But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. How we check
Brian K. Fitzpatrick
- Backed with $42K by PACs we track that support U.S. weapons funding for the government of Israel (lifetime)
- Endorsed by AIPAC +1 more
Fitzpatrick said after visiting Israel in February 2024 that Congress has "a moral obligation to continue to provide defensive aid" to the government of Israel. In 2020 he co-introduced a bill to preserve the Israeli military's qualitative edge when the U.S. sells arms in the region.
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 Brian K. Fitzpatrick where they stand.
Deep Dive
Fitzpatrick has represented Pennsylvania's 1st District since 2017 and co-chairs the House Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism.
He spoke about U.S. aid directly after visiting Israel in February 2024, when he met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: "Hamas wants to wipe Israel from the face of the earth. Congress has a moral obligation to continue to provide defensive aid to our strongest democratic ally in the Middle East." The week before, he had co-led a bipartisan bill pairing border measures with defense funding for Ukraine, Taiwan and the government of Israel. Earlier, in October 2020, he co-introduced bipartisan legislation to guarantee the U.S. commitment to preserving Israel's qualitative military edge, requiring congressional consultation on arms sales in the region and a presidential determination on how each sale would affect that edge.
His June 2025 statement, issued after Israel's strikes on Iran, said: "This week, Israel took unilateral action in response to persistent and escalating threats from the Iranian regime. While the United States was not involved in the operation, we stand—as we always have—with our ally Israel in shared purpose and mutual defense. A nuclear Iran is an unacceptable threat to global stability."
In October 2024, marking one year since the Hamas attack, his statement called it "a brutal and unprovoked assault on innocent civilians in Israel" and said that "Israel will endure, and those who seek its destruction will never prevail." He vowed "to stand unwaveringly with our friends in Israel, always."
He voted against the July 2026 amendment that would have denied fiscal 2027 funds to the government of Israel and cut Foreign Military Financing, and a Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia release applauded him and Rep. Brendan Boyle for that vote.
His recorded votes appear as badges on this card and are consistent with those statements. No statement was located from him on U.S. humanitarian aid to Palestinians.
The record
Supported sending weapons or funding in 6 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 more than half of their recorded tracked votes. (Supported sending weapons or funding in 6 of 6 tracked votes.)
The money
$42K in lifetime support from the five lobbying groups we track
In their words
AIPAC (2026 endorsement) · Republican Jewish Coalition (2026 endorsement)
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
- [Position, 2025-06-12] His statement after Israel's strikes on Iran, opened and confirmed word for word: "This week, Israel took unilateral action in response to persistent and escalating threats from the Iranian regime. While the United States was not involved in the operation, we stand—as we always have—with our ally Israel in shared purpose and mutual defense. A nuclear Iran is an unacceptable threat to global stability. The regime’s continued pursuit of nuclear capabilities, support for terrorism, and attempts to destabilize the region represent a direct challenge to the security of our allies, the Middle East, and the interests of the United States."
- [Position, 2024-02-23] Statement after his trip to Ukraine and Israel, on his own House site, opened and confirmed word for word. In Israel he received briefings on operations in Gaza and met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. His words: "Hamas wants to wipe Israel from the face of the earth. Congress has a moral obligation to continue to provide defensive aid to our strongest democratic ally in the Middle East."
- [Position, 2024-02-16] Co-led the Defending Borders, Defending Democracies Act with Rep. Jared Golden and six other members of both parties. The release describes border measures plus $66.32 billion in defense-only funding for Ukraine, Taiwan and the government of Israel, including "$10.40 billion to support the defense of Israel, including $4 billion to procure the Iron Dome and David’s Sling and $1.2 billion to procure the Iron Beam". His words: "Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan are all freedom-loving democracies, they are our allies, and we must assist them in protecting their borders just as we must protect our own."
- [Position, 2024-04-19] Joint statement with Rep. Jared Golden as the House took up the April 2024 foreign aid package: "The foreign aid supplemental taken up by the House today provides aid for our allies in Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan and includes provisions we have fought for". A two-member joint statement, so the wording is collective.
- [Earlier record, 2020-10-06] Co-introduced H.R. 8494, bipartisan legislation on Israel's qualitative military edge, opened 2026-09-25. The release says the bill "reiterates the requirement for Congressional consultation on arms sales to the Middle East that could impact Israel’s QME" and would require the President to submit a determination to Congress on each sale's effect on that edge within 60 days of formal notification. His words: "This is why it is so important that we support Israel and help to preserve its Qualitative Military Edge (QME), to ensure the safety of the Israeli people and maintain stability in the region."
- [Position, 2026-07-15] He voted against the Massie amendment to bar fiscal 2027 funds for the government of Israel and cut Foreign Military Financing. The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia applauded him and Rep. Brendan Boyle for supporting U.S. security assistance to Israel, in a release dated 2026-07-16; opened and the headline confirmed. That is an organisation's praise for his vote rather than a statement by him, and no words are attributed to him from it. See also Rep. Brendan Boyle's card, the only Pennsylvania Democrat to vote the same way.
- His recorded votes appear as badges on this card.
U.S. aid to Palestinians
- No statement or documented position located.
Characterization of the conflict
- [Position, 2024-10-07] One-year anniversary statement, opened and confirmed word for word: "On October 7th, Hamas launched a brutal and unprovoked assault on innocent civilians in Israel, including Americans, marking the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust." And: "Israel will endure, and those who seek its destruction will never prevail." He vowed "to stand unwaveringly with our friends in Israel, always."
- [Reaction window, 2023-11-21 and 2023-11-29] Introduced and led a bipartisan resolution calling for Hamas's immediate and unconditional surrender and condemning its use of human shields (the later release). From the weeks right after October 7; not used on the card.
- [Reaction window, 2023-10-10] Task force co-chairs' statement condemning the attack. From the weeks right after October 7, and a co-chairs' joint statement.
- [Earlier record, 2018-07-16] Condemned rocket and incendiary attacks from Gaza, opened and confirmed word for word, describing them as "acts of terror, carried out with rockets and arson kites, designed to encourage hate and discord."
Related rhetoric and lobbying
- [Position, 2024-08-20] Co-introduced the Stand With Israel Act, which would withhold U.S. funding from UN agencies that expel, downgrade, suspend or otherwise restrict the participation of the State of Israel; opened 2026-09-25. His words in the release: "The Stand with Israel Act sends a clear message: America will not fund or enable any entity that seeks to undermine, delegitimize, or target the Jewish state."
- [Position, 2026-01-14] AIPAC (the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a pro-Israel lobbying group) has supported him before and plans to support him in 2026, according to Jewish Insider's profile of his opponent. An AIPAC spokesperson told the outlet: "Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick is a strong champion of the U.S.-Israel partnership, and we are proud to support him in this race". That is AIPAC speaking about him, not a statement by him. Its PAC's support appears as a funding badge on this card.
- [Earlier record, 2022-04-06] Endorsed for his 2022 reelection by the political action committee of the Republican Jewish Coalition, a Republican group that backs pro-Israel candidates (his campaign's release, via Legistorm). An endorsement is a third party's decision about him. His own words in the release: "I will continue my fight in Congress to strengthen that relationship and do everything I can to support the Jewish people in their struggle for peace and security".
- [Earlier record, 2018-08-20] Ripon Advance coverage of an August 15, 2018 roundtable on U.S.-Israel relations with Rep. Josh Gottheimer; opened 2026-09-25. Third-party reporting, which quotes him: "As one of our closest partners, Israel will always have our unwavering support".
Safety and antisemitism (context)
- He co-chairs the House Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism (April 2024 release). Also a 2020 statement on the Tree of Life attack and 2022 Jerusalem Post coverage. Safety context, never an answer about U.S. weapons or funding.
Also in this race
- ✗Supports Bob Harvie (Democrat)
All Pennsylvania candidates.
See everyone on the Pennsylvania 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.