119-SJRES-32 Journalist Public Summary
S.J.Res. 32 seeks to block a $295 million U.S. sale of Caterpillar D9 bulldozers to Israel; on April 15, 2026, the Senate voted 40–59 against advancing it, so the measure is stalled while the sale moves forward. (dsca.mil)
Headline Summary
A resolution to stop a $295 million sale of U.S. Caterpillar D9 bulldozers to Israel failed to advance in the Senate on April 15, 2026 (40–59). (dsca.mil)
What It Does
S.J.Res. 32 would prohibit a proposed foreign military sale to Israel—specifically D9R and D9T Caterpillar bulldozers and related support—identified in Defense Security Cooperation Agency Transmittal 24-38. The sale was notified on February 28, 2025 under an emergency waiver of the usual congressional review, and the joint resolution is the tool Congress can use to disapprove it. (dsca.mil)
Who’s For It
- Sponsor: Sen. Bernie Sanders (I–VT). (congress.gov)
- Most Senate Democrats voted to advance the resolution; the tally was 40 yeas to 59 nays. (apnews.com)
- Advocacy groups, including the Friends Committee on National Legislation (Quakers), urged senators to block the sale over civilian-harm concerns and home demolitions. (fcnl.org)
Who’s Against It
- All Senate Republicans and a handful of Democrats voted no, defeating the motion to bring the resolution to the floor (40–59). (senate.gov)
- Opponents argue the equipment supports Israel’s security and engineering needs and that blocking it would undercut a key U.S. ally; GOP leaders backed the administration’s sales policy. (dsca.mil)
What’s Next
Because the Senate rejected the motion to discharge the measure from committee on April 15, 2026, S.J.Res. 32 remains stuck in the Foreign Relations Committee. Absent new congressional action or an administrative change, the $295 million bulldozer sale—approved under an emergency waiver, with deliveries estimated to begin in 2027—can proceed. (senate.gov)
Discussion