[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 55 (Wednesday, March 24, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S1742]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                  Election of Mariannette Miller-Meeks

  Madam President, on one other very short matter, I want to speak 
about something that is going on in the House of Representatives that I 
think we all ought to abhor. Congress should not overturn a legal, 
State-certified election.
  I defended President Trump's right to litigate claims of election 
irregularities in our independent court system and defer to the 
judgment of independent judges. I was initially criticized for that 
position by partisans on the left who wanted me to make some sort of 
independent determination of election claims before the courts had 
ruled. I maintained my deference to the independent judges once the 
courts had ruled and Trump partisans did not like the rulings. So what 
happened? It led to criticism of me from the right then.
  When objections were raised to counting certain States' electoral 
votes based upon State-certified elections, I voted against overturning 
those elections.
  My position remains the same with respect to the purpose of my 
remarks today, and that is the State-certified election of 
Representative Miller-Meeks, who now ably represents Iowa's Second 
Congressional District.
  Miller-Meeks' opponent chose to forgo her right under Iowa law to 
present any claims of election irregularities to an independent panel 
of judges. Guess what. That is because, under Iowa law, she had no 
legal claim. Representative Miller-Meeks won fair and square as 
certified by Iowa's bipartisan election board.
  The House Administration Committee is moving forward with a process 
to overturn this certified election, stating it will ``exercise its 
discretion to depart from Iowa law.'' That is a quote I just gave from 
information given by the House Administration Committee.
  They are proposing that the House of Representatives exercise its 
discretion to depart from Iowa law. They were elected under Iowa law. 
Every one of the 435 Congressmen were elected under the laws of their 
State. Isn't it a little bit outrageous that people would say we should 
ignore the law of Iowa in this case?
  I hope that we can get every one of Iowa's four Congressmen and -
women to vote to keep Miller-Meeks in office, and I want to hear from 
every one of my colleagues who decried overturning State-certified 
elections in January if each still holds that position.
  Of course, attention to the Press Gallery--I was asked more times 
than I can count if I accepted the results of the Presidential 
election. It would be very timely and a very relevant question to ask 
Senators in the hallways if they accept the certified election of 
Representative Miller-Meeks
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Vermont.