August 15, 2023, US Capitol Building in Washington, USA.Reuters/Kevin Wurm/File photo Obtaining license rights
WASHINGTON, Nov 7 (Reuters) – U.S. Senate Democrats on Tuesday blocked Republican efforts to quickly approve an emergency aid bill for Israel that passed the House of Representatives last week, but the bill would It did not provide support for the war effort.
“Time is of the essence, and it is imperative that the Senate does not delay the delivery of this critical aid to Israel by daylight hours,” said Republican Sen. Roger Marshall.
Democrats objected to this, saying that in addition to humanitarian aid, border security funding, and money to fight back against China in the Indo-Pacific region that was included in the $106 billion funding request that President Joe Biden sent to the United States, Israel alone He emphasized the importance of providing aid to Ukraine as well. Congress last month.
They also want House Republicans to tie their support to cutting funding to the Internal Revenue Service, a favorite target of Republicans, rather than crafting bipartisan legislation, delay aid to the Jewish state, and politicize the Israeli crisis. He accused them of setting up a
The House bill would provide $14.3 billion to Israel in response to the deadly Oct. 7 attack by Hamas militants, but would also cut funding by the same amount from the Internal Revenue Service. The funding includes $4 billion to procure Israel’s Iron Dome and David Sling defense systems to counter short-range rocket threats, as well as some transfers of equipment from U.S. stocks. .
“Our allies in Ukraine, just like our allies in Israel, cannot afford delays,” said Sen. Patty Murray, chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
The House vote was largely along party lines. Democrats criticized the proposed IRS cuts as a politically motivated “poison pill” that would increase the U.S. budget deficit by cutting tax collections. He also said it was essential to continue providing support to Ukraine.
To become law, the bill must pass the Democratic-controlled Senate and Republican-controlled House of Representatives and be signed into law by Democrat Joe Biden. The White House had announced that Biden would veto the House bill.
Senate leaders are working on their own supplemental funding bill, which they hope to introduce as early as this week.
Report by Patricia Zengerle.Editing: Alistair Bell
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