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Sept. 3, 2025 21:00-22:27 - CSPAN

01:26:53

U.S. House of Representatives U.S. House of Representatives

Transcriber: nvidia/parakeet-tdt-0.6b-v2, sat-12l-sm, and large-v3-turbo Source

Participants

Main

chip roy

rep/r 07:01

nathaniel moran

rep/r 07:20

seth magaziner

rep/d 05:17

Appearances

alexandria ocasio-cortez

rep/d 04:27

anna paulina luna

rep/r 01:33

brian fitzpatrick

rep/r 03:09

buddy carter

rep/r 01:02

delia ramirez

rep/d 03:46

doug lamalfa

rep/r 02:15

eleanor holmes norton

d 02:27

jeff crank

rep/r 01:15

luz rivas

rep/d 01:17

mike johnson

rep/r 00:38

mike lawler

rep/r 01:25

pete aguilar

rep/d 03:39

pramila jayapal

rep/d 04:37

raja krishnamoorthi

d 01:25

scott perry

rep/r 00:47

tim burchett

rep/r 02:18

tylease alli

01:59

Clips

ted lieu

rep/d 00:18

Large

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Show episode speakers

Speaker	Time	Text
Shouting for Congressional Action 00:15:08
unidentified		On his way out of the implications of this bill.
		And they know that.
		And that's why so many of the impacts are going to hit after the midterm elections.
		And they're trying to change the name because it is deeply unpopular out in the world as we've gone out to tell our voters about what they just passed and what's going to happen in our communities.
		And most of us were in our districts meeting with people, holding town halls, visiting nursing homes, visiting our health care centers, our hospitals.
		This is the largest transfer of wealth from working class families to the most wealthy in the history of the United States, to the wealthiest people in the world in the history of the world.
		And so when they try to rebrand this, we're going to, people are going to feel the pain.
		They're already feeling the economic pain of the tariffs, the instability in the watch the rest of this on our free C-SPAN now video app as we take you now to the U.S. Capitol.
		The House is gabbling in.
		live coverage on C-SPAN.
nathaniel moran ▲ ● ▼		Passage of house joint resolution 106 and passage of house joint resolution 105.
		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 passage of House Joint Resolution 104, on which the yays and nays are ordered.
		The clerk will report the title of the joint resolution.
tylease alli ▲ ● ▼		House Joint Resolution 104, joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under Chapter 8 of Title V, United States Code, of the rules submitted by the Bureau of Land Management relating to Miles City Field Office record of decision and approved resource management plan amendment.
nathaniel moran ▲ ● ▼		The question is on passage of the joint resolution.
		Members will record their votes by electronic device.
		This is a 15-minute vote.
unidentified		House lawmakers are working on a series of measures tonight, including 2026 energy and water spending legislation, as well as three resolutions to overturn Biden-era Bureau of Land Management plans in Alaska, Montana, and North Dakota.
		Also, lawmakers worked on a measure which directs the House Oversight Committee to continue its ongoing investigation into the possible mismanagement of the federal government's investigation of Jeffrey Epstein.
		Right now, lawmakers are voting on a resolution to overturn Biden-era Bureau of Land Management plans in Montana.
		While members vote, we take you to a news conference with House lawmakers speaking to reporters about their bipartisan legislation to ban members of Congress and their families from engaging in insider trading of stocks.
chip roy ▲ ● ▼		You got it, everybody?
unidentified		All right.
chip roy ▲ ● ▼		Well, good afternoon, everybody.
		Thank you for joining us here today.
		Today is a really important day.
		We have the opportunity before us to answer the mandate given to us by the American people who respect banning stock trading in Congress.
		And we should not waste time.
		I want to start off by saying how much I appreciate this bipartisan group of members.
		We've been meeting regularly over the last however many months, frankly, maybe years, trying to work to get consensus.
		I'm proud to have worked with Seth McAzina, who I'll turn it over to in a minute, who I've been working with since Abigail Spanberger left.
		She and I introduced legislation five years ago on this topic, as you all know, on a bipartisan basis.
		And we've been trying to move this along.
		That bill, the trust in Congress, the original Trust Act, has a significant number of co-sponsors.
		But what we decided to do is take the multiple bills that are represented by folks on this dais, bring it together into one bill, and speak with one united bipartisan voice.
		That it is time for Congress to act.
		It is time for the leadership of Congress on both sides of the aisle to do what the American people have been demanding, which is to end day trading by members of Congress.
		They do not send us here to enrich ourselves while we are voting on the issues they send us here to fix and address, and then have members who are trading stocks on the very issues they're supposed to be voting on on an objective basis for the benefit of the American people.
		So we're going to have filed today, we have just filed, a bill that we're calling the Restore Trust in Congress Act.
		And that legislation, which I'll let Seth expand upon a little bit more in detail, takes the best elements of all of our legislation, puts it together to restrict and limit and ban trading of stocks by individual members of Congress.
		Now, it retains the ability of members of Congress to have their funds in broadly held mutual funds.
		It allows members of Congress to be able to work through under the rules to do that, but they should not be trading equities and they should not be enriching themselves on the very issues that they're voting on.
		We have Capital Trades, for example, reports that 113 members of Congress made 9,261 trades in 2024 involving 706 million shares of other assets.
		That's not why people sent us here to Washington.
		There are 330 million Americans.
		There are 435 of us.
		If you want to day trade, leave Congress.
		It's that simple.
		If you come up here with the trust of the American people, do your job, vote to deliver for the American people.
		I would note that Speaker Johnson has said that he supports banning trading of stocks among members of Congress.
		I would note that President Trump has said he supports it.
		I would note that Secretary Besson has said that he supports it.
		And vast numbers of both sides of the aisle support this, and it is long past time that we move.
		The House Committee on Administration should consider this bill, move the bill forward, amend it, go through regular order, but deliver it quickly to the floor of the House.
		But we're going to get a vote on this.
		This is a non-debatable proposition.
		We are going to get a vote on this.
		We are calling on leadership to use regular order to deliver, but it is past time to deliver, and this bipartisan group are standing united to say that that's what we should do.
		With that, I would like to turn it over to Seth McAziner, who has led this initiative on the other side of the aisle alongside me with the Trust Act.
seth magaziner ▲ ● ▼		Well, good afternoon, everybody.
		There are two types of people who come to Washington.
		There are those who are determined to root out corruption and those who are wedded to the status quo.
		And the status quo has been in effect for far too long.
		It is long past time that we ban members of Congress from trading stocks.
		Why?
		Because the opportunity for corruption is just so great.
		When members of Congress decide how to vote on a bill, they should be voting best on what they think is best for the American people, not what is best for their investment accounts.
		When members of Congress come here, they should not be able to profit off of inside information that the average American and the average market participant does not have access to.
		Now, I am very grateful to everyone on this stage for having the courage to do the hard thing and stand up for reform.
		I've said it before, and I'll say it again.
		Those of us who support banning stock trading in Congress are very vocal in our position.
		But that doesn't mean that there aren't opponents.
		It's just that the opponents don't say it so vocally, but they say it quietly behind closed doors and they're very persistent, believe me.
		And so it takes courage.
		And it takes, I think, a real maturity for members who, you know, to be frank, everybody on the stage probably doesn't always agree with each other on very much.
		But one of the things that we all understand is that in order for legislating to work, in order for Washington to work, we need to be able to put aside our differences every once in a while and work together where we can in the interest of the American people.
		I want to give just a few quick shout outs before handing it to the next speaker.
		And if there are questions about the details of the bill, we're happy to do that in the Q ⁇ A.
		This bill is the product of a lot of people putting in a lot of hard work.
		And in my view, this bill is far superior to any bill on this topic that has been introduced so far, including my own, our own, that I introduced with Chip.
		This is the product of a lot of negotiation and also a lot of listening to experts and to members about what can work.
		This is a bill that can pass and should pass.
		And as Chip called out some of the prominent Republican leaders who have been supportive of this effort, I'll call out a few of the Democratic members, starting with our own leader, Hakeem Jeffries.
		Hakeem has been steadfast on this.
		He was the first member of either, first leader of either party in either chamber to come out in support of a stock trading ban.
		I've been in regular conversation with him, as I know Pramilla and others have as well.
		He is with us in this effort.
		I want to give a big shout out to all of the Democratic members on this stage, particularly Pramila Jayapal, who has been leading on this issue for years and who I have enjoyed working with and learned a lot from through this process.
		Alexandria, Ocasio-Cortez, Dave Min, Raja Krishnamurthy, who's been leading on this for some time.
		I know that we have, I think that's all that's actually here today, but others who have been supportive of this as well here in spirit.
		And I also want to give a shout out to Abigail Spamberger.
		Abigail, as Chip noted, was an early leader on this issue, an early initiator of this movement.
		And although she has left us for other pastures, I know that she is very pleased with the progress that we have been making.
		So with that, the time has come.
		Let's get it done.
		And I'm going to turn it over now to someone else who's been a great partner as we've been meeting through the spring and the summer, Representative Fitzpatrick.
brian fitzpatrick ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Seth.
		Good afternoon, everybody.
		It's not every day you see this cast of characters up here.
		These are all smirking out there, but that's a good thing.
		And it speaks to the power of this cause.
		How did we get here?
		Pretty much everyone up here had their own version to accomplish the same goal.
		Myself and Alexandria and Raja had a bill.
		Anna's had a bill.
		Seth, Burchett has had a bill.
		Seth, Chip, Pramilla, Scott, you've been co-sponsoring a lot of these bills.
		I mean, every single one.
		And Seth came to my office, was that earlier this cycle?
		As you did to all the individual bill authors and said, can we find a way to merge all these bills together?
		And that's, in fact, what's happened here.
		Many of you knew I spent my entire career before here as an FBI agent.
		When I came here, it wasn't a revelation.
		It confirmed what I already knew, that members of Congress have access to inside information.
		Period.
		End of story.
		And that being the case, a lot of opponents to this will say, well, we already have insider trader laws on the books.
		This is why it's different.
		If you're a typical run-in-the-million statu trading case, it's you're sitting on a company board, you have access to one company's information that is imminent that's been voted on or about to be voted on by a board.
		Members of Congress, just by being on the floor of the House, have a much more clear purview, being behind the curtain, of whether a CR is going to pass or not, whether there will be a government shutdown.
		Is AI regulation going to pass or not?
		Just a much clearer sense for the likelihood, the probability of things coming to fruition or not coming to fruition.
		And for anybody in this institution to trade off that information is illegal and unethical, both.
		We are dealing with the ethics piece.
		The criminal law will remain on the books.
		But this ethics bill, and that's what this is, is a culmination of the efforts of everybody here on the stage.
		And I'm very, very proud to stand in partnership with each and every one of them because this is beyond an 80-20 issue.
		This is a 95-5 issue, and the five that are against it are probably in this institution day trading.
		So we're going to, and by the way, we will find a way to get this to the floor one way or another, and we will leave it at that.
		There are multiple pathways to get a bill to the floor.
		We are not going to let another Congress pass without getting this done.
		And with that, I yield and I will call up my classmate from the 115th Congress, Pramila Jayapal.
pramila jayapal ▲ ● ▼		Thank you so much, Brian.
		And thank you to everyone.
		This has been, as you've heard, the product of many years of work.
		And I remember back in 2020 when I introduced my first bill on this topic with Elizabeth Warren and a number of Republicans as well.
		I think it was Matt Rosendale at the time.
		We have continued to do the work to try and bring these bills together because we know that sometimes what happens in this place is if there are multiple bills on a subject, leadership that may not want us to move forward says, we got too many bills, we can't decide.
		So we did the work of negotiating with each other.
		We brought in experts to make sure, including experts that manage money and know what the loopholes are that we needed to make sure were fixed.
		And I think we are doing the simplest thing that we can do in many ways.
		It is the simplest thing that the American people want, which is to know that their member of Congress represents them and not their own pocketbooks.
		And that's really what this is about.
		Brian talked about insider trading and the information we get.
		We also should know that people are taking votes on issues where they're not thinking about their own stock portfolio.
		At the core, this is really about public trust.
		And public trust right now in government is at an all-time low, and there's a good reason for that because people don't know who we represent.
		So let's make this really, really clear.
Accountable Fines For Elected Officials 00:15:36
pramila jayapal ▲ ● ▼		This bill gets around many of the loopholes that existed before in some of the other pieces of legislation.
		There's real accountable fines here where perhaps when you make your first mistake, that's a pretty low fine.
		But after that, there is a 10% penalty and disgorgement of profits, which is really, really important because there needs to be some way to hold people accountable.
		And we know that there are a lot of places that essentially trade on their ability to get us to do certain things that benefit big corporations out there, benefit our own pockets.
		And so I'm really excited that we're in this place.
		We've been here before on the stage, actually, with several of us that have been here over time.
		But I do feel like this is different this time.
		I feel like we are really at a place where we brought all the bills together and we are going to, as Brian said, we are going to get it to the floor, whether it's through whatever process that looks like.
		So I want to thank all of our, trying to be vague here, all of our friends on both sides of the aisle that have been really clear about standing up for the American people, standing up to make sure that we represent them and not our pocketbooks.
		And with that, it's a great honor to introduce my colleague, Representative Tim Burchett.
unidentified		I thought you said Corinne Turchit.
tim burchett ▲ ● ▼		Thanks, Pry Paul.
		Pry Paul, thank you, ma'am.
		Cortez.
		Luna.
		Gentlemen.
		You know, it's kind of funny when you deal with this stuff.
		And I talked to the ethics people the other day.
		Everybody knows I make these crazy skateboards and people asking, hey, sell me a skateboard.
		So I said, well, let me go check it out with ethics.
		I literally got to get attorneys involved to sell a dadgum skateboard.
		But if I want to do insider stock trading, just get elected to Congress, really.
		I mean, let's just be honest.
		Look, everybody ought to do like I do.
		Get their $12,000 portfolio in a mutual fund.
		Let my buddy Tommy Seiler handle it.
		He does pretty well.
		Although my daughter's going to school now, so I'll be cashing that out very soon.
		But look, we're public servants.
		We're stewards of the community.
		Nobody is above the law.
		You hear that.
		It's kind of become cliché up here.
		But for years, members of Congress, we know they've gotten rich using hardworking American taxpayers' money.
		Members sit on committees, we attend private meetings where we gain privilege information about companies.
		Congress appropriates money to economic sectors that may overlap with members' own portfolios.
		I call out the war pimps a lot.
		I worry about us voting on wars that we're going to send our kids off to that we couldn't even find on a dadgum globe and members having owned stock in those things.
		The American taxpayer always gets the short end of the stick and Congress seems to profit at their expense.
		This body has been enriching itself on the taxpayer's dime and dadgum, it's got to stop.
		The president's already said he would sign a bill banning stock trading for members of Congress have passed.
		I think the real test is going to be whether Congress has the guts to stand up and do what's right.
		And I'm proud of all these people up here.
		I don't agree with them.
		Some of these people own anything.
		If they told me, if Cortez told me the sun was coming up tomorrow, I'd probably go out and I'd go out and check it out.
		But she's my buddy, and I'm proud to stand up on the stage with that.
		And now I will introduce my friend Cortez to come up and speak.
		Thanks, Cortez.
unidentified		Thank you.
alexandria ocasio-cortez ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Tim.
		Good afternoon, everyone.
		Hope everyone's doing well.
		I got to say, you know, I know it was, man, what was it like six or seven years ago now, Chip, that you and I were elected here.
		And one of the first conversations that Representative Chip Roy and I had had to do with money in politics, I remember, and just in general.
		And, you know, I think that this issue has brought so many of us across the political spectrum together because we are united by the value that people should feel that their elected representative puts them and their interests first and that we are here first and foremost to do the job that the public has sent us to do.
		And, you know, in many ways, I feel like this press conference and this podium shouldn't necessarily be facing out here.
		I don't think we need to sell the American people on this.
		We need to be turning it around and making sure that we get this thing past the post.
		And I want to thank Congressman Roy for the effort you've put in this Congress specifically to move this forward.
		And every year we've been getting closer.
		And I do believe, as we said, that this year we're going to get the vote.
		And I also want to thank Brian Fitzpatrick as well for, oh, here you go, for some of the work that we've done in co-sponsoring our original bill on this.
		But it's very rare, I feel, in Washington that when we bring multiple stakeholders and folks together to negotiate on a bill, that you leave that room feeling like the bill got better.
		A lot of times it feels like we are we'll get to an agreement and we're holding our nose to get something past the post.
		But I genuinely feel in this process that in putting all of our bills together, we've actually ended up with a product that is legitimately stronger than the sum of its parts.
		And it is one of those rare moments where I feel like Washington is working the way that it's supposed to work.
		And it feels foreign and it feels alien and it's like what's going on here.
		But I also think it is proof that things can work here.
		And when we put our disagreements aside, of which of course there may be many, but we focus on the things that we have in common, we can make our country better, we can make this institution better, and we can increase and earn the faith of the American people, which is really genuinely the core of our work here.
		And so to that end, I want to thank everyone for their incredibly hard work.
		We are going to get this done.
		It requires standing up against the powers that be, but because of the support of the American people on this issue, you all have generated the momentum necessary to give us the power to be able to do this.
		And I look forward to bringing this to a vote.
		I look forward to banning the trading of individual stock on the floor and by members of Congress.
		And I'm looking forward to making this place a better place that puts the American people first.
		So thank you all so much.
anna paulina luna ▲ ● ▼		Thank you for everyone for being here.
		As you know, the group behind us has been very vocal on this topic.
		And not to reiterate what Chip Roy had stated, but over I think it's 95% of Americans support this.
		I sometimes feel like an adjudicator in this job, so I guess I'll be the one to say that we've asked nicely for leadership to put this on the floor.
		If they don't, I'm saying timeline is end of month.
		There is a discharge petition prepared and ready to go.
		I think it's very clear where the White House stands on this.
		I don't speak for the White House, but the President has stated that he supports banning this because it is corrupt.
		Frankly, the fact that members are getting what plus 600% returns on their investments is wrong.
		But more importantly, how could you ever be expected to represent your constituents when you're clearly worried about your pocketbook?
		And so that's why we're here today.
		Again, thank you to Representative Burchett because he helped work on that discharge.
		But we are very hopeful that this will be brought to the floor in regular order.
		And we look forward collectively to deliver this one to the American people.
chip roy ▲ ● ▼		Thanks so much.
raja krishnamoorthi ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, everybody.
		And thank you so much to Seth and Chip and all the people on the stage.
		Look, this is a message to our colleagues, okay?
		You may have traded up till now.
		You may have operated within the confines of the law and the rules and the regulations.
		This is your chance to do the right thing.
		This is your chance to do the right thing.
		We're not going to judge what you did before now.
		But now that this bill is going to come to the floor, and we're going to make sure of that, it's your chance to get right with the American people.
		Because at the end of the day, Congress is not a casino.
		It's not a stock exchange.
		It's not a betting parlor.
		The only bet we should be making is on the American people.
		We can't serve the American people and the public interest at the same time that we're serving our stock portfolio.
		Please, fellow members, we're not judging you, but now is the time to do the right thing.
		When 95% of your colleagues, I'm sorry, the constituents in your districts and the American people want this.
		Anything else would be going against their best interests and the best interests of the country.
		Thank you.
		And now, Scott.
scott perry ▲ ● ▼		So, look, a lot of the country doesn't, there's a lack of trust in the government, and this is an opportunity to earn some of that trust back.
		And quite honestly, when many Americans say, why can't any of you people get together on anything?
		Up here, you have the left and the right standing on the stage for the same issue, for the same cause, which should be an indicator to everybody that this is absolutely the right.
		This is one of the times when the American people and Congress can get a win.
		And I would just say I would sum it up this way.
		Nobody drafted anybody.
		Nobody made you run for Congress.
		You decided you wanted to serve and you ran.
		Well, coming to Washington, D.C. and serving isn't about what you can get.
		It's about what you can give.
		And so I thank the leaders for their courage to bring this and push it and be doggedly about it forever and ever to make sure it gets done.
unidentified		God bless you.
		Thank you.
		Look, the reality is there are 200 million reasons why this bill needs to come to the floor.
		That's how much members of Congress profited, and a small minority of members of Congress profited from insider trading.
		I just came to Washington last cycle.
		I beat an incumbent who had been trading on the Financial Services Committee.
		And this isn't a Republican or a Democrat issue.
		Look at the folks behind us.
		This is a group of individuals who are fighting because it is unfair that members of Congress are trading on insider information and performing 60% better than most of the trading companies in New York City.
		The reality is this.
		We have all had great ideas.
		We led the Stock Act as one of our first bills.
		Chip has been able to bring together a team from both the left, the right, and everybody in between to be able to put something forward that actually provides integrity back to what this place so desperately needs.
		The draining of corruption, the holding accountability of elected officials, and most importantly, giving back a little bit of trust to the American people that the people who are up here fighting for you are actually delivering.
		And as Annapolina Luna just highlighted, the shot clock starts right now.
		We can end insider trading.
		We can help restore integrity to government.
		And this team right here is the one who's going to help get it done this cycle.
		I'm so proud of everybody who's been working on this, and I'm privileged to be part of this team.
		Thanks, Chip.
chip roy ▲ ● ▼		Seth, you want to come up here and we'll field some questions on any specifics.
		I do want to say one thing, though.
		While I'm proud to work with everybody here and have been proud to be on this issue for a long time, Seth did an enormous amount of the legwork to bring all this group together and went around office by office.
		Everybody has been doing this together.
		Ana and Tim have been working hard to try to put pressure to get it to the floor.
		I think we want to have all of us have been working on this together jointly to get this done.
		So I just want that to be very clear.
		Yeah.
unidentified		Could you guys talk about how, if and all, this would impact the White House and the executive branch if this bill were passed?
chip roy ▲ ● ▼		This legislation focuses on Article 1.
		It focuses on Congress.
		Now, there's a great deal of support.
		I don't want to speak for everybody collectively.
		I think there's a great deal of support for the executive branch also being Subject to the provisions that we want to put forward.
		We think all three branches, it ought to be very clear that nobody's benefiting from Phasor 208.
nathaniel moran ▲ ● ▼		With zero answering present, the joint resolution is passed without objection.
		The motion to reconsider is laid on the table.
		Pursuant to clause 8 of Rule 20, the unfinished business is the vote on passage of House Joint Resolution 106, on which the yeas and nays are ordered.
		The clerk will report the title of the joint resolution.
tylease alli ▲ ● ▼		House Joint Resolution 106.
tylease alli ▲ ● ▼		Joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under Chapter 8 of Title V, United States Code, of the rules admitted by the Bureau of Land Management relating to Central Yukon record of decision and approved resource management plan.
nathaniel moran ▲ ● ▼		Question is on passage of the joint resolution.
		Members will record their votes by electronic device.
		This is a five-minute vote.
unidentified		House lawmakers in another vote series, they are voting on final passage on a resolution to overturn Biden-era Bureau of Land Management plans in Alaska.
unidentified		While members vote, we take you back to that news conference on bipartisan legislation to ban members of Congress and their families from engaging in insider trading of stocks.
seth magaziner ▲ ● ▼		Yeah, so spouses and dependent children are covered in the bill.
		They are.
		They have the same restrictions as members.
chip roy ▲ ● ▼		Dependent children.
seth magaziner ▲ ● ▼		Yeah, dependent children.
unidentified		One of the things for those who do actually support Congress members being able to trade stocks is they say, you know, we want to encourage people to run for Congress across all spectrums.
		For some folks, really being able to have to give up their stocks, give up their assets is a huge disincentive for having the public service of running.
		How do you respond to that?
anna paulina luna ▲ ● ▼		Yeah, that shouldn't at all even be a factor when you're running.
		I guess my question would be: do the option, can they buy stock in Palantir and Raytheon before they're being sent off to war?
		I mean, that whole idea notion that you're somehow sacrificing your financial benefit to be up here, first and foremost, if that's what's incentivizing you to run for office, you are definitely the wrong person to be here.
		And I think many of that has been reflected in some of the terrible legislation that predates all of us up here.
		And so my thought to those people is: if you want to trade stocks, go to Wall Street.
Collaborating on Legislative Loopholes 00:10:02
anna paulina luna ▲ ● ▼		Don't do it to Congress.
alexandria ocasio-cortez ▲ ● ▼		No, I mean, if anyone says, you know, this isn't fair, I'm going to have to divest all my stocks if I'm going to run for Congress.
		Maybe you should stay home.
		I think that, you know, as someone, I ran for office.
		I was a waitress.
		You know, plenty of people have to make tons of sacrifices to run for office.
		But I think that really the idea that this is some undue burden is outrageous.
		And the fact of the matter is, respectfully, and I know I may offend some of my colleagues here, but millionaires are very overrepresented in Congress.
		And no offense.
chip roy ▲ ● ▼		I wish I were more offended than that.
alexandria ocasio-cortez ▲ ● ▼		A little too many here.
		And with respect to the proportion of the American people, if we want a Congress that reflects the actual country that we seek to represent and fight for, we need to have working class people who live here.
		And I actually believe and who work here.
		And I feel that actually banning the trade of individual stock can help even the playing field and perhaps open the door to other provisions that can make this an easier place for working class people to get elected to and serve.
chip roy ▲ ● ▼		I can't remember the hands up earlier.
chip roy ▲ ● ▼		Sorry.
unidentified		Going back to one of the earlier questions, can you expand on why this bill does not address the president or the executive, why you decide to keep it just on the house?
seth magaziner ▲ ● ▼		Well, what I'll say is this.
		Many of us, I think, in both parties support including the president and vice president.
		We are working to see if we can get a critical mass of support to include them or not.
		If there is, that can always be introduced as an amendment or as a separate bill.
		But in the meantime, we are putting in this bill that has broad consensus to get the process moving, to keep the pressure on while that conversation continues.
		I certainly support it.
		I think many people here do.
		We're working to see if we have that critical mass.
unidentified		To the Republicans here, though, has the president advocated that this against this bill being expanded?
chip roy ▲ ● ▼		Personally, I've got no indication of that whatsoever.
		All I've gotten is support for this, and what we're trying to focus on, and I think rightly, is can we not look in the mirror as the members of Congress and go ahead and decide how we should operate?
		Start there.
		But it's really easy for us to go point.
		And I would say this last year, a year ago with President Biden, President Trump doesn't matter.
		This is not a political issue.
		But we've got to work through executive branch application and getting the votes for that.
		I would love to have that debate.
		I would love in regular order to have this come before the committee, come to the admin committee, and then offer amendments and have that debate and bring it forward and offer an amendment that applies equally to all three branches.
		That would be a fantastic debate.
		And I would likely support going in that direction.
		But I just, I think we need to focus right now on one very clear message.
		Congress, those of us here responsible for managing our own affairs, we shouldn't be trading stocks while we're voting on these important issues.
		I think it's that simple.
		A lot of questions.
		I don't know how we're going to do on time here, but yeah.
unidentified		Have you guys talked to Senate catapults on this?
		I mean, I know Senator Holland's bill does include the executive branch.
		So have you guys had those cross-chambers conversations about this?
chip roy ▲ ● ▼		Yeah, I'll say from my end of the spectrum, we certainly have.
		We've talked to Josh.
		We've talked to folks over in the Senate.
		And, you know, we're kind of collaborating in broad terms about moving the issue forward.
		Again, the legislative process, moving forward, get the ideas on the table, then let the process work.
		But again, the critical element here is that the Speaker and our leadership move it forward.
		Get it in regular order.
		Otherwise, you don't get to have this.
nathaniel moran ▲ ● ▼		210, the joint resolution is passed.
		Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table.
		Pursuant to clause 8 of Rule 20, the unfinished business is the vote on passage of House Joint Resolution 105 on which the yays and nays are ordered.
		The clerk will report the title of the joint resolution.
tylease alli ▲ ● ▼		House Joint Resolution 105.
tylease alli ▲ ● ▼		Joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under Chapter 8 of Title V United States Code of the rules submitted by the Bureau of Land Management relating to North Dakota Field Office record of decision and approved resource management plan.
nathaniel moran ▲ ● ▼		Questions on passage of the joint resolution.
		Members will record their votes by electronic device.
		This is a five-minute vote.
unidentified		And House lawmakers in another vote series.
		They are voting on final passage on a resolution to overturn Biden-era Bureau of Land Management plans in North Dakota.
		You're all alluding to it, but since you are quite the diverse group of members, can you speak to how this, how you work together and how you maybe overcome or set aside some of the differences that you have on other issues to focus on this, to push it forward, maybe a discharge position, whatever it may be.
		But a little bit of behind the scenes.
tim burchett ▲ ● ▼		I'll tend to forgive the Democrats a lot.
chip roy ▲ ● ▼		That's a lot.
		I'll just give a 30-second going back to when Abigail and I first did this.
		It sat down literally over, we were just having dinner, we were having, you know, a beer and just talking about the need to solve this problem.
		And then that has been the way for me, this has occurred with multiple of my colleagues over the last four or five years.
		We've all realized how much we have a passion for getting this done.
		But I'll let you address kind of how we've worked on it over the last six months or whatever.
pramila jayapal ▲ ● ▼		Yeah, I mean, that's I think that's probably an experience that each of us had.
		For me, it was with Ken Buck, who's no longer here, and Matt Rosendale.
		But I think in this iteration, we started by looking at all the provisions that all the bills had and kind of identifying where were the places where we diverged and started with some of those things.
		And so things like, you know, do we allow qualified blind trust or not?
		This bill does not.
		And going through each of those together.
		So Seth did a great job of working with all of us to get us all to the same table.
		But then also we brought in, like I mentioned earlier, experts who said, you know, have you thought about, who reviewed kind of the basic ideas we were playing with and said, have you thought about this loophole?
		Have you thought about this loophole?
		How do you handle this thing?
		And so we were able to also take into account some of the different pieces that maybe hadn't been in the bills.
		We also looked at the Senate bill and just kind of compared the two because obviously the closer the two are, the better.
		But I've been in touch with Senator Kelly as well.
		He was just out in Seattle.
		We were talking about this.
		And I think that there's just a lot of interest.
		And the bigger the vote is in the House, we all know this, the bigger the vote is in the House, the better it is for the Senate because it puts pressure on the Senate.
		It makes our bill the main bill.
		And hopefully that then becomes the vehicle that moves forward in the Senate.
		But it was a pretty detailed process.
		And everybody got to weigh in, and different people had concerns about different things.
		And we just worked through it until we got to something that everyone felt good about, as Alex said.
		Not a place where we left feeling like, oh, I gave something up.
		I really do think, as all of us have said, that it was just strong.
brian fitzpatrick ▲ ● ▼		Just very quick: the one thing that I immediately noticed when I was in the room with all my colleagues here is that I think an impetus for a lot of us running for office is to resolve injustices in the system.
		We have different perspectives on what that is.
		We all agree on this.
		And the disconnect between the public and this institution in terms of that gap in trust, this is a main, huge driver of that.
		So that was a common belief that all of us had.
		And I thought, I'm really proud that this group came together.
chip roy ▲ ● ▼		Last question.
unidentified		You talk about, of course, trying to cover as many loopholes as possible.
		But is that kind of what gives you guys this confidence that this bill could pass now?
		Or do you feel like this topic is just kind of tipping?
chip roy ▲ ● ▼		Yeah, I mean, we got to get it to the floor.
		But I think putting this all together, I think, has given us now a much better position because we're now united, that it has the best elements of each of the bills.
		And it's really fully thought through.
		I mean, we've tried to think through.
		It doesn't mean to say that it shouldn't be amended or that couldn't be made better through the legislative process.
		We're all about that here.
		But, you know, to have this deal with disgorgement of profits, to have a 10% penalty if you're going to go ahead and trade, even though you're not supposed to, to apply to family members and dependent children, but to be very clean and very specific as it relates to the securities in question, and to also allow for the ability to have a tax ability to move it, say, from equities over into a fund to encourage members of Congress to do it.
		We try to listen to members and try to take in information about, okay, we want everybody to do this when they get here to address that issue about, well, why do you get people to run for Congress?
		Well, fine, we won't make you have a big tax bill, but you are going to have to divest of all of his individual equities and put them into broadly held funds so you're not being able to day trade.
seth magaziner ▲ ● ▼		Yeah, I agree with that.
		I mean, I think there's an external factor and an internal factor.
		The external factor is that, like, I cannot begin to describe when this issue comes up at town halls or at events, anywhere in the country, people go nuts because it is crazy to the average person that this has been allowed to go on for so long.
		And I do think that in part due to some of your great coverage these last few months, we have reached a tipping point where the pressure from outside the building is becoming too much for leadership to deny.
		Inside the building, it's been a great, I got to say, like a great collaboration.
		I'm only in my second term.
		I'm relatively new here.
		I hadn't worked with several people on the stage before, but every time we met, people came prepared.
		We, in a painstaking way, went through every possible issue or concern that we could think of.
		And everybody here, you know, surrendered some of their own time limelight, surrendered some credit, worked together because we just care about getting something done.
Amendment 23 Vote 00:03:54
seth magaziner ▲ ● ▼		So I got to give the A's are 215.
nathaniel moran ▲ ● ▼		The nays are 211.
pete aguilar ▲ ● ▼		The joint resolution is passed.
unidentified		Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table.
		Pursuant to House Resolution 672 and Rule 18, the Chair declares the House in the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union for further consideration of H.R. 4553.
		Will the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Moran, kindly take the chair?
nathaniel moran ▲ ● ▼		The House is in the committee of the whole House on the State of the Union for further consideration of H.R. 4553, which the clerk will report by title.
tylease alli ▲ ● ▼		A bill making appropriations for energy and water development and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30th, 2026, and for other purposes.
nathaniel moran ▲ ● ▼		When the Committee of the Whole rose earlier today, a request for a recorded vote on amendment number 30 printed in House Report 119-232 offered by the gentleman from Pennsylvania, Mr. Perry, had been postponed.
		Pursuant to clause 6 of Rule 18, proceedings will now resume on those amendments printed in the House Report 119-232 on which further proceedings were postponed in the following order.
		Amendments 23 through 30, all by Mr. Perry of Pennsylvania.
		The chair will reduce to two minutes the minimum time for any electronic vote in this series.
		The unfinished business is a request for a recorded vote on amendment number 23 printed in the House Report 119-232 by the gentleman from Pennsylvania, Mr. Perry, on which further proceedings were postponed and on which the ayes prevailed by voice vote vote.
		The clerk will redesignate the amendment.
tylease alli ▲ ● ▼		Amendment number 23, printed in House Report number 119-232, offered by Mr. Perry of Pennsylvania.
nathaniel moran ▲ ● ▼		A recorded vote has been requested.
		Those in support of the request for a recorded vote will rise and be counted.
		A sufficient number having risen, a recorded vote is ordered.
		Members will record their votes by electronic device.
		This is a two-minute vote.
unidentified		And House lawmakers earlier today worked on amendments to a 2026 Energy Department and Water Project spending legislation.
		The bill would provide $57.3 billion in discretionary spending for 2026 for the Energy Department, Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation, and related agencies.
		It also provides funding for civil water projects of the Army Corps of Engineers and allow lawful carry of firearms by Army Corps of Engineers at water projects.
		House Representative Scott Perry offered several amendments to the bill and lawmakers are currently voting on one of the amendments.
pete aguilar ▲ ● ▼		Welcome back.
unidentified		I know you're all thrilled that we are here in town.
Rising Health Care Costs 00:15:34
unidentified		Great to be back.
		I'm so thankful to be joined today by our newest Democratic Caucus leadership representative, Stephen Horsford from Nevada.
		You'll hear from him shortly, and of course, Vice Chair Ted Luke.
		Throughout the August district work period, the number one thing that we heard from our constituents was the concern about rising costs, especially the skyrocketing costs of health care.
		Thanks to Republicans' biggestly bill that fixed new law earlier this summer, over 15 million Americans are now getting kicked off of health care.
		On top of that, 24 million Americans who buy their health insurance through the Affordable Care Act will see those costs fill up by as much as 75%.
		These might sound like big numbers, but they have very real consequences.
		Your neighbor might not be able to pay for the cancer treatment that they desperately need, or someone in your family might struggle to pay for the prescription drug costs that are rising on a daily basis.
		And we need to remember how we got here.
		Donald Trump and House Republicans manufactured this health care crisis because they decided to put profits over people and to give billionaire buddies tax breaks at the expense of working families.
		Republicans claim to care about the economy, but Donald Trump promised to lower costs on day one.
		And the American people are still seeing right through their lives.
		Our constituents deserve better, and that's why Democrats are doing everything in our power to expose the truth about Republicans' cruel agenda that puts Americans' health care at risk and to hold this administration accountable at every turn.
		I'll turn it over to Vice Chair Ted Luke.
		Thank you, Chair Mayor.
		You are.
		Under the policies of Donald Trump and House Republicans, prices have gone up, up, and up.
		The latest inflation report shows that core CPI rose by the highest it's been since the last six months.
		Energy prices have gone up.
		Electricity is skyrocketing in a number of areas, more than doubling the pace of inflation in some of these areas.
		We know food prices have gone up.
		For example, one pound of beef has gone up 12.8% in the last six months.
		One pound of chicken breast has gone up nearly 6% in the last six months.
		And if you want to finance a new car with a car loan, it's gone up about $400 in the last six or seven months.
		And what is Donald Trump and House Republicans?
nathaniel moran ▲ ● ▼		The amendment is not adopted.
		The unfinished business is the request for a recorded vote on amendment number 24, printed in House Report 119-232 by the gentleman from Pennsylvania, Mr. Perry, on which further proceedings were postponed and on which the ayes prevail by voice vote.
		The clerk will redesignate the amendment.
tylease alli ▲ ● ▼		Amendment number 24, Princeton and House Report number 119-232.
tylease alli ▲ ● ▼		Over by Mr. Perry of Pennsylvania.
nathaniel moran ▲ ● ▼		A recorded vote has been requested.
		Those in support of the request for a recorded vote will rise and be counted.
		A sufficient number having risen, a recorded vote is ordered.
		Members will record their votes by electronic device.
		This will be a two-minute vote.
unidentified		And this amendment would prohibit funding for the Delaware Basin Commission, an agency that regulates water quality and flow management.
		It has massive cuts to health care, largest in U.S. history.
		And in exchange, they give really large tax breaks to billionaires and millionaires, including a new YAP tax.
		Try rewriting that.
		Now it's my honor to introduce Stephen Horsford.
		It's an honor to serve with Stephen in leadership.
		He is a representative for Nevada.
		I look forward to hearing Stephen Horsford.
		Thank you.
		Well, thank you very much.
		It's great to join Chairman Aguilar and Vice Chair Lou for their tremendous leadership.
		Thank you for including me in today's press conference.
		I am Congressman Stephen Horsford representing Nevada's 4th Congressional District.
		And as the new Democratic caucus leadership representative for the five terms or less members, I'm eager to bring those insights of our newer members of Congress into the Democratic leadership discussions.
		And that starts with health care, which is a fundamental right, human right, and an economic necessity.
		The American people are scared right now.
		They're scared because congressional Republicans have cut health care to the bone to fund tax breaks for corporations and the ultra-rich.
		Millions of Americans are now one diagnosis, one broken bone, and one unexpected illness away from financial ruin.
		More than 20 million people became covered through the advanced premium tax credits.
		Democrats did that when we passed the Affordable Care Act.
		We fought to protect those tax credits and extend those tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.
		But they expire at the end of this year, which means Congress needs to act now to extend them.
		But so far, Republicans haven't just refused.
		They've stonewalled our attempts to extend them.
		And believe me, I would know they were my amendments.
		Their big, ugly tax scam adds trillions to our debt, kicks millions of Americans off health care coverage by excluding the Affordable Care Act Premium Tax Credit Extension, and it makes coverage unaffordable for millions.
nathaniel moran ▲ ● ▼		The names are 285.
		The amendment is not adopted.
		The unfinished business is a request for a recorded vote on Amendment No. 25, printed in House Report 119-232 by the gentleman from Pennsylvania, Mr. Perry, on which further proceedings were postponed and on which the ayes prevail by voice vote.
		The clerk will redesignate the amendment.
tylease alli ▲ ● ▼		Amendment number 25, President House Report number 119-232, offered by Mr. Perry of Pennsylvania.
nathaniel moran ▲ ● ▼		A recorded vote has been requested.
		Those in support of the request for a recorded vote will rise and be counted.
		A sufficient number having risen, a recorded vote is ordered.
		Members will record their votes by electronic device.
		This is a two-minute vote.
unidentified		And this amendment would eliminate funding for the ARPAE, the Advanced Research Projects Agency, and would then transfer those funds elsewhere.
		Some things should rise above partisan politics, and health care must be one of them.
		Republicans need to join House Democrats now in protecting the health and well-being of our constituents.
		The time to act is right now.
		I look forward to working with Chairman Aguilar, Vice Chair Liu, and all of our leadership to make sure health care remains at the top of our priority of what we're fighting for on behalf of the American people.
		I yield that.
		Thank you, Stephen.
		Happy to field questions for Vice Chair Louis Morse.
		Hello, thank you.
		Just pivoting to the crime situation we're seeing right now, crime rates have fallen significantly since the president's federal takeover of DC law enforcement.
		Would you consider that a success with rates dropping so much?
		I think we've seen post-COVID in big cities across the country crime continue to go down.
		I think what folks in D.C. need to understand and think through is do we want to live in a permanent police state?
		And I think that that's an important piece of how Americans are thinking through is someone, and I'll defer note to Vice Chair Liu, who saw this close to our homes in Los Angeles.
		What the administration did is illegal and convolved.
		If they want to protect federal assets, they can.
		I don't think spreading mulch or picking up trash in the mall is exactly what the National Guard had in mind.
		And so we'll continue to ensure that public safety is a top priority.
pete aguilar ▲ ● ▼		It has been for the House Democratic Caucus.
		If someone was serious about public safety, though, they wouldn't pardon 1,500 insurrectionists on day one who committed crimes.
		If someone was serious about public safety, you wouldn't submit a budget that cut cops, grants, and programs.
nathaniel moran ▲ ● ▼		In the names of 347, the amendment is not adopted.
		The unfinished business is a request for a recorded vote on amendment number 26, printed in House Report 119-232 by the gentleman from Pennsylvania, Mr. Perry, on which further proceedings were postponed and on which the ayes prevail by voice vote.
		The clerk will redesignate the amendment.
tylease alli ▲ ● ▼		Amendment number 26, Princeton House Report number 119-232, offered by Mr. Perry of Pennsylvania.
nathaniel moran ▲ ● ▼		A recorded vote has been requested.
		Those in support of the request for a recorded vote will rise and be counted.
		A sufficient number having risen, a recorded vote is ordered.
		Members will record their votes by electronic device.
		This is a two-minute vote.
unidentified		This amendment would eliminate funding for the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program and transfer the funds elsewhere.
pete aguilar ▲ ● ▼		Bipartisan spending bill that meets the needs of the American public.
		We've been clear in that.
		I've talked from this podium about the work that I've done with appropriators and Ranking Member Rosa DeLoro.
		If Republicans were serious about a spending plan, they would work with Democrats in order to meet those needs.
		Time and time again, we are seeing priorities that are out of line with what the American people want, including what they released this weekend in gutting health care within the Labor H bill that is coming before the Appropriations Committee and was marked up in the subcommittee yesterday.
		So that gives us huge concern.
		But Republicans know that they need to work with us and we stand ready to do that.
		If they want a shutdown, then they have the ability to put one forward.
		If Donald Trump and House Republicans want to shutdown, they can.
		But it's not going to be because of Democrats.
		We're at the table, we're working, and we want to find solutions.
unidentified		Michael.
		Thank you, Mr. Chair.
		NFL season kicks off tomorrow.
		The cost of being a sports fan has just gone up with all of the streaming platforms that sports fans are going to need to watch their favorite teams.
		Amazon Prime, Paycock.
		I can just go on and on and on.
		Same thing with the NBA season late on that kicks off this year.
		As you all talk about affordability, do you see the rising costs of being a sports fan as part of the larger pocketbook conversation that you're having with Americans as a lot of folks are just complaining about just all of the different platforms that they're going to need to watch their favorite teams?
		How does that fit into this larger conversation the House Democrats are having about affordability?
pete aguilar ▲ ● ▼		I appreciate the focus on the NFL.
pete aguilar ▲ ● ▼		This is a big week for many people, for many House members who come from areas with teams.
nathaniel moran ▲ ● ▼		286, the amendment is not adopted.
		The unfinished business is the request for a recorded vote on amendment number 27, printed in House Report 119-232 by the gentleman from Pennsylvania, Mr. Perry, on which further proceedings were postponed and on which the ayes prevail by voice vote.
		The clerk will redesignate the amendment.
tylease alli ▲ ● ▼		Amendment number 27, Princeton House Report number 119-232, offered by Mr. Perry of Pennsylvania.
nathaniel moran ▲ ● ▼		A recorded vote has been requested.
		Those in support of the request for a recorded vote will rise and be counted.
		A sufficient number having risen, a recorded vote is ordered.
		Members will record their votes by electronic device.
		This is a two-minute vote.
unidentified		And this amendment would eliminate funding for the Title 17 loan program, which finances clean energy and transfer them elsewhere.
pete aguilar ▲ ● ▼		We need to be mindful of that and the role that we play in improving that rate structure to ensure that people have that outlet and that opportunity to convene and get together.
		Good.
		As a Browns fan, Ted Liu has no comment on that.
unidentified		Thank you, sir.
		I wonder if you could just react to what Chairman, Vice Chair Liu mentioned earlier in the presser about this rebrand by Republicans of what they were calling one big beautiful bill.
		Now they're calling it the working families tax cut.
		Do you see that as a surrender on where the sentiment is about that bill right now?
pete aguilar ▲ ● ▼		I mean, what Republicans don't understand is it's not the language.
		It's not the title of the bill that people are objecting to.
		It's the substance.
		It's that this is bad policy and people see through that.
		There's not enough lipstick you can put on this pig to make that any better looking.
		That's the concern that the American public has.
		And so after months and months touting their one big ugly bill, now they want to pivot.
		They can send JD Vance across the country.
		They can spend millions of dollars on a marketing campaign.
		It's not going to change the fact that over 15 million people are going to lose their health care coverage as a result of their bill.
		It's not going to change the fact that energy costs are going to rise.
		Premiums, healthcare premiums are going to rise very soon to the American public as a result of their bill.
		It's scary and it's shocking that they feel changing some of the language associated with it is going to give them a lifeline, but that's just not the case.
ted lieu ▲ ● ▼		I am not aware of many working families that buy yachts.
ted lieu ▲ ● ▼		And so this big, ugly bill has this new yacht tax break that is so good that Forrest Magazine published an article where a consultant for billionaires said, quote, too good to be true, referring to that yacht tax break.
nathaniel moran ▲ ● ▼		The amendment is not adopted.
nathaniel moran ▲ ● ▼		The unfinished business is a request for a recorded vote on amendment number 28, printed in House Report 119-232 by the gentleman from Pennsylvania, Mr. Perry, on which further proceedings were postponed and on which the yays prevailed by voice vote.
Funding Shift Debate 00:04:23
nathaniel moran ▲ ● ▼		The clerk will redesignate the amendment.
tylease alli ▲ ● ▼		Amendment number 28, printed in House Report number 119-232, offered by Mr. Perry of Pennsylvania.
nathaniel moran ▲ ● ▼		A recorded vote has been requested.
		Those in support of the request for a recorded vote will rise and be counted.
		A sufficient number having risen, a recorded vote is ordered.
		Members will record their votes by electronic device.
		This will be a two-minute vote.
unidentified		And this amendment would reduce funding for the Northern Border Regional Commission, a development partnership among states in the Northeast, and transfer them elsewhere.
		When they're promised something during a campaign, and then when they find out about the details of it and realize that it either doesn't apply to them or it's not what was promised, it's actually a betrayal of the American public, who believed that they were going to get relief from this big, ugly bill.
		So not only are they losing health care, the benefits go to the wealthy, it also adds $3.4 trillion to our federal debt at a time when American families are struggling to cover the cost of rent, child care, and health care, which are the pressing issues that the majority of constituents are facing every single day.
		So when it comes to Republicans negotiating with the Barbarian Government, Mr. Dennis, can you kind of talk about how you all are kind of approaching negotiations with them?
pete aguilar ▲ ● ▼		Rosa DeLauro, on our side, Ranking Member of Appropriations, leads those discussions with her counterpart, Chair Tom Cole.
		They will continue to have conversations, as will members of the leadership team with their counterparts.
		Like I said, if Republicans are serious about this, they will work on a bipartisan solution that meets the needs of the American public.
		That has been and continues to be our focus to work in the committee process to make sure that these bills meet the needs of the public.
		That has not been the case.
		House Republicans have advanced bills that don't do that, and it's unfortunate.
		But Ranking Member DeLaura will lead those conversations for House Democrats, working closely with Leader Jeffries.
		Thank you.
nathaniel moran ▲ ● ▼		On this vote, the yeas are 124, the nays are 303.
		The amendment is not adopted.
		The unfinished business is a request for a recorded vote on amendment number 29, printed in House Report 119-232 by the gentleman from Pennsylvania, Mr. Perry, on which further proceedings were postponed and on which the ayes prevailed by voice vote.
		The clerk will re-designate the amendment.
tylease alli ▲ ● ▼		Amendment number 29, present in House Report number 119-232, offered by Mr. Perry of Pennsylvania.
nathaniel moran ▲ ● ▼		A recorded vote has been requested.
		Those in support of the request for a recorded vote will rise and be counted.
		A sufficient number having risen, a recorded vote is ordered.
		Members will record their votes by electronic device.
		This will be a two-minute vote.
unidentified		And this amendment would reduce funding for the Southwest Border Regional Commission, a development partnership among states in the Southwest, and transfer the funds elsewhere.
delia ramirez ▲ ● ▼		It's a gorgeous day.
delia ramirez ▲ ● ▼		It's really nice out.
unidentified		It's been good weather, right?
unidentified		Yeah.
Trump's Dictatorial Threat 00:04:40
unidentified		Go ahead and get started.
delia ramirez ▲ ● ▼		Well, good morning.
		Buenos dias.
		I'm Congresswoman Delia Catalina Ramirez, and I'm the proud representative of Illinois' 3rd Congressional District that represents the northwestern part of the city of Chicago in the northwestern suburbs.
		We stand here today on this Wednesday together, united.
		We understand that whether it's LA, D.C., Chicago, or Baltimore, Trump's deployment of thousands of armed federal agents and military personnel into the nation's capital and other cities is the action of a wannabe dictator.
		For him, Donald Trump, abusing the power of the National Guard is not about protecting public safety, it's about control.
		It's about threatening diverse, successful, democratic-led cities like Chicago that refuse to bow down to authoritarianism.
		When Trump talks about restoring order with National Guard troops, I want to make sure that we understand what it is: it's a violent suppression of dissent.
		It's an expensive, unlawful political stunt.
		It's a distraction from the failed policies.
		It's an attempt to instill fear in those who would dare to protest.
		And it's a lie, a lie to justify violating our rights and disappearing our immigrant neighbors.
		Why would he be using distraction?
		You see, we have less than 30 days to pass a spending budget.
		And yet, here we are, the president is attempting to send the National Guard to send and terrorize cities instead of actually funding the government.
		See, we don't need Trump's troops on our streets.
		What we need, and what our constituents continue to say, is that we need an investment in our neighborhoods.
		We need an investment in food and our tables, health care for our families, and safety that is rooted in justice and opportunity.
		In fact, thanks to those investments, Chicago's violent crimes have fallen 22% to date.
		Homicides are down more than 33% in the past year, while shootings are down by 38%.
		Let me go ahead and say this about Chicago once again because apparently the president doesn't believe in facts.
		Crimes have fallen 22% to date, and shootings are down by 38%.
		Trump's plan to deploy the National Guard to Chicago is just the beginning.
		Today, Trump is eroding our constitutional boundaries and normalizing the abuse of our military power so that he can succeed when he failed his first term.
		He seeks to use military power to undermine our democratic institutions, perpetrate a coup, and hold our country hostage.
		So let's be very clear, Mr. President.
		We don't want or need kings, dictators.
		We don't need the National Guard in Chicago or Baltimore.
nathaniel moran ▲ ● ▼		Major 299, the amendment is not adopted.
		The unfinished business is a request for a recorded vote on amendment number 30, printed in House Report 119-232 by the gentleman from Pennsylvania, Mr. Perry, on which further proceedings were postponed and on which the ayes prevail by voice vote.
		The clerk will redesignate the amendment.
tylease alli ▲ ● ▼		Amendment number 30, printed in House Report number 119-232, offered by Mr. Perry of Pennsylvania.
nathaniel moran ▲ ● ▼		A recorded vote has been requested.
		Those in support of the request for a recorded vote will rise and be counted.
		A sufficient number having risen, a recorded vote is ordered.
		The members will record their votes by electronic device.
		This will be a two-minute vote.
unidentified		And this amendment would reduce funding for the Southeast Border Regional Commission, a development partnership among states in the Southeast, and transfer the funds elsewhere.
D.C.'s Emergency Declaration 00:02:44
delia ramirez ▲ ● ▼		Because we know it will require legislative action, legal action, and the local organizing that is happening on the ground that we are supporting and we will continue to do.
delia ramirez ▲ ● ▼		And with that, I want to introduce to you a congresswoman who has been holding the line here in Washington, D.C. for many years and will continue to be a champion for justice, Eleanor Holmes Norton.
unidentified		Thank you.
unidentified		Yes, thank you.
eleanor holmes norton ▲ ● ▼		Thank you very much.
		Three weeks ago, despite historically low crime for purposes opposed by eight of 10 D.C. residents, President Trump declared a crime emergency in D.C. as a pretext for federalizing D.C.'s locally funded police department.
		He deployed more than 2,000 National Guard troops, put guns in their hands, and sent masked ICE officers to forcibly take community members from our streets.
		President Trump has used D.C. residents as props in a political play to showcase his own power.
		While the president claims that federal control of D.C. is necessary to combat crime, his own actions severely jeopardize public safety in the district.
		Earlier this year, the president and Republicans in Congress intentionally limited D.C.'s ability to spend its own local funds, forcing D.C. to cut roughly $1 billion halfway through its fiscal year from its own budget,
		which could have further funded D.C. police, fire, and emergency response services and other public safety issues.
		He pardoned nearly 1,600 individuals who attacked the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, including hundreds of convicted, convicted of assaulting police officers.
Committee Without Resolution 00:03:48
eleanor holmes norton ▲ ● ▼		He fired and demoted dozens of DC's most experienced career prosecutors, contributing to a larger backlog of criminal cases in court.
nathaniel moran ▲ ● ▼		The amendment is not adopted.
		For what purpose does the gentleman from Tennessee seek recognition?
		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
unidentified		I move the committee do rise.
nathaniel moran ▲ ● ▼		The question is on the motion that the committee rise.
		All those in favor say aye.
		All those opposed say no.
		The ayes have it.
		The motion is adopted.
		Accordingly, the committee rises.
		Mr. Speaker, the committee of the whole House on the State of the Union having had utter consideration H.R. 4553, the directs need to report that it has come to no resolution thereon.
unidentified		The Chair of the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union report that the committee has under consideration H.R. 4553 and has come to no resolution thereon.
		In order the house will be in order The chair will now entertain requests for one-minute speeches.
		For what purpose does the gentleman from Colorado seek recognition?
jeff crank ▲ ● ▼		Mr. Speaker, I ask to address the House for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks.
unidentified		The gentleman is now recognized for one minute.
jeff crank ▲ ● ▼		Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and celebrate the 25th anniversary of the extraordinary impact that Parents' Challenge has made in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
jeff crank ▲ ● ▼		Parents' Challenge empowers low-income families to access the best schools for their children by providing critical financial support for tuition, tutoring, transportation, technology, and school supplies.
Congratulating Parents' Challenge 00:09:03
jeff crank ▲ ● ▼		School choice opportunities span the full spectrum of educational options, including traditional public schools, private schools, charter schools, and home schools.
		Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in congratulating and thanking Parents' Challenge for its steadfast commitment to empowering parents with school choice.
		Over the past 25 years, Parents' Challenge has enriched the lives of more than 4,000 low-income students and their families.
		Thank you, and I yield back.
unidentified		For what purpose does the gentleman from Tennessee seek recognition?
		Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourned to meet at 9 a.m. tomorrow.
		Without objection.
		For what purpose does the gentlewoman from California seek recognition?
		Without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute.
luz rivas ▲ ● ▼		ICE is out of control.
		Everyone needs to know the nightmare that is unfolding for my constituent and his family.
		Last month, ICE detained Benjamin Guerrero Cruz while he was walking his dog.
		Benjamin is a rising senior and in junior ROTC at Reseda High School.
		He is a kid who wants to serve our community.
		He has been in ICE detention for the past month, separated from his family and friends.
		Last week, ICE transferred Benjamin from California to Arizona.
		Less than 24 hours later, Benjamin was slated to be transferred again to Louisiana, but was instead sent back to California.
		This all occurred without his family knowing.
		This is why I introduced the INFORM Act.
		The INFORM Act brings transparency to ICE's decision-making process and fights for the dignity of detainees.
		When I visited the Adelanto Detention Center to get answers into ICE's decision-making process, ICE blocked me.
		I will keep fighting and seeking justice for Benjamin, his family, and all immigrants.
unidentified		For what purpose does the gentleman from New York seek recognition?
mike lawler ▲ ● ▼		I ask unanimous consent to address the House for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks.
unidentified		Without objection, the gentleman is now recognized for one minute.
mike lawler ▲ ● ▼		Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Wesley Leipatner, a remarkable New Yorker who was senselessly murdered in late July.
		Her passing is a tremendous loss to all who had the privilege of knowing her.
		Wesley was a remarkable leader, an accomplished executive who oversaw Blackstone's real estate investment fund, a devoted wife and mother, and a true force for good in our community.
		Through her work with the UJA Federation of New York and her tireless volunteerism, she poured her energy and wisdom into strengthening the Jewish community, supporting Israel, and mentoring those who followed in her footsteps.
		Her life was defined by service, compassion, and conviction.
		She gave generously of herself, balancing a demanding career with a steadfast devotion to her family.
		And in every space she entered, she lifted others up.
		Today, we grieve with her husband Evan, their children Emerson and Jonathan, her parents, and all who loved her, including her colleagues at Blackstone.
		May Wesley's memory always be a blessing, and may her example continue to inspire us to lead with purpose, generosity, and love.
		Mr. Speaker, I yield back.
unidentified		For what purpose does the gentleman from Georgia seek recognition?
		Ask unanimous consent to address the House for one minute to revise and extend my remarks.
		Without objection, the gentleman is now recognized for one minute.
buddy carter ▲ ● ▼		Mr. Speaker, I rise today to advocate for America's foresters who are in desperate need of our help.
		Under our current tax code, forest owners do not receive tax relief from the loss of their timber crops.
		We are in the heart of hurricane season, and countless foresters are left wondering if the next storm will be the one that shuts down their family farm for good.
		This is unacceptable.
		My bill, the Disaster Reforestation Act, offers a simple fix to an issue that has harmed American foresters for far too long.
		Under the Disaster Reforestation Act, foresters will be able to deduct the true value of timber destroyed by natural disasters from their taxes.
		This would help provide immediate relief for landowners affected by wildfires, hurricanes, or other disasters.
		This bill will save family forestry in America, and I urge my colleagues to co-sponsor this bipartisan, bicameral piece of legislation, and I urge its immediate passage.
		Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I yield back.
unidentified		For all purposes, gentlemen from California seek recognition.
unidentified		Without objection, the gentleman is now recognized for one minute.
doug lamalfa ▲ ● ▼		Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
		I rise with a heavy heart tonight to note the passing of a really good friend, colleague I came up with in the state legislature, Mr. Sam Paredes.
		He was a strong, strong advocate to protect all of our rights as Americans, focusing on the Second Amendment through his work with gun owners of California, gun owners of America, and through the Foundation.
		But beyond that, Sam, this is a good man.
		This is a great patriot, a great family man who his family is right there beside him, working the events, working the efforts out there to protect people's basic freedoms on that.
		As a man of strong faith who believed in God and loved Jesus and always would sign off each night with his family with all is well in the kingdom.
		You don't find a lot of people like that in the political realm there, who is beyond politics.
		The movement he helped build for the Second Amendment is stronger because of him and that legacy will continue long after we can't remember about it.
		He's an unwavering commitment to liberty.
		Indeed, his leadership helped shave the national movement to protect, keep, and bear arms.
		But again, beyond that, the man himself, attention, personal attention to people to make sure they're okay, to be that friend, to be that big bear of a guy who you just don't see very many people like that in this world, especially in the realm of politics, as I mentioned.
		So he'll be severely missed, greatly loved by his family.
		It was a surprise that we lost him, and I will miss him as well.
		Indeed, a great man, a great patriot.
		There's not anything I could say that even fulfills what a good man this is.
		So God bless his family.
		God bless Sam Paretas.
		I yield back.
unidentified		For what purpose does the gentleman from California seek recognition?
doug lamalfa ▲ ● ▼		Mr. Speaker, I move that the House be adjourned.
unidentified		The question is on the motion to adjourn.
		Those in favor say aye.
		Aye.
		Those opposed, no.
chip roy ▲ ● ▼		The ayes have it.
unidentified		The motion is adopted.
		Accordingly, the House stands adjourned until 9 a.m. tomorrow.
		Well, the House has gaveled out after voting on a series of measures related to 2026 energy and water spending legislation, as well as efforts to overturn Biden-era Bureau of Land Management plans in Alaska, Montana, and North Dakota.
		Also, on a party line vote today, members approved the Oversight Committee continuing its Jeffrey Epstein probe and the creation of a new January 6th investigative panel.
C-SPAN Book Club Insights 00:03:38
unidentified		The two resolutions were included in today's rule governing the natural resources and appropriations bills.
		Watch live coverage of the U.S. House when members return 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 Thursday morning, we'll talk about redistricting battles in Texas and nationwide, the Epstein files, and congressional news of the day with Texas Democratic Congressman Al Green, a member of the Financial Services Committee, and Nebraska Republican Congressman Adrian Smith, chair of the Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee on government spending deadlines.
		He'll also talk about the Epstein files and congressional news of the day.
		C-SPAN's Washington Journal.
		Join in the conversation live at 7 Eastern Thursday morning on C-SPAN, C-SPAN Now, our free mobile app, or online at c-SPAN.org.
		This fall, C-SPAN invites you on a powerful journey through the stories that define a nation.
		From the halls of our nation's most iconic libraries comes America's Book Club, a bold, original series where ideas, history, and democracy meet.
		Hosted by renowned author and civic leader David Rubinstein, each week features in-depth conversations with the thinkers shaping our national story.
		Among this season's remarkable guests, John Grisham, master storyteller of the American justice system.
		Justice Amy Coney Barrett, exploring the Constitution, the court, and the role of law in American life.
		Famed chef and global relief entrepreneur Jose Andres, reimagining food.
		Henry Louis Gates, chronicler of race, identity, and the American experience.
		The books, the voices, the places that preserve our past and spark the ideas that will shape our future.
		America's Book Club, premiering this fall only on C-SPAN.
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		House Speaker Mike Johnson spoke about Kentucky Republican Thomas Massey's efforts to gain access to the full Epstein files by filing a discharge petition.
		During brief remarks at the U.S. Capitol, Speaker Johnson called the effort unnecessary.
		Speaker Johnson, on Epstein stuff, Chair Comer recently requested SARs of SARS from Treasury.
Ongoing Oversight Effort 00:00:46
unidentified		Do you think he should be asking other departments of the government for more files?
mike johnson ▲ ● ▼		Yeah, I expect they will.
		I think the oversight probe is going to be wide and expansive, and they're going to follow the truth wherever it leads.
		That's why the discharge petition has been made moot and unnecessary because you've got to remember that the oversight committee's investigation is already ongoing.
		They're already producing and putting out there the documents that are uncovered.
		The White House is in full compliance.
		The administration is willfully complying with the subpoenas because they want maximum transparency as well.
		I talked to the president himself last night about this.
		He says, get it out there, put it out there.
		So this is going to be an ongoing effort.
		It will be bipartisan, which is great.

Chapters

00:00:00 Shouting for Congressional Action
00:14:53 Accountable Fines For Elected Officials
00:30:15 Collaborating on Legislative Loopholes
00:40:02 Amendment 23 Vote
00:43:42 Rising Health Care Costs
00:59:01 Funding Shift Debate
01:03:10 Trump's Dictatorial Threat
01:07:35 D.C.'s Emergency Declaration
01:10:20 Committee Without Resolution
01:13:54 Congratulating Parents' Challenge
01:22:42 C-SPAN Book Club Insights
01:26:06 Ongoing Oversight Effort