Responding to the earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria on February 6, 2023.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 132) responding to the earthquakes in Turkiye and Syria on February 6, 2023.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.

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

Mr. Speaker, America and the world have been shocked by the deadly earthquake in Turkiye and Syria on February 6, which killed more than 50,000 people and injured more than 100,000 people.

Entire cities and towns near the epicenter in Turkiye have been wiped off the map. Five million people are homeless, and over 20 million are in need now. We are grateful to see such a generous and compassionate American response. Many brave men and women both inside Turkiye, Syria, and others from around the globe sprang into action to work relentlessly at search and rescue operations and providing relief to the people impacted on the ground.

At Incirlik Air Base, a very strategic American air base in Turkiye, 125 miles from the earthquake epicenter, the 728th Air Mobility Squadron and the 39th Operational Support Squadron have worked quickly to coordinate with the United States Agency for International Development to deliver aid to those impacted on the ground who are in need.

American families offer sincere sympathies to the families who are mourning loved ones and nursing others back to health. The Republic of Turkiye for over 70 years has been a valued NATO ally, and as co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on U.S.-Turkey Relations and Turkish Americans, I am particularly supportive of their efforts to meet the needs of the impacted earthquake victims.

Entrepreneurial Turkish-American and Syrian-American communities have been mobilized to help, such as Vinnie and Nesli Senturk, owners of Hidden Valley Tavern in Sapphire, North Carolina, represented by Congressman Chuck Edwards, who are raising funds to help the people in Turkiye.

Syria Civil Defence, better known as the White Helmets, have been instrumental in search and rescue efforts, in addition to clearing rubble and opening roads to facilitate the distribution of relief aid by local nongovernment organizations. Their efforts saved at least 3,000 lives, despite being left alone and receiving no material international support through the critical and crucial first days of the response.

Impressive assistance by Raed Al Saleh and all the other White Helmets, which he leads, has been achieved to help the people who are so desperately needed to advocate and provide real assistance.

To make this devastating tragedy worse, Syria's brutal dictator Assad is stealing humanitarian aid, and even worse, has continued bombing the affected areas at least 10 times since the earthquake. There have already been videos of the Assad regime soldiers stealing aid that is attempting to reach Syrian communities in need.

The United Nations even refused to provide critical aid into northwest Syria because of war criminal Putin's veto on cross-border assistance in the United Nations Security Council after the Assad regime initially refused to permit humanitarian aid through northern points of entry that are controlled by opposition groups.

The United Nations should not politicize humanitarian assistance. Even further, the U.N. should circumvent the obstructions of Assad and war criminal Putin, which denies humanitarian aid to earthquake victims. It is significant this resolution calls on President Biden to use all diplomatic means to push the U.N. to get aid to those in need.

Natasha Hall from the Center for Strategic and International Studies said it clearly, ``The Syrian Government has perfected the politicization and weaponization of humanitarian aid throughout the civil war--in some cases it's far more effective than a military offensive.''

Yet, Assad, to add insult to injury, continues to lie and blame U.S. sanctions for causing delays in aid. This is simply not true. As this resolution makes clear, Mr. Speaker, sanctions on war criminals like Assad, which passed on a bipartisan basis, prevent the regime from obtaining the resources to further brutalize the people of Syria, and do not inhibit humanitarian assistance.

Mr. Speaker, I am deeply saddened that there has been a weakening of sanctions by the Biden administration on the Assad regime through permitting direct transactions with the Assad regime. This will do nothing to help with earthquake relief and will only endanger Syrian civilians by enriching the regime.

We are already seeing the result of Biden's weak policy this week with Arab countries beginning to normalize relations with the regime and ignoring the Caesar Act, which threatened dire consequences for normalization. Despite this, let it be known that Congress will continue to stand with the Caesar Act on a bipartisan basis and strengthen sanctions on Assad and those who engage this barbaric regime.

It is gruesomely clear that there is no solution to the problems in Syria so long as the brutal Assad regime remains in power. Terrorism, refugees, war crimes, Iranian influence, chemical weapons, narcotrafficking, genocide--Assad is the driver of all these. This earthquake proves the point yet

again, American families' prayers and sincere condolences go to the people of Turkiye and Syria.

To the brutal Assad regime and its backers, war criminal Putin, and the authoritarian Ayatollah in Iran, there will be a message: Your diversion of humanitarian aid during an earthquake is despicable. You are not fooling anyone with your lies about sanctions. The U.S. Congress stands united. We will never normalize with you. We will hold all those who attempt to normalize with you accountable. We will not stop supporting the people of Syria to have a government they deserve based on democracy with rule of law, not authoritarian with rule of gun. It is bipartisan in America to support freedom for the people of Syria and Iran and victory for the people of Ukraine seeking to defend their country from authoritarian governments.

Mr. Speaker, our prayers go to those affected by the earthquake. God bless the people of Turkiye, Syria, and the United States of America.

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

House of Representatives,

Committee on Foreign Affairs,

Washington, DC, February 23, 2023.

Hon. Patrick McHenry,

Chairman, Committee on Financial Services,

Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman McHenry: Thank you for consulting with the

Foreign Affairs Committee and agreeing to be discharged from

further consideration of House Resolution 132, related to the

recent earthquakes in Turkiye and Syria, so that the

resolution may proceed expeditiously to the House floor.

I agree that your forgoing further action on this measure

does not in any way diminish or alter the jurisdiction of

your committee, or prejudice its jurisdictional prerogatives

on this resolution or similar legislation in the future.

I will seek to place our letters on H. Res. 132 into the

Congressional Record during floor consideration. I appreciate

your cooperation regarding this legislation and look forward

to continuing to work together as this measure moves through

the legislative process.

Sincerely,

Michael T. McCaul,

Chairman.

House of Representatives,

Committee on Financial Services,

Washington, DC, February 23, 2023.

Hon. Michael McCaul,

Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of

Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman McCaul: I am writing concerning H. Res. 132,

Responding to the earthquakes in Turkiye and Syria on

February 6, 2023. I agree that the Committee on Financial

Services shall be discharged from further consideration of

the bill so that it may proceed expeditiously to the House

Floor. The Committee takes this action with the mutual

understanding that, by foregoing consideration of H. Res. 132

at this time, we do not waive any jurisdiction over the

subject matter contained in this or similar legislation, and

that the Committee will be appropriately consulted and

involved on this or similar legislation as it moves forward.

The Committee also reserves the right to see appointment of

an appropriate number of conferees to any conference with the

Senate involving this or similar legislation, and we request

your support for any such request.

Finally, as you mentioned in your letter, I ask that a copy

of our exchange of letters on this bill be included in your

Committee's report to accompany the legislation, as well as

in the Congressional Record during floor consideration

thereof.

Sincerely,

Patrick McHenry,

Chairman, Committee on Financial Services.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. It is really refreshing to see Republicans and Democrats come together as we assist the people of Turkiye and Syria. The comments from Bill Keating are inspiring. I am just so grateful that he is one of the first cosponsors of the legislation to show our appreciation of the people of Turkiye and Syria. It is particularly meaningful to me. The loss of life is inconceivable: 50,000 people dead, 100,000 people injured, and 5 million people homeless. Actually, in some ways I can identify. The largest earthquake ever recorded on the East Coast was in my birthplace of Charleston, South Carolina, on August 31, 1886. Growing up

Mr. Speaker, again, it is so refreshing to see colleagues of both political parties across the country from South Carolina to Massachusetts to Pennsylvania. Actually, it is reflective of the deep affection that the people of America have as we appreciate, in particular, Turkiye, a NATO ally, that it is always to be cherished because when you visit the Korean War Veterans Memorial here on the mall in Washington, Mr. Speaker, you see the Allies who stood together to oppose the Communist aggression of June 1950, and the first country that is listed is Turkiye. It is an ever-present reminder of our appreciation and then our recognition of Kemal Ataturk and his success in creating a democracy in the Middle East.

Over and over again there is such a great affection, and the significance of the Turkish-American community and the Syrian-American community what they have meant as entrepreneurs across our country is so positive.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the broad coalition of Members on both sides of the aisle with the leadership of Congressman Bill Keating who have come together to support this critical resolution.

I especially want to thank Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Leader Steve Scalise for their accelerating the scheduling of this for today. It is so important for the people of Turkiye and Syria to know of our affection for them.

The people of the United States stand with the suffering people of Turkiye and Syria who have been so impacted by this terrible natural disaster.

Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 132 is an important statement of human solidarity. It deserves our unanimous support, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I rise in strong support of this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a cosponsor in support of my friend, Congressman Joe Wilson's resolution, H. Res. 132, responding to the earthquakes in Turkiye and Syria on February 6, 2023.

This timely and important resolution comes just weeks after multiple 7.5-plus magnitude earthquakes caused widespread devastation across central-southern Turkiye and northern Syria.

This natural disaster was so powerful that the shaking could be felt as far away as Egypt. The numbers are just staggering. Following the initial shaking, Turkiye and Syria have borne the brunt of over 1,000 aftershocks, furthering the massive death and destruction that has decimated infrastructure and communities across the region. Even today, Mr. Speaker, there was another aftershock with reported loss of death.

As of February 25, 2023, Reuters estimated that 160,000 buildings containing over half a million apartments have collapsed or were severely damaged. The earthquake has killed more than 48,000 people and injured 118,700 others in Turkiye and Syria combined. Today, the U.N. Development Programme estimates that 1.5 million people have been left homeless.

As ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe and as an original cosponsor of this resolution, I want to express my deepest condolences to the people of Turkiye and Syria who have been so deeply impacted by these earthquakes. Tens of thousands have lost their lives and even more have been left without a safe place to call home. As a result, once vibrant cities and communities across the entire region have been shattered and left in ruin.

In addition, I want to commend the efforts of thousands of international humanitarian aid and rescue workers, as well as national entities, local organizations, and individuals from across the region who have come together to provide lifesaving assistance to those impacted by this devastating earthquake.

During the past few weeks, these aid workers have provided lifesaving resources and support, all while working in freezing winter conditions, just to get help and relief for this enormous devastation and provide the greatest help to the people who need it the most.

Mr. Speaker, I applaud those humanitarian and rescue workers from across the United States Government who have joined the international community in a global response. In total, as of February 19, 2023, the United States has allocated $185 million in humanitarian assistance for the earthquake response in Turkiye and Syria.

As part of its coordinated response, USAID's Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance quickly deployed a Disaster Assistance Response Team, also known as a DART, which is working in close coordination with government authorities and partners on the ground.

The DART included USAID-supported search and rescue units have drawn domestic voluntary help, as well. It is important to recognize Fairfax County, Virginia's, and Los Angeles County, California's, fire departments have come to aid and help these people in such great need. They provide heroic assistance in working with USAID. USAID has deployed a total of 160 urban search and rescue personnel to Turkiye who have now returned to the United States. We thank them for volunteering and their heroic acts.

Furthermore, through its implementing partner, the World Food Program, as of February 23, USAID had also supported the provision of food assistance to 660,000 individuals in Syria and 900,000 earthquake- affected people in Turkiye. In addition, 840 metric tons of USAID in- kind relief commodities, including water, hygiene materials, kitchen sets, and disaster relief materials were all delivered to support the earthquake survivors.

Finally, the Department of Defense, in coordination with USAID's Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance, has air-lifted 541,100 pounds of critical relief items, including blankets, emergency food commodities, generators, space heaters, tents, and winter clothing.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly support those efforts and commend President Biden, Secretary Blinken, and Administrator Power for their swift response to this disaster.

As the international community has responded, the Assad regime has made that effort far more difficult. For example, while the Department of the Treasury has taken important steps to clarify existing sanctions licenses required to ensure the transfer of vital humanitarian aid to the region, the exploitation of this disaster by the Assad regime is reprehensible and cynical.

I wholeheartedly condemn these efforts by the Assad regime, which have included preventing the United Nations from providing assistance through multiple border crossings between Turkiye and Syria. The people of Syria have suffered tremendously under the Assad regime, which since 2011 has used any means available, including the use of chemical weapons, to suppress the voice of the Syrian people.

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There is intense need for international assistance in Syria, and I support the call in this resolution for the Biden administration to continue to use all diplomatic tools, including through the U.N. Security Council, to open and keep open all Turkiye-Syria border crossings for United Nations assistance.

Despite barriers from the Assad regime, the United Nations has worked tirelessly in coordinating and facilitating life-saving humanitarian assistance efforts by providing hot meals, food, tents, clothing, medical supplies, and personnel to affected areas. Psychosocial support services are also being provided, as well. Child-friendly spaces and safe spaces for women to ensure those most vulnerable are cared for are also in motion there.

U.N. programs like the World Food Programme and the U.N. High Commission for Refugees have also crossed into Syria at the Bab al- Salam border crossing to ensure the people of Syria receive the vital aid that they need.

All together, the United Nations has sent health supplies to more than 400,000 people impacted by the earthquake and has released $50 million from its Central Emergency Response fund to jump-start the response. The U.N. has also issued a flash appeal to raise all the necessary funds to help meet the needs of those affected by these earthquakes.

I, again, thank Congressman Joe Wilson for his efforts on this legislation as well as over 35 bipartisan cosponsors. This resolution sends a strong message of solidarity from the United States to the people of Turkiye and Syria as they begin to cope with the aftermath of these devastating earthquakes, and I am proud to join in supporting this effort.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this resolution, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from South Carolina for his strong bipartisan support in this gathering together of people on both sides of the aisle for America's interest. As he pointed out, we have an interest not only with our own defense facilities not far from that region and not only associating as he has his own experience the devastation of earthquakes, but also a stark contrast that occurs to the people of Syria when they find out the U.S. and other countries are coming together to their aid while the Syrian regime under Assad continues to wreak havoc and damage to the everyday lives of the people of Syria.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Dean), who is a new member of the Foreign Affairs Committee. We all look forward to working together with the gentlewoman.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Again, I thank Congressman Joe Wilson, the chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia for his work on this resolution.

It is important to recognize that the U.S. is joining the whole international community, again, at a time of need. It is in our self- interest to move in this respect, too. There are countless aftereffects as well as aftershocks that will come about as a result of this

earthquake. We are going to see time and time again swift action and humanitarian action. Action for support will really come back in a very cost effective and humanitarian way to provide dividends moving forward in the future.

That being said, too, our NATO ally, Turkiye, is suffering a great deal. We want to demonstrate not just through NATO and other alliances that we are there for the Turkish people as well who have often come to our aid in areas of critical security needs.

The people of Turkiye and Syria have suffered tremendously as a result of these earthquakes and thousands of the aftershocks.

I support this resolution to signal globally that the United States stands with the people of Turkiye and Syria and the United States will continue to support any and all humanitarian efforts to bring aid and assistance to the victims of these disasters. I hope, Mr. Speaker, that all our colleagues join together in this bipartisan effort to support this important resolution.

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

Mr. Speaker, I was unable to cast votes on February 27, February 28, and March 1. Had I been present for the following roll call votes, I would have voter Aye for the following votes:

Roll Call No. 120, February 27, 2023: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree, H. Res. 132--Responding to the earthquakes in Turkiye and Syria on February 6, 2023.

Roll Call No. 121, February 27, 2023: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 538--Informing Consumers about Smart Devices Act.

Roll Call No. 125, March 1, 2023: On Agreeing to the Amendment of H.R. 347--Bost of Illinois Amendment No. 1.

Roll Call No. 126, March 1, 2023: On Agreeing to the Amendment of H.R. 347--Boebert of Colorado Amendment No. 3.

Roll Call No. 127, March 1, 2023: On Agreeing to the Amendment of H.R. 347--Jackson Lee of Texas Amendment No. 6.

Roll Call No. 128, March 1, 2023: On Agreeing to the Amendment of H.R. 347--Jackson Lee of Texas Amendment No. 7; and

Roll Call No. 129, March 1, 2023: On Agreeing to the Amendment of H.R. 347--Lee of Nevada Amendment No. 9. I would have voted Nay for the following votes:

Roll Call No. 122, February 28, 2023: On Ordering the Previous Question H. Res. 166--Providing for consideration of (H.R. 347) Reduce Exacerbated Inflation Negatively Impacting the Nation Act; (H.J. Res. 30) congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, U.S.C., of the rule submitted by the Dept. of Labor relating to Prudence & Loyalty in Selecting Plan Investments & Exercising Shareholder Rights;

Roll Call No. 123, February 28, 2023: On Agreeing to the Resolution H. Res. l66--Providing for consideration of (H.R. 347) Reduce

Exacerbated Inflation Negatively Impacting the Nation Act; (H.J. Res. 30) congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, U.S.C., of the rule submitted by the Dept. of Labor relating to Prudence & Loyalty in Selecting Plan Investments & Exercising Shareholder Rights;

Roll Call No. 124, February 28, 2023: On Passage H.J. Res. 30-- Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to ``Prudence and Loyalty in Selecting Plan Investments and Exercising;

Roll Call No. 130, March 1, 2023: On Agreeing to the Amendment of H.R. 347--Roy of Texas Amendment No. 14; and

Roll Call No. 131, March 1, 2023: On Passage H.R. 347--Reduce Exacerbated Inflation Negatively Impacting the Nation Act.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Keating for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this important resolution responding to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Turkiye and Syria as a result of the devastating earthquakes on February 6 and the many, many aftershocks.

The death toll from this tragedy is approaching 50,000 men, women, and children. Thousands more are injured, hundreds of thousands of buildings are destroyed, and millions of survivors have been displaced from their homes--many now residing in temporary shelters with inadequate food, heat, water, and medical care.

I commend the gentleman making this resolution. I commend the Biden administration for its swift response to this crisis. Through USAID and the State Department, the United States Government quickly mobilized search-and-rescue teams, allocated $185 million in humanitarian assistance, and continues to deliver vital relief supplies to first responders.

Rebuilding from this disaster will not be easy, and the road ahead is long. We call upon the governments in this area to support the people, to support their recovery, and to support their rebuilding.

This resolution is a symbol of our commitment to ensuring we continue to deliver assistance to those so gravely impacted by this tragedy.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Wilson, and I thank Congressman Keating for his leadership in this important resolution.

God bless the people of Turkiye and Syria.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share my support for four important bills that were considered by the House on Monday: H. Res. 132, a resolution responding to the earthquakes in Turkiye and Syria on February 6, 2023; H.R. 538, Informing Consumers about Smart Devices Act; H.R. 1059, the SECURE Notarization Act of 2023; and H.R. 1108, To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to extend the authority of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to grant a license or construction permit through a system of competitive bidding.

Regrettably, I was unable to cast my votes for this legislation, but had I been able to, I would have voted to pass all four.

I had the pleasure of voting for the SECURE Notarization Act when this bill passed the House in the 117th Congress, and I would have gladly voted for it in the 118th Congress as well.

I regret having missed the vote on H.R. 1108, to extend the FCC's spectrum auction authority. In the 117th Congress, I introduced legislation to extend the FCC's spectrum auction authority through March of 2024, which passed the House in July 2022. However, only a short-term extension was included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, and this bill would push that deadline back to May of 2023. This will give the FCC confidence to host upcoming auctions and to raise revenues for the federal government while Congress debates long-term action.