BILL: Should We Fund Israel's Defense? - Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024 - H.R.6126
Tell your reps to support or oppose this bill
The Bill
H.R.6126 - Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024
Bill Details
- Sponsored by Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas) on Nov. 1, 2023
- Committees: House - Appropriations; Budget; Ways and Means
- House: Passed (226 to 196)
- Senate: Not yet voted
- President: Not yet signed
Bill Overview
- Allows for a $14.3 billion emergency supplemental appropriations to assist Israel in responding to the Hamas attacks for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2024.
- Requires that the Secretary of Defense and Secretary of State provide written reports to Congress detailing U.S. assistance to Israel to ensure accountability.
- The first major legislative action under new Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson (La.)
What's in the Bill
Funded by IRS cuts
- The funding is offset by recessions from the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, specifically Section 10301, which appropriated enhanced funding for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Strengthens American military
- Bolsters American military readiness by providing $4.4 billion to replenish domestic defense stockpiles.
- Supports U.S. embassy personnel and citizens in Israel by providing $150 million for an enhanced security presence.
Bolsters Israel's defenses
- Enhances Israel's defensive capabilities and stockpiles of munitions, including $4 billion to replenish Iron Dome and David's Sling missile defense systems, $3.5 billion to procure advanced weapons systems, and $1 billion to support artillery and munitions production.
What Supporters Are Saying
- The House and Senate both voted overwhelmingly to pass resolutions in support of Israel as it defends itself against Hamas. The issue of Israel's defense consistently unites Republican and Democratic lawmakers.
- House Speaker Mike Johnson said:
"The Senate and White House cannot let this moment pass, and I urge them to act swiftly and pass this bill as the House did today."
- Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said:
"Hamas has the sole paramount goal to destroy Israel and eradicate the Jewish people. It is simply genocide."
What Opponents Are Saying
- The White House released a statement, saying:
"The bill fails to meet the urgency of the moment by deepening our divides and severely eroding historic bipartisan support for Israel's security. It inserts partisanship into support for Israel, making our ally a pawn in our politics, at a moment we must stand together. It denies humanitarian assistance to vulnerable populations around the world, including Palestinian civilians, which is a moral and strategic imperative."
- Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), the only Palestinian-American member of Congress, has been vocal in her calls for a ceasefire. She posted a video on X saying:
"We will remember in 2024. Joe Biden supported the genocide of the Palestinian people."
- The bill combined aid for Israel with cuts to the IRS and did not include provisions for Ukraine, which has led Biden to promise to veto the bill. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), majority leader of the Democratic-controlled Senate, said he would not bring it up for a vote. Biden has urged Congress to approve a broader $106 billion emergency spending package that includes funding for Israel, Taiwan, and Ukraine.
- Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) said:
"This bill abandons Ukraine. We will not abandon Israel and we will not abandon Ukraine. But their fortunes are linked," she said.
- The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said that the IRS cuts and Israel aid in the House bill would add nearly $30 billion to the U.S. budget deficit, currently estimated at $1.7 trillion.
Tell your reps to support or oppose this bill
-Emma Kansiz
(Photo Credit: Canva)
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Rep Finstad, you went to the boarder asking for Democrats to work with Republicans to secure the southern border before new funding for Ukraine!
Well hard working Republicans and Democrats in the Senate have a bipartisan bill that greatly improve the situation at the Southern border! !
But Trump Republicans in the house now don't want to do anything as Trump needs a campaign issue! Finstad you need to work to get this bipartisan bill passed if you are there for the greater good for Americans!
Greetings, We strongly urge you, our government officials, who hold powerful positions, to take immediate action by advocating for: 1. a cessation of hostilities and genocide in Gaza. 2. ensuring the allocation of our tax money does not support Israel genocidal campaign financially. 3. In order to facilitate the entry of much-needed humanitarian aid into Gaza, it is crucial to emphasize the importance of ending the blockade enforced by the Israeli army. We respectfully request your valuable support and assistance in actively promoting and advocating for peace, justice and harmony within the region. Thank you, Flora muradov
This president has failed to continue to promote peace madam president! We need to stop giving money away like it's candy! We need this president to be a leader and promote peace or we need him to step aside and find a better president who will promote peace and not give money to a terrorist organization and state
I have. NO problem helping Israel defend it's self, but we should attach some strings to help find a solution in getting along with it's neighbors!
I also want the US to keep providing support to Ukraine! They are defending themselves from one our greatest enemies! The people calling to end support do not understand the long term consequences of that policy!
Yes we must get control of our spending! The Republicans had no problem handling out huge tax cuts to the top 5%, and increasing our national debt!
I am really upset with representatives that vote against funding our government, but do nothing to balance our needs with spending and Tax collection!
Cutting funding to the IRS is ridiculous!
It would be the same as cutting all funding for farmers, ridiculous!
I find the hypocrisy of the right to be stunning again.
All this talk of Ukraine's "corruption" and not wanting to send them more money to assist in their struggle against Russia...and yet we're willing to let a corrupt, indicted Prime Minister Netanyahu continue using our money to expand settlements, bomb hospitals, and impose military force on a civilian population.
What both Ukraine and Israel have faced is awful, but our policies of standing behing these two countries should be equal and consistent.
Our money should not be free to all.
If we're going to give military aid to Israel, there should be basic guidelines to ensure how they use it and how they treat their neighbors and the minorities within their nation.
I support Israel's right to defend itself, but I do not support settlements, discrimination, and their current treatment of the people in Gaza.
If they can't uphold humanitarian standards and avoid war crimes, then they can't have our money.
I don't wish ill on Israel.
I feel very sorry for those who have been lost to the Hamas terrorism and hostage-taking AND the subsequent retaliation in Gaza and the West Bank.
However, the United States must NOT fund any more WAR CRIMES by either side.
More than 11,000 Gazan Palestinian civilians have been slaughtered by the Israeli military. The largest hospital in Gaza no longer has power and communications. 30 some pre-term infants in incubators are now probably dead.
NO MONEY FOR MORE WAR!
No, we have given so much money to other countries, while people can't afford food and housing. We have allowed corporations to buy our government so they can raise prices. You have nickeled and dimes is for so long that as much as I feel for others, we have people dying in the richest country. We have people dying because the can't afford healthcare, freezing because they can't afford a place to live or heat. People who at one point could at least afford food, starving. I can no longer afford groceries and have stopped buying meat. How about we focus on this country before spending billions in other countries. At this time I have my doubts that anyone in our government has our backs. Your all so busy fighting over wars in other countries, what about the war on the American people which you have all created?
To My Representatives in Congress:
It is most urgent that you Strongly Oppose the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024 - H.R.6126.
VOTE NO!
As a fellow commenter passionately wrote: “under no circumstances should my tax dollars be used to kill maim innocent civilians especially women, kids, elderly!”
Veto this bill! Using IRS funding NO the Irs needs to go after the most wealthy. Where is the humanitarian aide to BOTH sides?
Ukraine Left out? This bill is a BIG VETO.
I am sick to death and disgusted by the wasting of my taxes on the fight for land possession, greed, and religious bullshit! Ukaine is a different story. The USA asked them to disarm their Nuclear capacities and they did, with the understanding that if Putin tried to force them back(reforming the USSR is his end Goal.....once KGB always KGB) we would have their back. As they did what OUR GOVERNMENT asked them to do, they no longer have the capacity that is required to stop Putin with his obsession to rebuild the USSR. They do not have that capacity because we asked them to dismantle it! Therefore, The USA must Honor our part in that agreement.
Israel and the Middle East, on the other hand, is all because of religion. It seems like most of the Global conflicts come from the big 3 Abrahamic Religions. None of the three are religions of peace, despite what they all three preach. You only have to look at the hatred spewing forth right here in our own country by the Christian right wing to see than NONE OF THE 3 are nothing more than weaponized drivel and hate driven propaganda!
The GOP screams about raising retirment age, getting rid of Social Security because they cannot fund it.....ending social porgrams for the poor because "they have to find the money for it and we cannot afford it" but we send BIllions of dollars to Israel every year(now sending more!) and we seem to be able to afford THAT! But we cannot fund social programs for the poor, elderly and disabled? Sickening!
And-if we're SOOOOOO broke and they SOOOOOO want Fiscal Responsibility(hint: They do not) then it's High time millionaires and billionaires start paying taxes! Multi-trillion dollar corporations are paying less tax than I am! Millionaires and Billionaires are paying less tax than I am!
It's all just sickening, disgusting and reprehensible!
I have just had it!
Ok. I am now off of my soapbox and devote the rest of the day to being a sunbeam.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.
I am tired of wasting my tax dollars on the fight for territarial possession, greed, and religious differences. The Ukaine is a different matter. They do not have what is required to stop almighty Putin and his power mad cronies.
These wars must end for the sake of all humanity. Life is too damn short to waste it on greed, hate, and the lust for power over others. War is not an option in either case.
It is time we tighten our purse strings and start making "big money" pay their fare share so we can aid those IN NEED along with our very own citizenry
If Israel has the beest trained and equpied military in the Middle East then why should we fund their war, especially when the GD Republicans want to fund their war while cutting funds to the IRS which will decrease the amt. of revenue that will be collected, thus adding to the deficit. This is not just me saying this the Congressional Budget Office has made this determination. I have no problem with helping Ukraine as they don't have the resources (military, financial) that Israel has, but we shouldn't be on the hook to Israel. I'd agree that some assistance should be provided, but then Israel needs to stop bombing the cilivian population and pause the fighting for more than just 4 hrs. and allow civilians to get the hell out of Gaza to avoid the indiscriminate bombing that Israel seems to be doing. Further, after the war ends the US should not help with reconstruction. That should all be on Israel given they followed a scorched earth policy in their war.
Funding the $14B Israeli Appropration by cutting $26B/year in revenue that the IRS funding would produce adds to the deficit and makes no sense.
Also the package should be reduce to $8B to cover $4B resupply for the Iron Dome and $4B to replenish US supplies but no additional funding that is allowing Israel to bomb the civilian population of Gaza.
"Republicans proposed giving Israel $14 billion, attached to $14 billion in IRS funding cuts.
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said the proposal would cut revenue by $26 billion."
"The Israel aid bill, introduced by House Appropriations Chairwoman Kay Granger, R-Texas, allocates $4.4 billion to replenish U.S. weapons and munitions stocks sent to Israel and $4 billion for the Iron Dome and David’s Sling missile defense systems."
"Granger’s bill also allocates $3.5 billion in Foreign Military Financing grants and loans allowing Israel to buy additional weapons from U.S. and Israeli defense contractors."
"Israel is rapidly burning through munitions as it continues to bomb the 2.2 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, killing roughly 9,000 people and wounding thousands more, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Israel launched its campaign following Hamas’ massacre of approximately 1,400 Israelis and abduction of 240 hostages, per the Israel Defense Forces."
https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-war-funding-irs-cuts-cost-taxpayers-worsen-deficit-cbo-2023-11?amp
https://www.defensenews.com/congress/2023/11/02/house-passes-israel-military-aid-bill/
This is dead on arrival.
Taking the money to fund Israel's military from the U.S. IRS funding makes this bill unpassable.
I might support a bill providing support for Israel's defense IF it does not steal the money from making our own government function.
AND as long as the military aid is strictly defensive.
AND the Israeli genocide of Palestinian civilians immediately stops.
Absolutely not! Israel is not a poor country by any means and has its own advanced military complex being a major arms exporter
under no circumstances should my tax dollars be used to kill maim innocent civilians especially women, kids, elderly!
Representatives,
It is most urgent that you Strongly Oppose the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024 - H.R.6126.
VOTE NO!
As a fellow commenter passionately wrote: “under no circumstances should my tax dollars be used to kill maim innocent civilians especially women, kids, elderly!”