Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Bucks/Montgomery) sent this letter to his constituents on Friday:
Dear Friend,
I am sending you a special update on my recent trip to our allies Israel and Ukraine as they fight raging wars to defend their homeland and survive.
On my travels to Ukraine, I met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In our discussion, I promised I would do whatever necessary to pass our bipartisan bill providing urgently needed military aid to Ukraine and protecting democracy in the region.
As part of my briefings, I also received status updates on the war from the Ukrainian Armed Forces and intelligence officials. The briefings highlighted the need for additional military aid on the frontlines to protect Ukrainian borders against ruthless dictator Vladimir Putin.
Additional meetings included a discussion with U.S. Ambassador Brink on the role of the U.S. in the region, a visit to brave Ukrainian soldiers and veterans, and participation in a public lecture about U.S. support for Ukraine.
I then visited Israel where I received briefings on operations in Gaza and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the role of the U.S. in this war.
While in Israel, I also attended security briefings as part of my role on the Intelligence Committee. These meetings with Israeli defense and intelligence officials provided insights into addressing national security and intelligence-related matters in the region.
Hamas wants to wipe Israel from the face of the earth. Congress has a moral obligation to continue to provide defensive aid to our strongest democratic ally in the Middle East. The United States must never waver from supporting freedom and democracy throughout the world.
We have an obligation to assist our allies, especially when they come under assault by dictators, terrorists, and totalitarians. Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan are all freedom-loving democracies, they are our allies, and we must assist them in protecting their borders just as we must protect our own. I recently introduced the bipartisan Defending Borders, Defending Democracies Act, which would provide critical defense aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, as well as secure our southern border. Learn more about the bill here.
Sincerely,
Brian