| Speaker | Time | Text |
|---|---|---|
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House Votes on FMS Reform
00:03:28
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unidentified
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Going. | |
| I'd be really happy that, like that would be just great. | ||
| But right now, what I want to talk about is, I want to talk about this impulse online, and I don't. | ||
| I don't think online is just some corner of America or something. | ||
| I think online is actually where the future is being shaped, And I want to talk about why it is that it's so difficult for so many of our friends. | ||
| When they get up in the morning, they roll out of bed. | ||
| Some of them say some prayers or eat some breakfast or take a shower, but not all of them. | ||
| They get up in the morning, they roll out of bed, they're online, and they're telling us about how awful everything is. | ||
| Okay. | ||
| I mean, President Trump, I don't think he had, seriously, I don't think he had even three months. | ||
|
unidentified
|
And the House gathering back in for votes live here on C-SPAN. | |
| Motions to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 4216 and H.R. 747. | ||
| The first electronic vote will be conducted as a 15-minute vote. | ||
| Pursuant to clause 9 of Rule 20, remaining electronic votes will be conducted as five-minute votes. | ||
| Pursuant to clause 8 of Rule 20, the unfinished business is the vote on the motion of the gentleman from Washington, Mr. Baumgartner, to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 4216 as amended, on which the yays and nays are ordered. | ||
| The clerk will report the title. | ||
| H.R. 4216, a bill to direct the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, to carry out a review of the list of defense articles and services required to be transferred under the Foreign Military Sales Program as opposed to direct commercial sales. | ||
| FMS only list. | ||
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unidentified
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The question is, will the House suspend the rules and pass the bill as amended? | |
| Members will record their votes by electronic device. | ||
| This is a 15-minute vote. | ||
| And members of the U.S. House working on several foreign policy-related bills today after returning from the summer recess. | ||
| Right now, on their first and last round of votes for the day, this vote is on a measure that would make President Trump's executive order to reform the foreign military sales process into law. | ||
| It requires the State Department to review the list of defense items and services provided to foreign nations and international organizations under the foreign military sales program that are not currently eligible to be sold commercially. | ||
| Later in the week, they'll also vote on a resolution directing the Oversight and Government Reform Committee to continue its work looking at possible mismanagement of the federal government's investigation of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghillain Maxwell. | ||
| Kentucky Congressman Thomas Massey is filing a discharge petition to force a vote on the floor to release the Epstein files. | ||
|
Brave Victims Share Their Stories
00:15:15
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unidentified
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While lawmakers' vote will show House Speaker Mike Johnson's news conference from earlier on the committee's meeting with several of the victims of the convicted sex offender. | |
| Good afternoon, everyone. | ||
| We just spent more than two hours with six of the Epstein victims, some of the bravest women I've ever met. | ||
| They're very courageous. | ||
| They shared their stories. | ||
| Some of the ladies have shared these stories publicly before, but at least two of the women had never told their stories before, one for the very first time in the room. | ||
| And so there were tears in the room. | ||
| There was outrage. | ||
| It was both, I would describe it as heartbreaking and infuriating that justice has been delayed so long. | ||
| Some of the women in the room began to be groomed by Epstein and his accomplices, Elaine Maxwell and the others, 30 years ago. | ||
| Some of the, there were four attorneys in the room. | ||
| Some of them began civil litigation against Epstein and the Epstein evils and everything associated with it 20 years ago. | ||
| This has gone on for a long, long time. | ||
| And they shared their stories. | ||
| They shared how these brave young women, Epstein and his accomplices stole their innocence, stole their very lives in some cases, stole their hopes and dreams and aspirations and ruined them in so many ways. | ||
| But they came forward courageously to share their thoughts and their hopes and the House Oversight Committee and that the House itself, that we would do this in a bipartisan fashion and seek those answers, and we will. | ||
| They are owed that. | ||
| There may be as many as a thousand victims. | ||
| Think of it. | ||
| Hundreds and hundreds of young women who some of us imagine seated behind these six women. | ||
| One of the members in the committee said that, that they speak for all of them. | ||
| And it's been long, long overdue. | ||
| So the objective here is not just to uncover and investigate the Epstein evils, but also to ensure that this never happens again and ultimately to find out why justice has been delayed for these ladies for so very long. | ||
| It is inexcusable and it will stop now because the Congress is dialed in on this. | ||
| I'm very grateful for the leadership of Chairman James Comer of the House Oversight Committee who's with me here and he's done an extraordinary job. | ||
| August was a very busy district work period for so many members of Congress who were out fanned out across the country in their districts doing town halls and business roundtables and constituent services. | ||
| But our House Oversight Committee was working all along on their subpoenas. | ||
| And I'll let him recount for you some of the great work that has already been done. | ||
| But 34,000 Epstein documents have already been collected. | ||
| We will not stop there. | ||
| This is the beginning and not the end. | ||
| And they are going through very carefully because we have two ultimate objectives here. | ||
| We want to bring justice to every single person who is involved in the Epstein evils or the cover-up thereof. | ||
| But we also want to be equally certain that we protect the innocent victims. | ||
| Many of these young women, some of them are now middle-aged women, have never come forward. | ||
| We do not want their names or identities to be uncovered carelessly or intentionally in any way. | ||
| And so the House Oversight Committee in a bipartisan fashion is combing through these documents to ensure that we redact only the information related to the innocent victims themselves themselves. | ||
| We cannot be involved in subjecting them to any more harm. | ||
| With that, I want to yield to our very able and very busy chairman for all the great work he's been doing, Jamie Comer. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I'll just give a quick update. | ||
| I think everyone knows who all we've subpoenaed thus far in the initial batch. | ||
| We subpoenaed six former Attorneys General, as well as Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton. | ||
| We've expanded that to Alex Acosta. | ||
| Acosta is coming in, I believe, September the 19th, 16th or 19th. | ||
| We've got that date down. | ||
| I know that we'll have a lot of questions for him with respect to an earlier Epstein prosecution that he was involved in when he was U.S. Attorney. | ||
| We have the documents, the initial batch that had been sent by the White House. | ||
| As you know, we also subpoenaed Pam Bondi for those documents. | ||
| The White House is working with us. | ||
| I want to publicly thank the White House for turning over so many documents thus far. | ||
| We're in the process of uploading those documents for full transparency so everyone in America can see those documents. | ||
| It's going to, as quick as we can get them uploaded, and as the Speaker said, they're 34,000 pages. | ||
| We're doing everything we can to get those uploaded. | ||
| We want those to be public as soon as possible. | ||
| And then we're going to continue to bring in more people. | ||
| We learned of some additional names today. | ||
| We're going to do everything we can to give the American public the transparency they seek, as well as provide accountability in memory of the victims who have already passed away, as well as those that were in the room and many others who haven't come forward. | ||
| So we're sincere about this. | ||
| This was a two-and-a-half-hour discussion. | ||
| It was as bipartisan as anything I've seen in the nine years I've been here. | ||
| I appreciate the Speaker for giving us the authority to seek out everything that I think you all want and the people that I talk to as I travel America want. | ||
| We're going to do everything we can to get the answers and to do it as soon as possible. | ||
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unidentified
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I yield back. | |
| Question or two. | ||
| As a view referred to this as the Apstein hoax, you just said talking to the victims. | ||
| Is it a hoax? | ||
| I'm not sure what that comment refers to, but I've spoken to the president myself about this many times, and he is as insistent as we are. | ||
| He is the most transparent president in memory, probably in the history of the country. | ||
| As you know, he stops. | ||
| If he were here now, he would stand here and take your questions endlessly. | ||
| That's his mindset, and he wants the American people to have information so they can draw their own conclusions. | ||
| I've talked with him about this very subject myself, so I can tell you that is his heart. | ||
| Now, he also, just as we do, is insistent that we protect the innocent victims, and that's what this has been about. | ||
| There'll be votes in the House this week to advance this and affirm what it's doing. | ||
| Everybody in the House wants to go on record in affirming what our oversight committee is doing in a bipartisan fashion. | ||
| There's a discharge petition that is pending, and the reason that I was not comfortable with that and still am not comfortable with the discharge petition is because it was inartfully drafted. | ||
| It does not adequately protect the innocent victims, and that is a critical component of this. | ||
| So, the work is being done. | ||
| The Department of Justice and the administration are in full compliance with every congressional subpoena. | ||
| In fact, they're moving it quickly. | ||
| And so, the American people are owed this information, and the expectation is it will come out soon. | ||
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unidentified
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Mr. Harge, what exactly in the NAFTA and CONA discharge petition does it protect survivors? | |
| Yeah, look, it was inartfully drafted, okay? | ||
| They cite, for example, a code article that is supposedly to protect child sex acts, okay? | ||
| These are legal term of arcs, but they cite the wrong U.S. code provision, so it doesn't actually have any force of law. | ||
| They don't actually have adequate protections for whistleblowers. | ||
| We want to encourage whistleblowers in an investigation like this, and there are standards and practices and procedures that are used in federal prosecutions and investigations and here in Congress that are not adequately stated in the discharge petition. | ||
| I think the petition itself is effectively a moot point now because all of this is happening. | ||
| What the House Oversight Committee is doing, what they are actually gathering, is everything that was requested in the discharge petition, plus even more. | ||
| And it actually has the force of subpoena, the effect in force of law, which is why it's actually happening right now, where the discharge petition does not lead to that. | ||
| So, it's not a lawmaking exercise. | ||
| It's superfluous at this point, and I think we're achieving the desired end here. | ||
| Yes, I'm not sure. | ||
| Well, we have a subpoena, which must be supplied, must be enforced. | ||
| And that is, that does have the effect of law. | ||
| So it's even more effective than a vote on the floor. | ||
| I mean, this is, we have subpoena authority, and it is being used aggressively here, and we promise to those victims that we would continue that. | ||
| They are heartened, I think, by the attention that has been given in this Congress that has not been there for many years, obviously. | ||
| And I would say this, and I don't want to overstate it, my friend Jamie Comer, but I would say Republicans and Democrats in the room were dumbfounded at some points about why some of this has not been disclosed further and in greater detail. | ||
| And you have the right people on it now, and we're on it. | ||
| It's overdue. | ||
| Go ahead. | ||
| And also what I have, we've subpoenaed the estate, the Epstein estate, for everything, too. | ||
| So we're pushing forward. | ||
| When I say that the oversight. | ||
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unidentified
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Yes. | |
| The intention is to get them out for public release. | ||
| And when I say that the Oversight Committee's work goes further than the discharge petition, that's a great example. | ||
| The discharge petition doesn't mention subpoena or gathering information or documents from the Epstein estate. | ||
| So there are other things that this committee, with its expertise and all of its lawyers and all the work, will be able to gather that wasn't even anticipated in this other pending measure. | ||
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unidentified
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What's the plan to avoid a government shutdown in four weeks? | |
| What's the plan? | ||
| Oh, you want to talk about that now? | ||
|
unidentified
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Okay. | |
| Look, we're working through the appropriations process. | ||
| We have been in good faith. | ||
| As you know, we passed a few of these bills off the floor already, and the Senate has done some work. | ||
| They passed a few and a little mini-bus. | ||
| We've got to get these two chambers together. | ||
| Of course, the end of the fiscal year comes up, the end of this month, and no one desires a government shutdown. | ||
| So we'll be working in earnest over the next few days and next couple of weeks to ensure that doesn't happen. | ||
| Stay tuned for the details. | ||
| As you know, everyone was out on the district work period, and now they've all just gathered, and so there'll be a tsunami of activity here for the next, we'll have some sleepless nights wrapping it all up and getting it done. | ||
| But I'm very optimistic we can avoid a shutdown and it's going to require leaders on both sides of the aisle to come together and do that. | ||
| And I'm certainly hopeful that we can and do it in a responsible manner. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, there are some in your own party. | ||
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unidentified
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Thomas Massey is one of them who have said that by delaying a vote, resisting a floor vote on the Epstein documents that you are protecting the president. | |
| What do you say? | ||
| Well, I think that's obvious nonsense. | ||
| We are demonstrating here that this is being done, but I'm going to emphasize again it has to be done in the right way. | ||
| I spoke with these six brave women who were here about our intention on that, and they were so grateful. | ||
| I think they will tell you themselves, those who are willing to come forward to speak publicly, that they will say they want to be very careful. | ||
| Not all the victims, in fact, the vast majority of ladies and women and young women who are subjected to these unspeakable crimes, I mean unspeakable crimes, some of the things we heard today, have chosen not to come forward for obvious reasons. | ||
| So we've got to very carefully guard their identities. | ||
| We cannot be haphazard about this. | ||
| And that's the only thing that has had, if there's any delay at all, that's what the intention is. | ||
| And I think you'll see that's the effect. | ||
| The American people will get the information they've desired. | ||
| Last question. | ||
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unidentified
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Yeah, Congressman Garcia says that you guys have subpoenaed that birthday book where President Trump allegedly wrote a note to Jeffrey Epstein. | |
| Is that something you guys are going to share with the public and expect to see soon? | ||
| I don't know about that particular item. | ||
| I haven't seen a long list of specific items. | ||
| We've subpoenaed for all documents pertaining to this statement. | ||
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unidentified
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And once you get it, will you release that to the public? | |
| You're going to see full disclosure. | ||
| Maximum transparency. | ||
| That's Chairman Comer. | ||
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unidentified
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That's what he does. | |
| Yes. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, when you say justice delay, does that mean you are seeking more action to get justice is that the transparency of the time boss? | ||
| I think we follow the truth where it leads. | ||
| I think that's the responsibility of Congress. | ||
| I think we owe that to the victims. | ||
| And if there are further prosecutions, then need to be brought. | ||
| No stone unturned. | ||
| I mean, that's a commitment, and it's bipartisan. | ||
| And I'm heartened that members of Congress are willing to work together on that. | ||
| And look, I will say this again, I'm emphasizing. | ||
| This is full participation of the administration and the White House. | ||
| The President has the same desire, so long as we're protecting the innocent victims. | ||
| So there'll be a lot more on this in the coming days. | ||
| So thank you all for the time. | ||
| We appreciate it. | ||
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unidentified
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Thank you. | |
| Mr. Coleman, do you have a better timeline on releasing? | ||
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unidentified
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continuing on the measure that would make President Trump's executive order to reform the foreign military sales process into law? | |
| As the 15-minute vote continues past the allotted time, we'll take a look at House Democrats speaking to reporters about the committee that met with several of the victims of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. | ||
| We're going to go ahead and start. | ||
| I'm Robert Garcia, the ranking member on the Oversight Committee, and we're here with, of course, the other Democrats that, of course, are on this committee. | ||
| But most importantly, for the last couple of hours, we've been hearing directly from the victims who have suffered incredible, horrific abuse by Jeffrey Epstein, by Ghelaine Maxwell, and many others who have been involved in these horrific crimes. | ||
| I will say, and I know I speak on behalf of all of us, that the courage that these women showed today has motivated us so much more to seek justice, accountability, and transparency. | ||
|
Brave Women's Testimony
00:07:28
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| And we do not care how powerful, how connected, or what political party those that have victimized and caused horrific pain and sexual abuse of these women are. | ||
| We will seek justice. | ||
| I want to just start. | ||
| We have a few folks that are going to say some remarks. | ||
| I want to start with Ayana Prefse. | ||
| Our Congresswoman, of course, has been a great leader on this. | ||
| We'll share from a few folks, and I will wrap it up and answer any questions at that time. | ||
| I want to add before we start that much of the conversation that we had is also confidential, and it's our job to protect the privacy of the women and what they've said. | ||
| And there are numerous conversations that will be happening in the days ahead. | ||
| So, Congresswoman. | ||
| Thank you, Ranking Member Garcia. | ||
| What we heard here today was harrowing. | ||
| And it is proof of what has been an institutional systemic betrayal for decades. | ||
| These women now who were preyed upon, groomed, exploited, violated, from as young as 13 years old, their bodies violated, their minds manipulated, and their dreams denied. | ||
| Aspiring artists, lawyers, actors, people who had big dreams. | ||
| And those dreams have been dashed and denied because of the shame they carry, because of the trauma they carry. | ||
| It is a lifetime sentence. | ||
| Jeffrey Epstein is dead, but his hurt and his harm is alive and well in the daily experiences of these survivors. | ||
| Maxwell is incarcerated, but it is these survivors, these victims, who are still very much in jail. | ||
| And they are deserving of transparency, of accountability, and of healing. | ||
| We are where we are today because of the leadership of Ranking Member Garcia and our ranking member on the subcommittee for law enforcement, Summer Lee, enforcing that vote for a subpoena because in order for us to hold powerful abusers to account who participated actively in a predator, pedophile, | ||
| Ponzi scheme meant to feed on the daily perversions of a rich and powerful man and his enablers and those who were his co-conspirators, we want to center the victims and the survivors, not shield the powerful, the wealthy, and the well-connected. | ||
| So we forced a vote for a subpoena in a hearing that was on child trafficking to point out the hypocrisy. | ||
| Then I led calls for a hearing in the Committee on Oversight centering the victims. | ||
| And my colleagues joined with me in that. | ||
| We do believe that that did lead to pressure that resulted in today's roundtable where many of the victims said it was the first time that they had felt heard on the heels of the many years of abuse that they experienced to be re-victimized and traumatized by a government. | ||
| They had abusers that told them they were trash. | ||
| And because they've never gotten justice and been heard, it has contributed to the ways in which they have felt demoralized and invisible. | ||
| The role of this committee is to be an efficient and effective pursuit of the truth, and we will be until these survivors get the justice that they deserve. | ||
| Again, we will not shield powerful abusers. | ||
| They must be taken to account. | ||
| And that cannot happen if we are not centering and prioritizing the voices of survivors. | ||
| And now, Albert, to my colleague and dear friend, Congresswoman Simon from California, who has worked for many years with survivors of trafficking. | ||
| Good afternoon, everyone. | ||
| Latifah Simon from California's 12th District. | ||
| Today we had the honor of listening to extremely brave women who talked about the ongoing rape and sexual exploitation that they endured by the rich and the powerful. | ||
| And for three decades, their voices have been ignored. | ||
| These are young women who have been on record telling their stories. | ||
| And yet justice has been denied. | ||
| Justice has been denied to the young woman who talked about being groomed to go over Jeffrey Epstein's home where she was raped. | ||
| Raped. | ||
| Children leaving high school to be raped. | ||
| and left to go home alone to then go to school the next day. | ||
| One of the things that I will tell you, the brave and courageous women today, what they did with both Republicans and Democrats, they sat before us at a roundtable and gave us their souls, believing that maybe this time they would get justice. | ||
| Maybe this time they would be seen as children, not adultified by men who ravished their bodies. | ||
| Maybe then they thought today, if they testified in front of this hearing, that we, as members of Congress, would not only lift up their stories and seek justice, that we would hear the truth in the life of girls and young people all over this country who are continuously bought and sold, who never seek justice. | ||
| Because they too, like these women, fear retribution. | ||
| If we are worth our names on our letterhead, we will not only seek justice and get answers, we will work to protect these women. | ||
| We will work to ensure that every individual, every adult that had anything to do with their trafficking, their rape, that they are held to account. | ||
| For over 30 years, I have worked with young women who have been moved through the trafficking channels of this country, and we rarely see them getting justice. | ||
| Today, hopefully, will be a new day. | ||
| Oversight Dims, we are working extremely hard with our colleagues, and we are so proud of our leadership. | ||
| Now we have to move on, get answers, provide protection and support for these women so that more folks come through, come forward, and that the United States is looked upon, hopefully, as a country that protects children, that protects young women, that ensures that if you hurt one of our children, you will absolutely be held to the maximum, maximum levels of accountability. | ||
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Two-Thirds Pass Suspended Bill
00:10:43
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| Thank you all. | ||
| I would like to actually introduce my colleague Summer Lee, who you heard before, is the ranking member of the subcommittee, Oversight Dems, representing, of course, Oversight Dems in the Subcommittee for Law Enforcement. | ||
| Ms. Lee. | ||
| Thank you all so much. | ||
| About a month ago, we were... | ||
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unidentified
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Five, the nays are 20, zero recorded as present. | |
| Two-thirds being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended. | ||
| The bill is passed. | ||
| And without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. | ||
| Pursuant to Clause 8 of Rule 20, the unfinished business is a vote on the motion of the gentleman from Washington, Mr. Baumgardner, to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 747 as amended, on which the yeas and nays are ordered. | ||
| The clerk will report the title. | ||
| H.R. 747, a bill to impose sanctions with respect to Chinese producers of synthetic opioids and opioid precursors to hold Chinese officials accountable for the spread of illicofentanil and for other purposes. | ||
|
unidentified
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The question is, will the House suspend the rules and pass the bills amended? | |
| Members will record their votes by electronic device. | ||
| is a five-minute vote. | ||
| Lawmakers worked on several bills today dealing with foreign policy. | ||
| They're now voting on a bill that expands the definition of foreign traffickers who may be sanctioned under the Fenton Sanctions Act of 2019 to include Chinese officials and entities who fail to take action to prevent opioid trafficking. | ||
| While members vote on this last measure of the day here on the floor, we'll show more of the House Democrats' remarks to reporters on the House Oversight Committee meeting with several victims of convicted sexual offender Jeffrey Epstein that is keeping them from the justice, from the healing, and from the peace that they need and that they deserve. | ||
| We are here not to add on to the sensationalism of a case that has received global news and global attention, but to recenter that at the heart of this are human beings. | ||
| At the heart of this are women, girls, now generations of girls beneath them. | ||
| Though we were able to hear from a number of women today, we know that there were hundreds, hundreds of women who were involved in this case, hundreds of women, some, many of whom are unnamed, but hundreds of women who were victimized, who were sexually abused, and then re-victimized by the obstruction from the government. | ||
| And behind them are millions of girls who have watched how our country, how society handles cases of sexual abuse. | ||
| They have watched the rich and the powerful get off. | ||
| They have watched even in death them be protected. | ||
| And we are here as oversight Democrats to say that the time to step up, the time to push to fight to ensure justice is now and today is why we are here to renew our calls, not just for an official hearing, as Representative Ayana Presley has called for an official hearing on the books within our committee. | ||
| Though we are thankful for the roundtable that we had today, we affirm our calls for that. | ||
| We also reaffirm our calls for the Department of Justice to hand over immediately all of the files within its custody, not just to ourselves, but also a reminder that as we learned today, some of the victims themselves have not been able to access their own files. | ||
| So we want to remind the press, we want to remind our country and the population that these women are still seeking justice for themselves, that they're still seeking healing for themselves. | ||
| And to the extent that we are able to continue to keep our eyes on what the ultimate prize is, that we will do that. | ||
| That we will continue to pursue justice in a way that does no more harm to these women and does no more harm to any of the victims, not just of Epstein, but of sexual assault across our country. | ||
| Thank you. | ||
| And with that, actually, I'll be handing it off to our colleague from Texas, Representative Jasmine Crockett. | ||
| Thank you so much. | ||
| And first of all, let me just say that we are standing before you. | ||
| We're having this conversation because of the oversight Democratic leadership. | ||
| And so I want to reiterate that it's the Democratic leadership on oversight that has truly been able to move this forward. | ||
| I'm sure many of you don't recall, but we were sent home early to try to avoid being able to take a vote on something like getting these files. | ||
| We are about doing real transparency. | ||
| We don't care who's in the files. | ||
| We are going after you. | ||
| So if I had to sum up what happened today, we heard the stories of victims and honestly, we heard the story of at least one person that has never come forward before today. | ||
| This was the very first time that she was telling anyone in a semi-public way her story. | ||
| And if I had to summarize the theme, I would say that their theme was to do something. | ||
| It is probably the theme of the American people in general right now when it comes to government: they want us to do something. | ||
| So, yes, we have the roundtable, but they actually want to see some action. | ||
| The fact that this started off in the 90s, and we had someone who could talk about what happened to them in the 90s, but then you go down the line and you've got somebody that's telling us their story from 2008. | ||
| These failures led to years and years of abuse that did not have to take place. | ||
| And so, the reality is this: some think that this is all over, and some think that nothing else is going on. | ||
| But if there was ever a RICO case, it would have been the Epstein case. | ||
| So, how we went from something that should have been RICO because of how sophisticated of a system this was, and this wasn't just one little sick old man that was doing stuff, but there were so many layers. | ||
| Whether we're talking about the banks that were involved, whether we're talking about those that worked for him, that helped him, whether we're talking about the monster known as Maxwell. | ||
| And that's exactly how y'all need to refer to her. | ||
| She is a monster, she is not a victim. | ||
| So, let me tell you, I want some action items to come out of this because, for once, we somewhat look like we're bipartisan in the oversight committee. | ||
| Number one, we need answers. | ||
| We need answers on why it is that Maxwell was transferred from her current station in or her former station in Florida down to Texas. | ||
| We need to have an understanding because everything that I heard today leads me to know that for sure she was all up and in and through this entire process. | ||
| Not to mention that she was indicted by a jury of her peers and then she was tried and convicted and given 20 years. | ||
| So, why is it that we had somebody again? | ||
| It almost seems like we are doomed to repeat our failures. | ||
| Because why is it we have high-level people that seemingly are running cover for a criminal? | ||
| And that is what she is. | ||
| She is a monster, and she is a criminal. | ||
| So, number one, we need answers on what happened with that transfer, why it took place. | ||
| And honestly, we all need to stand together and say that Maxwell needs to go back to where the monsters go, which is to a higher level of security. | ||
| We also need to understand that Debbie Wasserman Schultz has legislation that she has been trying to push forward. | ||
| And so, in a bipartisan way, we all need to get behind Debbie because we found two-thirds being in the affirmative. | ||
|
unidentified
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The rules are suspended. | |
| The bill is passed and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. | ||
|
Moment of Silence
00:03:41
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|
unidentified
|
Members, please take your conversations off the floor. | |
| The house will be in order. | ||
| The house will be in order. | ||
| Members, please take your conversations off the floor. | ||
| For what purpose does the gentlewoman from Minnesota seek recognition? | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to address the House out of order. | ||
| Without objection today, we honor two beautiful souls, eight and ten-year-olds, lost their lives to senseless gun violence at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis last week. | ||
| My heart is shattered for all the families impacted by this horrific tragedy. | ||
| The horror that children, educators, and parishioners went through while they were praying should not have happened. | ||
| I am incredibly grateful to our brave first responders who saved countless lives by their heroism and swift action. | ||
| As our Minneapolis community continues to grieve, we must stand united to prevent another tragedy from occurring ever again. | ||
| I ask all of my colleagues to join me in a moment of silence. | ||
| Thank you and I yield back. | ||
| the house will be in order the house will be in order the house will be in order for what purpose does the gentleman from louisiana seek recognition | ||
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Censuring MacIver
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| Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Clause 2A1 of Rule 9, I rise to give notice of my intention to raise a question to the privileges of the House. | ||
| The form of the resolution is as follows: House Resolution No. 539, censuring Representative LaMonica MacIver and removing her from the Committee on Homeland Security. | ||
| Whereas on May the 9th, 2025, Representative MacIver took part in an incident at the Delaney Hall Federal Immigration Facility located in Newark, New Jersey. | ||
| Whereas Representative LaMonica MacIver of New Jersey, as a result of her actions on May the 9th, 2025, has been charged in a three-count indictment by a federal grand jury for assaulting, resisting, impeding, and interfering with federal officers. | ||
| Whereas Representative MacIver is alleged to have challenged guidance from a federal officer regarding access to the secure immigration detention facility, Mr. Speaker, the House is not in order. | ||
| The gentleman will suspend. | ||
| The House will be in order. | ||
| The gentleman is recognized. | ||
| Whereas Representative MacIver is alleged to have interfered with Homeland Security investigations officials for making an arrest of an unauthorized visitor. | ||
| Whereas Representative MacGyver is alleged to have, quote, slammed her forearm into the body and restrained an HSI officer by forcibly grabbing him. | ||
| Whereas Representative MacGyver is alleged to have further interfered with an immigration and customs enforcement deportation officer engaged in the performance of his official duties. | ||
| Whereas body camera and other video evidence support the allegations made within the federal indictment. | ||
| Whereas such actions constitute a violation of Section 111A1 of Title 18 United States Code related to assaulting, resisting, impeding, and interfering with the federal officer. | ||
| Whereas Clause 1 of Rule XXIII of the rules the House of Representatives provides, a member, delegate, resident commissioner, officer, or employee of the House shall behave at all times in a manner that shall reflect credibility on the House. | ||
| Whereas such actions of a member of the House of Representatives do not reflect credibility on the House. | ||
| And whereas Representative MacIver's continued service on the Committee on Homeland Security, which is charged with oversight of federal immigration enforcement and other national security matters, would represent a significant conflict of interest. | ||
| Now, therefore, be it resolved. | ||
| Section one, censure Representative La Monica MacIver. | ||
| Representative La Monica MacIver, one, is censured. | ||
| Two, shall forthwith present herself in the well of the House of Representatives for the pronouncement of censure, and three, is censured with the public reading of this resolution by the Speaker. | ||
| Section two, removal from Committee on Homeland Security. | ||
| The following name member be and is hereby removed from the following standing committee of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Homeland Security, Mrs. McIver. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, that is all. | ||
| Under Rule 9, a resolution offered from the floor by a member other than the majority leader or the minority leader is a question of the privileges of the House has immediate precedence only at a time designated by the chair within two legislative days after the resolution is properly noticed. | ||
| Pending that designation, the form of the resolution noticed by the gentleman from Louisiana will appear in the record at this point. | ||
|
Recognition for One Minute
00:14:20
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| The chair will now at this point determine whether the resolution constitutes a question of privilege. | ||
| that determination will be made at the time designated for consideration of the resolution. | ||
| The chair will now entertain requests for one-minute speeches. | ||
| For what purpose does the gentleman from New York seek recognition? | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to address the House for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. | ||
| Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Desmond Desi Patrick Flaherty of Stony Point, who passed away last week at the age of 86. | ||
| Born in the Bronx, Desi dedicated his life to service, spending 20 years with the NYPD's 44th Precinct, where he helped found the 44 Forever Club and more than 50 years driving a school bus with Havistraw Transit, safely carrying generations of children to school. | ||
| He coached Stony Point Little League for 25 years. | ||
| He was an active member of the Rockland County Shields, the North Rockland Social Club, and his parish, St. Gregory Barbarigo. | ||
| Above all, Desi was a family man. | ||
| He leaves behind his wife Eleanor 63 years together, four children, ten grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. | ||
| He was a proud North Rocklander whose legacy will live on in his family and in all the lives he touched. | ||
| May Desi's memory always be a blessing to his family and to the North Rockland community. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I yield back. | ||
| For what purpose does the gentlewoman from Oregon seek recognition? | ||
|
unidentified
|
I asked unanimous consent to address the House for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. | |
| Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, it's wildfire season in Oregon. | |
| And the Trump administration is making it harder for fire crews to do their jobs. | ||
| I met with them, some of whom voted for the president, and they told me that the funding cuts are a problem and they don't have the resources they need. | ||
| And now this administration is pulling people off the front lines of wildfires to conduct immigration enforcement. | ||
| Give me a break. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, five years ago, the Labor Day fires killed nine people and destroyed thousands of homes in Oregon. | ||
| And Central Oregon is currently fighting the flat fire, which thanks to the hard work of our fire crews is now at 52 percent containment. | ||
| Now is not the time to make life harder on our firefighters. | ||
| This administration needs to stop the foolishness. | ||
| I don't mess around with the safety of my constituents, and neither should the president. | ||
| I yield back. | ||
| For what purpose does the gentleman from North Carolina seek recognition? | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to address the House for one minute and revise and extend my remarks. | ||
| Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life of Army Sergeant Michael Verardo, a true American hero who passed away last week following a 15-year battle with injuries from his deployment in Afghanistan. | ||
| Michael served his country with distinction as a proud infantryman in the 82nd Airborne Division, surviving devastating injuries from IED explosions that claimed one of his legs and left him with countless other seen and unseen injuries, resulting in over 120 surgeries and hours and hours of therapy. | ||
| Michael's life was not simply defined by his courage, but also by the love that he had for his dear wife Sarah and their three precious daughters. | ||
| His legacy will continue to empower thousands upon thousands of wounded veterans with hope as they live full lives back here at home. | ||
| Michael's life is a powerful reminder that freedom is not free and it comes at a cost. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I yield back my time. | ||
| For what purpose does the gentlewoman from Oregon seek recognition? | ||
| Mr. Steele, I request unanimous consent to address the House for one minute. | ||
| Without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, back to school season should be a time of excitement, a time when families pick out backpacks, meet teachers, and look ahead toward a year of learning and growth. | ||
| But for the Merlos family, a Portland family, homeowners, business owners, and vital members of our community, this school year begins in fear and heartbreak. | ||
| Jackie Merlos and her four U.S. citizen children were detained by customs and border protection and held for two weeks in a windowless cell without access to legal counsel. | ||
| After public outcry and a temporary restraining order from a judge, these U.S. citizen children were released from detention, but now have been separated from their parents, who remain in ICE custody. | ||
| Let's be clear. | ||
| This cruelty is not accidental. | ||
| It's family separation in another name, and it's doing nothing to make our communities safer. | ||
| As a mother, a physician, and a lawmaker, I will not stay silent. | ||
| We need an immigration system rooted in dignity and justice, not fear. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I yield back. | ||
| For what purpose does the gentleman from Georgia seek recognition? | ||
| Asking Nandel is consent to address the House for one minute to revise and extend my remarks. | ||
| Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life and legacy of Thomas Daring Sr. | ||
| For 90 years, Thierin lived with faith, service, and love at the heart of all he did. | ||
| Born and raised in Bryan County, he proudly served our nation in the U.S. Air Force. | ||
| Thierin dedicated decades to Richmond Hill as a city council member, public work supervisor, and volunteer fireman. | ||
| His steady leadership and tireless service helped shape the community we know today. | ||
| Yet his greatest impact went beyond titles or positions. | ||
| He was remembered most for his kindness, his generosity, and his willingness to lend a helping hand. | ||
| He was a devoted husband to Janie, a loving father and grandfather, and a guiding light in the First Baptist Church. | ||
| Thierin's legacy of integrity and devotion that will endure for generations. | ||
| May we honor him by carrying forward his example of faith, service, and love. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I yield back. | ||
| For what purpose does the gentlewoman from North Carolina seek recognition? | ||
| To address the House for one minute and revise and extend my remarks. | ||
| Without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the extraordinary life and legacy of Mary Perry, who sadly passed away in August. | ||
| She left a mark on our community that will live for generations to come. | ||
| First, through her role as president of the Wendell-Wake NAACP for decades, and later when she made history as the first African-American chair of the Wake County Democratic Party. | ||
| From the civil rights movement to today's struggles for fairness in education, health care, housing, and voting, she led our community through many fights for justice and equality. | ||
| She faced threats while standing up to Jim Crow, fought against restrictive voting laws, and inspired the next generation of leaders. | ||
| Mary Perry's story is one of perseverance and courage. | ||
| We will proudly carry her legacy with us in the challenges ahead. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I yield back. | ||
| For what purpose does the gentleman from California seek recognition? | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I seek a notice and interest the House one minute and revise them by Mark. | ||
| objection. | ||
| The gentleman is recognized for one minute. | ||
| Thank you. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| In my Northern California district in Glen County, there's a water district called the Orland Project. | ||
| It was built to capture and store water, yet outdated federal laws tie our hands on how it can be used. | ||
| Right now, these supplies can only be transferred to the Central Valley Project if the governor declares a drought emergency. | ||
| That restriction makes no sense as the water isn't as flexibly used as it could be. | ||
| In most years, surplus water is sitting behind a federal dam while farms just down the road are short and the aquifers are getting pumped harder and harder to make up the difference from this surface water. | ||
| If we don't start pulling down these federal roadblocks, more water will keep going to waste, just running out to the sea, not being used. | ||
| So my legislation, the Orland Project Water Management Act, is a simple fix. | ||
| It allows that water to be moved whenever it's available, not just during an emergency or when the governor feels like it. | ||
| No new construction, no extra costs. | ||
| It's just smarter use of what we already have. | ||
| It's really, in terms of government, a no-brainer bill that supports agriculture, protects groundwater, and improves reliability. | ||
| So why don't we build in the flexibility to move the water where it's needed instead of just wasting it out to the ocean? | ||
| I yield back. | ||
| For what purpose does the gentleman from Ohio seek recognition? | ||
|
unidentified
|
To address the House for one minute, revise and extend my remarks. | |
| Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | |
| I rise today to honor Mark Fisher, a constituent of mine who has spent more than 35 years leading our Jewish community in Cincinnati. | ||
| For the past 13 years, Mark has served as the CEO of the Mayerson JCC. | ||
| He has worked incredibly hard for the community in which he grew up. | ||
| And because of his leadership, the J has thrived. | ||
| Membership grew, early childhood and senior programs expanded, and partnerships flourished. | ||
| And during the pandemic, the Jay was a reliable source of strength and connection. | ||
| That's what Mark brought to the work, a true effort to make sure everyone could find a place in our community. | ||
| He will retire at the end of the year, but the impact he's had will last for a very, very long time. | ||
| So Mark, thank you for all you've done for the Mayerson JCC and for all of Southwest Ohio. | ||
| I yield back. | ||
| For what purpose does the gentleman from New York seek recognition? | ||
|
unidentified
|
The gentleman's consent to dress the house for one minute and to revise the executive order. | |
| Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| President Trump has called on several Republican governors to redistrict congressional districts, no matter what the cost to fairness, voter inclusion, or proper geographic representation. | ||
| If his big, beautiful, ugly bill and its related policies were so popular, he wouldn't need to do this. | ||
| Cutting Medicaid for rural hospitals and food programs for the needy isn't so popular after all. | ||
| His irrational tariff policies are backfiring. | ||
| If his backtracking on environmental progress, threats to Social Security and VA benefits weren't creating a grassroots pushback, this wouldn't be necessary. | ||
| The unpopularity of his policies should lose him the tight-fisted control of this House. | ||
| We cannot box following the Marcus of Queensbury rules of fair and impartial districting, while the World Wrestling Federation rules allow you to hit your opponent over the head with a chair. | ||
| This is a desperate power grab whose agenda has failed the American people. | ||
| We cannot let gerrymandering silence voters. | ||
| Democracy demands fairness, and we must fight for it. | ||
| I yield back, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| For what purpose does the gentleman from Virginia seek recognition? | ||
| Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Hari Vadlamudi, a husband, dad, and beloved member of the Loudoun County community who tragically passed away in July. | ||
| Hari was deeply respected through his professional work in the IT field and through his service. | ||
| He was the treasurer of the HEAL USA, a non-profit organization that supports thousands of underprivileged children in India. | ||
| He is known by many as the proud volleyball dad, always the loudest one in the Broadrun High School Gym, cheering on his daughters. | ||
| Hari had a reputation for always going above and beyond for his family, his friends, and most of all, his community. | ||
| Hari Vadlamouni's memory will live on and leave a lasting impact on all those who were lucky to know him. | ||
| May he rest in peace. | ||
| I yield back. | ||
| For what purpose does the gentlewoman from Michigan seek recognition? | ||
| Without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. | ||
| I want to honor the extraordinary life and legacy of Ignacio Gonzalez, or we lovingly call Ziggy, as our beloved son of southwest Detroit. | ||
| Ziggy was a proud veteran and dedicated educator, and he lived a remarkable life of 94 years. | ||
|
Lisa Cook's Impact
00:10:24
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| Born in 1930, Ziggy served in the United States Air Force before returning home to raise a family and dedicate his life to teaching and coaching. | ||
| As a beloved educator at Western International High School, Mr. G inspired countless students with his humor, wisdom, and unshakable belief in their potential. | ||
| Ziggy was also the heart and soul of Clark Park, where he got the name Mr. Clark Park and built the hacking baseball programs that gave young people a place to play and belong. | ||
| His love of family, sports, and community and music, especially jazz, reflected the very best of him in Detroit. | ||
| The 12th Congressional District extends our love to his wife and loved ones as we celebrate his life and commit to carrying forward his legacy. | ||
| For what purpose does the gentlewoman from Hawaii seek recognition? | ||
| Without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, last week I joined our Maui Ohana and law enforcement officers and officials from across Hawaii as we bid farewell to Suzanne Oh, a beloved member of our Maui Police Department who was killed in the line of duty, the first for our department in 26 years. | ||
| Raised in American Samoa and a graduate of Farrington High School, Officer Oh hoped to be a role model for other Pacific Islander girls, and she was. | ||
| One of those girls, her niece Olea, spoke at her memorial, calling her auntie my favorite beautiful police officer and asking her to visit her in her dreams. | ||
| Officer O was a proud member of the MPD Honor Guard and she received a certificate of merit for her heroic efforts during the Maui wildfires. | ||
| In a final act of Aloha, 911 dispatchers issued a special broadcast across all channels. | ||
| She embodied skill, tenacity, courage, and compassion in all that she did. | ||
| We are all better for knowing her. | ||
| Employee number 30881, call sign 1-Alpha30, Officer Suzanne Oh, end of watch, August 15th, 2025. | ||
| Officer O, as you watch over us now from above, we will do our very best to serve, live, and lead like you did. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I yield back. | ||
| For what purpose does the gentlewoman from California seek recognition? | ||
| Without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. | ||
| Thank you very much, members. | ||
| I rise today in support of Lisa Cook. | ||
| She is a member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve. | ||
| I rise to support her because there's an attempt to fire her if she does not retire or resign. | ||
| This attempt that has been made is because the President of the United States wants to take over the Federal Reserve. | ||
| This is our central bank with responsibility for determining the interest rates, short-term interest rates. | ||
| We cannot allow the President of the United States to own, dictate, and tell the Federal Reserve what they can and cannot do. | ||
| If he gets rid of Lisa Cook, he will have control of the central bank. | ||
| What he will do is insist on interest rates going down, but what people do not understand, this will cause inflation to rise. | ||
| This president has interfered with legal law firms and sued them. | ||
| He has interfered with our educational institutions, threatening their funding if they don't do what they're told. | ||
| This now is a wannabe what? | ||
| Taking over the central bank in order to determine the entire economy. | ||
| I ask you to join with me and support Lisa Cook and Powell at the central bank. | ||
| For what purpose does the gentleman from North Carolina seek recognition? | ||
| Mr. Sprier, I ask for unanimous consent to address House 1 minute. | ||
| Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, Mahia's priority remains connecting with constituents. | ||
| We travel to all 22 counties in NC1, making over 40 stops, holding over 70 events in August. | ||
| We hosted seven listening sessions to hear from our constituents. | ||
| Connecting with so many voices in our communities was insightful. | ||
| Many constituents voiced concerns about HR1 and its potential impact on health care delivery, especially in our rural areas. | ||
| Serious discussions took place regarding the future of Morton General Hospital as a vital rural emergency hospital and the need for a farm bill. | ||
| We wrapped up a productive August welcoming students back to school. | ||
| I feel genuinely honored to bring the voices of the residents of Eastern North Korean back to Washington, D.C. Thank you so much, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I yield back. | ||
| For what purpose does the gentleman from Rhode Island seek recognition? | ||
| Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I rise for the 34th time to call on the Trump administration to restore life-saving food aid for malnourished children. | ||
| As a reminder, in January, the Trump administration stopped funding for emergency food aid that had been appropriated by Congress. | ||
| And since then, despite saying all the right things that the funding is going to be restored, that the shipments are going to start again, they continue to drag their feet. | ||
| Adesia Nutrition in my district manufactures some of that food aid designed to help starving children get back to health. | ||
| And after eight months, thousands of boxes are still sitting in a warehouse in Rhode Island instead of getting to kids who are starving to death. | ||
| Now, the administration finally awarded a contract a few weeks ago after eight months of delays, but the company has still not been told where to ship to. | ||
| Where's the urgency? | ||
| Children are dying. | ||
| And step after step, the administration has dragged its feet in restarting the program that they cut off back in January. | ||
| I will keep speaking out every day until the administration honors its word. | ||
| Ship the product, save lives. | ||
| I yield back. | ||
| For what purpose does the gentlewoman from Ohio seek recognition? | ||
| Without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, release the Epstein files. | ||
| The American people deserve the truth. | ||
| The President promised the release of the Epstein files, and yet very rich and powerful interests are still working to bury them. | ||
| Who are they protecting? | ||
| The Washington elite, the billionaires, the politicians, the establishment class that thinks they're above the law, maybe even the president himself. | ||
| We won't know for sure. | ||
| And unless and until the president honors his promise to release the entirety of the files immediately. | ||
| No one is above the law, not the rich, not the well-connected, not those who abuse the vulnerable and hide behind their privilege. | ||
| The victims deserve justice. | ||
| Our citizenry deserves transparency. | ||
| Our democracy demands accountability. | ||
| And every day these files remain hidden to another day. | ||
| The elites laugh at the American people. | ||
| I call on the Trump administration and its Department of Justice, release all the Epstein files unaltered. | ||
| And I call on each of my colleagues to not shield the powerful, shine a light on the truth. | ||
| That is the least we owe the violated victims and the very least we owe our nation. | ||
| Truth, release the files. | ||
| Thank you, and I yield back. | ||
| For what purpose does the gentleman from Tennessee seek recognition? | ||
| Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| What members of the Democratic caucus are doing to my right is signing a discharge petition to release the Epstein files. | ||
| They need to be released because the American public wants to see them, and the fact that so many people in power don't want them released says there's something there that smells. | ||
| What smells is that children, girls were raped and sexually abused, and people who did it don't want it revealed to the American public. | ||
| We need to be open and transparent, and if there are perverts among the leadership, they need to be exposed because the American people do not respect that and will not respect anybody that engaged in that kind of conduct. | ||
| So I'm going to sign the petition, hope everybody signs the petition, and we get an unredacted copy of the files. | ||
|
unidentified
|
I yield back the balance of my time. | |
| For what purpose does the gentleman from Indiana seek recognition? | ||
|
unidentified
|
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | |
| Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from Georgia, Mr. McCormick, be removed as an original co-sponsor from House Resolution 547. | ||
| A mistake was made in terms of names. | ||
| Without objection. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Thank you. | |
| Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 3rd, 2025, the gentlewoman from Michigan, Ms. McLean, is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all members have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the topic of this special order. | ||
| Without objection. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as I may consume. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, today House Republicans take the floor to share the stories of hardworking Americans who will benefit from the One Big Beautiful bill. | ||
|
Michigan's Wasteful Spending Relief
00:15:54
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| All of us spent August district work period speaking with our constituents. | ||
| At least on the Republican side, we actually spoke to our constituents. | ||
| We heard countless stories about how the One Big Beautiful bill actually delivers wins for them. | ||
| Bigger paychecks, more jobs, safer communities, and a whole lot more. | ||
| Today's special order hour will focus on them and the American people. | ||
| I will use this hour to highlight their stories. | ||
| From Michiganders in the 9th District to the coast of California, every corner of America benefits from the One Big Beautiful bill. | ||
| And that's exactly what we will hear today. | ||
| It is a privilege to kick things off and share some incredible stories happening back home in Michigan's 9th District as a result of the One Big Beautiful Bill. | ||
| Over the past month, I've had the privilege of meeting with the people who truly drive our economy and strengthen our communities. | ||
| Our small business, our small businesses, our manufacturers, defense companies, farmers, and hardworking Michiganders. | ||
| From shop floors at Allied UV assembly lines to AJG Aerospace in Clarkston, I heard directly from manufacturers who are expanding, and I'll say it again, expanding production and hiring more workers thanks to the RD tax savings that we enacted. | ||
| I visited with small business owners like Lance Hallwig, whose family owns our MATA grain company, and they've owned it for generations. | ||
| Small business owners like Lance are the backbone of Main Street and will now be able to grow their companies and further support their employees. | ||
| I met with defense companies like Ascent Aerospace in Macomb, Michigan, thanks to our $150 billion generational investment in national security. | ||
| Ascent will ensure our men and women in uniform have the tools that they need to protect our country and keep us safe. | ||
| And lastly, I spent time over the work period with family farms and family farmers, where the next generation of Michigan farmers can carry the tradition of actually feeding America thanks to the permanent death tax relief. | ||
| At each stop, I heard the same message. | ||
| Washington needs to get out of the way and let hardworking Americans do what they do best. | ||
| And that's why I've been so proud to champion the One Big Beautiful Bill. | ||
| This legislation cuts red tape and gives families, farmers, and job creators more freedom to succeed. | ||
| The stories and feedbacks brought back from my district aren't just conversations. | ||
| They are the reason that I'm fighting every day for common sense policies that actually put people before politics. | ||
| Michigan families deserve solutions that make life easier, not harder. | ||
| And the One Big Beautiful Bill, that's exactly what we are delivering. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I now yield to the gentleman from Texas as chairman of the budget committee, my friend Mr. Arrington, for as much time as he may consume. | ||
| I want to thank the gentlelady and our fearless conference chair from Michigan for her leadership. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, make no mistake, the One Big Beautiful Bill is a big and beautiful win for the American people. | ||
| It's big because it delivers the largest tax cuts for families and small businesses, the greatest single investment in border security and national defense, the most significant commitment to unlocking America's energy resources, and the largest reduction in mandatory spending in the history of the United States by twofold. | ||
| It's beautiful, Mr. Speaker, because of the tangible benefit these policies will provide our fellow Americans. | ||
| During the month of August, like many of the members here, I crisscrossed over a thousand miles in my district in West Texas. | ||
| And the refrain I heard, one community after another, was simple. | ||
| Thank you. | ||
| Thank you for supporting our president. | ||
| Thank you for delivering on our mandate. | ||
| Thank you for fighting for our nation's future. | ||
| Madam Chair, in Scurry County, we heard how deregulation and historic tax cuts will reignite their economy and put money back into their pockets. | ||
| In Terry County, they were grateful for our stewardship of their hard-earned tax dollars as we cut $1.5 trillion in woke and wasteful spending. | ||
| In Lynn County, we talked about strengthening rural health care through the $50 billion rural health care fund, cracking down on waste, fraud, and abuse that has plagued Medicaid and restoring the dignity of work through long overdue and generational welfare reform. | ||
| In Palmer County, I was proud to report that the bill permanently locks in low taxes for working families, provides additional tax relief for seniors, and protects generational family farms, family-run oil and gas companies, and other family-owned businesses with enhanced death tax relief. | ||
| In Shackleford in Hockley County, folks said that it's about time we put a stop to Biden's war on energy so we can lower prices for working people, so that we can strengthen our energy security, and so that we can unleash not just American energy dominance, but American prosperity for our children and children's children. | ||
| In Haskell County, we talked about how the bill's generational investment in national security will help secure our sovereign border, strengthen our military, and restore America's leadership in the world. | ||
| The other message I heard over and over was this. | ||
| Keep pressing forward, unrelented, undeterred, unapologetic, to advance the America First agenda. | ||
| My response, Madam Chair, yes, ma'am. | ||
| Yes, sir. | ||
| As sure as the sun rises and we're just getting started, I yield back. | ||
| Thank you. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I now yield to the gentleman from Kentucky, the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Mr. Guthrie, for as much time as he may consume. | ||
| Thank you. | ||
| I thank the gentlelady for yielding, and thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| Nearly two months ago, Republicans in Congress worked alongside President Trump to deliver on our promises and pass the One Big Beautiful bill. | ||
| The One Big Beautiful Bill is a historic win for our country, unleashing American energy, promoting innovation, and protecting our federal health care programs for our most vulnerable citizens and delivering historic tax cuts for families. | ||
| As chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, one of my top priorities is ensuring America has the energy needed to win the race for AI against China, empower our future. | ||
| And I'm proud to report that the One Big Beautiful bill unleashes American energy, dominates through strategic investments in eliminating wasteful subsidies. | ||
| Our bill begins to refill our dangerously low strategic petroleum reserve and creates new investments to generate reliable energy that will secure our grid and power AI. | ||
| The One Big Beautiful bill also spurs technological innovation by renewing American wireless leadership through Spectrum Auction Authority that protects national security and generate $85 billion for new revenue for the federal government. | ||
| For months, there's been a campaign of fear-mongering and misinformation about the bill's impact on our most vulnerable, Americans who rely on Medicaid. | ||
| The truth is, the One Big Beautiful Bill restores integrity back into our federal health care programs by ensuring ineligible recipients do not cut the line in front of those who are in most need. | ||
| In fact, since its passage, we've already seen countless examples of waste, fraud, and abuse in our government-run health care programs. | ||
| Just last week, the Congressional Budget Office found that one, the One Big Beautiful bill removes 2.1 million ineligible individuals from the ACA marketplace coverage, with 1.2 million of those being unauthorized immigrants or non-citizens. | ||
| CBO also found that 5.3 million able-bodied and unemployed adults covered by Medicaid will now have to work in order to continue receiving their fully subsidized health care. | ||
| The vast majority of Americans agree Medicaid should be a safety net, not a long-term entitlement for those who are able to work but choose not to. | ||
| The One Big Beautiful Bill strengthens and secures Medicaid for expectant mothers, children, low-income seniors, and people with disabilities. | ||
| Without passing the One Big Beautiful bill, the average family in my district would have faced a 25 percent tax increase next year. | ||
| Our bill prevented that tax hike by making permanent the 27 teen Trump tax cuts that built upon it. | ||
| But let's talk about individuals. | ||
| The individual who lives on their Social Security will have more money in her pocket because she won't have to pay taxes on that exempt taxes, or the waitress in Glasgow, Kentucky, who won't pay tax on her tips, or the farmers in Owensboro who will be able to pass their family land down to their family because of the death tax increase that we made permanent exemption that we made permanent. | ||
| We also talked about, talked to individuals who have family members in nursing homes. | ||
| And we know that we strengthen nursing homes that came to us as they were threatened because of some of the Biden rules to be shut down and people need access when they have loved ones that are in need. | ||
| These tax cuts aren't talk. | ||
| These efforts aren't talk. | ||
| They will grow our economy. | ||
| Our legislation provides much-needed tax holes for working families, unleashes American energy, and supports innovation, and safeguards health care for Americans who need it most. | ||
| I was glad to see this bill signed into law, and I'm glad it had a positive effect on the people I represent, and I yield back. | ||
| Thank you. | ||
| Madam Speaker, I now yield to the gentleman from Utah, the Vice Chair. | ||
| Oh, excuse me. | ||
| I now yield to the gentleman from Texas, the chairman of the Small Business Committee, Mr. Williams, for as much time as he may consume. | ||
| Thank you, Madam Chair. | ||
| I appreciate your leadership. | ||
| And Madam Speaker, I rise today to highlight the many ways that Texans, hardworking families, and small business owners across America are benefiting from the One Big Beautiful Bill. | ||
| This is one of the most pro-family, pro-small business, pro-worker legislation ever signed into law. | ||
| And as a small business owner myself and chairman of the House Committee on Small Business, I understand firsthand how policies coming out of Washington, D.C. can directly impact the day-to-day lives of Americans, particularly small business owners. | ||
| Over the August work period, I met with constituents, small businesses, elected officials, and local leaders to hear how this historic legislation has impacted their daily lives. | ||
| When I traveled across my district and the country meeting with hardworking families and entrepreneurs, they are not concerned with Washington politics. | ||
| They are focused on keeping the lights on and putting food on the table. | ||
| President Trump and House Republicans are fulfilling the mandate given by the American people to restore economic prosperity, support small business, secure a border, unleash American energy, invest in rural America, and the list goes on. | ||
| This legislation cuts taxes and hardworking Americans, lowers energy costs, brings jobs home, cuts wasteful spending, and puts Main Street first. | ||
| These are not just talking points. | ||
| These are real results for the American people. | ||
| When you give money back to the people, it's a return on investment. | ||
| I will always fight to provide the certainty for the future and to put more money back into your pockets as we step into the golden age in America. | ||
| In God we trust, I yield back. | ||
| Thank you. | ||
| Madam Speaker, I now yield to the gentleman from Utah, the Vice Chairman of the House Republican Conference, Mr. Blake Moore, for as much time as he may consume. | ||
| Thank you to Chairwoman McLean. | ||
| I appreciate the opportunity to speak on this. | ||
| When I was back home for a big portion of August, Madam Speaker, I had a great opportunity to spend time with small business owners, individuals, folks trying to understand the difference between an Invest America Trump account versus a 529 and going through a lot of these details. | ||
| And I kept hearing something from a lot of folks like, hey, but I get this. | ||
| It seems like a good thing to always have lower taxes, but it's going to create a whole bunch of debt, right? | ||
| And I love getting that question because I'm able to talk them through some of the specifics. | ||
| And while I may not be great talking about tax policy in a raw-raw situation, but when you get to actually explain a few basic concepts to people, you see that folks actually get what we're talking about right here. | ||
| Not what they're being, the bill of goods that they're being sold, but when you look at what happens with the concept of inversion, when a U.S. multinational company can choose to sort of co-opt with a foreign entity to be able to find a lower tax domicile, that way lowering their overall tax liability, and they can do that, yeah, that happens. | ||
| And they end up paying tax revenue to foreign countries. | ||
| So let's just say, well, you saw prior to 2016, 2017, when Republicans lowered and did the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, you had a tax rate of foreign-derived intangible income at approximately 16% effective rate. | ||
| But let's say in Ireland, it was 13%. | ||
| So a company could easily set up their entire tax base for that portion of their business in Ireland and pay 13%, where the U.S. sees no revenue. | ||
| If we lower that tax rate to 13% just to become competitive, we don't even have to beat other nations' tax rates, but we lower that to 13% just to be competitive, those companies started to flee back to America. | ||
| And we got more revenue. | ||
| And so I'll talk to folks. | ||
| I say, when you make taxes competitive, we will actually grow our U.S. tax revenue. | ||
| That's not adding deficit. | ||
| And when you see people actually grasp that concept, it's fascinating to be able to say, oh, of course I would rather people be paying taxes in the U.S. as opposed to a foreign nation. | ||
| Now, the foreign country doesn't love that when we do it. | ||
| But if we put things on par, companies will almost in every circumstance choose to be doing business in the U.S. | ||
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| And we get more revenue. | ||
| It is a win-win, and it is not what you are being lied to about. | ||
| This is good, sound, competitive tax policy that will strengthen our nation, grow our revenue, and make it easier for business to compete. | ||
| And with that, I yield back. | ||
| Thank you. | ||
| Madam Speaker, I now yield to the gentleman from Utah, Mr. Owens, for as much time as he may consume. | ||
| Thank you, Madam Speaker. | ||
| After meeting with farmers, ranchers, small businesses, teachers, students, and community leaders from across Utah's 4th District, I'm here to report the One Beautiful, Big Beautiful bill is a win for Utahns. | ||
| In Manitoba, I met with small business owners at the San Pete County Council to talk about what this bill means to Main Street. | ||
| From making the small business tax deductions permanent to doubling expenses for equipment, This bill gives Utah entrepreneurs the freedom to grow, hire, and thrive. | ||
| Over 70,000 small businesses stand to benefit. | ||
| With our rural advisory council, I heard directly from Utah farmers and ranchers, the backbone of our state. | ||
| The bill raises the death tax exemption, protects family farms, and protects food security for generations to come. | ||
| In Fairfield and Fairview, I heard from the rural Utahns who rely on affordable energy to power their homes, farms, and businesses, and they are tired of red tape. | ||
| The One Big Beautiful Bill streamlines permitting, unleashes Utah's energy potential, and helps providers deliver. | ||
| From Payson to West Jordan to Murray, I visited Utah manufacturers to see firsthand how the One Big Beautiful Bill supports manufacturers by doubling expensive and boosting investment in Made in America production. | ||
| Our working families, the results of just our, for working families, the results are just as clear. | ||
| The typical Utah family with two kids will take home close to $12,000 more under this law. | ||
| It's real tax relief, groceries, gas, savings, and peace of mind. | ||
| And for the first time, we're on the path to permanent school choice. | ||
| This bill empowers parents, not bureaucrats, funds students, not systems, and ends a zip code lottery. | ||
| It even helps families build for a future, establishing newborn investment accounts to show to grow generational wealth from day one. | ||
| The American dream is alive and well in Utah, and the One Big Beautiful Bill is how we keep it that way. | ||
| Thank you, and I yield back. | ||
| Thank you. | ||
| Madam Speaker, I now yield to the gentleman from Georgia, Mr. Allen, for as much time as he may consume. | ||
|
unidentified
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I'd like to thank our conference chair for yielding. | |
| And Mr. Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to talk about the work we did during our August work period and the many opportunities I had to meet with small businesses throughout the district to talk about the new Big Beautiful bill. | ||
| But I want to highlight one of those businesses. | ||
| It's in the heart of the 12th District of Georgia and Bullock County, home to Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia, the largest university in my district. | ||
| Just a few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of visiting a family-owned barbecue restaurant named Dolan's BBQ, where I met the owner, Mary Beth, had a great conversation about her business and some of her challenges and how the One Big Beautiful bill will help address some of those challenges. | ||
| Among the many things we discussed were specifically the no tax on tips, no tax on overtime provisions, and the One Big Beautiful bill. | ||
| Being that Statesboro is a large college town, Mary Beth informed me that 95 percent of her staff are college students, young people simply looking to earn pocket money while they pursue their degrees. | ||
| On average, Americans could receive up to $1,300 more from no taxes on their tipped income. | ||
| Imagine what this means to Mary Beth's employees. | ||
| We also discuss no tax on overtime. | ||
| To quote Mary Beth, during busy times like football seasons, we'll work a lot of overtime because we're just so busy. | ||
| We do a lot of catering during football season, and so that helps give our team a lot of opportunity to get more hours. | ||
| This is additional income for her team, and she is hopeful this will help retain more permanent employees. | ||
| I'm so thankful to Mary Beth and all the other small businesses for welcoming me, and I look forward to visiting again Dolan's barbecue and enjoying a delicious barbecue sandwich. | ||
| Thank you, and I yield back. | ||
| Madam Speaker, I yield right now from the gentleman from Ohio, Mr. Taylor, for as much time as he may consume. | ||
| Quite all right. | ||
| Thank you, Chairwoman, and Madam Speaker. | ||
| During the month of August, I spent time in Ohio's 2nd Congressional District talking with countless Ohioans about their priorities, touring family-owned businesses, and hearing from local farmers, manufacturers, and defense companies about the issues most important to them. | ||
| And the thing I heard from constituents is how grateful they are that the One Big Beautiful bill will help them stay in business, keep money in their pockets, and reinvigorate our local economies. | ||
| Small business owners operating shops on our main streets told me how the 199A tax credit will help them afford to stay in business so they can maintain their presence in our communities. | ||
| When I went to eat lunch at a local family restaurant, I talked with the waitresses about how much money they'll be able to take home now that they're not being taxed on their tips. | ||
| And when I talked with farmers, they expressed how the expanded funding for agriculture trade programs and investment in crop insurance will give them peace of mind about staying in business for years to come. | ||
| For Will Menschall, a young farmer in Pickaway County, Ohio, whose family farm is hitting 200 years in operation next year, the increased death tax exemption means it will be easier for his family to pass the farm on to him and future generations. | ||
| And with family farms making up 96 percent of all farms in my district, this is huge news for countless farming families in southern Ohio. | ||
| Through the One Big Beautiful bill, President Trump and Republicans are investing in American manufacturing and American jobs. | ||
| And I see the direct impact of this through Enderill's up-and-coming manufacturing facility in Southern Ohio, which will provide thousands of well-paying jobs to Ohioans while keeping America a leader in aerospace innovation and defense manufacturing. | ||
| And finally, when touring Valero Energy, I heard excitement about the future now that President Trump is unleashing the American energy sector. | ||
| The One Big Beautiful bill is paving the way for economic prosperity, and Ohio families are reaping the benefits. | ||
| I was proud to support it and will continue advocating for the needs of Buckeye families in Congress. | ||
| Thank you, Madam Speaker, and I yield back. | ||
| Thank you. | ||
| Madam Speaker, I now yield to the gentlewoman from Texas, Ms. Van Dyne, for as much time as she may consume. | ||
|
unidentified
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Hi, Madam Speaker. | |
| The One Big Beautiful bill that we passed is wholly focused on unleashing growth from Main Street, empowering expansion of advanced manufacturing and delivering the skilled job opportunities that will enrich people with valued learning trades that help build American innovation, technology, and infrastructure. | ||
| In North Texas, we are in a perfect position to lead this new era of American growth. | ||
| Our businesses and our workforce are ready to take advantage of these opportunities. | ||
| Whether they are in energy, advanced manufacturing, law enforcement, education, or technology, North Texas has something for everyone. | ||
| And that's why our 2025 North Texas job fair was the biggest one yet and a true example of the kind of opportunity and growth that we are delivering through the One Big Beautiful Bill. | ||
| This year, we were joined by 35,000 job seekers who were able to connect with over 500 employers who are looking to fill more than 30,000 jobs across industries that are vital to our local economy. | ||
| And one great example is the U.S. Border Patrol, as they are now expanding their workforce and hiring new agents as a direct result of our One Big Beautiful bill. | ||
| This will mean stronger borders, safer Texas communities, and definitely a greater peace of mind for our families. | ||
| America's future is shining brighter than ever. | ||
| With the economic policies of the One Big Beautiful Bill to lower costs, increase wages, and expand job opportunities. | ||
| I know America's industrial engine will be unleashed to deliver a breadth of career empowerment not seen in any time in our nation's history. | ||
| And with that, I yield. | ||
| Thank you. | ||
| Madam Speaker, I now yield to the gentleman from Georgia, Mr. Carter, for as much time as he may consume. | ||
| I thank the gentlelady for yielding. | ||
| Madam Speaker, with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, we delivered on President Trump's domestic agenda and provided the largest tax cut in American history. | ||
| That's because as Republicans, we believe this money belongs to hardworking Americans, not to Washington bureaucrats. | ||
| I couldn't be prouder of this conference in the Trump administration for working together in the interests of American citizens across our nation. | ||
| Together, we delivered no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, a double child tax credit, relief for our seniors, and so much more. | ||
| In Georgia, families will keep an additional $3,000 of their own money in 2026 thanks to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. | ||
| Republicans are putting food back on the table. | ||
| Georgia's citizens are now able to afford several more weeks of groceries because of tax cuts. | ||
| This conference and the Trump administration are working for you, and it's been truly life-changing for many people. | ||
| This August, I had the chance to get boots on the ground and see firsthand the impact of this bill on hardworking Georgians. | ||
| Just the other week, I was eating at a Georgia restaurant, and I asked my server how no tax on tips would impact her life. | ||
| And you know what she told me? | ||
| She said she can finally start saving for her daughter's college education without worrying about whether she can still afford groceries at the end of the month. | ||
| And she's not alone. | ||
| I've asked others in the tip and overtime industry similar questions. | ||
| I've also talked with folks who don't follow politics closely, as well as those who identify as Democrats. | ||
| Every single time, they are pleasantly surprised to learn how much this bill helps, because for the last two months, Democrats have been flooding the airways with lies about the One Big Beautiful Bill Act because they're embarrassed they couldn't vote for it. | ||
| And you know why? | ||
| They couldn't vote for it? | ||
| Purely out of hatred for President Donald J. Trump. | ||
| Democrats voted against the middle class against while Republicans voted for it. | ||
| Democrats voted against the American dream while we fought and will continue to fight to protect it. | ||
| The One Big Beautiful Bill Act is an investment in America's families, America's workers, and America's future. | ||
| We are lifting up the middle class, restoring fairness, and proving once again that under Republican leadership, the American dream is alive and well. | ||
| Thank you, Madam Speaker, and I yield back. | ||
| Thank you. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I now yield to the gentlewoman from Virginia, Ms. Kiggins, for as much time as she may consume. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Thank you very much. | |
| Mr. Speaker, and thank you for having us tonight to talk about this important issue. | ||
| Over the August district work period, I traveled throughout coastal Virginia and heard directly from the people I represent, service members, shipyard workers, working families, and aerospace leaders. | ||
| I saw firsthand how the One Big Beautiful bill is already beginning to shape our future here at home. | ||
| At a TRICARE roundtable, I met with hospitals, small clinics, and providers who serve our military community. | ||
| Families told me how critical it is to have consistent, reliable access to health care. | ||
| The One Big Beautiful bill makes a strong down payment by providing over $2 billion in new funding for the Defense Health Program, strengthening medical readiness for our service members, and ensuring our service members and their families and loved ones can get the care they deserve. | ||
| I also visited the Curtis Wright Service Center in Chesapeake, where skilled workers support our Navy's nuclear fleet. | ||
| Their work is a reminder that America's shipbuilding strength begins with the men and women of our industrial base. | ||
| The One Big Beautiful Bill invests more than $29 billion in shipbuilding and another $25 billion in advanced weapons and munitions. | ||
| These funds will help sustain high-skilled jobs across Hampton Roads and guarantees our Navy remains the strongest in the world. | ||
| At Naval Station Norfolk, I heard from commanders and sailors about the importance of readiness and from military families about the daily challenges of housing, child care, and the costs of moving. | ||
| The One Big Beautiful Bill makes historic investments in quality of life for our service members, providing over $7.5 billion for this year for modernization of military housing, including $1 billion for unaccompanied housing across the services, $230 million for the Marine Corps Barracks 2030 Initiative, tuition assistance, child care, and housing allowance supplements, and an extension of temporary lodging expenses from 14 to 21 days to ease the burden of PCS moves. | ||
| These are not abstract numbers, they are real solutions for families who sacrificed so much to serve our great nation. | ||
| And finally, I traveled to Wallops Island in my district to visit the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, where Virginia is playing a vital role in America's return to the moon and preparation for Mars. | ||
| The One Big Beautiful bill provides nearly $10 billion for NASA, supporting Artemis missions, the International Space Station, and new launch infrastructure. | ||
| These investments will directly benefit Wallops, strengthening our space economy, and inspire the next generation of aerospace leaders here in Virginia. | ||
| Madam Speaker, the One Big Beautiful Bill restores America, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| The One Big Beautiful Bill restores American strength at sea, revitalizes our industrial base, improves quality of life for military families, and secures our future in space. | ||
| I'm proud to have supported this historic legislation, and I will keep working to make sure coastal Virginia sees the full benefit of what we accomplished. | ||
| Thank you, and I yield back. | ||
| Thank you. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I now yield to the gentleman from Indiana, Mr. Yakim, for as much time as he may consume. | ||
|
unidentified
|
I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. | |
| Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight the already tremendous impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill. | ||
| During the August work period, I traveled across all 11 counties in my district, hitting over 40 stops, meeting with Hoosiers where they live and work. | ||
| I heard from Chuck at Allie's Cafe, who shared about how eliminating tax on tips puts more money directly into workers' pockets. | ||
|
Salt Lake Chamber Discussion
00:11:40
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|
unidentified
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I spoke with Camping World and other companies about how the Made in America provision and immediate expensing strengthen American manufacturing jobs. | |
| I joined law enforcement officers at a drug enforcement roundtable to discuss how this bill invests billions of dollars in border security to stem the flow of fentanyl into our communities. | ||
| And I celebrated 100 years of egg production with Creighton Brothers, a century of hard work and family enterprise. | ||
| And that's just a fraction of the stories I encountered. | ||
| Each day on the road, I was reminded that the strength of Indiana and America lies in our people, our families, our farmers, our workers, and our small businesses. | ||
| The One Big Beautiful bill was written for them and because of them. | ||
| Together, we are proving that when we keep government out of the way, Americans can keep more of what they earn, and there's no limit to what we can achieve. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I yield back. | ||
| Thank you. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I now yield to the gentleman from North Dakota, Ms. Fajorczuk, for as much time as she may consume. | ||
| Thank you, Madam Chair. | ||
| This microphone isn't picking up that well, but thank you. | ||
| Appreciate this opportunity. | ||
| You know, I had a really hard time deciding what to talk about tonight because there's so many great things about the One Big Beautiful Bill. | ||
| Should I talk about student loan reform and the impact that's going to have on driving down the cost of education and minimizing the amount of loan debt that people have when they graduate from college? | ||
| Or investments in the air traffic control system? | ||
| Maybe we should talk about the death tax increases and how we doubled the amount of income or the value that business owners and farmers can pass down to the next generation after they've already paid tax on all of that income and before they invested it. | ||
| Or I could talk about farm bill investments or bonus depreciation. | ||
| There's so many amazing things about the One Big Beautiful Bill. | ||
| It's hard to keep track of them and it's hard to decide what to lead with. | ||
| But today I'm going to talk about something that I think has been largely overlooked, and that is the lowering of the taxes on interest on car loans for American purchased cars, American-made cars. | ||
| I recently had the chance to visit with Dan McGee. | ||
| This is Dan right here. | ||
| He is the general manager of MJ Maguire Auto Dealership and also a farmer in Rugby, North Dakota. | ||
| With the One Big Beautiful Bill now law, Americans can take advantage of a new interest deduction when purchasing an American-made vehicle. | ||
| This provision can really help small-town car dealers like MJ Maguire. | ||
| For a family buying a $50,000 vehicle, Dan explained to me what this would mean. | ||
| He said the interest in just the first year might run about $3,500. | ||
| Under this new law, that interest is now deductible, a huge savings for hardworking American families. | ||
| This isn't just relief for companies or big corporations, like many of the Democrats are claiming. | ||
| It is for everyday North Dakotans and everyday Americans across the nation. | ||
| Dan also pointed out the broader benefits in the bill, like the expansion of the 199A small business deduction, tax relief that allows entrepreneurs like him to reinvest in their businesses, or raising the death tax exemption so farmers like him can grow and pass on their land to the next generation. | ||
| He said it best: there are so many good things in this bill that it's hard to keep track of them all. | ||
| That's what this law is about: real practical help for hardworking Americans. | ||
| Thank you, Madam Chair. | ||
| I yield back. | ||
| Madam Speaker, I now yield to the gentleman from Utah, Mr. Kennedy, for as much time as he may consume. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I rise to highlight the important benefits the One Big Beautiful Bill will deliver to Utah's businesses and workers. | ||
| As you know, we had the opportunity to be in our districts for the past month, and I had the privilege of meeting with my constituents in Utah's 3rd District. | ||
| At the end of this district work period, I participated in a business-focused event with members of the Salt Lake Chamber to discuss the One Big Beautiful Bill and other industry-related issues. | ||
| During this event, I was able to hear directly from local business owners and stakeholders about how the One Big Beautiful Bill and other federal policies are impacting businesses in my district. | ||
| What I heard was clear: businesses want certainty, they want competitiveness, and they want opportunity. | ||
| The One Big Beautiful Bill delivers all three. | ||
| The One Big Beautiful Bill makes permanent the Section 199A pass-through deduction, giving small businesses a 20% tax break. | ||
| For the 69,000 eligible firms in Utah, this means long-term stability and provides them with a foundation to thrive. | ||
| The One Big Beautiful Bill will also protect about 72,000 full-time jobs in Utah over the next four years, relative to if the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act had been allowed to expire. | ||
| Derek Miller, President and CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce, said, This vital legislation provides crucial long-term certainty for Utah's businesses and families. | ||
| Making these pro-growth provisions permanent empowers businesses to continue investing, innovating, and creating jobs, while also ensuring Utah families can keep more of their hard-earned money and better manage their financial responsibilities. | ||
| End quote. | ||
| The One Big Beautiful Bill is also critical to innovative national security-focused companies in Utah, such as Northrop Grumman and Vector, which I had the opportunity to tour during the August work period. | ||
| Northrop manufactures the five-segment solid rocket boosters for NASA's space launch system in Utah. | ||
| They are currently developing the next generation rocket boosters, which will power us to the moon and Mars. | ||
| Thanks to the passage of the One Big Beautiful bill, NASA will receive $4.1 billion for the space launch system for the Artemis 4 and 5 missions. | ||
| That investment will support Utah jobs and power new American advancement in space. | ||
| The One Big Beautiful bill also supports a strong national defense by investing in America's UAS industrial base to boost U.S. drone capabilities. | ||
| In my district, companies like Vector, a veteran-owned drone manufacturer, are leading that charge, developing technologies to strengthen the warfighter, secure our supply chain, and drive 21st-century innovation here at home. | ||
| I'm glad the One Big Beautiful Bill will help support these capabilities and ensure America, not China, sets the standard in this critical field. | ||
| In voting for the One Big Beautiful Bill, House Republicans voted to power economic growth by boosting local production, supporting small businesses, and strengthening America's national security. | ||
| I enjoyed discussing these issues with the Salt Lake Chamber and other groups while in my beautiful state of Utah last month. | ||
| Thank you, Madam Chair, for organizing this. | ||
| And Mr. Speaker, I yield back. | ||
| Thank you. | ||
| Now, Madam Speaker, you've just heard a number of stories from House Republicans about how the One Big Beautiful Bill will benefit their constituents. | ||
| But you don't have to take our word for it. | ||
| These stories come directly from the Americans who actually stand to benefit the most. | ||
| Whether you're a manufacturer, manufacturing worker in Pennsylvania, a Border Patrol agent in Arizona, or a server in rural America, the One Big Beautiful Bill delivers for all Americans. | ||
| We spent the August district work period hearing from them, the people. | ||
|
unidentified
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Right? | |
| Many stories have been written about how the House Republicans were selling the bill. | ||
| But the truth is, the bill sells itself. | ||
| Every Michigander I spoke with is excited. | ||
| They're excited for no tax on tips, tax relief for seniors, the end of the death tax, provisions to help small businesses create jobs and grow the local economies. | ||
| The one big beautiful bill truly puts the American person first. | ||
| Now, here's the interesting fact. | ||
| Instead of joining us to put every American first, I want to remind everybody, and you need to ask this question. | ||
| Every single Democrat voted to raise taxes on hardworking Americans. | ||
| Every single Democrat voted to raise taxes on every American. | ||
| Think about that. | ||
| But you don't hear them talk about that. | ||
| We need to hold them accountable to that vote because Democrats, they want to raise your taxes. | ||
| Now, Madam Speaker, our work does not end with this historic legislation. | ||
| House Republicans will continue to work to deliver for the American people. | ||
| As we return to Washington, we are more determined than ever to continue our work to enact common sense policies that benefit all Americans. | ||
| In the days, weeks, and months ahead, I can assure you more stories of the benefits of the One Big Beautiful bill will be heard. | ||
| And the fear-mongering from the Democrats, well, that is just going to have to stop because we are excited to share their stories. | ||
| And you know what? | ||
| The American people are excited to share their stories too. | ||
| So with that, I yield back the balance of my time. | ||
| Does the gentlewoman have a motion? | ||
| Does the gentlewoman move to adjourn? | ||
|
unidentified
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Yep. | |
| We're ready to adjourn. | ||
| The question is on the motion to adjourn. | ||
| Those in favor say aye. | ||
| Those opposed, no. | ||
| The ayes have it. | ||
| The motion is adopted. | ||
| Accordingly, the House stands adjourned until 10 a.m. tomorrow for Morning Hour Debate. | ||
|
unidentified
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Later in the week, they'll vote on a resolution directing the Oversight and Government Reform Committee to continue its work on the federal investigation of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. | |
| Kentucky Congressman Thomas Massey is filing a discharge petition to force a vote on his legislation to release the Epstein files. | ||
|
Government Funding Deadline
00:02:11
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unidentified
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Lawmakers will also consider funding for the Energy Department and water development projects ahead of a September 30th deadline to fund the government. | |
| When the House returns, watch live coverage here on C-SPAN. | ||
| C-SPAN's Washington Journal, our live forum inviting you to discuss the latest issues in government, politics, and public policy. | ||
| From Washington and across the country. | ||
| Coming up Wednesday morning, David Wasserman of the Cook Political Report discusses how current state efforts to redraw congressional maps could affect the 2026 midterm elections. | ||
| Then, AP reporter David Lieb previews the Missouri Legislature special session, considering a new congressional map that would add Republican seats to its delegation. | ||
| And Ohio Democratic Representative Greg Lansman talks about Trump administration health care policy, government spending deadlines, and congressional news of the day. | ||
| Also, the Hills Emily Brooks on bipartisan efforts to try to force the release of the Epstein files. | ||
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