House Democrats are venting fury at Republicans for holding a vote to force President Biden to unpause weapons shipments to Israel.
Why it matters: Some centrist Democrats — particularly Jewish ones — are sick of being forced to choose between their party and their support for Israel on what they see as little more than partisan messaging bills.
Zoom in: "I'll vote for it, but they should pull the bill and work with one of us to write it in such a way that it gets support from the vast majority of the House," Rep. Greg Landsman (D-Ohio) said in a statement.
- In an interview with Axios, Landsman said it's the "third or fourth" such vote he's had to take in recent months, accusing Republicans of "using this critically important strategic partnership as a political weapon."
- Staunchly pro-Israel Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) said he is undecided on the vote, citing "major problems" with the measure and saying "this thing is dead anyway" in the Senate.
Driving the news: The House is set to vote Thursday on the Israel Security Assistance Support Act, which would require the "prompt delivery" of all congressionally mandated aid to Israel.
- If the Biden administration does not comply, the bill would restrict funding to the Pentagon and the State Department as a cudgel.
- The White House vowed to veto the bill on Tuesday, and House Democratic leadership is actively whipping against it.
Yes, but: Biden has faced bipartisan criticism for withholding a shipment of bombs to Israel to try to stop an invasion of Rafah.
- 26 House Democrats signing a letter saying they are "deeply concerned" about the move.
- Several Democrats who nearly always vote for pro-Israel measures — such as Landsman and Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) — say they aren't about to break their streak with this latest bill.
What they're saying: Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.), the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on the Middle East, told Axios it's "bad policy" but a "tough vote [for Democrats] because of the optics."
- Phillips added, "There's a lot of consternation about it, and that's the sad truth about the institution. It's more about political optics and putting people in tough positions instead of doing what's right."
- Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) compared House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and staunchly anti-Israel Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), arguing they "have the same message: You can't be a pro-Israel Democrat."
- "Rashida, at least she doesn't say she's trying to help Israel. But Johnson does," Sherman added, calling the bill "incredibly harmful" to Israel.
Zoom out: Since the onset of the Israel-Hamas war, House Republicans have repeatedly held votes on Israel and antisemitism-related legislation that has split House Democrats.
- The National Republican Congressional Committee often doubles the pain by going after swing-district Democrats who vote against the legislation.
- In a statement on the latest vote, Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) called it a "despicable and shameful pattern of using Israel and Jews as political pawns."
What to watch: One senior House Democrat said Goldman's statement "indicates that it won't fall into, necessarily, conventional buckets" — in other words, that the bill won't garner the dozens of Democratic votes pro-Israel measures often do.
- That dynamic is already taking shape: Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.), one of Democrats' most reliable pro-Israel votes, signaled that she is a no.
- The lawmaker acknowledged there are "still going to be a number" of defections, but said the White House's veto threat and strong opposition from top House Democrats "puts pressure on others."
