Providing for Consideration of H.R. Iran Counterterrorism Act of Providing for Consideration of H. Res. Condemning Iran's Unprecedented Drone and Missile Attack on Israel; Providing for Consideration of H.R. Iran Sanctions Relief Review Act of Providing for Consideration of H.R. to Provide for the Rescission of Certain Waivers and Licenses Relating to Iran, and for Other Purposes; Providing for Consideration of H.R. Standing Against Houthi Aggression Act; and Providing for Consideration of H.R. Fourth Amendment is Not for Sale Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 1149 and ask for its immediate consideration.

The Clerk read the resolution, as follows: H. Res. 1149

Resolved, That upon adoption of this resolution it shall be in order to consider in the House the bill (H.R. 6323) to modify the availability of certain waiver authorities with respect to sanctions imposed with respect to the financial sector of Iran, and for other purposes. All points of order against consideration of the bill are waived. The amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Financial Services now printed in the bill shall be considered as adopted. The bill, as amended, shall be considered as read. All points of order against provisions in the bill, as amended, are waived. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill, as amended, and on any further amendment thereto, to final passage without intervening motion except: (1) one hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Financial Services or their respective designees; and (2) one motion to recommit.

Sec. 2. Upon adoption of this resolution it shall be in order without intervention of any point of order to consider in the House the resolution (H. Res. 1143) condemning Iran's unprecedented drone and missile attack on Israel. The resolution shall be considered as read. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the resolution and preamble to adoption without intervening motion or demand for division of the question except one hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs or their respective designees.

Sec. 3. Upon adoption of this resolution it shall be in order to consider in the House the bill (H.R. 4691) to provide for congressional review of actions to terminate or waive sanctions imposed with respect to Iran. All points of order against consideration of the bill are waived. An amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print 118-30 shall be considered as adopted. The bill, as amended, shall be considered as read. All points of order against provisions in the bill, as amended, are waived. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill, as amended, and on any further amendment thereto, to final passage without intervening motion except: (1) one hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs or their respective designees; and (2) one motion to recommit.

Sec. 4. Upon adoption of this resolution it shall be in order to consider in the House the bill (H.R. 5947) to provide for the rescission of certain waivers and licenses relating to Iran, and for other purposes. All points of order against consideration of the bill are waived. The bill shall be considered as read. All points of order against provisions in the bill are waived. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill and on any amendment thereto to final passage without intervening motion except: (1) one hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs or their respective designees; and (2) one motion to recommit.

Sec. 5. Upon adoption of this resolution it shall be in order to consider in the House the bill (H.R. 6046) to designate Ansarallah as a foreign terrorist organization and impose certain sanctions on Ansarallah, and for other purposes. All points of order against consideration of the bill are waived. In lieu of the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Foreign Affairs, an amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print 118-29 shall be considered as adopted. The bill, as amended, shall be considered as read. All points of order against provisions in the bill, as amended, are waived. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill, as amended, and on any further amendment thereto, to final passage without intervening motion except: (1) one hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs or their respective designees; and (2) one motion to recommit.

Sec. 6. At any time after adoption of this resolution the Speaker may, pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XVIII, declare the House resolved into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for consideration of the bill (H.R. 4639) to amend section 2702 of title 18, United States Code, to prevent law enforcement and intelligence agencies from obtaining subscriber or customer records in exchange for anything of value, to address communications and records in the possession of intermediary internet service providers, and for other purposes. The first reading of the bill shall be dispensed with. All points of order against consideration of the bill are waived. General debate shall be confined to the bill and shall not exceed one hour equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary or their respective designees. After general debate the bill shall be considered for amendment under the five-minute rule. An amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print 118-28 shall be considered as adopted in the House and in the Committee of the Whole. The bill, as amended, shall be considered as the original bill for the purpose of further amendment under the five-minute rule and shall be considered as read. All points of order against provisions in the bill, as amended, are waived. No further amendment to the bill, as amended, shall be in order except those printed in the report of the Committee on Rules accompanying this resolution. Each such further amendment may be offered only in the order printed in the report, may be offered only by a Member designated in the report, shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for the time specified in the report equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent, shall not be subject to amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for division of the question in the House or in the Committee of the Whole. All points of order against such further amendments are waived. At the conclusion of consideration of the bill for amendment the Committee shall rise and report the bill, as amended, to the House with such further amendments as may have been adopted. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill, as amended, and on any further amendment thereto to final passage without intervening motion except one motion to recommit.

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Mr. RESCHENTHALER. For the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), the ranking member of the Rules Committee and my good friend, pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. General Leave
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Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this rule and in support of the underlying legislation.

House Resolution 1149 provides for consideration of six measures: H.R. 6323, H. Res. 1143, H.R. 4691, H.R. 5947, H.R. 6046, and H.R. 4639.

The rule provides for consideration of H.R. 6323, the Iran Counterterrorism Act of 2023, under a closed rule, with 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Financial Services or their respective designees and provides one motion to recommit.

Additionally, the rule provides for consideration of H. Res. 1143, a resolution condemning Iran's unprecedented attack on Israel, under a closed rule with 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs or their respective designees.

Further, the rule provides for consideration of H.R. 4691, the Iran Sanctions Relief Review Act of 2023, under a closed rule with 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs or their respective designees and provides one motion to recommit.

The rule also provides for consideration of H.R. 5947, which provides for the rescission of certain waivers and licenses relating to Iran, under a closed rule with 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs or their respective designees and provides for one motion to recommit.

The rule provides for consideration of H.R. 6046, the Standing Against Houthi Aggression Act, under a closed rule with 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs or their respective designees and provides one motion to recommit.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, the rule provides for consideration of H.R. 4639, the Fourth Amendment Is Not For Sale Act, under a structured rule with 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary or their respective designees and provides one motion to recommit. The rule makes in order three amendments.

Mr. Speaker, President Joe Biden's foreign policy decisions have been a complete disaster on the world stage and have emboldened our adversaries and empowered foreign terrorist organizations.

Sadly, we were forewarned about all of this. Former President Obama's Defense Secretary, Robert Gates, stated nearly a decade ago regarding President Biden: ``I think he has been wrong on nearly every major foreign policy and national security issue over the past four decades.''

He is right. Let's look at the facts.

In the first year alone, the President green-lit Nord Stream 2 to provide Russian gas to Europe while simultaneously blocking the Keystone XL pipeline here at home. He issued 94 executive orders on immigration, which has led to an unprecedented invasion at our southern border. To appease his far-left radical base, he delisted the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization, which directly led to this conflict in the Red Sea. He is responsible for the complete surrender of Afghanistan, which killed 13 American servicemembers, stranded thousands of Americans, returned the Taliban to power, and expanded ISIS-K and al-Qaida.

In 2022, his policies of appeasement led to the largest invasion of Europe since World War II. To help his party in the mid-terms, he depleted the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to its lowest levels since I was born, 1983, and he sent millions of barrels of oil to Communist China.

In the first days of 2023, he allowed a Chinese spy balloon to cross the entire country, which collected intelligence on innocent Americans. On the 22nd anniversary of 9/11, on the very anniversary, in an insult to the people who suffered those terrorist attacks, Joe Biden unfroze $6 billion in oil sanctions to Iran just days before an Iranian proxy group killed over a thousand people in Israel.

How does Iran thank us? Our troops in the Middle East faced over 100 attacks from proxy networks, which led to the death of three servicemembers in Jordan.

Just this year, Biden waived billions of dollars in sanctions to allow Iranian energy exports into Iraq--and I kid you not--while also announcing an indefinite pause to new approvals of U.S. liquefied natural gas exports from here.

Guess who benefits from that? It is not the United States. It is not the American worker. It is Russia, China, and Iran who benefit from Joe Biden's reckless foreign policy.

This administration's policies truly embody the slogan: America last. That is why House Republicans are bringing to the floor this week legislation to condemn Iran's recent attack on Israel, block Biden's ransom payments to Iran, redesignate the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization, and apply maximum pressure on the Iranian regime.

We cannot stand idly by as the Biden administration hands over the keys to the Ayatollah; the dictator in Communist China, Chairman Xi; and the dictator Vladimir Putin.

This week's votes will be very clear: Do you stand with our ally and strategic partner Israel, or do you stand with the authoritarian regime in Tehran?

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this rule, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Mr. Speaker, in recent days, far-left activists have chanted ``Death to America'' and ``Death to Israel.''

In Chicago, cheers broke out over the weekend when Iran started attacking Israel during a meeting about the upcoming DNC convention. Just think about that for a moment. This isn't your grandfather's Democratic Party.

In the 3 months following the October 7 attack, there has been an increase of 360 percent in anti-Semitic incidents in this country. It was reported earlier this year that there was an exodus of Jewish families leaving Oakland, California, because of the anti-Semitic radicalization of the teachers union in that city. This isn't 1930s Nazi Germany. This is 21st century California where we are seeing this happen.

If you doubt me, just listen to the leaders of the Democratic Party. Here is Representative Rashida Tlaib, who said: ``From the river to the sea is an aspirational call for freedom, human rights, and peaceful coexistence, not death, destruction, or hate.'' This is an absolute lie. ``From the river to the sea'' is a call for genocide of the Jewish people and the destruction of the State of Israel. There is Representative Tlaib condoning a call for genocide.

Let's not forget about Representative Ilhan Omar, who said: ``We have seen unthinkable atrocities committed by the U.S., Hamas, Israel, Afghanistan, and the Taliban.'' Equating the United States, the U.S. military, and the Israeli Defense Forces to terrorist organizations is not only disgusting, it is absolutely disgraceful. She also said: ``Israel has hypnotized the world,'' alluding to an anti-Semitic trope that we have seen for absolutely centuries.

Now, here is Representative Jayapal, as well, who said: ``Well, we condemn Hamas' firing of those rockets, but I think you have to look at what prompted even that behavior.''

It is very clear, far-left activists look to their leaders for direction. The Democratic thought leaders in that party sympathize with terrorists.

I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess), my good friend and the chairman of the Rules Committee.

You know, there is a lot of emotion coming from the other side of the aisle, but as a really good friend has told me before, facts don't care about your feelings. If you look at the facts it is pretty clear the difference between the Democrats, Obama and Biden, and President Trump.

Let's just look at Russia. It is not a coincidence that Vladimir Putin moved into Crimea and parts of Georgia when President Obama was in office, and then for the 4 years President Trump was in office, there were zero military incursions. Then as soon as Joe Biden took office, he moves into Ukraine. Actions speak louder than words. Again, those facts don't care about your feelings.

Let's look at Ukraine. You want to talk about conditioning aid? Joe Biden conditioned lethal aid on Ukraine, forcing the Ukrainians to fire a prosecutor that was investigating a corrupt oil and gas company that Hunter Biden just happened to be on the board of. I will let you draw your own conclusions on that, but it is very clear that Joe Biden actually did what President Trump was wrongfully impeached for, and then he actually bragged about it on TV.

He also had many missteps. Remember at the beginning of the lead-up to the war, Joe Biden said that we would tolerate a ``minor incursion'' in Ukrainian territory, just whetting the appetite of Vladimir Putin. Then when the Russians did invade, and Joe Biden slow-walked lethal aid. Where were the MiGs that were sent? Why didn't we get the Ukrainians antiaircraft air batteries? Why didn't we jam the electronic abilities of the Russians to make sure that they didn't have air superiority?

The Ukrainians still don't have the lethal aid because Joe Biden and his far-left radical administration slow-walked the aid from the beginning of this war. It has been an absolute disaster because of Joe Biden's incompetence and the incompetence of those he surrounds himself with.

I find it very rich to then attack President Trump's record on Israel. Who was the first U.S. President to move the Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem? It was Donald Trump, making him the most pro-Israeli President we have ever had. Who was it that had the Abraham Accords? It wasn't Joe Biden. That was President Trump who had the Abraham Accords. If he was a Democrat, he would have won two Nobel Peace Prizes for that.

Let's not forget about Joe Biden, who still up to today, is calling for a ceasefire when our number one ally in the world, Israel, is fighting for its life against a terrorist organization in Hamas. The people across the aisle and people in the White House are calling for a ceasefire on that. I think that is absolutely unacceptable.

For all the talk about supporting our fellow democracies, let me remind you that there is one thriving democratic state in the Middle East. There is only one democracy in the Middle East, and that is Israel. It would be nice if my friends across the aisle would support that democracy.

Mr. Speaker, I guess I should congratulate my friends from across the aisle for finally realizing there is a link between Russia, China, and Iran. This has been U.S. foreign policy since at least the early 2000s, but better late than never, I guess.

I am taken aback by the fact that there is an allegation that Joe Biden is a strong President because he shot down the drones that Iran sent into Israel. If the President was strong, drones would not have been sent to Israel in the first place.

Again, let's not forget that under President Trump, Russia was not attacking Ukraine and Iran was not attacking Israel. It is the President's weakness and his policies of incompetence and American weakness that have invited this aggression.

For the talk about Ukraine, we on this side of the aisle have intellectual honesty and consistency on this because you can be for defeating Russia and also for Israel defeating Hamas. You can also be for holding Iran in check.

It is weird that the same people on the other side of the aisle who say if you talk about a peace settlement between Russia and Ukraine, that we are somehow using Russian talking points. Those same people will be the same ones who say we need to have a cease-fire in Gaza before the IDF is afforded their God-given right to destroy their enemy, Hamas. It sounds to me like the talking points of Hamas, but I will let others draw their own conclusion on that.

Talking about more failures in the Biden administration, let's talk about the southern border and about how many terrorists have crossed that southern border.

Since President Biden took office, there have been over 340 encounters at the southern border from individuals who are actually on the terrorist watch list. Just this month, news broke that a terrorist from Afghanistan, whose organization is responsible for the deaths of numerous Americans, was released twice--not once, but twice--into the interior of the United States after crossing our southern border. He then roamed around unrestricted for almost a year before he was captured.

Then earlier this year, a member of Al-Shabaab, which is an al-Qaida affiliate in Somalia, one of their members was able to live in the U.S. freely for almost a year, as well.

It is absolutely crystal clear: Biden and radical, extreme leftist Democrats cannot be trusted to protect our communities and secure the southern border. The numbers speak for themselves.

Mr. Speaker, talking about incompetence, let's go back and talk about the surrender of Afghanistan.

Remember, under President Trump, there were zero fatalities for the last 18 months before Joe Biden took office. Yet, the President, Joe Biden, felt the need to surrender Afghanistan to the Taliban.

In 2021, the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan was absolutely the worst military blunder in my lifetime. The Biden administration abandoned the Bagram Air Base and released terrorist fighters from prison, including one that killed 13 servicemembers at Abbey Gate. It has led to a rise in al-Qaida and ISIS-K. The CENTCOM Commander testified just last month that ISIS-K will have the capability within 6 months to do external operations against the West.

We know through our OIG reports that President Biden and his failed bureaucrats in the State Department are funding the Taliban and al- Qaida through international assistance, but it didn't impact just the Middle East. This has also emboldened China, Russia, and Iran, the three countries that Democrats apparently just discovered there is a connection between in their anti-Western positions.

Reports indicate that the withdrawal helped Putin justify his invasion of Ukraine. It is just another blunder in a long list of Biden foreign policy failures.

Under President Trump's leadership, our Nation was safe and our adversaries were put on notice. He truly embodied the slogan: Peace Through Strength.

As President, President Trump destroyed the ISIS caliphate and took Iranian General Qasem Soleimani and the founder of ISIS, Al-Baghdadi, off the battlefield.

President Trump refocused our Nation on the Indo-Pacific and the growing threat of the Chinese Communist Party. He enacted a maximum pressure campaign on Iran by pulling out of the disastrous Iran deal, placing significant sanctions on the regime, and used military deterrence against their proxy networks.

In stark difference to President Biden, the Trump administration designated the IRGC and the Houthis as foreign terrorist organizations.

When former President Obama failed to enforce his own red line and allowed chemical weapons to be used against the Syrian people, it was President Trump who targeted the Assad regime through force.

He also helped bring peace and stability throughout the globe by negotiating the Abraham Accords, pushed our NATO partners to do their fair share, and moved our Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. He stood up for the American worker, not the global elite, when he renegotiated NAFTA, placed tariffs on China, made America energy independent, and secured our southern border.

In comparison, the Biden administration's foreign policy agenda is worse than simply a nightmare because it is reality. That is why House Republicans this week will stand up for our ally Israel and block some of the disastrous decisions that have helped fund Iran's terrorist network.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the previous question and ``yes'' on the rule. I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

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