On Thursday, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) joined U.S. Senators Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), Mike Lee (R-Utah), and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) to introduce the Israel Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2023. This GOP legislation would ensure that funding for Israel is not exploited to send billions of more dollars in aid to Ukraine. This legislation would provide $14.3 billion to Israel, including $10.6 billion for assistance through the Department of Defense (DOD), $3.5 billion for foreign military financing, and $200 million in diplomatic funding to help protect U.S. embassies and personnel.
“I have voted against additional funding for Ukraine and will continue to do so,” said Sen. Tuberville. “The contrast with Israel could not be clearer. Israel is our Number One ally in the Middle East. Israel is killing terrorists who want us dead. I stand with Israel 100 percent, but I do not support sending another dime to Ukraine.”
The Israel Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2023 would:
· Block the Biden administration from leveraging aid to Israel for more Ukraine funding and clarify that none of the amounts made available by the bill can be used in connection with the Ukraine war.
· Funds Israel’s defense, including the Iron Dome and Iron Beam systems, and replaces weapons the DOD sends Israel.
· Authorizes the Pentagon to send Israel equipment and services already in U.S. stocks.
· Authorizes stockpiling weapons in Israel.
· Funds more protection for U.S. embassies and personnel in Israel and to help repatriate American citizens from the region.
· Strips all aid to Gaza that could be funneled to Hamas terrorists.
President Joe Biden has made aid to Israel conditional on Congress also approving his $61 billion aid package for Ukraine. Biden also wants to tie Israeli aid to a $6 billion humanitarian aid package for Hamas-controlled Gaza. The White House has said that Biden will veto a stand-alone aid package for Israel that passed out of the House of Representatives on Thursday night.
Sen. Tuberville has also cosponsored the Revoke Iranian Funding Act to freeze the $6 billion in funding the Biden administration released to Iran at the bank in Qatar, where it is currently being held. This would ensure these dollars are not used by Iran to promote terrorism against Israel or any other nation.
Tuberville has also sponsored the Emergency Resupply for IRON DOME Act of 2023, which would require the Executive Branch to transfer the U.S. foreign assistance that the U.S. Department of State plans to send to Hamas-controlled Gaza and redirect it to resupply Israel’s missile defense interceptors.
Tuberville has cosponsored the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) Accountability and Transparency Act to cut U.S. funds to the antisemitic United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).
Tuberville has sent a letter to President Biden asking him to prioritize rescuing American hostages that were taken by Hamas during its attacks on Israel and to support Israel’s efforts to wipe out Hamas.
Tuberville is calling on President Biden to enforce existing law and revoke the visas of foreign nationals who endorse or espouse activity in support of Hamas or other Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO). He also voted for the bipartisan resolution of support for Israel that passed the Senate on Thursday.
Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans Affairs, and HELP Committees.
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