Timeline for House Republican bills on Israel, Ukraine unclear as urgency grows ahead of Passover

• Published date: 16 April 2024
• Author: HANNAH SARISOHN
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) opened the House Republican leadership's Tuesday morning press conference outlining the party's points of contention with Biden's handling of Russia, Iran, China and Afghanistan

"Under Joe Biden, the world is less safe. Since stepping into the Oval Office, Joe Biden's weak foreign policy has been defined by a steady stream of disastrous decisions and a world in chaos as a result," Stefanik said. "His desperate policy of appeasement has left our nation and our allies vulnerable to attack."

Stefanik said America's enemies do not fear recourse because of Joe Biden, and the US needs to return to former President Donald Trump's "peace through strength" policies, which House Republicans proudly support.

"The world is on fire," House Committee on Foreign Affairs Chairman Rep. Mike McCaul (R-TX) said. "And history will judge us by our actions. Are we Chamberlain, or are we Churchill?"

"The world is on fire"

Biden's global chaos started with Afghanistan, McCaul said, which projected weakness and invited aggression from Russia and China.

"And now, the Ayatollah has raised his ugly head with his proxies - his tentacles - and for the first time in history, an unprecedented Iranian strike from Iran and Iraq on Israel soil. How did we get here? By projecting, weakness not strength." McCaul said.

McCaul added, "We need to go back to the maximum pressure campaign. We need to re-designate the Houthi rebels as a foreign terrorist organization. For God's sake, I don't understand this accommodation and appeasement to the Ayatollah in the hopes of some Iran deal."

McCaul said House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has a plan to address Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan with a fourth legislative package involving a loan program for direct government payments.

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) echoed his colleagues, saying Iran's attack against Israel was a result of Biden's "disturbing pattern of appeasement on the world stage."

"In February 2021, Joe Biden reversed a Trump-era move that imposed permanent sanctions on Iran's drone and missile programs. In September of 2023, Biden waived sanctions to give Iran another $6 billion ransom payment. In November of 2023, Joe Biden handed another $10 billion to...