Eliot Engel

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentlewoman from Texas an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time for the purpose of closing. Mr. Speaker, the resolution before us is an important measure for Congress to set the record straight and to call out the atrocities suffered by the Armenian people at the hands of the Ottoman Empire in the early 20th century as a genocide. I, again, want to thank the author of this measure, Mr. Schiff, along with the many champions for the Armenian people in the House. I want to congratulate the Armenian American community which has worked for so many years to try to get this resolution to the House floor and then get it passed. We are really making history today, and I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle: Mr. Smith, and all the others who spoke. I think this is very important, and I think we will be sending a very, very strong message all around the world. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this important resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4695) to impose sanctions with respect to Turkey, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 4695.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I have described the administration's approach to international affairs as ``fly by the seat of your pants'' foreign policy, but over time, we have seen a pattern emerge. The President of the United States stokes a crisis and then steps in with some sort of half measure in a failed attempt to look like a great deal is happening. You can't be the arsonist and the fireman at the same time. And the situation in Syria right now may be the clearest example of this and the most disastrous. Around 2 weeks ago, President Trump gave Turkey's President Erdogan the green light to launch a military invasion of northern Syria, and that is precisely what Turkey did. What followed was a gruesome campaign slaughtering our Syrian Kurdish partners who fought alongside the United States against ISIS. Already nearly 200,000 people, including women, children, and families, have been displaced, driven from their ancestral homes--ethnic cleansing at its worst. The deal we signed with Erdogan has led directly to this ethnic cleansing in northern Syria's indigenous Kurdish region. It is really a disgrace. These people fought with us. These people took bullets for us. These people were our loyal and faithful allies. For the United States to turn our backs on them, or to start a chain of events that would hurt them, really is a very dark day in our country's history. As the Kurds fight to survive this onslaught, they have been forced to abandon their watch over the prisons holding thousands of ISIS fighters. Over 100 of these terrorists have reportedly escaped. Now, the situation in northeast Syria is a humanitarian and national security crisis. In a region already rife with conflict, Turkey's military operation is wreaking even more havoc. And rather than hold Turkey accountable for how they have conducted this bloody campaign, President Trump has given them a free pass. When the head of ISIS was finally killed, President Trump, unfortunately, thanked the Turks, thanked the Turkish Government. That doesn't sit right with me. First, the administration arranged a sham cease-fire that gave Erdogan all he could have wanted. Then, Turkey entered into an agreement with Vladimir Putin that ceded America's influence in the region to Russia. And then, President Trump lifted sanctions on Turkey once the Kurds fled. President Trump has let Erdogan off scot-free for a heinous assault that is destabilizing the region and threatening international security. President Trump and President Erdogan are responsible for the catastrophe in northeast Syria. They both must be held accountable. On October 16, the House passed a measure rebuking President Trump for this disastrous policy--passed, I will note, with overwhelming bipartisan support. Now, the United States needs to make sure that Turkish President Erdogan faces consequences for his behavior. Because President Trump has failed to demonstrate American leadership in this regard, it is now on Congress to step up and impose consequences on Turkey. The PACT Act, which is this act, underscores the devastating consequences of Turkey's invasion and President Trump's decision to step back and let it happen. It employs targeted smart sanctions to incentivize Erdogan to stop his military offensive, cease violence against Syrian Kurdish communities, and withdraw from Syria. These sanctions are specifically designed to target the Turkish officials and institutions responsible for the bloodshed in Syria without senselessly hurting the Turkish people. After all, it is Erdogan, not the Turkish people, who is responsible for this horror. Erdogan is an authoritarian thug. His rule has left a glaring black mark on Turkey's historic secular, democratic traditions. We need to pressure him while ramping up diplomacy in the hopes of getting Turkey back on the right track as a NATO ally. That is one of the goals of this measure. This bipartisan legislation also requires the Trump administration to develop concrete strategies for combating ISIS, protecting Syrian Kurdish communities, and ensuring Syrians who partnered with American forces, as well as NGOs and humanitarian organizations, can be safely resettled in the United States. This is a smart response to address the calamity caused by Turkish forces in Syria. It is up to Congress to act to make it clear where the American Government stands. I want to thank my friend Ranking Member McCaul for working with me to introduce this legislation, and I hope all of our colleagues will join us in supporting it. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Washington, DC, October 28, 2019. Hon. Richard E. Neal, Committee on Ways and Means, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Neal: I am writing to you concerning H.R. 4695, the Protect Against Conflict by Turkey Act. I appreciate your willingness to work cooperatively on this legislation. I acknowledge that provisions of the bill fall within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Ways and Means under House Rule X, and that your Committee will forgo action on H.R. 4695 to expedite floor consideration. I further acknowledge that the inaction of your Committee with respect to the bill does not waive any future jurisdictional claim over the matters contained in the bill that fall within your jurisdiction. I will also support the appointment of Committee on Ways and Means conferees during any House-Senate conference convened on this legislation. Lastly, I will ensure that our exchange of letters is included in the Congressional Record during floor consideration of the bill. Thank you again for your cooperation regarding the legislation. I look forward to continuing to work with you as the measure moves through the legislative process. Sincerely, Eliot L. Engel, Chairman.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for his kind words. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentlewoman from Texas an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), our Speaker of the House.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume for the purpose of closing. I would like to again thank Ranking Member McCaul for his partnership in writing this important bipartisan bill. And it is even more than just a partnership. It is working together on both sides of the aisle to do good for the American people. That is really what this should all be about, particularly when we are talking about foreign affairs. So I want to thank Mr. McCaul for working closely with me and for really making this a real collaborative bill. The measure before us represents what the Foreign Affairs Committee does best, bipartisan, commonsense legislation that advances American interests and American values on the global stage. The PACT Act holds Turkey accountable for its bloodshed in Syria. It calls on Erdogan to immediately stop his campaign of ethnic cleansing to expel Syrian Kurds and other minority groups from their homeland, and to start living up to the democratic values that we expect from a NATO ally, values that, right now, are under constant attack in Turkey. Mr. Speaker, it is a sad coincidence. Today is the 96th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Turkey. For nearly a century, the Turkish people have fought hard to grow and preserve democracy in their country, and Erdogan has done such incredible damage to that legacy. I call on all my colleagues to join me and Mr. McCaul in supporting this legislation and sending a strong message that the United States Congress will not condone Turkey's horrific atrocities against the Kurds. Not only will we not condone it, we oppose it; we will speak out about it; and we will try in every way we can to stop it. I urge my colleagues to support this very important measure, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding to me. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to sponsor H.R. 647, the Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act, which has 296 bipartisan cosponsors and endorsements from 54 national organizations, including the American Cancer Society and the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. The goal of palliative care is to provide patients relief from the symptoms of a serious illness. This form of medical care can accompany treatments and even cures. Often, an interdisciplinary team of healthcare providers consisting of doctors, nurses, social workers, and chaplains provide palliative care. In this capacity, these professionals often help patients with medical decisionmaking and care coordination. Palliative and hospice care has been shown to improve health outcomes for patients, but not many people are aware of the benefits. Furthermore, our Nation has a shortage of qualified palliative and hospice care professionals. The Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act will help remedy these issues. This bill will create programs to train the next generation of providers of palliative and hospice care. It will also better educate patients, families, and health professionals about palliative care's benefits, and it encourages the National Institutes of Health to expand research in this field. Nearly every one of us has felt the pain and stress of a serious illness, either personally or standing beside a loved one. By passing this bill, we will take an important step forward in bringing relief to patients suffering from serious illnesses. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Pallone and Ranking Member Walden for their leadership on this issue and Congressman Reed and Congressman Carter, who coauthored this bill with me. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter of support from 54 national organizations and 35 State organizations. May 6, 2019. Hon. Eliot Engel, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Frank Pallone, Jr., Chair, Energy & Commerce Committee, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Yvette D. Clarke, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Tom Reed House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Greg Walden, Ranking Member, Energy & Commerce Committee, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Buddy Carter, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Re: Support for the Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act (PCHETA) Dear Representatives Engel, Reed, and Carter, Chairman Pallone, Ranking Member Walden, and Vice Chair Clarke: The undersigned organizations write to express our support for H.R. 647, the Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act (PCHETA). This bipartisan legislation will make a difference in the lives of millions of patients living with serious or life-threatening illness and their caregivers. Despite a high intensity of medical treatment, many seriously ill individuals still experience troubling symptoms, unmet psychological and personal care needs, fragmented care, poor communication with their health care providers, and enormous strains on their family caregivers. However, numerous studies have shown that adding palliative care can improve pain and symptom control, quality of life, and patient and family satisfaction. Palliative care is an interdisciplinary model of care focused on relief of the pain, stress and other debilitating symptoms of serious illness, such as cancer, cardiac disease, respiratory disease, kidney failure, Alzheimer's, AIDS, ALS, and MS. Its goal is to relieve suffering and provide the best possible quality of life for patients and their families. Palliative care can be offered simultaneously with life- prolonging and curative therapies for persons living with serious, complex, and eventually terminal illness and includes hospice care. By its very nature, palliative care is patient-centered care--translating patient goals to appropriate treatments. We appreciate your leadership in recognizing the significant role palliative care and hospice can play in creating lasting change across the health care system. With PCHETA's focus on expanding the interdisciplinary palliative care workforce, promoting awareness of the benefits of palliative care among patient and providers, and improving the evidence base for this care, you have demonstrated a strong commitment to addressing key barriers to palliative care access for the growing number of Americans with serious or life-threatening illness. Delivery of high-quality palliative care cannot take place without sufficient numbers of health care professionals with appropriate training and skills. Students graduating from medical, nursing or health care professional schools today have very little, if any, training in the core precepts of pain and symptom management, advance care planning, communication skills, and care coordination for patients with serious or life-threatening illness. Further, there is a large gap between the number of health care professionals with palliative care training and the number required to meet the needs of the expanding population of seriously ill patients. PCHETA would go a long way towards bridging this gap by establishing education centers and career incentive awards to improve the training of doctors, nurses, physician assistants, social workers and other health professionals in palliative care. PCHETA also aims to strengthen clinical practice and improve health care delivery for patients living with serious or life-threatening illness, as well as their families, by directing funding toward palliative care research. Research funding for palliative care and pain and symptom management comprises less than 0.1 percent of the National Institutes of Health annual budget. PCHETA would direct an expansion and intensification of research in these important areas. At the same time, more must be done to ensure patients and providers are aware of the benefits of palliative care. According to the Institute of Medicine, there is a ``need for better understanding of the role of palliative care among both the public and professionals across the continuum of care.'' PCHETA would direct the implementation of a national education and awareness campaign so that patients, families, and health professionals understand the essential role of palliative care in ensuring high-quality care for individuals facing serious or life-threatening illness. Through your leadership last Congress, PCHETA passed the House of Representatives with overwhelming bi-partisan support. We appreciate your continued support and dedication to this important issue. We look forward to working with you toward quick passage of this legislation in the 116th Congress. Sincerely, Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Impact Movement, American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, American Academy of Physician Assistants, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer, American Geriatrics Society, American Heart Association ? American Stroke Association, American Psychological Association, American Psychosocial Oncology Society, American Society of Clinical Oncology, Association of Oncology Social Work, Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses, Association of Professional Chaplains, The California State University Institute for Palliative Care. Cambia Health Solutions, Cancer Support Community, Catholic Health Association of the United States, Center to Advance Palliative Care, Children's National Health System, Coalition for Compassionate Care of California, Colorectal Cancer Alliance, Compassus, Courageous Parents Network, ElevatingHOME ? Visiting Nurses Associations of America, The Gary and Mary West Health Institute, The George Washington Institute for Spirituality and Health, HealthCare Chaplaincy Network, Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Lung Cancer Alliance, Motion Picture & Television Fund, National Alliance for Caregiving, National Association for Home Care & Hospice, National Association of Social Workers, National Brain Tumor Society, National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship, National Coalition for Hospice and Palliative Care, National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, National Palliative Care Research Center, National Patient Advocate Foundation, National POLST Paradigm, Oncology Nursing Society, Pediatric Palliative Care Coalition, Physician Assistants in Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Prevent Cancer Foundation, Resolution-Care Network, Social Work Hospice & Palliative Care Network, Society of Palliative Care Pharmacists, St. Baldrick's Foundation, Supportive Care Matters, Susan G. Komen, Supportive Care Coalition, Trinity Health.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 598) to support the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Georgia, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 598.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I would like to start by thanking Mr. Connolly and Mr. Kinzinger for authoring this excellent bill. This measure comes before us at a crucial time. As President Trump takes a sledgehammer to our country's standing in the world, it falls to the Congress to uphold our relationships with our friends and partners. Strong alliances and partnerships make a stronger, safer America, and it is important for our national security to make sure that our friends can defend themselves against hostile adversaries. That is especially true for a country like Georgia, who is fighting President Putin's aggression every single day. In 2008, Russia invaded and occupied parts of Georgia, flagrantly breaking international law and violating Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity. And now, over a decade later, Russia hasn't let up the assault on Georgia. Cyber attacks, disinformation campaigns, human rights violations--this is what the people of Georgia endure from Putin's regime all the time. So we must support Georgia's efforts to protect itself. The Georgia Support Act calls on the U.S. to continue to support Georgia's democratic institutions, territorial integrity, and sovereignty. It also provides critical assistance for Georgia's struggle against Russian aggression, supporting efforts to boost cybersecurity and counter Russian disinformation. And it slaps sanctions on those responsible for human rights violations in the Russian-occupied Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. We should be strengthening our relationship with Georgia and bringing it into the fold of the EU and NATO. This is a good bill that moves us in the right direction, showing that Congress stands with Georgia. I strongly support this measure, and I urge all Members to join me in doing so. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Washington, DC, October 21, 2019. Hon. Richard E. Neal, Committee on Ways and Means, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Neal: I am writing to you concerning H.R. 598, the Georgia Support Act. I appreciate your willingness to work cooperatively on this legislation. I acknowledge that provisions of the bill fall within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Ways and Means under House Rule X, and that your Committee will forgo action on H.R. 598 to expedite floor consideration. I further acknowledge that the inaction of your Committee with respect to the bill does not waive any future jurisdictional claim over the matters contained in the bill that fall within your jurisdiction. I will also support the appointment of Committee on Ways and Means conferees during any House-Senate conference convened on this legislation. Lastly, I will ensure that our exchange of letters is included in the Congressional Record during floor consideration of the bill. Thank you again for your cooperation regarding the legislation. I look forward to continuing to work with you as the measure moves through the legislative process. Sincerely, Eliot L. Engel, Chairman.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Connolly), the author of this important bill.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Keating), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, Energy, and the Environment.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume for the purpose of closing. This is a good, strong, bipartisan bill to support Georgia as it fends off Russian aggression. I thank my Foreign Affairs Committee colleagues, Mr. Connolly and Mr. Kinzinger, for their work on this measure. If you look back at history when the Soviet Union existed, Georgia was part of the Soviet Union and really felt the yoke of Russian aggression on their necks. When the Soviet Union broke up and Russia tried to influence all the surrounding countries, Georgia resisted with good cause, because Georgia does not want to be part of a country that makes them subservient. So it really to me is so important for the United States to support Georgia. It is in a difficult neighborhood, right near Russia. It faces constant threats every day. As I and my colleagues have said, Russia is now occupying a large part of their territory, and it really should not be left to stand. Personally, I have said this many times, I think that the West made a mistake back in 2008 when Georgia tried to become part of NATO and was turned down. I believe that both Georgia and Ukraine should be part of NATO. I think that is very important. And I think that is part of the reason why we see such Russian aggression in both Ukraine and Georgia. So I hope all Members will join us in supporting the passage of this bill. The people of Georgia need to know that the United States Congress stands with them against Putin's aggression. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 552) calling on the Government of the Russian Federation to provide evidence of wrongdoing or to release United States citizen Paul Whelan.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Res. 552.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, as we stand here on the House floor, an American citizen is being wrongfully held in a Russian prison without trial, without any evidence of his supposed crime, denied his rights, suffering, deprived of the medical attention he so desperately needs. This is how Vladimir Putin is treating Paul Whelan, a U.S. citizen who has been unjustly imprisoned in Russia for almost a year. There has been no evidence offered to show that Mr. Whelan has done anything wrong or anything to deserve this horrific imprisonment with no end in sight. Paul's family in Michigan wants to see him returned home safely, and Congress must stand with them and demand justice. H. Res. 552 sends a strong message from Congress. It calls on Russia to either offer up some legitimate evidence that justifies why they have Mr. Whelan in prison or immediately release him and let him come home to his family in the United States. We can't accept this current situation to go on any longer with Mr. Whelan languishing in his cell with no understanding of why he is being subjected to this horror. Sadly, this injustice is what life is like in Putin's Russia. There is no independent judicial process. There are no rights for defendants. There is abuse, mistreatment, corruption. It is critical that we all keep this in mind. That is why it is so important for the United States to stand strong in condemning Putin and upholding our commitment to the rule of law. I want to thank Ms. Stevens for her hard work in offering this measure. As Mr. Whelan's congressional representative, she has been tirelessly pushing for Paul's release as has the entire Michigan delegation. This is a good bipartisan measure I am pleased to support. I urge all Members to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Stevens), the author of this important resolution