion to deny funding for Israel in their hour of greatest need was outrageous and shameful.
