As the Democrat-controlled U.S. Senate stalls on funding for Israel, the House of Representatives is introducing new legislation to succeed where the upper chamber of Congress is failing.
The Washington Stand has obtained a copy of a letter House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is preparing to send to his colleagues. It reads, in part, “Next week, we will take up and pass a clean, standalone Israel supplemental package.” The letter continues, “During debate in the House and in numerous subsequent statements, Democrats made clear that their primary objection to the original House bill was with its offsets. The Senate will no longer have excuses, however misguided, against swift passage of this critical support for our ally.” In the letter, Johnson declares, “Given the Senate’s failure to move appropriate legislation in a timely fashion, and the perilous circumstances currently facing Israel, the House will continue to lead.”
Since Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, Senate Democrats have failed to approve military funding for the embattled nation, while simultaneously pushing continued funding for Ukraine. Under Johnson’s leadership, the House approved an aid package for Israel months ago, but the Democrat-controlled Senate has yet to approve it. Johnson had required funding for Ukraine and Israel to be passed in two separate votes, as a means of ensuring financial accountability and at least come degree of accountability for U.S. taxpayer dollars. Johnson’s initial proposal would have freed up funding for Israel and Ukraine by slashing the IRS’s budget, to the tune of billions of dollars.
“There was a time when standing with Israel was bipartisan. Not any longer,” said Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, in comments to The Washington Stand. “Among the first acts Speaker Johnson led the House in passing was critical funding for our key ally Israel. That measure has languished in the Senate for over three months with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer refusing to hold a hearing.” Perkins added, “Now, President Biden is imposing sanctions on so-called Jewish settlers living in the biblical lands of Judea and Samaria. I applaud the House for taking the lead in supporting Israel.”
On Thursday, President Joe Biden issued an executive order imposing economic sanctions and visa bans against four Israeli individuals in the West Bank, labelling them “settlers” and accusing them of torching cars and buildings and attacking Palestinians and even Israeli peace activists. According to U.S. officials, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the sanctions, reasserting Israel’s right to self-defense.
S.A. McCarthy serves as a news writer at The Washington Stand.
