Atrocious attacks on israel and on america i remind you isnt bridging the ayatollahs any further. Mr. President i yield the floors the eyes of the world are watching to see how we react to the terrorist attack israel is suffered. Days after hamas launch a horrific assault kidnapping nearly 200. Killing over 1000. And injuring thousands more the world was watching with baited breath. The scenes of hamas evil or steered into our collective conscience. The images are indelible. Israelis slaughtered by thugs. Concertgoers shot in the back in broad daylight. People butchered. Women raped. Even infants murdered in cold blood. The barbaric atrocities are an affront to humankind itself. In the face of unspeakable evil we must not mince words. We must not waver in our resolve. Every single one of us in this chamber has a moral responsibility to speak out unequivocably and unapologetically as we stand shoulder to shoulder with israel and her people. Now ive been staunchly devoted to this cause for 31 years in congress. Why . Because the bond between our nation is. 1948 United States was the first nation to recognize israel amiri 11 minutes after it declared independence. Our two nations intrinsically linked were founded on similar principles among them justice, equal rights, freedom of religion the respect for the rule of law. Over the years both nations have been shaped by individuals seeking refuge, security from oppression. Both natures have pursued truth and knowledge in an open society. Unleashing innovation creating untold prosperity foros millions across the world. But beyond this common cause, the u. S. israel relationship has stood the test of time because of three fundamental facts. One, the United States is a strong when israel is strong. Two, the jewish people deserve to live in peace and security and the indisputable land of their ancestors going back to the times of abraham and. Three, israel has the right to defend herself from it act existentialthreats that surroun. This last point deserves special attention. Especially as some seek to equate the two sides in this conflict. To me adherents of this view could not be more mistaken. There is no moral equivalency. We cannot both sides and one isa sovereign democracy that ioguarantees the other is a designated terrorist group hellbent on killing jews both sides of the conflict for decades when his shoulder the heavy cost of war, terrorism and unjustified boycotts the other has divertedes humanitarian aid towards weapons designed to kill as many as possible. Steps taken by israel to limit civilian casualties. No nation but israel actively take steps to warn of impending attacks, none. No other nation dropped leaflets and makes phone call to alert president s they may be an dangerous way. Only israel was to begin its military offenses. Even when it means losing the element of surprise im putting at a tactical disadvantage. Compare that to the barbaric sets taken by hamas. When israel voluntarily and unilaterally withdrew from gaza in 2005 dead hamas moderate it actions question it didnt take the opportunity to build peace and create prosperity for the Palestinian People . No. Instead instigated war and continue to terrorize and kill israelis. It fired tens of thousands of rockets into population centers. Indiscriminately raining terror down on families and children will that walk to School Conference with together to play. Brazenly commit these war crimes they did so while doing its own residents as human shields. That is right. Across the gaza strip palestinian homes,co schools, ad mosques to carry out attacks on israeli counterparts. For those who seek moral equivalency between the two sides, i ask you who fires rockets who uses schools and hospitals as launching sites for deadly missiles . Hamas. Who uses mosque as weapon depots . Hamas. Moreover who denies food, water, fuel and shelter to civilians in order to better its fighters . Hamas. Who denies palestinians the right to leave northern gaza trapping them to use them as shields . Hamas. We must recognize of course that not all palestinians are part of hamas minute residence in gaza are trapped in a cycle of violence that has nothing of the doing. I will say it again hamas is not a legitimate political entity. Does not have a mandate to govern the people of gaza that is a terrorist organization guided by religious fanaticism. In the past, when it is or is open up Economic Opportunities for palestinians hamas use the goodwill of israel to a little israel into a false sense of security. The thirst for freedom and prosperity has been supplanted by hamas thirst for vengeance and destruction. After misleading israel that cared about the economic wellbeing of palestinians, instead of its stated mission of killing jews hamas bought itself time to train and prepare for one of the most heinous terrorist attacks in israels history. The difference between israel and hamas is a difference between a Civilized Society and barbarism. At this suffering to be found in gaza as a direct result of hamas action. Hamas does not care for innocent israeli families are forced to suffer but it is not care palestinians go without food, shelter or electricity. I only cares about sowing chaos and preventing violence in pursuit of its stated goal. The destruction state ofde isra. The right to exist but to get at odds with arab countries who have joined the Abraham Accords in the Palestinian Authority for that fact the west bank hamas has revealed its true colors. For the sake of israel, for the sake of the Palestinian People and shoot must be eradicated from the face of the earth. On october 7 that launched a brutal and operation that clearly in my mind has irans fingerprints on it because of the capabilities hamas alone does not have. And technological factors. Only a state actor would have that. And the only state actor willing to assist hamas withha that is iran. Perhaps pinto launched the attack and believe others would have a multi front war to limit israel. Perhaps sell the writing on the wall with the recent Abraham Accords and talks of normalization. Or perhaps a sop to turn public sentiment against israel with the race to the bottom boosting its own image among the rose gallery of anti israel regimes. But regardless of why hamas carried out its attack, and today inthis chamber let us exps for what it u is. Let us reject the trap they had tried to set them to stand with our ally, israel, and the wake of a board attacks lets recommit to principles we share the israel as we support her in her hour of need. Let us call out holocaust deniers who deny israels legitimacy. Let us promote the honest truth about israels contributions and call it antisemitism wherever it is found. But its also root out the poisonous ideology of islamic phobia that recently claim of te 6yearold palestinian american boy. And above all let us do the work we were elected to do passing a bipartisan funding package to replenish the iron dome. Something that in the past i have led on. Nswiftly confirming a nominee o be our ambassador to israel. This is not a moment to hesitate. This is a clarion call. As we prepare to take votes in support of our allies struggle against terrorism i cannot help pbut think back to my very first visit to israel over three decades ago. It is a trip i will never forget. I spoke to the helicopter ride across the narrowest part of israel and only three minutes. And three minutes we transferred a piece of land of such significant history so many residents with their backs to the sea are surrounded by unfriendly neighbors as i crisscross the country from the desert to jerusalem to the d galilee i was moved not just by the people i made the desert green by the holy sites that ground my faith as a christian. I freely visited the site so many others have over the years because israels jurisdiction ultimately open them up to all. It is a freedom to worship that is not guaranteed everywhere. Mr. President , to me this conflict both socially fundamental idea of freedom. Will we accept a world where weapons can dictate the future . Or will we send them to the dustbin of history . We send it to terrorists to be the first staunchest ally . When they are in need . Freedom loving people, freedom lovingus nations must answer ths call and meet the moment at hand. Israel is the one place in the world, the one place where antisemitism can be structurally impossible it is the field of hope i would fear can be vanquished. The island of refuge the can standis firm no matter how story the sea of history turns that is why we must always keep it safee and always keep it free. May we find the courage and the political will to do so quickly in the days ahead. Without mr. President healed floor. Speaker a full two weeks aftera representative Kevin Mccarthy was removed from the position. Lawmakers met today to vote his potentiallacement but n needed for the house now17 votes returning wednesday at 11 00 a. M. Eastern wet a second round of voting to occur. As it stands ohioresentative jim jordan it remains votes short of 217 after 28 republicans voted for someone else the fir ballot. While t saker election live on cspan when the house returns you can also watch by using the free cspan now video app or go online to cspan. Org. American history tv saturdays on cspan2 exploit the people and events that tell the american story. At 7 00 p. M. Eastern the swearing in ceremony at the archivist of the United States followed by our interview with colleen who is the 11th archivist the first woman to hold the job. She discusses her stewardship of the National Archives and the controversy over white house records involving donald trump and joe biden. And at 9 30 p. M. Eastern on the presidency the Ronald Reagan president ial library as a host of a discussion looking back at the rhetorical legacy of Ronald Reagan known as the great communicator pretty exploring the american story watch American History tv saturday on cspan2