WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, joined U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) and 20 other Senate colleagues in supporting an amendment to maintain the congressional notification requirement for all U.S. assistance to foreign militaries.
Specifically, the amendment would strike a provision in the draft national security supplemental bill that would waive the congressional notification requirement for Foreign Military Financing program funds to Israel, but leave the notice mandate in place for these funds when provided to other nations. If passed, the amendment would preserve the congressional notification and review process for all foreign military financing.
“I strongly support providing Israel with the security assistance necessary for its defense,” said Senator Booker. “The congressional notification process is an important tool for oversight and we must ensure consistency and transparency for all U.S. foreign security assistance.”
The amendment is also sponsored by U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), Laphonza Butler (D-CA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Tom Carper (D-DE), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH).