Senators Respond to Biden’s Pause on Bomb Delivery, Threat to Withhold More Arms for Israel

Pro-Israel lawmakers from both sides of the aisle decried the decision, which was welcomed by progressives and some Democrats.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) speaks during a rally before the arrival of former President Donald Trump at the Miami-Dade Country Fair and Exposition in Miami, Fla., on Nov. 6, 2022. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

News that President Joe Biden’s administration has paused a delivery of “high-payload” bombs and could withhold more weapons for Israel sparked outrage on Capitol Hill on May 9 among Republican senators.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin confirmed at a May 8 Senate hearing that the Biden administration had delayed delivery of a shipment of “high-payload munitions” to Israel, and said the administration was considering the risks that certain weapons “could create a lot of collateral damage.”