$14.3 Billion in Aid to Israel Approved by House Amid Tensions With Senate
The House has approved a bill granting $14.3 billion in aid to Israel, amidst its conflict with Hamas. This decision is a precursor to a legislative face-off with the Senate, challenging the leadership of Speaker Mike Johnson.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has criticized the bill passed by the Republican-controlled House as fundamentally flawed, indicating the Democratic-majority Senate will reject it. Democrats are critical of the absence of aid for Ukraine in the bill and the proposed funding cuts to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The House passed the bill with a narrow margin where two Republicans voted against it and 12 Democrats voted in favor.
A key point of contention is the House Republicans' stance against additional aid for Ukraine, which is at odds with bipartisan support in the Senate that favors both assisting Israel and Ukraine.
To counterbalance the $14.3 billion earmarked for Israel, the House proposed to cut the same amount from the IRS budget. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO), however, projects that this maneuver would ultimately increase the deficit and result in a loss of approximately $26.8 billion in revenue over the next decade.
Schumer and other Democrats have criticized the GOP proposal for being incongruent with fiscal responsibility, especially given the CBO's findings that it would significantly increase the deficit.
Furthermore, Schumer has outlined the Senate's plan to draft a bipartisan emergency aid package that will encompass support for Israel, Ukraine, measures to compete with the Chinese government, and humanitarian assistance for Gaza, dismissing the House’s current proposal.
This disagreement emerges as a potential government shutdown looms with government funding due to expire on November 17.
Speaker Johnson defends the contingent nature of the Israel aid bill, tying it to IRS budget reductions and emphasizing a return to fiscal responsibility. He also hinted at a forthcoming aid package for Ukraine, which would be conditioned on enhanced border security, casting uncertainty over future funding for Ukraine in Washington.
Johnson also alluded to the necessity for another stopgap funding measure to avert a government shutdown in mid-November, suggesting an extension until January 15. However, specifics regarding this measure are yet to be determined.