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House of Representatives defeats Israel-only aid bill

2024-02-07 09:56:59, Kosova & Bota CNA

The House of Representatives failed to pass a bill Wednesday that would have given the United States $17.6 billion in aid to Israel, after Democrats said they wanted a bill that would also include aid to Ukraine, international humanitarian funding and new aid. funding for border security.

The bill received 250 votes in favor and 180 against, failing to pass because it was put to an accelerated vote, which required a two-thirds majority to pass.

Aid to Israel — one of the foreign countries that enjoys the most American support — has traditionally received strong bipartisan support in Congress. But many opponents called the House legislation a political ploy by Republicans to divert attention from their opposition to a $118 billion bill that includes an overhaul of US immigration policy and new funding for border security. , billions of dollars in emergency aid to Ukraine, Israel and partners in the Indo-Pacific region.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Republican Mike Johnson, had said that the Senate bill arrived "dead" in the House, even before it was introduced. Senate Republican leaders had not expected the bill to receive enough votes.

"Nothing is achieved with this and we only delay in sending aid to our allies. Our allies are facing existential threats, and our friends and enemies around the world are watching, waiting to see how America will respond," said House Appropriations Committee Democrat Rosa DeLauro, urging that the bill only for Israel not to vote.

US President Democrat Joe Biden, who supports the Senate bill, had vowed to veto the House Republicans' Israel-only aid bill.

Members of Congress have been struggling for months to find a way to send security aid abroad, especially to Ukraine, which is fighting Russian invaders. Biden has twice sent requests to Congress for emergency spending bills, most recently in October.

The Republican-dominated House of Representatives passed an Israel-only aid bill in November, but that bill never made it to the Democratic-led Senate as negotiators worked on Biden's request for a broader package for emergency security and Republican demands that any security assistance be combined with changes to immigration policy and border security with Mexico./ REL