RJC Welcomes House Vote to Replenish Iron Dome
Washington, DC -- Today, the House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to provide $1 billion to replenish Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system. This action came two days after Democrats stripped away $1 billion dollars in funding for Israel’s critical Iron Dome from a government funding bill. The Iron Dome protects Israeli civilians from indiscriminate rocket attacks launched by Hezbollah, Hamas, Palestinian Jihad, and other terrorist groups. Ten Democrat Members of Congress and one Republican, Thomas Massie of Kentucky, voted against Iron Dome funding today. During debate on the bill, Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) attacked Israel as an "apartheid regime" that is guilty of "war crimes."
RJC Executive Director Matt Brooks said:
We are grateful to the House members who voted for this important bill, and we urge the Senate to act quickly so that legislation to replenish the Iron Dome program can be signed into law as soon as possible. It is disgraceful that eleven congressmen voted to leave Israeli civilians unprotected from terrorist rocket fire. And it is outrageous that Congresswoman Tlaib slandered the State of Israel on the House floor.
Today’s vote should not have been necessary. Unfortunately, two days ago, we saw Speaker Pelosi cave to a group of anti-Israel House Democrats so opposed to Israel’s missile defense that they were willing to shut down the government in an attempt to kill it. Many have noted how appalling it is that these extremists in the Democratic conference were so determined to kill a defensive system – one that only exists to protect innocent civilians. It’s a clear sign that this faction is growing bolder and more extreme.
By contrast, the GOP conference is united in support of a strong US-Israel alliance. The unfortunate exception, as it has been in the past, is Congressman Massie. We continue to believe that the good people of Kentucky’s Fourth District would be better served by a representative who is a mainstream pro-Israel Republican.