Hoyer: Congress Must Immediately and Unconditionally Fund Israel Aid
WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) delivered the following remarks on the House Floor reiterating Congress' duty to provide immediate, non-conditional aid to Israel and expressing his opposition to House Republicans' Israel aid package with a poison pill, partisan condition. Below is a transcript of his remarks and a link to the video:
Click here for a link to the video.
“I thank the gentlelady for yielding. I'll be quick, but hopefully pointed.
“If the Republicans had not put a poison pill on this bill, it would pass on suspension with over 400 votes. But they did not do that. Mr. Speaker, we must provide Israel with the resources it needs to protect itself and Israelis - a mission that I absolutely support. And we must do it now.
“However, I rise in strong opposition to this legislation, the dangerous precedent it sets, and the unsettling message it sends. At any point, the Majority could, and should, have put a bill on the Floor providing crucial aid to Israel and Ukraine.
“The Israel bill alone would get over 400 votes, and support for Ukraine has consistently gotten 300 votes. The new Speaker chose neither. Instead, he has constructed a political gotcha bill.
“The Majority tries to score political points at the expense of Jewish lives and the confidence of both our allies and enemies in our resolve and reliability. They undermine the critical aid for Israel with their misguided attacks on the IRS, which delaying this vital funding for our ally, while adding, adding $12.5 billion to the deficit. That's the exact opposite of what the offset claims to be its objective. How ironic. How perverse.
“The only thing this bill offsets is America's reputation and the world's greatest defender of democracy. It signals to Putin, Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, Xi Jinping, Kim Jong Un, and other despotic regimes around the world that America may no longer be willing to pay the price of freedom.
“Such doubt is dangerous. It signals to our allies that our support is contingent not on our shared values, but on partisan issues unrelated to this bill. Vote no for Israel and for precedent. I yield back.”