House Promotes Reaffirming Israel's Right To Exist

Resolution 888, resolution reaffirming the state of Israel's right to exist.

Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New York, Mr. Lawler and the gentlewoman from North Carolina, Ms. Manning will each control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous materials on this measure.

Without objection.

Thank you. And I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Gentleman's recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I rise to urge the House to pass my resolution that reaffirms Israel's fundamental right to exist. This is a pretty simple and straightforward resolution. Israel has a right to exist. You either believe that or you don't. And the American people should see very clearly whether or not the Members of Congress affirm Israel's right to exist. President Harry Truman recognized Israel 11 minutes, 11 minutes after its founding. America was the first country to recognize the state of Israel and for good reason. (01:35) Over the last 75 years, Israel has become the greatest ally of the United States. Our shared values, shared heritage, the relationship between our two nations, unbreakable. I fundamentally believe that the terrorist attacks of October 7th perpetrated by Hamas are about one thing, Hamas does not believe Israel has the right to exist. Hamas wants to eradicate the Jewish people from the face of the earth. They say so. Other bad actors like Hezbollah share that perspective. Iran, the greatest state sponsor of terrorism in the world, the backer and funder of Hamas, has been calling for the eradication of the state of Israel for millennia. They don't believe they have the right to exist. (03:22) So this resolution seeks to reaffirm the commitment made by President Truman, upon Israel's founding. We not only recognize Israel, we reaffirm Israel's fundamental right to exist. In the wake of the horrific October 7th attacks on Israel, we have seen Members of this body and other opponents of Israel call for the elimination of Israel. When they chant, "From the river to the sea, Palestine shall be free," they mean that Israel will not exist. I want Palestinians to be free. I want them to be free from their oppressors, Hamas, and the Palestinian authority. Hamas has used Palestinians as human shields, even till today. (04:34) As Israel prosecutes this war against this terrorist organization, Hamas uses Palestinians as human shields camping out in hospitals and schools, launching missiles, shooting innocent civilians. I watched in horror the 21-minute unedited raw footage of the October 7th terrorist attack. Every Member of Congress was offered the opportunity to watch a 45-minute viewing of that attack. Nearly half of Congress chose not to come, including some of the Members who have made it clear that they don't support Israel's right to exist. On college campuses and city streets, we see people calling for an intifada, actively promoting the destruction of the Jewish state. Everyone has a right to say what they want about a foreign government, to say what they want about war, but they don't have the right to delegitimize the very existence of the Jewish state to justify terror. The state of Israel was created 75 years ago to reestablish the native homeland of the Jewish people. For centuries, Jews were discriminated against and persecuted wherever they went. This culminated in the attempted genocide of European Jews during the Holocaust. 6,000,000 Jews slaughtered. This most recent genocide provides new urgency to reestablish the Jewish homeland where the Jewish people we're displaced. And we wanted to create a homeland where they weren't a vulnerable minority, where they could freely practice their faith and where something like the Holocaust could never happen again. (07:35) And yet on October 7th, we saw the largest slaughtering of Jews since the Holocaust. And yet still today, many Jews view Israel as the safest place for them to live, even as rockets and missiles come from all sides. Denying Israel's right to exist is denying the Jewish people the right to self-determination. It's denying the Jewish people's historic ties to the land, it's justifying war crimes against babies. And let's call it what it is, it's antisemitic. And I urge all of my colleagues to support this common sense resolution that makes one thing fundamentally clear, Israel has a right to exist. Congress must never stop pushing back against Israel's opponents, and we must reject biased attempts to destroy our greatest ally. I reserve the balance of my time.

Gentleman reserves. The gentlewoman from North Carolina is recognized.

Thank you. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.Res 888, introduced by my friends, Representatives Mike Lawler and Jared Moskowitz. Mr. Speaker, on many occasions, this House of Representatives has reaffirmed Israel's right to exist, and it is important that we do so again today. It is incomprehensible to me that after Hamas' horrific terrorist attack on October 7th, the largest attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust, we are seeing a growing wave of antisemitism rear its ugly head at home and around the world. Since Israel's independence in 1948 and its admission into the United Nations the following year, international law has mandated Israel's right to exist. And yet, as of this year, 28 of the 193 United Nation member states still do not recognize Israeli sovereignty. (10:07) The terrorist organization Hamas has declared that Israel has no right to exist, and for decades has targeted Israel for destruction with suicide bombs, with missiles and rockets, and most recently with gruesome and savage terror attacks targeting civilians. The destruction of Israel and the killing of Jews is Hamas' sole focus. They have murdered babies, raped women, executed parents in front of their children, and massacred 260 young people at a music festival. They have taken 250 innocent civilians, including American citizens' hostage. They are not working to help the Palestinian people who elected them. Indeed, the

The Palestinian people are shamelessly used and abused by Hamas as human shields. As a proud, lifelong supporter of a two-state solution, I know that with Hamas in control of 2 million Palestinians in Gaza, real progress on a two-state solution cannot be achieved. Hamas has always only ever played spoiler. The same is true of Iran's other regional proxies: Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and others who also exist only to destabilize and destroy Israel, not to strive for a two-state solution. There cannot be peace when a party to a conflict doesn't recognize the other party's right to exist. With recognition comes peace and mutual prosperity, security, and innovation. That's why efforts to facilitate and expand the Abraham Accords are so historic and important. The Abraham Accord countries, along with Egypt and Jordan, all recognize this fact and are advancing their nations in the spirit of regional cooperation and peace. (12:18) Here at home, whether it is on public streets, on college campuses or online, we have seen a deeply disturbing and aggressive increase and despicable calls for Israel to cease existing as a Jewish state. The phrase "From the river to the sea," a sickening call for the destruction of the State of Israel and the genocide of the Jewish people has become a rallying cry for those hoping for Israel's destruction, calling for total Palestinian control of all Israeli territory, from the River Jordan to the Mediterranean Sea is a call to eliminate the Jewish state of Israel. This resolution states that denying Israel's right to exist is a form of anti-Semitism. I wholeheartedly agree with this statement. To be clear, it is not necessarily anti-Semitic to criticize the State of Israel or its leaders for particular policies. That is free speech and no country is above criticism for its policies, including our own. But it is absolutely anti-Semitic to treat Israel as a pariah, based on the claim that Jews alone should be denied the right to define themselves as a people and to exercise any form of national self-determination. This is the crucial difference. It is anti-Semitism and we must totally reject it. (13:57) In 2015, former President Barack Obama stated the following in an interview; "I think it would be a moral failing for me as President of the United States, a moral failing for America and a moral failing for the world if we did not protect Israel and stand up for its right to exist, because that would negate not just the history of the 20th century, it would negate the history of the past millennium." Mr. Speaker, I totally agree with that statement. For thousands of years, Jews have suffered persecution and lack the safety and stability of a homeland. Today, the modern Jewish state of Israel thrives in the ancient Jewish Holy Land, where it is a robust democracy and a productive and treasured member of the international community of nations. Israel has signed peace treaties with two of its most important neighbors and has come to the table for many rounds of peace negotiations with the Palestinians. Israel is a country that wants peace, whereas Hamas and its Iranian patron do not. Israel is the homeland of the Jewish people and will always remain a place of refuge, where Jews can be truly safe and control their own destiny. And Israel is certainly worthy of the support of this House and the United States of America. I encourage my colleagues to support this resolution and I reserve the balance of my time.

Gentlewoman reserves.

Gentlewoman reserves. The gentleman from New York is recognized.

Mr. Speaker, I yield five minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey, Mr. Smith, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations.

Gentleman is recognized.

Thanks my good friend for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.Res. 888: Reaffirming the State of Israel's right to exist. I thank my good friend from New York, Mike Lawler, for introducing this timely, extremely important and ever necessary resolution. Israel is the only state in the world whose fundamental right to exist is openly denied by other states. Some of them, including Iran, even call for Israel's complete destruction and support transnational terrorist organizations to work towards its demise. It is also the only state in the world whose fundamental right to exist is constantly undermined and challenged by intergovernmental organizations such as and most shamefully of all the United Nations. The anti-Semitism motivating those who deny Israel's right to exist is apparent, but it is important to connect, as this resolution does, the denial of Israel's right to exist to anti-Semitism and to connect them both as enabling causes to the monstrous crimes Hamas has unleashed on Israel. (17:06) Make no mistake, Mr. Speaker, anti-Semitic bigotry is the root of UN's hostility towards Israel, which is ugly, evil and manifests itself in almost every UN entity. On November 8th, I chaired a hearing of my subcommittee on, and we called it, "United Nations Bigotry Towards Israel." We heard expert testimony from Hillel Neuer, Executive Director of UN Watch and Jonathan Schanzer, the Senior Vice President for Research at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies. Hillel told us that, and I quote, "Teachers in schools at the UN Relief and Works Agency, which runs education and social services for Palestinians, regularly call to murder Jews and create teaching materials that glorify terrorism, encourage martyrdom, demonize Israelis, and incite anti- Semitism." He further said, "In 2000 alone, UNRWA received 344 million in US funding, yet a March 2023 report by UN Watch and IMPACT-se identified 133 UNRWA educators and staff who were found to promote hate and violence on social media. An additional 82 teachers and other staff affiliated with 30 UNRWA schools who were involved in drafting and distributing hateful contents to their students." (18:32) And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Jonathan Schanzer testified that, and I quote him, "The UN doesn't recognize Hamas as a terrorist group, nor does it recognize Hezbollah either. That mean UN resources are regularly provided to members of those terrorist organizations." According to the great human rights offender, Mr. Speaker, Natan Sharansky's famous 3D test for anti-Semitism, which he articulated at a hearing that I chaired way back in 2004, criticism of Israel is nothing less than anti-Semitic when it passes over into the demonization of Jews in Israel, delegitimizes the Jewish state or applies double standards, that is one standard for Israel and another for every other country on earth. That is what many UN entities and agencies do every single day. (19:25) Yesterday, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, the JTA, reported on the latest example of the double standard and said, "Nearly 50 days after Hamas's attack on Israel left 1200 dead, and after weeks of criticism over its silence about allegations of sexual violence during the attack, the women's rights group, UN Women, issued a statement condemning the terror group on Friday. Then it deleted the post." Here's what it said originally, "We condemn the brutal attack by Hamas on October 7th and continue to call for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages," read the initial statement, posted on UN women's Instagram page. It was soon replaced with a statement that dropped the condemnation of Hamas and only call for the release of the hostages. (20:16) Mr. Speaker, there are so many examples. In 2022, the UN General Assembly targeted Israel in a total of 15 harshly, critical resolutions, compared to 13 country specific resolutions for the entire world. China, North Korea, Iran, 13 for all of them combined, 15 for Israel. In a large measure, it is because of the UN, which unquestionably is the world's foremost legitimizer of anti-Semitism, that it is necessary that 75 years after the founding of the great State of Israel, we need to reaffirm its right to exist. And I thank my good friend and colleague, both he and my friend from Florida for authoring this important resolution. Yield back.

Gentlemen reserves. Gentlelady from North Carolina is recognized.

I yield two minutes to my good friend, the gentleman from Florida, representative Jared Moskowitz.

Gentlemen's recognized.

Thank you Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the gentlelady from North Carolina and thank you to my co-sponsor, Representative Lawler from New York. Israel has a right to exist. There are only two ways to vote on this. Either you vote yes or you vote no. No means you do not believe Israel should be a country. No means you believe a country should be wiped off the face of the earth. A present vote means you do not believe Israel should be a country. Hanging out in the cloakroom, having a hot dog, missing the vote means Israel shouldn't be a country. So this is a moment for people

... people in this body on a bipartisan basis to stand together and say, you believe Israel has a right to exist. Hamas doesn't think Israel has a right to exist. Hezbollah doesn't think Israel has a right to exist. Iran doesn't think Israel has a right to exist. And so for people who vote no, who vote present, you side with them. You picked a side with Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran. (22:26) I don't want to hear excuses, "Oh, I didn't like this whereas clause." " Oh, there was a period or a comma out of place," as if somehow we always vote on perfect resolutions around here. Again, it's an opportunity to show the world that you believe Israel has a right to exist. As we see antisemitism in the streets, at rallies, ceasefire rallies, which is a foreign policy position, we see people holding signs that say "Gas the Jews, Kill the Jews, Cleanse the Jews." That's not a foreign policy, and if it is, it's a foreign policy of Germany in the early forties. (23:06) This is a moment for people in this body, some who sit in the rows behind me to show they believe Israel has a right to exist. I'm for a two-state solution, Mr. Speaker. I think it's important that the Palestinian people get a state, but rest assured in that two-state solution, one of those states is going to be [inaudible 00:23:29] Israel. And so -

30 seconds.

30 seconds.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to the gentlelady from North Carolina. And I'll conclude with this. Anyone who believes that Israel doesn't have a right to exist is calling for genocide. We hear that word thrown around a lot now on social media, genocide, genocide. We have a war in the Middle East, we don't have genocide. But if you believe a country should not exist, the millions of people in that country should also not exist, which means you are calling for a genocide, I urge everyone to vote yes on this resolution Israel has a right to exist. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Gentlelady reserves gentleman from New York is recognized.

Mr. Speaker, I currently have no additional speakers and reserve the right to close.

Gentleman, reserves. Gentlewoman from North Carolina is recognized.

Mr. Speaker, I yield two minutes to the newest member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The gentleman from Rhode Island, representative Gabe Amo.

Gentleman is recognized.

Thank you Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the gentlelady. I rise to affirm our ally Israel's right to exist. The unprovoked October 7th attack by Hamas has left a deep wound. Israel has a right to defend itself against this barbarism consistent with international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians. Far too many Israeli families do not know the fate of their loved ones at the hands of Hamas. While some have relief, there are still many who need to be reunited with their families. My hope is that the success President Biden has had will secure the release of all the hostages. Importantly, the extended pause has meant additional humanitarian assistance to alleviate the suffering of innocent Palestinian families in Gaza for whom Hamas has no regard. There must be sustained and safe access to food, water, and medical care. Paramount is the prevention of this conflict from spreading, preserving stability in the Middle East and working towards a durable peace. (25:40) These events have brought forward a rise in antisemitism and Islamophobia. Antisemitic incidents have involved violent assaults on Jewish students on college campuses and protesters extolling terrorist organizations. Close to home I was especially horrified that this past weekend the three students of Palestinian descent, one a Brown University student were shot. I pray for their recovery and that the assailant be brought to justice. (26:10) This crisis of antisemitism and Islamophobia demands an urgent and collective response. There is no place for violence or hate in America. In recognition of Israel's right to exist and for the immediate release of hostages taken during the October 7th attack, I urge my colleagues to support H.Res. 888 and H.Res.793 and yield back the balance of my time.

Gentleman yields. Gentlewoman from North Carolina is recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm prepared to close.

Recognized.

I yield myself as much time as I may consume for the purpose of closing. Mr. Speaker, the Jewish people have connections to the State of Israel that go back thousands of years. Indeed, the Jewish people are indigenous to that land. Yes, Israel has a right to exist. This multicultural, multi-ethnic, multi-religious nation, a nation of laws, a nation with free speech and free press, a nation of innovation, a vibrant, thriving democracy, this incredible country has much to teach the world and will continue to do so. (27:28) This country, our only democratic ally in the Middle East is here to stay. This resolution puts the House of Representatives on record as affirming the state of Israel's right to exist. It recognizes that denying Israel's right to exist is a form of anti-antisemitism. It rejects calls for Israel's destruction and the elimination of the only Jewish state and condemns the October 7th Hamas-led terrorist attack on the State of Israel and its people. I strongly support this resolution and I urge all my colleagues to do the same. I yield back the balance of my time.

Gentlewoman yields back. Gentleman from New York is recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It should be clear by now to each and every member of this body on both sides of the aisle and every American, that Israel has a right to exist. This sentiment is unequivocal and is a critical point to unequivocally voice now, in our ally's time of need. Harry Truman recognized the State of Israel 11 minutes after its founding. For seventy-five years, the United States and Israel have had a special bond. Israel is the only multiracial, multi-ethnic, multi-religious democracy in the Middle East. It is a beacon of hope, of freedom, of opportunity. (29:17) If anyone in this body believes that they do not have the right to exist, please explain to us and the American people, what nation does? This is a simple vote and every member should be on record in support of Israel's right to exist. If they cannot muster the courage to support Israel's right to exist at this moment, they don't belong in Congress, period. This is a simple vote and I encourage all of my colleagues to stand with Israel to defend and reaffirm their very right to exist and defend the right of the Jewish people to practice their faith. I yield the balance of my time.

Gentlemen yields. Question is, will the house suspend the rules and agree to House Resolution 888? Those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Those opposed say no. In the opinion of the chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative -

Mr. Speaker, I request the yeas and nays.

Man from New York seeks recognition.

Mr. Speaker, I request the yeas and the nays.

The yeas and nays are requested. All those in favor of taking this vote by the yeas and nays will rise and remain standing until counted. A sufficient number having risen, the yeas and nays are ordered pursuant to the clause eight of rule 20. Further proceedings on this question will be postponed. For what purpose does the gentleman from New York seek recognition?

Mr. Speaker, I move that the house suspend the rules and pass House Resolution 683.

The clerk will report the title of the resolution.

House Resolution 683. Resolution expressing support for the diplomatic relations required to encourage the government of Mexico to fulfill its water deliveries on an annual basis to the United States under the treaty between the United States and Mexico, regarding the utilization of the Colorado and Tijuana Rivers and of the Rio Grande

[inaudible 00:31:40] to the rule. The gentleman from New York, Mr. Lawler, and the gentlewoman from North Carolina. Ms. Manning will each control 20 minutes. The chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.

I ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous materials on this measure.

No objection.

Thank you. I yield myself such time as I may consume.

The gentleman is recognized.

Mr. Speaker stretching from the mountains of Colorado to the Gulf of Mexico. The Rio Grande River also forms over 1200 miles of the international border between the United States and Mexico. The treaty on utilization of waters of the Colorado and Tijuana Rivers and of the Rio Grande signed in 1944 secures consistent and dependable water supplies for both countries, which is critically important in our desert Southwest. The treaty obligates Mexico to make available to the US not less than 350,000 acre feet of water per year from the main channel of the Rio Grande, averaged over a consecutive five-year period. However, since 1994, Mexico has on multiple occasions,

... failed to fulfill its Rio Grande water delivery commitments. The latest data indicates that we have now moved into year four of the five year cycle, and Mexico is in arrears of over 680,000 acre feet of water, nearly two full year's worth. (33:20) Mexico's recurring failure has reached real world repercussions, especially for American farmers and ranchers, who have suffered devastating crop and cattle losses. US diplomats and officials must urge Mexico to honor its commitments, and establish regulations to regularize water deliveries. (33:44) With this resolution, the House of Representatives affirms its support for the United States to use its resources to secure compliance by the Mexican government. I want to thank my colleague from Texas, Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz for introducing this bipartisan measure, which received unanimous support in the House Foreign Affairs Committee. (34:07) I urge all of my colleagues to support this measure, and reserve the balance of my time.

The gentleman reserves. The gentlewoman from North Carolina is recognized.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 683, introduced by my colleague Representative Monica De La Cruz. I had the opportunity to support this resolution as it made its way through the House Foreign Affairs Committee earlier this month, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting its passage here. (34:39) Mr. Speaker, climate change has led to more prevalent and severe climate events across North America, and has affected us all. Lack of rain, for example, has caused severe drought, impacting farming communities and businesses that provide critical crops and jobs. Rising temperatures have affected the volume and distribution of rainfall, and snowfall over time, and without water, farmers have had to make difficult choices about whether to plant their crops, resulting in major losses all around. (35:16) In these challenging times, I recognize the importance of engaging constructively with our neighbors to resolve issues, which may seem local but have broad global implications and downstream effects. (35:31) One instance where we must improve our international cooperation concerns the share of water between the United States and Mexico from the Colorado and the Tijuana Rivers and the Rio Grande. (35:46) Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 683 recognizes that as farmers in South Texas experience greater water shortages, we must work with the government of Mexico to ensure its deliveries of water to the US are made more consistent and timely, and encourages new commitments to be made for that purpose. (36:11) I'm particularly impressed by the International Boundary and Water Commission's engagement this year to advance the goals of the 1944 treaty relating to the utilization of waters of the Colorado and Tijuana Rivers, and of the Rio Grande. (36:28) The commission's work to ensure that commitments made to distribute water are upheld in a timely manner, and in the right quantities have not gone unnoticed. No doubt these changes in regular access to water will have a positive impact on those who grow food and livestock, we depend on. (36:51) Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the dialog and diplomacy necessary to confront this urgent issue. I encourage my colleagues to support this resolution, and I reserve the balance of my time.

The gentlewoman reserves. The gentleman from New York is recognized.

Mr. Speaker, I yield three minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas, Representative De La Cruz, the author of this resolution.

The gentlewoman from Texas is recognized for three minutes.

I thank the gentleman for yielding. Today, I rise in support of House Resolution 683. This is a matter of the utmost importance, that it impacts the lives and livelihoods of families in South Texas and across all of America. (37:39) The ongoing drought and resulting water scarcity in the Rio Grande Valley represents a crisis for our farmers, and our communities. Under the 1944 Water Treaty, our neighbors in Mexico have pledged to supply the United States of America with an average of 350, 000 acre feet of water annually over a five year cycle. (38:07) Unfortunately, there have been consistent delays in meeting these obligations, which have severely affected American agriculture. The absence of adequate water threatens to drastically reduce their yields, potentially cutting their usual production in half. (38:29) This situation poses a threat, not only to local communities but also to our national food security, escalating the costs for American families and increasing our reliance on imported produce. This shortfall is also leading to stringent water restrictions in our community, further, burdening families and businesses. It is, therefore, incumbent upon the Mexican government to fulfill their treaty obligations. It is not fair for American families, American farmers, and ranchers, to be penalized due to non-compliance by Mexico. (39:22) In response to this pressing issue, I introduce this bipartisan House Resolution, which expresses support for the diplomatic relations necessary to ensure Mexico adheres to the 1944 Water Treaty. This resolution emphasizes the need for consistent water delivery to the United States, and encourages renewed commitments to uphold the annual water deliveries. (39:54) I want to express my sincere thanks to the bipartisan coalition of House members, including my esteemed colleague Henry Cuellar, for their support in bringing the resolution to the House floor. (40:11) Additionally, I would like to also thank my fellow Texan, Chairman Michael McCaul for his efforts with this resolution. I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this bipartisan House resolution. Again, it is crucial that the 1944 Water Treaty be honored, as it provides vital support for American farmers, who are pivotal in sustaining our nation's food supply. (40:44) On behalf of my community, and all of South Texas, I thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. I yield back.

The gentlewoman yields.

I am prepared to close.

The gentleman reserves.

I have no further requests for time. I'm prepared to close as well.

Okay. The gentlewoman is recognized.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume for the purpose of closing.

The gentlewoman is recognized.

Mr. Speaker, this resolution recognizes that as farmers in South Texas are suffering from water shortages, dialog and diplomacy will be critical to ensuring that water deliveries from the government of Mexico, per the 1944 treaty, are made in a timely and consistent manner. (41:31) H. Res. 683 supports the negotiations being undertaken to secure water deliveries on an annual basis, which would allow farmers to have predictable quantities of water for their crops and their livestock. I strongly support this resolution, and urge all my colleagues to do the same. I yield back the balance of my time.

The gentlewoman yields. The gentleman from New York is recognized.

I urge my colleagues to support this resolution and yield back.

The gentleman yields. The question is will the House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution 683? Those in favor, say aye.

Aye.

Those opposed, say no. In the opinion of the chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended and the resolution is agreed to. Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid upon the table. (42:27) Proceedings will resume on questions previously postponed. Votes will be taken in the following order.