[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 9]
[House]
[Pages 12306-12310]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR A NEW MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING ON MILITARY 
                          ASSISTANCE TO ISRAEL

  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 729) expressing support for the expeditious 
consideration and finalization of a new, robust, and long-term 
Memorandum of Understanding on military assistance to Israel between 
the United States Government and the Government of Israel.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 729

       Whereas in April 1998 the United States designated Israel 
     as a ``major non-NATO ally'';
       Whereas, on August 16, 2007, the United States and Israel 
     signed a 10-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on United 
     States military assistance to Israel, the total assistance 
     over the course of this understanding would equal 
     $30,000,000,000;
       Whereas since the signing of the 2007 Memorandum of 
     Understanding, intelligence and defense cooperation has 
     continued to grow;
       Whereas, on October 15, 2008, the Naval Vessel Transfer Act 
     of 2008 was signed into law (Public Law 110-429) and defined 
     Israel's qualitative military edge (QME) as ``the ability to 
     counter and defeat any credible conventional military threat 
     from any individual state or possible coalition of states or 
     from non-state actors, while sustaining minimal damage and 
     casualties, through the use of superior military means, 
     possessed in sufficient quantity, including weapons, command, 
     control, communication, intelligence, surveillance, and 
     reconnaissance capabilities that in their technical 
     characteristics are superior in capability to those of such 
     other individual or possible coalition of states or non-state 
     actors'';
       Whereas, on July 27, 2012, the United States-Israel 
     Enhanced Security Cooperation Act of 2012 (Public Law 112-
     150) declared it to be the policy of the United States ``to 
     help the Government of Israel preserve its qualitative 
     military edge amid rapid and uncertain regional political 
     transformation'';
       Whereas Israel faces immediate threats to its security from 
     the United States designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, 
     Hezbollah, and its missile and rocket stockpile estimated to 
     number around 150,000, and from the United States designated 
     Foreign Terrorist Organization, Hamas, that continues to 
     attempt to rebuild its tunnel network to infiltrate Israel 
     and restock its own missile and rocket stockpiles;
       Whereas Israel also faces immediate threats to its security 
     from the ongoing regional instability in the Middle East, 
     especially from the ongoing conflict in Syria and from 
     militant groups in the Sinai;
       Whereas Iran remains a threat to Israel, as demonstrated by 
     Iran's continued bellicosity, including several illegal tests 
     of ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads, 
     even reportedly marking several of these weapons with Hebrew 
     words declaring ``Israel must be wiped out'';

[[Page 12307]]

       Whereas the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
     Year 2016 authorized funds to be appropriated for Israeli 
     cooperative missile defense program codevelopment and 
     coproduction, including funds to be provided to the 
     Government of Israel to procure the David's Sling weapon 
     system as well as the Arrow 3 Upper Tier Interceptor Program; 
     and
       Whereas, on December 19, 2014, the President signed into 
     law the United States-Israel Strategic Partnership Act of 
     2014 (Public Law 113-296) which stated the sense of Congress 
     that Israel is a major strategic partner of the United States 
     and declared it to be the policy of the United States ``to 
     continue to provide Israel with robust security assistance, 
     including for the procurement of the Iron Dome Missile 
     Defense System'': Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) reaffirms that Israel is a major strategic partner of 
     the United States;
       (2) reaffirms that it is the policy and law of the United 
     States to ensure that Israel maintains its qualitative 
     military edge and has the capacity and capability to defend 
     itself from all threats;
       (3) reaffirms United States support of a robust Israeli 
     tiered missile defense program;
       (4) supports continued discussions between the Government 
     of the United States and the Government of Israel for a 
     robust and long-term Memorandum of Understanding on United 
     States military assistance to Israel;
       (5) urges the expeditious finalization of a new Memorandum 
     of Understanding between the Government of the United States 
     and the Government of Israel; and
       (6) supports a robust and long-term Memorandum of 
     Understanding negotiated between the United States and Israel 
     regarding military assistance which increases the amount of 
     aid from previous agreements and significantly enhances 
     Israel's military capabilities.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Royce) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to 
include any extraneous material for the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I want to thank my good friends, the gentlewoman and gentleman from 
Florida, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen and Mr. Deutch, who are chair and ranking 
member of the Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee, for their hard 
work and leadership in bringing this important measure to the floor 
today. And I also thank the ranking member, Mr. Eliot Engel from New 
York, for his work on the resolution as well.
  Israel is one of America's closest friends, and Israel is facing 
growing threats. Today Iran's leading terrorist proxy, Hezbollah, has 
thousands of missiles and rockets and mortars that are aimed at 
Israel--over 100,000. And the threat from Iran's Revolutionary Guard 
Corps is even worse, as we hear from those chants: ``Death to Israel.''
  The United States must stand with Israel to help promote security and 
stability in the volatile Middle East. And next year, the current 
memorandum of understanding signed with Israel in 2007 that guaranteed 
Israel $3.1 billion per year in foreign military financing will expire.
  The administration and Israel are currently negotiating the terms of 
a new package for the next 10 years, ensuring that Israel will maintain 
its qualitative military edge in the region. That is the goal of Mr. 
Eliot Engel. That is my goal. That is the goal of our subcommittee 
chairman and ranking member.
  This new agreement will guide our security cooperation: from Iron 
Dome and David's Sling, defending Israel from the air, to cooperative 
initiatives aimed at tunnel detection, defending Israel from below.
  This relationship has real benefits for the United States. The two 
countries share intelligence on terrorism, on nuclear proliferation, on 
regional instability. Israel's military experiences have shaped the 
United States' approach to counterterrorism and our approach to 
homeland security. The two governments work together to develop 
sophisticated military technology for defense, such as the missile and 
subterranean detection systems that I have mentioned. These systems 
developed jointly may soon be ready for export to other U.S. allies.
  In part because of this security partnership, U.S. and Israeli 
companies partner in technological innovations that are helping the 
United States maintain its advantage in a range of military and 
nonmilitary security challenges.
  So I urge my colleagues to strongly support this resolution, urging 
the expeditious finalization of a new memorandum of understanding 
between the Government of the United States and the Government of 
Israel so that Israel maintains its qualitative military edge and has 
the capacity to work with us to defend itself from all threats.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I might 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution. I am proud to 
cosponsor this resolution, which calls for the expeditious 
consideration and finalization of a new, robust, and long-term 
memorandum of understanding on military assistance to Israel. The bond 
between United States and Israel is unbreakable. We share common values 
and goals, including democracy, rule of law, minority rights, and basic 
human freedom.
  In 2008, the George W. Bush administration negotiated a memorandum of 
understanding with Israel that guaranteed $3.1 billion in annual 
security assistance. Since then, the Obama administration has delivered 
on this commitment and has provided additional funds for missile 
defense, including the 2014 emergency supplemental for Iron Dome, which 
we passed in this House.
  Since that agreement, Israel has faced some of the most urgent 
threats in history: rockets and tunnels from Gaza and Lebanon, nuclear 
threats from Syria and Iran, and the spread of ISIS throughout the 
region. And the United States has been there by Israel's side 
throughout this dangerous time.
  These threats are only becoming more complex. ISIS has grown in the 
Sinai. Israel's neighbors are facing new burdens from refugees, leading 
to instability. And Iran's behavior in the region has, unfortunately, 
become even more dangerous.
  So yesterday's insurance policy has become today's lifeline. As 
Israel confronts new threats, the United States must step up to defend 
our ally. Part of this will be through a new, negotiated MOU, or 
memorandum of understanding, to reflect the changing times and evolving 
threats in the Middle East.
  Israel will need its American partner; but, make no mistake, the 
United States needs Israel as well. This relationship isn't a one-way 
street. Our security cooperation and intelligence sharing with Israel 
has never been closer. Israel helps develop new technology that the 
United States uses in our own security efforts. And the military 
hardware we are providing to help Israel defend itself will be spent 
here in the United States, saving or creating thousands of American 
jobs.
  This resolution and its robust support here in the House, in both 
parties, demonstrates the true nature of the relationship between the 
United States and Israel. The support is bipartisan. Neither Democrats 
nor Republicans have a monopoly on support for Israel. Democrats and 
Republicans stand together, united with Israel. The American people 
stand with Israel.
  The next MOU will be the next chapter in this friendship. It shows 
that no matter who the next President will be, Israel has America's 
promise of support. As Israel faces uncertainties throughout its 
region, at least it can count on American support, and Congress should 
work to make that happen. Israel has never asked for American troops or 
soldiers or for anyone to defend them except themselves, and we ought 
to continue to help them do that.
  I ask all Members to support this resolution.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the

[[Page 12308]]

gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen), who chairs the Foreign 
Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa and is the 
author of this measure.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend, the chairman 
of our wonderful committee, the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce).
  Mr. Speaker, I cannot emphasize enough just how important it is that 
the United States and Israel finalize a new, long-term, and robust 
memorandum of understanding on U.S. military assistance to Israel. And 
an overwhelming majority of our colleagues in Congress agree.
  This bipartisan resolution, Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 729, that I 
introduced alongside my friend and colleague, the gentleman from south 
Florida (Mr. Deutch), the ranking member of our Middle East and North 
Africa Subcommittee, has over 275 cosponsors. This is the kind of 
support we don't see very often, but it underscores the level of 
commitment and support that the United States Congress has for our 
closest friend and ally, the democratic, Jewish State of Israel.
  It is absolutely imperative, Mr. Speaker, that the administration 
finalize and sign a new memorandum of understanding with Israel as soon 
as possible because the threats to Israel aren't going away anytime 
soon.
  Just last week, it was reported that the Israeli military had 
assessed that it expects ISIS attacks on its southern border within 6 
months. This is extremely alarming and, if true, all the more reason to 
finalize a new MOU with Israel.
  We know that Egypt has been fighting ISIS in the Sinai for quite some 
time now; but if ISIS is able to continue moving north toward Israel, 
it would leave Israel vulnerable on almost every border, except the 
border that it shares with Jordan, where the King and the Jordanians 
have been so important in the fight against ISIS.
  As if the thought of ISIS surrounding the Jewish state was not 
daunting enough, as a result of the Iran nuclear deal, the threats to 
Israel have only increased in magnitude and severity. Iran has shown 
that it has no intention of slowing down its ballistic missile program, 
which it uses to repeatedly threaten Israel. We have recently learned 
that the nuclear deal is full of secret concessions and exemptions to 
Iran which allow Iran to exceed limits that are set forth in the deal. 
And these are just the ones that we know of now. There are likely a lot 
more.
  We just heard testimony last week that the administration may have 
sent Iran up to $33.6 billion in cash payments, including $1.7 billion 
in ransom payments. Administration officials have said that there is no 
way of tracing the money or of telling if that money will be used to 
support terror; but Iran had said that it needed hard currency, so we 
sent it because that is a great idea: to give a state sponsor of terror 
an infusion of billions of dollars of cold, hard cash. That makes a lot 
of sense.
  So now Iran has as much as $33.6 billion in cash; and, no doubt, it 
will be used to support terror. There is no doubt. It will be used to 
shore up Hezbollah's weapons supply. It will be used to increase the 
missile stockpile of Hezbollah. It will be used for many nefarious 
activities. And with Iran's stated intention to wipe Israel off the 
map, there should be no time wasted in ensuring that the Jewish state 
has the capability, has the capacity to defend itself and her people 
from every threat.
  With all of the concessions that the administration has made to Iran, 
we need to make sure that this memorandum of understanding goes above 
and beyond.
  As my former chief of staff of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Dr. 
Yleem Poblete, wrote in a piece for the Gatestone Institute a couple of 
months ago:
  ``The terms of any U.S.-Israel agreement must withstand comparison to 
the concessions offered Iran in the JCPOA and show unequivocally that 
Israel, a trusted ally and major strategic partner, fared better in 
negotiations than an unconstrained enemy.''
  This is why the administration must conclude this MOU with Israel. It 
would send a strong message to the people of Israel that the United 
States continues to stand by them and support them. But, Mr. Speaker, 
it would send an even stronger message to those who seek to harm Israel 
by signifying that the United States is committing to fully support 
Israel's defense and security needs.
  So I urge my colleagues to support this measure. I call upon the 
administration to put the politicking aside, get this agreement done, 
secure Israel's safety and our own interests.
  We are going to hear a lot of support for this resolution. We have 
heard about the many threats facing Israel.

                              {time}  1515

  And I spoke about the nuclear threat and how it has placed Israel in 
greater jeopardy. But what we don't hear too much about, Mr. Speaker, 
is how the nuclear deal has threatened Israel's qualitative military 
edge, the QME, that, by U.S. law, we are supposed to ensure.
  When the administration signed that weak and dangerous nuclear deal 
with Iran, it had to sell it to the international community. How did it 
do that? Well, in order to sell the deal to our allies in the Gulf, the 
administration had to promise them that we would provide them with 
advanced weapon sales.
  The administration likes to say that the Iran deal will make the 
world safer. But if that is true, then why are we going to increase so 
much the militarization of the Gulf countries?
  Mr. Speaker, I expect that Gulf states sales of military jets to 
Bahrain, to Qatar, and to Kuwait will be approved by the administration 
as early as this month. We are about to open the spigot of cash that 
Iran can then use to build up its ballistic missiles, its military, and 
its terror activities. So we need to make sure that Israel understands 
that we are there to support her.
  It makes no sense, Mr. Speaker, that we should be concentrating on 
stopping Iran, not assisting the regime, to further carrying out its 
nefarious activities and certainly not helping to build up its 
conventional nuclear arms race in the region. Not to mention that by 
doing this we are undermining the distinct advantage that Israel has 
militarily over its neighbors.
  Even though Israel and our other partners in the region may have 
better relations now than ever before--and that is true, and that is 
wonderful--because they have an Iran, a mutual enemy that they 
understand is their greatest threat, history tells that it is better to 
be safe than sorry. So that is another important reason why we need to 
conclude this MOU with the Jewish state and ensure its qualitative 
military edge.
  We have an ever increasingly dangerous Iran, a heavily militarized 
Middle East with advanced weaponry, ISIS becoming an even greater 
threat to Israel, Hezbollah on the Golan Heights and in Lebanon, and, 
of course, Hamas in Gaza. That is a daunting task to ask of even the 
largest country, Mr. Speaker, let alone the tiny Jewish state.
  So I urge my colleagues to support this resolution. I urge them to 
call upon the administration to uphold longstanding U.S. policy toward 
our closest friend and ally, the democratic Jewish state of Israel.
  I thank the gentleman for the time.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I now yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Deutch), an author of this resolution and a very valued 
member of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
  Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Engel for his support 
of this resolution and his outspoken and unwavering support for the 
U.S.-Israel relationship. I also thank Chairman Royce for his support 
of this as well. And to my friend and partner, Representative Ros-
Lehtinen, I thank her as well. It is wonderful working with her on so 
many issues, but in particular our work on the committee to strengthen 
the U.S.-Israel relationship. Thanks as well to Representatives Granger 
and Lowey for their efforts.
  Mr. Speaker, reports indicate that the United States and Israel are 
very close to signing a new memorandum of understanding, a 10-year MOU 
on security systems.

[[Page 12309]]

  This resolution before us today is very straightforward. It urges the 
conclusion of those negotiations. It doesn't prescribe terms of the 
MOU. It says that we need to get the MOU finished. This resolution has 
the overwhelming bipartisan support of over 275 Members of this House 
who are cosponsors.
  Now, the MOU is the backbone of our security relationship with 
Israel. The assistance provided has ensured and will continue to ensure 
that Israel is able to defend herself against any and all threats.
  The threats that Israel faces increase every day. Every day the 
threat of rocket attacks from Hamas, Islamic Jihad, or Hezbollah looms. 
Every day Hezbollah adds more advanced rockets to its arsenal of over 
150,000 capable of reaching every corner of Israel. Every day Iran 
transfers advanced technology and weapons to its terror proxies who 
target Israel. And every day Hamas is attempting to re-dig tunnels 
farther and farther into Israel.
  ISIS militants edge closer to Israel's border in the Sinai, and the 
fighting in Syria creeps closer and closer into the Golan Heights. 
Terrorist groups now have unprecedented, sophisticated capabilities, 
and many of these pose a strategic threat to the broader region.
  Mr. Speaker, Israel must have the resources that it needs to protect 
the safety and security of its territory and its people and, in turn, 
to preserve our own security and interests in the region.
  Throughout these negotiations, the administration has said that it is 
prepared to conclude the largest ever aid package to Israel. Now, these 
funds, coupled with our enduring commitment to preserving Israel's 
qualitative military edge, will help Israel remain strong and secure. 
And as the only democracy in the region, Israel stands as a beacon of 
hope for those around the world who recognize the global threat of 
terrorism and for those who value opportunity, equality, and freedom.
  When this Congress speaks with one voice, Israel is stronger and 
safer. By passing this resolution, this Congress is sending a message 
to the world that we stand united in support of a new MOU, in support 
of Israel's right to self-defense, and in strong support of the U.S.-
Israel relationship.
  I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Yoho), a member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
  Mr. YOHO. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague. I stand in 
support of Representative Ros-Lehtinen's H. Res. 729.
  It is imperative that the United States finalize a new MOU with 
Israel on military assistance that provides for a robust defense 
posture of Israel while ensuring congressional oversight and scrutiny 
in the years to come.
  Israel continues to face a growing threat from not only state 
sponsors of terrorism like Iran, but also from terrorist organizations 
like Hezbollah and Hamas. Both Iran and those terrorist organizations 
are determined to destroy Israel.
  Israel, one of the United States' greatest allies in the region, is 
under constant threat; and the United States must stand strong and 
support her.
  Hezbollah has an estimated stockpile of 150,000 rockets and missiles. 
Let me repeat that. It has over 150,000 rockets and missiles, which 
Iran has made a commitment to add smart bomb technology. This constant 
threat is growing and needs to be countered by the passage of a robust, 
long-term MOU. This will ensure Israel's defense and military 
capabilities are able to meet these growing threats.
  I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 729 and support the continued 
defense cooperation with Israel.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, may I ask if there are any more speakers on 
the Republican side?
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, there are no further speakers other than 
myself to close.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I want to thank the sponsors of this resolution, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen and 
Mr. Deutch, for their hard work in crafting such a timely resolution. I 
thank, once again, Chairman Royce for working with me and the sponsors 
of this resolution to move this forward expeditiously.
  Mr. Speaker, one of the things I always say is that the relationship 
between the United States and Israel is bigger than any of the 
personalities involved. Presidents come and go, Prime Ministers come 
and go, Members of Congress come and go, members of the Knesset come 
and go, but the relationship between the U.S. and Israel endures and 
endures strongly.
  The success of the last MOU between the United States and Israel is a 
great illustration of that fact. I think this resolution and the next 
memorandum of understanding, which we are expecting any day now, are 
more indications that, regardless of party, regardless of 
personalities, the U.S.-Israel alliance is serious business and a major 
foreign policy concern.
  Those that try to denigrate Israel overlook the fact that Israel is 
the only democracy in the Middle East and overlook the fact that we 
have no better ally in the United States than the people of Israel.
  I am glad to support this measure. I urge all Members to do the same. 
Again, the U.S.-Israel alliance is serious business, a major foreign 
policy concern, and the right thing to do, not only for Israel but for 
the United States as well. So I support this measure, and I urge all 
our colleagues to do the same.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROYCE. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, as this resolution notes, Israel faces a growing number 
of threats, and I think I would just speak for a moment about the 
nature of those threats. I appreciate Representative Ileana Ros-
Lehtinen bringing this resolution before us.
  Representative Eliot Engel and I had a rather unique opportunity of 
seeing how these threats keep evolving. We were near the border in 
Israel and had an invitation on the Gaza border to go into one of these 
tunnels that had been discovered. Imagine the shock when we found out 
the intentions of why this tunnel was dug. It ended up coming up 
underneath an elementary school.
  Now, imagine for a minute the situation Israel is in when you have an 
adversary, Hamas in this case, who wishes to tunnel underneath an 
elementary school in order to capture children, take them back into 
Gaza, and force the IDF, as you and I knew they would do, to fight 
block by block by block to try to free those children. That was the 
strategy. Now, luckily the tunnels were discovered before they could 
carry this out.
  I was in Israel also in 2006, back during the second Lebanon war. The 
Hezbollah rockets came down across northern Israel every day. And in 
Haifa, every day there were victims that were brought into that trauma 
hospital.
  Back then, Hezbollah had a collection of about 10,000 rockets and 
missiles. That is what they had left in the inventory. They had shot 
off about half of their inventory. And in each of those, there were 
probably 90,000 ball bearings. And when they shot those rockets, they 
aimed at the city center in Haifa.
  Today is 10 years later. Hezbollah, as Mr. Yoho shared with you, has 
a nasty collection today of over 100,000 of these rockets and missiles. 
Now, if you were to take the United States out of the equation with 
respect to NATO, and you were to take a look at the NATO arsenal 
without us in it, Hezbollah, which is now equipped by Iran, has a 
larger number of weapons, rockets and missiles, than all of NATO 
combined without us.
  Included in that class are 700 long-range, high-payload rockets that 
have now been provided to Hezbollah, and these new rockets that carry 
these huge payloads are capable of taking out a city block and just 
creating havoc.
  And while the threat from Hezbollah is bad, let's talk about the 
threat from its sponsor for a minute. Let's reflect on the threat from 
Iran itself. If you

[[Page 12310]]

wonder whether Iran intends what they say, think about their continued 
aggression in the region, and think about their testing of ballistic 
missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
  In case there is any mistake about how we might interpret it, they 
put on the side of these missiles, in Arabic, in Farsi, and in Hebrew, 
the words, ``Israel must be wiped out.'' That is the action of the Iran 
Revolutionary Guard Corps. That is what it puts on its missiles.
  Of course, under the administration's Iran deal, Tehran will keep 
much of its nuclear infrastructure and continue to develop advanced 
centrifuges faster and faster. They can continue to work on this, thus 
gaining the ability to produce nuclear fuel on an industrial scale. The 
ayatollah won't even have to cheat to be just steps away from a nuclear 
weapon 10 years from now when that agreement is phased out and expires. 
And that is about the same time that the next MOU will expire.
  So for those who are wondering why we are passionate about this 
memorandum of understanding with Israel, it is because we have seen the 
threats. Mr. Eliot Engel and I, in our trips to Israel to the border, 
have seen those threats.

                              {time}  1530

  Given that, and given that Israel faces, not just from the proxies 
like Iran, not just from Hamas that are funded, but also from Iran 
itself Israel faces this threat, we need to ensure that the security 
package currently being negotiated is as robust as possible. I urge my 
colleagues to support this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Collins of Georgia). The question is on 
the motion offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce) that 
the House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 729.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

                          ____________________