House Passes Resolution In Support Of Israel, 15 Democrats Oppose

Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie Was The Lone House Republican To Oppose The Resolution

By Christopher Bertman  |  October 26, 2023

Under the leadership of newly elected Speaker Mike Johnson, the House passed a resolution in support of Israel following an attack by Islamic militant group Hamas on the Jewish state earlier this month.

The resolution passed with overwhelming 412 members of Congress. Ten members opposed the resolution and 6 members voted present. Five members did not vote on the resolution.

Texas Rep. Michael McCaul originally introduced the resolution titled, “Standing with Israel as it defends itself against the barbaric war launched by Hamas and other terrorists.”

“The House just passed my bipartisan resolution condemning Hamas and its sponsors for their atrocities against humanity,” McCaul wrote in an X post after the resolution’s passage. “With the most cosponsors of any resolution ever, this measure sends a clear message across the globe: The U.S. stands with Israel.”

McCaul’s resolution reaffirms Israel’s “right to self-defense,” seeks international condemnation of Hamas’ attack on the Jewish state, which killed over 1,400, along with calling for a ceasefire from the Islamic militant group.

The resolution also calls for Hamas to release hostages and condemns Iran while urging “full enforcement” of U.S. sanctions against the country for their support of Hamas. The resolution declares the United States’ ability to “assist Israel with emergency resupply and other security, diplomatic, and intelligence support.”

Florida Rep. Byron Donalds took aim at 15 House Democrats who did not support the resolution.

“This should have been a no-brainer for members,” he wrote in an X post.

Upon Johnson’s Wednesday swearing in ceremony, the newly elected House Speaker said support for “our dear friend” Israel was “overdue.”

Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie was the lone House Republican to oppose the resolution.

“I condemn the barbaric attack on Israel and I affirm Israel’s right to defend itself,” Massie wrote in an X post that detailed his reasoning.

“It calls for sanctions on a sovereign country,” he continued. “Sanctions are a prelude to war and hurt the citizens of the country more than the government of the country that’s being sanctioned.”

Massie said sanctions “create laws that will be used to prosecute American citizens” engaging in trade rather than citizens of the sanctioned country.

“In short, sanctions do not achieve their stated purposes but do breed resentment of our country abroad,” he added.

Massie also said the resolution “asserts the necessity of foreign aid commitments,” which the Kentucky representative has largely opposed.

“Our country is going bankrupt and we can’t afford to borrow money to send overseas, yet this resolution states that we should,” he wrote.

The Kentucky representative also said the resolution contains an “open-ended promise of military support” that could lead to U.S. soldiers on the ground in Israel. “U.S. troops should not be engaged in this conflict,” Massie continued.

“It tends to broaden the conflict to other countries when it would be better to keep the war contained geographically,” he concluded.

Johnson secured his Speakership on Wednesday with a unanimous 220 votes from House Republicans.

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