Sen. Blackburn to Newsmax: Dems abandoning US troops, Israel

Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., on Wednesday honored four U.S. service members killed in the Middle East while accusing Democrats of abandoning the military and Israel and promoting legislation aimed at ending "birth tourism."

Blackburn, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, spoke as President Donald Trump traveled to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware for the dignified transfer of the four service members' remains.

"We remember these families and all of our Gold Star families and the loss that they have suffered," Blackburn said on Newsmax's "National Report."

"It's so important to remember that when you have a service member and they have a wife or a husband, they have children, that this entire family is there in service to our country. And we need to honor that service. We need to remember these men and women."

The four service members were killed in Iranian attacks in Jordan and Iraq, bringing the number of U.S. troops killed since the Iran war began Feb. 28 to 18. Wednesday's ceremony marked the third dignified transfer Trump has attended during the conflict, according to The Associated Press.

Blackburn also criticized Senate Democrats for blocking consideration of the National Defense Authorization Act, citing disagreements over the Iran war, Israel policy and military spending.

"I think it is absolutely horrific that during this time of conflict in the Middle East, you have the entire Senate Democrat conference voting against the National Defense Authorization Act," Blackburn said. "We owe it to the men and women in uniform to be certain that they have what they need to carry out their job."

The Senate voted 50-46 against advancing the legislation, falling short of the 60 votes needed to begin debate. Democrats argued the bill could give Trump broad authority to continue the Iran war without a clearly defined strategy or additional congressional approval.

Blackburn also highlighted a recent House vote in which 103 Democrats supported an amendment by Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., to eliminate $3.3 billion in annual U.S. aid to Israel. The amendment failed 314-104, with Massie casting the lone Republican vote in favor, according to CBS News.

"What you see is that the Democrat Socialists of America are really running the Democrat Party right now," Blackburn said. "That's why so many people that have been moderate Democrats are now saying they are independents."

Blackburn also promoted the Ban Birth Tourism Act, which she introduced with six fellow Republican senators.

"What we found out is there are about 33,000 births that we know of in the country every year through this practice of birth tourism," Blackburn said. "So putting some phrasing in the Immigration and Nationality Act that makes it explicit that coming to this country for the purpose of having a baby is inadmissible on receiving that visa.

"Also making it explicit that if you are found to be working with one of these birth tourism companies, then you are immediately deported."

The bill would make foreign nationals inadmissible if their primary purpose for entering the United States is to give birth so a child can obtain U.S. citizenship. It also would make participating in birth tourism a deportable offense.

The proposal comes after the Supreme Court's June 30 decision reaffirming that children born in the United States generally acquire citizenship under the 14th Amendment while striking down Trump's attempt to restrict that guarantee.