Congress is still embroiled in a battle over foreign assistance. Senate Republicans blocked an Israel and Ukraine aid bill that contained the severe border security features in it that they sought. There was an attempt to kill another bill in the House by over a dozen Republicans who joined their Democratic colleagues.
The House of Representatives rejected a plan that would have given Israel $17.6 billion in funding on February 6. In the aftermath of the terrorist attack by Hamas that claimed the lives of nearly 1,200 people, including multiple Americans, the United States government has yet to dispatch more help to its most important Middle Eastern ally. The measure was killed by fourteen Republicans who sided with the Democrats.
Mike Johnson (R-LA), speaker of the house, suspended House rules to expedite the vote. That means a simple majority vote was required to pass the bill. After just 250 legislators voted in support of the measure and 180 voted against it, it ultimately failed. There were fourteen conservatives and one hundred sixty-six Democrats who cast ballots against it.
There were no expenditure cutbacks in the bill, which is why Freedom Caucus members were opposed to it. According to Fox News, Republican Representative Chip Roy of Texas said that he could not transfer funds to Israel since “our borders are wide open.” He went on to say that he couldn’t do that to his constituents, even if he loves Israel.
The White House stated that President Joe Biden would veto the bill regardless of whether the 14 Republicans had not assisted Democrats in killing it. Government officials condemned the move as a “cynical political maneuver” in reaction to the bipartisan discussions taking place in the Senate on a financial and relief package for the border.
Despite its bipartisan nature, that measure was ultimately vetoed by Senate Republicans on February 7. With the influx of migrants and the pleading of America’s allies, the two houses of Congress and the White House have returned to square one.
