Ted Poe: “I thank Mr. Schneider for bringing this amendment. I am glad to be a cosponsor of the amendment. Mr. Chair, the Iranians…”

“I thank Mr. Schneider for bringing this amendment. I am glad to be a cosponsor of the amendment. Mr. Chair, the Iranians are a serious threat to the world, to international security. Iran's foreign policy is very clear. The Ayatollah has said it numerous times and continues to say that the foreign policy of Iran is: First, destroy Israel; second, destroy the United States. They have never wavered on this goal, and they are doing everything they can militarily to eventually try to reach those two goals. But the greatest victims of the mullah's regime in Tehran are the people of Iran. They have been held hostage by the Supreme Leader who obviously cares more about ballistic missiles and international terrorism than taking care of the livelihood of the people who live under this regime. The regime has become a notorious international leader in suppression, execution, torture, and inhumanity. The world knows about what is taking place in Iran, and the good people of Iran have no political space for expression or dissent. If they decide to dissent from the actions of the Ayatollah, well, it is off to jail or they are hung in the public square. We saw what the regime did to the protesters of the Green Movement in 2009. Despite what some people still try to say, the current government is not seeking any sort of moderation. Over 3,000 executions have taken place under the regime's so-called President Rouhani.…”