Shameless plug:  Daily Beast 7/27: Lara Friedman Responds to Dani Dayan (response to settler leader's NYT op-ed)

1.  Bills, Resolutions, & Letters

(US-ISRAEL SECURITY COOPERATION)  S. 2165:  On 7/19/12, S. 2165, the "United States-Israel Enhanced Security Cooperation Act of 2012" was presented to the President.  He is scheduled to sign the bill into law today (7/27/12). For details of the bill, see last week's edition of the Round-Up.  The press is tying the timing of the bill's signing to the visit to Israel by GOP presumptive presidential candidate Mitt Romney.  Reporting: Reuters 7/26: Obama to sign Israel security bill on eve of Romney visit; Haaretz 7/26: One day before Romney's visit, Obama to sign act expanding military cooperation with Israel; JTA 7/26: Obama to sign enhanced Israel security act

(NEW IRAN SANCTIONS) HR 1905/S. 2101:  This week both House and Senate leaders expressed their determination to pass the new Iran sanctions before Congress goes into its summer recess (see below for comments).  Efforts to complete a conference version of the legislation reportedly are being complicated by efforts to insert additional sanctions (not part of the original legislation - for more see this press release from "United Against Nuclear Iran" supporting the additional measures, as well as this fact sheet from NIAC laying out potential unintended consequences of the additional sanctions measures that have been proposed.).   It appears there are also efforts underway (again) to turn this measure into a partisan football.  As may be recalled, Senate efforts to pass S. 2101 were held up in May due to Republican accusations that the bill did not go far enough; now accusations are being made by GOP-friendly media (here and here, for example) that Democrats are trying "water down" the sanctions, in what is being framed as additional evidence that Democrats aren't serious about dealing with Iran.  Addition reporting: Diplomatic Courier 7/26: Congress Considers New Sanctions on Iran--But Why?; Reuters, 7/25: Congress Pushes to Finalize New Iranian Sanctions Package.  Also see UANI's letter to Members of Congress regarding inclusion of sanctions targeting the SWIFT network.

Senate Majority Leader Reid (D-NV) on the Senate floor 7/25:

"...The House and Senate must also act before Congress leaves for the August recess to pass the final version of legislation initiating new Iran sanctions.  This past year, the Senate conference has been hard at work to complete this agreement. I have been clear that I expect the negotiations to conclude soon so we can further tighten these sanctions against Iran. Sanctions are critical. It is a critical tool to help stop Iran's nuclear weapons program and ensuring the security of our ally, the State of Israel..."

House Minority Whip Hoyer (D-MD) and Majority Leader Cantor (R-VA) on the House floor 7/26:

Hoyer: "...Lastly, on a note on which we have great agreement between the majority leader and I, which is not always the case, as people observe, I'm sure: Iran sanctions.   Both the majority leader and I, Mr. Speaker, want to see that bill pass before the August break. And I would inquire of the majority leader his view of the status of that issue at this point in time."
Cantor: "...I would tell the gentleman, I know that our staffs have been working very diligently on this trying to iron out the differences with the other body and am very hopeful that we can get this done prior to the August recess."
Hoyer:  "I look forward, Mr. Speaker, to working with the majority leader toward that end over the next 7, 8 days."

(SYRIA/RUSSIA) S. Con. Res. 54: Introduced 7/25/12 by Sens. Hatch (R-UT) and Cornyn (R-TX), "A concurrent resolution stating that it is the policy of the United States to oppose the sale, shipment, performance of maintenance, refurbishment, modification, repair, and upgrade of any military equipment from or by the Russian Federation to or for the Syrian Arab Republic." Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

(SYRIA/RUSSIA) H. Res. 742:  Introduced 7/26/12 by Rep. Richardson (D-CA) and 5 cosponsors, "Condemning the Government of the Russian Federation for providing weapons to the regime of President Bashar al-Assad of Syria." Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

(TURKEY) HR 2362:  Introduced 6/24/12 by Rep. Cole (R-OK) and having 12 cosponsors, "Indian Tribal Trade and Investment Demonstration Project Act of 2011."  The bill was brought to the floor under suspension of the rules 7/23/12, where it was defeated by a vote of 222-160 (bills brought to a vote under suspension of the rules must pass by a 2/3 majority; generally leadership doesn't bring bills to a vote in the manner unless they are confident that they will easily pass).   Opposition to the bill was focused primarily on the benefits that it would bring to Turkey.  In advance of floor consideration of the bill, Rep. Berman (D-CA) circulated a Dear Colleague urging members to vote "no" on the bill.  While noting that Turkey is "an important NATO ally," the letter slams Turkey for, first and foremost, its relations with the Palestinians, its demand that Israel end the Gaza blockade, its "repeated, flagrant criticism of Israel," and the fact that two years ago Turkey voted against Iran sanctions (sanctions brought to a vote immediately after the U.S. dismissed out of hand the Turkey-Brazil-Iran agreement).  The letter goes on to add concerns about Turkey's relations with Cyprus and the Armenian Genocide issue.  Floor debate over the full focused mainly on the issue of Turkey.  Letters opposing the bill, sent by U.S. Greek and Armenian organizations, were entered into the record, and a number of members took to the floor to blast Turkey for various sins including, prominently, its attitude/policies are relates to Israel and the Palestinians.  The floor debate is available here.

(IRAN/SYRIA) HR 6082: Introduced 7/9/12 by Rep. Hastings (R-WA), the "Congressional Replacement of President Obama's Energy-Restricting and Job-Limiting Offshore Drilling Plan" [yes, that is the real title of the bill].  On 7/25/12 during final floor consideration of the bill, Rep. Slaughter (D-NY) moved for the bill to be recommitted to the committee of jurisdiction (the Committee on Natural Resources) with instructions to report it back to the House with an amendment that would ensure that no company that violates the Iran Sanctions Act or the Syria Accountability Act would be allowed to profit from the oil leases under the bill (text of the amendment and Slaughter's statement are here).  Her motion was defeated by a vote of 179-240.  This was basically a replay of what happened on 7/12/12, when Slaughter offered a similar amendment to HR 4402 (for details see last week's edition of the Round-Up).

Letters:

(OLYMPICS MOMENT OF SILENCE) Ros-Lehtinen/Berman letter:  On 7/23/12 Reps. Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) and Berman (D-CA) sent a letter to Jacques Rogge, the President of the International Olympics Committee, reiterating their plea for a moment of silence during the opening ceremonies of this year's Olympics to honor the Israeli athletes killed in the 1972 Olympics.

(PALESTINIAN CORRUPTION ACCUSATIONS) PLO Letter to Rep. Chabot:  On 7/19/12, in the context of last week's hearing in the HFAC's Middle East Subcommittee entitled "Chronic Kleptocracy: Corruption within the Palestinian Political Establishment," PLO Representative in Washington, DC, Maen Ereikat, sent a letter to Subcommittee Chairman Chabot (R-OH) defending against accusations of corruption.

2.  Hearings

8/1/12: The Senate Foreign Relations Committee will hold a hearing entitled "Next Steps in Syria."  Scheduled witnesses are: Martin Indyk (Brookings Institution); James Dobbins (RAND); and Andrew Tabler (WINEP).  The hearing will be held at 10am in Dirksen 419.

7/25/12: The Senate Foreign Relations Committee's Subcommittee on Near Eastern and South and Central Asian held a hearing entitled "IRAN'S SUPPORT FOR TERRORISM IN THE MIDDLE EAST."  Webcast available here.  Witnesses: James Jeffrey, Department of State/former U.S. Ambassador to Iraq (testimony); Daniel Byman, Georgetown University (testimony); Danielle Pletka, AEI (testimony); and Matthew Levitt, WINEP (testimony).

7/24/12:  The Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a closed session for a briefing entitled, "Intelligence Update on Syria.''

3.  Members on the Record

Engel (D-NY) 7/26: Remembering 11 Israeli Olympians
Hoeven (R-ND) 7/26: In statement introducing his bill to approve the Keystone Pipeline (S. 3445), Hoeven argues that "Look what is going on right now in the Middle East. Look what is going on in Syria, in Iran, in Egypt with the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood. Look at the instability. Yet we still depend on oil from the Middle East and places such as Venezuela. There is no need for that. We can produce our own energy and more..."
Ted "and-that's-just-the-way-it-is" Poe (R-TX) 7/26: UN Arms Treaty violates U.S. constitution & "could be interpreted to restrict the ability of the U.S. to help arm its allies, like Taiwan and Israel."
Gohmert (R-TX) 7/26: More rambling Islamophobia on the floor, this time the hook is the accusation that the White House is welcoming visits by terrorists, leading into an additional defense of the Bachmann et al letters (which he signed) demanding an investigation into Muslim Brotherhood penetration of the U.S. government.
Sarbanes (D-MD) 7/25: [in statement about Cyprus] "Recent discoveries of natural gas off the coasts of Cyprus and Israel have seen these two democracies engage in a cooperative and productive manner for the development of the only Western, democratically controlled energy source in the region. Where Israel and Cyprus have conducted themselves as peaceful democracies, Turkey is using its presence in occupied Cyprus to challenge Israeli interests in the region. It was not so long ago that Turkey held itself out as an ally of Israel. Cyprus is the canvas that reveals the true face of Turkey--occupier, colonizer and foe of Western democratic values."
Berkley (D-NV) 7/25: [in statement about Cyprus] "...the Turkish government has begun to sow instability throughout its region. Turkey recognizes the terrorist Hamas government in Gaza and even received its leader in the Turkish parliament earlier this year--disturbing hypocrisy from a state that receives US support for its own fight against terrorism. Turkey also demands that Israel end its naval blockade of Gaza, despite the deadly security threat Hamas poses to Israel . Turkey's repeated, flagrant criticism of Israel is particularly troubling and potentially destabilizing."
Rangel (D-NY) 7/25: Supporting a moment of silence during the 2012 Olympic opening day to commemorate those killed in the Munich massacre
Gohmert (R-TX) 7/24:  Yet another rambling floor statement, this time defending the Bachmann-led Islamphobic hysteria (Gohmert is one of the members who signed the original letters demanding investigations into, among other things, Huma Abedin).  Gohmert notes, among other things, that "The untold story of the 'Arab Spring' is that the Obama administration secretly helped bring Islamofascists to power... The Muslim Brotherhood's sudden ascendancy in the Mideast didn't happen organically. It was helped along by a U.S. President sympathetic to its interests over those of Israel and his own country."
Hirono (D-HI) 7/23: Speaking in supporting of the Defense Appropriations Act (HR 5856), noting "With turmoil continuing in the Middle East, now more than ever we must stand strong with our friend and ally Israel . This measure includes additional funding for joint U.S.-Israeli defense cooperation, and continued support for Iron Dome system, which has protected and saved lives from the daily threat of rockets aimed at towns and cities in a country surrounded by hostility and instability."

4. From the Press

Arutz Sheva 7/27: NYC Councilman Halloran [GOP candidate for Congress] Stresses Support for Judea and Samaria (with video)
Times of Israel 7/27: Obama approves $70 million in extra military aid to Israel
AP 7/27: Obama to give Israel additional $70M in aid a day before rival Mitt Romney visits Jerusalem
Arutz Sheva 7/27: Congressmen Say It's Time to Come Out Clearly and Name Iran
FoxNews (DC) 7/26: 15 members of Congress hold moment of silence for Israeli athletes killed 40 years ago
Washington Times 7/26: Correcting Obama's Middle East failure (by Sen. Barrasso, R-WY)
CBSNews NY 7/26: Rep. Steve Israel Wants Munich Victims Honored At London Olympics
JewishPress.com 7/26: Nadler Renews Call for IOC to Observe Moment of Silence
The Hindu Business Line, 7/26: US Plans to Sell $4.2-b Patriot Missiles to Kuwait
The Jewish Press, 7/26:  Members of Congress to Hold Moment of Silence for Munich 11
The Washington Post, 7/25: World Bank report says Palestinian economic growth unsustainable due to foreign aid reliance
Examiner, 7/25: Obama says arms transfers to Hezbollah in Lebanon a threat to national security
The Hill, 7/25: Napolitano: Egyptian lawmaker from terrorist group was thoroughly 'vetted'
Newsmax, 7/25: Cantor Bashes Obama on Israel Policy
Newsmax, 7/25: Michele Bachmann Calling Out Ties to Muslim Brotherhood (by Frank Gaffney)
Devex, 7/23:  No Conditions: US Grants Jordan $100 Million
Commentary Magazine, 7/23: The Reinvention of an Anti-War Activist
The New American, 7/23: Lawmakers Blast UN for Handing US Technology to North Korea, Iran
The JewishPress.com 7/23: Being a Critic of Israel Does Not Make You Pro-Arab, Congressman Pascrell (by Rabbi Shmuley Boteach)
Middle East North Africa Financial Network (MENAFN), 7/23/2012: US Grants Jordan $100 Million to Help Economy, Ease Burden of Hosting Syrians
Haaretz, 7/22/2012: U.S. Congress Agrees to Extend Loan Guarantees for Israel for Another Four Years