[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 187 (Monday, November 13, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H5714-H5715]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         HAMAS MUST BE DEFEATED

  (Mr. LAWLER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LAWLER. Mr. Speaker, as a point of personal privilege, I would 
like to recognize my grandparents, John and Eileen Lawler, who are here 
with us tonight.
  Mr. Speaker, I just returned from a bipartisan delegation trip to 
Israel, where we met with Prime Minister Netanyahu, Defense Minister 
Gallant, and U.S. Ambassador Jack Lew. We also met with the family 
members of some of the 240 hostages currently being held by Hamas and 
viewed raw footage of the barbaric terrorist attack of October 7.
  Mr. Speaker, let's be clear: Hamas is a terrorist organization that 
not only wants to wipe Israel off the face of the Earth, they want to 
eliminate the Jewish people. They must not only be defeated, they must 
be destroyed.
  I support Israel's right to defend itself and denounce the ludicrous 
calls for a cease-fire. No one in this room would have called for a 
cease-fire after September 11, and no one should hold Israel to a 
standard we would not hold ourselves.
  The United States must stand resolute in our support for Israel. This 
is a battle of good versus evil.
  As Edmund Burke said: The only thing necessary for the triumph of 
evil is for good men to do nothing. Let us not be Neville Chamberlains; 
let us be

[[Page H5715]]

Winston Churchills: ``Victory at all costs . . . for without victory, 
there is no survival.''

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