The White House expressed opposition to the bill, saying it would ‘undermine the president’s ability to execute an effective foreign policy.’
The House passed a bill on May 16 that would prohibit the Biden administration from withholding military assistance or services from Israel.
The Israel Security Assistance Support Act, introduced by Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Calif.), passed in a 224–187 vote, with 208 Republicans and 16 Democrats voting in favor and 184 Democrats and three Republicans voting against it.
The move comes after the Biden administration put a hold on a shipment of bombs and munitions to the Jewish state over Washington’s concerns about a full-scale Israeli operation in the Gazan city of Rafah.
The bill would require any withholding of U.S. defense assistance and services for Israel to be resumed within 15 days of enactment. Otherwise, Congress would hold back funding for the National Security Council and the offices of the Secretary of Defense and Secretary of State until those defense articles or services are delivered.
The White House and House Democrat leadership are against the bill.
“The legislation would constitute an unprecedented limitation on President Biden’s executive authority and administrative discretion to implement U.S. foreign policy,” House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) said in a message to House Democrats, urging them to vote against the bill.
The measure would require the State Department and Defense Department to allocate all funding for Israel within 30 days of the bill’s enactment.
The bill would apply to U.S. security assistance for Israel passed during and before the 2024 fiscal year, prohibiting the administration from withholding, canceling, halting, or reversing U.S. military aid or services to Israel.
It would also block the funding of the salaries of State Department and Defense Department employees who take such action.
The White House said in a statement that the bill would “undermine the president’s ability to execute an effective foreign policy.”
In a May 14 statement, the administration said that the bill would go against the president’s authority as commander-in-chief in accordance with Article II of the Constitution that also includes conducting foreign policy.
“The bill is a misguided reaction to a deliberate distortion of the administration’s approach to Israel,” the White House stated.
