[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 89 (Tuesday, June 15, 2010)]
[House]
[Page H4483]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 PROSPECTS FOR PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Garamendi) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. GARAMENDI. I was going to speak on a subject, and I will, but 
after listening to the previous speaker, I think a few comments are in 
order.
  I think it was that great socialist, Richard Nixon, that happened to 
sign the Environmental Protection Act and the Clean Air Act. So maybe 
that's what you're talking about.
  But to make the argument that somehow the environmental movement is 
responsible for the demise of American industries is just fallacious. 
It's a stretch of the imagination. In fact, there are many, many things 
involved, including free trade acts and international competition 
that's coming our way.
  And if my colleague on the Republican side was so interested in this, 
he would have voted on the bill last week that would have brought back 
foreign earnings and closed the tax loopholes on those American 
corporations that have gone offshore--instead, bringing those back. I 
think, if I recall correctly, we didn't get one Republican vote on 
closing those loopholes that have allowed American corporations to 
offshore jobs. But I really wanted to take up another issue, and I will 
do so now.
  I rise today to express my support for the right that all nations 
have to secure their borders in self-defense. Our close ally, Israel, 
shares a border with Gaza, a region controlled by the terrorist 
organization Hamas. Since 2001, thousands of rockets have been launched 
from Gaza into Israel, killing more than a dozen Israelis and wounding 
hundreds and terrifying that nation. We also know that Hamas receives 
material support from Iran, an international pariah that oppresses its 
own citizens while funding terrorist organizations throughout the 
region. For all these reasons, Israel has chosen to restrict imports to 
the Gaza Strip, insisting that all deliveries must be inspected to make 
sure that weapons are not smuggled into the territory.
  Today, I call on Hamas leadership to reject their past support for 
terrorism, renounce violence, and embrace the two-state solution so 
that Israelis and Palestinians can live their lives freely, in peace, 
and security.
  I also call on all powers in the Middle East to value human life and 
to do everything to avoid bloodshed. The loss of life in the flotilla 
incident was tragic, and I look forward to the findings of the recently 
formed Independent Public Commission, which will examine such issues as 
the naval blockade of Gaza, actions taken by the commandos during the 
flotilla incident, and the identities and conduct of the organizers and 
participants in the flotilla.
  In the meantime, we must focus on avoiding escalation, preventing 
more violence, and continuing the peace process. The greatest tragedy 
would be to allow the flotilla incident to end the region's prospects 
for peace.

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