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President Joe Biden’s pick to be U.S. ambassador to Israel made it through the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday, amid calls from Democrats to quickly fill the post as a widening conflict roils the Middle East.
The panel voted to send Jack Lew, a Treasury secretary under President Barack Obama, to the Senate floor, nearly along party lines. Republicans mostly oppose the nominee over his role in the Iran nuclear pact under Obama, but they won’t be able to stop Lew’s confirmation if Democrats stay united.
In the 12-9 vote, only Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) crossed party lines to vote with Democrats.
Foreign Relations Chair Ben Cardin (D-Md.) said it was “absolutely essential” to confirm Lew, both as the U.S. backs Israel in its war with Hamas and for the sake of America’s citizens and diplomatic corps in Israel.
“Given the stakes in Israel, we cannot afford any delay,” Cardin said, adding, “We need someone to speak with the authority of a confirmed ambassador.”
The panel advanced several other ambassador nominees in a voice vote: Richard Riley for Somalia, Mark Toner for Liberia and Herro Mustafa Garg for Egypt. They also approved Paul Martin to be the U.S. Agency for International Development’s inspector general and David White for deputy director of the Peace Corps.
Though Republicans have the power to slow down the process for Lew, one of his top opponents, Senate Foreign Relations ranking member Jim Risch (R-Idaho), consented to Wednesday’s hearing.
Risch was among Republicans who have accused Lew GOP of being less than transparent with Congress in previous testimony on Iran sanctions relief during the Obama administration.
On Wednesday, Risch said he had “deep reservations” about Lew, adding that while he understands the urgency to confirm an ambassador, the committee needs to “take time to get it right.” Risch argued that lawmakers and Israel needed a more trusted voice on Iran, the main problem in the region.
“I'm going to vote today to support Israel. I’m going to vote no on Mr. Lew’s nomination to this post,” Risch said. “I do not have trust in him at this time.”
During Lew’s confirmation hearing this month, he faced tough questions from Republicans and rebutted their arguments about his candor. On Wednesday, Cardin defended Lew, saying he had “provided this committee with total transparency.”
Wednesday’s action echoed some of the partisan divisions over the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which was broadly opposed by Republicans, and some prominent Democrats. The Trump administration withdrew from the pact in 2018.
As Treasury secretary during the Obama administration, Lew was a top player in the financial aspects of the international agreement with Tehran, which lifted some sanctions in exchange for limits on Iran’s nuclear program.
Republicans have also criticized the Biden administration for striking a deal to release $6 billion in frozen Iranian assets as part of a prisoner swap, though Tehran reportedly has not been allowed to access the funds yet.
When Lew’s nomination comes to the Senate floor, it will likely face a near party-line vote again.
In a Fox News appearance on Sunday, one of Lew’s critics, Senate Foreign Relations member Ted Cruz (R-Texas), also said he believed every Senate Republican would vote against Lew.
“In ordinary times I think there'd be a reasonable chance that some Democrats would say, ‘Look, this is a bad choice,’ and would vote no. Right now the White House is saying ‘Well if you support Israel, you’ve got to have an ambassador there,” Cruz said.
