Israel aid bill faces 'dead end' after passing US House of Representatives

The bill passed the Republican-controlled House of Representatives by a vote of 226-196 on November 2. Lawmakers voted almost along party lines, with most Republicans supporting the measure and most Democrats opposing it, according to Reuters.

The introduction of the bill is the first major legislative action under new Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson. President Joe Biden has threatened to veto the bill and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has said he will not bring it up for a vote.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (second from left) meets with reporters before the US House of Representatives votes on November 2.

Mr Biden had previously asked Congress to approve a larger $106 billion emergency spending package that would include money for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan, as well as humanitarian aid. Mr Schumer said the US Senate would consider a bipartisan bill that would address broader priorities.

Under the bill passed in the US House of Representatives, the US would provide billions of dollars to the Israeli military, including $4 billion to buy Iron Dome and David's Sling defense systems to defend against short-range missiles, as well as money to purchase equipment from US stockpiles.

Republicans hold a majority (221-212) in the US House of Representatives, but President Biden's Democrats control the US Senate (51-49). To become law, the bill must pass both houses, as well as be signed by Mr. Biden.

House Republican leaders said they plan to cover the cost of Israel aid by cutting some of the budget for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), which Democrats included in the 2022 Deflation Relief Act, a key part of their agenda as well as Biden’s.

Republicans, who have opposed increasing the IRS budget from the start, argue that cuts to the agency’s budget are necessary to offset the cost of military aid to Israel, whose tanks and troops attacked Hamas on the outskirts of Gaza City in the Gaza Strip on Nov. 2.

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