U.S. House advances security package without conditions on Israel aid

Washington ― Michigan House Democratic lawmakers pushed amendments to restrict U.S. transfers of weapons and military to Israel, but those measures were blocked from the $95 billion security package for Ukraine, Israel and other allies that the House will vote on Saturday.

U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Flint Township, had introduced an amendment with Rep. Debbie Dingell of Ann Arbor and others to block funding for the U.S. transfer of military weapons to Israel until completion of a "full investigation" into whether weapons from the United States have been used by Israel "in accordance with the laws of the United States, international law and international humanitarian law" and "have not been used to violate human rights."

"I remain gravely concerned with the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza," Kildee wrote Thursday on X, formerly Twitter.

Reps. Rashida Tlaib, D-Detroit, and Cori Bush, D-Missouri, separately put forward an amendment that would have restricted all military aid to Israel from the package until there is a "lasting cease-fire," a freeing of Israeli hostages taken Oct. 7 and "arbitrarily detained" Palestinian prisoners, and a "credible diplomatic process." Tlaib is the only Palestinian American in Congress.

Tlaib, Kildee and Dingell were among 56 House Democrats who signed onto a letter this month calling for the U.S. government to halt weapons transfers to Israel ― in part a response to the strike that killed seven humanitarian aid workers in Gaza.

The death toll in Gaza is nearing 34,000 people since the start of the war last fall, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The lawmakers pointed to reports that "hundreds" of aid trucks wait outside the Rafah border crossing due to Israel’s restrictions keeping them from entering, despite Gazans facing near-famine conditions.

The Republican-led Rules Committee permitted no amendments to the underlying Israel bill.

Tlaib and Dingell were among the Democrats voting against advancing the broader package Friday morning, though other House Democrats joined with Republicans to help clear the procedural hurdle 316-94. The rest of Michigan's delegation voted in favor with the exception of Republican Rep. Bill Huizenga of Holland, who was absent.

More:Michigan Gov. Whitmer won't weigh in on whether Israel's war in Gaza is 'genocide'

The move sets up separate votes Saturday on the foreign aid bills to provide nearly $61 billion for Ukraine, $26 billion for Israel, $8 billion to counter China in the Indo-Pacific. The package incorporated $9 billion in humanitarian aid for civilians in Gaza and other conflict zones.

"Even though it's not the perfect legislation, it's not the legislation that we worked, [that] we would write if Republicans were in charge of the House, the Senate and the White House, this is the best possible product that we can get under these circumstances, to take care of these really important obligations," Johnson told reporters after the Friday procedural vote, according to ABC News.

Some hardline conservatives in the House have threatened to boot Johnson from the speakership over the House approving more funding for Ukraine, which they are against. The effort had three supporters as of Friday: Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Paul Gosar of Arizona. 

After passage in the House, the bills would be combined into a single package and sent to the Senate. President Joe Biden has indicated he'd sign it.

A spokesman for Kildee, who is retiring after this term, said Friday he was undecided on whether he'd support the Israel bill without his amendment on conditional Israel aid.

“The world is watching what the Congress does," the White House said in a statement. "Passing this legislation would send a powerful message about the strength of American leadership at a pivotal moment.”

The Council on American-Islamic Relations in a Friday statement said if Biden signs House Republicans' unconditional aid package for the Israeli government, it could represent a "point of no return" for his administration’s relationship with the American Muslim community and others opposed to Israel's military offensive in Gaza.

mburke@detroitnews.com

The Associated Press contributed.