▶ 0:07:39Good afternoon. The committee will come to order. Without objection, the chair is authorized to declare recess at any time. Today, the rules committee is convening to consider two separate measures. a continuing resolution related to government funding and HRES 719, a resolution honoring the life and memory of Charlie Kirk.
▶ 0:08:01On the continuing resolution, Congress can and should act expeditiously and on a bipartisan basis to advance this measure. We must keep our work going in service to the American people. Just last week, the House voted to go to conference on three appropriations bills. a return to regular order. This short-term CR would allow those important negotiations to continue and hopefully result in a bipartisan resolution.
▶ 0:08:31Our Democrat colleagues should find no reason to object to this measure because no reasonable objection exists. I implore my colleagues, let's not use any policy focus, whether it be health care, tax policies, or even the security funding we're looking at, as a pretext for a shutdown. This legislation keeps the government open. It's that simple.
▶ 0:08:56On 719, the resolution honoring the life and memory of Charlie Kirk, I say this. He spent his life advocating for the principles in God-given freedoms that underpin civil society everywhere. The world recognizes the positive enduring impact he made and how his work continues to inspire countless men and women to debate the issues of the day.
▶ 0:09:22He did this all with an eye toward creating and nurturing an open exchange of ideas among people from all walks of life. in glorifying God every step of the way. Fostering civil dialogue like what Charlie Kirk did day in and day out day out serves to unite us all. We should never forget that. Honoring his life is the right thing to do and I fully intend to support this measure.
▶ 0:09:51I hope our colleagues on both sides of the aisle do the same. With that, I now yield to the ranking member, Mr. McGovern, for any comments that he wishes to make. Well, thank you, Madam Chair, and let's be crystal clear. Um, Republicans have three choices. One, work with us on a bipartisan bill so millions of Americans don't lose health insurance. Two, do what Donald Trump said, pass the CR yourselves. You control government after all.
▶ 0:10:19Or three, Republic Republicans can shut it all down. Because make make no mistake, uh, the health care of millions is on the line. If Republicans let these tax credits lapse, nearly 24 million Americans will see premiums skyrocket, up 93% on average, 93%. A 60-year-old couple making $80,000 a year, they'll pay over $17,000 more. That's over $1,400 every single month.
▶ 0:10:48A family of four making $64,000, that's an extra $2,600 a year. Uh this isn't a warning light. This is a five alarm fire and Republicans are pretending that it doesn't exist. The American people are already facing a cost of a living crisis fueled by Donald Trump and Republicans reckless policies. The Trump tariffs and the big ugly bill have raised the cost of everything from housing to utilities.
▶ 0:11:15And nowhere has the impact been more serious than for America's healthcare. Their big ugly bill was the single largest cut to health care in American history, kicking 15 million people off coverage, closing hospitals and nursing homes, blocking preventative care, and yanking food benefits away from struggling families. Meanwhile, Donald Trump has taken an ax to the NIH, shutting down cancer research, halting clinical trials.
▶ 0:11:39The withholding of funding for life-saving medical research, and the evisceration of common sense vaccines programs is making Americans sicker. It's a full-fledged assault on working families, hospitals, patients, science, and driving up costs for everyone else. And here's the kicker this morning. This morning, I'm sorry. And here's the kicker. Uh this morning, Speaker Johnson said we can just deal with all of this later. He said, "Let's wait until the end of the year." Wrong. Wrong.
▶ 0:12:09The nonpartisan CBO says if we wait until December, 1.5 million more people will lose insurance and premiums will be even higher. Timing matters here. In just a few weeks, families will get their premium notices. On November 1, open enrollment begins. The clock is ticking.
▶ 0:12:27Congressman needs to act to address uh the looming healthc care crisis now by preventing one of the most significant healthcare premium hikes in history and addressing Medicaid cuts that are throwing people off their health care and closing hospitals and nursing homes. Republicans broke our health care system and plunged us into this crisis. They have an obligation to work with us to fix it. But in instead, they have not done a single thing in this bill to restore the damage that they have caused.
▶ 0:12:53In fact, with this bill, they are charging full steam ahead towards the largest premium increases in American history. That is unacceptable, and Democrats will not go along with a bill that adds even more fuel to this health care crisis, pushing life-saving care out of reach for kids, families, and seniors. Um, I thank uh the U. witnesses for being here. I look forward to hearing your testimony. I yield back.
▶ 0:13:19Thank you very much, Mr. McGovern. Without objection, any prepared statements that our witnesses may have will be included in the record. I now welcome our first panel, the distinguished chairman of the uh committee on appropriations, chairman Cole and ranking member Deloro from the committee on appropriations. Um Mr.
▶ 0:13:46Cole of course is the former chair of this committee and we are very pleased to have him back. Your full statements will be submitted for the record and we ask you summarize your statement in five minutes. Chairman Cole, I welcome your testimony.
▶ 0:14:01Thank you very much, Ranking Member F, Ranking Member Chairwoman Fox and Ranking Member McGovern and esteemed members of the rules committee. I again I thank you for your warm welcome and your kind invitation to testify today. I appear before you on the continuing appropriations and extension act 2026. Over the past year, the appropriations committees worked diligently to complete our work on fiscal year 2026.
▶ 0:14:27We initially had a late start due to prior constraints, but that didn't stop us from taking quick action. Our markup process successfully delivered all 12 regular appropriations bills out of committee. The House has also passed three FY2026 appropriation bills across the floor, representing over 60% of overall discretionary spending.
▶ 0:14:49As members are aware, the House has also voted to go to conference on our first repackage bill package covering military construction and veterans affairs, agriculture, and legislative branch bills. We have every reason to expect that the House and Senate will be conferencing on these bills shortly and that a bipartisan biccameal agreement is not only possible but within reach. That's why we're here today.
▶ 0:15:15With the end of fiscal year 2025 rapidly approaching and with a forthcoming recess due to the high holy days, we have unfortunately run out of time. Today's bill provides us with additional time. It includes a clean extension of government funding through November 21st with minimal anomalies. This shortterm extension will give us time to conference and pass our first three bill package out of both the House and the Senate and send it to the president's desk.
▶ 0:15:45Once this first package is complete, we can move on to the next package of bills. In doing so, we will return the appropriations process to regular order where it should be and we'll put an end to the cycle of continuing resolutions followed by omnibus spending bills. Importantly, the bill also includes robust security funding for all three branches of government, including members of Congress along with the executive branch officials and Supreme Court justices.
▶ 0:16:13While we expect to undertake additional security measures in the future, these resources represent an important first step in responding to the countless threats public officials face today. The legislation also does not contain a single poison pill. It's a clean CR fully funding our government.
▶ 0:16:32This includes our military and defense needs, support for our veterans and critical services for our constituents like roads, parks, child care, water projects, infrastructure improvement, scientific research, job training, and countless others. I look forward to continuing the FY2026 appropriations process in the coming weeks. I thank each of you for your time and I look forward to your questions today. With that, Madam Chair, I yield back.
▶ 0:17:01Thank you very much, Mr. Cole. Ranking member Delora, you're recognized.
▶ 0:17:08Thank you very much. Uh, Chair Chairwoman Fox and Ranking Member McGovern, members of the committee. Delighted to be with you this afternoon. Uh, it's a pleasure to be on this panel with the distinguished chair of the appropriations committee, uh, Congressman Tom Cole. You've heard me say this before, but in addition to being a colleague, he is a friend. Um, I oppose this partisan continuing resolution that short changes the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children by $600 million.
▶ 0:17:38That's below what President Trump requested. It fails to address the health care crisis. and it fails to protect Congress's power of the purse and to safeguard the investments promised to our communities that are set to expire because of Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Votes lawlessness.
▶ 0:18:01Republicans have once again chosen the partisan route, deciding they would rather take us to the brink of a shutdown instead of lowering costs for millions of Americans and preventing people from getting kicked off their health care. While the appropriations committee discussions had made some progress, Republican leadership has refused to meet with our Democratic leaders. Republicans would rather shut down the government than sit down and talk about healthcare.
▶ 0:18:28But this is exactly how House Republicans kicked off the appropriations process. From the beginning, they came to the table with funding bills that are filled with extreme, reckless cuts and harmful policies that have been rejected on a bipartisan basis. We are now nine months into this administration and weeks away from the end of the fiscal year. And the cost of living crisis has only gotten worse under President Trump.
▶ 0:18:55Americans are struggling with rising costs for everyday necessities. They are living paycheck to paycheck, but the president and House Republicans are now laser focused on the cost of living crisis. Instead of lowering prices, Republicans passed a bill to cut nearly a trillion dollars from Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, which will strip health care coverage for more than 15 million people.
▶ 0:19:22over $500 billion dollars in cuts to Medicare will be triggered by this uh law harming America's seniors in their signature law benefits for poor families which will cause an addition additional 1 million kids to go hungry.
▶ 0:19:42They did all of this in order to pass trillions of dollars in tax cuts for big corporations and for billionaires and adding $4 trillion dollar to the national debt over the next 10 years. House Republicans continued to double down on their attacks on the working class, the middle class, and vulnerable Americans. Their fullear funding bills are an assault on public health research, eliminating funding for reproductive health and eviscerate education and job training.
▶ 0:20:13They use their 2026 fullyear bills not to write the wrongs of their big ugly bill, but to make health care even more expensive and slash research into life-saving cures. They cut funding for the National Institutes of Health, for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
▶ 0:20:32They slashed funding for state and local health departments, substance use prevention and treatment, mental health services, and eliminated funding for tobacco prevention and HIV AIDS prevention and treatment. To top it all off, House Republicans continued their full-scale attempt to eliminate public education, decimating support for children in K- through2 elementary schools and threatening the future of an entire generation. These bills are all cut from the same cloth.
▶ 0:21:03They help major companies and billionaires grow their power, raise prices on the backs of the working class. Hardworking Americans suffer while Republicans protect and line the pockets of billionaires and big President Trump, guided by Project 2025, author and Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vote, is also unlawfully stealing funds that we, Democrats and Republicans in the House and in the Senate passed
▶ 0:21:33into law. funds that meet the needs of the American people. Russ Vote continues to withhold more than $410 billion dollar $410 billion from families, from farmers, from children, from small businesses and I won't go into it, but this is a tracker of the $410
▶ 0:22:06$6.6 billion in agriculture, 51.7 billion in commerce, justice, science, $3.3 billion in defense, energy and water, 76.7 billion. Financial services and general government, 387 million. Homeland Security of 102.4 billion. Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. 31.8 billion. Labor, Health, Human Services, Education, 32.1 billion.
▶ 0:22:34Military Construction, Veteran Affairs, 19.5 State, Foreign Ops, and Related Programs, 43.5 billion. Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development, 44.3 billion. That affects every part of this country. Some of these funds are set to expire soon. As much as $5 billion for the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will lapse soon.
▶ 0:23:02Money promised to help farmers and ranchers drive advancements in agriculture is at risk. Over $1 billion in the nonprofit security grants, homeland security grants that keep our communities safe are at risk of expiring. Grants to help Americans put a roof over their head would disappear. As the courts have repeatedly concluded, this administration's disregard for our nation's spending laws has harmed every corner of our country. Children in elementary schools have been denied resources they need to succeed.
▶ 0:23:31Farmers in rural communities have been left to fend for themselves, and communities have been robbed of resources to keep people safe. Russ Vote has stripped hope away from cancer patients, made the cost of living crisis even worse for working families. Make no mistake, Russ Vote wants a shutdown. He wants the country to continue spiraling to chaos so he can keep stealing from our communities.
▶ 0:23:55In addition to appropriations, Congress needs to act to address the health care crisis, which will get even worse if tax credits that help working families are allowed to expire. Republicans broke our health care system, punched us into this crisis. They have an obligation to work with us to fix it. But instead, they have not done a single thing in this bill to restore the damage they have caused. In fact, with this bill, they are charging full steam ahead towards the largest premium increases in American history.
▶ 0:24:24Democrats will not go along with a bill that adds even more fuel to this healthcare crisis, pushing life-saving care out of reach for kids, families, and seniors. Democrats want to lower the cost of living and deliver critical services and investments to all Americans. That can be achieved through bipartisan cooperation to pass annual funding bills signed into law by President Trump.
▶ 0:24:46It cannot be achieved through a Republicans shutdown or another fullear continuing resolution that puts billionaires, big corporations, and unelected bureaucrats over the American people. And the majority is failing to live up to their own promises to the American people that that they can do the hard work of governing. They have unequivocally demonstrated they cannot. This bill is an admission that House Republican majority cannot govern.
▶ 0:25:13They would rather gamble on a partisan continuing resolution than work with Democrats to lower the cost of living and address the health care crisis. Let us hope the majority does not drive us straight to Republican shutdown. But if they do shut down the governor the government, I have no doubt the American people will know who is to blame. Vote no on this continuing resolution. abandon this partisan game. Join Democrats at the table. It is past time to govern. Thank
▶ 0:25:44Thank you, Ranking Member Deloro. Chairman Cole, would you like to respond to anything Representative Delloro had to say?
▶ 0:25:53Well, first of all, I want to join her in uh proclaiming what good friends we are. And uh we've worked together for a long time. There's the no member of Congress I more admire more than my friend. Uh usually because we found common ground where I would disagree with her on this is all we're trying to do is keep the government open so we can continue the negotiating process.
▶ 0:26:17Uh we're a lot closer to one another in our bills than uh than one might suspect because again these bills are all thoughtfully put together. Uh but we're also willing to compromise on these bills and negotiating. I see no good purpose in letting the government shut down while that process is underway. Again, we've got three bills we're pretty close on. We think we could get to the president's desk. Uh I think we could do other packages as well. Um so that would be my only point.
▶ 0:26:47What's the good of shutting down the government? In terms of some of the other things that my friend has brought up, the health care subsidies and and restructuring Medicaid, those really aren't the jurisdiction of our committee. They don't really belong uh in this. It's my understanding that Senator Thun had signaled and I think the president as well, they're willing to talk about some of these issues uh and open up a separate negotiation.
▶ 0:27:14I'd say the appropriations committee has enough to do just getting appropriations bills done uh and these other areas. But again, if our leadership wanted to open up that negotiation, that's fine. I think that's appropriate. I don't think it makes a lot of sense to attach those goals to a 7-week funding bill. That's really what's an issue here. Do you want to shut down the government over matters that are unrelated to the day-to-day functioning of the government? They're legitimate policy differences. You can have debates over them. You can come to a compromise on them.
▶ 0:27:43Indeed, there's some support uh in both Republican conferences for some of these things. Uh but again, I don't think they have much to do with an appropriations bill. We're just trying to keep the government open for seven weeks so we can keep talking and appropri and and moving appropriations bills. And again, and I I want to commend our friends on the other side of the rotunda.
▶ 0:28:06It's first time uh in I think since in seven years that the Senate actually has acted on three appropriations bills and gotten them across the floor of the United States Senate. They didn't get a single bill done last year. We got seven of ours done and and over 70% of the spending taken care of. So I want to encourage this good activity on the Senate.
▶ 0:28:27And so Senator Thun and certainly Chairwoman Collins and and uh ranking member Patty Murray have shown you let them do their job, they'll come to an agreement on things. They'll start moving bills. Just going to take more time you would have liked. A lot of time was consumed in the pursuit, however you feel about it, of what I think is a very consequential piece of legislation. Uh the uh you know the one big beautiful bill. So uh that's fine.
▶ 0:28:55Uh again, we'll we'll do what we're asked to do, but our job is to do appropriations. We need a little more time to do it. That's all we're asking for. And indeed, the length of this CR the administration uh you know, asked for all the way through January. Our Democratic friends didn't want to do that. I agree with them on that. Uh I want to keep these boundaries pretty short to keep pressure on.
▶ 0:29:18We've all been in Congress uh long enough to know that too often, and this doesn't matter who's in control, uh deadlines are like alarm clocks around here. I mean, so let's have a reasonable deadline. This is a reasonable deadline. It doesn't do anything other than just keep the government functioning. And I can't understand why we would want to precipitate a crisis by not funding the government when there's fruitful negotiations going on. Madam Chair, do I have an opportunity to to to respond to my colleague and friend?
▶ 0:29:48I suspect Mr. McGover will will do that.
▶ 0:29:52Well, but but the chairman is but the chairman has had an opportunity to respond to my remarks. I have had not an opportunity to respond to any of his mark his remarks.
▶ 0:30:02We'll come back in a minute. I have a couple more questions.
▶ 0:30:05For the chairman. So I appreciate what you just did in terms of clarifying the issue. This is a sevenwe funding bill. Now let me set let me set the context for the American people if we can. All this bill does is keep the federal government running at the same levels it's been at since 2024.
▶ 0:30:35Is that
▶ 0:30:39It was President Biden who initially signed these funding levels into law. Correct.
▶ 0:30:48So, I'm a little confused about Miss Deloro saying not enough money has been spent on these issues since that was those funding levels were set when Democrats were in the majority. Correct.
▶ 0:31:06Um, and I love your analogy about a deadlines like an alarm clock. We certainly do need deadlines around here. So, one more thing. Uh, Chairman Cole, you're currently working with your Senate counterparts to negotiate over a distinct set of standalone appropriations bills. You you mentioned the Senate has done something it hadn't done for a long time.
▶ 0:31:36We've done some things haven't been done for a long time. So, following a regular order passage of those bills in their respective chambers, correct?
▶ 0:31:47And will this CR empower you to continue to work on those?
▶ 0:31:52It would.
▶ 0:31:54Okay. So, we're talking about a very short period of time, no increased spending, living with the Biden budget, which might be inadequate according to some, but it was if it were inadequate. Our friends didn't say much.
▶ 0:32:12I will say this, we do increase funding for security for the executive branch and and the Supreme Court and for our own chamber. and with the idea that would have to be revisited. This is, you know, we all know we've had tragic current events that have probably refocused attention on that. So, and I've I've said we'll carry whatever security measure that uh you know, the leadership of both parties and the administration decides appropriate.
▶ 0:32:40So this was the first shot at that that could and I would expect would change particularly we would end up extending that those security arrangements at some point probably in the ledger branch bill. The hope is that this short-term continuing resolution will give you and the Democrats the opportunity to continue to work together to pass our regular our other bill the bills that would fund the government for the rest of the year.
▶ 0:33:12Thank you very much. I appreciate that. Mr. Laura, I'm going to recognize Mr.
▶ 0:33:16So I don't have an opportunity to respond to my colleague question. Thank you very very much. appreciate the
▶ 0:33:22Before I yield to you to respond, um uh it's my it's my time, right?
▶ 0:33:26Yes, sir.
▶ 0:33:27Okay. Thank you. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Um I I get a kick out of uh when people say that how important deadlines are. you know, we had a a deadline on resolutions of inquiry, and I'm I'm I'm looking uh to the quote from our colleague who's not here, uh Rip Chip Roy, um who justified this ex extending basically the uh prohibition on resolutions of inquiry through September 30th, uh because they just wanted to be able to get through reconciliation and then would go back to, you know, uh allowing them.
▶ 0:33:57And then in the in the rule we just passed, it got extended again till I think March of 2026, uh the uh you know the ability to be able to call up resolutions on the tariffs. Again, same thing. So I mean when people say deadlines around here, that doesn't mean anything because people violate them all the time. And I'll just say one other thing and I'll yield to Mr. Deloro. Um there's also an issue just of trust.
▶ 0:34:22Um, you know, we we passed bills in Congress, spending bills, um, and expect those uh, you know, those those those numbers and those program and those and those funding levels to be respected and then we see recisions and we see, you know, unilateral attempts by the president to freeze the money.
▶ 0:34:42So we even when we pass things around here, we have no guarantee in fact that what we what the work that we do here that quite frankly I disappointed that Republicans haven't um stood up for this institution, but the work that we do here gets ignored um and there's no push back. But I'll I'll yield to Mr. Lauro for any uh response to the chairman.
▶ 0:35:06Thank you very very much uh Mr. McGovern. And I I say this um with having negotiated uh bills as both chair and ranking members uh with my colleague Congressman Cole, having in the past negotiated bills with Senator Shelby and Congresswoman Granger um and and and others that the the the um the the central fact of the um of appropriations committee, the heart and soul of the Republic of the Appropriations
▶ 0:35:36Committee is that there is no other piece of legislation where there has to be the agreement of Democrats and the Republicans, House and Senate, and then get that to the president for signature. Um, and there's no other legislation where that is the um the the the the requirement. The key is the bipartisan nature of the process. Um uh and which has been in terms of the House bills, I make this point.
▶ 0:36:06The 12 House bills that came to us were nothing but unilaterally partisan bills through and through. No con no consultation, no conversation. To the my colleagues on the Senate side, to their credit, they in fact produced bills that were in committee bipartisan and uh on the floor bipartisan. Not the case on the House side. Nevertheless, just a small capsule here.
▶ 0:36:34It was just about a week ago where the four corners house senate got it together. And what we discussed at that time and what we said was uh what we needed as as Democrats in order to move forward was three things uh to support the motion to go to conference which we did. And the first thing was top lines and subcommittee allocations for agriculture for Milcon VA and for Ledge Branch.
▶ 0:37:01And in fact we came to a meeting of the minds on the uh on the numbers. We have moved ahead on that area so that the bills have moved forward. The second that we spoke about was a commitment to have a bipartisan negotiation on a continuing resolution.
▶ 0:37:24a bipartisan negotiation on the continuing resolution, including looking at what Democratic priorities are in terms of moving forward and also looking at what Mr. McGovern made reference to. We have come to agreements in the past in a bipartisan way and lo and behold, we have and I have this in front of me.
▶ 0:37:53This is not this is not a small item. $410 billion either frozen or terminated dollars that was appropriated and passed by Democrats and Republicans. So we said that Democratic priorities what those were and are and not stealing the money that we appropriate.
▶ 0:38:21Interestingly enough, in this process, we have the OM director throws into the mix a pocket recision. How about that as a good faith effort uh to to to move forward? But and I would just say in that meeting, both of my Republican colleagues and my Democratic colleagues, we all expressed that willingness to have a bipartisan negotiation on the continuing resolution.
▶ 0:38:46And the third piece was that the leadership above our pay grade needed to gather together uh to lay out what the issues were that we were going to try to move forward on. Well, lo and behold, we have a partisan continuing resolution. There has been no consultation with Democrats. There has been no uh uh indication of concern with the priorities uh on our side of the aisle.
▶ 0:39:16Nor has there been, you know, any expression that we can't continue to come to agreement and those agreements are jettisoned because of the OM director or by uh pres President Trump. And by the way, the president uh I I believe said the other the other day and about even meeting with uh leader Jeff and and leader Schumer, it's a waste of time to meet with them.
▶ 0:39:41That that that's a quote from the president of the United States saying that he further says he the play last week when he told congressional Republicans this is to jam a partisan spending bill down the throats of an American people without Democratic support. Now that is not bipartisanship and we willing to negotiate at the table to negotiate but you can't negotiate by yourself.
▶ 0:40:09There needs to be a partner in that effort and quite frankly with regard to this continuing resolution we have no partner. We have been frozen out of the discussions and therefore how do we sit down and agree to something that is says take it or leave it not doable. So thank you. Thank you Mr.
▶ 0:40:32Let me just ask I got a couple couple more things I want to raise. Um, ranking member Deloro, you and I both share a passion for improving access to nutritious food and ending hunger, uh, particularly for children and families. Um, the WIC program does just that. It provides modest nutrition benefits for pregnant and postpartum moms and young kids to ensure that young families can remain healthy. So, we just got this CR from Republicans a few hours ago, but from my read of the bill and and Mr.
▶ 0:41:01Chairman, you correctly wrong on this. Uh it does not include the additional $600 million for WIC request requested by the Trump administration. Am I right on that?
▶ 0:41:11And this is a Trump administration requested $600 million more for the
▶ 0:41:16And in their request, the administration said that without this anomaly, and I quote, states would not be able to serve all eligible participants at the current benefit levels. End quote. So, I'm a little surprised to see that House Republicans didn't think it was important to include this anomaly in the bill.
▶ 0:41:35Um, and and maybe you can respond to why why is it important that we address this anomaly now and fully fund Wick rather than kicking the can down the road and having this discussion in
▶ 0:41:52I mean, either I mean,
▶ 0:41:54well, it's a it's a mystery to me. I mean, the the president, you read his words that I, you know, says it all. If if we were in charge, we would have added this $600 million. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle have walked away from what the president has requested, $600 million in order to be able to feed women, infants, and children to to make sure that they are not dropped off the rolls here. So, that's it.
▶ 0:42:21Doesn't make any sense,
▶ 0:42:22right? No, I mean, I think pregnant and breastfeeding moms and young kids deserve to know they'll fully
▶ 0:42:27have access to formula and basic staples like milk and vegetables. I mean, there's no reason to not address this looming issue right now. Mr. Chairman,
▶ 0:42:35uh, thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Um, the um it's part of the A bill, which is under negotiation right now, and it will be in the A bill that is fully funded. And so, we thought we're close enough there. That's where it should go. Obviously the numbers are are what they are till December, but that would be part of of a final agriculture
▶ 0:42:58Yeah. Well, the numbers aren't where they should be between now and December. Mr. Laurel,
▶ 0:43:03well, if it's not in if this is something that says it's not there, then uh and and
▶ 0:43:12it would be part of the bill. I mean, that's is under negotiation and that would not be one of the negotiating parts. we would go where the administration asked us to go.
▶ 0:43:22Well, you signal that you don't want to do that. That that's a big signal.
▶ 0:43:25But so let me just kind of summarize, you know, kind of the choices we have here. I mean, one, I mean, in terms of this continuing resolution, uh we can work on a bipartisan bill um and address what what was one of our central concerns right now is that Americans don't lose health insurance and don't get stuck with these high premiums that are about that are coming down the line. two, I mean, the president has said, Mr.
▶ 0:43:51Moore referred to what Bitz been in the press he said to the Republicans passed the CI yourselves, right?
▶ 0:43:56You control government after all. And we saw what happened in the Senate, was it last week, uh, with with with nominees, uh, that they nuke the filibuster process. I mean, so I'm sure they could find some heavyhanded tactics to move this thing through. Or three, Republicans can can shut it all down. I mean, the the reality is, and this is kind of where we we're at when the speaker of the house says that we can have all these discussions and push it down the road. I mean, um, timing matters when it comes to healthcare.
▶ 0:44:24Um, you know, in just a few weeks, families are going to get their premium notices and on November one, open enrollment begins and the clock is ticking. Uh and so the idea that we can, you know, oh, we'll just let things proceed, let families deal with what they have to deal with and and maybe we'll get maybe in December we'll be in a better mood uh to find some accommodation on this. That doesn't that's not that doesn't help my constituents. Mr.
▶ 0:44:50McG in the labor HHS bill which we just spent almost I don't know how many hours last week go going through when you take a look at what the health care issues that healthcare has been stripped out funding for the NIH funding for the center for disease control and prevention funding for mental health services all of these health things being stripped out of the labor HH bill that you know that's indicative of what you're saying
▶ 0:45:18and the ACA tax credits in the labor HS
▶ 0:45:22they don't belong in the bill.
▶ 0:45:23No, there that's the point. The point matter is how we how we how are we how are we going to address the looming the immediate the the soon-to-be healthc care crisis? I mean I mean I mean
▶ 0:45:34you got hospitals are in the rural hospitals, community hospitals, all all of that which is at which is at stake. Yes, Medicaid 15 million people thrown off Medicaid. It's a legitimate issue to deal with in a continuing resolution. Why isn't it a legitimate issue to deal with that? You've got two separate things here. You've got an appropriations piece, but you've got other things that go into a continuing
▶ 0:46:01It's not the jurisdiction.
▶ 0:46:03Yeah, but but well, you know what? Around here, I mean, jurisdictions can be expanded. And the reality is if we wait uh the uninsured will be about 1.5 million uh people higher. Um and and that's you know I I I don't know. I mean I I kind of think like you know we spent the whole day today talking about the District of Columbia. Um and we're going to be addressing bills regarding micromanaging uh the District of Columbia.
▶ 0:46:30I don't know I I don't know about your constituents but my constituents are a hell of a lot more concerned about their health care uh and the healthcare of their families. And it's just and it's and it's and again I I I'm I'm I'm worried that we're you know that we're not going to um um you know that we're not going to deal with it and people are going to get screwed.
▶ 0:46:49certainly wouldn't be dealt with if we shut down the government.
▶ 0:46:52Well, you know what? That's not You're in charge of the House, the Senate, and the White House. You guys have the to do it. Actually, probably you have a little more control in the Senate
▶ 0:47:02because we actually kept our word on the filibuster, which is something your party tried to get rid of. Only two
▶ 0:47:09They n the filibuster on the nominees last week and I I I don't think and if Trump tells them to nuke it on this, they probably
▶ 0:47:14and the last go round in the Senate, they did pass it and look where we have. We're right back where we started with the continued mess.
▶ 0:47:20We are where we are and and and you know, but this is you guys own this. I yield this yield back.
▶ 0:47:27Thank you, Mr. McGovern, Miss Fishbach, you're recognized.
▶ 0:47:31Thank you, Madam Chair, and I just want to tell you both thank you for being here today. I appreciate it because uh but Mr. Cole, thank you for bringing the continuing resolution and thank you for all your work on appropriations because um you know, it hasn't been done in a few years. It hasn't happened. And I if if I'm remembering correctly, um there hasn't been conference committees um on appropriations in six years. Is that correct? And that's that's longer than I've been here.
▶ 0:47:59So, we've never been a pe people of my um uh in my class weren't able to see regular order and how appropriations are supposed to happen. So, I appreciate that we are in that process now and we're moving it forward and this is probably the the first CR that actually made sense that we're actually using it for what we needed to using it short term. We're using a clean CR so that we can finish up the work and make sure we get that budget done. So, I appreciate it.
▶ 0:48:28I'm not going to ask a lot of questions, but I think this is a or any questions, but this is a reasonable CR that makes sense to do. And so, I appreciate you bringing it forward and I'm excited to get back to the regular order and actually do the appropriations bills. So, thank you, Mr. Cole. And I yield back.
▶ 0:48:45Thank you, Miss Fishbot. Miss Scandlin, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you for your testimony here today, our appropriators. Um, I do have to oppose this continuing resolution. It is not a clean CR. Um, you know, our Republican colleagues may control the House, the Senate, and the White House, but almost half the country voted for Democrats. They do not have a unified control of the entire government.
▶ 0:49:14And while they may have majorities, they may control the legislative process, but in order to pass a bill, they need to work with everyone. And they haven't done the work to get that done. So, um, you know, the the concerns about health care are what I hear about every every single time I talk with folks in my district. So, we just lost the major health care system in our district this summer. It collapsed because Medicaid funding was not sufficient.
▶ 0:49:44There were also some private equity problems, but the fact that these really obscene Medicaid cuts were coming down the pike prevented anyone else from stepping up to to try to keep that place running. We've seen these insane cuts to the National Institute of Health research across our region. One in six doctors in the country comes through Philadelphia as part of their training. It is a huge hub for research um that makes all of us healthier.
▶ 0:50:11And right now they are reeling from ovarian cancer trials that have been cut um staffing cuts. We're seeing cuts to health care at our VA institutions and we've got several in the region. So the health care concerns are massive and this bill does nothing to meet them. So we've got the ongoing concern from the cuts we saw in the big bad bill.
▶ 0:50:34We've got the unilateral impoundment of um health funding from this White House and now we've got the fact that the Affordable Care Act subsidies have not been continued and that's having an immediate impact in the next couple weeks. Um people's insurance bills for the coming year are going to be going out. Um we've already seen in Pennsylvania a request from the private insurers to burst their to boost their um rates by 19%.
▶ 0:51:05So all of this damage to health care which is coming from the White House and from the bill that got passed earlier this summer is raising costs across our district um across the country. So, um, you know, Madame Ranking member, we just heard this CR called an extension of the Biden budget, but we already know that a lot was done to the last administration's budget with the CR that passed
▶ 0:51:35in March. We know that there were further changes as a result of the big bad bill that passed this summer. We know that there's been impoundment of uh funding that was supposed to go out under the Biden budget. So, can we call this a clean CR that would extend the Biden budgets, especially with respect to healthcare? This is not a clean CR. This is a 91page document. It's not a clean CR.
▶ 0:52:03In addition to which the point you make is clear, the the if we were going with the 2024 budget as was, you know, what's the budget? it was Biden budget as it was applied to 2025 we would have seen the you know the extension of the funding again I can I can go program by program $410 billion dollar you know it's really pretty extraordinary you know uh National Institute of Food and Agriculture
▶ 0:52:34u I I'm not it's unbelievable Noah disaster funding DOJ grants it it's everything yes that was in it that has been you know impounded I don't want to use that word it is stealing because it is illegal as to what the OM uh director is uh is is is all about and look $5 billion the Trump administration is currently on track to withhold
▶ 0:53:04as much as $5 billion in congressionally approved funding for biomed research at the NIH and disease prevention at the CDC. So, and at this point, NIH has typically allocated an additional $2 billion more than it allocated this year.
▶ 0:53:25Postpone grant making, OM delays, NIH is at risk of lapsing funding for potentially research, including cancer, Alzheimer's, vaccine, and the list can go on. CDC in unbelievable worst shape. nearly three billion dollars in annual behind its annual pace of funding allocations. Uh they're holding hundreds of millions of dollars from HIV AIDS prevention programs domestically and globally.
▶ 0:53:55So it is a fullscale assault and a dismantling of public health in the United States which is at at central to what is happening here. And it is this is something that we have to have You can't do that.
▶ 0:54:16What we had sought was a provision in the continuing resolution that would ensure that unelected bureaucrat Russ vote cannot permanently steal critical resources. I don't think that that's an unfair ask. It shouldn't be for anyone here.
▶ 0:54:34you voted for these things and now some unelected official says, we're going to take the money and God only knows what we're going to do with it, but it ain't going to for for what members of Congress, Democrats and Republicans, determined was the best thing for your constituents."
▶ 0:54:58Well, I I I think that is the the bottom line here. Okay. the government runs out of funding. September 30th, what's been proposed is this not clean CR and it doesn't meet the moment. It doesn't meet the moment where we've got cuts to the ACA subsidies coming up. Doesn't meet the moment where there's been all these cuts to NIH funding. Doesn't meet the moment where our hospitals, whether rural or frontline in the city or federally qualified health centers, are struggling to even stay open.
▶ 0:55:28So, um, can't support a bill that doesn't meet the needs of the American people.
▶ 0:55:32So, thank you. I yield back.
▶ 0:55:36Thank you, Miss Scandlin. Mr. Scott, you're recognized.
▶ 0:55:42Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, Mr. Cole, there's been a lot of talk about the premium tax credits. My understanding is that it is the enhanced premium tax credits that would lapse. Is that correct? not all of the tax credits.
▶ 0:55:59That's correct. Although, let me immediately add uh that's not anything our committee does. That that's a ways and means, you know, issue. That's not us. But you're right. It's it is
▶ 0:56:14the tax credits that were added for COVID the time we were shutting down businesses and people leaving out there and it was supposed to run out at a certain point. This isn't stuff being cut. This is things running out at the schedule that a you know was agreed upon in a bipartisan way back during co
▶ 0:56:34That's right. And and it was agreed upon that the enhanced premium credits would expire in 2022.
▶ 0:56:40Correct. and in a very bipartisan manner, Democrats and Republicans in the COVID emergency voted for a lot of things
▶ 0:56:50that the critics of those
▶ 0:56:52bills would be
▶ 0:56:54correct when they said expanded the role of government in our lives. It was a it was a it was a period of time where we
▶ 0:57:01no idea what was going to happen with CO in a very bipartisan manner and every one of those pieces of legislation was done in a bipartisan manner when Donald Trump was president of the United
▶ 0:57:13Is that correct?
▶ 0:57:14That's correct. And then now that the emergency, if you want to call it that, is over with, the Democrat demand is that we continue to spend as if we're in a healthc care emergency as we were with Is that a fair statement?
▶ 0:57:34That's a fair statement.
▶ 0:57:36So, I just I mean, I'm I will tell you I'm going to just say this because I don't know the way they put it. I watch as uh Democrat after Democrat requested special project after special project, then turn around and vote against them on the floor of the House of Representatives, Mr. Cole. And as someone who doesn't request special projects, I hope you as the chairman will take every single one of those projects out uh if they requested them and then refused to vote for them on on the floor of the House of Representatives.
▶ 0:58:06U that's a decision. You don't have to answer that now. But I I'll tell you, I think it's ridiculous that that they continue to ask for that stuff when they when they vote against them. Um, and that's coming from someone who's never requested one. I have one final question because I I can see where this is going because the Democrat strategy is to shut the government down and let the Republicans take the blame for it.
▶ 0:58:28So, I'm guessing I'm just guessing that somewhere around 90% of are going to vote for a continuing Is that a reasonable You think I'm close on that, Mr.
▶ 0:58:44Yeah, I think you're a little low. I think it'll be higher than that. But no, no question the overwhelming majority of Republicans will vote to keep the government open. And so if 90% of Republicans vote to keep the government open and 100% of Democrats vote to shut it down, what's going to happen?
▶ 0:59:02It'll shut down.
▶ 0:59:03That's exactly right. And then the Democrats are going to turn around and point the finger and laugh about the government shutdown and blame it on Donald Trump when ultimately they've got the ability to walk out there and push the green light just like 90% of Republicans are going to do. But they're going to intentionally fail this. at least their leadership is going to try to intentionally fail it.
▶ 0:59:24Some of them may have the backbone to stand up to their leadership, but their leadership is going to try to intentionally fail this. The Democrats want a government shutdown because they want something else they can blame on Donald Trump. And and then they're going to turn around and laugh about it. And I'm going to tell you, I'd be real careful when you got Russ sitting on there at OM and what it might cost you to turn it back on.
▶ 0:59:50It's just that's just my advice to my Democrat colleagues in the room is you need to think twice before you shut it down this time.
▶ 0:59:57You need to think twice.
▶ 0:59:58Uh but I I mean I just again the these in it is the enhanced premium tax credits that were supposed to go away at the end of 2022. Um, not all of the premium tax credits are going away as as the Democrats want you to believe. I expect I want American know I expect 90% of Republicans somewhere in that range are going to vote for the bill. I expect, you know, maybe a couple of Democrats will vote for it. Maybe they won't.
▶ 1:00:23But the leadership, the Democratic leadership is pressing the Dems to vote no on the bill, knowing that if no Democrat votes for the bill, the government's going to shut down and then they're going to blame Donald Trump. This is the game they play. They do it all the time. is very predictable. I don't have any other questions for you, Mr. Cole. I wish you the best with your negotiations. Um, Madame Chair, with that, I yield the remainder of my time.
▶ 1:00:50Thank you very much, Mr. Scott, Miss Ledger Fernandez, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you, chairman and ranking member of the appropriations committee for coming before us on this uh continuing resolution. Uh and you know what has always struck me every time the two of you have come before us is how much you emphasize that the appropriation process is bipartisan.
▶ 1:01:21But what also strikes me is that this particular continuing resolution appears to be highly partisan. Right. It chico. It is not a bipartisan continuing resolution. Correct.
▶ 1:01:37I would disagree. The length of the resolution is what the Democrats ask.
▶ 1:01:41Is the there's no partisan elements in this. You're arguing against it for what's not in the bill, not what is in the bill. I always advise legislators that's a mistake. Judge it what's there. Is there anything offensive in there? No. Nobody's nobody's mentioned anything offensive. Is it a shortest length that we know you wanted? Yes, it is. The president the administration wanted it to go into January. We thought I agree with my friends that I think that was a mistake.
▶ 1:02:10But the point is if it was partisan, I'd have done what the administration asked us to do, not what my Democratic colleagues asked us to do. And again, isn't by
▶ 1:02:19show me the poison pills in there. All we're saying is keep the government open. There's not a problem you've mentioned that's going to get solved if you shut down the government. If you think that's the solution, you're making the same mistake Republicans made in 2013 when they said, "We're going to link something that doesn't have to do with day-to-day government, Obamacare, because we don't like it, and you will give in because we shut down the government." Didn't work then. Probably won't work now.
▶ 1:02:46But whatever it is, I mean, the desire to this is a clean, let's just keep talking for seven weeks on three bills that we're awfully close on and send them to a package. And that we hope will start a pattern of doing it that way. So, no, I don't I don't accept the assertion it's a partisan uh you know uh you know, it's a clean continuing resolution. It's not a partisan uh continuing resolution.
▶ 1:03:14If you're against it because of what's not in it, that doesn't make it partisan. You want to put other things in or you want to have other avenues of negotiation. I think Majority Leader Thoon against signals. He's willing to talk about this. He's not willing to link it to a 7week So bipartisan by its nature is bipartisan which means that both Democrats and Republicans are agreeing on a compromise and have worked something out.
▶ 1:03:44Bipartisan means Democrats and Republicans which is the question uh ranking member Delaro is this a bipartisan CR not by a long shot and I go back to and I don't want to lose track when the corners and myself and chairman Murray and Chairman Collins and ranking member M when we sat down we talked about
▶ 1:04:14there was a willingness Thank you so much they talked about the willingness to have a bipartisan negotiation on the continuing resolution no such negotiation on a bipartisan basis existed and by the way I would just Okay.
▶ 1:04:30Is uh uh uh Senator Thun and Speaker Johnson after uh letters from our leader uh of uh Hakeim Jeff and leader Schumer wrote twice in August to the Republican leadership and asked to sit down and speak and there was no answer, no ability, no not to there was no movement to get the four of that at that level, four corners at that level to sit down and speak.
▶ 1:04:59get asked over and over again. So, in no way in no way is this a bipartisan of of uh continuing resolution. I have to make this one point and make it to my chairman. 67 of the pages of the 91 pages contain authorizations that more importantly belonged with energy and commerce or with ways and means. There are healthc care provisions in there.
▶ 1:05:23So was you pick and choose what you want to do and what you don't want to do is to put in and the things that we're talking about Democratic priorities in terms of that negotiation were never ever spoken about or never had the opportunity to engage in conversation about getting them in to the bill
▶ 1:05:40because and and I'm glad you made to but I want to go back to the point about bipartisanship and one of the reasons that it is not a surprise that we are now seeing a CR that is not bipartisan because it does not contain Democrat and Republican, which is their definition of bipartisan, when you have the president saying, I quote, should not even bother with Democrats. Close quote.
▶ 1:06:06So, President Trump has told Republicans, don't even bother with Democrats. He has told Republicans, Republican votes. That's all. Close quote. So instead of a bipartisan, which is how you guys always describe what the appropriation process is doing, you have a president saying, "I don't want Democrats. I don't want to include Democrats." And he doesn't want to include Democrats because he doesn't want to fix the problems we face.
▶ 1:06:35As you pointed out, you know, and I wanted to know because we keep hearing we can't deal with this. CRS always contain the things we need to fix right now. that that's just I haven't been here as long as some, but it seems to me that that's what we do. And so 67 pages out of 91 contain authorate rising language and there are things that need to be fixed right now.
▶ 1:07:02And the issue about the uh a the Affordable Care Act premiums, I'm very concerned about that because it is hurting it is going to hurt rural Americans harder than it is going to hurt urban Americans. And that's because rural Americans, people in my district, people in Oklahoma rely more heavily on those tax credits.
▶ 1:07:29And you know, it's uh and there these are Republican states that are going to get hit. The states with the highest rural health premium increases are are states like Texas and uh you know Oklahoma and the Carolas and it's just really a problem because it is going to hit and it's going to hit on October 1st.
▶ 1:07:51That's when this is happening and the American public is looking at us to come up with a bipartisan solution to this problem and Republicans are refusing to do it because this is something we could do. Is that correct? Ranking member Delora, we could in a continuing resolution with bipartisan support fix this problem today.
▶ 1:08:15You know, you you you've said it very eloquently. That has been the premise. So we've always if we have an opportunity to have the debate, have the discussion, you you know some things that you you you you get in that you want, some things may not get in that you that you want and it's both sides coming to an agreement, but to be just told uh that and and and again with the president uh saying, you know, he told congressional Republicans jam
▶ 1:08:46a partisan spending bill down the throats uh you What what what are we talking about? You do this without any democratic support. That is not the way um that the process is underway. This is not a process issue.
▶ 1:09:01there that there is that but it is about the health care services about the services that are there whether they're uh substance use whether they're rural hospitals whether they're nursing homes whether it's Medicaid Medicare in and CDC NIH all of these are are directly affect people's lives in a way and that is not being you know included uh in in in in in this effort which is really.
▶ 1:09:31But, you know, I'll just say this. The OM director, Russ Vote, is not in an appropriations process. His interest is to destroy the appropriations process and take on the ability to make all of the spending decisions.
▶ 1:09:53can't which is why if we are honest with ourselves we have to stop that now which is why we wanted to include a provision we sought a provision in the continuing resolution that would ensure that unelected bureaucrats like Russ vote cannot permanently steal the critical resources that the com the Congress promised that each one of us promised to our constituent ituents
▶ 1:10:24and to our
▶ 1:10:25So when we look at the continuing resolution, we should look at our constitutional duty and requirement to our constituents to say we control what gets spent and we want to make sure it gets spent once it gets authorized. Is there anything in this continuing resolution that makes sure that the 410 billion dollars is spent?
▶ 1:10:46No. I I and I'm going to be pretty specific about this because I looked into it. In the agriculture committee, 48 million in sustainable agricultural research and education program funding is being withheld from farmers and ranchers. Millions of dollars in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Noah operations research funding and 30 million in Noah procurement acquisition is being held up.
▶ 1:11:12um work um uh uh at the by the way without the Democratic provision to extend these funds, the National Weather Service work at the National Severe Storms Laboratory in Norman, Oklahoma will not receive the funding and weather radars across the country. $41 million in the Small Business Administration uh development program is being held up by the administration.
▶ 1:11:34Uh and without the provision that we were looking for to extend the funds that small business owners, that's veterans, women, low-income, minority entrepreneurs will be denied critical support. More than $2 billion in federal emergency management agency, FEMA grant funding is being held up by the administration. Without this provision to extend these funds, communities won't have the funding they need for preparedness and response.
▶ 1:12:00So, what we want to try to do is why won't the Republicans act to extend these resources to get this funding delivered? $5 billion, which I mentioned already, biomedical research funding at the NIH and the Centers for Disease Control is being held up. And again, without the provision to extend the funds, we're going to lapse life-saving research, Alzheimer's vaccine, and the list goes on and on. Just 150 million in homeless assistance grants, build grants for youth, permanent supportive housing.
▶ 1:12:30Biggest issue in the country today is the cost of housing for homes and for apartments. Without that provision to extend the funds which we wanted to put in, youth survivors of domestic violence, families experienced homeless will not have access to stable housing. This is unconscionable. This is real. It's not making this up. This is not you know.
▶ 1:12:52So why wouldn't we want to put in a provision to extend the funding in these efforts so that we can meet the demand that we have thought was necessary to address the ills of our constituents and of the people in this country. Thank you. Sorry.
▶ 1:13:07And these healthc care investments should be bipartisan. Alzheimer's should not be partisan.
▶ 1:13:16Cancer is not cancer research. Investments into health. making sure our rural health systems don't fall apart should be bipartisan and it is not a clean CR if you don't make sure that these funds are spent and continue into the future. Uh and with that, Madame Chair, I yield back.
▶ 1:13:37Thank you, Miss Ledger Fernandez. Mr.
▶ 1:13:40um you're recogniz Mr. Griffith, before you begin, Mr. Cole, are you going to be able to continue to stay with us? My understanding was that you might have to
▶ 1:13:51I've got about 30 minutes, I think.
▶ 1:13:5330 minutes. Okay.
▶ 1:13:54How much? What time? Oh, no. My watch is
▶ 1:13:59Look for
▶ 1:14:00Are you on Oklahoma?
▶ 1:14:0130 minutes behind. Yeah.
▶ 1:14:03Are you on Oklahoma time?
▶ 1:14:05Yeah, we're a little bit slower.
▶ 1:14:07Okay. Well, my understanding is
▶ 1:14:09That's okay. Then I will depart, but I don't want to stay if you need me to
▶ 1:14:14Without objection. uh you're excused and we will um invite your uh colleague
▶ 1:14:22my colleague and my vice chairman of the full appropriations committee. So he's more than that
▶ 1:14:30Mr. Diaz Balard.
▶ 1:14:31Thank you very much.
▶ 1:14:32We welcome you uh to the rules committee and we thank
▶ 1:14:37Thank you Mr.
▶ 1:14:38for being willing to come. Mr. Griffith,
▶ 1:14:40thank you very much. You're recognized.
▶ 1:14:42Mr. Diaz Bollard. Did I hear him say that you were the vice chairman of the appropriations committee?
▶ 1:14:46Yes, sir.
▶ 1:14:47Vice chairman are very important. Just saying. Very important.
▶ 1:14:50Well, Mr. Griffin, I I I will readily admit that uh no one can replace Chairman Cole. I understand. Same with
▶ 1:14:58I should have said Vice Chairman
▶ 1:15:02There you go. Now I understand.
▶ 1:15:04You've been uh you've been sitting here for some time listening to the debate. Is there anything that you feel compelled that you need to add to uh the debate that we've been having?
▶ 1:15:13No, sir. I think the chairman expressed that this is in essence a a clean CR with some anomalies. Um and uh I I I hear about things that are complaining about what's not in the CR, not about what's in the CR. This is a good CR. This allows us to move forward and again hopefully uh finish the appropriations process the way it's supposed to be
▶ 1:15:34Well, and I would just say it was interesting. we got into this whole whole debate, you know, about give and take and and that kind of thing. And and the chairman pointed out that um November was something that our colleagues on the other side preferred. Um and he said he didn't agree with the president. I actually agreed with well actually I agreed with either a whole year or January because I hate it when we do these things till uh right before the week before holiday.
▶ 1:16:02So, we've now got it lined up a week before Thanksgiving and then probably we will delay till it's a week before Christmas. And and that part of it I don't like. But when you look at the overall uh the overall bill, I I would agree. I I didn't see anything in it that I thought would stir anybody up. But here we are having uh hours of debate.
▶ 1:16:22Uh but um just think it's interesting that concession on one point doesn't give you uh enough to move the uh folks on the other side. Nonetheless, u I'm happy to yield anytime you might wish to discuss issues. Otherwise, Madam Chair,
▶ 1:16:39thank you.
▶ 1:16:39I'm prepared to yield back. I yield
▶ 1:16:43Thank you, Mr. Griffith. Mr. Nagus, you're recognized.
▶ 1:16:48Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh, and thank you, ranking member and Mr. Vice Chairman. Welcome back to the rules committee. Mr. Vice Chairman, I guess I wanted to start with you and maybe ask you a couple of questions process-wise, and I promise you there's a a point to this line of questioning.
▶ 1:17:08Are you or were you supportive of the decision by Senate Republicans to eliminate the filibuster for Supreme Court nominees? Um, again that as you know that's clearly not an appropriations question and that's a question for the Senate uh to decide.
▶ 1:17:29You have no opinion about whether that was the right thing for
▶ 1:17:31I I literally have been focused on the appropriations process which is our constitutional duty. That's what I've been focused on. Were you or are you supportive of the Senate's decision earlier this week, rather I guess it was last week, to change the filibuster, to modify the filibuster for an exception to be drawn for the confirmation of uh executive officials, subc cabinet level officials. I maybe your answer is the same.
▶ 1:17:54It is. It is. Again, the Senate uh I'm not part of the Senate. Uh that's that's Yeah. Right. Exactly. Um, I'm not part of the Senate and obviously they have different rules than we do and what we're trying to do here is is make sure we don't have a government shutdown and we'll continue to the process.
▶ 1:18:09So here's here's why I asked that I presume that President Trump will convince uh the hold outs in the Republican caucus to vote for this Republican CR and it'll go over to the Senate. My understanding at least is at this juncture is that it is unlikely to receive the 60 votes necessary to survive closure.
▶ 1:18:33And so given that the reason why I was asking those questions is curious about your opinion as to whether or not if the Senate were to proceed, if Senate Republicans were to proceed in drawing out an exception to the filibuster for purposes of continuing resolution consideration, if that's something you'd be supportive of.
▶ 1:18:50And again, I you know, the Senate rules are the Senate rules obviously, as you know. I don't claim to be an expert on the Senate rules. I will tell you that we had a similar process a while ago when we did the CR and the the uh Democratic leader in the Senate said that he was willing to shut down the government. We passed the CR in the House and uh the Senate even though he had threatened publicly to shut down the government then passed that CR which I think was at the moment the best potential option.
▶ 1:19:20And so what we're trying to do here is avoid a shutdown. Uh, and um,
▶ 1:19:25well, you you've answered my question. I guess uh, I will say you may be the only member of Congress I've ever met who has no opinions on the filibuster or Supreme Court nominees or the rest, but in any event, that's fine. Um, why don't we talk about the CR? So, the last time you were here, I don't know if you might recall, uh, we had an exchange about recisions. I think it was in relation to
▶ 1:19:44We've had a few of those.
▶ 1:19:46I enjoy our exchanges. U,, it was in regards to recisions and in particular around uh, public broadcasting. Here's my question. This bill, I think it was already uh articulated and gleaned through the ranking members testimony that there are no protections in this bill that ultimately would safeguard the appropriations that you passionately believe in in terms of those
▶ 1:20:17not being impounded nor being rescended. And so my question to you, I mean, I assume you agree with that. There's no new language in this bill, right? That's not up for debate. Well, I don't characterization about clean or nonclean. I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about there's just Yeah, there's no there's no new provision that says, you know what, you're not going to be able to impound funds that we're appropriating, right? Or you're not going to be able to rescend funds that we're appropriating.
▶ 1:20:47Given that, why have appropriations at all? What's the point?
▶ 1:20:54Yeah. I mean, you know, we we did have those conversations during the recision process and I think we all agree whether we like it or not that that's part of the law. I mean, you know, Congress can change the law
▶ 1:21:05and you know the process, House, Senate, etc. But so that whole recision issue was was a legal process whether we like it or not. What we're trying what we're trying to do here, sir,
▶ 1:21:15what about impoundments? What what we're trying to do here is not shut down the government. And so we are facing whether we like it or not. Well, I but but that's because that's what this bill does. So we can talk about other things about what the Senate may do on a Thursday if it's cloudy. But what this bill does is try to avoid a shut down.
▶ 1:21:34I'll reclaim my time here. I'll give you a much simpler example because you're in charge of the state foreign ops committee, right? You're the chairman, I think. Yeah, it's NSRP, National Security, uh, state and related
▶ 1:21:46National security related programs. Okay. Correct. So, this CR funds at current levels a variety of programs that come under your jurisdiction and you feel very passionately about supporting those. And if this bill is passed and is signed into law, there is nothing stopping this president from impounding any number of the programs that you care about. Why do we know that? Because he's done it already repeatedly for the last eight months.
▶ 1:22:11So my point is I it begs the larger question at some point we're going to have to have a debate in the Congress about whether to have an appropriations committee. It doesn't strike me in this environment. I'm not really sure what the purpose is of the work that you do because you know we spend a lot of time debating appropriation bills and CRs at at at current fiscal year levels all so that Russell Vote and the folks at OM can disregard all of your work. I I don't get it. I'm not really sure.
▶ 1:22:41You know what, Mr. Diaz Boler? I I predict this this will be true. I think you will see members, new members, incoming members of the House who used to believe that the appropriations committee was a prized assignment somewhere that they'd love to go serve that they will now say, you know what, I'm no longer interested in serving on the appropriations committee. What's the point of serving on the appropriations committee? There is no appropriations process. Russell vote has broken it into pieces. If I
▶ 1:23:07if I may.
▶ 1:23:08Yeah. Look, go ahead. I I think no I think I think your your thought your thinking about you know we should have those conversations is is absolutely a positive thing to do. Um and this this pressure or this back and forth between Congress and the administration as you know is not new.
▶ 1:23:25I recall when we had a different president who decided to fund things that were neither appropriated nor authorized and you know so this is not new that was I'm talking about President Biden did that uh with for example the uh the student loan things. So, I actually, by the way, welcome uh your your your thoughts and and your concern about making sure that Congress is relevant.
▶ 1:23:54But if we shut down because what we're dealing I go back to what we're dealing with what we're dealing with here is do we pass a CR to allow the appropriations process to continue or do we shut down? That's what we're dealing with here
▶ 1:24:07Okay. You raised a really interesting point. So, if the CR is passed and it's signed into law, will you come back six weeks from now and agree to add this new language to make Congress relevant again as you said? I mean, why not? That sounds like you're saying this is something we got to deal with. We got to address and
▶ 1:24:26I mean, you're you're going to be testifying in front of this committee, I'm sure, seven weeks from now, eight weeks from now. I think Chairman Cole will give you that assignment again. I I sus and so you're going to have an opportunity, but it sounds like you might be supportive of saying, you know what, let's put some language in here to stop any kind of empoundments, for example, that ultimately undermine the appropriations that you're fighting for, you know, the the appropriation decisions, I should say, that you and your colleagues on both sides of the aisle are fighting for. Is that something you'd support?
▶ 1:24:54And I appreciate that. We have a process as you know uh which is the appropriations process where bills go to subcommittee full committee they're
▶ 1:25:03well what I'm telling you is that we have a process where we have bills that go through subcommittee full committee uh eventually hopefully right they will land here because everything ends here and and my colleagues and I and on both sides of the aisle will have those discussions and by the way have had those discussions that's why you have
▶ 1:25:20but I'm asking if you support them
▶ 1:25:23because I can speak to the Democrats trust me I mean Rosa here. You can speak for the Democrats, but I don't remember the outrage uh and the when when the previous administration decided to fund things that were not only not appropriated, they weren't authorized or appropriated. So that's why I'm telling you these are good discussions to have, but right now we need to focus on what we have in front of us, if I may, which is if we don't pass a CR, what are we facing? A potential shutdown.
▶ 1:25:51That, by the way, is in nobody's best interest. Well, I will I'm going to um stop there because I appreciate the the chairwoman's indulgence, but I will just say again, you're going to have an opportunity six or seven weeks from now. I I I predict that that's going to be the case. And I I I hope I mean again, we don't need to have a discussion about it. Democrats will support language that puts up guard rails.
▶ 1:26:14And at the end of the day, I think it's a it's a now or never moment in my view for Republicans to step up and defend the prerogatives of the Congress and the Constitution. But Raiki member Delora, I guess I might if I might.
▶ 1:26:27I would just make this one point u u Mr. Noose and and that I think the heartbeat of the uh of the Congress is the appropriations process. It's $1.7 trillion dollars every single year. You can find a bill that we enact for five years and then it's gone, you know, 10 years and it's gone.
▶ 1:26:54This is every single year and we have gone back and forth Democrats and Republicans historically and we've hammered out which are the issues that make sense where we fight for some, Republicans fight for some, we come to a conclusion and we get the bills and going forward. That is at the heart of what is happening here.
▶ 1:27:15And you make a very good point because what is at stake and I'm not willing to do in the appropriations process. I will fight like hell because I believe it really is the guts of what this federal government is all about.
▶ 1:27:35I wish my colleagues on the other side of the aisle who care deeply about some of these issues otherwise quite honestly they wouldn't have voted for them the $410 billion that has been that has been terminated or frozen. They wouldn't have. But right now, right now is the time to talk about where the the appropriations process goes.
▶ 1:27:58If we give in again and again and again, Russ vote will have won the day and taken it over for the uh not I don't even believe for the executive. He takes it over for to just a grandizing the the the the power in his own hands.
▶ 1:28:15I thank the ranking member. I I yield
▶ 1:28:18Thank you very much, Mr. Neuse. Mr. Jack, you're recognized.
▶ 1:28:22Thank you, Madam Chair. Just uh one question to the vice chairman as you were closing your thoughts and your exchange with Mr. Nagus. I would love for you just to explain to the committee, explain to those watching at home the consequences of not passing the CR of not doing our job for funding the government. You're walking through just how devastating that would be, but could you specify that a little bit more for this committee?
▶ 1:28:45Thank you, sir. Our fiscal year ends right the end of this month. Um, that's the reality. And if we don't pass this short-term CR, that's the reality, which means in essence the government shuts down.
▶ 1:29:01And when the government shuts down, uh, then certain things that we I think would all agree we have to do are just not no longer possible to do to to pay salaries of certain key individuals to to to move forward on the essential things that government must do. Again, keep the lights on. Literally keep the lights on. And so that's what's at stake here.
▶ 1:29:25And and so I think, you know, we we can have debates all day long and those are, I think, appropriate and helpful potentially about what maybe additionally should be in this short-term CR to keep the lights open. Um, but if we don't pass this short-term CR, we are facing a government shutdown. And what what Chairman Cole and the Republican appropriators and I think the Republicans are trying to do is avoid that.
▶ 1:29:52is avoid a government shutdown just till again November. Then in the meantime give us the opportunity to hash out these issues through the through the appropriations process. We are now faced with two or a CR.
▶ 1:30:10This CR is frankly with some anomalies u a clean CR and and so yeah we could argue about maybe there should be something else that does those are legitimate conversations to have but but what we're what is in front of us now is to avoid a government shutdown and give a little bit more time for the regular process to move forward
▶ 1:30:33and for those debates to occur as they surely will
▶ 1:30:36correct sir
▶ 1:30:36in committee. Uh, well, I just want to note, if I'm not mistaken, HR 1968, the full year continuing appropriations and extensions act that was passed back in March was passed uh with a bipartisan vote on the House floor. I hope to see that again later this week. And with that, Madam Chair, I will yield back.
▶ 1:30:51Thank you, Mr. Jack. Mr. Norman, you're
▶ 1:30:57Thank you both for showing up. I have no questions. I don't like CRS, but this this one makes sense at this time. Yell
▶ 1:31:04Thank you, Mr. Norman, Mr. Roy, you're
▶ 1:31:11Thank you, chairwoman. Um, just a couple of quick questions. Uh, taking at face value, and that is word that gentleman is not a United States senator. um the uh questions that were asked of you, I I think it merits observing that the rule change that is currently um uh the Senate has uh put forth is in direct response without getting into the intricacies of the Senate not being United States Senator um is
▶ 1:31:41in response to an extraordinary historic level of blocking nominees. Would the gentleman
▶ 1:31:48Yeah, the facts speak for themselves on that. So I would agree
▶ 1:31:51as the majority leader of the Senate noted that when you look at the voice votes or unanimous consents in the first term of different presidents or in the terms of different presidents that 96% under HW Bush Bush 98% under Clinton 90% under W Bush 90% under Obama 65% under Trump 1 57% under Biden 0% under Trump to.
▶ 1:32:20Now, that's according to the majority leader of the Senate. You can take up those facts with the majority leader. My point is just this. It has been an enormous um blocking of the Senate uh uh confirmation process by Democrats in the upper chamber. Is that would the gentleman agree that that is roughly observable by anybody who follows
▶ 1:32:42Mr. Roya, obviously I don't have those numbers in front of me, but I think there has there's been widespread reporting uh to basically that reflects in essence what you've just stated,
▶ 1:32:54Roger. And so I would just a couple other quick things um because a lot of numbers been thrown around and so forth. Just to be very clear, we're talking about essentially a freeze in spending at current levels through November 20th. Is that what we're putting forward?
▶ 1:33:09Yes. an extension of that which is you're right it would be in essence a freeze uh till uh till November. Yes sir. And when you account for the recisions that have been carried out this year, $9 billion roughly, I'm rounding voted on by Congress, uh, following the law and the statutes, $9 billion of recisions that we voted on, and then roughly, as I understand it, $5 billion of what the administration refers
▶ 1:33:39to as pocket recisions, which is in the courts, and they'll sort that out. Um, isn't that roughly the numbers we're talking about?
▶ 1:33:47No, you're accurate on the numbers. Yes.
▶ 1:33:50And so when you account for those and you look at the bill we have before us and you look at the anomalies in question, we are not only freezing spending, we're actually a little lower year-over-year. Is that correct?
▶ 1:34:02I think that would be accurate. And so we can have a whole lot of noise about what's happening or not happening. But for the average American just tuning in, all we're trying to do is continue to carry forward the operations of government under a president who is trying to reform the government, who is actually trying to hold back wasteful spending, a lot of the stuff we found under Doge with a Congress that is trying to work with a president to actually have recisions to carry out a lot of waste and fraud and abuse and programs that the American people don't particularly like.
▶ 1:34:30a few of which I know the gentleman has himself advocated for um you know reforms and changes and uh and to carry forward a uh spending level that will now allow for the continuation of the appropriations process which I might add this house this this side of the Congress has passed what two through the floor uh nine through full committee and one through subcommittee do I have that right
▶ 1:34:57the appropriation bills we've actually passed all 12 through full committee sir
▶ 1:35:00okay All right. So, what's misunderstood? So, so two off the floor and the other 10 through full committee. Is that right?
▶ 1:35:05I think it's three off the floor. Three off the floor, all 12 through full
▶ 1:35:09Even better than I thought. So, um the fact of the matter is those bills are moving. Um
▶ 1:35:16is the Senate uh ahead of us?
▶ 1:35:20I'm not sure where the appropriation bills on the appropriation bills. My understanding is that the Senate is which is which is by the way a change uh for them is actually trying to move their appropriation bills forward Mr. Roy which is why it would be helpful to have the CR so we don't shut down and we can continue the process.
▶ 1:35:38That was a that was a question on purpose to say that the Senate has bills that they've moved. So now there can be a process for determining whether or not there's going to be able to be conference during that time with the bills that have passed and the matching of the various uh bills. And then uh if Democrats uh move away from what they normally do, which is blocking our ability to move these through, then we can move appropriations bills. Is that
▶ 1:36:03That is the goal, sir. To not shut down the government first, which is what we're dealing with here today, right? Stop the government from shutting down and then move forward with the appropriation bills. Correct, sir. And uh the last point is is this this number that has been thrown around of $410 billion.
▶ 1:36:16Is that not sort of an amalgamation of uh programs that are being cherrypicked and put together as some large number as opposed to we're talking about that we're holding spending in check that we've got a recisions like I said that we voted on were 9 billion 5 billion in pocket recisions and we're holding spending at current levels. Is that correct?
▶ 1:36:35Yeah. I mean, we can talk a lot about a little different a lot of different things, sir, but I think it is important to kind of hone in onto what we're dealing with today. What's in front of you today, in front of you today is a CR just through November to do precisely what you have just said, which is to allow the appropriations process to move forward. And the alternative to that is not theory. The alternative to that, unfortunately, right now, is a government shutdown.
▶ 1:37:02And that's something that some of us believe would be really devastating for this country.
▶ 1:37:07I appreciate uh the chairman coming testifying and I yield back.
▶ 1:37:12Thank you very much, Mr. Roy. Um that concludes the hearing portion.
▶ 1:37:23The it concludes the panel. And so we we excuse the two persons from the uh appropriations committee. And we thank you very much.
▶ 1:37:45I now welcome our second panel, Representative Luna from the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. Your full statement will be submitted for the record and we ask that you summarize your statement in five Representative Luna, I welcome your
▶ 1:38:07Thank you, Chairwoman. Um, I want to thank you, Chairwoman Fox and ranking ranking member McGovern. I am urging the rules committee to grant a prompt rule for the House consideration of HRE 719 honoring the life and legacy of Charles Charlie James Kirk. On September 10th, a horrific tragedy was inflicted on America when a courageous American patriot, devout Christian, dedicated husband, and father of two.
▶ 1:38:33My friend and one of the most prolific conservative political minds of our time had his life tragically cut short in a targeted act of political violence. A deranged man who was apparently radicalized by progressive left ideology assassinated Charlie for his family and the entire world to see. As we work to make sense of it all, what should be clear is dangerous rhetoric describing political opponents as oppressive fascists, to say the least, has reached a fever pitch.
▶ 1:39:02The past year alone, we've witnessed multiple attempts on President Trump's life, as well as the murder of an elected of elected leaders in Minnesota and now a brave activist working tiresly for peaceful political dialogue. Charlie was a man committed to his faith, family, and this nation. He dedicated his life to protecting and defending the god-given rights enshrined in our founding documents. Such violence has no place in our country, especially political violence, regardless of the victim's political leanings. Full stop. No excuses, no qualifications.
▶ 1:39:33Today, we firmly condemn these attacks and all those who seek to harm our fellow citizens, regardless of political beliefs. American democracy depends on resolving politi political differences through spirited debate, the ballot box, and embracing the rule of law. Beyond that, let's honor Charlie by hugging our loved ones a little tighter, expressing gratitude for their support, and embracing our faith a bit stronger, particularly when such an event may cause great stress.
▶ 1:39:58Again, I ask the rules committee to grant a prompt rule for the House's consideration of this legislation. And I welcome the committee's questions.
▶ 1:40:08Thank you very much, uh, Miss Luna. Last week was a tough week for I think all Americans. We saw a lot of violence in our country which touched people. Let me point out the resolution calls upon all Americans regardless of race, party affiliation, or creed to reject political violence, recommmit to respectful debate, uphold American values, and respect
▶ 1:40:39one another as fellow Americans. Does it not? I'd like to quote one whereas clause from the speaker's resolution that I find so striking. Whereas Charlie Kirk would not have us respond to his death with despair, but rather with renewed purpose, to speak truths with courage, to stand firm in faith, to seek unity while standing firm in principle,
▶ 1:41:09and to serve as living reminders of the values he championed, faith, family, and freedom. Uh let me uh also say to educate the broader public, the resolution then continues as all resolutions do. It reads now.
▶ 1:41:34Now therefore be it resolved and this can be Congress's resolve, can it not? that we can respond with that renewed purpose. To speak truths with courage, to stand firm in faith, to seek unity while standing firm in principle, and to serve as living reminders of faith, family, and freedom. That can be our fixed purpose if we embrace this resolution. Correct.
▶ 1:42:02I thank you very much for representing our body here today in uh bringing the resolution to us to the rules committee. And I yield back Mr. McGovern. You're
▶ 1:42:18Miss Luna, thank you for being here. Um and um we uh we all condemn this ter this terrible terrible uh tragedy. Um, and I just want to say that I know that you were a personal friend of uh, Mr. Kirk, I Mr. Roy as well, and uh,
▶ 1:42:35and I know this uh, hits you both particularly hard and I just want you to know that we we're aware of that. Uh, but I appreciate you being here and um, I thank you and I yield back.
▶ 1:42:47Thank you. Um, if I can just add in one more thing too. Representative Moscowitz has an amendment um 5371. And I want to let you all know that I'm actually co-sponsoring that amendment. It's calling for one um for an additional pot of money 250,000 for the MRA to be used for a designated security personnel for members of Congress. Um in the in in light of what's happened, I think it's incredibly important, especially if the legislative branch and the executive branch is getting additional security that we consider that for members.
▶ 1:43:17Um, as you may know, Jared Moscowitz actually had someone threatening to murder him. And I actually have someone who's serving federal prison time for threatening to murder me as well, um, after fleeing to the Philippines. So, this is something that we take very seriously, and I hope that you all consider supporting that amendment as well. Thank you.
▶ 1:43:33Thank you. U, Miss Fishbach, you're
▶ 1:43:36Thank you, Madam Chair. And I I just want to say thank you for bringing the um resolution forward. you know, I'm from Minnesota, so not that long ago, we dealt with the assassination of Speaker Hortman and the attempted murder of uh Senator Hoffman, who are great friends of mine. I knew them both. Um and um and so I just would say we just have to recommmit to treating each other with respect and and stop the inflammatory language.
▶ 1:44:06And I think that both Speaker Hortman and Mr. Kirk treated people with that respect and um and really did um a wonderful job making sure that people felt heard and that they were listening and having a conversation and not using the inflammatory words. So, thank you for bringing it forward and I just uh wanted to mention that.
▶ 1:44:26Thank you, Miss Fishbot. Miss Scandlin, you're recognized.
▶ 1:44:30Thank you. I just associate myself with the ranking members remarks.
▶ 1:44:34Thank you. Um Mr. Scott is not here. Mr. Griffith, you're recognized.
▶ 1:44:41Yeah, these are uh this was a terrible event that occurred last week. I appreciate you bringing up the other incidences, both yours and Mr. uh and appreciate you bringing this to us this afternoon. With that, Madam Chair, I yield back.
▶ 1:44:58Miss Leisure Fernandez.
▶ 1:45:00Uh thank you, Madam Chair, Representative Luna, and and Representative Fishbach. uh condemning political violence of of all kinds in every corner of America is an important thing to do. Thank you for pointing out your own friendships across the aisle. Thank you. Thank you.
▶ 1:45:20Thank you, Miss Leisure Fernandez. Mr. Jack, you're recognized.
▶ 1:45:23Thank you, Madam Chair. And and I want to thank Representative Luna for her testimony. Um, I don't think there's a member of Congress who was closer to Charlie than you and someone who worked with him um during my service for President Trump. There's no greater advocate for you than Mr. Kirk. So, this is a wonderful testament to his legacy and look forward to supporting this. I hope it's unanimous. With that, I yield
▶ 1:45:47Thank you very much, Mr. Norman. You're
▶ 1:45:52Thank you for your words. Thank you for bringing it to the rules committee. And I think it's a proper time. I just got a note that uh said it's I think it doesn't it's amazing but said Donald Charlie Kirk died at 12:23 that coincides with John 12:23 uh about a colonel falling to the ground and that life is after that. Very fitting. Thanks for bringing it. I yel
▶ 1:46:19Mr. Roy, you're recognized.
▶ 1:46:22I'll be brief. I'll just thank the gentle lady from Florida. um we know how close she was uh with Charlie and um being such a strong advocate for uh the message that Charlie uh was carrying forward um not for himself but but for this country and for our kids and our grandkids and for the gospel of Christ.
▶ 1:46:47And um you know when I when the events occurred last week uh my children are not on social media by design. Um that's a topic for another day that we should address. But um I was pinging my son saying don't let any of your friends put you on social media. I did not want him to see. He had become quite um enamored of Charlie. My son's name is Charlie.
▶ 1:47:14And um so I told him what would happen and uh he asked if it was public and I said yes he's gone. I'm sorry buddy. And he said I would love to have meet him someday and then he just sent me a a verse um from the Paul's letter to the Corinthians uh 1 Corinthians 15:58. Therefore my dear brothers and sisters stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
▶ 1:47:44And I I only share that because it was indicative in my view of the impact that Charlie uh will continue to have on um a new generation who are recommitting themselves to the word of God and to um the founding principle of this country. So I appreciate it. Anna, the gentle lady from Florida, and um I yield back.
▶ 1:48:10Thank you, Mr. Scott. You're recognized. Madam Chair, I just um echo the other things that have been said. It was a gut-wrenching day. Um and a lot of us will miss him and I appreciate you bringing the resolution and uh his work will continue.
▶ 1:48:38Thank you, Mr. Scott. That um will um end the hearing portion, but we'll recess until the last votes because we have amendments to consider. And so um we will go to votes and then we'll come back uh and re reconvene as soon as the last vote in this series. Thanks to everyone.
▶ 2:41:28Mr. Moscowitz. you are Mr. Amalfi, you're recognized and and I think you know the drill. Your written comments will be put into the record. Uh, but if you want to
▶ 2:41:47you'd like me to summarize?
▶ 2:41:49Yes, sir. Okay. I would like you to
▶ 2:41:51Catching that hint. Okay. All right. Well, thank you, Madam Chair and many members. Appreciate uh the opportunity here tonight. I I don't get in this little intimate room very often. It's kind of It's kind of fun.
▶ 2:42:04So as it is um what we're working on here is uh uh hospitals in the US and I'm speaking particularly on mine but there's others that would come into this category as well that are uh designation as crit critical access hospital which is very important for them for certain funding they're able to pull down and um in in the case of the one I'm know about but others around the country uh the staff status for
▶ 2:42:34them has changed because uh CMS has changed the uh calculation for a 35mile distance required between rural critical access hospitals for eligibility.
▶ 2:42:48In the case of the one in my district in Glenn County of Northern California, um the 35 mile distance had always been accurate for the last about 24 years until a recalculation using Google Maps uh and using a different route that nobody would actually use in an emergency um made it less than 35 miles for that eligibility.
▶ 2:43:11And so that's thrown them out again after uh over two decades of eligibility and um and their status is still actually current on that too. So there wasn't a uh a change of status or a an expiration in that sense. So CMS changed the routes to calc how that calculation is done and because of this new calculation they're now ineligible.
▶ 2:43:37for what this at least means for Glenn Medical Center in my district in Northern California is that very soon they're going to go out of business because of that. The critical access emergency room aspect is an important part of their funding. And when you look at uh Glenn County, it's the only one in the county and the only one nearby. And so it's a very rural county that has a ratio of doctors to one to about 5,600 population when the national average is about one to every 30 337.
▶ 2:44:08Um the county itself it's a fairly sizable county. It's approximately 26 uh north to south and 50 mi east to west. And so the extremities of the county are a lot farther than even the 35 we're talking about. Um so rural health care um is indeed a challenge. Um the proximity of the hospital to a major freeway is very close and very important.
▶ 2:44:32There's a lot uh Interstate 5 is a hightra area for the whole west coast and that's the nearest hospital for quite a quite a radius uh for at least emergency services. So, um, what we're seeking to do is to, uh, in the is to, um, uh, have have the ability to change our status at least in a temporary basis while other aspects of this are, uh, are, uh, are cleaned up.
▶ 2:45:02So, but we don't believe the only one in the country that's this case. There's, as I mentioned, uh, a number less than 490 hospitals. We're still waiting for an updated estimate from CMS and of course we're waiting for an informal CBO score on the on the legislation.
▶ 2:45:20So the mistake was that um they claimed that they shouldn't have given this status to begin with because of that eligibility yet the calculation is only a recent calculation and so now what we'll have is a hospital that people rely on and a lot of people even not from the area travelers would rely upon having that pulled away from them. um because of a recent recalculation of maps.
▶ 2:45:45So 250 employees would lose their jobs and um I will try to finish the summary at this point here. But it's extremely important that the amendment go through and um and save this status and and perhaps many others around the country for in in my case in my Northern California district a pretty wide zone. you would not have emergency service for people in that proximity to an agricultural area and a major freeway.
▶ 2:46:14So, I'll I'll stop there if you have any questions. Madam Chairman, thank you.
▶ 2:46:20Thank you very much, Mr. Moscow with You're recognized.
▶ 2:46:24Madam Chairwoman, thank you. My amendment is pretty simple. It would give every House member and every senator $250,000 into their MRA account dedicated for security of the member. That would could be security products. It could be a person on your staff dedicated to security. If you're going to add that person to your staff, it would have to be approved by Capitol Police and House uh administration.
▶ 2:46:51Obviously, Madam Chairwoman, I am deeply worried about my Republican and Democratic colleagues uh in the wake of the assassination attempt uh of uh President Trump, the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the assassination of the Minnesota speaker, um the uh brutal beating of uh Speaker Pelosy's husband. Uh and we are all exposed.
▶ 2:47:20We're exposed in DC when we walk around. We're exposed when we go home, when I go to the ball fields with my kids, uh when I go to the grocery store, uh when I'm walking around, we are all being accosted. And between people being radicalized online, uh between the hatred that is sewed in this country, um we're it's a national security risk.
▶ 2:47:48Madam Chairwoman, the House right now is divided by two, three members. The Democrats take the House. Maybe we'll be up by two or three members. Someone could change the balance of power in the United States by removing two or three members. And we're not doing much about it, Madam Chairwoman. So, this would be the largest security package that's been proposed to help keep both house members and senators safer in their district uh and in Washington DC.
▶ 2:48:18Thank you.
▶ 2:48:20Thank you, Mr. Mosquitz. Um uh Mr. Lafa, I just have one quick question. When did CMS change the rule to affect your When did this rule a change occur?
▶ 2:48:36Our our understanding is that uh the the mileage itself has been for many years but the calculation changed sometime in the last year year and a half and due to uh the timeline of getting around and reapproving uh the status we found we found about my office in April.
▶ 2:48:56You found out about it
▶ 2:48:57in April and so it' been a little bit longer than that for the hospital since they were notified and their timeline is very short. They have until maybe next April technically, but they're already losing people now. So, could
▶ 2:49:10you found out about it in April and you you didn't go to the appropriations committee or you did go to the appropriations committee to ask that this be changed or you go to the
▶ 2:49:21We tried to work through the administrative process on that and not, you know, try and put it into legislation since legislation's really difficult to move around here. So, you know, we tried to get the administrative route and looked at all the different angles on that. So, it wouldn't, you know, but it's we're we're at the desperation point because the hospital's in a desperation point.
▶ 2:49:41Okay. Thank you. Um, Mr. Moscow, it's uh the total on your amendment is Say that again. 100
▶ 2:49:51The total is 135,250,000 for both the House and the Senate. And that's the ceiling, Madam Chairwoman. Obviously, if every member didn't spend the 250, then obviously less would be
▶ 2:50:03Okay. So, 250,000 per member, House and Senate for 135 U, million250,000.
▶ 2:50:14That's correct.
▶ 2:50:15Okay. Thank you very much, Mr. McGover.
▶ 2:50:18I thank you both for being here. Um, Mr. Mr. Lamalfa, if I understand your request correctly, you are coming here to ask us not to block your amendment. And my question to you is if they block your amendment, will you vote for the think that's your leverage.
▶ 2:50:42Uh as we learn I don't learn today.
▶ 2:50:45I don't typically operate that way. I just try to work with uh everybody.
▶ 2:50:48Well, then then yeah, I I I I mean I then we're then words are words, right? I mean, I I I I think it at some point um you know, I I've been critical of this um of this Congress for it's it's been one it's probably it's going to go on history's most closed Congress in history. Um and uh I I don't think that's going to change because people go along to get along. But I appreciate your what you're trying to do. I mean, I'm worried about hospitals closing, too.
▶ 2:51:17Um and um you know, so anyway, I but I thank you both for being here and uh I yield back.
▶ 2:51:22Thanks, sir. Thank you, Mr. McGovern. Miss Fishbach,
▶ 2:51:25I have no questions.
▶ 2:51:27Miss Scandlin, Miss Hin, Miss Leger, Fernandez,
▶ 2:51:38Mr. Scott,
▶ 2:51:39Mr. Muskitz, if uh if your amendment is made in order, do you intend to vote for the rule?
▶ 2:51:44I will. I will vote for the rule. I will vote for the CR if this winds into the package. And I'll tell you why, and I'm glad you asked. I am not going to play politics with your security or my security. I will take, by the way, the political hit by voting for the CR, but I don't want Last year, one of my constituents this I want to answer your question. Last year, one of my
▶ 2:52:09You answered my question, by the way. I app I appreciate you being direct and committing to vote for the rule.
▶ 2:52:14Yeah. So, now that you've asked that and I've answered, are you willing to vote for my amendment?
▶ 2:52:18I I don't know. I'm not It's a lot of money. It's $133 million. I mean, I'm I'm
▶ 2:52:26135. I mean, it's a lot of money.
▶ 2:52:28I'm I'm not I I am convinced that something needs to be done on member security. I'm not convinced that this amendment is the solution to be honest with you.
▶ 2:52:38So, the president asked for $58 million for the executive branch. Not a single person questions that amount. He's just getting what he asked for. But when it comes to protecting the legislature, us we can't get out of our own way to do it. I had a constituent who lives my time. It's my time, Mr. Musk. I've been
▶ 2:52:59But my understanding was that was for the executive and the judicial is is the judicial in addition to
▶ 2:53:04and there's money in the continuing resolution for members of Congress.
▶ 2:53:10Let let me say this. I I do believe something is going. I do believe additional measures are going to have to be taken on member security. I'm not convinced that $135 million in the rules committee is the right way to do it. I do think that we have House Administration and other committees that are taking this issue seriously that are looking at ways to plus it up through partnerships with local law enforcement and other things.
▶ 2:53:35Um, and the threat level and the threats are very different for every individual member. Um, but anyway, I'm I'm going to yield my time back to the chair.
▶ 2:53:48Thank you, Mr. Griffith. You're
▶ 2:53:50Thank you, Madam Chair. Mr. Lalfa, uh, I understand your frustration and when you're dealing and I don't know your district, but I know my district and when you're dealing with mountain roads and all kinds of things, it's easy to, you know, go as a crow flies or do something like that.
▶ 2:54:06And uh so I would just offer to you that that it this may not be the right venue, but I appreciate you bringing it to our attention and as the chairman of the health subcommittee of energy and commerce, let's get together and let me see if I can help you work through that red tape because it's just wrong and your critical access hospital is extremely important and that I understand it. It's really literally life and death for the hospital and probably a lot of people there and uh I appreciate that greatly as a but
▶ 2:54:32we're on a time crunch on this and and they could close within two months and so that's why I come to you here today with uh with this ask in order to change the status just enough
▶ 2:54:42to buy time on it
▶ 2:54:43and and I and I appreciate that and I understand your frustration u and I can't promise you anything but I can other than I will work to try to resolve it and same person that helps me with health is here listening to this as well. So, he's knowing I'm making that commitment to you.
▶ 2:55:00Appreciate it, sir. Thank you.
▶ 2:55:03Mr. Norman, you're recognized.
▶ 2:55:08M. Marcus, I uh you know, I understand the death threats. I understand the the reasoning behind it. One thing that drives me crazy about this place, we we take millions as if they're basically nothing. You take $35 million and put a 2% rate on it. It's 2,700,000 a year, 225,000 a month, 7500 a day. Um, this is not how we with 37 trillion in in debt. If we had a piggy bank, I could see it.
▶ 2:55:38But now we all get what's our MRA? 1.3 We could take it out of our We have to We have to if we cut that by 50% we could be doing the taxpayers a justice. But I cannot vote for this in the rule. Uh I won't will not vote for it on the floor. I just think it's irresponsible to do that. And you know uh we all take risk. This is a risky job particularly with with the death of Mr. Kirk.
▶ 2:56:08But, um, I I just don't see how this this is kind of a knee-jerk reaction to me. Um, and I, you know, I'd be taking the same risk y'all are, but I I can't see it. $35 million. I think it's a disgrace to the taxpayers to be honest with you.
▶ 2:56:26M. Mr. N, can I respond?
▶ 2:56:28Yes, sir.
▶ 2:56:30So, I just apples to apples. After Mr. Kirk was assassinated, the executive branch had a knee-jerk reaction and asked for $58 million for themselves and the judicial branch. That's in the CR. That was their knee-jerk reaction. I happen to believe they're correct. I happen to think we should vote for that. But to say that they should get it and we should not, I I don't understand.
▶ 2:56:56Is it because the president asked for it, so he gets it, but when the legislature asks for it themselves, we don't get it? Why is his $58 million not being criticized, scrutinized? That's also not paid for. That's also adding to the debt. They should be protected. So, I I would support that. But we're saying, well, we can't protect the legislature because of the debt. We can't protect ourselves because it's a lot of money. But hey, the executive and the judicial, here's your money.
▶ 2:57:26I have that's that's what I'm struggling with, Mr. Norman.
▶ 2:57:29I get that. But do they get an MRA allowance that's inflated? No. Uh are the judges at risk? Yes. Is the president at risk? Yes. They take a operate a different at a different level than we do. So I just I I cannot um uh you know the speaker is at risk. The reason he is going through the capital not stopping at lights uh and I don't know whether y'all know this or not is because he's had threats of assassination if the if the car stops.
▶ 2:57:58So bottom line, this just isn't how to do it. Let's cut our and you know this. IMRA could be cut in half and be doing more justice. Now as far as justifying all this other spending, I agree with you, but the slippery slope is where do you stop? And this is just one thing that I I can't you know, I won't support it here and I'm not going to support it on the floor. Um but that's you one. We all get our vote. We all get our one opinion.
▶ 2:58:25You know, I I see what you're doing it in a genuine spirit, but this is a knee-jerk reaction to me, and so I'll be voting against. I yel back.
▶ 2:58:33Thank you, Mr. Jack.
▶ 2:58:36No questions.
▶ 2:58:37Thank you, Mr. Roy.
▶ 2:58:40I I I'll only say just because it's important, um that I do appreciate the spirit with which you're bringing this forward. Um and I do think there's a lot of people here who are having these conversations and they're legitimate. Um, but but I would note I think and I'm sorry I was I was finishing something there, but that that I believe I'm correct that not only are the dollars currently attached to the CR and also your amendment, they are not paid for.
▶ 2:59:07That's correct.
▶ 2:59:08And you know, for for me, um, that's it's it's a I don't break from that very often. Um, and so, you know, I'm going to have to take that under adisement on on the CR itself on the floor. Um, I know it's a lot of people view it as peanuts and a $37 trillion debt when you're talking about $88 million in the current bill and then yours would plus it up 100, you know, whatever it is, but you know, it's a for me it's something that we have to break in this town that whether it's $5 or $5 trillion, we got to figure out
▶ 2:59:38how to pay for everything. And I think uh President Reagan was right that everything should be attached to a tax bill and everything we propose it ought to say all right well this is going to be a 05% tax increase on Americans to pay for whatever this is in this case and for me this is you know to benefit members of Congress and it may be a worthwhile thing. I think we ought to debate it um and have a conversation about how the dollars can be used. I think they could be more flexibly used uh to ensure that we're able to figure out how to what works for each of us. I live on 10 acres in Texas.
▶ 3:00:08um that's very different than colleagues who live in Brooklyn or whatever. So um I I very much appreciate the spirit with which you bring it forward and we're all trying to, you know, think through all these issues, but I've got some concerns on the spending side as I share with you privately. So I yield back.
▶ 3:00:24Mr. R, can I respond?
▶ 3:00:25Yeah, sure.
▶ 3:00:25So please,
▶ 3:00:28I I just want to give you the state of
▶ 3:00:30Yeah. So last year I had a constituent of mine who was target practicing in his backyard 8 miles from my house. He was a former felon. He had a high-powered rifle similar to the one that was used to kill Charlie Kirk. He had a scope. He had a silencer, body armor, 3,000 rounds of ammunition. He was his neighbor, his anonymous neighbor called the police because she heard shots in the backyard. It's the only reason we know about this.
▶ 3:01:00It's not someone who ever communicated with my office. Not someone who ever sent me an email. No threats online, nothing. Didn't know the guy. When the police arrived, they found that he was a former felon. Found all this stuff. They also found a book that was filled with anti-semitic material. They found a target list, my name, my temple. They went into his web history. He was googling wind resistance and distance and where my wife worked. He got sentenced to 25 years a week ago.
▶ 3:01:28When this happened, I was notified by local police. Capitol police knew about this and never called my office. Not at all. And so I'm trying really hard to explain that we are all in more danger than we are willing to know. Mr. Norman, I get it. It's expensive and are adding to the debt. I understand. We have all of these problems when it comes to spending money. I don't want to hijack the CR.
▶ 3:01:58I just talked to the speaker about it for 30 minutes, but we got to have an up or down vote on the floor on security for ourselves. If we can't solve this, if we can't protect ourselves, how are we going to do anything around here? And so, you know, look, I was willing to trade my vote on the CR, which is a political liability, because I think it's that important to protect ourselves. So, maybe the dollar amount's not right. Maybe I don't have it exactly right. Obviously, the CR dropped.
▶ 3:02:24I had a couple hours to put this together, but I can't even get a commitment from the speaker to do this. When I met with him in January and went through the failure of Capitol police to even notify me that a constituent was arrested with a plot to kill me, he told me he would work on it. It took eight months to get $5,000. And so, I'm just trying to figure out how we break the bureaucratic log jam around here. Go to the members direct, right?
▶ 3:02:51get out of our leaderships and figure out how we're going to protect ourselves. And so that's I appreciate the conversation
▶ 3:02:58and I'll just add this for time sake move on just to say I appreciate that. I appreciate the spirit which you you share it. I'm sorry that um you all were dealing with that. I'm glad that that individual was prosecuted and and now jail. That's good. Um we need more of that. Uh but everything's a little different, right? I mean, you know, where I live, you know, a day doesn't go by where someone isn't shooting a gun somewhere, right? there there's shotguns and you know coyotes getting shot or whatever.
▶ 3:03:23So it's kind of like you know we're we're it's a normal way of life but but the different my issue is like there's restrictions on what we could use the MRA for that might work better for one member than another and I just worry we're reacting we're appropriating money and I think we need a wholesale review of a lot of things in Congress from stock trading by individual members to salary to MRA for security and all that stuff. Um, but at the end of the day, whether it's $5 or5 trillion, we ought to pay for it.
▶ 3:03:52I mean, I when I stare at ALS victims and cancer victims who want research and I say I I believe in what you're doing, but we got to pay for this stuff. I got to say the same thing for members of Congress. So, with that, I yield back.
▶ 3:04:05Thank you. Um, I want to add a couple of comments. One, Mr. Lamalfa, I think probably lots of us have the problems with the critical care hospitals. I have that is in question and I think something needs to be done about it. Miss Mr. Moscow, I could tell you a very similar story to what you've told me. We cannot be a reactive body here. We've got to work through the appropriations process.
▶ 3:04:35The speaker is making an honest effort to come up with a way for us to have reasonable at reasonable prices. So I think this is an appropriate place to offer this amendment. I think there's a time and a place uh we need to keep the government open. There will be time for you to talk with people and with other committees to work on it.
▶ 3:05:01Can I add something that madam chairman? Uh, it's time, I believe, for us to um close this.
▶ 3:05:08I actually haven't had a chance to
▶ 3:05:10I'm sorry, Mr. Langworthy. I apologize. You came in late. You weren't on my original list.
▶ 3:05:15I'm I'm sorry. I had some Didn't expect this meeting today. Um, I actually want to give you a few moments to finish your
▶ 3:05:24No, thank you. I appreciate it, Madam Chairman. I I don't disagree that it shouldn't be done in the CR. The reason I brought it is because the executive branch did it for themselves. They put it into the CR. So
▶ 3:05:38there's money for members in the CR.
▶ 3:05:41Well, we keep telling
▶ 3:05:43No. So the money that's in the CR, the 30 million in CR is not going to members. It goes to Capitol Police to continue the pilot program. I'm utilizing the pilot program now. Ever since the guy tried to kill me, I have anou with my sheriff's office. When I'm out of town, there's a police car at my house at nighttime. Okay, I'm utilizing theou. I can tell you it's not enough money. It's not enough money. Police officers are expensive. Private security are expensive. What's supposed to last a month lasts a week. Okay?
▶ 3:06:13And so, I'm not getting rid of that 30 million because to Mr. Royy's point, districts are different. Some people uh you know, you got some people who can't get an MOU at their sheriff's office or their sheriff's office is really far away. So having someone that's on their staff dedicated to their security might work better. Not all this money would get used, right?
▶ 3:06:33And so u but the reason I put it into the CR is cuz there was already money in the CR, both the 30 million for the legislature the speaker put in plus the 58 million that the executive put in. And so that's why I didn't deem it inappropriate to put it here. I I you know I I want to figure out how we protect ourselves. I'm okay that today ain't the day. I'm okay that this isn't the place to do it. I just don't want it to take a year. I mean, it took us nine months to get $5,000.
▶ 3:07:05Someone's going to get hurt.
▶ 3:07:08Well, I I appreciate you sticking your neck out politically on this and saying that you're willing to support um the rule and the CR. Uh I've learned more about this in the last 90 minutes than I've, you know, known through the whole process. I' I've had credible threats. I've had to, you know, push for prosecution of people in my district. Um this is a real problem. We cannot bury our heads in the sand on this anymore.
▶ 3:07:30Um because the I mean think of the cost uh to the psyche of the country of what happened last week and think of what the reality is if if it's you know a a member of our our government that suffers the same fate. Uh we have to get serious. We have to push all of our leadership on both sides of this chamber to get serious about this because we did move very quickly to acquies to the president's requests and we should do that and for the judiciary and we need to take care of ourselves as well.
▶ 3:08:00Uh I I listen to the speaker. I hear that the senate has a totally different plan and they're afraid that if this is on the CR this is not this gets stripped out then we have two CRs. Um, so this I don't think this is the appropriate place, but it is the appropriate time for us to act. You are right, Mr. Mosquitz, and I appreciate you being here today and sharing your story with us. Uh, and I think we all need to understand that we all have families and we all have to take care of this problem.
▶ 3:08:30And I yield
▶ 3:08:32Thank you, Mr. Blingworthy. And again, I apologize I didn't have you on the list. Um, thank you, gentlemen, very much for being here. We're now um is there anybody else? Seeing none, this closes the hearing portion of our meeting. The chair will be in receipt of a motion from the gentleoman from Indiana, Miss.
▶ 3:08:58Thank you, Madam Chair. Madame Chair, I move the committee grant HR5371, the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act 2026, a closed rule. The rule waves all points of order against consideration of the bill. The rule provides that the bill shall be considered as read. The rule waves all points of order against provisions in the bill. The rule provides one hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the committee on appropriations or their respective design.
▶ 3:09:27The rule provides one motion to recommmit. The rule further provides for consideration of HRES 719 honoring the life and legacy of Charles Charlie James Kirk under a closed rule. The rule provides that upon adoption of this resolution, it shall be in order without intervention of any point of order to consider HRES 719. The rule provides that the resolution shall be considered as read.
▶ 3:09:52The rule provides one hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the committee on oversight and government reform or their respective design. Finally, the rule further provides that sections 9, 10, and 11 of House Resolution 707 agreed to September 16th, 2025 are each amended by striking March 31st, 2026 and inserting January 31st,
▶ 3:10:24you've uh heard the motion. Is there any discussion or amendment to the rule? Mr.
▶ 3:10:29I think we have just three amendments. Madam Chair, um, I I have an amendment to the rule. I move the committee strike section three of this rule and add a new section to the rule which amends House Resolution 707 by striking sections 910 and 11 which block privilege consideration of measures ending the administration's global tariffs and tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and Brazil until March 31st, 2026.
▶ 3:10:51Uh I mean, Madam Chair, really I mean just yesterday we reported a rule to block consideration of a vote on Trump's tariffs until March 31st, 2026. That rule barely passed the the floor earlier today. Apparently, some Republican members were upset about the provision being included and voted no while they negotiated with your leadership. Now, we're back here and and what did they get for caving and voting yes?
▶ 3:11:14Profiles encourage, by the way, they got the very same provision blocking a vote on Trump's disastrous tariffs just to slightly just to a slightly sooner day. Wow, what a masterful gambit. Uh this rule is just like the last one. and it blocks the House from taking a vote on these unpopular and disastrous tariffs. Who cares what exact day you put, the result is the same. We can't vote on tariffs until next year when I'm sure you'll just extend the prohibition again.
▶ 3:11:42Um, and I don't know what my friends are are scared of finding out how unpopular these tariffs are. I mean, the Senate is taking these votes. Why can't the House I mean, you know, are were you afraid a measure ending the tariffs will pass? So, I would urge my colleagues to stop hiding from a vote on these tariffs. I mean, let's live up to our responsibility um as a legislative branch and have these debates and have these votes. And I urge a yes vote. I yield back.
▶ 3:12:09Thank you, Mr. McGovern. Is there any further discussion on Mr. McGovern's Hearing none, the question is on the amendment. All those in favor signify by saying I.
▶ 3:12:23All those opposed say no.
▶ 3:12:25No. In the opinion of chair, the nos have it. The amendments not agreed to.
▶ 3:12:29Ask for roll call.
▶ 3:12:30Mr. McGovern request a roll call. The clerk will call the role.
▶ 3:12:33Mrs. Fishbach. Mrs. Fishbach. No. Mr. Norman. Mr. Norman. No. Mr. Roy.
▶ 3:12:37Mr. Roy. No. Mrs. Hton. Mrs. Hton. No. Mr. Langworthy.
▶ 3:12:41Mr. Langworthy. No. Mr. Scott.
▶ 3:12:42Mr. Scott. No. Mr. Griffith. Mr. Griffith. No. Mr. Jack.
▶ 3:12:46Mr. Jack. No. Mr. McGovern.
▶ 3:12:48Mr. McGovern. I am. Miss Gallen. Hi.
▶ 3:12:50Miss Gallon. I am. Mr. Nuse.
▶ 3:12:53Miss Ledger Fernandez.
▶ 3:12:54Hi. Miss Ledger Fernandez. I Madam
▶ 3:12:57Madam Chair, no.
▶ 3:12:59The clerk will report the total.
▶ 3:13:01Three A's. Nine A's.
▶ 3:13:03And the nose have it. The amendments not agreed to. Miss Gandlin, you're
▶ 3:13:08Thank you, Madam Chair. I have an amendment to the rule. I move the committee making order and provide the appropriate waiverss for amendment number two to HR5371 offered by Representative Gray to repeal the Medicaid cuts in the big ugly bill and permanently extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits that help Americans afford health insurance. We are facing a looming health care crisis.
▶ 3:13:33In just a few weeks, millions of Americans are going to get notices that their health care premiums for the upcoming year are going to skyrocket. People with ACA marketplace coverage will be forced to scramble to find hundreds, if not thousands of extra dollars each month just to be able to pay their health insurance premiums. And private insurance generally is going up because of these cuts.
▶ 3:13:58because it's on top of the devastating cuts to Medicaid that were enacted in the big ugly bill. It is going to rip health care away from millions of people and is already leading to the closure of hospitals and nursing homes across the country. Our Republican colleagues are trying to ignore this issue, but it won't go away.
▶ 3:14:17We need to act now before those price increases take place to extend the ACA tax credit so moms and dads won't be forced to go without food or skip rent payments or car payments just to afford the family healthcare premiums. And we have to address the cuts to Medicaid. Republicans on this committee have a chance right now to do right by their constituents.
▶ 3:14:39make in order the gray amendment to provi prevent the massive premium hikes for tens of thousands of people just trying to keep their families healthy in every one of their districts. I urge a yes vote and I yield
▶ 3:14:54Thank you, Miss Scandlin. Is there any further discussion on the amendment? Mr.
▶ 3:14:59Madam Chair, just again, it's not the Affordable Care Act premium tax credits. It's it's the enhanced premium tax credits that were always scheduled to go away at the end of 2022. With that I
▶ 3:15:10Thank you, Mr. Scott. Any further discussion? Hearing none. The question is on the amendment. All those in favor signify by saying I.
▶ 3:15:21Those opposed say no.
▶ 3:15:23No. Any opinion chair? The nose have it. Miss Gandlin request a recorded vote. The clerk will call the role.
▶ 3:15:30Mrs. Fishbach. Mrs. Fishbach. No. Mr. Norman. Mr. Norman. No. Mr. Roy. Mr. Roy. No. Mrs. Hton. Mrs. Hton. No. Mr. Langworthy. Mr. Mr. Langworthy, no. Mr.
▶ 3:15:39Mr. Scott, no. Mr. Griffith,
▶ 3:15:41Mr. Griffith, no. Mr. Jack,
▶ 3:15:43Mr. Jack, no. Mr. McGovern,
▶ 3:15:44Mr. McGovern, I Miss Scan,
▶ 3:15:46Miss Scallan, I Mr. Negus, Miss Ledger
▶ 3:15:50Miss Ledger, Fernandez, I, Madam Chair,
▶ 3:15:52Madam Chair, no.
▶ 3:15:54The clerk will report the total
▶ 3:15:55three, nine.
▶ 3:15:58The nos have it. The amendments not agreed to. Is there further discussion or are there amendments? Miss Leer Fernandez, you're recognized. Madam Chair, I have an amendment to the rule. I move the committee make an order and provide the appropriate waiverss for amendment number four offered by Representative Lansman, number five offered by Representative Sykes, number nine offered by Representative Underwood, and amendments 6, seven, and eight offered by ranking member Palone to HR 5371.
▶ 3:16:27Madame Chair, the Lansman, Sykes, and Underwood amendments would add to the bill a new section repealing changes to Medicaid provider tax. These are essential so that the rural hospitals, critical care hospitals that we heard about earlier and that are so essential to my district and to all of yours would be able to continue.
▶ 3:16:49Uh they would prohibit implementation of the affordable care act marketplace rule and extend the ACA premium tax credits respectfully. The Palone amendments would prohibit political appointees for interfering with awarding NIH grants because those grants should be awarded based on science and medical validity. It would require reinstatement of the canceled NIH grants.
▶ 3:17:17Who can be against medical research? because we all know somebody we love who has been saved by medical research that was conducted at NIH. It would protect vaccines by strengthening the independence of the Advisory Committee on immunization These are essential steps that we must take and that Democrats are willing to say these are essential
▶ 3:17:48to protect our healthc care infrastructure to address the health care crisis that is looming and it is looming on October 1st. So now is the time to act as we say now is the time to act. Will Republicans vote on a CR that fixes the healthc care crisis looming on October 1st or not?
▶ 3:18:14Remember, we heard earlier that twothirds of the 91page bill are language. This is exactly what should and can be done in the CR if Republicans have the courage to do so and amend the CR so it addresses the moment that we are in. And with that, I urge a yes vote on um my onblock amendment and yield
▶ 3:18:46Thank you, Miss Leisure Fernandez. Is there any further discussion on the onblock amendment for Miss Leisure Hearing none, the question is on the amendment. All those in favor signify by saying I.
▶ 3:19:02Those opposed say no.
▶ 3:19:04In the opinion of the chair, the nose have it. Miss Leisure Fernandez
▶ 3:19:09request the recorded vote. The clerk will call the role.
▶ 3:19:13Mrs. Fishbach. Mrs. Fishbach. No. Mr. Norman. Mr. Norman. No. Mr. Roy. Mr. Roy. No. No. Mrs. Hton. Mrs. Hton. No. Mr. Langworthy. No.
▶ 3:19:20Mr. Langworthy. No. Mr. Scott. No.
▶ 3:19:22Mr. Scott. No. Mr. Griffith. Mr. Griffith. No. Mr. Jack.
▶ 3:19:25Mr. Jack. No. Mr. McGovern.
▶ 3:19:27Mr. McGovern. I miss Scallan.
▶ 3:19:29Miss Gallen. I am. Mr. Noose. Miss Ledger Fernandez.
▶ 3:19:34Miss Ledger Fernandez. I. Madam Chair.
▶ 3:19:37Madam Chair. No.
▶ 3:19:38Clerk will report the total.
▶ 3:19:40Three A's. Nine A's.
▶ 3:19:42The NOS have it. The amendment is not agreed to. Are there any other amendments or is there any other discussion? Hearing no further discussion, the question is on the motion from the gentlewoman from Indiana. All those in favor signify by saying I.
▶ 3:20:03Those opposed say no.
▶ 3:20:05In the opinion chair, the eyes have it. The motion's agreed to.
▶ 3:20:08Ask for a roll call. I don't think I heard the nose enough.
▶ 3:20:14Mr. McGovern requests a recorded vote. The clerk will call the role.
▶ 3:20:20Mrs. Fishbach,
▶ 3:20:22Mrs. Fishbach, I. Mr. Norman, yes.
▶ 3:20:24Mr. Norman, I Mr. Roy,
▶ 3:20:26Mr. Roy, I Mrs. Hin.
▶ 3:20:28Mrs. Hton. I Mr. Langworthy. Hi.
▶ 3:20:30Mr. Langworthy. I Mr. Scott.
▶ 3:20:32Mr. Scott. I Mr. Griffith. Hi. Mr. Mr. Griffith. I Mr. Jack. I
▶ 3:20:36Mr. Jack. I Mr. McGovern. No.
▶ 3:20:38Mr. McGovern. No. Miss Gallon. Miss Gallon. No. Mr. Noose. Miss Ledger.
▶ 3:20:47Miss Ledger Fernandez. No.
▶ 3:20:52Madam Chair,
▶ 3:20:54Madam Chair, I
▶ 3:20:57The clerk will report the total.
▶ 3:20:58Nine yays. Three nays.
▶ 3:21:01The eyes have it. The motion to report is agreed to. Accordingly, the gentleoman from Indiana, Miss Howard, will be managing the rule for the
▶ 3:21:11and Mr. McGovern will handle the rule for the minority. Thank you all very much. Um the meeting is adjourned.