On the recordSeptember 11, 2015
What a weighty responsibility to stand on this floor on September 11. For those of us who were here in this body on that day, there is no more solemn responsibility than the national security of this Nation. For that reason, I am gratified to my ranking member for being able to serve with him through those very difficult times and to be one of the original members of the new Homeland Security Committee. I have stayed on both of those committees, who hold in their hands the constitutional privileges and rights, but, also, the national security. So I rise today with a heavy burden to speak to this very difficult decision. So I start by saying I stand here as a mother, and I will choose to speak to that child in Israel and the child in urban and rural America and the children around the world. I would ask my colleagues the question: What is our burden and responsibility to those children, that, if we have an opportunity not for peace, but an opportunity to stop a potential nuclear rogue, would we not take that opportunity or would we find all kinds of obstacles? I rise in opposition to the underlying bill, and I rise today in support of this Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. I thank the President and Secretary Kerry, but I thank, more importantly, Republicans and Democrats and Independents. I thank the negotiators. Mr. Speaker, what we have is the statement and the agreement signed by Iran that it will never, never become a nuclear power.…
