H6076 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE September 19, 2012 

possible application of State law to onreservation water leases. Committee 

staff worked together to amend H.R. 

1461 to clarify that the tribe’s authorities are limited to off-reservation 

water leases. The tribe can now be assured that State law will never apply 

to on-reservation water leases, pursuant to H.R. 1461. 

Mr. Speaker, we support H.R. 1461, 

and I reserve the balance of my time. 

b 1420 

Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Could I inquire 

if my colleague has any other speakers? 

Mr. GRIJALVA. No, I don’t, Mr. 

Chairman. 

I yield back the balance of my time. 

Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, 

this is one of those bills where the minority and the majority have worked 

with the tribe to clarify. This applies 

to off-reservation water, their leasing 

authority. If the tribe still stays in 

place, it’s intact. It’s a technical 

amendment that has been cleared by 

all interested parties and moves us forward. 

I urge its adoption, and I yield back 

the balance of our time. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The 

question is on the motion offered by 

the gentleman from Utah (Mr. BISHOP) 

that the House suspend the rules and 

pass the bill, H.R. 1461, as amended. 

The question was taken; and (twothirds being in the affirmative) the 

rules were suspended and the bill, as 

amended, was passed. 

A motion to reconsider was laid on 

the table. 

f 

ALLOWING PASCUA YAQUI TRIBE 

TO DETERMINE REQUIREMENTS 

FOR MEMBERSHIP 

Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I 

move to suspend the rules and pass the 

bill (H.R. 3319) to allow the Pascua 

Yaqui Tribe to determine the requirements for membership in that tribe, as 

amended. 

The Clerk read the title of the bill. 

The text of the bill is as follows: 

H.R. 3319 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in 

Congress assembled, 

SECTION 1. REQUIREMENTS FOR MEMBERSHIP 

DETERMINED BY TRIBE. 

Section 3 of Public Law 95–375 (25 U.S.C. 

1300f–2) is amended to read as follows: 

‘‘SEC. 3. For the purposes of section 1 of this 

Act, membership of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe 

shall consist of any United States citizen of 

Pascua Yaqui blood enrolled by the tribe.’’. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 

Utah (Mr. BISHOP) and the gentleman 

from Arizona (Mr. GRIJALVA) each will 

control 20 minutes. 

The Chair recognizes the gentleman 

from Utah. 

GENERAL LEAVE

Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I 

ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise 

and extend their remarks and include 

extraneous material on the bill under 

consideration. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there 

objection to the request of the gentleman from Utah? 

There was no objection. 

Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, 

since I doubt very seriously if I can get 

through any kind of statement and say 

‘‘Pascua Yaqui’’ Tribe accurately, it 

would be my intent, if I could, to yield 

10 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona to explain his bill. It’s a good bill, 

we support it, and he can say it properly. 

I reserve the balance of my time. 

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 

myself such time as I may consume. 

I appreciate Chairman BISHOP’s indulgence at this point. 

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 

3319, a bill that would authorize the 

Pascua Yaqui Tribe to set its own 

membership criteria by replacing congressionally mandated criteria that artificially limited enrollment to certain 

Yaqui people based on application 

deadlines and other requirements that 

do not reflect tribal input. 

H.R. 3319 reflects the modern congressional policy of allowing federally 

recognized tribes to set their own 

membership criteria. The bill eliminates current membership requirements imposed by statute and replaces 

them with a requirement that members 

possess any degree of Indian blood as 

determined by the tribe. The Pascua 

Yaqui Tribe, like all federally recognized tribes, has the inherent right to 

determine its own membership without 

restrictions imposed by the Federal 

Government. 

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to 

support the passage of H.R. 3319, and I 

yield back the remainder of my time. 

Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, 

the House actually passed a bill similar 

to this on tribal membership that recognized a tribe in Texas last year, so 

there is precedent for this event. I 

would therefore have no objection to 

the passing of this resolution today 

and urge Members’ support of it. 

With that, I yield back all the remainder of the time. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The 

question is on the motion offered by 

the gentleman from Utah (Mr. BISHOP) 

that the House suspend the rules and 

pass the bill, H.R. 3319, as amended. 

The question was taken; and (twothirds being in the affirmative) the 

rules were suspended and the bill, as 

amended, was passed. 

A motion to reconsider was laid on 

the table. 

f 

HONORING THE FOUR UNITED 

STATES PUBLIC SERVANTS WHO 

DIED IN LIBYA 

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I 

move to suspend the rules and agree to 

the resolution (H. Res. 786) honoring 

the four United States public servants 

who died in Libya and condemning the 

attacks on United States diplomatic 

facilities in Libya, Egypt, and Yemen. 

The Clerk read the title of the resolution. 

The text of the resolution is as follows: 

H. RES. 786 

Whereas, on September 11, 2012, terrorists 

attacked the United States consulate in 

Benghazi, Libya, killing four United States 

citizens, including the United States Ambassador to Libya, John Christopher Stevens, 

Foreign Service Information Management 

Officer Sean Smith, and security officers Tyrone S. Woods and Glen A. Doherty, and injured other United States citizens; 

Whereas, on September 11, 2012, violent 

protesters stormed the United States embassy in Cairo, Egypt, committing acts of 

vandalism and violence and endangering the 

welfare of United States diplomats; 

Whereas, on September 13, 2012, violent 

protestors were repelled from an attempt to 

storm the United States embassy in Sana’a, 

Yemen; 

Whereas Ambassador Stevens was a champion of the Libyan people’s efforts to remove 

Muammar Qaddafi from power, and served as 

Special Envoy to the Libyan Transitional 

National Council in Benghazi during the 2011 

Libyan revolution; 

Whereas, on a daily basis, United States 

diplomats, military personnel, foreign service nationals and locally employed staff, and 

other public servants make professional and 

personal sacrifices to faithfully serve the 

United States and its people to advance the 

ideals of freedom, democracy, and human 

dignity around the globe; 

Whereas many United States diplomatic 

facilities remain threatened by terrorist attacks or violent protests in the wake of 

these attacks; and 

Whereas Article 22 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations obligates host 

governments to ‘‘take all appropriate steps 

to protect the premises of the [diplomatic] 

mission against any intrusion or damage and 

to prevent any disturbance of the peace of 

the mission or impairment of its dignity.’’: 

Now, therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

(1) recognizes the selfless commitment to 

United States national security and to 

Libya’s hard-won, transitional democracy by 

the brave United States citizens who lost 

their lives in the unjustified attack on the 

United States consulate in Benghazi, Libya; 

(2) expresses its deepest condolences to the 

families and loved ones of those United 

States public servants killed in Benghazi, 

Libya; 

(3) condemns in the strongest possible 

terms the terrorists who planned and conducted the attack on the United States consulate in Benghazi, Libya, and those who 

vandalized the United States embassies in 

Cairo, Egypt, and Sana’a, Yemen; 

(4) expresses profound concern about the 

security situation in Libya, Egypt, and 

Yemen, and with the continuing threat posed 

to the region and United States interests by 

extremists and terrorists; 

(5) appreciates the actions of those who 

sought to protect the United States diplomats and diplomatic facilities; 

(6) reaffirms that nothing can justify terrorism or attacks on innocent civilians and 

diplomatic personnel; 

(7) calls upon all governments to continue 

to work closely with the United States Department of State to ensure security of diplomatic facilities throughout their countries, to secure their borders, and to aggressively combat terrorists and extremists who 

operate within their sovereign territory; 


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September 19, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H6077 

(8) calls upon the Governments of Libya, 

Egypt, and Yemen, in full cooperation with 

the United States Government, to investigate and bring to justice the perpetrators 

of these attacks; and 

(9) reiterates the United States commitment to promoting its core values, including 

support for democracy, universal human 

rights, individual and religious freedom, and 

respect for human dignity. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 

Florida (Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN) and the 

gentleman from New York (Mr. ENGEL) 

each will control 20 minutes. 

The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Florida. 

GENERAL LEAVE

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I 

ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to 

insert extraneous material into the 

RECORD on this measure. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there 

objection to the request of the gentlewoman from Florida? 

There was no objection. 

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I 

yield myself such time as I may consume. 

I want to thank Speaker BOEHNER, 

Leader CANTOR, Leader PELOSI, and Mr. 

HOYER for spearheading this critical 

resolution about the recent terrorist 

attacks. 

Our thoughts and our prayers are 

with the families of Ambassador Christopher Stevens, Sean Smith, Tyrone 

Woods, and Glenn Doherty, and all of 

those injured in the attack. Our condolences must also go out to the entire 

U.S. diplomatic corps. 

On the 11th anniversary of the attacks of September 11, 2001, radical 

Islamists attacked the United States 

mission in Benghazi, and our Ambassador and three other State Department personnel were murdered. Concurrently, in Cairo, our Embassy was 

assaulted by a mob of extremists who 

breached its walls and desecrated our 

American flag. 

Since that fateful day, Mr. Speaker, 

we have witnessed a dramatic escalation of anti-American protests and 

actions throughout the region, from assaulting the Embassy in Tunis to the 

attack on peacekeepers in the Sinai. 

The premise that the violence and 

the protests are solely based on that 

obscure, hateful video is patently false. 

Rather, it is symptomatic of a broader 

effort by our enemies in the region to 

foment hatred of the U.S. Yet the hesitation on the part of this administration and the schizophrenia in response 

to this latest crisis is a cause for concern. 

The U.S. has nothing for which to 

apologize, including the exercise of 

freedom of expression. Surrendering 

our principles before an unruly mob or 

violent extremists will only embolden 

the likes of al Qaeda and reinforce the 

notion that more attacks against the 

United States will change core American policies and American principles. 

The perpetrators of the attacks must 

be held accountable by our allies in the 

region, and the administration must 

take the lead. There is no excuse whatsoever for attacking diplomatic missions and murdering diplomats. The administration must place the governments on notice that their conduct 

during this crisis will determine the 

nature of our relations moving forward. 

The Libyan and Yemeni Governments have both apologized for and 

strongly condemned the attacks on 

U.S. diplomatic posts in their host 

countries. They have been fully cooperating with us. By contrast, the Egyptian Government took over a day to 

issue a weak statement discouraging 

violence against foreign embassies, but 

it was, alas, too little, too late. 

This cannot happen again, and Congress will be closely monitoring the ongoing protests and reassessing our assistance packages and our approaches 

based on the responses of the governments to assaults on our embassies and 

our institutions. 

The lack of a firm response will undermine our U.S. interests in the region. We must clearly articulate and 

implement a policy that rewards our 

allies, encourages moderate forces 

within the region, and punishes our enemies. 

At this critical moment, Mr. Speaker, the United States must reaffirm 

support for our friends and allies and 

clearly differentiate them from our enemies. 

b 1430 

The United States must continue to 

stand up for American values and stand 

with the voices of moderation. 

With that, Mr. Speaker, I reserve the 

balance of my time. 

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I 

rise in strong support of this resolution 

honoring Ambassador Chris Stevens, 

Sean Smith, Glen Doherty, and Tyrone 

Woods, four patriotic Americans who 

lost their lives in a cowardly and despicable attack on the United States 

consulate in Benghazi, Libya. 

On a daily basis, the men and women 

of the State Department assume great 

risks in dangerous locations all over 

the world. They conduct diplomacy, 

promote democracy, build civil society, 

educate, mediate, negotiate, and defend U.S. interests worldwide. They are 

the face of America abroad; and our 

country is safer, freer, and more prosperous because of what they do. 

Ambassador Stevens was one of our 

best and brightest—and most courageous. He had served in Israel, Egypt, 

Syria, and Saudi Arabia; but Libya became the centerpiece and defining mission of his career. He was on the 

ground in Benghazi leading U.S. diplomatic efforts from the earliest days of 

the revolution. He worked tirelessly on 

behalf of U.S.-Libyan relations and the 

well-being of U.S. citizens living in 

Libya. I am particularly angry that 

this sickening attack occurred in a 

country that the U.S., with Chris Stevens in the lead, did so much to liberate. 

Ambassador Stevens will be missed 

for his knowledge of the Middle East, 

his exemplary commitment to service, 

his warming and welcoming personality, and his basic human decency. 

Sean Smith, a Foreign Service information officer, was a father and 10-year 

veteran of the U.S. State Department. 

Prior to arriving in Benghazi, he served 

in Brussels, Baghdad, Victoria, Montreal, and The Hague. 

Glen Doherty was a former Navy 

SEAL from Boston. He was killed while 

serving on the Ambassador’s security 

detail and helping to evacuate the 

wounded. 

Tyrone Woods spent two decades as a 

SEAL, was a father of three, and had 

worked protecting diplomats in dangerous posts for the past 2 years. 

Mr. Speaker, our thoughts and prayers are with the families of all the 

dedicated public servants whose lives 

were lost. 

Libya owes the American people a 

full investigation of this incident, in 

complete cooperation with U.S. authorities. The killers must be found 

and brought to justice. I stand by ready 

to assist in any way I can. 

With that, Mr. Speaker, I reserve the 

balance of my time. 

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I 

reserve the balance of my time. 

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 

minutes to the gentleman from Ohio 

(Mr. KUCINICH). 

Mr. KUCINICH. I certainly join with 

my colleagues in mourning the passing, 

under tragic circumstances, of Ambassador Stevens, as well as the deaths of 

Sean Smith and security officers Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty, as well 

as all those who were injured. I think 

that all of us can agree that what happened to Ambassador Stevens and the 

rest of the diplomatic staff should concern everyone, concern all Americans. 

These attacks were wrong, and it’s appropriate that we honor Ambassador 

Stevens. 

The resolution, as I read it, is not 

complete, though, because this discussion that we’re having here on the floor 

is missing some elements; and I’d like 

to bring them forward right now. 

We have to ask the question: Why 

was that consulate in Benghazi, Libya, 

so lightly defended to begin with? Did 

anyone know that Benghazi was still a 

flash point? I mean, we overthrew the 

government. Did anyone know that 

when the government fell, al Qaeda’s 

flag was flying over Benghazi? Did anyone know about al Qaeda’s presence in 

Libya that came after the war? That 

would have been a constant factor to 

be mindful of with respect to protecting those who serve. Why wasn’t 

more care given to protect U.S. personnel? 

The other thing is, there were warnings in diplomatic circles, specifically 

with respect to Libya, because of the 

ferment that has been going on in the 

broader Muslim world. These are concerns that should be discussed by the 


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H6078 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE September 19, 2012 

Congress. It doesn’t take away anything from the sacrifice that was given, 

but we have to ask some questions 

here. 

We also have to be aware that U.S. 

policy in Libya is murky at best and a 

huge mistake at worst. We had debates 

on this floor about Libya, and we know 

that Congress was not consulted. The 

current issue of Vanity Fair is worth 

the attention of every Member of Congress because it made it abundantly 

clear on what is a prime constitutional 

responsibility of Congress. Article I, 

section 8, the power to declare war, was 

essentially usurped by the administration. This is not a small matter. Would 

we have been in Libya if Congress had 

had an upfront vote immediately? 

Two days ago, we celebrated Constitution Day. Are we celebrating the 

Constitution every day or just one day? 

There are consequences for not following the Constitution; there are consequences for our citizens here at home 

and citizens abroad. This needs to be 

brought up in the context of this debate. 

We cannot pretend that United 

States policy—which often lacks congressional involvement—with drones 

flying over Yemen and Somalia and 

Pakistan and Afghanistan and innocents killed, that there’s not going to 

be blow-back or a backlash. It is wrong 

for any of our people to have their lives 

on the line where they lose their lives. 

It’s awful. 

I stand here today in support of this 

resolution only because I want to be on 

record as joining my colleagues on this 

matter of making sure that we pay 

tribute to those whose lives were put 

on the line for this country. But let me 

tell you, we cannot ignore the deeper 

questions here: Why wasn’t that consulate well defended? We cannot ignore 

the question: Why wasn’t Congress consulted on the decision to go to war 

against Libya? There are consequences 

for these things. 

The whole country should mourn 

Ambassador Stevens’ death and the 

deaths of all of those who proudly serve 

this country who were taken in this fit 

of outrage that swept across Libya, but 

we need to remember a few other 

things too about how we got there and 

why those people who put their lives on 

the line to serve, why their lives were 

put in jeopardy. 

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I 

am so pleased to yield 1 minute to our 

esteemed majority leader, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. CANTOR). 

Mr. CANTOR. I thank the gentlelady 

for her leadership in bringing this resolution forward. 

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support 

of this resolution to condemn the violence against our diplomatic missions 

in Libya, Egypt, Yemen, and elsewhere. 

We acknowledge and honor the personal sacrifice of the brave Americans 

who gave their lives in service to our 

Nation. U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens, Foreign Service Information 

Management Officer Sean Smith, and 

Security Officers Tyrone Woods and 

Glen Doherty tragically lost their lives 

far from home in Benghazi, Libya, 

where they were promoting American 

interests and helping the Libyan people 

secure the hard-fought gains of the revolution. These heroes died upholding 

the liberty, democracy, and moderation we value as a Nation. 

In the wake of their deaths and the 

ongoing protests and violence, Americans want to know what our strategy is 

for protecting our diplomats, our interests, and our values in a region that is 

undergoing a profound—and unfortunately sometimes violent—political 

transformation. 

b 1440 

Americans are rightly worried about 

the anti-Americanism and Islamic extremism that has reared its head. I 

share the concern that Americans have 

about the situation in the Middle East, 

and I believe the President should explain his strategy for navigating the 

uncertain waters before us. 

But I know that one policy we must 

not pursue is to turn our back on this 

troubled region. Withdrawing from the 

region would embolden the extremists 

and justify Osama bin Laden’s strategy, leaving the moderates who share 

our values and who desire democracy 

to combat the forces of violence alone. 

We are not alone in this fight. From 

Morocco to Indonesia, there are brave 

Muslims who oppose violence, who desire good relations with the United 

States, who respect religious freedom, 

and who risk their lives by preaching 

tolerance and moderation. We should 

redouble our efforts to stand with these 

Muslims who seek to protect a great 

religion from being subverted by extremists. 

We should not abandon Libya because terrorists seek to undermine a 

government that is making progress 

towards establishing a democracy and 

that is joining the fight against terrorism. 

Egypt’s democratic revolution is unfinished, and much work remains to ensure that its first election is not its 

last. We should work with Egypt’s 

leaders to help them build a democracy 

that respects individual rights, women, 

and religious freedom while being clear 

that we will not tolerate policies that 

give any ground to terrorists or undermine our security or that of our ally 

Israel. 

American assistance is not an entitlement, and Congress expects Egypt’s 

new leaders to respect the parameters 

and conditions of our generous aid. 

America must not abandon its partners, just as we should not apologize 

for our perceived sins. We must demonstrate leadership. We should lead a 

coalition against the radical mullahs 

in Iran who foment instability and support extremists throughout the region. 

America should combat Iran’s support 

for terrorism and thwart its aspirations for nuclear weapons. 

America should be leading an international effort to bring overwhelming 

pressure on the Assad regime in Syria 

to end, once and for all, its state sponsorship of terrorism and to bring about 

a new government in Syria before that 

society fractures beyond repair. 

Mr. Speaker, America has long been 

a force for good and stability in the 

Middle East. When we have retreated 

in the past from playing this role, we 

have paid dearly. Withdrawing from 

Lebanon in the 1980s ceded that country to Syria and Hezbollah. Failing to 

respond to al Qaeda’s attacks in the 

1990s led Osama bin Laden to believe he 

could attack the American homeland. 

The extremists in the region believe 

today, as bin Laden believed then, that 

we do not have the stomach to defend 

our friends and our interests, that we 

will abandon the Middle East. We must 

prove them wrong by responding to 

this challenge with purpose and 

strength. We must stand with our 

friends and hold our enemies to account. 

Mr. ENGEL. I have no further speakers. I yield back the balance of my 

time. 

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I 

yield myself such time as I may consume. 

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like 

to reinforce a few points. First, our 

thoughts and our prayers are with the 

families of the American diplomats 

murdered in Libya as we stand with 

them in this difficult time. 

Secondly, there is no excuse whatsoever for attacking diplomatic missions 

and murdering diplomats. 

Third, the U.S. has nothing for which 

to apologize. Let us not apologize for 

the exercise of freedom of expression. 

The perpetrators of these attacks must 

be held accountable. 

Finally, the United States Congress 

will be reassessing our assistance packages based on the responses of the various affected governments to assaults 

on our embassies and our institutions. 

Nothing can justify the terrorist attacks carried out against our fellow 

Americans, our diplomatic posts, and 

our U.S. interests around the world. 

The Americans killed were committed to helping the Libyan people, 

committed to help them secure a better, more stable, more peaceful future. 

Yet, radicals, the radicals who seek to 

hijack such freedom, security, and 

prosperity from the people of the Middle East and in North Africa, those who 

deny their own people basic human 

rights and universal freedoms, answered our dedication and our commitment of these courageous Americans 

by burning our mission and killing our 

diplomats. 

So let us be clear: no apologies are 

needed. Nothing justifies these violent 

actions. 

And to the people throughout the 

Middle East, North Africa, and 

throughout the world who are oppressed, the United States and our personnel overseas stand with you. We 

stand for freedom, despite the threats 

from extremist elements. 


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With that, Mr. Speaker I yield back 

the balance of my time. 

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I 

want to thank you and the other members of 

our House leadership for introducing this important, bi-partisan resolution. 

Tragically, our country will now be commemorating not only the terrorist attacks of 

September 11, 2001, but also the attacks on 

the United States consulate in Benghazi, 

Libya, that occurred on the same date last 

week. 

The four U.S. citizens who lost their lives, 

especially Ambassador John Christopher Stevens, and those who were injured in this unjustified act of violence demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to our country’s national security and Libya’s democracy. I would 

like to convey my heartfelt condolences to the 

families of the victims. 

I also want to express my ongoing support 

and gratitude for all the Foreign Service men 

and women who are promoting American values and interests abroad. It is on occasions 

such as this that we are reminded of the many 

sacrifices that they make in service to our 

country. In addition to living in foreign lands 

away from their families and adapting to new 

cultures and languages, many of them daily 

face the possible ultimate sacrifice of their 

lives. The violence that occurred last week at 

our diplomatic missions in several countries 

must renew our national commitment to doing 

our best to ensure their safety. 

Mr. Speaker, there is no justification for the 

recent attacks on U.S. diplomatic missions 

and the taking of innocent American lives in 

Benghazi. All governments must take appropriate measures to ensure the security of U.S. 

diplomatic facilities within their borders, and to 

end these acts of terrorism. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The 

question is on the motion offered by 

the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. 

ROS-LEHTINEN) that the House suspend 

the rules and agree to the resolution, 

H. Res. 786. 

The question was taken; and (twothirds being in the affirmative) the 

rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to. 

A motion to reconsider was laid on 

the table. 

f 

COUNTERING IRAN IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE ACT OF 2012 

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I 

move to suspend the rules and pass the 

bill (H.R. 3783) to provide for a comprehensive strategy to counter Iran’s 

growing presence and hostile activity 

in the Western Hemisphere, and for 

other purposes, as amended. 

The Clerk read the title of the bill. 

The text of the bill is as follows: 

H.R. 3783 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in 

Congress assembled, 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Countering 

Iran in the Western Hemisphere Act of 2012’’. 

SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

Congress finds the following: 

(1) The United States has vital political, 

economic, and security interests in the Western Hemisphere. 

(2) Iran is pursuing cooperation with Latin 

American countries by signing economic and 

security agreements in order to create a network of diplomatic and economic relationships to lessen the blow of international 

sanctions and oppose Western attempts to 

constrict its ambitions. 

(3) According to the Department of State, 

Hezbollah, with Iran as its state sponsor, is 

considered the ‘‘most technically capable 

terrorist group in the world’’ with ‘‘thousands of supporters, several thousand members, and a few hundred terrorist 

operatives,’’ and officials from the Iranian 

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) 

Qods Force have been working in concert 

with Hezbollah for many years. 

(4) The IRGC’s Qods Force has a long history of supporting Hezbollah’s military, 

paramilitary, and terrorist activities, providing it with guidance, funding, weapons, 

intelligence, and logistical support, and in 

2007, the Department of the Treasury placed 

sanctions on the IRGC and its Qods Force for 

their support of terrorism and proliferation 

activities. 

(5) The IRGC’s Qods Force stations 

operatives in foreign embassies, charities, 

and religious and cultural institutions to 

foster relationships, often building on existing socioeconomic ties with the well established Shia Diaspora, and recent years have 

witnessed an increased presence in Latin 

America. 

(6) According to the Department of Defense, the IRGC and its Qods Force played a 

significant role in some of the deadliest terrorist attacks of the past two decades, including the 1994 attack on the AMIA Jewish 

Community Center in Buenos Aires, by generally directing or supporting the groups 

that actually executed the attacks. 

(7) Reports of Iranian intelligence agents 

being implicated in Hezbollah-linked activities since the early 1990s suggest direct Iranian government support of Hezbollah activities in the Tri-Border Area of Argentina, 

Brazil, and Paraguay, and in the past decade, 

Iran has dramatically increased its diplomatic missions to Venezuela, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Argentina, and Brazil. Iran 

has built 17 cultural centers in Latin America, and it currently maintains 11 embassies, 

up from 6 in 2005. 

(8) Hezbollah and other Iranian proxies 

with a presence in Latin America have raised 

revenues through illicit activities, including 

drug and arms trafficking, counterfeiting, 

money laundering, forging travel documents, 

pirating software and music, and providing 

haven and assistance to other terrorists 

transiting the region. 

(9) Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador, Nicaragua, and 

Venezuela expressed their intention to assist 

Iran in evading sanctions by signing a statement supporting Iran’s nuclear activities 

and announcing at a 2010 joint press conference in Tehran their determination to 

‘‘continue and expand their economic ties to 

Iran’’ with confidence that ‘‘Iran can give a 

crushing response to the threats and sanctions imposed by the West and imperialism’’. 

(10) The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration concluded in 2008 that almost onehalf of the foreign terrorist organizations in 

the world are linked to narcotics trade and 

trafficking, including Hezbollah and Hamas. 

(11) In October 2011, the United States 

charged two men, Manssor Arbabsiar, a 

United States citizen holding both Iranian 

and United States passports, and Gholam 

Shakuri, an Iran-based member of Iran’s 

IRGC Qods Force, with conspiracy to murder 

a foreign official using explosives in an act 

of terrorism. Arbabsiar traveled to Mexico 

with the express intent to hire ‘‘someone in 

the narcotics business’’ to carry out the assassination of the Saudi Arabian Ambassador in the United States. While in the end, 

he only engaged a U.S. Drug Enforcement 

Agency informant posing as an associate of a 

drug trafficking cartel, Arbabsiar believed 

that he was working with a member of a 

Mexican drug trafficking organization and 

sought to send money to this individual in 

installments and not in a single transfer. 

(12) In February 2011, actions by the Department of the Treasury effectively shut 

down the Lebanese Canadian Bank. Subsequent actions by the United States Government in connection with the investigation 

into Lebanese Canadian Bank resulted in the 

indictment in December 2011 of Ayman 

Joumaa, an individual of Lebanese nationality, with citizenship in Lebanon and Colombia, and with ties to Hezbollah, for trafficking cocaine to the Los Zetas drug trafficking organization in Mexico City for sale 

in the United States and for laundering the 

proceeds. 

SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY. 

It shall be the policy of the United States 

to use a comprehensive government-wide 

strategy to counter Iran’s growing hostile 

presence and activity in the Western Hemisphere by working together with United 

States allies and partners in the region to 

mutually deter threats to United States interests by the Government of Iran, the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps 

(IRGC), the IRGC’s Qods Force, and 

Hezbollah. 

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. 

In this Act: 

(1) WESTERN HEMISPHERE.—The term 

‘‘Western Hemisphere’’ means the United 

States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, 

South America, and Central America. 

(2) RELEVANT CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES.—The term ‘‘relevant congressional 

committees’’ means the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives 

and the Committee on Foreign Relations of 

the Senate. 

SEC. 5. REQUIREMENT OF A STRATEGY TO ADDRESS IRAN’S GROWING HOSTILE 

PRESENCE AND ACTIVITY IN THE 

WESTERN HEMISPHERE. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 

after the date of the enactment of this Act, 

the Secretary of State shall conduct an assessment of the threats posed to the United 

States by Iran’s growing presence and activity in the Western Hemisphere and submit to 

the relevant congressional committees the 

results of the assessment and a strategy to 

address Iran’s growing hostile presence and 

activity in the Western Hemisphere. 

(b) MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED.—The strategy described in subsection (a) should include— 

(1) a description of the presence, activities, 

and operations of Iran, the Iranian Islamic 

Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), its Qods 

Force, Hezbollah, and other terrorist organizations linked to Iran that may be present in 

the Western Hemisphere, including information about their leaders, objectives, and 

areas of influence and information on their 

financial networks, trafficking activities, 

and safe havens; 

(2) a description of the terrain, population, 

ports, foreign firms, airports, borders, media 

outlets, financial centers, foreign embassies, 

charities, religious and cultural centers, and 

income-generating activities in the Western 

Hemisphere utilized by Iran, the IRGC, its 

Qods Force, Hezbollah, and other terrorist 

organizations linked to Iran that may be 

present in the Western Hemisphere; 

(3) a description of the relationship of Iran, 

the IRGC, its Qods Force, and Hezbollah with 

transnational criminal organizations linked 

to Iran and other terrorist organizations in 


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