But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. How we check
Doris O. Matsui
Matsui said in a July 2026 statement she "cannot support funding for military aid to any country that fails to comply with U.S. law, U.S. interests, and U.S. values," backing an amendment cutting $3.3 billion for Israeli military operations while continuing to support defensive programs for Israel.
The email has replies@butwhatcanyoudo.org in cc, so we can post their answer on their page in their own words; remove it if you prefer. Keep the subject line as it is, add your name, and send.
You asked Doris O. Matsui where they stand.
Deep Dive
On July 15, 2026, Matsui issued a statement on a House amendment to cut $3.3 billion in military aid to Israel, which she voted for. She said "Prime Minister Netanyahu's government has shown that it cannot be trusted to use these funds responsibly," citing its conduct in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, and toward Iran. In the same statement she said she will continue to support funding for critical defensive programs for Israel.
Earlier in the position window, Matsui skipped Netanyahu's July 2024 address to Congress, saying she spent the time with loved ones of hostages held by Hamas and citing significant disagreements with how the Israeli government was conducting the war. On the first anniversary of October 7 she called the Hamas assault a horrific terrorist attack and called for freeing all hostages and expanding humanitarian assistance. She welcomed the January 2025 ceasefire deal in Gaza, and in June 2025 expressed deep concern over the expanding Israel-Iran conflict.
As context on safety: after the May 2025 shooting outside the Capital Jewish Museum killed two Israeli Embassy employees, she released a statement saying she was heartbroken and outraged and calling for condemning antisemitism. In her July 2026 statement she said "Criticism of a government is never license for antisemitism or Islamophobia, and I will keep fighting both wherever they appear."
The record
Supported sending weapons or funding in 2 of 6 tracked votes
• Vote record imported from official House Clerk roll calls for H.R. 6126, H.R. 8034, and H.R. 8369. Other position fields remain under investigation.
How this mark works
We track key votes on sending U.S. weapons and money to the government of Israel. A check means every tracked vote they cast came down against sending more, on the side of peace and de-escalation. A question mark means a mixed record: they sided with sending up to half of the time. An X means they voted to send more weapons and money in over half of their tracked votes, even as the way those weapons and dollars were being used became more and more obvious. At exactly half, money this election cycle from a lobbying group we track, or an endorsement from a group that backs sending weapons, makes it an X. Only votes actually cast are counted. Where a candidate has no recorded votes on these bills, the mark comes instead from a reviewed reading of their public record (money from the lobbying groups we track, endorsements, and their own words since January 26, 2024). There an X also covers fully backing the conduct of the war by the government of Israel without significant reservations, and a question mark also covers speaking about Israel without saying clearly where they stand on U.S. weapons and funding. A dash means No Position Found: we found nothing in their own words about Israel, Gaza or the war.
See a dash? Ask the candidate where they stand, then send us their answer and we'll review it and update the mark. Or volunteer to help review candidates.
Voted to send weapons or funding in some, but no more than half, of their recorded tracked votes. (Supported sending weapons or funding in 2 of 6 tracked votes.)
The money
$18K in lifetime support from the five lobbying groups we track
In their words
Research log
The notes behind this card: what we looked at, what we found, and where each item came from.
All sources opened and carry publication dates; the date tags use those dates.
U.S. military aid and weapons to Israel
- 2023-11-04 [Months after October 7, 2023]: Said she supports Israel's right to defend its people against terrorism, with military action balanced against civilian protection and immediate humanitarian aid flow. Press release
- 2023-11-20 [Months after October 7, 2023]: Restated support for Israel's defense alongside civilian protection. Press release
- 2024-10-07 [Current position]: Restated support for Israel's defense while calling to prevent a wider regional conflict and further civilian deaths. Press release
- 2026-07-15 [Current position; verified]: Statement on the House amendment to cut $3.3 billion in military aid to Israel, which she voted for: "I cannot support funding for military aid to any country that fails to comply with U.S. law, U.S. interests, and U.S. values." Said she continues to support funding for critical defensive programs. Press release
Characterization of the conflict
- 2023-11-04 [Months after October 7, 2023]: Called for a "humanitarian pause" in Gaza; called the October 7 actions "horrific terrorist attacks"; said innocent Palestinian civilians "should not suffer for Hamas's despicable actions". Press release
- 2023-11-20 [Months after October 7, 2023]: Called for a "temporary negotiated ceasefire"; said lasting peace requires dismantling Hamas's terrorist infrastructure alongside protecting innocent lives. Press release
- 2024-07-24 [Current position; source page dated 2024-08-23]: Skipped Netanyahu's joint address to Congress; spent the time with loved ones of hostages; cited "significant disagreements" with the Israeli government's conduct of the war. SAC4Palestine tracker
- 2024-10-07 [Current position]: Called the October 7 assault a "horrific terrorist attack" killing 1,200 and taking 250 hostages; called for freeing all hostages, expanding humanitarian assistance, ending the cycle of violence. Press release
- 2025-01-15 [Current position]: Welcomed the announced ceasefire deal in Gaza. Press release
- 2025-06-18 [Current position]: On the Israel-Iran conflict, expressed "deep concern for the lives that are now in harm's way". Press release
Rhetoric and lobbying
- 2024-07-24 [Current position; source page dated 2024-08-23]: Publicly explained the decision not to attend Netanyahu's address, citing disagreements over the war's prosecution. SAC4Palestine tracker
- 2026-07-15 [Current position; verified]: Said Netanyahu's government "has shown that it cannot be trusted to use these funds responsibly" in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, and regarding Iran; distinguished criticism of a government from questioning Israel's right to exist. Press release
Safety and antisemitism (context, not a weapons or funding position)
- 2025-05-22 [Current position]: After the Capital Jewish Museum shooting killed two Israeli Embassy employees, said she was "heartbroken and outraged" and called for unequivocally condemning antisemitism and confronting it wherever it appears. Press release
- 2026-07-15 [Current position; verified]: "Criticism of a government is never license for antisemitism or Islamophobia, and I will keep fighting both wherever they appear." Press release
Also in this race
- ✓Opposes Mai Vang (Democrat)
All California candidates.
See everyone on the California ballot →But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. Every claim on this page goes through at least two verification steps. Open Find Your Candidates for votes, funding and contact details.