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House Committee on Natural Resources chair praises "Operation Epic Fury," blames DHS shutdown on Democrats
Summary
The committee chair praised "Operation Epic Fury" as "a masterclass in American military superiority," said Iran has been at war with the U.S. since 1979, and accused Democrats of refusing to fund the Department of Homeland Security during a shutdown, which the chair said threatens national security.
The chair of the House Committee on Natural Resources praised "Operation Epic Fury" and criticized Democrats for failing to fund the Department of Homeland Security, saying the shutdown endangers U.S. safety.
The chair opened by acknowledging "the incredible success of Operation Epic Fury," saying the effort "is a testament of the leadership of the White House, the Pentagon, the State Department" and calling the operation "a masterclass in American military superiority." The chair also prayed for the safety of U.S. service members and "for the families of those six that have been lost in service to this great nation."
The chair framed the current hostilities with Iran as long-standing, saying, "This is not a new war. The Iranians have been at war with the United States since 1979. This is a 47 year predicate." The remark was presented as context for the administration's response, which the chair praised as showing "courage" and "resolve." The chair said, "President Trump had the courage and the resolve to say, not anymore, not on his watch. We're going to put an end to this."
Turning to domestic policy, the chair accused House Democrats of jeopardizing national security by refusing to fund the Department of Homeland Security during a shutdown. "Every single day the DHS remains shut down, the Democrats are sending a message to the American people that they don't care about our safety," the chair said, calling the timing unacceptable given a "high threat level." The chair warned Iranian proxies could operate beyond specific geographies and cautioned that cyber attacks "could be particularly damaging here in the United States."
The chair concluded by recognizing a Representative for the next portion of the meeting. The remarks in the transcript were assertions and criticisms delivered from the dais; no formal motion, vote or substantive challenge to the chair's statements is recorded in the provided segments.
