[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 71 (Thursday, May 17, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E839-E840]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




EXPRESSING SENSE OF HOUSE REGARDING IMPORTANCE OF PREVENTING IRAN FROM 
                 ACQUIRING A NUCLEAR WEAPONS CAPABILITY

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. BILL PASCRELL, JR.

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 15, 2012

  Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 568, 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the 
importance of preventing the Government of Iran from acquiring a 
nuclear weapons capability. I reluctantly missed this vote due to a 
longstanding commitment to

[[Page E840]]

give the commencement address at Passaic County Community College, in 
my district, but had I been present, I would have voted AYE.
  I am a proud to co-sponsor this legislation. It is completely 
unacceptable to allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons, and the 
government of Iran has isolated itself from the community of nations 
because of its refusal to negotiate or suspend its program. I have long 
supported strong sanctions on the Iranian regime to pressure them to 
abandon their nuclear program.
  A nuclear Iran would pose an existential threat to Israel, our 
greatest ally in the Middle East. I have always been a strong supporter 
of Israel's right to exist and defend itself, and I believe that the 
nation of Israel truly shares the ideals of freedom and democracy with 
the United States. Additionally, as a state sponsor of terror, the 
possibility that Iranian nuclear weapons could fall into the wrong 
hands is all too real. This would greatly increase the chance that a 
nuclear weapon could be detonated anywhere in the world. For these 
reasons, we simply cannot afford to contain a nuclear armed Iran.
  I commend the House of Representatives for passing this legislation 
by an overwhelming bipartisan majority, which demonstrates the 
incredible level of support in the United States Congress and among the 
American people for protecting Israel and preventing Iran from 
obtaining nuclear weapons or nuclear weapons capability.

                          ____________________