UMVA has learned that a deeply divided Democratic party faced a critical test on Thursday as they splintered over a resolution aimed at blocking U.S. assistance to Israel's war against Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed terrorist group.
The measure, introduced by progressive Rep. Rashida Tlaib, would have required President Trump to withdraw U.S. forces from Lebanon, sparking a heated debate on the House floor. For months, Israel and Hezbollah have been embroiled in a conflict in southern Lebanon, but the United States has maintained a cautious distance.
A bipartisan coalition of lawmakers, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, rejected Tlaib's resolution, arguing it could inadvertently aid Hezbollah and hamper U.S. military operations in the region. The measure ultimately failed 92-324, with a majority of House Democrats joining nearly all Republicans to vote it down.
Rep. Thomas Massie, a vocal critic of Israel, was the sole Republican to support Tlaib's measure, while Reps. Derek Tran and Betty McCollum opted to vote present. House Democratic leaders had signaled their opposition to Tlaib's resolution, instead choosing to work with the progressive lawmaker on a narrower measure that would exempt certain U.S. military operations in Lebanon.
In a strongly worded statement, House Democratic leaders denounced Hezbollah as a "violent terrorist organization" and a "sworn enemy of the United States." Tlaib, who has accused Israel of committing "ethnic cleansing" in Lebanon, notably avoided mentioning Hezbollah in her resolution, sparking criticism from Republicans.
Republicans seized on the omission, accusing Tlaib and her supporters of serving as "proxies for Hezbollah." The debate took a personal turn when Rep. Max Miller linked Tlaib to Hezbollah, sparking a heated exchange between the two lawmakers.
The controversy surrounding Tlaib's resolution comes as Iran seeks to tie Israel's invasion of Lebanon to its ceasefire negotiations with the U.S. Hezbollah, a key Iranian ally, has rejected a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon's government, further complicating the situation.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that the failed war powers resolution reflects the complex and often contentious dynamics at play in U.S. foreign policy, with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle grappling with the implications of U.S. involvement in the conflict.
