Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.Photo: House of Representatives
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortezhas apologized andprovided a lengthy explanationfor her reaction to a recent vote in the U.S. House of Representatives that left her in tears.
That vote split her from other progressives in the House, including Reps. Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib.
The bill, which passed 420 to nine, green-lights $1 billion in additional funding forIsrael’s Iron Dome defense system, which shields the country from aerial attacks.
Ina subsequent post on her websiteaddressing her constituents, Ocasio-Cortez explained her reaction during the vote and why she was against the funding.
“I believe strongly that Congress should take greater scrutiny with all military funding across the world,” she wrote, arguing that “for far too long, the U.S. has handed unconditional aid to the Israeli government.”
However, she took aim at the process rather than her decision to choose “present” instead of “yes” or “no,” which indicated she was in the chamber for the vote but would take no official position for or against the bill.
“To those I have disappointed — I am deeply sorry,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote. “To those who believe this reasoning is insufficient or cowardice — I understand.”
She wrote that she was disappointed that the bill was “rushed” to a vote through a process that prevented the legislation from receiving the “usually-necessary committee debate, markup, or regular order.”
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (bottom left).House of Representatives
“In addition to opposing the substance of the Iron Dome supplemental bill, the process of bringing it to the House floor was deeply unjust,” she wrote.
“A funding leap this significant in a policy area that is already so charged and fraught for many communities, particularly our own, deserves the respect of a proper legislative process,” she wrote.
The issue of additional funding for the Israeli defense system is contentious in Congress.The New York Timesreports that some who oppose the spending labeled Israel an “apartheid state” while its proponents countered with accusations of antisemitism.
A rushed vote, Ocasio-Cortez wrote in her letter, “created a tinderbox of vitriol, disingenuous framing, deeply racist accusations and depictions, and lack of substantive discussion on this matter.”
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty
“It became clear that this vote would risk a severe devolution of the good faith community fabric that allows us to responsibly join in a struggle for human rights and dignity everywhere,” she wrote, “from Palestine to The Bronx and Queens.”
Colleagues of Ocasio-Cortez on both sides of the vote were seen huddling around her and offering hugs after she broke down in tears.
source: people.com
