They had the votes. They didn't use them.
On April 15-16, 2026, the Senate rejected a joint resolution that would have blocked a $295 million sale of military bulldozers to Israel. The vote was 40-59. Senator Bernie Sanders introduced the measure under the Arms Export Control Act, arguing the equipment would be used to demolish homes in the West Bank, Gaza, and Lebanon.
Forty of 47 Senate Democrats voted to block the sale. Seven did not. They voted with Republicans to let the deal proceed.
The Seven Names
The Democrats who sided with Republicans to continue the arms sale:
- Richard Blumenthal (Connecticut)
- Chris Coons (Delaware)
- Catherine Cortez Masto (Nevada)
- John Fetterman (Pennsylvania)
- Kirsten Gillibrand (New York)
- Jacky Rosen (Nevada)
- Chuck Schumer (New York), Senate Minority Leader
This was not a procedural vote or a close call. It was a direct up-or-down vote on whether to stop $295 million worth of military equipment from going to a government that has faced international accusations of war crimes in Gaza. A clear majority of Senate Democrats voted to block it. These seven chose otherwise.
Why It Matters
Senate Democrats do not hold a majority. But the Arms Export Control Act gives minority members a formal mechanism to force votes on specific weapons sales, regardless of who controls the floor. Sanders used that mechanism. The only thing that could stop the resolution from passing was enough Democrats voting with Republicans to sink it. Seven did exactly that.
Schumer's vote is particularly notable. As Minority Leader, he sets the tone for the caucus. His choice to side with the Republican majority on a weapons sale, at a moment when 40 of his own members voted the other way, sends a clear message about his priorities: keeping the defense industry relationship intact matters more to him than leading his caucus.
The Pressure Behind the Vote
The defense industry is a major donor across both parties. Weapons manufacturers and their lobby groups contribute heavily to Senate campaigns through political action committees and direct donations. Several of the seven senators who voted against the resolution have received significant defense industry PAC money in recent cycles. This is not a coincidence. It is how the system works.
What Constituents Should Know
Forty Senate Democrats voted to block this sale. That means blocking foreign arms deals is not fringe politics. It is a majority position within the Democratic caucus. The seven who voted against that majority are accountable to their constituents for that choice, including Schumer, who represents New York voters who have made their views on this issue clear at the ballot box.
Their vote is on the record. The question is whether their constituents will remember it.
Sources
- The Seven Democrats Who Joined Republicans in Opposing Measure to Block Arms Sales to Israel (Time, April 2026)
- In major shift, all but 7 Senate Democrats vote to block weapons sales to Israel (The Forward)
- US Senate foils effort to nix Israel arms sales (Times of Israel)
- Majority of Senate Democrats Reject Arms Sales to Israel (The Intercept, April 2026)
- In historic Senate vote, over 75% of Democrats vote to block arms sales to Israel (Mondoweiss)
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