Eliot Engel

Mr. ENGEL

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

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

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the remainder of my time to close the way I always do. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleagues on both sides for their hard work on this bill. I want to remind my colleagues that, just a few years ago when the last war was raging in Gaza, the other terrorist group, Hamas, used civilians as human shields. We had a resolution on the floor of this House condemning it, and I was very, very proud that that resolution passed unanimously. We need to condemn these terrorist groups no matter what they do, but when they use people as human shields--innocent people--and then try to blame the other side for the death, it is not something that we can countenance or stand for at all. I hope that we rise to the occasion this time, as well, because I can think of nothing more despicable than using innocent civilians as human shields. These bomb factories are built in mosques, they are built in schools, and they are built in playgrounds. They are built where children are. They are built because they are daring Israel and the United States to go after them when we know that there will be human casualties. It is really a despicable position. Here you have two terrorists groups, Hezbollah and Hamas. One is Shia; one is Sunni. It doesn't matter. They are both out to kill people. They are both out to terrorize people. They are both out to do the opposite of what we try to do in the United States: lifting people up. They need to be stopped, and this Congress needs to keep sending strong messages with teeth behind them to the world that we will not sit idly by and allow these terrorist activities to happen. Using civilians as human shields is really the lowest of the low. The fact that Hezbollah would put innocent men, women, and children in harm's way as human shields tells you everything you need to know about this organization. It is a cowardly practice by a gruesome group, and it cannot and shall not be tolerated. This measure puts us on record again condemning this terrorist group, and it gives the administration more tools to deal with one of Hezbollah's worst tools, more tools to deal with Hezbollah to stop its terrorist activities. So I urge a bipartisan ``yes'' vote. I thank Chairman Royce again for his collaboration with us on both sides of the aisle. That is one of the great things about the Foreign Affairs Committee because we realize that partisanship stops at the water's edge. When we are talking about terrorist groups and we are talking about antidemocratic groups, they affect us all. It is important that this Congress sends strong bipartisan measures and a strong bipartisan voice to say we will not tolerate these atrocities. Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote from all my colleagues on both sides, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Suozzi), my colleague on the Foreign Affairs Committee, a fellow New Yorker, and one of the new good members of our committee, and coauthor of this important bill.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of this measure. Let me start off by thanking Representatives Gallagher of Wisconsin and Suozzi of New York. Mr. Suozzi is a very valued, new member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, and I want to thank both of them for their hard work on this bill. And, as always, I want to thank Chairman Royce for his leadership. This is the first of three measures that we are considering today to crack down on the terrorist group, Hezbollah. I have been focused on this challenge for a long time. More than a decade ago, I wrote a law to get Syria out of Lebanon and, with it, Syria's support for Hezbollah. But this is a group made up of extremists, and they will always try to find new ways to gather resources and spread their reach, all in aid of its dangerous and violent agenda, which is undermining Lebanon's political independence; supporting Iran's activities, aggressive activities throughout the region; fueling chaos and war in Syria; and threatening our ally, Israel. We need to do everything in our power to isolate Hezbollah. We need to crack down on its recruiters and financiers. We need to cut off its supply of weapons, and we need to silence its propaganda machine. The three measures we will now consider will help us meet this challenge. The first is a new sanctions bill aimed at Hezbollah's use of innocent civilians as human shields. It would ban entry into the United States to anyone who uses human shields on behalf of Hezbollah, and it would freeze whatever assets they have in the United States. This bill would call upon our Ambassador to the U.N. to push for multilateral sanctions for the same behavior, and it would require the administration to keep Congress apprised about whether certain Hezbollah leaders would be caught up in the web of these sanctions. It is a good bill and a piece of a broader strategy to cut the legs out from under this odious group. You know, some our friends in Europe like to say: Well, there are really two parts of Hezbollah. One is the military wing, and one is the humanitarian wing, and the so-called humanitarian wing takes care of people who are in trouble, who need aid, who need help, and that is the way the story goes. The fact is, a terrorist organization is a terrorist organization. You cannot cut it in half and say one wing is good and the other wing is not. A terrorist organization is not good. A terrorist organization kills innocent people. A terrorist organization doesn't want peace, they want war, they want killing, they want people to continue to suffer. So let us remember, Hezbollah is a terrorist group. Hezbollah is primarily financed by Iran. Assad was losing the war in Syria on at least two occasions, and, on those times, Syria had an infusion of Hezbollah fighters sent by Iran on the side of the Assad regime to prop up Assad. And after they did it, the Russians came in and propped up Assad. So let's remember the hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians who have been murdered in Syria in the Syria civil war. That is Hezbollah, a terrorist organization--bombs in Israel against innocent civilians, bombs every place else. We cannot sit idly by. And so this bill, again, is a piece of a broader strategy to cut the legs out from under this odious group. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support it. I urge everyone to do the same, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, as we have shown again and again, and you can tell with all the comments that were made here, there is support on both sides of the aisle for holding Iran accountable for its dangerous behavior. While today's bill is similar to the bipartisan sanctions Congress passed during the summer, the direction we are moving today with this bill is the right one: going after Iran for something outside the scope of the nuclear deal. When the nuclear deal was negotiated, we were told very clearly that it would not prevent us, would not stop us from slapping sanctions on Iran for other things, other things like support of terrorism or ballistic missiles, or all the troublemaking activities that they do. This is what we are doing today. We are slapping sanctions on Iran for its behavior. We are slapping sanctions on Iran because we are not going to stand for their doing whatever they please and helping terrorism, suppressing rights of its people, and being a general threat to the United States. So I hope that we can get a strong, bipartisan, overwhelming vote for this bill the way we did in the bill that Chairman Royce and I introduced 3 months ago, again, which gave the President 60 days to identify sanctions, which was not done beyond the 60 days, and I hope that the administration forthwith does that now. So I think this is an important measure. I think it is an important measure to have a strong bipartisan vote because we have to show the Iranians that, while we may disagree on certain things, there is no disagreement on the fact that we regard Iran as the largest state sponsor of terrorism. It is true of both sides of the aisle that we regard Iran as threatening; that we regard Iran as dangerous in the Middle East; that we regard Iran, unfortunately, as an adversary of the United States. The comments with the rallies that the Ayatollah holds, death to America, death to Israel, is not something that we can countenance in this country, and so we are going to fight it. I am very proud of what the House is doing today. I urge a ``yes'' vote. And I want to thank Chairman Royce, once again, for his strong leadership on this measure and so many other measures. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. General Leave

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, since I, too, will go over to the Senate side, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Deutch), and I ask unanimous consent that he may control the time on this bill.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this measure. Let me again thank Chairman Royce for his leadership and for his hard work on this bill. I am glad to be the lead Democratic cosponsor of this legislation, which builds on a law that Ed Royce and I wrote in 2015. One of the best ways to stop Hezbollah's dangerous activity is to cut off its financing, which is what we tried to do 2 years ago. We went after Hezbollah's financial patrons, including Iran. But again, this is a group that, if you block one path forward, they will do what it takes to find another way around. So with this measure, we are broadening existing law by going after a bigger universe of Hezbollah supporters and enablers. This bill would impose mandatory sanctions on any third parties or governments providing money, equipment, or weapons to Hezbollah. We know that Iran will again get caught up in this dragnet, and this bill doesn't run afoul of our obligations under the nuclear deal or any other deal. After all, Iran's support for Hezbollah is outside the scope of the JCPOA. But it is not just Iran. In recent years, we have seen Moscow step up its support of Hezbollah, particularly on the battlefields of Syria, where Russia has supplied Hezbollah with weapons. It is really outrageous. Russia claims to be fighting so-called terrorists as they bomb schools, hospitals, and marketplaces. Yet Russian weapons are ending up in Hezbollah hands. Let me be clear: Hezbollah is a terrorist group. It is as simple as that. Chairman Royce and I have said this many times. The Russia- Hezbollah relationship threatens to undermine global antiterrorism efforts. This bill sends a message that any government in cahoots with Hezbollah, anyone who wants to do business with this terrorist group or support its violent aims, is going to face the consequences. This is a timely bill. Iran is building weapons factories in southern Lebanon that would be buried far underground, out of Israel's reach. The missiles that will come off that assembly line are more precise and have a longer range, putting virtually the whole of Israel in their sights. Iran's and Hezbollah's presence in Syria, particularly in the south, right on Israel's borders, is a very serious concern. I worry about the deescalation zones the United States helped to establish in southern Syria. We don't want those zones to become hotbeds of Hezbollah. Several weeks ago, I was in Israel, and we trekked up to the border between Israel and Lebanon. At the border, as far as the eye can see, when you are in Israel and you are looking down at Lebanon, you see a number of flags. Are they the Lebanese flag? No. It is the Hezbollah flag. Hezbollah has virtually taken over large parts of Lebanon, strangling the Lebanese people as well. The Lebanese people are suffering under a brutal terrorist group that is embedded in a society that disallows them to act as a free and open society. My heart really goes out to the Lebanese people, who have a terrorist group virtually sitting in their lap, refusing to move, and putting them in all kinds of danger. These areas have the potential to create a safe haven for Hezbollah and Iranian actors. They will stoke existing tensions and could create a corridor from Tehran to the Mediterranean through Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon. This would present a major shift in the regional balance of power, and it would present threats to Israel that it could not ignore. If these deescalation zones end up empowering Iran and Hezbollah, then we will have betrayed our ally, Israel, at the most critical moment. That is why we are passing this bill. I, again, thank Chairman Royce for his continued strong leadership on this issue. I strongly support this measure. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this measure. Let me thank my good friend and colleague from Florida, Representative Deutch, the Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Middle East Subcommittee, for bringing forward this measure. This measure represents another part of a good congressional strategy for combatting Hezbollah, and that's rallying support among friends and partners . . . making sure that around the world everyone sees Hezbollah for what it is: a terrorist group. This has been a bit of a stumbling block with our friends in the European Union. Make no mistake: Hezbollah has waged its campaign of violence in Europe over the years, such as 2012, when a Hezbollah terrorist killed five Israelis in Bulgaria. Yet in 2013, the EU announced it would consider only the ``military wing'' of Hezbollah to be a terrorist organization, drawing a distinction with the so-called political wing. Well, Mr. Speaker, that's a distinction without a difference. Hezbollah is a terrorist organization, and that's all there is to it. The more shades of grey clouding this issue, the harder it's going to be to work with our EU allies to stop Hezbollah's violent activities. So this measure lays out the facts about Hezbollah's presence in Europe and the other groups that have labeled Hezbollah a terrorist organization. It commends the work we're already doing with our EU allies to push back against Hezbollah. And it says that it's time for the EU to stop the hairsplitting. It calls on the EU to designate all of Hezbollah for what it is: a terrorist organization. I'm glad to support this measure. It sends such an important signal to our friends across the Atlantic.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, there are so many different issues. We are talking about tax reform, but I want to go back to an issue we have talked about for several months now, and that is the DREAMers. I rise today to call on the House leadership to bring up the Dream Act. The DREAMers who came to this country as children were brought by their parents for a chance to pursue the American Dream. These young Americans go to our colleges and universities. They are our teachers and doctors and serve in the military, and we cannot afford to upend the lives and dreams of these 800,000 DACA recipients-- people like Andres, a DREAMer who lives in my district. He came to this country as a child, and America is the only home he knows. He attends school here, earned his associate's degree, and became a building engineer. He built his personal relationships in our country and contributes every day to our society. His work, his friends and family are all in the United States. It would be a cruel mistake to force him to give all that up and send him back to a country he doesn't know. Nearly 9 out of 10 Americans support the DACA program. It is our responsibility to the American people and to the hundreds of thousands of young DREAMers in this country to pass the Dream Act now. Mr. Speaker, we should do so as soon as we can.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, it is a great pleasure for me to rise and recognize a pillar of the Hastings-On-Hudson community, James T. Drumm, who for 50 years has dedicated himself to public service and helping others as a integral part of the Hastings-On-Hudson Fire Department at the Riverview Manor Hose Company No. 3. I am honored to be able to offer this recognition to such a dedicated servant of the people. James has done a tremendous amount for Hastings, but his service actually began in the United States Marine Corps, where he was active duty from 1955 to 1957. As a former member ofthe Armed Forces, it was only fitting that, upon his discharge, James would continue on a path of serving the public good. He went on to join the Hastings Fire Department, rising through the ranks to become Chief of Department from 1987-1989 and again from 1995-1997. He also served as Deputy Chief, Ambulance Corp Member, Fire Police Officer, and, today, remains active as Village Fire Inspector. I am very fortunate and proud to represent such a distinguished public servant as James, and after a half-century of remarkable work in service to his country and local community, he too should feel tremendously proud. I want to thank James for all he has done on behalf of Hastings and our grateful nation.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, it is always an honor for me to recognize constituents who have given so selflessly to the communities I represent. When it comes to Hastings-On-Hudson, few individuals have been as selfless and dedicated to improving the public good as George Gevas, who this year will mark his 50th year of public service in the community. George has certainly had a storied career in Hastings, first joining the Hastings Fire Department in June of 1967 and completing the Essentials of Firemanship within 2 years. After 20 years of service, he reached the rank of Captain in the department, and subsequent became both a Fire Inspector and Fire Police Officer. Today, George serves as the Village Police Commissioner, solidifying his unparalleled legacy of public service to Hastings. Though that's not the only legacy he has left. Those in Hastings familiar with the annual Kid's Christmas Run hosted by the Uniontown Hose Company will know that George was in fact the very first man to ever portray Santa Claus at the event; just another example of his good-hearted nature and love for his friends and neighbors. Few individuals have ever given as much to their community as George Gevas, and Hastings has been incredibly fortunate to have him. I want to congratulate George on a remarkable half-century of public service and thank him for all he has done to strengthen his neighborhood.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Representative Castro for calling for this special order to discuss the ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya people from Burma. It's a heartbreaking humanitarian disaster and day-by-day the situation continues to deteriorate. Just today, Bangladesh Border Guards are reporting that more than 11,000 Rohingya refugees entered Bangladesh from Burma. These refugees are the result of the unprecedented level of violence in Burma's Rakhine State. Because of this bloody conflict, more than half a million Rohingya-- 60 percent of whom are children--have fled as refugees across the border into Bangladesh. This is the swiftest exodus of any population since the 1994 Rwanda genocide and Serbia's 1999 ethnic cleansing in Kosovo. The Burmese military has claimed that this brutal crackdown is the response to a clash that took place on August 25th, in which border security forces faced off against Rohingya insurgents reportedly using knives, small arms, and small explosives. But this isn't a legitimate counterinsurgency or counterterrorism operation. The Burmese military and border security forces have specifically targeted Rohingya using medieval tactics: slash and burn, rape, indiscriminate killing. Twenty-one square kilometers of villages systematically burned to the ground. As I see it, the only person in Burma who could put an end to the violence, clear the way for humanitarian aid, and allow for a full accounting of what has occurred is Min Aung Hlaing, Commander in Chief of the Burmese military. Unfortunately, the intentions of the military are clear: to remove the Rohingya people from Burma. Welcoming these refugees, thankfully, is the Government of Bangladesh, which is now hosting nearly a million Rohingya refugees. And while Bangladesh opens its doors, I consider it an embarrassment that the United States is closing ours. The Trump Administration has lowered our yearly cap on refugees from all over the world to 45,000 per year--the smallest number ever. As this crisis grew worse, Bangladesh took in that many people every four days. This policy harms American leadership in the world. It undermines our ability to speak credibly about refugees, human rights, or living up to basic international humanitarian principles. It diminishes our standing in a part of the world where China is only too happy to fill the void. The United States has allocated $38 million to assist with the crisis. That number seems grossly inadequate considering the scale of the humanitarian nightmare now facing the Government of Bangladesh and the Rohingya who have found refuge there. We need to do more, and that starts by shining a light on this tragedy. So I'm grateful to Mr. Castro, I'm grateful to all my colleagues who are putting this issue front and center. I hope that the Administration will give this crisis the focus and resources needed. This is a situation that calls for American leadership, and I'll keep making the case in Congress that we can and must do more.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, in my district there are several community focused organizations that do amazing work on behalf of my constituents. The Nepperhan Community Center in Yonkers is one of those standout organizations, and this year it celebrates its incredible 75th anniversary. Nepperhan Community Center (NCC) was founded by a group of concerned neighbors in the Nepperhan section of Yonkers (now Runyon Heights) in the late 1930s. This group wanted a meeting place that could also accommodate recreational activities and classes for the youth. In 1942, NCC became officially incorporated, and with the help of United Way, purchased a building at 117 Palisades Avenue. The activities offered at this location expanded to include cooking, basketball, sewing and occasional social dances. Scholarships were also offered to deserving students for upstate campsites. Through the years, the programs and services offered by NCC increased by more than twenty-fold. Even though the demand for services was increasing, NCC was still functioning on a part-time basis. In the late 1960s, NCC relocated to 302 Warburton Avenue, where it undertook new programming, along with Yonkers YCAP, in the field of education, tutoring, remedial reading and math. NCC also started its first parental involvement program. NCC initiated a Black Studies and Cultural Enrichment program, which for the first time, afforded many young individuals in the community the experience of going to black theater, plays, and seeing ballets. Today, NCC still carries on that tradition, in addition to presenting our own theatrical productions. During this time, NCC became aware of the many social ills that were affecting our community in the areas of employment, housing, education, high youth crime, etc. NCC addressed these issues by setting up an Ex-Offender Program and a few years later a Youthful Offender program, with built-in help that offered assistance with employment, housing, life coping skills and education. Other programs included: welfare rights, veterans services, pre-trial intervention, drug programs, social and recreational programs. NCC has grown from a part-time social agency, serving a few people yearly, to now providing direct services, referral and supportive services on a full-time basis. The addition of these capabilities has enabled NCC to assist thousands of children and their families. Today under strong leadership from Dr. Jim Bostic and his team, it continues to offer invaluable service to the Yonkers community and beyond. I want to congratulate them on 75 terrific years and say here's to 75 more.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Yonkers Guardians Association, an organization in the Yonkers community dedicated to promoting equal opportunities within the Yonkers Police Department. The Yonkers Guardians Association, incorporated in 1988 under the leadership of first president, Lieutenant Lorenzo Paul, is a fraternal organization comprised of African American Police and Detention Officers. Dedicated to promoting equal opportunities of appointment, assignment and promotion for members of the Yonkers Police Department, and to devising and executing plans to assist its members morally, financially, educationally and culturally. The association's mission is to encourage community members to be conscience of the criminal justice system and to enhance the quality of life in the African American community. Moreover, the Organization's goal is to foster an indispensable alliance with the community by creating partnerships, programs and building relationships with community based organizations that share the ideals and common principles of the Guardians Association. In addition to working to increase the number of African American Police Officers the Guardians have honored outstanding women in our community through its ``Mother's Day Award Dinner''. Using the motto ``Protecting our Future today'' the Guardians have also made a commitment to programs that help our local youth partnering with the My Brother's Keeper initiative to mentor our local youth. The Guardians had also formed alliances with the National Association of Black Law Enforcement (NABLEO), the Westchester/Rockland Guardians Association, the Nepperhan Community Center, Compact for Learning in the 21st Century, the Cluster Westchester Mediation Center, the Yonkers Department of Parks and Recreation, the Yonkers Drug Court, the Westchester Coalition Against Bigotry, the Yonkers NAACP, the Yonkers Public Schools, the Municipal Housing Authority and the Salvation Army. Under the leadership of past presidents Lieutenant Lorenzo Paul, Detective Charles Morton, Detective Donald Wilson, Detective Stuart Barksdale, Police Officer Joseph Lecoq, Detective Vincent Tilson and current President Sergeant Charles Walker the Guardians seek to bridge relationships between Law Enforcement and the Minority Community, to be a voice against injustice and work to create opportunities for the members of the community which we are a part of. They have done a tremendous job with that, and I congratulate them on all they've accomplished.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, as a former educator in the public school system, I know just how hard the administrators and faculty work to help our kids achieve academic excellence. Today I honor one of those fine educators, Dr. Edwin M. Quezada, the Superintendent of Yonkers Public Schools, who is being recognized by the Nepperhan Community Center in Yonkers for all he has done for our students in the community. As Yonkers Superintendent, Dr. Quezada moves the agenda of public education in Yonkers, New York, the fourth largest school district in the state serving almost 28,000 students and employing 3,600 staff. The Trustees of the Yonkers Board of Education appointed Dr. Quezada Superintendent of Schools on March 16, 2016 after serving as Deputy Superintendent for two years. Dr. Quezada supervises all functions of the school district's 39 schools and central administration--teaching and learning, budgetary, human resources, facilities, communications, technology and works with city, state and federal officials. Under Dr. Quezada's tutelage Yonkers boasts the highest on-time graduation rate, 82 percent, of New York State's Big 5 city school districts. In 2016, My Brother's Keeper Challenge was launched in the City of Yonkers, initiated by Dr. Quezada and flourishing through a coalition with Mayor Mike Spano and Nepperhan Community Center Executive Director Rev. Dr. Jim Bostic. An immigrant from the Dominican Republic, Dr. Quezada came to the Bronx, New York in September 1983 at age 16. Completing most of his early education in the Dominican Republic, he graduated from James Monroe High School in 1985 and immediately began his college career at Herbert H. Lehman College, my alma mater. In January of 1998, Dr. Quezada joined the Yonkers Public Schools as a Human Relations Facilitator. Recognized as a mover and shaker, he was encouraged to obtain a degree in school administration. He was appointed assistant principal at Gorton High School in 2000, Principal of Emerson Middle in 2003, and Principal of Lincoln High School in 2004. During his tenure as principal, Lincoln High School received state and local accolades for improving student achievement. After ten years as a principal, Dr. Quezada was promoted to Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Administration and Supervision, before finally rising to Superintendent. When not shaping young minds, Dr. Quezada enjoys spending time with his family--his wife, Gladys, a Yonkers teacher and their two children, Edwin Joseph and Alyssa Marie. They are his pride and joy. Dr. Quezada has been an exemplary public servant and is most deserving of this recognition. Congratulations to him on the occasion.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Today, I rise for Dr. Erica of New York. This is her story. Dr. Erica's patient was raped by an unknown assailant. The patient's emotions surrounding the pregnancy were extremely complex. She desperately wanted to have a child but felt guilt, shame, and isolation after being raped. She ultimately decided to continue the pregnancy. She believed it would help her grieve and grasp onto something positive after such a traumatic experience. But then the patient went in for a scan at 20 weeks and was devastated to learn that the fetus had multiple lethal anomalies. This patient had to face yet another agonizing decision. Ultimately, she decided to end the pregnancy. Thankfully, Dr. Erica was able to help this patient through the most difficult time in her life. I want to share her words: ``As a physician, it is my job to guide the patient through the risks, benefits, and alternatives of all options available to her. It is not my job to place judgment on patients that only serve to punish women who are already suffering, and it certainly is not the job of the legislature to interfere with the patient-physician relationship.'' On behalf of Dr. Erica and the women she helps, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.'' We must support every woman's right to make reproduction choices for herself.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, when will it end? When will the carnage end? How many more times are we going to have to turn on our televisions or our phones or get a text message to talk about some other mass shooting in America? We have got to do something to stop this now. There is no reason that someone like the killer should have automatic weapons or semiautomatic weapons. I believe people have legitimate reasons to have guns, but not legitimate reasons to have automatic weapons to mow down so many innocent people. And it will happen again and again and again, because we refuse to do anything to have sensible gun control in this country. My heart goes out to the families, but thoughts and prayers are not enough. A moment of silence in the House is not enough. We need to do something now to have sensible gun control laws; otherwise, these words ring hollow. This country is hurting, and guns are doing it, guns in the hands of wrong people. Again, guns for hunters, guns to keep people safe, I am not opposed to that, but I certainly am opposed to automatic weapons. Nobody needs automatic weapons. They are weapons of war, and they should not be in the hands of anybody who is unstable.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, the people of Puerto Rico are crying out for help, and these American citizens need America's help. Whenever there is a disaster anywhere in the country, we need to move fast. We moved fast when there was a disaster in Texas recently, which we unanimously supported. We cannot afford to wait. People are dying. Every day it gets worse. There is lack of food, lack of water, lack of safety, and lack of electricity. These are American citizens. We cannot just allow this to continue to happen. We must help the people of Puerto Rico and help the people in the U.S. Virgin Islands, who are also American citizens, as well as people in all of the islands. It is just a crisis of tremendous proportion, and we have to help-- not tomorrow, not next week, but immediately. These people need our help. We need to save Puerto Rico, save the U.S. Virgin Islands, and help and save the islands of the Caribbean, as we have done so many times around the world. Let's do it now. Let's do it quickly. People are waiting for us. We don't want to wait until people are dying.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Castro), who is the author of this legislation.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. The Asia Pacific presents the perfect case of what might happen if the United States withdraws from the world. In recent years, our focus there, especially working with ASEAN and its members, has really helped to promote growth and stability in that region of the world, to enhance human rights, and the rule of law. It is important for us to stay engaged. If we draw back, it is pretty clear that China would be happy to fill the void, and I guarantee the values we consider critical to foreign policy, democracy, justice, and equality would not be part of the agenda in Beijing. We need to stay engaged in Asia and around the world. We need to demonstrate that American leadership is a sure thing. The resolution before us today will provide much needed reassurance to our partners and friends in Southeast Asia. Even Vietnam works with us. I remember, and others here remember, when we had the Vietnam war. Now we have so many Vietnam Americans in our country, and they help to really be good citizens and really help to show why it is important for us to keep engaged in that part of the world. We will underscore the important role ASEAN stands to play, just as it has in the last 50 years. Again, it is important to reassure our partners and friends in Southeast Asia--I mentioned Vietnam, but all the other countries that belong to ASEAN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support this measure. I thank Chairman Royce, I urge all Members to support it, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in strong support of this measure, and I am glad we are taking up this bill from our colleagues in the other body, Senators Shaheen and Capito, and I want to thank our colleagues who have worked so hard on the House version of this bill, Representatives Jan Schakowsky and Representative Noem. Jan Schakowsky has brought forward a version of this bill for the last few Congresses. The House passed a version of this bill last year, and I am glad we are finally moving a version of it forward. One of the hallmarks of the Obama administration foreign policy was the National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security. It was based on a wealth of research that showed very clearly, as the chairman said, getting women involved in conflict prevention and resolution leads to more successful outcomes. Since the launch of this plan, the United States has promoted efforts to enhance the physical and economic security of women around the world. We have sought to break through the barriers that have stopped women from being full participants in peace processes. This bill would make these policies permanent. It would build on the Obama administration's achievements, making sure State Department, USAID, and Pentagon personnel fully understand just how important it is to get women involved in conflict prevention and resolution. It would also require annual reporting so Congress can stay apprised of these efforts. Now, we have been working a few years to get this legislation across the finish line, and, frankly, I don't think we can wait another moment. The administration's budget proposal would slash funding for diplomacy and development to dangerous levels, and a current redesign effort at the State Department might strip out initiatives like Women, Peace, and Security. I hope that won't happen. I got assurances today that that won't happen. I hope that is right, but we have to still fight for this. Congress has a role to play in foreign policy and, by passing this bill, it will be clear that we support efforts to expand opportunity and participation for women around the world. I am pleased to support this measure. As always, Chairman Royce has been a bulwark of helping to push this through. I thank the Members who have worked so hard on it. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky), a leader on this legislation.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Illinois.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this measure. First, I thank our chairman, who always conducts himself in such a bipartisan fashion. I thank him for including everyone and thank him for the work that he does. I also thank the bill's author, our former chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen from Florida. I am pleased to join her as the Democratic cosponsor of this legislation. She authored an earlier version of this bill, which is a testament to how long she has been working to shine a light on the daily horror of so many living in North Korea and to bring American leadership to bear, to ease their suffering. We have been focused on North Korea a great deal lately because of the Kim regime's increasingly provocative behavior and our own administration's inconsistent and irresponsible rhetoric. North Korea poses a great threat to our national security and the security of our friends and allies. We need a smart, coherent approach that combines diplomacy, pressure, and deterrence to halt North Korea's progress in developing nuclear weapons. At the same time, we cannot lose sight over what the North Korean people are enduring. This is a country where people don't have rights, and anyone who dares speak his or her mind may find themselves subjected to beatings, torture, brutal imprisonment, or even death. The United States Commission of Inquiry found that Kim Jong-un's regime is very likely committing crimes against humanity. Mr. Speaker, I visited North Korea twice. When I was there with a few of our colleagues on both sides of the aisle, our North Korean minders were very careful to make sure we only saw what we were supposed to see. But we could sense that beneath the surface, something was terribly, terribly wrong. First of all, they wouldn't let us go out of Pyongyang; that just out of sight, it was amazing that there were so many people living under the most brutal conditions imaginable and that no one dared shatter the illusion that the North Korean authorities had just created. When you go into North Korea, it feels like you are stepping back into 1953 Berlin. Everything was gray and dark and drab, and you could just see something was wrong. We know better. We have seen year after year of disturbing reports and stories from defectors who have told us exactly what life is like for most North Koreans, and we haven't forgotten them. The law that we are reauthorizing today first became law in 2004. This legislation will preserve funding for American assistance to North Korean refugees, for humanitarian assistance inside the country, as well as information efforts by our government, and to try every means possible to get the message out to regular North Korean people that we are not their enemy. I will say that I am greatly concerned that the latest iteration of the President's travel ban, which now includes North Korea, sends exactly the wrong message to defectors from that country. By closing our door to them, we reinforce the paranoia that the regime perpetrates. We have to be careful not to get caught in the middle of that. An earlier version of this law created a senior State Department position to focus on human rights in North Korea. It is a big job, Mr. Speaker, and in recent years, there has been someone to do this important work full time, but it has been reported that the administration plans to combine this position with the Under Secretary for Democracy. I think that would be a mistake. The Under Secretary position already oversees the bureaus and offices that deal with a huge range of issues from counterterrorism, to refugees, to narcotics, to human trafficking. It is a pretty full agenda, yet the administration on the one hand says North Korean human rights should be combined with that job, and on the other hand has not yet nominated anyone to fill the position. So I think there is a lot of work to be done on both sides, and that is what we are doing on the Foreign Affairs Committee. We are working together. This reauthorization reaffirms Congress' view that we should have a senior full-time diplomat dealing with North Korean human rights. I ask that this provision be included once again. I am grateful to Chairman Royce and Chairman Emeritus Ros-Lehtinen that Congress will continue to speak out on the importance of this role. It is also my view that we need to stop neglecting our diplomacy and get these positions filled. We cannot expect the State Department to deal with these challenges--whether North Korea's nuclear program or North Korea's human rights record--without leadership in place, but I am glad that Congress is continuing to do its job in helping to promote human rights for the North Koreans. I am, again, grateful to my friend from Florida and the chairman. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.