Members on the Record (Automated) for Fri August 12, 2022

Israel - Palestine

Bush (D-MO-1) 08/11/2022: Tweet – “My heart breaks for the dozens of Palestinians, including children, killed by Israel in Gaza. Palestinians too deserve to live free from siege and bombardment. There must be accountability. Israel must end the blockade. And Congress must stop funding Israeli apartheid. Link to quoted tweetFor me, having never been able to leave Gaza, the two days of bombardment were a lived recollection of terror, death, and loss. (For 60 Hours, Israeli Bombs Fell All Around Us, Getting Closer and Closer... | bit.ly)”

McCollum (D-MN-4) 08/11/2022: Tweet – “A ceasefire in Gaza is welcome news. But at least 19 Palestinian children have been killed since Friday. Families must rebuild—again—while living under incredibly harsh conditions. I want Israeli families to be safe. Palestinian families deserve that, too. The violence must end. Link to quoted tweet“The killing and maiming of so many children this year is unconscionable.” At least 19 children were killed in occupied Palestinian territory in the last week alone, the UN human rights chief says (UN chief says killing of Palestinian children ‘unconscionable'... | aje.io) (Link to twitter.com)”

McCollum (D-MN-4) 08/11/2022: Retweet of @JvpAction – “Congrats to @VoteBetty! The leader of the first legislation on Palestinian human rights in Congress and a stalwart supporter for the rights of Palestinian children. Onwards! Link to image”

Ossoff (D-GA) 08/11/2022: Twitter thread – “BIG NEWS: Sens. @ossoff & @LindseyGrahamSC have successfully protected a key U.S. diplomatic & military post in the Middle East. In June, Sens. @ossoff & @LindseyGrahamSC led a bipartisan group of 34 Senators urging the position remain at its current rank.Sens. Ossoff & Graham Successfully Protect Key U.S. Diplomatic & Military Post in Middle East - U.S. Senator for Georgia Jon Ossoff “After we led 34 bipartisan Senators urging the Department of Defense not to downgrade this post, the Department has now made the right decision for U.S. national security,” Sen. @Ossoff said. “We must sustain high-level U.S. engagement for peace and stability in the Holy Land.” @ossoff Based in Jerusalem, the United States Security Coordinator serves as a crucial liaison between Israel and the Palestinian Authority and leads international coalition efforts in support of peace and stability.”

Torres (D-NY-15) 08/12/2022: Retweet of @emilykschrader – “Messages like this are a huge part of why I do what I do. It's not that Israel is always right, but Israel IS misrepresented and antisemitism IS a problem.Together we can fight this bigotry Thank u to @noatishby @RitchieTorres @YosephHaddad for working to promote tolerance! Link to image”

Syria

Bacon (R-NE-2) 08/11/2022: Tweet – “10 years is far too long for any patriotic American to remain in captivity by a hostile regime. Syria is in clear violation of the Geneva Conventions by holding him without engaging in negotiations. It's time we bring former US Marine Austin Tice home. Biden says US government knows 'with certainty' that Austin Tice has been held by Syrian government... | ow.ly”

Cohen (D-TN-9) 08/11/2022: Retweet of @HelsinkiComm – “.@HelsinkiComm Co-Chair & @oscepa Special Rep on #PoliticalPrisoners @RepCohen calls on the Syrian gov to work w/ @POTUS admin to #FreeAustinTice and other Americans in Syria. “Ten years is far, far too long.” Statement by President Biden on the Ten-Year Anniversary of Austin Tice's Captivity - The White House”

Iran

Hagerty (R-TN) 08/11/2022: Tweet – “The United States—the greatest nation on Earth—should NEVER seek trillion dollar nuclear deals with terrorist regimes that are actively trying to assassinate U.S. officials. Charges against Iranian should not affect nuclear diplomacy, U.S. official says... | reuters.com”

Murphy (D-FL-7) 08/12/2022: Tweet – “Iran-backed terrorist organizations threaten global peace and security. Thankfully, Congress passed my #FY23NDAA provision last month to require the Defense Department to assess the capabilities of these groups. Link to image”

Rubio (R-FL) 08/11/2022: Tweet – “Giving a visa to Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to visit the United States after exposing his plot to kill U.S. government officials only encourages further attacks on American citizens. #NoVisa4Raisi Iranian National Sought to Kill John Bolton, U.S. Says... | wsj.com”

Saudi Arabia

Casey (D-PA) 08/12/2022: Tweet – “I'm relieved that Nader and Rakan Aldosseri are safely back in Pittsburgh, but this story highlights a dangerous reality: the outrageous treatment and disregard of the human rights of dissidents in Saudi Arabia. Opinion | A daring flight to safety — and a story Biden should tell MBS”

Cohen (D-TN-9) 08/11/2022: Tweet – “If I worked for DJT at Mar-a-Lago I would be very concerned if a group of Saudi's with a Dr. carrying a violin case check in.”

Spanberger (D-VA-7) 08/11/2022: Tweet – “Good news: The UAE has lifted the prison sentence of Virginia civil rights attorney Asim Ghafoor, who represented the late-Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. I am thrilled for his family, who will soon welcome him home! Lawyer: UAE overturns sentence for former Khashoggi attorney... | washingtonpost.com”

Iraq

Castro (D-TX-20) 08/11/2022: Twitter thread – “The enactment of the Honoring Our PACT Act represents the largest expansion of veterans' health care and benefits in decades. As we celebrate this historic law, I want to share part of the story behind how we got it done — and highlight the heroes who made it possible. 1/14 Link to image My work to help burn pit survivors began more than five years ago, when retired Army Captain @trooper1999 and his wife @ROSIETO59994621 visited my office in San Antonio to talk about the long-term consequences of burn pit exposure. 2/14 Link to image During our nation's conflicts in the Middle East, the military used open-air burn pits to dispose of everything from munitions to medical waste. These pits burned 24 hours a day, seven days a week, filling the air with toxic smoke. 3/14 Link to image Le Roy Torres, a member of the Army Reserves, deployed to Iraq in 2007. He came home with crushing headaches, dizziness, and a cough he couldn't shake. After a years-long effort to get diagnosed, he learned that burn pits were responsible for his illness. 4/14 Link to image As Le Roy shared his story, I was shocked by how little the VA was doing to help veterans like him. We have a sacred obligation to our veterans. The federal government shouldn't make them jump through hoops just to get basic care. 5/14 After our meeting, I organized forums across Texas to hear from veterans about the impact of burn pits on their health. These men and women put their lives on the line for our country. But when they got sick, the VA wasn't prepared to care for them. 6/14 Link to image One of the veterans I met was William Garza Jr., a brave Marine who enlisted after graduating from Los Fresnos High School in South Texas. By the time I met him, William had cancer caused by his exposure to burn pits. He died at 38. 7/14 Link to image With burn pits, I saw history repeating itself. Decades ago, when Vietnam veterans came home with injuries caused by Agent Orange, they struggled to get the care they needed. The government broke its promise to Vietnam veterans. This time, we had to do better. 8/14 In Congress, I was part of a growing coalition of legislators who were determined to make change. In 2018, I introduced a bill to improve tracking of burn pit-related deaths & illnesses. Over the next 4 years, I wrote and joined more than a dozen bills related to burn pits. 9/14 Link to image This Congress, those efforts cumulated in the Honoring Our PACT Act, which was written to help generations of veterans, including Agent Orange survivors. The Honoring Our PACT Act was bipartisan, bicameral legislation, and veterans were counting on us to get it passed. 10/14 Link to image Earlier this year, the Honoring Our PACT Act passed the House and Senate, leaving just a handful of procedural hurdles to clear before it could become law. But at the last minute, 25 Republican senators changed their minds and voted to block the bill from moving forward. 11/14 Link to image In response, Rosie Torres and other advocates rallied in front of the Capitol, calling on the Senate to do the right thing. After their show of strength, the Honoring Our PACT Act got the votes it needed. 12/14 Link to image The Honoring Our PACT Act will change the lives of millions of veterans. To learn more about what this new law means, visit U.S. Congressman Joaquin Castro... | castro.house.gov — and please, help us spread the word to your family, friends, and community members who served. 13/14 Link to image When they went off to war, our veterans fought for us. When they get home, Congress should do everything in our power to fight for them. 14/14”

Klobuchar (D-MN) 08/11/2022: Tweet – “The PACT Act is now law. That matters for the loved ones and families like Amie Muller's. She died of pancreatic cancer in 2017 after exposure to a toxic burn pit in Iraq. This bill is for Amie and every single service member and veteran like her.”

Larsen (D-WA-2) 08/11/2022: Twitter thread – “After senseless obstruction by Senate Rs, President Biden signed a bill expanding care to veterans harmed by toxic “burn pits” in Iraq. A strangely hard vote for some Rs, it was an easy yes vote for me and represents the largest expansion of veterans healthcare in decades. Veterans health bill marks a personal victory for Biden... | apnews.com”

Libya

Casten (D-IL-6) 08/11/2022: Retweet of @CREWcrew – “Hillary Clinton testified for 11 hours about Benghazi. Donald Trump pleaded the Fifth Amendment, over and over again, to avoid answering a question.”

Jewish, Anti-semitism

Crow (D-CO-6) 08/12/2022: Retweet of @RepSpanberger – “Five years ago, white nationalists descended on Charlottesville and the University of Virginia. Nazi slogans and symbols, racism, and antisemitism flooded our streets that evening and through the following day. We must never allow such vile hate to inhabit our Commonwealth. Link to video”

Katko (R-NY-24) 08/11/2022: Twitter thread – “Fort Ontario has witnessed pivotal periods in Central New York's history, including the Fort's utilization as an emergency shelter for Holocaust survivors 78 years ago. (1/2) Katko, Schumer push for Fort Ontario's National Park status... | spectrumlocalnews.com I'm working to ensure members of our community who witnessed this history firsthand are also able to see Fort Ontario designated as a National Park. (2/2) Katko, Schumer push for Fort Ontario's National Park status... | spectrumlocalnews.com”

Nadler (D-NY-10) 08/11/2022: Tweet – “On this day, five years ago, white supremacists gathered in Charlottesville, VA, to spew racism and antisemitism. Let this day be a reminder that, as a nation, we have a long way to go in our quest to eliminate hate and bigotry.”

Nadler (D-NY-10) 08/11/2022: Tweet – “Antisemitic threats have absolutely no place in our nation. This is just another disgraceful example of MAGA extremists attempting to undermine our democracy by intimidating a federal judge. Shameful. Link to quoted tweetTemple Beth David has canceled its Beach Shabbat this week under a deluge of antisemitic threats about Bruce Reinhart, the judge who signed the Mar-a-Lago search warrant and sits on the synagogue's board. (Judge who approved Trump warrant attacked for synagogue ties... | forward.com)”

Quigley (D-IL-5) 08/12/2022: Tweet – “Heather Heyer died fighting for what was right. We won't forget her or what she stood for. White nationalism is an evil, racist, anti-semitic philosophy and it ended Heather's life that day. I will keep working to stamp out this hatred until it is completely gone.”

Schneider (D-IL-10) 08/11/2022: Retweet of @USJewishDems – “JDCA is proud to endorse 5 more candidates for the House & Senate who are supporting the priorities of Jewish voters, including defending democracy against @GOP extremism. We're proud to support @TheOtherMandela @AnnMcLaneKuster @WelchForVT @Schneider4IL10 @glenniveymd Link to image”

Spanberger (D-VA-7) 08/11/2022: Tweet – “Five years ago, white nationalists descended on Charlottesville and the University of Virginia. Nazi slogans and symbols, racism, and antisemitism flooded our streets that evening and through the following day. We must never allow such vile hate to inhabit our Commonwealth. Link to video”

Spanberger (D-VA-7) 08/12/2022: Tweet – “Five years ago, a man rammed his car into a crowd of people in Charlottesville who chose to raise their voices against vile antisemitism and racism. He struck and killed Heather Heyer. We can honor her life by rejecting the white supremacism and hatred that cut it short.”

Titus (D-NV-1) 08/11/2022: Tweet – “Today is Tu B'av, the Jewish celebration of love. Wishing a joyful day of festivities to all who are celebrating! Link to image”

Afghanistan

Ernst (R-IA) 08/12/2022: Tweet – “✔️Just wrapped up another town hall!   I was in Worth County this morning to hear directly from Iowans about a range of issues, including crime, Afghanistan, and biofuels. #99CountyTour Link to image”

Grassley (R-IA) 08/11/2022: Tweet – “Tour/Q&a at Sullivan Supply in Dunlap w 36ppl issues: bipartisanship IRS agents FBI oversight ethanol Afghanistan privacy small biz mfg in America etc #99countymeetings Link to image”

Kim (R-CA-39) 08/12/2022: Tweet – “We will never forget the service, sacrifice & stories of Southern California marines Lance Cpl. Dylan Merola, Lance Cpl. Kareem Grant Nikoui & Cpl. Hunter Lopez, who gave everything to save lives in Kabul. My heart is heavy for their loved ones. Disneyland honors Lance Cpl. Dylan Merola, SoCal Marine killed in 2021 Kabul attack... | abc7.com”

Slotkin (D-MI-8) 08/11/2022: Twitter thread – “Hello from Camp Grayling! We're here for Northern Strike, a yearly military exercise hosted by @MINationalGuard. I'm so glad that @SecArmy joined @SenGaryPeters, @RepJackBergman, and I to see our guard soldiers work with multi-national partners in many different combat settings. Link to image One of the highlights of the day was when Staff Sergeant Jordan Rowe from the 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry, pulled me aside to thank our team for our efforts to get one of his interpreters out of Afghanistan and safely to the United States. Link to image As we near the first anniversary of the fall of Kabul, I'm reminded of the all the work that's been done to stand by those who stood with us, and all that remains to be done. We rounded out the day by seeing a live fire exercise with our Joint Terminal Attack Controllers and the mighty A-10. This I exactly why I asked the Secretary to come here: to see and experience all the unique capabilities Michigan has to offer. Link to image”

Tuberville (R-AL) 08/12/2022: Tweet – “It's been one year since the Biden admin pulled our troops out of Afghanistan – how it happened was one of the worst foreign policy disasters in my life time. It's time the Biden admin takes responsibility for their actions.”

Other - Middle East

Shaheen (D-NH) 08/11/2022: Tweet – “This is an important step in bringing justice for the victims of this terrorist group responsible for kidnapping and killing many, including James Foley. I'll continue to work closely with the families of the Americans killed by ISIS to ensure they face trial. Link to quoted tweetMan linked to Islamic State ‘Beatles' hostage-takers arrested in England (Man linked to Islamic State ‘Beatles' hostage-takers arrested in England... | wmur.com)”