[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 11825]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES REGARDING UNITED 
  STATES SUPPORT FOR THE STATE OF ISRAEL AS IT DEFENDS ITSELF AGAINST 
    UNPROVOKED ROCKET ATTACKS FROM THE HAMAS TERRORIST ORGANIZATION

  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on 
Foreign Affairs be discharged from further consideration of House 
Resolution 657, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Valadao). Is there objection to the 
request of the gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 657

       Whereas Hamas is a United States-designated terrorist 
     organization whose charter calls for the destruction of the 
     State of Israel;
       Whereas Hamas continues to reject the Quartet's core 
     principles--recognize Israel's right to exist, renounce 
     violence, and accept previous Israeli-Palestinian agreements;
       Whereas Hamas has killed hundreds of Israelis and dozens of 
     Americans in rocket attacks and suicide bombings;
       Whereas since Israel's withdrawal from Gaza in 2005, Hamas 
     and other terrorist groups have fired thousands of rockets at 
     Israel;
       Whereas since June 2014, Hamas has fired nearly 300 rockets 
     at Israel;
       Whereas Hamas's weapons arsenal includes approximately 
     12,000 rockets that vary in range;
       Whereas innocent Israeli civilians are indiscriminately 
     targeted by Hamas rocket attacks; and
       Whereas 5 million Israelis are currently living under the 
     threat of rocket attacks from Gaza: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) reaffirms its support for Israel's right to defend its 
     citizens and ensure the survival of the State of Israel;
       (2) condemns the unprovoked rocket fire at Israel; and
       (3) calls on Hamas to immediately cease all rocket and 
     other attacks against Israel.

  The resolution was agreed to.


             Amendment to the Preamble Offered by Mr. Royce

  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I have an amendment to the preamble at the 
desk.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       After the 6th clause of the preamble, insert the following:
       Whereas Iran has long provided material support to Hamas 
     and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, including assistance that has 
     enabled these terrorist organizations to produce longer-range 
     rockets capable of striking Tel Aviv and Jerusalem;
       In the 8th clause of the preamble (as so redesignated), 
     strike ``and'' at the end.
       After the 8th clause of the preamble (as so redesignated), 
     insert the following:
       Whereas the United States and Israel have cooperated on 
     missile defense projects, including Iron Dome, David's Sling, 
     and the Arrow Anti-Missile System, projects designed to 
     thwart a diverse range of threats, including short-range 
     missiles and rockets fired by non-state actors, such as 
     Hamas;
       Whereas the United States has provided $235,000,000 in 
     fiscal year 2014 for Iron Dome research, development, and 
     production;
       Whereas, during the most recent rocket attacks from Gaza, 
     Iron Dome has successfully intercepted dozens of rockets that 
     were launched against Israeli population centers;

  The amendment to the preamble was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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