On the recordDecember 16, 2015
In these trying times, Congress needs to provide leadership and answer the question: What really keeps Americans safe? ISIS has directed U.S. and Western passport holders to launch attacks at home and abroad, and this threat requires our vigilance. But it is foolish to think we can effectively combat this terrorism blindly. Congress needs an accurate estimation of the number of foreign fighters who have traveled to terrorist havens like Syria. We need to know how many U.S. citizens are currently there, and we need to know the whereabouts of those who have left. Given that many of the terrorist attackers were European nationals, the need for this intelligence is crucial in the fight against ISIS and those who wish to harm the U.S. The Tracking Foreign Fighters in Terrorist Safe Havens Act provides for a more clear understanding of the real threats to U.S. security and allows Congress to work in partnership with our national security agencies to defend against these threats. I am happy to support this commonsense step to keep Americans safe. Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers on this side, so I reserve the balance of my time.
