Schatz Urges Swift Passage Of National Security Supplemental

WASHINGTON – In remarks on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called for the swift passage of the national security supplemental. In his remarks, Schatz underscored the urgent need for military support for Ukraine and humanitarian aid for civilians in Gaza.

“There’s no good reason to delay the security and humanitarian assistance in this national security supplemental package any longer. Ukraine is running dangerously low on munitions on the eve of the second anniversary of Putin’s invasion. Millions of innocent Palestinians in Gaza are suffering daily without access to basic necessities. And our allies in the Indo-Pacific are counting on our support to counter China’s aggression and maintain stability in the region. None of these priorities can go months longer without being addressed – and all of them are vital to our security interests. We need to pass this supplemental urgently,” Senator Schatz said on the Senate floor.

The full text of the Senator’s remarks follows. Video of his remarks available here.

There’s no good reason to delay the security and humanitarian assistance in this national security supplemental package any longer. Ukraine is running dangerously low on munitions on the eve of the second anniversary of Putin’s invasion. Millions of innocent Palestinians in Gaza are suffering daily without access to basic necessities. And our allies in the Indo-Pacific are counting on our support to counter China’s aggression and maintain stability in the region. None of these priorities can go months longer without being addressed – and all of them are vital to our security interests. We need to pass this supplemental urgently.

When Ukrainian officials warn that they’re running out of shells and bullets, it’s not a hollow shot across the bow – it’s a plea for help. In the fight for an eastern Ukrainian city, the ratio of Russian to Ukrainian artillery fire is 5 to 1. And Ukrainian soldiers are being forced to ration their bullets even when enemy soldiers are bearing down on them. That’s what Ukraine is contending with on the frontlines, as we speak. Meanwhile, Putin is intensifying his onslaught with the help of Iran and North Korea who are more than happy to replenish his stockpiles if it means ending the world order as we know it.

In Gaza, millions of innocent civilians have for months been enduring unimaginable horrors on a daily basis. Over 28,000 people have been killed since the start of the war. Hundreds of thousands are starving with widespread famine looming. Just about everyone is displaced with nowhere else to go, and humanitarian assistance getting through the few available checkpoints is nowhere close to enough. These people need our help – and it can’t arrive soon enough. Just as we have a responsibility to help Israel defend itself against Hamas’ terrorism, we also have a responsibility to make sure innocent Palestinians caught in the crossfire have access to basic necessities – food, water, medical supplies.

This package also includes important assistance for our allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific in order to counter China’s aggression in the region. Chinese President Xi has made no secret of his desire to take Taiwan, by force if need be. And just because there are wars going on in the Middle East and Europe does not mean we can take our eye off threats brewing in Asia and the Indo-Pacific. It’s in both our interest and our allies’ interest for us to stay vigilant and provide support to maintain stability in the region.

Later this week, I’ll be part of a bipartisan delegation with 14 of my colleagues attending the Munich Security Conference in Germany. And one of the pressing questions among world leaders will be: where does America really stand? Do we still believe in defending democracy and freedom? Are we still willing to rally the world in standing up to autocrats and authoritarians? They will no doubt be closely watching what we do – or fail to do – here in the next few days. And we ought to be able to say to them: America remains the indispensable nation. America stands with our allies – in war and in peace. But that depends on Republicans working with Democrats in good faith to pass this supplemental package.

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