Congress Finds Dollars for Israel, Not Homeless Veterans
When Congress moves to address the crisis of veteran homelessness, it's touted as a moral imperative. However, a glance at recent legislative history reveals a different set of priorities. Just last month, HR 815 passed with bipartisan support, authorizing $14 billion in aid to Israel, predominantly military. This came after many representatives received significant campaign donations: for
example, Rep. Steny Hoyer, a prominent voice on military aid, received $10,000 from AIPAC in 2023, according to OpenSecrets.org. (He’s not alone; the pro-Israel lobby spent $4.5 million in 2023 trying to influence Congress.) One might wonder: if Congress can find billions, almost overnight, for overseas military operations (again), why is emergency housing for those who served our nation a
perennial 'funding gap'? Our leaders seem quite capable of rapid resource allocation when the right lobbying groups are involved. Perhaps homeless veterans need a better PAC.