House Republicans recently passed a standalone bill to fund Israel's war effort against Hamas. Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) had led the charge on the Senate's companion bill. On the floor, he gave a speech in favor of it, saying the United States must stand with Israel and help them destroy Hamas. Nevertheless, the bill was blocked by President Pro Tempore Senator Patty Murray (D-WA).
Sen. Scott recounted the numerous atrocities that Hamas inflicted on the Israeli people on October 7th, with women and girls raped, children beheaded, and "whole families burned alive."
Additionally, he said many of his fellow Senators have a personal connection somewhere in Israel.
"So many in this chamber are so deeply connected to Israel, and almost everyone there has a story like mine," Sen. Scott continued, having recounted a personal experience in 2019 of visiting Kfar Aza, one of the Israeli kibbutzim horrifically attacked by Hamas. "We know people in the [Israel Defense Forces] who have been called to serve. We have friends all over Israel who have spent days in bomb shelters as rockets have been launched by terrorists intent on wiping Israel and Jews off the face of the Earth."
Furthermore, Scott said history appears to be repeating itself, yet "we have a President who can barely talk about the Americans who are held hostage in Gaza right now."
In his press release, Scott did not mince words against President Biden and the Democrats for blocking the bill, saying he was "sick and tired of Democrats, Biden, and Washington’s ruling class continuing to use crisis after crisis to push massive spending packages for issues that have no business being voted on together."
Moreover, he chastised Sen. Murray for blocking the standalone package, calling it "disgusting" and reiterated that "American lives are at risk. Americans are still being held hostage by Iran-backed Hamas terrorists in Gaza."
"There’s absolutely no reason to delay aid to Israel as a bargaining chip. It is shameful that this is what the Democrat Party has turned into," Scott concluded.
