List of Democrats Voting Against Cut to Israel Aid as Base Turns on Ally
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0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. Dozens of House Democrats voted against an amendment from Representative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, to cut annual United States military assistance to Israel on Wednesday.
The amendment to eliminate $3.3 billion in annual U.S. military assistance to Israel did not garner enough support to pass. But the vote, which split Democratic leadership and the party, with 103 in favor and 98 against, highlights divisions within the Democratic Party over Washington’s support for its longtime ally amid Israel's war in Gaza.
Public opinion among Democratic voters has moved against additional U.S. assistance to Israel. A New York Times /Siena College poll conducted in May found that 74 percent of Democrats opposed providing further military and economic aid to Israel, while just 8 percent said they strongly supported additional assistance.
A separate Quinnipiac University poll in August 2025 found that 75 percent of Democrats opposed sending more military aid to Israel, highlighting growing divisions within the party over U.S. support for Israel amid the ongoing war in Gaza.
Massie’s amendment would bar funds in the fiscal 2027 State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs appropriations bill from being used for Israel and reduce the Foreign Military Financing account by $3.3 billion. That amount represents the annual military aid Congress typically provides under the U.S.-Israel security assistance agreement.
Massie's amendment would eliminate the $3.3 billion in annual Foreign Military Financing (FMF) for Israel included in the FY2027 State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs appropriations bill. Massie, a vocal critic of America's support for Israel, introduced the amendment to H.R. 8595, the State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Appropriations Act for fiscal 2027, in late June.
The U.S. provides Israel with about $3.8 billion in military assistance annually under a 10-year agreement signed in 2016. The package includes $3.3 billion in FMF grants and $500 million for missile defense cooperation, making Israel one of the largest recipients of U.S. military aid. The U.S. has authorized billions in emergency military assistance, particularly following Hamas ' October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which killed about 1,200 people and took around 250 hostages. Israel responded with an intense military campaign in Gaza , which has killed over 73,000 Palestinians and caused mass displacement.
In April 2024, Congress passed supplemental appropriations that provided $8.7 billion to Israel.
The Kentucky Republican has long opposed foreign aid and has become one of the most outspoken Republican critics of continued U.S. military assistance abroad, as well as foreign interventions including the Iran war.
On Wednesday afternoon, 103 Democrats voted for the amendment and 98 against. Ten Democrats voted "present." Only one Republican, presumably Massie, voted for the amendment, with 215 voting against. In total, the amendment received 104 yeas and 313 nays and did not pass.
Jake Sherman, founder of Punchbowl News, reported on X that the 10 Democrats who voted "present" were: Representatives Ami Bera, Shontel Brown, Janelle Bynum, Sarah Elfreth, Jared Huffman, Betty McCollum, Kelly Morrison, Chris Pappas, Linda Sánchez and Mike Thompson.
The amendment comes nearly two months after Massie lost his Republican primary following repeated clashes with President Donald Trump over issues including U.S. involvement in foreign conflicts and the administration's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
Ahead of the Wednesday vote, some Democrats announced their opposition to the amendment, including Representative Sam Liccardo, who called the amendment "flawed and overbroad."
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a letter obtained by The New York Times that there were "more decisive ways to achieve the urgent change necessary" regarding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He also said that House Republican leaders are “trying to weaponize an amendment they do not support for nakedly partisan reasons."
However, several Democrats expressed their support for the amendment, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who said in a statement, "The United States must be a force for security and stability. The American people are rightly demanding an end to a perpetual cycle of war, and the Netanyahu government cannot maintain its current course. Therefore, while this amendment is ill-conceived, I vote yes for the message that it sends."
Representative Seth Moulton, a Massachusetts Democrat, said ahead of the vote that Israel is "acting against America's national security interests" and against "its own long-term interests as well." Therefore, continuing unconditional assistance would be condoning an unacceptable status quo.”
"Withholding these funds would not leave Israel defenseless. Israel has a nearly $50B defense budget and Congress also gave Israel an additional $9B over and above annual appropriations in 2024," Moulton added.
Another Massachusetts Democrat, House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, who voted for the measure, said ahead of the vote that America shouldn't give any country a "blank check" if they aren't complying with American laws, interests and values.
"The Netanyahu government has failed to meet that standard," Clark said.
The U.S. is a close ally of Israel, providing billions in military aid and diplomatic support for years. Public opinion in the U.S., however, has shifted since October 7, 2023.
Recent polling shows that America has become much more divided over U.S. support for Israel, which has historically had significant support.
A June AP-NORC poll found that 58 percent of Democrats said the U.S. is too supportive of Israel, up from 45 percent in January 2024, while 60 percent of…
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