Rep. Sykes Condemns House Republican Legislation Conditioning Emergency Aid To Israel
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representative Emilia Sykes (OH-13) voted against H.R. 6126, partisan legislation that delays Congress’ ability to help Israel defend itself and fails to include funding for humanitarian assistance for the people of Gaza or Ukraine.
“At a time when our allies and innocent civilians need our help, House Republicans have chosen to condition support for Israel on providing tax breaks for billionaires instead of working in a bipartisan manner to promote peace and democracy in the region,” said Rep. Sykes. “The Majority should be ashamed they brought a bill to the floor that delays the resources Israel needs to defend themselves and doesn’t include any humanitarian assistance, all while adding more than $12 billion to the national deficit. I am committed to working with my colleagues to bolster our national security and promote democracy by passing a comprehensive funding package that helps both Israel and Ukraine defend themselves, includes humanitarian assistance to Israelis, Palestinians, and Ukrainians, and provides crucial resources to both secure the southern border and strengthen our military’s readiness. I’ll continue working with any member on either side of the aisle to improve our national security and keep people in Ohio’s 13th District safe from threats here at home and across the world.”
H.R. 6126 fails to include critical security funding requests from the Biden-Harris Administration supported by Rep. Sykes, including support for Ukraine, global humanitarian response, border security, and security across the Indo-Pacific.
Not only does H.R. 6126 take an unprecedented step of conditioning aid to Israel on spending reductions, but the Majority’s suggested cuts to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) doubles the cost of the bill. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that every $1 cut from the IRS in this partisan bill loses at least $1.87 in revenues over the next 10 years ($26.8 billion total).
Today, Rep. Sykes also signed onto two letters to Congressional Leadership urging the swift passage of the President’s request for Fiscal Year 2024 emergency supplemental funding. These requests include aid for the United States Agency for International Development’s International Disaster Assistance account to meet rising humanitarian needs around the world, including those related to the ongoing conflict in Gaza and Israel. Additionally, the request includes vital procurement resources for Israel’s Iron Dome Defense System and David’s Sling short-range ballistic missile defense capabilities.
Additionally, the Biden-Harris Administration has called on Congress to provide additional resources to advance critical domestic priorities and address urgent needs, including funding to prevent families from losing child care, continue to expand access to high-speed internet, protect American security and bolster energy independence, save lives by countering the fentanyl crisis, and provide food aid to support emergency needs abroad and farmers at home. None of these funding requests are included in H.R. 6126.
In August 2023, Rep. Sykes, as part of a group of 24 House Democrats led by Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Rep. Steny Hoyer, traveled to Israel to gain a firsthand understanding of challenges in the region, and bolster one of America’s most strategic and impactful international relationships.
Rep. Sykes’ office stands ready to assist any community members who may have loved ones abroad in Israel. Constituents can reach out at (330) 400-5350 or visit sykes.house.gov/attack-on-israel for more information.