Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, regrettably, I was unable to attend the opening session of the 114th Congress yesterday, January 6, as I joined many of my colleagues and friends to memorialize the life of former New York Governor Mario Cuomo.

Had I been present at the opening session, I would have voted for my friend and colleague from California, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, to serve as Speaker of the House.

As the Speaker in the 110th and 111th Congresses, and the first woman to hold this position, Rep. Pelosi accumulated an unparalleled record of accomplishments to support the middle class and hardworking American families, and I would have been proud to support her election to a third term as Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 26, the TRIA Reauthorization Act of 2015. This bill passed in the last Congress overwhelmingly 417-7.

I first want to thank Speaker Boehner and Leader Pelosi for acting so quickly to reauthorize the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act, or TRIA. Unfortunately, this critical program expired on January 1, and unless Congress swiftly reauthorizes TRIA, our economy will be dangerously exposed if we have another terrorist attack.

In fact, one of the financial rating agencies--Fitch--has said that if Congress doesn't reauthorize TRIA by the end of January, they are going to start downgrading companies and major construction projects, which would hurt the American economy. The other rating agencies have made equally strong statements about the importance to reauthorize

The bill also includes the NARAB bill--the National Association of Registered Agents and Brokers--which has passed this Congress multiple times, many, many times, and this would merely recognize insurance brokers and agents licensed in other States across this country, increasing efficiency and saving and reducing costs for these businesses.

I urge my colleagues to vote for TRIA because it is the right thing to do for America, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from the great State of Georgia (Mr. Scott).

Mr. Speaker, I do want to comment that it has been reported in the press that the Senate has announced they will bring up this bill next week, which is very, very important to move it forward.

I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from the great State of Massachusetts (Mr. Capuano), who has been a fighter, advocate, and an effective spokesperson.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from the great State of Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the distinguished minority leader.

(Mr. HOYER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to my good friend from the great State of New York (Ms. Velazquez), who is the ranking member on the Small Business Committee.

(Ms. VELAZQUEZ asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

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

Mr. Speaker, we had other speakers scheduled from New York, but they are not on the floor now, so I would just like to say, in closing, that this is critically important legislation.

I can speak from personal experience, having represented New York during and after 9/11, that after 9/11 you could not even build a hot dog stand. All construction stopped. No one could get any insurance. The only insurance available was from Lloyds of London, and it was incredibly expensive and people could not afford it. We lost thousands and thousands of jobs.

And it happened also, when we came together and started to rebuild not only in New York but the Pentagon and Pennsylvania, I would say, of all the programs that this body put forward--and there were many, and I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their support--I truly believe that this particular one was certainly the most important in helping New York rebuild and rebound.

I want to add that it did not cost our taxpayers one single dime. It is an innovative way to get building and construction happening across this country. So it is tremendously important to the economy. It is an important bill, and I am so pleased that it has been a bipartisan effort.

This body passed the bill. It stalled in the Senate, but we do need to reauthorize it as swiftly and as quickly as possible. I hope it is an example of how this body can work together on legislation that is critical to this country to rebuild and expand the jobs and our economy and to help strengthen our country in other ways.

So again I thank the leadership on both sides of the aisle for moving so swiftly to bring it to the floor and, really, to Mr. Neugebauer, who was the point person in many ways in the compromise legislation that moved forward.

I urge my colleagues to vote for it. It is the right thing to do for America.

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

I thank the gentleman, my good friend, for yielding and for all of his hard work on this issue and on many others.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this rule because I believe the approach we are taking jeopardizes the passage in the Senate of a good, bipartisan compromise to extend the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act, or

I voted for this bill in committee, which, as noted, passed this body with 400 votes, and also on the floor. However, I strongly oppose this rule because it puts TRIA's passage in the Senate in jeopardy, and this is truly unfortunate.

Before the Rules Committee, Ranking Member Waters and I suggested that we divide this out, have TRIA and the other bill--the Dodd-Frank, the regulatory bill--separate so that there would not be a problem in the Senate. Unfortunately, that did not happen, and I am extremely concerned that this puts in jeopardy the passage of a bill that is critically important to the economy of this country.

I thank the ranking member for her leadership and for yielding and for her hard work on this important bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2244, which is critically important to the economy and national security of the city I am privileged to represent, New York, and to our Nation at large.

After the terrible attacks on 9/11, insurers realized that they could not accurately model for terrorism risk--it was simply too unpredictable, and the market for terrorism insurance completely dried up. No one could get insured. Businesses stopped. The only place we could get insured was Lloyd's of London, and we lost thousands of jobs and our economy came to a standstill.

In response, Congress came together, united and determined, and, in a bipartisan way, passed the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act, or TRIA, which provides a government backstop for terrorism insurance.

The goal of TRIA was to make terrorism insurance affordable and available, and that is exactly what it has done. This has come at no cost whatsoever to the American taxpayer.

This bill represents a true bipartisan compromise, and I commend the gentlemen from Texas, Chairmen Hensarling and Neugebauer, for working with my colleagues, Senator Schumer and Ranking Member Waters, to reach a deal on TRIA.

Initially, the House TRIA bill raised the trigger for the government backstop by a whopping 500 percent, from $100 million to $500 million. This would have forced many small- and medium-sized insurers out of the market entirely and would have actually decreased the amount of terrorism insurance available in our country.

Fortunately, this compromise bill only raises the trigger for the government backstop from $100 million to $200 million. This modest increase will ensure that small- and medium-sized insurers are not forced out of the market, while also protecting taxpayers. I fully and completely support this compromise.

Importantly, however, the compromise does not include the so-called ``bifurcation'' proposal, which would have treated nuclear, biological, chemical, and radiological attacks differently from the so-called ``conventional'' terrorism attacks. This made no sense whatsoever, and this compromise sensibly drops the proposal entirely.

Finally, I am pleased that this bill reauthorizes TRIA for a full 6 years. This will provide much-needed certainty to businesses across our country as they expand and create jobs.

This compromise will ensure that terrorism insurance remains widely affordable and available. This has always been the underlying purpose of TRIA,

and I believe that this bill accomplishes that goal.

I would like to commend the gentlemen from Texas, Chairman Hensarling and Chairman Neugebauer, for recognizing that a long-term reauthorization of TRIA is incredibly important for our economy. I thank my good friend from New York, Peter King. He has been a tireless advocate for TRIA, and without his hard work on this bill, we wouldn't be voting on this compromise today. And I thank the gentlewoman from California, Ranking Member Waters, for working with me on this bill.

I would like to particularly thank my colleague from New York, Senator Schumer, for his excellent work in negotiating this compromise.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill because it is the right thing to do for America.

Mr. Speaker, I am testifying before the Rules Committee right now, but I will submit my statement for the Record.

To know him is to love John Dingell. He taught me that dedication to the legislative process and getting it done comes first.

It is a great privilege to speak about the career and accomplishments of my good friend, John Dingell.

John has been one of the giants in this body a man with countless friends, but few peers.

His impact on this Institution and this country cannot be overstated.

Over the course of six decades, John has led some of the most important fights in the history of our country--fights for health care, civil rights, social justice, consumer protections, and so much more.

In 1964, he helped push the Civil Rights Bill through Congress.

In 1965, John Dingell presided over the House as it considered and then passed Medicare.

John wrote the Endangered Species Act.

He wrote the 1990 Clean Air Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, and legislation to build North America's first international wildlife refuge.

He authored Affordable Care Act and then fought tirelessly for its passage.

Thanks to John, millions of Americans are getting the benefits today of the Patient's Bill of Rights, the Children's Health Insurance Program, the Mammography Quality Standards Act, the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, and the Prescription Drug User Fee Act.

John Dingell's towering list of accomplishments are the best representations of what Members of Congress can do when the long-term needs of the people--the country--are elevated beyond the fleeting politics of the moment.

Whenever the history of this country is told--The Civil Rights Act, Medicare, the Affordable Case Act, Environmental Protection, Workers Rights will stand out as the hallmarks of the Democratic Party--our core principles.

They are the legislative actions that delivered on the promise of the American dream--and helped to put it within reach for millions.

These pillars of social justice all bear John Dingell's name writ large.

John Dingell is also a strong advocate for women, a long-time champion for the Equal Rights Amendment, and a leader in the fight for Equal Pay for Equal work.

John was here in 1963 when the Equal Pay Act was signed into law

In the 108th Congress, he and I requested a report from the GAO on the Glass Ceiling.

That report analyzed 18 years of data on over 9,300 Americans and found that women working fulltime were being paid an average of 80 cents for every dollar that men are paid.

He has been fighting to realize the goal of the Equal Pay act for decades and it is a fight that John's wife Debbie is sure to continue in the next Congress.

For more than 80 years, there has been a Mr. Dingell from Michigan representing Democratic Values and the people of Michigan.

I know I speak for all members of the House when I say that I look forward to working alongside the first Mrs. Dingell from Michigan!

John's impact on Congress and on this country will be felt for generations to come.

His unyielding commitment to do what is right--for his country and his Michigan constituents has been an inspiration to us all.

I fear we may never see his like again in this Congress--but I shall hope that each and every day--every Member of Congress will strive to live up to the example that was once set by the great John Dingell, Dean of the House of Representatives.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the Population Council (Council), an extraordinary organization that has continued to conduct thorough and critical research on health and development issues throughout the world. Their work is thoughtful, empowering, and has helped governments, organizations, and community groups in over 50 countries to formulate policy, identify best practices, and allocate resources. Thanks to the work of the Population Council, millions of youth, families, and communities are benefitting from evidence-based interventions and programs, including education initiatives, family planning, financial literacy, and HIV/AIDS transmission prevention.

Founded in 1952 by John D. Rockefeller III, the Population Council was originally created to better understand population concerns. Throughout the 1950's and 1960's, the Council prioritized issues related to family planning, contraception and maternal healthcare initiatives both in the United States and abroad. In the following decades, the Council continued its vital health research, and published groundbreaking discoveries that have since saved countless lives and become accepted doctrine in the medical field. One example of the Council's pioneering work was the discovery in 1977 that smoking cigarettes while using oral contraceptives increased women's risk of heart attack, stroke, and death. Notably, since the Council first began researching and developing reversible contraception, over 120 million women worldwide have used a Council-developed contraceptive.

In the 1980's, the Council began what has now become decades of research on the biology, treatment, support, education, and prevention of HIV/AIDS. In 1996, the Council launched ``Horizons'', a research program on HIV/AIDS interventions funded by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. This crucial initiative identified best practices associated with preventing and mitigating HIV and AIDS in developing countries. The Council has been instrumental developing home-based, self-testing oral HIV kits, integrating HIV and reproductive services at health clinics, and increasing male circumcision as a means to decrease the rate of female-to-male HIV infection. These practices, treatments, and outreach initiatives have been recognized by governing entities as the key to ending HIV/AIDS.

In recent years, the Council has invested substantial energy, time, and resources to understand the conditions faced by over 500 million adolescent girls in the developing world. Using evidence-based research, the Council has worked to develop and evaluate strategies to help young women lead more healthy and productive lives. Through its thoughtful and extensive research, the Council has demonstrated that when girls are given mentoring, life skills, social support, financial literacy, and education opportunities, their lives improve.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in recognizing the Population Council for their innovative and revolutionary work in improving the health and well-being of children, families, communities and countries worldwide. The Council's work has irrevocably altered healthcare and education systems for the better.

Mr. Speaker, after 9/11, this Congress came together, and we came together to put our economy back on track. We passed TRIA, the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act.

Now TRIA is set to expire in just 4 weeks, and we desperately need a long-term reauthorization of this important economic tool that has brought stability to businesses and to our economy. We cannot kick the can down the road again by pushing a short-term extension of TRIA.

In fact, just last night, 45 Republicans signed a letter opposing a short-term extension of TRIA. All of the Democrats already oppose an extension of a short-term reauthorization of TRIA. This united position should take the issue off the table.

While some Members have insisted that the House can't waive the CutGo rule to pass TRIA, I think it is important to note that the House has waived it 18 times; and we traditionally waive it for emergency spending, which is what TRIA is: spending in the wake of a terrorist attack.

Please come together and pass a long-term reauthorization for our economic growth.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank my friend and colleague on the other side of the aisle, Leonard Lance, for coming to New York, for working in meetings, and for advancing this issue before the Social Security Administration and also the Justice Department.

Mr. Speaker, for decades, former Nazis complicit in war crimes have been given monthly Social Security benefit checks due to a loophole in the law. It is an outrage that began at the end of World War II, when thousands of Nazis fled to the United States.

Many lied about their past, so that they could become American citizens, take jobs, and try to just blend in, but most were eventually identified and deported, and some were tried for their crimes; however, dozens were never formally deported. If a former Nazi left the U.S. on his own before a final order of removal was issued, the law allowed him to keep receiving his Social Security benefits.

As the author of the Nazi War Crimes Disclosure Act of 1998, which opened up all of the files of the CIA on the Nazis and what they were doing in the United States and in Europe, I have been working on this issue for decades.

In 1991, I cowrote a bill to close this loophole by creating a new legal process to terminate benefits. Earlier this year, I wrote the Social Security Administration, seeking more information on former Nazis who continue to receive Social Security benefits. They will be issuing a report to me and others on exactly how much money is involved.

After an investigative report by the Associated Press revealed new details of Nazis receiving Social Security benefits, I wrote to the IG of the Justice Department and have had meetings with them and the Social Security Administration to investigate exactly how this all occurred.

I also worked with my colleagues, Republican Congressmen Leonard Lance of New Jersey and Jason Chaffetz of Utah, to craft the Nazi Benefits Termination Act of 2014. It was supported by editorials across this Nation. We received a total of 19 editorials in support of our bill.

In the interest of time, I will just put in the Record roughly five of them because I think it is important that across this Nation, from the South, the West, the East, the North, all of them have come out strongly in support of not spending one taxpayer dime to support Nazis.

The Ways and Means Committee took on this same effort. Our bills are similar, and either would be sufficient to address the problem. Both would affirmatively declare individuals who have been denaturalized or renounced citizenship on the grounds of participation in Nazi persecution ineligible for Social Security benefits.

I urge my colleagues to end this outrage, close this loophole, and send a message that when we say we will never forget, we mean we will never forget and that we will stop this terrible abuse of taxpayer money going to Social Security benefits for Nazis.

I commend all of my colleagues who have worked on this important issue.

[From mydailynews.com]

No SSNs for the SS

A search for some small measure of justice will go on as

long as Nazi war criminals remain alive and unpunished. Never

mind that almost seven decades have passed since they

participated in the Holocaust. Never mind that they are well

up in years, perhaps approaching 100.

The outrage is that some of the guilty are living out their

last days with the help of Social Security payments sent out

by Uncle Sam.

After World War II, former SS death camp guards and others

made their way to America in the hope of leaving their crimes

behind. Rather than fight to boot the group, the government

made odious deals: If they left the country, they would keep

their Social Security benefits.

As reported by the Associated Press, troops who worked in

the camps, a rocket scientist

accused of using slave labor to do his research, a Polish

Nazi collaborator who facilitated the murder of thousands of

Jews and others fled and kept their cash.

At least four are still alive--and collecting. Rep. Carolyn

Maloney said she will draft legislation to strip benefits

from Nazis.

Better late than never.

I thank the gentlelady for her leadership and for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3240. I am pleased to have worked on this bill with my colleague from North Carolina (Mr. Pittenger). I would also like to take this opportunity to compliment his work on attempting to end terrorism, cracking down on terrorism financing in our country.

The purpose of this particular bill is to study the current monthly limits, under Regulation D, on the number of automatic withdrawals from a consumer's savings account.

Currently Regulation D limits the number of automatic withdrawals from a consumer's account to six per month. This means that if a consumer has already hit his limit on automatic withdrawals for the month and then overdrafts his or her checking account, the bank won't transfer money from his savings account to cover the overdraft, and this results in an unnecessary overdraft fee.

As two recent studies by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau have noted, overdraft fees disproportionately harm those of us who can least afford it. Unsophisticated consumers are most hit by them. So if there is a regulation that is causing unnecessary overdraft fees, we should study whether that regulation is necessary. That is what our commonsense bill does. It asks the GAO to study the limitation in Regulation D to determine if it is, in fact, useful or harmful.

This bill is supported by many stakeholders in financial services: the Credit Union National Association, the National Association of Federal Credit Unions, and the American Bankers Association.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense bill, and I appreciate the help of my colleague.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for his hard work on this bill. I did want to come to the floor and support it because it is one of the areas where we did work together in a positive way.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues from the bipartisan Hellenic Caucus to recognize the 85th Anniversary this week of the Daughters of Penelope. Founded on November 16, 1929, this organization works to improve the well-being of women and afford them the opportunity to make important contributions to the United States.

The DOP is a preeminent international women's organization and affiliate organization of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA), the nation's leading association of American citizens of Greek heritage.

Since its founding, Daughters of Penelope has worked through its 250 worldwide chapters to promote the Greek ideals of philanthropy, education, and civic responsibility. Throughout its history, local chapters have identified pressing needs and developed solutions to make a difference in their communities.

Through DOP's sponsorship of affordable housing for seniors, domestic violence shelters in Mobile, Alabama and Brockton, Mass., and many other efforts, its members continue to embody the best ideals of citizenship.

As a co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues, I have had the privilege to see the significant contributions of the Daughters of Penelope in the Greek American community both in New York and across the country. I am proud to say that DOP has lived up to its mission to contribute to the development of America through Hellenic ideals, and I look forward to its continued success.

Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing the bipartisan Nazi Social Security Benefits Termination Act of 2014 along with my colleagues Representatives Jason Chaffetz, Leonard Lance, Steve Cohen, James McGovern, Kathy Castor, Peter King, Hank Johnson, David Cicilline, Keith Ellison, Patrick Murphy, Steve Israel, Derek Kilmer, and Jackie Speier. I commend Sens. Bob Casey and Charles Schumer for introducing the Senate companion.

After the conclusion of World War II, thousands of people who participated in Nazi persecution fled to the United States and lied about their pasts to gain U.S. citizenship. The Department of Justice has successfully identified and deported hundreds of these individuals over more than three decades. There were, however, individuals who left the country of their own accord before being issued an order of removal, which would have terminated all federal benefits, including Social Security. Without this order, eligibility for these benefits remained intact and these individuals collected millions of dollars in federal benefit checks.

The Nazi Social Security Benefits Termination Act of 2014 would require the U.S. Attorney General to notify the Social Security Commissioner to terminate benefits for any individual who has renounced citizenship or been denaturalized on the grounds of participation in Nazi persecution. In the event that the Department of Justice identifies Nazi war criminals still residing in the U.S., it may initiate its denaturalization process as normal, and this rule change would allow benefits termination at the end of that process. The measure also requires an annual report to Congress from the Department of Justice on the number of individuals it has determined are disqualified for Social Security benefits under this new legislation as well as the number of active investigations against Nazi war criminals it continues to pursue.

I urge my colleagues to cosponsor this legislation that would finally put an end to this grave misuse of federal dollars. After decades of paying out benefits to Nazi criminals who slipped through our justice system, it is past time to correct this injustice.

Mr. Speaker, 6 years ago this week, the economic situation of this country was so perilous, we announced that the TARP program was going to be expanded to cover auto loans and credit cards. The housing bubble had burst, household wealth was slashed by over $16 trillion, banks tottered, lending was frozen, the Dow was about to plunge to 7,000, the GDP was sinking at a rate of 6.3 percent.

Today much has changed. The TARP has been repaid, the Dow has climbed 10,000 points, businesses are growing, unemployment has fallen to 5.8 percent, GDP is expanding at a rate of 3.5 percent.

As this Congress considers how to move forward, it would be beneficial and helpful if we would always remember to look back at what worked and what didn't. Let's do more of what works.

With 56 months of private sector job growth--not enough, but the best record that we have ever had in history--we must build on this progress by investing in infrastructure, raising wages for middle class workers, committing to make it in America, and making sure our schools are preparing for the next generation.

Mr. Speaker, last week we marked the 13th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attack. It is a day to remember and mourn those we lost, to comfort those who suffer still, and to honor those who responded on that day with courage and determination.

Whenever we talk about 9/11, we have to acknowledge the heroes and heroines of 9/11, both those who lost their lives that day and those who are still sick and dying from the injuries and illnesses related to 9/11. As a Congress, we stood together on the steps of the U.S. Capitol and vowed to never forget.

That vow of never forget comes with an obligation on the part of Congress to ensure that we as a country remember, honor, and care for those who risked their lives to save others that day and those who were caught in the devastation that occurred at Ground Zero, at the U.S. Pentagon, and at Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

A major piece of that promise to never forget was the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act that became law in 2011. This legislation established the World Trade Center Health Program to provide medical monitoring and treatment for 9/11-related illnesses as well as a national health program to serve those who were at the Pentagon, in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and those who came from around the country to aid in our country's recovery. It also reopened the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund to provide for economic losses and harm incurred from the aftermath of the attacks.

Today, there are more than 60,000 responders or survivors who got sick from exposure to the deadly toxins at 9/11, mixes of fuel, glass, asbestos, and all kinds of chemicals that were in the air that day. These thousands are now receiving treatment and monitoring from the Health Program. This also includes over 2,900 people in the World Trade Center Health Program who have been diagnosed with cancer.

Since 9/11 more than 800 New York Fire Department members and more than 550 New York Police Department personnel are struggling with serious 9/11-related illnesses.

We have already lost over 70 firefighters and 60 New York Police Department officers who have died from their 9/11-related illnesses over the past 13 years. These are people who got sick while working on rescue and recovery, and they have died because of their exposure.

These individuals with 9/11-related illnesses need continued specialized medical monitoring and care. It is unfair to cut them out of medical care and economic compensation simply because they did not get sick soon enough.

As it stands, the Zadroga Act is set to expire in October 2015, yet the medical and economic crises of sick 9/11 responders and suffering survivors will not end in 2 years. They will only get worse over time. Research shows significantly higher rates of cancer among the 9/11 population, a disease with a long latency period.

That is why I have introduced, along with Peter King and Jerry Nadler, the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Reauthorization Act. This legislation would reauthorize the programs for 25 years and fulfill that promise to never forget.

We are joined in support by a bipartisan group of 37 Members from all over the country. First responders and volunteers came from every corner of America to help and aid in the recovery. Others who were present on 9/11 have since moved to other areas of the country. The World Trade Center Health Program includes participants from 429 of the 435 congressional districts. This means that in almost every Member's district, there are constituents who are being monitored or who are being treated under the World Trade Center Health Program.

We must continue these Zadroga Act programs that are vital to the sick and dying, those whom we said we will never forget.

Mr. Speaker, while I support airstrikes, I rise in opposition to this amendment.

While there is no doubt that ISIS is a brutal terrorist group that is wreaking havoc in the region, at this time, none of the evidence I have seen, including U.S. intelligence reports, and none of the arguments I have heard convinces me that getting involved in a religious civil war in the Middle East will be successful or effective in keeping our homeland safer.

I cannot support what could turn into a war on three fronts: fighting ISIS in Iraq, fighting ISIS in Syria, and potentially Assad in Syria. Nor can

I support an unprecedented scenario in which the U.S. tries to reinvent a substantially degraded rebel army to act as our boots on the ground against a former ally of theirs, ISIS, all while ignoring their stated objective of overthrowing Assad.

And this entire plan depends on our ability to identify so-called moderates in Syria who would be prepared to die for our agenda. It is not at all clear how we are going to do that.

Trillions of dollars spent, all-out war, and more than a decade of occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan did not produce the peace we sought or the stability we were promised. We spent $25 billion to train the Iraqi Army to defend their own country, and they were decimated by ISIS in a matter of days and left their weapons to ISIS.

What would make anyone believe that spending a great deal less money to train a rebel army to defend our interests would turn out any better?

Mr. Speaker, this is a well-intentioned effort, but it is not a viable strategy. I urge a ``no'' vote.