Standing with Israel As It Defends Itself Against the Barbaric War Launched By Hamas and Other Terrorists

Floor Speech

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Mr. BARR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this important resolution affirming Israel's right to self-defense against this savage war perpetrated by Hamas and other Iranian-backed terrorists.

While it was Hamas terrorists who invaded peaceful communities across Israel, decapitating babies, burning elderly women alive, kidnapping innocent civilians, including Holocaust survivors, it was Iran that was working behind the scenes to fund these acts of terror.

I support this resolution because it calls out the mullahs in Tehran for funding Hamas and enabling this attack to occur.

How did this happen? In short, it happened because the Biden administration's foreign policy allowed it to happen. Our government designated Iran as a state sponsor of terror, yet the Biden administration pursued a policy of weakness and appeasement toward Tehran.

Since the Biden administration took office, Iran has generated approximately $80 billion in revenue from oil sales, and that is because this administration rolled back the Trump administration's successful maximum pressure campaign.

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Mr. BARR. In 2021, the administration lifted oil sanctions on Iran. The sanctions relief was so helpful to the regime that the deputy chief of the Central Bank of Iran said that Iran's foreign currency reserves were growing due to the growth of oil and other exports.

For months, Secretary Blinken, National Security Advisor Sullivan, and other officials have chased another JCPOA to release billions of dollars in sanction assets. Now we see the administration effectively incentivize Hamas to take American hostages by facilitating the transfer of $6 billion from South Korea to Iranian banks in Qatar, a deal that this administration claims it has frozen for now but Qatar and Iran say is available to them today. Support this resolution.

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