FMEP Legislative Round-Up February 28, 2025

Resource

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

New:

1. Bills & Resolutions

ISRAEL & PALESTINE

(TARGETING THE PLO/PA) HR 1710 [bill text]: Introduced 2/27/25 by Lawler (R-NY) and 3 cosponsors (bipartisan), “To impose sanctions with respect to the system of compensation of the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority that supports acts of terrorism.” Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs,  the Committees on Financial Services, and the Judiciary Committee. Also see: Reps. Lawler, Tenney, Gottheimer, and Moskowitz Reintroduce Bill to Sanction Palestinian Officials and Entities That Fund Terrorism; Gottheimer Leads Bipartisan Legislation to End Payments for Terrorism Against Israel; Congresswoman Tenney Reintroduces the PLO and PA Terror Payments Accountability Act

(TARGETING HAMAS & ANYONE ASSOCIATED WITH HAMAS) S. 762: Introduced 2/27/25 by Blackburn (R-TN) and Rosen (D-NV), “A bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to deny immigration benefits to aliens who carried out, participated in, planned, financed, supported, or otherwise facilitated the October 2023 attacks against Israel,” aka the “No Immigration Benefits for Hamas Terrorists Act.” Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Also see:

(OPPOSING MORE WEAPONS FOR ISRAEL) On  2/25/25, Sen. Sanders (I-VT) introduced 3 resolutions disapproving of proposed foreign military sales to Israel of certain defense articles and services — S. J. Res. 25, S. J. Res. 26, and S. J. Res. 27. All were referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. These are in addition to the four resolutions disapproving of proposed foreign military sales to Israel of certain defense articles and services he introduced 2/20/25:S. J. Res. 20, S. J. Res. 21, S. J. Res. 22, and S. J. Res. 23. Also see:

IRAN

(SUPPORTING IRANIAN PEOPLE WHO OPPOSE IRANIAN GOVT) H. Res. 166: Introduced 2/26/25 by McClintock (R-CA) and 151 cosponsors (bipartisan), “Expressing support for the Iranian people’s desires for a democratic, secular, and nonnuclear Republic of Iran, and condemning the Iranian regime’s terrorism, regional proxy war, internal suppression, and for other purposes.”  Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

(IRAN SANCTIONS/MAHAN AIR) HR 1489: Introduced 2/21/25 by Mills (R-FL) and 4 Republican cosponsors,  “To provide for the application of sanctions regarding Mahan Air.“  Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

(TARGETING IRAN) S. Res. 101: Introduced 2/27/25 by Graham (R-SC), Fetterman (D-PA), and Britt (R-AL), “A resolution affirming the threats to world stability from a nuclear weapons-capable Islamic Republic of Iran.” Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (

OTHER STUFF

(US OUT OF UN) HR 1498: Introduced 2/21/25 by Roy (R-TX) and 8 Republican cosponsors. “To terminate membership by the United States in the United Nations, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Roy, Chip [Rep.-R-TX-21] (Introduced 02/21/2025) Cosponsors: (8) Committees: House – Foreign Affairs Latest Action: House – 02/21/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. NOTE: This is the House companion to S. 669 [bill text], introduced 2/20/25 by Lee (R-UT), Blackburn (R-TN), and Scott (R-FL).
(EXPANDING JASTA) HR 1530 // S. 706: Introduced 2/24/25 in the House by Lawler (R-NY) and 22 cosponsors (bipartisan), and in the Senate 2/25/25 by Cornyn (R-TX) and 4 cosponsors (bipartisan) “To amend the Justice for United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Act to clarify and supplement the funding sources for United States victims of state-sponsored terrorism to ensure consistent and meaningful distributions from the United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund, and for other purposes.” Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.  Also see: press releases – Blumenthal & Cornyn Introduce Bill to Ensure U.S. Victims of Terrorism Receive Compensation;

(REPEAL IRAQ AUMF) HR 1488: Introduced 2/21/25 by Meeks (D-NY) and 21 cosponsors (bipartisan), “To repeal the authorizations for use of military force against Iraq.”  Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Also see: press release – Rep. Roy, Meeks Re-Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Repeal the 1991, 2002 Authorizations for Use of Military Force (AUMF)

2. Letters

3. Hearings

March 5, 2024: The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing entitled, Never To Be Silent: Stemming the Tide of Antisemitism in America. No witnesses have been announced as of this writing. Also see: Senate Judiciary Committee to hold antisemitism hearing on March 5 (Jewish Insider 2/26/25 – “…Next week’s hearing will be the first specifically focused on antisemitism in the Senate since the Hamas attacks on Oct. 7, 2023. No Senate committee held hearings focused on the subject in the last Congress, with Democrats and then Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) largely avoiding the issue while in control of the upper chamber.  The hearing’s singular concern with antisemitism marks a shift from how Democrats on the Judiciary Committee approached the issue when they held the majority. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), who chaired the committee until Republicans retook the Senate, declined requests from his GOP colleagues to hold a hearing specifically on rising antisemitism...” — NOTE — Jewish Insider’s summary of that last hearing omits the fact that Republican members of the Senate hijacked the hearing to attack the one Muslim-American on the panel, as reported in real time in the Round-Up, and as covered widely in the media, including: GOP senator insults Arab American advocate at hearing on hate crimes (Washington Post); Racist questions are asked as Arab American rights leader testifies at hearing (NPR); Senator tells activist to hide her ‘head in a bag’ during hate crimes hearing (AP); Sen. John Kennedy used a Senate hearing on hate crimes to spew hate (MSNBC)

March 5, 2025: The House Committee on Foreign Affairs will hold a hearing entitled, Bridging the Gap: Turkey Between East and West. Scheduled witnesses are: Anna Borschevskaya (WINEP); Jonathan Schanzer (FDD); and Celeste Wallander (CNAS).

February 26, 2025: The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform’s Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency (DOGE) held a hearing entitled, America Last: How Foreign Aid Undermined U.S. Interests Around the World. This hearing was exactly what one would expect, given the hearing title and 3 out of 4 of the witnesses (including grandstanding attacks — by members and witnesses — on USAID for allegedly funding terrorism in the form of support for anything related to Palestinians; attacks on Palestinians, attacks on UNRWA, etc). Those witnesses were: Max Primorac, The Heritage Foundation (statement); Gregg Roman, Middle East Forum (statement); and Tyler O’Neil, The Daily Signal (statement); a late-added minority witness was Noam Unger , Director of the Sustainable Development and Resilience Initiative, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) (statement). Also see:

February 25, 2025: The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform’s Subcommittee on Military and Foreign Affairs held a hearing entitled, Emerging Global Threats: Putting America’s National Security First. This hearing was exactly what one would expect, given the hearing title and given the witnesses. Those witnesses were: Meaghan Mobbs, Director, Center for the American Safety and Security, Independent Women’s Forum (statement, which includes: “USAID poured money into projects that have ties to terrorist groups and have espoused anti-Israel commentary” and “reports surfaced that UN forces in Lebanon accepted bribes from Hezbollah, undermining their mission and endangering Israel“); Brent Sadler, The Heritage Foundation (statement); Jacob Olidort, Center for American Security, America First Policy Institute (statement); and late-add witness Minority Charles A. Kupchan, Professor of International Affairs, The School of Foreign Service and Government Department, Georgetown University (statement). The hearing including grandstanding aplenty using Hamas-related allegations as the hook.  Also see:

February 25, 2025: The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing to consider nominations to a number of posts in the Trump Administration, including Harmeet Dhillon to be an Assistant Attorney General for the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division (video). Among other things, the hearing included senator demanding that the Justice Department target protest for Palestinian lives/rights on campus in the name of fighting antisemitism, and Dhillon agreeing that this should and will happen. Also see:

February 25, 2025: The House Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Defense held a Member Day (a day for members to lobby in the Committee around their own priorities for the Defense Appropriations bill the Committee is getting set to consider/pass. Usually such lobbying is linked to equities in their district, like military bases or local industry). However, Rep. Gillen (D-NY) delivered a 3-page statement focused on grandstanding in support of…aid for Israel (support for which is already bipartisan), in various defense programs/categories, totaling $547.5 million (this is  in addition to the more than $3 billion in military aid for Israel that will be included in the State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill).

4. Selected Members on the Record

Reversing Biden Memo Theoretically Applying US Law to Arms Sales

Re: Sanders’s Resolutions of Disapproval

  • Senate Republicans 2/24/25: X-post – “Last year, Joe Biden sided with Hamas and blocked weapon shipments to Israel. Radical Senators like Bernie Sanders and Jon Ossoff went even further, voting for a near arms embargo against our closest ally in the Middle East. Now, they’re trying to do it again” [linked to Jewish Insider article on Sanders’s resolutions of disapproval]
  • Senate Republicans [specifically targeting Sen. Ossoff, D-GA] 2/24/25: X-post – “Bernie Sanders is once again trying to block life-saving military aid to Israel. Will @SenateDems like @ossoff join him again?” [linked to Jewish Insider article on Sanders’s resolutions of disapproval]

Supporting Israel & Israeli Military Action Against Syria, Palestinians

  • Bacon (R-NE) 2/28/25: X-post – “This week, I had a productive meeting with MK Amit Halevi of the Israel Knesset and @aviabelow to discuss the importance of continuing our support for Israel. Israel is one of our closest allies, and it’s in our national interest to support them.“
  • Gottheimer (D-NJ) 2/27/25: X-post – “The Ayatollah & the Iranian regime openly threaten Israel and the Jewish people. I won’t turn a blind eye to Iran continuing its efforts to obtain a nuclear weapon. America must stand firm to stop any threat to our national security and our allies.“
  • Self (R-TX) 2/26/25: X-post – “Recently, I visited Israel with several of my House Republican colleagues. Walking through the kibbutzim in the south where Hamas slaughtered Israeli families was very sobering. We were also deeply moved by the incredible acts of courage and resilience that the Israeli people demonstrated. We stand with Israel now and always!”
  • Fetterman (D-PA) 2/24/25: X-post – “Think of it as a PSA for what happens if you fire thousands of rockets at innocent Israeli civilians for months.” [commenting on Times of Israel headline: “On day of Nasrallah funeral, Israel publishes video of strike that killed him”]
  • Hamadeh (R-AZ) 2/23/25: X-post – “Gaza was under Israeli control up until 2005, and there was not a single missile fired into Israeli territory. But after Israel unilaterally withdrew from Gaza, they elected Hamas, and there’s been destruction, chaos, and misery for all sides. President Trump understands the game Hamas is playing, and that’s why he’s taking such an active part in negotiations. Whatever solution is found in that region is not going to involve Hamas.“

Abraham Accords

  • Schneider (D-IL) 2/21/25: SCHNEIDER, COLLEAGUES RELAUNCH BIPARTISAN ABRAHAM ACCORDS CAUCUS
  • Wilson (R-SC) 2/24/25: X-post – “Working against peace is the new platform of the @_AfricanUnion and their diabolical attempts to sabotage the Abraham Accords, harming the achievements of President Trump! Israel’s African alliances remain, unbroken at the hands of failed dictator @CyrilRamaphosa“

Targeting Academia & Protest for Palestinian Lives/Rights

  • Gottheimer (D-NJ) 2/28/25: X-post – “Violent anti-Israel protesters stormed a building and assaulted a staff member at Barnard College this week.    These disgusting acts of violence are completely unacceptable — full stop. We must pass my bipartisan Antisemitism Awareness Act into law to protect Jewish students.“
  • Owens (R-UT) 2/27/25: X-post – “As Israel and the world mourned Shiri Bibas and her two young sons—murdered & paraded through the streets by Hamas—Columbia students defended their killers. Absolutely disgusting.” [including long video of protesters who at no point defend the killers of Bibas and her sons]
  • Hudson (R-NC) 2/27/25: X-post – “Radical pro-Hamas mobs do NOT belong on college campuses or anywhere in America. There must be ZERO tolerance for antisemitism and anti-Israel hate. Barnard College and Columbia University — end this chaos NOW.“
  • Gottheimer (D-NJ) 2/21/25: Gottheimer Statement on Rutgers University Lecturer’s Participation in Hamas-Affiliated Webinar

Standing with US Jews = Support for Israel

  • LaLota (R-NY) 2/23/25: X-post – “With ongoing events in the Middle East, it’s vital to support our Jewish community. Met with Rabbi Berel Lerman of the Center For Jewish Life of NY to discuss how we can stand together. The U.S. must continue to support Israel.“
  • Sherman (D-CA) 2/21/25: X-post – “On this somber day of mourning in the Jewish community, it was comforting to spend time with friends at the annual Jewish National Fund @JNFUSA “Stand With #Israel” event.“

AIPAC conference

  • Many members posted about their appearances at or attendance at AIPAC’s conference in DC this week; many more posted about their meeting with AIPAC-led groups on the Hill. Check members’ social media accounts and websites to see who posted what.

5. Selected Media

119th Congress Stands with [Greater] Israel!

How Dare Anyone in Congress NOT Stand With Israel 110%?

Miscellaneous Other Stuff