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[Pages S36-S37]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
S. 1
Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, today the Senate will vote to begin
consideration of legislation that will address some of the seemingly
never-ending challenges the world--including the United States--is
facing in the Middle East.
The decision made at the beginning of the 20th century by then First
Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill, to convert British ships from
coal to oil for fuel changed world history by making access to Middle
East oil reserves a national security imperative for all developed
nations.
More recently, on 9/11 of 2001, when nearly 3,000 Americans lost
their lives in a terrorist attack directed from Afghanistan on New
York's World Trade Center and the Pentagon, we learned a hard lesson:
Although separated by an ocean, what happens in the region does not
stay in the region.
Finally, with the proliferation of nuclear weapons and the nuclear
aspirations of Iran--the No. 1 state sponsor of terrorism in the
world--to attain them, the relative stability and security of the
Middle East have a direct connection to our national security, as well
as that of our allies, like Israel.
With the administration's recent announcement that the United States
will begin withdrawing troops from Syria, this debate and these votes
could not be more timely.
While I am comforted by National Security Advisor John Brennan's
recent statement that the withdrawal from Syria will be conditions-
based, the precise details of how and when it will be executed remain
to be seen. One thing, however, is perfectly clear: We cannot allow the
creation of a power vacuum in the Middle East to bolster our
adversaries' influence in the region. That is precisely what this
legislation addresses. The Strengthening America's Security in the
Middle East Act incorporates four bipartisan, noncontroversial bills
that were nearly enacted last year, but the clock on the 115th Congress
ran out on December 31. As we begin what I hope will be another
productive year in the Senate, I am glad we will have a chance to vote
on this legislation.
Our national interests demand that we fully support and ensure the
security of Israel--our closest ally in the region. As the majority
leader said last week, this bill affirms that the United States needs
to do more than just talk the talk; we must also walk the walk to
support Israel's security.
This legislation will help Israel maintain its qualitative military
edge against ongoing threats by authorizing military assistance and
allowing the transfer of equipment and defensive weapons. Importantly,
it will also assist Israel in countering the emerging threat of
unmanned aerial vehicles deployed by Iran, in particular.
In addition to supporting Israel, it will empower State and local
governments in the United States to counter the anti-Israel boycott,
divestment, and sanctions movement--better known as BDS--and its
discriminatory economic warfare against the Jewish state.
In addition to nurturing our relationship with Israel, the bill also
recognizes the importance of supporting Jordan--another key regional
ally. It reauthorizes legislation to strengthen our defense cooperation
and support Jordan's response to the overwhelming humanitarian crisis
caused by the Syrian civil war. According to the United Nations, there
are more than 740,000 refugees in Jordan. That equates to 89 refugees
per 1,000 inhabitants, making them the second highest refugee host
nation per capita in the world.
[[Page S37]]
The impact of the crisis in Syria is immense and potentially
destabilizing and requires our support to maintain the peace.
Finally, this bill takes critical steps to address the ongoing war
and humanitarian crisis in Syria by providing aid to impacted
communities and condemns the heinous human rights violations committed
by the murderous Assad regime.
Until this horrendous conflict is resolved, new sanctions will be
imposed on anyone who supports Syria either financially or militarily.
It is true that this bill will not solve all the problems in the
Middle East. It will not, for example, provide justice to innocent
civilians killed by the Assad regime. It will not rebuild the
communities treated as collateral damage throughout this crisis. But it
is a step to ensure our allies are prepared to fight for and defend our
shared national security interests.
Senate Democrats have indicated, unfortunately, that they are likely
to block this legislation from coming to the floor, as their
discussions with the President on border security remain at an impasse.
Leader McConnell, though, has made it clear that the Senate will not
waste time holding show votes on legislation that the President will
not sign, so we continue to wait for Speaker Pelosi and Minority Leader
Schumer to take serious, credible action to break that impasse. Until
that time, there is a lot of work we can and should do, such as
debating and voting on this legislation, which will protect our
national security interests in the Middle East.
Twenty-five percent of our government has already been shut down
because of this impasse. I urge our Democratic colleagues in the Senate
not to shut down the work of the Senate too.
I want to thank the majority leader for scheduling this important
debate and vote, and I look forward to voting yes when the time comes.
____________________
