02.13.24

Hoeven Statement on the National Security Act

More than Half of Assistance Directly Supports Our Own National Defense

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven, a member of the Senate Defense Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement regarding funding for the national security supplemental legislation, which passed the Senate 70-29. 

“We need to stand with Israel as they defend themselves against the horrific terrorist attacks of Hamas. I believe that U.S. support for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan should be focused on military assistance. This version of the bill removed about $20 billion in non-military funding. Also, more than half of the assistance in this bill directly supports our own national defense, including for our forces deployed abroad and the replacement of older equipment transferred to our partners with up-to-date capabilities. That is important for both U.S. national security and that of our allies and partners as they fight against our shared adversaries, including Putin and Hamas, and push back against the malign activities of the Chinese Communist Party.

“At the same time, we should have been able to amend and further improve the bill in the Senate, and we support a plan to convert this assistance into a loan and to remove additional non-military funding. The House will now have the opportunity to improve the bill, and at the end of the day, I believe we need to get aid to Israel.”

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