[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 18 (Wednesday, January 31, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S298-S299]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                 Israel

  Mrs. CAPITO. Madam President, I rise today to once again stand in 
strong support of our friend and ally Israel and to highlight the 
continued fallout that we are witnessing as a result of the October 7 
terrorist attacks perpetrated by Hamas.
  It is really difficult to describe those 116 days that we have had 
since October 7 as anything other than shocking, as we have seen the 
senseless murder of over 1,200 people in Israel, widespread violence 
across the Middle East, and alarming rise of anti-Semitism right here 
in the United States.
  Just this past weekend, on January 27, we recognized International 
Holocaust Remembrance Day and honored the 6 million Jewish victims of 
the Holocaust--the largest genocide in human history with unspeakable 
horror inflicted on the Jewish people. This commemoration serves as a 
reminder of why the State of Israel must exist and our continual 
commitment to stand against the persecution of the Jewish people.
  But now, nearly 80 years later, the safety of the Jewish people is 
once again under siege. I never thought I would make that statement.
  The terrorist attacks on October 7 killed the most Jews in 1 day 
since the Holocaust. Hundreds of women and children were taken hostage, 
including our very own Americans who still remain in captivity today. 
And, shamefully, some of the most prominent organizations that claim to 
support women were silent when it came to Hamas's use of sexual 
violence against women and girls on October 7.
  We must continue to universally denounce the barbaric tactics of 
Hamas and do all that is in our power to free the hostages and bring 
those American hostages home.
  It remains clear that Israel has the right to defend themselves, as 
any country would, in the face of this unprovoked terror. There isn't 
another country in the world that would be expected to sit back and 
allow this to

[[Page S299]]

happen, allow their next-door neighbor--whose own charter calls for 
genocide--to commit this kind of brazen and indiscriminate violence.
  To this day, Hamas continues to fire rockets at Israel, target their 
civilians, and hold women and children hostage. That is all in 
violation of international law. They also continue to use protected 
civilian structures for its operation, endangering its own people.
  There is no question that our world has dramatically shifted since 
October 7, as we can clearly see that Israel's security is directly 
related to our own national security here at home.
  Unfortunately, since the beginning of the attacks on Israel, 
President Biden has not displayed the strength that is needed for our 
Nation at this critical junction. His administration, beginning on 
October 7, made their fears of an escalating conflict crystal clear.
  Secretary Blinken said on October 22 that ``This is not what we want. 
. . . We don't want escalation.''
  This widely broadcasted fear of escalation prevented them from taking 
action to stop this violence spreading beyond Israel's borders.
  Now the Iran-backed Houthis have launched hundreds of drone and 
missile strikes against ships transiting the Red Sea, one of the most 
important waterways in the world. We have conducted multiple airstrikes 
in Yemen but with no clear indication that the Houthis have been 
deterred. And most especially sad, we lost two Navy SEALS, some of our 
most elite members of the Armed Forces who made the ultimate sacrifice 
while halting the shipment of more advanced weapons to this group.
  Adding to this, there has been a staggering increase in attacks by 
Iranian proxies on our troops and bases in the region.
  I think we have heard earlier, there have been over 165 attacks on 
our men and women in uniform in the Middle East since October 7, with 
minimal response from this administration. This has led, sadly, to 
another loss of our American soldiers. We lost three heroic Americans 
in one of these attacks, with dozens more wounded.
  Less than 3 weeks ago, on January 12, when asked if he had a message 
for Iran, President Biden said:

       I've already delivered the message to Iran. They know not 
     to do anything.

  That message was clearly not delivered and has put our Nation and 
servicemembers in an unacceptable situation.
  What does all of this aggression in the Red Sea and these attacks on 
our Armed Forces have in common? It is all funded and supplied by Iran. 
For far too long, this nefarious nation has been pulling strings behind 
the scenes that are inciting terror and creating chaos in the Middle 
East.
  The Iranian regime stands in direct opposition to what we as 
Americans represent and our values. Their hatred for America is made 
more obvious by the company they keep and the continued closeness they 
are cultivating with adversaries like Russia, China, and North Korea.
  China is Iran's biggest oil customer and provides a revenue stream to 
support Iran's aggression. Russia continues to purchase Iranian drones, 
using them in their unjust war against Ukraine. North Korea has 
remained Iran's leading partner in destabilizing actions and nuclear 
proliferation.
  Iran's malign influence and its disdain for America and our ally 
Israel is unmistakable.
  It is past time to reestablish deterrence against Iran with a 
decisive response to these unacceptable actions. This is something my 
Republican colleagues recognize and something we continue to urge 
President Biden and his administration to take seriously.
  Secretary Blinken himself said just this past week that the Middle 
East has not been this dangerous since 1973. This comes, of course, 
after President Biden's National Security Advisor announced that the 
region was quieter than it had been for decades as we were approaching 
the October 7 date.
  We can all see now that this is an increasingly important moment with 
incredibly high stakes. We must take this opportunity to lead with 
strength, to lead in the ways that only the United States can lead. 
While our adversaries are attempting to divide us, we must come 
together.
  The future of our Nation depends on our ability to support our 
allies, like Israel, in their time of need; to protect vital American 
interests, like our shippers; to defend our troops overseas; and to 
secure the homeland of our own country.
  I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to remain 
committed to the security of the United States and our ally Israel. 
This Chamber must display the American leadership that times of crisis 
require. We have done it before, and we must do it again.