Mike McCaul

In addition to being a documented war criminal, Bashar al-Assad in Syria has become a transnational drug kingpin...

I just want to mention how much I appreciate your passion and tenacity on this critically important issue.

We always said there is a special place in hell for people like that, especially in prison.

There is nothing better than when you pass a bill and you know you are going to save lives.

Human trafficking and modern day slavery is a horrific crime whose continued existence should be a shock to the conscience of our society.

I want to again thank Representative Chris Smith for his work on this bill.

I strongly support this bipartisan measure that is led by Representative Smith, who has worked on this tirelessly.

This legislation, which it took 8 years to pass, it passed the House three times.

Is there any discussion on the bill?

A roll call vote has been requested.

I support this resolution very strongly, and I appreciate Ms. Wild for bringing this forward.

It was one of the saddest things to see these girls who had been in these camps.

I, too, was on that trip and have seen all those children fleeing Ukraine.

I believe it is an act of genocide, Mr. Chairman. Only a butcher attacks families and children.

If we're going to stand up against authoritarianism, if we're going to send a message not only to the Balkans, but to all of the aspiring nations of the former Soviet Union, especially right now including Ukraine, the best thing we could…

When the bad actors are begging us to stop, you know the sanctions are working and that maximum pressure will produce changes in behavior.

As guarantor of the Dayton Peace Agreement that ended the horrific Bosnian war, the United States must deter these destabilizing and anti-democratic actors.

This is morally correct, fiscally responsible, and strategically sound.

This legislation would force the Administration's hand to accomplish this.

Let me be clear. Russia should never again have access to these assets.

This war is solely war criminal Putin's responsibility, solely the responsibility of the regime in Tehran and he should be footing the bill for the rebuilding of what has been destroyed in Ukraine.

Transferring Russian sovereign assets is not just the morally and strategically right thing to do, it is also the fiscally responsible thing to do on behalf of our constituents.

To be clear, the war crimes and genocide committed by Russia cannot be reversed by money alone.

It is time that Russia starts paying for the war that it started.

If Putin were to succeed in Ukraine, it would only embolden our adversaries and undermine our national security interests.