US Senate Democrats block bid to aid Israel with no assistance to Ukraine

On Tuesday, November 7, 2023, U.S. Senate Democrats blocked a Republican effort to win quick approval for a bill providing emergency aid to the State of Israel, which provides no assistance for Ukraine’s war against Russia.

The relevant statement was made Reuters, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

Democrats accused House Republicans of playing politics with the crisis in Israel, delaying aid for the Jewish State by tying support to cutting funding for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

The House bill would provide $14.3 billion for Israel as it responds to Hamas’s attack, but also cut the same amount of money from the IRS.

“Our allies in Ukraine can no more afford a delay than our allies in Israel,” Senator Patty Murray, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, said.

To become law, legislation must pass the Democratic-controlled Senate as well as the Republican-majority House, and be signed into law by President Joseph Biden.

Earlier, the White House stated that Biden would veto the House bill.