I. Legislative Branch
1) Legislation
Bipartisan Bill Would Sanction Tunisian Officials. On September 2, Reps. Joe Wilson (R-SC) and Jason Crow (D-CO) introduced H.R. 5101, which would impose sanctions on Tunisian officials involved in human rights abuses or other efforts to undermine democracy in Tunisia.
HFAC Advances Arms Sales Reforms. On September 2, the House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) announced that H.R. 3613, the Streamlining Foreign Military Sales Act of 2025, and H.R. 4335, the Abraham Accords Defense Against Terror Act, were advanced for House floor consideration as part of a broader package of arms sales reforms.
House Bill Targets Higher Education. On September 2, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies voted 11-7 along party lines to advance its Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 funding bill to the full committee. The bill provides $184.5 billion in discretionary funding, $13.7 billion below the FY 2025 enacted level. Of note, the bill states that no federal funds may be provided to any institution of higher education “unless and until such institution adopts a prohibition on antisemitic conduct that creates a hostile environment in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.” The bill also bans funding to schools that have “failed to take administrative action” against students, staff, or groups that commit antisemitic acts using campus resources.
House Resolution Seeks to Censure Rep. Tlaib. On September 3, Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA) introduced H.Res.674 to censure Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), accusing her of “celebrating” terrorism during her remarks at the People’s Conference for Palestine, where she called out Republicans and Democrats for supporting Israel.
Senate Advances FY26 Defense Bill. On September 4, the Senate agreed to a motion to proceed to consideration of S.2296, the FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, by a vote of 83-13. As of September 7, more than 760 amendments had been submitted, many related to Israel.
2) Personnel and Correspondence
Lawler Leads Bipartisan Delegation to Italy, Tunisia, and Morocco. During the week of August 25, Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY), along with Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY), Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), concluded a delegation to Italy, Tunisia, and Morocco. In Italy, the group discussed regional security challenges. In Tunisia, they met with Minister of Defense Imed Memmich and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed Ali Nafti to address terrorism, border control, and foreign influence. In Morocco, the delegation held talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita to reaffirm support for the Abraham Accords, to deepen bilateral cooperation, and to discuss the Western Sahara autonomy plan.
Huckabee Briefs HFAC on West Bank and Gaza. On September 3, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee privately briefed members of HFAC on the security and political situation in Gaza and “the challenges and the opportunities” in the West Bank, according to Jewish Insider. The briefing was organized by Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY), reportedly in response to plans by several European countries to recognize a Palestinian state.
SFRC Leadership Urge Lebanon to Disarm Hezbollah. On September 5, Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) Chairman Jim Risch (R-ID) and Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) urged the Lebanese government to approve and implement the Lebanese Armed Forces’ disarmament plan for Hezbollah. They also expressed support for President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.
3) Hearings and Briefings
SFRC Holds Hearings for Tunisia and ECOSOC Nominees. On September 3, SFRC held a hearing on the nominations of Bill Bazzi as US Ambassador to Tunisia and Dan Negrea as US Ambassador to the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and alternative representative to the UN General Assembly. During the hearing, Bazzi said that he would prioritize counterterrorism, address irregular migration, promote economic and cultural ties, and support open markets for US businesses. Negrea claimed that ECOSOC “has strayed into socially divisive programs, has promoted worldviews antithetical to American founding ideals, and has drifted into an obsessive anti-Israel bias.”
II. Executive Branch
1) White House
Trump Sends UN, Bahrain, and Tunisia Envoy Nominations to Senate. On September 2, President Donald Trump sent to the Senate the nominations of Tammy Bruce as deputy representative to the United Nations, with the rank of ambassador; Stephanie Hallett as ambassador to Bahrain; and James Holtsnider as ambassador to Jordan.
Trump Plans to Speed Up Drone Sales. According to a September 5 Reuters report, President Trump is expected to reinterpret a decades-old arms control agreement to expand overseas sales of advanced US drones. The change would reclassify drones as aircraft rather than as missile systems, sidestepping limits imposed by the Missile Technology Control Regime signed in 1987. The change could enable US sales to Saudi Arabia, which requested more than 100 MQ-9 drones earlier this year for potential inclusion in the $142 billion arms deal announced in May 2025.
Trump Says Israel Accepted His Ceasefire Terms, Urges Hamas to Comply. On September 7, President Trump told reporters that a ceasefire deal in Gaza would be reached “very soon” and claimed on Truth Social that Israel had accepted his “terms” to end the war and urged Hamas to do the same, warning of “consequences” if the group rejects the proposal, and calling this his “last warning.”
2) Department of State
Rubio Speaks with European Counterparts. On September 2, Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot to discuss “the United States’ strong opposition to any unilateral recognition of a Palestinian State,” as well as the situations in Iran and Sudan. Rubio also spoke on the same day with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy to discuss Gaza, Iran, Sudan, and Lebanon.
Administration “Very Troubled” by Norway Fund’s Israel Divestment. On September 3, the Department of State said that the Trump administration is “very troubled” by the decision of Norway’s $2 trillion sovereign wealth fund, the world’s largest, to divest from US construction equipment manufacturer Caterpillar. The fund’s ethics council said that Caterpillar’s products, such as bulldozers, were being used by Israeli authorities “to commit extensive and systematic violations of international humanitarian law,” including the “widespread unlawful destruction of Palestinian property.”
Rubio Warns Against Recognition of Palestinian State. On September 4, Secretary Rubio said during a press conference in Ecuador that the United States has warned other countries that recognizing a Palestinian state would “create really big problems,” complicate efforts to reach a ceasefire, and risk further escalation. Rubio also said he would “not opine” on Israel’s potential annexation of the West Bank, which he described as “not a final thing.”
Department Sanctions Three Palestinian Rights Groups. On September 4, Secretary Rubio announced sanctions on prominent Palestinian human rights organizations Al Haq, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights under Executive Order (EO)14203 for engaging in the International Criminal Court (ICC) efforts to “investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute Israeli nationals without Israel’s consent.” In 2023, the three organizations filed a lawsuit with the ICC asking for an investigation of Israeli actions in Gaza and called on the court to issue arrest warrants for Israeli leaders allegedly involved in war crimes and crimes against humanity. President Trump issued EO 14203, “Imposing Sanctions on the International Criminal Court,” on February 6, 2025.
3) Department of Defense
AFRICOM Conducts More Strikes in Somalia. On August 30, US forces conducted an airstrike against al-Shabab in Somalia. On August 31 and September 1 and 2, US forces conducted airstrikes against the so-called Islamic State in Somalia.
4) Department of the Treasury
Treasury Sanctions Iran-Iraq Oil Smuggling Network. On September 2, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned a network of shipping companies and vessels accused of helping Iran evade oil export restrictions by smuggling Iranian oil disguised as Iraqi oil.
