[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 166 (Wednesday, November 20, 2013)]
[House]
[Page H7263]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           IRAN AND DIPLOMACY

  (Mr. McDERMOTT asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. McDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, as the diplomats gather in Geneva today, 
I applaud their hard work in moving toward an interim agreement on the 
Iranian nuclear challenge.
  After years of confrontation, today marks an important moment for all 
of us who support a diplomatic solution. We have spent a great deal of 
time to get to this place: taxpayer dollars, political capital, and 
global influence. We must not turn back now.
  Right now, we have the maximum amount of leverage for a deal vis-a-
vis Iran without fracturing the international coalition. Therefore, we 
should focus 100 percent on reaching a deal in Geneva under the P5+1 
framework. It is absolutely critical.
  Like using a wrench to tighten a nut, you can strip it if you push 
too hard. We have pushed to exactly the right point, and I hope that we 
will be successful.
  We must, however, remember Mr. Reagan said, ``Trust, but verify.'' It 
is possible to prevent nuclear problems if we trust, but verify. That 
is what these diplomats are doing.

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