[House Hearing, 116 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
MARKUP OF H.R. 2615, H.R. 2744, H.R. 598, H.R. 2140, H.R. 2023, H.R.
2046, H. RES. 129, H. RES. 372, and H. RES. 345
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MARKUP
BEFORE THE
COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
__________
MAY 22, 2019
__________
Serial No. 116-43
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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, Democrat 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. 2615........................................................ 2
Amendment to H.R. 2615 offered by Ms. Omar....................... 37
Amendment to H.R. 2615 offered by Mr. Sires...................... 38
Amendment to H.R. 2615 offered by Mrs. Wagner.................... 40
Amendment to H.R. 2615 offered by Mr. Engel...................... 44
Amendment to H.R. 2615 offered by Mr. McCaul..................... 45
H.R. 2744........................................................ 46
H.R. 598......................................................... 48
H.R. 2140........................................................ 61
Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H.R. 2140 offered by
Mrs. Wagner.................................................... 64
H.R. 2023........................................................ 69
Amendment to H.R. 2023 offered by Mr. Engel...................... 76
H.R. 2046........................................................
Amendment to H.R. 2046 offered by Mr. McCaul..................... 83
H.Res. 129....................................................... 84
Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H.Res. 129 offered by
Mr. Engel...................................................... 89
H.Res. 372....................................................... 94
Amendment in the Nature of Substitute to H.Res. 345 offered by
Mr. Engel...................................................... 99
APPENDIX
Hearing Notice................................................... 122
Hearing Minutes.................................................. 123
Hearing Attendance............................................... 124
STATEMENTS FOR THE RECORD FROM COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Statement for the record from Representative Castro.............. 125
Statement for the record from Representative Kinzinger........... 127
MARKUP SUMMARY
Markup summary for the record.................................... 128
MARKUP OF H.R. 2615, H.R. 2744, H.R. 598, H.R. 2140, H.R. 2023, H.R.
2046, H. RES. 129, H. RES. 372, and H. RES. 345
WEDNESDAY, MAY 22, 2019
House of Representatives
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Washington, DC
The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 2:05 p.m., in
room 2172 Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Eliot Engel
(chairman of the committee) presiding.
Mr. Engel. Pursuant to notice, we meet today to mark up
nine bipartisan measures. Without objection, all members may
have 5 days to submit statements or extraneous material on
today's business.
As members were notified yesterday, we intend to consider
today's measures en bloc. The measures are:
H.R. 2615, the United States-Northern Triangle Enhanced
Engagement Act. Omar, Sires, Wagner, Engel, and McCaul
amendments to that;
H.R. 2744, the USAID Branding Modernization Act;
H.R. 598, Georgia Support Act;
H.R. 2140, the Preventing Child Marriage Act with the
Wagner amendment in the nature of a substitute;
H.R. 2023, the Protect European Energy Security Act with an
Engel amendment;
H.R. 2046, the Energy Diplomacy Act with a McCaul
amendment;
House Resolution 129 condemning the Government of Saudi
Arabia's continued detention and alleged abuse of women's
rights activists, with an Engel amendment in the nature of a
substitute;
House Resolution 372 expressing concern for the United
States-Turkey Alliance;
And the Engel amendment in the nature of a substitute to
House Resolution 345, recognizing widening threats to freedoms
of the press and expression around the world, reaffirming the
centrality of a free and independent press to the health of
democracy, and reaffirming freedom of the press as a priority
of the United States.
[The bills and amendments offered en bloc follow:]
[GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Mr. Engel. At this time, I recognize myself to speak on
today's business. We have nine good bipartisan bills before us
today. And I am pleased to support every one of them.
I want to first mention the United States-Northern Triangle
Enhanced Engagement Act, which I introduced along with Ranking
Member McCaul, to address the root causes of migration from El
Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. Mr. McCaul and I visited El
Salvador in March just as the Trump Administration announced
that it was cutting off assistance to the Northern Triangle
countries. We saw firsthand the positive impact that U.S.
foreign assistance is having in creating much-needed
opportunities and stemming violence in those countries.
We need to continue to invest in a safer and more
prosperous Central America to create more opportunities for the
people living there. This bill does just that, by authorizing
$577 million in assistance to Central America. This is a good
bill, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting it.
Providing foreign assistance both helps people who are both
in need, and furthers our foreign policy objectives. In El
Salvador, when Mr. McCaul and I visited programs to teach young
adults software engineering, it gave me such pride to see the
USAID logo, which was visible to all.
So, I am pleased to support the USAID Branding
Modernization Act, a bill I am proud to co-sponsor with Mr.
McCaul. This legislation affirms the obligation to brand
foreign assistance. It is appropriate and requires a
comprehensive review to ensure that USAID-funded projects are
appropriately branded in the field.
Human rights, democracy, and the rule of law are core
American values and should underpin everything we do overseas.
So, I am glad that we are considering a number of bills today
that promote human rights and freedom of expression.
First, Mrs. Wagner's Preventing Child Marriage Act, which
recognizes the problem of child marriage, particularly among
vulnerable refugee populations. Every year, over 10 million
girls marry before the age of 18. Early marriage denies
children, especially girls, their right to make vital decisions
about their well-being, including their health, family, and
career. Child brides are less likely to finish their education,
and they are at higher risk for abuse, contracting HIV, and
dying from pregnancy.
This bill tackles this issue by encouraging the U.S. to use
its influence to help ensure that displaced populations have
the protections and tools to avoid illegal child marriage, work
that organizations like UNFPA are doing around the world. It is
a good bill to empower young women and girls, and I am proud to
support it.
Next we have House Resolution 129, authored by
Representatives Frankel and Wagner, which focuses on the unjust
imprisonment of women's rights activists in Saudi Arabia. We
must continue to call on the Saudi Government to release these
women immediately.
I strongly support this resolution, and I urge my
colleagues to do the same.
I will turn now to House Resolution 345, which recognizes
that freedom of the press is under threat around the world.
Thank you to Mr. Chabot and Mr. Schiff for their work on this
legislation. There are far too many violent, shocking examples
of journalists being imprisoned, tortured, and murdered around
the world.
Free press is critical to any democracy. It shines a light
on corruption and impunity. This resolution condemns threats to
independent media, and calls on governments to continue to
address journalists' safety. It has my strong support.
America's alliances and partnerships are another key code
of our foreign policy, so I am glad that a number of measures
in our markup today deal with our allies and diplomacy. The
Georgia Support Act, authored by Mr. Connolly and Mr.
Kinzinger, calls for continued U.S. support for Georgia, an
important U.S. partner. Georgia was invaded by Russia in 2008,
and the Kremlin continues to attack Georgia through subversive
disinformation campaigns and cyber attacks.
H.R. 598 provides Georgia with assistance to combat this
threat and support its democratic institutions. It is a good
bill to advance the U.S.-Georgia relationship, and I am glad we
are moving it forward today.
The Protect European Energy Security Act also combats
Russia's increasingly malign encroachment on our European
partners. The Nord Stream 2 and the TurkStream gas pipelines
from Russia to Germany and Turkey would increase European
dependence on Russian energy sources. H.R. 2023 restates our
opposition to these projects and requires the Administration to
report on how they impact European security and susceptibility
to Russian influence.
Next we have House Resolution 372, a measure I introduced
with Mr. McCaul, on the U.S.-Turkey relationship. President
Erdogan has tightened his grip on power and rolled back
democracy in Turkey. At the same time, he has cozied up to
Putin and purchased the Russian S-400 air and missile defense
system.
Today's resolution condemns Erdogan for his authoritarian
behavior and calls on Turkey to cancel delivery of the Russian
weapons system. Of course, they want us to sell them our system
but we cannot do that if they don't cancel delivery of the
Russian weapons system. They cannot have it both ways. We
cannot have a NATO country buying Russian equipment.
Finally, we have Mr. Wright's Energy Diplomacy Act. For the
United States to maintain a leading role on the global stage,
the State Department must be positioned to protect and promote
favorable energy policies abroad. This bill creates and
authorizes the creation of a new assistant secretary position
to lead this charge.
So, in conclusion, I am pleased to support all of these
bills. And I would like to thank our members for their hard
work.
And I will now recognize our Ranking Member Mr. McCaul of
Texas for his remarks.
Mr. McCaul. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Today our committee will mark up six important bills and
three resolutions. I would like to highlight just a few.
Northern Triangle. As you mentioned our trip to the
Northern Triangle, the United States--Northern Triangle
Enhanced Engagement Act, which I am the lead Republican on,
increases congressional oversight of foreign assistance to the
Northern Triangle, and prioritizes security in the role of the
private sector in supporting economic development efforts.
We still have the good work of the international law
enforcement community down there, the FBI, the DEA working to
combat MS-13, but we also saw many faith-based NGO's as well.
It addresses, in my judgment, the root-cause drivers of
illegal migration from Central America and, takes steps to help
stop the flow at our borders. It also builds on existing
efforts to increase coordination with Mexico in our efforts to
curb illegal migration, and combats corruption.
I understand and share the President's frustration with the
continued stream of migrants to our southern border, especially
in my home State of Texas. And we believe we must use all tools
at our disposal, including foreign assistance, to best address
this growing crisis. Central American countries can and must do
more to address their migration flows. And that is why this
bill will require them to clearly show results with new
benchmarks, so progress can be tracked and programs modified or
eliminated, if warranted.
On the branding bill, I am pleased we are considering the
USAID Branding Modernization Act. When I talked to Mark Green I
was--he said, shockingly, that we do not put our United States
flag on the USAID. I think the branding of our foreign
assistance is important in winning the hearts and minds of
people that we are helping, while also pushing back against the
influence of China and others as they operate overseas.
USAID Administrator Mark Green currently has limited
authority to brand humanitarian aid. I believe it is important
that USAID be able to use its insignia, the American flag, and
other U.S. agency branding as appropriate in each situation so
that the recipients of our aid know that it is coming from the
American people. This bill will expand the toolbox of branding
capabilities that can be utilized by USAID, and authorizes the
administrator to use such branding in Food for Peace programs.
On child marriage I want to thank our vice ranking member
Ms. Wagner for her bill, the Preventing Child Marriage in
Displaced Populations Act, which will require the United
Nations to develop a strategy to address the inhumane practice
of child marriage in U.S.-administered refugee settlements. I
fully support this important legislation.
Also, on energy diplomacy, I would like to congratulate and
thank Mr. Congressman Wright from my home State of Texas, who
introduced the Energy Diplomacy Act. This bill ensures the
State Department has the leadership and discretion needed to
fulfill the statutory responsibilities related to international
energy diplomacy.
Specifically, the bill replaces the Coordinator for
International Energy Affairs with an Assistant Secretary of
State for Energy Resources, an elevation requested by the Trump
administration in August 2017. The assistant secretary will be
responsible for developing and implementing policies to advance
U.S. energy interests abroad by managing our relations in
petroleum, natural gas, biofuels, renewable energy, nuclear and
other energy resources.
Further, it requires State to use diplomacy to support the
development of U.S. energy resources to bolster our energy
security for our economy and support our allies.
When it comes to Turkey, Mr. Chairman, I appreciate you
working with me on this resolution. I am the lead Republican on
it. That expresses our concern for the U.S.-Turkey partnership
and NATO Alliance. This resolution States that the House fully
supports the U.S. offer to sell Turkey our Patriot system, and
condemns Turkey's decision to acquire the Russian S-400 air and
missile defense system.
The time has come to put Turkey on notice that if they
acquire the S-400 system, Congress will no longer support
Turkey's participation in the F-35 program. We want to see
Turkey have a course correction and make the better choice.
And, as you stated, Mr. Chairman, as a NATO ally who was
brought into the NATO Alliance that was built upon the premise
of aligning against the Soviet Union, it seems incomprehensible
to me that Turkey, a NATO ally, would buy a Russian S-400
system. This is not acceptable to this committee or to the
Administration. And I want to thank you, sir, for introducing
this resolution.
With that, I yield back.
Mr. Engel. Thank you, Mr. McCaul. I agree with your
sentiments about Turkey wholeheartedly. Thank you for making
them.
Any other members seeking recognition? I think Mr. Sires?
Mr. Sires. Yes.
Mr. Engel. OK.
Mr. Sires. Yes. On my amendment?
Mr. Engel. Yes.
Mr. Sires. OK. Thank you, Chairman Engel, and Ranking
Member McCaul, for their bipartisan cooperation to make this
markup possible. I want to speak briefly about an amendment I
have introduced to the United States-Northern Triangle Enhanced
Engagement Act.
First, let me just say that I am a strong supporter of
continuing U.S. assistance to the Northern Triangle. And that
is why I am a regular co-sponsor of the underlying bill
introduced by the chairman and ranking member. I have seen
firsthand in my trips to the region that our programs have been
effective in reducing violence and poverty in Honduras, El
Salvador, and Guatemala. I have many constituents with close
ties to the Northern Triangle who remind me about the
difficulties they faced before coming here, and the challenges
the rest of their families continue to endure.
I believe the cuts announced by the Department of State in
March are short-sighted and counterproductive. Implementing
these cuts would do great harm in these countries, while
undermining our economic and security interests.
That said, I do believe that we need to always be looking
for ways to improve our foreign assistance program. I have long
felt that we need to maximize the proportion of our funding
that actually reaches the people of these countries. My
amendment will ask the Secretary of State to report how much of
our assistance is spent in country versus outside the target
countries.
It would also urge the Secretary of State to prioritize
programs and activities that will be implemented within the
target countries, rather than externally by foreign
organizations.
It is crucial that our assistance builds local capacity and
strengthens local institutions. I believe this amendment will
help to ensure that the citizens and local leaders in Honduras,
Guatemala, and El Salvador, are the true leaders in the
countries' development. And I urge my members to support it.
Thank you, and I yield back.
Mr. Engel. Thank you, Mr. Sires.
Mr. Chabot, did you want to?
Ms. Chabot. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I want to discuss just three of the measures here. And I
will try to do it briefly.
First, as co-chair of the Freedom of the Press Caucus with
Congressman Adam Schiff, I would urge my colleagues to support
H.Res. 345, which we introduced for World Press Freedom Day
earlier this month to call attention to the troubling State of
press freedom around the world.
Access to accurate journalism that holds governments
accountable is the indispensable tool that allows citizens to
exercise oversight over their government. Whether we think of
China, or Russia, or one of the other smaller dictatorships, or
even a few of our allies and partners throughout the world,
freedom of the press is too frequently under threat, and in
many places simply non-existent.
Unless the United States fights to protect press freedom,
authoritarians around the world will stifle it, as China is
doing right now in exporting its tools for internet censorship,
for example. Our founding fathers were right to provide us with
strong protections for the press in the First Amendment, and I
am glad to live in America where we still have a press to keep
us honest, even though they are capable of sometimes reporting
on occasion what some would call fake news.
Unfortunately, access to free and independent journalism
seems to be associated with pretty much most of the other
problems we face in this committee, whether it is authoritarian
dictators seeking to retain their grip on power or
disinformation or corruption, or simply bring the light to the
many human rights abuses of bad actors. So, I think it is an
issue that we need to keep our eye on.
And I want to thank Chairman Engel and Ranking Member
McCaul for considering this resolution.
Second, I would like to comment briefly on H.Res. 372 which
expresses concern for the U.S.-Turkey Alliance. As co-chair of
the Turkey Caucus, along with my good friend Joe Wilson, as
well as my friends on the other side of the aisle Gerry
Connolly and Steve Cohen, I really hoped that this would not
come to this. When we take a step back from several sticking
points between us and look at the relationship as a whole, it
is easy to see why our alliance with Turkey furthers our
numerous interests in that part of the world.
Unfortunately, Turkey's impending purchase of the S-400
antiaircraft system from Russia is very damaging for the
relationship. And I hope they understand our position in this
matter and why we think that this weapons sale is so totally
unacceptable. I hope that President Erdogan ultimately makes
the right choice and that the Trump administration works with
Turkey to get them Patriot missiles to provide for their air
defense needs.
And, finally, I want to thank Mr. Connolly and Mr.
Kinzinger for their work on the Georgia Support Act. As a co-
sponsor of this important legislation I just want to say that
Georgia is an important and valued partner that shares our
values and is eager to cooperate with the U.S. and the West.
Russia poses a serious challenge to all of us, but
especially Georgia, not to mention that Vladimir Putin still
illegally occupies Abkhazia and South Ossetia. This legislation
will go a long way toward helping Georgia with some of these
challenges.
And I would urge my colleagues to support this and the
other two pieces of legislation that I mentioned. And I yield
back. Thank you.
Mr. Engel. Thank you, Mr. Chabot.
Mr. Connolly.
Ms. Connolly. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And thank you and
Mr. McCaul for bringing this package of nine bills to the
committee for its consideration and for handling it in the
bipartisan comity we are so used to. I thank you.
In particular, I want to thank both of you for including
H.R. 598, the Georgia Support Act, which I introduced with my
Republican counterpart on the Georgia Caucus, Mr. Adam
Kinzinger. This bill asserts the United States' continued
support for the independence and sovereignty of Georgia. It
supports Georgia's continued democratic development, including
free and fair elections, and reaffirms U.S. opposition to
Russian aggression in the region.
In Georgia's occupied regions of South Ossetia and
Abkhazia, Russia has fomented unrest, aided separatist
movements, and committed serious human rights abuses, including
ongoing detentions and killings. Russian forces continue to
harass civilian communities all along the administrative
boundary line, and impede the right of return of the internally
displaced persons within their own country.
H.R. 598 bolsters Georgia's territorial integrity by
authorizing sanctions against those responsible for or
complicit in human rights violations in those occupied parts of
Georgia. As the chairman to the U.S. Delegation to the NATO
Parliamentary Assembly I am pleased that the Georgia Support
Act also recognizes that Georgia has been a longstanding NATO
aspirant country. I traveled to Georgia three times in as many
years, including for the spring meeting of NATO's Parliamentary
Assembly, and believe Georgia is a key partner for NATO
security, and Georgia has had troops in Afghanistan side by
side with those of our own.
Georgia Support Act builds on previous efforts that
Congress has undertaken to support Georgia's territorial
integrity. In the Countering America's Adversaries Through
Sanctions Act we, Congress enshrined a non-recognition policy
for Russia's illegal occupation of South Ossetia and Abkhazia
in Georgia.
In the 114th Congress, the House passed H.Res. 660 which
Judge Poe and I introduced to express support for Georgia's
territorial integrity. That resolution was a clear and
unequivocal Statement in support of the sovereign territory of
Georgia, and reiterated the longstanding policy of the U.S.
Government not to recognize territorial changes effected by
force, as dictated by the Stimson Doctrine established in 1932.
The Georgia Support Act is a timely expression of
congressional support for the vital U.S.-Georgia partnership,
which is a strategically important relationship in a critical
part of the world. As we approach Georgia's independence day
next week, I urge my colleagues to support this bill which
reasserts U.S. support for Georgia's sovereignty and clear and
forceful opposition to the illegal Russian invasion of Georgian
territory and occupation of same.
As the House of Representatives recently passed a Crimean
Annexation Non-Recognition Act, which my friend Mr. Chabot and
I have introduced in every Congress since the illegal
annexation of Crimea, the Georgia Support Act is another clear
and unequivocal Statement by this Congress on the issue of
territorial sovereignty, especially in the eastern part of
Europe.
With that I yield back, and thank the chair again.
Mr. Engel. Thank you, Mr. Connolly.
Mr. Wilson.
Ms. Wilson. Thank you, Chairman Engel and Republican Leader
McCaul, for bringing these crucial bills to a mark. Each one of
the bills is a testimony to this committee's long tradition of
tackling some of the world's thorniest issues and challenges
with bipartisan cooperation.
I urge my colleagues to support all the measures before us
today. I will speak on three of them in the time that I have.
First I would like to speak in support of H.R. 598, the
Georgia Support Act, introduced by the co-chairs of the Georgia
Caucus, Mr. Connolly from Virginia, and Mr. Kinzinger from
Illinois. While Georgia successfully achieved independence in
1991, Moscow is still to this day attempting to bully this
small nation. In 2008, Russian troops invaded the country,
seizing nearly a third of Georgia's territory, which they still
occupy today.
The Georgia Support Act is to help our friends in Georgia
repel ongoing Russian aggression by bolstering their defenses
as well as their cyber security and capabilities to combat
Russian disinformation campaigns. Importantly, this bill
sanctions Russian perpetrators of human rights violations in
the occupied regions of Georgia. This is a comprehensive bill
that will send a direct message to the Kremlin: we will always
stand side by side with Georgia in defense of its territorial
integrity and God-given rights and freedoms.
Unfortunately, Vladimir Putin would like to see all of the
liberated former Soviet States returned to Moscow's orbit. He
attempts to exert his control over these nations through energy
blackmail. That is why I strongly support my colleagues to
support H.R. 2023, Protect European Energy Security Act
introduced by Mr. Heck of Washington. This bill makes it clear
that Congress opposes Nord Stream 2 pipeline and other energy
schemes of Russia in northern Europe that seek to make our
European allies further beholden to Moscow's energy resources.
As co-chair of the European Union Caucus, along with my
colleague Mr. Meeks of New York, I believe there is no greater
challenge to European security today than energy security and
Russia's ongoing blackmail.
I would also like to express my support for House
Resolution 129, which highlights Saudi Arabia's troubling
detention and persecution of women's rights activities, and
urging Riyadh to immediately and unconditionally release these
advocates and other political prisoners. Just last week we
marked the 1-year anniversary of Aziza al-Yousef's detention by
Saudi authorities. Aziza is a mother of five, grandmother of
eight, and a legal U.S. permanent resident. She was arrested,
tortured, and is facing trial for advocating for basic human
rights. These kinds of arrests fly in the face of Saudi
Arabia's stated Social Reform Bills as part of Vision 2030.
Persecution of human rights defenders anywhere is
reprehensible, and I thank Representative Frankel for her
leadership on this issue.
Last, as co-chair of the Turkey Caucus I am increasingly
concerned about our relationship with Ankara. Turkey is an
appreciated, strategically important NATO ally. Its decision to
buy the Russian S-400 missile system is troubling and, in my
opinion, indicative of the current government's disdain for our
shared values and Turkey's democratic foundations.
To think that they are now thinking of collaborating with
Russians on an S-500 system just confirms this to me and
others. I will continue to advocate for improved ties between
Washington and Ankara, but the S-400 purchase is not only
unhelpful to this end, but damaging and dangerous. I call on
the Turkish Government to cancel this purchase and recommit to
its mutually beneficial role in the NATO Alliance. I urge my
colleagues to support House Resolution 372.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield back.
Mr. Engel. Thank you, Mr. Wilson.
Ms. Omar.
Ms. Omar. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and Mr. McCaul, for
introducing H.R. 2615. The amendment I offer today is designed
to enhance our engagement with human rights in the Northern
Triangle. It does three simple things.
First, it expands the list of human rights abuses and the
reporting required, to include torture, forced disappearance,
and arbitrary detentions. Particularly in Honduras and
Guatemala these are driving forces of migration and betrayal of
universal human rights, and we must be clear about stopping
them.
Second, my amendment adds to the reporting requirements,
descriptions of measures taken by the Northern Triangle
governments to guarantee the rights of indigenous and rural
communities. Indigenous people in Guatemala and Honduras are
particularly vulnerable to those governments. And we should
insist that the governments of those countries are abiding by
their international obligations, including the ILO 169. This
means free, prior, and informed consent from communities before
mega-projects are built in their territories.
This includes the Garifuna, the Lenca, the Mayas, and the
Campesino communities I met in Pajulies, in La Esperanza, and
Tela. It means actual protection for indigenous and rural land
and water defenders, and not the impunity we see in both of
these countries.
Finally, my amendment addresses the language of human
rights conditionality in the bill to reflect what the
appropriation included in this bill. It is strengthening the
language on conditionality from effective steps in the alliance
of prosperity to meeting the following conditions. It is a way
to guarantee that our human rights conditions will have the
peace they need to be genuinely per--to be genuinely be
persuasive to the Northern Triangle governments.
I was in Honduras for the 2017 elections, and followed
closely both the credible accusations of fraud and the
widespread human rights abuses that followed. Like so many
Americans, I was deeply disappointed to see the State
Department certify that effective steps were being taken to
improve human rights in Honduras at the same moment protestors
were being gunned down in the streets.
This amendment will ensure that that certification will be
based on the actual enjoyment of human rights by El
Salvadoreans, Guatemalans, and Honduran people, and not allow
the government of Juan Orlando Hernandez and Jimmy Morales to
game the system and continue in impunity.
I also want to add that this committee needs to take a
closer look at the role State violence is playing in the exodus
from Guatemala, and especially in Honduras. I am very pleased
that this bill takes that seriously, and I am happy to support
it.
I also think we need to go one step further. And as an
original co-sponsor of H.R. 1945, the Berta Caceres Human
Rights in Honduras Act, I would strongly encourage this
committee to bring that bill up for markup.
Once again, I thank you, Mr. Chairman and Ranking Member,
for your leadership in this crucial issue, and I yield back.
Mr. Engel. Thank you, Ms. Omar.
Mrs. Wagner.
Mrs. Wagner Mr. Chairman, I would like o thank you and
Ranking Member McCaul for working with me on H.R. 2140, the
Preventing Child Marriage in Displaced Populations Act, and my
amendment to combat violence against women and children in
Central America.
Last week in our capacities as co-chairs of the Central
America Caucus, Representative Norma Torres and I introduced
H.R. 2935, the bipartisan Central American Women and Children
Protection Act. My amendment incorporates this legislation into
today's Central America engagement bill.
Central America is sadly ranked high among regions of the
world for femicide. El Salvador and Honduras are among the top
three countries in the world with the highest child homicide
rates. Northern Triangle governments allow impunity for
perpetrators of violence, with less than 10 percent of reported
cases resulting in conviction.
In April I visited Guatemala and met women and young girls
who told me their deeply personal stories of sexual and
domestic violence. These women are driven and they yearn for
opportunity to build a better life at home so they can safely
grow a family and improve their communities. The mothers that
we met with within the country's impoverished western highlands
wanted to keep their families together at home. A 1,500 mile
journey to our border with limited food and water is
particularly dangerous for women and girls who are at severe
risk of violence.
These women did not view migration as a solution. And they
are banding together to root out poverty and fix failing
justice systems so their families have economic opportunities.
Eliminating the root causes of the migration crisis at our
border entails standing with these women.
My amendment today would authorize the President to enter
into bilateral compacts with the governments of El Salvador,
Guatemala, and Honduras to strengthen the justice systems of
those countries and to create safer communities for women and
children.
Today I am also urging my colleagues to support H.R. 2140,
the Preventing Child Marriage in Displaced Populations Act.
Humanitarian crises put women and girls at a much higher risk
of violence and exploitation, including child marriage. Nine of
the ten countries with the highest rates of child marriage are
fragile States where weak institutions, high rates of violence,
and stagnant economies make families more likely to resort to
child marriage to keep their daughters safe and provide for
their futures.
Important research conducted by UNICEF revealed that in
2018 more than 700 million women and girls worldwide were
married before their 18th birthday. And of these, 250 million
were married before their 15th birthday. These women are more
likely to experience domestic violence and have worse
educational, economic, and health prospects than their
unmarried peers. But even though rates of child marriage are on
the rise in U.N.-administered refugee camps, the U.N. has yet
to adopt a formal definition of child marriage, or a
comprehensive strategy to address the problem in these
settlements.
This important piece of legislation would direct the United
States to lead U.N. efforts to adopt a definition of child
marriage and craft a comprehensive strategy to address child
marriages in unadministered refugee settlements. The strategy
would include protocols to prevent and monitor child marriages,
programs to provide physical, mental, and emotional support for
victims, programs offering alternatives for child marriage, and
measures to ensure that adults participating in illegal child
marriages are held accountable.
Child marriage is a violation of human rights and a form of
violence against women. And I urge my colleagues to support the
Preventing Child Marriage in Displaced Populations Act. And I
yield back.
Mr. Engel. Thank you.
Would any other members like some time? Ms. Houlahan.
Ms. Houlahan. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The barriers that girls and women face do not exist in a
vacuum. A woman's right to education, to her bodily autonomy,
to self-determination, they are all connected. And we must work
with our allies and global organizations to help women and
girls achieve true and lasting change.
Initiatives like the U.N. Joint Program to End Child
Marriage, which the UNFPA and UNICEF lead jointly, are looking
at this issue holistically. They are working to make the social
protection, health, education, social, and behavioral changes
needed to build a truly equitable world for women. And in spite
of these important efforts, the United States is not currently
contributing funds to the Joint Program.
I am grateful to my colleague from Missouri for introducing
the Preventing Child Marriage Act, and I urge the other members
of this committee to support this very important legislation
that will bolster and affirm the good work of the United
Nations to end child marriage.
I want to note the important leadership role under UNFPA in
this effort. Although the legislation does not mention them by
name, they are driving important change through initiatives
like the Joint Program.
Finally, Mr. Chairman, access to quality education is one
of the strongest tools that we have for combating the epidemic
of childhood marriage. And that is why, in addition to
supporting Ms. Wagner's bill, I am also an original co-sponsor
of the Keeping Girls in School Act, a bipartisan act introduced
by Representatives Frankel and Brooks, legislation that would
empower girls by increasing their educational and economic
opportunities and security. Girls and women deserve to be
educated, to be economically independent, to be the deciders of
their own fates. And that is what we believe in the United
States and what we need to fight for in all corners of the
world.
Chairman Engel and Ranking Member McCaul, I hope that this
committee will take further steps in the effort to end child
marriage and to promote gender equality by marking up the
Keeping Girls in School Act as soon as possible.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And I yield back the balance of my
time.
Mr. Engel. Thank you, Ms. Houlahan.
Mr. Wright.
Mr. Wright. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to thank you
and leader McCaul for agreeing to include my bill H.R. 2046,
the Energy Diplomacy Act, in today's markup. I would also like
to thank the lead Republican and Representative Gonzalez of
Texas, and the bill's original co-sponsors, for their support.
Since 1977, when Congress formally gave the Secretary of
State primary authority over energy-related foreign policy
there have been significant changes in the global energy
landscape. The United States is now the world's top producer of
petroleum and natural gas.
We have also seen increased weaponization of energy by
Russia against our EU and NATO allies, transforming energy into
a critical national security issue. This new challenge requires
reaffirmed dedication and focus.
The Energy Diplomacy Act does just that by authorizing an
Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources, and defining
our energy security and diplomatic priorities. My bill will
ensure the State Department has adequate personnel to carry out
its mandate and protect and advance the energy security
interests of the United States, as well as those of our allies
abroad.
Finally, this bill advances U.S. energy exports by
instructing our diplomats to work in tandem with U.S. energy
companies operating abroad. Combating Russia's malign influence
in Europe has been at the forefront of the committee's agenda
this year, and I firmly believe pushing back on their energy
dominance in Europe must be part of our strategy.
Thank you again, Chairman and Ranking Member, for including
my bill today. I urge my colleagues to support this bill as
part of the en bloc, and yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. Engel. Thank you very much.
Mr. Allred. No.
OK. Mr. Sherman.
Mr. Sherman. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And thank you for the
bipartisan collegiality this committee has been run with that
has led to not only excellent bills but bills that I think have
unanimous support.
As to the Northern Triangle bill, it is ripping our country
apart to deal with the refugees from Central America. There is
no better investment we can make in American unity than to
allow people in the Northern Triangle countries to live where
they want to live, which is in their own country in peace,
security, and prosperity.
As to the USAID branding bill, it is so important that we
not only aid countries but that we make sure they know this is
a gift from the American people. We have often called this the
``flag on the bag'' requirement or objective when we send bags
of food.
As to the Georgia support act, I strongly support it. And I
am pleased that USAID has assured me that an appropriate amount
of aid will go to the Samtskhe-Javakheti region in southern
Georgia.
As to preventing child marriage, a very important bill.
Particularly I am focused on the Sindh area of Pakistan where
we see non-Muslim girls kidnapped, converted, and then forced
into child marriage. This bill is one small step to deal with
that.
As to condemning Saudi Arabia, we not only have to condemn
Saudi Arabia, but I have legislation that I hope will be marked
up in this committee to act to prevent Saudi Arabia from
developing a nuclear weapon.
And, of course, we are all concerned about Turkey. If they
are cooperating with Russia with regard to an S-400, and even
worse, the development of an S-500 rocket, that is inconsistent
with their membership in NATO. I yield back.
Mr. Engel. Thank you. Are there any other members that wish
to speak?
Ms. Wild.
Ms. Wild. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I speak in support of House Resolution 129, condemning the
Government of Saudi Arabia's continued detention and alleged
abuse of women's rights activists.
Saudi Arabia has been an important strategic partner of the
United States and we share broad interests, including the
defeat of ISIL in Iraq and Syria. But as much as our interests
align, those interests are diluted by a divergence concerning
women's rights.
I wanted to give Saudi leadership the benefit of the doubt
when we were told that there would be great social reform,
especially with respect to women's rights. I wanted to give
Saudi Arabia the benefit of the doubt when women finally got
the right to drive. But the disparate impact of Saudi Arabia's
male guardianship system, which requires women to obtain
permission of their male guardians in healthcare, employment,
and travel decisions, is still felt to this day.
The imprisonment of women's rights advocates and the
unwarranted psychological and physical abuse is even more
upsetting. It has become clear the Saudi leadership largely
seeks to maintain the status quo. That is unacceptable. We
cannot just hold our adversaries accountable for humanitarian
abuses, we must also demand accountability of our strategic
partners.
This resolution is an important reaffirmation that human
rights and democracy are bedrocks of the United States' foreign
policy and that it necessarily requires advancing the rights
and empowerment of women and girls. For as long as I have the
privilege of serving in Congress I will continue to reaffirm
those bedrock principles.
I urge a yes vote on this resolution. Thank you, Mr.
Chairman. I yield back.
Mr. Engel. Thank you.
Mr. Phillips.
Mr. Phillips. Thank you, Chairman Engel and Ranking Member
McCaul, and all my colleagues for this very important slate of
bills and resolutions. I wish the news media would be as
interested in this kind of work instead of focused on the
distractions and divisions in this country.
And I just wanted to do a special shout-out to Ranking
Member McCaul for H.R. 2744, probably the smallest bill in this
package but an important one, because despite our
imperfections, the United States of America does a lot of good
around the world. And I like the fact that now USAID can
express that to the beneficiaries and to people in the world
who are not as familiar with our good work as I wish they were,
and prospectively I hope they will be.
So, my salutations and gratitude. And I yield back.
Mr. Engel. Thank you.
Mr. Bera.
Mr. Bera. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I speak in support of Ms. Wagner's bill, H.R. 2140, which
advances the fight against child marriage at the United
Nations. But I do remain disappointed that the U.S. currently
doesn't contribute to the U.N.'s Joint Program to End Child
Marriage, especially due to the bipartisan support reflected by
this measure.
This bill highlights the great work of the United Nations,
in particular UNICEF and UNHCR. But I would also note that
UNFPA is working alongside UNICEF and UNHCR in refugee settings
to prevent child marriage. UNFPA is meeting the unique health
needs, legal, and psychological needs of child brides and young
mothers.
I had the chance to see firsthand when I visited the
Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan where you have tens of thousands
of Syrian refugees. You see UNFPA working alongside UNICEF
running a comprehensive women's health center that started with
U.S. spending. They delivered more than 10,000 babies without a
single maternal death, an incredible achievement by any
measure.
Zaatari is home to tens of thousands of Syrian refugees.
Syria is an enduring problem that the United States is still
grappling with, as our full committee hearing showed this
morning. The UNFPA study referenced in today's bill showed that
child marriage among displaced Syrians is four times higher
than what it was before the crisis broke out in 2011.
So, this health center also delivers counseling, legal
referrals, and psychological care to the girls who are in child
and forced marriages. Child marriage often marks the end of a
girl's education and the beginning of their life as a mom
before she is physically or mentally ready.
I was also glad to see the U.N.'s focus on child marriage
prevention. In Zaatari, the U.N. supports schooling but also
programs for young people in art, sports, cooking, computer
skills, and language. So, I am happy to see support for the
U.N. Joint Program on Child Marriage mentioned in this bill. It
is important that the U.S. support the U.N. and their NGO
partners working on these issues.
And I want to emphasize that we should not be pulling
funding from the very agencies serving women and girls, namely
UNFPA. We should stand proudly with all our U.N. partners who
do this work every day.
And with that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
Mr. Engel. Thank you very much.
Are there any other members seeking recognition?
[No response.]
Mr. Engel. OK, hearing no further requests for recognition
then, without objection, the committee will proceed to consider
the noticed items en bloc.
Without objection, each measure is considered as read.
And without objection, the amendments to each are
considered as read and are agreed to.
Without objection, the question occurs on the measures en
block, as amended.
All those in favor, say aye.
All those opposed, no.
In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it. The measures
considered en bloc. 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.
I want to thank you very much. This concludes our business
today. I want to especially thank Ranking Member McCaul and all
the committee members for their contributions and assistance
with today's markup.
The committee stands adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 2:54 p.m., the committee was adjourned.]
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