House Republicans have proposed a standalone bill to provide emergency aid to Israel by cutting funding to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The $14.3 billion measure would use the same amount of funding that was allocated to the IRS under President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act. House Speaker Mike Johnson emphasized the need to find measures to pay for aid without further increasing the nation’s debt. However, the proposal has sparked opposition from Democrats, who argue that it sets a dangerous precedent of tying national security and natural disaster response to cuts in other programs.
The Republican bill sets up a clash with the White House and Democratic-controlled Senate, who have sought to pair aid for Israel with a larger aid package for Ukraine. President Biden requested a $105 billion aid package, including $14 billion for Israel and $61 billion for Ukraine. Johnson, however, supports separating the aid packages and has called for more accountability regarding aid to Ukraine. The Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law by President Biden in 2022, allocated funding to climate change, healthcare costs, and taxes, and increased the IRS’ funding by $80 billion to improve its operations. Republican lawmakers, however, strongly opposed the provision.
Democratic Representative Rosa DeLauro criticized the GOP’s proposal, stating that it sets a dangerous precedent and hinders efforts to provide humanitarian assistance. The House Rules Committee plans to review the Republican bill on Wednesday, further intensifying the debate over aid for both Israel and Ukraine.
In summary, House Republicans have proposed an emergency aid bill for Israel by cutting funding allocated to the IRS through the Inflation Reduction Act. This has ignited a disagreement with the White House and Senate Democrats, who seek to combine aid for Israel with an aid package for Ukraine. The proposal has drawn criticism from Democrats, who argue that it sets a concerning precedent by linking national security and natural disaster response to cuts in other programs. The clash over funding priorities and accountability is intensifying as the House Rules Committee prepares to examine the Republican bill.