Following opposition from members of Congress: The U.S. House of Representatives will discuss the Iron Dome funding clause
The U.S. House of Representatives will today discuss the $ 1 billion aid bill to fund batteries and Iron Dome interceptors. The clause was removed from the budget law on Tuesday following opposition from Democratic lawmakers.
The United States House of Representatives will today (Thursday) discuss providing assistance to fund the Iron Dome - this, after the section was removed from U.S. budget law, following opposition from Democratic members of Congress.
A few hours before the vote, members of Congress announced that they would oppose $ 1 billion in aid to Israel for the purpose of equipping batteries and Iron Dome interceptors. Following the opposition, this section was removed from the Budget Act and was supposed to be incorporated into the Defense Budget Act which will be put to the vote only in a few months. Last night, Democrats resubmitted the proposal, which would go to an unusual vote. Both Democrats and Republicans are expected to support the clause.
US President Joe Biden has pledged to hand over aid to Israel at the end of Operation Wall Guard and reiterated this in his last meeting with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.
Following the announcement of the rejection, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid spoke with Stanley Hoyer, the majority leader in the House of Representatives. A statement from Lapid's bureau said Hoyer had "reiterated his commitment, to the White House, to Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and to Senator Shumer, the leader of the Democratic majority in the Senate, who pledged to the Israeli government that the Iron Dome aid budget be transferred soon."
Lapid said after the conversation that "after years in which the previous government neglected Congress and the Democratic Party, and caused considerable damage to Israel-US relations, we are today rebuilding trust with Congress. I thank the administration and Congress for their firm commitment to Israel's security."