Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024

Floor Speech

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Mr. WOMACK. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Texas for her leadership on this issue.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of our friends in Israel. I thank the chairwoman and my friend, Ms. Granger, for bringing this vital legislation to the floor, for the opportunity to speak on it.

Mr. Speaker, the choice today is pretty clear to me. We either support our Israeli friends, or we don't.

We have heard, and we will continue to hear complaints about the funding offset and the lack of non-Israel funding in this bill, and each Member is entitled to their opinion, but, at the end of the day, this bill will provide over $14 billion in support of Israel in its war against these murderous terrorists. That is the important part.

These aren't just numbers, Mr. Speaker, on a piece of paper. Real lives are at stake here. This funding will save Israeli lives through replenishment of its missile defenses, it will give Israel the ability to rid the world of dangerous terrorists, and it will help reestablish deterrence in the Middle East at a time when Iran is aggressively advancing on all fronts.

What happened on October 7 was tragic. No one, not one person, can argue that the cruel and gruesome atrocities were justified. Israelis were killed in their homes, massacred for having different religious beliefs than their terrorist attackers. Unfortunately, these actions have not been met with universal condemnation, not even in this very House.

Mr. Speaker, I have personal experience in this region. I commanded troops with a U.S. battalion of a multinational force and observers in the Sinai Peninsula responsible for maintaining peace between Israel and Egypt. Thankfully, we were and continued to be successful at that mission, but unfortunately we still see terrorists' violence aimed at Israelis simply trying to live their very lives.

Israel has a right to defend itself. It needs their freedom of action to do so. We did not accept arbitrary restrictions on our actions following 9/11, nor should we place any restrictions on Israel's response.

This House has a habit--on both sides of the aisle--to search for the perfect bill instead of taking something that is good for the moment, a bill that makes incremental progress, as we speak.

I implore all Members to reject the demand for the perfect and, instead, support the good. Support this vital funding, and then we can move to support our Ukrainian friends, rebuild our defense industrial base, and improve our conventional military capabilities to enhance our deterrence against PRC threats.

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of this bill.

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