WASHINGTON, D.C (SDJW) — Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), chairman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, says he plans to introduce a $66 billion omnibus foreign aid bill to provide military assistance to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan.
McCaul told CNN’s Capitol reporter Manu Raju that he believes House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) will support his measure, which he plans to introduce after March 22 when Congress is expected to resolve the issue of overal government funding.
Unlike the $95 billion proposal from the U.S. Senate, this bill does not include appropriations for humanitarian assistance.
While he did not specify how much each country would receive, at one point, in other bills, Ukraine alone was slated to receive $60 billion in military aid.
McCaul said that his bill will prohibit entry to the U.S. of undocumented immigrants until operational control of the border is achieved.
In related news:
–World Health Organization director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said WHO workers who toured hospitals in northern Gaza found “severe levels of malnutrition, children dying of starvation, serious shortages of fuel, food and medical supplies, hospital buildings destroyed.”
–Haim Katz, Israel’s Minister of Tourism, says such countries as the U.S., U.K., Australia, Germany and Ireland should reconsider their warnings to “avoid all but essential travel” to Israel. “I don’t even know why this is still in place. The tourist regions in Israel are safe.”
–Chile’s Defense Department banned Israeli aircraft manufacturers from its April 9-14 International Air and Space Fair. Companies from 40 other countries will participate. Chile recalled its ambassador from Israel in October and, along with Mexico, referred Israel to the Inteernational Criminal Court over “violence against civilians.”
–Anti-Israel demonstrators swarmed a Tesco supermarket in East London, protesting that it carries fruit from Israel as well as Sabra hummus. One protester shoutwed “Tesco is supporting genocide” and “stop killing children.” Other anti-Israel protests in Britain have included a bucket of live mice being thrown into a McDonald’s restaurant in Birmingham, and sign-carrying demonstrations at 50 branches of Barclay’s Bank throughout the country.
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Compiled from San Diego Jewish World news services