Reaffirming Iran Remains the Largest State Sponsor of Terrorism

Floor Speech

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Mr. MAST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the resolution (H. Res. 1099) reaffirming Iran remains the largest state sponsor of terrorism.

The Clerk read the title of the resolution.

The text of the resolution is as follows: H. Res. 1099

Whereas the Islamic Republic of Iran remains the world's largest state sponsor of terrorism and provides substantial financial and military support to groups including Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis;

Whereas the Islamic Republic of Iran poses a direct and persistent threat to the United States and is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American citizens;

Whereas, according to the Pentagon, Iranian backed proxy militias are responsible for the deaths of at least 603 United States servicemembers in Iraq, roughly 1 in every 6 American combat fatalities in Iraq from 2003 through 2011;

Whereas the Iranian regime is responsible for executing dozens of assassination plots targeting American citizens and serving government officials on United States soil;

Whereas Tehran continues to harbor a network of senior al- Qaeda leaders, providing them with sanctuary space to fundraise in support of its fighters;

Whereas, in January 2024, United States servicemembers, Sergeant William Jerome Rivers, Specialist Kennedy Ladon Sanders, and Specialist Breonna Alexsondria Moffett were killed in an Iranian backed proxy attack on Tower 22 in Jordan;

Whereas the regime's refusal to abandon its nuclear program and related missile and conventional weapons activities further resulted in the reimposition of 6 United Nations Security Council Resolutions targeting the Iranian regime in September 2025; and

Whereas, according to the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, Iran has amassed a large stockpile of enriched uranium and continues to block access to undeclared sites in Iran affiliated with their ``big, ambitious nuclear program'': Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives declares it is the policy of the United States that Iran continues to be the largest state sponsor of terrorism.

Mr. Speaker, this resolution is very simple. It is reaffirming that Iran remains the largest state sponsor of terrorism.

Why is Iran the largest state sponsor of terrorism? Why is that something that is said? Why must we reaffirm this?

It is because they have spent the last 47 years targeting and attacking the United States of America every single chance that they have.

In April of 2025, Houthi terrorists attacked the USS Harry Truman, causing a U.S. fighter jet to sink into the ocean.

In June of 2025, Iran-backed militias attacked at least three U.S. bases in Syria and two bases in Iraq.

In January of 2024, Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorists killed three U.S. servicemembers and wounded more than 40 more in a drone attack against tower 22 at a military base in Jordan.

Before that, Iran-backed militias wounded three U.S. servicemembers in an attack at Erbil Air Base in Iraq.

Before that, Iran-backed Hamas terrorists killed 46 Americans and kidnapped at least 12 Americans in the October 7 massacre.

Just prior to that, President Biden unfroze $6 billion of Iranian assets. That doesn't make them the largest state sponsor of terrorism, but I just thought it is an interesting point to put into the timeline.

Before that, an Iranian drone attack killed an American contractor and wounded five U.S. servicemembers and another contractor in a drone strike on a coalition base in Syria.

Before that, an IRGC captain orchestrated the killing of an American citizen in Baghdad.

Before that, an Iranian rocket attack killed an American citizen in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Before that, Iran-backed militias wounded two U.S. servicemembers in a series of rocket and drone attacks against U.S. Forces in Iraq and Syria.

Before that, an Iran-backed militia fired a rocket at coalition forces in Erbil, Iraq, wounding a U.S. servicemember and four U.S. civilian contractors.

Before that, Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorists killed an American civilian contractor and wounded several U.S. servicemembers in a rocket attack at K-1 Air Base, Kirkuk, Iraq.

Before that, Iran held 10 U.S. Navy sailors at gunpoint, on their knees, on the deck of an Iranian boat.

Before that, Iran-backed Hamas terrorists killed an American citizen and his wife in a drive-by shooting.

Before that, Iran-backed Hamas terrorists killed two American citizens serving in the IDF.

The list goes on and on, Mr. Speaker, pages and pages of Iran killing Americans.

I thank my colleague across the aisle for the agreement that we have on this. To quote my colleague just now: There is no dispute that Iran remains the largest state sponsor of terror.

He may not expect me to agree on this, but I would also agree with him on this point: There is absolutely nothing that this resolution is going to do to protect any American or any American servicemember, nor any previous piece of paper, strongly worded letter, or anything else that this body has done that has been successful in protecting America from the largest state sponsor of terror. It is only two actions: number one, President Trump putting Qasem Soleimani into about five separate pieces on the side of an Iraqi tarmac; and, number two, the actions that President Trump has taken in this operation to destroy every single piece of Iranian military hardware that can reach out and touch an American or has reached out and touched an American. Those are the only two things that will protect America from this imminent, ongoing, and undisputed threat.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Brian Mast for yielding me time. I am grateful to support the resolution of Chairman Brian Mast.

Mr. Speaker, over the weekend, the world watched President Donald Trump take courageous action against the murderous regime in Tehran; eliminating Khamenei with senior Iranian regime leaders, the architect of decades of terror, repression, and aggression, killing thousands of Americans and allies over the years. The removal of this brutal dictator marks a pivotal moment in the long struggle against a regime that has destabilized the Middle East and threatened global security for more than four decades, repressing the great people of Iran.

Additionally, with the removal of the Syrian dictator Assad, who has fled to Moscow, appropriately, to be with war criminal Putin, we now have a new government in Syria with Ahmed al-Sharaa. With that government, President Donald Trump is leading a bipartisan effort to give Syria a chance and give the Middle East a chance for peace and prosperity. Again, it is bipartisan, working together.

My appreciation of the courageous decision by President Donald Trump to remove the dictatorship in Tehran is personal. I have four sons who have served overseas facing the Iranian IEDs, drones, snipers, and missile attacks. Alan served in Iraq field artillery with cross-country convoys, receiving a Combat Action Badge. Add was a Navy doctor in Bagdad. Julian was a signal officer in Egypt with Bright Star, and Hunter served as an engineer for a year in Afghanistan.

The American people have never forgotten the crimes of the Iranian regime. From the 1979 seizure of the embassy in Tehran and the disgusting hostage crisis that led to 52 Americans being captive for 444 days, freed by President Ronald Reagan, to decades of sponsoring terrorism through puppets such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and Houthis, Iranian leadership has consistently chosen mass murder over peace and prosperity.

President Trump is sending a clear message that those who threaten the United States, our partners, and allies will ultimately be held accountable even after 47 years.

While this operation marks a historic strategic victory, it also comes at a solemn cost. Six brave American servicemembers have lost their lives, with many wounded. We mourn their sacrifice. These men and women stood on the front lines of freedom to destroy the Iranian missile threat, sinking the Iranian navy, and by permanently ending the Iranian nuclear capability.

As the Iranian people look to the future, the American people will stand with the Iranian people for freedom, peace, and prosperity.

Today, we honor the courage of our troops, reaffirm our commitment to our allies, and recognize the leadership of President Donald Trump in confronting a maniacal regime. America remains vigilant, resolute, and committed to defending freedom wherever it is threatened.
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Mr. MAST. Mr. Speaker, it is Florida day. I yield an additional 3 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Fine).

Mr. Speaker, I am going to respond to some of these comments as well. My colleague has said things that we agree on: Iran is a bad actor, and Iran is a state sponsor of terror. He said that there is no dispute about these things.

My colleague has also said that he will vote for the upcoming War Powers Resolution. There is not a resolution that is coming before us that gives the President any authority or authorizes the military to defend the United States of America in any way, shape, or form against that threat that there is no dispute about, that bad actor, as it was characterized, that state sponsor of terror that everybody agrees on.

There is no War Powers Resolution coming that says: Go out there, and under these parameters, defend the United States of America.

President Trump is utilizing his Article II authority, his constitutional Article II authority, to defend the United States of America against that imminent threat that we agree upon.

What my colleagues ask is that the President do nothing to defend the United States of America.

My colleague talked about this resolution that outlines all of these historical actions and that we affirm Iran is the largest state sponsor of terror. It does nothing. He acknowledges he has voted on resolutions just like that many times. That is true. Nothing has happened until we have President Trump willing to utilize his Article II authority to defend the United States of America against an imminent threat.

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of this resolution affirming that Iran is the largest state sponsor of terror. Apparently, many of our colleagues have forgotten that they have voted on that, have forgotten that that is the case, have forgotten that that is the enemy that comes against us, and have forgotten that they pose that imminent threat against us every single day utilizing every single opportunity that they can to attack Americans.

I will close with this, Mr. Speaker: I thank President Trump for the first time avenging every single American who has been killed by the hand of Iran. That was not the purpose of this operation, but it is the purpose of my personal thanks.

Thank you, President Trump, for avenging every servicemember who was killed by the hand of Iran, every contractor, every civilian who has been harmed throughout the Middle East, and every person wrongfully detained.

For every single person killed by that hand of Iran, I thank you, President Trump, for finally stepping up and defending the United States of America.

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Mr. MAST. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

The yeas and nays were ordered.

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