Senate Dems block ICC sanctions bill in Schumer-urged show of unity

• The vote was 54-45, short of the 60 votes required to prevail.
• Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman was the lone Democratic vote in favor of advancing the measure.

The big picture: Senate Democrats stonewalled the ICC bill after a number of internal huddles in the last week where Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y) stressed the need for unity.

• The lone Democratic vote in favor of the procedural motion Tuesday is particularly notable given the broad appetite in the caucus to back pro-Israel legislation.
• Top Senate Democrats and Republicans were still trying to negotiate possible changes to the bill as late as Tuesday afternoon, we are told.

Between the lines: The ICC sanctions bill is a response to the court's issuing of arrest warrants for top Israeli officials last year.

• But Democrats have long raised concerns over how broad the bill is, worried it could be used against American companies and interests.

The bottom line: Democrats could now have more leverage to change the ICC bill.