OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Directing the Removal of United States Armed Forces From Hostilities in the Republic of Yemen That Have Not Been Authorized By Congress

Floor Speech

Date: April 4, 2019
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Foreign Affairs

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Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I have taken no backseat to my support for Israel for half a century. I rise in opposition to this cynical, political ploy.

We are about to vote on a resolution concerning U.S. involvement in the conflict in Yemen and how to promote an end to a humanitarian crisis in a country that threatens the lives of 22 million people. They are hungry. They are displaced. They are scarred by a war and violence. This resolution is about them and about what we as a nation can do to put a stop to that conflict.

The gentleman is incorrect. The gentleman did not tell us the truth. This kills this resolution.

In an effort to prevent Congress from taking action on such an important issue, however, House Republicans are trying to make this a vote about something else; and in doing so, they risk undermining the long history of bipartisan consensus supporting our ally, Israel.

How shameful. How sad.

The American people will not be fooled or misled by this tactic. Our fellow supporters of Israel will not be fooled. No one can accuse me of failing to defend the U.S.-Israel partnership and strongly opposing BDS.

Mr. Speaker, I will be voting against this motion, and I urge all of my colleagues to do so as well. I urge every single one of them to do so.

And I urge every Republican who believes that using Israel as a partisan cudgel is dangerous, cynical, and harmful to Israel to join me in voting against this motion.

Mr. Speaker, none of the major organizations supporting Israel have any illusions about what this motion seeks to do. Its intention is not to unite, but to divide. Its intention is not to support our ally, but to sabotage our resolution about the conflict in Yemen. This vote on this motion is a vote to kill this joint resolution through a cynical and dishonest tactic.

So let's move past this charade of a motion. Let's stop playing games with this very important and serious issue in support of Israel. Reject ``gotcha'' politics.

Let me be clear: For as long as I am majority leader, House Democrats will never waiver in our party's steadfast support for a strong Israel relationship. Vote ``no.''

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