Proposal for Independent Israel Aid Bill put forth by Republican Senators

A small group of Republican senators has introduced a bill that seeks to pass billions in aid for Israel independent of additional aid for Ukraine, in a rejection of the Biden administration’s attempt to link aid packages for the two war-torn countries.

The GOP senators argue that splitting the Israel aid off from the Ukraine funding would prevent it from being held up in the House, where more than half of the Republican conference is now opposed to sending more aid to Ukraine.

“The brutal, savage attacks launched by Hamas against our closest ally in the Middle East, Israel, have sent shock waves across the world,” Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., said in a statement. “My colleagues and I firmly believe that any aid to Israel should not be used as leverage to send tens of billions of dollars to Ukraine. Any package that does so would result in funds and resources being delayed in Israel’s time of need.”

The measure is being cosponsored by Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the emergency aid package proposed by the White House includes $14 billion for Israel, $61 billion for Ukraine, approximately $9 billion for humanitarian assistance for both conflicts, approximately $2 billion for security assistance in the Indo-Pacific, and $14 billion for the border.

Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and other Senate Republicans supportive of Ukraine have said they are generally on board with the administration’s approach, but are demanding increased border security policies.

Cruz is the only sponsor of the stand-alone bill that has supported Ukraine aid in the past.

“Russia still needs to be defeated,” Cruz said. “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.”

The House jolted back to business Wednesday after the election of Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., as speaker, and quickly passed a resolution in support of Israel. It had been paralyzed for more than three weeks.

While the bill would need 60 votes to advance in the Senate, where Democrats have a 51-49 majority, it could create friction among Republicans, as McConnell tries to build support for the broader package among his caucus and exact concessions from the administration on the border.

The Republican senators’ Israel bill — known officially as the Israel Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2023 — would send $14.3 billion in aid to the Jewish State, including $10.6 billion in military assistance through the Defense Department; $3.5 billion in grants for foreign military sales; and $200 million to help bolster security for U.S. embassies and to evacuate U.S. citizens from the region, according to the Journal.