[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 61 (Wednesday, April 10, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H2258-H2259]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           SUPPORTING ISRAEL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Schneider) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I am proud that the United States was the

[[Page H2259]]

first country to recognize the newly declared State of Israel nearly 76 
years ago, merely 11 minutes after its creation.
  I am also proud that, within 11 days of Hamas' barbaric attack on 
Israel that started this current war, President Joe Biden landed in Tel 
Aviv, sending two carrier strike groups and becoming the first U.S. 
President to ever visit Israel during a time of war.
  On October 7, at approximately 6:30 a.m., Hamas launched thousands of 
rockets at cities across Israel, sending millions of Israelis into bomb 
shelters and safe rooms while providing cover for a swarming army of 
Hamas terrorists who invaded the country and launched a genocidal 
attack, brutally murdering more than 1,200 people, wounding more than 
3,000 others, and taking more than 250 hostages back into Gaza.
  In the 6 months since Hamas started this war, Israel has been 
fighting for its existence on many fronts, facing attacks and threats 
from Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iraq, and Iran.
  It is more than just the mortars, rockets, missiles, and drones 
threatening Israel. Israel's enemies have two key strategies in their 
campaign to destroy and delegitimize the Jewish state: One, distort the 
truth with canards and libelous accusations against Israel and the 
Jewish people; and two, isolate Israel in global forums and in the 
world of public opinion.

                              {time}  1030

  South Africa is perversely accusing Israel of genocide in the 
International Criminal Court of Justice. Of course, when you lift the 
veil of this grotesque distortion of the truth, you see that Iran is 
also behind South Africa's actions, just like Iran finances and fuels 
Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis.
  Meanwhile, in cities around the world as well as here in the United 
States, anti-Israel protests are replete with calls for the elimination 
of the Jewish state, most clearly manifest in the chant ``from the 
river to the sea, Palestine will be free.''
  And look no further than the rally just last Friday in Dearborn, 
Michigan, where the crowd chanted not only ``death to Israel,'' but 
``death to America.''
  I am grateful for the leadership and moral clarity of the Biden 
administration as well as the mayor of Dearborn when they roundly 
condemned this hateful rhetoric.
  Israel's enemies, from Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran, to groups here in 
the United States like SJP, AMP, and JVP are doing everything they can 
to demonize, delegitimize, and ultimately destroy the only Jewish state 
on Earth.
  But let's be clear: The war Hamas started on October 7 is not just a 
war against Israel. Iran's vision is not just the destruction of 
Israel, but the conquest of the entire Muslim world and the defeat of 
the West. The Houthis are not launching rockets at just Israeli ships 
in the Red Sea. They are targeting global commerce in general. In this 
war, Israel's allies must do everything we can to fight the lies and 
ensure Israel and the Israeli people know that they are not alone.
  This is why I traveled to Israel with Jewish lay leaders from Chicago 
in February and last month traveled with several of my colleagues from 
here in Congress.
  This is why I oppose the Republican resolution we are considering 
this week. The text of this resolution plays loose with the truth, and 
the intent is not to help Israel, but to win political points and 
further weaken the bipartisan support Israel has long enjoyed in this 
body.
  Don't take my word for it. This is how Axios described the 
resolution: ``It is the latest in a series of Israel-related wedge 
votes House Republicans have held since Hamas' October 7 attack.''
  If my Republican colleagues want to help our ally and protect our 
national security, we shouldn't be debating this partisan resolution. 
Instead, we should be voting on the essential funding bill to help 
Israel fight its war against our common enemies, as well as ensuring 
Ukraine defeats Russia, and Taiwan remains secure.
  The Senate passed this bill 2 months ago. The House should have 
passed it in February as well. It is as shameful as it is dangerous 
that we still have not voted on this desperately needed assistance yet 
today.
  Mr. Speaker, Iran understands that diminishing the bipartisan support 
for Israel in Congress only hurts our ally and advances our enemies' 
agenda.
  Why are Republicans so willing to play into the hands of Iran and 
Israel's other enemies? The U.S.-Israel relationship is being tested. 
Congress is being tested. It is up to us here today to pass this test.
  I urge my colleagues to oppose this resolution and instead vote for 
the essential funding bill coming over from the Senate.

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