North Columbus News

Senate Democrats rejected an effort led by Senators JD Vance (R-OH), Roger Marshall (R-KS), and Rick Scott (R-FL) to provide $14.3 billion of aid to Israel. The Senators' unanimous consent request would have advanced the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act to President Biden's desk. The legislation, which would provide much-needed aid to Israel, passed the House with bipartisan support last week.

In response to the rejection, Senator Vance expressed his disappointment and criticized his colleagues for using Israel as a political tool. He stated, "Too many of my colleagues would like to collapse these packages because they would like to use Israel as a political fig leaf for the President's Ukraine policy."

Senator Vance highlighted the connection between the situations in Ukraine and Israel, emphasizing the importance of supporting Israel's defense efforts. He said, "There were people in this chamber, there were people in the United States of America, demanding that the State of Israel give money and weapons to the Ukrainians, money and weapons that the Israelis are now using this very moment to defend themselves."

He argued that the policies regarding Ukraine and Israel should be debated separately, as they have distinct costs and benefits. Senator Vance raised questions about the US's end goal in Ukraine and the rationality of trying to remove the Russians from every inch of Ukrainian territory. He also criticized the lack of transparency and accountability in the allocation of funds to Ukraine, stating, "We have not had a real debate in this chamber. The American people, I think, should be ashamed of us for that fact."

Furthermore, Senator Vance called for a reevaluation of the bipartisan foreign policy consensus that has guided US actions over the past three decades. He argued that this consensus has led to disastrous outcomes, such as unsustainable deficits, endless wars, and the empowerment of hostile regimes. He urged for a real debate on foreign policy, stating, "Maybe what we should have is some bipartisan wisdom that the foreign policy consensus of this country for the last three decades has been a disaster."

The rejection of the urgent aid to Israel by Senate Democrats has raised concerns about the prioritization of political interests over the security and well-being of an important ally. The decision has sparked a debate on the interconnectedness of foreign policies and the need for transparency and accountability in the allocation of funds. As the issue continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the US government will address the urgent needs of Israel and navigate the complexities of foreign policy decision-making.

To learn more, click on this link: https://www.vance.senate.gov/press-releases/senate-democrats-reject-urgent-israel-aid