House Passes Bill to Force Biden to Deliver Heavy Weapons to Israel
House lawmakers have passed a bill aimed at forcing President Biden to deliver heavy weapons to Israel without restriction. The vote was 224 to 187, with 16 Democrats joining all but three Republicans in the majority.
Speaker Mike Johnson emphasized the importance of standing with Israel, calling them the only stable democracy in the Middle East and one of the United States’ closest friends. The measure would cut off funding to agencies like the State and Defense departments unless Israel receives the weapons, putting pressure on the White House.
However, the bill is largely symbolic as Democratic leaders in the Senate have stated they will not take it up. The Biden Administration is withholding heavy weapons over concerns of civilian casualties in a planned ground operation in Rafah, but Israel argues that it is necessary to eliminate Hamas’s stronghold in Gaza.
In other news, a temporary pier has been constructed to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, with the United Nations overseeing the effort. The UN has expressed concerns about the halt in fuel imports, complicating aid delivery to over 2 million people in need.
Additionally, the House Judiciary Committee is moving forward with holding Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress for refusing to release subpoenaed audio from President Biden’s interview with special counsel Robert Hur. The White House maintains that transcripts of the interview are available and that releasing the audio is unnecessary.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to China has reaffirmed the strong alliance between Russia and China, with the White House expressing concern over China’s support for Russia in the conflict with Ukraine. Meanwhile, the Biden Administration is pushing forward with efforts to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug, moving it from Schedule 1 to Schedule 3.
Lastly, Missouri’s Attorney General is taking action against the city of Kansas City for allegedly doxxing Chiefs’ kicker Harrison Butker after he criticized President Biden’s stance on abortion during a commencement speech. The city’s social media post revealing Butker’s residence has since been taken down, and an apology issued. Attorney General Andrew Bailey plans to take action under the Missouri Human Rights Act in response.
