2023-10-26 09:32:47
After electing a new leader, the US House of Representatives passed a resolution supporting Israel in its war once morest the radical Islamic group Hamas. The text, entitled “Support Israel in its defense once morest the barbaric war of Hamas and other terrorists,” was approved on Wednesday (local time) with 412 votes in favor to 10 once morest. The Chamber of Congress had previously elected Republican Mike Johnson as its speaker.
“We all know the world is in turmoil – but a strong America is good for the whole world,” said the newly elected Johnson to MPs. The USA is “a beacon of freedom”.
US President Joe Biden congratulated the 51-year-old on his election and assured him of his willingness to work together. At the same time, Biden called on Congress to quickly approve the new aid he had requested for Israel and Ukraine amounting to more than 75 billion dollars (around 71 billion euros). The president also warned that a budget freeze looming in mid-November must be prevented.
The election of the new chairman was preceded by chaotic trench warfare among the Republicans, which completely paralyzed the House of Representatives for around three weeks in the midst of major international crises. The previous Republican chairman Kevin McCarthy was overthrown as the first “speaker” in US history on October 3rd by a revolt by right-wing hardliners in his own ranks.
In the following weeks, due to internal infighting among the Republicans, the three candidates nominated by the group, Steve Scalise, Jim Jordan and Tom Emmer, failed one following the other. Since the House of Representatives cannot pass laws without a chairman, the Chamber of Congress was unable to act during this time.
McCarthy’s successor, Johnson, has little public profile and little political leadership experience. The opponent of abortion and gay marriage has been in the congressional chamber since 2017. After former President Donald Trump lost the presidential election at the end of 2020, he was one of the MPs who tried to take legal action once morest the outcome of the election. Even following the storming of the Capitol by radical Trump supporters on January 6, 2021, he and many party colleagues voted once morest recognizing Biden’s election victory.
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