House Democrats are deeply divided over Massie’s amendment on aid to Israel
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Democrats are deeply divided over legislation to cut aid to Israel, highlighting a tougher attitude toward the Jewish state as support for the Palestinian cause grows within the party.
Lawmakers voted 104-313 to reject an amendment that would have cut $3.3 billion in foreign aid to Israel for the next fiscal year in a vote that divided the House Democratic leadership, which refused to hit members in any way.
The hotly contested vote gave lawmakers their first opportunity in Congress to directly examine taxpayer-funded aid to Israel.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., joined 97 other Democrats in opposing the repeal, while the chamber’s second Democrat, Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Mass., joined 102 other Democrats in supporting the measure. Ten Democrats voted in favor.
House Minority Leader H akeem Jeffries speaks with Rep. Pete Aguilar and Rep. Katherine Clark during a news conference in Washington, DC, on Jan. 8, 2026. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
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Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., a leading critic of Israel, offered the measure as an amendment to the State Department’s appropriations bill, calling the country “the largest recipient of welfare in the United States.”
He was the only Republican to support the amendment.
Opponents say the move will damage the United States’ most important relationship in the Middle East amid the Iran war and hamper Israel’s ability to fight terrorist organizations, including Hamas and Hezbollah.
“The same terrorists and terrorist organizations that threaten Israel also directly threaten the United States and our people,” said Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., on Wednesday. “If we give Israel the tools and power to eliminate these terrorist threats … we make America and the American people safer.”
The Florida Republican also noted that much of the funding is used by Israel to buy American-made weapons, which support the US industrial base.
A significant group of Democrats agreed, offering sharp criticism of Massie’s amendment.
“This amendment will embolden the enemies of peace, those who seek the total elimination of Israel and those who seek the extermination of Jews,” said former House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., during debate on the measure.
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., speaks to members of the media outside the US Capitol in Washington, DC, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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Jeffries, who announced his opposition to Massie’s amendment in a closed session on Tuesday, said the measure was poorly written. House Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., the third-ranking House Democrat, agreed.
“As written, it is overly broad because it prohibits or reduces spending on long-term programs related to humanitarian aid, refugee resettlement, peacebuilding and the operation of the US Embassy,” Jeffries wrote in the book “Dear Partner”, adding that US policy towards Israel must change.
Clark, his deputy, and fellow Democrats have rejected his position, arguing the country’s war on Gaza — an event some lawmakers have called genocide — was necessary to end financial support for the Jewish state.
“If we hope to change Israel’s behavior, we must use our power,” said Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, on the House floor. “The American people have seen this tragedy with their own eyes. … They do not support giving Israel more weapons.”
Massie’s amendment does not include language preventing non-military aid from being cut off.
“It is very bad for our partner, for the security of our country. They should not be confused like this,” said Rep. Greg Landsman, D-Ohio, told Fox News in June.
The Ohio Democrat also accused Republicans of putting the measure down to expose divisions within his party.
Wednesday’s vote comes as a growing number of Democrats are taking a hard line against Israel, according to recent polls.
An NBC News poll released in March found that 67% of Democratic voters have more sympathy for Gaza than Israel, while only 17% say the opposite.
A marcher carries a large Israeli flag while wearing a blue Yeshiva Derech HaTorah shirt and walks up Fifth Avenue with other marchers in the Israel Day on Fifth parade in New York. (Sal Media)
Three socialists have found candidates in the New York primaries in June while most of them are against Israel.
Meanwhile, Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., who supports cutting off US aid to Israel, was pressed to support Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel during an interview with a leftist newspaper on Tuesday.
Although Khanna declined to say whether the brutal attack was justified, the questions were viewed by several Democratic analysts as reflecting growing hostility toward Israel within the party.
Given the changing mood, some Democrats are predicting that Massie’s amendment will garner significant support.
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“I wouldn’t be surprised if it was big because I don’t think this is just a matter of opinion. I don’t think this is just something left,” said Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, DN.Y., told Fox News. “I think this affects people all over the country.”
