THE 114TH CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION: 6 JANUARY 2015–18 DECEMBER 2015

This edition of JPS's annual Congressional Monitor summarizes the bills and resolutions pertinent to the Palestinians or the broader Arab-Israeli conflict that were introduced in the first session of the 114th Congress (1/6/2015-12/18/2015). Major legislative themes related to the Palestine issue, in the 178 measures introduced in this time period, fall into three broad categories: those benefiting Israel; those serving Israel's interests by undermining its adversaries; and those securing Israel's position in the Middle East by reinforcing, influencing, or altering U.S. regional policy. This session of Congress saw lawmakers particularly interested in stymieing the growing Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement; influencing the P5+1's nuclear negotiations with Iran; and responding to the refugee crisis stemming from the conflict in Syria. The Monitor identifies the initiators of specific legislation, their priorities, the range of their concerns, and their attitudes toward regional actors. It is part of a wider project of the Institute for Palestine Studies that includes the Congressional Monitor Database at congressionalmonitor.org.