Prior to the vote, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the bill “reaffirms our promise to uphold Israel’s security, to help Jordan face complex security challenges, and to hold Bashar Assad’s murderous henchmen accountable.” | M. Scott Mahaskey/POLITICO Congress Senate passes Middle East policy bill that rebukes Trump

The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would impose sanctions on Syria, weaken a global campaign to boycott Israel and rebuke President Donald Trump’s push to withdraw troops from Syria and Afghanistan.



The bill, which passed the Senate 77-23, divided Democrats, some of whom argued that a provision that allows states and local governments to withhold contracts from companies that participate in the Boycott, Divestments and Sanctions movement against Israel stymies free speech.

On Tuesday, vote, 25 Democrats voted in favor of the bill; 22 voted against it.


Before the vote, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the bill “reaffirms our promise to uphold Israel’s security, to help Jordan face complex security challenges and to hold Bashar Assad’s murderous henchmen accountable.”

On Monday, the Senate adopted an amendment from McConnell that warned against the “precipitous withdrawal” of U.S. troops from Syria and Afghanistan — a reproach to Trump, who in December announced he would withdraw U.S. troops from Syria.

Trump’s move prompted a bipartisan backlash from lawmakers and his own national security team. The amendment divided Democrats, with 22 opposing it.





The Middle East policy package comes after Democrats blocked previous attempts to move the Middle East policy package forward because of the government shutdown. Democrats agree with the bill’s Syria sanctions and support for Israel and Jordan but are divided on the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement.

The vote on the bill also offered a window into how Senate Democrats for president in 2020 or mulling doing so in 2020 would approach foreign policy.

Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) voted in favor of the packae, while Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) voted against it.



The legislation now heads to the House.