MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representatives Mike Kelly (PA-16) and Suzan DelBene (WA-01) released a joint statement after their legislation, H.R. 3514, the “Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act,” passed the Ways & Means Committee. The legislation passed unanimously by a vote of 42-0.

The legislation, which has a bipartisan supermajority of nearly 300 House co-sponsors, now advances to the full U.S. House of Representatives for consideration.

“We are incredibly pleased to see the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act advance out of our committee and move to the full U.S. House of Representatives,” the Members said. “This legislation puts patient care and patient outcomes first, and it will greatly modernize and streamline the prior authorization process. Today’s vote moves this critical legislation one step closer to becoming law.”

“Patients should be able to make medical decisions with their doctors without unnecessary red tape standing in the way,” said Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (MO-08). “The Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act builds on the Ways and Means Committee’s bipartisan work to improve the prior authorization process and ensure Pennsylvania seniors have timely access to the treatments and care that are best for them. Medicare Advantage insurers should not excessively use prior authorization as a barrier to delay needed care. I appreciate Representative Kelly’s leadership in advancing reforms that increase transparency, reduce burdens, and put patients and their doctors back in charge of health care decisions.”

You can WATCH and DOWNLOAD Kelly’s full committee remarks in the YouTube link above.

BACKGROUND

Prior authorization is a tool used by health plans to reduce unnecessary care by requiring health care providers to get pre-approval for medical services. But it’s not without fault. The current system often results in unconfirmed faxes of a patient’s medical information or phone calls by clinicians which takes precious time away from delivering quality and timely care.

Prior authorization continues to be the #1 administrative burden identified by health care providers, and three out of four Medicare Advantage enrollees are subject to unnecessary delays due to prior authorization. In recent years, the Office of the Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) raised concerns after an audit revealed that Medicare Advantage plans ultimately approved 75% of requests that were originally denied. More recently, HHS OIG released a report finding that MA plans incorrectly denied beneficiaries’ access to services even though they met Medicare coverage rules

Health plans, health care providers, and patients agree that the prior authorization process must be improved to better serve patients and reduce unnecessary administrative burdens for clinicians. In fact, leading health care organizations released a consensus statement to address some of the most pressing concerns associated with prior authorization.

More than 35 million American seniors, including more than 1.5 million Pennsylvanians, are enrolled in Medicare Advantage.

Specifically, the bill would:

• Establish an electronic prior authorization process for MA plans including a standardization for transactions and clinical attachments.
• Increase transparency around MA prior authorization requirements and its use.
• Clarify HHS’ authority to establish timeframes for e-prior authorization requests including   expedited determinations, real-time decisions for routinely approved items and services, and other prior authorization requests.
• Expand beneficiary protections to improve enrollee experiences and outcomes.
• Require HHS and other agencies to report to Congress on program integrity efforts and other ways to further improve the e-PA process.

Previously, Rep. Kelly led similar legislation in the 118th Congress. The Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act unanimously passed the House in the 117th Congress and was cosponsored by a majority of members in the Senate and House of Representatives.

The bill text can be found here and a section-by-section can be found here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sharice Davids (KS-3)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Representative Sharice Davids joined a bipartisan group of her colleagues to urge the Trump Administration to reinstate the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s LGBTQ+ phone line. One year ago, the administration ended the LGBTQ+ “Press 3” option. Following sustained bipartisan pressure and Congress appropriating funding to restore the service, the administration has announced plans to bring it back “by the end of the year” — but today’s coalition demanded that those lifesaving services be reinstated without further delay.

“A year ago today, we stood here because the administration made the decision to shut down the 988 LGBTQ+ youth crisis line,” said Davids. “I said then that it was the wrong decision. It was and still is. Because this has never been about politics. It’s about people. It’s about a young person who feels completely alone and is trying to decide if tomorrow is worth it, and making sure someone is there to answer the phone in that moment.”

Since its launch in 2022, the LGBTQ+ subline under the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline has been a critical, life-saving resource for LGBTQ+ youth and adults facing mental health crises. The line has handled nearly 1.3 million calls, texts, and chats from LGBTQ+ individuals seeking support. Its closure comes at a time of growing need — just last year, over 40 percent of LGBTQ+ youth seriously considered suicide, according to national surveys. 

The decision to shut down the LGBTQ+ subline drew widespread concern from mental health experts and civil rights organizations. Although the administration has pledged to reopen the line, advocates remain concerned that organizations with the most experience serving LGBTQ+ youth, including The Trevor Project, which helped establish the original program, may not be included in the updated 988 Lifeline. 

Along with Davids, today’s press conference included Representatives Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08), Mike Lawler (R-NY-17), and Seth Moulton (D-MA-06), as well as The Trevor Project and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP).

If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call, text, or chat with the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741. 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ben Cline (VA-06)

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Ben Cline (VA-06) introduced the Daughters of the American Revolution Membership Integrity Act, which would amend the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR)’s federal charter to add a membership eligibility requirement that limits membership to an individual who is a woman and otherwise satisfies the genealogical and membership qualifications established by the corporation.

###

Quote Attributable to Congressman Ben Cline (VA-06):

“The DAR has a longstanding tradition of celebrating and empowering women who represent the exceptional heritage of the birth of our Nation. However, as we celebrate America’s 250th birthday, the organization has now abandoned the very principles on which it was founded. Rather than honoring and preserving a lineage-based organization for women, it has embraced radical gender ideology at the expense of the women it was created to serve. The Daughters of the American Revolution Membership Integrity Act is common-sense legislation that requires the Congressionally-charted DAR to return to serving the true daughters of the American Revolution,” said Rep. Cline.

Quote Attributable to Penny Nance, CEO and President of Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee:

“The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) was founded in 1890 to empower women to celebrate their unique legacy in the American founding, but today, the organization is insulting the very women it was designed to serve by denying the inherent dignity of womanhood and embracing radical gender ideology. Being a “daughter” of the Revolution is no longer a stipulation of membership, and the once highly selective organization now allows men masquerading as women to join the DAR’s ranks. This month, the Supreme Court of the United States decided that womanhood belongs to biological women. DAR has a responsibility to the American public to uphold that common-sense truth, and Congressman Ben Cline’s Daughters of the American Revolution Membership Integrity Act will ensure that DAR belongs to the real daughters of the American Revolution, not to sons,” said Penny Nance.

Quote Attributable to Terry Schilling, President of American Principles Project:

“The Daughters of the American Revolution have been staunch defenders of our American heritage for over 135 years. It’s no surprise, then, that the radical left has made the DAR their next target, attempting to force this storied organization to allow biological males into their ranks. This is why the American Principles Project enthusiastically endorses Congressman Ben Cline’s Daughters of the American Revolution Membership Integrity Act, legislation which would preserve the DAR’s longstanding female-only membership. At a time when almost every women’s space is under attack by gender ideologues, it is crucial that Americans of common sense stand up against this insanity. We commend Rep. Cline for his leadership on this issue and urge all members to support this bill,” said Terry Schilling.

Quote Attributable to Daniel West, Government Relations Director for Heritage Action:

“Until the left gave up on biological reality, it was understood The DAUGHTERS of the American Revolution was a women’s only group. Rep. Cline’s self-evident legislation reaffirms that membership in this storied institution is reserved for women and prevents confused men from interfering in a federally chartered women’s society. Heritage Action will not allow woke virtue-signaling to degrade historic organizations like the DAR,” said Daniel West.

Quote Attributable to Beth Parlato, Senior Legal Counsel of Independent Women: 

“Women have the legal right to maintain institutions, spaces, and opportunities of their own. The Daughters of the American Revolution was founded by women, for women, and its identity should not be erased to satisfy “gender ideology.” Congressman Cline’s legislation recognizes a simple truth: a women’s organization must be allowed to remain a women’s organization. Independent Women is proud to support the Daughters of the American Revolution Membership Integrity Act and its effort to protect the integrity and legacy of this historic institution,” said Beth Parlato.

###

Background: In 2024, the Daughters of the American Revolution adopted a non-discrimination provision that its current leadership has interpreted as preventing the organization from denying membership based on an applicant’s transgender identity.

###

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative for Western Samoa Congresswoman Aumua Amata

Headline: Amata Congratulates Thessalonica Lagafuaina on Representing American Samoa

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Aumua Amata is congratulating Thessalonica Lagafuaina for representing American Samoa at the inaugural Close Up NextGen Roundtable: Decision 2026 in Washington, D.C.

Thessalonica Lagafuaina for representing American Samoa at the inaugural Close Up NextGen Roundtable

“Congratulations to Thessalonica for representing American Samoa in this important national forum and contributing our territory’s perspective alongside students from across the country,” said Congresswoman Amata. “I am proud of her willingness to learn, engage in thoughtful discussion, and represent our islands with distinction.”

Held July 8–11, the inaugural NextGen Roundtable brought together young people from across the nation and U.S. territories to examine major public policy issues, engage in respectful dialogue, and strengthen the skills of informed civic participation. The program was hosted by the Close Up Foundation in partnership with the Stanford University Deliberative Democracy Lab, Generation Lab, and the Hoover Institution’s Center for Revitalizing American Institutions.

Lagafuaina with other conference members

“This is the first year Close Up held the Next Gen Roundtable, and I was honored to represent our territory at this conference,” said Lagafuaina. “This is my second time representing American Samoa for the Close Up program.”

Lagafuaina previously represented American Samoa through the Close Up Foundation in 2025, when she and 13 other students traveled to Washington, D.C., for a two-week civic education program. During this year’s conference, she met students from across the United States and neighboring U.S. territories, reunited with mentors from her previous Close Up experience, and met Close Up President Mia Charity.

“Close Up is such a great opportunity, especially for our local kids, as it gives them the chance to see and meet other kids from around the nation and other islanders from nearby territories,” said Lagafuaina. “It also aids in developing an open mind, understanding more about the government, and getting a close up experience of so many historical monuments and places.”

Lagafuaina said the experience strengthened her understanding of government while creating friendships and connections that will last beyond the conference.

“Overall, I am grateful for the program and everything it had to offer; the lessons, skills, and many long term friendships,” said Lagafuaina.

“I appreciate Thessalonica’s commitment to representing American Samoa, and I encourage more of our students to pursue opportunities like Close Up that broaden their horizons, strengthen their leadership skills, and inspire future public service,” said Congresswoman Amata.

Lagafuaina is a recent graduate of Tafuna High School, Class of 2026, and is from the villages of Nuʻuuli and Futiga.

###

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative for Western Samoa Congresswoman Aumua Amata

Headline: Amata’s Statement Celebrating Manu’a Flag Day

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata released the following statement in celebration of Manu’a Flag Day 2026, sometimes called Manu’a Cession Day, which celebrates the historic decision in 1904 to officially join the United States. 

Manua Flag Day flag raising 

Manua Flag Day Pledge of Allegiance

“It will be a delight to be in Manu’a celebrating with our people and Governor Pulaali’i Nikolao Pula. Wherever American Samoans are on July 16^th, we all think of our people in beautiful Manu’a, celebrating this important anniversary. In 1904, the chiefs of Manu’a made their major decision for future generations, resulting in the first official U.S. flag-raising in the islands of Ta’u, Ofu, and Olosega. Manu’a is a vital part of American Samoa, and I appreciate their warm welcome every time I’m there. I love to be there as often as possible each year when the wind and waves allow! Manu’a Flag Day is a wonderful tradition, and in just a few years now will be the milestone 125^th anniversary. We honor and bless the memory of the islands’ wise forefathers, and we are thankful to be part of the United States, as well as to be together in one territory. For each patriotic day, we want to always be sure to especially appreciate our Toa o Samoa, past and present, in every Service of the Armed Forces, and our many military families who support their careers and take part in their sacrifice. May God bless the people of Manu’a, and this year’s celebration!” 

###

Source: United States House of Representatives – Reprepsentative Kathy Castor (FL14)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Representatives Kathy Castor (FL-14), Judy Chu (CA-28), Summer Lee (PA-12) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) introduced the Drug Deal Disclosure Act, legislation that would require the public disclosure of the White House’s prescription drug pricing agreements with pharmaceutical manufacturers and subject those agreements to independent review to determine whether they are actually lowering costs for patients and taxpayers. 

“Floridians and Americans deserve lower drug costs,” said Rep. Castor. “No one should have to choose between putting food on the table and paying for their lifesaving medications. After making health care out of reach for millions of Americans, the White House claims they are helping our neighbors afford prescription drugs through closed-door deals with pharmaceutical manufacturers. Americans are skeptical and deserve to know if those deals are truly lowering costs, or if they are another false promise. I was proud to work with my colleagues in the Congress to actually lower drug costs through Medicare negotiation, caps on insulin, no-cost vaccines and out-of-pocket limits. Our neighbors have waited long enough for fair prices for important medications, and I am committed to doing that in a transparent manner.” 

“President Trump has repeatedly claimed that his Administration’s private deals with pharmaceutical companies will lower prescription drug prices for American families. If that’s true, then he should have nothing to hide,” said Rep. Chu. “Democrats didn’t ask Americans to simply trust us when we lowered prescription drug costs through the Inflation Reduction Act, we passed a law that empowered Medicare to negotiate drug prices, capped insulin at $35 a month for seniors, limited annual out-of-pocket prescription drug costs, and held drug companies accountable for unjustified price hikes. Those reforms are already delivering real savings. If President Trump wants the American people to believe his secret deals with Big Pharma will do the same, then he should release the agreements and let the facts speak for themselves.”

“No one in Western Pennsylvania should have to ration medicine or walk away from the pharmacy counter because Big Pharma and the Trump Administration are cutting deals behind closed doors,” said Rep. Lee. “More than one in four Pennsylvanians have already been forced to skip doses, cut pills in half, or leave prescriptions unfilled simply because of cost. People paying the price deserve to know who these agreements are really serving, and this bill would force the Administration to release these secret agreements and require independent analysis of whether they actually lower costs for patients and taxpayers. I’m proud to co-lead this bill and help build a healthcare system that works for the people, not billion-dollar corporations.”

“Deals made by the White House are the business of the American people. President Trump claims to have made secret agreements with Big Pharma CEOs under the pretense of lowering prescription drug prices but these savings have yet to appear. The American people deserve answers and this legislation will bring them to light,” said Rep. Pappas. “Granite Staters are paying too much for life-saving prescription drugs and this administration and Republicans in Congress have only made health care access worse and costs higher. I remain committed to doing everything I can to improve care and lower costs, and I will not stand for shady deals and false promises made by the administration.”

The Drug Deal Disclosure Act would require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to publicly disclose records, communications, agreements, and related materials concerning drug pricing agreements and other arrangements negotiated between the White House and pharmaceutical manufacturers. The bill would also require reporting to Congress and direct the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct an independent analysis of the agreements’ economic and budgetary impacts.

Specifically, the legislation would:

• Require HHS to publicly disclose agreements, communications, records, and related materials concerning covered agreements between the Trump Administration and pharmaceutical manufacturers;
• Require disclosure of agreements involving Most-Favored-Nation pricing commitments, tariff exemptions, domestic investment commitments, Strategic National Stockpile agreements, Priority Review Vouchers, and other related arrangements;
• Require HHS to report to Congress on all documents and information released or withheld, including the basis for any redactions; and
• Direct CBO and GAO to publish an independent assessment of the agreements’ impacts on patients, taxpayers, prescription drug costs, Medicare, Medicaid, competition, and federal spending.

The Drug Deal Disclosure Act is the House companion to legislation introduced in the Senate by Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden and Senate Democrats.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (15th District of Texas)

Funding will be used to upgrade airfield signage.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Don Beyer (D-VA)

Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA) today issued the following statement announcing his intent to vote for an amendment offered by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) to H.R. 8595, the FY27 National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act that would cut U.S. assistance to Israel, primarily through reducing Foreign Military Financing (FMF) to Israel by $3.3 billion:

“It is past time for our nation to fundamentally reevaluate its security relationship with the state of Israel.

“A military response to the heinous October 7th attacks was justifiable, but Israel’s ongoing campaigns across the region have cost the lives of tens of thousands of innocents and isolated Israel on the world stage. The wanton disregard for the human rights of civilians in Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon shown by the Israeli government and security forces, along with their contempt for international and U.S. law and implacable commitment to an ever-expanding campaign of settlement and occupation have made a dramatic course correction in the U.S.-Israeli partnership long overdue.

“The disastrous Iran War has further demonstrated the strategic costs of our alliance which has grown closer even as it makes less sense for the United States. No foreign government is entitled to American taxpayer dollars or assistance, particularly those that have acted against U.S. interests and values, as Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government has done increasingly in recent years.

“While imperfectly written, this amendment serves as a powerful message to the Israeli government that it cannot take U.S. security assistance for granted any longer. The enormous numbers of civilians killed in recent Israel Defense Force operations and the government’s tacit approval for the ongoing violence carried out by settlers in the West Bank has cost Israel the broad support among Americans it once enjoyed. It will likely take years to repair the ties between our two nations and for Israel’s government to regain the trust of the American people.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Jesús Chuy García (IL-04)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Representatives Chuy García (IL-04) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), and Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), reintroduced the Good Jobs for Good Airports Act, legislation that would improve wages and working conditions for airport service workers. The legislation would also support working families and help stabilize the air travel industry as airlines pocket record profits while airport service workers remain stuck at minimum wage.

“America’s airports support millions of jobs and move hundreds of millions of travelers each year. While U.S. airlines generated $6 billion in profit last year, airport frontline workers, who are predominantly Latino, Black and immigrant, are barely making ends meet. In fact, 7 per cent of them live under the poverty level,” said Congressman Jesús “Chuy” García. “The Good Jobs for Good Airports Act, seeks to ensure airport workers, who make our air travel possible, get the dignity and compensation they deserve for their hard work.”

“Airport service workers are entrusted every day with the safety, order, and reliability of one of the most complex transportation systems in the world. We cannot ask them to carry that responsibility while denying them the economic security that comes with fair wages and meaningful benefits. The Good Jobs for Good Airports Actestablishes one clear principle: the value of the work does not change because a job is outsourced or a different contractor signs the paycheck. By investing in the people who keep our airports moving, we strengthen the entire aviation system—and uphold our obligation to the workers, families, and travelers who depend upon it,” said Congressman Fitzpatrick.

“These workers serve through extreme temperatures, holiday travel surges, and even pandemics — yet too many still struggle with low pay, unaffordable care, and rising costs,” said Senator Markey. “Because airports are the gateway to the world for travelers, they must also be the gateway to stable, middle-class jobs for workers. I am proud to partner with Congressmen Garcia and Fitzpatrick to lead this bipartisan, pro-worker legislation.”

“Airport workers keep millions of Americans moving every day—and a job that keeps America moving should be a job that lets a family get ahead. The Good Jobs for Good Airports Act will raise wages, strengthen benefits, and ensure these workers finally receive the dignity and respect they’ve earned. It’s past time Congress made sure good jobs take off at every airport in America,” said Senator Schumer.

“I’ve given years of my life to this airport, keeping planes clean and passengers safe — and I still can’t afford to take my kids to the doctor,” said Nicole Ray, a wheelchair agent at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. “Something is deeply wrong when the airlines I serve are posting record profits while I’m choosing between groceries and medicine. It’s time for Congress to decide whose side they’re on and pass the Good Jobs for Good Airports Act.”

“Every day, airport service workers keep our country moving. They do the essential work that keeps our airports safe, our aviation system running, and millions of travelers connected. Airport service workers deserve more than our thanks, they deserve good jobs that provide dignity, security, and the opportunity to build a better life,” said April Verrett, President of SEIU. “The Good Jobs for Good Airports Act is about recognizing the value of that work. Congress should stand with the workers who keep our airports running and pass this legislation. When we invest in working people, we build a stronger economy and a stronger nation.”

“Our tax dollars continue to be invested in the expansion and improvement of the nation’s airports. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act committed billions for airports, with the final $2.9 billion invested this year. However, airports are not just buildings with tarmacs and airplanes: a successful airport depends on its workers. Despite this, there are UNITE HERE members working in airport concessions and airline catering who are struggling to make ends meet. Some of them work multiple jobs and with no healthcare. Our investments must support a healthy workforce and offer wages that lift workers out of poverty — the Good Jobs for Good Airports Actwould set a fair national standard for wages and benefits for airport workers across the United States,” said Gwen Mills, President of UNITE HERE.

“Airline passenger service agents are on the frontlines of the airline industry in our nation’s airports – ticketing and boarding passengers, loading and unloading baggage and performing other essential services. Despite their indispensable role in keeping air travel efficient and the flying public safe, they are underpaid and overworked. The Good Jobs for Good Airports Act is a long overdue step towards closing wage and benefit disparities that will allow essential airport employees to live and work with dignity,” said Claude Cummings Jr., President of the Communications Workers of America (CWA).

The Good Jobs for Good Airports Act is cosponsored by Representatives: Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Emilia Sykes (OH-13), Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), John Garamendi (CA-08), Robert Menendez (NJ-08), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), Robin Kelly (IL-02), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-00), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson (GA-04), Greg Casar (TX-35), Angie Craig (MN-02), Raul Ruiz (CA-25), Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07), Don Beyer (VA-08), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), and Maxine Waters (CA-43). 

The legislation is cosponsored in the Senate by Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). 

The Good Jobs for Good Airports Act is endorsed by SEIU, UNITE HERE and CWA.

# # #

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) delivered remarks on the House Floor in opposition to an amendment from U.S. Representative Thomas Massie (KY-04) to H.R. 8595, the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2027, that would eliminate $3.3 billion in military aid funding for Israel. Below are his remarks as prepared for delivery:

“I rise in strong disagreement with this amendment, which would dangerously undermine America’s national security. If adopted, it would – as Leader Jeffries rightly pointed out – limit our ability to confront terrorist organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah that expressly target American citizens and military personnel. And it would make it harder for America to use our relationships with Israel and regional partners to promote a negotiated two-state solution, the only realistic path to deliver on the promise of peace, security, and self-determination for both Israelis and Palestinians.

“I understand the frustration many Members feel with some of the policies and actions of the current Israeli government – as well as their concerns about its commitment to the peace process and a two-state solution. However, this amendment would embolden the enemies of peace, those who seek the complete elimination of Israel, and those looking for an excuse to murder Jews. It is a vote to weaken our ability to engage in the region, and it is a vote against American security, against American interests, and against Americans’ safety. Vote ‘no.'”