[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 172 (Wednesday, November 20, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6665-S6666]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   MOTION TO DISCHARGE--S.J. RES. 115

  Mr. SANDERS. Madam President, pursuant to section 36(c) of the Arms 
Export Control Act, I move to discharge the Committee on Foreign 
Relations from further consideration of S.J. Res. 115, relating to the 
disapproval of the proposed license amendment for the export of certain 
defense articles, defense services, and technical data to Israel.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the motion to discharge.
  The bill clerk read as follows:

       Motion to discharge from the Committee on Foreign 
     Relations, S.J. Res. 115, providing for congressional 
     disapproval of the proposed license amendment for the export 
     of certain defense articles, defense services, and technical 
     data to Israel.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, there will now be 2 
minutes for debate, equally divided.
  Mr. SANDERS. Madam President, two basic points: The first one is the 
same point that has to be made over and over again. What we are doing 
is in violation of the law. U.S. weapons cannot be provided to 
countries that violate internationally recognized human rights or block 
U.S. humanitarian aid.
  According to all of the international and humanitarian organizations 
on the ground in Gaza right now, that is exactly what Israel is doing. 
So a ``no'' vote is to allow us to continue breaking the law.
  As to the second point, this one deals with JDAMs, which are systems 
that make bombs more precise. And, on the surface, it sounds like, 
well, that is a good thing. You would rather use ``smart'' bombs than 
``dumb'' bombs, and when you do that, you save civilian lives. The 
problem is that what Israel has been doing is using JDAMs to target 
U.N. schools packed with displaced people and to target refugee centers 
and kill large numbers of innocent people. So a ``smart'' bomb does not 
save civilian lives when it is directly targeting civilians.
  I would ask for a ``yes'' vote on this resolution.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Does anyone seek time in opposition?
  The Senator from Maryland.
  Mr. CARDIN. Madam President, in opposition to the resolution, quite 
frankly, I am perplexed with this one because, as the sponsor 
indicated, we are talking about the guidance system on munitions, which 
makes it precise, and despite what the sponsor of the resolution says, 
Israel targets military targets of terrorists. Yes, Hamas makes it more 
challenging by where they locate the targets--in hospitals, in schools, 
et cetera--but without the guidance system, there are going to be 
greater civilian losses. So, if you are concerned about humanitarian 
issues, I don't know how you can possibly vote for this resolution.
  In addition, of course, as the administration pointed out, they 
oppose this resolution because it would prolong the war, not shorten 
it. It would put Israel at risk and inject wind into the sails of Iran 
and its proxies just as they are facing a historic low point and 
looking for a deal.
  I urge my colleagues to reject the resolution.

[[Page S6666]]

  



                             Vote on Motion

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is on agreeing to the motion to 
discharge.
  Mr. SANDERS. Madam President, I ask for the yeas and nays.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
  There appears to be a sufficient second.
  The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk called the roll.
  Mr. THUNE. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator 
from Indiana (Mr. Braun) and the Senator from Ohio (Mr. Vance).
  The result was announced--yeas 17, nays 80, as follows:

                      [Rollcall Vote No. 294 Leg.]

                                YEAS--17

     Durbin
     Heinrich
     Hirono
     Kaine
     King
     Lujan
     Markey
     Merkley
     Murphy
     Sanders
     Schatz
     Shaheen
     Smith
     Van Hollen
     Warnock
     Warren
     Welch

                                NAYS--80

     Barrasso
     Bennet
     Blackburn
     Blumenthal
     Booker
     Boozman
     Britt
     Brown
     Budd
     Butler
     Cantwell
     Capito
     Cardin
     Carper
     Casey
     Cassidy
     Collins
     Coons
     Cornyn
     Cortez Masto
     Cotton
     Cramer
     Crapo
     Cruz
     Daines
     Duckworth
     Ernst
     Fetterman
     Fischer
     Gillibrand
     Graham
     Grassley
     Hagerty
     Hassan
     Hawley
     Helmy
     Hickenlooper
     Hoeven
     Hyde-Smith
     Johnson
     Kelly
     Kennedy
     Klobuchar
     Lankford
     Lee
     Lummis
     Manchin
     Marshall
     McConnell
     Moran
     Mullin
     Murkowski
     Murray
     Ossoff
     Padilla
     Paul
     Peters
     Reed
     Ricketts
     Risch
     Romney
     Rosen
     Rounds
     Rubio
     Schmitt
     Schumer
     Scott (FL)
     Scott (SC)
     Sinema
     Stabenow
     Sullivan
     Tester
     Thune
     Tillis
     Tuberville
     Warner
     Whitehouse
     Wicker
     Wyden
     Young

                        ANSWERED ``PRESENT'' --1

       
     Baldwin
       

                             NOT VOTING--2

     Braun
     Vance
       
  The motion was rejected.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Kentucky.

                          ____________________