{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.inhofe.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-inhofe-speaks-on-senate-floor-in-support-of-strategic-arms-sales-to-the-united-arab-emirates", "ICYMI: Inhofe Speaks on Senate Floor in Support of Strategic Arms Sales to the United Arab Emirates", "2020-12-08", "2020", "2020-12", "Republican", "House", "OK", "James Inhofe", "I000024", "www.inhofe.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today spoke on the Senate floor regarding arms sales to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). I support the pending sales to the United Arab\r\nEmirates, and therefore oppose the Joint Resolution of Disapproval.  The agreement between Israel and the UAE  one of the\r\nAbraham Accords - is one of President Trump's signature achievements and a\r\nmajor step forward in the Middle East. Arab-Israeli peace is not unprecedented, but the\r\nagreement between Israel and the UAE has moved further and faster than the\r\nother agreements that preceded it. It seems that the UAE and Israel are finding new areas\r\nof cooperation almost every day. They are now working together on security,\r\npandemic response, education, and even media.  This partnership is deep, and reflects the growing\r\nacceptance of our friend Israel in the region. Most important, it did not\r\nrequire Israel to surrender anything. President Trump treated Israel like a friend, and\r\nother countries have rushed to join that friendship.Now, it is our task to solidify these gains. The sale ensures that Israel's qualitative military\r\nedge is not affected, and we know this because the Israelis themselves have\r\nsaid so. Moreover, this sale deepens the UAE's partnership with\r\nthe United States, and prevents it from turning toward China or Russia for its security\r\nneeds.  The UAE is worthy of this sale because it is strongly\r\naligned with the United States in the Middle East.It is a vital counterterrorism partner. The UAE has\r\nfought alongside our troops in Afghanistan and against ISIS. It is also vital\r\nto U.S. efforts against Iran  both Iran's ambition of regional dominance and\r\nits support for terrorist proxies. Voting down this sale would signal to our partners\r\nthat even when they do everything we ask\r\n fight alongside our soldiers, pursue shared interests in the region, and make\r\nmeaningful peace with Israel  the U.S. won't have their backs.This would be a terrible message to send, especially\r\nat a moment when China and Russia are eager to tell our partners that we are\r\nnot reliable. The truth is - we are reliable. The United States has\r\nlong stood with its partner Israel and against its adversary, the Iranian\r\nregime.  This sale to the UAE is consistent with that approach.\r\nNobody here would support it if the Israelis weren't on board  but they are. What's more, it will bolster our long-standing effort\r\nto counter Iran's nefarious regional activities. The UAE is a strong partner that already has\r\ncutting-edge technology in the form of the F-16 fighter aircraft. The sale of\r\nthe F-35 fighter jet is a continuation of this partnership. For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to support\r\nthis sale and oppose the Joint Resolution of Disapproval. A vote against this resolution is a vote for peace in\r\nthe Middle East. A vote for this resolution is a vote to give Iran, China and\r\nRussia more power and influence in the region, and will make our world less\r\nsafe.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.inhofe.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-inhofe-speaks-on-senate-floor-in-support-of-strategic-arms-sales-to-the-united-arab-emirates"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4290299732238054, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}