Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on this resolution.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this has been a long time coming, but I am so pleased that we finally have an opportunity to send to the President's desk the bill before us, the U.S.-Israel Strategic Partnership Act. I authored the original bill, alongside my Florida colleague, my good friend Mr. Deutch, and together we introduced it in the House almost 2 years ago. Chairman Royce, Ranking Member Engel, and their staffs were immensely supportive in pushing this bill through, and we ultimately passed the House version, H.R. 938, in this body in March, with an overwhelming vote of 410-1. I want to thank our colleagues in the other Chamber, Senator Boxer and Senator Blunt, for introducing the companion bill in the Senate. Today is, indeed, a significant day in the history of the United States-Israel relationship. Our bill takes the already strong bond between our two countries and makes it even stronger. In the aftermath of this summer's Gaza conflict, in which we saw Hamas fire thousands of rockets indiscriminately into innocent Israeli civilian populations, and with the alarming rise in terror attacks in Jerusalem these past few weeks, well, Mr. Speaker, now is precisely the time for us to make this bill a law. Our bill is as important strategically as it is symbolically. It shows the world how deeply America values its bilateral relationship with Israel, affording the democratic Jewish state the unique label of major strategic partner of the United States. At a time when many around the world seek to test our resolve and our commitment to our friend and ally, passing this bill will reaffirm an unwavering commitment to Israel, to its right to defend herself and her citizens, and redoubles our efforts to ensure that Israel always maintains a qualitative military edge over its enemies. Israel has many enemies, like Hamas. Hamas is, no doubt, planning its next assault against our ally. Hezbollah, another enemy which may be preoccupied right now in Syria, certainly has not forgotten its desire to wipe out Israel, especially not when its patron, the Iranian regime, continues to incite violence against Israel and calls for its very destruction. Iran's Supreme Leader, while he is telling his people to continue to string along the P5+1 countries in the nuclear negotiations under the ruse of wanting to reach an agreement, is calling for all Palestinians in the West Bank to take up arms against Israel. And while the administration continues to extend and negotiate a very weak and dangerous Iran nuclear deal, it is important that we in the United States Congress send a signal to Khamenei and Rouhani and all the mullahs in Iran that the United States Congress will not undermine our ally, Israel, for a regime that cannot be trusted and is the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism. This bill will do that, Mr. Speaker. It will do that and much more, and I am so honored to have led the charge, with Mr. Royce, with Mr. Engel, with Mr. Deutch, in getting this bill to the President's desk. I look forward to it finally becoming law. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. It is in our national security interests of the United States to strengthen our relationship with our strongest ally, the democratic Jewish State of Israel. Our two nations share more than just a strategic partnership--we share the same values; we share the same ideals. The United States and Israel are both freedom-loving and democratic nations that serve as a model of how free and open societies can work and can thrive, but it is also our belief in these ideals that has made us a target by those who seek to oppress their people and impose strict laws that govern their everyday lives and restrict their freedom of expression and their freedom of religion. The citizens of the United States and of Israel speak openly, and we live honestly, but our enemies hate everything that we stand for, and they will stop at nothing to harm or destroy our way of life. That is why, Mr. Speaker, it is so important that we continue to strengthen our relationship with Israel and support its right to defend itself and its citizens, and that is exactly what we will be doing when we pass this bill. I would like to say to my Florida colleague, Mr. Deutch, that it has been a joy to have joined him in our recent trip to Israel, and I have greatly enjoyed our Florida road trip as we speak around our great State about the strength and the vitality of the U.S.-Israel relationship. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 2673) to enhance the strategic partnership between the United States and Israel.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak against a push by the administration and its allies here in Congress to ignore U.S. law--this time, to ignore the legal prohibition on using U.S. taxpayer dollars to fund UNESCO. Frankly, it is an indictment against the administration and some of our colleagues that we have to go through this song and dance every year or whenever a funding measure is set to come to the floor; yet here we are again, as some in Congress want to help President Obama circumvent and undermine U.S. law and restore at least partial funding for UNESCO, so that that body can continue to push its anti-U.S./anti- Israel agenda. Time and again, the President has taken unilateral action meant to get around congressional opposition and has openly stated that he will continue to do so. Since 1990, U.S. law has prohibited any funding to the U.N. or to any U.N. agency that gives the PLO membership status and recognizes the nonexistent State of Palestine. UNESCO was well aware of our laws when its members voted to include this so-called Palestine among its ranks, triggering the U.S. funding prohibition. President Obama knew this when we cut off UNESCO's funding in response because it is the law; however, since then, he has sought ways to undermine and circumvent this law to not only restore funding to UNESCO, but to also pay dues in arrears which now would amount to over $300 million in U.S. taxpayer dollars. This is the very same body that allows the likes of Cuba--the antithesis of freedom and the respect for human rights and the rule of law--on its executive board. When UNESCO admitted a nonexistent Palestine, it undermined the peace process and only emboldened Abu Mazen even further to move forward with his unilateral push for statehood at the U.N. There cannot be a legitimate Palestinian state unless it comes about as the result of direct negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians. This unilateral scheme by Abu Mazen is a way for him to use that U.N. body to gain de facto statehood without having to first come to an agreement with Israel. If President Obama and his enablers in Congress have their way and U.S. funding for UNESCO is restored, it will signal that the U.S. supports this unilateral push for statehood, and we will have sold out our closest friend and ally: the democratic Jewish State of Israel. We must make it clear to the administration in no uncertain terms that Congress will not allow it to continue to circumvent and undermine congressional authority or the law and that we will not allow it once again to fund UNESCO. Giving the administration the authority it seeks to fund UNESCO would not only set a dangerous precedent by showing those with an anti-Israel agenda at the U.N. that the U.S. does not have the courage of its convictions or the fortitude to enforce our own laws, but it would also give the green light to the rest of the bodies at the U.N. to follow UNESCO's lead and also admit Palestine. Abu Mazen has already signaled that he will seek further recognition at the U.N., and unless we make it absolutely certain to the entire U.N. system that admitting Palestine has very real and tangible negative consequences, the bodies at the U.N. will fall in line with this dangerous scheme, and that would cause irreparable harm to the peace process. Instead of President Obama's looking for ways to spend hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars at an anti-U.S./anti-Israel body at the U.N., which is in violation of U.S. law, the President should perhaps instead focus on institutions at the U.N. that do work and that are effective. This month, for example, the World Food Programme, WFP, was forced to suspend its assistance to millions of refugees who fled the crisis in Syria and went to Jordan, to Lebanon, to Iraq, to Turkey; as a result, millions could go hungry as they are set to face the harsh winter. Our money would be better spent helping an institution we know works because it relies on voluntary contributions only, and we should be doing more to ensure that the WFP, the World Food Programme, can continue its good work to assist these millions of refugees around the world.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, like many Americans, I am all too familiar with Alzheimer's, having lost my mom to complications from this dreadful disease nearly 4 years ago. The Alzheimer's Association reports that over 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's, including nearly half a million in my home State of Florida. Alzheimer's not only impacts seniors and their families, it is costing our Nation billions of dollars every year, with only a fraction of 1 percent of these costs spent on research toward better treatment options and potential cures. Our seniors, their loved ones, and their caregivers deserve better. American taxpayers deserve better. Mr. Speaker, I urge everyone to go to alz.org and learn more about Alzheimer's and how new research can help make a big difference in improving the lives of patients, their families, and America's budget.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Diaz-Balart).

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. And I would like to point out that Dwayne Johnson, The Rock, is a University of Miami Hurricanes alum. It is not bragging if it is true. But thank you. Mr. Speaker, over the past several years, I have noticed, we all have noticed a worrying trend in Asia. What we are seeing is that Asia's collective attention is gradually shifting away from economic prosperity to security concerns. Where nations used to focus on trade and commerce, there is increasing discussion of nationalism, of military budgets, and even provocative behavior. There is no better example than the territorial disputes that Mr. Faleomavaega points out in his resolution in the South China and East China Sea. We need to work against this shift toward nationalism and promote a peaceful resolution to these disputes. This resolution by Mr. Faleomavaega encourages just that. I urge my colleagues to support it. In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I want to thank our good friend and colleague Mr. Faleomavaega for his lifetime of service. And I know that I am speaking for our esteemed chairman, Mr. Royce, and all of the Members when we say, thank you, Mr. Faleomavaega, for your service to our country during the Vietnam war. Thank you for the service in the cause of peace in the decades that followed that conflict during his distinguished career here in the people's House. We are a better institution for you having served here, sir. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, when UNESCO admitted a nonexistent State of Palestine to its membership, it did so knowing U.S. law prohibits funding to any entity at the U.N. that grants the PLO the same status as other member states. The members of UNESCO also knew that admitting the so-called Palestine would have a negative impact on the future of the Israeli- Palestinian peace process; yet they enthusiastically welcomed Abu Mazen at UNESCO. The only explanation for UNESCO's willingness to allow these consequences to pass is that its members view the delegitimizing of Israel as its mission. They view helping Abu Mazen to unilaterally establish the de facto recognition for a Palestinian state as a worthy means to an end. We must not only block any attempt by the administration to restore funding to this entity which clearly has an agenda opposite to America's interests, but we must also work to block Abu Mazen's attempts at the U.N. to bypass his obligations to Israel by continuing his unilateral statehood scheme.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, there is once again an effort being undertaken by some in Congress to restore at least partial funding for UNESCO, despite being prohibited by U.S. law to do so. In October of 2011, UNESCO chose to welcome a nonexistent State of Palestine to its membership. It did so, knowing that this would trigger U.S. laws that prohibit us from funding any entity at the U.N. that grants membership to the PLO; yet, since that law was triggered and funding was cut, the administration and some of its congressional lackeys have been attempting to circumvent and undermine this decades- old law. As we continue to work to put together funding measures to take us past the pending fiscal deadline, I will oppose and fight all efforts to insert language into bills that would restore even a portion of funding to UNESCO or give the President authority to waive this provision of the law.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise with a heavy heart to recognize and remember a wonderful woman from south Florida who was taken from this Earth too soon, Nieves Olemberg. Nieves passed away last month at age 79 following a tragic car accident. She is survived by her loving husband, Isaac; their children, Roberto, Lily, Hannah, and Lisette; and grandchildren, Rachel, Aaron, Jacqueline, David, Daniel, and Samuel. Beyond her noted devotion to her family, Nieves was a pillar of the south Florida Jewish community. She was a founding member and president of Hadassah's Inter-American Chapter, and was also actively involved with the Greater Miami Jewish Federation and the Hebrew Academy. Nieves will be greatly missed, but her generosity and kindhearted soul will forever leave an enduring imprint on our community. May her memory be a blessing.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I send to the desk a privileged concurrent resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today on a motion offered pursuant to this order, it adjourn to meet at noon on Monday, November 24, 2014, unless it sooner has received a message from the Senate transmitting its concurrence in House Concurrent Resolution 119, in which case the House shall stand adjourned pursuant to that concurrent resolution.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Royce and Ranking Member Engel not only for helping bring this bill, H.R. 3583, to the floor today, but for working in such a smooth, bipartisan manner throughout their time over 2 years--and beyond, to infinity--and helping bring all of our Members together on incredibly vexing issues. Whether it is Iraq or Iran or ISIS or you name it, our committee works in a very smooth way. And it is thanks to the leadership at the top. I also want to thank Congresswoman Granger, Kay Granger, and Ranking Member Nita Lowey of the State Foreign Operations Subcommittee. They joined me in introducing this bill. This bill is as much theirs as it is mine. Also, Senator Boxer, on the Senate side, for her leadership on this issue. As Chairman Royce so nicely put it, I am a former Florida certified teacher. That is what I used to do in my real life. And I am a lifelong student and one of the most senior women in Congress today. I have been around a long time. So I hold the issue of education very near and dear to my heart. We know that access to education is a game changer for any society, Mr. Speaker. It could transform developing countries. It improves the lives of so many, especially in the vulnerable populations. Greater access to education for women and for young girls, it leads to an increased respect for human rights, it leads to a rise in prosperity and well-being, and a more peaceful and stable society. Everyone wins. A society in which women have unfettered access to the education system expands the horizons not just for the girls and women involved, but for everyone in their community and their nation. These countries that limit access to education for young girls and women are missing out. They are missing out on the untapped potential of nearly half of their population. Imagine how much more productive and how much better off some of these nations would be if they promoted a more inclusive society. What are they afraid of? It is no coincidence that the countries that are most susceptible to human trafficking and exploitation or the trappings of extremism and terrorism are also those countries that restrict a woman's access to education. Education is the most important factor in empowering young girls and women to become successful members of our society, protecting them from the ignorance that enables abuse, radicalization, and exploitation. And that is precisely the case in Pakistan, a country which has one of the highest number of children out of school already. They are not going to school. Two-thirds of all children out of school are girls. The numbers are troubling. Barely half of all girls in Pakistan are enrolled in primary schools. And that figure drops to 30 percent for secondary schools. These numbers are even lower in rural areas where poverty is ever increasing and girls have even less access to schools. A lot of this has to do with the Taliban, Mr. Speaker, that radical terror group that seeks to impose Shari'a law and forbids women, forbids girls from access to education. That is why this bill is so important. We need to help ensure that we can counter the Taliban's efforts to deny fundamental rights to women and limit their contributions to Pakistani society. The United States provides Merit and Needs-Based Scholarships to Pakistani children. But this bill will ensure that at least half of those scholarships go to women. There is still much more to be done to ensure access to education for all women in Pakistan and indeed throughout the world. Doing so would mean a safer society, a healthier society, a more stable and secure world, and so it would be in our national security interest to make it so. This is but a small step in the right direction. I urge my colleagues to support this bill. I thank again my chairman, Chairman Royce of California, and Mr. Engel of New York for guiding our committee in such a wonderful bipartisan way.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow at 1 p.m. Congressman Ted Deutch and I will convene a hearing on the threats that an Iran nuclear deal will have for global security. We are just 5 days away from the deadline, and this is what is airing right now on Iranian State-run television: ``Iran will not even go back one step from the research and development and the enrichment of uranium.'' This leading ayatollah also threatens U.S. military bases and Israel saying that Iranian ballistic missiles can ``hit and raze to the ground anyplace in Israel as well as any American base in the region.'' State- run television. Iran continues to make these overt threats to us and to our ally, the democratic Jewish state of Israel, yet President Obama engages this evil regime as if the nuclear program exists in a vacuum. Mr. Speaker, this is an obtuse and dangerous way to approach the greatest threat to global security, and Congress must not allow any deal with Iran to leave in place the possibility that the regime can obtain a nuclear weapon.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, a strong Israel means a strong United States, and a strong United States means a strong Israel. That is why I want to offer my condolences to the families of the Israelis murdered by Palestinian terrorists in Jerusalem yesterday. The increase in these attacks is a grim reminder of the need for the United States--now, more than ever--to stand side by side in support of Israel and its right to defend itself and her citizens. I condemn these terror attacks, and I call on President Obama and leaders of other responsible nations to do the same and to hold Abu Mazen and the Palestinian leadership accountable for these actions. We must recognize the importance of U.S.-Israel cooperation across a wide spectrum of areas, but particularly our cooperation on security and defense issues. In the past year, I have had the opportunity to not only see firsthand what our joint efforts have produced with the Iron Dome antimissile defense system, but also why this is such an important venture. Last August, I led a congressional delegation trip to Israel to discuss our bilateral relationship with Prime Minister Netanyahu and other top-ranking Israeli officials. The one thing that we heard repeatedly in almost every meeting was how thankful the Israelis were for the United States Congress' continued support for the Iron Dome and other defense missile systems and our belief in Israel's need to maintain its qualitative military edge over its enemies. Iron Dome has become known for its accuracy after its remarkable performance in 2012, especially in November of that year during Operation Pillar of Defense, when Hamas terrorists fired thousands of rockets indiscriminately into Israeli civilian populations. The sheer numbers were astounding, and the rate of success is a testament to the U.S.-Israeli cooperation. So when we arrived in Israel in August of 2013, less than a year after Pillar of Defense, one of the first things that Prime Minister Netanyahu said to us was: Thank you for Iron Dome. It truly saved countless innocent Israeli lives. We visited a deployed Iron Dome battery in northern Israel to see this remarkable piece of technology. We also met the incredible young men and women of the Israeli Defense Forces who operate the Iron Dome batteries. It was impressive and inspiring to see how well these young people handled the weight of such an incredible burden, but that is a testament to the Jewish people and to Israel. The next time I witnessed firsthand the importance of Iron Dome was just this past summer, Madam Speaker. We were in Israel and in Jordan to get a better understanding of the situation in the Middle East. We had arrived in the region about 2 weeks after the news that Hamas had kidnapped three Israeli teens, Eyal, Naftali, and Gilad. We were in Israel the day that the heart-wrenching news came out that the bodies of these three young boys had been found riddled with bullets in the territories. It was an incredible moment of sadness, of loss, of despair for the entire nation, and we grieved with them when we attended the funeral of the three teenagers. But Israel had no time to grieve over its loss of these three because Hamas had been engaged in rocket attacks against Israel that began when the three boys were abducted and murdered. Their intensity increased as the search began; and once Israel found the bodies, Hamas began firing rockets, hundreds of rockets into innocent Israeli civilian populations. Amid the constant barrage of rockets and the continual blares of warning sirens, Iron Dome once again proved its worth and importance. It successfully shot down rocket after rocket aimed at the Israeli people over the course of the latest operation called Protective Edge. The performance of Iron Dome, Madam Speaker, shows how great both Israeli and American technology and expertise are, and why it is vitally important that our two countries continue to work together on projects such as Iron Dome, David's Sling, Arrow, and many others. Congress recognizes this fact, and that is why we continue to fund these major projects in a bipartisan manner, because we understand the threats that Israel faces and we understand the importance of Israel's right to defend herself to ensure her continued existence. I authored and the House passed the U.S.-Israel Strategic Partnership Act, which bestows upon Israel a unique status as a major strategic ally of the United States, and I hope that one day soon we will be able to pass this bill again in the new Congress and send it to the President for his signature.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, we are just 6 days away from the November 24 Iran nuclear negotiations deadline, and as each day passes and we get closer to the impending deadline, we are presented with more and more evidence that Iran is not serious about abandoning its nuclear ambitions. Here are the reasons why Iran remains the greatest threat to U.S. national security interests: Iran has been a U.S.-designated State Sponsor of Terrorism since 1984 and has been the foremost supporter for terrorist groups across the world since the Islamic Revolution in 1979. Through its proxies likes Hezbollah and Hamas, Iran has targeted America and our ally, the democratic Jewish State of Israel, with violent acts of terror for over three decades, including the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis, the 1983 Beirut bombing and Marine barracks bombing, and the 1992 Israeli Embassy bombing and the 1994 AMIA Jewish community center bombing, both in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Iran has been the chief supporter of Hamas' and Hezbollah's terrorist and rocket attacks in Israel like we saw in the year 2006 and 2012 and again just this past summer. In fact, since the Iranian hostage crisis in 1979, the United States has been officially in a continued state of national emergency with respect to Iran, a state of emergency that President Obama just renewed last week. Tehran continues to demand that it has a right to enrich its own uranium. After operating a covert nuclear program for decades, Iran forfeited any so-called right to enrichment. Yet the centrifuges continue to spin and President Obama has seemingly acquiesced to Iran's illegitimate claim to enrichment. The regime in Tehran also maintains an advanced ballistic missile program, a program that just this week it used to threaten Israel and U.S. military bases in the Middle East. And it is a program that continues to expand in violation of several U.N. Security Council resolutions. Iran also remains one of the world's worst human rights violators. It is currently designated a Tier 1 Country of Particular Concern, a designation reserved for the world's worst, most egregious violators of religious freedom as stated by our own State Department and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. Despite the selection, not a real election, of a so-called moderate last year, Iran's human rights record has only gotten worse as Iran has executed a record number of people under so-called President Rouhani. And despite all of this clear and indisputable evidence that Iran is led by a dangerous regime that cannot be trusted, these misguided negotiations taking place right now focus solely on Tehran's illicit nuclear program, and none of it is based on its other illicit activities. So while the President continues to try to reach a deal on Iran's nuclear program at, seemingly, any cost, he has turned a blind eye to the multitude of other threats that Iran poses to us and to global security. Mr. Speaker, the President and the P5+1 countries are operating as if Iran's nuclear program exists in a vacuum, and, in doing so, it jeopardizes the stability of the Middle East and the security of many of us in the West. There is every reason to believe that these negotiations are just one big ploy by the Iranian regime, and the Obama administration has fallen for it. That is why it is up to us in Congress to be the counterbalance. Tomorrow, the subcommittee which I chair will be convening a hearing on the Iranian deal with former CIA Director General Hayden as one of our witnesses. The general has said that right now we are not getting the proper monitoring and verification provisions that we need, and he said were he still advising the President, General Hayden would tell him that this deal could not be adequately verified. That is why we must take action to ensure that the administration does not agree to a weak and bad nuclear deal, and we must not waver in our resolve. Unless the negotiations result in agreement that ends Iran's other illicit activities and ensures that Iran will stop all enrichment and will dismantle its nuclear infrastructure, then we must act to impose and strengthen and expand sanctions against the regime, and the administration must walk away and abandon these foolish and dangerous talks.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my deepest condolences to the families of the four Israelis, three of whom are also American citizens, who were murdered by Palestinian terrorists in Jerusalem during morning prayers in a synagogue. My thoughts and prayers are with the people of Israel who again have to endure another tragedy at the hands of Palestinian terrorists. It is no coincidence that this latest string of attacks on innocent Israelis comes after the Supreme Leader of Iran urged Palestinians to use violence against Israel and called for Israel's destruction, as did the terrorist group Hamas. This is another example of Iran's dangerous meddling in an effort to attack our U.S. interests and Israel, and Hamas's continued incitement of violence and terror. There is now a clear link to terrorism in both the West Bank and Gaza, and there can be no U.S. taxpayer dollars going to support a unity government that is backed by Hamas and the Palestinian Authority.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, at 1 p.m., Congressman Ted Deutch and I will convene a subcommittee hearing on the dangers of a nuclear deal with Iran, the dangers that this could pose for the United States and global security interests. Retired General Michael Hayden, former Director of both the NSA and the CIA, will be testifying to share his concerns about Iran's past weaponization efforts and the guarantees needed to monitor and verify this agreement. In fact, he has warned that, were he still in his role as CIA Director, he ``would feel compelled to advise the President that the agreement could not be adequately verified.'' Mr. Speaker, Congress needs to remain engaged. We need to continue our oversight. We need to use all the tools that we have available to us, including strengthening and increasing sanctions against this regime, in order to ensure that the President does not sign an agreement that is not in our national security interests.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, as we approach the November 24 Iran nuclear deadline, we should all be reminded that Iran is a U.S.- designated state sponsor of terrorism. Iran continues to violate multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions, and the regime continues to advance its ballistic missile program, a program that has only one purpose: to launch a nuclear weapon. Iran is one of the world's worst human rights violators and under the so-called moderate Rouhani has been executing people in record numbers. Yet we recently found out that President Obama sent a secret letter to Iran's Supreme Leader last month. The Supreme Leader responded by releasing a plan to destroy our closest friend and ally, the democratic Jewish State of Israel. The Iranian regime cannot be trusted. Yet this administration continues to push for a nuclear deal that threatens our U.S. national security interests. Madam Speaker, we must not allow any deal to be finalized that we view is not in the interests of the United States of America.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, we are now just 11 days away from the November 24 deadline for the Iran nuclear negotiations. President Obama and the P5+1 have fallen for Rouhani's stall tactics, despite having every reason to suspect that Iran was never serious about a deal, and that is precisely why it is imperative that Congress use the mechanisms at our disposal to prevent the administration from making any nuclear agreement with Iran that seeks to go against our national security interests. The administration and the P5+1 started with a weak hand, and that has only gotten weaker. That is precisely why the Iranian regime feels emboldened to make proclamations that it will never agree to stop its enrichment and why it insists that it has a right to enrich and that it must be part of the final agreement. In just the past few days, the IAEA, the U.N. agency that is tasked with monitoring Iran's nuclear program and ensuring its compliance with the joint plan of action, has said that Iran refuses to answer questions about its nuclear program and that it is impeding its investigation into the possible military dimensions of the program. This is amazing. A former IAEA chief inspector said recently that he believes that Iran lied about the number of advanced centrifuges that it possesses. Iran itself has confirmed that it has tested a new centrifuge that could speed up its enrichment process even further; yet the administration is so desperate to get us to a ``yes'' that it will overlook these very serious and dangerous transgressions. The President has also failed to include in the negotiations Tehran's ballistic missile program, its support for terror worldwide, and its abysmal human rights record. The Supreme Leader right now is calling to arm Gaza and the West Bank to fight against Israel, and it calls for the democratic Jewish state to be eliminated. Had the administration come to Congress before it mistakenly entered into these discussions and asked us what we needed to see for an acceptable deal, we would have said keep the sanctions against the Iranian regime. Keep the sanctions, and threaten to even expand them. We would have kept the only leverage we had against the regime until it agreed to abandon its enrichment and other illicit activities, but the President opted to not do that and, instead, mistakenly eased the sanctions, injecting money into the Iranian economy and giving away our leverage, and he still doesn't look to us for any input. Mr. Speaker, the administration's idea of consultation is a one-way street. It comes to brief us and our staff on the Iran nuclear deal, but it isn't interested in hearing our input and having that reflected in its approach to the negotiations with Iran. Mr. Speaker, Congress must not allow this administration to continue to circumvent us and ignore our concerns about this weak negotiating position. We have been saying from day one that this approach was a mistake and that the joint plan of action was a signal that the administration has conceded on the enrichment aspect of the Iran nuclear program. Iran has already emerged as the clear winner in this whole charade, and the P5+1 nations, especially the United States, look more foolish, more pathetic, and weaker than we did when the North Korean regime implemented the same tactics. If the President continues to ignore our warnings on signing a nuclear deal that we believe goes against U.S. national security interests, then it is incumbent upon us in Congress to take firm action. Simply put, we must take action and get serious about preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, and that means ensuring that Iran cannot enrich any uranium at all and that it must dismantle its nuclear infrastructure. We must start right now by sending an unambiguous message to the administration that we will not accept any deal that leaves Iran with even the slightest capability of producing a nuclear weapon.