On January 29, Congresswoman Lois Frankel and the House Foreign Affairs Committee passed by unanimous consent H.R. 938, the United States-Israel Strategic Partnership Act of 2013. Congresswoman Frankel submitted the following statement in support of this important legislation to strengthen our critical bilateral alliance with Israel. 

“Thank you Chairman Royce and Ranking Member Engel for the continued bipartisan spirit of this committee, and Chairwoman Ros-Lehtinen and Ranking Member Deutch for your leadership on this bill.

Anyone who turns on the news for even a few minutes will see our good friend Israel in a region of chaos and unrest.

War in Syria – with refugees pouring into Turkey, Jordan, and Lebanon. Violence in Iraq. Upheaval in Egypt. And of course, the threat of nuclear advancement in Iran.

And yet, Israel remains a strong, stable, and reliable ally.

More than ever, we must do all we can to strengthen our critical relationship.

H.R. 938, the United States-Israel Strategic Partnership Act of 2013, will do just that.

It designates Israel as a “major strategic partner” and increases our mutually beneficial cooperation in the areas of energy, science, water, agriculture, alternative fuel technologies, and homeland security.

At a time of deep political division in Congress, this bill has across the board support, with 350 cosponsors, a reflection that our alliance with Israel is rooted in shared national interests, common values of democracy and freedom, and a recognition that the same forces threatening Israel also threaten the United States.

Thank you and I yield back.”

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