Congresswoman Gwen Moore Votes No on House GOP’s Extreme Israel-Only Supplemental Funding

“Once again, House Republicans are advancing an unserious proposal in response to the President’s request to supply our allies with the emergency defense funding and provide crucial humanitarian assistance to civilians, including to those in Gaza.

Sadly, House Republicans rejected the opportunity to work with Democrats. Different Speaker, but the same sad games by House Republicans. Advancing a partisan bill that rejects humanitarian aid and assistance to Ukraine, while undermining efforts to ensure all Americans pay their fair share of taxes is a nonstarter.

Since Democrats passed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), Republicans have been itching at the chance to claw back these funds to help wealthy tax cheats keep cheating. With this bill, Republican sabotage of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) continues, and their real indifference for decreasing the deficit is laid bare. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the House GOP proposal will raise the deficit by more than $12 billion. Not only does this legislation raises the deficit starving the IRS of funding it desperately needs to crack down on tax cheats and illicit organizations, like those funding Hamas. The IRS funding supports important enforcement activities that can only happen when it’s properly funded. For example, a recent IRS initiative targeting tax evasion by wealthy individuals using IRA funding allowed IRS to collect $160 million in unpaid taxes. That funding has also helped improve customer service so that calls and emails from my constituents are answered and they receive the help they need.

This extreme bill also fails to help meet important humanitarian needs in Israel, Gaza, Ukraine, and elsewhere. The President requested nearly $10 billion in such aid. House Republicans would provide nothing. And I cannot stress the urgency of addressing the humanitarian needs, identified by the President in both Israel, Gaza, Ukraine, and elsewhere around this globe. I have joined colleagues in pushing for more humanitarian aid in Gaza and the trickle that is getting in now, is clearly not enough. Civilians in Gaza, including many innocent children, need clean water and food and the House GOP bill would deny them vital U.S. assistance.

My message to House Republicans is go back to the drawing board.

I also have a message for the Administration.

Israel has a right to defend itself after the terrorist attacks by Hamas, but it also has the responsibility to protect innocent civilians in accordance with international law. That must include working to restore a supply of basic needs, including food, water, medicines, to the civilians trapped in Gaza.

I fear an escalation of this conflict, including into the wider region, and what it will mean for Palestinians and Israelis. We have seen thousands of deaths so far of innocents.

My message to the Administration is to do much more diplomatically to find a durable and sustainable end to the violence and a path to peace that benefits Israelis and Palestinians, including securing the safe and immediate release of those taken hostage.

The President has now suggested a “humanitarian pause” put that must be backed up by actual efforts to achieve that goal even as Congress continues to consider his emergency requests for Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine.”

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.