▶ 0:46:46call the meeting of the appropriations committee to order. I want to state the obvious to our friends in the minority. This is twice. 30 minutes last time, 40 minutes this time. I can get every one of my members here and start on time. So, please don't do this again. I'm sure it was important, but it's incredibly inconsiderate. Or I could have had all my members walk out and leave and let you guys come to an empty room 40 minutes late. So, let's just not do that.
▶ 0:47:15That's all I'm asking. Just begin on time. Okay. I'd like to welcome everybody to today's meeting regardless of the time at which you arrived. Uh today we'll be marking up our legislative branch appropriations measure for fiscal year 2026. We'll also be considering an updated report on our interim sub allocations with an update on the legislative branch bill.
▶ 0:47:41Today marks the last markup of what has been a very busy week, the appropriations committee. And I thank you all for your hard work thus far. I know you have worked hard. Uh it's my intention to complete all work on the legislative branch appropriations bill today. Uh while we will obviously take a recess uh for four votes as needed, uh we will otherwise be here today until our work is completed. Uh both on the legislative branch bill and on the interim uh sub allocations.
▶ 0:48:11With that, we'll begin the markup. Our first order of business today is consideration of the legislative branch appropriations bill for fiscal year 2026. I'll now recognize Chairman Valido to present the Thank you, Chairman. It's my pleasure to present the fiscal year 26 legislative branch appropriations bill and report for your consideration today.
▶ 0:48:40I appreciate the opportunity to work once again with ranking member Espayot and the minority staff throughout the fiscal year 26 process. I'd also like to thank Chairman Cole and ranking member Deloro for their continued leadership. We received a record number of requests from our colleagues and the members present today and we had the pleasure of accommodating items from both sides of the aisle in a bipartisan manner. This bill provides a 5 billion, a 5.3% decrease from fiscal year 2025 enacted house level.
▶ 0:49:10By tradition, we do not consider Senate items in the House mark, but when we take them into account, the discretionary allocation is $6.7 billion, a $51 million decrease from fiscal year 2025 enacted CR. While we had to make a number of tough choices in this bill, we believe that this that as the legislative branch, it is our responsibility to lead by example and make responsible funding decreases where appropriate.
▶ 0:49:36As I mentioned in our subcommittee markup on Monday, we recognize the tragic events that recently took place in Minnesota, and I'm deeply concerned and saddened by the increase in political violence in this nation. As appropriators, we have the responsibility to provide for the safety and security of members of Congress and the United States Capital Complex. And the bill under consideration today reflects our ongoing commitment to this duty.
▶ 0:50:00In 2017, the members representative allowance was increased for the purpose of providing member security when they are away from the capital complex. And this bill continues to carry that increase. It also includes increased funding for the House Sergeant-at-Arms and the United States Capital Police. I want to take a brief moment to highlight the funding requested by the US Capital Police for mutual aid reimbursements. As noted in the report, the department requested five-year funds at the rate of 5 million per year for mutual aid.
▶ 0:50:29This pro bill provides 10 million for fiscal year 26, which is double the proposed annual amount. We intend to continue to provide uh to continue providing funds on an annual basis to ensure we are providing sufficient funding uh that is reflective of the growing needs at hand. I would also like to thank the House Sergeant-at-Arms and his team for the rapid manner in which they developed a number of proposals in consultation with members and leadership regarding additional security measures.
▶ 0:50:56In the days ahead, we look forward to discussing these proposals with our colleagues to determine most appropriate path forward. We plan to continue the discussion on security measures and recommend that we incorporate any needed changes when we conference with the Senate. Again, I'd like to thank members for their thoughtful contributions to fiscal year 26 legislative branch bill and report and the staff from both house uh majority minority. And with that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back. Thank you very much. I'd now like to recognize a gentleman from New York, Mr.
▶ 0:51:26Espayat for remarks on the bill. Uh thank you, Mr. Chairman, Chairman Colola and Ranking Member uh Delaro and of course uh my good friend Chairman Balladeo for this opportunity to discuss the fiscal year 2025 legislative branch bill. Uh particularly I want to thank Mr.
▶ 0:51:48Valado for showing his interest in in collaborating on a bipartisan effort with regards to some aspects uh of this bill that are important to all of us. I, like many elected officials in Congress and across the nation, are deeply concerned about member safety.
▶ 0:52:08My prayers continue to go out for the families and friends of Minnesota Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark Hortman, as well as Senator John Hoffman and his wife Evette. Mr. Chairman, member threats are on the rise. The Capitol Police is reporting threats assessment cases so far this calendar year.
▶ 0:52:35This total is on pace to far exceed the 2024 total of 9,474 cases. Uh there is no uh command of where these uh threats go. they go towards Republican members and Democratic members.
▶ 0:52:57And so due to the rise of these threats and political violence in our country, we must prioritize the safety and well-being of members and the their families. I want to also commend uh Congress member Morelli for his uh tireless effort to take a deep dive into this these issues and come up with some uh real proposals for all of us. I look forward to working across the aisle uh to work towards this goal.
▶ 0:53:27Turning to the bill, Mr. Chairman, thank you uh to the legislative branch staff, FA Cobb, Lori Raleigh, April Lyman, and my legislative director, Nia Thomas, for their hard work. As you noted, this bill, the bill before us today, excluding the Senate items, contains 5 billion, which is a $272 million or 5% less than the fiscal year 2025 enacted levels and and a 1.3 billion
▶ 0:53:57uh allotment below the fiscal year or 2026 request. The bill continues to fund essential agencies like the Capitol Police and supports some some infrastructure and security initiatives. However, this bill is also filled with problems.
▶ 0:54:17It contains unnecessary harmful policy writers that annihilate diversity programs, undermine LGBTQ plus rights, and excludes essential environmental effort provision. Additionally, this bill reduces the funding for the GAO, the Government Accountability Office, by almost 50%. Mr.
▶ 0:54:42Chairman, your committee's web page says these cuts are necessary to curtail the AY's self-directed liberal initiative. I disagree. This is about the GAO having nearly 40 open investigations into whether the White House is illegally withholding money that we as a committee previously appropriated.
▶ 0:55:05Supporting the administration's actions that contravene the rule of law means the committee compromises its integrity and undermines public trust in the capacity to uphold justice. It is our job to fund the federal government. And it is the GAO's job to ensure the funding is spent as we the Congress intended. With this cuts, 200 2,200 jobs will be lost.
▶ 0:55:33In addition, Congress will forgo tens of billions in cost savings that result from GAO's work each year. If efficiency is the goal of both the GAO and the of the administration, then how does this action as well as preventing the GAO to bring civil action under the empowerment act makes sense? Mr. Chairman, does the Library of Congress really deserve to be cut 10%?
▶ 0:55:59that the administration ask you to cut this agency because they disallow dodge access. Was it appropriate and legal to fire the librarian and as it was done? The Library of Congress is a legislative branch agency and Dutch has no business trying to gain access to our computer systems. This is not only a separation of powers concerned. It is wholly unlawful. We cannot relinquish our ability to govern our agencies.
▶ 0:56:29If we are not going to see the power of the purse to the executive branch and not protect our own agency, why are we here for Mr. Chairman? What is the point of the appropriations committee? Because uh there are too many concerns looming, not not enough funding available and many requests still not considered. I cannot in good conscious support this bill and I yield back. Mr. Chairman, thank the gentleman for his remarks.
▶ 0:56:57I now recognize myself for remarks on the bill. Uh, thank you, Chairman Valado, Ranking Member Espayat, and certainly my good friend, Ranking Member Dellora, and all our members. We've had a busy FY26 appropriation schedule this week, and we're rounding it out with a markup for a bill fundamental to those duties. A legislative branch measure is central to our democracy.
▶ 0:57:22It supports the operations of the House on behalf of the American people and provides resources to help our constituents. Importantly, we exercise responsible governance by protecting key priorities and refocusing agencies on their core missions. This both safeguards taxpayer dollars and ensures proper operational scope of government.
▶ 0:57:43We uphold the safety of the Capitol complex for visitors, staff, and members, providing enhanced resources for the US Capitol Police and House Sergeant-at-Arms. Whether in DC or during indist proceedings, the protection of constituents and lawmakers is a priority, and I know it's an issue that will continue to be a focus as we move through we move through this process.
▶ 0:58:07Uh, Chairman Valadeo's bill ensures the legislative branch can serve the public effectively while maintaining fiscal responsibility. I thank him, Ranking Member Espayat, and the majority and minority staff for their hard work. I look forward to advancing this bill, and I commend all those who support it. With that, I yield back. I now recognize my good friend, the ranking member of the full committee, Mr. Laura, for her opening remarks. Many thanks, Mr.
▶ 0:58:36chairman and I do treasure our friendship. So I thank you and I thank Chairman Valadeo, Ranking Member Espayat and the majority and minority staff for your work on this bill, especially FA Cobb. Since taking office, the Trump administration has stolen funding appropriated by our committee, passed by the House and Senate, and signed into law by the president for programs and services across the federal government.
▶ 0:59:04This bill's drastic cuts and constraints on the Government Accountability Office and the Library of Congress will inhibit our ability to hold government accountable and root out waste and fraud. The GAO's non-partisan audits, analyses, and investigations are an invaluable asset to the American people in ensuring their government is not running a foul of the law it creates and GAO is one of
▶ 0:59:34our most valuable tools to improve efficiency and effectiveness effectiveness across the government. It is astonishing that for all the talk about finding and rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse that House Republicans would defund the watchdog that is tasked with precisely that role.
▶ 0:59:54The only plausible explanation is that the majority and the administration to which it is exceedingly loyal is upset that GAO has repeatedly found that the White House is stealing funds away from taxpayers. We as appropriators and as members of Congress cannot tolerate this theft.
▶ 1:00:14They would defund the watchdog that alerts us to government A few of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have enjoyed the privilege of the administration's attention and with limited success have begged them to unfreeze funding for offices and agencies in their districts. But that is not how the appropriations process should work. Funding your local Social Security office should not depend on the benevolence of the president of the United States.
▶ 1:00:44Funding is determined by the United States Congress. If the appropriations committee will not stand up and stand together and ensure that the resources we appropriate in law are dispersed so that people get the help they need when we are living in a cost of living crisis then why are we here? What are we doing this for?
▶ 1:01:09How can we possibly move forward without a shared agreement that what we do here is write Additionally, House Republicans continued to show disrespect for the United States Capitol Police. Democrats and Republicans supported the creation of a plaque honoring the service and sacrifice of the law enforcement personnel who put their lives on the line to protect our democracy during the January 6th attack on the Capitol.
▶ 1:01:39This plaque was supposed to be in place by March 2023. It is a moving tribute. An image of it hangs outside my office. But House Republicans refused to follow the law and hang it in the Capitol. Instead of using this bill to support the brave men and women who keep us safe and who kept us safe that day, this bill is shamefully silent.
▶ 1:02:03The majority has also once again included harmful writers that hurt our ability to attract and retain diverse and talented staff. And every one of us knows that it is our staff that keep our names on the door. The bill would create license to discriminate against LGBTQ plus people and block diversity programs. And I am frustrated that this bill continues to bar DACA recipients from legislative branch employment.
▶ 1:02:31This bill would make it more difficult for new moms to work in the legislative branch with fewer protections than they would have working in any other job across the federal government. These policies make it harder for us to build a workforce as diverse and talented as the country we serve. Before I close, there is another issue looming over this bill, and that is security for members of Congress.
▶ 1:02:56Two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses were shot in their homes and tragically Melissa Hortman and her husband were killed. Political violence should have no place in the United States. But time and again we have seen horrific incidents targeting elected officials and their families. This is not and should not be a partisan dispute. It requires a nonpartisan response.
▶ 1:03:25As a former chair of the committee, I know that Chairman Cole would have given the subcommittee its allocation, and Chairman Valadeo would have had to make most decisions about the content of this bill prior to the tragic attacks in Minnesota. While there are funds included in the bill to reimburse local law enforcement, we must do far more. We cannot sit silently by and wait for the next attack.
▶ 1:03:51Members of Congress must be secure and our families should feel safe in their homes. Our staff has been in close contact with the Sergeant-at-Arms, Capitol Police, the Committee on House Administration, and leadership about options to improve our security. Each potential path includes costs that the committee must cover. As those discussions continue and as we get additional information, the majority must pledge to increase resources in the bill for security improvements.
▶ 1:04:21The minority and majority need to come together on this issue. I thank you and I yield back. Uh I ask that the ranking members words be taken down. No. Ranking me, she she accused the president of a crime at least twice in her opening statements.
▶ 1:04:41I will remind you of of their request to take words down for simply saying the people on the other side don't care about the military city stealing and it's will not take down the gentle lady's words. That's my ruling. If you want to appeal the ruling of the chair, you certainly have every right to do so. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you. Uh are there any members wishing to make general comments about the bill? I believe Mr. Bishop uh cares to do that.
▶ 1:05:10So, the gentleman's recognized for general comments on the bill. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'd like to start by saying thank you to the leaders of the committee and the subcommittee as well as the staff for your hard work on this The legislative branch was created under article one of the United States Constitution as a co-equal branch of our government vested with all legislative powers.
▶ 1:05:37Since the president took office, he's used his administration to stretch and strain our carefully balanced system of checks and balances to a breaking point in an effort to gain power, dominate the will of Congress, and impose his policy ideas without the express consent of we the people.
▶ 1:06:00In just the past five months, the Trump administration has attempted to unilaterally shut down the Department of Education and USAD. It has terminated previously obligated grants and loans that Congress passed into law, laid off thousands of federal workers needed to carry out Congress's directives, and even attempted to modify the US Constitution by executive order.
▶ 1:06:25Unfortunately, the bill before us today would lead us down a slippery slope where the executive branch reigns and the people's voice in Congress waines. Perhaps the most troubling part of the bill is that it slashes funding by nearly 50% of the Government Accountability Office, Congress's own body that empowers us to combat waste, fraud, and abuse.
▶ 1:06:52GAO, the federal government's supreme audit institution, is essential to our work. Cutting the agency by nearly $400 million will undoubtedly diminish the role of the GAO, leaving members of Congress with fewer audits, less bureaucracy oversight, longer response times to inquiries, and simply less of the vital information we need to effectively legislate.
▶ 1:07:18While GAO is generally viewed as a watchdog agency, it works to uncover waste, fraud, and abuse in government that can often affect people's lives in serious ways. GAO has audited the FDA's role in ensuring our food and drugs are safe.
▶ 1:07:34They conduct investigations to determine if the government is following civil rights laws like IDA and ADA and they independently track and investigate government spending in an effort to regain funds lost from improper payments and fraud. Unfortunately, this bill is being used as a tool to deprive members of Congress and the American people of transparency, objective factual information and data.
▶ 1:08:04to help us intelligently evaluate the impact of current and proposed legislation and to objectively report on what is truly fraud, waste, and abuse. we should say that GAO is not a problem agency that needs to be cut into submission. It is an independent factbased catalyst for efficiency in government.
▶ 1:08:32and I implore my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to reverse course. Additionally, the bill slashes over $80 million from the Library of Congress, threatening one of our nation's most treasured institutions and jeopardizing public access to educational resources. This is not how the world's most powerful legislative body should treat one of its oldest and most cherished institutions.
▶ 1:08:58As a son of a professional librarian who spent my formative years behind the stacks and in the reading rooms of I truly value and I understand the value of protecting our society's repository of information. The firing of the Librarian of Congress is a blatant act of executive overreach.
▶ 1:09:23The librarian of Congress serves a fixed term to protect the institution from exactly the kind of political influence that we are seeing. Dismissing her early without cause undermines the independence of one of the most respected educational cultural institutions. Powerful political agenda should neither jeopardize this repository of knowledge that dates back to Thomas Jefferson nor dictate who preserves the nation's history.
▶ 1:09:49The work of the House of Representatives requires responsible investments to serve the American people and meet the evolving challenges we face. But instead of rising to that task, this bill doubles down on harmful partisan politics to do more to divide than to deliver. The bill seeks to eliminate diversity, equity, inclusion efforts across the legislative branch and continues the majority's campaign to defeat any official efforts to help ensure our workforce reflects the rich diversity of our country.
▶ 1:10:19As members of Congress, we should be doing more, not less, to bring people of different backgrounds into public service. And in the year 2025, exactly 10 years after marriage equality became the law of the land, the bill seeks to turn back the clock on the rights of LGBT Americans, including language that opens the door to open discrimination against individuals and same-sex marriages.
▶ 1:10:40While I cannot support the bill as it current writ is currently written, I look forward to a robust discussion on how we can improve this legislation and work to ensure that the House of Representatives is supporting and its supporting agencies have the resources needed to effectively serve the American people. Thank you and I yield back. Chair would ask that members observe the time limits. Gentleman from Maryland, Mr.
▶ 1:11:09Hoy is recognized for general remarks on the bill. You remind me, I'll turn on my mic. Thank you very much. Uh I had comments in our markup and I'm going to repeat some of them.
▶ 1:11:32the rep the legislative branch is supposed to deliver at least for the legislative branch. This bill however is designed to deliver in my view for the administration and its mission to consolidate the power of the federal government within the That is clearly their objective and the articulated policy of the office of management and budget.
▶ 1:12:00It does so, of course, at the expense of our Congress's status as an independent co-equal branch of government under the The administration and many of my colleagues across the talk a big lot about government and about the power of Congress.
▶ 1:12:26Then why in heaven's name do we back this bill's 50% cut in the GAO? That nonpartisan independent agencies entire purpose is to ensure the executive branch is using federal funds efficiently and effectively and absent waste, fraud, and as the Congress intended.
▶ 1:12:54The GAO is currently conducting, as the chairman has said, over 40 into the White House's efforts to illegally and unconstitutionally impound My Republican colleagues, surely that is not of interest of us only if it is the other administration.
▶ 1:13:18If that's the case, then it is a empty power that we have in the Congress. The GAO is the only entity. I appreciate that one of you is paying attention to me because these are not partisan issues. This is about whether the Congress can act as it should, as it was designed to do, as democracy demands that it does.
▶ 1:13:49It's the only entity capable of taking legal action to compel the administration to spend impounded funds. This bill and wrongly takes that power away from them. In other words, nobody can sue unless they're personally affected.
▶ 1:14:13Taking that power away from the GAO and thus from the Congress and the American My Republican colleagues. The Congress is not a suggestion box. We are the Congress. We are the deciders. We are the ones who set policy.
▶ 1:14:43We are the one who appropriate money. Nothing can be spent unless we act. Don't give that up lightly. This action, however, allows the president to divert or stop congressionally directed funding without accountability or legal consequences. Is that what you want?
▶ 1:15:16Very frustrating. Two of you are now paying any attention to what I have to say. The rest of your this isn't about Democrats or Republicans. This about the Congress of the United States. Since 1949, we've had 76 years. 40 of those years, Republicans have been presidents. 36 years, Democrats have been president.
▶ 1:15:42And if you look at the record, it sort of passes back and And in passing bass back and forth, the perspectives change. If if our guy is a Democrat or your guy as a Republican, your perspective seems to change both sides.
▶ 1:16:06But it ought not to change because the power of the Congress makes this country this country unique in the And that is why I suggest you our democracy has survived since 1789. The oldest democracy in the world not by chance but by design.
▶ 1:16:34Article one of the constitution makes it clear that Congress has the power of the purse. All of you know that. All of you articulate that and all of you say that. But we need to protect that power because power unprotected will be lost. Mr. Chairman, can I have a little bit of leniency here? I'm trying not to speak. No, I remind the gentleman we began 40 minutes late, so we are going to be pretty straight.
▶ 1:17:00I gave the gentleman an additional 30 seconds and I will certainly let you wind up, but no, not not for any considerable length of time. Okay. Thank you very much. I think we will rule this day on both sides of the aisle depending upon whose president is in charge. So I have other things to say, but my time is up.
▶ 1:17:25But I would hope that you would look at this not from a partisan standpoint, but as a patriot patriot that believes that the Congress's unique status in our government is what makes us a great democracy. I yield back. Thank the gentleman for his remarks.
▶ 1:17:45Gentle lady from Ohio, Miss Captor, is recognized for general remarks on the Thank you, Chairman Cole Valido and Ranking Member Deloro uh and Espayat. Um I would like to place on the record today my unwavering support uh for law enforcement officers, federal, state, and local, who defended this capital and our democracy on January 6th. I was one of the last members to be evacuated on that terrible day.
▶ 1:18:16And only about a third of the members were actually present. The rest were somewhere else off campus. I saw it all. I heard it all. I experienced it all. Uh the United States Capitol Police in particular faced a violent siege. And they didn't run away, but with courage and duty. They guided their every move against those who attempted to harm them.
▶ 1:18:44Some were injured, over 150. Some will bear invisible scars for the rest of their lives. Let us not forget those that paid the ultimate price. Many of you were not here. But for those who were, we feel a particular responsibility to them and to their valor. They did not run. They stood their ground and they protected this institution and everyone inside.
▶ 1:19:13Yet here we are years later and the plaque meant to honor their bravery, sacrifice, and still sits in limbo. would they not be honored in this capital? Because the speaker of this house refuses to act. And you know what?
▶ 1:19:38He was in the Capitol that day and one of the very last to speak before all hell broke loose. I shall not forget that. Let me be clear. Failing to install that plaque is a disgrace. It does not honor the officers who protected the capital. They couldn't stop all the damage that was done inside. Millions of dollars.
▶ 1:20:04It's a slap in the face to every officer who wore the badge that day. And to leave the plaque unmounted is to pretend their sacrifice was optional and their bravery It is not. Patriots must demand that that plaque be installed.
▶ 1:20:26Now, it would be I would be remiss if I didn't say political violence and extremism has no place in a democratic republic. None. Political extremism is dangerous to America today, just as it was then. And so I ask my colleagues, let us restore regular order and let us honor those who protected our Constitution.
▶ 1:20:55And this institution, article one, article one of the Our capital police stood in the breach for liberty, not for violent extremism. I would urge my colleagues as we move forward today to work with us together on a nonpartisan basis to install that plaque in honor of all the officers who put their lives on the line not just for us but for the very institution of which we are honor in
▶ 1:21:25which we are honored to serve and I yield back. Thank Gentleman from South Carolina, Mr. Klyurn is recognized to make general remarks on the bill. Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr.
▶ 1:21:45Chairman, I rise in opposition to this bill, and I associate myself with the objections of my I want to focus my remarks on the bill's 10% reduction for the Library of Congress.
▶ 1:22:00The Library of Congress is the nation's library providing invaluable resources to Americans directly and is a main research arm of Congress and home to an expansive collection of books and cultural artifacts.
▶ 1:22:18This $90 million cut is just the latest Republican attack on this treasured It's been clear that the library has been in the Republicans's crosshairs since the president's firing of the librarian of Congress, Ka Hayden, prior to the end of her 10year term.
▶ 1:22:42Despite her exemplary record and similar abrupt firing of the copyright office director Shyra Pearl Mother, Dr. Hayden had been the first professional librarian to serve as librarian of Congress since The White House press secretary explained the firing in part by accusing Dr.
▶ 1:23:08Hayden of acting, and I quote here, in pursuit of DEI and putting inappropriate books in the library for The press secretary was seemingly unaware that you must be at least 16 years old in order to access the library's collections.
▶ 1:23:34The firing was just another instance of this administration's quest to wash our history and control what the American people read, learn, and think. Dr.
▶ 1:23:47Hayden speaking after her firing recalled a common saying among and I quote, "Free people read freely." I am very familiar with this quote and its process.
▶ 1:24:07I had a very uplose and personal 60-year relationship with a professional librarian and 58 of those years was in marriage. She spent her career at the Naval Hospital in Charleston and the Veterans Administration hospital in Colombia.
▶ 1:24:31Through her work, I saw how libraries expanded people's freedom through reading about anything in the world. Nine days ago, we commemorated the 10th of the white supremacist massacre at Emanuel AM Church in Charleston, South One of the nine victims was Cynthia Herd,
▶ 1:25:01a Charleston County public and a very close friend of my eldest Centi devoted her life to opening young people's eyes to the world of possibility that lay before them.
▶ 1:25:19Yet she tragically lost her life at the hands of a young man who saw a world of The Trump administration's actions in this instance reveal not a world of but a world of limits, a world of restrictions, a world of bans, and a world of fear.
▶ 1:25:46I would have hoped that my Republican colleagues on this committee would have stood against this administration in support of the Library of Congress and the freedom to read. Following Dr. Hayden's firing, two Republican senators, the senators, including the majority leader, expressed real concern.
▶ 1:26:09just in this instance like response to Cynthia heard just thoughts and prayers or in the words of the apostle James were faith without works. Yet I should not blame the Trump administration because the appropriations bill provides less funding for the library than the ad administration's request.
▶ 1:26:35If Congress does not stand up and protect this national treasure within our own branch of government, though who will we If I uh should feel uh if you should feel that I'm obsessive about race uh and gender, please take a look at me.
▶ 1:26:59the father of three daughters, two granddaughters, and a greatg And take into account that the young white supremacist who murdered the librarian Cynthia Herd and her eight fellow worshippers said he wanted to start a race war.
▶ 1:27:22I urge my colleagues to support the Library of Congress, support the freedom to read and oppose this legislation. And I'll yield back the balance of my time. Thank gentleman for his remarks. Gentle lady from Florida, M. Woman Schultz is recognized for general remarks on the Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 1:27:46When I first came to the appropriations committee in my second term, the legislative branch subcommittee was not only my first assignment, but it was where I first served as a cardinal. So, it has a very wonky place in my little heart. Um, the truth is though that the legislative branch is a critical component of what we do in this committee because we and only we control our budget and it is the bill that not only allows us to serve our constituents, but it also allows us to be a truly co-equal branch of government.
▶ 1:28:16Congress cannot be a check on the executive branch if we're not able to hire, train, and retain staff or if we're cutting the support services that all members rely on to do our job effectively. Unfortunately, this bill falls far short of that and at the very time when threats to the members of this body have never been greater. I want to start with what I think is the most disturbing part of this bill and that is that it cuts it is that is the cuts to the government accountability office.
▶ 1:28:43The GAO is an independent nonpartisan agency within the legislative branch that performs auditing evaluations and investigations a critical component of our oversight responsibilities. Now, I have to say the level of misinformation that's been spread about the GAO, even by Republican members of the House and Senate, is quite concerning, especially considering that during the Biden administration, Republicans relied on GAO to conduct their own oversight activities.
▶ 1:29:09But today, now that it's the Trump administration that GAO has to audit and hold accountable, the Republicans have thrown every garbage conspiracy theory that gets dredged up into the public domain. One that was particularly absurd was that no member of the GAO staff had supposedly donated to Republican candidates and therefore it must be all Democratic plants in the agency. Well, Mr. Chairman, the answer to that is quite simple. GAO staff must be nonpartisan and impartial.
▶ 1:29:36So, active GAO staff don't donate to political campaigns, nor are they Democratic or Republican staffers, as their ethics rules make clear. Let's just be honest. Now that there is a Republican in the White House, one that's rife with ethics problems and bad management, Republicans want to pull the plug on congressional oversight to save their unethical leaders from any probes or bad press. Yet, the taxpayer value is clearly there. For fiscal year 2024, GAO recovered $76 for every dollar we invested in them.
▶ 1:30:07Since 2002, GAO recovered $1.45 $45 trillion in taxpayer savings. Only in its dreams could Doge reach such legitimate identifiable savings. Yet in this bill, GAO funding gets slashed. We all work for the American people and this institution was set up to serve them. It was not set up to serve the executive branch or the president, whoever he or she may be.
▶ 1:30:30It was not to set up set up to serve as indivi serve us as individuals or to do the political dirty work of the administration who shows utterly no respect for the co-equal legislative branch at all. I mean, just look at this week. Congressional leaders were not properly consulted on a military action, one that I supported, by the way, nor was Congress given any information on the events leading up to the decision to strike. Then, when we did get a classified briefing after the fact scheduled, it was pulled down. The administration only rescheduled it after bipartisan uproar.
▶ 1:31:00This is simply insane. Republicans are collapsing the Cong the collapsing the independent authority that Congress has under the GAO's oversight responsibilities to an imperial president drunk on abusing his power. Congress not Congress is not a suggested partner. The Constitution mandates that we are a co-equal branch of government. To seed our power away like this is to is grossly irresponsible and it is a dangerous precedent to set.
▶ 1:31:28How could we cut the Congressional Research Service and the GAO while at the very same time allowing this in administration to violate federal laws that scream out for congressional oversight? Just look at this appropriations process. So far, we've passed bills from this committee with nothing but a few topline numbers and a couple of PowerPoint slide decks from the agencies. It's budgeting with a blindfold.
▶ 1:31:49The Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress, and its sub agencies, and the GAO are all meant to help Congress be independent and fill the lot knowledge gaps that we have when dealing with complex issues. So, while we're letting this administration get away with governing on the back of a napkin, Republicans are also going to hamstring Congress, us, and our abilities to do the jobs our constituents elected us to do. I won't stand for it, and I think most of you agree with me. Really, whether or not you vote the way you truly feel, we shall see.
▶ 1:32:16This bill is bad news for the legislative branch, for the American people, our constituents, and for our democracy, and I only scratched the surface of the many reasons why. With that, Mr. Chairman, I urge all of our colleagues to vote no. Or better yet, let's just pull this bill and figure out a better way, a better path forward. I yield back the balance of my time. Thank the gentle lady. The gentle lady from Maine, Miss Pengu, recognized for general remarks on the bill. Thank you very much, uh, Mr. Chair. I want to concur and associate myself with the remarks of so many of my colleagues.
▶ 1:32:45This is a terrible bill. It's inadequate funding. It's bad policy and there are so many irresponsible cuts and programs that are being eliminated under this. It also, as uh the member from Maryland so eloquently stated, it really reduces the power of the Congress um and allowing us to abdicate so much of our responsibility to the executive branch, particularly as you've heard others say, my colleague from Florida, on these GAO cuts, our only legitimate way to have nonpartisan
▶ 1:33:16investigations. And we are abdigating also that responsibility. But I too uh like my colleague from South Carolina want to focus on the Library of Congress and the important role it's played in our work here and throughout time um and this ridiculous $90 million cut 15% of the library's budget. Starting with the assault already on this institution by firing the great librarian Carla Hayden and losing her leadership and the great work she's done for all of us.
▶ 1:33:45This is the largest library in the world. It is where some of our greatest treasures are held. It is the library of Congress. It's our library. It was set up for us for the time we need to do the research for the work that we need to do. I direct every visitor to Washington to go to the Library of Congress.
▶ 1:34:04It's one of the most magnificent buildings here on Capitol Hill and throughout the Capitol and it shows our belief in education and experience and knowledge throughout the building. the art displayed, the symbolism in the building. It is all about understanding the importance of education and learning uh in the work that we do. It has Jefferson's rough draft of the Declaration of Independence. And we all love the dinners that we attend at the Library of Congress. It's one of the few bipartisan things we do.
▶ 1:34:33We sit next to each other. We talk about history, something that we can usually agree on, and we share that knowledge and we share that experience. and we see the great treasures that are pulled out usually just for us that night to look at it. It's just recently acquired Steven Sonheim's papers, but that's just one of the many items that is there. Every book is somehow represented in the Library of Congress. Many of you don't know that I used to write knitting books, and I'm sure you would like to have volumes on your shelves right now. Just let me know.
▶ 1:35:04But the fact is, I can remember the day back in the 1980s when I got my Library of Congress number for the first book. And I just thought long before I ever thought I would be in Congress, what an amazing experience this is to have my book in the Library of Congress. We were we were so excited in the state of Maine in June when one of our Passimaquati elders, Dwayne Toma, came to the Library of Congress because he was having the opportunity.
▶ 1:35:31Dane Dwayne Toma has been one of the pasquaties who has done so much to preserve the language. And he was there to sing a song that had been retrieved from wax cylinders that were um provided by an anthropologist in the 1890s. But finally through technology used by the Library of Congress, they were able to get the digital version of that song and he could sing that version in the original language.
▶ 1:35:55Think about that treasure and how important that is to preserve the knowledge and the culture of that particular tribe singing a song that hadn't been heard for 128 years. That's just one of the many things that happens there. And I just want to say in the context of libraries, this is part of this administration's assault on libraries and knowledge. They've already gutted the IMLS, the Institution of Museum and Library Services. They've gutted the National Endowment for the Humanities.
▶ 1:36:23Um they these will both be zeroed out in the FY26 budget request although they haven't heard been heard before us. Um but we will be colluding in that if we go along with this. We've heard so much from our own libraries about the devastation of not having this funding that's already been cut by Doge. The attack on knowledge, the assault of this administration through their executive orders um on what is allowed in research and scholarship and how we talk about and treat history.
▶ 1:36:50This is us now in this cut colluding in that assault on knowledge that this administration is making. So, Congress should set its ex best example with its own library. We should not be cutting um this account. We should not be getting swept up in the administration's efforts. I yield back, but I uh ask everybody to vote no on this budget or as my colleague said, just throw this bill away and let's start over. Thank you, gentle lady, for remarks.
▶ 1:37:19gentle lady from New Jersey, Miss Watson Coleman is recognized for general remarks on the bill. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to the ranking member. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to this bill. My colleagues on the other side argue they are rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse.
▶ 1:37:40But if they were so concerned about this, why do they propose nearly a 50% cut to the Government Accountability Office, an independent nonpartisan office that actually improves government efficiency through oversight and through very thorough oversight.
▶ 1:38:00Republicans claim that they strongly support the GAO's ongoing future work to improve the efficiency of government programs, but they're actively making it harder for them to carry out this miss mission. Perhaps they're having to reduce their staff by 2,000 uh employees as well as cuts to other resources.
▶ 1:38:25In addition to cutting the CAO budget, Republicans are tying their hands. Republicans are actually adding more bureaucratic hurdles for the GAO to for the CAO to enforce the laws designed to make the government more efficient. The irony would be comical if its outcome weren't so serious. They're creating an administrative obstacle course for the very agency tasked with conducting oversight and improving government efficiency.
▶ 1:38:56My colleagues on the other side say one thing and then they do the opposite, but they cannot have it both ways. These steep cuts and ownorous regulations will encourage waste, fraud, and abuse by weakening What Republicans claim are cuts for efficiency are actually just omissions of convenience.
▶ 1:39:19The majority want to prohibit funding for any diversity or inclusive programs, not because these programs are inefficient, but because Republicans just don't like them. The majority want to pretend that race doesn't exist in this country. But we are a diver diverse nation. Pretending otherwise will not make it so.
▶ 1:39:42All it does is make people who are not straight, white, heterosexual, Christian men feel as though there is no place for them here. And lastly, there is still no plan in the current form of this bill to display this memorial plaque honoring the Capitol police officers who gave their lives to protect the capital on the June 6th insurrection, including my South River native, Brian Siknic.
▶ 1:40:10It has been two years too long. It is time to hang the memorial plaque honoring our law enforcement who sacrificed their lives. This bill undermines the progress that we have made to ensure efficiency and it fails to honor the sacrifices of law enforcement on January the 6. I urge my colleagues to vote against this bill and thank you. I yield back. Thank the gentle lady, Mr. Gentleman from California, Mr.
▶ 1:40:38Aguilar is recognized for general comments on the Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have serious concerns about the funding bill before us today. The bill not only jeopardizes the safety, integrity, and functionality of the legislative branch, but it also threatens the foundation of our democracy and the preservation of our nation's history.
▶ 1:40:59As my colleague said, the bill slashes funding to the Library of Congress by more than 10%, threatening the preservation of our nation's history by taking away resources that the Congress utilizes to conduct research on behalf of all Americans. The library is not just only about Congress, but it's about American history and culture. This isn't boring papers and bookkeeping.
▶ 1:41:22We're talking about original documents of our founding father founding fathers, the recordings of American icons like Robert Johnson and the maps that show the growth and progress of our nation. Slashing funding for this seminal American institution will do will only set us back. The bill takes the legislative branch backward by making it harder to recruit and employ qualified staff in the House, failing to provide funding to the brave men and women who serve in the United States Capital Police.
▶ 1:41:51Instead of lowering the costs for hardworking Americans, we're slashing the funding for the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office. And we're making it harder for members in this committee and in Congress to make datadriven decisions on how to spend taxpayer dollars. The GAO does important work and it's shameful that we are treating these public servants who make up this agency this way.
▶ 1:42:15On top of all of the cuts to vital congressional offices, this bill fails to increase funding for additional security protections for members of Congress. And I want to thank my colleague, the gentleman from New York, in his capacity as ranking member of the House Administration Committee for his work on this subject. Member security is a top priority for House Democratic leadership. At a time when elected officials across this country are being targeted, it's absolutely essential that we do the work together on a bipartisan basis.
▶ 1:42:43And I believe that many of you want to do that as well. Violence against any member of Congress must never be tolerated. It is incumbent upon us is as a committee to pass a bill that ensures members of Congress are safe and can do their jobs without the fear of political violence. And absent any agreement today, I would hope that the chairman and the committee members are able to pledge their support to work to increase funding in a responsible way.
▶ 1:43:09I urge my colleagues to join us in fighting to protect and properly fund our legislative branch and to go back to the drawing board with this funding bill. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank the gentleman. Gentle lady from Illinois, Mr. Underwood, is recognized for general remarks on the bill. Thank you, Chairman. I'm unable to support the fiscal year 2026 legislative branch appropriations bill we have before us today.
▶ 1:43:35Republicans talk a big game about efficiency and fiscal responsibility, but this bill fails every test. Instead of investing in the institutions that keep our democracy alive, this majority has opted to hollow them out and seed Congress's Article One powers to the Trump administration. Let's start with the Government Accountability Office. The nonpartisan GAO is responsible for ensuring taxpayer dollars are spent effectively as intended by Congress.
▶ 1:44:05In the past two decades, GAO has identified $2.8 8 trillion in payment errors. GAO's independent objective analysis and recommendations are critically important to protecting taxpayer resources from waste, fraud, and abuse. That's why the AY's average return on investment is for every dollar spent. So why on earth does this bill slash GAO's budget by almost 50%.
▶ 1:44:35By our calculations, based on GAO's return on investment, this cut of over $396 million could end up costing taxpayers almost $49 billion with a B. So, let's be real. Cutting funding for GAO is not about saving money. The real purpose of defunding the Government Accountability Office is to undermine its ability to hold the government accountable.
▶ 1:45:01It's about limiting an independent, nonpartisan watchdog's ability to conduct oversight over this administration's corruption, illegal use of taxpayer dollars, and abuses of the Constitution. It is no coincidence that this attack comes while GAO has nearly 40 open investigations into credible reports that the Trump administration is illegally withholding funds Congress has already appropriated.
▶ 1:45:28This bill goes so far as to prohibit GAO from bringing civil actions against the executive branch for failing to comply with the Empowerment Control Act. Once again, Republicans in Congress are so eager to hand our power of the purse to President Trump and Doge in violation of federal law and the Constitution separations of powers. This reckless bill also cuts funding for the Library of Congress by 10%.
▶ 1:45:56This latest attack on the library follows President Trump's firing of Dr. Carla Hayden with a two-s sentence email on May 8th, 2025. Dr. Hayden is a highly accomplished and widely respected scholar who also happens to be the first woman and the first black person to serve as librarian of Congress. These attacks threatened our country's ability to preserve our memory and inform our future.
▶ 1:46:22They also undermine Congress's ability to research and legislate on behalf of the American people, continuing the majority's efforts to weaken the legislative branch. This Republican bill also flatfunds the members representational allowance. Again, despite inflation, which effectively amounts to a cut and short changes our ability to serve our constituents, casework needs continue to grow in light of the chaos and confusion caused by the Trump administration's actions.
▶ 1:46:51and I am particularly concerned that this bill will not allow us to meet those needs. This bill also fails to provide any additional resources for muchneeded security improvements. In light of the recent tragedy in Minnesota and other terrifying instances of political violence, law enforcement and security experts have repeatedly recommended increased resources for the security of congressional offices and members. Instead, this bill leaves us and our communities vulnerable.
▶ 1:47:20This bill also pointlessly and cruy continues to bar DACA recipients from employment in the legislative branch. DACA recipients should have the right to serve their communities on our staff, and our constituents deserve to benefits from their talents and skills and dedication to our shared values as Americans. This bill also recycles the same divisive policy writers we've seen over and over again. Let me be very clear.
▶ 1:47:46Diversity, equity, and inclusion training provided here in the legislative branch is about creating a respectful and inclusive workplace. It helps ensure that our public servants can do their jobs free from discrimination. We should be strengthening and supporting these efforts, not undermining and distracting them with meaningful writers. Congress is the bedrock of our representational democracy. We are article one.
▶ 1:48:12This bill fails to take this responsibility seriously and it fails to invest in the very institutions charged with withholding our shared values. I urge my colleagues to stand up for accountability for our democratic institutions and for the American people and reject this misguided bill. And I yield back. Thank the gentle lady. The gentleman from New York, Mr. Morelli, is recognized for general comments on the Uh thank you so much, Mr.
▶ 1:48:41chairman and thank you to you and Mr. Valido and my colleagues, ranking members Deloro and Espat. Um I uh want to associate myself with many of the remarks my colleagues have made. I often said when I was in the state legislature the old saw everything's been said but not by everybody. Uh and I'm breaking my own rule here because much of what's been said I'll probably repeat but I think this is critically important uh for all of us to weigh in on this. I I am deeply deeply troubled by the bill before us.
▶ 1:49:12Um I think this is wholly inadequate uh for the responsibilities that we have as an institution. I I remember when I first came here several years ago, I was struck by how often people talked about article one and the responsibilities of article one. I I don't think I had given it very much thought before I came to Congress why it was article one. You think about the preamble. we the people of the United States in order to form a more perfect union.
▶ 1:49:39This beautiful preamble written by the framers about what they saw coming through the challenges of the war of independence, the articles of confederation and wanted to start a new and uh hold this together and form this more perfect union. And the first thing they did when they decided to do it, we the people, how would they be represented? How would the people have a voice in the government? this government that didn't have a sovereign other than the people and the constitution.
▶ 1:50:06And they began by writing article one and the powers of the Congress, the United States Congress. And at the time, of course, the House of Representatives, the only body directly elected, the United States Senate, uh, didn't have direct representation for many years. Um, and when it came to it, and they they listed out those powers. And I think it's really important to continue to reflect on what the Congress does. We have the power all and all legislative responsibilities. It says in article one and all legislative responsibility.
▶ 1:50:37Lay and collect taxes. Borrow money. Regulate commerce with foreign nations and among the several states. Coin money and regulate its value. Declare war. Something obviously very much on everyone's mind today. Raise and support armies. Provide and maintain a navy. make all laws necessary and proper for carrying out its enumerated powers.
▶ 1:50:58Boy, and this was a in an age where you didn't have to worry about the security issues that so many of my colleagues have talked about and will certainly talk about uh throughout the day. Um we didn't have to think about the great resources that we would need to carry out this very very critically important mission of representing the interests of the people. Um people have talked about the Library of Congress. We'll talk more about that. This enormous um institution of great value to the work that we do.
▶ 1:51:28People have talked about uh GAO and how important that is in fulfilling our oversight responsibilities. No one has mentioned Loper Bright decision last year by the United States Supreme Court which eliminated the Chevron deference. So now agencies need to have much more direction from the Congress when we write laws. You can't just simply say the secretary will carry out uh the basic mission here.
▶ 1:51:51We have to be very detailed according to the court on how we direct the agencies to do the work of the people and the congress is the body that does that. We need so much more money. Honestly, I don't even think it's an incremental issue. I think for us to carry out our responsibilities, we need a dramatic shift in the way we think about our role. Unless we choose to submit an amendment to the constitution which changes the article numbering and lays it all with the administration, the executive branch.
▶ 1:52:22Until that time, we're still article one. And I I don't wonder anymore why so many members refer to it. But this bill would us now and in the future because it sets a base that is going to be so hard to move from. We may need to dramatically do that. I think frankly with no all due respect to my colleagues, I don't think this is just the level of funding an insult to the Congress as an institution. I'm not sure the people would necessarily think about it that way.
▶ 1:52:49And it's not just necessarily an insult to the framers and what they wanted us to do, but it is an insult to the American people. That's who we represent directly. That's who we respond to. That's who we answer to. That's who we legislate for. and we should never ever ever forget that sacred mission. And with that, I urge defeat of the bill and yield back my time. Thank the gentleman. The gentleman from California, Mr. Lean, is recognized for general comments on the bill. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 1:53:19I too rise in opposition. I'm very disappointed to do so. You know, when my dear friend Earl Blumanau, many of you remember Earl, he was here for 30 years. he uh was such a a great champion of this institution and one of the things that he did uh was uh he allowed me to continue as the co-chair of the bipartisan Library of Congress caucus and I'm proud to to serve uh in that capacity with my friend uh Mr.
▶ 1:53:48Adhold and you know look if there was a justification to cut the budget of the Library of Congress by 10%. Let's see the justification. Let's see the details of why that's necessary. I have not seen the details and and I'd welcome the chairman's comments on why it's necessary. Uh but we all use and enjoy the library every single at least every single month when we go to the congressional dialogues and all the other programming.
▶ 1:54:18Uh I encourage you all to join the Library of Congress caucus despite the fact that we're having this debate today. Uh it is our library. It was created by Congress. It was created for the Congress. 1800 is when it was created. Then of course it burned down and was rebuilt by Thomas Jefferson in 1815.
▶ 1:54:40and he said, and I quote, "There is in fact no subject to which a member of Congress may not have occasion to infer." Again, my friends, colleagues, this is for us. This is so that we will be better lawmakers. No president, Democrat, Republican, has the right to turn the Library of Congress into an extension of the executive branch. I think many of you agree with this.
▶ 1:55:11I'd ask that you really consider what we're doing here. There are obvious politics and considerations beyond uh this institution around the library right now. And that's unfortunate because it truly is one of the only things that brings us all together on a consistent bipartisan basis. Again, if there's justification to cut the Library of Congress by tens of millions of dollars, I'd like to see it.
▶ 1:55:37And in the absence, I can only be left with the conclusion that this is inherently a political exercise to please the executive branch. Now, on to the GAO. The cuts there are nearly 50%. GAO is an independent nonpartisan agency that oversees how taxpayer dollars are spent.
▶ 1:55:59And in 2024, GAO's work returned to taxpayers $76 million or excuse me, $76 for each dollar we invested in GAO. Let me repeat that. That's an extraordinary stat. For each dollar we invest in the GAO, it returned $76 to taxpayers.
▶ 1:56:21Now, I believe that my friends across the aisle are genuinely interested in being good stewards of taxpayer dollars and cutting down on waste, fraud, and abuse. I hear you say it again and again and again. If that is the case, why would we kneecap an entity that returns $76 for every dollar we invest in it?
▶ 1:56:46It seems like it could be retribution at play here rather than good governance. I certainly hope that that's not the case. So look, I think at the end of the day, it gets back to what so many of us have been discussing. Article 1, section 9. When I look at the that Mr. chairman, you use for this committee.
▶ 1:57:12If you go on the majorities website, last I saw, article 1, section 9 is part of that logo, don't forget what it says. We as the elected representatives, each one of us so blessed to represent 3/4 of a million people determine how taxpayer dollars are to be spent or not spent. I agree with my friend Mr. Hoyer. If we give up that responsibility now, we may never get it back.
▶ 1:57:40Not for another Democratic president, not for another Republican president. So, I would just ask us all to thoughtfully and carefully consider the long-term impact of our actions today and in the days and weeks ahead. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'll yield I thank the gentleman. Are there other members wishing to make general comments about the bill?
▶ 1:58:05Seeing none, uh the chair recognizes chairman Valido to offer a manager's Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk and I ask unanimous consent to dispense with the reading. Without objection, the reading of the amendment is dispensed with. Chairman Valido is recognized. This manager's amendment contains technical edits and language that has been agreed to on both sides. I would especially like to express my appreciation to ranking member Espot and Mr.
▶ 1:58:35Gonzalez from Texas for their work to promote increased cyber security protections for the legislative branch. With that, I ask for a yes vote on the amendment and I yield back. Thank the gentleman. The gentleman from New York, Mr. Espat's recognized. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I do not object to the chairman's uh amendment. It further supports effort to secure our campus. Thank you and I yield back. I recommend a yes vote. I thank the gentleman. Do any other members wish to speak to the amendment?
▶ 1:59:07Seeing none, I recognize Chairman Valado for one minute to close. I need a second. I ask for a yes vote. The questions on the amendment. All those in favor say I. I. All those opposed say no. the opinion of the chair. The eyes have it and the amendment is adopted. And now recognize the gentle lady from Connecticut, Mr.
▶ 1:59:35Laurel, for an Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have an amendment at the desk. I ask unanimous extent that the reading of the amendment be dispensed with. Without objection, the reading of the amendment is dispensed with, and the gentle lady's recognized for remarks on her amendment. Uh, my amendment strikes a harmful poison pill rider from the bill. A rider a writer that would undermine the rule of law across the entirety of the government and would erode this committee's power and the Congress's power of the purse.
▶ 2:00:06When the Congress passes an appropriation, it is law. You have the House and the Senate comes together. Democrats and Republicans come together. They agree. The the uh bill goes to the president. The president signs it. it becomes a law. If there is not agreement and the president doesn't sign, then the outcome is that the government shuts down.
▶ 2:00:29So when the Congress passes an appropriation, it is the law, the legally binding expression of Congress's constitutional power of the purse. My colleagues, the executive branch is not carrying out our laws as intended or as required.
▶ 2:00:45The administration has stolen promised of of supports, investments, and benefits that we have promised uh uh to American families, to veterans, farmers, state and local communities to the tune of 425 billion dollars in investments that would help Americans with the cost of living and have been delayed or cancelled.
▶ 2:01:08I point to a tracker that talks about the unprecedented funding freeze that hits communities across America. At least $425 billion is still frozen. It goes subcommittee of appropriations by subcommittee and talks about the the dollars that have been frozen or terminated. Every member in this room should know this because every one of you has constituents suffering the ramifications of that lawlessness.
▶ 2:01:37It is their money that is being stolen. So what do we do about it? The subcommittee chairman's bill says to the executive branch, "Seal with impunity. Do not pay the law any mind." It does this by neutering and defanging Congress's watchdog, the GAO. The Government Accountability Office. My amendment reiterates the truth.
▶ 2:01:59The Government Accountability Office is expressly empowered by law to bring a lawsuit in court to compel agencies to follow the law. We charged GAO with this requirement in 1974. We affirmed it in 1987 and it remains the clearest enforcement mechanism spelled out in the Empowerment Control Act today. My colleagues, do not fear the rule of law. Embrace it, support it, provide the funding to ensure it.
▶ 2:02:30If you do not, and if you support the subcommittee chairman's bill, you are cutting the emergency break when we are faced with an administration hellbent on delaying benefits and aid. This would put every possible aspect of federal support at risk.
▶ 2:02:45no one to bring suit under the Empowerment Control Act to prevent the theft of Medicaid payments to rural hospitals, funding for Medicare providers, agricultural commodity payments that farmers depend on, veterans benefits that service members and their families depend on, grants for local law enforcement that keep our communities safe, and uh tax refunds uh including the lifelines like the child tax credit, just to name a view.
▶ 2:03:15All of this and more would be at higher risk. My colleagues, there is no inherent authority for the president to impound uh and never has been. The late Justices Scalia and Renquist said no. Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Kavanaaugh have said no. And they are no liberal torchbearers. The Department of Justice and over 200 years of American history say so. Our founding fathers designed our government uh so.
▶ 2:03:43And yes, the GAO has said has said so. And I point to a document called the myth of presidential uh empowerment power that outlines uh the cases that have been up before up on this issue before going back to 1789 which indeed say that you can't move or delay or stop funds without the power of the Congress.
▶ 2:04:08Alexander Hamilton said, and I quote, "But where the purse is lodged in one branch and the sword in another, there can be no danger." If there were a Democratic president attempting to do this, uh, what this president is, and centralizing power in this way, would you not want the ability to fight for the funding that we appropriated? I certainly would. I know we do not agree on funding levels for a variety of programs, services, and agencies. That is after all what we're supposed to debate in the appropriations committee.
▶ 2:04:38If you agree with some any of the places this administration has lawlessly enacted funding cuts, that is your right. But I implore you, do not yield our authority, your authority as a member of Congress, as a member of this committee and the power that gives each of your constituents. Don't see that authority to the executive branch because you momentarily believe the ends justify the means. Look ahead. Think ahead. Think for the future and think of the consequences. Come to markups.
▶ 2:05:08Let's fight for the dollars that you and I believe in and that you may or you may want spent. That is the privilege and the responsibility of every one of us. That's the responsibility that we hold. We cannot give that away. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and I yield back. Thank the gentle lady. The gentleman from California, Mr. Valado is recognized to respond to the amendment. Mr.
▶ 2:05:33Chairman, the Government Accountability Office, the GAO, is a is a legislative branch agency. Its work is meant to be directed by the legislative branch. The provision we have included in our bill requires that before the GAO takes action to bring suit against any executive agency, it must first receive approval from the Congress to do so.
▶ 2:05:54This requirement is entirely appropriate and I urge a no vote on Miss Deloro's amendment and that would that would take away Congress's power to approve GAO action. Thank you. Thank the gentleman. The gentleman from New York, Mr. Espionad, is recognized to respond to the amendment. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I rise in strong support of this amendment. For the past five months, the president has been illegally withholding funds that Congress had previously appropriated.
▶ 2:06:25As I stated in my opening remarks, if we give up our power to direct funds, then what are we doing here? Why have we instructed our staffs to spend hours drafting and crafting uh bills and then spend hours debating them if we don't care if the funds are appropriately appropriated correctly? We should be working against this executive overreach, not enabling it.
▶ 2:06:52This language will prevent GAO from performing oversight that they are legally allowed to perform. Some may not want government uh That is why they're dismantling the government accountability office. For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. And I yield I thank the gentleman.
▶ 2:07:22Are there gentleman from Maryland is recognized to respond to the amendment. Thank the gentleman. The rationale of the chairman of the subcommittee against this is that they need to come to us for approval.
▶ 2:07:44fact of the matter is this Congress has clearly indicated that it doesn't want to make this decision because we see these oversight amendments that are being offered being defeated. regularly. No oversight is being approved by the Very frankly, if we have no oversight, we really have no role.
▶ 2:08:15If they can impound our funds, we are back to what I said, a suggestion If you think we're a suggestion box and vote and Trump, Mr. Belt, Russell vote, can simply decide we don't want to spend that, then we're wasting a lot of time, ladies and gentlemen. Now, I'm known as an institutional I always have and I always will be.
▶ 2:08:46I've worked across the aisle to protect this administration. Not this administration, this I haven't worked with anybody to support this administration, as a matter of fact. But, you know, I look over on your side of the aisle. The reason I'm so frustrated is because this is not a partisan issue. This is an issue about the Congress, about, as Mr.
▶ 2:09:1511 said, "The people whom we represent." And I see on the other side of the aisle sort of a who cares? Why do we need to do this? Why do we need to discuss this?
▶ 2:09:35And the reason is because there was a for creating us as an article one of the and we talk about that and it bores you and I look around and there's no use for saying anything further.
▶ 2:10:06Thank the gentleman. There are other members wishing to address the Gentle lady from Ohio is recognized. Yes. Uh dear members, I I rise in support of the gentle lady's amendment and just ask my colleague Oops. Thank you. I rise in support of the gentle lady's amendment and just ask my colleagues to think about this.
▶ 2:10:28This is the committee that has the power of the the amount of staff we have, the amount of uh money the legislative branch has compared to what the executive branch has. I mean, it's just we're like a little tiny mouse in this mam with this mammoth bammoth in the executive branch.
▶ 2:10:47What shocked me when uh President Trump was sworn in was one of the first acts that the new administration did was to get rid of the inspector generals in the To me, that was chilling. That was because human beings are capable of great acts of crime, robbery, bribery, all kinds of things happen both with federal employees, not a lot of them, but some, as well as the private companies with which
▶ 2:11:17these agencies deal. And so by getting rid of the inspector's general as one of the first acts, I was just, frankly, I was stunned. Now, with the empoundment control act, what we're talking about is that the um with our power of the purse, we're giving away our power to an executive branch, which frankly with the amounts of money that are spent have to be closely monitored over the months and years.
▶ 2:11:44You're taking away the ability of the federal government to do its job. and um the agencies through the empowerment control we can save taxpayers money by a lot of the work that the GAO does. So, it has a good side. It has uh they provide us information that we need as we tool these various departments to do what the American people want.
▶ 2:12:13But what scares me is that now you're saying to the executive branch, be blind. We won't have inspectors general to uh find the crooks. And now we're going to lock the hands under the Empowerment Control Act of us to do our job in terms of monitoring the various federal programs and the multiple contractors and so forth that are involved in delivering goods and services to the American people.
▶ 2:12:39So, I I would just say to my friends in the majority, for those of you who are attorneys and those of you who have been county prosecutors, uh, and maybe were states attorneys general, think about the worst that can happen when you take away the bean counters and the people that do their job and prosecute real crime. I think you're walking down a very dangerous path and I would urge you to what you are doing in this bill.
▶ 2:13:08and I support the gentle lady's amendment and yield back. Thank the gentle lady. Are there other members wishing to address the amendment? Seeing none, the gentle lady is recognized from Connecticut is recognized for one minute to close. Just a very quick point, section 1016 of the Empowerment Control Act says in essence GAO is explicitly empowered to bring suit and the GAO does not have to uh uh seek approval.
▶ 2:13:34they simply have to uh provide notification to the speaker, the majority leader. Um I I I read a letter that the subcommittee chair joined by colleagues from Arizona and North Carolina sent to the Senate majority uh leader on Tuesday. Letter talked about the cuts to the emergency Medicaid funding in the Republican reconciliation bill which they already voted for. What will my colleagues do when not if the administration unlawfully impounds emergency Medicaid? What will my colleagues do when, not if, this president impounds Medicaid funds?
▶ 2:14:04I have the letter written by my rep uh Republican colleagues from this chamber urging the Senate not to move forward with cuts to Medicaid in the reconciliation bill. When the president attempts to appound Medicaid funds, will you merely merely write letters or will you protest as as well? Without my amendment, the subcommittee chair's bill guarantees that nobody is empowered to do anything about it under the empoundment control act unless Speaker Johnson approves.
▶ 2:14:34Vote for my amendment to demonstrate our commitment to the rule of law to the authority of this committee and to our constituents. Thank you and I yield back. Thank the gentle lady. The questions now on the amendment offered. Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Not yet. No. Any questions now on the amendment offered by the gentle lady from Connecticut? All those in favor say I. I. All those opposed say no. No. The opinion of the chair. The nose have it. Recorded vote. Recorded vote has been requested.
▶ 2:15:05Sufficient support has been demonstrated. The clerk will call the role. Mr. Adhalt. Mr. Aguilar. Mr. Alford. Mr. Alford. No. Mr. Ammeday. Mrs. Bice. Mrs. Bice. No. Mr. Bishop. Hi. Mr. Bishop. I Mr. Calbertt. Mr. Calbertt. No. Mr. Carter. Mr. Carter. No. Mr. Casease. Mr. Casease. I Mr.
▶ 2:15:36Mr. Sisammani. No. Mr. Klene. Mr. Klene. No. Mr. Cloud. Mr. Cloud. No. Mr. Klyurn. Hi. Mr. Klyurn. I. Mr. Clyde. Mr. Clyde. No. Mr. Cole, no. Mr. Cole, no. Mr. Quayar, Miss Dean, Miss Dean, I. Mr. Deloro, I. Mr. Lauro, I Mr. Diaz Bolard. Mr. Diaz Bolard. No. Mr. Edwards.
▶ 2:16:07Mr. Edwards. No. Mr. Elzie. Mr. Elzie. No. Miss Mr. Espayat. I. Mr. Espayat. I. Mr. Flechman. Mr. Fleshman. No, Miss Frankle. Miss Frankle. I Mr. Franklin. Mr. Gonzalez. Mr. Gonzalez. No. Mr. Guest. Mr. Guest. No. Mr. Harter. Mr. Harter. I. Dr.
▶ 2:16:39Mrs. Henson. Mrs. Henson. No. Mr. Hoyer. I. Mr. Hoyer. I. Mr. Ivy. Mr. Ivy. I. Mr. Joyce, Miss Captor, I Miss Captor. I Mr. Loa, Miss Lee, Miss Lee, I Miss Latlo, Miss Latlo, no Mr. Levan. Mr. Lean, I Miss Malloy, Miss Mallaloy.
▶ 2:17:09No, Miss Miss McCullum. I Miss Ming. Miss Ming. I Mr. Molinar. Mr. Molinar. No. Mr. Moore. No. Mr. Moore. No. Mr. Morelli. Hi. Mr. Morelli. I Mr. Morvan. I. Mr. Murvan. I. Mr. New House. Mr. New House. No. Miss. Perez. Miss Perez. I. Miss. Pingree.
▶ 2:17:40Miss. Pingree. I. Mr. Pokean. Mr. Pokean. I Mr. Quigley. Mr. Mr. Quigley. I Mr. Rashinthaler. Mr. Russianthaler. No. Mr. Rogers. Mr. Rogers. No. Mr. Rutherford. Mr. Rutherford. No. Mr. Rutherford. No. Mr. Simpson. No. Mr. Simpson. No. Mr.
▶ 2:18:11Strong. Mr. Strong. No. Mrs. Torres. Mrs. Torres. I Miss Underwood. Miss Underwood. I Mr. Valado. No. Mr. Valado. No. Miss Wasserman Schultz. Miss Wasserman Schultz. I Mrs. Watson Coleman. Mrs. Watson Coleman. I. Mr. WAC. Mr. Wac. No. Mr. Zinci. Mr. Zinci. No.
▶ 2:18:39Does any member wish to record their vote or change their vote? Gentleman from Alabama. Mr. Mr. Otterhold. No. Gentleman from Voting. Mr. Quaar. I gentleman from Mr. Cloud is recorded as a no. Gentle lady from Texas. Miss Escobar votes I. Gentleman from California. Mr. Aguilar. I. Gentleman from Maryland.
▶ 2:19:09Dr. Harris. No. Gentleman from Florida. Mr. Franklin. No. Are there any other members wishing to record or change their vote? Seeing none, the clerk will tally.
▶ 2:19:50The gentleman from Ohio recorded. Correct. Mr. Joyce, no. Gentleman from New York. No. Mr. Mr. Loa. No. Are there any other members wishing to record or change their vote?
▶ 2:20:10Seeing none on this vote. The eyes are 28, the nose are 34. The amendment is not adopted. Gentleman from Georgia, Mr. Clyde is recognized for an amendment. Thank Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 2:20:39I have an amendment at the desk and I ask unanimous consent that the clerk dispense with the reading. Without objection, the reading of the amendment is dispensed with and the gentleman's recognized for remarks on his amendment. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I rise today in support of my amendment to strike section 213 of the bill, which is not in compliance with the plain reading of the Constitution. I think we can all agree that everything that this body does must be measured against the Constitution as it is the supreme law of the land.
▶ 2:21:07In 1989, Congress passed the Ethics Reform Act, which granted Congress an annual cost of living adjustment known as a COLA, meant to adjust for inflation so that the value of congressional compensation would remain the same. This COLA was to be capped at the percentage that every other federal employee would receive.
▶ 2:21:26In exchange for the annual COLA, all members of Congress were prohibited from earning additional outside income like speaking fees or other fees that could easily be translated into payforplay arrangements, resulting in potentially tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars in additional income, especially for more popular or more powerful members. I certainly agree with the prohibition of this type of outside income for members of Congress.
▶ 2:21:53Yet, I disagree with the manner in which section 213 addresses the COLA. If Congress wants to eliminate the annual cola, Congress can certainly do so through a regular bill, but this cannot be done through the appropriations process when an intervening election has not occurred. That would violate the election clause requirement of the 27th amendment. It must be done through a bill on the House floor that lasts for more than a year and covers an election.
▶ 2:22:19I firmly believe that the appropriations process is the wrong vehicle for this effort because appropriation bills last for one fiscal year and must comply with the 27th amendment of the constitution. And let me quote that. The 27th amendment says no law varying the compensation for the services of senators and representatives shall take effect until an election of representatives shall have intervened.
▶ 2:22:45That means the 27th amendment prohibits any law from taking effect that varies congressional compensation without an intervening election of members of the house. It is a common sense amendment originally drafted by Thomas Jefferson in 1789 meant to ensure members of Congress stay accountable to the American people. And here we are clearly violating it in this appropriation in section 213. An appropriation only lasts for one year, the fiscal year of the appropriation.
▶ 2:23:13So if this section remains in FY26 for for FY26, then per the 27th amendment, it would have to wait until after November of 2026 elections before it can take place. But this fiscal year 26 appropriations bill will take effect on October 1st of this year, 2025, with no intervening election occurring at all. In fact, there is no election of representatives in FY26 at all. The next one is in FY27.
▶ 2:23:42So to add the COLA amendment through this section and then to execute on the COLA amendment in the FY26 appropriations bill would be unconstitutional. My opposition to this amendment is a sincere effort to guarantee that the FY26 legislative branch appropriations bill remains in accordance with the Constitution. I simply cannot support measures that violate the Constitution and I hope that none of you will either. This is a righteous amendment.
▶ 2:24:13Therefore, I respectfully ask all of my colleagues to support my amendment to strike the unconstitutional section 213 from the bill. Thank you and I yield back. Thank the gentleman. Uh the gentleman from California, Mr. Valido is recognized to respond to the amendment. Mr. Chairman, I oppose the amendment. I understand that members are concerned with the freeze of cost of living increases on their salaries.
▶ 2:24:37However, while there is a there is currently legal action pending on this issue, today is not the time to remove the freeze on this annual cola. Thank you, and I yield back. Thank the gentleman. The gentleman from Maryland, Mr. Hoyer, is recognized to address the amendment.
▶ 2:24:56I generally try to support righteous and so I compelled to support this Mr. Clyde, I've always impressed how much research you do. You with me? I'm complimenting you. I know, Miss Wman Schultz is distracting. I understand that.
▶ 2:25:25But but the fact of the matter is you always do your research. And I wish the research would make the But we know it doesn't. This is by politics. This is about fear of the public thinking that we have our hand in the cookie jar. Let me suggest to you, the more times we, and this will be the 16th time we stop putting a hand in the cookie jar.
▶ 2:25:52The object of the reform in 1989 was to make sure that members weren't doing that because you're absolutely right. I never took um payment for speeches. I thought that was a not too welldesigned bribe, but I have always supported making sure that at least we stayed even. That's all this cola is. This is not a raise.
▶ 2:26:19Your purchasing power, if you were here as long as the distinguished gentleman, former chairman, Mr. Rogers, and I have been here, has been reduced about 45%. since 2009. Now, you've noticed your grocery prices haven't been free frozen. Your rent hasn't been frozen here or at home.
▶ 2:26:46Now, maybe your mortgage has been frozen because you've had it for a long But the fact of the matter is two things are going to occur. First of all, people won't be able to run for Now, I want to tell the public who presumably may be watching this that I believe a large number of members on the other side of the aisle from me support this total
▶ 2:27:17adjustment. Why? Because they've told me so. I was the number two leader for 20 years and I have not kept track of the number of members from across the aisle who came to me and said you're going to be able to take care of this this year and very frankly for a lot of years uh I did not unilaterally however with Mr. Blunt with Mr. Delay with Mr.
▶ 2:27:46caner uh with other leaders in your party. We agreed that not having a cola, making members lose purchasing power uh frankly was not a good thing for us to do so that members could stay as the 89 reform meant them to be independent and not required to seek other forms of income legally or illegally.
▶ 2:28:17And I am so pleased that Mr. CL I have an amendment to do the same thing. I'm not going to offer it because we're going to resolve it in this issue. Now, Mr. Valido, I understand your problem. So, we understand one another and I'm going to be honest. I tell people on my side, if you've got a tough race, don't vote for this. And the reason we've been able to do it, both sides did that. Mr. Caner, Mr.
▶ 2:28:46Blunt, you had 40 30% of your people who didn't ever vote for this. Why? Because we know it can be demagogued and we know it is demagogued. So I tell people on my side, do not vote for this because it'll be a big issue in your campaign. But there are majority on both sides whom that will not affect. Not because we don't stand for election, because I've been for this since I the day I got here.
▶ 2:29:20And I'm here now in my 23rd term. So what we're going to decide is a political question of whether we have the courage and the honesty, the intellectual honesty, not to come to Hoyer or any other leader in the House and say, "Boy, I hope you can get this done.
▶ 2:29:40I can't vote for it, of course, that's what this issue is about." And I understand some of you have tough Frankly, both sides go after the moderates every year. where we become more and more polarized.
▶ 2:30:00But this is something that we ought to if we have selfrespect for ourselves, for our institution, and respect for our voters who themselves want a cola. And if they're retired, you damn well know you better have that cola for social security or you're in trouble. Why? because they know if they don't get that COLA adjustment, they lose standard of Why? Because prices go up.
▶ 2:30:29But if you are on a fixed income, and I know I've run out of time again. Now, I will tell you, I hope my I think my side can support this, but we're not going to go empty into this dark night if you're not there with us. I yield I thank the gentleman and I am thrilled that the magic moment between Mr.
▶ 2:30:57Clyde and you was captured on film for eternity because it'll have to be seen to be believed in the future. But it was great and I thank both the gentlemen. Are there other members wishing to address the amendment? Seeing none, there's no further debate. The gentleman from Georgia is recognized for one minute to close. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and um I encourage all to vote for this amendment. Uh it is a righteous amendment.
▶ 2:31:27It is a constitutional amendment. It keeps us and this bill in line with the Constitution. And I think that's incredibly important. That's what created our federal government was the Constitution. The states did it. They created the constitution to make us and and we have to we have to follow it. So with that um I encourage all members to vote for this amendment and I yield Thank the gentlemen.
▶ 2:31:55Uh the question is now on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Georgia. All those in favor say I. I. All those opposed say no. No. Opinion of the chair. the nose have it. Oh, Mr. Chairman, I'm not going to ask for a vote because I don't want to put people on the line, but you could have called that correctly. I think I did call it correctly, sir. But if somebody wishes to challenge a vote, go right ahead.
▶ 2:32:24Quartered vote has been requested. A show of hands is asked for. Not sufficient number of hands. Oh. Oh, you talking about I'm not We don't want to vote. The amendment is not accepted. I'm not listening anymore.
▶ 2:32:54You never do. Uhuh. I I I beg to differ. Uh, Mr. Chairman, you said I never did. The fact is is the matter when I was the majority leader, we got it. The issue's been decided. Be happy to visit with the gentleman about it on another occasion. And the gentleman is recognized for an amendment. Excuse me.
▶ 2:33:24You you were on the list for an amendment, but if you is that the one you've withdrawn? Uh, let me I'll speak on it. Well, and I'm going to withdraw it. And but gentleman's recognized on the I thank the gentleman because I know the majority of this body is for this.
▶ 2:33:50And we disrespect ourselves by the unwillingness to say that there's no reason why our families should be left behind. Unless, of course, you're wealthy and you're not living on your salary. I get that. It's on. Yeah. Isn't that the money you ask me? This is the COLA amendment. I'm not going to ask for a vote.
▶ 2:34:17I'm going to withdraw it because my intention has never ever been to put members in a bad place because my expectation was there were 51% with people who didn't have to worry about this vote because their their constituents understood yes that's the rational thing to stay even with inflation. Every social security recipient thinks that now they're not getting as much. I I understand that. But the premise is the same.
▶ 2:34:48You came here making X number of dollars. It was in my case, I took a cut in salary. I don't know whether you did or not. Not that's none of my business, but I didn't come here to back up every You may not be worth this money, but let me tell you something. This job is worth a cola adjustment.
▶ 2:35:14This job is a tough job, an important job, and a job that we all spend a lot of time doing. I yield to my friend. You know, I've been here a little while as a gentleman's been here, and I remember when this started and our good friend Ron started this and and uh I told him at the time, when you start this thing, it's going to be pretty hard to put this back in the box. And that's where we're at today. I hope we can reclaiming my time.
▶ 2:35:44This isn't the moment. Reclaiming my time. He's talking about Rahm Emanuel. Rahm Emanuel made a political issue of this and he and I had a big fight about it. And after that, yes, we went back to getting the cola with Mr. Caner, with Mr. Blunt, and even with Mr. Delay. Delay and I worked on this. We disagreed on a lot of things.
▶ 2:36:06So that red herring of Rahm Hanual doesn't hunt and it doesn't hunt because uh he shouldn't have done that bad analogy right uh it doesn't hunt because okay Rahm Emanuel messed up and by the way on your side you guys demagogued it a lot too which is why we arranged let Let me tell you how
▶ 2:36:36we did it. We had a previous question call. This came to the floor. It didn't have the provision in there. The previous question was offered by somebody who said uh and I won't mention the name. If we lose the previous question, then I'm going to offer an amendment to strike the cola adjustment. That was the posture it was put in.
▶ 2:37:03Normally our side votes against your previous questions when you vote against our previous questions when we're in charge. And what would happen is at least 51% of each side would vote for the previous question. So the amendment to strike was not in order. That's how we did it. And I don't know a person who lost their job about that. And if you don't if you don't think this job is worth a cola adjustment, I get it.
▶ 2:37:35And if you politically have a problem, I get that. And Blunt got that. Caner got that. Delay got that. And by the way, I've worked on this. Back to Trent Lot. You guys see Trent Lot? He's around a lot. You ask him about it. And I just get so disappointed that we have so little respect for ourselves. And then I hear from all of you, maybe not all of you, but I hear Mr.
▶ 2:38:04Clyde, I don't know how many people you hear from, but I hear from both sides of the aisle. Some of my dear friends say, "We got to get this done." You know that. And it doesn't get done. The reason I'm not going to push this forward, I don't want to embarrass anybody. I do want you to have the courage to stand up and do what you think is right. He's absolutely right. Mr. Cloud is absolutely right from a constitutional perspective, but I'm absolutely right from a fact that we can't just have rich people in the House of Representatives.
▶ 2:38:36That is not a represented body. And we are having some people on your side of the aisle and some people on my side of the aisle sleeping in their room in their in their offices. Why? because they can't afford to get an apartment and you're going to you've kept them now for 16 years in bondage. Yeah, I'm animated about this and I don't think Ronald Emanuel has anything to do with it. He demagogued it. He and I had a fight about it.
▶ 2:39:07He was wrong. I am really disappointed that we cannot take care of our members. I don't need it. My mortgage is all I'm 86 years of age. I don't need this. It's not going to affect my top three. They were done when I was majority leader. Nothing you could you could cut my salary to zero. It won't affect my retirement. So, this doesn't affect me at all.
▶ 2:39:35It does affect me, however, from the institutional standpoint that we ought not to let ourselves down. And that's what we do. And it's so disappointing. I I one of the members here, I'm not going to mention his name, talked to me and said, "I'm with you." He's not voting though. I withdraw the amendment. Gentleman withdraws.
▶ 2:40:04The gentleman from Texas is recognized for an amendment. Chairman, thank you uh so much. Um, my amendment is one. I have an amendment at the desk and I ask that we dispense with without objection. The reading of the amendment is dispensed with and the gentleman is recognized for remarks on his amendment. Mr. Chairman, uh, both the, uh, chairman of the committee and the ranking member will be offering and withdrawing this amendment.
▶ 2:40:31But again, I do want to bring this up because um uh I feel very strongly about this and this is something that we ought to be doing as oversight as members of the appropriations and I think I've talked to all the cardinals and the ranking members about this. So I just want to briefly talk about this and then uh withdraw the amendment. This again members has to do with efficiency, competition, performance and contract uh requirements.
▶ 2:40:59Now if you look at the base bill uh there are the base bill and the uh actual report language we do have some language there uh there but again it's sprinkled throughout and it doesn't tie it where we can provide uh oversight for example one of the things that I'm asking under my amendment is that if we have a contract one it should be competitive bidded out number one and number two if you have a contract and somebody signs s on and
▶ 2:41:29says I'm will provide services to the US government that they do it on time and on budget and again every agency will have contracts where they are not on time and on budget. Now if you look at the base bill there is a little bit of language that's sprinkled there but again it doesn't do enough in my opinion.
▶ 2:41:53It does talk of uh for example if the architect of the capital uh they're prohibited uh if a contractor is behind schedule on budget say you're not going to pay him an award or an incentive. That makes sense. If you're behind uh why are you going to pay him an award or an incentive? That makes sense. But it doesn't go far enough where there should be penalties. Penalties if that contractor is not on budget on time.
▶ 2:42:22unless if there's an exception that Congress will provide or the agency will provide. So again, we have some language sprinkled on it, but it doesn't do what I think we ought to be doing as um as a oversight of the uh budget itself. Then if you look at the report language on page two, uh there is some language there that we added years ago on performance and customer service.
▶ 2:42:47It does call for customer service and performance measures, but I'll be the first one to ask you, has anybody seen any of the performance measures or any of the work that they've done? We haven't because again, we haven't tied those performance measures uh back to us as members of the appropriation.
▶ 2:43:12So again, if you put $1, don't you want to measure the work that's being done? And again, we have some language here, but it doesn't tie back because again, I don't think a single member here has seen those performance measures or or that customer service uh measures. So again, there is some language that is um sprinkled throughout.
▶ 2:43:38Uh again, we ought to look at ways that we review rules and regulations so we can have real measurements to measure duplication uh waste and and abuse on that. But again, we don't have that language there.
▶ 2:43:55And again I again I think it's very important as members of Congress that we have language specific language that looks at efficiencies that looks at competition that looks at performance and contract management itself.
▶ 2:44:11So again members there is some language that's sprinkled throughout but it doesn't tie back to us and again I will be working with the committee uh and ask you all to think about this and again this is very straightforward language we've done it a lot of it we've done it in our states uh throughout uh and I would ask you all to consider this uh Mr. Chairman uh and ranking member, I'm uh offering and I'm withdrawing this amendment, but I ask full consideration at the proper time.
▶ 2:44:41With that, I thank you for your time and your courtesy. Thank you. The gentleman, uh just as a quick announcement, you'd missed it. Lunch is available in the A room, so come and go as you please. Gentleman from Maryland, Mr. Hoyer's recognized for an amendment. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that the amendment be the without objection, the amendment is dispensed.
▶ 2:45:09Reading of the amendment is dispensed There's been a lot of discussion about this. Uh and this is these are dollars to add back the dollars that were cut from GAO. All the reasons why GAO is such a critically important agency I think has been discussed.
▶ 2:45:38I therefore don't have a lot of confidence that this is going to be but it ought to be adopted and it ought to be adopted for all the reasons that Mr. 11 and others and who who've spoken about this uh GAO. Uh the reason for its independence, the reason that we have an agency that can uh sue and have standing to say that the Congress asked you to spend money uh and you are not spending it.
▶ 2:46:08Uh that is uh what I think the administration's made very clear they want to do. Um so the government accountability office is a critical office to redeem the powers of Congress to assert that uh what Congress has said and I'll repeat again we are not a suggestion
▶ 2:46:41I yield back. Gentleman from California, Mr. Valido is recognized to address the amendment. Mr. Chairman, this amendment provides for a large increase in funding for the JO. It provides for no offset and would therefore increase the total funding level in this bill. I recommend a no vote on this amendment and I yield back. Will the gentleman yield? You won't yield.
▶ 2:47:11Gentleman from New York is recognized. Mr. Espay. Mr. Chairman, I yield some times uh to the gentleman from Maryland. Gentleman from Maryland's recognized. Mr. Chairman, what is the 302B allocation of this committee? Don't know precisely off the top of my head. We'll be actually dealing with it later today. Ladies and gentlemen, there is no 302B.
▶ 2:47:35So that any suggestion that this is over the amount that is available to our committee is incorrect. Uh because we have not established the limitations on the subcommittees. Uh and what of course will happen I suppose because labor health is going to be the last labor health the education and health care of our people will get what's left over.
▶ 2:48:01So, I would make the point uh that the gentleman's opposition uh is correct in that this is a $300 res restoration of the level of funding that GAO had. I would submit to you there is no problem with that from a 30p 30 perspective. And therefore the issue is do you want GAO to be able to do its job or you do you not?
▶ 2:48:32Uh the gentleman from uh Illinois, excuse me, from California mentioned about the savings for every $1 there's $123 returned.
▶ 2:48:46Uh and over time, every year there is somewhere in the neighborhood, I'm looking for the figure, um 60 billion dollars annually annually every year uh returned to the treasury because of GO GAO activity.
▶ 2:49:08So the restoration of this money is accomplished in the first case that they bring. If it's an average number they're 40 50 cases uh is only a portion of the first uh collection that GAO makes on an annual ba on an annual basis.
▶ 2:49:29So if you're really concerned about the deficit uh and I'm not really sure you are because you also want to cut IRS uh which has the same kind of 1 to2 uh return the money spent and therefore brings the deficit down. But if you want to do that uh you will vote for this amendment that is bringing the deficit down. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this amendment.
▶ 2:49:58Uh the GAO has a long track record of conducting objective nonpartisan work and is considered widely a trusted advisor across the aisle. 95% of the work they do is mandated and requested or requested by Congress. They are the leading expert in combating fraud, waste, and abuse across government.
▶ 2:50:18The savings for this n $396 million cut really are nothing compared to the billions of dollars that GAO saves the government through identifying waste and abuse in agency. Instead of spending time and money on political stunts like the creation of dodge, we should invest in the real efficiency work that GAO has done for years. Congress has has relied on GAO for over 100 years, for over a century.
▶ 2:50:48They have faithfully carried out their objectives in a nonpartisan and professional manner. I support this amendment and urge my colleagues to do the same. I yield back. I thank gentlemen. Gentle lady from Minnesota is recognized to address the amendment. Thank you, Mr. Um, I I strongly believe we cannot function as an independent branch of government without robust funding in this bill, especially for the Government Accountability Office, GAO.
▶ 2:51:18And it's been cut in half. And it's it's very alarming to me. And I'm going to give you a couple of examples of how um the nonpartisan GAO holds every every administration accountable as we turn to them for legal expert advice and analysis, fraud identification and detailed recommendations for improving government agencies.
▶ 2:51:40Now, I serve on the interior agency and I was um I I served as a ranking member uh with um Chairman Cal Coward uh being uh the the chair and he stumbled upon something that he wanted to to do something about and boy did we find a nest of uh very uh rats in it.
▶ 2:52:05and uh we try to untangle it and we were very successful but we did it by using a GAO report the office of Navajo and Hobby Relocation. Remember those days? Yeah. Um the executive branch and the legislative branch, we were able to hold them accountable to start shutting a program down that had been shut down years ago. But we did it using the GAO and we used them and and we improved on their recommendations. Mr. Mr.
▶ 2:52:36Chairman, at the time we even improved on their their recommendations. Uh, another thing that uh we use the GAO because we have uh oversight for trust and tribal uh and treaty responsibilities and tribal law gets very complicated very fast.
▶ 2:52:52Uh we use GAO again in the committee under the Obama administration, the Obama administration to hold them accountable for reports on making improvements uh improvements for to ensure health and safety at Indian school facilities. Here again, the chairman and I and other members of this committee were with when we were going through seeing just shocking things happening at some of our tribal schools. A blueprint was put in here to do something about it.
▶ 2:53:21We have not done everything in the blueprint, but this was a blueprint that we could use that had legal opinion. It had uh inspectors that went out and it allowed us to hold and I'll say it, the Obama administration speech to the fire about what they were going to do about about this. We had another report in doing our work on the Department of Ontario, the Bureau of Indian Education.
▶ 2:53:46greater progress needed to address the remaining challenges in supporting school oversight. These were really important uh tools for our committee staff to use. Very very important. And then there was a time when I was chair of the Interior Department and we had a disagreement under the last Trump administration. We had a 35day shutdown. And I thought the Interior Department was I thought I'm going to be clear.
▶ 2:54:17I thought the Interior Department might have been violating some of the anti-deficiency act by keeping some of the park funds operation fees going um by by using uh designated park fees. Acting Secretary Burn and Hart and I we disagreed. So I asked GAO's legal opinion on the dispute. Now they found there was a violation. We all make mistakes. We all have our own interpretations sometime.
▶ 2:54:45But that's why we need an independent agency to do it. If every administration um you know just was able to disagree with what we were saying as members of Congress, as in the Interior case, you know, we wouldn't stand a chance of making sure in this case appropriations law was followed. So, um, I really hope by the time we get to the floor, and I know there's limited funding, and to Mr.
▶ 2:55:10Hoyer's part, we don't have a cap yet, we can figure out some way that we can keep our independent agency, an agency Democrats and Republicans and our committee staff can use and work to help us do better oversight and be more efficient. And with that, Mr. Chair, I yield. I yield back time. I thank the gentle lady. The gentleman from Hawaii, Mr. case is recognized to address the amendment. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
▶ 2:55:41I think we've already well established in a variety of opening statements and I think that it is patently obvious that the motivation for this action by the majority to gut the Government Accountability Office starts as a tempered tantrum against the GAO doing its job on behalf of Congress to enforce our funding authority.
▶ 2:56:08In other words, it's a temper tantrum against them doing their job under the empoundment control act. And it is a conscious effort by the majority in this Congress to seed our appropriation authority to the president by not having any effective oversight against empoundment actions.
▶ 2:56:28I think it is also in the bigger picture a very conscious effort by the majority to avoid oversight responsibility, to minimize dissent, to eliminate disagreement and to mute judicial control wherever possible.
▶ 2:56:47And in doing so, I believe that this is part of a broader effort by this congressional majority in conjunction with the president to do the same thing right across Congress. We see the same basic thing happening in the administration where the president in his first few weeks in office went after 17 inspectors general who have much the same function in the executive branch as a GAO has in Congress itself.
▶ 2:57:16And so you can't tell me that this is not a coordinated effort across all of government to basically get rid of any oversight, dissent, disagreement, and judicial review. That is the context. That is the big picture. That is what is going on with this particular effort to gut the GAO. Leaving all of that aside, let's talk about some of the practical realities of what that actually means.
▶ 2:57:42And I refer here to the GAO's own high-risk series. The high-risk series is GAO looking across all of government and on behalf of Congress on behalf of Congress identifying the high-risk areas that we have to give attention to because it is where we are bleeding money. Great talk from the majority all the time about waste, fraud, and abuse. That's GAO's job. Now, how is it actually doing that?
▶ 2:58:09It is doing that by focusing on highrisk areas and it maintains a high-risk area list and it's a very instructive list. Let's just go down this list. It's got a number of areas that we should focus on. Improving the delivery of federal disaster assistance. Yesterday we had a good debate about FEMA which the majority has gutted in the Homeland Security bill.
▶ 2:58:34And the reason given by the majority for defending that reduction in FEMA was that they had great plans to reform FEMA in terms of its delivery of services. You know what the GO agrees with you? The GAO says we have to reform it too. And we think we have to reform it too. And who are we going to ask to help us with that reform by the way? Are we going to ask the administration to tell us how to do that? Maybe for you that is the answer.
▶ 2:58:59For me, it is an independent agency that is part of Congress to do that and the GO is equipped to do that. We've had a great discussion in the defense department. 86 I'm sorry 832 billion is it in this year in the bill that we already passed out of this committee.
▶ 2:59:19The GAO considers high risk in the DoD, its quote unquote approach to business transfer transformation, its business systems modernization, its contract management, its weapons system acquisition, its financial management. In fact, many, many of these high-risk areas for the GAO have to do with the operation of the largest single expenditure that we have in all of federal government, the Department of Defense.
▶ 2:59:48You want to talk about waste, fraud, and abuse in the DoD. Why are you then eliminating our ability to be able to review that in a professional way through the GAO? Are you thinking where our staffs, which are very good, are just going to do it on our own on their own? No, I don't think so. I think we need a little bit of independent expertise to do that. And yet you are denying our ability to do that by this um action. You want to talk about cyber security? We talked about cyber security yesterday.
▶ 3:00:18The GAO considers cyber security in the federal government a high-risk area and it has many um options and suggestions and expertise. How do you expect us to go about reforming cyber security so that we better protect ourselves? So, not only are you generally taking care of oversight, dissent, disagreement, and judicial review, but you are practically handicapping this Congress from doing our job in the areas that you yourselves believe are important.
▶ 3:00:48I yield back. I thank the gentleman. The gentle lady from Pennsylvania, Miss Deans, recognized to address the amendment. chairman. Uh, and I associate myself with my colleagues remarks, particularly the gentleman from Hawaii's, uh, most recent remarks.
▶ 3:01:09Um, I'm just, uh, a little puzzled, uh, because it wasn't that long ago that we had that flash of a chainsaw, uh, the waste, fraud, and abuse Doge team at work, Elon Musk, the co-president briefly, um, looking for waste, fraud, and abuse. uh slashing departments, shuttering departments, firing people, laying off people, quizzing people. Give me five things that you did today or this week.
▶ 3:01:38So, we were looking for this administration was interested in looking for waste, fraud, and abuse. I'm not sure what happened to the relationship between Mr. Musk and the president, and I'm really not sure what's going on with those who have been left behind in Doge and what they are doing. But take a look at what this body knows.
▶ 3:01:58The Government Accountability Office is a nonpartisan office that does important work of rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse, inefficiency, and rewarding, returning monies that were taken from uh this government Uh I think the gentleman from Hawaii is correct. The underlying ambition here is a temper tantrum of the administration, unhappy that we try to continue to flex our article one power of the purse.
▶ 3:02:28But I want to take a look at what the GAO said to us. For example, we will be missing out on opportunities, hundreds of new efficiency and effectiveness gains for federal programs each year. Efficiencies. We will be forfeiting the leading expert on combating freight, fraud, waste, and abuse across government. We will be losing indepth and institutional knowledge about federal programs and spending when we cut GAO in half.
▶ 3:02:59One of the numbers that impresses me and so many of them have been thrown around here, not thrown around here, laid on the table for consideration, is in the last six years, GAO saved on average $92 billion a single year, 92 billion.
▶ 3:03:18Now, I was only an English major undergrad, but it seems to me if we cut GAO in half, they're going to be able to do approximately half as much work, which means we will be seeding $45 billion a year in savings that this nonpartisan agency does. Why would we do that? We are here appropriating.
▶ 3:03:43We are here looking for ways to save money so that we can appropriate it in places that are needed. And yet we're going to cut off GAO. We're going to cut off that kind of savings, that kind of finding, nonpartisan finding of waste, fraud, and abuse. I don't understand it. Uh and so uh I support uh Mr. Hoyer's amendment, and I thank him for offering it. Thank the gentle lady.
▶ 3:04:08Are there other members wishing to address the Seeing none, the gentleman's recognized for one minute to close. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I don't know these figures mean anything to anybody.
▶ 3:04:24Um, but currently, right now, the administration has $425 billion that we appropriated in the CR in March that's not being spent. 425 billion. GAO's job is to see why. Now, the general lady I I adopt the remarks of uh Miss McCullum, Mr.
▶ 3:04:54Casease, Miss Dean, and and all the other remarks that have been said here that are falling on deaf She said correctly, $92 billion a year. You multiply that by six, you get $552 billion.
▶ 3:05:18That is a half a trillion that this agency that you are gutting back to the Treasury. You tell me with a straight face you're for reducing the deficit. I'm going to end where my time ends.
▶ 3:05:47I'm going to end your time ended 30 seconds I yield back. Thank the gentleman. are. Oh, well the questions now on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Maryland. All those in favor say I. I. All those opposed say no. No. The opinion of the chair. The nose have it. Roll call has been requested. Sufficient show of support is evident and clerk will call the role. Mr. Aderhalt.
▶ 3:06:20Mr. Aguilar. Mr. Aguular. I. Mr. Alford. Mr. Alford. No. Mr. Ammedday, Mrs. Bice, Mr. Bishop, Mr. Calbertt, Mr. Calbertt, No Mr. Carter. Mr. Carter, no. Mr. Casease, Mr. Casease, I Mr. Sisammani. Mr. Sisammani, no. Mr. Klene, Mr. Klene, no. Mr.
▶ 3:06:50Cloud, Mr. Klyburn. Mr. Klyurn. I Mr. Clyde. Mr. Clyde. No. Mr. Cole. No. Mr. Cole. No. Mr. Quayar. Mr. Quayar. I Miss Dean. Miss Dean. I Mr. Loro. Hi. Mr. Loro. I Mr. Diaz Bolard. Mr. Diaz Bolard. No. Mr. Edwards. Mr. Edwards.
▶ 3:07:20No. Mr. Elzie. Mr. Elzie. No. Miss Escobar. Hi. Miss Escobar. I Mr. Espayat. Hi. Mr. Espayat. I Mr. Fleshman. Mr. Fleshman. No. Miss Mr. Franklin. Mr. Franklin. No. Mr. Mr. Guest. Mr. Guest. No. Mr. Harter. Mr. Harter. I. Dr. Harris. Mrs. Henson.
▶ 3:07:52Mrs. Henson. No Mr. Hoyer. I Mr. Hoyer. I Mr. Ivy. I Mr. Ivy. I Mr. Joyce. Mr. Joyce. No, Miss Captor. Hi, Miss Captor. I Mr. Loa. Mr. Loa. No, Miss Lee. Miss Lee. I Miss Lelo. Miss Llo. No. Mr. Leaven. Mr. Leaven. I Miss Mallaloy. Miss Malloy. No. Miss McCullum. Hi. Miss McCullum. I Miss Ming.
▶ 3:08:23Hi, Miss Ming. I Mr. Molinar Mr. Molinar. No, Mr. Moore. Mr. Moore. No, Mr. Morelli. Mr. Mvan. Mr. Mvan. I Mr. New House. Mr. New House. No. Miss Perez. Miss Perez. I Miss Pingri. Miss Pingri. I Mr. Pokean. Mr. Pokean. I Mr. Quigley. Mr. Quigley. I Mr. Mr. Rashenthaler. Mr. Rashenthaler.
▶ 3:08:53No. Mr. Rogers. M. Mr. Rogers. No. Mr. Rutherford. Mr. Rutherford. No. Mr. Simpson. Mr. Simpson. No. Mr. Strong. Mr. Strong. No. Mrs. Torres. Hi. Mrs. Torres. I Miss Underwood. Miss Underwood. I Mr. Valado. Mr. Valado. No. Miss. Washerman Schultz. Miss Washerman Schultz. I Mrs. Watson Coleman Mrs.
▶ 3:09:22Watson Coleman I Mr. Wac Mr. Wac No Mr. Zinci Mr. Zinci no Does any member wish to record their vote or change their vote? Gentleman from Texas Mr. Cloud. No gentleman from Maryland. Dr. Harris no gentleman from Alabama. Mr. Adterholt no gentle lady from Mrs. Spice. No. Gentleman from Georgia.
▶ 3:09:51Hi, Mr. Bishop. I want the teacher. Gentle lady from Florida. Miss Frankle. Are there any other members wishing to record or change their vote? In that case, the clerk will tally.
▶ 3:10:26Yes. We're going to me on this vote. The eyes are 27, the nose are 33.
▶ 3:10:56The amendment is not adopted. Gentleman from Illinois, Mr. Quigley is recognized for an amendment. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have amendment at the desk. I ask the reading be dispensed with. Without objection, the reading of the amendment is dispensed with and the gentleman's recognized for remarks on his amendment. Um, M. Mr. Chairman, uh, this amendment strikes language in the bill that restricts the GAO and its ability to act as an independent nonpartisan agency.
▶ 3:11:25And like all of you, my staff wrote awesome talking points in, and I'm not going to pay attention to them because uh, this is also the Department of Redundancy Department. and and while we while we are all apparently uh members of the beating the dead horse caucus, I'm not going to ask for a recorded vote. I'm also not going to lecture you about waste, fraud, abuse, and corruption cuz I'm from Chicago.
▶ 3:11:57Most of you have heard my jokes about Chicago. I I've heard them from all of you. Uh, what did one Illinois governor say to the other? The food was better here when you were What did one Illinois uh governor say the other in prison? The food was better here when you were governor. And that was from a guy from No offense.
▶ 3:12:21So I I'm I'm not here to tell you that there's not stupidity and corruption on both sides, but if we've learned anything in Chicago and Illinois about corruption is honestly the best way to deal with it is through greater transparency, accountability, and independence of those who would investigate us.
▶ 3:12:44As as painful as that can be, you look at the history of the United States, Teapot Dome, Watergate, and with all due respect, it can strike this language. I I think when this president gets in the room with truth, the fight breaks out. But it is not that there's not people on my side of the aisle who have done stupid things. It's just that we both we all have to acknowledge that the only way to address right?
▶ 3:13:13The sunlight is the best of disinfectants. So, it's probably not a good idea to limit inspector generals or the GAO to have that ability to look at us, as awkward as that can be and difficult as that can be because that real cost of corruption being the loss of public's trust. We're we're talking about cost of living increases. We all know one of the reasons that's tough is we're less popular than cockroaches in polling.
▶ 3:13:43So, it's just the truth. So, and I don't blame anyone here for that. But but part of that is if we can agree to let the American public that they may disagree with our decisions, but they at least have to know, as illthought out as they might think they are, that we're doing them because we think they're right, not for some inappropriate reason.
▶ 3:14:09So as soon as you exclude them, they're going to think you're doing it for your own profit or some inappropriate reason. So I I just ask to think about this and again I'm not going to ask for recorded vote because you know we've been through this again and again and you know next year when we do appropes maybe we just tell people to run the tapes of last year's performance cuz it's like the old TV was summertime reruns. This is our favorite rerun.
▶ 3:14:38So uh I get the issue. Uh, I understand that this isn't going to go the way I'd like to go. Uh, I can read the tea leaves, but I I just ask that we that we contemplate this as we move forward and recognize that uh we've got to regain the American people's trust. And the best way to do that is um whether they agree with us or not, they they think that we're doing this because we think it's uh the right decision. So, I ask for your support.
▶ 3:15:14you do you want us to proceed or are you withdrawing or I'm I'm not withdrawing. I'm just not going to ask for a recorded vote. Okay, I understand. Thank you very much. Uh gentleman from California is recognized to respond to the amendment. Mr. Chairman, thank you. Uh the Government Accountability Office, the GAO, is a legislative branch agency. It is its work is directed by the legislative branch. However, as we continue to observe, the AY's projects are often self-driven actions that are not priorities of Congress.
▶ 3:15:43The language included in this bill requires that the GAO to limit the scope of its work to its congressional priorities and instructions rather than those in its own leadership and staff would like to take on. I urge a no vote on this Thank the gentleman. The gentleman from New York is recognized to address the amendment. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. and I rise in support of this amendment.
▶ 3:16:06GAO has a long track record of conducting objective, nonpartisan, and factbased uh work. About half of the workload is mandated and the other half is made up of requests from committee committee leadership. Many of this work is bipartisan. I don't really understand why the majority continues to imply that GAO is working along partisan lines, though we may not always like their report findings. Um, they have always been professional and factual.
▶ 3:16:37Limiting their ability to investigate and conduct research uh limits our ability to make legislative decisions. I support this amendment and encourage my colleagues to do the same. I yield back. Thank the gentleman. Are there other members wishing to address the amendment? Seeing none, the gentleman's recognized for one minute to close. Well, I got to say this is the same argument I heard when the Supreme Court said they don't want cameras in the watching them. They said wouldn't always make us look good.
▶ 3:17:06In 1939, Mr. Smith goes to Washington is released. The Senate screens us and says we don't want this to go out because it makes us look bad. The GAO can make us look bad, but that's the whole point of democracy, warts and all. The beauty of that is in 1939 that movie was screened in Warsaw and Moscow. And the beauty is they didn't want it released because they thought it made us look too good. Right? It's that transparency that's magic. Not that we're all angels here.
▶ 3:17:38And when the Nazis overran France, the Paris theater owners were told, "We're going to start telling you what movies you can watch." In protest, they showed Mr. Smith goes to Washington 24 hours a day until the last possible minute. Democracy doesn't always look beautiful, but that independence and that accountability is what is the magic and has made us the envy of the world. I ask for your support.
▶ 3:18:08Thank the gentleman. The question is now on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Illinois. All those in favor say I. I. All those opposed say no. No. The opinion of the chair, the nos have it and the amendment is not Gentleman from California, Mr. Aguilar is recognized for an amendment. And would like to ask to dispense with the reading. Without objection, the reading of the amendment is dispensed with and the gentleman's recognized for remarks on his amendment.
▶ 3:18:39Mr. Mr. Chairman, I'm offering an amendment today that is familiar to uh members uh in this committee who have served here previously. Uh I've offered this uh a number of years um and I'm offering it again. The amendment will allow recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, commonly called DACA, to be eligible for employment here in Congress.
▶ 3:19:03I brought this common sense piece of legislation up in this committee a number of years and I've engaged with some of you in conversations about this in the past. The best time to adopt this amendment would have been 10 years ago. But the second best time to adopt it is now. You know the numbers. There's 500,000 individuals with DACA status here in the United States who contribute 16 billion dollars to our economy. They're doctors. They're educators.
▶ 3:19:34They work in our communities and live in our communities. And they deserve an opportunity. But some of them want an opportunity to work here in the halls of Congress. They want to help shape what our country looks like in the future. And right now, they are prohibited from having that ability because of the status that they have.
▶ 3:19:58They are prevented from being staffers and advising you and I even though they are American in every way possible except a single piece of paper. By extending eligibility to DACA recipients, the legislative branch will benefit from allowing the best and the brightest job applicants to serve here in Congress with us.
▶ 3:20:24I want to be very clear, colleagues, this is not an immigration It is simply a common sense adjustment that would allow young people a chance to work in Congress. I'm happy to have conversations about immigration reform and what that looks like here in Congress, working with authorizers and working with folks across the aisle and across the dome. I've engaged in those conversations with some of you in the past in good faith and I look forward to those conversations in the future.
▶ 3:20:55This amendment is different. This amendment is simple and clear that individuals who have DACA status should not be excluded from working here with us, giving us advice, helping us navigate, writing reports, answering the phone call in your district office. They should not have that prohibition. And we have an opportunity in this bill to change that. I've heard from some of you that this is not a permanent fix.
▶ 3:21:24And I don't like this because this is not a permanent fix. Yeah, you're right. But this is the opportunity that's in front of us today. This opportunity is available to us to make this to put this language in a bill and to send a message that young people with this status deserve an opportunity to work in the halls of Congress. I encourage your I vote. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank the gentleman.
▶ 3:21:52The gentleman from New York is recognized to respond to the Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I I rise in support of this amendment. Uh I am an immigrant from the DR, the Dominican Republic. I'm not a shortstop. I'm a member of Congress. And so uh I'm a proud uh member of Congress and I stand in support of this amendment.
▶ 3:22:16Dhaka has been a transformative tool uh to the lives of hundreds of thousands of young people brought to the United States at a young age and has resulted in economic gains for cities, states and our nation. They are nurses, teachers, small business owners, uh homeowners.
▶ 3:22:38More than threequarters of Dhaka recipients participate in the labor force, contributing an estimated 13.3 billion to the US economy each year. This includes 6.2 billions in federal taxes and 3.3 billion in state and local taxes every single year. In this country, as of September 2024, there were roughly 538,000 active Dhaka recipients. So, it's a fixed number. We know exactly how many there are.
▶ 3:23:08There's slightly over a mill half a million of them. And there is strength in their diversity. Let's let them work here in Congress. They have so much to offer. Uh and they they will make our nation stronger. They will make this institution stronger. So I stand in solidarity with the millions of dreamers and DACA recipients and I strongly support this amendment and urge you to vote uh in support of it as well. Thank you and I yield back. Thank gentlemen.
▶ 3:23:37Gentle lady from Florida, Miss Washerman Schultz is recognized to address the amendment. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I I rise in strong support for the amendment offered by my good friend, Mr. Aguilar. This amendment would clear the path for young people with deferred action for childhood arrivals or DACA status to enter government service in the US Congress.
▶ 3:24:00For far too long, dreamers have been barred from public service or in most cases even serving our country, their country in the military. This exclusion is just plain wrong. I've had the honor and privilege to represent dreamers in my congressional district and host dreamer interns and fellows in my office.
▶ 3:24:17And I had one brilliant young woman who when I had an opening and she was completing her internship, I suddenly realized that I could not hire her because of her immigration status even though her immigration status was lawful. It was unreasonable, outrageous, and ridiculous. I have seen firsthand the immoral and unfair barriers that Congress has put in their way.
▶ 3:24:45Why would we keep these young people from pursuing their dreams and giving back to this country, the only home that they have ever known? As the elected representatives of the American people, we have a duty to make sure that we have the best and the brightest serving our country. It would be a dereliction of that duty to turn away qualified applicants simply because they are DACA recipients of lawful status, which is what the current law requires. But let's be clear, the exclusion affecting dreamers working in these halls has nothing to do with protecting the institution or fixing our immigration system.
▶ 3:25:15It's just another way to embed the anti-immigrant extremism of congressional Republicans and Donald Trump in the people's house. If Republicans want to get serious about working to protect this institution, let's start with the character and integrity of the people who serve in these halls. If Republicans were serious, we wouldn't be talking about dreamers. We would be talking about the concerning reports about the behavior of some members of Congress and staff.
▶ 3:25:37Whether it is racism, sex, sexism, white nationalism, violence against women, or the anti-semitism that seems to run rampant through these halls and some of this government. I'm much more worried about Republican members who lie about their resumes or lie to their constituents about healthcare cuts than I am about dreamers who are honest about their legal status. DACA recipients are already working as doctors, teachers, lawyers, scientists, and virtually every professional field there is.
▶ 3:26:04Dreamers represent the type of ambitious and dedicated individuals who would strengthen the federal government's workforce and represent a population that is too often ignored here in Washington. The same is true in any field of work. We should break down barriers for employing qualified legal immigrants. It makes all of us better off. We should encourage dreamers to contribute to our country, not threaten to kick them out and separate them from the only country and communities that they know. Before I close, I want to read these points from the George W. Bush Presidential Center.
▶ 3:26:35Many dreamers know only the United States as home, only speak English, and have their own American families. Without the contributions of dreamers and the DACA program, the United States would lose 460.3 billion in GDP over the next decade and remove 685,000 workers from the economy. DACA recipients are parents to more than 250,000 US citizen children. The average DACA recipient arrived in the United States at age seven and has lived here for more than seven more than 20 years. Well, I understand, Mr.
▶ 3:27:04Chairman, that this is not a bill that would will carry immigration reforms to fix this problem once and for all. By the way, we had that opportunity except that the current president decided he wanted to leave it as an election issue and not and House Republicans went along with that and didn't take up that important legislation that gave us an opportunity to comprehensively deal with immigration reform and instead we continue to shut dreamers out which is unacceptable. For all of these reasons, I strongly support the gentleman's amendment.
▶ 3:27:30I hope that my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will remember the dreamers that they have met or represent when casting their vote and I urge adoption of the amendment. I yield back. Thank gentle lady. Gentle lady from Texas is recognized to address the amendment. Thank you so much, Mr. Chairman. And I'd like to express my gratitude to my colleague, the gentleman from California, for this amendment. And I'll be very brief.
▶ 3:27:55I I I simply want to express my support, but I also want to remind my colleagues that this issue has long been a bipartisan issue. And in fact, President Trump, even as recently as last year, maybe even this year, has articulated a desire to find a permanent solution for dreamers.
▶ 3:28:20These are young people who are participating in a a federal program that makes them eligible to be here lawfully. This amendment would simply give them the opportunity to work for us here lawfully. It's as simple as that.
▶ 3:28:41It's my hope that this amendment, this very common sense amendment passes with a wide bipartisan margin and that we can adopt this in the House. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield Gentleman from Georgia, Mr. Bishop is recognized to address the amendment. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I rise in support of Mr. Aguilar's amendment.
▶ 3:29:08Uh, DACA recipients, dreamers, they're migrants who were brought here when they were children. Most of them attended American schools, receive permission to work, and pay taxes. And near in nearly every respect, they're just as American as anybody in this room. Each member office, our offices deserve the right to be able to hire the best and the brightest that America has to offer.
▶ 3:29:37And that includes dreamers who are covered by Dhaka. This is a good amendment. It fosters the American dream and it stays true to that American dream. I urge a yes vote. I commend the gentleman for offering the amendment and I urge its adoption. Thank the gentleman and gentleman from Texas is recognized to address the amendment. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I also support um Mr.
▶ 3:30:06Aguila's uh amendment and I thank him for bringing this. Look, members, I I know how we're going to vote on this. You know, we know what's going to happen here. But look, I just want you to consider this. These are young kids that were brought in. They didn't make a decision. They were brought in at a very young age. And the only life that they know is America. Uh they were brought in. They didn't come in illegally. They didn't come in uh you know on their voluntary. They came in. This are kids that they have to follow certain rules.
▶ 3:30:35That is they have no criminal record. Uh they've got an education. They're working and this are the type of kids if we're looking for anybody or should I say any dreamers of DACA. If you want anybody to be here in this country, this are it. No criminal record. The only life that they know is the US.
▶ 3:30:54You take them out there and there's been stories and I've talked to some of them that they've been taken off to Mexico or whatever they're from and they feel out of place because the only life that they've known is America and they're taken off somewhere else and they feel like outsiders uh out there. So members, I look I I know what's going to happen here. I think we all know what's going to happen here, but somewhere down the line we got to consider this one. If we can't even consider this one, what are we going to consider uh at a later time?
▶ 3:31:24We know what's going to happen, Mr. Chairman. Just hopefully somewhere down the line we can consider this and do the right thing. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield back the balance of my time. Thank the gentleman. The gentleman from Florida is recognized to address the amendment. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 3:31:39I I actually want to remind some folks uh because sometimes uh history is trying our people try to rewrite history uh even sometimes uh our esteemed colleagues in this committee just heard criticism about President Trump not wanting to do something or doing something.
▶ 3:31:58I remind everybody here that the only president in the history of this country who proposed in the state of the union in the state of the union to legalize all Dhaka with citizenship and the only thing that he wanted he said and let's just secure the southern border was President Trump in the state of the union and who rejected that offer.
▶ 3:32:28that he gave Congress and the American people. It was not the Republicans. It was, with all due respect, my beloved Democratic, not all the colleagues, but leadership. And I would also remind my colleagues that it was the Democratic president of the United States in his campaign for president, President Obama, before he got elected, he promised on Univision to Jorge Ramos that he would
▶ 3:32:58propose and try to pass immigration reform in the first hundred years and a 100 days. Seems like it seemed like 100 years. That's right. That's right. He said it on Univision to Ramos. President Obama before his president his election in a 100 days I will propose and pass immigration reform. Not only did he not propose it, but there was a bipartisan group of Republicans and Democrats.
▶ 3:33:26I was one of those who had a bipartisan immigration bill ready to go. And who killed it, my dear friends? President Obama and then Speaker Nancy Pelosi. So, by the way, this is a good issue and I'm glad this this the sponsors talked about it responsibly.
▶ 3:33:46But I just want to remind people when we are so easy to throw partisan I've been in this process when sometimes Republican leaderships have killed immigration proposals. But let me be very clear, the Democrats from Nancy Pelosi to President Obama and yes, even a prop killed it as well.
▶ 3:34:08And even a proposal to deal with the dreamers in the State of the Union made by President was looked upon and and just spit on and denied by the Democratic leadership, including some folks in this committee. Thank you. I yield back. Are there any other members wishing to address the amendment? Gentleman from Arizona is recognized.
▶ 3:34:40Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I I rise in support of this amendment and and I I'll just share a few words here on this. And when we when we look at the at the value and I think we've been hearing a lot about this, the value and the all that that how our DACA students have enriched our communities.
▶ 3:35:00I obviously being from Arizona um being in that age group and being an immigrant myself I grew up with a lot of these kids now many adults obviously and I can tell you that they go to our churches they go to our schools and they don't know any other country except this one the other thing too is that when I was an intern here in I had a green card so you you the opportunities that are offered to so many people that grow up in this nation that come to this
▶ 3:35:30nation and and try to go through the process in the best legal way possible. Uh our DACA students are a great example of that and I know that a lot of people in this room believe in that. However, I'll tell you one thing. I've some of my colleagues, many here in this room have been here for much longer than I have. I've been here for two and a half years. So, the majority of my experience of dealing with this issue is from an outsider perspective.
▶ 3:35:53And the outsider perspective on this issue is that there's been a game of political football being played with this issue of neither side taking two responsibility for fixing it. And every time we have an opportunity, there's always a reason or an excuse to not fix it permanently. Now, this solution here just or this amendment here would just propose for them to be able to work here on the Hill, which I'm fully supportive of, but I think there's more to do in this area.
▶ 3:36:23Does this include all that I want? No. But I'm supporting this because it's at least a tiny step forward. And I see myself reflected in a lot of these students that we've been seeing coming in and out of this room and that we they're in our communities. They go to our kids schools and we interact with them and breaks my heart for them to not be able to have all the opportunities that they thrive and they want to especially to be able to give back to their community here.
▶ 3:36:50Nobody in this room is here for the except for the number one reason that everybody's in this room is to serve our communities. That is why we're here. And when these students want to go on and serve their communities in this building, the most powerful city in the in this country, the most powerful nation in the earth, and they want to come here and serve, I want to give them an opportunity to do that. But let's make no mistake that this hasn't been one side responsible for not fixing the issue or the other.
▶ 3:37:15Everybody in this room, including myself, we have to take responsibility for not offering a permanent solution on this problem, whether we've been here for two and a half years or 25 years or longer than that. So, I really hope that whatever the result is of this vote, we can really take a serious look at ourselves and say, do we really want to fix this issue or continue to kick the can down the road and blame the other side for this? So, I really hope that we're serious about it. It's easy to come here, grab a mic, and say, "I'm for this, I'm for that." when you kind of know the result of the vote at the end of the day.
▶ 3:37:45I'm hoping this passes and I'm hoping that we can actually look at this and take one step forward on this issue. So with that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back. I thank the gentleman. Are there other members wishing to address the amendment? Mr. Chairman, uh gentleman from South Carolina is recognized to address the amendment. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 3:38:08I I want to thank the gentleman from Arizona for his comments and thank him so much for supporting this amendment and thank you uh for bringing it. Mr. Chairman, none of us asked to come here. We are here as a result of the actions of our one way or the other.
▶ 3:38:37We're talking about children who were brought here some as three, four, and six months old. And they are now products of our schools, our colleges and universities.
▶ 3:38:56And many of them very productive professionals who would like in furtherance of their profession to be a part of our staffs here on this hill but are being denied because of an act taken by a parent or parents when there are three for
▶ 3:39:266 months old and therefore being sentenced to never being able to fully develop along their dreams and aspirations because as was said by Mr. Agal a piece of paper. I wish we would think about this and think about our own existence.
▶ 3:39:49But for a few months and maybe just a few steps, uh, any one of us could fall in this kind of category. I fall into the category myself. I didn't ask to come here. I was dealt a deck of cards when I got here. And it was not always the card the deck was not always cut properly.
▶ 3:40:13But however cut whatever was dealt I tried to play those cards to the best of my ability and in feterance of seeking a more perfect union. That's all these young people are asking for. And I think that it was a shame if we don't allow them to have that. And I yield Thank gentlemen. Are there other members wishing to address the amendment? Gentle lady from Connecticut is recognized to address the amendment.
▶ 3:40:43Ju just very very quickly um as I was listening to the debate and I thought about myself. My dad came in 1913 Italian immigrant couldn't read write the language and um born here a citizen he became a citizen etc.
▶ 3:41:01So, I'm a dreamer, but the dream was that my parents could dare to dream that one day that I would serve in the United States House of Representatives and achieve my dreams and my aspirations. We need to think about that and think about these young people and their willingness to um try to make a difference for their country.
▶ 3:41:24And we need to have the the will, the heart, the soul, and the political understanding that they need a chance at life in the way that I was in my my Thank the gentle lady. Are there other members wishing to address the If there's no further debate, then the gentleman from California is recognized for one minute to close. Thank you, Mr.
▶ 3:41:53Chairman, I appreciate the debate and the support from colleagues on both sides of the aisle. Um, all respect in the world to the dis up here. I guess I'll speak for a minute to the members on this side. Many of us weren't here in 2007 when President Obama gave interviews talking about this or even in 2014 when the Senate sent a bill over or 2013 when the Senate sent a bill over and the House didn't take it up or
▶ 3:42:23in um or in 2019. It doesn't matter. That's fine. That's helpful. It's reflective. It shows us a point in time when someone said something that we agree with or disagree with, but then we got to move on. This committee is about solutions. This committee should be about solving things and funding our government. And the question before us is very simple.
▶ 3:42:52Do we want to allow individuals with DACA status today to work for us to work in the halls of Congress or to work in our district offices to help us be better legislators? That's the only thing we're voting on today. I encourage your I vote. Thank the gentlemen. The questions now on the amendment offered by the gentleman from California. All those in favor say I. I. All those opposed say no. No.
▶ 3:43:21Opinion of the chair of the nose habit. Roll call as requested. Sufficient support for having demonstr been demonstrated the clerk will call the role. Mr. Aderholt. Mr. Adder. Mr. Aguular. Mr. Aguular. I Mr. Alford. No. Mr. Alford. No. Mr. Ammeday. Mrs. Bice. Mr. Bishop. Hi.
▶ 3:43:51Mr. Bishop. I Mr. Calbertt. Mr. Calbertt. No. Mr. Carter. Mr. Carter. No. Mr. Casease. Mr. Casease. I Mr. Sisammani. Mr. Sisammani. I. Mr. Klene. Mr. Klene. No. Mr. Cloud. Mr. Cloud. No. Mr. Klyber. Mr. Klyber. I. Mr. Clyde. Mr. Clyde. No. Mr. Cole. No. Mr. Cole, no. Mr. Quayar, hi. Mr.
▶ 3:44:22Quayar, I Miss Dean. Miss Dean, I Miss Deloro. Mr. Loro, I Mr. Diaz Bolard. Mr. Diaz Bolard, no. Mr. Edwards, Mr. Edwards, no. Mr. Elsie, Mr. Elzie, no. Miss Escobar, Miss Escobar, I. Mr. Espayat, hi. Mr. Espayat, I Mr. Fleshman, Mr. Fleshman. No. Miss Frankle. Miss Frankle. I Mr. Franklin.
▶ 3:44:53Mr. Franklin. No. Mr. Mr. Guest. Mr. Guest. No. Mr. Harter. Hi. Mr. Harter. I. Dr. Harris. Dr. Harris. No. Mrs. Henson. Mrs. Henson. No. Mr. Hoyer. Mr. Ivy. Mr. Ivy. I. Mr. Joyce. Mr. Joyce. No. Miss Captor. Miss Captor. I Mr. Loa.
▶ 3:45:23Mr. Loa. No. Miss Lee. Miss Lee. I. Miss Llo. Miss Lllo. No. Mr. Leven. Mr. Leven. I. Miss. Malloy. Miss Mallaloy. No. Miss. McCullum. Miss. McCullum. I. Miss. Ming. Miss. Ming. I. Mr. Molinar. Mr. Molinar. No. Mr. Moore. Mr. Moore. No. Mr. Morelli. Hi. Mr. Morelli. I Mr. Morvan. Mr. Mvan. I. Mr.
▶ 3:45:53New House. Mr. New House. I Miss Perez. Miss Pingri. Miss Pingri. I Mr. Pokean. Mr. Pokean. I Mr. Quigley. Mr. Quigley. I. Mr. Rashenthaler. Mr. Rashenthaler. No. Mr. Rogers. Mr. Rogers. No. Mr. Rutherford. Mr. Rutherford. No, Mr. Simpson. Mr. Simpson. No, Mr. Strong. Mr. Strong. No, Mrs. Torres. Mrs. Torres.
▶ 3:46:22I, Miss Underwood. Miss Underwood. I, Mr. Valido. Mr. Valido. I, Miss Wasserman Schultz. Miss Wasserman Schultz. I Mrs. Watson Coleman. Mrs. Watson. Coleman. I, Mr. Wac. Mr. Wac. No. Mr. Zinci. Mr. I. Are there members wishing to record their vote or change their vote? Gentleman from Alabama. Mr. Otter Holt.
▶ 3:46:49General Gentleman from Mr. Hoyer votes I. Gentle lady from Mrs. Bice. No. Gentle lady from Washington State. Miss Perez. I gentle lady from California. Miss Torres had she's she's recorded. Okay. Sorry, I just you were standing and I uh Are there other members wishing to record or change their vote?
▶ 3:47:19We'll miss anybody. Clerk will tally
▶ 3:48:06On this vote, the eyes are 32, the nose are 29. The amendment is adopted. gentle lady from California, Miss Taus Uh, gentleman from New York, Mr.
▶ 3:48:36Espott are recognized for an amendment. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Your microphone. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, uh, I have an amendment at the desk and I ask unanimous consent to dispense. Without objection, the reading of the amendment is dispensed with.
▶ 3:49:03Uh, and the members for remarks on his amendment. Could you identify which one is by number? Yeah. One sec. Number one. Number one, Mr. Chairman. I thank the gentleman. Yes, Mr. Chairman. This amendment will will fight climate change and remove the harmful and divisive policy writers uh from this legislative uh branch bill.
▶ 3:49:28Uh prohibiting uh diversity, training, discrimination against the LGBTQ plus in community, and changing ethic ru rules have no place in this bill. We are uh where we're going and and what we are doing is in is is in the plan to go down the same path as the administration. The Secretary of Defense is trying to erase uh minorities from the history books.
▶ 3:49:56The administration is working hard to roll back rights of the LGBTQ plus community. What's next? Will Republicans in the House try to erase the contributions of former members such as Charlie Chisel and John Lewis? How far will uh we let this divisive policies go? We need to protect our house. This is the people's house and it welcomes all people. We we must lead by example. I ask you to vote yes on this amendment and I thank you.
▶ 3:50:26I yield back, Mr. Chairman. Thank the gentleman. The gentleman from California is recognized to address the amendment. Thank you, chairman. I rise in opposition to the amendment. Uh, this amendment would add language regarding plastic waste, allow funds to be used to promote and perpetuate divisive concepts under the guise of diversity, equity, and inclusion training, and allow for taxpayer funds to be used to discriminate against a person based on their religious marriage beliefs.
▶ 3:50:52It would also strike the administrative provision added to the bill that returns the House of Representative Lease Vehicles policies to be in line with the remainder of the legislative branch. The administrative pres uh provision as written will save thousands of taxpayer dollars as the current law requires members to lease vehicles that are often twice the cost of the alternative.
▶ 3:51:11To be wise stewards of hard-earned taxpayer funds, I urge rejection of this The gentleman, are there uh other members wishing to address the amendment? Gentle lady from Illinois is Mr. Chairman, Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of ranking member Espott's amendment to strike a number of deeply troubling policy writers from this bill. This is the people's house.
▶ 3:51:37When our representatives and their staff reflect the broad range of experiences and background we represent, everyone wins. That's why I've been so disturbed to see repeated attacks from this majority on the Congressional Resources that helped make that possible. First, they disbanded the House Office of Diversity and Inclusion, which provided essential services like recruiting and training through the fiscal year 2024 ledge branch bill.
▶ 3:52:03Now, in this year's bill, they've inserted a bad p a bad faith provision in the base text that takes aims at funds for diversity, equity, and inclusion training by claiming without any evidence that it promotes or perpetuates divisive concepts related to race or sex. This bill undermines what should be a shared goal by inserting this unnecessary, divisive culture war language. And we know where it's coming from.
▶ 3:52:30President Trump has already launched a sweeping campaign to erase diversity, equity, and inclusion from the federal government. This is part of a broader effort to make diversity a dirty word. But in reality, our diversity is one of our greatest strengths. By striking this provision, uh it should not be a partisan issue. Supporting a respectful, inclusive, and professional work environment is a must. So, I will vote yes on this amendment, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. I yield back. Thank you, gentle lady. Are there other members wishing to address the amendment?
▶ 3:53:01Gentleman from Wisconsin's recognized to address the amendment. Yeah, thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, I too uh stand in support of this amendment to strike several uh different sections. One specifically I do want to address uh just again because this one at least was in the basis of the the base text uh was the discriminatory provision around marriage. Uh this is the 10th anniversary today of marriage equality uh today and uh we all have taken an oath to uphold the laws of this country.
▶ 3:53:31The law for 10 years is uh that marriages can be between a man and a man and a woman and a woman. And yet this body, this committee uh in this bill uh specifically says that you can discriminate against someone if you believe marriage is only between a man and a woman, which isn't the law. And we've taken an oath to support the laws of the nation, which say you can be two men or two women married. So we are not living up to our oaths with this bill.
▶ 3:54:00Yet again, um, look, I I get some of you have different levels of marriage experience. I've been married uh, it'll be 20 years next year. Some of you are single. Some of you are married once. Some of you are married twice. Some of you might be married more than twice. Some of you may have a a mistress. Uh, I don't know. I guess the o opposite is a master. I think women are too smart, so I'm just going to stick with the mistress mistress part.
▶ 3:54:27Um, but I'm I'm married for 20 years. This is an institution that we appreciate and we want to respect. And the fact that I who seven and a half years ago had a triple bypass, you know, if something would happen to me, I want my husband to be able to go to the benefits folks here for the legislature and get the benefits that are due.
▶ 3:54:48my family and if the person who's in the benefits and don't forget we have a small office there uh decides that somehow their views supersede law then they don't have to help provide that help. That's what's in this. I I know you know we're not supposed to think or talk. We're just supposed to vote for this stuff. But I'm going to spend a little time telling you about the reality because this is the reality for me.
▶ 3:55:15And don't forget, you got about at least 10 members of the House who probably have a similar reality uh publicly and maybe a few others that don't, but you're affecting our lives and you're violating your oath to the United States Constitution and to office to uphold the laws of the land. The law of the land is you can have same-sex marriages. That is the law of the land for 10 years today. So for us to pretend like that was funsies, we can't do that.
▶ 3:55:45We don't do that for other things. But we do that because there's a part of your base that bluntly is bigoted uh and doesn't believe in it, but doesn't matter. You don't have that prerogative because you took an oath. And yet you're about to vote against your oath of office when you vote for this, saying that people can break the law and not give my husband the benefits should something happen to me.
▶ 3:56:14So, I just wanted to point that out because it's it's great to have the base happy. It's great to go to a rally and have people say, "Go Trump. You know, you did a great job." Uh but it's also another thing to understand that you know I've sworn that oath also and I'm going to try to uphold the laws of the nation but this is a law you're not upholding when you vote for this bill but this amendment would at least fix that part of it so that you're saying I recognize I may not like what the
▶ 3:56:44law is but that's that wasn't part of the oath. It wasn't I swear on you know the constitution except for the laws I don't like. That's not the oath that we all took. So, just making it real clear what we're doing today. It's important to point that out on the 10th anniversary of a law that you're about to say we don't have to uphold. And I yield back. Thank the gentleman.
▶ 3:57:11Are there other members wishing to address the Seeing none, the gentleman's recognized for one minute to close. Mr. Chairman, um, this amendment has a simple environmental friendly measure to make us all environmental friendly here in this toxic place.
▶ 3:57:35Um, it has fundamental rights for the LGBTQ plus community uh, that I think uh, they deserve to have. They shouldn't be discriminated because of who they love. Uh it is so simple and fundamental. Uh we really should not go back to the stone age. Let's let's vote for this amendment. It's simple. It it it makes sense.
▶ 3:58:03Uh we don't want to erase Charlie Chisum or John Lewis or anybody else from our history. This amendment welcomes all. Please support it. I yield back. Thank the gentlemen. The questions now on the amendment offered by the gentleman from New York. All those in favor say I. I. I. All those opposed say no. No. The opinion of the chair the nose have it and the amendment is not agreed to.
▶ 3:58:39Gentleman from New York, Mr. Espad is recognized for an amendment. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh, I ask unanimous consent to dispense the reading of the amendment. Without objection, the reading of the amendment is dispensed with, and the gentleman from New York is recognized for remarks on his amendment. Mr. chairman.
▶ 3:59:00Uh you may walk around uh the hallways of of of or some of our other administrative buildings and see uh a placer uh of uh the January 6 plaque that we intend intended to put up in support of those that courageously defended us on that day.
▶ 3:59:31Now, they didn't defend Democrats or they didn't defend Republicans. They defended all of us. I myself was in my office getting ready to uh go down to the floor when this occurred and I stood there with my staff and we barricaded our office.
▶ 3:59:51But when we ca when I came out of it, I went to the ways and means room and I saw Democrats huddled there and Republicans huddled there in fear that they will be hurt. There was no distinction whether they were blue or red. And the people defending us out there were the men and women of the Capitol police.
▶ 4:00:17And we should recognize that as people chanted that mob chanted hang man Mike Pence and where is Nancy. We should never forget that because that could have been any one of us had they run into us.
▶ 4:00:34And these officers, Brian Howard Limiggood, Jerry Smith, Gunther Hashida, and Kyle the Fry Tag, members of the Metropolitan Police Department and Capitol Police that died and lost their lives. We should never forget.
▶ 4:00:57And yet time has passed and the other side has refused to put up this flag. The side that touts that they're about law and order and they love the blue have refused consistently stubbornly to recognize this.
▶ 4:01:20And so this amendment uh to recognize those folk that defended the capital during January 6 and the horrendous attack. For years, we have called on House leadership to give the order and install the plaque. Install the plaque once and for all. Mr. it's not a felony. It's not a cardinal sin to install this plaque.
▶ 4:01:46Let's install it for the the police officers that were there for all of us. I know some of you may want to sweep this under the rug and make believe it never happened, but it did. And so this amendment chooses to uh those police officers. We're all about the men and women in blue. We should all be for public safety. Let's act on it and let's install this black. I yield back, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 4:02:16Thank the gentleman. The gentleman from California, Mr. Valado, is recognized to address the amendment. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I rise in opposition to the amendment. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the ranking member Espott's position on this, and I actually agree that the law should be implemented. We continue our discussions with House leadership, but to consider this amendment an unnecessary measure. Oh, sorry. Um, we look forward to working together to find a solution that everyone can agree on.
▶ 4:02:45As the bill is written, as it's in law, even the plaque that is used as an example across the building doesn't meet the letter of the law. And we do have to work with leadership to get to a point where we can find something that actually works to the letter of the law and implement it at that point. But at this time, I don't see this amendment as necessary, and I urge its opposition. Thank you, and I yield back. Uh, the gentle lady from Connecticut, Mr. Lor, is recognized to address the Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 4:03:13Um, I rise in support of this amendment which would honor really brave law enforcement officers from the Capitol Police, US Capital Police, other agencies who to the riot incited on January 6th, 2021. January 6th, 2021 was one of the darkest days in our nation's history.
▶ 4:03:42I was here that day. Where is the plaque? Can you hold it up, please? It was one of the darkest days in our nation's history. I I I was here. I was evacuated um from the House gallery and any insinuation that the riers who assaulted the capital that they were anything less than violent offenders is really an insult to the brave police officers,
▶ 4:04:13the Capitol staff who put their lives on the line to defend our democracy. I witnessed firsthand the violence, the fear, the chaos that the president's words brought to our sacred halls. That day was not simply an attack on the Capitol building. It was an attack on our democracy, our constitution, and the values we share as Americans.
▶ 4:04:37Not since the British burned Washington DC in 1814 has such an assault been perpetrated on our nation's I was lying on the cement floor around the gallery and I I had very little juice left in my phone. But I called my and um just to tell them that I was safe just to let our kids know that I was safe to reassure our family. I just said I'm okay. They are going to get us out.
▶ 4:05:06They the United States Capital Police and we would be all right. I hesitated honestly to tell him that I loved him and I hung up the phone. I did that and said because it brought back memories of 911 where people, you know, just had that one moment and they said goodbye because we didn't know what was going to happen. Honestly, not scared, but we were in we were in we were in serious serious trouble here.
▶ 4:05:33Members were not the only ones at risk that day because with us as the gallery as we went on and it was a little like hopscotch. you had to go over and under. Um uh and Marcy was there. She was she was by me. But we had the young the press corps that were following us. These young men and women who were trying to follow us and we were pulling them along and member to member were just saying, you know, are you okay?
▶ 4:06:00Jimmy Gomez vividly, you know, come on Rosa, let's go. You know, and it just is people trying to take care of one another. And we weren't the only ones at risk. Staff worked tirelessly to respond to our constituents to make the wheels of this government turn. They were also threatened by the mob. I had a young staff person who was trapped in my capital office. The capital police were rushing me out and going down the stairs. I asked to help him. They said they couldn't.
▶ 4:06:28My staffer was traumatized by this experience. Only hours later that he was he was released from that office. And there's so many stories like his from those who were here that day. And we all did get to the uh the ways and means room and as we have seen and and I I'll just say this vignette as they got us out the door the gallery that's the door in which the first lady comes through um uh for the state of the union and when we got out that door really the
▶ 4:06:58insurrectionists were lying on the floor with a Capitol police with guns standing over to them and they grabbed us and pulled us to move down the steps as quickly as we could so that we could be safe. You know, as we've seen recent deadly acts of political violence against state lawmakers in Minnesota, we have an greater responsibility to ensure that we do not forget. We should not diminish the gravity of what happened that day. Political violence, and I repeat, political violence, any violence against law enforcement is never acceptable.
▶ 4:07:28And it's why I condemn what I believe were the president's irresponsible and reckless pardon of all of the January 6th riers. does nothing to help Americans and in fact it unleashed a mob of convicted violent criminals in our streets. The pard power power pardon demonstrated a reckless disregard for the law, contempt for brave men and women who enforce it. Police were spit on, they were beat up, they were bludgeoned, and they were brutalized by this mob for hours. Some of the riers had the lengthy wrap sheets even before the riot.
▶ 4:07:59They have since been rearrested like Zachary Lam smashed the glass pane the riers were attempting to climb through. recently rearrested for breaking into a home in Virginia while the residents were there. We cannot allow this chapter to be rewritten. To do so would dishonor the sacrifices our Capitol Police officers made to preserve our republic, including that of US Capitol Police Officer Brian Siknic, who passed away following the injuries sustained in the vi the line of duty and the four others who took their own lives following the riots.
▶ 4:08:29Today, I join my colleagues. I thank the Capitol Police every time I see them for their bravery. Every day they come to work ready to protect the Citadel of democracy, our nation's capital. They faced hell on January 6th and despite the overwhelming violence, they protected our democracy. They saved our lives and they secured the capital. I condemn this violence and I believe everyone in this room condemns violence.
▶ 4:08:54And a plaque honoring Capitol Police's struggle placed in a prominent position in our capital is the least that we can do. And we have one. It's ready to be put up. Instead, it is lying somewhere in a forgotten room. Those officers and the officers who protect us every day, come to work. They deserve to know that we will not let the facts in the history of this day be forgotten. I will never forget. Not to this day. No one who was in the Capitol that day will forget.
▶ 4:09:24The American people will not forget. Regardless of who was in the White House, I keep supporting our police, our capital, our capital police, and our democracy. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I yield Thank the gentle lady. The gentleman from Illinois, Mr. Quigley, is recognized for comments on the amendment. With respect, I'm not sure how you can agree with this and not vote for it and talk about how to get to that solution.
▶ 4:09:54Um, when it comes to installing it, it's a mechanical thing. There are people who put these up all the time. It's a question of will. So, I know a lot of people were in the capital. There weren't a lot of us in the chambers, especially in the balcony, uh, cuz we got trapped up there. Um, and you could hear the tear gas canisters, the screams, heard the gunshot, and at some point in time, we were told to stay low.
▶ 4:10:22Here we are in the most important democracy in the world. We're told to stay low because they're worried about getting shot. as we moved over to the other side of the balcony to get out. And um when we got over there, I heard someone "So when does the effing cavalry get It didn't get there till the next day.
▶ 4:10:49I didn't see the National Guard or the or anyone else other than the Capitol Police and DC police until late the ne that night or early the next morning. So, it was all on the DC police and the Capitol police when this was happening. Before it happened, I looked out on the East Capitol steps and there was a huge crowd over there too and two Capitol police officers with no riot gear, baseball caps standing up against them.
▶ 4:11:18And I text back my staff, "It doesn't look like we have enough security." And they said, "Well, at least you're in the capital where we know we're safe." We all had that sense that there was something we didn't some hidden force that was going to come out and secure everything. It was the Capitol Police. They were uh out equipped, outnumbered, and and uh I'm pretty sure wouldn't be here without them.
▶ 4:11:45So, uh, I I just think this is the simplest way to do this, and it's it adds an extraordinary insult to the injury to the five who died, the 140 that were injured, that we simply don't recognize that. Um, and I'd appreciate your support. I yield back. Gentle lady from Ohio, Miss Captor, is recognized to address the amendment. Yes.
▶ 4:12:11Um I would like to rise in support of the uh amendment, Mr. Chair, and just add uh for the record some memories. Again, as some other members have referenced, uh most of the members that day were not on the floor for the proceedings. They were very lengthy. We arrived early in the morning and obviously it was an official registration of votes cast uh by the states.
▶ 4:12:37But I was one of those I keep thinking back to an old show called I was there. Well, I was there along with Rosa and Benny Thompson and dear Jackie Spear. Um, so many of us, Brad Schneider, uh, those members that continue to serve here. But it's important for the record to know that extremism has no place in the politics of this country. And it happened right here. Uh, millions of citizens on TV knew what was happening before we did.
▶ 4:13:07Uh for those few that had iPhones on the uh in the gallery where we were stuck, uh they knew a little bit more than I did, but my uh iPhone ran out of gas and I didn't have uh the ability to really find out what was going on. I remember along with Rosa as we tried to get out of the capital, I worried so much about a couple of our colleagues who had had orthopedic operations and we literally had to go under the gold bars in the gallery and a lot of folks couldn't do that.
▶ 4:13:36If you're six foot, you can walk over them. If you're not, you got to go under them and there's not much room. We all learn that because the concrete steps are right on your back. So, you had to be rather um have a little dexterity in order to get out of there. I remember the tear I'd never worn a tear gas mask. I had never smelled tear gas. Uh and we knew we were informed that tear gas had been shot off in the Capitol Dome. And there we were. And you could hear you could hear the footsteps coming your way.
▶ 4:14:05And when they lock the doors, I never heard that sound before, but in the gallery, how they were just uh from the outside, you could see them being heaved and uh people trying to get in. And then I found out later that a lot of the big desks had been put on the outside in order to prevent people from uh getting in. Uh so we were locked inside those doors for hours and you could hear the noises, you could hear the footsteps, you could hear all of that commotion coming up the stairs.
▶ 4:14:34And um so the police were trying on the we couldn't see but we knew that something was happening in order to try to protect us. I remember Raul Ruiz, Congressman Ruiz from California. I'll never forget his bravery for those of us that were stuck in the furthest corner from any kind of exit coaching all of us as an emergency physician on what to do. What first with a tear gas mask, but secondly how to be uh conduct yourself in an emergency raid like that.
▶ 4:15:03That gentleman is an amazing human being. Um the afterwards after all for President Trump to release the people that did that is a crime. It's a crime. And people should pay if they're going to invade private territory that belongs to the American people, they should pay a price for that. And they should have to fulfill their sentences. I certainly would have had to do that if I did something wrong here.
▶ 4:15:31and so should those that did that for the officers. That evening I came back because I'd left my iPhone uh on the floor. It was not working. And I came up to the third floor to the door that um one would easily access, not the one that we had to ultimately access to get out of the building. Um and there was a sergeant-at-arms officer sitting there in a chair and he was staring straight forward.
▶ 4:15:58He had the look of a soldier who' just come out of a major encounter. And I said, "Sir," I said, "Are you all right?" And he looked at me. Well, he didn't look at me. He stared ahead. He goes, "I have never seen anything like that in my 30 years of service." And I remember the look on the officer's faces, Rosen, when you said when we were on the floor uh and we were trying to exit, those that were holding guns to protect us. And they were professionals.
▶ 4:16:28They were brave. They didn't know what was going to happen. And yet they were guarding us. I don't know who they were. All I remember I remember their dress. I remember their um stance and I remember their patriotism. Um so I rise for them today. And I really think I plead with my friends on the other side of the aisle not to hang a plaque in their honor is a sacrilege.
▶ 4:16:55For what happened to those who protected us on the outside and for those who died and for those who have injuries physical and mental. We must do this. It is the right thing to do.
▶ 4:17:12And I urge you to go back into your caucus and consider this and work with us to do something that is fitting for people that protected elected members of the Congress of the United States and attempted to protect the capital itself. But unfortunately, uh, millions of dollars of damage had to be paid for. It was not pleasant to go through. And I end with a sentence, political extremism has no place in this country.
▶ 4:17:38And if we don't stand up for the rule of law, how can we expect the American people to do it? I thank you very much. Please support the amendment. I yield back. Thank the gentle lady. The gentle lady from New Jersey, Miss Watson Coleman, is recognized to address the Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I stand in strong support of this amendment.
▶ 4:18:03I um was sitting here almost in tears reflecting back on the day what happened where I was what I encountered as I was listening to the discussion here. It never leaves me and every time I see even something on TV it brings back that feeling of insecurity. I saw them didn't realize who I was seeing them as I was walking down a hallway. an officer told me, "You can't go left.
▶ 4:18:33Go left." And then all these doors opened up for me to come and uh stay until things were settled. This is personal. Ryan Siknik is a uh was a um grew up in my district. His family has been here with me a couple of times and I've had the opportunity to thank them. There's not anything we could do to really thank them for their faithfulness and their sacrifice.
▶ 4:18:59this uh placing of a plaque is such a meager uh recognition of what they did for us that I don't understand what it is that's causing us not to be able to place this placard. And so, Mr.
▶ 4:19:14Chairman, I'd like to ask some cl for clarification from the chairman of the um based upon something that he said as he talked about being in support of uh th this work that they did. The gentle lady controls her time and she can certainly yield time to the chair. So, Mr.
▶ 4:19:37Chairman, you mentioned that you did support this and we needed to recognize the valor of that day and the fact that they saved our lives, but you said that we should get to a point where we can agree on the what of it or move our way through and negotiate the where or the what or the whatever. And I just don't understand what that might be since we're talking about putting a plaque up on on a wall like we put pictures up on walls.
▶ 4:20:07So what is it what that you are referring to if you don't mind when you say that we need to get to a point where we can figure it out. Well, I appreciate you making the question long because you are burning your time.
▶ 4:20:21But, uh, the the answer, if you actually look at the text of the language, uh, of the original bill, it specifies you have to list the names of every single person in every single law enforcement agency that responded on that day and put that on the Western Wall, which has never been done on this capital to put something on the outside of this capital. So, there is dialogue to find a location that would be suitable to everyone. And there are also people in law enforcement agencies who were here that day and specifically asked not to be named and not to be listed on that wall.
▶ 4:20:51So that creates a controversy for people who don't want their names on a public location where they would be recognized. And that is us trying to honor their request. May I reclaim my time? Number one, I did not know that there was a requirement of the placing of the plaque and the listing of every name of every individual that did something heroic on that day. That is the first time I've heard that and I want to see that in writing.
▶ 4:21:17But if it were the case, sir, if it were the case, we had enough time to list those names, to memorialize them, to identify a place to um showcase them.
▶ 4:21:32We we do not need to continue to go through this unnecessary discussion of something as simple as recognizing the fact that there was an an insurrection on at the house at the at the at the cap in some of our buildings on January the 6 that we were in danger that there were people who put their lives on the line for us. They came from more than one law enforcement agency.
▶ 4:22:01They didn't get here from the calvary until the next dog on day. And so I don't understand why we would allow ourselves to have this unnecessary discussion and to offer these specious arguments on why something so small could not have been done on behalf of those who made the ultimate sacrifices on our behalf. And with that, I yield. Right. Thank you, Mr. Mr. Chairman, I thank gentle lady.
▶ 4:22:31The gentle lady from California, Miss Torres, is recognized to address the amendment. Thank you, uh, chairman. And I also rise in support of this amendment. Like many of you here, I was in the Capitol on January 6th, uh, trapped on the balcony for 45 minutes, crawling from one side to the other, uh, looking for weapons to protect ourselves, to defend ourselves,
▶ 4:23:02uh, from the people that were outside trying um, to hurt us. It was not a protest. It was a violent insurrection aimed at overturning the will of the voters and threatening the peaceful transfer of power. I will never forget the fear and chaos that filled the capital, the halls of the capital that day.
▶ 4:23:29I remember the sound of the mob banging on doors, the bravery of law enforcement officers who risk their lives to protect us, and the sense of betrayal as our sacred democratic institutions were desecrated. In the area where I was in the balcony, there was one officer. One officer. We could not lock one of those doors.
▶ 4:23:57and he bravely handed over the gas masks and did not put one on himself until every member of Congress had theirs their hoodie on. The individuals who orchestrated and carried out these horrible acts do not deserve leniency. President Trump pardoned over 1,500 criminals involved in this attack.
▶ 4:24:27The Trump administration also rewarded the family of Ashley Babbot $5 million. These decisions disregard the suffering endured by Capitol police officers, congressional staff, and members who worked tirelessly to uphold the integrity of our democracy.
▶ 4:24:52Five Capitol Police officers lost their lives as a result of that insurrection with over 150 officers sustaining injuries while defending the capital. Pardons betray the sacrifices of those who bravely stood in front of this mob to protect us, our democracy. That day, many of you were here with me.
▶ 4:25:21This should not be a political issue. President Trump incited a deadly riot and the Capitol police put their lives on the line to defend every single one of us. They didn't defend Republicans. They didn't defend Democrats. They defended our institution. This isn't just about a plaque, by the way. This is what the debate is about.
▶ 4:25:51This plaque right here, it is unconscionable that we are having a debate over showing our appreciation to the men and women who gave their lives to protect us. Us. I join my Democratic colleagues in demanding that the plaque honoring the courage of our Capitol police be displayed at once and required by law that Republicans refuse to follow.
▶ 4:26:20We are not asking for $5 million as the award that was given to a woman who had to be stopped by a bullet in order to prevent her from coming into that house We're not asking for $5 million for each of the lives that were lost of these officers.
▶ 4:26:42We're not asking for $5 million for 150 officers who suffered We're asking for a plaque. And with that, I yield back. Good for her. Thank the gentle lady. The gentleman from Georgia, Mr. Bishop is recognized to address the amendment. Is the gentleman ready to speak? If not, I'll move on and come back. Okay.
▶ 4:27:12Gentleman's recognized to address the amendment. I I rise in support of the amendment. Uh when the capital was invaded and attacked just over four years ago on January 6, one of Congress's most sacred constitutional duties was delayed. The lives of every staffer, member, police officer in the building were put at risk.
▶ 4:27:38The US capital police officers were bullied, threatened, beaten as they protected hundreds of members, staff, and employees from an overwhelming and Officers, whether they were physically injured or not, will face invisible wounds and scars from the trauma and the distress of that
▶ 4:28:08Some tragically lost their lives. Every person who visits our capital needs to know that history and the reasons why we must remain vigilant against political extremism and senseless violence. So I hope that we can come to our senses and this committee would recognize our obligation to follow the law.
▶ 4:28:36Congress passed a law to post that plaque to honor those who sacrificed and who served on that faithful day. We ought to recognize that we ought to honor our own work, our own direction, and that recognition should be properly displayed in the capital. forth with we should end that delay.
▶ 4:29:06I urge the adoption of this amendment. It's a good amendment. It's a good historical marker for the United States of America and for our democracy. I yield back. Thank gentlemen. The gentle lady from Nevada, Miss Lee, is recognized to address the amendment. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
▶ 4:29:30Um, you know, I don't get up and speak too much uh here and I must say that this is a really sad moment that we did pass the law and we did have an agreement. There was an agreement among the four corners. Now granted, it wasn't to the exact letter, the exact names, etc.
▶ 4:29:53But in the spirit of these men and women who literally the days, the weeks, the years after January 6th, I walk by them every single day going in and out of our buildings. And to see there were I talked to a young woman whose marriage fell apart because of PTSD.
▶ 4:30:15So many of these men and women suffered serious serious mental health issues and yet show up day in and day out to keep all of us safe. And it's pretty sad that we're going to have some amendments talking about member safety and many of us are feeling the stress of member safety right now.
▶ 4:30:38and we're calling on the Capitol Police to stand up and keep us safe as we try to perform our jobs. So, we can do all of the semantic acrobatics we want. But I guess my question, uh, Mr. chair uh the chair of the committee, the ranking members.
▶ 4:30:59Can't we come to a solution where we simply can just honor the men and women who suffered so that we could be safe? And I just find it that, you know, we continue to go through, we passed a law, but the law didn't say this and this doesn't say that. This is a plaque that has the names of the men and women who died the day of or thereafter.
▶ 4:31:27It honors the bravery of the Capitol police. For God's sakes, I don't care if it goes on the west wall or the east wall. I don't care if it goes inside or outside. Can we not just come to a solution and work together to please just do a basic thing to honor the men and women who take who put their lives on the line so we can be safe and we all stand up and say how we honor law enforcement and we stand with the blue.
▶ 4:31:57Let's stand and honor them with just a simple act of recognition that and this isn't a to me it's not a political statement. It's just an act of recognition that they went through uh one of the most horrific days in our country's history and they stood up and can't we as the leaders of this country stand up and honor them. Thank the gentle lady. The gentleman from New York, Mr.
▶ 4:32:27Morelli is recognized to address the amendment. I would uh Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I uh would associate myself with the remarks of number of the members and and I I I'll admit um the notion that somehow there are technicalities or logistics that would prevent us from displaying this uh to me is um is borders on absurd. There are clearly ways that we could do that. There's individuals who don't want their name listed.
▶ 4:32:57We could put a kiosk up that uh allows people to opt out or opt in. Uh the truth is this plaque needs to go up. people attacked the Citadel of democracy for 250 years. We celebrate this year this amazing republic and that's the symbol of this republic and the fact that people would come and defile it and attack members of Congress and look to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power which has defined this nation for two and a half centuries.
▶ 4:33:24And to suggest that some technicality or some uh a bit of logistics would keep us from doing it is uh uh begs uh begs belief. So I um would uh certainly agree with the amendment and urge it its adoption. I yield back. Thank the gentleman. The gentle lady from Pennsylvania, Miss Dean, is recognized to address the amendment.
▶ 4:34:03Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh, I I associate myself with the words of my colleagues. I, too, was here on January 6th, a little more than four years ago, uh, up in the gallery. I'll never forget the day. I'll never forget our faces. I'll never forget the sounds. It was co and so we went up at different appointed times and we're supposed to distance oursel.
▶ 4:34:31That's why we were up in the gallery at all because otherwise we would have been down on the floor doing our duty, our constitutional duty. The absurdity that this plaque has not been hung. Let's just strip it down to what the truth is.
▶ 4:34:47The president of the United States is trying to rewrite history by pardoning everybody day one by not allowing the speaker to hang this He's trying to rewrite history that it didn't happen.
▶ 4:35:03That the president did not invite, he did not excite, he did did not incite Americans to take Trump flags and American flags and beat Capitol police wound them, killed five of them. I'm not surprised you won't look me in the eye because I guess you don't look Capitol police officers in the eye. They stood for us.
▶ 4:35:32I'll never forget standing in that gallery. I was standing next to Dean Phillips and we were just listening to the arguments to not certify and we were saying the word shame and he said something else. And then Veronica, you'll remember this. We heard this series of announcements. Please sit down. What? Please prepare to lie down and then please get your gas masks out from under your seats.
▶ 4:35:59Well, I don't know if your orientation included it, but I had no idea we had gas masks under our seats and that we would need them because Americans were attacking Capitol police and the capital. I remember looking at you, Veronica, because I was on the gallery and I dropped down below and you were wearing a beautiful white jacket and I thought, "It's like a shooting gallery here." And I hollered, "Veronica, get down." Because you were such a target.
▶ 4:36:26We all got down and fumbled and crinkled that paper to open that gas mask layer after layer to get that gas mask on. And I too called my family. That was one of the saddest moments because I scared the crap out of them. And I feel bad about that.
▶ 4:36:46We're talking about hanging a plaque to remember the Capitol police officers, five of whom lost their lives, 150 of whom have been wounded, many of whom have lost their careers, careers they loved. I'm in touch with Sergeant Gell to this day. He texted me the other night and said, "By the way, do you realize, is he texting you now? By the way, do you realize none of the January 6th injured police officers has received their benefit? Not one.
▶ 4:37:13Would you ask the administration in addition to hanging the plaque to please make sure they get their benefit? Not one. I cannot understand it. I went and visited the actual plaque. It is as even more handsome than this. As solemn as this. a simple statement of our history and what they did for us.
▶ 4:37:38You know, as they hauled us out and we went up and over or under the brass railings, not knowing where we were going, and it was pretty clear nobody knew where we were going till we finally got somewhere safe. I remember one of the saddest things I was told to do after put on your gas mask because Americans are here attacking you. Take your pin off. You know the pride you felt when you first got this pin. the pride I feel when I put it on. What a privilege to say, "I work here.
▶ 4:38:08I represent my constituents here." And they said, "Take it off. Hide it." Because they won't give a damn who you are. Whether you're a Republican, a Democrat, or whatever, they'll kill any one of us. Capital Police kept us from being and we can't hang the plaque. Tell the speaker it's time to hang the plaque. That's what it's going to take. I have six grandchildren.
▶ 4:38:37I tell them fairy tales and different stories, I've been thinking an awful lot about the emperor's new clothes. The emperor's new clothes. the emperor who wanted so much to have the very best of suits that he hired two shysters to make him a suit of the very finest of fabrics and threads. Of course, they were shysters. They didn't have any fabric. They didn't have any thread.
▶ 4:39:06But they were such good snake oil salesmen or in this case suit salesmen. They said, "If you cannot see it, if your cannot see the suits that we are making, it's because they're fools. They're idiots." And so some of the courters, some of the ministers to the emperor went to check on the fabrics and on the and they couldn't see anything.
▶ 4:39:31They saw nothing in fact, but they thought, "Oh god, we'll be found for fools." So they went back and assured the emperor, "It's gorgeous." Well, guess what? The emperor put on that new suit and paraded downtown. It took a little girl to say, "The emperor has no clothes. It's time to recognize the nakedness of this, the naked attempt to rewrite history, to pardon everybody, to say there's a reason we can't put this plaque up. We can't honor those police officers.
▶ 4:40:01There's these technicalities. This is a naked abuse of power and a naked Please ask the speaker to do his job and hang the dog on plaque. I yield back. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for your Thank the gentle lady. The gentle lady from Texas, Miss Escobar, is recognized to address the amendment. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 4:40:27Um, and I'd like to associate myself with the remarks of all of my colleagues. And to the subcommittee chairman, I I'd like to suggest that we please come up with a solution for a manager's amendment for the floor. The American people definitely see Congress as being extremely dysfunctional.
▶ 4:40:56We have the Congress as a whole has very very low approval ratings because we're seen as dysfunctional. This is not that complicated. This is not something that is rocket science. We if there are challenges and complexities that we have not been made aware of. I this is the first I hear of all of these complexities.
▶ 4:41:24But if if this is so complex and challenging, let's simplify it and let's remedy this for the floor. Not because it's important to us, although I will tell you as I've been hearing my colleagues talking about that day, it's really triggering. It is so hard to relive that day.
▶ 4:41:50Um, but if it's hard for us, I cannot profoundly hard it is for the police officers who were there that day. So, we owe it to them. You don't owe it to us. We owe it to them to do this and get it done.
▶ 4:42:18And in fact, I'm I'm surprised to hear that the police officers themselves are the obstacle that, you know, some want their name, some don't want their name, because in fact, there are members of Capitol Police and the DC Metro Police who've sued in federal court to get this done.
▶ 4:42:39And in my conversations with them, not one has ever told me, we've been asked this question about our name and we can't reach an agreement. So, this is absolutely news to me and I think probably news to many of us. The the I mean, we've hopefully everyone here has seen the videos of that day.
▶ 4:43:05If you were not in the gallery that day, if you were not in the house that day, but far beyond that day, marriages, their marriages, some of their marriages have fallen apart because of this. Some of them have suffered really serious behavioral health challenges.
▶ 4:43:30Most of them still deal with physical health challenges, impacts to their bodies where they still need physical therapy. And as Meline mentioned, many of them have had to set up GoFundMe accounts because they can't get their They had to leave a job they loved because they physically cannot do it anymore
▶ 4:44:00or because they emotionally cannot do it anymore. And as a result, they financially cannot provide for their families. All because they took their oath They took their job seriously. And they saved all of our lives. They saved all of our lives.
▶ 4:44:24So finding a solution to the complexities that are preventing a plaque from going up at the US capital, that should be a top priority for us. We can do it. We can figure it out. I have absolutely no doubt. and let's get it done this appropriation season not for us but for them. I yield back.
▶ 4:44:58Thank gentle lady. The gentleman from California, Mr. Lean is recognized to address the amendment. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 4:45:12My colleagues, I rise in support of this amendment and I am in disbelief that in the last four years, the Congress of the United States still hasn't found the political will to do something as basic and as decent as installing a plaque to honor the law enforcement officers who protected all of us and this capital on January 6th. I have great respect for my friend from California. I really do.
▶ 4:45:43But it's my understanding that this plaque has already been cast in bronze. It's sitting somewhere waiting to be be put And the only reason in my view is not a but it's really a fear of political backlash, a fear of the truth. Let's not forget how many of our Republican colleagues saw things very clearly on that day, January 6th.
▶ 4:46:10Leader Kevin McCarthy said, and I quote, "The president bears responsibility for the attack on Congress by mob riers. He should have immediately denounced the mob when he saw what was unfolding." End quote. Leader Kevin McCarthy. Senator Mitch McConnell called it a failed insurrection and said, and I quote, "The mob was fed lies. They were provoked by the president and other powerful people." End quote.
▶ 4:46:37Those are Republican leaders speaking the truth. So, what happened? If we had the moral clarity to say those words when the tear gas was still in the air, how can we not summon the courage now to install a plaque honoring the officers who saved this building, the building next door, the one next door to that, and all of us These officers weren't partisans.
▶ 4:47:07They were Americans in uniform. They were punched, kicked, dragged, crushed, and tased. And still they stood. Still they protected the Constitution. If we truly back the blue, how do we justify ignoring their sacrifice for us? We name post offices. We build monuments. We commission plaques for people who served this country decades or even centuries ago.
▶ 4:47:38But we can't bring ourselves to honor those who defended our democracy four years ago because it might upset the former and current president. Let me be clear. Honoring the people who risk their lives for this institution should not be partisan. It should not be controversial. It should be automatic.
▶ 4:47:58And if we can't agree to even do this, what kind of example are we setting for the American people, for our kids, for the next generation of officers who might one day be asked to stand between democracy and chaos. So put up the plaque. Show the country we still have a conscience. And show those officers, including the ones who are working here today and every day, to protect us. Show their families that their sacrifice wasn't political. It was patriotic. It was noble.
▶ 4:48:28And it will never ever be forgotten by a grateful nation and a grateful Congress. I yield Well done. I thank gentlemen. Are there other members wishing to address the amendment? Gentleman from Maryland is recognized to address the amendment.
▶ 4:48:48I thought uh Congressman Levan, Congressman Dean, Congresswoman Ag um and others have said correctly. So I've grappled, I tell the chairman, with why is has this not been done?
▶ 4:49:11And I think Miss Dean put her finger on It is because so many cannot bring themselves to telling the truth and therefore they pursue the of treason.
▶ 4:49:42I was not on the floor. Nor was Pelosi, nor was McCarthy, nor was Scaliz, nor was the speaker. But we were all together not too far from here. Mr. McCarthy has been quoted, Mr.
▶ 4:50:01and McConnell were quoted as the traitorous acts happened and the anger that they felt. A party that says they are for the police, for law enforcement, for the defense of liberty, continues to
▶ 4:50:32rationalize the ignoring of a congressional Let's stop that negligence today.
▶ 4:50:50As Chief Manger left office as chief of the police, I acted asked him in committee what was the response of the Capitol and he said they were profoundly and disheartened and their morale I can't believe that any one of the over 60 of us who are on this committee
▶ 4:51:22would want that to be the case. Let's vote for this amendment. Let's put up this plaque. Let's say thank you that we had so many who remain the home of the brave so that we can be the land of the free.
▶ 4:51:50Are there other members wishing to address the amendment? The gentleman from Maryland. Um, thank you, Mr. Chairman. Let me ask the subcommittee chair. I wasn't here um on January 6th, but I did have a couple questions about what's going on with the bill. So, when was the bill passed? March 2022. All right.
▶ 4:52:18And so you were saying there's some police officers who don't want their name to be on. That's I mean they're not going to come out here publicly and protest it. But yes, people have come privately and asked. But if you're asking me if this is something that we should move forward with, yes, we should move forward with this. But from what I understand, this is above my pay grade as the legislative branch because we are just appropriators. The speaker is working with leadership to find a spot and we've been working with leadership to find that location, but I get people want to continue to make a point.
▶ 4:52:48So, well, I just just a couple questions for you though. So, what is the process that's in place to identify who which of these officers don't want their name on the list? Why would you want to identify an officer and something they don't want to be identified in? Well, you have to ask. I I thought when you said there are officers who don't want their name on the list, someone had inquired and they' said, "I don't want my name on the Okay. Is that right or not? Yes, they have the ability to reach out to any one. So, who is doing that?
▶ 4:53:19Who's What is that process and how is it moving forward? They could reach out to any one of our offices and do that. And so, you're you're waiting for them to say we're not asking them. No, they are not. How many people? I'm sorry. I'm I'm not going to sit here and list names. I'm not asking you to. So, I'm not asking you to. I'm just asking what the process How many officers are in this universe of people whose names would be listed at this m this I actually don't know the answer to that one. Okay.
▶ 4:53:48Is there some sort of task force or entity that's put in place to try and work through this that's that's doing the job now? the capacity. Members of the Capitol Police and other law enforcement agencies went through a very traumatic day. I think that's been highlighted to to no end earlier, right? And they have reached out to lots of members of Congress privately to say, "Please don't add us to this." All right. How about this?
▶ 4:54:14Has the chief of the Capitol Police um been contacted to make this inquiry to try and find out? I'm not at liberty to answer that question. They don't want to be You don't have to be. Yeah. Because why aren't you at liberty to answer whether somebody's talked to the police chief or not? Because it's not my place to uh to say who is asking for this. My spot here is to say that they have asked not to be mentioned.
▶ 4:54:37If you list everyone else, I think by a simple elimination of other all the names that are on the list, you'll know who the people are who don't want to be on the list. I would have no way of knowing what officers were on duty that day and who wasn't. So to figure out whose names I mean there it's been pointed out should not be there. Shouldn't we be asking someone at the at the the Capitol Police Department? Would the gentleman yield? I will. I appreciate that very much.
▶ 4:55:03I just wanted to point out if you read the plaque there are no individual names on it. It is the departments. It is the various organizations that were pleasing authorities. I don't know why we're discussing individual names. Uh these are names of organizations. your organization. I I get that. But the letter of the law specifically says right here that it has to list every single person in every single Okay, let me let me get back to Let me reclaim my time.
▶ 4:55:33Who's figuring out what um Yeah. should not be listed? Who Who's figuring out who who doesn't want their names on there? Who's making the inquiry either to the the chief of the of the Capitol Police or through some some other means? could be the union. I suppose there's got to be a way to figure it out though, right? In less than three years. So, if you're asking me who's making the decision to not ask that question again just so we're clear on what you're asking me. Okay.
▶ 4:56:04Is there some apparatus in play? So, this was passed you said three years ago. Is that right? March 2022. Okay. Two and a half years. Okay. Who's trying to figure out who doesn't want their names on there? Is that somebody at the Capitol Police? Is there somebody that the speakers put in place? What are we do? Are we just kind of waiting until the phone rings? So, it sounds like you're trying to get a list of names of I am not trying to get a list.
▶ 4:56:27I'm trying to figure out who is getting the list to make sure that their name isn't on there cuz what the last thing we want is to chisel the names in there and then somebody comes up and says, "I don't want their name on there." Seems to me we should figure it out in advance and that two and a half years is more than enough time to figure it out. I don't know how many police officers were on duty that day. Gentlemen, you I will. Mr.
▶ 4:56:51Chairman, on December of 2022, the four corners met and agreed on a process. In fact, the language of this In fact, the language of this bill was offered by someone on your side of the aisle. Uh there was never an agreement for the names to be chiseled on the plaque.
▶ 4:57:14It is a digital kiosk that will have the names uh and the plaque has the names of the agencies, the law enforcement agencies. Now, people that don't want to be on the digital book could choose to say so. And I'm sure that they could be omitted. So, uh this is we're not splicing Adams here. Yeah, this this is this is doable. Time has expired.
▶ 4:57:40I I will I will yield back, but it does sound like this is something that really could have been figured out in three years or two and a half years. So with that, I'll yield back. I thank the gentleman. Are there other members wishing to address the amendment? Good. Is the general race gentleman from California is recognized to address the amendment? Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'd like to yield to the ranking member of the full committee, Mr. Laura. Appropriate gentlemen. This has been sorted out.
▶ 4:58:11This has all been sorted It's what's almost three years. My god, you can put up a building in three years. We have a small plaque here that we just want to get on a wall and there's plenty of space in this room to put it up. You hadn't find a a place. But as I understand this, to just get around the issue of names or not names is that the four corners came together.
▶ 4:58:37Democrats, Republicans came together and said, "We have a digital registry of of everyone and what we're going to do to solve this problem is we're going to put up the names of the enforcement agencies that covers it. It doesn't have any specific name on it.
▶ 4:58:54The fact of the matter is that it it goes back to the the you don't want to recognize maybe the speaker doesn't want to recognize the president doesn't recognize that January 6th existed and these men and women they gave they gave their lives and the rest of them who didn't saved our lives and why we can't internalize that in some way and put up a plaque that does some honor
▶ 4:59:24Honestly, we bring dishonor on ourselves for not wanting to do this in their name. My God, who are we? It is a plaque that says, "Thank you. Thank you for your service." My God, we say that to every person who comes in the room with a hat that said they serve. Thank you for their service. And yet we're not willing to say thank you for the men and women who are out there every day for us.
▶ 4:59:54They make it easier for us every single day. And many of us and you know I do I walk by whenever I walk by I look and I say thanks. Thank you. If you didn't have that experience that say thank God because those of us who did, while we think it doesn't affect affect us, every time I bring up the story, I want to cry about it because of what we went through that day,
▶ 5:00:25you know, and we also say thank you to them, but we say thank you to their families that the work of your spouse was because it's not just the individual who suffers. ers their families suffer as well. I thank the gentleman for the time. Let us put up this plaque. Let's stand together the way we stood on on 911.
▶ 5:00:48On 911, we stood on the Capitol steps that night, Democrats and Republicans, and we sang God bless America, holding hands so that we said that the government was standing and that we are together. Let's show this country that we are God bless this country. God bless the men and women who helped to save our lives that day. Are there any other members wishing to address the amendment? Good.
▶ 5:01:18Good. Seeing none, the vote is now Oh, no, excuse me. Seeing none, the gentleman is recognized for one minute to close. Thank you, Mr.
▶ 5:01:34Chairman, what we've witnessed here uh much more than floor speeches is the of people that are still very much hurt and I may add traumatized by what occurred that day. Um it is somewhat incredible that is only felt on one side of the aisle. I believe very strongly that you feel it too.
▶ 5:02:06You may want to hold your macho face. You may want to look tough and unbreakable. But I know that those of you that were there, I saw you in the ways and means room and you were afraid. So you must be feeling this as well.
▶ 5:02:25So this is a collective trauma that has lingered on for years and all we're asking is for the on the plaque of the departments. They're listed there one by one. It is not the names. It's the departments of the men and women of the Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington DC.
▶ 5:02:51And we want to recognize them the way we would do when an officer unfortunately is shot and killed in our neighborhoods, in our cities that we represent. When something horrible happens, uh, in a police department, uh, in one of the districts that we represent, we want to recognize the men and women in blue, and we're asking you to stand up. Let's do the right thing, Mr. Chairman. Let's uh hang this plaque once and for all.
▶ 5:03:20Let's remember January 6th for what it was. Thank you and I yield back. The question is now on the amendment offered by the gentleman from New York. All those in favor say I. I. All those opposed say no. No. And you know the chair of the nose have it recorded vote. Recorded vote has been requested. Sufficient support having been shown. The clerk will call the role. Mr. Adderhalt, no. Mr.
▶ 5:03:50Adder Holt, no. Mr. Aguilar. Mr. Aguular. I. Mr. Alford. Mr. Alford. No. Mr. Ammedday. Mrs. Bice. Mrs. Bice. No. Mr. Bishop. Hi. Mr. Bishop. I Mr. Calvert. Mr. Calbertt. No. Mr. Carter. Mr. Carter. No. Mr. Casease. Hi, Mr. Casease. I Mr. Sisammani. Mr. Sisammani. No. Mr. Klene. Mr. Klene.
▶ 5:04:20No. Mr. Cloud. Mr. Cloud. No. Mr. Klyurn. Mr. Klyurn. I Mr. Clyde. Mr. Clyde. No. Mr. Cole. No. Mr. Cole. No. Mr. Quayar. Mr. Quayar. I. Miss Dean. Miss Dean. I. Mr. Deloro. Mr. Loro. I Mr. Mr. Diaz Bollard. Mr. Diaz Bolard. No. Mr. Edwards. Mr. Edwards. No. Mr.
▶ 5:04:54Mr. Elsie. Mr. Elzie. No. Miss Escobar. Miss Escobar. I. Mr. Espayat. I. Mr. Espayat. I. Mr. Flechman. Mr. Fleshman. No. Miss. Frankle. Miss. Frankle. I. Mr. Franklin. Mr. Franklin. No. Mr. Gonzalez. Mr. Gonzalez. No. Mr. Guest. Mr. Guest. No. Mr. Harter. Mr. Harter. I. Dr. Harris. Dr. Harris. No. Mrs. Henson. Mrs. Henson.
▶ 5:05:24No. Mr. Hoyer. I. Mr. Hoyer. I. Mr. Ivy. Hi. Mr. Ivy. I. Mr. Joyce. Miss Captor. I. Miss Captor. I. Mr. Loa. No. Mr. Loa. No. Miss Lee. Miss Lee I Miss Lllo Miss Lllo no Mr. Lean Mr.
▶ 5:05:49Lean I Miss Malloy Miss Malloy no Miss McCollum Miss McCollum I Miss Ming. Miss Ming I Mr. Molinar Mr. Molinar no Mr. Moore no Mr. Moore no Mr. Morelli I Mr. Morelli I Mr. Morvan Mr. New House Mr. Mr. New House. No. Miss Perez. Miss Perez. I Miss Pingri. Miss Pingri. I Mr. Pokean.
▶ 5:06:19Mr. Pokean. I Mr. Quigley. Mr. Quigley. I. Mr. Mr. Rashenthaler. No. Mr. Rogers. Mr. Rogers. No. Mr. Rutherford. Mr. Rutherford. No. Mr. Simpson. Mr. Simpson. No. Mr. Strong. Mr. Strong. No. Mrs. Torres. Mrs. Torres. I. Miss. Underwood. M Miss Underwood I Mr. Valido Mr. Valado no Miss Wasserman Schultz Miss Wasserman Schultz I Mrs.
▶ 5:06:48Watson Coleman Mrs. Watson Coleman I Mr. Wac Mr. WAC no Mr. Zinci Mr. Zinci no Are there any amend or any members wishing to be recorded or change their vote? Gentleman from Ohio Mr. Joyce no gentleman from Indiana. I, Mr. Murvan. I Are there any others? I don't want anybody to miss this vote.
▶ 5:07:19Seeing none, the clerks will tally.
▶ 5:08:04On this vote, the eyes are 28, the nose are 34. The amendment is not adopted. Votes have been called. Accordingly, the committee stands in recess. Subject to call of the chair.
▶ 6:45:58Committee will come to order. Gentle lady from California, Miss Torres, is recognized for an amendment. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I ask uh that the reading be dispensed with. Without objection, the reading of the amendment is dispensed with and the gentle ladies recognized for remarks on her amendment. Thank you. Um chairman, as as expected, uh the other side of the aisle rejected Mr.
▶ 6:46:25Hoyer's amendment that would have fully funded the Government Accountability Office. The GAO does very important, crucial work for Congress. We are the appropriators. We have the power of the purse and the GAO follows our directions to conduct audits, combat waste, fraud, and abuse, and save taxpayers dollars.
▶ 6:46:51But I have a big pot of money that is a shining example of waste, fraud, and abuse. one that would be better used to invest in the GAO to ensure taxpayer dollars are spent effectively.
▶ 6:47:07My amendment would resend the 400 million meant to convert the luxury jetliner from Qatar gifted to President Trump and increase funding for the Government Accountability Office by 400 million to improve government efficiency and fight waste, fraud, and abuse. That is happening right now in the executive branch.
▶ 6:47:35Americans should not foot the $400 million bill to give President Trump a luxury jetliner. These are already new there are already new Air Force ones being built and refitting a luxury airliner to meet the security needs of a president will take many years and is a waste of taxpayers dollars and labor.
▶ 6:48:00Instead of promoting the waste of taxpayer dollars on a ridiculous vanity project, I hope my friends on the other side of the aisle will support the very organization that helps us do our job better. Every dollar invested in GAO comes out of to a return of $123 in savings for our taxpayers.
▶ 6:48:24Since 2002, GAO's work has led to $1.45 45 trillion in savings. Yes, you heard that right. It is 1.45 trillion with a T. 94% of their audit works work is mandated or requested by Congress. On top of that, GAO's work to fight against fraud and abuse is critical for communities like veterans and seniors.
▶ 6:48:53Veterans Affairs fraud particularly affects districts with large military installations. GAO found claims sharks charging veterans, illegal fees, pension poaching schemes targeting elderly veterans, and VA employees manipulating benefit systems. The Federal Trade Commission reported that veterans lost 292 million to fraud in 2002 alone.
▶ 6:49:23Medicare fraud devastated seniors like the 2.7 billion catheter fraud ring in systematic tele medicine scams. GAO's investigations prompted Senator Braun, a Republican, to request audits after discovering losses of 60 billion annually to fraud. These schemes particularly harm rural districts where seniors are more vulnerable to fraud. GAO is protecting the veterans and seniors in Republican and Democratic states alike.
▶ 6:49:54GAO is not a political entity. It is an independent legislative branch agency that makes sure that things are done efficiently and follows the law. And it is one of the best returns on investment in government. You know what's not a good investment is a wasteful 400 million to give President Trump a luxury jumbo jet. I urge my colleagues to actually support cutting waste, fraud, and abuse, and I support and support my amendment. I yield back.
▶ 6:50:25Thank the gentle lady. The gentleman from California, Mr. Valido is recognized to respond to the amendment. Thank you, chairman. And I rise in opposition to the amendment uh because funding uh for the president's aircraft is not within the scope of the legislative branch appropriations bill and I do not believe this amendment should be considered by this subcommittee uh or this committee right now. Thank you and I yield back. Thank the gentlemen. The gentleman from New York, Mr. Espad, is recognized to address the amendment. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 6:50:55I rise in strong support of this amendment. Mr. Chairman, while Democrats tried to scrape together reasonable budget numbers for agencies that have proven um a great record of increasing cost savings and efficiency, the president is accepting luxury gifts from a foreign government. Uh Miss Torres makes a great point.
▶ 6:51:19Why is it fair that the GAO controller is having to explain to his staff that more than 2,200 personnel will be let go while the president will be flying around in a $400 million plane. GAO is an agency made up of experts with institutional knowledge about an array of subjects. These public servants have diligently served the agency and Congress for years. We need their services.
▶ 6:51:49Without them, we lose an important reporting tool that provides transparency into how our government is functioning. I support this amendment and I yield back. I thank the gentleman. The gentle lady from Florida, Miss Werman Schultz, is recognized to address the amendment. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I rise in strong support of the amendment offered by my good friend uh the gentle lady from California, Miss Torres.
▶ 6:52:15Um I will just point out in response to the gentleman from California, the subcommittee chair um suggesting that uh the funding for the president's plane from cutter, which was a gift, isn't in this bill. Well, the Guantano Mobay funding that you prohibit from being spent isn't in the Milan VA bill either.
▶ 6:52:42and yet you prohibit money that isn't in my bill from being spent. So, um, doesn't seem to matter in the Milk VA bill. I'm not sure why it would matter in this one. Um, that having been said, this amendment provides the Government Accountability Office the funding they need to carry out their responsibilities to this body. The GAO is not a political body that swings from left to right with the turn of each administration. They are meant to serve this institution as a tool to conduct proper and legal oversight over the federal government.
▶ 6:53:11In fact, sometimes they are needed to serve as a check on other agencies inside of the legislative branch. We used the GAO regularly while I was both the chair and the ranking member with Mr. Adah Halt and Chairman Cole of this subcommittee, meaning the legislative branch subcommittee to ensure accountability and oversight when the capital visitors center project was over budget and running over its deadline. The GAO helped us get it back on track and finished it without blowing any more timelines or budgets.
▶ 6:53:39Now, in my role as ranking member of the military construction and veterans affairs subcommittee, Judge Carter and I have been relying on GAO in the same way to provide accountability for the EHRM, the electronic health records management implementation at the VA, which has long overdue and billions of dollars or hundreds of millions of dollars over budget. Congress uses GAO as an important tool to ensure proper accountability and oversight because believe it or not those things are not as easy as just getting a gavvel or holding some hearings.
▶ 6:54:10And I get it. It is always easier to wish the cops on the road aren't paying attention when you were the ones that are in a hurry or breaking a rule. But that would be reckless for you, those around you, and the people getting on the road after you. Cutting Congress's cop on the beat of waste, fraud, and abuse, which we supposedly all care about fighting is just as reckless and shortsighted as that and will make it far harder for the GAO to conduct proper oversight for the administrations to come.
▶ 6:54:36Don't know why would hamstring and hog tie our own watchdog that even is helping us make sure that we can prevent wade waste, fraud, and abuse within our own agencies. for the party of Doge to want to cut gut the people who have delivered real results for the American taxpayer. It reeks of accountability for thee but not for me. GAO has been the constant and effective guardrail that reports to Congress and helps us do our work.
▶ 6:55:06For all of these reasons, I strongly support the gentle lady's amendment and I yield Thank gentle lady. The gentle lady from Ohio, Miss Captor is recognized to address the amendment. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and members, uh I rise in support of the tourist amendment uh that would uh ask the GAO to take a close look at this plane that ended up in possession from Qatar here in our country. Why is it needed?
▶ 6:55:33Because Secretary of Defense Pete Heget accepted the jet uh to be used according to the latest press reports as Air Force One or it's in the hands of the Air Force. Now, we're told the value is somewhere over$400 billion dollars um mill excuse me $400 million from a foreign interest and that's what got me interested on behalf of the president of the United States.
▶ 6:56:00A foreign interest, by the way, that is a despotic monarchy. It's not a democracy. It wouldn't make any difference. He shouldn't be accepting a plane worth $400 million plus in any case. But American taxpayers shouldn't have to foot the bill for any president to receive, retrofit, or ride in a luxury jet handed over by a foreign government. Not the Trump administration, not any US administration. Now, uh we have better planes in our country, Air Force One, uh itself.
▶ 6:56:30But what's unclear about this particular plane is what's in it and what isn't in it. We have much more secure uh security devices inside current craft uh used by the president of the United States. We have uh I won't say jamming gear, but we have much higher levels and more modern uh technologies inside the plane that the president flies on right now. So why should we have to fix this plane up?
▶ 6:56:58I think we would be better to raffle it off and use the money for other extremely important defense needs that we have in this country and it should not go into the president's personal possession when he leaves office. I want to go back to something President Eisenhower said a long time ago. Someone who was a highly regarded veteran, five-star general, he got rid of the presidential yacht. It's good to remember this history. He called it a needless luxury.
▶ 6:57:28I urge my friends on both sides of the aisle to remove needless luxuries, stand up for fiscal over excess, fiscal restraint, not indulgence in vanity. I urge the committee to stop this reckless spending, support this amendment, sell the plane and let's use the money for other purposes. Say yes to integrity, accountability, and real fiscal discipline.
▶ 6:57:55urging a vote on behalf of the Torist amendment and I yield back. I thank the gentle lady. Are there other members wishing to address the Seeing none, the general lady is recognized for one minute to close. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Members on both sides of the aisle call on GAO for investigations. Nearly 70% of GAO requests investigating the Obama and Biden administrations came from Republicans.
▶ 6:58:22But right now, because GAO is conducting nearly 40 investigations into the Trump administration, breaking the law by freezing or cancelling appropriated funds, Republicans want to gut it. This is hypocrisy. Maybe there are so many investigations because Trump and his minions don't care about the law. We should all be outraged. But instead, this bill tries to gut the very agency that is giving the American people the truth.
▶ 6:58:50the truth about what is happening. If my Republican colleagues cared about waste, then they wouldn't support wasting 400 million of taxpayer dollars to give Trump a private jumbo jet. Instead, they would be supporting investing in GAO to make the government run more efficiently. I call on my colleagues to support this amendment and I yield back. I thank the gentle lady. The questions now on the amendment offered by the gentle lady from California.
▶ 6:59:20All those in favor say I. I. Those opposed say no. The opinion of chair of the nos have it. Roll call has been requested. Sufficient number of hands having been raised. The clerk will call the role. Mr. Adhalt. Mr. Adhalt. No. Mr. Aguilar. Mr. Aguilar. I. Mr. Alford. Mr. Alford. No. Mr. Amade. Mrs. Vice Mrs. Bice No Mr. Bishop Mr. Bishop I Mr.
▶ 6:59:50Calbertt Mr. Calbertt No Mr. Carter Mr. Carter no Mr. Case Mr. Case I Mr. Sisammani Mr. Sisammani no Mr. Klene Mr. Cloud Mr. Cloud no Mr. Klyurn Mr. Clyde Mr. Cole no Mr. Cole no Mr. Quaar Miss Dean Mr. Loro Mr.
▶ 7:00:20Loro I Mr. Diaz Bolard Mr. Diaz Bolard No Mr. Edwards Mr. Edwards no Mr. Elzie Mr. Elie no Miss Escobar Miss Escobar I Mr. Espayat Mr. Espay I Mr. Fleshman Mr. Fleshman no Miss Mr. Franklin Mr. Gonzalez Mr. Gonzalez. No. Mr. Guest. Mr. Guest. No. Mr. Harter. Mr. Harter. I. Dr. Harris. Dr. Harris.
▶ 7:00:50No. Mrs. Henson. Mrs. Henson. No. Mr. Hoyer. I. Mr. Hoyer. I. Mr. Ivy. Mr. Ivy. I. Mr. Joyce. Mr. Joyce. No. Miss Captor. I. Miss Captor. I. Mr. Loa. Mr. Loa. No. Miss Lee. Miss Lee. I. Miss. Let Miss. Let No. No, Mr. Lean. Mr. Lean. I Miss Mallaloy. Miss Malloy. No, Miss McCullum. Miss McCullum. I Miss Ming.
▶ 7:01:21Miss Ming. I Mr. Molinar. Mr. Molinar. No. Mr. Moore. Mr. Moore. No. Mr. Morelli. I Mr. Morelli. I Mr. Mvani. Mr. Murvan. I Mr. New House. Mr. New House. No. Miss. Miss Pingri. Miss Pingri. I Mr. Pokean Mr. Pokean I Mr. Quigley Mr. Quigley I Mr. Rashenthaler Mr. Rashenthaler No Mr. Rogers Mr. Rogers No Mr.
▶ 7:01:51Rutherford Mr. Rutherford No Mr. Simpson Mr. Simpson no Mr. Strong Mr. Strong no Mrs. Torres Mrs. Torres I miss Underwood Miss Underwood I Mr. Valido Mr. Valido no Miss Washerman Schultz Miss Washerman Schultz I Mrs. Watson Coleman. Mrs. Watson Coleman. I Mr. Wac. Mr. Wac. No. Mr. Zinci. Mr. Zinci. No. Does any member excuse me.
▶ 7:02:20Does any member wish to record their vote or change their vote? Gentleman from South Carolina. Mr. Clyurn. I. Uh. Gentleman from Georgia. Mr. Clyde. No. Gentleman from Florida. Mr. Franklin. No. Gentleman from Virginia. Mr. Klene. No. Gentle lady from Washington State. Miss Perez I. Uh, gentle lady from Florida. Miss Frankle I.
▶ 7:02:49Are there any other members wishing to record or change their vote? Seeing none, the clerk will tally.
▶ 7:03:35On this vote, the eyes 26 and no 34. The amendment is not adopted. Are there further amendments for discussion? Gentleman from New York, Mr. Espayat is recognized for an amendment. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk. I ask gentleman might want to turn the mic on. Uh without objection, the reading of the amendment is dispensed with and the gentleman's recognized for remarks on his amendment.
▶ 7:04:06Mr. Chairman, uh this is the the legislative branch. This is not the executive branch. There is a separation of powers. We cannot stand idly by while our constitution is challenged. Uh we must uphold the law. This amendment ensures that the Library of Congress keeps his data safe from interference by dodge teams.
▶ 7:04:30Now you may think that the Library of Congress only has books and uh exhibits but it actually has sensitive data. It has uh information and personal identific identifiable information. Uh the library prioritizes in protecting and it has a private policy privacy policy in place to protect user data.
▶ 7:05:00uh Dodge uh should stay in the executive lane and not in our library that belongs in fact not to the legislative branch, not to the executive branch, not to the judicial branch, but to the American people. Um I I yield back, Mr. Chairman. I ask for everyone to support this amendment. Thank the gentleman. The gentleman from California is recognized to address the amendment. Thank you, chairman. I rise in opposition to the amendment. Mr.
▶ 7:05:29Chairman, I recognize ranking members Espott's concerns. While DOE has communicated with various legislative branch agencies, access has been denied because they are a separate branch of government as was articulated. Uh therefore, this amendment is unnecessary and so I recommend a no vote and I yield Are there other members wishing to address this amendment? There's no further debate. The gentleman is recognized for one minute to close.
▶ 7:06:01Thank you again, Mr. Chairman. Uh again, the Library of Congress has been uh hit with a uh severe cut. Its librarian was summarily uh dismissed and I made that arbitrarily dismissed by by the president.
▶ 7:06:20And now of course uh doge has uh place his his uh eyes on on the data that's there that as I mentioned before uh is confidential sensitive and violates a privacy policy. So again I ask for all my colleagues to support this amendment and I yield back. I thank the gentleman. The questions now on the amendment offered by the gentleman from New York. All those in favor say I. I. All those opposed say no. No.
▶ 7:06:51The opinion of the chair of the nose have it. I ask for a recorded vote. The gentleman's requested recorded vote. Sufficient number of hands having uh been raised. The clerk will call the role. Mr. Adder Holt. Mr. Adder Holt. No. Mr. Aguilar. Mr. Aguular. I. Mr. Alford. Mr. Alfred. No. Mr. Ammeday. Mrs. Bice. Mrs. Bice. No. Mr. Bishop. Mr. Bishop. I. Mr. Calbertt. Mr. Calbert. No. Mr. Carter. Mr. Carter, no. Mr. Casease, Mr. Casease, I Mr. Sisammani.
▶ 7:07:22M. Mr. Sisammani, no. Mr. Mr. Klene, no. Mr. Cloud, Mr. Cloud, no. Mr. Klyber, Mr. Klyber, I. Mr. Clyde. Mr. Cole. No. Mr. Cole. No. Mr. Quayar. Miss Dean. Mr. Loro. Hi. Mr. Lauro. I. Mr. Diaz Bollard. No. Mr. Diaz Bolard. No. Mr. Edwards. Mr. Edwards, no. Mr. Ellie, Mr. Ellie, no. Miss Escobar.
▶ 7:07:52Miss Escobar. I Mr. Espayat. I. Mr. Espay. I. Mr. Fleshman. Mr. Fleshman. No. Miss. Frankle. Miss. Frankle. I. Mr. Franklin. Mr. Franklin. No. M. Mr. Gonzalez. Mr. Gonzalez. No. Mr. Guest. Mr. Guest. No. Mr. Harter. Hi. Mr. Harter. I. Dr. Harris. Dr. Harris. No. Mrs. Henson. Mrs. Henson. No. Mr. Hoyer. Hi. Mr. Mr. Hoyer. I Mr. Ivy. Mr. Ivy. I Mr. Joyce. Mr. Joyce. No.
▶ 7:08:22Miss Captor. I Miss Captor. I Mr. Loa. Mr. Loa. No. Miss Lee. Miss Lee. I Miss Lllo. Miss Llo. No. Mr. Lean. Mr. Leven. I. Miss Mallaloy. Miss Malloy. No. Miss. McCullum. Miss. McCullum. I. Miss. Ming. Mr. Molinar. Mr. Molinar. No. Mr. Moore. Mr. Moore. No. Mr. Morelli. Hi. Mr. Mr. I. Mr. Mvan. Hi. Mr. Murvan. I Mr. New House.
▶ 7:08:52Mr. New House. No. Miss. Perez. Yes. Miss Perez. I Miss Pingri. Miss Pingri. I. Mr. Pokean. Mr. Pokean. I. Mr. Quigley. Mr. Quigley. I. Mr. Mr. Rogers. Mr. Rogers. No. Mr. Rutherford. Mr. Rutherford. No. Mr. Mr. Simpson. No. Mr. Strong. Mr. Strong. No. Mrs. Torres. Mrs. Torres. I. Miss. Underwood.
▶ 7:09:23Miss. Underwood. I. Mr. Valido. No. Mr. Valido. No. Miss Wasserman Schultz. Miss Wasserman Schultz. I Mrs. Watson Mrs. Watson Coleman. I. Mr. WAC. Mr. Wac. No. Mr. Zinci. Mr. Zinci. No. Does any member wish to record their vote or change their vote? Gentle lady from New York. Hi. Miss Ming. I gentle lady from Pennsylvania. Miss Dean I. Gentleman from Georgia. Mr. Clyde.
▶ 7:09:53No. Gentleman from Texas. Mr. Quay I. Are there any other members wishing to record or change their vote? Seeing none, the clerk will tally.
▶ 7:10:54On this vote, the eyes are 28, the nose are 33. The amendment is not adopted. M the gentleman from New York, Mr. Espriat is recognized for an amendment. Thank you again. Again, Mr. Chairman, I rise uh to offer an amendment Espay 4. Uh and I ask unanimous consent to dispense with the reading.
▶ 7:11:19Without objection, the reading of the amendment is dispensed with and the gentleman's recognized for remarks on his amendment. Mr. Chairman, over the last few years, I have heard from many members on both sides of the aisle regarding security for themselves, both but most importantly for their families, staff to whom they perceive there is a a clear and present danger.
▶ 7:11:42I know this subject is very sensitive as uh many of our colleagues received daily threats and our our prayers and our support goes out to them, their families and friends. While there are funds included in the bill for member safety, we must really do more to address safety in our districts as well. Member threats are on the rise.
▶ 7:12:06The Capitol Police is report reporting over 7,000 threat assess assessment cases so far this calendar year. We are at pace to far exceed the 2024 total of over 9,000 cases. We may not be able to solve this issue today, but we must agree to work together on a solution.
▶ 7:12:30Uh this is an important issue, a critical issue for both sides and I pray that that we can uh address this quickly. Let's not wait until a tragedy hits either side or both uh for us to act on this. Uh Mr.
▶ 7:12:48Chairman, I will be withdrawing this amendment and I will not be presenting amendments four, five, six, and seven uh with the intention that we continue to have uh conversations and dialogue so that we can uh bring forward a plan that's supports and protects all of us. I yield back. I thank the gentleman. I I think the chairman of the subcommittee wanted to make a quick comment if he might.
▶ 7:13:17No, I appreciate recognized. I appreciate the the gentleman withdrawing the amendment. It is something that we have taken very seriously and there are a lot of members who have reached out about this dialogue and we do want to continue this conversation. I know we talked about it yesterday on the house floor. Um we are waiting for the uh sergeant-at-arms come out with their report and we will work forward with leadership and the committee to address this in the most proper fashion possible. So thank you Mr. gentle from from New York. I know wanted to address this issue quickly as well. So, gentleman's recognized.
▶ 7:13:48Thank you uh very much, Mr. Chair. And I want to uh thank the uh subcommittee chair, Mr. Valido, and and my uh longtime dear friend, Mr. Espat. Um and appreciate uh just thought I would just take a moment if I can to just address what our amendments would have done. And I appreciate Mr. Espott's indication that we withdraw it.
▶ 7:14:07Um there's four pieces that we feel are important particularly as an initial first step and and to address all the concerns that members on both sides of the aisle have rightly raised for themselves, for their families, and for uh their staff members. Um and I think these are appropriate. Um the amendments uh would provide for two different positions within each member's staff. a dedicated uh funding for a law enforcement coordinator.
▶ 7:14:37Right now, those positions are largely part-time and they're in addition to other members of a staff's other duties. Uh this would dedicate someone to do it exclusively primarily in their district, but to be looking at their schedule and coordinating with local law enforcement, state police, etc. Uh the second would create a member security agent.
▶ 7:14:58Um, again, someone to be with an individual member at events publicly um would have minimum requirements that would be approved by the sergeant- of arms. Um, neither of these positions would implicate the uh MRA, the members representational allowance or the statutory staff cap. Um, the amendment further provides additional money for law enforcement agencies that support the capital police. Um, we have a memorandum or a mutual aid agreement right now.
▶ 7:15:28This would add additional uh dollars to that. And finally, uh provide through the Capitol Police and the Sergeant-at-Arms contract security when necessary. Um, earlier this afternoon, uh, Leader Jeff and I concluded a very productive meeting with Speaker Johnson and House Administration Chair Brian Style. I appreciate the speaker's sincerity in working with us on this important matter.
▶ 7:15:52uh the speaker and leader agreed that Chairman Style and I will continue to meet with our colleagues um and uh appropriators to uh meet and talk and hopefully we'll be able to reach an agreement uh that's bipartisan um and uh between authorizers and appropriators to do what we can to keep our members, our staff, our constituents safe and I look forward to that and appreciate the indulgence of all the individuals who continue to work in the interests of the um members and uh families and staff. And with that, uh, I yield back.
▶ 7:16:24I thank the gentleman. oh, there's, um, no further debate, but the gentleman is recognized, uh, for one minute to close. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh, as I said before, this is an incredibly important issue. We owe it to ourselves, our families, and each other to figure out a way forward.
▶ 7:16:48Uh we owe it to our constituents that they need to know that their elected representatives can seek to fulfill the will of the people without fear of violence. Thank you and I withdraw my amendment and yield back. Thank the gentleman. The gentle lady from Illinois, Miss Underwood is recognized for an amendment. Mr. Chairman, Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk and I ask unanimous consent that the reading be dispensed with. Without objection, the reading of the amendment is dispensed with and the gentle lady's recognized for remarks on her amendment. Thank you, Mr.
▶ 7:17:18Chairman. I rise today to offer an amendment that should be unanimous. It extends basic common sense workplace protections to new moms who choose to breastfeed. These are the moms who work right here in the US House of Representatives and across the legislative branch. I'm talking about the same protections that already exist for moms across the rest of the federal government, thanks to the Pump Act, which was signed into law with bipartisan support in 2023.
▶ 7:17:45As a co-lead of this long overdue legislation, I know firsthand how critical the protections in the Pump Act are for new mothers. Yet, the bill before us today treats legislative branch staff worse than workers in any other federal agency by refusing to extend those same safeguards. That means no secure pumping rooms, no guaranteed break times, no respect for new moms in the heart of our democracy. Every parent should be able to pump safely and privately at work.
▶ 7:18:15As a nurse, I know how beneficial breastfeeding can be for the health of both mom and baby. And I also know what happens when these protections are denied. Painful infections, reduced milk supply, harassment, docked pay, and even job loss. My legislation helped close these gaps for nearly 9 million women. Congress should be leading by example, but right now we're falling behind. This is about doing right by the people who keep this institution running.
▶ 7:18:42We are only able to be here doing our jobs because they are here doing theirs. And the best part, according to the Congressional Budget Office, this wouldn't cost a thing. It doesn't cost cost us a dime. We can do the right thing for our staff and their families without adding a single penny to the federal budget. This doesn't need to be a fight. This is something that we can fix today. And so I urge support for my amendment and I yield back. Thank gentle lady. Gentleman from California, Mr.
▶ 7:19:10Valido is recognized to respond to the amendment. Thank you, Chairman. I rise reluctantly in opposition to this amendment. Mr. Chairman, this amendment text amends an act that is not the jurisdiction of this committee and we defer to the authorizing colleagues regarding further extensions of this legislation. This committee continues to have bipartisan history of supporting family uh facilities in uh the house and we continue to support new mothers with appropriate facilities across the house campus.
▶ 7:19:36As noted in the report, we appreciate the efforts of the architect of the capital and the attending physician who provide a clean and safe and private environment from others. I had the pleasure of supporting uh amendments or requests like Mr. Morris to have the sergeant-at-arms submit a report providing recommendations on designated parking spaces for expectant mothers which which was also in the report.
▶ 7:19:58Furthermore, based on the requirements of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, the House is already in compliance with the spirit of the Pump Act. And I encourage my colleagues to vote no on this amendment. And I look and I yield back. Thank the gentleman. The gentleman from New York is recognized to address the amendment. Uh, Mr. Chairman, thank you. I rise in support of Miss Underwood's amendment.
▶ 7:20:25Uh, new mothers returning to the workforce after childbirth deserve to have access to a safe space without disruptions to support their family needs. Miss Underwood was successful in getting the pump act signed into law and it is crucial that these uh protections are extended to all congressional employees.
▶ 7:20:47This is a common sense amendment that will benefit the health of mother mothers and children while also ensuring that our workplace is an inclusive space. When we make work the workplace a better place for mothers and families, new moms are respected. I support this amendment and urge my colleagues to do the same. I yield back. I thank the gentleman. The gentle lady from Florida, Miss Washerman Schulz, is recognized to address the amendment. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 7:21:16Um, I I procedurally I just want to make sure that we're all clear that it is entirely possible for us to put this amendment on this bill. And the only time it's a problem when you're quote legislating on an appropriations bill is if an author an authorizing committee calls a point of order on the bill when the bill comes to the floor.
▶ 7:21:38It is a very simple matter to communicate between an appropriations subcommittee chair and a authorizing chair to get agreement that this langu that authorizing language is acceptable in our appropriations bill. I know because I've done it. I was able to work with chair then chairman row of the VA committee when I chaired the milhcon VA subcommittee uh to get authorizing language into our bill. It was no problem and we skipped along very nicely and it is now law.
▶ 7:22:06So procedurally there is no issue where's no prohibition to put this language in this bill. What is unbelievable to me honestly is and that I was shocked and deeply disappointed was that we're having this debate at all. I actually had to ask my staff to doublech checkck whether this was a mistake. Um, but apparently it was not. I mean, the Pump Act is simple and very familiar to most of us here. Just three years ago, Congress passed the bill and its final version was included in an appropriations package.
▶ 7:22:36The Pump Act extends workplace protections to nursing mothers from the standards set in the bipartisan break time for nursing mothers act, including things, as the sponsor of the amendment said, like reasonable break time to nurse and a private place to pump for new mothers. But this amendment is simpler than all of that because it would simply ensure that the law we passed applies to the women serving in the legislative branch, the mothers who research, write, and pass the legislation that improves the lives of all of our constituents.
▶ 7:23:03And I'll yield to any member who wants to get up and explain to me why we should oppose expanding these protections to our staff on a non-existent procedural matter. This isn't about changing the law. This is about making sure that the women who work for the legislative branch enjoy the same protections as almost every other American worker.
▶ 7:23:20Just a few months ago, the House was having a heated debate over the discharge petition filed by Congresswoman Brittney Patterson of Colorado and Anna Paulina Luna of Florida to give new moms in the House the ability to continue to serve their constituents by allowing proxy voting after the birth of their child. During that debate, the speaker and Republican leadership were tripping over themselves to explain to everyone how much they wanted to support women and families while opposing the change.
▶ 7:23:43Well, clearly those words were hollow because here we are not even half a year later and House Republicans have left this provision out of the bill and refused to include it in the manager's amendment. Our staff work both day and night to help us serve our constituents. If new mothers working in Congress need to take time to pump in order to feed their baby, it is outrageous that we would not provide the same accommodations as their counterparts in the executive branch or the private sector that are already protected in law. This is basic humanity and decency.
▶ 7:24:10Voting against this amendment makes it harder for new mothers to continue to be public servants. And I can tell you firsthand, as someone who was already an elected official when I gave birth to my twins and my youngest daughter, being a new parent is not always easy to begin with. Where and when are new moms who work for us supposed to pump? In a bathroom stall? And when would they do that? We have to do better as an institution. I thought this debate was settled long ago.
▶ 7:24:35Uh, and let's be honest, 98% of the staff on the hill work in a packed office and are lucky to have a cubicle with walls tall enough for people to not see in when they are walking past them. Most staff have to use phone booths, closets, and the hallways to even have a semi-private conversation. That is why this amendment is so important. Legislative branch staff who are juggling immense responsibilities deserve to know they will have the time and private physical space necessary to pump or breastfeed. And please don't tell me that the bathroom should be good enough.
▶ 7:25:04Many breast pumps require power outlets to operate. So the next time you use a restroom in these buildings, look to see if there are outlets in the stalls. Spoiler alert, there are not. As I look around this room and see women members and staffers, I know this common sense amendment is the right thing to do. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment for all the women who work in these halls and all the women that I hope will run for Congress and work in this place after us.
▶ 7:25:26And I urge the subcommittee chairman to communicate with the two authorizing chairs to work it out so that we can add this language to the appropriations bill and send it to the president whenever whenever the final bills go to his desk for signature because we our staff deserve the same treatment and accommodations that we give to everyone else in federal law now. And I yield back. Thank gentle lady.
▶ 7:25:53The gentle lady from Iowa is recognized to address the Mr. Chairman, um, as someone who, uh, was one of those working mothers who chose to breastfeed and and my boys are well beyond that now, 14 and 12, but I did go back to work um, and did this for a significant amount of time where I had to do this myself and figure out where I was going to pump. And I did have to pump in a bathroom in 2011 and in 2013. So, I've been there.
▶ 7:26:19I've experienced it myself of getting all the parts out, washing everything out and having to deal with that myself. But guess what? We have accommodations here in the US capital. So this amendment unfortunately is not necessary because we are already following the spirit of this law. And if you look at the US capital lactation spaces and what's laid out here, lactation suites are available throughout the US capital complex 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. These are private spaces that women can go to pump so they can continue to feed their babies breast milk if they choose.
▶ 7:26:49We have those facilities in Canon, Longworth, Rayburn, Ford, O'Neal, US Capital, Dirkson, Russell, and Hart. So, there are places and these facilities are accessible to all women. You can work with the attending physician um to do that. Now, I do think we need to do a better job of making sure that everybody knows that these facilities are available because I recently saw someone in the fourth floor bathroom pumping up there. So, we know that women are still choosing to pump in the bathroom, whether that's their choice or they know this is available.
▶ 7:27:18I think we can do a better job of that, which is why the language is in the report, nursing mothers locations. The committee commends the AOC for its role in maintaining private areas for nursing mothers throughout the capital complex. The committee encourages the office of attending position to make these services known to the congressional community.
▶ 7:27:36So, I will encourage everyone in here and everybody who's a boss to a mother coming back uh from maternity leave to make sure their employees know that these rooms are available to them um and and they can use them so they can continue to feed their babies. So, um again, I I rise in opposition to this amendment. These facilities are available and Congress needs to do a better job of making sure everybody knows that they are available. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, gentle lady. Uh, gentle lady from Nevada, Miss Lee, recognized to address the amendment.
▶ 7:28:06I thank the gentleoman from Iowa for clearing up that there is space here, but this uh amendment isn't just about space. It's about workplace rights uh for the uh women who work in the capital so that they are afforded the time and it is their right to have the time to be able to breastfeed. So we've taken care of the space. That's great.
▶ 7:28:34So, I don't understand why you would oppose this if you are committed to making sure that we provide for women so that they have the ability to breastfeed on the job. And uh with that, I urge a yes vote. Thank the gentle lady is gentle lady from Oklahoma is recognized to address the amendment. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 7:28:58Um, I want to reiterate what my colleague from Iowa said that uh, this really is unnecessary and I am very honored to speak on behalf of my employee who gave birth to Collins just a few months ago, has returned to work and is currently using the facilities that are being provided by the AOC for lactation for her for her daughter.
▶ 7:29:25um to the to the gentle lady from uh Nevada who mentioned the time. Look, if you are a boss and you are not providing time to your employee for uh lactation, that's an issue. That's an issue on you as an office and could be a violation of of workplace rights at large.
▶ 7:29:47So, I don't know why we're wanting to push something that's really already uh covered under law, being provided spaces to participate. There was a comment made that it's not um it's not a secure or private space. It's interesting because these actual spaces are uh private. You have to either use your badge to get into them or use a code to get into them. Um I've been told that they are fantastic spaces.
▶ 7:30:13So, we are doing we should be doing everything as offices to support our our moms that are wanting to participate in uh taking care of those babies. And I think that we're doing the right thing now by making sure that we have these facilities available and we are offering them the time necessary. And I would reiterate that I think this is unnecessary and and more divisive than uh than it needs to be. So, with that, Mr. Chair, I yield back. Why would it be? I thank the gentle lady.
▶ 7:30:40The gentle lady from Texas, Miss Escobar, is recognized to address the amendment. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It's great that we've asserted that we have the space. Let's take that off the table.
▶ 7:30:54Um, what is what I agree with the gentle lady from Oklahoma about is it is an issue if moms do not have the and um her words, it would be an issue. It would be an issue, but it would be a non-issue if it were in law. And we've got to think about not just the employees who work for us.
▶ 7:31:23Let's think about the employees, other employees who don't work for a member of Congress. Let's assume, and this may be a very generous assumption, that every member of Congress is going to give their employee a new mom the time to nurse or to, I'm sorry, to pump so that she can continue to nurse her baby. Can we make that same assumption for janitors who work in this building or administrative staff who work in this building?
▶ 7:31:53they are not guaranteed the time unless we vote for this amendment. So, let's vote for this amendment so that it's not an issue. It's as simple as that. The the space is available. Now, let's make sure these women, these moms are given the time. I yield back. Thank you, gentle lady.
▶ 7:32:19Are there other members wishing to address the There's no further debate. The gentle lady is recognized for one minute to close. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Throughout this discussion, it's been clear to me that my colleagues across the aisle want to make sure that our workplace, the US House of Representatives, the legislative branch, is an accommodating workplace for new mothers who want to be able to breastfeed their children.
▶ 7:32:45I think that there may be some assumptions made about their ability to do so. And so perhaps if we could have the humility to just pause our confidence for a moment and consider that as legislators we may be wrong and perhaps an additional protection is needed.
▶ 7:33:06What we are here as your colleague telling you is that these staff who work in this space do not have the time that is protected in their workday to pump and all we are asking is for you to affirm that right. I hope you will vote yes. I yield back. Thank you gentle lady. The questions now on the amendment offered by the gentle lady from Illinois.
▶ 7:33:36All those in favor say I. I. All those opposed say no. No. Opinion of the chair of the nose have it. Roll call has been requested. Sufficient support having been shown. The clerk will call the role. Mr. Mr. Adder Holt. No. Mr. Aguular. Mr. Aguilar. I. Mr. Alford. Mr. Alford. No. Mr. Ammeday. Mrs. Bice. Mrs. Bice. No. Mr. Bishop. Hi. Mr. Bishop. I Mr. Calbertt. Mr. Calbert. No.
▶ 7:34:06Mr. Carter. Mr. Carter. No. Mr. Casease. Mr. Casease. I. Mr. Sisammani. Mr. Ciscomani. No. Mr. Klene. Mr. Klene. No. Mr. Cloud. Mr. Cloud. No. Mr. Klyber. Hi. Mr. Klyurn. I. Mr. Clyde. Mr. Cole. No. Mr. Cole. No. Mr. Quayar. Mr. Quayar. I. Miss Dean. Miss Dean.
▶ 7:34:37Miss Dean. I Mr. Loro. Mr. Loro. I Mr. Diaz Bolard. Mr. Diaz Bolard. No. Mr. Edwards. Mr. Edwards. No. Mr. Ellie. Mr. Elseie. No. Miss Escobar. Miss Escobar. I Mr. Espayat. Hi. Mr. Espay. I. Mr. Fleshman. Mr. Fleshman. No. Miss. Frankle. Miss. Frank. I. Miss. Mr. Mr. Franklin. No. Mr. Gonzalez. Mr. Gonzalez. No. Mr. Guest. Mr. Guest. No. Mr. Harter. Mr. Harter. I Dr. Harris. Dr. Harris. No.
▶ 7:35:07Mrs. Henson. Mrs. Henson. No. Mr. Hoyer. I. Mr. Hoyer. I. Mr. Ivy. Mr. Ivy. I. Mr. Joyce. Mr. Joyce. No. Miss Captor. I Miss Captor. I. Mr. Loa. Mr. Loa. No. Miss Lee. Miss Lee. I. Miss. Lethlo. Miss Leello. No. Mr. Levan. Hi. Mr. Lean. I. Miss. Malloy. Miss Malloy. No. Miss McCullum. Hi. Miss McCullum. I Miss Ming. Miss Ming. I Mr. Molinar. Mr. Molinar.
▶ 7:35:37No. Mr. Moore. Mr. Moore. No. Mr. Morelli. I Mr. Morelli. I Mr. Mvani. Mr. Murvan. I Mr. New House. Mr. New House. No. Miss. Perez. Miss. Perez. I Miss Pingri. Miss Pingri. I Mr. Pokean. Hi. Mr. Pokean. I Mr. Quigley. Mr. Quigley. I Mr. Mr. Rogers. Mr. Rogers. No. Mr. Rutherford. Mr. Rutherford. No. Mr. Simpson. Mr. Simpson. No. Mr. Strong.
▶ 7:36:08Mr. Strong. No. Mrs. Torres. Mrs. Torres. I. Miss. Underwood. Miss. Underwood. I. Mr. Valido. Mr. Valido. No. Mr. Wasimman Schultz. Miss Wasserman Schultz. I Mrs. Watson. Coleman. Mrs. Watson. Coleman. I. Mr. Wac. Mr. WAC. No. Mr. Zinci. Mr. Zinci. No. Does any member wish to record their vote or change their vote? Gentleman from Georgia, Mr. Clyde. No.
▶ 7:36:37Are there any other members wishing to record a change of vote? If not, the clerk will tally.
▶ 7:37:20On this vote, the eyes are 28, the nose are 33. The amendment is not adopted. There further amendment uh or The gentle lady from uh Washington State, Miss Perez, is recognized for an in church this week.
▶ 7:37:48The sermon was on uh Matthew chapter 11 um where it says, "Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest for your souls. Take my yoke upon you." General Lady, excuse me, like Yes. Uh uh I have an amendment at the desk. Okay. And dispense with the reading. Okay. Without objection, the reading of the amendment is dispensed with. Gentle lady's recognized for remarks on her amendment. I'm obviously a experienced legislator here.
▶ 7:38:18Um I was saying in church this week my my pastor gave a sermon on Matthew chapter 11 where it says, "Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest for your souls. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." This is actually the only place in the Bible where Jesus's heart is described.
▶ 7:38:48And it is described as humble and And I know that humility is not exactly in style these days, but humility says that I am unafraid to be seen as who I am. Pride tells you to put up walls and hide yourself. I offer this amendment with sincere humility and a commitment to truthfully, diligently work to represent the concerns of my community.
▶ 7:39:17When I go back home, what I hear from my neighbors is a conviction that Congress is this amorphous mass that hides behind their offices and are not being run by the elected member themselves, but by their staff. I I put a lot of thought into the structural reasons why this happens. There there are 535 members of Congress. This is a small number of offices where there are questions of concern.
▶ 7:39:46But this damages the credibility of our entire institution. Our failure to address it is eroding confidence in our government. I I I have rules up, down, and sideways about what kind of hat I can accept as a gift. But there is nothing in the rules about whether I am fulfilling my duties as the person making the decision. This is not about age.
▶ 7:40:13Some of our most valuable, sharp members of Congress are We want a representative body that reflects the full spectrum of the American experience, all ages. This is a amendment that seeks to provide more information to voters so that they can make an informed decision and have effective representation. This amendment seeks to address through the ethics committee and provide transparency when members are not holding up their oath of office.
▶ 7:40:44I hope to work in a bipartisan member in a bipartisan uh manner to restore full confidence in this institution and and I would love to work with all of you on this. I yield back. Thank the gentle lady. The gentleman from California, Mr. Valdeo is recognized to address the amendment. So, I was a little surprised to see the amendment this morning and uh and I wish I'd had a little more time to look it over, but um I have to oppose the amendment.
▶ 7:41:13I I think we have I mean the complaint I hear all the time is our elections happen too fast and anyone that would be elected that voters are unhappy with they would have the opportunity to pull them out of office within two years. Um and I think that would hold in this one as well. I know that there's a lot of concern with some of our colleagues sometimes when we see some of their comments and things, but with this one, I just have to oppose it and I ask for the rest of my conference to oppose it as well.
▶ 7:41:42The gentleman from New York, Mr. Espian, recognized to address the amendment. Uh, Mr. Chairman, I oppose the amendment. Thank you. I yield back. Uh if there's no further debate, the gentle lady is recognized for one minute to close. I appreciate the that this committee is is accepting this in the spirit that I'm offering it with humility. I I appreciate your grace in considering this and I yield back.
▶ 7:42:12I thank the gentle lady. The questions now on the amendment offered by the gentle lady from Washington. All those in favor say I. All those opposed say no. The opinion of the chair, the nos have and uh the amendment is not adopted.
▶ 7:42:40Seeing no further amendments, I now recognize Mr. Rogers for a motion. Mr. Chair, I move to favorably report to the House the fiscal year 2026 Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill. The questions now on the motion to favorably report to the House the fiscal year 2026 legislative branch appropriations bill. All those in favor say I. All those opposed say no.
▶ 7:43:11No. The opinion of the chair of the eyes have Roll call has been requested. Could I see a show of hands? Sufficient number of hands having been raised, the clerk will call the role. I I will. Before you start, just so everybody is clear, remember we do have one more issue after this, the 40, excuse me, the 30B allocation on this bill. So, please don't leave.
▶ 7:43:41Stay and record your vote. Then we'll deal with that next issue. Thank you. Clerk will call the role. Mr. Mr. Adhalt. Hi. Mr. Adhalt. I Mr. Mr. Aguilar. No. Mr. Alford. Hi. Mr. Alford. I Mr. Ammedday. Mrs. Bice. Mrs. Vice. I Mr. Bishop. Mr. Bishop. No. Mr. Calbertt. Hi. Mr. Calbert. I. Mr. Carter. Mr. Carter. I. Mr. Casease. Mr. Casease. No. Mr. Sisammani. Mr. Sisammani.
▶ 7:44:11I Mr. Klene. Mr. Klene. I. Mr. Cloud. Mr. Cloud. I Mr. Klyurn. Mr. Klyber. No, Mr. Clyde. Mr. Cole. No. Or yes, Mr. Cole. I Mr. Mr. Quayar. Mr. Quayrar. No. Miss Dean. Miss Dean. No.
▶ 7:44:41Mr. Loro. Mr. Loro. No. Mr. Diaz Bolard. Mr. Diaz Bolard. I Mr. Edwards Mr. Edwards I Mr. Elsie Mr. Elzie I Miss Escobar Miss Escobar No Mr. Espayat No Mr. Espay No Mr. Fleshman. Mr. Fleshman I. Miss Frankle. Miss Frankle. No. Mr. Franklin. Mr. Franklin. I Mr. Gonzalez. Mr. Gonzalez. I Mr. Guest. Mr. Guest. I Mr. Harter.
▶ 7:45:12Mr. Harter. No. Dr. Harris. Dr. Harris. I Mrs. Henson. Mrs. Henson. I Mr. Hoyer. Mr. Hoyer. No. Mr. Ivy. Mr. Ivy. No. Mr. Mr. Joyce. Mr. Joyce. I. Miss Captor. Miss Captor. No. Mr. Loa. Mr. Loa. I. Miss Lee. Miss Lee. No. Miss Llo. Miss Llo. I Mr. Lean.
▶ 7:45:43Mr. 11. No. Miss Malloy. Miss Mallaloy. I Miss McCullum. Miss McCullum. No. Miss Ming. Miss Ming. No. Mr. Molinar. Mr. Molinar. I. Mr. Moore. Mr. Moore. I. Mr. Morelli. Mr. Morelli. No. Mr. Morvan. Mr. Morvan. No. Mr. New House. Mr. New House. I. M. Miss. Perez. Miss. Perez. No. Miss. Miss Pingri.
▶ 7:46:18Miss Pingry. Miss Pingri. No. Mr. Pokean. Mr. Pokean. No. Mr. Quigley. Mr. Quigley. No. Mr. Rashenthaler. Mr. Rashenthaler. I. Mr. Rogers. Mr. Rogers. I. Mr. Rutherford. Mr. Rutherford. Mr. Rutherford. I Mr. Simpson. Mr. Simpson. I Mr. Strong Mr. Strong I Mrs. Torres Mrs.
▶ 7:46:46Torres no Miss Underwood Miss Underwood no Mr. Valido Mr. Valido I Miss Wasserman Schultz Miss Wasserman Schultz no Mrs. Watson Coleman Mrs. Watson Coleman no Mr. Wac Mr. Wac I Mr. Zinci Mr.
▶ 7:47:07Zinci I having sown confusion myself uh does any member wish to record their vote or change their vote? Gentleman from Mr. Clyde I gentle lady from Florida House you are recorded as a no. It's wise to double check. Uh any other members wishing to record or change their vote?
▶ 7:47:37The clerks will tally.
▶ 7:48:48On this vote, the eyes are 34, the nose are 28, and the motion is agreed. agreed I ask unanimous consent that staff be permitted to make technical and conforming changes to the bill on the report just approved. Three days. Seeing no objection, so ordered. Without objection, so ordered.
▶ 7:49:13And we have one last matter to deal last order of business is consideration of the interim 302B subcommittee allocation for the year 2026. Previously, the committee adopted interim sub allocations for our first four bills. Today's report updates the interim sub allocations to include our fifth bill, the legislative branch bill that we considered today.
▶ 7:49:42I know uh there's considerable desire for members to know what the final topline numbers will be for all 12 bills. While we're continuing to make progress in determining final top lines for all 12 bills, we still do not have a full and complete OM budget for fiscal year 2026. Nor do we have the enforcable 302A numbers.
▶ 7:50:05As we move this process forward, adopting today's report will allow us to continue our important appropriations work for fiscal year 2026. I look forward to a robust debate today. And again, I urge all members to support this 302B allocation for the legislative branch bill. I would now like to recognize the ranking member of the full committee, Mr. Laura, for her remarks. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 7:50:32Um, these are incredibly challenging times to be inappropriated on either side of the aisle. But, and I say this with respect to my dear friend, yes, my dear friend, the chair of the full committee, this absurd and opaque process is not making our jobs any easier.
▶ 7:50:54We are marking up bill after bill without any idea of how much we are going to appropriate this year. That is now how appropriations should be done or can be done. When I led this committee, not once not once did the full committee mark up a bill without the full slate of subcommittee allocations in hand. worked hard at that.
▶ 7:51:24Mr. Chairman, you made an excellent point in this room just two days ago when you suggested that members who want to work together on issues have those conversations and come to agreement before we get to the markup room. But, Mr. Chairman, it is nearly impossible for us to do so. We do not know the overall spending level for the year.
▶ 7:51:52We do not know the allocations across each subcommittee. We did not even know the allocation for this bill that we just marked up until after the bill was reported out of after the bill was reported out of committee. We do not know if, when, or to what funding level the seven remaining bills will be marked up.
▶ 7:52:20What crumbs will be left over for energy and What pittance will be afforded to labor, health, human services and education, financial services, interior environment, state and foreign operations, transportation and housing, commerce, justice, science.
▶ 7:52:41How can we prioritize our investments in any bill without knowing what we will be provided with them and what is provided to all of them. so we can make sound decisions on what we are doing here. I'm deeply fearful that at a time when appropriators must come together to defend, we're defending our power of the purse.
▶ 7:53:07The path the majority has chosen will only survive to degrade the efficacy and the credibility of what we are doing in this room. We are not putting numbers on a page. This is not monopoly money. What we do in this room matters greatly to the safety, to the prosperity, and to the livelihoods of the American people.
▶ 7:53:35And this committee cannot prioritize investments in the American people without a full picture of the scope of our annual appropriations. I urge the chairman to put forward a full slate of subcommittee allocations. I was there at the table in March working to get a fullyear deal. I was still there when the speaker cut bait and ran away.
▶ 7:54:06And I remain here today ready to work out the bills that reflect the bipartisan will of this committee, this Congress, and most importantly, the people that we serve, our constituents. Let us do this as quickly as possible, the right way, make actual decisions that are not based on arbitrary and obscure numbers. Thank you, and I yield back.
▶ 7:54:36Thank gentle lady and recognize myself just briefly. She makes many good and fair points. Uh and uh I can assure my friend we are working on this. We will try to do this as quickly as we can. Uh we are in ongoing discussions with leadership about this. It is fair to say their attention is not fully on us.
▶ 7:54:57uh the there are other legislative matters and frankly pretty extraordinary geopolitical events in the last few days that uh have distracted this but uh doesn't change the fact general lady makes a fair point and you know Mr. Chairman that I will work closely with you to get this I absolutely do know that thank you uh and I recognize and uh and we do share a common frustration that we have not gotten the information from the administration that this committee should have.
▶ 7:55:26That's a point that's been made repeatedly I think on both sides of the aisle. I don't think there's much disagreement about that. Uh we did get I think maybe a little bit more recently, but it's it's not where we should be. No, no question. The basic points a fair one. Uh are there other members wishing to make general Gentleman from Maryland's recognized. Who's going to make a com when you say it's not where we should? Would you like to Yeah, I put it in. I'm sorry.
▶ 7:55:54just didn't it's not picking you up as good as it should. Well, I'll speak up. Mr. Chairman. Yes, sir. I understand. I think I understand what you just said. It's a demonstration that somehow the Congress has to wait to determine even what levels we spend at. That is a congressional decision. It's not the president. We don't have an executive budget in the state of Maryland. You have an executive budget.
▶ 7:56:23They send you the budget down and you cannot raise it uh unless you pass a revenue measure to pay for that. In this case, this is our respons budget is not signed by the president that is in our bosom and I I just raised the point that very frankly I think personally that Mr.
▶ 7:56:51vote would perhaps send a zero and say leave it up to us. That's not what we do under the Constitution. We've talked about that today. And I just think we have the authority and the responsibility to move ahead at the numbers we believe are right for America and the American Uh again, gentleman makes a fair point. Uh I I would suggest we are moving ahead.
▶ 7:57:16I would rather move ahead more transparently than we are, but decisions are being made uh on a billby-bill basis. Um and if when and if I can do it differently and faster, I can assure my friend I would. In the meantime, I don't blame you in the least uh for uh for raising the points that you do. Uh I think that's a fair point. So with that, uh we'll proceed.
▶ 7:57:42But are there any other members wishing to make general gentle lady from Ohio's recognized. I just want to thank the chairman and the ranking member. They're at least talking to one another and I think that's a good thing. I think the way the gavl has been handled, we've all had an opportunity to say our piece. I agree with the chairman and the ranking member.
▶ 7:58:03Um I don't like the executive branch to be the lead horse and I would just say that for the sake of the country, we are the most representative body in the United States of America. And I hope that stronger relations can exist inside this committee. I can't make the chair and the ranking member do anything, but I think we would benefit by knowing one another better and by meeting in nonformal sessions like this one. Uh we have to work very hard to bind our country together right now. Each side of the aisle knows that.
▶ 7:58:34So I would just place that challenge out there and perhaps the women on the committee could start by uh inviting the gentleman sitting on either side. I'm just saying I think that right now for the country we have to stick together to the extent that we can and we have to have humor and good measure moving forward. I hope we can accept those thoughts. Thank you very much and I yield back.
▶ 7:58:57I thank gentle lady much in her her remarks that I agree with and I would not underestimate your influence on this longest serving uh woman in the history of the Congress and the first woman to ever serve on this committee. So, I would never underestimate your ability to influence this committee. I've seen it many times over many years.
▶ 7:59:23Uh are there other members uh wishing to speak or are there any amendments to the Seeing no further amendments, I now recognize Mr. Rogers for a motion. Mr. Chair, I move to adopt the interim sub allocation of budget allocations for fiscal year 2026. The questions now on the motion to adopt the interim subcommittee allocations.
▶ 7:59:53All those in favor say I. I. All those opposed say no. No. The opinion of the chair, the nos have it. Roll call has been uh requested. Sufficient support has been shown.
▶ 8:00:09Oh, wish they were correct that a sufficient number of hands having been raised in support, the clerk will call the role. Mr. Adder Halt. Mr. Adder Halt. I Mr. Aguilar. No. Mr. Aguilar. No. Mr. Alford. Mr. Alford.
▶ 8:00:39I Mr. Ammedday. Mrs. Bice. Mrs. Bice. I Mr. Bishop. Mr. Bishop. No. Mr. Calbertt. Mr. Calbertt. I Mr. Carter. Mr. Carter. I Mr. Casease. Mr. Casease. No. Mr. Sisammani. Mr. Sisammani. I. Mr. Klene. Mr. Klein. I. Mr. Cloud. Mr. Cloud. I Mr. Klyurn. No. Mr. Clyurn, no. Mr. Clyde, hi. Mr. Clyde, I Mr. Cole, hi. Mr. Cole, I Mr. Quayar. Mr. Quayrar, no.
▶ 8:01:09Miss Dean, Miss Dean, no. Mr. Deloro, Mr. Lauro, no. Mr. Diaz Bolard, Mr. Diaz Bolard. I, Mr. Edwards, Mr. Edwards. I, Mr. Ellie. Mr. Ellie. I, Miss Escobar. Miss Escobar. No. Mr. Espayat. Mr. Espay. No. Mr. Fleshman. Mr. Fleshman. I, Miss Frankle. Miss Frankle. No, Mr. Franklin. Mr. Franklin. I, Mr. Gonzalez. Mr. Gonzalez. I, Mr. Guest. Mr. Guest. I, Mr. Harter. Mr. Harter.
▶ 8:01:38No, Dr. Harris. M. Dr. Harris. I, Mrs. Henson. Mrs. Henson. I, Mr. Mr. Hoyer. No. Mr. Ivy. Mr. Ivy. No. Mr. Joyce. Mr. Joyce. I. Miss Captor. Miss Captor. No. Mr. Loa. Mr. Loa. I. Miss Lee. Miss Lee. No Miss Lllo. Miss Lllo. I Mr. Levan. Mr. Lean. No, Miss Malloy. Miss Mallaloy. I Miss McCullum.
▶ 8:02:08Miss McCullum. No, Miss Ming. Miss Ming. No, Mr. Molinar. Mr. Molinar. I Mr. Mr. Moore. I. Mr. Morelli. Mr. Morelli. No. Mr. Murvan. Mr. Morvan. No. Mr. New House. Mr. New House. I. Miss. Perez. Miss. Perez. No. Mr. Miss Pingri. Miss Pingri. No, Mr. Pokean. Mr. Pokean. Mr. Pokean. No, Mr. Quigley. Mr. Quigley. No, Mr. Rashenthaler. Mr.
▶ 8:02:39Rashenthaler. I, Mr. Rogers. Mr. Rogers. I, Mr. Rutherford. Mr. Rutherford. I, Mr. Simpson. Mr. Simpson. I, Mr. Strong. Mr. Strong. I, Mrs. Torres. Mrs. Torres. No. Miss Underwood. Miss Underwood. No. Mr. Valido Mr. Valido I Miss Wasserman Schultz Miss Wasserman Schultz no Mrs. Watson Coleman Mrs. Watson Coleman no Mr. Wac Mr. Wac I Mr.
▶ 8:03:08Zinci Mr. Zinci I there's actually pizza across the hall though I just say that um do any members wish to record their vote or change their vote? Seeing none the clerks will tally it.
▶ 8:03:48I I took responsibility on this vote. The eyes are 34, the nose are 28. The motion is agreed to. I ask unanimous consent that staff be permitted to make technical conforming changes to the report just approved. Three days. Seeing no objection, so ordered. Without objection, so ordered.
▶ 8:04:16There being no further business, the committee stands adjourned.