Eliot Engel

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this measure. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Lieu of southern California, a very valued member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for his hard work on this bill. It is important, Mr. Speaker, that we modernize our agencies across government to better deal with 21st century challenges. The State Department is under constant threat of cyberattacks from foreign actors bent on stealing our secrets, disrupting our foreign policy, and undermining our security. Just 8 days ago, it was reported that the State Department's email system was breached. This time, whoever was behind the attack got ahold of private information about State Department personnel. Who knows what they will get their hands on next time. Mr. Lieu's bill will help shore up the State Department against this sort of intrusion. First of all, it requires the Secretary of State to get out ahead of this problem. Instead of waiting for the next attack to happen, this bill would mandate a plan for researchers to actively seek out and report vulnerabilities. Secondly, this bill launches a new initiative, a so-called bug bounty program. This seeks to tap the expertise of everyday Americans by rewarding citizens who uncover and report security risks in the Department's computer system. It will also allow security researchers and friendly hackers to find the cracks in the system so that the Department can patch them. This effort is modeled after a very successful program at the Defense Department, which got off the ground in 2016. Since then, 1,400 people have registered to participate, and they have found roughly 140 vulnerabilities. Our Federal agencies should learn from one another. It is just common sense to put this tested practice to work at the State Department and elsewhere. Mr. Speaker, I commend Mr. Lieu. I am glad to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Ted Lieu), the author of the bill.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this measure. Let me first thank our chairman on the Foreign Affairs Committee, Ed Royce, who has done great work to get this bill to the finish line. I want to especially thank my dear friend and colleague, Ileana Ros- Lehtinen, who was so instrumental in crafting this bill and then getting it passed, like so many other things she has done for so many years on the Foreign Affairs Committee. It has just been an honor and a pleasure to work with her, and we are going to miss her. But she has done some great work, and people's lives will be saved because of the work that Ileana Ros-Lehtinen has done, so I want to thank her. I am also grateful to the Members of the other body who have helped push this measure forward. This bill is the product of a good, bipartisan effort aimed at a clear goal to isolate Hezbollah, one of the world's most dangerous terrorist organizations. With hundreds of thousands of rockets pointed at Israel and fighters returning home, battle-hardened from years fighting alongside the Assad regime in Syria, Hezbollah has become more sophisticated and more lethal. Hezbollah, with support from Iran, has served as a lifeline to Assad, allowing his regime to butcher the Syrian people. Without Hezbollah's support, Assad would have been swept out of power years ago. When he was losing, Hezbollah came in. Iran unleashed Hezbollah, and they turned the tide in the war. Birds of a feather flock together, unfortunately, and Hezbollah has also gained from this relationship. The war in Syria bound Hezbollah and Russia together. The result was deeper coordination and training between the two. Russia talks a good game about fighting terrorism, but its partnership with Hezbollah has shown that Moscow is eager to collaborate with a group that has American blood on its hands. Now is the time to choke Hezbollah off from its patrons. This bill would give the administration every tool it needs to confront this dangerous group. With this measure, we build on a 2015 law by imposing sanctions on anyone who knowingly supports Hezbollah's fundraising and recruitment efforts. As terrorist groups, including Hezbollah, rely more and more on online crowd sourcing and social media to spread their message, we need to be one step ahead. This bipartisan legislation also imposes sanctions on any part of a foreign government that supplies material support or arms to Hezbollah. That could include Russia and Iran for the training and assistance they provide to Hezbollah in Syria. This measure would also ramp up oversight on the administration's strategies when it comes to diplomatic engagement to shut off Hezbollah's networks and safe havens. This legislation is meant to signal to anyone who supports Hezbollah: Your time is up. Let me add a final note about Hezbollah as it concerns Lebanon. I have been a friend of Lebanon for many years. Back in 2003, I wrote the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act with my friend Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. We pressed Syria to get out of Lebanon and allow Lebanon to secure its own independence, free from Syria's outside influence. Unfortunately, Hezbollah has, so far, endured as a fact of life in Lebanese politics. The Lebanese people deserve better. Hezbollah should stop holding the Lebanese people hostage to its radical agenda. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I honor today a dedicated member of the Hastings on Hudson community, Lizabeth Liebeskind, a woman who brought art, beauty and insight to all she encountered. Lizabeth passed away on July 26, 2018 at her home surrounded by her loving family after a valiant battle with cancer. But for those who knew her, the legacy Lizabeth has left will last forever. Lizabeth graduated from Syracuse University, BFA, and devoted her life to developing the arts in Tribeca, Woodstock, Hastings on Hudson and Brooklyn. As Co-Founder and Creative Director of 12 Miles North, Liz founded the wonderful ``Take Me to The River Festival'' for which she was awarded a Key to the City on September 9, 2017. That day from here forth will forever be ``Lizabeth Sipes-Liebeskind Day'' in Hastings on Hudson. Liz wrote and performed plays, most recently her own one woman play about her battle with breast cancer in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma to a loving family of seven, Lizabeth is survived by her mother, Beverly Sipes and siblings: Terry, John, and Scott Sipes and Marianne Brown. Liz leaves behind her beloved husband, Hank Liebeskind and her adored children, Samantha, Charlee and Lila Liebeskind. Mr. Speaker, Lizabeth was a wonderful, warm individual who did so much to better our community. Her contributions were many, as were all the different lives she touched. Lizabeth will be deeply missed, and I am humbled to be able to honor her legacy as a Member of Congress.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, if there are no other speakers on the other side, I am prepared to close. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I rise in support of H.R. 1911. Mr. Speaker, I am a proud original cosponsor of this bill, and I am pleased that we are considering it today. I want to start by thanking my colleagues for their hard work on this bill and their hard work on this effort: Congressman Chris Smith, the author of this legislation, and my fellow co-chairs of the Bipartisan Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism. I am proud to stand with a group of legislators committed to fighting intolerance and hatred. Mr. Speaker, every day, more and more alarming anti-Semitic attacks shock the world: Holocaust survivors violently assaulted, rallies and parades glorifying Nazi leaders, swastikas graffitied to incite fear and terror. The list goes on and on. And let's be clear, Mr. Speaker, this isn't just happening in faraway places. We have seen a sickening increase of anti-Semitic acts in our country as well. We have seen people who embrace hatred and bigotry given a loud new megaphone to spread their poison. As a country, we need to come together to say enough is enough. We need to say there are not good people on both sides. We need to confront evil, call it by its name, and say there is no place for it anywhere in the United States or around the world. We all need to do it as citizens. We need to do so in our laws and in our policies. And the very least that we could do is have the administration fill the positions that are supposed to be dealing with this issue. The Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism position at the State Department is still vacant. That is really unacceptable. We must have a senior official to push back against the intolerance and hatred of anti-Semitism. American leadership is desperately needed in the fight against this ancient form of hatred. I am fed up with the administration dragging its feet on filling this crucial position. It should happen now. That is why I am glad we are moving this bill forward. This legislation would elevate the Special Envoy position and require the President to put forward a nominee no more than 120 days after a vacancy. That is 4 months. This is essential for making sure that a prolonged vacancy like we have right now never happens again. We must have a senior State Department official dedicated to coordinating U.S. Government efforts to combat anti-Semitism abroad. So I strongly support this measure, and I ask my colleagues to join me doing so. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Deutch), one of the chairs of the Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism, and, again, a very esteemed member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, and an original cosponsor of this bill.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. In closing, I want to, again, strongly support this bipartisan bill. I want to thank all the people who have worked hard on it, particularly Mr. Smith of New Jersey, who always, for years, has been battling the scourge of anti-Semitism; our chairman, Chairman Royce, and people on both sides of the Foreign Affairs Committee. We can never become complacent when we see anti-Semitism, or anti- anything rear its ugly head. We need to reject it. We need to fight it. We need to shine a light in all the dark corners so it has no place to hide and fester. What does it look like when it comes to foreign policy? It starts by appointing a senior diplomat, someone we can point to with confidence and say, ``You're leading America's effort to grapple with this problem around the world.'' This bill would make sure that that seat can't stay vacant the way it has been for the last 18 months. I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this legislation. I, again, thank Mr. Smith, Chairman Royce, and all the people who have worked so hard for this. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings). (Mr. HASTINGS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Titus), a cosponsor of this bill and, as I said before, a very valued House Foreign Affairs Committee member.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6197, the Rescuing Animals With Rewards Act of 2018. I would like to begin by thanking Mr. Donovan and Mr. Castro for introducing this important legislation, and I would also like to thank Chairman Royce for his incredible efforts over many, many years to promote the conservation of wildlife and wild places. In recent years, Congress has taken a number of important steps to combat wildlife trafficking, but the situation remains dire. Over the last 10 years, one-third of African elephants have been slaughtered for their tusks. Let me say that again. Over the last 10 years, one-third of African elephants have been slaughtered for their tusks. That is a shocking statistic. Rhino populations have also been decimated, and many other species are at risk. Protecting wildlife is the right thing to do. I know the Wildlife Conservation Society does a really good job. My good friend John Calvelli is leading the charge there, and so I am very aware of what we need to do to protect our wildlife. But not only is it the right thing to do, it also serves American national security interests. Wildlife trafficking feeds corruption, undermines the rule of law, threatens economic prosperity, and drives instability, and it is carried out by many of the same international criminal syndicates engaged in the trafficking of drugs, weapons, and people. This bipartisan, commonsense legislation before us today provides our government with a tool it can use to tackle the illegal trade in wildlife. Specifically, it authorizes rewards under the State Department's Rewards for Justice program for information leading to the arrest or conviction of those engaged in wildlife trafficking. This can provide a powerful financial incentive for people to turn in those responsible for this appalling activity. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of our colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, let me say in closing, I want to again thank Mr. Donovan and Mr. Castro for authoring this bill and Chairman Royce for his extraordinary leadership in efforts to combat wildlife trafficking. It is shocking to me that in the year 2018 people still want to kill majestic animals like elephants and rhinos for their body parts. It is just disgusting. We need to continue our support of a multipronged effort to address the poaching crisis, going after the international criminal networks that drive this illicit trade, working with other governments to establish and enforce tough laws against wildlife trafficking, partnering with local communities in the countries where animals live to make sure they have a stake in protecting wildlife, and educating consumers about the consequences of their decisions to purchase illegal wildlife products, because we really need to hit them in their pocketbooks. If people are purchasing these things, the illicit trafficking is going to continue. The bipartisan legislation before us today will provide one additional tool in the fight against wildlife trafficking, and I urge my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to join me in supporting it. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Let me again applaud the chief sponsors of this legislation, Representatives Ros-Lehtinen and Deutch, along with their Senate counterparts, for their tremendous work. Let me also, again, as I have many times, thank our chairman. We have worked very closely together on the Foreign Affairs Committee, and this is proof of that kind of collaboration where we have both sides of the aisle doing things that are good for the United States of America. This legislation and the MOU that it puts into law represents the unbreakable bond between the United States and Israel and the shared interests and values that have been the hallmark of this relationship. As Chairman Royce mentioned before, he and I have been there together many times. We have seen those terror tunnels. We have seen all kinds of things. The people of Israel need the United States, and we need the people of Israel. The United States has stood up for democracy through all these glorious years of our being a republic, and we cannot stop now. That is why legislation such as this bipartisan legislation is so important for us to pass. This, in law, represents the unbreakable bond between the United States and Israel and the shared interests and values that have been the hallmark of this relationship. The Middle East is a very dangerous neighborhood. We here in the United States have the benefit of stepping back a bit, but we are not on the front line day in and day out the way the beleaguered people of Israel are with one country after another vowing to try to destroy it. This Congress, in a bipartisan fashion, stands together and says that the United States stands with the people of Israel, and that makes me very proud of this Congress, proud of our Foreign Affairs Committee, proud of our chairman, and proud of all the people who have spoken, particularly Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who deserves all the accolades you can think of. Whatever I said wouldn't be dramatic enough to explain the force that she has been for the past 30 years on the Foreign Affairs Committee doing good things, particularly with the State of Israel. It is going to be difficult to not see her here, but I know she will be doing everything that she can continue to do to enhance the U.S.- Israel relationship. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this measure, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Frankel), a very valued member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and a cosponsor of this bill.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentleman from Florida an additional 1 minute.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this measure. We are taking up a bill from the Senate that I fully support, with a couple of small amendments. One of these amendments is to rename the legislation after a Member of this House. I find myself experiencing a little bit of denial, because it reminds me that one of our most able and valued colleagues is about to wrap up her distinguished career. I can't imagine what it is going to be like without Ileana Ros-Lehtinen around here. She came to Congress the year after I did, and we have been close friends ever since. The gentlewoman from Florida has been a dear friend and an exceptional colleague, and there has been no fiercer champion of the U.S.-Israel relationship than Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. So it is entirely fitting that we amend this bill to name it in her honor, the Ileana Ros-Lehtinen U.S.-Israel Security Assistance Authorization Act. Let me also thank the chief Democratic sponsor of this legislation, Mr. Deutch, also of Florida, who has worked tirelessly to shape this legislation and to reaffirm the unshakable bond between the United States and Israel. This bill, like the House version passed by the Foreign Affairs Committee, fully authorizes the historic memorandum of understanding, or MOU, between the United States and Israel, which President Obama signed and which will go into effect next year. This MOU provides for a 10-year agreement at $3.3 billion per year and a $500 million missile defense pledge, the largest single pledge of military assistance in our country's history. The MOU is a concrete example of something I often say; while prime ministers may come and go, Presidents come and go, members of Knesset come and go, and Members of Congress come and go, the U.S.-Israel relationship is here to stay. Our relationship with Israel benefits both our countries. For both of us, it strengthens security and stability, and advances our shared values. This is the bedrock of our friendship. This bill moves us forward in new areas of cooperation. For example, Mr. Kilmer of Washington wrote a provision that will spur closer cooperation on space issues. Mr. Crist of Florida wrote a section dealing with unmanned aerial vehicles that threaten the United States or Israel. Mr. Schneider's work will help ensure Israel's qualitative military edge. Mr. Boyle included a measure that will increase Israel's access to precision-guided munitions. I would like to point out a couple of issues, which I hope we can address through additional legislation. This bill was originally intended to include Mr. Langevin's legislation to enhance U.S.-Israel cooperation on cybersecurity. This is an area where we should be working together. So I was disappointed that it was struck from this, and I hope that it soon crosses the finish line as a standalone bill. Additionally, Mr. Boyle's bill to allow Israel to purchase precision- guided weapons was included in the Senate bill. The Armed Services Committee majority objected. So this version waters down the authorization for these purchases to a sense of Congress, which is considerably weaker. While I wish Armed Services Republicans would reconsider their objection, I won't stand in the way of moving this critical bill forward at this time. I am told that their concern is jurisdictional, and I hope they will remain sensitive to this issue the next time a defense authorization comes to the floor loaded down with provisions that fall in the jurisdiction of the Foreign Affairs Committee. Let me finish by saying that this bill is very timely. The threats facing the United States and Israel are becoming more urgent and more complex. ISIS is growing in the Sinai; Israel's neighbors are shouldering new burdens from refugees, causing further instability; and Iran's behavior in the region has, unfortunately become even more dangerous. The United States has been there by Israel's side throughout this dangerous time. And that is the way it should be. Today, we put that into law. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I congratulate my good friend, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Deutch), the lead Democratic author on the House version of the bill. He is also a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the ranking member of the Middle East Subcommittee.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield for such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings). (Mr. HASTINGS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, let me say in closing, I am, again, grateful to Mr. Hastings and to all the people who have helped elevate this issue. Actually, I have gotten many calls from people who are very, very concerned about this bill and who want to see it passed. I have been a dog lover all my life, had the wonderful time to have dogs, and to me, it is just unfathomable that they are suffering like this in the trade to eat dogs and cats. It is really just something that is awful. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support this measure. It is a bipartisan bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the esteemed gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings).

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I too rise in support of this measure. Let me, first of all, thank my friend from Florida, Mr. Hastings, for his work on this resolution, and thank Chairman Royce for moving it forward. This is one of those issues that certainly stirs the emotions of anyone who learns about it. The horrible abuse of dogs and cats crammed into cages, driven across borders, slaughtered and sold in meat markets, it just seems so cruel and needless. The animal rights community has come together around this issue, pleading for an end to these inhumane practices, particularly in the markets in Asia where this takes place the most. There are broader concerns as well. The trade of dog and cat meat is associated with health risks, including the spread of disease. And an illegal market for this meat has sprung up in places where governments have failed to step in and enforce their own laws against these practices. So I think it is important that the House go on record saying we oppose this practice. I am glad to support this measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Titus), a cosponsor of this bill, and a valuable member of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin), an original cosponsor of this legislation and a strong leader on cyber policy in Congress.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5576, the Cyber Deterrence and Response Act of 2018. I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this legislation authored by Congressman Yoho, who did great work with this bill, along with Chairman Royce and other members of our committee. Mr. Speaker, every day, America faces cyber threats from around the world. Countries, including Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea, have attacked our companies, our infrastructure, our government, and even the very heart of our democracy, our elections. The Cyber Deterrence and Response Act is a step in responding to these threats. This bill requires the President to impose sanctions on those who participate in a state-sponsored cyber attack against the United States. These far-reaching sanctions could be targeted to individuals, entities, and states themselves that perpetrate these attacks. These include attacks against critical infrastructure, public and private computer networks, and any sector that would jeopardize America's national security, foreign policy, economic health, or financial stability. This is a bipartisan, good bill, and I urge all Members to support it. But let me be clear: This bill does not do nearly enough to respond to Putin's attack on our democracy. We must continue to do this, but this is an important step and a very good step, and is indicative of the bipartisan cooperation that we have in the Foreign Affairs Committee, which is very, very important when we are dealing with foreign affairs. Our adversaries need to know that we are united, and that is what a bill like this does. So I congratulate Mr. Yoho for his hard work on this bill. It is a welcome effort to enhance our response to cyber attacks, but it is a Band-Aid on a bullet wound, if we don't do anything else. We need to keep doing these kinds of things. Those countries that would wish us ill, we have to let them know that we are not going to just stand idly by and be a target. In 2016, our Nation was attacked. The very core of our democratic process was hit by Russian cyber forces, and our government has been woefully negligent to adequately respond. I thank Republican leadership for bringing this bill forward, but we really need to address the critical issue of our vulnerability to these cyber attacks. If we do that, they will bring forward one of the many other stronger bills on this matter as well, for example, my bill that I introduced with Mr. Connolly, the SECURE Our Democracy Act; or the Secure America from Russian Interference Act, which includes my bill; and more than a dozen others. These bills constitute a strong, decisive response that matches the gravity of the threat we face. These bills would require the President to impose sanctions on those who attacked our elections in 2016 and would do much, much more to shore up our election system. For over a year, I have been pushing and pleading that the bill moves forward. I hope it will move forward as well. We need to go on record now and say whether we will do everything in our power to stop another attack on American democracy, or whether we will just step to the side with rhetoric and let it happen again. That is, again, why I am so happy to support this bill, because it shows that we are working together. But the point I want to make in collaboration with that is that we still have much more work to do. I know the committee, in a couple of weeks, is going to hold a very important hearing on Russia, and I think it is very important that we do that. Mr. Speaker, I again urge my colleagues to support this very good piece of legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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