Congressman Michael McCaul
Sunday Morning Futures
Texas Insider Report: WASHINGTON D.C. I joined Maria Bartiromo on Fox News Sunday Morning Futures to discuss the latest foreign policy issues surrounding Iran and North Korea as well as the latest threats to the Homeland.
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here .
American Hostages Released from North Korea
Three Americans were unjustly held by the North Korean regime and were finally released last week. This was great news. But while these are positive steps we must also remember that the same regime tortured and murdered Otto Warmbier an American student just last year. If Kim Jong-un wants to prove that he is genuinely interested in peace he must fully dismantle his ICBM and nuclear weapons programs. Only then will we know that peace on the peninsula is truly possible.
You can click
here to read my full statement on the release of American hostages from North Korea.
I spoke with Bill Hemmer on Fox News Americas Newsroom about this and Iran.
House Passes Resolution in Support of Israel
The House passed a resolution I introduced with Reps. Sires Foxx and Lowey that calls for all nations to enter into robust diplomatic relations with Israel upon its 70th year of statehood. Since its independence in 1948 Israel has thrived in a turbulent region surrounded by few who recognize its existence as a state and enemies who issue threats of annihilation on a regular basis. With the passage of this resolution in the House there should be no confusion amongst the international community as to where our relationship stands now and where it will be in the future.
This was especially highlighted today. Seventy years after the U.S. recognized Israel as an independent state we finally recognized a longstanding reality: Jerusalem is the undivided capital of Israel. Our embassy in Jerusalem is now opened and serves as a concrete example of the unshakeable commitment to Israeli partners as we continue to push for lasting peace in the region.
Iran Nuclear Deal
The President made the decision to withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) more commonly known as the Iran Nuclear Deal. We need a tougher approach and I support the continued negotiations underway to forge a new agreement with our international partners to finally address what the JCPOA did not: Irans ballistic missile tests support for terrorism inspection of military facilities and preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon once the deal expired. Iran can never have a nuclear weapon. They have two options: join the international community as a rational nation on a peaceful course or continue down the current path which only promises more economic isolation and hardship.
You can click
here to read my full statement on the Presidents decision to withdraw from the JCPOA.
I also wrote an op-ed about the future of diplomacy with Iran. As the sun sets on the Iran nuclear deal lets look towards a new dawn for the Iranian people a dawn lit by the hopes of freedom and not the radiation of nuclear ambition.
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here.
Council on Foreign Relations
I traveled to the Council on Foreign Relations in New York for a conversation on a plethora of issues. I discussed the security challenges currently facing the United States including nuclear negotiations with North Korea the fate of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with Iran the U.S. cybersecurity posture among other topics with Senior VP Jim Lindsay.
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here.
Energy Diplomacy Act
The House Foreign Affairs Committee passed my legislation to promote U.S. energy security interests abroad. Americas energy security is a critical aspect of our foreign policy. This is why Congress must ensure the State Department is properly staffed and authorized to execute strong policies to protect and promote our energy security interests abroad. I look forward to this legislation being brought to the House floor for a vote so we can do exactly that.
You can click
here or on the image below to watch my remarks during the Foreign Affairs Committee markup urging my colleagues to support this bill.
Legislative Update:
Last week the House was in session and voted on a number of important pieces of legislation. Below are a few that may interest you:
H.R. 3170 the
Small Business Development Center Cyber Training Act of 2017. This bill establishes a cyber-counseling certification program in lead Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) to better assist small businesses with planning and implementing cybersecurity measures to defend against cyber-attacks
- R. 1680 the Womens Business Centers Improvements Act of 2018. This bill reauthorizes the Womens Business Centers (WBCs) program for four years. WBCs represent a national network of over 100 educational centers across the United States and its territories designed to assist women in starting and growing small businesses.
- R. 3053 the Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 2018. This bill makes targeted reforms to the Nuclear Waste Policy Act (NWPA) to ensure the Federal government meets its nuclear waste management obligations.
- J.Res. 57 Congressional disapproval of the Indirect Auto Lending and Compliance with the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. This bill nullifies an Obama-era policy that provides guidance to lenders who finance automobiles through a dealership in compliance with the Equal Credit Opportunity Act and ensure the CFPB does not issue similar rules. This is another repeal of an Obama-era regulations through a Congressional Review Act.
- R. 4335 the Servicemember Family Burial Act. Under current law spouses and eligible dependents of active-duty military are not allowed to be buried in a national cemetery if the spouse or dependent dies before the active-duty servicemember. This bills allows the spouse and eligible dependents who predecease the servicemember to be interred in a national cemetery.
This week the House is in session and will be voting on a number of important pieces of legislation. Below are a few:
- R. 5698 the Protect and Serve Act of 2018. Anyone convicted of intentionally harming or killing or attempting to harm or kill a police officer would face 10 years to life in prison under this bill.
- 2372 the VA MISSION Act of 2018. This bill will streamline the departments duplicative community care programs into one cohesive program; create a non-partisan process for reviewing VAs assets to ensure veterans can access the care they have earned and expand the Department of Veterans Affairs Post-9/11 Caregiver Program to all eras.
- R. 2 the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018. This Farm Bill makes investments in opportunities for SNAP recipients and improves program integrity while delivering much-needed support and certainty to farmers and the countryside
- R. 4854 the School Resource Officer Assessment Act of 2018. This bill directs the U.S. Attorney General and Secretary of Education to gather data regarding the number and status of school resource officers assigned to each public school.
- Res. 285 This resolution states that Congress and the President should work to create police and community alliances designed to enhance and improve communication and collaboration between members of the law enforcement community and the public they serve.
I encourage you to visit my website
www.mccaul.house.gov for more information on constituent services and legislative updates. Also follow me on
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YouTube to get the latest updates on my work in Washington and the 10th District of Texas. It continues to be a great honor to represent you in the United States House of Representative
