FMEP Legislative Round-Up July 19, 2024

Resource

1. Bills, Resolutions
2. Letters
3. Hearings
4. Israel/Palestine in 2024 Elex/Politics
5. Selected Media & Press releases/Statements

New:

  • New episode of FMEP’s Occupied Thoughts podcast, The Core Truths About Palestine and Israel, ft. FMEP Fellow Peter Beinart speaking with Ahmed Moor, a Palestinian-American writer who was born and raised in Gaza, about why Israel/Palestine is not exceptional, why Palestinians turn to armed resistance, and why neither Palestinians nor Jewish Israelis will leave the land between the Jordan river and the Mediterranean Sea.

1. Bills & Resolutions

(AMIA BOMBING) S. Res. 758: Introduced 7/10/24 by Rubio (R-FL) and Cardin (D-MD), “A resolution remembering the 32nd anniversary of the bombing of the Embassy of Israel in Buenos Aires on March 17, 1992, and the 30th anniversary of the bombing of the Argentine-Israeli Mutual Association building in Buenos Aires on July 18, 1994, and recommitting to efforts to uphold justice for the victims of the attacks.”  Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. Also see: Press releases — Rubio, Cardin Introduce Resolution Honoring Victims of Terrorist Attacks Against Argentina’s Jewish Community; Cardin, Rubio Resolution Honors Argentina’s Jewish Community, Victims of Terrorist Attacks

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(ISRAEL/ANTISEMITISM IN LABOR/HHS APPROPS) HB 2909: Introduced 7/12/24 by Aderholt (R-AL), the “Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2025.” Introduced following mark-up in the full Appropriations Committee on 7/10/24 (where it was passed by a vote of 31-25).

  • The bill itself includes Section 537: “(a) None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be made available to a United States institution of higher education unless and until such institution adopts a prohibition on antisemitic conduct that creates a hostile environment in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 in all documents relating to student or employee conduct.  (b) None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be made available to a United States institution of higher education that has failed to take administrative action against any student, staff member, or student group that commits acts of antisemitism while utilizing the facilities, grounds, or resources of such institution.“
  • The Report accompanying the bill includes: “The Committee provides $4,000,000, which is the same as the fiscal year 2024 enacted level and $4,000,000 above the fiscal year 2025 budget request, for a bilateral cooperative program with the Government of Israel for the development of health technologies.” Also includes: “Antisemitism Investigations.—The Committee is concerned by the explosion of antisemitism at IHEs across the U.S. following the terrorist attack on Israel and the subsequent failure of many IHEs to address antisemitic conduct on their campuses. It is unclear what actions OCR has taken to date in response to the numerous complaints received. The Committee requests that OCR produce a quarterly report on the status of OCR shared ancestry investigations and provide an initial report to the Committee and the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate no later than 30 days after enactment of this Act. Such report should include a brief overview, including timeline, status of the investigation, and any actions taken by the Department.”

(b) The FY25 Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act,  marked up in Committee 7/9/24 and passed by a vote of 30-26.

  • Report text includes: “Within International Affairs, the recommendation includes $2,000,000 for the Israel Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Foundation and $4,000,000 to continue the U.S. Israel Center of Excellence in Energy Engineering and Water Technology.“

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(Senate NDAA) S. 4638: Introduced 7/8/24 by Reed (D-RI), the “National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025.” This is the bill that will have to be reconciled, eventually, with the version passed by the House 6/14/24 HR 8070, covered in excruciating detail in the 6/14/24 edition of the Round-Up, and in the accompany special Round-Up analysis, Middle East provisions in the House version of the FY25 NDAA. NOTE: JINSA has produced a super useful analysis, A Long, Hot Summer for National Defense Authorization Act Negotiations Begins, which includes a detailed inventory/comparison of Middle East-related provisions in both the House and Senate bills.

Given that the NDAA is a must-pass piece of legislation, it always attracts a huge number of (mainly grandstanding, point-scoring, totally non-germane) amendments. Given that it is an election year, plus given that Israel is in its 9th month of erasing Gaza, there is the usual (and then some) flood of “WE STAND WITH ISRAEL” and “F**K THE PALESTINIANS AND ANYONE WHO SUPPORTS THEM” amendments (plus some others, including of course related to GETTING TOUGH, FINALLY! on Iran).

Text of all 842 amendments — introduced 7/9/24, 7/10/24, 7/11/24 (my thread: https://x.com/LaraFriedmanDC/status/1812946993620394294)

  • [LEGISLATING THE IHRA DEFINITION] S. Amdt. 2914: Offered by Casey (D-PA), to attach to the NDAA the “Antisemitism Awareness Act” – legislating/enforcing the IHRA definition of antisemitism, including its examples.
  • [BARRING AID TO PALESTINIANS] S. Amdt. 2823: Offered by Ricketts (R-NE) and Scott (R-SC), to amend existing law to massively expand existing restrictions/limitations on aid to the Palestinians (mainly by replacing the term “directly” with “directly or indirectly” – such that pretty much ANY assistance to Palestinians, including humanitarian aid, will be barred based on the argument that it “indirectly” benefits a terrorist organization.
  • [SEEKING TO BLOCK WORLD BANK/IMF PROJECTS FOR PALESTINIANS] S. Amdt. 2767: Offered by Scott (R-SC), requiring the US to use its position in the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund to “oppose all projects relating to the Palestinian Authority or territories of the West Bank or Gaza Strip” until Hamas, PIJ, “or any successor organization” has been totally vanquished from the West Bank and Gaza. Also, same for Yemen, Lebanon, and Iraq (no projects until Houthis, Hizbollah, and Kata’ib Hizballah. respectively, are utterly vanquished).
  • [US ADMIN MUST PROVIDE ALL AID TO ISRAEL] S. Amdt. 2747: Offered 7/11/24 by Cruz (R-TX), compelling the Biden Administration to provide all military support to Israel as approved by Congress (notwithstanding any other US laws)
  • [NO NORMALIZING ASSAD REGIME] S. Amdt. 2713: Offered by Risch (R-ID), the “Assad Regime Anti-Normalization Act of 2024.”
  • [US-ARAB ANTI-DRONE COOPERATION] S. Amdt. 2711: Offered by Risch (R-ID), granting authority for the U.S. to enter into a “Cooperative Agreement to Protect Americans in Iraq, Jordan, and on the Arabian Peninsula From Weaponized Unmanned Aerial Systems” with “partners in Iraq, Jordan, and on the Arabian Peninsula [the latter defined as: “Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.”
  • [US ADMIN MUST PROVIDE ALL AID TO ISRAEL] S. Amdt. 2709 – Offered 7/11/24 by Risch (R-ID), to prevent any US president from suspending/freezing/with-holding of defense articles from Israel for any reason (including when required to do so under US law) without the explicit, advance approval of Congress
  • [TARGETING PALESTINIAN REFUGEES, ENFORCING IHRA DEFINITION, SUPPORTING ETHNIC CLEANSING OF PALESTINIANS] S. Amdt. 2705: Offered 7/11/24 by Risch (R-ID), the “UNRWA Accountability and Transparency Act,” seeking to (a) define Palestinian refugees out of existence, (b) effectively impose a permanent ban all funding to UNRWA unless/until UNRWA meets a long list of requirements, some related to terror but some related to erasing Palestinian rights/claims, like requiring that nobody associated with UNRWA be permitted to describe Israelis as “occupiers” or “settlers”; (c) legislate & enforce the IHRA definition of antisemitism, including its examples [according to which the mere assertion of Palestinian history/rights is “antisemitic” and therefore disqualifying UNRWA from receiving US aid]; (d) make it US policy to encourage other countries to similarly re-define Palestinian refugees to erase them from existence, to apply the same restrictions on UNRWA funding; and (2) to make it US policy to encourage and seek to shut down UNRWA and once and for all END the Palestinian refugee issue via permanent displacement/ethnic cleansing: “(C) working with other countries to phase out UNRWA and assist Palestinians receiving UNRWA services by– (i) integrating such Palestinians into their local communities in the countries in which they are residing; or (ii) resettling such Palestinians in countries other than Israel or territories controlled by Israel in the West Bank in accordance with international humanitarian principles; and (D) ensuring that the actions described in subparagraph (C)– (i) are being implemented in complete coordination with, and with the support of, Israel; and (ii) do not endanger the security of Israel in any way.”]
  • [TARGETING THE ICC & ANYONE WHO WORKS WITH IT] S. Amdt. 2669: Offered 7/11/24 by Risch (R-ID), the “Prohibiting International Criminal Court Prosecutions Against Americans and Allies Act,” seeking to make it a criminal offense – punishable by up to $5 million in fines and 5 years in prison – for any person (and the bill explicitly includes extraterritorial jurisdiction) acting under the authority of the ICC or another international organization “to knowingly indict, apprehend, detain, prosecute, convict, or participate in the imposition or carrying out of any sentence or other penalty on, any protected person in connection with any proceeding by or before the International Criminal Court or another international organization in which such protected person is accused of a covered crime.” The term “protected person” is defined to mean: “(A) any citizen or national of the United States, or any other person employed by or working under the direction of the United States Government; or (B) any citizen or national of Israel, or any other person employed by or working under the direction of the Government of Israel.“
  • [TARGETING THE PLO/PA & ANYONE ASSOCIATED WITH THEM] S. Amdt. 2522: Offered 7/11/24 by Cotton (R-AR), the “PLO and PA Terror Payments Accountability Act of 2024,” seeking to impose far-reaching sanctions (blocking property, barring & revoking visas), on anyone who is or ever has been in any way associated with the PLO or PA, and imposing far-reaching sanctions on any financial institutions that in any way engage with the PA or PLO — notwithstanding the fact that neither the PA or PLO are US-designated FTOs.
  • [MORE $$ FOR US-ISRAEL PROGRAMS] S. Amdt. 2511: Offered 7/11/24 by Moran (R-KS), requiring the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of State, to “award grants to eligible entities to carry out collaborative research between the United States and Israel with respect to post-traumatic stress disorders.“
  • [US-JORDAN DEFENSE COOPERATION] S. Amdt. 2439: Offered 7/11/24 by Rubio (R-FL), the “United States-Jordan Defense Cooperation“
  • [IMPACT OF US SUPPORT FOR GAZA WAR ON US INTERESTS IN INDO=PACIFIC] S. Amdt. 2340: Offered 7/11/24 by Schatz (D-HI), requiring the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of State and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, to submit a report to Congress “regarding the impacts to United States security and diplomatic interests in the Indo-Pacific region as a result of the United States’ actions and engagements with Israel during the ongoing Israel-Hamas War.”
  • [ASSESS INTELL LESSONS OF GAZA WAR] S. Amdt. 2274: Offered 7/11/24 by Warner (D-VA), seeking to attach the entirety of the “Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025” to the NDAA, including “Sec. 421. Inclusion of Hamas, Hezbollah, Al-Qaeda, and ISIS officials and members among aliens engaged in terrorist activity,” and “Sec. 438. Assessment of the lessons learned by the intelligence community with respect to the Israel-Hamas war.“
  • [TARGETING THE ICC] S. Amdt. 2211: Offered by Cotton (R-AR), the “Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act,” imposing sanctions (blocking of property, denying/revoking visas) on any foreign person in any way engaged with or assisting the ICC in going after any “protected person.” The amendment defines “protected person” to include, “current or former elected or appointed government officials” of any ally of the United States.
  • [FUNDING FOR KEY US GOVT FUNCTIONS CONDITIONED ON GIVING ALL AID TO ISRAEL] S. Amdt. 2210: Offered by Cotton (R-AR), the “Israel Security Assistance Support Act,” to (a) cut off salaries to employees of the Deptartment of State and DOD if they are engaged in withholding aid to Israel; and (b) to withhold funding to DOD, the State Dept, and the office of the President until all military aid for Israel has been released.
  • [TARGETING IRAN] S. Amdt. 2204: Offered by Cotton (R-AR), the “No ICBMs for Iran Act of 2024,” imposing far-reaching new Iran sanctions and expanding existing sanctions,
  • [TARGETING BOYCOTTS OF ISRAEL/SETTLEMENTS] S. Amdt. 2170: Offered by 7/10/24 by Scott (R-SC), to require the head of the Office of Antiboycott Compliance of the Bureau of Industry and Security of the Department of Commerce to submit to Congress “a report on boycotts targeted at the State of Israel or based on anti-Semitism.” [bearing in mind that for Scott and his ilk, the act of boycotting or calling for boycott of anything related to Israel is ipso facto antisemitic, and settlements are viewed as part of Israel…]
  • [TARGETING IRAN] S. Amdt. 2167: Offered by 7/10/24 by Scott (R-SC), seeking to repeal the sunset of the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996

2. Letters

7/16/24: Walberg & Stefanik Lead Colleagues Outlining Concerns in Harvard’s Antisemitism Task Force Report [letter text]

3. Hearings & Markups

July 23, 2024: The House Ways and Means Committee’s Subcommittee on Oversight will hold a hearing entitled, Fueling Chaos: Tracing the Flow of Tax-Exempt Dollars to Antisemitism. Also see press release [excerpt: “House Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith (MO-08) and Oversight Subcommittee Chairman David Schweikert (AZ-01) announced today that the Subcommittee on Oversight will hold a hearing to examine the use of American-based tax-exempt organizations to finance antisemitism in the United States and terrorism abroad, including the role of foreign adversaries.”]

July 23, 2024: The House Foreign Affairs Committee will hold an HFAC Member Roundtable with Families of U.S. Hostages Held by Hamas. Also see HFAC media advisory.

4. Israel/Palestine in 2024 Politics/Elex

Missouri

Minnesota

Other stuff

5. Selected Media & Press releases/Statements

Bibi on the Hill

AMIA bombing anniversary

Congress in Israel

  • Orthodox Times 7/19/24: U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen visited the Patriarchate of Jerusalem
  • OPB 7/17/24: Conservative group made last-ditch play to influence Democratic primary in high-profile Oregon congressional race [“…In the Democratic race for Oregon’s 3rd Congressional District, a political action committee affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, spent millions of dollars attacking candidate Susheela Jayapal, a Multnomah County Commissioner, and supporting Maxine Dexter, a physician and state lawmaker who won that primary election.“]
  • Office of the President of Israel 7/15/24: X-post (with pic) President @Isaac_Herzog met with a group of young staffers from US Congress: “It was a pleasure to welcome you all – especially those of you making your first visit to Israel. This is a complex and challenging region, but understanding and seeing firsthand the realities on the ground and the diverse and beautiful make up of Israeli society, is crucial in reinforcing the bipartisan, steadfast alliance between our two peoples. Welcome to Israel, I wish you much success.”
  • Jewish Insider 7/15/24: Chris Van Hollen slated to travel to Israel this week [“The Maryland senator, who has been critical of Israel’s actions in its war against Hamas, is not slated to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or Foreign Minister Israel Katz“]
  • Feenstra (R-IA) 7/11/24: My Weekly Column: My trip to Israel [“...We walked the Kibbutzes where innocent Israelis were murdered, raped, beheaded, and tortured by Hamas terrorists and learned more of the horrifying details about the worst attack on Jews since the Holocaust. We saw firsthand the food, water, medical supplies, and other aid that Israel is actively delivering to civilians in Palestine despite unfounded outcry from Hamas apologists.“]

Other stuff