[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 163 (Wednesday, October 16, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H8157-H8163]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 OPPOSING THE DECISION TO END CERTAIN UNITED STATES EFFORTS TO PREVENT 
TURKISH MILITARY OPERATIONS AGAINST SYRIAN KURDISH FORCES IN NORTHEAST 
                                 SYRIA

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
joint resolution (H.J. Res. 77) opposing the decision to end certain 
United States efforts to prevent Turkish military operations against 
Syrian Kurdish forces in Northeast Syria.
  The Clerk read the title of the joint resolution.
  The text of the joint resolution is as follows:

                              H.J. Res. 77

       Whereas thousands of Syrian fighters, including Syrian 
     Kurds, fought courageously with the United States against the 
     brutality of ISIS throughout Syria, liberating nearly one-
     third of Syrian territory from ISIS' so-called 
     ``caliphate.'';
       Whereas, on October 6, 2019, the White House announced 
     ``Turkey will soon be moving forward with its long-planned 
     operation into Northern Syria'' while the ``United States 
     Armed Forces will not support or be involved in the 
     operation, and United States forces . . . will no longer be 
     in the immediate area.'';
       Whereas, on October 6, 2019, the White House announced 
     ``Turkey will now be responsible for all ISIS fighters in the 
     area captured over the past two years . . . .'';
       Whereas an October 10, 2019, White House statement said, 
     ``This morning, Turkey, a NATO member, invaded Syria. The 
     United States does not endorse this attack and has made it 
     clear to Turkey that this operation is a bad idea.'';
       Whereas Turkey has historically threatened, forcibly 
     displaced, and killed Syrian Kurds, including during military 
     operations in the Afrin District;
       Whereas, on August 1, 2019, Special Envoy James Jeffrey 
     stated in reference to the Syrian Kurds and Syrian Democratic 
     Forces (SDF), ``We are committed to defeating ISIS in 
     northeast Syria. The SDF . . . is our partner there. We are 
     committed to those who have fought with us not being attacked 
     and not being harmed by anyone. The President made that clear 
     publicly. That includes our concerns about the Turks.'';
       Whereas in January 2019, Director of National Intelligence 
     Dan Coats stated in Congressional testimony that ``The 
     conflicts in Iraq and Syria have generated a large pool of 
     skilled and battle-hardened fighters who remain dispersed 
     throughout the region . . . and the group has returned to its 
     guerilla-warfare roots while continuing to plot attacks and 
     direct its supporters worldwide. ISIS is intent on 
     resurging.'';
       Whereas, during the counter-ISIS campaign in Syria, the SDF 
     captured thousands of ISIS fighters, including foreign 
     terrorist fighters from around the world who pose threats to 
     our allies in the region;

[[Page H8158]]

       Whereas in addition to ISIS fighters in detention 
     approximately 70,000 women and children are currently held at 
     the Al-Hol internally displaced persons camp and at other 
     camps in northeast Syria;
       Whereas the Lead Inspector General for Combined Joint Task 
     Force Operation Inherent Resolve stated in August 2019, ISIS 
     is already ``seeking to establish safe haven in al-Hol'' 
     aiming to recruit individuals who are ``susceptible to ISIS 
     messaging, coercion, and enticement.'';
       Whereas the SDF has warned the United States and 
     international community that a Turkish incursion into 
     Northeast Syria would significantly decrease the SDF's 
     ability to combat ISIS and to continue providing security and 
     management for ISIS detainees and their family members;
       Whereas, on October 6, 2019, President Trump conducted a 
     call with President Erdogan in which, according to the 
     official White House press release, they discussed the 
     upcoming Turkish incursion, and soon after this call, a White 
     House press release announced the withdrawal of the United 
     States military from the immediate area, which was completed 
     within hours; and
       Whereas an abrupt withdrawal of United States military 
     personnel from certain parts of Northeast Syria is beneficial 
     to adversaries of the United States government, including 
     Syria, Iran, and Russia: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
     United States of America in Congress assembled, That 
     Congress--
       (1) opposes the decision to end certain United States 
     efforts to prevent Turkish military operations against Syrian 
     Kurdish forces in Northeast Syria;
       (2) calls on Turkish President Erdogan to immediately cease 
     unilateral military action in Northeast Syria and to respect 
     existing agreements relating to Syria;
       (3) calls on the United States to continue supporting 
     Syrian Kurdish communities through humanitarian support, 
     including to those displaced or otherwise affected by ongoing 
     violence in Syria;
       (4) calls on the United States to work to ensure that the 
     Turkish military acts with restraint and respects existing 
     agreements relating to Syria; and
       (5) calls on the White House to present a clear and 
     specific plan for the enduring defeat of ISIS.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Engel) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. McCaul) each will 
control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.


                             General Leave

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on H.J. Res. 77.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, since the beginning of this Congress, when I became 
chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, I have tried to work across the 
aisle to advance a bipartisan vision of what American foreign policy 
should be, what it can be, when we are at our best. And that is a 
foreign policy rooted in our values--values like support for human 
rights and human dignity, a foreign policy that projects American 
leadership as a force for good in the world, a foreign policy that 
thrives on the power of partnerships and alliances.
  I have worked with my friend from Texas, the ranking member of the 
Foreign Affairs Committee (Mr. McCaul) to make sure that this vision is 
enshrined in the committee's work and that we do all we can to push the 
administration toward this approach.
  So, Mr. Speaker, for me, the last week has been just devastating. A 
week ago, President Trump had a phone call with Turkey's thuggish 
leader, President Erdogan.
  Against the advice of national security experts and military 
advisers, the President gave Erdogan the green light to charge into 
northern Syria, unleashing what has become a brutal campaign of 
violence against the Syrian Kurds--our partners, the Syrian Kurds, who 
courageously stood alongside us for many, many months and years in the 
fight against ISIS.
  Mr. Speaker, that reckless and impulsive decision was a betrayal of 
our partners. It was a gift to Russia, a gift to Iran, a gift to ISIS, 
and a gift to Assad. And it was a blow to our national security.
  Now, a week later, the same Kurdish forces who fought with American 
Special Forces to combat ISIS are now fighting tooth and nail to 
survive Turkey's slaughter. Russian and Syrian regime forces have 
quickly filled the vacuum left by the United States.
  President Trump's decision has allowed ISIS fighters in northern 
Syria to escape from prison, paving the way for a resurgence of the 
terrorist group. It is a ``Get Out of Jail Free'' card, if you remember 
Monopoly from the old days.
  And the humanitarian crisis is staggering. Already, tens of thousands 
have been displaced: families, women and children. There are stories of 
gruesome beheadings, torture, and abuse, all set into motion, 
unfortunately, by the actions of the President of the United States.
  What kind of message does this send to the world? How can America be 
trusted to keep its word when we betray one of our close partners, our 
loyal and faithful partners, just throw them out like an old shoe?
  How can America be trusted to keep its word when we make impulsive 
decisions that have such an immediate, catastrophic impact on so many 
thousands of people?
  Congress must speak out against this disgrace.
  The measure we are considering today will send an unambiguous, 
bipartisan, and, hopefully, bicameral rejection of Trump's policy in 
Syria.
  This measure calls on the White House to develop a strong, clear 
strategy on how to defeat ISIS now that President Trump has sparked its 
resurgence. It expresses strong support for Syrian Kurdish forces, 
recognizing their commitment and sacrifices in the fight against ISIS. 
And it calls on Turkey to immediately stop its military action in 
Syria.
  At President Trump's hands, American leadership has been laid low and 
American foreign policy has become nothing more than a tool to advance 
his own interests.
  Today, we make clear that the Congress is a coequal branch of 
government and that we want nothing to do with this disastrous policy.
  So, Mr. Speaker, I say to our colleagues: It is on us. It is on us to 
uphold our country's values, to strengthen our national security, to 
defend America's standing in the world.
  Mr. Speaker, I call on all Members, on both sides of the aisle, to 
support this resolution and make it clear where we stand, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to first begin with thanking Chairman Engel 
for his bipartisan work to craft legislation in response to this week's 
developments.
  We often say in our committee that politics stops at the water's 
edge. And, in this time of crisis, I am proud to work with him to lead 
the most bipartisan committee in the Congress.

  Today may be a dark day, but it would be much darker if we were 
divided instead of standing united.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this joint resolution. Simply put, 
the catastrophe that has unfolded in Syria over the past 10 days is 
almost beyond words.
  I am concerned about the extreme, long-term damage this has caused 
the United States interests in the Middle East and to the Syrian 
people, including the Kurds.
  The United States has worked for years to prevent an armed conflict 
between our NATO ally Turkey and our Syrian Kurdish partners. Our 
presence in Syria was critical to countering and defeating ISIS, and, 
until last week, it helped prevent unnecessary bloodshed.
  Working with the Syrian Democratic Forces, the U.S. and our coalition 
partners eliminated ISIS' control of territory in Syria and were 
continuing to fight ISIS insurgents.
  I understand the administration's legitimate concerns about engaging 
our U.S. forces in long-term military operations. I, too, want to wind 
down our overseas conflicts and bring our troops home. But, leaving 
northwest Syria now does not resolve the problem that brought us there 
in the first place; it only creates more.
  We need a residual force in place. The consequences of this decision 
have already unfolded before our very eyes. We have betrayed the trust 
of our Kurdish partners who fought bravely with us against ISIS to 
defeat and destroy the caliphate, and they paid a heavy price in 
thousands of lives lost.

[[Page H8159]]

  We must remember that Turkey's offensive affects not only Kurds but 
also the people of northeastern Syria. So far, dozens of civilians have 
been killed and over 160,000 people have been displaced.
  Islamic State prisoners, Jihadists and affiliates, are already 
breaking free, reversing our hard-fought gains to defeat these 
dangerous terrorists.
  And, now, our Syrian Kurdish partners have struck a deal with the 
Syrian regime. This gives Assad and his Russian and Iranian backers 
more territory and opportunity to advance their destabilizing agendas, 
including their war on the Syrian people.

                              {time}  1315

  My colleague Eliot Engel and I drafted this resolution to show that 
we do not support this decision by the administration and to call on 
Turkey to end this destructive campaign in Syria.
  We urge the United States to support the affected communities of 
northeast Syria, including the Kurds. We call upon the administration 
to support our Kurdish partners and stand with them just like they have 
stood with us for so long.
  Given the grave implications that an ISIS resurgence would have for 
our homeland security, we call on the administration to provide an 
updated counter-ISIS strategy.
  I do support the administration's decision to impose sanctions on key 
Turkish officials and make clear that there are more consequences for 
continuing this invasion. But more pressure is needed.
  Congress is only just beginning its work to repair the damage this 
decision has caused. Chairman Engel and I are working together on a 
bipartisan bill to sanction Turkey for as long as it continues this 
destructive offensive. I look forward to working with the chairman to 
bring this bill to the floor as soon as possible.
  I urge all Members to support this joint resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Rhode 
Island (Mr. Cicilline), a valued member of the Foreign Affairs 
Committee.
  Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding.
  I rise today with a heavy heart. Ten days ago, President Trump sealed 
the fate of our Kurdish partners in Syria when he gave President 
Erdogan of Turkey the green light to invade.
  I believe this callous and reckless decision will go down in history 
not only for its disregard for human life but for the strategic 
malpractice of placing American troops in harm's way, allowing 
thousands of ISIS prisoners to go free, and ceding influence over the 
region to Russia and the Assad regime. It was truly an unbelievably 
dangerous and stupid decision that undermines our national security and 
diminishes our moral authority in the world.
  I am pleased that this resolution has widespread bipartisan support. 
We need to pass it and get it on the President's desk as quickly as 
possible.
  But resolutions--and sanctions, when they come--can't bring Kurdish 
children back to life. They can't reclaim our American military 
positions and equipment seized by the Russians. They can't restore our 
credibility, which has been squandered as we have betrayed the trust of 
our Kurdish allies.
  I am sickened by this administration's actions. We need to do 
everything we can, as a Congress, to make this right.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan resolution. I thank 
Mr. McCaul and Mr. Engel for working together, in a bipartisan way, to 
send a very strong message that the Congress of the United States does 
not support this horrific decision that betrayed our allies and 
undermines American leadership in the world.
  Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Hurd).
  Mr. HURD of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding.
  I am proud to rise today in support of this bipartisan resolution 
that opposes this disastrous decision to remove U.S. Forces from 
northern Syria and abandon our allies, the Kurds, to a Turkish 
invasion.
  Since 2014, the U.S. and our allies in the global coalition to defeat 
ISIS have fought side by side with the Kurds to end the caliphate and 
degrade the threat of terrorism to our homeland.
  Today, ISIS is beaten, but it is not broken. They remain a threat 
that requires continued engagement by both the United States and our 
partners.
  Just as the Kurds had our backs against ISIS, we need to have theirs. 
Instead, we are abandoning not just the Kurds but also our coalition 
allies in Syria. We are eroding all the progress we have made. We are 
showing our friends and our enemies that a partnership with America 
means nothing.
  We are providing ISIS with the opportunity to reemerge and once again 
threaten the United States. We are allowing Bashar al-Assad and 
Vladimir Putin to play the role of humanitarian saviors in Syria.
  As an undercover CIA officer, I chased terrorists around the globe 
and saw firsthand the threats facing our Nation from the Middle East. 
One of the things I learned when I was in the CIA was to be nice with 
nice guys and tough with tough guys, not the other way around.
  Because of this decision, and all the actions and inactions that led 
up to this decision, we have let our friends down; we have hurt our 
national security; and we have ceded leadership in the region to Russia 
and Iran.
  I hope we can change our course, but I fear it may be too late.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Massachusetts (Mr. Moulton).
  Mr. MOULTON. Mr. Speaker, right now, with President Trump's 
permission, Turkey is slaughtering our Kurdish allies, the only people 
who stand between us and ISIS, men and women who have died by the 
thousands to protect Americans from terrorism, the families of our 
American constituents, like Seyhmus Yuksekkaya from my district.
  As a result, Russian and Syrian forces are taking our positions next 
to them. ISIS prisoners are escaping, and, Mr. Speaker, the crisis has 
only just begun.
  We must act today because the President has taken the side of 
dictators and butchers. The President has never put his life on the 
line for our country, like our Special Forces soldiers who have been 
fighting terrorists in Syria, whom he mocked earlier today by saying 
they are shooting each other.
  Perhaps if he had not dodged the draft by lying about his feet, 
sending another American in his place to Vietnam, he would know 
something that all veterans know well, that there are a lot of ways you 
can fail in battle. You can fail physically. You can fail to summon the 
mental courage. You can have a bad strategy or bad tactics. But nothing 
is worse, nothing is more evil, than betrayal.

  Yet, betrayal is exactly what this President has done. It sends 
exactly the wrong message to our allies, to our troops, and to our 
enemies.
  Our Commander in Chief should lead with American values. He should 
lead by the idea that there is no better friend and no worse enemy than 
the United States of America.
  Today's vote is necessary because there has been no worse enemy to 
the Kurds and no better friend to our enemies than this President.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to refrain from 
engaging in personalities toward the President.
  Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from 
Arkansas (Mr. Hill).
  Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Texas (Mr. 
McCaul) and my friend from New York (Mr. Engel) for their leadership on 
this issue and the Foreign Affairs Committee.
  Mr. Speaker, let me be clear: I did not support the failed Obama-
Kerry policy in Syria. During 2017 and 2018, I was proud to see 
President Trump hold Assad accountable for his use of chemical weapons.
  However, I have not supported the United States disengaging from 
Syria without a strategy since such was first proposed by the President 
in December.
  So I rise in disappointment today over this policy change and 
Turkey's violations of all of its ``promises.''
  A small group of American Forces in northeast Syria advising and 
assisting local forces in order to prevent instability from coming to 
power does not constitute an ``endless war.''

[[Page H8160]]

  Despite being in NATO, Turkey is not acting as an ally. By our 
actions in this House today, Turkey will pay a steep price for its 
provocation.
  I have been told by experts with contacts on the ground that American 
lives are at risk directly because of Turkish actions. U.S. Forces have 
been shelled by Turkish artillery. Our NATO ally since 1952, Turkey, 
which we allowed to conduct this mission, has thanked us by shelling 
American positions.
  What a sad day for the Atlantic alliance that has shouldered so many 
burdens and shared so much loss in men and treasure.
  Syrian Kurds also announced that they had come to an agreement with 
the Assad regime's forces to help against the Turkish invasion, which 
further entrenches Russia, Mr. Speaker, in this conflict. So now Assad 
and his Russian backers will bring their bloodbath over the Euphrates.
  We also put all the gains we have made against Daesh at risk of 
reversal.
  This all could have been avoided. Mr. Speaker, when critical American 
leadership disengages, America's global adversaries fill the void.
  Turkey must cease its military invasion of Syria. The United States 
must support the Kurdish communities that have been our allies against 
ISIS. And the White House must present a clear and specific plan for 
ensuring the defeat of ISIS and border integrity with Turkey.
  I urge all of my colleagues to support the passage of this important 
legislation.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas 
(Mr. Castro), the vice chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
  Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, we are in the midst of a foreign 
policy disaster that will be a stain on the conscience of our Nation 
for many years to come. The situation in Syria is costing lives as we 
speak.
  Until recently, our strategy to defeat ISIS by, through, and with our 
allies was working. Our small military presence in Syria was a 
sustainable force that denied ISIS the ability to plan and launch 
attacks from Syria or resurge back into Iraq.
  The President's impulsive decision to leave Syria without any 
deliberation has ignited a conflict in one of the most volatile regions 
on Earth. This administration has managed to turn our Middle East 
policy on its head in a week's time.
  Turkey is slaughtering the Kurdish forces that have fought and died 
on our behalf in the fight against ISIS. In our place, Syria and Russia 
have quickly filled the void of American leadership.
  We have betrayed our allies. This is not a foreign policy that 
displays America's core values. It is a shameful choice that will cause 
irreparable damage to American interests and alliances around the 
world.
  I believe this joint resolution is what we need in this moment to 
combat this President's worst instincts. The joint resolution will 
rebuke the White House and attempt to rebalance the situation in Syria. 
I urge all of my colleagues, Republican and Democrat, to support it.
  Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Reed).
  Mr. REED. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member and the chairman 
for their work on this proposed resolution. But I want to remind my 
colleagues that one of the problems that we face in Turkey and Syria 
today is the failure of congressional leadership to address this issue.
  When I stood on this very floor during the Obama administration and 
the question of Syria came up, I remember many of my colleagues 
agreeing with me that we should not be in Syria with boots on the 
ground, risking our most precious assets of our young men and women, 
without a clear Authorization for Use of Military Force and 
congressional approval of a resolution to do so.
  We failed in the leadership here in this body. That is why, as we go 
through this resolution, I understand the Turkish sanctions. I 
understand. But make no mistake about it, by voting ``yes'' on this 
resolution, you are authorizing the use of military force of our men 
and women on Syrian soil.
  If force needs to be redeployed to this area, I do not want to hear 
from any Member of this Chamber, nor the Senate, that we have not 
authorized our men and women to be there.
  It is time for us to set aside political cowardice because we cannot 
make the hard choices of approving a military force resolution. We 
should join and unite--the House, the Senate, and the White House--in 
one congressional declaration that we, if we put our men and women in 
harm's way, stand by it and stand by the Commander in Chief in regard 
to that request.

                              {time}  1330

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Colorado (Mr. Crow).
  Mr. CROW. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the distinguished chair and 
ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. Engel and Mr. 
McCaul, for their leadership in crafting this joint resolution 
condemning the administration's decision to withdraw and abandon our 
Kurdish allies in Syria and leave them to an unlawful assault by 
Turkish forces.
  As a combat veteran, I know firsthand the strength of our Nation is 
tied to our partnerships and alliances around the globe. During my 
three deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, I counted on our local 
partners for the safety of our soldiers. And those partners depended on 
the U.S. commitment to them. That relationship forged in a combat zone 
is built on trust and the belief that our word is our bond.
  The administration's reckless decision to withdraw U.S. forces has 
undermined the value of our commitment, not only to our Kurdish allies, 
who are now isolated in fighting enemies on all sides, but also our 
other allies around the world. The message that we are sending is that 
the American handshake doesn't matter. Our withdrawal is an abdication 
of our moral responsibility to the Kurds and undermines the belief that 
America is a resolute partner. It has also led to our adversaries like 
Russia, Iran, the Assad regime, and ISIS exerting greater influence in 
the region.
  Let me be clear, the President's decision makes us less safe and 
further isolates us from the very allies from whom we have drawn so 
much strength. The President must immediately reverse his decision to 
withdraw U.S. personnel from Syria, recommit to our Kurdish allies, and 
take a firm stance against any further aggression by Turkey against the 
Kurdish people.
  Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Gaetz).
  Mr. GAETZ. Mr. Speaker, if Turkey is not acting like a NATO ally, 
perhaps the sensible solution is to remove Turkey from NATO, rather 
than keeping the United States inserted in Syria, presumably forever. 
This is why I oppose this resolution.
  I have heard my colleagues say we should not leave Syria without a 
strategy. Perhaps it is equally logical that we should not stay in 
Syria without a strategy, because in Syria we have tens of Americans 
stuck between armies of tens of thousands who have been fighting each 
other for hundreds of years and who will likely be fighting each other 
hundreds of years from now.
  Our mission to deprive ISIS of caliphate land has largely been 
accomplished with the help of the Kurds and with over $9 billion being 
paid to the Kurds. The Kurds have been fighting bravely where they 
live, but they have been trained, funded, and equipped by the United 
States. And we cannot accept the proposition that if we support a group 
of people because our interests align in one case that this somehow 
morally binds our country to every conflict that they have past, 
present, or future; to do this would constrain the utility of America's 
future alliances, not strengthen them.
  The blood of America's patriots is among our Nation's most sacred 
currency, and it must be spent only when absolutely vital to protect 
American interests. We are not the world's police force. We are not the 
world's piggy bank. I support an America first foreign policy, and I 
oppose this resolution.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I now yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Sherman), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Asia, the 
Pacific, and Nonproliferation, a very senior and valued member of the 
House Foreign Affairs Committee.
  Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the resolution, and I 
rise in

[[Page H8161]]

opposition to the recent decision of the Trump administration.
  We had a situation in Syria that was stable. We had a modest 
deployment of American troops. We were successful in limiting American 
casualties to a very low number. We had defeated the caliphate. Our 
friends, the Kurds, who had incurred most of the deaths by the many 
thousands necessary to destroy the ISIS caliphate, were safe. In other 
words, the situation was stable and favorable to the United States.
  Now we have taken an action in which America is humiliated, the Kurds 
are subject to slaughter, our word means less in the world, and ISIS 
stands to be revitalized. This is such an obvious mistake. It is hard 
to find anyone with any knowledge of foreign policy that regards it as 
anything other than an unforced error. It is such a great mistake that 
it makes you wonder whether it was an intentional mistake designed to 
give Russia territory in northeast Syria, for whatever reason we might 
want to do that.
  It is time to reevaluate our policies toward Turkey. Since the 1940s, 
we have safeguarded Turkey through our membership in NATO and theirs. 
We protected Turkey from subversion in the 1940s and protected it from 
the Soviet Union for decades. Recently, over the last 20 years, we have 
had a policy of obsequious humiliation in our approach to Turkey. We 
have kowtowed to Ankara in failing to recognize the Armenian genocide.
  In doing so, we have taken a foreign policy normally based on truth 
and honor, and instead, humiliated ourselves through silence and 
concealment. It is time to recognize the Armenian genocide by an 
overwhelming vote here in the House. It is time for us to stop dishonor 
in our relationship with Turkey.
  Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Shimkus).
  Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, it is great to come down here today and 
talk on this issue. I have been a little bit outspoken since the 
decision was made by the executive branch, so it is great to see the 
legislative branch take a stand and talk about what this policy 
decision has made. And I am good friends with Chairman McCaul and, of 
course, Eliot Engel who is the chairman of the committee.
  As someone who served for many years in the military, and I am very 
involved with the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and our alliances--
alliances and values are important. Walking away from friends is the 
sad indication of policy that we don't want to support, we don't want 
to condone. Yes, we want America to be great, but we are also great 
because of our friends and our allies.
  Coalitions are not bad. Coalitions strengthen our public policy 
around the world. And our relationship with the Kurds goes way back to 
the first Gulf war and the protection of the northern Iraqi Kurdish 
area protecting the air space.
  Talk to people in uniform who have been protected by Kurdish fighters 
throughout these 20 years of involvement in Syria. We give them our 
word that we will be with them. I liken it to being in a foxhole with 
someone from another country, and the attack is coming. You don't get 
out of the foxhole and go to the rear and leave your ally in the 
foxhole to defend themselves.
  We see what is going on. I think this could have been predicted. It 
is unfortunate. I don't know how we get the genie back in the bottle, 
but I am glad we are getting a chance to make a statement from Article 
I of the Constitution to the legislative branch that we think this 
policy has been wrong and failed and we do it in a strong bipartisan 
matter.
  So I thank both of you for bringing this, and I look forward to 
voting ``yes'' on it.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Florida (Ms. Frankel).
  Ms. FRANKEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of our Syrian Kurdish 
allies who have lost thousands of men and women in the fight against 
ISIS at the behest of the United States of America.
  And I join my colleagues on a bipartisan basis to call on Turkey to 
end its invasion of northern Syria. Giving Turkey the green light to go 
into this area will go down in history as a moral and strategic 
disaster.
  There so many consequences, Mr. Speaker. Our Kurdish friends were 
betrayed and slaughtered and are now forced to align with Syrian forces 
backed by Iran creating an even bigger threat to our friend Israel. 
ISIS is now unleashed, Russian troops filling our vacuum, and our other 
allies wondering if we can ever be trusted again.
  The Trump administration's weak sanctions are like an arsonist 
calling in the fire department. Mr. Speaker, we must protect United 
States soldiers, secure our nuclear weapons in Turkey, provide 
humanitarian support to the Kurds, and impose crippling sanctions on 
Turkey until they end their Syrian campaign, and most importantly, 
pursue a diplomatic solution to end the conflict.
  I want to end by thanking Mr. Engel and Ranking Member McCaul for 
their bipartisan leadership. I urge adoption of this resolution.
  Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, in the years I have served in this body, I have watched 
Presidents of both parties make a lot of tough foreign policy 
decisions; many good, many bad, but I cannot think of a foreign policy 
decision more reckless and short-sighted than this one. Through all the 
years that I have been working on the Foreign Affairs Committee, 
frankly, I have never seen a President do something that is as 
aggravating and that should have never been done as what the President 
did last week.
  You know, when the President announced that we were going to leave 
several months ago, it forced the resignation of the Defense Secretary, 
Mr. Mattis at the time, who was so upset. That was unprecedented in 
American history. This is something that is unbelievable and could have 
been avoided.
  Mr. Speaker, I now yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. 
Hoyer), the majority leader.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I love my 1 minute. I also love my glasses, 
so I can read what I want to say here. Thank you very much. I rushed up 
from my office. I was on a conference call. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, 
for keeping it open.
  I want to thank Mr. McCaul for helping to bring this to the floor.
  Mr. Speaker, Americans, of course, knew when President Trump took 
office that he was inexperienced in foreign policy and national 
security. That doesn't mean he didn't have opinions, he did. But he 
hasn't been in the day-to-day work. That was alarming. But also from my 
view, alarming is his penchant for putting his own self interests ahead 
of America's interests and America's national security. That troubles 
the world.

  The disastrous consequences are becoming obvious to Americans more 
and more each day as we watch thousands of our Kurdish allies. And this 
is not an issue without some complexity, I understand that, but our 
Kurdish allies fleeing, ISIS gathering strength, and Iran and Russia 
and Assad advantaged.
  There has rightly been broad bipartisan shock and condemnation that 
President Trump would so recklessly endanger America's allies, permit 
the release of thousands of violent ISIS extremists and give in to 
Vladimir Putin's aims in Syria.
  In short, he just opened the door for ISIS to reclaim some power.
  Any terrorist attack they now take part in will be as a direct result 
of this action. President Trump has betrayed the trust, in my opinion, 
of the American people. He has also betrayed America's friends.
  The Kurdish forces in northern Syria have been among America's most 
reliable and effective local allies. It was their blood and sacrifice 
that led, in part, to us being significantly successful against ISIS. 
It is their young men and women in uniform who have been guarding ISIS 
prisoners, who, if released, have vowed to resume attacking Americans 
and destabilizing the Middle East. And in that effort, we may lose 
further American lives precious to us, precious to their families, 
precious to our country.
  Our Kurdish allies trusted us to have their backs. Loyalty is a two-
way street. It took years to build them into an effective fighting 
force, now America is turning its back and undoing

[[Page H8162]]

years of efforts and progress. How shameful. How irresponsible.
  The President said he took this action because he had pledged to get 
American troops out of the Middle East.

                              {time}  1345

  Ironically, he took out about 2,000, or put them someplace else. And 
guess what? He sent an additional 2,000 troops to the Middle East. Now, 
it is Saudi Arabia, where ISIS is not, hopefully, doing much, at least 
where we are sending the troops. But how ironic it is to say that we 
are going to take troops out of the Middle East, and at the same time, 
we send more troops into the Middle East.
  America's reputation as a world leader depends on the bond of our 
word. Can we be trusted, or are we simply responsive that day for that 
issue?
  If we abandon our allies, we will have none when we need them to 
stand with us.
  Not only has President Trump abandoned the Kurds, but he has also 
refused to join with world leaders in considering the Turkish attack in 
the United Nations.
  Instead, he chose to stand with Vladimir Putin and is doing his 
bidding once again by handing large swaths of Syria over to his 
control. He is moving in as we speak.
  Indeed, as the front page of The Washington Post pointed out this 
week, Russia is now the one country that every country in the Middle 
East talks to and trusts to be a mediator.
  Is that an America that is great? America has abandoned that role and 
the power it brings.
  President Trump has also chosen to stand with Bashar al-Assad, as I 
said, a tyrant who has gassed his own people with chemical weapons, 
murdered hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians, and caused the 
extraordinary refugee challenge that the Europeans have.
  He has chosen to play into the hands of the Iranian ayatollahs. The 
President says Iran is not our friend. He is right. We played into 
their hands with this action.
  In summary, Mr. Speaker, the President's actions empower ISIS, betray 
our Kurdish allies, embolden Russia, reward the Assad regime, benefit 
Iran, and endanger Israel.
  These developments were sadly predictable.
  Experts like Brett McGurk and Secretary Mattis said this is not the 
right thing to do.
  This is not a partisan issue. This is about America. This is about 
our allies. This is about international security and stability.
  From the moment the President made clear he wanted to abandon 
America's strategic interests in Syria, both McGurk and General Mattis, 
Secretary Mattis, expressed their opposition.
  These developments confirm the worst fears of so many Americans from 
both parties who have long questioned this President's wisdom or 
interest to protect our country and keep it safe in a dangerous world.
  It is critical, Mr. Speaker, that this House, the peoples' House, 
make clear to the world that President Trump's reckless actions do not 
carry the support of the American people. It is critical that we 
condemn Turkey's incursion as well, and to do so in a bipartisan way.
  That is what this legislation will do.
  Mr. Speaker, I commend all of those from the Foreign Affairs 
Committee who brought this to the floor. I know it was difficult for 
some, but it is the right thing to do.
  The House will do everything in its power to reassure our allies and 
remind our adversaries that America does not cut and run, that we stand 
by our word, hold true to our values, and stand with our friends.
  I hope they will hear us and understand that this action by this 
President must not mar the goodwill or erode the steadfast principles 
upon which our country has engaged with the world throughout our 
history and surely again in the future.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to refrain from 
engaging in personalities toward the President.
  Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I have no more speakers, and I yield myself 
the balance of my time.
  This is one of those rare moments in Congress when we see both sides 
coming together, exercising our Article I constitutional 
responsibilities on foreign policy. I can't think of a better committee 
than this, the Foreign Affairs Committee, to stand unified as a 
Congress.
  This is not just the House, Mr. Speaker. This is a joint resolution 
with the Senate. This is going to pass the House and the Senate, 
sending a strong message about our foreign policy.
  I believe that we learn from history. The National Archives has an 
inscription that says, ``What is past is prologue.'' You see, history 
repeats itself, and we need to learn the lessons from history.
  I remember after we withdrew out of Europe after World War I, it 
allowed the forces of Nazi Germany and Adolf Hitler to raise its ugly 
head, and it took the Marshall Plan to finally put an end to it.
  Then as recently as 2011, in the previous administration, President 
Obama pulled 10,000 troops out of Iraq. My side of the aisle strongly 
objected to that foreign policy decision, arguing that it would create 
a wave of terrorism, and we were right. ISIS reared its ugly head, and 
the caliphate was formed.
  Mr. Speaker, you and I served on the Homeland Security Committee. In 
the years 2015 to 2016, the terror threat was frightening. My threat 
briefings were frightening in the SCIF.
  External operations being plotted out of Iraq and Syria to kill 
Americans in the United States, almost one per month, we stopped 95 
percent of those threats. The 5 percent is what the American people 
know about.
  But I will tell you this--from that experience, have not we learned 
anything?--that we need a residual force, if anything, to protect the 
homeland from terror threats.
  Now we have over 10,000 ISIS in-country and over 70,000 family 
members that are there as part of the insurgency. We had over 30,000 at 
the time of the peak of the ISIS caliphate. And we can't go back.

  I am concerned, Mr. Speaker, that this move will embolden the 
Russians. The Russians have already gone to our military's campsites 
and mocked us. They are mocking the United States of America. Iran is 
there, and ISIS is now emboldened.
  We need a residual force to protect us, as we had in Iraq. We need 
that in Syria, and, yes, we need that in Afghanistan. We can wind down 
the number of troops, but we need that residual force.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to close by saying that I will never forget 
talking to Condoleezza Rice after she retired at Stanford, and she said 
that one axiom is true in foreign policy: Your allies must trust you.
  Our allies are questioning us right now. We told them, ``Trust us. We 
have your back.''
  What is happening now, the Kurds are being slaughtered as I speak in 
northern Syria.
  She also said another thing: Our allies must trust us, and our 
enemies must fear us.
  That is my foreign policy. It is Condoleezza Rice's foreign policy. I 
think it is a good foreign policy.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for working with me to stand up on 
this very important issue.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from 
Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, let me thank the chairman and ranking 
member for coming together.
  I was on the floor earlier, and I held up The New York Times that 
says: ``Syrian Forces Rush Into U.S. Void,'' and, ``Battle Lines 
Shifting to the Benefit of Iran, Russia and ISIS.''
  We worked very hard to get Turkey into NATO and to respect it for its 
secular position and its embracing of the ideals of democracy, but to 
now be the cause of thousands fleeing out of violence and bombing, now 
being the cause of ISIS supporters and families escaping, now being the 
cause of ISIS fighters escaping, and not listening to any form of 
reconciliation to put Russia as the mainstay is absolutely 
unacceptable.
  I believe that these sanctions and this rebuke and this resolution 
that

[[Page H8163]]

has indicated it was wrong to green-light the Turkish military 
incursion into Syria's Kurdish territory, expressing strong support for 
Syrian Kurdish forces who were our allies, and calling on Turkey to 
immediately cease military action in northeast Syria is a question of 
our national security.
  I add that there should be a no-fly zone. I know how challenging that 
would be for Turkey not to be flying over northern Syria.
  It is important that we do what we need to do to save the precious 
lives of those children, some of whom have already died, and those who 
are fleeing the violence.
  Mr. Speaker, let us pass this resolution, H.J. Res. 77, but let us 
find a way to bring some peace and stand down in that region, and also 
to thank the United States military, which should not have been moved. 
I ask my colleagues to support H.J. Res. 77.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I yield myself as much time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned before, in the years I have served in 
this body, I have watched Presidents of both parties make a lot of 
tough foreign policy decisions, many good, many bad, but I cannot think 
of a foreign policy decision more reckless and shortsighted than this 
one that was made by President Trump.
  The President of the United States, as a result, has empowered ISIS; 
betrayed our loyal partners, the Kurds; and jeopardized our national 
security.
  Congress must condemn this loudly and clearly. Today's resolution 
sends a resounding message to the White House and the world: We reject 
President Trump's disgraceful failure in foreign policy.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to stand by our partners, stand by 
our promises, stand by our values, and support this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I commend my partner on the Foreign Affairs Committee, 
Mr. McCaul. It takes a lot of courage to do what he did today, and I 
thank him for it. That is why, as he and I both mentioned, we are proud 
that the Foreign Affairs Committee is perhaps the most bipartisan 
committee in Congress.
  When we go abroad, partisanship should stop at the water's edge. We 
all, Democrat and Republican, feel outraged at what the President did. 
We all feel that our allies need to be supported. That transcends any 
kind of partisan politics.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all of our colleagues to support this bipartisan 
measure, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the joint resolution, H.J. Res. 77.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

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