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Floor Speech
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Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, the Senate, I am proud to say, has now taken an extremely important step in our support of Israel. We have approved, with bipartisan support, Jack Lew to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to Israel. With Israel defending itself against Hamas, this ambassadorship is as important and timely as any nomination that the Senate has confirmed in a long time.
Mr. Lew is the right man for the job of Ambassador to Israel. He is a capable public servant, a fierce ally of Israel's, and commands a broad base of trust and respect, and he is a decent and humane man.
When my colleagues and I met with the Israeli Government, we promised to send them an ambassador as soon as possible. Today, the Senate has kept that promise. Having an ambassador in Israel means stronger diplomatic ties between the United States and Israel at a time when these bonds matter most. It means Israel's messages will be conveyed appropriately to our government, but it also means our government's messages will be sent appropriately to the Israeli Government. So it helps the two-way street of communication--so important right now. Having an ambassador ensures America can work with Israel and communicate with Israel in both directions at the highest level as the fight against Hamas continues.
I thank my colleagues for confirming Mr. Lew on a bipartisan basis. Thank you to Chairman Cardin and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which championed Mr. Lew's nomination.
Finally, I want to applaud the remarkable team at the U.S. Embassy in Israel, all of whom have done exceptional work under the most difficult circumstances.
When I went to Israel with my Senate colleagues, I got to see the Embassy's incredible work up close, especially the outstanding Charg d'Affaires, but we also saw the need, the vacancy, the hole that was there during a time of crisis when we didn't have an ambassador, and we saw how much we needed one. We are easing the short-staffed Embassy's burden by sending a fully appointed ambassador so they can continue carrying out their mission with excellence during this pivotal moment.
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