[House Hearing, 116 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
MARKUP OF H.R. 3373, H.R. 5038,
S. 1340, H.R. 4864, H.R. 4508, H.Res.752, H.R. 2343, H. Res. 754, H.R.
630, H.R. 3843, H.R. 2529, H.R. 2444, H.R. 4331, and H.R. 3571
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MARKUP
BEFORE THE
COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
__________
December 18, 2019
__________
Serial No. 116-88
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Printed for the use of the Committee on Foreign Affairs
[GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Available: http://www.foreignaffairs.house.gov/, http://
docs.house.gov,
or http://www.govinfo.gov
__________
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
38-741PDF WASHINGTON : 2020
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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 EN BLOC
H.R. 3373, Office of International Disability Rights Act......... 20
H.R. 5338 Global Hope Act........................................ 29
Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H.R. 5338 offered by
Mr. McCaul..................................................... 35
H.R. 4864, the Global Child Thrive Act........................... 36
Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H.R. 4864 offered by
Mr. Castro..................................................... 54
H.R. 4508, Malala Yousafzai Scholarship Act...................... 70
Amendment in the Nature of Substitute to H.R. 4508 offered by Mr.
Smith.......................................................... 78
H. Res. 752, Supporting the Rights of the People of Iran to Free
Expression, Condemning the Iranian Regime for its Crackdown on
Legitimate Protests............................................ 79
Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H.RES. 752 offered by
Mr. Deutch..................................................... 87
Amendment to the Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to
H.RES. 752 offered by Mr. Engel................................ 95
H.R. 2343, Peace and Tolerance in Palestinian Education Act...... 96
Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H.R. 2343 offered by
Mr. Sherman.................................................... 100
H. Res 754, Expressing the Sense of the House of Representatives
That the United States Should Continue to Support the People of
Nicaragua in Their Peaceful Efforts to Promote Democracy and
Human Rights and Use the Tools Under United States Law to
Increase Political and Financial Pressure on the Government of
Daniel Ortega.................................................. 104
H.R. 360, Counterterrorism Screening and Assistance Act of 2019.. 109
Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H.R. 630 offered by
Mr. Zeldin..................................................... 126
Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H.R. 630 offered by
Ms. Omar....................................................... 138
H.R. 3843, Countering Russian and Other Overseas Kleptocracy Act,
which is the CROOK Act......................................... 139
Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H.R. 3843 offered by
Mr. Keating.................................................... 155
H.R. 2444, Eastern European Security Act......................... 171
Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H.R. 2444 offered by
Mr. Engel...................................................... 174
H.R. 4331, Tibetan Policy and Support Act of 2019................ 177
Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H.R. 4331 offered by
Mr. Engel...................................................... 206
Amendment to the Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H.R.
4331 offered by Mr. Engel...................................... 227
H.R. 3571, City and State Diplomacy Act.......................... 228
Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H.R. 3571 offered by
Mr. Lieu....................................................... 238
Amendment to the Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H.R.
3571 offered by Mr. Meeks...................................... 249
APPENDIX
Markup Notice.................................................... 251
Markup Minutes................................................... 252
Markup Attendance................................................ 253
STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD
Statement for the record submitted from Representative Jeffries.. 254
MARKUP SUMMARY
Summary of the Markup for the record............................. 255
MARKUP OF H.R. 3373, H.R. 5038, S. 1340, H.R. 4864, H.R. 4508, H. Res.
752, H.R. 2343, H. Res. 754, H.R. 630, H.R. 3843, H.R. 2529, H.R. 2444,
H.R. 4331, and H.R. 3571
Wednesday, December 18, 2019
House of Representatives
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Washington, DC
The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10 a.m., in room
2172 Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Eliot Engel (chairman
of the committee) presiding.
Mr. Engel. The committee will come to order. Without
objection, the chair is authorized to declare a recess of the
committee at any point. Pursuant to committee rule 4, the chair
may postpone further proceedings on approving any measure or
matter or adopting an amendment. Without objection, all members
may 5 days to submit statements or extraneous materials on
today's business.
As members were notified yesterday, we tend to consider 12,
now 12 bipartisan measures and amendments, en bloc. Pursuant to
notice for purposes of markup, I now call the en bloc package
consisting of 11 measures: H.R. 3373, Office of International
Disability Rights Act; H.R. 5038 Global Hope Act, with a McCaul
amendment; H.R. 4864, the Global ChildThrive Act, with a Castor
Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute; H.R. 4508, Malala
Yousafzai Scholarship Act with a Smith amendment; H.Res. 752,
Supporting the rights of the people of Iran to free expression,
condemning the Iranian regime for its crackdown on legitimate
protests, with a Deutch Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute
and an Engel amendment to the Amendment in the Nature of a
Substitute; H.R. 2343, Peace and Tolerance in Palestinian
Education Act, with a Sherman Amendment in the Nature of a
Substitute; H.Res 754, Expressing the sense of the House of
Representatives that the United States should continue to
support the people of Nicaragua in their peaceful efforts to
promote democracy and human rights and use the tools under
United States law to increase political and financial pressure
on the government of Daniel Ortega; H.R. 360, Counterterrorism
Screening and Assistance Act of 2019, with a Zeldin Amendment
in the Nature of a Substitute and an Omar amendment to the
Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute; H.R. 3843, Countering
Russian and Other Overseas Kleptocracy Act, which is the CROOK
Act, with a Keating Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute;
H.R. 2444, Eastern European Security Act, with an Engel
Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute; H.R. 4331, Tibetan
Policy and Support Act of 2019, with an Engel Amendment in the
Nature of a Substitute and an Engel amendment to the Amendment
in the Nature of a Substitute; H.R. 3571, City and State
Diplomacy Act, with a Lieu Amendment in the Nature of a
Substitute and a Meeks amendment to the Amendment in the Nature
of a Substitute.
Senate 1340, the Ebola Eradication Act, was noticed for
this markup, but I am not calling it up at this time; H.R.
2529, the New START Bill, was noticed, but I am also not
calling it up as well since we have a few things to work out. I
will continue to work on this bill and list it for the next
markup.
At this time, I recognize myself to speak on today's
business. I am pleased to support all of the bipartisan
measures before us today and I thank our members for their hard
work. I will keep my remarks brief and highlight just a few of
the 12 bills and resolutions.
OK, I will turn now to the Countering Russian and Other
Overseas Kleptocracy Act authored by Mr. Keating and Mr.
Fitzpatrick on the subject of Mr. Putin. Putin and kleptocrats
like him keep their power by corruption enriching a circle of
loyal cronies at the expense of the citizens they represent.
And as we have seen here in our Nation, they export corruption
to gain leverage over world leaders and undermine democracies
from within.
As we take this measure up, I am reminded that prior to
becoming, taking office, President Trump spoke against the
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act which bans bribery and other
corruption in foreign business dealings, so I am pleased to
support the CROOK Act which provides support to other countries
combating corruption.
I also wanted to thank Mr. McCaul for his work on the
Eastern European Security Act, a measure that mirrors my bill,
the NATO Defense Financing Act. It is critical that NATO allies
modernize their military forces and shift away from reliance on
Russian or old Soviet-era equipment. This legislation which
would complement U.S. security assistance allows for loans to
our allies so they can update their equipment and security
needs. Our own security depends upon a strong NATO alliance, so
I hope all members will join me in approving this measure that
supports our European allies.
Next, I will turn to House Resolution 752, which reaffirms
our support for the rights of the Iranian people and condemns
the Iranian regime for violently cracking down on protests. In
the past months, I have been horrified by the images coming
from Iran. Peaceful protestors met with violence, abuse, and
brutality; internet and communications technology completely
cutoff and censored.
It is just sickening to see the way that the regime treats
the people of Iran, so I am pleased that we are considering
this measure to reaffirm Congress's longstanding, bipartisan
support for the Iranian people's right to freedom of expression
and our strong opposition to the regime's cruel tactics. I hope
all members will join me and support this measure.
Next, I will turn to my Amendment in the Nature of a
Substitute to Tibetan Policy and Support Act of 2019, a measure
offered by my friend, Mr. McGovern, the co-chair of the
congressional Executive Committee on China and a leading
advocate for the people of Tibet. Congress has always been a
strong supporter of the Tibetan people's fight for their
religious freedom and human rights.
Now, Beijing has made it clear that they plan to select
future Tibetan Buddhist religious leaders including the next
Dalai Lama. It is an unthinkable violation of the basic
principles of religious freedom that the Chinese Government
would choose a religious leader for the Tibetan people rather
than allowing the Tibetan people to make this decision through
their ancient and sacred traditions. So with this bill, we send
a clear message. If Chinese officials infringe on the religious
freedom of the Tibetan people in this manner, we will hold them
accountable. I am proud to support this measure and hope all
members will do the same.
Next, I want to thank Mr. Jeffries for his Malala Yousafzai
Scholarship Act to ensure that at least half of USAID's merit
and needs-based educational scholarships in Pakistan go to
women. I am glad to see it is named after Malala, an iconic
champion for girls' education, who persisted and who the
Taliban attacked simply because she wanted to go to school.
This is an excellent bill that I am proud to move forward in
today's markup.
And, finally, I will turn to the Global Hope Act, a measure
I cosponsored with Ranking Member McCaul, a longtime advocate
in the fight against childhood cancer. The Global Hope Act
takes the successful advances developed in the U.S. to fight
childhood cancer and uses them to explore public-private
partnerships for this mission throughout the world. It is a
good bill I am pleased to support.
I strongly support all the measures we are considering
today and I urge all members to join me and do the same. And I
will now recognize our ranking member, Mr. McCaul of Texas, for
his remarks.
Mr. McCaul. Well, thank you, Chairman Engel, for working
with me and my side of the aisle over the past year to move
important bipartisan measures through the committee and the
House. I think, today, we are once again demonstrating that we
can get things done in Congress.
Today, we are considering 12 measures including two
measures I introduced, the Global Hope Act and the Eastern
European Security Act. I would like to thank the chairman for
his support and for partnering with me on the Global Hope Act.
I founded the Childhood Cancer Caucus over a decade ago and
since then we have made tremendous strides toward taking steps
to cure this terrible disease. I am proud of the bipartisan
work we have accomplished.
In the United States, childhood cancer is largely curable
with over an 80 percent survival rate. Sadly, in developing
countries this is reversed. The mortality rate for children
diagnosed with cancer is 80 percent. In Africa it is as high as
90 percent. This is unacceptable, particularly given the low-
cost measures and drugs that we have to cure this disease.
The United States has invested billions of dollars through
PEPFAR and other programs to strengthen health systems and
reduce disease burdens on developing countries. Because of
these sustained investments, we are seeing impressive gains in
global health and infectious disease survival rates. This bill
is an opportunity to build on those successes. Important
activities are already underway and showing results including
training doctors and health professionals and increasing access
to low-cost generic medicines and interventions such as Texas
Children's Hospital in Botswana.
In September 2018, the Global Health Organization announced
a global initiative for childhood cancer that aims to reach at
least a 60 percent survival rate for children with cancer by
2030, and the private sector has stepped up to the plate and
worked with health ministries and invested money on their own.
That is why I introduced the Global Hope Act, to leverage the
strength of the U.S. Government global health activities by
partnering with the private sector, NGO's, hospitals, and
international organizations.
My bill authorizes the Secretary of State to engage in
public-private partnerships and build on the successes of our
current programs to address childhood cancer. This bill does
not take away from our existing infectious disease programs,
but rather catalyzes effective partnerships with hospitals and
the private sector to work with health ministries, train
medical personnel, and support the infrastructure to diagnosis,
treat, and care for these children. A child's survival from
cancer should not be predicted on where they are born and I
look forward to working with my colleagues on this important
bill.
On the Eastern European Security Act, it is vital that
NATO-member countries who were formerly part of the Soviet bloc
have modern and effective defense articles that are easily
integrated with those used by the United States and other NATO
allies. The Eastern European Security Act authorizes direct
loans to these NATO allies so that they are not dependent on
Russian or former Soviet-era defense articles. The bill
supports our NATO allies and American jobs and is the best way
to secure the alliance.
Last, on the Iran Resolution, I would like to thank my
colleagues, Mr. Deutch and Mr. Wilson, for their work on a
resolution supporting the rights of the people of Iran to free
expression and condemning the Iranian regime for its crackdown
on legitimate protests. This resolution is an important step in
responding to their protests and subsequent crackdown.
I think particularly with this maximum pressure campaign,
Iran is starting to feel the squeeze. They are crippled, they
are getting provocative, and now is the time, I think, to act,
so that we can topple the regime and free the Iranian people
and the rights, the human rights of the Iranian people. And so
with that I would like to thank all the members of the
committee. I know it is a busy day today. And with that, Mr.
Chairman, I yield back.
Mr. Engel. Thank you, Mr. McCaul.
Mr. Sherman.
Mr. Sherman. Mr. Chairman, this is perhaps the most
partisan day in which has been perhaps the most partisan year
in an era noted for its extreme partisan divisions. Yet today
we will pass 11 bills, all of which have wide, near-unanimous,
bipartisan support. It is a testament to the chair and the
ranking member of this committee that those who listen to our
proceedings in audio format, who hear but do not see, have
difficulty discerning which Congress member is a member of
which political party. This committee is an island of calm in a
very stormy sea. I support the en bloc measure and I yield
back.
Mr. Engel. Thank you, Mr. Sherman.
Mr. Smith.
Mr. Smith. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. These are
great bills, and I want to thank Mr. McCaul for his efforts to
try to mitigate the challenges of childhood cancer in the
developing world. I also want to thank Congressman Jeffries for
accepting my amendment. As difficult as it is to be a woman in
search of an education in Pakistan, it is even more difficult
if you are a woman who is part of a disfavored religious
minority, and my amendment includes reference to religion as a
factor in marginalization, responds to a need identified by the
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops on behalf of all--I say
again, all--religious minorities in Pakistan.
I want to thank Albio Sires, especially, for his resolution
of Nicaragua. I first met with Daniel Ortega in 1984 on a human
rights mission to Nicaragua when there was a terrible war going
on and his human rights abuses, which were egregious and
pervasive then, continue to be so today. So thank you, Albio,
for a great resolution.
I also want to speak to the Tibet Policy and Support Act of
2019. I am the prime Republican sponsor of that bill working
with my good friend and colleague, Jim McGovern. Just last
month, a 24-year-old Tibetan former monk named Yonten set
himself on fire, and he is one of 150 self-immolations which
have occurred over Tibet since 2009 in protest of China's
continuing and worsening occupation of the people.
What could drive a man to that extreme? Well, under Xi
Jinping there has been an expansion of the effort to erase
Tibetan culture and to bring about what they call the
sinicization of Tibetan Buddhism, just as it seeks to bring all
religions or religious believers to heel in China, a phenomena
which I discussed in an op-ed article that I wrote for the
Washington Post nearly a year ago. Xi Jinping is trying to take
every faith including Tibetan Buddhists and say they must cow-
tow to him and to Marxist-Leninist principles or else they will
be jailed, tortured, and even worse, killed.
In the past year, according to the China Commission--and I
am the former chairman of it and now I am currently the ranking
member--the Chinese Government has forced Tibetans to remove
photos of the Dalai Lama from their homes, and whose picture
goes up instead? Xi Jinping. This Congress, this year, has a
list of important acts of legislation focused on China. Two
Hong Kong bills, a bill just the other week on the human rights
situation of the Muslim Uyghurs, and now we are addressing the
issue of Tibet.
Keep in mind that just 1 year after the Communists took
control over the Chinese mainland, China began the process of
annexing the neighboring country of Tibet. Beginning in October
1950 and continuing into the next year, troops of the People's
Liberation Army marched into Tibet easily overcoming resistance
and forcing the Government of Tibet to acknowledge the
overlordship of China. An uneasy period of semi-autonomy
existed until 1959 when Tibet tried to overthrow the yoke of
Communist occupation. This too was crushed, and crushed
brutally.
China completed its incorporation of Tibet and the Dalai
Lama fled 60 years ago. In exile, the Dalai Lama became the
personification of Tibetan national and religious aspirations.
Thirty years ago, the Nobel Committee recognized the Dalai Lama
for his peaceful challenge to Chinese occupation and his
defense for the dignity and autonomy of the Tibetan people.
This year, incidentally, I plan to nominate the Hong Kong
protestors for the Nobel Peace Prize and hope that my
colleagues on this committee will sign that letter of
nomination. I would point out that Liu Xiaobo led the effort in
this House and it was joined by people all across the world
when he was named the Nobel Peace Prize winner and that at
least brought a tremendous focus on the ongoing human rights
abuses by China.
In the 17 years since the original Tibetan Policy Act of
2002, the human rights situation in Tibet, sadly and
tragically, has worsened. The Chinese Government has refused to
enter into dialog with Tibetan leaders and Chinese officials
have threatened to select future Tibetan Buddhist leaders,
including the successor to the 14th Dalai Lama, in clear
violation of their international religious freedom obligations
and the traditional practices of the Tibetan Buddhist faith
community. Furthermore, the policies of the Chinese Government
have severely degraded Tibetan religion, culture, language,
livelihoods, and the natural environment.
This bill, along with the Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act
which Congress passed in 2016, sends the right message to
Beijing. The fate of Tibet, its people and resources and
religion are a strategic interest to the United States, but
above all they are entitled--they are entitled--to freedom and
they are entitled to democracy. I yield back the balance of my
time.
Mr. Engel. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Smith.
Mr. Sires.
Mr. Sires. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, for calling
this markup. I am grateful we are able to advance these
bipartisan measures today.
I want to speak about the resolution I introduced with my
colleague, Francis Rooney, ranking member of the Western
Hemisphere Subcommittee. This resolution highlights the severe
human rights abuses that have taken place in Nicaragua since
last year and conveys bipartisan support for the people of
Nicaragua as they seek to reclaim their fundamental rights.
Last year, repression by Nicaragua's security force has
resulted in more 300 deaths. Amnesty International described
the Nicaraguan Government's repressive tactics as a deliberate
strategy of shooting to kill. Independent experts from the
Organization of American States found that Nicaraguan officials
committed crimes against humanity. Unfortunately, the situation
remains dire. Today there are over 150 political prisoners in
Nicaragua while hundreds of others have been released. They are
routinely harassed by the authorities.
Tens of thousands of Nicaraguans have fled the country to
escape prosecution. A recent report from Nicaraguan civil
society organizations detailed the torture and abuses suffered
by 56 political prisoners in Nicaragua including sexual abuse,
suffocation with plastic bags, and electric shocks. This
resolution makes clear that the U.S. Congress stands with the
Nicaraguan people who are demanding accountability in the face
of such brutal repression.
It calls for tangible steps from the Nicaraguan Government
including immediate release of all political prisoners and the
implementation of electoral reforms the Nicaraguan civil
society organizations have long called for. However, the
resolution also makes clear that if the Nicaraguan Government
continues its repression, the international community should
increase economic and political pressure on the Nicaraguan
Government.
I appreciate the efforts of Congressman Rooney and his
staff to work with me on this important resolution. I thank
Chairman Engel for this effort to have this markup and I thank
all our members and their staff for their hard work, and I
yield back.
Mr. Engel. Thank you, Mr. Sires.
Mr. Chabot.
Mr. Chabot. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just want to discuss
briefly four of the bills before us today.
As former chairman of the Middle East Subcommittee, I want
to thank Mr. Deutch and Mr. Wilson for their hard work on H.
Res. 752 of which I am a cosponsor. This important resolution
reaffirms our support for the rights of the Iranian people and
condemns the regime's crackdown on recent protests. The people
of Iran have a right to hold their tyrannical rulers
accountable for the economic stagnation that they have brought
upon their country.
Second, I am a cosponsor of Mr. Sherman and Mr. Zeldin's
H.R. 2343, the Peace and Tolerance in Palestinian Education
Act, which seeks to weed out anti-Israeli propaganda in
Palestinian textbooks. Some Palestinians are willing to live
side by side with Israel in peace, but there will not be peace,
truly peace, until more Palestinians are willing to do so. And
one step in the right direction is to stop teaching hate in the
Palestinian schools and these textbooks are big part of that
hatred.
Third, I would like to mention Mr. Sires and Mr. Rooney's
H.Res 754, which I am also a cosponsor. This important
resolution expresses our unwavering commitment to democracy and
human rights in Nicaragua. The Ortega regime has brutally
suppressed protestors, and over a year and a half later no one
has been brought to justice for, arguably, crimes against
humanity. Ortega's lust for power and rank corruption proves he
has long overstayed his welcome. It is time that Nicaragua had
a free and fair election reflecting the will of the people to
bring needed change to that country.
And, finally, I would like to voice my support for H.R.
4331, the Tibetan Policy and Support Act of 2019, and I want to
thank Mr. McGovern and Mr. Smith for their work on this
important legislation which defends the religious freedom of
Tibet Buddhists by affirming the religious nature of the Dalai
Lama's succession. The Chinese Communist Party is unwilling to
recognize any authority beyond its own power, human or divine.
We cannot live in a world where government, not people's
consciences determines how religion is to be practiced.
With that I would urge my colleagues to support these bills
and many of the other bills, and I yield back.
Mr. Engel. Thank you, Mr. Chabot.
And, Mr. Connolly.
Mr. Connolly. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And I thank you and
the ranking member for bringing 11 bills to this markup. I
regret that we are not going to consider two bills, especially
the Lugar-Tauscher Act, and I certainly look forward to next
year when we do address that issue, because I believe that a
failure to extend the New START agreement risks the utter
collapse of any structure on arms reduction between Russia and
the United States and I think that creates a very dangerous
world. So I hope we will address that.
I also want to echo part of the sentiments of my friend
from California, Mr. Sherman, in terms of the bipartisan nature
of the approach of this committee which is certainly something
I hope we will continue to pursue. But I think it is also
important to say bipartisanship is not intrinsically good or
bad. It is not a goal in and of itself, it is a means toward an
end. And bipartisanship requires two parties to willfully agree
to compromise and cooperate, and the one denying its support
cannot be used as a lever to prevent the work of the people's
business, and I would simply note that. I support bipartisan
approaches whenever and wherever we can achieve them, but they
are not a goal in and of themselves.
Mr. Chairman, I would like to talk about the Tibetan Policy
and Support Act, H.R. 4331, in particular. This past August, I
traveled to Dharmsala, India with the House Democracy
Partnership where we met with His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, for
several hours, as well as officials from the Tibetan Government
in exile, the Central Tibetan Administration.
We heard firsthand how the Chinese Government has
strengthened its persecution of Tibetans through expulsions and
demolitions of religious sites, the marginalizations of Tibetan
culture and language, and further restrictions on Tibetans'
travel especially through third countries like Nepal, which is
an issue I hope this committee will take up because it is
creating a very serious situation for the exiled community in
Dharmsala.
I am proud to be a cosponsor of H.R. 4331, the Tibetan
Policy and Support Act, to update and strengthen the Tibetan
Policy Act of 2002. In response to Chinese official threats to
select future Tibetan Buddhist leaders, the bill establishes as
U.S. policy that the succession or reincarnation of Tibetan
Buddhist leaders, including the future 15th Dalai Lama, is an
exclusively religious matter to be decided solely by the
Tibetan Buddhist community not by the Chinese Government.
I think that is a very important assertion by this
committee and by this Congress and is a strong symbol of
support for the Tibetan people and I hope a source of warning
to the Chinese Government not to interfere with such an
important process. I believe reinforcing and supporting the
goals and aspirations of an entire ethnic population, the
Tibetan people, is a very important value for this committee
and, ultimately, the Congress to support and reassert, and I
thank the authors for bringing this bill before us.
With that I yield back. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Engel. Thank you, Mr. Connolly.
Mr. Wilson.
Mr. Wilson. Thank you, Chairman Eliot Engel and our lead
Republican Michael McCaul for bringing these important
bipartisan measures before us today, and I appreciate and want
to reaffirm the comments by Chairman Gerry Connolly. Indeed, we
can work together on bipartisan issues that are important to
the American people. I am grateful to support a number of these
bills and I appreciate the committee's commitment to
bipartisanship and cooperation.
First and foremost, I would like to express my strong
support for my friend, Chairman Ted Deutch's, H.Res 752,
supporting the rights and people of Iran. I truly believe that
we are witnessing history today in Iran. Protests have erupted
in mid-November over an announced rise in price of fuel has
managed to ignite a massive, countrywide, popular protest that
challenge the very nature of the political system in Iran.
The Iranian people want a government that works for them,
not to prop up a network of criminals and terrorists that
include Assad and Hezbollah. The ayatollah cares more about
death to America and death to Israel than he does about the
Iranian people who have lived through unimaginable suffering
over the past 40 years at the regime's hands. The great
heritage of Persia has been subverted. The foremost State's
sponsor of terrorism, the world has reacted in exactly the way
any terrorist group would to these organized expressions of
democracy. It is killing protestors by the hundreds, with a
recent report suggesting the number could reach a thousand
persons killed. In some cases, the terrorist regime is even
refusing to return bodies to the families and loved ones.
The news has been tragic, but I am hopeful and inspired by
the energy and commitment of the people of Iran. I believe that
1 day we will see the Iranian people take back their government
and their destiny. This important resolution sends a strong
message of support to the Iranian people and I thank Chairman
Deutch for his work as well as for his tireless advocacy on
behalf of human rights to the people of Iran. The very valued
Iranian American community has been effective promoting freedom
and democracy for their beloved families at home.
I would also like to thank my colleague, Mr. Lee Zeldin,
for his hard work on H.R. 630, the Counterterrorism Screening
Assistance Act of 2019. This critical piece of legislation
prioritizes capacity-building in foreign countries to prevent
and detect terrorist travel internationally. This serious
problem will continue to threaten our homeland and our partners
abroad until we can minimize any gaps in the international
terrorism screening system. I am grateful to Mr. Zeldin as well
as lead Republican McCaul for their long history of work on
this crucial issue.
Last, I would like to express my strong support for Mr. Ted
Lieu's H.R. 3571, the City and State Diplomacy Act. As a South
Carolinian, I know all too well how important the bridges we
build with foreign partners on a State and city level can be.
The social and economic benefits that come from subnational
diplomacy are extremely important and I thank Mr. Lieu for this
legislation which will strengthen these kinds of more local
efforts.
The Columbia World Affairs Council has been so meaningfully
established sister-city relationships with both Plovdiv,
Bulgaria, Kaiserslautern, Germany, Chelyabinsk, Russia, and
Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Chair Emeritus Fred Monk has been very
effective. South Carolina, with the leadership of Governor
Henry McMaster, promotes the sister-State relationship with
Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
The City and State Diplomacy Act will establish an Office
of Subnational Diplomacy at the State Department to make sure
that cities and States can leverage the power and network of
the Federal Government to promote their own partnerships
abroad. This will bring more tourism, more trade, and more
foreign direct investments to cities and States across the
country. I urge my colleagues on the committee to support this
far-reaching bill. Thank you again, Chairman Engel and Leader
Republican, and with that I yield back.
Chairman Engel. Thank you, Mr. Wilson.
Mr. Deutch.
Mr. Deutch. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for holding this
markup today. I would like to congratulate you and the ranking
member for the terrific work this committee has accomplished
this year.
I am proud to support all of the good bills that we will be
advancing today. The House Foreign Affairs Committee recognizes
the importance of bipartisan American leadership in advancing
American values. That is the leadership that we are providing
today, and I commend my colleagues on both sides of the aisle
for doing so.
In mid-November, popular protests against the Iranian
regime began and rapidly spread to at least 100 cities
throughout the country in the most significant anti-government
demonstrations in Iran since 2009. While protestors took to the
streets in response to an announced increase in the price of
fuel, they also called for structural reform of the Iranian
political system and condemned current and former leaders. In
response, Iranian authorities shut down the internet; security
forces used lethal force, killing hundreds of people, marking
the highest casualty rate of any protest movement in Iran since
the Islamic Revolution four decades ago, and arresting at least
7,000 more.
Congress has long expressed bipartisan support for the
human rights of the Iranian people, including the rights to
peaceably assemble and protest. Congress has also supported the
rights of Iranian dissidents and authorized the licensing of
communications services to improve the ability of the Iranian
people to speak freely.
In keeping with that tradition, H. Res. 752 expresses the
support of the House of Representatives for the rights of the
Iranian people to free expression and condemns the regime for
its crackdown on the recent legitimate, peaceful protests in
Iran. The resolution condemns the Iranian regime's serious
human rights abuses, significant corruption, and destabilizing
activities abroad, and urges the President and the Secretary of
State to work with the international community to ensure that
violations of human rights are part of all formal and informal
multilateral or bilateral discussions with and regarding Iran.
I thank my friend, Mr. Wilson, for his leadership on this
and so many other issues I am proud to partner with him on. I
thank all of my colleagues for their support of this resolution
which demonstrates that Congress stands with the Iranian people
against the brutal regime and supports their right to live in a
free society.
And I yield back the balance of my time.
Chairman Engel. Thank you. Thank you very much, Mr. Deutch.
Mr. Rooney.
Mr. Rooney. Thank you, Chairman Engel and Ranking Member
McCaul.
I want to thank Chairman Sires, chairman of the Western
Hemisphere Subcommittee, and voice my support for his very
important resolution for which I am thankful to be an original
cosponsor, H. Res. 754, which expresses the House's support for
the brave people of Nicaragua in their struggle for freedom and
democracy against the oppressive regime of Daniel Ortega.
The resolution highlights the regime's human rights abuses
that have led to the deaths of 325 innocent Nicaraguans and
injured thousands more in 2018. Today, the regime continues its
assault on the Nicaraguan people with no signs of letting up.
Just last month, the regime's police forces attacked churches
and church leaders throughout the country and cut water to
peaceful hunger strikers inside a church in the city of Masaya.
These attacks harken back to Ortega's first round as
Nicaragua's Marxist Communist leader in the early 1980's.
Ortega is clearly no less an authoritarian and anti-democratic
leader now than he was back then. Ortega mirrors his close
allies in Cuba and Venezuela by oppressing dissent. We have
seen the reports of arbitrary detentions and attacks on civil
society and independent media that have forced many journalists
and government dissenters to flee the country.
The Ortegas are responsible for systematic corruption,
getting rich by stealing from the people of the second poorest
country in the Western Hemisphere. The Trump Administration has
rightly responded by imposing sanctions on the Ortega family
and other members of the regime who are responsible for
corruption and human rights abuses. This resolution recognizes
and supports the administration's efforts and calls for
additional sanctions and restrictions on the regime's access to
foreign financing.
Today, I support this resolution in calling on Daniel
Ortega to cease all attacks on the Nicaraguan people, release
all political prisoners, and set the conditions for free and
fair elections. The people of Nicaragua have suffered enough,
and the House is rightly speaking out against the Ortega
regime's crimes. I thank Western Hemisphere Subcommittee
Chairman Sires again for introducing this resolution and will
continue to work with him and our colleagues on the committee
to support democracy for the Nicaraguan people.
I yield back. Thank you very much.
Chairman Engel. Thank you, Mr. Rooney.
Before I call on our next people, I want to just remind
everyone on the committee that we have our annual holiday party
this evening, starting at five o'clock, right in this room with
nice ambience. So, we would like members on both sides of the
aisle. Mr. McCaul and I invite you. Please, please show up for
a few minutes and welcome the holiday season. Thank you.
Mr. Keating.
Mr. Keating. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I am also pleased to join with all of us here supporting
all the legislation that is being considered en bloc today in a
bipartisan fashion.
I am also honored to join Representative Fitzpatrick in
sponsoring the Countering Russian and Other Overseas
Kleptocracy Act, or the CROOK Act. Russia's political system is
built on a network of cronyism and kleptocracy, and exposing
and countering Russian corruption and malign influence is a
priority for our Europe, Eurasia, Energy and the Environment
Subcommittee.
For too long, Russian President Vladmir Putin and other
Russian politicians and oligarchs have acted with impunity,
exerting undue influence over Russian political and economic
policies at home and abroad, and manipulating U.S. and European
financial systems to move and disguise their dark money. Their
illicit funds are being used to control key economic sectors,
fund political parties and organizations that advance Russian
interests and manipulate political processes and policies.
Of course, corruption is not limited to Russia. Corruption
can be found everywhere, inhabiting the dark corners of every
country around the globe. So, we must shine a light on
kleptocrats' ill-gotten gains and on those who benefit from
them. The CROOK Act will help prevent Russian and other forms
of kleptocracy from eroding democracy, security, and rule of
law. It reaffirms U.S. policy to support key partners in
promoting good governance and combating corruption.
The CROOK Act would establish an Anti-Corruption Action
Fund to assist governments and non-governmental organizations
in their efforts to prevent, investigate, combat, and deal with
corruption and bribery around the world. The Act would impose a
$5 million prevention payment on some of the most corrupt
offenders of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and against the
leaders in spreading this malign practice throughout the world.
They will be subject to fines and penalties that exceed $50
million and would, thus, ensure those responsible for corrupt
acts that contribute to efforts around the world and inhibit
the rule of law, that they will seek leadership in countering
this from the United States. The CROOK Act also establishes an
interagency task force to work in coordination with U.S.
embassies to coordinate assistance efforts, promote good
governance in foreign States, and enhance the ability of
foreign States to combat public corruption and evaluate foreign
States' efforts.
I hope all of you will join me in supporting the CROOK Act
and ensuring that corruption has no place here, in Russia, or
anywhere else.
I yield back.
Chairman Engel. Thank you, Mr. Keating.
Mr. Fitzpatrick.
Mr. Fitzpatrick. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I would like to speak briefly about two pieces of
legislation that are being marked up today, that I know both
measures will help further our Nation's strategic goals.
I was proud to partner with my colleague on this committee,
Representative Castro, to sponsor the Global Child Thrive Act.
This legislation will bolster global early childhood
development. Dedicating renewed attention to improving lives,
the Act emphasizes the effective approaches to assist other
countries in implementing child-focused initiatives and
reauthorizes sections of the Foreign Assistance Act that will
provide help to orphans and other vulnerable children through
the year 2025. I would also encourage my colleagues in the
Senate to take up the companion bill that is being led by
Senator Blunt and Senator Coons as we have in the House today.
The second piece of legislation I would like to highlight,
which was just spoken to from my colleague, Mr. Keating, is the
Countering Russian and Other Overseas Kleptocracy Act, or CROOK
Act. The CROOK Act will establish an Anti-Corruption Action
Fund to provide extra funding for anti-corruption reform in
partner countries as well as streamline the U.S. Government's
work building the rule of law abroad. I was fortune to be able
to work with Mr. Keating on this bill and combine my role as a
member of this committee and, also, as a Commissioner on the
Helsinki Commission.
Mr. Chairman, this legislation is critically important. As
an FBI agent who led the FBI's Mission to End International
Corruption, this bill is key to making sure that the right
resources are available to the men and women on the front lines
of this fight.
I would ask all my colleagues to join me in supporting both
of these important measures.
I yield back, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Engel. Thank you, Mr. Fitzpatrick.
Mr. Cicilline.
Mr. Cicilline. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to thank you
and the ranking member for once again holding a markup of
bipartisan measures, all of which make progress on important
foreign policy initiatives that will further American national
security and global leadership. And I particularly want to
thank you and to acknowledge the strong, bipartisan leadership
of the chairman and the ranking member for what has been a very
productive year of work on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
I plan to support each of these measures and thank the
sponsors for their hard work. I would like to take a few
minutes to talk about some of the bills being considered today.
I strongly support H.R. 4864, the Global Child Thrive Act,
sponsored by my friends, Joaquin Castro and Brian Fitzpatrick.
This bill will make important investments in education and
early childhood development, recognizing the importance of
safety, access to clean water and food, and access to
education, for the development of healthy young people who can
contribute to their own societies. With so many countries
around the world experiencing decreasing child mortality rates,
it is vital that the United States continue to support
important programs to help children not just survive, but
thrive.
I am pleased to support H.R. 4508, the Malala Yousafzai
Scholarship Act, sponsored by my colleague and good friend,
Hakeem Jeffries from New York. This legislation, of which I am
a proud cosponsor, requires USAID to provide at least 50
percent of its merit and needs-based scholarships to women in
Pakistan. Women in Pakistan still face enormous discrimination
and hardship in accessing education. I am pleased to see this
effort to ensure that our assistance will help give Pakistani
women the educational opportunities they need to build leaders
of the next generation who will follow in Malala's footsteps.
I also want to thank Mr. Deutch and Mr. Wilson for their
leadership in sponsoring H. Res. 752, a resolution supporting
the rights of the people of Iran to free expression and
condemning the Iranian regime for its crackdown on legitimate
protests. I continuously am in awe of the courage of the
Iranian people who are willing to risk their own personal
safety to protest the corrupt and violent regime. The Iranian
people want the same things everyone wants for themselves and
their families--food to eat, a safe place to live, and access
to real opportunities. The Iranian regime has used repression
and fear to maintain control for decades, and when coupled with
bad economic policies, the Iranians have no choice but to say,
``Enough.'' I stand with these brave Iranians and I support
their efforts to live freely and strongly support this
resolution and urge my colleagues to do the same.
Finally, I want to make reference to the CROOK Act,
sponsored by my esteemed classmate, Mr. Keating, and Mr.
Fitzpatrick. I am very proud to support this legislation to
really reaffirm America's global leadership in combating
corruption as a key and effective tool to promoting democracy,
transparency, and honest government around the world. This
legislation will strengthen U.S. efforts to advance the rule of
law by establishing an Anti-Corruption Action Fund at the State
Department. And now more than ever, America's leadership on
this issue is necessary.
So, with that, Mr. Chairman, I am going to urge my
colleagues to support all of these bills and, again, thank my
colleagues for their strong leadership in presenting them.
With that, I yield back.
Chairman Engel. Thank you, Mr. Cicilline.
Ms. Titus.
Ms. Titus. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for holding this markup
and for including my bill, H.R. 3373, the Office of
International Disability Rights Act, in the en bloc package.
There are more than 1 billion persons with disabilities
around the world. Eighty percent live in developing countries.
Around 60 percent are women and there are more than 90 million
children with disabilities. Women with disabilities are more
likely to experience sexual violence and children with
disabilities are more likely to be malnourished and subjected
to violence, isolation, and abuse. They are also less likely to
be in school than children without disabilities.
Persons with disabilities are often excluded from the labor
market, political participation, and meaningful involvement in
public life. They are more likely to experience poverty,
discrimination, and lack of access to vital resources. The
world faces economic losses and costs when societies
marginalize people with disabilities.
The United States has historically been a leader on
disability rights, and it is critical that we remain at the
forefront and continue to give this issue the importance it
deserves in U.S. foreign policy. The Special Advisor for
International Disability Rights was a position created in 2010,
and Judy Heumann, who served in that position, is with us here
today. Thank you very much. She was instrumental in the
drafting of this proposed legislation, and I thank her and her
team for working with Erica on my staff to bring this forward.
As Special Advisor, Ms. Heumann and her team helped boost
the profile of disability rights within the State Department,
raise the visibility of persons with disabilities in the
Department's policies and programs, and improve the inclusion
of disabilities in the annual Human Rights and Trafficking in
Persons reports. They helped encourage foreign governments to
combat discrimination, make democracy and human rights
activities more inclusive, and work to ensure emergency
planning and humanitarian aid were accessible to persons with
disabilities. Indeed, their work made a real difference around
the world.
Just one small example, in a meeting with young Mongolian
leaders visiting Congress through a USAID program earlier this
year, they mentioned to me the support that the U.S. team had
provided in helping them to craft their new law on the rights
of persons with disabilities in 2016.
Unfortunately, the position of Special Advisor has been
vacant since January 2017, and with the vacancy, there has been
a corresponding decline in U.S. leadership in the international
disability rights arena. H.R. 3373 would restore U.S.
leadership by codifying the Special Advisor position and the
Office of International Disability Rights at the State
Department. It would ensure that State Department personnel
receive training, so that our programming, policies, and
budgets are disability-inclusive and so personnel working in
their respective missions will be able to perform their work
through the lens of disability-inclusion.
The bill also directs State to develop a formal policy on
disability inclusion, something USAID has done and is in the
process of updating, but State has not. This will ensure that
Congress, disability people's organizations, and the public can
better understand the State Department's efforts in these areas
and hold them accountable for implementing such work.
Disability rights cut across all sectors of foreign
assistance--democracy promotion, voting in elections, human
rights, labor, global health, education, economic growth and
trade, gender equality, agriculture and food security, conflict
transformation, and humanitarian recovery and relief.
We cannot have more than 1 billion people invisible in the
global development agenda or in our foreign policy because of
disabilities. It is in the diplomatic, economic, and
humanitarian interest of the U.S. to continue to lead
internationally on disability rights, and this bill would
ensure that we continue to do so. Disability rights are human
rights, and I look forward to the bill's full consideration by
the House.
And I yield back.
Chairman Engel. Thank you, Ms. Titus.
Mr. Lieu.
Mr. Lieu. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Across the country, our cities and States are laboratories
of democracy. They are places where innovative policies are
developed on everything from resource management to trade, to
public safety, but our cities and States are also instruments
of U.S. diplomacy. For years, mayors, council members, school
board members, and Governors have been engaging with their
foreign counterparts around the globe to share best practices
and strike agreements on a range of issues. The growth of
subnational cooperation has enabled cities and States to play
an increasingly significant role in foreign policy and
complement the efforts of the State Department. These
engagements support U.S. trade and investment, facilitate
cooperation on energy and the environment, increase the health
and safety of our citizens, and promote people-to-people
exchanges.
Today, global networks made up exclusively of local
government officials are at the forefront of harnessing the
power of cities to advance international cooperation, including
organizations such as the Global Parliament of Mayors, Urban
20, and more. It is in the interest of the United States to
promote these subnational engagements, align them with national
objectives, and leverage Federal resources to enhance their
impact.
For too long, however, our cities and States have been
conducting this subnational diplomacy with little to no support
from the Federal Government. That is a missed opportunity by
both sides. My legislation being considered today, the City and
State Diplomacy Act, seeks to address this major gap. This
legislation will do two things.
First, it will establish a new Office of Subnational
Diplomacy at the State Department that will coordinate all
Federal resources needed to support our mayors and Governors on
the world stage. This office will be headed by a senior
official of an appropriate rank to represent the U.S. in
international fora and develop the agreements necessary to
facilitate more subnational engagement.
Second, the legislation authorizes State Department
detailees to city halls and State capitals across the country
to advise and assist our mayors, council members, school board
members, and Governors and help them achieve their specific
international objectives.
I am pleased this legislation has broad support not only
from my colleagues across the aisle, but from across the
country as well. This legislation will benefit every American
city and every State with international interests.
I am also pleased that this legislation has garnered the
support of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the American Foreign
Service Association, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, and a
number of former senior State Department officials from both
Republican and Democratic administrations. I am also very
pleased this legislation has bipartisan coauthors.
I would like to extend my deep thanks to Congressman Joe
Wilson of South Carolina for partnering with me on this
legislation and for his kind remarks about the bill today. I
also want to thank Chairman Engel and Ranking Member McCaul for
bringing this legislation forward to markup.
And I yield back.
Chairman Engel. Thank you, Mr. Lieu.
Ms. Wild.
Ms. Wild. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I move to strike the last word. I am proud to speak in
support of H.R. 4864, the Global Child Thrive Act of 2019. I
want to thank my colleagues, Representatives Joaquin Castro and
Brian Fitzpatrick, for leading on this important legislation.
Around the world and here at home, millions of children
lack access to vital early childhood development programs. We
know from a rich body of research that the first years of a
child's life are unparalleled in their potential to shape
outcomes later in life. As a result, discrepancies in accessing
early learning are a leading cause of inequity in health and
well-being as well as academic and professional success
throughout their lives.
The Global Child Thrive Act will position our country to
advance early childhood development globally as a major
priority of U.S. Government international programming. At a
time when 35 million children around the world are refugees or
displaced, and when 1 in every 5 children internationally lives
in a conflict-affected area, this work could not be more
urgently needed. Particularly given the profoundly negative
impact of stressful, unstable environments on children's
development, we must ensure that coming generations can access
these vital services, regardless of the tragic circumstances
that they had the misfortune to be born into. We must remember
our common humanity.
I commend my colleagues from both parties for working
together to make clear that belief in the importance of early
childhood development is a core interest and value of the
United States. I urge all of my colleagues on the committee to
join me in voting for the passage of H.R. 4864, the Global
Child Thrive Act.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I yield back.
Chairman Engel. Thank you, Ms. Wild.
Mr. Allred.
Mr. Allred. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I also want to
thank the ranking member for your work in bringing together
these bills for us to consider today.
I am happy to support all of them. I would want to
specifically mention three bills that I am a cosponsor of--the
Global Child Thrive Act, the Malala Yousafzai Scholarship Act,
and the resolution supporting the rights of the Iranian people
to free expression.
The Global Child Thrive Act, introduced by my fellow Texan,
Congressman Castro, takes an important step forward in
coordinating U.S. interagency efforts toward taking a more
holistic approach to supporting early childhood health and
development. Through focusing on early childhood development
across all sectors from water and sanitation to basic
education, the U.S., with our international partners, can lead
the way in improving the lives of children across the world.
The Malala Yousafzai Scholarship Act, named after the
world-famous Pakistani activist for education and the youngest
Nobel Laureate, would require that half of all USAID merit and
needs-based scholarships in Pakistan go to women. This fix
takes a huge leap forward in ensuring that women have the same
opportunities as men to go to school and reach their full
potential around the world.
Finally, H. Res. 752, introduced by my esteemed colleague
and friend, Ted Deutch, supports the rights of the Iranian
people to free expression and condemns the violent crackdown by
the Iranian regime. We in Congress support the rights of the
Iranian people to freely assemble without fear of violence from
their government. This resolution makes it clear that Congress
is watching the events closely and will continue to speak out
against violence against peaceful protestors.
I yield back.
Chairman Engel. Thank you.
Are there any other members seeking recognition? Mr.
Zeldin.
Mr. Zeldin. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I appreciate the committee's consideration of these
measures in the en bloc package today.
First, I would like to express my support for H.R. 630, the
Counterterrorism Screening and Assistance Act. This legislation
is very similar to legislation that passed twice through this
committee in the 114th and 115th Congress with bipartisan
support.
Since 2011, the situation in Iraq and Syria has presented
extra-significant challenges for the global community's ability
to track and combat foreign terrorist actors. In Europe,
roughly 5,000 EU citizens have traveled to Syria or Iraq to
become foreign fighters for the Islamic State or other foreign
terrorist groups. Our foreign partners have employed various
measures to combat foreign fighters, to include increasing
surveillance and prohibiting travel, that have successfully
thwarted a number of plots. But we need to do more.
There is a very serious and well-recognized need for
improved international border security and information-sharing
between governments. This bipartisan legislation would ensure
U.S. resources are utilized in the most efficient way possible
to help international partners close loopholes in international
airport security, better track these terrorists, and prevent
them from traveling internationally, with a special focus on
high-risk and medium-risk countries.
H.R. 630 would do this by requiring the Department of State
and Department of Homeland Security to accelerate the delivery
of certain surplus border security systems to countries of
greatest concern and risk for a foreign fighter or terrorist to
travel. The U.S. will attempt to collect reimbursement for
transferred equipment, and all equipment transfers will comply
with existing regulations related to the export of sensitive
technologies.
This legislation would also recognize a reporting system to
hold our partners accountable by monitoring efforts of foreign
governments to combat terrorism and foreign fighter travel. It
is essential that the United States work with the global
community to monitor and stop the movement of terrorists
abroad.
I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House
and our friends in the Senate to pass and send this bill to the
President.
In addition to other great bills in this en bloc, I would
also like to express my support for H.R. 2343, the Peace and
Tolerance in Palestinian Education Act. This was a bipartisan
effort, working with Mr. Sherman, to maintain oversight over
UNRWA's educational activities in the West Bank and Gaza. Last
year, Congressman Perry and I secured declassification of a
shocking GAO UNRWA textbook report revealing what we had
suspected all along. The UNRWA textbook initiative was a sham.
Textbook content in UNRWA schools did not mention Israel or
Judaism and included regional maps that excluded Israel, and
content was included that incited hate and violence.
The GAO report found that supplementary material, purchased
using U.S. tax dollars, to counter the anti-Semitic and anti-
Israel bias injected by the PA was being rejected and not
utilized on the ground. What is worse, the GAO report concluded
that Congress has been unable to fully assess the nature and
extent of the material in PA textbooks because of the State
Department's misleading reports to Congress. It is unacceptable
that textbooks that are used de-legitimize Israel and demonize
Jewish people.
We must demand transparency over the anti-Israel textbooks
in this program that are fueling another generation of hate.
Our bill requires the Secretary of State to submit annual
reports to Congress to determine whether schools operated by
UNRWA and the Palestinian Authority have removed this offensive
textbook content and determine whether any U.S. foreign
assistance is being used to support this hateful curriculum.
The United States cannot support a program that goes against
the best interest of our greatest ally.
I would like to thank Chairman Engel and Lead Republican
McCaul for their leadership and assistance on these important
issues.
I yield back.
Chairman Engel. Thank you, Mr. Zeldin.
Are there any other members seeking recognition?
Hearing no further requests, then, without objection, the
committee will proceed to consider the noticed items en bloc.
Without objection, each measure is considered as read and
the amendments to each are considered as read and are agreed
to.
[The bills and amendments en bloc follow:]
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Chairman Engel. The question is on the measures en bloc, as
amended, if 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 are agreed to.
And without objection, each measure is ordered favorably
reported, as amended, if 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.
The committee is now adjourned. Thank you very much for
your hard work.
[Whereupon, at 11:24 a.m., the committee was adjourned.]
APPENDIX
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STATEMENTS FOR THE RECORD
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MARKUP SUMMARY
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[all]