April 16, 2024
Reschenthaler Manages Rule Debate on Measures to Support Israel and Hold Iran Accountable
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Chief Deputy Whip Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA) delivered the following remarks on the House floor when he managed the Rule Debate on several measures to support Israel, America’s strongest ally in the Middle East, and hold Iran, the largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world, accountable for its recent attacks.
The bills under consideration include H.R. 6323, the Iran Counterterrorism Act of 2023, H. Res. 1143, Condemning Iran’s unprecedented drone and missile attack on Israel., H.R. 4691, the Iran Sanctions Relief Review Act of 2023, H.R. 5947, To provide for the rescission of certain waivers and licenses relating to Iran, H.R. 6046, the Standing Against Houthi Aggression Act, and H.R. 4639, the Fourth Amendment Is Not For Sale Act.
As prepared for delivery:
“Mr. Speaker, President Joe Biden’s foreign policy decisions have been a complete disaster on the world stage and have emboldened our adversaries and empowered foreign terrorist organizations.
But sadly, we were forewarned.
Former President Obama’s Defense Secretary, Robert Gates, stated nearly a decade ago regarding President Biden and I quote 'I think he has been wrong on nearly every major foreign policy and national security issue over the past four decades.'
He’s right. Here are the facts.
In his first year alone, he green-lit Nordstream II to provide Russian gas to Europe, while blocking the Keystone XL pipeline here at home.
He issued 94 executive actions on immigration, which has led to an unprecedented invasion at the southern border.
To appease the far-left, he delisted the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization, which led to conflict in the Red Sea.
He is responsible for the failed U.S. withdrawal of Afghanistan, which killed 13 American servicemembers, stranded thousands of American citizens, returned the Taliban back to power, and expanded ISIS-K and al-Qaeda.
In 2022, his policies of appeasement led to the largest invasion of Europe since World War II.
To help his party in the midterms, he has depleted the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to its lowest levels since 1983 and sent millions of barrels to Communist China.
In the first days of 2023, he allowed the Chinese Spy Balloon to cross the entire country and collect intelligence on innocent Americans.
And on the 22nd anniversary of 9/11, the Biden Administration unfroze $6 billion in oil sanctions to Iran, just days before an Iranian proxy group killed over a thousand people in Israel.
And how does Iran thank us?
Our troops in the Middle East faced over 100 attacks from their proxy network, which led to the death of 3 servicemembers in Jordan.
And just this year, Biden waived billions in sanctions to allow Iranian energy exports into Iraq, and I kid you not, while also announcing an indefinite pause in new approvals of U.S. liquefied natural gas exports.
And guess who benefits?
Russia, China, and Iran.
This administration’s policies truly embody the slogan: 'America Last.'
That is why House Republicans are bringing to the floor this week legislation that condemns Iran’s recent attack on Israel, blocks Biden’s ransom payments to Iran, redesignates the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization, and applies maximum pressure on the Iranian regime.
We cannot stand idly by as the Biden Administration hands over the keys to the Ayatollah, Chairman Xi, and Vladimir Putin.
This week’s votes will be very clear.
Do you stand with our ally and strategic partner Israel or the authoritarian regime in Tehran?
I urge my colleagues to support this rule, and reserve the balance of my time.”