Doug Collins

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, Israel laid former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to rest in a coffin draped in blue and white. What Ariel Sharon accomplished in life is a compliment to how he lived it. Called ``Bulldozer'' by many, Ariel Sharon paved the way to maintain a strong and secure Israel during his time in the military and government. Sharon is considered one of Israel's most brilliant military strategists and finest field commanders. Sharon provided leadership in numerous Israeli conflicts, including the 1956 Suez Crisis and the 1973 Yom-Kippur War. After achieving the rank of major general, he chose to serve his country in a different arena, politics. Ariel Sharon bulldozed his way into political power, with the same ferocity used to rout Israel's enemies, by becoming prime minister in 2001, with what was then, the largest electoral margin in Israel's history. During his time as prime minister, he led with distinction and poise, with the protection of Israel as his guiding light. My personal reflection on Ariel Sharon brings to mind a quote from General Macarthur's retirement speech before Congress, in which he said, ``old soldiers never die; they just fade away.'' I am confident that this body will remember Ariel Sharon's legacy, as well as this country's commitment to Israel's standing in the region.

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, this past Saturday I had the pleasure of welcoming home the soldiers of the 1/214th Field Artillery Division located in Elberton, Georgia. The Georgia National Guard unit deployed to Afghanistan for a year, fighting for the freedoms we enjoy. While speaking before the audience of recently returned veterans, I never made a distinction between National Guard and Active Duty. What I lauded these soldiers for was putting their lives on the line in defense of their nation. The flag they wear on their right shoulder, signifies them as a fighting force on behalf of the United States. That flag doesn't distinguish whether they are National Guard or Active Duty. So I was very disheartened three days ago when I heard reports that U.S. Army Chief of Staff, General Odierno said, ``the capabilities are not interchangeable,'' referring to the National Guard and Active Duty. It appears to me the National Guard's capabilities have been interchangeable as they have defended the nation during its 13 year war on terrorism. The members of the 1/214th Field Artillery capabilities were interchangeable as they served with distinction during their year in Afghanistan. They executed 724 missions, conducted 9,300 vehicle searches, and were awarded numerous Purple Hearts and Bronze Star Medals. The 1/214th was awarded the Army's Meritorious Unit Citation which is given only to units whose performance is considered to be outstanding, heroic and actions valorous in nature. It is hurtful to me as a Reservist, and the Guard members in my state, to say their skills are not interchangeable even though it is well known the Guard does the same job as Active duty with fewer resources. And yes, the Guard traditionally trains only 39 days a year, but yet, still fights for a year straight when deployed. In addition to a year deployed, National Guard and Reservist are sent to mobilization stations for three months prior to deployment. These mobilization stations are the last stop prior to being deployed. So a Guardsman, citizen soldiers as they are often called, is actually away from their families for a total of fifteen months. For General Odierno to say Active Duty and National Guard are not interchangeable is disingenuous. The National Guard has to train to the same standards and adheres to the same doctrinal fighting form as Active Duty units. In addition to fighting the foes of our nation, the National Guard is called up at a moment's notice to respond to hurricanes, tornadoes, chemical spills, and all manners of man-made and natural disasters. National Guard only trains for 39 days, when there isn't a state emergency. As of recent, between Hurricane Sandy to the chemical spill in West Virginia, the Guard has been activated to serve the citizens of their state. The members of the 1/214th Field Artillery would be disheartened to learn that their chief of staff doesn't think they are as capable as an Active Duty unit. I know, they know, that they can function in every terrain, weather condition, and operational environment as any other combat unit, why doesn't General Odierno?

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, Northeast Georgia lost a valued community member when Godfrey Funk passed away on January 8, 2014. Godfrey spent 35 years teaching in the Hall County School System. During his tenure in the classroom, he touched thousands of young Georgians' lives--including mine. Born and raised in Georgia, Godfrey came into the world on May 10, 1926. He graduated from Cornelia High School in 1944 and served in the United States Navy for two years immediately following graduation. He went on to study at the University of Georgia and received his Bachelor of Science in Agriculture in 1950. Godfrey moved to the community of Clermont upon graduation, where he met and married his wife, Patty. They raised four sons together and enjoyed 63 years of marriage. The Funks were active members of Concord Baptist Church, where Godfrey served as a deacon for more than 60 years. Godfrey will be remembered not only for his decades of investment in the community, but also for his well-known green thumb. Gardening was a lifelong love for Godfrey, whose beautiful yard and prolific vegetable garden were well-known and admired by family, friends and neighbors. My prayers and thoughts are with Patty and the rest of Godfrey's family as they mourn their loss.

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, it is a new year. We come down and begin this week, and I have made a commitment, as I think many of us do, as resolutions on what are we going to do for the new year and you always try to learn something new, and today has been a busy day with meetings and other things. I have learned a lot, but I have actually come to the floor today to learn something that was amazing to me, and it was not only that a bill that we are talking about under this rule would actually be designed to make, that was accused of making the ObamaCare Web site worse. I didn't know that was possible. And undoubtedly, it can be, but I think it actually helps when we look at what we are doing for the country and what we are doing as we move forward protecting the interests of the people. So it is with that I rise in strong support of the rule and the underlying pieces of legislation, and in particular, H.R. 3811, the Health Exchange Security and Transparency Act of 2014. Even before ObamaCare was signed into law, pundits and politicians alike have speculated on the impact it would have on American families. Skyrocketing premiums, loss of coverage, and poor quality of care were all correctly predicted by many on this side of the aisle. We come here today, however, because Americans aren't just faced with unaffordable health care and broken Presidential promises--the security and privacy of our personal information is at great risk due to ObamaCare. One of the things that I think is mentioned here and should be noted, that protecting the information that is being forced to be given should be of our utmost importance and it is not something that should be just said is we should be doing other bills. Believe me, I would want to be talking about other things too, but this is something important that is protecting Americans' interests, and we need to continue to do so. I believe that the best health care system is one that is patient centered and as far removed from the flawed policies enshrined in ObamaCare as possible. Over the upcoming months, I look forward to debating the merits of ObamaCare versus true health care reform with my colleagues on the other side of the aisle. But today is not that day. Today we come to the floor simply to say that American families should know about breaches of personally identifiable information in the ObamaCare exchanges. Regardless of the letter of your political affiliation, wouldn't you like to be notified if the security of your personal information has been compromised? If we get outside the politics of Washington and ask our constituents, I firmly believe that answer would be yes. It would actually be a resounding yes. So as I come to speak in support of this rule, and speaking also with the underlying bills and especially when I believe something such as protecting the security of our personal information is so important, I believe it is also important for us to remember as we start a new year that when we come here, people listen, people are concerned about their lives, they are concerned about what has gone on. And over the past few months, especially when it comes to health care, you can go to teachers in Georgia right now who have had their health care changed because of the ACA. That has just been an interesting mark everywhere I go in listening to people in what is now a health care system that they used to have their own insurance is now lost into something that they are struggling with; or whether it is the identifiable nature of the issues of their information on the Web site that possibly could be compromised, to just simply saying that we need regulations for our businesses and making sure our environmental projects are the ones that are prioritized and not just simply at the whim of a certain administration priority. What we have got to do here is to continue to look forward to doing the people's business and, in doing so, in such a way that matters to everyday Americans.

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life of a great Georgian, Mike Banks. Earlier this week, Mike lost his earthly battle with pulmonary fibrosis. Mike's absence leaves a void in several Northeast Georgia circles, ranging from banking and broadcasting to community service organizations and his home church. Mike's commitment to community service was inspired by Matthew 25:36- 40, ``whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'' Among his many outlets of civic involvement, Mike was a founder of the John Jarrard Foundation. Under the leadership of Mike and the rest of the Executive Committee, the John Jarrard Foundation grew from an annual concert to a regionally-recognized organization supporting songwriters and a number of great causes. The Foundation supports a number of wonderful music programs, including a songwriting education program for Georgia students. In addition, the Foundation sponsors songwriting concerts throughout the Southeast. My prayers and thoughts go out to Mike's family as they mourn a loss that will be felt by many in Northeast Georgia.

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to recognize a business in my district that celebrated its 60th anniversary this week. Riverside Pharmacy is an example of a small business that has survived the economic downturn, changing health care landscape, and often unfair playing field to continue serving the people of northeast Georgia. Local pharmacies, such as Riverside, play a vital role in America's neighborhoods. They provide unparalleled guidance, assistance, and resources for families, including my own. Joann Adams and Charlie Johnson first opened Riverside on January 6, 1954. Now owned by Scottie Barton and Stephen Gee, Riverside Pharmacy has served generations of Georgians, helping to guide them through the often difficult health care decisions. Although the world we live in looks far removed from the 1950s, the focus of Riverside Pharmacy has remained on the patient. I am pleased to offer my heartfelt congratulations to Riverside on their 60th anniversary. We are so lucky to have them providing care to families in northeast Georgia. The challenges facing independent community pharmacies are great. But the important role they play in our towns and States are even greater still.

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. The Death in Custody Reporting Act of 2000 directed the Bureau of Justice Statistics within the Department of Justice to collect data on the deaths that occur at two important stages in the criminal justice system: first, deaths that occur in the process of arrest or during the transfer after arrest; and, second, deaths that occur in jails and prisons. The provisions of that act expired in December 2006. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 885 inmates died in the custody of local jails in 2011. This is the lowest number of jail inmate deaths in the 12-year history of the Deaths in Custody Reporting program. Nearly nine out of 10 State prisoner deaths were as a result of natural causes, the leading reason being cancer and heart disease. Although illness-related deaths have increased slightly in recent years, the homicide and suicide rates in State prisons have dramatically decreased over the last 25 years. H.R. 1447 reauthorizes this data collection program and directs the Attorney General not only to collect the data, but also to study the data to determine how to reduce deaths in custody in the future. The legislation extends the reporting requirements to deaths that occur in Federal custody. Although the Death in Custody Reporting Act expired in 2006, the Bureau of Justice Statistics has continued to collect this data. They provide a national resource for understanding mortality in the criminal justice system. The collection of this data will help the Federal, State, and local governments examine the relationships between deaths in custody and the proper management of jail and prison facilities. It will also provide important information to Congress on any need to improve Federal custody procedures. Because the Bureau of Justice Statistics has continued to collect the information even though the prior law has expired, this bill will not impose any new cost on the agency. Congress passed similar legislation in three Congresses with overwhelming bipartisan support. I would like to thank Congressman Scott for introducing this legislation, and I would urge all my colleagues to support it. With that, Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I just want to close up here by thanking both the gentleman from Virginia, Congressman Scott, and Congresswoman Jackson Lee from Texas for their passion and for working hard on this. This is a good way for our Judiciary Committee to end the year, on something we can agree upon that is a good thing. And I do appreciate the opportunity to be here. I would encourage all of my colleagues to support this fine piece of legislation. And with that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Does the gentleman have any other speakers?

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on H.R. 1447, currently under consideration.

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1447) to encourage States to report to the Attorney General certain information regarding the deaths of individuals in the custody of law enforcement agencies, and for other purposes.

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I do appreciate that. I do appreciate what your staff and others have done, the ranking member, in moving this legislation through. And also my good friend from Illinois (Mr. Schneider) in where we have been able to work together. I would be remiss also if I did not recognize Vernon Robinson from my staff as well, who is with me today, who has kept this going while we have worked. So I appreciate his work and the rest of our staff in doing so. I introduced H.R. 1992, the Israel QME Enhancement Act, to ensure our commitment to Israel's qualitative military edge remains substantial and meaningful. This legislation allows Congress to conduct oversight of weapon sales in the Middle East with increased frequency. Due to the instability in the region, it is vitally important that the qualitative military edge review process be updated to reflect the needs of Israel. H.R. 1992 accomplishes this goal by directing the President to report to Congress every 2 years regarding the assessment of Israel's qualitative military edge over military threats to Israel and related weapon sales in the Middle East. This is a marked improvement over our current law, which only requires such a report to be issued every 4 years. H.R. 1992 also requires the President to issue a report to Congress on the criteria issued to include cyber and asymmetric threats in the QME report. Large conventional armies are less likely to mobilize against Israel, but terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah and Hamas are a constant threat. I am very concerned by the cyber attacks that have been launched against Israel, as well as the continued onslaught of terrorist attacks that threaten the security and stability of this peace-loving nation. The QME doctrine originated during the Johnson administration, but came into practice during the Yom Kippur War in 1973 when the United States conducted one of the largest military airlifts in history to resupply Israel with military hardware. Since Israel's victory in the conflict, the United States has sworn to ensure Israel's qualitative military edge remains strong, as surrounding Middle Eastern countries often possess a quantitative advantage. The benefits of the Israeli-American relationship are undeniable. Our alliance has been vital for each nation's intelligence efforts. Both nations have provided valuable information that has saved the lives of civilians, as well as military personnel. I have recognized the value of America's partnership for many years, and I am humbled and grateful to now be in a position where I can support this alliance on the floor of the House. America's support for Israel should be strong and responsive to the changing threats facing our ally. Their military threat is a vital component to promoting stability and peace in the Middle East. I am pleased by the steadfast commitment this body and our leadership have shown in maintaining a vibrant partnership with Israel. As the vice chair of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa, I am committed to promoting policy decisions that ensure Israel will be equipped to maintain the only stable democracy in the Middle East. In recent weeks, there have been rounds of negotiations concerning Iran's nuclear capabilities. As a result of these negotiations, an agreement was reached with Iran, the details of which put Israel in a very difficult position. Many questions remain about Iran's continued ability to enrich uranium and the billions of dollars they will gain in sanctions relief, questions such as: Where will these be used and how will the money be used for other attacks such as Hezbollah or others in this area? One thing I am certain of, however, is the savings will not be spent on any effort advantageous to U.S. or Israel. Now more than ever, Congress must demonstrate its unwavering commitment to strengthening the U.S.-Israel relations during such an unpredictable time in the Middle East. This is something that is needed. It is something for our friend Israel. It protects our interests and protects Israel's interests. With that, I would urge support of H.R. 1992.

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Speaker, I am honored today to add my name to the list of those who support this legislation. H.R. 2019 bears the name of a child whose bravery and wisdom should inspire us all. Gabriella Miller reminds us that government has the ability and the obligation to strive for the greater good--to protect the innocent, to preserve their futures. If we lose sight of that goal, we have failed. In the year that I have been in Congress, most of my time has been spent fighting against bad policies and bad politics, but today is different. Today, I stand before this body and proclaim we can do something and we can help. The Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act prioritizes pediatric research to help children with autism, cancer, and other diseases. If you were to ask me what defines Doug Collins, I would tell you three things: I am a man of faith; I am a husband; and a father, a father to a daughter who has spina bifida, but also inspires me to be the type of person that I would want to be. She is a lot like Gabriella Miller. Gabriella Miller really won her fight. My daughter continues. It reminds us that you can help and when you can help, you should. When you can make a difference, no matter how small, it still matters. It is still worth doing. I am a freshman here, but what amazes me is when you take a step forward in putting something productive on the floor which makes at least a small statement--and Congressman Harper brings forth that with others--when you take a small step forward and bring something down to this floor and are ridiculed and it is said it is window dressing, I am sorry, this is not window dressing. It is a step to being the government we are called to be, and that is prioritizing, that is putting faith back into a system in which people have lost faith. On the floor today, it is no wonder that they have lost faith. When a good-faith effort is put forward and it is criticized in light of children and research to make other political points, that is what is truly appalling today; that is what is bad. This is a simple step that was brought forth in good faith. All I am saying is let's prioritize. I agree with my friends across the aisle: it is time we prioritize our mission; it is time we prioritize our battles here. This is one step forward. I would encourage all Members to support something that actually does make a difference.

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Pittenger), the author of this legislation, the gentleman who has a great passion for this issue.

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, just in closing, again, it is good to be with my friend down here. Also, the bill that Mr. Pittenger is bringing forward is also commonsense legislation I think that strengthens their home, strengthens their family, and addresses an issue such as child abuse and the real consequences the Davenport family are finding, but not just them, but many across our country. With that, I urge all my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on H.R. 3627, currently under consideration.

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. The bill under consideration today, the Kilah Davenport Child Protection Act of 2013, is named after a young girl from North Carolina who was brutally beaten by her stepfather last year. Her stepfather was charged with felony child abuse and awaits trial. Kilah, who was only 3 years old at the time of the attack, will face a lifetime of brain damage and paralysis at the hands of someone who was supposed to love and protect her. Stories like Kilah's are absolutely tragic, but they are not uncommon across our country. Approximately 3.5 million cases of child abuse involving 6 million children are reported every year in the United States. In my own State of Georgia, there were over 37,000 reports of child abuse and neglect with over 15,000 substantiated incidents of abuse in 2009 alone. And the rates of child abuse are even higher in Indian Country, where Indian children experience child abuse at a significantly higher rate than the rest of the population. Adding to those and these tragedies is the fact that child abuse cases are not always reported and oftentimes not prosecuted with the same vigor as other crimes. Studies have found that charges are less likely to be filed against perpetrators in child abuse cases than most other felonies, and these cases have lower incarceration rates than other crimes. H.R. 3627, introduced by Mr. Pittenger of North Carolina, will help draw attention to how child abuse cases are handled across the country by requiring the Judiciary Department to issue reports on the criminal penalties for child abuse in the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories. This report focused on State statutes because most child abuse cases are handled at the State level. However, there are parts of the country where the Federal Government has an increased law enforcement role, such as including in Indian Country. H.R. 3627 helps to strengthen the Federal response to child abuse and other forms of domestic violence in Indian Country and the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction by amending 18 U.S.C., section 117 to allow prior convictions for the abuse of a child to trigger the offense of domestic assault by a habitual offender. This is a small but important change to the statute that will permit the Federal Government to prosecute more violent offenders. I commend the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Pittenger) for drawing attention to the terrible crime of child abuse and encourage my colleagues to support this legislation. With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3627) To require the Attorney General to report on State law penalties for certain child abusers, and for other purposes.

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman for yielding. I rise in strong support of the rule and the underlying legislation, particularly H.R. 3309, the Innovation Act. As a member of the Judiciary Committee, I have seen firsthand the diligent and deliberative effort put forth by Chairman Goodlatte and the rest of the committee to bring forth to this body a pro-business, pro-growth, pro-liberty bill to reform our patent laws. As my friend from Colorado stated, there is more that can be done, but this is a very positive step. I agree with him, and I appreciate that support. The committee vote speaks for that as well when it is 33-5 reported out of committee on final passage. In the time that I have been yielded, I would like to also talk about a misconception that some in the higher education community seem to have about a fee-shifting provision in this bill. Despite the claims of some, the bill language protects plaintiffs who bring a reasonable and good faith case and who do not engage in litigation misconduct. In fact, even if a plaintiff's case is rejected by a court, the plaintiff is still immune from a fee award if his case ``had a reasonable basis in both law and fact.'' I am a strong supporter of our universities and the incredible research they are doing. I believe our patent laws should protect them, just as they should protect the small businesses and start-ups that rely on our world-class patent system. The ability to enforce one's patent in court is essential to preserving the value of the patent and is the inherent right of the patent-holder. Nothing in the Innovation Act changes this. Ensuring fair and equitable access to our courts isn't done at the expense of universities, but at the benefit of all patent-holders. As we move forward to general debate and the consideration of amendments made in order by this rule, I urge my colleagues to be very cautious in supporting amendments that would gut or upset the careful balance achieved by this bill. Many of the sections in H.R. 3309 are intertwined, and the result is a package of reforms that collectively will help American businesses and job creators, both large and small, combat a business model designed solely to benefit from exploitation of our patent system. And make no mistake, this isn't just a Silicon Valley problem. In my home State of Georgia, I hear from hotels, retailers and start-ups alike on the economically devastating impact that vague demand letters and the threat of costly and frivolous litigation has on their ability to do business. End-users are often attacked and often threatened for infringement of an unidentified patent they previously bought in a store. This is why the customer protections in section 5 of the bill are so important and should not be weakened or eliminated. As a strong conservative, I believe our government shouldn't be in the business of picking winners and losers in the marketplace. Innovation thrives when government takes a hands-off approach, but there are time when Congress must step in to ensure that our laws operate as they were intended. This is exactly why we need H.R. 3309. I urge my colleagues to support this rule and the underlying bills; and I also ask that each Member carefully consider any amendment that would weaken or compromise the provisions of H.R. 3309, and particularly section 5. But I will say this before I leave because I have come and spoken on many bills, and my dear friend from Colorado continues to bring up immigration. I just want to remind the Speaker that there was a time a few years ago when there was a golden era in which his party controlled the House, the Senate, and the Presidency.

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. I thank the gentleman. There were choices made, and there were plenty of choices you made, and even one to this day that we are talking about, health care legislation. One of those choices, from your point of view, sadly, was not taken, and that was immigration. Today we are dealing with bills that we both agree on, but let's not forget the fact that when you had a chance, you didn't do it.

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I think there has been a lot of things going on in the world in the last few weeks and a lot here domestically, things that have not been going well on the administration's agenda. Those have been well documented and are not the reason that I rise tonight. The purpose for my rising tonight is an issue that seems to want to distract from issues at home, and that is a very disturbing development with Iran and the administration's agreement that has been announced. These are disturbing for many reasons. Tonight we rise, and I rise bipartisanly tonight, to talk about this because I want the people of Israel and I want the American people who are great friends of Israel to be assured that there are plenty of Members of Congress committed to this alliance, I am proud to be one of them. I also join with my friend from Illinois (Mr. Schneider), and I am excited to be a part of this and discuss for what will be a discussion of what we believe are the values that we share together. I would go ahead and yield for a brief opening here before we get started, Mr. Schneider, as we go forward tonight.

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. I thank the gentleman. One of the things that amazes me in what you just said is that we are so close and are getting closer every day for their capability to be, for the lack of a better term, perfected. They have been working at it. They have been hiding. They have been doing those things. And now to come at this last moment and get ready to give an infusion of cash, which is what they are going to be getting, to the tune of billions of dollars and to continue to allow the enrichment process is just really disturbing here. I am not seeing, as I said earlier, the end game except that, from my perspective, there was the old philosophy. There was the old foreign policy of one of my party's heroes, one that I believe served this country well, and it was Ronald Reagan when he said that the foreign policy was, if we win, you lose. And I think, at this point, what is concerning me is that in this deal, if we lose, they win, and rest of the world is put in jeopardy. And you made a great statement. Not only is Iran an existential threat to Israel, but as I often hear, well, why do we worry about Iran? That is another country. Why do we need to get involved? Because it is a direct and immediate threat to the U.S. as well. We have troops within missile range. We have troops that are in international waters that could be literally affected by the military force in Iran, and I think those are issues that we have got to address as we move forward. It is not something that we can just put in this little corner. Iran, in some ways, is much different than North Korea, with their assets and with their capabilities, and we can't deny where they are in the world. And I think that is the concern that I have with this administration. That is why we are here tonight talking about this. And I want to discuss some more about this, but I will yield back to my friend.

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. I appreciate my friend for being here tonight as you have added so much to this debate, but I also appreciate your time here in standing up for what we both feel is a very important role in the American-Israeli relationship. You see, Mr. Speaker, I believe that Israel is an ally well worth protecting. We recognize and understand the serious threat posed to Israel from nation-states such as Iran as well as from radical Islamic terrorist groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and al Qaeda. U.S.-Israel cooperation helps ensure that Israel will remain a shining example of what democratic ideals and a freedom-loving society can achieve. I agree with my friend. Iran cannot be allowed to develop nuclear weapons. That is not a negotiating point. That is just a fact. When we understand that, I will support real solutions, with real triggers, with real time lines in order to dismantle a program that has not been based on a freedom-loving people just wanting an energy source but one that has been based on deception, that has been based on deceit, and that has been based on an underlying hatred of the West and especially of Israel. We cannot let that happen. I pray that this administration and the others that have joined in this agreement do not fall victim to a pretty PR campaign. Israel has been a beacon of liberty despite the reign of despots all around them. Israel has never allowed a threat of attack to shake their recognition that the best way to thwart extremist ideals is to stay free. Now is the time for America to renew its commitment to Israel. God bless this union and the United States. I thank the gentleman from Illinois, my friend, for being here and for the work that we have done together, and I do look forward to the QME bill's coming to this floor, of its passing in the Senate, and of seeing the President sign it as a good faith effort to show that his commitment is there for Israel as well. I look forward to that day being with you as that happens. With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.