Republican Sen. Jim Risch Threatens to Block Action on Nominees and Legislation Over ICC Sanctions Standoff
In a bold move that has shaken the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Republican Sen. Jim Risch has threatened to block all action on nominees and legislation until progress is made on passing sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC). The ICC has come under bipartisan criticism for its recent indictments of top leaders of both Israel and Hamas.
Risch’s frustration with the lack of progress on the sanctions bill is palpable, especially after a similar bill passed the House with bipartisan support. Despite efforts to negotiate with Democrats, Risch and his colleagues have not seen any substantive responses, leading to a stalemate in the committee.
While Republicans believe that taking up the House-passed sanctions bill would be the quickest way to move forward, Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin has criticized the measure as divisive and partisan. Cardin, who chairs the Foreign Relations Committee, is working to find a bipartisan solution to the standoff and secure the support of President Joe Biden.
The tension between Risch and Cardin is evident, but both senators have expressed a commitment to finding common ground. As the August recess approaches, the pressure is on to reach a resolution on the ICC sanctions issue.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is set to discuss the ICC legislation at its next meeting, with Risch and Cardin leading the charge to find a bipartisan path forward. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.
