Congressman-Elect Zeldin Selected to Co-Chair the House Republican Israel Caucus

Press Release

Congressman-Elect Lee Zeldin (R, C-Shirley, NY) announced today that he has been selected to serve as one of four co-chairs on the House Republican Israel Caucus, the largest Republican congressional organization dedicated to strengthening the U.S.-Israel relationship. Congressman-Elect Zeldin will join with co-chairs Congressman Peter Roskam (R-IL), Congressman Doug Lamborn (R-CO) and Congressman Leonard Lance (R-NJ). The caucus has over 100 members.

The House Republican Israel Caucus was formed to focus on the issues Israel is faced with amongst the turmoil in the Middle East. The caucus works with policy experts, academics, and Israel and Jewish communities, often partnering in a bipartisan manner with the Democratic Israel Working Group to work across the aisle on important issues.

Congressman-Elect Zeldin, a U.S. Army Veteran with over 11 years of military service, remains an active member of the Republican Jewish Coalition and the Jewish War Veterans. Once sworn into office, Congressman-Elect Zeldin will be the sole Jewish Republican in Congress.

Congressman-Elect Zeldin said, "I am honored to have been selected to serve as one of the co-chairs of the House Republican Israel Caucus. There is no greater friend and reliable ally to the United States than Israel. We have a mutually beneficial relationship, as Israel remains a most important strategic partner."

"It's imperative that the United States pursues a stronger and more consistent foreign policy," Zeldin continued. "With the turmoil and unrest we see around the world, especially in the Middle East, it's essential that we remain committed to building a stronger relationship with our strongest ally, Israel. A threat to Israel is a threat to the United States. I look forward to the opportunity to improve upon this relationship in the years to come."

In a joint statement, Congressmen Roskam, Lamborn, and Lance said, "Lee will be a wonderful addition to the leadership of the House Republican Israel Caucus next Congress. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience promoting the strategic partnership between the United States and Israel, which will be increasingly important as our two nations must work together to confront the challenges posed by Iran's ongoing quest for nuclear weapons and the continued spread of violent extremism across the Middle East. We look forward to working with Lee to advance the U.S.-Israel relationship and help ensure a safer world for the United States and our allies."

Last week, the Republican Steering Committee appointed Congressman-Elect Zeldin to serve on three U.S. House Committees: Transportation & Infrastructure, Foreign Affairs and Veterans' Affairs.

Congressman-Elect Zeldin will begin his assignments once he is sworn into office January 6, 2015.

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