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The House has passed a $14.5 billion military aid package for Israel, according to The Associated Press. The bill will now be sent to the Senate.
The New York Times reported that the aid package is for $14.3 billion.
The package was pushed by Republicans in a vote of 226 to 196 which was “a rare occurrence,” according to the Times. This is because normally, air packages of Israel tend to get broad bipartisan support.
New House Speaker Mike Johnson’s package requires that the emergency aid be offset with cuts in government spending elsewhere, according to the AP. President Biden has said he would veto the bill.
“It provides Israel with the aid it needs to defend itself, free its hostages and eradicate Hamas, which is a mission that must be accomplished,” Mr. Johnson said at a news conference, according to the Times. “All of this while we also work to ensure responsible spending and reduce the size of the federal government to pay for that commitment to our friend and ally.”
The bill was approved on a large party-line vote, the AP reported.
Johnson, R-La., said the package would give Israel the assistance it needed to defend itself, free hostages by Hamas and “eradicate” Hamas, the AP reported. This would be done “all of this while we also work to ensure responsible spending and reduce the size of the federal government.”
Johnson said he would work next on aid for Ukraine as well as U.S. border security, according to the AP.
Democrats said the bill approach would delay help for Israel, the AP reported. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., warned that the bill has no chance in the Senate.
“It still mystifies me that when the world is in crisis and we need to help Israel respond to Hamas, the G.O.P. thought it was a good idea to tie Israel aid to a hard-right proposal that will raise the deficit and is totally, totally partisan,” Mr. Schumer said, according to the Times.
Rep. Dan Goldman of New York, a Democrat, opposed the bill, according to the AP.
“Support for Israel may be a political game for my colleagues on the other side of the aisle,” Goldman said, according to the AP. “But this is personal for us Jews and it is existential for the one Jewish nation in the world that is a safe haven from the rising tide of antisemitism around the globe.”
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