[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 67 (Wednesday, April 17, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E364]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    OPPOSING H.R. 6603 AND H.R. 5826

                                  _____
                                 

                          HON. JOAQUIN CASTRO

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 17, 2024

  Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise concerning my votes on H.R. 
6603 and H.R. 5826 on April 16, 2024.
  With regard to H.R. 6603, I fully support the use of the Foreign 
Direct Product Rule to restrict Iran's ability to develop weapons 
technologies, especially technologies used by Iran for its April 2024 
attack on Israel. However, H.R. 6603 would represent a 
counterproductive restriction of the flexibility that has enabled the 
Commerce Department to effectively restrict Iran's access to materials 
and technology that can be used to produce drones and missiles. While I 
have no concerns about expanding the application of the Foreign Direct 
Product Rule to include the additional categories enumerated within the 
bill, I believe this expansion must be done in coordination with U.S. 
partners to avoid creating an outcome that hurts our allies without 
addressing Iranian proliferation. This bill would threaten 
relationships with key partners, including the United Kingdom, 
Australia, Canada, and others that have allowed the United States to 
effectively counter malign actions by the Iranian government and I 
voted no as a result.
  With regard to H.R. 5826, I voted no out of concern that Section 8 of 
the bill could result in reciprocal actions from Iran to restrict the 
travel of Iranians to the United States--preventing asylum-seekers and 
others from escaping Iran's authoritarian government. The bill would 
additionally prevent thousands of Iranian Americans from being able to 
visit family in Iran and similarly restrict visas by journalists, 
educators, and other visitors who contribute to positive connections 
between the people of Iran and the outside world. I also oppose 
provisions in Section 6 of H.R. 5826 that would break with decades of 
diplomatic precedent and undermine U.S. capacity to negotiate with Iran 
by restricting how Iranian government officials can travel to the 
United States to attend meetings at the United Nations Headquarters in 
New York City.

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