Weekly Legislative Round-Up
June 28, 2024

Brought to you in cooperation with Americans for Peace Now, where the Round-Up was born!

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

This week’s round-up was guest-written by Haydn Welch and Sheridan Cole, advocacy officers at the Middle East Democracy Center, with contributions by Lara Friedman.

1. Bills & Resolutions

(Well-Being of Refugees) H.Res.1314 and S.Res.743: Introduced 6/21/24 by Lieu (D-CA) and 58 cosponsors in the House and Cardin (D-MD) and 22 cosponsors in the Senate, “Reaffirming the importance of the United States promoting the safety, health, and well-being of refugees and displaced persons in the United States and around the world.” H.Res.1314 referred to the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Judiciary Committee; S.Res.743 referred to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. [The text notes that approximately 75 percent of the population of Gaza have been internally displaced.] Also see: press release – Rep Lieu and Sen Cardin Lead Bicameral Resolution Supporting Refugees Worldwide

(Shielding IDF From Accountability) H.Res.1323: Introduced 6/26/24 by Burchett (R-TN) and cosponsored by Moskowitz (D-FL), Lawler (R-NY), and Gottheimer (D-NJ), “Rejecting the United Nations decision to place the Israel Defense Force on a list of child’s rights abusers.” Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Also see: press release – Rep. Burchett introduces bipartisan resolution defending IDF against UN condemnation

FY25 SFOPs – House
Lara’s full analysis/summary of the Middle East-related details of the FY25 SFOPs bill and the accompanying report is available here.

>>State-of-play: On 6/28, the House of Representatives passed the FY25 Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act in a heavily lopsided vote of 212 – 200, with only one Democrat (Gluesenkamp Perez D-WA), voting in favor.

>>Amendments of Note That Were Adopted

• Amendment from Moskowitz (D-FL) that prohibits funds being made available for the State Department to cite statistics obtained from the Gaza Health Ministry. The amendment passed 269 – 144, with 62 Democrats joining Republicans to adopt the amendment.
  • See also: Tlaib (D-MI) 6/27/24 X-post and floor speech condemning the amendment. [“It’s disgusting that my colleagues would support legislation to prohibit U.S. officials from even citing the Palestinian death toll. They want to erase the Palestinians who are living, and now they are trying to erase the Palestinians who are dead. This is genocide denial.”]
  • The Intercept 6/27/24: 62 Democrats Join 207 Republicans in Vote to Conceal Gaza Death Toll
• Amendment from Connolly (D-VA) that “increases and decreases funding by $5 million to support civil society in Tunisia and express concern for Tunisia’s authoritarian trajectory and an intensified crackdown against political opponents which has dissolved parliament, annulled the existing constitution, and disbanded the independent judicial system.” The amendment was passed en bloc.
• Amendment from Waltz (R-FL) that prohibits funds from SFOPs appropriations bill being used to support the Gaza aid pier. The amendment passed 209 – 200.
• Amendment from Ogles (R-TN) that prohibits the use of funds from being used to administer or enforce National Security Memorandum 20, which “directs the Department of State to seek assurances from partners involved in conflict and receiving U.S. military grant assistance that they would abide by U.S. and international law.” The amendment passed 216 to 197.

FY25 Defense Appropriations – House

>State-of-play: On 6/28, the House of Representatives passed the FY25 Defense appropriations bill in a similarly lopsided vote, 217 – 198, with five Democrats voting in favor.

>Amendments of Note That Were Adopted

Amendments from Ogles (R-TN) that recommends that the U.S. Army and the Defense Security Cooperation Agency “should not participate in the Eurosatory exhibition or any international defense exposition that restricts or threatens to restrict the full participation of Israeli-owned companies.” Both amendments were passed en bloc.

 

2. Letters

• 6/26/24: Rogers (R-AL) Urges Biden Admin to Immediately Cease Failed Gaza Pier Operation [“Three and a half months since the President’s announcement of a maritime corridor for Gaza and at least $230 million wasted, the operation has been riddled with setbacks, sidelined more often than operational, and can only be classified as a gross waste of taxpayer dollars.”]
• 6/26/24: Schiff (D-CA), Goldman (D-NY)  Urge Clarity on Biden Administration’s Omission of Hamas Sexual Violence in Fact Sheet [letter text]
  • On June 27, the Biden administration updated its conflict-related sexual violence fact sheet to include multiple references to Hamas.
  • Also see: Jewish Insider 6/27/24: White House adds 10/7 reference to sexual violence fact sheet after criticism from Jewish Dems; press release 6/27/24: Reps. Schiff, Goldman Applaud Biden Administration for Condemnation of Sexual Violence by Hamas, Continued Support of Israel
• 6/25/24: Tom Cotton (R-TX) Demands Action From DOJ and White House on Synagogue Attack by Pro-Hamas Mob [letter text] [“I call for the administration to conduct a manhunt for every one of these antisemitic, pro-terrorist rioters with the same vigor it used to prosecute non-violent Trump supporters who were at the Capitol on January 6. Failure to act would only further expose this administration’s pro-Hamas bias.”]
  • Also see: New York Times 6/24/24: Biden and Democratic Leaders Condemn Protest Outside L.A. Synagogue as Antisemitic, Associated Press 6/27/24: Feds investigating violence during pro-Palestinian protest outside Los Angeles synagogue, The Guardian 6/26/24: Efforts to sell ‘Anglo neighborhoods in Israel’ at LA synagogue erupt in protests
  • Members of Congress condemned the protest on Twitter/X, including: Padilla (D-CA), Stevens (D-MI), Meng (D-CA), Schumer (D-NY), Khanna (D-CA), Lawler (R-NY), Scalise (R-LA), Blackburn (R-TN), and many more.
• 6/24/24: James Comer (R-KY) Presses American Muslims for Palestine to Produce Requested Information Related to the Funding of Illegal, Pro-Hamas Activities
• 6/21/2024: Burgess Owens (R-UT), Andrew Ogles (R-TN), Jefferson Van Drew (R-NY), Elise Stefanik (R-NY) Urge Northwestern University in Qatar to Sever Ties with Al Jazeera  
• 6/20/24: Steil (R-WI) Calls on Federal Agencies to Ensure U.S.-Nonprofits Are Not Supporting Terrorist Activity [letter text 1] [letter text 2]
• 6/20/24: Cotton (R-TX) Cotton to Mayorkas: Your Job Is to Protect our Borders, Not Interrogate our Allies [letter text] [“Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents are reportedly asking Israelis applying for permanent U.S. resident status detailed questions about their time in the Israeli Defense Forces that go far beyond previous standard inquiries. If true, this Administration is expending a disgraceful amount of time, energy, and resources in a thinly veiled attempt to “prove” IDF members have committed hypothetical war crimes.”]

 

3. Hearings & Markups

6/26/24:The House Committee on Education and the Workforce’s Subcommittee on Workforce Protections held a hearing entitled, “Combating Workplace Antisemitism in Postsecondary Education: Protecting Employees from Discrimination.” Witnesses included Mark Rienzi, President and CEO of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, Professor Brian Keating of the University of California, San Diego, Melissa Emrey-Arras, the Director of Education, Workforce, and Income Security at the U.S. Government Accountability Office, and Professor Dafna Golden of Mt. San Antonio College. [Excerpt from Rep Kiley R-CA)’s opening statement: “College may be out for the summer for the most part, but the rise of antisemitism remains a grave risk to students, faculty, and American higher education…It cannot be tolerated.”] NOTE: Witness Brian Keating, in response to a question from Rep. Stefanik (R-NY), recommended the banning of masks and “full head gear and covering” as a tool to address rising antisemitism on campuses.

4. Israel/Palestine in 2024 Elex/PoliticsNew York

• New York Times 6-25-24: Bowman Falls to Latimer in a Loss for Progressive Democrats [“Mr. Bowman was defeated by George Latimer, the Westchester County executive, in a race that became the year’s ugliest intraparty brawl and the most expensive House primary in history.”] See also: Associated Press, Politico, WSJ, Haaretz, BBC
• Washington Post 6/25/24: Why Jamaal Bowman’s New York primary is huge for pro-Israel groups [“Unseating Bowman would be the strongest sign yet that criticizing Israel is a recipe for heartburn and may at least be a contributing factor in an incumbent’s loss. It would also be a particularly significant victory given that these groups failed to stop Bowman in 2020 — and given that the Democratic base has trended sharply away from Israel in recent months.”]
• The Intercept 6/25/24: Half-Hearted Attempts By Democratic Leaders Couldn’t Save Jamaal Bowman From AIPAC’s Attacks
• New York Times 6-25-24: 5 Takeaways From Jamaal Bowman’s Loss
• Responsible Statecraft 6/26/24: Bowman crushed by GOP-fueled AIPAC cash [“But Latimer’s win also provided the most dramatic proof of concept for a controversial new strategy by AIPAC, the country’s biggest pro-Israel lobby: using its super-PAC, United Democracy Project, to funnel millions of dollars in Republican donor funds into a Democratic primary.”]
  • Delia Ramirez (D-IL) X-post: [“The outcome out of NY should concern everyone who cares about Democracy and dark money in politics. Far right Republican mega donors funded a $15 mil misinformation campaign to unseat a progressive Congressman, in a democratic primary, for daring to fight for peace and justice.”]
• Axios 6/26/24: Democrats groan at AIPAC “overkill” against Jamaal Bowman [“A senior House Democrat said spending at this volume inevitably has a chilling effect on lawmakers, saying of AIPAC: ‘They do that a lot.’”]

Missouri

• Politico 6/27/24: The Squad could lose a second member. It’s not the warning sign you may think. [“Notably, both AIPAC and DMFI passed on spending in Rep. Summer Lee’s (D-Pa.) race, the first member of the Squad to face a primary challenge this year. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) crushed her primary opponent on Tuesday. And most members of the Squad didn’t even draw a challenger, including Reps. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) — though there was a recruitment effort — and Greg Casar (D-Texas). Neither group has indicated that they’re jumping into Rep. Ilhan Omar’s (D-Minn.) primary, where she faces Don Samuels, a former member of the Minneapolis City Council who came close to unseating her in the midterms.”]
• Axios 6/26/24: All eyes on Cori Bush after fellow “Squad” member’s ouster [“Unlike Bowman, Bush hasn’t been endorsed by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) or his top deputies, Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) and Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.). Those endorsements are forthcoming, two House Democratic leadership sources told Axios, with one saying they will happen “eventually.”]
• USA Today 6/26/24: Will Cori Bush be ousted like Bowman? New poll shows her opponent leading by one poin

 

5. Selected Media & Press releases/statements

Netanyahu & The Hill

• New York Times op-ed, authored by David Harel, Tamir Pardo, Talia Sasson, Ehud Barak, Aaron Ciechanover, and David Grossman, 6-26-24: Netanyahu Does Not Speak for Us. Congress Should Disinvite Him [“But Congress has made a terrible mistake. Mr. Netanyahu’s appearance in Washington will not represent the State of Israel and its citizens, and it will reward his scandalous and destructive conduct toward our country.”]
• Roll Call 6/28/24: Progressive staffers call on their bosses to boycott Netanyahu visit [“Ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s planned speech to Congress in July, House and Senate staffers are circulating a letter calling on Democrats to protest or skip it. ‘This is not an issue of politics, but an issue of morality,’ the letter reads.”]
• Politico 6/22/24: ‘No one knows what he’s going to say’: White House fears mount about Bibi’s DC visit [“The big unknown, the senior official admitted, is if Netanyahu will use the moment to offer any specific criticisms of Biden or his response to Israel’s operations in Gaza. The West Wing is keenly aware of Netanyahu’s precarious domestic political situation, in which he is trying to placate the far-right members of his coalition who want further escalation of the war against Hamas. For the prime minister, being perceived at home as fighting Biden could be helpful.”]
• Associated Press 6/23/24: Democrats wrestle with whether to attend Netanyahu’s address to Congress as many plan to boycott

Congressional Visits to Israel

• Landsman (D-OH) 6-24-24: Landsman Returns from Bipartisan Congressional Visit to Israel [“The major military operations in Gaza are likely coming to an end within weeks, and Hamas’ military and governing capabilities appear to have been effectively destroyed. Ending Hamas’s reign will allow Israel and the Palestinians to move forward in peace. The remaining priority must be to get every hostage home and ensure the surge in humanitarian aid gets to every corner of Gaza.”]
• The Hill 6-26-24: Netanyahu meets with Fetterman: ‘Israel has had no better friend’
  • See also: The New Yorker 6-24-24: John Fetterman’s War; Isaac Herzog 6-25-24: X-post, Netanyahu 6-26-24: X-post [“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with US Senator John Fetterman, and thanked him for his visit and his consistent support of Israel. The PM told the Senator that his standing up to pro-Palestinian demonstrators, while waving an Israeli flag, was courageous and heart-warming.”]

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant’s Visit to DC

• Washington Post 6-26-24: U.S. war aid of $6.5 billion discussed during ‘productive’ Gallant visit [“In the early weeks of the conflict, emergency shipments to Israel were expedited aboard U.S. military aircraft. In a few instances at the end of last year, the administration also invoked emergency authorities to bypass Congress in order to approve the sale of arms and ammunition to Israel, a move that prompted objections from some Democratic lawmakers about the fast-rising civilian death toll in Gaza as Israel stepped up its bombing campaign and ground operations.”]
• Reuters 6-26-24: Israeli defense chief says progress made on munitions supply in US talks [“‘During the meetings we made significant progress, obstacles were removed and bottlenecks were addressed, in order to advance a variety of issues, and more specifically the topic of force build-up and munition supply that we must bring to the State of Israel,’ Gallant said in a statement.”]
• Yoav Gallant 6-23-24: X-post [“Great discussion with Senator @LindseyGrahamSC about the importance of ongoing U.S. support as we work to bring the hostages home, continue dismantling Hamas capabilities and defend our northern border against Hezbollah. Thank you Senator, for standing with Israel.”]
• Yoav Gallant 6-25-24: X-post [“Thank you Leader @SteveScalise for standing with Israel and for the warm welcome from the Chairmen of the House Committees. Your leadership and friendship is critical to the U.S. – Israel relationship.”]
• House Foreign Affairs Committee Majority 6-25-24: X-post [“CHM @RepMcCaul: ‘I had a productive meeting today with Israeli Defense Minister @yoavgallant. We discussed Iran’s role as the head of the snake, backing terror proxies in the Middle East & I reiterated the importance of strong U.S. deterrence through support for our ally Israel.’”]

Pro-Israel Lobbying

• Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) 6-25-24: Sinema & Arizona AIPAC discuss her strong support for Israel & growing antisemitism against Jewish community
• Yoav Gallant 6-23-24: X-post [“Thank you to @AIPAC leaders Howard Kohr and Arne Christenson for an important discussion at the start of my visit to Washington. Committed to ensuring a strong U.S.- Israel alliance. The United States is the most important ally of Israel – and more central than ever before.”]

Other stuff

• Responsible Statecraft/Blaise Malley 6/27/24: These are the craziest ‘pro-Israel’ votes on the Hill today
• Punchbowl News 6/27/24: Gottheimer [D-NJ] talks bipartisanship, Netanyahu and the presidential debate