[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 69 (Tuesday, April 25, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H1929-H1931]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 ENCOURAGING THE EXPANSION AND STRENGTHENING OF THE ABRAHAM ACCORDS TO 
 URGE OTHER NATIONS TO NORMALIZE RELATIONS WITH ISRAEL AND ENSURE THAT 
 EXISTING AGREEMENTS REAP TANGIBLE SECURITY AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS FOR 
     THE CITIZENS OF THOSE COUNTRIES AND ALL PEOPLES IN THE REGION

  Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H. Res. 311) encouraging the expansion and strengthening of the 
Abraham Accords to urge other nations to normalize relations with 
Israel and ensure that existing agreements reap tangible security and 
economic benefits for the citizens of those countries and all peoples 
in the region.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                              H. Res. 311

       Whereas May 14, 2023, marks the 75th anniversary of the 
     establishment of the State of Israel;
       Whereas, on May 14, 1948, the United States officially 
     recognized Israel as a State;
       Whereas Israel has been designated by the United States 
     Government as a major non-NATO ally;
       Whereas, in 2014, Congress designated Israel as a ``major 
     strategic partner'';
       Whereas the United States and Israel have a close and 
     robust bilateral relationship marked by strong people-to-
     people ties and close cooperation on a wide range of issues 
     including defense, diplomacy, energy, cybersecurity, 
     agriculture, science, and space;
       Whereas the United States and Israel have signed three 10-
     year memoranda of understanding, in which the United States 
     committed to provide $26,700,000,000 between fiscal year 1999 
     and fiscal year 2008, $30,000,000,000 between fiscal year 
     2009 and fiscal year 2018, and $38,000,000,000 between fiscal 
     year 2019 and fiscal year 2028;
       Whereas Congress has appropriated amounts in accordance 
     with such memoranda of understanding, reflecting the two 
     countries' shared priorities in the region;
       Whereas, in late 2020 and early 2021, Israel reached 
     agreements, known collectively as the Abraham Accords, to 
     improve or normalize its relations with the United Arab 
     Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan; and
       Whereas these agreements build upon the decades-long 
     leadership of the United States and other governments in 
     supporting efforts to broker peace treaties between Israel 
     and Egypt and Israel and Jordan: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) encourages the United States and Israel to continue to 
     deepen and expand bilateral cooperation across the full 
     spectrum of economic, security, and civilian issues;
       (2) encourages the expansion and strengthening of the 
     Abraham Accords to urge other nations to normalize relations 
     with Israel and ensure that existing agreements reap tangible 
     security and economic benefits for the citizens of those 
     countries and all peoples in the region;
       (3) expresses continued support for security assistance to 
     Israel as outlined in the United States-Israel Memorandum of 
     Understanding to ensure that Israel can defend itself by 
     itself; and
       (4) supports Israel's robust involvement as an active 
     member of the community of nations to benefit Israel and the 
     United States as partners who share common values and a 
     commitment to democracy.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. McCaul) and the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. 
Manning) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.


                             General Leave

  Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on this measure.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Texas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this week we are marking an incredible milestone, 75 
years since the establishment of the State of Israel.
  Since the day Israel was founded, it faced numerous existential 
threats, and yet today, Israel is a thriving democracy with a robust 
economy and one of the world's most capable militaries. Most 
importantly, the United States and Israel have stood shoulder to 
shoulder together since day one.
  Over seven-and-a-half decades, we have worked as friends and 
partners, and we will continue to work together to overcome shared 
challenges and reach new triumphs.
  The United States has long supported Israel's right and ability to 
defend herself against threats. Our long-term commitment to Israel's 
security includes the $3.3 billion per year in foreign military 
financing assistance and support for defense technology development. 
One of the great successes of this support is the Iron Dome air defense 
system.

                              {time}  1645

  In May of 2021 when Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad launched more 
than 4,000 rockets toward Israel, it was the Iron Dome that shot those 
weapons out of the sky, greatly limiting the number of casualties in 
this terrifying conflict.
  After this escalation, Congress voted overwhelmingly to resupply the 
Iron Dome to help Israel keep its citizens safe.
  The United States will always stand with Israel in its fight against 
terrorism. Our close partner is also vital to combating the global 
threat posed by Iran's nuclear program, ballistic missile arsenal, 
armed UAV attacks, as well as Iran's support for international 
terrorism, hostage-taking, and human rights abuses.
  Simply put, a nuclear Iran is unacceptable, both for the United 
States, our ally Israel, and for the world.
  We are also in full agreement that the IRGC is a foreign terrorist 
organization, and this designation should remain in place.
  We are seeing Iran's malign influence spread well beyond the Middle 
East. Iran is orchestrating terror plots against Americans on U.S. 
soil.
  Iran continues to supply Russia with lethal drones and other forms of 
support for its war of aggression in Ukraine.
  Moreover, Iran is deepening its cooperation with Communist China who 
continues to threaten the global balance of power through their malign 
activities around the globe and hostility toward Taiwan.
  Responding to Iran's global threat and its unholy alliance with 
Russia and China will be a generational challenge, but the United 
States and Israel are prepared to respond.
  It is clear that others have taken note of how much the United States 
and Israel accomplish when we work together.
  That is why in 2020, President Trump and his team succeeded in 
brokering the first normalization agreements between Israel and its 
neighbors in over 25 years.
  The Abraham Accords are transformational for the Middle East. I was 
proud to be at the White House for the signing ceremony of these 
historic agreements. Now the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco join Egypt and 
Jordan in having full diplomatic relations with Israel.
  The accords open the door to important cooperation, including to 
address the shared threat posed by Iran that is making the Middle East 
and North Africa safer and more prosperous.
  These countries are working together on free trade, energy, water, 
and, of course, defense cooperation, like the Middle East Air Defense 
Alliance, now that Israel is a part of Central Command.
  This is a generational shift in the Middle East and one that promotes 
peace and prosperity in the region. That is why we need to invest in 
the positive progress of growing and deepening the Abraham Accords as 
this resolution outlines.
  We need to put our diplomatic might into trying to achieve the kinds 
of big breakthroughs that created the Abraham Accords almost 3 years 
ago.
  I was pleased to see Oman and Saudi Arabia begin allowing overflights 
of

[[Page H1930]]

Israeli planes. It is a huge step forward, but we need to keep thinking 
bigger until we get to the game changer that would be full diplomatic 
relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel.
  On behalf of the American people, I congratulate our Israeli friends 
on everything they have accomplished in their first 75 years.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this 
resolution, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, 75 years ago, the State of Israel joined the community 
of nations when it declared its independence from the British Empire.
  In the wake of World War II and the Holocaust, for the first time in 
modern history, the Jews would have a land and a military of their own 
that would allow them to overcome centuries of anti-Semitism, 
persecution, and attempts at elimination.
  The State of Israel rests on land that has been uniquely bound to the 
Jewish people for thousands of years.
  From the Exodus from Egypt to the First and Second Temples all the 
way to today's modern age, there has always been a Jewish presence 
between the Mediterranean and the Jordan River.
  Over the last 75 years, Israelis have made the desert bloom, 
transforming the country into a modern, industrialized democracy.
  Israel is a leader in technology, business, and agriculture. The 
country's innovative technologies have greatly benefited the United 
States military and other government agencies.
  Israel shares the democratic and human rights values we treasure here 
in the United States. The recent Abraham Accords represent yet another 
milestone in Israel's development.
  Normalization of Israel's relationships with the UAE, Bahrain, and 
Morocco are already enhancing regional diplomacy, security, and 
communication and will serve as an incubator for increased regional 
stability, prosperity, and peace.
  These agreements come on top of already realized peace agreements 
with Israel's neighbors, Egypt and Jordan, and demonstrate the power of 
diplomacy and compromise.
  As a proud, lifelong supporter of a strong bipartisan U.S.-Israel 
relationship, I also support a two-state solution which preserves 
Israel's fundamental character as a Jewish and a democratic state.
  This has been the longstanding policy of the United States through 
both Republican and Democratic administrations.
  A two-state solution is the only way Israel can remain both Jewish 
and democratic into the future, and it is the only way to meet the 
aspirations of the Palestinian people.
  I would like to see the bipartisan consensus on two states be 
maintained in the future for the benefit of the United States, Israel, 
the Palestinians, and the wider region and world.

  Mr. Speaker, it is a great honor to be on the floor of the House of 
Representatives honoring Israel's 75th anniversary as well as the 
Abraham Accords.
  Modern Israel is truly a miracle, and its existence is an asset to 
our great country. I encourage my colleagues to support this bipartisan 
resolution that I was proud to help introduce with my colleagues on the 
House Foreign Affairs Committee: Representatives Ann Wagner, Brad 
Schneider, and Chairman  Mike McCaul.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to my friend from 
Illinois (Mr. Schneider).
  Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, 25 years ago, I proudly joined many 
fellow Chicagoans in Kiryat Gat, Israel, celebrating the 50th jubilee 
anniversary of the establishment of the Jewish State in the land of the 
Jewish people.
  Today, I proudly stand in the well of the House of Representatives 
marking the 75th anniversary of that remarkable event.
  I am beyond proud that the United States was the first Nation to 
recognize the nascent State of Israel in 1948.
  In the 3 score and 15 years since, our shared values have been the 
bedrock of an extraordinary relationship, strengthening our ties along 
cultural, economic, technological, and security lines, and in so many 
more ways, as well.
  Throughout my life, I have prayed for a just and lasting peace for 
Israel and all the people of the region.
  I have joyously celebrated each of the peace agreements between 
Israel and Egypt, Israel and Jordan, and the Abraham Accords between 
the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco.
  I know in my heart that peace can one day be achieved with the 
Palestinians with a negotiated two-state solution that would give us a 
Jewish democratic Israel and a demilitarized democratic Palestinian 
state living side by side in peace, security, and prosperity.
  Again, we celebrate with Israel 75 years of independence; 75 years of 
partnership; 75 years of scientific and medical research and innovation 
that gave us cell phones, Waze directions, the PillCam, and drip 
irrigation, revolutionizing agriculture around the world. We celebrate 
with Israel 75 years of cultural exchange; 75 years of economic growth 
with a start-up nation; 75 years of security cooperation. We celebrate 
75 years together of pursuing peace; peace with Egypt in 1979, Jordan 
in 1994, and with the Abraham Accords, again, UAE, Bahrain, and 
Morocco.
  Mr. Speaker, I wish the Israelis and the Israel people, the State of 
Israel, congratulations on 75 years, and we all look forward to 
building together toward a better future for Israel and the region for 
years to come.
  Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time as she may 
consume to the gentlewoman from Missouri (Mrs. Wagner), the author of 
this resolution, who made it just in the nick of time.
  Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, the chairman of the 
House Foreign Affairs Committee, for yielding, and I am glad that I 
made it.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 311, which I did 
introduce, to honor 75 years of friendship between the United States 
and Israel.
  The decades-long partnership between our nations underpins security 
in the Middle East and promotes economic growth throughout the region.
  Tonight marks the beginning of Israel's 75th Independence Day, a 
remarkable milestone that celebrates the establishment of a democratic 
Jewish homeland.
  I have had the privilege to travel to Israel several times as a 
Member of Congress; from Jerusalem to the West Bank.
  I met so many wonderful and welcoming people there: parents and 
businesspeople who simply yearn for peace in their region. Being on the 
ground in the Holy Land was among the most moving experiences of my 
life.
  The United States was the very first Nation to stand in recognition 
of Israel at its founding in 1948, and I am proud of what our countries 
have accomplished together.
  The signing of the Abraham Accords more than 2 years ago heralded an 
unprecedented opportunity for growth in the Middle East and beyond.
  Already, the Abraham Accords have proven to be enduring and fruitful, 
contributing to regional stability and a sense of kinship between 
Israel and its neighbors.
  As a founding co-chair of the Abraham Accords Caucus, I have been 
delighted to meet so many young people, entrepreneurs, innovators, and 
leaders who are working to establish relationships of trust and 
appreciation and lay the foundations for a prosperous future.
  These efforts will have region-wide implications, encouraging 
sustained economic growth, peace, and stability.
  This resolution urges other nations to normalize relations with 
Israel and ensure that existing agreements continue to reap tangible 
security and economic benefits for all peoples in the region.
  We must all, however, be frank in recognizing the immense security 
challenges facing Abraham Accords countries.
  Iran is closer than ever before to joining the ranks of nuclear 
powers, a terrifying prospect for us all, but especially so for Israel 
and its neighbors.
  H. Res. 311 calls for continued support for United States security 
assistance to Israel so that Israel can defend herself.

[[Page H1931]]

  However, security cooperation must be accompanied by real and 
sustained progress on eliminating anti-Semitism, an abhorrent ideology 
that continues to impede expansion of the accords and poison 
international institutions.

  To secure universal acceptance of Israel's inherent right to exist, 
my resolution calls for Israel's robust participation in the community 
of nations.
  Israel is a force for peace and a beacon of democracy in a 
challenging region. At a time of heightened anti-Semitism across the 
globe, it is more important than ever that we maintain our strong 
connection to this very key ally.
  I thank my colleagues, Representatives Manning, McCaul, and 
Schneider, for joining together in introducing this resolution.
  They are all true champions of the U.S.-Israel alliance, and I have 
had the pleasure of working with them for many years to advance this 
essential relationship.
  I congratulate the people of Israel on their 75th anniversary of 
their independence, and I urge each of my colleagues to support H. Res. 
311.

                              {time}  1700

  Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time for 
the purpose of closing.
  Mr. Speaker, I express my congratulations to Israel on the 75th 
anniversary of its independence and express my hope for Israel to find 
peace with all of its neighbors in the near future. I remind my 
colleagues and the world that President Truman on behalf of our great 
Nation was the very first country to recognize the establishment of the 
State of Israel only 11 minutes after David Ben-Gurion made his 
historic declaration of the establishment of the Jewish democratic 
State of Israel.
  At this time, with the frightening rise of anti-Semitism we are 
seeing in our own country and around the world, it is more important 
than ever that we support the one Jewish country in the world.
  Mr. Speaker, I hope my colleagues will join me in support of this 
important resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  I thank Ms. Manning, Mr. Schneider, and Mrs. Wagner for leading on 
this important resolution. On a personal note, I have to thank my own 
father who fought in World War II and was a bombardier on a B-17 who 
bombed the Nazis. He participated in 32 bombing missions, including 
Operation Overlord.
  My father's generation liberated Europe from the threats and the 
horrors of the Nazis and fascism. They liberated the Jewish people from 
the horrors surrounding the Holocaust, which is unimaginable. That 
generation brought the State of Israel into existence, and that is our 
pact with Israel.
  Since 1948, Israel has been our best friend and our strongest ally in 
the Middle East. Israel has also been a true beacon of hope and 
democracy in the Middle East.
  I look forward to a day, as I know they envisioned at the time of its 
creation in 1948, that even though these forces still exist today of 
anti-Semitism in Iran and other nations, that one day we will achieve 
true peace in the Middle East. I look forward to the day that Israel 
can coexist peacefully with its surrounding neighbors in the region and 
with the world.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, while I will vote in favor of this 
resolution and support the advancement of the Abraham Accords and 
normalization of relations with Israel, I am disappointed that the 
resolution does not mention the longstanding U.S. policy of supporting 
a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as past U.S.-
Israel relationship anniversary resolutions have. I continue to 
strongly support a sustainable two-state solution, with a democratic, 
Jewish state of Israel and a demilitarized, democratic Palestinian 
state living peacefully side-by-side. This resolution's omission of 
this policy is concerning given the current far-right Israeli governing 
coalition under Prime Minister Netanyahu, which has seriously 
undermined the prospects for a two-state solution.
  Further, as hundreds of thousands of Israelis have been protesting in 
opposition of an anti-democratic judicial overhaul, it's important for 
U.S. policymakers to recognize that a negotiated two-state solution 
requires a robust democracy in Israel. America must insist that Israel 
not only remains committed to the two-state solution but committed to 
democracy in Israel.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I will be voting to support H. Res. 311 
today. We all support our ally Israel and recognize our long-standing 
alliance on Israel's 75th Anniversary. I cast my vote, however, with 
some misgivings.
  There is nothing particularly problematic about this resolution, but 
there is a problem with what it does not say. I spent a week in Israel 
in February, and I saw first-hand the momentous crisis facing Israel--a 
crisis of democracy, a human rights crisis, and an international 
crisis.
  Israel's democratic crisis, including deliberate attempts to 
undermine the Supreme Court and an independent judiciary, has brought 
hundreds of thousands of ordinary Israeli citizens to take to the 
streets in protest.
  The human rights crisis includes the steady deterioration of the 
basic human rights of Arab Israelis and of the Palestinian people in 
the West Bank and Gaza brought about by deliberate decisions, policies, 
and actions by Israeli authorities.
  As a result, there is mounting alarm, criticism, and condemnation of 
Israel in the international community by governments, NGOs, and civil 
society.
  Mr. Speaker, this resolution ignores the reality on the ground.
  This resolution ignores the damage that the current extremist 
government is accelerating inside Israel and in the West Bank and Gaza.
  For the first time that I can remember, a resolution celebrating 
Israel's anniversary is being brought before the House without mention 
of congressional support for a two-state solution.
  I honor Israel's remarkable history on its 75th Anniversary, but 
unlike this resolution, I cannot be deaf, blind, and mute to the 
current challenge to Israel's democracy, the suffering of Palestinians 
in the West Bank and Gaza, the terrorism that continues to fester in 
the region, and the fragility of any remaining possibility for a 
negotiated two-state solution.
  I urge my colleagues, regardless of how they might vote on this 
resolution, not to abandon a two-state solution and to work together in 
support of peace, human dignity, and democracy for Israel and the 
Palestinian people.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. McCaul) that the House suspend the rules and 
agree to the resolution, H. Res. 311.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

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