[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 13336]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            WHERE WILL THIS PRESIDENT'S LEADERSHIP TAKE US?

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 3, 2013, the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Franks) is recognized 
for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.
  Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. Mr. Speaker, 30 years ago, Soviet Marshal 
Ogarkov announced that Korean Airlines Flight 7 had been 
``terminated.'' The Soviets had shot down a civilian airliner, killing 
all 269 passengers aboard.
  President Reagan immediately addressed the entire Nation about the 
tragedy and resolutely called for justice and for action. He then 
proceeded to accelerate work on America's missile defense system, 
worked with Congress on the Reagan defense buildup, building 
relationships with European allies, and enforced strong sanctions that 
ultimately bankrupted and brought down the once unshakable Soviet 
Union.
  Last week, Mr. Speaker, another civilian airliner, Flight MH17, with 
298 innocent people aboard, was shot down by Russian-backed 
separatists. On that same day, in which the conflict in Israel also 
escalated to new heights, The New York Times reported President Barack 
Obama's schedule as: ``a cheeseburger with fries at the Charcoal Pit in 
Delaware, a speech about infrastructure, and two splashy fundraisers in 
New York City.''
  Mr. Speaker, where would America be today if we had elected Barack 
Obama in 1980? Where will this President's leadership take us tomorrow?
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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