Constitution

Johnson would dock IRS to support Israel

Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.), Speaker of the House, released a bill to support Israel with $14.3 billion, but offset that with IRS budget cuts.

Published

6 months ago

October 31, 2023

Terry A. Hurlbut

Johnson would dock IRS to support Israel

Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.), Speaker of the House, yesterday released a bill to provide $14.5 billion in support of Israel. But the bill cancels $14.3 billion in appropriations for the Internal Revenue Service under the so-called Inflation Reduction Act. Johnson’s measure now goes to the Senate, where one pundit said the Speaker is on a “collision course.”

The Johnson bill

Speaker Johnson had already indicated support for $14.3 billion for Israel, but said he planned to offset that amount. Rather than consider it an emergency appropriation, he insisted that the government “pay for” the support through savings elsewhere. Early yesterday afternoon, he hinted at raising customs fees and a “non-Medicare mandatory sequester.”

NEW — a lot of pay fors on the table right now for $14b Israel funding bill. But two things @bresreports and I have heard is: customs fees and non-Medicare mandatory sequester.

Reiterating. A lot of options on the table. Bill should be out shortly.— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) October 30, 2023

Instead he chose to dis-appropriate $14.3 billion from the IRS, according to Reuters. Last night he explained his reasoning:

As conservatives in the House, our goal is to reduce federal spending. We will work to decrease the woke and weaponized federal government. pic.twitter.com/j5tsvLACOT— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) October 30, 2023

An incredulous and aghast Jake Sherman at Punchbowl News declared that “this offset will NEVER, EVER fly.”

NEWS w @bresreports — HOUSE REPUBLICANS' Israel aid bill is out.

It offsets $14.3 billion in Israel aid with $14.3 bllion in cuts to IRS from the Inflation Reduction Act.

This offset will NEVER, EVER fly. Dems will reject it out of hand.

Here's the bill:…— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) October 30, 2023

He also provided a copy of the bill at this link.

Sherman quoted Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) as calling it “a political mailer as policy.” Yet at the same time he said he would vote yes! In the lead post of this dialog, he explained his reasoning:

Foreign Policy and National Security being conducted as a future political mailer. “ You chose the IRS over Israel”. I am not going to take the bait. There are American Hostages. This is not a game. https://t.co/KtC2Ck99aM— Jared Moskowitz 🟧 (@JaredEMoskowitz) October 30, 2023

Damn straight. A political mailer as policy put forward by unserious people. Was this in the speakers Bible? To choose between Israel and the IRS. This is dead in the Senate. It violates Republicans single subject spending rule. It adds to the deficit. I will support Israel— Jared Moskowitz 🟧 (@JaredEMoskowitz) October 30, 2023

Sherman quote-posted him here and added this insight:

Moskowitz is the first House Dem yes i've seen so far on the GOP $14B to Israel offset with cutting IRS money from the IRA https://t.co/aF7mmBANq5— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) October 30, 2023

At 6:06 p.m. EDT, Sherman posted this article:

🌙 INSIDE JOHNSON’S ISRAEL AID PLAY

JOHNSON baffles top leadership players with offsetting Israel aid with partisan cuts. https://t.co/5M8jIYb92c— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) October 30, 2023

Jim Hoft at The Gateway Pundit collected several other X posts, including this one by DC Draino.

Hey if $14.3 billion for Israel aid is taken out of the IRS budget, I’m in favor of that https://t.co/SrEQaL2Z95— DC_Draino (@DC_Draino) October 30, 2023

Hoft also listed the IRS’ conservative targets, going back to 2013, the start of Obama’s second term. The targeting stopped only at the end of Obama’s term, with the election of Donald Trump and not Hillary Clinton.

This morning, Sherman said Johnson had just made Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) job harder.

☀️ JOHNSON JAMS MCCONNELL

– JOHNSON surprised his skeptical leadership by cutting IRA funding as part of $14.3B Israel bill. Now McConnell is in a tough spot — and Johnson will be too
– NEWS: TRUMP WORLD warns House GOP about JEFF ROE getting a foothold in JOHNSON'S orbit.…— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) October 31, 2023

MSNBC’s Morning Joe said Johnson’s maneuver would only delay the aid to Israel.

'It will just delay aid to Israel': Speaker Johnson's move on aid is dividing GOP leadership https://t.co/qzBdJvKJch –@JakeSherman— Morning Joe (@Morning_Joe) October 31, 2023

Terry A. Hurlbut

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Terry A. Hurlbut has been a student of politics, philosophy, and science for more than 35 years. He is a graduate of Yale College and has served as a physician-level laboratory administrator in a 250-bed community hospital. He also is a serious student of the Bible, is conversant in its two primary original languages, and has followed the creation-science movement closely since 1993.