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Floor Speech

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Mr. MORAN. Madam President, this afternoon Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, in his remarks to a joint session of Congress, reiterated to Congress; to us, the Senate; to the American people; and, really, to the world his determination to defend his country from terrorists supported by Iran who seek the elimination of the Jewish State of Israel.

The United States must continue to provide Israel with crucial military and diplomatic support to make certain the dangers Israel faces can be deterred; and that, if possible, they are defeated, defeated those efforts to terrorize Israel.

The horrific attack by Hamas 9 months ago remains vivid in our thoughts. A few weeks after that attack, I was in Israel to visit with the Prime Minister, to hear firsthand the circumstances that Israel and its citizens faced.

In addition to those killed, the widespread instances of sexual assault and taking hostage of elderly and infants--under these circumstances, no person, no person of conscience, can fail to understand the desire to eliminate Hamas as a threat to the people of Israel.

Our continued assistance to Israel is in our own national interest because the threats our friends face are also threats faced by the United States. This conflict may seem distant from our shores, but make no mistake that those who seek Israel's destruction, aspire to harm American citizens wherever they may be, including here at home.

Madam President, 12 Americans were taken hostage by Hamas on October 7, and 8 still remain held in captivity. Many hostages have died in captivity these last 9 months, making it imperative that Hamas immediately free our citizens.

Hezbollah continues to menace Israel on the northern border with fire being exchanged daily, forcing the evacuation of thousands of Israelis. With more than 100,000 rockets aimed at Israel, Hezbollah, like Hamas, is a direct threat to American citizens living there. It is true there; it is true beyond Israel.

The intelligence community's worldwide threat assessment released this year found that Hezbollah ``maintains the capability to target U.S. persons and interests in the region, worldwide, and, to a lesser extent, in the United States.'' That assessment warns that that group will ``continue to develop its global terrorist capabilities.''

Our government--the United States of America--must commit, alongside our allies and our partners, to degrading Hezbollah's capabilities as a matter of international security.

As we saw, as recently as last Friday's drone strike on a Tel Aviv apartment building, the Houthis in Yemen also pose a significant regional threat. Their slogan, of course, includes ``Death to America, Death to Israel.''

Their capabilities are expanding and have disrupted shipping through the Red Sea by launching attacks on cargo vessels. In response, the U.S. Navy has worked the last 8 months to reestablish the freedom of navigation.

All these attacks--these three groups--what they have in common, with their varying ideologies, is the support that is provided to them by Iran. It is financial aid. It is weapons. It is training. Iran sustains these groups at the expense of our friends in the region and at the expense of our own security and well-being.

Almost exactly 1 year ago today, I stood on this Senate floor--I stood here in the Senate--and called on President Biden to enforce the bipartisan sanctions Congress had passed to choke off the resources Tehran uses to fund its activities. The regime has plotted terrorist attacks on our soil and threatens to assassinate former President Trump along with other officials from his administration. With its nuclear program now only weeks away from producing nuclear weapons, it is all the more imperative to take measures authorized by Congress.

Israel's existence is nonnegotiable, and our shared adversaries must not doubt the resolution of American support. That is one reason why I viewed it as critical to pass the national security supplemental earlier this year, which provided Israel with $26 billion to bolster its military.

Standing with Israel goes beyond a one-off piece of legislation, and I would remind my colleagues that we have begun the appropriations process here in the U.S. Senate. And I will continue this year to advocate for military assistance that strengthens Israel's abilities to defend itself.

As the committee begins to mark up 12 bills for the next fiscal year, I remind my colleagues that it is important we quickly advance our appropriations legislation because of what is at stake for our Nation and for our allies and for those who support our friends.

Support for Israel goes beyond Israel's security. That is an important goal in and of itself. But I remind my colleagues that support for Israel is support for the United States of America.

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