[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 120 (Tuesday, July 17, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H6271]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        POWERS OF THE PRESIDENT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, there are moments in history that 
require the deliberate and thoughtful response of the most powerful 
body in the world, the United States Congress, this House and the other 
House.
  While Americans are preparing for recreation and fellowship with 
family members during this period of summer, when schoolchildren are 
out, as others are dealing with the excruciating heat, others dealing 
with the impact of climate change, gun violence, the need for putting 
back in the terrible cuts of the Republican budget on Medicare and 
Medicaid, and a number of other issues dealing with their communities 
and neighborhoods, and, I would say, frankly, keeping their children 
safe and recognizing the values of this Nation that include not 
snatching children away from family members, I get that and I 
understand the responsibility of this Congress to pass laws, to work 
together to ensure that the beauty of what America stands for, her 
values and her opportunities for so many others, is heard.
  But I also think it is important because, as I have traveled in the 
last 24 hours, I saw Americans concerned about their Nation and wanting 
to be able to understand what transpired in Helsinki yesterday, Monday, 
July 16. As many have said, Republicans and Democrats, it was a 
disgraceful display of unpatriotic behavior. The tragedy of it is that 
it came from the Commander in Chief of this Nation.
  As I read the Constitution, it says that executive power shall be 
vested in a President of the United States, and he shall hold his 
office for a period of time. His powers under section 2 include that 
the President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the 
United States, and of the militia of several States, when called into 
actual service. And, as well, it indicates that he shall appoint 
ambassadors.
  That is translated into the President's responsibilities over the 
intelligence communities and many aspects of our defense. Also, the 
power of the President articulates the foreign policy of this Nation.
  Yesterday, the display that was shown was that the foreign policy, 
and the patriotism, and the stature, and the leadership, and the 
Constitution of the United States became a footstool to a despot by the 
name of President Putin.
  No one is against engagement, diplomacy, or resolving conflict, but 
President Putin stands very proudly as ex-KGB to have poisoned his own 
citizens, to have shot journalists, to have shot down an airplane over 
Ukraine with 300 innocent family members, children, and others, and, as 
well, has taken over a land of another country.
  So here we stand with this picture to the world. As well, when posed 
a question of, who do you believe, the Commander in Chief, to the 
absolute dismay of those of us who have lived through 9/11 here in 
Congress, and who saw the loss of life in conflicts like Iraq and 
Afghanistan, were amazed that the sacred aspect of our work, and that 
is voting, was determined by the intelligence community of this Nation, 
that Russia invaded in our 2016 election and literally stole the 
election, and will continue to do so today, as emphasized by the 
Director of National Intelligence, Director Coats, and the intelligence 
community.
  A report given by the Mueller investigation indicted 12 intelligence 
agents of Russia--not of any other country, not civilians, but 
intelligence agents, military--who had direct orders from President 
Putin. You would think that the President of the United States would 
forcefully say to the President: Stop it and stop it now.

  That is a patriot. That is one who has the powers of the Presidency 
under Article II, section 2.
  Yet this is what came about. President Trump was asked by a reporter: 
``You first. Just now, President Putin denied having anything to do 
with the election interference in 2016.''
  It is amazing how my time goes because I am talking about the 
President. But, in any event, let me conclude by saying that this 
document reports that the President said that he stands with Putin over 
the United States of America. Congress must demand the transcripts. We 
must have congressional hearings, Mr. Speaker. This is a serious 
matter.

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