[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 66 (Tuesday, April 16, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H2404-H2405]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   SENDING A CLEAR MESSAGE TO TEHRAN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
South Carolina (Mr. Timmons) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. TIMMONS. Madam Speaker, I stand before you today to speak on the 
unbreakable bond between the United States and Israel, a partnership 
rooted not just in strategic interests, but in our shared values of 
democracy, freedom, and justice. This critical alliance not only shapes 
the destiny of our nations but also upholds the very principles that 
define our civilization.
  When Iran launched an unprecedented attack on Israel this past 
weekend, we saw the forces of tyranny emboldened against beacons of 
freedom. We saw the importance of U.S. leadership and alliances in 
chaotic regions, but ultimately, we saw the result of inaction.
  For 6 months, Israel, our greatest ally in the Middle East, has been 
at war for its very survival. We have supported them and prayed for 
their safety from the very beginning. In November, when they needed us, 
this House, the Republican majority, passed a bill to aid our friends. 
My colleagues on the other side of the aisle didn't want to take $14 
billion out of the $80 billion they handed over to the IRS to pay for 
it.
  The result of this was weakness. We showed weakness to our allies and 
to the world. This cannot stand. The United States has a moral 
obligation to support our allies in democracy and regional security 
against the forces of tyranny and terrorism. We have a moral obligation 
to bring another bill to the floor to support this alliance.
  Let us send a clear message to Tehran and to the world: The United 
States stands unequivocally with Israel. We will not waver in our 
commitment to defend our ally from the threats of Iran and its proxies. 
We must do this to free the Palestinians in Gaza from the tyranny of 
Hamas. We must do this for Israel. We must do this to send a message to 
the world.

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