Michael McCaul

Mr. McCAUL

Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, like millions of Americans last night, I watched the Presidential debate, and much of what I heard from President Biden was disappointing. One statement in particular made me angry, and I know it angered our veterans, it angered the American people, and especially it angered the Gold Star families. President Biden said last night: ``Truth is, I am the only President this century that doesn't have any--this decade--that didn't have any troops dying anywhere in the world like he did.'' That is a lie, Mr. President. I remind President Biden of the 13 servicemembers that died on his watch during a terrorist attack at Abbey Gate on August 26, 2021, during his deadly and chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan. Their names are: Marine Lance Corporal David Lee Espinoza; Marine Sergeant Nicole Gee; Marine Staff Sergeant D. Taylor Hoover; Army Staff Sergeant Ryan Knauss; Marine Corporal Hunter Lopez; Marine Lance Corporal Rylee McCollum; Marine Lance Corporal Dylan R. Merola; Marine Lance Corporal Kareem Nikoui; Marine Sergeant Johanny Rosario Pichardo; Marine Corporal Humberto Sanchez; Marine Lance Corporal Jared Schmitz; Navy Hospital Corpsman Maxton ``Max'' Soviak; and Marine Corps Corporal Daegan William-Tyler Page. There they are, the fallen who were killed, blown up by a suicide bomber who, by the way, escaped from Bagram Air Base as thousands of other ISIS-K terrorists did that day. God knows where they are now, threatening the security of the United States. It was a deadliest day for the United States in Afghanistan in over a decade, Mr. President, and it will remain a stain on America and American foreign policy for generations. It happened under Joe Biden's watch. Shame on him. Shame on him for his heartless comments that disregard the ultimate sacrifice of so many Americans under his tenure as Commander in Chief. To the fallen heroes, I say: Well done, good and faithful servants, and may God hold you in the palm of his hand. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. McCAUL

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

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, this body has always stood for the principles of free speech, independence, and individual liberties. I thank my dear and good friend, Mr. McGovern, for his efforts on this important legislation, as well as Ranking Member Meeks and Representative Bill Keating who worked with me to advance this bipartisan bill. We are always strongest when we speak with one voice as one nation in support of freedom and democracy. Tibet has a rich, peaceful heritage that the CCP attempted to erase when they invaded it in 1950, but they have failed. Their attempts to quash this vibrant history have failed because of the resilience of the Tibetan people. The U.S. strongly condemns all CCP oppression and coercion of Tibetans as well as any CCP involvement in the succession of the Dalai Lama. Despite the CCP's attempts to erase the history and culture of Tibet over the last 70-plus years, it still remains vibrant, strong, and inspirational. Tibetans, like all people, have the right to religious freedom which includes freedom from CCP's surveillance, censorship, and detention. If the CCP truly does respect sovereignty, as it claims to, then they will engage in peaceful dialogue with the Tibetans to resolve this conflict, not force Tibet to accept a CCP proposal. Passing this bill demonstrates America's resolve that the CCP's status quo in Tibet is not acceptable. I can think of no greater message or gift to the Dalai Lama and the people of Tibet than the swift passage of this bill to get to the President's desk as soon possible to help put the people of Tibet in charge of their own future. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the world is no stranger to the CCP's aggression. As they increase hostilities against Taiwan and other allies in the region, it is abundantly clear that the CCP seeks to dominate the Indo- Pacific and beyond. Just look at their military activities around Taiwan, Mr. Speaker, their harassment of the Philippine ships in the South China Sea, and their support for Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine. The CCP has a long history of subjugation that extends beyond Asia. The CCP has a long and violent record of oppression against the people of Tibet. In October of 1950, Chinese Communist troops annexed Tibet, slaughtering tens of thousands of innocent Tibetans and monks. The CCP's ongoing oppression of the people of Tibet ultimately forced the Dalai Lama to flee to India. This persecution has continued to this day. In November, the CCP released a white paper on its policies in Tibet. In this document, the party doubled down on its oppression and crackdown on the religious and economic freedom of Tibetans. Some of the actions taken by the CCP include setting up boarding schools to ``reeducate'' Tibetan children, clamping down on the use of Tibetan language, restricting movement of Tibetans, and even attempting to insert themselves into the succession of the Dalai Lama himself. This white paper demonstrates the need for this bill, and I am proud to have co-introduced this with Representative McGovern. The Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act helps Tibetans in several ways. It pushes back against CCP propaganda about the history of Tibet. The United States has never accepted that Tibet was part of China since ancient times as the CCP falsely claims. This legislation clarifies U.S. policy and highlights the unique language, religion, and culture of the Tibetan people. It directs U.S. diplomacy to push back against CCP propaganda. In addition, it ensures Tibetans have a say in their own future. This bill stresses a need for a dialogue between the CCP and other democratically elected leaders of Tibet. Any resolution must include the wishes and voice of the Tibetan people. Tibetans are a democracy-loving people who wish to practice their religion freely and have their own wishes and desires acknowledged. I am proud to have played a small part in supporting this dream for the Tibetan people. I thank Senators Merkley and Young who passed this bill unanimously through the Senate. Mr. Speaker, I encourage all my colleagues to push back against the CCP's oppression of the Tibetan people and vote in favor of the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 138) to amend the Tibetan Policy Act of 2002 to modify certain provisions of that Act.

Mr. McCAUL

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. I thank my good friend, Mr. Keating, for authoring this important resolution that was unanimously adopted by the Foreign Affairs Committee by a vote of 47-0. We all know that Vladimir Putin is a dictator. He uses fear to hold on to power. Anyone that criticizes or questions him is imprisoned, silenced, or killed. Putin knows if free speech and dissent spreads, if the truth comes to light, that his despotic regime will lose its grip on power and on the Russian people. We all know he killed Alexei Navalny. Putin saw him as a threat to his regime. Like Navalny, Vladimir Kara-Murza represents resistance to the Kremlin's unchecked oppression, and that is why Putin has imprisoned him, because he is a champion for freedom. The vengeance of the Kremlin knows no bounds. Putin must stop using Cold War tactics to target innocent people as diplomatic pawns. I call upon the immediate release of all Americans detained abroad. It is time to get Mr. Kara-Murza out of a Russian gulag and back home to his family. I urge my colleagues to stand united and join me in condemning Russia's illegal detention. This will send a strong message to Mr. Kara-Murza and to all wrongfully detained Americans in Russia that Congress will not rest until they are returned home to their families. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close after the gentleman from Massachusetts closes, and I reserve the balance of my time

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, Vladimir Kara-Murza has been locked away in Putin's gulags for over 2 years. His only crime was standing up for human rights and democracy in Russia, for speaking out against Putin's genocidal war of aggression against Ukraine. He is a lawful American permanent resident, and his wife and children are American citizens. We should all be deeply concerned by his unjust imprisonment. Mr. Kara-Murza is well known for his work exposing the Kremlin's corruption and fighting for a free and democratic Russia. Despite two assassination attempts which nearly killed him and left him with permanent side effects that linger to this day, Mr. Kara-Murza has continued his brave work undeterred. He understands the importance of exposing Putin and his cronies for who they really are to the world. After Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Mr. Kara-Murza immediately began shining a light on Russia's atrocities. Like many of us in this Chamber, he knew he could not be silent as Russian forces raped and murdered their way through Ukraine. In response, the Kremlin alleged that he was spreading false information about the Russian military. In April 2022, Mr. Kara-Murza briefly and bravely returned to Russia to advocate against the war to his fellow Russians and was promptly arrested. That is what happens when you contradict the regime's narrative in a totalitarian state. Mr. Kara-Murza knew the risk, but he returned anyway. Since his arrest, he has languished in harsh prison conditions without adequate access to medical care. Last year, the Kremlin sentenced him to 25 years in prison. Due to his lingering side effects from two assassination attempts, as well as the awful conditions in Putin's gulags, this is effectively a death sentence. Unfortunately, Mr. Kara-Murza is just one of many political prisoners in Russia. American journalists like Evan Gershkovich and Alsu Kurmasheva and wrongfully imprisoned Marine Corps veteran Paul Whelan have all been detained by Putin's regime on bogus charges. They deserve our attention, and I call for their immediate release in addition to Mr. Kara-Murza's. America must hold Russia to account for their continued aggression and war crimes against humanity. We need to do everything in our power to secure Mr. Kara-Murza's release as well as the release of every unjustly detained American overseas. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on this measure.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 27) condemning Russia's unjust and arbitrary detention of Russian opposition leader Vladimir Kara-Murza who has stood up in defense of democracy, the rule of law, and free and fair elections in Russia, as amended.

Mr. McCAUL

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. One American hostage is too many. We remember each one of them, and we will not rest until they are safely home. It is clear that the Taliban is holding Ryan for its own political gain and using him as leverage to extract concessions from this administration. Anna, who we all know very well, has appeared before the Foreign Affairs Committee several times to discuss Ryan's unjust imprisonment. She has bravely shared the horror story of her husband and his family and what they are living through day in and day out. A single day of unlawful detention is too long, and Ryan's nearly 2- year captivity must be resolved. Otherwise, we must question what the value is of an American passport and citizenship if our government fails us in our greatest moment of need. We should be projecting power, levying sanctions, and holding governments accountable for their human rights abuses. This administration, at times, has projected weakness on the world stage, and when you do so, it is hard to negotiate from a position of strength. Ryan's case is very dire. It is time to bring him home to his family and country. This resolution, as Mr. Keating stated, will send a very strong message to the Taliban that America, Republicans and Democrats alike, will not tolerate the illegitimate detention of American citizens. Our message is clear: Congress will not rest until Ryan is brought home. We stand with Ryan, Anna, and their children. We have not, and we will not, forget them. It is hard to look Anna and her children in the eyes knowing that her husband is in solitary confinement in Afghanistan under Taliban rule. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to stand with Ryan Corbett and support this measure, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Meuser), a member of the Committee on Financial Services and an original cosponsor of this measure.

Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Tenney), a member of the Committee on Ways and Means and the author of this measure. The Corbett family resides in her district.

Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, on August 10, 2022, Ryan Corbett was detained by the Taliban in Afghanistan. Ryan Corbett is a loving husband to Anna, and father of three wonderful children: Ketsia, Miriam, and Caleb. I spent quite a bit of time with the family. In 2 weeks, his oldest daughter graduates from high school, but instead of being home with his family right now celebrating his daughter, he is suffering in a Taliban prison. Ryan Corbett and his family lived in Afghanistan for over a decade. He supported humanitarian efforts and provided opportunities for the Afghan people. He is a good man who has dedicated his life to helping others. He is not a criminal. Despite pressure to act from the committee I chair, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, it took over a year for this administration to declare Ryan as wrongfully detained. After constant engagement with this administration, the Corbett family has yet to receive any information regarding a plan to secure his release. Many of these requests for meetings with high-level administration officials have been repeatedly ignored. This is unacceptable. This administration must put a priority on bringing Ryan and other wrongfully detained Americans home now. Ryan's situation is dire. Ryan's wife, Anna, reports his mental and physical health have significantly deteriorated in recent months. The Taliban has refused to allow Ryan the voice to advocate for himself. He has only spoken to his wife a handful of times since he has been detained. Ryan is being held in inhumane conditions in a tiny cell with unreliable access to food and no ability to go outside. He is fed only scraps to eat, and he has faced solitary confinement for weeks on end. Ryan is facing serious medical conditions, experiencing seizures and often fainting. I want to assure Ryan's wife, Anna, along with his family, friends, and coworkers that we will continue our fight every day until we bring him home. As the father of five children myself, I cannot begin to imagine the pain and suffering Ryan's family is feeling right now. This Congress and all Americans stand with Ryan, and that is why I am proud to support this bipartisan resolution today that condemns the Taliban regime for its illegal imprisonment of Ryan and demands his immediate release. It calls upon the Biden administration to prioritize bringing all American citizens home who are wrongfully detained overseas. The President must project strength on the world stage and secure the immediate release of Ryan. Anything less is a failure of American leadership. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.

Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 965) calling for the immediate release of Ryan Corbett, a United States citizen, who was wrongfully detained by the Taliban on August 10, 2022, and condemning the wrongful detention of Americans by the Taliban.

Mr. McCAUL

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close. Let me say first, I am extremely troubled by how the ICC has acted, and I think everybody in this body should be, both Republican and Democrat. Americans should be concerned. More than 20 years ago, our predecessors had the foresight to know full well that the ICC would one day try to target democratic countries that had their own robust judicial systems over which the ICC has no legitimate jurisdiction. In 2020, the ICC decided to authorize a formal investigation into alleged war crimes in Afghanistan. A large bipartisan group of House Members wrote to the Secretary of State at that time in response with a strong concern stating: ``Both Democratic and Republican administrations have refused to join the court in part because they feared its politicization and misuse.'' That is exactly what has happened here today. They have no basis for these actions, and by seeking warrants for Israel's Prime Minister and Defense Minister, they have cheapened this court's reputation and exposed it for what it really is--an illegitimate court that puts politics over justice. Today it is Israel, Mr. Speaker, but tomorrow it could be the United States. We must sanction those who deliberately abuse their power for political gain. Their actions seek to undermine Israel and its people, who are in a fight for their very existence. We must act not only to protect Israel, but ourselves, from these unelected international bureaucrats. If they willingly seek to imprison our allies or the United States, we must send a clear message--you are neither welcome nor wanted on American soil. America always stands behind our allies and their legitimate governments. If I could just say to my dear friend, Mr. Meeks, and to our colleagues in the House, we did work very hard to get to a bipartisan agreement, a bipartisan bill that the Speaker approved and Mr. Jeffries approved, but when it went to the White House, it was rejected. I always think--and I think Mr. Meeks agrees--that we are always strongest, particularly this committee, when we speak with one voice as one nation, in this case to the ICC and to the judges. A partisan messaging bill was not my intention here, nor do I believe it was Mr. Meeks' intention, but that is where we are right now. I remain forever hopeful and optimistic, however, that during the process and during the course of this legislation that we can still get back to that bipartisan bill that we talked about, whether it is reached when this goes over to the Senate or perhaps Mr. Meeks and I can mark up that bipartisan bill on our committee, on the Foreign Affairs Committee, and then get it to the House floor where we can then proceed with regular order in a bipartisan fashion that I believe would be best for this Nation, best for Israel, and best to send deterrents to the International Criminal Court. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

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

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Let me just say to my dear friend, Mr. Meeks, that he knows we worked on a version of this bill and came to a bipartisan resolution that, ultimately, was rejected by the White House, and I think that is unfortunate. I also would like to state that the alarms that this bill harms U.S. alliances, I think, are overstated. The bill's sanctions are triggered by Presidential determination that a particular foreign person has supported illicit ICC efforts against protected persons, so that is against American citizens or the citizens of U.S. allies who have not submitted to ICC's jurisdiction. Furthermore, and this is the most important point, this bill, and we did this at the behest of the Democrats, gives the President the ability to waive these sanctions. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Roy), the author of this bill. I thank him for working so closely not only with me but with the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, we are at a moment in history where our long-held fears are being realized. The International Criminal Court has overstepped its authority and set a dangerous precedent by seeking arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Israel's Defense Minister Gallant, alongside Hamas terrorists. I will be clear: The case against Israel is baseless. Mr. Meeks and I wanted in good faith to make this a bipartisan bill, and I thank him for that. Initially, the White House supported this idea; however, on May 28, they did a 180-degree turn. In response, even Democrat Senator Cardin has criticized the administration saying: ``I am disappointed. I thought they were going to try and work on a bipartisan bill. . . . '' I agree with Mr. Cardin, and I agree with Mr. Meeks as we tried to make this bipartisan. The United States and Israel are not members of the ICC. The ICC itself was created as a court of last resort if national governments are unwilling or unable to try cases in their jurisdiction. The United States and Israel do not fall into this category. Despite this, the ICC prosecutor's statement on the warrant applications contains several allegations that are directly contradicted by the Biden administration's recent report pursuant to the National Security Memorandum-20. I have many problems with National Security Memorandum-20, but this report clearly stated: ``We do not currently assess that the Israeli Government is prohibiting or otherwise restricting the transport or delivery of U.S. humanitarian assistance.'' It also described in significant detail Israel's own systems for ensuring compliance with international humanitarian law and for investigating possible violations of international and humanitarian law. Moreover, comparing the legitimate, democratically-elected officials in Israel who were thrust into a war that they didn't ask for and that they didn't start to Hamas terrorists only highlights the complete disconnect of this politicized international body. This is a war Hamas started. Israel was forced into a war they didn't want, and now they have no choice but to finish it. Further, Hamas is making it infinitely worse because they use human shields. They hide their control and command centers behind hospitals and schools, and they put civilians in harm's way. There are many, many unspeakable tragedies in this war. I have seen videos of Hamas terrorists killing innocent Palestinians simply trying to access humanitarian aid. Hamas does not care about civilian casualties. Their only objective is to remove Israel from the map. Israel is fighting in what is likely the most difficult urban warfare landscape that has ever existed, and they have done everything in their power to limit casualties and facilitate humanitarian aid, but the same cannot be said of Hamas. It is absolutely outrageous for the ICC to be pursuing arrest warrants against Israeli officials and announcing it on CNN before a decision has even been made. Mr. Meeks and I were prosecutors. We would never announce arrest warrants on national television on CNN. Failing to act here in the Congress would make us complicit with the ICC's illegitimate actions. We must not stay silent. We must stand with our allies. If the ICC is advancing a case against an American or an allied country who is not party to the ICC, this bill will impose sanctions on ICC officials and others supporting that case. We need to act quickly because this case is already advancing much faster than expected. Even the ICC's own staff did not know the warrant applications would be going ahead at this pace. That is why we are advancing this bill straight to the floor. Mr. Speaker, it is time to stand up to international bullies who seek to undermine international law under the false pretext of justice. What happens if Americans are next as they looked at Americans on the battlefield in Afghanistan. This sets a dangerous precedent where now it is Israeli officials, but tomorrow it could be Americans. It is a very dangerous precedent. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McCAUL. 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 this measure.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1269, I call up the bill (H.R. 8282) to impose sanctions with respect to the International Criminal Court engaged in any effort to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute any protected person of the United States and its allies, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

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