Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today filed three Joint Resolutions of Disapproval (JRDs) that would block the sale of nearly $658.8 million in offensive U.S. weaponry to Israel...
File or support joint resolutions of disapproval to block the sale of offensive U.S. weaponry to Israel.
Occurrences
Sen. Bernie Sanders, in a statement ahead of Wednesday’s vote, said Congress must use its oversight authority to block offensive weaponry to Israel.
"I want to thank the overwhelming majority of the Democratic caucus for their strong opposition to the Biden administration’s sale of $295 million worth of bulldozers used to demolish homes in Gaza, Lebanon and the West Bank, as well as $151.8 million worth of 1,000-pound bombs being used in Gaza and Lebanon. ... The United States must not be complicit in this crisis. That is why I filed two joint resolutions of disapproval..."
today filed three Joint Resolutions of Disapproval (JRDs) that would block the sale of nearly $658.8 million in offensive U.S. weaponry to Israel
Evidence
On April 16, 2026, the U.S. Senate voted against two resolutions introduced by Senator Bernie Sanders aimed at halting arms sales to Israel, specifically bulldozers and bombs. While both measures were rejected—40-59 and 36-63—over three dozen Democrats supported them, reflecting a significant shift and growing dissatisfaction within the party toward Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. military support amid conflicts involving Gaza, Iran, and Lebanon.
Nearly 100 people were arrested in New York City during a protest organized by Jewish Voice for Peace, demanding that Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand block a proposed $600 million U.S. bomb sale to Israel. The demonstration, which attracted hundreds of participants, began with an attempted sit-in at the senators’ Manhattan offices in response to Israel's intensifying military campaign in Lebanon and the broader U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran.
On March 19, 2026, Senator Bernie Sanders filed three Joint Resolutions of Disapproval to block the sale of nearly $658.8 million in offensive U.S. weaponry to Israel amid President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s illegal, premeditated and unconstitutional war with Iran. The sales included 5,000 'defense articles' relating to 250-pound small-diameter bombs, 10,000 500-pound bombs, and 12,000 1,000-pound bombs.
On September 18, 2024, Senator Bernie Sanders announced his intention to file Joint Resolutions of Disapproval to block the sale of more than $20 billion in offensive U.S. weaponry to Israel. He cited concerns over Israel's military actions in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis resulting from the conflict.
On April 3, 2025, Senator Bernie Sanders addressed the Senate to advocate for Joint Resolutions of Disapproval aimed at blocking the sale of nearly $8.8 billion in heavy bombs and other munitions to Israel. He highlighted concerns over civilian casualties and the use of these weapons in Gaza.
On July 30, 2025, Senator Bernie Sanders forced a Senate vote on two Joint Resolutions of Disapproval to block offensive arms sales to Israel, citing the humanitarian crisis and starvation in Gaza. Despite his efforts, the resolutions were not passed.
On March 4, 2025, Amnesty International USA welcomed the introduction of four Joint Resolutions of Disapproval by Senator Bernie Sanders and other representatives to block the sale of more than $8 billion in weapon sales to the Israeli government. Amnesty highlighted concerns over U.S.-origin weapons being used in violation of international law.
On March 28, 2025, the Friends Committee on National Legislation discussed the Joint Resolutions of Disapproval led by Senator Bernie Sanders and Representatives Tlaib and Jayapal to block over $12 billion in U.S. arms sales to Israel. The resolutions aimed to prevent the transfer of offensive weapons implicated in civilian casualties in Gaza.
Vote Date: April 15, 2026, 06:17 PM. Vote Result: Motion to Discharge Rejected. Measure Number: S.J.Res. 32. Measure Title: A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed foreign military sale to the Government of Israel of certain defense articles and services. Vote Counts: YEAs 40, NAYs 59, Not Voting 1. Sanders (I-VT), Yea.
The Senate roll call for April 15, 2026 records Sanders voting Yea on the motion to discharge S.J.Res. 138, a joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed foreign military sale to Israel; the motion was rejected 36-63.
Sanders' Senate office announced on March 19, 2026 that he filed three Joint Resolutions of Disapproval to block nearly $658.8 million in offensive U.S. weaponry to Israel, including small-diameter bomb articles, 500-pound bombs, and 1,000-pound bombs.
The Senate roll call records a motion to discharge S.J.Res. 32, a joint resolution of disapproval of a proposed foreign military sale to Israel. The motion was rejected 40-59, and Sanders (I-VT) voted Yea.
The Senate roll call records a motion to discharge S.J.Res. 138 from the Foreign Relations Committee; the measure was a joint resolution disapproving a proposed foreign military sale to Israel. The motion was rejected 36-63, and Sanders (I-VT) voted Yea.
Congress.gov lists S.J.Res.32 as sponsored by Sen. Bernard Sanders, introduced March 10, 2025, titled as a joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of a proposed foreign military sale to Israel. CRS summarizes that it prohibits a proposed foreign military sale of certain defense articles and services to Israel.
Congress.gov lists S.J.Res.34 as sponsored by Sen. Bernard Sanders and introduced March 10, 2025. Its latest action was a July 30, 2025 Senate rejection of the motion to discharge, 24-73; CRS summarizes that the joint resolution prohibits a proposed foreign military sale of certain defense articles and services to Israel.
Congress.gov lists S.J.Res.41 as sponsored by Sen. Bernard Sanders, introduced March 27, 2025, and titled as a joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed export of certain defense articles to Israel. Its latest action was a July 30, 2025 Senate rejection of the motion to discharge, 27-70.
Assessments
The promise was to file or support joint resolutions of disapproval, not necessarily to successfully block the arms sales. Sanders sponsored multiple 119th Congress JRDs concerning Israeli arms sales, including S.J.Res.32, S.J.Res.34, and S.J.Res.41 in 2025, and his office announced three additional JRD filings on March 19, 2026. He also voted in favor of discharge motions for relevant Israel arms-sale disapproval resolutions in April 2026. Although the Senate rejected the motions and the sales were not blocked, the promised act of filing or supporting the JRDs was completed during his current federal Senate term.
The promise was to file or support joint resolutions of disapproval aimed at blocking offensive U.S. arms sales to Israel. Sanders clearly did that while serving in office: he announced and filed such resolutions in 2024, introduced additional resolutions in 2025 and 2026, and voted for them when they reached the Senate. Although the Senate rejected the measures and the arms sales were not ultimately blocked, the claim is framed around taking the legislative action of filing or supporting the resolutions, not guaranteeing final passage. On that narrower promise, he delivered during the same term.
The promise was to file or support joint resolutions of disapproval aimed at blocking offensive U.S. weapons sales to Israel, not necessarily to successfully stop the sales. Sanders repeatedly filed, led, supported, and forced Senate votes on such resolutions in 2024, 2025, and 2026 while serving in the same federal Senate term context. The resolutions failed, so the arms-sale blocking outcome was not achieved, but the promised action of filing or supporting the resolutions was delivered.
Bernie Sanders repeatedly filed and supported joint resolutions of disapproval to block the sale of offensive U.S. weaponry to Israel, fulfilling the action-based component of the promise. However, none of the resolutions passed, and the arms sales went forward. Multiple credible sources show extensive legislative effort across several major arms sales, but actual delivery of the promised outcome (blocking the sales) was never accomplished.