WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today Rep. Dean Phillips (MN-03) released the following statement on Speaker Johnson’s Israel funding bill:

“With a bipartisan deal in hand that would strengthen U.S. national security and support our Ukrainian, Israeli, and Taiwanese allies in their defense against dictators and terrorists, I’m appalled that Speaker Johnson has chosen –for the second time since October 7^th – to politicize aid to Israel, by separating it from crucial U.S. national security priorities like aid to Ukraine and Taiwan, humanitarian assistance to Palestinians, and southern border security.

I refuse to be party to such disgusting and irresponsible antics and will be voting against the GOP’s cynical charade.

While the Senate supplemental agreement is far from perfect, it has been painstakingly negotiated by senior leaders on both sides of the aisle. The compromise is strong, fair, and exactly how responsible government should operate. The American People want and deserve leaders who work together to make the hard decisions necessary to keep us safe. Instead, Speaker Johnson and the House GOP are more concerned about Donald Trump’s interests than our national interests.

Since the October 7^th terrorist attack in which Hamas, an Iranian-backed terror organization, killed 1,200 people and kidnapped more than 200 hostages, Israel has faced increasing threats to its existence from Hezbollah in Lebanon, Iranian proxies in Iraq and Syria, and the Houthis in Yemen. 

In a world at the precipice of disaster, the United States must not allow Putin to win in Europe, the People’s Republic of China to end democracy in Taiwan, and Palestinian people to be denied desperately needed humanitarian aid.

Regretfully, Speaker Johnson appears to care very little about our security, our future, and our responsibilities - and prefers placing politics above principal.

Moving forward, the United States must use every lever available to invest in peace around the world, ensure security for Israel, recognition and investment in a demilitarized Palestinian state, protection of our allies on every continent, and national security here at home.”