[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 48 (Tuesday, March 20, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H1701-H1702]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE IN ELECTIONS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Costa) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak about Russian interference in 
our elections.
  In the last 18 months, the United States intelligence agencies and 
our allies abroad have decisively concluded that Russia interfered with 
our elections. We have sworn testimony from men and women with 
impeccable records, Democrats and Republicans alike. Their testimony 
overwhelmingly states that Russia interfered in our elections and that 
Russia has done so as well in other Western democracies for years.
  Russia's goal with election interference is to destabilize Western 
democracies. Destabilizing our democracy will weaken our ability to 
defend ourselves against foreign adversaries like Russia, China, and 
Iran.
  Democratic institutions and systems are the foundation of how we 
govern ourselves and defend our borders. When the integrity of 
democratic institutions is doubted, the power of our democracy is 
weakened.
  Make no mistake: attacking the integrity of our democratic 
institutions is an attempt to weaken our Nation and our way of life. We 
must ensure that neither Russia nor any other foreign power interferes 
in our election process in the future.
  The House of Representatives seems to have abdicated its official 
role in investigating Russian interference. It is my hope that the 
Senate will continue its investigation in a bipartisan manner. Thus, 
Special Counsel Robert Mueller must be allowed to continue his 
investigation, following the evidence wherever it leads, and write a 
comprehensive and complete report without intrusion or obstruction by 
political power plays.
  This is not a Democratic or Republican issue. This is an American 
issue.
  Mr. Speaker, as Members of Congress, our first responsibility is to 
protect our Nation. We take an oath of office every 2 years to defend 
and protect our Nation from all enemies, foreign and domestic.
  I call upon my colleagues, my fellow Americans, to join me in putting 
partisanship aside, putting our country first, and doing everything we 
can to prevent foreign interference in our elections in the future.


                           Tariffs and Trade

  Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I also rise today to speak about U.S. trade 
and the recently raised tariffs on steel and aluminum.
  We all want to secure American jobs and increase the opportunity in 
the U.S. economy, but raising far-reaching tariffs will do just the 
opposite. The most likely effect of raising tariffs will be other 
countries adjusting their trade measures to protect their economies and 
their workers. This is known as a trade war, and no one wins in a trade 
war.
  What's more, American agriculture is always the target of 
international reactionary and retaliatory trade behavior. California 
agriculture, which I am a strong advocate of and represent, feels the 
most intense direct pain from these tariffs. California farmers and 
ranchers earned roughly 44 percent of their total revenue from 
international trade in 2016.
  But this pain will radiate across the country. Manufacturers, 
processors, merchants, and farmers will face negative impacts to their 
businesses as foreign markets close, which will cost both American jobs 
and profits.
  Yes, we have an international trade imbalance that must be addressed, 
but raising these tariffs, I think, is the wrong strategy, plain and 
simple. This is why both Republicans and Democrats have publicly 
expressed grave concern with these recent actions.
  The way to address these trade imbalances is to successfully 
renegotiate and modernize NAFTA and other trade agreements with our 
European allies. The President and Congress must work together on trade 
agreements; it is that simple.
  Our best approach for successfully renegotiating trade agreements in 
a way that serves the entire Nation is by Republicans and Democrats 
coming together and putting in the hard work required for bipartisan 
negotiations, serious policymaking, and getting the job

[[Page H1702]]

done. That is what we are supposed to do.

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