HYDE-SMITH VOTES TO REAFFIRM US-ISRAEL STRATEGIC ALLIANCE, SANCTION SYRIAN REGIME
Senate Overcomes Democratic Filibuster to Pass U.S. Security Measure
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) today voted for Senate passage of the Strengthening America’s Security in the Middle East Act (S.1), a measure reaffirming the U.S.-Israel alliance and cooperation with Jordan.
Hyde-Smith is a cosponsor of S.1, which was passed on a 77 to 23 vote. The legislation is comprised of four Senate and House bills, which were on the verge of passage before the 115th Congress ended. Senate Democrats had filibustered S.1 for more than a month.
“It is important that we strongly affirm our solidarity with Israel and important Middle East allies, like Jordan. I’m pleased we’ve overcome partisan foot-dragging on national security legislation. In an unstable region plagued by violence, we must support our allies and take on bad actors like Syria and Iran.”
The Strengthening America’s Security in the Middle East Act would authorize security assistance to Israel over a 10-year period and reauthorize the United States-Jordan Defense Cooperation Act of 2015. It would also provide new authorities for sanctions against Syria and its supporters, and allow local and state governments to counter the anti-Israel boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement.
Hyde-Smith last year cosponsored the two Senate bills incorporated in S.1: the United States-Israel Security Authorization Assistance Act of 2018 and the Combating BDS Act of 2018. The Senate-passed measure also includes two House bills: United States-Jordan Defense Cooperation Extension Act and Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2018.
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