Diaz-Balart Remarks at Rules Committee Hearing on H.R. 6126, The Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act

Statement

"Chairman Cole, Ranking Member McGovern, and Members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify on the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act.

The bill includes $14.3 billion in urgently needed funding to support Israel in their war against some of the world's most evil and vile terrorists, Hamas.

Let us not forget what happened. On October 7th, Hamas murdered, raped, and maimed thousands of Israelis, including babies, toddlers, and the elderly. Hundreds of hostages were taken into Gaza. It was pure evil.

Israel must defeat Hamas and the U.S. must urgently support Israel in this task.

Just today, Hamas declared, "we must teach Israel a lesson and we will do this again and again." And the Hamas charter calls for Israel to be obliterated.

We must take them at their word and help Israel. That's what this legislation being considered today does.

The bill includes funding for Israel's defense systems, including:

$4 billion for Iron Dome and David's Sling -- two of Israel's critical missile defense systems;
$1.2 billion for the Iron Beam defense system;
$3.5 billion in Foreign Military Financing for weapons and defense articles and services; and
$1 billion to enhance production and development of artillery and critical munitions.
The bill also provides $4.4 billion in support of U.S. military readiness by replenishing U.S. defense articles provided to Israel from existing stocks.

The bill also includes $150 million for enhanced embassy security and surged personnel support in Israel, as well as $50 million to support costs associated with emergency evacuations of American citizens and related logistics.

Finally, the funding in this bill is offset with rescissions of controversial funding from the Inflation Reduction Act in support of IRS agents targeting the middle class.

Mr. Chairman, Israel is facing an existential threat. I thank you for holding this hearing.

I urge rapid consideration of this urgently needed funding.

I look forward to answering your questions.

I yield back."

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