The House approved an aid package to Israel that depends on defunding the IRS

The House of Representatives approved the $14.3 billion aid package for Israel on Thursday. The bill raised controversy among Democrats since it would take away money from the Internal Revenue Service ( IRS ) and did not include money for Ukraine. Fierce opposition is expected in the Senate, controlled by the Democratic Party and Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who has already advanced his position on the matter.

12 Democrats joined almost all Republicans in approving the Israel aid package promoted by the leadership of the new Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson (R-LA). The congressman ruled out that the cuts to the IRS have been a political move and assured his objective is "to return to the principle of fiscal responsibility."

"If Democrats in the Senate or the House - or anyone else, anywhere else - want to argue that hiring more IRS agents is more important than standing with Israel in this moment, I'm ready to have that debate. But I did not attach that for political purposes," he added.

Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) were the only Republicans to vote against the bill, maintaining their line with little affection for North American aid to other countries.

Regarding the shipment to Ukraine, Johnson announced that he will seek to approve it once the Israel chapter in Congress ends. He announced that it will be linked to policy changes that tighten restrictions on the southern border.

What's inside the aid package for Israel?

The initiative includes one point in particular that Democrats will not like very much, and that is the millions subject to be cut from the IRS, particularly the funds included in the Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law in 2022 by President Joe Biden.

At the same time, the aid package does not comply with the White House's intentions to combine money for Ukraine and Israel in the same legislation, complicating the matter for Democratic support in either chamber.

Among other things, the legislation includes $4 billion for the Iron Dome and David's Sling defense systems while adding another $1.2 billion for the development of the Iron Beam system. The House Rules Committee will begin discussing the text on Wednesday.