Foreign Affairs

For over five years, the family of Gilad Shalit and the people of Israel have waited anxiously for word that he is coming home. Today, after what has surely been a horrific and terrifying ordeal for Gilad and his loved ones, the wait is finally over.

Last Friday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced he would ignore international warnings and take his bid for recognition of a Palestinian state to the UN Security Council. The decision facing Abbas was a simple one: return to direct peace negotiations with Israel or rebuff the U.S. and renew diplomatic warfare against Israel. In choosing the latter, Abbas has put at risk not only the Palestinian Authority's relationship with the U.S., but the aspirations of his own people.

"We share with our friends and allies a determination to see this conflict ended peacefully," Hoyer said. "Voting together to oppose unilateral steps that set peace back would strongly reaffirm our common commitment to this shared goal and to the longstanding principle enshrined in the Oslo Accords that both parties ought to reach a solution through direct negotiations. Quite fundamentally, it would be an expression of our common values."

I want to express my deepest condolences to the families of those lost today in the vicious terror attacks in Southern Israel. Today’s coordinated attacks are a stark reminder of the danger Israelis face on a daily basis. America stands by Israel in the wake of these attacks, and we must do all we can to prevent such attacks from happening again.

I look forward to returning to Israel to continue learning first-hand about the evolving security situation in the Middle East, the deep challenges facing Israel, and the role the United States can play in the region during this time of uncertainty,” said Hoyer. “I'm pleased Members of Congress have this opportunity to study American interests in the Middle East and gain a deeper understanding of the issues involved in increasing stability in the region.

Now that the Senate has rejected Speaker Boehner's partisan, short-term bill, it is time to come together on a compromise plan to pay America's bills and reduce the deficit. We cannot continue to waste time as we have this past week. I hope my Republican colleagues in both the House and Senate will work with us in a responsible way to prevent our nation from defaulting on its debts and the catastrophic consequences it would have on our economy.

 My thoughts are with all those injured and killed in yesterday's tragic attacks in Norway. In this time of need, America stands by its valued ally and friend, a nation that exemplifies our shared democratic values and ideals. I strongly condemn these heinous attacks and hope that all those wounded, and all those who have lost loved ones, find comfort.

Tomorrow marks the first day of official independence for the new nation of South Sudan, whose people voted overwhelmingly to secede from Sudan earlier this year. The long-running conflict between northern and southern Sudan was Africa’s bloodiest civil war, and the independence of South Sudan holds out hope for a new beginning—a more secure future for the people of the south. The Obama Administration, along with many of our allies in the international community, worked hard to make the referendum possible, and I thank them for their efforts.