[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 24 (Wednesday, February 10, 2016)]
[House]
[Pages H656-H657]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   IRAN'S HOSTILITY MUST BE COMBATED

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Roskam) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. ROSKAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about the Islamic 
Republic of Iran--its past and its future.
  February 11 is just an ordinary day for Americans, but in Iran, 
tomorrow is anything but ordinary. Military parades and massive state-
sponsored celebrations fill the streets of Tehran and cities across the 
Islamic Republic. In just a few hours, it will be Islamic Revolution's 
Victory Day in Iran. The regime celebrates 37 years since the violent 
coup that brought the Ayatollah Khomeini to power and transferred Iran 
into a fundamentalist Islamic theocracy and the world's largest state 
sponsor of terrorism.
  It is a dark period of history, Mr. Speaker. Thousands of innocent 
people were killed as the revolutionaries consolidated power. The U.S. 
Embassy was overrun and more than 50 Americans were held hostage for 
444 days.
  The United States has seen six Presidents since 1979, reflecting a 
broad range of leadership styles and governing philosophies. The 
Islamic Republic has been led by two Supreme Leaders, both zealots 
fanatically committed to the revolutionary ideas they espouse being 
celebrated on the streets of Tehran on this day. Make no mistake, Mr. 
Speaker, we are dealing with the same Iran today as we were in 1979.
  The only day being celebrated by some Americans at the moment is 
implementation day, as President Obama's dangerous nuclear deal has now 
come and gone. The world is much more dangerous because of it.
  Iran, the leading patron of global terrorism, just received a $100 
billion check. The mullahs continue to foment violence and chaos across 
the Middle East, and their nuclear structure remains intact. The Obama 
administration has long argued that we would only be giving them $50 
billion, but even they have conceded that it is closer to $100 billion 
or more.
  We were also told that Iran would moderate its behavior as a result 
of this capitulation. Just in the past few weeks, Iran captured and 
humiliated American sailors, illegally launched ballistic missiles, 
fired rockets within 1,500 yards of U.S. ships, and flew a drone over a 
U.S. aircraft carrier. The list goes on and on.
  Iranian Special Forces continue to assist al-Assad in his slaughter 
of innocents in Syria. Over 200,000 have been killed so far. Iranian-
backed militias are likely responsible for kidnapping three American 
contractors in Iraq.

[[Page H657]]

  It doesn't take much imagination to figure out what Iran will do with 
another $100 billion, which is the windfall that they are about to 
receive based on this bad deal. As President Obama and Secretary Kerry 
have both begrudgingly admitted, it is nearly certain that the Iranians 
will use this money to sow the seeds of even more death and 
destruction. Think about that. They are nearly certain that part of 
this $100 billion will go there.
  The Islamic Republic is not our friend, Mr. Speaker. It is a 
dangerous geopolitical foe. It is led by a cult of extremists that are 
hellbent on our annihilation. Yet President Obama will do nothing to 
stem the tide of the Ayatollah's ambitions.
  When faced with an adversary whose theology and eschatology are 
fundamentally incompatible with peace and world order, the United 
States, under President Obama's leadership, chose a path of 
appeasement. I truly believe President Obama has made perhaps the most 
dangerous foreign policy blunder in our lifetime. We are now facing a 
newly emboldened, cash-rich, radical Islamic regime fully committed to 
weakening our Nation, terrorizing the West, and destroying our way of 
life.
  Mr. Speaker, it is up to Congress to do everything in our power to 
keep as much of this money as possible out of the hands of Iran's 
terrorist proxies. The Congress must move swiftly to strengthen 
terrorism- and human rights-related sanctions against Iran and its 
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The Congress must maintain strict 
oversight over Iran's nuclear program as its infrastructure remains 
intact.
  Iran's hostility must be combated, Mr. Speaker, and this body should 
not abrogate that responsibility, even if our President already has.

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