Declaring it is the policy of the United States that a nuclear Islamic Republic of Iran is not acceptable.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 559) declaring it is the policy of the United States that a nuclear Islamic Republic of Iran is not acceptable.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days 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, Iran is a destabilizing force in the region that poses a threat to our allies and to our national security interests.

That is why I introduced this resolution with a bipartisan group of cosponsors to make a clear, simple, and vital statement that it is the official policy of the United States that a nuclear Iran is unacceptable and that we will use all means necessary to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

This resolution is short and to the point. There is no hedging or equivocation. If we project weakness, it will only embolden Iran.

In recent years, Iran has pushed its nuclear provocations to the brink, enriching uranium to 60 percent and openly violating both the JCPOA and its nonproliferation treaty obligations, and even kicking out one-third of inspectors from the IAEA.

Iran is the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism. The Iranian regime has funded Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist groups to the tune of $100 million per year. Five hundred Hamas fighters reportedly trained in Iran in September before the October 7 invasion and terrorist attack.

What is Hamas doing right now?

It is waging a barbaric war against our friend and ally, Israel, and now Iran's proxies are engaged in nearly daily attacks on our soldiers--on U.S. troops--in the Middle East who remain in the region to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS.

Put simply, we need to restore deterrence against Iran. We need to use every tool at our disposal to keep Iran from having a nuclear weapon. It is critical that this body votes together to send a clear and loud message that Iran cannot obtain a nuclear weapon under any circumstances.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, Brad Schneider from Illinois, for joining me in introducing this resolution. I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for this resolution today, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Self), who is a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, we have seen repeatedly through history that weakness invites aggression. We certainly saw that in World War II with Hitler's aggression. Our adversaries, Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea are increasingly working together to upend the global balance of power. They are enabling each other's aggression against the United States and our allies.

This body has a responsibility to project strength and protect the American people. We will speak with one voice as we deliver a clear message that Iran's nuclear escalation must stop, that a nuclear Iran is simply unacceptable, and that the United States will never permit a nuclear Iran to exist.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for this important resolution, which is an important voice of the United States of America through its Representatives, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. This House of Representatives has a long history of working to halt Iran's nuclear program. We all know why the terrorist regime in Tehran must never ever obtain a nuclear weapon.

Look at what Iran is doing right now. They are complicit in Hamas' terrorism in Israel. Through proxies the regime is targeting American forces in the region with deadly force. They have built the region's most powerful terrorist organization, Hezbollah, which destabilizes Lebanon and threatens Israel with hundreds of thousands of sophisticated missiles. Iran props up the criminal Assad regime in Syria and the Houthis in Yemen. They interfere with global shipping, evade sanctions, and attempt to murder Israelis and others around the world.

These are only a few of the examples of Iran's nefarious behavior. Imagine what they could and would do if they operated under the safety of a nuclear umbrella.

Democrats and Republicans alike have said for many years: Iran can never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon. Since the 2018 ill- conceived withdrawal from the JCPOA, Iran's nuclear program has surged to extraordinarily dangerous levels, and the options to stop Iran from processing weapons grade, 90 percent highly enriched uranium are increasingly limited.

In August, the IAEA reported that Iran's stockpile of 60 percent enriched uranium has grown since its May report. Iran now possesses almost 15 times the amount of enriched uranium allowed under the JCPOA. Furthermore, in September, Iran informed the IAEA of its decision to remove about one-third of the IAEA inspectors from the country.

I will argue that we cannot take diplomacy off the table. We must keep all options open, but this is a very dangerous moment in dealing with Iran's nuclear program.

In May, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said: ``We are also engaging Iran diplomatically regarding its nuclear program, and we continue to believe that it was a tragic mistake to leave the deal with nothing at all to replace it. But we have made clear to Iran that it can never be permitted to obtain a nuclear weapon. As President Biden has repeatedly reaffirmed, he will take the actions that are necessary to stand by this statement, including by recognizing Israel's freedom of action.''

The resolution before us today complements the Biden administration policy of leaving all options on the table, and I am pleased to co-lead it with my friend, Chairman McCaul. I will repeat: The regime in Iran can never have a nuclear weapon.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Manning), who is the vice ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Castro), who is an esteemed member of our Foreign Affairs Committee and ranking member of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee.

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

Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 559 is an important restatement of administration policy. The Iranian regime should never ever be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the measure, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to address my votes on bills passed through the House of Representatives under suspension of the Rules the week of October 30. 2023: H. Res. 559, H.R. 340, H.R. 3774, and H. Res. 798.

I voted no on H. Res. 559 because it contained language that could insinuate U.S. support for potential military action against Iran at a moment when de-escalation is necessary. This legislation was overly broad, and without an opportunity for proper debate on the House Floor, this bill has the potential to give license to the United States to use any means, including military action, against Iran without Congressional approval.

I voted no on H.R. 340, the Hamas International Financing Prevention Act, because it was intentionally amended to delay humanitarian aid to Gaza, where people are suffering without access to food, drinking water, fuel, and medical care. The United States has rightly designated Hamas as a terrorist organization since 1997--but holding Hamas accountable cannot come at the expense of Palestinian civilians living in Gaza, roughly 40 percent of which are under 14 years of age. This is dangerous, as civilians must be protected under international law.

I voted no on H.R. 3774, the SHIP Act, because the bill contains overly broad language that would have serious impacts on the global economy and the U.S. economy as well. Sanctions are one of the most important and impactful diplomatic tools that we have in managing our relationships and security around the globe. The Executive Branch that administers them needs to be able to adjust and scale sanctions for them to be effective. The waiver within this bill provides the Executive with limited flexibility--rendering the waiver provision nearly unusable.

I voted yes on H. Res. 798 condemning the support of Hamas, Hezbollah, and other terrorist organizations at institutions of higher education because every student deserves a safe environment in which to learn and live. This resolution fails to mention the concurrent rise in anti-Muslim and anti-Arab hate. It is a glaring omission not to include other protected classes. Antisemitism and Islamophobia are on the rise in the U.S., and hatred in all its forms is unacceptable and must not be tolerated anywhere.

All people deserve safety and security, and the only sustainable path forward is one where international human rights and international law are at the forefront and democratic ideals are upheld. Peace must remain our utmost goal in the days, weeks, and months ahead.

Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, I have to rise in opposition to H. Res. 559.

I am proud to represent San Antonio, Texas, known as Military City, USA, which is home to one of the largest concentrations of military bases in the United States.

Every year tens of thousands of young men and women pass through my city on their way to military theaters around the world. Their lives are sacred, and Congress needs to be careful about how our decisions can put them in harm's way.

While this is a nonbinding resolution, it would speak for the House of Representatives without meaningfully engaging with the broad range of tools at our disposal to prevent Iranian proliferation.

I strongly oppose Iran's pursuit of a nuclear weapon. That is why I supported President Obama's efforts to constrain Iran's nuclear program through the JCPOA and why I opposed Donald Trump's decision to release Iran from the restrictions on its nuclear program by violating and then withdrawing from the JCPOA.

Nonetheless, this resolution, in saying the United States must use ``all means necessary'' to prevent Iran from pursuing a nuclear weapon goes too far.

Do we support sending U.S. forces, ground troops, into Iran to stop their nuclear program?

What about using a nuclear weapon ourselves?

That is what the language of this resolution would support or allow. This isn't just leaving all our options on the table. This resolution endorses every option.

In recent years, Congress has had important, bipartisan conversations about reclaiming our constitutional authority over the use of military force. If the Congress is going to endorse the use of force, even in a nonbinding resolution, then we need a more deliberate debate before going forward.

This resolution also commits the United States to endorse the actions of any of our partners and allies to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

Would we support Saudi Arabia or the UAE if they were to unilaterally strike Iran putting hundreds of U.S. forces stationed in the Persian Gulf at risk?

This resolution commits to unconditionally supporting their ``freedom of action.''

While I strongly oppose Iran's nuclear program, Mr. Speaker, the language we are voting on today goes too far, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, Representative Schneider, for yielding me time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bipartisan House resolution that I helped introduce with the House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman, Mike McCaul, and Representative Schneider and others to make clear that the United States will never tolerate Iran acquiring a nuclear weapon.

Iran is the principle source of instability in the region. It is a major threat to our interests and remains the world's leading sponsor of terrorism, supporting terrorist groups like Hamas in their brutal quest to destroy our ally Israel.

On October 7 we witnessed the gruesome results of Iran's support for Hamas. This is the kind of terror that Iran facilitates.

An armed Iran with a nuclear weapon would represent an even greater, entirely unacceptable threat to Israel and the world.

For the past few years, Iran has flagrantly violated the terms of the nuclear deal, blown past restrictions, continued to enrich uranium to dangerous levels, bringing it closer than ever to being able to produce nuclear weapons.

That is why this resolution emphasizes that it is U.S. policy to prevent a nuclear armed Iran, as President Biden himself has made clear, and to support our partners and allies like Israel in the face of such an existential threat. Sending a clear message that Iran cannot acquire a nuclear weapon is about deterring Iran, not seeking confrontation or war with them.

Colleagues on both sides of the aisle should agree that it is absolutely in our interest to restrain Iran's nuclear ambitions, and it is in the interest of a more stable, secure, and peaceful region.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to vote in support of the resolution.