[inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] the committee will come to order. Without objection, all members will have five days to submit statements extraneous material and questions for the record subject to length limitation in the rules. We will begin, mr. Secretary. Thank you for meeting with us this morning. Weeks ago we invited you to testify about american policy towards iran, iraq and the use of force. No one doubts that case and solomon was a dangerous terrorist but its important that we look at Foreign Policy in terms of whether it makes american safer and advances our interest. Weeks later we seen attacks, injured more than 100 servicemembers, then then need to move thousands personal back to the region and remnant of our relationship with iraq and the setback in the fight against isis. I ran again pushing headlong towards a Nuclear Weapon. You promised the American People they would be safer, and iran would be deterred. So far your own metrics this policy has been a failure. Esther secretary, you shouldnt have been so difficult to get you here, and your adventure today is far too short. And while weve had to wait for you, the world doesnt wait for anyone and now were facing another potential crisis, coronavirus. And i imagine you will hear some questions about that this morning as well. There are dozens of other issues we would like to ask you about, including the lawful subpoena that this committee issued in september that you have ignored. So we expect to see you here again soon for our annual budget hearing, and i appreciate if you would renew your commitment to appear for that hearing when i recognize you for an Opening Statement. Im going to forgo any additional opening in hopes of getting to as many members as possible this morning, and i would yield to mr. Mccaul, our Ranking Member for any remarks he may have. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Mr. Secretary, thank you for being here. Thank you for your service to talk about iran and iraq as we agree to as a committee more importantly thank you and the president for taking Decisive Action to protect americans overseas. The President Trump did not make the Bold Decision to strike Qasem Soleimani, irans mastermind of terror, we might be having a different hearing on why he didnt stop the deaths of more americans. Striking salome and he was the right decision, and the world is safer for it. He organized an escalating series of attacks against our forces and iraq which killed an american picky also directed an attack on the embassy in baghdad. Baghdad. Further, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff general milley said the administration would have an culpably negligent have not acted to take out soleimani. Who heads up blood of hundreds of americans and american soldiers on his hands here i fully agree with you and the general that the strike was necessary and well within the president s authorities under article two. The president acted with tremendous restraint over the past year as we saw in the white house, continually making the choice to deescalate even as arendt launched attacks on international commerce, saudi oil assets, and the United States drone. But some people cant grasp that this strike was justified, legal, and our troops are indeed safer because of it. And now the Senate Passed a preemptive war powers resolution that the house will vote on in the coming weeks to direct the United States to cease hostilities against iran. I believe this is based on a false premise. So, mr. Secretary, my questions will be to ask you this, are we engaged in active hostilities against iran . And second, as you know better than anyone, we need to show unity, not division in the congress, and as americans. Overseas and especially in the middle is. So what can congress to to support your efforts to curb irans destabilizing activities . I look forward to your answers and your testimony. With that i yield back. The gentleman yield back. Thank you, mr. Mccaul. Secretary of state mike pompeo, who served in this body for many years. Mr. Secretary, without objection your complete testimony will be included in the record. Ill ask you to please summarize your statement in five minutes and because were so tight on time, im going to have to be very quick with the gavel. So i now recognize you for five minutes. Thank you. Thank you, mr. Chairman, Ranking Member mccaul. Ill do this in less than five minutes. I do have a statement that i will submit for the record. Im just back from a trip right travel to saudi arabia and oman, the central topic of each of those discussions was what were talking about here today, the threat posed by the Islamic Republic of iran. Some basic facts, iran is the worlds number one state sponsor of terror, and the Worlds Largest state sponsor of antisemitism, wanting to wipe israel off the face of the earth. You just have to listen to the to iran and its proxies response for the death of hundreds of americans in iraq including an American Contractor who was killed on december 27, 2019. Its forces, irans forces and the militias it supports prop up assad. Speaking argument that ran back to these have launched hundreds of missiles and armed drones at seven targets were 80,000 americans live. Since the start of the conflict. Hours after visit our troops, i ran back to the forces launched an attack at the port city. Iran is responsible for the downing of a civilian airliner in january, 176 people killed, the regime lied about the tragedy. The regime has still not turn over the black box. There any regime slaughtered at least several hundred of its own people with reports of as many as 1500 during the protests last november. Many millions more have suffered since the revolution began more than 40 years ago. Iranians and those impacted by the regime are thankful that the United States is finally holding their oppressors accountable. The Trump Administration will neither peace nor tolerate the enormous National Security threat that iran poses to the trent, our friends and our allies. Our Pressure Campaign is aimed at reducing producing these thd convince here to change its behavior. I will spend one minute specific addressing the strike on the Quds Force CommanderQasem Soleimani. He was the regimes top terrorist and the mastermind of the killing of innocent americans, serious, iraqis, and others. Removing him from the battlefield was a deescalatory measure his death reduced the risk to our personnel overseas. Both my diplomats and our military, and make clear where willing and able to impose costs on our adversaries if they threatened or attacked us. I know that sadly some american troops were injured during irans retaliatory missile attack at the to limited naturf irans counterattack indicates irans leadership is not eager to escalate a military confrontation. They know if we fight they will lose. That is the deterrence. Its our policy. Its not just military deterrence. The jcpoa has bankrolled the regimes murderous campaigns of terror and destabilization, we reversed that and the post was aggressive economic sections campaign in history to deprive the regime of at least 50 billion in revenue. And diplomatically we have rallied allies and partners to ban of weaponry and personal around the middle east and in part due to our efforts alone become hunters, kosovo, paraguay and the United Kingdom have declared hezbollah a terrorist organization in all aspects. Thats real American Leadership to confront iran here we will sustain our pressure will continue to protect the American People and american interests by any means necessary and continue to impose costs on the regime for its campaigns of carnage. We will work with our allies and partners for more stable and secure middle east. Thank you. I look forward to your questions, mr. Chairman. Thank you. I recognize myself for five minutes and i yield to mr. Sicily. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Pompeo, im concerned the socalled maximum Pressure Campaign against iran has not achieved what you promised it would. After all since january 2 there again for my coming attacks on american personnel. Weve added a. 6000 additional troops to the region and iran is once again on the path toward a Nuclear Weapon. The mecca people ever conflicting information from you and of the memos of the administration about the reason for the soleimani strike in the detail of its impact. Because of dishonesty from the sequestration of this and many other issues the americans have lost trust in the government. Now were facing serious Global Health crisis in form of the coronavirus and trust is more important than ever. Unfortunately we have heard conflict information will come to the ministrations response on this as well. We know if this is a threat that doesnt respect borders, but it packs its victims indiscriminately and start to show up in our own communities. We have now heard different expiration of who in the administration is responsible for managing the american response to the potential spread of this virus. Successfully managing the global aspect of this crisis will require American Leadership. So can you tell us exactly what your role is in this response . Is that the question . Yes. What precisely falls under your set of responsibility as secretary of state . Sure. So, mr. Chairman, just so you know we agreed outcome today to talk about iran and first question today is not about iran. Make it about iran. Let me make it speeded know im happy to speak weve heard of an outbreak in a rented to a 45 cases is the latest number. Have you or any other senior level american official been in touch with anyone inside the arena and government to coordinate on this response to the virus and mitigate the further spread of the virus . Weve made offers to the Islamic Republic of original and we make clear to others around the world and the region that assistance, humid trent assistance to push back against the coronavirus in iran is something that the traded fully supports. We will continue to support. Thats true, for every nation that will bring to bear our diplomatic power and our capacity to deliver technical and medical assistance wherever we can. Im worried because of this administrations three year history of blatant disregard for facts that the mecca people dont know who to trust because of the policy you champion. When you isolate ourselves within the global community. Weve ignored or defunded key government offices or International Entities that do with Global Health and pandemics and the aggressive military focus Foreign Policy this a position hasnt achieved any articulated goals or made the American People safer. American. American leadership around the world is paramount in keeping americans safe, and im concerned today about this administrations ability to do so. With that i yield back. I now yield to mr. Bera. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Mr. Secretary, im a doctor and on wednesday we found out that my former colleague at universe of california davis are treating the first possible case of Community Transmission of coronavirus in the United States. States. My home county of sacramento has been reminded that disease has no borders. So following my colleague, im deeply alarmed by our approach to iran in terms of impacting and the fight against coronavirus. Mr. Secretary, do you believe that sharing data about new diseases like coronavirus makes america and the world safer . Yes. And mr. Secretary, do you believe that iran is up to the fight against coronavirus . Their Healthcare Infrastructure is not robust, and to date their willingness to share information about whats really going on inside of the Islamic Republic of iran has not been robust, and im very concerned that it is that i read astonishing information reclaiming my time. I agree with some of that assessment that they dont have that information and im worried about that. As a doctor i dont when youre fighting a new disease time is of the essence. That means people and medical supplies at the epicenter. Because that will help limit the spread before it reaches of the countries. It took over a week at the disease was first diagnosed for the Administration Just to clarify that sending humanitarian assistance would not trigger sanctions. Will the administration be issuing new licenses for iran sanctions that address issues connected to coronavirus . The predicate of your question is not accurate. There has been a continuously an avenue for the movement of medical and humidity in goods inside the Islamic Republic of iran. They have not been sanctioned at any time, before the advent of the coronavirus and concurrently. Reclaiming my time. Lets just make sure we do everything we can to stop and assist iran. Irans isolation has made less open and less transparent, and as a result coronavirus is flourishing in that country. It is not making americans safer, and with that i yield back. The time of the gentleman has expired. Mr. Mccaul. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Mr. Secretary, the senate smh and passed a preemptive war powers resolution with the house will vote on the coming weeks directing the United States deceased husted was against iran here again i believe this is based on the false premise. So my question is very simple. Let me ask you this. Are we engaged in active hostilities against iran . We are not. Our posture to push back against the behaviors of the Islamic Republic of iran is designed to deter and to defend americas interests. Like you. What signals does is a division in the course into the largest state sponsor of terror, iran . So as a former member i always have a high tolerance for people to busing their views, the use of the constituents and so members of cards have a responsibility to do that. Having said that, it is the case that, around the world, leaders observe when there is not a consistent view across all of the United States government. At americas policy our best effectuate when theres consensus that emerges around american Foreign Policy. And i would encourage anyone to take on board what the administration is doing and urges them to come to the consensus and assist us in delivering the change in the regimes behave at that the thik everyone in this room today understands is both necessary and in americas best interests. On all four article one constitutional authorities. I do believe the president had authorities under article ii in selfdefense. In addition he is designated foreign terrorist under the obama administration. Ask you this. The Washington Post recently reported the quds force has been significantly deterred from retaliating against further against the United States since the death of soleimani. Can you tell us how irans activities have changed since the United States took out mr. Soleimani . So that, that is probably best for a classified setting, but i can say in an unclassified setting, they recognize the seriousness with which america acted to take the strike against Qasem Soleimani. And i think they appreciate the seriousness with which President Trump and administration are taking, our obligation to defend america and our partners. And it clearly demonstrated our preparedness to continue to deter irans behavior, and he thinks they have taken that seriously. And last question. Do you believe in terms of a threat in the future, depending, not saying on what timescale, that mr. Soleimani was planning to kill more americans, possibly in iraq . 100 . Of and that would be based on a very short timeframe. Okay. He was in the region actively plotting to kill americans in the region. So we are in a way if the president had done nothing and more americans have been killed, were we in a 1979 hostage situation . The present would be blamed for that, wouldnt he, if he did nothing . It was my judgment at this reduced risk to america to take this strike. I think the team all presented that to the president. He made a final decision that was right, that we would reduce risk both in the shortterm, mediumterm and in the longterm to american interests. And so the American People but most importantly our diplomats and soldiers in the region are certainly safer because of that decision, wouldnt you agree . Undoubtedly. I would just like to close with, i have been in the white house for some of these discussions. The president was very clear. I do not want to go to war with iran. He said that repeatedly, and i still think he believes that. I saw tremendous restraint when we look at how to respond to the drone that was shot down by the iranians, a u. S. Military asset, when 50 of saturdays refinery capability were taken out, you know. And finally when they attacked our american embassy, it was not some brushfire it was bombed out. Out. I had the picture on the house floor. A serious attack on our american embassy, and that cannot go without a response. I