Israel and Ukraine Need Supplemental Aid

Floor Speech

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Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, we have less than 3 weeks scheduled in the remainder of this year for us to act.

We have less than 3 weeks to secure aid for Israel and Ukraine before we return to our districts in December.

They cannot afford that time. Each day we wait, winter grows colder in Ukraine. Each day we sit on our hands, American and Israeli hostages in Gaza become more fearful that they have been forgotten, as do their families.

Each day we idle, our allies sacrifice more lives in their fight against tyranny and terror. Each day we fail to act, America's reputation as the world's greatest defender of freedom and democracy decays.

Inaction suggests to our friends and foes alike that our Congress chooses doubt over determination, reluctance over resolve, and contention over conviction. We embolden those assaulting democracy in Israel, Ukraine, and elsewhere to set their sights on the rest of the free world, including our own shores.

We must not project uncertainty in our willingness to oppose despots and international terrorists. Securing this supplemental aid without condition and without delay needs to be this House's priority.

I have served in Congress for over 42 years, including 28 years in the leadership. In that time, I have seen Democrats and Republicans work together to defend democracy and further freedom.

Earlier this year, I went with former Speaker McCarthy to meet with Israeli leaders to reaffirm our vital U.S.-Israel relationship. I worked with him to preserve the overwhelming bipartisan support our Congress has had for Israel for the past 75 years, just as I did with past Republican leaders.

Now, Mr. Speaker, we come together in solidarity as Vladimir Putin threatens freedom, democracy, international law, and the lives of Ukrainians.

A few years ago, I stood with Republicans in Kyiv's Independence Square to lay wreaths for the prodemocracy protesters who were gunned down there during the Revolution of Dignity in 2014. Republicans also joined me on my codel to Ukraine's border just last year.

When I met with President Zelenskyy and House leaders on both sides of the aisle in September in this House, we expressed our unanimous commitment to Ukraine's cause, to America's cause, to freedom's cause.

We saw that same bipartisanship on the House floor in recent weeks when some 75 percent of us voted to approve additional funding for Ukraine. All seven times, perhaps eight times if you count a couple of bills, that issue came up for consideration, 75 percent of us voted for Ukraine's funding.

We ought to act on the strong consensus that exists in this body to deliver aid for Israel and Ukraine now, today, perhaps tomorrow, but certainly very soon.

Neither dysfunction nor disagreement ought to undermine that effort. Victory is our objective; delay is our enemy.

I have spoken with Israeli and Ukrainian leaders. I have met with officials from NATO partners and other allies. I have talked with the families of American hostages held captive by Hamas and Gaza. Their question is the same: Is America still willing to pay the price of freedom? Our answer, Mr. Speaker, and the answer of America must be yes. Now.

We must send a deafening message to our friends and to the enemies of freedom and democracy. We will defend our allies and our shared values, not only in the next few days, but in all the days to come.

Mr. Speaker, it is time to act. It is time to act without condition. Ukraine needs us, Israel needs us, and freedom, democracy, and international law need us.

Let us act now.

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