Ohio--111th Congress (2009-2010)
Senator |
Boxer/Isakson Letter |
Boxer/Isakson Letter |
Total |
|||||
George Voinovich (R) |
|
-1 |
-1
|
-1 |
|
-1 |
-1 |
-5 |
Sherrod Brown (D) |
-1 |
|
|
|
|
-1 |
-1 |
-3 |
Senate
1. S.Res.10. Title: “A resolution recognizing the
right of
2. Dodd
Letter. Comment: This AIPAC-initiated “Dear Colleague” letter to President
Obama urges him to “take into account the risks” Israel will take in signing a
peace agreement with the Palestinians, as if Palestinians face no risks in
signing an agreement with an Israeli government that consistently violates
human rights, international law, and even previous agreements it has
signed. The letter is also premised on
the biased notion that only Palestinians and Arabs bear responsibility for
bringing about peace, and that Israel is free of any responsibility to take
steps in that direction. The letter
reads as if these Senators are stuck in some parallel universe where
Palestinians are occupying
4. Boxer/Isakson
Letter. Comment: This AIPAC-inspired “Dear
Colleague” letter attempts to exert pressure on the Obama Administration to
paper over its policy differences with Israel and solve them “amicably” instead
of correctly confronting it over continued settlement expansion. The letter also blames Palestinians for
“a growing list of unprecedented preconditions” rather than Israel’s
intransigence on illegal settlement activity for the impasse in negotiations. Scoring: -2 sponsor, -1 cosponsor. Last Major Action: Sent to Secretary of
State with 76 signatures, 3/29/10.
5. S.Res.548. Title:
“A resolution to express the sense of the Senate that Israel has an undeniable
right to self-defense, and to condemn the recent destabilizing actions by
extremists aboard the ship Mavi Marmara.” Comment: This outrageous
resolution attempts to justify Israel’s illegal attack on the Gaza Freedom
Flotilla and its illegal blockade of the occupied Palestinian Gaza Strip. It libelously refers to the Gaza
Freedom Flotilla as a “violent attack and provocation by extremists” and
condemns any civil society effort to break Israel’s collective punishment of
Gaza Strip residents. Scoring:
-2 sponsor, -1 cosponsor. Last Major
Action: Resolution agreed to in Senate with an amendment and an amended preamble
by Voice Vote, 6/24/2010.
6. Reid/McConnell
Letter. Comment: This extremely problematic
“Dear Colleague” letter deems Israel blockade of the occupied Palestinian Gaza
Strip—an act of collective punishment considered to be a war crime under the 4th
Geneva Convention—to be “legal under international law.” It also justifies Israel’s attack on
the Gaza Freedom Flotilla, urges that organizations participating in it be put
on the terrorism list, and urges the Obama Administration to prevent any form
of accountability in international forums for Israel’s illegal attack on the
Gaza Freedom Flotilla. Scoring: -2
sponsor, -1 cosponsor. Last Major Action: Sent to President
with 87 signatures, 6/21/2010.
7. Boxer/Isakson
Letter. Comment: As direct Israeli-Palestinian negotiations were breaking down only
weeks after their resumption, due to Israel’s refusal to extend its so-called
partial ‘moratorium’ on settlements, this “Dear Colleague” letter falsely
blamed Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran for derailing the talks, rather than Israel
for its provocative and illegal actions. The letter also pressures the
President to arm twist the Palestinians to remain at the negotiating table even
as Israel continues to colonize land that supposedly will form an independent
Palestinian state. Scoring: -2
sponsor, -1 co-sponsor. Last Major Action: Sent
to President with 87 signatures, 9/27/2010.
House First Session (2009)
Representative |
H.Res. 867 |
Moran/ Inglis Letter | McDermott/ Ellison Letter |
2009 Total |
||||||||
Steve Driehaus (D-1) |
|
-1 |
|
|
|
|
|
-1 |
-1
|
|
|
-3 |
Jean Schmidt (R-2) |
|
-1 |
|
|
|
|
-1 |
-1 |
-1
|
|
|
-4 |
Michael Turner (R-3) |
|
-1 |
|
|
|
|
|
-1 |
-1
|
|
|
-3 |
Jim Jordan (R-4) |
|
-1 |
|
|
|
|
-1 |
-1 |
-1
|
|
|
-4 |
Robert Latta (R-5) |
|
-1 |
|
|
|
|
|
-1 |
-1
|
|
|
-3 |
Charles Wilson (D-6) |
|
-1 |
|
|
|
|
|
-1 |
-1
|
|
|
-3 |
Steve Austria (R-7) |
|
-1 |
|
|
|
|
-1 |
-1 |
-1
|
|
|
-4 |
John Boehner (R-8) |
|
-1 |
|
|
|
|
|
-1 |
-1
|
|
|
-3 |
Marcy Kaptur (D-9) |
|
-1 |
1 |
|
1 |
1 |
|
|
1 |
|
1
|
4 |
Dennis Kucinich (D-10) |
1 |
2 |
2 |
|
1 |
1 |
|
|
2 |
|
|
9 |
Marcia Fudge (D-11) |
|
-1 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
-1 |
-1
|
|
|
-2 |
Patrick Tiberi (R-12) |
|
-1 |
|
|
|
|
|
-1 |
-1
|
|
|
-3 |
Betty Sutton (D-13) |
|
-1 |
|
|
|
|
|
-1 |
-1
|
|
|
-3 |
Steven LaTourette (R-14) |
|
-1 |
|
|
|
|
|
-1 |
-1 |
|
|
-3 |
Mary Jo Kilroy (D-15) |
|
-1 |
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
-1 |
-1
|
1
|
1
|
1 |
John Boccieri (D-16) |
|
-1 |
|
|
|
|
|
-1 |
-1
|
|
|
-3 |
Tim Ryan (D-17) |
|
-1 |
|
|
|
|
|
-1 |
-1
|
|
|
-3 |
Zachary Space (D-18) |
|
-1 |
|
|
|
|
|
-1 |
-1
|
|
|
-3 |
House Second Session (2010)
Representative |
H.Res.
1391 |
H.R. 5501 |
Poe/Peters Letter |
H.Res.1765 |
2010 Total |
Overall Total |
|||||||
Steve Driehaus (D-1) |
-1 |
-1 |
-2 |
-5 |
|||||||||
Jean Schmidt (R-2) |
-1 |
-1 |
-1 |
-1 |
-1 |
-1 | -6 |
-10 |
|||||
Michael Turner (R-3) |
-1 |
-1 |
-1 |
-3 |
-6 |
||||||||
Jim Jordan (R-4) |
-1 |
-1 |
-1 |
-3 |
-7 |
||||||||
Robert Latta (R-5) |
-1 |
-1 |
-1 |
-1 |
-1 |
-5 |
-8 |
||||||
Charles Wilson (D-6) |
0 |
-3 |
|||||||||||
Steve Austria (R-7) |
-1 |
-1 |
-1 |
-3 |
-7 |
||||||||
John Boehner (R-8) |
-1 |
-1 |
-1 |
-3 |
-6 |
||||||||
Marcy Kaptur (D-9) |
1 |
1 |
5 |
||||||||||
Dennis Kucinich (D-10) |
0 |
9 |
|||||||||||
Marcia Fudge (D-11) |
-1 |
-1 |
-3 |
||||||||||
Patrick Tiberi (R-12) |
-1 | -1 |
-1 |
-1 |
-1 |
-1 | -6 |
-9 |
|||||
Betty Sutton (D-13) |
-1 |
-1 |
-2 |
-5 |
|||||||||
Steven LaTourette (R-14) |
-1 |
-1 |
-1 | -1 |
-1 |
-5 |
-8 |
||||||
Mary Jo Kilroy (D-15) |
-1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|||||||||
John Boccieri (D-16) |
-1 |
-1 |
-2 |
-5 |
|||||||||
Tim Ryan (D-17) |
0 |
-3 |
|||||||||||
Zachary Space (D-18) |
-1 |
-1 |
-2 |
-5 |
House
1. Capps
Letter. Comment: This letter
expresses concern about the breakdown of civilian infrastructure, including
electricity, medical care, water, and sewage treatment, in the Gaza Strip due
to
2. H.Res.34. Title:
“Recognizing
3. H.Res.66. Title: “Expressing the sense of the
House of Representatives concerning the humanitarian crisis in
4. H.Con.Res.29. Title:
“Expressing the sense of Congress that the United Nations should take immediate
steps to improve the transparency and accountability of the United Nations
Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) in the
5. Olver
Letter. Comment: This letter
acknowledges the acute humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip and urges the
6. H.Res.130. Title:
“Expressing support for the appointment of former Senator George Mitchell as
Special Envoy for Middle East Peace, and for other purposes.” Comment:
President Obama’s appointment of Senator George Mitchell was applauded by many
analysts who view him as an even-handed mediator, especially compared with many
previous Bush and Clinton appointments to similar positions. The resolution quotes Senator Mitchell on the
resolvability of conflicts and points to his experience in successfully
brokering peace in
7. H.Con.Res.111. Title:
“Recognizing the 61st anniversary of the independence of the State of Israel.” Comment:
Where should we start with this resolution chocked full of hyperbolic gushy sentiments
about how
8. Hoyer
Letter. Comments: This AIPAC-initiated “Dear Colleague” letter to President
Obama urges him to “take into account the risks” Israel will take in signing a
peace agreement with the Palestinians, as if Palestinians face no risks in
signing an agreement with an Israeli government that consistently violates
human rights, international law, and even previous agreements it has
signed. The letter is also premised on
the biased notion that only Palestinians and Arabs bear responsibility for
bringing about peace, and that Israel is free of any responsibility to take
steps in that direction. The letter
reads as if these Representatives are stuck in some parallel universe where
Palestinians are occupying
9.
H.Res.867. Title: “Calling on the President and the Secretary of State to
oppose unequivocally any endorsement or further consideration of the ‘Report of
the United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict’ in multilateral
fora.” Comment: This resolution condemns the Goldstone Report as
“irredeemably biased and unworthy of further consideration or legitimacy” and
instructs the Obama Administration to oppose consideration or endorsement of
the Goldstone Report. The resolution is
replete with inaccurate information about and misleading characterizations of
the Goldstone Report and undermines the commitment of the
11. McDermott/Ellison
Letter. Comment:
This “Dear Colleague” letter to
President Obama draws attention to the devastating humanitarian consequences of
12. H.Res.1191.
Title: “Urging the
expedient relocation of the United States Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.” Comment:
This resolution attempts to pre-judge the negotiation over the final status of
Jerusalem by insisting that the United States move its embassy there. It also
declares Jerusalem “the undivided capital of the State of Israel,” thereby
ignoring Israel’s disregard for the UN Partition Plan arrangement for Jerusalem
as a “corpus separatum” and its illegal 43-year military occupation of
Palestinian East Jerusalem. Scoring:
-2 sponsor, -1 cosponsor. Last Major Action: Referred to the
House Committee on Foreign Affairs, 3/18/2010.
13. Hoyer/Cantor Letter. Comment: This AIPAC-inspired “Dear Colleague” letter
attempts to exert pressure on the Obama Administration to paper over its policy
differences with Israel and solve them “quietly, in trust and confidence”
instead of correctly confronting it over continued settlement expansion. The letter also attempts to downplay
the Obama Administration’s policy disagreements with Israel, referring to
Israel’s intransigence on expanding settlements as a mere “misunderstanding”. Scoring: -2 sponsor, -1 cosponsor. Last
Major Action: Sent to Secretary of State with 334 signatures, 3/26/2010.
14. H.Res.1241. Title:
“Supporting the right of Israel to defend itself against terrorists and
the Israeli construction of new security fences along the border of Egypt.” Comment:
This resolution justifies Israel’s construction of apartheid walls/fences both
in the occupied Palestinian West Bank and Gaza Strip, even though the
International Court of Justice (ICJ) deemed Israel’s wall in the West Bank to
be illegal. Scoring: -2 sponsor, -1
cosponsor. Last Major Action: Referred to
the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, 4/13/2010.
15. H.Con.Res.270. Title:
“Calling on the United States Government to investigate the case of Tristan
Anderson, a United States citizen from Oakland, California, who was critically
injured in the West Bank village of Ni'lin on March 13, 2009, and expressing
sympathy to Tristan Anderson and his family, friends, and loved ones during
this trying time.” Comment: This resolution calls on the Obama Administration
“to undertake a full, fair, and expeditious investigation” into Israel’s
shooting of U.S. peace activist Tristan Anderson, and to work with Israel “to
ensure that any incident of this kind never occurs again”. Scoring: +2 sponsor, +1 cosponsor. Last Major Action: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign
Affairs, 4/28/2010.
16. H.Con.Res.271. Title: “Commemorating the 43rd
anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem.” Comment: This resolution audaciously “congratulates the residents
of Jerusalem” on the 43 years of Israel’s illegal military occupation of East
Jerusalem. Perhaps the Members of Congress who sponsored this resolution are so
ignorant of reality that they don’t realize the Palestinian residents of Jerusalem
would not want to be “congratulated” for being subjected to Israeli military
occupation. Scoring: -2 sponsor, -1
cosponsor. Last Major Action: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign
Affairs, 4/29/2010.
17. Kind/Delahunt Letter. Comment: While
the choice of language in this “Dear Colleague” letter leaves a lot to be
desired from the perspective of human rights and international law, it is
significant in that it quotes Gen. David Petraeus, Commander of CENTCOM, as
stating that U.S. and Israeli interests do not always align and that U.S.
pressure on Israel is needed to achieve peace. Scoring: +2
sponsor, +1 cosponsor. Last Major Action: Sent to the
President with 61 signatures, 5/27/2010.
18. H.R.5327. Title:
United States-Israel Rocket and Missile Defense Cooperation and Support Act. Comment: This resolution authorizes the expenditure of more than $200 million in
additional military aid to Israel for an anti-missile defense system, despite
Israel’s repeated violations of the Arms Export Control Act and misuse of U.S.
weapons. Although
technically a “defensive” weapon, the “Iron Dome” missile defense system would
also increase Israel’s offensive capabilities, making it more cost-free for it
to attack without fear of return missiles. Scoring: -2 sponsor, -1
cosponsor or yes vote, 0 not voting, +1 present vote, +2 no vote. Last Major Action: Passed the
House 410-4 (Roll Call Vote #284), 5/20/2010.
19. H.Res.1391. Title: Congratulating Israel for
its accession to membership in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and
Development. Comment: Israel’s accession to membership in
Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) was unwarranted
based on its human rights record, and a major blow to international efforts to
isolate and de-legitimate Israel’s military occupation and apartheid policies
toward Palestinians. This
resolution congratulates Israel for joining the OECD. Scoring: -2
sponsor, -1 cosponsor. Last Major Action: Passed the House
418-0 (Roll Call Vote #320), 5/28/2010.
20. H.R.5501. Title:
America Stands with Israel Act. Comment:
This resolution brashly declares support for “Israel’s naval blockade of
Gaza”—an illegal act of collective punishment according to the 4th
Geneva Convention. It advances
spurious and debunked claims that the Gaza Freedom Flotilla organizers have
ties to Al-Qaeda (would Israel really just let Al-Qaeda members go free after
capturing them? C’mon.) The resolution also opposes any
international accountability for Israel’s illegal attack on the Gaza Freedom
Flotilla. Scoring: -2 sponsor, -1
cosponsor. Last Major Action: Referred to
the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, 6/10/2010.
21. Poe/Peters Letter. Comment: This “Dear Colleague” letter
justifies Israel’s attack on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla and its illegal blockade
of the occupied Palestinian Gaza Strip. It urges President Obama “to thwart international condemnation” of
Israel, providing it carte blanche to violate international law as it chooses. Scoring: -2 sponsor, -1
cosponsor. Last Major Action: Send to the President with 329 signatures,
6/17/2010.
22. H.Res.1765. Title: Supporting a negotiated solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and condemning unilateral measures to declare or recognize a Palestinian state, and for other purposes. Comment: Rushed to the floor of the House for a vote before the text was even made public, this resolution paternalistically sets a timeline for Palestinian freedom by condemning Palestinian efforts to achieve statehood and insisting that Palestinian self-determination be granted only with Israeli consent. Scoring: -2 sponsor, -1 co-sponsor. Last Major Action: Passed the House by voice vote, 12/15/2010.