NORPAC hosted two separate events on Sunday night for Senator John McCain (R-AZ) and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), respectively. Senator McCain was hosted by Raphael and Linda Benaroya in Englewood at a fundraising dinner. McCain is the Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee and former Presidential candidate.

At the event, Senator McCain spoke at length about Israel’s anti-missile defensive capabilities and technological development. In his role on the Armed Services Committee, McCain heard from military tech companies from Israel who have proposed new designs for defensive weaponry. Many of these programs are joint-developed by the United States via companies such as Lockheed Martin.

McCain was joined at the event by General Charles G. Boyd, USAF (Ret.). Boyd is a highly decorated combat pilot who served in Vietnam, and is the only Vietnam War prisoner of war (1966–1973) to reach the four-star rank.

In Teaneck, Drs. Mort and Esther Fridman hosted Congressman Kevin McCarthy. In 2014, McCarthy was elected House Majority Leader, a position that grants him a key role in the legislative process. Among McCarthy’s first bills in this position was emergency funding for the Iron Dome anti-missile defensive system during Operation Protective Edge in the summer of 2014.

At the NORPAC event, Rep. McCarthy told the audience that he has a philosophical belief that for the world to be peaceful, the United States needs to be strong, and the only way for that to happen is for our country to continue to be strong allies with Israel. Rep. McCarthy has worked to strengthen this relationship by opposing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran and by working to procure more foreign aid for Israel.

In addition, Rep. McCarthy emphasized the power that constituents have over Congress, and encouraged the audience to contact their elected Representatives to express their feelings about the American-Israeli relationship and specific legislation connected to it.

Both Senator McCain and Leader
McCarthy are running for re-election this year.