Steny Hoyer: “I have taken no backseat to my support for Israel for half a century. I rise in opposition to this cynical, political…”

“I have taken no backseat to my support for Israel for half a century. I rise in opposition to this cynical, political ploy. We are about to vote on a resolution concerning U.S. involvement in the conflict in Yemen and how to promote an end to a humanitarian crisis in a country that threatens the lives of 22 million people. They are hungry. They are displaced. They are scarred by a war and violence. This resolution is about them and about what we as a nation can do to put a stop to that conflict. The gentleman is incorrect. The gentleman did not tell us the truth. This kills this resolution. In an effort to prevent Congress from taking action on such an important issue, however, House Republicans are trying to make this a vote about something else; and in doing so, they risk undermining the long history of bipartisan consensus supporting our ally, Israel. How shameful. How sad. The American people will not be fooled or misled by this tactic. Our fellow supporters of Israel will not be fooled. No one can accuse me of failing to defend the U.S.-Israel partnership and strongly opposing BDS. Mr. Speaker, I will be voting against this motion, and I urge all of my colleagues to do so as well. I urge every single one of them to do so. And I urge every Republican who believes that using Israel as a partisan cudgel is dangerous, cynical, and harmful to Israel to join me in voting against this motion. Mr.…”