WASHINGTON, (WCAX) – Vermont Senators Bernie Sanders and Peter Welch were among the minority of lawmakers Tuesday voting against an aid package that would give $95 billion to Israel, Taiwan, and Ukraine.
There were 22 Republicans who voted with nearly all Democrats to pass the package 70-29.
Sanders over the past few weeks has expressed his deep opposition to continued funding of Israel’s indiscriminate war against Palestinians. Now, Welch is also expressing similar sentiments. After voting, he took to the Senate floor to explain why he couldn’t support the bill.
“During my years in Congress I have voted for tens of billions of dollars in aid for Israel. But I cannot send more taxpayer dollars to support Prime Minister Netanyahu’s continued bombardment and the wholesale destruction of Gaza knowing that the calamity that more U.S. bombs and artillery shells will cause for countless more civilians who had nothing, nothing whatsoever to do with the atrocities that were committed by Hamas terrorists on October 7th,” Welch said.
Welch said his vote reflects the majority opinion of Vermonters who have reached out to him.