Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be one of the many Members of Congress who serve as Honorary Race Chair for this year's Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run and 5K Walk.

I'm even prouder that my daughter, Patricia Lehtinen, will be taking part in the ten mile race, which will be held this Sunday, April 1 at 7:30 a.m.

Beginning and ending at the grounds of the Washington Monument, this race raises awareness for the Children's Miracle Network and has helped millions of children in hospitals who might not otherwise be able to afford treatment.

Children's Miracle Network is a network of 170 affiliate hospitals across the United States, including Miami Children's Hospital in my South Florida community.

Miami Children's is a world leader in pediatric healthcare and South Florida's only freestanding hospital dedicated exclusively to children.

I thank the nearly 200 of my congressional colleagues who are also Honorary Race Chairs for this year's event.

Our congressional community can get involved and make a difference together, without fanfare, or votes, or debate and just do the right thing and help.

I encourage everyone do their part and help in this worthy cause.

Mr. Speaker, as a popular tourist destination, south Florida is known for its nightlife and sandy beaches, but unfortunately this has also made our area a destination for human trafficking. Thankfully, Kristi House has been a beacon of hope for our community by providing abused children the care they so desperately need.

Recently, Kristi House saw the need to try to identify and intercept traffickers and their victims as they use our air- and seaports. As a result, Kristi House has teamed up with Miami International Airport and the Port of Miami in an unprecedented partnership. MIA and Port of Miami employees will undergo special training that will allow them to identify child victims of human trafficking and hold their traffickers accountable. Approximately 750 personnel at MIA will be trained, as well as 1,500 trained by the Port Authority.

This unique collaboration is positioned to become a national model that will be invaluable in the fight against human trafficking. I again congratulate Kristi House on this tremendous achievement.

Madam Speaker, I would like to begin my remarks by commending all the citizens and young students in my congressional district and, indeed, throughout the country who have worked so hard to raise awareness about Joseph Kony and his brutal crimes. As we can see in this poster, there's Kony, and these are just a few of the photos of so many innocents who have been mutilated by Kony and his thugs.

Joseph Kony is a mass murderer, whose campaign of violence against innocent civilians spans decades. The predatory forces doing his bidding are known as the Lord's Resistance Army, or LRA, and they have perpetrated some of the worst human rights abuses of our time.

Under the direction of Kony, the LRA has murdered, raped, mutilated, and abducted tens of thousands of innocent people, many of whom are children. They target remote villages, butchering civilians, abducting women and children to serve as sex slaves and fighters. Kony's bloody reach now extends to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, and the newly formed Republic of South Sudan.

One measure that we could accomplish would be for the U.N. peacekeeping missions in the region to more effectively coordinate their actions and share information related to Kony and the LRA, because this is a threat that crosses many international borders.

I'd like to thank my colleague, Congressman Ed Royce, for introducing a new bill, H.R. 4077, which I proudly support. H.R. 4077 would authorize the Secretary of State to use the State Department's Rewards Program to gain intelligence and strengthen the capacity of those who are actively engaged in fighting transnational organized crime and also apply it to the search for Kony and the LRA.

This program has served as a valuable incentive for those with crucial information to come forward and help round up foreign nationals wanted for a range of brutal crimes and activities that threaten regional and global security and stability and U.S. national security interests. It will be an important tool in helping bring Kony and his circle of thugs, the Lord's Resistance Army, to justice.

I'd also like to thank Congressman Jim McGovern for introducing House Resolution 583, of which I am also a proud cosponsor. Mr. McGovern's resolution echoes current law and puts the House on record in strong support of U.S. efforts to counter the Lord's Resistance Army. It urges the President to work closely with Congress to address critical gaps in U.S. strategy and to enhance U.S. support for the regional measures already there to fight the Lord's Resistance Army.

As we have seen over the past 25 years, Kony's assault on innocent lives has no limits. Now is the time to help bring Joseph Kony and his fellow criminals to justice. As a Nation, let us assure that we have done all that we can to end this ongoing tragedy and hold this evil man accountable for all of his crimes.

I thank all of the young people throughout my district who have communicated through Twitter and Facebook and different modes of social media to express their outrage over Kony's evil deeds; but now, let's take action. Let's pass these bills.

Mr. Speaker, in the last year we have witnessed dramatic changes in the Middle East and north Africa. There was vast media coverage detailing the brutality of oppressors like Assad in Syria. Yet very little has been said about the escalation of violence against Cuba's internal opposition, a peaceful group that is being attacked by Castro tyrants and their agents of terror, as we can see in these photos in this poster right next to me, and they're operating just 90 miles from U.S. shores.

But there is an opportunity to correct this wrong, to join forces and shed light on the systematic abuses against freedom-loving Cubans, and to call on Pope Benedict XVI as he prepares to visit the island gulag to publicly support the aspirations of the enslaved Cuban people to exercise their God-given rights.

The Cuban dictatorship has ramped up its use of short-term detentions in order to intimidate and silence the voices of these brave Cubans; and you see here the Ladies in White, and I will explain who they are. They're standing up against tyranny and oppression.

The Castro regime has continued its assault on fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of religion and the freedom of speech. The Cuban people are reminded daily that no dissent is ever allowed as they live under constant threat and surveillance by Cuban state security forces. Regime sympathizers and security forces have actually barred opposition leaders from leaving their homes and have violently attacked other peaceful, pro-democracy protesters on the streets.

Just 48 hours ago, the Castro regime detained about 70 members of the peaceful Ladies in White movement, including 18 women who were arrested in Havana on their way to mass. Berta Soler, an important leader in Ladies in White, was detained during the crackdown.

The Ladies in White, as we can see here, they're a peaceful group, founded by wives, mothers, and daughters of political prisoners who have suffered in Castro's gulags. These ladies are advocates of freedom; and by silently marching as they do through the streets, they convey a powerful message of peace and a voice for all the oppressed. The Ladies in White have expressed their interest in meeting with the Pope during his visit next week but have not been able to confirm that meeting.

A few days ago, 13 members of Cuba's opposition staged a peaceful sit-in at a Catholic church in Havana to call attention to their request for Pope Benedict XVI to meet with pro-democracy advocates during his visit to the island. Reports indicate that Castro agents forcibly removed these human rights defenders from the church, detained them, and subjected them to severe interrogation.

It is my hope, Mr. Speaker, that Pope Benedict will meet with these brave dissidents--as you can see in this new poster, they were dragged through the streets--and shine a light on the struggles of the Cuban people who are living under the rule of the oppressive Castro brothers.

I urge the Catholic church to express its support and solidarity with the internal peaceful opposition and hear the voices of the dissidents who are yearning for freedom. As you can see here, they're being attacked; they're dragged through the streets in Cuba.

The passionate struggle of the internal opposition will not be deterred by the abuses that are occurring daily at the hands of the Castro regime. These recent crackdowns by the regime illustrate its fear, its paranoia, its concern that the Cuban people are no longer afraid of the regime and are demanding a democratic change on the island.

The citizens of Cuba are denied basic human rights by the Castro regime, including the freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, and due process of law. These fundamental freedoms should not be reserved for the citizens of some countries while denied to those in other nations.

I urge free nations, responsible nations, to condemn the recent action by the Castro brothers, as shown here, to speak out against the atrocities that

are committed daily in Cuba, and to reaffirm unconditional support for the Cuban people who seek to break free from the shackles of the Castro tyranny.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize the 100th anniversary of the Beth David Congregation in my congressional district. This Saturday, March 24, Beth David will hold its centennial celebration to honor its congregation and its founding members.

For the last century, Beth David has been the cornerstone of the south Florida Jewish community. What started out as a congregation of just a handful of dedicated Jewish families has become a dynamic, thriving institution that is the cultural and educational epicenter for Judaism in south Florida.

But Beth David does not just have an incredibly rich history of outstanding service to the Jewish community. No, the congregation has been at the forefront and actively engaging our entire community, tirelessly working to repair the community one mitzvah at a time. And for that I congratulate Beth David, and I thank all of the congregation for everything they have done and everything they have meant to our south Florida community.

I wish them continued success and 100 more years.

I thank the gentlelady for yielding me this time. Just a few hours ago, we lost a dear friend, an esteemed and honored and respected colleague, Congressman Don Payne of New Jersey.

Don was a proud member of the New Jersey delegation. He was a faithful servant to his constituents. For more than two decades, he served them in this body. He was also a committed member of our Foreign Affairs Committee. He was chairman and the ranking Democrat on the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health and Human Rights; and in that capacity he showed us his unwavering commitment to fighting diseases worldwide, but especially in Africa. He shone the light on human rights abuses throughout the world. Don's tireless efforts provided a voice for the afflicted and for the oppressed.

We are saddened as an institution, as a body, and as friends by the loss of such a courageous and loyal and conscientious public servant. Don will be greatly missed by our Foreign Affairs Committee because he was such a tireless advocate for the causes for which he felt such passion.

He will be missed here on the House floor because he was ever present whenever there was an important issue to be debated. He will be missed in his home State of New Jersey where he was so revered and respected by his constituents whom he so faithfully served. He will be missed especially by the thousands and, indeed, countless people whom we will never know who he inspired and he impacted throughout his tenure and long career in public service.

So without a doubt, Congressman Don Payne's contributions will be remembered for many years to come, and our thoughts and prayers are with all of the Members of the Payne family and all of the people whom he touched in a very special way.

I thank the gentlelady for the time; and in our Foreign Affairs Committee tomorrow, we will hold a special remembrance for Congressman Don Payne.

Mr. Speaker, Rabbi Solomon Schiff is a dedicated husband to his wife Shirley, a proud father to three sons and doting grandfather of seven. He is a world renowned spiritual leader and humanitarian whose compassion knows no bounds. Rabbi Schiff is a masterful storyteller with a penchant for comedy whose words evoke inspiration and emotion, and he is one of the most ardent Miami Dolphins supporters anyone will ever meet.

Rabbi Schiff has led a remarkable life that has taken him from New York to Illinois, Iowa and to Miami; he has traveled the globe, from Israel to Jordan, Rome, Berlin and Warsaw all in an effort to promote human rights and to live up to his religious obligations. And he has now recently decided to put pen to paper and share his life story with us, publishing his memoir ``Under the Yarmulke: Tales of Faith, Fun and Football.''

In this touching, and often comical retelling of his life, Rabbi Schiff shares with us his encounters with Presidents and Prime Ministers; Kings and world leaders; the Dalai Lama and the Pope; and an untold number of people of all faiths and walks of life. He has given the opening prayer on both the House and Senate floors, and has given the benediction at the White House and even on the home field of his beloved Miami Dolphins.

Though all of this would be more than enough for one man to be proud of, Rabbi Schiff takes the most pride in living out his own motto: ``Live and help live.'' And in his memoir, Rabbi Schiff shares with us some of the many ways he has struggled to help so many fight for justice worldwide. It is a truly inspirational story, and I commend him on all of his achievements.

Rabbi Schiff is a man of honor; he is a man of integrity and of compassion. But most of all, he is a man of action whose spiritual guidance and unwavering commitment to the betterment of peace and tranquility for all has carved an enduring legacy. He serves as a reminder to us all that we each have the capacity to make this world a better place.

We in South Florida have had the pleasure of having Rabbi Schiff working to unite the communities of all faiths for over 50 years now. He has been a pillar of the community, and a beacon of inspiration. We congratulate Rabbi Schiff on all of his achievements and accolades over the years, and we thank him for all of his efforts in South Florida and across the globe. We thank Rabbi Solomon Schiff for sharing these touching moments with us, and wish him all the best as he continues to write the next chapters of his life.

Madam Speaker, I'm so pleased to recognize the 20th anniversary of the Florida Keys Outreach Coalition.

For 20 years, Reverend Stephen Braddock and the Florida Keys Outreach Coalition have worked to empower individuals and families, assisting them in reaching their full potential by providing the resources and support they need to become self-sufficient.

In its mission to, very simply, eliminate homelessness in the Keys, Monroe County, the Florida Keys Outreach Coalition has become a model human services organization in reaching this goal. Its goal has become a reality for many families who have transitioned from homelessness into permanent housing.

I've had the great privilege of seeing their work firsthand, and it is nothing short of inspirational. I've witnessed the effectiveness of their outreach efforts, and I have seen the benefits of their emergency shelter and transitional housing programs.

I applaud everyone at the Florida Keys Outreach Coalition for their selfless efforts as they strive to better the future for the homeless. Thank you for 20 years of service to our south Florida community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Bacardi on its 150th anniversary. The company was founded by Don Facundo Bacardi Masso in Santiago de Cuba on February 4, 1862, and overcame multiple adversities to become the largest privately-held spirits company, one that today sells more than 200 brands and labels in more than 150 markets globally, and the third largest spirits company in the world. Family-owned and run for seven generations, the Company employs nearly 6,000 people around the world. Bacardi has a significant presence and history in the United States.

As its business grew in Cuba, Bacardi capitalized on growing opportunities abroad and expanded outside of Cuba as Cuba's first multinational company. In 1916, the Company established a bottling facility in New York City. Bacardi rum is distributed by Bacardi U.S.A., Inc. based in my home district of Coral Gables, Florida. Having toured the offices recently, I've seen first hand the energy and excitement in the employees about the company.

I congratulate the Bacardi rum brand on its 150th anniversary and commend the Bacardi Company for 150 years of business perseverance and commitment to continue sustainable business practices, fairness to employees and generosity to the community at large that built Bacardi during the past 150 years.

Mr. Speaker, the Kingdom of Morocco is an important strategic partner, and I support its continuing reform efforts to make it a more democratic and prosperous nation. Last month's elections in Morocco were another important step toward building a more democratic and inclusive country. The level of participation in the election of a new parliament demonstrates popular support for this reform agenda.

I support the democratic aspirations of the Moroccan people and encourage its new parliament and government to follow through on constitutional and other reforms to protect fundamental freedoms and human rights.

Additionally, the U.S. must continue to seek a fair, just, and enduring solution to the Western Sahara in order to promote regional integration and protect U.S. security interests in the region.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendments to the bill (H.R. 515) to reauthorize the Belarus Democracy Act of 2004.

I ask unanimous consent that all Members may

have 5 legislative days to submit for the Record statements and extraneous materials on this measure.

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

I rise in support of H.R. 515, the Belarus Democracy and Human Rights Act. Before I begin my prepared remarks, however, I would like to take a moment to honor the life of former President Vaclav Havel, an inspirational leader and lifelong advocate for the cause of freedom.

Throughout his lifetime, Havel was part of an incredible transformation of Czechoslovakia, from an oppressive, communist Soviet satellite to the free, democratic, independent nation that is the Czech Republic. Many people at that time had given up hope that such a transformation was possible. It was beyond their imagination. But Vaclav Havel never lost faith and believed that people yearning for liberty could come together and affect incredible change.

Even following the liberation of his own country, Mr. Havel continued to champion the cause of the oppressed around the world, adding his voice to those calling for freedom in countries throughout Europe, the Balkans, and even my native homeland of Cuba.

As he eloquently said after the Velvet Revolution that brought liberty to his people: ``None of us know all of the potentialities that slumber in the spirit of the population, or all the ways in which that population can surprise us when there is the right interplay of events.''

It is therefore fitting that we come here today to consider this measure to support the democratic movement in a country relatively near Mr. Havel's homeland, a country called the ``last dictatorship in Europe.''

The brutal Lukashenko regime in Belarus has time and again proven itself to be unrepentant in the oppression of its own people. Despite claims of reform by those in leadership positions, there have been no real changes in Belarus. It seems that's the same script that all communist or communist-style dictators are using these days. It's the same facade the Cuban dictatorship seeks to perpetuate.

Hundreds of political prisoners remain in jail in Belarus, including two former Presidential candidates and a well-respected human rights defender, and credible reports indicate these prisoners are frequently subjected to degrading and inhumane treatment. Even those who have been previously released in attempted overtures to the West frequently are rearrested or face some other type of intimidation and retribution.

Mr. Speaker, last year, the world watched as over 700 pro-democracy protesters were arrested en masse. Their crime? Simply clapping their hands--their hands. This was their peaceful expression of dissent with the regime and fraudulent elections which kept it in power. For clapping their hands.

Today marks the 1-year anniversary of those protests, and how does Belarus' dictator choose to mark this occasion? He has had police summon a key democratic opposition leader and has detained several independent journalists. This clearly shows that the regime is not interested in reform, only in retaining power--power through the muzzling of the opposition, power through the silencing of independent journalists, and power through the repression of its own people.

But as Mr. Havel stated, there is great potential in people who are calling for their own liberty. The people of Belarus are actively calling for their liberty, and this measure before us today provides them with the assistance and the resources they need to continue their valiant struggles.

I urge my colleagues to join us in showing their support for the people of Belarus by passing this important bill today.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights, a strong advocate for freedom everywhere and the author of the bill before us.

I have no further requests for time. I just wanted to thank my friend from Virginia for his statements, and I want to thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) for his leadership on all things related to human rights, freedom, and liberty.

What an interesting weekend that we saw, not just the death of Mr. Havel but, at the same time, the death of Kim Jong Il. What an incredible juxtaposition to see a wonderful human rights leader like Mr. Havel and then at the same time a terrible despot like Kim Jong Il who was responsible for actually starving his people as well as having them hunger for freedom and justice.

With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendments to the bill (H.R. 2867) to reauthorize the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, and for other purposes.

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

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

The right to free religious belief and practice is a fundamental human right. But as Coptic Christians in Egypt and other religious minorities can attest, that right is frequently and tragically denied. It was for this reason that Congress established the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, an independent, bipartisan Federal Commission charged with monitoring and protecting and promoting religious freedom abroad.

Our State Department prioritizes an array of diplomatic, economic, and other issues that sometimes keep it from speaking and acting boldly against religious suppression. For this

reason alone, the single-minded role of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom as a truth-telling watchdog and policy advocate remains critically important. The commission's annual report, its list of countries meriting CPC designation, and its special reports push American foreign policy to better reflect America's most cherished liberties.

For example, in spite of long-standing abuses, Vietnam has not been redesignated by the State Department as a Country of Particular Concern, CPC, for religious freedom violations. But the Commission has built a compelling case for Vietnam's CPC status, reporting on the repression of protestants in the Central Highlands, unregistered Buddhist groups, and others--a call that was echoed by our Foreign Affairs Committee earlier this year in our State authorization bill.

Yet, the Commission will soon have to shut its doors unless Congress acts immediately to reauthorize it.

For this reason, the House overwhelmingly passed H.R. 2867 back in September. This bipartisan bill would reform and reauthorize the Commission and, in recognition of the fiscal challenges we face, includes funding that is a 30 percent cut from current year funding levels.

Finally 3 days ago, the Senate unanimously passed H.R. 2867, along with a brief amendment which is before us today. The Senate amendment adds a few additional reforms, including standard Federal regulation of Commission travel, to those required by our House bill.

I want to thank my good friend from Virginia, Mr. Frank Wolf, for his indispensable leadership in authoring this bill. I also want to thank my ranking member, Mr. Berman of California, and our Senate colleagues for their cooperation.

I urge all of our colleagues to join us in voting ``aye'' and sending H.R. 2867 to the President's desk as soon as possible. Let us remind the world that we stand as one against the persecution of religious believers anywhere.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wolf), chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations and the author of this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier), chairman of the Committee on Rules.

Mr. Speaker, with that, I have no further requests

for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1905) to strengthen Iran sanctions laws for the purpose of compelling Iran to abandon its pursuit of nuclear weapons and other threatening activities, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from California (Mr. Berman) be allowed to control half of the time in the affirmative.

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

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

I rise in strong support of the Iran Threat Reduction Act, which I introduced together with the distinguished ranking member of our committee, the gentleman from California (Mr. Berman). I would also like to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Sherman), the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade, for his key contributions on this bill.

As is well known and articulated in the Declaration of National Emergency continued by successive U.S. Presidents, the Iranian regime poses an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States.

The revelation in October of Iran's plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the United States on our soil and in the process murder and maim countless Americans is a stark reminder of the regime's desire of a world without America. The exemplary work of U.S. officials foiled their plot, but the regime's threat remains. We would be naive to think that they will not try again.

Meanwhile, Tehran continues to call for the destruction of our ally, Israel, while denying the Holocaust and making every effort to isolate the Jewish state. Ahmadinejad is more than willing to put Iran's money where his mouth is, providing weapons, money, and support for several terrorist groups, including Hezbollah and Hamas, which are waging war against Israel and our allies in the Middle East.

And last month, the International Atomic Energy Agency released a report providing extensive evidence that Tehran has been working on nuclear weapons for years, despite repeated calls for the regime to abandon these efforts. Their hostility is evident, and their intentions are crystal clear. We clearly understand the urgency of the Iranian threat.

Many of our closest allies understand this sense of urgency--from the Israelis to the British and the Canadians. We tried the olive branch of engagement, negotiation, and diplomacy. And what did we get, Mr. Speaker? Diatribes against the United States and our allies and a plot to shed blood on our soil.

The resolution passed by the IAEA Board of Governors in November does not even begin to cover the ground that we need. The resolution had no deadline for compliance by the regime and no consequence, just rhetoric. We need overwhelming, crippling sanctions against Iranian officials and their nuclear program; and we need those sanctions to be fully implemented with serious penalties for their violation.

We must undermine the foundations of the Iranian regime in order to compel it to abandon its deadly path. The Iran Threat Reduction Act closes loopholes in existing sanctions against Iran's energy and financial sectors, sanctions senior Iranian regime officials and expands sanctions against those who help rogue regimes expand their dangerous weapons programs.

I hope that our Members join us in stopping this dangerous regime in its tracks.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to place in the Record my correspondence with the chairmen of other committees of referral on this bill.

House of Representatives,

Committee on the Judiciary,

Washington, DC, November 4, 2011.

Hon. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen,

Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Rayburn House

Office Building, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Ros-Lehtinen: I am writing concerning H.R.

1905, the ``Iran Threat Reduction Act of 2011,'' which the

Committee on Foreign Affairs reported favorably. As a result

of your having consulted with us on provisions in H.R. 1905

that fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on

the Judiciary, we are able to agree to discharging our

Committee from further consideration of this bill in order

that it may proceed expeditiously to the House floor for

consideration.

The Judiciary Committee takes this action with our mutual

understanding that by foregoing consideration of H.R. 1905 at

this time, we do not waive any jurisdiction over subject

matter contained in this or similar legislation, and that our

Committee will be appropriately consulted and involved as the

bill or similar legislation moves forward so that we may

address any remaining issues in our jurisdiction. Our

Committee also reserves the right to seek appointment of an

appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate

conference involving this or similar legislation, and

requests your support for any such request.

I would appreciate your response to this letter confirming

this understanding with respect to H.R. 1905, and would ask

that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be

included in the Congressional Record during floor

consideration.

Sincerely,

Lamar Smith,

Chairman.

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

A nuclear Iran is unacceptable. Our fundamental strategic objective must be to stop Iran before it obtains nuclear weapons capabilities and to compel it to permanently dismantle its pursuit of such weapons. That is the test we face. And if we fail, it will come as no consolation to the families of the victims of past and future Iranian attacks or to our allies.

We don't know how much time we have left. In its report on Iran's nuclear program last November, the International Atomic Energy Agency stated that not only has Iran continued to make significant progress regarding its nuclear program, but the IAEA said that it had uncovered solid evidence that Iran has been working on a nuclear explosive device as well.

Given the Iranian regime's history of concealing its clandestine nuclear activities, Tehran may very well be closer to a nuclear weapons capability than we even assume. Some estimates now place them a mere 6 months to a year away from having all the ingredients in place to build a nuclear weapon. Every day they move closer and closer to realizing their nuclear ambitions, and our nightmare scenario moves closer and closer to becoming a reality.

The Iranian regime is not interested in any outcome other than a nuclear Iran, though they are happy to use negotiations to buy time to make progress in their nuclear program. Yet we know that when sanctions have been applied, even limited sanctions, they have had an impact on the Iranian regime.

It is time to build on this lesson and apply crippling sanctions against the regime and its enablers. That is the purpose of the bill before us, the Iran Threat Reduction Act, which our Foreign Affairs Committee adopted unanimously last month. This legislation updates and strengthens previous Iran sanctions laws so that the United States can take effective action to address the multiple threats posed by the regime in Tehran.

The bill closes loopholes in the energy and financial sanctions that are in place now and counters the regime's efforts to evade them, including by targeting the Central Bank of Iran. The bill also focuses on the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and the senior Iranian regime officials.

Over 350 Members of Congress have cosponsored this strongly bipartisan legislation. Let us meet our responsibilities to the American people and protect the security of our Nation from this growing threat.

With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Olson), an esteemed member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

I have no further requests for time, and I reserve the balance of my time to close.

As I said, Mr. Speaker, I am going to close; so the gentleman from Ohio must use his time.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Iran remains the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism. According to our Treasury Department, Iran is a critical transit point for funding to support al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan. This network serves as the core pipeline through which al Qaeda moves money, facilitators, and operatives from across the Middle East to South Asia, including al Qaeda's operational commander. Also, Tehran is providing key support to the regime in Damascus, another state sponsor of terrorism that is of proliferation concern and which is currently engaged in the violent repression of the people of Syria.

Iran is also directly responsible for the deaths of many Americans. It continues to sponsor violent extremist groups in Iraq and Afghanistan that have killed our men and women in uniform. Just last week, a Federal judge found that the Iranian regime provided material aid and support for al Qaeda's 1998 attacks on the U.S. Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.

Just imagine what an emboldened Iran would do if allowed to obtain nuclear weapons and the means by which to deliver them. Remember what the regime has already said that it wants to do. Ahmadinejad has openly proclaimed that Iran seeks a world without America and Zionism; and Iran's so-called supreme leader has stated

that Iran is prepared to transfer the experience, knowledge, and technology of its scientists.

We should take them at their word and impose crippling sanctions on this regime, and it starts tonight, Mr. Speaker, with this bill, H.R. 1905, the Iran Threat Reduction Act. Let's pass it tonight.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2105) to provide for the application of measures to foreign persons who transfer to Iran, North Korea, and Syria certain goods, services, or technology, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from California (Mr. Berman) be allowed to control one-half of the time in the affirmative.

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

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

I rise in strong support of the Iran, North Korea, and Syria Nonproliferation Reform and Modernization Act which I introduced, together with the ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee's Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade, my good friend from California (Mr. Sherman). I would also like to thank the ranking member of the full committee, the gentleman from California, for his significant contributions to this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, Iran, North Korea, and Syria are key elements in an expanding global proliferation network. North Korea has long been a willing merchant of death for anyone with cash and has played a crucial role in the development of Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile program. But Iran is only one of many customers. In 2010, the U.N. Security Council released a report saying that North Korea continues to market and export its nuclear and ballistic technology. The most prominent example of North Korea's proliferation activities is its construction of the clandestine Syrian nuclear reactor that, thankfully, was destroyed by an Israeli air strike in the year 2007. Reports indicate that the reactor was based on a North Korean model capable of producing plutonium for nuclear weapons and that the project was financed by Iran.

But Syria's nuclear ambitions are apparently even greater than suspected. Just last month, the International Atomic Energy Agency reportedly identified a previously unknown nuclear facility in northeastern Syria, indicating that the regime in Damascus may have been pursuing two separate paths to a nuclear weapon, one based on uranium enrichment and the other on reprocessing plutonium. One thing is clear, as with the first nuclear facility, this second one could only have been built with outside help. So it is obvious that once one of these regimes gets its hands on weapons of mass destruction, they will all have access; and then this deadly capacity is certain to spread even further.

But the proliferation efforts of North Korea, Iran, and Syria are by no means limited to nuclear weapons. Theirs is an active trade between these countries and advanced conventional weapons as well, including ballistic missiles. In the year 2010, an aircraft loaded with North Korean conventional weapons was intercepted in Thailand, reportedly on its way to Iran in violation of multiple Security Council resolutions of the U.N. And there have been several interdictions of Iranian weapons reportedly destined for Syria. Clearly these represent just the tip of the iceberg.

These weapons are not intended to be placed in storage. They will be used against us and against our allies. North Korea has continued to violently assault our ally South Korea, repeatedly attacking its military forces out of the blue and murdering civilians almost at will. And it is throwing vast resources into developing weapons capable of striking U.S. targets, the latest being a mobile intercontinental ballistic missile which could eventually be added to its list of items for sale.

We are witnessing the Syrian regime shooting down its own people in the streets. Allowing President Assad and his thugs access to nuclear technology could exponentially multiply his regime's ability to spread destruction far beyond its borders.

We know that Iran has no problem striking down innocent people in that country who dare to stand up to the regime. And Tehran continues to be a leading state sponsor of terrorism, providing weapons, money, and support to terrorist groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, and even al Qaeda. This means that preventing any and every part of this proliferation network from gaining access to the weapons they need to threaten anyone is of utmost importance.

Iran, North Korea, and Syria are not just helping each other. Much of the progress they have achieved on the array of weapons programs is thanks to the assistance from other foreign sources. The most recent report of the IAEA on Iran revealed that Iran has been engaged in extensive efforts to develop nuclear weapons and that these efforts include acquiring equipment, materials, and information related to nuclear weapons development. It has stated that Iran has also actively been working on a design for a nuclear weapon, including testing components.

Finally, the IAEA report revealed that Iran has received crucial help on its nuclear weapons design from foreign experts. Just 2 weeks ago, on December 2, Russian officials were quoted in news reports admitting that Russia had supplied Syria's Assad with cruise missiles. According to the news reports: ``Israel fears the cruise missiles could fall into the hands of Hezbollah militants in neighboring Lebanon.'' Just think of all of the countries that have been named in these short remarks.

China is not far behind, as a recent report of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission indicates. The China Commission report emphasizes the enormous damage to U.S. interests being done by China's massive sale of weapons to Iran, including short-range cruise missiles.

H.R. 2105 seeks to cut off the supply networks to Iran, to Syria, and to North Korea. It updates and strengthens measures to prevent the proliferation of goods, services, or technology relating to nuclear, biological, chemical, and other advanced weapons, such as ballistic missiles. It expands sanctions on individuals, on businesses, on countries engaged in assisting proliferation, embracing financial transactions, properties, and visas, among many other penalties.

It also imposes restrictions on nuclear cooperation with countries that are assisting the nuclear programs of Iran, North Korea, or Syria because no country that is helping an enemy of

the United States should receive any help from us.

But it is not enough to put these laws on the books. They must be fully implemented and consistently enforced if they are to have the intended effect. I call upon the President to use the tools that Congress is giving to him to stop these countries from spreading their instruments of destruction even further. North Korea has already detonated two nuclear devices. Iran is getting closer to a nuclear weapon every day. Syria is following in its footsteps. Their stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction are growing, as their ballistic missile capabilities are growing. And their arsenals of other advanced weapons are being made available to enemies of the U.S. and its allies. We must act decisively to end this threat before it spreads even further.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to place in the Record my correspondence and joint statements with the chairmen of other committees of referral on this bill.

House of Representatives,

Committee on the Judiciary,

Washington, DC, November 4, 2011.

Hon. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen,

Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Ros-Lehtinen: I am writing concerning H.R.

2105, the ``Iran, North Korea, and Syria Nonproliferation

Reform and Modernization Act of 2011,'' which the Committee

on Foreign Affairs reported favorably. As a result of your

having consulted with us on provisions in H.R. 2105 that fall

within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on the

Judiciary, we are able to agree to discharging our Committee

from further consideration of this bill in order that it may

proceed expeditiously to the House floor for consideration.

The Judiciary Committee takes this action with our mutual

understanding that by foregoing consideration of H.R. 2105 at

this time, we do not waive any jurisdiction over subject

matter contained in this or similar legislation, and that our

Committee will be appropriately consulted and involved as the

bill or similar legislation moves forward so that we may

address any remaining issues in our jurisdiction. Our

Committee also reserves the right to seek appointment of an

appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate

conference involving this or similar legislation, and

requests your support for any such request.

I would appreciate your response to this letter confirming

this understanding with respect to H.R. 2105, and would ask

that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be

included in the Congressional Record during floor

consideration.

Sincerely,

Lamar Smith,

Chairman.

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

Yes. As I have stated before and will continue to state, I will reserve my time to close.

Mr. Speaker, to close on this bill, I am pleased to give our remaining time to the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce), who is the chairman of our Subcommittee on Foreign Affairs on Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade and has been a leader in this sanctions legislation for a mighty long time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 376) calling for the repatriation of POW/ MIAs and abductees from the Korean War, as amended.

I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on this resolution.

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

I am so pleased to rise in strong support of House Resolution 376, calling for the repatriation of POWs, MIAs, and abductees from the Korean War. It is fitting that this resolution was introduced by one of the House's own Korean war vets, Congressman Charlie Rangel. He hasn't had a bad day since.

Mr. Rangel received a Purple Heart for the wounds he received in fighting his way out of an ambush by Chinese forces in subzero temperatures in the early months of the Korean War. Mr. Rangel also received a Bronze Star for his valor.

Mr. Rangel shares this with Members Sam Johnson, Howard Coble, and John Conyers, Korean veterans all, a personal knowledge of how crucial this resolution is in addressing unresolved issues from that long ago conflict.

Another person who understands the critical importance of this resolution is the President of the Korean War Abductees Families Union, who flew almost halfway across the globe from Seoul, Korea to be here and witness the consideration of this resolution on the House floor. Ms. Lee was a mere 18-month-old baby when her father was taken away by the North Koreans, not to be seen again for the past 6 decades.

Mr. Speaker, General MacArthur, returning from the Korean front in 1951, famously told the U.S. Congress and the American people that ``old soldiers never die, they just fade away.'' How sadly ironic that some of the old soldiers of the Korean conflict in which General MacArthur served have indeed faded away into a North Korean gulag.

But through this resolution, we clearly demonstrate that these old soldiers will not be allowed to just fade away into the fog of war. This resolution reminds us that 8,000 Americans missing in action in Korea remain unaccounted for, and that an estimated 73,000 South Korean POWs were not repatriated and were held in North Korea against their will.

In addition, approximately 100,000 South Korean citizens were forcibly abducted by North Korea during the Korean conflict.

The recent U.S.-North Korea agreement to resume the search for the remains of an estimated 5,500 U.S. soldiers lost inside North Korea is welcomed by American families, those who have endured 60 years of unresolved grief over the loss of their loved ones.

It is our hope that the procedures for payment of the cost of the MIA recovery by our Department of Defense are more transparent than the delivery of suitcases full of dollars to North Korean generals, as was done in the past.

We have also the highest respect for the Joint Prisoners of War, Missing in Action Accounting Command in Hawaii, which processes our soldiers' remains once they make that final journey home from Korea. I am certain that those who seek to identify remains are aware of Ronald Reagan's famous adage, ``trust, but verify.''

And this applies doubly to North Korea. Let us not forget that only a few years ago, Pyongyang provided our Japanese allies with the purported remains of a 13-year old schoolgirl abducted to North Korea many years before, which turned out to be bogus.

We do not want to see any of our POW/MIA families so cruelly tricked by North Korea. Pyongyang must come clean on its past armistice violations and war crimes by returning any remaining POW and MIA remains and abductees to their waiting loved ones.

By adopting this important resolution, the House will not only recognize the valor of those who served during the Korean War, like Mr. Rangel before us, but will honor those who serve today on the Cold War's last frontier along the DMZ.

I strongly urge all of my colleagues to support this important resolution, and I reserve the balance of my time, Mr. Speaker.

I am pleased to rise in strong support of House Resolution 376, ``Calling for the repatriation of POW/MIAs and abductees from the Korean War.''

It is fitting that this resolution was introduced by one of the House's own Korean War veterans, Congressman Charles Rangel.

Mr. Rangel received a purple heart for the wounds he received in fighting his way out of a ambush by Chinese forces in subzero temperatures in the early months of the Korean War.

Mr. Rangel also received a bronze star for his valor.

Mr. Rangel shares with Members Sam Johnson, Howard Coble, and John Conyers, Korean War veterans all, a personal knowledge of how crucial this resolution is in addressing unresolved issues from that long-ago conflict. Another person who understands the critical importance of this resolution is Miss Lee Mi-il, President of the Korean War Abductee Families Union, who flew almost halfway across the globe from Seoul, Korea to be here and witness the consideration of this resolution on the House Floor.

Miss Lee has spent the last decade working on the abduction issue as chronicled in a recent New York Times article.

She was a mere eighteen month-old baby when her father was taken away by the North Koreans, not to be seen again for the past six decades.

Miss Lee's 89 year-old mother is still waiting at the family home for the return of her long-missing husband.

As the North Korean famine in the mid-nineties led to a breakdown of control both inside North Korea and along the Chinese border, the world was shocked by the sudden emergence of a number of old men who wandered into China.

These were old South Korean soldiers, allies of the United States, held secretly and against their wills for decades, in violation of the Armistice, as virtual slaves in North Korean coal mines.

General MacArthur, returning from the Korean front in 1951 famously told the U.S. Congress and the American people that ``old soldiers never die, they just fade away.''

How sadly ironic that some of the old soldiers of that Korean conflict in which General MacArthur served have indeed faded away--into a North Korean gulag.

And so they became the forgotten old soldiers of that conflict long labeled ``the forgotten war.''

We must be completely assured by the continued efforts of our government and our allies that there is not one old American soldier among these South Korean POWs still captive bound in the North Korean gulag!

By this resolution we clearly demonstrate that these old soldiers will not be allowed to just fade away into the fog of war.

This resolution reminds us that 8,000 American MIAs from Korea remain unaccounted for and that an estimated 73,000 South Korean POWs were not repatriated and were held in North Korea against their wills.

In addition, approximately one hundred thousand South Korean citizens were forcibly abducted by North Korea during the Korean conflict.

This forced wartime abduction of civilians by North Korea represents a crime for which Pyongyang must both accept responsibility and make restitution, including providing for the safe return of all surviving victims to their homes.

The recent U.S.-North Korea agreement to resume the search for the remains of an estimated 5,500 U.S. soldiers lost inside North Korea is welcomed by the American families who have endured sixty years of unresolved grief over the loss of their loved ones.

It is our hope that the procedures for payment of the costs of MIA recovery by our Department of Defense are more transparent than the delivery of suitcases full of dollars to North Korean generals as was done in the past.

We also have the highest respect for the Joint Prisoners of War, Missing in Action Accounting Command in Hawaii which processes our soldiers' remains once they make the final journey home from Korea.

I am certain that those who seek to identify remains are aware of Ronald Reagan's famous adage ``trust but verify.''

This applies doubly to North Korea.

Let us not forget that only a few years ago Pyongyang provided our Japanese allies with the purported remains of a thirteen year-old school girl abducted to North Korea many years before.

This girl's family faced the additional pain of being victimized by North Korea a second time when Japanese forensic experts concluded that those remains were bogus.

We do not want to see any of our POW/MIA families so cruelly tricked by North Korea!

Pyongyang must come clean on its past Armistice violations and war crimes by returning any remaining POWs, MIA remains and abductees to their waiting loved ones!

By adopting this resolution, the House will not only recognize the valor of those who served during the Korean War but will honor those who serve today on the Cold War's last frontier along the DMZ.

I strongly urge all my colleagues to support this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, for our closing speaker, I am pleased to recognize for such time as he may consume my good friend from California (Mr. Royce), the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade and a cosponsor of this important resolution.