[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 186 (Tuesday, November 14, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H9182-H9183]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                PRESIDENT TRUMP'S AMERICA FIRST DOCTRINE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Quigley) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Speaker, last week, the President visited Asia for 
the first time as Commander in Chief, and took the opportunity, while 
on foreign soil, to reiterate his America First doctrine.
  I rise today because an America First doctrine mentality will not 
lead to success for the United States or the world. This way of 
thinking is an outdated, obsolete, and dangerous form of isolationism. 
It will not keep us safe. It will not make us stronger economically.
  Ironically, this phrase paints a picture that is blatantly un-
American. America First sends a signal to the global community that the 
United States no longer wants to carry the torch of freedom and 
democracy which shines brighter through inclusion and collaboration.
  On the national security front, the United States has the strongest 
military the world has known. For decades, allies have counted on the 
U.S. to step up to the plate to work with them to protect the shared 
values we hold dear.
  As we face numerous international challenges, both old and new, we 
need to put more faith and investment into our international and 
diplomatic institutions, not weaken them. The United States did not 
earn its reputation as leader of the free world by standing back and 
allowing darker forces to prevail.
  As oppressive regimes like Russia seek to undermine democracies, 
including our own, America's commitment to democracy must be stronger 
than ever.
  The President's threats to NATO and the U.N. have caused our trusted 
allies to question our commitment to collective defense. We know that 
when countries work in concert, the chance of conflict decreases.

                              {time}  1015

  Despite its challenges, globalization has led to one of the most 
peaceful and productive times in world history. Adopting protectionist 
policies would stifle this progress, and certainly won't put America 
first.
  Our efforts to address difficult domestic and international 
challenges are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they can and should 
happen simultaneously. We defeated communism, in part, by showing the 
world that a commitment to democracy and expanding

[[Page H9183]]

economic opportunity makes peoples' lives better and nations more 
secure. Meeting our commitments overseas also makes us stronger and 
safer here at home.
  Standing up against the isolationist tide sweeping the globe is 
critical to preserving our leadership role. Take the President's 
decision to pull out from the Paris climate agreement as another 
example. By abandoning our partnership with every other country in the 
world, the President has put our credibility and our Earth at risk. We 
are now the only nation not participating in this historic climate 
pact.
  To reassert our integrity for global leadership, we must lead by 
example. This includes recalling lessons learned from earlier periods 
of isolationism. Relinquishing ground in this area creates a vacuum 
which less friendly, less democratic actors are prepared and capable to 
fill.
  Abdicating global leadership, praising authoritarian regimes, and 
belittling allies has been a hallmark of this Presidency. This does not 
put America or our interests first. Our U.N. and NATO partnership 
should not just be honored and preserved, but strengthened. We are 
serious about taking on terrorism, cybersecurity treats, and other 
dangers that jeopardize the peace of our planet. Instead of 
distinguishing between winners and losers and sowing division where it 
need not exist, we must acknowledge our shared goals and values with 
our allies around the world, because our commitment to democracy and 
diplomacy is what has always made our Nation great.

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