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Sen. Scott Introduces Resolution in Defense of Israel

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced a resolution reiterating Israel’s right to self-defense and condemning recent statements from U.S. lawmakers, which interfere in Israel’s sovereign electoral process. 

“Hamas is the reason the conflict started on October 7th and the reason it continues today,” said Senator Scott. “ Israel has every right to defend itself from this brutal terrorist organization that raped and murdered innocent civilians and continues to hold more than 100 people hostage – including several American citizens. I will always stand with Israel as it seeks to confront and eradicate the threat of terrorism.”

The resolution is cosponsored by Senators Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), and Katie Britt (R-Ala.).

The full text of the resolution can be found here.

BACKGROUND

It is the longstanding policy of the United States to support Israel’s inherent right to self-defense. This policy was enshrined in U.S. law through the passage of several bipartisan pieces of legislation, including the United States-Israel Enhanced Security Cooperation Act of 2012 (P.L. 112-150) and the United States-Israel Strategic Partnership Act of 2014 (P.L. 113-596). The Senate recently reaffirmed this policy through the passage of S. Res. 417, following the devastating terrorist attacks perpetrated against Israel by Hamas—an Iranian-backed terrorist organization—on October 7, 2023.

On March 14, 2024, the Senate’s top Democrat gave an unprecedented speech on the Senate floor where he called for elections to be held in Israel, stating that the country’s current government “no longer fits the needs of Israel after October 7.”

In the wake of the October 7th terrorist attack, Senator Scott has unequivocally stood with Israel and against Iranian-backed terror by:

  • Championing S. Res. 417, a resolution expressing solidarity with Israel in the wake of the October 7th attack, which passed the Senate with near unanimous support;
  • Voting in support of the FY24 NDAA, which included numerous provisions to increase U.S. security cooperation with Israel;
  • Introducing the Revoke Iranian Funding Act to permanently freeze the $6 billion released by the Biden administration to Iran and direct the Treasury Secretary to provide an accounting of all high-value Iranian assets around the world that are currently blocked by U.S. sanctions;
  • Meeting with victims of Hamas and members of victims’ families, hearing first-hand about the brutality inflicted by Hamas on innocent civilians, including innocent children;
  • Pushing for passage of his Solidify Iran Sanctions Act to extend sanctions on funding for Iran’s energy and weapons sectors and curtail the regime’s ability to develop its nuclear program and finance destabilizing activities;
  • Before and after the attack, leading dozens of Republican senators in holding the administration to account for its dangerous Iran policy;
  • Supporting the Israel Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2023, which would provide $14.3 billion of aid to Israel;
  • Introducing the Antisemitism Awareness Act, directing the Department of Education to use the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of antisemitism when investigating antisemitic acts on campus;
  • Introducing the Stop Antisemitism on College Campuses Act to defund colleges and universities that enable violent antisemitism on their campuses;
  • Authoring the Stop Support for Hamas Act with Senator Ricketts to cut U.S. funding for UNRWA and prevent bilateral U.S. assistance from winding up in the hands of Hamas terrorists;
  • Introducing the Preventing Terrorism at the U.N. Act to cut off U.S. funding to the United Nations until UNRWA is abolished; and
  • Voting against and condemning Senator Bernie Sanders’ anti-Israel resolution.  
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