WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senate Democrats blocked two efforts by U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) on Thursday to support Israel and defeat Hamas while protecting the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces currently exposed to Hamas attacks off the coast of Gaza.
Sen. Cruz first asked for the Senate to pass the Israel Security Assistance Support Act, which the House of Representatives had already passed, in order to send it to the President. That bill would force President Biden to follow the law and deliver congressionally-appropriated weapons to Israel as it fights to utterly eradicate Hamas.
Then Sen. Cruz forced a vote on a resolution to terminate the Biden administration’s use of U.S. military servicemembers to operate a pier on the coast of the Gaza Strip. Leader Schumer was unable to block that vote because it was a War Powers Resolution. Every Democrat except one voted to support the Biden administration’s policy.
About the Democrats’ legislative actions, Sen. Cruz said, “Senate Democrats just showed they are wholly supportive of the Biden administration’s pro-Hamas, anti-Israel agenda. From the very first days of the administration, Biden has poured hundreds of millions of dollars of aid into the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, despite knowing and confirming that the aid would go to Hamas. Since the opening minutes of October 7, he has pressured and undermined Israel, and tried to force our Israeli allies into a ceasefire that leaves Hamas intact. The Gaza Pier exemplifies this backward upside-down policy, endangering American and Israeli troops in order to deliver aid that is hijacked by Hamas. Senate Democrats just showed they completely agree with and support that appalling policy.”
Watch Sen. Cruz’s remarks on the Senate floor here and here.
Read the Israel Security Assistance Support Act here.
Read the joint resolution here.