The Senate overwhelmingly rejected three disapproval resolutions filed by Sen Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Wednesday aimed at blocking arms sales to Israel.
Sanders, 83, had sought to block a $20 billion arms deal sending US military tank rounds, mortar rounds and joint direct attack munitions (JDAMS) to the Jewish state over what he described as “unacceptable civilian death and harm” in Gaza.
The deal had already been authorized by Congress and the vote was expected to fail, but it also served as a test to measure Democratic support in the upper chamber for the Biden-Harris administration’s handling of Israel’s war against Hamas.
Nineteen senators — 17 Democrats and two independents — voted in favor of at least one of the three disapproval resolutions, including Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tina Smith (D-Minn.) Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), George Helmy (D-NJ), Angus King (I-Maine) and Sanders.
Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) voted “present.” Vice President-elect JD Vance (R-Ohio) and Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.) did not vote.
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