David Cicilline

I want to start by saying how disappointed I am that it's taken 10 weeks and I still don't have a hearing.

I requested a classified member-level briefing from your offices on the situation on February 6th. That was 10 weeks ago.

Because I am hearing a lot of concern from the Kurdish community that they feel that the U.S. has abandoned them after they played such an important role in the fight against ISIS.

Like many of my colleagues, I am extremely concerned about the implications of Turkish incursions into Syria, particularly Afrin.

The U.N.-appointed Envoy to Libya, Ghassan Salame, plans to amend the 2015 political agreement establishing the current government, hold a national conference, call a referendum on the constitution, and hold elections this year.

I want to take a moment in my opening to recognize and remember the men who were killed in the attack on our consulate in Libya in 2002.

Libya has been a difficult challenge for the United States and our allies since the fall of Muammar al-Qaddafi.

It is far easier to topple a government than to rebuild a new one.

I am also pleased to support H.R. 5274, the Global Electoral Exchange Act, introduced by my friend and colleague, Congressman Castro.

I am also pleased to support H.R. 5480, the Women's Entrepreneurship and Economic Empowerment Act.

I am pleased to support H.R. 5129, the Global Food Security Reauthorization Act, which will extend Feed the Future until 2021.

It would slash Social Security by $308 billion, Medicare by $239 billion, and Medicaid by $114 billion in 1 year alone. Mr. Speaker, if Republicans are truly concerned about reducing the deficit, they should start with repealing their tax…

The loss of trade preference would be automatic and not dependent of the administration choosing to apply sanctions.

We must do better by our children. We must not leave any abducted child behind.

No child should be left behind.

If President Trump is able to look at Kim Jong-un straight in the eye and tells him in public, Mr. Kim, tear down the walls of your horrific gulags...

No diplomacy after a summit and a summit without adequate preparation has a greater chance of failure.

I agree with you that we cannot allow the Security Council to pass a resolution withdrawing sanctions.

This is, as some of my colleagues have already referenced, a huge crisis. It's a genocide.

No country is a representative democracy if it isn't listening to all of its people...

I would very much appreciate that detailed briefing on this. I am attempting to raise this in every venue that I can.

I am really concerned about the situation. I am attempting to get a briefing by the State Department...

I hope if you're not you will continue to scream loudly.

I see your role as not only executing a budget but being a forceful and passionate and effective voice for development and humanitarian assistance.

It's really sad that it has come to this state of affairs.