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 insert extraneous material into the Record on this measure.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support today of H.R. 3783, as amended, the Countering Iran in the Western Hemisphere Act of 2012, a bill introduced by my good friend from South Carolina and a member of our Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. Duncan, who is here with us. In September, the House acted and passed the Duncan bill overwhelmingly, and last week the Senate further reiterated its strong bipartisan and bicameral support for the bill and the need to address Iran's increased presence in the Western Hemisphere. In February, the Committee on Foreign Affairs held a hearing entitled ``Ahmadinejad's Tour of Tyrants and Iran's Agenda in the Western Hemisphere'' in order to examine the growing threat posed by Iran and its proxies to U.S. national security interests in the Western Hemisphere, a threat that first became evident 18 years ago with the deadly assault on the AMIA Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Eighteen years ago, so-called Iranian diplomats readily partnered with Hezbollah, a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization, to carry out the AMIA attack. Since then, Tehran has only increased its subversive actions, as well as its diplomatic and economic relations with radical regimes in Latin America. Iran's Ahmadinejad made two trips to Latin America this year in an attempt to garner support from his fellow tyrants, the Castro brothers in Cuba, Ortega in Nicaragua, Correa in Ecuador, Chavez in Venezuela, and Morales in Bolivia. Just last week, the Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Europe and the Americas finished a similar tour around Latin America seeking support for a nuclear Iran. The Pentagon's Southern Command, SOUTHCOM, underscores that Iran continues to expand its influence throughout the region, opening more embassies and more cultural centers in Bolivia, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Colombia, Chile, and Uruguay, in addition to its existing diplomatic missions in Cuba, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, and Venezuela. According to a U.S. intelligence analyst, these diplomatic missions are simply fronts for Iran to carry out its nefarious activities in the region and a potential platform to increase the presence of Quds Force operatives, a designated foreign terrorist organization and an arm of Iran's Revolutionary Guard. Iran is not only an enemy of the United States but also of our allies. In the recent conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, the Iranian regime has time and again displayed its brazen disregard for peace by wanting to resupply the Hamas terrorist organization in Lebanon to continue their deadly rocket barrage on our greatest ally, the democratic Jewish State of Israel. One state sponsor of terrorism after another continues to receive the royal treatment from these tyrants of Latin America. Last month, Syria's Deputy Foreign Minister also visited the regimes of Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Ecuador. After that trip, news reports indicated that Assad, a close ally of the Iranian regime, and an enabler for their Hezbollah branch, may be seeking political asylum in one of these countries as the situation in Syria continues to rapidly deteriorate. Mr. Speaker, we cannot allow these violent actors a safe haven to conduct their evil schemes, and the presence of these individuals only reaffirms the significant threat posed by Iran and its proxies to the United States and to the hemisphere. H.R. 3783 requires that the Secretary of State outline a U.S. Government-wide strategy to combat the aggressive actions of Iran and its proxies, such as Hezbollah in the Western Hemisphere, toward a comprehensive policy stance that protects the security interests of the United States. We must do everything we can to isolate Iran and its proxies from sources of financial assistance in the hemisphere, as well as prevent entities from possibly helping Iran to evade sanctions. We must ensure that the U.S. is actively monitoring this threat and takes appropriate steps to counter the Iranian regime's agenda in our hemisphere. I strongly support passage of this legislation, and I look forward to the President signing it into law. With that, Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I am so honored to yield 3 minutes to the author of this legislation, the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Duncan).

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I yield such time as he may consume to the incoming chairman of our Foreign Affairs Committee, the esteemed gentleman from California (Mr. Royce), who is currently the chairman of the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Thank you so much. And I thank the gentleman for arranging this for us. And I also rise to commemorate the 34 years of Jay Pierson's career as a member of the Republican cloakroom, the Republican floor staff, the Speaker's Office. He's held many positions. But the 113th Congress, Mr. Speaker, will suffer due to his retirement, and Members on both sides of the aisle will certainly feel his absence. By the time I came to the U.S. House of Representatives, Jay was already a seasoned veteran of the archaic world of House parliamentary procedures. To this day, never far from Jay's side is his Jefferson's Manual of Rules, with its well-marked pages and notes written in the margins. His historical expertise and institutional knowledge will not easily be replicated. Precious few know this House better, and what we are losing is substantial. But Jay is far more than just a fountain of institutional knowledge; he is a familiar and comforting figure here on the floor, even though many of us still don't recognize him without his iconic mustache. I still see it in his face, John Bolton style. But Jay is renowned for his personable nature, for his grace, for his patience, for his helpful nature. Jay's energy and vitality are hard to match, as is his deep love of classical music that is always coming from his office. I consider myself incredibly fortunate for having had the privilege of working with Jay Pierson over these many years. And I thank you, Jay, for your service, but most especially, for your friendship. You are a true professional, and your shoes will be hard to fill. And not only do I no longer leave my papers on our chairs because I have grown to admire your fastidious nature, but I now find myself chastising other Members who absentmindedly leave papers behind. So you taught me well, Jay. You taught us all well. Godspeed.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise here to ask for the immediate release of U.S. Marine Jon Hammar, who has been unreasonably imprisoned by Mexican authorities since August, where, for a time, he was actually being shackled to his bed. Lance Corporal Hammar is an outstanding young American combat veteran who clearly took every reasonable step to ensure that he was safely and legally transporting the antique firearm that he inherited from his great-grandfather. He spoke with our own Customs and Border Patrol agents, who assured him that he would be fine as long as he registered it with Mexican authorities. Once in Mexico, Jon attempted to register his old-fashioned Sears and Roebuck shotgun and was immediately arrested as if he were a gunrunner. I am calling on our State Department to act swiftly to get Jon released, and I am calling on our Department of Homeland Security to explain how their agents could have given Jon this wrong instruction. Jon has suffered enough. Let's bring him home to his family, where he rightly belongs, in time for Christmas.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I thank the gentleman from Indiana for the time. I plan to vote for this bill, H.R. 6156, even though I remain strongly opposed to granting Russia permanent normal trade relations, or PNTR, at this time, and I would like to explain the reasons why. Those who argue for granting Russia PNTR, which has, until now, been prevented by what is known as the Jackson-Vanik amendment, focus on the supposed bilateral trade benefits; but the issue that concerns me and many Members is not trade, but human rights. Advocates of repeal say that the Jackson-Vanik amendment is outdated and purely symbolic and, therefore, should be disregarded. But in the area of human rights, Madam Speaker, symbols can have a very great importance. Over the years, Jackson-Vanik has become a sign of the continuing U.S. commitment to human rights in Russia and elsewhere. Repealing the amendment could very well be interpreted as an indication that our commitment is now weakening. This would be a terrible signal to send at a time when Vladimir Putin is in the process of imposing ever-tighter restrictions on all opposition to his regime, especially democratic activists and any others who dare to defy the authorities. I also oppose granting Russia PNTR at this time because it is but one more concession by the United States in pursuit of the President's failed reset of relations with Moscow, which among other measures includes the one-sided New START Treaty, the retrenching of NATO's planned missile defense system against Iranian missiles, and Russia's entry into the World Trade Organization. And now Moscow is being given PNTR even as it pursues policies in Iran and elsewhere that undermine U.S. interests. Nevertheless, despite my objections, I will vote for the bill because it is the only way of securing passage for H.R. 4405, the Magnitsky Act, which has been incorporated into this bill as title IV. By requiring the President to publicly identify and impose sanctions on human rights violators in Russia, especially those involved in the death of Sergei Magnitsky and the subsequent coverup, this legislation will make clear that the U.S. remains fully committed to advancing democracy and human rights in that country. These are more than just symbolic steps. The proof comes from the threats by the Kremlin of retaliation if Congress dares to act because the regime fears that senior officials will be publicly implicated. The administration tried very hard to prevent the Magnitsky Act from moving forward and gave way only when faced with overwhelming bipartisan support for it in both the House and the Senate, making it a precondition for passage of PNTR. In particular, the administration has tried to remove a requirement that the list of officials and others be made public and has pushed hard to be allowed to keep some of those names classified. But keeping the names secret is exactly what the Kremlin hopes to do. Therefore, although the legislation does allow the President to put the names of some violators on a classified list, this exception can only be used when the President determines that it is vital to U.S. national security interests, and he must justify such action to us in the Congress. So, to erase any doubt, let me state for the record that the clear intent of Congress is that this exception will be used only in rare cases, and that misuse by the administration will quickly prompt a strong response. Let me close by saying, Madam Speaker, that on this third anniversary of the death of Sergei Magnitsky, while in police custody, we in Congress are united in our support for those fighting for democracy and human rights in Russia, and will stand with them in this time of repression until they have triumphed and their country has taken its rightful place among the democracies of the world.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, on Monday October 1st, the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute (CHLI) hosted their First Annual Trade and International Affairs Symposium, which highlighted the contributions of the U.S. Hispanic community to the global economy. To culminate the day of activities, CHLI honored two important figures from Latin America during the Global Leadership Salon Dinner: Alvaro Uribe, former President of Colombia, and Mexican businessman Ricardo Salinas, President and CEO of Grupo Salinas. Alvaro Uribe started his career in public service as a Senator of Colombia, making great strides in increasing community participation in government decisions. Then, he became Governor of Antioquia, where he cut government spending and allocated more funding to the education system to improve schools. During his tenure as Governor, 40,000 people received training in the peaceful negotiation of conflict; and, with community cooperation, the number of kidnapping cases fell dramatically. In 2002, Mr. Uribe became President of Colombia and our country's staunchest ally in Latin America. With his integrity and courage, Uribe fought the extremist forces within his country and led an aggressive campaign to root out drug traffickers. Colombia strengthened its democracy, improved its judicial system, protected human rights, and enhanced the way of life for all Colombians. Mr. Uribe reaffirmed his commitment to the U.S. by negotiating the U.S.- Colombia Free Trade Agreement, a critical alliance that benefits the security and economic interests of both nations. It is no wonder that in 2009, President George W. Bush honored Alvaro Uribe with the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom for his meritorious contributions to our country. To this day, Mr. Uribe remains a great friend of the causes of freedom, democracy, and human rights in Latin America; and a strong partner of the United States. Ricardo Salinas has been a pioneer in breaking down walls of competition in key industries in both Mexico and the rest of Latin America. While his business achievements are admirable, his philanthropic work is perhaps even more laudable. Ricardo has been an outspoken entrepreneur who has dedicated his business career to promoting education, health and human rights among the communities he serves. Through Fundacion Azteca, Ricardo has raised millions of dollars for important charities in Mexico. Following the steps of Fundacion Azteca, Ricardo founded Fundacion Azteca America, an organization that works to promote the well-being of the Hispanic community in the United States. As part of their work, Fundacion Azteca America has developed a series of social campaigns such as establishing educational programs for young Hispanic students to access quality education; improving civic engagement; and learning about financial responsibility. The organization has also been a staunch supporter of comprehensive immigration reform. Mr. Speaker, as we continue to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, I am honored to have these two significant leaders from the Western Hemisphere in our nation's capital. I would also like to thank CHLI for their vision of advancing the Hispanic community's diversity of thought in the United States and beyond.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, today I recognize the Girl Scouts Council of Tropical Florida, an organization dedicated to empowering girls so that they can become exemplary leaders of our community by building courage, confidence, and character. On August 1, 1963 the Girl Scout Council of Dade County merged with the Florida Keys Girl Scout Council to develop into the Girl Scout Council of Tropical Florida, now enriching the lives of more than 20,000 girls and 3,600 adults from Miami-Dade and Monroe counties. Girl Scouts Council of Florida has prepared numerous activities throughout South Florida to commemorate the centennial anniversary of the Girl Scouts of the United States of America, a movement that started in Georgia with only 18 girls and that has grown to more than 3.2 million members nationwide. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Board of Directors: Irela Bague, Wanda Hewitt, Lilian A. Walby, Alice N. Bravo, Georgia McLean, Nancy Pastroff, Maria D. Tejera, Lilly Monzon Aguirre, Carolann Baldyga, Guillermo ``Bill'' Cruz, Elvira Dopico, Melissa A. Dunn, Frank Fernandez, Lourdes Fernandez, Maria I. Gonzalez, Johnette Hardiman, Althea Harris, Jenny Arias May, Joyce Ann Hanks Moorehead, Grace O'Donnell, Jack Plunkett, Jr., Lisa D. Sparks, Margarita Villoch, Margarita Weidener, Peggy Wingard, and Mary Young; the Council Nominating Committee: Grace O'Donnell, Sheryl Alonso, Carlos Arboleya, Sallie C. Byrd, Gail Ash Dotson, Ellen Siegel, and Margarita Villoch; and the Executive Management: Sally Boggess, Patsy Schmidt-Cozier, Pauline Russell, Lance Balding, Luisa Lander, Julia Onnie-Hay, Eva Berbrick, Ansley Ross, Maria Santos, and Ana Delgado, for being part of this national celebration, and I commend the hard work they put forth to make a long- lasting impact on our community and environment, while cultivating strong values in its members.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, next Saturday, September 29th, the Miami chapter of the Friends of St. Jude will celebrate its fifth annual ``It's All About the Kids'' event in Miami. Friends of St. Jude is a group of young professionals dedicated to the mission of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital--advancing treatment and prevention in the fight against childhood cancer. This year, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital marks its 50th anniversary. Since its opening, St. Jude has made many important discoveries on treatment for children with deadly diseases like cancer, and has saved countless lives worldwide. The doctors and researchers at St. Jude are some of the world's best, and have continued to work together to find better treatments all the time--sharing their discoveries with the global medical community. In 50 years, St. Jude has grown into one of the premier pediatric treatment and research facilities. And they have provided all of their services at no cost to their patients and their families. It is for this reason that the Friends of St. Jude is dedicated to helping St. Jude Children's Research Hospital continue its legacy, and why the Friends of St. Jude of Miami has been such a great resource. The Miami chapter of Friends of St. Jude is the organization's largest chapter--with over 350 members--and has done tremendous work on behalf of St. Jude's. This year's ``It's All About the Kids'' event will be hosted by six-time Emmy award winning journalist and co-anchor of the news-magazine show Primer Impacto, Pamela Silva Conde and ABC Sports anchor Will Manso. The event will have a distinctive Miami flare, and will feature entertainment from local star, and official Miami Heat DJ, DJ Irie and the Culture Live Band. Mr. Speaker, these bright and talented individuals gather in a common interest and devote their time, talents and energy volunteering for such a great cause, and they truly deserve praise and recognition for their efforts. On behalf of the entire South Florida community, and all of the patients and families of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, I would like to thank the Friends of St. Jude Executive Committee: Jeb Bush Jr.-Chairman, Anibal Garcia, Carlos A. Musibay, Cristal Cole, Cristina Musibay Diaz, Javier Milian, Magda Rodriguez, Sofia Holtzman; and I would also like to recognize the host committee: Anna Del Rio Chong, Briana Guerra, Clara Pablo, Desiree Valls, Diana Delgado, Florencia Contesse, Gloria Ordaz, Laura Socorro-Santoni, Lourdes Milian, Luly Valls, Mayrelis Valle, Nicole Perez, Nicole Valls, Olga Garrido, Pamela Silva Conde, Silvia Camps, Suzanne Schmidt and, of course, Wendy Grant.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 786) honoring the four United States public servants who died in Libya and condemning the attacks on United States diplomatic facilities in Libya, Egypt, and Yemen.

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 insert extraneous material into the Record on this measure.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I want to thank Speaker Boehner, Leader Cantor, Leader Pelosi, and Mr. Hoyer for spearheading this critical resolution about the recent terrorist attacks. Our thoughts and our prayers are with the families of Ambassador Christopher Stevens, Sean Smith, Tyrone Woods, and Glenn Doherty, and all of those injured in the attack. Our condolences must also go out to the entire U.S. diplomatic corps. On the 11th anniversary of the attacks of September 11, 2001, radical Islamists attacked the United States mission in Benghazi, and our Ambassador and three other State Department personnel were murdered. Concurrently, in Cairo, our Embassy was assaulted by a mob of extremists who breached its walls and desecrated our American flag. Since that fateful day, Mr. Speaker, we have witnessed a dramatic escalation of anti-American protests and actions throughout the region, from assaulting the Embassy in Tunis to the attack on peacekeepers in the Sinai. The premise that the violence and the protests are solely based on that obscure, hateful video is patently false. Rather, it is symptomatic of a broader effort by our enemies in the region to foment hatred of the U.S. Yet the hesitation on the part of this administration and the schizophrenia in response to this latest crisis is a cause for concern. The U.S. has nothing for which to apologize, including the exercise of freedom of expression. Surrendering our principles before an unruly mob or violent extremists will only embolden the likes of al Qaeda and reinforce the notion that more attacks against the United States will change core American policies and American principles. The perpetrators of the attacks must be held accountable by our allies in the region, and the administration must take the lead. There is no excuse whatsoever for attacking diplomatic missions and murdering diplomats. The administration must place the governments on notice that their conduct during this crisis will determine the nature of our relations moving forward. The Libyan and Yemeni Governments have both apologized for and strongly condemned the attacks on U.S. diplomatic posts in their host countries. They have been fully cooperating with us. By contrast, the Egyptian Government took over a day to issue a weak statement discouraging violence against foreign embassies, but it was, alas, too little, too late. This cannot happen again, and Congress will be closely monitoring the ongoing protests and reassessing our assistance packages and our approaches based on the responses of the governments to assaults on our embassies and our institutions. The lack of a firm response will undermine our U.S. interests in the region. We must clearly articulate and implement a policy that rewards our allies, encourages moderate forces within the region, and punishes our enemies. At this critical moment, Mr. Speaker, the United States must reaffirm support for our friends and allies and clearly differentiate them from our enemies. The United States must continue to stand up for American values and stand with the voices of moderation. With that, 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 am so pleased to yield 1 minute to our esteemed majority leader, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Cantor).

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to reinforce a few points. First, our thoughts and our prayers are with the families of the American diplomats murdered in Libya as we stand with them in this difficult time. Secondly, there is no excuse whatsoever for attacking diplomatic missions and murdering diplomats. Third, the U.S. has nothing for which to apologize. Let us not apologize for the exercise of freedom of expression. The perpetrators of these attacks must be held accountable. Finally, the United States Congress will be reassessing our assistance packages based on the responses of the various affected governments to assaults on our embassies and our institutions. Nothing can justify the terrorist attacks carried out against our fellow Americans, our diplomatic posts, and our U.S. interests around the world. The Americans killed were committed to helping the Libyan people, committed to help them secure a better, more stable, more peaceful future. Yet, radicals, the radicals who seek to hijack such freedom, security, and prosperity from the people of the Middle East and in North Africa, those who deny their own people basic human rights and universal freedoms, answered our dedication and our commitment of these courageous Americans by burning our mission and killing our diplomats. So let us be clear: no apologies are needed. Nothing justifies these violent actions. And to the people throughout the Middle East, North Africa, and throughout the world who are oppressed, the United States and our personnel overseas stand with you. We stand for freedom, despite the threats from extremist elements. With that, Mr. Speaker I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3783) to provide for a comprehensive strategy to counter Iran's growing presence and hostile activity in the Western Hemisphere, and for other purposes, as amended.

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 insert extraneous material into the Record on this measure.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support today of H.R. 3783, the Countering Iran in the Western Hemisphere Act of 2012, a bill introduced by my good friend, Mr. Duncan, an esteemed member of our Foreign Affairs Committee. I would like to thank him for his hard work on the issues addressed in this important bill. In February, the Committee on Foreign Affairs held a hearing entitled ``Ahmadinejad's Tour of Tyrants and Iran's Agenda in the Western Hemisphere'' in order to examine the threat to U.S. national security posed by Iran and Iranian-sponsored activities in the Western Hemisphere. One month later, this bipartisan measure was unanimously adopted by our Committee on Foreign Affairs. Mr. Speaker, as we have witnessed in the last few weeks, the violence perpetrated by extremists in the Middle East against our embassies and our consulates undermines our foreign policy objectives, and we must prevent these vicious attacks from occurring in our region. Let us not forget that 18 years ago, Iranian so-called diplomats readily partnered with Hezbollah, a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization, to carry out a deadly attack against the AMIA Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Iran has only increased its subversive action since then, and over the past decade the regime has increased diplomatic and economic ties between Iran and the radical regimes in Latin America. Iran's Ahmadinejad made two trips to Latin America this year to visit his fellow tyrants: the Castro brothers in Cuba, Ortega in Nicaragua, Correa in Ecuador, Chavez in Venezuela, and Morales in Bolivia. In an attempt to promote its extremist propaganda, the Iranian regime recently launched a Spanish television network to reach a larger international audience centered in the Western Hemisphere. More embassies and cultural centers have opened in Bolivia, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Colombia, Chile, and Uruguay, in addition to its existing diplomatic missions in Cuba, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, and Venezuela. According to a U.S. intelligence analyst, these diplomatic missions are simply fronts for Iran to carry out its nefarious activities in the region and a potential platform to increase the presence of the Qods Force operatives, a designated foreign terrorist organization and an arm of the Revolutionary Guard of Iran. According to media reports, Hezbollah, which is Iran's proxy, has established a training base in Nicaragua. It is also concerning that the Ortega regime in Nicaragua does not require any visas for Iranian officials to enter the country, which can then become the gateway to enter the United States through our southern border. Ten days ago, there were news reports stating that several alleged Hezbollah members were arrested in Mexico. Iran has worked tirelessly to promote its extremist ideologies and support efforts to undermine the democratic governments throughout the region. H.R. 3783 requires the Secretary of State to outline a U.S. Government-wide strategy to fight the aggressive actions of Iran and its proxies such as Hezbollah in the Western Hemisphere toward a comprehensive policy stance that will protect U.S. security interests. This legislation calls for the administration to develop a plan to secure the U.S. borders with Canada and Mexico and to prevent operatives from entering the United States. It also calls for a plan to isolate Iran and its proxies from their sources of financial support, and it addresses efforts by foreign persons, entities, and governments in the region that may be assisting Iran in evading sanctions. Lastly, it develops a plan to protect U.S. interests and assets in our Western Hemisphere, including embassies, consulates, businesses, and cultural organizations. We must ensure that the United States is actively monitoring this threat and that it takes appropriate steps to counter the Iranian regime's agenda in our hemisphere. I strongly support the passage of this legislation. With that, Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I proudly yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Duncan), a member of our House Committee on Foreign Affairs as well as a member of the Homeland Security and Natural Resources Committees. More importantly, he is the author of this bill today.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Turner), a member on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Veterans' Affairs, and Homeland Security Committee.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, at this time we have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 526) expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with respect toward the establishment of a democratic and prosperous Republic of Georgia and the establishment of a peaceful and just resolution to the conflict with Georgia's internationally recognized borders, as amended.

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 insert extraneous material into the Record on this measure.