The House of Representatives voted against a resolution proposed by Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., regarding U.S. military involvement in Lebanon. The measure was rejected with a bipartisan vote of 189-235 on Tuesday, with 22 Democrats joining the majority of Republicans in opposition. The resolution aimed to prohibit U.S. forces from engaging in any hostilities in Lebanon, although U.S. military operations in the country have been minimal.
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., supported the resolution despite being a critic of Israel. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., led most Democrats in voting against the resolution, which was largely symbolic and would not have been sent to President Donald Trump for approval. Tlaib, the only Palestinian American in Congress, has been a vocal critic of Israel's actions in Gaza and Lebanon, claiming they amount to ethnic cleansing.
The resolution did not reference Hezbollah, a group involved in ongoing conflict with Israel. Critics of the resolution argued it could hinder U.S. military assistance to the Lebanese Armed Forces. Tlaib modified her resolution to clarify that it would not affect the protection of diplomatic personnel or cooperation with Lebanon's military. Republicans raised concerns about the timing of the resolution, noting that there are currently no U.S. combat forces engaged in hostilities in Lebanon. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast, R-Fla., emphasized that U.S. forces are primarily involved in training the Lebanese Armed Forces to counter Hezbollah's presence in the region. In contrast, Ranking Member Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., argued that the resolution would help avoid further military involvement in conflicts not aligned with U.S. national interests.