Democratic Backlash as Biden Bypasses Congress for 2nd Time to Arm Israel

The Biden administration's decision late last week to circumvent congressional review of a $147.5 million arms sale to Israel is drawing growing backlash from U.S. lawmakers, with three senators from the president's party criticizing the move as dangerous and lacking transparency.

"Congress must discuss the merits of supporting the transfer of lethal aid, which has grave implications not only for the millions of civilians trapped in Gaza who had no part in the horrific slaughter of innocent Israelis on October 7th by Hamas, but also for the United States," Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) said in a statement Sunday, expressing agreement with fellow Sen. Tim Kaine's (D-Va.) response a day earlier.

The Virginia Democrat said Saturday that "just as Congress has a crucial role to play in all matters of war and peace, Congress should have full visibility over the weapons we transfer to any other nation."

"Unnecessarily bypassing Congress means keeping the American people in the dark," said Kaine. "We need a public explanation of the rationale behind this decision."

On Friday, the U.S. State Department announced that it had invoked emergency powers to unilaterally approve a sale of artillery shells and other military equipment to Israel without congressional oversight, claiming the country has urgent "defensive needs" as it wages a devastating war on the Gaza Strip that has killed mostly civilians.

The move marked the second time in less than a month that the Biden administration maneuvered around Congress to approve a weapons sale to Israel, which has received roughly 10,000 tons of U.S. military equipment since October 7—from Joint Direct Attack Munitions to 2,000-pound bombs. The administration has been highly secretive about its weapons transfers to Israel, a sharp contrast with its approach to arming Ukraine.

Human rights groups have urged the U.S. and other nations to impose an arms embargo on Israel, whose bombing campaign and siege have killed and wounded many thousands of people, displaced around 90% of Gaza's population, and decimated much of the enclave's infrastructure. But the Biden administration has refused even to place conditions on U.S. military aid, heightening the risk of complicity in genocide and ethnic cleansing.

"The administration's decision to repeatedly short-circuit what is already a quick time frame for congressional review undermines transparency and weakens accountability."

Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) said over the weekend that "congressional review is a critical step for examining any large arms sale."

"The administration's decision to repeatedly short-circuit what is already a quick time frame for congressional review undermines transparency and weakens accountability," he added. "The public deserves answers."

Van Hollen, Kaine, and Welch were among the 13 Democratic senators who signed a letter in early November urging the Biden administration to support a "cessation of hostilities" in Israel and Gaza.

Israeli forces have killed an additional 10,000 people in Gaza since that letter was made public, and most of the territory's population is going hungry as Israel's bombing campaign and siege continue with no end in sight.

Welch said Sunday that U.S. weaponry is "contributing to the death and injury of countless civilians and the displacement of an estimated 2 million people who are facing daily bombardment without access to adequate food, water, shelter, or medical care."

"The war in Gaza has generated immense controversy and concern in the United States and around the world," Welch added. "The president should follow the established procedure of submitting his arms sales recommendations to Congress for prior approval."