[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 109 (Thursday, June 22, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H3087-H3088]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair will remind all persons in the 
gallery that they are here as guests of the House and that any 
manifestation of approval or disapproval of proceedings is in violation 
of the rules of the House.
  Mr. ROY. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how much time I have 
remaining?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Massachusetts has 4 
minutes remaining.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Mr. Speaker, we are now in week three of an ongoing temper tantrum by 
the radical right because they didn't get to cause a catastrophic 
default.
  First, they ground the House floor to a complete halt, and now they 
are jumping over each other to circumvent regular order and diminish 
this institution in order to look as extreme as their most fervent 
supporters.
  What is getting lost in the meantime is any legislation that would 
actually help the American people.
  We could bring more jobs back to America.
  We could expand the middle class and further fight inflation.
  We could provide every student with the opportunity to receive a 
quality education.
  We could ensure every patient has access to affordable and quality 
healthcare.
  We could make sure every single person has a roof over their head and 
food on the table.
  We could do more to keep our communities safe.
  We could invest in mental health and substance abuse programs.
  We could fund projects that will make our air cleaner and our water 
purer.
  We could pass a bipartisan immigration bill, if it is such a big 
issue to my friends on the other side of the aisle.
  There is so much we could do if given the chance, but this Republican 
majority is clearly far more concerned about scoring political points 
than they are about making life better for everyday Americans.
  Because the Speaker is not in control of this Chamber anymore, they 
are wasting the House's time with a debate on whether to send this 
extreme MAGA resolution to an extra committee instead of just voting to 
table it.
  One final word for my Republican friends, Mr. Speaker: Everything 
that

[[Page H3088]]

Donald Trump touches fails. This guy has a reverse Midas touch: Trump 
casinos, Trump University, Trump Steaks, Trump Vodka, Trump Hotels, and 
now the Trump Republican Party.
  We can't let him destroy our democracy or this institution. As my 
mother says, it is never too late to do the right thing.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``no'' vote on this ridiculous, pathetic rule.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  We are here today not actually talking about the botched exit from 
Afghanistan that my friend from Florida rightly raises as a massive 
criticism of this administration, nor the Biden crime family syndicate 
that we are now dealing with with the son of the President of the 
United States. Nor are we dealing with the weaponization of government 
against the American people, including Scott Smith in Loudoun County 
for daring to stand up in defense of his daughter. Nor are we talking 
about energy production getting killed, leaving people stranded with 
high inflation and the inability to afford energy and unable to carry 
out their lives and prosper.

  We are here talking about the border.
  We are here talking about a dereliction of duty.
  We are here talking about the violation of the fundamental first 
principle of the executive branch of the Federal Government of the 
United States led by the President to actually secure and defend the 
United States of America.
  ``All obstructions to the execution of the laws, all combinations and 
associations, under whatever plausible character, with the real design 
to direct, control, counteract, or awe the regular deliberation and 
action of the constituted authorities, are destructive of this 
fundamental principle and of fatal tendency.''--Washington's Farewell 
Address.
  ``Energy in the executive is . . . essential to the protection of the 
community against foreign attacks; it is not less essential to the 
steady administration of the laws; to the protection of property 
against those irregular and high-handed combinations which sometimes 
interrupt the ordinary course of justice.''--Hamilton, Federalist No. 
70.
  ``Let every American, every lover of liberty, every well-wisher to 
his posterity, swear by the blood of the Revolution, never to violate 
in the least particular, the laws of the country; and never to tolerate 
their violation by others.''--Lincoln, Lyceum Address, 1838.
  We are here precisely because the Constitution contemplated 
separation of powers, which is being violated every single day by an 
executive branch undeterred.
  Our job in the House of Representatives is, in fact, to deter the 
overreach and abuse of authority by the President of the United States 
refusing to carry out the laws of the United States in detriment to the 
well-being, security, and lives of the people of this country.
  That is our job in the House of Representatives. That is why we are 
here. That is why I support this rule. That is why I support this 
resolution. That is why I support this inquiry. We are just beginning.
  The material previously referred to by Mr. McGovern is as follows:

  An Amendment to H. Res. 529 Offered by Mr. McGovern of Massachusetts

       At the end of the resolution, add the following:I21Sec. 2. 
     Immediately upon adoption of this resolution, the House shall 
     proceed to the consideration in the House of the resolution 
     (H. Res. 178) affirming the House of Representatives' 
     commitment to protect and strengthen Social Security and 
     Medicare. The resolution shall be considered as read. The 
     previous question shall be considered as ordered on the 
     resolution and preamble to adoption without intervening 
     motion or demand for division of the question except one hour 
     of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and 
     ranking minority member of the Committee on Ways and Means or 
     their respective designees.
       Sec. 3. Clause 1(c) of rule XIX shall not apply to the 
     consideration of H. Res. 178.

  Mr. ROY. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move 
the previous question on the resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on ordering the previous 
question.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the ayes appeared to have it.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this question are postponed.

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