President Biden has signed a $1.2 trillion spending package to keep the federal government open until October. The Senate approved the appropriations bill 74 to 24. Independent Senator Bernie Sanders voted “no” because the bill stripped funding to UNRWA for the next year.

Sen. Bernie Sanders: “Tens of thousands of people are starving. UNRWA is trying to feed them. And the Israeli government and its allies, like AIPAC, spend much of their time lobbying to defund UNRWA, the major organization which is feeding starving people. Sadly, tragically, many members of Congress seem to be happy to be part of this starvation caucus.”

In the House, the spending bill was approved 286 to 134. New York Congressmember Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who voted “no,” accused Israel of committing genocide during a speech on the House floor.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: “If you want to know what an unfolding genocide looks like, open your eyes. It looks like the forced famine of 1.1 million innocents. It looks like thousands of children eating grass as their bodies consume themselves, while trucks of food are slowed and halted just miles away. It looks like good and decent people who do nothing, or too little, too late. It is against United States law to provide weapons to forces who block United States humanitarian assistance. And that is exactly what is happening right now.”

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant is in Washington for meetings with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and others. Axios is reporting Gallant is coming with a “long list of U.S. weapons Israel wants to receive in an expedited manner.”