RELEASE: Rep. Cloud Expresses Support for Israel, Aid Package with Offsets

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Following attacks on our ally Israel this past weekend, Rep. Cloud again expressed his support for the Israeli people and Jewish community at home in the U.S. On Saturday, it was reported that Iran had fired hundreds of missiles and drones toward Israel, though fortunately, the vast majority were intercepted by Israeli Defense Forces.

This week, House leadership has indicated it will consider another aid package for Israel given the urgency after the attack. Rep. Cloud has previously supported aid for Israel and voted for the bipartisan H.R. 6126, the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, which included full offsets of government spending. Cloud has joined his conservative colleagues in the House Freedom Caucus in pressing House Leadership not to use the emergency situation Israel as a means of jamming through more unrelated aid on Ukraine, particularly without action on serious southern border security first.

Rep. Cloud released the following statement:

“My heart is heavy for the ongoing turmoil in the Middle East and I want to reiterate my prayers for peace. Israel has the right to defend itself and its people, and even though varying degrees of conflict in the Middle East have covered generations, since Hamas’ brutal and unprovoked attack on October 7, Israel has been in a unique danger coming from all sides. Sadly, this reached a boiling point on Saturday when Iran launched a direct attack using missiles and drones — especially unprecedented after years of waging war on the Israeli people through proxies. This cannot stand.

Unfortunately, President Biden has continued to show a disturbing lack of leadership on this issue — not only choosing to isolate Israel with blame at a time when they are under attack, but also choosing to leverage the war in Israel as a means of spending more taxpayer funds in Ukraine. This would be unacceptable. As House conservatives have said, the Senate and President Biden should immediately take up and support the Israel aid package already passed by the House, with offsets, showing support for our ally at a critical juncture with no more burden to the taxpayer. Don’t play Ukrainian politics with Israel aid.” 

To see the latest Freedom Caucus statement referenced earlier, click HERE.

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