On Monday, the Senate will consider and vote on 13 amendments to HR 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act. Three of the amendments, introduced by Senator John Kyl of Arizona, are related to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Democratic leadership, most likely, assumes that there are enough votes to defeat these measures, but many Senators would have to use significant political capital to oppose them. On the other hand, if Senators are politcially forced into approving these measures, then the entire bill will be destroyed, since Speaker Nancy Pelosi has stated that the House will not take up an amended Omnibus.
As the Minority Whip, the second highest ranking Senate Republican, John Kyl has decided to use his powerful position to put his personal and foreign policy beliefs ahead of the needs of the American people, the image of America in the international community, and important U.S. international political relationships. Below the jump, I would like to describe these amendments, provide analysis, and discuss ways for people to stop these measures from derailing an important and vital piece of legislation.
Senate Amendment(S.A.) 629:
"None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be made available to resettle Palestinians from Gaza into the United States."
This amendment was created in response to an false internet rumor that $20.3 million dollars pledged by President Obama for humanitarian and reconstuction aid, in the wake of the recent war, is actually being used to resettle Palestinians in the United States. In fact, the President issued Presidential Determination Number 2009-15, which authorized the contribution of $20.3 million dollars from the United States Emergecy Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund (ERMA) to meet "urgent humanitarian needs of Palestinian refugees and conflict victims in Gaza". According to the U.S. State Department Press Release, $13.5 million dollars went to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency For Palestine Refugees in The Near East (UNRWA), $6 million went to the International Committee of The Red Cross (ICRC), and $800,000 went to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
Senate Amendment (S.A.) 630:
"Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Director of National Intelligence, shall submit to Congress a report on whether additional funds from Foreign Military Financing assistance provided annually to the Government of Egypt could be expended-- (1) to improve efforts by the Government of Egypt to counter illicit smuggling, including arms smuggling, across the Egypt-Gaza border; and (2) to intercept weapons originating in other countries in the region and smuggled into Gaza through Egypt."
According to Americans For Peace Now's March 6th Legislative Round-Up:
"This amendment is a clear shot at Egypt’s FMF program, probably to counter-act the fact that the "fencing off" provisions on Egypt’s FMF were removed in this bill. The report would lay the groundwork for efforts in the next appropriations cycle to earmark a portion or portions of Egypt’s FMF for specific purposes defined by the US – something that would be a radical change in the US-Egypt relationship and that would represent a major Congressional attack on that relationship."
Senate Amendment (S.A.) 631:
"None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be made available to aid reconstruction efforts in Gaza until the Secretary of State certifies that none of such funds will be diverted to Hamas or entities controlled by Hamas."
Once again, from the members of Americans For Peace Now:
"This amendment is redundant and irrational. Redundant, because US law is absolutely clear that no funds can go to Hamas. Redundant, too, because the existing ForOps language in this bill (General Provisions #7039 and #7040) include extensive oversight, vetting, reporting, and conditioning on any aid to the Palestinians or the Palestinian Authority. Irrational, because the amendment requires the Secretary to certify something that cannot be certified – i.e., that something will NOT happen. While it is reasonable to demand certification that all reasonable steps are being taken to make sure that something will not happen (as is already the case in US law with respect to aid to the Palestinians), it is not rational to demand certification that something categorically will not happen – unless the goal of the amendment is to come up with a certification requirement that simply cannot ever be met.
Please, contact your Senators, urge them to vote "NO" on these controversial amendments, and tell them that you will strongly support their vote. You can call them at the Toll-Free Capitol Switchboard, (877)762-8762 or (800)828-0498. You can also e-mail them through The American-Arab Anti-Discrimation Committee and The Arab American Institute.
Also, people can become more educated about the legislative aspects of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict by signing onto the Americans For Peace Now weekly Legislative Round-Up, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee's Action E-List, and The Arab American Institute's Action E-List.
Hat tip to Adam Horowitz at Mondoweiss
