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, 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 U.S. carriers have temporarily suspended flights to Israel 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 are getting out of the airport in Tel Aviv we have encouraged people to try to avail themselves of those options 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 immigrants 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 That the House of Representatives condemns the failure of President Joseph R. Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken to uphold their responsibility to the citizens of the United States in Israel by failing to take reasonable steps to provide methods for their viable evacuation from Israel.

Summary: This resolution condemns the President and the Secretary of State for failing their duty to U.S. citizens in Israel by failing to take reasonable steps to provide viable methods to evacuate such U.S. citizens from Israel following the attacks by Hamas on October 7, 2023.