[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 118 (Thursday, July 13, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E982-E983]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. KYRSTEN SINEMA

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 12, 2017

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2810) to 
     authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2018 for military 
     activities of the Department of Defense and for military 
     construction, to prescribe military personnel strengths for 
     such fiscal year, and for other purposes:

  Ms. SINEMA. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of the Sinema-
Fitzpatrick-Budd amendment to H.R. 2810, the Fiscal Year 2018 National 
Defense Authorization Act.
  I thank Chairman Thornberry and Ranking Member Smith for their 
support of our amendment and for including it in the en bloc package.
  The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) continues to 
represent a clear threat to the security of the United States and our 
allies, and to stability in the Middle East.
  While ISIL has lost significant territory over the last six months, 
the terrorist organization continues to oppress and murder civilians in 
Syria and Iraq and spread its message of violence and hate across the 
globe.
  ISIL's perverted orthodoxy and efforts to support and inspire attacks 
in the United States and elsewhere are direct threats to our security 
and safety.
  We must do all we can to accelerate ISIL's destruction.
  Our bipartisan amendment ensures that the Report on the United States 
Strategy in Syria

[[Page E983]]

required by the underlying bill includes a description of amounts and 
sources of ISIL financing and our efforts to disrupt this financing as 
part of the broader US strategy in Syria.
  Financing is the lifeblood of any organization.
  Denying revenue streams from oil, from stolen currency, and from 
extortion, has helped in the fight against ISIL.
  Less money means fewer weapons, fewer fighters, and fewer resources 
to support those fighters, but the fight is far from over and ISIL has 
already demonstrated its ability to adapt and evolve.
  As ISIL loses territory in Iraq and Syria, it looks abroad to inspire 
and support terrorist attacks in other countries around the world.
  We must choke off its sources of revenue. We must deny its access to 
resources that fund operations in Syria, Iraq, and abroad.
  Our amendment ensures we stay focused on financing, and we do it in a 
way that supports our broader military and counter-terrorism 
strategies.
  As we have seen, effectively integrating smart counter threat finance 
enhances our overall strategy in Syria and Iraq and can prevent ISIL 
support for attacks in the US, in Europe and elsewhere.
  Ultimately, it will accelerate the fall of ISIL and keep Americans 
safe.
  I thank my colleagues Congressman Fitzpatrick and Congressman Budd 
for offering this amendment with me.
  Again, I thank Chairman Thornberry and Ranking Member Smith for their 
support and for their continued bipartisan leadership in support of our 
country's national security.

                          ____________________