But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. How we check
Cliff Bentz
Bentz voted for every tracked aid bill and against both amendments to cut aid to Israel. In March 2024 he touted the funding law he backed for defunding UNRWA, citing employees who participated in the October 7 attack. His fullest Israel statement is on the research page.
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You asked Cliff Bentz where they stand.
Deep Dive
Bentz has represented Oregon’s 2nd District since 2021. His six recorded votes appear as badges on this card: Yes on all four tracked aid measures, No on both amendments to cut aid to Israel.
His most complete Israel statement, a November 16, 2023 release, is on the research page. Later, his March 2024 release on the fiscal-year funding laws lists among the wins that the package "defunds UNRWA, which has employees that participated in the October 7th attack on Israel", his stated position on the U.N. relief agency.
In June 2025 he endorsed U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, material that stays on the research page. In 2022 he participated in a House Judiciary subcommittee hearing on violence against minority and religious institutions.
AIPAC’s tracked support appears as a badge on this card. Nothing else located has him addressing U.S. aid to Palestinians beyond the UNRWA-defunding position.
The record
Supported sending weapons or funding in 6 of 6 tracked votes
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.
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Voted to send weapons or funding in more than half of their recorded tracked votes. (Supported sending weapons or funding in 6 of 6 tracked votes.)
The money
$10K in lifetime support from the five lobbying groups we track
Research log
The notes behind this card: what we looked at, what we found, and where each item came from.
U.S. military aid and weapons to Israel
- His recorded votes appear as badges on this card: Yes on H.R. 6126, H.R. 8034, H.R. 8369, and H.R. 7217; No on both amendments to cut aid to Israel.
- His November 16, 2023 statement backing security assistance, Iron Dome funding, and emergency resupply is not on the card summary; the page is retrieved and verified for the record, including "supporting Israel is not only the right thing to do, but it is also in America’s national interest".
U.S. aid to Palestinians
- [Position, 2024-03-22] The funding-law release, verified: the UNRWA-defunding win, quoted on the card.
Characterization of the conflict
- His October 7 characterizations (horrifying attacks, senseless war started and perpetuated by Hamas, innocent victims in both Israel and Gaza) all sit in the November 16, 2023 release, not on the card summary.
- His October 2023 co-sponsorship of H.Res. 771 supporting Israel is likewise inside the window.
Related rhetoric and lobbying
- [Iran, 2025-06-23] The Iran-strikes statement, verified by date and title; Iran material, research page only.
- Tracked committee support appears as a badge on this card.
Safety and antisemitism
- [Context, 2022-02-17] The House Judiciary subcommittee hearing on violence against minority and religious institutions, per the hearing record.
Race and status context
- Sitting member, nominated. His Democratic challenger’s card carries its own record.
Also in this race
- ✓Opposes Chris Beck (Democrat)
All Oregon candidates.
See everyone on the Oregon 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.