Opposing H.R. 6603 and H.R. 5826
Floor Speech
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Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise concerning my votes on H.R. 6603 and H.R. 5826 on April 16, 2024.
With regard to H.R. 6603, I fully support the use of the Foreign Direct Product Rule to restrict Iran's ability to develop weapons technologies, especially technologies used by Iran for its April 2024 attack on Israel. However, H.R. 6603 would represent a counterproductive restriction of the flexibility that has enabled the Commerce Department to effectively restrict Iran's access to materials and technology that can be used to produce drones and missiles. While I have no concerns about expanding the application of the Foreign Direct Product Rule to include the additional categories enumerated within the bill, I believe this expansion must be done in coordination with U.S. partners to avoid creating an outcome that hurts our allies without addressing Iranian proliferation. This bill would threaten relationships with key partners, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and others that have allowed the United States to effectively counter malign actions by the Iranian government and I voted no as a result.
With regard to H.R. 5826, I voted no out of concern that Section 8 of the bill could result in reciprocal actions from Iran to restrict the travel of Iranians to the United States--preventing asylum-seekers and others from escaping Iran's authoritarian government. The bill would additionally prevent thousands of Iranian Americans from being able to visit family in Iran and similarly restrict visas by journalists, educators, and other visitors who contribute to positive connections between the people of Iran and the outside world. I also oppose provisions in Section 6 of H.R. 5826 that would break with decades of diplomatic precedent and undermine U.S. capacity to negotiate with Iran by restricting how Iranian government officials can travel to the United States to attend meetings at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City.
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