The U.S. House of Representatives rejected an amendment on Wednesday that sought to eliminate $3.3 billion in aid to Israel. The measure, introduced by Representative Thomas Massie (R-KY), failed in a 104-314 vote. While the majority of Republicans joined some Democrats to defeat the measure, the vote highlighted a division within the Democratic caucus.
Of the House Democrats, 103 voted in favor of the amendment, 98 voted against it, and 10 voted present. Representative Massie was the only Republican to vote for the legislation. The proposal was attached to the annual State Department appropriations bill and aimed to halt long-standing financial assistance to the Middle Eastern ally.
Democratic leadership provided conflicting guidance on the vote. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) urged a "no" vote, stating the amendment was "overly broad" and would hinder humanitarian aid and embassy operations. Conversely, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA) voted "yes," stating that while she did not support all aspects of the amendment, she believed a change in course was necessary regarding the current U.S.-Israel relationship.
Supporters of the amendment, such as Representative Greg Casar (D-TX), stated that the vote represented a growing movement to end taxpayer support for the Israeli military. Those opposed argued that cutting the funding would undermine regional stability and restrict the United States' ability to address threats from groups like Hamas and Hezbollah.