[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 8 (Thursday, January 12, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H467-H468]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   OPPOSING WAIVER FOR GENERAL MATTIS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 3, 2017, the Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. 
Gallego) for 30 minutes.
  Mr. GALLEGO. Mr. Speaker, I am a marine, just like James Mattis. 
While I was a grunt and he was a general, we both fought in Iraq. He is 
a man of social integrity and patriotism.
  War shows the character of military leaders. Marines who served under 
Mattis in Iraq speak in glowing terms about his strength, intelligence, 
and ability.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with sadness that I rise this evening to oppose 
legislation that would allow General Mattis to serve as our 26th 
Secretary of Defense. This might seem contradictory. It might appear 
partisan or unpatriotic. In fact, the opposite is true.
  My position is entirely straightforward, Mr. Speaker. When it comes 
to something as basic as civilian control of the military, I believe 
exceptions should be granted for extraordinary circumstances, not 
extraordinary people.
  For more than half a century, recently retired military leaders have 
been barred from assuming the top post at the Pentagon. The Members of 
Congress who enshrined this prohibition in law had fresh memories of 
the Second World War. They are wary of a decorated general slipping off 
his uniform and immediately stepping into a civilian role. They were 
apprehensive about installing a Secretary of Defense who could be 
perceived as partial to one service over others. They are also worried 
about whether the reputation of our military as a nonpartisan 
institution would suffer if its most respected leaders could transition 
directly into political positions.
  The last time a recently retired military man, the great George 
Marshall, was permitted to lead the Pentagon, America was facing the 
prospect of a humiliating defeat in the Korean war. Even then, 
congressional leaders specified that his waiver was a one-time 
exception to the rule.
  While our country must confront an array of threats today, none of 
our national security challenges remotely compares to a massive ground 
war in the Far East.
  Mr. Speaker, I understand that many of my colleagues are eager to 
grant this waiver because they greeted the announcement of Mattis' 
appointment with a sigh of relief, a sigh of relief because it meant 
Donald Trump had picked someone who is known to be competent and 
patriotic, and someone who doesn't have a cozy relationship with the 
Russian Government.
  That is an understandable reaction, and we are all extremely 
confident that General Mattis will do a much better job than General 
Flynn or some of the other alternatives.
  We shouldn't let Trump's bad behavior and poor judgment compel 
Congress to lower the bar. If anything, we should raise the bar for 
Trump, not make exceptions just because we are glad he didn't go with 
someone like Flynn.
  Mr. Speaker, a simple set of rules and norms form the fabric of 
American democracy. Since the founding of the Republic, leaders of 
every party and political persuasion have upheld this basic framework. 
For generations, American leaders have placed principle before party.
  With remarkably few exceptions, Presidents from George Washington to 
Barack Obama have valued our institutions and our democracy more than 
private gain or personal advancement. Now, Mr. Speaker, we have a 
President-elect who doesn't think the rules should apply to him. We 
have a President-elect who is brazenly breaking norms left and right. 
We have a President-elect who promises to make America great again, but 
is dividing the country as never before.
  Here in the United States, we believe every American is entitled to 
equal justice under the law. But Donald Trump believes that a different 
set of rules should apply to him than apply to President Obama or 
President Bush or any of the other men who have held our highest 
office.
  Unlike his predecessors, Donald Trump has stubbornly refused to 
release his tax returns. Unlike his predecessors, Donald Trump has 
irresponsibly meddled in our foreign relations throughout the 
transition. Unlike his predecessors, Trump has done nothing to diminish 
massive conflicts of interest stemming from his complex business 
dealings overseas.
  Yet, instead of applying a check on this pattern of reckless 
behavior, House Republicans have rolled over time and time again.
  Mr. Speaker, the Republicans won't stand up to a President entering 
office with just a 37 percent approval rating because it is precisely 
that 37 percent of the public that scares them. In fact, that 37 
percent has terrified them for 8 long years. It scared them into 
turning a blind eye to the racist birther conspiracy theories. It 
scared them into shutting down the Federal Government. That 37 percent 
even scared them into risking a debt limit default which would have 
immediately triggered an unprecedented economic meltdown.
  Mr. Speaker, we need a President like Barack Obama who looks out for 
100 percent of the American people. We need a President like Barack 
Obama who abides by 100 percent of the rules. We need a House majority 
that is willing to uphold its constitutional obligations 100 percent of 
the time.
  Moving forward in this Congress, the power to check Donald Trump is 
in Republican hands and depends on Republican votes, but they have been 
too scared, too cowed, and too unwilling to do what these tough times 
demand.
  If we, the Members of this great body, won't stand up for the norms 
that have sustained this Republic for 238 years, then who will?
  General Mattis is a patriot, but now is the time for all of us in 
this Chamber to reiterate a basic truth in a democracy--rules matter. 
They shouldn't be discarded at the first sign of difficulty. They 
shouldn't be undercut by waivers. Important precedents must be upheld 
in good times and bad.
  This is America, Mr. Speaker, not some banana republic where the 
incoming strongman gets to rewrite the rule

[[Page H468]]

book. Our principles are enduring. Our values are timeless. For more 
than two centuries, our commitment to the rule of law has been 
unshakable. That is why we should reject this waiver. That is why we 
must hold Donald Trump to the same high standards as all of the 43 
Presidents who came before him.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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