Israeli Hostage Crisis
Floor Speech
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Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, this is a time of sadness, of wrenching pain, of anger, and of determination.
It is my solemn duty, Mr. Speaker, to speak on this floor today about a courageous, talented, and generous young man, Itay Chen. His family is in the gallery. I had the opportunity to speak to them just a few minutes ago. As any family would be, knowing that their child is at great risk and not knowing his present welfare, they are grieving but determined.
Itay is an American-Israeli dual citizen bravely serving his nation in the IDF.
That is probably incorrect. This is his nation. IDF is the land of his forebears and of his ancestors and a land that offers sanctuary and safety to the Jewish people who have been savaged, hated, killed, and maligned for millennia.
On October 7, Itay was taken hostage during Hamas' brutal criminal and savage attack on Israel and on innocent civilians in the land that is not contested by anybody.
Itay is only 19 years old. Mr. Speaker, I have not met Itay, though I hope to do so in person in the near future. However, I met with his father, Ruby, who is with us in the gallery today, as I said, and his mother, Hagit, is joining us, as well.
Mr. Speaker, everything I have heard about their son has only reinforced my resolve to help bring Itay home and the other hostages home, as well.
Itay was raised in New York City, the city in which I was born, Mr. Speaker. He was always a precocious kid and a kindhearted young man. Like his dad, he is an avid lover of basketball. Unlike his dad, however, he is a diehard Lakers fan. So, there is a little conflict in the family, but that has not affected the deep love and concern that his family has for Itay.
I want to assure them, Mr. Speaker, that is shared by the 435 Members of this body. It is not a partisan issue but a human issue.
Itay may not have inherited his father's basketball loyalties, Mr. Speaker, but he did inherit his New York grit. Itay also developed a calling for service at a very young age, participating in Boy Scouts and serving his community. That commitment to serving others drove Itay to join the IDF.
I know his experience in captivity, as awful as it is. Very frankly, Mr. Speaker, the Red Cross has seen the horror of how these hostages are being kept, and they ought to tell the world that truth. Nevertheless, we know that his experience will not break his generous spirit nor his dedication to the sacred Jewish principle of tikkun olam, repairing the world and doing good so that others may do better.
His parents, Ruby and Hagit; his brothers, Roy and Alon; and the rest of his family and friends continue to show tremendous resilience and courage. We can do no less in the Congress, no less in the White House, and no less in America than make sure we bring this American home alive and healthy.
I think, Mr. Speaker, how I would feel if one of my three daughters or one of my three grandchildren or one of my four great-grandchildren were in some tunnel or crevice illegally and criminally. I would do everything I could to get them back, and we must do everything to get back not only Itay but all those pictures that we will see of innocent people killed, maimed, and taken hostage by a criminal group we call Hamas.
I want Itay and his loved ones to know that we are going to make sure this Congress does everything it can to bring him and the other hostages home as quickly as possible. Mr. Speaker, as a symbol of that promise, I am wearing a dog tag that Ruby gave me just weeks ago.
Until they return safely to our shores, we will continue to stand strong with their families. Their grief is our grief. Their hope is our hope, and that hope grows with every hostage released. It will not end until they are all home, safe in the arms of their families and loved ones.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Florida for taking this Special Order and for yielding to me.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Maryland for his poignant remarks.
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