U.S. Must Use its Leverage to Get Humanitarian Aid Into Gaza

Floor Speech

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Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, we cannot ignore the suffering happening in Gaza. Children are dying of malnutrition. There is no food, no clean water, no medicine, and over 2 million people are starving in desperate need of help.

The October 7 attack by Hamas against innocent Israeli civilians and the taking of hostages are horrific crimes, but I am horrified by Prime Minister Netanyahu's response. His government's actions against civilians in Gaza are intolerable and wrong.

U.S. law says no aid shall be furnished under the Foreign Assistance Act or the Arms Export Control Act to any country that: `` . . . restricts, directly or indirectly, the transport or delivery of United States humanitarian assistance.''

Mr. Speaker, I would say to President Biden that if the Netanyahu government continues to keep humanitarian aid from entering Gaza at the scale required to meet the needs of the people of Gaza, then you must, Mr. President, use the full leverage of U.S. law to get the trucks rolling again. The lives of millions are counting on you.

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