Dear Friend,
For the past five days, the world has been watching the extremely disturbing images of the situation unfolding in Israel. I write today to reiterate that as your Representative, I condemn this appalling assault against Israel by Hamas.
In what is being described as the deadliest single day for the Jewish community since the Holocaust, on October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a violent terrorist attack on Israel, slaughtering civilians, and abducting hostages. During this attack, Hamas launched over 3,500 rockets into southern and central Israel. At the time of this letter, the war in Israel has already claimed 2,600 lives, including 22 American citizens. Additionally, at least 5,300 people, mostly women and children, in the Palestinian territory under the blockade have been wounded. Immediately after hearing of this attack, I issued the following statement:
“I strongly condemn the violent terrorist attacks by Hamas against Israel and will continue to support our Israeli allies and their right to defend themselves. My prayers are with the families and all who are affected.”
In the days following the attack, I have joined my colleagues in the House of Representatives in sending a letter led by Representatives Grace Meng (NY-06) and Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11) to Secretary Anthony Blinken of the U.S. Department of State (DOS) to request the Department use all tools at its disposal to safely remove U.S. nationals from Israel, should they request immediate assistance. Additionally, I joined 380 of my colleagues in cosponsoring H.Res.768, a bipartisan resolution led by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael T. McCaul (TX-10) and Ranking Member Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05), condemning Hamas and expressing support for the people of Israel as they defend themselves against the barbaric war launched by Hamas.
Yesterday, I attended a classified bipartisan briefing for Members of Congress held by Acting Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland from the U.S. Department of State (DOS), Acting Undersecretary of Defense for Policy at the Department of Defense Sasha Baker from the Department of Defense (DOD), and Morgan Muir, Deputy Director for Mission Integration from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) to provide updates on the ongoing situation.
It is important to note that Congress was briefed by acting military personnel, as the appointments to military positions and ambassadors to the region have been stalled by Republicans in the Senate for months. Currently the U.S. does not have an Ambassador in Israel, Egypt, Oman or Kuwait. The Senate has also not confirmed a Chief of Naval Operations, Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force, a Commander of the Fifth Fleet or a Deputy Commander of U.S. Central Command. These positions are all critical to stability, diplomacy and military preparedness in the region. The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations is now expected to hold a confirmation hearing for Jack Lew to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to Israel as early as October 18, 2023. Further, the House remains without a Speaker, hindering our ability to advance legislation to provide supplemental aid to the people of Israel as they work to defend their country or humanitarian aide for innocent civilians. It is imperative we ensure our embassies and agencies are adequately staffed and supported during this turbulent time. I am working with my colleagues to ensure this happens.
In the meantime, the Department of State has made resources available for families wishing to connect with loved ones in the areas affected. For the list of resources, please read below.
- For travel advisories on Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, please click here.
- For U.S. citizens looking to be in touch with the U.S. Embassy in Israel, please fill out this form or call 1-833-890-9595 or 1-606-641-0131.
- To register for the State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), please click here.
If you have someone in the region or have questions about a loved one, please reach out to my office at 860-223-8412.
Thank you for reading this update. I will continue to share information and resources as they are made available to me. As always if you have any questions, require additional information or just would like for me to hear your thoughts on this issue please do not hesitate to reach out.