NEWS: Sanders Files Joint Resolutions of Disapproval to Block Nearly $660 Million in Bomb Sales to Israel

WASHINGTON, March 19 — Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today filed three Joint Resolutions of Disapproval (JRDs) that would block the sale of nearly $658.8 million in offensive U.S. weaponry to Israel amid President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s illegal, premeditated and unconstitutional war with Iran. Joining Sanders as cosponsors of these resolutions are Sens. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.).Earlier this month, the Trump administration notified lawmakers of its intention to declare an “emergency” and bypass Congress to sell more than 20,000 bombs to the Israeli government. These bombs are directly implicated in tens of thousands of civilian deaths in Iran, Lebanon and Gaza.The sales include:
“Given the horrific destruction that Israel’s extremist government has wrought on Gaza, Iran and Lebanon, the last thing in the world that American taxpayers need to do right now is to provide 22,000 new bombs to the Netanyahu government,”Sanders said.“No more weapons to support an illegal war.”
“Donald Trump launched an illegal, unjustified war of choice against Iran that is making our nation less, not more, safe and has set the region on fire. It has resulted in 13 Americans killed and hundreds more injured, as well as the deaths of thousands of civilians. It’s also costing American taxpayers a billion dollars a day and driving up prices here at home. Trump not only disregarded Congressional authority to declare this war, he’s now bypassing Congress by invoking an emergency authority to supply additional bombs to this war, a crisis of his own making. Congress must use all the tools at our disposal to end Trump’s war, including stopping the transfer of over $658 million of taxpayer-funded bombs to the Netanyahu government. It is clear that prolonging this war by sending additional bombs to the Netanyahu government is not in America’s interests,”Van Hollen said.
“Donald Trump, working in lockstep with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, launched a reckless and unconstitutional war,”Merkley said.“I do not support sending more offensive weapons to the Netanyahu government.”
“President Trump’s war of choice in Iran has been a catastrophe–jeopardizing our national security and the lives of our troops, killing and wounding thousands of innocent civilians, and causing havoc in the global economy. The war needs to end today,”Welch said.“With the bombs already provided to Israel by American taxpayers, Israeli forces are unleashing a campaign of total war in Iran with the clear and deliberate intention to eviscerate Iran’s economy and society. I support these joint resolutions to make sure that we do not send another 20,000 bombs to Israel that will result in further destruction in Iran and Lebanon. We must end this war, and we must not send these bombs.”
The Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 requires that any U.S. arms transfers are consistent with internationally-recognized human rights, that they advance U.S. foreign policy interests and avoid the association of the United States with any human rights violations. The export of these bombs clearly violates the criteria laid out in the Foreign Assistance Act. Reliable human rights monitors have rigorously documented numerous incidents involving these systems leading to unacceptable civilian death and harm.Upon introduction of a Joint Resolution of Disapproval under the AECA, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has ten calendar days to consider the resolution in committee (or five calendar days for Foreign Military Sales to NATO allies and major non-NATO allies, including Israel). After this period, the sponsors of the resolution can force a Senate floor vote on a motion to discharge the resolution from committee. The resolution is privileged, meaning it cannot be amended or filibustered on the floor or in committee and it requires a simple majority to pass in committee and for final passage.