https://www.cbsnews.com/news/gun-congrol-red-flag-laws-bipartisan-progress-graham-blumenthanl/
Gun grabber Lindsay Graham led a delegation of US Senators....5 Repubs and 5 Dems.... to Israel. Maryland Democrat Ben Cardin, Rhode Island Democratic Jack Reed, Alaska Republican Dan Sullivan, Richard Blumenthal, Democrat of Connecticut, Susan Collins (Maine Republican), Cory Booker (New Jersey Democrat), Katie Britt (Alabama Republican), Chris Coons, Delaware Senator, John Thune, SDakota Senator.
Israeli Leader Yair Lapid (center) asked American officials for more US
military aid while Senators pledge yet another bundle of US tax dollars to Israel.
In May 2022, Speaker Mike Johnson said, “We should not be sending tax
dollars abroad without sufficient oversight over where the money will go,
<><>when our own border is in chaos,
<><>American mothers are struggling to find baby formula,
<><>gas prices are at record highs,
<><>and American families are struggling to make ends meet.”
Backstory: Since 1973, Israel has received more than $120 billion US tax
dollars in MILITARY assistance alone, including “three special aid” packages.
<><>billions for signing the Israel-Egypt peace treaty
<><>billions for Israel’s withdrawal from the Sinai.
<><>billions for redeployment of Israeli forces
<><>rebuilding Israeli air bases in the Negev cost $5 billion.
Congressional Research Service
US Foreign aid to Israel
60 page detailed report
https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/RL/RL33222/44
The concerned Israeli lobby made sure Congress is required by law to ensure that U.S. military aid in the Middle East region doesn’t damage Israel’s military superiority over its neighbors. That requirement enjoys broad bipartisan support and has served as a benchmark for ensuring Israel receives robust U.S. support.
Biden keeps gaslighting Americans about the “need” for
American foreign aid tax dollars to Ukraine and Israel.
Here’s why they DONT need it:
About $113.1 billion in tax dollars were authorized in 2022 for Ukraine, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. Most of it–about $67.1 billion–was defense-related. The other $46 billion included:
<><>$26.9 billion for economic support;
<><>$7.9 billion for international disaster assistance;
<><>$6.6 billion in assistance for refugees;
<><>$1.5 billion for assistance for Europe, Eurasia and Central Asia;
<><>plus $3.1 billion for other non-defense spending.
US tax dollars helped Ukraine
<><>pay the salaries of 618,000 educators, 517,000 health workers, and 56,500 first responders
<><>helped sustain critical healthcare services,
<><>helped meet pension responsibilities for 9.8 million people,
<><>assisted 1.3 million internally displaced persons,
<><>provided housing assistance to 4.1 million people,
<><>provided social assistance to 240,000 low-income families
<><>helped subsidize 480,000 persons with disabilities,
<><>bought supplies for farmers,
<><>financed finding markets for small business.
Israel’s defense budget ALONE is about $25 billion per year.....nearly as large as the entire GDP of Gaza, according to the CIA World Factbook. So what passes for an economy in shambles in Gaza is less than 5% the size of Israels booming, technologically advanced, and robust $550 billion national economy.
Israel is an economic and military Goliath relative to the Gaza/Hamas terrorist Tom Thumbs. They do not need any virtue signaling from Biden but he is one of a slew of obeisant US politicians each trying to outdo the other in pledging fealty to a foreign govt.