Speaker Johnson unveils $14.3 billion Israel aid bill paid for with cuts to IRS
House Republicans led by Speaker Mike Johnson, R-LA, introduced the chamber’s $14.3 Billion Israel Aid Bill on Monday. The bill will be fully paid for by offsets to spending. However, passing the legislation will prove difficult.
Johnson, in contrast to Biden, has split Israel off from the $106 billion request and hopes to fund it independently.
We will address the many issues that are happening around the globe, but for now, I believe we must focus on Israel and make sure that it is resolved. Johnson, speaking on Fox News at the weekend, said: “I believe that there will be bipartisan support and I am going to push for it.”
Israel’s need of aid coincides with Hamas, an invading terrorist group from Palestine, which invaded in early October.
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Due to the lack of a Speaker in the House for the past three weeks, the House was unable to fund Israel’s defence against the invasion. Johnson, who was elected speaker last Wednesday, is hoping to pass his second major piece legislation.
Costs will be offset also by removing $14.3 billion from Internal Revenue Service funding for Biden’s signature legislation, the Inflation Reduction Act. The Democrats have bragged about this, but conservatives are against it.
The bill’s cuts could win over conservatives, who said that they did not think it was right to fund a war in a foreign land while America was in debt and facing the crisis at the southern border.
“I’m tired of it all.” We should not give anyone, or ourselves, another blank check. We have to pay for it. The American people have to see the impact of giving another $14 billion to Israel. It’s a good idea. But it must be paid for. It should be done with real money and not budgetary tricks,” said Rep. Chip Roy, R-TX, a member the House Freedom Caucus.
While the IRS cut will win over many conservatives, the passage of the bill is still uncertain because some hardline conservatives such as Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene, (R-GA), and Thomas Massie, (RKY), publicly stated that they would vote against it.
It is likely that, when voting on Israel, as a separate bill, and with the budget cuts, most, if no all, Democrats, will vote against this bill.
The House could vote on legislation as soon as Thursday.
The Senate will be a difficult place to go if it passes the House because many Republicans are Ukraine hawks who support Biden’s additional request.
The Senate Appropriations Committee will hold a hearing Tuesday on the request of the Biden Administration. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Secretary for Defense Lloyd Austin, will testify.
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