House Approves Israel Funding With Strings Attached

A sharply divided House approved a bill that will send $14 billion in aid to Israel. The legislation is controversial for what it includes in addition to the aid, and what it is lacking.

Democrats have criticized the House bill in part because Speaker Mike Johnson didn’t include any aid for Ukraine, but primarily because he conditioned the provision of $14 billion for Israel on cutting an equal amount from the IRS.

“It’s outrageous that a major emergency funding bill, in response to the worst attack on Jewish people since the Holocaust, is tied to offsets,” Representative Rosa Delaura (D-CT).

Republican leaders, on the other hand, call this responsible fiscal leadership.

“I’m just excited about having a leadership structure now that, in their heart of hearts, gets it - that we’ve got to start paying for the things that we’re doing,” Representative Josh Brecheen (R-OK) said. “I think that you’ve got to understand that our own national security is at risk because of our overspend.”

But the Congressional Budget Office says cutting IRS funds will mean less tax revenues collected, thus increasing the national debt, not lowering it.

“I think that the CBO get it wrong, oftentimes,” Brecheen said.

The lack of aid to Ukraine is one more reason Senate Majority Leader Schumer says he will not take it up. Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin says that is not Speaker Johnson’s concern.

“His concern is, what can I get done in the House. Let Schumer figure out what he can get done in the Senate, and then we can work out the differences,” Mullin said.

Senate leaders say they are going to fashion their own, larger package with aid for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan.