Washington, D.C. – Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade, today issued the following statement on the invitation from House Speaker John Boehner to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to speak before a joint session of Congress next month:

“A strong and stable Israel is in the best interest of the United States, and we must and will do all we can to aid our longtime ally in fighting the dangerous threat of radical Islam. For that reason, I am fully supportive of Speaker Boehner’s invitation to Prime Minister Netanyahu and I look forward to hearing him address the Congress in February. I also agree with the Speaker’s criticism of President Obama for threatening to veto sanctions against Iran for refusing to end its nuclear program. Failing to support our allies is a bad strategy and should never be an option.”

Proposed legislation that would sanction Iran in case negotiations to end its nuclear program fail has been supported by members of both parties, including Burgess. Burgess’ statement refers to a section of President Obama’s State of the Union address on January 21 in which he vowed to veto this legislation. The White House has criticized the Speaker’s invitation as a breach of protocol because he did not first consult the Obama administration. 

For more on Burgess’ stance on this issue, click here. 

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