JNS: Retiring Colorado congressman to be feted for faith-based support of Israel

Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.) will be honored on Tuesday on Capitol Hill for his unwavering support for Israel over the last decade and a half.

The congressman, who has served as a co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Israel Allies Caucus since 2011 and has emerged as one of the strongest voices for Israel in the U.S. House of Representatives, will receive the first-ever Rabbi Binyamin Elon Award for Political Courage. It is named after the late Israeli tourism minister who spearheaded Israel’s burgeoning relations with evangelical Christians.

Lamborn, 70, is stepping down next month after representing the Colorado Springs-centered district in Congress for the last 17 years. He served as a member of the Armed Service Committee, where he was instrumental in helping fund Israel’s Iron Dome air-defense system when it was in its infancy.

He is also noted for pushing through the Taylor Force Act, signed into law by then-President Donald Trump in 2018, which stops American financial aid to the Palestinian Authority until it ceases paying stipends to individuals who commit acts of terrorism, as well as to the families of deceased terrorists.

Christian Faith

“In an increasingly turbulent world, it is more important than ever that the United States and Israel work closely together,” Lamborn told JNS on Monday. “It has been tremendously satisfying to make big strides in our joint military missions. This is the kind of cooperation that bodes well for the future and will increasingly bring in more countries in the region.”

With a minuscule Jewish population in a heavily military district south of Denver, Lamborn—an attorney by training—consistently credited his faith for drawing him close to the Jewish state.

“My support for Israel is deeply rooted in my Christian faith,” Lamborn said in a telephone interview. “Genesis 12:1-3 promises blessings for those who support Abraham’s descendants and compels me to stand with Israel.”

Although staunchly conservative, his strong support for Israel won him respect in the years when support for Israel was strongly bipartisan, and accolades from both Israel, the American Jewish community and interfaith leaders as a champion of Zion. The Kansas-born Christian son of a World War II veteran, Lamborn has also received a “Pillars of the Colorado Jewish Community” award, becoming the first non-Jew to be bestowed with the honor.

“When I left Congress after establishing the Congressional Israel Allies Caucus, I was concerned about finding the right person to lead the caucus,” said Dave Weldon, a physician and former congressman who was Trump’s nominee for director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and who serves on the board of the Israel Allies Foundation that Elon founded. “Doug Lamborn has vastly exceeded my expectations,” he added.

“His successful passing of the Taylor Force Act was critical in fighting terrorism in Israel and around the world. While I am happy for him in this new chapter in his life, he will be missed by the entire pro-Israel community in Washington and around the world.”

Faith-based diplomacy

Founded more than a decade and a half ago, the Washington-based Israel Allies Foundation has emerged as a faith-based powerhouse with a global network of 50-plus caucuses worldwide that mobilize political support for Israel based on shared Judeo-Christian values.

“Lamborn’s leadership on the issues truly embodies the concept of faith-based diplomacy,” said Jordanna McMillan, U.S. director of the Israel Allies Foundation. “His support for Israel is rooted in his faith, which inspired him to be one of the most pro-Israel members in Congress, as evidenced by his many legislative initiatives to protect the State of Israel and the Jewish people.”

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