[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 79 (Monday, May 24, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E913]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




UNITED STATES-ISRAEL ROCKET AND MISSILE DEFENSE COOPERATION AND SUPPORT 
                                  ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 19, 2010

  Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, I have always supported 
Israel's security and condemned unequivocally violence inflicted upon 
Israeli and Palestinian civilians. Recognizing the defensive nature of 
the Iron Dome anti-missile defense system, designed to guard against 
short-range rocket, missile, and mortar attacks which threaten the 
lives of innocent Israeli citizens, I voted yes on H.R. 5327.
  However, I must express my serious concerns regarding continued and 
increasing trends of militarization in the region. The soaring costs 
associated with an unending cycle of military buildup, both human and 
financial, cannot be ignored in the context of the suffering that 
continued tensions have inflicted upon Israeli and Palestinian 
civilians alike. All parties involved must redouble their efforts and 
resources dedicated to realizing a just and lasting peace between the 
Israelis, Palestinians and the Arab world, including by refraining from 
gestures that would jeopardize the progress or viability of meaningful 
negotiations.
  Finally, Madam Speaker, I want to speak to the issue of the urgent 
need to realign our national security spending priorities--a 
realignment we must make within the context of both overall U.S. 
national security interests and in relation to our vital domestic 
requirements. We in the Congress must focus on the difficult choices 
associated with reducing our Nation's unsustainable military spending 
and on investments that will more effectively provide for our enduring 
security, and that of our allies. We must invest in our people, their 
education and our economy--always the backbone of our national 
security. As we scale back the military spending element of our 
national security investment, we must fill some of that vacuum with 
smart and highly leveraged investments in regional stability programs, 
including in the Middle East. Whatever the short-term and tactical 
defense merit of any one weapon system, such as is claimed for the Iron 
Dome antimissile defense system, it pales into insignificance when 
compared to successfully building regional economic development and 
confidence building.

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