we are in this together and it heartwarming for me to understand and get to know you better and no we are not fighting alone and we have a vehicle where we have concerns we can have a conversation about and come together and i want you to know i am grateful for that and it's important to understand when people find out i was testifying, all i received were go get it, this is great, telling our story. it's a collaborative effort and we are in together. i am eternally grateful for this opportunity. thank you. >> thank you for your testimony today. delighted to have you. ... i

stand again in support of our great ally israel. the terror and devastation unleashed on israel by iran-backed hamas terrorists has rightly horrified the world. what i'm about to describe is difficult to say and uncomfortable to hear, but it has to be said on the senate floor. we cannot make this stuff up. the world must know the atrocities that occurred in israel. on the morning of saturday, october 7, 2023, as families rose to start a new day, make breakfast or slowly wake up in their beds, terror approached. innocent families were murdered in their homes. babies were killed, innocent little babies were murdered and some were ruthlessly beheaded. children were burned alive. teenage girls were raped and

then burned alive. and a wheelchair bound woman later identified as a holocaust survivor was brutally dragged through the streets of gaza. children who witnessed the murders of their parents being kidnapped are now being held hostage by hamas. more than 250 young people were savagely murdered while attending a music festival in israel. many shot in the back as they tried to run away. at least 31 americans, 31 americans have been killed and more than 1,400 innocent people were killed in israel, and we have no idea how many are being held hostage by iran-backed terrorists in gaza. the images seen will never leave our memories. i visited a kibbutz at a trip in israel in 201. at the time it was full of happy families and children. it is now silenced, completely silenced by brutality and death.

this week i talked to the individual that gave me the tour of the village or the kibbutz. it was a beautiful place. nice people, happy. she's only alive because she was not there. she told me the family that lives next door to her on the right were murdered. the family on the left were murdered. the family down the street were murdered. i was told hamas terrorists set fires to force people out of their homes in safe rooms, savagely murdered innocent israelis, many shot at close range. she told me that she was talking to her sister who was in a safe room and hamas terrorists were trying to break in. fortunately they weren't able to. children were shot in front of their parents and some kidnapped to gaza. iran backed hamas terrorists slaughtered innocent babies in their beds. i met so many people there -- i met so many happy people there a few short years ago, and i fear a lot of them are going to be dead. we saw fox -- a fox new

correspondent report bodies littered the town. you could see its complete and total destruction. all the houses are destroyed. it looks like many were blown up with rpg's or other explosives. people were shot and killed in their beds, executed at point-blank range. this is are the most horrific thing i've seen. thomas hand, the father of emily, an eight-year-old girl killed, had to wait two days to find out that emily was killed. i'm a father of two daughters. i'm the grandfather of seven grandchildren. watching this father speak on television about the murder of his daughter is heart wrenching. he said to cnn, they just said we found emily, and she's dead. and i went, yes. and i smiled -- this is what he said. he said i smiled because that is the best news of the possibilities that i knew. she was either dead or in gaza.

and he saipped if you know anything about what they do to people in gaza, that is worse than death. do you know why they murdered emily and more than 1,400 other israelis and 31 americans, these iran-backed hamas? simply because they were jewish. they killed them because they hate jews and want to kill every jew. it's unimaginable what these families have suffered. we cannot look away. let's remember these were israeli and american families. the atrocities are too numerous to fully recount but these stories and images we have all seen will never leave our memories. not since the holocaust has the world witnessed such a brutal attack on the jewish people. sadly, the jewish people have endured thousands of years of hate and persecution, but this will not be the end of israel or the jewish people.

israel is surrounded by terrorist groups that want it wiped off the face of the earth. i've seen this firsthand during my five visits to israel which gave me a clear perspective on israel's proximity to its enemies, hamas, hezbollah, isis and iran. hamas and hezbollah are not in quest for civil liberty or justice. they are killers. they are killers who seek to eradicate jewish people from this earth and they are funded and supported by the evil iranian regime. in august 2021 the senate voted 99-0 for my amendment to a budget bill to ensure united states tax dollars do not benefit terrorist organizations such as hamas. the vote was 99-0. everyone in this body agrees american taxpayers should never fund hamas terrorists. unfortunately the final text of the bill did not include my language.

here's why we need to stop taxpayer funding of terrorist acts. in 2021 biden's state department said, quote, we're going to be working in partnership with the united nations and the palestinian authority to kind od in a manner that does its best to go to the people of gaza, end quote. the official went on to say, quote, as we've seen in life, as we all know in life, there are no guarantees. but we're going to do everything we can to ensure this assistance reaches the people who need it the most, end quote. we all know hamas controls gaza. every dollar that goes to gaza comes under the control of hamas who decides what it's going to do with it. so i heard from the biden state department in 2021 is that the administration can't guarantee the american taxpayer dollars aren't going to fund terrorist in hamas. the biden administration thinks of risk of resources going to hamas terrorists is okay

because, quote, in life, there's no guarantees. i reject that. and i will not leave anything to chance when it comes to preventing u.s. taxpayer money from being sent to the brutal terrorists that have slaughtered so many israelis and americans. and we know for a fact that hamas uses humanitarian aid to support its terrorist acts. look at this one. this is a humanitarian package. it's a humanitarian unicef bag found among the troops used to carry iran backed hamas terrorists into israeli towns where they murdered israeli families and burned homes to the ground. i guess there was no guarantee. i talked to a lot of rabbis in florida and they told me they've seen lots of pictures on israeli tv of humanitarian rice bags that when people open them, there are bullets in it. the administration must do better and fully control where

american taxpayer money is going. we can make sure american taxpayers aren't funding terrorists. that's why i'm again asking that we pass the stop taxpayer funding of hamas act. i'm proud to have the support of senator cindy hyde-smith, mike braun and senator cramer on this bill. what this bill says, it's common sense, no funds will be authorized for the territory of gaza until the president guarantees these funds can be spent without benefiting terrorist organizations. it also ensures u.s. funds are not authorized for the territory of gaza unless the president can certify it is not teaching anti-israel and antisemitic ideas and propaganda. finally this bill mandates the president certify there are no hostages. we know there's hostages in gaza. that there's no hostages held in gaza for any terrorist organization. just this morning president biden announced $100 million of

sucht aid to gaza for gaza and the west bank. when airnl backed hamas activities continue attacks against israel, i can't think of a more critical time to pass this bill. let me finish with something that i was reminded of today. i know a family in florida that they lost their sister in law, her husband, i think their two six-year olds and a three-year-old. here's the way it works. they lost their loved ones, but their government is going to tax them to give money to the palestinian authority, that gives money to terrorists that died killing their family. you can't make this stuff up. so if -- this is a simple bill. let me now turn it over to my colleague from indiana, senator

braun. the presiding officer: the senator from indiana. mr. braun: i was ons trip with senator scott back in i believe august of 2019. what struck me about that visit, we went on to almost every perimeter in israel, and how they had to be on guard constantly, constantly to keep from having something flying into one of their towns or villages. when we did visit the one that rick referred to, what struck me is they had like a big lockerbie one of the homes -- locker by one of the homes that showed all the unique ways -- i think it was the village nearest to the gaza strip -- of how many attempts that were made

over time. thank goodness most of them falling short. but it gave me the impression that there was never a moment of real security. and when we had to see how within those villages, you had to be on guard almost 100% of the time to scurry in to a safe room that would disrupt the normal pace of your life, imagine if you had to live under those conditions. and here it's been a long time since anything of this magnitude has come along, probably nearly 50 years. but it shows that it never ends there. and when something like this does happen, i think you've got to, when we've had legislation it looks like was intended to prevent this, and it went

through, i think according to the senator, unanimously, this should be a slam dunk that we'd want to make sure that nothing can leak free out of any other type of aid that would help something like this either persist or happen again. if the report in the "wall street journal" is accurate, iran is closely involved in the planning and execution of the horrible terrorist act on israel. if that is the case, then it appears the $6 billion in cash unfrozen for iran, freed up resources to aid the attack. we should suspend those funds immediately and permanently. we almost -- we must also take extra steps to make sure the united states is not

inadvertently funding terrorist activities. this bill, a simple one, the stop taxpayer funding of hamas act, would do just that. under this bill, the president will have to certify that no u.s. funds are able to go to hamas or members of hamas. it would also make sure that funds are not benefiting organizations controlled or influenced by hamas, palestinian, islamic jihad, or any other terrorist organization it simply put in specificity what we all should be for. with president biden's announcement today that he intends to send $100 million in aid to gaza, we need this legislation to become law immediately. the american people need to feel

confident that their tax dollars are not going to fund the mayhem we saw in israel at the hands of hamas terrorists. i yield the floor to the senator from north carolina. . mr. budd: madam president. the presiding officer: the senator from north carolina. madam president, on october 7, hamas terrorists launched an unprovoked and bar bayeric sear -- barbaric series of attacks inside israel. 31 americans were killed and dozens remain missing or held hostage. in the wake of such a despicable

series of attacks, we must ensure that our taxpayers here, that our peaps are not -- our taxpayers that their dollars are not sent to aid the terrorist killers. two years ago one of the state department officials in the biden administration -- and the biden administration acknowledged that the possibility of aid to the palestinians could find its way into hamas's hands. that's unacceptable. and that's why senator rick scott's stop taxpayer funding of hamas act is so critical right now. it simply states that no u.s. taxpayer dollars would be authorized to gaza until the president certifies to us, to congress, that there are measures in place to prevent any taxpayer dollars from benefiting terrorist organizations. at the end of the day, we should be standing shoulder to shoulder with the state of israel to give them everything that they need to destroy hamas. i urge the senate to pass this

without delay. i thank my colleague from florida for his leadership on this issue, and i yield to him. the presiding officer: the senator from florida. mr. scott: to pass this important legislation. the individual that gave me the tour of the kibbutz, she was telling me they were half a mile from gaza and before hamas took over the gaza area, she used to be able to walk all the way to the beach and it was safe. so the -- i think most people in america -- no one is against gauzians, but to take any chance to go doesn't make any sense. we shouldn't allow a single

dollar to get into the hands of terrorists. we should be table to -- i look forward to my colleagues joining me today. i ask unanimous consent that the foreign real estates committee be dis -- relations committee be discharged from consideration of s. 49. i further -- 489. i ask that the florida scott substitute at the desk be considered, the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time and passed and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. the presiding officer: is there an objection? mr. sanders: reserving the right to object. the presiding officer: the senator from vermont. mr. sanders: madam president, i listened carefully to what senator scott and others have said about the barberrist act committed by hamas against innocent men, women, and children. the mowing down by machine guns by young people who were doing

nothing more than attending a dance, the murder of babies. this is a horrific, horrific act precipitating a worldwide crisis, and the united states of america, all of us condemn this act. and in my view, the state of israel has the absolute right to defend itself against hamas and terrorism in general. no debate on that. but what i ask my colleagues to also consider is that while we fully appreciate the horrific attack by hamas against innocent people of israel, i ask you also to understand that right now there are hundreds and hundreds of thousands of innocent men, women, and children in gaza who

have lost their homes. they've been thrown out of their homes. they have no food, they have no water, they have no fuel. and i will remind my colleagues that half of those people are children. half of the people in gaza are children. so, yes, we are united in doing everything we can to destroy hamas and their terrorism, but i implore you, do not take hamas's inhumanity and brutality and terrorism against children who are 3 or 5 years old. i ask you to think for a moment. think about it. i have a state, i represent the state of vermont, 630,000 people. a million people, most of them are poor. they had nothing to begin with before this whole business.

gaza was one of the most desperately poor places in the world. youth unemployment 75%, many of their people dependent on the u.n. for basic survival. so what i'm asking people to take a look at is to understand what our country is about, and what our country must not be involved in is making the horrific and miserable situation in gaza even worse. many of the families, and again, these are people thrown out of their homes. they don't know where they're going. they don't know who will accept them had they don't know if they're ever going back to their homes and they're poor to begin with, and do we really want to deny those people aid from the u.n. and other agencies to feed the children to provide water

for them. is that what we are really all about? so, of course, it goes without saying that we have to do everything that we can to make sure that not one nickel goes to the murderous hamas organization, but at the same time we have got to stand with the innocent women and children in palestine who are suffering today and are facing an almost unprecedented modern humanitarian disaster. so, madam president, today in the midst of this crisis u.s. and u.n. assistance in gaza is aimed squarely at deafg the basic -- addressing the basic needs of the palestinian people

including humanitarian aid. the u.s. and u.n. goes to great length to make sure that the aid goes the people who need it and not diverted. the israeli government itself recognizes the importance of this u.n. humanitarian aid and has long supported it. today in the myth of this horrific crisis, the united states and the international community are working to secure humanitarian access and what media reports i have seen recently, we may be making some progress in that. so that the u.n. can get food and water and fuel and medicine to the million or more people in gaza who need essential supplies. that should be our focus. there are people now facing hunger, they are facing incredible desperation and we cannot, cannot turn our backs on

them. if you think this is going to be good for israel, if you think the suffering of the palestinian people long term is good for israel, i think you are sorely mistaken. the world is looking at us and the world understands that what hamas did is terrible but they don't want to see our great country turn its back on innocent women and children. that, in my view is not what this country is about. this is a tough issue. there have been four wars in the last 15 years. it ain't going to be solved tomorrow, but while we do our best to support israel and destroy hamas, please, let us not turn our back on the suffering people in gaza. this is not what we should be doing, not what congress should be doing and therefore i object. the presiding officer: the objection is heard. the senator from florida. mr. scott: so i hope my

colleague would change his position if he just read what i said. the bill says that -- it doesn't say that money can't go to gauze. it says that no -- gaza. it says that no funds will be authorized to go to gaza until the president certifies that these funds can be spent without benefiting terrorist organizations. i don't know how anybody can disagree with that. no funds is for entities or offices unless the president can certify it is not encouraging or teaching anti-israel and anti-semitic ideas and propaganda. so this -- so this -- this doesn't say money doesn't go to gaza and help gazaians, it says that the president has to ensure that this isn't happening and rice bags are not full of bullets and we're not having the plo give money to terrorists that killed american citizens or their families. so -- that's all this says is

that the money cannot go to the benefit of hamas. if you dis -- if you disdpree what this -- disagree with what this says, you say that the money can go to hamas. i don't know how you can disagree with this. this is so basic. sanders searnd hundreds of -- mr. sanders: hundreds of thousands of women and children are living in desperation today. no one can guarantee that a bottle of water cannot go to hamas, if you are insistent of that, what you are really saying is no money for gaza. with that, i object. the presiding officer: senators, i'm going to ask that you direct your comments and questions to the chair. the senator from vermont, you were recognized. thank you. the senator from florida, you are now recognized. mr. scott: let's just remember what we're talking about is this is not against sending money to gaza. it's saying -- if we going to send money, it cannot go for the benefit of -- of individuals

that murdered babies, raped teenaged girls, shot people in their sleep. i mean, i don't know how anybody could support giving money to gaza when you know it's going to go to hamas if you're not careful, and that's what this administration said. thank you, madam president.

a senator: madam president. the presiding officer: the senator from tennessee. mrs. blackburn: thank you, madam president. i know that we're all watching what is happening with israel and also looking at how that affects our national security. and in doing this, one of the

things we've paid attention to is what is happening at our southern border. and as you look at the numbers there, it really is quite frightening to see how people from all across the globe are coming to our southern border. indeed last year, we had individuals from 176 different countries that came to our southern border. among this number, there were hundreds of gang members. there were thousands of convicted criminals. and there were individuals of interest. names of interest that our border patrol watched and indeed there were people on the terrorist watch list. last year in 2023, that is our

fiscal 2023, there were 151 apprehensions of individuals on the terrorist watch list. now, this number is really quite a dramatic increase. in 2022 there were 98 individuals on the terrorist watch list that were apprehended at the southern border. in 2021, there were 15. and in 2019, madam president, there was zero. not a one. now, as you look at this -- these numbers and as you look at what is happening here, it is natural to think what has caused this uptick in terrorists that are coming to our border?

if you are going to be honest about these numbers, what you would have to do is say, okay, what has changed from 2019 to 2021 and 2022 and 2023? and in the sane world which maybe this is not a sane word right now, it -- world right now, it would lead you to look at this administration's border policies. the ease with which people can come to the border, raise their hands, and claim asylum. the way the cartels have expanded around the globe as global businesses. indeed, moving human trafficking from having been a $500 million a year business in 2019 to

today, this year, $150 billion, billion with a b. that's the numbers that we're dealing with. and for terrorists that want to get in this country and i would say it's not a stretch to think they're coming here to do us harm, maybe they're saying it's the easiest way. you can claim asylum. can you grab a child and say you're bringing your child to america for a better life. but the numbers are not my numbers. they're not republican numbers. they're not senate numbers. these are the numbers that come from the department of homeland security. this is what they have logged

now, the other thing that we have to look at is in fiscal year 2022, dhs reported that 2.4 million individuals tried to force their way across the southern border. and indeed we have to say that. and in that we also have an additional 600,000 got-aways. those are the ones that can be seen on surveillance but they can't get to. those are pretty hefty numbers. and those are the 2022 numbers. 2023, the numbers are even above that. it is impossible to control an influx of this magnitude which means it is also impossible for us to control the collective threat that this poses to our country. because in those got-aways, how

many are terrorists, how many are gang members, how many are drug traffickers, how many are sex traffickers? how many of those got-aways are coming to inflict harm on our cities, our towns, our communities, and our citizens? now, what has concerned me and what concerns so many tennesseans, and i hear it regularly, last night i did a telephone town hall which i enjoy doing and hearing firsthand from tennesseans. spending an hour taking questions, answering their questions. and what really bothers so many of them is our president and his administration's unwillingness to acknowledge the very existence of the threats that

that open border brings to us. it jeopardizes our safety and our security, and i would say even the security of our allies. we've got a lot of adversaries in this world. we all know that. when you look at russia, china, iran, north korea, we know we've got adversaries. you look at what is happening with hamas in israel and those horrific attacks there. and we can say our adversaries may be sadistic, but they are not stupid. they know the border is open. they know that we are practicing -- this administration is practicing a foreign policy of appeasement. and maybe that is the reason that even this month what you saw was 2,000 chinese, 100

russians, 35 pakistanis, and 30 iranians coming to our southern border, coming in the country illegally, coming saying they're claiming asylum. madam president, does this make us safer? no. it doesn't. when you do not know who is coming into this country and their intent. now, hamas has noted the confusion in our foreign policy and the lack of clarity. they saw it when president biden withdrew troops from the saintscome area. -- the centcom area. what we did was to effectively leave israel surrounded by their worst enemies.

they also recognized biden's record apiecing hostile regimes. when biden chose not to enforce -- and this is important to note -- this administration, this national security director, there president chose not to enforce oil sanctions against iran. they did this knowing this would end up benefiting hamas, hezbollah and the terrorist groups that are the proxies for iran. the president also knew that $6 billion in a ransom payment would free up even more money for terrorist groups, more money for hamas, more money for hezbollah. that's the hallmark of this administration, looking the other way, appeasing iran and

doing it at cost to the american people. since 2021, president biden has funneled $730 million to the u.n. relief and works agency for palestine refugees. now, this agency, which has been around for decades, what they have become is a ferociously anti-semitic organization that has a long history of employing people that, guess what, they're associated with hamas. and hamas has a history of stealing money from this agency and using the agency's facilities to store weapons.

now, does that sound like humanitarian aid? does that sound like money going to the purpose for which it was given? of course not. and that is why in 2018 president trump halted the funding to the u.n. relief and works agency for palestinian refugees. well, president biden comes in and, guess what he does? he turned that spigot back on, running wide open, unilateral though he knew it was pretty much as good as writing a check to hamas. a terrorist organization. and, by the way you madam president -- and by the way, madam president, we declared and recognized hamas as a terrorist

organization -- we as a country did this in 1997. so, you know, there are things we can do, and i have introduced legislation to halt funding to the u.n. relief and works agency for palestine refugees until iran is expelled from the u.n. and until we investigate their crimes. what they're doing with this money, how it leads to death and destruction because they're giving it to these terrorist organizations. iran gives hamas about $100 million a year, $100 million. they also provide them with weapons and armor and ammo and with supplies and training. we also know that hamas has

grabbed aid this week for state kits, medical supplies, food. it's not going to the people, the palestinians. it's going to hamas for their efforts. now, in the first two weeks of fiscal year 2024, border patrol captured 30 iranians, as i said a few minutes ago. now, they were trying to come across the southern border. two of them, terror watch list. now you this is this month. this is in the last couple of weeks e and we've got reports of at least two more iranians on that terror watch list that have tried to come in. so since last monday alone --

monday a week ago -- we've had 19 iranians and 17 syrians in a tried to sneak in this country over the southern border. so i would just ask my colleagues, my democratic colleagues -- why do you think the terrorists, why do you think these people feel so emboldened, whether it's iranians, the pakistanis, the russians, the chinese. h., why are they flooding to our border to gain illegal entry into our country, to evade our immigration laws, to fly under the cloak of darkness and get in here on u.s. soil? why are they emboldened?

does this not worry you? does this not cause you to say, it is an imperative that we secure this border? you know, right now, as we have looked at what is happening around the globe and specifically is as we look at what has happened in israel, you've got 1,400 israelis that are dead. you've got 31 americans that are dead. you've got individuals from dozens of other countries around the globe that are dead, that are injured, that have been taken hostage and have faced a horrific circumstance. we cannot let this pattern of neglect continue in our country. we cannot continue to make our

nation and our citizens vulnerable. we cannot let attacks happen on our soil. it is time that we close that southern border.

[inaudible conversations]

[inaudible conversations] e senator from florida. e mr. rubio: i ask unanimous consent that the quorum call be vitiated. the presiding officer: we are

not in a quorum, senator. mr. rubio: great. i want to read from the law of the united states of america. this is the existing law. i am not trying to pass a law today. it says, section 212-a-at that -- i'm not going to read it the whole number. immigration and nationality act mandates that you are ineligible to enter into the united states if you endorse or espouse terrorist activity or persuade others to endorse or espouse terrorist activity or support a terrorist organization. what that basically means is, if you are a supporter of a terrorist group or you encourage others to support the actions of a terrorist group, a designated terrorist group -- the statute defines that that is -- you're not supposed to get a visa. if you're already in the country -- inch neat talking about american citizens, i am talking about someone that is a foreign national. that person is in the united

states on a visa. that person is sought there defending or encouraging others to defend and take the side of a terrorist organization like, for example, hamas, or maybe hezbollah or somebody else. they're not supposed to have a visa to come into the country. once they're already here, if they do that, they should lose that visa. that's applying existing law. and so what i'm going to come here on the floor and try to do today is pass something that i frankly thought was common sense, doesn't go any further than this. it is a resolution that says the senate is asking the biden administration if they come across anyone who is here, a foreign national on a visa who supports is hamas, that person's visa should be canceled and they should be removed from the country p, through the proceedings involving removal. that's what this resolution does. it condemns anti-semitism and the horrible attack from hamas. all it basically says is if

you're a foreign national in the united states, you're here on a visa, as a visitor and you support hamas or you encourage others to support hamas, you should lose your visa and you should be gone. that's what i'm going to hope to be able to do here today. so i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to consideration of senate resolution 40 13 which is at the desk and further that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. the presiding officer: is there objection? mr. welch: madam president. the presiding officer: the senator from vermont. mr. welch: reserving the right to object. i want to make it very clear that there's 100 members of the united states senate who absolutely condemn the brutal attack by hamas on innocent israeli citizens, that absolutely condemn the

kidnapping of israeli citizens and some americans, who absolutely condemn the vicious kill jews philosophy of hamas. and all of us have an opportunity, which i think all of us are going to take to stand by israel when it comes to going after hamas. and i hope all of us are also going to do everything we can to encourage that every precaution that can be taken to protect innocent palestinians be taken, because they too have been kidnapped by hamas who cynically use them as human shields. but i read the resolution of my colleague from florida. this is not existing -- this is not about enforcing existing law. this is about compromising a constitutional right that

americans have enjoyed since the interception of our country. -- since the inception of our country. it's the first amendment. and it may be something that people may in this body may object to, but when a person is in the united states, they enjoy the protections of our magnificent founding document to be free from unlawful searches and seizures and certainly to be able to say things that we may find repugnant. and there have been many things that have been said that are repugnant. but at the time of maximum stress -- and we're in that right now -- is when there is the maximum stress to compromise the right we've enjoyed of free speech protected by the first amendment since the founding of our country. and we've had some recent

experience with this. after 9/11 and the trauma that our nation experienced with the loss of over 3,000 wonderful people in the twin towers, at the pentagon, and pennsylvania, there was a call to go after groups to compromise rights. and in hindsight, in those times when we did do the wrong thing, because we harmed innocent people in our anger, our justified anger, by the way, we don't want to do that again. so this resolution, however my colleague wants to characterize is, is about what happens in this country. this may be something my colleague disagrees with, but when a person is in this country, they enjoy the benefits of our constitution and the right of free speech.

i stand for free speech. my preference is that we focus on doing the things that this united states senate can do to help israel go after hamas, to help all of the innocent palestinians who seek to live in peace have that opportunity to do so. so, mr. president, i object, and i yield the floor. the presiding officer: objection is heard. mr. rubio: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from florida. mr. rubio: if i may respond for a moment, and i understand my colleague has to go. i know it's late, there are other things going on. welcome to stay obviously. there was a couple of mentions about how i characterize the resolution. i'll read from the resolution. resolved that the senate calls on the president of the united states to enforce existing law to revoke visas and initiate deportation proceedings for any foreign national who has endorsed or espoused the terrorist activities of hamas,

palestinians jihad, the people whose rocket yesterday hit a hospital in gaza and killed innocent people, hezbollah, or other foreign terrorist organizations which is the term that's defined. the state department issues a list of who those are. that have participated in terrorist attacks against israel and the united states citizens before, on or after october 7, 2023. yes, we have a first amendment right in this country to free speech. everyone acknowledges there are limits to it. for example, you do not have a first amendment right to call people to overthrow the government of the united states. you don't have a first amendment right to do that. you don't have a first amendment right to incite people to violence. there is no first amendment right to a visa. i'm not talking about u.s. citizens. to be abundantly clear this is specifically written to talk about people who have endorsed or espoused terrorist activities of the hamas, jihad. this is not about people who support a two-state solution. it has nothing to do with any of

that. people have every right toes pows those views. i may disagree with them but they have a right to do that. what no one has a right to do, especially a visitor, a visitor to the united states granted a visa for which there is no constitutional right, that we are going to allow visitors into the country the law says they're not even allowed to be in. but now they're here. they got in because obviously nobody goes into their interview and says i'm a hamas support by the way. so they got into the country. or maybe they became a hamas supporter while they were here. but they are here on a visa espousing or supporting a terrorist organization that committed a horrible slaughter but has been doing it for a long time, not at this scale and scope like we saw in one day. this is not about first amendment. this is people who are be actively calling for the support of a terrorist organization. that if they had the capability to conduct an attack like that in the united states, they would. there is no constitutional right to that. there is no constitutional right to a visa to remain in this country. and so that's what i'm talking

about. that's what all this is about. it goes on obviously to condemn the attack and all the other things which i think would not be controversial, but that is specifically what this is about. the law is very clear. you're not allowed to -- it just makes all the sense in the world. why would any country in the world say we're going to give out visas to people who support terrorism? they wouldn't, and our law doesn't. now that they're here somehow they're immune to the application of the law. now that visa is somehow a protected document? a visa is like we have to get a visa to go into another country. it's a country saying we're going to to allow you as a visitor for a temporary period of time but there are all kinds of things that can get your visa canceled like if you're here to do a certain kind of job and you're not doing that job, you're in default of the visa. there are all kinds of things depending on the visa you're on can get the visa canceled. shouldn't one of them be espousing support for terrorism?

at the end of the day it comes down to this. we can go back and forth, talk about all these other concepts. but i promise you that all across america -- i don't even have to take a poll -- if you went to the average person and asked them, let me ask you a question, if someone a visitor to this country, say they're here ton a tourist visa or student visa, they're here on a visa and that person is out there supporting and encouraging others to support a terrorist organization that hates america, hates our values, but more importantly that carries out violence, that espouses violence as their primary tool for activism, if you told somebody should we kick people out of this country who are not americans, here on temporary visas and supporting terrorism outside our country, i guarantee you the majority of americans would say absolutely, absolutely we should. i've had democrat colleagues come up to me and say that today. and all this resolution does, it doesn't even force the administration to do it. it just calls on them to do it.

so i honestly, i don't understand the objection. i don't understand the rationale behind the objection. i hope we can maybe vote on it one day. maybe we can get a vote on this. that way everybody can be on the record. we shouldn't have foreign nationals in our country that support hamas or hezbollah or any of these other groups. and i specifically tailored the language of this resolution to stick to the law and nothing more. i do not believe anybody should be out there committing acts of violence against people because of their ethnic heritage, because of their religion. i tell this to people all the time. do people realize, for example, that in the israeli army right now there are israeli airbus who will be called -- arabs who will be called to go into gaza and fight a war. there are israeli arabs who will fight for israel. do they realize in the armed forces of the united states there are men and women who are nims, followers of islam who fought for the freedom of this country. this is not a nation where your value as a person or status as a

american is determined by your religion or ethnic background. i reject that categorically. heartbroken, for example, by a story that some deranged person knocks on a door and murders a little boy the other day screaming something about muslims. that is a crime. i'm glad he was arrested. he should go to jail. anyone who does that should go to jail. that is the kind of violence terrorists do. no one is defending or talking about anything like that. what i am saying is common sense. you're a visitor, you're not even an american, you're a foreign national, you're here because we gave you a visa to be here temporarily, and now you're out there defending and supporting hamas, a terrorist organization? you need to go. i hope we can get a vote on the senate so at least here will know where everyone here stands. i yield the floor.

the age of my oldest grandchild we follow daily reports the six-day war as close as he could with four daily newspapers and broadcast news. in 1973 the era came to washington as a young man, i learned that the yom kippur war in synagogue in our most solemn day of and i worry deeply about the survival of the state of israel be the and murderous attacks just days ago shattered another day and learning again of an attack on israel at a service was an experience that i

had hoped never to repeat. at this moment there is no greater mission retreat as to strengthen the ties between the united states in israel, to work towards peace in the region and have known so much more -- war and destruction.en the attacks it is not. it is mr. whitehouse: then i will proceed, mr. president, rising today for the 25th time to address the multifaceted dark money scheme to capture and control our supreme court. we will look today at how the creepy billionaires, who captured the supreme court, get their message through to the justices that they helped plant there. that of course is the last leg of the capture operation. first, you have the so-called federalist society list, purportedly create bid the federalist society for former president donald trump to pick

supreme court justices from. bad enough if that were true, a secretive, anonymously funded, private group picking supreme court justices? while accepting big, secret contributions? what could possibly go wrong? but it's actually worse. the federalist society can show no official process to cook up the list. no agenda item, no vote, no nothing. it was done in some backroom, secretly, by the federalist society's leonard leo, the operative of the creepy billionaires who fund this endeavor. the federalist society did let trump use the federalist society name for cover on the list, as if it was their list, but it

wasn't. after that step, the fake list, came the billionaire-funded campaign to get the senate to confirm the federalist society justices. this part of the operation ran through another dark money front group, the judicial crisis network, conveniently located just down the hall in the same building, on the same floor, from the federalist society. judicial crisis network is the fictitious name for yet another dark money front group, and of course, millions in dark money were poured into senate republican political coffers from the same billionaires. and, no surprise, republican senators voted to confirm even deeply troubled justices, and now there they sit on the court. so, let's say you're a billionaire who funded all this.

you have your happened--- you have your hand-picked justices on the supreme court. how are they supposed to remember what you want? well, easy -- you tell them. cue the front groups that file briefs at the supreme court as amicus curiae. latin for friend of the court. they file them in flotillas, usually of about a dozen. but where it's a really big deal to the dark money billionaires, they have sent in more than 50 of these briefs. in the case where it was over 50, it was at the certiorari stage early in the proceedings to make sure the chosen justices got the message. that case was americans for prosperity foundation v. banta. it was about disclosing donors behind dark money front groups.

after the deluge of over 50 front-group amici, the federalist society justices let nonprofits, known as 501(c)(3)'s hide their donors, even from sovereign states where they operate and which have a responsibility to police them for fraudulent abuse of the tax system. this decision added more secrecy to the latest and greatest secret political influence technique, which is to pair a dark money 501(c)(3) with a dark money 501(c)(4) entity. this is, no surprise, precisely the secretive influence technique that the creepy billionaires deployed to get those chosen justices on the

court. well, we have all witnessed the sordid saga of theatrically grotesque gifts and free travel that right wing billionaires have bestowed on certain supreme court justices. that is connected here. the billionaires who fund the justices' gifts and entertainment also fund front groups that come in to tell the justices what to do. so the backdrop of the capture apparatus is that billionaires choose the justices, fund the campaigns for their confirmations, and then send in flotillas of billionaire-funded front griewfs to give instructions. so, with that backdrop, let's look at recent and coming cases and how those front groups are doing. last term, the federalist

society justices handed several major wins to the front groups and their backers. one of these wins came in a case called exact sa -- called sa. epa, the latest attempt to clean up the environment and hold polluters accountable. many of the big-spending right wing billionaires owe their for chunls to the polluting fossil fuel industry. it's no surprise their front groups are out to weaken the epa. the epa has responsibility under the clean water act, to make sure our country's water remains safe and clean. naturally, the polluters and their front groups hate this. so, in sackett they asked the court to narrow, as much as possible, which waters the epa could protect under the clean water act. the front groups had their fingerprints all over this case.

to start, the attorneys who brought the case came from the pacific legal foundation. because it's a dark money group, it's impossible to know exactly who funds the pacific legal foundation, but in the past it's received money from the likes of exxonmobil, the koch brothers political apparatus, and other groups that fund climate denial. a great many of these cases that bring engineer the flotillas of billionaire-funded amici are not brought up through regular litigation. they're brought by these front groups, teed up by front groups who bring in plaintiffs of convenience to bring a particular question up before the captured court. at the supreme court, at least

ten other far-right front group amicky all urged the -- amici urged the group to reject the clean water act, including the biggest mouthpiece for the fossil fuel industry, and americans for foundation prosperity, part of the koch industry's fossil fuel political operation. i went over some of the briefs this morning in the environment and public works committee when we took a look at the sackett case. i'll do a brief summary. the pacific legal foundation received mon money from exxon, various koch foundations, donors trust and bradley, also was americans for prosperity foundation, funded by the koch political operation, doinors trust -- donors trust, the bradley foundation, and the sarah scaife foundation, and the cato institute was in the case with funding by the koch

political operation, donors capital, donors trust and the bradley foundation. and the claremont industry for constitutional juris priewpped ins -- juris prudens chimed in. liberty justice center came in with funding from donors trust and the bradley foundation. nfib small business legal center with funding from donors capital and trust and bradley. mountain states legal foundation came in with funding from the koch political operation, donors trust, donors capital, bradley foundation and the sarah scaife foundation. southeastern legal foundation came in with funding from donors trust, bradley foundation and sarah scaife foundation, and the washington legal foundation with funding from the koch political operation, donors capital, donors trust, the bradley foundation and sarah scaife foundation. the litigant and nine amici were

all funded by the kochs, donors trust and donors capital and the bradley foundation and sarah scaife. they could just as easily have filed briefs in the name of koch political operation, donors trust and donors capital and bradley foundation and sarah scaife foundation, or even filed one brief by all of those entities. instead, they created this fake machinery of front groups secreting the illusion of multiplicity and the illusion of independence, when in fact these things are played like piano keys on a piano. by the way, if they'd actually tried to file a brief in the name of donors trust and donors capital it would have been a little weird, because those are not entities with any real role in the world, other than to scrub the identities off of dark money donations to right wing groups. if you don't want your name on an expenditure, you give to donors capital, they then pass

it on to the group, the group reports they got it from donors capital, and you get to walk away hands free without any attribution or accountability. so, not only are these mument pel players, they tend to -- multiple players, they tend to switch around in the scheme. let me add that americans for prosperity foundation was the petitioner in the case with the 50-plus dark money amici that came in. they're the -- there the scheme was to get the chosen justices to protect dark money for 501(c)(3)'s and needless to say it worked. but back to sackett. five of the six republican-appointed justices got the message sent by these front groups and adopted the narrowest interpretation of the clean water act they could get away with. millions of acres of wetlands are no longer protected by the epa. another win for polluter interest, another loss for the

american people, another successful direction by a right wing dark money front group flotilla. sackett wasn't the only case with where the creepy billionaires scored big at the coart last term. another win -- court last term. another was when the justices threw out president biden's plan to cancel student loan debt for millions of struggling borrowers. showing up in that case was another double-digit flotilla of far-right and industry-funded front group amici, with customary repeat players like the kochs, americans for prosperity foundation, the chamber of commerce and the buckeye institute. in this scheme, even the front groups have front groups. leonard leo's judicial crisis network is actually the fictitious name of another front group called the concord fund,

and the judicial crisis network, which is the same group that leo used to help confirm the hand-picked justices, in turn propped up a new front group led by mike pence, funding it with more than a million dollars. so, the front groups' front group's front group filed a brief in the student loan case. you cannot make this stuff up. well, naturally, the federalist society justices delivered what these groups were asking for on behalf of their billionaire benefactors, but the real victory for the front group amici in this case was how the justices struck down the plan. the federalist society justices relied on something called the major questions doctrine, a doctrine they first deployed two

years ago at the behest of fossil fuel groups in a case called west virginia v. epa. the basic idea is that if a judge thinks an agency regulation is too big or too important, the judge gets to strike it down. it's the perfect tool for billionaires to use billionaire-picked justices rather than agency subject matter expertise to stop regulations they don't like. a whole separate scheme speech could be devoted to the hothouse doctrine factories in which notions like the so-called major questions doctrine are seeded, fertilized, watered, and grown. in west virginia v. epa and in the student loans case, the federalist society justices took the doctrine from dark

money-funded hothouses like the federalist society itself and replanted it into american law. it is now law. the front groups, of course, with that opening, then began challenging even more regulations, left and right, using this supposed doctrine. and no surprise, the agency they've targeted most is the epa. that brings me to the pending wave of front-group action at the supreme court. one case that's received a lot of attention is moore v. united states. that case centers on a narrow legal issue related to the republicans' 2017 tax cuts for the rich. but the billionaires' front groups want far more. they want the chosen justices to to shield the billionaire elite

from paying taxes by declaring unconstitutional taxes that would target the billionaires' massive fortunes many given what a boon that would be for the creepy billionaires, as you can imagine the flotilla is out in full force. at least 14 far-right billionaire front groups have surfaced, and -- in moore. and a front group is litigating the case. the competitive enterprise institute, it's called, which has a long history of right wing billionaire funding. one side note about this case. remember when i said there was overlap between the right wing billionaires who fund these groups and the right wing billionaires who lavished justice thomas and alito with luxury gifts? this case is exhibit a with multiple right wing front groups

funded by billionaires paul singer, harlan crow and the kochs who are billionaires at the center of the ethics mess of secret free byes for -- freebies for justices at the court. in moore, the lawyer litigating on behalf of the billionaires' cause is the same lawyer who conducted the so-called interview with justice alito in "the wall street journal" editorial page about my supreme court ethics bill and our senate investigations on judiciary and finance into the undisclosed gift to certain justices. that interview propped up for the lawyer's client leonard leo, that we could not investigate gifts that leo orchestrated to

justice alito. you need a diagram. you cannot make this stuff up. get gant -- litigant in moore, lawyer to leo, interviewer of alito, that's a whole lot of hats for that one lawyer's head. the more you look at this operation, the more you see it as a big shell game with multiple front groups that can be moved around and multiple operatives switching around to deliver results for this billionaire elite. it's a scheme. another case the billionaires are targeting this term is lopa write enterprises with another attack on the agency regulations. it's not enough that their home brewed major questions doctrine has just been made law by their

chosen justices, they want more. a flotilla of front group amici has -- i filed a brief in that case with several colleagues documenting this amicis connections, many have received hundreds of thousands, even millions of dollars from far-right and polluter interests that would benefit from weaker regulations. as usual, they are repeat performers who show up in case after case to feed the court arguments propagated in right wing hot houses. that's the court capture process. billionaire-funded group cook up legal theories to help the billionaires. billionaire funded litigation propped up by flotillas of front groups, tees up the justices to adopt the hot house theory.

after the justices adopt the hot house theory, the front groups bring more cases to attack more regulations. rinse and repeat until you've tied up or knocked down every regulation in your polluting way. as with a lot of a mess at the supreme court right now, the justices could do a lot to clean this up by themselves. they could require real disclosure of who is behind these flotillas of phony front groups. they could turn away cases that look like faux litigation brought by political front groups. they could adopt ethic procedures that allow basic factfinding into the swampy mess of free secret gifts and the

ubiquitous fixer leonard leo and they could stop granting the front group wishes time after time after time. a new term of court presents a new opportunity for the court to recommit itself to deciding law and not just doing the bidding of creepy billionaires and their phony front groups. we too often fixate on the awful decisions that have come out of this federalist society majority. when we do, we overlook the nasty little web of front groups lurking behind those awful decisions. but the front group web is an important part of the story, an essential element of the court capture apparatus and a key

element of the scheme. the web should not be allowed to hide in plain view simply because we don't bother to keep track and connect the dots. to be continued. i yield the floor. and note the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call:

that was your response i asked the may 11 picture that objection. quickly write you back in may a week after. we are disappointed you ignored the request in our march 30 letter providing assurances united states will not work on behalf of around to enable a access $2 it elsewhere the u.s. system et cetera. and you responded on june 7 of that year that june 7 response being entered into the record? rex without objection >> to be clear of the department of treasury is not working on behalf of iran to access u.s. dollars elsewhere and international financial system. nor are we assisting around and getting access to dollar payment systems outside of the u.s. financial system. the ministration is not been and is not granting i run access to the financial system. so basically the way i would describe this is your testimony is for not providing access to the system you then issue the

special license which is not published may be a know it was supposed to find out about to help them gain access to the financial system. then to help convert the funds they chose not to do separately then put on 200 roadshows around the world encouraging banks around the world to be part of this and telling this don't worry about sanctions do not worry about penalties 95% of the time it's just a warning letter or no action at all. and proactively reach out according to the report unless in whichyou dispute the report proactively reach out to a bank and said we don't do any business with iran. mr. presidee today as israel is at war. they're at war in response to a genocidal assault by the iran terrorist group hamas. an assault against israel and against america and against the citizens of dozens of other countries.

the numbers are staggering. over 1,400 israelis killed. thousands more wounded and tortured. over 199 kidnapped. alongside them, 30 americans killed, and about a dozen kidnapped. by far one of the deadliest attacks against americans in history. and so our israeli allies are rightly going to war to eradicate hamas. mr. president, we often hear that israel and the united states share the same interests and the same enemies. that when israel fights for its own security, they are also fighting for ours.

rarely in history has that been so explicitly horribly true. and let's be clear about what they are fighting against. what we saw on october 7 in the early hours of saturday october 7 was pure evil unleashed. genocidal exterminationist violence. nazi tactics in pursuit of nazi aims. entire israeli families were murdered in door-to-door horrors. israeli babies were brutally slaughtered, burned and decapitated. women and young girls were

systematically raped. in some homes children were shot right in front of their parents. in other homes parents were shot right in front of their children. and then the children were kidnapped. husbands and wives murdered in front of each other. holocaust survivors massacred. in one home israelis found the burned remains of an adult and a child who died hugging each other in terror as they were murdered. they were burned to death, clutching each other in their home. and throughout these atrocities,

hamas terrorists gleefully filmed themselves in exsattic joy. -- ecstatic joy. there are harrowing videos of israeli babies in the hands of hamas terrorists after they were kidnapped. why were these crimes committed? because the victims were jews in israel. because hamas and the iranian regime which arms, funds and controls hamas because both are committed to the eradication of jews. it was the biggest mass murder of the jewish people in a single day since the holocaust. at the supernova music festival

which was billed for friends, young israelis were -- they shot at defenseless israelis, murdering 260 of them. they systematically raped survivors. they shot those who were too brutalized to be moved and they kidnapped others. at kibbutz, 120 were murdered. hamas terrorists infiltrated the kibbutz from several directions and they went home by home murdering people. one of the victims was tom hans' 8-year-old daughter emily. who was at a sleepover with her

friends. tom is a single father. his wife, emily's mom, had passed away earlier from cancer. a that saturday morning when hamas invaded the kibbutz, tom thankfully was able to get out alive. emily was murdered. in another kibbutz, 16-year-old rotem matias was with his parents, debra and shlomi. when hamas terrorists came into their home, the terrorists shot shlomi in the arm blowing his arm off. deborah heroically shielded rotam with her body to save him.

both of rotem's parents were murdered. at kibbutz near oz, rardan and sherry beavis along with their 3-year-old son and their 9-month-old son, they were all hiding in their home when hamas terrorists entered. they took sherry and her sons and they kidnapped them. no one has heard from rardan. sherry and her sons are now hostages in gaza as well as sherry's parents. these were all by design. we know from documents discovered on terrorist bodies that their goals were to, quote, kill as many as possible, and,

quote, capture hostages. we know they sought out specifically children and they went specifically to children's rooms. in the face of this evil, israel must and israel will defend herself. america's policy should be absolutely unqirval to ensure that -- unequivocal to ensure israel has the military and diplomatic support to utterly eradicate hamas for as long as it takes. i want to repeat that last part for as long as it takes. i give you my word that i will do everything in my power and

ability and use every resource at my disposal to ensure that that is indeed america's policy. so what do we do immediately? we know what israel needs in the short term. our israeli allies need air defenses and they need weapons. we must make sure together that they get them. if we can get those things from prepositioned weapons we keep on their soil, the war reserve stock, that's where we'll get them from. if it needs to be shipped to them, we'll ship them to them. and if the president needs more authorization or more money, congress must find a way to give it to him. over the last week, we've heard objections from various parts of capitol hill about arming israel, there have instead been calls for withholding support and pressuring israel into an

immediate cease-fire. these people draw a moral equivalency between our israeli allies and these hamas terrorists. mr. president, this is a battle between good and evil. and anyone who draws a moral equivalency between hamas and israel is shamefully lying. this is an existential fight for israel. as was said at one point, if the arabs put down their weapons today, there would be no more violence. if the jews put down their weapons, there would be no more israel. that is as true today as it was whether she said that.

hamas uses human shields as standard practice. israel does everything it can to minimize civilian casualties. they were polar opposites. the israeli government asks innocent civilians to get out of harm's way. they go so far as to send texts to palestinians warning them to evacuate. they do things like if they're going to bomb a building where they know hamas rockets are stored or they have terrorists hiding, they will send a text to every person in that building and even drop a dud bomb on top of the building that lands with a thud but doesn't explode. designed to warn the civilians see evacuate the building because the next bomb to take out the weapons or take out the terrorists is going to explode.

and then no doubt they will level the building because they're trying to get rid of murderers. no other military on earth goes to such extraordinary lengths to avoid civilian casualties. and there is no moral equivalency here, zero, between israeli soldiers protecting civilians and hamas monsters targeting babies. much more needs to be done and can be done to counter the use of human shields by hamas and other iran-controlled terrorist organizations. in 2014 i was proud to author a resolution in the senate cosponsored by democrat senator kirsten gillibrand from new york, condemning the use of human shields by hamas as a war

crime. that bipartisan resolution passed the senate 100-0. and later in 2019 i wrote and passed language that imposes sanctions on hamas, on hezbollah, on any other terrorist group that uses human shields. now that was a much tougher fight because sanctions always are. but by working in a bipartisan and bicameral fashion, we passed that law as well. since 2019 there are new groups that are using human shields that need to be added, especially the palestinian-islamic jihad and the law itself needs to be extended and strengthened. i intend to work in a bipartisan way to do exactly that in this congress. unequivocal support from the

united states is critical. we are already seeing pressure from across the world and from far too many places here in washington. for our israeli allies to stand down. it is unfortunately well known, predictable that as soon as israel begins to defend itself from terrorists, from the very beginning the clock starts ticking until pressure on them to stand down becomes immense. it's a surreal, disquieting, and shameful spectacle. this time the calls for israel to stand down began while hamas terrorists were still on israeli territory as the attack was ongoing. and i'm saddened to say they came among other places from

within the biden administration itself. as the hamas invasion was becoming horrifically public, as the first reports of atrocities were being published, here's what the biden state department tweeted out. quote, we unequivocally condemn the attack of hamas terrorists and the loss of life that has incurred. we urge call sides to refrain from violence and retaliatory attacks. terror and violence solve nothing. now, to be clear, that was a message to the israelis from the u.s. department of state. refrain from violence and retaliatory attacks. terror and violence solves nothing so do nothing against the terrorists who were then murdering over a thousand israelis. that was from the u.s. office of palestinian affairs in the state

department. they sent this tweet out at 3:00 in the morning d.c. time. literally as these murders -- as these rapes, as these brutal assaults were happening. i caught it within about an hour and it was obvious what they were trying to do so i made it clear what i inteendzed to do -- intended to do and i publicly responded to that tweet by saying, quote, this is disgraceful and every person involved in drafting and approving this tweet should be immediately expelled from the u.s. government. so their first instinct was to tell israel your country is being invaded. terrorists are murdering your civilians. your citizens are being kidnapped. infants and children are being murdered. and the position of the united states state department is israel, please do nothing. do not engage in retoll toar strike -- retaliatory strikes.

just sit there and allow the terrorists to murder your citizens. within the hour the state department deleted their tweet. later that day, they apologized. they said the tweet was unauthorized and it didn't reflect their policy. except they weren't done. a few hours later, the twitter account of the secretary of state antony blinken posted a note saying the secretary of state was encouraging an immediate cease-fire. understand the word cease-fire are not directed at the terrorists. they're directed at israel. they're saying israel, do not defend yourself, do not kill the hamas terrorists. i likewise denounced that tweet. and for the second time in 24 hours, the department of state had to delete yet another tweet. that's in the first day that

this attack proceeded. mr. president, this is not a time for partisan disagreements. we should be standing together and with israel. and i'll be the first to admit that much of what president biden has said himself since then has been welcome. his first major speech on this crisis was very strong in parts. the problem is this administration, this white house, this department of state is filled with passionate opponents of israel. and every time president biden has spoken in support of israel, he has been undercut by staffers before and after. the president just traveled to

israel yesterday in what was an unprecedented trip. i am glad the president went to israel. that was a strong statement. for him to be physically there on the ground during this war. but on the way there, literally on the plane, a white house spokesperson said the purpose of the trip was to have the president ask the israelis, quote, tough questions. even on the night before his speech last week, biden's deputy national security adviser had gone to msnbc and warned the israelis and i will quote, it's our advice that this war be conducted based on the principles of international law. madam president, what does that mean? has israel ever not fought its wars based on the principles of international law? why is that something they're publicly lecturing israel on?

and even if it did come up in discussions with israel, why lecture them publicly? madam president, i remember well september 11, the horror of the greatest attack on the united states in american history. and i don't recall any american allies publicly lecturing america follow international law. i don't recall any foreign heads of state traveling here to ask us the tough questions, are you going to dare retaliate against the terrorists. instead, our friends said we stand with you, period. after president biden's speech at the white house, the white house official stated, quote, we support israel taking necessary and proportionate action. understand that word proportionate. you're going to hear it again.

you're going to hear again from the enemies of israel, who are already preparing to attack and undermine each and every step israel takes, to eradicate the hamas terrorists. they're going to say it's not proportionate. what is a proportionate response? to the beheading of babies? what is a proportionate response to the systematic murder of entire families? for that matter, what is a proportionate response to a genocidal campaign? the biden administration's ideological, partisan reaction, day after day, to all of this is tragic. they see these terrorist attacks, and their immediate reaction is i hope israel

doesn't respond by killing the terrorists too much. why? well, because i think at least some in the biden administration feel a need to appeal to the radical, left wing base, which includes blm, which includes the democratic socialists of america, which includes the anti-semitic squad in the house, as well as the woke university students at harvard and other so-called elite universities. at harvard, 35 student groups in the aftermath of hamas' attacks blamed israel. these organizations, these elite universities, sadly have become venomous pits of anti-semitism and hatred for israel.

the 35 student groups at harvard put out a joint statement by the harvard palestine solidarity group. i want the american people to know what they said. they said, quote, we, the undersigned students' organizations, hold the israeli regime entirely responsible for all the unfolding violence. that's the opening sentence of their statement. they believe it's israel's fault that hamas terrorists are raping women and young girls in the street. they believe it is israel's fault that hamas is mutilating babies and kidnapping them and homing them hostage. they believe it is israel's fault that hamas is using toddlers as human shields. they believe it is israel's fault that hamas is targeting and murdering civilians, indiscriminately going house by

house by house. madam president, that sentiment is sick and twisted and wrong. and i also worry, in addition to the knee jerk, partisan, ideological reaction, the biden administration also has a very real interest in dampening israel's response, because every day the war goes on people will ask, where does hamas get the resources to keep fighting? the answer is obvious. this massacre, this horrific assault on israel was funded by iran. hamas and hezbollah are both iranian proxies. they work for iran. they work under the direction of iran. and they are funded by iran. without iran, there would be no hamas.

when it was first reported that these attacks were planned, signed off on by the iranian government, the usual iran echo chamber went to work defending the regime. they said there was no evidence, and the interesting and an awful lot of congressional democrats said they weren't sure either. you know what no one denies? you know what makes these denials so strange? no one denies that hamas is armed, funded, and directed by iran. the game these people are playing is they say, well, we can't be sure, we don't have video evidence, we don't have an audio recording of the ayatollah looking at a map and telling hamas where to breach the burden fence, so we have to look into it more. utter nonsense. why are they so defensive? well, because since president biden took office, this white house has been responsible for

nearly $100 billion flowing to iran. ened much of that money has gone directly to hamas and directly to hezbollah. you know, now, everyone acknowledges the $6 billion in ransom money that joe biden paid to get five americans out of iranian custody. i'm glad that now democrats have joined what i and many others said was a tragic mistake that put a bounty on americans. it set a price, $1.2 billion is what the biden administration will pay you if you kidnap americans. and at the time i said more americans will be kidnapped, and iran will kidnap more americans. i'm very sorry to say that prediction came true in just a matter of weeks.

my democrat colleagues would not stand with us to cut off that $6 billion when it was paid initially. now, we have democrats willing to do so. that's a step in the right direction. but understand the $6 billion is only the tip of the iceberg. it is only a tiny portion of the money that this administration, the biden administration, has flooded iran with. a few weeks before the $6 billion deal, biden made available $10 billion related to electricity that iran bought from iraq -- that iraq bought from iran. and both of those, the $16 billion, pales in comparison to the tens of billions of dollars, as much as $80 billion that iran has made from illicit oil sales under biden.

understand, when joe biden came into office the iranian regime was on its knees, the economy was in shambles. why? because the ayatollah gets his principal revenue from selling oil. when donald trump was president i spent much of the presidency urging president trump to vigorously enforce the oil sanctions, to cripple their oil sales. iran had been selling a million barrels a day of oil. president trump agreed with me, vigorously enforced the sanctions, and those oil sales were crushed, and the iranian economy collapsed. that's what president biden inherited, an iran in shambles economically. and what did the biden administration do? immediately, it ceased enforcing oil sanctions. it said, in effect, sell all the oil you can. and you know what? the ayatollah heard them.

because, madam president, iran is selling two million barrels a day of oil. the same level they were selling before the sanctions ever passed, more than double what they had been selling before the vigorous enforcement of the oil sanctions under president trump. why is it that so many democrat politicians hate oil and gas production in the united states, are willing to kill jobs here at home? but when it comes to theocratic, homicidal, genocidal maniacs, they're perfectly happy with letting them reap $80 billion by selling two millions barrels a day of oil, primarily to communist china. that is madness. so let me say, i am glad the president gives speeches saying we are standing with israel. that's great!

but actions speak louder than words. the president wants to stand with israel? stand up tomorrow and say we are vigorously enforcing oil sanctions, and we are going to end these oil sales. to the democrats in this body who are giving speeches saying we stand with israel, great. then join me in saying we're going to take away the billions of dollars that are flooding into iran, that are funding hamas, that are funding the death squads, that are funding the rockets, that are funding the murder of israelis. but it wasn't just money to iran that went to hamas. the biden administration also poured money into hamas areas directly. as soon as they came into office, the biden administration began flooding money into the

gaza strip. at the time, i led a coalition of 19 senators, urging the biden administration do not send money to gaza. why? because hamas controls gaza. and if you send hundreds of millions of dollars to gaza, hamas will use it to commit acts of terrorism against israelis and americans. at the same time the 19 of us urged the administration don't fund gaza because it will fund hamas terrorism, 145 house democrats sent a letter to the biden administration saying do fund gaza, even though it will fund hamas terrorism. and what did the biden administration do with these dueling letters from congress? we now know, because the internal government documents of the biden administration are now public. and the biden treasury department determined there was, quote, a high risk that hamas

would potentially derive benefit from the money they were sending. now, ordinarily, that would end the matter, because their existing u.s. anti-terrorism sanctions, the laws say if you know there's a high risk it's going to terrorism you can't send money to do it. did the biden administration take that step? no. instead, they exempted themselves from american laws against funding terrorism. they wanted, as a political matter, to send the cash so much that they were willing to look the other way to, in their own words, the, quote, high risk that that money would go to hamas to carry out acts of terrorism. heerpz the full quote from -- here's the full quote from the biden administration document, quote, due to its overall strength and level of control over gaza we assess there is a high risk that hamas could potentially derive indirect,

unintentional benefit from u.s. assistance to gaza. these atrocities in israel were the direct result of political decisions made by the white house to dismantle pressure and to pour money into iran and into territories controlled by iranian terrorists. when you send billions of dollars to people who hate us and want to murder us, we should not be surprised when they use those billions of dollars to murder us. madam president, not to support israel in this time of need, not to support them fully for as long as it takes would be a grave moral failure.

this fight is civilization against bar barrism -- against barbarism. it is good v. evil. the differences between the two sides are as stark as light and darkness. the light and goodness, i believe, will prevail if we stand with israel. i want to say something also. the last two weeks i've spoken with many of my friends, in particular many of my jewish friends. it's been astonishing the number of my jewish friends in texas and all across america who have family members, who have close friends in israel. it's been truly breathtaking the number of american jews i know well who either lost a loved one

in these terrorist attacks or who have relatives or close friends who've been called up to the idf. who are facing the most significant war in israel in the last 50 years. i've spent much of the last two weeks reaching out to those friends and just telling them, heidi and i are praying for you, we're lifting you up, we're lifting your family up, we're lifting the people of israel up. ken couraging them. this has -- encouraging them. this has been a frightening time for a great many of americans. i hope that in the face of evil we see the same solidarity we saw in the wake of september 11. just as the world rallied to our

side when radical islamic terrorists committed a gross act of terrorism against the united states, now is the time for the world to rally to israel's side. and now is the time for this body to come together. there have been policy differences in the past. some members of this body and leaders of the administration believing it's a good idea to send tens or even hundreds of billions of dollars to iran. that policy has been proven catastrophically wrong. and so i hope that we come together and we stand as one united to tell the people of israel america stands with israel for as long as it takes.

thank you. i yield the floor. i suggest the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call:

thirty-one americans spilled and others taken hostage and debate how to best get them home. in terms of american citizens responsible for 31 americans who died. >> senator, i also sanctioned hamas and took action to stop the flow of money, it not a new thing.

i offered them used to challenge the characters of how jc poa did or didn't affect, it is at reality was they were boarding hamas before and during the period of maximum pressure and they will spend their first dollars on people. they are not going to stop doing this. erin provided training whether they were involved in anything more approximate, i do not a public permission suggests that it may not have been as clear. if confirmed, i'll keep my eye on iran as a forceps hostile to israel. if you want to push israel, we can't let that happen. >> the interesting thing is the failure of his administration, oil sanctions helped finance

remaining proxies and we have allowed this administration to allow a lot of money to get there. the home of the world's third-largest in crude oil. the support terrorist activity. the more money they have, the more activities we will see. i repeatedly raised concerns about the impact this administration refusing to enforce existing sanctions in the energy sector in an attempt to convince iran to rejoin this nuclear deal, it seems they did and iran generated 80 billing in revenue under this administration. sign a variety of deals in the sector, china stay on refineries, private companies buying up 1.2 million barrels of iranian oil allowing that to happen. illini regime hundreds of millions of dollars lost and

fully enforce in these illicit transactions with karen given the fact that every dollar they make in a block away mcchrystal, the money released was subject to be used only for humanitarian purposes for food and medicine. i was privy back in the day and the internal discussion, clearly unmet needs were repressing and need to be met and if there was leakage, it would change the direction of rent support. that's not a great answer. i'm not happy until they stop supporting the acts of butchery

we saw not to tell you, i observed included the sad once for those days of figures and what human beings can do to each other. human beings treat other humans face-to-face, eyeball to eyeball, they were slaughtered because they were jews. >> thank you, mr. chairman. >> senator booker. >> sherry good to hear, the rockets again and shelter in the hotel bomb shelter and people observing all around me who couldn't to check the phones but this was not just a rocket attack but heinous attack since

the holocaust. it was sobering to understand they were attacking other human waste that was unimaginable. you know as well hamas is an organization that they have no consideration, they understood completely back into gaza they would put palestinian lives at risk and it's clear from history dental care about palestinian lives. reporter: palestinians call to pursue terrorist means and window they have often focused on efforts toward peace and a

great core. they began immediately attacking israelis bombing buses and more. i will tell you and it's been said by others bipartisan leaders talking to your character, i rarely had a situation where i have calls for they testify and agree with policies but they testified to your character and that is a time we need principal people and it gives me great solace in this time of heartbreak you step forward. i want to thank your family for their commitment and sacrifice as well.

i'll just simply say that last night center earns sent a letter urging the administration to continue efforts to secure the release of 100 civilian hostages including over a dozen held by thomas. i assume that's one of your first principal duties. >> absolutely, i don't think any of us could bring people home for. >> i'm grateful at this time, another person for great character i'm grateful they are talking about humanitarian assistance. the pursuit of a war, once

confirmed, you do everything in your power for humanitarian assistance to seek shelter and get the resources they need. >> it's critical we do everything we can to help is civilians to get resources to terrorists who mean to do harm and i will work hard and while sitting here i'm told the president committed 100 million and wealth away humanitarian corridor, innocent civilians should not pay the price for terrorists, terrorist in an environment where it is hard to

separate the populations, we have to try. >> i'm committed to winning the war right now against hamas eradicating hamas it is critical and united states has been focused on supporting israel and the abraham of court. incredible, conversations going on palestinian leaders i talked

to u.s. negotiators about the local by purposes and extending him report just in closing, could you give me application that is an urgent part. >> i think it's critical to get back to addressing security and growth in the things you described in the lives of palestinians and security of israel is not put in jeopardy. going back into serious discussion extending the abraham accord which is important to include saudi arabia and relations is crucial and i pledge to work with his committee with congress members

on both sides and they support my nomination or not. >> of grateful for you and your willingness to serve. >> as we would say, be blessed. >> i do want to say israel is in work with, this information, there's no doubt regarding narrative with hamas about the same people who murdered women in the same people who beheaded one and as a result, they

cancel, literally protest around the globe. to weaken israel's position rather than waiting for the facts to carry the hamas name and the long-term impact of misinformation campaign, misinformation war could be deadly with efforts of israel, deadly to the unified support from our nation. something we should all take very seriously as americans.

really important in getting the facts should be necessary for reporting on this remarkable disgusting or that we are seeing perpetrated against israel. you have heard a number of my colleagues talk about your role with the obama administration and the impact your role has had on resources being released to the jcpoa. for around. and frankly many of the questions are fair and your commentary is necessary. ironic policy is without question israel policy. they're the greatest enemy israel faces and frankly the greatest funders of state

funders of terrorism anywhere in the world. we know 90% of the funds hamas receives comes from iran. one of things we have debated entry will continue to debate was a $6 billion hostages obama paid several years ago that will only raise the price of americans head abroad. $6 billion only makes it worse. i heard you say that money could only be used for human turn aid. i would just say the president of iran said it very clearly. they will use the money in any way they want to use the money. beyond the fact money is fungible is really important as well. my question for you though as it sits at the 6 billion-dollar transfer is in no way associate with any efforts to renegotiate

the nuclear deal. both those efforts have been going on secretly for months. my question to you, do you believe with the need to submit that if there are would there have been a need for that to be submitted to congress? slick senator i am not in the administration and not privy to the current state of affairs. i'm not aware of any ongoing situations this is not the moment even if one believes someday negotiated solution may be brights. i have to prove something you said. should not be that hard to call out atrocities the result two weeks ago not even two weeks ago. some things are just what they are. butchering almost 1500 babies, old people, holocaust survivors,

hand to hand face to face is barbarism. whatever one thanks about the right and wrong positions in this conflict should be easy to call out. i am proud to see president biden taking the stand he has been taking and even this morning when i heard his comments on the horrible bombing of the hospital in gaza he was not giving disinformation. he was shooting straight. the fog of the moment you do not have perfect information and he said from everything he sees it's not israel that did it. that does not change you are people out in the street in some countries think it is. it's very dangerous. you have to call the facts. jeremiah 17: nine said the heart is above all things. desperately. one things you seem taken place today with atrocities and the

evil you should not have any actual clue happening in the administration the began to taper off this summer weeks before i note i'm short on time of the fight moves faster down here for me. [laughter] just one quick thought. the omb director 2011 my assumption is when it president obama made the decision to strike against osama bin laden and his compound you thought that was a good deal, a good idea. >> i do not want there to be any confusion. the omb director on the targeting decision like that.

>> might recognize. >> i share the feelings it was a just action to address an active terrible murder in my city of new york and other places. >> my final comment over the week in which the idf say they will hunt down every last man with the blood of israel's children on their hands. would you support israel pursuing the perpetrators of those heinous attacks on foreign soil as we did 2011? what senator i hesitate to answer hypothetical question that i do not know the scope of. what i will say without condition is israel has not just a right but as the president said the responsibility to defend his people as were time up earlier in this hearing it's not for revenge it's defending your people.

by their basic nature do it in a way that tries to minimize collateral damage. >> you been gracious with my extension of five and half minutes i appreciate that sir. >> you've extended the day. i don't how we did it. thank you to your family. what just israel needs you for former public official i could answer it is someone who grew up the safety and security of jews all over the world i've not

always agreed by the policies of the government of israel my relationship with prime minister netanyahu. with the respect and confidence each has the interest of security of the state of israel always deep inside them. >> it is worth noting the most ferocious regarding israel happened at family dinners among jews. even now the dialogue in israel even than the dialogue in the united states just worth noting. you talk about the need for a full-fledged senate confirmed ambassador on the ground? it's important the practical

matter that makes a difference to have a senate confirmed abbasid are on the ground for. >> a short period of time has changed the question for two weeks ago i would have said with that middle east and not on the front burner but remaining a central core issue of importance. having a confirmed ambassador who clearly represents -- mike a representative with the presidents with the history of a public service that is well understood was critically important. i was not getting the attention when peace talks with a central focus. the normal span of attention butthe worse that the central ie of the future is having a

confirmed ambassador is crucially important. i do not know our current personally on the past weeks rolling heard very strong things for exotic criticism it actually to the have the capacity to step in and step up specifically about the west bank just your thoughts how we prevent this conflict from metastasizing? there are geopolitical and i war were worried about. it seems to me one of our primary objectives ought to be to prevent conflict in the west

bank. and we have got two fronts in this word in this conflict i would like your thoughts on that. >> i think preventing this from becoming a multi- front war is hugely important for israel, for the region, for the world. i think the decision the president made to dispatch and now to have a second aircraft carrier group on the way it is a powerful powerful message to anyone who thanks that should be a moment of opportunity to take advantage of it. i dearly hope we do not have to use those resources. you deploy those resources to not have to use them. they demonstrate the capacity should you need too. >> one comment that one question but it seems to me as some of our colleagues who tried to sort of poke holes in your resume and justify a no vote, your primary transgression and i think it's

important. it is fair actually if someone disagree so venomously about the jcpoa fair enough. but to challenge a work character to say you lied when you didn't. to characterize a partisan report as a bipartisan report when it wasn't is unfair to you. it is unfair to all public servants who put themselves at that table. final question i want to take it for the record to stay on time. senator scott's question about the kind of war and the new information warfare. and the complications of social media, deep fakes and the toxic stupid especially on the internet. results of lying and warfare in any case. it can be accelerated and it's worse than ever. i would just like your thoughts for the record later on what you

think the ambassador can do to be a reliable, consistent source of information in this information age which probably means you are looking at three -- four hour increments on posting reliable. people know i'm on twitter. i shut down the apps i cannot find anything that i can rely upon. saw a small thing i've never use social media. i have to learn how. red recommendations have some do it for you. >> thank you. and you mr. chairman. secretary lou. because i like to turn to an area you know well. at israel's sworn enemy, iran. want to ask a very simple question. security of america, the security of israel better or

worse if iran has more funds or less funds? quick senator, i think my actions have been demonstrated that denying iran funds when they commit malign acts is something that is in our interest rate i've sanctioned i rented for sanctions on iran. the fact of rollback releasing funds to iran as part of the bargain regarding the concessions offenses proxies and has below eyed officials have recently admitted this fact this week national secured advisor jake sylvan said and i quote military wing of hamas. another quote hamas without a been able to function at all had

it not been popping up by the iranian regime. i enter both of these quotes for the record requests without objection. i give the center at the additional time if you are showing a poster it would be nice if the committee could see the poster. >> set that right there for the secretary. like to see it to just a moment mr. chairman. that's a different poster they are different posters. it's a very simple poster regards i have to confess i cannot read it either. i would explain what it is. it is that year-by-year post showing revenue going to iran. the maximum pressure campaign we

stopped at the low point on this chart. these are the last two verse 2021 and 2022 we see a dramatic increase with revenue to iraq. now think about this. the maximum pressure campaign wasn't widely reported that hamas and hezbollah going broke in 2020 when we had the violence in gaza into israel the 11 day war. we've seen what is happened now. welcome back to michael question again what's changed. comment on the specific and candidly at seven years because i will explain it. >> i can tell you two things. first what was true when as a department of treasury and what is been true since, even during

the period of maximum pressure is iran put funding malign activities like support for counterterrorism above everything else. and it does not cost that much. they have been bad actors when they have had a lot of oil revenue when they had less oil revenue progress i do not doubt the effective business has dramatically different on the maxon pressure campaign you see the magnitude. >> is trying to make a slightly different point. if i understand this chart says the funds into iran went down. >> and 20 and 2021 and 2020 they've gone up dramatically because i'm not aware funding for hamas and hezbollah went down. i will get briefed on that. >> was her secretary. in terms is what has changed is very obvious what is change. joe biden was inaugurated 2021. the maxon pressure campaign was abandoned. now the policy of appeasement

has been undertaken with a run. that is what is allowed. let's turn to another area of great concern. that is the special envoy for a run. he is now suspended security clearances have been lifted is under federal investigation read you note rob? yes i have known it had not talked to him in years for quick city undertake efforts to quash sanctions enforcement program? >> i do not recall rob having a role in the enforcement of sanctions. >> very obviously something dramatically changed here. it is clear to me the biden administration enforcement of sanctions against iran is every bit ineffective as a byte administration enforcement of our border security. everything and everyone gets through. the results have been deadly. i just want to say this. if you are selected to be cheap your number one priority is going to be the safety and security of americans. >> absolutely pick works of art

it lost 30 american lives 13 are held hostage. that needs to be your absolute e priority mr. secretary. quick senator i could not agree with you more and i've said earlier in this hearing there won't be a day when i wake up and that is top of mind for. >> it's clear to me this administration does not have her safety and security in this enrichment of a lot has allowed this type of behavior to happen. but been very lenient. allowing members to pursue the nuclear issues with iran. i want to point out we do have a nominee for the options of sanction coordinator. good hearing on the nominee that be the appropriate place to talk about sanctions enforcement in previous policies of sanction enforcement. he'll be good hearing on that. that will be the more appropriate setting for us to deal the sanction policies. my dear friend.

>> of the deepest respect will be the representative in israel. and i think the pulse is absolutely critical. israel is in mortal danger as are americans. this funding program this been n allowed to go on is absolutely to fund their proxies like hamas and hezbollah. senator berkley. >> mr. secretary, thank you. we are all aware gaza is one of the most popular place in the world 139 square miles an average of 17000 people per square mile. if you are confirmed we work with israel, the government of israel to minimize harm to civilians? quick senator minimizing the harm to civilians is something of a moral obligation for it i only wish one could say there would be no collateral damage. as we have learned in war there is the goal is you put it to minimize. will you if you are confirmed work with israel to make sure

schools and hospitals in power and water systems are not targeted? quick senator, if confirmed by will work with israel to underscore what president biden has said very eloquently. that they have a right and their responsibility to defend israel but what binds us together is a shared belief in democracy and rule of law including law of war. >> you agree schools, hospitals, powered water systems should be targeted? >> i'm unable to answer hypothetical question. there are cases where hamas is hiding behind civilians with material command centers leaders and how you define something at the school or a command code makes all the difference of the world were. >> think it mr. secretary of state for the record i believe schools and hospitals in power and water systems should not be part of targeted. mr. chairman like to put into the record if there is no objection in article by thomas freedman why a gaza invasion

once and for all is wrong for israel. as an objection? >> thank you very much. mr. freedman points out that a run number one strategic objective with israel was the west bank and around most fevered dreams reoccupy's gaza. do you agree with mr. freedman's analysis? >> the goal is the elimination of israel and pursue any strategy of that goal. i know you're not specifically responding to mr. freedman's quote. >> i would rather read the whole thing and context for tom was a friend of mine before agree or disagree with something i really need to read it. >> is pretty accurate these days keeping iran's gold heap israel enmeshed enmeshed in the west

bank and gaza does reflect a lot of intelligence and experience over time. he then lays out if there is a ground offensive into israel it could have numerous impacts blowing up the abraham accords, destabilizing egypt and jordan as key allies. making normalization of relations between israel and saudi arabia impossible. note these to be huge strategic setbacks for the united states and for israel. you agree with him? senator i think the task of any nation to defend its people forces leaders to make very hard decisions. i can't sit here today and say i know who with precision what it is i will defend the state of israel the people of israel. i believe the government of israel will try to make those

decisions in a way that successful and lead to the long term entanglement i believe that, is referred too. at the moment i am not going to sit here and prejudge exactly. proxy.mr. freedman is making is these are key strategic objectives of the united states. we have mistakes in the region and there are huge risks of entanglement comes a ground offensive. quite frankly he is pretty accurately described those risks. he concludes by noting he'll play into a run strategy of the sucking israel into a overstretched situation. and the jewish democracy from within. i just want to make the point we also have important strategies and goals as a nation that our diplomats our ambassador will

bring into the conversations we need to have an ambassador who is willing to bring that discussion to bear. we have the experience to bring insights and the potential impacts that affect israel. i assume you're going to do that pickle et cetera i hope i have demonstrated over my career i am not shy about sharing what i believed to be the right policy i've never been shy to defend the interests of the united states. i have tried to do it in a way to maintain relations with people i disagree with but i've had many conversations with the prime minister of israel were we have not agreed. we have a relationship where i believe he has trusted me. i will be in a position to raise issues i cannot sit here today and say exactly what the lines will be. >> i am deeply empathetic with the people of israel after this

horrific slaughter fight hamas. just shocking and devastating and savage. i also believe we have a responsibility to do everything we can to work with israel to defend innocent palestinians who are as much victims of hamas as many others. that needs to be part of the effort we carry forward. and as i said earlier while we were sitting here in agreement was reached, the president committed water to million dollars to humanitarian relief it. do not have the details i just have a note those things happened while we were sitting here that's crucially important. and cute. quick senator young. >> mr. lou, welcome. congratulations on your nomination this important position. grateful for your desire to

serve the country in this capacity. but before i begin, thank you for the conversation we had in my office it was frank, it was open. i recognize you are confirmed we will taking a role an incredibly challenging time. it is now even more challenging because of the role iran has been permitted to have been outfitting, encouraging and possibly directing i do not know for sure the terrorist acts of its regional proxies. we do not know the breadth of those directives. when we spoke we spent quite a bit of time on iran you are former role as a treasury secretary -- mike that's been subject to a lot of conversations today. when implementing the financial aspects of the obama administration i wanted to

follow up on some of my questions in the hope you have had to review the particulars of treasury role. when it treasury issued specific license as opposed to the general licenses to enable the conversion of iranian funds into year old was this transaction directly connected to the financial relief at the core of the jcpoa? an associated un resolution or was it connected to fight iran and the iaea were kept from congress. this distinction it matters because i believe it lies at the heart of how congress was left in the dark before and after the jcpoa was negotiated and went into effect please respond. toquick senator i appreciate you taking the time to talk with me. it's a frank and candid discussion and thankful for

that. i apologize i have not had time for evermore working nonstop since the meeting i was in with you. i saw a simple matter to go in and refresh your memory in detail some of which i might not. >> i would like to turn to u.s. assistance to the palestinians for the palestinian authority to this day contains a martyrs fund subsidizes and incentivizes acts of violence and terror against the people of israel. given the ongoing conflict with israel's enemies may seek to expand these so imposed a higher level of scrutiny on u.s. assistance bilateral and through multilateral organizations like the united nations to ensure any future u.s. aid does not support this reprehensible policy note u.s. dollar support acts of terrorism. if confirmed mr. lou how would you use your role including the role you must exert over u.s.

policy toward the palestinian leadership and people to ensure any u.s. assistance including multilateral institutions does not directly or indirectly support terrorist activities or violate the act? senator. i do not believe there is anything taller about paying people to commit acts of terrorism and murder. and paying families of so-called martyrs to me is just immoral. i will do everything i can as ambassador to bring that to bear in bilateral assistance and in our engagement with international partners. if confirmed it's a very difficult relationship and international organizations and i have engaged in those conversations before and i've taken tough issues to international partners before. it would be something i look forward to working with you and

this committee on i make sure it is centered on our attention. >> relatedly thank you mr. lou. how user role in conjunction with collaboration with other u.s. ambassadors in the region, donors especially in the region both heavily restrict and insure ensureoversight over financial t to the palestinian authority and to not only humanitarian aid organizations operating in the west bank and gaza. >> i have started reaching out to some of the other investors in the region read some i have known and some i haven't. i think it is a responsibility to chief of mission in israel to work closely with ambassadors and other countries is not an easy one-size-fits-all answers different countries with different relationships with benefits to the united states involved.

they are not new issues to me. i have engaged in these conversations from other states it's important and something i would be doing for the first time as chief admissions. >> hurt my time. senator shaheen customer. >> actually senator ben holland. >> thank you, thank you madam chair mr. secretary, welcome. thank you and your family for taking on this awesome responsibility at this horrible time. i have known you for a long time we've not always agree on everything although we usually do i've always known you as a person of great integrity. >> thank you, senator per. >> as i told you when you met in my office yesterday, i woke up on october 7 to hear the horrible news of the hamas terrorist attack. my mind immediately went to kibbutz wish was a kibbutz i had

visited in late june. it's 3 kilometers from the border with gaza. where 50 residents were murdered including women, children, babies and elderly in their homes and people objected. so yes israel not only has a right but it does have a responsibility to defend itself. and to go after hamas and end itsoperational control and gaza. i think you would also agree, i just want to make sure you agree it's in america's interest in israel's interest the work be prosecuted in accordance with international law and the rules of court? >> yes, i do. >> too that end i was pleased as we are gathered here there was an announcement in israel where president biden said quote the people of gaza need food, water, medicine, and shelter. the report indicates there may

be something agreement to allow convoys to cross the gaza egyptian border. it's going to be very important that work swiftly and effectively. as i told you yesterday from reports on the ground the current rationing of water in gaza is about a liter a day which is not sufficient to sustain human life. people have already begun drinking farm water, agricultural water. there is a great fear from all of the humanitarian specials on the ground about the spread of disease, waterborne disease. so it is going to be essential and limiting the harm to innocent civilians to me and peoplegaza half of them childret least at this time entering corridor open i also hope u.s. the government of israel to open up more of the pipe thursday

announcement the other day about the national security advisor turned out one pipe and initially three hours a day. thus going to be really important. is not only a moral responsibility it is also in our interest. the world has embraced in a moment of horror. unnecessary human suffering and gaza. people's public perception. it been dominated by the president of the united states. i want to confirm you agree with some of the things the commander-in-chief of the vast majority of palestinians and hamas is not the purpose of the pulsing people do you agree? >> we agree with that. will be used as pawns by joe

hamasand as human shields. and i agree with you. in vietnam and is to me is our who is the commander that works at both the israelis and the palestinian authority. do we agree to do that? >> i do not know. and as deputy secretary of state and both his predecessor at each of my visits to israel. and as i said earlier the mission that office has is critical to proving the possibility of stability at any palestinian. >> let me just say mr. secretary and i mentioned this to you early a lot of u.s. government reporting right now has indicated where the world is focused on what's happening in gaza's are extreme settlers on the west bank that as we speak or seizing more and more palestinian lands. that will strengthen hamas in the west bank and undermine the

legitimate palestinian voices i hope you look into that right away. let me also just say since you opened your testimony looking to the next day and some spirit of optimism i do hope we can expand the abraham accord. i hope we can get back to discussions of normalizations of his relations with saudi arabia and israel for 20 senators wrote to the president before this war started. and said that agreement will only bring lasting peace and stability to that middle east if it addresses the palestinian issues the legitimate palestinian questions has president biden has said giving them equal measures of justice and dignity. do you agree? >> senator i believed before this war and since that in order for them to be in agreement there would need to be attention paid to the palestinian issues. i think we are at a moment now

in the midst of a war with a country that is torn apart by grief it's probably not the right time to start that conversation again. but after this war is over it has to be part of the conversation progressed i raised it mr. secretary because you did in your opening. you think it's important to look to the day after and see if we can create any hope in this moment of darkness. >> i have long believed the path towards the long-term stable middle east a democratic and jewish israel is a two state solution. one has to deal with this issue if one is going to be on that path for a agree. >> thank you. senator cruz? >> welcome wit you and i had a vigorous conversation in my office yesterday. you said at the time nobody could have imagined what happened and israel with this terror attack but i say i have disagreed then and i disagree now but many of us not only

imagined we predicted it. you were a critical player in the obama administration campaign of appeasement with iran. you played a pivotal role in flooding over $100 billion to the iranian regime. the biden administration is continued that policy could flooding nearly additional winter billion-dollar to the iranian regime. that policy of appeasement sending hundreds of billions of dollars to a theocratic homicidal genocidal maniac who leads a chance of death to american chance of death to israel has proven catastrophic. the death squad in israel from hamas are funded and real in meaningful ways by the billions of dollars the obama administration and now the biden administration has flowed directly to iran.

that has proven disastrous. we also have drones, as you know today the un arms embargo on iran expires, today. ironically the day of your hearing. you were pivotal in advocating for un resolution 2231 the iran deal. which is why the arms embargo is expiring today. on october 7 hamas use swarms of sophisticated drones in their october 7 attack it. do you believe the world is safer today because of 233, 2231, and the expiration of the arms embargo allowing iran now to sell enter ballistic missiles and long-range drones? quick senator i think you would

have to agree the history of the u.s. engagement on jcpoa has changed substantially since a sadness reprieve makes you think the world is better and safer with the arms embargo expired? quick senator. >> yes or no are we safer today with no arms embargo? >> is a bunch more complicated than that. we are not part of jcpoa therefore there is no extension of the arms embargo. i would have advocated for the extension of the arms embargo we might well have had it. >> by the way the biden mystery has been empowered to half years. the arms embargoes is expiring today you're pivotal that happening for let shift to another thing. because it biden administration did not just send that money to iran. it has also sent money to gaza that went to hamas. at the time i led a coalition of senators urging the biden administration do not send money to gaza because it is controlled by hamas it will be used by hamas for acts of terrorism.

we now know the biden administration reached the following determination and i quote due to its overall strength level control over guys that we assess there is a high risk hamas could drive and direct unintentional benefit from u.s. assistance to gaza very high risk. as treasury secretary you are familiar with these determinations were under orden antiterrorism laws you cannot send that money with his high-risk will be used for terrorism but what did the buy demonstration do? it wager into terrorism law because political agenda it was so important they were willing to take that high risk. was it a mistake to send hundreds of mines of dollars to gaza that a very real and practical weight funded the death squad that funded the rockets are to be used to murder israelis? quick senator i was nongovernment at the time these decisions were made paid i am not familiar with the back-and-forth you are referring to. my understanding is the fighting that went to gaza was for things like the hospital and humanitarian piglets was opec

wrong but conclude this high risk that hamas drug benefits question are quick senator i have to look at the documentary. >> you are one of few people who who could do this for. >> i have high regard i just am not familiar with the document. >> it was the world safer or less safe because hundreds of mines of dollars were sent to gaza what it is controlled by hamas? quick senator, hamas activities have proven how evil they are and how important it is free. >> you're not answering that question. let me ask this question. [inaudible] has repeatedly undermined israel as this attack was ongoing. within hours of the attack commencing the state department sent out a tweet from the office of palestinian affairs, it office to report to you if you are confirmed that sub unequivocally condemned the attack of hamas terrorists and the loss of life that has occurred we urged all sides to refrain from violence and retell tory attacks. terror and violence solve

nothing. you agree at this tweet sent by the biden state of parma? senator would have to read it. i am not familiar with the. >> that. >> you're not familiar with it? courts want to go back to the last points. >> hold on a second prettier not fit with this tweet? the set up 3m in the morning while the attacks were enfolding. i blasted it 3m and the more the delete it within the hour because it was shameful. they were telling israel do not respond while your citizens are being murdered. >> the president of united states as stated clearly the policy of the united states. i agree the present united states piglets i understand for the same time as demonstration repeatedly walks back what he says. so here's another tweet sent from the state department. turkish foreign minister and i spoke but further on the attack in israel. i encourage turkeys advocacy for a cease-fire on the release of the hostages held by hamas

immediately do you agree that this tweet by the secretary of state calling for a cease-fire immediately after this attack began? >> i think the president and the secretary of state have made clear israel has a right and responsibility to defend itself. >> you agree with the tweet of the state department? >> i cannot response a tweet you're sending to me. actually you're not familiar with it have not filed within this ration is said? by the way they deleted this tweet as well day after day after day this administration is systematically undermined israel and finally you advocated for un resolution 2334 which declared much of israel illegally occupied territory including the jewish core door and jerusalem and the western wall do you believe the jewish quarter of the western wall are illegally occupied territory? senator, i do not believe it is an illegally occupied territory permits why did you support a resolution saying it is? >> we have a conversation about

that. it's going to take meat more than text 10 seconds to respond to a picnic sync all the time you'd like. what's allow the witness to respond. >> first if i can respond you said a lot of things you've not given you choose to respond too. i sanction hamas in 2015. it is sanctioned again today. think is a fair characterization of either what i did or with this administration. second of all, the issue of the un resolution it was a un resolution all the parties had to agree to it was negotiated to take out the most offensive provision. whether it was a good or bad resolution in the end the president decided to abstain rather than have a worse resolution come out for it you can agree or disagree with that progress he could have vetoed it. >> he was trying to prevent a worse resolution. >> each could have vetoed it. extra time is expired. senator duckworth. >> thank you, mr. chairman.

thank you for being here and secretary. who walked away from the jcpoa? which administration? >> is the last administration. >> also i thought. thank you for your willingness to serve once again. i need to pause here to say my heart is hurting. ever since october 7 i have been thinking endlessly of the children, the innocent children. israeli, palestinian and even those who been upended or tragically ended during these devastating days. every night i go home and i hug my two little girls close. haunted by the suffering of the innocents. they are too young my girls to understand why i am so upset and why i'm holding them so tightly for the countless humans who like the chance to help their children close and ate longer and my heart breaks for all of them. of those americans presumed to be held hostage by hamas, many have ties to my home state of illinois whether it themselves being illinoisans or by a family member or friend who is reach out to my office asking for

help. their family and friends are advocating tirelessly for their release for their access to basic medical care and for information about their loved one. at the same time jewish and muslim communities around the world are filling deep emotional wounds of the violence. we're sync hate crimes spring up in the wake of the war. this pass weakens riddick fatal stabbing of distant sexual pell city american in plainfield, illinois. this shocking and tragic murder is a painful reminder we must confront a reject in the islam a phobic rhetoric that conflates the evils of judgment with the palestinian people of the vast majority of muslim people. just as he must confront and reject anti-semitic rhetoric that seeks to draw it difference between democratic elected of israel and the terrorist organization of hamas. as ambassador you play critical role in striking the right tone with these very difficult and

complex conversations will demonstrate the niceties long-term resolve and commitment to support israeli allies. i believe you would serve and represent our interests well iss a voice for democratic values reject hate and discrimination and browned us and shared rights to live in peace and build a better future together but also in israel's right to defend herself. i want to invite you to reflect on that work the role you hope to play if confirmed to be ambassador brickwork senator i find acts and beliefs of a bias and hatred because of who they are or what they are. totally unacceptable. when it's manifested in acts of violence whether it's against a jew or a muslim is equally horrible. what i said about the attacks in israel is almost 15 her people were killed because they were

jewish. i fed him in 1500 muslims killed because they were muslims that be a problem too. we have to try and humanize these issues and understand hamas is the enemy and it's nott palestinians were the enemy. hamas' behind pell since it creates terrible terrible choices in terms of how you defend yourself. but at the core there has to be mutual respect and hopefully more than respect-get a better place for. >> you agree israel's right to defend yourself? >> absolutely. his to destroy israel? >> absolute progress you agree the innocence and gaza deserve to have access to security manager and corridors? >> i am pleased even this morning progress has been made on that front. >> thank you if confirm can you commit to working to address both the urging and undergoing human trainings and gaza

including establishing security management corridors, exits for axis forkey medical workers likd cross food water and the people in gaza? >> i think we must continue to do that and if confirm that the part of my mission. you have to be done in a way that respects the security of israel. the two do not have to be inconsistent. >> thank you i go back mr. chairman. >> hunter shaheen. >> think it mr. president. think it mr. chairman and thank you secretary for your willingness to come back in and serve the government particularly at this difficult time. i note your nomination occurred before this horrible tragedy in israel. and in the middle east. it is a very different situation than the one you were nominated for. i think the anger and outrage that you have heard reflected as

a reflection of what people are feeling worldwide and terms of the horrific attack in israel by hamas but also the concern about innocent palestinian and israelis who have been killed. i do appreciate what i have seen coming out of israel and terms in terms ofthe country coming t. i have appreciated both the chairman and ranking members statements which reflect the committee's concern. i hope this will not be used as an opportunity to sew partisan so partisandivide here and in td states and in congress. i think that's the wrong response. how we can support israel. how we could address the

humanitarian needs of the palestinians have and get the hostages back. i hope that's going to be the focus of the discussion. as you said you will get up every day thinking about how we return the hostages to america. the americans are held i think it is reassuring. quick senator i could not agree more this should be a moment where we try our best to rise above partisanship and talk about what's in the interest of the u.s. what's in the interest of israel and u.s. israel relationship. one of things about the relationship is for 75 years it's been a bipartisan effort democrats and republican just agree or disagree with me, people who vote for me and people vote against me. i know that to be the case on the obama administration.

i do want to raise a couple of issues i think are important. if you are confirmed as ambassador. senator murphy talked about the maritime border decision has been made between lebanon and israel. we have heard a lot of discussion in the last week for potential for northern front on 11-inch border with israel. one of the institutions i think is helpful in that respect is the lebanese armed forces and their ability to help keep the lid on in northern lebanon. but can you talk about you as ambassador can do what would be the impact israel's ability to defend itself in the north if

it's not able to function very quick senator if confirmed my agreement will be centered in israel. we hopefully will still be able to have diplomats and 11 on advancing our interest there. i would work with them. the president's decision to deploy to aircraft carrier groups into the mediterranean sense a powerful message it does not need a lot of explanation. it is more armed power than on most any other nation in the world could bring to bear. i hope that is a deterrent that is heard we do not see a multi- front war. >> thank you i certainly share that. one of the other issues we have not yet focused on is the challenge of the impact on the defense industrial base both israel and the united states given putin's invasion of

ukraine. so if confirmed how we work with the department of defense the israeli ministry of defense at u.s. defense promptings to support the delivery of military assistance israel? >> it is a hugely important question though have a whole different set of considerations than it did two weeks ago. the inquiry into what happened and how israel did not see this and respond more quickly until that is understood i do not know the answer. i don't know if it's things they need, people they need, strategies they need is just not acceptable to have an expose border like that. i don't think this probably anyone in israel think it's this acceptable either. we have a relationship with israel and the defense there that's unique in the world. we had a history of phasing out a special provision allows to spend resources domestically.

i'm not yet in a position to have a firm view i have not been briefed and on all the details. we have to ask questions is that phase out the right schedule is or something at stake here something in my testimony which i want to underscore israel's role internationally as a defense industry as a technology industry provider is kind of unique. it's a huge percentage of israel's economy much bigger as a percentage of their economy than ours. they have a level of resources or quality of materials and technology that other countries want vertically with regard to trade with china you had asked me two weeks ago what one of my big challenges would be i would have said working with israel to understand the need not to give

things to gain military advantage. that's not as easy as saying do it they may have the view it central to the economics of the industry i do not know right now. i hope we are at a point when i am over there if confirm surely into my time we can have those conversations and ask our closest ally in the region to be partners with us in limiting some of the spread of advanced technology. >> thank you at the appropriate time i hope you will focus on that. thank you, mr. chairman. for your candor and your patience during this hearing. i think you have the ability to go through long sessions of diplomacy and you have shown that quite clearly. i want to make one response i want to thank the members of our committee. i thought this hearing has been very helpful and productive.

the nuclear capacity is funding is certainly an issue of grave concern to national secured interest of the united states into israel. i did not object to the questions of an. i do think it's a poor declare from that ranking member on the jcpoa was considered which is the chairman of his committee. the two of us in a bipartisan way with overwhelming support, for the united states senate developed an open review before it went into effect delayed the process for substantial period of time for congressional input. was unprecedented. we had more briefings and hearings i thought i qualified as a nuclear physicist with in-depth discussions and pet

effected change the agreement as it was being negotiated over that period of time. that's out should work in a bipartisan manner. there are some of us are disagreed with the final product. we thought perhaps it was set up wrong in the beginning with nuclear enrichment and nova and i voted against jcpoa the transparency this exercise was unprecedented i met with president biden -- obama many times. i want to associate myself on agreement as an agreement we had responsibilities to carry it out. in fact we did carry it out we were in full compliance unilaterally decided to withdraw. which i think was a mistake not only made the u.s. the violator of the agreement but allowed a

raunchier closer to nuclear weapon as they are today with the enrichment policies. talk about that with this hearing i understand i know our nominee and i thank him again for his public service the highest degree of integrity serve present obama well storm the nation well it was always open with us in congress never ever should not be properly disclosed for us. and i thank you again for your testimony. if you want to make any comments? we'll keep the record open to questions for the record until 1:00 p.m. tomorrow. so give a couple hours to get

them back to us of. hope you are planning a thing important over the weekend for prayer on saturday there's no further business the committee will stand adjourned the thank you.

in the house today at no more votes expected after members failed again to elect the house speaker. republican nominee jim jordan of ohio failed to win enough votes for the speakership. the houston plan to come back tomorrow at noon for a possible third round of voting. you can watch our live gavel to gavel coverage of the senate here on cspan2 and the house on c-span.

madam president. madam prison i stand again in support of a great ally, israel. the terror and devastation unleashed on israel by iran backed hamas terrorist is horrified the world.

what i'm about to describe is difficult to say and to hear it has to be sent on the senate floor. we cannot make this stuff up. the world must note the atrocities that occurred in israel. on the morning of saturday october 7, 2023 families rose to start a new j and slowly wake up in their beds terror approached. innocent families were murdered in their homes. babies were killed, innocent little babies were murdered somewhat ruthlessly beheaded. children were burned alive. teenage girls were raped in the and burned alive. the elderly wheelbarrow child chair bound woman who is a holocaust survivor was dragged to the streets of gaza. children who witness the murders of their parents have been kidnapped are now being held hostage by 10 to pray to the

50s people were savagely murdered. while attending a music festival in southern israel many shot in the back as he tried to run away. at least 31 americans, 30 want americans have been killed in more than 1400 innocent people were killed in israel and we have no idea how many of you being held hostage by backed hamas. there are too numerous to count the number which is seen will never leave our memories. i have visited this kibbutz i sit at trip in 2019. at the time is full of happy families and children there silence bite brutality. this week i talked to the individual gave me the tour of the village or the kibbutz it was a beautiful place nice people, happy. she's only alive because she's not there she told me the family next door on the right were murdered. families on her left work murdered family down the street were murdered.

i was told the hamas terrorist force people out of their homes to safe ribs, murdered innocent israelis shot a closer range she told me she was talking to her sister who is in a safe room and that the hamas terrorist are trying to break and unfortunately it they were able to there shot in front of the parents and some had been kidnapped. back as part they slaughtered innocent babies in their beds. so many people there -- i met so many happy people there a few short years ago and now i fear a lot of them are going to be dead. as a fox news correspondent trey yingst bodies but it littered the town it's complete and total destruction. all of the houses are destroyed. many were blown up with rpg's or other explosives people were shot and killed in their beds, executed at point blank range. this is the most horrific thing i have seen thomas hand is the

father of an 8-year-old girl was killed had to wait two days to find out emily was killed. i am the father of two daughters grandfather to seven grandchild watching the father speak on television but the murder of his daughter's heart wrenching he said to see ed and they just as we found emily and she is dead. and i went yes i smell this is what he said he said i smiled because that is the best news the possibilities that i knew. she is either dead or in gaza. and he said if you know anything about what they do to people in gaza, that is worse than death. you know why they murdered emily and more than 1400 other israelis and 31 americans? these iran backed hamas killers simply because they were jewish.

they killed them because they hate jews. they want to kill every jew. it is unimaginable that these families have suffered. we cannot look away. let's remember these were israeli and american families. the atrocities are too numerous to fully recount for the stories in the images we have all seen will never leave our memories. not since the holocaust has the world witnessed such a brutal attack on the jewish people. sadly, the jewish people have endured thousands of years of hate and persecution. this would not be the end of israel or the jewish people. israel surrounded by terrorist groups that want them wiped off the face of the earth. i have seen this firsthand during my visit to israel. which gave me at clear perspective on the proximity to its enemies hamas, hezbollah, isis and iran. let me be clear hamas and hezbollah are not religious

groups they are not a noble for civil justice. they are terrorist thugs and they are killers. they are killers who seek to eradicate the jewish people from this earth and are funded and supported by the evil a radiant regime. on august 2021 devoted 99 -- zero for my it meant to budge a bill to ensure the nancy's tax dollars do not benefit terrorist organizations such as hamas. the boat was 99 -- zero. everyone agrees american taxpayers should never fund hamas terrorist. unfortunately the did not include my language assessing further action today. here is spite we need to stop taxpayer funding the terrorist acts in 2021 biting state department said quote we are going to be working in partnership with united nation and palestinian authorities to kind of, kind of does its best to go to the people of gaza"

went on to say quote as we have seen in life as we all know in life there are no guarantees. we are going sharply we can to ensure this reaches the people we need the most." we all know hamas controls gaza every dollar that goes to gaza comes under the control of hamas who decides what they're going to do with it. so i can for the biting state department 2021 is at the administration cannot guarantee american taxpayers also going to fund tax dollars to hamas. because in life there is no guarantees. i reject that. u.s. taxpayer money slaughtered so many israel in americans. we know for a fact that hamas uses humanitarian age support

acts. this is a humanitarian package. it is a humanitarian bag used among the trucks into israelite towns where they were brutally murdered innocent families and bring them to the ground. i guess there is no guarantee. we have a lot and they told me they'd seen lots of pictures on israeli tv of humanitarian rates that when people open them their bolts in them. the administration must to better and fully control the american taxpayers going. we can make sure american taxpayers are not funding terrorists. that's why i am again asking we passed the funding act proud to have support of kevin cramer and others on this bill. what this bill says is common

sense. there no funds will be authorized to certifies to congress cannot be spent without benefiting terrorist organizations. up taxpayer mending u.s. funds are not authorized for expenditure in the territory of gaza to any united nation's entity office and thus can certify it is not encouraging or teaching anti- israel anti-semitic ideas and propaganda. and finally the bill mandates and certifies there's no hostages we know there are hostages in gaza there are no hostages held for any organization. just this morning president biden announced $100 million of aid to gaza and the west bank. when iran backed hamas terrorist continue attacks against israel hold american hostages i cannot think of a more critical time to pass this bill. we'll finish with something that reminded me today.

a family in florida they lost sister-in-law, husband, to six years old and a 3-year-old. so here is the way it works. they lost their loved ones their government is going to tax them to give money to the palestinian authority that gives money to terrorists that died killing the family. you cannot make the stuff up. this is a simple bill. i'll turn over to my colleague from indiana. quick center from indiana. >> was on that trip with senator scott back in i believe august of 19. what struck me about that is we went on to almost every

perimeter in israel. and how they had to be on guard constantly, constantly to keep from having something flying into one of their towns or villages. we did visit the one that was referred to but what struck me they had like a big locker by one of the homes that showed all of the unique ways. i think it was the one nearest the gaza's drip how many attempts were made over time. thank goodness most of them falling short. it gave me the impression there was never a moment of real security. when we had to see within those villages you had to be on guard

almost a one 100% of the time to scurry into a safe room that would disrupt the normal pace of your life. imagine if you had to live under those conditions. here it has been a long time since anything of this magnitude has come along. probably nearly 50 years. but it shows that never ends there. one something like this it does happen you have got to what we have had legislation look like it was intended to prevent this. i think he went through to accoo the senator unanimously this should be a slam dunk that we want to make sure nothing cannot leak free out of any other type of aid that would help something like this either persist or happen again.

if the report in the wall street journal is accurate, iran is closely involved in the planning and execution of the horrible terrorist acts on israel. if that's the case it appears to $6 billion in cash unfrozen or iran freed up resources to aid the attack. we should suspend those funds immediately and permanently. we must also take extra steps to make sure the united states is not inadvertently funding terrorist activities. this bill, eight simple one to stop taxpayer funding of hamas act would do just that. under this bill the president would have to certify that no u.s. funds are able to go to

hamas or members of hamas. but also make sure funds are not benefiting organizations controlled or influenced by hamas palestinian islamic jihad or any other terrorist organization. it is simply put in specifically what we all should be for. with the president biden's announcement today he intends to send $100 million in aid to gaza we need this legislation to become law immediately. the american people need to feel confident that their tax dollars are not going to fund the mayhem we saw in israel at the hands of hamas terrorists. i yield the floor to the senator from north carolina.

>> mehta president pickwick center from north carolina >> on october 7, hamas terrorists launched an unprovoked and barbaric series of terrorist attacks inside israel. over 1400 children, women, men were brutally murdered 3:30 one americans were killed. tensions remain missing or held hostage. in the wake of such a despicable series of attacks he must ensure our taxpayers here our taxpayers their dollars to not being sent to aid the terrorist killers. years ago when state department officials and by the administration they acknowledge the possibility that aid to the

palestinians could find its way into hamas hands is unacceptable. stop taxpayer funding of hamas act is so critical right now. it simply states no u.s. taxpayer dollars until the president certifies to us that there are measures in place and eat taxpayer dollars from benefiting terrorist organizations. we should be standing shoulder to shoulder with the state of israel to give them everything they need to destroy hamas. i urge the senate to pass this without delay. i think my colleague in florida for his leadership on this issue. and i yield to him.

sure and were telling me they were half a mile from gaza. before hamas took over the gaza area sheet used to be able to walk all the way to the beach and it was safe. i think most people know but to take any chance their money goes to hamas before or after this does not make any sense of. every single member should not allow a single dollar text or mates into the hands of terrorists. funding is being used to kill innocent israelis and americans and older citizens hostage i look for to my colleagues joining me today for ask unanimous consent of the foreign relations committee be discharged from further consideration and will proceed to it to beat it consideration. further ask the substitute

amendment at the desk be agreed to the bill as amended be considered read a third time a n past of a motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. >> is there an objection? >> observing the right to object quick senator from vermont. acts precipitating a worldwide crisis, and the united states of america all of us condemn this

act. and remind you, the state of israel has the absolute right to defend itself against hamas and terrorism in general. no debate on that. but what i asked my colleagues to also consider is that while we fully appreciate the attack against the innocent people of israel, i ask you also to understand that right now there are hundreds and hundreds of thousands of innocent men, women and children in gaza who have lost their homes. they've been thrown out of their homes. they have no food. they have no water. they have nothing. half of those people are children. half of the people in gaza are

children. so yes, we are united in mid doing everything we can to destroy hamas and their terrorism. but i implore you do not take the brutality and terrorism against children who are three or 5-years-old. i ask you to think for a moment. think about it i represent 630,000 people. a million people most of them are poor. they had nothing to begin with before this whole business. gaza was one of the desperately poor places in the world. youth unemployment, 75%. many people depended on the un for basic survival. what i'm asking people to take a

look at is to understand what our country is about and whatour country must not be invd in is making the horrific and miserable situation in gaza even worse. many of the families -- and again these are people thrown out of their homes, they don't know where they are going. they don't know who will accept them. they don't know if they are ever going back to their home and they are poor to begin with. do we really want to deny those people aid from the un and other agencies to feed and provide water for their children. is that really what we are about? of course it goes without saying, so we've got to do everything that we can to make sure not one nickel goes to the hamas organization. but at the same time we've got to stand with the innocent women

and children in palestine while suffering today and facing an unprecedented modern humanitarian disaster. madam president, today in the midst of this crisis, u.s. and un assistance in gaza is aimed squarely at addressing the basic needs of the palestinian people including humanitarian aid in water and house programs. the u.s. into the un go to great lengths to ensure that aid gets to the people needed and is not diverted as the trusted partners like catholic relief services. the israeli government itself recognizes the importance of this un humanitarian aid and has

long supported it. today in the midst of this horrific crisis, the united states and the international community are working to secure humanitarian access and what media reports i've seen recently, we may be making some progress in that. so that the un can get food and water, fuel and medicine to the millions or more people in gaza who need essential supplies. that should be our focus. there are people now facing hunger. they are facing incredible desperation, and we cannot, cannot turn our backs on them. if you think this is going to be good for israel, if you think that the suffering is good, you are mistaken. the world is looking at us and the world understands what hamas did is terrible. what they don't want to see as

our great country turn our back on innocent women and children. of that, in my view, is not what this country is about. this is a tough issue. been forewarned there in the last 15 years it ain't going to be solved tomorrow. but while we do our best to support israel and destroy hamas, please lead us not to turn our back on the suffering people in gaza. this is not what we should be doing, not what congress should be doing, and therefore i object. >> the objection is heard. the senator from florida. >> so i hoped my colleague would change his position. a senator: madam president. the presiding officer: the senator from oregon. mr. merkley: i ask that the quorum call be lifted. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. merkley: i ask unanimous consent that the senate now proceed to the en bloc consideration of the following senate resolutions submitted

earlier today. senate resolution 414, senate resolution 415, and senate resolution 416. the presiding officer: without objection. the senate will proceed en bloc. mr. merkley: i ask unanimous consent that the resolutions be agreed to, the preambles be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table all en bloc. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. merkley: thank you. madam president, i have eight requests for committees to meet during today's session of the senate. they have the approval of the majority and minority leaders. the presiding officer: duly noted. mr. merkley: i ask unanimous consent that when the senate completes its business today, it stand adjourned until 10:00 a.m. on thursday, october 19, that

following the prayer and pledge, the journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day and the senate be in a period of morning business with senators permitted to speak therein for up to ten minutes each. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. merkley: if there is no further business to come before the senate, i ask that it stand adjourned under the previous order. the presiding officer: the senate stands adjourned until by a vote of 53-44. senators hagan luber, king, manchin, cinema and test are joined with republicans in voting yes. the resolution now heads to the house for consideration. the white house says it opposes the measure. also today off the floor, senators have a classified briefing on the israel hamas

war. follow coverage when lawmakers return on c-span2. the swearing in ceremony of the archivist of the united states followed by our interview with of the 11th archivist and first woman to hold the job. she discusses her stewardship at the national archives and the controversies over white house records involving donald trump and joe biden. and at 9:30 on the presidency, the ronald reagan presidential library is the host of a discussion looking back at the historical legacy known as the great communicator. exploring the american story. watch american history tv saturdays on c-span2 and find the full schedule on your program guide or watch online anytime on c-span.org/history.

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