Fallout continues on Capitol Hill over President Joe Biden's decision to halt a bomb shipment to Israel and his warning that the U.S. won't supply weapons that could be used in an invasion of Rafah, a city in southern Gaza where over a million civilians have sought shelter.
The House is set to vote on a Republican-led bill this week that would compel the Biden administration to resume the transfer of certain weapons to Israel and would condemn Biden's decision to withhold some American-made heavy bombs. The bill, known as the Israel Security Assistance Support Act, calls for the expedited delivery of defense articles and services to Israel and would withhold funds for certain administration officials, such as the secretary of defense and the secretary of state, until these articles are delivered.
The legislation also reaffirms Israel's right to self-defense and urges the Biden administration to allow all previously approved arms transfers to Israel to proceed swiftly. The bill was introduced by Republican Representatives Ken Calvert of California, House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida, and David Joyce of Ohio.
In a statement, the group of co-sponsors said, "Unlike the Administration, House Appropriators will not waver in our ironclad support for Israel.
The House and Senate acted on the will of the people, overwhelmingly providing Israel with the firepower to send a message: the U.S. and our allies will not cower to terrorist organizations like Hamas." House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., also criticized the administration, stating that it's "not President Biden's job to dictate to Israel how they should go about defending their right to exist and deterring violence against their people."
Scalise added, "House Republicans stand unequivocally with Israel in its war against terrorists and those that threaten its freedom." The chamber is expected to vote on the bill either Wednesday or Thursday.
While the bill is likely to receive overwhelming support among Republicans, it will pose a challenging vote for Democrats and highlight the party's division regarding Israel. The measure could gain Democratic support, particularly from the 26 lawmakers who wrote a letter to the White House last week expressing concerns over Biden's decision to halt bomb shipments to Israel amid fears of civilian casualties in the event of a large-scale invasion into Rafah. However, some Democrats have already expressed opposition to the legislation.
New York Rep. Dan Goldman, a pro-Israel Jewish Democrat, criticized the bill as "misleading," alleging that Republicans were seeking to score election-year political points. Goldman stated, "Republicans' latest messaging bill does nothing to materially help Israel's security, fundamentally mischaracterizes the President's statements and steadfast support for Israel since October 7, and simply requires commitments that the Administration has repeatedly made." He added, "As an American Jew, I am offended by the politicization and partisan manipulation of these very serious issues."
In response, the White House issued a statement on Tuesday strongly opposing the bill, calling it "unnecessary and unwise," and stating that Biden would veto it.
The White House escalated its rhetoric last week against Israel's anticipated invasion of Rafah. In addition to Biden's warning, 3,500 bombs were withheld from Israel over concerns that they could be used in a large-scale ground offensive in Rafah.
This move sparked outrage from Republicans, who viewed it as a betrayal of a long-time U.S. ally during wartime. Speaker Mike Johnson described it as a "senior moment" on Biden's part and expressed anger that Congress was not informed beforehand. In the Senate, Sen. Lindsey Graham led a group of GOP lawmakers in introducing a resolution condemning any actions by the Biden administration to withhold or restrict ammunition to Israel. However, their resolution is unlikely to advance in the Democrat-controlled Senate.
"I think Israel is in a fight for its life, and the reason so many Palestinians have been killed is because Hamas has command centers under hospitals. Don't reward their behavior," Graham said in a press conference last week.
On Monday, the White House attempted to ease tensions regarding the Israel-Hamas conflict. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, in lengthy remarks at the daily press briefing, reiterated the administration's view on the war, including Israel's right to defend itself from Hamas's threat, the duty to protect civilians, and the need to secure a ceasefire deal in exchange for the release of hostages.
Sullivan stated that the administration is "continuing to send military assistance and we will ensure that Israel receives the full amount provided in the supplemental. We have paused the shipment of 2,000-pound bombs because we do not believe they should be dropped in densely populated cities. We are talking to the Israeli government about this."
He also emphasized that Biden's "commitment to Israel is ironclad," adding, "Ironclad doesn't mean you never disagree; it means you work through your disagreements as only true friends can do. That's exactly what we've done for the past seven months, and that's what we'll keep doing."