New Senate Bill Would Give Congress Role in Arms Transfer Pauses
Senate Foreign Relations Committee ranking member Jim Risch, R-Idaho, and three other Republican senators have introduced a bill that would require the president to notify Congress before pausing arms deliveries to Israel, Risch’s office announced June 21.
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The proposed Maintaining Our Ironclad Commitment to Israel's Security Act also would give lawmakers an opportunity to vote on a resolution to block a presidential suspension of arms transfers to Israel. In offering the measure, Risch was joined by Sens. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Tim Scott, R-S.C.
The legislation reflects lawmakers’ concern about the Biden administration’s recent decision to pause the delivery of certain offensive weapons to Israel without consulting Congress. The House Foreign Affairs Committee approved a similar bill in May (see 2405220060).
Separately, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., asked President Joe Biden in a letter last week to provide an update on U.S. arms shipments to Israel, including a list of items delayed more than two weeks beyond their original delivery dates.
Cotton accused the administration of holding up the delivery of F-15 fighter jets and other weapons to Israel by withholding formal notification to Congress of approved weapons sales. Administration officials have denied such claims, saying they so far have paused only one shipment, which includes 2,000-pound bombs, to limit civilian casualties in the Gaza war.
Risch and three other Republican lawmakers sent similar letters to the executive branch in mid-May (see 2405150051).