Senator Murray Q&A with Secretaries Blinken and Austin at Hearing on National Security Supplemental Request

Press Release

"We have a lot of urgent challenges getting aid to Israel as soon as possible, continuing our support for Ukraine, and addressing urgent humanitarian needs globally.

Some of my colleagues in the House, and a few in the Senate, are pushing to provide only the emergency military funding for Israel--and not the rest of the President's request in this security supplemental.

Secretary Blinken and Secretary Austin, I'd like each of you to address this question: why is it so important that we provide supplemental funding for Ukraine, the Indo-Pacific, and humanitarian assistance in addition to military aid to Israel?

Secretary Blinken, I'll begin with you.

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Secretary Austin?

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Thank you, and if my committee members will indulge me, I just want to ask Secretary Blinken, on the $10 billion dollars in humanitarian assistance, some of my colleagues have raised concern that that could end up in the wrong hands, including Hamas.

Can you just walk the committee through the reason why you requested it, and how you are confident that if aid is provided in places like Gaza, it will not end up in the hands of terrorists?

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Thank you."

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