Motion to Discharge--S.J. Res. 111

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. BUDD. Madam President, I rise today to voice my strong opinion to Senator Sanders' attempt to cut off U.S. military support to our friend and ally Israel.

I don't dare denigrate my colleague's intent here or the motives, but I believe the effect is reckless and I believe it is dangerous and I believe it will lead to the loss of even more lives.

We need to remember some basic facts about the difference between the two sides of the conflict here. Israel is Middle East's only democracy. They have been a force for stability in the region that is historically beset by chaos. They have been America's strongest friend in good times and bad. Israel is an unmistakable force for good.

And then you have the terrorists of Hamas. I mean, even their founding charter calls for the destruction of the State of Israel. Hamas's largest benefactor, Iran, lends its materiel and financial support to this cause each and every day. They intentionally target civilians. They target civilians, and they fire rockets into crowded markets, and they preach not just death to Israel and to the Jewish people but death to America.

And then came October 7. On October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists launched an unprovoked and deceitful series of terrorist attacks inside Israel. The level of barbarism that we witnessed was nothing short of evil incarnate--the mass slaughter of innocent civilians; unmistakable and unspeakable violence against women, children, and the elderly. It was the deadliest massacre of the Jewish people since the Holocaust.

These crimes against humanity were also visited upon American citizens as well. Hamas murdered 46 Americans. They kidnapped 12. Seven U.S. citizens remain hostage in Gaza. The State of Israel has every right to root out the genocidal terrorists who committed these acts and eliminate the threat once and for all.

Israel is carrying out this military action with precision, thanks, in part, to munitions from the United States. For example, one of the systems that we sell to the Israelis is tail kits with GPS receivers. These kits convert unguided free-fall bombs into precision-guided bombs. Put simply, these kits turn ``dumb bombs'' into ``smart bombs.''

But Senator Sanders proposes blocking the sale of these systems to the Israelis. And, apparently, Senator Sanders would prefer that Israelis use less accurate weapons to eliminate terrorists.

Now, it doesn't take anything more than common sense to realize that this would make collateral damage even more likely. In Senator Sanders' zeal to undermine our ally, he would make it more likely that Palestinian civilians--who Hamas intentionally uses as human shields-- could be killed.

The bottom line is this: Cutting off U.S. support for an ally in their time of need is just unbecoming of our country. To hamstring the very nation trying to defeat the perpetrators of the October 7 carnage is insulting to the Americans who were murdered and those who are still held hostage. It is just wrong in every conceivable way.

All of these resolutions should be soundly rejected, and this body should stand shoulder to shoulder with Israel as they take the fight to Hamas.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source