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Senate Votes on Bill to Strengthen U.S. Security in the Middle East

Washington, D.C. — Today, the Senate is voting on the first bill introduced in the 116th Congress, the Strengthening America’s Security in the Middle East Act of 2019 (SASME Act). The SASME Act is made up of four bipartisan bills nearly enacted by Congress in 2018: the Rubio-Coons United States-Israel Security Authorization Assistance Act of 2018, Ros-Lehtinen-Deutch United States-Jordan Defense Cooperation Extension Act, Engel-Royce Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2018, and Rubio-Manchin Combating BDS Act of 2018.
Penny Nance, CEO and President of Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee, issued the following statement:

“Thank you, Leader McConnell (R-Kentucky) and Senators Rubio (R-Florida), Risch (R-Idaho), and Gardner (R-Colorado) for making the Strengthening America’s Security in the Middle East Act of 2019 the Senate’s first priority of 2019. No more playing politics when it comes to our allies. The SASME Act combines four key bipartisan foreign policy bills that were nearly passed into law last year with little controversy. This bill is a basic necessity for U.S. foreign policy.

“Over half the states in the country have already passed an anti-BDS bill. Contrary to comments by new Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Michigan), this bill is 100% in line with American values and our first amendment. Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions against Israel is blatant anti-Semitism and has continually incited violence against Jewish people here in America and abroad time and time again.

“Concerned Women for America is scoring this bill, and we will be scoring in favor of cloture and final passage. Anyone who votes against Strengthening America’s Security in the Middle East Act will forever be on record as undermining efforts for peace and stability in the Middle East, abandoning our ally Israel, and condoning anti-Semitic behavior in the United States.”

For an interview with Penny Nance, contact Annabelle Rutledge at arutledge@cwfa.org or 916-792-3973.