Baird (R-IN) to join him at the podium,
both of whom also suffered severe injuries
while serving in the U.S. military. Rep. Mast
explained, “The best thing we can hope for is
living through those moments of difficulty,
and then having times that we enjoy. In Israel,
you have the same thing.”
Rep. Brian Mast continued, “We don’t have
folks in the right state of mind who are willing
to acknowledge something very simple – that
Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. If you can’t
acknowledge the capital of a nation, then
you are not in a state of mind that shows a
commitment to peace. If you’re committed to
terrorism, you’re not ready for peace.”
Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) continued to
address Palestinian-Arab terrorism and noted
that “thousands of rockets landing on civilian
neighborhoods from Gaza is something we
would never tolerate in the U.S. We have
to fight back against the double standard.”
He also warned of the increasing threat of
anti-Semitism, especially in Europe but also
on our campuses, in the form of BDS or
white supremacy.
As a war veteran, Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL)
understands the real threats posed by a nuclear
Iran. He encouraged ZOA members to convey
to their Congresspersons the importance of
voting for legislation he sponsored that curbs
the Iranian regime. Following the luncheon,
ZOA members educated their representatives
and their staff about this bill in their private
advocacy meetings.
Rep. Elaine Luria (D-VA) told ZOA
activists that she never expected that her first
speech on the House floor would be about
anti-Semitism. As a U.S. Navy veteran who
hails from a military family, she is especially
shocked by questions of loyalty to the U.S.
aimed at Jewish Americans. “My speech was
sort of like Dayenu,” said Luria. “Had I not
served 20 years in the military, would that
have been enough to show my loyalty to our
country?”
Having served on the House Foreign
Affairs Committee for 23 years and now as
the co-chair of the Israel Allies Caucus, Rep.
Brad Sherman (D-CA) is very familiar with
the threats facing Israel and the Jewish people
today. He spoke to ZOA activists about the
dangerous Iranian regime and a war of delegitimization
against Israel on U.S. campuses
and elsewhere. Given the current climate,
Sherman urged bipartisan support of Israel
while recognizing that there are some challenges
within the Democratic party.
Next to address the crowd was Rep. Glenn
Grothman (R-WI), who spoke about
shared values between the United States and
Israel and about why the two nations face a
common enemy.
Rep. Bill Johnson (R-OH) has a deep
connection with Israel, stemming from Bible
stories heard while growing up in North
Carolina, to serving alongside Israeli exchange
officers while in the U.S. Air Force; he even
visited Alon Shvut, at a time when very
few Congresspersons came into Judea and
Samaria. Congressman Johnson went on to
address the rise in anti-Semitism, especially
in Europe, and publicly expressed his commitment
to fight this battle: “As long as I have
breath in me, you’re going to have a champion
on behalf of Israel.”
“The scourge
of anti-
Semitism has
no place in
the world, let
alone in the
United States
itself.”
- Sen. James
E. Risch
(R-ID)
Capitol Hill Advocacy Mission 15