Newly appointed Speaker Mike Johnson defended his strategy of reallocating IRS funds to provide assistance to Israel during an interview on “Fox News Sunday.” According to Johnson, Republicans are determined to be responsible stewards of taxpayers’ resources by seeking alternative methods of financing. Rather than printing new money or borrowing from other countries to fulfill our obligations and support our ally, we aim to pay for it ourselves, challenging the old ways of Washington.
Last Thursday, House Republicans passed a $14.5 billion package to offer military aid to Israel, mostly along party lines. The funds were derived from the IRS budget that had been allocated as part of the Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer previously criticized the plan as “not serious,” and President Joe Biden has threatened to veto the bill.
Johnson explained that they prioritized protecting Israel over hiring more IRS agents. Both Schumer and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell propose including the Israel aid in a larger bill that also includes funding for Ukraine, Taiwan, and the border. However, their proposal does not require diverting funds from the IRS.
While defending the House GOP’s plan to link Ukraine aid to a border plan, Johnson did not indicate whether he would agree to include Israeli aid in the same deal. He argued that it makes sense for Ukraine and the border to be connected, emphasizing the importance of securing Ukraine’s border and protecting our own border first.
