Legislative Round-Up (10-17-25)
1. Bills, Resolutions
2. Letters
3. Hearings & Markups
4. Selected Members on the Record
5. Selected Media & Press releases/Statements
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1. Bills & Resolutions
(FY26 NDAA – Senate) S. 2296: On 10/9/25, the Senate passed S. 2296, the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act, by a vote of 77-20. For full Middle East/Israel-related provisions in the base bill, as well as Middle East/Israel-related proposed amendments, see my previously published comprehensive analysis...
(DEFENSE APPROPS BILL – HOUSE) HR 4016: The FY26 Defense Appropriations bill, passed by the House 7/18/25 at 12:45am by a vote of 221 – 209. For Middle East-related details of the House-passed version, see the 7/18/25 edition of the Round-Up. On 7/14/25, a cloture motion on the motion to proceed to the measure presented in Senate; it failed by a vote of 50-44. NOTE: When the Senate does take up the HR 4016, it will amend the House version by replacing the full House-passed text with the text of S. 2572, subject to amendments on the Senate floor. The provisions in the two bills with respect to $500 million for Israeli military programs [Iron Dome, the Short Range Ballistic Missile Defense (SRBMD) program, and Arrow 3] are virtually identical.
(ANTI-PALESTINIAN HATE CRIME/MURDER) H. Con. Res. 57: Introduced 10/14/25 by Ramirez (D-IL) and 13 cosponsors (all Democrats), “Honoring Wadee Alfayoumi, a 6-year-old Palestinian-American boy, murdered as a victim of a hate crime for his Palestinian-Muslim identity, in the State of Illinois.” Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.