North Columbus News

Senators JD Vance, Roger Marshall, Mike Lee, and Ted Cruz have introduced The Israel Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2023, which aims to provide $14.3 billion of aid to Israel. The legislation includes $10.6 billion for assistance through the Department of Defense, $3.5 billion for foreign military financing, and $200 million in diplomatic funding to protect U.S. embassies and personnel.

The introduction of this standalone legislation comes as a rejection of the Biden administration's attempt to link aid packages to Israel and Ukraine. Senator Vance emphasizes that "it is essential that the United States provide support for our allies in Israel. That assistance should not depend on whether we continue to provide aid to Ukraine." He argues that these are unique conflicts that should be handled individually and that combining them will only delay Israel receiving the support it needs.

Senator Marshall echoes this sentiment, stating that "any aid to Israel should not be used as leverage to send tens of billions of dollars to Ukraine." He believes that packaging the two aid packages together would result in funds and resources being delayed in Israel's time of need. The legislation introduced by the senators provides the aid requested by the Biden administration and should be considered by the Senate immediately.

Senator Lee emphasizes that Ukraine and Israel are distinct and important issues that should be considered and voted on individually. He argues that if the Biden administration's case for additional Ukraine aid is not strong enough to stand on its own, then packaging them together is an insulting request to lay before Congress. He believes it is unreasonable for the administration to exploit an aid package for Israel to redirect taxpayer dollars to Ukraine.

Senator Cruz focuses on the urgency of providing aid to Israel, stating that "Russia still needs to be defeated. Taiwan still needs to be defended." He emphasizes that the bill is solely about getting Israel the aid it needs as quickly as possible to eradicate Hamas. He believes that the majority of the Senate is ready to support an aid package for Israel, and that the House would readily pass this bill.

The Israel Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2023 aims to strengthen Israel's defense by providing funding for systems such as the Iron Dome and Iron Beam. It also grants authority to send Israel equipment and services already in U.S. stocks and allows for the stockpiling of more weapons in Israel. Additionally, the legislation provides funding to protect U.S. embassies and personnel in Israel and to help repatriate U.S. citizens from the region. It strips all aid to Gaza that could be funneled to Hamas terrorists and blocks the Biden administration from using aid to Israel as leverage for more Ukraine funding.

This legislation is a clear indication of the senators' commitment to supporting Israel and ensuring that aid is delivered without unnecessary delays. It highlights the importance of treating each conflict individually and not allowing unrelated priorities to hinder the provision of aid to one of the United States' most important allies in the Middle East.

For additional details, please follow this link: https://www.vance.senate.gov/press-releases/senators-vance-marshall-lee-cruz-introduce-legislation-to-deliver-immediate-standalone-aid-to-israel