Staff Reports
The news about the Biden administration halting aid to Israel has sparked strong reactions and debate. President Joe Biden made it clear in a recent interview that he would halt aid if Israel carried out their operation in Rafah. The House Rules Committee will meet to discuss the Israel Security Assistance Support Act, with a vote expected to take place soon. This bill would provide additional funding to the Department of Defense and the
Department of State will respond to the attacks in Israel, designating the funding as emergency spending, exempt from discretionary spending limits.
Some House Democrats, including Rep. Ritchie Torres, have expressed concerns about the administration’s message to Hamas and other terrorist groups backed by Iran. They have also been reviewing Republican-sponsored legislation that aims to force the administration to resume weapons shipments to Israel. Meanwhile, Republicans have been consistently introducing Israel-related bills, with this particular bill potentially having a significant impact by compelling the administration to stop withholding weapons shipments.
Q: "The House is likely to vote on the Israel Security Assistance Support Act later this week, which would ban the administration from withholding military aid to Israel that hasn't been Congressionally approved…Is that something that the White House would oppose?"
Karine… pic.twitter.com/OesbHQM6W6
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) May 13, 2024
The White House, through Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, has voiced strong opposition to the bill, emphasizing the administration’s commitment to Israel’s security. Jean-Pierre downplayed the impact of the halted aid, stating that only one shipment has been paused and strongly opposing any attempts to limit the president’s authority to deploy security assistance in line with foreign policy and national security objectives.
Whether the bill will proceed to the president’s desk for a potential veto is uncertain. There has been criticism of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer for his responses to the Israel-Hamas conflict and his handling of antisemitism issues, indicating tensions within the Democratic party over the issue.
