[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 50 (Thursday, March 21, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2490-S2491]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                           Democratic Caucus

  Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. President, last week on this very floor, the 
Democratic leader of the Chamber, Senator Schumer, delivered an 
unprecedented speech that clearly, in my mind, crossed a line, wading 
into the electoral process of a free and fair democracy and one of our 
greatest friends--not just any democracy but one of our most steadfast 
allies, Israel, who is currently in a war for their survival against a 
terrorist organization that wishes to remove their country from 
existence.
  The remarks by Leader Schumer calling for a new election in Israel 
and the replacement of Prime Minister Netanyahu were many things--I 
thought irresponsible, ill-advised, and misguided--but above all else, 
it is hypocritical and sends the wrong message to the world and our 
allies during a vacuum of American leadership on the international 
stage.
  My Republican colleagues were quick to draw contrast to these remarks 
and affirm our support for Israel and for the leadership they have duly 
elected in their democracy.
  But don't just take my word for it. Michael Herzog, Israel's 
Ambassador to the United States, called these comments 
``counterproductive to our common goals.'' Former Israeli Prime 
Minister Naftali Bennett noted that he is opposed to any ``external 
political intervention in Israel's internal affairs.'' Even political 
opponents to Prime Minister Netanyahu quickly condemned this rhetoric, 
saying that any interference in Israel's electoral process is 
``unacceptable.''
  So not only are these remarks unacceptable, but they come at a time 
when we should be displaying our unwavering support of our friend 
Israel, not calling their leadership into question.
  It is important that we identify this situation for exactly what it 
is: an attempt by the opposite party to appease the progressive wing of 
the left that wishes to vilify Israel and abandon them when they need 
us the most. I can assure you this is something that Senate Republicans 
will not stand for.
  Can you imagine if the roles were reversed here, if the leaders of 
another country called for new elections in the United States and named 
our leader an ``obstacle to peace'' and claimed that our government was 
not serving the needs of our people? The calls claiming election 
interference from this Chamber would be deafening.
  Just like those in the United States, where the American people 
decide who leads their country, the people of Israel are the only ones 
who can decide which leader meets their needs. Prime Minister Netanyahu 
said himself: ``We're

[[Page S2491]]

not a banana republic.'' They are not. They are a democracy.
  My Democratic colleagues here in the Senate have said quite a bit 
about foreign election interference and attacks to democracy in recent 
years, with Senate leadership saying in 2019 that ``foreign election 
interference cannot be ignored'' and that our government ``must make 
clear that the cost of trying to interfere with American elections will 
be dear'' or, from another leader, calling it ``reprehensible'' . . . 
``that the American people would not have the last word, that there 
would be other factors and other people, other countries engaged in our 
election.''
  That is exactly what was called for last week. The words of my 
colleagues ring as true then as they do now. No one but the American 
people should have a say in our democracy and how our country is run. 
But that same protection needs to be applied to our allies in free and 
fair democracies and the rights of their citizens to choose the leaders 
that guide their country and represent their interests. That is 
especially true when it comes to an ally at war such as Israel.
  My Republican colleagues and I recognize this as hypocrisy, and it is 
shocking to me that our President, President Biden, would support these 
comments.
  Unfortunately, this isn't the first time we have seen this level of 
hypocrisy from the other side of the aisle. Let's talk about energy 
policy debates. We saw the other party praise the EPA's electric 
vehicle mandates just yesterday without recognizing that they are the 
ones who are forcing closures of powerplants through policies like 
Clean Power Plan 2.0, cutting off the very baseload power that these 
supposed electric vehicles are going to need to operate.
  I mean, there is a bit of hypocrisy. We have not enough power, and we 
are telling people when and how to run their heat, yet we are going to 
tell them what types of cars they need to have by 2032. As a data 
point, 7.6 percent of cars sold in the United States last year were 
electric vehicles. The goal is to get almost 70 percent of those cars 
by 2032.
  In the State of West Virginia, new vehicles, electric vehicles: 1.1 
percent. They kind of don't do so great on those hills in the middle of 
the cold. I am just saying.
  On issues regarding the economy, we have seen the passage of 
trillions of dollars in reckless spending and increased taxes by the 
Democrats that lead to high inflation, only for the President to 
establish a Strike Force on Unfair and Illegal Pricing to blame others 
for the impacts of their policies. He is also worried about how many 
chips are in a bag. We got that at the State of the Union. Or even 
regarding the foundation of the rules that this body stands on. We have 
seen Senate Democrats wage war to remove the filibuster in recent 
years--the same rule they fought tirelessly to protect while they were 
in the minority. Now many of them signed on to the letters.
  Perhaps one of the greatest hypocrisies we have seen on display was 
when the President delivered his campaign rally disguised as a State of 
the Union Address a few weeks ago.
  When he was sworn into office, one of the biggest promises he made 
was to unite this country. Instead, in that speech, he alienated us, 
disparaged us--anybody who disagrees with his policies.
  This continued hypocrisy and these political games are not lost on 
the American people. They want election officials to stand for their 
interests and to deliver on what they are going to do. This is a 
central tenet to effective government and something that guides my work 
on behalf of West Virginians every single day.
  I, along with my fellow Senate Republicans--and I see my colleague 
from Nebraska here--will continue our efforts to lead our country 
toward a stronger future and to call out these pretenses when we see 
them.