Ariana Figueroa, Arkansas Advocate The success of the U.S. Senate in passing a $106 billion global security supplemental aid package hinges on a bipartisan agreement about U.S. border security, but any deal was at an impasse Tuesday. “There will not be a national security bill unless and until there is …
Read More »House Progressives Vow to Oppose Spending Bill With Anti-Migrant Policies
Brett Wilkins, Common Dreams The U.S. Congressional Progressive Caucus said Monday that most of its 103 members would oppose an emergency spending package for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan that empowers the Republican House majority to undermine protections for asylum-seekers, reinstate Trump-era travel bans, and implement other anti-immigrant policies. “As Congress …
Read More »Congress Is Haggling Over Border Security: Where Does It Stand?
Ariana Figueroa, Georgia Recorder As Congress negotiates the White House’s $106 billion supplemental aid request for Israel, Ukraine and U.S. border security, fights over immigration policy have tied up the request. The White House sent its proposal that includes nearly $14 billion in supplemental border security funding to Congress in late October, but it …
Read More »Democrats Split On Placing Conditions On Military Aid To Israel
Jennifer Shutt, Georgia Recorder Democrats in Congress are divided on whether to set guardrails on additional military aid to Israel as that country responds to the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attacks with airstrikes and a ground war in Gaza. It’s not yet clear what those conditions would be or how …
Read More »American Girl Held Hostage by Hamas Safely Released
President Joe Biden confirmed on Sunday that four-year-old Abigail Mor Edan, an American girl held hostage by Hamas in Gaza, is now free. President Biden shared the positive development with reporters from Nantucket, where he was spending the Thanksgiving weekend with his family. “Abigail was among 13 hostages released today …
Read More »Progressive Democrats Maintain Call for Cease-fire in Gaza Despite Recent Hostage Agreement
Progressive Democrats are holding firm in their call for an extended cease-fire in Gaza, expressing dissatisfaction with the recent hostage agreement between Israel and Hamas that is set to halt hostilities for four to five days. Despite this diplomatic breakthrough, lawmakers aligned with the progressive wing of the Democratic Party …
Read More »Israel And Hamas Agree To Temporary Cease-fire, Hostage Release Deal
Ashley Murray, Georgia Recorder Israel and Hamas have reached a deal for a short-term humanitarian ceasefire that will allow the release of some hostages and increase humanitarian aid into the besieged Gaza Strip, U.S. officials said late Tuesday. President Joe Biden praised the agreement to release 50 of the approximately …
Read More »First Jewish Member of Congress Backs Cease-Fire
Julia Conley, Common Dreams Progressives in Congress and Jewish advocates for Palestinian rights were among those applauding Thursday as U.S. Rep. Becca Balint became the first Jewish federal lawmaker—and the first representing Vermont—to support a cease-fire in Gaza. Balint (D-Vt.) reversed her earlier position, writing in the VTDigger that the …
Read More »100 US Officials Sign Memo Decrying Biden’s Backing of Israeli ‘War Crimes’ in Gaza
Brett Wilkins, Common Dreams One hundred U.S. foreign service officials have signed a “scathing” internal memo blasting President Joe Biden’s “unwillingness to de-escalate” Israel’s assault on Gaza and his failure to stop Israeli “war crimes and/or crimes against humanity” in the embattled Palestinian enclave. Axios reported Monday that the five-page …
Read More »House Pushes Through Israel-Only Aid Bill With Dim Future In Senate
Jennifer Shutt, Pennsylvania Capital-Star The U.S. House on Thursday approved a $14.3 billion spending bill to aid Israel in its war against Hamas, but the measure stands no chance of passing the Senate and has elicited a veto threat from the White House. The 14-page bill, one of the first …
Read More »Thousands Rally in D.C. Demanding Cease-Fire in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Tens of thousands of people gathered in Washington, D.C., on Saturday afternoon to join a massive demonstration protesting the ongoing Israeli military campaign against Hamas and the bombing of Gaza. They filled the streets, rallying at Freedom Plaza, and in front of the White House, calling for an immediate …
Read More »Dick Durbin Becomes First US Senator to Call for Cease-Fire in Gaza
Jake Johnson, Common Dreams Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin on Thursday became the first U.S. senator to call for a cease-fire in Gaza and Israel, joining the head of the United Nations, human rights organizations, and nearly two dozen House progressives. Durbin (D-Ill.), the number two Senate Democrat, said during a …
Read More »Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu Vow Continued Humanitarian Aid to Gaza
President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a phone call on Sunday to reaffirm their commitment to providing humanitarian assistance to Gaza. This announcement comes as a positive development following the escalating conflict between Israel and Hamas. The leaders welcomed the delivery of the first two …
Read More »White House Asks Congress For $100 Billion For Israel, Ukraine, Border
Jacob Fischler, Florida Phoenix The Biden administration asked Congress on Friday to approve nearly $106 billion in new funding for military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, Israel and other countries and to improve security on the U.S.-Mexico border. The funding request includes $92.2 billion for national security, including $61.4 billion …
Read More »Biden In Tel Aviv Pledges U.S. Support For Israel, Humanitarian Aid For Gaza
Ashley Murray, Florida Phoenix President Joe Biden assured Israel that the U.S. will replenish defense stockpiles and also announced new humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza during his historic visit Wednesday to the war-torn region where thousands have died in just a dozen days, including 31 Americans. Biden plans to …
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