Congressman Jim Jordan (R–OH) was at last week’s Israeli embassy event honoring Mordechai and Simcha (see this week’s cover story). We asked for his take on Dem-GOP negotiations to fund President Trump’s border wall and the looming deadline for agreement.

If the two sides can’t reach agreement in time, should there be another shutdown?

“I think we should build a wall. The president is committed to securing the border and getting the border security wall in place. So I think one way or the other we’re going to get there. No one wants to shut down. We just want to get done what we told the American people we are going to get done. That’s border security.”

But what if you can’t find common ground?

“What we want is the wall. We hope the Democrats will start negotiating with us. And frankly, if the Democrats would just focus on what’s best for the country and not on just trying to stop the president, I think we could get to a solution and actually get the border security wall built.”

We’ve heard some controversial statements from new Democratic members of Congress. Do you think that’s the new trend in their party?

“Well, we certainly hope not. I know Congressman [Lee] Zeldin has a resolution that he’s working on that I’m a cosponsor of that condemns all anti-Semitism. This BDS movement is completely wrong and we don’t want that pushed at all. I think this is where the American people are at. I’m focused on the strong relationship that the United States has with our best ally, Israel, and continuing to promote that, and I’m focused on doing the work I have to do for the folks that I get to represent in the Fourth District of Ohio.”

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 747)