Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend the following op-ed about the MEK to the body. This is an important topic and I hope Members will have an opportunity to review it.

Thank you, Madam Speaker.

[July 24, 2007]

Empowering the Democratic Opposition in Iran

(By Dick Armey)

During the Cold War, the free world was threatened by a

nuclear-armed state based on a radical, all-encompassing and

discredited ideology, a regime that projected an aggressive

agenda of global domination even as it struggled to keep its

own dissatisfied citizens in line back home. While America

and her allies maintained a resolute posture of military

strength to keep Soviet expansionism in check, ultimately it

was our example of freedom that inspired the restive peoples

living under the Evil Empire to tear down the wall.

Taking a leaf out of history's notebook, there are striking

similarities between the

dangers now emanating from tehran and those fueled by Moscow

during the Soviet era. Iran's regime is also based on a

radical, all-encompassing and discredited ideology, and

projects an aggressive, destabilizing international posture

while suppressing the will of its own citizens. The good news

may be that, like the totalitarian ideology before it, the

extremist fundamentalism of the Iranian mullahs could best be

attacked by the power of an idea called freedom.

There is currently no shortage of high-level American

attention to Iran. My former colleagues in Congress are

working to impose tougher economic pressure and bans on

investment in iran, while the Bush administration is working

to marshal stronger international will to enforce the

sanctions.

But the other part of the Iran equation must be to

encourage the kind of peaceful revolution inside Iran that

not only Americans desire, but that a majority of the iranian

people themselves want.

Military intervention is not a viable option.

``Engagement'' may seem like an appealing alternative. But

the diplomatic history of the past 30 years provides a

chronicle of successive setbacks suffered by the West while

the regime continued its relentless march toward

nuclearization while bankrolling terrorists and expanding its

power and reach.

Current efforts at ``engagement'' have done nothing to

advance the cause of freedom inside Iran. The regime has

recently resorted to a crackdown on internal dissent and

personal freedom, targeting everything from community

organizations to the nation's burgeoning private banking

system--pillars of civil society and a free market economy.

Visiting Iranian-American scholars are detained on absurd,

trumped-up charges and made to ``confess'' their ``crimes''

on television.

Like the captive peoples of the Soviet empire a generation

ago, today's Iranians are receptive to ideas that challenge

the ruling orthodoxy. Indeed, the popularity of America in

Iran seems to rise the more the regime demonizes us.

One of the best assets working for reform is demographics--

nearly 70 percent of Iran's 68 million citizens are under the

age of 30. They are impatient for change, and they are the

future.

America and our partners should work with and empower

freedom-loving elements within Iran and among the Iranian

Diaspora, broadcasting messages of democracy and providing

support, moral and otherwise, to the brave dissidents. While

we must avoid doing this with a heavy hand, lest our efforts

backfire, there are ways we can help level the playing field

and give the opposition a fighting chance.

Supporting the democratic opposition holds great promise

for promoting the cause of freedom and democracy in iran,

particularly the group feared most by the regime: the

Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK), for decades demonized by the regime

for its efforts to encourage ``soft'' revolution.

Never has the old adage, ``the enemy of my enemy is my

friend,'' been more true than in the case of the MEK, whose

members residing in Ashraf City, Iraq, are protected persons

under the Geneva Convention. But, in a stark example of

failed ``engagement,'' the organization was placed on the

list of foreign terrorist organizations by the Clinton

administration as a way of placating the so-called

``moderates'' in Iran.

Attracting world attention in 2002, the MEK first revealed

the existence of Iran's secret nuclear facility at Natanz.

Today it is providing useful intelligence that is saving the

lives of Coalition soldiers in Iraq. Thus, it comes as no

surprise that the regime is eager to use the next round of

``engagement'' with American officials to further isolate the

MEK, as part of iran's certain-to-be-unfulfilled pledge to

reduce its influence in Iraq.

Two of my former congressional colleagues, Reps. Tom

Tancredo (R-Colo.) and Bob Filner (D-Calif.), are leading a

bipartisan effort to urge the State Department to remove the

MEK from the terrorist list, where it was wrongly included in

the first place.

Removing the MEK from the list represents one concrete step

we could take to help the Iranian people forward on the long

road to achieving freedom and real democracy in their

country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 136. ...

This common-sense legislation is long overdue.

This resolution will help open the lines of communication between government leaders in Taiwan, and their counterparts here in the United States.

The resolution makes it clear once again that the U.S. Department of State that they should not take actions to prevent high level exchanges between the government of Taiwan and the government of the United States. I say ``again'' because Federal law already makes it clear that high ranking Taiwanese officials are already explicitly authorized to visit the United States.

Public Law 103-416 says that the President of Taiwan or any other high-level should be admitted for discussions with U.S. government officials about important policy issues unless he or she is excludable under the immigration laws of the United States.

Unfortunately, like so many other laws this Congress has passed, is simply ignored by the State Department. The Department seems more interested in complying with communist China's demands than in following the laws made by this democratically elected Congress.

As a result of this defiance, it has become nearly impossible for President Chen, Vice President Annette Lu and other high ranking Taiwanese officials travel to Washington, DC even for routine meetings with administration officials. Instead, these officials are often confined to cities far from the Nation's Capital, and often only then as a point of transit en route to another country. This is unconscionable.

Mr. Speaker, we host all kinds of foreign leaders in Washington because a two-way dialogue is important for maintaining and improving our cultural, economic--and yes--security interests around the world. Keeping an open channel with our democratic allies in Taiwan is part of that process.

I am pleased that my friend Mr. Chabot has worked so hard to bring this bill to the floor today. And I strongly support his efforts to help improve our communication with our friends and allies in Taiwan.

Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. Chairman, in fact, this is not a unique situation, unique to the extent that the House has not acted before in a criminal case of this nature, but in fact, the House has acted in the past to intervene in cases where we have determined that the outcome was something we did not agree with. We've done it. We've stripped courts of certain abilities to actually hear cases.

In the past, we've actually passed legislation to change or overturn cases. One was, of course, the case of the Ten Commandments. Another one was, I believe, Congressman Bernie Sanders at the time passed a bill to overturn a case with regard to pension funds. So it is not unique that we would be doing this.

I yield to the gentleman from West Virginia.

Reclaiming my time, it is again not the position that we are taking here that we are, in fact, changing the decision of the court in regard to their guilt or innocence. We are saying that the punishment handed down is far in excess of what it is they may have done wrong, and that is something I think that we have the absolute ability and right to do here.

These two gentlemen have served now 190 days, 180 days, something, already in prison, and for what? I mean, the most significant thing that we can actually determine, even according to some of the discussions that have been held and some of the statements that have been made by the prosecuting attorney, they're sorry. They made mistakes in terms of maybe using the type of prosecution that would require this kind of penalty. They have even said this may have been the wrong thing to do. Members of the jury have indicated that if they had seen all of the information now provided to them they would not have voted this way.

So it isn't an issue of the facts of the case so much as it is whether or not we believe these people have actually spent enough time in jail, have they been punished according to the crime. And I would suggest to the gentleman that if you look at this case carefully, certainly that is the case.

The person that brought this stuff through, the individual that actually was the drug dealer, he is walking free. I have visited Mr. Ramos in prison after he was severely beaten in his cell. They attacked him in his cell, of course, because they found out he was a Federal agent, and I went down there and visited him. You cannot imagine how, in a way, heartbreaking it is to see this guy in the orange jumpsuit, in shackles, and knowing that he is being deprived of the comfort of his own family, as is Mr. Compean, and here's a drug dealer that's going free in the meantime. It is absolutely incredible. This is a travesty.

We have begged the President to please become involved with this, please pardon, please commute. He has chosen not to. This is the only option we have open to us, and that is why we are doing what we're doing tonight.

And yes, to some extent, I understand that it is not a common practice here, but I think the situation is not an ordinary situation where we have two people who have sworn to defend and protect this country. They are in jail. They have served enough time; that's what we are saying. They have served enough time.

Please adopt the Poe-Tancredo-Hunter amendment.

I yield to the gentleman from West Virginia.

I thank the gentleman. If there were another way to do this, I assure you we would look at it. We have tried everything imaginable to get these two people to actually get justice, and the justice would be to set them free. And that is what I suggest we do with this amendment, and I certainly would urge this body to adopt the Poe-Hunter-Tancredo amendment.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the commitment and patriotism of Mr. Scott Craig Stevens of Larkspur, Colorado, who will become an officer in the United States Marine Corps following his graduation from Officer Candidate School in August.

Since 1891, officer training at Quantico, Virginia has successfully developed and molded America's young men and women into individuals of character; providing them with the physical, mental, and leadership qualities necessary to uphold and defend the virtue of liberty here in America and around the world. After thorough preparation, Mr. Stevens is now qualified and ready to command his fellow brothers and sisters at arms.

Madam Speaker, I am honored to represent Mr. Stevens who has committed himself to our freedom. I urge you and my fellow colleagues to join me in congratulating Mr. Stevens and wishing him the best in the years to come.

Offered By: Mr. Tancredo

Amendment No. 2: At the end of the bill (before the short

title), insert the following:

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Captain Ryan Kelly, an exceptional everyday hero from my district in Denver, Colorado. Ryan Kelly is one of many voices that paint a clear picture for America of the war our nation is waging. A company commander and an Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter pilot, Kelly spent a year fighting in Iraq.

Ryan Kelly participated in a national project by the National Endowment for the Arts called Operation Homecoming. This project sought to bring a real time perspective of what our soldiers are experiencing and allowing America to see through the lens of not only the soldiers fighting this war, but also the family members they leave behind.

While serving our nation at war, Ryan Kelly wrote numerous letters home to his wife Judy and his mother Lynn. Two of his letters, as well as short stories, eyewitness accounts, poems and even lyrics written by other soldiers and their family members, appear in ``Operation Homecoming,'' and his writing is also included in a new documentary, ``Muse of Fire,'' with Ray Bradbury and Kevin Costner.

The messages contained within these words by the everyday heroes of America who are fighting this war need to be heard. The message of the sacrifice that our soldiers are making can be best summed up by this paragraph written by Ryan Kelly to his mother while he was serving in Iraq:

If it weren't for the Army uniforms and the constant noise

of helicopters taking off and landing, and the Russian 747-

like jets screaming overhead every hour of the day, and the

F-16s screeching around looking for something to kill, and

the rockets exploding and the controlled blasts shaking the

windows and the ``thump, thump, thump'' sound of the Apache

gun ships shooting their 30 mm guns in the middle of the

night, and the heat and the cold, and the hero missions and

the body bags and the stress, and the soldiers fraught with

personal problems--child custody battles fought from 3,000

miles away, surgeries on ovaries, hearts, breasts, brains,

cancers, transplants and the scorpions and the spiders who

hide under the toilet seats, and the freakish bee-sized flies

humming around like miniature blimps, and the worst: the

constant pang of home, the longing for family, the knowledge

that life is rolling past you like an unstoppable freight

train, an inevitable force, reinforcing the desire for

something familiar, the longing for something beautiful, for

something safe, with love and laughter and poetry and cold

lemonade and clean sheets, if it weren't for all that, Iraq

would be just like home--almost.

I rise today to thank Captain Ryan Kelly and all of our Armed forces for their commitment to our country, and the sacrifice that all of them and their families are making.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to remove my name as a cosponsor of H.R. 176.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an exemplary constituent and public steward, Mr. Frazer Lockart of Evergreen, Colorado. Mr. Lockart is a finalist for the 2007 Service to America Medals, a prestigious national awards program designed to pay honor to those individuals who have demonstrated great accomplishment in public service. Presented by the Partnership for Public Service, these awards highlight the successes of Federal employees who have made significant contributions to the country. This year, Mr. Lockart's achievements in completing the first successful cleanup of a former nuclear weapons production facility are commended.

Rocky Flats, located near Denver, Colorado, was a nuclear weapons production facility which closed in 1989 after Federal investigators discovered grave amounts of radioactive pollutants in surrounding soil and water sources. The extent of the pollution was so severe some officials deemed the facility beyond the point of recovery, even suggesting the site should be abandoned outright. A 1995 cleanup estimate of the facility was projected at $35 billion over a 70-year span.

Mr. Lockart, managing an intergovernmental and private-sector contingent, began work to clean and restore the site. It took just 10 years and $7 billion to complete. To date, the Rocky Flats project is the largest and most successful Federal cleanup, with over 95% of formerly contaminated land now reopened for public use. In fact, Congress passed the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge Act of 2001, setting aside 6,400 acres for protection and public enjoyment. None of this would have been possible without the efforts of Mr. Lockart.

The ability to effectively and efficiently handle this great undertaking is a profile to Mr. Lockart's abilities and vision. Through his efforts, all Americans are now able to enjoy the natural beauty of Colorado, and local residents now live in a healthy environment. In addition, his management style and leadership abilities have become prime examples for the success of future restoration projects.

Madam Speaker, please join me in paying tribute and congratulating Mr. Lockart for his great contribution to this Nation.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to one of my constituents, LCpl Robert Draper.

Lance Corporal Draper recently returned from Haditha, Iraq, where he served a 7-month deployment. He was assigned to Company E of the Second Battalion, Third Marine Regiment of the United States Marine Corps.

The city of Haditha saw unprecedented improvements when Lance Corporal Draper's Company E served. Upon arrival, Haditha was considered one of the most dangerous regions in Iraq. By the end of Lance Corporal Draper's deployment, the police force was rapidly growing, attacks on Iraqi Police and Marine patrols were steadily decreasing, and relations with the Iraqi people were improving.

Madam Speaker, please join me in paying tribute to Lance Corporal Draper, whose selfless actions benefit all Americans. Our Nation owes Lance Corporal Draper and his fellow soldiers a great debt of gratitude for their service.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to one of my constituents, SGT John Hunsberger.

Sergeant Hunsberger recently returned from Haditha, Iraq, where he served a 7-month deployment. He was assigned to Company E of the Second Battalion, Third Marine Regiment of the United States Marine Corps.

The city of Haditha saw unprecedented improvements when Sergeant Hunsberger's Company E served. Upon arrival, Haditha was considered one of the most dangerous regions in Iraq. By the end of Sergeant Hunsberger's deployment, the police force was rapidly growing, attacks on Iraqi Police and Marine patrols were steadily decreasing, and relations with the Iraqi people were improving.

Sergeant Hunsberger earned the purple heart while in service in Haditha.

Madam Speaker, please join me in paying tribute to Sergeant Hunsberger, whose selfless actions benefit all Americans. Our Nation owes Sergeant Hunsberger and his fellow soldiers a great debt of gratitude for their service.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to one of my constituents, LCpl William Burke Jr.

Lance Corporal Burke recently returned from Haditha, Iraq, where he served a 7-month deployment. He was assigned to Company E of the Second Battalion, Third Marine Regiment of the United States Marine Corps.

The city of Haditha saw unprecedented improvements when Lance Corporal Burke's Company E served. Upon arrival, Haditha was considered one of the most dangerous regions in Iraq. By the end of Lance Corporal Burke's deployment, the police force was rapidly growing, attacks on Iraqi Police and Marine patrols were steadily decreasing, and relations with the Iraqi people were improving.

Madam Speaker, please join me in paying tribute to Lance Corporal Burke, whose selfless actions benefit all Americans. Our Nation

owes Lance Corporal Burke and his fellow soldiers a great debt of gratitude for their service.

Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

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

Mr. Chairman, the Tancredo-Chabot amendment would prevent the State Department from expending any funds to enforce several arbitrary and archaic guidelines that inhibit or altogether prevent U.S. officials from communicating with their counterparts in Taiwan. These restrictions range from just silly to downright absurd.

Among other things, the so-called guidelines do not permit meetings with Taiwanese diplomats or elected officials in State Department buildings, the White House or Old Executive Office Building. They prevent executive branch personnel from the Foreign Affairs agencies and those above the rank of GS-14 from attending Taiwan's annual reception in Washington. They prevent executive branch personnel from attending meetings at Twin Oaks, the former residence of Taiwan's Ambassador here in Washington. They prevent travel to Taiwan by officials above a certain rank from the Defense Department and the State Department. They prohibit executive branch personnel from corresponding directly with Taiwan officials.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Chabot).

Mr. Chairman, I certainly appreciate the gentleman's offer, and I yield back the balance of my time and accept the offer you have made to accept the amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. Chairman, my amendment would simply prevent the State Department from continuing to selectively ignore Federal statute.

The Federal statute in question instructs the State Department to discontinue the issuance of immigrant and nonimmigrant visas to citizens of countries who refuse our attempts to repatriate or deport their nationals. As I mentioned, the State Department often chooses to disregard this statute.

In fact, some dozen nations around the world routinely refuse to accept their citizens who have come here illegally or violated the terms of their visas. Iraq is just one example. As a result, Iraqi aliens who would otherwise be deported are free to remain in the United States.

Last year, I sent a letter to Secretary Chertoff asking why an Iraqi national by the name of Gavan Alkadi was not deported but instead was released into the public. Gavan Alkadi have been convicted of an aggravated felony and has been arrested nearly 70 times in Colorado.

I would yield to the chairman.

I appreciate the gentleman's offer.

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

Offered By: Mr. Tancredo

Amendment No. 10: At the end of the bill (before the short

title), insert the following new section:

Offered By: Mr. Tancredo

Amendment No. 11: At the end of the bill, before the short

title, insert the following new section:

Offered By: Mr. Tancredo

Amendment No. 12: At the end of the bill, before the short

title, insert the following new section: