Providing for Consideration of H.R. 4038, American Security Against Foreign Enemies Act of 2015

Floor Speech

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Mr. PALAZZO. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Georgia for engaging in this debate. I know it sometimes seems to be a lonely job, especially when you are right, you are correct, and you are putting the best interests of the American people ahead of partisan politics. So I applaud you, and I applaud all my colleagues who are going to support this underlying rule and move on to support the final bill.

I heard a comment while I was following the debate, and someone said that Speaker Ryan has reneged on his promises.

Mr. Speaker, if anybody has reneged on their promises, I believe it is the President of the United States of America. As Commander in Chief, he has the ultimate responsibility to lead our troops. But also his number one constitutional responsibility is the common defense of this Nation against all enemies, both domestic and foreign. But he has made America weaker. He has made our military weaker. The international community, our friends, no longer trust us, and our enemies no longer fear us. So if anybody has reneged on their responsibilities, it is the President of the United States.

Just now, Mr. Speaker, we started to basically really try to cut off the flow of money to ISIS and to the Islamic radicals. For over 2 years, we have been telling them to go after the oil revenues. That is where they are making their money. They are making it because they are smuggling oil out of the country and selling it on the black market, and they are making billions of

dollars a year. Just now, we decide, well, we are going to go after the oil tankers that carry the oil so they can make the money, so they can buy weapons, and then they can basically export terrorism all around the world.

Twenty-five years ago, I remember pretty much this month I was activated for the Persian Gulf War. One thing I do remember is we bombed the hell out of our enemies before we sent our men and women in uniform with boots on the ground in there. And pretty much, as we all know, within a week, the Iraq war was over with.

So, Mr. Speaker, it baffles the mind why we are waiting for the last moment to actually cut off the revenues that are funding this global jihad and this radical Islam. But, like my colleague from Georgia and those who are going to support this rule and support the bill, we understand our constitutional responsibilities.

Our number one responsibility is the common defense of this Nation at home and abroad. That means taking care of people in our congressional districts, taking care of people in our State, and taking care of the American people. So you are either with us or against us on this.

I just want to urge my colleagues to support the underlying rule, support the bill, and let's start taking care of Americans, and the rest will take care of itself.

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