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NJ.com
NJ.com
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has passed $95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars. The bill passed the Senate on an overwhelming 79-18 vote late Tuesday after the House had approved the package Saturday. Biden, who worked with congressional leaders to win support, said in a statement immediately after passage that he will sign it Wednesday and start the process of sending weapons to Ukraine, which has been struggling to hold its …
Comments on Senate passage of the omnibus $95 billion foreign aid package follow:
CHRISTIANS UNITED FOR ISRAEL –This aid package will increase Israel’s ability to defend herself and decrease the likelihood of a wider conflict in the region. We applaud Speaker Johnson for seeing this issue through and are grateful to the Members of Congress, on both sides of the aisle, whose actions in support of this legislation place them firmly on the right side of history and the Word of God,” said CUFI founder and Chairman Pastor John Hagee.
The vital Israel aid legislation, which now heads to the President’s desk, was the exclusive focus of an emergency fly-in hosted by CUFI last week, during which 250 ministry and community leaders met with their Representatives to discuss the importance of supporting Israel.
The organization also launched an Action Alert in the days leading up to the House vote which saw 65,000 individuals email Congress in support of the aid.
“Support for Israel, as she battles Iran and its proxies, is non-negotiable. The vast majority of Congress understands that 4/13 changed the world as we know it—and as such we are particularly grateful to those Members of Congress who reconsidered their position and voted in favor of this critical legislation. The bipartisanship exhibited in both chambers over the past ten days should be applauded. If Saudi Arabia and Jordan could set their differences aside to stand with the Jewish state on 4/13 then so can Republicans and Democrats,” said CUFI Action Fund Chairwoman Sandra Parker.
In addition to the Israel emergency supplemental, the 21st Century Peace Through Strength Act, included several additional CUFI priorities, chief among them the Stop Harboring Iranian Petroleum (SHIP) Act, which was one of the group’s 2023 CUFI Washington Summit legislative agenda items, as well as additional strong sanctions on the Islamic Republic and its proxies.
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SENATOR BEN CARDIN (D-MARYLAND) — Today, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued a statement following Senate passage of the national security supplemental funding package, including the Chair’s reauthorization of a key provision of the Elie Wiesel Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act, which in 2018 codified into law the prevention of atrocities as a national security interest.
The reauthorization of section 5(a) of the Elie Wiesel Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act continues the important work of institutionalizing U.S. efforts to prioritize prevention of mass violence, including requiring the federal government to provide an annual report to Congress on current U.S. efforts to prevent and respond to atrocities, recommendations to further strengthen U.S. capabilities, a global assessment of ongoing atrocities and countries at risk of atrocities, and efforts to implement previous recommendations. It also reinforces the implementation of the Biden Administration’s 2022 U.S. Strategy to Anticipate, Prevent and Respond to Atrocities led by the Atrocity Prevention Task Force.
“In a major victory for democracy and international unity, the U.S. Congress has finally passed a crucial federal funding package to help our allies in Ukraine, Israel, and across the Indo-Pacific. This critical support, however, arrived tragically late due to a relentless partisan campaign of obstructionism and misinformation, which had profound consequences for those on the front lines of conflict and those in desperate need of humanitarian aid. Fortunately, help is now on the way.
“In addition to supporting our global allies, this historic funding package also includes my reauthorization of a key provision of the Elie Wiesel Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act – legislation that has helped shape and strengthen our country’s atrocity prevention framework. Despite meaningful progress, mass atrocities persist around the world, fueled by impunity and armed conflict. Through this reauthorization, Congress has once again demonstrated a clear, bipartisan commitment to strengthening our efforts to prevent and respond to these horrors around the world. It is imperative that we apply lessons learned from our past efforts and do more to substantively invest in early prevention.
“Wiesel said ‘action is the only remedy to indifference: the most insidious danger of all,’ a stark reminder of the moral imperative to act swiftly and decisively in the face of hardship. As the sun sets on this hard-fought legislative win, let us heed Wiesel’s words and appreciate the gravity of this moment. This funding package provides not just concrete support, but also embodies our shared values and the resolve to uphold them against all odds. Let us recognize this effort as a testament to our unwavering commitment to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our allies when they need us most.”
REPUBLICAN JEWISH COALITION –RJC National Chairman Senator Norm Coleman and CEO Matt Brooks said: “The RJC celebrates the U.S. Senate resoundingly passing urgently-needed military aid for our essential allies Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan – a historic accomplishment.
“As Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell put it, ‘History will record that even as allies and partners may have worried about the depth of our resolve, even as Moscow, Beijing, and Tehran grew more convinced that our influence had run its course, and even as loud voices here at home insisted on abandoning the responsibilities of leadership, America stepped up – and the Senate held firm.’
“The bill provides $14.2 billion in military aid to Israel, including critical funds for the replenishment and expansion of vital missile defense programs. As Israel continues its self-defense in the aftermath of the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, America is upholding our responsibility as a friend and ally.
“The road to arrive at this moment was long, but let there be no doubt that America sent the message loudly and clearly: we stand strongly with our allies and partners against the brutal aggression of Iran, Russia, and China.”