Ted Budd: “I thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Garrett) for organizing this in support of those protesters in Iran. It is the…”

“I thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Garrett) for organizing this in support of those protesters in Iran. It is the ongoing protests that started late last month in Iran that are significant not just for their people, but also for the world. While these protests started because of a dire economic situation in Iran, with upwards of 40 percent of its youth unemployed, it has grown to be a nationwide movement that is about much more than just the economy. Over the past couple of weeks, we have seen the Iranian people flood the streets in favor of fundamental freedoms, economic opportunity, and a government that represents their interests, not Hezbollah's. There are even reports of people chanting, ``We don't want an Islamic Republic,'' or, ``We will die, but we will take Iran back.'' This has been a long time coming. A State Department report in 2016 found that Iran is the top state sponsor of terrorism in the whole world. Whether it is providing financial support to Hezbollah or providing arms to Islamic rebel groups in Yemen, the Iranian Government's priorities are obviously more focused on wreaking international havoc than they are on addressing the pressing issues within their own country. And while we are talking about issues with Iran, the protesters are pleading for fundamental freedoms. For example, married women aren't even allowed to travel outside the country without permission from their husbands.…”