Dem Leadership Urges Members To Oppose House GOP’s Israel Weapons Bill

On Tuesday, House Democrat leadership urged their colleagues in the party to vote against a GOP bill that pressures the Biden administration not to withhold arms from Israel as it fights Hamas following a deadly terrorist attack in October of last year.

Republican appropriators introduced the legislation after President Joe Biden halted the delivery of some weapons to Israel in protest of a full-scale ground operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.

A message sent by the office of Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA) asked House Democrats to vote against the bill, claiming it “eliminates any executive oversight or control on the flow of taxpayer funded U.S. arms” and comes without hearings, markups, or bipartisan discussion.

“This is not a serious legislative effort. It is another partisan stunt by Extreme MAGA Republicans who are determined to hurt President Biden politically,” the notice added, according to POLITICO.

The guidance, which followed the White House stating that Biden “strongly” opposes the bill, may not be enough to ward off divisions among Democrats in regard to the Israel-Hamas war.

Although left-wing House members of the Democratic Party have praised Biden for suspending the delivery of 3,500 large bombs to Israel, dozens of their colleagues have criticized the president over the decision.

Not all GOP House members may support the bill, which is expected to be voted on this week. It remains to be seen whether the legislation would even be voted on in the Democrat-controlled Senate.

A group of House Appropriations Committee Republicans, including Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) and Defense Subcommittee Chairman Ken Calvert (R-CA), unveiled the “Israel Security Assistance Support Act” on Saturday.

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The bill pushes for the “expeditious delivery of defense articles and defense services for Israel and other matters.” It also seeks to withhold funds from the Secretary of Defense, Secretary of State, and National Security Council until delivery is confirmed.

Other provisions are geared toward condemning the Biden administration’s decisions to pause certain arms transfers to Israel, reaffirming “Israel’s right to self-defense,” and requiring a report on actions taken to withhold security assistance from Israel.

“Any actions to withhold resources impede our national and global security and send a dangerous signal that the U.S. cannot be counted on as a partner,” the GOP House appropriators said in a statement.

“We demand the Administration fulfill our commitment to our great ally in the Middle East, especially so in this serious time of need,” the group of Republicans added.