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Floor Speech

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Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, it has been a remarkable couple of weeks in our country: the attempted assassination of President Trump; the decision made by President Biden to--notwithstanding having won all the primaries and being, essentially, the chosen leader of the Democratic party on the presidential ticket come November--his decision to step down in what can only be described as a political coup to install the Vice President as the Democratic nominee, even after months upon months of elections where the votes of people who participated in the Democratic primary have now simply been disregarded in favor of a handful of leaders in the smoky, smoke-filled rooms here in Washington, DC, deciding who should be their standard bearer.

But tomorrow we have another very significant event occurring: Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is in Washington this week and will address Congress tomorrow. More than 9 months have passed since that terrible day on October 7 when Israel was attacked by Hamas terrorists. These attacks were against innocent civilians, not the Israeli defense forces, and these terrorists brutally murdered more than 1,200 Israelis without any warning and violently assaulted countless others. They took 251 hostages--many, unfortunately, have died, while 120 of them still remain in Hamas custody, including 8 Americans.

Over the last several months, Israeli forces have faced attacks not just from Hamas but from another terrorist proxy--or I should say two of them--Hezbollah from Lebanon in the northern part of the region and its proxy, the Houthis, in Yemen.

Sadly, many on the far left in our country have chosen to take sides not with our friend and ally Israel but with the terrorists--with Hamas, with Hezbollah and the Houthis against our friend and ally Israel. They have repeatedly called for a cease-fire, notwithstanding the fact that Israel is still under threat from Iranian proxies; and they have attempted to frame Prime Minister Netanyahu as the villain here for a war begun on October 7 when terrorists attacked innocent Israeli civilians.

At a time when many Americans and, sadly, many Members of Congress do not seem to understand why America's support for Israel is so critical, I hope Prime Minister Netanyahu's remarks tomorrow will provide some clarity and some context. There is a saying that has been going around for years: If Hamas laid down its weapons today, there would be no more violence. If Israel laid down its weapons, there would be no more Israel. Hamas is not fighting for peace; it is trying to wipe Israel off the map.

This is an existential threat to the State of Israel and the people of Israel. The United States cannot tiptoe down the line between good and evil. We must make a choice, and we must make a stand. And that stand should be with Israel.

Prime Minister Netanyahu's joint address to Congress is an opportunity to reaffirm our shared values and highlight the pivotal role that Israel plays in promoting stability and democracy in an admittedly volatile region. I look forward to hearing his remarks tomorrow, but I am concerned about one critical absence. There have been news reports that Vice President Harris, who is now on track to become the Democrats' Presidential nominee, will not be in attendance. Reports are she is scheduled to speak at a sorority convention in Indianapolis. But this isn't a last-minute or unavoidable scheduling conflict. The date of Prime Minister Netanyahu's speech was announced in early June. And in any event, I am sure the sorority convention would forgive the Vice President for attending to this important event here in Washington, DC, and perhaps reschedule for another time. But to openly boycott the leader of Israel at a time like this is irresponsible. The Vice President's decision to skip this joint address is clearly a snub, and it foreshadows a continuing trend in U.S. foreign policy that started under the current President. And, obviously, it is designed to send a message to Prime Minister Netanyahu and Israel.

We have already heard some Members of this body call for Prime Minister Netanyahu--basically, for there to be an election to replace him, an unprecedented intrusion into the affairs of a sovereign nation, another democracy. It is disgraceful and embarrassing to see the pandering to extremist elements in the Democratic party.

Sadly, the Vice President isn't the only one shying away from showing support for one of our critical allies. Media reports say that this Chamber's President Pro Tempore, Senator Murray, is boycotting the speech as well.

I am not surprised that some of the more radical Members of the Democratic conference may boycott, but it is shameful when their top leadership is so willing to abandon a key ally.

In light of these dynamics, I hope the majority leader, Senator Schumer, will make it clear where he stands and that he doesn't condone skipping one of the most important sessions of Congress in recent memory just to get more air time on cable TV.

Given the partisan antics at play, I am relieved to hear that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman, Senator Ben Cardin, will sit behind Prime Minister Netanyahu tomorrow.

I don't recall when the Vice President and the President pro tempore declined to sit and the chairman of a standing committee, like the Foreign Relations Committee, was called upon to fill in. But good for him. He understands the important message that this address sends and has stepped in to do what others have refused to do.

Still, the world is watching the Vice President more closely than ever before, now that she is on a path to become the Democratic nominee for President. They, of course, are analyzing every word, every move, every signal, every decision. If the Vice President keeps up with her current plans to boycott this address, it will send a chilling message about her foreign policy priorities and the future of U.S.-Israel relations under a potential Harris administration.

It also demonstrates a disregard of the commitments we have made as a nation to our allies. At a time when the tyrants and dictators of the world are drawing closer together, America cannot abandon our allies.

As Israel faces ongoing threats in a hostile neighborhood, it is imperative that the United States stand steady beside Israel. Israel must have confidence that, regardless of who is elected in November, the relationship between the United States and Israel will remain strong.

You know, it is not just the message we send to Israel; it is the message we send to Iran, the No. 1 state sponsor of international terrorism, and its proxies--Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis in Yemen. The Vice President, whether she appreciates it or not, is sending a message to America's enemies as well. As Joseph Stalin reportedly said, ``you probe with bayonets. If you find mush, you push on. But if you find steel, you withdraw.'' Unfortunately, the message that the Vice President is sending by not attending this address and respecting our friend and ally Israel sends a message of mush, not steel.

As we face growing challenges around the globe, including the threat of Iran's nuclear ambitions and the spread of terrorism, we need leaders who will unequivocally support our allies and uphold our commitments. I can only hope that the Vice President will change her mind and make that commitment this week. I would congratulate her if she did.

But as we look into the future, America needs leaders who understand the importance of our alliances and who are willing to stand shoulder to shoulder with our friends.

As I said earlier, this is not just a message to our friends and allies. This is a message to Israel's enemies and adversaries, because, if they sense a lack of commitment and resolve on the part of the United States to stand with our allies, they are going to continue to do what they started on October 7.

As I said, we need leaders who understand the importance of our alliances and who are willing to stand shoulder to shoulder with our friends. Any leader or would-be leader who fails to meet that bar does not deserve a seat in the Senate, much less in the Oval Office.

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