[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 176 (Thursday, December 12, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1867]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       ISRAEL QME ENHANCEMENT ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. LOIS FRANKEL

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 11, 2013

  Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Speaker, one of the cornerstones of 
America's security commitment to Israel is an assurance that the United 
States will help maintain Israel's capability to defend itself, by 
itself. We do this by safeguarding Israel's qualitative military edge 
(QME)--the ability for Israel to counter and defeat any threat that 
might arise from non-state actors, individual states, or even a 
regional coalition of states.
  Four decades after the 1973 Yom Kippur War, when a coalition of Arab 
states launched a surprise attack against Israel on the holiest day on 
the Jewish calendar, Israel continues to face hostilities on every 
border: rocket fire from Hamas and Hezbollah, spillover from the 
conflict in Syria, increased terrorism in Egypt's Sinai, and the ever-
looming threat of a nuclear-armed Iran.
  That is why it is critical we redouble our efforts to ensure Israel 
has the tools necessary to counter any and all threats. H.R. 1992, the 
Israel QME Enhancement Act, is an important piece of bipartisan 
legislation that does just that, by preserving and strengthening 
Israel's QME. Specifically, this law would expand the definition of QME 
to include defense against cyber and asymmetric threats while also 
increasing the Administration's reporting requirements to Congress from 
every 4 to every 2 years.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 1992.

                          ____________________