Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024

Floor Speech

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Mr. LAWLER. Mr. Speaker, we must stand with Israel in its time of need. This funding will go a long way toward ensuring that Israel has the ability to defend itself from the horrific campaign of terror waged by Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, and other terrorists organizations.

What occurred on October 7 is akin to what happened to our country on December 7, 1941, or September 11, 2001. Israel has a right to defend itself and fight back against those who would see them eradicated from the face of the Earth. No one told the United States after Pearl Harbor or 9/11 not to hold the perpetrators of those attacks accountable.

The perpetrators of this attack on Israel are an insidious organization that has attacked their country. Hamas' stated goal is the elimination of the State of Israel, and by extension, the genocide of the Jewish population living in it. We cannot let that happen.

We cannot let that happen. We have Members in this body who have voted against condemning Hamas and voted against holding Iran accountable. Members of this body are calling for a cease-fire despite the fact that Hamas has already stated this is just the first step. They will not abide by a cease-fire.

This legislation before us today would provide $14.3 billion in aid to Israel. This is a significant defense supplemental that includes $801.4 million in extra funding for ammunition procurement, $3.5 billion in funding for foreign military financing, $50 million in evacuation assistance support for the U.S. Embassy in Israel, $4 billion for Iron Dome and David's Sling defense systems and other Defense-wide procurement, and $38.6 million for Air Force procurement.

This bill is necessary for our closest ally in the Middle East, which is why I urge my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to join us in passing this critical aid for Israel to show our support for this beacon of hope and freedom in the Middle East.

We cannot let our differences divide us on this critical issue. We cannot allow the bright candle of democracy in the Middle East to be extinguished by Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran. We cannot allow Israel to lose.

This legislation is not conditioning aid. It is paying for it. Apparently, my Democratic colleagues still don't understand that we cannot just continue to borrow and print new money at every opportunity.

We have a debt that is approaching $34 trillion. It costs money, and we have to pay for it. To oppose this simply because you don't like the fact that there is an offset is absurd.

Mr. Speaker, I look forward to everyone joining in passing this bipartisan legislation.

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