Scalise calls for bill supporting Israel, not bashing it

In a condemnation of Israel on the floor of the House, Democratic Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib called a resolution supporting the BDS--Boycott, Divestment, and Sanction--movement as a matter of free speech against the "racist policies of the government of the state of Israel."  

Today Squad Member Rep. Tlaib called Israel's government racist & outrageously suggested the anti-Semitic BDS movement is equivalent to boycotting Nazi Germany.THIS is why we must pass the Senate bill to combat BDS & protect our ally Israel. Toothless resolutions won’t cut it. pic.twitter.com/LI6j4RyhTk

— Steve Scalise (@SteveScalise) July 23, 2019

Later in the day, Scalise took to the floor in support of House Bill 336, which supports Israel economically, militarily, and allows state and local governments to choose whether to do business and governments engaged in economic protests against Israel.  

It could be said Scalise's comments were directly aimed at Tlaib when he opened his remarks saying: "I think we all know what it's designed to do. It's designed to delegitimize Israel as a Jewish state and to undermine their economy, which ultimately goes to the heart of trying to bring down Israel by people who have been against a Jewish state and expressed anti-Semitism for decades."

Scalise then took on the BDS movement: "There are other boycotts that have been displayed to undermine freedom and that's really where the BDS movement is in a very different category and I think we all need to make that distinction."

"But if a boycott is being used to undermine the very freedoms that exist in the only real elected democracy in the Middle East," Scalise says.  "We all need to rise up against that as people who respect that great tradition that great love between the United States and Israel."

In the end, Scalise called for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to bring HR 336 to the floor for a vote by stating:  "The bill puts teeth in the law to stand up against the BDS movement all around the world — here, even sometimes in Congress, or in other states."