Key facts
- Over 100 House Democrats voted to cut off military aid to Israel.
- The amendment, proposed by Republican Thomas Massie, sought to halt $3.3 billion in planned aid.
- The amendment was defeated by a 104-314 vote in the House of Representatives.
- The vote highlighted a significant division within the Democratic party regarding US policy toward Israel.
- House Democratic leadership, including Hakeem Jeffries, opposed the amendment.
- Some Democrats, like Katherine Clark and Nancy Pelosi, supported the amendment, citing concerns about unconditional aid.
The U.S. House of Representatives voted to defeat an amendment that would have cut off military aid to Israel, a measure that garnered significant support from within the Democratic caucus. The vote, 314-104, highlighted a deep division within the party regarding U.S. policy toward Israel, particularly in light of the conflict in Gaza and accusations of genocide against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government.
Representative Thomas Massie, a Republican, sponsored the amendment, which sought to block $3.3 billion in annual security assistance to Israel. While the amendment was largely symbolic and faced a likely veto from President Donald Trump, the substantial Democratic support signals a shift in sentiment within the party. Nearly half of the 212-strong Democratic caucus, 103 members, supported the measure.
House Democratic leadership, including Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar, opposed the amendment, with Jeffries calling it "overly broad." However, some Democrats, such as House Democratic whip Katherine Clark and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, supported the measure. Clark stated that military aid should not be unconditional and that the Netanyahu government has not met U.S. standards, while Pelosi voted yes to send a message about the current course of action.
Robert Garcia, the Democratic ranking member on the oversight committee, and Greg Casar, chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, also voiced their support for the amendment. The vote occurred amid signs that primary voters are increasingly favoring candidates who take a hard line on Israel and reject support from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac).