House Votes to Block U.S. Funding to Rebuild Gaza

The House voted on Wednesday to block the U.S. from funding the reconstruction of Gaza, whose destruction was financed by the U.S. to a large degree.

The provision was introduced by Reps. Brian Mast, R-Fla.; Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y.; and Eli Crane, R-Ariz., as an amendment to the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act, the annual defense budget. While Democrats opposed the amendment, which passed by a simple voice vote, they did not request a recorded vote.

“They are absolutely at war with one of our major and best allies anywhere across the globe,” said Mast on the House floor before the vote about Gaza as a whole, not specifying Hamas. The Florida Republican, a former volunteer in the Israeli military who has repeatedly made incendiary, anti-Palestinian comments since October 7, said it is “nonsensical” to suggest rebuilding the place that’s been razed by Israeli and American bombs for eight months.

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The U.S. has sent $12.5 billion to Israel just this year, with the annual $3.8 billion supplemented by another $8.7 billion that was approved in April. Israel’s assault on Gaza has reportedly destroyed more than half the buildings in the besieged enclave, displaced some 1.7 million Palestinians, and killed more than 37,000 people.

The provision on reconstruction is just one of several Gaza-focused amendments that Republicans and moderate Democrats have introduced to the must-pass defense budget. Some of the proposals, such as the reconstruction one, are likely to face more resistance in the Senate.

“The House advancing anti-Palestinian amendments into legislation at this stage reaffirms that many in Congress do not value the lives of their Palestinian constituents,” said Mohammed Khader, a policy manager at U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights Action. “Blocking funds to rebuild Gaza while actively providing taxpayer dollars, weapons, and intelligence to destroy Gaza and Palestinian society reaffirms that lawmakers intend for the U.S. to be an active participant in Israel’s atrocities.”

A trio of Texas Republicans filed an amendment to ban Department of Defense funds being used to operate planes to transport Palestinian refugees to the United States. Democrats requested a recorded vote for this measure.

Republican lawmakers also introduced two amendments related to the Pentagon’s temporary, floating pier in Gaza, which is meant to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid but has stumbled in doing so. One provision would prohibit the use of funds to build, maintain, or repair a pier off the coast of Gaza, or to even transport aid to such a pier. In other words, the Republicans are attempting to fully shut down the project. Another amendment would ban U.S. funds from being spent on the pier or another similar structure. 

Other Republicans filed amendments combating the movement to boycott, divest, or sanction Israel for its illegal occupation of Palestine. 

Colorado Republican Lauren Boebert submitted an amendment to prohibit the Department of Defense from entering into contracts with entities engaged in a boycott of Israel. Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., submitted one to express “the sense of Congress” that the Department of Defense should not participate in a European defense exhibition if Israeli firms face restrictions on attending. The amendment was approved by voice vote. 

Among the amendments with Democratic sponsors are ones expressing support for joint military ventures between the U.S. and Israel.

Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., for his part, filed an amendment to require an assessment of the accuracy of the Gaza Ministry of Health’s death toll accounting. Over the last eight months, supporters of Israel have pointed to the fact that Hamas — as Gaza’s governing entity — controls the health ministry as a way to undermine its death count. Nonetheless, the Ministry of Health’s figures have in the past been corroborated by the United Nations, Doctors Without Borders, and even the Israeli government itself. 

Given the damage to Gaza infrastructure and killing of Gaza officials, and the thousands of people feared missing under the rubble, it’s possible the ministry’s numbers are actually an undercount.