http://thehill.com/homenews/house/232160-whip-list-dems-skipping-netanyahu-speechBy Mike Lillis - 02/09/15 12:12 PM EST
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might be giving the most controversial speech to a joint session of Congress ever by an international leader, and Vice President Biden and a number of top Democrats won’t be attending.
Netanyahu is expected to criticize the White House’s negotiations with Iran on its nuclear program in his March 3 speech. While Biden has cited a scheduling conflict, other Democrats are staying away from the speech to protest what they see as an attack on President Obama.
Congressional Democrats are angry that Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) invited Netanyahu to speak to Congress without first telling the White House. Obama has said he will not meet with Netanyahu during the visit because it will come just two weeks before Israeli elections are set to take place.
Democrats face a difficult decision on whether to attend the address. Many will want to show support for the White House, but will be wary of snubbing the leader of an important U.S. ally.
Here is a list of the Democrats who are planning to skip the speech and those who are planning to go.
SKIPPING
House (13)
Rep. Earl Blumenauer (Ore.) — Wrote a Jan. 29 column in The Huffington Post explaining his decision, saying the Constitution “vests the responsibility for foreign affairs in the president.”
Rep. G.K. Butterfield (N.C.) — The head of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) in a statement focuses on Boehner undermining Obama; also emphasizes he's not urging a boycott.
Rep. James Clyburn (S.C.) — Clyburn is the highest-ranking Democratic leader to say he’ll skip the speech.
Rep. Raúl Grijalva (Ariz.) — Grijalva is the head of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC).
Rep. Luis Gutierrez (Ill.) — A spokesman told the Chicago Sun-Times Gutierrez has a "strong" record on Israel, but called the speech "a stunt."
Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas) — "The Congresswoman has no plans to attend the speech at this time," a spokeswoman said.
Rep. Dan Kildee (Mich.): “We have the invitation and as of right now Congressman Kildee is planning on not attending.”
Rep. Barbara Lee (Calif.) — A member of the Congressional Black Caucus and former head of the CPC.
Rep. John Lewis (Ga.) — His office confirmed he’s not going, but emphasizes he's not organizing a formal boycott
Rep. Betty McCollum (Minn.): "In my view Mr. Netanyahu’s speech before Congress is nothing more than a campaign event hosted by Speaker Boehner and paid for by the American people," McCollum said in a statement."
Rep. Jim McDermott (Wash.) — “I do not intend to attend the speech of Bibi,” he said in an email to a Seattle newspaper.
Rep. Gregory Meeks (N.Y.) — Another CBC member skipping the speech.
Rep. Charles Rangel (N.Y.)
Senate (1)
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) — Sanders said it’s “wrong” that Obama wasn’t consulted about the speech.
ATTENDING
House (24)
Rep. Joyce Beatty (Ohio)
Rep. Henry Cueller (Texas)
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (Conn.)
Rep. Suzan DelBene (Wash.)
Rep. Eliot Engel (N.Y.)
Rep. Elizabeth Esty (Conn.)
Janice Hahn (Calif.)
Rep. Jim Himes (Conn.) — He told a Connecticut newspaper he didn't want to make the situation worse.
Rep. Steve Israel (N.Y.)
Rep. Bill Keating (Mass.)
Rep. Joe Kennedy (Mass.)
Rep. Derek Kilmer (Wash.) — “Derek intends to attend the speech," a spokesman told a newspaper in Seattle.
Rep. John Larson (Conn.) — “I plan to attend the upcoming speech as a matter of courtesy and respect for the long commitment of the United States to our greatest ally in the Middle East, Israel,” he told a newspaper in Connecticut.
Rep. Sander Levin (Mich.)
Rep. Nita Lowey (N.Y.)
Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.)
Rep. Jerrold Nadler (N.Y.)
Rep. Richard Neal (Mass.)
Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) — Says she is going “as of now.”
Rep. Jared Polis (Colo.)
Rep. Adam Schiff (Calif.)
Rep. David Scott (Ga.)
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Fla.) — Her spokesman told a Florida newspaper she will attend.
Rep. Peter Welch (Vt.)
Senate (6)
Sen. Barbara Boxer (Calif.) — "I'm deeply troubled that politics has been injected into this enduring relationship that has always been above politics, but I plan to go."
Sen. Ben Cardin (Md.) — "Senator Cardin disagrees with how Speaker Boehner handled the invitation. It was inappropriate. However, Senator Cardin respects the Prime Minister of Israel and will attend his speech to Congress," according to a statement.
Sen. Edward Markey (Mass.)
Sen. Robert Menendez (N.J.)
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.) says he plans to attend for now, but it is a “personal decision” for fellow senators.
Sen. Chuck Schumer (N.Y.)
ON THE FENCE
House
Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.)
Rep. Yvette Clarke (N.Y.)
Rep. Keith Ellison (Minn.) — Head of the CPC, a member of the CBC and the first Muslim in Congress, he told The Hill that he’s undecided.
Rep. Lois Frankel (Fla.)
Rep. Alan Grayson (Fla.)
Rep. Hank Johnson (Ga.) — A member of the CBC, he said he’s hoping the speech is postponed.
Rep. Alan Lowenthal (Calif.) — Timing is "inappropriate"
Rep. Jim McGovern (Mass.) — Undecided, would like speech pushed back.
Rep. Seth Moulton (Mass.) expressed frustration over the speech to the Boston Globe but would not say if he will attend.
Rep. Grace Napolitano (Calif.)
Rep. Adam Smith (Wash.) — "Troubled" but undecided.
Rep. John Yarmuth (Ky.) — Yarmuth told Politico he “hadn’t thought about” whether he will attend.
Senate
Sen. Chris Coons (Del.) told CNN he is “concerned” by the speech timing.
Sen. Dick Durbin (Ill.)
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (Calif.) expressed worries that the speech would be “obviously political” to CNN.
Sen. Tim Kaine (Va.)
Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) told CNN he is still deciding whether to attend.
Sen. Chris Murphy (Conn.)
Sen. Bill Nelson (Fla.)
--This list, last updated at 6:10 p.m., will be updated as new information comes in.
