House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) stated there are no tensions within the Democratic caucus regarding an amendment to reduce U.S. financial support for Israel. On Wednesday, House Democrats faced a division during a vote on an amendment proposed by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) to cut $3 billion in foreign aid to Israel as part of an annual appropriations bill.
The amendment, which was part of the National Security, Department of State, and related programs appropriations bill, received support from 103 Democrats. Jeffries, who voted against the amendment along with 97 other Democrats, described it as "overly broad" in a letter to his caucus, expressing concerns that it could restrict humanitarian aid, refugee resettlement, peace-building, and U.S. embassy operations.
Despite the Democratic support, the amendment was ultimately rejected with a vote of 314-104, as 215 Republicans and 98 Democrats opposed it. The vote reignited discussions within the Democratic Party regarding U.S. support for Israel amid ongoing conflicts, a topic that has gained prominence in light of the 2024 elections.
Jeffries noted that the issue has been divisive for a long time, stating, "It’s been a divisive issue for about 4,000 years... we’ve got to meet the moment that we’re in right now, and we’ll continue to do so." Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) remarked that the Democratic support for the amendment signifies a significant shift, indicating that the party is responding to the views of the American public. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) added that U.S. aid to Israel is no longer a fringe issue within the party, emphasizing a growing consensus against the current level of support.