[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 71 (Thursday, April 27, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E367-E368]
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

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                               speech of

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 25, 2023

  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H. Res. 311.


 =========================== NOTE =========================== 

  
  On April 27, 2023, on page E367, in the third column, the 
following appeared: McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to 
H. Res. 311.
  
  The online version has been corrected to read: Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. 
Speaker, I rise in opposition to H. Res. 311.


 ========================= END NOTE ========================= 


  All people deserve safety, justice, equality, human rights, and the 
right to self-determination. No child anywhere should go to bed at 
night fearing ongoing violence.
  Israel is an important and strategic ally in the Middle East region, 
and our national security interests are intertwined. The United

[[Page E368]]

States provides $3.8 billion in security assistance to Israel's 
government each year, and I support the use of these funds for security 
purposes such as Iron Dome. These dollars should be used to keep the 
Israeli people safe, but unfortunately the American people do not know 
how billions of this annual security assistance is being spent. That is 
why I have worked for years to account for the use of these funds.
  Not $1 of U.S. aid should be used to commit human rights violations, 
demolish families' homes, or permanently annex Palestinian lands. Peace 
can only be achieved when everyone's human rights are respected, and 
Congress has a responsibility to not ignore the well-documented 
mistreatment of Palestinian children and families living under Israeli 
military occupation.
  The resolution also fails to mention a two-state solution, for the 
first time ever. I echo the concerns of many of my House colleagues 
about this missing commitment for all parties to work together toward a 
peaceful future.
  I join Jewish Voice for Peace, the Institute for Middle East 
Understanding, and many other civil society groups in opposition to 
this poorly written resolution.
  There is a path to peace and security in the Middle East, and it 
requires leading with our U.S. values of democracy and equal justice 
for all.

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