President Joe Biden said he would veto a standalone bill to fund Israel as Congress continues to battle over funding for Ukraine and the U.S. southern border.
The House is expected to vote on a standalone bill this week that provides $17.6 billion in aid to Israel while the country is at war with the terrorist organization, Hamas. Ahead of the vote, the White House Office of Management and Budget called the bill a “cynical political maneuver” and said Biden would veto the bill if it makes it to his desk.
“The Administration spent months working with a bipartisan group of Senators to reach a national security agreement that secures the border and provides support for the people of Ukraine and Israel, while also providing much-needed humanitarian assistance to civilians affected by conflicts around the world,” the statement read. “Instead of working in good faith to address the most pressing national security challenges, this bill is another cynical political maneuver. The security of Israel should be sacred, not a political game.”
JOHNSON responds to BIDEN’S veto threat of the Israel aid bill:
“What a betrayal of our great ally and friend Israel in their time of desperate need… the idea that Joe Biden would suggest that he would not send a clean funding measure to assist them is just outrageous…”
— Mychael Schnell (@mychaelschnell) February 6, 2024
Following weeks of negotiations, the Senate unveiled a bill Sunday that would allocate funds to Ukraine, Israel and the border crisis. In total, roughly $60 billion would go to Ukraine, $14.1 billion would fund Israel and $20 billion would go towards solving the border crisis. (RELATED: Senate Border Bill Would Hand $1.4 Billion To NGOs Helping Illegal Migrants)
While Biden championed the Senate bill, some House Republicans promised to kill the piece of legislation. The lawmakers argued that the bill doesn’t focus enough on border security but instead prioritizes foreign issues.
“Let me be clear: The Senate Border Bill will NOT receive a vote in the House.” Republican Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise, the house majority leader, posted on Twitter. “Here’s what the people pushing this ‘deal’ aren’t telling you: It accepts 5,000 illegal immigrants a day and gives automatic work permits to asylum recipients—a magnet for more illegal immigration.”
The White House argued Sunday that the president opposes the standalone bill because it snubs the border crisis as well as additional funds to Ukraine to help in its war against Russia.
“The Administration strongly opposes this ploy which does nothing to secure the border, does nothing to help the people of Ukraine defend themselves against Putin’s aggression, fails to support the security of American synagogues, mosques and vulnerable places of worship, and denies humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians, the majority of whom are women and children,” the statement read.