Well, Jimmy Kimmel was fired because he had bad ratings more than anything else, and he said a horrible thing about a great gentleman known as Charlie Kirk.
And Jimmy Kimmel is not a talented person.
He had very bad ratings, and they should have fired him along.
unidentified
We'll leave this now to take you to the House live here on C-SPAN.
Resolution honoring the life and legacy of Charles Charlie James Kirk.
unidentified
Pursuant to House Resolution 722, the resolution is considered read.
The resolution is to be debatable for one hour, equally divided, and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform or their respective designees.
The gentleman from Arizona, Mr. Biggs, and the gentleman from California, Mr. Garcia, each will control 30 minutes.
The chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona, Mr. Biggs.
I ask unanimous consent that all members have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.
Mr. Chair, I rise in strong support of H. Res 719, a resolution honoring the life and legacy of Charlie Kirk.
Just last week on September 10th, we tragically lost a tremendous leader and friend, a cowardly, deranged, and unstable assassin who was radicalized by left-wing ideology, murdered a conservative icon over political disagreements.
Charlie Kirk was an inspiration to an entire generation and will be remembered as someone who changed the very course of our country.
But his most important role was as a loving husband, father, and devout Christian who shared his faith unapologetically.
My thoughts and prayers are with Erica and Charlie's two young children.
We know and appreciate that Charlie Kirk was a man committed to his faith, his family, and this nation.
He dedicated his life to protecting and defending the God-given rights enshrined in our founding documents.
He worked tirelessly to demonstrate how to engage in peaceful and meaningful political dialogue.
The life of our republic depends on resolving political differences through spirited debate, the ballot box, and embracing the rule of law.
Political violence has no place in this country.
Violent rhetoric, such as describing political opponents as fascists or Nazis, is unacceptable.
Charlie's assassination was a deliberate, targeted attack.
It was meant to silence a conservative voice.
This assassination was meant to instill fear and chill debate.
But we have responded and will continue to respond with courage.
We'll double down on the work Charlie dedicated his life to, and with the resolution today, we firmly condemn the attack that cut his life short.
I thank Speaker Johnson for leading this effort to honor Charlie Kirk, and I encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation at iReserve.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I rise today to speak on the principles that bind us together as a nation.
First and foremost, we must acknowledge the human costs of this horrific tragedy.
A wife has lost her husband.
Children have lost their father.
A family has been shattered by senseless violence.
And whatever our personal political views, there should be no hesitation in extending deep sympathy to Charlie Kirk's loved ones, family, and friends.
We also stand here today to reaffirm a principle that runs deeper than politics.
Political violence has no place in the United States of America.
Our democracy rests on a fragile but enduring promise that disagreements are to be aired through speech, through debate, and through the ballot box, not through intimidation, not through violence, and not through bloodshed.
That promise is enshrined in the Constitution, which protects freedom of speech and freedom of assembly.
Precisely because the framers understood, as we all know, that democracy cannot function without the ability to argue, to disagree, and sometimes offend each other without fear of retribution.
And that principle, of course, cuts both ways.
We cannot claim to defend free speech if we only protect words we find comfortable or agreeable or polite.
The test of our commitment to the First Amendment is not whether we defend the speech we like, it's whether we defend the speech we dislike.
Our Constitution demands that we find a way to live together in freedom, even when our visions for the country might differ.
Democracy requires that we resolve our differences not by force, but by persuasion, not by threats, but by votes.
Not by silencing votes, but by answering them.
So today, we all join together to mourn the Kirk family.
Let's recommit ourselves to the freedoms guaranteed in our Constitution.
And thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I reserve the balance of my time.
unidentified
Gentleman Reserves, gentlemen from Arizona is recognized.
I yield one minute to the gentleman from Arizona, my colleague, Mr. Gosar.
unidentified
Gentleman is recognized.
I thank the gentleman from Arizona.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of HRAS 719, honoring the life and legacy of Charles Charlie James Kirk.
Charlie Kirk was a patriot, a Christian, a tireless activist who traveled America engaging young people in civil discourse.
Charlie was doing what he loved, building a platform to share his faith in Jesus Christ and welcoming peaceful political dialogue and public debate before his life was cut short by a radicalized monster.
Charlie considered Arizona his home, but he poured out his heart and soul into America, a country he so loved.
He was a force of nature.
He changed the course and direction of this country.
Charlie was also my friend.
Words cannot describe the loss of that we feel.
His voice, conviction, and friendship will be dearly missed.
America will never be the same.
We owe Charlie this honor.
As he had asked that this resolution help to ensure, and this resolution helps to ensure, Charlie will be forever remembered by his courage and faith in Jesus Christ.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank my colleague for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, Charlie Kirk stood for the open exchange of our ideas, our God-given freedoms, and spirited debate that challenged people to view the issues of the day in a different light.
He reminded us to remain rooted in our faith and to seek God's wisdom every day.
Civil society lost one of its most vocal defenders.
There's no question about it.
But let me say this.
Charlie Kirk's work and impact are far from over.
Every day, men and women are rallying to carry on the mantle that he once carried.
Mr. Speaker, that is a powerful testament to his impact upon the world.
I pray that God gives his wife, Erica, his children, and his family continued comfort.
I support the resolution before us today and urge my colleagues to do the same.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of HRES 719, honoring the life and legacy of Charlie Kirk.
I had the honor of working with Charlie over the last several years, and he gave voice to so many young people.
He was outspoken about his faith and conservative values and dedicated his life to engaging people in respectful and intelligent debate.
He left a mark on this great country and will be forever missed.
What happened on September 12, 2025, was a violent political assassination that was an attack on the very freedoms that Charlie lived and fought to protect.
Today, we must honor Charlie by recommitting ourselves to what he stood for, respectful, open dialogue, faith, family, truth, and freedom.
Let Charlie's death not deepen our divisions, but be the spark that unites us.
May we reject political violence wherever it comes from and restore civility.
Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution to honor Charlie's life, to affirm the right to freely engage in public speech, and to resolve that America will stand undeterred by violence.
Thank you, and I yield back.
unidentified
Gentleman from Arizona Reserves, gentlemen from California.
So, you know, what did Charlie do that was so unique?
Charlie invited people to come up to meet and debate him openly and without hostility or ridicule.
He invited, he would go to a college campus.
They'd do a pop-up tent.
He'd sit there.
And there'd be invariably a large crowd.
And he would say, if you disagree with me, we want you to come up first and come to the front of the line.
And then he would have that debate and invariably he'd win.
Why would he win?
Because Charlie was a smart guy.
Charlie was prepared.
Charlie knew the answers.
The most other incredible thing, if you ever wanted to see a good set of debates, when Charlie was in Oxford University debating, that was absolutely phenomenal.
It's been a tough time in Arizona, and my colleague Andy Biggs has done a great job in leading people who are shaken.
And I will say that people all over this country are shaken.
Mr. Speaker, this has been a tough week in the country.
I think I've spoken at three or four vigils already.
I'll be attending our late friend Charlie Kirk's funeral on Sunday, as many of us will, to pay what will be our last respects.
But the honor of his memory will go on.
The last week has been difficult because people are shaken by this in a way that we've not seen the country moved in quite some time.
I've described it as if a shadow has been cast across the country by the untimely death of our dear friend and the way it was done in such a hateful, heinous manner online for people to view.
It's been disturbing.
My heart's gone out in particular to all the students around this country who are so closely associated with Charlie Kirk's organization Turning Point.
There are 3,500-plus chapters of Turning Point, universities, college campuses, high school campuses across America.
And so many of those students felt personally connected to Charlie because his voice resonated with them and it helped inform their worldview and the way they see politics and society.
And when he was lost in such an abrupt and tragic manner, they felt it to their core.
And I've been so burdened and disturbed for that.
I've been praying for all those kids, untold number of young people around the country who are so disturbed and, frankly, need trauma counseling themselves from what they've just seen and witnessed.
But in the midst of all this, the thing that encourages me is that I believe in the same promises of Scripture that Charlie did.
And I've been reminded a lot of the passage of scripture that says, the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome it.
Some translations of the Bible say the darkness cannot comprehend it.
And I think that's true.
And what I've said to all these students and what I've shared in these vigils is the same refrain.
To summarize, the best way to honor the legacy of this singular voice in our culture, not just in the conservative movement, but in the recent history of America in the last several decades.
The best way to honor the work and the legacy and the ministry of Charlie Kirk is to do what he did, and that is to advance the principles that he advanced and to adopt his approach.
What I mean by that is the principles that Charlie advanced were the good things.
Scripture talks about we focus on the noble and praiseworthy, the good.
He focused on things like faith and family and freedom and virtue and honor and patriotism.
Charlie believed in America.
He believed in the promise of America and the creed of America, that we're all made in the image of God, the self-evident truth, that God is the one that gives us our rights and not the government.
And that those principles are worth fighting for.
Charlie used to quote Ronald Reagan, as I do all the time.
Reagan reminded us, freedom is not inherited in the bloodstream.
It has to be fought for and protected and taught and passed along to the generations that come behind us so that they will know the same liberty and opportunity and security that too many of us have taken for granted too often.
And Charlie believed that.
So he advanced those principles every single day in every venue that he was able.
But he did it in a manner that we should emulate.
Because when I tell the young people that they should adopt the practices and the manner, adopt the approach of Charlie Kirk, what I mean by that is that he was never motivated by hatred for someone on the other side of that debate.
Charlie, to the contrary, was motivated by love.
Because he believed in what Scripture says.
There are these three things that remain, faith, hope, and love, and love is the greatest of all.
Love overcomes, love conquers.
And that's what motivated our friend.
And so even though he could defeat anybody in a debate, so often, and I saw this myself, when he would vanquish someone in a policy argument, he was the first person after that to reach out a hand of friendship or offer an arm around the shoulder of someone who he had just defeated in a contest.
Why?
Because it wasn't about winning the policy.
It wasn't about, at the end of the day, really, the policy arguments.
It was about the people.
And Charlie loved vigorous debate, but he loved people more.
And that is the legacy of our friend.
A lot of things have been said about him.
And, you know, when someone is on the air, when they're a ubiquitous voice in all forms of media all the time, 24 hours a day, you can go cherry-pick one line or phrase or something that they said in a long context or a long discussion.
And you can pick anything out and make someone portray them to be something that they were not.
But the people who were doing that did not know Charlie Kirk.
And all of us who did will attest.
Every single person who spent any time with Charlie Kirk will tell you that he was a good and godly man, not a perfect man.
None of us are.
There was only one ever perfect man, and he was God and man.
But Charlie Kirk was a good man who loved his fellow man and gave his life literally in the pursuit of advancing truth.
And so the very least that we can do is honor him.
And especially at a time in the country when people are anxious and frightened, in moments like this, when political instability and fear are pervasive, it's incumbent upon leaders to step forward and stand in the breach and do what is right.
And so by voting for this resolution today, we're making a strong statement on behalf of the Congress.
We're telling our constituents, for one thing, that political violence, but also the glorification and celebration of that violence, are profoundly wrong, and that goes against everything we stand for as Americans.
Charlie stood for exactly the opposite.
He stood for what was good in America, what is virtuous, what is worthy of protection and preservation.
And we honor his memory by doing this simple act of passing this resolution.
I can't imagine that anyone would vote against it or vote present or pretend as though this is not exactly the right thing to do.
So I certainly hope that we can pass this resolution unanimously today, just as it should be passed.
And I thank again my dear friend and colleague, Congressman Andy Biggs of Arizona.
Our hearts go out to the people of Arizona as they do to all everyone who is mourning this death.
But I will tell you this, the truth that Charlie advanced will go forward more loudly and more profoundly than it ever has before.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank my friend from Arizona for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, we still have heavy hearts.
still mourning the loss of our friend Charlie Kirk, who was such an inspirational leader to millions across this country.
And as we've seen since his horrific assassination, he inspired not only people here in America, but all around the world.
As you see the outpouring of love, and Charlie was a man who had so much love.
for other people.
He had love for our country.
Charlie talked about why it was so important that we debate our differences.
Something that shouldn't be a novel issue, Mr. Speaker, something that is part of the foundation of what makes this country great and unique, what separates America from so many other failed examples of government because we are that experiment in self-governance,
in democracy, and part of that ability to self-govern is that we're going to have disagreements and that we have the ability to express those disagreements with each other, but in a civil way, in a way where it doesn't lead to political violence.
And in times like this, we reflect on a lot of things, but more than anything, Mr. Speaker, we lean on our faith.
And Charlie Kirk had tremendous faith.
You know, when I look above the Speaker's rostrum, it says right there here in the people's house, in God we trust.
And it's times like this where we really do need to trust in God because God knows the answers.
Charlie believes strongly in God and that faith in God is what will get us through tough times like this.
In fact, Charlie talked a number of times about how he would want to be remembered and he talked about how he would want to be remembered for his courage in his faith and what an example he was for faith for so many young people.
You look at college campuses all across this country right now and you see mourning, but you see more young people driven to get involved in this process.
Turning Point has had requests from over 50,000 people since Charlie Kirk's assassination to start new chapters on college or high school campuses.
This movement that Charlie started is just getting started.
It will only grow.
And his incredibly strong widow, Erica, who was just named the head of Turning Point to continue that legacy, has vowed to make sure that what Charlie stood for, what he represented, the movement that Charlie Kirk built, will endure.
It will grow and it will continue to inspire millions more people to want to get involved in government, want to question leadership, want to maybe question their own views,
the things they might have been taught by people in schools that had ulterior motives, that might have been trying to indoctrinate them into some other viewpoint so that now they had the power and the courage to think for themselves.
How powerful is that?
Those are the things that Charlie left behind that will endure, Mr. Speaker.
And so this resolution is so important to remember that legacy.
Remember that this was a young man, still a young man, but even younger at 18, a young student with an idea that said, what's happening in the schools is wrong.
What needs to be taught is something broader.
Need to get back to a respect for each other's differences of opinion.
And that's what drove him to start a movement at such a young age.
Let all young people be inspired by that recognition that the power of ideas still can move a nation.
That's what Charlie Kirk reminded all of us.
And Mr. Speaker, we're never, never going to forget that.
We're never going to forget the legacy.
of Charlie Kirk, but that legacy will live on and only grow stronger.
Mr. Speaker, I yield one minute to the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Cloud.
unidentified
Gentlemen from Texas recognized for one minute.
Thank you.
As I heard the news, the horrific news of the assassination of Charlie Kirk, I was on my way to speak to a group of pastors who had come here to tour the Capitol and take in our beloved national capital.
And I couldn't help in that moment to be reminded of Hebrews 11, which people of faith understand to be the Hall of Fame of Faith.
And it goes through the chapter and explains all the great feats of faith, people like Abraham, Moses, Samson, and David.
And it talks about how they, through faith, conquered kingdoms, administered justice, gained what was promised.
But then it goes on and it continues.
And it said there were others who were tortured, refusing to be released, so they may gain an even better resurrection.
Some faced years and floggings, even chains and imprisonment.
And it goes on to say the world was not worthy of them.
The world was not worthy of Charlie Kirk.
He spoke truths that we understand that we can build a life upon, but he also understood that they were truths that we could build a nation upon.
And he, more than any, conveyed those things with clarity and especially to a generation who had been taught moral relevatism and been taught that truth could not be found.
He spoke very clearly and with compassion and human dignity.
Above all, beyond the courage, beyond his faith and beyond his policy, he had the courage, courage to make a difference, courage to stand.
And I hope that we continue with that same courage as we continue to serve the people of this great nation.
Let's remember his family as well.
God bless.
Gentleman from Arizona Reserves, gentlemen from California Reserves, gentlemen from Arizona is recognized.
One side celebrates the wicked murder of a faithful patriot, while the other side recognizes the sanctity of life and the beauty of thinking and speaking freely.
We are headed towards a precipice with no return.
If we can't even agree that murder is wrong, we've moved beyond politics.
We're debating whether society itself should survive.
The shooter last week wanted to silence Charlie, not just silence him, but everything he represents, faith, family, and freedom.
Folks are beginning to speak up and take a stand against evil for good.
They're real threats to all that makes America great.
In the face of evil ideologies that choose violence, villainization, and hate, we must choose a different path, the one Charlie chose, that of civil discourse and love of our neighbors.
Mr. Speaker, Charlie Kirk understood that freedom is only one generation away from extinction, and so he ignited a love of country and God in a younger generation, inspiring us all as he did so.
May today's vote be a small symbol of an awakening taking place across our nation.
I yield back.
unidentified
Gentleman from Arizona Reserves, gentlemen from California Reserves, gentlemen from Arizona is recognized.
Thank you so much to the gentleman from Arizona for honoring our friend, Charlie Kirk.
This has truly been a troubling week.
This has been a very tough time for all of us, especially for Erica Kirk, Charlie's children, the family at Turning Point.
And the legacy that Charlie has left behind is truly remarkable.
Charlie is leaving a legacy that we will all continue to carry on and move forward with faith, of freedom, of love, of our constitutional values to have civil conversations, disagreements.
And it's interesting that my friend died doing what he loved most: hearing people, loving people, giving them the opportunity to speak their thoughts.
He literally gave people his platform.
We're honoring the life and legacy of Charlie Kirk, a courageous American patriot whose unwavering faith and love for Jesus inspired millions.
I rise in strong support of the resolution honoring the life and legacy of Charlie Kirk.
Charlie was a man of God.
He was a loving husband and a father, and an unrelenting advocate for the Constitution for American free speech and for his belief, Christian belief.
I had the honor of knowing Charlie, but also serving with Charlie on the Air Force Academy Board of Visitors.
You know, as we started our meeting, we talked about the love of country.
We talked about patriotism.
And he asked a question.
His question to the Air Force Academy was: Do you teach a course on American exceptionalism?
Do you teach a course on loving this country on why it is the greatest country in the world?
Because he said, these men and women who are about to graduate, be commissioned as officers in the Air and Space Force that are willing to give their lives in the defense of this country should know why they love this country.
They should know why this is the greatest country on earth, why they're willing to die for it.
I thought it was an incredible question.
We toured the Air Force Academy Chapel, and I'm going to challenge our Department of War.
I'm going to challenge our country to finish that chapel as a symbol of the spiritual aspect of this country.
I want to challenge everyone that hasn't watched Charlie's message about how this country was founded on Christian principles to watch that, to learn about the founding of this country and the spiritual roots.
And that Air Force Academy chapel, having now been delayed for almost eight or nine years, is important to finish so that we can get that spiritual aspect back into the lives of our military, our warfighters, and those who are graduating.
Charlie, we love you.
Your legacy will stand firm in our minds, and I am absolutely convinced that your legacy will have a lasting impact on this country.
We've heard a lot about Charlie Kirk, and rightfully so, we've heard this important resolution today.
And I mentioned our love and prayers to Charlie's wonderful wife, Erica, and their children.
Erica said the other day when she was speaking, she said that this mission, this program that Charlie was undertaking was not going to be stopped because of his assassination, that it was going to grow bigger and stronger, and that it would be unleashed even more.
And so I'll just point out that what's happened in the last few days is I've been in contact with my other friends at the turning point.
More than 50,000 new chapters have been applied for all over the country.
And I know that there was one at one, I'll just describe it as a mid-Atlantic university.
They had their initial interest meeting and had more than 100 students show up at that.
That's what's happening around this country.
And this tragedy out of tragedy has been born, I think, a hope and an understanding, not just for the theological or religiosity that Charlie brought forward, but also for the hope of American renewal and a recognition of the greatness of this nation.
So that's important.
I extend my condolences and my friendship also to the Turning Point USA family.
I know many of them, and his team, those that were closest to Charlie, some who were there when he was assassinated.
I give them my heartfelt love and wish them strength as they go through and try to cope with this new dynamic in their lives.
But the mission goes on.
You saw the outpouring from around the world, from Tokyo and Seoul to Spain to London, literally hundreds of thousands and maybe even millions of people coming out to recognize what Charlie was.
And what he was, was someone who had conviction in what he believed as far as his faith, his belief in family.
He used to advocate for families.
He said the greatest thing you do, and he would tell young people this, get married, have children.
And he encouraged people to have a good life.
And that was important.
But he also believed in this country and that this country allows more people to do more like that than anywhere else.
And that's why we remember him so today.
And it's my hope, and I join my hope with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, that this resolution passes in a unanimous fashion.
And so, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
unidentified
Balance of all time has been yielded back pursuant to House Resolution 722.
15-Minute Vote on H.R. 306200:02:22
unidentified
The previous question is ordered on the resolution and preamble.
The question is on the adoption of the resolution.
A bill to establish a more uniform, transparent, and modern process to authorize the construction, connection, operation, and maintenance of international border crossing facilities for the import and export of oil and natural gas and the transmission of electricity.
unidentified
Questions on passage of the bill.
Members will record their votes by electronic device.
This will be a 15-minute vote.
Competing Redistricting Reforms00:15:41
unidentified
First floor votes of the day here in the House as members are now voting on a bill aiming to promote a new process to approve energy infrastructure that crosses the U.S. border into Canada and Mexico.
It covers oil and gas pipelines as well as electrical transmission lines.
Under the current system, a presidential permit has to be issued for these types of projects.
As we wait for members to come to the floor to vote, we'll show you a news conference held by Congressional Democrats earlier on redistricting legislation.
I am Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, and I want to thank all my colleagues and the press for joining us here today as we introduce the Redistricting Reform Act.
As you know, I've been introducing this legislation since 2005, but I think it's relevant now more than ever.
President Trump has unleashed a redistricting war across the country, calling up Republican-controlled states and demanding that they rig their maps.
He called up the governor of Texas and said, find me five seats.
And Texas Republicans did that.
He called up the folks in Missouri, Indiana, and Florida, and it looks like those states may also revise their maps as he has directed.
Why is he doing this?
Because of his unpopular policies stripping health care from millions of people, he knows that rigging the redistricting process is probably the only way his party doesn't lose control of Congress in next year's midterm elections.
The Redistricting Reform Act would end the nationwide redistricting war by prohibiting mid-decade redistricting and ensuring that every state adopts independent redistricting that uses uniform, fair redistricting criteria.
Now, when Democrats controlled the House, we included independent redistricting in our big HR1 ethics reform bill, and it passed the House but was unfortunately killed by Republicans in the Senate.
Now, it can't just be one side that agrees to stop gerrymandering.
It needs to be both.
For the sake of our democracy, we shouldn't continue down this path.
I would welcome the support of my Republican colleagues from California on this legislation.
When we passed this bill through the House in 2021, we did not receive a single vote from the Republicans.
I hope that they will change this time around, since so many of them seem to have expressed support for a nonpartisan redistricting process now that their seats may be at risk.
I want to thank Deborah Ross from North Carolina, Mark Beacey from Texas for their support of the bill because they have experienced the ills of partisan gerrymandering in their own states.
Both of their states have been horrendously gerrymandered to disenfranchise voters.
And I want to thank Senator Alex Padilla for leading in the Senate companion bill.
He's a former Secretary of State of California, an expert on election law.
And I'll turn it over to him, Senator Padilla, for a few remarks.
You've been a champion on this for many, many years.
To level the playing field and a fair redistricting process for the entire country, not just California.
But we're here today because we are at a dangerous moment for our democracy.
We see migrant Republicans in state houses across the nation literally saying, yes, Mr. Trump, whatever you want.
Starting with his demands for more Republican seats in the state of Texas.
But when he spoke to the camera about Texas, he literally said we are entitled to five more seats.
Not that they want to compete for five more seats, that they're entitled to five more seats and don't stop there.
Listen to what he says because he means it.
What we know is that Republicans are afraid to run on their record.
They're jacking up health care premiums for working families.
Their failed tariff force is increasing costs on everything from groceries to housing and more.
And Republicans are scrambling to cover up the president's involvement with Jeffrey Epstein.
It's a formula to lose power in the midterm elections.
And instead of changing their ways, they've decided to change the rules.
So what started in Texas has spread, predictably, to Missouri and Indiana, Florida, and beyond.
It's become a race to the bottom to impress Donald Trump, who's personally issuing these marching orders from the White House, from the White House to legislators and statehouses across the country to rig the maps.
And yes, in response, California has had no choice but to gear up for this fight.
But as a proud senator from the state of California, I can tell you I know there is a better way forward.
We believe in a better way forward.
And so today we're offering Republicans this off-ramp that's come together behind the Redistricting Reform Act of 2025, a common sense solution to the partisan power grabs that we're witnessing.
The measure would ban mid-decade redistricting immediately because no one should be able to rewrite the rules in the middle of the cycle.
And it would return to nonpartisan independent commissions drawing the lines.
Because as we've said before, we'll say again, it should be voters choosing the representatives, not the other way around.
Now we're more than happy to meet Republicans on a level playing field every election and competing on ideas and policies and proposed solutions, not competing on who can rig the rules more than the other.
Competing on ideas is what's best for democracy.
Competing on ideas is what's best for the people.
And so it's an urgent call for our colleagues, both Republican and Democrat, to join us in passing this bill.
But if Republicans refuse, let's also be clear, California will not stand down.
California will continue to stand up as Republicans, if Republicans choose to continue to make a mockery of democracy.
California is prepared to respond.
Thank you, Representative Wofgren.
And if I may, introduce my colleague and partner in the Senate, Senator Adam Schiff.
I am so grateful to be here with Ranking Member Lofgren, Senator Padilla, Speaker Pelosi, House Leadership, and so many of our colleagues in the House from California and across the country.
Right now, Republican lawmakers are terrified of facing voters at the polls for policies they have written that are deeply injurious to the American people and for all of their broken promises.
Their promises to lower prices broken, to help with rising costs broken, to protect American families in peril broken.
Instead, what this administration has done is pass a legislative agenda that is so toxic, so harmful to the American people, that families across America are crying out for relief from these rising costs.
We see tariffs driving up the price of groceries, everyday goods, appliances, cars, school supplies.
We see hospitals and clinics laying off staff or closing altogether and families facing health insurance premium increases of 50%, 75% or more.
We see businesses struggling to stay afloat and cutting workers as economic uncertainty tightens its grip.
Republicans are seeing this.
They're hearing it at town halls.
They're reading it in emails and tech messages from their constituents and they are panicking.
And why do we know this?
Because rather than stand up to the president or even try to defend their big ugly bill, they're making a desperate move.
Rather than try to win the race in the midterms, they're trying to rig the game.
They're trying to take away the American people's best way to express their disgust at this hateful agenda, the access to a fair election next year, one where politicians haven't already decided the outcome.
When we ran the House, we passed the most historic voting reform package in a generation and said in a unified voice that we want to ban gerrymandering all across the country once and for all.
Today we are here to say that again.
There should be no ambiguity.
We want to end partisan gerrymandering.
We want to adopt nonpartisan independent redistricting commissions like we have done in California.
But we are not letting Republicans' efforts to rig the next election go unanswered.
And we are making it crystal clear for everyone watching here today and back home that we will fight this.
Democrats are the party of free, nonpartisan, and unbiased elections, ones where people pick their representatives and not the other way around.
Republicans have poked the bear in California and we are not backing down.
Thank you.
It gives me great pleasure now to introduce House Democratic Whip Catherine Clark.
I am so honored to be here with these fighters for democracy and so grateful to my partners in California for all they are doing to protect the vote.
So you may call us traditionalists, but we have this idea that when you are elected to office, you should prioritize the people who sent you there.
The Republicans have been really clear about who they are prioritizing in their office.
They've taken health care from 15 million people.
They've taken food from 16 million children.
They've cut Medicare by half a trillion dollars.
And to do what?
To take that money and give it in tax cuts to billionaires.
Republicans know this isn't what people voted for.
They know they have a losing message.
They know their big, ugly law is a liability and is causing pain to American families.
And they know they are going to pay a political price for this.
And that is why they have embarked on this desperate effort to keep the House by creating new partisan districts.
They aren't just trying to steal an election.
They are stealing the right of everyday people, people in our communities and theirs, to be heard.
They are stealing their right to select leaders who will prioritize their families.
Zoe Lofgren's bill will put the power back with the people.
It enshrines the idea that voters choose their representatives, not the other way around.
And it ensures that we will never be subjected to the blatant election rigging that we are seeing this year.
Republicans are welcome to run on their record of disastrous cuts and higher costs.
What we won't let them do is run away with our transparency, accountability, and our very democracy.
And I am so pleased to be joined in this fight from another one of our amazing California members, my partner in House leadership and friend, House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar.
unidentified
Thank you.
Thank you, Whip Clark.
I want to thank Ranking Member Lofgren, my colleagues from California, Texas, North Carolina, and of course, Speaker Emerita Pelosi and our senators Padilla and Schiff.
It's an honor to be with you.
We know what happened this summer.
When Republicans, led by Donald Trump, passed their big ugly law.
They knew that this would be unpopular with the American people.
And so they knew that they had to do everything they can to keep the House.
So they set out to rig the 2026 election, calling up Governor Abbott in Texas, asking him for favors, calling up other governors and asking him the same, just like he called up the Secretary of State in Georgia in 2020 about that election.
Now other Republican states are stepping up to follow Texas's lead, setting off this redistricting war.
Well, House Democrats were not going to sit by and just watch Donald Trump attempt to steal another election.
And so California Democrats are taking action to level the playing field.
But make no mistake, we do not believe this path forward is sustainable and wholeheartedly believe in the independent redistricting commissions like the one in California are a gold standard for our country.
Red, blue, and purple states have all made this system work, but it only works if we participate.
And that is what exactly that the Redistricting Reform Act does.
If adopted, this legislation would ban mid-decade redistricting and require independent redistricting commissions in every state.
This would create more competitive elections and therefore more cooperation and bipartisanship in Congress.
I urge my Republican colleagues to join us in this effort and to help return power back to the American people.
Fair Elections Reform00:15:20
unidentified
Someone who has led in this area and has seen the dangers of partisan redistricting is our colleague from North Carolina, Representative Deborah Russ.
Well, thank you very much, Pete, and I am proud to stand with my colleagues from California and Texas because boy has North Carolina seen the dangers of partisan gerrymandering.
I'd also like to thank Congresswoman Lofgren and Veazey and Senator Padilla for leading this legislation and for the right to protect every American to choose their elected representatives.
Across the country, we're seeing an arms race to gerrymander maps and enshrine power in the hands of a few politicians regardless of the will of the people.
And North Carolina is one of the main reasons why the Democrats do not control the House today.
It is because of partisan gerrymandering.
Now my state is as purple as they come.
We elected two Democrats as governor while also electing Donald Trump as president.
And as recently as 2022, we had fair maps that resulted in an evenly split congressional delegation.
But North Carolina Republicans wanted more power.
So they cracked and packed our districts into the current configuration of 10 Republicans and four Democrats.
Everyone, from electoral experts to everyday American, know that voters should be free to choose their representatives and not the other way around.
That's why we're introducing the Redistricting Reform Act to make sure that our elected officials truly represent the people.
Our title is representative after all.
For far, far too long, America has been denied the promise of representation by and for the people.
In the past, it was the insidious poll taxes, literacy tests, and threats of violence, which we sadly are seeing again today.
Armed with precise computer-drawn maps, one of the principal threats to our democracy is entrenched politicians who'd rather see their party triumph than our democracy thrive.
And that's why this legislation is going to protect our democracy and the people's right to representative government, ensuring that politicians can't gerrymander their way to permanently hold on power.
When I was a state House representative and Tom Tillis was the Speaker of the House, he allowed a bipartisan redistricting bill to go through the House of Representatives.
It was stopped by the man who continues to be the Senator pro tem of the North Carolina Senate, Phil Berger.
It's time for him to go.
I am now happy to turn this over to the amazing representative for Southern California, Julia Brown.
unidentified
Thank you.
Thank you.
Well, good afternoon.
So let's be clear.
Partisan gerrymandering is one of the greatest threats to our democracy today.
It silences voters, fractures communities, and stacks the deck for those politicians who care more about power than people.
My constituents know this very well.
The congressional seat that I represent, which encompasses most of Ventura County in Southern California, was carved up, split into three or four different congressional districts at one point.
Voters didn't have one clear voice in Washington.
They were divided, ignored, and left with one sleepy election after another.
That changed when Californians created the Citizens Redistricting Commission.
Independent, citizen-led redistricting put communities back together.
It made our elections more fair.
It gave voters the ability to hold their elected representatives more accountable to them.
In fact, I would not be here as the first Democrat to represent Ventura County in 70 years if it wasn't for that reform.
When I came to Congress, my first priority was to join Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren in authoring the Redistricting Reform Act to ensure every state follows California's example and puts the power back where it belongs with the people.
Because make no mistake, free and fair elections are not automatic.
They depend on us standing up for core Democratic values.
And right now, we are watching Republican-controlled states, Texas, North Carolina, Missouri, redraw maps to entrench their power and undermine the will of the voters.
The Redistricting Reform Act gives every member of Congress the opportunity to stop this madness, a chance to prove they care about fairness and accountability more than Donald Trump's whims.
If they refuse, the American people will see the truth.
That is, Republicans who are standing in the way of free and fair elections.
We will not sit idly by while our democracy is rigged.
We will fight back.
But today, my Republican colleagues have a choice to join us in ending partisan gerrymandering once and for all, or be remembered for undermining the very foundation of our democracy.
And so it's my great pleasure now to introduce Marina Jenkins, the Executive Director of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee.
Thank you so much.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
Hello.
Thank you, Senator Padilla and Representative Lofgren, for introducing this vital legislation.
And thank you to every tireless advocate across the country from every corner of every community who continues the fight to protect, preserve, and improve our democracy.
As I said, I'm Marina Jenkins, Executive Director of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, and we're so proud to be here today.
We stand together today concerned, yes, because our system of government is under threat, but also ever more committed to the work of paving a stronger path forward.
Right now, in states across the country, a concerted effort is underway by the Republican Party to lock in their own power in order to advance their own agenda, all without the consent of the American people.
We know what's at stake.
When representatives choose their voters instead of voters choosing their representatives, voices are silenced, competition is stymied, and policy decisions are divorced from constituents' needs.
When the legitimacy of our elections is corroded and cynicism takes over, democracy itself is diminished.
The challenge before us right now, Trump's demand that Republican-controlled states engage in mid-decade gerrymandering so that the GOP can illegitimately retain control of the House, notwithstanding what the American people want, is very real.
And let's be clear, a sitting president making this kind of demand is not only absolutely unprecedented, but it is also incredibly harmful.
We know far too well how extreme partisan and racial gerrymandering can divide communities, undermine equal representation, and pave the way for special interests to be prioritized over everyday Americans.
We have seen the damage it does to faith in our institutions, to confidence in our elections, and to the very idea that our representative government actually answers to the people.
Americans want to be able to choose accountable representatives in fair and competitive elections.
That is why the Redistricting Reform Act is so important.
It would end the practice of partisan gerrymandering.
It would ban mid-decade redistricting schemes, the kind like the one we're living through now that are used to grab power when the public isn't looking.
And it would require states to use truly independent commissions that would result in more competitive elections.
And it would give citizens the right to go to court to enforce these protections because rights without remedies are no rights at all.
The law would not apply to just one party or just a few states.
It won't lift only some groups up or give special privileges to a select few.
This law would provide a national framework designed to enforce a just system equally across the board.
Because the simple reality is that voters should choose their representatives and not the other way around.
This principle encapsulates the foundational promise of an inclusive representative democracy that we all deserve.
Voters across the country have expressed again and again that they want an end to gerrymandering.
They want fair maps.
They want accountability.
They want a true democracy that is free, fair, open, and accountable.
And they certainly want an end to the manufactured redistricting crisis that Trump has set off.
That is what the Redistricting Reform Act would deliver.
So let's make the system genuinely fair.
Let's remove the ability to tamper with the playing field, not to protect any one party, but to protect our democracy and the people it is designed to serve.
Now I'm happy to introduce Virginia Salaman of the Common Cause.
Good afternoon, everyone.
First, I want to just begin with some gratitude.
I want to thank Senator Bahlia and Representative Lofgren for their leadership in introducing and championing the Redistricting Reform Act of 2025.
You know, it takes courage, quite frankly, to put country over party and democracy over self-interest.
And this legislation actually does that because it doesn't allow them to select their voters.
It actually requires them to go through a fair process.
Again, my name is Virginia K. Salaman.
I am the president and CEO of Common Cause, and our organization is the lobbying group for the people of this country.
We have membership in every congressional district in the United States.
And Common Cause has proudly led redistricting efforts throughout the country for decades.
We fought for fair maps all the way up to the Supreme Court.
If you remember the case Ruscho v. Common Cause in North Carolina, that was us.
We brought Independent Redistricting Commission to California and to states throughout the country.
And that really has been the gold standard for redistricting.
And we're here today to continue the growing movement for fair maps, fair elections, and fair representation.
But it means we need to tell the truth.
And the reality is that for far too long, a lot of politicians have been rigging the game in favor of themselves or their parties.
They've carved up communities, drawn maps in back rooms, and used their power to protect themselves, not the people they were elected to serve.
Gerrymandering has robbed voters of their voices time and time again.
And it has poisoned trust in our democracy.
And that stops here and now with this legislation.
And so we hope that our Republican members of Congress will also join in in supporting this legislation.
Not only are we proud to stand by this because it will put the power in the back in the hands of the people, but the best part of it is that the American people are actually with us.
We released a new poll last week and that made it very crystal clear for us.
84% of voters say fair district lines are vital to the health of our democracy.
That's not a margin, that is a mandate.
77% want independent commissions to draw maps.
Voters don't trust politicians to grade their own homework.
78% say community interests, not political advantage, should come first because people want their neighborhoods, their towns, their voices to matter, not just those of party insiders.
And 60% reject mid-decade redistricting because voters see this for what it is, a power grab.
And these aren't partisan talking points.
They're the American people directly from this poll speaking loud and clear.
From Texas to California, from Illinois to Florida, Democrats, Republicans, Independents, across the board, voters want fairness, transparency, and accountability.
Because let's be clear, gerrymandering is nothing more than voter suppression with a different name.
It silences voices, it fractures communities, it rigs elections before a single ballot is even cast.
And the Redistricting Reform Act of 2025 is how we fix it.
So today we are calling on Congress to pass this bill for every voter whose voice will be left out.
The people are ready.
We are united and we are watching.
Thank you.
And now I am introducing Representative Mark Vesey, Vesey of Texas.
Donald Trump and his Republican allies, they are afraid of the damage that they are about to cause on this country with the passage of their big ugly bill.
And Donald Trump and his Republican people know that the American public are against their billionaire agenda that they are trying to impose on this country.
And they are afraid that the American people will take that displeasure straight to the ballot box.
That is why Donald Trump ordered Republican governors across legislatures and across the country to silence black and brown voices in states like mine, which is Texas.
And spineless governors all over the South and other places are bowing to this wannabe dictators instead of standing up for their constituencies that are rejecting mid-decade redistricting.
And I want you to make no mistake about it.
The reason, again, why they are scared is because bills are going up, inflation is going up, unemployment is going up, housing is going up, food prices are going up.
All while Republicans are trying to take away people's health care.
That is a recipe for electoral disaster.
And that is why Republicans are discriminating against black and brown voters and exhibiting this blatant power grab that is unconstitutional because they are afraid that their agenda is unpopular.
They know they cannot win on policy.
So they are rigging the election before a single vote is even cast.
These schemes are racist.
These schemes are unconstitutional.
And as was pointed out by my colleague from North Carolina, they are Jim Crow-like and they take us back to an era that we don't want to return to in this country.
Let me just give you some facts on Texas really quickly.
If you go back and you look at redistricting in 2020, 2021, after the 20 numbers came out, almost all of the growth in the state of Texas was because of Latino, Black, and Asian growth.
That is why we picked up the additional seats that we did.
That's why we picked up the additional four seats that we did the decade before.
But now, if you look at what's happened, Latino voters statewide now have one fourth of the power that white voters do.
It's blatantly racist.
It's blatantly intentional what they're trying to do in this discrimination.
And we are not going to quietly let Republicans drag us back to pre-1960s Voting Rights Act levels.
We are absolutely not going to allow that to happen.
We are going to fight back.
And so that is why I am so proud to stand here today with my colleague from California, Zoe Lofgren, and pushing the Reform Act, because we want to guarantee nationwide nonpartisan redistricting where everybody, I don't care what race you are, I don't care what state, I don't care who's in power, we want everybody to play by the same rules.
Period, end of story.
We want to make sure that every voice, even voices that may not agree with me, we want to make sure that every voice across this great land is heard.
And we are not going to allow Donald Trump and Republicans to play these games and take this country back again to a place where it was before the Voting Rights Act was passed in this country.
We are simply not going to allow it to happen.
And so with that, I want to introduce to the podium another strong warrior when it comes to protecting voting rights in this country from California's 12th congressional district, Congresswoman Latifah Simon.
And I want to thank our courageous leader, Zoe Lofgren, for bringing us all here today.
And of course, Senator Padilla, Congresswoman Loftgren has been just a steadfast leader for democracy for decades.
And thank you so much for pushing this opportunity forward for the Democrats and the Republicans to honor our democracy.
I think we need to actually be very, very clear.
In this moment, Trump and Republicans have already stolen the voice of voters in Texas.
They're stealing the voices of voters in Missouri.
And we cannot sit with our arms folded and let the lapse in democracy win.
In California, we are fighting back.
And this November, voters will have the opportunity to move forward Prop 50 to stand up, to stand up for fairness and to protect the principles of equal representation.
But, you know, in the long term, we all know that we need to have fairness in districts in all 50 states.
We need a nationwide system, a promise of independent redistricting so that Republican, unfair and undemocratic attempts to redistrict will never happen again.
That is why I am so proud.
I am so proud to stand here with my colleagues and support the reforming, the Redistricting Reform Act, because we have to fight literally for the woman right now, the mom that is sitting in a children's hospital waiting room, hoping that her daughter, who is fighting for her life with second stage cancer, can continue in her clinical trial as this administration continues to cut funding from NIH.
We have to fight for the researchers who are this close to curing sickle cell research.
But again, our administration is stalling research funding.
With this opportunity, what we will do is restore the voices for all Americans.
We cannot afford to go back to a 1950s America where voters don't have the opportunity to lift their voices and to select their leaders.
Again, I want to thank you, Zoe, for your leadership, and we can do the right thing.
And please excuse the lack of jacket, but I think all of us understand.
Let me express my appreciation to Zoe Lofgren for leading this charge as she does on so many issues.
And let me just kind of mention one thing.
Look, when our founders formulated this country, they did everything they could to get away from one person rule.
But what we're seeing right now is one person ruling out of the White House by dick tat.
And what that's leading to and causing is what we're experiencing today as a democracy.
Corruption, incompetence, cuts to care, and high costs.
Now, these policies that are coming out of the White House are tremendously unpopular.
And the president understands that.
So it's exactly why the president leaned in to the states that have been mentioned today and basically leaned in to the governors and the legislatures and the legislators who bent the knee to him, who basically gerrymandered.
And they said, yeas are 224, the nays are 203.
unidentified
The bill is passed.
Without objection, a motion to reconsider is laid on the table.
Pursuant to clause aid of Rule 20, the unfinished business is to vote on passage of H.R. 3015, of which the yays and nays are ordered.
Union calendar number 150, H.R. 3015, a bill to reestablish the National Coal Council in the Department of Energy to provide advice and recommendations to the Secretary of Energy on matters related to coal in the coal industry and for the purposes.
National Tragedy Disagrees00:08:18
unidentified
The question is on the passage of the bill.
Members will record their vote by electronic device.
This is a five-minute vote.
House votes now on legislation seeking to reestablish the National Coal Council, which was first established in 1984 under President Reagan to help the government and the industry to improve cooperation in coal research, production, transportation, marketing, and use.
During President Biden's tenure, the administration ceased operations.
Earlier this year, President Trump signed an executive order to reestablish the agency, and this bill would formally codify it into law.
While members vote here, we'll hear from former Vice President Mike Pence.
He was in New York talking about the state of politics in America.
I want to start, obviously, with the Charlie Kirk assassination.
You know, following the shooting last week, President Trump had been given several opportunities to call for healing and to bring down the temperature.
But instead, he largely responded by blaming the quote-unquote radical left and basically blaming the left for all that ails the country, including political violence.
And I don't know if you were surprised by that, necessarily by his response, but were you bothered by it?
Well, again, thanks for having me here, and I want to thank the Atlantic Festival.
And thank you all for the warm welcome.
I knew Charlie Kirk, met him in the campaign in 2016.
He's a dynamic young man, a good, godly young man, devoted husband and father of two beautiful young children.
And as I sit here today, I'm just heartsick about what happened last week.
I understand the anger that so many feel around the country, including, I think, the president.
But there is no place in America for political violence, and it should be universally condemned.
I want to commend law enforcement in Utah, Tim.
I spoke yesterday to Governor Spencer Cox, who I think really distinguished himself in the thoughtful way that he articulated the efforts of the Utah law enforcement working with federal officials to be able to apprehend the perpetrator of the crime within 33 hours.
It was a great credit to law enforcement at every level, but also a great credit to the good people of Utah who responded quickly and admirably.
The Bible says you mourn with those who mourn and grieve with those who grieve.
And I think it's important that in the wake of this national tragedy that we take time simply to grieve the loss of life that occurred here.
But I also believe we need to resist the temptation to put America on trial.
I mean, absent any additional evidence, one man was responsible for the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
That man is now in custody, and now comes justice.
And while with this rising tide of political violence that we've seen on both sides of the aisle, I understand the deep concern.
I don't think we ever want to lose sight of the fact of personal responsibility and the need for every American to focus on holding those accountable who would perpetrate this violence in the name of politics or for any other reason.
Now, all that being said, it's you know Charlie Kirk probably had some differences with people in this room.
He went, as I've sought to do since I left office, he went to campuses.
It was a year and a half ago I was at the UVU campus speaking with students at George Mason University just yesterday.
It's been a great joy for me.
But he took that case, that conservative youth case, to campuses everywhere.
He was in a very real sense he was a champion for the freedom of speech.
And I truly do believe that we need to make sure that part of his legacy is a continuation of the vitality of freedom of speech for every American for years to come.
unidentified
Well, let's talk about freedom of speech, Mr. Vice President.
I'm sure you saw the news last night that Jimmy Kimmel's ABC show was pulled indefinitely after the FCC chairman Brennan Carr made sort of a mafiosa threat to go after the network in response to Kimmel's remarks about the assassination.
Now, the substance of those remarks from Kimmel aside, and to be clear, he was wrong, flat out wrong factually.
Isn't the First Amendment at risk when the FCC chairman tries to intimidate a news network over content that he personally disagrees with or that the state disagrees with?
Well, the First Amendment of the Constitution protects against government censorship of individuals.
And we ought ever to be vigilant to ensure the right of every American to express their views without government interference or censorship.
The First Amendment, though, does not protect entertainers who say crass or thoughtless things, as Jimmy Kimmel did in the wake of a national tragedy.
And private employers have every right to dismiss employees, whether they're television talk show hosts or otherwise, if they violate the standards of that company.
Now, I would have preferred that the chairman of the FCC had not weighed in.
But I respect the right of the networks to make the decision.
And it's not personal for me.
I don't think Jimmy Kimmel ever had a kind word to say about me and once apologized for something he said about me on the air.
But that's not the point.
The point in this case is that in the wake of a heartbreaking tragedy impacting people across the country that he would act in such a callous and thoughtless way.
And I respect the right of his employer to make that decision.
Now, speech is important, though.
And the other part of this is, I have long believed that democracy depends on heavy doses of civility.
The speaker, I rise today to celebrate Bob Fisher, a proud.
I rise to celebrate Bob Fisher, a proud product of South Buffalo and the incredible manager of the Democratic Cloakroom, on his well-deserved retirement after almost four decades of serving the People's House.
In 1987, Bob came to Congress, not knowing how long he would stay or what kind of mark he would leave on this institution.
But the Lord works in mysterious ways.
And we are here today as members of Congress to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation for his distinguished contributions and dedication to this institution, the People's House, for nearly four decades.
In fact, after almost four decades of service here in the People's House, it's clear to me that other than his family, the only entity that Bob loves more than the House of Representatives is the Buffalo Bills, who in fact are playing tonight.
The work that we do as members of Congress exists in the public domain.
But the American people don't often get to see folks like Bob who keep this place running and support the hundreds of representatives and our staff with whatever we need.
Whether that's providing updates to our offices, wrangling members to make sure we're present for votes, sharing information in real time, we can't do our jobs on behalf of the people without the cloakroom.
And Bob has been the one who has kept the cloakroom humming with a steady hand, patience, expertise, professionalism, and heart and soul.
Even through the terror and chaos of January 6, Bob was a calm and comforting presence, bravely helping to ensure that members of Congress were safely evacuated off the floor.
Thank you for your courage and your heroism on that fateful day.
Bob is one of the unsung heroes of the United States Congress.
So it's especially fitting that he shares a name with one of the greatest unsung heroes in NBA history, Robert Horry, who was known as Big Shot Bob.
Robert Horry was not a flashy player, but he's someone who played the game the right way, had an uncanny ability to make the right plays at the right moment, including in the NBA championships when all was on the line.
Never made an all-star game, never was elevated along with folks like Michael Jordan or Magic Johnson or LeBron James.
But what's interesting is that Michael Jordan had six championships.
Magic Johnson had five championships.
LeBron James had four championships, but Robert Horry had seven, more than any of them, because he was always at the right place, the right time with the right moves, the glue that made these teams into champions.
That's what Bob has done for the House Democratic Caucus.
Make the right play at the right time to ensure that the team is delivering results for the American people.
So I know I speak for all of us as members of the House Democratic Caucus when I say that big shot Bob Fisher will be missed by all of us.
Bob's family is here with us, including his wife Julie, children Christy and Emily, and parents Robert and Kathy.
Thank you for sharing your husband, your dad, and your son with us for the last 39 years.
Bob, congratulations on a well-deserved retirement.
It's now my great honor to yield to our great Speaker America, Nancy Delessandro Pelosi.
I'm pleased to join you in gratitude to Bob Fisher for decades, decades of service to the Congress, many of those decades, as I was speaker or leader.
So I know firsthand how indebted we are to you.
I join the distinguished leader in saluting Bob's family and thanking them as you did for sharing Bob with us.
Because as all of our staff who is here knows, you never know when it's going to be a late night or an additional Saturday or whatever it is.
But thank you so much for that sharing.
So today, we celebrate and thank Bob Fisher for his extraordinary service to the House of Representatives, especially the House Democrats Cloakroom, where he has been a trusted presence for decades.
You know that, my colleagues.
Bob's journey began with a leap of faith.
After a spur-of-the-moment decision over lunch in 1987, he followed the footsteps of his hometown mentor, doorkeeper, Bob Malloy.
That's a legendary name here for those of you who have been here a long time, and found his way to Washington.
Over time, what was supposed to be a short stay in Washington became home, and Bob became a fixture on Capitol Hill.
Bob joined the cloakroom staff in 1993 and through consistency, commitment, and professionalism, earned the confidence of members, staff, and colleagues.
In the years since, he's been a trusted advisor, a problem solver, a calm presence during intense moments, a resource for countless members who rely on him.
And he was a valued part of my leadership team.
And now, this English leader seemed to be Speaker's leadership team as well.
Bob's work in the cloakroom has gone far beyond logistical support.
He built relationships.
He built trust.
He built continuity in an institution that is ever-changing.
As former Representative Brian Higgins, who preceded Tim Kennedy, representing Buffalo, has said, he became the go-to guy.
But most importantly, as his colleagues know well, Bob did all with, again, grace, professionalism, and good humor.
And whether he was explaining floor procedures, is that Hannah or Audrey?
That was Hannah.
So precious.
And whether he was explaining floor procedures, helping members navigate the often complex legislative day, or flipping on TV to the Buffalo Sabres games, Bob's departure now is bittersweet for us.
We're sad to see him go, but we are grateful, deeply grateful, for what he contributed and for the legacy he leaves behind.
Bob has always sustained not just the function of the House, but the spirit of service it undergoes.
And as we honor Bob, let that be a message to all the staff who serve us that we appreciate what you do for the American people and for our democracy.
He has made the cloakroom and this House a better place.
He's done it quietly, responsibly, and without fanfare.
That kind of service is often invisible, but it is indispensable.
Bob strengthened the very fabric of the House.
Today, as we wish him well, we honor not only his work, but the spirit of loyalty and friendship he brought here.
Now, before I end up congratulating Bob, I want to acknowledge Congressman Tim Kennedy for what he did in honor of Bob Fisher's name, is to have Densmore Street in Buffalo, New York, named Bob Fisher Way.
Union calendar number 251, H.R. 1047, a bill to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to reform the interconnection queue process for the prioritization and approval of certain projects and for other purposes.
The question is on the bill, on the passage of the bill.
Members will record their votes with electronic device.
This is a five-minute vote.
unidentified
We believe this is the final roll call vote on the floor today.
And this is a vote on a bill aiming to streamline the processing procedures for certain electorate grid projects.
Congressional Quarterly saying the bill would, quote, ensure that new dispatchable power projects that improve grid reliability and resource adequacy can interconnect to the electoral grid quickly.
As we wait for members to vote, tonight here on C-SPAN, we're going to feature an interview with former President Obama.
He recently sat down with Syria's XM host Steve Scully for a conversation on the state of democracy in the U.S., the role of mass media, and the potential dangers of artificial intelligence.
He also comments on the recent killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
We'll show you the entire interview tonight, starting at 10 Eastern here on C-SPAN, but here's a part of what you'll see.
I think it is important for us at the outset to acknowledge that political violence is not new.
It has happened at certain periods in our history.
But it is something that it is anathema to what it means to be a democratic country.
And regardless of what you are on the political spectrum, what happened to Charlie Kirk was horrific and a tragedy.
What happened, as you mentioned, to the state legislators in Minnesota, that is horrific.
It is a tragedy.
And there are no ifs, ands, or buts about it.
The central premise of our democratic system is that we have to be able to disagree and have sometimes really contentious debates without resort to volumes.
And when it happens to some, buddy, even if you think they're quote unquote on the other side of the argument, that's a threat to all of us.
And we have to be clear and forthright in condemning it.
Now, that doesn't mean that we can't have a debate about the ideas that people who were victims of political violence were promoting.
And so I've noticed that there's been some confusion, I think, around this lately.
And frankly, coming from the White House and some of the other positions of authority that suggest even before we had determined who the perpetrator of this evil act was, that somehow we're going to identify an enemy.
We're going to suggest that somehow that enemy was at fault, and we are then going to use that as a rationale for trying to silence discussion around who we are as a country and what direction we should go.
And that's a mistake as well.
And so, Look, obviously I didn't know Charlie Kirk.
I was generally aware of some of his ideas.
I think those ideas were wrong.
But that doesn't negate the fact that what happened was a tragedy and that I mourn for him and his family.
He's a young man with two small children and a wife who obviously and a huge number of friends and supporters who cared about him.
So we have to extend grace to people during their period of mourning and shock.
We can also at the same time say that I disagree with the idea that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a mistake.
That's not me politicizing the issue.
It's making an observation about who are we as a country.
I can say that I disagree with the suggestion that my wife or Justice Jackson does not have adequate brain processing power.
National Teach Ag Day celebrates school-based agricultural education.
Today, we share the importance and effectiveness of ag education in the United States and encourage students to consider careers as agriculture educators.
Mr. Speaker, our ag educators are responsible for cultivating and inspiring the next generation of agricultural leaders.
They prepare students to be problem solvers, leaders, entrepreneurs, and more.
And this happens in the classroom with extension programs or with groups like FFA or 4-H.
By recognizing our agriculture educators, we can ensure our students have knowledge and exposure to all the opportunities the ag sector has to offer.
Mr. Speaker, I thank all the ag teachers and volunteers across the country who help propel students into meaningful careers that support our nation's farmers, ranchers, foresters, and producers.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I yield back the balance of my time.
unidentified
For what purpose does the gentlewoman from Massachusetts seek recognition?
I rise to bid farewell to my senior floor advisor, an alumna of teams Jayapaul, McBath, and Pelosi, the one and only, the incomparable Allison Blankenship.
The last few years have been some of the most unpredictable in the history of this chamber, and throughout all of it, Allison has been a constant, joyful guiding light.
From the longest speech in House history to the longest vote, Allison has skillfully navigated the unprecedented.
She has powered through all-nighters with a smile, with pride, and always with helpful information.
Because above all, she is driven by a love of country, a love of justice, and a love of this institution and its people.
To Allison, we thank you.
We wish you all the best on your next chapter.
And please know we will not forget you, and we hope you will not forget us.
Thank you, Allison.
And with that, I yield back.
unidentified
For what purpose does the gentleman from Wisconsin seat recognition?
I advise and extend my remarks.
Without objection, the gentleman from Wisconsin is recognized for one minute.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate a movement that's transforming the landscape of youth sports across America, girls' flag football.
Recently, Chloe Cronin, a student at Appleton North High School, reached out to my office to share a petition she started calling on the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association to recognize girls' flag football as a sanctioned sport.
At Appleton North High School and across the Fox Cities, girls are suiting up for flag football, not just for the love of the game, but to claim their rightful place on the field.
Though currently recognized only as a club sport, these athletes are showing grit, leadership, and talent.
Today, over 17 states have sanctioned girls' flag football as a varsity sport, and countless others are piloting programs that give young women the chance to compete, lead, and thrive on the field.
With support growing nationwide, from college scholarships to NFL partnerships, states like Florida and Georgia have already made girls' flag football a varsity sport.
Wisconsin should be next.
These young women deserve the same opportunities, resources, and recognition as their peers.
I urge my colleagues to support this momentum and ensure every girl has the chance to chase greatness one flag at a time.
Mr. Speaker, thank you.
I yield back.
The gentleman yields.
For what purpose is the gentleman from New York state recognition?
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to address the House for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks.
Without objection, the gentleman from New York is recognized for one minute.
Mr. Speaker, the 16th District of New York is lucky to have an education-first facility located in Tarrytown.
During the August work period, I had the opportunity to tour the International Language Campus and speak with young people from over 60 countries who are in Tarrytown to learn English.
This location in our district is one of several dozen education-first campuses around the world.
They have collaborated with the UN to create a joint global summer school program.
In addition to physical schools, they also have the world's largest online language school.
These programs are designed to help English language learners pick up the language quickly for attending school or starting a new job.
It can be hard to be in a new place learning a new language.
I applaud the courage and the openness of these students in coming to the United States and meeting students from different countries.
Our world is stronger because of cultural exchanges like this one, and it does a heck of a lot for the local economy in Tarrytown.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, and I yield back.
unidentified
The gentleman yields.
The gentleman yields.
For what purpose is the gentleman from Indiana seat recognition?
Mr. Speaker, I rise and ask for announcements to address the House for one minute.
Without objection, the gentleman from Indiana is recognized for one minute.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise today to highlight the work of Mr. Jeff Mittman and congratulate him on his appointment by President Trump to serve as a member of the U.S. Ability One Commission.
Mr. Mittman served 22 years in the U.S. Army until an IED ended his service and caused him to lose his vision.
Despite this sacrifice, Mr. Mittman made it a mission to move forward and overcome the challenges his life presented.
As one of many accomplishments in 2019, Mr. Mittman became the first legally blind president and CEO of Bosma Enterprises, the largest employer for people who are blind in Indiana.
Beyond that, Mr. Mittman also serves as the president of the National Association for the Employment of People Who Are Blind.
Even after losing so much, Mr. Mittman considers himself the luckiest man alive.
His responses to adversity serves as an inspiring lesson to all of us.
Indiana is fortunate to have benefited from his unwavering sense of hope and leadership in our community.
No one is more deserving than Mr. Mittman for this appointment, and I'm truly excited to see such an inspiring Hoosier serve on the Ability One Commission.
Thank you, and I'll yield back.
The gentleman yields.
what purpose does the gentlewoman from Florida seek recognition?
Without objection, the gentlewoman from Florida is recognized for one minute.
Today, I rise with joy to celebrate a very special milestone.
On August 24th, 1925, in Brooklyn, New York, my mother, Dorothy Sharfrankel, came into the world, and this summer marked her 100th birthday.
Still healthy, sharp, and still the life of the party.
And really, this day, she's my best supporter, my best friend, always on my side.
At 100, she plays a fierce game of ridge, rummy cue, and bingo, always with a quick wit and a competitive spirit intact.
And she still turns on the news every day, and she worries about her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
And she reminds us that age is not a limit, but a badge of wisdom, resilience, and spirit.
So today, I honor my mother, not just for reaching a century of life, but for filling every one of those years with strength, laughter, and unwavering love for her family.
She is my inspiration, and I'm so proud to celebrate her extraordinary journey.
Gray Wolf Recovery Impact00:15:45
unidentified
And I yield back.
The gentleman yields.
For what purpose is the gentleman from California seat recognition?
Speaker, if you can ask consent to address the House for one minute and find the standard.
Without objection, the gentleman from California is recognized for one minute.
Well, the gray wolf has made full recovery in the United States and has been for some time.
Yet, with the introduction of more and more wolves into the rural areas, you get results like this, with cattle losses, as well as the wildlife in the areas being devastated.
Yet activist lawsuits have kept wolves on the list long past the point of recovery.
The result is indeed devastating for rural America.
In the Great Lakes and Rocky Mountain regions, wolf populations are in the tens of thousands.
These predators kill livestock, pets, costing ranchers their livelihoods.
Some years, the USDA reports loss of nearly 5,000 cattle and sheep.
They're wiping out the wildlife in Colorado and my area of Northern California, too.
Families who work hard shouldn't have to live in fear that the next hack will be on their herds or even their kids or themselves.
In the Sierra Valley, for example, in Northern California, just in the recent months, they've lost 80 head of livestock.
Ranches and rural residents must be allowed to defend their property and themselves, including with lethal force when necessary.
Indeed, the wolves are untouchable because the protections are so strong you can't even defend yourself or your land.
Ineffective hazing is what is allowed, and you can't even hardly disturb the wolves.
So we must delist them.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife listed them years ago.
Now they need to go through the delisting process because the wolf has fully recovered.
Mr. Speaker, I rise with a heavy heart to honor the life of Reverend Dr. Thomas Lorenzo Walker, a long-time minister, community activist, gospel artist, author, and dedicated public servant.
After graduating from Shaw University, Reverend Walker pastored at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Rocky Mount, North Carolina for nearly 55 years.
He was a great gospel artist, known for his hit, One Day at a Time.
He authored Brother to Brother, How or You Don't Have to Die of Prostate Cancer.
Reverend Walker served 12 years on the Edgecombe County Board of Commissioners.
Residents now drive across a bridge named after him on West Raleigh Boulevard, a reminder of the bridges he built linking Edgecombe and Nash counties in Eastern North Carolina.
Reverend Walker advocated for youth voting rights and prostate screenings, which he was a survivor.
He was honored with our state's prestigious awarded Longleaf Pine Vera Service Awards and inducted into the Twin County Hall of Fame.
We mourn his passing, honor his legacy, and extend our deepest condolences to his family.
Thank you, and I yield back.
unidentified
The gentleman yields.
For what purpose does the gentleman from Arizona seek recognition?
Without objection, the gentleman from Arizona is recognized for one minute.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the retirement of a National Park Service employee in my district, Anne Hannes.
Since 2020, Anne has served as superintendent of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area in Sandy Springs.
Anne has been a vital partner in our community, working hand in hand with my office, the Cumberland CID, and the Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy as we work to secure funding, break ground, and eventually cut the ribbon on the New Day Palisades project.
Thanks to Anne's leadership, our community continues to preserve and advance the legacy of President Carter's bold vision for a beloved natural resource.
I offer my gratitude to Anne for her devotion to our national public lands and celebrate her distinguished career and service to this country.
On behalf of my office, Georgia's 6th Congressional District and the United States House of Representatives, congratulations and best wishes in your retirement.
unidentified
I yield.
The gentlewoman yields.
For what purpose does the gentlewoman from Vermont seek recognition?
Without objection, the gentlewoman from Vermont is recognized for one minute.
Today I rise to recognize a local business leader and the recipient of the 2025 National Small Business Association Small Business Advocate of the Year Award, Dwayne Groh, as Ohio's 13th Congressional District Champion of the Week.
Last week, Dwayne was in town for the National Small Business Association Washington presentation, where he was recognized for this award and his passion for uplifting small businesses.
From mentoring local entrepreneurs to advocating for supportive policies and connecting small businesses with essential resources, Dwayne ties his success to the success of others.
As an accomplished executive with over three decades of leadership and civil engineering experience, DeWayne is the current CEO and chairman of the board at Environmental Design Group.
He also sits on the board of directors for the Greater Akron Chamber and serves as the inaugural chair of the Akron-Canton Advocacy Alliance.
Dwayne understands that small businesses are the lifeblood of our communities and our economies, and by empowering local business leaders, we can shape more vibrant and resilient local economies.
I want to extend my thank you to Duane for reminding us that the birthplace of champions, Ohio's 13th district, is stronger when we succeed together.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
unidentified
I yield back.
The gentlewoman yields.
For what purpose is the gentleman from Tennessee seat recognition?
We've talked at long length about the threat to democracy and the fear of an authoritarian leader in Washington.
The time is now.
The authoritarian leader and administration has surfaced.
When the head of a communications company says that a television personality comments can cause a television station to, or should cause a television station, to cancel his show, and it happens, that's authoritarianism.
When the government dictates what should and shouldn't be said on television and whether they should be punished and using the power of the government to suppress free speech, the president then followed up and said NBC should get rid of two of its late-night shows.
CBS has canceled their late-night show.
I don't know what Johnny Carson would think about all this or Jack Parr.
I'm sure Alec Baldwin wouldn't like it and President Trump didn't like the way he treated him and Chevy Chase falling over at Gerald Ford probably put him in bad positions too.
Comedy is comedy, free speech is free speech and we shouldn't step on it.
God bless the First Amendment and I yield back the balance of my time.
unidentified
Gentleman Yields, for what purpose does the gentleman from Michigan seat recognition?
Mr. Speaker, I want to test a unanimous consent to address that and do advisement and extend my report.
Without objection, the gentleman from Michigan is recognized for one minute.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about manufacturing.
Manufacturing is not just what we do in Michigan, it is who we are.
Detroit built the motor city, the big three automakers, and America's middle class.
But today, while we still lead in auto manufacturing, Michigan faces some of the nation's highest unemployment rates while families are struggling with rising costs.
Mr. Trump promised tariffs would protect our jobs.
Instead, they have driven up the cost of steel, aluminum, and auto parts while plants close and workers are left behind.
When a plant shuts down in Detroit or Wayne County, it doesn't just hurt the workers inside it.
It hurts every business, schools, and families.
We need real solutions like job training, stronger unions, and building the future of mobility right here in Detroit.
I yield back.
unidentified
Gentleman Yields.
For what purpose is, gentlemen from California, seat recognition?
Without objection, the gentleman from California is recognized for one minute.
I rise today as a survivor of stage four cancer to express my astonishment and object to the Trump administration's cuts to American cancer research.
Over the last 50 years, the five-year cancer survival rate for people like myself has risen from 49% to 68%.
This is largely because of American taxpayers' investment in the brilliant researchers at the National Center Cancer Institute.
The administration's cuts to National Cancer Institute spending by $842 million in its first seven months alone put that trend in jeopardy.
Just as a return on investment, this is astonishingly bad.
For every $1 spent by American taxpayers at NCI, they get almost $3 back.
Experts warn that we will lose a generation of scientists because of this recklessness.
I urge the administration and my Republican colleagues to reverse course, maintain our global leadership, and work toward a better future for the 40% of Americans who will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetimes.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I yield back.
unidentified
The gentleman yields.
For what purposes, gentlemen from New York seek recognition?
To address the House for a minute and revising some of my remarks.
With that objection, the gentleman from New York is recognized for one minute.
Mr. Speaker, utility bills are crushing upstate New Yorkers.
You've got seniors on fixed incomes who are cutting back on groceries, working parents who are cutting back on the school clothes for the kids just to keep the lights on.
And now, the utility monopolies, which are owned by foreign corporations, are raising rates again.
They're taking more and more money out of our pockets, and they're sending it to foreign corporations to pad their profits.
And they've been getting away with it for years because they work the refs, they hire lobbyists, they grease the politicians with corporate pack checks.
When I say the system is rigged against the working class and in favor of special interests, this is what I'm talking about.
And it ends today.
My Keep the Lights Local Act will ban foreign corporations from owning our utilities.
Upstate New Yorkers who are already struggling to get by shouldn't be forced to pay dividends to corporate executives sitting in boardrooms halfway around the world.
Keep the lights local.
We're going to take our power back.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The gentleman yields.
Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 3rd, 2025, the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Roy, is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.
One of our colleagues on the other side of the aisle, who is a cancer survivor, and God bless him for it, was raising issues about government funding and about what funding should or shouldn't exist and what this administration may or may not be doing to make sure our bureaucracies are running efficiently and effectively and not wasting money.
I say this as a cancer survivor of stage three, Hodgkin's lymphoma 13 years ago.
Look, I think research is important.
I think we need to make sure there's solid research.
I think it can be driven heavily by the private sector who are incentivized to make money for developing life-saving drugs.
But it could be done in concert with governments and universities.
But what we don't need is continued profligate federal funding in order to achieve greatness.
You know, the Wright brothers, Henry Ford, the great inventors, the great industrialists, the great innovators in technology, the entrepreneurs out there, for the most part, they're not doing that based on government funding and action.
They're doing it based on innovation and hard work.
And that should be our model and approach.
So, while I appreciate those who have gone through a terrible disease, like cancer, as I did, as a number of people in this chamber, as millions of Americans across this country have done, it's not always a rationale for more government spending and more government action and more government bureaucracy.
And I would note that the other colleague who came down and talked about high and rising energy prices, I too share some frustration about foreign-owned energy companies and utility companies.
But I would remind my colleagues on the other side of the aisle that our energy prices wouldn't be skyrocketing and off the charts had we not gone down the road, the foolish road, of massive subsidies for the so-called Green New Deal, which is more rightly called the Green New Scam, in which foreign companies, Chinese companies,
have been enriched because my colleagues on the other side of the aisle wanted to pursue their radical agenda.
And you want to know why prices of energy are going up?
Because of your policies, because of your mandates, because of your EV mandates, because of your mandates about solar panels and wind farms that are far less efficient than nuclear and clean burning natural gas.
Those things are driving up the price of energy for the average American and putting that money in the pockets of a handful of wealthy people and the Chinese.
Congratulations.
Don't come whining to Congress about what you need to do to deal with high energy prices that you caused.
And that's the truth.
And the fact of the matter is, we need to do a lot better job of speaking truth here in this chamber.
And I'm reminded, as a number of my colleagues were debating a resolution honoring a friend to many of us, Charlie Kirk, who, as is well known now, lost his life last week, I am reminded of the importance of truth.
And Charlie stood for the proposition that you should go into the public square and put forward your ideas and put forward what you believe is truth and then hash it out.
And he did so eloquently, thoughtfully, and engagingly with people of all stripes, black, white, straight, gay, male, female, whatever it was, he would engage with people on campuses and around this country to pursue truth.
One of my favorite quotes of Thomas Jefferson is: for here we are willing to pursue truth wherever it may lead.
Follow truth wherever it may lead.
But you also have to have the courage to speak truth.
Charlie Kirk, when he was engaging with Bill Maher just earlier this year, said, and I quote, in China, and of course in the Soviet Union, there was an anti-Christian movement, very hardcore.
What book do you think is best for humanity to live by?
I say the Bible.
The entire arc of the Bible is a story of love and a need for humanity's redemption.
The Bible has wisdom in ways you might not ever imagine.
Humanity will seek to find a book.
They'll seek to find a code to live by.
And I think it is incumbent upon atheists to tell us what that should be.
Speaking to Bill Maher, A skeptic.
Charlie Kirk earlier this year in April.
The mechanisms of a religious society are good for everybody.
When somebody walks around and thinks that you were created and that you're not God, you tend to have better citizens.
Charlie was not wrong.
Earlier this year, Charlie Kirk in a debate with an atheist, quote, I would argue you have a lot more faith than I do.
You have a lot more blind faith to believe that everything around you, love, joy, peace, sadness, is all just a construct of neurons firing in your brain.
We as Christians have hope that we are going to see our loved ones again and that we will be in heaven and that we will be in perfect peace and that this is not it.
In fact, there's something even better awaiting us.
Also earlier this year, also with Bill Maher, quote, the greatest minds of history have been mesmerized by the scriptures.
Isaac Newton, Thomas Aquinas.
Isaac Newton wrote more about biblical prophecy than even physics.
And so there's something about the scriptures that are intellectual, that push your limits.
And that's what I think is so beautiful about our faith: it can be accessible to everyone, but infinitely nourishing in exploration.
Earlier this year, Charlie said about his goal of conservatism.
He said, you have to try to point them toward ultimate purposes and toward getting back to the church.
Getting back to faith, getting married, having children.
That is the type of conservatism that I represent.
And I'm trying to paint a picture of virtue, of lifting people up.
In another exchange with Bill Maher, it defies reason to think that this is just a roll of the dice.
When you see a baby come into the world, when you see how we naturally heal, when you see even consciousness itself, I think it is a pretty miraculous thing to think that it's all just a bunch of happy accidents.
I think it's more rational to think that it's a byproduct of design.
Four days before Charlie was shot, he, I think, tweeted out, Jesus defeated death so you can live.
Earlier this year, Charlie said, quote, I want to be remembered for courage for my faith.
That would be the most important thing.
The most important thing is my faith.
I could go further.
My point of sharing these things is the importance of us standing up and speaking truth.
And people say, well, Chip, how can you say it's truth?
It's just what you believe when you talk about your faith.
Well, I, of course, believe it to be true.
It is truth.
Jesus did die so that we may live.
And Jesus lives.
It is important that we remember our nation's founding and our nation's convictions and the Spirit that binds us together as a nation, actual spirit, in God we trust.
We cannot be bound together as a nation if we do not adhere to a common set of principles and values rooted in a collective faith, a collective faith in God Almighty.
It does not mean that every individual has to believe anything specific.
It doesn't believe that anybody has to go to church.
It doesn't mean that we have to go around doing something in violation of the First Amendment, which says you can believe what you want to believe.
But the First Amendment also does not stand for the proposition that we should walk away from our collective faith.
It does not do that.
And nowhere in the First Amendment does it say that.
How does a nation conquer evil?
How does a nation conquer Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan, the Soviet Union?
Was it all because we just got together and decided to put together a military?
Or was there something bigger?
Was there something more important?
Was there a collective faith in the Almighty that bound us together and gave us the courage for those young men to walk into a wall of bullets at Normandy?
People always ask me, what is wrong with our country?
Why is there so much division?
When the nation turns its back on God, when the nation walks away from that collective faith, then do we really even have a nation?
A lot of people keep branding Charlie as a conservative activist.
Sure, he unapologetically advanced his definition of conservatism.
But remember, as I said, when he tried to define that conservatism, he talked about it in the context of faith.
He said, as I said a minute ago, you have to point them toward ultimate purposes and toward getting back to the church.
Getting back to faith, getting married, having children.
That is the type of conservatism that I represent.
And I got to be honest, that should be the essence of conservatism and the essence of who we are.
What point is there to living free if you're not advancing toward the kingdom of God?
Charlie had courage to speak to this, to raise these issues to a lost generation, consumed into devices that are destroying the minds of our youth.
Devices that I would wipe away from the face of the planet tomorrow if I could.
I would.
God's honest truth.
The Amish are on to something.
But since I can't do that, can we not at least recognize that these are poisoning our children?
The first thought I had after I had gotten word that Charlie was shot Was to call my wife and to figure out how to get word to my son, also named Charlie, who I knew was an enormous fan of Charlie Kirk, and who does not have social media or access to it on his telephone, but is around a lot of friends who do,
and to get word to him not to look at anything.
Because I knew immediately that the horrific images would be spread around instantly.
And no children should be watching that.
And that's just one example of millions every day polluting the minds of our children, coarsening our culture, breaking us down, addicting our children to devices instead of engagement and conversation and life and family and being outside.
We are at each other's throats because we've turned our back on God.
We're at each other's throats because non-stop there's a deluge of imagery and horrific thoughts that are flooding into the inboxes and into the visibility of our children and frankly ourselves.
Charlie was correct.
Charlie Kirk was correct that we have to focus on getting back to church, getting our nation, our families.
our communities back to church.
Would that this Sunday everybody that's going to be at a National Football League game or parked in front of a TV watching an NFL game, would that every single American doing that would be in church with devices off, TVs off, having supper with their families?
Which society would be stronger?
The fact of the matter is, when I had to tell my son that unfortunately Charlie had passed, and I said, he asked if that was formally known in public, and I said yes.
I said, he's gone.
I'm sorry buddy.
He said, I would have loved to meet him one day.
And then he sent me a Bible verse.
He said, Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm.
Let nothing move you.
Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
Well, thank goodness his mama's doing something right.
A lot of people have asked me why one of my first reactions in light of all of this was to raise the prospect of an organized radical left that has been fomenting the targeting of people that I care about, people like Charlie, Kirk, people like the Family Research Council, targeting families and communities in our way of life.
Chip, why would you do that?
Aren't you just sowing more division in calling for a select committee to investigate the organized effort of the radical left?
I actually think it's the opposite of that.
I started this talking about the need to pursue truth.
Our job in Congress, in part, is oversight and investigation and pursuing truth and exposing it to the American people.
It is a problem that organizations like the Southern Poverty Law Center in creating hate maps in which they target the Family Research Council a decade ago resulting in an individual shooting it up and a security guard getting shot right here in DC.
Or Charlie Kirk's organization, TPUSA, being put on that same map with the target being put on their backs.
Antifa known to be radicalized and engaging in terrorist activities, which the president recognized just yesterday, I believe rightfully.
The extent to which there is an extraordinary network funded not just by George Soros, but a large number of radical billionaires that are funding organizations dedicated to putting into office DAs and judges who put criminals on the street,
who allow dangerous criminals to walk among us in our communities on trains in Charlotte, North Carolina, where a young woman from Ukraine was butchered by someone who had been in and out of arrest and jail 14 times.
It's not just an accident.
It's not just one random DA or judge or, oh, George Soros funded in one election.
It is a coordinated effort to put DAs and judges and other law enforcement officials into places and communities, including in the communities I represent in Austin and San Antonio and throughout Texas, purposely,
purposefully to then have organizations like the Wren Collective, which is now known through reporting just this week from the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund, putting out the known networks where they're going in and telling these DAs and prosecutors precisely what to do, precisely how to get people back on the streets sooner or not prosecute them at all.
The result of this is that dangerous individuals are walking among us and hurting us and hurting our loved ones, which is a direct threat to the security of our nation.
So yes, I think we should investigate that.
Yes, I think we should get to the bottom of that.
Yes, I want to know how those dollars are flowing.
Yes, I want to know why the people of San Antonio have to be turned upside down or the people of Charlotte, North Carolina have to be turned upside down because a radical group of billionaires are funding organizations that are funding these people to be put on our streets.
How about our borders?
Should we not know the flow of the dollars of the coordinated network through the United Nations and through international organizations and through supposedly religious organizations or the 250 organizations That our friends at the Center for Immigration Studies put out, demonstrating the network that was responsible for dumping millions of people into our communities, including violent gang members from around the world, that resulted in the death of Americans.
Americans like Jocelyn Nungere, Americans like Lake and Riley, Americans like Rachel Morin.
And I could go down the list of people who were killed, abused, assaulted, harmed, because a radical group of leftists decided that open borders for their political purposes was more important than your safety and security as Americans.
So, yes, I think we should have a select committee or an organized effort among the Judiciary Committee and the Oversight Committee to expose this network, to expose the funders, to expose the people that are doing this purposely to undermine your security as a nation.
Yes, we should know that.
And the only question is why aren't every single representative in this body standing up and saying, yes, I agree.
I agree with Vice President JD Vance and Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller.
And they put forward plans to go after leftist non-governmental organization in the wake of Charlie Kirk's murder.
The Vice President said, We're going to go after the NGO networks that foment, facilitate, and engage in violence.
We're going to channel all the anger that we have over the organized campaign that led to this assassination to uproot and dismantle these terrorist networks.
The Vice President is correct.
My friend Stephen Miller is correct.
The president is correct to be declaring Antifa a terrorist organization.
Enough is enough.
Enough with the disruption of our nation.
And for those that say this is somehow clamping down on speech, wrong.
You can say virtually anything you want to say in this country.
But number one, there's consequences to that, including getting fired, including having television shows canceled, because there's a limit to what a society should have to take.
And if you're going to say crazy things, then there can be a consequence to saying those crazy things.
And that is okay.
And no, it is not interfering with your First Amendment rights to say that you cannot engage in effectively conspiracy to foment violence, including,
by the way, the riots in 2020, in the false name of supposedly healing racial division or in this name of certain lives mattering, because we want to divide our country further.
Organizations funded for a specific purpose to create instability and to undermine our way of life and our freedoms, Those should be investigated.
Left-wing groups that are providing material support to that kind of violence should be investigated.
I say, well, Chip, why just left-wing groups?
Why not right-wing groups?
Well, fine.
Go look at any groups fomenting said violence.
But all I know is in the wake of Charlie Kirk getting shot, I didn't see the streets around this country burning.
I didn't see people's businesses and livelihoods getting looted and destroyed and burned from Minneapolis to California to our nation's capital.
I didn't see statues getting toppled and tossed into water.
I didn't see spray painting and destruction of public monuments and statues.
What I saw was prayer.
What I saw was people coming together in defense of their collective belief in God and their belief in this country, but willing to not just say, we need unity for the sake of it.
I'm tired of that.
I'm tired of this nonsense where we say, come together, we must unite.
We need unity.
Unity for what?
Unity under what?
Unity under a constitution, under a flag, and under God.
Yes.
In defense of a country with shared values?
Yes.
Not unity for the sake of it.
Not turning the other cheek to a lawless bunch of organizations designed to take down and destroy our way of life in our country, to undermine our faith, undermine our country, undermine our freedoms.
Because that's what we see.
And you have to be blind to ignore it.
And you have to be willful in that blindness to ignore the conspiracy and the coordination to dismantle so much of what made this country great.
To target institutions of faith, to target people for their conservative views and beliefs, to destabilize our society, to put criminals on the streets, to import people from around the world with criminal backgrounds and gang members for your own crass political purposes to try to pack your districts and to try to expand your voter base.
Well, it's not working because this administration and those of us who have stood up to fight this and expose this are seeing to it that we're removing people from this country who should be removed, securing the border so that people aren't flooding across it, standing with law enforcement, securing our communities, backing the blue, restoring safety and security, not just at our nation's capital, but around the country, and making this country a place where you can achieve the American dream again.
But only, but only if we are willing to take on these organizations that are still causing the lawless to be walking among us.
That resulted directly in the death of a Ukrainian refugee who thought she could live the American dream, and it was taken away from her because People were purposely put on the street who are dangerous.
There's no other way to look at that.
That's literally what happened.
I know that there's going to be a lot more conversations and speeches about Charlie coming up, but I'll just close with this.
In a 1981 speech, which is hard to believe was almost 45 years ago, President Reagan declared, quote, liberal pro-criminal policies as rooted in utopian presumptions about human nature.
For all our science and sophistication, for all our justified pride and intellectual accomplishment, we should never forget the jungle is always there waiting to take us over.
He observed that the liberal belief that criminal justice is solely for rehabilitation instead of incapacitation and deterrence is rooted in a belief that there was nothing permanent or absolute about man's nature and that by changing his environment we could permanently change man and usher in a great new age.
President Reagan was right.
There is a place appropriately for forgiveness and rehabilitation, but there is not a place for allowing the rampant, lawless, and dangerous to be walking among our families and our communities and our borders to be wide open to endanger our societies for this crazy notion of some utopian nonsense or worse yet, a purposeful use of this tool for political purposes.
I applaud the President for doing what he's doing to try to secure our country.
I call on my colleagues to band together to expose to the American people these organized efforts that are undermining our security and our way of life, targeted specifically at us.
It is high time that we expose it.
It is high time that we do something about it.
And if we learn anything from what we saw unfold that resulted in the murder of Charlie, it is that we go find the people that are just as guilty as the young man that pulled that trigger.
The people who are just as guilty because they created that environment, they fomented the radicalization and the creation of an environment where that occurred, knowingly, knowingly destabilizing our society in the process.
With that, Mr. Speaker, I, if my colleagues are ready, whoever's next.
With that, I will then yield back.
unidentified
The gentleman yields.
Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 3rd, 2025, the gentleman from Colorado, Mr. Crow, is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader.
Almost seven years ago, I came to Congress to serve my community, my state, my fellow veterans, and the country that I deeply love.
In a different way than I served it on the battlefield.
When I put the uniform on as a teenager, I swore an oath to the Constitution, and I stand here today to uphold that oath.
I came here to represent a state that has been racked with trauma.
Columbine, Aurora Theater, Club Q, Boulder, and most recently, Evergreen High.
I came here because, like so many of my fellow veterans, I harbor deep resentment for our wars that cost thousands of lives, trillions of dollars, and decades of lost opportunity.
I came here because the American working class has been gutted, left behind, and excluded from the American dream while the elites grow wealthier than ever.
I came to Congress assuming that, together with my colleagues from both sides of the aisle, we could solve these problems together.
And we could have open and safe debates in a free society.
Instead, I've seen two impeachments, an insurrection, a pandemic, cyber attacks, social unrest, political assassinations, mass shooting after mass shooting, wars, tumultuous elections, and a rapid collapse of our social fabric.
In the last nine months, the Republican majority has given up the power and the responsibility of Congress to serve the American people and has turned this Congress into nothing more than a rubber stamp for Donald Trump.
We should be doing what we were sent here to do, making people's lives better.
But the Republican majority has stopped that.
The lives of average Americans everywhere are getting much worse.
Prices are skyrocketing.
Homes are unaffordable.
Consumer debt is surging.
Unemployment is rising.
Credit scores are plummeting.
Family farms are going under.
And gun violence continues to devastate our schools and our towns.
And while Americans struggle, Donald Trump and his family are cashing in at our expense.
Accepting endless gifts from businesses and foreign nations, including a $400 million jet.
Charging $500,000 to join a private club for access to Trump officials.
Turning Mar-a-Lago and the White House Rose Garden into a pay-to-play destination for the wealthy and the well-connected.
And issuing meme coins so investors and foreign individuals can buy influence and personally enrich the president and his family.
All of this has added billions of dollars to Trump's wealth since becoming president.
But while Americans get poorer and Trump gets richer, something darker is happening.
The walls of our democracy are being disassembled brick by brick.
Federal troops are patrolling our streets to intimidate and instill fear.
Senators and members of Congress are thrown to the ground, handcuffed, arrested, and intimidated.
They are firing our most experienced generals and admirals who may simply disagree with the president.
Purging military officials who find themselves on the wrong side of the president's cronies.
Threatening American cities with war and violence.
Attacking civil society, journalists, and public servants who show independence or speak freely.
Censoring media because someone dares to question or make a joke about the president.
Snatching people off the streets with masked agents in unmarked vehicles.
Forcing American troops to get on their knees and roll out a red carpet for a brutal dictator.
And now using a terrible tragedy to pit Americans against one another and grab power.
Political violence in every form is abhorrent.
I condemn every single act of political violence, regardless of its source or its motivation.
I went to war three times for this country to defend the Constitution and the rights of people to say things that I may disagree with.
The right of every American to speak freely, peacefully, organize, and protest is fundamental to who we are.
After all, what is more American than the ability to question authority?
Questioning authority is, in fact, how we came to be a nation.
We all lose when free and open debate is replaced with violence or threats.
We must not lose our right and our responsibility to speak up against abuses of authority.
Power in America has always been cyclical.
At one time, one party is in power, and the next moment, another.
That's why we must all protect it all of the time, not just when it's convenient for you.
Everyone must defend the ability of our minority, Republican or Democrat, to question and protest because at some point, you will need that right.
That's why an attack on one person's freedom is an attack on all of us.
And that is exactly what Donald Trump is doing, attacking all of our rights.
Donald Trump and his cronies are now labeling those who disagree with them terrorists, scum, and enemies of the state.
And only they will decide what is hateful.
Only they will decide what poses a threat.
Only they will decide who can speak and who will be silenced.
If anyone thinks they are safe just because it's happening to someone else this time, they are not paying attention to history.
Donald Trump and his cronies have attacked anyone, including right-wing media and politicians, simply for questioning them.
The point for Trump is not to advance an ideology, it's to silent dissent and anyone who would dare speak up.
When dissent is silenced, they can turn our government and weaponize it into an institution that serves only Donald Trump and enriches those who are loyal to him.
In a system where the rule of law is replaced with raw power and governed by grievance, greed, cruelty, and impunity, nobody is safe.
But this is not just a story of a presidential power grab because that was envisioned by our Constitution.
That's why it was written the way it was, to prevent power grabs.
There are people with power right now allowing this to happen.
As Trump tramples on the Constitution, some of our most elite and powerful individuals and institutions are failing to defend our democracy.
Some of our nation's most powerful law firms have bent the knee.
And some of our largest media companies are simply surrendering.
If those with power and influence want to sell off our rights and freedoms to enrich themselves, then Americans should make it clear that cowardice and greed will fail them.
We will not shop at your stores.
We will not tune into your TV and radio stations.
We won't send our kids and our money to your universities or use your services if you are going to enable our slide to authoritarianism.
What makes their cowardice and greed so stark is the courage we have seen from everyday Americans.
When ICE agents started interrogating kids on a baseball diamond in Harlem, Coach Yeoman Wilder was the only thing that stood between those agents and his young players.
Despite threats, he stood up and told the agents that they had no right to speak to those kids.
The agents left.
In the moment, Wilder told himself he was willing to die to make sure those kids got home.
In Twisp, Washington, a small rural town that Trump won last November, hundreds of residents gather every Saturday to protest cuts to Medicaid and SNAP.
Cuts that will devastate their community.
One resident, a school teacher of over 30 years, said they protest because, quote, democracy only works if we work it.
In April, millions took to the streets to peacefully protest.
We saw massive demonstrations nationwide in cities big and small.
In Cortez, Colorado, population 9,600 people showed up.
In Gardner, Montana, population 800, 75 people made their voices heard.
And in Daleville, Alabama, home to 5,000, 100 members of the community showed up and spoke out.
Here in Washington, D.C., as the National Guard is patrolling and ICE agents are dramatically ramping up raids across the city, citizens are starting Instagram pages and Facebook groups to inform fellow citizens of their rights.
Parents are patrolling schoolyards to protect the rights of students and other parents.
And around the country, journalists investigating and relentlessly searching for and reporting the truth don't stop despite threats to them and their family.
There is courage everywhere we look.
We have not yet lost our power.
So many Americans have been sounding the alarm bell for a long time and they have been right.
Now is the time to stand firm and for us to stand with them.
For all of us to stand with those defending democracy.
Defending free speech.
Defending freedom of religion, defending due process, defending the rule of law, defending the right of school children to learn without fear of being shot, defending government of the people, by the people, and for the people.
I have taken many oaths to protect and defend our country and our Constitution, first as a soldier and now as a member of Congress.
I often think back to the start of my service to this nation as a young paratrooper leading an infantry platoon in the invasion of Iraq.
I think about the faces of those young men that I was responsible for: black, white, Asian, Hispanic, from the north, from the south, east, and west, from farms and from cities, rich and poor.
When I think of America, I still think of those young paratroopers.
How we came together despite our differences.
We served together, we fought together, we found great strength in one another.
That is America.
There is a tradition in the paratroopers that the leader of the unit jumps out of the plane first, and then the others follow.
I am ready to jump.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days in which to revise and extend the remarks and exclude extraneous material on.
What happened to Charlie Kirk was horrific and a tragedy.
What happened, as you mentioned, to the state legislators in Minnesota, that is horrific.
It is a tragedy.
And there are no ifs, ands, or buts about it.
The central premise of our democratic system is that we have to be able to disagree and have sometimes really contentious debates without resort to violence.