Congress will reconvene next week with Israel shooting to the top of the agenda, and lawmakers offering a host of ideas for how the U.S. can show support for its top Middle East ally in the war against Hamas.
Members of Congress will receive security briefings on the latest on-the-ground news with an eye toward any threats that might reach the U.S.
Iran will be a particular target, with Republicans and Democrats linking arms to push legislation that would officially freeze $6 billion in funds President Biden previously agreed to release to the Islamic Republic, a major backer of Hamas.
Bowing to political pressure, Mr. Biden on Friday struck a deal with Qatar, which holds the funds, not to release the $6 billion but U.S. officials didn’t say the block was permanent.
The House Homeland Security Committee has already scheduled a hearing to examine Iran’s ambitions to strike at America.
“The recent cowardly and despicable attacks on Israel by Hamas terrorists demonstrate once again the Iranian regime’s unending commitment to destroying Israel,” Chairman Mark Green, Tennessee Republican, said in announcing the hearing. “These sophisticated and coordinated attacks remind us that Iran remains a threat to U.S. homeland security, and will stop at nothing to undermine our interests in the region, as well.”
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Senators were on a week-long break and the House, while in session, completed no business this week while Republicans battled over whom to nominate as the next speaker.
The GOP will have to surmount that situation before the House can vote on legislation.
Senate Democratic leader Charles E. Schumer, who was in Tel Aviv leading a bipartisan delegation to the Jewish state, said Sunday that his chamber would pass a foreign aid package for Israel as soon as possible.
“We’re not waiting for the House,” said Mr. Schumer, who is the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in the U.S.
Resolutions of support for Israel are certain to pass in both chambers, though lawmakers must figure out how to deal with dissenting views on the conflict coming from left-wing Democrats.
A Michigan Republican, Rep. Jack Bergman, has proposed censuring Rep. Rashida Tlaib, Michigan Democrat, for her reaction to the initial Hamas attack. She decried the loss of lives on both sides and said the answer lay in ending U.S. aid to Israel.
Senators are expected to take quick action to approve Jacob Lew, President Biden’s nominee to be U.S. ambassador to Israel. Mr. Biden announced Mr. Lew, a former senior official in the Clinton and Obama administrations, and an initial vote is scheduled for Oct. 18 in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Further down the road, Congress will likely try to pass legislation to speed additional military assistance to Israel.
Going beyond the security situation, the House Energy and Commerce Committee has demanded social media platforms explain what they’ve done to control the spread of content that would “glorify” Hamas’ attack.
The committee’s chairwoman, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, asked X, TikTok, Alphabet, which controls Google and YouTube, and Meta, which controls Facebook and Instagram, to brief the committee by Oct. 20.
“Big Tech must take its responsibility seriously to expose the world to the pure evil of Hamas terrorists and make sure their platforms aren’t breeding grounds for more terrorist activity,” said Ms. McMorris Rogers, Washington Republican. “Specifically, these companies must provide transparency and answers for how they are monitoring and removing illegal content posted by Hamas for recruitment, to spread propaganda, to livestream murders and the torture of hostages, and to organize more terrorist activities.”
• Mallory Wilson can be reached at mwilson@washingtontimes.com.
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