Opinion - Congress's priorities are clear: Israel military aid over domestic needs

Yahoo

21-03-2025

In the recently passed continuing resolution, Congress once again demonstrated a willingness to prioritize military aid over critical 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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