I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8437 

To provide for congressional oversight of proposed changes to arms sales 

to Israel. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 16, 2024 

Mr. MCCAUL (for himself, Mrs. WAGNER, Mrs. RADEWAGEN, Mr. SELF, Mr. 

LAWLER, Mr. WILSON of South Carolina, Mr. KEAN of New Jersey, Mr. 

STANTON, Mr. SHERMAN, Mr. OWENS, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Mr. JACKSON

of Texas, Mrs. KIGGANS of Virginia, Mr. NUNN of Iowa, Mr. 

RESCHENTHALER, Mr. BACON, Mr. BALDERSON, Ms. MANNING, Mr. 

MAST, Mr. FLEISCHMANN, Mr. GUEST, Mr. GIMENEZ, Mr. LAMBORN, 

Mr. BARR, Mr. WEBER of Texas, Mr. SESSIONS, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. GARBARINO, Mr. GOTTHEIMER, Mr. GOLDEN of Maine, Mr. 

MOSKOWITZ, and Mrs. MILLER of West Virginia) introduced the following 

bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 

as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To provide for congressional oversight of proposed changes 

to arms sales to Israel. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Maintaining Our Iron5 clad Commitment to Israel’s Security Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

2 Congress finds the following: 

3 (1) In 2016 the Obama Administration con4 cluded negotiations with Israel for a 10-year Memo5 randum of Understanding covering security assist6 ance for fiscal years 2019 to 2028 that affirmed 

7 ‘‘the unshakeable commitment of the United States 

8 to Israel’s security’’. 

9 (2) In May 2024, the Biden Administration de10 layed shipment of 1,800 2,000-pound bombs and 

11 1,700 500-pound bombs to Israel in an effort to 

12 place political pressure on the Government of Israel. 

13 (3) This decision of the Biden Administration 

14 was made without consulting or notifying Congress 

15 and despite repeated public assurances that the 

16 United States-Israel relationship was ‘‘ironclad’’ and 

17 that there was ‘‘no change in policy’’. 

18 (4) On May 8, 2024, President Biden stated re19 garding Israel, ‘‘We’re not going to supply the weap20 ons and artillery shells.’’. 

21 SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

22 It is the sense of Congress that— 

23 (1) Israel has a right to defend itself, which in24 cludes the need for offensive capabilities in order to 

25 deter and defeat threats, including those posed by 


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1 Iran and its terrorist proxies Hamas, Hezbollah, and 

2 the Houthis; 

3 (2) previously negotiated and approved United 

4 States arms sales to Israel should proceed, and all 

5 pauses should be lifted, to ensure that Israel is prop6 erly equipped to defend itself and defeat threats, in7 cluding those posed by Iran and its terrorist proxies 

8 Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis; and 

9 (3) limiting or otherwise delaying the sale or 

10 delivery of United States-made defense articles to 

11 Israel runs counter to the commitments the United 

12 States made to Israel as part of the 2016 Memo13 randum of Understanding and undermines regional 

14 security, including prospective advances in Israel15 Saudi normalization. 

16 SEC. 4. CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT OF PROPOSED 

17 CHANGES TO ARMS SALES TO ISRAEL. 

18 (a) IN GENERAL.—The President may not take any 

19 action to pause, suspend, delay, or abrogate the delivery 

20 of covered defense articles or defense services to Israel, 

21 including as part of a policy review, unless, not less than 

22 15 days prior to such action, the President provides the 

23 notification described in (b) relating to such pause, sus24 pension, delay, or abrogation in unclassified form, with a 


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1 classified annex as necessary, to the appropriate congres2 sional committees. 

3 (b) NOTIFICATION DESCRIBED.—The notification re4 lating to a pause, suspension, delay, or abrogation to the 

5 delivery of covered defense articles or defense services 

6 shall include the following: 

7 (1) An identification of the end user of the arti8 cles or services. 

9 (2) A detailed description of the type of articles 

10 or services to include the date on which Congress 

11 was notified of the transfer of the articles or serv12 ices. 

13 (3) A policy justification for the pause, suspen14 sion, delay, or abrogation and a description of the 

15 potential impact such action may have on United 

16 States national security interests. 

17 (4) An identification of conditions for lifting the 

18 pause, suspension, delay, or abrogation and whether 

19 such conditions will be communicated to the Govern20 ment of Israel and the timeline for meeting such 

21 conditions. 

22 (5) A description of the sources of funds, in23 cluding an identification of appropriations accounts 

24 if applicable, used to provide the articles or services. 


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1 (6) An identification of any bilateral agreement 

2 or memorandum of understanding related to the au3 thority to provide the articles or services. 

4 (7) A description as to whether the action 

5 would adversely affect Israel’s qualitative military 

6 edge over military threats to Israel. 

7 (c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 

8 (1) the term ‘‘appropriate congressional com9 mittees’’ means— 

10 (A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and 

11 the Committee on Appropriations of the House 

12 of Representatives; and 

13 (B) the Committee on Foreign Relations 

14 and the Committee on Appropriations of the 

15 Senate; and 

16 (2) the term ‘‘qualitative military edge’’ has the 

17 meaning given that term in section 36(h)(3) of the 

18 Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2776(h)(3)). 

19 SEC. 5. CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW. 

20 (a) LIMITATION ON ACTIONS DURING INITIAL CON21 GRESSIONAL REVIEW PERIOD.—During the 15 day period 

22 following the submission of a notification described in sec23 tion 4(b), the President may not take any action to pause, 

24 suspend, delay, or abrogate the delivery of covered defense 

25 articles or services to Israel described in such notification. 


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1 (b) LIMITATION ON ACTIONS AFTER INTRODUCTION

2 OF A JOINT RESOLUTION OF DISAPPROVAL.—If a joint 

3 resolution of disapproval relating to notification described 

4 in section 4(b) is introduced, the President may not take 

5 any action relating to the pause, suspension, delay, or ab6 rogation to the delivery of covered defense articles or de7 fense services described in such notification for a period 

8 of 10 calendar days, unless the joint resolution sooner 

9 passes both Houses of Congress. 

10 (c) LIMITATION ON ACTIONS DURING PRESIDENTIAL

11 CONSIDERATION OF A JOINT RESOLUTION OF DIS12 APPROVAL.—If a joint resolution of disapproval relating 

13 to notification described in section 4(b) passes both 

14 Houses of Congress, the President may not take any ac15 tion relating to the pause, suspension, delay, or abrogation 

16 to the delivery of covered defense articles or defense serv17 ices described in such notification for a period of 12 cal18 endar days after the date of passage of the joint resolution 

19 of disapproval, unless the President sooner vetoes the joint 

20 resolution of disapproval. 

21 (d) LIMITATION ON ACTIONS DURING CONGRES22 SIONAL RECONSIDERATION OF A JOINT RESOLUTION OF

23 DISAPPROVAL.—If the President vetoes the joint resolu24 tion of disapproval, the President may not take the action 

25 described in such notification for a period of 10 calendar 


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1 days after the date of the President’s veto, unless the joint 

2 resolution sooner fails of passage on reconsideration in ei3 ther House. 

4 (e) EFFECT OF ENACTMENT OF A JOINT RESOLU5 TION OF DISAPPROVAL.—If a joint resolution of dis6 approval relating to notification described in section 4(b) 

7 is enacted into law, the President may not take any action 

8 relating to the pause, suspension, delay, or abrogation to 

9 the delivery of covered defense articles or services to Israel 

10 described in such notification for a period of 180 days, 

11 at which point, the President must submit a new notifica12 tion relating to such action. 

13 (f) JOINT RESOLUTIONS OF DISAPPROVAL.— 

14 (1) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term 

15 ‘‘joint resolution of disapproval’’ means only a joint 

16 resolution of either House of Congress— 

17 (A) the title of which is as follows: ‘‘A joint 

18 resolution disapproving the President’s proposal 

19 to pause, suspend, delay, or abrogate the deliv20 ery of covered defense articles or defense serv21 ices to Israel.’’; and 

22 (B) the sole matter after the resolving 

23 clause of which is the following: ‘‘Congress dis24 approves of the action relating to pause, sus25 pend, delay, or abrogate the delivery of covered 


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1 defense articles or defense services to Israel 

2 proposed by the President in the notification 

3 described in section 4(b) of the Maintaining 

4 Our Ironclad Commitment to Israel’s Security 

5 Act on lllll relating to lllll., 

6 with the first blank space being filled with the 

7 appropriate date and the second blank space 

8 being filled with a short description of the pro9 posed action. 

10 (2) INTRODUCTION.—During the period of 15 

11 calendar days provided for under subsection (b)(1), 

12 a joint resolution of disapproval may be intro13 duced— 

14 (A) in the House of Representatives, by 

15 the majority leader or the minority leader; and 

16 (B) in the Senate, by the majority leader 

17 (or the majority leader’s designee) or the mi18 nority leader (or the minority leader’s des19 ignee). 

20 (3) FLOOR CONSIDERATION IN HOUSE OF REP21 RESENTATIVES.— 

22 (A) REPORTING AND DISCHARGE.—If a 

23 committee of the House of Representatives to 

24 which a joint resolution of disapproval has been 

25 referred has not reported the joint resolution 


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1 within 5 legislative days after the date of refer2 ral, that committee shall be discharged from 

3 further consideration of the joint resolution. 

4 (B) PROCEEDING TO CONSIDERATION.— 

5 Beginning on the third legislative day after 

6 each committee to which a joint resolution has 

7 been referred reports the joint resolution to the 

8 House or has been discharged from further con9 sideration thereof, it shall be in order to move 

10 to proceed to consider the joint resolution in the 

11 House. All points of order against the motion 

12 are waived. Such a motion shall not be in order 

13 after the House has disposed of a motion to 

14 proceed on the joint resolution. The previous 

15 question shall be considered as ordered on the 

16 motion to its adoption without intervening mo17 tion. The motion shall not be debatable. A mo18 tion to reconsider the vote by which the motion 

19 is disposed of shall not be in order. 

20 (C) CONSIDERATION.—The joint resolution 

21 shall be considered as read. All points of order 

22 against the joint resolution and against its con23 sideration are waived. The previous question 

24 shall be considered as ordered on the joint reso25 lution to final passage without intervening moVerDate Sep 11 2014 17:59 Jun 22, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H8437.IH H8437

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1 tion except 2 hours of debate equally divided 

2 and controlled by the sponsor of the joint reso3 lution (or a designee) and an opponent. A mo4 tion to reconsider the vote on passage of the 

5 joint resolution shall not be in order. 

6 (4) CONSIDERATION IN THE SENATE.— 

7 (A) COMMITTEE REFERRAL.—A joint reso8 lution of disapproval introduced in the Senate 

9 shall be referred to the Committee on Foreign 

10 Relations. 

11 (B) REPORTING AND DISCHARGE.—If the 

12 Committee on Foreign Relations has not re13 ported the joint resolution within 5 calendar 

14 days after the date of referral of the joint reso15 lution, that committee shall be discharged from 

16 further consideration of the joint resolution and 

17 the joint resolution shall be placed on the ap18 propriate calendar. 

19 (C) PROCEEDING TO CONSIDERATION.— 

20 Notwithstanding Rule XXII of the Standing 

21 Rules of the Senate, it is in order at any time 

22 after the Committee on Foreign Relations re23 ports a joint resolution of disapproval to the 

24 Senate or has been discharged from consider25 ation of such a joint resolution (even though a 


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1 previous motion to the same effect has been dis2 agreed to) to move to proceed to the consider3 ation of the joint resolution, and all points of 

4 order against the joint resolution (and against 

5 consideration of the joint resolution) are 

6 waived. The motion to proceed is not debatable. 

7 The motion is not subject to a motion to post8 pone. A motion to reconsider the vote by which 

9 the motion is agreed to or disagreed to shall not 

10 be in order. 

11 (D) RULINGS OF THE CHAIR ON PROCE12 DURE.—Appeals from the decisions of the Chair 

13 relating to the application of the rules of the 

14 Senate, as the case may be, to the procedure re15 lating to a joint resolution of disapproval shall 

16 be decided without debate. 

17 (E) CONSIDERATION OF VETO MES18 SAGES.—Debate in the Senate of any veto mes19 sage with respect to a joint resolution of dis20 approval, including all debatable motions and 

21 appeals in connection with the joint resolution, 

22 shall be limited to 10 hours, to be equally di23 vided between, and controlled by, the majority 

24 leader and the minority leader or their des25 ignees. 


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1 (5) RULES RELATING TO SENATE AND HOUSE

2 OF REPRESENTATIVES.— 

3 (A) COORDINATION WITH ACTION BY

4 OTHER HOUSE.—If, before the passage by one 

5 House of a joint resolution of that House, that 

6 House receives a joint resolution from the other 

7 House, then the following procedures shall 

8 apply: 

9 (i) The joint resolution of the other 

10 House shall not be referred to a com11 mittee. 

12 (ii) With respect to a joint resolution 

13 of the House receiving the legislation— 

14 (I) the procedure in that House 

15 shall be the same as if no joint resolu16 tion had been received from the other 

17 House; but 

18 (II) the vote on passage shall be 

19 on the joint resolution of the other 

20 House. 

21 (B) TREATMENT OF A JOINT RESOLUTION

22 OF OTHER HOUSE.—If one House fails to intro23 duce a joint resolution under this section, the 

24 joint resolution of the other House shall be enVerDate Sep 11 2014 17:59 Jun 22, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00012 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H8437.IH H8437

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1 titled to expedited floor procedures under this 

2 section. 

3 (C) TREATMENT OF COMPANION MEAS4 URES.—If, following passage of the joint resolu5 tion in the Senate, the Senate then receives a 

6 companion measure from the House of Rep7 resentatives, the companion measure shall not 

8 be debatable. 

9 (D) APPLICATION TO REVENUE MEAS10 URES.—The provisions of this paragraph shall 

11 not apply in the House of Representatives to a 

12 joint resolution of disapproval that is a revenue 

13 measure. 

14 (6) RULES OF HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

15 AND SENATE.—This subsection is enacted by Con16 gress— 

17 (A) as an exercise of the rulemaking power 

18 of the Senate and the House of Representa19 tives, respectively, and as such is deemed a part 

20 of the rules of each House, respectively, and su21 persedes other rules only to the extent that it 

22 is inconsistent with such rules; and 

23 (B) with full recognition of the constitu24 tional right of either House to change the rules 

25 (so far as relating to the procedure of that 


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1 House) at any time, in the same manner, and 

2 to the same extent as in the case of any other 

3 rule of that House. 

4 SEC. 6. COVERED DEFENSE ARTICLES AND DEFENSE SERV5 ICES DEFINED. 

6 In this Act, the term ‘‘covered defense articles and 

7 defense services’’ means those defense articles and defense 

8 services that are provided under any of the following au9 thorities: 

10 (1) Section 3 of the Arms Export Control Act 

11 (22 U.S.C. 2753). 

12 (2) Section 36 of the Arms Export Control Act 

13 (22 U.S.C. 2776). 

14 (3) Section 506 of the Foreign Assistance Act 

15 of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2318). 

16 (4) Section 614 of the Foreign Assistance Act 

17 of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2364). 

Æ 


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