The US House of Representatives is expected to vote Thursday on the “Israel Security Assistance Support Act,” a spokesperson for Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA) told The Jerusalem Post. Republicans introduced the bill last week after US President Joe Biden announced the stalling of at least one arms delivery to Israel and threatened to withhold future shipments pending the Israeli Defense Force’s operation in Rafah.
Calvert, chairman of the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, leads the bill, which condemns the White House’s withholding of arms and calls for the Biden administration to allow “all previously approved arms transfers” to Israel to proceed quickly and utilize all congressionally appropriated funds for security assistance for Israel, as Congress intended.
"On Israel’s 76th Independence Day, let us renew our American alliance with Israel. Amid an ongoing war, where its people are fighting for their survival, we must stand with Israel," Calvert said in a Tuesday post on X.
The legislation prohibits the Pentagon or State Department from withholding, halting, reversing, or canceling defense articles or services made available under any appropriations act from the US to Israel in 2024 or any prior years.According to the legislation, any withheld defense articles will have to be delivered to Israel within 15 days of the bill’s passing.“Thus far in fiscal year 2024, Congress has enacted regular and supplemental legislation appropriating $12.5 billion in security assistance and missile defense for Israel without any additional conditions,” according to the bill.
US-Israel arms dispute
“It was reported that President Biden ordered a pause on certain defense articles ready for imminent delivery to Israel, without having consulted with Congress,” the bill states.If the legislation passes, Congress will withhold funds from the secretary of defense, secretary of state, and National Security Council until suspended defense articles are delivered.The bill reaffirms US support for Israel and its right to self-defense.In a Monday post on X, Calvert said Biden’s decision to pause some of the security aid just passed by Congress “sends a terrible message to our allies and is counterproductive to the goals of maximizing pressure on Hamas to release hostages and surrender.”Last week, however, the Pentagon maintained that the defensive weapons Congress approved for Israel in its national security supplemental bill last month will not be impacted by Biden’s decision and that only specific offensive weapons are being withheld.On Tuesday, Punchbowl News reported internal communication from the Democratic leadership that called the legislation “another partisan stunt by Extreme Maga Republicans who are determined to hurt President Biden politically.”“House Republicans are rushing this bill to the floor without any committee hearing, mark-up, or bipartisan discussion,” according to the Democratic leadership. “Democrats are urged to VOTE NO on the Israel Equipment Transfer.”Democrats across the House and Senate, some of them Jewish, remain split in their support of Biden’s arms restrictions.On Friday, 26 Democrats in the House sent a letter to White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan condemning Biden’s withholding of aid.Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a leading Jewish Democrat and a vocal Zionist, said in a statement on Friday that Biden’s administration must “stay the course” and avoid any impression that US support for Israel is wavering.Meanwhile, in a news conference last week, when asked about withholding weapons, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said he “had faith” in what the Biden administration is doing.