[House Hearing, 113 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
VARIOUS MEASURES
=======================================================================
MARKUP
BEFORE THE
COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED THIRTEENTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
ON
H. Res. 147, H. Res. 402, H. Res. 404, H.R. 1992,
H.R. 3470 and H.R. 3509
__________
NOVEMBER 20, 2013
__________
Serial No. 113-97
__________
Printed for the use of the Committee on Foreign Affairs
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COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
EDWARD R. ROYCE, California, Chairman
CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey ELIOT L. ENGEL, New York
ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, Florida ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA, American
DANA ROHRABACHER, California Samoa
STEVE CHABOT, Ohio BRAD SHERMAN, California
JOE WILSON, South Carolina GREGORY W. MEEKS, New York
MICHAEL T. McCAUL, Texas ALBIO SIRES, New Jersey
TED POE, Texas GERALD E. CONNOLLY, Virginia
MATT SALMON, Arizona THEODORE E. DEUTCH, Florida
TOM MARINO, Pennsylvania BRIAN HIGGINS, New York
JEFF DUNCAN, South Carolina KAREN BASS, California
ADAM KINZINGER, Illinois WILLIAM KEATING, Massachusetts
MO BROOKS, Alabama DAVID CICILLINE, Rhode Island
TOM COTTON, Arkansas ALAN GRAYSON, Florida
PAUL COOK, California JUAN VARGAS, California
GEORGE HOLDING, North Carolina BRADLEY S. SCHNEIDER, Illinois
RANDY K. WEBER SR., Texas JOSEPH P. KENNEDY III,
SCOTT PERRY, Pennsylvania Massachusetts
STEVE STOCKMAN, Texas AMI BERA, California
RON DeSANTIS, Florida ALAN S. LOWENTHAL, California
TREY RADEL, Florida GRACE MENG, New York
DOUG COLLINS, Georgia LOIS FRANKEL, Florida
MARK MEADOWS, North Carolina TULSI GABBARD, Hawaii
TED S. YOHO, Florida JOAQUIN CASTRO, Texas
LUKE MESSER, Indiana
Amy Porter, Chief of Staff Thomas Sheehy, Staff Director
Jason Steinbaum, Democratic Staff Director
C O N T E N T S
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Page
MARKUP OF
H. Res. 147, Calling for the release of United States citizen
Saeed Abedini and condemning the Government of Iran for its
persecution of religious minorities............................ 2
Amendment in the nature of a substitute to H. Res. 147 offered
by the Honorable Christopher H. Smith, a Representative in
Congress from the State of New Jersey........................ 5
H. Res. 402, Supporting the European aspirations of the peoples
of the European Union's Eastern Partnership countries, and for
other purposes................................................. 9
Amendment in the nature of a substitute to H. Res. 402 offered
by the Honorable Eliot L. Engel, a Representative in Congress
from the State of New York................................... 14
H. Res. 404, Expressing condolences and support for assistance to
the victims of Typhoon Haiyan which made landfall in the
Republic of the Philippines on November 8, 2013................ 19
Amendment to H. Res. 404 offered by the Honorable Edward R.
Royce, a Representative in Congress from the State of
California, and chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs....... 23
H.R. 1992, Israel Qualitative Military Edge Enhancement Act...... 25
Amendment in the nature of a substitute to H.R. 1992 offered by
the Honorable Doug Collins, a Representative in Congress from
the State of Georgia......................................... 28
H.R. 3470, The Naval Vessel Transfer and Arms Export Control
Amendments Act of 2013......................................... 30
H.R. 3509, Assessing Progress in Haiti Act of 2013............... 46
Amendment to H.R. 3509 offered by the Honorable Edward R. Royce 58
Amendment to H.R. 3509 offered by the Honorable Matt Salmon, a
Representative in Congress from the State of Arizona......... 60
APPENDIX
Markup notice.................................................... 78
Markup minutes................................................... 79
Markup summary................................................... 81
The Honorable Edward R. Royce: Statement on behalf of the co-
chairs of the Congressional Ukrainian Caucus................... 82
The Honorable Christopher H. Smith, a Representative in Congress
from the State of New Jersey: Prepared testimony of Naghmeh
Abedini, wife of imprisoned American pastor in Iran............ 83
VARIOUS MEASURES
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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2013
House of Representatives,
Committee on Foreign Affairs,
Washington, DC.
The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:05 a.m. in
room 2172, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Ed Royce
(chairman of the committee) presiding.
Chairman Royce. The committee hearing will come to order. I
will ask all the members at this time if you could take your
seats.
Pursuant to notice, we meet today to mark up six bipartisan
measures. As all members were notified previously to expedite
our consideration of these items today we are going to take
them up en bloc. The text previously provided to your offices
by the way, you have here, and all members, if you don't have
those before you, please ask the staff. We will make sure you
do.
The first is House Resolution 147, calling for the release
of the United States citizen Saeed Abedini from Iran, and Smith
Amendment No. 40 in the nature of a substitute. Again, without
objection, all of these items will be considered as read and
will be considered en bloc.
The next is House Resolution 402, supporting the European
aspirations of E.U. Eastern Partnership countries and Engel
Amendment No. 46 in the nature of a substitute.
Next House Resolution 404 expressing condolences and
support for the assistance to the victims of Typhoon Haiyan in
the Republic of the Philippines, and Royce Amendment No. 64 in
that measure.
Next is H.R. 1992, the Israel Qualitative Military Edge
Enhancement Act, and Collins Amendment No. 29 in the nature of
a substitute.
Then H.R. 3470 the Naval Vessel Transfer and Arms Export
Control Amendments Act of 2013, and lastly, H.R. 3509, the
Assessing Progress in Haiti Act, along with Royce Amendment No.
63 and Salmon Amendment No. 29 to that measure.
Without objection, all members may have 5 days to submit
statements for the record and extraneous materials on any of
today's measures.
And after recognizing myself and the ranking member for
brief opening remarks, I will be glad to recognize any
committee members seeking recognition to speak on these
measures.
[The information referred to follows:] H. Res.
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Chairman Royce. Now first, I would like to recognize myself
in support for House Resolution 404. This is the bipartisan
resolution I authored that expresses condolences to the victims
of the super typhoon that hit the Philippines. And 12 days ago,
what was one of the worst, worst typhoons on record, unleashed
a torrent of destruction on the central Philippines so complete
that it is very difficult for us to comprehend. As of today,
the death toll stands over 4,000 with more than 4 million
people displaced on the islands. Over \1/2\ million homes have
been destroyed in the hardest hit areas.
This bipartisan resolution expresses our condolences. The
United States is committed to helping the Philippines. To date,
the U.S. Government has allocated over $37 million to this
effort. The USS George Washington is stationed offshore and is
conducting around-the-clock efforts to transport relief
supplies and emergency workers to affected areas. In fact, more
than 750,000 pounds of supplies have already been delivered.
The municipal water pumping station in Tacloban is now
operational again, thanks to the work of the U.S. Agency for
International Development, and thanks to the efforts of the
Department of Defense.
The resolution also recognizes the important role of the
Filipino-American community in the relief effort. Many in the
community were directly affected by the typhoon with friends
and family still unaccounted for. Indeed, the community has
come together to raise funds and donated needed supplies. Some
have even traveled to the Philippines to help there. Filipino-
Americans are rightfully proud of their heritage, and they are
committed to helping those affected by the typhoon recover and
rebuild.
The U.S. stands with the Philippines during its time of
need. As the good people of the Philippines begin the difficult
journey to recovery, the American people are here to lend our
friendship and support.
Second, we consider H.R. 3470, the Naval Vessel Transfer
and Arms Export Control Amendments Act. This bill grants the
Navy authority to transfer excess U.S. naval vessels to our
East Asian partners, to Taiwan and Thailand, as well as to
neighboring Mexico. By doing so, we help the Navy manage its
inventory of decommissioned ships while strengthening the ties
with U.S. security partners.
Because the Navy will no longer have to store these
vessels, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that this
bill will save taxpayers $40 million.
In addition, the recipient countries will pay for the
refurbishment and upkeep of those transferred frigates, which
is expected to result in a $50 million economic benefit for
American workers per frigate who will do the work. This bill
also helps expedite routine U.S. arms sales to NATO and other
defense partners while maintaining appropriate congressional
oversight.
Third, we also take up Mr. Collins' bill. This is 1992, the
Israel Qualitative Military Edge Enhancement Act. And I want to
recognize Mr. Collins for his leadership on this important
piece of legislation, a testament to the American people's
enduring commitment to Israel's security.
In 2008, Congress required the President to assess, on an
ongoing basis, the extent to which Israel possesses a
qualitative military edge over threats against it, which, as we
know, are all too real.
Currently, this assessment is done every 4 years and
focuses on conventional military threats. This bill would
require the Congress receive this assessment on a more timely
basis, every 2 years, and would require the administration to
specify in a separate, one-time report how it is integrating
cyber and asymmetric threats to Israel into its overall
security assistance framework.
Next we have H.R. 3509, the Assessing Progress in Haiti
Act, which is a bipartisan product of thorough committee work.
Last summer, the committee received a GAO report detailing the
startling lack of progress on U.S.-funded post-earthquake
reconstruction efforts on the island. The committee followed up
by sending a bipartisan delegation of staff to investigate, and
then held a hearing on Haiti reconstruction where members asked
tough questions about USAID efforts.
One recommendation we heard over and over was that Congress
needs better and more frequent reporting to ensure that we are
being kept up to date on reconstruction activities and so that
Congress can provide tough oversight at a time when much of the
funding for Haiti is yet to be spent. And this bill does just
that.
So I commend Representatives Barbara Lee, Ranking Member
Engel, Chairman Ros-Lehtinen and Chairman Salmon for their
focus on Haiti and for working in a bipartisan fashion to craft
strong oversight legislation.
Next, I would like to thank Ranking Member Engel for his
work on House Resolution 402 to support the European
aspirations of the Eastern Partnership countries. The EU's
upcoming Eastern Partnership summit, which will take place in
Lithuania, represents an important step in the development of
the three Eastern Partnership countries of Ukraine, Moldova and
Georgia.
The association agreement these countries plan to sign will
deepen our diplomatic and economic ties with EU, representing
not only a significant upgrade in their engagement with the
West, but also a valuable opportunity for job creation, for
economic growth as well. These agreements will encourage the
countries to continue their democratic reform efforts, a
foreign policy interest shared by the United States.
And, lastly, I want to voice my support for House
Resolution 147 which presses for the release and safe return of
Pastor Saeed Abedini to his wife and young children.
While the administration negotiations are ongoing as we try
to negotiate with Iran in what a number of us are concerned
might be a bad nuclear deal in Geneva this week, Iran continues
to suppress minorities and persecute U.S. citizens. The case of
this pastor is a particularly egregious example. This Iranian-
born American is wasting away in Iran's prison system and is
said to be suffering from beatings. We take it seriously
because of the hundreds of executions that have been carried
out over the last 100 or so days in Iran. And this critical
resolution presses for his release and calls on the
administration to impose sanctions on those responsible for his
imprisonment and for the regime's broader suppression of
religious minorities.
Many of you know the fate of the Baha'i there, the fate of
the Christian community, the fate of some of the Jewish
community and so forth and other minority sects in Iran.
I will now recognize the ranking member, Mr. Engel, for his
remarks.
Mr. Engel. Thank you. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you for holding this markup and for advancing these
important pieces of legislation.
I concur with your remarks, and I, again, commend you for
the bipartisan way that we are conducting this committee.
Firstly, I strongly support H. Res. 147 which calls on Iran
to release Saeed Abedini, an American citizen and Christian
pastor. Mr. Abedini has been imprisoned in Iran since September
2012 because the paranoid regime in Tehran believes that his
Christian faith poses a threat to national security. He has
been abused and tortured by Iranian authorities and denied
medical care. And I hope the State Department and our friends
in the international community will continue to raise this case
directly and publicly with Iran as we all work to return him
home safely.
Next, I strongly support H. Res. 402, a resolution I
authored that supports the European aspiration of states in
Eastern Europe and the Caucasus region that belong to the
European Union's Eastern Partnership program.
Specifically, we support the right of Ukraine, Moldova and
Georgia to exercise their sovereign right to deepen their
economic and political ties with the European Union. Ukraine,
Moldova and Georgia may conclude agreements with the EU at the
end of the month--this month, which will strengthen democratic
institutions, spur economic growth and bolster the rule of law,
that is the three countries Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia. As
such, they will benefit the region and pose no threat to any
other state. We urge all nations to respect the right of these
states to enter into beneficial partnerships of their choosing.
We urge all nations, especially Russia.
At the same time, we urge Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia to
continue their laudable reform efforts to continue to adopt
democratic norms and standards and to meet remaining essential
conditions for closer relations with the European Union.
Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to have introduced with you H.
Res. 404, a resolution expressing deep sympathy and support to
the Philippines following Typhoon Haiyan. You and I both
visited the Philippines together in January, and we know that
people there are suffering and really rely on the United States
for help.
This resolution expresses the commitment of the United
States to provide assistance to help the people of the
Philippines recover from this disaster and support for relief
and reconstruction assistance provided by the international
community. The typhoon that struck earlier this month caused
massive destruction and killed thousands of people. And our
thoughts and prayers go out to the survivors and to the
families who lost loved ones because of the storm.
The Philippines is a close friend and treaty ally of the
United States, and we will continue our efforts to assist the
Government and the people of the Philippines in the recovery.
When we were in the Philippines, Mr. Chairman, we had an
excellent meeting with President Aquino of the Philippines who
is, of course, struggling to make his people whole again.
I also support H.R. 1992, the Israel Qualitative Military
Edge Enhancement Act. I thank Mr. Collins and Mr. Schneider for
their role in crafting this critical piece of legislation.
Helping Israel to maintain its qualitative military edge is
critical to ensure our closest ally in the region has the
resources necessary to protect itself from countries such Iran
and others committed to its destruction.
Specifically, this bill improves upon legislation
previously passed by this committee by strengthening reporting
requirements which will give Congress greater oversight over
QME efforts. In addition, the legislation clarifies that cyber
threats must be included in our qualitative military edge
assessment effort.
Again, I would like to thank Congressman Schneider and
Congressman Collins for their work on this bill and strongly
urge my colleagues to support it.
I also support H.R. 3470, another bipartisan bill that
exercises and therefore preserves, the committee's jurisdiction
in two areas: Naval ship transfers and controls on military
exports. The bill authorizes the transfer of six surplus U.S.
Navy warships to three countries, two by grant to Mexico and
Thailand, and four by sale to Taiwan. The bill also amends the
Armed Export Control Act to update the dollar thresholds with
congressional review of and proposed military transfers to
other governments.
In addition, the bill amends the AECA to preserve
congressional oversight over military transfers that will be
made under the administration's export control reform
initiative.
And, finally, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3509,
the Assessing Progress in Haiti Act of 2013. This legislation
should be understood as another step in the ongoing work of
this committee to exercise oversight over U.S. assistance
provided to Haiti in the aftermath of the devastating January
2010 earthquake. We commissioned a GAO report on that
assistance which found, among other things, that the
administration was not providing sufficient information to the
Congress to fulfill its oversight role. We also sent a
bipartisan staff delegation to look into the problems GAO found
and held a full committee hearing on that matter.
H.R. 3509 seeks to fill the information gap by requiring
the State Department to report on various aspects of our
assistance program. It also includes the statement of policy
that articulates the direction we think that assistance program
should take. I would like to thank Barbara Lee, the original
author of the bill, for her vision and tenacity for keeping the
Haiti issue in front of us as well as Chairman Royce for his
work on this bill. And this comes piggybacked on to a very
important PEPFAR bill we passed yesterday on the floor of the
House, which will benefit Africa and benefit Haiti as well.
Once again, I would like to thank Chairman Royce for
holding this markup and for working in a bipartisan way on all
of the measures before us today. And I yield back.
Chairman Royce. Thank you, Mr. Engel, and thank you for
your important contribution to today's legislation.
We are going to go now to any member seeking recognition to
speak on the en bloc items. And Ileana Ros-Lehtinen from
Florida, chairman of the Middle East Subcommittee.
Ms. Ros-Lehtinen. Thank you very much. And Mr. Chairman, I
am pleased to support all of these bipartisan measures and
briefly speak on a few.
Last week, our subcommittee unanimously passed House
Resolution 147 calling on the release of U.S. citizen Saeed
Abedini and condemning Iran for its persecution of religious
minorities. Pastor Saeed Abedini has been sentenced to 8 years
in prison simply for being a Christian and practicing his faith
in Iran. Earlier this month, Saeed was transferred to a
notorious prison reserved for Iran's most violent criminals.
His life is in danger on a daily basis, and he is being denied
the critical medical care that he needs.
Passing this resolution will send a strong signal of
support to Saeed and his family that we have not forgotten him
and that we will continue to fight for his safe and immediate
return and will also send a message to the regime in Tehran
that its violations of human rights will not be ignored and it
will be held to account.
As the negotiations continue with Iran over its nuclear
program, it is important to highlight just what kind of regime
the administration is prepared to ease sanctions on in return
for empty promises.
Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism, is a gross violator
of human rights that systematically violates and persecutes
religious minorities and cracks down on civil rights.
I also support H.R. 1992, the Israel QME Enhancement Act
authored by our colleague, Mr. Collins. It is essential that
Congress send a strong signal to Israel and to the world that
we remain committed to our relationship with our friend and
strategic ally, the democratic Jewish State of Israel.
With Iran still on the path to develop nuclear weapons and
the administration putting more pressure on Congress to hold
off on increasing sanctions on Iran, rather than verifying that
Iran will halt all of its nuclear activity, Israel has every
reason to be concerned over her safety. That is why it is
crucial that Israel remain not just one step ahead of her
enemies in the region, but light years ahead. There is no room
for error here. Israel must maintain it qualitative military
edge over its foes because her very survival depends on it.
I would also like to commend Chairman Royce and Ranking
Member Engel for bringing forward House Resolution 404 to
express condolences and support for assistance to the victims
of the typhoon in the Philippines. I joined a bipartisan
congressional letter earlier this week asking the Department of
Homeland Security to offer TPS (temporary protected status) to
nationals of the Philippines.
And as we continue to assist and provide assistance to the
people of the Philippines, we must also learn from our mistakes
from the past when it comes to providing assistance after
natural disasters.
Our reconstruction efforts after the Haiti earthquake from
2010 are still ongoing, and it is our responsibility to
advocate for greater transparency and accountability on the use
of U.S. taxpayer dollars. So I join my colleagues Barbara Lee,
Chairman Royce and Ranking Member Engel in introducing H.R.
3509, the Assessing Progress in Haiti Act.
This important bill calls on the Department of State to
submit a report on the status of post-earthquake recovery and
development efforts in Haiti. The report will help ensure that
our assistance dollars to the Haitian people are going to those
who really need it, and not to waste, fraud and abuse.
Elections in Haiti have been delayed for 2 years--over 2
years--and that is simply unacceptable. This bill reaffirms our
commitment to the fundamental principles of holding free, fair,
and transparent elections in accordance with the Haitian
Constitution.
Passing this legislation, therefore, Mr. Chairman, will
send a clear message that we want elections to be scheduled
very soon without any more delays in order to improve the
political--the volatile political environment in Haiti, and
help the lives of the Haitian people. Our south Florida
community is blessed to have a vibrant Haitian-American
community, and the diaspora keenly follows the developments in
Haiti.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for the time.
Chairman Royce. Thank you. We are going to go to Mr. David
Cicilline of Rhode Island, who is recognized now.
Mr. Cicilline. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
First, I want to thank you, Mr. Chairman, and Ranking
Member Engel for your leadership and for the bipartisan manner
in which we are marking up these bills. I appreciate the smooth
and deliberate way in which the package of legislation is being
handled and proudly support all the legislation contained in
this en bloc package.
In particular, I would like to thank the committee for
moving forward on House Resolution 404 regarding the
devastation left in the Philippines in the wake of this
devastating typhoon. I have expressed my condolences and the
sympathy of the First District of Rhode Island and will
continue to do so as the death toll rises and damage reports
increase.
I want to reiterate that the resolution expresses
solidarity with the people of the Philippines and affirms our
commitment to provide essential assistance.
Similarly, I have made resources available to my
constituents who would like to help those suffering the loss of
life and destruction of property in the Philippines.
In addition, as we consider H. Res. 402, supporting the
European aspirations of the people of the European Union's
Eastern Partnership, I want to stress the importance of the
adoption of democratic social norms by these countries along
with their economic integration. Over the past several years,
we have seen some impressive improvements to the human rights
of individuals in Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia. While the
situation isn't perfect, the trend is generally positive and
deserves our ongoing support.
I was pleased that the Moldovan Government took actions
last year to reverse some locally passed laws which restricted
the rights of all Moldovans who support the human rights of
LGBT persons. These local ordinances were passed most all of
them under pressure of the local Communist Party or the Eastern
Orthodox Church, which is in close contact with the leadership
of the Russia Orthodox Church in Moscow.
The human rights of LGBT individuals were further
strengthened in Moldova as part of the Eastern Partnership
effort. In order to ease travel restrictions and simplify
tourist visas for Moldovan citizens to EU countries, the
Moldovan Parliament was asked and agreed to pass legislation to
ensure that individuals cannot be fired from a job on the basis
of his or her sexual orientation or gender identity. Indeed, I
look forward to the day when similar legislation will pass here
in the United States and in the House of Representatives as it
did earlier this month in the Senate with broad bipartisan
support.
Improving relations with the European Union does not and
should not harm the important relationships these countries
have with their largest neighbor, Russia. Unfortunately, Russia
has increased threats against Eastern Partnership countries
unnecessarily threatening important trade and energy ties.
Nevertheless, I am pleased to see several countries take steps
to better protect and support religious minorities, LGBT
individuals and other marginalized communities. I am thankful
for the Eastern Partnership countries that have overcome
Russia's efforts to dissuade them from social progress.
In Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova, the governments and
peoples are quickly realizing that protecting the rights of the
minority ensures the fundamental freedoms enjoyed by the
majority. Certainly sexual orientation and gender identity
remain controversial issues in Eastern Europe, as is the case
in some parts of our own country. But we all know that the
right to organize, to march, to display pride, is healthy for
us as a country. These countries deserve our support and that
of the EU. I commend the chairman and ranking member for moving
this important piece of legislation and look forward to its
passage.
And finally I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1992 that
will increase the frequency of review of Israel's qualitative
military edge and add to requirements that such reviews include
cyber and asymmetric threats. This legislation will enhance our
national security interests as we better understand Israel's
military capability and ensure that they have the necessary
resources for their defense as our most important ally in a
very volatile region of the world.
I thank you, Madam Chairman, and yield back.
Ms. Ros-Lehtinen [presiding]. Thank you, Mr. Cicilline.
Chairman Smith of New Jersey is recognized.
Mr. Smith. Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
Let me just say to my colleagues, H. Res. 147, introduced
by our distinguished colleague, Dr. Cassidy, is an excellent
resolution, but it was introduced in April, and what we are
doing in the amendment in the nature of a substitute is
expanding from 6 to 18 the whereas clauses and adding one line
holding--trying to hold Iran to account--it is a signatory to
the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, so
international agreements are important and when they sign
something, they should be willing to live up to it.
Last March, Congressman Chairman Frank Wolf chaired a
hearing that was called the Worsening Plight of Religious
Minorities in Iran. His key witness was Naghmeh Abedini, the
wife of Saeed Abedini. And I would just like to quote--it is
long and I would ask unanimous consent that her full statement
be made a part of the record.
Ms. Ros-Lehtinen. Without objection.
Mr. Smith. Just a couple of lines pulled from that
testimony which underscores the awful plight of this great
pastor who went back to Iran--he is an American--to establish
an orphanage. He was given an assurance by the Government of
Iran that he would not be, in any way, interfered with and
certainly wouldn't have been arrested. He was accused in the
past of proselytizing his Christian faith, and for that he had
been beaten, and he is now serving an 8-year sentence. He has
been subjected to repeated beatings. He is now in a prison
where we are all very fearful for his life. He has several
people in his very cell who are convicted murderers. And one of
the modus operandi of anyone who has ever worked on human
rights know is that both the Communists and many of these
dictatorial regimes often put political and religious
prisoners, democracy activists, into a prison cell that has
people in it who have committed heinous crimes and as a quid
pro quo, ``Take care of our problem and you will get a lighter
sentence.'' It happens over and over again. So we are bringing
additional attention to that very serious deterioration of
Pastor Abedini's case.
Here is what Naghmeh said: ``We have two kids, Rebekka
Grace who is 6 years old and Jacob Cyrus who is 4 years old. A
day does not go by that they do not ask for their daddy. A day
does not go by that they do not long for him. Most nights, they
cry themselves to sleep, wanting daddy home.'' She goes on to
say it is unfortunate that Christians are the number one
persecuted people in the world, but not much attention and
effort is being taken to protect their religious liberty. She
points out how he went back to establish the orphanage and all
of that is in her statement and I summarized it very briefly.
She has said Saeed has endured beatings, internal bleeding,
death threats, and continuous psychological torture, all
because he will not deny his Christian faith.
Naghmeh said, and this was very unfortunate, I must tell
you, ``I am disappointed in my government. I am disappointed
that our President and our State Department have not fully
engaged this case--disappointed that this great country is not
doing more to free my husband, a U.S. citizen.'' She goes on,
``Yes, we are both proud to be American citizens. And I expect
more from our government.''
As a direct result of that hearing and her testimony, I am
happy to report that Secretary of State Kerry did make an
intervention, as did the State Department, but this needs to be
ongoing, consistent and persistent, and certainly sustained in
order to effectuate his release.
I do hope members will support the resolution, they already
have because we are now on the debate portion. But this man
needs to be freed, and his plight needs to be echoed throughout
parliaments throughout the world in Europe and elsewhere on his
behalf.
And secondly, Madam Chair, I would just like to say I
strongly endorse a resolution expressing our empathy and
sympathy for all those have who suffered from the typhoon. Yes,
there have been approximately 4,000 deaths, 10,000 people who
have been now affected by this horrific storm.
The United Nations has suggested, made a call for $301
million. The United States has come forward with $37 million.
The Catholic Relief Services alone, one NGO, and they just had
a massive collection in every Catholic church throughout the
country to raise this money, has pledged $20 million.
I would respectfully submit $37 million needs to be looked
at as a down payment. The needs are overwhelming and my hope is
that we will be more generous. The same thing happened during
the tsunami in 2004 and I traveled to Banda Aceh, Phuket, and
Sri Lanka, and many of us who came back were very concerned
that our paltry commitment in 2004 in no way came near to what
was needed. I see a deja vu occurring here, Madam Chair. We
need to do more. There are assessment teams on the ground. My
hope is that the Congress will robustly support the Filipino
people.
Two major problems, and I will be very brief in this. I am
very concerned about the trafficking situation there and we
have asked a number of questions about what is being done to
mitigate any trafficking under the chaos of the storm. And,
secondly, very often, and this happened in Haiti, the higher
death count is attributed to typhoid, cholera, and other
diseases that manifest after the fact. I am not convinced we
are doing enough to ensure that people are properly protected
from the epidemics that could ensue in the days and weeks that
follow. I yield back.
Ms. Ros-Lehtinen. Thank you very much, Mr. Smith.
Mr. Schneider of Illinois.
Mr. Schneider. Thank you, Madam Chairman. I want to thank
Chairman Royce and Ranking Member Engel for the bipartisan
leadership they have shown and continue to show on this
committee and the committee itself for its example of
collaboration that should be a lesson for us all.
I am pleased to support all of these bipartisan measures. I
join with my colleagues in extending condolences to the people
of the Philippines in the aftermath of the typhoon.
Specifically, I wish to speak on the H.R. 1992, the Israel
Qualitative Military Edge Enhancement Act. I am most grateful
for the collaboration of my friend, Mr. Collins. I want to
thank the chairman and the ranking member for working
diligently with my office and Representative Collins to bring
this important legislation before the committee.
Israel stands at a historic juncture. It is in an
increasingly dangerous neighborhood at an increasingly
dangerous time. Israel must have the capabilities to deal with
a broad spectrum of potential threats.
That is why we introduced this important and timely bill to
help further safeguard the technological edge that Israel has
and must always have in defending the country and safeguarding
her citizens. This bill expands upon existing requirements that
the United States aid Israel in developing defense systems
capable of safeguarding our most important regional ally,
Israel, against both conventional and asymmetrical threats.
Significant examples of this cooperation include the highly
successful, game-changing Iron Dome anti-missile system, as
well as the ongoing development of the Arrow and David's Sling.
Israel now faces dramatically evolving threats of regional
insecurity, including a virtual failed state on its border with
Syria, tens of thousands of rockets and mortars being
stockpiled by Hezbollah on the north, continued rocket fire
from Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and increasing terrorist activity
in the Sinai. But most importantly the existential threat of
Iran and its nuclear program. The U.S. can and will continue to
do more to aid Israel in addressing all these threats in a
comprehensive way.
The bill before us today would specifically encourage
greater coordination between Israel and United States in
developing new weapons, tactics and procedures to confront the
growing threats of cyber warfare, asymmetrical military
threats, and ongoing terrorist activity. Increased reporting
and coordination will allow the United States and Israel to
continue their mutually beneficial research and intelligence
programs to save lives and create a more secure and prosperous
region.
I want to, again, thank the chair and ranking member for
their support of this legislation. I also want to thank Mr.
Collins for the hard work we have done to hone this bill over
the last few months. I ask that my colleagues join me in
support of this bill and the others today and yield back the
balance of my time.
Ms. Ros-Lehtinen. Thank you, sir. Mr. Marino of
Pennsylvania is recognized.
Mr. Marino. Thank you, Chairwoman. I want to address House
Resolution 402 supporting the EU's Eastern Partnership
countries. The bill would express Congress' support for the
expansion of the EU to include Georgia, Moldova and the
Ukraine. Russia does not like this possibility. Russia wants to
continue to control the former Soviet states, and Russia sees
the European Union expansion as a threat to Russia's power in
the region.
Russia is doing all it can to stop these former Soviet
states from siding with Western countries, in part by cutting
off natural gas to these countries or spiking the cost of
natural gas and by pushing these countries to enter trade
compacts with Russia if--if they promise not to enter into
similar agreements with the EU.
I support the efforts of Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine to
enter into agreements with the European Union. I also hope the
administration expresses similar support and takes the steps
necessary to ensure it in a smooth and easy transition.
I yield back my time. Thank you.
Ms. Ros-Lehtinen. Thank you sir. Mr. Connolly of Virginia.
Mr. Connolly. Thank you, Madam Chairman.
I, of course, support all of the bills on our agenda. I
particularly highlight the Haiti legislation. This is a country
devastated by an earthquake, and its recovery has been slow and
painful and uneven at best. There are issues about coordination
among NGOs, there are issues about frankly the distribution of
our own bilateral assistance, there are issues about the
multilateral response to this tragedy. This is a country that
is not far away. It is in our backyard. And if we can't get
coordinated assistance when we have had this kind of tragic
development right in our own backyard, I think it calls into
question the efficacy of our ability to deliver aid effectively
anywhere. And so I think it is really important we focus on
Haiti, and I am delighted to see this legislation on the
agenda, and I would hope that the committee would continue to
monitor this very carefully as we move forward.
I yield back. Thank you, Madam Chairman.
Ms. Ros-Lehtinen. Thank you, sir.
Mr. Collins of Georgia.
Mr. Collins. Thank you, Madam Chair. I appreciate the
willingness of the chairman and you, as well, in your
willingness to work with me on this important bipartisan bill.
I want to thank the committee, and really this committee is one
of the few places I believe left in Congress where we do have
bipartisanship as the norm and not the exception, and that is
always a good thing to see.
I would also like to thank my friends deg. from
Illinois, Mr. Schneider, and his staff, deg. for their
work on this legislation. It is amazing when we work together
and what your staff has done and the others who have come
across on this bill has been really good to see along with the
chairman and the ranking member who have been so good friends
with this as well. So I want to thank you for all your hard
work.
The U.S. has stood with Israel from its inception 65 years
ago, and our countries remain close allies for a good reason.
America and Israel share many of the same goals. Both countries
have strong expressed desire to protect their citizens from
harm, to promote the principles of democracy, and to promote a
stable and prosperous Middle East. The benefits of the Israeli-
American relationship are undeniable. Our alliance has been
vital for each nation's intelligence gathering efforts
resulting in many lives saved.
I introduced H.R. 1992 because I believe that America's
support for Israel must be responsive to the changing threats
facing our allies. This week the United States and other member
nations are meeting to discuss Iran's nuclear program. Iran's
ambitions are no secret, and they currently possess the proper
quantity and type of materials to make nuclear weapons.
But Iran's nuclear program is not the only threat to
Israel. I am very concerned by the cyber threats attacks that
have been launched against the country. Nations in the region
are increasingly using cyber warfare as a means to cripple
infrastructure and violently disrupt the security of this
peace-loving nation.
H.R. 1992 directs the President to report to Congress every
2 years--current law requires for it every 4 years--regarding
the assessment of Israel's qualitative military edge over
military threats to Israel and related weapons sales in the
Middle East.
Additionally, it directs the Secretary of State to report
on cyber and asymmetric threats in reference to Israel. I
believe this legislation represents an effective way to promote
U.S.-Israeli relationships in a bipartisan manner. Given recent
developments in the region, there is no better time to ensure
that Congress has the most complete and up-to-date information
regarding Israel's qualitative military edge.
The very real threats of cyber attacks and asymmetrical
warfare in Israel must be taken into account as our nations
continue to fight against terrorism in the 21st century.
This legislation ensures that the United States' commitment
to Israel's qualitative military edge remains substantial and
meaningful. It provides Congress the ability to continue its
oversight of weapons sales to the Middle East at an increased
regularity by reviewing arms sales from 4 to 2 years.
I am very appreciative to the chairman for allowing this
piece of legislation to come before the committee. Ranking
Member Engel, for deg.your support brings increased
probity to the bill. And Mr. Schneider, you have been, again,
such a great partner on this relationship. You are such a
dedicated advocate for U.S.-Israeli relationships as it stands,
and I, like too many here, and also Ms. Gabbard, I also
appreciate your early support of this legislation, as well. And
I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield back.
Ms. Ros-Lehtinen. Thank you, sir.
Mr. Lowenthal of California.
Mr. Lowenthal. Thank you, Madam Chair, and I join with my
colleagues in thanking Chairman Royce and Ranking Member Engel
for conducting these--all the hearings on the Foreign Affairs
Committee in such a bipartisan way. It really is a pleasure to
come to this committee. And I also want to express, voice my
support for all the bills. But I would really like to talk
about one aspect of H.R. 3470, which is the Naval Vessel
Transfer and Arms Export Control Amendments, but that specific
part of the H.R. 3470. And I want to thank Chairman Royce and
Ranking Member Engel and your staff for your working on this
bill.
The title 2 of H.R. 3470 contains important improvements in
the licensing of U.S. exports under the Arms Export Control
Act. These improvements that are included in this bill will
streamline our congressional review of pending licenses by
focusing our committee's oversight on major defense transfers.
This is accomplished by updating the dollar thresholds under
the Arms Export Control Act for export cases that are subject
to congressional scrutiny.
This is the first updating in many years. When enacted,
this will focus congressional attention on the truly important
defense exports. Many of the U.S. companies that export defense
articles are located in southern California especially in and
near my congressional district. The California aerospace
industry will definitely benefit from this bill. In addition,
the Port of Long Beach, which I represent, will also definitely
benefit by a more efficient export licensing procedure,
speeding approvals and contributing to U.S. firms winning more
export sales.
While streamlining defense export licensing, this bill also
adjusts the congressional review process to benefit with the
reforms that the Obama administration is now beginning to
implement under its Export Control Reform Initiative.
In sum, this bill makes improvements for American defense
exporters and focuses congressional oversight on the
significant transfers that warrant close scrutiny.
Madam Chair, I yield back my time.
Ms. Ros-Lehtinen. Thank you, sir. Mr. Meadows of North
Carolina is recognized.
Mr. Meadows. Thank you Madam Chair.
And I just want to thank my colleagues, Mr. Collins from
Georgia and Mr. Schneider, for working so diligently on H.R.
1992. Early on, they worked with the committee here who just
have done an outstanding job in making sure not only this
legislation is ready to be brought to the floor, but that it
addresses the key concerns in terms of our allies. So I just
want to thank the gentlemen, and obviously it has my support.
I want to speak briefly, though, on Pastor Saeed Abedini.
It is very troubling that here we are in the middle of
negotiations with Iran, and a pastor is being held, quite
frankly, in a very dangerous situation, a gesture of good will
by that country that would transcend not only just one state to
another, but much of our Nation and show that, indeed, that our
two countries are ready for some type of bilateral talks on a
foundation of mutual respect, you would think that releasing
Pastor Saeed Abedini would be an easy lift. And yet here we are
having to pass a resolution condemning that action.
And, Madam Chair, you have been a strong voice for those
who are held in foreign countries against the international
norms that are there. I applaud you on your unrelenting voice.
I join you and urge the Iranian people to look at this
injustice and let Pastor Saeed Abedini go.
I yield back.
Ms. Ros-Lehtinen. Thank you, sir.
Mr. Keating of Massachusetts is recognized.
Mr. Keating. Thank you, Madam Chair. I would like to voice
my support for all the initiatives on today's markup but I
would like to thank, in particular, Chairman Royce and Ranking
Member Engel for working with me on House Resolution 402. As an
original cosponsor and as ranking member of the Subcommittee on
Europe, Eurasia, and Emerging Threats, I believe it is
important for the United States to show its support for the
European aspirations of the six Eastern Partnership countries.
Next week in Vilnius at the summit, three of these
countries are poised to take truly historic steps forward.
Twenty-five years ago, no one could have imagined that Georgia,
Moldova, and Ukraine, then Soviet Republics, would be on the
verge of signing or initialing association agreements with the
European Union. Their laudable progress demonstrates each
country's resilience and the strengths of their citizenry's
desire for a transparent governance and a rule of law.
In addition to the association agreements, which include a
key free trade component, the EU recently launched the Eastern
Partnership transport network to improve the roads, rails and
ports of the Eastern Partnership countries and to link them
with the EU's own transportation system.
I strongly believe the United States should support the
Eastern Partnership transport network by working closely with
the EU, international donors and hosts of countries to improve
their infrastructure and regulatory mechanisms to facilitate
more trade with the EU between Europe and Asia. This will also
support the broader ``New Silk Road'' vision that is coming to
connect Central and South Asia to larger markets and help
transform the northern distribution network, also known as the
NDN, into a viable, commercial corridor.
Although these agreements and initiatives pose no threat to
other countries, Russia has sought to undermine Ukraine,
Moldova and Georgia and threaten to retaliate further if they
move forward with association agreements with the EU.
Madam Chairman, it is important for the United States to
support Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine at this historic moment.
It is equally important that we make clear that Russia's
behavior in this regard is unacceptable.
With that, I yield back.
Chairman Royce [presiding]. We thank the gentleman for
yielding back. I think we have two remaining speakers, our
Western Hemisphere chairman, Matt Salmon from Arizona, followed
by Mr. Deutch from Florida.
Mr. Salmon. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
First of all, I want to commend you and the entire
committee for all of this bipartisan legislation today, which I
believe it has been said before that this is probably one of
the last committees in all of Congress that does things in such
a bipartisan way, and I think it is wonderful. It is a good
example to set for the other committees, as well.
I want to thank you, Mr. Chairman, for working with me and
accepting my amendments strengthening some of the reporting
requirements for the H.R. 3509. The Haitian funding bill is
incredibly important, but it is important, also, that we make
sure that our taxpayers are actually getting what they expected
and what they are paying for when it comes to getting money to
a very, very badly needed place in the globe and in the
hemisphere.
This language that Mark Walker was able to strengthen and
put together I believe makes it clear that the USAID and
taxpayer funds must be spent wisely and in accordance with the
policies that are outlined in this bill.
In addition, I appreciate the opportunity to work the with
committee staff on the other side of the aisle, as well. I know
that Mark was able to lead a staff delegation over there not so
long ago and found while there are still some troubling things,
there are some very positive things. And we want to focus on
both of those things.
When the 2010 earthquake struck our neighbors in Haiti, the
U.S. was swift with our response and promised to be a major
part of the long-term recovery process. Our citizens have been
generous in both the $3.6 billion in taxpayer funds dedicated
to the recovery, but also billions in private funds have flown
to assist Haitian recovery to help them rebuild.
But it is our obligation here in Congress to make sure
these funds are spent efficiently, effectively and
transparently. After the GAO's critical report, this bill will
help to address the lack of transparency and accountability
that our aid to Haiti has suffered to date. As we learned from
our hearing in our subcommittee last month, Haiti has a long
way to go in their recovery, and it is important that the
Haitian Government work diligently to improve the investment
climate in their country and move toward free and fair
elections and make sure that a democratic process moves
forward.
I have been very, very disappointed in reports from the
government that are harassing U.S. companies who are trying to
do business in the country, and sadly reports like that are
going to have a long-term impact on investment in Haiti.
I believe that if they want to go forward in a very, very
positive way, they have got to improve the rule of law there,
make sure that they don't shake down foreign business
interests. And finally, as incorporated in this bill, I
strongly urge the Government of Haiti to move forward with
those elections as soon as possible. The people of Haiti
deserve a voice in their government, and I think it is just
plain fair and common sense, but thank you and I yield back the
balance of my time.
Chairman Royce. Thank you, Mr. Salmon. I want to thank you
for your excellent contribution to the focus on Haiti and also
for promoting trade investment in this hemisphere. And we
appreciate that very much.
We are going to go turn now to recognize Ted Deutch of
Florida.
Mr. Deutch. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to lend my support to these good
bills. I would like to thank Congressman Collins and
Congressman Schneider for introducing the Israel QME
Enhancement Act. This bipartisan legislation emphasizes
Congress' commitment to ensuring Israel's qualitative military
edge, a central component of Israel's security.
We talk a lot about the importance of bipartisanship in
Congress when it comes to Israel's security, and it is thanks
to members like Mr. Schneider and Mr. Collins that we can work
across the aisle to further this kind of critical cooperation
and I applaud their efforts.
The United States has committed to ensuring Israel's right
and ability to defend herself against any threat, period. But
in its violent neighborhood, Israel can face threats at each of
her borders at any moment from the risk of spillover from the
Syrian conflict, rockets from Hamas and Hezbollah, and the ever
present existential threat from potentially nuclear-armed Iran.
This legislation will provide Congress with greater
oversight when it comes to Israel's qualitative military edge.
By the increasing reporting requirements on QME from every 4
years to every 2 years, we can continue to ensure that our
great ally, Israel, has the capabilities to counter any and all
threats.
In addition, it is the strategic cooperation with Israel
that ensures greater interoperability with our own military to
defend our security interests in the region.
I also want to expresses my support for H. Res. 147 which
condemns the Government of Iran for its persecution of
religious minorities, including Saeed Abedini. The recent
reports that Pastor Abedini was recently moved to a more
dangerous facility outside of Tehran further demonstrates the
U.S. must do everything in our power to end his continued and
unjust imprisonment. However, this markup also provides an
opportunity to highlight what is not being talked about in
Geneva--Iran's egregious human rights violations.
While preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons
capabilities is our paramount objective, it should not impact
our support for human rights in Iran. Iran's vile mistreatment
of its people is not new. But since taking office, President
Rouhani has spoken about the need to repair Iran's
relationships with the world and ensure the rights of his
people.
Unfortunately, his rhetoric has not been matched with
action. Hundreds of political prisoners remain in prison. This
year alone, more than 500 Iranians have been executed double--
double Ahmadinejad's last year in office.
In the past month, there has been a stunning wave of
oppression targeting the media and civil society that included
the banning of a prominent reformist daily and the arrest of a
prominent and politically-minded actress.
Iran is also suspected of having significant knowledge as
to the whereabouts of my constituent, Robert Levinson. As many
of you know, in March 2007, Robert Levinson was taken hostage
while visiting Iran's Kish Island. A retired FBI agent,
husband, father to seven children, and grandfather of two, Mr.
Levinson has missed 6 years' worth of birthdays, anniversaries,
weddings and other important milestones. Next Tuesday, Robert
Levinson will have been held captive for 2,455 days making him
the longest held American hostage in our Nation's history.
Now as Iran continues to flagrantly violate basic human
rights, we must continue to press Iran to treat their people
with due process and with fairness, and we must act to ensure
the release of all political prisoners, including Pastor
Abedini, Amir Hekmati, and we must do everything we can to
bring Robert Levinson home to his family. This markup is an
important step.
Finally, Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank you, the
ranking member and Congresswoman Lee for introducing H.R. 3509,
the Assessing Progress in Haiti Act of 2013. We are privileged
to have a strong Haitian diaspora in south Florida, and I know
how much they appreciate Congress' commitment to reconstruction
and stabilization efforts in Haiti. We must continue to provide
strong oversight to ensure that our aid dollars are helping
Haiti rebuild critical infrastructure, promote good governance
and rule of law and provide much-needed access to health care
and to education.
Again, I thank all of the bill's sponsors, and I look
forward to the final passage of this good legislation.
Chairman Royce. Well, thank you Mr. Deutch.
Hearing no further requests for recognition, the question
now occurs on agreeing to the items being considered en bloc:
All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
[Ayes.]
Opposed, no.
In the opinion of the Chair the ayes have it and the items
are considered en bloc and agreed to. And without objection the
measures agreed to en bloc, House Resolution 147, as amended;
402, as amended; 404, as amended; 1992, as amended; 3470; and
3509, as amended, these measures are considered favorably
reported to the House.
Staff are directed to make technical and conforming
changes. And just in closing, I want to thank our ranking
member, Mr. Engel, and all of the committee members for their
contributions and for their assistance in today's markup.
The committee stands adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 11 o'clock a.m., the committee was
adjourned.]
A P P E N D I X
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Material Submitted for the Hearing Record
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Material submitted for the record by the Honorable Edward R. Royce, a
Representative in Congress from the State of California, and chairman,
Committee on Foreign Affairs
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Material submitted for the record by the Honorable Christopher H.
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