Van Orden Speaks on the House Floor in Support of Providing Emergency Supplemental Funds for Israel
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Derrick Van Orden (WI-03) spoke on the House Floor in support of H.R. 7217 – to provide emergency supplement funds for Israel in response to the horrific October 7th attacks perpetrated by Hamas for Fiscal Year 2024.
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Congressman Van Orden’s remarks as delivered:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I remind my colleague that in fact I agree with him for one time.
These events are connected, and the connection is the incredible amount of strategic weakness the Biden administration has shown. That’s why Putin invaded Ukraine and that’s why Hamas has gone crazy in Israel.
Immediately following the attacks on October 7th, I went to Israel and witnessed what Hamas did to the Jewish people. As a retired Navy SEAL combat medic, it put me on my heels.
I remind my colleagues on the other side of the aisle that there was a ceasefire on October 6th. There was a de facto two-state solution on October 6th that was broken by Hamas.
Unlike the vast majority of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, I spent my entire adult life either training for, training others for, or at war myself.
There is a difference between the conflict in Ukraine and what's taking place in Israel right now. Vladimir Putin is a war criminal, and he is after territorial gains.
Hamas is a group of savages that are after the utter destruction of the Jews as a people. They want to eradicate them and there are members of the other party who have been censured – a member of the other party – that's been censured on this floor for grossly antisemitic remarks. That's what's taking place.
Do not be fooled by this political rhetoric. I stand with the Jewish people now. I will stand with them from the beginning to the end so the river to the sea never takes place.
With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back.