Matthew Young Pollard Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 2018 and 2019

Floor Speech

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Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chairman, I thank my two colleagues from California.

Mr. Chairman, I am here rising in support of my amendment to H.R. 6237.

The underlying bill requires all members of the Foreign Service to serve three consecutive terms if they have received language training in certain languages. My amendment adds the Russian language to that list.

Extending Foreign Service officers' length of service in these positions is vital to our foreign policy and national security objectives. Through this continuity of service, they can develop and deploy their cultural and language expertise to make the most of our diplomatic efforts in-country. Putin has become one of the greatest antagonists of the United States. He attacked our elections and those of our allies, and he is behind a number of cyber-related incidents recently.

He has invaded sovereign nations when they looked toward strengthening ties with the West. His government and government- controlled entities spread lies and misinformation about the United States--not only in Russia, but here in the U.S. as well--through fake social media accounts that attempt to sow division among all Americans.

He seeks to undermine all aspects of civil society and a free political process that challenge him and his control over the Russian Government and its people.

Putin presents a serious security threat to the United States and our interests. We must respond to these actions through sanctions, indictments, and other means, whether related to election interference, incursions into Ukraine, or human rights violations.

However, we must also keep our eyes on the long game. Russian language is broadly spoken around the globe, not just in Russia, but across Eastern Europe and many parts of Central Asia as well.

Representing the United States and our ideals abroad means being able to actually have meaningful person-to-person exchanges with local communities and build the relationships that will help us combat Putin's misinformation apparatus.

It means we can talk to local press in-country to clarify misunderstandings and to communicate directly with the local population about what we actually stand for. It means having the most accurate understanding of real-time security information, so that the United States can respond quickly and appropriately.

Today, we are not operating at full capacity in this regard when it comes to Russia, and, frankly, we cannot afford to keep looking the threat from Russia and Putin in the face and refusing not to do everything we can about it.

We have heard many times that the Russian people themselves have great concern and great antagonism to Putin and his leadership. We need to have skilled people fluent in the language and understanding the culture there and on the front lines of our efforts to encourage them to stand up within their own country, and to make sure that our allies in Europe know that we are there, using every tool at our disposal to stop his aggression and interference.

Mr. Chairman, I hope this amendment passes.

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