    [House Hearing, 115 Congress]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

                                VARIOUS MEASURES

    =======================================================================

                                     MARKUP

                                   BEFORE THE

                          COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
                            HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                         ONE HUNDRED FIFTEENTH CONGRESS

                                 SECOND SESSION

                                       ON

                H. Res. 256, H. Res. 944, H.R. 1697, H.R. 4969,

                  H.R. 5576, H.R. 5898, H.R. 6197, H.R. 6207,

                              and H. Con. Res. 20

                                   __________

                                 JUNE 28, 2018

                                   __________

                               Serial No. 115-143

                                   __________

            Printed for the use of the Committee on Foreign Affairs

    [GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

    Available: http://www.foreignaffairs.house.gov/, http://docs.house.gov,

                          or http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/

                                     ______

                      U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE

     30-588 PDF                 WASHINGTON : 2018

                          COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS

                     EDWARD R. ROYCE, California, Chairman
    CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey     ELIOT L. ENGEL, New York
    ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, Florida         BRAD SHERMAN, California
    DANA ROHRABACHER, California         GREGORY W. MEEKS, New York
    STEVE CHABOT, Ohio                   ALBIO SIRES, New Jersey
    JOE WILSON, South Carolina           GERALD E. CONNOLLY, Virginia
    MICHAEL T. McCAUL, Texas             THEODORE E. DEUTCH, Florida
    TED POE, Texas                       KAREN BASS, California
    DARRELL E. ISSA, California          WILLIAM R. KEATING, Massachusetts
    TOM MARINO, Pennsylvania             DAVID N. CICILLINE, Rhode Island
    MO BROOKS, Alabama                   AMI BERA, California
    PAUL COOK, California                LOIS FRANKEL, Florida
    SCOTT PERRY, Pennsylvania            TULSI GABBARD, Hawaii
    RON DeSANTIS, Florida                JOAQUIN CASTRO, Texas
    MARK MEADOWS, North Carolina         ROBIN L. KELLY, Illinois
    TED S. YOHO, Florida                 BRENDAN F. BOYLE, Pennsylvania
    ADAM KINZINGER, Illinois             DINA TITUS, Nevada
    LEE M. ZELDIN, New York              NORMA J. TORRES, California
    DANIEL M. DONOVAN, Jr., New York     BRADLEY SCOTT SCHNEIDER, Illinois
    F. JAMES SENSENBRENNER, Jr.,         THOMAS R. SUOZZI, New York
        Wisconsin                        ADRIANO ESPAILLAT, New York
    ANN WAGNER, Missouri                 TED LIEU, California
    BRIAN J. MAST, Florida
    FRANCIS ROONEY, Florida
    BRIAN K. FITZPATRICK, Pennsylvania
    THOMAS A. GARRETT, Jr., Virginia
    JOHN R. CURTIS, Utah

         Amy Porter, Chief of Staff      Thomas Sheehy, Staff Director

                   Jason Steinbaum, Democratic Staff Director

                                C O N T E N T S

                                  ----------
                                                                       Page

                                   MARKUP ON

    H. Res. 256, Expressing support for the countries of Eastern
      Europe and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization..............     2
      Amendment in the nature of a substitute to H. Res. 256 offered
        by the Honorable Edward R. Royce, a Representative in
        Congress from the State of California, and chairman,
        Committee on Foreign Affairs.................................     7
          Amendments to the amendment in the nature of a substitute
            to H. Res. 256 offered by:
              The Honorable Edward R. Royce..........................    13
              The Honorable Joe Wilson, a Representative in Congress
                from the State of South Carolina.....................    14
    H. Res. 944, Expressing solidarity with and sympathy for the
      people of Guatemala after the June 3, 2018, eruption of the
      Fuego Volcano..................................................    15
      Amendment in the nature of a substitute to H. Res. 944 offered
        by the Honorable Norma J. Torres, a Representative in
        Congress from the State of California........................    18
    H.R. 1697, To amend the Export Administration Act of 1979 to
      include in the prohibitions on boycotts against allies of the
      United States boycotts fostered by international governmental
      organizations against Israel and to direct the Export-Import
      Bank of the United States to oppose boycotts against Israel,
      and for other purposes.........................................    20
      Amendment in the nature of a substitute to H.R. 1697 offered by
        the Honorable Edward R. Royce................................    31
          Amendments to the amendment in the nature of a substitute
            to H.R. 1697 offered by:
              The Honorable Ron DeSantis, a Representative in
                Congress from the State of Florida...................    38
              The Honorable Edward R. Royce..........................    39
    H.R. 4969, To improve the design and construction of diplomatic
      posts, and for other purposes..................................    40
      Amendment in the nature of a substitute to H.R. 4969 offered by
        the Honorable Michael T. McCaul, a Representative in Congress
        from the State of Texas......................................    46
          Amendment to the amendment in the nature of a substitute to
            H.R. 4969 offered by the Honorable Dina Titus, a
            Representative in Congress from the State of Nevada......    62
    H.R. 5576, To address state-sponsored cyber activities against
      the United States, and for other purposes......................    63
      Amendment in the nature of a substitute to H.R. 5576 offered by
        the Honorable Ted S. Yoho, a Representative in Congress from
        the State of Florida.........................................    84
          Amendments to the amendment in the nature of a substitute
            to H.R. 5576 offered by:
              The Honorable Gerald E. Connolly, a Representative in
                Congress from the Commonwealth of Virginia...........   104
              The Honorable Edward R. Royce..........................   105
    H.R. 5898, To require the Secretary of State to develop a
      strategy on administration policy regarding UNRWA, and for
      other purposes.................................................   107
      Amendment in the nature of a substitute to H.R. 5898 offered by
        the Honorable Lee M. Zeldin, a Representative in Congress
        from the State of New York...................................   110
          Amendments to the amendment in the nature of a substitute
            to H.R. 5898 offered by
              The Honorable David Cicilline, a Representative in
                Congress from the State of Rhode Island..............   115
              The Honorable Scott Perry, a Representative in Congress
                from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania................   116
    H.R. 6197, To amend the State Department Basic Authorities Act of
      1956 to authorize rewards for thwarting wildlife trafficking
      linked to transnational organized crime, and for other purposes   119
    H.R. 6207, To support democracy and accountability in the
      Democratic Republic of the Congo, and for other purposes.......   122
      Amendment to H.R. 6207 offered by the Honorable Edward R. Royce   134
    H. Con. Res. 20, Expressing the sense of the House of
      Representatives regarding the execution-style murders of United
      States citizens Ylli, Agron, and Mehmet Bytyqi in the Republic
      of Serbia in July 1999.........................................   135

              LETTERS, STATEMENTS, ETC., SUBMITTED FOR THE RECORD
                                    APPENDIX

    Markup notice....................................................   160
    Markup minutes...................................................   161
    Markup summary...................................................   163
    The Honorable Ted S. Yoho, a Representative in Congress from the
      State of Florida, and chairman, Subcommittee on Asia and the
      Pacific: Letter from the Chamber of Commerce of the United
      States of America dated June 27, 2018..........................   165
    The Honorable David Cicilline, a Representative in Congress from
      the State of Rhode Island:
      UNRWA Programme Budget and Gaza Field Update...................   166
      NGO Programs in Gaza and the West Bank Impact by Funding Hold
        during Administrative Review--As of June 15, 2018............   169
      Framework for Cooperation Between the United Nations Relief and
        Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East and the
        United States of America, 2018-2019..........................   173
      IDF chief: The Likelihood of war has increased substantially...   180
    The Honorable Eliot L. Engel, a Representative in Congress from
      the State of New York: Prepared statement......................   184
    The Honorable Dina Titus, a Representative in Congress from the
      State of Nevada: Prepared statement............................   187

                                VARIOUS MEASURES

                                  ----------

                            THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2018

                           House of Representatives,

                         Committee on Foreign Affairs,

                                Washington, DC.

        The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:00 a.m., in
    room 2172 Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Edward Royce
    (chairman of the committee) presiding.
        Chairman Royce. The committee will come to order.
        Pursuant to notice, we meet today to mark up nine
    bipartisan measures. Without objection, all members may have 5
    days to submit statements or extraneous material on today's
    business.
        As members were notified yesterday, we intend to consider
    today's measures en bloc. And so, without objection, the
    following items previously provided to members, and also in
    your packets, will be considered en bloc and they are
    considered as read.
        House Resolution 256. This is expressing support for the
    countries of Eastern Europe and for NATO. The Royce Amendment
    in the Nature of a Substitute, Royce Amendment 134, and Wilson
    Amendments 68; House Resolution 944, expressing sympathy for
    the people of Guatemala after the recent volcano eruption with
    a Torres Amendment 11 in the Nature of a Substitute; H.R. 1697,
    the Israel Anti-Boycott Act, the Royce Amendment in the Nature
    of a Substitute, DeSantis Amendment 82, and Royce Amendment 1;
    H.R. 4969, the Improving Embassy Design and Security Act of
    2018, McCaul Amendment 105 in the Nature of a Substitute, and
    Titus Amendment 62; H.R. 5576, the Cyber Deterrence and
    Response Act with Yoho Amendment 137 in the Nature of a
    Substitute, Connolly Amendment 86, Royce Amendment 2; H.R.
    5898, the U.N. Relief and Works Agency Accountability Act with
    the Zeldin Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute, Cicilline
    Amendment 1, Perry Amendment 1; H.R. 6197, the Rescuing Animals
    and Rewards Act; and H.R. 6207, the Democratic Republic of the
    Congo Democracy and Accountability Act with a Royce Amendment
    133; and House Concurrent Resolution 20 regarding the
    execution-style murders of U.S. citizens in the Republic of
    Serbia in July 1999.
        [The information referred to follows:]H. Res.
    256

    [GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

        Chairman Royce. I now recognize myself to speak on today's
    business and I will just explain that first we are going to
    have H.R. 6207. This would be the Democratic Republic of the
    Congo Democracy and Accountability Act. And as an original
    cosponsor of this bill, I want to thank many of the members of
    this committee who have traveled with me to the Congo. I have
    made three trips there in order to try to push for elections. I
    deeply appreciate the bipartisan work of Chairman Smith and
    Ranking Member Bass of the Subcommittee on Africa, Global
    Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations.
        President Kabila's security forces are responsible, as we
    know on this committee, for massive human rights abuses and
    great instability across the DRC. This bill will help push
    Kabila to follow through with his commitments to do one thing
    that we have all pushed him on, to hold free, fair, and
    transparent elections in December of this year, as Congo has
    committed to do.
        Next we have H.R. 1697. This is the Israel Anti-Boycott
    Act. This bill was sponsored by Representative Roskam and
    Vargas. It prohibits U.S. companies from participating in
    boycotts promoted by international organizations like the U.N.
    that target U.S. partners like Israel.
        Next we have H.R. 5898, the United Nations Relief and Works
    Agency Accountability Act. And I want to thank the authors,
    Representative Cicilline and Representative Zeldin for this
    bipartisan bill to strengthen congressional oversight of the
    State Department and this agency.
        Next we consider H.R. 4969. This is the Improving Embassy
    Design and Security Act and this legislation will improve the
    security, the functionality, the efficiency of our Embassies
    overseas. And I want to thank the bill's sponsors, Chairman
    McCaul and Rep. Kelly, as well as Ranking Member Engel for
    their work on this legislation because by strengthening
    oversight and management of construction of new facilities, we
    can better protect our diplomats. And we will save taxpayer
    dollars, too, by the way this legislation was crafted.
        Next we have H.R. 5576. This is the Cyber Deterrence and
    Response Act. Malicious cyber activity by foreign governments,
    including especially, Russia, China, and North Korea cannot be
    tolerated. So Chairman Yoho's bill before us today builds on
    this committee's previous work by establishing a framework for
    deterring and responding to malicious state-sponsored cyber
    activity.
        Next we have H.R. 6197, the Rescuing Animals with Rewards
    Act. This builds on the committee's conservation work by
    prioritizing efforts to counter transnational wildlife
    traffickers through the State Department's existing rewards
    program. These tools were successfully used, if you recall, in
    2014 to bring the Laotian trafficker known as the Pablo Escobar
    of Wildlife Crime to justice. I want to thank the bill's
    author, that would be Representative Dan Donovan, former
    prosecutor, for this measure.
        Next we have House Resolution 944. Hundreds of Guatemalans
    perished in the eruption of the volcano in June. Thousands have
    been displaced. I wanted to thank Congresswoman Torres for this
    timely resolution to extend our condolences to the people of
    Guatemala and to recognize the State Department and USAID's
    swift response to this crisis.
        Next we have House Resolution 256, which sends a strong
    message of support to our allies in Central and Eastern Europe
    that are under increasing pressure by Russia. We thank Steve
    Cohen for this measure.
        Finally, we have House Concurrent Resolution 20. In July
    1999, after the Kosovo War ended, there were three young
    American brothers that were there and were illegally arrested
    while they were traveling through Serbia. Despite a court order
    for their release, all three brothers were instead taken by a
    Serbian special operations unit. They were murdered execution
    style and they were left atop a mass grave.
        I would like to take a moment to express our deep
    condolences to the Bytyqi family because that family is with us
    today. This marks 20 years since these U.S. citizens were
    assassinated, yet to date, no one has been brought to justice
    for their deaths.
        And I want to thank Representative Zeldin for this measure.
    But we again want to deeply extend our condolences to the
    family here with us today. We are very, very sorry for your
    loss.
        So I will now recognize the ranking member for his remarks.
    Mr. Engel.
        Mr. Engel. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for
    calling this markup.
        I have a lengthy statement addressing all the good measures
    before us today and I ask unanimous consent that it be included
    in its entirety as part of the record.
        Chairman Royce. Without objection.
        Mr. Engel. I know we are short on time this morning, final
    votes will be called soon, and I want to give members an
    opportunity to speak about their bills and resolutions.
        I just want to speak about one bill briefly and that is the
    bill you just mentioned about the Bytyqi brothers. I have spent
    extensive time of my years in Congress fighting for the
    independence of Kosovo and these brothers, American citizens,
    were murdered by Serb forces. Despite many of us having
    contacts with Serbia, I appealed to the Serbian strong man, Mr.
    Vucic, when he was here, and came to my office twice, and
    promised me that this would be resolved within a month. More
    than a year and, of course, it hasn't been resolved and it is
    an absolute disgrace.
        So we have to keep supporting the Albanian people in their
    struggle in Kosovo and keep the presence of the Bytyqi brothers
    alive. And we are not going to stop until we get justice for
    them. So I want to single out that resolution.
        Again, I support all the resolutions. I am grateful, as
    usual, to our members on both sides of the aisle for their hard
    work. And I thank you again, Mr. Chairman. I wish everyone a
    safe and happy independence day.
        And I yield back.
        Chairman Royce. Thank you, Mr. Engel.
        We go to Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.
        Ms. Ros-Lehtinen. Thank you so much, Chairman Royce, and I
    applaud your efforts, as well as Ranking Member Engel to
    continue to bring forth bipartisan measures before this
    committee for consideration.
        I wanted to speak on the UNRWA Accountability Act offered
    by our friends and colleagues Mr. Cicilline and Mr. Zeldin. I
    applaud their efforts to find a way forward in ensuring that we
    hold UNRWA accountable and that no U.S. taxpayer dollars are
    being misused against our interest.
        We can all support the idea that greater transparency,
    oversight, and accountability are needed at all U.N. agencies,
    not just UNRWA; however, I worry that this bill, which requires
    a report from the administration on its UNRWA strategy, doesn't
    quite go far enough. The United States holds considerable
    leverage when it comes to UNRWA, namely that it relies on the
    kindness of our contributions. We shouldn't wait to use that
    leverage.
        This bill should lay out the conditions we need to see
    reform at UNRWA before the U.S. will allocate more money to
    that agency. It is an ever-expanding mandate, an ever-expanding
    budget gap, an ever-growing politicization at the agency and
    all of that makes it difficult for us to continue supporting
    this agency without seeing concrete reform and action to
    address our concerns, not to mention the idea of having a
    definition of the word refugee that guarantees, Mr. Chairman,
    that the number of Palestinians that UNRWA mandate covers will
    expand.
        So the model is untenable. It is unjustifiable, especially
    when there is an entire entity at the U.N. that is already
    supposed to be its Refugee Agency, a body which, by the way,
    covers 12 times more individuals than UNRWA, yet somehow
    employs less than a third of the people than UNRWA in a body
    that has its own definition of a refugee that doesn't match
    with the U.N.'s own Refugee Agency, nor does it match how we
    would define a refugee.
        So while, again, I applaud my colleague's effort and I
    support this measure, I would have liked to have seen us do
    more to condition our assistance to UNRWA until we see real
    reforms.
        And I yield back, Mr. Chairman.
        Chairman Royce. Good points, Congresswoman.
        We go now to Brad Sherman of California.
        Mr. Sherman. Mr. Chairman, thank you for this markup,
    bringing excellent bills to our attention. I support them all.
    I think I have cosponsored virtually all of them.
        As to the Anti-Israel Boycott Act, this is probably--this
    has drawn a lot of attention. I am pleased to be the lead
    Democrat on this bill.
        We have, for decades, said that Americans will not be
    forced to boycott a friend of the United States by
    international economic pressure. On the effort of Saudi Arabia
    and others to tell American companies you must not do business
    with Israel or you will be deprived of economic opportunities,
    we responded to that by saying no American company can furnish
    the Saudi Arabian Government with proof that it is boycotting
    Israel or otherwise cooperate with the Saudis on this.
        What this bill does is it says there is no loophole in this
    longstanding, multi-decade policy if the pressure comes not
    from one government but from an association of foreign
    governments. Let me make it clear nothing in this bill says
    that you cannot, any domestic organization can't protest
    against Israel, or boycott its products, or those of any other
    ally of the United States. It simply says that we will not
    allow American citizens to be pressured into that by foreign
    governments, which has long been our law, or by associations of
    foreign governments.
        I should also comment on the Cyber Deterrence and Response
    Act. I am pleased to join with Chairman Yoho of the
    Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, of which I am the ranking
    member, because this is not just a Russia problem. But I am
    pleased that this bill does focus on the way that states,
    including Russia, have sought to undermine our electoral
    system. And that is a bipartisan issue, not just an issue of
    one party. No American wants to see Russia influencing our
    elections, particularly through illegal and hidden measures.
        I want to, of course, support the Congo Democracy and
    Accountability Act and I want to commend Representatives Smith
    and Bass, and of course, the chair and ranking member, for
    their work on this bill reaffirming our commitment to peace and
    stability in the region, especially in light of President
    Kabila's obstruction of elections.
        The other bills before us are also excellent and, in
    support of them, I will yield back my time.
        Chairman Royce. Thank you, Mr. Sherman.
        Mr. Chris Smith of New Jersey.
        Mr. Smith. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
        And just let me say very briefly you know I support the
    bills that are before us but I just would like to focus
    especially on the Democratic Republic of Congo Democracy and
    Accountability Act, H.R. 6207.
        I, too, have been to the DRC, both to the capital and to
    Goma. We all know that the DRC and the people of that country
    have suffered so enormously over the years. More than 5.4
    million people died between 1997 and 2003. Peacekeepers that
    were deployed there, the largest U.N. peacekeeping force in the
    world, were found complicit in human trafficking, especially
    the rape of young children. Thankfully, that has been largely
    stopped. I held four hearings on that, went there to
    investigate that in Goma, and was shocked and dismayed that the
    peacekeepers are part of the problem, and working, and doing
    things that rogue elements are doing, you know we have a
    serious problem.
        This legislation focuses especially on Kabila, and his
    unwillingness to step aside, and to allow the election to occur
    in a timely fashion. We have called and the Obama
    administration did impose sanctions on key figures. Those are
    codified in this legislation. And our Ambassador to the United
    Nations, Nikki Haley, has been very forthright as well in
    speaking out against Kabila's clinching of power and
    unwillingness to let go of it.
        H.R. 6207 supports the humanitarian efforts that are being
    made by civil society. And in the ongoing effort, Ms. Bass and
    I have held a number of hearings on the D.R. Congo, most
    recently on May 9th, another one late last year, of which you
    were a part of that, Mr. Chairman. But you know John
    Prendergast just summed it up. The Kabila government's track
    record of violent repression against civil society, pro-
    democracy movements, and faith-based groups raises concerns
    that these new protests will be met with a fresh wave of
    violent repression. And we speak to that in the body of the
    language of the bill as well.
        People want a free, fair, and transparent election. In the
    D.R. Congo, the Catholic Church has played a huge role in
    trying to ensuring that. The Sylvester Agreement in 2016 was a
    great effort to bring things together and, of course, it has
    been largely frustrated by Joseph Kabila. And this legislation
    tries to take it to the next step and get the administration
    here and there further engaged to get this right.
        So I thank you for marking this piece of legislation up and
    yield back.
        Chairman Royce. Thank you, Mr. Smith, and thank you for all
    your work on that issue as well.
        Congresswoman Karen Bass of California.
        Ms. Bass. Thank you, Mr. Chair and Ranking Member Engel,
    for bringing up H.R. 6207 to the committee today for
    consideration.
        H.R. 6207, the DRC Democracy and Accountability Act, seeks
    to promote free and fair elections in the DRC by imposing
    sanctions on high-level individuals who are undermining
    democratic processes and institutions in the country, as well
    as those who are responsible for extrajudicial killings and
    have engaged in public corruption.
        With respect to the ongoing political situation in the DRC,
    President Kabila has deliberately stalled planned elections,
    despite completing his constitutionally-mandated two terms. I,
    personally, am very concerned that although he has committed to
    having elections in December, there is not a lot of faith that
    that is actually going to happen. And I can't think of any
    issue more than the DRC that I have had numerous constituents
    who are in the diaspora who have come in and really called on
    us to please help the situation.
        So last year, the U.N. General Secretary Kofi Annan and
    nine former African Presidents said Congo's future is in grave
    condition--grave danger. We are deeply concerned about the
    political situation in the DRC, which represents a threat to
    the stability, prosperity, and peace of the Great Lakes region
    and, indeed, for Africa as a whole. We feel obliged to sound
    the alarm before it is too late. Nine former African Presidents
    have said that.
        I am proud that my colleagues, Chris Smith, Chairman Royce,
    and Ranking Member Eliot Engel and I are able to answer this
    call and put forth legislation that seeks to address the
    situation in the DRC.
        Thank you and I yield back.
        Chairman Royce. Well thank you, Congresswoman. And it is
    certainly true that heads of states across Africa--we just had
    a delegation out there and everyone is focused on the same
    issue. As a matter of fact in the international community
    everyone is focused on the same issue, the importance, come
    December, of having those elections across Congo.
        Joe Wilson, South Carolina.
        Mr. Wilson. Thank you, Chairman Ed Royce, and thank you,
    Ranking Member Eliot Engel. I particularly want to commend
    Congressman Engel on his renomination this week. We are really
    grateful for his continued service on behalf of the American
    people.
        And thank you for convening this markup of legislation that
    embodies the committee's emphasis on building national and
    international security, improving human rights, and fighting
    international crime.
        I am also grateful for Congressman Steve Cohen for
    introducing House Resolution 256, expressing support for the
    countries of Central and Eastern Europe and the North Atlantic
    Treaty Organization. As the grateful cochairman of the Bulgaria
    Caucus, I appreciate Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov
    and Bulgarian Ambassador to the United States Tihomir Stoytchev
    for their strong support of NATO.
        As the NATO Summit in July approaches, it is important for
    the Congress of the United States to confirm its commitment to
    the alliance and particularly Article 5, which states that an
    armed attack on one shall be considered an armed attack on all.
    This commitment from the whole of NATO ensures security among
    our Eastern and Central European NATO allies.
        Article 5's commitment to defend members is critical with
    the Russian invasion of Eastern Ukraine, and illegal occupation
    of Crimea since 2014, and earlier aggression in Moldova and the
    Republic of Georgia. Thankfully, President Trump has rightfully
    promoted the fundamental concept of collective defense in his
    historic Warsaw address. The security NATO provides the United
    States and Europe has never been more critical as we promote
    the European Deterrence Initiative with NATO troops deployed in
    Poland, Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania.
        This morning I met with the Polish Secretary of State
    Plenipotentiary of the Prime Minister, Anna Maria Anders, who
    promoted a permanent American-NATO basing in Poland to support
    peace through strength.
        I also appreciate House Resolution 944 expressing
    solidarity and sympathy of the people of Guatemala after the
    June 3, 2018, eruption of the Fuego Volcano. I am grateful for
    Congresswoman Norma Torres for introducing this legislation and
    highlighting the ongoing plight of the Guatemalan people to
    combat the destruction by the volcanic eruption. Last August I
    saw firsthand the talented people of Guatemala with former
    Ambassador Tony Hall, serving with the Food for the Hungry
    Program, and was welcomed by Ambassador Manuel Alfredo Espina
    and the courageous President Jimmy Morales.
        This legislation for markup and discussion today provides
    and strengthens America's national and international security,
    protects Americans abroad, and promotes American values among
    our friends and allies. I am grateful to support and cosponsor
    all of today's markup legislation.
        And I yield back my time.
        Chairman Royce. Thank you, Mr. Wilson.
        We go to Lois Frankel of Florida.
        Ms. Frankel. Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you to our
    ranking member, and to all the members whose bills are on deck
    today, and I support them all. I want to highlight a couple of
    them.
        First, the Israeli Anti-Boycott Act, of which I am a
    cosponsor, which would expand anti-boycott laws prohibiting
    United States compliance with the Arab League boycott of Israel
    to international organizations so that American companies doing
    with business with Israel are protected from the efforts to
    target them. And I want to thank my colleagues for making
    changes to the bill that would ensure protection of First
    Amendment rights.
        The Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions or BDS movement
    encourages economic warfare against Israel, our strongest ally
    in the Middle East. And demonizing Israel harms the world's
    only Jewish state but it also creates a roadblock on the path
    to peace, impacting both Israelis and Palestinians.
        I am going to give an example of this. After facing
    mounting boycotts, SodaStream, an Israeli soda machine company,
    was forced to shut down a West Bank factory, putting 600
    Palestinians out of work. Ali Jafar, a shift manager,
    said, quote deg., ``All the people who wanted to close
    it are mistaken.'' They didn't take into consideration the
    families.
        Second, I want to draw attention to the UNRWA
    Accountability Act. The Trump administration has frozen all
    assistance to the West Bank and Gaza, including the United
    Nations Relief and Work Agency, pending a review and providing
    no time line or specifics to Congress. This bipartisan bill
    would increase transparency and congressional oversight,
    forcing the administration to report on the ongoing review
    because the freeze makes no sense. Because if you want to stop
    the further violence from spilling over even further, we have
    to participate in humanitarian assistance.
        The senior Israeli security officials have warned that if
    the situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, it could lead
    to war.
        And the last bill I would like to mention is the Resolution
    256, which expresses support for NATO and the countries of
    Central and Eastern Europe, condemns Russia's Ukraine
    occupation and calls for U.S. continued support for ally
    countries in Central and Eastern Europe.
        Over the past 4 years I have been privileged with some of
    the members here to represent the United States at the NATO
    Parliamentary Assembly. And in this role, I am frequently
    reminded that no man or woman is an island. Societies do not
    thrive when they are isolated from others. We need our allies
    to stand with us as we fight for mutually-shared democratic
    values.
        It was reported this morning that Mr. Trump told the
    leaders, at a recent G-7 Summit, that NATO is as bad as NAFTA,
    that it is much too costly for the United States. And this
    President likes to call NATO obsolete. And I just want to say I
    think he is flat wrong. It is so relevant today, given the
    dynamics of threats we and our allies face.
        At a time when the administration sows doubts about this
    critical alliance, we must affirm our commitment to NATO and
    reassure our Central and Eastern European partners that we will
    defend them against Russian aggression.
        And I yield back and, again, thank my colleagues.
        Chairman Royce. I thank the gentlelady.
        We go to Ted Yoho of Florida.
        Mr. Yoho. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Before I get started, I just would like to acknowledge the
    Bytyqi family again for the sacrifice that you guys have made
    and your family members. Our hearts go out to you.
        Chairman Royce, Ranking Member Engel, I want to briefly
    address the Cyber Deterrence and Response Act. Most
    importantly, I want to thank you and other original cosponsors
    for supporting the bill and working so closely with our team to
    create a carefully tailored and bipartisan piece of
    legislation.
        Without objection, I would like to submit up for the record
    this letter of support from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. As
    the Chamber points out, the bill will help spotlight adherence
    to international norms and deterrence to heighten the cost on
    countries or the subordinates that hack the United States.
        Chairman Royce. Without objection.
        Mr. Yoho. It is no secret the United States urgently needs
    upgrades and cyber deterrence but there are no procedures in
    current law for naming and shaming state sponsored hackers and/
    or linking penalties to their elicit conduct. We have spent
    over a year working to make sure this legislation is consistent
    with past practices, and doesn't tie the hands of the executive
    branch, but will still upgrade our cyber deterrence measures by
    establishing minimum penalties and ensuring the cyber actions
    are implemented consistently across administrations to come.
        The Cyber Deterrence Response Act also pairs very well with
    Chairman Royce's Cyber Diplomacy Act which will elevate cyber
    issues in the State Department. Together, these pieces of
    legislation begin to lay out a much-needed national cyber
    policy, and it is a proactive component to establish norms, and
    a reactive component to defend our interests.
        I thank you and hope my colleagues on the committee will
    give their support of the bill and I yield back.
        Chairman Royce. Thank you.
        We go to Robin Kelly of Illinois.
        Ms. Kelly. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for including H.R. 4969
    in today's markup, the Improving Embassy Design and Security
    Act. Together with Mr. McCaul, I am proud to support this
    important legislation that will allow for greater congressional
    oversight of Embassy construction and save taxpayers money.
        The State Department must balance designing a functional
    space that will properly represent the United States to the
    host country with the necessary security protections for the
    modern age. Protecting our diplomats overseas should be a top
    priority, which is why I was disappointed to see the Trump
    administration budget request a 28.4 percent decrease for
    fiscal year 2019 from 2018 enacted levels for Embassy security
    and construction.
        We heard repeatedly that the tragedy that happened in
    Benghazi should not be repeated. This administration has to
    make Embassy security a bigger priority. That is why I am glad
    we are voting on this legislation to protect our diplomats
    working overseas and prevent projects from going over cost.
        I was also an original cosponsor of H. Res. 256, expressing
    support for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in the
    countries of Central and Eastern Europe, which is under
    consideration today. This important resolution calls for
    continued U.S. support for NATO allies and the European
    Deterrence Initiative.
        Putin's illegal annexation of Crimea and interference in
    European elections cannot be forgotten. Russia has undermined
    international law and killed tens of thousands of Ukrainians.
    This resolution shows Europe and NATO that the U.S. Congress
    stands by our allies and will not allow Russia to threaten our
    collective security.
        I yield back.
        Chairman Royce. Thank you, Congresswoman Kelly.
        We go to Lee Zeldin of New York.
        Mr. Zeldin. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the
    committee's consideration of these bills today.
        Beginning with H. Con. Res. 20, this resolution has been
    introduced since 2013 regarding the execution-style murders of
    Ylli, 25 years old, Agron, 23 years old, and Mehmet, 21 years
    old, who were born in the United States and resided in the
    greatest congressional district in America, in Hampton Bays,
    First Congressional District of New York.
        In July 1999, these three brothers went overseas toward the
    end of the Kosovo War and were arrested by Serbian authorities
    for illegally entering the country when they accidently crossed
    in the Serbian-controlled territory. The brothers were
    kidnapped, murdered, and dumped into a mass grave in Serbia by
    government officials still serving today.
        Since taking office, I have been committed to helping the
    Bytyqi family receive the justice they have long deserved. They
    are here today in the audience, and supported today's
    resolution, and to honor their family's sacrifice.
        It is absolutely reprehensible that, despite many promises
    by Serbian officials to resolve the case of the state-sponsored
    murder, no individual has ever been found guilty of this
    horrible crime, nor of any other crimes associated with the
    deaths of these innocent Americans. This is Serbian
    Government's responsibility to resolve this case. And my
    resolution notes that progress with this investigation should
    remain a significant factor which determines the further
    development of U.S.-Serbian relations.
        The Bytyqi brothers gave their lives to fight injustice.
    Now we must return this favor and deliver justice for their
    family.
        I want to thank the chair for his support in bringing this
    resolution. I would like to thank the ranking member, Eliot
    Engel, for all of his advocacy through the years, and all my
    colleagues for supporting it.
        I am also proud of the committee's consideration of H.R.
    5898, the UNRWA Accountability Act, a robust bipartisan effort
    with Mr. Cicilline to maintain oversight over UNRWA's
    activities in the West Bank and Gaza. Over the past 6 years,
    every effort to obtain transparency over UNRWA has failed with
    classified reports and uncertainty regarding who is actually
    responsible for conducting reviews.
        We need to crack down on UNRWA and ensure that we are not
    supporting a Refugee Agency that keeps millions in a permanent
    state of dependency.
        Our bill will provide important information to Congress
    regarding the definition of refugees served by UNRWA, as well
    as a strategy for burden sharing that offers the opportunity
    for other regional actors to contribute evenly. We must demand
    that transparency over the anti-Israel textbooks in this
    program that is fueling another generation of hate.
        I have read the classified reports. I have spoken to my
    colleague, our colleague Scott Perry. There are other members
    who are very concerned about this and there is more that we
    need to be doing in the weeks, months, and years ahead. The
    United States cannot support a program that goes against the
    best interest of our greatest ally.
        I would like to thank our committee chairman, Ed Royce, and
    ranking member, Eliot Engel, for their leadership and
    assistance on these important issues. I look forward to working
    with my colleagues in the House and our friends in the Senate
    to pass these bills.
        Again, I would like to thank you, Chairman, and Ranking
    Member, for your hard work in support of these bills and I
    yield back.
        Chairman Royce. Thank you, Mr. Zeldin.
        We go to Brendan Boyle of Pennsylvania.
        Mr. Boyle. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        I am supportive of each one of these nine resolutions. I
    just want to highlight one because I think that it is
    incredibly important at this time in history and that is H.
    Res. 256, which expresses support for the countries of Eastern
    Europe and NATO.
        We have led now for 70 years, through Democratic and
    Republican administrations, the Western Alliance. NATO has been
    the bulwark against first Soviet and then Russian expansionism.
    This is something that all Americans should be very proud of.
        And now that some doubt has been raised about this
    country's commitment to NATO, I think that it is vital that
    this committee assert itself on a bipartisan basis to speak out
    with one voice that we support NATO, that we support our
    allies, especially in Central and Eastern Europe, as they
    continue to deal with Russian attacks, whether they are a
    physical force, like our friends in Ukraine are experiencing
    today, or they are in the cyber realm.
        So I am proud to support this. I applaud my fellow
    cosponsors, both Democrats and Republicans.
        And with that, I yield back.
        Chairman Royce. Thank you, Mr. Boyle. We agree with your
    point.
        We go now to Mr. Mike McCaul of Texas.
        Mr. McCaul. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for holding
    today's markup.
        I am pleased to have bill H.R. 4969, the Improving Embassy
    Design and Security Act considered today.
        Mr. Chairman, in 1998, terrorists, at the direction of
    Osama bin Laden, bombed U.S. Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania,
    killing over 220 people and injuring 4,000 more. This assault
    foreshadowed bin Laden's intention to attack America and
    demonstrated we need to seriously reassess our Embassies'
    security.
        That is why, in 1999, Congress adopted a standard Embassy
    designed for our missions abroad. This design improved
    security, expedited construction, and saved money. For 20
    years, this design template has been key in mitigating attacks.
    We have also saved taxpayer dollars through bypassing expensive
    architectural bids.
        However, recently, we have deviated from the standard
    Embassy design in favor of projects prioritizing aesthetics.
    While I certainly appreciate the desire for our Embassies to
    have a presentable facade, we must prevent a repeat of Kenya
    and Tanzania.
        To that end, my bill will require the State Department to
    provide Congress with justification, should an Embassy or
    consulate project not use a standard design. Embassies are the
    physical representation of the United States abroad. Providing
    security for our diplomats should be our number one priority. I
    think, if anything, Benghazi certainly demonstrates that. So I
    believe my bill is a good step toward achieving that goal.
        And thank you, again, Mr. Chairman, for moving these bills
    through the committee.
        Chairman Royce. Thank you, Chairman McCaul.
        We go to Norma Torres of California.
        Mrs. Torres. Thank you, Chairman Royce and Ranking Member
    Engel, for your hard work on these bipartisan bills. I support
    all of these measures and I can't say enough about the work
    that you two do, the bipartisan work that both of you do
    together, and how this committee performs on an ongoing basis.
        In particular, I am glad that we are considering H.R. 1697,
    the Israel Anti-Boycott Act. For too long, Israel has been
    unfairly singled out at the United Nations and elsewhere. No
    country is perfect. All of us can do better but the criticism
    of Israel is simply not proportionate to its flaws.
        This bill is an important effort to address that problem
    and I thank the chairman and the ranking member for their hard
    work to address some of the First Amendment concerns that have
    been raised.
        I also want to thank the chairman and ranking member for
    bringing up House Resolution 944. And I was thrilled to have
    the opportunity to work with Chairman Smith on this resolution,
    which expresses sympathy for the victims of the recent volcanic
    eruption in Guatemala, and I appreciate several members of this
    committee joining us as cosponsors. We all care deeply about
    the beautiful country of Guatemala and I am encouraged that we
    can join together in support of the victims.
        According to the latest figures from the Guatemalan
    Government, 112 people were killed by this volcano eruption,
    5,923 have been evacuated, 197 missing, and 29 were injured.
    People across Guatemala and the international community have
    joined together in a relief effort. The U.S. Government worked
    to transfer six children who were burn victims, the youngest
    only 1 year and 8 months old, to the Shriners Hospital in
    Galveston, Texas.
        USAID has announced $300,000 in initial funding for relief
    efforts and I have read stories of volunteers from those
    communities that were mostly affected who have taken upon
    themselves to search for victims or the bodies of their
    relatives and friends. Just the other day I had the opportunity
    to sit down with Chef Jose Andres, who is doing tremendous work
    getting food to those who need it, especially the hardworking
    first responders that are saving many lives every day.
        We have seen countries across the region, Honduras, Mexico,
    and from across the entire world, strong allies like Israel and
    Taiwan, send aid as well. It is encouraging to see so many
    people who are concerned about the victims but we can't lose
    focus on this issue, and we must remain vigilant to ensure that
    the victims get the help they need, and are able to reestablish
    their lives in Guatemala. Otherwise, we could see this volcanic
    eruption lead to yet another wave of refugees at our border.
        I urge all of the Members here in Congress to help continue
    to encourage USAID to do all that they can do to help these
    victims relocate within the Guatemalan border.
        So I, again, thank the chairman and the ranking member and
    I urge my colleagues to support this important measure.
        And I yield back.
        Chairman Royce. Thank you, Congresswoman Torres.
        Now we go to the author of the RAWR Act and, from the
    title, I presume wildlife protection and Katy Perry fan, Dan
    Donovan of Staten Island.
        Mr. Donovan. I will take care for that credit, Mr.
    Chairman.
        Mr. Chairman, I am proud to sponsor the RAWR Act, Rescuing
    Animals with Rewards, H.R. 6197. The RAWR Act will help ensure
    that eliminating the terrorist and transnational criminal
    organizations engaged in wildlife trafficking and poaching will
    be a top rewards priority.
        Combating terrorism is of the utmost importance, not just
    to my constituents, not just to New Yorkers, but to the entire
    nation. It is an issue that reaches across the aisle. My
    district on Staten Island and South Brooklyn, which is home to
    many of New York City's bravest and finest, suffered hundreds
    of first responder casualties on September 11th of 2001. Since
    then, New York remains the world's top terror target.
        As a nation, we have become more resilient and determined
    to mitigate threats but, as we have choked off other sources of
    money, terrorists have increasingly turned to wildlife
    trafficking as a way to fund their heinous endeavors. Any step,
    no matter how incremental, we can take that will lead to the
    capture and conviction of anyone engaged in wildlife
    trafficking, especially terrorists, is a step in the right
    direction.
        I thank you, Mr. Chairman, for your support on this bill
    and I thank my friend from the other side of the aisle, Mr.
    Castro, for co-leading with me. I would also like to thank the
    staff at the Foreign Affairs Committee, who have put much
    excellent work into this bill.
        And with that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
        Chairman Royce. And with that, we will go to Mr. Castro.
        Mr. Castro. Thank you, Chairman. Thank you, Representative
    Donovan, for your work and your partnership on the bill, and to
    the other members of the committee on their bills.
        I do want to raise a concern with H.R. 1697, which is that
    I basically think that the bill is written a bit too vague and
    it is too broad. It mentions that the President is going to
    come up with regulations to protect nations that are friendly
    to the United States but doesn't go on to define exactly which
    nations those are.
        The reason that I think that it is problematic is because
    this administration, including the President, on any
    controversial issue of foreign policy, have essentially given
    us two, or three, or four, or five different answers. Sometimes
    the President has given different answers himself on the same
    subject. So I hope that between now and the time that the bill
    goes on the floor, perhaps there can be some more definition.
        I would also feel more comfortable if Congress had some say
    over this, rather than essentially, right now, expanding the
    foreign policy power of this President, who I believe in many
    ways has been irresponsible with that power.
        I yield back.
        Chairman Royce. Thank you. We go to Brad Schneider of
    Illinois.
        Mr. Schneider. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman and
    Ranking Member, thank you for holding today's markup.
        I commend my colleagues for working on the legislation
    before us today. In particular, I appreciate the efforts of my
    good friend from Florida, Ted Yoho, on his bill, H.R. 5576, the
    Cyber Deterrence and Response Act of 2018. This bill will help
    protect our country from cyber-attacks by requiring the
    President to designate foreign persons and entities responsible
    for state-sponsored cyber threats. This bill would also require
    the President to publish and regularly update this list and,
    finally, impose sanctions.
        We know there are malicious actors out there right now
    seeking to target the United States. Russia's efforts to
    interfere in our 2016 election was only the beginning, as we
    have heard from our intelligence community that serious threats
    remain.
        Earlier this year, the Director of National Intelligence
    stated that Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea will pose the
    greatest cyber threats to the United States during the next
    year. Our Government must do more to protect our election
    infrastructure and seek to ensure the integrity of every
    citizen's vote.
        I would also like to express my appreciation for the work
    of my colleagues in updating H.R. 1697, the Israel Anti-Boycott
    Act. I am a cosponsor of this bill that declares it is United
    States policy to oppose boycotts imposed by international
    government organizations against countries that are friends to
    the United States. This bill solely covers commercial activity
    and does nothing to limit the rights of individuals protected
    by the First Amendment.
        Finally, I would like to commend the work of my colleagues,
    David Cicilline and Lee Zeldin, for their work on H.R. 5898,
    the UNRWA Accountability Act, and to associate myself with the
    sentiment in the bill expressing the sense of Congress that the
    administration should complete its reviews of U.S. assistance
    programs for the West Bank, and Gaza, and UNRWA. This bill also
    calls for a long-term strategy for policy toward UNRWA and will
    help us better understand the reforms the administration has
    called for, how they plan to address the humanitarian needs
    currently covered by UNRWA, and the impact any policy changes
    will have on broader regional security and stability, including
    specifically toward Israel.
        Once again, I thank the chairman and ranking member for
    holding today's hearing.
        And with that, I yield back.
        Chairman Royce. We go now to David Cicilline of Rhode
    Island.
        Mr. Cicilline. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to thank you
    and the ranking member for holding this markup and for
    including the UNRWA Accountability Act, which I introduced with
    my colleague, Mr. Zeldin, on the list of bills being considered
    today.
        Holding a markup on this bill is a testament to the
    bipartisanship of this committee and the leadership of Chairman
    Royce and Ranking Member Engel. As we all know, UNRWA can be a
    controversial topic here in Congress but we have been able to
    come together to support a bill that will reassert
    congressional oversight for funding programs to UNRWA, and the
    West Bank, and Gaza.
        In January, the Trump administration announced that it was
    holding any further funding for UNRWA, the United Nations
    Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees, which is the
    U.N. agency responsible for carrying out assistance programs
    for Palestinian refugees. Today, there are roughly five million
    Palestinians eligible for UNRWA services in the West Bank,
    Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. We have also been recently
    informed by the administration officials that all future
    assistance for the West Bank and Gaza has been put on hold
    pending review as well.
        This legislation will assert proper congressional oversight
    of the administration's review of funds to UNRWA, and
    assistance to the West Bank and Gaza, and ensure that details
    of the review process are provided in a timely manner in what,
    so far, has been a review with no discernable process or time
    line. It will do this by requiring that the administration
    submit two reports to Congress detailing the status of the
    reviews within 45 days.
        To be clear, I believe that funding for these bilateral
    programs and for UNRWA, funding which has been appropriated by
    Congress, should be resumed immediately. There is no reason why
    it is necessary to hold funding while conducting the review.
    And any decisions made as a result of the review can be carried
    out in the new fiscal year with appropriate coordination with
    Congress. Congress has repeatedly sought details about the
    ongoing reviews from administration officials but very little
    has been provided.
        Meanwhile, the situation of Palestinian refugees,
    particularly in Gaza, is getting more dire by the day. For
    example, UNRWA has said that it currently faces a $250 million
    shortfall for 2018 and, despite taking measures to limit
    expenditures, will be unable to open all of its 700 schools on
    time in August. Hamas has offered to take over administration
    of Palestinian schools in Gaza, should UNRWA be unable to do
    so.
        UNRWA doesn't have funding to support food rations for the
    final quarter of the year, which will leave hundreds of
    thousands of Palestinians without the ability to meet their
    nutritional needs.
        The unemployment rate in Gaza is nearly 50 percent and
    UNRWA is about to terminate 3,000 short-term contracts due to
    budget shortfalls, leaving even more families without the means
    to support themselves.
        The freeze of bilateral assistance programs in the West
    Bank and Gaza, which are largely carried out by NGOs is also
    having a devastating impact. For example, Catholic Relief
    Services has said that 140,000 individuals in Gaza will lose
    emergency assistance and they will be forced to lay off 90
    staff members by September.
        American Near East Refugee Aid reports that if the freeze
    continues, 71,000 people will lose access to projects improving
    water, sanitation, schools, and other critical facilities.
    These are just a few examples of the real-world impact that the
    current freeze of funds is having on Palestinians.
        I ask the chairman for unanimous consent to place two
    documents into the record. The first is a program budget and
    Gaza field update provided by UNRWA and the second is a
    compilation of information from NGO's working in Gaza and the
    West Bank entitled NGO Programs in Gaza and the West Bank
    Impact by Funding Hold During Administrative Review as of June
    15, 2018.
        Chairman Royce. Without objection.
        Mr. Cicilline. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Whatever criticisms we have UNRWA and the Palestinian
    leadership, and there are many valid ones, it is contrary to
    American interests and the interests of Israel to exacerbate
    this humanitarian crisis. If the administration is seeking
    structural changes to UNRWA, they must seek them at the United
    Nations General Assembly, which is the only body that can alter
    UNRWA's mandate.
        If they want to see alternatives to UNRWA for American
    assistance delivery, they should do so in a concerted and
    transparent way that does not leave a devastating funding gap
    for Palestinian humanitarian assistance.
        And if they desire reforms that UNRWA can undertake
    internally, they should submit those reforms to UNRWA and begin
    a conversation about how they can be achieved. I would note
    that there is a formal process for this and the Trump
    administration signed a new framework for cooperation between
    the United States and UNRWA in December 2017, which lays out a
    series of shared goals and priorities for UNRWA and the United
    States.
        I would like to submit this document into the record and
    ask unanimous consent to do so.
        Chairman Royce. Without objection.
        Mr. Cicilline. Rather than take a series of thoughtful and
    coordinated steps in order to lay out and address their
    concerns with UNRWA, the administration has acted in a way that
    suggests to me that they intend to use the increasingly dire
    humanitarian situation in Gaza and the West Bank as a stick to
    try to force Palestinian acquiescence to Jared Kushner peace
    plan. This is not only cruel, it is bad policy.
        As the United States slows or stops its contributions to
    UNRWA, we must understand that other actors will fill the gap.
    Countries like Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Qatar will not ask for
    strict oversight of UNRWA's school curriculum or the abuse of
    UNRWA resources by Hamas. If we give up our position as a
    donor, we also give up our influence.
        This is a dangerous game. If you don't believe me, believe
    the current Chief of Staff of the Israeli Defense Forces, Gadi
    Eizenkot, who said in an interview earlier this year that the
    likelihood of escalation to the point of war has increased
    substantially between Gaza and Israel, in part because of the
    cuts to UNRWA funding. And I would like to ask unanimous
    consent to place that article in the record as well.
        And Mr. Chairman, just in closing, I know many of my
    colleagues on both sides of the aisle have deep concerns about
    the functions of UNRWA, about Hamas' role in Gaza, and about
    the Palestinian leadership's commitment to achieving peace. I
    share many of these concerns and I think this body has taken
    many steps to address these issues but we shouldn't throw the
    baby out with the bath water and I am glad that today we were
    able to consider a bipartisan piece of legislation that will
    bring some order and timeliness to this review process and
    expert proper congressional oversight of our foreign
    assistance.
        And I want to thank all of my colleagues for their support
    of this legislation and particularly thank Mr. Zeldin for
    working across the aisle to ensure this issue receives due
    consideration by this body.
        And I thank the chairman for his indulgence and yield back.
        Chairman Royce. Thank you.
        We go to Ted Poe of Texas.
        Mr. Poe. Thank you, Chairman.
        I support all of these pieces of legislation before us,
    except the last one from Mr. Zeldin, and I have some questions.
    He is not here but maybe Mr. Engel can yield for a question or
    two regarding H. Con. Res. 20.
        Mr. Engel. Sorry. Certainly.
        Mr. Poe. It is my understanding that there have been some
    prosecutions. Those people were tried, they were found not
    guilty, and upheld on appeal. Is that right or wrong?
        Mr. Engel. Yes, I am not sure. I don't know of any.
        Mr. Poe. All right. According to the--anyway, I believe
    that has occurred. I will take back my time.
        But my concern, Mr. Chairman, is the fact that we, in this
    H. Con. Res., and I will make it very clear, being a former
    judge, criminals need to be prosecuted and prosecuted wherever
    they commit these crimes in the world.
        I do believe that Serbia is moving to try to find at least
    the one person that has been mentioned in the resolution itself
    and prosecute. But be that as it may, I don't think that the
    answer to getting Serbia to prosecute these outlaws is to not
    have a relationship with the country of Serbia. I think we can
    only solve these problems if we have a relationship with
    countries, not if we break off relationships with these
    countries.
        So for that reason, I would not support this H. Con. Res.
        Chairman Royce. Would the gentleman yield?
        Mr. Poe. Absolutely.
        Chairman Royce. I thank the judge for yielding. I would
    point out that in this particular case, although charges were
    brought at one point--yes, charges were brought momentarily
    against two individuals but swiftly those charges were then
    again dropped.
        There was another case, as you say, where charges were
    brought on a third individual but that individual passed on. So
    it became a moot point.
        The point I would make is that we can engage, we can have a
    relationship with states but, at the same time, retain our
    rights on behalf of our own citizens. So in this particular
    circumstance, we have three American citizens hiking on the
    border, who cross over the border from Albania to Serbia, and
    then are killed by a death squad.
        It is, I think, under this set of circumstances, the fact
    that no one has been brought yet to the bar of justice these
    many years after, altogether appropriate upon reflection here,
    I think, given that set of circumstances, that we move a
    resolution. And remember that as this resolution was written,
    we did try to incorporate this particular perspective, Your
    Honor. Judge, we did recognize recent improvements in U.S.-
    Serbia relations in the text in order to try to be balanced. We
    added: Whereas, in the following years, the political
    leadership of Serbia has worked to strengthen democratic
    institutions--I think that is an important point, strengthen
    democratic institutions--to develop stronger adherence to the
    rule of law, and to ensure respect for human rights and
    fundamental freedoms, including as the Federal Republic of
    Yugoslavia evolved into a State Union of Serbia and Montenegro
    in February 2003, which itself dissolved--okay.
        So the point is that we have included that language but, at
    the end of the day, we are left with three Americans whose
    lives were taken by a paramilitary unit and nothing done by the
    state to hold someone ultimately accountable. For that, I think
    it is quite understandable and quite proper that we move
    forward and speak on behalf of those Americans.
        I yield back.
        Mr. Poe. Reclaiming my time, once again, where crimes are
    committed, wherever they happen in the world, especially
    against Americans, we ought to go get the outlaws. We ought to
    have that country help get the outlaw.
        But just reading the resolution as it is written, it states
    that there were two individuals that were tried and found not
    guilty, and they appealed their case, and the appellate court
    upheld the acquittal on those two individuals.
        But my concern is not that. My concern is how we, as a
    nation, go after encouraging Serbia to correct this mistake,
    correct this crime, rather, and make sure people are brought to
    justice. And I am concerned about how our diplomatic relations
    should not decrease. They should increase.
        So that is the concern I have--the way that it is addressed
    in the resolution, how we find justice for these three
    individuals. Certainly, the criminals needs to be brought to
    justice.
        So I will yield back, Mr. Chairman.
        Mr. Engel. Mr. Chairman?
        Chairman Royce. Mr. Engel.
        Mr. Engel. I am wondering if I can get some time to comment
    on this.
        Chairman Royce. Mr. Engel.
        Mr. Engel. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        When Secretary Tillerson was still Secretary of State and
    came before this committee, I just want to read into the record
    an exchange that I had with him.
        I said that I am deeply concerned with the lack of justice
    for murders and crimes committed by the Government of Serbia
    during and after the Kosovo War. And particularly, there have
    been no charges brought against anyone for the murders of three
    American citizens, the Bytyqi brothers, despite widespread
    understanding of who was behind them.
        Serbian President Vucic and Acting Prime Minister Dacic
    have promised very senior U.S. Government officials for many
    years that they would bring to justice the perpetrators of this
    crime and the crime of burning our Embassy in 2008. They both
    also made these promises to me.
        On January 31st of this year, the respected Humanitarian
    Law Center of Belgrade released a dossier called, ``The Cover-
    Up of Evidence of Crimes During the War in Kosovo: The
    Concealment of Bodies Operation.'' This report described mass
    graves in Serbia containing the bodies of 941 Kosovo Albanians,
    mainly civilians killed outside combat situations in Kosovo,
    during 1999. According to the report, and I quote, the evidence
    corroborated the decision to conceal evidence of crimes
    committed was planned as early as March 1999 at the highest
    level of the government, and indicated that members of both
    departments of the Serbian MUP, which is the State Security
    Department, Public Security Department, and the Yugoslav's Army
    Departments in charge of clearing up the terrain--I think that
    is a quote--were involved in it.
        The murder and mass burial of almost a thousand innocent
    civilians is a crime against humanity but the perpetrators have
    gone unpunished. It is long past time for Belgrade to face
    these facts and bring to justice the people, including high
    officials in its government, who are behind these very serious
    crimes.
        At the same time, the Serbian stalling and stonewalling has
    brought no adjustment in policy from the United States and the
    European Union's willingness to proceed with Serbia's accession
    process to the EU has been unaffected. This has to stop. It has
    to stop now until Serbia bring those who have committed these
    serious crimes to justice. The EU should not move ahead with
    Belgrade's accession process and the United States should think
    twice before advancing our relations with Serbia.
        And I asked: What is the United States doing to press
    Serbia to bring to justice the murderers of the Bytyqi
    brothers, those who burned the United States Embassy, and those
    who murdered and buried in mass graves almost a thousand
    innocent Kosovo civilians, with the ICTY, which is I-C-T-Y, no
    longer accepting any new cases and closing down at the end of
    this year, and Serbia seemingly unwilling to prosecute anyone
    for these grave offenses? Will you support a new international
    or special tribunal similar to that which was established in
    Kosovo to prosecute those responsible?
        And Secretary Tillerson answered: We share your frustration
    with a lack of progress in the Bytyqi case, and the slow
    progress in the 2008 Embassy burning case, and raised the issue
    with Serbian officials at all levels of government, including
    with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. We have also informed
    Serbian officials that these issues stand in the way of closer
    bilateral relations.
        Serbia recently appointed a new special war crimes
    prosecutor. The position had remained vacant for almost a year
    and a half. And we have called for the Bytyqi case to be a
    priority in her work. We are hopeful that this appointment will
    serve to advance the investigation and prosecution of those
    responsible for the Bytyqi murders.
        And I think I will end here.
        Mr. Poe. Will the gentleman yield?
        Mr. Engel. Certainly.
        Mr. Poe. I don't quarrel with anything that you have said
    regarding what has happened in the war crimes and the incidents
    throughout history.
        My concern is if we diminish our relationship with Serbia,
    getting an answer to all of these questions that you have
    brought up--I don't think will increase. I think it is a
    mistake to decrease relations with Serbia. I think we need to
    increase those relations so that we can get resolution to all
    of the things that you have mentioned.
        So I will yield back to the gentleman and I thank him for
    his comments.
        Mr. Engel. Let me just say very quickly to the gentleman,
    who is my friend, and who I have a lot of respect for, the
    frustration is that it has been 19 years and nothing seems to
    happen, whether we have good relations, or bad relations, or
    anything like that. And so it is very frustrating.
        I had an ironclad promise face-to-face by the head of
    Serbia, Mr. Vucic, who told me it would take him a month and it
    has been much more than a year now. So it is just a
    frustration. I know the gentleman has worked very hard in
    trying to improve relations in that part of the world and
    improve relations with countries and the United States but it
    is just coming to a head and is very, very frustrating.
        But I understand the gentleman's points.
        Chairman Royce. Noting we are halfway into the vote on the
    floor, we must go to Mr. Gerry Connolly of Virginia.
        Mr. Connolly. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        And knowing that, let me just say I want to associate
    myself with the remarks Mr. Cicilline on humanitarian crisis.
    By defunding or freezing funding for UNRWA is not going to add
    anything in terms of stability in the Middle East and it is not
    a friendly act to Israel.
        So I certainly associate myself with him and support H.R.
    5898.
        I just wanted to thank the chairman, and ranking member,
    and the author of the bill H.R. 5576 for accepting my
    amendment, which is adding Russia as an identified cyber bully.
    Nobody has interfered, historically, in American elections with
    the breadth and scope of Russia. We need to take cognizance of
    that.
        The Trump Treasury Department did just that in announcing
    sanctions in March against five Russian entities and 19 Russian
    individuals, pursuant to Executive Order 13694 and the
    overwhelmingly passed bipartisan bill Countering America's
    Adversaries Through Sanctions Act.
        So I thank my colleagues for accepting the amendment. I
    think it is an important statement for us and I intend to
    support the motions before us.
        I yield back.
        Chairman Royce. And we thank you for your contribution to
    the bill with that amendment, Mr. Connolly.
        Mr. Connolly. I thank you and I yield back.
        Chairman Royce. Hearing no further requests for
    recognition, the question occurs on items considered en bloc.
        All those in favor say aye.
        All those opposed, no.
        In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it and the
    measures considered en bloc are agreed to.
        Without objection, each measure in the en bloc is ordered
    favorably reported, as amended, as a single amendment in the
    nature of a substitute, and staff is directed to make any
    technical and conforming changes, and the chair is authorized
    to seek House consideration under suspension of the rules.
        That concludes our business today and I want to thank, of
    course, all our members here, and Ranking Member Engel for your
    contributions and assistance with today's markup.
        The committee is adjourned.
        [Whereupon, at 11:36 a.m., the committee was adjourned.]

                                A P P E N D I X

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             Material Submitted for the Record
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       Material submitted for the record by the Honorable Ted S. Yoho, a
      Representative in Congress from the State of Florida, and chairman,
                      Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific

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     Material submitted for the record by the Honorable David Cicilline, a
           Representative in Congress from the State of Rhode Island

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     Material submitted for the record by the Honorable David Cicilline, a
           Representative in Congress from the State of Rhode Island

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     Material submitted for the record by the Honorable David Cicilline, a
           Representative in Congress from the State of Rhode Island

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     Material submitted for the record by the Honorable David Cicilline, a
           Representative in Congress from the State of Rhode Island

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