Florida’s two U.S. senators–Republicans Marco Rubio and Rick Scott–are backing U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn’s, R-Tenn., proposal “to halt all funding for the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).”
Supporters of the bill insist that “Iran-backed Hamas terrorists have a long history of stealing U.N. resources to support its attacks on Israel.”
Blackburn offered her reasons for introducing the bill.
“It is clear that U.S. aid intended for the Palestinian people has repeatedly ended up in the hands of terrorists. Since taking office, President Biden has sent the UNRWA over $730 million, despite knowing there would be a high risk of Hamas benefiting from American taxpayers. UNRWA teachers and educational materials call for the murder of Jews, and the Biden administration should immediately halt all funding for the agency. The U.S. government should not be funding terrorists,” she said.
“I have long opposed American taxpayer funds going to the UN, which gives a global stage to the world’s worst human rights abusers and terror sponsors, was a puppet for Communist China as it worked to cover-up COVID origins, and has for years supported Iran-backed Hamas terrorism through its Agency for Palestine Refugees. America did the right thing under President Trump to stop U.S. funding for the UNRWA. We must pass this good bill to hold Iran accountable, stop Biden’s appeasement and halt this funding once again,” Scott said.
“Whether it’s funded via the U.N., or any other multilateral organization, U.S. taxpayer dollars should not be supporting foreign terrorists. Any U.S. contributions that benefit the criminal Iran-backed terrorist group, Hamas, must be halted immediately,” said Rubio.
Scott joined a media event held by Blackburn and other Republican senators “to support Israel and demand that President Biden immediately and permanently rescind the $6 billion payment he previously authorized to Iran.” Scott weighed in on the matter.
“The terror and devastation unleashed on Israel by Iran-backed Hamas terrorists has rightly horrified the world. More than 1,400 innocent people, including at least 30 Americans, were brutally murdered. Not since the Holocaust has the world witnessed such a brutal attack on the Jewish people. The most important thing for America to do right now is to stand with Israel. It was foolish for the U.S. to ever move this money, and now we need to formally rescind these funds so they never get to the evil Iranian regime and make clear that the United States of America will never tolerate terrorism and anyone that supports it. Anyone who says Iran couldn’t use this $6 billion to support terrorism is lying to you. It’s time to take these funds off the table for good, slam Iran with the most severe sanctions imaginable and hold this evil regime accountable for the terror it has unleashed on the world,” said Scott.
The bill was sent to the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee. So far, there is no companion measure over in the U.S. House.
