Urging the European Union to add Hezbollah to the European Union's wide-ranging list of terrorist organizations.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Barrett) for yielding me time. I would also like to thank the chairman and ranking member and other members of the committee that made it possible for this resolution to come to the floor on a strictly bipartisan basis.

I would also just like to say that during the consideration of the previous resolution, it was pointed out by the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier) and others how encouraging it is to see democracy springing up around the world, particularly in the Middle East. This is a trend which is tremendous for us to see, and certainly it should be the policy of the House of Representatives and our government

generally to do whatever we can to help promote the trend which is so well under way. And of course at the same time it, would be good if we could help remove obstacles that may stand in the way of democracy being successful in places like Lebanon and the trend which is under way perhaps in Egypt and Iraq and Afghanistan and many other places.

So let us be clear on this subject of Hezbollah. Hezbollah is a radical terrorist organization, and this resolution simply asks the European Union to officially list it as such.

Its core beliefs are based on a perverse doctrine of anti-Westernism and anti-Semitism. Hezbollah has led a 23-year campaign targeting American, German, French, British, Italian, Israeli, Kuwaiti and countless other civilians from a variety of other countries.

Whether it is the bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut in 1983 where 241 Americans were killed, the deadly attacks against Jewish targets in South America during the 1990s or any other atrocious acts of tyranny perpetuated by this organization, there is one thing clear: Hezbollah represents a clear and present danger to the national security of the United States, to the progress of countries that are in the process of democratizing and to many others around the world.

Mr. Speaker, there is no denying the fact some of us in this Chamber disagree from time to time on tactics, on techniques and procedures that are needed to win the war on terror. However, we all agree, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that organizations that openly call for the death of innocent civilians have no constructive role to play.

H. Res. 101 was not introduced for the purpose of angering our allies on the other side of the Atlantic. It is no secret that without the assistance of various European intelligence services and the steadfast support of many of our allies there would be more terrorists at large today and more threats to our national security than there is at this time.

However, it is with these thoughts in mind that I urge our European friends to ponder the following facts:

The main reason that France has led the efforts to block the European Union from placing Hezbollah on the list of terrorist organizations is due to the fact that the French believe that the military and political wings of the organizations are separate and, therefore, must be judged in that way. My question is simple: How can one separate the political and military wings of an organization if members of that organization, of the organization in question, have made statements contrary to that very fact?

For example, Mohammad Raad, a member of the Lebanese Parliament from Hezbollah, stated very plainly, ``Hezbollah is a military resistance party and its task is to fight the occupation of our land. There is no separation between politics and resistance.''

In a book recently published by another member of Hezbollah, Sheikh Naim Qassem, Hezbollah's deputy secretary, he states, ``Hezbollah is a jihad organization whose aim, first and foremost, is jihad against the Zionist enemy, while the political, pure and sensible effort can serve as a prop and a means of support for jihad.''

Mr. Speaker, after hearing these statements stated by members of Hezbollah, how can anyone, European or American, deny the simple fact that the ideological fabric of Hezbollah is based on the ideals of radical Islam and the central purpose of the organization is to kill innocent human beings?

I have been concerned during the last several days about constant references in the media that seem to indicate that at the behest of our European allies, our government in the United States is ready to accept Hezbollah as a legitimate political force in Lebanon.

Despite the disconcerting statements being perpetuated by the media, just yesterday Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice declared in the clearest of terms that the United States still regards Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, and I was encouraged last Thursday when our colleagues in the European Parliament passed a resolution that was mentioned just a few minutes ago by my friend from California that the EU Parliament has passed a resolution urging the European Union leadership and the governments there to list Hezbollah as a terrorist entity. The resolution stated the simple fact that there are ``irrefutable proofs of Hezbollah's terrorist actions.'' It is my sincere hope that the EU leadership will follow the advice of their own parliament.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to pass this important piece of legislation and send a message to the European Union that in order to secure a peaceful future for the people of Lebanon, the greater Middle East, and the world, organizations such as Hezbollah must not be tolerated.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution. Mr. Speaker, the resolution before the House condemns the ongoing terrorism perpetrated by Hezbollah and urges the European Union to classify Hezbollah as a terrorist organization.

Last session, after the introduction of House Resolution 285 urging the European Union to classify Hamas as a terrorist organization and thus prohibiting the channeling of funds from the territory from the European Union to Hamas, the Union agreed by consensus to add Hamas to its terrorist list. It is our hope that this resolution about Hezbollah will have similar results. The inclusion of Hezbollah on the European Union's list of terrorist organizations is long overdue.

As we all know, Mr. Speaker, Hezbollah is a Lebanon-based extremist organization with terrorist cells throughout the globe. Its primary sources of political, financial, and organizational support come from Iran and Syria. Not surprisingly, Hezbollah is the only significant Lebanese organization that supports the continued occupation of Lebanon by Syria.

As the master of possibly the most widespread network of terror in the world, Hezbollah has led a 23-year global campaign of terror targeting American, European, and Israeli civilians. In fact, Hezbollah perpetrated its terror on nearly every continent on this planet, including the 1983 bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut. Parenthetically, Mr. Speaker, several of us visited with these wonderful Marines just weeks before Hezbollah terrorist activity destroyed their lives.

Among the most notorious examples of Hezbollah crimes outside the Middle East are its attacks on the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires in March 1992 and the Jewish Cultural Center in Buenos Aires in 1994.

Most recently, both Israeli and Palestinian officials have complained about an alarming increase in Hezbollah support for terrorism in the Palestinian territories. Israeli officials say that about one-fifth of Israeli causalities from terrorism last year were caused by Hezbollah- backed terrorist cells.

Hezbollah even terrorizes the Lebanese Government itself, perpetuating its occupation of southern Lebanon in defiance of the international community's demands that it be disarmed.

Mr. Speaker, given Hezbollah's bloody record, the charges against Hezbollah made by both Israelis and Palestinians and the European Union's frequent protestations of its commitment to Middle East peace, it is very odd, indeed, that the European Union continues to omit Hezbollah from its list of terrorist organizations. But it is completely stupefying that this omission continues while Hezbollah trains and equips many of the very groups already on the European Union's terrorism list, such as Islamic Jihad, al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, and Hamas. The logic of the European Union's decision-making on this matter is at best baffling.

Europeans sometimes point out in their defense that Hezbollah holds seats in the Lebanese Parliament. Let me point out, Mr. Speaker, that Hitler's Nazi Party held seats in a democratically elected German Parliament before the onset of World War II. Furthermore, Hezbollah's limited electoral success does nothing to revive the victims of terrorism. Europeans, of all people, should know that when terrorists succeed at the polls, they do not become moderate. They merely exploit their elected parliamentary positions to serve their terrorist aims.

Other Hezbollah apologists cite the group's domestic social programs within Lebanon as reason that it should not be considered strictly terrorist. But the credibility of those programs in Lebanon is mocked by Hezbollah's merciless disregard for human life in all of its other operations. The Bolshevik Party of the Soviet Union similarly provided social programs. Yet it had a devastating impact on generations of Soviet citizens.

By simply declaring the transparently obvious, that Hezbollah is a terrorist organization, Europe could deprive Hezbollah of access to millions of dollars in European banks and other financial institutions, while making an enormous contribution to Middle Eastern stability and saving hundreds of lives that will otherwise be Hezbollah's future victims. That is why I strongly support this resolution and urge all of my colleagues to join me in that support.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve our time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

In closing, let me just say that the European Union calls into question its own appropriateness in serving on the quartet, attempting to bring some stability and peace to the Middle East. This is such a clearcut case. We are dealing with a global terrorist organization which has cold-bloodedly massacred large numbers of civilians of many nationalities. There is no earthly reason to continue the defiance of common sense by the European Union in failing to put Hezbollah on the terrorist list.

The European Parliament itself a few days ago called on the union to list Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, and at long last it is our hope that they will do so.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 101) urging the European Union to add Hezbollah to the European Union's wide-ranging list of terrorist organizations, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and

extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Res. 101.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 101 urges the European Union to add Hezbollah to its terrorist list. I strongly support this measure, which was passed by voice vote during a subcommittee mark-up and by unanimous consent before the full Committee on International Relations.

Hezbollah is a Lebanon-based extremist organization that has a network of cells located throughout the world. Its primary sources of political, financial, and organizational support stem from Iran and Syria. According to the most recent State Department ``Patterns of Global Terrorism Report,'' Hezbollah is dedicated to the elimination of Israel and the establishment of an Islamic theocracy in Lebanon. Hezbollah is also a strong supporter of the Syrian presence in that country, a position clearly at odds with both the desires of the international community and the Lebanese people.

Hezbollah has been known or suspected to have been involved in numerous terrorist attacks against Americans, including the suicide truck bombing of the United States Embassy and the Marine barracks in Beirut in 1983 and the embassy annex in Beirut in 1984. Three members of Hezbollah are on the FBI's list of the 22 most wanted persons for the hijacking of a TWA flight in which an American Navy diver was killed. Elements of the terrorist organization have also been involved in the kidnapping of Americans and other Westerners.

In past years, Hezbollah has increasingly supported groups that have already been designated by the EU as terrorist organizations. It defies logic that the EU would classify these other groups as terrorist organizations and not include Hezbollah, a group that is among the most lethal terrorist organizations in the world.

The manager's amendment includes changes based on comments received on the resolution from the State Department and some changes communicated to me by the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Wexler), the ranking member on the Subcommittee on Europe of the House Committee on International Relations. The amendment is designed to clarify some of the language contained in H. Res. 101. In addition, the amendment adds a clause recognizing that the European Parliament voted on March 10 on a resolution that stated that ``clear evidence exists of terrorist activities on the part of Hezbollah'' and that the Council of the EU ``should take all the necessary steps to curtail them.''

Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Saxton) for introducing H. Res. 101. This legislation has strong bipartisan support with over 70 co-sponsors. I urge the passage of this important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Saxton), the author of the legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. McCotter), a member of the Committee on International Relations.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Shays), chairman of the Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats and International Relations of the Committee on Government Reform.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 101, a resolution urging the European Union to add Hezbollah to the European Union's list of terrorist organizations.

Over the past two decades, Hezbollah has been synonymous with terror, suicide bombings and kidnappings. This Iran-backed, Lebanese-based terrorist group serves as an umbrella organization of radical Islamic Shiite groups and entities. Hezbollah, which the U.S. government estimates consists of several thousand militants, has balked at recent U.N. Security Council resolutions requiring it to disarm. This terrorist group is responsible for nearly 200 attacks since 1982 that have killed more than 800 people. Its political rhetoric includes calls for the destruction of the State of Israel. Most recently, both Israeli and Palestinian officials noted an alarming increase in Hezbollah support for terrorism in the Palestinian territories. The organization enjoys funding of $10 million to $20 million monthly from Iran, a country that continues to seek a nuclear weapon.

U.S. intelligence has shown that Hezbollah cells operate in Europe, Africa, South America, and North America. Hezbollah's reported involvement in the 1983 suicide bombing attack that killed 241 United States Marines in Beirut and other acts of atrocities begs its inclusion to the European Union's list of terrorist organizations.

Mr. Speaker, a critical part of the war on terror is identifying terrorist threats and the organizations and people who carry out acts of atrocity. I am encouraged by the European Union Parliament's passing of a resolution urging the European Union leadership and the member governments to list Hezbollah as a terrorist entity. I applaud this step and hope that it leads to the inclusion of Hezbollah on the European Union's list of terrorist organizations.

I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time, and I thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Saxton) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) for their involvement in this important legislation.

I think the thing that is most refreshing about President Bush's administration is the effort to have an honest dialogue with our allies about what is happening around the world. And we need to have this honest dialogue.

The bottom line is Hezbollah is a terrorist organization through and through. It may have a political arm, it may have a public relations arm as the gentleman from California (Ranking Member Lantos) pointed out, but so did the Nazi Party. This is a terrorist organization and to use a phrase that Congressman Lantos uses quite often, it ``boggles the mind'' that they would not be included as a terrorist organization within the European Union.

When we look at the resolution, there are 20 whereases, and each one is powerful

Whereas Hezbollah is a Lebanon-based radical organization

with terrorist cells based in Europe, Africa, North America,

South America, Asia, and elsewhere, receiving financial,

training, weapons, and political and organizational aid from

Iran and Syria;

Whereas Hezbollah has led a 23-year global campaign of

terror targeting American, German, French, British, Italian,

Israeli, Kuwaiti, Saudi Arabian, Argentinean, Thai,

Singaporean, and Russian civilians, among other . . .

and it goes on.

I cannot believe frankly that if our colleagues from Europe read this resolution they will not readily agree that they need to take this action. Once again I thank my colleague for yielding me time, and I hope we pass this with a resounding ``yes.''