This meeting will come to order. Without objection, you will have five days to submit statements of material and questions to director subject in the rules. It will begin this missus secretary, thank you for meeting with us this morning. Weeks ago, we invited you to testify about american policy towards iran and iraq abusive force. Knowing that soleimani was in danger this terrorist is important that we look at Foreign Policy in terms of whether makes american safer advances our interests. Weeks later we seen attacks and more than a hundred servicemembers and thousands more personnel back to the region. In development of our relationship with the reckon the fight against isis. And run again, pushing towards a Nuclear Weapon and you promised the American People that they would be safer and iran, would be detoured. So my wrong metrics of this policy has been a failure. Mr. Secretary shouldnt have been so difficult to get you here in your parents here today, is far too short and all we had to wait for you, the world is a way for anyone and now we face another potential crisis, coronavirus. Imagine you will hear some questions about that this morning as well. Dozens of other issues, we would like to ask you about including the savini this committee issued in september the youve ignored. See you again here for the budget hearing. I would appreciate if you renew your commitment to appear for that hearing when i recognize you for an opening statement. Im going to forgo any additional openings in the hopes of getting to as many members as possible this morning. I will yield to our ranking member. Thank you mr. Chairman. Mr. Sec. , thank you for being here in your for your service to talk about iran and iraq as we grew she was a committee and more portly thank you the president for taking decisive actions to protect americans overseas. The President Trump had not made the Bold Decision to strike Qasem Soleimani, we might be having a different hearing, he did not stop the deaths of more americans. Striking Qasem Soleimani, was a right decision in the world safer for it. He organized and escalated series of attacks against our forces in iraq. And killed an american, he also directed an attack on the embassy in baghdad. Further chairman and joint chiefs of staff, said the administration would have been negligent, had they not acted and taken out Qasem Soleimani. When the blood of hundreds of americans and american soldiers, on his hands. I fully agree with you in the general that the strike was necessary and well within the president s of authorities. Under article two. The president acted with tremendous restraint over the past year, as we saw in the white house. Continually making the choices that to deescalate even as ron launched the attacks on international commerce, saudi, oil assets, and the United States grown. Some people cant grasp within this strike was justified illegal and indeed we are safer because of it. And now the senate has a preemptive war powers resolution that the house boat on in the coming weeks to direct the United States, hostilities against iran. I believe this is based on a false premise. Some mr. Secretary, my questions will be tested this, we engage in activehostilities against iran and as you know better than anyone, we need to show unity, not division and the congress as americans. Overseas and especially the middle east. So what can congress do to support your efforts to curb Iran Destabilizing activities. Hope forward to your answers and testimony and with that i yield back. Thank you and a witness this morning, his secretary of state, mike pompeo, who is served in the study for many. And without objection, your complaint testimony will be included in the records. I will ask you to please summarize your statement environments. And because of years of titan time, im going to have to be very quick with the gavel. So i now recognize you for five minutes. Mike thank you. I will do this in less than five minutes. I do have a statement that i will submit for the record. Im back from a trip where i traveled to saudi arabia, central topic of each of those discussions is what we are talking about here today. The threat of iran. His number one terror. In the World Largest state sponsor of insights his syllogism, wanting to wipe israel off of the face of the earth. Responsive for the death of death in the rock including American Contractor who was killed on december 27th of 2019. His forces, irans forces, prop up and undermine democracy i in lebanon and iraq and still things in human. And they launched hundreds of missiles and armed drones in saudi arabia were 80000 americans live. Since the start of the conflict pretty hours after i visited our troops, under roy 20, iran forces, launched the fort port city. And they are responsible to for the airliner in january. One hundred sunday six people killed. In the regime lied about the tragedy and they are still not turned over the black box. Iranian regime soldered at least hundred or so people. With as many as 1500 people during the protest. Many more have suffered since this began 40 years ago. Iranians and those impacted by the regime are thankful that the United States is finally holding their oppressors accountable. The Trump Administration will new therapies are more tolerate the threat that iran poses to the United States and her friends or allies. Our Pressure Campaign is aimed at risk reducing the threats in convincing iran to change its behavior. It is been one minute specifically addressing the strike, the commander and killing Qasem Soleimani. He was regimes top terrorist. Removing him from the battlefield was in the escalatory measure. His death reduce the risk to our personnel overseas. Among diplomats, and our military and a clear that we are willing and able to impose our adversaries if they threaten or attack us. I know that sadly some american troops were injured during the missile attack on outside for air force to. The leadership is not eager to escalate the military confrontation. They know if we fight, they will lose and that is deterrence our policy. In such as military deterrence, the jc po a as the murderous campaigns of the civilizations, we have reversed that appeasement. And apprise the regime of at least 50 billion in revenue. Diplomatically we rallied allies and partners to been, career of weaponry around the middle east. In columbia, honduras, United Kingdom and declared blocking terrorist organizations in all aspects. That is real American Leadership to confront a run, who sustain a pressure, we will contain the to protect the American People and American Interest by any means necessary. We will work with our allies and partners for more stable and secure middle east. Thank you and i look forward to your questions. Thank you. Ill recognize myself for five minutes and i yield. Mr. Pompeo, im concerned that the so called maximum Pressure Campaign against iran does not achieve what you promised it would. It says january 2nd, there have been for iranian attacks on american personnel. We had to of deployed 6000 additional troops and iran is once again on the path towards Nuclear Weapons in the American People have heard conflicting information from you and other people in the administration. Then about the details of its impact for the Qasem Soleimani attack. But from the dishonesty on this and many other issues, we lost trust in our government. And now a Serious Health crisis in the form of the coronavirus. Unfortunately with also heard from conflicting information on this as well. We know that this is a threat that does not respect borders. An infectious victims indiscriminately and is starting to show up in our own communities. We know have different escalation, who is response will for mentioning the response to potential spread of this virus. Six of sicily managing global aspects of this crisis will require American Leadership. So can you tell us exactly what your role is in this response. Mike is that the question. What is your set of responsibilities as secretary of state. Mike we agreed that i would come here today to talk about iran. In the first question today is not about iran. We learned that there has been an outbreak intro 12. Havent you or any other seniorlevel american officials been in touch with anyone inside the iranian government to cordate on this responsive to the virus and mitigate the further spread of the virus. Mike we have made offers for a run to help and we made clear to others are of the world, that assisted the humanitarian assistant to push back against the coronavirus in a run. It is of the United States of america fully supports and we will continue to support that. For every nation. Will bring our diplomatic power to deliver technical medical assistance wherever we can. So i am worried because of this administration three year history of blatant disregard of the facts, the American People dont know who to trust. Because of the policy that you have done pretty for of isolated within the global committee. To deal with Global Health epidemic in the aggressive military focused Foreign Policy that this administration has not achieved any articulated goals by the American People suffer. American leadership around the world is paramount to keeping america safe and i am concerned today about this ministrations ability to do so. And with that i yield back. Thank you mr. Chairman. The secretary, i am a doctor, and was a week that of the my formal colic, and the university of california is treating the first possible case of coronavirus. My hometown and county in sacramento has been reminded that the disease has no borders. So following my colic, im deeply alarmed by our approach to iran impact of the coronavirus. Do you share data about new diseases like coronavirus, making the world safer. Mike yes. Summa you believe veteran is after the fight of coronavirus. Yes no. Trent iran. Mike their Healthcare Infrastructure is not too robust pretty their willingness to share information about what is really going on inside the islamic iran, has been robust and im very concerned that iran is not sharing information. I agree with some of that assessment but did not have that infrastructure and i am worried about that and as a doctor i know we were fighting a new disease, time is of the essence. Enemies people in medical supplies at the epicenter pretty because that will help limit the spread before it reaches other countries. It took over a week after the disease was first diagnosed so this demonstration just had dirt dignified, the date would be sick to do. While this administration be issuing a new license for sanctions issues connected with coronavirus. Mike is not accurate. The predicate of your statement. Theres been a continuous avenue for movement of medical and humanitarian inside iranian republican have not been sanctioned anytime. Before the event of the coronavirus and concurrently. Lets just make sure we do everything to actually stop and assist. Isolation has made it less transparent and as a result, coronavirus is flourishing in that country. It is not making america safer. And with that i yield back. Thank you. Mr. Secretary, the senate as i mentioned, war powers resolution the house will bone on in the coming weeks direct donate United States to cease hostilities against iran. And again i believe this is based on the false premise that my question is very simple. Nancy was. Are we engaged in active hostility. Against and iran. Mike pompeo we are not. Is to deter and defend americas interest. With signal Business Division in the congressman to the largest statesponsored terror of iran. Mike pompeo a former member, i always have a high tolerance for people expressing their views, the views of their constituents. So members of congress have a responsibility to do that. Having said that, that is the case and around the world, leaders observed when there is not a consistent view across all of the United States government and americans policies are best effectuated when theres a consensus that emerges around the markets Foreign Policy and i would encourage everyone to stay on board with the them administration is doing and urge them come to consensus and assist us in delivering the change of the regimes behavior that i think everybody in this room today understands both necessary and in americas best interest. Statement of all four article one constitutional authorities and i do believe the president and the authorities under article two, as of defense in addition he is a designated foreign terrorist out in the obama administration. We ask this. The washington post, recently reported the forces and significantly deterred from retaliating against the United States. Since the death of Qasem Soleimani. Can you tell us how iran change since the United States took out Qasem Soleimani. Mike pompeo that is probably a classified setting. But i can say that unclassified sitting, then recognize the seriousness this which americans acted to take the strike against Qasem Soleimani. And i think i appreciate the seriousness in which President Trump in the ministration are taking, our obligation to defend america and our partners. And clearly demonstrated are preferable preparedness to continue to deter irans behavior and i think they are taking that seriously. Last question. Do you believe in terms of a threats in the future, depending, not talking about timescale that Qasem Soleimani was planning to kill more americans. Possibly in wreck. Mike pompeo 100 percent. Mike pompeo and in a very short timeframe. He was actively plotting to kill americans in the region. It. So anyway, the president has done nothing, then ordinary americans had been killed in a 1979 hostage situation, the president would be like that wouldnt eat. If he did nothing. Mike pompeo it was my judgment that this reduced risk to america to take the strike. I think the team are presented that to the president and he made a final decision that that was right and it would reduce risk. Other than shortterm, and the medium term and in the longterm to American Interest. So the American People, but most importantly our diplomats and soldiers in the region are certainly safer because of that decision. We do not agree with that. Mike pompeo undoubtedly predict. I want to close with, we have been in the white house with these discussions, the president was very clear, i do not want to go to work with a run. He said that repeatedly. I still think he believes that. I saw tremendous restraint when we are looking at how to respond to the drone. That was shot down by the iranians. In the u. S. Military asset when 50 percent of saudi refinery capabilities taken out. And then finally when the Center American embassy, that was not some brushfire, is bombed out. The picture in the house for pretty serious attack on her american embassy, that cannot go without a response. I think the president was very restraint, time and time again, but i think across the redline, when they attacked our embassy, kill the contractor and wounded three soldiers in addition to the hundreds of americans hold soldiers that Qasem Soleimani killed and one was right in front of me. He does not have his legs anymore. Because of Qasem Soleimani. The biggest terrorist in the middle east since van lawton, and the world is much safer a belief without him. And with that, i yield back. Thank you mr. Chairman. So every time you testified. I cant help but to think of those days when you are on this side. I can remember vividly, your thundering away that secretary clinton, and you know what, she showed up voluntarily. He sat there for 11 hours. So with you sir, we had to move heaven and earth to get you here today for just two hours. To me that shows disregard for the oversight responsibility of the United States congress. It is clear, the Trump Administration assistant to iran are reckless, and impulsive. Even after iran emerged as a hotspot of the coronavirus outbreak on the verge of being a pandemic, you can only commit to two hours today. After the Qasem Soleimani strike, the iraqi pastor resolution, calling for u. S. Troops to be kicked out of iraq. Which is exactly what Qasem Soleimani wanted to do for 20 years. Pushing the u. S. Direct relationship to break and the middle east into chaos. It does not benefit the United States of america. It so these are legally and strategically questionable continue to pile up in this in ministration and yet the ministration refuses to provide clear and honest answers. These include, pulling out of the jcp oh eight, no strategy. Abandoning the cards, no strategy. The strate