Eliot Engel

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, I would hope that anyone who has ever had the privilege to serve as a Member of Congress leaves this place with a heart full of gratitude. After 32 years as a Member of this body, I certainly feel that way. It is hard to believe that I have been elected for 16 terms, 32 years. I came here at age 41, not knowing exactly what to expect, and I have learned a great deal in these 32 years. I send gratitude, first and foremost, to the people of the 16th District of New York for sending me here 16 times. It has been an honor to have your trust and to be your voice here in the House. Gratitude to thousands of people: the Capitol Police; the Sergeant at Arms; the Congressional Research Service; the Architect of the Capitol; the Office of the Attending Physician, Dr. Brian Monahan; and so many others. It takes a small army to keep Congress running, and you seldom get the recognition you have earned. Gratitude to my staff over the years, and let me acknowledge a few who have been with me for a long while: the staff director on the Foreign Affairs Committee, Jason Steinbaum; my chief of staff, Bill Weitz; and my administrative assistant here in Washington, Ned Michalek. Madam Speaker, I will include in the Record a full roster of my staff in the office of the 16th District and on the Committee on Foreign Affairs, with my profound thanks. And, of course, Madam Speaker, I send gratitude to my fellow Representatives. When I came here, I never could have imagined that I would get to be chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. It is a committee that I followed for many years. It is a committee that I have always thought was prestigious. It is a committee that I thought was very important, and to be on that committee was a wonder for me, but to be the chair of that committee is just unbelievable. I especially want to thank the members of the New York delegation, past and present. We are a group as richly diverse as the great State we come from. I am proud of the way we have stood together and stood up for New Yorkers, particularly in times of crisis and tragedy: the pandemic we are enduring now; Superstorm Sandy; the Great Recession; and, of course, in the aftermath of the attacks of September 11, 2001. I am grateful to our leadership on both sides, and it has been a unique honor to serve alongside our distinguished Speaker, Ms. Pelosi from California. I have served alongside her for the entire length of my time in the House, and let me tell you--let me tell everybody--she is certainly one of a kind. I am privileged to call her my friend. We work very hard here, and sometimes we are so busy working, we don't get to know some of our fellow Congress Members, particularly those on the other side of the aisle. As people are coming up to me and wishing me the best as I leave Congress, it is people from both parties who are doing it. My Republican colleagues are doing it and my Democratic colleagues as well, wishing me the best. It has been just an honor to serve with them. We have to get to know each other better. I think we have lost some of that. If you have a colleague and you don't serve on their committee and you are not from their State and you are from the opposite political party, you don't really get to know them. That is a shame, because I have learned that we have so much talent on both sides of the aisle, people who are coming up to me and wishing me well, Republicans as well as Democrats, and that is really the way it should be. Again, if you don't see somebody in the gym, if you don't travel with them to some countries on the other side of the globe, if you don't have much interaction with them, you won't get to know them, and that is one thing I hope changes, and changes soon. People have been stopping me here and wishing me well upon my retirement from Congress, and many, again, are from the other party, and I want to thank them, because it means a lot to me. I have tried to be bipartisan, not giving up what I believe and not pulling back from what I feel, but being bipartisan in that you can respect each other even if you don't agree on some of the issues. We are all here trying to do the same thing. We are all here trying to bring things home to our districts. We are here because we love America, and we are here because we are here with people who also love America. My greatest honor here has been to serve during this Congress as the chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. When I was sworn in for my first term back in 1989, the then-majority leader, who soon became Speaker, Tom Foley of Washington State, asked me my top three choices for committee assignments. I had to write it down, one, two, and three. For one, I wrote foreign affairs. For two, I wrote foreign affairs. And for three, I wrote foreign affairs. I did it because I wanted to emphasize the fact that I had hoped to be on the committee, even though people asked me: Why do you want to be on foreign affairs? It is not a committee that is back home. It is not something that you can meet people on. It is foreign affairs. It is all over the world. I haven't regretted being a member of the committee and being the chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs for one day. To me, what is going on in the world, what is going on in the world now, what went on in the world before, what is going on in the world in the future is so important, and this Congress needs to be engaged and this Congress needs to be very much listening to what is going on, and help move this country to the direction that we all know the United States can do. I said foreign affairs because, you know, since I was a kid, growing up in Bronx, New York, in public housing, since that time, I have been fascinated with America's leadership role in the world. All four of my grandparents were Jewish immigrants from what is now Ukraine, who fled the pogroms of the early 20th century, looking for safe haven and opportunity. And guess what? They found it in America. They came here before World War I. If they hadn't come here, they almost certainly would have perished in the Holocaust. This country has been a refuge to people who are hurting for many, many years, and I am grateful for it. As a child of the Cold War, I remember learning about America as a beacon of freedom and democracy, standing opposed to an oppressive, totalitarian ideology. My entire life has been an education in what a force for good America can be when we are at our best, in the American values that support human rights and human dignity, and America's character of compassion and generosity. So, of course, as a public servant, I wanted to leave my mark on the way the United States conducts itself on the global stage. There are a few areas where I like to think I made a difference. I have always had a special place in my heart for the Balkans and, in particular, a country called Kosovo. There are many Kosovar Albanians in New York, and that is how I first got to know the community. A good friend of mine, Harry Bajraktari, is the one who introduced me to the community, and we have been doing work with the community and with the country of Kosovo ever since. I strongly supported the Clinton administration's intervention in the Balkans in 1999. We stopped genocide from happening again in Europe by doing that. That was NATO at its best, that was America at its best, stopping genocide. A million people were being thrown out of Kosovo, and we stopped it. That was one of my proudest moments as a Member of Congress. I remember talking with President Clinton and saying, We have got to help these people; we have got to help these people. And we did. We know in hindsight that it stopped a genocide. And since then, I have been a champion for Kosovo's sovereignty and independence. That country has made tremendous strides and is recognized by the United States, the UK, France, Germany, Japan, and so many other important nations. The people there are very, very pro-American; and when you go there as an American, you can't help but feel how much they love this country and how grateful they are that we helped them with their independence. I have been honored by that country to have had a highway and a road named after me. And they even put me on a postage stamp. I was joking with my wife. I said, You know, it is not a cheap postage stamp they put me on. It is a 2 pound postage stamp--two euro, I should say, a two euro postage stamp. What an honor for me. I served for a time as chairman and ranking member of the Western Hemisphere, Civilian Security, and Trade Subcommittee, and I have always pushed for a foreign policy that focuses on prioritizing what is going on in our own neighborhood. One of the last bills President Obama signed into law was my bill, the Western Hemisphere Drug Policy Commission Act, which required our government to take stock of what has worked and what has failed in our drug policy over the last few decades. The commission recently submitted its report to Congress with recommendations that I hope will improve U.S. drug policy and save lives. I have also been a strong advocate for closer ties to our Caribbean neighbors. I wrote the United States-Caribbean Strategic Engagement Act to push for a new strategy to engage Caribbean countries that seek out the expertise of the vibrant Caribbean diaspora living right here in the United States. And when the Trump administration cut off assistance to Central America, I was proud to lead a bipartisan effort to restore those resources that are helping to reduce crime and violence and root out corruption. Thanks to my partner and friend, Michael McCaul of Texas, who was right there on the trip with me, right by my side fighting with me, fighting with me for what is right. Michael is a Republican from Texas. I am a Democrat from New York. We have become really, really good friends, and I wish there would be more of that in Congress. When you get to know someone, again, in the other party, and you don't serve on a committee with them, but then you get to know them, you see how marvelous they are. We have such good people here from all over the country doing their best, working hard and representing their districts well, and Michael is certainly in that league. So I was proud to lead a bipartisan effort to restore those resources that are helping to reduce crime and violence and to root out corruption. I have also long focused on American policy toward Syria. In 2003, I wrote the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act, which helped end the Syrian occupation of Lebanon. It pushed the Syrians out of Lebanon. In 2012, I sponsored the first bill to arm the Free Syrian Army in its fight against the Assad regime. And just a year ago, my legislation, the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, finally became law, providing the toughest sanctions to date on Assad, who has killed so many people, and his enablers. I encourage the incoming Biden administration to take full advantage of these tools, dial up pressure on the regime, and try to stop the violence. I said at the start of my time here, when I spoke to some people back home, that Israel would not have a better friend in Congress than Eliot Engel. And no matter where you stand on U.S. policy toward Israel, it would be tough to argue that I haven't lived up to that commitment. I have been proud to stand with our ally, Israel, our closest friend in the Middle East and, I would argue, in the world, throughout my career. I believe that the United States and Israel share an incredibly important partnership, and the cornerstone of this relationship is the support it receives from both sides of the aisle. Congress should continue to give this partnership its full support in the future. No one should play partisan politics with America's relationship with Israel. The Constitution gives Congress broad oversight authority to make sure the executive branch is serving the American people. As chairman, I have worked hard to demand accountability from the administration. It hasn't always been easy, but during this Congress, the committee has succeeded in shining a light on some pretty troubling developments at the State Department. It is important that this work continue into the next Congress, even as the Trump administration ends and President-elect Biden takes office. After all, we don't conduct oversight just for the sake of conducting oversight. It shouldn't be used as a political tool. If existing laws and regulations aren't up to the task of preventing abuses and mismanagement, then we need to remedy these weaknesses. It is up to Congress to bend back the crooked branch. I am confident that my successor, my friend from New York City, just like me, Gregory Meeks, will carry the committee's work forward with distinction. I am glad that he is replacing me as chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, and I know that he will do a wonderful job. It is on that point, the Foreign Affairs Committee's work, that I take the most pride. I have said for a long time that the Foreign Affairs Committee is the most bipartisan committee in Congress. Even at a time when our politics are so polarized, the members of our committee have worked together to advance American interests, values, and leadership around the world. We don't always agree. We have had heated debates in this Chamber over war powers, weapons sales, and more. But when we debate, we debate on the merits of the policy. Then we cast our votes. Immediately after, we get back to working together toward policies that leave politics at the water's edge. We have always said that the Foreign Affairs Committee is the most bipartisan committee in Congress, and it is. We have always said that politics should stop at the water's edge when Members of Congress are leaving our country and going to other countries because when we are there, Democrats and Republicans, traveling together, we represent the United States of America, and so partisanship should stop at the water's edge. We have worked very hard to do that. Michael McCaul has worked very hard to do that, and I wish that we would have more of that in Congress, realizing that we are all representing our districts back home, our districts and constituencies are different, and we are all trying to do the best we can. And I respect my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who work hard. People coming up to me and wishing me congratulations come from both parties, and for that I am deeply, deeply grateful. So as I said, we don't always agree. We have had heated debates in this Chamber over war powers, weapons sales, and more. But when we debate, we debate on the merits of the policy. Then we cast our votes. Immediately after, we get back to working together towards policies that leaves politics at the water's edge. That has always been the culture of the Foreign Affairs Committee. As I said before, I am grateful to my partner in maintaining that tradition, our ranking member, my friend from Texas, Michael McCaul. We have become good friends. We have represented our country together overseas and we have wrapped up a lot of legislative victories. I certainly will miss working with him. You know, Members generally don't get to know each other. I said it before, if you are not on the same committee as someone, you will not know that person. If that person is not from your State, you probably won't know that person. And if you haven't traveled with that American, or done other things, you won't know that person. We have got to change that. We have got to know each other. We have got to work with each other. We have got to accept each other. We are all here because we love the United States of America. So with so much left on the Foreign Affairs Committee to do, I know Gregory Meeks will do a fine job of leading the committee. In the 117th Congress, I hope the Foreign Affairs Committee continues to take on these challenges. Congress needs to reclaim its authority in foreign policy that has been chipped away year after year, in deference to the executive branch, no matter who is in the executive branch. We need to make the State Department authorization act a regular part of Congress' work. And Congress needs to reassert its authority over war powers. I am confident that the committee can do big things, that Congress still has the capacity to do big things, to govern. We are here to govern. We come to Washington from 441 different communities, each with its unique character and concerns and priorities. That is 441 elected officials whose job it is to stand up for our constituents to make their voices heard. But we cannot lose sight of the fact that the House of Representatives--not 441 individuals, but the body we constitute--has a responsibility to govern. When I came here 32 years ago, the two parties looked very different from the way they look now: Southern Democrats and Rockefeller Republicans. The diffusion of political ideologies across the aisle made it necessary for the two sides to seek out compromise if the House was going to get its work done. As the parties have realigned over the years, it has become harder and harder for the House to advance anything that stands a chance at becoming law except noncontroversial measures or must-pass legislation like the defense authorization and spending bills. Frankly, again, as I said, it has become harder and harder just to get to know one another. I am a pretty progressive Democrat by most measures, but I always thought it was important to cultivate relationships with my Republican colleagues. We need to try to build cross-party bonds. We need to work together with all Members of the House. I may disagree with someone on 95 percent of policy questions, but if you don't know a person, Mr. Speaker, then you don't stand a chance of finding the 5 percent in common and trying to build on it. If you don't know a person, Mr. Speaker, it is so much easier to dismiss his or her motives, and that is really where things start to fall apart. No Member of this body doesn't love America. We share wildly different visions of the best way for America to meet its full potential, of the best way to improve the lives of the American people, but we all love our country. And I worry that more and more Members are mired in mistrust on the other side or saddled with purity tests, making it difficult to build relationships and seek common ground. We have to resist the urge to let the perfect be the enemy of the good. This doesn't mean abandoning our principles or losing sight of our goals. It means acknowledging the progress in our political system takes time and perseverance. It means understanding that, as convinced as I might be that my view is the correct one, a big chunk of this body and of this country is likely to disagree. It means taking wins where we can get them, even if they are modest. Because when we accomplish even a little bit of good here, we haven't done so in service of an idea or our party. We have done it for the American people. That is what it means to govern, and we are here to govern. For example, I am a proud member of the Medicare for All Caucus. Going all the way back to my time in the State house in Albany, I have supported single-payer healthcare. I hope to see Medicare for All in my lifetime. But that hasn't stopped me, over the last three decades, from voting for legislation that I thought would move the needle in the right direction. I was never under the illusion that we would get there with one swing. But we did get the Children's Health Insurance Program, and we did get the Affordable Care Act, which has made a difference in the lives of millions of Americans. It was real progress, which we are defending even today. It was also more than a decade ago, and our country still faces massive challenges when it comes to healthcare and a range of other issues. We owe it to the American people to try to govern, to try to work together, not to reflexively reject what the other side says, not root our entire agenda in trying to make political gains in the next election, not to ignore facts and science and reality because political allegiances demand it. And, yes, that means acknowledging the results of last month's election and supporting the smooth transfer of power next month when President-elect Biden takes office as President of the United States. The Constitution has given the American people this body, the House of Representatives. In turn, the House has given our country the 13th Amendment, suffrage for women, Social Security and Medicare, the Civil Rights Act, and the Voting Rights Act. They weren't easy victories, but if our predecessors in Congress hadn't tried, then they would never have been victories at all. As we enter the dark winter of this pandemic, we know there is light at the end of the tunnel. Today in the United Kingdom and soon the United States, the most vulnerable are being vaccinated against this deadly disease. That will soon happen here. But so much work remains before we can get back to normal. People are out of work, out of money, and out of food. The American people will look to this body to govern. I know in my heart that we can put the American people first and answer the call at this pivotal moment in our country's history. The future success of the American people depends on the success of the House in meeting this challenge. So, I will be rooting for all of you. It has been a pleasure being your colleague. It has been a pleasure working with you. It has been a pleasure watching how hard you work and what we do for the American people. Thank you for letting me be your colleague. Thank you for being so kind to me and my family. When my son, who is now 34, my middle child, came to the House when I was first elected, he was 2 years old. My daughter was 7, and my other son wasn't born yet. He used to point to the Capitol, and he used to say: ``Capitol. Daddy works there.'' We would all kind of laugh and think he was really, really cute. Well, today, he is 34 years old, and my three children have grown up with Congress, with the House, and they know how much it means to me to be a Member of this House and how much it means to them to learn all the things that we have been doing for the past several years. I will never forget this place. I hope to come back and visit several times. I will never forget my colleagues and my friends. I will never forget that I am fortunate and we are fortunate to be Americans, to love this country, to help move the country to policies that we think are best for the country and for the world. So, I won't be a Member here, but I certainly will continue to have many friends here and will watch and see what this Congress does. We have some tremendously talented people. Again, I want to thank the Speaker, Nancy Pelosi; the majority leader, Steny Hoyer; and others as well who really have helped me and have been part and parcel of what I have done. Jim Clyburn, thank you as well. My colleagues, life is bittersweet, and there are happy and sad things that sometimes come together. I am happy because I have had the privilege of serving here. I am happy because I like to think that I have done good for people in this country. But I am sad to be leaving this body. To my colleagues, I will be watching you; I will be proud; I will see what goes on; and I will stand by the TV or any other place and say: These are my colleagues, and they are very, very good. They care. It has been an honor and a privilege to be a Member of Congress in the United States of America. I am so grateful to have had that privilege. Thank you to all my colleagues. Best wishes, and God bless America. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, it is an honor to recognize one of the finest community leaders in New York's Sixteenth Congressional District, Vivian Spady. Vivian Spady has lived in New Rochelle her entire life; her family's roots in the area run deep. As a mother, grandmother, and community activist, Vivian has been providing opportunities to meet the needs of those around her for decades. In 2012, her long-standing vision took shape when she launched her non-profit organization--Big Viv's Foundation. It started with a successful Christmas toy drive. Ever since, she has worked hard to provide necessities and a sense of community to those who are most in need. In addition to Christmas toy drives, her annual events include Thanksgiving turkey drives, Easter egg hunts, winter clothing drives for the homeless and a Mother's Day brunch for seniors. Vivian's events have been show-cased in local media, most recently in Lohud, the Westchester/Rockland news. Bringing children opportunities to learn and grow is one of Vivian's biggest joys. With her resourcefulness and drive, dozens of youth have attended shows and events including the Monster Jam Auto Show, Liberty and Knicks basketball games, and trips to the New York State capital. Focusing on young women, Vivian has developed a girl's night out program to foster a sense of security and fun while focusing on health and hygiene. Vivian has embodied the principle of teaching youth by sending children to Iona Prep summer camp and the habitat for humanity builder's camp. The horrific coronavirus pandemic has not stopped Vivian, she held numerous outdoor events during the summer and fall for New Rochelle children, distributed over 100 turkeys for Thanksgiving and is continuing with her annual toy drive. No matter what happens, Vivian is unstoppable, she has persevered through recovery from pancreatic cancer to this year, hospitalization for coronavirus. Madam Speaker, Vivian Spady embodies the best of what we, as Americans, can be. I am proud to know her and to have served her in Congress. Her work continues and the results of her unwavering commitment will benefit generations of New Rochelle residents.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, it is incumbent upon us to acknowledge patriots who have fought to secure and strengthen the cherished liberties that every American citizen holds dear. Maurice R. `Hank' Greenberg is one of those patriots who has devoted his life to embracing and advancing the American spirit. Hank's father died when Hank was six years old. The family moved to upstate New York to a dairy farm where a very long and back breaking day's work was a common reality. Like so many others, he and his family were barely scraping by. Soon, America was at war. At 17, Hank left high school, enlisted in the Army and was attached to the 5th Ranger Battalion which stormed the beaches of Normandy. Later, Hank was a member of the forces that liberated the concentration camp at Dachau. Hank remained in the U.S. Army Reserves as a first Lieutenant. When the Korean War broke out, Hank returned to service, rising to the rank of Captain. For his extraordinary military service and sacrifice in the European Theater and Korea, Hank was awarded the Bronze Star and the Award for Meritorious Unit Commendation. He was also bestowed with the prestigious Commandeur of the French Ordre National de la Legion d'Honneur. Between his years of military service, Hank finished high school, college and then law school. He credits the G.I. Bill with the opportunities he has had in his life. ``It helped me build AIG (American International Group)'' he said, which, under his leadership, became the largest insurance company in the world. Hank is currently chairman and Chief Executive Officer of C.V. Starr, a diversified financial services firm. Hank's service in our Armed Forces warrants our gratitude. His years as an American and international corporate leader, a visionary of globalization, an innovator, and philanthropist who has changed lives for the better in the United States and around the world are equally stellar and illustrious. And, at the age of 95, Hank is as involved as ever. Hank is the Honorary Vice Chairman of the Council on Foreign Relations and Vice Chairman of The National Committee on United States- China Relations. He is the past Chairman and Director of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Personally, and as Chairman of the Starr Foundation, one of the largest private foundations in the United States, Hank oversees disbursement of major financial support to institutions worldwide. I have personally seen the transformational change he has made in the lives of thousands of older adults at the Hebrew Home at Riverdale, a nationally renowned center for the aging, which I have had the great honor to represent for my 32-year term. In acknowledgment of Hank's longstanding support, the Hebrew Home has named its campus the Maurice R. and Corinne P. Greenberg Campus. Let us acknowledge the extraordinary accomplishments of a great American and veteran, a champion of freedom, a patriot, a man who has been able to unite countries and human beings for the betterment of our greater good.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address section 1242 of William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021, Clarification and Expansion of Sanctions relating to Construction of Nord Stream 2 or TurkStream Projects. On July 20th of this year during House consideration of this bill, I rose in opposition to the amendment that added this provision to the NDAA, which targeted the Nord Stream 2 project with additional sanctions. I was concerned that these sanctions would target the wrong entities. Rather than deterring Russia and Putin, I was worried that it would be used to target European or American companies. Fortunately, through the conference process, in which I was a conferee as Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, we were able to improve on the language that passed the initial House and Senate bills. The conferees decided to include an exception for certain governments and governmental entities. This change was an important and appropriate fix to ensure our allies and partners would not be targeted by sanctions under this provision. As a conferee on this provision, I want to make clear that the term ``government'' means any level of government in those countries, including local and municipal governmental entities or authorities, and the term ``business enterprise'' does not include any entity that performs any public functions or otherwise has any public responsibilities. I also want to commend my fellow conferees for agreeing to expand and include new language requiring, before the imposition of any sanctions pursuant to this provision, consultations by the Secretary of State with the governments of Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and member countries of the European Union. It is imperative that these consultations are true exchanges of views with the governments described, including EU member countries and institutions, conducted well before any sanctions would be imposed. The consultations must be deliberative and meaningful, and should take place at the Foreign Minister level or higher. Simple notification of a determination to proceed with the imposition of sanctions is not a consultation and would not fulfil the requirements of section 1242. Mr. Speaker, I would like to express my appreciation to my House and Senate colleagues for working with me to make sure this extremely difficult issue is handled with precision. In this revised provision, I think we got much closer to that goal.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time for the purpose of closing. I want to first comment on some of the things that my good friend Mr. McCaul said. I am touched by his statement. I am touched by the work we have done together. It has been a pleasure. And I think that the way we work on the Foreign Affairs Committee is the way I think all committees should work and Congress should work. I think people are tired of fighting and people want to see us work together. It has been a pleasure for me to be chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, and it has been a pleasure for me to work with such good people like Mr. McCaul of Texas. Saturday night we, as you alluded to, we got together for dinner, actually in your house, with Mr. Royce, as well, and we had a very good time. Most of the time we talked about work, but many of the other times we just talked about our relationships and the general direction that we would like to see the United States take in the international field. It is very difficult to leave a place that you love. I have been fortunate to have spent 32 years in this robust body. These have been the 32 best years of my life, and something that I will always remember. I will remember it because we have done good work for people. We have done good work for Americans. We have done good work for people around the world. But I will remember it even more because of the good friends that I met, friends like Mr. McCaul who work hard, who reach out to the other side of the aisle. And you know what, when you get together with people on the other side of the aisle, you realize that you have so much in common with them that perhaps you didn't even realize because the truth of the matter is, here in Congress, if somebody is not on your committee and they are from the other party, you hardly ever get to see them. You hardly ever get to know them. You hardly ever get to be able to work with them. I have tried to change that. So has Mr. McCaul. And we have succeeded. We really have succeeded. I hope that the rest of the Congress in the years to come will see what we have done and will try to emulate us and try to do things that really push the government and the people of this great country to work together on issues because we all want the same thing for this wonderful country. We are all pleased to serve this wonderful country. And we want to make sure that others will get all of the benefits that we have, as well, being able to just be free, support freedom, and work together. In closing, I want to, again, say to Mr. McCaul that it is a pleasure working with you. It has been a pleasure. But we are going to continue to do other things together. And I hope that all our colleagues on both sides of the aisle will see what we have done on the Foreign Affairs Committee and try to do the same thing. People want us to work together. We may disagree on issues. That is what this body is for. But I don't disagree with anybody's right to say what they want, and I don't disagree with people wanting to let everyone know how strongly they feel about the issues. To Mr. McCaul, my good friend, I hope you will invite me back for dinner. It has been a pleasure being your friend. It has been a pleasure working with you. Again, the Foreign Affairs Committee has just been a wonderful place. It was the first committee which I joined when I came to this body 32 years ago. So I tell my friends that I am not going away. I will be around. And, hopefully, we can continue all the good things that we have done like this bill, the national security law. It is a devastating blow to the cause of human rights, democracy, and prosperity in Hong Kong. It is the national security law that Beijing has forced Hong Kong to swallow. It is a blow to the cause of human rights. We will not countenance it. H.R. 8428 opens America's doors to Hong Kongers searching for freedom from Beijing's aggression. I once again thank Mr. Malinowski for authoring this legislation, which not only protects U.S. interests but supports the people of Hong Kong whose independence has slowly been stripped away from them. Again, let me thank all my colleagues on both sides of the aisle. It has been a pleasure working with you. Let me especially thank my friend, Mr. McCaul. In working together, we are going to make sure that the American people get the kind of government they deserve, get the kind of things that they deserve. This is a wonderful country, and we are fortunate to be representing our home districts in this country. So let me say, God bless America. God bless all the people in our country who work every day, who want help. We are undergoing difficulty right now with the virus in this country, but as Americans we will persevere, and we will continue to have our role as the leaders of the free world. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

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

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Malinowski).

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Congressman Malinowski for his tireless work on the Foreign Affairs Committee and particularly his advocacy on behalf of those maligned and abused by the Chinese Government. Mr. Speaker, China's attacks on Hong Kong's autonomy came to a head this year when they rammed through the National Security Law, effectively undermining the one country, two systems framework the Hong Kongers were promised. Since then, Beijing has used the law to arrest a number of pro- democracy activists. Just last week, Joshua Wong, Agnes Chow, and Ivan Lam were sentenced to prison in an attempt by the People's Republic of China to silence dissent. When the National Security Law was passed, the Trump administration abruptly eliminated a number of policies that gave Hong Kongers preferential treatment under U.S. law, including terminating immigration-related benefits to Hong Kong passport holders just when they needed it most. While the United States has shut our doors to the people of Hong Kong, the United Kingdom was welcoming those fleeing Xi Jinping's tyranny, with Canada now following suit. H.R. 8428 would allow the United States to do the same, telling the people of Hong Kong that the U.S. is open to them, that we want Hong Kongers to come to America and contribute their talents to our society. China is currently detaining 12 young Hong Kong activists who bravely tried to hold their government accountable for the commitments under international law. These are the kinds of people we should be helping. We really need to admire them. They are really on the front line, and we should not let China, the Beijing regime, get away with this. This legislation corrects the unforced error of the administration which closed our doors to people whom we should be defending. Congress has constantly demonstrated strong bipartisan support for Hong Kong, and I urge my colleagues to do the same today. It is really terrible to allow Beijing to get away with this. People of Hong Kong, as I said before, were promised that, when the United Kingdom gave up Hong Kong, the agreement with the Beijing Government was that Hong Kong would have lots of autonomy and lots of freedom. And as they are doing in many places around the world, the People's Republic of China, the Beijing Government, is just taking all their promises and throwing them away. We cannot allow that to happen. The United States must play a very major role, a very vocal role, and that is what the Congress is doing here today. It has bipartisan support by Democrats and Republicans. It should be supported by all Americans. I think perhaps it is, and we will send a clear message, not only to China, but all around the world. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on the Judiciary, Washington, DC, December 1, 2020. Hon. Eliot Engel, Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Engel: This is to advise you that the Committee on the Judiciary has now had an opportunity to review the provisions in H.R. 8428, ``Hong Kong People's Freedom and Choice Act of 2020'' that fall within our Rule X jurisdiction. I appreciate your consulting with us on those provisions. The Judiciary Committee has no objection to your including them in the bill for consideration on the House floor, and to expedite that consideration is willing to forgo action on H.R. 8428, with the understanding that we do not thereby waive any future jurisdictional claim over those provisions or their subject matters. In the event a House-Senate conference on this or similar legislation is convened, the Judiciary Committee reserves the right to request an appropriate number of conferees to address any concerns with these or similar provisions that may arise in conference. Please place this letter into the Congressional Record during consideration of the measure on the House floor. Thank you for the cooperative spirit in which you have worked regarding this matter and others between our committees. Sincerely, Jerrold Nadler, Chairman.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 8428.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, as you can see, there is bipartisan support for this. As Americans, we have an absolute stake in what goes on in China and Hong Kong. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Malinowski), the author of this important bill, a valued member of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 8428) to provide for temporary protected status for residents of Hong Kong, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, malnutrition around the world devastates the lives of millions of people and prevents communities from prospering. This problem has been compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, putting years of work on nutrition at risk. It is critical that the United States work to make even greater progress on this major humanitarian and developmental challenge. This resolution reaffirms the importance of American leadership in that mission. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support it, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, malnutrition is a devastating crisis across the world with far-reaching effects. People cannot lead full, healthy, productive lives without access to food and proper nutrition, especially in the early stages of life. The impacts of malnutrition extend from health challenges like child stunting and infant mortality to reduced economic productivity that can keep communities and countries from achieving greater prosperity. That is why we cannot afford to have our international development programs look at malnutrition as an isolated problem. To tackle this crisis, particularly as we continue to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic, we also have to address related economic, educational, health, and social issues. This good resolution, authored by Representative Marshall, outlines the importance of continued American leadership in the fight against global malnutrition and underscores the significance of USAID's work on this issue. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support it, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 189 is a very important resolution. I support it and encourage my colleagues to do so as well. I think that both sides of the aisle understand how important this is, and it is good to see us working together. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), the author of this important resolution and the co-chairman of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission.

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. 189.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 189) recognizing the importance of sustained United States leadership to accelerating global progress against maternal and child malnutrition and supporting United States Agency for International Development's commitment to global nutrition through its multi-sectoral nutrition strategy, as amended.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume for the purpose of closing. Mr. Speaker, again, I thank Mr. Conaway for his work on this bipartisan measure that calls on the Russian Government to drop the trumped-up charges against Trevor Reed and immediately release him from prison. Trevor and all those unjustly detained in Russia deserve to be released and safely reunited with their families for this holiday season. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support this measure and I urge all Members to do the same. Mr. Speaker, let me comment on my friend's remarks. It has been a pleasure for me to work with Mr. McCaul as the ranking member of the committee and when he was the chairman. We have done incredible work on our committee, both Democrats and Republicans, working together in a bipartisan way. I am very proud of the work we have all done and very proud of the work I have done personally with Mr. McCaul. I know we are going to continue to fight the good fight, because we stand for something. We are so blessed to live in this country, and we want to make sure that other people get the same kinds of freedoms that we have. Again, Mr. Speaker, I support this measure, and I urge all Members to do the same. I yield back the balance of my time.

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

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

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

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 1115, calling for the immediate release of Trevor Reed. I would like to thank my colleague, Mr. Conaway, for introducing this bipartisan resolution. In 2019, U.S. citizen and former Marine Trevor Reed traveled to Russia. While on his trip, Moscow's Police Service detained and held Reed for over a year. On July 30, 2020, Reed was convicted of trumped- up assault charges and sentenced to 9 years in a Russian prison camp. During his sham of a trial, Mr. Speaker, traffic camera footage disproved the charges, and even the Russian judge laughed at the prosecution's absurd attempts to provide evidence. Despite this, Trevor Reed's defense team was denied access to additional video footage from the police vehicle and station that could have provided further proof of his innocence. While it is no surprise that Putin and his cronies didn't conduct a fair trial, it is appalling that Trevor is being held without medical treatment during a global pandemic and being denied consular access and communication with his family. H. Res. 1115 not only calls for the immediate release of Trevor, but expresses support for all unjustly detained prisoners in Russia and urges U.S. officials to raise Trevor's case during all interactions with the Russian Government. The resolution also demands that Russia provide the regular consular access and proper medical care afforded to Trevor through the Vienna Convention. Again, I thank Mr. Conaway for his commitment to bringing Trevor, a fellow Texan, home. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time for the purpose of closing. Today's resolution calls for the immediate release of American citizens Austin Tice and Majd Kamalmaz, who have been unjustly held in Syria. It is time the Assad regime heeds our calls and works with the U.S. Government to secure their return home. I have been a critic of the Assad regime in all the years I have been in Congress, which is 32 years. The Assad regime has been brutal with its own people, has murdered so many of its own people, and I know that Mr. McCaul will remember not so long ago, on the Foreign Affairs Committee, someone smuggled in a bunch of photographs that were taken in Syrian prisons. They were horrific and reminded one of the 1930s and 1940s with the genocide in Europe. It is time the Assad regime heeds our calls and works with the U.S. Government to secure the prisoners' release home. The immediate release of American citizens Austin Tice and Majd Kamalmaz is very important to us. As you have heard, they have been unjustly held in Syria, and we are not going to let it go. We are not going to stop until they are released. It is the right thing to do, and it is the only thing that we can do. I again thank Congressman Green for introducing this bipartisan resolution. I thank Mr. McCaul for working with us on this. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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