House Republicans are planning on holding a vote on Israel aid legislation after Iran launched an unprecedented attack against the Jewish state this weekend.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R., La.) announced on Saturday there will be a change to the schedule this week to prioritize legislation to support Israel and punish Iran.
“In light of Iran’s unjustified attack on Israel, the House will move from its previously announced legislative schedule next week to instead consider legislation that supports our ally Israel and holds Iran and its terrorist proxies accountable,” Scalise said.
“The House of Representatives stands strongly with Israel, and there must be consequences for this unprovoked attack.”
More details about the legislation will be “forthcoming,” Scalise said.
Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) did not address an Israel aid package in a statement yesterday promising to “continue to engage with the White House to insist upon a proper response.”
He appeared on Fox News’s Sunday Morning Futures and said Republicans will “try again this week” to pass an Israel aid package. The details of the Israel package “are being put together” as Republicans explore potential options.
Meanwhile, bipartisan pressure is growing for the House to support the Senate’s supplemental foreign-aid package with funding for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan.
The Senate overwhelmingly passed the supplemental in February and it has been languishing in the House ever since. A faction of Republicans opposed the measure because of skepticism towards the ability of Ukraine aid to meaningfully alter the outcome of the war against Russia.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) urged Congress to pass the $95 billion senate supplemental and touted its investments in America’s defense-industrial base.
“Congress must also do its part. The national-security supplemental that has waited months for action will provide critical resources to Israel and our own military forces in the region,”McConnell said.
“It will provide overdue lethal assistance to Ukraine and equip vulnerable allies and partners in Asia to deter the PRC. And it will make urgent investments in our own defense industrial base.”
House Democrats are similarly calling for the chamber to pass the national-security supplemental as soon as possible to support Israel, despite opposition to Israel aid from the party’s far-left flank.
“The Speaker has a responsibility to put the supplemental sent to us by the Senate on the Floor as soon as we return on Monday,” said Representative Steny Hoyer (D., Md.) in a statement.
“Congress should immediately pass the Supplemental Appropriations bill which contains $14 billion to defend Israel,” Representative Brad Sherman (D., Calif.) said on X.
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner (R., Ohio) said on NBC’s Meet the Press Sunday he expects Ukraine aid to pass overwhelmingly this week and praised Johnson for supporting foreign aid to critical allies.
“I think it will have overwhelming support, the Ukraine, Israel, and Asia packages. Not just because of what happened with Iran escalating the conflict in the Middle East but because these are allies that need and deserve out support,” Turner told host Kirsten Welker.
The Biden administration echoed the bipartisan calls for the foreign-aid supplemental to pass immediately for the sake of Israel and Ukraine.
“But we’re just looking for leadership out of the speaker’s office: get it on the floor, get it voted on so that not only Israel can get additional resources and defend itself — which they clearly need — but that Ukraine can as well,” White House National Security Council Communications Advisor John Kirby told Welker.
Israel said it successfully defended itself against 99 percent of Iran’s weaponry as it continues waging war against Hamas, one of Iran’s terror proxies in the region. The U.S., U.K., France and Jordan provided crucial assistance to Israel’s effort to defend itself.