But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. How we check

Matt Van Epps

Republican · U.S. House, Tennessee District 7
✗Supported sending weapons or funding in 1 of 1 tracked votes

Van Epps introduced the U.S.-Israel FUTURES Act in May 2026 to expand defense-technology cooperation with Israel. His platform says he will "ensure Israel has what it needs to defend itself," calling Israel "America's closest ally in the Middle East." Nothing located on U.S. aid to Palestinians.

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Deep Dive

Van Epps won the December 2025 special election for Tennessee's 7th District, took office December 4, 2025, and is running for a full term.

In May 2026 he introduced H.R. 7540, the United States-Israel FUTURES Act of 2026, to expand bilateral defense-technology cooperation and security coordination with Israel; the bill is recorded in the Congressional Record index.

His campaign platform, read in full: "Israel is America's closest ally in the Middle East, and a strong Israel means a safer America. President Trump's leadership made historic progress in strengthening this alliance, and Matt will proudly continue that work in Congress." And: "Matt will stand firm against Iran's aggression, fight antisemitism, and ensure Israel has what it needs to defend itself."

His recorded vote on the tracked bills is shown as a badge; he took office in December 2025, after the other roll calls, and has no located statement about it. In a constituent update he described Tehran as "the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism," enabling "Hamas' October 7 assault against our ally Israel."

The record

Supported sending weapons or funding in 1 of 1 tracked votes · Backs 0 of 1 tracked bills to restrict weapons transfers

Floor votes
H.R. 8595 - Massie amendment (Part A No. 8) to bar FY27 funds for Israel and cut $3.3B in Foreign Military Financing2026-07-15 · Failed 104-314
✗ Voted No
voted against limiting it
Bill sponsorship
H.R. 3565 - Block the Bombs ActWould bar transfer of 2,000-lb/BLU-109 bunker busters, JDAMs, 120mm tank rounds, and 155mm artillery shells to Israel. Does not affect Iron
Not sponsoringhas not backed this restriction bill
H.R. 1229 - United States-Israel Defense Partnership Act of 2025Formalizes/expands bilateral defense cooperation with Israel.
Co-sponsorbacks this bill to send more support
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 1 of 1 tracked votes.)

The money

$10K in lifetime support from the five lobbying groups we track

Lifetime support from the five lobbying groups we track
AIPAC PAC: $10,000
Support-only OpenFEC data (as of 2026-10-03). Opposition independent expenditures are excluded.
Who these lobbying groups are
AIPAC$10,000The American Israel Public Affairs Committee; its PAC backs candidates it sees as strengthening U.S. ties with the government of Israel, including continued U.S. military aid.Direct contributions and independent expenditures supporting this candidate from the five lobbying groups we track, every cycle each has filed, through 2026. Excludes earmarked and conduit contributions.
Endorsed by AIPAC
AIPACThe American Israel Public Affairs Committee; its PAC backs candidates it sees as strengthening U.S. ties with the government of Israel, including continued U.S. military aid.These endorsements come from groups that back sending U.S. weapons and funding to the government of Israel.

In their words

“Israel is America's closest ally in the Middle East, and a strong Israel means a safer America.”
Source ↗, 2026-08-12
“Matt will stand firm against Iran's aggression, fight antisemitism, and ensure Israel has what it needs to defend itself.”
Source ↗, 2026-08-12
Endorsements

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, 2026-05-12] Introduced H.R. 7540, the United States-Israel FUTURES Act of 2026 (Framework for Upgraded Technologies, Unified Research, and Enhanced Security), expanding bilateral defense-technology cooperation (BillTrack profile).
  • [Position, published 2026-08-12] His campaign platform, confirmed verbatim: "Matt will stand firm against Iran's aggression, fight antisemitism, and ensure Israel has what it needs to defend itself. Partnering with President Trump, he will make sure America never abandons its friends and always stands for freedom."
  • His recorded tracked vote (a No on the Massie amendment to bar FY27 funds for Israel and cut $3.3B in Foreign Military Financing, i.e. a vote to keep the aid) appears as a badge on this card. No statement about the vote was located; he took office 2025-12-04, after the other tracked bills' roll calls.

U.S. aid to Palestinians

  • No statement or documented position found by the research.

Characterization of the conflict

  • [Position, published 2026-08-12] Platform, confirmed verbatim: "Israel is America's closest ally in the Middle East, and a strong Israel means a safer America."
  • [Position, 2026] Constituent legislative update: Tehran is "the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism, fueling instability across the Middle East, targeting American servicemembers, and enabling attacks such as Hamas' October 7 assault against our ally Israel." Not opened.

Related rhetoric and lobbying

  • [Position, published 2026-08-12] Platform, confirmed: "President Trump's leadership made historic progress in strengthening this alliance, and Matt will proudly continue that work in Congress." No records of personal lobbying activity found.

Safety and antisemitism (context)

  • [Position, published 2026-08-12] Platform pledge to "fight antisemitism" (in the sentence quoted above). No standalone speeches or authored legislation on antisemitism identified.

Consulted

Also in this race

  1. – Darden Copeland (Democrat)
  2. – Andrew J. Koontz (Independent)
  3. – Lowell Reynolds (Independent)

All Tennessee candidates.

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.