Floor Statements

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment to correct the number of hostages that Hamas terrorists took when they attacked Israel on October 7. It was the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust.

That day, Hamas terrorists brutally murdered, raped, burned alive, and decapitated more than a thousand innocent babies, children, women, men, and elderly, including dozens of Americans.

Let me be very clear: More than 230 people were abducted and taken hostage by Hamas, a terrorist organization, including nearly a dozen Americans. Again, Americans were killed. Americans remain hostage.

There are some people who equivocate about Hamas, a foreign terrorist organization. There should be no equivocation. They are designated by the United States of America as a foreign terrorist organization. They are terrorists, and anybody who spent time looking at images of the barbaric, heinous, and unthinkable acts that took place on October 7, like I have, knows what Hamas is capable of. We will never unsee it. I know the ranking member was there, as well, and has seen it.

We cannot forget that Hamas is an evil terrorist organization. Their charter advocates jihad against the Jewish people and the destruction of the Jewish state.

In the region, militarily, beyond their support for Hamas, Iran is backing proxies that have attacked American troops in Iraq and Syria. We have seen an uptick in skirmishes between Hezbollah and Israel near the Lebanese border.

President Biden has been phenomenal with his resolve and unwavering support for our key ally Israel, which is critical to America's national security and the fight against terror and is the democracy in the region.

The President has taken action in Syria in response to attacks by Iranian-backed proxies on American personnel, regular attacks. We have seen them in Syria. We have seen it in Iraq. We have seen it from the Houthis.

The President understands that you have to actually hold terrorists who commit atrocities against our country accountable, or they will strike again and be stronger. Hamas terrorists, their leadership, have even made it clear that they will not back down and are committed to ``a second, third, and fourth'' October 7 against Israel.

The President has continued to demonstrate strength, resolve, and leadership to get hostages home. Thankfully, in recent days, groups of hostages have been rescued, including 4 year old Abigail, an American citizen.

As of today, there are still nearly 160 hostages, including Americans. Forty American citizens were slaughtered by Hamas, and other terrorists have been living in horrifying fear and uncertainty at the hands of terrorists for more than 50 days. It blows my mind that this isn't talked about every single day in our country that Americans remain hostage.

Americans were killed and are still suffering in Gaza. May all their memories be a blessing.

This should be the beginning and end of the argument of why we must crush Hamas and stop Iranian-backed terrorist proxies. These terrorists continue to attack Israel and American personnel around the globe.

The names and ages of the Americans still held hostage by the terrorists in Gaza are as follows: Gad Haggai, 73 years old; Judith Weinstein, 70 years old; Keith Samuel Siegel, 64 years old; Sagui Dekel-Chen, 35 years old; Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23 years old; Omer Neutra, 22 years old; Itay Chen, 19 years old.

The eighth American still held hostage is 19-year-old Edan Alexander from Tenafly, New Jersey, in my district. Here is Edan. He is a wonderful, wonderful person. I have met with his family. They are phenomenal.

After Edan graduated from Tenafly High School in 2022, he began serving with the Israel Defense Forces. He grew up in northern New Jersey, became a swimmer, and went to the prom. I have seen all the photos.

Since day one, I have been in constant contact with the Alexander family. Their unimaginable strength in the face of unfathomable pain gives all of us hope. I don't know how they do it.

It is time to get our Americans and all of the hostages home. It is in America's interest and critical to our national security to ensure that October 7 can never and must never happen again. Our objectives are clear: to stand by Israel, our key ally, the democracy in the region, our partner in the fight against terror; to get all of the Americans and all the hostages home; to crush the terrorists and provide much-needed humanitarian aid to innocent Palestinian civilians being used by Hamas as human shields.

Mr. Chair, you will notice that Hamas does not allow any of the innocent Palestinians to go underground to be protected. There is no protection for them. They use them as human shields. Israel must eliminate every single terrorist responsible from Hamas for the atrocities committed on October 7.

Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Ms. Wasserman Schultz for this Special Order.

I rise tonight, Mr. Speaker, because, on October 7, Hamas terrorists attacked Israel and abducted more than 230 people, including many Americans. Hamas brutally murdered, raped, burned alive, and decapitated more than 1,000 innocent babies, children, women, men, and the elderly. It was the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust.

Mr. Speaker, 40 American citizens were slaughtered by Hamas, and 9 have been living in horrifying fear at the hands of terrorists for more than 50 days. It blows my mind that this isn't talked about every single day in this country, that Americans were killed and Americans remain hostages.

Hamas killed Americans, and terrorists still hold American hostages inside Gaza. That should be the beginning and end of the argument of why we must crush and kill Hamas.

Thankfully, because of President Biden's resolve and strong leadership, groups of hostages have been rescued, including 4-year-old Avigail, an American citizen. Nevertheless, as of today, there are still 160 hostages.

One of the eight American hostages is Edan Alexander, a 19-year-old from Tenafly in my district in northern New Jersey. You can see him in this photo that was shared with me by his family, his mom.

I have spent time with his family. They are phenomenal people and just such wonderful, warm people. His sister is at Tenafly High School. After graduating from Tenafly High School in 2022, Edan began serving in the Israel Defense Forces.

Edan is the type of person who would regularly call his mother to check in, and his sister considers him to be her best friend. He is devoted to his friends and is always there for his family. He swam in high school. I have seen pictures of him at the prom. He is just like any other American kid we know.

Since day one, I have been in constant contact with the Alexander family and the State Department. Their unimaginable strength in the face of unfathomable pain gives us all great hope.

It is time to get all of these hostages home.

There are some people who equivocate about Hamas. There should be no equivocation. They are designated by the United States of America as a foreign terrorist organization, and anybody who has spent time looking at images that many of us saw in the videos of barbaric, heinous, and unthinkable acts that took place on October 7 knows what Hamas is capable of.

Look what they are doing to innocent Palestinian civilians every single day. Are they welcoming them underground and giving them safe haven? No. They take no responsibility. They use innocent people as human shields. That is what Hamas does.

Hamas' charter advocates jihad against the Jewish people and the elimination of the Jewish state. Israel

is surrounded by terror groups that want to kill their people, including Arab Israelis.

Israel is and remains the only vibrant, progressive, and inclusive democracy in the region. They are our key ally because they are critical to our national security and stand up for values that we share, strong democratic values. They are key to our fight against terror in the region, against Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and Hamas.

In Israel, Arab parties serve in the Knesset; women serve at the highest levels of military; and the country remains an oasis for LGBTQ people in a region hostile toward the community.

It sickens me that some people are trying to romanticize Hamas. They should be reminded that in Gaza, under Hamas rule, same-sex relations are outlawed. Make no mistake, Mr. Speaker, your life would be at risk every day if you were openly gay in Gaza or the West Bank.

Additionally, Hamas' 1988 charter states that Muslim women are important because they ``manufacture men.'' Hamas even enforces what women wear in public. There is also no law in Gaza that criminalizes violence against women within the family, including sexual violence.

Hamas allows honor killings, the murder of women and girls accused of what they call ``immoral sexual conduct.''

Yet, it took U.N. women a month and a half to recognize that women and girls were raped in Israel, and, even then, they still refused to mention Hamas.

Do they not believe the fact that Hamas terrorists committed horrifying and unspeakable acts against innocent girls and women, including many that we have seen images of? As you see all of these hostages being released, you can't imagine what they have been through; and I think, of course, of the images we are seeing this evening, those who are still hostages.

Thankfully, President Biden has been phenomenal, as I said, with his unwavering support for the State of Israel and the Jewish people. The President understands that you have to actually hold terrorists who commit atrocities accountable or they will strike again and be stronger.

Hamas terrorists have made it clear that they will not back down and are committed to ``a second, third, and fourth'' October 7 against Israel.

Mr. Speaker, let me conclude by saying: We must stand by our key ally to get all hostages home, crush the terrorists, and provide humanitarian aid to innocent Palestinian civilians being used by Hamas as human shields.

Israel must eliminate every single terrorist responsible for the atrocities committed on October 7, and we must get these hostages home.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Debbie for her leadership. I thank all of my colleagues for being here this evening.

Mr. Chair, I missed the following votes, but had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on rollcall No. 659, ``no'' on rollcall No. 660, ``no'' on rollcall No. 661, ``no'' on rollcall No. 662, ``no'' on rollcall No. 663, ``no'' on rollcall No. 664, ``no'' on rollcall No. 665, ``aye'' on rollcall No. 666, ``no'' on rollcall No. 667, ``no'' on rollcall No. 668, ``aye'' on rollcall No. 669, ``no'' on rollcall No. 670, ``no'' on rollcall No. 671, ``no'' on rollcall No. 672, ``no'' on rollcall No. 673, ``no'' on rollcall No. 674, and ``no'' on rollcall No. 675.

Mr. Chair, I missed the following votes, but had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on rollcall No. 641 and ``no'' on rollcall No. 642.

Madam Speaker, I missed the following votes, but had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 599 and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 600.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the passing of the bipartisan Hamas International Financing Prevention Act in the House of Representatives.

I helped introduce this bipartisan legislation with Representative Brian Mast and helped lead it to overwhelmingly pass the House 363-46.

This legislation imposes sanctions on foreign persons, agencies, and governments that assist terrorist organizations, including Iranian- backed Hamas,

Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and other affiliates.

On October 7, the world watched Hamas terrorists invade Israel and brutally kidnap, behead, torture, rape, burn, and murder innocent babies, children, women, and the elderly, including dozens of Americans. This unprovoked war has underscored why I will always stand with Israel and support our partner's right to defend herself from those who seek her destruction.

This bipartisan legislation will ensure we isolate and punish these radical terrorist groups by cutting off their financial resources at the moment our ally in the Middle East needs it most.

We must do everything we can to get every hostage home, including all Americans, help our ally Israel defend herself and crush the terrorists, and provide much-needed humanitarian aid to innocent Palestinian civilians being used by Hamas as human shields.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the Senate to immediately pass the bipartisan Hamas International Financing Prevention Act.

Mr. Speaker, I missed the following Roll Call votes. Had I been present, I would have voted: YEA on Roll Call No. 560; YEA on Roll Call No. 561; YEA on Roll Call No. 562; and NO on Roll Call No. 563.

Mr. Chair, I was mistaken in my vote on rollcall No. 472. I intended to vote ``aye'' on rollcall Vote. No. 472.

Mr. Speaker, I missed the following vote, but had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 379.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this resolution expressing the sense of Congress Supporting the State of Israel.

As the only vibrant, progressive, and inclusive democracy in the Middle East, Israel is a beacon of hope--a country where pluralism flourishes. Efforts to delegitimize the Jewish State and claims that the country has abandoned the democratic principles on which it was founded are unfair and false. In Israel, Arab parties serve in the Knesset, women serve at the highest levels of the military, and the country remains an oasis for LGBTQ+ people in a region hostile toward the community.

The U.S.-Israel alliance is strong for a reason. Our nations were founded on these shared values, and those ideals keep our partnership ironclad to this day.

Israeli security is critical to America's national security. Our bilateral defense and intelligence cooperation makes our two countries safer and plays a key role in the global fight against terror, I am proud to champion this relationship in Congress. We have no better partner in the region than the State of Israel and I will remain committed to ensuring that Israel has the resources it needs to defend itself.

I have traveled to Israel twice this year alone, alongside Democrats and Republicans, and have many times visited the country to meet with senior level officials and civil society leaders. Each time I am reminded of the resolve and passion of the Israeli people. I am also reminded of the importance of the Jewish State.

The United States was the first country to recognize Israel's independence 75 years ago, just eleven minutes after its founding. It has since become the ``Start Up Nation'', a leader in high-tech, sustainability, and innovation. The United States has stood with Israel every step of the way.

Over the last 75 years, bipartisan support for the U.S.-Israel relationship has proven vital to protecting our national security, fighting terror, and intelligence collaboration.

I look forward to celebrating Israel's next 75 years, and furthering the vital U.S.-Israel relationship.

Mr. Speaker, I missed the following votes due to a family issue. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 249, ``nay'' on rollcall No. 250, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 251, ``nay'' on rollcall No. 252, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 253, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 254, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 255, and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 256.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my bipartisan bill, the Senior Security Act, to help protect vulnerable seniors who are being targeted by fraudsters who seek to take financial advantage of them.

I first thank my colleague, Republican Congresswoman Ann Wagner, for her friendship and her leadership. I am very grateful for her continued fight to have the backs of our seniors.

Mr. Speaker, I also thank Senators Sinema and Collins, who have introduced the companion legislation to the Senior Security Act in the United States Senate.

This legislation builds on Congresswoman Wagner's and my previous

work this Congress when we advanced the Financial Exploitation Prevention Act that would give asset managers more tools to prevent suspected financial exploitation of seniors and vulnerable adults.

Since I took office, I have been committed to helping seniors save their hard-earned money for retirement, help cut their taxes, afford prescription drugs, and protect Social Security and Medicare so that, at the end of the day, they can afford to stay where I live in northern New Jersey and enjoy their lives with their friends, children, and grandchildren.

Unfortunately, far too many of our seniors have had their hard-earned retirement savings stolen right out from under them when a scammer calls or shows up at their door. Millions of seniors across the country, including my own late mother, have been the victims of financial scams, and far too many have been cheated out of their retirement savings.

It is appalling. It is offensive. It is simply unacceptable. These senior scams cost older Americans more than $36 billion a year, often hitting their retirement nest eggs, not to mention the pain and anxiety you can't put a dollar figure on. Plus, senior scams have more than doubled since 2020.

We are here today to do something about it by advancing the Senior Security Act to help protect American seniors from these shameless criminals.

This bipartisan bill would create a senior investor task force at the Securities and Exchange Commission that will exclusively focus on how seniors are being targeted by fraudsters who seek to take financial advantage of them.

Every 2 years, the task force will be required to submit a report to Congress outlining trends and innovations, like robocalls and voice spoofing, that are impacting senior investors, helping us stay ahead of changes in financial scams as they arise.

Everyone should know they are incredibly sophisticated now. Literally through AI and other spoofing, it sounds like someone's grandchild calling when they scam them.

The task force will give law enforcement stronger tools and information. The task force will coordinate with other Federal regulators, State regulators, and law enforcement to ensure we are doing as much as we can at every level of government to stop hucksters from scamming our seniors. The task force will be a cop on the beat to make sure we keep up with the changes in financial scams and, again, stay ahead of new issues.

Our seniors have given us so much. We should always have their backs, look out for them, and help protect them from predators and innovative scammers who want to take advantage of them.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense, bipartisan legislation, the Senior Security Act. I thank my colleagues and Congresswoman Wagner, again, for her friendship and her leadership.

Mr. Speaker, I missed the following votes due to a family issue. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 238, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 239, and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 240.

Mr. Speaker, I missed the following votes due to a family issue. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 230, ``nay'' on rollcall No. 231, and ``nay'' on rollcall No. 232.

Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Pascrell for his leadership in the caucus, supporting law enforcement, and always being there for those in New Jersey. I am very grateful.

Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Rutherford for organizing this evening and for all he does and has done in his career for law enforcement and for his service, which continues today. We are incredibly grateful for him.

I am grateful for my friendship with Mr. Bacon, who just spoke so artfully. He is vice chair of the Problem Solvers Caucus and also does a phenomenal job.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize National Police Week and to express my deep and unwavering support for the sacrifices our law enforcement officers make to keep our families and our communities safe.

Every day, law enforcement officers put on bulletproof vests, kiss their loved ones good-bye, and then put their lives on the line to look out for us. That is why we must always get the backs of those who have ours.

I am very proud to co-lead the bipartisan resolution that was just passed to recognize National Police Week and memorialize officers tragically killed in the line of duty.

This week, as we are here with so many others recognizing National Police Week, Americans across our great Nation honor and remember the more than 26,000 law enforcement officers who have sacrificed their lives to protect our great country. We will always honor their memory. We must do all we can to support law enforcement.

That is why I am honored to be leading bipartisan, bicameral legislation with my good friend and retired sheriff Congressman Rutherford called the Invest to Protect Act.

Our bipartisan legislation that he referred to is also being co-led by the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congressman Steven Horsford, and retired NYPD detective Congressman Anthony D'Esposito.

Our bipartisan, bicameral bill will make critical investments in law enforcement, especially in small departments, training, recruitment and retention of officers, and mental health to protect our officers, our families, and our communities.

The Invest to Protect Act was developed through many conversations with Republicans and Democrats in both Chambers and with a broad spectrum of stakeholders.

I am proud the bipartisan legislation has been endorsed by key law enforcement organizations, including the National Association of Police Organizations, Fraternal Order of Police, New Jersey State FOP, New Jersey State PBA, National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, National Troopers Coalition, New Jersey State Troopers Fraternal Association, Port Authority PBA, Peace Officers Research Association of California, State Troopers Non-Commissioned Officers Association, National Sheriffs' Association, Sergeants Benevolent Association, National Tactical Officers Coalition, and Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association.

It is worth pointing out these organizations because it shows the broad support in our country to support law enforcement and to make sure we take care of those who take care of us.

We have identical companion legislation in the Senate led by Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Senator Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada.

We worked with the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights and others across the spectrum because the point Sheriff Rutherford and I realize, as well as so many others who support this legislation, is that you cannot cut or defund your way to safer communities and better police departments. Instead, you need to invest to protect. That is the only way we strengthen our departments to make them even better. We have to stand by them.

This idea that you cut all the way to the bone as the answer is absurd. It makes our communities weaker. We need to invest in them.

I am so grateful for this across-the-aisle support to get the backs of those who risk their lives every day to protect us, not just on this bill but on so many other important pieces of legislation that we will be considering this week, National Police Week.