Senate expected to pass Taylor Force Act which would cut funding to the PA if it continues to pay terrorists.

The Senate is expected to pass the Taylor Force Act this week as part of the $1.3 trillion omnibus appropriations bill, The Jewish Insiderreported on Wednesday, citing Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who introduced the legislation last year.

The Taylor Force act would eliminate U.S. funding that directly benefits the Palestinian Authority (PA) as long it continues its policy of paying stipends to terrorists or their families.

The legislation, named for U.S. army veteran Taylor Force who was murdered in a stabbing attack in Jaffa in March of 2016, was approved by the House of Representatives in December but has yet to clear the Senate. The omnibus faces a Friday midnight deadline in order to prevent a government shutdown.

The legislation was held up in the Senate after Senate Republicans insisted that a sunset clause requiring Congress to re-pass the legislation in later years be removed, noted The Jewish Insider. Senate Republicans also pulled two exemptions — vaccinations for children and wastewater projects. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer promised to do “everything possible” to help get it passed, preferably by unanimous consent.

However, after Rep. Eliot Engel’s staff insisted on the exemption for water treatment totaling $37 million, the only other path would be allocating floor time for a stand-alone vote. As floor time is especially limited, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell preferred not to allocate it for this.

The breakthrough, according to the report, came after Senate and House leaders reached a compromise with Engel where the exemption for wastewater projects is capped at $5 million.

“The goal is to punish the Palestinian Authority for these payments but the wastewater efforts have proven to be a successful project,” Graham told The Jewish Insider.

“After over two years of very hard work, we’ve achieved our goal of having the Taylor Force Act become law. This is one of the most significant pieces of legislation I’ve been involved with. The effort by the pro-Israel community led by Sander Gerber and the power of the Force family made it possible,” added Graham.

“This was truly bipartisan, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer worked together. House Speaker Paul Ryan was very supportive. This will give us leverage with the Palestinians to push back on what I think is outrageous. You can make more money being a terrorist than getting a real job. This has to end,” he continued.