Political Quotes

“I thank Chairman Nadler for offering me this minute and a half, and I thank him for his leadership for bringing this bill to the floor. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the ALLIES Act. This bill will save lives and protect our allies. It will also honor our commitment to the region. Thousands of Afghans have served as interpreters, drivers, and guides to assist U.S. troops. Their service and commitment have been consistent over the 20 years that now marks the longest U.S. war in history. The Afghan Special Immigrant Visa, or SIVs, allows people who worked for or on behalf of the United States Government to seek lawful permanent residence in the United States. But as we prepare to remove our troops, the Taliban continues to target our friends. The ALLIES Act of 2021 provides for an additional 8,000 SIVs to accommodate everyone who currently could be an eligible candidate in the pipeline. We have an opportunity and a moral obligation to save the lives of those who served us. As we draw down our military presence in Afghanistan, many who served alongside our troops continue to face increased threats because of their service to us. We must do the right thing by our brave allies. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Crow for his service and his leadership on this bill, and I urge all of my colleagues to support the bill. Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Dunn).”