Also rejected was an amendment by California Republican Ed Royce declaring that Eritrean support for insurgents in Somalia poses a direct threat to U.S. national security, and calling for Eritrea to be designated a State Sponsor of Terrorism.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 522, the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce) and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
Mr. ROYCE. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Chairman, I currently serve as the ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Terrorism. Previously, for 8 years, I served as the chairman of the Africa Subcommittee, so I long have followed the issues surrounding Eritrea and the Horn of Africa.
And this particular amendment calls on the Secretary of State to designate Eritrea as a ``state sponsor of terrorism.'' The Horn of Africa is a combustible mix. You have al Qaeda, you have piracy, a failed state in Somalia, border tensions, and a key instigator of this violence has been the government of Eritrea.
As the amendment indicates, U.N. report after U.N. report cites Eritrea for providing arms and military training to members of the Shabaab, and that's an al Qaeda-linked group that has been designated by the United States as a ``foreign terrorist organization.''
Mr. Chairman, if you take a look at this picture which appeared in a U.N. report, this is the actual Shabaab fighter who shot down a cargo plane with that shoulder-fired missile supplied by Eritrea. And the reason that we know that is the propaganda footage used by this al Qaeda-linked organization in order to try to recruit fighters to their goal. And they showed the footage of the successful attack on the cargo plane.
Now, what if that had been a civilian jetliner? How many lives would have been lost?
Indeed, our FBI is greatly concerned about Somali Americans who have gone missing from American cities. They are worried that they have gone to Somalia and are linking up with these terrorist groups. And it is Eritrea that is providing the weapons, including shoulder-fired missiles that can take out an airliner and that are providing this military training.
The case for adding Eritrea to the state sponsor of terrorism list is compelling. It's even overwhelming. It has been so for some time. The Obama administration's Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Johnny Carson, has noted that ``we have clear evidence that Eritrea is supporting extremists,'' and that ``the government of Eritrea continues to supply weapons and munitions to extremists and terrorist elements.''
And this isn't new. The previous administration took a similar view of the destructive role that Eritrea plays in the horn. Some will say that this is counterproductive or the wrong time. Well, it has been a delicate time in this region for a decade now, and it's gotten a whole lot worse.
[Time: 16:00] It is a complex region. One thing, though, is not complex; this is a clear national security threat.
U.N. reports have noted that over 100 Shabaab terrorists have traveled to Eritrea for their military training at an Eritrean military base and then traveled back. The same U.N. reports have identified Eritrea as a ``principal violator'' of the arms embargo on Somalia and have asserted that these violations ``take place with the knowledge and authorization of senior officials within the Eritrean government.'' Plainly, it is state policy of Eritrea to support international terrorism.
The U.N. Security Council has made similar statements citing Eritrea's destructive role in the horn, and so have many neighboring countries. So it is time that Eritrea should be named a state sponsor of terrorism.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition and rise in strong opposition to the Royce amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from New Jersey is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Chairman, the Royce amendment to the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, H.R. 2410, which would designate Eritrea as a state sponsor of terrorism and call on the United Nations Security Council to impose sanctions against Eritrea, I strongly oppose.
While I certainly respect my esteemed colleague from California, Ed Royce, who served as an excellent chairman on the Subcommittee on Africa for several years, and we worked closely together on many issues, and I have a great deal of respect for him, I must oppose this amendment. This amendment could undermine critical engagements currently going on between the U.S. and Eritrea. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.''
The Royce amendment expresses the sense of Congress that the Secretary of State should designate Eritrea a state sponsor of terrorism and that the U.N. Security Council should impose sanctions against Eritrea. I urge you to vote against this amendment for the following reasons:
First, some of the assertions made in the amendment are factually wrong and dated.
Second, the geopolitical dynamics and interstate rivalries in the Horn of Africa cannot be addressed properly without concerted diplomatic engagement. Declaring Eritrea a state sponsor of terrorism and imposing international sanctions would do nothing to further our diplomatic aims and would impose further hardship on the people who are struggling to survive on a daily basis.
Thirdly, while Mr. Royce's amendment lays out a long list of reasons why he feels Eritrea should be placed on a state sponsor of terrorism list, the proposed amendment does not recognize the diplomatic efforts currently underway by the State Department to address the complex issues surrounding the Horn of Africa. Just last month, Eritrea President Isaias Akwerki sent a letter to President Obama expressing the desire to engage on these issues and is sending a high-level delegation to Washington. Additionally, a senior State Department official is expected to visit Asmara in a few weeks. Moreover, the Somali Government has said they want to engage with Asmara.
Lastly, putting Eritrea on a sanctions list would have limited effect on our effort to try to stabilize the region and build alliances with governments in a wider battle against extremism.
We should urge the administration to take careful note of the issues raised by Representative Royce, and I have written a letter to the President to that effect. The administration is engaging Asmara. We must allow these diplomatic discussions to continue.
In my last trip to Asmara 1 year ago, I met with the President and did indicate changes that would have to be made. The current President of Somalia, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, was in Asmara and went back, and now is trying to lead a government which is fighting against al Shabaab and al
[Page: H6500] GPO's PDFQaeda. And so at this time, I think that this amendment would disrupt sensitive diplomatic issues that are going on. I urge my colleagues to vote against the Royce amendment.
Madam Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. ROYCE. Let me respond that, first of all, I have a great deal of respect for Chairman Payne. We have worked together for years on Africa issues. We worked together on Darfur, Sudan. But this is the very issue of why we disagree here, because all Members should know that it was Eritrea that was the first country to invite Sudan's President, al-Bashir, to visit Eritrea following an arrest warrant for his crimes against humanity in Darfur.
Now, with respect to the issue, I can think of numerous issues and times when Congress has had to push--and we'll take Sudan as an example, since the example I'm giving here is an example in which Eritrea has welcomed al-Bashir at a time when the international community is trying to get him to prevent the crimes that he has committed in Darfur. We have had to push to take more assertive actions. We did that with genocide in Sudan. And in my view, there is nothing wrong now, especially with respect to a state sponsorship of terrorism. I think that the Assistant Secretary of State for Africa's words speak for themselves. Again, this is Secretary Carson before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee last month, in which he said, We have clear evidence that Eritrea is supporting these extremist elements, including credible reports that they continue to supply weapons and munitions to terrorist elements.
I ask for an ``aye'' vote.
The Acting CHAIR (Ms. DeGette). The question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce).
The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes appeared to have it.
Mr. ROYCE. Madam Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from California will be postponed.
Mr. BERMAN. Madam Chairman, I move that the Committee do now rise.
The motion was agreed to.
Accordingly, the Committee rose; and the Speaker pro tempore (Mr. Jackson of Illinois) having assumed the chair, Ms. DeGette, Acting Chair of the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, reported that that Committee, having had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2410) to authorize appropriations for the Department of State and the Peace Corps for fiscal years 2010 and 2011, to modernize the Foreign Service, and for other purposes had come to no resolution thereon.
check the Roll vote bellow
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2009/roll325.xml#N
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Republican Royce or Dick Armey
Also rejected was an amendment by California Republican Ed Royce declaring that Eritrean support for insurgents in Somalia poses a direct threat to U.S. national security, and calling for Eritrea to be designated a State Sponsor of Terrorism.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 522, the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce) and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
Mr. ROYCE. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Chairman, I currently serve as the ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Terrorism. Previously, for 8 years, I served as the chairman of the Africa Subcommittee, so I long have followed the issues surrounding Eritrea and the Horn of Africa.
And this particular amendment calls on the Secretary of State to designate Eritrea as a ``state sponsor of terrorism.'' The Horn of Africa is a combustible mix. You have al Qaeda, you have piracy, a failed state in Somalia, border tensions, and a key instigator of this violence has been the government of Eritrea.
As the amendment indicates, U.N. report after U.N. report cites Eritrea for providing arms and military training to members of the Shabaab, and that's an al Qaeda-linked group that has been designated by the United States as a ``foreign terrorist organization.''
Mr. Chairman, if you take a look at this picture which appeared in a U.N. report, this is the actual Shabaab fighter who shot down a cargo plane with that shoulder-fired missile supplied by Eritrea. And the reason that we know that is the propaganda footage used by this al Qaeda-linked organization in order to try to recruit fighters to their goal. And they showed the footage of the successful attack on the cargo plane.
Now, what if that had been a civilian jetliner? How many lives would have been lost?
Indeed, our FBI is greatly concerned about Somali Americans who have gone missing from American cities. They are worried that they have gone to Somalia and are linking up with these terrorist groups. And it is Eritrea that is providing the weapons, including shoulder-fired missiles that can take out an airliner and that are providing this military training.
The case for adding Eritrea to the state sponsor of terrorism list is compelling. It's even overwhelming. It has been so for some time. The Obama administration's Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Johnny Carson, has noted that ``we have clear evidence that Eritrea is supporting extremists,'' and that ``the government of Eritrea continues to supply weapons and munitions to extremists and terrorist elements.''
And this isn't new. The previous administration took a similar view of the destructive role that Eritrea plays in the horn. Some will say that this is counterproductive or the wrong time. Well, it has been a delicate time in this region for a decade now, and it's gotten a whole lot worse.
[Time: 16:00] It is a complex region. One thing, though, is not complex; this is a clear national security threat.
U.N. reports have noted that over 100 Shabaab terrorists have traveled to Eritrea for their military training at an Eritrean military base and then traveled back. The same U.N. reports have identified Eritrea as a ``principal violator'' of the arms embargo on Somalia and have asserted that these violations ``take place with the knowledge and authorization of senior officials within the Eritrean government.'' Plainly, it is state policy of Eritrea to support international terrorism.
The U.N. Security Council has made similar statements citing Eritrea's destructive role in the horn, and so have many neighboring countries. So it is time that Eritrea should be named a state sponsor of terrorism.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition and rise in strong opposition to the Royce amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from New Jersey is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Chairman, the Royce amendment to the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, H.R. 2410, which would designate Eritrea as a state sponsor of terrorism and call on the United Nations Security Council to impose sanctions against Eritrea, I strongly oppose.
While I certainly respect my esteemed colleague from California, Ed Royce, who served as an excellent chairman on the Subcommittee on Africa for several years, and we worked closely together on many issues, and I have a great deal of respect for him, I must oppose this amendment. This amendment could undermine critical engagements currently going on between the U.S. and Eritrea. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.''
The Royce amendment expresses the sense of Congress that the Secretary of State should designate Eritrea a state sponsor of terrorism and that the U.N. Security Council should impose sanctions against Eritrea. I urge you to vote against this amendment for the following reasons:
First, some of the assertions made in the amendment are factually wrong and dated.
Second, the geopolitical dynamics and interstate rivalries in the Horn of Africa cannot be addressed properly without concerted diplomatic engagement. Declaring Eritrea a state sponsor of terrorism and imposing international sanctions would do nothing to further our diplomatic aims and would impose further hardship on the people who are struggling to survive on a daily basis.
Thirdly, while Mr. Royce's amendment lays out a long list of reasons why he feels Eritrea should be placed on a state sponsor of terrorism list, the proposed amendment does not recognize the diplomatic efforts currently underway by the State Department to address the complex issues surrounding the Horn of Africa. Just last month, Eritrea President Isaias Akwerki sent a letter to President Obama expressing the desire to engage on these issues and is sending a high-level delegation to Washington. Additionally, a senior State Department official is expected to visit Asmara in a few weeks. Moreover, the Somali Government has said they want to engage with Asmara.
Lastly, putting Eritrea on a sanctions list would have limited effect on our effort to try to stabilize the region and build alliances with governments in a wider battle against extremism.
We should urge the administration to take careful note of the issues raised by Representative Royce, and I have written a letter to the President to that effect. The administration is engaging Asmara. We must allow these diplomatic discussions to continue.
In my last trip to Asmara 1 year ago, I met with the President and did indicate changes that would have to be made. The current President of Somalia, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, was in Asmara and went back, and now is trying to lead a government which is fighting against al Shabaab and al
[Page: H6500] GPO's PDFQaeda. And so at this time, I think that this amendment would disrupt sensitive diplomatic issues that are going on. I urge my colleagues to vote against the Royce amendment.
Madam Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. ROYCE. Let me respond that, first of all, I have a great deal of respect for Chairman Payne. We have worked together for years on Africa issues. We worked together on Darfur, Sudan. But this is the very issue of why we disagree here, because all Members should know that it was Eritrea that was the first country to invite Sudan's President, al-Bashir, to visit Eritrea following an arrest warrant for his crimes against humanity in Darfur.
Now, with respect to the issue, I can think of numerous issues and times when Congress has had to push--and we'll take Sudan as an example, since the example I'm giving here is an example in which Eritrea has welcomed al-Bashir at a time when the international community is trying to get him to prevent the crimes that he has committed in Darfur. We have had to push to take more assertive actions. We did that with genocide in Sudan. And in my view, there is nothing wrong now, especially with respect to a state sponsorship of terrorism. I think that the Assistant Secretary of State for Africa's words speak for themselves. Again, this is Secretary Carson before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee last month, in which he said, We have clear evidence that Eritrea is supporting these extremist elements, including credible reports that they continue to supply weapons and munitions to terrorist elements.
I ask for an ``aye'' vote.
The Acting CHAIR (Ms. DeGette). The question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce).
The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes appeared to have it.
Mr. ROYCE. Madam Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from California will be postponed.
Mr. BERMAN. Madam Chairman, I move that the Committee do now rise.
The motion was agreed to.
Accordingly, the Committee rose; and the Speaker pro tempore (Mr. Jackson of Illinois) having assumed the chair, Ms. DeGette, Acting Chair of the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, reported that that Committee, having had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2410) to authorize appropriations for the Department of State and the Peace Corps for fiscal years 2010 and 2011, to modernize the Foreign Service, and for other purposes had come to no resolution thereon.
check the Roll vote bellow
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2009/roll325.xml#N
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