Updates
September 14, 2018
Congressional Update – Week Ending September 14, 2018
I. Congress 1) Legislation Iranian Proxies Terrorist Sanctions Act. This week, a cadre of GOP senators introduced S. 3431 to place pressure on Iraqi militias that are supported by Iran. The bill seeks to explicitly...
Learn more »September 07, 2018
Congressional Update – Week Ending September 7, 2018
I. Congress 1) Legislation Palestinian Assistance Reform Act. On September 6, Senator James Lankford (R-Oklahoma) finally released a bill that addresses funding for Palestinians and relevant agencies that support them. S. 3425 is supposed to...
Learn more »August 31, 2018
Congressional Update – Week Ending August 31, 2018
I. Congress The House was on its last week of recess and senators cut short their work week, in part to pay tribute to their late colleague, John McCain, who died on August 25 at...
Learn more »August 24, 2018
Congressional Update – Week Ending August 24, 2018
I. Congress The House remains on recess, but the Senate worked its first full week since taking a brief recess earlier in August. The upper chamber is looking to pass appropriations bills and confirm more...
Learn more »August 17, 2018
Congressional Update – Week Ending August 17, 2018
I. Congress 1) Legislation Defense Spending Moves Ahead in Senate. This week, President Donald Trump signed the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2019 into law. The NDAA authorizes the...
Learn more »August 10, 2018
Congressional Update – Week Ending August 10, 2018
I. Congress Members of both the House and Senate remain on recess. The Senate is expected to return for legislative business August 15, and the House after Labor Day in September. 1) Personnel Palestinian American...
Learn more »August 03, 2018
Congressional Update – Week Ending August 3, 2018
I. Congress Members of the House have the month of August off, so many will be preparing for reelection fights that are less than 100 days away. While there may still be noteworthy correspondence or...
Learn more »July 27, 2018
Congressional Update – Week Ending July 27, 2018
I. Congress 1) Legislation Fiscal Year 2019 NDAA. If it seems like the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) has been in the legislative pipeline for months, that’s because it has—it was first detailed in the...
Learn more »Reports
May 31, 2017
H.R. 2712: Palestinian International Terrorism Support Prevention Act of 2017
On May 25, Rep. Brian Mast (R-Florida) introduced H.R. 2712, “a bill to impose sanctions with respect to foreign support for Palestinian terrorism, and for other purposes.” As of May 30, the bill had garnered...
Learn more »January 06, 2017
House and Senate Introduce Resolutions Disapproving the UNSC Resolution on Israeli Settlements
On January 5, 2017, the US House of Representatives, by a vote of 342-80, passed HRes11, a non-binding resolution objecting to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 2334 as an obstacle to Israeli-Palestinian peace....
Learn more »November 17, 2016
House Votes in Favor of Syria Sanctions
On Tuesday, November 15, the House agreed, by a unanimous voice vote, to pass HR5732, the Caesar Civilian Protection Act of 2016, a bill that would impose new sanctions on the Syrian government and its...
Learn more »September 29, 2016
Congress Overrides Presidential Veto of JASTA Legislation
Despite an intensive lobbying effort by Saudi Arabia’s many lobbyists against the Justice against State Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), the House and Senate on September 28 voted to override the President’s veto. This...
Learn more »May 23, 2016
US-Saudi Relations – Update: Senate Passes Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act
On May 17, the Senate passed by voice vote S2040 The Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, referred to as the “JASTA,” after agreeing to a substitute amendment. The amendment, S.Amdt. 3945, was offered...
Learn more »May 04, 2016
Saudi Arabia: Under Congressional Scrutiny
There has been a debate in Washington about the nature of the US-Saudi relationship which recently has been fraught with tension due largely to the Iran nuclear deal, but also the diminution of American...
Learn more »April 20, 2016
Who is Behind the Effort to Declare the Muslim Brotherhood a Terrorist Organization
(amended) The issue of designating the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) has gained momentum in recent months. During an April 13 hearing before the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East...
Learn more »November 02, 2015
Representative Paul Ryan: Speaker of the US House of Representatives
House Republicans returned to Washington October 20 faced with nominating a new Speaker of the House following House Majority Leader Tim McCarthy’s withdrawal from the Speaker’s race. McCarthy’s surprising withdrawal from the Speaker’s race, for...
Learn more »How Congress Works
A Looming Collision: Donald Trump and Presidential War Powers
The first few weeks of President Donald Trump’s first term have been newsworthy, to say the least. But the same inauguration that ushered him into the White House was also symbolic for another reason. He...
Learn more »How the Electoral College Works
The Electoral College has served as a vehicle for American democracy since the country’s birth over two centuries ago. Yet, not many people (including Americans) understand how the Electoral College works. Below is a quick...
Learn more »Glossary of Legislative Terms
Act – A bill passed in identical Form by both houses of Congress and signed into law by the President or enacted over his veto. Also called a Public Law. Amendment – A proposal by...
Learn more »Understanding The US Legislative Process
Forms of Congressional Action Under the US Constitution, Congress initiates legislation. Legislation passed by Congress must be signed by the President to become law. Congressional action is usually undertaken in one of four major forms:...
Learn more »Foreign Assistance Legislation: The Authorization and Appropriation Process
Authorization versus Appropriations Legislation Theory: In theory, Congress should follow a two-step legislative process (authorization and appropriation) that produces two separate laws governing foreign assistance. Foreign assistance authorization legislation – usually referred to as the...
Learn more »The Foreign Policy Powers of Congress
The US Constitution contains ambiguities regarding the roles of Congress and the President in making foreign policy. In practice, strong Presidents and legislators have often asserted their prerogatives in this area at the expense of...
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