House Republicans Approve ‘Symbolic’ Legislation to Arm Israel

The bill is unlikely to become law, and perhaps it was never intended to.

The GOP-led House of Representatives passed a bill to compel President Joe Biden to send weapons to Israel. The Israel Security Assistance Support Act was approved on Thursday, May 16, with a vote of 224 to 187, primarily along party lines, but its future is bleak. Even if it were to pass in the Democrat-controlled Senate, the president has vowed to veto it.

Moreover, Biden had already agreed to send the next shipment of weapons, despite Israel’s plans to move into Rafah against his warnings.

This bill seems more about positioning members of Congress for electoral purposes than actual policymaking. As the U.S. government vacillates on supporting Israel, the crisis in the Middle East continues to escalate.

Supporting Israel or Political Campaigning?
The Israel Security Assistance Support Act specifies that federal funds cannot be used to withhold, halt, reverse, or cancel the delivery of defense articles or services to Israel.

Additionally, it prohibits the use of funds to pay the salary of any Department of Defense or State Department employee who acts to limit these deliveries, and it would lock unobligated operation and maintenance funds for the offices of the secretaries of Defense, State, or the National Security Council until they certify to Congress that any withheld deliveries have been released and completed.

The message is clear: those who attempt to block funding or delivery of weapons to Israel will face repercussions themselves. However, the legislation is largely symbolic and unlikely to pass the Senate. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has already stated he won’t bring it to a vote, and even if he did, it would face a Biden veto.

The bill passed the House with the support of 208 Republicans and 16 Democrats, while three Republicans joined 184 Democrats in opposition. Nineteen representatives did not vote. There are many reasons this bill will not become law, none of which surprise the lawmakers who voted on it. Firstly, the president has promised a veto, particularly since the bill directly challenges his administration’s decision to withhold precision-guided bombs from Israel due to its plans for Rafah.

Additionally, the partisan divide in the House and the Senate’s Democratic control make its passage unlikely. Biden’s release of the next shipment of weapons to Israel further renders the bill moot.

The bill was never destined to succeed as legislation but has achieved political goals. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) stated that the Biden Administration’s decision to withhold weapons is catastrophic and against Congress’s will, emphasizing the act sends a strong message of support to Israel.

Whether Israel feels supported or not, the vote makes clear to U.S. voters that Republicans stand with Israel. The vote also records each House member’s stance, which is useful for those seeking re-election. It also exposed divisions among Democrats, undermining their efforts at unity in the face of Republican disagreements over the speakership.