Jackson Purchase News

U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) issued a statement today concerning the fiscal year 2025 appropriations for State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs.

"The legislation reported favorably by the Appropriations Committee today is the product of diligent efforts by Vice Chair Collins and Ranking Member Graham to meet an increasingly dangerous world with necessary investments in American leadership and support to critical partners," McConnell stated.

He emphasized the importance of directing appropriations away from certain areas. "Just as important is our colleagues’ focus on the places SFOPS appropriations must not go. In both the national security supplemental and FY 2024 appropriations, Senate Republicans ensured that no taxpayer dollars would go to a corrupted international agency – the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) – whose staff aid and abet Iran-backed terror. More than a dozen UNRWA staff participated in the horrific attacks of October 7th, and many more have been traced to Hamas affiliations."

McConnell called for extending prohibitions on funding UNRWA in light of these issues. "In the absence of substantive reforms at UNRWA, it is clear that the prohibitions protecting American taxpayers from underwriting terrorist savagery must be extended. Unfortunately, as demonstrated by a partisan amendment today, it is also clear that a number of Senate Democrats would rather weaken what must remain a bold red line of U.S. policy."

He further noted bipartisan support for extending this prohibition: "Here are the facts: An extension of the prohibition on UNRWA funding received bipartisan support. It comports with the House’s clear position and companion bill, which cannot be said of other provisions adopted today by the Committee. And any further insistence that taxpayers fund this discredited and corrupt agency will place the rest of the Committee’s enormously important efforts to fund critical State and foreign operations in jeopardy."