Stanton Statement on State Department Funding Vote and Massie Amendment

WASHINGTON DC – Today, U.S. Representative Greg Stanton (D-Ariz) issued the following statement: "I will always vote in America's best interests. That's why I voted no on the FY 2026 State Department funding bill. I also voted no on Congressman Massie's amendment to it. As a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, I know how important it is for the United States to play a leading role in the world. It’s why I opposed Donald Trump’s gutting of USAID and his efforts to weaken NATO. I simply cannot support a Republican bill that slashes State Department funding even further, a 20 percent cut from two years ago. This bill weakens our national security, hacks away at humanitarian aid programs, and guts the diplomatic tools we rely on to prevent conflicts before they start. Retreating from the world doesn't make America safer—in fact, just the opposite. Similarly, the Massie amendment would undermine America’s ability to counter real threats from Iran and diminish our efforts to promote long-term stability across the region. It would not only cut off funding for security assistance, but also for humanitarian aid, refugee resettlement, and peace-building programs, which are critical to building people-to-people ties between Israelis and Palestinians. Standing with an ally does not mean staying silent when its government takes actions that make peace harder to achieve. Benjamin Netanyahu and his government are actively working to undermine a two-state solution. The Netanyahu government's actions—including empowering extremists, expanding settlements, tolerating settler violence, and misusing American weapons—have weakened Israel's long-term security, severely damaged Americans’ trust in the Israeli government, and emboldened those who argue peace is impossible. My vote against this flawed amendment is not a defense of those choices. Israelis will have a chance this October to elect a new government, and I sincerely hope Netanyahu loses power. I support sanctions against violent settlers, and the government officials that enable them, who are undermining security and stability in the West Bank. And we must work to rebuild Gaza and ensure aid to its residents is unimpeded. I also believe that the American taxpayer should no longer subsidize Israel’s defense budget. As the current security assistance agreement with Israel nears expiration, it is clear change is necessary. Instead, our defense partnership with Israel should resemble the partnerships we maintain with the majority of our allies. If Israel buys American weapons, it must be held accountable for how those weapons are used, fully consistent with American law and values. Families across the region, Israeli and Palestinian alike, have endured unimaginable pain and loss because of this conflict. Every Israeli and every Palestinian deserves to live with safety and dignity, free from the constant threat of violence. The greatest threat to peace is the fatalistic belief that coexistence is impossible. I reject that fatalism, and I'll keep working toward a secure, Jewish, and democratic Israel living side by side with an independent Palestinian state.”