US Senate rejects Bernie Sanders’ bid to condition aid to Israel on human rights record
72 senators vote against measure in 100-member chamber, defeating efforts to force State Department report on IDF conduct in war against Hamas in Gaza following Oct. 7
17 January 2024
The vote, forced by progressive senator Bernie Sanders, sought to freeze all US security aid to Israel unless this report was produced, tapping for the first time a decades-old law that requires that any arms or military aid must be used in accordance with international human rights accords. While senators have voted to try to halt foreign arms sales to other countries in the past, this was an untested mechanism.
The resolution was voted down 72 to 11, with Democratic Sens. Jeff Merkley, Bernie Sanders, Chris Van Hollen, Martin Heinrich, Laphonza Butler, Ed Markey, Ben Ray Lujan, Mazie Hirono, Peter Welch and Elizabeth Warren and Republican Rand Paul voting for it. Sanders is an independent who caucuses with Democrats.
Sanders’ resolution was filed under the Foreign Assistance Act, which allows Congress to direct a State to provide a human rights report and other information on any country that received US security assistance.
The 1961 Act was amended after the Nixon era, enabling Congress to provide oversight of US military assistance abroad. It requires that any arms or military aid must be used in accordance with international human rights accords.
If the resolution had passed, it would have required the State Department to provide a report to Congress within 30 days. After receiving the report, Congress could consider another resolution proposing changes to security assistance to Israel.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/senate-rejects-bernie-sanders-bid-to-condition-aid-to-israel-on-human-rights-record/
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