Resolution, to Remove United States Armed Forces From Hostilities with Presidentially Designated Terrorist Organizations in the Western Hemisphere

Floor Speech

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Mr. GIMENEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to H. Con. Res. 61.

This resolution would prohibit the President of the United States from using all tools at his disposal in the fight against designated terrorist organizations in the Western Hemisphere. These are the same narcoterrorists who are waging, and have been waging, a war on the American people through the use of deadly drugs and poison that are flooding into our country.

Let's talk about reality, not about rhetoric.

First of all, the number one job of any government is to protect its people. Since September 11, 2001, roughly 4,000 Americans have been killed inside the United States either by al-Qaida, ISIS, and similar ideologically linked terrorist groups.

Meanwhile, since 2021--I am not talking about 2001--nearly 400,000 Americans have died from overdose poisoning, deaths fueled by foreign terrorist organizations including the Venezuelan regime and violent cartels operating in our own backyard. That 400,000 is about the size of my native city of Miami. This is, in reality, a weapon of mass destruction.

Yet here we are, debating whether to retreat from fighting terrorists in our own hemisphere, while continuing to fight them halfway around the world.

I have spent my life in public safety. Mr. Speaker, I have seen what happens when you hesitate, when you retreat, and when you take your foot off the gas. People die. Families are destroyed, and communities suffer.

This resolution does nothing to promote peace. It invites danger, continued chaos, and the loss of more American lives--more American lives.

It tells terrorists and cartels that the United States Congress is willing to tie the hands of our Commander in Chief while they ship poison into our communities and profit from American death.

As someone who fled communism, I know this lesson well: Weakness invites aggression. When America steps back, evil steps forward.

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Mr. GIMENEZ. We must reject this resolution and make clear to the world that the United States has the will to confront narcoterrorism head-on and that we will never surrender to the very people who are killing our children.

Too many Americans have already died because we turned a blind eye to this threat.

For the sake of our national security, our communities, and the men and women in uniform who stand the line every single day, I urge a ``no'' vote on this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Florida (Mr. Mast) for yielding me the time to speak on this important matter.

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