House votes to require delivery of bombs to Israel in GOP-led rebuke of Biden policies
House votes to require delivery of bombs to Israel in GOP-led rebuke of Biden policies
House Republicans are delivering a rebuke to President Joe Biden for putting a pause on a shipment of bombs to Israel that could be used in an assault on Rafah.
The House delivered a rebuke to President Joe Biden Thursday for pausing a shipment of bombs to Israel, passing legislation that seeks to force the weapons transfer as Republicans worked to highlight Democratic divisions over the Israel-Hamas war.
Seeking to discourage Israel from its offensive on the crowded southern Gaza city of Rafah, the Biden administration this month put on hold a weapons shipment of 3,500 bombs — some as large as 2,000 pounds — that are capable of killing hundreds in populated areas. Republicans were outraged, accusing Biden of abandoning the closest U.S. ally in the Middle East.
Debate over the bill, rushed to the House floor by GOP leadership this week, showed Washington’s deeply fractured outlook on the Israel-Hamas war. The White House and Democratic leadership scrambled to rally support from a House caucus that ranges from moderates frustrated that the president would allow any daylight between the U.S. and Israel to progressives outraged that he is still sending any weapons at all.
Oh cool, they're trying to make complicity in genocide mandatory and it passed with 16 Dems voting in favor.
That's not at all a horrifying portent of what's to come no matter which out of touch authoritarian wins in November..
Which 16? Name and shame.
Matt Cartwright, Pennsylvania.
Angie Craig, Minnesota.
Henry Cuellar, Texas.
Donald G. Davis, North Carolina.
Lois Frankel, Florida
Jared F. Golden, Maine
Josh Gottheimer, New Jersey
Greg Landsman, Ohio
Jared Moskowitz, Florida
Frank Pallone, Jr., New Jersey
Mary Sattler Peltola, Alaska
Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, Washington
David Scott, Georgia
Darren Soto, Florida
Thomas R. Suozzi, New York
Ritchie Torres, New York
Article didn't say and I'm too lazy to search the Congressional Record for them right now, sorry..
Edit: changed my mind and, while I haven't found the vote yet, I found some of the debate, starting with "Mr. Bacon from Nebraska" saying "Israel" or "Israelis" 36 times, "Palestine" 0 times, and "Palestinian" 2 times (with the first one immediately followed by "terrorists") in a 5 minute statement 🤦
Another pointless bill that still has to be voted on in the Senate and if it passes there will be vetoed by Biden. The folks in the House need to watch Schoolhouse Rock...
The House and the GOP know exactly what they are doing. They passed a repeal of Obamacare something like 80 times in Obama's last few months in office and then didn't dare pass one while Trump was there.
This is political theater meant to rile up the base.
And 16 centrist Democrats voted with Republicans on the bill because, and I cannot stress this enough, centrists fucking love genocide.
Let’s be honest here, there’s a solid chance that Biden won’t veto.
It also wouldn’t have passed without some dem support; and it might pass the senate simply because they don’t want to be seen as “antisemitic” (also they don’t want to lose all that campaign funding.)
Another pointless bill that still has to be voted on in the Senate and if it passes there will be vetoed by Biden.
I'm not so sure on either count. Particularly not the senate.
Ok. So you think only one chamber needs to vote on a bill? Cause that's bonkers and completely false. Likewise, doesn't matter the bill, President gets to either sign or veto it. And then both chambers, not just one, need a super majority to overturn the veto (which is not even remotely possible with the bill in question).
Seriously, go watch some Schoolhouse Rock or something. Yikes.
Moderates are not on on the same side as Dem voters.
National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said the legislation was intended to “score political points, not help Israel.”
“President Biden will take a back seat to no one on his support for Israel and will ensure that Israel has everything it needs to defeat Hamas,” she said. “President Biden is also strongly on the record for the protection of innocent civilians. Most Americans agree on both these points, Israel has a right and obligation to protect themselves, but they must do so while avoiding civilian casualties.”
Americans are mostly for the protection of innocents, that's why we keep protesting for him to stop enabling a genocide...
It would be great if that last line were true. 64% of Republicans approve of the actions of Israel’s military in Gaza as of a March 27th poll.
https://news.gallup.com/poll/642695/majority-disapprove-israeli-action-gaza.aspx
Throughout history, the conservatives of any given culture have been the driving force behind nearly every genocide. Harming the innocent is just part of who they are at their core.
Consistently, conservatives have demonstrated a deep, irresistable need to harm the vulnerable.
Conservatism has always been a plague of death. It is long overdue for a cure.
If we could all just agree that no religious mythology is actually valuable, we'd solve that issue.
Oh now we care about abandoning close allies in the Middle East? Tell that to the Kurds.
Instructions unclear, dropping bombs on Israel.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House delivered a rebuke to President Joe Biden Thursday for pausing a shipment of bombs to Israel, passing legislation that seeks to force the weapons transfer as Republicans worked to highlight Democratic divisions over the Israel-Hamas war.
Seeking to discourage Israel from its offensive on the crowded southern Gaza city of Rafah, the Biden administration this month put on hold a weapons shipment of 3,500 bombs — some as large as 2,000 pounds — that are capable of killing hundreds in populated areas.
Hundreds of thousands of people could be at risk of death if Israel attacks Rafah, the United Nations humanitarian aid agency has warned, because so many have fled there for safety.
In a rare scene on the Capitol steps Thursday, a group of about two dozen House aides gathered just as lawmakers were entering the chamber to vote and displayed a banner that read, “Your staff demands you save Rafah.”
Among their arguments, according to an administration official with knowledge of their conversations and granted anonymity to discuss them, was that the legislation would constrain the president’s foreign policy powers, particularly his ability to adjust security aid as needed.
With the general election campaign coming into focus, the speaker has mostly turned to advancing partisan bills, including legislation on immigration, local policing and antisemitism, that are intended to force Democrats into taking difficult votes.
The original article contains 1,230 words, the summary contains 231 words. Saved 81%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!
