Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024

Floor Speech

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Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Speaker, when I came to this House, I was told a cardinal rule is we are not going to let Israel become a partisan issue. The manner in which this supplemental is moving forward does just that. It is dangerous, and it is unnecessary. It is also a dangerous game my colleagues across the aisle are playing with our national security. Removing Ukraine aid from this package sends a message to Putin and the rest of the world that our aid is conditional on political climate.

It is clear that some of my colleagues have forgotten why Ukraine's fight is so important; what it means to democracy across the world. Let's remind them.

This past weekend, we traveled to Kyiv and met with President Zelenskyy. We discussed the critical role the U.S. plays in the war and what else has to be done in the coming winter. Munitions are dwindling, and the needs are increasing. Not only is Putin certain to view the current crisis in the Middle East as a distraction from Ukraine that can be used to his advantage, but antagonists in both conflicts are connected through him. Just last week, Russia hosted representatives from Hamas and Iran. Iran is supporting both Hamas' attacks on Israel and is believed to be assisting Putin in his assault on Ukraine.

Ukraine believes that 1,000 Iranian-designed drones were used by Russia over the past 6 months alone. We do not have to choose which crisis to respond to. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said: ``We have the capability and the strength to address different challenges at the same time. We don't have the luxury of choosing only one threat and one challenge.''

If we want to hold Hamas accountable, defeating Putin in Ukraine is also in our best interest. Anyone who tries to argue that a choice must be made between Ukraine and the American people or Ukraine and Israel is presenting a false dilemma.

We must help Israel defend itself in the face of terrorism while simultaneously supporting Ukraine in their war against an autocratic invader.

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