George Holding: “Suffice it to say, there is no shortage of challenges across the globe, all of which test our Nation's foreign policy…”

“Suffice it to say, there is no shortage of challenges across the globe, all of which test our Nation's foreign policy and resolve and pose a threat to our national security. Lately, the world's attention has been focused on a myriad of issues that rightly deserve our attention: Russia's blatant violation of Ukraine's sovereignty, their continued meddling in the internal politics of our Eastern European allies, China's continued rhetoric and aggression in the East and South China Seas, the struggle for democracy in Venezuela, and the tragic events that continue to unfold in Nigeria and Syria, among other things. Establishing a coherent foreign policy and ensuring our national security require the United States to maintain a fixed leadership role in all of these challenges that we face. Mr. Speaker, while these and a host of other pressing issues test the United States and our friends around the globe, I am concerned that we have let what I consider to be the greatest threat to our national security fall out of the center of the discussion. That, of course, Mr. Speaker, is the ongoing nuclear negotiations with Iran. The success or failure of these talks will undoubtedly have a far- reaching impact on the safety and security of the Middle East and the international effort to prevent further nuclear proliferation. The ramifications can never be overstated. Mr.…”