[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 11190]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              TURKISH TYRANT NOT WELCOME IN UNITED STATES

  (Mr. POE of Texas asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, today I was joined by some Members of 
Congress, along with other Americans, in taking a stand for the First 
Amendment right of freedom of expression.
  We stood across the street from the Turkish Embassy, where, a few 
weeks ago, Turkish President Erdogan was visiting. But while a peaceful 
protest was taking place in May, Dictator Erdogan's security detail 
crossed the street and assaulted and beat up U.S. citizens protesting 
the rogue regime.
  People were injured. The outlaws escaped arrest and fled to Turkey. 
No apology was issued by the Turks, but, rather, the government 
justified the assault on Americans. Erdogan should not be welcome back 
into the United States until he apologizes. Also, the culprits must 
face justice in American courts.
  The First Amendment right of freedom of expression is the First 
Amendment because it is the most important of all of our rights. No 
foreign tyrant can assault the First Amendment or assault Americans 
without consequences. This should never occur on our soil.
  And that is just the way it is.

                          ____________________