[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 76 (Thursday, May 10, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E622]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   UNITED STATES-ISRAEL SECURITY ASSISTANCE AUTHORIZATION ACT MARKUP

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                       HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 10, 2018

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be a co-sponsor 
of H.R. 5141, the United States-Israel Security Assistance 
Authorization Act, and commend my good friend, Chairwoman emeritus Ros-
Lehtinen, for her leadership in introducing H.R. 5141--a critical, 
important bipartisan measure--along with Congressman Deutch.
  This bill responds to a crisis of converging threats that imperil the 
security of our closest ally, Israel. Iranian forces and their 
terrorist proxies now surround Israel from nearly every direction. With 
Iranian support, Hizballah continues to amass a dangerous arsenal of 
thousands of advanced rockets to the north that are trained on Israel's 
main population centers.
  Hamas, also with Iranian backing, threatens Israel from the south and 
west with terror tunnels, rocket barrages, and now with a cynical 
campaign that manipulates civilian protests with the use of so-called 
human shields to threaten Israel's sovereign border. To the east, in 
Syria, Iran continues to carry out strategic outposts where it can 
station advanced weapons systems and fighters to challenge Israeli 
defenses.
  Faced with such a constellation of fanatical enemies, Israel cannot 
spare a moment's vigilance--and neither can we for the sake of our 
close friend.
  By authorizing enhanced military cooperation between our countries 
and further enshrining Israel's qualitative military edge, H.R. 5141 
guarantees that Israel will also remain far and away our most capable 
ally. The bill authorizes foreign military financing at an annual level 
no less than the $3.3 billion agreed to in the bilateral MOU negotiated 
under the Obama Administration. Crucially, the bill specifies that the 
assistance should be ``not less than $3.3 billion''--a clear statement 
that this MOU constitutes a floor rather than a ceiling. This Congress 
can not accept predetermined limits on its support to such a crucial 
ally. A floor, yes--a ceiling, no.
  The bill's other provisions facilitate the transfer of advanced 
precision guided missiles for Israel's use and lays the groundwork for 
bilateral cooperation that will assist Israel in confronting an 
evolving landscape of threats, including from unmanned aerial vehicles 
(UAVs), cyber-attacks, and non-state actors. The many facets of 
cooperation supported by this bill--from international development, to 
space exploration, to cybersecurity--are not just for Israel's benefit: 
they directly contribute to our national security.

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