[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 23 (Thursday, February 8, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S505]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 1397. Mr. MERKLEY (for himself, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Welch, Mr. 
Sanders, Mr. Schatz, Mr. Heinrich, Ms. Warren, Ms. Butler, Ms. Hirono, 
and Mr. Coons) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to 
amendment SA 1388 submitted by Mrs. Murray (for herself and Mr. 
Schumer) and intended to be proposed to the bill H.R. 815, to amend 
title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements relating to 
the eligibility of veterans to receive reimbursement for emergency 
treatment furnished through the Veterans Community Care program, and 
for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       On page 61, between lines 12 and 13, insert the following:

     SEC. 709.(A) IN THIS SECTION--

       (1) the term ``civilians'' means individuals who are not on 
     active duty as members of the Israel Defense Forces or the 
     Israel National Police; and
       (2) the term ``United States Conventional Arms Transfer 
     Policy'' means the United States Conventional Arms Transfer 
     Policy described in National Security Memorandum/NSM-18, 
     dated February 23, 2023.
       (b) None of the amounts appropriated or otherwise made 
     available by this division may be obligated or expended to 
     facilitate the commercial export, foreign military sale, 
     transfer, or delivery of any firearms, including pistols and 
     semi-automatic and fully automatic rifles, to Israel, unless 
     the Secretary of State certifies to Congress that the 
     Secretary has received written assurance from the Government 
     of Israel that--
       (1) such firearms--
       (A) will be used only by active duty members of the Israel 
     Defense Forces and the Israel National Police; and
       (B) will not be transferred to civilians;
       (2) any such firearms used by activated reserves of the 
     Israel Defense Forces or the Israel National Police will be 
     returned to the Israel Defense Forces or the Israel National 
     Police once those reserves have been deactivated; and
       (3) such firearms will be used in accordance with United 
     States law and the United States Conventional Arms Transfer 
     Policy.
       (c) Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 
     of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of State 
     shall submit a report to Congress that describes--
       (1) the number of firearms that have been transferred to 
     the Israel Defense Forces and the Israel National Police 
     since the date of the enactment of this Act;
       (2) whether the firearms referred to in paragraph (1) were 
     used by the Israel Defense Forces and Israel National Police 
     in accordance with United States law and the United States 
     Conventional Arms Transfer Policy;
       (3) any cases in which the firearms referred to in 
     paragraph (1) were used in violation of United States law and 
     the Conventional Arms Transfer Policy during the period 
     covered by the report;
       (4) the number of firearms have been transferred to 
     civilians in violation of United States law and policy since 
     the date of the enactment of this Act;
       (5) where and to whom the firearms referred to in paragraph 
     (4) were ultimately delivered; and
       (6) whether the firearms referred to in paragraph (4) were 
     used in documented cases of violence by Israeli settlers in 
     the West Bank.
       On page 61, between lines 12 and 13, insert the following:
       Sec. 709.  Following the October 7, 2023 Hamas terror 
     attacks from Gaza against Israel, it is the policy of the 
     United States that--
       (1) Israel should be secure from terrorism and other 
     violent attacks emanating from Gaza;
       (2) there should be no forcible displacement of 
     Palestinians from Gaza;
       (3) Palestinians displaced during the war must be allowed 
     to return to their homes;
       (4) Israel should not reoccupy Gaza;
       (5) there should not be any reduction of the area or land 
     of Gaza; and
       (6) there should not be a blockade on Gaza.
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