Bob Menendez: “I came to the floor in the first instance to support Senator Boxer's unanimous consent request on the U.S.-Israel…”

“I came to the floor in the first instance to support Senator Boxer's unanimous consent request on the U.S.-Israel strategic partnership, which, as she has pointed out, has-- in this institution we do not very often get 81 Members to agree that there is a course of action we want to take. She and Senator Blunt have acquired 81 cosponsors--including me and a majority of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee--to do exactly that. Given the current situation in the region, I think the legislation sends the right message at the right time. Israel clearly has a right to self-defense. No country should stand by while thousands of rockets are being launched at it and a terrorist organization next door digs tunnels to funnel fighters into its country to kill its citizens. That is what is happening. Part of the effort of this legislation, the U.S.-Israel cooperation-- well, one example is an antimissile system called Iron Dome, which is an example of what our two countries can do together--save lives through technological advancement and defense cooperation. I think these are incredibly important opportunities. Beyond that, given the advances in shared achievement that have resulted from this U.S.-Israel partnership, this bill authorizes the President to further enhance cooperation in the fields of water, energy, homeland security, agriculture, and alternative-fuel technology. But the U.S.-Israel partnership extends far beyond our excellent security partnership.…”