[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 47 (Wednesday, March 11, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H1637-H1640]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
DIRECTING THE REMOVAL OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES FROM HOSTILITIES
AGAINST THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN THAT HAVE NOT BEEN AUTHORIZED BY
CONGRESS
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Jayapal). Pursuant to clause 1(c) of
rule XIX, further consideration of the joint resolution (S.J. Res. 68)
to direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities
against the Islamic Republic of Iran that have not been authorized by
Congress, will now resume.
The Clerk read the title of the joint resolution.
Motion to Commit
Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, I have a motion to commit at the desk.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is the gentleman opposed to the joint
resolution?
Mr. McCAUL. I am in its current form.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the motion to commit.
The Clerk read as follows:
Mr. McCaul moves to commit the joint resolution S.J. Res.
68 to the Committee on Foreign Affairs with instructions to
report the same back to the House forthwith, with the
following amendment:
After paragraph (5) of section 1, insert the following:
(6) For more than two decades, Qassem Soleimani posed a
deadly threat to American personnel and interests as
commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary
Guard Corps, which is responsible for Iran's extraterritorial
military and clandestine operations. His activities to fund
and train Iran's terrorist proxies in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon,
Bahrain, Yemen, and Afghanistan led
[[Page H1638]]
to the deaths of more than 600 United States troops.
(7) In late 2019, Soleimani began escalating Iranian-
supported attacks on Americans, including the assault on the
United States Embassy in Baghdad and a rocket attack that
killed an American citizen and wounded four United States
servicemembers in Iraq. Prior to his death, Soleimani was
traveling around the Middle East coordinating further attacks
on Americans.
(8) Removing Qassem Soleimani from the battlefield has
increased the safety and security of American troops,
diplomats, and citizens, of our partners and allies,
including the State of Israel, and of the world.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Texas is recognized for 5 minutes in support of his motion.
Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, here we are, once again, debating war
powers when the simple fact is we are not engaged in hostilities
against Iran.
Why are we wasting precious floor time when all the American people
really care about today is coronavirus? Today the WHO declared it a
pandemic. That is the biggest threat to our Nation today.
So, why are my colleagues launching more partisan political attacks
against this President for taking justified military action to protect
Americans against one of the world's most dangerous terrorists?
That is why my motion states that Soleimani was a terrorist and that
the world is safer without him, just like the world was safer when
President Obama ordered the strike on bin Laden when Republicans and
Democrats came together to praise his decision. President Obama
conducted thousands of unauthorized strikes in Libya unrelated to
protecting Americans, and at that time Leader Pelosi said that she was
satisfied he had the authority for those strikes.
Soleimani was a mastermind of terror in the Middle East for two
decades, and that is why President Obama designated him as a terrorist.
Soleimani funded, trained, and equipped Iran's terrorist proxies in
Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Afghanistan.
Soleimani is the one who convinced Russia to fight for Assad.
Tens of thousands of innocent people in Syria are dead today, victims
of war crimes, because of Soleimani.
Soleimani played a key role in the crackdown of protesters in Iraq
that killed hundreds of Iraqis.
Most importantly, Madam Speaker, he has the blood of over 600
American soldiers on his hands.
Under Soleimani's command, Iran tried to assassinate the Saudi
Ambassador to the United States in a Washington, D.C., restaurant less
than 4 miles from where we are standing today.
The danger he posed to the United States was not just a thing of the
past. He was directing a campaign of terror and violence against us in
Iraq, which killed one American and injured four other servicemen.
He orchestrated the attack on our Embassy in Baghdad.
Look at this picture. This was not simply a brush fire, Madam
Speaker. They stormed and attacked our Embassy under Soleimani's
orders.
What more evidence do we need than this?
Soleimani was not done after his attack on our Embassy. He wasn't on
a vacation when he went to meet with his top lieutenants in Damascus,
Lebanon, and Baghdad. Secretary Pompeo testified to our committee that
Soleimani was in the region actively plotting to kill Americans. He was
going to report back to Tehran, to the Ayatollah, to plan future
attacks.
What if our President had done nothing and our Embassy was attacked
again like in 1979 with diplomats taken hostage? What if the President
did nothing? What if more United States troops were killed? What then
would the other side of the aisle be saying?
Madam Speaker, the enemies of our country are watching this debate
right now, and they need to know darn well that, if you kill or injure
Americans, you will pay the price.
Like President Reagan, I am a firm believer in peace through
strength. When we show strength like we did with this necessary strike,
our enemies back down.
So, Madam Speaker, I call upon my colleagues to drop their
partisanship, to stand as Americans as we did when President Obama
struck bin Laden, and to support this simple fact that the world is a
better place without Soleimani.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, I claim the time in opposition to the
motion to commit.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Maryland is recognized
for 5 minutes.
Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, I doubt that there is a person on this
floor who disagrees with the premises that Mr. McCaul just stated.
Soleimani was a bad person. I said during the course of debate on the
Slotkin amendment, which referenced exactly that premise, that no one
lamented the loss of Mr. Soleimani--no one. That is not what this bill
is about, nor is that what this amendment is about.
This bill, which is called a partisan bill by Mr. McCaul, had 15
percent of the Republicans in the United States Senate vote for it.
This bill, called a partisan bill, says the bill we are voting on,
the bill we are going to pass, says that Members of the United States
Armed Forces and intelligence community and all those involved in the
planning of the January 2, 2020, strike on Qasem Soleimani, including
President Donald J. Trump, should be commended for their efforts in a
successful mission. That is what the bill that we are asking this body
to vote for says.
Madam Speaker, does that sound to you like a partisan document?
Now, Madam Speaker, the purpose of this motion is to kill this bill.
This is a Senate bill. It will send it back to committee. It will not
allow it to pass with an amendment, and it will preclude it from going
to the President of the United States.
Now, what this issue is about is our Constitution, about the power of
this body, about the responsibility of this body, and about the
authority of this body to declare or not declare war. That is what this
bill is about.
There may be some in this body who want to shrink from that
responsibility and send it to the President of the United States, but
our Founders believed that was not what our democracy ought to be. It
ought to be the Representatives of the people who take them to war, not
a President--any President, Democratic or Republican--to take us to
war.
This is about our responsibility. It commends President Trump, and it
commends our Armed Forces, and it allows them to defend themselves if
attacked. But it stands for the proposition that I hope all Members are
for, that we, the Representatives of the American people, ought to
decide on their behalf whether they or their sons and daughters go to
the point of the spear at war--not just one person.
There are a lot of countries in this world where one person makes the
decision. They are called dictators. Our Founding Fathers did not want
dictators running America.
And I say to my colleagues, of course, our Republican friends who are
offered this amendment never vote for an MTR, because--and I will not
read the litany of quotes from so many of you--an MTR is simply to
delay and defeat. Your quotes, not mine.
So I ask all of us, without exception, vote against this MTR, vote to
send this bill to the President of the United States, supported by 15
percent of the Republicans in the United States Senate. It is not a
partisan bill. It doesn't attack President Trump. In fact, it says,
``our troops,'' and ``President Trump ought to be commended.'' It is in
the bill.
Don't tell me this is a partisan act. It is not. It is an act of
responsibility, and to our oath of office, and to the Constitution of
the United States. Vote ``no.''
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to address their
remarks to the Chair.
Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the previous question is
ordered on the motion to commit.
There was no objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion to commit.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that
the noes appeared to have it.
Recorded Vote
Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.
[[Page H1639]]
A recorded vote was ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 9 of rule XX, this 5-
minute vote on the motion to commit will be followed by 5-minute votes
on passage of S.J. Res. 68, if ordered, and agreeing to the Speaker's
approval of the Journal, if ordered.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 198,
noes 212, answered ``present'' 1, not voting 18, as follows:
[Roll No. 100]
AYES--198
Abraham
Aderholt
Allen
Amodei
Armstrong
Arrington
Axne
Babin
Bacon
Baird
Balderson
Banks
Barr
Bergman
Biggs
Bilirakis
Bishop (NC)
Bishop (UT)
Bost
Brady
Brindisi
Brooks (AL)
Brooks (IN)
Buchanan
Buck
Bucshon
Budd
Burchett
Burgess
Byrne
Calvert
Carter (GA)
Carter (TX)
Chabot
Cheney
Cline
Cloud
Cole
Comer
Conaway
Cook
Crawford
Crenshaw
Cunningham
Curtis
Davidson (OH)
Davis, Rodney
DesJarlais
Diaz-Balart
Duncan
Dunn
Emmer
Estes
Ferguson
Finkenauer
Fitzpatrick
Fleischmann
Flores
Foxx (NC)
Fulcher
Gallagher
Gianforte
Gibbs
Gohmert
Gonzalez (OH)
Gooden
Gottheimer
Granger
Graves (LA)
Graves (MO)
Green (TN)
Griffith
Grothman
Guest
Guthrie
Hagedorn
Harris
Hartzler
Hern, Kevin
Herrera Beutler
Hice (GA)
Higgins (LA)
Hill (AR)
Holding
Hollingsworth
Horn, Kendra S.
Hudson
Huizenga
Hurd (TX)
Johnson (LA)
Johnson (OH)
Johnson (SD)
Jordan
Joyce (OH)
Joyce (PA)
Katko
Keller
Kelly (MS)
Kelly (PA)
King (IA)
King (NY)
Kinzinger
Kustoff (TN)
LaHood
LaMalfa
Lamborn
Latta
Lesko
Long
Loudermilk
Lucas
Luetkemeyer
Luria
Marchant
Marshall
Mast
McAdams
McCarthy
McCaul
McClintock
McKinley
Meuser
Mitchell
Moolenaar
Mooney (WV)
Murphy (FL)
Murphy (NC)
Newhouse
Norman
Nunes
Olson
Palmer
Pence
Perry
Peterson
Phillips
Posey
Reed
Reschenthaler
Rice (SC)
Riggleman
Roby
Rodgers (WA)
Roe, David P.
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rose (NY)
Rose, John W.
Rouzer
Roy
Rutherford
Scalise
Schweikert
Scott, Austin
Sensenbrenner
Shimkus
Simpson
Smith (MO)
Smith (NE)
Smith (NJ)
Smucker
Spano
Stauber
Stefanik
Steil
Steube
Stewart
Stivers
Taylor
Thompson (PA)
Thornberry
Timmons
Tipton
Torres Small (NM)
Turner
Upton
Van Drew
Wagner
Walberg
Walden
Walker
Walorski
Waltz
Watkins
Weber (TX)
Webster (FL)
Wenstrup
Westerman
Wild
Williams
Wilson (SC)
Wittman
Womack
Woodall
Wright
Yoho
Young
Zeldin
NOES--212
Adams
Aguilar
Allred
Amash
Barragan
Bass
Beatty
Bera
Bishop (GA)
Blumenauer
Blunt Rochester
Bonamici
Brown (MD)
Bustos
Butterfield
Carbajal
Cardenas
Carson (IN)
Cartwright
Case
Casten (IL)
Castor (FL)
Castro (TX)
Chu, Judy
Cicilline
Cisneros
Clark (MA)
Clarke (NY)
Clay
Cleaver
Clyburn
Cohen
Connolly
Cooper
Correa
Costa
Courtney
Cox (CA)
Craig
Crist
Crow
Cuellar
Davids (KS)
Davis (CA)
Davis, Danny K.
Dean
DeFazio
DeGette
DeLauro
DelBene
Delgado
Demings
DeSaulnier
Deutch
Dingell
Doggett
Doyle, Michael F.
Engel
Escobar
Eshoo
Espaillat
Evans
Fletcher
Foster
Frankel
Fudge
Gabbard
Gallego
Garamendi
Garcia (IL)
Garcia (TX)
Golden
Gomez
Gonzalez (TX)
Green, Al (TX)
Grijalva
Haaland
Harder (CA)
Hastings
Hayes
Heck
Higgins (NY)
Himes
Horsford
Houlahan
Hoyer
Huffman
Jackson Lee
Jayapal
Jeffries
Johnson (GA)
Johnson (TX)
Kaptur
Keating
Kelly (IL)
Kennedy
Khanna
Kildee
Kilmer
Kim
Kind
Kirkpatrick
Krishnamoorthi
Kuster (NH)
Lamb
Langevin
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Lawrence
Lawson (FL)
Lee (CA)
Lee (NV)
Levin (CA)
Levin (MI)
Lieu, Ted
Loebsack
Lofgren
Lowenthal
Lowey
Lujan
Lynch
Malinowski
Maloney, Carolyn B.
Maloney, Sean
Matsui
McBath
McCollum
McEachin
McGovern
McNerney
Meeks
Meng
Moore
Morelle
Moulton
Mucarsel-Powell
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal
Neguse
Norcross
O'Halleran
Ocasio-Cortez
Omar
Pallone
Panetta
Pappas
Pascrell
Payne
Perlmutter
Peters
Pingree
Pocan
Porter
Pressley
Price (NC)
Quigley
Raskin
Rice (NY)
Richmond
Rouda
Roybal-Allard
Ruiz
Ruppersberger
Rush
Ryan
Sanchez
Sarbanes
Scanlon
Schakowsky
Schiff
Schneider
Schrader
Schrier
Scott (VA)
Scott, David
Serrano
Sewell (AL)
Shalala
Sherman
Sherrill
Sires
Slotkin
Smith (WA)
Soto
Spanberger
Stanton
Stevens
Suozzi
Swalwell (CA)
Takano
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Titus
Tlaib
Tonko
Torres (CA)
Trahan
Trone
Underwood
Vargas
Veasey
Vela
Velazquez
Visclosky
Wasserman Schultz
Waters
Watson Coleman
Welch
Wexton
Wilson (FL)
Yarmuth
ANSWERED ``PRESENT''--1
Massie
NOT VOTING--18
Beyer
Boyle, Brendan F.
Brownley (CA)
Collins (GA)
Fortenberry
Gaetz
Gosar
Graves (GA)
Lewis
Lipinski
McHenry
Meadows
Miller
Mullin
Palazzo
Ratcliffe
Rooney (FL)
Speier
{time} 1735
Ms. JACKSON LEE changed her vote from ``aye'' to ``no.''
Mr. GONZALEZ of Ohio changed his vote from ``no'' to ``aye.''
So the motion to commit was rejected.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the passage of the joint
resolution.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that
the ayes appeared to have it.
Recorded Vote
Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.
A recorded vote was ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. This is a 5-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 227,
noes 186, not voting 16, as follows:
[Roll No. 101]
AYES--227
Adams
Aguilar
Allred
Amash
Axne
Barragan
Bass
Beatty
Bera
Bishop (GA)
Blumenauer
Blunt Rochester
Bonamici
Boyle, Brendan F.
Brown (MD)
Buck
Bustos
Butterfield
Carbajal
Cardenas
Carson (IN)
Cartwright
Case
Casten (IL)
Castor (FL)
Castro (TX)
Chu, Judy
Cicilline
Cisneros
Clark (MA)
Clarke (NY)
Clay
Cleaver
Clyburn
Cohen
Connolly
Cooper
Correa
Costa
Courtney
Cox (CA)
Craig
Crist
Crow
Cuellar
Cunningham
Davids (KS)
Davis (CA)
Davis, Danny K.
Dean
DeFazio
DeGette
DeLauro
DelBene
Delgado
Demings
DeSaulnier
Deutch
Dingell
Doggett
Doyle, Michael F.
Engel
Escobar
Eshoo
Espaillat
Evans
Finkenauer
Fletcher
Foster
Frankel
Fudge
Gabbard
Gallego
Garamendi
Garcia (IL)
Garcia (TX)
Golden
Gomez
Gonzalez (TX)
Gottheimer
Green, Al (TX)
Griffith
Grijalva
Haaland
Harder (CA)
Hastings
Hayes
Heck
Higgins (NY)
Himes
Horsford
Houlahan
Hoyer
Huffman
Jackson Lee
Jayapal
Jeffries
Johnson (GA)
Johnson (TX)
Kaptur
Keating
Kelly (IL)
Kennedy
Khanna
Kildee
Kilmer
Kim
Kind
Kirkpatrick
Krishnamoorthi
Kuster (NH)
Lamb
Langevin
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Lawrence
Lawson (FL)
Lee (CA)
Lee (NV)
Levin (CA)
Levin (MI)
Lieu, Ted
Loebsack
Lofgren
Lowenthal
Lowey
Lujan
Lynch
Malinowski
Maloney, Carolyn B.
Maloney, Sean
Massie
Matsui
McBath
McCollum
McEachin
McGovern
McNerney
Meeks
Meng
Moore
Morelle
Moulton
Mucarsel-Powell
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal
Neguse
Norcross
O'Halleran
Ocasio-Cortez
Omar
Pallone
Panetta
Pappas
Pascrell
Payne
Perlmutter
Peters
Peterson
Phillips
Pingree
Pocan
Porter
Pressley
Price (NC)
Quigley
Raskin
Reed
Rice (NY)
Richmond
Rouda
Roybal-Allard
Ruiz
Ruppersberger
Rush
Ryan
Sanchez
Sarbanes
Scanlon
Schakowsky
Schiff
Schneider
Schrader
Schrier
Schweikert
Scott (VA)
Scott, David
Serrano
Sewell (AL)
Shalala
Sherman
Sherrill
Sires
Slotkin
Smith (WA)
Soto
Spanberger
Stanton
Stevens
Suozzi
Swalwell (CA)
Takano
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Titus
Tlaib
Tonko
Torres (CA)
Torres Small (NM)
Trahan
Trone
Underwood
Upton
Vargas
Veasey
Vela
Velazquez
Visclosky
Wasserman Schultz
Waters
Watson Coleman
Welch
Wexton
Wild
Wilson (FL)
Yarmuth
NOES--186
Abraham
Aderholt
Allen
Amodei
Armstrong
Arrington
Babin
Bacon
Baird
Balderson
Banks
Barr
Bergman
Biggs
Bilirakis
Bishop (NC)
Bishop (UT)
Bost
Brady
Brindisi
Brooks (AL)
Brooks (IN)
Buchanan
Bucshon
Budd
Burchett
Burgess
[[Page H1640]]
Byrne
Calvert
Carter (GA)
Carter (TX)
Chabot
Cheney
Cline
Cloud
Cole
Comer
Conaway
Cook
Crawford
Crenshaw
Curtis
Davidson (OH)
Davis, Rodney
DesJarlais
Diaz-Balart
Duncan
Dunn
Emmer
Estes
Ferguson
Fitzpatrick
Fleischmann
Flores
Foxx (NC)
Fulcher
Gallagher
Gianforte
Gibbs
Gohmert
Gonzalez (OH)
Gooden
Granger
Graves (LA)
Graves (MO)
Green (TN)
Grothman
Guest
Guthrie
Hagedorn
Harris
Hartzler
Hern, Kevin
Herrera Beutler
Hice (GA)
Higgins (LA)
Hill (AR)
Holding
Hollingsworth
Horn, Kendra S.
Hudson
Huizenga
Hurd (TX)
Johnson (LA)
Johnson (OH)
Johnson (SD)
Jordan
Joyce (OH)
Joyce (PA)
Katko
Keller
Kelly (MS)
Kelly (PA)
King (IA)
King (NY)
Kinzinger
Kustoff (TN)
LaHood
LaMalfa
Lamborn
Latta
Lesko
Long
Loudermilk
Lucas
Luetkemeyer
Luria
Marchant
Marshall
Mast
McAdams
McCarthy
McCaul
McClintock
McHenry
McKinley
Meuser
Mitchell
Moolenaar
Mooney (WV)
Murphy (FL)
Murphy (NC)
Newhouse
Norman
Nunes
Olson
Palmer
Pence
Perry
Posey
Reschenthaler
Rice (SC)
Riggleman
Roby
Rodgers (WA)
Roe, David P.
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rose (NY)
Rose, John W.
Rouzer
Roy
Rutherford
Scalise
Scott, Austin
Sensenbrenner
Shimkus
Simpson
Smith (MO)
Smith (NE)
Smith (NJ)
Smucker
Spano
Stauber
Stefanik
Steil
Steube
Stewart
Stivers
Taylor
Thompson (PA)
Thornberry
Timmons
Tipton
Turner
Van Drew
Wagner
Walberg
Walden
Walker
Walorski
Waltz
Watkins
Weber (TX)
Webster (FL)
Wenstrup
Westerman
Williams
Wilson (SC)
Wittman
Womack
Woodall
Wright
Yoho
Young
Zeldin
NOT VOTING--16
Beyer
Brownley (CA)
Collins (GA)
Fortenberry
Gaetz
Gosar
Graves (GA)
Lewis
Lipinski
Meadows
Miller
Mullin
Palazzo
Ratcliffe
Rooney (FL)
Speier
{time} 1742
So the joint resolution was passed.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________