[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 180 (Wednesday, November 1, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H5187-H5189]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




DECLARING IT IS THE POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES THAT A NUCLEAR ISLAMIC 
                   REPUBLIC OF IRAN IS NOT ACCEPTABLE

  Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 559) declaring it is the policy of the United 
States that a nuclear Islamic Republic of Iran is not acceptable.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 559

       Whereas an Islamic Republic of Iran that possesses a 
     nuclear weapon would be an unacceptable threat to regional 
     and global security;
       Whereas Iran continues to enrich and stockpile uranium far 
     in excess of the limits set under United Nations Security 
     Council Resolution 2231 (2015);
       Whereas the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) 
     confirmed in May 2023 that Iran continues to enrich uranium 
     to 60-percent purity;
       Whereas the United States Ambassador to the Vienna Office 
     of the United Nations and to the IAEA, Laura Holgate, 
     affirmed ``Iran's production of uranium enriched up to 60 
     percent has no credible peaceful purpose.'';
       Whereas IAEA investigators found uranium particles enriched 
     to 83.7 percent at Iran's Fordow nuclear facility in January 
     2023;
       Whereas uranium enriched to 90 percent is weapons-grade 
     material;
       Whereas at a press conference in January 2023, IAEA 
     Director General Rafael Grossi stated regarding Iran: ``One 
     thing is true: They have amassed enough nuclear material for 
     several nuclear weapons.'';
       Whereas, in March 2023, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of 
     Staff, General Mark Milley, testified that ``Iran could 
     produce fissile material for a nuclear weapon in less than 
     two weeks and would only take several more months to produce 
     an actual nuclear weapon.'';

[[Page H5188]]

       Whereas Iran is now in possession of irreversible and 
     dangerous nuclear knowledge;
       Whereas Iran's ongoing nuclear escalation poses a serious 
     threat to the United States and its partners and allies 
     including Israel; and
       Whereas international complacency toward Iran's illicit 
     nuclear program threatens the global nonproliferation regime: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives declares it is 
     the policy of the United States--
       (1) that a nuclear Islamic Republic of Iran is not 
     acceptable;
       (2) that Iran must not be able to obtain a nuclear weapon 
     under any circumstances or conditions;
       (3) to use all means necessary to prevent Iran from 
     obtaining a nuclear weapon; and
       (4) to recognize and support the freedom of action of 
     partners and allies, including Israel, to prevent Iran from 
     obtaining a nuclear weapon.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include 
extraneous material on this measure.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Texas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, Iran is a destabilizing force in the region that poses a 
threat to our allies and to our national security interests.
  That is why I introduced this resolution with a bipartisan group of 
cosponsors to make a clear, simple, and vital statement that it is the 
official policy of the United States that a nuclear Iran is 
unacceptable and that we will use all means necessary to prevent Iran 
from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
  This resolution is short and to the point. There is no hedging or 
equivocation. If we project weakness, it will only embolden Iran.

                              {time}  1415

  In recent years, Iran has pushed its nuclear provocations to the 
brink, enriching uranium to 60 percent and openly violating both the 
JCPOA and its nonproliferation treaty obligations, and even kicking out 
one-third of inspectors from the IAEA.
  Iran is the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism. The Iranian 
regime has funded Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist groups to the 
tune of $100 million per year. Five hundred Hamas fighters reportedly 
trained in Iran in September before the October 7 invasion and 
terrorist attack.
  What is Hamas doing right now?
  It is waging a barbaric war against our friend and ally, Israel, and 
now Iran's proxies are engaged in nearly daily attacks on our 
soldiers--on U.S. troops--in the Middle East who remain in the region 
to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS.
  Put simply, we need to restore deterrence against Iran. We need to 
use every tool at our disposal to keep Iran from having a nuclear 
weapon. It is critical that this body votes together to send a clear 
and loud message that Iran cannot obtain a nuclear weapon under any 
circumstances.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, Brad Schneider from Illinois, for 
joining me in introducing this resolution. I urge my colleagues to join 
me in voting for this resolution today, and I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume. This House of Representatives has a long history of working to 
halt Iran's nuclear program. We all know why the terrorist regime in 
Tehran must never ever obtain a nuclear weapon.
  Look at what Iran is doing right now. They are complicit in Hamas' 
terrorism in Israel. Through proxies the regime is targeting American 
forces in the region with deadly force. They have built the region's 
most powerful terrorist organization, Hezbollah, which destabilizes 
Lebanon and threatens Israel with hundreds of thousands of 
sophisticated missiles. Iran props up the criminal Assad regime in 
Syria and the Houthis in Yemen. They interfere with global shipping, 
evade sanctions, and attempt to murder Israelis and others around the 
world.
  These are only a few of the examples of Iran's nefarious behavior. 
Imagine what they could and would do if they operated under the safety 
of a nuclear umbrella.
  Democrats and Republicans alike have said for many years: Iran can 
never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon. Since the 2018 ill-
conceived withdrawal from the JCPOA, Iran's nuclear program has surged 
to extraordinarily dangerous levels, and the options to stop Iran from 
processing weapons grade, 90 percent highly enriched uranium are 
increasingly limited.
  In August, the IAEA reported that Iran's stockpile of 60 percent 
enriched uranium has grown since its May report. Iran now possesses 
almost 15 times the amount of enriched uranium allowed under the JCPOA. 
Furthermore, in September, Iran informed the IAEA of its decision to 
remove about one-third of the IAEA inspectors from the country.
  I will argue that we cannot take diplomacy off the table. We must 
keep all options open, but this is a very dangerous moment in dealing 
with Iran's nuclear program.
  In May, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said: 
``We are also engaging Iran diplomatically regarding its nuclear 
program, and we continue to believe that it was a tragic mistake to 
leave the deal with nothing at all to replace it. But we have made 
clear to Iran that it can never be permitted to obtain a nuclear 
weapon. As President Biden has repeatedly reaffirmed, he will take the 
actions that are necessary to stand by this statement, including by 
recognizing Israel's freedom of action.''
  The resolution before us today complements the Biden administration 
policy of leaving all options on the table, and I am pleased to co-lead 
it with my friend, Chairman McCaul. I will repeat: The regime in Iran 
can never have a nuclear weapon.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Self), who is a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
  Mr. SELF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of Mr. McCaul's 
resolution to declare the policy of the United States that a nuclear 
Iran is not acceptable.
  I commanded a Green Beret Special Forces detachment that deployed a 
tactical nuclear weapon, and I stood strategic nuclear watch for 1 
year. I was intimately familiar with the single integrated operations 
plan, the strategic nuclear plan. I knew in detail the tens of 
thousands of deaths that nuclear war entails.
  The United States and our allies, including Israel, must prevent Iran 
from obtaining a nuclear weapon by any means necessary.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
  Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
North Carolina (Ms. Manning), who is the vice ranking member of the 
House Foreign Affairs Committee.
  Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, Representative 
Schneider, for yielding me time.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bipartisan House resolution 
that I helped introduce with the House Foreign Affairs Committee 
chairman,  Mike McCaul, and Representative Schneider and others to make 
clear that the United States will never tolerate Iran acquiring a 
nuclear weapon.
  Iran is the principle source of instability in the region. It is a 
major threat to our interests and remains the world's leading sponsor 
of terrorism, supporting terrorist groups like Hamas in their brutal 
quest to destroy our ally Israel.
  On October 7 we witnessed the gruesome results of Iran's support for 
Hamas. This is the kind of terror that Iran facilitates.
  An armed Iran with a nuclear weapon would represent an even greater, 
entirely unacceptable threat to Israel and the world.
  For the past few years, Iran has flagrantly violated the terms of the 
nuclear deal, blown past restrictions, continued to enrich uranium to 
dangerous levels, bringing it closer than ever to being able to produce 
nuclear weapons.

[[Page H5189]]

That is why this resolution emphasizes that it is U.S. policy to 
prevent a nuclear armed Iran, as President Biden himself has made 
clear, and to support our partners and allies like Israel in the face 
of such an existential threat. Sending a clear message that Iran cannot 
acquire a nuclear weapon is about deterring Iran, not seeking 
confrontation or war with them.
  Colleagues on both sides of the aisle should agree that it is 
absolutely in our interest to restrain Iran's nuclear ambitions, and it 
is in the interest of a more stable, secure, and peaceful region.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to vote in support of the 
resolution.
  Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I reserve 
the right to close. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Castro), who is an esteemed member of our Foreign Affairs 
Committee and ranking member of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee.
  Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, I have to rise in 
opposition to H. Res. 559.
  I am proud to represent San Antonio, Texas, known as Military City, 
USA, which is home to one of the largest concentrations of military 
bases in the United States.
  Every year tens of thousands of young men and women pass through my 
city on their way to military theaters around the world. Their lives 
are sacred, and Congress needs to be careful about how our decisions 
can put them in harm's way.
  While this is a nonbinding resolution, it would speak for the House 
of Representatives without meaningfully engaging with the broad range 
of tools at our disposal to prevent Iranian proliferation.
  I strongly oppose Iran's pursuit of a nuclear weapon. That is why I 
supported President Obama's efforts to constrain Iran's nuclear program 
through the JCPOA and why I opposed Donald Trump's decision to release 
Iran from the restrictions on its nuclear program by violating and then 
withdrawing from the JCPOA.
  Nonetheless, this resolution, in saying the United States must use 
``all means necessary'' to prevent Iran from pursuing a nuclear weapon 
goes too far.
  Do we support sending U.S. forces, ground troops, into Iran to stop 
their nuclear program?
  What about using a nuclear weapon ourselves?
  That is what the language of this resolution would support or allow. 
This isn't just leaving all our options on the table. This resolution 
endorses every option.
  In recent years, Congress has had important, bipartisan conversations 
about reclaiming our constitutional authority over the use of military 
force. If the Congress is going to endorse the use of force, even in a 
nonbinding resolution, then we need a more deliberate debate before 
going forward.
  This resolution also commits the United States to endorse the actions 
of any of our partners and allies to prevent Iran from obtaining a 
nuclear weapon.
  Would we support Saudi Arabia or the UAE if they were to unilaterally 
strike Iran putting hundreds of U.S. forces stationed in the Persian 
Gulf at risk?
  This resolution commits to unconditionally supporting their ``freedom 
of action.''
  While I strongly oppose Iran's nuclear program, Mr. Speaker, the 
language we are voting on today goes too far, and I urge my colleagues 
to vote ``no.''
  Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 559 is an important restatement of 
administration policy. The Iranian regime should never ever be allowed 
to acquire a nuclear weapon.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the measure, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, we have seen repeatedly through history that 
weakness invites aggression. We certainly saw that in World War II with 
Hitler's aggression. Our adversaries, Russia, China, Iran, and North 
Korea are increasingly working together to upend the global balance of 
power. They are enabling each other's aggression against the United 
States and our allies.
  This body has a responsibility to project strength and protect the 
American people. We will speak with one voice as we deliver a clear 
message that Iran's nuclear escalation must stop, that a nuclear Iran 
is simply unacceptable, and that the United States will never permit a 
nuclear Iran to exist.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for this 
important resolution, which is an important voice of the United States 
of America through its Representatives, and I yield back the balance of 
my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. McCaul) that the House suspend the rules and 
agree to the resolution, H. Res. 559.
  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. McCaul. 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.

                          ____________________