Brad Schneider

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, too many of our veterans struggle to find a job despite their unique leadership abilities and proven skill sets. At the same time, I hear from small businesses that our economy skills gap is widening. Manufacturers want to hire, but positions sit unfilled because they cannot find qualified workers. That is why I am proud to introduce, this week, the GI Internship Program Act. The bill brings together these two sides, veterans and our small businesses, to bridge the skills gap and expand the job opportunities available to those who served our Nation. Since 1944, we have committed to providing our returning military men and women a quality education, but not every lesson is best learned in the classroom. This legislation allows veterans to receive their post- 9/11 GI Bill benefit as a stipend while participating in a qualifying 6-month to 1-year internship or apprenticeship, at no additional cost to taxpayers. I am proud to introduce this bipartisan bill with my colleague from Florida, Congressman Ted Yoho. I encourage our colleagues to join us in support of our veterans and manufacturers on this win-win commonsense legislation.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Madam Speaker, the recent executive order signed by President Trump to ban refugees and other individuals from certain Muslim-majority nations is a shameful attempt to create a religious test for entry into our country. Rather than making our Nation safer, it discredits our heritage and undermines our shared values. The American people demonstrate these values every single day. One example: just last Friday, Synagogue Am Shalom, in the 10th District, welcomed a refugee family who fled the violence in Syria. There were 22 members of the congregation who met the family at O'Hare International Airport and greeted them with flowers, toys, and well wishes. Volunteers then brought the family to their new apartment that was full of donated furniture, clothing, and food to help them start their new life here at home. This refugee family was one of the last to arrive before President Trump slammed the door shut. Madam Speaker, I am the grandson and great-grandson of immigrants who fled the persecution of Jews in Russia a century ago in order to build a better life here for themselves and future generations. That is the American Dream. We must not allow fear to turn us inward or bar the gates to innocent refugees who seek a safe home and a better future here in America.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I ask this House to bring up H.R. 724, which would rescind President Trump's refugee ban on women like Sahar Alghnimi, who came here to care for her elderly mother who had just undergone surgery, only to be detained at O'Hare Airport and ultimately returned to Abu Dhabi.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, 44 years ago this week, the Supreme Court ruled in Roe v. Wade in favor of a woman's right to make her own decisions about her own body. It is outrageous that today, more than four decades later, President Trump and my Republican colleagues have made restricting choice their first order of business. Yesterday, President Trump signed an executive order banning health organizations that receive U.S. funding from even mentioning abortion as a medical option for their patients. And today, this House is launching a radical assault on women's health care that penalizes women and small businesses that choose private health insurance plans that cover abortion services. The effect of these unprecedented restrictions is clear: restricting the comprehensive health coverage available for women. Terminating a pregnancy is a personal choice that should be a woman's alone, made in consultation with her family and her physician. Politicians have no role in this process. I urge my colleagues to end this backward attack on women's rights and start tackling the real challenges voters sent us here to address.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, in his farewell speech, President Obama said that if anyone can put together an alternative healthcare plan that is demonstrably better and covers as many people at less cost, he would publicly support it. I feel the same way. The ACA is not perfect, and anyone who is serious about working to improve our healthcare system should count me as a willing partner. But that is not what we have heard from President-elect Trump and my Republican colleagues. Their irresponsible plan is to repeal ObamaCare and then figure out what comes next. That is like jumping ship without a life raft or a plan. Repealing ObamaCare will leave 1.2 million people in my State without health insurance, allowing insurers to again deny coverage based on preexisting conditions or put annual and lifetime caps on coverage, and deny young people the option of staying on their parents' plan. This will hurt real people who depend on the Affordable Care Act. I urge my colleagues to join me in finding ways to improve our Nation's healthcare system rather than burning it down.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 79, the Helping Angels Lead Our Startups or the HALOS Act. I was proud to have introduced this bill with Representative Chabot during the 113th Congress and have been pleased to see this commonsense legislation continue to gain bipartisan support. I want to thank Representatives Chabot and Sinema for continuing to advocate for this important legislation. Small businesses and startup companies are tremendous assets and sources of economic growth for our country. Economists have shown that when the economy is healthy, startups and young, fast-growing firms are the fundamental drivers of job creation. But to succeed, innovative entrepreneurs with ideas need access to capital. These investments give new companies the resources to take their idea from concept to startup to success. Congress should support this process and pass legislation that makes it easier for accredited investors to find creative, aspiring entrepreneurs. Unfortunately, certain legislation has had the unintended consequence of often making it more difficult for entrepreneurs and inventors to meet investors and access critical investment capital. The JOBS Act of 2012 has placed additional restrictions on individuals who want to invest in startups. This has adversely affected programs where young companies demonstrate their products and meet potential investors and mentors, and the legislation has curtailed startups' access to individual or angel investors and angel groups. During my more than two decades of business experience, I saw firsthand how angel investors often provide more than just funding for young companies. They offer wisdom, advice, and guidance as small businesses seek to grow. The HALOS Act would reopen the path for innovative individuals and young companies to more easily connect with angel investors, while still maintaining important investor protections. This bill will help small businesses better access the resources they need to thrive and ultimately create jobs, ensuring the United States remains the best place in the world to start and grow a new business. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important legislation.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Amendment III: ``No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.''

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in support of the bipartisan House Resolution 11 expressing opposition to UNSCR 2334. In the summer of 1983 I visited the Western Wall in Jerusalem, Judaism's most holy site, for the first time. Merely 17 years earlier I could not have gone to the Wall, or for that matter anywhere in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. From 1949 to 1967, when Jordan occupied Jerusalem, Jews could not visit the one place where for nearly 2000 years, they had continuously made a personal connection to their faith and their history. It is impossible to separate Jewish identity from the Western Wall, just as it is impossible to separate the Western Wall from its Jewish identity, or Jerusalem from the Jewish State of Israel. Yet this is exactly what has been happening in the United Nations for years, and exactly what the one-sided UN Resolution sought to do. In addition to seeking to declare the eastern part of Jerusalem a settlement, the resolution overwhelmingly assigns blame to Israel, while averting direct criticism of Palestinian incitement and violence. That is why last month I strongly urged President Obama to veto the resolution. The U.S. has, and must continue to seek a sustainable two-state solution with a democratic, Jewish state of Israel and a demilitarized, democratic Palestinian state living side-by-side in peace and security. But the only path to two states is through direct, bilateral negotiations between the two parties. Efforts to force a solution at the U.N. or to internationalize the issue are misguided, and risk moving peace further away, not closer. Israel is our most important strategic ally in a most important and chaotic region of the world. The United States always has and always will ensure the security of Israel. As an original co-sponsor, I call on my colleagues to join me in supporting House Resolution 11.

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, for 19 years, when Jordan occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank, Jews could not visit the Western Wall or the Jewish Quarter of the Old City. They were denied access to places where, for 2,000 years, they have continuously made a personal connection to their faith and their history. It is impossible to separate Jewish identity from the Western Wall or the Western Wall from its Jewish identity or Jerusalem from the Jewish State of Israel, yet this is exactly what has been happening in the United Nations for years and exactly what Security Council Resolution 2334 sought to do. In addition, the resolution overwhelmingly assigns blame to Israel, while avoiding direct criticism of Palestinian incitement and violence. That is why, last month, I strongly urged President Obama to veto the resolution. The U.S. has and must continue to seek a sustainable two-state solution with a democratic, Jewish State of Israel and a demilitarized democratic Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security. But the only path to two states is through direct negotiations by the two parties. Efforts to force a solution at the U.N. or internationalize the issues are misguided and risk moving peace further away. As an original cosponsor, I call on my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Res. 11.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, a little over a month ago, I attended the funeral of Javon Wilson. Javon was the grandson of my good friend, Congressman Danny Davis, and he was just 15 years old when he was shot and killed in Chicago. At the funeral, Javon's best friend remembered their talks. ``We were going to be the ones that never died . . . if we get shot, we were never going to die,'' he said. No child should grow up in a world where gun violence is so common that this talk seems normal. This week, we turn the page to a new Congress. There is no reason that commonsense measures like universal background checks, making gun trafficking a Federal crime, and reinstating the ban on military-style assault weapons should fall victim to partisan gridlock. Together, we have the opportunity to save lives and make our communities safer. This is a priority for me and my constituents, and I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to make progress on reducing gun violence and building a safer future for all our children.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise today to honor David Elbaum, an exceptional educator at Stevenson High School who was recently named the 2014 Illinois History Teacher of the Year. The child of a teacher and a social worker, David embraced his parents' commitment to dedicating themselves to careers that help and inspire others. David is currently in his 11th year as a teacher, having joined Stevenson High School after three years at Aptakisic Junior High School in Buffalo Grove. A member of Stevenson's highly collaborative U.S. history team, David received this distinction because of his tremendous achievements in education and his outstanding ability to motivate his students to excel both inside and outside the classroom. David hopes to instill in his students an appreciation of the tremendous importance and power of history. Studying American history provides us with both an understanding of our nation's past--our challenges and our successes--and a roadmap for the future. By educating his students on the extraordinary accomplishments that seemingly ordinary people have been able to achieve throughout American history, David empowers his students to pursue their passions and helps them recognize that they too have the capacity to do extraordinary things. Passionate and effective teachers have the capacity to shape the perspective and cultivate the talents of our nation's young people. This award is an appropriate recognition of David's indelible impact on the lives of his students, and his commitment to helping develop informed citizens and future leaders.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to honor Jazmin Bahena, Luz Cruz, Roberto Flores, Vanessa Flores, Maria Gaytan- Martinez, Marely Guadiana, Hansel Lopez, Mirian Lopez, Deshawn Mitchell, Stephanie Pakula, Victor Solano, Mauricio Sosa Cardenas, Fernando Tovar and Magruilio Zuniga for their admittance into the Waukegan to College program. Launched in 2009, W2C seeks to advance local students' intellectual and emotional development, cultivating a strong commitment to community and a profound belief that they can build a brighter future for themselves, their families and their communities. By establishing high academic expectations and counseling students and their families on the college application process, W2C helps students realize their full potential by making the dream of college a reality. All first-generation college students, these young people were selected for the W2C program because of their impressive academic achievements as well as their contributions to their communities. As leaders in the classroom, these students demonstrated tremendous resolve in overcoming difficult obstacles as well as dedication to positively contribute to society. In order to revitalize our communities, we must dedicate ourselves to rebuilding the ladders of opportunity so that all Americans are assured the prospect of personal advancement. This requires providing each and every child, regardless of zip code, access to a high quality, affordable education. When our nation's talented young people pursue their passions and follow their dreams, they accomplish far more than personal growth. By applying to college and achieving individual success, these young leaders embody and advance an ethos that permeates into all aspects of society. Their efforts inspire hope and promise among their families, friends and neighbors, igniting a social transformation that has the potential to dramatically reshape our local communities and our nation. These students truly are Champions of Change. I wish them all the best of luck in their future endeavors.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

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

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, this is the final amendment to the bill which will not kill the bill or send it back to committee. If adopted, the bill will immediately proceed to final passage, as amended. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the underlying bill and to the policy direction that this legislation would take us in. As I read this legislation, I asked myself a simple question: What in this bill will improve the everyday lives of my constituents? What will help make our country and our communities stronger? Unfortunately, the answer is nothing. This bill would roll back commonsense safeguards that protect the communities I represent and the Great Lakes upon which we depend from harmful pollutants emitted from powerplants. This bill would reduce the quality of our drinking water and threaten the safety of the air we breathe. This bill would deny the necessity of combating climate change through the regulation of greenhouse gases, even as the communities I represent and the communities around our country have been ravaged by unprecedented severe weather events that can only be attributed to the effects of climate change. This bill does not seek to create a healthier environment for our children; instead, it sacrifices our ability to pass to future generations their rightful legacy of a clean, healthy, and dynamic natural world. For these and other related reasons, I offer an amendment to this legislation. This amendment would seek to limit the release of toxic air pollutants around schools, hospitals, and nursing homes from the massive storage of petroleum coke in populated areas. This toxic dust, when improperly stored, can easily become an airborne pollutant which the EPA has shown to cause severe health effects to the heart and lungs. It would ensure that we safeguard our strategic resources by denying U.S. oil and gas exports from being sold to any country, company, or individual that supports or harbors terrorist organizations, including ISIS or al Qaeda. Denying our enemies these critical resources is in the vital national security interest of the United States. Finally, this amendment would empower the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to combat energy speculation which manipulates fuel prices and distorts markets, harming consumers at the gas pump. Increasing these efforts will bolster transparency for consumers while discouraging bad actors from gaming energy markets for financial gain. Like many of my colleagues in this Chamber, I want to pursue an energy policy that utilizes an all-of-the-above strategy, including renewable energy and innovative technologies to save consumers money at the pump and lower their home energy costs. Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, the underlying legislation does not achieve this goal and, in fact, would do harmful damage to our environment and the health of our communities. My amendment would be a step forward rather than several steps backward in the underlying bill. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support this commonsense amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SCHNEIDER. I am opposed in its original form.

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, our number one priority should always be strengthening our economy and expanding job growth and opportunity. That is why I launched the ``Brad At Your Business'' initiative, to hear firsthand about the opportunities and challenges facing the businesses in my district. So far I have visited more than 80 companies, speaking with owners, managers, and employees about their aspirations and needs for achieving success. I have spoken with some of the largest companies in our country, but also to small- and medium-sized businesses; second-, third-, and fourth-generation family firms, startups, advanced manufacturing companies, retail, and service firms. Throughout these visits, I have heard several recurring themes, including concerns about our growing skills gap, our aging infrastructure, the need to reform our broken immigration system, and the need to modernize our Tax Code to successfully compete in a global economy. These conversations have subsequently led to concrete actions, such as introducing the AMERICA Works Act and the LEARN Act, that will help better match worker training programs to specific employer needs. If we are to successfully lead a resurgence of the U.S. economy, we need more collaboration between our business owners, workers, and elected officials. Only by working together can we reignite social mobility, rebuild the ladders of opportunity, and achieve a more inclusive prosperity for all Americans.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Polish American Chamber of Commerce (PACC) on the occasion of its Annual Golf Outing, hosted in Riverwoods, IL, in my district. The PACC is a strong and clear voice for the Polish American business community in the Chicagoland area and an important advocate for the interests of its member companies and the working families they employ. The Chicagoland area is proudly home to one of the most prominent Polish American business communities in the country. Through a tightly-knit network of member organizations, the PACC strives to enhance the vitality of this community by facilitating cooperation, building partnerships and promoting mutually beneficial trade relations between Poland and the United States. Our business community in the Tenth District is strong because it is just that: a community. Working together and sharing strategies, being inspired by the innovation of fellow small businesses, companies in the Tenth District have fostered a community of mutual success and prosperity. It is this type of activity that the PACC promotes and is so important to our economic success in the 21st Century. Mr. Speaker, business associations like PACC are integral to driving the success of small businesses throughout our nation, which in turn will lift the rest of our economy. I thank the PACC for its work, and I wish only great success for this year's golf outing and PACC's future.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to honor Captain Jose Acosta, who will be relinquishing Command at the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center (FHCC) in the suburban Chicago district that I represent. In 2010, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Defense (DoD) opened Lovell FHCC, our nation's first integrated VA- DOD federal health care center. Lovell FHCC was the culmination of years of vision, planning and hard work. It was and is an example of excellence for all other VA and DoD health care facilities. Capt. Acosta joined Lovell FHCC in 2012 as the Commanding Officer and Deputy Director, and he was subsequently named Acting Director. In this capacity, Capt. Acosta managed the day-to-day operations of the federal health center, which provides medical care for the veterans and military families in the area. Additionally, Lovell FHCC is responsible for maintaining the military readiness of the more than 40,000 new sailors receiving basic training each year at Naval Station Great Lakes, as well as the 4,000 active duty personnel on base. Under Capt. Acosta's leadership, Lovell FHCC made the vision of an integrated health system a reality, raising the bar of achievement. Currently in its fourth year, Lovell FHCC provides world-class medical service to the veterans, active duty personnel, military family and recruits in North Chicago and the surrounding communities, holding more than 800,000 patient visits in 2013 alone. Throughout his distinguished career, Capt. Acosta has displayed extraordinary commitment to his country and dedication to his fellow soldiers. He fully embraced and brought to life Lovell FHCC's mission of ``Readying Warriors and Caring for Heroes.'' I want to personally thank Capt. Acosta for everything that he has done at Lovell FHCC, and wish him the best of luck as he continues his service as the Commanding Officer for Naval Medical Center San Diego.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my dear friend, an exceptional leader, Max Robert (Skip) Schrayer for receiving the Julius Rosenwald Memorial Award from the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago. Skip has been a leader in the Jewish community for much of life, holding formal leadership positions within the Jewish United Fund/ Jewish Federation (JUF) for more than 30 years. This commitment to strengthening the Jewish community runs deep in Skip's heritage as he is the fourth member of his family to receive this, JUF's most prestigious award. Whether it has been spearheading record fundraising efforts or co- founding the Nacshon Mission, Skip pours himself into the community and exemplifies all of the finest ideals that JUF and the Jewish community hold dear. I am grateful for Skip's friendship, and the entire JUF community is lucky to have his leadership, vision and drive. His work for humanitarian causes and determination to make a profound difference at home and around the world are inspiring and help galvanize an entire community to action. The breadth of Skip's experience, his many leadership roles and countless successes, earned him this distinct honor and the gratitude of our community. Leaders like Skip Schrayer, with their focus and passion, make the Jewish community stronger. I congratulate my good friend for receiving the Julius Rosenwald Memorial Award, and I look forward to Skip's many successes still ahead.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the 40th anniversary of Turkey's occupation of Cyprus. In July 1974, Turkish forces invaded the Republic of Cyprus under the auspices of protecting Turkish Cypriots, dividing the nation and assuming control of one-third of the island. During the occupation, more than 5,000 Cypriots died and approximately 170,000 Greek- Cypriots fled their homes, forced to abandon their property and sacrifice many of their possessions. In the wake of the invasion, more than 1,500 Greek- Cypriots remained missing. To this day, Cyprus continues to try and locate the remains of the missing and provide some closure to the families. Despite the international community's expressed opposition to Turkey's invasion, the self-proclaimed ``Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus'' has declared independence from the Republic of Cyprus for 40 years. The status quo is untenable. Cyprus must achieve a resolution satisfactory to all Cypriots, which invariably necessitates a unified republic, free from foreign occupation. I applaud the Cyprus Government's recent attempt to reignite the negotiating process by proposing a series of bold, innovative confidence building measures. I call on Turkish Cypriots to abandon their intransigence and begin working constructively to achieve a comprehensive settlement. For more than fifty years, Cyprus has been an invaluable, reliable American ally in the Middle East. We must stand with Cyprus and support its efforts to retain its rightful sovereignty.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise today to honor Stephen Bero, an exceptional public servant who, for more than 20 years, worked in library administration and for the last nearly 10 served years as the Executive Director of the Warren-Newport Public Library District (WNPLD) in Gurnee, IL. When Steve formally retires at the end of July, he will complete what has been a truly remarkable career in service to his community. During his tenure as Executive Director, Steve presided over the WNPLD during a period of remarkable growth and financial stability. Steve successfully shepherded an $8.7 million expansion and renovation project, securing a AA+ bond rating from Standard & Poor's as well as favorable financing options that made the project possible. In addition to his many noteworthy financial accomplishments, Steve fostered an incredibly positive environment at the library that earned the recognition and appreciation of his colleagues and the surrounding community. Steve's colleagues noted his successful leadership during the construction, along with his decision to reinstate the Youth Services department. Under Steve's stewardship, WNPLD has become one of the most popular public libraries in all of Lake County. In a fitting conclusion to Steve's tenure at WNLPD, the Illinois Library Association named him the 2014 Librarian of the Year. The entire Warren-Newport community is lucky to have enjoyed Steve Bero's service.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise today to honor the Round Lake Area Park District, and to commemorate its 40th Anniversary. For four decades, the Round Lake Area Park District has been an integral part of the surrounding community, providing unique recreational and environmental opportunities as well as important support programs and services. In March 1974, members of the Round Lake, Round Lake Beach, Round Lake Heights, Round Lake Park and Hainesville communities banded together to create the Round Lake Park District. In the forty years that followed, the Round Lake Park District has expanded dramatically, increasingly assuming more land, constructing new facilities and providing a greater number of programs and recreational opportunities. Along with the public parks, golf courses and green spaces, the Round Lake Area Park District offers a tremendous amount of services and opportunities that reflect the values of our communities. In the 1980s, the park district expanded recreational services to individuals with disabilities. In the 1990s, it created facilities to promote the importance of environmental sustainability. In the 2000s, it increased the resources and programs available to local teens, and established the Huebner Fishery Management Foundation. For forty years, the Round Lake Park District has been a tremendous source of pride for the Round Lake area, fostering a profound sense of community, harmony and cultural understanding. I am confident that it will continue to serve this vital purpose for decades to come.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. With more than 319 cosponsors in the House, I hope that this body will strongly support its passage, and that the Senate will move swiftly to enact legislation as well.

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4411, the Hezbollah International Financing Prevention Act. I would particularly like to thank the ranking member for the time this afternoon and for the tremendous bipartisan support shown in the Foreign Affairs Committee to address one of our most critical national security challenges. The way this committee has run, both by the ranking member and the chairman, making a difference and taking the challenges of our world in a bipartisan way is most remarkable and worthy of our Nation. I want to thank my friend, Mark Meadows, along with the chairman and ranking member, for their tireless efforts on this important piece of legislation. I would also like to thank the outstanding effort of the majority and minority staff, along with Mr. Meadows' staff and my own team, who have put so much time and effort into perfecting this bill. The United States has designated Hezbollah as a terrorist organization since 1995. As earlier noted, with the sole exception of al Qaeda, Hezbollah is responsible for more American deaths abroad than any other terrorist organization. The legislation we are considering today would give the administration the means necessary to combat Hezbollah's global financial network. The bill not only broadens the Treasury Department's ability to sanction Hezbollah finances, but it also gives the administration another tool to go after Hezbollah for its narcotics and counterfeit goods trafficking. Furthermore, the bill cripples Al-Manar, a television station that broadcasts pro-Hezbollah propaganda around the area. The Hezbollah International Financing Prevention Act is a leap forward in combating the threat of global terrorist financing. We have known for years that the international organization Hezbollah has planned, funded, and executed terrorist attacks in the Middle East, Europe, and the Western Hemisphere. It continues to use underground networks and elicit materials to fundraise its global instability efforts. It has used U.S. and European banks along with their subsidiaries to hide and launder money out of the South American and European finance arenas, financing thousands of Hezbollah operatives around the globe. One need only look at some of Hezbollah's attacks to understand the true threat they pose to U.S. national security. In 1983, Hezbollah bombed the U.S. barracks in Beirut, Lebanon, killing 241 Marines. In 1992, Hezbollah bombed the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires, killing 29. Twenty years ago last year, in 1994, Hezbollah bombed the AMIA Jewish cultural center in Argentina, killing 85. In 2006, Hezbollah operatives conducted cross-border raids into Israel, kidnapping IDF soldiers, which led to a 34-day military conflict between Israel and Lebanon. In 2011, reports indicated that Hezbollah was behind a bombing in Istanbul that wounded eight Turkish citizens. In 2012, authorities apprehended a Hezbollah operative planning terrorist activity in Cyprus against civilian commercial airlines. In 2012, Hezbollah bombed a bus in Burgas, Bulgaria, killing six Israeli tourists and the Bulgarian bus driver. Mr. Speaker, these are just a scarce few of the activities of Hezbollah that have targeted U.S. interests or our allies around the world. In particular, over the last 2 weeks, we have seen the incredible destabilizing force that Iran continues to play in the Middle East. Stockpiles of Iranian-made rockets have allowed Hamas and Islamic Jihad to put all of Israel's major population centers under threat of indiscriminate attack on civilians. In the last 2 weeks alone, over 2,000 rockets have rained down on Israel. In Lebanon, the threat is even greater. Hezbollah maintains a massive stockpile of Iranian arms with greater range and far greater lethality than those launched from Gaza. Tens of thousands of rockets are aimed at Israel and could be unleashed at any moment. That is why, today, it is such a critical first step towards thwarting the unrelenting force. The sanctions included in this legislation will stem the ability of Hezbollah to purchase arms and employ operatives throughout the Middle East and the rest of the globe. We can and must do more to stem the global financing of these activities. Today, we have that opportunity, and I hope that you will join us in combating this pressing threat to U.S. national security. The Hezbollah International Financing Prevention Act provides the administration with vital tools to go after financial institutions and satellite providers that deliver material support and propaganda tools to Hezbollah. This important effort will result in fewer resources falling into the hands of terrorists, who have shown great resilience in attacking Western targets, in addition to the destabilizing efforts in the Middle East. I want to thank the chairman and ranking member again, along with my friend, Mark Meadows, for working with us to introduce this important legislation.