Minnesota’s congressional delegation was split in Wednesday’s vote on an amendment to end all military aid to Israel.
Five members of Congress – Democrat Angie Craig and Republicans Tom Emmer, Brad Finstad, Michelle Fischbach and Pete Stauber all voted against the bill; Democrat Ilhan Omar voted for it, while the other two Democratic members – Kelly Morrison and Betty McCollum – voted “present.”
The amendment, put forward by Kentucky’s isolationist Rep. Thomas Massie, failed 104 voting in favor, 314 against, and 10 present.
The vote showed a growing split within the Democratic Party. Massie was the only Republican who voted for the amendment, with 100 Democrats voting for the proposed amendment, including former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries was among the no votes.
The amendment was tacked onto a 2027 State Department funding and national security bill. If passed, the amendment would have cut off the $3.3 billion in aid sent to Israel.
McCollum, a long-time critic of the Netanyahu government, said she had “serious concerns” about how broadly the amendment was written.
“As drafted, other foreign assistance—including vital assistance to Palestinians—could be cut off as well,” she said in a statement. For many of my colleagues in the majority, this amendment is just another way for them to carry out President Trump’s isolationist agenda to limit and, in some cases completely cease, US foreign assistance.”
Morrison did not respond to a request for comment.
Steve Hunegs, the executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas, said in a statement that Massie’s amendment was an “indiscriminate funding prohibition” of an American partner that continues to face threats from Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah. The amendment’s language also went beyond military financing.
“It placed Israel-specific humanitarian, scholarship and development programs in jeopardy and created serious risks for joint Israeli-Palestinian peacebuilding and American diplomatic activities,” the statement said. “For example, the Massie amendment could have eliminated $37.5 million for the Nita M. Lowey Middle East Partnership for Peace Act, along with funding for U.S.-Israel Development Cooperation and the Israeli Arab Scholarship Program.
“Any amendment so poorly drafted that it jeopardizes peacebuilding while purporting to advance peace should be rejected.”
“We are deeply disappointed that so many Members chose this vote as the vehicle for expressing their disagreement with the policies of the current Israeli government. Legitimate policy differences deserve serious debate. Instead, this vote reflected how distorted the conversation around Israel and the U.S.-Israel relationship has become in our political discourse,” said the AJC in a statement.
Democratic lawmakers have been facing increased pressure to cut off funding for Israel by the left wing of the party, and members of the Republican party have faced similar demands from the far right of the party.
Israel funding became a flashpoint issue after Oct. 7th and the ensuing Israel-Hamas war. This past spring, many progressive candidates won their primaries, basing their campaigns on the topic, with many aiming their ire at AIPAC.
Pelosi said in a statement, “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.”
Critics of the most recent amendment pointed out that it would have also targeted coexistence programs for Israelis and Palestinians. Israel funding is shaping up to be a critical issue for the midterms and likely the upcoming 2028 Presidential election.
“We have no doubt that similar votes will occur again,” said the AJC. “When they do, we urge Members to focus on policies that strengthen America’s interests, support those seeking a more peaceful future, and advance solutions rather than symbolism.”
Why should we be sending ANY funds to a government openly and proudly committing genocide? Why should we send ANY funds to a government that attacks other countries with the same disregard for international law? Why should we worry about cutting funds for “humanitarian” programs – Israel is not a 3rd world country. Anyone who did not vote FOR this bill is a coward, owned by AIPAC and Israel, and doesn’t deserve to serve in OUR government.