Pete Sessions
R · U.S. House, TX-17 · Tier 1
Tier 1, “Firmly pro-Israel”
Said on October 7, 2023, “I stand with Israel as they defend their sovereign territory from terrorist attacks by Hamas … Israel has an absolute right to defend its people,” then signed Rob Wittman’s October 2023 letter urging faster arms sales to Israel. He was an original cosponsor of the May 2024 bill to force delivery of the arms Biden had paused and of Gary Palmer’s June 2024 resolution condemning the campus encampments and their funders, and cosponsored both ICC sanctions bills (2024 and 2025). He voted for the February 2024 Israel-only supplemental, which he cosponsored, the April 2024 package, ICC sanctions (Jun 2024 and Jan 2025), the amendment barring the State Department from citing Gaza Health Ministry casualty figures (Jun 2024) and the September 2026 college anti-boycott bill, and against the 2025 Greene and 2026 Massie cuts; he was an original cosponsor of the November 2023 Israel-only supplemental but did not vote on it, and did not vote on the Hamas-financing bill. Asked in iVoterGuide’s 2026 general-election questionnaire whether the U.S. relationship with Israel is important, Sessions answered: “Yes. Israel is a part of the civilized world and a corresponding democracy.”
A 1, on legislation from years ago. He wrote Israel legislation himself: a 2009 resolution (H.Res.557) expressing “unequivocal support for the State of Israel’s inalienable right to defend itself” against Iran and pledging that Israel “continues to receive critical economic and military assistance, including missile defense capabilities,” and a 2004 bill (H.R.3814) that would have barred direct U.S. aid to a Palestinian government until it made peace with Israel and met a list of security conditions. In June 2009 the House also adopted, by voice vote, his floor amendment to the State Department authorization bill (H.R.2410) stating that Israel “has the inalienable right to defend itself in the face of an imminent nuclear or military threat from Iran, terrorist organizations, and the countries that harbor them.” His 2021 resolution (H.Res.428) condemned antisemitic attacks in the United States, a hate-crime measure. Since October 7 his record is cosponsorships, votes and a signature: he said Israel “has an absolute right to defend its people,” signed Rob Wittman’s letter urging faster arms sales, was an original cosponsor of the bill forcing delivery of the paused arms, and voted for the 2024 aid packages and against the 2025 Greene and 2026 Massie cuts. No concern for Palestinian civilians in his own words was found. Counter-case: 1/2, since his Israel measures are 17 to 22 years old and only the one-sentence 2009 amendment got past committee.
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elect26 places 2026 midterm candidates on a six-tier spectrum, from 1 (most pro-Israel) to 6 (most critical of Israel).