The House on Thursday headed toward passage of a $14.3 billion aid package for Israel in its war with Hamas, defying a veto threat from President Biden and bipartisan opposition in the Senate, and posing a dilemma for Democrats who staunchly back the Jewish state.
Lawmakers were set to vote on a bill put forward by the newly elected Speaker Mike Johnson that would couple military funding for Israel with a provision slashing the same amount for a tax enforcement initiative at the Internal Revenue Service, part of the Inflation Reduction Act and a key piece of President Biden’s agenda.
The measure is headed for a bipartisan bloc of opposition in the Senate, where lawmakers favor packaging aid for Israel with money to help Ukraine fend off Russia’s invasion, as well as for other global crises.
Mr. Biden has requested such a package, totaling $105 billion, and White House officials said on Tuesday that he would veto the House bill because it was limited to Israel.
Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and the majority leader, said in a speech ahead of the House vote on Thursday that the Senate would not take up the House-passed proposal at all, and would instead craft its own bipartisan bill containing aid for Israel and Ukraine, and humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Persons:
Biden, Mike Johnson, Biden’s, Chuck Schumer
Organizations:
Senate, Israel, Internal Revenue Service, White
Locations:
Israel, Ukraine, New York, Gaza