McCollum Vote on H.R. 3099

Mr. Speaker, I rise to address my vote against H.R. 3099, the Special Envoy for Abraham Accords Act.  

The Abraham Accords fails to address the plight of millions of Palestinians who are working to build a peaceful future and who have been abandoned by Congress and the broader international community. Peace in the region can only be achieved by respecting human rights, especially the rights of children. By turning a blind eye to the ongoing mistreatment of Palestinian children living under Israeli occupation, Congress only contributes to the continuation of injustice.

I enter into the record my June 2016 letter to then-President Obama urging him to appoint a Special Envoy for Palestinian Youth to encourage diplomatic engagement with the Government of Israel, the Palestinian Authority, and human rights groups in the region to address the serious human rights abuses that have been well documented against Palestinian children who are living under Israeli military occupation.

I believe no U.S. military aid to Israel should be used to enable or support the military detention and torture of Palestinian children, the demolition of Palestinian homes, or the annexation of Palestinian lands. The American people expect that all children, including Palestinian children, are treated with dignity and have their human rights respected. If the United States is to play a role in ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, we must end human rights abuses against Palestinian children.

My calls for a Special Envoy for Palestinian Youth have gone unanswered.

Enabling an ambassadorial level of U.S. representation for a Special Envoy for the Trump-era Abraham Accords, while ignoring the need for a Special Envoy for Palestinian Youth, is an affront to all those seeking to end the human rights abuses of Palestinian young people living under military occupation. Peace in the region will only be possible if we build a brighter future for Israelis and Palestinians alike.

Therefore, I voted no on H.R. 3099.

Thank you, and I yield back.