US Speaker of the House Mike Johnson condemned President Joe Biden's threat to veto the Israel Security Assistance Support Act, a bill that would bar the American government from withholding weapons shipments to Israel
"President Biden has turned his back on Israel and is now carrying water for Hamas and Iran. He has refused to enforce oil sanctions on Iran, allowed our ballistic missile sanctions there to expire, and done nothing about Iran’s dangerous nuclear buildup. The president took no decisive action when Iran was planning to attack Israel, and now that Israel is fighting for its very survival, he is withholding weapons and threatening to veto legislation that would give the Israelis what they need to adequately defend themselves," Johnson said.
"The president and his administration need to reverse course immediately to stand with Israel and against the terrorism and atrocities of Iran and its proxies," he added.
The Israel Security Assistance Support Act was introduced after Biden threatened to withhold military aid to Israel that has already been approved by Congress if Israel launches a significant military operation in Rafah, where the final four Hamas military battalions are located.
The White House stated, “The Administration strongly opposes H.R. 8369, the Israel Security Assistance Support Act, which seeks to limit the President’s discretion to ensure that the delivery of certain defense articles and services aligns with U.S. foreign policy objectives.”
According to the administration, the bill would "undermine the President’s ability to execute an effective foreign policy."