A bipartisan bill to sanction the International Criminal Court (ICC) passed in the House of Representatives with 247 votes in favor and 155 against, despite opposition from the White House.
The bill responded to the ICC's chief prosecutor seeking arrest warrants against top Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, causing a divide on how best to support Israel and address international justice issues.
Fox News reported that on Tuesday, 42 House Democrats voted with Republicans to pass a bill to sanction the ICC, marking a significant bipartisan push despite White House opposition.
The legislation, spearheaded by Reps. Chip Roy, R-Texas, and Brian Mast, R-Fla., gained substantial support, with 205 Republicans voting in favor and two voting "present." All 155 opposing votes came from Democrats.
The White House had released a statement on Monday, the day before the vote, expressing disapproval of the bill but stopping short of threatening a veto. The statement emphasized that there were more effective ways to support Israel and promote international justice than the proposed sanctions.
In the weeks leading up to the vote, bipartisan talks were held to formulate a response to the ICC's actions. House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, collaborated with Rep. Greg Meeks, D-N.Y., on a compromise bill that aimed to satisfy both parties.
McCaul explained, "Meeks and I worked out a compromise bill that everybody was happy with and he talked to [House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.]. And I mean, our deal is like, if it's not bipartisan…when we talked to Netanyahu, that's what he wanted – it's kind of worthless."
However, the White House's opposition disrupted these efforts. "They raised it to the White House's attention and they did a complete about-face. And while they were for sanctions previously, now they're against," McCaul added, highlighting the abrupt change in stance from the administration.
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., also emphasized the White House's role in the breakdown of bipartisan talks. "I worked on it all weekend. I worked on it up until Sunday, late Sunday, in an effort to make it bipartisan, and I think that members of the House and Senate were interested in doing so. But the White House gave the red light and said that they would not support sanctions, which was unconscionable to us," Johnson stated.
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., urged the Democrat-controlled Senate to consider the bill, describing it as nonpartisan and essential for demonstrating support for Israel. "By passing our nonpartisan bill to sanction the ICC for absurdly equivocating Israel to Hamas as a war criminal, the House just sent a resounding message to the world that we unapologetically stand with our ally over barbaric terrorists. The question remains: Which side will Joe Biden and Chuck Schumer choose?" Emmer remarked.
Despite the strong push for sanctions, some lawmakers expressed concerns about their effectiveness and consequences.
Rep. Greg Meeks, D-N.Y., highlighted the potential downsides of relying too heavily on sanctions. "Too often in our foreign policy, we turn to sanctions as a first choice rather than a tool of last resort. Sanctions should not be our only go-to punishment to express our displeasure, because they have real consequences," Meeks commented.
With the bill's passage in the House, attention now turns to the Senate, where its fate remains uncertain. The White House's opposition adds a layer of complexity to the bill's prospects. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle will need to navigate these challenges to determine the final outcome.
The House of Representatives passed a bipartisan bill to sanction the International Criminal Court, with 42 Democrats joining Republicans in support.
This move came despite the White House's opposition, which played a significant role in the breakdown of bipartisan talks.
Lawmakers emphasized the importance of demonstrating support for Israel, while some raised concerns about the reliance on sanctions as a policy tool. The bill now heads to the Senate, where its future is uncertain amid ongoing debates about the best approach to international justice and support for Israel.
