WASHINGTON, D.C. – April 15, 2026 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today forced the U.S. Senate to vote on two Joint Resolutions of Disapproval aimed at halting proposed U.S. arms sales to Israel, citing overwhelming public opposition in recent polling data.
In a floor speech delivered in the Senate chamber and shared via video on X, Sanders highlighted shifting American attitudes toward U.S. military support for Israel. He referenced a Quinnipiac University poll showing that 60% of registered voters oppose the U.S. sending more military aid to Israel, including 75% of Democrats and 66% of independents. He also pointed to a recent Pew Research Center survey in which 80% of Democrats now hold an unfavorable view of Israel.
“A recent poll found that 60% – including 3/4 of Democrats and 2/3 of independents – oppose the U.S. sending arms to Israel,” Sanders wrote in a post on X accompanying the video. “That is why today, I am forcing the Senate to vote on two Joint Resolutions of Disapproval – the only formal mechanism Congress has to block an arms sale.”
Joint Resolutions of Disapproval (JRDs) are privileged measures under the Arms Export Control Act that allow Congress to formally object to notified foreign military sales. If passed by both chambers and signed by the president (or veto overridden), they can prohibit the transfers. Sanders has repeatedly used this procedural tool in recent months to challenge hundreds of millions of dollars in proposed weapons shipments, including bombs and related equipment, amid Israel’s ongoing regional conflicts.
While the votes are expected to fail in the Republican-controlled Senate, Sanders’ action highlights growing congressional and public unease with unconditional U.S. military assistance to Israel. The senator has long criticized what he describes as Israel’s “horrific war policies” under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The announcement comes as public support for U.S. involvement continues to decline, particularly among younger voters and Democrats. Sanders’ office has not yet released the exact bill numbers for today’s resolutions, but they follow similar filings earlier this year targeting specific munitions packages.
Sanders’ move underscores deepening divisions within Congress and the American public over U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. Further details on the vote outcome and the specific arms packages targeted are expected later today.
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