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Johnson’s Israel funding showdown with Biden, Democrats — and Senate Republicans

New House Speaker Mike Johnson, as one in all his first strikes, is forcing a showdown over emergency assist to Israel.

He’s pushing a vote Thursday on a invoice that would offer greater than $14 billion to the American best friend — however now not come with $61 billion in assist to Ukraine as President Joe Biden, House and Senate Democrats — and even many Senate Republicans — need tied to the similar measure.

The bill House Republicans released Mondaywould pay for the Israel assist via slashing an identical quantity from the Internal Revenue Service, which critics say may just have an effect on some taxpayer products and services and harm enforcement movements in opposition to tax cheaters.

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Johnson has arrange the showdown as making a decision between what is thought to be extra vital.

PHOTO: Speaker of the House Mike Johnson listens during a meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the Capitol on Oct. 26, 2023 in Washington, D.C.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson listens all over a gathering with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on the Capitol on Oct. 26, 2023 in Washington, D.C.

Drew Angerer/Getty Images

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White House: Bill is ‘nonstarter’

The White House is bashing the House GOP invoice, calling it a “nonstarter” for tying assist to Israel to cuts in IRS funding — cash already handed underneath Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act.

“Demanding offsets for meeting core national security needs of the United States — like supporting Israel and defending Ukraine from atrocities and Russian imperialism — would be a break with the normal, bipartisan process and could have devastating implications for our safety and alliances in the years ahead,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre mentioned in a commentary.

She mentioned what she known as “political games” would set an “unacceptable precedent” for present and long run funding and name the U.S. dedication to Israel “into question.”

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“Threatening to undermine American national security unless House Republicans can help the wealthy and big corporations cheat on their taxes — which would increase the deficit — is the definition of backwards,” Jean-Pierre wrote.

Senate leaders agree: Israel and Ukraine assist ‘intertwined’

Just after House Republicans unveiled the Israel assist invoice, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer took to the Senate ground to reassert the significance of passing Biden’s supplemental assist bundle that, along with assist for Israel and Ukraine, additionally comprises cash for Taiwan and southern border safety.

“All of these challenges share one thing in common: they directly impact America’s national security, America’s democratic values, and the international world order that has allowed democracy to take root,” Schumer mentioned. “The way forward is exceptionally clear: we must pass the presidents supplemental request.”

Schumer slammed the invoice as a “partisan and woefully inadequate package” that incorporates “poison pills” that assist tax cheats.

PHOTO: Senator and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) speaks to the press at the White House in Washington, DC, on Oct. 31, 2023, after meeting with President Joe Biden.

Senator and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) speaks to the clicking on the White House in Washington, DC, on Oct. 31, 2023, after assembly with President Joe Biden.

Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP by way of Getty Images

“The House GOP bill is woefully inadequate and has the hard-right’s fingerprints all over it,” Schumer mentioned, relating to rising opposition amongst House Republicans to extra Ukraine assist, particularly with out stipulations.

“It’s insulting that the hard right is openly trying to exploit the crisis in Israel to try and reward the ultra-rich. The new speaker knows perfectly well that if you want to support Israel, you can’t propose legislation that is full of poison pills,” he mentioned..

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell spoke subsequent at the ground Tuesday, and he in large part echoed Schumer’s message, calling the conflicts in Israel and Ukraine “intertwined” and tough a complete U.S. reaction.

“So, at the risk of repeating myself, the threats facing America and our allies are serious and they’re intertwined. If we ignore that fact, we do so at our own peril,” McConnell mentioned.

“I had for a brief moment hoped that the House might be getting their act back together,” Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., mentioned of the bundle. “But that sounds disastrous to me.”

Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden, who as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee performed an very important function in crafting the IRS enforcement portion of the Inflation Reduction Act, mentioned the use of the IRS finances to pay for Israel aid may just in reality value the rustic cash via reducing tax income.

“This new proposal is, I think, just horrifying, it’s a non-starter, and I’m going to fight it. I’m going to use every tool I have as chairman of the Finance Committee,” Wyden mentioned.

House Democrats, and even some Republicans, oppose

At least two House Republicans — Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Thomas Massie of Kentucky — mentioned they are going to now not vote for assist to Israel, decreasing the already narrow choice of House GOP votes Johnson can find the money for to lose and nonetheless get the invoice handed.

“If Congress sends $14.5 billion to Israel, on average we’ll be taking about $100 from every working person in the United States. This will be extracted through inflation and taxes. I’m against it,” Massie posted on X.

“I’m voting NO as well. We are $33 TRILLION in debt and our wide-open border is a national security crisis,” Greene posted to X.

During a local radio interview Monday, GOP Rep. Chip Roy of Texas mentioned whilst he helps serving to Israel, he argues that the U.S. will have to now not “write another blank check to anyone, including ourselves.”

PHOTO: Representative Chip Roy, Republican of Texas, arrives to a Republican caucus meeting at the Longworth House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on Oct. 13, 2023.

Representative Chip Roy, Republican of Texas, arrives to a Republican caucus assembly on the Longworth House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on Oct. 13, 2023.

Julia Nikhinson/AFP by way of Getty Images

“I support Israel. But I am not going to continue to go down this road where we bankrupt our country and undermine our very ability to defend ourselves, much less our allies, by continuing to write blank checks,” Roy mentioned.

Some House Democrats do not just like the proposal, both.

Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida mentioned in a commentary, “Support for defending Israel should not come with conditions, be it cutting foreign military financing by 30% or offsetting aid in a time of crucial need. I am deeply disturbed by Speaker Johnson playing political games with Israeli emergency funding, something our nation has never done in a time of crisis.”

“We cannot afford to politicize the battle against Hamas and Iran, giving ammunition to anti-Israel extremists around the world,” she added.

Johnson: Israel assist is an ‘fast and pressing want’

Speaker Johnson mentioned his plan addresses the “immediate and urgent need” for assist to Israel, he informed Fox News’ Outnumbered co-host Kayleigh McEnany. The interview, which aired Tuesday, used to be recorded Monday sooner than the invoice textual content used to be launched.

PHOTO: Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) gives a brief statement to reporters about the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine after a meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the Capitol, Oct. 26, 2023 in Washington, DC.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) provides a short lived commentary to newshounds concerning the mass capturing in Lewiston, Maine after a gathering with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on the Capitol, Oct. 26, 2023 in Washington, DC.

Drew Angerer/Getty Images

“My intention and my desire in the first draft of this bill is to take some of the money that has been set aside for building and bulking up the IRS right now,” he mentioned to McEnany.

“They have about $67 billion in that fund and we’ll try to take the $14.5 [billion] necessary for this immediate and urgent need,” Johnson mentioned.

When requested if offsetting the invoice will power Senate Democrats away, Johnson mentioned, “it may, but my intention is to call Leader Schumer over there and have a very direct and thoughtful conversation about this.”

“I understand their priority is to bulk up the IRS. But I think, if you put this to the American people, and they weigh the two needs, I think they’re going to say standing with Israel and protecting the innocent over there is in our national interest and is a more immediate need than IRS agents,” Johnson mentioned.

ABC News’ Sarah Beth Hensley contributed to this record.



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