▶ 0:00:09I don't know.
▶ 0:03:31right, let's do it.
▶ 0:03:36Quarum being present. Committee on foreign affairs will come to order. I ask that all members stand to recite the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
▶ 0:04:12All right. Committee is meeting today for consideration of HR5490, the Dismantle Foreign Scam Syndicates Act, HR6297, the Protecting Europe from Anti-Semitic Crime and Extremism Act, HR4291, the Sanctions List Harmonization Act, HR1848, the Houthy Human Rights Accountability Act, HR6347, the Global Child Thrive Reauthorization Act of 2025, HR5021, the American Decade
▶ 0:04:42of Sports Act, Act HR4413, the End Cypress Embargo Act, the Thrron Incitement to Violence Act, the Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act of 2025, and HR6338, the Stop Illegal Fishing Act. The chair announces that any request for recorded votes may be rolled and he may recess the committee at any point without objection. So ordered.
▶ 0:05:10Pursuant to House rules, I request that members have the opportunity to submit views for any committee report that may be produced on today's measures without objection. So ordered. Lastly, pursuant to committee rules, all members may have 5 days to submit statements and extraneous materials for the record subject to length limitations. Without objection. So ordered.
▶ 0:05:32Pursuant to notice, I now call up the Dismantle Foreign Scam Syndicates Act. The bill was circulated in advance, and the clerk shall designate the bill. to establish an inter agency task force to dismantle and shut down transnational criminal syndicates perpetuating mass online scam operations against Americans.
▶ 0:05:56Without objection, the first reading is dispensed with and the bill is considered read and open to amendment at any points. Is there any discussion on the bill? I will uh recognize myself for a couple of minutes here. [clears throat] Thank you. I think this is one of the most important pieces of legislation we can look at.
▶ 0:06:21We deal with a lot of things uh Republicans and Democrats on foreign affairs, but we're not always dealing with things where Americans are actually victims. And when we're talking about these scam syndicates, we are talking about our friends, our neighbors, our family members, people in our community that are very literally victims of people in other countries. Uh and it's it's a big deal.
▶ 0:06:48I want to thank my colleague uh Jefferson Shrieve for leading this important piece of legislation. You've done yman work on this and I really appreciate the work. Over the past three years, Chinese criminal organizations in Southeast Asia have started online scan operations at a really an unprecedented scale. These scam centers, they're not a teenager working in their mom's basement.
▶ 0:07:15We have some of the pictures of them behind behind me if you can see them. These are industrialized operations. They are the size of entire apartment complexes, communities. There are hundreds of them, not just one or two of them that that operate around the world to go and take advantage of people. They're they're compounds. They've sprung up across Southeast Southeast Asia in Burma, in Cambodia, in Laos in particular. They're massive.
▶ 0:07:44Uh they're, like I said, they they often contain thousands of scammers working 24 hours a day. These images behind me, they're two large scam centers in Cambodia and Burma. Many people think that uh, you know, when they hear about these phone scams, like I said, it's just a, you know, a oneoff or a couple people that are part of a small operation.
▶ 0:08:04These are massive massive operations often getting their energy and their support from the governments of the countries that they are operating in. They are supported by governments. The reality is is these these scams, these criminal conducts, these organizations, they are incredibly sophisticated and by posing as uh love interests or business associates.
▶ 0:08:27They persuade unsuspecting people to deposit their cryptocurrency into faith investment platforms or find other mechanisms to otherwise steal their savings. Think of the unimaginable loss suffered by someone who's been scammed out of their life savings. Since 2023, Americans have lost at least $16 billion dollar at the hands of these scam syndicates and their corrupt governments that protect them.
▶ 0:08:5516 billion dollars in lost savings of hardworking Americans. Uh Americans are being targeted by foreign criminals uh with with some very serious and devastating results. And to make matters worse, these scam centers used forced labor in many cases to run these scams around the clock. Uh around 300,000 victims of human trafficking are imprisoned inside of these kinds of massive compounds that we show these pictures of.
▶ 0:09:23And if they don't hit their quotas, they're tortured or they're killed or they're otherwise somehow suffering in an even worse way. Cambodia and Burma are both state sponsors of human trafficking. Government officials in both countries are complicit in this crisis have have already been sanctioned by the United States under both Democrat and Republican administrations.
▶ 0:09:47The US government has taken many other strong actions already against these scam centers this year, but there has to be more that's done. This bill crucially codifies an inter agency task force and strategy to address this urgent national security threat. And once again, I want to thank my colleague Jefferson Shrie, for leading this effort, and I strongly support it. Do any other members seek Are there any amendments?
▶ 0:10:19Do you seek recognition?
▶ 0:10:23I have an amendment also
▶ 0:10:24only on the uh only only in the bill offered by Mr. Shre. Okay. So, we'll go to the amendment. All right. Uh do you have an amendment?
▶ 0:10:32Um yeah, Mr. Chairman, um I firstly I appreciate the
▶ 0:10:37one second. We're going to designate the amendment, I believe. Is that correct? Clerk shall distribute the shrieve amendment in the nature of a substitute.
▶ 0:10:46The amendment has been distributed by electronic device.
▶ 0:10:49Clerk shall report the amendment.
▶ 0:10:54Amendment in the nature of a substitute to HR5490 offered by Mr. Shrieve. Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
▶ 0:11:01without objection. Further reading of the amendment is dispensed with. Representative Shrie is recognized for five minutes.
▶ 0:11:08Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Again, I appreciate the uh the vigorous introduction um of 5490. You know, since taking office in January, uh I've heard from Hoosiers across my district in Indiana, sharing the constant stream of scam calls and texts uh that they've received. I've experienced the same myself.
▶ 0:11:26Many are are are small uh uh speed cam or toll road scams uh and many uh much greater in uh in magnitude and the the the scope of service. These schemes have grown increasingly sophisticated and they are certain to spiral up in sophistication. Uh often nearly impossible to discern from from from real traffic.
▶ 0:11:51Authentically, I didn't fully understand where these scams originated when I investigated this issue earlier this year. What I learned is that many scams from these massive industrial scale scam centers operate in countries such as Burma, Lao, Cambodia, uh where corruption and has allowed these criminal oper operations to flourish.
▶ 0:12:13Under the military huta, Burma has become the global hub of the multi-billion dollar scamming industry with an estimated 120,000 scammers generating about 15 billion annually. In Cambodia, corrupt officials allow scam centers to operate openly, raking in roughly 12 billion a year, which we'd estimate about half of their GDP. China plays a central role in the rise of this industry.
▶ 0:12:39Chinese state-owned enterprises have used the Belt and Road Initiative contracts to construct these massive scam compounds in these countries where human trafficking has forced countless souls into scamming operations under threat of torture. The impact on Americans, on my constituents, on Mr. Zinci's constituents, on Mr. Castro's constituents is simply staggering.
▶ 0:13:02The FBI reports that Americans lost, as the chairman just noted, roughly 17 billion dollars to scams in 2024 with Indiana being the second most targeted state per capita. This means real world impacts for everyday Americans. My constituents and my colleagues, families lose their homes, retirees see their savings vanish overnight, and countless innocent victims are left with little to nothing.
▶ 0:13:28My dismantling foreign sim scand syndicates act establishes an inter agency task force chaired by our secretary of state to dismantle and shut down the transnational criminal syndicates perpetuating mass online scam operations. Simply put, it protects trusting Americans from sophisticated scams.
▶ 0:13:50This governmentwide task force will investigate and respond to the Chinese Communist Party's involvement, build the capacity of trusted law enforcement partners, harness offensive cyber capabilities, and convene a coalition of like-minded foreign allies and partners to combat transnational criminal organizations.
▶ 0:14:09These criminal scammers inflict untold misery by stealing billions from hardworking Americans and countless uh uh folks abroad and traffic hundreds of thousands of victims globally. This is not just a consumer protection uh bill. It's a matter of national security and human rights and we as members of Congress must respond. I encourage all of my committee colleagues to support this bipartisan bill. I yield the remainder of my time. Mr.
▶ 0:14:40Chairman, if I may speak directly then to the amendment in the nature of the substitute.
▶ 0:14:48You were just speaking. We recognized your amendment and you were speaking on the just now. So,
▶ 0:14:54uh, you still have a minute remaining if you want to speak.
▶ 0:14:57Yes, sir. Uh I appreciate the chair and ranking member Meeks for working with me and my team on the amendment to ensure we produce strong bipartisan support on the issue of this fundamentally nonpartisan uh bill. While this amendment preserves many of the core elements of the original bill, it removes a specific list of individuals from the sanctioned section. I want to be clear, the removal of this list does not mean individuals named are model citizens.
▶ 0:15:23Since the bill was introduced, the Treasury Department has already sanctioned several of the individuals previously listed. This includes the Prince Group, Chenzee, Inara, and others. Now, I look forward to continuing to work with both the chair and ranking member to ensure the administration evaluates whether each additional individual on the list needs and meets the statutory criteria for the imposition of sanctions. I urge support of the amendment and I yield back.
▶ 0:15:49The gentleman yields back. Do any other members seek recognition? Ranking member
▶ 0:15:54Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am support I support Representative Shi's ANS and I want to thank him uh as well as you, Chairman, for working with me to come to an agreement on this important bill. PRC link scam centers have spread across Southeast Asia, exploiting instability, corruption, and weak governance in Cambodia, Laos, and conflict torn Burma. These are mammoth compounds containing thousands of people, many of whom have been forced into this work.
▶ 0:16:22These compounds have become a hotbed of all kinds of transnational crime, human trafficking, narcotics trafficking, money laundering, and much, much more. This is now a $40 billion industry and is growing fast. These scams cost Americans more than 10 billion dollars last year alone, shattering families and in too many cases the tragic loss of life. Enough is enough.
▶ 0:16:53We need to send a message to these Chinese criminal networks that they cannot continue stealing from the American people with impunity or enslaving and torturing these workers. I was disappointed that the majority removed the provision that would authorize 60 million in funding needed to carry out the kinds of programming the bill calls for, countering scam centers, bolstering law enforcement corporation, and protecting the victims of trafficking and forced
▶ 0:17:23Still, this bill will help. It will help protect Americans and it will clamp down on these PRCbacked operations that are destabilizing the entire region. Therefore, I urge all of my colleagues to support this ANS and I yield back the balance of my time.
▶ 0:17:40Gentleman yields back. Any other members seek recognition? Mr. Davidson,
▶ 0:17:45I move to strike the last word. And I want to speak in support of Mr. Shre's bill. This is a great bill. uh as chairman of national security and elicit finance, these scam centers have become one of the central focuses in the House Financial Services Committee as well as here on the foreign affairs committee. And these are transnational criminal organizations. Uh and the threat they pose, I think is accurately captured by the spirit of the bill, by the messages in support of it.
▶ 0:18:13And frankly, I haven't found a gap anywhere on this issue. Uh I think this may be one of the most unifying things in Congress. So that's refreshing. It's hard to find issues like that. And so I congratulate you for uh this bill, Mr. Shreves. I urge all our colleagues to support it. I mean, just in October, uh the largest seizure ever by the Department of Justice, over 127,000 Bitcoin from a scam center in Cambodia.
▶ 0:18:40That's over 15 billion dollars uh seized. And it was, you know, by a guy who's still at large, Chen Xi, uh, who's the founder of Cambodian conglomerate Prince Holding Group. He was charged in Brooklyn. And I think the thing that, you know, has been stated by Mr. Shreves and now Mr. Meeks, that can't be stated enough, the scam itself is bad. There are people who are being defrauded and you have individual cases that are overwhelming our state and local law enforcement.
▶ 0:19:11uh because it might be 50,000 here, 20,000 there, uh or a million in another place. But when you add it all up, the scope for America last year was over 10 billion. The scope around the world is huge. And the exploitation doesn't stop with the victims of the scam. Overwhelmingly, the people operating the scams are captured. They're slave labor, and they earn their freedom, maybe if they scam enough people.
▶ 0:19:40This is a horrific situation for everyone that's involved. And uh I think that the scary thing here is you have nation state sponsors where significant portions of some of these countries a significant portion of their GDP comes from illicit And we need to make it clear that the priority for the United States is we view you as co-conspirators with the operators of these scam scam centers. You're holding people captive.
▶ 0:20:10You better never consider holding an American captive. But we're not indifferent to other captives either. So we should liberate all these people who are being held in slave labor conditions and they're being tortured beyond that because they know they're stealing the life savings from innocent victims. In this case in Cambodia, it was a pig butchering scheme. Uh that means that they don't just steal the money once. They build a relationship.
▶ 0:20:36They establish rapport and trust and they go for the bigger score in a long-term play. It's a very devious action. And here's the other thing. Sometimes in the US, it's tempting to go after, say, the bank that sent the wire transfer. Well, the bank did what you said. If you're the client and you're being scammed, um it's a it's it's horrific situation for the bank, too, because you have, you know, say say a grandma who's being scammed out of $50,000.
▶ 0:21:06She goes to the bank and says, "No, I really want you to send this money to this address." They do all the safeguards and we have some, but sometimes they still say, "Yeah, I want you to send the wire." And they do it and then people are mad at the bank. And I understand why you should be mad because you were just But the the direction here needs to be laser focused on the perpetrators of the scam because the banks are victimized too. Uh this happens with with uh crypto bit Bitcoin ATMs.
▶ 0:21:36How did they get 127,000 Bitcoin? They found people to go deposit cash in a Bitcoin ATM. And the Bitcoin ATM operator also does some screening. Are you sure this is what you want to do? Are you sure this is where you want the money to go? And they provide a service. Now, they charge for the service just like banks charge for the service. Um and and the customer says, "Yeah, that's what I really want to do." and they do it.
▶ 0:22:02Well, the ATM operator did the service you contracted them to do. I understand why you would be mad if you're the victim of this, but let's be clear, the real perpetrator of this in this case in in the charge sheet anyway is Cheni and Prince Holding Group in Cambodia. But there are tons of these things around the world and I think we're right to target them with a whole of government approach. The federal government also needs to be a better resource for state and local governments to organize the effort here and we're working on that in our committee.
▶ 0:22:33So for everyone that wants to have input on that, please reach out to our staff because we're working on a financial services product that complements it. Uh I urge everyone to support it and I yield back.
▶ 0:22:43Gentleman yields back. Any other members seek recognition?
▶ 0:22:47Representative McBride.
▶ 0:22:48Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh, I too am proud to join in support of my colleague, Representative Shreb's Dismantle Foreign Scam Syndicates Act. This bipartisan bill would provide the US government with tools to effectively target foreign criminal organizations that prey on Delawarians and many Americans by scamming them out of their hard-earned money. These scams are well known to everyone. I just received a scam call on my way here in the Capitol.
▶ 0:23:15Not only are we all tired of annoying calls and texts, but these criminal organizations truly prey on the most vulnerable in our society, especially the elderly. All as has been mentioned, while trafficking innocent people to do their dirty work. According to the FTC, Delawarians lost more than $34 million to scams in 2024. And this problem is only getting worse.
▶ 0:23:40I'm glad to see that Democrats and Republicans can come together to find solutions to problems like this one that all of our constituents share. This bill will improve coordination with our allies around the world, identify and hold these nefarious actors accountable, and establish a framework to assist Americans in recovering their stolen assets. We must ensure that Delawarians and all Americans are not scammed out of their hardearned living.
▶ 0:24:04As a member of the bipartisan stop scams caucus, I believe this bill will improve the lives of my constituents and all Americans. And I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield back the balance.
▶ 0:24:17The other members seek recognition.
▶ 0:24:21Yeah. Amendment on ANS.
▶ 0:24:23One moment. Nobody else seeks recognition. Very good. Being no further discussion, do any other members wish to offer an amendment to the Shreve amendment in the nature of a substitute? I have amendment number 75 to ANS.
▶ 0:24:37Clerk shall distribute the amendment. Clerk shall report the amendment. Amendment to the amendment in the nature of a substitute to HR5490 offered by Mr. Castro of Texas. Insert after section 8 the following section. Section nine, satellite imagery access to monitor human rights abuses related to scam centers in Southeast Asia. Access to satellite imagery.
▶ 0:25:03The Secretary of State is authorized to provide to non-governmental or organizations and research institutions access to current and archival highresolution satellite imagery for the purposes of monitoring and documenting human rights abuses related to the operation of online scam centers in Southeast Asia. Report.
▶ 0:25:20Without objection, further reading of the amendment is dispensed with. Representative is recognized. Uh thank you, Chairman, and thank you, Representative Shri, for authoring this important legislation. Uh just as across the country, there are many in Texas who get scammed on all sorts of different kinds of phone calls and texts and outreach over the internet uh and lose in Texas probably hundreds of millions of dollars every year. So, thank you for this legislation.
▶ 0:25:46And quite honestly, I it's the kind of thing I wish we spent more time in Congress working on things that really affect um all of our constituents. So, this this legislation takes long overdue action to confront a disturbing and fast growing threat, transnational criminal syndicates, often backed by Chinese networks running massive scam compounds in Southeast Asia.
▶ 0:26:08These operations defraud Americans out of billions of dollars, launder illicit funds across borders, and rely on the forced labor of human trafficking victims to operate. It's a toxic convergence of cyber fraud, human trafficking, and state corruption, and demands a whole of government response. I strongly support the creation of a US inter agency task force and the strategic tools that this bill provides, including sanctions, law enforcement cooperation, and support for trafficking survivors.
▶ 0:26:36But we must also make sure that abuses don't go unseen. That's why I'm offering an amendment that directs the State Department to expand access to satellite imagery for researchers and NOS's documenting human rights violations at these scam centers. These compounds are often remote, fortified, and shielded from press or outside monitors. But from space, we can track their construction, monitor activity patterns, and support investigators working to expose atrocities.
▶ 0:27:05This approach has been highly effective in trafficking human rights abuses in Shing Jang, North Korea, Sudan, and in Southeast Asia. With this amendment, we can provide the human rights community with tools to document and report abuses that would otherwise remain secret. Under this legislation, the State Department would reserve the ability to decide when and with whom the satellite imagery will be shared. I urge my colleagues to support both the underlying bill and my amendment. Let's send a clear message.
▶ 0:27:33The United States will not turn a blind eye to modern slavery, digital predation, and the exploitation of vulnerable people across borders. I yield back, chairman. Gentleman yields back. Recognize myself for a moment. I thank you for your amendment. I support your amendment. Uh and I think it's a a good addition to working to deal with this problem that where Americans are very specifically targeted. Obviously, others across the world are targeted as well.
▶ 0:28:01Uh but we're dealing with a situation where our constituents, our friends, our neighbors, our family members are are targeted uh in any which way that somebody can get a hold of them via text, via email, via uh via, you know, probably snail mail, anything that they can do to to get a hold of somebody and scam them, steal their money. I just want to say I look forward to continuing to work with you, Representative Shrie, and Representative Meeks and Representative Castro, and anybody else that wants to work on this issue.
▶ 0:28:29It's uh very worthy of of our time. And uh do any other members seek recognition?
▶ 0:28:36Representative Representative Be ahead. I support Representative Castro's amendment. Civil society and research organizations can be a critical partner and force multiplier for the United States interests and values if we support them in helping document human rights abuses and scam center operations in Southeast Asia.
▶ 0:28:57In the past, the State Department has provided NOS's access to highfrequency, highresolution satellite imagery to document human rights abuses in specific conflict zones around the world. Doing so in this case of scam centers, as this amendment authorizes, would enable civil society partners to track and expose scam center operations and document human trafficking, forced labor, and other human rights abuses.
▶ 0:29:26This is a sensible and straightforward thing to do. So I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.
▶ 0:29:33Ranking member yields back. Uh representative self.
▶ 0:29:38Uh thank you chairman. I just have a question of my colleague. The original bill uh had a total authorization of 60 million. I believe that the ANS strips that out. Is that correct?
▶ 0:29:49Correct. Correct.
▶ 0:29:51Thank you. I yield back.
▶ 0:29:53You will. Any other members seek recognition? Representative Sharief.
▶ 0:29:58Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh, I simply want to thank Representative Castro for offering this amendment. Quite simply, it makes this bill better and stronger, and I urge adoption. Uh, and yield back. Any other members seek recognition. There being no further discussion, the question now occurs on the amendment offered by Representative Castro. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. All those opposed signify by saying no. the opinion of the chair. The eyes have it and the amendment is agreed to.
▶ 0:30:32Are there any further amendments? There being no further amendments, the question now occurs on the amendment in the nature of the substitute offered by Representative Shrieve. All those in favor signify by saying I.
▶ 0:30:48I. All those opposed signify by saying no. In the opinion of the chair, the eyes have it and the amendment is agreed There being no further amendments, I move that the committee report HR5490 as amended to the House with a favorable recommendation. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. All those opposed signify by saying no.
▶ 0:31:17opinion of the chair. The eyes have it and the motion is agreed to.
▶ 0:31:24Mr. Chairman, may I request a recorded
▶ 0:31:27You may request a roll call vote. A roll call vote has been requested pursuant to the chair's previous announcement. That vote will be postponed. Pursuant to notice, I now call up the Protecting Europe from Anti-Semitic Crime and Extremism Act. The bill was circulated in advance, so the clerk shall designate the bill.
▶ 0:31:47HR 6297 to require the Department of State to provide briefings on anti-semitism in Europe.
▶ 0:31:53Without objection, the first reading is dispensed with and the bill is considered read and open to amendment at any point. Without objection, the fine amendment in the nature of a substitute circulated to members in advance shall be considered as read and will be treated as original text for the purpose of the amendment. I now recognize myself for a couple of minutes. Thank you.
▶ 0:32:20Anti-semitism and international terrorism in Europe, they are very real threats. They undermine regional stability, transatlantic security, and safety of the American citizens living and traveling abroad. For instance, after October 7, Hamas barbaric attack in Israel, France experienced over 1,000 anti-semitic incidents in just one month that were reported.
▶ 0:32:48That doesn't count all the ones that went unreported. while Germany saw over a 240% increase. These numbers show the rapid escalation of anti-semitic violence and the spread of international terrorism. Some more recent additional examples illustrate this trend. October 2, 2025, a deadly anti-semitic attack at Manchester synagogue during Yam Kapour killed two and injured two others.
▶ 0:33:16In March 2025, a 22-year-old was arrested in Madrid for attempting to set fire to the Raman Kosher, a busy kosher restaurant. Authorities charged him with anti-semitic hate crime, an attempted murder, and arson. This bill, it builds upon the Trump administration's efforts to confront anti-semitism and strengthen counterterrorism abroad. It ensures continued US diplomatic engagement with European allies and requires regular consultations with Congress.
▶ 0:33:46I want to thank my colleague, the co the sponsor of this bill, Representative Fine, for his leadership on this issue and I urge my colleagues to support this Is there any further discussion? Representative Fine, you are recognized.
▶ 0:34:06Well, thank you, Mr. chairman and and I want to thank you for for agendaing this bill to be heard today. Um, one would have thought that October 7th would have resulted in less anti-semitism in the world, the world's worst attack against Jews since the Holocaust, more Jews dying on any day since the Holocaust, one would have thought would have created an outpouring of of sympathy and a heightened need to deal with anti-semitism. But in Europe, that is not what happened.
▶ 0:34:35As the chairman so aptly described, a study conducted by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights recorded an increase of 400% in anti-semitism since October 7th, 2023. of European Jews, effectively all of them said they encounter anti-semitism in their daily lives.
▶ 0:34:56Now I can give statistic after statistic after statistic but I think it is more useful to reflect upon the actual stories of what has happened to to marvel at the fact in 2023 in 2024 and in 2025 we can see the likes that we have not seen since the 1930s in Europe.
▶ 0:35:16On November 8th, 2024 in Amsterdam, there was a pilgrim, what they called a Jew hunt, where dozens of Israeli soccer fans were chased through Amsterdam by a mob of over 100 people screaming free Palestine. In November of 2024 in Berlin, 13-year-old boys from a Jewish soccer team, 13year-old children were pursued by adult men yelling free Palestine.
▶ 0:35:44In Milan, in September of 2025, asalants unleashed a vicious dog on a group of visibly Orthodox Jews. In September of 2025, feces was smeared on Jewish sites in England. In November of 2025, an Israeli victim's memorial in Rome was defaced. In July of 2025, 50 French Jewish children were kicked off of an airplane in Spain after one uttered simply a Hebrew word.
▶ 0:36:16So this is a real problem. But for those who believe this does not simply affect this only affects Europeans, it affects Americans as well. Less than one month ago on October 10th, 2025, a Pakistani Muslim while screaming Allahu Akbar attacked an American in Milan, Italy for having the crime of simply looking orthodox because of his attire. Anti-semitism is real.
▶ 0:36:46It is on the rise, accompanied by the rise of mainstream Islam in Europe. And it is something that we must deal with to protect not only Jews but to protect all Americans wherever they may be. This bill directs the State Department to address that growing threat of anti-semitism to make clear to our European allies that the conduct that they have allowed to take place within their countries is simply unacceptable.
▶ 0:37:12After this assessment, the assistant secretary for European and Eurasian affairs will engage with those countries that are identified as countries of apparent concern and ask for their cooperation in countering this rising anti-semitism. And it will require those individuals to pro provide a briefing to both our committee and our Senate counterpart to make sure we are up to date on what these European countries are doing.
▶ 0:37:36But make no mistake, and let me say this loudly and clearly, what these European countries have allowed to take place in their countries is unacceptable. And we should be warned that where anti-semitism rears its ugly head, societal collapse soon comes thereafter. That's what we've seen in 3,000 years of anti-semitism around the world.
▶ 0:37:58So, I again want to thank the chairman for bringing this bill up, for making it a priority, for allowing us to say to our friends in Europe that what they have allowed is simply unacceptable and that we in the United States will be watching. And with that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
▶ 0:38:15Representative yields back. Do any other members seek recognition? Ranking member
▶ 0:38:19Thank you, Mr. Mr. Chairman. I support this bill and the ANS that follows, I acts of uh anti-semitism are definitively on the rise globally. This is certainly true in Europe with rise of fringe political movements, particularly far-right groups are increasingly picking up steam and hearkening back to unacceptable political rhetoric of old.
▶ 0:38:46And in other debates about or criticisms of the policies and conduct of the government of Israel in Gaza and the West Bank have been manipulated manip manipulated and used as excuses for hateful acts against Jews around the world. Combating has been, is, and will always be a priority for me.
▶ 0:39:16And our voices must be heard. Not just voices of those that might have Jewish heritage, but voices of all human beings. We cannot tolerate a world where hate and anti-semitism This should be true for any Democratic and or Republican administration. It should be a central element of the United States foreign policy. forever.
▶ 0:39:47This bill calls for the State Department to assess the threat of anti-semitism in Europe and requires consultation with Congress on addressing these threats. And therefore, I strongly support this bill. I yield back the balance of my Rank member yields back. Do any other members seek recognition?
▶ 0:40:16Very good, Representative Schneider.
▶ 0:40:20Uh, thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh, the one thing we know is that anti-semitism in Europe is not new. Uh, it dates back many, many centuries. And, uh, as my colleague on the other side said, it doesn't end with the Jews. It starts with the Jews all too often. Uh, my grandmother was born in uh, in Kev in the early 1900s.
▶ 0:40:44her family, her her parents and her four siblings at the time uh left because of the pilgrims attacking the Jewish community. In 2015, I went to Paris uh shortly after the bombing of the hypercashair uh supermarket in Charlie Abdo or the attack in the hyper market in Charlie Abdo and spoke with the uh Jewish community uh in Europe in in Paris and their concerns and we've seen that only rise.
▶ 0:41:13In fact, anti-semitism in Europe is rising once again to levels that endanger Jewish communities all across the continent, destabilizing our closest allies and threatening transatlantic Section two of this bill directs the assistant secretary for European and Eurasian affairs to assess that the threat and engage diplomatically with governments where the danger is most acute. That is a basic oversight function, something Congress should always be doing.
▶ 0:41:43But the context matters here. This legislation would not be necessary if the Trump administration had not spent the past year gutting and destroying the civilian institutions that detect, track, and counter violent freezing assistance, hollowing out USAD, dismantling the State Department's capacity to analyze trends in anti-semitisms in anti-semitism. These are choices and these choices create blind spots that the extremists are using to exploit.
▶ 0:42:13When the administration undermines independent institutions at home while ignoring anti-semitism abroad, Congress has an obligation to step in. This bill does something narrow but important. It restores a channel of structured consultation between the State Department and Congress, ensuring we receive honest reporting on the threats that Europe is struggling to contain. It also signals that protecting Jewish communities is not an option optional diplomatic tea task.
▶ 0:42:44It is core to transatlantic security and the executive branch must be held accountable for delivering on that responsibility. I support the bill and I appreciate the effort to keep it tightly focused on oversight rather than political theater. The fight against anti-semitism requires competent institutions, sustained diplomacy, and seriousness of purpose. This legislation helps move us back into that direction. I yield back. Representative yields back. Do any other members seek recognition?
▶ 0:43:15There being no further discussion of the bill, the committee will move to consideration of amendments. Does any member wish to offer an amendment? There being no further amendments, I move that the committee report HR6297 as amended to the House with a favorable recommendation. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. All those opposed signify by saying no. In the opinion of the chair, the eyes have it and the motion is agreed to.
▶ 0:43:45Mr. Wilson
▶ 0:43:47like to request a recorded vote.
▶ 0:43:49A recorded vote has been requested. A roll call vote has been requested pursuant to the chair's previous announcement. This vote will be
▶ 0:44:04Thank you. Pursuant to notice, I now call up the Sanctions List harmonization act. The bill was circulated in advance and the clerk shall designate the bill
▶ 0:44:18HR 4291 to require a review of whether individuals or entities subject to the imposition of certain sanctions through inclusion on certain sanctions lists should also be subject to the imposition of other sanctions and included on other sanctions lists.
▶ 0:44:32Without objection, first reading is dispensed with and the bill is considered read and open to amendment at any point. And I now recognize myself for a statement. The executive branch has various blacklists for foreign adversary entities that are threats to the United States national security. It is critically important that agencies are coordinating to ensure that foreign adversary entities are not slipping through the gaps.
▶ 0:45:00This bill ensures foreign adversaries are not evading penalties by requiring agencies to share information with each other in a timely manner and review each other's respective blacklists. Put simply, this bill ensures that all inter agency sanctions officials are on the same page and working with the same information. This bill is both basic good governance and critical for American national security. I want to thank my colleague Mr.
▶ 0:45:27fine for leading this important legislation and I urge my colleagues to support its passage. Is there any further discussion? Ranking member Meeks, I support this measure.
▶ 0:45:42It is imperative that our federal agencies share This bill will ensure that once an agency adds an entity to its sanctions list, all other agencies are conducting timely reviews to determine whether that entity warrants inclusion on their lists as well.
▶ 0:46:04While I believe agencies are informally doing this work already, codifying the need to conduct timely reviews is a reasonable step. It is critical that the various lists this bill is trying to harmonize remain distinct. Why? Because each list serves a different policy purpose.
▶ 0:46:25We need smart and effective policies, not a one-sizefits-all approach when it comes to economic statecraft and especially our competition with China. In some cases, financial sanctions are the right response. and others. We may want to keep the PRC reliant on US exports and reinvest in the revenue into ma into maintaining our innovation and technological edge.
▶ 0:46:54And there are circumstances where we must restrict the export of advanced technology to a particular entity even though its actions do not justify financial sanctions. Our sanctions are designed not just to be punitive but to have a policy impact.
▶ 0:47:14This bill allows each agency to retain the flexibility to focus on the objectives of its own list while also ensuring that no problematic entity gets overlooked. And so I support this measure and I yield back the balance of my time.
▶ 0:47:34Ranking member yields back. Is there any further discussion?
▶ 0:47:38Representative Fine.
▶ 0:47:40Well, thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you for also hearing this bill. Just this is a great example of, I think, where the left hand doesn't talk to the right hand. So, to put it in in clear perspective, three of our government agencies, the Department of War, the Treasury Department, and and the Commerce Department, all look for bad guys that we shouldn't be doing business or working with. Yet, they don't necessarily talk to each other. between these three agencies, there are six separate lists.
▶ 0:48:06And less someone asks, well, of course, they're talking and they're making sure. Um, as of June of 2023, seven companies were on both one two of the lists, but not on the Department of War list. One company was not on a different agency list, and there were 57 companies on two lists, but but not a third.
▶ 0:48:26What this bill does is say if one of our federal agencies identifies a harmful Chinese actor, a terrorist or these other these other reasons why we should not be working with them that the other agencies monitoring and creating these lists should at least be forced to go through the process of taking a look at whether they should be on their own.
▶ 0:48:47doesn't mandate them to do it, but if they choose to disagree with the views of their partner agency, they have to justify the reasons for doing that. If you have been ranked someone that should be a specially designated national by the Treasury Department because you're a bad guy, you probably ought to be on the other lists. If you're someone who can't buy military enduser equipment because of the Commerce Department, the Department of War should probably know that.
▶ 0:49:17If you're part of the PRC's military company list at the Department of War, the Treasury Department should probably have you on the Chinese military industrial complex list. This is a common sense bill that's going to streamline these multiple efforts to go after bad actors in the world. I think this will make a material effect in keeping us safe and in holding bad actors responsible. And again, I appreciate the chairman for bringing the bill forward today. Representative yields back.
▶ 0:49:46Is there any further discussion,
▶ 0:49:50Mr. Chairman?
▶ 0:49:52Oh, very good.
▶ 0:49:52Yeah. Move to strike the last word. I I just want to thank the gentleman for bringing this. For decades, we have had a problem in the federal government of bad actors moving from one place to the other. And often it's in fact a new corporation, a new name. And you have to look into the board, you have to look into the people behind it or even sometimes to the address.
▶ 0:50:20The reality is that for years we have been pushing administration after administration. Your effort actually uh creates the requirement to look at it and thus the requirement to create interactive databases that will look at name, location, other activities that would allow someone to realize that it's not the identical same but a similar and I think going that far and even further uh you're starting today
▶ 0:50:50and I I really appreciate your work and will be supporting the uh the bill. I yield
▶ 0:50:55Vice chair yields back. Any other members seek recognition? Seeing none, there being no further discussion of the bill, the committee will move to consideration of amendments. Does any member wish to offer an amendment? There being no further amendments, I move that the committee report HR4291 uh not amended to the House with a favorable recommendation. All those in favor signify by saying I. I.
▶ 0:51:22I. All those opposed signify by saying no. Opinion of the chair. The eyes have
▶ 0:51:28Mr. Chairman, I'd like a recorded vote on that.
▶ 0:51:30Recording vote has been requested. Pursuant to the chair's previous announcement, this vote will be Pursuant to notice, I now call up the Houthi Human Rights Accountability Act. This bill was circulated in advance and the clerk shall designate the bill.
▶ 0:51:56to authorize the imposition of sanctions with respect to the Houthis and for other purposes.
▶ 0:52:01Without objection, the first reading is dispensed with and the bill is considered read and open to amendment at any point. And I recognize myself in support of this bill.
▶ 0:52:12We frequently talk about the threat that Houthis pose to international shipping in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aiden. But this bill highlights another very important issue. The Houthi's ongoing campaign of brutal violence within Yemen itself that they use to maintain complete control over what would be otherwise innocent Yemen Yemenis.
▶ 0:52:34As we speak, the Houthis are working to recruit and indoctrinate a new generation of terrorists through their summer camps and schools, creating the next wave of enemies. The Houthi's campaign to impose extremist and anti-semitic worldviews on Yemen Houthies youths poses a grave long-term threat to regional stability and requires urgent attention. They are also manipulating the delivery of humanitarian aid and detaining international aid workers.
▶ 0:53:03They have detained US embassy locally employed staff for years. This bull This bill would impose sanctions on Houthy members found responsible for human rights abuses and their arbitrary detention of US staff. It would also introduce key oversight mechanisms to ensure Houthi leaders continue to be held accountable. If we do not stop this at the root, the Houthis will continue to pose a direct and long-term threat to the regional stability and US national security.
▶ 0:53:34I urge my colleagues to support this important bill that will help ensure the Houthis are held to account for their hostage taking and human rights abuses. And I want to thank my colleague, Representative Isa, for working to advance this bipartisan piece of legislation, his work in the region, and his work as the vice chair. And uh in that, I end my time. And does anybody else seek recognition?
▶ 0:53:57Representative Isa is recognized.
▶ 0:53:59Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And as you uh aptly said, this is a bipartisan bill uh with my colleague from California, Mr. Sherman. Uh and I just want to share in support of the bill some recognition of what Yemen was before the Houthies. I was on uh codell's that went to the region uh went to Yemen and saw a country that was poor that had huge problems including drug trafficking and the like.
▶ 0:54:29But I also visited the Jewish quarter, purchased jewelry made there, some of it looking ancient, some of it in fact brand new. There was a thriving community with synagogues and a tolerance of their people for their fellow man and their fellow Yemenes. That was before the Houthis. Since that time, they have destroyed the ability to be anything other than what they want you to be.
▶ 0:54:58They have imposed Sharia law. They have in fact, as the chairman said, used this as a base to shell and destroy commerce as best they could. They are a proxy for Iran's expansive Shia uh dominated uh disruptive influence, but most importantly, their human rights violations uh cannot go without our attention.
▶ 0:55:26So, as we make the sea safe again, as we do what we need to do against specific militants, it is important that we recognize that just as Hamas is a destabilizing influence on the possibility of an Abraham Accord that will make the region free of of conflict, just as we know Hezbollah is a cancer on the society of Lebanon and anywhere else it touches, the Houthi's activities have to be
▶ 0:55:56dealt with and using existing uh global sanctioned uh capability we and expanding it to the the Houthis I believe we can put the kind of pressure and and administration after rule uh leading from Congress. So Mr.
▶ 0:56:16Chairman, I thank you for your earlier words and again remind people that this is one on which people on both sides of the aisle broadly agree that we have to help Yemen become the country that it once w was and then take it to what it could be and with that I yield back. Vice chair yields back. Is there any further discussion?
▶ 0:56:39There being no further discussion of the bill, the committee will move to consideration of amendments. Does any member wish to offer an amendment? Oh, I'm sorry. Uh, Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment to the uh the bill in uh at the desk.
▶ 0:56:58The clerk shall distribute the amendment in the nature of a substitute number 99.
▶ 0:57:06The amendment has been distributed by electronic device.
▶ 0:57:08Clerk shall report the amendment. Amendment in the nature of a substitute to HR1848 offered by Mr. Isa of
▶ 0:57:16Without objection, further reading of the amendment is dispensed with. The gentleman is recognized.
▶ 0:57:21Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I apologize. I uh my my notes had said that I was introducing the amendment uh the bill as an amendment in the nature of a substitute. But now this is a small technical correction, but it is significant to allow it to comply with being included in the broader bill. uh it simply removes USID uh language from it uh and which is moved at this point uh and makes the bill one the bill one that can go forward as part of a package.
▶ 0:57:51And with that, I urge support for the amendment and yield back.
▶ 0:57:55Representative yields back. Do any other members seek recognition? Ranking member Meeks. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I support Mr. ISIS bill because we must continue to call attention to the unnecessary and unjust suffering of Yemen civilians at the hands of the Houthi movement. Millions of Yemenes are experiencing persistent food scarcity, reoccurring disease, and medical good shortage because of illegal restrictions imposed on aid by the Houthis.
▶ 0:58:24The Houthis continued to leverage life-saving aid while enforcing oppressive policies on women, employ child soldiers, and arbitrarily detain aid workers and political opponents.
▶ 0:58:38This bill draws attention to these abusive practices through three reporting requirements that will help us better understand the Houthi efforts to block humanitarian assistance and the extent of the ongoing human rights This legislation also requires determinations on whether the Global Magnuski or Levenson Act sanctions for gross human rights abuses and hostage taking are warranted.
▶ 0:59:08We must continue to hold the Houthis accountable for their opposition and their oppression of the Yemen civilians. So I want to thank Mr. Isa and my colleagues for bringing the attention to these issues and I urge all of us to support this measure and I yield back the balance of my time. Ranking member yields back. Do any other members seek recognition?
▶ 0:59:34There being no further discussion, do any members wish to offer an amendment to the ISER ISA amendment in the nature of a substitute? There being no further amendments, the question now occurs on the amendment in the nature of a substitute offered by Representative Isa. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. All those opposed signify by saying no. In the opinion of the chair, the eyes have it and the amendment is agreed to. Thank you.
▶ 1:00:01There being no further amendments, I move that the committee report HR 1848 as amended to the House with a favorable recommendation. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. All those opposed signify by saying no. Opinion of the chair. The eyes have it and the motion is agreed to.
▶ 1:00:20Uh representative request for a recorded vote. Roll call vote has been requested pursuant to the chair's previous announcement. This vote will be Pursuant to notice, I now call up the Global Child Thrive Reauthorization Act of 2025. The bill was circulated in advance and the clerk shall designate the bill.
▶ 1:00:47HR 6347 to reauthorize the Global Child Thrive Act of 2020 and for other
▶ 1:00:53Without objection, first reading is dispensed with and the bill is considered read and open to an amendment at any point. And I recognize myself for five minutes. Under the Biden administration, I could say a lot about foreign assistance, but I don't believe most of it made America safer, stronger, or more prosperous. Much of it did not reach those in need. Instead, it was caught up in overhead costs of bloated NOS's, and it never left the beltway.
▶ 1:01:22This has been an ongoing problem through administration after administration where support intended to go out simply stays within the beltway. This bill reauthorizes a special adviser appointed by Secretary Rubio to streamline life-saving assistance and ensure that it actually reaches the vulnerable. I thank my colleague, Mr. Castro, for leading the the legislation and I urge my colleagues to support it. Is there any further discussion? Ranking member
▶ 1:01:55I strongly support Mr. Castro's bill. This bill reauthorizing the Global Child Thrive Act for 5 years. The original legislation brought together expertise from across the United States foreign assistance spectrum to ensure that our programs prioritize the healthy development of children between birth and eight years of age.
▶ 1:02:18This includes incorporating elements of health nutrition, water, early learning, basic education, and child protection. As we design approaches approaches to help children do just what the bill title says, thrive.
▶ 1:02:38This reauthorization is particularly important after the Trump administration's unlawful dismantling of USID and drastic cuts to foreign assistance programs across the board.
▶ 1:02:52By voting for this bill with strong bipartisan support, this committee can demonstrate to the administration and to the world that the United States of America still cares deeply about child development and understands its importance to our own prosperity and security.
▶ 1:03:15So, I want to thank Representative Castro for champion the Global Child Thrive Act, and I look forward to seeing these important programs continue and for the United States of America to stand up for the world's children. And I with that, I yield back the balance of my time.
▶ 1:03:35Ranking member yields back. I would remind him that everything the Trump administration has done to roll USA ID under to the purview of the secretary has been entirely legal and really an outstanding effort to make sure that dollars go where they intend uh to to do the most good instead of having programs that are wasteful and do things like transgender job fairs and drag shows and things like that that are absolute waste of our dollars. Uh in that do any other members seek recognition?
▶ 1:04:04Representative self.
▶ 1:04:07Uh, thank you, Mr. Chairman. Unlawful dismantling of USID. Uh, we hear that often. Uh, if that is the case, then I expect to see a a referral to the Justice Department by my colleagues on the other side. Let's stop talking about it. Put your actions where your where your words are. I yield back.
▶ 1:04:27Representative yields back.
▶ 1:04:29Do any other members seek recognition? Representative Castro recognized. Uh, thank you, chairman. Five years ago, Democrats and Republicans came together to pass the Global Child Thrive Act and made early childhood development a core pillar of America's foreign assistance. We recognize that if we want safer, more prosperous societies, we have to start by helping children thrive. Today, we're renewing that commitment. The Global Child Thrive Reauthorization Act of 2025 does three simple but essential things.
▶ 1:04:58First, it directs the Secretary of State to appoint the special adviser for assistance to orphans and vulnerable children. This doesn't create a new position. Existing law has already established this position and provided the Secretary of State with the authority to appoint someone to the role. This bill requires a secretary to exercise that authority. Second, the legislation requires the State Department to issue new implementing directives for the Global Child Thrive Act.
▶ 1:05:24In 2020, the Congress required the State Department to integrate early childhood development into foreign assistance programs. Given the significant changes to US foreign assistance programs over the last year, including the effective closure of USAD, it's important that new directives are issued to implement the legislation. And finally, the bill extends the authorization for the Global Child Thrive Act through 2030, ensuring that our long-term development work remains stable and predictable.
▶ 1:05:52I'm grateful to Representatives McCormack, Olvski, and Fitzpatrick for joining me in this bipartisan effort. And we may disagree on many things in this committee. Uh but we should all agree that investing in children early, intentionally, and consistently makes the United States safer and strengthens our partnerships around the world. I urge my colleagues to support this reauthorization and to join us in ensuring that American leadership continues to to give the world's most vulnerable children a fair chance in life.
▶ 1:06:22With that, I yield back.
▶ 1:06:23Do any other members seek recognition? Representative Oesky.
▶ 1:06:31Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh, I want to begin this morning by recognizing Representatives Castro, McCormack, and Fitzpatrick for their partnership and their leadership on this critical effort. I'm proud to help lead this bipartisan bill that will strengthen the implementation of policies that advance early childhood development around the world. Every child deserves the chance to grow, to learn, and to reach their full potential, no matter where they are born.
▶ 1:06:58The Global Child Thrive Act was a landmark bill that for the first time put this belief at the heart of America's work around the world. As a father and former public school teacher, I come to this work believing that every policy issue is a children's issue. And I believe that because I've seen firsthand what's at stake for our children. I saw poverty, food insecurity, and limited access to health care hold children back.
▶ 1:07:28But I also saw what happened when we believed in our young people, having teachers who fight for them, communities that uplift them, and a government that prioritizes their needs. What I saw in my classroom is no different than the challenges and opportunities that children are now experiencing around the globe. Today, more than 400 million children, more than one in five, live in poverty and face devastating consequences to their health and to their development.
▶ 1:07:57250 million children under the age of five are at risk of not fulfilling their development potential. We must do everything possible to ensure that every child everywhere can meet their development milestones and thrive. This work is urgent and children are counting on us to show up for them. They cannot flood our inboxes or hire lobbyists. They cannot light up a phone bank and advocate on their own behalf. But still, they need us.
▶ 1:08:26So again, I thank my colleagues for their leadership on this effort and I urge them to support the reauthorization of the Global Child Thrive Act to help build healthier societies to reduce poverty and advance America's values and security for years to come. Because when we invest in children, we invest in our future. With that, Mr. Chairman, I say thank you and I yield back.
▶ 1:08:47Do any other members seek recognition? Representative Dean.
▶ 1:08:54Thank you, Mr. Chairman, [clears throat] I rise in support of this legislation HR6347. Uh it will reauthorize the Global Child Thrive Act of 2020 for five more years. It directs the Secretary of State to appoint a special adviser for assistance to orphans and vulnerable children and requires a new set of implementing directives given the massive changes to our foreign assistance apparatus since the bill's initial passage, namely the dissolution of USAD.
▶ 1:09:25I'm delighted to see the bipartisan support for important foreign assistance work supporting early childhood development, and I commend my colleagues on advancing this bill forward. However, I would be remiss if I did not take the time and the opportunity to highlight the ground that has been lost in implementing this bipartisan priority due to this administration's reckless destruction of Investing in early childhood development not only saves lives, but strengthens
▶ 1:09:55economies and promotes stability, making us all safer, making us all stronger. This year, the administration cut 83% of our foreign assistance programs, including life-saving programs supporting maternal and child health and nutrition.
▶ 1:10:11An independent peer-reviewed study published in Lancet projected 14 million 14 million additional deaths by 20 uh 2030 due to the USID cuts, including more than 4.5 million children under five years old. Dr.
▶ 1:10:31Atwood Guande, who served in the Biden administration as the assistant administrator for global health at USAID, wrote in November 5th New Yorker article that it is estimated that quote, "USAD's dismantling has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, twothirds of them children." A 10-month estimate. 600,000 people, twothirds children.
▶ 1:10:57This administration has justified these massive cuts by making unsubstantiated claims of waste, fraud, and abuse. And yet, more than 95% of USAID work has never come under contention. I'm not talking about the drag show example. 95% of this work has never come under contention.
▶ 1:11:18While aspects of USAID could be inefficient, that's our job to figure out how to make this more efficient and make sure every resource goes to the right cause. As I have said before, I fundamentally disagree with this administration's devaluation of foreign assistance. And I call upon this committee, Mr. Chairman, this committee, our committee to reverse this deadly demonization and destruction of USID.
▶ 1:11:46It is a key arm of our foreign policy toolkit that contributes to our safety, security, and economic prosperity. It is a crucial component of our soft power. And I will add a personal note, if you'll indulge me. Uh over the Thanksgiving holiday, I was uh we were blessed uh with the birth of our seventh grandchild.
▶ 1:12:07Thank you.
▶ 1:12:09Thank you. and she came to us uh it was a struggled pregnancy and she came to us premature and she is in excellent care in a nick unit uh receiving the nutrition and the maternal care that my daughter-in-law needs and I can't help but thinking every single time I visit or I think of them what would have happened had this baby come into the world in an area that USID was cut off would she get the nutrition the maternal assistance needed
▶ 1:12:39to have this baby live, thrive, and grow old. This administration's cut of USID, I think, is immoral, and we, this committee, must be at the forefront of restoring that aid. With that, Mr. uh chairman, uh I yield back in support of this bill, HR6347, and I seek unanimous consent.
▶ 1:13:06Representative yields back. Congratulations. Thank you.
▶ 1:13:09Uh I would comment additionally though and that's simply to say if you're upset about this,
▶ 1:13:15point your anger where it needs to be directed and that's at the Democrat party, Secretary Blinken.
▶ 1:13:20It's called President Biden.
▶ 1:13:22It's an adjective Democrat.
▶ 1:13:24Point your anger where it belongs. Those that were coming up with wasteful, abusive programs like drag shows in Ecuador, transgender operas, transgender plays, transgender musicals, transgender job fairs in Bangladesh. for $800,000. Uh, all of the waste and abuse that we brought receipts for. Direct your anger where it belongs. Go look in the mirror. Do any other members seek recognition?
▶ 1:13:49Unanimous consent, sir.
▶ 1:13:50No other members seek recognition. I got a request.
▶ 1:13:52You're not recognized. If you want to be recognized, you can request. You're not recognized, Miss Steve.
▶ 1:13:56I just want to say that
▶ 1:13:57I didn't recognize you yet.
▶ 1:13:59Do any other members seek recognition?
▶ 1:14:02I'll I'll chair. I'll seek recognition.
▶ 1:14:05I don't think you're quite in the order yet. Okay.
▶ 1:14:08So, who seeks recognition? Representative Schneider.
▶ 1:14:13Uh, thank you, Chairman. I'd like to yield my time to my colleague, uh, Miss Dean from Pennsylvania.
▶ 1:14:18I thank you, Mr. Schneider. I seek unanimous um, I have already been recognized. Uh, I enter onto the record uh, three articles. Uh, number one is a New Yorker documentary. The shutdown of USAD has already killed hundreds of A second article, Federation of American Scientists, investing in young children strengthens America's global choice. And a third article from UNICEF on the same topic of early childhood support.
▶ 1:14:49And I thank gentlemen, I yield back.
▶ 1:14:52Thank you. I yield back.
▶ 1:15:02Oh, I'm happy to do that. I'll bring them up.
▶ 1:15:29American leadership.
▶ 1:15:31We will lead by ending the waste, fraud, and abuse that your party led. You're It's recognition. you two already recognized on this or
▶ 1:15:49Were you did you speak already?
▶ 1:15:51If you want to make a comment, by all means do so.
▶ 1:15:53My comment just is number one to Mr. Self. This is under uh litigation. The illegal dismantling of US aid is currently under litigation. Number two, as Miss Dean, Representative Dean has indicated, 95% if you take just what you've talked about, Mr.
▶ 1:16:20Chairman, that's less than of the USID budget, and we can differ on policy. We can fix things that we think are incorrect, but to do away with an agency that saved millions of lives is not United States leadership and it's not what the world and the American citizens expect of us.
▶ 1:16:50I thank the ranking member for his We represent the people of the United States of America. we represent their dollars. We need to be able to justify how any one dollar is better off going somewhere else than staying in their So again, I would encourage point your anger where it belongs at the programs that were being conducted under Secretary Blinken and the State Department which caused this
▶ 1:17:20reflection to end these wasteful and fraudulent USID and State Department programs and have it rolled under the direct command and control of the Secretary of State might be in a different I can't say that we're exactly we'd be in a different place.
▶ 1:17:36I can't say that because I can't read into the the non-existent but the facts are the waste, fraud, and abuse that took place over the previous four years, and that's why we are where we are. Were you recognized already, Mr. Self, for this? Then I representative Fine is recognized.
▶ 1:18:04Well, thank you, Mr. Chairman, you know, back when I was a businessman and I worked with people, I had a policy where if I found a mistake in a spreadsheet that I was analyzing, I stopped reviewing the spreadsheet and I sent it back to my staff to redo it from the start. Because where there was one mistake, where there was that level of carelessness to bring that mistake to me, there were probably five or 10 or 15 or 20 more.
▶ 1:18:30And so the people who made the decision to create this waste that you all want to categorize as some small percentage were so careless with the use of taxpayer dollars that it requires us to question all of the activities that you were going to because I reject the premise that I should say well the same person who thought a transgender play in Uganda was a good idea is somehow being responsible with the rest of the money.
▶ 1:18:57What folks should particularly understand is none of this money was actually paid for. All of it was borrowed from our children and grandchildren. So to have money that we have to pay back in the future be spent in such a callous and uncaring way that makes a laughingstock of our foreign policy I think is a real disgrace. And what I would say to the people who are upset about this is they should be upset at the people who created the conditions that allow these agencies to be upset.
▶ 1:19:24Had these absolutely insane examples not been out there, it would not have undermined the confidence in the underlying agency. And and so with that, I think what we've done here is a good thing. I'd yield the balance of my time to Representative Self if he'd like another bite at the
▶ 1:19:41Uh thank you. Uh yeah, what we're hearing here is what we have uncovered is the United States government pays for everything. I mean just domestically uh under the SNAP program most of it was not nutrition. Uh we have a health care that exists a health care system that exists on subsidies piled on tops of subsidies and we find ourselves $ 38 trillion in debt.
▶ 1:20:09We only vote on 17% of the budget. 83% of it is on autopilot. and the director of the CBO in a recent uh budget committee hearing said that we are on target for $62 trillion. So what we're hearing here on the other side of the aisle is we want to continue to pay for everything and I yield back. Representative yields back.
▶ 1:20:38Uh I believe Representative Kum Logger Dub is next.
▶ 1:20:43Thank you Mr. Chair. Um, I was looking at the title of this um, bill, Global Child Thrive Act, and why there's so much contention around helping children thrive. Um, that should be the most benign thing ever that we talk about. I agree.
▶ 1:21:13The people of the United States do care about how their dollars are being spent. Uh they also care about humanity within their own communities, within their country, and around the world. Uh we're not having con I don't think the American people are interested in um shelling out dollars so that our FBI director can go on a date.
▶ 1:21:40um we should be talking about that if we want to talk about how we're using dollars. But when I think about the global child thrive act, I think about things like RUTF, right?
▶ 1:21:56these uh readytouse therapeutic foods that cost pennies on the dollar to make that are actually made with American products with our dairy, with our soybean, and for pennies on the dollar, we can feed hundreds of thousands of people around the world, children who are at risk of death from
▶ 1:22:27And not only does it help those children, those families, maybe that community, because if those children are not eating, then those parents have to pick between horrific options that oftent times include death. But they are benefiting Americans because it's American farmers who are growing the products that go into the RUFS.
▶ 1:22:53I'm thinking about the prenatal that we are making that we can make that cost pennies on the dollar so that when we go to church and when we pray for the hungry and the sick everywhere.
▶ 1:23:12We also know that we can make a difference everywhere because American products are going into a supplement that is saving a child's life.
▶ 1:23:27And isn't it cheaper for those pennies to go into an RUTF paste to go into a prenatal vitamin as opposed to dollars and hundreds of dollars that go into a bullet? So we I know we everyone's all like, you know, choked up on getting all partisan, but like dial it down.
▶ 1:23:57dial it down and connect back to This is about diplomacy. This is about peace. So just tap into that. And if you don't have that in your system, then rent it for a few minutes in this committee. Everyone wants to rail on these, I don't know, drag shows and the condoms, you know. Let me tell you something. I've been thinking about this for a month, for months, cuz I'm so sick of it.
▶ 1:24:30The condoms that we were giving out were going to women who are being raped by people folks call terrorists. So, if you're not interested in a woman being raped and giving birth to a baby terrorist who's interested in harming this country and our citizens and our allies, then hey, maybe spending a little bit of money on some plastic,
▶ 1:25:00on some rubber might help save us. So, just like think it out, get off the Think about these children. Think about the women who are being raped, who are being who in another world could be related to you because you know in the karmic universe they are. They really are.
▶ 1:25:32So spend wisely. Yes. Spend with humanity. Yes. Spend with compassion. Yes. Spend with efficiency, yes. Spend with heart, yes. And I yield back.
▶ 1:25:48And I'll add, spend with the respect that every dollar comes out of the pocket of an American and it's not charity. Who seeks recognition? Representative Johnson.
▶ 1:25:59Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, I just wanted to respond to a couple of the comments. Um, I just want to echo the sentiments of Representative Kamla Dove that this is the Child Thrive Act and if we don't care about children thriving in this country and in this universe when we are the richest country on earth then our moral clarity and our moral compass and our moral guidepost has gone way way a astray.
▶ 1:26:29Um, this should be an act that we could all represent and get support for our moral convictions of who we are and what we care about. We care about making sure that children across this globe thrive and succeed and can have a life of independence and security.
▶ 1:26:48And in response to Representative Self's comments, I think it's a little rich that Republicans are so concerned about a deficit that they voted to add 4 trillion dollars to um this last budget um solely so a few could have a tax break.
▶ 1:27:09That is um a very inconsistent argument of the concerns that we're having when the Republicans under Republican leadership and Republican presidents, our deficits have exploded more than under than under any Democrat by a mile. And this is a Republicans who are adding to this deficit, adding to this budget crisis that our country and our economy finds itself in. And this is not a Democratic problem.
▶ 1:27:37Um, and with that, I'd like to yield the balance of my time to Representative Schneider.
▶ 1:27:42Uh, thank you. Um, I appreciate that. And, uh, I'm going to join with everyone saying we got to be better. Uh, the discussion often times in this committee and oftentimes on the floor is is uh, not reflective of the important work before the body and I think not a good reflection of the importance of the US Congress to the country and to the world. I'll just use some colloquial colloquialisms.
▶ 1:28:07Uh but as we think of what we're talking here, uh the idea that you fix first before throwing something away that you don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. Don't cut your nose to spite your face. And the last one I'll share is an ounce of preventions worth a pound of cure. All sayings that I suspect each of us heard growing up from our parents or grandparents. Lessons on on on life. There are so many things that we can agree on in in this committee.
▶ 1:28:35I know without question on both sides, Republicans and Democrats, that we agree we should be vigorously working to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse. We can have a discussion about to do that, how to do that. But I also think those of us who ran for Congress to serve the people we represent at home and then chose to be on this committee, which is not a domestic policy committee, but is the US House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs.
▶ 1:29:04We're here because we want to make things better. Make things better at home and make things better around the world. This bill in front of us, Thrive Act, helping children, is as good of an example as that as I can think of. And we come here together on a bipartisan bill supported by members who are Democrats and And we all should be supporting this But we have we just can't seem to get away from out of our own way in arguing.
▶ 1:29:34As the House Foreign Affairs Committee, we're looking around the world and you think about this idea of ounce of prevention, pound of cure. Americans and the United States as a whole are safer when countries around the world are thriving. It's not a matter of competition. It's a matter of cooperation and US global leadership that has led the world for almost a hundred years.
▶ 1:29:59Our goal should be good governance and working to help countries around the world achieve that on behalf of their people, but also for global peace. It should be upholding the rule of law and it should be trying to provide all people of the world the opportunity to achieve their potential and lift the human condition. Because when the human condition is better, America is better.
▶ 1:30:24And when the world looks for how to be, how they should behave, what they want to aspire to, they have always looked to America. And the way that this committee sometimes comports itself is not a way that we should be proud of. Let's work together. Let's talk to each other. Let's lower the temperature and work with respect. That way, I think we can get things done. I yield back. Representative yields back. I appreciate whether we call argument, debate, dialogue.
▶ 1:30:52I don't want you to think for me that it falls on deaf ears. I, you know, to go back. We're dealing with Representative Castro's bipartisan piece. This is yours, right? Not, it's been a while since we actually talked about it, but it's your bipartisan piece of legislation that does something that I think is, you know, we agree on. It puts forward a special advisor to make sure that there's, you know, among other things, not waste, fraud, abuse, to make sure that dollars get to the right place. And we're agreeing on that, right?
▶ 1:31:21That's it's something important to put in place. That's an example of doing, you know, to use your words, of doing better. I think it's important. I think that's why you see uh bipartisan support for that. To your comment of you know safest when you know when when we thrive. I think the world is safest when America thrives and that's something that we have to pay the closest attention to as representatives of the United States of America.
▶ 1:31:47So I appreciate the comments, but we need to again make sure that the world is at its best because the United States of America is is at its best. Um, I think, you know, Representative Johnson, thank you for your comments as well. Uh, you brought up taxes. Taxes are an important example of doing better.
▶ 1:32:07I bet there's not one person in here that really wants to say, you know what, I don't want people that work for TIPS to not be taxed on $25,000 of their Who would come out and say, "Yeah, you know what? Let's go out there and people that are Uber drivers or hairdressers or bartenders or weight staff or wherever they work for tips, let's go out there and let's tax them on an additional $25,000 of their income or let's raise somebody's tax rate from 12 to 15%. Let's go out in there and do that.
▶ 1:32:37Lowering people's taxes, that's a great example of doing better and we should all be working on that. Let's not raise people's taxes from 22 to 25% or, you know, from 25 to 28%. Those are examples of doing better. So I don't want you to think that your comments fall in deaf ears. I lift listen to every single one of them. I appreciate the dialogue and debate. Does anybody else seek recognition? Seeing no one, being no further discussion of the bill, the committee will move to consideration of amendments.
▶ 1:33:08Does any member wish to offer an amendment? There being no further amendments, I move that the committee report HR 6347 to the House with a favorable recommendation. All those in favor signify by saying I.
▶ 1:33:25All those opposed signify by saying no. Opinion of the chair. The eyes have it.
▶ 1:33:29I ask for a roll call vote here.
▶ 1:33:31Motion is agreed to a roll call vote has been requested.
▶ 1:33:35Pursuant to the chair's previous announcement, this vote will be On to the next argument. Pursuant to notice, I now call up the American Decade of Sports Act. The bill was circulated in advance, and the clerk shall designate the bill.
▶ 1:34:02to require a sports diplomacy strategy to strategically leverage the major sporting events being hosted in the United States in the next decade to
▶ 1:34:10Not objection. The first reading is dispensed with. The bill is considered read and open to amendment at any point. And I recognize myself for a statement. From the 2026 FIFA World Cup to the 2028 Summer Olympics and the 2034 Winter Games, Salt Lake City, the United States is on the heels to host mega decade of major sporting events.
▶ 1:34:39These events will draw massive crowds, global attention, and it really is a unique opportunity to leverage them to show the homeland of the United States of America. This bill ensures that we are prepared for the events and ready to lead with a well and thoughtout strategy. We're going to host the world. So, let's show the world what the United States of America looks like from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
▶ 1:35:07I want to thank my colleague representative Kaml Logger Dove for leading this bipartisan effort alongside many members of this committee to further our standing on the global stage. And in that is there any further discussion? Repres uh ranking member Meeks. Sports and athletic competitions have a unique ability to break down cultural barriers, build mutual understanding, and unite people across nationalities.
▶ 1:35:38Over the next decade, the United States of America will host an unprecedented series of high-profile international sporting events, including the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics.
▶ 1:35:53This mega decade presents a once- in a generation opportunity for the United States to strengthen its relationship with other countries by leveraging sports diplomacy as a vital foreign policy too. Mega sporting events are among the most powerful global communication platforms in the entire world.
▶ 1:36:18The Olympic Games alone are watched by billions and broadcast to more than 220 countries and territories, far exceeding the reach of traditional diplomacy and offering a uniquely global stage for shaping national perceptions.
▶ 1:36:33By coordinating a deliberate sports diplomacy strategy, the United States can showcase American values, innovation, diversity, creativity, cities, athletes, and culture to an audience that spans nearly every corner of the world.
▶ 1:36:53In an era where nations increasingly compete for influence through soft power rather than military force, this global visibility is strategically essential. As the world arrives on our doorsteps throughout the next decade, sports diplomacy is not simply a cultural opportunity.
▶ 1:37:15It is a strategic imperative for strengthening America's soft power, renewing global partnerships and shaping how billions of people understand the United States of America. Investing strategically in this opportunity can deliver enormous returns. And that's why I thank Representative Camlock for authoring this very, very important bill.
▶ 1:37:43and I yield back the balance of my time.
▶ 1:37:46Ranking member yields back. Do any other members seek recognition? Representative Johnson.
▶ 1:37:51Uh, thank you so much, Mr. Chairman. I would like to speak in support of HR 5021, the American Decade of Sports Act. Next summer, Dallas will be in the global spotlight as a host city for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. I am excited to see our teams win big on our home turf.
▶ 1:38:10And the World Cup will not only generate one to two billion dollars in direct economic impact for Dallas, but also holds international significance as an iconic center of the global sports universe with over five billion viewers worldwide expected.
▶ 1:38:28Over the past year, I have been outspoken about making sure we have improved visa processing for athletes and visitors, enough security funding to ensure a safe experience for all, and everything from transportation needs to coordination with small business owners to show off the best that America and Dallas has to offer. This is not business as usual.
▶ 1:38:50There is a lot of work to do to demonstrate our nation's ability to welcome the world and to ensure that any reforms support the series of international sporting events we will host over the next decade. This bipartisan bill would upgrade sports diplomacy within the state department so that we are better staffed and equipped to maximize the impending American sports decade.
▶ 1:39:14I thank representatives Kamlock Locker Dove and Huzzinga for their leadership on this issue and urge this committee to support this bill. And with that, I yield back.
▶ 1:39:24Representative yields back. Uh do any other members seek recognition? Representative Kum Logger.
▶ 1:39:30Thank you, Mr. Chair. And uh Mr. Ranking member and congratulations to you for the birth of your grandbaby um Mr. Ranking member. Uh, but thank you for the opportunity to mark up my American Decade of Sports Act with the World Cup draw on Friday. I appreciate that this committee is showing bipartisan support for sports diplomacy as an essential foreign policy tool. Over the next 10 years, the US will be the center of the sporting universe, hosting major international competitions like the World Cup and the Olympics.
▶ 1:40:01This prevent presents an incredible window of opportunity to deliver lasting economic benefits for our communities, enhance US global leadership, and establish once in a generation diplomatic relationships that would not have come together without the connecting power of sports. Achieving this requires a state department that is structured and resourced to meet the moment. And that is why my American Decade of Sports Act is designed to do.
▶ 1:40:28The State Department's Sports Diplomacy Division punches far above its weight and does excellent work managing day-to-day sports diplomacy programs, but it needs the strategic mandate and personnel to engage with the international sporting events being hosted in the US.
▶ 1:40:44My bill would elevate the division to its own office of sports diplomacy, require the office to implement a strategy to leverage the mega decade to enhance US global leadership and assign additional personnel focused exclusively on the international sporting events in the US. Sports is a powerful diplomatic tool because it allows us to transcend political boundaries and connect through our shared humanity and that opens doors to deeper conversations and lasting relationships.
▶ 1:41:15In a fragmented world, it is increasingly rare to have this kind of cultural convening power. But there is a reason the Olympics is the largest peaceime gathering in the world. Everyone wants to participate in this great unifying equalizer where perseverance, teamwork, and sheer human talent are the only metrics that matter.
▶ 1:41:36Sports diplomacy is about tapping into this rare and powerful experience that is a potent ingredient for diplomatic success and my bill will help us do just that. I want to thank my co-leads, Representative Heisinga, Representative McCall, and ranking member Meeks for their substantive substantive substantive I can read and consistent engagement on this issue.
▶ 1:42:01The bipartisan partnership from my Republican colleagues on sports diplomacy has truly been a bright spot of this Congress and I am deeply grateful for their support and I look forward to continuing to work together. I urge all of my colleagues to support this important legislation and I yield back.
▶ 1:42:22Do any other members seek recognition? Representative Heisenga.
▶ 1:42:25Uh thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I rise in support of ranking member Kum Logger Dove's bill HR5021, American Dee Sports Act, uh which offers a bipartisan solution to leveraging some of America's favorite pastimes as a powerful tool of diplomacy.
▶ 1:42:40Uh, as has been mentioned, FIFA, the upcoming summer and Winter Olympics, uh, the the United States has, uh, is set to host some of the most highly viewed, attended, and anticip anticipated international sporting events in the next 10 years. Uh this is a crucial moment to harness the power of sports for diplomacy, bringing together people and promoting American values and excellence around the world.
▶ 1:43:05All in the glow of our 250th anniversary celebration of the founding of our country. Uh throughout the administration, uh a point has been made of highlighting uh American excellence in sports. Uh thus far, uh President Trump has signed five executive orders relating to sports and attended more than 10 major sporting events, uh including the RDER Cup, uh in New York.
▶ 1:43:30And uh when my beloved Detroit Lions defeated the Washington commanders a few weeks ago uh here in Washington, I took special uh uh special joy in seeing a fly over by Air Force One and more importantly the swearing in of a number of recruits uh into our military. Uh that was a special day.
▶ 1:43:49So we know that uh that this is a a a a focus uh that uh has been uh maybe long and coming right where we have uh where we have seen sports just take on a new uh role here in the United States. So I was proud to co-lead ranking member Tom Logger's forward thinking bill and uh it ensures that the US is able to carry out this revitalization of American sports.
▶ 1:44:19Additionally, this bill ensures that the State Department is readily equipped to implement this newfound focus through strategic planning, engagement, and staffing, all of which is critically important to the execution of these events. Uh, this bill is a bipartisan solution designed to bring cultures and communities together, create economic opportunities in sporting event host communities, and puts one more tool in the State Department's diplomatic arsenal.
▶ 1:44:44And regardless of whether you're a longtime fan or a newcomer, the mega decade of sports opens doors for communities across the United States, creating new opportunities to engage the next generation of fans and enhances local tourism and fosters small business growth. The American Decade of Sports uh act accomplishes these goals and is a mustass for these future events hosted in the United States.
▶ 1:45:08And I do support this measure, but I will be offering a technical amendment to include the 2029 and 2033 Rider Cups in the bill's definition section. Uh I actually uh witnessed firsthand when I was in the Michigan State Legislature. I was the chairman of the Commerce Committee when Oakland Hills uh Country Club hosted the RDER Cup in Michigan in 2004. And the economic impact at the state was significant.
▶ 1:45:34so significant that uh we were uh literally passing legislation to accommodate um uh growth and uh and and and people coming in and uh it was uh it was quite an economic boon. Uh so as many of you know the Ryder Cup dates back to 1927 and has become one of the world's greatest sporting events between the United States and Europe. this last Ryder Cup notwithstanding.
▶ 1:45:59Uh it captivates millions of viewers worldwide in addition to the tens of thousands who travel to the United States to attend the tournament. Um I I I personally am an enthusiastic if not bad golfer. Uh but I have seen the economic impact that that it has and and additionally the tournament routinely generates hundreds of millions of dollars for the host state and the local economy.
▶ 1:46:23The 2029 and 2033 RDER Cups will be hosted in Minnesota and in California respectively and I I believe are logical additions to the mega decade sports diplomacy strategy that is being implemented here. So I deeply appreciate uh my friend uh my friend's bipartisan work on the bill including during the state authorization markup and I urge my colleagues to support the bill with the adoption of my amendment. So with that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
▶ 1:46:54gentleman yields. Gentleman yields back.
▶ 1:46:58You're going to get your opportunity for that amendment in one moment. Is there any further discussion? Representative Kaine,
▶ 1:47:13I am pleased to be a co-sponsor of the American Decade of Sports Act led by representatives Kamla Gradav and Heisinga. America has an exciting opportunity to host important world games like the Olympics and the World Cup as well and the RDER Cup over the course of the next decade. My home state of New Jersey is proud to host eight matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
▶ 1:47:40It's imperative that America stand ready to welcome the many visitors these sporting events will bring. This bipartisan legislation takes an important step to ensure that the State Department implements a strategic approach to leverage sports diplomacy in the United States. Throughout this legislation, we can ensure that America is prepared to capitalize on this unique opportunity. I thank my colleagues for their partnership and I urge the committee to support this important legislation.
▶ 1:48:10Uh Mr. Chair, I yield back.
▶ 1:48:12Any other members seek recognition? There being no further discussion of the bill, the committee will move to consideration of amendments. Does any member wish to offer an amendment? Representative Heisinga.
▶ 1:48:22Uh, Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
▶ 1:48:25Clerk shall distribute the amendment.
▶ 1:48:30Clerk shall report the amendment.
▶ 1:48:33Amendment number 70 to HR5021 offered by Mr. Heisinga of Michigan. Without objection, further reading of the amendment is dispensed with and representative Heisenga is recognized for five minutes.
▶ 1:48:45Well, thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'll make this uh short and I know we've had discussions uh with the uh with the sponsor about this as well, but my my amendment's very very simple. Uh on page seven, line 19, we insert quote the 2029 and 2033 Rder Cups close quote after summer Olympics and Parolympics. So it's uh it's as simple as that.
▶ 1:49:09Uh I believe it uh just gives some more additional flexibility to uh State Department and uh meets the goals and objectives of this wider bill. So I uh would appreciate support from my colleagues and on my amendment and on the passage of this bill. With that I yield back.
▶ 1:49:26Representative yields back. I support this amendment. Do other members seek recognition? Ranking member Meeks. The rider cup little ball stays still, hard to hit. Some can hit it long, but they can't hit it straight. Some can hit it straight, but they can't hit it long. And some just sit on the sidelines and watch that ball just move. Of course, I support this amendment, and it should be included.
▶ 1:49:54Well, will the gentleman yield?
▶ 1:49:55I yield.
▶ 1:49:56Uh, some of us can neither hit it long or straight. I would just add that little caveat to your descriptor of what's going on, but I appreciate your
▶ 1:50:06Is golf your sport?
▶ 1:50:08Not now. It used to be
▶ 1:50:10bad back now. Can't hit it straight or long. [laughter]
▶ 1:50:15Very good. Any other members seek Seeing none, being no further discussion, the question now occurs on the amendment offered by Representative Heisenga. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. All those opposed signify by saying no. Opinion of the chair. The eyes have it. The amendment is agreed to. Are there any further amendments?
▶ 1:50:41There being no further amendments, I move that the committee report HR5021 as amended to the house with a favorable recommendation. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. All those opposed signify by saying no. Opinion of the chair, the eyes have it and the motion is agreed to. A roll call vote has been requested. Pursuant to the chair's previous announcement, this vote will be Thank you.
▶ 1:51:11Pursuant to notice, I now call up HR 4413, the End Cypress Embargo Act. This bill was circulated in advance, and the clerk shall designate the bill. HR 4413 to provide for non-applicability of a policy of denial for exports, reexports, or transfers of defense articles and defense services destined for or originating in the Republic of
▶ 1:51:33Without objection, the first reading is dispensed with and the bill is considered read and open to amendment at any point. I recognize myself for a brief statement. The arms embargo on Cyprus was placed decades ago at a different time for the world and at a different time for History has since moved forward and this bill ensures our policies match the current reality.
▶ 1:51:58In 2020, President Trump signed legislation into law that would allow the president to wave the arms embargo on Cyprus for one year at a time. Since that legislation was signed, that waiver has been issued every year, including by President Trump just over two months ago. However, the one-year waiver does not allow Cypress to participate in long-term foreign military sales. This bill would extend the one-year arms embargo waiver available to the president to a five-year term.
▶ 1:52:29It does not require the president to issue the waiver or sell any weapons to Cyprus, but ensures he has maximum flexibility to conduct foreign policy as he chooses. Providing Cypress with additional defensive weapons would further bring Cypress away from Russia's orbit and benefit US industry by unlocking the potential of multi-year procurement contracts. Cypress has progressed in anti-moneyaundering reforms as well as in distancing itself from Russia.
▶ 1:52:55And this bill rewards that progress while maintaining conditionality to ensure Cypress continues down the path of becoming a more reliable US partner and ally. Simply put, this arms embargo reform to sell Cypress more weapons is America first. A new market that wants to leave our adversaries behind and improve interoperability with us is good for business and good for the United States, good for our industries.
▶ 1:53:21Giving the Trump administration the option to deepen our cooperation with a country that has demonstrated considerable efforts to get closer to the United States is a necessary fix to a cold war era policy relic. I want to thank my colleague Representative Papus for introducing this bill and I urge my colleagues to support it. Is there any further discussion on the legislation? Ranking member Meeks. The friendship between the American people and the people of Cypress is deep and enduring.
▶ 1:53:49And the government of the Republic of Cypress is a critical US partner for maintaining peace, security, and stability in the Mediterranean. I've long advocated for deepening our strategic relationship with Cyprus, and I've been pleased to see successful administrations take that goal very seriously.
▶ 1:54:11Unfortunately, the security relationship between Cyprus and the United States is constrained by an arms embargo that was originally intended to promote diplomatic engagement to address Turkeykey's invasion and occupation of sovereign criat territory.
▶ 1:54:27It is clear, however, that the Turkish government has no interest in following decades of consistent US policy and UN resolutions to ensure a diplomatic resolution on the foundation of the Bzonial by communal federation of Cyprus.
▶ 1:54:45Turkish President Erdogan continues to take aggressive actions against Greece, a NATO ally, and Cyprus, a key US strategic partner in the Eastern Mediterranean, along with other destabilizing actions across the Middle East and North Africa. The United States should not constrain its deepening relationship with Cyprus any longer on the dwindling hope that Erdogan's behavior will change.
▶ 1:55:13So, I'm glad that Congress has in recent years taken steps to walk back the arms embargo on Cyprus to strengthen our relationship. We've given the executive branch the ability to wave the embargo for one-year periods was a welcome step. It is long past time to extend that runway. So I hope to see us take the issue even further in the future and move forward toward removing the arms embargo all together.
▶ 1:55:44So I want to thank representatives Papis, Titus, Belucas, and Keane and other members who have worked hard to make sure we keep moving the ball forward. And I strongly support this measure and yield back the balance of my time.
▶ 1:56:01Any other members seek recognition? Representative Kaine.
▶ 1:56:04Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am pleased to speak in support of the End the Cypress Embargo Act, of which I'm a co-sponsor. In recent years, American Criate Partnerships have grown stronger.
▶ 1:56:19Whether defense partnerships, scientific research, collaboration, or support for Ukrainian refugees, the Republic of Cyprus has become an important partner of the United States and our allies The Eastern Mediterranean is crucial to America's national security and economic future.
▶ 1:56:39It is critical that the United States maintains a robust partnership with its ally Cyprus by extending the waiver renewal period for the arms embargo from 1 to 5 years. This legislation would make an important step in fostering America's continued alliance with Cyprus. I support this effort in the State Department reauthorization and I'm encouraged to see the committee consider this legislation in today's markup.
▶ 1:57:07I support this bill and I encourage my colleagues to do the same. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I yield back.
▶ 1:57:12Representative yields back. Any other members seek recognition? Representative
▶ 1:57:19Thank you, Mr. Chairman. uh as a proud Greek American legislator and a uh vice co-chair of the Congressional Hellenic Caucus, I'm very much in support of this bill and was proud to co-lead it with my colleague uh Congressman Chris Papus in the Cypress Embargo Act. As was mentioned, the United States lifted its arms embargo on Cypress in 2019 through the Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership Act.
▶ 1:57:47This lifting, however, remains subject to annual renewed waiverss. While the end of the embargo technically enables Cyprus to procure US-made defense systems, the requirement for annual reauthorization creates unnecessary and counterproductive hurdles. Extending the waiver period from one year to five years, as this bill does, is really essential to enabling Cyprus to effectively plan, contract, and acquire US equipment.
▶ 1:58:16Uh defense procurement cycles typically take a minimum of three years and companies are often hesitant to enter into agreements when their ability to export depends on short-term annually renewed waiverss. Cypress has consistently met and in many cases exceeded the conditions set forth by the 2019 East Met Act.
▶ 1:58:39It's halted all port calls by Russian naval vessels, hosted more than 50 US Navy ships during that same period, has worked closely with the United States to combat illicit finance and money laundering, as reflected in the 2024 joint statement following the US Cypress first strategic Cypress's posture directly aligns with broader US regional goals, especially as the Eastern Mediterranean grows in geopolitical importance
▶ 1:59:09as a corridor between Europe, the Middle East, and other major maritime routes. Although Cypress has never faced difficulty in renewing its waiver, the very existence of it, combined with its short duration restricts precisely the strategic cooperation that it was intended to support.
▶ 1:59:29In its current form, the annual waiver undermines the reliable US partners' ability to purchase US-made systems, which in turn hinders the growing number of joint military exercises between our two countries. Cypress's limited access to US equipment also creates interoperability channel challenges that impede combined training and operational readiness.
▶ 1:59:54Strengthening the defense relationship with Cyprus enhances regional stability and supports US efforts to maintain a NATO aligned western oriented security environment. This issue has been bipartisan, biccameal, has support across the aisles, across the capital complex. The very committee that we sit on right here has already approved the relevant language as part of the state department authorization package that we passed a few months ago.
▶ 2:00:23And the Senate Foreign Relations Committee had passed a similar measure on October 22nd. The United States should enable a dependable partner in the Eastern Mediterranean to fully access our defense market and should not allow a mere technicality to limit our deepening bilateral relationships and strategic partnership. Overall, it's a winwin. So, I urge my colleagues to support this bill and I yield back.
▶ 2:00:53Do any other members seek recognition? Representative Schneider. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh, as I was mentioning earlier, it's important for us to to work together and I'm pleased to thank my colleagues, bipartisan colleagues, Representative Papus, Bill Rakus, Titus, Malotakus, Keen, Palone, Fitzpatrick, Norcross, Menendez, and Sherman for leading on this bill.
▶ 2:01:16Uh, a very important piece of Cypress sits at the intersection of Europe, the Eastern Mediterranean, and the Middle East. regions that make up the India, Middle East, Europe economic corridors, also known as ISM. This is where our security interests converge.
▶ 2:01:32For decades, the United States maintain an arms embargo that no longer reflects Cypress has met the conditions Congress outlined in the Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership Act, and this bill updates our policy to match those facts. It shifts the waiver from one year to 5 years while preserving strict requirements on human rights compliance, anti-moneylaundering reforms, and the continued denial of port access to Russian military vessels. That is the right balance.
▶ 2:02:01Cypress should not be forced to depend on adversarial states for defense material. Strengthening the US Cypress relationship enhances NATO's southeastern flank, supports ongoing UN facilitated efforts towards resolving the island's division and advances the trilateral cooperation Congress has repeatedly endorsed. It's also worth noting that this is a case where Congress is correcting an erratic executive branch.
▶ 2:02:27Over the past year, the Trump administration has lurched between disengagement and ado ad hoc pressure campaigns that confuse our allies and embolden our adversaries. In eastern Mediterranean, in the Eastern Mediterranean, an area where Russian influence, Iranian proxies, and regional instability intersect, the United States cannot afford policy policy drift or improvisation.
▶ 2:02:51By codifying a predictable conditionsbased framework, this bill reinforces the rule of law approach that partners expect from us and that our strategic posture requires. I am proud to strongly support the the bill and I urge my others to join me. I yield back. Representative yields back. Do any other members seek recognition? There being no further discussion the of the bill, the committee will move to consideration of amendments. Does any member wish to offer an amendment?
▶ 2:03:22There being no further amendments, I move that the committee report HR4413 to the House with a favorable recommendation. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. All those opposed signify by saying no.
▶ 2:03:33Opinion of the chair. The eyes have it. The motion is agreed to. Ask for a roll call. A roll call vote has been requested. Pursuant to the chair's previous announcement, this vote will be postponed. Without objection. Oh, never mind. I don't need that one. Pursuant to notice, I now call up HR 6230, the Tyrron Incitement to Violence Act. The bill was circulated in advance. The clerk shall designate the bill.
▶ 2:04:04HR 6230 to designate certain individuals as specially designated global terrorists.
▶ 2:04:09Without objection, the first reading is dispensed with. The bill is considered read and open to amendment at any point. I will recognize myself for a couple minutes on the bill. I want to thank my colleague, Representative Self, for leading this bill, which serves as a timely reminder of the ongoing threat the Iranian regime poses to US national security.
▶ 2:04:33It's not just responsible for sponsoring dangerous terrorist proxies that target US forces in the Middle East, making it the world's largest state sponsor of But its threats extend far beyond that. This is a regime that the Department of Justice has repeatedly found responsible for brazantly targeting US citizens on American soil.
▶ 2:04:56According to the intelligence community, attempted attempts to assassinate numerous US officials for their role in the strike of the IRGC commander General Kasamsulammani in 2020 have been prevalent. This includes our own President Donald J. Trump.
▶ 2:05:16The Iranian regime's goal is to seow discord in the United States, not just by targeting US politicians, but also launching cyber attacks and influence operations that disrupt disrupt hospitals and threaten to undermine the US electoral process. This bill would require a determination of whether sanctions should be leveled against the key Iranian officials who promote violence, including threats against our leaders.
▶ 2:05:42This is a regime that thrives on instability and violence, promoting vile extremism at every single turn by any means necessary, any way that they can figure out to do it, and they must be held accountable. I would urge all of my colleagues to support this piece of legislation, and again, I thank my colleague for its introduction. Do any other members seek recognition? Ranking member Meeks.
▶ 2:06:06Thank you. I I I I support this bill. have some more comments, but you know, at its core, this bill seeks to apply standard international emergency economic powers act or uh property blocking sanctions against a set of Iranian religious and government figures as well as the institutions they represent who have publicly threatened the life of [snorts] the United States president and
▶ 2:06:37allied leaders. These uh threats are unacceptable. They're dangerous and reflect the Iranian regime's long pattern of hostility toward the United States. The bill also includes reasonable waiver authorities that allow the executive branch to scale these sanctions up or down, preserving diplomatic leverage. And to me, that is very important.
▶ 2:07:06And I commend Mr. myself for including it. But I also, you know, want to be real because the bill actually will have no or have very little practical impact on the individuals and entities it targets. You know, the American people have to understand that many of them and in some cases their entire networks are already subject to US sanctions under existing authorities.
▶ 2:07:38Additional listings may feel satisfying, but they do not on their own make meaningful change in Iran's calculus or And so this would brings me to what I believe is the deeper issue this committee should be conducting serious oversight of US Iran policy.
▶ 2:08:08We should be holding hearings, multiple hearings in fact, to understand the impact of the sanctions already in place, how they interact with each other, and how they fit into any coherent long-term strategy toward Iran. Sanctions by themselves, sanctions alone, no matter how often we repurpose them, are not a strategy.
▶ 2:08:37and they are certainly not a means to an What I believe we need from the Trump administration is a clear articulation of what its Iran strategy actually is and what it aims to achieve. Congress should be hearing directly from the Secretary of State on how he plans to keep the Iranian regime in check at a moment of extreme volatility in the region.
▶ 2:09:05We need to understand what steps are being taken to ensure that Iran's massive stockpile of highlyenriched uranium remains secure and that the nuclear program does not advance from its current post 12-day war state. And we need urgently a plan for how the administration intends to work with the International Atomic Energy Agency or the IAEA.
▶ 2:09:32You see, the IAEA has been barred from meaningful access for far too long. And if we care about preventing a nuclear crisis, and I know every member of Congress, everyone on this dis does, then restoring transparency, monitoring, and verification inside of Iran is absolutely
▶ 2:10:03And while I do not oppose the underlying intent of this bill, and I understand it, I just can't pretend that it will fundamentally alter Iran's trajectory.
▶ 2:10:16What will make a difference is serious sustained oversight, and a whole of government strategy that goes beyond simply adding one more sanctions designation to a list.
▶ 2:10:39So, I hope that this committee our efforts where they will do the most good on ensuring that the United States policy toward Iran is strategic, coherent, and capable of meeting the threat before us. And with that, I yield back, Mr. Chairman. Rank member yields back. Do any other members seek recognition?
▶ 2:11:09Representative Self.
▶ 2:11:11Uh, thank you, Mr. Chairman. I I speak in support of my bill, the Tahharan Incitement to Violence Act, HR6230. This bill sanctions Iranian clerics, organizations, and state- linked entities for issuing and amplifying fatwas that explicitly call for the deaths of US President Donald J. Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and other political leaders.
▶ 2:11:37Such sanctions include imposing asset freezes and total immigration bans to deter such deadly incitement. The fatwas in question charge President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu with Maharba, waging war against God, an offense under Iran's Islamic penal code that carries the death penalty.
▶ 2:11:59and in the explicit words of Quran 5:33 can be carried out by execution, crucifixion or cross amputation of hands or feet. This is not mere rhetoric. History shows these religious decrees become permanent bounties on human life. As we saw when Salman Rashi was nearly murdered in 2022 in direct response to a 1989 Iran Iranian fatwa 30 years later.
▶ 2:12:29These threats are rooted in Sharia, a legal political and cultural system that is fundamentally incompatible to the United States Constitution and Western civilization. Our constitution begins with we the people and declare the rights come from our creator and are extended equally to all men. Sharia states Allah has said followers of Sharia believe Muhammad received a divine legal code that stands supreme over all man-made laws.
▶ 2:12:58Sharia is not just a private faith. It is a total system of governance that endorses practices America has long rejected. Slavery has never been abolished in Islamic doctrine. Women's testimony is worth half a man's. Apostates are to be killed and non-Muslims are treated as secondclass citizens. These are not fringe interpretations. They are mainstream rulings followed by the very clerics this bill would target.
▶ 2:13:26When Iranian regime leaders issue Maherba fatwas against an American president, it's not just rhetoric. They are applying a Sharia verdict that declares his blood can lawfully be spilt. That is a direct threat to President Trump and on the constitutional order every one of us swore to defend.
▶ 2:13:49Passing this bill sends an unmistakable message the United States will never accept Sharia supremacy whether it is preached from Tehran or practiced anywhere on American soil. This bill's common sense. When we have foreigners from a hostage nation calling for the assassination of an American president and our allies, we have a duty to act. I urge my colleagues to support it and I yield back.
▶ 2:14:15Representative yields back. Do any other members seek recognition?
▶ 2:14:19Representative Fine.
▶ 2:14:22Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just want to thank Representative Self for for bringing this bill forward and for you you hearing it today. Look, the rise of mainstream Islam around the world is one of the greatest existential threats to the world. We talked about it earlier today in my bill about anti-semitism in Europe. And we can see it in this overt threatening action towards the United States, our people, and its interests around the world. So, calling Sharia for the danger that it is and taking actions to deal with it is something that we need to be doing every day.
▶ 2:14:48And I thank I thank Representative Self for taking it so seriously and I'm proud to sp proud to support the bill. I yield back.
▶ 2:14:54Any further discussion? Seeing none, the committee will move for consideration of amendments. Does any member wish to offer an amendment?
▶ 2:15:04I have an amendment to ANS. I don't know these needs are laid out.
▶ 2:15:07One moment.
▶ 2:15:18Uh I offer I have an ANS at the desk. The clerk shall distribute the self amendment in the nature of a substitute number 110.
▶ 2:15:29The amendment has been distributed by electronic device.
▶ 2:15:32Clerk shall report the amendment.
▶ 2:15:35Amendment in the nature of a substitute to HR 6230 offered by Mr. Self of Texas.
▶ 2:15:40Without objection, further reading of the amendment is dispensed with. Does the gentleman wish to be recognized?
▶ 2:15:48Representative Self, do you wish to be
▶ 2:15:50Uh, Mr. Chairman, I just urge support to this to this amendment uh to this ANS to the bill original bill. Thank you.
▶ 2:15:57Representative yields back. Do any other members seek recognition? There we go. There being no further discussion, do any members wish to offer an amendment to the self amendment in the nature of a
▶ 2:16:13I have an amendment to Castro amendment number 81. Chair,
▶ 2:16:16Representative Castro. Clerk shall distribute the amendment.
▶ 2:16:27Clerk shall report the amendment.
▶ 2:16:30Amendment to the amendment in the nature of a substitute to HR 6230 offered by Mr. Castro of Texas.
▶ 2:16:35Without objection, further reading of the amendment is dispensed with. Representative is recognized.
▶ 2:16:39Uh thank you, chair. I believe that threats by foreign officials against the president of the United States are unacceptable and that we should respond. I hope that this amendment will be helpful in changing um just one line and make this bill and the language to it more appropriate, more functional and also prevent it from becoming an anacronism.
▶ 2:17:01Um my language instead of specifically naming Donald Trump who is the president right now or prime minister Netanyahu who is the prime minister of Israel right now, I would in my amendment would instead refer to the office of the president uh and other leaders.
▶ 2:17:15So specifically, the language would say the president of the United States and other United States officials and the leaders of countries with mutual defense treaties with the United States and countries that are major non-natal allies of the United States pursuant to section 517 of the Ford Assistance Act of 1961. And you know, so I believe that's because this issue goes beyond one president and I believe the legislation should reflect that.
▶ 2:17:42Uh under this bill, the president would need to make sanctions determinations on the listed individuals and entities for six years. So in other words, President Trump is president right now, but you know, in a few years, you'll have a different president. Same thing with Prime Minister Netanyahu. Uh he may be prime minister for 6 months or two more years or five more years. We just don't know. But there's a real chance that the bill, the way that it's written, will become an anacronism.
▶ 2:18:07And so, uh, if the bill was enacted today, it would extend to 2031 with a new president of the United States and potentially a new Israeli prime minister. We also know that Iranian leaders have threatened more than just President Trump or Prime Minister Netanyahu. And I believe the legislation to reflect that as well. Uh, we also know that Iranian officials have threatened other US officials, including, for example, for former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former State Department official Brian Hook.
▶ 2:18:36My amendment would ensure that the bill covers those incidents as well. Uh this amendment would ensure that future leaders of the United States and US allies are covered for the period the bill covers. And I urge my colleagues to support this amendment which would protect whomever the next president happens to be. With that, I yield back. Representative yields back. I recognize myself for a moment. Uh I oppose this amendment.
▶ 2:19:00The intent of this bill is to be specific and tailored to hold the regime accountable for very specific and real threats against our current US president. Uh and therefore I do oppose this amendment. I thank you for offering it. Uh do any other members seek recognition? Ranking member Meeks.
▶ 2:19:16I strongly support this amendment. I think that what the gentleman has presented is, you know, when we think about Iran and Iran's relationship to the United States currently, they're a threat to any number of individuals. clearly, you know, President Trump and uh as indicated and Prime Minister Netanyahu, but there's other threats that Iran poses also and I think that it should be a continuation uh so that everybody is covered.
▶ 2:19:42You know, that's why in my statement earlier, I talked about how we need to make sure that we had uh some in-depth hearings on and on on US policy with regard to Iran. And I think that that is irrespective of who the current president is or who the past president is or who the future president may be. This is something that we should take seriously not make just about one individual. And I think that the gentleman's uh amendment says it is the office of the presidency.
▶ 2:20:12I mean that's what is about. That's what this is about. And what we as a country is about institutions. He also talked about threats to secretaries of states and other individuals in the United States. Everyone's life is important and Iran should not be able to get away with just to a individual or individuals. It should be all of us who may be in this cap. It could be a member of Congress.
▶ 2:20:45It could be any of us doing our on this I mean, they're listening right now. It could be to me. It could be to the chairman. So I think and I strongly support the gentleman's amendment because I think it makes sense and it also sends a message I think to Iran do not mess with any of the officials or threaten officials of the United States of America
▶ 2:21:15because that should be the one thing that brings us all together irrespective of whoever is the current member of Congress or the current secretary of state or the current prime minister. minister or the current president of the United States, it should carry out throughout. With that, I yield back and I strongly support this.
▶ 2:21:34Ranking member yields back. And just to let you know, I am committed to working with both of you on expanding the the scope of uh who we need to look at for protection undoubtedly. Uh but I still oppose the amendment. Uh representative Self is recognized. yeah, we need to look at Iran as a whole, but we're addressing individual fatwas here. We're not addressing some u hypotheticals here.
▶ 2:22:01We are addressing five imams from Iran that have issued under Maharba against individuals. That's what this bill does. It focuses on five individual imams who have issued fatwas against including a named president of the United States. I oppose uh this amendment and I yield back. Any other members seek recognition?
▶ 2:22:34Mr. Self, would you like to yield a moment to Representative Castro? He's
▶ 2:22:39Absolutely. I yield to the gentleman,
▶ 2:22:42fellow Texan. All right. Um, yeah. No, I'm in my amendment. I'm not changing this the Iranian individuals that you're naming at all. Um, but you know, if let's just say theoretically, even though we're on different sides of this, let's say JD Vance is president in a few years and these guys say something about him because you specifically named Donald Trump and not JD Vance, this bill doesn't apply.
▶ 2:23:06And so I'm saying, you know, we ought to say it's the office uh and the office of others, other state department officials or other foreign leaders or whatever it may be. I think another another challenge, Keith, is in your bill it says other political leaders, but you got to define that somewhere, right? Or you got to say that the secretary is going to define it and in the language it doesn't say that. So I'm not messing with those who you're naming the specific people. I'm just trying to make the bill like functionally effective.
▶ 2:23:35And also I don't want it to become ineffective and an anacronism in a few years. That's all I I yield back.
▶ 2:23:43To follow the logic though from across the aisle, uh if we need to continually examine our Iranian policies, that's exactly when we ought to do it. Uh if a president of some other name is in office, let's do it again. if they issue a fatwa against that president. Uh because to follow y'all's logic, this Iran will be an ongoing issue. So, let's do it again if they do it again. Let's let's continue to keep up the pressure.
▶ 2:24:13Sure. But but then don't but then don't name it like for six years, right? Then don't create a six-year period.
▶ 2:24:19I mean, just say that when Donald Trump is no longer in office or when Men Netanyahu is no longer in office.
▶ 2:24:24Well, right.
▶ 2:24:25This Congress can't commit future Congresses. So they can change it or they can do it again. So I following the Democrat logic here. Uh let's uh let's set this standard in place and then if we need to do it again, Iran raises their head again, do it again. And I yield back.
▶ 2:24:47Any other members seek recognition? Representative Bosoots.
▶ 2:24:51Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would just profer for uh both my colleagues. You probably can do both, right? If you want, you can leave President Trump's name in there and you can leave Prime Minister Netanyahu's name in there and then also add the language of the [clears throat] gentleman from Texas, which would incorporate future presidents and other leaders from around the country. So, I I I actually think you could accomplish both. It doesn't have to be an andor. And that's it, Mr.
▶ 2:25:18And I would accept that uh we can work toward that end, Mr. Chairman. I'll look forward to you all getting together for Representative yields back. Do any other members seek recognition? Seeing none, being no further discussion, the question now occurs on the amendment offered by Representative Castro. All those in favor signify by saying I.
▶ 2:25:43All those opposed signify by saying no. No. The opinion of the chair, the nos have it. The motion is not agreed to. The amendment is not agreed to. Roll call vote has been requested. Pursuant to the chair's previous announcement, this vote will be postponed. Are there any further amendments? Further proceedings on this bill are
▶ 2:26:12Thank you. Pursuant to notice, I now call up HR 4397, the Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act of 2025. The bill was circulated in advance, and the clerk shall designate the bill.
▶ 2:26:26HR 439 7 to require the president to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization to direct the Secretary of State to submit a report to Congress regarding such designation and for other purposes. Without objection, the first reading is dispensed with and the bill is considered read and open to amendment at any point. I will recognize myself for an opening statement.
▶ 2:26:49I want to thank my colleague and fellow Florida representative, Representative Maro Diaz Balart, for leading this important and timely bill to sanction the Muslim Brotherhood and restrict its ability to operate within the United States of America. For years, our partners across the Middle East have been warning of the threat of this organization and what it poses. Initially established in Egypt in the late 1920s, it's grown into a transnational organization with chapters around the world. This is more than just a political organization.
▶ 2:27:17It promotes extreme and destabilizing views which continue to inspire acts of terrorism across the globe, including most notably Hamas and its horrific October 7, 2023 attack on Israel in which 1,200 civilians were killed over,200.
▶ 2:27:32And as the Trump administration noted in its recent executive order, these links were further underscored after October 7, 2023, when the Lebanese chapter of the Muslim Brotherhood worked handin glove with Hamas, Hezbollah, and other Palestinian terrorists to launch direct attacks against Israel, furthering its October 7 aim. More recently, a Muslim Brotherhood affiliate in Jordan was implicated in a plot to destabilize this critical region uh regional security partner.
▶ 2:27:58The plot, according to Jordanian government officials, similarly involved members of the Muslim Brotherhood's Lebanon chapter, who are reportedly manufacturing weapons and training militants to target sites in Jordan, which if successful would have theater to which, if successful would have been a substantial blow to the to the Jordanian people and a major counterterrorist risk.
▶ 2:28:25For too long, the threat the Muslim Brotherhood poses to US national security has been downplayed here in the United States, and it's well past time for course correction. I urge my colleagues to robustly support this bill and finally put in place much needed measures to address this very real and increasingly prevalent threat. That being said, are there any other members that seek recognition? Ranking member
▶ 2:28:50Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Unfortunately, I have to oppose Representative Diaz Balad's bill that directs the president to designate the Muslim Brotherhood and anyone the president deems an affiliate as a foreign terrorist organization and specifically designated global imposing sweeping visas and asset bans on a vast and illdefined set of groups and individuals.
▶ 2:29:14You know, as my colleagues know, uh I don't believe that this is a new effort, but more of a politicized one that is wrapped in a counter terrorism rhetoric.
▶ 2:29:30You know, one of the fundamental problems is that this legislation attempts to apply a tool designed for discrete terrorist organizations or terrorist groups to something that is not a single organization at all, but a diffuse Around the world, groups associated with the Muslim Brotherhood operate independently, spanding political partners, religious parties, I should say, religious organizations, charities, and yes, in some cases, paramilitary
▶ 2:30:01actors. There are not a coordinated global network. So, to be clear, some offshoots do meet the criteria for terrorist designation. Some of the offshoots do meet the criteria, but we already have the tools to designate them. Hamas is one of those groups.
▶ 2:30:23It is already a designated foreign terrorist organization and rightly subject to numerous sanctions and measures, both executive and So instead of solving a problem, this bill creates several new ones.
▶ 2:30:41Internationally, it would complicate the US engagement with political leaders and parties who have historic and nonviolent ties to the Brotherhood affiliated movements like in Morocco. It would alienate important regional partners in the Middle East such as Qatar and And I am also deeply concerned about the implications that this bill would have Section two has sweeping
▶ 2:31:12visa prohibitions which amounts to me to be a backdoor Muslim ban. It could subject millions of people including many Americans, many Muslims who live in my district, for example, to arbitrary and subjective determinations based on vague, indirect or tangental The language is so imprecise.
▶ 2:31:42This bill invites discriminatory and political targeting under the pretext of national security. You know, the Trump administration could use this bill to justify investigations, asset seizures, and even prosecutions aimed at Muslim Americans and Arab and Muslim civil rights organization, shilling free speech and undermining constitutional rights.
▶ 2:32:10Moreover, this bill hands sweeping authority to the president, who just yesterday called one of our Muslim American colleagues garbage. This administration has shown a clear of discrimin racist discrimin discriminatory and unconstitutional conduct. And if this bill were to become law, that abuse of power will only get worse.
▶ 2:32:39This bill also requires that any FTO or SDGT designations must remain for four years, a completely arbitrary time frame that provides no room for meaningful review.
▶ 2:32:54And that is why leading civil liberties and MuslimAmerican organizations including the American Civil Liberties Union, the Arab the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, the Constitution Project, and the Southern Poverty Law Center have raised serious So, let me be clear. We must use all the tools at our disposal to protect Americans from terrorism.
▶ 2:33:20And I have consistently supported designations and sanctions based on violent actions, not mere ideology or politics, and will do so again today, including for Rep. ISIS bill related to the Houthis and their continued acts of terror. And as a New Yorker and visited ground zero, I was there a New Yorker will never forget it after 911. I know there is no more sacred duty than keeping Americans safe.
▶ 2:33:50But I believe that this bill is the wrong approach and could be a dangerous one. And so therefore, I must be opposed to this measure and I yield back the balance of my time.
▶ 2:34:05Ranking member yields back. Do any other members seek recognition? Representative
▶ 2:34:10Uh thank you, Mr. Chairman. I speak in support of HR 4397, the Muslim Brotherhood terrorist designation act of 2025, led by representatives Mario Diaz Balard and Jared Mosquitz. Uh this bill would designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization and establish a process for designating its members, branches, and affiliates as terrorists.
▶ 2:34:32The bill amends the anti-terrorism act and treats the Muslim Brotherhood in the same manner that the PLO, the Palestinian Palestine Liberation Organization was treated during the height of its terrorist activities. It would prohibit Americans from transacting with the Brotherhood and pre prevent its members from entering the United States.
▶ 2:34:52This legislation would codify key elements of President Trump's recent executive order and provide a permanent statutory framework to address the ongoing threat posed by the Muslim Brotherhood and its violent offshoots. Despite its efforts to present itself as a mainstream political or social movement, the Muslim Brotherhood and its affiliates are rooted in an extremist ideology with a long history of supporting terrorism.
▶ 2:35:18Founded in 1928 by Hassan Albana in Egypt, the Brotherhood's stated goal from the beginning was to establish a global caliphate based on Islamic supremacy to restructure societies and governments according to its interpretation of Sharia and to advance a radical agenda. When I was stationed in Egypt under Mubarak, Mubarak was still there. Uh he had Egyptian armed forces kick down doors and simply shoot who was in the room. Muslim Brotherhood.
▶ 2:35:47While the Brotherhood often maintains plausible deniability, many of its branches and affiliates provide the ideological justification, financial support, and recruitment pipelines for jihadist violence. The Brotherhood has directly inspired or supported terrorist organizations, including Hamas and Al Qaeda. Its influence extends across the Middle East, Europe, and into the United States.
▶ 2:36:11The violence and instability it has fueled has already led Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the UAE, and Egypt to ban the organization outright. This bill would bring US policy into alignment with our key regional partners. More importantly, the Muslim Brotherhood provides material support to US designated terrorist That fact is not speculation.
▶ 2:36:38It is documented in the Brotherhood's own internal strategy papers, including the 1991 explanatory memorandum on the general strategic goal for the group in North America of a document that was seized by the FBI in 2024 inh 2004 and admitted as evidence in the Holyland Foundation terrorism financing trial.
▶ 2:37:01That document written by a senior Muslim Brotherhood leader in the United States explicitly describes the Brotherhood's work here as a kind of, and I quote, kind of grand jihad in eliminating and destroying the Western civilization from within and sabotaging its miserable house so that Islam is made victorious over all other religions and It lists dozens of Brotherhood
▶ 2:37:32Front organizations operating in the United States and outlines a long-term plan to infiltrate and undermine American institutions through a quote civilization jihadist process. That's the mother uh the Muslim Brotherhood's own description of its mission on American soil in its own words recovered by our law enforcement. The threat that this violent Sharia extremist group opposes to America is clear.
▶ 2:38:01The evidence is overwhelming and the time to act is now. Designating the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization is long overdue and I urge my colleagues to support HR 4397 and I yield back.
▶ 2:38:15Representative yields back. Do any other members seek recognition? Representative Uh thank you, Mr. Chairman. The ecosystem commonly described as the Muslim Brotherhood draws its strength from institutional failure. Whenever and wherever governance collapses, movements across this ideological landscape, some political, some social serviceoriented, and some violent, step into the void. Hamas presents the most lethal manifestation of that reality.
▶ 2:38:45a brotherhood branch whose ideological lineage fused with militancy culminating in the barbaric attacks of October 7th and the ongoing threat to Israel and regional stability. That pattern demands Congress take the threat seriously and confront the networks that enable violent extremism.
▶ 2:39:04The text before us situates its authorities in established intelligence findings, incorporates the clear record on Hamas, and directs annual reporting that forces the executive to document which entities threaten US interest and why. Those mechanisms matter. They create visibility into chapters that provide financial, logistical, and political support to violence.
▶ 2:39:27and they keep Congress in the loop through mandatory designation reviews and visa ineligibility determinations tied to hostage taking. This approach reflects a tightening of the scope compared with earlier drafts and anchors the bill in conduct that meets our statute statutory The larger context for this vote is the state of the executive branch.
▶ 2:39:51Over the past year, the Trump administration has dismantled or undermined the very institutions that give buttress our that buttress our counterterrorism work. Freezing foreign assistance, hollowing out USID, pressuring independent agencies, and treating civil service expertise as expendable. These actions damage the capabilities and capacity needed to distinguish between violent extremism and political activity.
▶ 2:40:20and they show an alarming disregard for the institutional restraint these authorities require. Congress must respond by sharpening oversight and by writing statutes that limit discretion and expand transparency rather than simply offering blank checks. This bill is not perfect. I support the bill because it has guard rails.
▶ 2:40:42The responsibility it creates for the executive are coupled with recurring congressional review, clear statutory definitions and reporting standards that prevent sweeping undifferentiated application of terrorism authorities to political actors or civil society groups operating lawfully within partner states. The bill's architecture reflects an understanding that weakening institutions is what empowers extremist movements while strengthening evidenced driven governance is what constrains them.
▶ 2:41:11Moving this legislation affirms that principle and ensures Congress, not an inconsistent executive or one with personal conflicts, remains the arbiter of how terrorism designations are used in America's name. I yield back.
▶ 2:41:27Representative yields back. Do any other members seek recognition? Representative
▶ 2:41:34Thank you, Mr. [clears throat] Chairman, and I'm grateful to Representatives Diaz Bolard and Representative Moscowitz for bringing this great bill forward. You know, the fact of the matter is we're not reinventing the wheel today. 11 countries around the world, 11 have already designated the Muslim Brotherhood to be a terrorist organization. And it would be surprising perhaps to some to know that many of the countries that have done it are Muslim countries.
▶ 2:42:00Representative Tel talked about Egypt and Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Jordan, but they're not the only ones. Bahrain has as well. Uh even in Europe they've begun to ban the Muslim Brotherhood. Austria has banned the Muslim Brotherhood. But why should we care? How does it matter here in the United States? Well, the Muslim Brotherhood is the umbrella organization that is driving mainstream Muslim terrorism throughout the United States.
▶ 2:42:26In fact, they've been linked to 29 organizations operating here in the United States. The North American Islamic Trust is an affiliate of the Muslim Brotherhood. It holds the deed to of the 3500 mosques in the United States.
▶ 2:42:45The Muslim Student Association, the architect of many of the terrorist attacks that happened on American campuses, the so-called encampments where Jewish students were targeted, were organized by affiliates of the Muslim Brotherhood. The Council on American Islamic Relations, an organization that does irreparable damage to the cause of civil rights because it masquerades as a civil rights organization while advocating for Muslim terror is an affiliate of the Muslim Brotherhood.
▶ 2:43:13As these issues get greater and greater and greater in the United States, as we see cities like Dearbornne tell Christians they are no longer welcome here, as we see organiza churches in Texas told that they have to accept graffiti on the sides of their institution as a practicing of faith by a a Muslim Brotherhood organization.
▶ 2:43:33It is more important that we stand up now, more important than it ever has been for us to stand up and say we're going to follow the lead of 11 other countries and not in the last year. Some of them have done it for many, many years and saying we are not interested in having this in the United States. It is a terrorist movement. It is a terrorist organization and it puts the lives of Americans at risk. So, I'm proud to co-sponsor this bill and I am very, very optimistic and hopeful that it will receive passage this year. Thank you, Mr.
▶ 2:44:03Chairman, I yield back.
▶ 2:44:05Representative yields back. Any other members seek recognition? Seeing none.
▶ 2:44:10No. No. Oh, Mr. Moscowitz, are you raising your hand over there?
▶ 2:44:14I am, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 2:44:15Got to raise it higher.
▶ 2:44:17Oh, Mr. Moscowitz. Yeah.
▶ 2:44:20Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Sorry you didn't see it earlier.
▶ 2:44:23Uh, I'll just add uh just a couple of quick points. Um, and that really is, look, I I not saying the bill is perfect. Um, but I I do reject the premise that uh this will lead to a backdoor Muslim ban. I don't I don't support a Muslim ban in this country. Uh, I didn't support it in the first Trump administration.
▶ 2:44:46But I do think it is extremely telling that Saudi Arabia, Jordan, UAE, and Egypt designated this group a terrorist organization and ban them for their from their countries. Our allies in the region who know this group the best ban them in their own countries, but for some reason we can't get it done. We've been trying to do this for like a decade. Um, and that to me is the most telling piece.
▶ 2:45:15And so, um, I I want to separate this group from American Muslims. We should not conflate them. This is a group that supports terrorism. That's not what the majority of the Muslim population in America wants. Um, but I I really think that we should look to our allies in the region.
▶ 2:45:42uh they have almost unanimously banned this group uh from from their countries and that's and in my conversations with ambassadors from our allies from this region, they're surprised we've not been able to get it done quite frankly. Um and so that's why I brought uh brought the bill uh forward uh with my colleague Mario Diaz Blard who's been bringing this bill forward for for a couple years and that's why uh I do support it. Thank you, Mr.
▶ 2:46:13Representative yields back. Any further discussion? Seeing no further discussion, the committee will move to consideration of amendments. Does any member wish to offer an
▶ 2:46:23Representative self.
▶ 2:46:24Mr. Chairman, I have an ANS at the desk that actually addresses many of Mr. Schneider's comments.
▶ 2:46:29Clerk shall distribute the self amendment in the nature of a substitute.
▶ 2:46:34The amendment has been distributed by electronic device.
▶ 2:46:36Clerk shall report the amendment. Amendment in the nature of a substitute to HR 4397 offered by Mr. Self of Texas. Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the following. Section one, short title. This act may be cited as the Muslim Brotherhood terrorist designation designation act of 2025. Section two, prohibitions on Muslim Brotherhood operations in the United States. Findings, determinations. Section 102 of the anti-terrorism act of 1987.
▶ 2:47:03Without objection, further reading is dispensed with representative self. if you're
▶ 2:47:10Uh, this, as I say, addresses many of the, uh, comments by Mr. Schneider, and I recommend my colleagues support it. I
▶ 2:47:18Representative yields. Any other members seek recognition? Seeing none, there being no further discussion, do any other members wish to offer an amendment to the self amendment in the nature of a substitute? There being no further amendments, the question now occurs on the amendment in the nature of a substitute offered by Representative Self. I represent a yes vote. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. All those opposed signify by saying no. The opin opinion of the chair. The eyes have it. The amendment is agreed to.
▶ 2:47:53There being no further amendments, I move that the committee report HR4397 as amended to the house with a favorable recommendation. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. All those opposed signify by saying no. Opinion of the chair. The eyes have it and the motion is agreed to.
▶ 2:48:09Mr. uh chair, I ask for recorded vote.
▶ 2:48:12Roll call vote has been requested. Pursuant to the chair's previous announcement, this vote will be Pursuant to notice, I now call up HR 6338, the Stop Illegal Fishing Act. The bill was circulated in advance and the clerk shall designate the bill
▶ 2:48:36HR 6338 to require the imposition of sanctions with respect to foreign persons and foreign vessels that engage in illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and for other purposes.
▶ 2:48:46Without objection, the first reading is considered read and open to amendment and I recognize myself for a couple of Illegal, unreported, unregulated fishing. That's the more innocuous term for what this is. It's a serious threat to coastal nations worldwide. What it really is, it's harassment.
▶ 2:49:09It is mostly a middle finger from the Chinese Communist Party to neighboring and coastal countries. The Chinese Communist Party oversees the largest illegal fishing fleet. They deplete fish stocks. They violate maritime laws. They harm local economies uh across the globe. And when these [snorts] vessels operate unchallenged in contested waters or uh other nations exclusive economic zones, they do serious serious damage to their economies.
▶ 2:49:39This is especially true in the South China Sea where Chinese Communist Party linked fishing vessels often operate alongside their own maritime militia to assert their control over waters that are not theirs. Beijing will not hold these vessels or these individuals accountable.
▶ 2:49:58In fact, they support them as much as they support the entities within the CCP that work specifically to steal US intellectual property or intellectual property from other places. It is just as much a whole of government effort. This bill gives the president the authority to sanction foreign persons and vessels engaged in illegal fishing.
▶ 2:50:19It requires annual reporting on sanctions, establishes a sanctions program and empowers the State Department and Homeland Security to deny entry, revoke visas, and prevent US entry for those involved. I thank Congresswoman Kim for her leadership on this bipartisan bill, and I urge my colleagues to support it. Do any other members seek recognition?
▶ 2:50:39Ranking member The tragedy of the commons is the notion that individuals can all benefit from a shared resource and every individual has an incentive to use as much of the common resource as possible. But this results in the tragedy the resource resource is overused and becomes and then no one gets to use it because everyone overused it. Fisheries are a classic example.
▶ 2:51:09Initially, everyone benefits if fisheries are fished aggressively. Individual fishermen can get more catch and consumers get more delicious seafood. But if fisheries are overburdened, preventing future generations of fish from being born and reproducing, then the ecosystem dies out and there are no longer any fish.
▶ 2:51:31This is why we have rules of the road to ensure fisheries can be sustained not just for today but for tomorrow and years down the road. The problem arises when a bad actor ignores the maritime stop signs and red lights that society has set up. And that's what's happening today.
▶ 2:51:53Bad actors around the world in both international and sovereign waters are fishing without proper regulatory approval, failing to report their catch, sailing with improper vessels, and often utilizing illegal or even forced The countries engaging in this illegal, unreported, and unregulated or the IU fishing at scale here are exactly who you would expect them to be.
▶ 2:52:22The IU fishing risk index ranks China as the country with the worst record in the world on this. Iran is second. Russia is fourth. These countries who ignore international norms in high-profile ways also ignore them in lower profile ones.
▶ 2:52:42Countries with the societal infrastructure to sell or buy illicit energy products via a shadow fleet can also utilize shadow fleets to illegally China has thrers sailing around the world into the c to into other countries waters and then illegally taking countries own natural resources. These countries are at best unable to do anything about their IU fishers.
▶ 2:53:13More likely they are unwilling. These bad actors are destroying fisheries for all the good faith actors in the world. And many of the people that will be hit the hardest are small fishing communities in developing countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. These countries rely on the oceanceans's bounty to feed and fund their The theory of my bill is simple.
▶ 2:53:41We need a stick to punish the bad actors who are creating the tragy the tragedy of the commons and fisheries around the world. By pushing hard-hitting sanctions on these bad actors, we will make it more difficult for them to sell their illegal loot and give criminals a second thought about engaging in in illegal fishing in the first place. So, I want to thank Rep.
▶ 2:54:08Kim for co-leading this bill as well as others like Congressman Scott Peters and Senator Tom Kaine and others leading similar legislative charges to address the IU fishing more aggressively. This is a global problem that needs America's leadership and this is a bill that is a major step in the right direction.
▶ 2:54:33Therefore, I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill and I yield back the balance of my time.
▶ 2:54:39Rank member yields back. Representative Kim is recognized.
▶ 2:54:43Thank you, Chairman. I am speaking in favor of HR 6338, the Stop illegal fishing act, and I'm proud to co-lead this bill with ranking member Mix. Thank you. This important legislation is long overdue, and it sends a clear message. The United States will not tolerate the predatory maritime behavior that has become a trademark of the Chinese Communist Party's global strategy.
▶ 2:55:11The world's largest perpetuator of illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing is the People's Republic of China. Chinese vessels often operate without regard to environmental, economic, legal, or label considerations with crews under conditions that amount to modern-day slavery.
▶ 2:55:33Consequently, they devastate ecosystems, damage a primary source of income for developing nations, and trespass into other nations exclusive economic zones. This is not just about over fishing. It is about coercion. The CCP illegitimately asserts def facto control over disputed waters and normalizes maritime aggression under the disguise of commercial fishing.
▶ 2:56:04It is economic warfare disguised as fishing which threatens the integrity of a free and open Indo-acific. The stop illegal fishing act confronts this problem head on. It establishes a targeted sanctions program against IU perpetuators and expands inter agency tools to expose and penalize the enablers of this illicit behavior.
▶ 2:56:32A rules-based maritime order in the Indo-Pacific is essential to American prosperity and freedom for our friends and allies. I look forward to getting this important legislation across the finish line and I urge all members to support this bipartisan legislation. With [clears throat] that, I yield back.
▶ 2:56:52Representative yields back. Do any other members seek recognition?
▶ 2:56:55Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Chairman, I fully support the Meek's bill co-sponsored by our distinguished ranking member or chairwoman, I should say, um, Young Kim on illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing Mr. Mr.
▶ 2:57:13Chairman, in October of 2023, as chairman of the Commission uh Congressional Executive Commission on China, I chaired a hearing uh entitled How Forced Labor in China Taints America's Seafood Supply Chain. It coincided with the release of Ian Erbina's groundbreaking study, a 4-year study. uh and many of his investigators uh face great risks uh in reporting and and doing the due diligence that they did.
▶ 2:57:43Uh and it broke the story about how China's fleet uh is filled to overflowing with forced labor. Matter of fact, he testified that of the 357 of the 751 ships that deal with uh squid, uh half had serious problems with forced labor. And that's just the ones that they studied. There are even more uh but it was it was an amazing amazing study.
▶ 2:58:10Uh on the fishing boats as well as in processing plants, China uses forced labor to underell competitors. Of course they do. They have forced labor. They they have very very small amounts of costs associated with the people who are on the ships. And on the open seas uh cut off from contact with land. Harsh and very cruel punishment is medded out to laborers who are treated as slaves. Wages are withheld.
▶ 2:58:37Captive peoples, especially the weaguers, are often conscripted onto these boats. On land, North Korean women are exploited to process these fish. This also has national security implications because Kim Jong-un's regime has paid a price per head for supplying these North Korean laborers. funds that he then uses obviously for his military machine. And here is the kicker. The United States government has been subsidizing this barbaric behavior.
▶ 2:59:07One of the takeaways from our hearing and ongoing reach out to the administration, both the Biden administration and now the Trump administration is that many of our laws are being broken, current laws, uh, with this. And we're buying for our commissaries, DoD, uh the VA, uh the Department of Agriculture, they are going with best price. And so often, uh the fish that lands in those commissaries, uh is tainted with forced labor.
▶ 2:59:38I have written to every secretary a number of times in the last administration and in this saying we've got to stop our complicity with this forced labor and the purchase and procurement of those products because they are made with that uh with forced labor. This implicates that three at least three US laws are potentially violated right now.
▶ 3:00:02This will add another layer I believe and I'm for it totally including the tariff act which prohibits goods made with slave or forced labor from being imported into the United States. The weaguer forced labor prevention act which applies to conscripted force weaguer labor and countering America's adversaries through sanctions act which covers North Korean laborers.
▶ 3:00:23I along with again my colleagues on on the commission, we continue to write and ask and call and admonish uh that they stop our complicity in this. And I do hope u um I do hope that that this legislation passes because this will be another layer of us telling the administration to stop it. Yield back.
▶ 3:00:46Representative yields back. There being no further discussion of the bill, the committee will move for consideration of amendments. Does any member wish to offer an amendment? There being no amendments, I move that committee report HR 6338 to the House with a favorable recommendation. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. All those opposed signify by saying no. Opinion of the chair. The eyes have it. The motion is agreed to.
▶ 3:01:10A roll call vote has been requested pursuant to the chair's previous announcement. This vote will be
▶ 3:01:17Just the committee recess.
▶ 3:01:19The committee will stand in recess. The clerk will email member offices regarding the timing of committee votes. We are in recess.
▶ 5:32:44You know what happened?
▶ 5:35:34Heat. Heat. Oh my god.
▶ 5:37:24Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat.
▶ 5:39:34Come on.
▶ 5:42:33Heat. Heat.
▶ 5:43:08There we go.
▶ 5:44:24Heat. Heat.
▶ 5:44:56Heat. Heat.
▶ 5:45:36Good afternoon. All right. The committee postpone further proceedings on reporting HR5490, the dismantle foreign scam syndicates act as amended favorably to the House on which the eyes prevailed by voice vote. The question now occurs on reporting the measure to the House with a favorable recommendation. I recommend a yes vote. Members will vote using the electronic voting system.
▶ 5:46:00The clerk will open the Have all members voted? Does any member wish to change their vote? Clerk will close the vote and report the tally.
▶ 5:46:22On this vote, the eyes are 48, the nos are zero.
▶ 5:46:26The eyes have it. The motion is agreed to. Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table and the staff is authorized to make any technical and conforming changes. The committee postponed further proceedings on reporting HR6297, the Protecting Europe from Anti-semitism, Crime and Extremism Act as amended favorably to the House on which the eyes prevailed by voice vote. The question now occurs on reporting the measure to the House with a favorable recommendation. Members will vote using the electronic voting system. The clerk will open the vote.
▶ 5:47:05Yeah, I don't have control of that.
▶ 5:47:11There's people in a basement that do
▶ 5:47:14I don't see my name either. They're gonna have to make for some of
▶ 5:47:22Mr. Chairman,
▶ 5:47:23where are we looking?
▶ 5:47:25Yeah, I would like to ask how I was recorded on the last vote while we're doing this.
▶ 5:47:31The clerk will tell you in a moment when they figure out the electronic system down in G3 of this building. Yeah, I hope to get this done before votes. So, I don't think we're going to get this done with the old way of
▶ 5:47:57Not today.
▶ 5:48:11Did you send it? You'll like this tweet I made today. Did you hear that lady from Guatemala said that ICE is the biggest threat? Did you hear this? This Dia Ramirez said DHS is the single biggest threat to public safety. Now, so I tweeted this out.
▶ 5:48:40Of course, she says this because ICE will hopefully someday her illegal husband.
▶ 5:48:46Ramirez herself is only an American because her mom came here illegally.
▶ 5:49:38Have all members voted? Does any member wish to change their vote? Clerk will close the vote and report the
▶ 5:49:47On this vote, the eyes are 49, the nos are zero.
▶ 5:49:50The eyes have it and the motion is agreed to. Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. Staff is authorized to make any technical and conforming changes. The committee postpone further proceedings on reporting HR4291, the sanctions list harmization act, favorably to the house, on which the eyes prevailed by voice vote. The question now occurs on reporting the measure to the house with a favorable recommendation. Members will vote using the electronic voting system. The clerk will open the vote.
▶ 5:50:20All members voted. Does any member wish to change their vote? Clerk will close the vote. Report the tally. Mr. Oh, Mr. Bar, did you vote?
▶ 5:50:30Put that tally back up there.
▶ 5:50:34There we go. Clerk will close the vote and report the tally.
▶ 5:50:37On this vote, the eyes are 49, the nose are zero. The eyes have it and the motion is agreed to. Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table and staff is authorized to make any technical and conforming changes. Committee postponed further proceedings on reporting HR 1848, the Houthi Human Rights Accountability Act as amended favorably to the House on which the eyes prevailed by voice vote. The question now occurs on reporting the measure to the House with a favorable recommendation. Members will vote using the electronic voting system. The clerk will open the vote.
▶ 5:51:15Have all members voted?
▶ 5:51:20Does any member wish to change their vote? Clerk will close the vote and report the tally.
▶ 5:51:25On this vote, the eyes are 49, the nos are zero.
▶ 5:51:28The eyes have it. The motion is agreed to. Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. Staff is authorized to make any technical and conforming changes. The committee postponed further proceedings on reporting HR 6347, the Global Child Thrive Reauthorization Act, favorably to the House, on which the eyes prevailed by voice vote. The question now occurs on reporting the measure to the House with a favorable recommendation. Members will vote using the electronic voting system, and the clerk will open the vote.
▶ 5:52:11Have all members voted? Does any member wish to change their vote? Clerk will close the vote and report the tally.
▶ 5:52:19On this vote, the eyes are 43, the nos are six.
▶ 5:52:22The eyes have it and the motion is agreed to. Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table and staff is authorized to make any technical and conforming changes. The committee postpone further proceedings on reporting HR5021. on the American Decade of Sports Act as amended favorably to the House on which the eyes prevailed by voice vote. The question now occurs on reporting the measure to the House with a favorable recommendation. Members will vote using the electronic voting system and the clerk will open the vote.
▶ 5:53:03Have all members voted? Does any member wish to change their vote? Clerk will close the vote and report the tally.
▶ 5:53:09On this vote, the eyes were 46, the nose were three.
▶ 5:53:12The eyes have it and the motion is agreed to. Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table and staff is authorized to make any technical and conforming changes. The committee postponed further proceedings on reporting HR4413, the end the Cypress Embargo Act favorably to the House on which the eyes prevailed by voice vote. The question now occurs on reporting the measure to the House with a favorable recommendation. Members will vote using the electronic voting system and the clerk will open the vote.
▶ 5:53:48Have all members voted? Does any member wish to change their vote? Clerk will close the vote and report the tally.
▶ 5:53:56On this vote, the eyes were 47, the nos were two.
▶ 5:53:59The eyes have it and the motion is agreed to. Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. Staff is authorized to make any technical and conforming changes. Committee postpone further proceedings on the roll call vote on amendment number 81 offered by representative Castro to HR 6230 on which the nose had prevailed by voice vote. The question now occurs on agreeing to the amendment. Members will vote using the electronic voting system. Clerk will open the vote. I recommend a no vote.
▶ 5:54:38Have all members voted? Does any member wish to change their vote? Clerk will close the vote and report the tally.
▶ 5:54:44On this vote, the eyes are 22. The nos are 27.
▶ 5:54:47The nose have it and the amendment is not agreed to. There being no further amendments, the question now occurs on the amendment in the nature of a substitute offered by representative self. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. All those opposed signify by saying no. opinion of the chair. The eyes have it and the amendment is agreed
▶ 5:55:07Request a roll call vote.
▶ 5:55:17Fair enough.
▶ 5:55:23There being no further amendments, I move that the committee report HR6230 as amended to the House with a favorable recommendation. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. All those opposed signify by saying no. Opinion of the chair. The eyes have it and the motion is agreed to.
▶ 5:55:43A recorded vote has been requested. Members will vote using the electronic voting system and the clerk will open the vote. Have all members voted? Does any member wish to change their vote? Clerk will close the vote and report the tally.
▶ 5:56:05On this vote, the eyes are 47.2 present.
▶ 5:56:09The eyes have it and the motion is agreed to. Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table and staff is authorized to make any technical and conforming changes. Committee postponed further proceedings on reporting HR4397, the Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act, as amended favorably to the House, on which the eyes prevailed by voice vote. The question now occurs on reporting the measure to the House with a favorable recommendation.
▶ 5:56:33Members will vote using the electronic voting system, and the clerk will open the Have all members voted? Does any member wish to change their vote? Clerk will close the vote and report the tally.
▶ 5:56:56On this vote, the eyes are 35, the nos are 14.
▶ 5:56:59The eyes have it and the motion is agreed to. Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table and staff is authorized to make any technical and conforming changes. Committee postponed further proceedings on reporting HR 6338 the stop illegal fishing act favorably to the house on which the eyes prevailed by voice vote. Question now occurs on reporting the measure to the house with a favorable recommendation. Members will vote using the electronic voting system and the clerk will open the vote.
▶ 5:57:40Have all members voted? Does any member wish to change their vote? Clerk will close the vote and report the tally.
▶ 5:57:47On this vote, the eyes are 47. The nos are two.
▶ 5:57:50The eyes haven't. The motion is agreed to. Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. Staff is authorized to make any technical and conforming changes. This concludes consideration of the measures noticed by the committee for today. Thank everybody for their work. Thank all of you for participating. There being no further business to transact, the committee stands adjourned.