[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 169 (Monday, October 16, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4969-S4974]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Recognition of the Minority Leader
The Republican leader is recognized.
Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, since the Senate last convened,
terrorists have sent shock waves through the civilized world with
savage, cold-blooded violence.
On October 7, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic jihad desecrated Israel's
soil and tore apart Israeli families with utterly medieval brutality.
Like ISIS, terrorists from Gaza turned peaceful homes and neighborhoods
in Israel into blood-soaked war zones. It was the deadliest attack on
the Israelis and on American citizens overseas in decades.
But now, reports and images of these horrific scenes have spread
widely. Accounts of Israeli women tortured and raped, of elders
kidnapped, of charred corpses, beheadings, of children shot dead in
their homes have shaken peaceful people to their cores. In one kibbutz,
a paramedic named Amit was working to save the lives of victims pouring
into a local clinic when she documented what would be the last moments
of her own life in messages to her sister. Here is what she said:
``They are here. I don't think I will get out of here alive. Be strong
if something happens to me.''
A few minutes later, in a call from Amit's phone, all her sister
could hear were gunshots and screams. One in 10 residents of the
community were slaughtered by the terrorists.
Here is how one retired senior IDF commander put it after he ran to
rejoin Israel's defense efforts: ``I've heard during my childhood about
pogroms in Europe, the Holocaust, of course. All my family came from
Europe. They are survivors, but I never thought I would see things like
this.''
Madam President, the people of Israel are grieving unimaginable
horrors, and we have a responsibility not to look away--not least
because the same news that has shaken the civilized world to its core
has emboldened anti-Semites and terrorist sympathizers across the
globe. We have seen thousands of demonstrators cheer on terrorist
violence from the streets of Western cities.
In London, many Jewish children were kept home from school on Friday
out of fears for their safety. In Chicago, a bomb threat forced a local
synagogue to evacuate. In Sydney, Australia, a supposedly pro-
Palestinian gathering devolved into a sickening flashback to the worst
stain on the last century of human history as demonstrators chanted:
``Gas the Jews.'' And on college campuses across America, leftist
student groups cloaked vile anti-Semitism in a thin veneer of
performative, woke jargon.
So, Madam President, friends of Israel simply cannot afford to be
silent. And as Israel's closest ally, the United States must lead by
our example in supporting its efforts to defend itself for as long as
it takes. As I outlined over the State work period, this means loudly
and clearly distinguishing between the aggressor and the victim in this
war. No matter how many voices in the media attempt to ``both-sides'' a
terrorist attack, there is simply no moral equivalence here.
Responsibility for the murder of Israelis lies with the terrorists
who pulled the trigger and the regime that arms and trains them, and
responsibility for the suffering of the Palestinian people lies with
the Hamas terrorists who consolidated power by flinging rival civilian
officials off of rooftops, who use scarce building supplies to dig
terror tunnels, to turn drinking water pipes into rocket launchers, and
who use residents of Gaza as human shields.
Make no mistake, the surest way to stop violence against Israelis and
oppression of Palestinians is to wipe the terrorists like Hamas from
the face of the Earth. To that end, the United States must continue to
provide maximum support to Israel's counterterrorist operation as long
as it takes. And just as importantly, we have to reestablish deterrence
against the Iranian regime that not only directly threatens American's
interest in a peaceful and stable Middle East, but also bears the blood
of hundreds of Americans and plots to kill even more.
America's disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, the desperate
pursuit of a new nuclear deal, and the failure to respond decisively to
attacks on U.S. forces in Syria have weakened our deterrence against
the world's largest state sponsor of terror. America's weakness left
our allies and partners with serious questions about the credibility of
our commitments. And if we fail to present clear and devastating
consequences of further violence against America, as well as our
friends in Israel, we will make deterring an even bigger strategic
adversary in Asia even more difficult.
Reestablishing effective deterrence means investing in American
military strength. It means investing in an industrial base that is
capable of equipping both U.S. forces and our allies and partners to
meet authoritarian oppression in Europe, in Asia, and in the Middle
East, and it means responding to challenges with credible and
unflinching resolve. This is a fundamental responsibility of governing.
Full stop.
I will have more to say in the coming days, but for right now, this
is not merely a terrorist war against Israel. It is part of a clear and
present danger to the United States and the entire civilized world.
This, Madam President, is a time for choosing. As Israel works to
eliminate the terrorists who threaten its existence, the United States
must reaffirm our commitment to Israel's security, and we must continue
to demonstrate by our leadership that no country should offer safe
haven to those who aid and abet terror.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mrs. BLACKBURN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the
order for the quorum call be rescinded.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so
ordered.
Mrs. BLACKBURN. Madam President, well, we all know what has happened
since October 7. Hamas has launched more than 6,000 rockets into
Israel. They have sent more than 1,000 terrorists across the border to
murder civilians. This is the most devastating slaughter of Jews since
the Holocaust. They have killed more than 1,400 Israelis; 291 of them
have been soldiers. They have taken 199 hostages, including an unknown
number of Americans. This was also one of the deadliest terrorist
attacks in our history. They killed 30 U.S. citizens, and 13 are still
missing or are unaccounted for.
Israel is the victim. Even the Biden White House has acknowledged
that. This hasn't stopped several of my Democratic colleagues from
calling for a cease-fire. All of this, also, has not stopped Black
Lives Matter and other pro-Palestinian groups from glorifying the mass
slaughter of Jews.
Students for Justice, in Palestine, called it a ``historic win.''
Jews in New York, Atlanta, Washington, DC, London, Berlin, and so
many other cities around the globe are once again living in fear.
Just this weekend, protesters in Nashville, TN, refused to condemn
the horrific violence against the Israelis. Instead, they insisted that
these innocent people had it coming because their government's politics
don't line up with the radical left's talking points.
This is, indeed, insanity. If we allow these positions to define our
foreign policy, we put the lives of Israelis and Americans and our
allies in danger.
The United States designated Hamas as a foreign terrorist
organization in
[[Page S4970]]
1997. Their stated goal is to destroy the State of Israel through
jihad. Over the years, we have seen them commit acts of violence so
depraved that allies to the so-called Palestinian cause deny them
entirely rather than attempt to rationalize them. We know, right now,
that 600,000 Gazans have been evacuated but that they have trapped more
than enough women and children to use as human shields. Absolutely
despicable.
We also know that they use international aid money not for
humanitarian aid but to fund their efforts, their war efforts--their
jihad. Iran is the world's largest state sponsor of terrorism and sends
$100 million annually to Hamas. That is in addition to supplying them
with technology, logistical support, and weapons.
When the Biden administration announced their plan to give the
Iranians access to $6 billion in frozen assets, we knew exactly what
that meant for Israel. The constant refrain from the Biden
administration is that there is ``no direct link to Iran regarding this
attack.'' It is time for whomever wrote that talking point to turn on
the news, to look at the pictures that are on the screen, to listen to
what you are hearing from the Ayatollah and some of the Iranian
officials who are, by the way, meeting with Hamas leadership in Qatar.
In the first hours of the attack, the Biden administration projected
nothing but weakness. They deleted multiple tweets calling for a cease-
fire. It took the President almost 12 hours to make a statement. This
sent a very clear message to our enemies. It also sends a message to
our allies.
We can start by giving Israel what they need to eradicate these
terrorists. Last week, I sent a letter urging President Biden to
support Israel in all possible ways. Under President Trump, we cut aid
to the Palestinians because the Palestinian Authority used that money
to reward terrorism. In 2021, President Biden reversed that policy, and
since then, he has sent more than $730 million to the Palestinians,
even though he knows there is a high risk. We know money is fungible,
and we know what Iran does with their money--they fund terrorism; they
fund their proxies.
And, while we are at it, let's start treating Iran like the dangerous
state sponsor of terror it is. Last week, I led 19 Senate Republicans,
in a letter, calling on President Biden to permanently freeze Iran's
access to that $6 billion. We should send those dollars to Israel to
pay for the damage that Hamas has done. There should be no more
backdoor deals with Qatar, no more silent agreements, no more quiet
agreements. Let's have a formal agreement that will stop the
backpedaling and will stop the intentions to release that money, which
is what they will do when the media attention on this issue dissipates.
None of this will matter if we don't root out the incompetence and
malicious influence in our own government. Last week, I sent a letter
to President Biden demanding the immediate removal of Jake Sullivan as
his National Security Advisor. He was wrong about Afghanistan, the
Middle East, and that nuclear deal with Iran in 2015. He has got to go,
as do the Iranian assets that President Biden has given top secret
security clearances to.
Last month, I stood right here and described how President Biden sent
Robert Malley, Ariane Tabatabai, and other operatives to negotiate the
failed Iran nuclear deal. Now, Mr. Malley and Ms. Tabatabai have been
involved with the Iran Experts Initiative, and then the President gave
them top secret security clearances and sent them to negotiate on the
Iran deal. This has to stop.
Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that these letters be
printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
Congress of the United States,
Washington, DC, October 8, 2023.
President Joseph R. Biden,
The White House,
Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. President: We write today to express our
unwavering support for Israel, our greatest ally in the
Middle East, and our outrage at your administration's failed
leadership on the international stage.
Israel is at war. Yesterday, Hamas, the Iran-backed
Palestinian terrorist group, launched an unprecedented and
coordinated land, air, and sea attack against Israel. This
occurred during the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah, the day
after the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War, and on
Shabbat--a day of rest and peace for Jews around the world.
Terrorists have infiltrated Israel, taking innocent Israeli
civilians and servicemembers hostage. Hundreds of Israelis
have died, and the fighting has not ceased.
This violent attack deserves a strong, unequivocal
condemnation by the United States. Instead, while the attacks
persisted and Israel was threatened, your administration
initially issued a statement calling on Israel to ``refrain
from violence.'' So far, the administration's response has
been far weaker than Israel--a shining beacon of democracy
and our most important ally in the Middle East--deserves.
While this is not the first act of aggression by the Hamas
terrorists against one of our greatest allies, it is
certainly the boldest. The failures of this administration on
the world stage have no doubt emboldened those who would wish
America and our allies harm. Reports indicate that U.S. arms
abandoned during the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal ended
up in Hamas' hands. This terrorist organization is also
funded by the Iranian regime, the world's largest state
sponsor of terrorism, whose coffers this administration has
filled with over $6 billion in sanctions relief. Indeed,
recent reports have revealed the existence of the Iran
Experts Initiative (IEI), an Iranian regime-backed foreign
influence network. Included among the network's membership is
Ariane Tabatabai, now chief of staff to the Assistant
Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low Intensity
Conflict, along with other close contacts of your Special
Envoy for Iran, Robert Malley--whose security clearance the
State Department suspended earlier this year and who is now
subject to an FBI investigation for his alleged mishandling
of classified information. The world needs American
leadership, and this administration has left a void that the
New Axis of Evil and terrorist groups like Hamas have already
begun exploiting.
Over 75 years ago, the United States was the first nation
to recognize the Jewish state of Israel and affirm its right
to exist. Now, in the face of senseless attacks by Iran-
backed Hamas terrorists, we must again stand with Israel and
reaffirm its right to defend itself. The United States of
America does not abandon its friends. We urge this
administration to support Israel however possible, including
by providing any and all weapons and munitions necessary, and
to punish the terrorists who did this, along with those who
aid them. We must act swiftly and strongly.
Sincerely,
Marsha Blackburn.
Bill Hagerty.
United States Senators.
Tim Burchett.
Chuck Fleischmann.
Diana Harshbarger.
John Rose.
Scott DesJarlais, M.D.
Mark E. Green, M.D.
Andy Ogles,
Members of Congress.
____
United States Senate,
Washington, DC, October 9, 2023.
President Joseph R. Biden,
The White House,
Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. President: We write today to affirm our unwavering
support for Israel, our greatest ally in the Middle East, and
call on the U.S. Department of State to freeze the accounts
in Qatar containing $6 billion in Iranian funds that were
released from South Korean accounts in September.
Since Hamas began its attack on Israel on Saturday, more
than 4,000 rockets have been fired from Gaza, countless
Israelis have been injured, and more than 130 individuals
have been kidnapped by Hamas terrorists. Hundreds of
civilians have been brutally murdered in Israel, and recent
reports confirm that several Americans were killed in the
attacks.
Iran is the world's largest state sponsor of terrorism, and
Wall Street Journal reported that the Islamic Revolutionary
Guard Corps worked with Hamas to plan the ongoing attacks on
Israel. These horrific attacks come on the heels of the State
Department issuing sanctions waivers for Iranian funds held
in South Korean accounts to be converted from won to euros
and then transferred to bank accounts in Qatar.
To stand by and allow Iran access to these funds as Hamas
infiltrates Israel and murders, rapes, and mutilates
countless Israelis is unconscionable. Your administration
claims these funds are only available for humanitarian use,
but money is fungible, and there is a significant risk they
could be used to further efforts by Iran or Hamas against
Israel. Moreover, allowing $6 billion to flow into Iran's
economy, even if the purpose is for humanitarian aid, allows
the Iranian regime to reallocate even more funds to
supporting terrorism. Oversight over the use of this $6
billion is not enough, and the oversight mechanism is
crippled by your reported decision to pull the longstanding
Treasury attache from Qatar. The State Department should
immediately rescind the waivers that allowed Iranian funds to
be converted and moved to more accessible bank accounts, as
well as work with U.S. ally Qatar to immediately freeze the
accounts containing these funds.
[[Page S4971]]
We must stand with Israel and restrict access to these
Iranian funds. Iran should be placed under the most stringent
sanctions admissible. Anything short of this is unacceptable
and only aids in the ability of Iran and Hamas to fund these
heinous acts.
Sincerely,
Marsha Blackburn, United States Senator; Steve Daines,
United States Senator; Kevin Cramer, United States Senator;
James Lankford, United States Senator; John Cornyn, United
States Senator; Lindsey Graham, United States Senator; Tom
Cotton, United States Senator; Mike Braun, United States
Senator; Thom Tillis, United States Senator; Rick Scott,
United States Senator.
John Thune, United States Senator; Mike Lee, United States
Senator; Bill Cassidy, M.D., United States Senator; Katie
Boyd Britt, United States Senator; Pete Ricketts, United
States Senator; Markwayne Mullin, United States Senator; Eric
Schmitt, United States Senator; Marco Rubio, United States
Senator; Ted Budd, United States Senator; Roger Marshall,
M.D., United States Senator.
____
U.S. Senate,
October 13, 2023.
President Joseph R. Biden,
The White House,
Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. President: I write to you today to demand the
immediate removal of Jake Sullivan as your National Security
Advisor. Mr. Sullivan has routinely misled the entire
government about the status of security threats around the
world. Just eight days before Hamas launched their barbaric
surprise attack against Israel, he stated, ``the Middle East
is quieter today than it has been in two decades.'' Yet, to
date, over 1,200 Israelis have been killed, over 150 hostages
have been taken from the safety of their homes, and at least
27 Americans lives have been lost, with at least 14 Americans
still missing. This is Jake Sullivan's perception of a quiet
Middle East. This is unacceptable.
Sullivan has been dead wrong on how to engage with Iran
since his first day as National Security Advisor. His
policies of appeasement toward Iran have only emboldened the
world's largest state sponsor of terrorism. Sullivan had
direct influence in establishing the remarkably flawed 2015
Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly referred
to as the Iran nuclear deal. Thankfully, this decision was
later reversed, sparing the world from an expanded Iranian
influence under this misguided policy that allowed Iran to
continue to fund its terrorist proxies and build up its
ballistic missile program. As your National Security Advisor,
we have since seen Mr. Sullivan reinstitute many of the
mistakes from the failed JCPOA. Easing sanctions against Iran
and refusing to enforce others is not an effective solution,
and this attack is clear evidence of that fact.
You simply cannot negotiate with the savages of the Iranian
regime. The Iranian regime has no qualms with funding
extremist terrorists, including Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and
Hezbollah, all of which seek to destroy Israel. We have seen
Iran-backed Hamas murder innocent civilians, we have evidence
that Hamas has beheaded babies and burned Israelis alive, and
we are all aware that they are taking hostages for rape,
mutilation, and murder. Their actions directly mock every
freedom-loving American. To stop their spread of influence
throughout the region, we must immediately reverse course and
reinforce our commitment on the sanctions levied against
Iran. Anyone who thinks the appeasement of Tehran is an
effective national security strategy must be removed for the
sake of all Americans.
Sullivan's deleterious mistakes with respect to Iran and
Iran-backed Hamas only build on his earlier involvement in
the administration's disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan.
There, we stood by and watched the Taliban take over the
country in less than two weeks. We cannot have someone with
his notable history of poor decision-making, and lack of
critical insights, as the most senior advisor to the
President on our nation's security matters. Continuing to do
so is misguided. You said it yourself, Mr. President--the
United States must stand with Israel. Leaving Jake Sullivan
in his current position hinders both Israel's, as well as the
United States', national security posture.
Sincerely,
Marsha Blackburn,
United States Senator.
Mrs. BLACKBURN. Madam President, we all have a choice here: Will the
United States act with courage or are we going to sit quiet and allow
this barbarism to continue?
Israeli forces report that Hamas bound boys and girls before shooting
them in the head--children who were bound and then shot in the head.
They found families who had been burned alive. There are reports that
young women had been raped and then mutilated. Hamas turned a music
festival into a killing field. The beheadings of babies--we have heard
those reports. These will live in infamy.
The historians have a phrase to describe massacres like this. It is
``Holocaust by bullets.'' It is inconceivable that any of my colleagues
could tolerate the demands that Israel surrender to terrorists.
It is time for this President, his advisers, and all of our
colleagues--all of our colleagues--who told the Israelis to stand down
to take a good, hard look at where complacency and appeasement gets us.
Look at Gaza. Look at Iran. Look at Afghanistan. Look at China. Look at
our own southern border. Since October 1, Border Patrol has apprehended
30 Iranians. That is since the 1st of this month, this year. This is
who the Border Patrol has apprehended: 30 Iranians, 60 Syrians, 35
Pakistanis, more than 100 Russians, 285 Afghans, and 2,000 Chinese--
trying to cross our southern border undetected.
Now, do they all mean us harm? Probably not, but we cannot know that
for sure because this administration refuses to acknowledge the
possibility that terrorists are coming across this southern border--246
apprehended since Joe Biden became President. What are we doing? What
are we doing? How do we know the intentions of those 30 Iranians? 2,000
Chinese? 100 Russians? Is there a guarantee they are not here to kill
us?
The job of Hamas: kill people. You have watched them do it with glee.
Terrorists, what do they do? They set up terror cells. They wait to
strike to kill you--to kill you.
I have got to tell you: This administration needs to grow a spine.
They need to grow a spine, and they need to be solid and resolute that
they are going to protect this country and our citizens and our allies.
And our enemies are going to know that they are an enemy, because we
will treat them like that. We have got a choice: We can show courage;
we can surrender; we can practice appeasement. But that is the choice.
This country needs to show courage and leadership. I hope that this
body and this administration will choose courage and leadership.
I yield the floor.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. CORNYN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order
for the quorum call be rescinded.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so
ordered.
Mr. CORNYN. Madam President, 9 days have passed since Hamas launched
its unprovoked attack on the State of Israel. Hamas fighters have
entered Israel by land, air, and sea. They brutally murdered, abused,
and kidnapped innocent civilians. They paraded hostages through the
streets of Gaza like trophies.
Hamas terrorists--and that is exactly what they are--killed at least
1,400 Israelis, making it the deadliest days for Jews since the
Holocaust. Nearly 200 additional people were kidnapped by Hamas,
including at least 13 Americans who are currently unaccounted for, on
top of the 30 Americans who we know have been killed in the attack.
Since this war began--and that is what it is, a war on the State of
Israel--we have witnessed evil in its purest form. There is no
excusing, no equivocating, no explaining the actions of Hamas. It is
not trying to protect the Palestinian people or promote freedom;
Hamas's singular goal is to annihilate the Jewish people and wipe
Israel off the map. Any attempt to explain or justify or provide some
argument of moral equivalence is completely wrong, and it is dangerous.
It plays directly into these terrorists' hands.
First of all, Israel has a right to defend itself. It has a right to
exist--something Hamas wishes was not the case. If Hamas or any other
terrorist group launches an attack on Israel, its government has both
the right and the responsibility to protect its citizens.
Second, the number of civilian casualties on both sides, particularly
those children and babies, is absolutely appalling and heartbreaking.
But then again, the innocent always bear the ultimate cost of war.
Over the last several days, we have seen videos and heard firsthand
accounts of the terror Hamas has unleashed against Israel and the
Israeli people. These images and stories are extremely difficult to
watch, but they are also very important to share. People need to know
what is happening. They need to know the truth, not some
[[Page S4972]]
candy-coated version of the truth. The people of the United States and
the rest of the world need to understand the magnitude and the threat
of what is unfolding in the Middle East.
Texas, I am happy to say, is home to a sizable Jewish community. For
these individuals, the war in Israel is far more than just a sad clip
or the most recent news; it is a deeply personal attack on their faith
and their family, because many Texans--many Americans--have relatives
living in Israel as I speak.
Last week, I visited the Temple Emanu-El in Dallas to hear from
several members of the Jewish community in my State whose families and
friends were directly impacted by this war against Israel. I heard from
one incredible mom, Kim, whose sons--26-year-old Benji and 24-year-old
Sammy--both serve in the Israel Defense Forces. They were born and
raised in Dallas and moved to Israel after high school and joined the
IDF. Benji's wife Leah is a New York native and also a soldier in the
Israel Defense Forces. Kim says she struggles to sleep at night. She is
constantly checking her phone to see if she is getting messages and to
make sure her two sons are safe.
I also heard from another brave woman, Aya, whose family moved from
Israel to Dallas just 2 months ago. Aya and her husband and her three
children came to the United States from a small kibbutz near the Gaza
Strip, where she was a teacher. She said she and her husband were
awakened last Saturday by a string of messages on her phone from
friends, neighbors, and former students describing the terror that was
unfolding in their former home. Aya told me about conversations with
former students who were terrified that they might be next. She shared
stories of people fleeing and showed me photos of four people who were
believed to have been kidnapped and two others who had been killed.
As hard as it is to hear these tragic stories--and I know there were
even more difficult ones to share--they help us all understand the
depravity and the evil of what Hamas has unleashed on innocent men,
women, and children--civilians--in Israel. Although this is thousands
of miles away from where we are, it affects all of us deeply.
Of course, these pictures show the brutality of Hamas and underscore
the need to continue our support for the nation of Israel as it tries
to eradicate this terrorist threat. Over the last several days, the
support for Israel has been overwhelming. It transcends party lines,
religion, race, and ethnicity. This is not an issue of opinion; this is
a battle between right and wrong, good and evil.
Of course, the United States has a long and proud history of
supporting Israel since its inception in 1948, and it is important for
Hamas and its allies--and they, of course, are a proxy force for Iran,
the No. 1 state sponsor of terrorism, as is Hezbollah in Lebanon--it is
important for the terrorists and their sponsors to understand that
America's support for Israel is not limited to rhetoric. If Israel
needs weapons, the United States will provide them. If Israel needs
support gathering or analyzing intelligence, the United States will
provide it. If Israel needs help with humanitarian assistance, medical
supplies--whatever they need--the United States and the people of this
great country will answer the call.
The United States will not toe the line between good and evil. We
will stand with our allies as they defend their home against a
terrorist invasion, just as we did when cowardly terrorists took 3,000
lives here in Washington, DC, and Pennsylvania about 20 years ago.
As the fighting continues, I am reminded of the saying that has been
around for years. It goes: If Hamas laid down its weapons today, there
would be no more violence. If Israel laid down its weapons today, there
would be no more Israel.
Hamas is not fighting for peace. It is not fighting to defend their
way of life or their territory. It is trying to wipe out an entire
people. It is trying to wipe Israel off the map--with the help,
support, and training, the aiding and abetting by Iran, the No. 1 state
sponsor of terrorism, as I said. That is what is at stake here.
Israel has been the lone beacon of democracy in the Middle East. It
is a sacred home for the Jewish people. Christians travel to Israel
each year to look at the place where their faith and their religion
were born.
Of course, Israel is also a longtime friend and ally of the United
States and has always had America's full and unwavering support.
Whether there is a Democrat or a Republican in the White House, whether
Democrats have the majority or are in the minority or vice versa, the
United States has always supported Israel and will continue to do so
during these very difficult and tragic days.
This week, the Senate is expected to pass a bipartisan resolution
condemning Hamas's attack on Israel and expressing our support for
Israel's response. I am proud to be a cosponsor of that legislation--or
that resolution, and I hope it will pass the Senate with a unanimous
vote.
America must remain steadfast in its commitment to support Israel and
continue to counter threats posed by terrorist organizations around the
world. As I have said, we have been the victim of some of these
terrorist organizations, and Americans have lost their lives as a
result of our failure of imagination to dream of the possibility that
they might not just attack over there but would actually attack us
here.
Of course, we all hope and pray for a day in the future when the
Middle East can be a place of peace, stability, and democracy. We
simply will not reach that point without a strong and secure Israel.
I stand in full support of Israel and will continue to advocate for
any form of assistance she needs, whether it is military, humanitarian,
or otherwise.
We must stand with Israel. The United States does not bow down to
terrorist organizations, and we will not allow our allies to be bullied
and beaten by Hamas or any other terrorist organization.
I yield the floor.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. CARDIN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order
for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. Hirono). Without objection, it is so
ordered.
Mr. CARDIN. Madam President, I come to the floor today to express my
shock and horror at what Hamas has done in its terrorist attack on
Israel. It is difficult to comprehend the evil we witnessed last week.
Before Saturday, October 7, 2023, there were over 1,000 innocent
Jewish people going about their lives in southern Israel. They were
young people at a music festival, grandparents outside of their homes,
children celebrating birthdays, mothers with little babies in their
arms. Hamas massacred them all. We have not seen this kind of atrocity
since the early days of the ISIS caliphate.
Tragically, we must not only mourn the death that Hamas left behind;
we must try to rescue the hostages--some of them American citizens--
that Hamas dragged back to Gaza.
For the Jewish community around the world and for all Israelis, this
was the most horrific week in generations--some of the toughest in
Israel's entire history. So I want to make one point crystal clear: The
United States stands shoulder to shoulder with the State of Israel.
Seventy-five years ago, Harry Truman was the first world leader to
officially recognize Israel, only 11 minutes after its creation. He did
that because the United States and Israel share common values. And for
over seven decades, the relationship between our two nations has only
gotten stronger and deeper.
So despite the pain that many of us feel from these barbaric
attacks--and we will continue to feel--now is the time for us to show
our total support for Israel, not just in words but by our deeds. This
is exactly what we are doing.
From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank the U.S. Embassy team in
Israel and our Embassies across the region for their tireless efforts.
Even as they themselves have taken cover from rocket fire, American
diplomats have stepped up to work hand in hand with Israel to serve
over a half a million Americans who are there. In fact, across the
Biden administration, public
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servants have been working around the clock to help Israel make sure it
has everything it needs to defend its people.
President Biden has had several calls with Prime Minister Netanyahu,
offering America's full support. He has also ordered the USS Ford's
carrier strike group to the eastern Mediterranean.
A warning that Hezbollah in Lebanon and the regime in Iran need to
hear loud and clear: Do not join this conflict. Don't even think about
it. The United States and our allies and partners will not tolerate
such actions.
Our Secretaries of State and of Defense are working nonstop to
coordinate the flow of security assistance to Israel, and planeloads of
U.S. defense items have already landed. And they have both been in the
region working with our partners to shore up support for Israel.
Congress also has to make sure we do everything we can to help come
together to help Israel. Bipartisan congressional support has always
been the bedrock of the U.S.-Israel relationship.
In the days since this attack, I have been talking with my colleagues
throughout the Senate and the House. I have had several conversations
with the Republican ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee, Senator Risch. I have let the administration know our
committee is prepared to work quietly and quickly in a bipartisan
manner to support Israel. That is why, earlier today, I introduced,
along with Senator Risch and more than 91 cosponsors, a bipartisan
resolution that sends a clear message that America stands with Israel--
always has, always will.
And over the course of the next days and weeks and months, I will be
leading my colleagues to make sure Israel gets everything it needs to
defend itself and its people. That means replenishing Israel's air
defenses so that they have what they need to repel the rocket attacks.
That means authorizing supplemental money for Israel's defense as it
navigates the aftermath of this attack. And, as the chair of the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee, that means getting the President's nominee
for Ambassador to Israel, Jacob Lew, confirmed and in his post as soon
as possible. We need a confirmed Ambassador in Israel to assist in
these efforts.
We also need to be pushing back against the narrative that Hamas is
trying to spread across the global community, the idea that there is
some equivalency between Israel's security operations and Hamas's
terror attacks. There is no equivalency here. This is about Israel's
right to defend itself against a designated terrorist organization. It
is about freeing abducted citizens--women, children, old people--who
have been held hostage.
Now, I am concerned about the safety and welfare of the Palestinians,
because Hamas does not care one bit about the safety and welfare of
millions of Palestinians, their lives, and their humanity. During their
terror attack on Israel, Hamas also killed Arabs, including a heroic
ambulance driver who went to help the wounded people at the music
festival, because that is what decent human beings do. They help in
times of need. Hamas has made them pay with their lives. So most
Palestinians want no part of what Hamas is doing, and I believe we must
find a way to support safe passage for those residents of Gaza who are
trying to get out.
We also need to make sure that innocent people stuck there get the
food and water and medical care that they so desperately desire. The
best thing we can do for Palestinians in Gaza is to make sure Hamas can
never do this again.
Finally, as we look to the future, we must not allow this conflict to
derail the normalization process that has been in the works between
Israel and Saudi Arabia. This would be an absolute game changer, and
Hamas knows that.
Agreeing to normal relations is the stepping stone to peace and
prosperity for Israel and for the entire region, including for the
Palestinian people. A stable and prosperous Middle East that includes a
stable and prosperous Palestinian state is one of the best ways to
undercut Iran's resistance ideology and Hamas's goal of destroying
Israel.
They don't want a Palestinian state at peace with Israel and
accountable to the Palestinian people. We cannot let terrorists win. We
cannot let them win, and I know that we will not, thanks to the
resilience of the Israeli people.
Early on the morning of October 7, an Israeli journalist who lives
near the border of Gaza heard mortar rockets flying overhead. He rushed
with his wife into a safe room in his home with his 3-year-old and 1-
year-old daughters. When he knew Hamas had infiltrated their kibbutz,
he thought:
We're going to die here.
He called his father, who lived in Tel Aviv. His father told him:
You have to be quiet. You have to be locked.
His father, a retired general in his sixties, was going to get in his
car and come rescue them. He told his son:
Nobody, nobody can stop me.
Over the next 10 hours, the grandfather fought his way south. He got
to the door of his son's house and then found the dead bodies of
terrorists outside. He called out to his son to open the safe room
door. From inside, one of the girls recognized his voice and shouted:
Grandfather is here. Grandfather is here.
That is when they knew they were safe.
That is the kind of courage Israelis have. That is the kind of
bravery that they see in Israel through this terrible tragedy. And we
must not rest until our committee, our Congress, and our Nation has
done everything we can to support Israel in this time of need.
So to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle here in the Senate,
let's work together to support Israel.
And to those who committed these atrocities, we will hold you
accountable for these crimes against humanity, no matter how long it
takes.
I yield the floor.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mrs. GILLIBRAND. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the
order for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Cardin). Without objection, it is so
ordered.
Mrs. GILLIBRAND. Mr. President, it has been more than a week since
Hamas terrorists attacked Israel, killing more than 1,400 people and
wounding thousands more. But every day, still more horrifying stories
and images emerge, depicting unspeakable atrocities.
Just the other day, there was an interview with an Israeli father on
CNN. The father said his 8-year-old daughter went missing during the
attack. After 2 agonizing days, the father learned his little girl was
dead. But it was his reaction that really hit me. When he heard the
horrific news, the father said that he felt relieved because ``if you
know anything about what they do to people in Gaza, that is worse than
death.''
Can you imagine what it must be like to fear your loved ones--your
sons, your daughters--could be suffering; that they could be enduring a
fate that is worse than death? As a mother, I cannot even imagine what
it must be like to lose a child, let alone in this way, to see loved
ones slaughtered, mutilated, and burned. But to see them taken hostage
or paraded through the streets, to worry that at any moment they could
be enduring unspeakable horrors, it is a pain that is unconceivable and
seems impossible to bear.
On Long Island, we have a family whose son was taken hostage. His
name is Omer Neutra. He is just 22 years old--not much older than my
eldest. Omer was an honors student in high school, and he loves the New
York Knicks. He deferred his acceptance to Binghamton University to
spend a gap year in Israel and join the IDF.
On the day of the attack, he was defending the Gaza border. But he
was last seen being forcibly removed by the terrorists and has not been
heard from since.
Omer is just 1 of nearly 200 people who were abducted by Hamas:
toddlers, babies, teenagers, moms, grandmothers, grandfathers, people
who cannot go without their medicine or are even too young to walk.
Entire families were captured and used as human shields.
One 85-year-old grandmother, Yaffa Adar, was carried off in a golf
cart as
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she held her head high. But her family says without her medication, it
is likely going to be a lot of pain for her. A mother was on the phone
with her son when he was abducted, and she heard him say to the
terrorists: ``Don't take me. I'm too young.'' Another mother, Shiri
Silberman-Bibas, can be seen in her captor's video clutching her two
young children, sheer terror in her eyes. And 23-year-old Hersh
Goldberg-Polin had his arm blown off from the elbow down before he
disappeared near Gaza. A young woman was thrust brutally into the back
of a truck, her hands cable-tied behind her back, blood streaming down
her arms, legs, and her back. A Holocaust survivor in a wheelchair--
imagine surviving the Holocaust only to be taken hostage by terrorists.
This is the kind of anti-Semitic violence Jewish people have faced for
millennia.
Until last week, many of these people were ordinary, peaceful people
just going about their daily lives: working, going to school, dancing
at a music festival. Now we don't know what has become of them, and
many of their families fear the worst.
As the days wear on and the situation in Gaza becomes more desperate,
the danger to those hostages only grows. Already, Hamas terrorists have
threatened to execute hostages. As a U.S. Senator, my top priority is
the safety of the American people, and I am going to be working closely
with the State Department to secure the return of 13 Americans who are
still unaccounted for, like Omer and Hersh.
But as we continue in this mission, I want the hostages and their
families to know, we will not stop fighting for you. We will do
whatever it takes to bring you home, and we will never give in to
terrorists.
I yield the floor.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for
the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Reed). Without objection, it is so
ordered.