[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 118 (Friday, July 25, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1242]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     H. CON. RES. 105 AND H.R. 4935

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. DAVID N. CICILLINE

                            of rhode island

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 25, 2014

  Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, I regret my absence from today's 
proceedings due to a death in my family.
   First, I strongly support H. Con. Res. 105, directing the President 
to remove United States Armed Forces from Iraq, and had I been present 
I would have voted in favor of the resolution offered by my colleague 
from Massachusetts. The rapid advance of ISIS remains an issue of great 
concern to our national security interests, as well as the stability of 
the entire Middle East. However, after nearly a decade of war, and the 
loss of more than 4,000 American lives in Iraq, we must be extremely 
cautious of the dangers posed by further U.S. military involvement.
   For example, it was recently reported that a classified military 
assessment of Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) revealed dangers to U.S. 
military personnel currently advising forces in the country. These 
dangers include infiltration by informants for Sunni extremists, as 
well as ISF reliance on Shiite militias trained by Iranian paramilitary 
forces. These risks must be thoroughly reviewed and evaluated, and we 
must ensure that ISF are reliable before considering any further U.S. 
commitment.
   Thus far, the President has shown great restraint in addressing this 
ongoing crisis, informed by his understanding of recent history and 
internal Iraqi politics. Nevertheless, I strongly support the passage 
of this resolution because Congress must continue to play an integral 
role in making decisions that impact national security, as mandated by 
the law and the Constitution of the United States.
   Second, I strongly oppose H.R. 4935, the so-called Child Tax Credit 
Improvement Act, which is also being considered today. Had I been 
present, I would have voted against H.R. 4935 because it would allow 
the Child Tax Credit (CTC) to disappear for many low-income working 
families after 2017 while expanding the CTC for higher income 
households without an offset.

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