Over 60 House Democrats joined Republicans to call on President Joe Biden to take a stronger stance against Iran as the war between Israel and Hamas continues.
“Iran must be held fully accountable for its continued role in funding Hamas and Islamic terror,” the bipartisan letter reads. “We urge the Administration to take all necessary steps to cut off Iranian funding sources.”
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR RISKS UPENDING TRADE AND COMMODITIES SHIPPING
“All necessary steps” suggested included the “maximum enforcement” of U.S. sanctions and the end of Iran’s oil trade with China. The bipartisan group also encouraged Biden to work with European allies to renew ballistic missile sanctions when the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action expires this month, as well as put pressure on Qatar and Turkey, who supported Hamas.
The letter had the backing of 63 Democrats and 50 Republicans, with the lawmakers saying they support using “every tool available to defeat radical terror.”
The bipartisan letter is led by Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Don Bacon (R-NE), Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), and Claudia Tenney (R-NY).
Other Democrats who signed onto the letter include Reps. Greg Landsman (D-OH), Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), Angie Craig (D-MN), Brittany Peterson (D-CO), Jim Costa (D-CA), Haley Stevens (D-MI), David Trone (D-MD), Darren Soto (D-FL), Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Don Davis (D-NC), Ritchie Torres (D-NY), Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), Wiley Nickel (D-NC), Susie Lee (D-NV), Jared Golden (D-ME), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Ed Case (D-HI), Jake Auchincloss (D-MA), Hillary Scholten (D-MI), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Patrick Ryan (D-NY), Mike Levin (D-CA), Jill Tokuda (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Deborah Ross (D-NC), Eric Sorensen (D-IL), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA), Rob Menendez (D-NJ), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL), Frank Mrvan (D-IN), Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Kathy Castor (D-FL), Val Hoyle (D-OR), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Shontel Brown (D-OH), Norma Torres (D-CA), Sanford Bishop (D-GA), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Dina Titus (D-NV), Shri Thanedar (D-MI), Bennie Thompson (D-MS), Donald Norcross (D-NJ), Sylvia Garcia (D-TX), Lucy McBath (D-GA), Glenn Ivey (D-MD), Gabe Vasquez (D-NM), Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ), Juan Vargas (D-CA), Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX), Lois Frankel (D-FL), Troy Carter (D-LA), and Brad Schneider (D-IL).
The push from House lawmakers comes as the war between Hamas and Israel enters its second week. Hamas, deemed a Palestinian terrorist group by the United States, attacked Israel on Oct. 7. At least 4,200 people, including Israelis and Palestinians, have died as of Tuesday morning.
The House is now at a standstill after Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was ousted as speaker exactly two weeks ago. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) will be the GOP nominee for speaker, with the vote heading to the House floor on Tuesday. All Democrats are expected to vote for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY).
Some centrist House Democrats have floated the idea of granting Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry (R-NC) emergency powers to govern the House so the lower chamber can work to provide foreign aid for allies like Israel, among other things.
On the Senate side, Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) led Republicans in writing a letter to Biden that called on him to refreeze the $6 billion in Iranian funds that were unfrozen as part of a prisoner swap. Many Republicans have blasted the Biden administration for handing Iran an opportunity to fund Hamas’s attacks in Israel, but the White House and the State Department have adamantly rejected that claim.
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Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) returned from a bipartisan delegation to Israel on Monday, promising to move an aid package to the Middle Eastern ally as soon as possible.
“This package must move quickly, a package of military aid, the necessities that Israel needs,” Schumer said Monday on the Senate floor. “We talked to the leadership of Israel about what they need, and it will be in this package.”
