Floor SpeechPartisan Attack2024-12-11

MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN

Foreign PolicyDefenseIsraelChinaInfrastructureAgriculture

Context

On 2024-12-11, Representative Tracey Mann (R-KS-1) delivered a floor speech titled "MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN" in the House. The speech addressed foreign policy and also covered defense, Israel.

Full Text

MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN

Congressional Record, Volume 170 Issue 184 (Wednesday, December 11, 2024) [Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 184 (Wednesday, December 11, 2024)] [House] [Pages H6812-H6813] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Mann) for 5 minutes. Mr. MANN. Mr. Speaker, for 4 years, the Biden administration's weak foreign policies allowed Communist China, Russia, Iran, and other adversaries to take full advantage of America. This weakness has put Americans in danger, made America less secure, and hurt America's reputation with our longstanding allies and friends. When President Biden campaigned for President, he promised Americans that he would be a unifying figure. Rather than sticking to his word, he spent much of his tenure undoing President Trump's popular policies, foreign and domestic, regardless of their effectiveness. This stubbornness and pure partisanship have backfired and made America less secure than it was just 4 years ago. For example, President Biden orchestrated the largest botched withdrawal of American troops of our generation when he abandoned vulnerable Americans in Afghanistan and allowed the Taliban to regain control and diminish the freedoms our country worked so hard to preserve. When President Trump worked on the Doha agreement, he required the Taliban to curb terrorist activity in Afghanistan and the region. President Biden, on the other hand, never required the Taliban to agree to those same conditions, withdrew without a long-term strategy, and allowed terrorists to make themselves at home in Afghanistan once again. President Biden's weakness on the world stage continues to be on full display in the Middle East in his appeasement strategy with the Iranian regime. [[Page H6813]] Iran is not America's friend. We all know that, yet President Biden ignores Iran's bad intentions and Iran's possession of resources that pose a great threat to our allies, including Israel. While President Trump applied a maximum-pressure strategy that constrained Tehran financially, President Biden was at the helm as Iranian-backed militias attacked our troops more than 170 times without consequence. President Biden's so-called strategy only emboldened Hamas and other Iran-backed proxies to attack our ally Israel, launching the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust. Other adversaries are closely watching. China continues planning its invasion of Taiwan and increases its influence in America's absence. Just this week, several of my colleagues joined me in expressing concerns to President Biden about Communist China's growing influence at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. A recent proposal from the current FAO director-general and former Chinese Vice Minister would extend the director-general's tenure from 8 years to a decade, increase his already $300,000 salary, and give Communist China more control of the U.S.-led World Food Program. America cannot afford to sit by idly, even during our time of political transition, while China positions itself to expand its influence. I have been blessed to grow up in a world where the United States has led the free world. I want my children, their children, and future generations to grow up in a similar world, but I understand that leadership didn't come from being passive or trying to tap dance around communism. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, one of Kansas' favorite sons, military hero, and our 34th United States President, dedicated his entire career to promoting freedom and waging peace. He helped shape the global U.S. leadership many of us know today. In his inaugural address, he said: ``History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid.'' Unfortunately, the Biden administration has chosen timidness and tiptoed approaches to foreign policy to placate far-left activists. Luckily, Mr. Speaker, this will soon be over. I would say to America that we got it right. President Trump is committed to securing American peace through strength and making it clear to our enemies that we will not tolerate any nonsense. It is a new day in America, and the days of American weakness are gone. I look forward to working with President Trump and the incoming House and Senate Republican majorities to restore America's leadership and make the country safe again. Our brightest days are yet to come. ____________________

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MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN Congressional Record, Volume 170 Issue 184 (Wednesday, December 11, 2024) [Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 184 (Wednesday, December 11, 2024)] [House] [Pages H6812-H6813] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Mann) for 5 minutes. Mr. MANN. Mr. Speaker, for 4 years, the Biden administration's weak foreign policies allowed Communist China, Russia, Iran, and other adversaries to take full advantage of America. This weakness has put Americans in danger, made America less secure, and hurt America's reputation with our longstanding allies and friends. When President Biden campaigned for President, he promised Americans that he would be a unifying figure. Rather than sticking to his word, he spent much of his tenure undoing President Trump's popular policies, foreign and domestic, regardless of their effectiveness. This stubbornness and pure partisanship have backfired and made America less secure than it was just 4 years ago. For example, President Biden orchestrated the largest botched withdrawal of American troops of our generation when he abandoned vulnerable Americans in Afghanistan and allowed the Taliban to regain control and diminish the freedoms our country worked so hard to preserve. When President Trump worked on the Doha agreement, he required the Taliban to curb terrorist activity in Afghanistan and the region. President Biden, on the other hand, never required the Taliban to agree to those same conditions, withdrew without a long-term strategy, and allowed terrorists to make themselves at home in Afghanistan once again. President Biden's weakness on the world stage continues to be on full display in the Middle East in his appeasement strategy with the Iranian regime. [[Page H6813]] Iran is not America's friend. We all know that, yet President Biden ignores Iran's bad intentions and Iran's possession of resources that pose a great threat to our allies, including Israel. While President Trump applied a maximum-pressure strategy that constrained Tehran financially, President Biden was at the helm as Iranian-backed militias attacked our troops more than 170 times without consequence. President Biden's so-called strategy only emboldened Hamas and other Iran-backed proxies to attack our ally Israel, launching the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust. Other adversaries are closely watching. China continues planning its invasion of Taiwan and increases its influence in America's absence. Just this week, several of my colleagues joined me in expressing concerns to President Biden about Communist China's growing influence at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. A recent proposal from the current FAO director-general and former Chinese Vice Minister would extend the director-general's tenure from 8 years to a decade, increase his already $300,000 salary, and give Communist China more control of the U.S.-led World Food Program. America cannot afford to sit by idly, even during our time of political transition, while China positions itself to expand its influence. I have been blessed to grow up in a world where the United States has led the free world. I want my children, their children, and future generations to grow up in a similar world, but I understand that leadership didn't come from being passive or trying to tap dance around communism. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, one of Kansas' favorite sons, military hero, and our 34th United States President, dedicated his entire career to promoting freedom and waging peace. He helped shape the global U.S. leadership many of us know today. In his inaugural address, he said: ``History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid.'' Unfortunately, the Biden administration has chosen timidness and tiptoed approaches to foreign policy to placate far-left activists. Luckily, Mr. Speaker, this will soon be over. I would say to America that we got it right. President Trump is committed to securing American peace through strength and making it clear to our enemies that we will not tolerate any nonsense. It is a new day in America, and the days of American weakness are gone. I look forward to working with President Trump and the incoming House and Senate Republican majorities to restore America's leadership and make the country safe again. Our brightest days are yet to come. ____________________