[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 81 (Wednesday, May 14, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H2012-H2013]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       SPEAKING TRUTH ABOUT POWER

  (Mr. Green of Texas was recognized to address the House for 5 
minutes.)
  Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, and still I rise, unbought, 
unbossed, and unafraid.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise, driven by conscience, to embrace the moral 
imperative to speak truth not only to power but to also speak truth 
about power.
  I rise today to acknowledge, driven by conscience, what the world is 
witnessing as we see the collective punishment being imposed upon 
Palestinians in Gaza.
  I rise to say that this level of punishment is something that is 
intolerable and has to be addressed.
  I rise to say that not only is there collective punishment, there is 
ethnic cleansing taking place in Gaza.
  I rise to say that, at some point, we in this Congress have to take a 
stand against the injustice being perpetrated against innocent 
Palestinian men, women, and especially children.
  This level of injustice is something that this country has always 
stood against, but we find ourselves today standing with Mr. Netanyahu 
and the government that is bringing shame to the country of Israel. 
Israel should never do what it despises. I believe that the country of 
Israel would despise this level of punishment, this level of injustice 
being perpetrated upon another country. Yet, we find today, under Mr. 
Netanyahu's leadership, Israel is gaining a reputation as a pariah 
country.
  Mr. Speaker, to add insult to this grave injury, the United States of 
America, by and through President Donald John Trump, is aiding and 
abetting by simply having him conclude that somehow Gaza should become 
a resort of a sort and that the Palestinians would be moved to some 
other place. That is a form of nouveau ethnic cleansing.
  I do not support it, and I want the world to know that if in this 
bill, this big, beautiful bill that the President would have us sign 
off on that I am already antithetical to, if there is money in that 
bill to support the continued ethnic cleansing, the continued 
inhumanity that is taking place against the Palestinians, I cannot 
support that. I will not vote to send more money to see innocent men, 
women, and especially children slaughtered the way it is taking place 
right before our very eyes.
  The unfortunate thing is there are too many among us who are afraid 
to speak up. I refuse to be among those who at this time are 
challenging controversy, who would sit and cower. I am going to take a 
stand not because it benefits me personally but because conscience says 
we cannot allow these injustices to go unpunished. I am driven by 
conscience to say that I won't be supporting sending any additional 
dollars to Israel, having already sent and voted for more than $50 
billion.
  Nobody can accuse me of not being supportive of Israel. I have 
supported it, but I can't support the Netanyahu administration and what 
it is doing to the country of Israel. I can't support what is happening 
in my country as our President would embrace this ethnic cleansing.

[[Page H2013]]

  This is the hour of decision. This is the time for every person of 
good will to make a decision. I stand for peace in Palestine and the 
two-state solution.
  There are those who say that there is no plan for the interregnum, 
what we call the day after. Mr. Netanyahu does have a plan. It is to 
take all of Palestine. It is to take all of Gaza. It is to take the 
West Bank. He has a plan. Don't assume that because he is going in 
without our permission that he doesn't have a plan; he does.
  My plan is to vote against any additional funds to the State of 
Israel.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Gosar). Members are reminded to refrain 
from engaging in personalities toward the President.

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