WASHINGTON D.C. – Kansas 3rd District Congresswoman Sharice Davids on Wednesday voted against a major congressional bill which would allow Congress to review any easing of sanctions against the terrorist nation of Iran undertaken by the president, in response to Iran’s recent drone and missile attack against the State of Israel.
The measure, H.R. 4691, passed the House of Representatives 278-141, with all other members of the Kansas Congressional Delegation, Jake LaTurner, Ron Estes and Tracey Mann voting in favor of the legislation.
[Majid Asgaripour/WANA via Reuters]
Davids’ vote brings more focus to her historically tepid approach to Israel and demonstrated support for friends in congress who openly back Palestinians against the country, as the war spawned by the October 7th attack by Hamas and its slaughter of some 1200 Israeli civilians enters its sixth month. Davids sat out a vote last December on a measure condemning all brands of ant-semitism, voted against a censure of Michigan congresswoman Rashida Tlaib for anti-semitic remarks, and voted against removing Minnesota lawmaker Ilhan Omar from the House Foreign Affairs Committee for similar past statements against Jews and Israel.
Critics have also been quick to point out Davids’ near-perfect voting record in support of Biden Administration economic, foreign and domestics polices, noting she rarely moves in ways to oppose the president or the Democrat power structure dominating the White House and U.S. Senate.
Specifically, the H.R. 4691 would allow Congress to intercede in what is now sole presidential authority in any review of sanctions that might result in the lessening of those punitive measures specific to Iran. Numerous congressional actions have been taken against the Islamic state for its support of international terrorism, with measures approved in 1996, 2010 and 2012.
Davids’ communications director Zac Donely did not address the congresswoman’s H.R. 4691 vote when contacted for comment by the Informer, instead citing various other recent votes Davids support, primarily monitoring financial relations and restrictions between the U.S. and Iran.
Republicans have expressed concern over what they say is a lack of Democrat and Biden Administration support for Israel, the U.S.’ most staunch ally in the Middle East, and the Biden Administrations lack of forcefulness in confronting Iran for its role in supporting Israel’s enemies. Iran has officially proclaimed that it seeks the destruction of the state of Israel, and has adopted that oath as part of its national policy. Iran launched an attack by some 300 suicide drones and missiles against Israel on April 13, but air defenses of Israel, the United States and other allies in the region destroyed the most all of the incoming fusillade before it reached intended targets.
In opposing the authority of a congressional review, Davids joined other traditional anti-Israel members of Congress composing the so-called “Squad” – among them Tlaib, Omar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Corey Bush of Missouri, all progressive Democrats, in the failed attempt to vote down the measure.
Davids faces re-election in 2024 with at least two candidates vying for the Republican nomination in the 3rd District, and her vote did not go unnoticed by her Republican critics.
Delaney Bomar with the national Republican Congressional committee said Davids’ vote was a continuation of her opposition to Israel, and followed her previous votes against freezing Iran’s assets after the October 7th attack and a measure that would have funded assistance to Israel’s war effort by reducing the budget of the Internal Revenue Service.
“The laundry list of ways Sharice Davids has opposed Israel continues to grow. She has drawn a line in the sand and is firmly on the side of supporting Iran,” Bomar said.
The bill now moves to the U.S. Senate for consideration.
Dane Hicks is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism and the United States Marine Corps Officer Candidate School at Quantico, VA. He is the author of novels "The Skinning Tree" and "A Whisper For Help." As publisher of the Anderson County Review in Garnett, KS., he is a recipient of the Kansas Press Association's Boyd Community Service Award as well as more than 60 awards for excellence in news, editorial and photography.
