Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I send to the desk a privileged concurrent resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today on a motion offered pursuant to this order, it adjourn to meet at noon on Monday, November 24, 2014, unless it sooner has received a message from the Senate transmitting its concurrence in House Concurrent Resolution 119, in which case the House shall stand adjourned pursuant to that concurrent resolution.

Madam Speaker, a strong Israel means a strong United States, and a strong United States means a strong Israel. That is why I want to offer my condolences to the families of the Israelis murdered by Palestinian terrorists in Jerusalem yesterday.

The increase in these attacks is a grim reminder of the need for the United States--now, more than ever--to stand side by side in support of Israel and its right to defend itself and her citizens. I condemn these terror attacks, and I call on President Obama and leaders of other responsible nations to do the same and to hold Abu Mazen and the Palestinian leadership accountable for these actions.

We must recognize the importance of U.S.-Israel cooperation across a wide spectrum of areas, but particularly our cooperation on security and defense issues.

In the past year, I have had the opportunity to not only see firsthand what our joint efforts have produced with the Iron Dome antimissile defense system, but also why this is such an important venture. Last August, I led a congressional delegation trip to Israel to discuss our bilateral relationship with Prime Minister Netanyahu and other top-ranking Israeli officials. The one thing that we heard repeatedly in almost every meeting was how thankful the Israelis were for the United States Congress' continued support for the Iron Dome and other defense missile systems and our belief in Israel's need to maintain its qualitative military edge over its enemies.

Iron Dome has become known for its accuracy after its remarkable performance in 2012, especially in November of that year during Operation Pillar of Defense, when Hamas terrorists fired thousands of rockets indiscriminately into Israeli civilian populations. The sheer numbers were astounding, and the rate of success is a testament to the U.S.-Israeli cooperation.

So when we arrived in Israel in August of 2013, less than a year after Pillar of Defense, one of the first things that Prime Minister Netanyahu said to us was:

Thank you for Iron Dome. It truly saved countless innocent

Israeli lives.

We visited a deployed Iron Dome battery in northern Israel to see this remarkable piece of technology. We also met the incredible young men and women of the Israeli Defense Forces who operate the Iron Dome batteries. It was impressive and inspiring to see how well these young people handled the weight of such an incredible burden, but that is a testament to the Jewish people and to Israel.

The next time I witnessed firsthand the importance of Iron Dome was just this past summer, Madam Speaker. We were in Israel and in Jordan to get a better understanding of the situation in the Middle East. We had arrived in the region about 2 weeks after the news that Hamas had kidnapped three Israeli teens, Eyal, Naftali, and Gilad. We were in Israel the day that the heart-wrenching news came out that the bodies of these three young boys had been found riddled with bullets in the territories. It was an incredible moment of sadness, of loss, of despair for the entire nation, and we grieved with them when we attended the funeral of the three teenagers.

But Israel had no time to grieve over its loss of these three because Hamas had been engaged in rocket attacks against Israel that began when the three boys were abducted and murdered. Their intensity increased as the search began; and once Israel found the bodies, Hamas began firing rockets, hundreds of rockets into innocent Israeli civilian populations.

Amid the constant barrage of rockets and the continual blares of warning sirens, Iron Dome once again proved its worth and importance. It successfully shot down rocket after rocket aimed at the Israeli people over the course of the latest operation called Protective Edge.

The performance of Iron Dome, Madam Speaker, shows how great both Israeli and American technology and expertise are, and why it is vitally important that our two countries continue to work together on projects

such as Iron Dome, David's Sling, Arrow, and many others.

Congress recognizes this fact, and that is why we continue to fund these major projects in a bipartisan manner, because we understand the threats that Israel faces and we understand the importance of Israel's right to defend herself to ensure her continued existence.

I authored and the House passed the U.S.-Israel Strategic Partnership Act, which bestows upon Israel a unique status as a major strategic ally of the United States, and I hope that one day soon we will be able to pass this bill again in the new Congress and send it to the President for his signature.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Royce and Ranking Member Engel not only for helping bring this bill, H.R. 3583, to the floor today, but for working in such a smooth, bipartisan manner throughout their time over 2 years--and beyond, to infinity--and helping bring all of our Members together on incredibly vexing issues. Whether it is Iraq or Iran or ISIS or you name it, our committee works in a very smooth way. And it is thanks to the leadership at the top.

I also want to thank Congresswoman Granger, Kay Granger, and Ranking Member Nita Lowey of the State Foreign Operations Subcommittee. They joined me in introducing this bill. This bill is as much theirs as it is mine. Also, Senator Boxer, on the Senate side, for her leadership on this issue.

As Chairman Royce so nicely put it, I am a former Florida certified teacher. That is what I used to do in my real life. And I am a lifelong student and one of the most senior women in Congress today. I have been around a long time. So I hold the issue of education very near and dear to my heart.

We know that access to education is a game changer for any society, Mr. Speaker. It could transform developing countries. It improves the lives of so many, especially in the vulnerable populations.

Greater access to education for women and for young girls, it leads to an increased respect for human rights, it leads to a rise in prosperity and well-being, and a more peaceful and stable society.

Everyone wins. A society in which women have unfettered access to the education system expands the horizons not just for the girls and women involved, but for everyone in their community and their nation. These countries that limit access to education for young girls and women are missing out. They are missing out on the untapped potential of nearly half of their population.

Imagine how much more productive and how much better off some of these nations would be if they promoted a more inclusive society.

What are they afraid of? It is no coincidence that the countries that are most susceptible to human trafficking and exploitation or the trappings of extremism and terrorism are also those countries that restrict a woman's access to education.

Education is the most important factor in empowering young girls and women to become successful members of our society, protecting them from the ignorance that enables abuse, radicalization, and exploitation.

And that is precisely the case in Pakistan, a country which has one of the highest number of children out of school already. They are not going to school. Two-thirds of all children out of school are girls.

The numbers are troubling. Barely half of all girls in Pakistan are enrolled in primary schools. And that figure drops to 30 percent for secondary schools. These numbers are even lower in rural areas where poverty is ever increasing and girls have even less access to schools.

A lot of this has to do with the Taliban, Mr. Speaker, that radical terror group that seeks to impose Shari'a law and forbids women, forbids girls from access to education.

That is why this bill is so important. We need to help ensure that we can counter the Taliban's efforts to deny fundamental rights to women and limit their contributions to Pakistani society.

The United States provides Merit and Needs-Based Scholarships to Pakistani children. But this bill will ensure that at least half of those scholarships go to women. There is still much more to be done to ensure access to education for all women in Pakistan and indeed throughout the world.

Doing so would mean a safer society, a healthier society, a more stable and secure world, and so it would be in our national security interest to make it so.

This is but a small step in the right direction. I urge my colleagues to support this bill. I thank again my chairman, Chairman Royce of California,

and Mr. Engel of New York for guiding our committee in such a wonderful bipartisan way.

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow at 1 p.m. Congressman Ted Deutch and I will convene a hearing on the threats that an Iran nuclear deal will have for global security.

We are just 5 days away from the deadline, and this is what is airing right now on Iranian State-run television: ``Iran will not even go back one step from the research and development and the enrichment of uranium.''

This leading ayatollah also threatens U.S. military bases and Israel saying that Iranian ballistic missiles can ``hit and raze to the ground anyplace in Israel as well as any American base in the region.'' State- run television.

Iran continues to make these overt threats to us and to our ally, the democratic Jewish state of Israel, yet President Obama engages this evil regime as if the nuclear program exists in a vacuum.

Mr. Speaker, this is an obtuse and dangerous way to approach the greatest threat to global security, and Congress must not allow any deal with Iran to leave in place the possibility that the regime can obtain a nuclear weapon.

Mr. Speaker, we are just 6 days away from the November 24 Iran nuclear negotiations deadline, and as each day passes and we get closer to the impending deadline, we are presented with more and more evidence that Iran is not serious about abandoning its nuclear ambitions.

Here are the reasons why Iran remains the greatest threat to U.S. national security interests:

Iran has been a U.S.-designated State Sponsor of Terrorism since 1984 and has been the foremost supporter for terrorist groups across the world since the Islamic Revolution in 1979.

Through its proxies likes Hezbollah and Hamas, Iran has targeted America and our ally, the democratic Jewish State of Israel, with violent acts of terror for over three decades, including the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis, the 1983 Beirut bombing and Marine barracks bombing, and the 1992 Israeli Embassy bombing and the 1994 AMIA Jewish community center bombing, both in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Iran has been the chief supporter of Hamas' and Hezbollah's terrorist and rocket attacks in Israel like we saw in the year 2006 and 2012 and again just this past summer. In fact, since the Iranian hostage crisis in 1979, the United States has been officially in a continued state of national emergency with respect to Iran, a state of emergency that President Obama just renewed last week.

Tehran continues to demand that it has a right to enrich its own uranium. After operating a covert nuclear program for decades, Iran forfeited any so-called right to enrichment. Yet the centrifuges continue to spin and President Obama has seemingly acquiesced to Iran's illegitimate claim to enrichment.

The regime in Tehran also maintains an advanced ballistic missile program, a program that just this week it used to threaten Israel and U.S. military bases in the Middle East. And it is a program that continues to expand in violation of several U.N. Security Council resolutions.

Iran also remains one of the world's worst human rights violators. It is currently designated a Tier 1 Country of Particular Concern, a designation reserved for the world's worst, most egregious violators of religious freedom as stated by our own State Department and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. Despite the selection, not a real election, of a so-called moderate last year, Iran's human rights record has only gotten worse as Iran has executed a record number of people under so-called President Rouhani.

And despite all of this clear and indisputable evidence that Iran is led by a dangerous regime that cannot be trusted, these misguided negotiations taking place right now focus solely on Tehran's illicit nuclear program, and none of it is based on its other illicit activities.

So while the President continues to try to reach a deal on Iran's nuclear program at, seemingly, any cost, he has turned a blind eye to the multitude of other threats that Iran poses to us and to global security.

Mr. Speaker, the President and the P5+1 countries are operating as if Iran's nuclear program exists in a vacuum, and, in doing so, it jeopardizes the stability of the Middle East and the security of many of us in the West. There is every reason to believe that these negotiations are just one big ploy by the Iranian regime, and the Obama administration has fallen for it. That is why it is up to us in Congress to be the counterbalance.

Tomorrow, the subcommittee which I chair will be convening a hearing on the Iranian deal with former CIA Director General Hayden as one of our witnesses. The general has said that right now we are not getting the proper monitoring and verification provisions that we need, and he said were he still advising the President, General Hayden would tell him that this deal could not be adequately verified.

That is why we must take action to ensure that the administration does not agree to a weak and bad nuclear deal, and we must not waver in our resolve. Unless the negotiations result in agreement that ends Iran's other illicit activities and ensures that Iran will stop all enrichment and will dismantle its nuclear infrastructure, then we must act to impose and strengthen and expand sanctions against the regime, and the administration must walk away and abandon these foolish and dangerous talks.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my deepest condolences to the families of the four Israelis, three of whom are also American citizens, who were murdered by Palestinian terrorists in Jerusalem during morning prayers in a synagogue.

My thoughts and prayers are with the people of Israel who again have to endure another tragedy at the hands of Palestinian terrorists.

It is no coincidence that this latest string of attacks on innocent Israelis comes after the Supreme Leader of Iran urged Palestinians to use violence against Israel and called for Israel's destruction, as did the terrorist group Hamas.

This is another example of Iran's dangerous meddling in an effort to attack our U.S. interests and Israel, and Hamas's continued incitement of violence and terror.

There is now a clear link to terrorism in both the West Bank and Gaza, and there can be no U.S. taxpayer dollars going to support a unity government that is backed by Hamas and the Palestinian Authority.

Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, at 1 p.m., Congressman Ted Deutch and I will convene a subcommittee hearing on the dangers of a nuclear deal with Iran, the dangers that this could pose for the United States and global security interests.

Retired General Michael Hayden, former Director of both the NSA and the CIA, will be testifying to share his concerns about Iran's past weaponization efforts and the guarantees needed to monitor and verify this agreement. In fact, he has warned that, were he still in his role as CIA Director, he ``would feel compelled to advise the President that the agreement could not be adequately verified.''

Mr. Speaker, Congress needs to remain engaged. We need to continue our oversight. We need to use all the tools that we have available to us, including strengthening and increasing sanctions against this regime, in order to ensure that the President does not sign an agreement that is not in our national security interests.

Madam Speaker, as we approach the November 24 Iran nuclear deadline, we should all be reminded that Iran is a U.S.- designated state sponsor of terrorism. Iran continues to violate multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions, and the regime continues to advance its ballistic missile program, a program that has only one purpose: to launch a nuclear weapon. Iran is one of the world's worst human rights violators and under the so-called moderate Rouhani has been executing people in record numbers.

Yet we recently found out that President Obama sent a secret letter to Iran's Supreme Leader last month. The Supreme Leader responded by releasing a plan to destroy our closest friend and ally, the democratic Jewish State of Israel.

The Iranian regime cannot be trusted. Yet this administration continues to push for a nuclear deal that threatens our U.S. national security interests.

Madam Speaker, we must not allow any deal to be finalized that we view is not in the interests of the United States of America.

Mr. Speaker, we are now just 11 days away from the November 24 deadline for the Iran nuclear negotiations.

President Obama and the P5+1 have fallen for Rouhani's stall tactics, despite having every reason to suspect that Iran was never serious about a deal, and that is precisely why it is imperative that Congress use the mechanisms at our disposal to prevent the

administration from making any nuclear agreement with Iran that seeks to go against our national security interests.

The administration and the P5+1 started with a weak hand, and that has only gotten weaker. That is precisely why the Iranian regime feels emboldened to make proclamations that it will never agree to stop its enrichment and why it insists that it has a right to enrich and that it must be part of the final agreement.

In just the past few days, the IAEA, the U.N. agency that is tasked with monitoring Iran's nuclear program and ensuring its compliance with the joint plan of action, has said that Iran refuses to answer questions about its nuclear program and that it is impeding its investigation into the possible military dimensions of the program. This is amazing.

A former IAEA chief inspector said recently that he believes that Iran lied about the number of advanced centrifuges that it possesses. Iran itself has confirmed that it has tested a new centrifuge that could speed up its enrichment process even further; yet the administration is so desperate to get us to a ``yes'' that it will overlook these very serious and dangerous transgressions.

The President has also failed to include in the negotiations Tehran's ballistic missile program, its support for terror worldwide, and its abysmal human rights record. The Supreme Leader right now is calling to arm Gaza and the West Bank to fight against Israel, and it calls for the democratic Jewish state to be eliminated.

Had the administration come to Congress before it mistakenly entered into these discussions and asked us what we needed to see for an acceptable deal, we would have said keep the sanctions against the Iranian regime. Keep the sanctions, and threaten to even expand them.

We would have kept the only leverage we had against the regime until it agreed to abandon its enrichment and other illicit activities, but the President opted to not do that and, instead, mistakenly eased the sanctions, injecting money into the Iranian economy and giving away our leverage, and he still doesn't look to us for any input.

Mr. Speaker, the administration's idea of consultation is a one-way street. It comes to brief us and our staff on the Iran nuclear deal, but it isn't interested in hearing our input and having that reflected in its approach to the negotiations with Iran.

Mr. Speaker, Congress must not allow this administration to continue to circumvent us and ignore our concerns about this weak negotiating position. We have been saying from day one that this approach was a mistake and that the joint plan of action was a signal that the administration has conceded on the enrichment aspect of the Iran nuclear program.

Iran has already emerged as the clear winner in this whole charade, and the P5+1 nations, especially the United States, look more foolish, more pathetic, and weaker than we did when the North Korean regime implemented the same tactics.

If the President continues to ignore our warnings on signing a nuclear deal that we believe goes against U.S. national security interests, then it is incumbent upon us in Congress to take firm action.

Simply put, we must take action and get serious about preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, and that means ensuring that Iran cannot enrich any uranium at all and that it must dismantle its nuclear infrastructure.

We must start right now by sending an unambiguous message to the administration that we will not accept any deal that leaves Iran with even the slightest capability of producing a nuclear weapon.

Mr. Speaker, we are now less than 2 weeks away from the Iran nuclear negotiations deadline.

A deal that allows Iran to enrich any uranium and to keep in place its nuclear infrastructure is a bad deal. As long as Iran maintains the capability to enrich uranium, it can create a nuclear weapon.

The administration has always misinterpreted the goal of our sanctions. They are to compel Iran to completely abandon its nuclear pursuit.

As the deadline looms and as Republicans are set to control Congress, I urge my colleagues to not allow President Obama to trade away the only leverage we have over the mullahs in

Tehran in exchange for minor and easy reversible modifications by Iran on its nuclear weapons program. Simply pushing back Iran's breakout time is not in the interests of the U.S. national security. Ensuring that there will never be an Iranian bomb is in our Nation's interest.

Mr. Speaker, it is a great honor for me to commemorate the National Day of the Republic of China, commonly known as Taiwan. National Day is on October 10, when the people of Taiwan will celebrate the birth of their country. I am proud to memorialize this significant milestone here in Congress in tribute to the great spirit and pride of the people of Taiwan, our close friend and ally. The alliance between Taiwan and the United States is strong but I believe it is time to take even bolder steps to improve and enrich our cooperation on a range of important issues that confront both of our nations.

Already our 12th-largest trading partner, we should be acting aggressively to enhance our economic relationship with Taiwan in ways that will benefit both our nations. A Bilateral Investment Agreement with Taiwan is long overdue and I urge the Administration to conclude negotiations in an expeditious manner so that our two nations can sign an agreement as soon as possible. In addition to bolstering Taiwan's economic strength, there is much

more the United States can do to support our democratic ally politically and militarily. We must support Taiwan's democracy and the human rights of the Taiwanese people by providing the tools and assistance necessary to resist Chinese coercion. The United States should help to modernize Taiwan's defense capabilities by building its capacity to partner with other friendly foreign militaries and through the sale of necessary defense articles. We can also support Taiwan by encouraging visits by high-level officials between our nations and supporting the meaningful participation of Taiwan in international organizations.

Along with my colleagues Representatives Mario Diaz-Balart, Albio Sires, Gerry Connolly, and John Carter, the co-Chairs of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, I have introduced legislation called the Taiwan Policy Act that would accomplish these objectives, strengthening the U.S.-Taiwan relationship politically, economically, and militarily. As Taiwan's National Day approaches, let us use this auspicious occasion to find ways to improve our relations even further. Taiwan is a beacon of freedom in the Pacific and we cannot afford to support Taiwan any less than to the best of our ability. Happy Double Ten Day, Taiwan.

Madam Speaker, I thank our chairman.

This proposal just examines one piece of the puzzle, not the totality of the Syrian crisis. The White House should have come to Congress for a full authorization for use of military force in Syria to put all of our options on the table with no limitations.

ISIS is part of the radical Islam threat, which the 9/11 Commission identified as a serious threat to U.S. national security and to world peace and stability.

I have serious reservations about the President's plan to train and equip the so-called ``moderate opposition'' in Syria because we don't want ISIL to get even more of our equipment and arms, as it did in Iraq.

ISIL is not the only terror group in Syria, Madam Speaker, nor is it the only hurdle for stability in Syria and Iraq. There are dangerous terrorist groups operating in Syria, like al-Nusra and other terrorist organizations, that are waiting to take up the mantle should ISIL fall. And, then, of course, Assad is still responsible for the deaths of over 200,000 people.

Last year, the President failed to act militarily when Assad used chemical weapons against his own people. We cannot have a plan that does not address the removal of Assad simultaneously alongside the destruction of ISIL and other terrorist threats.

Even though I will vote for the McKeon amendment, we still won't be approaching this situation in a comprehensive manner that is required.

We were successful in isolating Iran with sanctions until we unraveled that with these nuclear negotiations. We can do the same in Syria. I am afraid that this misguided negotiations approach in Iran will preempt many to acquiesce and take a deal that will undermine our national security and leave Iran with enrichment capabilities.

That, Madam Speaker, is a real and present danger in the Middle East: a nuclear Iran. This could be a calamity for the region and U.S. national security interests, such as the safety and the security of our strong ally, the democratic Jewish State of Israel.

Yesterday, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dempsey, revealed that the use of military forces on the ground may be needed in Syria. If our military officials believe that it is absolutely necessary to use the U.S. military on the ground, I would fully support that.

We cannot take anything off the table and showcase to the terrorists what we are not willing to do. The full range of United States political, economic, and military power must be brought to bear against this radical threat. Announcing to the enemy a self-imposed limit on the part of our arsenal is signaling that we do not possess the necessary will to prevail against radical Islam.

I thank the chairman for the leadership.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Mr. Collins and especially Mr. Issa, the chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, as well as our ranking member, for approving this bill and for

bringing it one step closer to its full consideration by the House today.

This legislation would name a post office in my congressional district in Princeton, Florida, an area in the southern part of Miami- Dade County, after a local hero, Marine Corporal Christian A. Guzman Rivera, who was killed by an IED, an improvised explosive device, while serving our country in Afghanistan.

Christian was 21 years old, and was killed in the western province of Afghanistan in a place called Farah by the enemies of freedom and democracy.

Christian was born on the tropical island of Puerto Rico on December 3, 1987. Two years later he moved with his family to south Florida, where he attended our public schools and joined the Junior ROTC at Homestead Senior High School.

Previously a shy boy, Christian became a more confident young man through his leadership experience in JROTC.

Upon graduation from Homestead High in 2006, he enrolled in Miami- Dade County's Fire Rescue Academy and graduated from the firefighter program. Christian also became a certified emergency medical technician, an EMT.

But Christian, who was always dedicated to public service, also wanted to serve our country in our Armed Forces. His peers say that for Christian, becoming a Marine was not a spur of the moment decision, it was his destiny. He knew it all along.

As the proud wife of a Vietnam combat veteran who volunteered for service and was severely injured in battle, and as the stepmother of two Marine aviators, I am familiar with this military calling.

During a time when the United States was involved in wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan, Christian volunteered for Active Duty service. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps.

In May 2009, Christian was deployed to Afghanistan as a combat engineer attached to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment.

In Afghanistan, Christian excelled. He understood his duties and his responsibilities and carried them out to the best of his abilities. He was known to be one of the most dependable combat engineer Marines in the battalion.

When his squad leader was wounded and hospitalized for a month, Christian stepped up and assumed his leadership role. Other Marines sometimes requested him specifically by name to accompany them on dangerous patrols.

First Lieutenant Enming Lou, a former Marine Corps officer, said this about Christian A. Guzman Rivera: ``Senior explosive technicians thought of Christian as among the best combat engineers in the battalion.''

On August 6, 2009, Christian was killed while serving during Operation Enduring Freedom in Farah Province, Afghanistan. Christian made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of liberty and democracy, the cornerstones of America's ideals.

His military awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, the Purple Heart Medal, and the Combat Action Ribbon.

Five years have passed, and Christian was and still is deeply missed by close friends in south Florida, by fellow Marines who had the privilege of serving with him, and a close-knit family who could never replace the void left in their lives.

He is survived, loved, and remembered by his mother, Velma, a wonderful lady; by his wonderful stepdad, Felix; his brother, Jonathan; his uncle, Chris, and aunts Rebecca and Vilma; his grandmother, Carmen; and cousins and friends who have endured great pain remembering Christian's sacrifice in the name of country and honor.

Mr. Speaker, Christian's brave service exceeded all measures of selflessness and devotion to our country, and I encourage my colleagues to honor Corporal Christian Guzman's memory and support this bill.

I am proud to name the Corporal Christian A. Guzman Rivera Post Office Building after our local hero who courageously sacrificed his life in the line of duty so that we could enjoy the freedom that makes our wonderful country so special.

Christian is deserving of our continuous praise and gratitude, and I am humbled in presenting this bill to my colleagues, and I pray that our good Lord will continue to give strength to Christian's family.

I thank my good friend, the chairman of our committee, Ed Royce of California, as well as the ranking member, Eliot Engel, for their continued efforts in support of human rights and Israel's right to defend herself.

Mr. Speaker, this resolution condemning Hamas' use of human shields in violation of international humanitarian law is an extremely important and timely measure, given the current situation in Israel and Gaza.

I want to first thank my colleague from South Florida, Ted Deutch, for joining me in introducing this legislation. It was at an official factfinding mission trip that we took to the Middle East earlier this month where Ted and I realized how important this measure was needed.

While we were there, Hamas had already begun to increase the frequency of indiscriminate rocket attacks against Israel. Prime Minister Netanyahu was compelled to respond, but made it clear from the very beginning that the objective was to restore peace and security to the people of Israel and that quiet would be met with quiet, but Hamas would not relent and only increased its attacks.

While Hamas was firing rockets at innocent Israeli civilians, Israel was taking every step imaginable to avoid Palestinian civilian casualties. Hamas' response was to intentionally place the Palestinians in harm's way.

It stores its rockets and weapons underneath the homes of Palestinians and even in at least three schools run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, and it uses Palestinian men, women, and children as human shields, in violation of international humanitarian law, by placing its missile batteries in densely-populated areas and near schools, hospitals, and mosques.

Mr. Speaker, the contrast between Israel--a legitimate sovereign state--and Hamas--a terrorist organization--could not be any clearer. Israel values and goes to great lengths to protect human life, while Hamas has no respect for human life and goes to great lengths to sacrifice anyone, including the Palestinian people, in the name of its war against Israel.

Israel has accepted repeated cease-fire offers. Hamas has rejected them all. While Israel seeks to fight terrorism, Hamas is an internationally recognized terror organization that is being supported by countries like Qatar in its war against our true democratic ally, Israel, yet it is Israel that wrongfully faces international condemnation for exercising her right to protect her citizens and defend herself and gets singled out when the world should be condemning Hamas.

Last week, Mr. Speaker, the U.N. Human Rights Council, an institution that has been leading the anti-Israel charge for years now and has since lost any legitimacy that it might have had, passed a resolution to investigate what it calls war crimes and human rights violations by Israel, not Hamas.

There was not even a word about Hamas' attacks against innocent Israeli civilians, nor Hamas' use of Palestinians as human shields. Of the 47 members on the Human Rights Council, you would think that there would be many voices of reason--or some voices of reason--to speak out against this obvious anti-Israel bias, but the United States was the lone voice of dissent against this anti-Israel resolution.

Our so-called European allies lacked the courage of their convictions, and they couldn't even muster the resolve to vote for or against the resolution. Instead, they abstained. This is a disgrace, and it is a shame.

If the United Nations Human Rights Council will not act and use its voice, that is why it is so important for the U.S. House of Representatives to pass this resolution and not only stand up for the Palestinian people who have been made pawns in Hamas' mission to destroy Israel, to their detriment, but for Israel in the face of this biased anti-Israel agenda.

We must be the counterbalance, Mr. Speaker. We must send a message to the world that we will continue to stand alongside Israel and that we will condemn Hamas and its use of human shields. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution to stand up for our ally, Israel, and to stand up for human rights and American ideals and principles.

I thank the chairman, Mr. Royce, and the ranking member, Mr. Engel, as well as my South Florida colleague, Mr. Deutch, for their help.