[House Hearing, 116 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Markup: H.R. 920, Venezuela Arms
Restriction Act; H.R. 854,
Humanitarian Assistance to the
Venezuelan People Act of 2019; H.R.
1477, Russian-Venezuelan Threat Mitigation Act, H.R. 1616, European
Energy Security and Diversification Act of 2019
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HEARING
BEFORE THE
COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
__________
March 14, 2019
__________
Serial No. 116-15
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Printed for the use of the Committee on Foreign Affairs
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COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
ELIOT L. ENGEL, New York, Chairman
BRAD SHERMAN, California MICHAEL T. McCAUL, Texas, Ranking
GREGORY W. MEEKS, New York Member
ALBIO SIRES, New Jersey CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey
GERALD E. CONNOLLY, Virginia STEVE CHABOT, Ohio
THEODORE E. DEUTCH, Florida JOE WILSON, South Carolina
KAREN BASS, California SCOTT PERRY, Pennsylvania
WILLIAM KEATING, Massachusetts TED S. YOHO, Florida
DAVID CICILLINE, Rhode Island ADAM KINZINGER, Illinois
AMI BERA, California LEE ZELDIN, New York
JOAQUIN CASTRO, Texas JIM SENSENBRENNER, Wisconsin
DINA TITUS, Nevada ANN WAGNER, Missouri
ADRIANO ESPAILLAT, New York BRIAN MAST, Florida
TED LIEU, California FRANCIS ROONEY, Florida
SUSAN WILD, Pennsylvania BRIAN FITZPATRICK, Pennsylvania
DEAN PHILLPS, Minnesota JOHN CURTIS, Utah
ILHAN OMAR, Minnesota KEN BUCK, Colorado
COLIN ALLRED, Texas RON WRIGHT, Texas
ANDY LEVIN, Michigan GUY RESCHENTHALER, Pennsylvania
ABIGAIL SPANBERGER, Virginia TIM BURCHETT, Tennessee
CHRISSY HOULAHAN, Pennsylvania GREG PENCE, Indiana
TOM MALINOWSKI, New Jersey STEVE WATKINS, Kansas
DAVID TRONE, Maryland MIKE GUEST, Mississippi
JIM COSTA, California
JUAN VARGAS, California
VICENTE GONZALEZ, Texas
Jason Steinbaum, Staff Director
Brendan Shields, Republican Staff Director
C O N T E N T S
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Page
BILLS AND AMENDMENTS OFFERED EN BLOC
H.R. 920, the Venezuela Arms Restriction Act, with the Engel
Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute
H.R. 854, the Humanitarian Assistance to the Venezuelan People
Act of 2019 with the Engel Amendment in the Nature of a
Substitute and with the Levin Amendment
H.R. 1477, the Russian-Venezuelan Threat Mitigation Act with the
Engel Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute
H.R. 1616, the European Energy Security and Diversification Act
of 2019 with the Keating Amendment in the Nature of a
Substitute
APPENDIX
Hearing Notice................................................... 69
Hearing Minutes.................................................. 70
Hearing Attendance............................................... 71
STATEMENTS FOR THE RECORD
Markup Summary................................................... 72
Statement for the record from Representative Sires............... 73
Statement for the record from Representative McCaul.............. 74
Statement for the record from Representative Castro.............. 76
Statement for the record from Representative Wilson.............. 78
MARKUP OF: H.R. 920, VENEZUELA ARMS RESTRICTION ACT; H.R. 854,
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO THE VENEZUELAN PEOPLE ACT OF 2019; H.R.
1477, RUSSIAN-VENEZUELAN THREAT MITIGATION ACT; AND H.R. 1616, EUROPEAN
ENERGY SECURITY AND DIVERSIFICATION ACT OF 2019
THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2019
House of Representatives,
Committee on Foreign Affairs,
Washington, DC
The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 9:45 a.m., in
Room 2172 Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Eliot Engel
(chairman of the committee) presiding.
Chairman Engel. So if we could get started. I do not think
this will last very long. I know that we are going to have a
vote on the House floor sometime this morning.
So I would ask if we could keep our statements brief and we
can finish and then go to the floor for a vote, and I
understand that there will be no votes in the afternoon. So I
think that is a good thing for the schedule.
So let me call the committee to order and pursuant to
notice, we meet today to markup four bipartisan measures.
Without objection, all members may have 5 days to submit
statements or extraneous materials on today's business.
As members were notified yesterday, we intend to consider
today's measures en bloc. The measures are H.R. 920, the
Venezuela Arms Restriction Act, with the Engel Amendment in the
nature of a substitute; H.R. 854, the Humanitarian Assistance
to the Venezuelan People Act of 2019 with the Engel Amendment
in the nature of a substitute and with the Levin Amendment;
H.R. 1477, the Russian-Venezuelan Threat Mitigation Act with
the Engel Amendment in the nature of a substitute; and H.R.
1616, the European Energy Security and Diversification Act of
2019 with the Keating Amendment in the nature of a substitute.
[The Bills and Amendments offered en bloc follows:]
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Chairman Engel. At this time, I recognize myself to speak
on today's business and I will be brief.
Today, our committee has an important opportunity to
support the Venezuelan people by advancing three bills at
holding Nicolas Maduro accountable while responding to
Venezuela's humanitarian needs.
First, Congresswoman Shalala's Venezuela Arms Restriction
Act, makes it crystal clear that no U.S. citizen or business
will be able to profit from the repression of the Venezuelan
people.
This legislation codifies existing restrictions on arms
exports to Venezuela and adds new restrictions on articles that
are used for crime control, like tear gas and riot gear.
Congress must do everything in its power to keep these
dangerous items out of the hands of Nicolas Maduro and his
cronies.
We are also considering the Humanitarian Assistance to the
Venezuelan People Act, which is authored by Congresswoman
Mucarsel-Powell. Venezuela was once the crown jewel of South
America, the wealthiest country on the continent with vast
natural resources and, sadly, that is no longer the case.
Ninety percent of Venezuelans now live in poverty and the
country's citizens are leaving the country at an alarming rate.
The U.N. High Commissioner on Refugees estimates that by
the end of this year, there will be more than 5 million
Venezuelans living outside of the country.
This mass exodus has had a major impact not only on
Venezuelans themselves but also on the generous host countries
including Colombia, Peru, Brazil, and Ecuador, which have
opened their hearts and homes to refugees and migrants.
Ms. Mucarsel-Powell's legislation would address the
humanitarian crisis head on by authorizing new funding and
mandating a strategy from USAID and the State Department.
And Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz's Russian-Venezuelan
Threat Mitigation Act would respond to the increasing security
relationship between Venezuela and the Kremlin.
This is another place where Vladimir Putin is trying to
advance his aggressive agenda, and this bill would require an
assessment from the Administration of what Russia is up to and
what danger it poses.
The other measure we are considering today is the European
Energy Security and Diversification Act of 2019. In addition to
its military aggression, Russia has repeatedly used energy as a
weapon to blackmail countries dependent on Russian energy
sources.
The European Union and many of our allies and partners in
Europe recognize this threat and have begun to take steps to
reduce their vulnerability to Russian pressure.
This bill would ramp up American support for efforts to
increase Europe's energy security and reduce dependence on
Russia, including financial support for projects that better
connect European energy networks and improve energy efficiency.
These are all good measures that I am pleased to support. I
thank our members for their hard work and I will now recognize
our ranking member, Mr. McCaul of Texas, for any remarks he
might have.
Mr. McCaul. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I know everyone in this committee is deeply disturbed by
the deteriorating situation in Venezuela and the continued
threats by Maduro and his regime against interim President
Guaido.
I am proud to stand with him in his struggle for a peaceful
transition to democracy. That is why I strongly support the
three Venezuela bills we are marking up today.
I think in the interest of time, with votes imminent, I
will place my full remarks on these three bills that I support
into the record, without objection.
And we will also markup the European Energy Security and
Diversification Act sponsored by Mr. Kinzinger and Mr. Keating.
This bill will provide political, diplomatic, technical,
financial support to energy projects in European and Eurasian
countries to reduce their reliance on Russia.
It will also reauthorize the Countering Russian Influence
Fund to protect critical infrastructure and electoral
mechanisms from Russian cyber attacks, combat corruption, and
support countries under direct assault by Russia like Georgia
and Ukraine.
It is a strong statment of our willingness to do more to
help Europe achieve its energy diversification and security
goals, and I am fully supportive.
I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides
to pass these bills through the House and to the president's
desk.
And with that, I yield back.
Chairman Engel. Mr. McCaul yields back. Thank you, Mr.
McCaul.
Does anyone else seek recognition?
Mr. Sires.
Mr. Sires. Yes. I just want to thank Congresswoman
Wasserman Schultz, Congresswoman Shalala, and Congresswoman
Mucarsel--Powell for introducing three important bills in
support of the Venezuelan people and I would like to put the
rest of my comments in for the record, if you do not have any
objection.
Chairman Engel. Thank you, Mr. Sires.
Anyone else seeking recognition?
Mr. Kinzinger.
Mr. Kinzinger. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Just quickly, I want to just talk about the bill that Mr.
Keating and I introduced, the European Energy Security and
Diversity Act. It is important for both our European and
Eurasian partners and our industry.
We know that Russia has long used energy as a weapon to
coerce, manipulate, and create conflict in Europe and Eurasia
and I do not believe any member in this room would deny the
fact that the Russian Federation, led by Vladimir Putin, is a
destabilizing factor in the world.
This would help our partners defend themselves from the
malign activities of Russia by developing and diversifying
their own energy sources. Europe and Eurasia, for far too long,
have relied on Russian gas and oil without looking at options
to produce their own.
By providing diplomatic and political support, American
energy innovators could help diversify energy sources, enhance
market integration across the region, and increase competition
within the European energy market.
Our partners have a long history of working with our
defense industrial base, but this legislation now offers them
an avenue to work with our great energy sector.
Through this bill, we have an opportunity to support our
allies, support our energy industry, and end Russia's use of
energy as a weapon.
I urge my colleagues to join me in support, and I yield
back.
Chairman Engel. Thank you.
Mr. Keating.
Mr. Keating. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, I thank the ranking
member, and I thank the ranking member of our subcommittee.
This is truly a bicameral and bipartisan effort that began
in the last Congress and I want to thank the chairman and the
ranking member and, hopefully, ask the committee members to
move this forward now at such an early stage.
I want to thank Senator Murphy for his leadership on the
Senate side. I want to thank Congressman Kinzinger for working
with us here so early in the session on a very important
effort.
It is a great example in our subcommittee of an issue and a
piece of legislation that hits, really, on all aspects of what
our committee is trying to do this Congress.
At a time when Putin is aggressively asserting Russian
influence around the world, this bill is an important way to
push back from a position of strength. The U.S. is now an
exporter of energy.
Through election interference, disinformation, or the issue
at hand--energy--Russia consistently tries to undermine the
sovereignty of our friends and allies, particularly those on
the other side of the Atlantic.
Ukraine is a good example of all these issues. Russia has
repeatedly used its natural gas pipelines that transit Ukraine
and Europe to exert pressure on Ukraine, even, at times, during
the cold winter months.
Nord Stream 2 has gained a lot of attention recently
because of increased natural gas flows from Russia into Europe
and how that could potentially leave Europe more isolated and,
specifically, countries like Ukraine affected by this, making
them even more vulnerable to Russian manipulation.
We need to push back on these Russian efforts to undermine,
to exert leverage, and, I would even agree, weaponize energy in
their efforts.
This is a proactive way to do this together with our
European allies from a position of strength. This bill
authorizes financing for private sector investments in energy
security projects so that the U.S. can support the development
of alternative sources of energy in Europe, including renewable
energy.
This bill promotes energy diversification and security in
Europe by increasing their energy independence from Russian
sources but also it strengthens U.S.-European cooperation and
economic ties. This is one effort of what I hope will be more
efforts to do this.
We need to be working more closely with our European
friends and allies if we are going to be successful in
minimizing Putin's destabilizing efforts here in the U.S. and
throughout the world.
Russia and China are both making investments in Europe,
whether it is in energy or port infrastructure or technology
companies, and it is time that the U.S. steps up and makes
these strategic investments not only with our European partners
who share our values and close business ties with American
companies but also with other countries around the world.
This is not only good for our economy but it is good for
our security. It is also good for our allies and global
security as well.
So I would like to thank the chairman for holding this
hearing and this markup, and advancing this piece of
legislation along with those very other important pieces of
legislation dealing with the horrific humanitarian crisis
unfolding in Venezuela.
I urge my colleagues to support these measures and I yield
back.
Chairman Engel. The gentleman yields back.
Any other members seeking recognition?
Mr. Chabot.
Mr. Chabot. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I will be very brief. I just want to thank my colleagues
and voice my support for the three Venezuela measures here
which, in essence, increases humanitarian assistance, the arms
restrictions, as well as discouraging Russian influence in the
area.
Venezuela continues to be an absolute total and utter
mess--phony elections, a president who is not legitimate, 3
million or so Venezuelans who have already fled the country
with a couple of million probably ready to do the same thing;
manmade extreme food and medical shortages, once-eradicated
diseases reemerging from malaria to measles to diphtheria.
It is absolutely a disgrace, and I applaud this committee
and I applaud the Trump Administration in their strong stance
in recognizing Guaido rather than Maduro, who is a complete
fraud and ought to be removed from office as quickly as
possible.
So I want to thank the committee for working in a
bipartisan manner, and yield back.
Chairman Engel. The gentleman yields back. Thank you, Mr.
Chabot.
Mr. Levin.
Mr. Levin. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I want to express
my appreciation for our bipartisan work on this incredibly
important set of issues.
And I want to thank you, Mr. Chairman, for accepting my
amendment to H.R. 854 to ensure that humanitarian aid for the
people of Venezuela is delivered in accordance with established
international humanitarian principles.
Everyone in this room understands the magnitude of the
humanitarian crisis the Venezuela people are grappling with
under Maduro. Venezuelans cannot afford food.
Hospitals do not have basic drugs or supplies. Rates of
maternal and child deaths and diseases that had been under
control like malaria are spiking.
And today marks a week since much of Venezuela, including
Caracas, was plunged into a blackout. Without power, it has
only gotten harder for the country's decimated health system to
care for those in need.
It is clear that we need to do all we can to address this
crisis. But we have to do it right. This is a simple amendment
to make sure that humanitarian assistance that is so needed in
Venezuela is delivered in accordance with widely accepted
principles.
We need to be absolutely clear that any aid is there to
ease the Venezuelan people's suffering, not to make them pawns
in political ploys.
Again, Mr. Chairman, I am grateful to you and your staff
for working with me on this.
Finally, H.R. 1477 would assess and mitigate threats posed
by Russian-Venezuelan security cooperation. My reading of this
bill is that it is not in any way an expression of
congressional support for the use of military force and it
would not provide any statutory authorization for an
introduction of U.S. forces into hostilities.
I would like to yield to the chairman to ask whether this
is his understanding as well.
Chairman Engel. Yes, it is my understanding. The gentleman
is correct. H.R. 1477 is not an expression of support for the
use of force as it in no way provides statutory authorization
under the War Powers Resolution or any other provision of law.
As Section 8(a) of the War Powers Resolution specifies, and
I quote, ``Authority to introduce United States armed forces
into hostilities or into situations where an involvement in
hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances shall not
be inferred from any provision of law unless such provisions
specifically authorizes the introduction of United States armed
forces.''
This legislation cannot properly be construed as providing
any such authorization and I am not aware of any claims to the
contrary.
Mr. Levin. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate your
support and your understanding of this bill, and with that
clarification, I support the bill, and I yield back.
Chairman Engel. The gentleman yields back.
Are there any other requests for recognition?
Then without objection, the committee will proceed to
consider the noticed items en bloc. A reporting quorum is
present.
Without objection, the question occurs on the measures en
bloc as amended.
All those in favor, say aye.
[Chorus of ayes.]
Chairman Engel. All those opposed, no.
In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it.
The measures considered en bloc are agreed to and without
objection each measure in the en bloc is ordered favorably
reported as amended and each amendment to each bill shall be
reported as a single amendment in the nature of a substitute.
Without objection, staff is authorized to make any
technical and conforming changes and the chair is authorized to
seek House consideration under suspension of the rules.
This concludes our business today. I want to thank Ranking
Member McCaul and all of the committee members for their
contributions and assistance with today's markup.
There is a bill now on the House floor being voted on. I
think that is the only bill.
The committee stands adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 10:05 a.m., the committee was adjourned.]
APPENDIX
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STATEMENTS FOR THE RECORD
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[all]