Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2015

Floor Speech

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Mr. ENGEL. Madam Chair, I rise in opposition to the Fortenberry amendment to H.R. 4870, although I understand my friend's intentions. Our country is wary of intervention halfway across the world.

I understand the impetus to avoid engagement in these very urgent challenges around the world.

Syria's horrendous civil war has seen over 140,000 deaths, 4 million refugees, the use of chemical weapons, mass starvation, the obliteration of entire cities, and growing instability throughout the region.

Syria's odious dictator, Bashar Assad, remains in power and continues to slaughter and starve his people. Innocent civilians have been denied food and medicine, their towns and villages have been razed, and their friends and families driven into refugee camps.

The war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the Assad regime are a horrific stain on the 21st century, and they demand a much more serious international response.

To many, the carnage in Syria has seemed like a distant problem.

But we can no longer take comfort that our nation is thousands of miles from the Levant. This conflict, which has often seemed like it couldn't get any worse, is evolving in an even more ominous direction.

Of course, we're seeing how the extremist terrorist group, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has used Syria and Iraq as its breeding ground. Our headlines show the group is carrying out a bloody offensive in places all too familiar to U.S. marines.

I am most concerned that in recent months, ISIL and its likeminded extremist groups have begun to turn their attention to the west. It appears that they are using the Levant and Iraq.

But choosing between ISIL on one hand and Assad on the other is a false choice. Assad has. .let these extremist groups fester in Syria. His plan is to show how reasonable he looks compared to an emerging terrorist threat.

This false choice leaves out the moderate Syrian opposition that doesn't subscribe to Assad's brutality or Al-Qaeda's extremism.

With the emergence of this dual threat in Syria, it is clear that we need a new strategy to end Assad's carnage and prevent Al Qaeda and like-minded groups from establishing safe havens in Syria that could be used to plot attacks against the U.S. and our allies.

Yet, the Fortenberry amendment constrains that strategy. I believe we must aggressively ramp up our efforts to support the moderate opposition in Syria.

It is not too late.

It is not too late to help the moderate opposition. It is not too late to transition to a Syria without Assad. It is not too late to protect ourselves and our regional allies from the threat that ISIL poses. It is not too late to help Syrians build the future they deserve.

Ultimately, I don't believe that the future of Syria will be resolved on the battlefield.

But until the day comes when Syrians representing all segments of society are ready to negotiate peace, we must be prepared to do what's necessary to counter the dangers and tragedy in Syria.

The lives of millions of innocent people and, indeed, our own national security compel us to act--and act quickly.

I urge my colleagues to oppose the Fortenberry amendment.

The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Fortenberry).

The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes appeared to have it.

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