[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 197 (Thursday, November 30, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H5988]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                ISRAEL AND UKRAINE NEED SUPPLEMENTAL AID

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Perry). The Chair recognizes the 
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, we have less than 3 weeks scheduled in the 
remainder of this year for us to act.
  We have less than 3 weeks to secure aid for Israel and Ukraine before 
we return to our districts in December.
  They cannot afford that time. Each day we wait, winter grows colder 
in Ukraine. Each day we sit on our hands, American and Israeli hostages 
in Gaza become more fearful that they have been forgotten, as do their 
families.
  Each day we idle, our allies sacrifice more lives in their fight 
against tyranny and terror. Each day we fail to act, America's 
reputation as the world's greatest defender of freedom and democracy 
decays.
  Inaction suggests to our friends and foes alike that our Congress 
chooses doubt over determination, reluctance over resolve, and 
contention over conviction. We embolden those assaulting democracy in 
Israel, Ukraine, and elsewhere to set their sights on the rest of the 
free world, including our own shores.
  We must not project uncertainty in our willingness to oppose despots 
and international terrorists. Securing this supplemental aid without 
condition and without delay needs to be this House's priority.
  I have served in Congress for over 42 years, including 28 years in 
the leadership. In that time, I have seen Democrats and Republicans 
work together to defend democracy and further freedom.
  Earlier this year, I went with former Speaker McCarthy to meet with 
Israeli leaders to reaffirm our vital U.S.-Israel relationship. I 
worked with him to preserve the overwhelming bipartisan support our 
Congress has had for Israel for the past 75 years, just as I did with 
past Republican leaders.
  Now, Mr. Speaker, we come together in solidarity as Vladimir Putin 
threatens freedom, democracy, international law, and the lives of 
Ukrainians.
  A few years ago, I stood with Republicans in Kyiv's Independence 
Square to lay wreaths for the prodemocracy protesters who were gunned 
down there during the Revolution of Dignity in 2014. Republicans also 
joined me on my codel to Ukraine's border just last year.
  When I met with President Zelenskyy and House leaders on both sides 
of the aisle in September in this House, we expressed our unanimous 
commitment to Ukraine's cause, to America's cause, to freedom's cause.
  We saw that same bipartisanship on the House floor in recent weeks 
when some 75 percent of us voted to approve additional funding for 
Ukraine. All seven times, perhaps eight times if you count a couple of 
bills, that issue came up for consideration, 75 percent of us voted for 
Ukraine's funding.
  We ought to act on the strong consensus that exists in this body to 
deliver aid for Israel and Ukraine now, today, perhaps tomorrow, but 
certainly very soon.
  Neither dysfunction nor disagreement ought to undermine that effort. 
Victory is our objective; delay is our enemy.
  I have spoken with Israeli and Ukrainian leaders. I have met with 
officials from NATO partners and other allies. I have talked with the 
families of American hostages held captive by Hamas and Gaza. Their 
question is the same: Is America still willing to pay the price of 
freedom? Our answer, Mr. Speaker, and the answer of America must be 
yes. Now.
  We must send a deafening message to our friends and to the enemies of 
freedom and democracy. We will defend our allies and our shared values, 
not only in the next few days, but in all the days to come.
  Mr. Speaker, it is time to act. It is time to act without condition. 
Ukraine needs us, Israel needs us, and freedom, democracy, and 
international law need us.
  Let us act now.

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