Footage has resurfaced from 2021 showing Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) breaking down into tears on the House floor after Congress had voted to fund the Iron Dome defense system for Israel. Notably, the defense system was recently used to thwart a missile attack launched at Israel by Iran. AOC’s visceral reaction to the vote reveals the fervent anti-Israel sentiment among progressive Democrats that has divided the party.
In late September 2021, the House overwhelmingly passed the legislation that would extend $1 billion in supplemental military aid to Israel. The bill passed 420-9. Those who voted in opposition were primarily members of the progressive “Squad” including Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Cori Bush (D-MO), and Marie Newman (D-IL). However, AOC, along with Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA) voted present.
Following the passing vote, AOC could be seen crying with a mask on, leaning into the shoulder of a fellow member of Congress. Addressing the bill after it passed, Ocasio-Cortez said, “I believe strongly that Congress should take greater scrutiny with all military funding across the world.” She continued that “for far too long, the U.S. has handed unconditional aid to the Israeli government.”
Despite her opposition, AOC still chose to vote “present” instead of outright voting for or against the bill. “To those I have disappointed — I am deeply sorry,” she said. “To those who believe this reasoning is insufficient or cowardice — I understand.” The “Squad” member further lamented how the bill was supposedly “rushed” to a vote that prevented proper scrutiny of the bill.
“In addition to opposing the substance of the Iron Dome supplemental bill, the process of bringing it to the House floor was deeply unjust,” she further stated in he criticism. “A funding leap this significant in a policy area that is already so charged and fraught for many communities, particularly our own, deserves the respect of a proper legislative process,” she said.
AOC suggested that the bill would impede the goal to preserve “human rights” and “dignity” all around the world. “It became clear that this vote would risk a severe devolution of the good faith community fabric that allows us to responsibly join in a struggle for human rights and dignity everywhere,” she said, “from Palestine to The Bronx and Queens.”
“Yes, I wept,” she added, acknowledging her emotional reaction to the the bill’s passing, stating it was because of supposed human rights violations. “I wept at the complete lack of care for the human beings that are impacted by these decisions, I wept at an institution choosing a path of maximum volatility and minimum consideration for its own political convenience. And I wept at the complete lack of regard I often feel our party has to its most vulnerable and endangered members and communities — because the death threats and dangerous vitriol we’d inevitably receive by rushing such a sensitive, charged, and under-considered vote weren’t worth delaying it for even a few hours to help us do the work necessary to open a conversation of understanding.”
Watch AOC’s reaction below:
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