FMEP Legislative Round-Up March 6, 2026

Resource

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

US/Israel War with Iran

  • (REMOVE U.S. FROM UNAUTHORIZED WAR WITH IRAN) S. J. Res. 104: Introduced 1/29/26 by Kaine (D-VA) and 27 cosponsors [24 Democrats plus Sanders (I-VT) 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.” Defeated in the Senate 3/4/26 by a vote of 47-5 [the vote was on a motion to discharge the resolution from the Committee on Foreign Relations]. All Democrats except for Fetterman (D-PA) voted in favor; all Republicans except for Paul (R-KY) voted against. Also see: Senate rejects bid to restrain Trump’s war in Iran (Axios 3/4/26); Senate defeats resolution to halt Iran war, largely along party lines (Jewish Insider 3/4/26); Senate Republicans Block War Powers Limits as Mideast Crisis Widens (New York Times 3/4/26); War Powers resolution fails in Senate as Democrats scramble to figure out position on Iran war (Mondoweiss 3/5/26). NOTE: Pretty much every senator made some kind of statement regarding his/her vote on S. J. Res. 104 – check websites and social media accounts to see what a specific senator said.
  • (REMOVE U.S. FROM UNAUTHORIZED WAR WITH IRAN) H. Con. Res. 38: Introduced 6/17/25 by Massie (R-KY) and having 94 cosponsors (all Democrats), “Directing the President pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution to remove United States Armed Forces from unauthorized hostilities in the Islamic Republic of Iran.“ Brought to the House floor 3/4/26; the Chair declared the measure defeated by a Voice Vote. After a roll call vote was demanding, the measure was defeated by a vote of 212-219, thanks to 4 Democrats voting “no” [Democrats voting NO were: Cuellar (D-TX), Golden (D-ME), Landsman (D-OH), and Vargas (D-CA); Republicans voting YES were: Massie (R-KY) and Davidson (R-OH)]. The Arab Center Washington’s Yousef Munayyer commented on the vote on X: “This tells you the outcome was managed by AIPAC Shakur Jeffries. Allowing exactly the amount of Dems needed to defeat this is the tell. Dems will pose as if they worked to stop this in most races but in reality it is staged.” NOTE: Pretty much every House member made some kind of statement regarding H. Con. Res. 38 – check websites and social media accounts to see what a specific member said. Also see: statement from Rep. Moskowitz (D-FL), explaining why, after hearing from Trump Admin briefers, he changed his mind about voting NO on this resolution, and decided to vote YES; and Gottheimer (D-NJ) statement on his “YES” vote, stating that there will be a vote on his resolution (H. Con. Res. 75 – below) the week of March 26. HFAC Ranking member Meeks (D-NY) also announced that “he would force a vote on his own Iran War Powers Resolution introduced last year if President Trump’s war of choice continues past 60 days.” Also see: House narrowly defeats war powers resolution to end operations in Iran (Jewish Insider 3/5/26); House defeats Iran war powers resolution as Democrats wrestle with Israel (The Forward 3/5/26)
  • (REMOVE U.S. FROM IRAN WAR, BUT NOT UNTIL YOU’VE HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO FIRST WAGE THE WAR YOU WANT TO WAGE) H. Con. Res. 75: Introduced 3/4/36 by Gottheimer (D-NJ) and 8 Democratic cosponsors, “Directing the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, to remove the United States Armed Forces from hostilities against the Islamic Republic of Iran.“ Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Also see: Gottheimer press release 3/3/26 — DEMOCRATS INTRODUCE NEW WAR POWERS RESOLUTION [“President Has Thirty Days to Present Case for Extended Aggression to Congress, American People; No Ground Troops Without Explicit Congressional Approval; Congress, Relevant Committees Must be Regularly Briefed During Thirty-Day Period“]; Also see: House Iran War Powers Resolution Could Lose Support to Competing Bill by Pro-Israel Democrat [“The Senate version already failed, with Fetterman once again casting the only Democratic vote against imposing restrictions on Trump’s Iran war.”] (The Intercept 3/4/26); Moderate House Democrats pitch alternative war powers resolution on Iran (Jewish Insider 3/3/26); House Dems tells Trump to convince Congress soon or end war in Iran (Jewish News Syndicate 3/4/26).
  • (IRAN = TERRORISM) H. Res. 1099: Introduced 3/4/26 by Mast (R-FL) and two Republican cosponsors, “Reaffirming Iran remains the largest state sponsor of terrorism” [in essence, a resolution making the case for why the Trump Administration attacked Iran]. Brought to the floor immediately (3/4/26) under suspension of the rules, passed by a vote of 372-53. Also see: Why did 53 Democrats vote against describing Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism? (Jewish Insider 3/5/26)
  • (REMOVE U.S. FROM UNAUTHORIZED WAR WITH IRAN) S. J. Res. 114: Introduced 3/5/26 by Baldwin (D-WI), “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.
  • (REMOVE U.S. FROM UNAUTHORIZED WAR WITH IRAN)  S. J. Res. 115: Introduced 3/5/26 by Murphy (D-CT) and 3 Democratic cosponsors, “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 red to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
  • (REMOVE U.S. FROM UNAUTHORIZED WAR WITH IRAN) S. J. Res. 116: Introduced 3/5/26 by Murphy (D-CT) and 3 Democratic cosponsors, “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.
  • (REMOVE U.S. FROM UNAUTHORIZED WAR WITH IRAN) S. J. Res. 117: Introduced 3/5/26 by Schiff (D-CA) and 3 Democratic cosponsors, “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.
  • (REMOVE U.S. FROM UNAUTHORIZED WAR WITH IRAN) S. J. Res. 118: Introduced 3/5/26 by Booker (D-NJ) and 3 Democratic cosponsors, “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.

Other stuff

  • (CONDEMNING SETTLER TERRORISM, SETTLEMENT EXPANSION, ETC) H. Res. 1092:  Introduced 3/2/26 by Khanna (D-CA), “Condemning Israeli settlement expansion, settler violence, and related human rights abuses in the West Bank, and calling for accountability and specific United States policy responses to deter further violations and protect the viability of a negotiated two-State solution.”  Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Committee on the Judiciary. Also see: Exclusive: Ro Khanna to introduce sweeping resolution condemning Israeli settlements, settler violence (Middle East Eye 2/26/26)
  • (TARGETING US 501c3 SECTOR) HR 7799 [bill text]: Introduced 3/4/26 by Moran (R-TX), “To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide that 501(c)(3) organizations are liable for the use of funding provided as a fiscal sponsor,” aka the “Stop Proxy Organizations Nurturing Subversive Operations and Riots (SPONSOR) Act.” Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means. NOTE: this is the House version of S. 3942, covered in last week’s Round-Up. This week Cruz (R-TX), lead sponsor of S. 3942, issued a press release laying out the explicit intent behind the legislation.

Media related to legislation previously covered in the Round-Up:

2. Letters

3. Hearings & Markups

March 5, 2026: The House Committee on Foreign Affairs held a hearing, entitled, Advancing National Security through Public Diplomacy (hearing vide0). The sole witness was Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Sarah B. Rogers (statement). Also see: Meeks (D-NY) opening statement;

March 3, 2026: The Senate Armed Services Committee held a hearing (part open/part closed), entitled, To receive an update on the National Defense Strategy (hearing vide0). The sole witness was Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge A. Colby (statement). Also see:

March 3, 2026: The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing entitled, Oversight of the Department of Homeland Security (hearing video). The sole witness was Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem (statement). Also see:

4. Selected Members on the Record

NOTE: At some point this week X appears to have killed the feature that allowed me to (relatively) easily track what members of Congress are saying using keyword searches of X lists (after previously killing the functionality that permitted me to conduct this tracking via a script). AS A RESULT: if you want track what members of Congress are saying about Israel/Palestine/Iran/etc on X, you – like me – are now obliged to track 535 accounts individually. Which I don’t have the capacity to do. Meaning that this section of the Round-Up will henceforth be a lot thinner, comprised of press releases posted on members’ website and statements on the Congressional Record, as well as odds and ends of statements on X that I have come across. 

ALSO NOTE: It is simply beyond the capacity of the Round-Up to track [let alone document] what every member of the House and Senate is saying about the US/Israel war with Iran. To see what a specific member has said, check their websites and social media accounts.

Israel/Palestine

  • Graham (R-SC) 3/5/26: X-post – “Anyone who claims that Israel is an apartheid state has drunk the Far Left Kool-Aid and has no idea what they are talking about. This kind of irresponsible rhetoric is music to the ears of the Iranian regime, Hezbollah, Hamas and all other radical Islamic terrorists.   This is slander of the Jewish people and demonstrates a complete misunderstanding of the dynamic Israel faces.   So much for Gavin Newsom being considered more mainstream as a potential nominee for the Democrat party in 2028.   Any would-be candidate that repeats this slanderous rhetoric is completely unqualified to be commander in chief.“
  • Gottheimer (D-NJ) 3/4/26: X-post – “Dismissing Jewish organizations as a “Zionist lobby” and pledging to boycott engagement with them is offensive and dangerous.  With antisemitism on the rise, we must protect the Jewish community. Hate and divisive rhetoric have no place in our country.“
  • Pocan (D-WI) 3/1/26: X-post – “Israel must reopen access to aid groups. If not, Netanyahu must be arrested immediately. He continues war crimes.”

5. Selected Media

Israel/AIPAC (and Iran) in US elex & politics – GENERAL

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – North Carolina

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – Illinois

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – New York

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – Maine

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – Texas

Israel/AIPAC in US elex & politics – Arizona

Iran

Other stuff