Washington-Rep. Lloyd Smucker (PA-11) joined bipartisan majorities in the House of Representatives in voting in favor of H.R. 8034, H.R. 8035, H.R. 8036, and H.R. 8038, legislation to provide aid to Israel, Ukraine, and the Indo-Pacific, and imposing sanctions on Russia, Iran, and China.

Rep. Smucker released the following statement following the passage of this legislation:

"The world is an increasingly dangerous and uncertain place for America and its allies. Enemies of the free world are emboldened by the weakness displayed by President Biden and the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan nearly three years ago. Collectively, China, Iran, and Russia are challenging America in every arena they can, seeking to advance their anti-democratic and authoritarian values.

There are strong opinions about the direction America should take and about each of these pieces of legislation. I value the opinions of constituents who have reached out to share their thoughts.

Each of these votes is vital to advance America's national security interests. By supporting our allies and developing democracies, we are building a safer world and pushing back against tyrannical regimes who wish to encroach on freedom across the globe.

Israel is defending itself after the horrific and barbaric attacks perpetrated by Hamas and now has been attacked by Iran, who continues to destabilize the region.

Russian authoritarian thug and war criminal Vladimir Putin continues to wage an unprovoked war on Ukraine with the goal of rebuilding a Russian empire. Putin must be stopped now, or American soldiers will have to stop him later. America is better off sending the necessary armaments and aid for Ukraine to defend itself today, rather than sending our sons and daughters to fight a future war to end Putin's unrelenting aggression and further attempted invasion of allied nations.

America must stand with those yearning for freedom to build a prosperous and peaceful world, as we have for over a century. It is critical that we also take action to counter the actions of the Chinese Communist Party through deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region. Taking further action to sanction China, Iran, and Russia further demonstrates our strong commitment to supporting our allies and countering authoritarianism.

For those who believe that we should put America first, I agree with you. This legislation does exactly that, by demonstrating America's strong commitment to support our allies and freedom abroad, without putting American soldiers in harm's way. Supporting aid for Israel, Ukraine, and our allies in the Indo-Pacific advances American national security. Authoritarians like Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping want America to back away from its allies. It would be a grave mistake to fulfill their wishes.

To the opponents of this legislation who want to secure America's border, I agree with you. I have voted continuously to take steps to force the Biden administration to address the national security and humanitarian crisis that I have witnessed firsthand. We must get operational control of our border and end the rampant human and drug trafficking taking place. I will continue to advocate for and support legislation to secure our border.

America is strong enough to address challenges that we face at home and abroad. Passing this legislation will remind our allies and those who seek to undermine our nation how strong we really are."

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