[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 8]
[House]
[Pages 10790-10791]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 JORDAN DEFENSE COOPERATION ACT OF 2015

  (Ms. GRANGER asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, as an original cosponsor of the United 
States Jordan Defense Cooperation Act of 2015, I rise in strong support 
of this bill.
  Jordan is a vital and loyal partner in the Middle East. Under King 
Abdullah's strong leadership, Jordan continues to play a critical role 
in advancing peace and stability in the region and in the ongoing 
campaign to defeat ISIL.
  Jordan is a leader in the fight against Islamic extremism, conducting 
airstrikes, training partner nations and rebel forces, and supplying 
allies.
  Due to the unrest in the region and the hosting of more than 700,000 
Syrian refugees, Jordan's economy faces ongoing economic and security 
needs.
  As chairwoman of the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs 
Appropriations Subcommittee, I fought to ensure that the Jordanians 
have the support they need to address these many challenges.
  The United States must continue to provide assistance Jordan needs to 
ensure its success in coalition operations, including strengthening the 
borders with Iraq and Syria. It is important for both their security 
and ours.
  This support is a key component of the U.S. efforts to keep terrorism 
in check, create stability in the Middle East, and protect the American 
people. This assistance should not be delayed because of unnecessary 
bureaucracy. Such a valued partner deserves and needs our assistance 
immediately.
  This resolution allows Jordan to be treated as if it were a member of 
the NATO-plus group of countries, which makes them eligible to receive 
special treatment for the transfer of U.S. defense articles and 
services.
  This important bill must be enacted. I urge my colleagues to vote 
``yes.''

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