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WASHINGTON -- On Tuesday, Senator Orrin Hatch will serve on a ceremonial congressional committee to welcome Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Congress.
Netanyahu will be addressing a joint session of Congress Tuesday, following recent debates about Israeli negotiations with the Palestinians. Hatch will accompany Netanyahu into the House chamber where the remarks will be delivered.
Following the Prime Minister's address, Hatch will have the privilege to attend a lunch to honor Netanyahu.
There are few honors as great as having the privilege of welcoming Prime Minister Netanyahu before he speaks to Congress. America's commitment to the state of Israel is absolute and unbreakable.
–Orrin Hatch
"There are few honors as great as having the privilege of welcoming Prime Minister Netanyahu before he speaks to Congress," Hatch said. "America's commitment to the state of Israel is absolute and unbreakable."
Hatch continues to be a strong advocate for Israeli rights and has announced that he will introduce a congressional resolution to reassert Israel's right to its territorial integrity.
"This is a nation that has stood as the only democratic state in the entire Middle East, that has suffered the near daily threat of attack from terrorist enemies, and that shares the great Reagan value of peace through strength," said Hatch. "I look forward to meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu tomorrow and will continue to work to ensure that the bonds between our two nations remain the strongest in the world."
The Prime Minister met with President Barack Obama last week following the president's declaration that Israel should return to its pre-1967 borders before any negotiations with the Palestinians.
Netanyahu is expected to conclude his visit to the United States this week.
Senator Hatch, on Monday, sent a letter to all 50 governors requesting feedback and ideas to improve Medicaid. Speaking to a group of governors, including Governor Gary Herbert, Hatch outlined his goal to update the 1960s era program to ensure that all states are equal partners. "If Medicaid is to continue serving the most valuable in our society, we absolutely must modernize this program relying on the expertise of Governors across America," Hatch said. "This is a model that we used to reform our nation's broken welfare system and I believe it is the best way to develop solutions to fix this unsustainable entitlement program."
Hatch referenced the billions of dollars being spent to Medicaid as a reason to modernize the program.
"Medicaid is bankrupting both federal budget and state budgets," he said. "Over the next ten years, Washington -- alone -- will spend $4.6 trillion on Medicaid—a substantial contributor to the growing $14 trillion in publicly-held debt. It's time for action."
E-mail: jfurlong@ksl.com
