U.S. Senate Votes Down Sanders' Israel Arms Sale Resolutions
The first measure — S.J. Res. 32, which sought to prevent a $295 million sale of armored bulldozers — fell short in a 40-59 vote. Seven Democratic senators sided with the opposition: Richard Blumenthal, Chris Coons, Catherine Cortez Masto, John Fetterman, Kirsten Gillibrand, Jacky Rosen, and Chuck Schumer. Sen. Cynthia Lummis was absent for the vote.
A second resolution, S.J. Res. 138 — targeting a $151.8 million transfer of 1,000-pound bombs — was similarly defeated, this time by a wider 36-63 margin. Voting against it were Sens. Blumenthal, Coons, Cortez Masto, Fetterman, Gillibrand, Gary Peters, Jack Reed, Rosen, Schumer, Mark Warner, and Sheldon Whitehouse. Sen. Thom Tillis did not cast a vote.
Sanders: Momentum Is Building
Prior to the vote, Sanders took to the Senate floor to argue that the American public is firmly opposed to the continued flow of U.S. dollars toward what he characterized as Israel's "illegal, horrific and expansionist war policies."
After the results were announced, Sanders framed the outcome not as a defeat but as evidence of shifting sentiment within the Democratic caucus. Posting on X, the U.S.-based social media platform, he declared:
"We are making progress," noting that upward of 80% of Democratic members voted in favor of restricting aid to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and "his horrific, illegal wars."
He further emphasized the trajectory of support his effort has attracted since its inception: "When we started this effort, there were just 11 votes. Now, there are 40.
"That shift reflects where the American people are. Americans, whether they are Democrats, Republicans or Independents, want to see our tax money invested in improving lives here at home — not used to kill innocent women and children in the Middle East and put American troops in harm's way as part of Netanyahu's illegal wars of expansion," he added.
Sanders also turned his criticism toward Republican lawmakers, accusing them of continuing to back arms packages in lockstep with the policies of both Netanyahu and President Donald Trump, even as he described public opinion as broadly opposed to such support.
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