As controversy continues to burn in the United States over the radicalized minority of Americans supporting Hamas and Palestine in the war against Israel and threats by President Biden to halt arms shipments to the U.S. ally if Israel invades the city of Rafah, 3rd District Kansas congresswoman Sharice Davids again cast her lot last week with those diminishing support to the Jewish State.
Davids and 183 other Democrats with three rogue Republicans voted against H.R. 8369, which would have outlawed federal funds being used to halt aid to Israel and would withhold payroll from any federal official taking part in such action. Republicans voted in majority support with 184 in favor joined by 16 Democrats. Nineteen House members did not vote on the measure.
Davids’ office in Washington did not respond to requests for comment regarding her vote.
The bill specified that no federal funds may be used to withhold, halt, reverse, or cancel the delivery of defense articles or defense services to Israel, and no funds may be used to pay the salary of any Department of Defense (DOD) or Department of State employee who acts to limit defense deliveries to Israel.
It also required DOD and the State Department to ensure prompt delivery of all defense articles and services expected to be delivered to Israel in FY2024 and FY2025. Unobligated funds for operation and maintenance for the Office of the Secretary of Defense, diplomatic programs for the Office of the Secretary of State, and the National Security Council may not be spent until each office certifies to Congress that any withheld defense articles or services are delivered to Israel. DOD and the State Department must obligate any remaining funds for assistance to Israel. It also required DOD and the State Department to periodically report to Congress on defense articles and services provided to Israel.
Davids’ vote was the latest among numerous moves since the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack that slaughtered 1,200 Israeli civilians near the Gaza border and took additional hostages which were spirited away to Gaza. Those votes and denials of support for Israel put her on opposite sides of both the rest of the Republican Kansas congressional delegation and public opinion in the nation as a whole, which broadly supports Israel despite high-profile, pro-Hamas protests on college campuses calling for a halt to Israel’s counter attack.
The sole Democrat among the Kansas delegation in Washington, Davids voted against the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations bill to provide $14.3 billion for Israel’s defense against Hamas. She voted against freezing Iranian assets as the terror state continues its support of Hamas and Hezbollah and conducted a failed drone attack against Israel. She voted against reducing the IRS budget to create cash to assist Israel, and voted against a blanket congressional condemnation of all anti-semtisism in the U.S.
Dane Hicks is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism and the United States Marine Corps Officer Candidate School at Quantico, VA. He is the author of novels "The Skinning Tree" and "A Whisper For Help." As publisher of the Anderson County Review in Garnett, KS., he is a recipient of the Kansas Press Association's Boyd Community Service Award as well as more than 60 awards for excellence in news, editorial and photography.
