Republican Lawmakers Probe Pause in Arms for Israel
Congressional Republicans are asking the Biden administration to provide more information about its recent withholding of certain offensive weapons to Israel, a decision the lawmakers oppose.
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House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Jim Risch, R-Idaho, said May 15 that they sent a letter to President Joe Biden asking a series of questions about the arms decision.
Also on May 15, Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, ranking members of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on the State and Defense departments, revealed they sent a similar letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
The letters ask the administration to clarify, among other things, what weapons have been delayed, what statutory means were used to pause the weapons, why Congress wasn’t notified and whether additional weapons are under review.
McCaul and Risch said they’re concerned the weapons pause not only hurts Israel's ability to defeat Hamas but is leading U.S. allies to conclude “that the United States is a fickle friend and cannot be relied upon to follow through on its commitments in their hour of need.” Bills introduced in the House and Senate would prevent the administration from withholding approved weapons to Israel (see 2405130028 and 2405140068).
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said May 13 that the administration so far has paused only one shipment, which includes 2,000-pound bombs, to limit civilian casualties in the Gaza war.