Paul Cook

Yes, we have already been pretty public in stating that, for offshore drilling, we believe very firmly the moratorium should be in place.

We have to store carbon.

Reducing the supply of reliable forms of energy would leave entire regions of the country facing energy poverty.

This Committee would do well to focus on innovative solutions to address pollution, promote jobs, and opportunity for Native Americans and Alaska Natives, and lower, not raise, the cost of energy in tribal communities.

These sorts of proposals would devastate tribal communities that have built their economies around oil, gas, and, in some cases, coal resources.

Eliminating or sharply curtailing the ability of tribes to carry out resource extraction and development on tribal lands would be the wrong approach.

Access to natural resources can be a lifeline to prosperity and opportunity for Native communities.

China and Russia continue bankrolling Venezuela's failed economy and Cuban intelligence agents have enabled Nicolas Maduro to suppress the opposition and illegitimately cling to power.

The situation in Venezuela worsens every day with hyperinflation projected to reach an unimaginable 1 million percent by the end of the year.

The Trump administration has continued U.S. support for democracy and human rights in Cuba...

Cuba maintains close relations with Russia and China, providing these actors with influenced platforms to form an anti-American agenda.

Martha Sanchez from Ladies in White was sentenced to 4 years in prison for peacefully protesting against the regime.

We meet now to consider House Resolution 981 to publicly condemn the Ortega regime's violent oppression and human rights violations against the Nicaraguan people.

I think it is incumbent upon all sectors of the U.S. Government to really advocate on why our partnership is much more important to a lot of these countries than some of the partnerships that they have sought.

This is the first time in recent history that we are able to advance a resolution that condemns the government and that doesn't recognize the elections, the sham elections that just took place in Venezuela.

The U.S. stands in support and solidarity with you and the Nicaraguan people who are seeking to reclaim their freedoms.

For too long, Daniel Ortega has ruled Nicaragua through fear and intimidation, undermined democracy, and enriched himself through systemic corruption.

Perception is reality.

I think we need to invest, Mr. Chairman, more in the future of Latin America and come back to ensure that we continue to be their main partner.

There's this feeling of a lot of the countries in the Western Hemisphere that we, as a longstanding partner, have kind of overlooked, ignored our allies.

Transnational criminal organizations operating in the Western Hemisphere countries bear some responsibility for these deaths.

Our country is facing the worst opioid epidemic in our history.

Do you have any suggestions on how we can gently pressure our allies to meet their commitments on this?

I made this comment when I first took over this committee that we've kind of ignored the region for a variety of reasons, and it shows.

Our bill mandates a strategy from our agency, USAID, to provide humanitarian aid to the people of Venezuela.