During House floor debate on the Department of Defense appropriations package for 2026, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) introduced an amendment to reduce funding meant for Israeli assistance.
00:00Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the House considers the defense appropriation bill today that cost the American people $831 billion, it's important to talk about that this is the funding for our great men and women serving in our military and our nation's defense.
00:17The Department of Defense's mission statement is to deter war and ensure our nation's security, and that is worthy of the American people's hard-earned tax dollars.
00:29However, the American people are $37 trillion in debt, so this is money that is being spent that they already don't have.
00:39My amendment would strike $500 million in funding for nuclear-armed Israel's missile defense system, and it's important to phrase it that way.
00:50Israel is a nuclear-armed nation which is very capable of defending themselves, and they have been proving that so.
00:59As we've watched on the world stage, the U.S. already provides Israel with $3.8 billion annually in foreign aid, $3.8 billion. That's a lot of money.
01:11Additionally, the April 2024 Security Supplemental included $8.7 billion for Israel. That is, nuclear-armed Israel.
01:22And during the recent 12-day war, the U.S. used 15% to 20% of our terminal high-altitude area defense missiles stockpiles defending nuclear-armed Israel, which cost us over $800 million.
01:38The $500 million provided in this bill will fund Israel's, that is, nuclear-armed Israel's missile defense system, the Iron Dome, David Sling, Aerosystem.
01:50Yet Israel is a nuclear-armed nation. That's a pretty big deterrent for any of their enemies.
01:58Any nation that has a nuclear bomb has the greatest threat against their enemies.
02:05USAID typically accounts for 15% to 20% of Israel's defense budget, even though Israel, nuclear-armed Israel, has universal healthcare for their citizens and subsidized college for their citizens.
02:21They're able to provide that. However, here in America, we're $37 trillion in debt.
02:28My amendment to strike $500 million in foreign aid will ensure an America-first Department of Defense.
02:35And that is exactly what we need and we haven't had for a very long time.
02:40Mr. Speaker, I reserve.
02:42General Lady reserves. For what purposes, the gentleman from California seek recognition?
02:46I rise in opposition to the amendment.
02:48The gentleman is recognized.
02:49The gentlelady's amendment would strike $500 million in funding for the vital Israeli missile defense capability.
02:56Over the past two years, Israel repeatedly has been attacked by Iran and its terrorist proxy groups, Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis.
03:04Each time, these groups have vowed to destroy the state of Israel.
03:08The United States have affirmed our resolve to stand with Israel by helping defend against the recent missile raids launched by Iran against the Israeli civilian population.
03:18The success of Israel's robust missile defense capability is in part because these funds were provided in this bill and prior bills.
03:27Furthermore, this funding benefits our own missile defense industrial base as it provides for co-production activities and shared technology development.
03:37It's certainly to our mutual advantage.
03:39With that, I urge a no vote on the amendment and reserve the balance of my time.
03:43The gentleman reserves.
03:44Oh, I, excuse me, would yield 90 seconds to the ranking member and general lady from Minnesota.
03:50The gentleman yields the, or excuse me, the gentleman reserves, the general lady from Minnesota is recognized.
03:55Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this amendment.
03:58To be clear, I have disagreements with Prime Minister Netanyahu's government.
04:04Israel totally had the right to defend itself after the heinous attacks on October 7th, and all the hostages should come home.
04:12But the Israeli military campaign has been an absolute tragedy for the people of Palestine.
04:17The people of Gaza are in desperate need of more humanitarian relief, which I strongly support.
04:22But the funding in this bill does not support offensive weapons for Israel.
04:27That's funding in a separate appropriations bill.
04:30This bill provides for defensive measures only, like Iron Dome, which I support.
04:36Safety is what everyone in the region deserves.
04:39Israeli children deserve to go to bed at night knowing that missiles from Yemen, Iran, or from the Houthis, or anywhere else in the region will not rain down on them.
04:48And Palestinian children deserve to go to bed at night knowing that their schools, their hospitals, and their homes will not be bombed.
04:55And that's what we all need to work towards, peace.
04:58I urge the defeat of this amendment, and I yield back.
05:01The gentleman from Georgia is recognized.
05:04Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
05:07Israel is a nuclear-armed nation, and they're less than $400 billion in debt.
05:13They are quite a thriving and successful nation.
05:17Their economy is strong.
05:19They're doing a great job for their people.
05:22However, the United States, the American citizens, are $37 trillion in debt.
05:27Yet we're continuing to send hundreds of billions of dollars in foreign aid constantly to foreign countries.
05:34This has to end at some point.
05:36Our problems here at home for Americans and the American taxpayers that are paying for all of this have gotten too large.
05:44And I also want to point out that Israel bombed a Catholic church in Gaza.
05:50And that the entire population is being wiped out as they continue their aggressive war in Gaza.
05:58Now, we are heartfelt about the October 7th tragedy, that when people were killed, innocent people were killed.
06:05However, at some point, the United States needs to recognize that Israel is a strong country.
06:11They are nuclear-armed, and they are capable of defeating their own enemies.
06:17It's right to stop funding this as we give them $3.8 billion every single year anyways.
06:23Mr. Speaker, I ask for support for my amendment, and I yield the remainder of my time.
06:29The gentleman yields back.
06:30The gentleman from California is recognized.
06:33I yield 60 seconds to the gentleman from Florida.
06:35The gentleman from Florida is recognized.
06:37Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
06:38I rise in opposition to this America Last Amendment and reject the premise of the arguments that are being made.
06:44There are 600,000 Americans who live in Israel.
06:48And one rocket has been fired against every 23 of them.
06:5226,000 rockets since October 7th.
06:5643 Americans killed on October 7th, 12, taken hostage.
07:00But more importantly, the research that this fund is the premise behind the Golden Dome.
07:06When we support research and development for the Iron Dome, we are creating the capability for the United States to defend itself as well.
07:14And I have news.
07:15We have a nuclear weapon too.
07:18That doesn't get you off the hook with those who are out to get you.
07:22When we oppose this amendment, when we vote it down, we are not only standing with Israel,
07:27we are standing with the best interests of the United States.
07:30Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
07:32Chairman Yields?
07:33Yield back to balance of my time.
07:34Chairman Yields back to balance of his time.
07:36The question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Georgia.
07:42Those in favor say aye.
07:44Aye.
07:45Those opposed say no.
07:46No.
07:47In the opinion of the chair, the no's have no.
