Join the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, in either thanking the 15 Senators who courageously voted yesterday to support Palestinian human rights by supporting Senator Bernie Sanders’ Joint Resolutions of Disapproval (S.J.Res 26 and S.J.Res 33) seeking to ban $8.8 billion in U.S. weapons transfers to Israel, and to express disappointment to those who voted against them.
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Although the resolutions did not pass, the following Senators voted“YES” to support these measures demonstrated important leadership and accountability: Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Peter Welch (D-VT).
Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) voted “present,” reflecting concern without fully opposing the measure, and Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) did not vote.
Disappointingly, 82 Democrats and Republicans voted “NO” on these critical resolutions, including Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD); Jim Banks (R-IN); John Barrasso (R-WY); Michael Bennet (D-CO); Marsha Blackburn (R-TN); Richard Blumenthal (D-CT); Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE); Cory Booker (D-NJ); John Boozman (R-AR); Katie Britt (R-AL); Ted Budd (R-NC); Maria Cantwell (D-WA); Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV); Bill Cassidy (R-LA); Susan Collins (R-ME); John Cornyn (R-TX); Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV); Tom Cotton (R-AR); Kevin Cramer (R-ND); Mike Crapo (R-ID); Ted Cruz (R-TX); John Curtis (R-UT); Steve Daines (R-MT); Tammy Duckworth (D-IL); Joni Ernst (R-IA); John Fetterman (D-PA); Deb Fischer (R-NE); Ruben Gallego (D-AZ); Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY); Lindsey Graham (R-SC); Chuck Grassley (R-IA); Bill Hagerty (R-TN); Maggie Hassan (D-NH); Josh Hawley (R-MO); John Hickenlooper (D-CO); John Hoeven (R-ND); Jon Husted (R-OH); Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS); Ron Johnson (R-WI); Jim Justice (R-WV); Mark Kelly (D-AZ); John Kennedy (R-LA); Angus King (I-ME); Amy Klobuchar (D-MN); James Lankford (R-OK); Mike Lee (R-UT); Cynthia Lummis (R-WY); Roger Marshall (R-KS); Mitch McConnell (R-KY); David McCormick (R-PA); Ashley Moody (R-FL); Jerry Moran (R-KS); Bernie Moreno (R-OH); Markwayne Mullin (R-OK); Lisa Murkowski (R-AK); Jon Ossoff (D-GA); Alex Padilla (D-CA); Rand Paul (R-KY); Gary Peters (D-MI); Jack Reed (D-RI); Pete Ricketts (R-NE); Jim Risch (R-ID); Jacky Rosen (D-NV); Mike Rounds (R-SD); Adam Schiff (D-CA); Eric Schmitt (R-MO); Chuck Schumer (D-NY); Rick Scott (R-FL); Tim Scott (R-SC); Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH); Tim Sheehy (R-MT); Elissa Slotkin (D-MI); Dan Sullivan (R-AK); John Thune (R-SD); Thom Tillis (R-NC); Tommy Tuberville (R-AL); Mark Warner (D-VA); Raphael Warnock (D-GA); Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI); Roger Wicker (R-MS); Ron Wyden (D-OR); and Todd Young (R-IN), contributing to the defeat of the measures blocking the transfer of offensive weaponry to Israel and continued U.S. complicity in the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza.
Senator Sanders has introduced several critical resolutions, including two that intended to block nearly $8.8 billion in U.S. arms transfers to Israel. S.J.Res 33aimed to halt a $2.04 billion sale consisting of 35,329 MK 84 2,000-pound bombs and 4,000 I-2000 Penetrator warheads. The second resolution voted on, S.J.Res.26, sought to block a $6.75 billion sale of additional weaponry including 2,800 500-pound bombs, 2,166 Small Diameter Bombs, and tens of thousands of JDAM guidance kits.
These weapons have been directly linked to unlawful Israeli airstrikes against humanitarian sites, hospitals, schools, and refugee camps, resulting in thousands of civilian casualties in Gaza.
In a statement, CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw said:
“Sending billions in offensive weaponry to Israel as it wages genocidal attacks on civilians makes the United States an accessory to grave violations of international law. Every American has the moral responsibility to insist on accountability for these genocidal arms sales.”
In Senator Sanders’ own words: “All of these systems have been linked to dozens of illegal airstrikes, including on designated humanitarian sites, resulting in thousands of civilian casualties. None of these systems are necessary to protect Israel from incoming drone or rocket attacks.“
CAIR notes last November, it praised the 19 U.S. senators who voted yes to limit arms sales to Israel during a historic vote of Senator Bernie Sanders’ first round of JRDs, a measure that sought to block $20 billion in arms sales to Israel amid its ongoing genocide in Gaza and expanded military operations the West Bank and Lebanon.
Your messages of thanks reinforce the Senators’ commitment and highlight the growing public demand for accountability and a just U.S. foreign policy. Every message counts. By expressing your gratitude, you amplify the call for justice, accountability, and a humane approach to foreign policy decisions.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com