But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. How we check

Nikki Budzinski

Democrat · U.S. House, Illinois District 13
✗Supported sending weapons or funding in 3 of 6 tracked votes

Budzinski told Illinois Public Media in August 2025: "I think there are very valid questions to be asked about additional, you know, weapons to Israel. I do believe that Israel has a right to defend itself, and I do support that." She urged prioritizing baby formula for Gaza.

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Deep Dive

Budzinski represents Illinois's 13th District, running from Champaign to East St. Louis, and is running for re-election.

Her fullest account is an August 2025 interview on The 21st Show, read in full. On weapons: "I think there are very valid questions to be asked about additional, you know, weapons to Israel. I do believe that Israel has a right to defend itself, and I do support that. They are the only democracy within the Middle East." On the aid going the other way, she described "flooding humanitarian aid into Gaza" and said she "signed on with some of my colleagues to urge the administration to specifically prioritize baby formula for children."

In the same interview she was direct about the Israeli prime minister: "I have been critical of Netanyahu. I think he is using this war to his own self service and leading to the needless deaths of a lot of innocent civilian life."

The record

Supported sending weapons or funding in 3 of 6 tracked votes

Floor votes
H.R. 6126 - Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act2023-11-02 · Passed 226-196
✓ Voted No
voted against sending it
H.R. 8034 - Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 20242024-04-20 · Passed 366-58
✗ Voted Yes
supported sending it
H.R. 8369 - Israel Security Assistance Support Act2024-05-16 · Passed 224-187
✓ Voted No
voted against sending it
H.R. 7217 - Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 20242024-02-06 · Failed 250-180 (needed 2/3 under suspension)
✓ Voted No
voted against sending it
H.Amdt. 55 to H.R. 4016 - strike $500M for Israeli Cooperative Programs2025-07-18 · Failed 6-422 (only 6 voted to cut)
✗ Voted No
voted against limiting it
H.R. 8595 - Massie amendment (Part A No. 8) to bar FY27 funds for Israel and cut $3.3B in Foreign Military Financing2026-07-15 · Failed 104-314
✗ Voted No
voted against limiting it
Bill sponsorship
H.R. 3565 - Block the Bombs ActWould bar transfer of 2,000-lb/BLU-109 bunker busters, JDAMs, 120mm tank rounds, and 155mm artillery shells to Israel. Does not affect Iron
Not sponsoringhas not backed this restriction bill
H.R. 1229 - United States-Israel Defense Partnership Act of 2025Formalizes/expands bilateral defense cooperation with Israel.
Not sponsoringhas not backed this support bill
How this mark works

We track key votes on sending U.S. weapons and money to the government of Israel. A check means every tracked vote they cast came down against sending more, on the side of peace and de-escalation. A question mark means a mixed record: they sided with sending up to half of the time. An X means they voted to send more weapons and money in over half of their tracked votes, even as the way those weapons and dollars were being used became more and more obvious. At exactly half, money this election cycle from a lobbying group we track, or an endorsement from a group that backs sending weapons, makes it an X. Only votes actually cast are counted. Where a candidate has no recorded votes on these bills, the mark comes instead from a reviewed reading of their public record (money from the lobbying groups we track, endorsements, and their own words since January 26, 2024). There an X also covers fully backing the conduct of the war by the government of Israel without significant reservations, and a question mark also covers speaking about Israel without saying clearly where they stand on U.S. weapons and funding. A dash means No Position Found: we found nothing in their own words about Israel, Gaza or the war.

See a dash? Ask the candidate where they stand, then send us their answer and we'll review it and update the mark. Or volunteer to help review candidates.

Voted to send weapons or funding in exactly half of their recorded tracked votes. The tie is broken by an endorsement from a group that backs sending weapons. (Supported sending weapons or funding in 3 of 6 tracked votes.)

The money

$16K in lifetime support from the five lobbying groups we track

Lifetime support from the five lobbying groups we track
AIPAC PAC: $5,000 · DMFI: $10,800
Support-only OpenFEC data (as of 2026-10-03). Opposition independent expenditures are excluded.
Who these lobbying groups are
AIPAC$5,000The American Israel Public Affairs Committee; its PAC backs candidates it sees as strengthening U.S. ties with the government of Israel, including continued U.S. military aid.DMFI PAC$10,800Democratic Majority for Israel's PAC; calls itself the home for pro-Israel Democrats and backs Democratic candidates who support a strong U.S. alliance with the government of Israel.Direct contributions and independent expenditures supporting this candidate from the five lobbying groups we track, every cycle each has filed, through 2026. Excludes earmarked and conduit contributions.
Endorsed by AIPAC +1 more
AIPACThe American Israel Public Affairs Committee; its PAC backs candidates it sees as strengthening U.S. ties with the government of Israel, including continued U.S. military aid.DMFI PACDemocratic Majority for Israel's PAC; calls itself the home for pro-Israel Democrats and backs Democratic candidates who support a strong U.S. alliance with the government of Israel.These endorsements come from groups that back sending U.S. weapons and funding to the government of Israel.

In their words

“I think there are very valid questions to be asked about additional, you know, weapons to Israel. I do believe that Israel has a right to defend itself, and I do support that.”
Source ↗, 2025-08-28
“I have been critical of Netanyahu. I think he is using this war to his own self service and leading to the needless deaths of a lot of innocent civilian life.”
Source ↗, 2025-08-28
Endorsements

AIPAC (2026 endorsement) · DMFI PAC (2026 endorsement)

Research log

The notes behind this card: what we looked at, what we found, and where each item came from.

U.S. military aid and weapons to Israel

  • [Position, 2025-08-28] The 21st Show, Illinois Public Media, opened and confirmed word for word: "I think there are very valid questions to be asked about additional, you know, weapons to Israel. I do believe that Israel has a right to defend itself, and I do support that. They are the only democracy within the Middle East." The transcript's ellipses are the outlet's own.
  • [After October 7, 2023-11-02] Statement on the need for a bipartisan Israel supplemental: Congress must pass a comprehensive bipartisan emergency package funding aid for Israel while providing humanitarian assistance to Gaza civilians; criticized House Republican leadership for conditioning Israel aid on IRS cuts. Not opened. From the weeks right after October 7; not used on the card.
  • [After October 7, 2023-10-12] Video calling for immediate congressional action to provide additional aid and military resources to Israel. From the weeks right after October 7.
  • Her recorded votes on the tracked bills appear as badges on this card. The August 2025 interview is her own account of the position behind them.

U.S. aid to Palestinians

  • [Position, 2025-08-28] Same interview, confirmed verbatim: she describes "flooding humanitarian aid into Gaza" and says "I also signed on with some of my colleagues to urge the administration to specifically prioritize baby formula for children."
  • [After October 7, 2023-11-02] Called for humanitarian assistance to Gaza civilians inside the emergency package (above).

Characterization of the conflict

  • [Position, 2025-08-28] Confirmed verbatim: "I have been critical of Netanyahu. I think he is using this war to his own self service and leading to the needless deaths of a lot of innocent civilian life."
  • [After October 7, 2023-10-09] Characterized the Hamas attacks as "unprovoked violence" and terrorism, saying the U.S. must stand by Israel and demand the return of hostages.
  • [After October 7, 2023-10-12] Described the offensive as a "barbaric war" and expressed horror at the brutality toward Israeli civilians.
  • [After October 7, 2023-11-02] Framed Gaza as a grave humanitarian crisis requiring U.S. policy to address Palestinian civilian suffering.

Related rhetoric and lobbying

  • [After October 7, 2023-10-12] Joined a bipartisan effort petitioning the Secretary of State to deploy evacuation flights for American citizens in Israel. Logistics rather than a position on aid.
  • A Reddit thread was consulted; forum discussion, not a usable source.

Safety and antisemitism (context)

  • The research found no dedicated standalone statements or non-legislative personal actions on this dimension.

Also in this race

  1. – Jeff Wilson (Republican)

All Illinois candidates.

But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. Every claim on this page goes through at least two verification steps. Open Find Your Candidates for votes, funding and contact details.