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In
one of the first major policy actions under new House Speaker
Mike Johnson, House Republicans unveiled a standalone
supplemental spending bill only for Israel, despite Democratic
President Joe Biden's request for a $106 billion package that
would include aid for Israel, Ukraine and border security.
Johnson, who voted against aid for Ukraine before he was elected
House speaker last week, had said he wanted aid to Israel and
Ukraine to be handled separately. He has said he wants more
accountability for money that has been sent to the Kyiv
government as it fights Russian invaders.
"Israel is a separate matter," Johnson said in an interview on
Fox News last week, describing his desire to "bifurcate" the
Ukraine and Israel funding issues.
Johnson has said bolstering support for Israel should top the
U.S. national security agenda in the aftermath of the Oct. 7
attack by Hamas militants that killed more than 1,400 people and
saw more than 200 others taken hostage.
Democrats accused Republicans of stalling Congress' ability to
help Israel by introducing a partisan bill.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre issued a
statement accusing Republicans of "politicizing national
security" and calling their bill a non-starter. To become law,
the measure would need to pass the House and the Senate and be
signed by President Biden.
"House Republicans are setting a dangerous precedent by
suggesting that protecting national security or responding to
natural disasters is contingent upon cuts to other programs,"
Representative Rosa DeLauro, the ranking Democrat on the House
Appropriations Committee, said in a statement.
The House Rules Committee is expected to consider the Republican
Israel bill on Wednesday.
(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Tom Hogue)
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