Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Minnesota for yielding me the customary 30 minutes, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I want to be clear about something. Democracy is messy, and, yes, at times it can be very frustrating. However, what happened in this Chamber last month, putting everything on hold for 3 weeks as House Republicans failed time and time again to elect a Speaker, was not democracy.

All the drama and all the chaos of the Republican Conference over the last few weeks was not democracy. Shutting down one-half of the United States Congress and immobilizing our national legislature at a time of global turmoil is actually the exact opposite of democracy.

I keep hearing my colleagues across the aisle claim that not having a Speaker for 3 weeks was somehow democracy in action. That is a bunch of baloney. Some of them even said that this impasse made our country look good on the world stage.

Are you kidding me?

What planet do they live on?

Their dysfunction makes us look like idiots.

The American public elected all of us to come here and to represent their interests and their ideals. That is democracy. They didn't send us here to play student government. They didn't send us here to sit around and yell at each other about who gets to be Speaker as if this were ``Lord of the Flies.'' They sent us here to work, to govern, to get things done, and, yes, when necessary, to compromise.

Republicans have a slim majority in the House, Democrats have a slim majority in the Senate, and Joe Biden is President of the United States. To get anything done--anything--Republicans need to come to the table and work with us in a bipartisan way. That is what democracy is. It is compromise. It is consensus.

However, the spectacle that we saw last month of this Chamber sitting empty for weeks on end while Republicans fought with each other, or even the idea that they should be fighting over which member of their conference would compromise with the Democrats the least--let that sink in--is not democracy. That is a national embarrassment.

Now, even after 3 weeks of self-inflicted chaos, the House GOP still doesn't seem to get it. Instead of working across the aisle, they are digging in their heels, and they are continuing to advance their extremely partisan appropriations bills that will never become law. There have been no lessons learned over the last few weeks at all.

The GOP's Interior and Environment funding bill for fiscal year 2024 profits polluters while endangering the health of Americans. It cuts EPA funding to its lowest level since 1991. The bill additionally slashes funding for arts programs and, once again, shoves MAGA culture wars down the throats of the American people. They can't help themselves.

The Republican Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development funding bill for fiscal year 2024 would also keep us from meeting our Nation's infrastructure and housing needs. It cuts funding for housing and transportation programs by 28 percent, putting Americans' safety at risk while, once again, attacking vulnerable communities.

Now, I don't know how often this needs to be said before it sinks in: These draconian cuts to essential programs will not become law. If these bills manage to make it off the House floor, then the Senate will vote them down. It will be a bipartisan vote in the Senate, by the way. Even the Senate Republicans can't stomach this garbage, and if they ever made it to the President's desk, he would veto it.

What I am gathering is that Republicans would rather press forward with

these unreasonable bills instead of coming together to form a funding plan that serves all Americans. We are just over 2 weeks out from a government shutdown, and all Republicans are doing here is wasting more time. This is a complete waste of time. It is ridiculous.

Mr. Speaker, I haven't even got to how cynical--how cynical--and insulting this new supplemental aid package is. Republicans are leveraging the excruciating pain of an international crisis to help rich people who cheat on their taxes and big corporations who regularly dodge their taxes.

Are you kidding me?

The fact of the matter is the richest people in this country pay less in taxes than teachers, than police officers, than firefighters, than nurses, and than laborers.

This is what this is all about?

Who came up with this brilliant idea to help rich tax cheats? Who came up with that idea? Was that hatched at a fundraiser in Mar-a-Lago?

Did some big donor come up and twist somebody's arm and say, You have to do this. You have to protect us. We want to be able to continue to cheat on our taxes so we can make more and keep more money. This is truly despicable.

Here is what I love: The bill's so-called offset cuts $14.3 billion from the IRS which will further increase the deficit. Basically they want to cut funding from those who are responsible for holding big corporations accountable and for going after rich tax cheats. That is their offset.

According to CBO, it will add to the deficit.

Let me repeat that. This bill adds $12.5 billion to the deficit. Their offset actually needs an offset.

Once again, they cry, they cry, and they cry about the deficit, but they have no problem conditioning aid to Israel on another tax break to millionaires, billionaires, and corporations.

Representative Chip Roy who is on the Rules Committee said--or maybe he yelled: The aid ``should be paid for, and it should be paid for with real money, not budgetary gimmicks.''

Nonetheless, that is what this is. This is a budgetary gimmick. It is a big, gigantic, and in-your-face gimmick. It is a joke, and they come to the floor with a straight face to say that somehow we are paying for this package.

Really? How can they say that with a straight face?

It makes sense because they don't like the results of the election and they tried to overturn it. They don't like the math from CBO, by the way, and they pretend it doesn't exist.

Republicans say they are friends of Israel. If I were Israel, I would unfriend them. What they are doing here will delay aid to Israel, not to mention there is no humanitarian aid in here for the vulnerable people in Israel or Gaza.

Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz came before the Rules Committee last night and asked us and tearfully pleaded with us to make in order her amendment for humanitarian aid that the President of the United States requested. This is humanitarian aid for Israel, for Palestinians, and for people in Ukraine. She pleaded with Republicans to unlink their conditions on aid. She offered an amendment to put in the humanitarian aid the Republicans left out, again, and asked that we help some of the most vulnerable people who are caught in the middle of this conflict. These are people in Israel, people in Gaza, and people in Ukraine.

By the way, one-half of the people in Gaza are children, for God's sake. They need food, they need medicine, and they need water. They need it now. They need help now.

I offered Ms. Wasserman Schultz's amendment, and it was voted down. It was voted down by every single Republican.

I have to tell you, Mr. Speaker, the ease and the indifference with which they rejected even making her amendment in order was, quite frankly, chilling.

By the way, there is no aid for Ukraine in this supplemental package. There is nothing. This is what the President asked for.

So Vladimir Putin is happy. I am always amazed at how my friends on the other side of the aisle fall over each other to try to make Vladimir Putin happy. He is happy with the package they are bringing to the floor today. There is no aid for any other national security priorities that the President asked for.

To sum it up, Mr. Speaker, the House is back, but Halloween has been extended. These people are scary, and there is no saying what will happen next. I hope and I pray for the sake of the Nation that House Republicans come to their senses soon. This is no way to govern.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Again, let's make no mistake about it, my Republican friends are deliberately delaying aid to Israel. They are deliberately delaying aid to Israel.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to include in the Record the Statement of Administration Policy for the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act.

Madam Speaker, despite a clear bipartisan path to assisting Israel, House Republicans have decided to go at it alone, alienating Senate Republicans, Democrats, and the President. The President has indicated that he will veto this supplemental in favor of a bipartisan approach that he knows Congress is capable of.

A bipartisan approach is what our allies deserve. A bipartisan approach is what the American people expect, not playing politics with an international crisis to be able to satisfy their richest donors.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to include in the Record an article by The Hill titled: ``GOP plan to `offset' Israel aid with IRS cuts would backfire, budget experts warn.''

Madam Speaker, aid to Israel should not be conditioned on giving greater tax breaks to the rich, let alone a fake offset that adds to the deficit. Again, it is not me who is saying that their budgetary gimmick, their fake offset, is a fake offset. It is the Congressional Budget Office that says it will add $12.5 billion to the deficit.

It doesn't pay for anything. It adds to the deficit. That is according to CBO. That is the office we use to figure out how much things are going to cost. They know that, and they come here and they deliberately distort the facts and distort the truth.

They are conditioning aid to Israel on helping out the richest tax cheats in America. I mean, it is mind-boggling. It is mind-boggling. Again, maybe they will raise money at a fundraiser or something, but it is not the way we should proceed here.

By the way, it is going to delay aid to Israel. The Senate, in a bipartisan way, wants no part of this. The President wants no part of it; therefore, we are wasting time. We are spinning our wheels for no reason at all.

When people come down here, like the gentleman just said, oh, we want to stand by our ally Israel, you know, we are a friend of Israel, I will repeat what I said before: If I were Israel, I would unfriend you because you are delaying the aid package.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell).

Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

My colleagues on the other side of the aisle have promised the American people that they won't cut a single dime from Social Security and Medicare. However, this past September, Budget Committee Republicans passed a budget that favors the wealthy and well connected over working families and makes massive cuts to critical programs that Americans rely on. They even rejected amendments to protect Social Security and Medicare earned benefits.

Madam Speaker, if we defeat the previous question, I will offer a resolution to state unequivocally that the House won't cut a single cent from these crucial programs that so many of our constituents rely on.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of my amendment into the Record along with any extraneous material immediately prior to the vote on the previous question.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close.

Look, the decision here is simple. The two appropriations bills that we are talking about today literally strip billions and billions of dollars that fund essential agency functions and services. Members are either for these extreme funding cuts or they are not.

I would say to my friends on the Republican side who like to masquerade as moderates that they can't get away with saying, oh, I just wanted to move the process along. The bottom line is, you vote for these bills, you own what is in them. Please understand that.

On the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, they cut $26 billion below the 2023 levels. It raises costs while threatening to damage our Nation's economy. It makes travel and communities less safe. Who does that?

It further harms our environment and ignores the impact of climate change. I mean, open your eyes. I would say to my Republican friends: If Republicans don't believe that climate change is real now, then they are hopeless. They are hopeless. They should go retire. They are not fit to be here.

It strips away equal access to housing and community development investments. Who does that?

On the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, again, there are deep, deep cuts. Cuts aimed at trying to undo attempts to deal with the climate crisis. We are having wildfires all over the world and in this country; extreme weather conditions, floods and droughts. I mean, talk to your farmers, talk to people in your community. Everybody gets it, except the Republican Conference here has its head in the sand.

On these appropriation bills, it is clear. I mean, read the bills. Read the bills. I don't know how anybody could come here with a straight face and say that this is good legislating. The only thing that is good is the fact that they are so extreme that even Senate Republicans are not going to take any of this garbage seriously.

The supplemental aid bill is as disastrous as it is disgraceful. Everybody in this House, everybody is horrified by the events of October 7. A terrible tragedy occurred that day. Israeli civilians were massacred that day. My Republican friends say they want to help Israel, and so what do they do? They condition the aid to Israel on essentially a tax break for millionaires, billionaires, and corporations that cheat on their taxes. Really? That is what they are thinking about? That is the focus? Don't miss an opportunity to help the well off and the well connected. Don't miss an opportunity to help tax cheats.

Let's not miss an opportunity to help millionaires, billionaires, and big corporations to try to cheat on their taxes. They may be big donors, but I am going to tell you what they do is not right. It is illegal. They ought to be held accountable, the same way that average working people are held accountable.

Rich people in this country do not pay taxes anywhere near as much as average workers in this country. Rich people don't pay as much taxes as nurses, teachers, laborers, and people who work hard every day just to make ends meet. Come on, we ought to be able to agree on that. However, to condition any aid on helping protect these tax cheaters? Boy, that is cynical. It tells you where their priorities are, Madam Speaker.

The question is, Members either want to provide the aid to Israel or they don't. If Republicans really were serious about this, they wouldn't politicize it. If Republicans were really serious about this, they would be working in a bipartisan way not only with Democrats in the House but with Republicans and Democrats in the Senate and with the White House, and let's get this thing done quickly but they can't do it.

They decide that they can't bring themselves to support any kind of humanitarian aid. Half the people who live in Gaza, half the people are children. Children. They are not Hamas. They are just innocent children. The idea that we will get to a humanitarian aid package, oh, whenever we feel like it, I mean, really? Are you watching the footage on TV? Are you reading anything about the reports, about the suffering? These children need help now. They needed help a week ago. The idea that, oh, we just can't talk about that right now, is inhumane. It is inhumane.

There is nothing in here to help Ukraine. By the way, there is a humanitarian crisis unfolding in Ukraine as well. That humanitarian aid package would help those innocent people caught in the crossfire in Ukraine, but can't be bothered. We have to help protect tax breaks for rich people. That is the priority. Not the suffering people of Ukraine.

No security package for Ukraine, nothing. Vladimir Putin is celebrating as we speak. That is exactly what he wants. I am sure my friends will get great coverage on Moscow TV because this is exactly what Putin has been hoping for, that Congress will walk away from helping the Ukrainians defend their sovereignty.

Russia attacked Ukraine, tried to invade Ukraine with only provocation, and you are acting like it is no big deal; and the people that are being caught in the crossfire, well, we can't be bothered with giving you any humanitarian aid.

Other national security priorities the President asked for will be put on the back burner.

What is this Republican majority thinking? What world are they living in?

Again, please don't repeat the lie that the majority is paying for things with these offsets. These offsets are not real. The Congressional Budget Office says it. I get that Republicans don't like that the CBO says it, but CBO tells the truth. The majority can either ignore it or not, but don't say that somehow we are offsetting the costs of our foreign aid package here. We are not. It is a joke. It is an insult to the intelligence of the American people. It is an insult to the Members of Congress who serve in this institution. Plus, my Republican colleagues say it with a straight face. What is going on here?

The chaos of the Republican Party is no longer just about the Republican Party. It has become an international embarrassment for our country. The way they are handling legislation today is an international embarrassment for our country.

The insensitivity that is being demonstrated for innocent civilians being caught in the crossfire of these conflicts is an embarrassment for this country. It is a failure of government, and this is a national security threat.

The Grand Old Party, the once-great party of Lincoln and Eisenhower, is no longer fit to govern. They are no longer fit to govern. It no longer represents a coherent political philosophy or ideology. It relies on scandal and spectacle to mask sedition, selfishness, and greed. How else do we explain the giveaway to tax cheats in their Israel aid package?

I am pleading with normal Republicans, traditional Republicans, with courage, integrity, and guts. We need them to retake their party. I want a strong Democratic Party, but we need a strong, principled Republican Party if this country is going to work. Right now, we do not have that.

What is happening here today is wasting our time on appropriations bills that are so extreme in terms of what they cut that they are going nowhere. We are wasting our time on that and the cynical attempt to help big donors who cheat on their taxes by conditioning aid to Israel on protecting them. Who thought that one up? I don't even know where that idea came from. Who thought it was a good idea to do this?

At a time of an international crisis, it would be nice if we all spoke with one voice. Wouldn't it be great if everybody could stand up here and say we are together and meeting the challenges appropriately, properly, and decisively? That is not what we are doing today.

I have to say, Madam Speaker, just when you think it can't get any worse around here, it does.

I will close with this: I still can't get out of my head the ease with which my Republican friends on the Rules Committee voted to not even allow us to consider the amendments by Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz, especially the one on humanitarian aid.

There was no discussion. There was no debate. Let's quickly all reject it as if it was no big deal.

Look at those pictures. Look at those pictures of not only what is happening in the Middle East but what is happening in Ukraine.

We have to start asking ourselves why we are here. We are supposed to be about helping people in this country. We are supposed to be about standing for human rights all around the world. Yet, we are dealing with these garbage appropriations bills that are a disgrace. We are dealing with a supplemental aid package that is insufficient in so many ways in terms of what it doesn't fund, and it is so cynical. It is so cynical.

Again, I urge my colleagues, Madam Speaker, to vote ``no'' on this rule. I urge them to vote ``no'' on all the underlying bills. I urge my Republican colleagues to go to one of their many conferences that they seem to have five times a day to try to work out their problems within their Conference and actually come to an agreement that maybe we ought to put the country and doing what is right ahead of everything else.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, what if it was your family in these body bags? What if your wife, your daughter, or your mom were raped, tortured, and killed? What if videos of your baby or your grandchild being massacred were posted all over social media? What if a month had passed and there has been no meaningful action from your ally, the most powerful nation in the world?

I stand here today to right this wrong. Today, we will show the world that, once again, America will be there to do justice, to stand up for humanity, and ensure Hamas does not become more powerful.

As I stand in this Chamber, we have the opportunity to send a real message to Iran and its terrorist proxies that we will stop their hatred and evil from spreading.

This morning, I rise in support of the bipartisan, House-passed, standalone legislation to provide aid to the people of Israel, our strongest ally in the Middle East, during their ongoing war with Hamas. It is hard to believe that today marks a month--a month--since the October 7 savage attacks by the Hamas army of terror on the people of Israel.

Hamas unleashed an attack that was worse than animals, killing thousands of Israelis and 36 American citizens. And, right now, there are as many as 240 people taken hostage by these savages that only know one language: death and destruction.

Right now, there are families of hostages here at the U.S. Capitol begging for their loved ones to be no longer tortured, for their loved ones to reach safety from the grips of this evil army of terror.

Time is of the essence. And it is imperative that the Senate not delay delivering this crucial aid to Israel another day. A timely military aid package with a unified voice from Congress showing support for Israel will not only add to Israel's stability, it will slow down and hopefully stop the evil plots of Hamas, Iran, and its proxies.

Our bill provides military assistance and resources to Israel at the exact spending levels the Biden administration has requested. And I want to emphasize: These are the exact spending levels President Biden put forth that he agrees Israel needs in this time of war.

You can imagine my surprise--and the surprise of many--to hear that our Commander in Chief, admitting to a significant security crisis in the Middle East, has threatened to veto this aid package.

Now, think about this. Our President is threatening to veto the aid he requested from Congress. With this veto, he would snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. And why? ``Why?'' many, many people are asking. Just because it isn't being leveraged for a $105 billion boondoggle package with another blank check to another unending war in Ukraine.

Today, we plan on calling the President's bluff and delivering this critical standalone measure in a bipartisan victory for the White House. We must fast-track this much needed assistance to one of our staunchest allies: the people of Israel.

If this military aid and our strong message of support is not delivered soon, Israel will find itself fighting a war on three fronts. We know that Iran has those capabilities; that through their proxy forces, they have the ability to send long-range missiles to Israel from Lebanon and Yemen.

Helping our ally who is fighting a war from all angles against Hamas shouldn't require a prolonged battle here in Congress. This is a no- brainer and should have been done yesterday--or the week before.

The support for this package to Israel is bipartisan and bicameral. Again, our legislation honors the spending levels outlined by the Biden administration for Israel and keeps aid to Israel separate from the other conflicts.

What I want to make perfectly clear to every American is that our standalone package is an opportunity to secure a huge, bipartisan win for all of humankind and get aid to Israel quickly. The legislation we brought to the floor today ensures that funding for Israel is not coupled with a billion dollars of additional moneys in aid to Ukraine, Taiwan, or for a mass amnesty program at the border.

By passing this standalone spending bill today, the Senate will expedite the arrival of the assistance to Israel after the House and our newly elected Speaker, Mike Johnson, passed with bipartisan support.

Now, many of us have concerns about the Ukraine conflict. But until the White House answers the 12 questions posed by the House, including the need for an inspector general and a clear-cut peace strategy, many of us will continue to block sending billions more in dollars to what looks like a stalemate that has already, tragically, cost over 200,000 lives.

Here in the home front, what is even more disheartening for the American people is this White House embrace of open-border policies that has allowed almost 10 million--that is right, we are approaching 10 million illegal crossings of our border, making every State a border State and every American less safe.

And it is a poke in the eye to every Member of Congress who has been to

the border and advocated for border security. This President sends us a $105 billion bill, gaslighting the American people with a small fraction of this money going to Israel, and funds to make our border even more porous--more open--with an asylum-assist program on steroids.

This is a slap in the face and disrespectful for the families who have lost a loved one to the fentanyl crisis, for the communities who are overwhelmed by our open borders, and for every American who feels less and less safe in their own homes every day. This package the White House has given us is the only unserious package in town, jammed with very serious topics, and each of these issues should be debated fully, completely, and individually.

But today, on this Senate floor, we have the opportunity to make a difference for the people of Israel and all mankind. The legislation we brought to the floor would provide $14 billion to Israel, including $3.5 billion for foreign military financing and $200 million in diplomatic funding to help protect the U.S. Embassy and personnel.

This bill would provide funding for the Iron Dome and Iron Beam defense systems. It will allow the United States to stockpile more weapons in Israel and provide more funding to protect U.S. Embassies.

Importantly, this bill strips all aid to Gaza, which we know is frequently commandeered by Hamas.

All this will make Israel safer and help stop this war. And, yes, Israel has the right to defend itself and to defend its people.

Our legislation is a real opportunity to find common ground and unite here to help our allies. It passed with 226 bipartisan votes in the House. Let's stop playing politics and pass this stand-alone bill for Israel right now. The House moved quickly to deliver this legislation to us here in the Senate. We should do the same and get it to the President's desk today.

Today, I am pleased to be joined by one of my colleagues from the great State of Ohio, Senator Vance, in leading this effort in the Senate and pushing for its passage today so we don't delay this critical funding for our greatest ally in the Middle East, Israel, and stop the spread of terror.

I yield to the gentleman from Ohio.

As if in legislative session, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 6126, which was received from the House. I further ask that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. President, this has certainly been one of the most substantive debates we have had up here--very meaningful and very important to myself--because it exposes what our priorities are as Senators to everybody across the Nation.

Today, I heard lots of arguments on why we should combine funding. People essentially want to leverage support for Israel for their own priorities. Again, there were lots of arguments on why we should combine the funding, but I didn't hear one meaningful argument that describes why we should not fund Israel singularly. Why shouldn't we just do it by itself? There is near unanimous agreement up here. This is a great opportunity to say, indeed, this is the time to support Israel. No one is abandoning Ukraine today. We are not abandoning Taiwan today.

But it is interesting to me that no one talked about the concern of the corruption in Ukraine, talked about their federal government nationalizing communications companies, the fact that Poland and Hungary and other countries are leaving them and saying that they don't support the war anymore.

No one is talking about peace. No one is talking about the 200,000 people who have already died in Ukraine. Are those bodies--are those people not important as well? Why isn't America leading a peace agreement?

Time is of the essence. Time is of the essence. But, as we can tell today, we can debate each and every one of these topics until the Sun sets here, until the Sun rises in Israel, but there is not unanimous-- not near unanimous support for Ukraine without some certain questions being answered. Lots of questions need to be answered. Is there a plan?

Look at the schedules this week. Why are we talking about some type of supplemental bill on the floor? Why don't we have it on the floor yet? If we were serious up here, if my leaders across the aisle and at the White House were serious, they would have had something on the floor last week. This is the administration that takes a week to decide to send an aircraft carrier when our allies are in need. The schedule this week is embarrassing, what we are spending time on up here.

I want to go back to priorities. I think so often all these causes are important, and we all agree that we need to address each and every one of them, but if I listen to my friends across the aisle, they would describe Ukraine as the priority.

I don't think anyone back home can really take the President's supplemental bill as serious when he actually makes the border more open. Ten million people have crossed the border illegally under his watch, and what he throws into this supplemental package is actually going to increase the number of people crossing the border illegally. The priority should be to fix a broken immigration system and to secure the border; that at the end of the day, there are less people crossing the border illegally, not more; that we need a policy that turns off this magnet of asking people to come here.

At the end of the day, what it looks like to me is my friends across the aisle want to take this opportunity of support for Israel and leverage it to pass their votes for their own agenda--an agenda of an open border, endless funding for an endless war in Ukraine.

Every day I wake up, I pray that I would do justice, that I would love mercy, and I would like to think that would be true of every Member of the Senate.

The argument today is not about the IRS. It is not about what is happening in the House. It is about what we are saying. It is about what we are doing and our willingness to stand up and fight in this case for the people of Israel. But this is a battle that goes way beyond just a battle between the people of Israel and the Hamas army of terror; this is a battle for the future of humankind.

We have encountered 179 known terrorists on the watch list, 60,000 aliens of interest have crossed our border, and the numbers go on. Just this week, they caught a terrorist who was released at the border, caught in New York as well.

This is about doing what is fair, what is right, and what is just. We may disagree on Ukraine. We may disagree on what we should do in Taiwan. We definitely disagree on what we should do at the border. And I will admit to you, I could be wrong on Ukraine. It will take history 50 or 100 or 200 years to find out who was right or wrong on Ukraine. But I am telling you this. You can take this to the bank: I am right on securing the border, and I am right on supporting Israel.

Mr. President, I yield the floor.

Mr. President, time is of the essence. Yes, time is of the essence, and that is why I rise today, once again, in calling for the immediate passage of the House-led and passed bipartisan, standalone aid package for Israel that will provide our ally with $14 billion in military assistance for their ongoing war with the savage Hamas terrorists. This standalone bill does not use Israel as a lever to fund Ukraine funding or to make our border more porous to terrorists and criminals.

I want to start by sharing two stories--the stories of two gentlemen I met last week. I am going to start with Doran. Doran's brother was the mayor of a kibbutz located within a stone's throw from Gaza. As the mayor, he often welcomed Palestinians from Gaza. He shared meals with them and conversed with them. It was a peace-loving family. But on the morning of October 7, Doran's brother, the mayor, was brutally murdered by Hamas.

But that wasn't enough. Next, his brother's mother-in-law was murdered. Then, his son was murdered and, finally, a nephew. In a matter of a few hours, a woman lost her husband, her mother, her son, and her nephew.

The other story I want to share is of two brothers, Gal and Guy. Gal was the older brother. Guy was the younger brother. They went to the peace and love music festival, just about 3 miles away from the Gaza Strip. And, on the morning of October 7, Gal was watching over his brother Guy, and they heard gunshots, and they heard rockets going off, and they both decided to run for their cars. They were split up, and, while Gal made it home, Guy never did.

Later that same day, his family saw horrifying videos of his brother lying on the ground, handcuffed, and who remains a hostage to this day. And, of course, we have no idea if Guy is alive or not.

So I ask: Why is this important? Why is time of the essence?

Listen, Israel is a powder keg, and it is about ready to explode. For starters, since we were here last, Hamas leadership has declared its desire for a permanent state of war with Israel on all borders. There continues to be a barrage of missiles, rockets, and drone attacks on Israel that has worsened since the war broke out, with Hamas firing at Israel nearly 10,000 times.

Since October 7, 50 attacks have occurred on U.S. military installations. Some 52 American soldiers have been injured, not to mention that we lost 30-some Americans, killed on October 7 by these monsters called Hamas.

So why is time of the essence? Right now, there are still hundreds of innocent people, like Gal's brother Guy, being held captive, and, most likely, being tortured and raped by Hamas terrorists, including 10 Americans.

So I stand here today, again, calling on my Democratic colleagues to do the right thing, and today--yes, today--pass this aid for Israel in their time of need. It has been over 5 weeks since the Hamas army of terror launched its savage and brutal assault on our greatest ally in the Middle East. The House and its bipartisan solution have only been met with obstruction by my friends across the aisle in this Chamber, and

the American public wants to know why the White House and my friends here across the aisle insist upon leveraging this funding in order to fund their other priorities.

Is there really anybody across the aisle who objects to Israel receiving funding and to help stop this war against humanity?

This delay in providing this aid is not lost on Israel, raising questions about our commitment as an ally, and perhaps equally concerning is the message it sends to Hamas terrorists, emboldening them in their murderous endeavors. And our slow response reinforces the White House message that America has no redline, and they can continue to attack our military without significant recourse.

America is not a fair-weather friend. We must stand unequivocally with Israel, a country that has stood beside us as a staunch ally through thick and thin. We must pass this aid today.

Now, when I met with Doran--who lost, as you recall, four members of his family on October 7--he pledged with me to help get one clear message to the American people: Hamas does not use logic. We are not dealing with a civilized nation here. Their evil defies any type of logic. They don't make sense. These people are evil monsters who rape, torture, and kill their enemies.

And, by the way, every person in this room is one of their enemies. Anyone in America who does not believe in their religious ideas is their enemy, whom they have pledged to kill.

Hamas, Iran, and its proxies have all taken an oath to kill every American. Yet some of my colleagues across the aisle have attempted to delay the delivery of this critical military assistance, as they call for negotiations with these terrorists in a ceasefire.

I would ask each one of my friends across the aisle who is holding up this bipartisan funding to sit down with a victim of Hamas's savage attacks. Please invite any one of the 170 family members who are here on Capitol Hill today, who have family members currently being held as hostages--their friends and family members being used as a human shield by this evil terrorist group. I am asking you to sit down with them and listen to their stories of how Hamas terrorists tortured, maimed, and massacred the most Jewish people in a single day since the horror of horrors, the Nazi Holocaust.

I want to make sure it is clear today: Hamas evil defies any logic. There is no negotiating with them. There are no terms that they would seriously consider. All they understand are death, horror, and destruction.

Let's make this point perfectly clear. Our hesitation to provide bipartisan funding to our staunch ally Israel empowers Hamas and gives Iran and its proxies a green light to kill Americans.

I would like to urge everyone to take this measure and adopt it immediately. And, for now, I would like to yield to the gentleman from Ohio, my friend Senator Vance.

Mr. President, let me start by thanking my colleagues from the great State of Ohio and Missouri for standing beside the people of Israel unequivocally.

But before we turn the floor back to those who protest too much, those who protest against this stand-alone Israel funding, let's address some of the objections made by the Senate Democrats last week.

It is important that we focus on the urgency of aiding Israel without tying it to other complex, timekilling, unrelated conflicts.

In last week's debate here on the Senate floor on Israel's safety and security, Senate Democrats mentioned Ukraine 77 times, more than twice of what they mentioned Israel.

I ask Americans to listen to this debate and count for themselves how many times my friends across the aisle mention Ukraine but turn their back, almost like they are allergic, to using the word ``Israel.''

They took 45 minutes of their hour-long speeches to make their case for Ukraine funding. Look, I get it. I get it: You want to fund Ukraine. But let's have that debate another day.

What Americans understand about Ukraine is that Joe Biden has thrown $113 billion at the problem with minimal accountability. And in return, 200,000 people have died. Americans understand that the war in Ukraine is at a stalemate, and it is going to turn into a 7-, probably 10-year war. It is going to turn into a war of attrition. What is the plan, Americans want to know? How much more of their blood and treasure do we have to send overseas? Let's debate Ukraine funding another day.

Now, next, my friends across the aisle are going to use the pay-fors as an excuse. If that is the reason you won't support stand-alone funding for Israel, then give us a different pay-for. But, meanwhile, time is of the essence. Your caucus and our caucus are divided on funding for Ukraine. Your caucus and our caucus are divided on how to solve the open-border crisis.

And I don't hear any solutions offered from the Republican-controlled House, the people's House, that the first thing we don't hear from the White House and the Senate leadership is that it is dead on arrival, and vice versa. Anything that we are offering they say is dead on arrival.

Folks, we are no closer today on figuring out Ukraine funding or how to solve the open-border crisis than we were a month ago, two months ago, six months ago. We are months apart, I think we are infinitely apart, from solving these problems.

Meanwhile, Hamas and Iran grow more emboldened and World War III inches closer. I don't hear anyone saying, from either side of the aisle, don't fund Israel. So why don't we fund Israel today? Don't tell me why we should fund Ukraine. Don't tell me you don't like the pay- for. Stand up today and tell me why we shouldn't fund Israel today. Tell me why we shouldn't use Israel as a leverage for your other priorities.

Tell me why we shouldn't send a message to Hamas and Iran. And the message that we are going to send them is that we will not tolerate this barbarism, these atrocities, these crimes against humanity.

Time is of the essence. The House has passed a stand-alone bill to fund Israel. The Senate should do the same.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 6126, which is received from the House. I further ask the bill be considered read a third time and passed, and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. President, I call for regular order.

Mr. President, thank you to my colleagues for their comments today and for their arguments. Many were good arguments. Some of the facts, the American people disagree with. Some of the conclusions, the American people disagree with.

What I heard today was once again from my colleagues spending 80 percent of their time focusing on Ukraine funding; but I didn't hear one person say why we shouldn't go ahead and fund Israel today, why we shouldn't send a bill to the President's desk today.

Look, we have debated Ukraine at lengths. Put a bill on the floor. Let's

vote on Ukraine funding. My friends across the aisle have said that Ukraine is winning this war, and many of the same reasons they give us to continue to support Ukraine are the same words I heard in grade school as to why we should support the cause in Vietnam. They are the same arguments.

If Ukraine is winning, then why have Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary abandoned Ukraine? Why is the frontline not moving?

Some of my friends brought up aid. Look, if you want aid to the hospitals in Gaza, if you want aid to Gaza itself, then tell Iran to stand down. Tell Hamas to release the hostages. I don't hear anyone talking about that. Tell Hamas to surrender. Let's send a message from the Senate that we unequivocally stand beside Israel.

And I will close with this: One of my friends across the aisle talked about President Reagan. What I will remember about President Reagan and, before him, Eisenhower is that they stressed peace through strength. But this White House is giving us war through weakness.

Time is of the essence. We need to get Israel the funding. Thank you.

Madam President, twice before, Republicans have come to this floor to attempt to pass by unanimous consent the House-passed stand-alone aid package to Israel that would provide our ally with $14 billion in military assistance for their fight to destroy the Hamas terrorists and send a loud message to Iran and its proxies.

I would like to yield the floor to the Senator from Florida.

Madam President, I would like to yield the floor to the senior Senator from Tennessee.

Madam President, I would like to yield some time to the senior Senator from Alabama.

Next, I would like to yield the floor to my good friend, a staunch supporter of the people of Israel, the senior Senator from Texas.

Madam President, I sure appreciate the Senator from Texas speaking up and the wise words he shared. It reminds me of an old saying, that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, that funding Israel today is worth two of these other issues that seemingly just never can come together as we try to solve this four-headed riddle.

As I said earlier, this is now my third time to the floor to try to pass with unanimous consent the House-passed, stand-alone aid package to Israel that would provide our ally with $14 billion in military assistance.

Now, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle stood on the Senate floor and debated with us and lectured us on why this bipartisan, House-passed legislation that maintains the exact spending levels requested by President Biden is somehow unreasonable. But I would like to share with you what I think is unreasonable. I think it is the Democrats' unwillingness to help our ally and separate this package to get it to the President's desk today. Unreasonable is my colleagues across the aisle using the crisis in Israel to secure more money for Ukraine. But what is unfathomable is what this body just admitted--that we are nowhere closer to getting this aid package passed than we were on October 7 when the war broke out.

In case nobody is paying attention, tomorrow will be 2 months to the day that Hamas brutally and savagely attacked the people of Israel.

I think we need to be honest with the American people. Negotiations aren't just stalled; they never started. Meaningful negotiations never started. We have a better chance of finding an ocean in Kansas than this $106 billion package seeing the light of day.

Today, every single Republican sent a unanimous message to the Democrat leadership and 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue: We will not be bullied into voting on massive spending packages that use Israel as leverage to fund Democrat priorities, and we will not vote for any legislation that secures foreign nations' borders but not our own.

So here we are once again offering an olive branch to separate this package out and address each of these issues one at a time. The House made this easy for us. They passed a bipartisan bill that would grant aid to Israel and allow us to break this logjam and focus on the more pressing matter to our national security: the border. The border. The border. The border.

Now, the Democrats showed their hands 2 weeks ago when they voted unanimously against our bipartisan, stand-alone Israel aid bill that would have fast-tracked this package straight to the President's desk before Thanksgiving. But, sadly, this city loves to make the perfect the enemy of the good.

The sensible thing for this body to do now is pass this bipartisan, stand-alone aid bill for Israel. This legislation passed the House over a month ago and could be delivered to President Biden's desk tonight. We should pass aid to Israel and then continue debating a potential broader package.

Now, I have never heard of an American asking for more IRS agents. And if you are concerned about the pay-fors we presented, as I said time and time again, show us another pay-for.

It is time to end the political talking points that we have heard on this floor.

And please don't insult our intelligence. Don't insult the intelligence of Americans with the fake border security that is in this bigger, broader package that will only accelerate asylum, leading to more people crossing our border illegally.

If you plan to object to this stand-alone bill's passage on the ground that military aid to Israel should include conditions, I want to note for the record that senior officials from the White House have said they are not pursuing such conditions.

So, indeed, let's come together. Let's all come to the table. We tried it your way, and it failed. This is a huge opportunity to secure a bipartisan win and get to work on the most immediate threat to our national security--our wide-open southern border.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 6126, which was received from the House. I further ask that the bill be considered

read a third time and passed and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. President, what we have brought forward tonight is a House-passed, stand-alone package of aid for Israel. We didn't bring forward the entire security package, which already failed. We have tried that. It didn't work.

So many of my colleagues across the aisle, indeed, spoke eloquently in support of Ukraine as well as Israel. I think back to what my college track coach said.

He said:

Don't tell me. Show me.

So I am going to quote some words from the Democratic Party, and I want you to think about the words lining up with the actions. When people vote against the stand-alone aid for Israel, is that consistent with their own words?

This is Secretary Blinken on October 13:

No country can tolerate having a terrorist group come in,

slaughter its people in the most unconscionable ways and live

like that. What Israel is doing is not retaliation, it is

defending the lives of its people.

Next is Secretary Austin on October 20:

So, make no mistake: The United States will make sure that

Israel has what it needs to defend itself.

Next, President Biden on October 10:

So, in this moment, we must be crystal clear: We stand with

Israel.

He says it again.

We stand with Israel, and we will make sure Israel has what

it needs to take care of its citizens, defend itself, and

respond to this attack.

Again, President Biden on 20 October:

In Israel, we must make sure that they have what they need

to protect their people today and always.

Finally, the majority leader, the senior Senator from New York, on 15 November:

We will not rest until you get the assistance you need.

Folks, this is the opportunity. This is the time. This is the time to stand up for Israel, to make good on those pledges. I meticulously listened to my friends across the aisle and their arguments. What we are talking about today--what the bill is about today--is aid to Israel.

As I listened carefully to their objections, their objection with this particular bill was with the pay-fors, and I respect that. The second objection was that they wanted more humanitarian assistance to Hamas and the people of Gaza as well, and I respect that as well.

So bring us that bill--that stand-alone bill--that includes what you think is appropriate for a pay-for and what type of humanitarian assistance you want to make sure Hamas gets as well.

But the real argument--the real argument made tonight--was to use Israel as a tool, to use it as a lever to fund Ukraine. And, again, I listened carefully. I tried to count how many times my friends across the aisle said ``Ukraine'' or ``Putin,'' and I stopped when I got to over 50. Israel was mentioned less than 10 times. They talked

about their national security package--their supplemental package--and they really should call it the ``lovefest for Ukraine'' package.

I respect where they are coming from. I think it is how and how much and when do we give the people of Ukraine right now in a situation that has been a stalemate for a year--really, no progress made for a year.

Two hundred thousand people have died in that war and 500,000 casualties. There is no end in sight. This looks to me like a 7- or 10- year war. It looks like it is Vietnam all over again.

I remember the early days of Vietnam, when there were a few people saying: Slow down. Let's stop. There are too many people who are dying in this situation right now.

Let's have that debate. Let's pull Ukraine out, and let's have that debate.

I honestly believe, if we would have passed this Israel package a month ago and then worked on a Ukraine package starting then, we would have a Ukraine package done.

What I wish is that my friends across the aisle were as passionate, though, about the security of our own southern border as about the lines of another country--the property lines of another country, their boundaries.

I think I heard my friends across the aisle talk about the border maybe four or five times. The No. 1 national security threat--the most immediate national security threat to Americans--is our open southern border. Do we have to repeat the numbers? Ten million people have crossed the border illegally in the past 3 years, 1.7 million ``got- aways,'' 70,000 aliens of interest, hundreds of known terrorists.

All the lights are blinking red right now. All the lights are blinking red. That is what Director Wray said, yesterday, up here on the Hill, that on terrorist threats, all the lights are blinking red. And why wouldn't they, with these 1.7 million ``got-aways'' throughout the country doing who knows what?

If my friends across the aisle are serious about a national security supplemental package, it starts with meaningful security at the southern border--meaningful security, not a process that actually promotes more people crossing the border.

It has to include something that impacts asylum and parole. It has to literally secure the border, I think, even to begin this next debate. America needs to get its own house in order before we can help fix other people's houses.

I understand the needs across this world are many. And my compassion, my heart, whether it is for the people of Ukraine, the people of Israel--I share those same compassions, but we just can't keep throwing good money after bad money. We have to have people with accountability. We have to make sure that there is a goal--that there is a goal that we can win.

So, at the end of the day, the most prudent thing for this body to do would be to pass this standalone aid for Israel. Take it off the chess board. Let's get that one done. But, instead, my friends across the aisle want to use it as a political tool, a tool to leverage their funding for Ukraine. Let's have that discussion separately.

I think it is time that this body do what we say we want to do. Let's not rest until we get this assistance to Israel.

I yield the floor.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the appropriations chair, my good friend from Texas, for yielding and for bringing this important legislation, which I strongly support.

We have seen the atrocities in Israel. We have also stood by Israel. In fact, the United States is proud to be the first country that recognized Israel as a Jewish state on the heels of World War II as the nations were coming together and recognizing the importance that we all get behind a Jewish state. Unfortunately, from that day there were always people around the neighborhood who wished Israel harm.

Over time, you have seen peace agreements, Abraham Accords, but you have always seen seeds of discord. Of course, the biggest discord started with Iran funding terrorist organizations like Hamas. Hamas took action weeks ago, atrocities that are hard to repeat that we have seen and the world needs to continue to see because, unfortunately, as the world is seeing the atrocities, while we recognize the lives that have been lost--not only Israelis, Jews, Americans, Palestinians--but you also see the ugly head of anti-Semitism popping up.

Here on college campuses in the United States, other places around the Nation and the world, where anti-Semitism seems to rise its ugly head at times when Israel seems to be in a dangerous position, these are times when we all need to be standing with Israel, giving them the tools they need to make sure they can defend themselves against these atrocities. That is what this legislation does.

In fact, we worked with the leadership in Israel. We worked with the Biden administration, the Pentagon, and others who know what is at stake. We have had long-time partnerships in our strength and our defense systems. If you think about the Iron Dome and David's Sling weapons systems that will be replenished with this legislation, a lot of this is American technology that has been partnered with Israel over many, many years to save lives in Israel.

And as those weapons systems get depleted, we need to make sure they are replenished; the Iron Beam system, a more advanced missile systems. Some of the other partnerships that we have had for a long time, that is also funded in this bill. We are making sure that Israel has the tools they need.

We came out of the box ensuring, under Speaker Mike Johnson, that we send a strong message to the world that we support Israel, passing strong legislation to unite behind Israel. But now we need to back that up with action, with the support in military strength that they need to continue this conflict.

And it is actually paid for; paid for not by taking away existing IRS agents, but tens of thousands of new proposed IRS agents. And where are they coming from? Who are they going after? If you look at the CBO report, the proposed IRS agents that we would be defunding in this, we are actually helping President Biden keep his promise. You heard over and over again, President Biden said no American

making under $400,000 will pay a dime in new taxes. We all heard that. It was a promise made over and over again, except President Biden broke that promise.

Families making under $400,000 are paying more in new taxes, and part of that is the army of IRS agents that they are sending after people, tens of thousands. Under this bill, these IRS agents that we would be eliminating save the American taxpayers making under $400,000 a total of $4 billion. That is $4 billion back in the pockets of hardworking families who were promised by President Biden they wouldn't see their taxes go up. Yet, he wanted to put tens of thousands of IRS agents looking into and raising their taxes. That won't happen if this bill passes, which is more money they need right now because prices are higher on those families.

At the end day, sending the message that we are willing to stand up to Iran and give Israel the tools they need--tomorrow, we are bringing more legislation, by the way, in the SHIP Act, to put sanctions on Iranian oil. Again, Iran is at the heart and center of funding Hamas.

Hamas started this. As the President talks about a cease-fire, it was Hamas who broke the cease-fire when they invaded and attacked and murdered, barbarically, Israel.

Israel needs the right to defend themselves. They need the tools to defend themselves, but let's also defund Iran and the money they are getting. They made $80 billion during the Biden administration selling their oil on world markets. We need to pass that legislation tomorrow, which we will, and hopefully in a very big bipartisan vote. We need to start today by passing this legislation to give them the tools they need in Israel to make sure that they can push back and destroy Hamas and protect those citizens in Israel who deserve peace. America has always stood by our ally Israel. Let's continue that today. I urge passage.

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to yield to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) for the purposes of a colloquy. I still call him Leader Hoyer.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the conversations that the gentleman and I have had. He has led many delegations to Israel. I think most of us have been to Israel and seen firsthand some of those towns. I have been to Sderot and other cities that have come under attack. I have seen the heartbreak going to some of the kibbutzim and have heard the harrowing stories. We want to make sure they get their relief.

I also know this. Obviously, as we talk about funding of government, we just passed an appropriations bill last night, and we are going to be moving after we get through this bill into two more appropriations bills. We will be working late into the night and tomorrow on more appropriations bills to properly fund government.

If you look at the bills we have already sent over to the Senate, that includes the Defense appropriations bill, that includes more funding for Israel, along with the State and Foreign Operations bill that also includes more funding for Israel.

When we have had heads of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, military leaders, come before us in committees to testify about the major threats globally, they have been asked pointblank: What is the major threat to America? You would think if you are a military leader, you would be talking about maybe China and some of the threats that they pose that we know are very real and other countries. That is not what they talked about. They talked about our Nation's debt, that the Nation's debt is the biggest threat.

If we can do both, support our friends around the world and start confronting our Nation's debt--we are going to have to do this over and over again. The Speaker talked about a debt commission that got a lot of bipartisan interest, in fact, bicameral interest. These are all issues we have to confront at the same time.

We are going to continue to do our work. The Senate could pass that bill to the President's desk, and I think in the end he would sign it. If the Senate passes this bill that we are going to pass today to the Senate, I have no doubt the President would sign this bill.

We have to confront our challenges here. We need border security. As we talk about Ukraine, we need to secure America's border, because we know there are people on the terrorist watch list coming into our country right now that we cannot ignore.

This administration might be ignoring it. Democrat mayors and Republican mayors alike recognize it is a problem in major cities that has to be confronted. We are going to confront it and continue to work on those issues, as well. All of this has to be dealt with at the same time. None of this happens in a vacuum. Many of these problems are interrelated. We are going to continue to confront all of them and work as we can hopefully together. Obviously, today maybe we might not all be on the same page. Tomorrow, I think on that Iran oil sanctions bill, we will be closer, but we have to keep working through these issues together.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) for a colloquy.

Mr. Speaker, one final point on that. Obviously, if you look at the history of CBO, they are the referee, the scorekeeper that has to be used. They have often been wrong. I would say often wrong but never in doubt. When they are wrong, they are usually wrong to the detriment of taxpayers.

Here is a classic example. Only in Washington does eliminating government positions count as something that is going to cost the deficit. Getting rid of the size of government is ruled by CBO as increasing the deficit, but they exposed a dirty little secret about these new IRS agents. I emphasize ``new.'' These are not existing employees. This is tens of thousands of new IRS agents that President Biden wants to hire. It exposed that the only way that they generate money is by raising taxes on families, including those making under $400,000. In their report, they point this out.

If you are an American citizen who believed Joe Biden's promise that you will not pay a dime in new taxes if you make less than $400,000-- and he said it over and over again; it is on video--that promise is broken, according to the CBO in this report, to the tune of over $4 billion in new taxes that those families will be paying. Those are not existing taxes. They are new taxes those families will be paying.

If you want to save $4 billion in taxes and you are one of those families that bought the promise--and, frankly, in times of high inflation, high interest rates, high cost for everything from gas to groceries, no family should be paying more in new taxes. I would argue this bill will save those families a lot more money than what those new IRS agents were going to collect in new taxes, and we are doing them all a favor while also helping address a serious spending problem in Washington and standing with our ally Israel, most importantly.

Mr. Speaker, that is why we need to pass the bill.