Contact your senators based on how they voted. Calling for answers about the murder of nine American citizens should not have been controversial.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, urges Americans nationwide to thank the 47 U.S. senators who voted for transparency and accountability regarding Americans killed, detained, or assaulted by Israeli authorities and illegal settlers, and condemn senators who voted to block disclosure of what the U.S. government knows about those cases and other human rights abuses.
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On September 29, the Senate voted 47–51 against advancing S. Res. 852, a resolution introduced under Section 502B(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act seeking a public accounting of what the U.S. government knows about Israeli human rights practices, including the treatment of Americans and Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. The vote was on a motion to discharge the resolution from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Two senators did not vote.
Led by Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen, alongside Senators Tim Kaine and Bernie Sanders, the resolution would require the State Department to provide information and assessments concerning investigations into the killings of American citizens by Israeli security forces or violent settlers, as well as other human rights abuses in the occupied West Bank.
CAIR believes that calling on the State Department to investigate the murder of nine American citizens and report what it knows should not have been controversial. Their families deserve answers, and constituents deserve to know why their senators supported or opposed this basic demand for accountability.
The vote comes after years of efforts by CAIR, victims’ families, civil rights organizations, and members of Congress seeking answers regarding Americans killed, injured, or detained under Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory. CAIR has repeatedly called on the Department of Justice and State Department to investigate the killings of American citizens including Shireen Abu Akleh, Omar Assad, Tawfiq Ajaq, Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, Sayfollah “Sayf” Musallet, Khamis Ayyad, Omar Mohammad Rabea, Mohammed Khdour, and Jacob Flickinger.
For the past several years, CAIR and many others have challenged federal claims that U.S. authorities lack jurisdiction to investigate such killings by urging the DOJ and State Department to use existing federal criminal authorities and the U.S.–Israel Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) to secure evidence and cooperation. CAIR has argued that those investigatory authorities have not been meaningfully employed in cases involving Americans killed by Israeli soldiers or illegal settlers.
CAIR and its chapters have also supported congressional oversight efforts led by Representatives Jesús “Chuy” García and Kathy Castor seeking answers and accountability for American victims. During the 24 hours preceding the Senate vote, Americans participating in CAIR’s click-and-send action alert sent more than 1,000 messages to Senate offices urging support for S. Res. 852.
Thank these 47 senators who voted YES for transparency and accountability: Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Rand Paul (R-KY), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).
Sample message to senators who voted YES: “As your constituent, I thank you for voting to advance S. Res. 852 and supporting transparency and accountability for Americans killed by Israeli forces or illegal settlers. Calling on the State Department to investigate the murder of nine American citizens and report what it knows should not have been controversial. Your vote recognized that their families deserve answers and that Congress must demand accountability. Please continue pressing the State Department and Department of Justice for thorough investigations, public disclosure of their findings, and justice for the victims. Thank you for standing up for American citizens and refusing to let their deaths be ignored.”
Condemn the votes of these 51 senators who voted NO and demand an explanation: Alan Armstrong (R-OK), Jim Banks (R-IN), John Barrasso (R-WY), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), John Boozman (R-AR), Katie Britt (R-AL), Ted Budd (R-NC), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Susan Collins (R-ME), John Cornyn (R-TX), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Ted Cruz (R-TX), John Curtis (R-UT), Steve Daines (R-MT), Joni Ernst (R-IA), John Fetterman (D-PA), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Josh Hawley (R-MO), John Hoeven (R-ND), Jon Husted (R-OH), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Jim Justice (R-WV), John Kennedy (R-LA), James Lankford (R-OK), Mike Lee (R-UT), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Dave McCormick (R-PA), Ashley Moody (R-FL), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Bernie Moreno (R-OH), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Jim Risch (R-ID), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Rick Scott (R-FL), Tim Scott (R-SC), Tim Sheehy (R-MT), John Thune (R-SD), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Todd Young (R-IN).
Sample message to senators who voted NO: “As your constituent, I condemn your vote to block S. Res. 852. Calling on you to ask the State Department to investigate the murder of nine American citizens and report what it knows should not have been controversial. This resolution sought a basic accounting of those killings, the investigations into their deaths, and other Israeli human rights abuses. Their families deserve answers, and your vote helped keep them and the American public in the dark. Please explain why you opposed this basic demand for transparency and commit to supporting thorough U.S. investigations and renewed congressional oversight. I am paying attention to whether you stand up for American citizens and their families.”
These two senators did not vote: Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK). Constituents should ask why they missed the vote and urge them to support future efforts to secure answers and accountability.
CAIR noted that adoption of S. Res. 852 would have required a State Department report within 30 days. Adoption alone would not immediately cut off military assistance, although failure to submit the report would trigger restrictions on covered security assistance under the law invoked by the resolution.
The resolution may have been blocked, but the demand for truth, accountability, and equal justice for every American citizen will not disappear. The families of American victims deserve answers. Congress deserves answers. The American people deserve answers. Contact your senators today.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, [email protected]; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, [email protected]