Rep. Beth Van Duyne, R-Texas, in an interview on Newsmax Saturday called the White House's efforts to charter flights for Americans wishing to leave Israel "a start."
"It's a start," she said during her appearance on "Saturday Agenda," acknowledging the Biden administration's actions in facilitating the evacuation of American citizens from Israel.
"I'm glad that they're actually taking priority of getting Americans out right now. We have no idea how many Americans have been taken hostage."
Van Duyne said the current situation resulted from what she perceived as a lack of strong leadership on both the national and international stages.
She cited recent events such as the situation in Afghanistan, the U.S. response to Russia, and the approach to China as examples of what she saw as weak leadership from the administration. "Let's face it, we're in this position because we have seen so much weakness," she said.
The congresswoman also stressed the importance of strong leadership, not only in the executive office but also in the House, saying, "I think it is imperative that we get leadership in the House."
Van Duyne said one of her top priorities as a representative from Texas is ensuring border security. She highlighted a recent bill that included significant spending cuts and forced the inclusion of a border security bill, which she saw as a crucial step in addressing border security concerns.
Van Duyne pointed out that the bill with the spending cuts and border security provisions faced opposition from some Republicans, causing it to fail. However, a continuing resolution bill passed the very next day, with a majority of Democrats voting in favor.
"Across the world, the last thing we want is more terrorists coming in our southern border, and we've got to prioritize that. That went down because 21 Republicans voted against it because they viewed it as a continuing resolution," she said.
The congresswoman expressed concerns about the implications of continuing with the spending levels associated with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the need for "strong investigations and transparency" moving forward, "which are for the public of utmost importance."
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Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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