In a controversial move, the House of Representatives passed a bill which would provide $14 billion in aid to Israel, however, this funding would be offset by cuts to the IRS in President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act. This has some experts claiming that this move is very likely unconstitutional.
The Inflation Reduction Act was created to spur economic growth and fight off inflation. It also includes billions of dollars in tax cuts that would help stimulate the economy. By cutting the IRS budget to pay for foreign aid, this act is basically being used as a piggy bank for the US to tap into.
Experts have voiced their concern over the House GOP’s decision to authorize a 14 billion dollar aid package to Israel. According to David Rivkin, a Constitutional scholar and former official in the Reagan administration, this move is “outrageous” because it is possible to identify other areas in the budget where cuts can be made while avoiding constitutional pitfalls. Rivkin also adds that a decision to cut the IRS budget to pay for foreign aid is a “very serious abuse of power which could be subject to legal challenge.”
It is unclear at this point how these cuts to the IRS could impact domestic economic growth. The proposed budget cuts would mainly effect the IRS’s capacity to enforce federal tax laws and fight fraud. Eliminating much needed IRS staff could ultimately mean that income tax cheats and other tax evaders will get away with their crimes without fear of repercussion.
Whether or not this decision will end up being legally challenged in the near future is yet to be seen. In the meantime, the budget free-for-all is bound to motivate people to find alternative, more Constitutional means of helping foreign allies.
The decision to fund a 14 billion dollar aid package to Israel is sure to open up a can of worms, and only time will tell how this plays out in the long run.