Congress's priorities are clear: Israel military aid over domestic needs
Despite broad spending cuts across government programs, provisions buried in the legislation ensure that military assistance — particularly to Israel — remains untouched and even expanded. This should concern both fiscal conservatives worried about unchecked government spending and those who advocate for a more accountable foreign policy.
Among the most striking provisions in the continuing resolution is the expansion of the War Reserve Stockpile Allies – Israel. The resolution authorizes the Department of Defense to transfer an additional $1.5 billion worth of U.S. weapons to Israel from the stockpile between 2027 and 2029. This comes at a time when lawmakers are imposing austerity measures on domestic programs, raising serious questions about where Congress' priorities lie.
Additionally, it extends $9 billion in loan guarantees to Israel through 2030, ensuring continued financial backing for a country that already receives billions in military aid annually. Unlike other areas of the budget where Congress has imposed cuts or spending caps, these guarantees effectively provide a blank check for additional transfers, with little to no public scrutiny.
As Josh Paul, co-founder of A New Policy and former State Department official who resigned over U.S. arms transfers under the Biden administration, told me: 'At a time when Congress is debating massive cuts to social services here in the U.S., and when the Trump administration claims to be looking for every possible efficiency in our government, it is a disappointment, though not a surprise, to see Congress sneak through new additional financial exposure for the taxpayer when it comes to Israel.'
However, perhaps equally as troubling, is what the continuing resolution doesn't fund. While military aid remains intact, the legislation eliminates a critical oversight mechanism: the $5 million allocated to War Crimes Accountability under the State Department's Economic Support Fund. This move sends a troubling message about the U.S. government's commitment to accountability when American weapons are used in conflict.
This is not just a matter of foreign policy; it is a question of budgetary responsibility and national priorities. As lawmakers slash funding for essential domestic programs — including housing, healthcare and education — why is foreign military aid insulated from the same scrutiny?
'By extending $9 billion in loan guarantee authority for a country whose credit rating is crumbling as a result of its own bad choices — and by authorizing the transfer of a further $1.5 billion in critical Defense Department stockpiles to the War Reserve Stockpile in Israel — the continuing resolution once again demonstrates that it is one rule — austerity — for the American people, and another rule — munificence — when it comes to the defense forces of a foreign nation,' Paul added.
Congress should take immediate steps to restore accountability measures in foreign military financing and conduct a serious reassessment of the Israel war reserve stockpile's continued expansion. At the very least, foreign military aid should not be exempt from the same budgetary discipline applied to other federal programs.
As debates over budget priorities continue, the American public deserves transparency on why cuts are made to essential programs while military aid remains sacrosanct. It is time for a serious, bipartisan conversation about U.S. foreign aid priorities — and whether they truly serve the interests of the American people.
Janet Abou-Elias is co-founder of Women for Weapons Trade Transparency and a research fellow at the Center for International Policy.
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18 minutes ago
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Beyond that, many in the scientific community fear the government could pass on an opportunity to reduce carbon emissions that contribute to global warming when urgent action is needed. Electrified vehicles reduce emissions A 2022 University of Michigan study found the new electric postal vehicles could cut total greenhouse gas emissions by up to 20 million tons over the predicted, cumulative 20-year lifetime of the trucks. That's a fraction of the more than 6,000 million metric tons emitted annually in the United States, said professor Gregory A. Keoleian, co-director of the university's Center for Sustainable Systems. But he said the push toward electric vehicles is critical and needs to accelerate, given the intensifying impacts of climate change. 'We're already falling short of goals for reducing emissions,' Keoleian said. 'We've been making progress, but the actions being taken or proposed will really reverse decarbonization progress that has been made to date.' Many GOP lawmakers share President Donald Trump's criticism of the Biden-era green energy push and say the Postal Service should stick to delivering mail. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, said 'it didn't make sense for the Postal Service to invest so heavily in an all-electric force.' She said she will pursue legislation to rescind what is left of the $3 billion from the Inflation Reduction Act allocated to help cover the $10 billion cost of new postal vehicles. Ernst has called the EV initiative a 'boondoggle' and 'a textbook example of waste,' citing delays, high costs and concerns over cold-weather performance. 'You always evaluate the programs, see if they are working. But the rate at which the company that's providing those vehicles is able to produce them, they are so far behind schedule, they will never be able to fulfill that contract,' Ernst said during a recent appearance at the Iowa State Fair, referring to Wisconsin-based Oshkosh Defense. 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EVs help in modernization effort The independent, self-funded federal agency, which is paid for mostly by postage and product sales, is in the middle of a $40 billion, 10-year modernization and financial stabilization plan. The EV effort had the full backing of Democratic President Joe Biden, who pledged to move toward an all-electric federal fleet of car and trucks. The 'Deliver for America' plan calls for modernizing the ground fleet, notably the Grumman Long Life Vehicle, which dates back to 1987 and is fuel-inefficient at 9 mpg. The vehicles are well past their projected 24-year lifespan and are prone to breakdowns and even fires. 'Our mechanics are miracle workers,' said Mark Dimondstein, president of the American Postal Workers Union. 'The parts are not available. They fabricate them. They do the best they can.' The Postal Service announced in 2022 it would deploy at least 66,000 electric vehicles by 2028, including commercial off-the-shelf models, after years of deliberation and criticism it was moving too slowly to reduce emissions. By 2024, the agency was awarded a Presidential Sustainability Award for its efforts to electrify the largest fleet in the federal government. Building new postal trucks In 2021, Oshkosh Defense was awarded a contract for up to 165,000 battery electric and internal combustion engine Next Generation vehicles over 10 years. The first of the odd-looking trucks, with hoods resembling a duck's bill, began service in Georgia last year. Designed for greater package capacity, the trucks are equipped with airbags, blind-spot monitoring, collision sensors, 360-degree cameras and antilock brakes. There's also a new creature comfort: air conditioning. Douglas Lape, special assistant to the president of the National Association of Letter Carriers and a former carrier, is among numerous postal employees who have had a say in the new design. He marvels at how Oshkosh designed and built a new vehicle, transforming an old North Carolina warehouse into a factory along the way. 'I was in that building when it was nothing but shelving,' he said. 'And now, being a completely functioning plant where everything is built in-house — they press the bodies in there, they do all of the assembly — it's really amazing in my opinion.' Where things stand now The agency has so far ordered 51,500 NGDVs, including 35,000 battery-powered vehicles. To date, it has received 300 battery vehicles and 1,000 gas-powered ones. Former Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said in 2022 the agency expected to purchase chiefly zero-emissions delivery vehicles by 2026. It still needs some internal combustion engine vehicles that travel longer distances. Frum, the Postal Service spokesperson, said the planned NGDV purchases were 'carefully considered from a business perspective' and are being deployed to routes and facilities where they will save money. The agency has also received more than 8,200 of 9,250 Ford E-Transit electric vehicles it has ordered, she said. Ernst said it's fine for the Postal Service to use EVs already purchased. 'But you know what? We need to be smart about the way we are providing services through the federal government,' she said. 'And that was not a smart move.' Maxwell Woody, lead author of the University of Michigan study, made the opposite case. Postal vehicles, he said, have low average speeds and a high number of stops and starts that enable regenerative braking. Routes average under 30 miles and are known in advance, making planning easier. 'It's the perfect application for an electric vehicle,' he said, 'and it's a particularly inefficient application for an internal combustion engine vehicle.' ____ Associated Press writer Hannah Fingerhut in Des Moines, Iowa, contributed to this report.
