President Biden had previously requested a $105 billion package from Congress on October 20, which was intended to combine aid for Israel and Ukraine and funds to protect Taiwan from China and secure the southern border.
The newly proposed legislation, known as the Israel Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2023, is co-sponsored by GOP Senators Roger Marshall of Kansas, J.D. Vance of Ohio, Ted Cruz of Texas, and Mike Lee of Utah. The bill proposes to allocate $14.3 billion to Israel, as stated in a press release.
October 27, 2023
Senator Marshall expressed his and his colleagues' conviction that aid to Israel should not be used as a bargaining chip to allocate billions of dollars to Ukraine. He argued that such a package would result in a delay of funds and resources to Israel during its time of need. "The legislation we've introduced provides the aid to Israel requested by the Biden Administration and should be considered by the Senate immediately," Marshall stated.
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The proposed legislation outlines that $10.6 billion of the aid would be channeled through the Department of Defense (DOD), $3.5 billion would be allocated for foreign military funding, and $200 million would be set aside for diplomatic financing.
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Senator Vance emphasized the importance of supporting Israel, stating that such assistance should not be contingent on continued aid to Ukraine. He argued that the conflicts in Israel and Ukraine are distinct and should be addressed separately. "Misguided attempts to combine them will only delay Israel receiving the support they need," Vance stated.
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Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a staunch advocate for aid to Ukraine, appears to be in favor of Biden's request. However, he is likely to advocate for additional border security provisions, as reported by The Wall Street Journal.
Senator Lee echoed Vance's sentiments, stating that Ukraine and Israel are distinct, important issues that should be considered individually by Congress. He criticized the administration's attempt to use an aid package for Israel to divert billions of taxpayer dollars to Ukraine.
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Several other Republican senators, including Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Mike Braun of Indiana, and Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, have also criticized Biden's aid request. They accuse the President of exploiting the conflict in Israel to push for increased funding for Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression.
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Senator Cruz stated that the bill's sole focus is to provide the necessary aid to Israel as quickly as possible and for as long as it takes to completely eliminate Hamas. "Russia still needs to be defeated. Taiwan still needs to be defended. This bill is about one thing and one thing only: getting our Israeli allies the aid they need, as fast as possible, for as long as it takes them to utterly eradicate Hamas," Cruz said.
House Republicans have also criticized Biden's request, with Rep. Mike Garcia of California labeling the package as "the worst thing that could be done for Israel."
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