House to now vote on 'stand-alone' measure for $1 billion of Israel's Iron Dome defense system

The House is set to vote as early as Thursday on a measure to put $1 billion toward Israel's Iron Dome air defense system, two days after progressives in the chamber's Democratic Conference threatened to withhold votes for the passage of key spending bill until the money was removed.

House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro on Wednesday introduced the so-called "stand-alone" legislation for the $1 billion.

"The United States’ commitment to the security of our friend and ally Israel is ironclad," the Connecticut Democrat said in a statement. "Replenishing interceptors used to protect Israel from attacks is our legal and moral responsibility."

The measure as stand-alone bill is expected to pass without at least some support from the progressive caucus because Republicans in the Democrat-controlled chamber support Israel and are expect to provide enough votes for passage. 

"While this funding would ordinarily be included in a year-end spending package, we are advancing this legislation now to demonstrate Congress’ bipartisan commitment to Israel’s security as part of a Middle East with lasting peace," DeLauro also said.

The funding is intended to go toward replacing Israel's missile interceptors, which other House Democrats called for following a violent conflict between Israel and Hamas earlier this year, according to The Hill Newspaper. 

House Democrats initially included the $1 billion in a spending bill it passed to prevent a government shutdown.