[Pages S3659-S3660]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

SENATE RESOLUTION 682--CONDEMNING THE DECISION BY THE BIDEN
ADMINISTRATION TO HALT THE SHIPMENT OF UNITED STATES MADE AMMUNITION
AND WEAPONS TO THE STATE OF ISRAEL

Mr. GRAHAM (for himself, Mr. Cotton, Ms. Collins, Mr. Cruz, Ms.
Ernst, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Barrasso, Mr. Tillis, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Rubio,
Mr. Hagerty, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Grassley, Ms. Lummis, Mr.
Hawley, Mr. Daines, Mrs. Capito, Mr. Sullivan, Mrs. Fischer, Mr. Budd,
Mr. Mullin, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. Romney, Mr. Scott of Florida, Mr.
Wicker, Mr. Hoeven, Mr. Thune, Mr. Young, Mrs. Britt, Mr. Cassidy, Mr.
Rounds, Mr. Risch, Mr. Braun, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Scott of South Carolina,
Mr. Tuberville, Mr. Lankford, Ms. Murkowski, Mrs. Hyde-Smith, Mr.
Johnson, Mr. Schmitt, Mr. Ricketts, Mr. Lee, Mr. Boozman, Mr. Moran,
Mr. Vance, and Mr. McConnell) submitted the following resolution; which
was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:

S. Res. 682

Whereas the United States is the largest supplier of
military aid to the State of Israel, providing
$158,000,000,000 in bilateral assistance and missile defense
funding since World War II, which has been used by the State
of Israel in part to protect itself from attacks by the
Islamic Republic of Iran and its proxies;
Whereas, in 2016, the United States and the State of Israel
signed a third 10-year Memorandum of Understanding, under
which the United States pledged to provide $38,000,000,000 in
military aid, subject to congressional appropriation, to the
State of Israel between fiscal years 2019 and 2028;
Whereas, on October 7, 2023, Hamas launched an unprovoked
attack against the State of Israel, brutally murdering more
than 1,200 innocent men, women, and children while injuring
thousands more;
Whereas, on October 7, 2023, Hamas took more than 240
innocent civilians hostage, including babies, children,
women, elderly,

[[Page S3660]]

Holocaust survivors, and United States citizens, and is still
holding at least 128 of these innocent civilians against
their will;
Whereas, on October 8, 2023, the State of Israel officially
declared war on Hamas and has since dismantled 20 of the 24
Hamas battalions in Gaza, in part using ammunition and
weapons supplied by the United States;
Whereas, on October 8, 2023, White House officials
announced that they had conveyed to the Government of Israel
that additional assistance for the Israeli Defense Forces was
now on its way to the State of Israel with more to follow
over the coming days;
Whereas, on November 1, 2023, Ghazi Hamad, a member of the
political bureau of Hamas, stated, ``We must teach Israel a
lesson, and we will do it twice and three times. The Al-Aqsa
Deluge[, the name Hamas gave its October 7th attack,] is just
the first time, and there will be a second, a third, a fourth
. . . We are the victims of the occupation. Period.
Therefore, nobody should blame us for the things we do. On
October 7th, October 10th, October one-millionth, everything
we do is justified.'';
Whereas, on January 2, 2024, the intelligence community of
the United States declassified an assessment that stated,
``The U.S. Intelligence Community is confident in its
judgment on this topic and has independently corroborated
information on HAMAS and PIJ's use of the [Al-Shifa] hospital
complex for a variety of purposes related to its campaign
against Israel.'';
Whereas, on March 6, 2024, United States officials told
Members of Congress that the Biden Administration had
approved and delivered more than 100 separate arms sales to
the State of Israel since the October 7th attack, including
thousands of precision-guided munitions, small-diameter
bombs, bunker busters, small arms, and other lethal aid;
Whereas, on March 29, 2024, it was reported the Biden
Administration approved new arms packages worth billions of
dollars for the State of Israel that included more than 1,800
MK84 2,000-pound bombs and 500 MK82 500-pound bombs;
Whereas, on March 30, 2024, following the report of the
approved new arms packages, a White House official stated,
``We have continued to support Israel's right to defend
itself . . . Conditioning aid has not been our policy.'';
Whereas, on April 2, 2024, it was reported the Biden
Administration supported a plan to provide $18,000,000,000
worth of F-15 fighter jets, munitions, training, and other
support to the State of Israel, with the Department of State
sending an informal notice to the respective congressional
committees to start a legislative review process for the
order;
Whereas, on April 10, 2024, President Joseph R. Biden,
while speaking publicly at the White House, stated, ``As I
told Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu, our commitment to
Israel's security against these threats from Iran and its
proxies is ironclad--let me say it again, ironclad.'';
Whereas, on April 13, 2024, Vice President Kamala Harris
stated, ``President Biden and I met with our national
security team following Iran's attacks against Israel. Our
support for Israel's security is ironclad, and we stand with
the people of Israel in defense against these attacks.'';
Whereas, on April 13, 2024, National Security Advisor Jake
Sullivan stated, ``This morning, I spoke with my Israeli
counterpart, National Security Advisor Hanegbi, to discuss
events in the Middle East. During the call, I reiterated the
United States' ironclad commitment to the security of
Israel.'';
Whereas, on April 13, 2024, the Islamic Republic of Iran
launched more than 300 missiles and drones towards the State
of Israel and innocent civilians in an unprecedented attack;
Whereas, on April 13, 2024, 99 percent of the projectiles
launched by the Islamic Republic of Iran were intercepted by
the State of Israel and its allies, using fighter jets, air
defense systems, and other weapons that were supplied to the
State of Israel in part by the United States;
Whereas, on April 14, 2024, following the attack on the
State of Israel by the Islamic Republic of Iran, Secretary of
State Antony Blinken stated, ``The United States condemns
Iran's attack on Israel. As the President said, our
commitment to Israel's security against threats from Iran is
ironclad.'';
Whereas, on April 14, 2024, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J.
Austin III underscored the United States' commitment to
Israel saying, ``I spoke to Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav
Gallant for a second time today to reiterate ironclad U.S.
support for Israel's defense in light of Iran's unprecedented
attack from Iranian territory. We reviewed the extraordinary
defensive measures and strong cooperation undertaken to
defeat this Iranian attack against Israel.'';
Whereas, on May 5, 2024, it was reported the Biden
Administration put a hold on a shipment of United States made
ammunition to the State of Israel the previous week, the
first time since the since the October 7th attack that the
United Stated stopped a weapons shipment intended for the
Israeli military;
Whereas, on May 5, 2024, Prime Minister of the State of
Israel Benjamin Netanyahu hinted at possible tensions
regarding support being provided by the Biden Administration,
stating, ``In the terrible Holocaust, there were great world
leaders who stood by idly; therefore, the first lesson of the
Holocaust is: If we do not defend ourselves, nobody will
defend us. And if we need to stand alone, we will stand
alone.'';
Whereas, on May 6, 2024, it was reported that since January
2024 the Biden Administration has effectively paused the sale
of up to 6,500 Joint Direct Attack Munitions in a sale worth
as much as $260,000,000 to the State of Israel;
Whereas, on May 6, 2024, it was reported that since March
2024 the Biden Administration has effectively paused the sale
of up to $700,000,000 in 120 mm tank ammunition, $500,000,000
in tactical vehicles, and less than $100,000,000 in 120 mm
mortar rounds;
Whereas, on May 6, 2024, despite multiple reports of the
Biden Administration putting a hold on a shipment of United
States made ammunition and effectively pausing additional
weapon sales to the State of Israel, the Biden Administration
stated, ``[O]ur security commitments to Israel are
ironclad'';
Whereas, on May 7, 2024, the Biden Administration confirmed
the report from May 5, 2024, of the Biden Administration
putting a hold United States made ammunition to the State of
Israel, stating, ``[W]e began to carefully review proposed
transfers of particular weapons to Israel that might be used
in Rafah . . . [and] paused one shipment of weapons last
week. It consists of 1,800 2,000-pound bombs and 1,700 500-
pound bombs.''; and
Whereas, the decision by the Biden Administration to
withhold the provision of critical United States made
ammunition and weapons to the State of Israel will only
embolden and encourage the Islamic Republic of Iran and its
proxies, including Hamas, to conduct more attacks against the
State of Israel, which in turn will complicate efforts to
reach any hostage deal with Hamas or a broader normalization
deal between the State of Israel and other countries in the
region: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) condemns any decision by the Biden Administration to
halt the shipment of United States made ammunition and
weapons to the State of Israel;
(2) demands that the Biden Administration continue to
fulfill the military aid requests from the State of Israel in
order to provide the weapons needed to defeat Hamas and
defend against attacks from the Islamic Republic of Iran and
its proxies;
(3) reaffirms the importance of the long history of the
United States providing military aid to the State of Israel
and willingness to expedite delivery of such aid in times of
crisis; and
(4) upholds the commitment of the United States to the
State of Israel's security and long-term prosperity.

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