Chris Smith: “I thank the gentleman for yielding. I thank him and Eliot Engel for sponsoring this important bill. This bill brings…”

“I thank the gentleman for yielding. I thank him and Eliot Engel for sponsoring this important bill. This bill brings together a critical arsenal of stiff and timely sanctions against Iran, Russia, and North Korea. The administration was absolutely right in early February to put Iran on notice regarding its continued testing of ballistic missiles. This bill underscores that warning by imposing expanded sanctions against Iran's missile program, demonstrating that the United States will not sit idly by as Iran augments its ability to militarily blackmail the United States, Israel, and our allies. It also, as the world's largest sponsor of terrorism, imposes terror sanctions on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. It very importantly, as well, authorizes the imposition of sanctions on individuals responsible for Iran's human rights abuses. The State Department suggests there are as many as 800 political prisoners in Iran alone. It also reminds us and draws attention to Iran's despicable practice of arresting American citizens to use them as bargaining chips. On Russia, Mr. Speaker, the Putin government's invasion of Ukraine and annexation of Crimea; indiscriminate bombing in Syria; and threatening behavior toward our NATO allies, above all, in the Baltics makes it--important in respects--the worst actor in the global stage today. Putin's government has passed from threats to aggressive actions against our friends, allies, and innocent people abroad.…”