▶ 0:18:20Quorum being President Committee on Foreign Affairs will come to order. I would ask that everybody rise. Join me in reciting 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. I'd ask everybody remain standing for a moment. We are in National Law Enforcement Week.
▶ 0:18:48Let's take a moment of silence to honor those law enforcement officers across the country uh that gave their lives on deployment across our communities. Please join me in a moment of silence.
▶ 0:19:10Thank you. Committee is meeting today for consideration of 11 measures. The chair announces that any request for recorded votes may be rolled and may recess the committee at any point. Without objection, so ordered.
▶ 0:19:38Pursuant to House rules, I request that members have the opportunity to submit views for any committee report that may be produced on any of today's measures. Without objection, so ordered.
▶ 0:19:49Thank you. Pursuant to notice, I now call up HR the Expanding the Defense Industrial Base Sales Act. The bill was circulated in advance, and the clerk shall designate the bill. HR 8649 to amend the Arms Export Control Act to authorize the use of foreign military financing for direct commercial contracts 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.
▶ 0:20:20Is there any discussion of the bill? Ranking member
▶ 0:20:27Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And while I appreciate Representative Bungardner's bill, I cannot support its risky implications regarding the potential misuse of taxpayer dollars. Foreign allies and partners can purchase US origin defense articles via US government managed foreign military sales or directly from manufacturers via direct commercial sales.
▶ 0:20:51Certain complex systems can only be purchased via FMS contracts, and the United States government often manages the largest and most consequential purchases. While the majority of foreign defense sales are paid for with the purchasing count's national funds, some countries receive US taxpayer funded foreign military financing or FMF to use for weapons for US weapons purchases.
▶ 0:21:19Currently only a small number of countries are authorized to also use US provided FMF for direct purchases which are not US government managed but contracted directly via manufacturers. This bill would enable any country to use taxpayer dollars provided FM FMMF for any direct commercial weapons purchase.
▶ 0:21:47This is an unprecedented expansion of authority that drastically enlarges the universe of US taxpayer funding for weapons purchases without visibility of the United States government. Authorizing unbounded and unlimited use of FMF opens the door to greater opportunities for corruption, bribery, and pay-to-play schemes.
▶ 0:22:10Without the US government as a contractual party, the risks for abuse and quidd proquo arrangements increase. The Trump administration has already shown itself to be a poor steward of taxpayer dollars. Dubious legal arrangements and multi-million dollar contracts between the Trump and Wickoff families, Gulf countries, the Trump Pentagon, and drone manufacturer Power Us, which is partially owned by Eric and Donald Trump Jr.
▶ 0:22:39illustrate the conflicts of interest this policy invites. This isn't a hypothetical risk. Previous DoD audits warned of weak oversight in direct commercial contracts. And the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act exists precisely to deter corrupt arrangements between United States defense firms and foreign officials to meaningfully For example, in 2024, Rathon agreed to a $950
▶ 0:23:10million legal settlement in a federal case involving a multi-year bribery scheme with highlevel foreign military officials to secure defense contracts. The company had used sham contracts and shell accounts to funnel millions in bribes for projects and weapons cases, including air defense systems and a joint operations center.
▶ 0:23:33Amidst such risks, an unlimited immediate global authorization for taxpayer FMF to be used for any and all DCS purchases is unwise. I will be offering an amendment that addresses these concerns, but I cannot support this bill as it is currently formed. Yield back. Balance of my time.
▶ 0:23:55Ranking member yields back. Any other members seek recognition? Representative Bombgartner. Well, thank you, uh, Mr. Chair. Um,
▶ 0:24:08this bill is really about increasing the safety and security of America and the world, and about avoiding future wars. Think about the situation in Ukraine, situation in situation in the Middle East. We know that we can need to get key military equipment into the hands of our allies uh as quickly as possible and we know that there's a problem with red tape in this process.
▶ 0:24:39Uh Congressman Zinci and his uh uh committee on uh military sales did a lot of important work looking and identifying some of this uh this red tape. And we also know that we need a defense industrial base uh here in America that can rapidly scale up should we have uh increased threats. And so we need to get important uh military equipment in the hands of our allies and we need to strengthen our industrial base.
▶ 0:25:10What this bill would do would allow countries eligible for foreign military financing to use those funds for direct commercial contracts. In doing so would eliminate the $und00 million cap that is currently in place. As background, foreign military financing is a grant or loan that the US provides to a foreign partner to fund the purchase of American defense systems. Foreign military financing is typically required to be used for foreign military sales only, which tends to be more expensive due to the role that the US government plays in the acquisition of the defense system.
▶ 0:25:39In limited cases, foreign military financing may be used to enter in direct commercial contracts. This is a process that allows countries eligible for milit for foreign military financing to use those funds to purchase defense articles uh directly from US companies similar to the direct commercial sales process. However, direct commercial contracts is currently restricted to only certain partners and is limited in the application even for authorized countries.
▶ 0:26:06In this current environment where many of our close partners are in dire need of weapon systems delivered in a timely fa fashion, direct commercial contracts would ensure that foreign military financing recipients are able to purchase systems quickly and efficiently. This will ensure that FMF eligible countries are able to maximize and fully reap the benefits of this type of assistance.
▶ 0:26:26Allowing more countries to use the direct commercial contract process would speed up the arms sales process and expand industry's ability to work with certain partners on larger cases they cannot necessarily afford uh without their own filamentary financing. So, you know, I understand that we are in a highly charged political environment and there's some uh, you know, various perspectives will be expressed about the current administration, but let's just again think about that.
▶ 0:26:53We're in a more complex set of security challenges across the globe than any time since World War II. We know that we can avert future conflicts by getting more needed weapons in the hands of our allies in a quicker pace. And we also know that we can re uh we need to re uh re reindustrialize our our defense base and uh this is a bill that uh that advances both those uh very very needed efforts. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Gentleman yields back. Any further discussion? Recognized myself for a moment.
▶ 0:27:23Under current law, foreign military financing funds, as has been spoken about, can typically only be used through the governmentto foreign military sales system. This effectively forces allies into highly bureaucratic, to say the least, slowmoving process by default rather than allowing them to use FMS for direct commercial sales contracts. This bill breaks that barrier by allowing FMF dollars to flow directly to American defense companies through commercial contracts.
▶ 0:27:51Competitors like China and many others routinely offer arms deals with faster timelines and far less paperwork. Not better equipment, but better paperwork. By expanding FMF back direct commercial finance contracting, this bill removes one of the key issues that causes allies to look to other places. DCS is faster.
▶ 0:28:13It's more flexible, more profitable for American companies, and it also allows US defense companies to negotiate contracts directly with foreign buyers, move at a commercial speed, not a government speed, protect proprietary pricing, build lasting customer relationships. These are all very big positives. The bill would also encourage participation by non-traditional defense contractors that have historically been locked out of foreign defense sales due to its complexity of the FMS system. So, I want to thank Representative Bombgartner for his work on this legislation.
▶ 0:28:44I want to thank the task force that worked on this in whole. Thank you, SEC uh thank you uh Representative Zinci and uh I encourage my colleagues to support this. Is there any further discussion? Seeing none, uh the committee will move to consideration of amendments. Does any member wish to offer an amendment?
▶ 0:29:01Have an amendment at the desk.
▶ 0:29:02Ranking member Meeks. Clerk shall distribute the amendment. Clerk shall report the amendment.
▶ 0:29:15Amendment in the nature of a substitute to HR8649 offered by Mr. Meeks of New York. Strike all after the
▶ 0:29:21objection. Further reading of the amendment is dispensed with. The representative is recognized.
▶ 0:29:25Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 0:29:26Members recognized. This amendment requires a strategy and implementation plan for expanding FMF use globally, requiring the State Department to formulate a number of detailed plans for addressing and avoiding conflicts of interests, credit proquo, and other corrupt arrangements.
▶ 0:29:44More specifically, this amendment requires state to better track, scrutinize, and audit any potential use of FMF for direct commercial contracts, as well as identify which countries and in what ways an expanded authority would be used.
▶ 0:30:02The amendment also requires the state department to develop plans to better track and report brokerage fees, commissions, and other payments associated with such armed cases so as to identify potential slush funds, bribes, or shell payments. Finally, it requires a detailed plan for reviewing direct commercial purchases to ensure no sales are made by firms owned or controlled by the Donald J.
▶ 0:30:30Trump family members or current US government No sweeping global authority for US taxpayer funds to be used willy-nilly for weapons purchases directly from manufacturers should be initiated without proper scrutiny and The Trump administration has already that it he he has shown us that in spades
▶ 0:31:00how irresponsible it is with US taxpayer dollars. And we should not enable the executive branch to spend potentially billions of more dollars without adequate plans for implementation and in place first. We need to make sure that we continue to have some oversight.
▶ 0:31:28And with that, uh, I yield back. Ranking member yields back. Any other members seek recognition? Representative
▶ 0:31:35Well, thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm a a fan of, uh, ranking member Meeks, but not a fan of this particular amendment. And uh I I would like to quote from the uh aerospace industries association which is a fan uh of the underlying bill that this this bill would provide flexibility in a pressure relief valve allowing partners to access US capabilities more quickly while reducing administrative burdens and reinforcing the competitiveness of US industry.
▶ 0:32:04uh H64 HR68649 is a timely solution that helps ensure the US remains the provider of choice around the globe. Uh this is really not an issue of uh political sensationalism for the current ele uh electoral uh season. It really is an issue of how we get more weapons more quickly to our allies like Ukraine, Taiwan, uh partners in the Middle East and do so in a way that strengthens our our industrial base.
▶ 0:32:34So that's what we're trying to solve here and and so would respectfully ask that the amendment be rejected. Representative yields back. Any other members seek recognition? Recognize myself for a moment. I recommend no on this amendment. This amendment would undermine the purpose of this legislation which is to expand defense sales, create American jobs, eliminate the expanded authorities that are intent of the underlying bill.
▶ 0:33:03It would also unnecessarily expand reporting requirements and require review of the entire DCS licensing system. Uh in that do any other members seek recognition? Seeing none, there being no further discussion, do any members wish to offer an amendment to the Meeks amendment in the nature of a substitute? Seeing none.
▶ 0:33:30Thank you. There being no further amendments, the question now occurs on the amendment in the nature of substitute offered by ranking member Meeks. All those in favor signify by saying I.
▶ 0:33:41I. All those opposed signify by saying no. No. In the opinion of the chair, the nos have it and the amendment is not agreed to.
▶ 0:33:47A roll call vote has been requested. Pursuant to the chair's previous announcement, that vote will be
▶ 0:34:04Thank you. Pursuing to notice, I now call up HR 8665, the Allied Defense Sales Act.
▶ 0:34:12Mr. Chairman, the bill
▶ 0:34:14the bill was circulated in advance and the clerk shall designate the bill.
▶ 0:34:17Mr. Chairman, Mr. Chairman,
▶ 0:34:20had an amendment at the desk
▶ 0:34:22for the prior bill.
▶ 0:34:29Mr. Ochesky, I may have made a mistake in not asking if there were further amendments. Give me one second to sort this out. Thank you.
▶ 0:34:38I asked for amendments to the Meeks amendment. I did not ask for further amendments. Hold on one moment while we while we sort that out. Hold on a
▶ 0:34:49And then we will have to go back and have a vote on the bill again.
▶ 0:34:54No, we didn't.
▶ 0:34:55Okay. Very good. Nothing else to move to the previous
▶ 0:35:04So are there any?
▶ 0:35:09Hold on one second.
▶ 0:35:12Just say are there any
▶ 0:35:16ranking member Meeks? Is there any objection to reopening amendment debate on HR8649?
▶ 0:35:25Objection. Okay, seeing no objections, we're going to reopen amendment debate on that. Are there any further amendments on H649?
▶ 0:35:33Mr. Chairman,
▶ 0:35:34Mr. Ochesky,
▶ 0:35:35thank you. I have an amendment at the
▶ 0:35:37Very good.
▶ 0:35:38Thank you, Mr. Chair.
▶ 0:35:38Clerk shall
▶ 0:35:40The clerk shall distribute the
▶ 0:35:43Clerk shall report the amendment.
▶ 0:35:48Amendment number 64 to HR 8649 offered by Mr. Ochevky of Maryland. Without objection, further reading of the amendment is dispensed with. Representative is recognized.
▶ 0:35:58Thank you again, Mr. Chairman. Uh I offer this amendment because we come at this debate at a time when American families are struggling with rising costs. We also see the president and his family using the executive office to enrich themselves. Whether it's accepting lux luxury jets from foreign governments, suing our own IRS for $10 billion, or engaging in crypto schemes, and selling Trump branded merchandise, the Trump family has been busy busy lining their pockets any way they can.
▶ 0:36:27In fact, according to Forbes, the president's net worth has increased over $3 billion in the last year alone. And now they are at it again, poised to cash in on the war in Iran that is this administration started without any justification to the public or Congress. I will simplify this as much as I can. One, the president's sons financially back a publicly financed traded golf company.
▶ 0:36:51Two, that same golf company finalizes a reverse merger with a drone company that's promoting itself to golf countries under attack by Iran. and three. Together, these strange bedfellows, a drone and golf company, form a new corporation, complete with a press release touting the investment from the Trump brothers. The deal pulls in a tangled web of Trump family linked investors, banks, and businesses. And this is the kicker.
▶ 0:37:18The new Trumpbacked drone company recently landed an extremely lucrative lucrative Air Force contract to buy an undisclosed number of interceptor drones from that new uh power us. Don Jr. even said his investment firm understands administration priorities because it helped craft some of them. He's talked about having influence over defense decision personnel defense personnel decisions and that he could lobby for candidates quote who wanted to spend more on drones end quote.
▶ 0:37:48To be clear, I support American investment in drone defense and inter interceptors. I support more secure supply chains. Here's what I refuse to support. steering these contracts and investments to the president's sons over other American suppliers. When the president's family stands to profit, it casts a doubt of suspicion over every Pentagon contract. This amendment is simple.
▶ 0:38:11It ensures that taxpayer funded foreign military financing does not finance any direct commercial contract or sale that would financially benefit a family member of the president or vice president. It's that simple. Before I joined Congress, we heard a lot about colleagues railing against Hunter Biden for allegedly using his father's position to enrich himself. Let's be equally willing to condemn similar behavior. I would argue even more egregious behavior from the Trump family.
▶ 0:38:38Under no circumstances should US taxpayers be lining the pockets of an administration, officials, or their family. Americans are sick of the corruption. They are sick of struggling while the rich get richer, and they are demanding we take action. Let's adopt this amendment. And with that, I yield back. Do any other members seek recognition? Representative Bumgard.
▶ 0:38:58Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh, I would ask that we oppose this amendment. Again, the underlying bill is attempting to uh more efficiently get needed defense systems to our allies and partners to avoid future conflicts. This is a very real issue and uh I I think this amendment in the way it's described as a series of red hearings.
▶ 0:39:19Uh I know it is political season uh but I really think we should rise above that in this committee and uh and just really seriously consider the inefficiencies and red tape we have uh in this stuff and try to open up this tool to solve it. Thank you.
▶ 0:39:34Any other members seek recognition? Ranking member Meeks.
▶ 0:39:37Yeah, I think this should be clearly a bipartisan amendment that we all should support. I mean it's very simple. It just prohibits any funds provided via the FMF program, including for DCS purchases to be made from any firm from which the president, vice president or their family members derive financial We should want them oversight and to make sure there's nothing, you know, it's just to make sure that we're taking care of taxpayer dollars based upon what u
▶ 0:40:07remarks of uh [clears throat] Congressman Ozinski have stated. uh this amendment is is needed and it's needed due to the actions that have been already uh committed uh throughout the Trump administration.
▶ 0:40:23So, I strongly support the gentleman's amendment and I think that we should all uh and as he said, you know, I know prior administrations, we looked at what their families did and many colleagues on the other side of the aisle was uh um um in the forefront in that regards. And so, here we go to make sure that we stop this from happening uh in this administration. And I agree, it seems to be more blatant than in any other administration that I've seen. I yield
▶ 0:40:50Gentleman yields back. Any other members seek recognition? Representative Self.
▶ 0:40:55Uh, thank you, Mr. Chairman. I realize there are there is often good reason that this season is referred to as the silly season. Uh, I recommend we get back to the foreign affairs aspect of this committee. I yield back.
▶ 0:41:08Representative yields back. Any other members seek recognition? Recognize myself for a moment. And I oppose this amendment and I oppose the idea that in any way, shape or form, this administration, the Department of War is doing anything other than procuring the best military equipment to support our war fighters in any space that they are in combat operations.
▶ 0:41:32This administration works to put the United States of America first, our service members first to make sure that we deal with I know it was said earlier that there was no reason to uh combat Iran. The reasons to combat Iran are plentiful and they have been agreed upon bipartisanly until there was a President Trump. And this is another example of partisan politics at play.
▶ 0:41:55Uh what's going on with procurement for our military and the systems that are used by them is to make sure that they have the absolute best that they can get their hands on to give our service members the best opportunity for success and coming home. Period.
▶ 0:42:12Any other members seek Seeing none, Being no further discussion, the question now occurs on the amendment offered by Representative Oleski.
▶ 0:42:32All those in favor signify by saying I.
▶ 0:42:35All those opposed signify by saying no. No opinion of the chair. The nos have it and the amendment is not agreed to. A roll call vote has been requested. Are there any further amendments? Very good. Representative Castro is Uh, thank you chairman. I have an amendment number 113.
▶ 0:42:54Very good.
▶ 0:42:57Clerk shall distribute the amendment.
▶ 0:43:00Clerk shall report the amendment.
▶ 0:43:03Amendment number 113 to HR8649 offered by Mr. Castro of Texas. After section two, insert the following new section.
▶ 0:43:11Without objection, further reading of the amendment is dispensed with. Representative is recognized.
▶ 0:43:16Thank you. Uh, this amendment is fairly straightforward. Under current law, section 36 of the Arms Export Control Act requires congressional notification for major FMS sales and major DCS licenses. In the case of foreign military sales, the government to government process, those sales are publicly disclosed immediately after being finalized. for direct commercial sales.
▶ 0:43:41While the administration is required to submit the unclassified notifications to the Congress, they do not immediately publish them for the public to view. And it can take months or even a year for those notifications to be shared publicly. And when they are, important information is often missing.
▶ 0:43:59This amendment fixes that gap, requiring unclassified information regarding direct commercial sales to be shared publicly and clarifying that foreign military sales should also be shared publicly uh as is the custom. Now the fact is that sales under direct commercial sales have less transparency than the foreign military pro sales process.
▶ 0:44:22So, if we're going to use taxpayer funds to be allowed, if we're going to allow for taxpayer funds to be used for direct commercial sales, those transactions must have the same degree of transparency as foreign military sales. That asymmetry is hard to justify when under this bill, we're now talking about using public FMF funds to finance those DCS transactions. And I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. I yield back. Chairman,
▶ 0:44:49do any other members seek recognition? Representative self.
▶ 0:44:53Uh, thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have a question for Mr. Castro. This is only for FMF funded sales. Is that correct?
▶ 0:45:02All DCS.
▶ 0:45:04All DCS sales.
▶ 0:45:05Aha. Thank you. I yield back.
▶ 0:45:07Any other members seek recognition?
▶ 0:45:10Ranking member Meeks. Yeah, I I support this amendment which would provide uh basically just greater transparency uh regarding direct commercial sales arms and notifications by requiring all notification and I believe for both FMF and DCS purchases be shared publicly. That's basically what it does.
▶ 0:45:29So that information calls or creates transparency and that's all that this amendment is doing is trying to make sure that there's a transparent policy uh for and a notification for FMF and DCS purchases. Yield back.
▶ 0:45:46Rank member yields back. Representative
▶ 0:45:49Uh thank you, Mr. Chair. I would ask that we reject this amendment. uh I think it's redundant of current policy and this information would still be available uh to Congress and we can I think if we think through this amendment we could all understand uh the challenges uh of this uh sensitive information uh uh being out in the open and again I'll just point out that uh the underlying bill is supported by the Aerospace Industries Association and what we're trying to do here is to get uh weapons quicker to our
▶ 0:46:19allies in a more efficient process. that avoids uh future wars and uh the u it's just this is an important bill and and uh while I respect the intent of this amendment for disclosure I think it is redundant and uh and something that would uh would bog down the process here so asking for a no
▶ 0:46:37any other members seek recognition recognized myself uh in keeping with Mr. Bombgartner's comments. I will reiterate I agree with its redundancy. Under current law, the process uh is this. The state department's directorate for defense trade controls publicly post DCS licenses above congressional notification threshold on publicly available website in the federal register. Uh and for that reason again I agree with your argument about the redundancy of this. Any other members seek recognition?
▶ 0:47:04Seeing none, there being no further discussion, the question now occurs on the amendment offered by Representative Castro. I recommend a no vote. All those in favor signify by saying I.
▶ 0:47:18All those opposed signify by saying no. No. Opinion of the chair. The nos have it. The amendment is not.
▶ 0:47:23I ask for a roll call vote.
▶ 0:47:24A roll call vote has been requested. Pursuant to the chair's previous announcement, that vote will be
▶ 0:47:32Are there any further amendments? Seeing none.
▶ 0:47:39Very good. We're good on that.
▶ 0:47:43You're good on that. The previously uh request for a recorded vote.
▶ 0:47:46Everything's clear. Good.
▶ 0:47:49Pursuant to notice, I now call up HR8665, the Allied Defense Sales Act. The bill was circulated in advance, and the clerk shall designate the bill. to require the implementation of a strategy to encourage foreign partners to participate in the foreign military sales and direct commercial sales process on a multinational basis and for other purposes.
▶ 0:48:09Without objection, the first reading is dispensed with and the bill is considered read and open to amendment at any point. Uh would the author like to
▶ 0:48:17Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I urge support for my bipartisan bill, the Allied Defense Sales Act. Our allies should be fighting adversaries and not red tape. Right now, too many of our partners want to buy Americanmade defense equipment because quite frankly, it's the best in the world. But they're stuck in a process that is slow, complicated, and often too difficult for smaller countries to navigate on their own. This effort does not create a blank check or weaken oversight.
▶ 0:48:43In fact, it follows current law with Lehey Act, the Child Soldiers Act, among others. But it does direct the State Department to identify eligible countries, assets, and [snorts] lead purchases coordinators to review the the financial barriers and report back to Congress on the challenges, solutions, and any legislative changes that are needed.
▶ 0:49:04It also asked the State Department to speed licensing and sales, support exportable defense articles, and strengthen important partnerships like AUS, which is absolutely critical to our defense and deterrence in the Pacific.
▶ 0:49:19This bill is largely intended to target smaller countries such as the Baltics, Southeast Asian countries, and Caribbean nations who by themselves don't have the resources to participate in the large FMS case programs which tends to require familiarity with complex US bureaucratic systems, procedures, and processes. These countries, however, would benefit significantly from the FMS case.
▶ 0:49:44Remember there are articles that are FMS only that is that are needed for deterrence especially in those smaller countries specifically defense relationship uh needs to be built as well. This is a common sense bipartisan bill. It helps our allies buy American. It helps American workers build more faster and helps the United States project strength uh with always putting America troops first in combat.
▶ 0:50:12The provisions of this bill were originally voted out of this committee through the state reauthorization markup last year and I urge my colleagues to support the Allied Defense Sales Act and I stand by for questions. Representative Yieldsback. Do any other members seek recognition? Ranking member
▶ 0:50:29Uh I want to thank Representative Zinci and Barah for this bill. I support this While most foreign defense sales are conducted by individual countries as multi-country purchases can provide more competitive pricing, coordination, and other benefits, including for smaller countries, which are less frequent purchases, as well as multinational alliances like the NATO support and procurement agency.
▶ 0:50:57The bill also includes reporting requirements providing Congress with details on the strategy and its imple And while multinational purchases are not currently prohibited by statute, this bill requires a strategy for socializing, promoting, and making available options for multinational cases to purchasing countries and an accompanying report to Congress.
▶ 0:51:23This will be beneficial to both the United States and our partners and allies and provides helpful additional information to Congress as we conduct necessary oversight. I yield back. Ranking member yields back. Going to recognize myself for a moment. I want to thank Representative Zinci for his leadership on this legislation and for leading our arms task force. Again, another thank you to that. There's a lot of important work that was done there.
▶ 0:51:49This bipartisan bill would break down barriers for smaller countries who are interested in participating in the US foreign military sales system. Currently, many capable partner nations are effectively locked out of the US foreign military sales system simply because they lack the financial or administrative resources to navigate it alone. Multinational purchases are currently an allowable sales mechanism, but lack of advocacy and education over the years has effectively made their use non-existent.
▶ 0:52:17The bill requires the State Department to incentivize these smaller nations to participate in multinational purchases and allow smaller countries to pull resources to purchase American equipment. Doing so would expand America's circle of equipped allies without requiring new foreign aid spending. It would strengthen the very integration that gives American alliances a decisive edge over our adversaries. This bill also allows for larger consolidated orders for US defense manufacturers rather than just fragmented small volume purchases.
▶ 0:52:46Bigger contracts mean longer production runs, lower per unit costs, and more sustained work for American defense workers. Keeping our allies buying American equipment is critical to an America first approach to foreign defense sales. And again, I want to urge my colleagues to support this and I thank the the representative for his work on this.
▶ 0:53:05Do any other members seek Seeing no being no further discussion of the bill, the committee will move to consideration of amendments. Did any member wish to offer an amendment?
▶ 0:53:22Seeing none, One
▶ 0:53:55moment. You can just give me another page.
▶ 0:54:32No, you don't.
▶ 0:54:38All right. Being no further discussion on
▶ 0:54:50Is this the bill?
▶ 0:54:53Is it that you're looking for. There you go. Just want to keep you in suspense, Mr.
▶ 0:55:12You'll never know whether your
▶ 0:55:14This is This is This is how to do a bill, though, when when both sides agree. I'm I'm wondering if I should shouldn't have pushed it more, but
▶ 0:55:20yes, you you'll never know whether this [laughter] whether your bill gets to
▶ 0:55:28Very good. Uh
▶ 0:55:31do you have that?
▶ 0:55:45Thank you. Being no further discussion of amendments, I move that the committee report HR8665 as amended to the House with a favorable recommendation. All those in favor signify by saying I.
▶ 0:55:59I. All those opposed signify by saying no. Vin the chair. The eyes have it. The motion is agreed to. Would you like a roll call vote?
▶ 0:56:12A roll call vote has been requested pursuant to the chair's previous announcement. That vote will be Ready? Here we go. Pursuant to notice, I now call up HR8661, the Foreign Military Financing Loan Authorization Act of 2026. The bill was circulated in advance, and the clerk shall designate the bill.
▶ 0:56:34HR 8661 to authorize the Secretary of State to provide certain direct loans and loan guarantees for the procurement of defense articles, defense services, and design and construction services, 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. Does any member seek Rank member Meeks. Go ahead.
▶ 0:56:58For decades, the US has provided taxpayer funded foreign military financing or FMF to certain foreign allies and partners in the form of grants. While grants have long comprised the vast majority of FMF financing to foreign allies and partners, on certain occasions, when specifically congressionally mandated, the US has supplemented grant assistance with FMF loans to enable greater purchasing by recipients.
▶ 0:57:27Examples of such loan requests include Poland, Romania, and The Trump administration has sought to replace FMF grants with FMF loans, often using isolationist rhetoric and of long standing alliance structures to justify the shift.
▶ 0:57:50This bill institutes an unbounded global authority allowing the administration to provide FMF direct loans funded by US taxpayers as well as a global authority allowing for loan guarantees where a third party lender provides the funds backed by the US government to any foreign country. This bill does not limit the country's amounts or size of loan providing broad latitude to the secretary of state to establish the full range of loan terms.
▶ 0:58:21I am supportive of supplementing our national security strategy and our US security assistance with loans which can be helpful as well as additive tool to the US allies and partners to strengthen their defense capabilities and increase their military capacity. So I thank the chairman.
▶ 0:58:43And I'm glad that the chairman and I were able to arrive at an agreement on an important amendment that I will offer which clarifies the intent and implement implementation of the expanded FMF loan. And with that, I yield back. Mr. Chairman, ranking member yields back. Any other members seek recognition? Recognize myself. President Trump's executive orders on improving arm sales made clear that expanding US defense exports is both a national security and economic necessity.
▶ 0:59:10This bill authorizes a direct financing mechanism to make that happen on terms that put America first. Foreign military financing has historically been provided to our foreign partners and allies and a non-reayable grant basis. While this is positive for our industries and our military interoperability, [snorts] we need to also be able to offer financing terms that are more attractive to current and future recipients.
▶ 0:59:36Russia, China, and others not only sell weapons, they finance them with favorable terms designed to lock developing nations into long-term dependence. Even our allies have expanded their defense financing options, such as the European Union's 175 billion safe program. This legislation gives the State Department a powerful tool to compete against a to compete aggressively in the global defense market and ensure that when allies buy, they buy American.
▶ 1:00:03This legislation would authorize the State Department to issue foreign military financing loans and loan guarantees, taking an America first approach to ensure that our DIB has more opportunities to capture the international market. It also authorizes the State Department to establish flexible terms for such loans so that they are more competitive and stay on terms that are beneficial to the United States.
▶ 1:00:25and it authorizes the State Department to use money collected from FMS administration fees to fund its activities to help fund the additional activities created by this legislation and recent executive order changes. This bill is the definition of America first and I urge my colleagues to support it. Is there any further any further debate? There being no further discussion of the bill, the committee will move to consideration of amendments. Does any member wish to offer an amendment?
▶ 1:00:56an amendment at the desk. Ranking member
▶ 1:01:02Clerk shall distribute the amendment and the clerk shall report the
▶ 1:01:08Amendment to HR8661 offered by Mr. Meeks of New York. Page one. After line five, insert the following and redesate subsequent sections accordingly.
▶ 1:01:18Without objection, further reading of the amendment is dispensed with. Seek recognition. Members recognized. This amendment which is the product of extensive negotiations with the majority modifies and improves a number of provisions on the underlying bill while retaining its core focus of providing additional FMF authority to support US allies and partners with loans and loan guarantees.
▶ 1:01:41First and critically, it adds a statement of policy affirming as the use of FMF loans as a supplement to but not in place of grant assistance. thereby sending a strong and clear signal to our allies and partners across the world that we stand with them, not just transact with them.
▶ 1:02:02Second, it appropriately establishes a seven-year sunset for the authorized program, at which point Congress can evaluate its effectiveness and utility before further legislating on it. Next, it stipulates that any loan provided under this timebound authorization must be offered at current market rate instead of a rate set by the Secretary of State that could be subject to politicalization and provides further clarifications as to the uses
▶ 1:02:32of FMS fees so they may not be abused or diverted for other purposes. Let me thank Chairman Mass uh for his work on this and his willingness to arrive at this negotiated outcome. Uh and I encourage all members to support this amendment and I yield back. Recognize myself for a moment. I also support this amendment. I thank Ranking Member Meeks for his work on it. This bipartisan amendment would add a necessary sunset to the bill as well as a statement of policy and expanded reporting requirements.
▶ 1:03:03Uh so I thank you for your work on this. I'm glad we could work on it and I recommend a yes Do any other members seek recognition? Seeing none. There being no further discussion, the question now occurs on the amendment offered by ranking member Meeks. 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 to. Are there any further amendments?
▶ 1:03:26Roll call.
▶ 1:03:27Roll call has been requested. Do that. Any further amendments?
▶ 1:03:32Representative Castro. I have amendment 110 at the desk.
▶ 1:03:38Clerk shall distribute the amendment. The clerk shall report the amendment.
▶ 1:03:43Amendment number 110 to HR 8661 offered by Mr. Castro of Texas.
▶ 1:03:48Without objection, further reading of the amendment is dispensed with. Representative is recognized.
▶ 1:03:53Uh thank you. I want to start by saying that I understand what the bill is trying to do and I don't think the goal of expanding financing tools for our partners is inherently wrong. Uh we do need to help allies build their own defense capacity and I very much get that. But I have serious concerns about how this bill does it and I think we owe it to the American taxpayer and the American people to be honest about the history here before we vote. We've been down this road before.
▶ 1:04:20The for foreign military sales direct loan program was extensively used throughout the 1970s and 1980s. At its peak, we were financing the majority of US arms transfers through government-togovernment concessional loans. And what happened? Country after country defaulted on those loans.
▶ 1:04:40By 1985, the GAO documented that the US government had already paid out $1.7 billion on defaulted guaranteed M FMS loans. This is money that American taxpayers were on the hook for when foreign governments couldn't make good on their obligations. And that's in Turkey went into severe arars. Sudan defaulted. Liberia defaulted. Somalia defaulted.
▶ 1:05:09And in 1990, we cancelled 6.7 billion dollars in Egyptian FMS debt. That was real money that American taxpayers never got back. Essentially, it turned into free money for these And then in 1994 and 1997, we cancelled Jordan's entire remaining military debt balance, another $700 million, as part of the peace treaty package.
▶ 1:05:38Realizing this, our country transitioned to primarily grant-based foreign military financing. And I worry that a return to loans without sufficient safeguards would result in the same challenges that we faced decades ago where countries end up in debt and we end up forgiving their loans and essentially giving them free money.
▶ 1:05:58I think it's quite ironic for a Congress that has criticized and cretailed foreign assistance and foreign aid to reenter a system that we know through history ended up in defaults and essentially taxpayer giveaways. This amendment directs the Government Accountability Office to conduct an independent review of the entire loan and loan guarantee portfolio established under this bill.
▶ 1:06:23The GAO would conduct this independent review every two years, assessing whether the portfolio as a whole is fiscally sound, including whether the department is setting realistic interest rates and repayment terms and whether those rates and terms are being applied consistently across countries. The review would include country bycountry assessments and loan by loan assessments. It's not the job of the state department to audit itself.
▶ 1:06:50And it's not sufficient for Congress to rely solely on the annual report the secretary submits. A report the secretary controls covering transactions the secretary approved on terms the secretary set. The requirement for a GO review would persist for as long as the program is authorized or if there are outstanding loans or loan guarantees under the program even if the underlying authority has expired. We need an independent set of eyes on this portfolio. The GAO provides that.
▶ 1:07:20I urge my colleagues and ask my colleagues to support what is a reasonable amendment based on the history of this type of financing. I yield back.
▶ 1:07:29Any other members seek recognition? recognize myself for a moment. I oppose this amendment. Uh this would create an unnecessary additional bureaucratic reporting on a bill that already has robust reporting requirements. And that any other members seek recognition? Seeing none.
▶ 1:07:55Being no further discussion, question now occurs on the amendment offered by Representative Castro. All those in favor signify by saying I. I.
▶ 1:08:01All those opposed signify by saying no. No opinion of the chair. The nos have it. The amendment is not agreed.
▶ 1:08:06As for a roll call vote,
▶ 1:08:07roll call vote has been requested. That will be rolled a later time. Are there any further amendments?
▶ 1:08:13I have another amendment.
▶ 1:08:17Can you ask him which one?
▶ 1:08:19Amendment 111.
▶ 1:08:24Clerk shall distribute the amendment and the clerk shall report the amendment. Amendment number 111 to HR 8661 offered by Mr. Castro of Texas.
▶ 1:08:35Without objection, further reading of the amendment is dispensed with.
▶ 1:08:40Would the author like to be recognized?
▶ 1:08:41Thank you. Uh Mr. Chairman, my amendment addresses what I believe are gaps in the annual reporting requirement in this legislation. Under HR8661, as written, the only reporting requirement is an annual report submitted 180 days after enactment and annually thereafter. That means if a country misses a payment in a month or two on a new loan, Congress might not find out for 10 months.
▶ 1:09:07If a country goes into default, the administration has no obligation under this bill to notify Congress promptly. My amendment addresses that in several ways. First, when any recipient misses a payment or defaults, the secretary must immediately notify us, the Congress. Congress has a right to know in real time when taxpayerbacked loans are going bad.
▶ 1:09:32Second, my amendment requires that the report also cover the history, including any prior loans under this program that were rescheduled or forgiven, and also provide an explanation as to why. If we have to restructure a loan because a country couldn't pay, Congress should know about it and Congress should understand why.
▶ 1:09:51Third, the report must include an explanation of why each country organization received the particular loan terms it received, such as the interest rate and the repayment If country A gets a 10-year repayment period and country B gets a 30-year repayment period, Congress and the public should be able to understand the basis for that distinction and the basis for the difference in terms.
▶ 1:10:14Fourth, the country must the report must include a summary of any conflict of interest reviews conducted in connection with each loan or guarantee and the determination reached. Fifth, and perhaps most importantly, this amendment requires that a summary of each loan, including the information in the annual report, be posted publicly in unclassified form on the State Department's website. So, not only Congress will be informed, but also the American public will be informed.
▶ 1:10:45Uh, I urge my colleagues to support this
▶ 1:10:49Representative Yields back. Do any other members seek recognition? Ranking member Meeks, go ahead. I support this amendment which mandates a notification to the Congress if the borrower has missed a loan payment or defaulted on a loan as well as additional reporting requirements and information on loans offered and covered under this program including relevant terms and details. So I I I support and yield back.
▶ 1:11:12Ranking member yields back. Any other members seek recognition? Recognize myself. I oppose this amendment as it creates a redundant and unnecessary reporting requirements for the underlying legislation. Any other members seek recognition? 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. No. Opinion of the chair. The nos have it. The amendment is
▶ 1:11:37request a roll call vote.
▶ 1:11:38Roll call vote is v requested. Pursuant to the chair's previous announcement, that vote will be postponed. Are there any further amendments?
▶ 1:11:50You do. Any other ones? Yeah, he's not going to do this.
▶ 1:12:17He's going to No, he's not. He's skipping 12. Skip it. Okay,
▶ 1:12:25Mr. Chair, uh during the debate on the Meeks uh amendment to HR8661, I ask for a roll call vote. I now uh uh ask to uh v visiate that roll call vote since the amendment was adopted by voice. I don't need a roll call vote, did I? Without objection.
▶ 1:12:50So ordered.
▶ 1:12:55Very good. And the remainder of the amendment votes will be rolled until
▶ 1:13:02Yes, the bill.
▶ 1:13:04Very good. All votes have been rolled till the end. Good to go. All right. Pursuant to notice, I now call up HR 8019, the US Greece Defense Cooperation Advancement Act. The bill was circulated in advance and the clerk shall designate the bill
▶ 1:13:21HR 8019 to authorize international military education and training assistance for Greece.
▶ 1:13:26Without objection, the first reading is dispensed with and the bill is considered read and open to amendment at any point. Is there any discussion on the bill? Ranking member Meeks.
▶ 1:13:36I support this measure and want to thank my friends representative Papus for authoring this measure and Representative Titus who is a co-lead. Greece is a critical and crucial US ally, a NATO member for more than seven decades, and an indispensable partner in maintaining peace and stability in the Mediterranean and the Middle East.
▶ 1:13:57Over the past several years, Congress has played an important role in deepening energy, defense, and economic cooperation between the United States, Greece, Cyprus, and other allies and partners in the Middle East.
▶ 1:14:10Recognizing that such cooperation delivers strategic benefits for us all individually and Congress has also been the driving force behind an enhanced strategic relationship not only between our country's executives but also on an level. Many members of this committee on both sides of the aisle have been leaders in this space.
▶ 1:14:38It is in that spirit that this legislation has been brought forward to reauthorize international military education and training or IME programs for Greece and to maintain the current levels of authorizations for these programs that have been made explicit by Congress over the past several years.
▶ 1:14:59With such widespread security threats in the Middle East and Russia's continued aggression against Ukraine and Europe, maintaining stability and enhancing cooperation in the Mediterranean is now more important than ever. And with that, I yield back. Ranking member yields back. Any other members seek recognition? Recognize myself for a moment. Greece is a strong ally of the United States and has benefited greatly from close cooperation in the national security sector.
▶ 1:15:28When it comes down to it, programs like IMAT make the American war fighters safer. Having allies trained to be interoperable with our own military doctrine saves lives when we work together. As a contributor to NATO, Greece has formidable air and naval forces and provides crucial base of operations for alliance activities in the Eastern Mediterranean.
▶ 1:15:47And while Greece has a ways to go to hit NATO's new 5% spending target for many years, it was one of the few NATO nations exceeding the 2% defense spending threshold previously set at the 2014 Wales Summit. I thank my colleagues for introducing this bill and I look forward to hearing discussion from members of the committee. Do any other members seek
▶ 1:16:10Uh hold on. Uh Representative Typus.
▶ 1:16:14Uh thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Thank you and Mr. Meeks for uh your support of this because it is very important. The US Greece Defense Cooperation Advancement Act does just what that title says and I'm pleased to co-sponsored or co-lead it along with Congressman Papus. As you described, this is a moment of profound instability across Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean.
▶ 1:16:38So, it's very important that we do this legislation because it strengthens one of our most reliable, democratic, and strategically located and important allies, and that is For generations, the US and Greece have built a very strong defense partnership, and it's grounded in shared interest and shared democratic values and enduring person-toperson kind of ties. And this partnership has become even more important as Russia's war in Ukraine continues.
▶ 1:17:07is there's instability in the Middle East and there's growing geopolitical competition that's reshaping the entire security landscape. Now, as a pillar of this relationship and one that deserves greater attention, we have IMAT, international military education and training program. It's been one of the most successful tools in the American foreign policy uh toolbox. Through IMAT, Greek military officers have trained alongside American service members.
▶ 1:17:36They've studied at US military institutions and they have built professional relationships that last their entire careers. But these programs do more than just provide technical instruction. They foster interoperability between allied forces. They deepen trust and they reinforce the principles that underpin our strong democratic militaries.
▶ 1:17:58The US has engaged through IMAT with Greece for years, helping cultivate Greek defense leaders who understand and support American doctrine, operates seamlessly with NATO partners and maintain deep institutional ties with the US. Now, that investment has paid great dividends. Today, Greece is one of NATO's most dependable allies.
▶ 1:18:22It it consistently exceeds NATO defense spending targets and it plays a critical geopolitical role in regional security. It hosts strategic infrastructure that's essential to alliance operations and it's become an increasingly important logistics and force mobility hub supporting NATO's southeastern flank.
▶ 1:18:44We need look no further than the port of El and Pseudo Bay and Creed as examples of how important this defense partnership is. These relationships don't just emerge overnight. They are built over time. And that's why this bill is so important and why it matters so much now. It helps ensure that we'll continue investing in a relationship that advances America's national security interests.
▶ 1:19:12It strengthens cooperations with an ally situated at a critical geographic crossroads linking the Balkans, the Eastern Mediterranean, and the Black Sea region with the Middle East and North Africa. It [snorts] is a cost-effective approach to support regional stability and reaffirm our commitment to allies who have consistently stood with us. So I urge my colleagues to support the bill and I yield back.
▶ 1:19:38Any other members seek recognition? Representative self, did you still want to be recognized on this?
▶ 1:19:45Very good. Uh any other members seek
▶ 1:19:50Seeing none, committee will move to consideration of amendments. Does any member wish to offer an amendment? Representative S.
▶ 1:19:57Uh, thank you, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 1:20:00Uh, I recognize Greece as amendment. Clerk shall distribute the amendment. The clerk shall report the amendment.
▶ 1:20:06The amendment has been distributed by electronic device. Amendment number 172 to HR 8019 offered by Mr. Self of Texas. Page two.
▶ 1:20:14Objection. Further reading of the amendment is dispensed with. Representative Self, you are recognized. Uh, thank you, Mr. Chairman. I recognize the importance of Greece as an ally, but I rise in support of my amendment to strike the authorization of 1.8 million in funding for the international military education and training to Now, I I chair the Europe subcommittee of this committee, and we have instability in the region of the Balkans, and that's why I offer this amendment.
▶ 1:20:42While robust joint military efforts exist between the United States and Greece, certainly for use of Suda Bay uh and during Operation Epic Fury to counter terrorism efforts, they remain on the short list of four NATO allies who refuse to recognize the sovereignty of Kosovo, hence the instability in the Balkans. These NATO partners join China, Russia, and Serbia in their refusal to recognize Kosovo's independence.
▶ 1:21:10close partner that our adversaries deny recognition uh to because they know that Kosovo is a lynch pin for stability in the Western Balkans. Uh the Russian influence in the Balkans is well known and it is increasing. I played a role in the planning for Operation Noble Anvil, the NATO bombing mission in Serbia in 1999 where they liberated the Kosvar Albanians from Serbian ethnic cleansing.
▶ 1:21:34I can tell you that Kosovo is unmistakably one of the closest and most loyal European partners to the United States. In a short period of time, this young country has de demonstrated a clear commitment to democratic governance, civilian oversight of security forces, and multithnic coexistence. All of which validate a compelling case for NATO membership and stability in the Balkans.
▶ 1:21:57Yet, as long as Greece, Romania, Spain, and Slovakia refuse recognition of our Balkan ally, there will be no path to Kosovo's aspiring NATO membership. The Trump administration has set the standard for using US taxpayer dollars uh in na for the national interest of the United States and this is a key issue today. Here, Kosovo has demonstrated a clear commitment to regional stability and strategic alignment with NATO by adding them to the alliance.
▶ 1:22:26Kosovo would serve as a necessary counterweight to discourage our adversaries and prevent another global catastrophe from unfolding in the Balkans as has happened in the past. While I appreciate Greece's present- day contributions to K4, true stability in the Balkans would be enhanced if case if Kosovo were granted NATO membership. Greece is one of those countries standing in the way of stability in the Balkans.
▶ 1:22:52I urge my colleagues to vote yes on this amendment to exhort Greece to reconsider their position that we may ensure Kosovo has a credible and achievable path to membership to NATO membership, hence stability in the Balkans and I yield
▶ 1:23:08Do any other members seek recognition? Ranking member Meeks. I oppose this amendment. Uh, this bill seeks a simple reauthorization of the exact amount that has been in law for every fiscal year since 2022 to extend a strong bipartisan program for a strong NATO ally. The program is already included in this year's appropriations bill, which Republicans passed out of committee last month.
▶ 1:23:34If military military training for NATO for a NATO ally in a region with a variety of complex security challenges does not qualify as a program worth pursuing, then I don't know what does. I urge all my colleagues who have long supported legislation to foster a strong relationship with Greece and other allies in the region to reject uh this You're back.
▶ 1:24:00Any other members seek recognition? Representative Situs.
▶ 1:24:03Uh, thank you, Mr. Chairman. I too am opposed to this amendment. You know, try tying IMAT to per one's opinion about Kosovo is like cutting off your nose to spite your face. This program has merit, has longtime merit. Uh, it's a partnership that's worthwhile, and to strip out the authorization means you're just doing away with the program and stripping out any means of implementing.
▶ 1:24:30Now, I understand if the impulse is to be a physical hawk like the sponsor of the amendment uh and this new argument about Kosovo adding to that, but I would point out that uh my colleagues argument is inconsistent with his own voting record. the sponsor of the amendment that strips away the authorization for appropriation in the bill uh has he's voted for this appropriation in the past most recently on the uh FY25 ESOPS bill.
▶ 1:25:01So I don't understand this change of uh heart or change of mind when it comes to funding IMAT and tying it to Kosovo. That's a separate issue. deal with it in a separate way, but don't make this uh good program contingent on this uh kind of condition. So, I would urge you to vote against this amendment. Thank you.
▶ 1:25:22Any other members seek recognition?
▶ 1:25:24Recognize myself for a moment. I appreciate uh Representative Self offering his amendment. However, I will recommend a no vote on it. I will oppose the amendment. HVAC majority and minority negotiated together in good faith to find language that finds a middle ground between majority and minority concerns. Uh the recommendation on this no uh is simply in favor of the meeks amendment for the same bill.
▶ 1:25:47Uh in that do any other members seek Seeing none there being no further discussion the question now occurs on the amendment offered by representative self. All those in favor signify by saying I.
▶ 1:25:58All those opposed signify by saying no.
▶ 1:26:00opinion of the chair. The nos have it and the amendment is not agreed to.
▶ 1:26:03Request to have roll call vote.
▶ 1:26:05Roll call vote has been requested pursuant to the chair's previous announcement. That vote will be Uh amendment at the desk. Thank you. Clerk shall distribute the amendment. The clerk shall report the amendment. Amendment number 129 to HR 8019 offered by Mr. Meeks of New York. Page two, beginning line 14, strike subsection B.
▶ 1:26:32Without objection, further reading of the amendment is dispensed with. Do any other me do any members seek recognition? Rank member meets. While I really don't believe this amendment is technically necessary, I am offering it so that the underlying authorization that previously passed into law on a bipartisan basis is extended rather than legislating a new authorization even if at the same levels.
▶ 1:27:00support for the US Greece relationship and especially our security cooperation with Greece alongside other allies and partners in the Eastern Mediterranean has long been and bipartisan and that is why this con this committee has so frequently legislated on that very relationship in a strong bipartisan way and this bill should be no different. So let us keep this strong legislative support going.
▶ 1:27:29I urge all of my colleagues to support this amendment and I yield back.
▶ 1:27:36Ranking member yields back. I recognize myself for a moment. Uh this amendment is the product of bipartisan negotiations to ensure that the long-standing authorization of the appropriations for IMAT to Greece continues as an extension of pre-existing law and is not a separate dollar amount. Greece is a strong ally of the United States and this amendment will ensure bipartisan support. Any other members seek recognition? Seeing none,
▶ 1:28:02there being no further discussion, the question now occurs on the amendment offered by representative Meeks. All those in favor signify by saying I.
▶ 1:28:09All those opposed signify by saying no.
▶ 1:28:11Opinion of the chairs, the eyes have it. The amendment is agreed to. Any further amendments? No further amendments. Votes will be postponed until later. Pursuant to notice, I now call up HR to designate a building of the Chancery of the United States in Pristina Kosovo as the Elliot L. Angle Building.
▶ 1:28:40The bill was circulated in advance and the clerk shall designate the bill.
▶ 1:28:44HR 8562 to designate a building of the Chancery of the United States in Christina Kosovo as the Elliot L. Angle Building. Without objection, the first reading is dispensed with and the bill is considered read and open to amendment at any point. Ranking member Meeks, would you like to be recognized?
▶ 1:29:02Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And this is really a important special bill for me. Uh many of us were lucky enough to call the late great Elliot Engel, who's the former chair of this committee, a friend and a colleague. And those of us who was there, we saw his true passion for the work that we do here.
▶ 1:29:29His understanding of the impact we can have as legislators on the American people and indeed the entire world. His commitment to maintaining a bipartisan approach to US foreign policy and whenever Those of us who knew him have probably heard Elliott tell the story of when he first came to Congress and was asked which
▶ 1:29:59committees that he wanted to join and how on each line he filled out one committee over and over again. And of course that committee was foreign Lucky for all of us and for the American people that Elliott got what he asked And throughout the decades that followed, he made his mark across
▶ 1:30:29a wide variety of foreign policy and national security issues. He was recognized as a leader in so many ways. From his commitment to upholding the Good Friday Agreement and promoting reconciliation in Northern Ireland to his passion for supporting democracy and human rights in the Middle East.
▶ 1:30:57But few can say that they've left their mark on anything as much as Elliott Engel did on a young nation and the people of Kosovo. Elliott was one of the earliest and most vocal advocates for the United States and NATO to come to the defense of suffering horrific war crimes and genocide in the hands of Serbian forces.
▶ 1:31:26You know, he pushed for US recognition of Kosovo's independence, and he remained a champion for justice and accountability for those in Kosovo and across the Western Balkans who were victims of war crimes and atrocities throughout the wars in the 1990s.
▶ 1:31:48It was and it is Elliot Engel's legacy and contributions have long been recognized in Kosovo where he has a street named after him even as even has his face on a postage stamp. And I remember having those conversations how proud he was about that street that was named for him.
▶ 1:32:15So, I can think of no more fitting way for this committee to honor our late colleague, our former chair and his legacy by moving to name the chancery building of the US embassy in Kosovo, the Elliot L. Engel building. And I want to thank our fellow New Yorker and also representative from the Bronx, Mr.
▶ 1:32:42Torres as well as my fellow foreign affairs cha chairs chairman mass chair Meredith McCall for joining in this effort. We've all come together in support of this bill. And I got to tell you just in closing, Elliott was extraordinary, a close friend, a person that I always went to for advice. We discussed foreign affairs. It was in his soul. It was in his very being.
▶ 1:33:13He has always always one of the most sincere and intelligent individuals that I have met and he loved this committee and this institution. This is who this man was. This is a very recognition of his legacy. I thank the chairman again uh and all former chairs of this committee.
▶ 1:33:39We know he used to always talk about how we leave bipartisanship, we leave partisanship at the wat's edge in this committee. And I thank the chair and I yield back and ask everybody to support this legislation.
▶ 1:33:54Ranking member yields back. Any other members seek recognition? Representative
▶ 1:33:59Uh thank you, Mr. Chairman. And uh thank you, Ranking Member Meeks. Uh I will tell you as the chair of the Europe subcommittee, Ellid Engel is still a hero in Kosovo. Uh and yet I find it ironic that uh you extol his efforts on the independence of Kosovo and the importance of Kosovo, which is understood today.
▶ 1:34:23And yet the irony is that we just discussed a bill that my colleagues across the aisle were unwilling to further support Kosovo in their efforts to become a lynch pin of stability in the Western Balkans. So yes, naming a building after Elliot Engel is certainly a worthwhile effort, but I think that if Mr.
▶ 1:34:50Engel were here he would actually want to go further because he understood the co the importance of Kosovo in the Western Balkans. And while I think he would the naming of a building after him, I think he would probably trade that building name to further advance Kosovo in the Western Balkans as a lynch pin of stability.
▶ 1:35:20and I yield back.
▶ 1:35:22Representative Self yields back. Do any other members seek recognition? Recognize myself for a moment. I'm proud to support this measure to honor the late Elliot Engel, former chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. He and I knew each other well. Also, Chairman Engel has an extraordinary and enduring legacy of public service and bipartisanship, and his staunch support for Kosovo and its independence makes this designation particularly fitting.
▶ 1:35:47As a member of Congress, he fought hard in the 1990s to support the US intervention that stopped atrocities being committed against the ethnic Albanians in the Balkans and subsequently worked toward the US recognition of free and independent state of Kosovo. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation to honor Chairman Engel's memory and immortalize his name in Kosovo and throughout the world.
▶ 1:36:12Any other members seek There being no further discussion, 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 HR 8562 to the House with a favorable recommendation. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. I.
▶ 1:36:38All those opposed signify by saying no. Opinion of the chair, the eyes have it. The motion is agreed to. ask for a roll call vote.
▶ 1:36:45A roll call vote has been requested. Pursuant to the chair's previous announcement, that vote will be
▶ 1:36:55Pursuant to notice, I now call up the Nom the dominance act. The bill was circulated in advance and the clerk shall designate the bill. to promote United States and allied energy and mineral security 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.
▶ 1:37:18And without objection, the Kim 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 purposes of the amendment. Do any other do any members seek
▶ 1:37:31Mr. Chairman, would you like to begin? Go ahead. Thank you, Chairman Mass and Ranking Member Mix for holding today's markup and considering my bill HR7037, the developing overseas mineral investments and new allied networks for critical energies act, the dominance act. Critical minerals are more than rocks in the ground. They are the foundation of military power, industrial strength, and economic security.
▶ 1:38:01The materials essential to fighter jets, semiconductors, batteries, and energy infrastructure increasingly determine which nations will lead in the 21st century and which will remain dependent on others.
▶ 1:38:17Right now, far too much of these supply chains is controlled by China, creating a stoic vulnerability that the United States cannot afford to Over the past year, Congress has taken a serious look at this challenge.
▶ 1:38:34Last July, the East Asia and the Pacific Subcommittee held a hearing on breaking China's chokeold on critical mineral supply chains, featuring bipartisan experts, including former assistant secretary Frank Fannon, former under secretary Jose Fernandez, and former Senator Joe Mansion. The message was unanimous.
▶ 1:38:56America must increase domestic production while building a coordinated strategy with allies and trusted partners. We have also engaged extensively with private sector leaders and manufacturers actually building these supply chains including free for McMoran, Newmont, Coburn Matters, MP Materials and the National Association of Manufacturers.
▶ 1:39:23Earlier this year, ranking member Ami Bara and I traveled to Peru to witness firsthand how American companies like Freeport are developing critical resources while supporting local Across ve every conversation, one message stood out.
▶ 1:39:42America needs a viable long-term critical minerals The Trump administration has made meaningful progress through initiatives like Forge, Paxilica, and Project Vault. And I have been deeply impressed by the entrepreneurship and focus of this led by Dave Copley, Jacob Hellberg, Ben Black, and their teams.
▶ 1:40:10However, Congress has a responsibility to help lock in these gains. If America's approach shifts every few years while China pursues a consistent long-term strategy, we will continue to fall behind. That is why ranking member Barra and I introduced the bipartisan dominance act.
▶ 1:40:32The bill aligns America's diplomatic financing and strategic tools to strengthen critical mineral and energy supply chains with allies and trusted partners. It established long-term energy security packs, improves inter agency coordination, supports key investments, and provides the policy certainty that is needed to move projects from planning to production.
▶ 1:41:01The bill now has more than 25 bipartisan co-sponsors and its major provisions have also been introduced in the Senate. The bill incorporates the new energy security and diplomacy bureau at the Department of State, which will help President Trump and future presidents negotiate minerals deals, navigate the intersection of energy and geopolitics, and sell more American oil and natural gas around the Title one authorizes
▶ 1:41:31the forum on resource geostrgic engagement forge that is previously known as the mineral security partnership or MSP which me ranking member uh Barah and I introduced last fall. Title three includes Mr. Ozerk's legislation to establish mining scholarship programs. This is about economic security, industrial strength, and national security.
▶ 1:42:00The United States cannot afford to remain dependent on China for the minerals that powered the modern world. So I urge my colleagues to support the Dominance Act. Thank you and I yield back.
▶ 1:42:13Representative Yields back. Any other members seek recognition? Representative
▶ 1:42:17Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, thank you, Chairman Mass and Ranking Member Meeks. I'd like to speak in support of HR7037, the developing overseas mineral investments and new allied networks for critical energies act or the dominance act. And I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bipartisan bill. I also want to thank my colleague Chairwoman Young Kim for her commitment to bipartisan partnership in leading this effort and all of our colleagues who work together to advance this important legislation.
▶ 1:42:45Through multiple hearings, roundts, briefings over the past year, it's been made clear that US access to critical minerals is not a Democratic or Republican issue. It's an American issue. Um, we know that Beijing is responsible for 90% of the world's rare earth processing capacity, a clear choke point in the rare earth um supply chain.
▶ 1:43:06Last year, Beijing demonstrated its willingness to weaponize its chokeold on critical minerals by placing export restrictions on rare earth elements critical to the defense, energy, and advanced technology sectors. Thus, expan expanding domestic capacity for mining, refining, and recycling of critical minerals is imperative to our national security.
▶ 1:43:29Um, this bill establishes a bureau of um, energy security and diplomacy at the State Department that's led by a Senate confirmed assistant secretary. This bureau will serve as the central hub for coordinating US international energy and critical mineral strategies across agencies with our allies. Second, the legislation formally authorizes US participation on the forum on um resource geostrategic engagement or the forge act.
▶ 1:43:59In 2022, the Biden administration in coordination with like-minded allies and partners launched the mineral security partnership or MSP to coordinate investments in projects to secure critical mineral supply chains. Earlier this year, Secretary Rubio Rubio announced Forge would be the successor to MSP.
▶ 1:44:19By formally authorizing US participation in Forge, the bill will strengthen coordination with partner countries on investment, information sharing, and project development to reduce dependence on strategic competitors. Third, this bill um establishes energy security packs that align the diplomatic development and financing tools of the State Department, DFC, XM, um USDA, MCC, Commerce, and other agencies to support strategic energy
▶ 1:44:49and mineral projects overseas. These packs will diversify supply chains, build economic resilience, counter economic coercion, and mobilize US private sector investment in developing markets. The bill also invests in the next generation of expertise by expanding mining and critical mineral education programs, including a new critical minerals mining fellowship program and a visiting mining scholars program to strengthen workforce development and technical cooperation with partner countries.
▶ 1:45:20In addition, the ANS adds two critical lines of effort. It strengthens our diplomatic capacity by expanding foreign service institute training focused on energy and critical minerals and codifies a special adviser for critical minerals and supply chains on the national security council to ensure a whole of government approach to critical mineral strategy.
▶ 1:45:41In closing, the Dominance Act sends a clear message that the United States is committed to long-term institutionalized cooperation with our allies and partners to build secure and diversified critical mineral supply chains. It also sends a message to the private sector that the United States is serious about creating durable policy frameworks that encourage long-term investment in secure and transparent mining, processing, recycling, and energy invest in infrastructure projects around the world.
▶ 1:46:10I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for working together on this legislation. I'd also like to thank all the stakeholders who have engaged with our subcommittee and provided feedback as we worked on this bill and engaged on these issues over the past year. Urge my colleagues to support this critical bipartisan legislation and I yield back.
▶ 1:46:30Representative yields back. Any other members seek recognition?
▶ 1:46:34Mr. Chairman,
▶ 1:46:36Mr. Go ahead,
▶ 1:46:37Mr. Oeski. Go ahead. Sure. Uh thank you. Thank you very much. Uh Mr. Chairman, I want to thank you, Ranking Member Meeks. I want to also thank Representatives Kim and Barah for their leadership on this important legislation. Uh we all agree that the US has to do more to break China's chokeold on critical minerals. It's why I am so proud to join my colleagues in co-leading this important bill which does just that. It strengthens Americans diplomatic, financial, and technical tools to ensure that we are leaders in shaping the world's energy future.
▶ 1:47:08I'm especially grateful that title three of this package includes my bipartisan bill, the Critical Mineral Mining Educational Act, which focuses on building a sustainable critical mineral workforce. Because here's the reality. America's mining workforce is shrinking. It's aging. And we are going to get caught flat-footed if we don't act. I saw this firsthand earlier in Peru on that trip with reps Kim and Barah, and I've heard it time and again from industry leaders here at home.
▶ 1:47:36Companies are struggling to fill critical workforce gaps. More than half of America's 221,000 mining workers are expected to retire by 2029. And we simply don't have the pipeline to replace them. That's because the number of US mining and mineral engineering programs have dropped from 25 in 1982 to just 14 today. We now graduate only about 300 mining engineers every year, far short of what we need to stay competitive.
▶ 1:48:04Meanwhile, China has spent decades investing in this space. It now operates roughly 40 mineral processing schools and more than 40 mining engineering programs. This effort gets at the heart of that imbalance by authorizing a critical mineral mining fellowship program and a visiting miners schol a visiting mining scholars program to strengthen STEM education. It supports American universities in rebuilding a strong mining industry for generations to come.
▶ 1:48:32Our supply chains are only as strong as the people who sustain them. And in our worldclass universities are the best assets we have to build this pipeline of engineers and scientists who will power the critical minerals workforce of the 21st century. If we're serious about competing with China, then we have to start here at home by investing in our people and doing so right now. Again, I want to thank my colleagues, Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member uh Reps Kim, Barah, and Hazinga for their partnership and leadership on this important legislative package.
▶ 1:49:01I urge my colleagues to vote yes and I yield back.
▶ 1:49:04Representative yields back. Any other members seek recognition? Representative
▶ 1:49:08Uh thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to oppose this bill because it's $150 million. It's got some language in there about labor rights, environmental remediation, restoration, responsible waste management. Um it also includes Cuba, includes the Russian Federation. Um and it accu it requires the foreign service institute to start training.
▶ 1:49:39I think this is u we are already moving the Trump administration is already moving to to fight back against the China strangle hold on critical minerals. Uh this is uh this is something we need to do, but I think this bill is probably uh we've got to recognize at some point we're we're 39 trillion dollars in debt.
▶ 1:50:05Uh we need to get our private sector going as opposed to all of this uh all of this government spending. So uh I yield back. Thank you.
▶ 1:50:15Representative yields back. Any other members seek recognition?
▶ 1:50:18Uh ranking member Meeks. I support this legislation. I want to thank Representative Kim and Barra uh for your work on it. You know, unfortunately, the past year has demonstrated that the US has significant vulnerabilities regarding critical minerals. And when China imposed global controls on rare earth minerals processed in the PRC last fall, there was an immediate global fallout.
▶ 1:50:45President Trump retreated from his own step to restrict China from sensitive US technologies and since then we have taken no additional economic state craft measures to counter China. I have worked with the chairman on legislation to remedy this inaction in an export control space and I hope the administration takes heed of the bipartisan work this committee has done on important tech competition issues.
▶ 1:51:15This bill takes some further critical steps. Importantly, it authorizes the shuttered energy bureau at the State Department and recraft it into an energy security and diplomacy bureau. Closing this bureau as part of Secretary Rubio's haphazard reorganization was a colossal mistake. The shutdown of the Straight of Hamus and the rising gas prices that are hitting American families make this plainly obvious.
▶ 1:51:46A key part of the solution here will be allied allied scale. Many of the largest mining firms in the United Kingdom and Canada. Japan has experienced dealing with the PRC critical mineral coercion. So, a Belgium firm with a large factory in France, has industrial knowhow.
▶ 1:52:12The United States may not be a crucial hub of rare earth refinement again, but we don't need to be as long as we build up capacity here at home and work with our friends and allies abroad.
▶ 1:52:26Now, this bill would not address all of these issues, but it lays the foundation for our diplomats and our foreign policy to begin the work that is most importantly needed. And with that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back. Ranking member yields back. Any other members seek recognition? Representative Ma.
▶ 1:52:51Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'd like to speak in support of the dominance act by our representatives Kim and Barah. Thank you. And this bill helps address national security needs and the realities that of the 21st century competition with adversarial nations. Current critical mineral supply chains are weak uh to outside threats and could disrupt national security and everyday lives of our constituents.
▶ 1:53:16Dominance Act helps us to secure diversified supply chains, support America and allied interests, and build upon US diplomacy. I think it's also worth pointing out that this bill does nothing to authorize or change deep sea mining regulations within territorial or international waters. This is important as Congress works to explore new technologies.
▶ 1:53:41So I remain steadfast in my resolve for my island and any discussion of deep sea mining cannot happen without the input and consent of the people who will be affected by it. This bill affirms US commitments and sovereignty and cooperation and builds upon that foundation and mutual interest. So I urge my colleagues to support the ANS and the underlying measure. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 1:54:08Representative yields back. recognize myself for a moment.
▶ 1:54:14Readiness can't be a slogan. It's often the difference between success and failure. And modern deterrence and economic security depend on supply chains. We all realize that more and more every day. The minerals used in fighter jets, missile systems, advanced communication systems, energy infrastructure that are essential to American power, those are all part of readiness. When those supply chains are vulnerable, the United States of America is vulnerable.
▶ 1:54:44This bill strengthens America's ability to work with allies, mobilize investment, and secure resilient supply chains for critical minerals and energy technologies our economy and our nation depend upon for defense and a host of other things. It locks in steps taken by the Trump administration that they have taken to ensure America has the tools, partnerships, and industrial strength needed to compete and deter coercion for the next before the next crisis arrives.
▶ 1:55:10I'm proud to be an original co-sponsor on this bipartisan bill led by Representative Kim and Representative Barah. And I want to thank both of them for their leadership on this measure and I urge my colleagues to support it. Do any other members seek recognition?
▶ 1:55:25Yes, Miss Kim. Um, I would like to clarify some of the comments that my uh, dear colleague made earlier and clarify that this bill does not authorize funding and this bill puts a cap on spending. Instead, the cap says we cannot spend more than $150 million.
▶ 1:55:46uh as noted the administration has done a great job in recognizing the vulnerability our country has and therefore he's made uh steps with the executive orders last year and we have already moved forward with uh project vault forge packs as my as I mentioned earlier.
▶ 1:56:06So what this bill is doing is to uh as we're trying to break the choke point China has on mining and processing and in the critical mineral supply chains, we're trying to codify the good work this Trump administration is doing. And I also wanted to note that we this bill has a strong bipartisan support and also the support of key industry stakeholders.
▶ 1:56:31And what this bill is doing some of uh is to try to fill the gap that uh dominance act will uh you know provide uh with what is missing in building that domestic production uh to the scale that our defense industry and commercial industry needs by aligning the US tools and improving the coordination and executing a very clear strategy to make the US the partner of choice in building supply chains outside of China.
▶ 1:57:02Uh so the important thing that I wanted to note by passing this uh dominance act is we are going to provide the very critical uh element of what we're doing is providing the industry the durability. Uh the administration has again as I mentioned made a real progress and congress are trying to ensure that those tools and partnerships last beyond any single administration.
▶ 1:57:29So with that, I once again ask my colleagues to strongly support and pass this dominance act today.
▶ 1:57:35Any other members? Seeing none, being no further discussion of the bill, the committee will move to consideration of amendments. Does any member wish to offer an amendment? Representative Moland, you have an amendment at the Clerk shall distribute the amendment. The clerk shall report the amendment. to the amendment in the nature of a substitute number 126 to HR7037 offered by Mr. Moen of Guam.
▶ 1:58:01Without objection, further reading of the amendment is dispensed with. Representative is recognized.
▶ 1:58:06Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The PRC is using every tool in a toolbox to control access to critical minerals and assert its malign influence across the globe, choking industries and threatening US national security interest. The playing field is never level when one nation has state sponsor industrial policy with the full support of the CCP while our nation businesses operate alone on their own. The president is right.
▶ 1:58:34We need our government agencies to understand that their mission is to help American companies compete and win overseas. Last fall, the committee reauthorized the International Development Finance Corporation, DFC, making an important investment in breaking free from the CCP's dominance across critical supply chains.
▶ 1:58:57My amendment, which I have also introduced as a standalone bill, HR8625, provides the US Trade and Development Agency, USDA, with the same expanded geographic authority as what the committee supported for DFC. Uh, USDA should be authorized to work in highincome countries, laying the foundation for investments that support American industries and national security priorities.
▶ 1:59:26This legislation is nothing new. In its FY2025 budget justification, USDA requested Congress expand its country eligibility to support US strategic interests. Many countries, including Pacific Islands, could otherwise have been barred from assistance under the current law, pressuring them to turn to other investors and pushing them closer to Beijing.
▶ 1:59:53Both Republican and Democrat administrations have requested this change and I'm glad to say that this proposal has the support of USDA and is It was my hope that HR8625 will be considered alongside HR 7037 today.
▶ 2:00:11However, in the spirit of working together and advancing US security in a bipartisan manner, I would like to withdraw my amendment number 126 so that members and staff can continue to work on its texts and build greater co consensus for this important reform. That it Mr. Moland,
▶ 2:00:37I would just say uh I agree that restricting the US Trade and Development Administration from working in the same places uh that DFC and and others do. I would agree that is nonsensical. Uh we need to unleash our departments and agencies to be aggressive. Uh we cannot win against the CCP if we are not trying to fight if we're if we're having to fight with one hand tied behind our backs. That's not how any of us should be going into a fight.
▶ 2:01:05And uh I know that House leadership is considering my suggestion to move legislation related to critical minerals from several committees uh this summer. And I look forward to working with you on this bill as a part of that effort if you're willing to uh if you're willing to
▶ 2:01:20Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, with your support, I look forward to working together uh with HR8625 brought into effect. I also look forward to working with you and the other priorities of mine, especially HR 562, the Blue Pacific Act, which was offered during the state authorization process in September, but has not been signed into law, and HR 4955, the Clean Pacific Act, and it's bipartisan measure with full backing of Pacific Island members to establish the Pacific Counterncics Initiatives.
▶ 2:01:51Mr. Mr. Chairman, I withdraw my amendment number 126 at this time and urge my colleagues to support the passage of NAS to HR737. Thank you.
▶ 2:02:00Amendment is withdrawn. Are there any further amendments?
▶ 2:02:05Seeing none,
▶ 2:02:07I move that the committee report HR7037 as amended to the House with a favorable recommendation. All those in favor signify by saying I. I.
▶ 2:02:16I. All those opposed signify by saying
▶ 2:02:19Opinity of the chair. The eyes have it and the motion is agreed to.
▶ 2:02:25May I ask for a roll call, please?
▶ 2:02:27A roll call vote has been requested pursuant to the chair's previous announcement. That vote will be Pursuant to notice, I now call up HRES 64 affirming the alliance between the United States and the Republic of Korea. The resolution was circulated in advance and the clerk shall designate the bill. The resol the clerk shall designate the
▶ 2:02:54HRE 64 affirming the alliance between the United States and the Republic of
▶ 2:03:00Without objection, the first reading is dispensed with and the resolution is considered read and open to amendment at any point. Do any other do any members seek recognition? Ranking member Meeks.
▶ 2:03:10Yeah, I strongly support this resolution uh that was uh put forward by Representative Tom Suazi. It highlights the importance of our long-standing alliance with Korea and contributes to peace and prosperity for the American and the Korean people.
▶ 2:03:27It is critical that Congress showcase strong support for South Korea given the destabilizing policy choices of the Trump The president imposed illegal and harmful tariffs on Korea even though the US and Korea had a free trade agreement punishing both our economies. The president's inhumane migration policies led to a raid on Korean plan in Georgia last year and sparking headlines across Korea on the m mistreatment of Korean workers in America.
▶ 2:03:58And finally, the president's illegal and senseless war against Iran has created a crisis in Korea through high energy cost, a weaker currency, and disruptions to everyday life. As a result of Trump's war of choice, the US had to redeploy Patriot and THAAD missiles defense batteries from South Korea to the Middle East, harming deterrence and raising concerns in soul about US credibility and commitment.
▶ 2:04:24Given these circumstances, we must assure a critical ally that the United States will continue to honor the mutual defense treaty and work to strengthen the US ROK alliance. It's important bill, important message to get across. I yield back.
▶ 2:04:40Any other members seek recognition? Representative S.
▶ 2:04:44Uh thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um we need to understand uh the recent actions by the South Korea government. Uh they recently detained six Americans for attempting to uh smuggle Bibles into North Korea.
▶ 2:05:02uh they have recently taken discriminatory discriminatory and politically motivated actions against US Uh one study showed that it might be those actions might cost a trillion dollars in combined economic damage to the US and Korean economies over the next 10 years. Now that's significant.
▶ 2:05:26Uh, look, we all appreciate South Korea and their and their alliance with the United States, but they are taking actions that are harmful to US national interest and frankly that the the Trump administration has repeatedly raised concerns on behalf of American companies with the South American government. Uh, they included language in the recent US South Korea trade agreement.
▶ 2:05:56so that they would agree not to discriminate or disadvantage American companies. So I'm not sure of the timing of this because we all appreciate South Korea. But we also have to understand the strategic uh environment in which we are today and South Korea is taking actions that we need to at least recognize and u so I'm not sure of the timing of this because this puts this puts people who are interested in
▶ 2:06:26US national interest uh in a bind here because while we appreciate South Korea These actions are detrimental to the US national interest at this time. And I reluctantly will have to oppose this in order to make the point that yes, we appreciate South Korea. No, we do not appreciate. In fact, we need to stand against their recent government actions. And I yield
▶ 2:06:55Representative Self yields back. Do any other members seek recognition? Representative Jipal.
▶ 2:07:00Thank you, Mr. Chairman. For more than 70 years, the US Korea Alliance has stood as a prime example of democratic partnership, mutual security, and economic cooperation. In my home state of Washington, in particular, our relationship with South Korea is especially deep and meaningful as it's rooted in both economic partnership, cultural exchange, and a vibrant diaspora community.
▶ 2:07:23South Korea consistently ranks among greater Seattle's top trading partners, and the Pacific Northwest exchanges billions of dollars in goods annually with Korea through our ports and our supply chains. Our aerospace technology, clean energy, and maritime industries all benefit from these strong international partnerships. Beyond economics, the relationship is profoundly human.
▶ 2:07:46Washington State has the fifth highest concentration of Korean-Americans in the United States and the greater Seattle area has one of the largest Korean-American communities in the country. Korean culture has enriched our communities for decades through food, art, language, music, film, and traditions that have been deeply woven [snorts] into Seattle life. We've seen firsthand how Korean-Americans help shape vital industries from technology and healthcare to education and international trade.
▶ 2:08:16They are small business owners creating jobs, anchoring neighborhoods. They serve in uniform, teach in our schools, care for our families, and organize for justice and democracy. We also share strong ties on a local level. Since 1989, Seattle has shared a sister city relationship with Téjun, South Korea. That partnership is visible throughout Seattle.
▶ 2:08:37on Beacon Hill, Deéjun Park, and the Te Jang Pavilion, gifted by Dejon in 1998, are symbols of friendship and goodwill between our communities. In 2024, former mayor of Seattle, Bruce Herrell, met with Dejan Mayor Lee Jang Wu to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the relationship and they recommitted to expanding exchanges in economic, science, and culture.
▶ 2:09:01I do believe this is an important time for us to reaffirm our relationship with South Korea and to support HRES 64 um and our commitment to the US Korea alliance, to democracy, and to the vibrant Korean-American communities that help make Washington state and our country stronger every day. I yield back.
▶ 2:09:21Representative yields back. Any other members seek recognition? Mr. King, are you here to speak on this? No. Okay. recognize myself for a moment and in part I'm going to answer representative self who brought up something important. I want to begin by thanking representative Suisi for putting this forward this resolution forward to recognize something that is true a longstanding alliance with the Republic of Korea. There's no question about our close bond our countries have forged over more than seven decades.
▶ 2:09:50Those strong ties are highlighted by recent Korean investments in shipyards and semiconductor facilities and battery production plants and aerospace manufacturing based right here in the United States of America. While I urge my colleagues to support this resolution as it stands, it is important to note other things and that makes this timely as well. As with any friendship, the US Korea relationship is not without tension.
▶ 2:10:14We have seen, as my colleague just brought up, recent incidents of anti-competitive treatment of American e-commerce platforms, as one example, the Korean government's treatment of Christian minorities is beyond While this resolution does not make mention of these challenges, I believe that speaking about this resolution and what's going on, this is very timely to speak about to put our friend and our ally on notice about what we are paying attention to.
▶ 2:10:45Strong friendships have to have the capability to have tough conversations. For that reason, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation, working together to address the unresolved challenges between our two countries. but also affirm that we do have a long-standing relationship and a long-standing alliance. In that, do any other members seek recognition?
▶ 2:11:08Seeing none, there being no further discussion, the committee will move to consideration of amendments. Does any member wish to offer an amendment? There being no amendments, I move that the committee report HRES 64 to the House with a favorable recommendation. All those in favor signify by saying I. I.
▶ 2:11:37All those opposed signify by saying no. Opinion of the chair, the eyes have it and the motion is agreed to.
▶ 2:11:44Roll call [snorts] vote.
▶ 2:11:44Roll call vote has been requested pursuant to the chair's previous announcement. That vote will be Pursuant to notice, I now call up HR 8668, the State Department Reoccurring Reports, Repeal, and Sunset Act of 2026. The bill was circulated in advance, and the clerk shall designate the bill.
▶ 2:12:05HR 8668 to reduce re recurring reporting requirements imposed by law on the Department of State.
▶ 2:12:13Without objection, the first reading is dispensed with. The bill is considered read and open to amendment at any point. Representative Self, would you like to
▶ 2:12:21Absolutely. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I rise in support of my bill, which performs a long overdue exercise to cut back needless reporting requirements for the Department of State. I want to begin by thanking the chairman and the committee staff for undertaking the difficult and long but necessary task of identifying reporting requirements that are duplicative, obsolete, outdated, or otherwise unnecessary.
▶ 2:12:47The final bill text reflects a thoughtful effort to preserve Congress's oversight responsibilities while eliminating burdensome reporting requirements that no longer provide meaningful value. Today, the Department of State is drowning in reporting requirements. During the 2025 fiscal year, the department transmitted 636 reports to Congress. I have here the paper copy. It is now 132 pages.
▶ 2:13:14uh it would act as a reasonable doors Um however, this bill the 636 do not even include the countless waiverss, certifications, congressional budget justifications, spend plans, or other notifications that are routinely transmitted to Congress. We're only talking about reports, and this is only one department of the United States government.
▶ 2:13:40Furthermore, this does not account for the unknown number of reporting requirements buried throughout decades of statute that fall through the cracks. Reports that Congress may no longer read or the department may not even send. Every single congressionally mandated report consumes time, manpower, legal review, policy coordination, and taxpayer dollars.
▶ 2:14:00Career officials and subject matter experts spend thousands of hours producing documents that are often duplicative, obsolete, or no longer As such, this bill examines a simple question. Does every recurring report still serve a meaningful purpose? The answer to a particular report is yes, then it's retained. In many cases, this bill simply modifies reporting timelines, changing semianual or quarterly reports into annual reports or adding reasonable sunset dates.
▶ 2:14:31But if a report is clearly outdated or no longer useful, this bill repeals it. One particularly egregious example is a recurring report requirement dating back to 1997 regarding progress toward democratization in Burma. Mr. Chairman, in February 2021, Burma experienced a military coup d'etatah that dismantled the country's fragile democratic progress and installed an authoritarian military honta.
▶ 2:15:00The notion that Congress still requires a recurring report rooted in the assumptions of the n late 1990s despite the complete collapse of that process demonstrates exactly why this review is necessary. Other examples include the defunct New START treaty, an annual employee satisfaction survey, monitoring for assistance in Afghanistan, and the list goes on. This bill does not weaken congressional oversight. It strengthens it by reducing noise.
▶ 2:15:30Congress can better focus on the issues that truly matter, such as strategic competition with China, emerging threats and technology, sanctions enforcement, and other pressing national security priorities. At a time when our nation faces $ 39 trillion in debt, Congress should not require the department to spend valuable resources. Let me just give you a couple of examples. A simple study is probably $2,400 per report.
▶ 2:15:55A more complex is maybe $560,000, but when you get to the complex global reports, you're talking maybe $5 million per report. Now, just to remind you that Doge, let's just take Doge for example, Doge found seven billion dollar in savings, right? Total.
▶ 2:16:18Today, I mean today, we will borrow $7.7 billion dollar just today. So, this bill represents one small responsible step towards stewardship, smarter oversight, and a modernization of how Congress works with the Department of State. I urge my colleagues to support my bill, and I yield back.
▶ 2:16:41Any other members seek recognition?
▶ 2:16:43Ranking member Meeks. I oppose this measure and encourage all my colleagues to do the same. Ensuring that the State Department works efficiently and effectively is a bipartisan goal. Reducing outdated or redundant reporting requirements can be helpful in bolstering this objective.
▶ 2:17:03However, this legislation comes at a time when the State Department has failed to meet the most basic requirements to notify, consult, and report to Congress. The department has arbitrarily chosen to not provide reports that are in law and that is indeed unacceptable. And at this very moment, this legislation would only serve to give the department fewer laws to break.
▶ 2:17:32Further, this bill would repeal a few key reports that have had bipartisan It gets rid It gets rid of the part of the Sergy Magninski support report that requires the department to tell Congress about Russian officials responsible for the deaths of people exposing corruption in Russia. It sunsets the report on precursor chemical dra destruction initiative.
▶ 2:18:01an initiative that Congress passed less than two years ago to help address the scourge the scourge of and I'm willing to revisit this effort once the department decides it is time to follow the law as written and meet the existing reporting requirements that they already have.
▶ 2:18:22Until then, we should be demanding the department comply with the law as it is and allow this committee to do this oversight work that we were here elected to do. With that, I yield back. Ranking member yields back. Any other members seek recognition? Recognize myself for a moment.
▶ 2:18:42This is a continuation of this committee's work to make sure that we are overseeing the whole of the state department and in that effort to oversee the whole of the state department that we are conducting our responsibility of authorizing not authorizing deauthorizing things going on within the state department. Now, one of this committee's uh primary duties is looking at these reports. Congress literally requires hundreds of reports as was just outlined from the State Department annually on a wide variety of topics.
▶ 2:19:13Many of them entirely outdated and many of them not even glanced at by members of this committee. Some of these reports are one-time, some of them are recurring, some have statutory sunsets, some exist in perpetuity, some remain useful to this committee's oversight work, some do not.
▶ 2:19:33In fact, there are so many reports due out from the State Department that Congress had to publish a report listing all of the reports and that is a recurring report on recurring reports. Is that the one that you held up, Mr. Self?
▶ 2:19:48Do you want to submit that for
▶ 2:19:52Would you like to submit that for the
▶ 2:19:57So ordered.
▶ 2:20:03So ordered nonetheless. So it is our job on this committee to do spring cleaning and this spring cleaning will continue to the other I don't know let's say 500 reports or whatever the number might be uh that exist and that will continue at a later date. Uh and we look to you know to see which recurring reports can be uh repealed or sunset or which ones that are that are valuable to us that we should be keeping and taking a look at.
▶ 2:20:32Uh so that is just what this bill does. It repeals 29 recurring reports. It sunsets 30 and it reduces the frequency of another 13. This is about reducing bureaucracy, letting state department focus on its mission of advancing America's foreign policy priorities. And I want to thank Mr. Self for working with me on this bill and I urge my colleagues to support this bill. Any other members seek recognition?
▶ 2:20:57Seeing none, The committee will move to consideration of amendments. Do any members wish to offer an amendment? Representative Heisenga first.
▶ 2:21:11Uh, Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
▶ 2:21:13Hold on one moment. Bill,
▶ 2:21:17we're going to go Heisenga first. Go ahead, Bill.
▶ 2:21:25We're going to designate it. Everybody have the Everybody has the amendment.
▶ 2:21:29Clerk shall distribute. Clerk shall Amendment to HR 8668 offered by Mr. Heisinga of Michigan. Page four, beginning line one, amend paragraph
▶ 2:21:39objection further reading of the amendment is dispensed with. Representative Heisinga, you're
▶ 2:21:43Uh thank you, Mr. Chairman, and uh my amendment is simple and and the the uh the author of the bill and I have had a chance to discuss it briefly. I know staff has as well. Uh but my amendment would stop the repeal of the reports related to assistance to Afghanistan. Uh this it's not a debate as to whether I or many of our colleagues support assistance to Afghanistan. Uh the answer to that is no.
▶ 2:22:10Uh the debate is about the role of congressional oversight and the state department's responsibility to inform Congress about its policy related to Afghanistan. Uh I believe I've been very clear, Mr. chairman and on the record for over the past few months about my frustrations with the administration and previous administrations for their unwillingness to provide Congress with specific information on whether US taxpayer dollars are are or are not reaching uh the Afghan
▶ 2:22:40government. uh al alternatively uh what exactly is the strategy for Afghanistan which has been under review uh for the past year and a half. In fact, a member of this committee, Mr. Burchett and I have a bill forcing the state department to tell us whether or not any funds have been or are being diverted to the Taliban. It's been quite opaque, unfortunately.
▶ 2:23:05Uh, as this bill languishes in the Senate, uh, we still have not received a clear answer from the State Department to our simple question. Now is not the time to relent and give the State Department a free pass on congressional oversight. Uh, we have our own constitutional standing that we need to assert here, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 2:23:24And this uh keeping the reports in place titled monitoring of assistance for Afghanistan and assistance plan which lays out specific funding obligations and their purposes and participation by all government agencies in Afghanistan continues that congressional pressure and lets the current and and more importantly future administrations know that Congress cares about whether uh cares about where our constituents hard-earned taxpayer dollars are going and and the lack of
▶ 2:23:54information provided thus far is unsatisfactory. So I urge my colleagues to support uh my amendment and with that I yield back.
▶ 2:24:03Representative yields back. Any other members seek recognition? Uh representative self.
▶ 2:24:08Uh thank you Mr. Chairman. I certainly support this amendment and I'll make a broader statement. Uh first of all there is no government of Afghanistan. Uh but uh secondly, if if anybody has any problem with a individual study, uh bring it on because this was a good faith effort by the staff and and the committee and personal staff uh to make sure we did a good job.
▶ 2:24:31But if anybody wants to amend one or or keep one, I'm fine with it and I urge support for this
▶ 2:24:39Will the gentleman yield?
▶ 2:24:41Well, I appreciate and I appreciate that effort. I do think that the chairman's quest uh to get rid of things like the reoccurring report on reoccurring reports is a great idea. We have to we have to streamline this. We have to make sure what we are doing makes sense.
▶ 2:24:57Um and in in light of that, I also I failed to say in my remarks, we did put a sunset on this uh that uh that would uh have it uh reviewed every 12 months after uh December 31 of 2034. So that brings us through this administration, any next administration and then at that point it becomes a reoccurring um uh approval that has to happen. So appreciate that opportunity to explain it further.
▶ 2:25:26Appreciate your support and with that I yield back to you.
▶ 2:25:28Uh thank you. And Mr. Chairman, I might I might just add if we use the term Afghanistan, perhaps if we're giving uh US aid or taxpayer dollars to Afghanistan, we may want to define who that is because, as I say, there is no recognized government of Afghanistan. So, Afghanistan as a whole, there's got to be someone we give this this uh taxpayer dollars to. And I yield back. Representative yields back. Any other members seek recognition?
▶ 2:25:58recognize myself for a moment. I want to thank Mr. Heisenga for offering this amendment. This is exactly uh the point of what we're doing. Uh we should be repealing them, putting sunsets on them. And if a member has an interest in a report, then who am I to say that that report should not go on. If you're going to read it, if you're going to have an interest in it, if your staff is going to look at it and uh take something away from it, then we're happy to see it continue.
▶ 2:26:22but to have reports continue in perpetuity that are not being looked at or not of value to members uh we will see those uh disappear and so I appreciate you working to add sunsets and in that any other members seek recognition seeing none. Uh there being no further discussion 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.
▶ 2:26:45Opinion of the chair uh the eyes have it in the amendment is agreed to. Are there any further amendments?
▶ 2:26:57Representative Keat.
▶ 2:26:58Thank you. I have an amendment at the desk number 92.
▶ 2:27:01Shall distribute the amendment and the clerk shall report the amendment.
▶ 2:27:10Amendment number 92 to HR 8668 offered by Mr. Keading of Massachusetts.
▶ 2:27:15Without objection, further reading of the amendment is dispensed with and the representative is recognized.
▶ 2:27:19Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And uh this amendment does three things. First, the amendment strikes paragraph 3, which eliminates a report on the US efforts to support Ukraine's energy security. Now, for years sitting in this committee, I've heard members on the other side of the aisle have said that the previous administration sent billions to Ukraine with no accountability.
▶ 2:27:41the report this legislation eliminates uh provides this it will provide this committee with large chunks uh you know information on large chunks of money that's going to Ukraine and the members in the committee I don't think can have it both ways if if you don't want greater oversight uh on what this administration or future administrations whoever may be leading those uh is continuing to do in Ukraine you know uh you can
▶ 2:28:12have you can vote for this or not. It's as simple as that. I would think it's in the best interest on both sides of the aisle because we don't know what administrations down the road are going to be Democratic administrations, Republican administrations. But what's important is this committee and as ranking member of the subcommittee in Europe, I want to make sure this information is available to us and it's clear that this information will be forthcoming.
▶ 2:28:38Uh the second amendment extends the sunset for report mandated in the legislation of the Western Balkans Democracy and Prosperity Act, including uh and this was included in December's The report required by the NDAA on Russian Chinese malign influence has not yet been provided to the committee yet. The majority seeks to eliminate it without any knowledge if it's useful or not. let's find out if it's useful and have it going forward uh before we try and uh eliminate it.
▶ 2:29:09Uh I disagree with that decision and the amendment extends the life of the reporting period. Finally, the amendment adds language making it clear that missing a statutory deadline does not relieve the department of its obligation to submit a required report. Now, we've seen this pattern. A deadline passes, the report's never filed, the and the department treats silence as compliance. And again, this could be other administrations as well. So that should end here. Deadlines are floors.
▶ 2:29:37They're not mere suggestions of this committee. So I hope the amendment passes and I yield back.
▶ 2:29:44Representative yields back. Any other members seek recognition? Representative
▶ 2:29:47Uh I think these are are good changes and I think we ought to support them. I would ask the ranking member uh if we accept this Democrat uh amendment, I don't know that there are others, would you change your your vote on this uh underlying bill?
▶ 2:30:03I can't tell you that with all the
▶ 2:30:05the rank sorry, the ranking member, Mr. Um I will review it, but I can't tell you that at this time, but I will review it and look at it.
▶ 2:30:17Okay. Yeah. I I encourage the adoption of this this amendment and I yield back.
▶ 2:30:22Representative yields back. Any other members? Recognize myself for a moment. Thank you, Mr. Keating, for offering your amendment. There are some worthwhile elements in it such as new proposed subsection E. Uh there are other elements such as striking the repeal of the Ukraine energy recurring report. Uh I would still love to work with you on a sunset. Is there any Do you want to work on a sunset for the next couple minutes? Pick a number.
▶ 2:30:43Mr. Chairman, uh thank you so much for your consideration. uh and uh I think the nature of this this is these are energy things. These are the mineral requirements. These are the energy things. They're going to go on for decades. Uh so sunsetting it ahead of time. I don't see the necessity and and
▶ 2:31:02we should we should set the
▶ 2:31:04intent on on having since it's a decadesl long approach having this committee on board. I think it just empowers us all of us as committee members. I guess that's the difference.
▶ 2:31:15I would, as you'll see throughout the, you know, argument of this de throughout this debate,
▶ 2:31:20we want to see you argue for something that you want to read. And the point of a sunset, would love to see you come back and say, "Hey, this is going to sunset in, you know, a year or two, whenever that would be down the road. Let's make sure we continue this report or let's make sure to change this report or let's make sure to have an opportunity to review this report again. We should see it continue." I just think it should be a part of our continual oversight function, which is the value that I see in the sunsets of these. it forces us to say should something change with these, should something not. I'm going to recommend yes on your amendment.
▶ 2:31:49Um because again, if you're a member that you want to read this and you want to see it, I agree with that. Who am I to say, you know, don't give you that information. Um but that being said, if you want to work on a sunset forward, I'd be happy to work on it with you. That's
▶ 2:32:00Thank you, Mr. Chair. I I frankly given the subject matter, uh don't think a subset a sunsets in order. I'm kind of surprised too because right now there's a Republican administration. So you have input to that. You can influence it. Someday under this there could be a Democratic administration who may not be as willing to work with uh if it be a Republican subcommittee or Republican committee. I think you'd like to have this in place.
▶ 2:32:28You can always change it afterwards, but this this ensures if there's a change in the administration for a democratic administration that you don't think is being forthright, it's already there and you have bipartisan support now for that that you may not have later. That's all I'm just offering
▶ 2:32:43Certainly the dynamic we work through often, isn't it?
▶ 2:32:46That being said, uh I have no further comments on this. I support uh your amendment. Uh let's see. Any further amendments? No, I'm sorry. We're going to vote on this. Any further amendments?
▶ 2:32:58discuss any further discussion on the amendment I'm sorry any further discussion on the amendment seeing none being no further discussion uh the question now occurs on the amendment uh the amendment offered by representative Keing 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 to any further amendments Representative Lawler.
▶ 2:33:30Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have an amendment at the desk. Clerk shall distribute and the clerk shall report. Amendment to HR 8668 offered by Mr. Lawler of New York. Page three, line 12, striking striking subsection H and inserting inserting in subsection H until December 22nd, 2032. Without
▶ 2:33:51objection, further reading of the amendment is dispensed with. Representative Lawler, would you like to be recognized?
▶ 2:33:56Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My amendment would make certain modifications to the reporting structures created within this bill. While I support the intent of the bill to streamline oversight and ensure that the State Department is prioritizing Congress's priorities, uh I believe there are some improvements. First, uh the amendment would strike the repeal of the report on the John Lewis Civil Rights Fellowship.
▶ 2:34:21it would keep this report for this critical educational program and instead sunset it in 2032 when the program itself sunsets. Additionally, the underlying bill creates sunsets on a number of reports dealing with the Middle East, specifically related to the Abraham Accords uh monitoring of Iran's nuclear program, the rights of the Iranian people, and the anti-Semitic BDS movement. My amendment would eliminate these sunsets for years.
▶ 2:34:50BDS has been a pervasive problem uh in other countries at uh international organizations and right here at home. Uh maintaining this report in the long term is necessary to keep Congress informed of these disturbing activities and ensure that future administrations take these threats more seriously. And frankly, we have seen in prior administrations, they have not always taken the BDS movement seriously.
▶ 2:35:17And so requiring uh future administrations to continue reporting, I think, is important. Uh, additionally, the Abraham Accords is uh the future of the Middle East. They are not some temporary truce or pack. They are a framework for normalization, economic development, and long-term peace in the region. Uh where we once thought that was impossible.
▶ 2:35:40uh they are a gamecher and we should be focusing uh more on them and ensuring the next administration uh is expanding on uh the success of the Abraham Accords. Uh for decades the Iranian people have been struggling for basic freedoms against the terrorist Iranian regime. Again, these have been problems that have lasted decades, 47 years in fact.
▶ 2:36:04And just months ago, the regime conducted a crackdown on nationwide protests where they killed tens of thousands of people. Uh, and especially with what is going on right now, we should not be reducing our reporting requirements on anything Iran related. Uh, so I hope both the chairman and my colleagues on this committee see the value in maintaining these reports. Uh, while I agree with the overall objective of the legislation, uh, I do think it is important.
▶ 2:36:33Uh and so the uh just to reiterate what it actually does, it uh sunsets the John Lewis Civil Rights Fellowship Program report in 2032 uh in keeping with uh the the request of the chair, but it does eliminate the sunsets on the following reports. a strategy on expanding and strengthening the Abraham Accords.
▶ 2:36:55Action taken by all relevant federal agencies to strengthen and expand the Abraham Accords and the work of the NEGV forum and future uh structures and organizations. A strategy to support and enhance access to information by civil society in Iran. International atomic energy agency programs and projects in select countries. United States Israel trade and commercial enhancement.
▶ 2:37:19uh politically motivated boycotts of divestment from and sanctions against Israel uh Iran related multilateral sanctions regime efforts. Uh I ask uh all of my colleagues to support uh this amendment in keeping uh these reports and eliminating the sunset on them. And I yield back.
▶ 2:37:41Representative yields back. Any other members seek recognition? Recognize myself. I thank you, Representative Lawler, for offering your amendment and debate on it. My intention as chairman of this committee is to not let taxpayer dollars go on autopilot. Uh to not let this committee and this Congress off the hook for periodically reviewing matters under our jurisdiction, requiring recurring reports uh are those are of those matters.
▶ 2:38:04Uh it's important that we as a committee take a deep look at what should be repealed, uh what should be sunset, what should be reduced, and what should be kept. Uh and we should debate when certain reports are no longer necessary. As I've said previously, that function of sunsetting reports, it makes Congress come back and do its job. Uh now, whether we're talking about reports on the Abraham Accords or Iran civil society or anything else, uh if they are put on autopilot, then we don't come here and we don't have the debates about them.
▶ 2:38:34We don't talk about the need for learning about Iran's civil society or we don't have the uh the need to discuss why it is that that report on Abraham Accords is important. So uh I do like uh sunsetting them uh for that reason because if it's if it is in fact important to somebody, it gives the opportunity to speak about it and explain why it is important uh for the American taxpayer to spend dollars on it. That is my opinion. That said, you've made worthwhile points regarding uh these reports.
▶ 2:39:02And while my default is to put sunsets on as many recurring reports as possible, I will take your points and I will support uh the reports on your merits. And with that, I yield back to myself. uh, any further discussion? There being no further discussion, the question now occurs on the amendment offered by Representative Lawler. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. All those opposed signify by saying no.
▶ 2:39:31Opinion of the chair, the eyes have it and the amendment is agreed to. Are there any further amendments? Seeing none, being no further amendments, I move that the committee report HR 8668 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.
▶ 2:40:01Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. staff is authorized to make any technical and conforming changes. We are going to move out of order on one uh for a little discussion.
▶ 2:40:18Uh so pursuant to notice, I now call up HRES 1179 condemning attacks on civilians in Sudan and calling for an end to external support to the war waring parties and for efforts to promote a negotiated settlement of the war. Uh the resolution was circulated in advance and the clerk shall designate the resolution
▶ 2:40:38HRES 1179 condemning attacks on civilians in Sudan and calling for an end to external support to the waring parties and for efforts to promote a negotiated settlement of the war.
▶ 2:40:48Without objection, the first reading is dispensed with and the resolution is considered read and open to amendment at any point. Without objection, the Jipal 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 purposes of the amendment. Do any members seek recognition? Representative J.
▶ 2:41:05Thank you so much, Chairman Mast and Ranking Member Meeks for advancing this important resolution that I introduced with ranking member of the Africa Subcommittee Sarah Jacobs to bring attention to the humanitarian crisis and ongoing civil war in Sudan as it enters its fourth year. This is a crisis of immense magnitude.
▶ 2:41:24The Sudin civil war has reportedly caused over 400,000 deaths, forcibly displaced more than 14 million people, and caused a catastrophic level of hunger with over 25 million people facing extreme hunger. It doesn't have to be this way. In 2019, the Sudin people inspired the entire world when they rose up and demanded an end to the dictatorship of President Omar al-Bashir and a transition to democracy.
▶ 2:41:52I was very fortunate to travel to Sudan in 2020, just a couple of months after that happened in that celebratory moment to meet with the new president and with so many leaders of the peaceful non-violent movement and to be able to thank the people of Sudan who displayed enormous courage and resilience and sacrifice so much for that moment. So today, it is particularly heartbreaking to see where we are.
▶ 2:42:15Since the war broke out in 2023, I've met countless members of Sudin civil society and Sudin Americans who have witnessed horrific atrocities committed by the two waring parties, the Sudin armed forces and the rapid support forces. They have shared stories of repeated displacement, ethnic cleansing, the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war, and near starvation as both the SAF and RSF impede humanitarian access.
▶ 2:42:44What has continued to inspire me is the strength and resilience of the Sudin people in the face of these atrocities. Many of the activists who led the pro-democracy protests that led to the ousting of Basher have become leaders of emergency response rooms, a network of mutual aid groups that provide basic necessities to areas that international humanitarian organizations can't reach. The Sudin people deserve peace restored to their communities.
▶ 2:43:09And as members of Congress, we need to use all of our leverage to stop this fighting immediately. And to be clear, we do have the leverage if we choose to use it. Neither the SAF nor the RSF could operate if it were not for the external actors that are putting their thumbs on the scale. The United Arab Emirates has clear and proven ties with the RSF, sending weapons to an army that the State Department has determined is carrying out a genocide in exchange for access to Sudan's goals. gold.
▶ 2:43:39On the other side, the SAF has committed war crimes, crimes against humanity, targeted humanitarian actors that work with the RSF out of necessity to deliver goods to starving communities, and weakened their rules of engagement to such an extent that there are openly bombing hospitals and civilian infrastructure. I am extremely concerned that given these grave atrocities that Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey have all sought to bolster the SF SAF's international legitimacy at the UN.
▶ 2:44:09It's clear that neither the RSF nor the SAF have plans to back down. Just recently, RSF Commander Jetti said that his forces were prepared to keep fighting until 2040 if necessary. And the SAF's army chief, Alberhan, has vowed to keep fighting until Sudan was quote cleansed of the RSF. Neither of these actors care about the Sudanese people. They just care about control.
▶ 2:44:34To stop this senseless war and avert further catastrophe, the United States needs to act with the full force of its moral responsibility and diplomatic power. We can put pressure on allied states that fuel this war. Work with the international community to advocate for unimpeded humanitarian access. Support the documentation of war crimes, crimes against humanity and possible genocide. Develop plans to protect civilians.
▶ 2:44:58take steps to ensure that only a civilian-led or democratically led elected government can legitimately represent Sudan at the United Nations and seek to expand the arms embargo against Darur to a nationwide whole of Sudan arms embargo. There has been significant bipartisan attention to advance many of these necessary steps and I'm grateful to colleagues on both sides of the aisle who have continued to apply this pressure. We can't ignore this crisis or waste this moment.
▶ 2:45:27We must protect and empower Sudin civilians and we must help bring peace and democracy. Once again, I urge my colleagues to vote yes. And again, I thank the ranking member for ranking member and chairman of the committee for bringing this bill forward. I yield back.
▶ 2:45:44The representative yields. Is there any further discussion?
▶ 2:45:48Ranking member Meeks.
▶ 2:45:52Thank you. I support this resolution from Representative Jaw. This resolution sends a clear signal that the Congress supports the people of Sudan in their hour of need. For the last three years, the Sudanese people have faced unmanageable unimaginable horrors, including famine, rape, and genocide. Schools where children once gathered now lay empty, battered from repeated artillery, and drone strikes.
▶ 2:46:21Hospitals intended to treat the sick have come under similar attack as the Rapid Support Forces, the RSF, and the Sudin Armed Forces, the SAF, wage total war against each other. None of this was Just 5 years ago, Sudan was on an entirely different trajectory.
▶ 2:46:45The Sudin people rejoiced and triumph over a brutal dictatorship and sought to build an inclusive democratic government. The Sudin civil war is a backlash to this moment where warlords and external actors are subverting the will of the people and tearing the country apart. This resolution shows that Congress will not turn its back on the Sudanese people.
▶ 2:47:11We condemn the RSF and the SAF's repeated attacks on civilians, including last year's genocidal assault on Al We call on the Trump administration to make and to take clear, demonstrable steps to cease the flow of external arms prolonging this brutal conflict. And we call on the administration to secure an agreement to end this brutal conflict.
▶ 2:47:41and restore civilian-led democratic governance in the Sudan. The Sudin people cannot afford to bear another year of war from these two that's just destroying and causing humans to live in a way that they should not. brutality has to end.
▶ 2:48:11We have to do our role. We have to let the people of Sudan and the people around the world that the United States of America will not just stand by. Why probably the greatest humanitarian crisis on the globe continues to move and we act like they're not there. I yield back. The representative yields back.
▶ 2:48:39I recognize myself for a moment. I am delighted that this uh I think the ranking member just said it uh very well that this is probably the greatest disaster happening across the globe and frankly the narrative in the media today is focused on small far smaller uh disasters that are happening.
▶ 2:48:59This is this is probably the greatest disaster happening around the globe and I am delighted that attention is being brought to this so that we can focus on this truly disastrous uh situation that's happening now. Do any other members seek recognition? Representative from Illinois.
▶ 2:49:21Thank you chairman self. Thank you ranking member Meeks. I rise today in support of House Resolution 1179 and House Resolution condemning the horrific attacks on civilians in the nation of the Sudan. We cannot be silent while innocent men, women, and children are buried beneath the rubble of war, starvation, and cruelty.
▶ 2:49:46We cannot [snorts] close our eyes while villages burn, while mothers flee with babies in their arms, while the elderly are abandoned, and while hunger is being used as a weapon against the poor. We see that in the Sudan, people are now the grass and the civilians are paying the price while elephants trample the land. [snorts] This resolution is not merely about foreign policy. It's about human morality.
▶ 2:50:12It's about whether America still possesses the courage to stand on the side of justice when the cameras are gone and the headlines fade. The blood of innocent people speaks a universal language. A crying child in cartoon sounds no different than a crying child in Chicago, Gaza, Kiev, or Birmingham. Human suffering has no nationality. Pain recognizes no borders.
▶ 2:50:38We understand if we normalize the slaughter of civilians in Sudan today, we weaken the moral foundation of humanity for tomorrow. We must call for an immediate ceasefire, unrestricted humanitarian access, protection for displaced families, and accountability for those committing atrocities against civilians. The world must not turn away from the Sudan. Africa is not invisible. African lives are not disposable.
▶ 2:51:08And so today we stand not as Democrat or Republican, not as liberal or conservative, but as witnesses to human dignity. Let America [snorts] be a voice for peace. Let this Congress be a conscience for compassion. [snorts] And let us all continue to fight for the human dignity of the 37 million people who are in need today in the Sudan, of food, water, shelter, and medicine. The 14 million people have been forced to flee their country.
▶ 2:51:36the nine million people who remain internally displaced, the more than 12 million people who are at risk of rape, mostly women and girls, the more more than 150,000 people that have been killed. As we stand here today, let us be mindful of our obligations to support humanitarian assistance.
▶ 2:51:58I'd like to thank Congresswoman Gyipal for her work on this resolution and I urge my colleagues to stand with the civilians of the Sudan, support accountability, reject foreign interference that fuels this conflict and vote for this resolution.
▶ 2:52:14Finally, I urge my colleagues to co-sponsor my bill HR 8301, the Sudan Rapid Support Force Terrorist Designation Act, to impose financial sanctions and legal restrictions on the RSF and its supporters. Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
▶ 2:52:32Representative yields back. Any other members seek recognition? Representative Kum Logger.
▶ 2:52:37Thank you, Mr. Chair. I too support uh 1179 and thank the congresswoman uh for this bill. I also want to thank ranking member uh Meeks for his remarks and congressman Self for his as well. Sudan is the largest humanitarian displacement crisis on this planet and one that deserves our attention. Um, we have cut humanitarian aid.
▶ 2:53:08We have a zero Africa policy uh to both our economic and our strategic detriment. And we have stood by and said and done nothing as the waring parties continue to receive backing, encouragement, and by countries that are supposed to be our partners. We have lost our moral standing, our moral way.
▶ 2:53:37We have crushed our moral compass. Sudan is an example of a war we should be working to end just like Iran is an example of a war we choose we chose to start. Uh this peace president needs to show up soon, real soon.
▶ 2:54:01Uh but until that happens, we can all support HR 1179. And with that, I yield back.
▶ 2:54:12Representative yields back. Any other members seek recognition? Recognize myself for a moment. I thank Representative Jipal, your team for working in a bipartisan fashion to get this resolution to a place where it could garner bipartisan support in today's markup. Conflict in Sudan is now in its fourth year and the humanitarian toll, as everybody has mentioned, is staggering. Sudan remains the world's largest humanitarian disaster.
▶ 2:54:36I would take this opportunity to encourage members of the foreign affairs committee that uh if you don't know it, uh every day that we fly in to Washington DC, our flyin days, we have a foreign affairs classified briefing. This week's was for roughly an hour very specifically on Sudan uh on the the SAF, on the RSF, uh and a very deep dive on everything going on there.
▶ 2:55:03Uh and so I would encourage members to attend those classified briefings because you will get the information that you need on conflicts like this. um about both the SAF and the RSF. Uh they need to uh on both sides work to bring this to an end. And uh in that the United States Congress is watching, the American people are watching. We were watching uh earlier this week very intently as I said in a very very detailed classified briefing on this.
▶ 2:55:31Uh and in that I have no further comments. Uh do any other members seek recognition?
▶ 2:55:37Representative Jacobs.
▶ 2:55:38Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am proud to co-lead this resolution condemning the attacks on civilians in Sudan and calling for an end to external support to the RSF and staff. Last month, the war in Sudan tragically passed the three-year mark. For three years, the international community, including the US, has largely ignored what's happening. But we shouldn't look away. [snorts] Sudan is facing the largest humanitarian and internal displacement crisis in the world.
▶ 2:56:05Over 33 million people need urgent humanitarian assistance. The health system has collapsed and aid groups, including the emergency response rooms, are struggling to operate. Many people are eating as little as one meal a day with some resorting to eating leaves or animal feed because they can't find enough food. The situation on the ground is horrific and should fill everyone with deep shame.
▶ 2:56:30And I hope it would compel everyone to action instead of continued silence because outrage and action from the United States and the international community could be what it takes to finally end this war. Both the RSF and the SAF have betrayed the Sudin people and are only interested in their own pursuit of power.
▶ 2:56:48Last year, the State Department found that RSF and allied Arab militias have committed genocide after having already found that the RSF has committed crimes against humanity in ethnic cleansing and that both RSF and SAF have committed war crimes. And let's be clear, the SAF and RSF and all of their allied militias are not the only ones responsible for waging this war against the Sudin people.
▶ 2:57:11This level of devastation would not be possible without the completely unrestricted flow of weapons from external actors, especially the UAE. We can't even begin to try and end this war if we don't cut off those weapons that are being used to massacre civilians and stop external actors from med meddling and fueling this war. So, I'm glad that this committee can come together and condemn the attacks on civilians, call for a negotiated end to the war, and urge external actors to finally end material support to the RSF and staff.
▶ 2:57:40I urge my colleagues to support this important resolution. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I owe back.
▶ 2:57:45Any further discussion? There being no further discussion of the resolution, uh, the committee will move to consideration of amendments. Does any member wish to offer an amendment? There being no amendments, I move that the committee report HRES 1179 uh not 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.
▶ 2:58:10Mr. Chairman, we have a recorded vote.
▶ 2:58:12Roll call vote has been requested pursuant to my previous announcement. That vote will be postponed.
▶ 2:58:23Mr. Chairman, I've got a bill at the
▶ 2:58:27You can take it.
▶ 2:58:30One second. Mr. Perry. [snorts]
▶ 2:58:35Very good.
▶ 2:58:37Pursuant to notice, I now call up HR 3563, the Taiwan Plus Act. The bill was circulated in advance, and the clerk shall designate the bill.
▶ 2:58:47HR 3563 to improve defense cooperation between the United States and Taiwan and for other purposes. Without objection, the first reading is dispensed. The bill is considered read and open to amendment at any point. And would the author uh wish to speak?
▶ 2:59:01I would, Mr. Chairman. Thank you. I want to offer, as I have done numerous sessions in numerous congresses, the HR 35 HR 3563, the Taiwan Plus Act for consideration at today's markup. Today, this committee has a chance to strengthen deterrence against the Chinese Communist Party's aggression.
▶ 2:59:21In 2025 alone, the PLA conducted a record aircraft incursions into Taiwan's air defense identification zone, a 22.4% increase over the already record-breaking numbers in 2024. That's more than 10 10 aircraft uh flights every single day. Every single day, again, probing, harassing, and rehearsing for conflict.
▶ 2:59:47We've seen massive live fire drills encircling the island, simulations of blockades, rocket launches, and joint area C operations. The CCP is not hiding its intentions. It is practicing for invasion. It is it is practicing for war. Under current law, Taiwan must wait for congressional notification and a 30-day review period when request requesting critical weapons systems exceeding low financial thresholds.
▶ 3:00:17$14 million for major defense equipment, 50 million for defense services, and 200 million for construction support. The Taiwan Plus Act boosts these thresholds 25 million, 100 million, and 300 million respectively, which are the same levels afforded to NATO plus partners and shortens the review window to 15 days. And I would just emphasize the same levels afforded to NATO plus partners who have not been very good partners recently.
▶ 3:00:48By elevating Taiwan to the same status as trusted US defense partners like Australia, Israel, and Japan, the bill removes red tape and improves speed and efficiency in military aid.
▶ 3:01:00What the hell?
▶ 3:01:01Taiwan already is one of the United States closest defense collaborators, the top foreign military sales customer in FY20, and historically tied with Japan as the third largest buyer since 1950. They are an ally
▶ 3:01:17and the CCP is not. This bill ensures that future sales meet the moment by providing Taiwan with the tools needed to defend itself when needed. As the CCP continues to escalate its hostile posture, the Taiwan Plus Act sends a clear and and unambiguous message. America stands with Taiwan and will ensure our partners have the means to protect peace, freedom, and security in the Indo-acific. I urge adoption, and I yield the balance. Mr. Chairman,
▶ 3:01:49Representative Representative Yields back. Do any other members seek recognition? Ranking member Meeks,
▶ 3:01:56I can't help first to say how distinguished Mr. Perry looks in his three-piece suit today. Sharp neck tie, collar. He looks very very very distinguishable today sir. I must say
▶ 3:02:16you know I would
▶ 3:02:16you don't want to just leave it at that.
▶ 3:02:18No because guess what his bill that he present I would even support it
▶ 3:02:24but for though an ANS. If the ANS comes then I can't. But this bill, as annunciated by Representative Perry, I would support. underlying bill treats Taiwan in the same way our closest allies are in regards to elements of the Arms Export Control Act.
▶ 3:02:53It is important to note, however, that this bill is addressing a largely non-existent problem. The reality is that Congress already deals with Taiwan cases speedily. In fact, as both chairman and ranking member, I have always quickly reviewed and approved arm sales to Taiwan.
▶ 3:03:12Earlier this year, I pre-approved two tranches of packages to Taiwan only to have President Trump delay their formal notification because he did not want to upset Xi Jinping. And that was, you know, our guest before he was traveling to China where he is now. Furthermore, Congress has never blocked or delayed in arm sales to Taiwan. We're with Taiwan.
▶ 3:03:38This bill would unfortunately do nothing to address the current status of FMS delays to Taiwan and other Indo-Pacific partners. As this committee has learned, those delays are largely caused by supply chain and defense industrial-based manufacturing constraints that are outside of our Worse yet, many of the weapon systems already experiencing protracted delays are among those further impacted by the Trump administration's costly and ill-conceived
▶ 3:04:09Iran war. This illegal war is not only destabilized the region and the world, but made the United States allies and partners, including Taiwan and others in East Asia, much less secure. So, I want to make sure the record is clear regarding what and who we are to blame for the current backlog regarding Taiwan a arm sales.
▶ 3:04:37There's no question the record is clear on that. And with that, I kneel back the balance of my time. Representative yields back. Any other members seek recognition? Seeing none, uh, there being no further discussion of the bill, the committee will move to consideration of amendments. I wish to offer an amendment in the nature of a I have an amendment in the nature of the substitute at the desk.
▶ 3:05:06Clerk shall distribute the amendment and the nature of a substitute and the clerk shall report the amendment.
▶ 3:05:11The amendment has been distributed by electronic device. Amendment in the nature of a substitute number 212 to HR 3563 offered by Mr. Mast of Florida.
▶ 3:05:20Without objection, further reading of the amendment is dispensed with and I am recognized for a few minutes to speak about this. This legislation would formally place Taiwan alongside America's most trusted defense partners, NATO allies, Israel, Japan, Australia, South Korea, New Zealand under the Arms Export Control Act.
▶ 3:05:42This is a long overdue recognition that Taiwan sits on the front lines of Chinese aggression and deserves the same streamline and expedited access to American defense articles and services. Speed is a crucial aspect of building deterrence. Currently, allies who want to transfer US origin defense equipment to Taiwan face a slow, uncertain approval process that can take months and time Taiwan may not have in a crisis.
▶ 3:06:09This bill would ensure that Taiwan is able to purchase US defense equipment on an expedited timeline. It directs the State Department to assess and expedite licensing framework that would require decisions on transfer applications within 15 days and all other licensing requests within 30 days. The bill codifies the importance of the US Taiwan defense relationship by ensuring that strengthening Taiwan also means expanding US American defense exports and sustaining the US defense industrial base. So, I urge my colleagues to support this measure.
▶ 3:06:39Uh, and I want to thank uh my my colleagues bipartisanly as there are a number of bipartisan co-sponsors for this amendment in the nature of a substitute. Do any other members seek recognition?
▶ 3:06:49Chairman here.
▶ 3:06:51Yes, Representative Kim.
▶ 3:06:52Thank you. Uh, thank you, Chairman. I rise in strong support of your um ANS to the Taiwan Plus Act. This important legislation strengthens US Taiwan defense cooperation by elevating Taiwan to NATO plus partner status. It raises notification thresholds for arm sales and shortens the congressional review period, allowing Taiwan to acquire critical defensive capabilities more quickly and efficiently.
▶ 3:07:22Taiwan stands on the front lines of the Chinese Communist Party's aggression. The CCP's relentless military incursions, grreyzone coercion, and threats to use force against this vibrant democracy demand urgent action. The ANS embodies smart deterrence, helping Taiwan become a harder, well-armed target. This is not about provocation. It is about preserving peace through strength and resolve.
▶ 3:07:52By treating Taiwan like our closest defense partners such as Australia, Israel, and Japan, this bill cuts unnecessary red tape while honoring our commitments. Streamlining the arm sales process ensures they receive the tools needed to defend themselves at a time when delays could prove catastrophic. Voting against this measure undermines confidence in America's ability to support Taiwan and deter conflict.
▶ 3:08:21Our allies and partners in the Indoacific are watching. We must send a clear signal that the United States stands by its friends and will not waver in the face of authoritarian pressure. I urge my colleagues to support this ANS. Thank you and I yield back.
▶ 3:08:40Representative yields back. Any other members? Rank member Meeks. You know, I oppose this ANS and I tell you why. Because by amending the Arms Export Control Act to list Taiwan among our list of closest allies, what it really does is just sends a that is contrary to our one China policy. And that's what I think that has to be clear.
▶ 3:09:06You know, already, as I've indicated we quickly give Taiwan, and I'm very supportive of making sure that Taiwan gets what it needs to defend itself. And that's clear to everybody around the world right now. In fact, there's, as I've indicated earlier, there are weapons that we cleared quickly. And it's not us in Congress that's holding it up.
▶ 3:09:30It's the president of the United But we want to make sure we stay firm with reference to our one China policy because the fastest way to trigger a PRC invasion of Taiwan in my is to unilaterally stretch longstanding US policy that actually has kept Taiwan safe for over four decades.
▶ 3:10:01So I don't want to cross that line. You know, wherever we go and when we're talking, we always talk about one China policy and we don't want that to change. That helps protects the Taiwanese on top of making sure that we do in fact give them everything that they need to defend themselves, which we have been So, I'm glad to
▶ 3:10:31see that the majority and my good friend Rep. Perry are willing to disrupt the president's China trip with the measure today. But I believe the underlying bill already accomplishes the goal of streamlining and speeding up our security cooperation with Taiwan. The ANS would offer little substantive benefit to Taiwan while undermining deterrence of the Taiwanese of the Taiwan Strait, which is what we do not want to do.
▶ 3:11:01And so with that, I yield back.
▶ 3:11:04Any members seek recognition? Representative Perry. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So while the president of the United States, our president of the United States, whether you voted for him or not or support him or not, is in China negotiating with the Chinese Communist Party that we're considering our support for Taiwan, which should be unwavering. In my case, I think it's well known where I stand. I stand with Taiwan.
▶ 3:11:32I do not agree with a one China pro policy that accepts that Taiwan will be subsumed by the Communist Party of China. And I think we ought to take a clear stand that we stand with the Taiwanese people, and against the Chinese aggression towards them. That having been said, I think the bill that I offered initially proves the point.
▶ 3:11:57Does exactly what we need to do and doesn't need to be So, I'm going to support the president's trip to China and oppose Xi and his hostile actions towards Taiwan. And I'm going to do that while the president of the United States is overseas standing for America and against the Chinese Communist Party, but I do not agree with the ANS. I appreciate the chairman's indulgence and I know that he does want to see the bill get passed and I appreciate that.
▶ 3:12:25I just don't agree with the amendment and I think it takes us in the wrong direction and I think we ought to take a strong stand for Taiwan and against the Communist Party of China. With that, I yield the balance.
▶ 3:12:37Representative yields back. Any other members seek recognition? There being no further discussion, do any members wish to offer an amendment to the mass amendment in the nature of a substitute? Seeing none, being no further amendments, the question now occurs on the amendment in the nature of a substitute offered by myself. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. All those opposed signify by saying no.
▶ 3:13:04Opinion of the chair, the eyes have it. And the amendment is agreed to.
▶ 3:13:09It was a stereial no.
▶ 3:13:12Ask for a roll call vote. [clears throat] Uh,
▶ 3:13:20a roll call vote has been requested. Pursuant to the chair's previous announcement, that vote will be postponed. Are there any further No further amendments. Thank you.
▶ 3:13:47Pursuant to notice, I now call up HR 4332, the YALI Act of 2025. The bill was circulated in advance, and the clerk shall designate the bill.
▶ 3:13:57HR 4332 to establish a comprehensive United States government initiative to build the capacity of young leaders and entrepreneurs in Africa and for other
▶ 3:14:06Without objection, the first reading is dispensed within the bill is considered read and open to amendment at any point. Without objection, the come logger dove amendment in the nature of the substitute circulated to members in advance shall be considered as read and will be treated as original text for purpose of the amendment. Do any members seek recognition? Representative Kim Logger does.
▶ 3:14:24Thank you, Mr. Chair and ranking member for including my bill on markup today. The Young African Leaders Initiative, YALI, has been the United States's signatured public diplomacy program in Africa since 2010. YALI recognizes the unique role that Africa's young people will play in shaping the future of the continent and by extension the world.
▶ 3:14:50As the fastest growing population on the planet, YALI invests in the next generation of African leaders by promoting professional development, leadership, training, and educational exchanges with American institutions and students. The numbers speak for themselves. with over 24,000 YALI alumni across Africa.
▶ 3:15:13That is 24,000 Africans who have had transformative experiences in the United States, who have relationships with American students, and who are now in a better position to take on leadership roles in their respective countries. That is 24,000 Africans who will one day sit across from American businesses and diplomats and determine what our opportunities for cooperation on the continent look like.
▶ 3:15:43My bill would codify the Young African Leaders Initiative and ensure the continuation of this critical program. Providing YALI with statutory authority is more important than ever before. Despite the long history of congressional support, last year OM withheld congressionally appropriated funding for YALI and 20 other exchange programs, cancelling the cohort of YALI fellows for 2026.
▶ 3:16:11While OMB ultimately released the funds, it has only expanded its control over exchange programs for this fiscal year, making a strong signal from Congress imperative to ensure the program's timely continuation.
▶ 3:16:27Marking up this bill reaffirms reaffirms that Congress is dedicated to YALI and to building relationships with the young Africans who will shape the future because Lord knows China wants a piece of this action. And I continue to ask why we would yield this place in this way. Only the unwise and instute would do that. And I hope that is not who we
▶ 3:16:54This bill is a signal of Congress's responsibility to serve as the enduring partner in our bilateral ties, investing in the people-to-people connections that will outlast any one administration and all of us. I am grateful for the biccameal bipartisan support for a program that recognizes Africa's importance to our own future and I urge all of my colleagues to support this important legislation. Thank you and I yield back.
▶ 3:17:24Representative yields back. Any other members seek recognition? Ranking member I support this bill from Representative Kamlaga Dove, which codifies the Young African Leaders Initiative, YALI, into law. YALI is the United States Signature Professional Development Initiative, investing in the next generation of African leaders.
▶ 3:17:46Since President Obama's first unveiled this initiative in 2010, YALI has graduated over 24,000 alumni, including a 2019 Nobel Peace Prize Initiatives such as YALI demonstrate the United States commitment to fostering mutually beneficial partnerships with promising leaders across the continent of Africa, the continent with the youngest population in the world.
▶ 3:18:15These partnerships are crucial to building a freer, more prosperous future for the next generation and tackling climate change, technological risks, and other global challenges that the United States cannot address on its own.
▶ 3:18:34I also welcome this legislation's of the Mandela Washington's Fellowship six-week leadership institute which brings promising young leaders to the United States colleges and universities.
▶ 3:18:48I urge all of my colleagues to support this investment into the next generation of African for this investment will also give a good return on its investment as we deal with and work with and don't leave to China or others the youngest and fastest growing continent and that has the minerals and other things that the
▶ 3:19:18world will need. We need to stand with them and grow their leaders and their leadership. So, I thank the congresswoman from Los Angeles for bringing this forward and I yield back the balance of my time. Recognize myself. I want to thank Representative Kumlagger Dove for leading this bipartisan bill to codify the Young African Leaders Initiative into law.
▶ 3:19:43YALI is a long-standing State Department program that introduces the best and the brightest young people from countries across Africa to the United States, providing participants with an opportunity to see firsthand what makes the United States of America the greatest country anywhere in the world. In line with President Trump's focus on moving from aid to trade for the benefit of the American people, this program helps build private sector partnerships and stable African economies that encourage US private sector investment.
▶ 3:20:12opening new markets that bring greater economic prosperity to the American people. We have seen repeatedly that YALI fellows go on to be leaders in their governments and titans of industry, each whom have experienced for themselves American culture and the benefit of friendship with the American people in contrast with our adversaries. It's time to put congressional backing behind this highly successful program and I fully support this bill and I encourage my colleagues to do the same. And I don't believe that there's any further discussion.
▶ 3:20:43So the committee will move to consideration of amendments. Does any member wish to offer an amendment? There being no amendments, I move that the committee report HR 4332 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 recorded vote has been requested pursuant to a previous announcement. That vote will also be postponed.
▶ 3:21:12Committee will recess until until approximately 2:20.
▶ 4:34:49Committee will come to order. Thank everybody for coming to vote. Thank everybody for participating in markup. I want to thank uh ranking member Meeks. Uh to date, I want to say we have something like 150 bills that we've moved that are prepared for suspension. Uh leadership is prepared to give us floor time. I want to say about June 8th for about 150 suspension bipartisan suspension bills.
▶ 4:35:17uh provided that all of that backroom work gets done to ensure that they can be uh brought for suspension on June 8th. So, just want to say I thank you for the bipartisan uh work to make sure that all that backroom work to get them ready for suspension gets done so that everybody's uh bills that everybody has worked on can move across the floor. Uh in that, we will move the that the proceedings go forward here.
▶ 4:35:47The committee postponed further proceedings on roll call vote on amendment number 64 offered by representative Oeski to HR8649 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 and the clerk will open the vote.
▶ 4:36:11Are we waiting on There you go. All right.
▶ 4:36:41Have all members voted? Does any member wish to change their vote? clerk will close the Hold on. Hold on one second. Don't close it yet. You're a No. Aim it right here. Ma'am.
▶ 4:37:09Clerk will close the vote and report the On this vote, the eyes are 21, the nose
▶ 4:37:16The nose have it and the amendment is not agreed to. Committee postpone and further proceedings on roll call vote on amendment number 113 offered by representative Castro to HR8649 on which the nose had prevailed by voice vote. Question now occurs on agreeing to the amendment. Members will vote utilizing the electronic voting system. The clerk will open the vote. Have all members voted? Does any member wish to change their vote?
▶ 4:37:48Clerk will close the vote and report the
▶ 4:37:50On this vote, the nose are 25, eyes 21.
▶ 4:37:53The nose have it. The amendment is not agreed to. Committee postpone further proceedings on roll call vote on amendment in the nature of a substitute offered by ranking member Meeks to HR8649 on which the nose had prevailed by voice vote. The question now occurs on agreeing to the amendment. Members will vote utilizing the electronic voting system and the clerk will open the vote. Have all members voted. Does any member wish to change their vote?
▶ 4:38:22Clerk will close the vote and report the
▶ 4:38:25On this vote, the eyes are 21, nos 25.
▶ 4:38:28The nos have it and the amendment is not agreed to. I move that the committee report HR8649 to the house with a favorable recommendation. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. All those opposed signify by saying no.
▶ 4:38:40Opinion of the chair. The eyes have it and the amendment is agreed to. As for a roll call vote.
▶ 4:38:46All right. Roll call vote has been requested. Members will vote utilizing the electronic voting system. The clerk will open the vote. Have all members voted? Does any member wish to change their clerk will close the vote and report the On this vote, the eyes are 23, nose 23.
▶ 4:39:14All right, the nos have it. The motion is not agreed to. Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. Staff is authorized to make any technical and conforming changes. Committee postponed further proceedings on reporting HR8665 the Allied Defense Sales 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 utilizing the electronic voting system.
▶ 4:39:43The clerk will open the of all members voted. Does any member wish to change their vote? Clerk will close the vote and report the
▶ 4:40:01On this vote, the eyes are 44 knows one.
▶ 4:40:04The the eyes have it and the motion is agreed to. Without objection, motion to reconsider is laid on the table. Staff is authorized to make any technical and conforming changes. Committee postponed further proceedings on roll call vote on amendment number 110 offered by Representative Castro to HR 8661 on which the nose had prevailed by voice vote. Question now occurs on agreeing to the amendment. Members will vote utilizing the electronic voting system. The clerk will open the vote.
▶ 4:40:35Have all members voted?
▶ 4:40:39Does any member wish to change their Clerk will close the vote and report the
▶ 4:40:45On this vote, the eyes are 22, nos 24.
▶ 4:40:48The eyes have it and the amendment is agreed to. Committee postponed further proceedings on roll call vote on amendment number 111 offered by representative Castro to HR8661 on which the nose had prevailed by voice vote. Question now occurs on agreeing to the amendment. Members will vote utilizing the electronic voting system. Clerk will open the vote. Have all members voted? Does any member wish to change their vote?
▶ 4:41:18Clerk will close the vote and report the On this vote, the eyes are 22, nose 24.
▶ 4:41:26The nose have it and the amendment is the uh the amendment is not agreed to. I move that the committee report HR 8661 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.
▶ 4:41:45Roll call vote.
▶ 4:41:45Roll call vote has been requested. Clerk will open the vote. All members voted.
▶ 4:42:13You good? Any member wish to change their vote? Clerk will close the vote and report the
▶ 4:42:20On this vote, the eyes are 37, nos nine.
▶ 4:42:23The 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 roll call vote on amendment number 172 offered by representative self to HR 8019 on which the nos had prevailed by voice vote. The question now occurs on agreeing to the amendment. Members will vote utilizing the electronic voting system. The clerk will open the vote.
▶ 4:42:56Have all members voted.
▶ 4:42:58Does any member wish to change their vote? Clerk will close the vote. Report the tally.
▶ 4:43:04On this vote, the eyes are five nos 41.
▶ 4:43:07The nose have it. The amendment is not agreed to. I move that the committee report HR 8019 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. Roll call vote has been requested. Members will vote utilizing the electronic voting system. The clerk will open the vote.
▶ 4:43:49Have all members voted?
▶ 4:43:56Does any member wish to change their
▶ 4:44:00Clerk will close the vote and report the
▶ 4:44:04On this vote, the eyes are 43, nos
▶ 4:44:07The eyes have it. 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 8562 to designate a building of the chancery of the United States in Pristina Kosovo as the Elliot L. Engle building 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.
▶ 4:44:33Members will vote utilizing the electronic voting system and the clerk will open the vote. Have all members voted?
▶ 4:44:48Does any member wish to change their Clerk will close the vote and report the
▶ 4:44:54On this vote, the eyes are 39 nos seven.
▶ 4:44:57The 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 HR7037, the dominance 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 utilizing the electronic voting system. The clerk will open the vote.
▶ 4:45:26If all members voted, does any member wish to change their vote? Clerk will close the vote and report the
▶ 4:45:36On this vote, the eyes are 45, nos zero.
▶ 4:45:39The 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 postponed further proceedings on reporting HRES 64 affirming the alliance between the United States and the Republic of Korea 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 utilizing the electronic voting system. The clerk will open the vote. Have all members voted?
▶ 4:46:10Does any member wish to change their vote? Clerk will close the vote and report the
▶ 4:46:18On this vote, the eyes are 43, nose
▶ 4:46:21The 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. Committee postponed further proceedings on reporting HRES 1179 condemning attacks on civilians in Sudan and calling for an end to exter to external support to the waring parties and for the efforts to promote a negotiated settlement of the war 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.
▶ 4:46:50Members will vote utilizing the electronic voting system. 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
▶ 4:47:08On this vote, the eyes are 44, nose two.
▶ 4:47:12The eyes have it. 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 postpone further proceedings on roll call vote on amendment in the nature of a substitute offered by myself uh not Keith self but myself to HR 3563 on which the eyes had prevailed by voice vote. The question now occurs on agreeing to the amendment. Members will vote utilizing the electronic voting system. The clerk will open the vote.
▶ 4:47:48Have all members voted? Does any member wish to change their Clerk will close the vote and report the
▶ 4:48:01On this vote, the eyes are 31, nose 14. The eyes have it. The motion, the amendment is agreed to.
▶ 4:48:10I move that the committee report HR 3563 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.
▶ 4:48:25Roll call vote has been requested. Members will vote utilizing the electronic voting system. The clerk will open the vote. Have all members voted? Does any member wish to change their vote? Marie, are you working on that or no?
▶ 4:48:55Clerk will close the vote and report the
▶ 4:48:59On this [clears throat] vote, the eyes are 45 nos zero.
▶ 4:49:01The 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. Committee postponed further proceedings on reporting HR 4332 the YALI act of 2025 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 utilizing the the electronic voting system and the clerk will open the vote.
▶ 4:49:35Have all members voted? Does any member wish to change their Clerk [snorts] will close the vote and report the tally.
▶ 4:49:49On this vote, the eyes are 39, nose six.
▶ 4:49:52The 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. This concludes consideration of the measures noticed by the committee for today. I want to thank all members for participating. There being no further business to transact, the committee stands adjourned.