CULTURE CHANGE IN WASHINGTON: Chairman Arrington Statement on Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act
Today, House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington (R-TX) issued the following statement ahead of the vote on The Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, which provides $14.3 billion in emergency supplemental funding to Israel:
“We must restore a culture of fiscal responsibility in Washington, which includes paying for all new spending with real offsets; and after $11 trillion in unbridled spending and a 40 percent increase in the size of the federal government over the last few years, we have a growing list of waste and unnecessary spending from which to choose.
Republicans are choosing to prioritize supporting our ally Israel over only a portion of Democrats’ 87,000 new IRS agents as a responsible offset. This will reduce the burden on middle- and lower-income families who will bear 70 percent of the hundreds of thousands of new IRS audits as well as limit the Biden Administration’s continued abuse of power.
We don’t need to shake down taxpayers to reduce our unsustainable deficits, we need to rein-in the woke and weaponized bureaucracy.”
BACKGROUND
The resolution, which was released earlier this week, offsets the $14.3 billion by rescinding those funds from the Inflation Reduction Act passed last year, specifically targeting some of the $80 billion used to supercharge the IRS with 87,000 new agents. The resolution delivers on Speaker Mike Johnson’s commitment to offsetting any new spending.
On October 7th, Hamas terrorists launched an unprovoked terrorist attack against Israel. The conflict has resulted in thousands injured or killed, and hundreds of American citizens are still trapped in Gaza by Hamas.
The supplemental background includes:
Military and Security Assistance
- $4 billion to replenish Iron Dome and David’s Sling missile defense
systems. - $1.2 billion for the Iron Beam defense system to counter short-range
rockets and mortar threats. - $3.5 billion for the procurement of advanced weapons systems, defense
articles, and defense services through the Foreign Military Financing Program. - $1 billion to enhance production and development of artillery and critical
munitions. - $4.4 billion to replenish defense articles and defense services provided to
Israel.
U.S. Personnel and Citizen Support
- Provides $200 million for the protection of U.S. personnel and evacuations of U.S. citizens:
- $150 million for enhanced embassy security and protection for U.S. personnel.
- $50 million for emergency evacuations of American citizens.
