Jayapal Introduces Legislation to Block Offensive Weapons Sales to Israel
WASHINGTON – U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) and Rashida Tlaib (MI-12) are introducing Joint Resolutions of Disapproval (JRD) to block the sale of specific offensive weapons to Israel. U.S. weapons have been used to wage this war, which in addition to killing thousands and displacing millions, has razed entire communities, destroying hospitals, schools, and homes.
“Continuing to provide the Israeli government with offensive weapons, even as they violate both international and U.S. laws, is unacceptable and makes us complicit in this violence and destruction,” said Jayapal. “We must return to a negotiated ceasefire that allows for humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, the release of the remaining hostages, and lasting security in the region.”
These weapons sales are especially concerning given that the Trump Administration bypassed years of standing practice and immediately noticed the sales without oversight from the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
If passed, these four JRDs would prohibit the sale of:
- 35,529 2,000-pound bombs (MK-84 or BLU-117) ($2.04 billion – Sale 1);
- Due to the size of the blast radius of these bombs, their delivery of these bombs was paused by President Biden. The large radius makes them unsafe to use in densely populated areas, like Gaza, without inflicting mass civilian casualties.
- Various bombs, Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) guidance kits, and fuses ($893 million – Sale 2);
- 5,000 1-000-pound bombs (MK-83 or BLU-110A/B) and 5,000 JDAMs guidance kits ($675.7 million – Sale 3);
- D9R and D9T Caterpillar bulldozers, including spare and repair parts, which have been used for demolitions of homes and other civilian infrastructure ($295 million – Sale 4).
Jayapal and Tlaib have already introduced JRDs for the following sales:
- H.J.Res. 68: 10,000 155mm High Explosive artillery shells ($312.5 million);
- H.J.Res. 69: 2,166 Small Diameter Bombs (GBU-39), 2,800 500-pound bombs (MK-82) and tens of thousands of fuses and JDAM guidance kits for use on bombs (6.75 billion);
- H.J.Res. 70: 15,500 additional JDAM guidance kits for use on bombs and an additional 615 Small Diameter Bombs (GBU-39) ($688 million);
- H.J.Res. 71: 3,000 Hellfire Air-to-Ground Missiles ($660 million).
Since the introduction of the first tranche of JRDs, the Israeli government has broken the negotiated ceasefire agreement in Gaza. Since the start of the war, at least 50,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 113,000 have been injured.
These resolutions are sponsored by the following Members:
Sale 1: Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Greg Casar (TX-35), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (IL-04), Al Green (TX-09), Summer Lee (PA-12), James P. McGovern (MA-02), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).
Sale 2: Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Greg Casar (TX-35), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (IL-04), Al Green (TX-09), Summer Lee (PA-12), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).
Sale 3: Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Greg Casar (TX-35), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (IL-04), Al Green (TX-09), Summer Lee (PA-12), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).
Sale 4: Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Greg Casar (TX-35), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (IL-04), Al Green (TX-09), Summer Lee (PA-12), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).
They are also endorsed by A New Policy, About Face: Veterans Against the War, Action Center on Race & the Economy, American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), Americans for Justice in Palestine Action (AJP Action, Arms Control Association, Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC), Center for International Policy Advocacy, Center for Jewish Nonviolence, Community Alliance for Peace and Justice, Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), DAWN, Defense for Children International – Palestine, Demand Progress, Democratic Socialists of America, Friends Committee on National Legislation, Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA), Gen-Z for Change, Hindus for Human Rights, IMEU Policy Project, Institute for Policy Studies, New internationalism Project, Jewish Voice for Peace Action, MADRE, Maine Coalition for Palestine, Malaya Kansas, MARUF CT, McKean County Green Party, Migrant Roots Media, Minnesota Peace Project, MPower Change Action Fund, Muslim Public Affairs Council, National Priorities Project at the Institute for Policy Studies, North Carolina Peace Action, Pax Christi Metro DC-Baltimore, Pax Christi New York State, Pax Christi USA, Peace Action, Peace, Justice, Sustainability, NOW!, Popular Democracy, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Office of Public Witness, Progressive Democrats of America – Central New Mexico, Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, ReThinking Foreign Policy, Sunrise Movement, United We Dream, US Campaign for Palestinian Rights Action, UU College of Social Justice, Women for Weapons Trade Transparency, The Peace and Justice Coalition of Prince Georges County MD, and Center for Constitutional Rights.