The measure, unveiled on Tuesday, signals mounting frustration with Qatar’s inability to secure a hostage deal between Hamas and Israel and is an unprecedented effort by lawmakers to downgrade diplomatic relations with a U.S. ally in the Middle East. The decision to invoke unanimous consent forces the Senate to immediately consider the legislation and hold a vote on it.

Budd’s legislation, which is backed by Sens. Joni Ernst (R., Iowa) and Rick Scott (R., Fla.), would force the Biden administration to certify that Qatar is exerting "any and all" leverage it has over Hamas to secure the release of Israeli and American hostages. The administration would have to verify to Congress that Qatar "does not directly or indirectly support, financially or otherwise, acts of international terrorism or foreign terrorist organizations, including Hamas."

If the administration cannot make this determination, President Joe Biden would have to immediately terminate Qatar’s status as a non-NATO ally, stripping the country of its elevated status with the U.S. armed forces and other members of the international defense pact.