[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 145 (Tuesday, August 10, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6269-S6270]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  RECOGNIZING ISRAEL'S AID DELEGATION

  Mr. SCOTT of Florida. Mr. President, I rise today to honor the 
bravery and selfless service of the individuals who responded to the 
horrific tragedy in Surfside, FL, on June 24, 2021, when the Champlain 
Towers South condo building suddenly collapsed in the middle of the 
night.
  Our Jewish Community, particularly Orthodox Jews, have been 
especially affected by this tragedy, and immediately following the 
collapse, Israel mobilized resources and personnel to help in the 
response. We are incredibly grateful to Israeli Prime Minister Naftali 
Bennett for deploying the joint Israel Defense Forces--IDF--and 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs delegation to Surfside following the 
collapse. I want to thank commander of IDF's National Rescue Unit in 
the Home Front Command, Colonel Golan Vach, for leading the search and 
rescue delegation and Israeli Diaspora Affairs Minister, Nachman Shai, 
who helped to make sure the needs of the Surfside community were 
addressed. I am eternally grateful for their hard work and quick 
response to this terrible tragedy.
  I also want to thank Israel's Consul General, Maor Elbaz-Starinsky, 
and his team, who were on site working tirelessly to address the needs 
of the community and who worked alongside first responders and rescue 
crews to respond to the collapse.
  Israel Defense Forces Home Front Command operates search and rescue 
missions in Israel and around the world, aiding in rescue and recovery 
efforts for disasters. Using building information modeling tools and 
technologies and careful measurements taken on site, the Home Front 
Command was able to generate 3D digital models of the building before 
and after its collapse. This, combined with information gathered from 
surviving family members and friends, produced highly accurate 
information to help the search, rescue, and recovery efforts. Their 
efforts gave search teams from across the United States and around the 
world the most accurate and up-to-date information on where they should 
target their search efforts.
  Israel responds immediately to emergencies around the world, and our 
gratitude is immense. Israel is a partner in every sense of the word. 
Their presence was greatly appreciated by the people of Surfside, the 
State of Florida, and the entire Nation. The Israeli rescue team 
demonstrated once again the kindness and strength that Israel provides. 
They swiftly heeded the call of duty to help local, State, Federal, and

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international counterparts with rescue and recovery efforts. In the 
face of tremendous tragedy, they ran into danger. They are heroes. They 
worked tirelessly and relentlessly to make sure that the needs of the 
community were met. We can never thank them enough for their bravery 
and determination.
  The Israeli delegation succeeded in alleviating suffering and 
demonstrated what the Jewish state can mean to people thousands of 
miles away during the worst moment of their lives. The tragedy in 
Surfside shows the strength of the connection between American Jews and 
the Jewish state and that Israel is a great ally and friend to the 
United States. Ann and I continue to pray for the Surfside community, 
our Jewish community, the families and loved ones of the lost, and all 
of those who worked tirelessly to serve the Surfside community.

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