Matt Gaetz insists absence of a House Speaker will not impact ability of Congress to provide aid to Israel

The US Congress is in a position to provide any aid needed to Israel despite the absence of a House Speaker, Rep. Matt Gaetz insisted after the opening vote last week to oust Kevin McCarthy.

Without Rep. McCarthy – or anyone at the helm – Gaetz says the House can still move to provide support to Israel as it strikes back against Palestinian terrorists.

Meanwhile, in the absence of a Speaker-elect of the House, Democratic Minority Leader Hakim Jeffries has been briefed on the situation in Israel and will brief all members, reports confirmed Sunday.

“Congressman, you say you stand with Israel, you’re ready to defend Israel, and yet you’re completely incapable of helping Israel because you’ve brought Congress to a standstill, to a state of paralysis, aren’t you?” NBC Meet the Press anchor Kristen Welker posed for Gaetz during an interview Sunday morning.

He assured, however, that “there is no need in Israel that we are not going to be able to meet based on the funding we have already approved for Israel.”

Florida Rep. Matt Gage said Sunday that the House Speaker’s absence will not affect Congress’ approval of aid to Israel

Hamas terrorists launched a coordinated multi-pronged surprise attack on Israel, killing over 600 and injuring thousands more – not including those still missing or held hostage in Gaza

And the reason we have this multi-billion dollar commitment every year to Israel is because we want Israel to have a qualitative military advantage over everybody in the region. They have that advantage,” he explained.

“I’m very concerned about what Hezbollah might do, what Lebanon might do there to try to create more instability,” Gaetz added, saying, “But there’s no request from Israel that we can’t meet because it’s to lead us. a few days to choose a new speaker.”

Acting Speaker Patrick McHenry has been installed but is effectively powerless when it comes to Israel, experts warn.

He also sent Congress home for a week instead of staying in session to elect a new President immediately after McCarthy’s ouster.

Now, the House will vote this week on a new speaker — and Gaetz is signaling he’s open to a floor vote for either House Majority Leader Steve Scalise or Rep. Jim Jordan if the GOP caucus vote for one of the two.

Meanwhile, 2024 presidential candidate Chris Christie has denounced the infighting in Congress for putting Israel at increased risk of cuts in US aid.

Meanwhile, the House voted last week to remove Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House, leaving vacant one of the top roles in Congress during the latest attack.

“Look, what I would do is make sure, first, that Israel has everything it needs to be able to take whatever actions it needs,” Christie told ABC News This Week host George Stephanopoulos.

“And that’s the problem that I don’t have a speaker right now, George, and — and the actions taken by some members of my party were completely irresponsible without that happening,” the former New Jersey governor added. “Now they shine an even brighter light on the irresponsibility of not having someone in place.”

“But first make sure they have everything they need.”