Washington, D.C. – Representative Scott Peters (CA-50) released the following statement after voting against Speaker Johnson’s politicized Israel aid bill:

I am a staunch supporter of Israel’s right to defend itself and ensure the return of hostages. This bill accomplishes neither of those because it is going nowhere. It has no chance of becoming law and Republican leadership knows this but chose to play politics with Israel’s future, which is shameful. Republicans are using this bill as a cudgel to undercut more comprehensive legislation that funds Israeli defenses, desperately needed humanitarian aid for Palestinian civilians, critical military assistance for Ukraine’s defense, and makes fixes at our border.

Bipartisan negotiations in the Senate have produced a comprehensive national security and border policy bill — as demanded by House Republicans — that deserves further consideration. Now, Republican leadership is bowing to Donald Trump and killing the deal because they would rather promote divisive campaign rhetoric about our border challenges than enact a solution. The Senate bill would significantly improve the situation on our southern border and includes two of my priorities — the Aghan Adjustment Act and the Temporary Family Visitation Act I authored.  A bipartisan national security and border bill also presents San Diego with the best opportunity to add funding for our cross-border wastewater pollution crisis, which poses serious health risks for Border Patrol agents in the region and troops that train in San Diego’s waters. We cannot leave all of these issues by the wayside.

I refuse to provide Republicans cover by voting for a bill that will never become law and does not address the grave conditions on the ground for civilians. I remember when politics stopped at the water’s edge and we pursued our foreign policy in a bipartisan fashion. We must return to that sort of bipartisanship and Congress must consider the commonsense Senate compromise

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