With an aim to keep the federal government funded through December 3, House Democrats have decided to remove a provision in a bill that could have potentially boosted the Iron Dome air defence system of Israel.

A spokesperson for House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro said that funding for the Iron Dome “will be included in the final, bipartisan and bicameral” defense funding bill later this year.

Rep Josh Gottheimer took to Twitter and said, “The Iron Dome protects innocent civilians in Israel from terrorist attacks and some of my colleagues have now blocked funding it. We must stand by our historic ally — the only democracy in the Middle East.”

This comes as Democratic centrists and progressives have polarised views about the timing and scope of Joe Biden’s infrastructure agenda. Democratic leaders were made to pledge by Moderates last month that they would hold a vote on the $1.2 trillion Senate-passed bipartisan infrastructure bill by next Monday.

On the contrary, progressives have said they would tank the bill if the $3.5 trillion “human” infrastructure package isn’t completed by then. This one focuses on child care and Medicare benefits.

The stopgap measure set for a vote would fund the government through December 3, which means work on long-term spending bills would still need to be done by lawmakers for the fiscal year.

The bill to keep the government funded and suspend the debt limit through December 2022 further includes $28.6 billion to address recent natural disasters, such as Hurricane Ida.

While the move might end up drawing support from some GOP lawmakers, Minority Whip Steve Scalise and Rep Mike Johnson are trying to make a case for opposing the bill when it hits the floor later on Tuesday.

A notice from House GOP leadership to Republican lawmakers states that “Republicans will not aid the Democrats in their socialist tax and spending spree.”