U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer speaks during a news conference following a weekly Democrat policy luncheon at the U.S. Capitol on April 14, 2026 in Washington, D.C. —Anna Moneymaker–Getty Images)
The Senate rejected a measure to block the sale of military equipment to Israel after seven Democrats joined Republicans in opposing the resolution in a 40–59 vote.
The bill, a joint resolution introduced by Senator Bernie Sanders, independent of Vermont, who caucuses with Democrats, would have halted the sale of military bulldozers to Israel.
In total, 40 senators supported the resolution late Wednesday. The seven Democrat Senators who voted against the measure were Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Chris Coons of Delaware, Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Jacky Rosen of Nevada, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York.
A second measure, which sought to block the sale of 12,000 1,000-pound bombs to Israel, drew 36 votes in favor and 63 against.
The results underscored a broader shift among Senate Democrats, as a growing number have broken with the party’s traditional support for Israel. The shift comes as the United States and Israel have carried out coordinated strikes on Iran, and as Israel’s military campaign in Lebanon has continued despite cease-fire claims—conflicts that have fueled concerns among many Democrats about civilian casualties, regional escalation and continued U.S. involvement.
The votes came shortly after a separate War Powers resolution aimed at ending U.S. military involvement in Iran failed 47–52, with lawmakers largely voting along party lines.
Sanders described the level of Democratic support for the resolutions as a “shift” that “reflects where the American people are.”
“Americans, whether they are Democrats, Republicans or independents, want to see our tax money invested in improving lives here at home – not used to kill innocent women and children in the Middle East and put American troops in harm’s way as part of Netanyahu’s illegal wars of expansion,” he said in a statement late Wednesday.
Sanders has introduced similar measures in the past. A November 2024 effort drew support from 18 senators, while a July 2025 resolution garnered 27 Democratic votes, at the time, more than half the caucus, to block the sale of assault rifles to Israel.
“Being a stalwart friend of Israel, however, does not mean agreeing with all decisions of the Israeli Government or Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, just like being a patriot of the United States does not require unquestioning agreement with the policy decisions of President Donald Trump and his administration,” California Sen. Adam Schiff and Sen. Alex Padilla said in a joint statement after voting in favor of the resolutions. Both had previously opposed similar measures.
Sanders said the votes reflected growing unease among Democratic voters over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership and the widening scope of the conflicts in Gaza, Iran and Lebanon.
“In strong and growing numbers they do not want us to continue spending billions of their taxpayer dollars in support of the illegal, horrific and expansionist war policies of the Netanyahu government in Israel,” Sanders said on the Senate floor, citing a Pew Research Center survey released earlier in April finding that 80% of Democrats and 41% of Republicans view Israel negatively.
Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona also voted in support of the resolutions after opposing some of Sanders’ earlier efforts. Speaking before the vote, Kelly said his position was shaped by the actions of Netanyahu and Trump.
“The United States and Israel are fighting a war against Iran without a clear strategy or goal. I’ve been clear that I oppose this war in Iran and the reckless decisions being made by Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump,” he said during remarks on the Senate floor.
Republican Sen. Jim Risch of Idaho, the Republican chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, said he would oppose these measures as they would “embolden” Iran.
“It would send the message that the United States is prepared to leave our ally Israel vulnerable to further Iranian attacks and put the tens of thousands of Americans living there at risk,” he said on the Senate floor.
Here’s what the seven Democrats who voted against the measure said.
TIME has contacted each of their offices for further comment.
Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer was one of the most prominent Democrats to break with his party on the Senate floor. He did not immediately comment on his opposition to the measures.
Despite being a strong voice of opposition to Trump’s war in Iran, Schumer did not support the motion to suspend arms sales to Israel.
He has faced growing pressure to shift his stance, with protesters arrested during a demonstration Monday near his office calling on him to support blocking the sale of U.S. weapons to Israel.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York
Like Schumer, Gillibrand also faced the same protests this week near her offices in New York, with demonstrators urging her to support Sanders’ measures.The demonstrations were led by the antiwar group Jewish Voice for Peace.
Gillibrand also has not yet commented on why she opposed the measures.
Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware
Coons said that, while he supported efforts to end the Iran war, he opposed Sanders’ resolutions on Israel because he did not want to “abandon” the country.
“My votes should be taken neither as an endorsement of the actions of the Netanyahu government nor as an abandonment of the state of Israel, the Jewish people, or the US-Israel relationship,” he said in a statement after the vote.
Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania
Fetterman has often been a staunch supporter of Israel and has frequently broken from party lines, including as the sole Democrat to vote against curbing Trump’s authority to continue the conflict in the Middle East.
He confirmed in an interview this week on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo that he would oppose the measures.
“It’s the right side to stand for Israel. It’s the right side to stand for the side of our military and confronting the Iranian regime,” he said.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut
Blumenthal did not immediately comment on his decision to oppose the measure.
The Democratic senator has previously supported Israel’s military strikes on Iran carried out last June.
Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada
Cortez Masto did not initially comment on her opposition to Sanders’ measure.
However, she said to have supported the War Powers resolution aimed at “stop Trump’s war of choice in Iran.”
Sen. Jacky Rosen of Nevada
Rosen has also not commented on her vote against both measures, although she has been a prominent voice in supporting Trump’s cease-fire deal in Gaza between Israel and Hamas.
Leave a comment
