Sen. J.D. Vance and Rep. Kevin Hern are urging Speaker Mike Johnson to introduce a new Israel aid bill devoid of attached IRS cuts. While applauding Johnson’s resistance to a House floor vote on the yet-to-be-revealed Senate border deal, Vance and Hern present this move as a potential exit strategy for conservatives in both chambers.
They seek to avoid engaging with Ukraine aid or the bipartisan immigration agreement, which senators hope will break the deadlock on President Joe Biden’s stalled foreign aid plan.
Vance (R-Ohio) and Hern (R-Okla.) seem to recognize that the House-passed Israel aid bill, linking funding with IRS cuts that reduce overall revenue, faces challenges in the Democratic-controlled Senate.
US House approves military aid package to Israel (Credits: The Times of Israel)
The lawmakers emphasize the need to address issues that unite Republicans rather than divide them. They contend that the border negotiation tied to Ukraine aid has been a policy failure and call for a shift in focus to unite the party.
In their statement, shared with POLITICO, Vance and Hern commend Speaker Johnson for resisting what they perceive as a flawed border deal. They urge him to swiftly introduce a clean, un-offset Israel aid bill on the House floor. The objective is to put an end to what they characterize as political games played by House and Senate Democrats concerning Israel.
This call for a separate Israel aid bill without IRS cuts reflects a strategic move by conservatives to navigate contentious issues while presenting a united front within the Republican Party.
It underscores their dissatisfaction with the ongoing negotiations tied to Ukraine aid and immigration and seeks to redirect attention to an area where they believe the party can find common ground.
