Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2018

Floor Speech

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Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this amendment which I am proud to cosponsor with my colleagues, Mr. Roskam and Mr. Lamborn.

When the U.S. entered into the JCPOA, we empowered Iran to advance its bad activities. Iran Air was sanctioned in 2011, for using commercial flights to transport missile and rocket components to Syria.

The Syrian war is far from over. We cannot allow Iran to establish a permanent presence in Syria. This amendment would block taxpayer funds from supporting a regime that has killed too many people. I strongly support the passage of this amendment. I am concerned, as I hear opposition to this amendment where we are talking about the need to protect American jobs, where the connection is being made to those American jobs being used to support terrorism abroad. That is a stretch.

I would encourage my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, if they are concerned about protecting American jobs, that we are pursuing American jobs to help our great country, not supporting the bad activities of a regime that is developing intercontinental ballistic missiles in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions; calling Israel the ``Little Satan'' and America the ``Great Satan;'' overthrowing foreign governments; financially awarding terror; the largest state sponsor of terrorism. I say that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle should be sharing our concern and supporting this amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I thank Mr. Roskam for his leadership.

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