Sending A Clear Message to Tehran

Floor Speech

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Mr. TIMMONS. Madam Speaker, I stand before you today to speak on the unbreakable bond between the United States and Israel, a partnership rooted not just in strategic interests, but in our shared values of democracy, freedom, and justice. This critical alliance not only shapes the destiny of our nations but also upholds the very principles that define our civilization.

When Iran launched an unprecedented attack on Israel this past weekend, we saw the forces of tyranny emboldened against beacons of freedom. We saw the importance of U.S. leadership and alliances in chaotic regions, but ultimately, we saw the result of inaction.

For 6 months, Israel, our greatest ally in the Middle East, has been at war for its very survival. We have supported them and prayed for their safety from the very beginning. In November, when they needed us, this House, the Republican majority, passed a bill to aid our friends. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle didn't want to take $14 billion out of the $80 billion they handed over to the IRS to pay for it.

The result of this was weakness. We showed weakness to our allies and to the world. This cannot stand. The United States has a moral obligation to support our allies in democracy and regional security against the forces of tyranny and terrorism. We have a moral obligation to bring another bill to the floor to support this alliance.

Let us send a clear message to Tehran and to the world: The United States stands unequivocally with Israel. We will not waver in our commitment to defend our ally from the threats of Iran and its proxies. We must do this to free the Palestinians in Gaza from the tyranny of Hamas. We must do this for Israel. We must do this to send a message to the world.

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