Pro tempore on this day. Signed, john a. Boehner speaker of the house of representatives. The speaker pro tempore the prayer will be offered by our chaplain, father conroy. Chaplain conroy let us pray. Loving god, you are compassionate and merciful. We give you thanks for giving us another day. This morning the house welcomes the Prime Minister of israel. May he find a welcome here and may the partnership of our two countries continue into a future of Mutual Respect and security among the community of nations. There are many issues which press upon our nation now and more lie upon the legislative horizon. Put forth an abundance of wisdom, knowledge and understanding upon the members of congress and upon your people so that together solutions for the betterment of our nation might be forged. Bless us this day and every day and may all that is done be for your greater honor and glory, amen. The speaker pro tempore the chair has examined the journal of the last days proceedings and announces to the house his approval thereof. Pursuant to clause 1 of rule 1 the journal stands approved. Mr. Speaker. The speaker pro tempore for what purpose does the lady from florida seek recognition . Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 1 of rule 1, i demand a vote on agreeing to the speakers approval of the journal. The speaker pro tempore the question is on agreeing to the speakers approval of the journal. Those in favor say aye. Those opposed, no. The ayes have it, the journal stands approved. Ms. Roslehtinen mr. Speaker. The speaker pro tempore for what purpose does the lady from florida seek recognition . Ms. Roslehtinen mr. Speaker, i object to the vote on the grounds that a quorum is not present and i make a point of order that a quorum is not present. The speaker pro tempore pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, further proceedings on this question will be postponed. The pledge of allegiance will be led by the lady from arizona ms. Mcsally. Ms. Mcsally please join me in the pledge. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of america and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. The speaker pro tempore the chair lays before the house a communication. The clerk the honorable the speaker, house of representatives, sir, pursuant to the permission granted in clause 2h of rule 2 of the rules of the u. S. House of representatives, the clerk received the following message from the secretary of the senate on march 3 2015, at 9 32 a. M. That the Senate Passed without amendment h. R. 431. Appointments, election assistance of advisors, signed sincerely, karen l. Haas. The speaker pro tempore the chair announces that when the two houses meet in joint meeting to hear an address by his excellency, Benjamin NetanyahuPrime Minister of israel, only the doors immediately opposite the speaker and those immediately to his left and right will be open. No one will be allowed on the floor of the house who does not have the privilege of the floor of the house. Due to the large attendance that is anticipated, the rule regarding the privilege of the floor must be strictly enforced. Children of members will not be permitted on the floor. The cooperation of all members is requested. The practice of reserving seeds prior to the joint immediating by placard will not be allowed. Members may reserve their seats by physical presence only following the security sweep of the chamber. Pursuant to the order of the house of thursday, february 26, 2015, the house stands in recess subject to the call the house taking a break to prepare the chamber for a joint meeting. Members expected to reconvene at about 10 45 a. M. Eastern and the address to start at 11 00 eastern. News about funding for the Homeland Security department. House republicans say they will hold a vote today on funding the department for the rest of the fiscal year without language to block immigration policy. Speaker boehner has told his colleagues a clean bill will come up for a vote, according to a tweet. John boehner laid out three options. He said shutdown was not an option. We will keep you updated as more news becomes available. Israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu speaking to Congress Today. There was a short video of the speech released earlier today. Americas bond with israel is stronger than politics at the moment. That will be made clear when he addresses the United StatesCongress Republicans and democrats. Table talk about the great threats we face from radical islam and iran. This is an Important Message and an important time. I hope you will plan on watching. I invited to tune it at speaker. Gov live. Expected to speak at 11 00 eastern time under an hour from now. We will take your calls. He spoke yesterday as well. He was followed in the evening by remarks by susan rice. We will show you as much of her speech as we can before the Prime Minister starts his remarks. Rice good evening everyone. It is great to be back at aipac. [applause] rosie, thank you so much for your warm introduction. I also want to thank howard core, bob cohen, Lillian Pincus and my old friend lee rosenberg, and all of aipacs board and members for welcoming me tonight. I also want to thank the members of congress. [applause] i want to thank all the members of congress who represent americas strong bipartisan support for the state of israel. [applause] and all the young people here today, some 3000, who represent [applause] some 3000 young people who represent the Bright Future of the u. S. Israel special relationship. I brought one of those young people with me tonight. My 17yearold son jake, who insisted he had to come to aipac. [applause] but i want to take a moment, before i begin, to remember three young men who arent with us here today. I want to call us back to those terrible days last summer when we were united in grief over the horrifying kidnapping and murder of three israeli teenagers. [applause] as a mother, my heart breaks for such unspeakable loss. Those boys were our boys. And we continue to mourn their tragic loss. The last time i spoke at aipac it was to the Synagogue Initiative lunch. This group tonight is a little bit larger. [laughter] but when i finished that speech, more than 400 rabbis thanked me in hebrew. Now, that is something i will never forget. And the words of their song reflects the spirit that brings me here tonight. [speaking hebrew] [applause] how good it is and how pleasant when we sit together in brotherhood. It is a great song and i admit where i first encountered it in church, it was not the original hebrew. That song always reminds me how much we can do together when we unite in common purpose. And it goes to the heart of what aipac is all about. What the relationship between israel and the United States is all about brotherhood togetherness, unity. That is because the u. S. Israel alliance is not just rooted in our mutual interest, vital as they are. It is also rooted in the values of freedom and democracy that we share. And it is in the friendship and fellowship between ordinary israelis and americans. And for me personally, it is a warmth that is rooted in my very first visit to israel. I was just 14, traveling with my younger brother and my beloved late father. My dad was on the board of twa. Some of you are old enough to remember that oncegreat airline. [laughter] we arrived on one of the first ever flights from egypt to israel just after the camp david accords were signs. We had an unforgettable visit. The power of which has stayed with me all my life. We bowed our heads in sorrow. We walked the lanes of the old city climbed masada, floated in , the dead sea, and pick fruit best picked fruit at a kibbutz. My first memories of israel remain etched in my soul. Put simply the relationship between the United States and israel is not just one between states, it is one between two peoples and the millions of personal, intimate connections that bind us. [applause] our relationship has deepened and grown through different president s and Prime Ministers for nearly 70 years. It was president truman, a democrat, who just 11 minutes after David Bengurion declared israels independence, made the United States the first country to recognize the state of israel. [applause] it was president nixon, a republican, who made sure that america stood with israel as it fought for survival on one terrible yom kippur so that its people could declare [speaking hebrew]. [applause] the people of israel live. It was president carter who helped israel forged an historic peace with egypt that endures to this day. And it was president clinton and president george w. Bush who backed israel as it took more brave steps for peace and as it endured terrorist attacks from hezbollah and hamas. The relationships between the United States and the state of israel is not a partnership between individual leaders or Political Parties, it is an alliance between two nations rooted in the unbreakable friendship between our two peoples. [applause] it is not negotiable and it never will be. [applause] our alliance grows [speaking hebrew]. From generation to generation. That is what counts. That is what we have to protect. As john f. Kennedy said back in 1960, friendship for israel is not a partisan matter, it is a national commitment. [applause] no one knows this better than all of you. For decades, aipac has built bipartisan support for americas special relationship with israel. That is why every president from harry truman to barack obama has begun with a fundamental premise, that is that strengthening the security of israel is in the National Interest of the United States. [applause] president obamas commitment to israel is deep and personal. I know because i see it every day. I first saw it when i accompanied thensenator obama to israel in 2008. I saw it when he surveyed with horror the stacks of charred rockets that hamas had fired on israel, and when he walked through the hollowedout homes. That same year, president obama came to this conference, still a senator, and he made a promise. He said israels security is sacrosanct. And each day over the past six years, president obama has kept that promise. [applause] the president is profoundly committed to ensuring that israel is never alone. [applause] that is why today, Security Cooperation between our two countries is not just strong, it is stronger that it has ever been. [applause] both president obama and Prime Minister netanyahu have called it unprecedented, and that is the way it is going to stay. [applause] president obama has met with Prime Minister netanyahu more times than with any almost other world leader. As National Security advisor, i am in nearly constant communication with my friends and israeli counterpart, who i am so pleased is here tonight. [applause] i also want to thank his predecessor who is also here tonight and who was kind enough to greet me backstage. [applause] and i have to say hello to my dear friend ron, who served together with me for many years of the United Nations. [applause] so, together, he and i host the u. S. Israel consulted it grew, to make sure we are working closely in the highest levels of our government. Our armed forces conduct extensive exercises together and our military and Intelligence Leaders consult continually. Under this administration, in times of tight budgets, our security to israel has increased. Since president obama took office, the United States has provided israel with more than 20 billion in Foreign Military financing. [applause] last year, we provided israel with the largest package of Security Assistance ever. [applause] and that is money very well spent because it goes directly to bolstering israels ability to defend itself by itself in a very tough neighborhood. [applause] it goes to protecting Israeli Citizens and to strengthening a vital american ally. New defense technologies and access to the most advanced military equipment in the world. President obama is determined to ensure that israel im sorry. When israel receives the f15 joint Strike Fighter next year it will be the only nation in the middle east with a fifth generation aircraft. [applause] since 2009, we have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in developing and producing the david sling Missile Defense program and the missile system. We have invested more than 1 billion in the iron dome system. [applause] when i visit israel last may, i saw the technology firsthand at the air force base. And last summer, as hamas terrorist rockets rained down on israeli cities, people saw how the dome save the lives literally every day. Literally every day. [applause] during the height of that conflict, with sirens wailing and Israeli Citizens huddling in bomb shelters, United States stood up for israels right to defend itself against rocket and tunnel attacks, even as we work with the Israeli Government to find a diplomatic solution to the conflict. And when the Israeli Government made an urgent request for an additional 225 million to support iron dont batteries, president obamas response was immediate and clear. He said, lets do it. [applause] so within days, legislation was drafted, passed through congress with overwhelming bipartisan support, and president obama signed it into law. At that critical moment, we replenished israels arsenal of iron dome interceptor missiles. That is what it means to be an ally. [applause] our unwavering commitment to israels security is why we will never give up on a just and comprehensive peace between israelis and palestinians. [applause] it will require hard decisions but the United States will remain a steadfast partner. Like past administrations, republican and democratic, we believe that a truly lasting peace can only be forged by direct talks between the two parties. [applause] like past administrations, we are concerned by the latter actions that you wrote trust and ensure legitimacy. Like every Administration Republican and democratic, since the sixday war, we have opposed israeli settlement activity and we oppose palestinian steps to throw up the further obstacle to peace, including actions against israel at the criminal court. [applause] the only path to ensure israels longterm security is to bring about a viable, sovereign, palestinian state, living sidebyside in peace and security with a democratic jewish state of israel. [applause] israels security, our mutual security, is also at the heart of one of president obamas most important foreignpolicy objectives ensuring that iran does not get a Nuclear Weapon. [applause] as president obama has repeated many times, we are keeping all options on the table to prevent iran from developing a Nuclear Weapon. As he said in jerusalem and i quote iran must not get a Nuclear Weapon. This is not a danger that can be contained and he added that america will do what we must to prevent a Nuclear Armed iran. [applause] president obama said it, he meant it, and those are his orders to us all. [applause] that is still the way that we see the danger of a nuclear iran today. Given their support for terrorism, the risk for an arms race in the region and the danger to the entire regime and ira with a Nuclear Weapon is an unacceptable threat to the United States of america. [applause] we understand the unique concerns of our israeli friends and partners. In jerusalem, president obama made plain, and i quote, when i consider israels security, i also think about the people who have a living memory of the holocaust. Faced with the prospect of a nucleararmed iranian government that has called for israels destruction. No wonder israelis view this as an existential threat. But this is not simply a challenge for israel, it is a danger to the entire world including the United States. End of qujote. [applause] now i want to be very clear. A bad deal is worse than no deal. [applause] and, if that is the choice there will be no deal. [applause] now, negotiations continue, and nothing is agreed until everything is agreed. As of today, significant gaps remain between the International Community and iran. I am not going to get into all the details about ongoing negotiations, nor should sensitive details of such a negotiation be discussed in public. But i do want to make five key points about our approach to the negotiations. First, with the joint plan of action, we have already succeeded in halting Irans Nuclear program and rolling it back in key respects. [applause] lets recall what has been achieved over the last year. Iran is doing away with its existing stockpile of its most highly enriched uranium. [applause] iran has capped its stockpile of lowenriched uranium. Iran has not constructed additional enrichment facilities. Iran has not installed or operated new centrifuges including its nextgeneration models. Iran has stopped construction at