I am frustrated by the lack of progress on this issue at the State Department, and I hope they will work with us to ensure that this bill becomes law.

If we do not focus on all of these areas, we run the real risk of seeing authoritarian regimes like Russia and China playing a bigger role in determining the way the international community handles these issues.

Cyberspace is an increasingly critical part of foreign policy and we desperately need to update our government agencies to reflect that reality.

This bill continues our fight against the scourge of human trafficking, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting it.

Failure to stand up to Putin's illegal annexation of Crimea sets a dangerous and irrevocable precedent.

Time for others to step up and do the job that they are so capable of doing.

Mr. Speaker, about 6 weeks ago, when the rumors began that the President might declare a national emergency to build his border wall, my staff and I began working with legislative counsel to make sure that Congress would have a say in what…

It is not for us to choose the next President of Venezuela. It is for Venezuelans.

The role of the United States is to promote democracy, freedom, and human rights around the world. The role of the United States is not to handpick the next leader of Venezuela.

I believe that it gives license to countries like China and Russia to further engage with Venezuela.

I have in the past supported sanctions against the Maduro regime because, as Mr. Meeks mentioned, I do believe in many ways that Mr. Maduro has oppressed his people.