theo AP, New US House Speaker Mike Johnson requested that emergency aid to Israel be financed by cutting government spending on other activities.
The bill was passed with a vote of 226 in favor and 196 against. The vote had the affirmative vote of most Republicans in the House of Representatives, as well as 12 Democrats.
US President Joe Biden said that he will veto this bill.
US House Speaker Mike Johnson announces $14.5 billion aid bill for Israel at a press conference on November 2 – Photo: AP
The White House veto warning said Mr Johnson’s approach “does not meet the urgency of this time” and would set a dangerous precedent for emergency funding steps with cuts elsewhere.
Members of the Democratic Party in the US Senate also have the same argument. US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has warned that this bill will have no chance of passing the Senate.
Mr Johnson said this $14.5 billion aid package would provide Israel with the support it needs to defend itself and free hostages held by Hamas.
The new Speaker of the US House of Representatives said, “All this is done while we also strive to ensure responsible spending and reduce the size of federal government spending.”
The US Congress’s first significant legislative effort related to Israel is much smaller than Mr Biden’s previous request. The US President requested a total of approximately USD 106 billion, including aid to Ukraine and a number of other national security and defense issues.
According to an AP source, White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients, adviser to the US President Steve Ricchetti and other senior White House staff met with Democratic members of the House of Representatives for discussions.
US to provide additional aid package of USD 425 million to Ukraine
theo reuters, The administration of US President Joe Biden is planning to announce a $425 million military aid package to Ukraine on November 3 (local time), according to two unnamed US officials.
This package will not include the ATACMS long-range missile. As per documentation reuters When contacted, the new aid package will include about $300 million worth of guided munitions to shoot down drones.
The remaining $125 million includes ammunition, additional supplies for NASAMS, HIMARS air defense systems, 105 and 155 mm guns, TOW anti-tank weapons, claymore mines, small arms and truck supplies among others…
Funding for this package comes from the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI).
