[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 181 (Thursday, November 15, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1529]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         TERRORISM REMAINS A DEADLY CHALLENGE WE MUST CONFRONT

                                 ______
                                 

                              HON. TED POE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 15, 2018

  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the threat of terrorism remains a 
deadly challenge for us and our allies around the globe. In the last 
four years alone, we have seen the ability of terrorist groups--many of 
which we had thought we had defeated--to evolve and attract thousands 
of recruits to their violent cause. ISIS, al-Qaeda, Iran, and all their 
affiliates and proxies are still active and waiting in the shadows for 
an opportunity to strike again.
  Although we have made great progress against these terrorists on the 
battlefields of Iraq, Syria, Libya, and Afghanistan, our gains remain 
fragile. Just last week, a report by the Pentagon warned that ISIS 
fighters have moved underground and are regrouping. We must not become 
complacent again. We must continue to be vigilant until the ideologies 
that motivate violent extremism are cast into the dustbin of history.
  I applaud the White House's new National Strategy for 
Counterterrorism. This document drastically changed the U.S. 
government's perspective on the war on terrorism. It correctly frames 
the battle in terms of an enduring challenge that must be managed to 
protect the homeland, instead of a mission that has a beginning and 
end. It clearly recognizes the broad and diverse challenges we face 
from terrorism, including Iran's growing network of terrorist proxies 
and the ability of terrorists to exploit cyberspace.
  The strategy prioritizes countering terrorist use of the Internet for 
radicalization, recruitment, and fundraising. This is a priority I 
introduced into the State Authorities bill last Congress and I am glad 
the White House is taking it seriously. The strategy also makes clear 
that this fight is not America's burden alone. Our international 
partners play an important role. We can empower them by bolstering 
their capabilities and increasing cooperation.
  That is where the State Department's Counterterrorism Bureau comes 
in. Created in 1972 in response to the Munich Olympics attack, the 
Bureau forges partnerships with foreign governments, multilateral 
organizations, and NGOs to coordinate and advance U.S. counterterrorism 
objectives that enhance global security as well as our own.
  Under that broad mission it has several core responsibilities, 
including coordinating strategy across the State Department and other 
agencies, conducting counterterrorism diplomacy, and building capacity 
of partner nations to address terrorist threats within their own.
  Given the enduring threat from terrorism that we and our allies face, 
it is crucial that CT Bureau does its job effectively and efficiently. 
It is our job in Congress to ensure that the American taxpayers are 
getting their money's worth. When we are talking about millions of 
dollars going towards programs abroad, the people of my district are 
right to demand how it contributes to their safety and security. This 
is all the more important given that the Bureau has seen significant 
funding cuts over recent years. With limited resources every penny must 
be spent wisely.
  For example, the State Department's Inspector General filed a report 
last year that found much of the antiterrorism assistance we had been 
given to Pakistan was not being used, including dozens of courses not 
implemented. I am pleased to hear the Bureau has since repurposed many 
of the resources that had been sent to Pakistan to other more 
worthwhile programs. We cannot afford to throw good money after bad. 
Effective monitoring and evaluation programs are crucial to spotting 
what is not working and making changes that do.
  For instance, we need assurances that the programming initiated and 
implemented by CT Bureau to prevent radicalization actually works. Is 
the Bureau still in the business of ``countering violent extremism'' 
(CVE)? If so, has the Bureau developed any mechanisms to prove that 
such programming works?
  I appreciated the strong comments against Iranian-backed terrorism by 
the State Department's Coordinator for Counterterrorism, Ambassador 
Nathan Sales, which were at the Washington Institute on November 13. I 
am eager to see our government go one step further than just 
designating the IRGC for terrorist activity. If we mean business, we 
must go after the Iran's terrorist proxies in Iraq and Syria.
  I applaud Treasury's designations of four Hezbollah-affiliated 
terrorists in Iraq. Now the State Department must follow suit and 
finally designate groups like Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq and Harakat Hezbollah 
al-Nujaba for what they are: foreign terrorist organizations. At the 
very least, their affiliation with the IRGC should be enough to meet 
the criteria for designation.
  And that's just the way it is.

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