opposes. moreover, they have expressed concern the senate bill sponsors are adding clarify language to make it crystal clear that there bill protects the first amendment rights of all americans. [applause] let's so, this is our passport. providing israel with much needed security assistance. >> opposing iran's regional aggression and nuclear ambitions. >> and opposing boycotts in israel that are also threatening us companies. this is the path preserving the safety of israel and of our nation and this is your message on tuesday.thank you. [applause]

>> we now have the opportunity to get to champions of the us israel relationship. please join me in welcoming house majority leader, kevin mccarthy and house democratic whip steny hoyer.♪ ♪ [music] >> welcome. >> a few of your closest by the ticket. >> yes. you guys look good. [laughter] >> a good photographer, obviously.

>> one of many trips you both into israel using the land many times. i wanted to talk a bit about some of the security challenges israel faces. congressman mccarthy, his last trip you went over the lebanese border, you saw -- give us a sense, israel faces a threat today, the missiles, iran entrenched in syria, what are some of the things he is and israel can do together to respond to that? >> first of all, i want to thank anyone that participated in the education fund because it is life-changing for any members to go to israel. [applause] we went to the northern border we've done at time before much more serious today than it has ever been. to me, we got a 70 year history between the relationships in the partnerships. we have the same threat, iran. i ran entrenching itself,

russia promised they would not have kept their promise. but we have done inside of the house, this is bipartisan the way we deal with most of this. you have the -- a new bill that came out to go after the guard. [applause] what the world needs to know, normally the regular army environment does not leave its homefront. they allow them to go into syria. that to me is unacceptable. and this is a place that we need to draw the line and america cannot stand to allow iran to stay. [applause] >> congressman, i agree with kevin of course. i will at some point in time we will have a resolution in some form or another in syria.

one of the absolute essentials that america must require is that i ran have no presence in syria as a result of the agreement. [applause] kevin and i will both be supporting as well, sanctions on those who need finance, help support or help further the malign mission of the -- which is really a horse unto itself and we need to treated as such and be very cognizant of the threat that it causes. knowledge israel but the middle east. [applause] >> obviously nothing critical is support for missile defense and other things that the s supplies israel. give us a sense of what the state of support is right now in both the democrat and republican caucuses on those issues. >> i think that we sponsored a

resolution some months ago that got essentially unanimous support. for israel and when you speak of missile defense, one of the things that we all made clear was that i ran under the un request should not be testing or developing missiles which can attack israel and or the entire middle east. and we need to make sure that we implement the sanctions that have been passed and if new sanctions are necessary, be prepared to enforce them. let me say that missile defense is one of the areas where i think israel and the united states can really be cooperating as well as space tunneling, bronze which we have seen such a dramatic consequence of just recently where israel acted absolutely properly. we had an iranian missile.

[applause] we need to be very vigorous and with respect to missiles not only sanctioning but developing even better defenses than we already have. >> i think to build off of his ob realize that the issue is not a partisan issue. it is not -- [applause]. you -- we sat and we talked, we meet quite often. it is not what it portrays it to be. [applause] >> what we agreed on some other issues, we do a disagree on some things as much as we disagree on other things. >> you have to start somewhere. [laughter] let's three main points you have to look at. when you look at the agreement, we have to take care of that sunset clause. because it will end.

and we cannot allow that to happen. [applause] there is no reason for iran to be having ballistic missiles or tests. none whatsoever. and then we need strict enforcement. one part that's clear, we know the challenge when it comes to tunneling. in the technology that we need working together. it is very important that we just got a budget agreement. because in that budget agreement we are able to deal with the military getting through the sequestered challenges we have. we're going to take up hopefully next week, the rest of that and that really puts us in a stronger position for missile defense and others. we look at what's happening around the world, i'm fearful of iran but i'm fearful of someone else sharing that technology as well. and this is why we have to work hand-in-hand especially when it comes to tunneling technology. because it is beginning to show up in syria as well.

we cannot allow that to happen. >> kevin and i did not vote the same way on jcpoa. i think that clearly was not perfect. agreement clearly should not have dealt in my opinion with the nonnuclear benign destabilizing activity that i ran participates.it also should have dealt with a permanent solution, not a temporary solution. so i am supportive as kevin is of us moving towards renegotiation, cooperating with our european partners as it is happening right now. but to ensure that in fact, i ran never, not just for seven years, 10 years, 25 years, never has nuclear capability that can threaten israel, the middle east or the world. [applause] >> we talk about israel he spent a lot of time talking about security challenges.

but there's so much that is so optimistic about israel and their future. i would like to close by asking both of you if you have the anniversary coming up two months. what are some of the things that most excites you about israel's future for the next 70 years? >> first of all i refer to them as the miracle and middle east. we talk about start nations, bringing the desert back to life and productivity. you talk about people that demonstrate not only extraordinary courage, or they would not have survived. but extraordinary innovative, entrepreneurial, inventive, development and skills. which have transformed israel into one of the great economic powers in the world. and that is to the benefit of the united states. certainly to israel and to stability long-term in the middle east. i see a very bright future for

israel if, in this is very important, we stand strong against those who would destroy israel and all that it means to the world. [applause] >> one woman, 70 years, a close partnership, 13 presidents, republican and democrat. i would say we are probably even closer than that. that is a great relationship, no bond can be broken. [applause] >> you asked the question about the future. i think when -- came to the house to talk to the house and senate he made a statement. you can applaud him, it's good. israel is not just a story of the jewish people. it is of the human spirit,

again and again not succumbing to the horrors of history. and that to me, only means the future is going to be brighter. and when i look at what you do with technology, democracy and we do not stand because together just because we have a bond. that bond is created because we believe in democracy. the bond is created because we stand against these rogue nations that want to destroy both of us. the bond is there because we believe in freedom. that is the bond that will only grow stronger and my belief is it will only make the world better. [applause] >> absolutely. congressman mccarthy, congressman hoyer i think it's obvious how much everyone in the room appreciates your leadership and how much you do for that relationship with israel. >> think all of you. keep the faith, we are going to win!