Michigan Democratic Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib believes Israel is as much an enemy of America as North Korea or Iran.
Nearly all of her colleagues in the lower chamber disagree.
“The Representative from Michigan offered an Amendment to classify Israel as an adversary of the United States alongside North Korea, China, and Iran,” Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., posted to X on Wednesday. “It failed by a vote of 3 to 410. This is the most emphatic legislative defeat I’ve ever seen.”
Kiley, standing alongside an image of the vote totals, elaborated on the historic vote on the House floor.
“Today on the House floor, there was an amendment offered that suffered the most overwhelming defeat that I have ever seen in the United States Congress, and for good reason, because it is perhaps the most abhorrent legislative proposal I have ever seen in the United States Congress,” Kiley said.
“Representative Tlaib introduced a measure that would classify Israel as an adversary of the United States alongside the likes of China, Iran and North Korea. Fortunately, this proposal was swiftly and nearly unanimously rejected by the House of Representatives,” he said.
The vote was to amend the Defending Education Transparency and Ending Rouge Regimes Engaging in Nefarious Transactions Act, known as the DETERRENT Act. The legislation, which cleared the House on a vote of 241-169, expands oversight and disclosure requirements related to foreign sources and institutions of higher learning.
Go Ad-Free, Get Content, Go Premium Today - $1 Trial
MORE NEWS: Mt. Pleasant Indivisible protest draws 40 — read ‘banned’ books, demand taxpayer funding for PBS
The bill, HR 1048, would require colleges and universities to disclose contracts with or gifts from a foreign country of concern, and would require those schools to secure a waiver from the federal government to contract with a foreign country of concern.
The overwhelming rejection of the attempt to lump Israel in with America’s adversaries “sent a very important message regarding what was being suggested with” Tlaib’s proposal, Kiley said, noting rampant antisemitism on college campuses from pro-Palestinian protests.
“It is very important that is condemned strongly and unequivocally, and I am very proud that is what the House of Representatives did today,” he said.
Aside from Tlaib, the only Palestinian in Congress, her proposal received support from fellow members of the progressive Squad, Reps. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass.
Go Ad-Free, Get Content, Go Premium Today - $1 Trial
Tlaib also voted against passage of the DETERRENT Act, along with four Democrats in Michigan’s congressional delegation: Reps. Debbie Dingell, Kristen McDonald Rivet, Haley Stevens, and Shri Thanedar.
All Republicans representatives from Michigan, with the exception of Rep. Jack Bergman, who did not vote, voted in favor of the bill, as did Democratic Rep. Hillary Scholten.
While Tlaib didn’t bother to explain her amendment or vote on the DETERRENT Act on social media or through press updates, her decision to vote against proposals most of her colleagues support is nothing new.
Just last month, Tlaib was the only member of the House to vote against a bill aimed at shutting down underground tunnels into the country used to smuggle illegal immigrants and drugs.
Tlaib’s opposition was notable amid the rare show of bipartisanship, with Republicans suspending the rules to fast-track the bill, which elevates the required approval threshold to two-thirds.
Tlaib’s animosity toward Isreal is also well documented.
The congresswoman has refused to condemn “death to America” chants at rallies in her district, voted against legislation to block funds for Iranian terrorism, and rallied with UM protestors to demand the university divest from Israel and companies that support it.
The fourth-term Democrat also played a key role in President Donald Trump’s victory in Michigan in November, helping to rally more than 100,000 Democratic voters to oppose the Joe Biden-Kamala Harris administration’s policies in Gaza.