the speaker pro tempore: on this vote the yeas are 415. the nays are two. 2/3 having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the resolution is agreed to and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. the unfinished business is the vote on the motion of the gentleman from louisiana, mr. higgins, to suspend the rules and pass h.r. 4564 on which the yeas and nays are ordered. the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: h.r. 4564, a bill to require a threat assessment on current foreign terrorist fighter activities, and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill. members will record their vote by electronic device. this is a five-minute vote. [captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc., in cooperation with the united states house of representatives. any use of the closed-captioned coverage of the house proceedings for political or commercial purposes is expressly prohibited by the u.s. house of representatives.] the speaker pro tempore: on this vote the yeas are 413. the nays are zero. 2/3 having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed, and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. the unfinished business is the vote on the gentleman from pennsylvania, to suspend the rules and pass h.r. 4581 on which the yeas and nays were ordered. the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: h.r. 4581, a bill to require the secretary of homeland security to develop best practices for utilizing advanced passenger information and passenger name record data for counterterrorism screening and vetting operations and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill. members will record their votes by electronic device. this is a five-minute vote. [captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc., in cooperation with the united states house of representatives. any use of the closed-captioned coverage of the house proceedings for political or commercial purposes is expressly prohibited by the u.s. house of representatives.] the speaker pro tempore: on this vote the yeas are 4 14rks the nays -- 414, the nays are one. 2/3 of those voting having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, -- the speaker pro tempore: on this vote the yeas are 415, the nays are one. 2/3 of those voting having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed and, without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. will the house please be in order. take your conversations outside. the house will come to order, please. take your conversations off the floor. please come to order in the house. ake conversations outside. the house will come to order. please take the conversations off the floor. the chair will intertake requests for one -- will now entertain requests for one-minute speeches. for what purpose does the gentleman from florida seek recognition? >> request permission to speak for one minute and revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. the house will come to order. thank you. you are recognized, mr. rooney. mr. rooney: i rise today to discuss an invasive and dangerous species destroying our everglade ecosystem. jeff pictured here is a constituent who's a banker by day and a python hunter by night. i had hunted with jeff and kill sommed of these pies on this while participating in the south florida water management district python elimination program. the speaker pro tempore: restore order to the house. please take your conversations off the floor. one moment. the gentleman from florida is recognized. mr. rooney: one of the pythons i killed is hanging in my office today. you can come by and see it. the elimination program has removed over 820 snakes from south florida, but as of now, they can't hunt inside the everglades national park. because of interior regulations. these predators eat up small animals and disrupt our ecosystem throughout the everglades and even eat panthers, bobcats and alligators and they posey a threat to humans -- pose a threat to humes. the south florida water management district pipeline program incentivizes members of the public to assist in hunting and eliminating these invasive species. i want to especially thank mike kirkland and tia barnett for their work on this program and i say that now is the time to allow experienced and trained hunters like jeff to -- and others, as part of the elimination program, to be allowed to hunt and eliminate pies on this -- pythons in the everglades national park. thank you. i yield my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. please take your conversations off the floor. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from new jersey seek recognition? without objection. you're recognized. mrs. watson coleman: thank you very much, mr. speaker. last week we said good-bye to a wonderful man who happened to also have been our governor. our two-term governor never let the weight of his office bog him down. he'll be remembered for his wit, his passion and the fourth of his will -- force of his will. governor byrne helped inspire and instill honorable characteristics of public service into jeb rations of new jerseyans -- generations of new jerseyans. i consider myself blessed to be among them. is a bittersweet -- it is a bittersweet moment to bid farewell to governor byrne. i will long keep lucy and tom and the entire byrne family in my thoughts and in my prayers, as their loved ones and indeed new jersey have suffered a tremendous loss. with that, i yield back, mr. speaker. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back. for what purpose does the gentleman from minnesota seek recognition? without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. paulsen: mr. speaker, i rise today to congratulate wisetta high school on being named minnesota's best public school by "u.s.a. today." strong public schools are the foundation of our community and while minnesota has some many great public and private schools, wisetta does stand out among them. the schools were evaluated on standardized test scores. student teacher ratios, graduation rate, advanced placement and more. the high school has more than 3,200 students, a student ratio of 17 to one, and an average s.a.t. score of 1420. across the nation 80% of students graduate from high school. in minnesota, 88% graduate and in wisetta, 93% graduate. their advanced placement enrollment is high. over 25% of 10th graders and 34% of seniors are enrolled in a.p. classes. so, mr. speaker, the principal, all the teachers and staff, students, parents and the spartan community deserve this recognition. congratulations to wisetta high school. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. for what purpose does the gentleman from new jersey seek recognition? without objection, you're recognized for one minute. mr. payne: mr. speaker, i rise today to honor jordan thomas, a senior at princeton university and a graduate of university high school in newark, new jersey, for being selected as the 2018 rhodes scholar, one of only 32 this they i -- in the country. this young man who grad in my district is the first newark public school student in over a decade to receive this prestigious honor. in addition to getting straight a's since his freshman year at princeton, jordan is writing a thesis on school-based support services that newark public schools offer pregnant and parenting teens. and the next year he will be taking his talents abroad to study social policy at oxford college in england. jordan plans to return to his home of newark as a public servant. he told a newspaper, newark built me. newark shaped me. as a life-long resident of newark myself, i know that feeling. mr. speaker, i ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating jordan thomas for his successes, service and future. his love for his community shows that our country's future is in good hands. and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. for what purpose does the gentlelady from new york seek recognition? without objection, you're recognized for one minute. >> thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today in recognition of law enforcement appreciation day. ms. tenney: law enforcement officers courageously put their lives on the line to protect our homes, our businesses and our schools. they are truly the unsung heroes of our communities. we are grateful to the men and women in blue who serve as the front line of defense here at home. today and every day we must stand with our members of law enforcement and their families to honor the sacrifices and the contributions they make to ensure that our families remain safe. i would also especially like to thank the united states capitol police tpwhorse work each datone sure that then -- force who work each day to ensure that we remain secure. our new york state police, the new york park police, county, city and village police officers and of course corrections officers throughout the great state of new york, thank you, mr. speaker. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back the balance of her time. for what purpose does the gentlelady from florida seek recognition? . without objection, you're recognized for one minute. >> mr. speaker, i rise today to recognize the lives of lieutenant deborah clayton of the orlando police department and deputy norm lewis. lieutenant clayton was an outstanding officer, a loving wife, mother and friend. mrs. demings: one year ago today she was shot and killed while attempting to apprehend a murder suspect. deputy lewis was killed the same day. deputy lewis was a man described as a gentle giant who played for the u.c.f. knights and went on to be a true public servant. mr. speaker, it's been said that when a law enforcement officer falls a part of america dies. today we recognize these two public servants and pay tribute to them for paying the ultimate sacrifice. and we also today take a moment on law enforcement appreciation today to thank law enforcement officers throughout our nation who serve and protect us and our families. thank you and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back. for what purpose does the gentleman from texas seek recognition? >> mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. poe: mr. speaker, cracks are beginning to form in the iranian regime. the oppressed people of iran have taken to the streets to demand an end to the corrupt and brutal dictatorship. the mullahs in tehran have stolen the wealth of the country and the people, lining their own pockets and funding terror throughout the middle east. like in 2009 when the iranian people rose up to confront the corruption of the regime, these iranians had been met with harsh violence and have been murdered in the streets. thousands of others have been imprisoned. in 2009, however, the united states sat in the stands as a spectators and watched the ayatollah crush freedom. i applaud this president to show his support for freedom in iran. the united states must show political and public support for our friends for liberty in iran. as president kennedy once said, let every nation know whether it wishes us ill that we will pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship to support any friend oppose any foe in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty. like our friends in iran. and that's just the way it is. i'll yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas yields back. for what purpose does the gentlelady from texas seek recognition? without objection, you're recognized for one minute. ms. jackson lee: mr. speaker, i've often come to this floor to remind my colleagues of the devastation that the people of texas have experienced with hurricane harvey. i certainly don't intend to ignore our other friends in the virgin islands and puerto rico and certainly florida and california that have experienced their own devastation along with louisiana. but i'm excited today, mr. speaker, because i'm introducing a bill that celebrates the history of texas. emancipation he national historic trail. many people know that the proclamation -- the emancipation proclamation was not heard in texas, but for two ears later in 1865, and so this emancipation national historic trail recounts the journey of many of those individuals, freed slaves going from galveston, texas, along texas highway 3, interstate highway 45 north, friedman's town and emancipation park in houston, texas. following the migration route of newly freed slaves and other persons of african descent from the major 19th century sea port of galveston, it's the collaboration of people from both parties and throughout the community. it is one of unity, mr. speaker. it's one where we're coming together. i look forward to passing this legislation with my colleagues, republicans and democrats, because it's a celebration of the history of texas. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady's time has expired. for what purpose does the gentleman from tennessee seek recognition? mr. cohen: -- mr. roe: to address the house for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. roe: as a physician i rise -- ise awarrenness of awareness of stop the bleeding training course offered by the american college of surgeons. this simple training teaches individuals how to treat bleeding injuries and help save a life. each year more than 180,000 people die from traumatic injuries. the most common and easily preventable cause of these deaths is too much blood loss in the critical minutes before trained first responders arrive. with an average response time of eight to 12 minutes once 911 is called, it's the responsibility for all of us to prepare to help others in the event of traumatic injury. i look forward to working with my fellow members of congress and advocates such as my friends at the american college of surgeons to raise awareness of this value of this lifesaving technique. with that i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from michigan seek recognition? without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. mrs. lawrence: mr. speaker, last month republicans rammed through a terrible tax bill with devastating consequences and women are the -- among the hardest hit. this tax plan drains funds from working mothers while giving huge tax breaks to corporations and the wealthy. women are breadwinners for half of american families with children. these women often do more work for less pay. nearly six in 10 workers in low-wage jobs are women. women earn 82 cents on the dollar, and in michigan it's even lower, 74 cents. the tax bill takes away the individual mandate so 9.5 million women could lose health care, annual exams, birth control, cancer screenings, pregnancy support, and lose economic security. under this new law, the wealthiest continue to prosper at the expense of hardworking women. in this country we deserve better, and in america we deserve better than this reckless tax bill. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back. for what purpose does the gentleman from michigan seek recognition? >> i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. >> mr. speaker, i rise today to mark national law enforcement appreciation day. in 2017, 128 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty. despite the significant danger they face, these brave men and women continue to put their badge on every day leaving their loved ones at home to protect our friends, our families and our community. mr. fitzpatrick: i was fortunate to be a member of the thin blue line for nearly a decade and a half as an f.b.i. special agent. and during this time i worked with some of the most dedicated mission oriented professionals in the national to include federal, state, and local law enforcement officers. i ask that today and every day, all americans take a moment to reflect on what our law enforcement officers do to protect our liberties and to ensure the safety of our communities. we owe them a debt of gratitude for their service and their sacrifice. and as i did last year, i urge the president to observe this day by lighting the white house blue this evening. mr. speaker, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. for what purpose does the gentleman from north dakota eek recognition? without objection, you're recognized for one minute. mr. cramer: no air force unit has won more than 18 outstanding unit awards. i was honored to be in fargo as the north dakota national guard's 119th wing was awarded its 19th. the 119th wing, known as the happy huell begans, has received this prestigious recognition nearly constantly since 2006. the air force outstanding unit award is given to numbered units of the active duty air force, the air national guard and u.s. air force reserve that have distinguished themselves by exceptionally meritorious service or outstanding achievement. the mission of the 19th wing is to provide trained and ready irmen, executing world-class mq-9 precision attack, nonkinetic intelligence production and expeditionary support capabilities for the nation and state. mr. speaker, aristotle said we are what we repeatedly do. excellence then is not an act but a habit. freedom-loving people around the world are grateful to the happy huell gains from fargo for -- hull gains from fargo for making liberty a habit. congratulations, colonel, and thank you to your outstanding service for the cause of freedom around the world and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition? without objection, the gentleman from california is recognized for one minute. mr. rohrabacher: i rise today to draw attention of the american people to information that is being kept from them. so often the good will and good heartedness of the american people is manipulated and to achieve goals sometimes are detrimental to those people and are detrimental to our country as well. today, the american people are being told that there are young people who are here illegally, brought by their parents at an early age. they call them dreamers and that we must be concerned about them as we are. of course we're concerned about them. ur sympathy are with young ople anywhere who want to be -- there are 850,000 of these young people. most people -- that's being left out of the discussion. and that -- they are looking to be legalized and when they are legalized that means they can apply for family reunification which means they are -- they then will receive government benefits and even more people will come in under their -- under their platform. i would suggest that we take a look and see what that will do, 850,000 more young people, and the millions more who will come and what that will do to the american people. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition? >> i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. lamalfa: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise in recognition of national law enforcement appreciation day. it isn't just a day for all of us. it should be every day. they are on the front lines protecting our families, our lives, our homes, and our values. so we need to keep that in mind. to appreciate them every day. when you see them in the community, not somebody to be afraid of. they are our neighbors. they are doing the same things we are, raising their kids, sending their kids to school, going to the park, enjoying life just as we do. with all the misunderstanding about law enforcement these days, it's really disheartening to see what some of our law enforcement officers have to put up with in order to just do a job to protect all of us. you know, each year we lose many officers. at least 125 are lost in the line of duty last year, including eight in my home state of california. so i just want to tell them that we do appreciate you. from the california highway patrol that keeps an eye on our offices, capitol hill police here, city police, county this was, all of them, we do appreciate you because we know you are on the front line and just like us and so we want to honor you constantly for stepping forward to do a very difficult task that's sometimes misunderstood and underappreciated. well, the vast majority of us americans and northern californians, we do appreciate you all. god bless and be safe. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. for what purpose does the gentleman from mississippi seek recognition? >> to address the house for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, you're recognized for one minute. >> mr. speaker, i rise to pay tribute to our nation's law enforcement men and women. the safety and security of our communities is the result of our law enforcement men and women who wake up every single day to protect neighborhoods from criminals, fight crime, ensure justice and keep the peace. in 017, 125 officers died -- in 2017, 125 officers died in the line of duty. mr. palazzo: they face danger every day as they carry out their duty to protect the american people. they run towards danger while everyone else is running away. no matter what, they serve and protect. they serve and protect so that you and i may be free from harm. their diligent service does not go unnotice, and today on behalf of the mississippi's fourth congressional district, we thank them for their bravery, fortitude, and sacrifice. so thank you to the men and women in blue. we are a safer nation because of the bravery of you and your families. thank you for choosing to live a life of service, your sacrifice and heroism will never be forgotten. happy law enforcement appreciation day, and god bless you. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. are there any more requests for time from the floor? hearing none, under the speaker's announced policy of january 3, 2017, the gentleman from virginia, mr. garrett is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader. mr. garrett: i begin by yielding three minutes to the gentleman -- to the gentleman, mr. bishop. mr. bishop: thank you, mr. speaker. i want to thank the gentleman for yielding. i rise today on national law enforcement appreciation day with a heavy heart to pay tribute to two of michigan's finest oakland county sheriff's deputies and their legacy of service. oakland county sheriff's department -- sheriff's deputy eric overall a 22-year-old veteran of the sheriff's department, was killed this past thanksgiving while serving and protecting. he was pursuing a suspect who was a threat to the public and died ensuring no one else's life was put in danger that day. he's remembered by his family as one who lived by the mantra, never quit. sonia overall, the widow of eric overall, describes her husband as a man of integrity who left a stamp on everyone's heart. his life and legacy will never be forgotten. now just five days ago, the sheriff's department suffered yet another tragedy. sheriff's deputy david heck a 17-year veteran of the sheriff's office, was securing a car accident scene when he was struck by a passing car. he's well known in the rochester community as he serves as the sheriff's liaison for the rochester school district. he's in critical condition. i would like his family to know that all the students and staff in rochester schools are praying for him and to keep fighting until he's recovered. please join me in a moment of violence for the deputy's recovery and to honor the memory and mourn the loss of deputy eric overall. mr. bishop: mr. speaker, i send my deepest condolences to the oakland county sheriff's department in this time of los. thank you, mr. speaker, i yield back the remainder of my time. , a r. speaker, 39 years ago collective nightmare was foisted upon the people of the nation of iran and so when roughly two weeks ago, while on recess, i courage are of the manifest in action of the iranian people in standing up to a brutal totalitarian regime, i immediately contacted our office and suggested that we secure this hour of special order and reached out to a number of my colleagues, several of whom join and ay, speak loudly united on behalf of the states and the nearly six million people represented by myself and the individuals who will speak here today in support of those who would stand up and risk their very existence for those most basic human rights which we as americans take tragically for granted. mr. garrett: as i stand in this cities speaker, in that the bulk of americans have isfahan, d of, in tensz, ras ad, in tehran, of thousands stand in the face of a regime with a record of destroying not only free dm but of itself and the instance those who would stand up and demand freedom. stand up and demand basic human rights and tignyity. mr. speaker, put this into perfect i if you were to take the population of the nation of an circa 1979 and compare it to the population of the united states circa 1941, and then align the numbers of americans killed in combat during the entire second world war, it would proportionally be roughly equal to the numb of people who have given their lives at the hands of the brutal iranian regime inside the borders of iran. think about that for a moment. roughly 60,000 during the coup d'etat revolution in 1979. about 12,500 from 1981 to 1984. almost 33,000 during the 1988 uprising. we don't know how many were murdered in 2009 when this ation stood silent as iranians bravely took the streets to demand self-determination and toleration that a regime should not be able to dictate how one worships who one mar rirks what one believe that people should be given basic rights to self-determination. and so today we know very little about what's going on in iran except for the brave women and men are confronting challenges that we by virtue of our birth as americans will hopefully never have to confront. we know roughly 50 have been murdered. we know that roughly 3,000 are in prison. and this time i will not be silent. i've spoken with think aye ranian americans of all different facets from a number of different groups. i ask these iranian americans as well as those resisting within iran and iranians disperse -- dispersed across the globe to set aside their political differences and come together for the demon goal of opposing a regime that that murders its own sons and daughters. to a tune that is comparable to the total number of american combat deaths in the second world war. enough is enough. so today i stand beside an image f habib khabiri. he was the former captain of the iranian national soccer team. ahe and 40 others were executed at a prison for having the temerity to criticize their government. he was 29 years old, the evidence indicates he was tortured before he was executed. in fact, again, as we stated earlier, over 12,000 people were executed by the islamic republic security forces just from 1981 to 1984. and next is a young woman who tragically became something of an international folk hero for those who were paying attention in that she had the temerity to stand and protest during the green revolution in 2009 suggesting that the iranian people had a right to self-determination when she was publicly on film murdered in the streets. 26 years old. united states remained silent. second of three children, middle class neighborhood, had the courage to stand up and point out injustice when she saw it. and paid with her life. indeed, the protesters with whom she marched shouted, america you are either with us or with the mullahs and we did not respond. today, i'm responding. this administration is responding. the iranians with whom i have spoken across a diverse sect of opposition do not want tanks and bombers and missiles. nor do i, having worn the uniform of this nation. but while we can't rule out any particular alternatives, all they ask is a word of support and that when we act legislatively in this body, and the chamber down the hallway, we have the followthrough to ensure our actions are backed up. that unlike the 1990's when the iran sanctions act was passed we don't let our so-called european allies turn a blind eye as they continue to do business with the irtc that uses the money generated through this business to not only murder their own citizens but to fund the likes of bezzhes boll la and create instability, peril, death and destruction literally across the entire region from the mediterranean to the khyber pats. -- khyber pass. and there's no blind eye being turned this time. shakar. see a nurse, she was arrested, imprisoned and tortured for rendering medical assistance to other iranian brothers and sisters who were brutalized by the revolutionary guards in the streets of iran. at was tortured viciously the prison, served a significant portion of a prison sentence, seven of 15 years, before being executed along with nearly 33,000 others, circa 1988. now three name three face, three stories. probably 30 seconds to a minute on each. let me put this into perspective, mr. speaker. if we were to take five minutes to show the pictures and speak briefly on every individual murdered by the mullah regime in over we would be here for a year going 24 hours a day, seven days a week. so i don't stand here saber rattling suggesting american military action. i stand here suggesting that what my iranian american friends, what people of iranian decent, who are dissidents throughout the world have suggested is if the american government will stand up and say, we stand with you, against these mullahs, that is the support they need to continue the movement to see that there is a regime change which leads to self-determination and democracy in iran and the lifting of a dark cloud of terror from iacross the globe. don't believe me? i was born in 1972. i've grown up with the perpetual mention of hezbollah and there are these who think hezbollah is something that's been around for a long timism point out today, hezbollah is actually younger than the mullah regime. that in fact the mullah regime created hezbollah and hezbollah has a unique distinction of being one of a very few terrorist entities that has actually killed human beings on every single inhabited continent on planet earth. no trade with iran, no money to the irtc. no money to the irtc. hezbollah. we have more stability in syria, and freedom in iran. enough is enough. so i thank my colleagues for standing with me today. and i ask the american people and my colleagues to take the time to inform yourself about kabriz ke isfahan and and mashad and to think about the women and men who have the courage to walk through the threshold of a door of a home where when they leave they know full well they may very well not come back. the time is now, the cause is just, the mullah regime must go. enough is enough. mr. speaker, with that i ask that we recognize excuse me, i have to find my sheet. the gentleman from utah, mr. curtis. or five minutes. mr. curtis: thank you, congressman fware rhett. a speaker, i want to take howminutes to express about iran has trampled on the rights of its people to express their discontent with the current regime which has resulted in 21 deaths and more than 50 arrests. it is quite frankly disturbing the way the iranian government has used its military might to show an unacceptable and disproportionate amount of force to quell and attempt to control protests. additionally, iran's jew -- iran's judiciary has ignored the rights of protesters to express themselves and assemble by issuing harsh punishments. the government has -- i have heard hat government has blocked internet and social media. the people of iran are suffering. their economy is stagnant, their wages aren't keeping up with the cost of living. they are hungry and are weary of a radical and corrupt regime pursuing an ill-advised plan for nuclear capabilities rather than focusing on improving the lives and stability of the people and their nation. the people of iran were hopeful but iran -- that iran would see some relief from the sanctions and would see economic improvement after their government entered into a deal in 2015 regarding its nuclear program. but because of widespread corruption of iran's government as well as its failure to live up to its commitment to the international community, iran's people have continued to suffer from poverty, high unemployment and inflation. it should be no surprise to the leadership of ilan that its people are calling for change because of its failure and poor leadership that have led the people to protest. . mr. speaker, i stand with those protesters in iran who have lost faith in their increasingly failed government. they deserve a country that ensures their freedom to express disapproval. they deserve a government with equality and justice to improve the lives of iranians. although iran's government may, by force, ultimately be successful in putting an end to these public protests, this dissatisfaction with the regime will continue. i hope that someday the people of iran will see the freedom and the kind of leadership they seek and they deserve. and with that i yield my time. thank you. mr. garrett: i yield to the gentleman from florida, mr. yoho. mr. yoho: thank you, mr. speaker. i'd like to thank my good friend, mr. garrett, for organizing this on this important topic. you know, today we passed several bills about iran. one was the house resolution 676, calling out the iranian regime to stop suppressing and oppressing their citizens that just want those things that are innate to all human beings on this planet that we believe in as americans and that are those inalienable rights that come from our creator of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. e iranian people are condemning -- corruption of the economy and funding of terrorist organizations while neglecting the basic needs of the iranian citizens. only to have their protests in opposition of the corruption by the iranian regime to be shut wn and crushed through unwarranted bloodshed and arrest. if you look at the regime in the last 30 years since they took control of iran, it's been nothing but bloodshed and mayhem. if you look at the conflicts we've been involved in in the middle east since the entry of afghanistan and the iraqi wars, if you look at our service men and women that have been harmed in those battles or injured or died, 90% of those -- 70% of those were caused by i.e.d.'s. 90% of those i.e.d.'s were supported, produced by the iranian regime. e people of iran stood up in 2009. the administration of the united states at that time refused to back the iranian people that wanted those basic rights that we just talked about, freedoms and liberties. our nation was founded on the idea that every individual's granted three basic rights -- life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. again, we as americans believe in these inalienable rights. i find it appalling the iranian regime is using deadly force in order to deny the iranian people their basic freedoms. you know, we're in the 21st century in the world. you see a clear divide. the western ideologies that believe in these god-given rights that we have, and then you see the regimes and dictatorships around the world that are suppressing the very innate abilities that we're all born with, and they're trying to suppress these innate abilities and by doing that, they through it through intimidation, coercion, torture, death. the leader of the irgc came out in a statement, and it's in ed royce's bill that we voted on today, house resolution 676, that said they'll investigate it, they'll bring it to an end and they'll quash these protests. and it will be done with. and so that's the intent of the iranian regime is to bring this to an end through force because they fear free-thinking people. we are so blessed in our country of having the ability to speak out, to be able to protest peacefully, to assemble peacefully and that's something i think sometimes we as americans take for granted. this is something that all you have to do is look at what's going on around the world to see a regime that is afraid of empowering their people. the supreme leader ayatollah khomeini must be recognized for what he is -- the dictator of an oppressive regime which once again showed the world its true colors by its horrific response to the peaceful and legitimate protest that began on december 28 that saw thousands imprisoned with the leaders being threatened with death and over two dozen have been killed. i want to send the message that we, the united states, support the rights of those brave iranians who are peacefully protesting the oppressive iranian regime and are peacefully protesting, again, for the right to pursue life, liberty, and happiness. again, i want to thank mr. garrett for putting this on and thank you for allowing me to participate, and i yield back. mr. garrett: thank you to my colleague, mr. yoho. mr. speaker, i'd yield five minutes to the gentleman from pennsylvania, mr. rothfus. mr. rothfus: i thank mr. garrett for organizing the special order today and to shed the light on what's been going on in iran. not just the last couple of weeks but really since 1979. mr. speaker, i rise today to speak out for the good people of iran who are protesting against an oppressive regime that has imposed tyranny on them for nearly four decades. scores of people have been arrested and some killed for daring to speak out against their government. and mr. speaker, they have good cause. for far too long the authoritarian terrorists of tehran have pursued an aggressive military buildup and massive police state that oppresses its people. since the iran revolution in 1979, their leaders have chosen global and regional conflict instead of promoting a healthy domestic economy and peaceful relations with their regional neighbors. i could spend a long time highlighting the litany of basic human rights violations of the regime as well. but the iranian government's malfeasance, public corruption and betrayal to their own citizenry needs to be brought to light on a world stage. mr. speaker, as recently as last year in the state department's report on terrorism, iran was once again identified as the foremost state sponsor of terror. the crime and terror iran spreads are conducted at the expense of ordinary iranians whose taxes go everywhere but to themselves and their prosperity. the unemployment rate is over 12%, according to the world bank, and youth unemployment is staggeringly high. and all of this, despite iran being rich in natural resources and having potential for having a great economy. two years ago, the u.s. entered a deal in hopes of encouraging a more peaceful iran, not to mention passing along billions in direct cash payments to them. furthermore, if that wasn't enough, it's been recently reported that the department of justice, under president obama, abandoned a massive international narcotics investigation against one of iran's international terrorist clients, hezbollah. just to not upset the iranian regime during the negotiation of the nuclear deal. that's right, mr. speaker. hezbollah's not just in the global terror business. it is a transnational criminal organization that is a major global drug trafficker, including right here in the western hemisphere in latin america. for anyone that's not read the recent article in "politico" magazine titled the secret back story of how obama let hezbollah off the hook, you need to read it. they are facilitating the transfer of drugs into this country. despite all of their contrition and deal making, the iranian regime has not changed. this pair liss regime is still exporting and smuggling weapons to its clients in afghanistan, syria, yirke, yemen. hezbollah and -- iraq, yemen. hezbollah continues to threaten israel and still a destabilizing force throughout the middle east. after all of iranian -- the -- iranian regime's corruption, you can turn on the tv and see the people have had enough. this does not belong anywhere, especially in the 21st century. the everyday people in iran want the same thing the average americans want -- freedom to live without fear from their government to live and work in peace, to be with their loved ones, and to worship as they see fit. the good people of iran are standing up to tyranny, and we should stand with them. i want those protesters seeking freedom from oppression to know that we are with them. that the american people are with them. and with that i will yield back to mr. garrett and thank him again for organizing this special order on this very important topic. mr. garrett: thanks to my distinguished colleague, the gentleman from pennsylvania. at this time, mr. speaker, i'd ask we recognize the gentleman from north carolina, mr. budd, for five minutes. budd budd -- mr. budd: thank you, mr. speaker. also, thanks to my friend from virginia, mr. garrett, for organizing this and supporting those protesters in iran. it's the ongoing protest that started late last month in iran that are significant, not just for their people but also for the world. while these protests started because of a dire economic situation in iran with upwards of 40% of its youth unemployed, it's grown to be a nationwide movement that's about much more than just the economy. over the past couple weeks we've seen the iranian people flood the streets in favor of fundamental freedoms, economic opportunity and a government who represents their interests, not hezbollah's. there are even reports of people chanting, we don't want an islamic republic, or we will die but we will take iran back. and this is a long time coming. a state department report in 2016 found that iran is the top state sponsor of terrorism in the whole world. whether it's providing financial support to hezbollah or providing arms to islamic rebel groups in yemen, the iranian government's priorities are obviously more focused on wreaking international havoc that it is addressing the issues in their own country. while we are talking about issues with iran, the protesters are pleading with fundamental freedoms. for example, married women aren't even allowed to travel outside the country without permission from their husbands. they also risk being put in jail or even to death if they take off their had a jab in public. but -- hajab in public. but women have been unmasking themselves in protest and to many in our country this may seem insignificant but videos of these women and their courage have been shared millions and millions of time around the globe. mr. speaker, those who dislike president trump have criticized his approach to foreign policy, but these same people fail to praise his strong defense for freedom when it comes to iran. as soon as the protests started, president trump put out a statement that said, the iranian people are hungry for food and for freedom. he also that it's time for a change, and i couldn't agree with him more. this is opposite of the obama administration who preached moral authority and yet sided with the corrupt iranian regime and the corrupt iranian government when anti-regime protesters took to the streets back in 2009. so now that president trump has proven his secretibility on the global stage by siding with the protesters, the question is now, where do we go from here? well, mr. speaker, first, we should increase the sanctions on the iranian government in response to their crackdown on protesters for freedom in the recent weeks. president trump should also strongly consider pulling out of the nuclear deal that was struck by president obama in 2015. we've already seen the iranian government break parts of the agreement and we should have a zero tolerance for these breaks because the consequences are just too grave. mr. speaker, the people of iran are bravely speaking out sgens their government and they're calling -- against their government and they're calling for change. we must continue to vocalize our support for these protesters in iran and mick sure they know that we have their -- and make sure they know we have their back. again, i thank all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks colleague, mr. garrett from virginia, and yield back my time. mr. garrett: thank you to my colleague from north carolina, mr. budd. mr. speaker, at this time i yield to the gentleman from south carolina, mr. duncan, for five minutes. . mr. duncan: i thank the gentleman from virginia. i want the folks in iran to know that the united states of america stands with the people of iran. it's a closed society, i doubt they'll hear our words here tonight, but they should know that in our hearts and in our prayers and in our thoughts, we have the people of iran and their best wishes in mind. i've been here for seven years in congress and during that seven years, iran keeps coming up to the forefront, whether it's the obama administration's failed iranian nuclear deal, which is coming up for authorization i think on the . th in this month, 15th, 19th or if it's the protests, since i've been in congress this is the second round of uprising protests against the government within iran. now the dichotomy is the obama administration ignored the people in iran. the trump administration has told the people in iran we stand with you against an oppressive government. an keeps coming up even in "plitke" magazine article. they had a well-sourced account of an allege odd ba ma administration scandal last month that prompted review of the department of justice and interest by the house oversight and governmental reform committee. the article alleges the obama administration restrained classified efforts by the drug enforcement administration to shut down an international criminal organization by hezbollah. hezbollah, based in lebanon is a proxy of iran. when you hear hezbollah, you might as well think iran, they're one and the same. i'm deeply troubled by the idea that the president, president obama's motivation was getting passed by any means necessary the failed iranian deal. he couldn't let anything get in the way of that legacy. if this article is true, president obama is more concerned about passing his agenda item, opposed by members of both parties and a majority of the american people, than protecting the safety of the american people. and we all know about the pa lets of cash given to iran and now they could have spent it on their economy, they could have paid down debt, could have done anything. but i would bet the largest state sponsor of terrorism, the country of iran used the bulk of that money to continue funding terrorist oo-- terrorist operations around the globe. the number one recipient of iranian help is hezbollah. let me bring it a little closer to home. in 2012, i authored a bill called counting iran in the western hemisphere act of 2012 signed into law by president obama, directing the state department to actually do an in depth study into the iranian activities in the western hemisphere, specifically south america. limp ey did a halfway wristed report that even the 2014 g.a.o. report only two of the 12 requirements mandated in that law were fully addressed. the obama administration acted in complete disregard to the law . six allegations were partly addressed, four were not addressed at all, meanwhile activity of his boll lat in the western hemisphere continued. there's an area in south america, the triborder region here the borders of argentina, brazil and paraguay come together. some would say it's a lawless area. it's patrolled by -- control bid elements of hezbollah. happened ts of terror airest.tina in buenos the bomb -- in buenos aires. the bofplg the cultural center was the single largest life of life from an act of terror in the western hemisphere in 9/11. believed to be hatched in the triborder region by elements of iran and hezbollah. it was sort of swept under the ug by the argentine government of christina curge for the but there was a -- christina kurchner, but there was an individual, albehr tose nisman, to say, we know what happened, we know iran was involved and he set out to prove it. he compiled massive amounts of data. and the morning before he was scheduled to testify in front of the argentine congress about his findings, implicating the kurchner regime for hiding some of this because they wanted to coddle up to iran they wanted iran's help, they wanted to sell iran nuclear technology, i believe. they wanted iran's help with money. the morning before alberto nisman was going to implicate he kurchner regime for the omnia bombing and hiding the facts from the. people and the world, alberto nisman was assassinated in his apartment even though he had multiple security personnel guarding him. shot behind the ear. now the kurchner regime tried to say it was suicide. there was no gunpowder on his hands. it has now been proven that it was not suicide, that it was an assassination. possibly by elements of iran as well. i say all that to let the folks listen tonight hear -- here in america and around the world the that iran isn't just in area in the middle east known as persia. they have elements like hezbollah that are operating globally. iran has said they want to wipe the big state and the little state, israel and the united states, off the map. they don't have our best interests at heart. but as a free people here in the united states of america i can tell you we have the best interests of the iranian people at heart. when we stand on this floor and we talk about the uprising, the protests that are going on in iran now that we have the best interest of the iranian people at heart, because we don't stand to benefit in any way from standing for us, standing up for freedom. folks that want self-government. folks that want less oppression. that want some say-so in their livelihood and how their government operates. that's what the iranian people are talking about in these protests. so unfortunately, the obama administration and the state department did not take account of iran and the western hemisphere very seriously. but iran is here. they've opened cultural centers and embassies in latin america. i don't know the number right off but they continue to be more involved here closer to home. no cultural ties, very limited economic ties between iran and latin america. so you have to question yourself why the persians are here. have to be aware, folks. that iran is the largest state sponsor of terror, with hundreds of billions of dollars that we release to them, palette loads of cash -- palate loads of cash that could find their way into terrorist organizations that don't have american's breast -- america's best interest at heart. i want to thank the gentleman from virginia for giving us the opportunity tonight to focus on iran. to focus on its proxy, hezbollah, to focus on primarily the iranian people and their quest for more freedom. i thank you and with that, i yield back. mr. fware rhett: i thank the gentleman from south carolina, mr. duncan. mr. speaker, how much time do we have remaining? the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman has 21 minutes remaining. mr. garrett: thank you, mr. speaker. with that, i yield five minutes to the gentleman from texas, mr. gohmert. mr. gohmert: i thank my friend, mr. garrett, and it is important that we discuss what's been going on in iran. i recall, i was on active duty in the united states army back en president carter stood by and basically encouraged the taking out of the shah of iran. no prince, according to his own conduct, but he made a statement welcoming the ayatollah khomeini back to iran as what he called him, i believe it was a man of peace. he could not have been more wrong. there's been less peace because the ayatollah khomeini took over state government, a national government, and a powerful any time since world war ii. they have been the largest theyor of state terrorism, have, we've been told, probably provided most of the i.e.d.'s that have killed -- killed and maimed americans fighting for freedom in the middle east, especially in iran. they have worked to stir up trouble all over the middle east created massive mayhem and are looking to do ven more and with the $100 billion or more that president obama sent to iran they've been able to make more i.e.d.'s to kill more americans, create more havoc, and store more sent -- sir stir up more sentiment against the united states since sending nstitutional under a treaty that was never ratified was done by the last administration. some want to blame president rump for the problems in iran. that's a bit ridiculous. the problems are the radical islamist leadership in iran. in fact, the same people that would like to blame president trump are some of the same ones that hailed the $100 billion sent under a treaty that was never ratified that would be used to kill innocent people around the world including americans. the people of iran are to be congratulated for saying enough is enough. there's a great article from commentary magazine titled what the iran protests have already chieved. sirab amari said more than a dozen deaths later the regime seems to have suppressed iran's latest mass uprising. scattered protests and skirmishes continue nightwide -- nationwide according to citizen journalists who braving violence continue to post on social media. but for now the demonstrations don't seem to be growing in numbers and frequency. yet outside observers should recall the 1979 islam revolution that toppled the shah began decades earlier. there were lulls through the year which tempted president carter to describe the shah of iran as a a, quote, island of stability in the middle east, unquote. whatever the jut come, the protesters have accomplished a great deal and shattered many myths in the west. let's review their achievements. first the protests showed the people are not rallying to the regime under the press of president trump's hawkish rhetoric. far from being, quote, swept up in a wave of nationalist fervor, unquote, as "the new york times"' thomas erbrink reported a few weeks before the uprising, iranians still detest their corrupt, repressive regime. as my colleague, and this is the author, mr. amai, speaking, as my colleague noah rothman has noted on our podcast, americans have an almost religious conviction that world events revolve around the united states and especially the white house. to be sure, america remains the most important nation on the world stage, yet the average iranian does not wake up in the morning cursing donald trump for trying to undo the nuclear deal. more likely he curses the fact -- the iranian curses the fact that he can't even afford eggs to feed his children and there are more proximate actors who who -- whom he blames for that, namely the mullahs. second, the uprise regular vealed once and for all that iranian president hasan rahani has not -- has been no moderate and that the reformer versus hardliner distinction is meaningless. ever since he came to power, rahani has been the subject of addlation among members of the western -- of adulation among members of the western foreign policy. the media atheached moderate and reformer labels to rahani on the night of his first election in 2013 and refused to remove them even as evidence mounted that he was no such thing. his support for the post-2009 crackdown, his long record of anti-american rhetoric, quote, the beautiful cry of death to america unites our nation, unquote. his decidedly immoderate cabinet. his work overseeing iran's campaign of assassinations targeting dissidents abroad, and much else of the kind. but now iranians themselves are plainly telling the west that rouhani is no moderate. their slogan is, quote, not gaza, not lebanon, my life only for iran, unquote, and, quote, let syria be do something for me, unquote. or a reminder that tehran has continued to underwrite terror and bloodshed across the middle east during the four-plus years of rouhani's presidency. the people have also been chanting, quote, reformists, hardliners and the whole game is over, unquote. let's hope the same realization soon dawns in washington and brussels. third, the protesters put the lie to the obama administration's claims about the 2015 nuclear deal. remember when senior obama officials reassured americans that iran would use the sanctions relief under joint comprehensive plan of action to improve the lots of its people. here's how obama treasury secretary jack lou put it in the 2014 address. quote, many americans and many of our closest allies are understandably concerned that iran will use the money it receives as a result of sanctions relief to fund terrorism and support destabilizing proxies throughout the middle east. we share their concerns, and we're committed to maintaining sanctions that address these activities. even after iran takes the steps required to get relief from nuclear sanctions, but it's important to note that the connection between nuclear sanctions relief and iran's other malign activities is complicated. and most of the money iran receives from sanctions relief will not be used to support those activities. i would interject here, he had absolutely 100% no basis for making such ridiculous statements. two months later, calling call, a national security advisor to them, vice president joe biden told the truman center, it's our assessment that the iranians will not spend the vast majority of the money on guns. most of it will go to butter, unquote. i would insert here, he had no basis whatsoever for making such statements. articles said millions of jobless and impoverished iranians now beg to differ. it turns out the regime was happy to spend the jcpoa, the iran treaty that was never ratified, spend those funds on hezbollah, hamas, the yemeni houthis and other nasies even if it meant iranians would -- nasties even if it meant iranians would go hungry. iran remains the world's top state sponsor of terror, according to the united states department. deal opponents warned of this, only to be brushed aside by obama and his media allies. the trump administration now has an opportunity to correct course by walking away from obama's bad deal. the american people are under no obligation to finance iran's terrorist state craft, the mullahs would have no one to blame but themselves. the iranian people defeated but unbowed are sure to have another day. add . speaker, let me just here. god bless president donald j. trump for recognizing the iranian treaty for the horrible al it was and is to peace in our time. he paid for war. he paid for terrorism, and it's time to stop it. i yield back to my friend, mr. garrett. mr. garrett: mr. speaker, i thank the gentleman from texas, my good friend, mr. gohmert, and yield three minutes to the gentleman from california, mr. rohrabacher. mr. rohrabacher: it's my honor to participate in this message to the iranian people tonight and also a message that we will deliver to the american people as well. to those brave souls who are now in the streets to oppose the military dictatorship, the mullah dictatorship that now governs iran, we send you this message. we are with you. we are thinking of you. you are within our vision. we are siding with you against tyranny. do not think you are alone. the american people, our hearts and our souls are with you, and, yes, we are proud of our president for making sure the world knows that we are officially on the side of those people who are struggling in the streets of tehran as we speak to make sure that that mullah dictatorship is overthrown and replaced by a democratic government. these people have a right to a democratic government. just as the same as anyone else. we talked about it in our declaration of independence when we talked about rights to every individual and that government only has those powers that are granted to it by the consent of the governed. yes, we had our own revolution. remember, the french helped us in that revolution. the french helped us win our freedom. we owe that to people who have helped us win our freedom to side with those people who are struggling in iran today and against other radical islamic dictatorships today to help them create a more democratic society. in fact, as i look around in this hall tonight, i see that there are only two pictures on the floor of the house. one is george washington. marquis de lafayette. this samantha came to us 50 years after our revolution and was the ultimate american hero for helping us win our freedom. are there tears in his eyes tonight? no. there are tears in the picture of lafayette when we sided with the mullah regime during the last administration, when we actually cut a deal with the mullahs keeping them in power, not giving any support to those struggling for democracy in order to get them and to give them a billion dollars to get them to go along and sign up for a bogus arms treaty. now, this president of the united states today has left those policies behind. we are proud of this president for what he is doing and we send the message to the american people. we will stand for freedom and we will be safe. if we cowher and don't support those -- if we woer and don't support those wanting freedom, -- people of iran, we are with you just as the french were with us when we won our freedom. we will make this a better world. we will make it a safer world for all people who believe in any type of democratic open government. the mullah regime must be overthrown by its own people and we must be true to those patriots who established in our own country by supporting those who are struggling for freedom in iran. i thank you and i yield -- i reserve the balance of my time. mr. garrett: thank you to my colleague from california, mr. rohrabacher. mr. speaker, i'll conclude. if we were to spend five minutes on each of the individuals murdered by the iranian regime since that took power some 39 years ago, we would be here 24/7 for over a year. if we were to name each country and spend one day where iran and their proxies such as hezbollah have taken human life, we would literally be here for months one day per country. mr. yoho articulated basic concepts of life, that people are endowed by their creator with fundamental rights to include the right to life, the right to freedom and the right to pursue happiness. r. duncan and mr. rothfus, mr. rohrabacher spoke to the jcpoa and the circumstances surrounding it, how our nation turned its back on the multibillion dollar criminal enterprise wholly subsidized by making is hezbollah, a bad deal, ignoring the trafficking of deadly narcotics throughout the world and indeed in our own country to get a worse deal. i stand with my colleagues who renounced the jcpoa. i point out as my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, the broad bipartisan opposition to the jcpoa, the joint comprehensive plan of action, which i have referred to repeatedly and only somewhat jokingly the joint comprehensive piece of something, the jcpos. the best way to get it to go away is to empower the people of iran to empower themselves. that's why i want to thank my colleagues for standing with me here today to speak loudly. clearly, mr. speaker, it is my hope that people watching at home will take to social media where the youth of iran have fomented this revolution, that ashtag such as freeiran, and #freeiranprotest, will pick up steam, that the world will communicate with those who risk eir very lives to have granted life, liberty and pursuit of happiness by showing we support them. mr. speaker, i would point out that mr. gohmert so ar particularally spoke -- articulately spoke to rouhani westerner.ning he represents the mullahs. it's suggest that mr. gorg was a moderate nazi. there is nothing moderate about the leadership of this regime. so with this i conclude. americans have been killed by iran or its proxies in this country, in lebanon, in -- in iraq and kenya and tanzania. people have given their lives at the hands of iran in australia, argentina, syria, israel, germany, malaysia, afghanistan, saudi arabia. it's time for this to end. enough is end. all that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do n.g.o. this time we will -- men to do nothing. this time we will not stand idly by. enough is enough. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from virginia yields back. under the speaker's announced policy of january 3, 2017, the gentleman from california, mr. garamendi, is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader. mr. speaker, thank you for the opportunity to talk about a couple of issues here on the floor of the house. i really have two things i want to talk about today. one is the incredible tax bill that was passed by the congress and signed by the president just before christmas. a tax bill that has profound effects on the american economy, most of them negative and bad. but also a tax -- i'll use the word scam that will really -- if you happen to be superwealthy it's terrific. i guess, mr. speaker, the president, when he went to his christmas party at mira lago spoke to his guests, most of whom i expect were rather wealthy said, i just made you a whole lot richer and indeed he did. i will talk about that in detail. i will talk about the ongoing mueller investigation. on the floor of the house from time to time many of my colleagues from the republican side come here to the floor or cable television and attack mueller, attack the f.b.i., and anybody else that happens to be standing nearby in an effort to discredit the special counsel's investigation of what happened in the 2016 presidential election. it seems to me that here in america since the very first days of our constitutional government, we have always said that we are a country of laws and that laws dictate what we do. we're not