Foreign Policy
Floor Speech
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Mr. MOORE of Utah. Mr. Speaker, it is always lovely to be lectured about democracy from the party that refused to certify the 2005 and 2017 elections. If this place didn't run on double standards, I don't know what fuel would be there. It is fascinating to literally hear this rhetoric. I am sorry to totally take you off point for just a moment, but, again, if the double standards didn't exist, there would be very little for this place to run on.
As we begin tonight's Special Order, I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the 23rd anniversary of the attack on September 11, 2001.
Today, we remember a pivotal moment in our Nation's history and the profound loss our Nation endured, the courage we witnessed, and the resilience that we have shown as a Nation in the face of adversity. Nearly 3,000 lives were taken on 9/11 and countless families were forever changed.
Today, we honor the heroism of the law enforcement officers, servicemembers, firefighters, and medical professionals who answered the call of duty on that fateful day.
Today, we also recognize its lasting impact on our country's foreign policy and national security interests. The events of 9/11 revealed vulnerabilities in our national security apparatus and underscored the necessity for a robust and proactive approach to safeguarding our Nation.
Since the attacks, we have worked to rebuild our national security in a new period of great power competition with countries like China, Russia, and Iran, but since President Biden and Vice President Harris took office, their failed foreign policy of appeasement has diminished our standing on the world stage and emboldened our adversaries.
It goes without saying that strong foreign policy is the key to a strong nation. House Republicans are advancing several bills this week as part of our ``China Week'' that will bolster our national security and defend against our adversaries.
The House Foreign Affairs Committee also released their report on the Biden-Harris administration's failures during and after the catastrophic withdrawal from Afghanistan. I will speak more on that later.
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Mr. MOORE of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from California for her remarks. Peace through strength, that is such a simple concept, and it has evaded us over the last few years.
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Mr. MOORE of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Colorado for his remarks. He is an individual who has had a short time here and is respected in just a few short months. He has been one of the most studious and one of the most thoughtful Members that I have seen in my 3\1/2\ years, and I hope to be able to continue to find a way to serve with him. I am sincere about that, and I appreciate his heartfelt comments here tonight.
Again, I thank my colleagues for being here and taking time to speak on some of the most pressing issues facing our Nation.
Yesterday, Speaker Johnson posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal to the families of the servicemembers killed in a barbaric act of terrorism at the Kabul Airport in Afghanistan on August 26, 2021, including Staff Sergeant Taylor Hoover from Utah.
President Biden's decision to abandon Bagram Air Base and its equipment forced our troops into the impossible task of securing an urban airport while also conducting an impossibly complex humanitarian operation, all under an unreasonable timeframe and without coordination from our allies. The aftermath gave our enemies a window of opportunity of which they took full advantage. Three years later, the Taliban are in control of Afghanistan and are building stronger diplomatic ties to China, making deeper overtures to Iran, and they have enabled the resurgence of ISIS-K in their backyard.
I may be accused of regurgitating this information too much or we need to move on, and I still remember committing to a memorial service that a marine was lost from Utah to never forget and to always remember. That wasn't just a bad mistake. It had second, third, and fourth order consequences that we are going to be facing for decades to come.
President Biden has often said that our number one priority was to make sure that Afghanistan could never again be used as an operating base from which to plan terrorist attacks on the American homeland. The current situation, however, heavily indicates that we are failing in this objective.
I commend Chairman McCaul and his committee for their work on the report released this week that details key failures of the Biden-Harris administration during and after the catastrophic withdrawal from Afghanistan and its aftermath. Americans deserve answers for how this administration mishandled this crisis, and I am grateful for the committee's diligent work.
Additionally, we should all agree that the China challenge is not a partisan issue. Ensuring our competitiveness with China should unite lawmakers from both sides of aisle. This is the all-encompassing policy fight of our generation. It is not just a faraway foreign policy issue, but rather is one that directly impacts our economic prosperity and shapes the livelihoods of every American.
To that end, yesterday I joined Congressman Wenstrup, Congressman Pfluger, and Chairman Green in releasing a request for information to solicit feedback on policy solutions to strengthen and enhance domestic medical supply chains.
Congress has the responsibility to ensure the safety and security of our Nation and ensure our medical supply chains are free from dependency on foreign adversaries.
I am looking forward to working with my colleagues on this important issue and supporting my colleagues who have been sitting on the Select Committee on China and advancing valuable legislation out of this Chamber.
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