FMEP Legislative Round-Up February 20, 2026

1. Bills, Resolutions
2. Letters
3. Hearings & Markups
4. Selected Members on the Record
5. Selected Media & Press releases/Statements

New episodes of FMEP’s Occupied Thoughts Podcasts:

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1. Bills & Resolutions

None.

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Legislation-related media:

2. Letters

3. Hearings & Markups

None.

 

4. Selected Members on the Record

Israel/Palestine & related

  • Hagerty (R-TN) 2/20/26: X-post – “It was an honor to speak at the Judeo-Christian Zionist Leaders Congress in Nashville this week. The bonds of alliance between the United States and our friends in Israel remain stronger than ever.“
  • Graham (R-SC) 2/20/26: Middle East Eye X-post w/ video clip – “‘Just flatten it. We flattened Berlin. We flattened Tokyo.’ In an interview with Sky News Arabia, US Senator Lindsey Graham defended Israel’s genocide in Gaza, comparing the actions used by the US and its allies during World War II“
  • Pocan (D-WI) 2/19/26: X-post – “Congratulations, @AIPAC. You’ve fully devolved into a liability to the people you endorse. Toxic. Was covering for the barbaric behavior of Netanyahu worth it?“
  • Graham (R-SC) 2/16/26: X-post – “Thank you, my friend. Foreign Minister @gidonsaar is a good man who loves Israel and the United States. He is doing great work for the people of Israel.” Responding to a 2/26/26 post by Israeli Foreign Minister Saar: “Senator @LindseyGrahamSC is one of the most influential American senators and also one of Israel’s greatest friends in the US and around the world. It’s always good to meet with him, and so it was during his current visit to Israel. Lindsey possesses a clear geopolitical vision, alongside a distinct moral dimension regarding our region and beyond. We’ll continue working together to strengthen the interests of Israel, and our ally, the United States.”
  • Graham (R-SC) 2/16/26: X-post – “Promising.” Commenting on 2/15/26 New York Post article, Syrians warm up to US and Israel under new regime, poll finds
  • Welch (D-VT) 2/15/26: X-post – “Even though he’s in this country legally, the Trump Administration is still attempting to deport Mahmoud Khalil because of his activism against the war in Gaza. Like Mahmoud, we must keep fighting to protect free speech in America.“
  • Balint (D-VT) 2/15/26: X-post – “I was grateful to reconnect with Mahmoud Khalil last week as he continues to fight for his 1st amendment rights. Speaking up for what you believe in is not a crime. We stand with you, Khalil.“
  • Murphy (D-CT) 2/15/26: X-post – “At the Munich Security Conference this weekend, I told a hard truth. There is no ceasefire in Gaza. The assault continues. Palestinians continue to die. And Trump is issuing glossy brochures about fake future Gaza real estate deals instead of working to end the war.“
  • House Foreign Affairs Committee (GOP) 2/15/26: X-post – “The U.N. is rotten to the core. Instead of stamping out antisemitism, it continues to back organizations that push antisemitic, anti-Israel propaganda. As the General Assembly continues to relentlessly target Israel, the UN’s credibility as a peacekeeping body dwindles by the day.” Commenting on 2/15/26 Fox News article, Waltz calls UN a ‘cesspool for antisemitism’ as Trump administration pushes major reforms
  • Fine (R-FL) 2/14/26: X-post- “Palestinian is a synonym for evil.” Commenting on a 2/13/26 Daily Mail Article, My Hostage Nightmare — NOTE: See below for the pushback against Fine for an Islamophobic X-post. That pushback stands in stark contrast to the TOTAL SILENCE in response to this post dehumanizing every single Palestinian man, woman, child — whether they live in the U.S., Gaza, the West Bank, or anywhere else. And think about what that silence means, in the context of the ongoing genocide Israel has been carrying out against Palestinians in Gaza for more than 2 years; the escalating terrorizing and ethnic cleansing Israel is carrying out against Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem; and the targeting of organizations and individuals working to defend Palestinian lives/rights, including human rights organizations and activists.
  • Stefanik (R-NY) 2/14/26: X-post – “Don’t let the world forget the heinous atrocities committed by Hamas.” Commenting on a 2/13/26 Daily Mail Article, My Hostage Nightmare
  • Stefanik (R-NY) 2/14/26: X-post – “Deeply disturbing. We need more voices strongly condemning this taxpayer funded antisemitism from the NYC Mayor’s office. ‘A NYC manufacturer that supplies drones to Israel to monitor the Gaza Strip border was booted from the city-owned Brooklyn Navy Yard six weeks after pro-Palestine Mayor Zohran Mamdani took office.‘” Commenting on a 2/13/26 New York Post article, City Hall boots Israel drone supplier from Brooklyn Navy Yard — after Mamdani took office 
  • Stefanik (R-NY) 2/13/26: X-post – “This is not accountability. This is the moral and academic rot of the revolving door of failed “elite” higher education. More on just how bad Magill’s leadership was is featured in the UPenn chapter in my upcoming book POISONED IVIES publishing by @simonschuster on 4/14“. Commenting on 2/13/26 Politico article, She Resigned as Penn President After a Controversial Hearing. Now She’s Back.

Iran

  • Lawler (R-NY) 2/20/26: X-post – “GOTTHEIMER AND LAWLER JOINT STATEMENT ON IRAN WAR POWERS RESOLUTION“
  • Evans (D-PA) 2/20/26: X-post – “President Trump is failing to address Americans’ everyday needs: lowering prices and making health care affordable. Now he’s threatening to strike Iran, risking servicemembers’ lives and potentially dragging our country into an ill-conceived ‘forever war.’“
  • Kaine (D-VA) 2/20/26: Kaine Statement on Trump’s Threat of Illegal War with Iran
  • Foushee (D-NC) 2/19/26: X-post – “Trump’s threats of strikes on Iran are not acceptable. Congress must stop him before we are launched into another disastrous war. I am a cosponsor of @RepRoKhanna and @RepThomasMassie’s War Powers Resolution and will support the discharge petition to prevent Trump from putting servicemembers in harm’s way.“
  • Smith (D-WA) 2/19/26: X-post – “Donald Trump should not start a war with Iran.”
  • Kustoff (R-TN) 2/19/26: X-post – “For years, Iran has been the bully in the Middle East. They have threatened Israel and targeted U.S. personnel and assets across the region. The Iranian regime can either end their aggression or face the full consequences of their actions. Thank you @WolfBlitzer and @CNN for having me on.“
  • McCaul (R-TX) 2/19/26: X-post – “Iranians deserve far better than a regime that attempts to shroud its violent suppression in technological darkness. As President Trump weighs various actions in Iran, I commend the admin for continuing to ensure those responsible for these atrocities face consequences.“
  • Velazquez (D-NY) 2/19/26: X-post – “Without a single vote in Congress, the Trump admin is building up the largest military force in the Middle East since Iraq. The American people do not want another catastrophic regime change war. We must pass a War Powers resolution. No war with Iran.“
  • Fallon (R-TX) 2/19/26: X-post – “We cannot allow Iran to continue with uranium enrichment and its missile program. Both are a threat to US forces, and our allies & partners in the Middle East. The Ayatollah’s terrorist regime is the greatest barrier to peace and prosperity in the region.“
  • Clyburn (D-SC) 2/19/26: X-post – “As Americans live paycheck to paycheck, Trump is preparing the U.S. for a costly potential war with Iran. We had a deal limiting Iran’s nuclear program. Trump tore it up in 2018 and is now threatening military action without Congressional approval.“
  • Evans (D-PA) 2/19/26: X-post – “I strongly oppose Trump’s dangerous escalations against Iran. The Constitution is clear – Congress, not the president, has the authority to declare war. I will support Rep. Khanna’s discharge petition to bring a bipartisan War Powers Resolution to the House floor and rein Trump in.”
  • McGovern (D-MA) 2/19/26: X-post – “The Iranian regime is awful and has committed horrific human rights abuses. But bombing Iran in the name of freedom and democracy is as naive as it is stupid. Look at what’s happening in Venezuela. Same regime—one dictator replaced with another. Enough already! NO MORE WAR!”
  • Bera (D-CA) 2/19/26: X-post – “The American people do not want to be pulled into another prolonged conflict in the Middle East. I strongly support the people of Iran who are fighting for freedom and a better future. That said, the Administration must come to Congress before taking action that puts American lives on the line.“
  • Plane (D-CA) 2/19/26: X-post – “If President Trump intends to risk the lives of our servicemembers by going to war with Iran or anyone else, he needs to come before Congress and present a plan. Anything else is a violation of our laws and a disregard for the safety of our troops.“
  • Bacon (R-NE) 2/19/26: X-post – “Throwback Thursday to a presser on Iran: We lost over 600 Americans to Iranian proxy forces during Operation Iraqi Freedom. More than 600 families suffered the loss of a son, daughter, husband, wife, mother, or father. Americans cannot forget what Iran has done, and we should not rest until this regime is out.“
  • Massie (R-KY) 2/19/26: X-post – “Article I, section 8, clause 11 [The Congress shall have Power] To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water Which means, to initiate war requires Congress. There’s no imminent threat from Iran to invoke 1973 WPA.“
  • Harrigan (R-NC) 2/19/26: X-post – “The Islamic Republic rules by fear at home and force abroad. It jails dissidents, crushes protests, and arms proxy militias across the region, then demands to be treated like a normal government. Iran is an ancient, proud nation, and it deserves leaders who answer to their people, not a regime that survives by silencing them.“
  • Cruz (R-TX) 2/19/26: X-post – “To see the mullahs toppled would be a tremendous advance for the people of Iran and the Middle East. But most critically, it would be a massive improvement in the national security of the United States.“
  • Warren (D-MA) 2/19/26: X-post – “The American people voted for lower prices, not another war in the Middle East. But Trump is itching to go to war with Iran. The Constitution is clear: the president doesn’t have the authority to start a war without Congress’ approval. I won’t support another endless war.“
  • Tlaib (D-MI) 2/19/26: X-post – “No war with Iran! Trump’s illegal warmongering will only bring death and destruction. This is a disaster in the making and we must do everything in our power to stop it. Pass a War Powers resolution. Organize. We must rebuild the anti-war movement.“
  • Kim (D-NJ) 2/18/26: X-post – “What does going to war with Iran get you? Does it make you safer? Does it make it easier to pay your bills? Does it make you more optimistic about your future? Trump is bringing our country to the brink of war with no reason, no plan, and no regard for you.“
  • Kim (D-NJ) 2/18/26: X-post – “The American people do not want to go to war with Iran. This is another dangerous escalation by Trump without a clear plan or consent from Congress. A reminder to the President: you don’t get to unilaterally decide when we go to war.“
  • Casar (D-TX) 2/18/26: X-post – “The American people do not want a war with Iran. My entire adult life, politicians have been sending other people’s kids — our U.S. troops — to die in reckless, endless wars. Enough.“
  • Jayapal (D-WA) 2/18/26: X-post – “NOT without authorization from Congress. The American people do not want another war.”
  • McGovern (D-MA) 2/18/26: X-post – “Americans don’t want a war with Iran. We want lower prices, better health care, more jobs, and affordable housing. We want leaders who are on OUR side—not the billionaire Epstein-class!“
  • Ansari (D-AZ) 2/18/26: X-post – “Islamic Republic regime officials complicit in violent crackdowns and internet blackouts shouldn’t be welcomed into the United States. Visa restrictions are a step toward accountability. We must keep standing with the people of Iran demanding freedom and dignity.”
  • Beyer (D-VA) 2/18/26: X-post – “Trump is threatening to take America to war with Iran unless they make a deal like the one he tore up in 2017 to give up the nuclear weapons program he claimed to have “completely and totally obliterated” a few months ago. No war with Iran.“
  • Baumgartner (R-WA) 2/18/26: X-post – “Thanks to our brave airmen and President Trump’s leadership, Iran’s nuclear program was dealt a very serious blow in “Midnight Hammer”, however it’s extensive ballistic missile program and support for terrorist groups still remain a dire threat to US national security interests.”
  • Khanna (D-CA) 2/18/26: X-post – “Trump officials say there’s a 90% chance of strikes on Iran. He can’t without Congress. @RepThomasMassie & I have a War Powers Resolution to debate & vote on war before putting U.S. troops in harm’s way. I will make a motion to discharge to force a vote on it next week.“
  • Van Hollen (D-MD) 2/18/26: X-post – “Again, the ‘No New Wars’ president seems to be on the verge of attacking another country. Trump may’ve told Netanyahu about his plans, but only Congress has the power to declare war. Dragging us into another destabilizing war in the Middle East is what Trump pledged NOT to do.“
  • Garamendi (D-CA) 2/17/26: X-post – “Let’s remember how we got here with Iran. Donald Trump torpedoed the Iran nuclear deal in his first term. Now he’s threatening military action and putting American service members’ lives at risk to renegotiate it. Stop the wars. End the senseless violence.“
  • Markey (D-MA) 2/17/26: X-post – “Trump claims he wants a deal with Iran, not war. That’s B.S. We had a great deal with Iran on its nuclear program in 2015, but Trump tore it up and then bombed Iran last summer. Trump is a dangerous warmonger that must be stopped.”
  • Mullin (R-OK) 2/17/26: X-post – “President Trump does not bluff with Iran. He also does things on his own time. He believes in giving the USA options to maximize peace through strength. At the same time, he knows we can’t have another Hillary Clinton Arab Spring. We stand with the freedom-loving people in Iran.“
  • Fallon (R-TX) 2/17/26: X-post – “Iran’s regime funds terrorism and gives China & Russia a dangerous partner in the Middle East. They’re racing to rebuild nuclear facilities despite setbacks. Under President Trump, maximum pressure is back. Decisive action now will protect US interests.“
  • Fallon (R-TX) 2/17/26: X-post – “The Iranian regime has been a menace to the region through its support for terrorist proxies and pursuit of a nuclear weapon. The Ayatollah’s penchant for sowing destruction and chaos has done nothing for the people of Iran. The Iranian people deserve freedom.“
  • Graham (R-SC) 2/14/26: X-post – “I was incredibly honored to be able to speak in Munich, Germany at a rally of 250,000 supporting the brave Iranian people. Being in the company of so many demanding freedom and justice was inspiring and one of the highlights of my life.   I have chosen the Iranian people over the ayatollah. I believe they could be good allies of the United States and would march the region toward the light.   I believe the ayatollah is a religious Nazi, who would keep the region and the world in turmoil. He’s a religious fanatic who wants to purify Islam, destroy the Jewish people and come after the United States, which he refers to as the Great Satan. 2026 is the time of choosing. I’ve chosen the brave Iranian people over their oppressor. I do believe help is on the way.“

Syria

United Arab Emirates

  • Graham (R-SC) 2/18/26: X-post – “To those who are perpetuating false narratives against the United Arab Emirates and President Sheikh @MohamedBinZayed personally, you are full of it. I met with him today for an hour and a half. Not only is he alive, but he is also well and as sharp as I’ve ever seen him. To those powers that feel the need to attack MbZ and the UAE for doing the right thing – you do so at your own peril. Our meeting today was very enjoyable and informative. We discussed the historic moment that is facing the region. I told him how much I appreciated his courage and vision to create an Islamic country that can be integrated into the world in a win-win fashion, both for the people of the UAE and for those who visit and do business with the country. However, there are other voices in Islam that have the darkest vision of mankind. Those voices are distinctly in the minority, in my view. MbZ’s decision to embrace the Abraham Accords and to modernize his country while still maintaining the faith is the biggest change in the Middle East in my lifetime. What the United Arab Emirates have done to try to integrate the region with the whole world is one of the bravest and most consequential decisions any Middle Eastern leader has made. I was very candid with MbZ that he cannot do this by himself. Other people in the region have to buy-in to what’s happening with the UAE, not just be casual observers. To the region: Understand that history is about to be made. President Trump wants a region that looks more like the UAE and less like the Ayatollah. The region can only move forward if it follows the vision that embraces the light instead of going backwards into the darkness. The UAE’s vision for the Middle East and the 2030 vision previously expressed by the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia is something I would fully embrace because it would be great for South Carolina, and great for America. The forces that are merging here recently are trying to undercut the movement toward the light. They are going back to the old way of doing business, playing cheap politics. Your actions have not gone unnoticed by me or others. If this continues, it will do enormous damage to the best opportunity I’ve seen in hundreds of years to change the Middle East for the better. Finally, to those who believe that the region still flourishes if the ayatollah’s regime survives, I could not disagree more. If this religious Nazi regime in Iran still stands after all this bluster and the people are shut out and continue to be oppressed, it puts everything we’ve worked for at risk, including the Abraham Accords. Now, I am off to Saudi Arabia where I look forward to meeting with the Crown Prince who has shown a lot of courage and wisdom and has embraced, in the past, a vision that will forever change the Middle East for the better. Time will tell as to what happens.”
  • Ernst (R-IA) 2/16/26: X-post – “This is a completely false rumor. UAE President MBZ is a brave leader and dear friend. He has charted a path towards greater peace and cooperation in the Middle East and deserves better than nasty online rumors that are intended to stoke chaos.”
  • Graham (R-SC) 2/16/26: Speaking in Jerusalem, via @clashreport on X (with video clip): “Bibi wanted me to tell the press that he’s amazed by the level of cooperation and the significance of the partnership of the United Arab Emirates with Israel — that MBZ has done everything asked and then some, that they’ve been a stalwart partner, a reliable partner under difficult circumstances. And I want to go there tomorrow, acknowledge MBZ’s leadership, and suggest that America improve its capability to defend the United Arab Emirates and the region.”
  • Van Hollen (D-MD) 2/14/26: X-post – “The RSF murdered 6,000 people in the city of El Fasher in only 3 days. What more will it take for the Trump Admin to act? Congress must pass my & @RepSaraJacobs bill to halt US arms sales to the UAE until we know they have stopped arming the RSF’s slaughter in Sudan.“

Islamophobia: Randy Fine — and some pushback

  • On 2/15/36, Fine (R-FL) posted on X: “If they force us to choose, the choice between dogs and Muslims is not a difficult one.“
  • Ten minutes after posting this, Fine added, “For context, this is the leader of one of the key mainstream Muslim groups that supported Mamdani” with a screenshot from a post from Palestinian activist Nisreen Kiswani 2/12/26 reading: “Finally, NYC is coming to Islam. Dogs definitely have a place in society, just not as indoor pets. Like we’ve said all along, they are unclean.” Two hours after posting that, Kiswani had added: “Lmao at the Zionists frothing at the mouth at this, thinking they’re doing something. It’s obviously a joke I don’t care if you have a dog, I do care if your dog is shitting everywhere and you’re not cleaning it. Also clearly trying to weigh in on an issue unaware of the current nyc discourse where we’re collectively (jokingly) hating on dogs given all the visible dog shit in the unmelted snow lmao“.
  • Commenting on Fine’s post re: dogs v. Muslims, Kiswani posted 2/15/26: “Randy fine posted this genocidal statement about me. Thing is, no one is forcing you to choose. He’s just like the millions of other racists hounding me this past week, looking for a reason to be Islamophobic. Just replace Muslims with any other religion and ask if this is ok.”
  • Further commenting on Fine’s post and his subsequent defense of that post and the media around it, Kiswani posted a thread 2/16/26: “Some people are rewriting the timeline around the ‘dog discourse,’ so here are the actual receipts. I did not start this conversation. I stepped into one that NYC politicians, media, and thousands of residents were already having. Feb 11: @nypost reports NYC sidewalks turning into “dog poop minefields.” [NY Post article] | Feb 11: Councilmember @CMShahanaHanif calls dog waste a public health hazard. [link to post] |  Feb 12: Councilmember @OsseChi tells dog owners to “pick up your f*cking dog shit.” | Feb 12: In the middle of that hyperlocal discourse, I post a joke. | Feb 13: NY Post covers the controversy while quoting multiple officials already discussing the issue. [NY Post article] | Daily Mail publishes a more inflammatory story and later changes its headline after being notified it was defamatory. [Daily Mail article] | As that article circulated, large political figures began directing hate toward me Randy Fine Laura Loomer And many Zionists organizations and individuals. It was a clearly targeted astroturfing campaign that capitalized on the concept of a “ban” when I never used the word.”
  • Kiswani also noted 2/16/26 in a post: “I keep getting called a key Mamdani advisor without any of the perks. It’s like when they say I’m funded by Qatar/Soros/Iran like where’s my check?? Illiterate boomers really turned my joke into a national headline.” She later posted, jokingly: “To whom it may concern, Effective immediately, I am resigning from the position many of you seem convinced I hold. While it has been an honor to apparently wield this level of imaginary authority, I believe it is time to step aside so the public may recover from the trauma of a tweet. I wish my successor the best in this critical role.”
  • Kiswani also pointed out the contrast between the performative outrage Fine and his supporters are unleashing over her joke about dogs on X, and their silence over Kristi Noem’s story about shooting and killing her dog. After reportedly receiving death threats, she also posted, “Death threats over dogs from people who never uttered a word about animals killed in Gaza. 97% of Gaza’s animal life has been wiped out. But I don’t expect anything from people who don’t even care about humans in Gaza. In fact, they cheer on their deaths.” She noted in another post: “It’s genuinely strange watching how fast the conversation shifted from the Epstein regime and powerful people escaping accountability… …to a completely manufactured outrage cycle about me ‘banning dogs.’ These people don’t even have this energy for actual pedophile…“
  • Many, many Democrats responded to Fine’s posts (including by calling for censure and/or resignation, including: Kenyatta (D-PA), Barragan (D-CA), Pocan (D-WI), Garcia (D-CA), Meng (D-NY), Meng (D-NY), Swalwell (D-CA), Menendez (D-NJ), Veasy (D-TX), Olszewski (D-MD), Brown (D-OH), Khanna (D-CA), Ansari (D-AZ), Boyle (D-PA), Pou (D-NJ), Rosen (D-NV), Cortez Masto (D-NV), Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Ramirez (D-IL), Scanlon (D-PA), Goldman (D-NY), Khanna (D-CA), Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Khanna (D-CA), Van Hollen (D-MD), Min (D-CA), Lee (D-PA), McIver (D-NJ), Kenyatta (D-PA), Pocan (D-WI), Pocan (D-WI), Carson (D-IN), McGarvey (D-KY), Pocan (D-WI), McIver (D-NJ), Clark (D-MA), Chu (D-CA), Aguilar (D-CA), Kim (D-NJ), Garamendi (D-CA), Quigley (D-IL), Pocan (D-WI), Schneider (D-IL), Jewish Democrats, Friedman (D-CA), Torres (D-CA), Moore (D-WI), Vargas (D-CA), Foushee (D-NC), Elfreth (D-NC), Neal (D-MA), Larson (D-CT), Kennedy (D-NY), Frankel (D-FL), Schneider (D-IL), Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Jeffries (D-NY)
  • NOTABLY: As of this writing, NO Republicans in either the House or Senate have spoken out to criticize or otherwise oppose Fine’s post(s). On the other hand, some House Republicans weighed in to agree with Fine: Self (R-TX) 2/18/26 – “You will not take away our dogs. You will not take away our individual liberties. And you will certainly not impose any form of Sharia on the American people.“; Stutzman (R-IN) 2/19/26 – “Dogs are a man’s best friend and a staple of the American family. Anyone who doesn’t agree can go bark up someone else’s tree.“; Self (R-TX) 2/19/26: “Dogs are a gift from God. I stand with @RepFine.“
  • ALSO NOTABLY: As of this writing there has been no similar pushback against fine for his post, a day earlier before the dog-related post, dehumanizing every Palestinian man, woman and child (discussed above). 
  • In response to criticism, Fine has doubled down/escalated — including: here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, etc…
  • On 2/19/26, Fine announced on X: “I am proud to introduce the Protecting Puppies from Sharia Act. Democrats are losing their minds because I made a simple statement—given a choice between our dogs and those who would ban them, the choice is easy. They can pound sand. This bill will ban federal funds to any state or local government that considers dogs ‘haram.’ Proceed accordingly, Mamdani.” [Reminder: Mamdani has NEVER SAID A WORD ABOUT BANNING DOGS]. Reps. Roy (R-TX) and Self (R-TX) announced they are co-sponsoring [Self: “Proud to cosponsor this bill. In America, we cherish dogs—loyal companions, beloved family, and yes, true gifts from God. Any foreign ideology that tries to strip Americans of our right to own dogs is not welcome here.“]
  • Zeteo’s Mehdi Hassan called BS on Fine’s response to Tapper, posting on X: “It’s insane how much these people lie. To try and justify his racist genocidal rhetoric Fine claims Kiswani is ‘a key Mamdani advisor’ (she isn’t), that she said ‘we must give up our dogs’ (she didn’t), and then pretends that justifies him suggesting Muslims are lower than dogs.” Yashar Ali noted: “Yes, a sarcastic post (and even if it were serious) from a woman with 40,000 followers on this app should lead a member of Congress from Florida to comment on it as if she were an elected official or a commentator with significant influence. Is she an elected official, Joey? Is she the host of one of the top ten podcasts?” Zeid Jilani noted: “There is not a single Muslim country or country period that bans dogs. The rights media is full of making up something to get mad at.“

Islamophobia – Other Stuff

  • Gill (R-TX) 2/19/26: X-post w/ video – “Sharia Law is incompatible with America“
  • Self (R-TX) 2/13/26: X-post – “Under Sharia, there are no individual rights or freedoms. We cannot allow it to influence our communities or local governments because once accommodation begins, intimidation follows.“

5. Selected Media

Munich Security Conference

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – GENERAL

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – New Jersey

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – Illinois

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – New York

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – North Carolina

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – Texas

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – California

  • Tahoe Daily Tribune 2/13/26: Chris Bennett, candidate for CA-03, discusses platform with the Tribune [“Bennett said many of his platforms he was running on were linked to defending democracy. ‘I swore an oath to defending democracy and the constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. And while I have grown a lot in my views of American foreign policy, I am still proud of my service. And I want people to feel good that they served, not to deal with PTSD and moral injuries because we were doing war crimes in foreign countries.’ That’s one of the reasons Bennett says he is not interested in taking AIPAC or corporate money. ‘We should not be sending our money to foreign countries to hurt people, especially in violation of international humanitarian law, when we could be using that money to help people here,’ he said. ‘We need to get big money out of politics, and that includes not allowing foreign countries to influence our internal affairs.'”]

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – Georgia

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – Maryland

Saudi Arabia, Iran, UAE, Etc.

Rep. Fine (R-FL) Makes Headlines for Islamophobic Post

Other stuff

1. Bills, Resolutions
2. Letters
3. Hearings & Markups
4. Selected Members on the Record
5. Selected Media & Press releases/Statements

New episodes of FMEP’s Occupied Thoughts Podcasts:

  • 2/9/26: Forced Displacement & Ethnic Cleansing in the Service of Jewish Supremacy, ft. FMEP non-resident fellow Peter Beinart in conversation with Myssana Morany, a lawyer and coordinator of the Land and Planning Rights Unit of Adalah, the legal center for Arab minority rights in Israel, and Sarit Michaeli, the International Advocacy Director at the Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem.

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1. Bills & Resolutions

(CONDITIONS ON US ASSISTANCE TO ISRAEL) HR 7545 [bill text]: Introduced 2/12/26 by McCollum (D-MN) and 14 Democratic cosponsors, “To prohibit funds made available for assistance to the Government of Israel to be used to support certain violations of international law, and for other purposes” aka the “The Defending the Human Rights of Palestinian Children and Families Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act.”  Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Also see: press release – Congresswoman Betty McCollum Re-introduces The Defending the Human Rights of Palestinian Children and Families Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act.

  • Per McCollum’s press release, “The legislation would prohibit Israel’s government from using U.S. taxpayer dollars in the Occupied West Bank for the military detention, abuse, or ill treatment of Palestinian children in Israeli military detention; the seizure and destruction of Palestinian property and homes in violation of international humanitarian law; or any assistance or support for unilateral annexation of Palestinian lands in violation of international humanitarian law.”
  • Previous versions: HR 3103 (2023); HR 2590 (2021); HR 2407 (2019); HR 4391 (2017)
  • Per the press release: “The legislation has been endorsed by nearly a dozen civil society organizations including JStreet, New Jewish Narrative, Oxfam America, Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL), Center for Jewish Nonviolence, Peace Action, Win Without War, Demand Progress, Arab American Institute, T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights, and Center for International Policy.“

(AID TO GAZA) HR 7565: Introduced 2/12/26 by Waters (R-CA) and 16 Democratic cosponsors, “To ensure sufficient food assistance for the civilian population of Gaza,” aka, the ” Food for Palestinian Children and Families in Gaza Act.” Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Also see: press release – Congresswoman Maxine Waters Introduces Food for Palestinian Children and Families in Gaza Act

(EXPANDING/DEEPENING US-ISRAEL DEFENSE COOPERATION) HR 7540 [bill text]/S. 3855 [bill text]: Introduced 2/12/26 in the House by Jackson (R-TX) and Davis (D-NC), and in the Senate by Budd (R-NC) and Gillibrand (D-NY), the “United States–Israel Framework for Upgraded Technologies, Unified Research, and Enhanced Security (FUTURES) Act of 2026.” Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Foreign Affairs; and the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. Per Jackson’s press release, “This bill would strengthen the U.S.–Israel alliance and establish a United States–Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative to accelerate the development and deployment of next-generation defense technologies, ensuring that investments in collaborative technologies deliver an operational edge to America’s servicemembers.” Among other things the bill would authorize $150 million a year for FY2027-FY2029 for the initiative. Also see:

  • press releases – Rep. Jackson Introduces Bill to Modernize America’s Defense Technologies and Strengthen U.S.-Israel Alliance; Budd, Gillibrand Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen Bilateral Defense Programs between the U.S. and Israel. The press releases include endorsement of the bill from Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) Action: “The United States and Israel benefit enormously from each other’s defense technologies and manufacturing efficiencies. Israel innovates and fields defense systems with rapid deployments out of necessity, given the layered and immediate threats it faces. The United States–Israel FUTURES Act builds on decades of successful collaboration by improving cooperation across the public, private, and academic sectors to swiftly develop, test, and field defense technologies that will help safeguard U.S. service members and provide Israel with the means to combat a diverse set of threats from foreign adversarial states and terror groups. FDD Action strongly supports the bipartisan United States-Israel FUTURES Act.”
  • Jewish Insider 2/12/26: Bipartisan bill seeks to strengthen U.S.-Israel defense cooperation [“The United States-Israel FUTURES Act, will be introduced in the Senate by Sens. Ted Budd (R-NC) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and in the House by Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX)”]
  • Budd (R-NC) X-post 2/12/26: “I am proud to introduce the FUTURES Act with @SenGillibrand to advance regional security in the Middle East and strengthen U.S. and Israeli defense.“; Budd (R-NC) X-post 2/12/26: “The U.S.-Israel FUTURES Act offers an opportunity to strengthen existing bilateral programs by advancing joint investments such as emerging technologies, defense industrial base cooperation, artificial intelligence, and biotechnology initiatives.“

(CONDEMNING THE GOVT OF IRAN) S. Res. 606 [resolution text]: Introduced 2/11/26 by Lankford (R-OK) and 24 bipartisan cosponsors, “A resolution condemning the Government of Iran for its suppression of the right of Iranians to peacefully assemble.” Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. Also see: press release – Lankford Leads Bipartisan Resolution as Iranian Protests Face Violent Regime Crackdown; Bipartisan Senate resolution condemns Iranian crackdown against protesters (Jewish Insider 2/11/26)

(OVERSIGHT OF VENEZUELA OIL $$ IN QATAR) S. 3838: Introduced 2/11/26 by Schumer (D-NY) and Schiff (D-CA), “A bill to require the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct an audit of a United States and Venezuela energy deal, and for other purposes.“ Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. Also see: Schumer dials up oversight pressure on Trump’s Venezuela oil fund (Politico 2/11/26)

(SANCTIONS ON UAE) HR XXXX: A new piece of legislation, the “‘UAE Financial Accountability Act of 2026,” aka “To expand the scope of existing sanctions to include activities by entities of the United Arab Emirates,” showed up online this week in the House documents depository. The bill text, dated 1/27/26, does not include any information about the sponsor/sponsors. The text was posted in connection with a 2/10/26 hearing in the House Financial Services Committee, entitled: Priced Out of the American Dream: Understanding the Policies Behind Rising Costs of Housing and Borrowing [one of a total of 6 bills listed]. Regarding this bill text, the hearing announcement states: “This discussion draft expands the secondary sanctions regime involving Iran to include all transactions between Emirati financial institutions and sanctioned Iranian banks that handle the purchase of petroleum and petroleum products. This draft also requires an annual determination of whether Emirati financial institutions have engaged in sanctionable conduct.” NOTE: I did not watch the whole hearing, but from a quick scan of the video it seems this bill was not discussed.

——————–

Legislation-related media:

2. Letters

3. Hearings & Markups

February 12, 2026: The Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a hearing to consider a number of Trump nominations [hearing video], including his nomination of Jeremy Carl to be an Assistant Secretary of State for International Organizations. Members questions/comments with respect to Carl focused on statements he has made about Jews and Israel. Also see:

February 10, 2026: The House Ways and Means Committee held a hearing entitled, “Foreign Influence in American Non-profits: Unmasking Threats from Beijing and Beyond” [hearing video]. Witnesses were: Scott Walter, Capital Research Center (statement); Caitlin Sutherland, Americans for Public Trust (statement); Adam Sohn, NCRI and Narravance (statement); Bruce Dubinsky, Dubinsky Consulting (statement); and Robert Weissman, Public Citizen – minority witness (statement). Also see:

February 10, 2026: The House Foreign Affairs Committee held a hearing entitled, Syria at a Crossroads: U.S. Policy Challenges Post [hearing video]. Witnesses were: James Jeffrey, WINEP (statement); Andrew J. Tabler, WINEP (statement); Nadine Maenza, Former Chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (statement); and Mara Karlin, Brookings Institution (statement). Also see:

  • Chairman Mast (R-FL) opening remarks
  • Mills (R-FL) 2/10/26: X-post – “Today, I helped Chair the House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing, “Syria at a Crossroads: U.S. Policy Challenges Post-Assad,” I made clear that America must look beyond the past and focus on the future. That means countering our adversaries, learning from hard lessons, holding bad actors accountable, and working toward a free and stable Syria, one that contributes to long-term security across the region, not more chaos. U.S. leadership matters. Strategic clarity matters. The stakes could not be higher.“
  • McCaul (R-TX) 2/10/26: X-post w/ video clip – “While I have great hope for Syria post-Assad, the country remains in a fragile period of transition. As former chairman of @HomelandGOP during the rise of ISIS & the caliphate, I am concerned about an ISIS resurgence. Watch my full remarks at today’s @HouseForeignGOP hearing:“
  • Jayapal (D-WA) 2/10/26: X-post w/ video clip – “After decades of repression and brutal conflict, the Syrian people are finally free of the Assad regime. The U.S. must continue to use policy to support Syria’s new government through diplomacy and dialogue, not punishment and isolation.“
  • McBride (D-DE) 2/10/26: X-post- “When the U.S. steps back and dismantles key foreign policy tools like USAID, we leave the door open for our adversaries to fill the void. At today’s @HouseForeign Committee hearing on Syria, I underscored why the U.S., alongside our NATO allies, must remain engaged in countering Russian influence to build a stable future for Syria.“
  • Brecheen (R-OK) 2/12/26: X-post – “During Tuesday’s @HouseForeignGOP hearing, @nadinemaenza informed Congress that Turkey’s President Erdoğan is seeking to restore the Ottoman Empire all the way to Jerusalem and beyond. This is important because President Erdoğan is closely connected to Syria’s current leader, al-Sharaa. The recent horrific treatment of religious minorities in Syria, including Christians, Druze, Alawites, and Kurds, makes this witness testimony critical. If Turkey continues cheering what is happening in Syria with the extermination of those not in line with an Islamic (Jihad-minded) state, we are looking at a powder keg waiting to explode. If this happens, Israel and the 750,000 U.S. citizens living within its midst will be the next target. The extermination of religious minorities in Syria must TRULY BE AT AN END, or Congress must act by reimposing sanctions!!!“

February 10, 2026: The House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on the Constitutions and Limited Government held a hearing entitled, “Sharia-Free America: Why Political Islam & Sharia Law Are Incompatible with the U.S. Constitution” [hearing video]. Witnesses were: Stephen Gelé, Pelican Institute for Public Policy (testimony); Robert Spencer, David Horowitz Freedom Center (testimony); Krista Schild, RAIR Foundation USA (testimony); and Ilya Somin, George Mason University (testimony). NOTE: In case there is any confusion, it should be understood that throughout this hearing, as well in members’ X-posts (and in statements around last week’s anti-Sharia caucus event), the term “Sharia law” is being treated as synonymous with “Islam” (the religion), and warnings about “Sharia Law” taking over the U.S. are in effect warnings about the existence and growth of the Muslim population (and the visibility of this population) in the U.S. Also see: House panel hears testimony on Sharia law in America (Jewish News Syndicate 2/10/26). Also see:

  • X-post 2/10/26 from CAIR – “CAIR is on Capitol Hill right now to remind congressional Republicans that all Americans have the constitutional right to practice their own faith or no faith at all. That’s why today’s hearing calling for a ban on the practice of Islam in the United States is as ludicrous as it is un-American. Fascist politicians have made it clear that they would ban, expel or exterminate every “mainstream Muslim” in the United States if they could. The hate such politicians spew about Muslims today is no different than what was once said about Catholics, Jews and other minorities in our nation. American Muslims are an integral part of America. CAIR and our partners will, God willing, continue to ensure that all Americans can continue to freely and openly practice their faith on equal terms. Religious freedom applies to all. You can find the memorandum, letter and fact sheet we shared with @JudiciaryGOP and @HouseJudiciary to expose the sharia hoax and the long history of anti-Muslim hate expressed by witnesses at today’s hearing: https://bit.ly/4tkfDUO“
  • X-post 2/11/26 from CAIR – “Rep. @chiproytx and @RepKeithSelf’s Exterminate Muslims Caucus…sorry Sharia Free America Caucus… is what happens when governing is hard, but culture-war branding is easy.“; response from Self (R-TX): “Texans don’t care about the unsolicited opinion of a designated foreign terrorist organization.” [designated by Texas state government]
  • Roy (R-TX) 2/10/26: X-post w/ video clip: “Rep. Roy: ‘Is Sharia law central to most Muslims throughout the world?’ Robert Spencer, Shillman Fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center: ‘Absolutely, Sharia is considered Divine Law, and thus it takes precedence over all other legal systems.’“
  • Roy (R-TX) 2/10/26: X-post w/ video clip: “Rep. Roy: ‘Over the last few years, efforts to impose Sharia on American communities have taken off, and nowhere more than in my home state of Texas. In 2024, members of a Plano mosque sought to create their own 402 acre Islamic enclave governed by Sharia within the state of Texas. It was called the East Plano Islamic Center, or EPIC. Texas ranks third among US states in the number of mosques, with 224 counted in 2020 and estimated over 300 today.‘”
  • Roy (R-TX) 2/10/26: X-post w/ video clip- “Rep. Roy in opening statement on the threat of Sharia law: ‘Sharia encourages violence, silences dissent, rejects religious freedom and subjugates women and children. Let’s be clear, this is not about having the freedom of worshiping a religion of one’s choosing, such as Islam, but forcing a foreign legal code that is incompatible with our laws and legal system that provides unwanted consequences to the American people. It’s everything we’ve fought against for more than 250 years.‘”
  • Self (R-TX) 2/10/26: X-post w/ video clip – “BREAKING: Expert witness in today’s @JudiciaryGOP hearing on Sharia: ‘Sharia is considered divine law and, thus, it takes precedence over all other legal systems.’ Thank you, Mr. Spencer, for your candor and thorough research. We will not back down.“
  • Self (R-TX) 2/10/26: X-post – “Fascinating to see Democrats defend Sharia, which denies freedom of speech and religion and considers women second-class citizens. Not very ‘progressive’ of them!“
  • Roy (R-TX) 2/10/26: X-post w/ video clip – “Rep. Roy: “Is Sharia law not inherently political?” Robert Spencer: ‘There’s no doubt whatsoever this is all about political power.’“
  • Harris (R-NC) 2/10/26: X-post – “Much of Sharia law involves violating constitutionally protected freedoms. If a religion violates the United States Constitution, then it does not belong in the United States. Get Sharia Law out of my country.“
  • Hageman (R-WY) 2/10/26: X-post – “Sharia law puts women and children at risk, circumventing the safeguards our Constitution guarantees.“
  • Harris (R-NC) 2/10/26: X-post – “If a kid growing up in the suburbs of North Carolina can be radicalized by the Islamic state, who else can be radicalized by Sharia Law? We must protect Americans by allowing Sharia Law NEVER to have a place here.“
  • Cline (R-VA) 2/10/26: X-post – “Any effort to impose Sharia law in the United States should be met with serious scrutiny and firm opposition. Importing extremist ideologies that conflict with our legal system poses a real national security concern. Today, @JudiciaryGOP is examining the implications tied to the infiltration of Sharia law in the U.S.“
  • Roy (R-TX) 2/9/26: X-post – “TOMORROW: Rep. Roy to lead hearing titled, “Sharia-Free America: Why Political Islam & Sharia Law are Incompatible with the U.S. Constitution.” Rep. Roy: ‘In my home state of Texas, Dallas has become ground zero for the Islamification of America, and there are more mosques being built in Texas than in any other state in the union. If we are not careful, America will fall just like what we’re seeing happen in London or Paris.‘“
  • Roy (R-TX) 2/9/26: X-post – “Rep. Roy: ‘You can believe whatever you want, but you cannot engage in what is a political effort to Islamify the United States of America and not expect us to fight back.’ Tomorrow, Rep. Roy leads a @JudiciaryGOP hearing on the threat posed by Sharia law.“
  • Self (R-TX) 2/9/26: X-post – “Members of the Sharia-Free America Caucus will continue sounding the alarm in Congress about the dangers of Sharia. Tune in to the @JudiciaryGOP Committee hearing TOMORROW.“

February 10, 2026: The House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Europe Subcommittee held a hearing entitled, “Weaponized Mass Migration: A Security Risk to Europe and the United States” [hearing video]. Witnesses were: RADM (ret.) Mark Montgomery, Foundation for Defense of Democracies (statement); Matthew Boyse, Hudson Institute (statement); and Natalia Banulescu-Bogdan, Migration Policy Institute (statement).

Note that in his testimony, Boyse asserts: “Weaponized migration has also fed the growth and spread of Islamist groups and ideology that exacerbate societal tensions and undermine Allies’ reliability in confronting challenges facing the Global West. NATO member states remain not only targets of terrorism – as Taylor Swift’s cancelled concerts in August 2025 in Vienna demonstrated – but also breeding grounds, bases of operation, and launchpads for global Islamist networks. This nexus has altered political dynamics across the alliance; every NATO member state now has at least one party with a strong focus on migration, Islam, and Islamism, which in almost a dozen countries is either among the most popular, can influence policy, decide governing coalitions, holds power or is a candidate for power. While this focus is positive, many of these parties are also accommodationist or explicitly pro-Putin, not strongly supportive of NATO, contain varying degrees of anti-Americanism, and/or oppose key U.S. foreign policy priorities in Europe. This nexus has, for example, increased differences with the USG over Middle East policy, especially on Israel, as European governments prioritize pro-Palestinian sentiment and winning elections. The USG has had difficulty generating support for designating the IRGC, Hamas, Lebanese Hizballah, and Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist organizations, in large part because of large Muslim and Arab voting blocks. Over the years, the nexus has contributed to softer Iran policies, enabling Tehran to expand its malign influence across the Middle East, as well as to surges in domestic antisemitism and hostile environments for Jews. Islamist networks based in Europe and elsewhere fan the flames of antisemitism, weaponizing it against Allies and partners, and weakening U.S. interests and positions. After Labor benefitted from large voting blocks in the 2024 UK elections, PM Starmer dropped longstanding policy and recognized Palestine and his government refuses to confront visible and growing manifestations of Islamism. French PM Macron has behaved in a similar manner.”

4. Selected Members on the Record

Israel/Palestine & related

  • Gottheimer (D-NJ) 2/13/26: X-post – “The remains of the final hostage in Gaza, Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, were finally returned to Israel this past month. Since October 7, I’ve had these posters outside my office to remind visitors and colleagues of the 251 ripped from their homes and held by terrorists in tunnels. Thankfully, for the first time since 2014, there are no hostages in Gaza.”
  • Tlaib (D-MI) 2/12/26: X-post – “Mahmoud Khalil was torn from his wife and kept from their newborn son for speaking out against the genocide in Gaza. Now he’s being threatened with rearrest. The Trump Administration is targeting freedom of speech and trying to silence the growing movement for Palestinian freedom. We will not be silent. Free Palestine.”
  • Fine (R-FL) 2/12/26: X-post – “Fact check: True.” Responding to a Department of State X-post 2/12/26 w/video clip: “.@POTUS:  ‘I’ve been the best friend to Israel I think that they’ve ever had.'”
  • Carson (D-IN) 2/12/26: X-thread – “The Israeli government’s decision to escalate toward outright annexation of the occupied West Bank is a blatant violation of international law and a direct assault on the possibility of peace. Expanding settlements, consolidating permanent control over Palestinian land, and deliberately weakening Palestinian governance and self-determination are not security measures. Annexation is illegal. Settlement expansion is illegal. Collective punishment and land seizure are illegal. These policies cement a reality of unequal rights and permanent occupation for millions of Palestinians. Congress cannot continue to provide a blank check while ignoring actions that undermine human rights and destabilize the entire region. If we are serious about peace, accountability must apply to everyone, including Israel – we cannot continue to look the other way.   The administration must make clear that permanent occupation and further annexation, alongside an ongoing genocide, will carry consequences.“
  • Meeks (D-NY) 2/11/26: Statement by Ranking Member Gregory Meeks on Israel’s Decision to Deepen Control over the West Bank
  • Booker (D-NJ) 2/11/26: Booker Statement on Recent Israeli Security Cabinet Decision to Expand Control Over the West Bank
  • Ramirez (D-IL) 2/10/26: X-post – “From Gaza to the West Bank, Netanyahu and the Israeli government seek total control of Palestinian lands. They do not care about the international laws they break or the Palestinian lives they take. We have to assert our authority, demand an end to imperialistic expansion and settler violence, and put a stop the military support. Oversight is needed and that starts by passing Block the Bombs Act. Not one more bomb!“
  • Nadler (D-NY) 2/10/26: X-post – “I am deeply concerned by the Israeli Security Cabinet’s decision yesterday, which even settler groups admit is tantamount to de facto annexation of the entire West Bank. These moves undermine the fundamental principles of the Oslo Accords. They make Israel’s military occupation of the West Bank permanent and preclude a two-state solution with a viable Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza. Implementing such a move jeopardizes Israel’s relationship with its neighbors and many countries around the world. Ensuring safety and stability for the people of Israel will not be achieved through annexation and estrangement of allies and friends, but rather only from separation through negotiation. While the current Israeli government pursues a policy agenda at odds with Israel’s fundamental security and global interests, I continue to stand in solidarity with the Israeli people making their dissenting voices heard and join them in praying for sanity to prevail through Israel’s democratic processes.“
  • McCormick (R-PA) 2/10/26: X-post – “Francesca Albanese, a UN employee who flies around the world at taxpayers’ expense continues to spew antisemitic vitriol. This time attacking Israel as the “common enemy.” Her latest smears and actions underscore @SecRubio was right to sanction her. @USAmbUN are there no term limits on UN ‘Special Rapporteurs’?” NOTE: For folks who believe facts do – or at least should – matter, No, the UN’s Francesca Albanese did not call Israel ‘the common enemy of humanity’ (France 24, 2/12/26; watch side-by-side – deceptively/maliciously edited version vs. full version of her speech]
  • Senate Foreign Relations Committee (Dems) 2/10/26: Senators Shaheen, Reed, Warner, Murray, Durbin, Schumer, Coons and Schatz Urge President Trump to Oppose Israeli Settlement Expansion in the West Bank
  • Warner (D-VA), Reed (D-RI), Shaheen (D-NH), Murray (D-WA), Durbin (D-OH), Schumer (D-NY), Coons (D-DE), and Schatz (D-HI) 2/10/26: Warner, Reed, Shaheen, Murray, Durbin, Schumer, Coons, and Schatz Urge President Trump to Oppose Israeli Settlement Expansion in the West Bank
  • Stansbury (D-NM) 2/7/26: X-post – “Attacks on Gaza have not stopped since the ceasefire agreement in October and have killed more than 520 Palestinians, including an 11-year-old girl just last week.  Israel must abide by the terms of the ceasefire. This cannot go on.“

Israel/AIPAC in US Elex

  • Johnson (R-LA) 2/10/26: X-post – “Instead of trying to force a radical-left foreign policy agenda, the bureaucrats in Zohran Mamdani’s Department of Health should focus on delivering the services New Yorkers pay for with their tax dollars.“
  • Casten (D-IL) 2/8/26: X-post -“This is a good summary of my own feelings and those of a lot of my democratic colleagues right now: ‘Political relationships rooted in intimidation rarely build durable support. More often, they breed resentment.’” Linked to J Street/Jeremy Ben-Ami Substack post – What Was AIPAC Thinking When It Went After Tom Malinowski? A Lament.
  • Pocan (D-WI) 2/8/26: X-post – “Sending condolences to @AIPAC for killing any usefulness of their PAC after the monumental failure of their effort in the NJ special election. Their money is so toxic that the very people they are trying to help are now hurt by their involvement, no matter how well disguised.“
  • Lawler (R-NY) 2/8/26: X-post – “I was honored to join the Westchester Jewish Council for their 50th Anniversary Gala. For 50 years, the Westchester Jewish Council has been a strong voice for community, standing up for Israel, combating antisemitism, and ensuring Jewish families in Westchester are heard and respected. Proud to stand with the Jewish community today and always. Congratulations on 50 years, here’s to many more.“
  • Pocan (D-WI) 2/6/26: X-post – “My advice to @AIPAC supported candidates: People want candidates who support human rights and not killing babies in Gaza. And their money – no matter how hidden – is TOXIC. Beware being too cute by half. You may find voters like their elected officials less deceitful.”
  • Pocan (D-WI) 2/6/26: X-post – “.@AIPAC is having a bad week. First, they are silent on the killing of a 4 month old child, I guess arguing they’re a Hamas militant. Then they put millions in a primary in NJ, pick the wrong person to attack, come in 3rd & elect a human rights progressive. Can’t make this up.“

Iran

  • Van Hollen (D-MD) 2/11/26: X-post – “Today, President Trump is meeting with PM Netanyahu, as Netanyahu tries to get Trump to bomb Iran (again). Just days ago, the Netanyahu government authorized a plan to take over even more Palestinian land in the West Bank, in violation of Trump’s own 20-pt peace plan. Will Trump, once again, give Netanyahu a blank check, or will he stand up for American values and peace?”
  • Fallon (R-TX) 2/12/26: X-post – “Iran’s proxies are now a shadow of their former selves thanks to President Trump’s maximum pressure campaign. The IRGC’s capabilities have taken a major hit, and the Ayatollah’s regime is on the back foot. Khamenei’s days as regional despot are numbered.“
  • Fallon (R-TX) 2/10/26: X-post – “In 2020, Iran’s oil revenue was $7.9B. Under Biden, it exploded to over $42B. Iran sowed chaos and destruction with an extra $35B for proxies like Hamas & Hezbollah. Trump has put the cuffs back on through his max pressure campaign. No more money for the Mullahs’ war chest.“
  • Fallon (R-TX) 2/10/26: X-post – “President Trump is spot on: “Iran will not possess nuclear weapons or missiles.” This is the hard deterrence that we need to remind rogue states that the US military is capable and willing to respond with overwhelming force. All options are on the table.“
  • Fine (R-FL) 2/10/26: X-post w/ video clip – “The President is giving Iran one last chance at a PEACEFUL resolution before it is resolved using other means.  It’s hard to expect a good result when our president is trying to negotiate with a Muslim terrorist.  We CANNOT let Iran have a nuclear weapon.”
  • Fallon (R-TX) 2/10/26: X-post – “In 2020, Iran’s oil revenue was $7.9B. Under Biden, it exploded to over $42B. Iran sowed chaos and destruction with an extra $35B for proxies like Hamas & Hezbollah. Trump has put the cuffs back on through his max pressure campaign. No more money for the Mullahs’ war chest.“
  • Graham (R-SC) 2/10/26: X-post – “To the brave people of Iran: President Trump has always heard your cries and demands for justice. The regime has proven yet again it’s incapable of real change. If this regime continues the course they are on, then I believe President Trump’s statement that help is on the way is becoming more real by the day.”
  • Wicker (R-MS) 2/9/26: Wicker: Trump’s Iran Opportunity
  • Fallon (R-TX) 2/9/26: X-post – “The Ayatollah is the very epitome of evil, and Iran’s people deserve freedom. The Iranian regime can never be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon. Under President Trump, all options are on the table.“
  • Britt (R-AL) 2/8/26: X-post – “I’m thankful to @POTUS for continuing to apply maximum pressure on Iran. The Ayatollah has the blood of countless Americans on his hands, and anyone who does business with this murderous regime should think twice. Now they will.“
  • Davidson (R-OH) 2/8/26: X-post – “Why do you suppose the United States has been so heavily involved in Iran since 1951? I always support defending America, but a regime change war in Iran should not be our mission. The National Security Strategy is solid America First. Let’s stay focused.“
  • Babin (R-TX) 2/8/26: op-ed in the Washington Times – Atrocities in Iran remind us what American strength preserves
  • Graham (R-SC) 2/7/26: X-post – “As to any deal between Iran and the U.S., I hope it can meet our national security objectives and the needs of the people of Iran through diplomacy. Given Iran’s behavior regarding deals, it could be a tough sell. However, I am open minded, understanding any agreement with the Islamic Republic and the United States must come to Congress for review and a vote.“

United Arab Emirates

  • Kamlager-D0ve (D-CA) 2/10/26: X-post – “Donald Trump approved the sale of 500,000 AI chips to the UAE just a few months after an UAE royal bought a 49% stake in Trump’s crypto company.   Is this sh*t legal? No, no, and HELL no.“

Unconcealed Islamophobia

  • Self (R-TX) 2/11/26: X-post + illustrative graphic – “4 in 10 Muslims say they want Sharia law in the United States. We have seen how state-enforced Sharia functions in countries such as Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, and Saudi Arabia. Women are beaten and forced to wear full-body coverings. Girls as young as nine are permitted to be married. Christians are persecuted and killed for their faith. Under Sharia, there are no individual freedoms—you are simply a cog in the machine of jihad. America must remain governed by the Constitution and the rule of law. Sharia has no place here.” [Per the posted graphic, this data comes from a 2024 survey conducted by the Heritage Foundation–that polled a grand total of  “500 Muslims”; see the full details of that poll here. Notably, per the ACTUAL POLL, the question respondents were asked as NOT “do you want Sharia law in the United States.” Rather, they were simply asked to rate their support for Sharia law: strongly support (25%), somewhat support (14%), neither support nor oppose (21%), somewhat oppose (6%), strongly oppose (25%), or don’t know (10%). Also see article about the poll in the Daily Signal]
  • Self (R-TX) 2/10/26: X-post – “Educate | Reduce intimidation and fear | Take legislative action – These priorities are at the core of the Sharia-Free America Caucus’s mission. We will advance legislation to ensure American law remains governed solely by the U.S. Constitution.“
  • Self (R-TX) 2/10/26: X-post – “Sharia poses a serious threat to Texas and its citizens. At its core, Sharia is not only incompatible with the Constitution but entirely anti-Constitution. It has no place in America.“
  • Self (R-TX) 2/10/26: X-post – “.@RepEliCrane and I have both seen Sharia’s harsh realities firsthand. As members of the Sharia-Free America Caucus, we urge you to listen and learn from the stories of those who’ve witnessed or escaped this authoritarian ideology. We will never surrender. America must stay free.“
  • Brecheen (R-OK) 2/10/26: X-post – “Sharia and radical Islam have no place in America. Those unwilling to assimilate into the American way of life ought not be allowed into our nation.“
  • Self (R-TX) 2/9/26: X-post – “Rep. Keith Self: ‘We’ve got to rise up as a people to protect our individual rights.’ Come forward with your stories. Do not be afraid. Do not be intimidated. Islamists seek accommodation first—then intimidation. BAN SHARIA.“
  • Self (R-TX) 2/9/26: X-post – “Rep. Keith Self: ‘Sharia, a culture of violence and domination, is fundamentally incompatible with individual freedoms, our Constitution, and our heritage.’ Texas is ground zero in this fight. We must remain steadfast and persistent in the battle against Sharia.“
  • Self (R-TX) 2/9/26: X-post w/ audio clip – “Sharia has no home here.” [repost-ing and doubling down on an enraged post over signs along a road in Texas reading — I kid you not — “Hate Has No Place Here” in a bunch of different languages, including Arabic]
  • Self (R-TX) 2/9/26: X-post – “Thank you, @KenPaxtonTX. A “sharia city” has absolutely no place in Texas or any other state in America.” Thanking the Texas Attorney General for announcing “an investigation into a potentially illegal ‘sharia city’ development in Kaufman County.“
  • Harris (R-NC) 2/7/26: X-post w/ video – “Radical Islam glorifies violence. The American Constitution protects freedom. These two ideas are not compatible — period. Sharia Law has ZERO place in our country. America runs on liberty, not theocracy.“
  • Crane (R-AZ) 2/7/26: X-post – “Proponents of Sharia Law believe in a mandate to dominate those who don’t conform to their belief system. We can’t ignore this dangerous legal and political ideology.“

Other stuff

  • McCormick (R-PA) 2/11/26: X-post- “It’s becoming glaringly clear as to why an organization that spent months disrupting Congress over Gaza went radio silent over the slaughter of the Iranian people. I support @StateDept’s investigation of @codepink’s ties to the PRC.” Linked to: State Department identifies Code Pink and other far-left groups as vectors of Chinese influence operations (New York Post 2/11/26)
  • Harrigan (R-NC) 2/9/26: X-post – “Obama declared chemical weapons a red line in Syria, then stood by as Assad gassed his own people with zero consequences. Biden’s botched Afghanistan withdrawal left 13 service members dead at Abbey Gate. Now Trump is hunting down every terrorist his predecessors ignored, because this administration doesn’t let American blood go unanswered.“

5. Selected Media

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – GENERAL

NOTE: On 2/10/26, Instagram suspended the account known as TrackAipac [which has more than 137k followers]. TrackAipac’s post on X about the suspension has been seen by more than 1.8 million people, and liked by more than 42k people). DropSite posted [in a post seen by more than 585k people) on X: “Instagram has suspended Track AIPAC, the highly popular watchdog project that documents AIPAC’s political spending, citing a violation of Instagram intellectual property rules, specifically trademark rules. The account tracks FEC donations, and points out top-funded lawmakers.” CIP’s Dylan Williams commented (seen by more than 144k people): “Wow… this is a chillingly antidemocratic move and a stark reminder of how Trump-aligned, oligarch-owned media is helping to destroy our democracy.” On 2/10/26, Instagram restored the account without any explanation as to why it had been suspended.

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – New Jersey

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – Illinois

  • Algemeiner 2/12/26: US Congressional Race in Illinois Features Showdown Between AIPAC and New Anti-Israel Group
  • The Hill 2/12/26: Progressive groups back Abughazaleh in crowded Dem field for Illinois House seat
  • Evanston Roundtable 2/12/26: Fine calls on supporter super PAC to disclose donors early [“Fine repeatedly avoided directly answering questions about AIPAC’s organizational support of her campaign during the RoundTable’s video interview, pivoting her answers toward individual donors and why they would support her. When asked directly whether she is aware of AIPAC supporting her by soliciting those donations or other efforts, she said “if they are doing anything, it is as an independent expenditure, and our campaign does not communicate with independent expenditures.”]
  • Punchbowl News 2/12/26: N.J. special boosts progressives in AIPAC feud
  • Politico 2/12/26: Justice Democrats endorse Kat Abughazaleh in Illinois primary [“The race is turning into a proxy war over Israel“]
  • The Intercept 2/12/26: AIPAC Is Flooding Illinois With Cash. Pro-Palestine Groups Are Backing Kat Abughazaleh [“The pro-Israel lobby has made Illinois a top target. Justice Democrats and the newly launched PAL PAC are trying to counter their influence.“]
  • Jewish Insider 2/12/26: Longtime Chicago Jewish federation leader Jason Friedman makes a bid for open House seat [“Friedman, who has been the strongest fundraiser in the field, is also running as a stalwart ally of the Jewish community. But AIPAC’s super PAC, United Democracy Project, is backing Conyears-Ervin’s campaign, airing a blitz of positive television ads this week promoting her candidacy. In a statement seemingly responding to the UDP ads, Friedman said that he “joined this race to fight and deliver results for everyone. The people of the 7th District deserve a representative with integrity, not career politicians with ethical baggage who sell out their constituents to the highest bidder.”]
  • American Prospect 2/10/26: A Fourth Candidate in Illinois Gets the AIPAC Boost [“AIPAC has chosen a candidate for Illinois’s Seventh Congressional District, the fourth Illinois open-seat House race where the pro-Israel organization is spending money. In this case, AIPAC switched to Chicago city treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin, after previously steering donors to businessman Jason Friedman, who leads a crowded field in fundraising. Conyears-Ervin, who has a history of local corruption scandals, is benefiting from what sources describe as a $2.8 million ad buy from United Democracy Project (UDP), which is AIPAC’s designated super PAC. The ad expenditure will cost approximately $500,000 a week through the duration of the campaign. Other races in Illinois have seen AIPAC use so-called ‘shell PACs’ with neutral-sounding names like Elect Chicago Women or Affordable Chicago Now.“]
  • Jewish Insider 2/10/26: AIPAC super PAC launches ads supporting Chicago Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin’s House campaign [“In the 7th Congressional District Democratic primary, Conyears-Ervin faces, among others, Kina Collins, a Justice Democrats-backed, anti-Israel progressive candidate“]
  • Politico 2/10/26: Another super PAC, now in IL-07 [“Watch for new ads from a group affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. This time, it’s in support of Melissa Conyears-Ervin, who’s running in the competitive Democratic primary in Illinois’ 7th Congressional District. Watch here Why it’s interesting: One of Conyears-Ervin’s challengers is Jason Friedman, who is Jewish and has been the target of antisemitic attacks that falsely weaponized AIPAC against him — protesting at events and shouting out epithets related to the war in Gaza.“]
  • WGN9 2/9/26: Highly competitive Democratic primary unfolds for Illinois’ 9th Congressional seat [“Two of the frontrunners, State Senator Laura Fine and Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, are Jewish, and divisions among Democrats over U.S. support for Israel are in the spotlight. A dark-money super PAC called Elect Chicago Women is spending heavily in support of Fine. The group is reportedly backed by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Some of AIPAC’s top backers have been major donors to President Donald Trump. “]
  • The Daily Northwestern 2/9/26: Congressional candidates face off at NAACP forum, marking start of Black History Lecture Series [“Although it has not publicly endorsed her, AIPAC has fundraised on Fine’s behalf. This week, a new super PAC reportedly tied to the lobbying group spent over $500,000 on pro-Fine advertisements. ‘My FEC filings list all of my individual donors,’ Fine said during the forum. When pressed by audience members for a yes-or-no response, Fine said her congressional campaign’s filing does not include any lobbying money, only individual contributions. Biss said he doesn’t accept donations from corporate PACs, fossil fuel interests or AIPAC, later clarifying that he’d accept money from ‘important causes’ he supports, including from ‘lobbyists who lobby for labor unions.’”]
  • Hyde Park Herald 2/9/26: Out-of-state donors propel Donna Miller to fundraising lead [“Records also show that at least 258 of Miller’s individual donors had previously given to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) or its affiliated super PAC, United Democracy Project (UDP), contributing more than $470,000 — more than a third of her total fundraising overall…A Herald analysis shows that at least nine of Miller’s top donors ranked among the top 150 contributors to AIPAC and UDP during the 2023–2024 election cycle.“]
  • Shaw Local 2/8/26: More than $12M pouring into 9th Congressional District race [“Fine has been criticized by other candidates for taking donations from people who also have contributed to Republican politicians and for accepting assistance from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a group that labeled Abughazaleh ‘a direct threat to our mission and the future of Israel’s security’ in a leaked, pro-Fine fundraising email. AIPAC also called Abughazaleh and Biss ‘dangerous’ in a different leaked email. In a recent group video interview with the Daily Herald, Fine denied responsibility for the AIPAC emails and denounced them. As for the donors who have been singled out, Fine said no one is going to sway her by donating to her campaign.”]
  • Chicago Tribune 2/6/26: Jabs at Jesse Jackson Jr., Donna Miller as South Side Congress race heats up [“‘Between MAGA money, AIPAC donors and shady, dark-money super PACs, it’s clear that right-wing forces are playing games with the Democratic primary election,’ Matthew Fisch, a Peters campaign manager, said in a Tuesday news release.” and “And after Miller promised she ‘would not listen to internal pressure’ when asked if she accepted money from groups funded by corporations, Preston said Miller ‘just displayed what every American hates about politicians.’ ‘She’s lying. Donna Miller is supported by AIPAC,’ he said. For her part, Miller has not rejected the claim that she has received money facilitated by the powerful organization, but told the Tribune Editorial Board Friday that AIPAC has not endorsed her. ‘I have supporters who might support AIPAC, and some who don’t,’ she said. ‘I have worked very hard in my professional and governmental career to build a broad coalition of donors, and those individual donors are the ones donating to my campaign, and I think that the coalition of support speaks to the work that I’ve done.’”]
  • The American Prospect 2/6/26: AIPAC Coordinates Donors in Illinois House Primaries [“Three Democratic candidates are benefiting from dark-money super PACs, and they share hundreds of donors who have previously given to AIPAC and its subsidiaries.“]

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – New York

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – North Carolina

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – Texas

Saudi Arabia, Iran, Etc.

Other stuff

1. Bills, Resolutions
2. Letters
3. Hearings & Markups
4. Selected Members on the Record
5. Selected Media & Press releases/Statements

New episodes of FMEP’s Occupied Thoughts Podcasts:

  • 2/6/26: Enduring devastation: “They redefined the human being in Gaza”, ft. FMEP Fellow Peter Beinart speaking with Jaser Abu Mousa, a 2025 Yale Peace Fellow and past Program Officer working for the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) in Gaza. The two discuss life and death in Gaza on personal and collective levels. They look at Hamas, which Jaser calls a “symptom” of the problem of occupation; at how the past two-plus years of war have destroyed not only all the infrastructure needed for life in Gaza but also the social fabric, as starvation and deprivation have broken human bonds and relationships; and the ways in which Israel works to make Gaza unlivable. On a personal level, Jaser speaks of his experiences in Gaza, from the violence he witnessed as a child during the second Intifada to the devastation he experienced on and since October 7, 2023: his wife, Heba, and two of his children were killed by Israeli missiles in mid-October 2023; after two years of starvation and deprivation, his mother, sister, and sister’s children were killed in the war in July 2025; and his family suffered other losses, including the killing of a nephew in the beginning of the war, injuring of his father, and arrest, detention, and violence against his brother along with other medical workers. Navigating these unfathomable losses, Jaser points to his faith in God and religion as guides as he seeks to protect his living children and look towards the future. Finally, Jaser reflects on how he relates to Israelis and declares that “if I strip him from his right to tell his story, that does not make me more just, but will make me less human.”
  • 2/1/26: Severed: Looking at Disability Justice, Palestinian rights, and Gaza, ft. 2025 FMEP fellow Hilary Rantisi speaking with filmmaker and activist Jen Marlowe about the film Severed, which Jen directed. The film, released in late 2025, tells the story of Mohamad Saleh, a teenager from Gaza who has endured five major Israeli assaults, lost his home, close family members, his best friends, and—at the age of 12—his leg. Hilary and Jen discuss disablement, disability justice, and Gaza, which now has the largest cohort of child amputees in the world.

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1. Bills & Resolutions

(REPORT ON KILLING OF SHIREEN ABU AKLEH) HR 7281: Introduced 1/30/26 by Carson (D-IN) and 13 Democratic cosponsors, “To require a report on the death of Shireen Abu Akleh.” Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Also see: press release – Rep. Carson Reintroduces the Justice for Shireen Act

(INTERNET FOR IRANIANS) HR 7380 [bill text]: Introduced 2/4/26 by Swalwell (D-CA) and 5 bipartisan cosponsors, “To make certain improvements relating to the coordination of efforts to promote internet freedom and access to information in Iran, and for other purposes,” aka the “Internet Reach and Access Now Act” or “IRAN Act.”  Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Committee on Energy and Commerce. Also see: Swalwell press release – Swalwell, Lawmakers Introduced Bill to Promote Internet Freedom and Accesss to Information in Iran; Tenney (R-NY) press release – Congresswoman Tenney Leads Bipartisan IRAN Act to Expand Internet Freedom for the Iranian People

(CONDEMNING IRANIAN REGIME) H. Res. 1031: Introduced 2/2/26 by Mills (R-FL) and no cosponsors, “Condemning the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran for its violent repression of peaceful protesters, its documented pattern of human rights abuses, and its sponsorship of extremist militant groups across the Middle East.“ Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Also see: Mills X-post – “Today, I introduced a resolution condemning the Iranian regime for its violent repression, persistent human rights abuses, and its continued sponsorship of terrorism around the world. The people of Iran deserve freedom, dignity, and the opportunity to live without fear under an authoritarian regime. Their courage is seen, their voices matter, and I will continue to stand with them in their pursuit of justice and liberty.” Also see: press release – Congressman Mills Introduces Resolution Condemning Iran’s Repression and Terror Sponsorship

(REVERSE DECISION TO ALLOW EXPRT OF AI CHIPS TO UAE) S. Res. 598: Introduced 2/5/26 by Warren (D-MA) and 3 Democratic cosponsors, “A resolution condemning and calling for the reversal of President Trump’s decision to allow the export of advanced artificial intelligence chips to the United Arab Emirates, despite significant risks to national security and just months after the United Arab Emirates signed a secret $500,000,000 deal to buy close to a majority stake in the Trump family crypto company World Liberty Financial.” Referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

(ISRAEL/MIDDLE EAST IN THE FY26 CONSOLIDATED APPROPS) HR 7148: On 1/22/26, the House passed HR 7148, a consolidated appropriations bill combining FY26 Appropriations Bills that remained un-passed until now, by a vote of 341-88. On 1/30/26 the Senate amended and passed HR 7148 by a vote of 71-29. On 2/3/26, the House passed the Senate-adopted version of HR 7148 by a mostly party-line vote of 217-214 [a notably difference from the 1/22/26 vote], clearing the way for the bill to be signed into law by the President that same day (and ending the brief partial government shutdown). As a reminder, HR 7148 is a House-Senate conference version of the combined remaining FY25 Appropriations Bills, and is accompanied by a Joint Explanatory Statement. HR 7148 includes the FY26 Defense Appropriations bill, which includes significant annual funding for Israel [funding that is in addition to the massive funding for Israel in the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs legislation covered last week in detail], as well as other Middle East-related funding provisions, all laid out below. HR 7148 also includes the FY26 Appropriations for the Food and Drug Administration – legislation that, as it happens, also includes an interesting Israel/Middle East-related provision, as laid out in the 1/23/26 edition of the Round-Up:

  • AID FOR ISRAEL: Section 8071 hard earmarks $500 million for Israeli Cooperative Programs, sub-earmarked as follows: $60 million for Iron Dome; $127 million for the Short Range Ballistic Missile Defense (SRBMD) program; $40 million for co-production activities of SRBMD systems; $100 million for co-production activities of Arrow 3 Upper Tier systems; and $173 million for the Arrow System Improvement Program.
  • AID FOR LEBANESE ARMED FORCES: Section 8034 hard earmarks $50 million for the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of State, to provide assistance to the Lebanese Armed Forces, subjects to many, many caveats.
  • AID FOR JORDAN: Section 8109 hard earmarks $150 million for Jordan, and Section 8120 soft earmarks $500 million for the armed forces of Jordan.
  • Title II: Includes a section hard earmarking $342,516 million for “Counter-ISIS Train & Equip Fund”
  • ABRAHAM ACCORDS: Sec. 6611 (part of the FDA’s FY26 appropriations) is entitled, “Establishment of Abraham Accords Office within the Food and Drug Administration.” This provision mandates the establishment of an office with the FDA, within 2 years, and “provide technical assistance to regulatory partners in Abraham Accords countries on strengthening regulatory oversight and converging regulatory requirements for the oversight of regulated products, including good manufacturing practices and other issues relevant to manufacturing medical products that are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration” and “facilitate interactions between the Food and Drug Administration and interested parties in Abraham Accords countries, including by sharing relevant information regarding United States regulatory pathways with such parties, and facilitate feedback on the research, development, and manufacturing of products regulated in accordance with this Act” and “carry out other functions and activities as the Secretary determines to be necessary to carry out this section.” Also see: House passes funding bill establishing FDA office in Abraham Accords region (Jewish News Syndicate 2/4/26)

AIPAC statement 2/3/26:  Congress Demonstrates Overwhelming Support for Israel

Today, Congress sent a powerful message about the strength and vibrancy of the U.S.-Israel alliance, providing more than $4 billion for vital security assistance and cooperative programs. This funding makes America safer, stronger, and more prosperous, and ensures our democratic ally can defend itself from our shared enemies.

We applaud the Republicans and Democrats who worked together to fully fund the U.S.-Israel Memorandum of Understanding, including $3.3 billion in security assistance and $500 million for missile defense cooperative programs including Iron Dome and Arrow.

In this bill, the House and Senate also ensured that America works together with Israel to confront 21st century security challenges. New funding partnerships in counter-drone, counter-tunnel, directed energy, and other emerging technologies will bolster America’s capabilities and ensure that we are working with Israel to be on the cutting edge in these fields. The bill includes:

  • $47.5 million for U.S.-Israel emerging technology cooperation, an increase of $27.5 million.
  • $75 million for U.S.-Israel counter-drone and directed energy investment, an increase of $20 million.
  • $80 million for U.S.-Israel anti-tunnel defense cooperation, an increase of $32.5 million.

In addition, many other bipartisan pro-Israel provisions are in the bill, including:

  •  A complete ban on funding to UNRWA, the Hamas-affiliated U.N. agency in Gaza, whose members participated in the October 7th massacre.
  • A prohibition on funds to the International Criminal Court (ICC), the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and the U.N. Human Rights Council’s Commission of Inquiry (COI) against Israel, demonstrating American opposition to international bodies that abuse their platforms to target Israel and threaten U.S. personnel.
  • $37.5 million for the Nita Lowey Middle East Partnership for Peace Act (MEPPA), supporting economic cooperation and people-to-people peacebuilding.
  • $3 million for U.S.-Israel international development cooperation.

AIPAC appreciates the pro-Israel leadership demonstrated by House and Senate leaders from both parties, including Speaker Mike Johnson, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, who worked together to strengthen and expand the U.S.-Israel relationship. We also thank the leadership of Representatives Tom Cole (R‑OK), Rosa DeLauro (D‑CT), Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Lois Frankel (D-FL), Ken Calvert (R-CA), and Betty McCollum (D-MN), and the work of their colleagues in the Senate, including Senators Susan Collins (R‑ME), Patty Murray (D‑WA), Lindsey Graham (R‑SC), Brian Schatz (D‑HI), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), and Chris Coons (D‑DE). 

Congress once again came together to send an unequivocal and bipartisan message of support for Israel and the U.S-Israel relationship. This strong bipartisan support reflects that the enduring partnership between the United States and the Jewish state remains stronger than ever. 

———————

Re: bills covered in previous Round-Ups:

2. Letters

  • (TARGETING MAYOR MAMDANI FOR REVOKING IHRA DEFINITION) 2/4/26: Chair Cassidy Launches Oversight into Zohran Mamdani Emboldening Antisemitism, Endangering Jewish New Yorkers [letter text]. The letter is 100% focused on the enforcing the IHRA definition of antisemitism. It suggests – incorrectly – that Mamdani is wrong in saying that “a number of leading Jewish organizations have immense concerns around [the IHRA] definition” [they have]. It goes on to suggest that, based on Trump’s 2019 EO on antisemitism (which invokes the IHRA definition with respect to Title VI), Mamdani’s rescinding of Mayor Adams’s EO adopting the IHRA definition (an EO Adams signed more than 5 years after Trump’s EO) “risks misalignment with federal antisemitism policy and may hinder the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights’ enforcement of Title VI.” The letter warns that this could jeopardize “$2.2 billion in total federal funding” for New York City. The letter goes on: “Decisions by your administration that weaken established safeguards for Jewish students in New York and are out of alignment with federal executive orders warrant careful scrutiny,” and demands that Mamdani answer, by February 19, a list of IHRA-related questions. For a superb analysis on what this letter is really about, see: Senator Cassidy’s IHRA Crusade Is a Political Stunt, Not a Plan to Protect Jews (Kevin Rachlin/Nexus in the Times of Israel 2/5/26). Also see varying degrees of credulous/breathless reporting on the letter from:  New York Post,  Washington Times, Times of Israel, New York Jewish Week, Jewish News Syndicate, Jewish Insider, Politico, Arutz Sheva. Also see X-post from CIP’s Dylan Williams: “Please reconsider this tawdry political stunt. Mamdani revoked the last orders of a corrupt mayor, including IHRA definition and anti-boycott measures. Those orders harmed free speech and the fight against antisemitism, endangering Jewish Americans to quash criticism of Israel.”
  • (IMPLEMENT REWARDS FOR TERRORISM WHISTLEBLOWERS) 2/3/26: Grassley, Fetterman Urge Implementation of Whistleblower Program to Fight Money Laundering [letter text]. Also see: Grassley, Fetterman urge Treasury to implement whistleblower program to combat terror financing (Jewish News Syndicate 2/4/26)
  • (ATTACKING PROGRESSIVES FOR NOT PROTESTING OVER IRAN): On 2/2/26 Jewish Insider published: Reps. Gottheimer, Tenney, Golden blast progressive groups over silence on Iranian violence against demonstrators. The article reports on a their letter attacking the League of Conservation Voters, Democratic Socialists of America, Sierra Club, Council on American-Islamic Relations, Jewish Voice for Peace, Queers for Liberation, Sunrise Movement and Justice Democrats. The letter argues “Over the last two years, you have shown no hesitation in loudly and unequivocally condemning our democratic ally Israel, after terrorists brutally raped, burned alive, decapitated, and murdered more than 1,200 people, including dozens of Americans. Yet, as the Iranian regime guns down peaceful protesters, tortures dissidents, and shuts off the internet to hide its crimes, your voices are unfortunately and conspicuously silent.“ NOTE: This letter is amplifying a transparent “whatabout-ist” straw man argument, predicated on the manifestly false assertion that protests of the Gaza genocide have merely been about criticizing Israel. In reality, those protests centered on specific/concrete calls to END SUPPORT FOR AND COMPLICITY WITH ISRAEL’S GAZA GENOCIDE — BY THE U.S. GOVERMENT, CONGRESS, U.S. UNIVERSITIES, U.S. BUSINESSES, THE U.S. TECH SECTOR, U.S. WEAPONS COMPANIES, AT THE UN, etc. In contrast, in the case of the Iranian regime’s heinous treatment of Iranian protesters, there is no U.S. complicity to protest, given longstanding, far-reaching U.S. sanctions targeting virtually every avenue for potential U.S. engagement with Iran, & the U.S. government and Congress are already all-in in support of the protesters. 

3. Hearings & Markups

February 10, 2026: The House Foreign Affairs Committee will hold a hearing entitled, Syria at a Crossroads: U.S. Policy Challenges Post. Witnesses will be: James Jeffrey, WINEP; Andrew J. Tabler, WINEP; Nadine Maenza, Former Chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom; and Mara Karlin, Brookings Institution.

February 10, 2026: The House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on the Constitutions and Limited Government will hold a hearing entitled, “Sharia-Free America: Why Political Islam & Sharia Law Are Incompatible with the U.S. Constitution.” Witnesses have not yet been announced.

February 10, 2026: The House Ways and Means Committee will hold a hearing entitled, “Foreign Influence in American Non-profits: Unmasking Threats from Beijing and Beyond.” Witnesses have not yet been announced.

February 4, 2026: The House Foreign Affairs Committee held a hearing entitled, “Defending Religious Freedom Around the World” [hearing video]. Witnesses were: Sam Brownback, Former US Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom (statement); Grace Drexel, Daughter of Pastor Ezra Jin (statement); and Stephen F. Schneck, Former Chair, US Commission on International Religious Freedom (statement). Also see: Former U.S. religious freedom ambassador warns of genocide of Syrian minorities (Jewish Insider 2/4/26).

  • NOTE: Rep. Fine (R-FL) took over as chair of the hearing starting around 1:35:44 in the proceedings. On-brand, as ever, Fine took the opportunity to deliver a rant against “moderate Islam” (including taking a shot at Palestinians by suggesting that the decrease in the Christian population in the West Bank is due to fear of Muslims, and suggesting that the Christian population inside Israel has flourished since 1948). He closed by tossing a bash-Europe-and-Muslims-in-the-name-of-Jewish-safety final question to Brownback. Fine’s statement: “I believe the greatest threat to religious freedom in the world is the rise of mainstream Islam. And I call it mainstream Islam because I think we’re calling it “radical Islam” is attempt to minimize the threat that it exists. The radical Muslims are the ones who don’t want to kill us. They do exist. Not all Muslims are bad, but I think that we use that to minimize the threat. And I believe it’s the largest threat because it’s religiously motivated. When China or Russia or other countries persecute religions, they’re doing it in the pursuit of political power. When they no longer believe it is good for them to get political power, they will stop. Whereas the rise of mainstream Islam is based on religion. It is a belief that is deeply held and is why we have to fight it. So I and by the way, we see this threat in the United States. The leading civil rights organization for mainstream Muslims in the United States, the Council on American Islamic Relations, argued in the state of Texas that three Muslim children had the right to attempt to destroy a Christian church because they were practicing their first amendment rights. That is how they tried to get them out of being criminally prosecuted. So I find it very troubling when there ends up being a focus on Israel, a country that I would note where the Christian population has risen dramatically since the creation of the state of Israel. Whereas if you look at a place like Bethlehem where Jesus was born, the Christian population has dropped from 85% to under 10%. It is not because Christians did not want to live near the birthplace of Jesus. It was because they no longer felt safe to be there. So I have a question for Ambassador Brownback if you don’t mind. I introduced a bill, the Peace Act, which passed unanimously out of the out of the Foreign Affairs Committee that directs the State Department to coordinate with our allies to protect the rights of Jews in Europe to practice their faith, a place where we have seen dramatic increases in antisemitism, again, as we’ve seen the rise of mainstream Islam come to Europe. Muslim terrorists are openly targeting people because they are quote ‘visibly Jewish.’ Are you confident in our European allies protecting religious freedom? They seem to be interested in potentially legalizing cousin marriage or or banning New Year’s Eve, because that might offend certain religions. But are you confident our European European allies protecting other religions? Because what’s happening in Europe is certainly very concerning to me.” For more on religious freedom as it relates to Christians in Israel/West Bank/Gaza, see: Jerusalem churches denounce Christian Zionism as betrayal of faith (New Arab 1/20/26); Christians under increased pressure in West Bank (Baptist Standard 2/4/26); Christian leaders blame Israel for dwindling number of Christians in Holy Land (Detroit Catholic 9/30/25); Violence against Christians is on the rise in Israel (Armenian Weekly 9/11/25); Christian communities in Israel face growing hostility, annual report reveals (EWTN News 3/29/25); Rossing Center presents report on life of Christians in the Holy Land (Vatican News 4/1/25); It is a myth that in the Middle East Christians are only thriving in Israel (Christian Daily 9/30/25); ‘They are trying to make it unbearable’: Jerusalem Christians face Easter under Israeli crackdown (The Guardian 4/18/25); Christians in Jerusalem face restrictions, violence amid holy celebrations (National Catholic Reporter 6/2/25). Also see X-post by Agora’s Khalil Sayegh, responding to Fine: “I am a Christian from the Holy Land. I studied Christian theology in Bethlehem and served at a local church for over 7 years. I was beaten by the Israeli military, denied access to Christian holy sites, and separated from my family in Gaza for years. These policies are driving Christians out. Do you mind commenting on these policies?“

February 3, 2026: The Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s Subcommittee on Near East, South Asia, Central Asia, and Counterterrorism held a hearing entitled, “Countering Terrorism in North Africa: Opportunities and Challenges” [hearing video]. Witnesses were: Robert J. Palladino, official in the Department of State’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs (statement); and Lt. Col. (Ret.) Joel Borkert, Department of State’s Bureau of Counterterrorism (statement). Also see: Jewish Insider 2/4/26: Ted Cruz takes aim at Iran-backed Polisario Front for threatening U.S. interests in North Africa [“The Texas senator has drafted legislation to designate the group as a foreign terrorist organization ‘if there’s no change in their behavior’“]

February 3, 2026: The House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee held a hearing entitled “U.S. Policy Toward Lebanon: Obstacles to Dismantling Hezbollah’s Grip on Power” [hearing video]. The hearing showcased a wide array of views/perspective with…three witness ALL FROM THE WASHINGTON INSTITUTE FOR NEAR EAST POLICY, aka WINEP [seriously]: David Schenker (statement), Hanin Ghaddar (statement), and Dana Stroul (statement). Also see:

February 3, 2026: The Commission on Security & Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) held a hearing entitled, “Securing Syria’s Transformation by Diminishing Russia’s Influence” [hearing video]. Witnesses were: Anna Borschevskaya, WINEP [yes, WINEP will have FOUR people testifying on the Hill on 2/3/26] (testimony),  Michael Doran, The Hudson Institute; and Richard Outzen, The Atlantic Council. Also see: Lawmakers, witnesses push back on Syria sanctions effort, urge Turkish-Israeli rapprochement (Jewish Insider 2/4/26); US lawmaker: Türkiye backs removal of Russian military bases from Syria (Caliber 2/4/26)

4. Selected Members on the Record

Israel/Palestine & related

  • Cornyn (R-TX) 2/5/26: X-post – “It is truly sad to watch @tuckercarlson parade around the Middle East attacking Israel. America has no better friend than Israel.”
  • Gottheimer (D-NJ) 2/5/26: X-post – “Congratulations to Deni Avdija, the first Israeli to ever be named an NBA All-Star! After a breakout season, his selection marks a historic moment for Israel and the NBA, and I look forward to watching him compete with the best players in the world at the All-Star Game!”
  • Sherman (D-CA) 2/5/26: X-post – “Via @Forbes— ‘Brad Sherman: There Is An ‘Historic Opportunity’ To Disarm Hezbollah In Wake Of Israel-Hamas War‘”
  • Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) 2/4/26: X-post – “After October 7, I shared photos of every Israeli hostage outside my office as a reminder of the need to bring them home. Now that the remains of Ran Gvili, the last hostage in Gaza, are returned, I can finally take their pictures down. Their stories will never be forgotten.“
  • McCormick (R-PA) 2/4/26: X-post – “I condemn the pro-Hamas protest that took place this week in Philadelphia. It was filled with rank antisemitism and calls for violence. It has no place in Pennsylvania or anywhere.” Linked to Times of Israel 2/2/26 article – Philly Jewish groups condemn support for terror, ‘incitement to violence’ at anti-Israel protest
  • Diaz-Balart (R-FL) 2/4/26: X-post – “Honored to have met with Israel’s Foreign Minister @gidonsaar, @DeputySecState Christopher Landau, @RepMariaSalazar, and key partners from across the Western Hemisphere. The growing alliance between the United States, Israel, and Latin America is strengthening the cause of freedom and advancing our shared security and democratic values.“
  • Diaz-Balart 2/4/26: X-post – “Proud that my FY26 NSRP legislation, signed into law by President @realDonaldTrump stands firmly with Israel while promoting freedom and security across the Americas.“
  • Risch (R-ID) 2/3/26: X-post- “As President Trump has said, Israel is a model ally that demonstrates how countries can make the world safer for Americans when we supply them with the weapons they need. Republicans approved this sale long ago, but Democrats held them up and are now pitching a fit. I’m very supportive of the Administration’s decision to send weapons to our ally, Israel.”
  • Ciscomani (R-AZ) 2/3/26: X-post – “This weekend, Laura and I welcomed Israel’s Ambassador to the U.S. Dr. Yechiel Leiter to Tucson. Meaningful dialogue and the opportunity to highlight the deep, values-based bond between the U.S. and Israel. Proud to support our strongest ally in the Middle East.“
  • Doggett (D-TX) 2/3/26: X-post – “Pleased to meet with Rabbi Kelly Levy, Sarah Avner, and Jewish high school students from Austin’s Congregation Beth Israel. Joined by Rabbi @JonahPesner from @TheRAC, we discussed shared support for reproductive care, humane immigration, and a just two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians.”
  • Bacon (R-NE) 2/2/26: X-post – “The BDS movement seeks to isolate and defeat Israel, the only democracy in the region. Israel is our best ally in the region as well. The BDS movement is fueled by anti-Semitic hate. I strongly encourage UNL students to oppose. Nebraska Nice is not with the haters.“
  • Kiggans (R-VA) 2/1/26: X-post – “While in Israel, I had the opportunity to visit our servicemembers at the Civil-Military Coordination Center (CNCC), a U.S.-led coordination hub established following last October’s ceasefire. The CNCC plays a critical role in intelligence sharing and in coordinating U.S. forces, partner militaries, and humanitarian organizations to deliver aid to Gaza and support stability and reconstruction in the region.“

Israel/AIPAC in US Elex

  • Massie (R-KY) 1/31/26: X-post – “Within hours of the Epstein file release, a superPAC funded by Israel-first billionaires Miriam Adelson, Paul Singer, and John Paulson, who himself appears in Epstein’s black book, bought another $800,000 of TV ads against me. I’ll still win, but if I lose, it was worth it.”

Iran

  • Kennedy (R-LA) 2/5/26: X-post – “For years, Iran has exported terrorism. It can’t do that anymore. Why? Because the United States and Israel have given Iran and its friends a CURB-STOMPING.“
  • Britt (R-AL) 2/2/26: X-post – “With Operation Midnight Hammer, @POTUS sent a message to the world on how important it is to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program, and that our military capabilities are second to none. As the murderous Ayatollah regime continues to slaughter innocent men, women, and children who are standing up to tyranny, they would be wise to remember that when our President speaks, he means what he says.“
  • Sullivan (R-AK) 2/2/26: X-post – “We need to continue to stand with the brave young men and women of Iran. The terrorist regime in Iran would be wise to heed the President’s warnings.“
  • Rosen (D-NV) 2/2/26: X-post – “After the recent, historic protests in Iran against the regime, it is clearer than ever that internet access is a lifeline for the Iranian people. This is why there has long been strong, bipartisan support for U.S. efforts that support Iranian internet freedom. @SenatorLankford and I, along with @SenBooker and @LindseyGrahamSC, are urging Secretary Rubio to continue and grow programs that help the Iranian people access the internet and communicate with the outside world.“
  • Mullin (R-OK) 2/1/26: X-post – “President Trump is 100% right on Iran— the murderous Ayatollah regime has chanted “death to America” since 1979. Without question, @POTUS makes America and the world is safer with his ‘peace through strength’ foreign policy. We stand with the freedom-loving people of Iran.“
  • Budd (R-NC) 2/1/26: X-post – “.@POTUS has been clear: Iran cannot obtain a nuclear weapon. We must enforce sanctions that restrict Iran’s ability to fund terrorism against us & our ally Israel, and dismantle the regime’s ballistic missile program.“
  • Gottheimer (D-NJ) 1/31/26: X-post – “Glad to see that the EU came to their senses and will designate the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organization, as I have urged them to do for years. The IRGC has carried out acts of terror against the U.S. and our allies, and is responsible for the killing of thousands of protesters in the streets of Iran this month. We all must condemn IRGC and its actions.”
  • Fallon (R-TX) 1/31/26: X-post – “Any regime that murders thousands of its own people doesn’t deserve any sort of appeasement. The EU finally designated Iran’s Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization — a decisive step for Europe and long overdue. The IRGC’s brutality must not be emboldened.“
  • Wilson (R-SC) 1/31/26: X-post – “To Iran’s puppets in Iraq and to Nouri Maliki: You are insulting President Trump. Try that out, test your luck, and see what happens Free Iraq from Iran Free Iran“
  • Bacon (R-NE) 1/31/26: X-post – “Iran with a nuclear weapon is not in America’s national interests. And, 609 American service members were killed in Iraq by Iran funded and led militias. And, we shouldn’t ignore the regime murdering tens of thousands of its own people.“

Syria

  • Wilson (R-SC) 1/30/26: X-post – “Grateful to President Trump, Secretary Rubio, and @USAmbTurkiye Tom Barrack for their tireless efforts in achieving this historic peace deal which will save lives and bring a better future for all Syrian communities.“

Lebanon

  • Graham (R-SC) 2/5/26: X-post – “I just had a very brief meeting with the Lebanese Chief of Defense General Rodolphe Haykal. I asked him point blank if he believes Hezbollah is a terrorist organization. He said, “No, not in the context of Lebanon.” With that, I ended the meeting. They are clearly a terrorist organization. Hezbollah has American blood on its hands. Just ask the U.S. Marines. They have been designated as a foreign terrorist organization by both Republican and Democrat administrations since 1997 – for good reason. As long as this attitude exists from the Lebanese Armed Forces, I don’t think we have a reliable partner in them. I am tired of the double speak in the Middle East. Too much is at stake.”

United Arab Emirates

  • Cleaver (D-MO) 2/2/26: X-post – “For years, America’s national security leaders objected to selling advanced AI chips to the UAE on a bipartisan basis. After the UAE sent hundreds of millions of dollars to the Trump and Witkoff families, this administration reversed course. The corruption is staggering.“
  • Landsman (D-OH) 2/2/26: X-post – “Trump gets $500 million in cash then approves deal sending advanced AI chips to UAE. Blatant corruption. He gets richer every day. You get poorer. That’s his presidency. America needs new leaders, and massive anti-corruption reforms.”
  • Murphy (D-CT) 2/2/26: X-post – “A UAE investor secretly gave Trump $187 million and his top Middle East envoy $31 million. And then Trump gave that investor access to sensitive defense technology that broke decades of national security precedent. Brazen, open corruption. And we shouldn’t pretend it’s normal.“
  • Bennet (D-CO) 2/2/26: X-post – “Just before Trump took office, a senior UAE official secretly bought a $500 million stake in Trump’s crypto venture – channeling millions to Trump family accounts. Later, the White House approved the sale of America’s most advanced AI chips to the UAE, despite serious national security concerns. Just last week, Republicans blocked my amendment to add common-sense guardrails that would prevent this blatant corruption. Transactions like these make the urgent need for ethics reforms abundantly clear.“
  • Murphy (D-CT) 2/1/26: X-post – “Trump reversed decades of national security objections to selling advanced AI chips to UAE. National security experts were alarmed. But there was a secret. Before the deal, UAE had sent $187M to the Trumps and $31M to the Witkoffs in secret payments. Mind blowing corruption.“
  • Van Hollen (D-MD) 2/1/26: X-post – “Foreign countries are bribing our president to sell out the American people.   Trump family businesses made $187 MILLION from this deal, and just months later he gave the UAE some of our most top-secret AI tech.   They are selling our national security to the highest bidder.”
  • Kamlager-Dove (D-CA) 2/1/26: X-post – “Trump is selling out U.S. national security for his personal financial gain. The UAE invested $500 million in Trump’s crypto company before he gave them access to hundreds of thousands of advanced AI chips. A company long flagged by U.S. intelligence is getting 100k of those chips. I tried to force an investigation into this apparent quid pro quo back in September—and Republicans shot it down. When Democrats take back the House in November, my first action as Chair of the Subcommittee with jurisdiction over export controls will be to launch an investigation into this staggering corruption.“

Unconcealed Islamophobia [incl targeting CAIR and MB]

Background: 12/18/25 – Reps. Roy, Self Launch Sharia Free America Caucus; 1/15/26 – Congressman Self and Congressman Roy’s Sharia Free America Caucus Surges in Congress, Adding Twenty-Four Members in Under One Month

  • Self (R-TX) 2/5/26: X-post – “A pastor from North Texas just told me his personal story from 2010, 16 years ago. He was in the old city of Jerusalem talking to a Muslim shopkeeper. When he told the shopkeeper the city he lived in, the shopkeeper said that he knew of that city and that ‘they were moving thousands of ‘brothers’ into Plano to start something called EPIC.’ The plan to dominate Texas with Sharia has been working for at least 16 years, undoubtedly longer. Wake up, Texas! We must defend our Texas heritage!“
  • Fine (R-FL) 2/4/26: X-post – “If you would like to live under Sharia law, you have 57 countries to choose from. The United States will NEVER be the 58th. If you do not agree with our ways, I will point you to the door.“
  • Roy (R-TX) 2/3/26: X-post – “Sharia-Free America Caucus Press Conference happening TODAY at 2pm ET/1PM CT. @RepKeithSelf Rep. Roy previews on @Bannons_WarRoom : ‘You’ve got people here who want to Islamify our country. They’re at war with our way of life. They want to undermine Western civilization. They want Sharia law to apply, and all of those things that will destroy our great country.’“
  • Self (R-TX) 2/3/26: X-post w/ video – “LIVE NOW: Sharia-Free America Caucus“
  • Miller (R-IL) 2/3/26: X-post – “I’m joining @RepKeithSelf and @RepChipRoy this afternoon for a press conference to address the growing threat of Sharia law in America. It is fundamentally incompatible with the Constitution and Western values. America must remain free from it. TUNE IN!”
  • Roy (R-TX) 2/3/26: X-post – “HAPPENING TODAY: Sharia-Free America Caucus Press Conference. 1 PM CT / 2 PM ET Watch live here on X. @RepKeithSelf, @SenTuberville, @GOPMajorityWhip, @RepAndyBiggsAZ, @RepEliCrane, @RepMarkHarrisNC, @RepScottPerry, @RepBarryMoore, @RepMichaelCloud, @RepBrandonGill, @AndyOgles, @RepMaryMiller, @Rep_Clyde, @RepBrecheen, @RepRalphNorman, @RepFine, @RepRussFulcher, @RepHaridopolos, @RepMillsPress“
  • Self (R-TX) 2/3/25: X-post – “Sharia operates by dominating and then eroding societies from within. We have to put a stop to this. DO NOT SHARIA MY TEXAS. DO NOT SHARIA OUR CHILDREN.“
  • Self (R-TX) 2/3/26: X-post – “No Sharia. No surrender. TODAY: Rep. Keith Self | Rep. Chip Roy | Sen. Tommy Tuberville and more Sharia-Free America Caucus Press Conference 1 PM CT / 2 PM ET Tune in. You won’t want to miss it.“
  • Biggs (R-AZ) 2/3/26: X-post – “Sharia Law has no place in our Constitutional Republic. It is completely antithetical to the principles upon which our Founders built this great nation.”
  • Miller (R-IL) 2/2/26: X-post – “Reminder: Sharia law stands in direct opposition to the U.S. Constitution. It’s fundamentally incompatible with American values and has no place in our country.“
  • Roy (R-TX) 2/2/26: X-post – “Rep. Roy on the need for the PAUSE Act: ‘Let’s make sure that we’re stopping adherence to Sharia law. Let’s make sure that we’re stopping the abuse of diversity visas and chain migration and H-1B’s. Let’s fix and reform the system and then we can have a debate.’“
  • Fine (R-FL) 2/2/26: X-post – “Tomorrow at 2:00 PM ET, I’ll be speaking at the first-ever Sharia-Free America Caucus press conference with @RepKeithSelf and @RepChipRoy. There is NO place for Sharia law in the United States. End of story. Don’t miss it.“
  • Self (R-TX) 1/30/26: X-post – “We will not stop until every American understands the dangers of Sharia. We have the legislation. We have the resolve. We will not back down. DEFEND THE WEST.“
  • Roy (R-TX) 1/30/26: X-post – “Rep. Roy on the rise of Sharia law: “They want to take Texas out so they can take America out, so they can Islamify the entire Western Hemisphere. They want to destroy everything that is good about our Judeo-Christian culture and Western civilization, and we’re playing freaking tiddlywinks while they’re trying to kill us.” @marklevinshow“
  • De La Cruz (R-TX) 1/30/26: X-post – “America is the greatest nation on earth, and I am dedicated to preserving the way of life that makes the American Dream possible for all. Proud to join the Sharia Free America Caucus alongside Rep. Keith Self and Rep. Chip Roy to ensure our nation’s laws remain rooted in the U.S. Constitution and upholds our principles of freedom and liberty for all!“

5. Selected Media

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – GENERAL

  • Jewish News Syndicate 2/5/26: AIPAC calls out Democratic lawmakers for ‘timidity’ on Iran killing teenage protesters NOTE: AIPAC is amplifying a transparent “whatabout-ist” straw man argument, predicated on the manifestly false assertion that protests, including from inside Congress, of the Gaza genocide have merely been about criticizing Israel. In reality, those protests centered on specific/concrete calls to END SUPPORT FOR AND COMPLICITY WITH ISRAEL’S GAZA GENOCIDE — BY THE U.S. GOVERMENT, CONGRESS, U.S. UNIVERSITIES, U.S. BUSINESSES, THE U.S. TECH SECTOR, U.S. WEAPONS COMPANIES, AT THE UN, etc. In contrast, in the case of the Iranian regime’s heinous treatment of Iranian protesters, there is no U.S. complicity to protest, given longstanding, far-reaching U.S. sanctions targeting virtually every avenue for potential U.S. engagement with Iran, & the U.S. government and Congress are already all-in in support of the protesters. 
  • The America Prospect 2/4/26: Big Money Is Back
  • Sludge 2/2/26: Crypto, AI, and AIPAC Set up to Smash Super PAC Spending Records
  • Jewish Insider 2/2/26: Pro-Israel candidates show strong fundraising in key races [“In many of the closely watched Democratic primaries pitting pro-Israel candidates against anti-Israel antagonists, both sides posted strong fundraising figures”]
  • Haaretz 2/1/26: AIPAC Gears Up for Midterm Election Cycle With $95 Million War Chest [“The pro-Israel group’s Super PAC has the most cash on hand since its establishment ahead of the 2022 midterms, and has already spent hundreds of thousands of dollars ahead of next week’s New Jersey Democratic primary“]
  • New York Times 2/1/26: The Richest 2026 Players: A.I., Crypto, Pro-Israel Groups and Trump [“A pro-Israel super PAC is bigger than ever. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the influential pro-Israel group, has spent aggressively in Democratic primary races in recent years to target candidates it views as opposed to the Jewish state. Now, at a time when tensions over Israel have divided both parties, particularly Democrats, AIPAC is cutting huge checks to get even more involved. The group moved $30 million to its allied super PAC, the United Democracy Project, last year. That super PAC raised $61.6 million in the second half of 2025 and entered this year with almost $96 million on hand, putting it among the best-funded outside groups in the country. The super PAC, which started in 2022, spent about $35 million in House primaries in the 2024 cycle. That amount appears to be chump change compared with the group’s potential 2026 budget.“]
  • NBC News 1/31/26: AI, crypto and Trump super PACs stash millions to spend on the midterms [“United Democracy Project, a pro-Israel group that’s aligned with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) raised more than $61 million from July through December and ended 2025 with almost $96 million banked away, the latest campaign finance reports show. The group wades into primaries on both sides of the aisle, but largely plays in Democratic contests…While United Democracy Project received a massive $30 million check from AIPAC, its second-biggest contributor was GOP megadonor Paul Singer. Donations from Singer and other prominent Republicans have been a point of contention for Democrats because of the group’s heavy involvement in their party’s primaries.”]
  • Haaretz 1/29/26: ‘I Don’t Think a Presidential Candidate Can Win a Democratic Primary by Taking AIPAC Money’ [“What does Mamdani’s win suggest about how Democratic primaries are changing around Israel? I think AIPAC is in a really bad spot. Their peak of political influence was helping defeat Cori Bush and Jamaal Bowman. It came at the right time, in the right districts. There’s a reason they didn’t try against Ayanna Pressley or Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. But since public opinion really turned on what’s happening in Gaza, it’s increasingly becoming a litmus test for Democrats. I don’t think a 2028 presidential candidate can win a Democratic primary by taking AIPAC money. I’m not trying to be a prisoner of the moment, but it feels like a low ask at this point. And so many are ditching it, even moderate candidates. That puts someone like [Pennsylvania governor and Democratic presidential hopeful] Josh Shapiro in a difficult spot. I just don’t see a plurality or majority of primary voters in two years, three years, supporting a candidate that takes AIPAC money.”]

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – New Jersey

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – Illinois

  • American Prospect 2/6/26: AIPAC Coordinates Donors in Illinois House Primaries [“Three Democratic candidates are benefiting from dark-money super PACs, and they share hundreds of donors who have previously given to AIPAC and its subsidiaries.“]
  • Evanston Now 2/5/26: Andrew, Biss go on offense in lively forum [“…Biss also pushed Fine on AIPAC’s tacit support of her campaign for the first time publicly, in a response to questions about U.S.-Israeli relations after laying out his position on blocking military assistance to Israel, something Fine has said she disagrees with. ‘If that’s what you agree with,’ Biss said, ‘it should be very troubling that the overwhelming majority of Laura Fine’s donations come from AIPAC supporters, that she traveled the country in recent months, raising money from AIPAC, because she supports blank checks of military aid for Israel.’ Biss, son of an Israeli citizen with continued familial ties to the country, released a post last week after Evanston Now’s reporting about his communications with the powerful lobbying group early in the campaign, laying out what he described as the same policy position he submitted to AIPAC when asked about his stance on the issues…“]
  • The Daily Northwestern 2/5/26: Democratic congressional candidates spar over campaign donations at CSNA forum [“...In mid-January, Chicago 50th Ward Committeeperson Bruce Leon announced he would drop out of the race, following a months-long pressure campaign from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the country’s largely pro-Israel lobbying group. Leon alleged that the group was attempting to consolidate support around Fine. AIPAC has not endorsed Fine, but the group has reportedly sent at least two fundraising emails on her behalf. At Wednesday’s forum, Biss routinely attacked Fine for her purported connection to AIPAC. While decrying Israel’s actions in Gaza, Biss said it should be ‘troubling’ to voters that Fine supports a ‘blank check of military aid for Israel’ and has allegedly received donations from AIPAC supporters. ‘That is deeply problematic,’ Biss said. ‘That is a right-wing policy that is bad for Palestinians, Jews, Israelis, America and the world.’ At that, Abughazaleh applauded. Abughazaleh took a more veiled strike at Fine in her remarks, suggesting that voters should be ‘looking at who supports unconditional military aid to Israel and who is backed by AIPAC.’ In her rebuttal, Fine focused on her record and experience as a legislator in Springfield, but did not address claims about her donors.“]
  • Politico 2/4/26: Illinois Playbook [“…SUPER PACs: We hear two super PACS are hitting the ground in Illinois today with big ad buys. Watch for ‘Elect Chicago Women’ to start running ads in the IL-08 and IL-09 congressional contests, endorsing Democrats Melissa Bean and Laura Fine respectively. Also on air: The “Affordable Chicago Now” committee will start running ads in the IL-02 congressional district race, supporting Democrat Donna Miller. Big money: The PACs have booked six figures’ worth of Chicago broadcast TV ads, via post. Who’s behind them? The super PACS are supported by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), according to two people familiar with campaigns.“]
  • NBC News 2/4/26: Secret money roils Democratic primaries
  • Jewish Insider 2/4/26: Major ad buys boost moderates facing anti-Israel challengers in Chicago-area House races [“The ad buys for the two groups add up to millions of dollars across the three races. Given that the groups were just launched, FEC filing policies will not require them to disclose their donors until close to Election Day. But the ads, which do not focus on Israel policy, are widely rumored to be connected to the United Democracy Project, the AIPAC-affiliated super PAC. UDP did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and AIPAC has not made formal endorsements in any of the races in question.  Fine has established herself as a supporter of Israel during her campaign, and Bean had a pro-Israel record in office. Miller’s public record on the issue is less established.“]
  • David Dayen (The American Prospect) 2/4/26: X-post – “AIPAC cash has popped up in the race to replace Robin Kelly in IL-02. The “Affordable Chicago Now” SuperPAC just organized a week ago & hasn’t identified any of its donors. The PAC is supporting Donna Miller, whose donors are primarily AIPAC donors…“
  • Times of Israel 2/3/26: Daniel Biss Deserves Pro-Israel Support
  • Chicago Tribune 2/3/26: Millions raised fuel fierce fights for 5 open Illinois congressional seats ahead of March primary [“…In recent months, Fine has seemingly received the tacit support of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and many of its previous donors, though she has denied seeking the group’s endorsement. State Sen. Mike Simmons of Chicago, who had about $135,000 at the end of the quarter, criticized Fine this week for receiving significant backing from people who had also supported President Donald Trump or AIPAC, which advocates for Israel’s interests and supports both Democrats and Republicans. ‘If people who donate to AIPAC are donating to me, it’s because of the fact that they appreciate what I have done and my accomplishments, and they have faith in my candidacy, but I’m pretty darn independent,’ Fine said Monday.“]
  • Jewish Insider 2/3/26: Pro-Israel moderates hold momentum in several Chicago-area House races [“Former Rep. Melissa Bean emerged as the clear frontrunner in her old suburban Chicago district, while state Sen. Laura Fine looking formidable in race to succeed Rep. Jan Schakowsky”]
  • The Daily Northwestern 2/2/26: Abughazaleh, Biss, Fine lead fundraising as $11 million floods congressional race
  • Evanston Roundtable 2/1/26: Fine and Biss lead in cash, Abughazaleh raised and spent big entering 2026, disclosures show

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – New York

  • Politico 2/3/26: Suozzi, Gillen and Riley have a midterm $tash [“Reps. Tom Suozzi, Laura Gillen and Josh Riley are sitting on massive piles of campaign cash as they look to defend their battleground seats, bolstered by leadership PACs, joint fundraising committees and the pro-Israel advocacy group AIPAC…Meanwhile, in the state’s most competitive House race, GOP Rep. Mike Lawler reported a whopping $3.5 million in cash on hand. Like the incumbent Democrats, the Hudson Valley moderate is a prodigious fundraiser whose coffers are fortified by his victory fund, PACs seeking to keep Republicans in the majority and hundreds of thousands in AIPAC cash.”]
  • Jewish Insider 2/3/26: Mamdani, socialist allies face first electoral test in battle for NYC House seat [“The fight to succeed Rep. Nydia Velazquez pits Mamdani and the DSA faithful against the congresswoman and her protege”]
  • City & State NY 2/2/26: Mark Levine endorses Dan Goldman for Congress [“Levine’s endorsement didn’t mention either candidate’s orientation toward Israel, but Lander, Goldman and Levine are three of the city’s most prominent Jewish leaders, and each has been scrutinized by New Yorkers for their response to Israel’s war in Gaza. While Lander as comptroller chose not to reinvest roughly $40 million in Israeli government bonds after they matured, Levine, his successor in the office, has said he would buy Israeli bonds again. (Lander, who opposes the Boycott, Sanctions, Divestment movement, did invest public pension funds in Israeli companies, including the weapons company Elbit Systems.)“]
  • Jewish News Syndicate 2/2/26: NYC comptroller endorses Dan Goldman over city’s prior chief financial officer [“Lander has criticized Israel extensively and supported boycotting the Jewish state. Levine has said that the city should not divest from Israel Bonds, in direct opposition to the views of Zohran Mamdani, city mayor. Goldman has also supported Israel but has been very critical of the Israeli prime minister.“]
  • Columbia Spectator 2/1/26: Congressional contenders vying to replace Nadler gather for NY-12 candidate forum [“The eight contenders fielded questions from audience members, whose key concerns included the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, American Israel Public Affairs Committee funding, and military aid to Israel.”]
  • New York Jewish Week 1/30/26: Ritchie Torres’ challengers are testing how Israel plays in the Bronx — and taking aim at ‘Zionists’ in a Jewish neighborhood

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – North Carolina

  • News & Observer 2/6/26: Valerie Foushee and Nida Allam post fundraising hauls in competitive NC-4 primary [“So far, the race isn’t shaping up to be as expensive as last time — perhaps, in part, due to Foushee’s new pledge not to accept donations from AIPAC, the pro-Israel group that funneled over $3 million toward electing her in 2022. And, unlike last time, Allam may actually have an edge over Foushee in fundraising.”]
  • WRAL 2/1/26: Can Trump, Stein picks survive NC primary elections? Races to watch [“A Democratic-leaning Congressional district in the Triangle features a rematch between Democrats who squared-off in a contentious primary in 2022. Durham County Commissioner Nida Allam is challenging U.S. Rep. Valerie Foushee, who is seeking a third term representing North Carolina’s 4th Congressional District…Foushee faced criticism that year for not rejecting outside spending on her behalf by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee…Foushee says she plans to reject financial support from AIPAC, if it’s offered this year. She told WRAL News: ‘I am not accepting AIPAC donations and have co-sponsored legislation to block arms sales to Israel because it is clear to me and my constituents that the Netanyahu government’s indiscriminate killing of innocent Palestinians cannot continue.’ Foushee added that she has also demanded that Israel allow humanitarian aid to reach starving Palestinians. Stein and Cooper endorsed Foushee in the race. The primary could shed light on how much or how little those endorsements — and Foushee’s actions on Israel — matter to voters in one of the most progressive parts of the state.”]

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – Nebraska

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – Texas

  • The Intercept 2/4/26: He’s Running to Fill Jasmine Crockett’s House Seat From Her Left. He’s Also Her Pastor. [“The 65-year-old Dallas pastor has already attracted some national attention for his outspoken criticism of Israel’s genocide in Gaza, putting him at odds with many of his peers in Texas and the Deep South, where an open affinity between right-wing Christianity and pro-Israel Zionism is common. That stance also marks an apparent difference between him and Crockett. While Haynes is running on ending U.S. military support for Israel and the genocide in Gaza, Crockett has drawn criticism for voting to send U.S. military aid to Israel and taking a trip there as a first-term member of Congress in August 2023 with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and the Israel Defense Forces. “]
  • Austin Weekly News 2/3/26: Who is the front runner in 7th CD race? Hard to say. [“…Showalter took the opportunity to blast two of the front runners. ‘Jason Friedman will answer to AIPAC (the America Israel Public Affairs Committee),’ he wrote… The issue of AIPAC-funded congressional candidates has been a flash point in several Illinois congressional contests. Friedman was pointedly called out by a questioner at a recent Democratic Party of Oak Park presentation in January and heckled loudly by another audience member regarding AIPAC. “]
  • Texas Tribune 2/2/26: After two Houston Congress members died in office, Al Green defends his seniority to voters [“...Green also said he expects to get outspent in the primary and that, given there are three prominent candidates, it will go to a runoff. The elongated timeline, he said, will allow monied interests to try and push him out — including, he speculated, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC. The group spent millions in Democratic primaries last cycle to successfully push out two lawmakers critical of Israel. ‘AIPAC is willing to spend inordinate amounts of money to get me out of office,’ said Green, who has voted against sending military aid to Israel.“]

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – Pennsylvania

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – Connecticut

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – South Carolina

  • The Algemeiner 2/3/26: South Carolina Republican Senate Candidate Floats Antisemitic Conspiracies in Effort to Boost Long-Shot Campaign [“…’I’m America first and not Israel first, not Ukraine first. We always have to ask what is in the foreign policy interest of the United States citizen. How are we helping the people back home thrive and be safe?” Dans said during an October 2025 interview with South Carolina local news.’…Dans also appeared on ‘The Tucker Carlson Show’ in November 2025, in which he and the podcaster criticized US Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) for his steadfast support for Israel, insinuating that Graham focuses more on uplifting Israel than the US.”]

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – Maryland

  • The Hill 2/4/26: Harry Dunn launches second Maryland House bid, this time for Hoyer’s seat [“One looming question over the race is whether the pro-Israel American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s (AIPAC) super PAC gets involved in his primary. The super PAC, United Democracy Project, supported Elfreth in the primary in 2024, and Hoyer is a key ally of AIPAC’s.“]

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – Maine

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – Kentucky

More US Weapons/Aid for Israel!

  • Politico 2/4/26: How Israel is navigating its next bid for US funding [“Israel is seizing on a moment when lawmakers appear ready to resume business as usual after the Biden administration paused a limited number of bomb shipments. Responding Tuesday to a new $7 billion arms sales package to Israel, Senate Foreign Relations Chair JIM RISCH (R-Idaho) praised the deal and dinged the Dems. ‘Republicans approved this sale long ago, but Democrats held them up and are now pitching a fit,’ he wrote…Some Democrats continue to call for more accountability for Israel. Sen. JEFF MERKLEY (D-Ore.) told NatSec Daily he’d oppose a new deal with offensive weapons transfers unless Israel changed its conduct. But one Democratic House aide, granted anonymity to speak frankly about internal discussions, told your anchor that the party was prioritizing other emergencies. On Gaza, the aide said, following the nominal ceasefire brokered by the Trump administration, ‘everyone started to tune out.’“]
  • DropSite 2/2/26: $6B arms deal to Israel bypassed Congress; U.S. signals “readiness” for Iran talks; Last U.S.-Russia nuclear treaty set to expire
  • Jewish Insider 2/1/26: Meeks says Trump WH sidestepped congressional review on arms sale to Israel [“The administration announced a $6 billion arms sale to Israel on Friday, in a move Meeks said ‘blatantly ignored long-standing Congressional prerogatives’”]

Saudi Arabia, Iran

New Attack on Rep. Tlaib

Other stuff

  • Jewish Insider 2/6/26: Lindsey Graham hints at reducing U.S. support for Lebanese Armed Forces over general’s Hezbollah stance
  • Jewish News Syndicate 2/6/26: Graham ends meeting with Lebanese army chief over Hezbollah stance
  • Atlantic Council 2/5/26: Washington’s UNRWA report shows how public discourse is divorced from reality [“Critics of UNRWA are not wrong to identify real vulnerabilities. The agency operates under extraordinary political pressure, relies on host-authority curricula it does not control, and faces genuine challenges enforcing neutrality among a locally recruited workforce of Palestinians living largely under conflict conditions in Gaza and the West Bank. Oversight mechanisms, while extensive, are imperfect, and implementation gaps are real. There is evidence to suggest that there is influence by staff members who are aligned with Hamas, something that UNRWA has attempted to address, but cannot avoid due to the political realities of the population from which it draws its employees, particularly in Gaza. Where critics often overreach is in treating these constraints as evidence of institutional intent or systemic failure. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast, for example, claimed that UNRWA ‘is literally funneling American tax dollars to terrorism,’ while Rep. Ritchie Torres called UNRWA ‘long a purveyor of anti-Israel, and anti-Jewish hate.’ The GAO tells a different story. Through their interviews with UNRWA educators, administrators, students, and diplomatic leaders in the US Embassy, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the PA Ministry of Education, and UNRWA leadership and field staff, GAO staff collected significant data and input. Their report, analyzing US funding for assistance, the extent to which UNRWA and the US State Department identified and addressed problematic content, and the extent to which the State Department reported accurately to Congress, does not find sufficient evidence to substantiate claims that UNRWA’s education programs functioned as vehicles for incitement during the period reviewed, nor that US funds were misused.“]
  • Armenian Weekly 2/4/26: When lobbying collides: Azerbaijan, Israel and Armenian American advocacy

1. Bills, Resolutions
2. Letters
3. Hearings & Markups
4. Selected Members on the Record
5. Selected Media & Press releases/Statements

New episodes of FMEP’s Occupied Thoughts Podcasts:

—————————-

1. Bills & Resolutions

UPDATE: Last week’s Round-Up reported in detail on the introduction of HR 7156, legislation to amend existing law to establish additional grounds for denaturalization, linked to alleged connections to a foreign terrorist organization (FTO), fraud, or the commission of aggravated felonies or acts of espionage. Missed in that Round-Up was the introduction of the Senate version of the bill on 1/15/26 – S. 3674. As a reminder: the new criteria related to fraud, felonies, and espionage all are triggered by people being convicted of (or admitting to) the offenses in question; with respect to the criteria related to FTOs, all that is required is the allegation that the targeted naturalized citizen ““associates with, conspires with, aids, or abets any foreign terrorist organization (as designated under section 219(a)).” The bill omits any mention of who would make this finding and how it would be made, but states that it will be considered “prima facie and sufficient evidence” that a person’s naturalization “was obtained by concealment of a material fact or by willful misrepresentation” — suggesting that a naturalized citizen targeted with this new deportation power would, from start to finish (finish being the moment they are stripped of their citizenship and deported) be denied any legal recourse and even the thinnest pretense of due process.

(SAVE THE KURDS!) S. 3740: Introduced 1/29/26 by Graham (R-SC) and Blumenthal (D-CT), “A bill to impose sanctions and other measures with respect to the Government of Syria, and for other purposes” aka the “Save the Kurds Act.”  Referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Also see: Graham press release – Graham, Blumenthal Introduce Save The Kurds Act & Graham X-post – “Today, @SenBlumenthal and I introduced the Save the Kurds Act. I believe that there is strong bipartisan support for the idea of protecting the Kurds in Syria and beyond because they have been such a reliable ally to the United States. The SDF – with a large Kurdish element – took the brunt of the fight to defeat ISIS in President Trump’s first term. I realize Syria is complicated culturally, ethnically and politically. However, attacking the Kurds greatly diminishes the United States’ standing and will hinder Syria’s ability to grow as a country. To those countries or groups who believe it is open season on the Kurds in Syria without consequence, you will be sadly mistaken.”

(NO UNAUTHORIZED US WAR WITH IRAN) S. J. Res. 104: Introduced 1/29/26 by Kaine (D-VA) and Paul (R-KY), “A joint resolution to direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against the Islamic Republic of Iran that have not been authorized by Congress.” Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

(INTERNET FREEDOM FOR IRAN) S. 3360:  Introduced 12/4/25 in the House by Min (D-CA) and 12 bipartisan cosponsors, and in the Senate by Rosen (D-NV) and McCormick (R-PA), “To require a report on internet freedom in Iran,” aka the “FREEDOM Act.” Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.  On 1/29/26, reported out of the Committee on Foreign Relations favorably, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Also see: McCormick X-post – “As a @SenateForeign member, I’m proud to stand with the people of Iran. That’s why I joined @SenJackyRosen to introduce the FREEDOM Act to boost internet freedom in Iran by directing US agencies to assess direct-to-cell tech that can expand access to info and free expression beyond government censorship.”

2. Letters

3. Hearings & Markups

January 28, 2026: The Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a hearing entitled, “U.S. Policy Towards Venezuela“ (video embedded at link).  The sole witness was Secretary of State Rubio (statement). Note that much of the hearing dealt with Iran – for example see: Rubio: Iranian regime is ‘weaker than it has ever been’ but protest crackdown has been effective (Jewish Insider 1/28/26); Cornyn Questions Sec. Rubio on Potential Fall of Iranian Regime, Middle East Posture (Cornyn press release 1/28/26)

February 3, 2026: The Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s Subcommittee on Near East, South Asia, Central Asia, and Counterterrorism will hold a hearing entitled, “Countering Terrorism in North Africa: Opportunities and Challenges.” Witnesses will be: Robert J. Palladino, official in the Department of State’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs; and Lt. Col. (Ret.) Joel Borkert, Department of State’s Bureau of Counterterrorism.

February 3, 2026: The House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee will hold a hearing entitled “U.S. Policy Toward Lebanon: Obstacles to Dismantling Hezbollah’s Grip on Power.” The hearing will showcase a wide array of views/perspective with…three witness ALL FROM THE WASHINGTON INSTITUTE FOR NEAR EAST POLICY, aka WINEP [seriously]: David Schenker, Hanin Ghaddar, and Dana Stroul.

February 3, 2026: The Commission on Security & Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) will hold a hearing entitled, “Securing Syria’s Transformation by Diminishing Russia’s Influence.” Witnesses will be: Anna Borschevskaya, WINEP [yes, WINEP will have FOUR people testifying on the Hill on 2/3/26],  Michael Doran, The Hudson Institute; and Richard Outzen, The Atlantic Council.

4. Selected Members on the Record

Note: Many, many members of Congress (both chambers, both parties) made statements celebrating Israel’s retrieval of the remains of the final Israeli hostage from Gaza. If you want to see who said what, check members’ websites and social media.

Gaza/West Bank

  • Welch (D-VT) 1/29/26: X-post – “It’s been two years since 5-year-old Hind Rajab and six members of her family were killed by Israeli tank and machine gun fire. Two Red Crescent workers sent to rescue them were also killed. I will continue to fight for justice for her and so many other Palestinians who have died.“
  • House Foreign Affairs Committee (Republican) 1/29/26: X-post – “Hamas terrorists cannot be reasoned with, negotiated with, or trusted. @USAmbUN is right, they don’t belong anywhere near the next government in Gaza.“
  • Van Hollen (D-MD) 1/29/26: X-post w/ video clip – “Violent settlers in the West Bank are burning Palestinian villages & beating residents with impunity. These attacks have been met w/ silence from the Trump Admin & Netanyahu govt. US taxpayers shouldn’t be giving the Netanyahu govt an annual $3 billion blank check for weapons.“
  • Graham (R-SC) 1/26/26: X-post – “I’m very grateful that the remains of the last hostage, a real hero of Israel, were found so he could be buried in his homeland. As to Hamas, nothing has changed. They are religious Nazis bent on the destruction of the Jewish state and oppressing the Palestinian people. They don’t seek peace. They only seek destruction. One decent thing doesn’t change who they are. Mr. President, you’re right to seek immediate disarmament. This has gone on too long. If Hamas doesn’t disarm, allow Israel to finish the job. There will never be peace with Hamas in power or in play.“

Israel in Congress & in US Elex

  • Bost (R-IL) 1/29/26: X-post – “It was a pleasure to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today as part of a bipartisan congressional delegation to Israel. I believe it is important to have close and continued communication with our closest ally in the Middle East regarding our shared security interests, lingering instability in Gaza, and continued threats from Iran and its proxies. This trip, which included in-depth briefings from government leaders and military officials, reinforced why the United States must remain firmly committed to this important partnership.”
  • Bacon (R-NE) 1/27/26: X-post – “All but one Dem candidate say they’ll refuse support from U.S. citizens who want a strong U.S.-Israeli relationship. The Dem party is increasingly anti-Israel. I hate to see this become partisan. Bipartisan support is best for the only democracy in region.“
  • Cornyn (R-TX) 1/24/26: X-post – “Today’s debate between @JamesTalarico and @JasmineForUS showed just how out of touch the Democrat Party is with Texans. They want to abolish ICE, bankrupt our country with Medicare for All, and cut funding to Israel. Their polices are dangerous and will not prevail in Texas.“

Iran

  • Graham (R-SC) 1/29/26: X-post – “The Iranian religious Nazi murderous regime and a fair nuclear deal do not go in the same sentence. The protestors who have been dying by the thousands are not seeking a fair nuclear deal for the ayatollah. They are seeking to end the ayatollah’s repressive regime so they can have a life with freedom and without fear. Keep protesting. Help is on the way.”
  • Self (R-TX) 1/29/26: X-post – “I applaud the EU for its moral clarity today in designating the IRGC as a terrorist organization—an army with the blood of thousands of Iranians on its hands and a primary supporter of Hamas and Hezbollah.   It is now past time for the United Kingdom to follow suit with a designation as the Iranian people continue their struggle for freedom.”
  • Markey (D-PA) 1/28/26: X-post – “First Venezuela. Then Greenland. Now more reckless saber rattling from Trump. Attacking Iran would be illegal, dangerous, and unwise. No more endless wars.”
  • Cruz (R-TX) 1/27/26: X-post – “We should be arming the protesters in Iran. NOW. For the Iranian people to overthrow the Ayatollah—a tyrant who routinely chants “death to America”—would make America much, much safer.“
  • Graham (R-SC) 1/27/26: X-post – “Mr. President… I hope so. As long as it’s a good deal. Well done. Keep standing by the protestors in Iran. They can be our friends. The ayatollah will never be our friend.“
  • Carter (R-GA) 1/26/26: X-post – “Good riddance. Patient care has improved in Georgia now that this individual with ties to violent terrorists is no longer entrusted to protect our health and livelihoods.” Linked to New York Post 1/25/26 article: Daughter of top Iranian official ousted from Emory University following massive public outrage, CA Post pressure

Iraq

  • Wilson (R-SC) 1/28/26: X-post – “Grateful to support the spectacular efforts of President Donald Trump and Special Envoy @Mark_Savaya on Iraq and work hand in hand with both to Make Iraq Great Again and Free Iraq from Iran. It is critical that Iraqi leaders do not repeat the mistakes of the past by misreading the position of the United States as ambiguous or negotiable. Under President Donald J Trump the position of the United States is clear and unequivocal. Iranian influence in Iraq will no longer be tolerated. The era in which outside actors imposed prime ministers on Iraq is over. The new prime minister and government must serve only the interests of the Iraqi people. The practice of sacrificing Iraq’s wealth sovereignty and stability to serve external agendas has ended. Any new Iraqi government must place Iraq and its people first by meeting the following requirements. Fully disarm and dismantle all Iranian aligned militia groups within six to twelve months. Tackle corruption and money laundering immediately and systematically across Iraq with no exceptions. Establish a genuinely independent judiciary. The judiciary must not be influenced by any individual political party or faction. It must serve the rule of law exclusively and must never be used as a political weapon. Sever Iranian influence in Iraqi affairs. All Iranian advisers operatives and agents must be removed from Iraq and from all Iraqi institutions. Institutionalize and clearly define the role of the Popular Mobilization Forces under the Iraqi Armed Forces and official security institutions. There must be unified command and control with no parallel or uncontrolled structures. Ensure that all cabinet members are competent professional and loyal to the state not to parties factions or individuals. Commit to building strong durable and strategic economic and security ties with the United States. As stated previously Special Envoy Savaya will play a decisive role in helping Iraq restore its sovereignty stability and national strength. No More Iranian influence in Iraq. Free Iraq from Iran.”
  • Graham (R-SC) 1/27/26: X-post – “As usual Mr. President, you’re dead right about what’s going on in Iraq. I had a front row seat to the al-Maliki prime ministership — a complete disaster for all concerned. You’re right to weigh in because America First requires us to have reliable partners in countries that matter like Iraq. Iraq has a lot of potential still and it’s up to the Iraqi people to decide their future. However, I believe this would be a giant step backward regarding the Iraq-U.S. relationship. Mr. President, you’re right to let Iraq know America has its own interests that have to be protected. Well done.” Linked to Trump post on TruthSocial 1/27/26: “I’m hearing that the Great Country of Iraq might make a very bad choice by reinstalling Nouri al-Maliki as Prime Minister. Last time Maliki was in power, the Country descended into poverty and total chaos. That should not be allowed to happen again. Because of his insane policies and ideologies, if elected, the United States of America will no longer help Iraq and, if we are not there to help, Iraq has ZERO chance of Success, Prosperity, or Freedom. MAKE IRAQ GREAT AGAIN!“
  • Wilson (R-SC) 1/27/26: X-post – “I told you Trump would fix it! Make Iraq Great Again” Linked to Trump post on TruthSocial 1/27/26: “I’m hearing that the Great Country of Iraq might make a very bad choice by reinstalling Nouri al-Maliki as Prime Minister. Last time Maliki was in power, the Country descended into poverty and total chaos. That should not be allowed to happen again. Because of his insane policies and ideologies, if elected, the United States of America will no longer help Iraq and, if we are not there to help, Iraq has ZERO chance of Success, Prosperity, or Freedom. MAKE IRAQ GREAT AGAIN!“

Targeting Academia

  • Stefanik (R-NY) 1/24/26: X-post – ““This kind of skewed, racist brainwashing feeds division and hostility not just on campuses but at corporations, government, the media and other key institutions. It’s the kind of depraved curricula that fueled the pro-terrorist, antisemitic encampments after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel and surely underlies some of the anti-ICE riots today.'” Quoting from linked New York Post editorial, Woke colleges are still wasting young American minds

Just Straight-up Islamophobia

  • Self (R-TX) 1/29/26: X-post – “The nationwide strike against ICE is being fueled by CAIR, a terrorist organization pushing radical Islam. America will not bow to Islamic extremism. We will enforce the law, defend our sovereignty, and stand with ICE.“
  • Tuberville (R-AL) 1/25/26: X-post – “Sharia Law and Radical Islam have NO PLACE in America. We CANNOT allow the United States to become the “United Caliphate of America.” We must BAN SHARIA LAW.”
  • Fine (R-FL) 1/25/26: X-post – “Sharia law is incompatible with the West.“

Other Stuff

  • Graham (R-SC) 1/29/26: X-post- “The thumbs up tour continues. Great meeting with the Defense Minister of Saudi Arabia, Prince Khalid bin Salman.   Wow, these people are clever.“
  • Cruz (R-TX) 1/29/26: X-p0st – “Honored and grateful to meet with Elizabeth Tsurkov after her release. She was held captive by Iran-controlled Kata’ib Hezbollah terrorists for over 900 days. Her courage is an inspiration.”

5. Selected Media

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – GENERAL

  • World Israel News 1/30/26: WATCH: Sen. Fetterman discusses rising antisemitism in Congress and expresses support for action against Iran
  • Arutz Sheva 1/29/26: PM Netanyahu meets with AIPAC congressional delegation [“Taking part in the meeting were Rep. Don Davis, Rep. Jake Ellzey, Rep. Mike Bost, Rep. Jennifer Kiggans, Rep. Ryan Zinke, AIPAC Senior Vice President Mark Waldman, and AIPAC Israel director Dr. Cameron Brown.“]
  • Jewish News Syndicate 1/29/26: Netanyahu meets with bipartisan delegation of Congress members [“The prime minister ‘thanked the delegation members for their consistent support for the State of Israel, and said that Israel is the model of a true ally.‘”]
  • Office of the Israeli Prime Minister 1/29/26: PM Netanyahu meets with US Congress members delegation organized by AIPAC
  • Moment Magazine 1/29/26: Is Elissa Slotkin Leading the Angry Middle? [“…Anger over U.S. foreign policy positions regarding Gaza following the thousands of deaths and casualties there led some 13 percent of Arab American voters in Michigan to show their discontent in the 2024 presidential primary; instead of voting for a candidate, they marked their ballots “uncommitted.” This should have been a warning sign to the Biden and later the Harris campaigns, says Abdul El-Sayed, a physician and former director of the Department of Health, Human, and Veterans Services for Wayne County who is running as a Democrat for the other U.S. Senate seat in Michigan. In the final tally, Arab Americans in the state steered toward Trump or the Green Party candidate Jill Stein. Or they just stayed home. In the end, Trump became the first Republican presidential candidate to win in the city of Dearborn since 2000. The dynamic presented a unique challenge for Slotkin. ‘A lot of folks ask: How did Slotkin win when the presidential ticket lost? She had the courage of showing up and having hard conversations,’ says El-Sayed, referring to the outreach she did to the Arab-American community. ‘I respect the way she goes about behaving when her constituents are going to disagree.’ Slotkin has been vocal in her support for Israel since October 7, but as the months passed and casualty numbers in Gaza climbed, she joined other moderates in beginning to criticize Israel’s actions. Last summer, 27 Democrats voted to limit sales of offensive arms to Israel. Slotkin was out of town taping an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, but afterward, she said she would have voted for the measure. Slotkin linked her shifting opinions to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza… On October 21, Slotkin joined 45 other Democrats in calling on Trump to oppose Israeli annexation of the West Bank.“]
  • Washington Times 1/28/26: House Democrats in New York suffer ‘Mamdani effect’ with new wave of far-left primary challengers
  • Jewish News Syndicate 1/27/26: US Jewish groups spent a lot more on lobbying in 2025 than in prior years 

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – New York

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – New Jersey

  • Times of Israel 1/30/26: Tahesha Way is the leader we need in Congress [“Lt. Gov. Way has stood with us in her unequivocal support for the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism – the consensus position among New Jersey’s Jewish community, despite efforts by some in our state to undermine it.“]
  • Mondoweiss 1/29/26: The Shift: AIPAC targets former ally in New Jersey
  • Punchbowl News 1/28/26: AIPAC makes first big 2026 move [“AIPAC is making its first major midterm play with its super PAC dropping $1.5 million and counting to defeat former Rep. Tom Malinowski’s (D-N.J.) comeback bid in a special election next week. The move has sent shockwaves through New Jersey political circles ahead of the Feb. 5 primary, mostly because AIPAC backed Malinowski in past campaigns. Now it’s running attack ads against him. United Democracy Project, the AIPAC-affiliated super PAC, said it turned on Malinowski because ‘he talks about conditioning aid’ to Israel. ‘That’s not a pro-Israel position, and he knows it. There are other candidates in the race who are far more pro-Israel than Tom Malinowski,’ said Patrick Dorton, a spokesman for the group. This is a significant highlighting of a 2026 red line for AIPAC, as well as a warning to others who might take a similar stance on aid to Israel. Malinowski’s position has become much more widespread among Democrats as the death toll in Gaza rises. ‘It’s a mainstream position in the pro-Israel Jewish community,’ Malinowski said of conditions on aid. ‘But AIPAC is sending a message to the party here that it’s not enough to be pro-Israel. You have to toe the line 100%.’“]
  • Daily Record 1/28/26: What Democrats must know about NJ-11’s negative ad blitz [“A group named the United Democracy Project, or UDP, has played an important role in the negative ad blitz, spending at least $1,450,000 so far. UDP was formed in 2022 by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, to further the group’s desired outcomes in Congressional elections, particularly in Democratic primaries. It masks AIPAC’s agenda, which is to push for a foreign policy of unlimited support for the current far-right government of Israel. Its largest donors, including Home Depot co-founder Bernard Marcus and hedge fund billionaire Paul Singer (big Trump supporters, like almost all the others), routinely dump millions into the UDP to meddle in Democratic Party politics, even as the same group backs Republicans in Congress who still deny that Trump lost the 2020 presidential election.“]
  • New Jersey Spotlight News 1/28/26: Race for Sherrill’s congressional seat fuels $7.1 million in spending [“…he’s targeted by United Democracy Project, the super PAC of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC. The group spent $1.45 million on broadcast and internet ads, direct mail and robocalls, accusing him of voting for a bill to give $200 million more to ‘Trump’s deportation force.’…It’s unclear whether United Democracy Project has a preferred candidate, but a group spokesman told The New York Times that it opposes Malinowski because he would seek to put conditions on aid to Israel.”]
  • New Jersey Globe 1/27/26: AIPAC now going after Malinowski on stock trades – Malinowski says ‘slimy’ ad is being funded by ‘Trump-supporting billionaires’
  • New Jersey Globe 1/27/26: Promising to ‘choose courage,’ Mussab Ali launches primary challenge against Rob Menendez [“‘Democrats need to step up and become the party where we abandon corporate PACs, we won’t take money from groups like AIPAC, and we need to be accountable to everyday people,’ Ali said. ‘If the same people who are funding Democrats are funding Republicans, how do we ever expect progress?’”]
  • New Jersey Globe 1/26/26: Malinowski leads fundraising pack in expensive NJ-11 race [“The race’s biggest spender, and its most controversial one, is United Democracy Project, the campaign spending arm of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. UDP, which has committed its enormously well-funded operation to defeating Malinowski for reasons that are still somewhat unclear, has spent $1,450,002 so far on an ad blitz targeting the former congressman.”]
  • Jewish Insider 1/26/26: Tahesha Way campaigns as close ally of Jewish community in pivotal N.J. special election
  • Insider NJ 1/26/26: Ad Has Malinowski ‘F…… Furious” [“Referring to an attack ad funded by AIPAC (the American Israel Political Action Committee) falsely accusing him of supporting ICE, Tom Malinowski said last week that all candidates in the special CD-11 Democratic primary should condemn it…Malinowski said the ad was “incredibly disturbing,” because it was a lie and also because it was attacking him. He said his support for Israel is a mainstream position in the Democratic Party. He again called for his fellow candidates to condemn it.”]
  • New York Times 1/25/26: Pro-Israel Group Targets a Former Ally in an Early Congressional Race [“A super PAC affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee is running ads against Tom Malinowski, who is hoping to replace Gov. Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey in the House.“]

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – Texas

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – California

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – Nebraska

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – Illinois

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – Texas

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – Florida

  • Jewish Insider 1/28/26: Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer, a Republican, hopes shift to right will push him to victory against Moskowitz [“‘What concerns me is in the Democratic Party — and I think it’s concerning a lot of voters, including historic Democratic voters and mainstream voters — is the outrageous and moral failings of Democratic leadership to to confront or contradict claims of genocide when Israel was brutally attacked by terrible terrorists who created committed horrific crimes against women and children — murdering, raping, strangling, kidnapping and torturing,’ Singer continued, referencing the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terror attacks. Asked how he’d describe Moskowitz’s own record on these issues — the two-term Democratic lawmaker has been vocally supportive of Israel and has broken with many in his party on the issue — Singer offered little direct criticism for Moskowitz, instead arguing that he has limited power against what Singer described as a dominant anti-Israel current in the Democratic Party.“]

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – Virginia

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – Colorado

Saudi Arabia, Iran

Other stuff

 

1. Bills, Resolutions
2. Letters
3. Hearings & Markups
4. Selected Members on the Record
5. Selected Media & Press releases/Statements

New episodes of FMEP’s Occupied Thoughts Podcasts:

—————————-

1. Bills & Resolutions

(TO DENATURALIZE PEOPLE WHO STAND WITH PALESTINIAN LIVES/RIGHTS) HR 7156 [bill text]: Introduced 1/20/26 by Emmer (R-MN) and 42 Republican cosponsors, the “Stop Citizenship Abuse and Misrepresentation (SCAM) Act,” aka,  “To expand and clarify the grounds for civil denaturalization proceedings for individuals who have defrauded a governmental program, joined a terrorist organization, or committed certain criminal offenses.”  Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. NOTE: On 1/19/25, Sen. Schmidt (R-MO) issued a press release announcing the introduction of the same bill in the Senate (it has not actually been introduced yet – stay tuned) The Senate version of this bill was introduced 1/15/26 — S. 3674 – sorry, I missed it!

  • Most of the media coverage around this bill (you can google it yourself) frames this as a bill focused on alleged fraud by Somali immigrants in Minnesota — when in fact the focus is much wider. This legislation would amend existing law to establish additional grounds for denaturalization, linked to alleged connections to a foreign terrorist organization (FTO), fraud, or the commission of aggravated felonies or acts of espionage [presented in that in order in the bill].
  • IMPORTANT: Some media coverage [Ex: Fox News, Fox News] of the bill mistakenly (or misleadingly) suggests that all of the expanded denaturalization criteria are triggered by people being “convicted” of or admitting to the stipulated offenses. In fact, this trigger exist ONLY with respect to the expanded criteria related to fraud, aggravated felonies, and espionage. Under this bill, denaturalization based on alleged connections to an FTO would be mandatory if the U.S. government merely alleges — or as Emmer says in his press release, “finds“, that a person, during the 10 years after naturalization “associates with, conspires with, aids, or abets any foreign terrorist organization (as designated under section 219(a)).” The bill omits any mention of who would make this finding and how it would be made, but states that it will be considered “prima facie and sufficient evidence” that a person’s naturalization “was obtained by concealment of a material fact or by willful misrepresentation” — suggesting that a naturalized citizen targeted with this new deportation power would, from start to finish (finish being the moment they are stripped of their citizenship and deported) be denied any legal recourse and even the thinnest pretense of due process.
  • REMINDER: As a matter of policy, the Trump Administration — along with many in Congress, and some in the Biden Administration (backed by organizations like the ADL) — have defined/alleged that speech and protest for Palestinian lives and rights signals or equals support for or  Hamas. 
  • Media: Emmer to introduce new bill to strip citizenship from fraudsters and terrorists: ‘You’re going home‘ (Fox News 1/16/26); Senate bill would trigger denaturalization for ties to foreign terrorist groups (Jewish News Syndicate 1/20/26)

(MORE US MILITARY AID/COOPERATION FOR ISRAEL!) HR 7178 [bill text]: Introduced 1/21/26 by Gottheimer (D-NJ) and 12 bipartisan cosponsors, the “U.S.-Israel Anti-Killer Drone Act,” aka,  “To amend the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020, to make improvements relating to cooperation between the United States and Israel to counter unmanned systems across warfighting domains, and for other purposes.”  Referred to the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Foreign Affairs. Also see: Gottheimer press release: Gottheimer Reintroduces Bipartisan U.S.-Israel Anti-Killer Drone Act to Counter Iranian Drones — Expanding Bill to Counter Unmanned Threats Across Air, Sea, and Land; Gottheimer, Garbarino reintroduce bill to expand U.S.-Israel cooperation against Iranian drones (WRNJ 1/21/26); Bipartisan House bill would boost US-Israel cooperation against Iranian drones (Jewish News Syndicate 1/22/26)

(STANDING WITH IRANIAN PROTESTERS) H. Res. 1008: Introduced 1/16/26 by Ansari (D-AZ) and having 7 bipartisan cosponsors, “Recognizing and expressing support for the Iranian people protesting for a free and democratic Iran.” Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

(TARGETING SYRIA/CAPTAGON)  HR 7180 [bill text]: Introduced 1/21/26 by Hill (R-AR) and Moskowitz (D-FL), “To amend the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 to modify the interagency strategy to disrupt and dismantle narcotics production and trafficking and affiliated networks in the Middle East, and for other purposes.” Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Also see: Rep. Hill press release, “HILL AND MOSKOWITZ INTRODUCE BILL TO COMBAT CAPTAGON AND OTHER NARCOTICS“; Hill’s “one-pager” on the bill (which runs 2 pages)

(ISRAEL/MIDDLE EAST IN THE FY26 CONSOLIDATED APPROPS) HR 7148 (bill text): Introduced 1/20/26 by Cole (R-OK), the “Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026.” This is a House-Senate conference version of the combined remaining FY25 Appropriations Bills, accompanied by a Joint Explanatory Statement. PASSED BY THE HOUSE 1/22/26 by a vote of 341-88. HR 7148 includes the FY26 Defense Appropriations bill, which includes significant annual funding for Israel [funding that is in addition to the massive funding for Israel in the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs legislation covered last week in detail], as well as other Middle East-related funding provisions, all laid out below. HR 7148 also includes the FY26 Appropriations for the Food and Drug Administration – legislation that, as it happens, also includes an interesting Israel/Middle East-related provision, also laid out below.

  • AID FOR ISRAEL: Section 8071 hard earmarks $500 million for Israeli Cooperative Programs, sub-earmarked as follows: $60 million for Iron Dome; $127 million for the Short Range Ballistic Missile Defense (SRBMD) program; $40 million for co-production activities of SRBMD systems; $100 million for co-production activities of Arrow 3 Upper Tier systems; and $173 million for the Arrow System Improvement Program.
  • AID FOR LEBANESE ARMED FORCES: Section 8034 hard earmarks $50 million for the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of State, to provide assistance to the Lebanese Armed Forces, subjects to many, many caveats.
  • AID FOR JORDAN: Section 8109 hard earmarks $150 million for Jordan, and Section 8120 soft earmarks $500 million for the armed forces of Jordan.
  • Title II: Includes a section hard earmarking $342,516 million for “Counter-ISIS Train & Equip Fund”
  • ABRAHAM ACCORDS: Sec. 6611 (part of the FDA’s FY26 appropriations) is entitled, “Establishment of Abraham Accords Office within the Food and Drug Administration.” This provision mandates the establishment of an office with the FDA, within 2 years, and “provide technical assistance to regulatory partners in Abraham Accords countries on strengthening regulatory oversight and converging regulatory requirements for the oversight of regulated products, including good manufacturing practices and other issues relevant to manufacturing medical products that are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration” and “facilitate interactions between the Food and Drug Administration and interested parties in Abraham Accords countries, including by sharing relevant information regarding United States regulatory pathways with such parties, and facilitate feedback on the research, development, and manufacturing of products regulated in accordance with this Act” and “carry out other functions and activities as the Secretary determines to be necessary to carry out this section.“

Also see AIPAC X-post 1/22/26: “The House just passed its annual defense appropriations bill with important pro-Israel provisions. The bill includes: $500 million for missile defense programs like Iron Dome, David’s Sling and Arrow, which continue to save countless lives in Israel.  $75 million for counter-drone and directed energy programs, a $20 million increase from last year.  $80 million for counter-tunnel programs, a $32.5 million increase from last year.  $47.5 million for joint cooperation on emerging technologies that will define the future of warfare, a $27.5 million increase from last year. This funding helps keep America and Israel safer and more secure”

2. Letters

3. Hearings & Markups

January 21, 2026: The House Foreign Affairs Committee held a markup of various measures [video], including HR 3307, “To increase cooperation with countries in the Eastern Mediterranean region in order to strengthen energy security and defense capabilities, and for other purposes,” aka the “Eastern Mediterranean Gateway Act.”

4. Selected Members on the Record

Palestinians, West Bank, Gaza

  • Shreve (R-IN) 1/22/26: X-post – “Following a letter I led with @RepAndyBarr, President Trump sanctioned foreign actors and organizations for supporting Hamas. Strong laws. Strong enforcement. Zero tolerance for terrorist financing.”
  • Ramirez (D-IL) 1/21/26: X-post – “Israeli forces continue to blatantly disregard international law and Palestinian lives. Their campaign of death and destruction goes beyond Gaza. We cannot allow Netanyahu to continue starving, displacing, and murdering Palestinians. It is past time for Congress to take action and protect Palestinian lives. Pass the Block the Bombs Act now!“
  • Lawler (R-NY) 1/21/26: X-post – “There is no path to peace or prosperity in Gaza so long as Hamas is allowed to operate in the shadows, steal from donors, and use civilians as cover for violence. We must remain relentless in holding terrorists and their conspirators accountable. Today’s action by the Treasury Department cuts off Hamas’s access to the global financial system while ensuring legitimate humanitarian aid can continue to reach innocent civilians.”
  • McCormick (R-PA) 1/21/26: X-post – “I am pleased that the Trump admin continues to keep the pressure on Hamas by targeting its terror-fundraising infrastructure. As @UnderSecTFI rightly says, ‘Hamas continues to show a callous disregard for the welfare of the Palestinian people.’ Hamas must have no future role in governing Gaza and must fully disarm immediately. That’s why I have supported using every tool at our country’s disposal to dismantle Hamas, including my cosponsorship of the Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act of 2025.”
  • Van Hollen (D-MD) 1/20/26: X-post – “In yet another outrageous action, the Netanyahu gov just demolished the @UNRWA HQ in East Jerusalem. Netanyahu & Trump have pushed fake propaganda that UNRWA is a proxy for Hamas, as far-right politicians in Israel work to erase the Palestinian refugee identity altogether. Europe & the international community need to stand up.”
  • Blackburn (R-TN) 1/20/26: X-post – “It took less than one year for President @realDonaldTrump to bring home all living hostages from Gaza and broker the release of dozens of Americans detained abroad.   Promises made, promises kept.“

WE LOVE ISRAEL & STAND WITH ISRAEL 100% FOREVER ON EVERYTHING!

  • Graham (R-SC) 1/18/26: X-post w/ pic – “Just met with my good friend David Barnea, Director of Mossad. Wow, these people are clever. God Bless America. God Bless Israel.” NOTE: in response to this post, an X user asked Grok, “How many times has Lindsey Graham posted about ‘Israel’ and how many times has he posted about ‘South Carolina’ in the past year? Numbers only please.” Grok responded: “Based on my analysis of Lindsey Graham’s X posts from the past year, he mentioned ‘Israel’ in approximately 250 posts and ‘South Carolina’ in approximately 120 posts. This aligns with his role in foreign policy while representing his home state.” The user then asked Grok “How many other foreign countries did he post about and how many times each?” Grok responded: “Based on analysis of Lindsey Graham’s posts over the past year, besides Israel, he mentioned: Iran: 53 times Ukraine: 53 times Russia: 54 times Lebanon: 18 times Syria: 5 times Saudi Arabia: 3 times Afghanistan: 2 times China: 2 times North Korea: 0 times Qatar: 0 times This covers 9 other foreign countries.“
  • Mace (R-SC) 1/18/26: X-post – “Psalm 23: ‘Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me.’ Israel walks through the valley every day. But they do not walk alone. We will ALWAYS stand with Israel and the Jewish community. God Bless America. God Bless Israel.“

The Gaza “Board of Peace” [which is increasingly recognized as a Trump effort to replace the UN]

  • Doggett (D-TX) 1/21/26: X-post – “Trump doesn’t want to be just king of America. He wants to be king of the universe. With the ‘Board of Peace’ still unformed and unable to stabilize postwar Gaza, Trump has expanded its mission and invited fellow authoritarians Putin, Lukashenko, and Orban to join a pay-to-play institution with Trump himself granted the only veto—a corrupt institution in his own megalomaniac image.”
  • Hoyer (D-MD) 1/20/26: X-post – “Cooperation amongst world leaders is crucial to rebuilding Gaza and stabilizing the region. However, extending an invitation to Putin to join the Board of Peace undermines the mission to eradicate Hamas, secure peace, and promote reconciliation amongst nations. Putin has denigrated humanitarian principles and morals through his illegal invasion of Ukraine. This invitation is an insult to the Ukrainians and Europeans who are actively fighting against the relentless assault on Ukraine’s sovereignty. Trump’s refusal to hold Putin accountable is not only disgraceful, but also dangerous. His continued efforts to appease and partner with this craven dictator is a betrayal of freedom, democracy, and international law.”
  • Markey (D-MA) 1/20/26; X-post – “This isn’t a Board of Peace, it’s Cash for Trump.“
  • Rosen (D-NV) 1/19/26: X-post – “Inviting Vladimir Putin and his puppet in Belarus to the ‘Board of Peace’ is like inviting an arsonist to the ‘Board of Preventing Fires.’ The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is too serious to have adversaries like Russia and Belarus involved.“
  • Ramirez (D-IL) 1/18/26: X-post – “Trump is selling the future of Gaza and of the Palestinian people to the highest bidder. That is not peace and diplomacy. That is CORRUPTION. IMPERIALISM. THEFT. The future of Palestine must be led and directed by the Palestinian people“
  • Lawler (R-NY) 1/16/26: X-post – “Today, the White House announced the members of the Executive Board for the Gaza Board of Peace, an international body with American leadership tasked with overseeing Gaza’s stabilization and long-term success. This is a positive first step toward sustaining the ceasefire and bringing much needed stability to Gaza. Led by international specialists, the Board will play a critical role in supporting the demilitarization and disarmament of Hamas, while ensuring the delivery of humanitarian aid and reconstruction efforts.“

Iran

  • Ansari (D-AZ) 1/23/26: X-post – “A harrowing firsthand account of the regime’s massacre in Iran. Please read and share. ‘The death was incomprehensible. Corpses were piled in parks and hospitals throughout Mashhad. Some of the injured were treated by protesters in alleyways.’”
  • Babin (R-TX) 1/23/26: X-post – “The ayatollah has crossed President Trump’s red line. There’s no ambiguity and no walking it back. Actions have consequences.“
  • Jayapal (D-WA) 1/22/26: X-post – “My heart is with the families of those killed by the Iranian government. The future of Iran belongs to the people. I applaud the bravery of the protestors who are standing up for their rights. We are with you and will keep fighting for justice.“
  • Graham (R-SC) 1/21/26: X-post – “I was unnerved by statements being made by people involved in the Iran file suggesting that if the ayatollah could change his ways, we might be able to reach an agreement with the regime. Anyone who believes that the ayatollah is remotely interested in changing his ways does not understand the history of the ayatollah and the murderous regime. That’s the same as believing someone could have done a deal with Hitler. They were wrong then about Hitler, and they are wrong now about the ayatollah. Adolf Hitler wanted a master race governed by the superiority of the Aryans. The ayatollah is a religious Nazi who wants a world religion that he governs. Both are sick. You cannot do a deal with evil. You have to confront it. In this case, that means standing behind the people of Iran.“
  • Ansari (D-AZ) 1/20/26: Rep. Ansari Led Bipartisan Press Conference and Candlelit Vigil in Support of Iranian Protestors
  • Wilson (R-SC) 1/20/26: X-post – “Courageous Iranians are being slaughtered in streets, homes, and hospitals by the tens of thousands. The deranged terrorist regime that pledges death to America and Israel must be stopped. For 25 years, Putin has cried “poor Russia” as HE invades sovereign countries and demands endless war with 0 benefit to Russia. Attacking energy infrastructure in subzero temperatures and hunting toddlers with drones is disgusting, pathetic, and a display of ultimate weakness. War criminal Putin and terrorist Khamenei are a cancer to the civilized world. With proper treatment, this sickness can be stopped.“
  • Graham (R-SC) 1/19/26: X-post – “Thank you on behalf of those seeking freedom from oppression throughout the world for your decision to not allow the Iranian Foreign Minister to speak at the Davos World Economic Forum. I am very pleased to hear that those in charge of Davos realized having the Iranian Foreign Minister – the mouthpiece for the terrorist regime murdering its citizens with American blood on its hands – should not attend and speak at the conference. Well done. This action by the Davos group will encourage people in Iran to continue to demand an end to their oppression. This kind of statement is what the world should deliver. Unequivocal, uncompromising condemnation of the religious Nazi regime in Iran. Again, well done.” Linked to Jerusalem Post article, ‘Akin to inviting Hitler’: Iran’s FM disinvited from Davos following backlash
  • Cornyn (R-TX) 1/18/26; X-post – “Iran has been at war with the West & has American blood on their hands. They have also threatened to wipe Israel off the map & developed a nuclear weapons program that thankfully @POTUS had the courage & decisiveness to step in & thwart. The sanctions that the President has put into place have weakened Iran’s economy, exerting maximum pressure on the regime. I’m glad to see him standing up in support of these protestors.“
  • Graham (R-SC) 1/16/26: X-post – “I just landed in Israel, the one and only Jewish State, and America’s strongest ally and friend since its founding.   If you think I flew all the way to Israel after having not slept much in days to make sure we do not hold the ayatollah’s murderous regime accountable for the slaughter of its own people, being the largest state sponsor of terrorism with Americans’ blood on its hands, and who has an endless quest to cheat and obtain a nuclear weapon to advance their sick religious Nazi beliefs, then you have missed a lot.   I look forward to meeting with our Israeli allies to see how we can build upon the momentum created by President Trump’s bold and unprecedented leadership in Iran, where he picked the people over the ayatollah. The people are right to demand an end to this regime.   We cannot allow this historic moment to pass – and I agree with President Trump. The downfall of the ayatollah and his regime would be on par with the fall of the Berlin Wall. Remember President Trump is not Obama. I believe he is Reagan Plus.“

Syria

Other

  • Massie (R-KY) 1/20/26: X-post – “Selling stolen oil and putting billions of dollars in a bank in Qatar to be spent without Congressional approval is not Constitutional. Only Congress can appropriate money. The President can’t legally create a second Treasury overseas for his own piggy bank. Wake up Congress.”
  • Gottheimer (D-NJ) 1/16/26: X-post – “Reports that Gov. Josh Shapiro was asked if he was a ‘double agent for Israel’ during VP vetting are nothing short of outrageous, and, if true, demand an immediate explanation from the Harris campaign. That kind of insinuation and targeting is antisemitism, plain and simple. No one should be judged or discriminated against because of their faith. We must do better.” NOTE: As CIP’s Dylan Williams correctly observed on X: “Shapiro volunteered for a foreign country’s army & worked in public affairs at its embassy. It’s basic diligence for those vetting him to be next in line for President to ask if he ever acted as an agent—a legal term—of that country. His harping on it is divisive & distracting.“

5. Selected Media

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – GENERAL

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – New York

  • Jewish News Syndicate 1/22/26: Congressional candidate says Rep. Torres ‘bought and controlled’ by Zionists
  • Jacobin 1/21/26: In Harlem, a Democratic Socialist Takes On the Dem Machine — Interview with Darializa Avila Chevalier [“…Avila Chevalier is running on a platform of affordable housing for all, an end to the genocide in Gaza…”]
  • Politico 1/21/26: Coverage of Israel/Palestine in NY Elex [“…Playbook obtained the WFP’s completed candidate questionnaires from Kennedy scion Jack Schlossberg, Assemblymember Alex Bores and Nadler protégéMicah Lasher. Their answers show there’s little distance between the three when it comes to the issue. The filled-out questionnaires show none support a House resolution that would recognize Israel’s military campaign as a genocide. Nor would any of them support another bill aiming to bar the U.S. from sending 2,000-pound bombs to Israel (Bores and Lasher are a ‘no,’ and Schlossberg is ‘unsure’). And only Schlossberg backs a bill that would cease aid connected to the Israeli military occupation in the West Bank (Bores is a ‘no’ while Lasher is ‘unsure’). ‘I do not generally believe that definitional debates, which can divide people of good will without producing material progress in this intractable conflict or in the conditions of people’s lives, are helpful to that cause,’ Lasher said in his questionnaire. The heavily-Jewish Manhattan district is a far cry from Brooklyn’s NY-7, where another retiring member of the New York delegation, Rep. Nydia Velázquez, has battled behind the scenes with Mamdani over who should succeed her. Both major candidates in that race, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and Assemblymember Claire Valdez, proudly describe Israel’s response to the Oct. 7 attacks as a genocide. In neighboring NY-10, Rep. Dan Goldman is facing a primary challenge from former City Comptroller Brad Lander in a race also energized by pro-Palestinian activism. ‘Everybody in the political consulting class will tell you that there is no path to victory somewhere like NY-12 if you recognize genocide for what it is, and I do not believe that that is true,’ said left-leaning activist Cameron Kasky, who bowed out of the race last week. His exit leaves the race to succeed Nadler without a major candidate leveling the genocide accusation. Kasky said he ended his campaign to work with California Rep. Ro Khanna on legislation related to the West Bank, saying its people ‘can’t wait for my political aspirations.’ Bores told Playbook he’s focused on a lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians.”
  • Jewish Insider 1/20/26: Mike Lawler condemns campaign ad against him as antisemitic [“The ad, paid for by the anti-Israel Institute for Middle East Understanding, claims Lawler’s support for aid to Israel comes at the expense of American welfare program”]
  • Jewish Insider 1/18/26: AIPAC’s super PAC comes out swinging against former Rep. Tom Malinowski [“‘There are several candidates in this race that are far more supportive of the U.S.-Israel relationship than Tom Malinowski,’ United Democracy Project spokesperson Patrick Dorton told JI”]
  • Jewish Currents 1/16/26: Can a Liberal Zionist Recreate Mamdani’s Coalition? [“Brad Lander’s primary challenge to Rep. Dan Goldman will test whether the progressive alliance that came together in 2025 can win again.”]

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – New Jersey

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – Michigan

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – Illinois

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – California

  • Politico 1/22/26: Newsom, Wiener and POLITICO’s new firepower in LA [“Scott Wiener, the influential state senator running to succeed Nancy Pelosi in Congress, has been in damage-control mode for weeks after he dodged a debate question about whether he considers Israel’s actions in Gaza a ‘genocide.’ The online backlash against Wiener was swift, and only seemed to grow after he reversed course days later and called the conflict a ‘genocide’ in a social media video. Wiener explained why he, as a Jewish person, initially resisted using the word. But his opponents — wealthy former tech executive Saikat Chakrabarti and Supervisor Connie Chan — have seized the opening to argue it was a politically-driven move. It’s unfamiliar territory for Wiener, who’s known as a sharp tactician willing to take on bruising fights in Sacramento. That’s also why his sudden pivot has perplexed observers in his hometown of San Francisco. Wiener sat down with Playbook recently to discuss his campaign’s path forward and why the language he’s used to describe the conflict has changed…”]
  • San Francisco Standard 1/22/26: Scott Wiener leaving Jewish Caucus role after Gaza ‘genocide’ remarks
  • Jewish Insider 1/22/26: Scott Wiener steps down as co-chair of California Jewish caucus after accusing Israel of genocide [“The congressional candidate faced blowback from state Jewish leaders after flip-flopping on his genocide accusation, a word that he previously pledged not to use“]

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – Louisiana

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – Pennsylvania

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – Texas

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – Virginia

Other stuff

 

1. Bills, Resolutions
2. Letters
3. Hearings & Markups
4. Selected Members on the Record
5. Selected Media & Press releases/Statements

New episodes of FMEP’s Occupied Thoughts Podcasts:

Also of note:

—————————-

1. Bills & Resolutions

(FY26 NSPR FUNDING, INCL FOR ISRAEL/ME) HR 7006: On 1/14/26, the House passed the FY26 Financial Services and General Government and National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2026 – HR 7006 – by a vote of 341-79 [NSPR is the new term for the State Department and Foreign Operations Bill given in this new Trump era].

  • HR 7006 is, in effect, a House/Senate negotiated final version of the bill (absent a normal conference process, since neither chamber actually passed a version of the bill to bring to a formal conference process).
  • As a reminder, in July 2025 the House Appropriations Committee passed text of an NSRP bill that went on to be introduced as HR 4779 (and was never voted on by the full House). I covered the Israel/Middle East-related provisions in that bill, in detail, here).
  • Much of the text of HR 7006 is the same/similar to HR 4779, but much of it is different, with differences extending to the Israel/Middle East provisions.
  • Much of the text of HR 7006 is the same/similar to HR 4779, but much of it is different, with differences extending to the Israel/Middle East provisions. The Israel/Middle East-related provisions in HR 7006 are all covered in detail here, and include: annual aid to Israel and other countries of the Middle East; a continued expansion of restrictions, conditions, limitations, etc on aid for Palestinians (notwithstanding the fact that the bill does not earmark any funds for the Palestinians); and a total ban on funding to UNRWA.
  • NOTE: The July 2025 version of the bill passed by the House Appropriations Committee included extensive report language related to Israel and the Middle East. The January 2026 version is accompanied by a House/Senate Joint Explanatory Statement (JES), which included additions language about congressional intent and requirements. The JES also clarifies, explicitly, that ALL of the report language from the original House report ALSO applies, unless specifically indicated otherwise in the JES. So both Report Language and JES language is included with the details of the new bill.
  • NOTE: Massie (R-KY) offered amendments to strip aid for Israel, Egypt, and Jordan out of the bill. None of these amendments was considered on the House floor. Also see: Massie (R-KY) 1/12/26: X-post- “This week I could save taxpayers $6.9 billion dollars with three amendments I have submitted to cut foreign aid from the spending bill: one saves $3,300,000,000 from Israel | one saves $2,100,000,000 from Jordan | one saves $1,500,000,000 from Egypt“
  • House Appropriations Committee – Committee Releases Conferenced FSGG and NSRP Bills & House Passes H.R. 7006, Strengthening National Security, Protecting Economic Growth, and Restoring Regular Order; bill summary;
  • Media: 2026 State Dept. funding bill leverages U.S. funding to combat antisemitism, anti-Israel bias in U.N. (Jewish Insider 1/13/26); House passes State Department funding bill with Israel aid (Jewish News Syndicate 1/15/26); US House Passes State Department Funding Bill With $3.3 Billion in Security Assistance to Israel (Algemeiner 1/15/26)

(SANCTIONS ON ISRAEL FOR BLOCKING OF GAZA AID) S. 3634 [bill text]: Introduced 1/14/26 by Wyden (D-OR), “A bill to express the sense of Congress regarding the conduct by the Netanyahu administration in Gaza and to impose sanctions to discourage governments from obstructing humanitarian assistance, and for other purposes.” Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. Also see: Wyden press release – Wyden Introduces Legislation to Ensure Aid to Gaza, Accountability for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Government Officials Worldwide Who Enable Human Rights Violations [“Legislation Makes Clear America Condemns Abuses by Prime Minister Netanyahu and Top Officials; Calls for Complying with Human Rights and Humanitarian Law; Bill Applies to Any Government and Senior Military Official Complicit in Blocking Humanitarian Aid“]; Wyden’s 1-pager explanation of the bill; Ron Wyden introduces legislation that could sanction Israeli officials over withholding Gaza aid (Jewish Insider 1/15/26)

(DE-FUND UN IF IT EXPELS ISRAEL) HR 7018 [bill text]: Introduced 1/12/26 by Lawler (R-NY) and Moskowitz (D-FL), “To limit funding for United States participation in the United Nations if Israel is illegally expelled.” Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Also see: Lawler press release – Lawler, Moskowitz Introduce Bill to Halt U.S. Funding for UN Agencies That Illegally Expel Israel; Lawler X-post – “Israel is one of America’s strongest partners across the world. The UN has a responsibility to uphold its own rules, not bend them to appease extremists or reward antisemitism. The United States should not bankroll institutions that engage in discriminatory and unlawful actions against our allies.”; Bipartisan bill would limit US funding to United Nations if Israel expelled (Jewish News Syndicate 1/13/26)

(SUPPORTING IRAN PROTESTERS) H. Res. 993 [resolution text]: Introduced 1/13/26 by Ansari (D-AZ) and 7 bipartisan cosponsors, “Recognizing and expressing support for the Iranian people protesting for a free and democratic Iran.” Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Also see: Ansari press release – Rep. Ansari Introduces Bipartisan Resolution Expressing Support for Protesters Demanding a Free and Democratic Iran; Carey (R-OH) press release – Carey Joins Bipartisan Resolution Expressing Support for Iran Protestors

(RELIGIOUS FREEDOM) S. Res. XXX [resolution text]: On 1/14/26 Risch (R-ID) announced the introduction of a new resolution “Expressing the need for the United States’ continued leadership on matters of religious freedom.” As of this writing (3:30pm ET on 1/16/26) the resolution does not yet appear in the Congressional Record. Also see: Risch press release – Risch, Colleagues Introduce Resolution in Support of Religious Freedom. Countries called out in the resolution for having “in patterns of violations of varying degrees of religious freedom” include Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Turkey.

(DEFENDING CIVIL SOCIETY/PROTEST) HR 7060 // S. 3646 [bill text]: Introduced 1/14/26 in the House by Crow (D-CO) and 10 Democratic cosponsors, and in the Senate by Murphy (D-CT) and 10 Democratic cosponsor, “To stop the Government from attacking individuals and organizations for their political speech or participation,” aka the “No Political Enemies (NOPE) Act.” Referred to the House Committees on the Judiciary, Oversight and Government Reform, and Ways and Means, and the Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Also see: press release – Murphy, Crow Lead Bicameral Group Of Democrats To Introduce Bill To Protect First Amendment Rights, Safeguard Americans From Politically Motivated Harassment And Prosecutions; one-pager explaining the bill

(DEFENDING FREE SPEECH/CIVIL SOCIETY) HR 7072: Introduced 1/14/26 by Moulton (D-MA), “To prohibit politically motivated prosecutions and investigations, and for other purposes.” Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

2. Letters

3. Hearings & Markups

January 13, 2026: The House Ways and Means Committee’s Subcommittee on Trade held a hearing entitled, Maintaining American Innovation and Technology Leadership (video). The testimony of one of the witnesses, Anissa Brennan (Senior Vice President of Global Policy and Federal Affairs at the Motion Picture Association) touched on Israel: “In May 2025, Israel’s Ministerial Committee for Legislation approved an updated Broadcasting (Communications) Bill. The bill maintains an investment obligation that would apply to both domestic and international content providers requiring content providers with annual revenues over 40 million shekels to invest 6.5 percent of revenues in ‘high-quality genre’ through ‘local production.’ For content providers not previously subject to an investment obligation, the rate will phase in gradually from 2.0 percent in 2026 to 6.5 percent by 2032. This bill also lacks an exemption for thematic or niche audiovisual (AV) services. The status of this proposed investment obligation is unclear, however, as it was accompanied with language indicating that the provision was subject to consultations with the United States. Such a local content investment obligation would be in violation of the 1985 U.S.-Israel Free Trade Agreement.”

January 13, 2026: The House Homeland Security Committee’s Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection hearing entitled, Defense through Offense: Examining U.S. Cyber Capabilities to Deter and Disrupt Malign Foreign Activity Targeting the Homeland (video). The testimony of Emily Harding (CSIS) included: “In November 2023, a designated terrorist group that is also the covert action arm of the Iranian government, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), attacked U.S. water plants. The stated target was an Israeli company that makes software for control systems, and the attack was meant to be retaliation for the war in Gaza. While the intent was to embarrass Israel, the facts are undeniable: A terrorist group attempted to impair water delivery to civilians in the United States.”

4. Selected Members on the Record

Palestinians

  • Fetterman (D-PA) 1/13/26: X-post – “Martin Luther King Day should be reserved to teach and celebrate his profound legacy to our nation. I strongly reject indoctrination steeped in antisemitism and anti-Israel rhetoric, normalizing violence under the auspice of ‘resistance.’” With screenshot of Fox News headline: “Teach-in for ‘Philly to Palestine’ set for Martin Luther King Jr. day”
  • Sanders (I-VT) 1/11/26: X-post – “Israel is forcing Doctors Without Borders & dozens of other humanitarian groups to end their work in Gaza. Countless innocent people rely on these services amid the ongoing crisis there. This is yet another cruel, inhumane step from the extremist Israeli government.“

Iran

[NOTE: it feels like almost every member of both the House and Senate wants to get on the record supporting Iranian protesters and denouncing the Iranian regime. There are just too many statements to include them all here, so I’m only including the ones that are specifically about bombing/not bombing Iran or that are otherwise outside of the normal messaging)

  • Graham (R-SC) 1/15/26: X-post – “I am traveling to Israel to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his team at this crucial time in the history of the Middle East. The goal is to build on the historic opportunities created by President Trump’s unprecedented leadership, to stand up to evil, and to support the people who are sacrificing for freedom. The Trump-Netanyahu alliance has thus far been one of the strongest partnerships in the history of the U.S.-Israel relationship, and I am hopeful it will pay dividends in the near future. We live in a time of great consequence with the Middle East on the verge of previously unimaginable change. Standing together and following through on our commitments only makes us stronger.“
  • Graham (R-SC) 1/15/26: X-post – “All the headlines suggesting that our so-called Arab allies have intervened on behalf of Iran to avoid decisive military action by President Trump are beyond disturbing. The ayatollah’s regime has American blood on its hands. They are slaughtering people in the streets. If it is accurate that the Arab response is “action is not necessary against Iran” given this current outrageous slaughter of innocent people, then there will be a dramatic rethinking on my part regarding the nature of the alliances now and in the future.”
  • Grassley (R-IA) 1/15/26: Grassley Opens Judiciary Committee Executive Business Meeting, Highlights Iran Oversight [excerpt: “…since Iran’s in the news again, I’d like to highlight some of my oversight from last year. First of all, where are all of the Pro-Hamas, Anti-Israel protesters? You’d think they’d be out here supporting the people of Iran against the repressive regime. But, they’re nowhere to be seen. In March of 2025, I released a majority staff report detailing whistleblower-provided records. Those records showed that the Obama-Biden State Department obstructed law enforcement efforts to arrest high-level Iranian targets. This obstruction, led by then-Secretary John Kerry, was done because of the political considerations of the failed Iran Nuclear Deal.”]
  • Meeks (D-NY) 1/15/26: Meeks Cautions Against U.S. Military Strikes on Iran
  • Massie (R-KY) 1/15/25: X-post – “In the wake of U.S. threats of military action against Iran if protesters there are killed while demonstrating against the Iranian government, 70% of voters think the U.S. should not get involved, while 18% think the U.S. should take military action…”
  • Paul (R-KY) 1/14/26: X-post w/ video – “America should always support the cause of freedom, but dropping bombs on Iran won’t help. It could make things worse. We owe it to the Iranian people to stand with them, but NOT through foreign intervention.“
  • Welch (D-VT) 1/14/26: X-post – “I’m outraged and disgusted by the shootings of thousands of unarmed protesters in Iran. These protests demonstrate that the brave Iranian people share the same desire for freedom and a better life as Americans and people everywhere.  They also illustrate the horrific risks of deadly force when autocratic governments with so much power consolidated in a single person refuse to share any of that power. At the same time, I’m deeply opposed to President Trump’s threats to use military force against Iran.  Any decision to do so must be made by Congress, consistent with the Constitution and the War Powers Act.  If there is anything we have learned from America’s wars of regime change in Afghanistan and Iraq, it’s that the use of American military force can threaten the very people fighting for freedom—by associating them with foreign forces and interests. My thoughts and hopes are with the Iranian people, that their aspirations for freedom will be realized by the strength of their courage and perseverance.“
  • Graham (R-SC) 1/14/26: X-post w/ video – “Meeting with @PahlaviReza, the exiled crown prince of Iran. We stand with the people of Iran and against the brutal regime. Make Iran Great Again.“
  • Graham (R-SC) 1/14/26: X-post – “Every indication that I’ve seen says that the Iranian regime’s killing of protestors is still very much in full swing. The death toll is mounting by the hour. Hoping that help is on the way.“
  • Jacobs (D-CA) 1/14/26: X-post – “U.S. intervention in Iran would be lawless and reckless. It would most likely backfire, causing retaliation and civilian casualties, putting us in *another* endless quagmire, and making this about the U.S. rather than the desires of the Iranian people.“
  • Schakowsky (D-IL) 1/14/26: X-post – “Americans overwhelmingly do not want another war, and the United States must not weaponize their struggle for political gain.” Linked to Politico article: New poll reveals majority of voters oppose US strike on Iran, say Trump has gone too far abroad
  • Carter (R-GA) 1/14/26: X-post – “Iran has gone nearly a week without access to the internet and phone calls, with thousands of protestors reportedly murdered. @Apple, the leading phone brand in the world, must enable satellite messaging for Iran so they can message family and report atrocities being committed by the Iranian regime.”
  • Ogles (R-TN) 1/14/26: X-post – “FACT: Qatar funds terrorism and Qatar’s opinion on what happens in Iran is self serving.” Responding to Mark Levin X-post, “As Iran slaughters thousands of mostly young people seeking freedom, Qatar and Saudi Arabia are reportedly lobbying POTUS not to hit Iran. So much for our new friends.”
  • Kaine (D-VA) 1/13/26: X-post – “Military action in Iran would be a major misstep. The Iranian people are courageously protesting a brutal regime, and any US strikes would shift the focus away from Iran leaders’ disastrous policies. I’m proud of the Iranian people fighting for human rights, dignity, and freedom.“
  • Fine (R-FL) 1/13/26: X-post – “President Trump is ready to take action against the Muslim terror regime in Iran. Where is the United Nations as thousands of Iranians are being killed standing up for freedom? Nowhere to be found. Their silence speaks volumes.”
  • Lieu (D-CA) 1/13/26: X-post w/ video – “We should absolutely support the people of Iran who are fighting back against a brutal regime that has repressed them. But if the President wants to use military force, the Constitution requires authorization from Congress. He cannot just do so without our authorization.”
  • Mast (R-FL) 1/13/26: X-post w/ video – “ICYMI: In today’s @TransportGOP hearing, I asked USCG Rear Admiral David C. Barata on whether Iran’s ‘Ghost Fleet’ vessels pose an environmental threat to the Gulf of America.“
  • Cornyn (R-TX) 1/13/26: X-post – “Donald Trump promised to intervene if the Iranian regime resorted to mass murder, and the protesters heard him and are dying in the streets.”
  • Fine (R-FL) 1/13/26: X-post w/ video – “The extremely targeted strikes against our enemies have made President Trump successful. We got Maduro, took out Iran’s nuclear facilities, and will figure out what is specific and targeted to deal with Iran moving forward. This is the way, not endless conflicts that could drag us in for trillions of dollars and decades in a country.”
  • Mullin (R-OK) 1/13/26: Senator Mullin Joins “Squawk Box”, Puts Iran on Notice
  • Daines (R-MT) 1/12/26: Daines on Fox Business: Regime Change in Iran is “A Berlin Wall Moment for the Middle East
  • Bacon (R-NE) 1/12/26: X-post – “Iran has murdered over a thousand American service members since the Beirut barracks bombing. The regime hates America and its values. I encourage the President to do whatever it can overtly and covertly to sink the enemy who hates us.“
  • Ramirez (D-IL) 1/12/26: X-post – “I stand with the people of Iran who are demanding a life free from oppression and state violence. The international community must demand an end to the violence against civilians and accountability for what has unfolded. However, Congress has not authorized the U.S. to take military action. Peace and democracy around the world have never been realized through U.S. military intervention“

Syria/Turkey

  • Pallone (D-NJ) 1/15/26: X-post – “There are now credible reports that Syrian forces, alongside Turkey, may be advancing against our Kurdish allies in Northern Syria. I’m deeply concerned by this news.   Any further attacks on these forces, who were central to defeating ISIS and remain key allies of the United States, are unacceptable. There must be immediate de-escalation.”
  • Graham (R-SC) 1/15/26: X-post – “As I have previously stated, I am growing increasingly concerned that the new Syrian government is aligning with Turkey to use military force against the Syrian Kurds, who are our strongest ally in the enduring defeat of ISIS in Syria. They also have control of about 9,000 of the worst of the worst ISIS prisoners. It is in our vital national security interest that these prisoners do not go back to the battlefield. I support a fair chance for the new Syrian government, however if there’s an escalation of attacks against the Kurds by Syrian forces supported by Turkey, this will create a whole new dynamic. I believe there would be wide and deep bipartisan support to push back against such action. If anyone believes that I or any of my colleagues would be comfortable – at this stage – for the ISIS prisoners to be guarded by the Syrian army or Turkey instead of the Kurds, you are sadly mistaken. Choose wisely.“
  • House Foreign Affairs Committee (Dems) 1/13/26: X-post – “RM @RepGregoryMeeks: I continue to monitor the situation in Aleppo with great concern and call for urgent de-escalation. All displaced civilians must be permitted to return to their homes, while food and basic supplies must reach Syrian Kurdish areas in need. It is vital for all Syrian communities to be protected and fully represented in the new Syria.”

5. Selected Media

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – GENERAL

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – New York

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – Texas

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – Michigan

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – Illinois

  • Times Tribune 1/10/26: Beyond the Ballot Backs Dylan Blaha for Congress in IL-13 [“Unlike his opponent, he refuses PAC money and rejects the influence of both corporate and AIPAC-aligned interests, running on what Beyond the Ballot has termed a strength through peace agenda. To govern from the left is to reject the lie that endless militarization equals security, and that we must instead enforce peace and international cooperation, not blank-check foreign policy shaped by powerful, wealthy global elites.“]

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – California

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – Alaska

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – Pennsylvania

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – New Jersey

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – Missouri

  • Jewish News Syndicate 1/16/26: Cori Bush blames AIPAC for past loss, seeks return to Congress [“’AIPAC didn’t make me, so AIPAC can’t break me,’ said the former member of the anti-Israel ‘Squad’ in the U.S. House of Representatives.”]

Other stuff

 

On 1/14/26, the House passed the FY26 Financial Services and General Government and National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2026 – HR 7006 [NSPR is the new term for the State Department and Foreign Operations Bill given in this new Trump era].

  • HR 7006 is, in effect, a House/Senate negotiated final version of the bill (absent a normal conference process, since neither chamber actually passed a version of the bill to bring to a formal conference process).
  • As a reminder, in July 2025 the House Appropriations Committee passed text of an NSRP bill that went on to be introduced as HR 4779 (and was never voted on by the full House). I covered the Israel/Middle East-related provisions in that bill, in detail, here).
  • Much of the text of HR 7006 is the same/similar to HR 4779, but much of it is different, with differences extending to the Israel/Middle East provisions. The Israel/Middle East-related provisions in HR 7006 are all covered in detail below, and include: annual aid to Israel and other countries of the Middle East; a continued expansion of restrictions, conditions, limitations, etc on aid for Palestinians (notwithstanding the fact that the bill does not earmark any funds for the Palestinians); and a total ban on funding to UNRWA.
  • NOTE: The July 2025 version of the bill passed by the House Appropriations Committee included extensive report language related to Israel and the Middle East. The January 2026 version is accompanied by a House/Senate Joint Explanatory Statement (JES), which included additions language about congressional intent and requirements. The JES also clarifies, explicitly, that ALL of the report language from the original House report ALSO applies, unless specifically indicated otherwise in the JES. So both Report Language and JES language is included with the details of the new bill.

TITLE I — DEPARTMENT OF STATE AND RELATED AGENCY

BILL TEXT

  • Center for Middle Eastern-Western Dialogue Trust Fund: Perennial bill provision stating: “For necessary expenses of the Center for Middle Eastern-Western Dialogue Trust Fund, as authorized by section 633 of the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2004 (22 U.S.C. 2078), the total amount of the interest and earnings accruing to such Fund on or before September 30, 2026, to remain available until expended.”
  • Israeli Arab Scholarship Program: Perennial bill provision stating: “For necessary expenses of the Israeli Arab Scholarship Program, as authorized by section 214 of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1992 and 1993 (22 U.S.C. 2452 note), all interest and earnings accruing to the Israeli Arab Scholarship Fund on or before September 30, 2026, to remain available until expended.” 

REPORT TEXT (original bill)

  • Earmarks in the report: The report earmarks funding for the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for the Abraham Accords ($1,500,000) and the Office of the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism ($2,500,00)
  • Combating antisemitism: “The Committee recognizes the important work of the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism and directs not less than $2,500,000 be made available for the Office, as authorized by the Global Anti-Semitism Review Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-332). The Committee remains concerned by the lack of Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) positions within the Office of the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism and its impact on the stability and continuity of operations of the Office. Further, the Committee encourages the Department of State to ensure that FTEs hired with this funding are adequately assigned across offices, including the Office of the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism which plays a critical role in ensuring the safety and security of Jewish communities around the world.”
  • Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for the Abraham Accords: “The Committee directs not less than $1,500,000 for the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for the Abraham Accords, as authorized by section 6407 of the Department of State Authorization Act of 2023 (division F of Public Law 118-31).”
  • Foreign adversaries. “The Committee is concerned that foreign adversaries and affiliated non-state actors are conducting influence campaigns featuring antisemitic symbols graffitied in public places, antisemitic social media content, and threats made against Jewish entities. Not later than 90 days after enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees on any known incidents of such activities taking place within the last calendar year, and whether, to what extent, and to what end, foreign adversaries and affiliated non-state actors may be using antisemitism and antisemitic symbols in this manner, including the specific narratives, techniques, and organizations targeted in these campaigns.”

TITLE III — BILATERAL ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE

Migration & Refugee Assistance (MRA): The bill stipulates that, “not less than $6,500,000 shall be made available for refugees resettling in Israel.” NOTE: The current earmark for MRA for Israel dates back to the 1990s and the influx of Jews to Israel from the former Soviet Union. As those refugee numbers decreased, the earmark has diminished, leveling off at $5 million a year since 2019 [which given the numbers of actual refugees Israel is absorbing these days is actually a huge amount per capita], but now raised by House Republicans — seeking to increase this hard earmark by (at least) a whopping 13% (under this provision $6.5 million would be the floor, not the ceiling, for funding available to Israel in the category). For more on the history of MRA for Israel, see this report from the Congressional Research Service.  The Report accompanying the bill adds: “The Committee provides not less than $6,500,000 for refugees from the former Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, and other refugees resettling in Israel.”

NATIONAL SECURITY INVESTMENT PROGRAMS (NSIP, formerly known as ESF)

The original bill’s REPORT TEXT includes a table laying out “National Security Investment Programs” allocations includes for the Middle East and North Africa as follows:

  • Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI): $50 million
  • Middle East Regional Cooperation (MERC): $10 million
  • Near East Regional Democracy: $55 million
  • USAID-Israel Development Cooperation: $4 million

The JES includes a different table laying out additional (and different) “National Security Investment Programs” allocations for the Middle East and North Africa (which means that this table overrules the previous one), as follows:

  • Iraq Scholarship Program: $10 million
  • Lebanon Scholarship Programs: $20 million
  • Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI): $20 million
  • Middle East Regional Cooperation (MERC): $7 million
  • Near East Regional Democracy: $50 million
  • Nita M. Lowey Middle East Partnership for Peace Act: $37.5 million
  • United States-Israel Development Cooperation: $3 million

TITLE IV – INTERNATIONAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE

BILL TEXT

  • Non-proliferation, Anti-terrorism, Demining and Related Programs (NADR): This section of the bill includes a perennial stipulation that “…funds appropriated under this heading may be made available for the IAEA unless the Secretary of State determines that Israel is being denied its right to participate in the activities of that Agency” 
  • Peacekeeping Operations (PKO): The bill earmarks not less than $32 million “for a United States contribution to the Multinational Force and Observers mission in the Sinai”

REPORT TEXT – ORIGINAL BILL

  • Multinational Force and Observers Mission (MFO). “The Committee directs $30,000,000 for the Multinational Force and Observers Mission in the Sinai, including $6,000,000 for force protection requirements. The Committee notes the invaluable service provided by the MFO in preserving stability in a very volatile part of the world with relatively few personnel and a small budget. United States leadership and participation in the MFO is important to the national security interest of the United States.”
  • Foreign Military Financing (FMF): Most FMF for the Middle East is covered in Sec. 7041 (see below). In addition, the report accompanying the original bill lays out FMF for the Middle East as follows: Bahrain – $4,000,000; Egypt – $1,375,000,000; Israel – $3,300,000,000; Jordan – $475,000,000; Morocco – $20,000,000

JES TEXT

  • A table laying out INCLE allocations includes $4 million for Tunisia
  • A table laying out FMF allocations includes $20 million for Morocco (but no other Middle East allocations)

TITLE VII – GENERAL PROVISIONS

BILL TEXT

Section 7004: Diplomatic Facilities — Part (e) of this section stipulates that, “None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be used–(1) to move the United States embassy to the State of Israel to a location other than Jerusalem; or (2) for a United States Embassy, Consulate General, or any other diplomatic facility in Jerusalem other than the United States Embassy to the State of Israel.”

Section 7007: Prohibition against direct funding for certain countries — This is a perennial provision banning aid to Cuba, North Korea, and Iran, extending to loans, credits, insurance, and guarantees of the Export-Import Bank or its agents. 

Section 7008: Coups d’état — This is a perennial provision stating that no US funding “shall be obligated or expended to finance directly any assistance to the government of any country whose duly elected head of government is deposed by military coup d’etat or decree or, after the date of enactment of this Act, a coup d’etat or decree in which the military plays a decisive role.” It also states that “assistance may be resumed to such government if the Secretary of State certifies and reports to the appropriate congressional committees that subsequent to the termination of assistance a democratically elected government has taken office” and that the prohibition in this section “shall not apply to assistance to promote democratic elections or public participation in democratic processes, or to support a democratic transition.” It also includes a waiver.

Section 7013: Prohibition on taxation of assistance — This is a perennial provision barring taxation of U.S. assistance and imposing huge financial penalties on governments that do so. While this provision appears generic, the only recipient explicitly identified is the West Bank and Gaza. This singling out of the Palestinians reflects the genesis of the provision: long-ago allegations that the Palestinian Authority (PA) was taxing U.S. assistance provided to NGOs (recall that under existing law direct aid to the PA is prohibited), and thereby indirectly benefiting from US assistance designed specifically to bypass the PA. [Note: this is the section that was raised as a problem back when Israel was considering imposing massive taxes on foreign government donations to civil society organizations].

Section 7015: Notification Requirements — Part (f) of this provision states that no funds appropriated under titles III through VI of this Act (pretty much all funds in the bill) may be obligated or expended for assistance to a laundry list of countries, “except as provided through regular notification procedures of the Committees on Appropriations.” From the Middle East, the list includes (this year): Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Syria, Tunisia, and Yemen.

Section 7021: Prohibition on assistance to governments supporting international terrorism — Perennial provision prohibiting funding to any country “which provides lethal military equipment to a country the government of which the Secretary of State has determined supports international terrorism for purposes of section 1754(c) of the Export Reform Control Act of 2018 (50 U.S.C. 4813(c))…” and prohibits bilateral assistance to any country that supports international terrorism, gives sanctuary to terrorists, or is controlled by a terrorist organization. The section includes national security waivers for both restrictions. 

Section 7033: International Religious Freedom — Part (c) notes: “Funds appropriated by this Act under the heading ‘National Security Investment Programs’ may be made available notwithstanding any other provision of law for assistance for ethnic and religious minorities in Iraq and Syria..”

Section 7034: Special Provisions: Part (i)(4) of this section extends existing U.S. loan guarantees for Israel (provided under Chapter 5 of title I of the Emergency Wartime Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2003 (Public Law 108–11; 117 Stat. 576) until September 30, 2030 [NOTE: This is the emergency $9 billion that was provided for Israel in 2003, quietly extended over and over by Congress for going on 20 years. As noted in a recent CRS report on US aid to Israel, “Israeli officials may believe that although they have not used the loan guarantees in the last 18 years, maintaining the program boosts the country’s fiscal standing among international creditors in capital markets.“]

Section 7035: Law Enforcement and Security

  • Part (b)(3) of this section of the bill is a perennial provision providing for financing of commercial leasing of defense articles to Israel, Egypt, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and major non-NATO allies.
  • Part (b)(5) is entitled, “War Reserve Stockpile Authority.” It stipulates that “Section 514(b)(2)(A) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2321h(b)(2)(A)) is amended by striking ‘2027’ and inserting ‘2028’”. 
  • Part (c)(2) lays out perennial limitations related to landmines and cluster munitions.
  • Part (c)(3) lays out perennial requirements with respect to “Crowd Control” equipment: “If the Secretary of State has information that a unit of a foreign security force uses excessive force to repress peaceful expression or assembly concerning corruption, harm to the environment or human health, or the fairness of electoral processes, or in countries that are undemocratic or undergoing democratic transition, the Secretary shall promptly determine if such information is credible: Provided, That if the information is determined to be credible, funds appropriated by this Act should not be used for tear gas, small arms, light weapons, ammunition, or other items for crowd control purposes for such unit, unless the Secretary of State determines that the foreign government is taking effective measures to bring the responsible members of such unit to justice.”
  • Part (d)(3) deals with the Leahy Law, and stipulates: “For purposes of implementing section 620M of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, the term ‘credible information’ means information that, considering the source of such information and the surrounding circumstances, supports a reasonable belief that a violation has occurred, and shall not be determined solely on the basis of the number of sources; whether the source has been critical of a policy of the United States Government or its security partners; whether the source has a personal connection to the information being reported; or whether the United States Government is able to independently verify the information.”

Section 7037: Palestinian statehood — Perennial provision barring (with extensive language) assistance to a Palestinian state that does not meet a series of conditions (includes perennial Presidential waiver authority). It also includes: “The restriction in subsection (a) shall not apply to assistance intended to help reform the Palestinian Authority and affiliated institutions, or the governing entity, in order to help meet the requirements of subsection (a), consistent with the provisions of section 7040 of this Act (“Limitation on Assistance for the Palestinian Authority”)”

Section 7038: Prohibition on Assistance to the Palestinian Broadcasting Corp — Perennial provision (dating back many many years) barring any U.S. assistance to the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation.

Section 7039: Assistance for the West Bank and Gaza (perennial)

[REMINDER: The bill does not earmark any assistance for the West Bank and Gaza]

  • Part (a): OVERSIGHT – this sub-section stipulates that “For fiscal year 2026, 30 days prior to the initial obligation of funds for the bilateral West Bank and Gaza Program, the Secretary of State shall certify to the Committees on Appropriations that procedures have been established to assure the Comptroller General of the United States will have access to appropriate United States financial information in order to review the uses of United States assistance for the Program funded under the heading ‘National Security Investment Programs’ [formerly known as Economic Support Funds] for the West Bank and Gaza.”
  • Part (b): VETTING – this sub-section stipulates that “Prior to the obligation of funds appropriated by this Act under the heading ‘National Security Investment Programs’ for assistance for the West Bank and Gaza, the Secretary of State shall take all appropriate steps to ensure that such assistance is not provided to or through any individual, private or government entity, or educational institution that the Secretary knows or has reason to believe advocates, plans, sponsors, engages in, or has engaged in, terrorist activity nor, with respect to private entities or educational institutions, those that have as a principal officer of the entity’s governing board or governing board of trustees any individual that has been determined to be involved in, or advocating terrorist activity or determined to be a member of a designated foreign terrorist organization: Provided, That the Secretary of State shall, as appropriate, establish procedures specifying the steps to be taken in carrying out this subsection and shall terminate assistance to any individual, entity, or educational institution which the Secretary has determined to be involved in or advocating terrorist activity.”
  • Part (c): PROHIBITION – This subsection bars use of funds for the West Bank and Gaza being used for: “(A) the purpose of recognizing or otherwise honoring individuals who commit, or have committed acts of terrorism; and (B) any educational institution located in the West Bank or Gaza that is named after an individual who the Secretary of State determines has committed an act of terrorism.” It also bars funding for security assistance for the West Bank and Gaza under the the Secretary of State report to Congress on “(A) the benchmarks that have been established for security assistance for the West Bank and Gaza and on the extent of Palestinian compliance with such benchmarks; and (B) the steps being taken by the Palestinian Authority to end torture and other cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment of detainees, including by bringing to justice members of Palestinian security forces who commit such crimes.”
  • Part (d): OVERSIGHT BY THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE – previously this sub-section laid out required oversight by USAID (which no longer exists). Now it lays out required oversight, including annual (at least) audits by the Department of State, of “all contractors and grantees, and significant subcontractors and sub-grantees, under the West Bank and Gaza Program,” and allocates up to $1.4 million for “audits, investigations, and other activities in furtherance of the requirements of this subsection.”
  • Part (e): AUDIT – this subsection requires the Comptroller General of the United States to “conduct an audit and an investigation of the treatment, handling, and uses of all funds for the bilateral West Bank and Gaza Program, including all funds provided as cash transfer assistance, in fiscal year 2026 under the heading ‘National Security Investment Programs’, and such audit shall address—(1) the extent to which such Program complies with the requirements of subsections (b) and (c); and (2) an examination of all programs, projects, and activities carried out under such Program, including both obligations and expenditures.”
  • Part (f): NOTIFICATION – this subsection states that “Funds made available in this Act for West Bank and Gaza shall be subject to the regular notification procedures of the Committees on Appropriations.”

Section 7040: Limitation on Assistance to the Palestinian Authority (perennial)

[REMINDER: The bill does not earmark any assistance for the West Bank and Gaza]

>Prohibiting aid to the PA: Part (a) bars any funds from this act being used to provide funding to the Palestinian Authority.

>Waiver of Prohibition on Aid to the PA (but not really): Part (b) enables the President to waive the ban in (a) if he certifies to Congress that doing so “is important to the national security interest of the United States.” [Don’t let this fool you. Part (e), below, turns what otherwise looks like a clean national security waiver into an exercise in which the Executive’s ability to support/defend/promote US national security is made conditional on factors that are outside US control; as in, if the Secretary of State cannot make the certification required under part (e) of this section, the president cannot exercise the “waiver” provided under part (b) of this section, US national security be damned].

>Limitations on that supposed waiver:

  • Part (c) stipulates that any waiver under (b) “shall be effective for no more than a period of 6 months at a time and shall not apply beyond 12 months after the enactment of this Act.”
  • Part (d) requires a report to Congress from the President in conjunction with any use of the waiver in part (b), detailing “the justification for the waiver, the purposes for which the funds will be spent, and the accounting procedures in place to ensure that the funds are properly disbursed” and also detailing “the steps the Palestinian Authority has taken to arrest terrorists, confiscate weapons and dismantle the terrorist infrastructure.” And
  • Part (e) requires that in conjunction with any use of the waiver in part (b), the Secretary of State “must certify and report to the Committees on Appropriations prior to the obligation of funds that the Palestinian Authority has established a single treasury account for all Palestinian Authority financing and all financing mechanisms flow through this account, no parallel financing mechanisms exist outside of the Palestinian Authority treasury account, and there is a single comprehensive civil service roster and payroll, and the Palestinian Authority is acting to counter incitement of violence against Israelis and is supporting activities aimed at promoting peace, coexistence, and security cooperation with Israel.”

>Barring Aid to the PLO, Hamas, or any power-sharing govt: Part (f), is a long subsection entitled “Prohibition to Hamas and the Palestine Liberation Organization” (lumping together a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization with the internationally recognized representative of the Palestinian people that is NOT on the list of U.S.-designated FTO since that list was first published in 1997).

  • This subsection bars funding to the PLO and bars funding for salaries of PA personnel in Gaza or for Hamas or any for  entity “or any entity effectively controlled by Hamas, any power-sharing government of which Hamas is a member, or that results from an agreement with Hamas and over which Hamas exercises undue influence.” NOTE: The formulation in this legislation, which dates back to the Obama era, was explicitly designed to make it difficult for the U.S. engage any kind of Palestinian power-sharing government that could result from some future Fatah-Hamas reconciliation or from some other arrangements that lead to a national unity government or a mutually-agreed technocratic government (the text has evolved over the years in response to Palestinian efforts to achieve such governments).
  • The section includes language of past bills stipulating that the prohibition does not apply if the President “certifies and reports to the Committees on Appropriations that such government, including all of its ministers or such equivalent, has publicly accepted and is complying with the principles contained in section 620K(b)(1) (A) and (B) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended.” It also includes the proviso that, “the President may exercise the authority in section 620K(e) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as added by the Palestine Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006 (Public Law 109-446) with respect to this subsection.”
  • As a reminder, Section 620K(b)(1)(A) and (B) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, reads as follows: (b) Certification.–A certification described in subsection (a) is a certification transmitted by the President to Congress that contains a determination of the President that– (1) no ministry, agency, or instrumentality of the Palestinian Authority is effectively controlled by Hamas, unless the Hamas-controlled Palestinian Authority has– (A) publicly acknowledged the Jewish state of Israel’s right to exist; and (B) committed itself and is adhering to all previous agreements and understandings with the United States Government, with the Government of Israel, and with the international community, including agreements and understandings pursuant to the Performance-Based Roadmap to a Permanent Two-State Solution to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (commonly referred to as the `Roadmap’).
  • And 620K(e) reads as follows: (e) National Security Waiver.– (1) In general.–Subject to paragraph (2), the President may waive subsection (a) with respect to-(A) the administrative and personal security costs of the Office of the President of the Palestinian Authority; (B) the activities of the President of the Palestinian Authority to fulfill his or her duties as President, including to maintain control of the management and security of border crossings, to foster the Middle East peace process, and to promote democracy and the rule of law; and (C) assistance for the judiciary branch of the Palestinian Authority and other entities. (2) Certification.–The President may only exercise the waiver authority under paragraph (1) after– (A) consulting with, and submitting a written policy justification to, the appropriate congressional committees; and (B) certifying to the appropriate congressional committees that– (i) it is in the national security interest of the United States to provide assistance otherwise prohibited under subsection (a); and (ii) the individual or entity for which assistance is proposed to be provided is not a member of, or effectively controlled by (as the case may be), Hamas or any other foreign terrorist organization.”

Section 7041: Middle East and North Africa

>>>BAHRAIN<<<

Not mentioned in the bill, but the Report Text accompanying the original bill notes: “The Committee notes the important role that the Comprehensive Security Integration and Prosperity Agreement (C-SIPA) with Bahrain plays in facilitating cooperation between the United States and Bahrain on areas of shared interest. The Committee directs the Secretary of State to prioritize diplomatic efforts to increase membership in C-SIPA to benefit United States interests in the Middle East and the United States partnership with Bahrain.”

>>>7041(a) – EGYPT<<<

BILL TEXT

 (1) ASSISTANCE. The bill text earmarks “not less than $1,425,000,000,” for Egypt, with the following stipulations/earmarks:

  • NSIP (formerly ESF): “not less than $125,000,000 shall be made available from funds under the heading ‘National Security Investment Programs’,” of which “not less than $40,000,000 should be made available for higher education programs, including not less than $15,000,000 for scholarships…” It also requires that these funds “shall be made available for democracy programs, and for development programs in the Sinai”;
  • FMF: “not less than $1,300,000,000 shall be made available from funds under the heading ‘Foreign Military Financing Program’, to remain available until September 30, 2027″ subject to further stipulations laid out below. 
  • Interest-bearing account: “That such funds may be transferred to an interest bearing account in the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, following consultation with the Committees on Appropriations and the uses of any interest earned on such funds shall be subject to the regular notification procedures of the Committees on Appropriations.” [perennial]

(2) ADDITIONAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE.– The bill earmarks, in addition, “not less than $75,000,000 of the funds appropriated under the heading ‘Foreign Military Financing Program’ shall be made available for assistance for Egypt.”

(3) CERTIFICATION AND REPORT.–The bill stipulates that “Funds appropriated by this Act that are available for assistance for Egypt may be made  available notwithstanding any other provision of law restricting assistance for Egypt, except for this subsection and section 620M of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, and may only be made available for assistance for the Government of Egypt if the Secretary of State certifies and reports to the Committees on Appropriations that such government is–(A) sustaining the strategic relationship with the United States; and (B) meeting its obligations under the 1979 Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty.”

(4) WITHHOLDING.–The bill stipulates: “Of the funds made available pursuant to paragraph (1)(B), $320,000,000 shall be withheld from obligation until the Secretary certifies and reports to the Committees on Appropriations that the Government of Egypt is meeting the requirements under this section in the explanatory statement described in section 4 (in the matter preceding division A of this consolidated Act): Provided, That the Secretary may waive such requirement if the Secretary determines and reports to the Committees on Appropriations that such funds are necessary for counterterrorism, border security, or nonproliferation programs or that it is otherwise important to the national security interest of the United States to do so, including a detailed justification for the use of such waiver and the reasons why any of the requirements cannot be met: Provided further, That the report required by the previous proviso shall be submitted in unclassified form but may be accompanied by a classified annex.” 

REPORT TEXT – ORIGINAL BILL

  • “The Committee notes that the United States and Egypt share a mutual interest in Middle East peace and stability, economic opportunity, and regional security. Since the Camp David Accords, United States assistance to Egypt has played an important role in the country’s economic and military development. The Committee recognizes the enduring Egypt-Israel peace agreement as well as Egypt’s ongoing efforts to combat terrorism and counter Iran’s malign influence in the region. 
  • Supporting a stable, democratic, and prosperous Egypt continues to be a core objective of United States foreign policy.
  • Not later than 90 days after enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall consult with the Committees on Appropriations regarding different options, including a memorandum of understanding, to augment long-term planning in the mutually beneficial United States-Egypt partnership, particularly with respect to security assistance.
  • The Committee directs not less than $1,425,000,000 for assistance for Egypt. Pursuant to subsection (a)(2), an additional $75,000,000 under Foreign Military Financing Program is included to make up for prior year Foreign Military Financing Program funds that expired or were reprogrammed rather than being made available for the intended purpose. In addition to amounts provided in subsection (a), the Committee directs that $2,000,000 be made available from Nonproliferation, Anti-terrorism, Demining and Related Programs and $2,000,000 be made available from International Military Education and Training.
  • The Committee directs that $40,000,000 of the funds appropriated under National Security Investment Programs and made available for assistance for Egypt be allocated for higher education programs in Egypt, including $17,500,000 for scholarships for Egyptian students with high financial need to attend not-for-profit institutions of higher education in Egypt that are currently accredited by a regional accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education or meet standards equivalent to those required for United States institutional accreditation by a regional accrediting agency recognized by such Department. Not later than 90 days after enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall brief the Committees on Appropriations on implementation of funds made available for scholarships in Egypt.”
  • Report required — “Religious freedom.–Not later than 90 days after enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall update the report required under this heading in section 7041 of House Report 117-84 concerning the treatment of Christian communities in Egypt.”

ADDITIONAL VIEWS/REQUIREMENTS IN THE JES

  • “In addition to amounts made available pursuant to subsection (a) for assistance for Egypt, the agreement includes not less than $2,000,000 under Nonproliferation, Anti-terrorism, Demining and Related Programs and not less than $2,000,000 under International Military Education and Training for such assistance. 
  • “Pursuant to subsection (a)(4), the Secretary of State shall certify and report to the appropriate congressional committees on whether the Government of Egypt is taking sustained and effective steps to: (1) strengthen the rule of law, democratic institutions, and human rights in Egypt, including to protect religious minorities and the rights of women, which are in addition to steps taken during the previous calendar year for such purposes; (2) implement reforms that protect freedoms of expression, association, and peaceful assembly, including the ability of civil society organizations, human rights defenders, and the media to function without interference;  (3) hold Egyptian security forces accountable, including officers credibly alleged to have violated human rights; (4) investigate and prosecute cases of extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances; and (5) reduce the number of political prisoners, provide detainees with due process of law, and prevent the intimidation or harassment of American citizens.” 

>>>7041(b) – IRAN<<<

BILL TEXT

“(1) Funding.–Funds appropriated by this Act under the headings ‘Diplomatic Programs’, ‘National Security Investment Programs’, and ‘Nonproliferation, Anti-terrorism, Demining and Related Programs’ shall be made available–(A) to support the United States policy to prevent Iran from achieving the capability to produce or  otherwise obtain a nuclear weapon; (B) to support an expeditious response to any violation of United Nations Security Council  Resolutions or to efforts that advance Iran’s nuclear program; (C) to support the implementation and enforcement of sanctions against Iran for support of nuclear weapons development, terrorism, human rights abuses, and ballistic missile and weapons proliferation; and (D) for democracy programs in support of the aspirations of the Iranian people.

(2) REPORTS — (A) SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT.—The Secretary of State shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations the semi-annual report required by section 135(d)(4) of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2160e(d)(4)), as added by section 2 of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 (Public Law 114–17). (B) SANCTIONS REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on—(i) the status of United States bilateral sanctions on Iran; (ii) the reimposition and renewed enforcement of secondary sanctions; and (iii) the impact such sanctions have had on Iran’s destabilizing activities throughout the Middle East.”

 (3) LIMITATIONS.– “None of the funds appropriated by this Act may be—(A) used to implement an agreement with the Government of Iran relating to the nuclear program of Iran, or a renewal of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action adopted on October 18, 2015, in contravention of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 (42 U.S.C. 2160e); (B) made available to any foreign entity or person that is subject to United Nations or United States bilateral sanctions with respect to the Government of Iran; or (C) used to revoke the designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a Foreign Terrorist Organization pursuant to section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189).”

REPORT TEXT – ORIGINAL BILL

  • “The Committee directs that $2,000,000 above the prior year level be made available for the implementation, enforcement, and renewal of sanctions against Iran.”
  • “The Committee is gravely concerned by Iran’s escalatory nuclear activities, before and after the June 2025 conflict. 
  • “The Committee notes that the International Atomic Energy Agency has found that Iran is not in compliance with its obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty and has consistently failed to provide information about undeclared nuclear material and activities. 
  • The Committee directs the Secretary of State to work with partners and allies to address the threat of Iran’s nuclear program and any related further proliferation risks, including through the snapback of UN sanctions on Iran. 
  • The Committee continues to emphasize that preventing Iran from achieving the capability to produce or otherwise obtain a nuclear weapon is vital to United States national security interests.
  • The Committee notes the significant loss of life and damage caused by Iran’s ballistic missile and drone programs and support for terrorist proxies throughout the Middle East. Any sanctions relief provided to Iran could further Iran’s ability to fund these dangerous lines of effort. The Committee urges the Secretary of State to ensure that any agreement with Iran includes strict limitations on missiles, drones, and support for terrorist proxies to prevent Iran from being a threat to the United States, Israel, and our partners and allies in the Middle East.
  • The Committee remains concerned by Iran’s ongoing efforts to expand its regional influence and undermine United States and allied interests through Iran’s support for a network of terrorist groups including Hizballah, Hamas, the Houthis, and Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria. Iran’s sustained backing of these groups–through arms transfers, training, and financial support–continues to threaten United States interests, regional stability, and international security. 
  • The Committee directs the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense and the Director of National Intelligence, to prioritize efforts to disrupt Iranian malign influence, enhance the capabilities of partner forces, and strengthen deterrence through coordinated diplomatic, security, and intelligence initiatives.
  • The Committee continues to support the Iranian people’s desire for democracy and fundamental freedoms, including the right to elect the country’s leadership through free and fair elections. The proven ability of Iranian women to bravely lead the demands for rights and change is recognized and commended by this Committee and met with a commitment to continue support from the American people.”

>>>IRAQ<<<

Not mentioned in the bill, but the REPORT TEXT accompanying the original bill includes:

  • “The Committee continues to support assistance for Iraq in support of United States national security interests, particularly with respect to countering Iran’s malign activities and ensuring the enduring defeat of ISIS. Funds should be made available for: bilateral economic assistance and international security assistance, including in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI); stabilization assistance; humanitarian assistance, including in the KRI; programs to protect and assist religious and ethnic minority populations; and programs to increase United States private sector investment. Funds appropriated by this Act under title III and made available for bilateral economic assistance for Iraq may not be made available to an organization or entity which the Secretary of State has credible information is controlled by the Badr Organization.
  • The Committee continues to support programming that assists in the creation of conditions for minorities in Iraq and Syria who were victims of genocide to safely return to, and remain in, their ancestral homeland.
  • The Committee directs the Department of State to ensure that assistance, including security assistance, intended for the KRI can be accessed and used in the KRI as planned.
  • Within the amount provided under National Security Investment Programs, the Committee directs $15,000,000 be made available to support American-style higher education institutions in Iraq, including in the KRI, on an open and competitive basis. Such funds should include support for non-degree and certificate granting programs at such institutions that equip graduates of universities, institutes, and secondary schools with the knowledge and skills required to obtain gainful employment in the private sector. The Secretary of State shall include funds to be allocated for this purpose in the spend plan submitted pursuant to section 7062(b) of this Act.”

ADDITIONAL VIEWS/REQUIREMENTS IN THE JES

“The agreement includes funds to support American-style higher education student scholarships and institutions in Iraq, including in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), on an open and competitive basis, following consultation with the Committees on Appropriations. Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of the Act, the Secretary of State shall brief the Committees on Appropriations on specific efforts the Department of State will undertake to encourage the Government of lraq to meet its KRI budget obligations for 2026.”

>>>7041(c) – ISRAEL<<<

BILL TEXT: “Of the funds appropriated by this Act under the heading “Foreign Military Financing Program”, not less than $3,300,000,000 shall be available for grants only for Israel: Provided, That funds appropriated by this Act under the heading “Foreign Military Financing Program” and made available for assistance for Israel shall be disbursed within 30 days of the date of enactment of this Act: Provided further, That to the extent that the Government of Israel requests that funds be used for such purposes, grants made available for Israel under this heading shall, as agreed by the United States and Israel, be available for advanced weapons systems, of which not less than $250,300,000 shall be available for the procurement in Israel of defense articles and defense services, including research and development.”

REPORT TEXT – ORIGINAL BILL

  • The Committee recommendation includes steadfast support for Israel by providing $3,300,000,000 from funds made available under Foreign Military Financing Program, consistent with the United States-Israel Memorandum of Understanding. While Israel’s recent military success against Iran and its proxies, alongside American strategic kinetic action against key nuclear sites, has left Iran and its proxies weakened and vulnerable, the Committee remains deeply concerned about Tehran’s ballistic missile capability and nuclear program. The Committee recommendation continues to prohibit funding to implement or enforce any agreement with Iran regarding its nuclear program, including renewal of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, unless such agreement complies with the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015. In addition, the Committee prohibits the use of funds to revoke the designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. Furthermore, the Committee encourages increased vigilance and support to our partners facing threats from the Iranian regime and its proxies in the region.”
  • “Subsection (c) directs not less than $3,300,000,000 in grants for military assistance under the Foreign Military Financing Program to Israel, which is the same as the budget request. Of the funds provided, not less than $250,300,000 shall be available for the procurement in Israel of defense articles and defense services to the extent that the Government of Israel requests that funds be used for such purposes, consistent with the 2016 United States-Israel Memorandum of Understanding and the budget request. 
  • The Committee expects the Secretary of State to prioritize additional funds appropriated by this Act for Israel, as necessary, to address urgent security requirements.
  • The Committee reaffirms its support of the 2016 United States-Israel Memorandum of Understanding, which demonstrates the United States’ unshakable commitment to the security of Israel and to ensuring that Israel’s qualitative military edge and defense capabilities are maintained. 
  • The Committee strongly believes in the right and ability of Israel to defend itself against the wide range of threats it faces and believes that a close United States-Israel security partnership benefits the interests of both countries. 
  • The Committee further believes that by contributing to a safe and secure Israel, United States assistance positively contributes to any progress towards peace achieved through direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.
  • The Committee assesses that Hamas, even in a degraded state, continues to pose a significant threat to the security and interests of the United States, Israel, and regional partners. 
  • The Committee reaffirms unwavering support for Israel’s right to self-defense and endorses continued United States-Israel security and diplomatic coordination to prevent the resurgence of violent extremism. 
  • The Committee further supports efforts to fully dismantle Hamas’ military and political infrastructure and urges the Department of State to prioritize long-term strategies that promote regional stability and prevent future conflict.
  • The Committee notes that Congress previously provided emergency supplemental funds for Israel, including humanitarian assistance.  The Committee directs funds to be made available to address humanitarian needs in Israel, such as safe medical transport, in light of continued attacks on the civilian population, including ballistic missile and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attacks from Iran and the Houthis in Yemen. [NOTE: This bill does not earmark a penny for humanitarian aid for Gaza]
  • The Committee supports historical, archaeological, and cultural initiatives, including in Jerusalem, that strengthen and deepen the United States-Israel special relationship. The Committee notes that the City of David in Biblical Jerusalem has been recognized by the United States Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad. Not later than 45 days after enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall consult with the Committees on Appropriations on plans to fund and implement such initiatives. The Committee directs not less than $5,000,000 be directed to such initiatives.” [NOTE: This appears to be a new initiative to harness US policy to normalize and solidify Israeli annexation of East Jerusalem and Israel’s ongoing efforts to weaponize archeology to take over the area of East Jerusalem adjacent to the Old City]

ADDITIONAL VIEWS/REQUIREMENTS IN THE JES

  • “The agreement includes $5,000,000 for historical, archaeological, and cultural initiatives that strengthen and deepen the United States-Israel special relationship.”

>>>7041(d) – JORDAN<<<

BILL TEXT: “(1) Of the funds appropriated by this Act under titles III and IV, not less than $1,650,000,000 shall be made available for assistance for Jordan, of which not less than $845,100,000 shall be made available for budget support for the Government of Jordan and not less than $425,000,000 shall be made available under the heading ‘Foreign Military Financing Program’. (2) In addition to amounts made available pursuant to paragraph (1), not less than $400,000,000 of the funds appropriated under the heading “National Security Investment Programs” shall be made available for assistance for Jordan, which shall be made available for budget support, and not less than $50,000,000 of the funds appropriated under the heading ‘Foreign Military Financing Program’ shall be made available for assistance for Jordan.”

REPORT TEXT – ORIGINAL BILL

  • “Section 7041(d)(1) directs not less than $1,650,000,000 be made available for Jordan from funds under titles III and IV, including not less than $845,100,000 for budget support for the Government of Jordan from funds under this heading. Section 7041 (d)(2) provides an additional $400,000,000 of funds appropriated under this heading for Jordan to respond to extraordinary needs resulting from the prolonged conflict in the Middle East. Jordan is a key United States partner that provides indispensable support for United States interests in the Middle East. Ensuring Jordan’s stability, including through investments in water infrastructure, is important to United States national Security.”
  • “The Committee notes the importance of the United States relationship with the Kingdom of Jordan and the strong leadership role that Jordan continues to play in advancing peace and stability in the region. The Secretary of State shall continue to support economic reforms, including through budget support, to help ensure Jordan’s long-term stability and help mitigate the impact of hosting large numbers of refugees.    Subsection (d)(1) directs not less than $1,650,000,000 for assistance for Jordan. Of the total amount provided, the Committee directs that not less than $2,500,000 be made available from International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement, $10,400,000 be made available from Nonproliferation, Anti-terrorism, Demining and Related Programs, and $3,800,000 be made available from International Military Education and Training.
  • “Subsection (d)(2) provides an additional $450,000,000 from funds appropriated by this Act for assistance for Jordan to address urgent needs resulting from the malign activities of Iran and its proxies.”
  • “Not later than 30 days after enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall consult with the appropriate congressional committees on humanitarian assistance for Jordan.”
  • “The Committee recognizes that Jordan continues to face economic and security challenges in the Middle East, including limited natural resources, regional conflict, and persistent humanitarian pressures, which impact United States interests in the region. “
  • “The Committee directs the Secretary of State to engage with Jordan on efforts to advance regional security and stability and to encourage private-sector investment that strengthens critical sectors such as water, energy, and infrastructure. The Committee also encourages such discussions to include continued protection and preservation of sites of religious significance including the Baptismal Site of Jesus Christ and the surrounding region.”

ADDITIONAL VIEWS/REQUIREMENTS IN THE JES

  • “Within the total amounts designated in the Act for assistance for Jordan, the agreement includes not less than $10,400,000 under Nonproliferation, Anti-terrorism, Demining and Related Programs and $3,800,000 under International Military Education and Training. Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of the Act, the Secretary of State shall consult with the appropriate congressional committees on humanitarian assistance for Jordan.”

>>>7041(e) – LEBANON<<<

BILL TEXT

The bill imposed an overarching limitation on all aid to Lebanon: “None of the funds appropriated by this Act may be made available for the Lebanese Internal Security Forces (ISF) or the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) if the ISF or the LAF is controlled by a foreign terrorist organization, as designated pursuant to section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189).”

The bill puts multiple stipulations on security assistance (FMF & INCLE) for Lebanon: (A) Funds appropriated by this Act under the headings “International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement” and “Foreign Military Financing Program” that are made available for assistance for Lebanon may be made available for programs and equipment for the ISF and the LAF to address security and stability requirements in areas affected by conflict in Syria, following consultation with the appropriate congressional committees. (B) Funds appropriated by this Act under the heading “Foreign Military Financing Program” that are made available for assistance for Lebanon may only be made available for programs to—(i) professionalize the LAF to mitigate internal and external threats from non-state actors, including Hizballah; (ii) strengthen the security of borders and combat terrorism, including training and equipping the LAF to secure the borders of Lebanon and address security and stability requirements in areas affected by conflict in Syria, interdicting arms shipments, and preventing the use of Lebanon as a safe haven for terrorist groups; and (iii) implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701: Provided, That prior to obligating funds made available by this subparagraph for assistance for the LAF, the Secretary of State shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations a spend plan, including actions to be taken to ensure equipment provided to the LAF is used only for the intended purposes, except such plan may not be considered as meeting the notification requirements under section 7015 of this Act or under section 634A of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961: Provided further, That any notification submitted pursuant to such section shall include any funds specifically intended for lethal military equipment.

With respect to NSIP assistance for Lebanon, the bill stipulates: “Funds appropriated by this Act under the heading ‘National Security Investment Programs’ that are made available for assistance for Lebanon may be made available notwithstanding section 1224 of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 2003 (Public Law 107–228; 22 U.S.C. 2346 note).”

REPORT TEXT – ORIGINAL BILL

  • “Subsection (e) is modified from the prior year by deleting language making non-security assistance for Lebanon available notwithstanding any other provision of law. The bill continues the requirement that certain conditions be met prior to the obligation of Foreign Military Financing Program funds for Lebanon. 
  • The Committee intends that assistance provided to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) not be used against Israel and such assistance will not affect Israel’s qualitative military edge in the region. 
  • The Committee notes that paragraph (1) of this subsection prohibits funds for the Lebanese Internal Security Forces or the LAF if either organization is controlled by a foreign terrorist organization, and the Committee directs the Secretary of State to regularly consult with the Committees on Appropriations regarding the rigorous implementation of this provision, the activities of the LAF, and assistance provided by the United States…
  • The Committee directs that support be continued at not less than the prior year under National Security Investment Programs for the Lebanon scholarship program and the undergraduate and graduate scholarship program for refugees in Lebanon. The Secretary of State is directed to consult with the Committees on Appropriations on an ongoing basis regarding how the programs will be administered by not-for-profit educational institutions in Lebanon that meet the standards required for American accreditation and other matters related to implementation.
  • The Committee notes the important and enduring partnerships with institutions of higher education in Lebanon and directs the Secretary of State to consult with the Committees on Appropriations on funding for such institutions, including funding made available pursuant to section 7060(a)(2).
  • “Report required – Countering Hizballah and Iran in Lebanon.–Not later than 90 days after enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report describing: (1) the presence or deployment south of the Litani River of any armed groups other than the LAF, including Hizballah and Palestinian terrorist groups, and efforts by the Government of Lebanon, including the LAF, to counter such presence; (2) any production, sales, or supply of arms and related materiel into Lebanon by Iran, Hizballah, Palestinian terrorist groups, or other designated terrorist entities, and efforts by the Government of Lebanon, including the LAF, to counter such activities; (3) the extent to which the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) is fulfilling its mandate under United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1701 and contributing to implementing the November 26, 2024 Cessation of Hostilities agreement; (4) the extent of the LAF’s compliance with UNSCR 1701 and the Cessation of Hostilities agreement in Lebanon, and the LAF’s cooperation on implementing such agreement; (5) any capability gaps or other factors that hinder the LAF’s ability to effectively comply with UNSCR 1701 and the Cessation of Hostilities agreement and any plans for United States assistance to Lebanon to be used to address these gaps; (6) the extent of Hizballah’s influence within Lebanon, including the legislative, judicial, and financial institutions of Lebanon and the LAF; (7) the extent of Iranian influence in Lebanon; and (8) illegal money laundering or smuggling of cash into Lebanon by Iran or sanctioned persons. The report shall be submitted in an unclassified form but may contain a classified annex that is transmitted separately from the unclassified report.”

ADDITIONAL VIEWS/REQUIREMENTS IN THE JES

  • “The agreement provides $112,500,000 under title III of the Act for assistance for Lebanon.”
  • “Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of the Act, the Secretary of State shall consult with the Committees on Appropriations regarding diplomatic facilities in Lebanon, including the CMR.”

>>>MOROCCO<<<

REPORT TEXT – ORIGINAL BILL: “The Committee continues to support assistance for Morocco in support of United States national security interests and directs not less than $20,000,000 under National Security Investment Programs and $20,000,000 under Foreign Military Financing Program.”

>>>7041(f) – SYRIA<<<

BILL TEXT

“(1) NON-LETHAL ASSISTANCE.—Funds appropriated by this Act under titles III and IV may be made available, notwithstanding any other provision of law, for non-lethal stabilization assistance for Syria, including for emergency medical and rescue response and chemical weapons investigations.

(2) LIMITATIONS.—Funds appropriated by this Act and made available for assistance for Syria may not be made available for—(A) a project or activity that supports or otherwise legitimizes the Government of Iran, foreign terrorist organizations (as designated pursuant to section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189)), or a proxy of Iran in Syria; and (B) activities that further the strategic objectives of the Government of the Russian Federation that the Secretary of State determines may threaten or undermine United States national security interests.

(3) CONSULTATION.—Funds appropriated by this Act and prior Acts making appropriations for the Department of State, foreign operations, and related programs that are made available for any new program, project, or activity in Syria shall be subject to prior consultation with the appropriate congressional committees.”

REPORT TEXT – ORIGINAL BILL

  • “The Committee directs the Secretary of State to take all practicable steps to ensure that mechanisms are in place for monitoring, oversight, and control of any assistance provided inside Syria and notes that section 7015(j), which requires prompt notification of any assistance diverted or destroyed, applies to funds made available for such assistance for Syria. Pursuant to section 7015(f), funds may not be obligated or expended for assistance for Syria except as provided through the regular notification procedures of the Committees on Appropriations.
  • The Committee notes significant changes with respect to Syria following the fall of the Assad regime and ongoing actions to lift United States sanctions and other restrictions on Syria pursuant to Executive Order 14312, relating to Providing for the Revocation of Syria Sanctions. This Act contains a new requirement that any new program or activity in Syria initiated in fiscal year 2026 shall be subject to prior consultation with the appropriate congressional committees.
  • Remnants of the Assad regime and associated forces remain in Syria and continue to have financial interests within parts of Syria. Any United States assistance made available for Syria should be programmed in a way that does not benefit such entities.
  • The Committee supports efforts to de-escalate tensions across Syria. The Committee opposes any actions that would inhibit efforts to address the security threat and humanitarian challenges posed by conditions at the al-Hol displacement camp and associated ISIS-detention sites administered by the Syrian Democratic Forces.
  • The Committee recognizes the longtime efforts of local Syrian and diaspora organizations, as well as relief organizations, to implement lifesaving interventions in Syria, including support for emergency medical and rescue response and chemical weapons investigations. The Committee urges the Secretary of State, within the requirements of this Act, to work to ensure continued delivery of humanitarian aid into and within Syria.”

ADDITIONAL VIEWS/REQUIREMENTS IN THE JES

  • “Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of the Act, the Secretary of State shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees assessing the treatment of religious and ethnic minorities in Syria, including Christians, Druze, Alawites, and Kurds, during the prior year, and whether the Government of Syria has taken all sufficient actions to ensure protections for religious and ethnic minorities in Syria. Funds appropriated under titles III and IV of the Act and prior Acts shall be made available to address the humanitarian and security challenges posed by al-Hol and other camps in Northeast Syria.”

>>>7041(g) – Tunisia<<<

BILL TEXT: “Funds appropriated under titles III and IV of this Act shall be made available for assistance for Tunisia for the purposes described under this section in the explanatory statement described in section 4 (in the matter preceding division A of this consolidated Act), following consultation with the Committees on Appropriations.”

ADDITIONAL VIEWS/REQUIREMENTS IN THE JES: “Funds appropriated under titles III and IV of the Act shall be made available for assistance for Tunisia for programs to support democratic governance and civil society, protect due process of law, and maintain regional stability and security”

>>>7041(h) – WEST BANK & GAZA<<<

NOTE: Neither the bill, nor the Report on the original bill, nor the JES earmarks (hard or soft) even one penny of assistance for either the West Bank or the Gaza Strip — but all three include far-reaching, ever-expanding conditions, restrictions, limitations, etc. on such aid.

BILL TEXT

Report on Assistance [which is an indirect way of imposing limits on types of assistance]: “Prior to the initial obligation of funds made available by this Act under the heading “National Security Investment Programs” for assistance for the West Bank and Gaza, the Secretary of State shall report to the Committees on Appropriations that the purpose of such assistance is to— (A) advance Middle East peace; (B) improve security in the region; (C) continue support for transparent and accountable government institutions; (D) promote a private sector economy; or (E) address urgent humanitarian needs.”

Barring Aid to the PA: Perennial language (dating back to the Obama era) using aid to punish the Palestinians for diplomatic efforts at the UN or seeking protection/accountability under international law, by barring any NSIP (formerly ESF) for the Palestinian Authority if, after the date this bill becomes law, “the Palestinians obtain the same standing as member states or full membership as a state in the United Nations or any specialized agency thereof outside an agreement negotiated between Israel and the Palestinians”or if “the Palestinians initiate an International Criminal Court (ICC) judicially authorized investigation, or actively support such an investigation, that subjects Israeli nationals to an investigation for alleged crimes against Palestinians”. The bill includes no waiver of any kind for either of these restrictions, even if the President were to decide it was necessary for U.S. national security.

Preventing the PLO Office from Re-Opening in the U.S.: Perennial language limiting the President’s ability to waive longstanding (and anachronistic) legislation barring the PLO from having any representation in the United States. Where for decades Congress granted the President a “clean” national security or national interests waiver of that prohibition (contained in section 1003 of Public Law 100-204), starting in the Obama era Congress moved to punish the Palestinians for diplomatic efforts at the UN or seeking protection/accountability under international law by making such waiver contingent on the President certifying that the Palestinians have not, after the date of enactment of this Act, “obtained in the United Nations or any specialized agency thereof the same standing as member states or full membership as a state outside an agreement negotiated between Israel and the Palestinians” or “initiated or actively supported an ICC investigation against Israeli nationals for alleged crimes against Palestinians” or “initiated any further action, whether directly or indirectly, based on an Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice that undermines direct negotiations to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including matters related to final status and Israel’s longstanding security rights and responsibilities.” This section includes a Presidential waiver, under which the President can permit the office to open even if the conditions are not met, but only if he can certify that “the Palestinians have entered into direct and meaningful negotiations with Israel” [so there is not even a pretense that US national security would be a reason for a waiver…].

Gaza Oversight:

NOTE: In the context of the ongoing/escalating Israel-made humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip, and the urgent need for assistance to Gaza, House Republicans are (once again) (a) NOT earmarking funding for Gaza, (b) NOT including a clear directive for the State Department to provide funding/aid for Gaza; and (c) NOT including any language regarding Israel’s actions/obligations under US law (according to which US funding remains is contingent on Israel NOT blocking the flow of US humanitarian aid). Instead, they are doubling down on conditions/restrictions/oversight requirements related to any aid for Gaza — layered on top of the long, long list of conditions, restrictions, limitations, oversight, vetting, reporting, etc already required in various provisions already imposed on the West Bank and Gaza (in the various sections discussed above). Taken together, and added to the continued US assault on UNRWA (and now also on Francesca Albanese, the ICC and ICJ), the clear conclusion is that the policy under this bill is literally designed to enable continued Israeli genocide of Palestinians in Gaza and escalating ethnic cleansing in the West Bank/East Jerusalem — with the additional demonstration of the fact that the-racist-cruelty-is-the-point of also blocking people who might try to flee Gaza from coming to the US.

(BILL TEXT) This section requires that with 15 days of this Act becoming law, the Secretary of State certify/report to Congress that “(i) oversight policies, processes, and procedures have been established by the Department of State and are in use to prevent the diversion to Hamas and other terrorist and extremist entities in Gaza and the misuse or destruction by such entities of assistance, including through international organizations; and (ii) such policies, processes, and procedures have been developed in coordination with other bilateral and multilateral donors and the Government of Israel, as appropriate.” It further requires the Secretary of State to submit to Congress “a written description of the oversight policies, processes, and procedures for funds appropriated by this Act that are made available for assistance for Gaza, including specific actions to be taken should such assistance be diverted, misused, or destroyed, and the role of the Government of Israel in the oversight of such assistance.” It further requires the Secretary of State to “promptly inform the appropriate congressional committees of each instance in which funds appropriated by this Act that are made available for assistance for Gaza have been diverted, misused, or destroyed, to include the type of assistance, a description of the incident and parties involved, and an explanation of the response of the Department of State.”

(BILL TEXT) It further states that funds “shall be made available for third party monitoring of assistance for Gaza, including end use monitoring, following consultation with the appropriate congressional committees” and requires that “Not later than 90 days after the initial obligation of funds appropriated by this Act that are made available for assistance for Gaza, and every 90 days thereafter until all such funds are expended, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report detailing the amount and purpose of such assistance provided during each respective quarter, including a description of the specific entity implementing such assistance.”

(BILL TEXT) Finally, it requires that every 90 days, “the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Director of National Intelligence and other heads of elements of the intelligence community that the Secretary considers relevant, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report assessing whether funds appropriated by this Act and made available for assistance for the West Bank and Gaza have been diverted to or destroyed by Hamas or other terrorist and extremist entities in the West Bank and Gaza: Provided, That such report shall include details on the amount and how such funds were made available and used by such entities: Provided further, That such report may be submitted in classified form, if necessary” and “Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act but prior to the initial obligation of funds made available by this Act for humanitarian assistance for Gaza, the Secretary of State shall consult with the Committees on Appropriations on the amount and anticipated uses of such funds.”

ADDITIONAL VIEWS/REQUIREMENTS IN THE JES: “Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of the Act, the Inspectors General with authority to conduct oversight of programs carried out in the Middle East shall coordinate and submit their respective plans to the Committees on Appropriations for conducting risk-based investigations and related oversight of United States-funded implementing partners, including sub-awards, in the West Bank and Gaza that receive funds appropriated by the Act or prior Acts. Such plans should focus on, but not be limited to, reports of material support or the employment of staff or contractors that are members of, or are affiliated with, a United States designated terrorist organization or have participated in any terrorist act. Such plans should also focus on, but not be limited to, ensuring compliance with existing, and making recommendations to improve, risk mitigation measures necessary to protect taxpayer funds, complying with applicable statutory and award-based provisions, and ensuring that intended beneficiaries receive aid in accordance with core humanitarian principles. If determined to be credible, the OIGs shall refer any investigative findings, as appropriate, for potential criminal, civil, or administrative enforcement remedies.”

(BILL TEXT) APPLICATION OF TAYLOR FORCE ACT: “Funds appropriated by this Act under the heading “National Security Investment Programs” that are made available for assistance for the West Bank and Gaza shall be made available consistent with section 1004(a) of the Taylor Force Act (title X of division S of Public Law 115–141).”

REPORT TEXT – ORIGINAL BILL: “The Committee underscores the importance of full compliance with the restrictions of the Taylor Force Act (title X of division S of Public Law 115-141) and continued efforts to fully implement the law, including increasing diplomatic efforts to end the Palestinian Authority’s practice of paying salaries to terrorists in Israeli prisons and paying for acts of terrorism. As described in section 7040 of this Act, and in compliance with the Taylor Force Act, no funding made available by this Act shall be provided to the Palestinian Authority.”

REPORT TEXT – ORIGINAL BILL: “Not later than 90 days after enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State is directed to submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees on the status of negotiating an end to the Palestinian Authority’s practice of paying salaries to terrorists and families of terrorists serving in prison and other forms of such support.”

(BILL TEXT) Security report: “The reporting requirements in section 1404 of the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008 (Public Law 110–252) shall apply to funds made available by this Act, including a description of modifications, if any, to the security strategy of the Palestinian Authority.”

  • As a reminder, Section 1404 of PL 110-252 states: “Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act and 180 days thereafter, the Secretary of State shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations a report on assistance provided by the United States for the training of Palestinian security forces, including detailed descriptions of the training, curriculum, and equipment provided; an assessment of the training and the performance of forces after training has been completed; and a description of the assistance that has been pledged and provided to Palestinian security forces by other donors: Provided, That not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall report to the Committees on Appropriations, in classified form if necessary, on the security strategy of the Palestinian Authority.”

(BILL TEXT) Incitement report: “Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees detailing steps taken by the Palestinian Authority to counter incitement of violence against Israelis and to promote peace and coexistence with Israel.”  [The bill of course nowhere acknowledges, let alone calls for action to address, the non-stop genocidal, racist, violent, dehumanizing, hateful rhetoric and incitement that is being produced every by Israeli politicians, media figures, active-duty soldiers, and hasbara heroes  – and disseminated by them, giddily, on media and social media pretty much every day since October 7th).

>>>MISCELLANEOUS ISSUES related to Section 7041<<<

REPORT TEXT – ORIGINAL BILL

Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI).–The Committee directs funding for MEPI to support programs consistent with prior fiscal years. The Committee further directs that, in an effort to streamline programming and reduce redundancy, funds previously provided for similar activities for Egypt, Iraq, and Lebanon be made available through MEPI. Not later than 60 days after enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall consult with the Committees on Appropriations on the allocation of funds provided under this heading and funds made available pursuant to section 7060(a)(2) of this Act.

Abraham Accords: “The Committee notes the increased understanding, cooperation, and interfaith dialogue brought about by peace and normalization agreements between Israel and Arab states, including the Abraham Accords, and encourages continued progress to expand these agreements, the Negev Forum, and other multilateral efforts. Following Hamas’ October 7, 2023 terrorist attack on Israel, the urgent need for regional unity as well as economic and security cooperation has become more apparent than ever. The Committee further notes the need for dedicated resources to implement the Israel Relations Normalization Act (division Z of Public Law 117-103) to deepen ties between Israel and Arab and Muslim-majority countries. The Committee directs the Secretary of State to ensure resources are available to leverage, strengthen, and expand existing peace and normalization agreements and establish new ones. The Secretary shall consult with the appropriate congressional committees on the availability of flexible resources and intended uses of such funds.”

Arab League boycott of Israel: “It is the sense of the Committee that: (1) the Arab League boycott of Israel, and the secondary boycott of American firms that have commercial ties with Israel, remain an impediment to trade and investment in the Middle East and should be terminated immediately, as should the Central Office for the Boycott of Israel; (2) several Arab states and Israel have made important progress toward peace through treaties and normalization agreements, including the Abraham Accords, which open a path toward a more stable and prosperous Middle East; (3) all Arab League states should join Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan in establishing and normalizing relations with Israel, in addition to promoting peace negotiations, economic cooperation, and security cooperation between Israelis and Palestinians; (4) the President and the Secretary of State should continue to vigorously oppose the Arab League boycott of Israel; and (5) the President should support broadening and deepening participation in the Abraham Accords, and other normalization agreements, and report annually to the appropriate congressional committees on the United States strategy, including steps being taken by the United States to encourage additional Arab League and other Muslim-majority states to normalize relations with Israel, and the prospect of advancing peace between Israelis and Palestinians.”

Boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) annual report: “The Committee remains concerned about international efforts to stigmatize and isolate Israel through the BDS movement. The Committee directs, as part of the report required under the heading “Arab League boycott of Israel”, that the President add information about the BDS campaign, which shall cover companies, international organizations, countries, and other organizations, including state investment vehicles, that are involved in promoting the movement and specific steps the Department of State has taken or expects to take to discourage or end politically-motivated efforts to boycott, divest from, or sanction Israel and Israeli entities. Such reporting requirement shall not be considered met by the requirements of section 909 of the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 (Public Law 114-125).”

Monitoring, notification, and vetting:

  • “The Committee directs the Secretary of State to promptly inform the appropriate congressional committees of any alleged incident involving any United States assistance used in such a way that adversely affects or jeopardizes such assistance. This includes any incidents where United States assistance has directly or indirectly been provided to an individual or organization with ties to terrorism or incitement of violence. 
  • “The BDS movement has engaged in the spread of anti-Israel sentiment and antisemitism. The Secretary of State shall expand vetting policies and practices to ensure that United States assistance is not provided to or through any individual, private entity, government entity, or educational institution that the Secretary knows or has reason to believe advocates, plans, sponsors, engages in, or has engaged in, the BDS movement. The Committee directs the Secretary to strengthen policies and procedures to ensure organizations supported through funding are not participants in the BDS movement, are not glorifying violence, and are not providing support for lawfare against the United States or Israel at the International Criminal Court (ICC) or International Court of Justice (ICJ).    
  • “The Committee notes allegations of assistance provided to individuals or entities engaging in political activities and directs the Secretary of State to expand vetting policies and practices to include an assessment of political neutrality and a review of sta tements by individuals or organizations that constitute engagement in political advocacy, incitement, or support for terrorism that would cause operational and reputational risks for the United States Government.”

BDS vetting:  “Not later than 90 days after enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall update the report required under this heading in section 7041 of House Report 118-146 on steps taken to expand vetting policies and procedures to ensure that organizations receiving United States assistance do not directly or indirectly participate in or promote the BDS movement.”

Combating antisemitism and promoting tolerance: “Since Hamas’ October 7, 2023 terrorist attack on Israel, Jewish communities around the world have been subject to significant increases in antisemitism and violent attacks. Countering antisemitism in all its forms is in the national security interests of the United States. The Committee supports educational and cultural exchange initiatives that strengthen United States-Israel partnerships through institutions dedicated to promoting tolerance, combating antisemitism, and fostering cross-cultural understanding. Within the funds provided under the heading Educational and Cultural Exchange Programs, the Committee encourages support for programming that engages students and community leaders in immersive, technologically driven experiences focused on navigating conflict, understanding diverse perspectives, and building social cohesion. The Committee recommends that the Department prioritize partnerships with institutions that demonstrate a commitment to education, mutual respect, and citizen engagement between the United States and Israel.”

Efforts to release hostages: “The Committee remains deeply concerned that hostages continue to be held in Gaza by Hamas following the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack. The Committee commends ongoing efforts to secure the safe release of those held captive and the return of the remains of those who were murdered. The Committee affirms that securing the freedom of the remaining hostages is a critical United States national security priority and urges regional partners and allies to intensify their efforts toward achieving this objective.”

Muslim Brotherhood:  “The Committee is deeply concerned by the destabilizing role that the Muslim Brotherhood plays in the Middle East and actions by Muslim Brotherhood entities in various countries that threaten United States interests in the region. Not later than 90 days after enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees describing the policies, including visa restrictions, the Department of State is implementing to address the threats posed by the Muslim Brotherhood. For the purposes of this paragraph, the appropriate congressional committees shall also include the Committees on the Judiciary.”

Lowey Fund: “The Committee supports efforts that foster reconciliation and engagement and therefore recommends not less than the prior fiscal year level under National Security Investment Programs for the Nita M. Lowey Middle East Partnership for Peace Act (title VIII of division K of Public Law 116-260).”

ADDITIONAL VIEWS/REQUIREMENTS IN THE JES

Abraham Accords Signatories: “Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of the Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a strategy to expand the historic Abraham Accords, including providing conventional arms transfers and transfer of certain defense items to signatories.”

Combating Antisemitism and Promoting Tolerance: “The agreement endorses language in the House report regarding combating antisemitism and promoting tolerance. Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of the Act, the Secretary of State shall consult with the Committees on Appropriations on Department of State programs to be funded by the Act to promote tolerance, combat antisemitism, and foster cross-cultural understanding.”

Diplomatic Travel and Support Operations Facility in Libya. “Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of the Act, the Secretary of State shall submit a report to the Committees on Appropriations on plans and a proposed timeline for the transition of the Diplomatic Travel and Support Operations Facility in Libya to an embassy.”

Section 7042 – Africa

REPORT TEXT – ORIGINAL BILL

“South Africa.–The Committee notes that the United States has provided significant financial support to the people of South Africa while the Government of South Africa has worked in direct opposition to United States and partner nation interests, including through military and economic cooperation with the Russian Federation, the PRC, and Iran, pursuing baseless charges of genocide against Israel, while not Hamas, at the International Court of Justice, and participating in the practice of human trafficking through the use of Cuban doctors. Therefore, subsection (b) prohibits funds to the Government of South Africa unless the Secretary of State certifies and reports to the Committees on Appropriations that the Government of South Africa has met the following conditions–1. ceased cooperation with United States adversaries; 2. ceased participating in human trafficking, such as the exploitation of Cuban medical professionals; and 3. ceased the implementation of policies that undermine inherent property rights of the citizens of South Africa.”

Section 7045 – Latin America and the Caribbean

REPORT TEXT ACCOMPANYING ORIGINAL BILL: “Countering antisemitism in Latin America.–The Committee is concerned by rising antisemitism targeting Jewish diaspora communities in Latin American nations, including historic United States partners and allies like Brazil, Chile, and Colombia, particularly instances of elected leaders fueling prejudice against Jewish communities through social media and official government channels or otherwise neglecting their responsibility to protect Jewish communities and other marginalized groups. The Committee condemns antisemitism in all forms and urges the Secretary of State to encourage Latin American and Caribbean leaders to proactively condemn and counter antisemitism in their nations.”

Section 7046: Europe and Eurasia

BILL TEXT: Part (c) of this section of the bill states — “The limitations and other provisions of section 7046(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2024 (division F of Public Law 118–47) shall continue in effect during fiscal year 2026 and apply to funds appropriated by this Act.” The referenced provision states: “None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to facilitate or support the sale of defense articles or defense services to the Turkish Presidential Protection Directorate (TPPD) under chapter 2 of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2761 et seq.) unless the Secretary of State determines and reports to the appropriate congressional committees that members of the TPPD who are named in the July 17, 2017, indictment by the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, and against whom there are pending charges, have returned to the United States to stand trial in connection with the offenses contained in such indictment or have otherwise been brought to justice: Provided, That the limitation in this paragraph shall not apply to the use of funds made available by this Act for border security purposes, for North Atlantic Treaty Organization or coalition operations, or to enhance the protection of United States officials and facilities in Turkey.”

REPORT TEXT – ORIGINAL BILL: “The Committee is concerned about the longstanding ties between Turkey and Hamas, which includes Turkey hosting senior Hamas figures as well as providing political and other forms of assistance to the terrorist group. Not later than 90 days after enactment of this Act, the Committee directs the Department of State to brief the appropriate congressional committees on the relationship between Turkey and Hamas.”

Section 7048: United Nations

(BILL TEXT) Linking US Aid to how nations vote at the UN: “(1) In considering bilateral assistance for a foreign government, the Secretary of State should review, among other factors, the voting practices of such government in the United Nations in relation to United States strategic interests and whether such government supports the participation of Taiwan as an observer in meetings and activities of multilateral agencies, bodies, or commissions. (2) The Secretary of State shall consult with the United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations on the voting practices of foreign governments prior to the submission of the report required under section 653(a) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2413(a)).”

ADDITIONAL VIEWS/REQUIREMENTS IN THE JES: “In carrying out the requirement of subsection (b), the Secretary of State shall also consider and report on efforts to combat antisemitism.”

(BILL TEXT) Withholding of 10% of US funding to the UN & UN Agencies unless they satisfy a list of demands, including “taking credible steps to combat anti-Israel bias”:  (Of the funds appropriated under title I and under the heading “International Organizations and Programs” in title V of this Act that are available for contributions to the United Nations (including the Department of Peacekeeping Operations) or any United Nations agency, 10 percent may not be obligated for such organization, department, or agency until the Secretary of State determines and reports to the appropriate congressional committees that the organization, department, or agency is–…(4) taking credible steps to combat anti-Israel bias… (6) implementing policies and procedures to effectively vet staff for any affiliation with a terrorist organization.”

REPORT TEXT – ORIGINAL BILL: “ Accountability report.–In carrying out the requirement of subsection (a), the Secretary of State shall also consider and report on efforts to combat antisemitism. The report shall include a section on anti-Israel bias and antisemitism within the United Nations system, including specific instances across United Nations entities, such as those referenced in title I of House Report 116-444. It shall assess whether such bias arises from member state actions or systemic behavior within the United Nations, including that of staff, consultants, and appointed experts. The report shall also evaluate institutional practices that may compromise neutrality toward Israel, including, but not limited to: public statements by United Nations personnel, including on social media; the hiring or appointment of individuals with known prejudicial or hostile views toward Israel; and procedural mechanisms that disproportionately target or isolate Israel within United Nations bodies. Further, the report shall include an assessment of the United Nations Action Plan to Enhance Monitoring and Response to Antisemitism. The report shall include recommendations on steps the United Nations should take to revise and strengthen its approach to combating antisemitism, including enforcing a clear and actionable definition of antisemitism and accountability mechanisms within its institutions, including for staff.”

(BILL TEXT) Restrictions linked to support for international terror:  “Restrictions on united nations delegations and organizations.—(1) None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to pay expenses for any United States delegation to any specialized agency, body, or commission of the United Nations if such agency, body, or commission is chaired or presided over by a country, the government of which the Secretary of State has determined, for purposes of section 1754(c) of the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 (50 U.S.C. 4813(c)), supports international terrorism. (2) None of the funds made available by this Act may be used by the Secretary of State as a contribution to any organization, agency, commission, or program within the United Nations system if such organization, agency, commission, or program is chaired or presided over by a country the government of which the Secretary of State has determined, for purposes of section 620A of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, section 40 of the Arms Export Control Act, section 1754(c) of the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 (50 U.S.C. 4813(c)), or any other provision of law, is a government that has repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism. (3) The Secretary of State may waive the restriction in this subsection if the Secretary determines and reports to the Committees on Appropriations that to do so is important to the national interest of the United States, including a description of the national interest served.”

(BILL TEXT) No $$ for UN Human Rights Council & UN Commission of Inquiry on the OPT: “(1) None of the funds appropriated by this Act may be made available in support of the United Nations Human Rights Council unless the Secretary of State determines and reports to the appropriate congressional committees that participation in the Council is important to the national interest of the United States and that such Council is taking significant steps to remove Israel as a permanent agenda item and ensure integrity in the election of members to such Council: Provided, That such report shall include a description of the national interest served and provide a detailed reform agenda, including a timeline to remove Israel as a permanent agenda item and ensure integrity in the election of members to such Council: Provided further, That the Secretary of State shall withhold, from funds appropriated by this Act under the heading “Contributions to International Organizations” for a contribution to the United Nations Regular Budget, the United States proportionate share of the total annual amount of the United Nations Regular Budget funding for the United Nations Human Rights Council until such determination and report is made: Provided further, That if the Secretary is unable to make such determination and report, such amounts may be reprogrammed for purposes other than the United Nations Regular Budget, subject to the regular notification procedures of the Committees on Appropriations: Provided further, That the Secretary shall report to the Committees on Appropriations not later than September 30, 2026, on the resolutions considered in the United Nations Human Rights Council during the previous 12 months, and on steps taken to remove Israel as a permanent agenda item and to improve the quality of membership through competitive elections. (2) None of the funds appropriated by this Act may be made available for the United Nations International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel.”

REPORT TEXT – ORIGINAL BILL: “United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).–The Committee notes the continued lack of progress at UNHRC towards meaningful reforms to restore its credibility as a human rights body. UNHRC continues to elevate, legitimize, and shield the worst human rights offenders while simultaneously targeting Israel for unjustified scrutiny. Therefore, the Committee recommendation prohibits funds to UNHRC.“

(BILL TEXT) Report on Withheld Funds:  “(g) Not later than 45 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit a report to the Committees on Appropriations detailing the amount of funds available for obligation or expenditure in fiscal year 2026 for contributions to any organization, department, agency, or program within the United Nations system or any international program that are withheld from obligation or expenditure due to any provision of law:  Provided, That the Secretary shall update such report each time additional funds are withheld by operation of any provision of law:  Provided further, That the reprogramming of any withheld funds identified in such report, including updates thereof, shall be subject to prior consultation with, and the regular notification procedures of, the Committees on Appropriations…”

REPORT TEXT – ORIGINAL BILL:“International courts.–The Committee strongly condemns and unequivocally rejects one-sided, politicized, anti-Israel activity at the ICC and the ICJ and prohibits funds provided in this Act and prior acts for such courts. The Committee directs the Secretary of State to prioritize diplomatic efforts to prevent any further efforts to weaponize the ICC and ICJ against Israel. The Committee further endorses the Secretary’s designation of four ICC judges under Executive Order 14203, relating to Imposing Sanctions on the International Criminal Court, which imposed sanctions for their direct involvement in unauthorized investigations and prosecutions of United States and Israeli nationals.”

Section 7050 – Internet Freedom

REPORT TEXT – ORIGINAL BILL: “The Committee notes the internet restrictions, content censorship, and mobile network disruptions imposed by Cuba and Iran. The Committee supports continued partnership between the Department of State and other relevant Federal agencies on the use of innovative technologies and creative actions to increase access. Report required – Internet freedom in Iran.–The Committee directs the Secretary of State, not later than 90 days after enactment of this Act, to submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees on the progress of programs promoting internet access and internet freedom in Iran, as part of the comprehensive strategy required by section 414 of the Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act of 2012 (Public Law 112-158). The report shall also include an update on the implementation of the Iran internet freedom grant program authorized in section 5124 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (Public Law 118-159).”

Section 7060 – Sector Allocations

REPORT TEXT – ORIGINAL BILL: “Subsection (a)(2) directs that $50,000,000 shall be used to support institutions of higher education in countries experiencing economic crisis. In implementing such directive, the term ‘countries impacted by economic crises’ shall include countries, such as Lebanon, whose economies are adversely affected by: political instability; conflict, including in neighboring countries; or catastrophic manmade disasters. The Secretary of State shall consult with the Committees on Appropriations prior to the initial obligation of funds on the proposed use of such funds.”

ADDITIONAL VIEWS/REQUIREMENTS IN THE JES: Special Envoys and Strategic Missions.- “Pursuant to subsection (c)(5) funds appropriated by the Act shall be made available for operations, travel, and activities, as follows: $20,000,000 for the Office of the Special Envoy for the Middle East, of which not less than $2,000,000 shall be made available for activities in Lebanon, following consultation with the Committees on Appropriations; $4,500,000 for the Office of the Special Envoy for South and Central Asian Affairs; and $7,000,000 for the Office of the Special Envoy for Syria. The uses of such funds shall be the responsibility of each respective Envoy and such responsibility may not be delegated.”

Division C – Other Matters

BILL TEXT

NO FUNDS FOR UNRWA: “Notwithstanding any other provision of any other division of this Act, funds appropriated or otherwise made available by division B of this Act or other Acts making appropriations for the Department of State, foreign operations, and related programs, including provisions of Acts providing supplemental appropriations for the Department of State, foreign operations, and related programs, may not be used for a contribution, grant, or other payment to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, notwithstanding any other provision of law—(1) for any amounts provided in prior fiscal years or in fiscal year 2026; or (2) for amounts provided in fiscal year 2027, until March 25, 2027.”

REPORT TEXT – ORIGINAL BILL:

  • “…The Committee notes that UNRWA has been compromised by staff who have promoted incitement to violence, antisemitism, and the destruction of the State of Israel. The Committee is concerned by UNRWA’s relationship with Hamas and other terrorist organizations, including credible allegations that several UNRWA staff participated in the October 7, 2023 massacre that killed over 1,200 people, including American citizens, and was the worst attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust. Further, the Committee is concerned by the use of UNRWA facilities to shield Hamas infrastructure, such as the Hamas data center under UNRWA’s Gaza headquarters. The Committee notes allegations that significant numbers of UNRWA staff celebrated the October 7, 2023, massacre on social media and that many UNRWA staff, including school principals and senior UNRWA management, are also members of terrorist organizations that violently oppress the Palestinian people, including by using them as human shields. The Committee further notes that the OIG has obtained evidence implicating UNRWA staff and resources in the October 7, 2023, attacks, which may have been implicated by a United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services report the United Nations, including UNWRA, has refused to share unredacted. Any United Nations personnel who provided material support to terrorist entities must be held fully accountable, including through United States courts and administrative proceedings without claim to functional immunity.
  • PLAN FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF UNRWA: “Not later than 90 days after enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees detailing the total amount of United States assistance provided to UNRWA from January 20, 2021, to January 20, 2025. The report shall also include any known instances in which such assistance was diverted to, or used by, terrorist organizations, including Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad, or paid the salary of UNRWA staff who were members of such organizations. In addition, the report shall include a transition plan for providing assistance in the Middle East without direct or indirect funding to, or support from, UNRWA.”
  • “The Committee is gravely concerned by credible reports that UNRWA employed individuals linked to Hamas, has a long history of supporting terrorist groups, and employed staff who murdered American citizens on October 7, 2023. The Committee directs the Secretary of State to initiate urgent reforms to multilateral oversight and any relevant certification for its multilateral partners, with full accountability to American victims and their families. The Committee rejects the United Nations Secretary General’s claim of immunity for terrorism, atrocities, or corruption and supports the directives in subsections (a) through (c), regarding evidence preservation, Department of Justice referrals, and withholding funds until accountability is ensured. The Department of State shall regularly update the appropriate congressional committees of efforts to carry out justice on behalf of the American victims and their surviving families.”
  • “The Committee directs that, for the purposes of this section, the term “individuals or entities implicated in such events by such findings” shall include any United Nations official, contractor, or subcontractor who has materially supported, including through employment, members of a United States-designated terrorist organization, or who has mismanaged United States contributions in a manner that enabled such individuals to carry out any act in support of such terrorist organization, commit mass atrocities, or cause harm to United States citizens.”

REPORT LANGUAGE – ORIGINAL BILL (ADDITIONAL UN- AND UNRWA-RELATE)

  • De-funding the UN: “The Committee recommendation does not include funding for assessed contributions for certain United Nations agencies and other international organizations, including the United Nations regular budget.” 
  • De-Funding UNRWA: “The Committee also prohibits funds to the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), and other organizations under section 7048 of this Act.” 
  • UN “reform” including destruction of UNRWA: “The Committee remains concerned with the continued lack of progress toward meaningful reforms at the United Nations. Such reforms, at a minimum, should include …efforts to combat antisemitism and anti-Israel bias… Reforms must also address due process and accountability within the United States justice system for the mass atrocities carried out by staff of UNRWA and supported by UNRWA leadership over the past decade, including through the provision of material support and partnership with designated terrorist organizations that contributed to the October 7, 2023 attacks.”
  • Condemning UNGA on Israel/Palestine: “The Committee strongly condemns the United Nations General Assembly for undermining peace and security between the Israeli and Palestinian peoples by passing the ‘Status of Palestine in the United Nations’ resolution that provided the ‘State of Palestine’ almost all the rights and privileges of Member States.”
  • No $$ for the UN: “The Committee has concluded that further assessed contributions to the United Nations are not justified and increased scrutiny and oversight must predicate any consideration of a voluntary contribution to the United Nations or any United Nations agency…”
  • Targeting WHO, including over Israel: “…The Committee remains deeply concerned by the WHO’s reluctance to condemn the PRC’s actions, its shift away from core communicable disease functions, and adoption of deeply biased, anti-Israel resolutions that perpetuate harmful and historically antisemitic narratives.”
  • Pro-Israel US Veto at UNSC: “United Nations anti-Israel agenda.–The Committee urges the Secretary of State to declare it is the policy of the United States to veto one-sided, anti-Israel resolutions at the United Nations Security Council.”
  • Sanctions on Francesca Albanese:  “The Committee endorses the designation of the United Nations Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Palestinian Territories Occupied since 1967, pursuant to Executive Order 14203, relating to Imposing Sanctions on the International Criminal Court. The Committee notes the designation was triggered by attempts to abuse the mechanisms of the ICC in a manner that undermines United States national security.”

1. Bills, Resolutions
2. Letters
3. Hearings & Markups
4. Selected Members on the Record
5. Selected Media & Press releases/Statements

New episodes of FMEP’s Occupied Thoughts Podcasts:

—————————-

1. Bills & Resolutions

None.

2. Letters

Re: letters covered in prior Round-Ups:

3. Hearings & Markups

None.

4. Selected Members on the Record

Recess travel

Gaza/West Bank

  • Van Hollen (D-MD) 12/31/25: X-post – “Another outrageous action. The Netanyahu govt is banning over 30 aid orgs — including CARE, Mercy Corps & Doctors Without Borders groups — from providing life-saving aid to people in Gaza.  Another betrayal of humanity. And, once again, the Trump Admin says and does nothing.” Linked to BBC article, Israel to bar 37 aid groups as UK and EU warn of severe impact in Gaza
  • Doggett (D-TX) 12/31/25: X-post – “With so many still being killed, Trump’s ceasefire in Gaza is not really a ceasefire. And Israel is exacerbating the health crisis by denying doctors entry into the enclave during a brutal winter. With only half of its hospitals partially functioning and the highest number of child amputees per capita worldwide, Gaza has certainly not received the peace Trump promised. This Christmas is a time of continued suffering”
  • Graham (R-SC) 12/29/25: X-post – “Under the ceasefire proposal, Hamas is supposed to fully disarm and relinquish power in Gaza. After my recent visit to Israel, it is clear to me they have failed to do both and are, in fact, rearming and consolidating power. It is time to put Hamas on the clock when it comes to disarming, fully understanding there can never be peace or stability in Gaza or the Middle East until Hamas has been dealt out of the game.“
  • Gottheimer (D-NJ) 12/29/25: X-post w/ video clip – “Gaza’s future must be free from Hamas terrorists, so that innocent Palestinians and Israelis can live in safety and build a better future. I remain committed to working with Israel and our allies to see this peace plan through. Hamas must lay down their weapons, return the last hostage, and give up governing control of Gaza.“
  • Greene (R-GA) 12/22/25: X-post- “The interest on our $38 trillion dollar national debt has now reached $1 trillion dollars but they are pitching a $112.1 billion dollar plan to rebuild Gaza with the U.S. supporting half of that in grants and debt guarantees. Of course after they clear 10,000+ dead bodies buried under 68 million tons of rubble. Why do Americans have to pay for this?“
  • Sanders (I-VT) 12/21/25: X-post – “It’s not just Gaza. Netanyahu’s extremist government is supporting the violent annexation of Palestinian land in the West Bank. This is illegal and immoral, and decades of American silence have enabled it. NO MORE MILITARY AID FOR NETANYAHU.” Linked to 12/20/25 New York Times article: Land Grab: Israel’s Escalating Campaign for Control of the West Bank
  • Gimenez (R-FL) 12/19/25: X-post “Everyone must hear the story of freed Hamas hostage Omer Shem Tov. 505 days in captivity. Nearly a year in solitary confinement. Little to no food or water. Thank you for giving Omer the platform to tell his story.“

Free Speech, Antisemitism, Mamdani, AIPAC, etc

  • Bacon (R-NE) 1/4/26: X-post – “These folks are full of antisemitism. Anyone who says Israel is secretly running our country is full of antisemitic lies and hate. AIPAC consists of Americans who support Israel, and many evangelical Christians, and I am one, are active members.“
  • Greene (R-GA) 1/2/26: X-post – “An Israeli cybersecurity billionaire demanding to take away Americans guaranteed First Amendment Free Speech and President Trump threatening war and sending in troops to Iran is everything we voted against in ‘24. Trump voters spent the week threatening a tax revolt because they are so furious about the never ending waste, fraud, and abuse of their hard earned money going to foreigners and foreign wars. The focus should be on tax dollars here at home and defending our God given freedoms and rights.“
  • Tenney (R-NY) 1/2/26: X-post – “On day one, Zohran Mamdani chose to revoke antisemitism safeguards put in place to protect Jewish New Yorkers. NYC is home to the largest Jewish population outside Israel. This is the new face of the Democrat Party.“
  • Lawler (R-NY) 1/1/26: X-post – “In one of his first acts as @NYCMayor, @ZohranKMamdani repeals an Executive Order that protects Jewish New Yorkers by appropriately defining antisemitism and ensuring NYC agencies and departments use it to combat Jew Hatred. Zohran just undid that with the stroke of a pen. Meanwhile @SenSchumer and @GovKathyHochul sat there ecstatic, celebrating the inauguration of a socialist, who openly embraces antisemites, refuses to condemn “globalize the intifada”, and wouldn’t call on Hamas to lay down its arms. Zohran is officially the face of the Democrat Party.“
  • Fine (R-FL) 12/29/25: X-post w/ video clip – “There is a growing problem of anti-Western sentiment within our party. People like to describe it as ‘anti-Israel’ but it is not. This sentiment is being pushed by podcasters who are paid by China and Qatar to destroy the West. We have to be willing to call it out.“
  • Fine (R-FL) 12/26/25: X-post w/video clip – “Jews were burned alive in Colorado, two Israeli Embassy staffers were killed, and most recently two National Guardsmen were shot in D.C. – all of these heinous acts were committed by Muslim terrorists THIS YEAR. To say you don’t know anyone in America in the last 24 years who has been killed by radical Islam is tone-deaf and shameful. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Tucker Carlson is not MAGA.“
  • Kean (R-NJ) 12/26/25: X-post – “It is deeply troubling to see a course being offered at Princeton that falsely characterizes Israel’s right to self-defense as ‘genocide.’ Israel was the victim of a brutal terrorist attack on October 7th at the hands of Hamas, and any honest discussion must begin with that fact. Hamas is a terrorist organization that deliberately targets civilians and hides behind innocent people to advance its violent agenda. While I support freedom of speech and the offering of different perspectives in the classroom – words matter. Recklessly misusing the term ‘genocide’ does nothing to advance peace, justice, understanding, or open dialogue. Israel has both the right and the obligation to defend its people, and that reality should not be erased or rewritten in the classroom.“

Opposing More US Military Action Against Iran

  • Greene (R-GA) 1/2/26: X-post – “An Israeli cybersecurity billionaire demanding to take away Americans guaranteed First Amendment Free Speech and President Trump threatening war and sending in troops to Iran is everything we voted against in ‘24. Trump voters spent the week threatening a tax revolt because they are so furious about the never ending waste, fraud, and abuse of their hard earned money going to foreigners and foreign wars. The focus should be on tax dollars here at home and defending our God given freedoms and rights.“
  • Liccardo (D-CA) 1/5/26: X-post – “I support peaceful protests in Iran and the Iranian people’s fight for a democracy, but direct American military intervention will merely bolster support of Iranian people for the current regime.“
  • Massie (R-KY) 1/2/26: X-post – “1) We have problems at home and shouldn’t be wasting military resources on another country’s internal affairs. 2) Military strikes on Iran require Congressional authorization. 3) This threat isn’t about freedom of speech in Iran; it’s about the dollar, oil, and Israel.“

IRAN [incl: Congress Supports the Iranian People (insofar as they are advancing regime change). Also, YAY for another US war on Iran! Not incl: every mention of Iran as a rationalization for Trump’s taking over Venezuela)

  • Subramanyam (D-VA) 1/9/25: “For years, the people of Iran have been faced with human rights abuses and economic turmoil, leading to protests demanding change. As the current protests in Iran continue into a second week, I stand with the people of Iran and their aspirations for a more free, secular future.“
  • Malliotakis (R-NY) 1/9/26: X-post – “We stand with the brave people of Iran who are demanding regime change, self-determination and FREEDOM! May 2026 be the year that oppressive, human rights violating dictators fall across the globe. Let freedom ring!“
  • Diaz-Balart (R-FL) 1/8/26: X-post – “I stand with the people of #Iran who are bravely demanding freedom, dignity, and basic human rights. The people of Iran are risking everything to have their voices heard, and the world must not look away. Solidarity with the Iranian people—today and always.“
  • Bacon (R-NE) 1/8/26: X-post – “Free Iran”
  • Calvert (R-CA) 1/8/26: X-post – “The people of Iran are entitled to the same inalienable rights and liberties as all people. The United States stands with those rising up to demand a free and democratic future for Iran.” NOTE: “All people” does NOT include Palestinians…
  • Boyle (D-PA) 1/8/26: X-post – “I stand with the long oppressed people of Iran who are protesting for their freedom.”
  • Fallon (R-TX) 1/8/26: X-post – “Khamenei and his cronies would do best to leave Iran while they still can. The Iranian people have every right to a government free from the Ayatollah’s theocratic repression.“
  • Salazar (R-FL) 1/8/26: X-post – “The people of Iran are showing historic bravery, taking to the streets like never before demanding FREEDOM. Iran has been hijacked by extremists for too long. Sending my courage to those using their voices to demand liberty and hoping this will be the year for democracy in Iran!“
  • Knott (R-NC) 1/8/26: X-post – “The brave men and women of #Iran are courageously taking to the streets, showing that they will be heard regardless of their brutal regime’s orders. The current regime has been tyrannical, radical, and repressive for decades. The Iranian people have had enough.”
  • Gimenez (R-FL) 1/8/26: X-post – “God bless the brave people of #Iran on the streets demanding freedom & an end to the brutal regime!“
  • Sheehy (R-MT) 1/8/26: X-post – “What is happening in Iran is historic. An oppressive and evil regime is teetering. The world must pay attention. There are very serious geopolitical tectonic movements happening in multiple hemispheres right now. Historic times.”
  • Fallon (R-TX) 1/8/26: X-post – “A sign that a crackdown by the Ayatollah’s regime is imminent. The US stands with the people of Iran.“
  • Meng (D-NY) 1/8/26: X-post – “I stand with the people of Iran and will continue to support their right to peacefully protest the regime’s unjust policies.“
  • Fetterman (D-PA) 1/8/26: X-post – “We should all stand with those brave Iranian protesters. Leadership is so desperate, they’ve pulled the internet. We must build on the success America and Israel created that breaks Iran’s evil regime.“
  • Daines (R-MT) 1/8/26: X-post – “America stands with the people of Iran and against the tyrannical Iranian regime. The Iranian people deserve freedom and peace.“
  • Cruz (R-TX) 1/8/26: X-post w/ video – “WATCH: Iran lost the 12-day war—and President Trump utterly destroyed Iran’s nuclear facilities—and now the people of Iran are rising up against the Ayatollah. If the people of Iran overthrow the America-hating Islamist mullahs, it would be a massive national security victory. And the American people would be much, much safer.“
  • House Foreign Affairs Committee (GOP) 1/8/26: X-post – “Ayatollah is losing his grip on the Iranian people. Iranians are defying its regime at an unprecedented scale.“
  • Ansari (D-AZ) 1/8/26: X-post – “After nearly five decades of repression under the murderous Islamic Republic regime, the Iranian people deserve freedom. But I want to be clear: sustainable freedom must come from the Iranian people themselves. And the MEK is a cult—not a legitimate opposition in waiting. I’ve seen firsthand the influence the MEK has in Washington, and it is deeply disturbing. The MEK is a violent cult that was previously designated as a terrorist organization by the United States. Across generations and political viewpoints, the overwhelming majority of Iranian—inside Iran, throughout the diaspora, and across the ideological spectrum—despise the MEK. That opposition is rooted in history: the MEK openly sided with Saddam Hussein during the Iran-Iraq War, a betrayal that cost countless Iranian lives and remains one of the rare issues that truly unites Iranians. There is currently a congressional resolution, with significant bipartisan support, that expresses solidarity with the Iranian people and their struggle for human rights and freedom. On its face, that goal is important and necessary. But the resolution goes further—explicitly endorsing Maryam Rajavi, the leader of the MEK. That endorsement is why I have refused to sign onto this resolution, and why I have urged my Democratic colleagues to do the same. Supporting the Iranian people must never mean elevating a fringe, authoritarian group that lacks legitimacy among Iranians themselves. The Iranian people are courageously risking their lives in the streets, demanding dignity, democracy, and an end to tyranny. Their fight is for real self-determination—not the replacement of one authoritarian regime with another imposed from the outside. I stand unequivocally with the Iranian people in their pursuit of genuine democracy, human rights, and a future defined by freedom and opportunity.”
  • Scholten (D-MI) 1/7/26: X-post – “@USCG just intercepted a Russian vessel linked to Hezbollah’s illicit financing network. Outstanding work. Don’t mess with our coasties!“
  • Cortez Mastro (D-NV) 1/7/26: X-post – “In the face of an oppressive regime, protestors in Iran are standing up for change and an end to the tyranny of their government.   I am hopeful for a brighter future for the people of Iran because of their courage.”
  • Salazar (R-FL) 1/7/26: X-post – “In 9 days, the Radical Islamic Regime has arrested over 1,200 people, killed at least 29 and injured at least 64. In 257 locations across 88 cities and 27 provinces, the people of Iran are demanding freedom from the Ayatollah and as usual, the regime silences, tortures and imprisons.   Like those resisting tyranny in Cuba and Venezuela, they are fighting for the freedom, liberty, and end to oppression they deserve.“
  • Levin (D-CA) 1/7/26: X-post – “Across Iran, people are protesting a regime that has failed them economically, politically, and morally. Iranians have the right to peacefully protest, to speak freely, and to demand a government that serves the needs of its people. Yet the regime continues to prioritize missiles, proxy warfare, and regional destabilization over the welfare of its own population, leaving Iranian families to pay the price in the form of runaway inflation, shrinking employment, food insecurity, and lost economic opportunities.“
  • Self (R-TX) 1/7/26: X-post – “The days of the theocratic rulers of Iran are numbered. As protesters fill the streets, the Ayatollah would be wise to read the writing on the wall and realize that the time for change has come. The Iranian people are more determined than ever to overthrow the regime and this time, the people have the upper hand. I believe this time the people are willing to make the sacrifice that will lead to a more free society.”
  • Stutzman (R-IN) 1/6/26: X-post – “Cheering for the Iranian people. This is a tremendous first step! FREE IRAN“
  • Wilson (R-SC) 1/6/26: X-post – “A few days ago, Iraq’s newly elected members of parliament were sworn in during the first parliamentary session. This moment should have marked a new beginning and renewed hope for the Iraqi people. Instead, that hope was seized by the malign influence of Iran that installed puppets and individuals linked to extremist and terrorist networks at the helm of what should be a national institution. Parliament, meant to serve as the beacon of democracy and the true voice of all Iraqis, has instead been distorted into a tool advancing Iran’s destructive agenda. This development is deeply alarming and raises serious concerns about Iraq’s future and direction. It is obvious that the main figure behind this outcome is the corrupt, Iran-aligned judge Faiq Zaidan. In most countries in the world, the head of the judiciary acts an independent arbiter of disputes implementing the rule of law. Yet in Iraq, Fayiq Zaidan, the Head of the Supreme Judicial Council, is not only a puppet of Iran, but has in many ways declared himself the de facto leader and political power broker of Iraq. Zaidan now is seen daily meeting with political party and terrorist militia leaders actively negotiating government formation, even more brazenly than in the past where Zaidan used his perch to cleverly and slyly overturn elections on behalf of Iran when the outcome wasn’t of his liking. In addition, Zaidan makes public policy pronouncements dealing with security and political issues, trying to bamboozle the United States with a FAKE disarming of Iranian puppet militias, to help ensure Iran maintains its control of Iraq. By openly violating the separation of powers and following Tehran’s directives, Zaidan’s unchecked influence continues to erode Iraq’s sovereignty, weaken its democratic institutions, and override the will of the Iraqi people. Zaidan and his backers in Iran are actively working to entrench their control over Iraq and install a weak and compliant prime minister. This outcome is unacceptable and poses a serious threat to Iraq’s future and U.S. interests. The United States has sacrificed thousands of lives to help Iraq break free from tyranny and will not accept the rise of a new authoritarian order disguised as justice. The Iraqi people will not forgive this betrayal, nor will they accept it. The Trump administration has the authority to impose sanctions on anyone who destabilizes Iraq on behalf of Iran pursuant to Executive Order 13303 and a determination should be made regarding whether Zaidan meets the criteria for these sanctions. In addition, will work with my colleagues in Congress to seek accountability including through working with the Trump administration on moving possible legislation to sanction Zaidan and affiliated militia leaders.“
  • House Foreign Affairs Committee (GOP) 1/6/26: X-post – “Anti-regime protestors are rising up and claiming entire cities. Iranians have had enough of the tyrannical Ayatollah and his murderous mullahs. The Iranian regime’s grip is unraveling.“
  • Fetterman (D-PA) 1/6/26: X-post – “This is a testament to how our nation and Israel broke Iran.” With gif of headline from FoxNews 1/5/26 article: Iran offers citizens $7 monthly payments as protests spiral over economic crisis: report
  • Bacon (R-NE) 1/4/26: X-post – “Intelligence analysis said Soleimani’s Shia militias in Iraq, funded and trained by Iran, killed 609 Americans servicemen and women. I am glad America gave him justice. He was an enemy of America.” [January 3 is the anniversary of the assassination of Soleimani by the U.S.)
  • Baumgartner (R-WA) 1/3/25: X-post – “Decimating Iran’s nuclear program. Forcing Hamas to release the hostages. Removing Maduro – President Trump and his National security team continue to run a masteclass [sic] in historic foreign policy leadership.“
  • Cornyn (R-TX) 1/3/26: X-post – “There have been false dawns of protest before, but Iran’s regime is vulnerable. As the protest waves build, they expose the regime’s dependence on fear and violence.”
  • Cornyn (R-TX) 1/3/26: X-post – “Iran’s economic problems—which have led to protests in recent days—stem largely from its refusal to abandon its nuclear program…“
  • Cornyn (R-TX) 1/3/26: X-post – “It’s worth noting that the strike that killed Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani in Iraq, one of Trump’s major escalations against Iran in his first term, was on Jan. 3, 2020. @playbookdc“
  • Cornyn (R-TX) 1/2/26: X-post – “As 2026 dawns, the Iranian public are marching in protest against the regime only months after the Israel-U.S. attack...”
  • Van Hollen (D-MD) 1/2/26: X-post – “Free speech and the right to peacefully protest are universal rights. The Iranian government’s crackdown on these protestors is unacceptable — they must allow Iranians to use their voices without fear of violence.“
  • Kim (R-CA) 1/2/26: X-post – “Brave Iranians are crying out against tyranny & for freedom. The United States stands with them. The Iranian regime cannot continue to silence their voices with violence & oppression. The Iranian people deserve the right to decide their own future.“
  • Gottheimer (D-NJ) 1/2/26: X-post – “The Iranian people are fed up with their government and they’re standing up for change.  I commend their courage in the face of the regime’s tyranny, terror, and oppression.”
  • Gimenez (R-FL) 1/2/26: X-post – “Freedom for the brave men & women of #Iran! The evil dictatorship must be relegated to the ash heap of history!“
  • Weber (R-TX) 1/2/26: X-post – “I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: A free, non-nuclear Iran, built by its people, is good for Iran and good for the world. History will remember as these events unfold.“
  • Fallon (R-TX) 1/2/26: X-post – “The barbaric Mullahs who rule Iran have never had the Iranian people’s best interest at heart and have shown they’ll do anything to retain power. I strongly support the Persian Tiger that is rising and taking to the streets in the strongest attempt to date to free themselves.”
  • Bacon (R-NE) 1/2/26: X-post – “This is when we need a strong Voice of America beaming information into Iran. Some in the Administration underestimate the value that VOA brings, but now it is an important tool for the President and our national security team. Information is an instrument of power.“
  • Calvert (R-CA) 1/1/26: X-post – “We stand with the protestors in Iran as they push for the same unalienable rights and liberties that all people are entitled to.“
  • Fallon (R-TX) 12/31/25: X-post – “The successful US strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities this past June sent a message that America will not tolerate rogue states that want to sow chaos and instability. President Trump is restoring much needed deterrence.“
  • Mace (R-SC) 12/31/25: X-post – “To the beautiful people of Iran, your courage is louder than the t*rrorism, tyranny and fear. The world sees you, the world stands with you and we believe in you. Freedom will prevail.“
  • Ricketts (R-NE) 12/31/25: X-post – “We must continue to ratchet up pressure on the ayatollah and his band of thugs, while supporting the brave Iranian people who risk their lives in their pursuit of freedom. The Islamic Republic of Iran is a corrupt, terrorist regime that brutally represses and murders its own people. It is clearly willing to sacrifice the livelihood of every single Iranian just to stay in power.”
  • McClintock (R-CA) 12/31/25: X-post – “The people of Iran have been tortured for far too long. Freedom and justice walk hand in hand. Freedom for the Iranian people means justice for the Iranian dictators and Iran’s day of deliverance is fast approaching.”
  • Boyle (D-PA) 12/30/25: X-post – “Inspiring to see so many brave people in Iran protesting their brutal regime.“
  • Scott (R-SC) 12/30/25: X-post – “Preventing a nuclear Iran is essential to U.S. security and global stability. I supported @POTUS’ strikes this year and introduced the Solidify Iran Sanctions Act because the #1 state sponsor of terrorism must never be allowed to threaten the world with a nuclear weapon.“
  • Wilson (R-SC) 12/30/25: X-post – “I support the protesters in Iran who promote appreciation of their great Persian heritage. Syria is a symbol that a 54 year dictatorship can flee to Moscow.”
  • Stutzman (R-IN) 12/30/25: X-post – “Stand with the people of Iran! Time to end the Ayatollah’s reign and let religious freedom take over the country!“
  • Sherman (D-CA) 12/29/25: X-post – “Once again, the people of Iran are taking to the streets to protest a brutal regime that has bled Iran’s resources and people dry to wage never-ending proxy wars throughout the region. Today and always, I stand with the Iranian people as they demand democracy and a government that is accountable to the people of Iran.“
  • Wicker (R-MS) 12/29/25: X-post – “Iranians are taking to the streets today in response to the economic ruin that Iran’s terrorist-supporting leadership has brought upon the country.  I support their struggle for sane leadership that puts their interest first, not the interests of Islamist terrorists. Iranians should be free of the despotism that devastated a once thriving society.“
  • Fetterman (D-PA) 12/29/25: X-post – “Iran can’t ever develop a nuclear weapon. Fully supported the strike earlier this year. Fully support any future strikes to damage or destroy their nuclear ambitions.“
  • Cornyn (R-TX) 12/29/25: X-post – “Iran in ‘full-scale war’ with US and Europe, says president” [linked to article in the Independent]
  • Bacon (R-NE) 12/28/25: X-post – “It’s hard to reconcile a President who has been great on Iran but so blind and bad on Putin’s Russia.”

Well done Israel for recognizing Somaliland!

  • Cruz (R-TX) 1/5/26: X-post – “Recognizing Somaliland isn’t charity — it’s strategy. It aligns with America’s security interests and the ‘America First’ doctrine by strengthening an ally that shares our values in a region vital to global trade and counterterrorism.”
  • Cornyn (R-TX) 12/29/25: X-post – “Israel Becomes the First Nation to Recognize Somaliland” [linked to New York Times article]

Syria

Congress Stands with Israel, Bibi, AIPAC, etc.

  • Sherman (D-CA) 1/7/26: X-post – “Today, I joined @HouseForeignleadership in meeting with Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister @FaisalbinFarhan. I stressed the United States’ deep desire to see normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel, and a resolution of recent tensions with the UAE.“
  • Shweikert (R-AZ) 1/7/26: X-post – “Saturday evening, Rabbi Kahn was kind to present this piece of art as a thank you to our team. This summer, when the war broke out, our staff helped bring home young people who were in Israel on Birthright. Thank you to Congregation Beth Israel.”
  • Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu X-post 1/5/26 w/ pix: “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met this evening, at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem, with US Representative Josh Gottheimer @RepJoshG.“
  • ShadowofEzra on X, with video clip of Sen. Moreno (R-OH) 1/2/26: “Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno thanks an audience at a Miami synagogue, with Benjamin Netanyahu in attendance, for saving Christianity from being wiped off the planet. Moreno says all Christians in America share his view that Israel has saved Christianity. Bernie Moreno is funded and owned by AIPAC.“
  • Daines (R-MT) 12/30/25: X-post – “America stands with Israel.“
  • Sheehy (R-MT) 12/29/25: X-post – “President Trump today made clear, once again, America stands unequivocally with Israel and the Jewish people.“
  • Bilirakis (R-FL) 12/24/25: X-post – “Great discussions as we continue strengthening the strategic partnership between the United States, Greece, and Israel. During high-level meetings in Washington, we explored opportunities for American investment in Greek healthcare, expanded collaboration in medical innovation, and deeper trilateral cooperation that benefits all our nations. Partnerships like these help create jobs, advance research, and promote shared security and prosperity across the Eastern Mediterranean and beyond. I look forward to building on this momentum and continuing meaningful progress.“
  • Mace (R-NC) 12/21/25: X-post – “We spoke at the Israel Allies Foundation Caucus Conference in Washington, D.C., to show our support for Israel and the Jewish community. United by something deeper than politics, we are bound by faith and an unshakable belief that Israel has a God-given right to exist, to defend itself, and to thrive. Today, families in Israel are one step closer to peace, thanks to President Trump’s unwavering commitment to stability in the Middle East. God bless America, God bless Israel, and God bless the peacemakers.“
  • Calvert (R-CA) 12/20/25: X-post – “Israel and the U.S. are united in eliminating the ISIS threat in the Middle East.“

Other stuff

5. Selected Media

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – GENERAL

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – HOYER RETIRMENT ANNOUNCEMENT

  • Jewish Insider 1/9/26: Rep. Hoyer’s retirement deprives Dems of leading pro-Israel stalwart [“Rep. Ritchie Torres: ‘Hopefully you’ll have a Democratic Party with enough successors to sustain and strengthen the U.S.-Israel relationship’“]
  • Jewish Telegraphic Agency 1/8/26: Longtime pro-Israel Democrat Steny Hoyer announces retirement from Congress [“Harry Jarin, who launched his bid for Hoyer’s seat in May, criticized the lawmaker for visiting to Israel.“]
  • Democratic Majority for Israel (DMFI) 1/8/26: Statement on Steny Hoyer’s announcement from DMFI’s CEO [“…He has also been a true and steadfast friend of Israel. I helped him lead 12 congressional delegations there, ensuring that members of Congress learned not just about the important strategic relationship between the United States and Israel but also about the miracle of Israel’s very existence. Those trips were powerful and transformative experiences for us. He worked relentlessly to ensure Israel had the resources it needed to defend itself by itself and fought back against attempts to undermine the U.S.-Israel relationship. Our country, the Democratic Party, and the pro-Israel movement are all in a better place today because of his service…“
  • Baltimore Jewish Times 1/8/26: Rep. Steny Hoyer, Longtime Pro-Israel Democrat, Announces Retirement
  • Haaretz 1/8/26: Veteran pro-Israel Democrat Steny Hoyer to Retire After Decades in Congress [“Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, the longest-serving Democrat in Congress, is the latest senior official stepping down as party members are increasingly critical of Israel’s policies. Hoyer would routinely appear at AIPAC conferences to announce pro-Israel legislation“]
  • New York Times 1/7/26: Steny Hoyer, Longest-Serving House Democrat, to Retire From Congress [“…he has long acted as the unofficial leader of the annual junket that first-term lawmakers take with AIPAC, the hard-line pro-Israel lobbying organization, to visit Israel. ‘What we found is that contrary to world opinion, Israel has been doing everything it possibly can to ensure that there’s minimal damage to civilians who are not part of Hamas’s army,’ Mr. Hoyer said in a video he recorded for AIPAC during the trip last August. That message was viewed as out of step with a realignment underway in Congress on Israel, in which Democratic lawmakers have turned away from a decades-old bipartisan consensus on Capitol Hill around offering unconditional support for the Jewish state.“]

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – MASSACHUSETTS

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – ILLINOIS

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – TEXAS

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – KENTUCKY

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – ILLINOIS

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – MARYLAND

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – NEW YORK

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – NEW HAMPSHIRE

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – CALIFORNIA

  • San Francisco Standard 1/8/26: Life after Pelosi: SF House candidates square off for 1st time [“…Hot-button issue: Israel – Wiener drew the night’s heaviest jeers when he declined to answer a yes-or-no lightning-round question that asked if Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. His opponents both held aloft signs reading ‘Yes,’ while Wiener rested his sign in his lap. Audience members shouted ‘Shame on you,’ ‘Sellout,’ and ‘Free Palestine.’ In an interview with reporters afterward, Wiener lamented that there wasn’t time during the forum to describe his position on a complex international conflict. ‘Hamas should not be running Gaza,’ Wiener added, but the Israeli government’s killing of tens of thousands of Palestinians, including children, ‘is an absolute moral stain and horrifying to me.’ When asked why he declined to label it genocide, Wiener said, ‘People can label it whatever noun or adjective they want to put on it.‘”]
  • Mission Local 1/8/26: S.F. congressional candidates vying for Pelosi’s seat stake out contrasts in first debate [“…The most raucous moment of the two-hour debate came in the closing lightning round, when the candidates were asked: ‘Is Israel committing genocide in Gaza?’ Chakrabarti and Chan immediately flashed up the green ‘YES’ on their double-sided signs. But Wiener didn’t give a straight answer, twirling the sign near his knees, the red ‘NO’ and green ‘YES’ coming in and out of view. The crowd laughed and jeered. ‘Answer the question Scott!’ ‘Shame on you! Shame on you!’ Several waved keffiyahs from their seats. Regardless, whoever San Francisco sends to Congress will likely be voting against selling offensive weapons to Israel. In a press gaggle after the debate, Wiener said that he finds Israel’s actions in both Gaza and the West Bank ‘horrifying.’ ‘What the Israeli government has done in Gaza in terms of killing tens of thousands of Palestinians and so many children … is an absolute moral stain,’ he said. ‘I will not support U.S. funding for the destruction of Palestinian communities in Gaza or the West Bank. Period.'”]
  • 48 Hills 1/8/26: What we can take away from the first Congressional candidate debate [“The defining social media moment of the Wednesday night Congressional forum was a photo of State Sen. Scott Wiener refusing to take a position on whether Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.“]
  • Axios 1/7/26: Nancy Pelosi’s seat is San Francisco’s ultimate political prize [“The fault lines emerged in a rapid-fire yes-or-no segment when Chan and Chakrabarti raised ‘Yes’ signs in response to a question about Israel’s actions in Gaza being labeled as ‘genocide.’ Wiener — who is Jewish — hesitated to answer, prompting audible opposition from the crowd. Wiener later told reporters the format flattened a complex issue. He maintained he doesn’t ‘support U.S. funding for the destruction of Palestinian communities’ or Israel’s escalation of violence.“]

Gaza & Lebanon

Syria

Saudi Arabia/Gulf

Iran

Weaponization of Fight Against Antisemitism v. Actually Fighting Antisemtism

Other News & Inanity

1. Bills, Resolutions
2. Letters
3. Hearings & Markups
4. Selected Members on the Record
5. Selected Media & Press releases/Statements

New episodes of FMEP’s Occupied Thoughts Podcasts:

Also of note:

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1. Bills & Resolutions

[It’s Baaaaaaacccckkk] (SETTING UP NEW CATEGORY OF LAWFARE OPEN DOOR TO TARGETING ANY/ALL NGOs, [but aimed initially at NGOs that deal with Palestinian issues]) HR 6800 // S. 3544 [bill text]: Introduced 12/17/25 by Kustoff (R-TN) and no cosponsors, and in the Senate by Cornyn (R-TX) and Sheehy (R-MT), “To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to terminate the tax-exempt status of terrorist supporting organizations.” Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means and the Senate Committee on Finance. NOTE: No text is yet available but this appears to be Kustoff’s re-introduction of his bill introduced (with Schneider, D-IL) 11/14/23, HR 6408, with the exact same short title, and sold (in the press release and in a House hearing) as necessary to end tax-exempt benefits for US non-profits that support Hamas. That bill was passed by the House, and eventually re-introduced in combination with another measure, in the form of HR 9495. At that point there emerged belated but widespread recognition that the bill could be used to target ANY non-profit engaged on issues disfavored by the Executive (not just non-profit orgs working on issues related to the Palestinians), leading the measure to become popularly known as the “NGO KILLER BILL.”  Also see:

(A BILL THAT SEEMS TO BE ACTUALLY ABOUT FIGHTING ANTISEMITISM & NOT CONFLATING ANTISEMITISM WITH FREE SPEECH IN SUPPORT OF PALESTINIAN LIVES/RIGHTS) HR 6806: Introduced 12/17/25 by Nadler (D-NY) and 3 Democratic cosponsors, the “Antisemitism Response and Prevention Act of 2025.”  Referred to the Committees on the Judiciary, Education and Workforce, Homeland Security, and Transportation and Infrastructure. Also see press release – Nadler, DeLauro, Balint, Frost Introduce Antisemitism Response and Prevention Act. NOTE:

  • The bill defines “antisemitism” by citing “the third paragraph of page 13 of the United States National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism.” That paragraph lays out a commonsense definition of antisemitism, not connected to Israel, Zionism, or any other additional political agenda: “Antisemitism is a stereotypical and negative perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred of Jews. It is prejudice, bias, hostility, discrimination, or violence against Jews for being Jews or Jewish institutions or property for being Jewish or perceived as Jewish. Antisemitism can manifest as a form of racial, religious, national origin, and/or ethnic discrimination, bias, or hatred; or, a combination thereof. However, antisemitism is not simply a form of prejudice or hate. It is also a pernicious conspiracy theory that often features myths about Jewish power and control.“
  • In talking about the IHRA definition, the bill emphasizes that it is a “non-legally binding educational tool”.
  • The bill calls out the Trump Administration for having “inappropriately appropriated” the IHRA definition to target free speech support of Palestinians, including with deportations.
  • The bill calls out the Trump Administration for using the Heritage Foundation’s “Project Esther” “as a blueprint for the administration’s antisemitism policies,  but rather than genuinely combating antisemitism, it weaponizes accusations of antisemitism to pursue partisan political objectives, including dismantling diversity programs, suppressing pro-Palestinian advocacy, defunding educational institutions, attacking nonprofit organizations, and undermining academic freedom.”

Also see:

(ANOTHER BILL THAT SEEMS TO BE ACTUALLY ABOUT FIGHTING ANTISEMITISM & NOT CONFLATING ANTISEMITISM WITH FREE SPEECH IN SUPPORT OF PALESTINIAN LIVES/RIGHTS) H. Res. 963: Introduced 12/18/25 by Jacobs (D-CA) and 26 cosponsors (bipartisan), “Condemning antisemitism in all its forms, including the proliferation and amplification of antisemitic content on artificial intelligence (AI) platforms, urging robust, transparent safeguards for AI, and recognizing stakeholders working to counter this threat.” Referred to the Committees on the Judiciary, and on Energy and Commerce. Notably, H. Res. 963 does not include a single mention of “Israel” or “Zionism,” and defines antisemitism, accurately, to mean: “prejudice, discrimination, or hostility directed at Jewish people, is generally based on negative stereotypes, myths, conspiracy theories, or misinformation about Jews, Judaism, or Jewish identity.” Also see press release (which, like the resolution, does not mention “Israel” or “Zionism”) – Reps. Jacobs, Bacon, Ciscomani, Friedman Lead Bipartisan Resolution Condemning Antisemitic Content on AI Platforms. Also see: House resolution calls for safeguards to address antisemitism in artificial intelligence (Jewish Insider 12/18/25)

(OPENING THE DOOR TO MASS DE-PLATFORMING OF FREE SPEECH CRITICAL OF ISRAEL, TRUMP, OR ANYTHING ELSE CONTROVERSIAL ONLINE & ON SOCIAL MEDIA) S. 3546 [bill text]: Introduced 12/17/25 by Graham (R-SC) and 9 bipartisan cosponsors, “A bill to repeal section 230 of the Communications Act of 1934,” aka the “Sunset Section 230 Act.”  Referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. NOTE: If this bill passes into law, internet platforms (including social media networks and website hosting companies) will be legally liable for any/all things posted by anyone, creating a clear incentive structure for the mass censoring and/or deplatforming of accounts, people, posts, and organizations engaged in any kind of disfavored or controversial speech. Or as civil rights attorney Jenin Younes aptly observed on X: “If Congress successfully repeals Section 230, say goodbye to the internet, esp. social media, as we know it. If platforms can be held liable for what’s posted on them, they won’t simply allow anyone to post anything at anytime. That this is happening at a time when prominent politicians are saying the reason people are pro-Palestine is social media should tell you everything you need to know: Congress is almost certainly pursuing this measure because Israel demands it”

(FY26 NDAA) S. 1071: On 12/17/25, the Senate passed the House-adopted version of S. 1071, the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), by a vote of 77-20, with no amendments (see last week’s Round-Up for details of last week’s action on this bill in the House, as well as details of Middle East-related provisions in the bill). The bill was then sent to President Trump, who signed it into law on 12/18/25. Also see: Key Middle East Provisions in the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA) 12/12/25). Many, many senators made comments about passage of S. 1071 – check members’ websites and social media accounts to see what any specific senator said.

(REVOKE CAIR’S NON-PROFIT STATUS) S. 3479: Introduced 12/15/25 by Scott (R-FL) and Blackburn (R-TN), “A bill to specify that the Council on American-Islamic Relations shall not be treated as described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.” Referred to the Committee on Finance.

(HONORING AMERICANS SOLDIERS KILLED IN SYRIA) H. Res. 957: Introduced 12/17/25 by Nunn (R-IA) and 3 Republican cosponsors, “A resolution honoring the service and sacrifice of United States Army Sergeant William Nathaniel Howard and United States Army Sergeant Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, who were killed in action in Palmyra, Syria, in a targeted assault against United States service members on December 13, 2025.“ Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services. Also see: Nunn Leads Iowa Delegation to Honor Fallen Iowa Guardsmen

(MENA HEALTH EQUITY & INCLUSION) HR 6767: Introduced 12/16/25 by Tlaib (D-MI) and 17 Democratic cosponsors, “To amend the Public Health Service Act to include Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) individuals in the statutory definition of a ‘racial and ethnic minority group’, to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a comprehensive study of MENA population health, and for other purposes.“ Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. Also see: Tlaib Re-Introduces Bill to Promote Health Equity & Inclusion for MENA Community

(USING CLAIMS OF ANTISEMITISM TO QUASH PALESTINE VOICES/SOLIDARITY ON US CAMPUSES) HR 6857 [bill text]: Introduced 12/18/25 by Frankel (D-FL) and 7 cosponsors, “To require institutions of higher education participating in Federal student aid programs to share information about title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, including a link to the webpage of the Office for Civil Rights where an individual can submit a complaint regarding discrimination in violation of such title, and for other purposes,” aka the “Protecting Students on Campus Act of 2025.” Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.  Also see:

2. Letters

Re: previously reported letters:

3. Hearings & Markups, and Briefings

December 16, 2025: The House Judiciary Committee held a hearing entitled, “Partisan and Profitable: The SPLC’s Influence on Federal Civil Rights Policy” (video). Witnesses were: Andrew Sypher, Turning Point USA (statement); Tony Perkins, Family Research Council (statement); Tyler O’Neil, The Daily Signal (statement); and Amanda Tyler, Baptist Joint Committee (statement).

From a past hearing:

DropSite News 12/13/25: X-post w/ video clip – “Rep. Jacobs questioned Human Rights Watch’s Nicole Widdersheim on how U.S. sanctions on ICC prosecutor Karim Khan are affecting war crimes cases in Darfur. Widdersheim said the ICC is the only viable accountability mechanism for Sudan, with 11 active cases, no functioning domestic courts, and no African Union alternative. She warned ICC sanctions create a chilling effect that obstructs investigations, banking, logistics, and cooperation, not only in Sudan but also in Ukraine and Gaza.”

4. Selected Members on the Record

NOTE: Predictably, many many many members weighed in this week over the antisemitic terror attack in Australia, with many of them, predictably, using the horrific event to blame supporters of Palestinian lives/rights with antisemitism for the attack and for violence against Jews in general, as well as to attack Islam and Muslims (see: Reps. Fine, R-FL; Tuberville, R-AL, etc…). I just don’t have the stomach to cover all of this poisonous, hateful, racist, Islamophobic, genocide-supporting discourse in this Round-Up. If you want to see what a particular member said, check their website and social media accounts.

Sanders (I-VT) 12/18/25: X-post – “Heavy rains have deepened Gaza’s misery, flooding tents in which many thousands of people are huddled, exposed to winter. A baby recently died of hypothermia. Israel continues to restrict humanitarian aid, including tents. Nothing but silence from Trump. We must not forget Gaza.”

Fetterman (D-PA) 12/18/25: X-post – “One hundred percent. Furthermore, the ICC has zero jurisdiction in the United States or Israel. Any threats to arrest Israel’s Prime Minister in our nation is hot air and unenforceable.” Responding to SecState Rubio X-post – “Today, the Trump Administration is sanctioning two International Criminal Court judges directly engaged in politicized and illegitimate actions against Israel. The United States has been clear: we will continue to respond with significant and tangible consequences to protect against the ICC’s lawfare, abuse of power, and blatant disregard for the sovereignty of the U.S. and Israel.”

Self (R-TX) and Roy (R-TX) 12/18/25: Congressmen Keith Self and Chip Roy Launch Sharia Free America Caucus

Hoeven (R-ND) 12/17/25: X-post – “We must continue strengthening our relationship with Israel, our closest ally in the Middle East. Thanks to @AIPAC for helping cultivate the mutually beneficial partnership between the U.S. and Israel.”

Stefanick (R-NY) 12/17/25: X-post – “It seems very clear to me that the president of @BrownUniversity will need to be hauled in front of Congress for a hearing under oath.”

Rosen (D-NV) 12/16/25: X-post – “For far too long, the Houthis have terrorized the Yemeni people, the broader Middle East, and Americans in the region as proxies of Iran. I’m introducing a bipartisan bill with @SenMcCormickPA to hold the Houthis accountable, counter Iranian-backed aggression, and help support stability in the Middle East.” [bill covered in last week’s Round-Up]

Shaheen (D-NH) and Wilson (R-SC) 12/16/25: Op-ed in Foreign Policy – One Year on, U.S. Sanctions Are Killing Syria’s Recovery — Short-term waivers are a start, but Congress must act on the full repeal Syria needs to rebuild. [also see Shaheen press release with full text of op-ed]

Blackburn (R-TN) 12/16/25: X-post – “This is why we must defeat Hamas. Evil will not win.” Linked to pic of Jerusalem Post headline, Hamas marks 38 years since its founding, cites October 7 massacre as milestone

Mace (R-SC) 12/16/25: X-post – “A new report shows just how badly colleges are failing Jewish students: 39% have been forced to hide their identity on campus 62% have been blamed for Israel’s actions 58% have personally experienced antisemitism Only 12% say incidents were properly addressed Fourteen universities earned an F for allowing this culture of hate to persist. If schools take federal taxpayer dollars, protecting students is NOT optional.”

Green (R-GA) 12/15/25: X-post – “The First Amendment, free speech, must be protected. The easiest thing is to be against any violence against people for their identity and we already have hate crime laws against that. But censoring speech should never be allowed. They did that during covid and we said, never again!” Responding to Chris Menahan X-post w/ video clip – “Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, Trump’s pick for US Anti-Semitism Czar, says the State Department is going to ‘have a whole division’ dedicated to battling ‘anti-Semitism on the internet’ and pushing social media to do ‘better on algorithms.’ Tech leaders, ‘many of whom are Jewish,’ have already ‘offered their assistance,’ he says. ‘The [Office of the Special Envoy to Combat Anti-Semitism] is going to be revamped entirely to be one of the highest-profile offices in the State Department because that’s what the [Secretary of State Marco Rubio] wants and that’s what the President wants.’”

Mast (R-FL) 12/15/25: X-post – “My thoughts and prayers have and continue to be with the brave servicemembers we lost in Syria over the weekend and their families. I never want to lose a single brother-or sister-in-arms but when faced with tragedy, our nation has the responsibility to honor their sacrifice. That’s why I’m calling on Congress to allow for both Guardsmen to lie in state in our Capitol Rotunda.”

Cotton (R-AR) 12/15/25: X-post w/ video clip – “Recognizing the so called ‘Palestinian state’ rewards Hamas’s depraved attack on Israel. That’s the exact opposite of what we should be doing.”

Chris Menahan 12/15/25: X-post w/ video clip – “Sen. John Fetterman laments that Democrats are running for office by being ‘anti-Israel.’ ‘That’s a betrayal of our party’s values!’ he says. He adds that TikTok and social media have ‘poisoned an entire generation’ with ‘strong anti-Israel views.’“

Fine (R-FL) 12/15/25: X-post – “The ‘Free Palestine’ movement is nothing more than a Muslim terror movement. All who were involved must be charged and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. No mercy.” Responding to report that the FBI stopped a terror plan by a “pro-Palestinian” group [Note: the charging document in this case does not include any mention of Palestine, Israel, etc.  With respect to the case in general, see this article and this thread].

Graham (R-SC) 12/14/25: X-post w/ video clip – “Hamas needs to be put on a time clock like Iran was. If Hamas isn’t completely disarmed, they will continue to wreak havoc.”

Welch (D-VT) 12/13/25: X-post – “For over two years, I’ve been working with other members of Congress to get justice for Dylan Collins and his fellow journalists who were attacked in southern Lebanon by Israeli forces. But we keep getting stonewalled at every single turn.”

Fine (R-FL) 12/12/25: X-post – “CAIR has finally admitted what I have long suspected — mainstream Muslims seek the destruction of America, Israel, and western Civilization and the genocide of all Christians and Jews. They are simply angry that I am calling for us to fight back. Texas and Florida have declared CAIR a terrorist organization. Now it is time for Congress to pass my bill to do it nationwide.” Responding to CAIR X-post – “To understand just how deranged Israel First politicians have become, one of them is now openly calling for the genocide of the entire Muslim community, including American Muslims. Let’s be clear. “Mainstream Muslims” were on American soil long before Randy Fine’s ancestors were born. Muslim explorers traveled to this continent. Black Muslims helped build this country. Muslim soldiers fought in every war dating back to the American Revolution. American Muslim doctors, entrepreneurs, activists, athletes, elected officials, entertainers and students contribute to our society every day. Randy Fine can cry about it. He can scream about it. He can rage post about it. But American Muslims will still be here long after history forgets Randy Fine’s name, praying to God five times a day, fasting in Ramadan, giving in charity, and pursuing for justice for all people. And, by the way, the Palestinian people will be free too. Insha Allah, God willing.”

Khanna (D-CA) 12/12/25: X-post w/ video clip – “These Americans, including @davidrkadler, from the Freedom Flotilla were detained by Israel. After leading a letter with the CA delegation to bring them home, I sat down with them.”

5. Selected Media

Grab-bag of News

CONGRESS STAND WITH ISRAEL

Anti-Semitic Terrorist Attack in Australia

Israel/AIPAC et al in US politics/Elex – general

  • Mondoweiss 12/19/25: New poll shows young Republicans turning against Israel
  • DAWN 12/18/25: DAWN Launches “The Faces of AIPAC” — The Missing “Who We Are” Page on AIPAC’s Website
  • National Journal 12/18/25: The Myth of AIPAC’s Power
  • INSS – The Institute for National Security Studies [Israeli org] 12/18/25: The Battle Over Israel Within the Republican Party
  • Jewish Insider 12/17/25: Trump warns that Israel, ‘Jewish lobby’ have lost influence in D.C. [“Speaking at the White House’s annual Hanukkah party, the president said Congress is ‘becoming antisemitic’“]. JI quotes Trump: “My father would tell me: The most powerful lobby that there is in this country is the Jewish lobby. It’s the Israeli lobby. It’s not that way anymore. You have a lot of people in your way,” he added. “You have a lot of people that don’t want to help Israel. You have a lot of people in Congress that don’t like Israel. You have a lot of people in Congress that in a way … they hate Israel. They hate Israel.”  NOTE: The Jewish Insider’s extensive reporting on Trump’s speech does not include any suggestion that anyone among the bevy of Jewish organizational and religious leaders, politicos, and influencers in the audience or otherwise referenced (or anyone else, including JI’s reporter or editors) find Trump’s usage of the term “Jewish lobby” in any way problematic or concerning. Reminder: if a critic of Israel/Israeli policy/Zionism ever uses the term “Jewish lobby” to refer to the forces lobbying in support of Israel in the U.S., that usage is memorialized for eternity (even if they correct themselves or apologize), to be used  as irrefutable proof of that person’s vicious antisemitism and wielded as a weapon of mass destruction against that person and their credibility. 
  • Jewish Insider 12/16/25: from the Daily Kickoff – “Rachel Gorsky Bombach, previously a foreign policy advisor to former Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and director of the National Security Council in the Obama administration, is joining Democratic Majority for Israel as chief policy officer…“
  • Jewish News Syndicate 12/16/25: Pro-Israel PAC endorses 64 House Democrats [“’These incumbent candidates understand what’s at stake, and they know that standing with our ally Israel is not only good policy but good politics,’ DMFI PAC said.”]
  • Democratic Majority for Israel 12/16/25: X-post – “We’re thrilled to announce our first round of 2026 House endorsements. Many will play a decisive role in @TheDemocrats’ effort to win back the majority—a clear sign that being pro-Israel isn’t just good policy, it’s winning politics.” [with pic showing the endorsees, and link to website listing them]
  • Open Secrets 12/15/25: Marjorie Taylor Greene heads for the exit having blazed a controversy-fueled fundraising trail
  • The Forward 12/14/25: The 7 political stories Jews will be watching in 2026 [“Zohran Mamdani’s agenda, key congressional primaries, and the future of U.S.–Israel relations will dominate the year ahead”]
  • CNN 12/13/25: Democrats want to win back Congress. First they need to weather their primary battles
  • Middle East Eye 12/12/25: X-post w/ video clip – “‘Any candidate running for a seat…whose platform includes antisemitism, we will target them as they target us.’ Ronald Lauder, president of the World Jewish Congress, vowed to ‘target’ future US Congress and Senate candidates who do not support Israel”

Israel/AIPAC et al in US politics/Elex – NY

Israel/AIPAC et al in US politics/Elex -TX

Israel/AIPAC et al in US politics/Elex – VA

  • Washington Jewish Week 12/15/25: Virginia Jewish Groups Call on State Delegate to Resign [“…Rasoul, who is considering a bid for Congress next year, responded to the criticism of his comments on Israel. ‘When Israeli human rights organizations are calling it a genocide, when mainstream [organizations], J Street here in the United States is calling it a genocide, when the whole world is seeing minute by minute what’s playing out, it’s clear what history is going to say about this moment,’ Rasoul told Radio IQ, Virginia’s public radio network.“]

Israel/AIPAC et al in US politics/Elex – NC

Israel/AIPAC et al in US politics/Elex – FL

Israel/AIPAC et al in US politics/Elex – IL

Israel/AIPAC et al in US politics/Elex – PA

Israel/AIPAC et al in US politics/Elex – DC

  • Jewish Insider 12/19/25: Longtime Jewish activist mounts bid for D.C. congressional delegate seat [“…’I am deeply committed to a strong U.S.-Israel relationship, both because Israel is our strongest ally in the region, and because that strong relationship is in the United States’ national security interest,’ Zalesne said. She said she supports President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza and praised Trump’s efforts in bringing it to fruition, but said it will be a long process to rebuild Gaza and remove Hamas from power.“]

1. Bills, Resolutions
2. Letters
3. Hearings & Markups
4. Selected Members on the Record
5. Selected Media & Press releases/Statements

New episodes of FMEP’s Occupied Thoughts Podcasts:

  • December 9, 2025: Christians in Gaza, Ecclesiocide, and Kairos Palestine II, ft. FMEP Fellow Hilary Rantisi in conversation with Dr. Yousef Kamal AlKhouri, Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies and Academic Dean at Bethlehem Bible College and a Christian Arab Palestinian theologian from Gaza.

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1. Bills & Resolutions

(TARGETING DUAL CITIZENSHIP) HR 6486: Introduced 12/5/25 by Hamadeh (R-AZ), “To require the Bureau of the Census to collect information on dual citizenship status through the decennial census.” Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. Also see: press release – Congressman Hamadeh Bill Requires Dual U.S. Citizenship Question on Census

(CAMPUS FREE SPEECH) HR 6663 [bill text]: Introduced 12/11/25 by Murphy (R-NC) and no cosponsors, the “Campus Free Speech Restoration Act.” Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce. NOTE: The clear intent behind this bill is to protect/promote the rights of students who hold right-wing/conservative views; that said, as-written the bill applies equally to any disfavored speech being targeted on campus, including Palestine-related speech). Also see: press release – Murphy Introduces Legislation to Protect Campus Free Speech

(CAMPUS FREE SPEECH) H. Res. 947 [resolution text]: Introduced 12/11/25 by Murphy (R-NC) and no cosponsors, “Expressing that compelled political litmus tests used by public institutions to require individuals to identify with specific ideological views are directly at odds with the principles of academic freedom and free speech and in violation of the First Amendment of the Constitution.“ Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce. Also see: press release – Murphy Introduces Legislation to Protect Campus Free Speech

(SANCTIONING THE HOUTHIS) S. 3451: Introduced 12/11/25 by Rosen (D-NV) and McCormick (R-PA), “A bill to authorize the imposition of sanctions with respect to the Houthis, and for other purposes.“  Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. Also see: Rosen, McCormick push for new sanctions on the Houthis over human rights violations (Jewish Insider 12/12/25)

(BARRING COMMENT ON US POLICIES FROM US ADVERSARIES) HR 6581 // S. 3416 [bill text]: Introduced 12/10/25 in the House by Moore (R-AL) and 3 Republican cosponsors, and in the Senate by Lummis (R-WY) and 3 Republican cosponsors, “To prohibit public comments from governments and individuals designated as foreign adversaries.”  Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary and the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Also see: GOP Senator Moves To Block Foreign Adversaries From Meddling In American Policy (Daily Caller 12/10/25); Lummis (R-WY) X-post 12/10/25: “China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea have no business meddling in U.S. policy. Proud to introduce this commonsense, America-first legislation.” Lummis press release – Lummis Introduces Bill to Block China & Other Foreign Adversaries from Interfering in U.S. Rulemaking Process

(SUPPORTING INTL AID WORKERS) S. 3420 [bill text]: Introduced 12/10/25 by Van Hollen (D-MD), Merkley (D-OR), and Sanders (I-VT), “A bill to establish a Special Envoy for Humanitarian Aid Workers, and for other purposes.” Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. Also see Van Hollen press release – Van Hollen, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Protect Aid Workers in Conflict Zones

(CHINESE PURCHASES OF IRANIAN OIL) S. 3390: Introduced 12/9/25 by Blumenthal (D-CT) and Graham (R-SC), “A bill to require a report on the purchases of Iranian oil by the People’s Republic of China, support from entities and individuals in the People’s Republic of China for Iran’s ballistic missile program, and for other purposes.” Referred to the Select Committee on Intelligence. Also see: Bipartisan, bicameral bill pushes for assessment of whether China is violating Iran sanctions (Jewish Insider 12/11/25)

———-

(THE FY26 NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT) — Action this week

Dec. 9, 2025 — ACTION IN THE HOUSE RULES COMMITTEE

On 12/9/25, the House Rules Committee adopted the Rule to bring the bill to the floor the FY26 NDAA, this time in the form of  S. 1071 (a bill that until now had nothing to do with the NDAA, but is now being re-purposed to play this role). The Rule provided for consideration of an amendment in the nature of a substitute comprised for the most part (but not entirely) of the text of the FY26 NDAA as passed by the House on 9/10/25 in the form of HR 3838 (for coverage of HR 3838, including Middle East-related provisions and amendments, see; here and here).

NOTE: A number of amendments to S. 1071 were submitted to the Rules Committee, including amendments related to Israel and the Middle East, but the Rule adopted by the Committee does not permit any of those amendments to be considered on the House floor (aka, a Closed Rule). Those amendments (which represent important signaling by members) were:

  • Ansari (R-AZ), “Establishes a special envoy for Iranian women, girls, and human rights.”
  • Higgins (R-LA), “Strikes ;Section 8370. Repeal of Authorizations for Use of Military Force relating to Iraq.’“
  • Massie (R-KY), “Prohibits the transfer of MK-84 2000-pound bombs to Israel.”
  • Titus (D-NV), “Requires certification that any arms sales to the Republic of Turkey will adversely impact Israel’s Qualitative Military Edge (QME).”
  • Massie (R-KY), “Strikes foreign aid funding to Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, Kurdish forces, and Syrian groups.”
  • Massie (R-KY), “Strikes continuation of foreign aid funding to Iraqi Security forces, as well as other military, paramilitary, and security forces in Iraq.”
  • Massie (R-KY), “Strikes $500million in missile defense foreign aid to Israel.”
  • Massie (R-KY), “Strikes foreign aid funding for Israel anti-tunneling cooperation and US-Israel cooperation to counter unmanned systems, costing the U.S. taxpayer $150million.”
  • Massie (R-KY), “Prohibits assistance to Israel.”
  • Fine (R-FL), “Strikes funding for Syrian groups and individuals.”

Dec. 10, 2025 — ACTION ON THE HOUSE FLOOR

On 10/10/25, the House passed S. 1701 by a vote of 312 – 112 (with 94 Democrats and 18 Republicans voting “no”.

A summary of the FY26 NDAA, as brought to the House floor, was published by the House Armed Services Committee. It touts the bill’s inclusion of the following Middle East-related provisions:

Under the heading: “DEFENDING ISRAEL” [and the subheading “The FY26 NDAA provides unprecedented levels of support for the security of Israel” [and yes, tellingly, the “Combats Antisemitism” provisions are included under this heading…]

Strengthens Joint Military Programs

  • Fully funds the U.S. commitment to defend Israel through joint U.S.-Israel cooperative missile defense programs, including Iron Dome, Arrow, and David’s Sling.
  • Declares that supporting further defense cooperation with Israel is the policy of the United States.
  • Directs the establishment of a U.S.-Israel Defense Industrial Base Working Group to study opportunities for greater collaboration on defense production and potential integration of Israel into the U.S. National Technology and Industrial Base (NTIB).
  • Establishes and authorizes $35 million for a new emerging technology cooperative program with certain partners, including Israel, to jump-start development and testing of cutting-edge technologies, including AI, quantum, cybersecurity, robotics, and automation.
  • Adds $80 million in authorized funding for DoW to continue the U.S.-Israel Anti Tunnel Cooperation Program.
  • Adds $70 million in authorized funding to expand cooperation with Israel on countering unmanned systems of all variants, including emerging threats from aerial one-way attack drones and ground and maritime attack systems.
  • Encourages DoW to expand joint training exercises with Israel to strengthen our shared readiness to face regional threats and reinforce deterrence.

Combats Antisemitism

  • Requires a continuous assessment of the impact of international arms embargoes
    on Israel and an evaluation of opportunities to reinforce Israel’s defense production
    needs.
  • Directs DoW to avoid participating in international defense exhibitions and forums
    that prohibit participation by Israel as part of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions
    (BDS) movement.

Under the heading: “COUNTERING OTHER ADVERSARIES”

Iran, Iranian Proxies, And Other Foreign Terrorist Organizations

  • Extends DoW’s authority to build the capacity of Iraqi and Syrian partner forces in the fight
    against ISIS.
  • Restricts defense funding to Iraq until the Government of Iraq has taken credible and
    verifiable steps to reduce the malign influence of Iran in its security and political
    institutions.
  • Protects funding for critical counterterrorism allies in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region.
  • Extends the annual report on the military power of Iran and requires DoW to maintain a greater focus on Iran’s use of terrorist proxies, as well as advancements in nuclear weapons technology, and its ability to produce, sustain, and employ novel weapons delivery methods such as one-way attack drones.
  • Provides vital accountability for U.S. servicemembers wounded and killed in action by requiring the declassification of records related to the Iran-backed terrorist attack on Tower 22 in January 2024.
  • Extends DoW’s authority to provide assistance to countries that partner with the U.S. to combat terrorism across the Middle East.
  • Requires DoW to study opportunities to expand regional security partnerships through the Comprehensive Security Integration and Prosperity Agreement (CSIPA) signed with the Government of Bahrain.
  • Requires DoW to establish a strategy for increased security partnerships with the Governments of Jordan and Lebanon.
  • Prohibits DoW funds from assisting the Badr Organization, an Iranian terrorist proxy in Iraq, and its affiliates.
  • Authorizes additional counter-terrorism support for regional partners in the Middle East to combat the transnational threats posed by Hezbollah, Hamas, and ISIS, including those to Israel.

Dec. 11, 2025 – SENATE BEGINS ACTION ON S. 1701

  • Senate action on S. 1701 kicked off with the a number of senators offering amendments to the bill (8 so far – no text available of any of them yet, but it is likely that all are unrelated to Israel/Middle East). As of this writing (10am EST on 12/12/25) it is not known of Senate leadership will permit amendments to the House-adopted text (which would slow down final passage of the bill). Stay tuned!

***Members re: the NDAA: Many, many House members weighed in on the NDAA following the House vote. Check members’ websites and social media for details. Notable: DeGette (D-CO) X-post – “I have been saying for months that I would not support additional offensive weapon sales to Israel that could be used against innocent Palestinians. That’s why I voted against the NDAA today. This bill contains provisions that force the United States to provide further weapons, including offensive weapons, to Netanyahu as our European allies limit their military support. More weapons are the last thing we need in the region. We need a permanent ceasefire, a massive surge of humanitarian aid, and lasting peace for both Israelis and Palestinians.”

***Media & Orgs on: FY26 NDAA:

2. Letters

Re: previously reported letters:

3. Hearings & Markups, and Briefings

December 16, 2025: The House Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing entitled, “Partisan and Profitable: The SPLC’s Influence on Federal Civil Rights Policy”. No further information is available at this point.
December 10, 2025: The House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa held a hearing with the super instructive title (in terms of conveying the clear political/ideological intent behind the hearing): Understanding Judea and Samaria: Historical, Strategic, and Political Dynamics in U.S.–Israel Relations (video). Witnesses were: Eugene Kontorovich, Heritage Foundation/Kohelet Forum (statement); Morton Klein, Zionist Organization of America (statement); and Jon Alterman, CSIS (statement) [Center for International Policy’s Matt Duss trenchantly observed on X: “A great demonstration of what “diversity” means in hearings on Israel-Palestine: Zionist, batshit right wing Zionist, and an actual Israeli settler. Imagine a hearing on the history and political dynamics of eastern Ukraine featuring only Russian or pro-Russian witnesses.“]
For details of this hearing — which offered a window into just how deep into Greater Israel, anti-Palestinian, fact-challenged crazy-land some people in this Congress and on this Committee are — watch it for yourself. One note: at around 1:25:30 in the hearing, Rep. Fine (R-FL) launches into a speech alleging the existence of apartheid in the West Bank, based on the fact that when he was traveling there he encountered a sign reading “Jews May Not Enter.” Fine goes on to suggest that these signs represent a Palestinian Authority policy of preventing Jews from accessing certain areas. Of course, Fine knows – or should know, since he presents himself as an expert on all things related to Israel and the West Bank, as does (or should, Mort Klein, who does not correct Fine’s mistake) – that this sign (and the many others like it, placed at the entrance to Palestinian cities and villages across the West Bank), was produced and placed there BY THE GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL, reflecting an ISRAELI policy that makes it illegal for Israeli citizens to enter Area A of the West Bank [note that Fine is also incorrect in alleging the signs say anything about “Jews.” The signs refer in Hebrew to “Israelis” and in Arabic and English to “citizens of Israel”; Jews who are not citizens of Israel can and do travel into these areas; Israeli citizens who choose to enter these areas are breaking Israeli law, which in the case of settlers goes unpunished, and in the case of Israelis human rights activists, can be one of the many pretexts for Israeli authorities use to detain and/or ban them from the areas]. If Fine has an issue with these signs, it should be with the government of Israel, not with Palestinians. Some receipts: here, here, here
  • Lawler (R-NY) press release: Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee Chairman Lawler Delivers Opening Remarks at Hearing on Understanding Judea and Samaria [excerpt: “…Judea and Samaria remains central to decades of diplomatic debate, negotiations, and regional tension. The region’s modern history, from its role in the British mandate to the unresolved sovereignty questions in 1948, to the Jordanian occupation from 1948 to 1967, including the displacement of Jewish communities during that period, continues to shape legal interpretations, security considerations, and international discourse today. In recent months, international discussions about the future of these territories have accelerated. To understand this, we must also understand the historical context that led us to this point. Understanding the daily realities for communities in these areas, the security challenges they face, and the implications for Israel’s broader defense posture is essential to evaluating US engagement and future policy discussions.”]
  • Ranking member Sherman (D-CA) on X (with video clip): “At today’s @HouseForeign hearing, I discussed the history and strategic importance of the U.S.–#Israel relationship. Watch my remarks:”
  • Kean (R-NJ) on X (with video clip – “At today’s @HouseForeignGOP Subcommittee hearing on Judea and Samaria, I questioned experts on how the United States can further peace, combat terrorism, and promote security in the region. Strategic efforts like the 3+1 partnership with Greece, Cyprus, and Israel, along with cooperation with our Arab partners, are essential to achieving lasting stability for Israel and expanding cooperation throughout the Middle East.”
  • Fine (R-FL) on X (with video clip) on his comment in the comment calling for genocide of Palestinians (and doubling down in his X-post to apply it more broadly to “mainstream Muslims”): “Rep. Fine on How to Deal with Mainstream Muslims: “I don’t know how you make peace with those who seek your destruction, I think you destroy them first.” [followed by 3 flame emojis]. Also see: US Congressman Randy Fine suggests Palestinians should ‘be destroyed first’ [“The Republican lawmaker, a Donald Trump ally, says during a congressional hearing that he is ‘not afraid’ to be called Islamophobic.”]
  • Media & Orgs: House holds hearing on Judea and Samaria (Jewish News Syndicate 12/10/25); Lawmakers, witnesses spar over meaning of Trump’s veto of West Bank annexation [“Republicans claimed Trump’s comments that he ‘will not allow’ annexation only applied to territory not currently controlled by Israel“] (Jewish Insider 12/11/25); ‘Must Speak Out’: Progressive Jewish Group Condemns Rep. Randy Fine (Huffington Post 12/11/25); NJN Calls on Jewish Community to Condemn Rep. Fine’s Hateful Rhetoric (National Jewish Narrative 12/11/25)
  • Also see fun see Code Pink’s X-post with video clip 12/10/25 – “Today, Congress held a hearing on so-called “Judea and Samaria,” more commonly known as the occupied West Bank. Congress declined to invite a single Palestinian from the West Bank, even as they face constant settler terror, displacement, and military raids under Israel’s apartheid system. The only witnesses present were from the Heritage Foundation, the Zionist Organization of America, and the right-wing Center for Strategic and International Studies. We asked the Congressmen and the witnesses if they thought this was a fair hearing. They regurgitated the same propaganda we’ve heard for years. It’s not complicated. Palestine is for Palestinians.“

December 10, 2025: The Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a hearing entitled, ARMS RACE 2.0 [video]. Witnesses were: Marshall Billingslea, Hudson Institute (statement); and Rose Gottemoeller, Stanford University (statement). In his opening comments, Chairman Risch (R-ID) stated: “…as troubling as these developments from Russia and China are, we cannot take our eye off rogue states with nuclear ambitions. Fortunately, President Trump took action to destroy Iranian nuclear facilities earlier this year. By doing so, he prevented a dangerous, ideologically driven Islamic autocracy from acquiring a nuclear weapon that could threaten the U.S., Israel, and others around the world. But the Iranian regime won’t stop there, and we need to stay vigilant.”

4. Selected Members on the Record

WE STAND WITH ISRAEL/AGAINST PALESTINIANS & THEIR SUPPORTERS

  • Bost (R-IL) 12/12/25: X-post – “Honored to speak at the Israel Allies Foundation Gala and join with members of Parliament, faith leaders, and friends from all across the world to reaffirm our shared commitment to supporting our ally Israel. My support for Israel is rooted in faith and in the belief that a strong, stable democracy in the Middle East is vital to America’s security. I’ll keep using my voice and my vote to ensure the United States stands firmly with our greatest ally, because it’s not just good policy, it’s the right thing to do.“
  • Thune (R-SD) 12/11/25: X-post – “Met with Speaker of the Knesset @AmirOhana to discuss the relationship between Israel and the United States.“
  • Jackson (R-TX) 12/11/25: X-pot – “As Co-Chair of the Israel Allies Caucus, I was honored to speak at the Israel Allies Foundation conference yesterday. Under President Trump, we’ve seen real progress in the Middle East—hostages brought home, terrorist groups weakened, the Abraham Accords expanding, and stronger U.S.–Israel defense cooperation. In Congress, I’ll keep working every day to build on the President’s success and strengthen this critical alliance!“
  • Lawler (R-NY) 12/11/25: X-post – “It was a privilege to stand alongside global leaders at the Israel Allies Foundation Conference, where we collectively reinforced our unwavering support for Israel. As MENA Subcommittee Chair, I’ve focused on strengthening the United States–Israel alliance, confronting Iran and its terrorist proxies, and combating rising antisemitism at home and abroad. Proud to stand united with our allies.“
  • Sherman (D-CA) 12/11/25: X-post – “It was great to speak at the @IsraelAllies Foundation reception and meet with pro-#Israel legislators from around the world and proud supporters of the U.S.-Israel relationship here at home. We will continue fighting for the truth despite the disinformation campaign Israel faces.“
  • Cramer (R-ND) 12/11/25: X-post – “Grateful for the opportunity to meet with my friend Yehuda Neuberger of @AIPAC. We discussed the importance of confronting antisemitism at home and abroad, holding Iran accountable, and reinforcing America’s unwavering support for Israel.“
  • Fetterman (D-PA) 12/11/25: X-post – “It’s a perverse testament of Hamas’ success to poison the minds of America’s youth through social media and influencers. Its leader cheers that half of our young people are his useful idiots.” Linked to pix of Jerusalem Post headline: Majority of young American adults ‘active in Hamas resistance,’ Khaled Mashaal claims [To be clear: Meshal is basically offering a mirror image of the argument anti-Palestinian forces in the US to try to delegitimize protest/free speech for Palestinian lives/rights by suggesting that all such protest/free speech is aligned with Hamas – a shamelessly cynical, self-serving BS argument — that directly undermines free speech/protest/safety of protesters, from both sides.]
  • Kean (R-NJ) 12/11/25: X-post – “I met with Agudath Israel of America’s New Jersey delegation in my DC office to discuss my steadfast support for Israel and our shared commitment to combating antisemitism.  A major focus of our conversation was the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, which provides critical federal funds to help at-risk nonprofits protect themselves from terrorist threats. I have long supported this program and will continue advocating to ensure synagogues and other houses of worship have the resources they need to keep their congregations safe.“
  • Johnson (R-LA) 12/10/25: Speaker Johnson, Congressional Leaders Host Capitol Menorah Lighting [excerpt: “Yesterday, I entertained Speaker Ohana, my counterpart of the Israeli Knesset. He was in town, as many of you know, some of y’all met with him. He’s become a good friend and a colleague. And he was here because we jointly signed a letter to nominate our president, President Trump, for the next Nobel Peace Prize in 2026. And it was Speaker Ohana’s idea, because he thought that this was an appropriate thing, having settled now eight conflicts and bloody wars conflicts around the world, that he and I would be co-signatories on this and that we would ask all of our colleagues, the other speakers and presidents of the great parliaments around the world to join us in that.“]
  • House Foreign Affairs Committee (GOP) 12/10/25: X-post – “This week, Chairman @RepBrianMast met with Israel’s Foreign Affairs Minister @gidonsaar. America stands with our ally and the only democracy in the Middle East, Israel.“
  • Sherman (D-CA) 12/10/25: X-post – “Yesterday, the Congress-Knesset Parliamentary Friendship Group met with Knesset Speaker @AmirOhana and MK @EitanGinzburg to discuss how the U.S. and #Israel can work together on the pressing challenges facing the region, from disarming Hamas to making sure any U.S.-Saudi nuclear deal has appropriate safeguards. I am proud to serve as the Ranking Member of the Congress-Knesset Parliamentary Friendship Group as we work with our close ally, Israel, to advance U.S. interests in the region.“
  • Malliotakis (R-NY) 12/10/25: X-post – “It was a pleasure to welcome Speaker @AmirOhana of the Israeli Knesset to the Capitol, where we held a productive, bipartisan dialogue on the USA–Israel relationship, ongoing regional challenges & anti-Semitism.“
  • Calvert (R-CA) 12/10/25: X-post – “I had the opportunity to speak at the @IsraelAllies Foundation lunch today in Washington DC about the importance of America’s relationship with our ally Israel.”
  • Sherman (D-CA) 12/10/25: X-post – “Pleased to meet today with Bolivia’s Foreign Minister, Fernando Aramayo Carrasco, at @AIPAC headquarters to discuss the historic reestablishment of diplomatic ties between #Bolivia and #Israel. Israel and Bolivia signed an agreement in Washington today committing to the full restoration of diplomatic relations and the opening of a new stage of strategic cooperation.“
  • Carter (R-GA) 12/10/25: X-post – “As a member of the Friends of Spain Congressional Caucus and the Caucus on the Kingdom of the Netherlands, I strongly condemn both countries’ withdrawal from the Eurovision Song Contest in an antisemitic protest of Israel’s participation. By aligning with those who support the murderous assault carried out by Hamas — a brutal and completely unprovoked attack against the State of Israel — Spain and the Netherlands’ cultural boycott risks legitimizing terror. I urge both governments to reverse their decision and reaffirm their commitment to the strongest democracy in the Middle East.“
  • Foxx (R-NC) 12/9/25: X-post – “Color me shocked… Anti-Zionism is antisemitism in another form. Israel exists. The Israeli people exist. Anti-Zionism seeks to deny Israel’s existence.” Responding to Jewish Insider article 12/9/25: Columbia antisemitism task force report finds all its Middle East faculty are anti-Zionist
  • Sessions (R-TX) 12/9/25: X-post – “I want to congratulate two strong pro-U.S. democracies, Costa Rica and Israel, on the signing of their new free trade agreement. As a Senior Member from Texas, I have long believed that when free nations work together, we strengthen prosperity, enhance our shared security, and counter the influence of malign actors who threaten global stability. This agreement reflects the power of democratic partnerships and the continued importance of standing with our allies.“
  • Kustoff (R-TN) 12/9/25: X-post – “Today, I hosted a roundtable with my colleagues on the House-Knesset Parliamentary Friendship Group and Speaker of the Knesset, Amir Ohana. We discussed how the United States and Israel can continue to strengthen our alliance, improve economic cooperation, and reinforce our shared commitment to stability in the Middle East.”
  • Mace (R-SC) 12/9/25: X-post – “The data speaks for itself: overwhelming majorities in Palestinian-administered territories support Hamas and reject accountability for its terrorism. Our No Amnesty for Hamas Sympathizers Act makes it clear: individuals who lived in these territories or who travel on Palestinian Authority documents will not receive Temporary Protected Status (TPS), parole, asylum, refugee status, or any other special immigration benefit.“
  • Lawler (R-NY) 12/8/25: X-post – “It was an honor to meet with Israeli President Herzog to discuss United States–Israel relations, and the importance of standing together against the rising tide of antisemitism. We are committed to strengthening the US-Israel partnership and ensuring that Jewish communities here in the United States feel safe, supported, and protected.”
  • Fetterman (D-PA) 12/8/25: X-post – “Hamas are rapists and cowards that can only target innocent civilians. The UN increasingly has become a venue to erase or cover for Hamas’ systematic depravity.” With screenshot of headline from the Jerusalem Post, In denying Hamas’s sexual atrocities, UN’s Reem Alsalem is complicit with terror – opinion
  • Hamedeh (R-AZ) 12/8/25: Op-ed in the Jerusalem Post – “American unity with Israel is more than just politics”
  • Rosen (D-NV) 12/5/25: X-post – “I’ve met with the families of American-Israeli hostages Itay Chen and Omer Neutra many times since the terrorist attacks on October 7, 2023. In the face of unimaginable suffering and heartbreak, their relentless advocacy for their sons and all of the hostages held by Hamas was an inspiration to me and countless others. May Itay and Omer’s memories be a blessing.“

Concerns About Israel

  • Schneider (D-IL) 12/9/25: SCHNEIDER CALLS FOR REMOVAL OF BEN GVIR AS ISRAEL’S SECURITY MINISTER. Also see Schneider’s X-post 12/9/25: “Itamar Ben Gvir’s conduct as Israel’s National Security Minister has long been detrimental to Israel’s national interests and its international standing. Given the recent findings by Israel’s Public Defender of widespread torture and abuse of detainees in Israel’s prisons, which Ben Gvir should never have been given authority over in the first place, he should be removed from office immediately.“

Gaza Genocide

  • Jayapal (D-WA) 12/11/25: X-post – “The Israeli government’s destruction of Gaza and their blocking of aid into the territory have only made the impacts of this severe storm worse. The United States must use our leverage to immediately get humanitarian aid into Gaza to save lives.” Linked to article: A winter storm chills Gaza and floods tent camps, exposing aid failures (Associated Press 12/11/25)
  • Sanders (I-VT) 12/11/25: X-post – “Pleased to see Dylan Collins and his family today. Dylan is a Vermonter & an American hero — a journalist wounded in an Israeli attack while reporting in Lebanon. For more than two years he’s been demanding an investigation of that criminal act. We stand with him.“
  • Welch (D-VT) 12/11/25: Welch Welcomes Vermonter Dylan Collins to U.S. Capitol, Demands Accountability for Netanyahu Govt’s Targeting of Journalists
  • Welch (D-VT) 12/11/25: X-post w/ video – “Members of Congress Host Press Conference about Israel’s Systematic Targeting of Journalists“
  • Welch (D-VT) 12/9/25: Welch to Join Journalist Dylan Collins, Members of Congress, Human Rights Leaders for Press Conference on Netanyahu Government’s Systematic Targeting of Journalists
  • Tlaib (D-MI) 12/5/25: X-post – “I’m deeply concerned for the health and safety of the brave anti-genocide political prisoners on hunger strike across the UK. I call on the UK government to act to ensure their wellbeing and to meet their basic, moral demands.“

Syria

  • Stutzman (R-IN) 12/10/25: X-post – “The new Syrian government must respect religious liberty, and work to bring people together rather than excluding anyone. Religious freedom is crucial to obtaining lasting peace. The more Syria is divided, the more unstable it becomes.“
  • Risch (R-ID) & Shaheen (D-NH) 12/8/25: Risch, Shaheen Statement on Anniversary of the Fall of the Assad Regime
  • Wilson (R-SC) 12/8/25: X-post – “Best wishes to the people of Syria on the 1st anniversary of Free Syria. Criminal Assad is in Moscow and the people of Syria are returning to their families to rebuild and Make Syria Great Again, thanks to the leadership of President Trump and President al-Sharaa. God bless the Syrian American community who have worked tirelessly to have their voices heard for peace and prosperity.“

Targeting Qatar (& Tucker Carlson)

  • Cruz (R-TX) 12/6/25: X-post – “For years, @TuckerCarlsonhas been accused of being on the payroll of Qatar. For years, he has denied it. This is now a BEAUTIFUL opportunity for him to try to clear his name. Tomorrow, Tucker is interviewing the Prime Minister of Qatar, in Doha. Tucker knows how to ask tough Qs. Here are a few he should ask: (1) Al Jazeera is a mouthpiece for anti-Americanism, antisemitism, and jihadist terrorism. Why does Qatar pour countless tens of millions into supporting it? (2) Why does Qatar back the Muslim Brotherhood, a group designated as a terrorist organization by several of Qatar’s neighbors, and which President Trump is also moving to designate? (3) Hamas planned the October 7 atrocities while Qatar hosted Hamas leadership. This included the kidnapping and murder of dozens of Americans. Even the Biden administration wanted Qatar to expel Hamas after hostage talks collapsed. Why did Qatar keep hosting Hamas leadership? (4) Speaking of which, on October 7, 2023, Qatar issued a statement saying Israel alone was responsible for the violence. Then, in September 2024, Qatar’s Emir said Israel was responsible for the war expanding to Lebanon. Is that still Qatar’s position? (5) Qatar is the only Gulf country that still maintains male guardianship and travel restrictions for women. When do you intend to join the civilized world? (6) How much is Qatar paying to fund antisemitic protests on U.S. college campuses? Why? (7) How much is Qatar paying to spy on US government officials? Why? (8) And finally, how much—exactly—are you paying conservative influencers to come to this conference and participate?”

Iran/Iraq/Lebanon/Hezbollah

  • Gottheimer (D-NJ) 12/11/25: X-post – “Allowing Hezbollah to rebuild would be devastating for Lebanon’s security and for the prospect of peace in the region. Lebanon has a clear obligation to act. Each day they fail to will embolden Hezbollah terrorists and Iran — the parent company of terror.“
  • Ernst (R-IA) 12/10/25: X-post – “For too long, the IRGC and Russia have evaded sanctions through illicit trade networks, which Iran has used to fund terrorism. My Iranian Sanctions Enforcement Act and GHOST Act would disrupt these criminals, so they do not enrich the Axis of Evil. After Biden refused to even enforce the sanctions on the books, today’s action is critical to stopping the smuggling.“
  • Min (D-CA) 12/10/25: X-post – “For Sudi Farokhnia, the internet is a lifeline, connecting her to her beloved aunt in Iran. But, rolling blackouts by the regime prevented her from contacting her family.  I introduced the FREEDOM act to use already available technologies to bypass Iran’s censorship and keep families connected.“
  • Wilson (R-SC) 12/10/25: X-post – “Fayiq Zaidan head of Iraq’s Higher Judicial Council issued orders to prosecute anyone who “undermines the legitimacy” of the so called Iraqi political system— basically anyone who criticizes Iran’s puppets! It is sad to see Iraq go back to the Baath era police state mentality going after the majority of its citizens simply for opposing domination by Iran and its puppets! We havent forgotten about the arrest warrant for President Trump for killing Iranian terrorist Soleimani. Free Iraq from Iran!“
  • Wilson (R-SC) 12/9/25: X-post – really long post opening with: “I appreciate the leadership of President Trump and his Special Envoy for Iraq, Mark Savaya, who has declared he wants to Make Iraq Great Again and made clear to Iraq that business as usual in supporting Iran-backed militias will not be tolerated. The time has come to free Iraq from Iran.” and closing with: “President Trump is bringing about a future of peace and prosperity, commerce and not conflict, to the peoples of the Middle East. Iraq can be a shining example of that with strong economic and diplomatic relationships with the United States, the Gulf, Syria, Türkiye, and others. This cannot happen if it continues to act as a puppet of Iran. The time has come to FREE IRAQ FROM IRAN.“

Saudi Arabia

  • Vindman (D-MD) 12/11/25: X-post – “While serving on Trump’s White House NSC, I reviewed a call between the Saudi Crown Prince and Trump following the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. It was shocking. The American people deserve to know what was said. Release the transcript.“

Islamophobia

  • Fine (R-FL) 12/6/25: X-post – “Grateful to the Trump Administration for tackling Muslim fraud head on! Taqqiya has no place in government programs.”
  • Fine (R-FL) 12/5/25: X-post – “Here’s a Democrat criticizing me for having an issue with Muslims shutting down roads in order to ‘pray.’ I am absolutely filled with hate — for Democrats and mainstream Muslims trying to destroy America. They are the ones that should not be tolerated. Deport away.” Responding to Lee (D-PA)‘s X-post calling out Fine’s post characterizing a photo of Muslims praying in a street in Brooklyn with the comment “The barbarians are no longer outside the gate. They are inside.” Notably, some commentators on X responded, aptly, with video of masses of orthodox Jews gathering in a street in Brooklyn.

Conflation of Criticism of Israel as Antisemitism

  • Cruz (R-TX) 12/5/25: X-post – “It’s sad—tragic—that attacking Jewish leaders is now a real path to advancement in today’s Democrat party.” [piling on to the manufactured controversy over a spokesman for Van Hollen (D-MD) pushing back against a Jewish organizational leader who attacked Van Hollen, covered in detail in last week’s Round-Up. My additional comment on this whole idiotic story: “The Ven diagram [VENN diagram, not VEN diagram; sorry for my typo — argh] representing orgs/leaders/influencers who are outraged over Van Hollen’s criticism of a US Jewish org leader (who viciously attacked him), & people/orgs that for 2+ years been silent about or defended Israeli genocide/ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, is a circle.“]

Other stuff

  • Khanna (D-CA) 12/7/25: X-post – “I was honored to speak with Rabbi Heath Watenmaker at Congregation Beth Am and Rabbi Dana Magat at Congregation Emanu-El. We had an open discussion with congregants on antisemitism & a path forward for Israel and Gaza.   I came away hopeful that with more dialogue, more understanding, and more engagement, we can find a way for healing and peace in our nation and world.“

5. Selected Media

Israel on the Hill

Gaza & Related

Israel/AIPAC/etc in US elex/politics – general

Israel/AIPAC/etc in US elex/politics – New York

Israel/AIPAC/etc in US elex/politics – North Carolina

Israel/AIPAC/etc in US elex/politics – Virginia

Israel/AIPAC/etc in US elex/politics – Illinois

Israel/AIPAC/etc in US elex/politics – California

Israel/AIPAC/etc in US elex/politics – Marjorie Taylor Green

Targeting the Muslim Brotherhood

Other stuff