But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. How we check
Daniel Meuser
- Backed with $20K by PACs we track that support U.S. weapons funding for the government of Israel (lifetime)
- Endorsed by AIPAC
Meuser said after Netanyahu's 2024 address that "the world must know the United States is fully committed to Israel's defense," and that the Israeli military should "be allowed to fully utilize all available tools" to free the hostages.
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Deep Dive
Meuser has represented Pennsylvania's 9th District since 2019.
His July 2024 statement after Prime Minister Netanyahu's address to Congress is his fullest: "As Israel continues to face threats from its neighbors, terror groups, and rogue states, the world must know the United States is fully committed to Israel's defense."
On the conduct of the war he was explicit about means: Israel has an "ultimate right to defend itself and its people, which includes fully eliminating Hamas to ensure future generations of Israelis are safe from a future attack. It is also imperative that the Israeli Defense Forces be allowed to fully utilize all available tools to secure the release of hostages still being held by Hamas."
The same statement describes the October 7 attack as "an unprovoked act of terror, killing more than 1,200 innocent Israelis and 39 Americans," criticises Vice President Harris's absence from the address as "a serious affront to Israel," and repeats Netanyahu's description of protesters who he said stand with Hamas.
In April 2024 he supported providing defence articles to Israel while criticising the structure of the broader aid package.
His recorded votes appear as badges on this card and are consistent with those statements.
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.
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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
$20K in lifetime support from the five lobbying groups we track
In their words
AIPAC (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, 2024-07-24] His statement on Netanyahu's address to Congress, opened and confirmed word for word: "As Israel continues to face threats from its neighbors, terror groups, and rogue states, the world must know the United States is fully committed to Israel's defense." And: Israel has an "ultimate right to defend itself and its people, which includes fully eliminating Hamas to ensure future generations of Israelis are safe from a future attack. It is also imperative that the Israeli Defense Forces be allowed to fully utilize all available tools to secure the release of hostages still being held by Hamas."
- [Position, 2024-04-23] Statement on the border security and foreign aid supplemental, opened. Per the research he supported defence articles for Israel while criticising the administration's broader foreign policy and the structuring of the package. No verbatim span extracted, so it is recorded as the research's summary.
- [After October 7, 2023-10-31] On Newsmax, defended offsetting the $14.3 billion emergency package with IRS funding cuts, calling Israeli military equipment an "urgent emergency matter" and "far more important" than hiring IRS agents (Newsmax). From the weeks right after October 7; not used on the card. Not opened. Worth noting alongside oh7-miller, a Republican who called the same offset "disgusting."
- 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, 2024-07-24] Confirmed verbatim: the October 7 attack was "an unprovoked act of terror, killing more than 1,200 innocent Israelis and 39 Americans." The same statement quotes Netanyahu's line "this is your fight, our victory will be your victory," and adds: "And to those protestors who stand with Hamas, I echo Prime Minister Netanyahu's description of them as Iran's 'useful idiots'."
- [After October 7, 2023-10-13, reported] Introduced legislation to freeze $6 billion in Iranian funds, arguing the Iranian regime was "directly culpable for the barbaric attack on Israel." From the weeks right after October 7.
- [Position, 2024-07-25] House floor remarks, as reported saying he would "continue to stand strongly with Israel." Video source; not readable.
- [Position, 2026-03-04] Floor speech opposing a war powers resolution on Iran, as reported characterising Iran and its proxies as state-sponsored terrorists. Video source; not readable. Also a Facebook video of the same remarks.
Related rhetoric and lobbying
- [Position, 2024-07-24] Praised Netanyahu's speech and criticised Vice President Harris's absence as "a serious affront to Israel" that "told our allies around the globe that we are not dependable" (confirmed verbatim).
- [Undated] A weekly report on his campaign site. Not opened.
Safety and antisemitism (context)
- [After October 7, 2023-10-16] Published constituent guidance for Americans in Israel, cited twice. Constituent services rather than a position.
- [After October 7, 2023-12-08] Joined Pennsylvania Republicans demanding the University of Pennsylvania president be removed after congressional antisemitism testimony. **The research's source is Rep. Lloyd Smucker's page, cited three times**, another member's site for a group action. the weeks right after October 7 and safety context.
⚠ Note on the sources
- Sixteen entries, and the usable share is small. **One is Rep. Greg Landsman's statement**, an Ohio Democrat with his own card on this site (Greg Landsman); nothing from it is used. **Three are the same page on Rep. Smucker's site.** One is a paginated press-releases index, which is a listing page. Four are video pages, and several others are duplicates.
Also in this race
- –No Position Found Rachel Wallace (Democrat)
All Pennsylvania candidates.
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