Watch Senator Rosen’s full remarks HERE.
WASHINGTON, DC – During a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV), the only Jewish woman serving in the Senate, recounted her experience in Israel meeting with families of hostages held by Hamas terrorists and announced the introduction of her bipartisan resolution calling on Hamas to release these hostages immediately. In her remarks, Senator Rosen condemned Hamas for the brutal murder of innocent Israelis and urged swift action to provide supplemental aid to Israel, support its ability to defend itself against terrorism, and ensure that humanitarian aid gets to Palestinian civilians, rather than ending up in the hands of Hamas terrorists.
Following Hamas’s terrorist attacks on Israel, Senator Rosen called for immediate action to support Israel. She recently co-sponsored a bipartisan resolution standing with Israel against Hamas terrorism, demonstrating ironclad support for Israel’s security, and committing to providing Israel with the support it needs to defend itself. Last week, Senator Rosen urged the Senate to approve supplemental funding for Israel’s defense and swiftly confirm Jack Lew as U.S. Ambassador to Israel. She also led a bipartisan group of senators in urging the Department of Defense to transfer additional Iron Dome batteries and other unused military assets to Israel.
Below are Senator Rosen’s floor remarks as delivered:
Madam President, I rise today as a senator, as a former president of a synagogue, as the only Jewish mother in the United States Senate, as a steadfast supporter of Israel, and as a person who stands firmly against hate and terrorism around the world.
Since October 7, when Hamas launched horrific and unprovoked terrorist attacks on the Israeli people, our hearts, well, our hearts have been shattered. And over the past week and a half, we’ve learned that 1,300 innocent Israeli civilians and soldiers have been murdered. Thousands more have been injured, and countless families are grieving for loved ones who’ve been kidnapped, who at this very moment are being held hostage by Hamas. Young children, women, seniors, some of whom even were Holocaust survivors.
This past weekend, I met with these families in Israel as part of a bipartisan Senate delegation. Meeting with parents whose children – their children, their babies, that’s how they called them, “my babies, they have my babies,” the mother said. They were ripped away from them by terrorists. Hearing those stories, seeing the fear and the pain in their eyes, feeling their heartbreak – it is something that will stay with me for the rest of my life.
And there’s one story in particular that I’m never going to forget. A woman whose family member was taken from her by Hamas spoke to us, and in speaking about her pain, she said, “We no longer live in the same world as you.” “We no longer live in the same world as you.” For her and her family, she said, every moment, an eternity. Just think about that. Think about what they feel every single day they’re separated from their loved ones, not knowing how they’re doing, not knowing if they’re being tortured, if they’re in pain, if they’re even still alive. And with each passing day – each passing day – these families, they anxiously await for their loved ones hopefully to be returned to them.
And these stories, these stories demonstrate why I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure that these families are made whole again. We know that Hamas is currently holding nearly 200 innocent people, including Americans, many of them in dire need of medical attention. So, Madam President, we cannot stay silent. We must speak out until every hostage is released, every single one of them. And that’s why last night I introduced a bipartisan resolution condemning Hamas for its brutal, brutal, premeditated attacks on Israel and demanding that Hamas immediately release the hostages so they can be reunited with their loved ones.
After what I saw, after what I experienced on the ground, I know we need to take decisive, bipartisan, and immediate action to help Israel. Let us take action to free the hostages, pass supplemental funding, aid to our ally in its greatest time of need, and provide Israel with all the support it needs to defend itself from acts of terrorism.
And, and, Madam President, at the same time, we need to make sure that Palestinian citizens receive humanitarian aid and that it does not ever, ever end up in the hands of Hamas terrorists. Israelis and Palestinians alike have been victims of Hamas’ terror. We have seen how Hamas uses Palestinian civilians as human shields…to just…led us to the death of countless, countless innocent residents in Gaza. So we’ll continue to support Israel’s efforts to eliminate Hamas once and for all and limit civilian casualties.
And as we do this, let’s use the full voice of the Senate – both sides of the aisle – to send a clear and decisive message to Hamas. Let us all tell those cowards who kidnap children, who kidnap seniors that the United States will not stand by and let these crimes occur.
We will not rest until the hostages are freed, until justice is delivered. So, Madam President, I urge all of my colleagues to support my resolution and send a clear– a clear and united message to the world. Thank you.
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