National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

I thank the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Larsen).

Mr. Chairman, Members of the House, I rise in support of my amendment, No. 103, contained in this bloc, which expresses the sense of Congress that the President should exercise all available authority to evacuate U.S. citizens from Yemen as soon as possible.

My district is home to the highest concentration of Yemeni Americans in the United States. Since hostilities began in Yemen, my office hears daily from Yemeni Americans who are terrified, frustrated, desperate, and have no idea how to exit the country. These are United States citizens in Yemen, with nowhere to turn.

This week, NPR told the story of Rhonia Aladashi, a 16-year-old girl from my hometown of Dearborn, Michigan. She had traveled to Yemen to visit her father when the hostilities began, and she tried multiple options to escape.

She tried to cross the border at Saudi Arabia and got turned back into hostile areas because she did not have a man traveling with her. Ultimately, she ended up on a private fishing boat, going with no food or water on board.

My constituents and their families stuck in Yemen need hope, and they need to know that American citizens are not being forgotten. We do not in any way want to put American military in danger, but we need to tell Americans there is hope.

I thank Mr. Larsen and Chairman Thornberry.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source