Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to this amendment. This amendment prohibits the State Department from using the statistics obtained from the Gaza Health Ministry, which is often the only information available about what is happening on the ground in Gaza. As much as we wish there were other sources, this ministry is the only official source for Gaza casualties and is the de facto authority there. Israel has sealed Gaza's borders, barring foreign journalists and others who could offer this reporting. The journalists and medical professionals who are there are unable to account for all of the bodies trapped under rubble and discovered in mass graves. The United Nations and other international institutions and experts as well as the Palestinian authorities in the West Bank say this ministry has made a good faith effort to account for the dead under the most difficult conditions. Their figures have been found to be credible in the past, holding up to United Nations scrutiny, independent investigations, and even Israel's tallies. When new information comes to light, as with the Office of Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance a few weeks ago, they are made. In order for the State Department to do its job effectively, it needs to work with real-time information. This amendment would severely inhibit the United States Government's ability to assess the situation. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.”