Legislator Letter: Affirming Support for Israel and Condemning Hamas
To: President Joe Biden
From: The American Legislative Exchange Council
Dear Mr. President:
We the undersigned legislators, members of the American Legislative Exchange Council, stand shoulder to shoulder with Israel and strongly condemn Hamas’ savage October 7 attack, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 innocent civilians and the abduction of hundreds more. We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to the welfare, security, and survival of the State of Israel and recognize Israel’s right to act decisively and unilaterally in self-defense to protect its citizens.
We urge you to strengthen and remain steadfast in your support for Israel, which includes backing Israel’s right to pursue – without interference or condemnation – the elimination of Hamas and affiliated groups until permanently neutralized. We oppose pressuring Israel to implement a premature ceasefire before achieving its security objectives. Israel, a sovereign nation with a more comprehensive understanding of Gaza’s strategic landscape, should decide when a ceasefire is appropriate.
Hamas was founded with the stated goal of destroying the State of Israel and is widely recognized as a terrorist organization by the United States, European Union, Organization of American States, the UK, Canada, and Australia, among others. Hamas routinely fires thousands of rockets into Israeli population centers and launched the October 7 assault during the Jewish holidays to maximize civilian casualties, committing unspeakable acts of terror and cruelty and mutilating the living and the dead alike. That day, more Jews were killed than during Kristallnacht in 1938 in Germany or on any single day since the Holocaust.
The level of logistical sophistication in Hamas’ terrorism operation could not have been accomplished without funding from foreign state sponsors of terror, namely Iran. Anything short of a resounding defeat that drives Hamas from Gaza will be regarded by both Israel’s friends and adversaries in the Middle East as an Iranian victory. Such an outcome will not only further imperil Israel but will destabilize the fragile balance of power in the region, leading to an arms race among Arab nations that also fear Iran.
We call on you to maintain and increase your support for the State of Israel, America’s most reliable ally in a volatile but strategically significant part of the world.
Cc: The Honorable Antony Blinken
Senator Ben Cardin, Chairman, US Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Senator James Risch, Ranking Member, US Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Representative Michael T. McCaul, Chairman, US House Foreign Affairs Committee
Representative Gregory Meeks, Ranking Member, US House Foreign Affairs Committee
Signed,
AK Representative Jamie D. Allard
AK Representative Kevin McCabe
AL Representative Arnold Mooney
AL Senator Dan Roberts
AL Senator Arthur Orr
AR Representative Brandon Achor
AR Representative Sonia E. Barker
AR Representative Mary Bentley
AR Representative Mark Berry
AR Representative Joey Carr
AR Representative Fran Cavenaugh
AR Representative Bruce Cozart
AR Senator Jim Dotson
AR Representative Hope Duke
AR Representative Brian S. Evans
AR Representative Charlene Fite
AR Representative Tony Furman
AR Representative Jimmy Gazaway
AR Representative Justin Gonzalez
AR Representative Delia Haak
AR Representative RJ Hawk
AR Representative Melinda McAlindon
AR Representative J. Brit McKenzie
AR Representative Jeremiah Moore
AR Representative David Ray
AR Representative Marcus E. Richmond
AR Representative Ryan A. Rose
AR Representative Johnny Rye
AR Representative Kendon Underwood
AR Representative Steve Unger
AZ Representative Selina Bliss
AZ Representative Lupe U. Diaz
AZ Representative David Livingston
AZ Representative Teresa Martinez
AZ Senator T.J. Shope
CO Senator Mark Baisley
CT Senator Eric C. Berthel
FL Representative Demi Busatta
FL Representative Randy Fine
FL Speaker Designate Daniel Perez
FL Representative Spencer Roach
GA Senator Ron Ryckman, Sr.
GA Representative Victor Anderson
GA Representative Bethany Ballard
GA Representative Josh Bonner
GA Representative Mike Cameron
GA Representative David Clark
GA Representative John Carson
GA Representative Matt Dubnik
GA Representative Emory Dunahoo
GA Representative Lehman Franklin
GA Representative Houston Gaines
GA Representative Scott Hilton
GA Representative Soo Hong
GA Representative Reynaldo Martinez
GA Representative Lauren W. McDonald
GA Representative Martin Momtahan
GA Representative Clay Pirkle
GA Representative Alan Powell
GA Representative Matt Reeves
GA Representative Devan Seabaugh
GA Representative Vance Smith, Jr.
GA Representative Steve Tarvin
GA Representative Rick Townsend
GA Representative Dale Washburn
HI Representative Elijah Pierick
IA Senator Jesse Green
IA Representative Bill Gustoff
IA Representative Phil Thompson
IA Speaker Pro Tempore John H. Wills
ID Representative Sage G. Dixon
IL Senator Andrew Chesney
IL Representative Joe Sosnowski
IN Senator James R. Buck
IN Senator Linda Rogers
IN Representative Heath VanNatter
KS Senate President Ty Masterson
KS Senate Majority Leader Larry Alley
KS Senator Renee Erickson
KS Representative Daniel R. Hawkins
KS Representative Pat Proctor
KY Representative John Hodgson
KY Representative Kimberly P. Moser
LA Representative Beryl Amedee
ME Senator Matthew Harrington
ME Senator Lisa Keim
Penobscot County (ME) Commissioner Andre E. Cushing III
MD Delegate Brian Chisholm
MD Delegate Mark Fisher
MD Delegate Nicholaus Kipke
MD Delegate Matt Morgan
MD Delegate Kathy Szeliga
MI Representative Ann M. Bollin
MI Leader Matt Hall
MI Representative Sarah Lightner
MI Representative Donni Steele
MN Senator Paul J. Utke
MO Senator Jill Carter
MO Representative Ann Kelley
MO Representative Jim Murphy
MO Representative Holly Jones
MO Representative Doug Richey
MO Senator Nick Schroer
MO Representative Justin Sparks
MO Representative Bob Titus
MS Senator Joel R. Carter, Jr.
MS Representative Philip Gunn
MS Senator Josh Harkins
MS Representative Gene Newman
MT Senator Becky Beard
MT Senator Kenneth Bogner
NC Representative Donnie Loftis
ND Representative Dawson Holle
ND Representative Bernie Satrom
ND Representative Vicky Steiner
NE Senator Rita Sanders
NH Representative Cyril Aures
NH Representative JD Bernardy
NH Representative Michael Harrington
NH Representative Gregory Hill
NH Representative Jeanine Notter
NH Representative Terry Roy
NH Representative James Spillane
NH Representative Jordan Ulery
NH Representative Ken Weyler
NY Assemblyman Anil Beephan
NY Assemblyman Jarett Gandolfo
NY Assemblyman Brian Maher
NY Assemblyman Edward Ra
NY Assemblyman Robert Smullen
Jefferson County (NY) Legislator John Peck
Putnam County (NY) Executive Kevin Byrne
Putnam County (NY) Legislator Amy Sayegh
Putnam County (NY) Legislator William Gouldman
Salina (NY) Town Supervisor Nick Paro
Westchester County (NY) Legislator James Nolan
OH Senator Terry Johnson
OH Representative Bill Seitz
OK Senator Julie J. Daniels
OK Representative Mark Lepak
OR Senator Dennis Linthicum
OR Representative Ed Diehl
OR Representative Bobby Levy
OR Representative E. Werner Reschke
PA Senator Cris Dush
PA Representative Barbara Gleim
PA Representative David Rowe
SC Representative Melissa Lackey Oremus
SC Representative Bill Taylor
SD Representative Phil Jensen
SD Representative Carl Perry
SD Senator Jim Stalzer
TN Representative Kelly Keisling
TN Representative Susan Lynn
TN Representative Chris Todd
TX Senator Kelly Hancock
TX Senator Phil King
TX Senator Tan Parker
TX Representative Dennis Paul
UT Representative Cheryl K. Acton
UT Senate President Stuart Adams
UT Representative Carl Albrecht
UT Representative Bridger Bolinder
UT Representative Kay J. Christofferson
UT Representative Joseph Elison
UT Senator Lincoln Fillmore
UT Representative Stephanie Gricius
UT Representative Matthew Gwynn
UT Representative Katy Hall
UT Representative Jon Hawkins
UT Representative Ken Ivory
UT Representative Colin W. Jack
UT Representative Tim Jimenez
UT Representative Jason B. Kyle
UT Representative Trevor Lee
UT Representative Karianne Lisonbee
UT Representative Thomas Peterson
UT Representative Candice Pierucci
UT Speaker Mike Schultz
UT Representative Keven Stratton
UT Representative Ryan D. Wilcox
VA Lieutenant Governor Winsome Sears
WA Senator Phil Fortunato
WI Representative Alex Dallman
WI Senator Mary Felzkowski
WI Representative Karen Hurd
WI Senator Steve Nass
WV Delegate Elias Coop-Gonzalez
WV Delegate Rick Hillenbrand
WV Delegate Margitta Mazzocchi
WV Delegate William E. Ridenour, II
WV Senator Patricia Rucker
WY Senator Evie Brennan
WY Senator Dan Laursen
WY Representative Daniel Singh