IV 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 797 

Condemning the Biden Administration for failing to fulfill the United States 

Government’s duty to American citizens left stranded in Israel. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 19, 2023 

Mr. MILLS (for himself, Ms. MALLIOTAKIS, Mr. DONALDS, Mrs. CHAVEZDEREMER, Mr. LAWLER, Mr. COLLINS, Mrs. LUNA, Mr. NORMAN, Mr. 

BIGGS, Mr. WEBER of Texas, Mr. DUNCAN, Mr. MCCORMICK, Mrs. 

CAMMACK, Mr. OWENS, Mr. CAREY, Mr. KELLY of Pennsylvania, Mr. 

JACKSON of Texas, Mr. D’ESPOSITO, and Mr. TIMMONS) submitted the 

following resolution 

OCTOBER 25, 2023 

Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Condemning the Biden Administration for failing to fulfill 

the United States Government’s duty to American citizens left stranded in Israel. 

Whereas approximately 500,000 United States citizens live in 

Israel, and as many as 900,000 United States citizens 

visit Israel each year; 

Whereas Hamas terrorist operatives initiated a large-scale coordinated offensive against Israel on October 7, 2023, 

brutally murdering more than 1,300 innocent men, 


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•HRES 797 IH 

women, and children, and taking many others hostage, 

including United States citizens; 

Whereas, on October 8, 2023, Israel declared war against 

Hamas; 

Whereas beginning on October 9, 2023, airlines cancelled 

flights departing from Israel, leaving United States citizens with extremely limited to no viable options to evacuate from the ongoing conflict; 

Whereas in response to United States citizens requesting assistance to leave the war zone in Israel due to a lack of 

available methods to leave, the Department of State’s 

email responses failed to provide useful and actionable information, including noting that ‘‘some flights have been 

reduced or suspended’’ and ‘‘U.S. carriers have temporarily suspended flights to Israel’’, yet that ‘‘travelers 

should check with the airlines on the availability of flights 

and flight status’’; 

Whereas 146 bipartisan Members of the House of Representatives transmitted a letter to Secretary of State Antony 

Blinken on October 10, 2023, urging the Department to 

‘‘use all resources at its disposal, including charter 

flights, to help those Americans that remain in Israel and 

wish to return to the United States’’; 

Whereas the Department of State reportedly instructed 

United States citizens at least through October 10, 2023, 

that the Department had no plans to provide evacuation 

options out of Israel, as well as that United States persons seeking assistance should make no further contact 

to the Department; 

Whereas, on October 10, 2023, Department of State Spokesperson Matthew Miller stated that ‘‘There are flights that 


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are getting out of the airport in Tel Aviv’’ and that ‘‘we 

have encouraged people to try to avail themselves of those 

options’’ despite commercial flights becoming increasingly 

scarce and having limited capacity for numerous days in 

advance of their departure; 

Whereas El Al was one of the only commercial airlines continuing to operate flights leaving Israel, and El Al reportedly informed United States citizens seeking to leave 

Israel that the airline had no alternative flights available 

because all flights were at capacity; 

Whereas, on October 12, 2023, the Department of State announced it would begin coordinating flights to assist 

United States persons wishing to leave Israel; 

Whereas the first charter flight organized by the Department 

of State departed on October 13, 2023, and at least 16 

other countries began operating repatriation flights before the United States; 

Whereas the United States Department of State refused until 

October 13, 2023, to provide meaningful resources to 

help United States citizens evacuate from Israel despite 

widespread violence and increasing danger to the lives of 

Americans, including those with medical conditions with 

dwindling critical medications and other particularly vulnerable populations; 

Whereas, on October 13, 2023, the Department of State authorized the departure of family members of United 

States Government personnel and some non-emergency 

personnel from United States Embassy Jerusalem and 

United States Branch Office Tel Aviv; 

Whereas the Biden Administration has used taxpayer funds 

to provide free housing and other resources to illegal imVerDate Sep 11 2014 03:27 Nov 01, 2023 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR797.IH HR797

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•HRES 797 IH 

migrants entering the United States, yet United States 

citizens seeking to evacuate from the developing war zone 

in Israel are not prioritized for such resources or assistance; and 

Whereas it is the duty and responsibility of the United States 

Government, inasmuch as it is reasonably within its 

power, to preserve and protect the safety and interests of 

the citizens of the United States of America domestically 

and abroad: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives con2 demns the failure of President Joseph R. Biden and Sec3 retary of State Antony Blinken to uphold their responsi4 bility to the citizens of the United States in Israel by fail5 ing to take reasonable steps to provide methods for their 

6 viable evacuation from Israel. 

Æ 


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