[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 180 (Wednesday, November 1, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H5214-H5218]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1700
           RAISING A QUESTION OF THE PRIVILEGES OF THE HOUSE

  Mr. D'ESPOSITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to a question of the privileges 
of the House and offer the resolution I previously noticed.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Ellzey). The Clerk will report the 
resolution.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 773

       Whereas George Anthony Devolder Santos, known as George 
     Santos, was elected to represent New York's 3d Congressional 
     District in the House of Representatives on November 8, 2022;
       Whereas after election day, it was revealed George Santos 
     lied about a significant portion of his background, including 
     his education and previous employment;
       Whereas George Santos has a long history of misrepresenting 
     his and his family's connections to major events, including 
     the Holocaust, the September 11th terrorist attacks, and the 
     Pulse nightclub shooting;
       Whereas, on May 9, 2023, George Santos was indicted on 13 
     counts of wire fraud, money laundering, stealing public 
     funds, and lying on Federal financial disclosure forms to the 
     House of Representatives;
       Whereas a Federal grand jury indicted an aide to George 
     Santos' campaign on charges of wire fraud and identity theft 
     for defrauding potential donors by impersonating Speaker 
     Kevin McCarthy's former Chief of Staff;
       Whereas, on October 5, 2023, George Santos' former campaign 
     treasurer pled guilty to falsifying campaign finance reports, 
     including lying about a $500,000 loan that George Santos 
     claimed to have donated to the campaign himself;
       Whereas, on October 10, 2023, George Santos was federally 
     charged with an additional 10 criminal counts;
       Whereas the additional charges were serious in nature, 
     including conspiracy to commit offenses against the United 
     States, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, access device 
     fraud, false statements to the Federal Election Commission, 
     and falsifying records to obstruct the commission;
       Whereas the indictment outlined a vast amount of evidence 
     against Santos, including conversations he held with his 
     former campaign treasurer outlining plans to commit the fraud 
     he is charged with;
       Whereas these charges indicate that George Santos engaged 
     in serious financial fraud throughout his 2022 campaign for 
     the House of Representatives;
       Whereas George Santos stole over $44,000 from donors by 
     charging their credit cards without authorization;
       Whereas George Santos directly profited from his fraudulent 
     actions, including transferring money to his own bank account 
     to buy luxury items and pay off personal debts;
       Whereas George Santos engaged in election fraud throughout 
     his 2022 campaign by deceiving voters regarding his 
     biography, defrauding donors, and engaging in other illegal 
     campaign behavior; and
       Whereas, as a result of these actions, George Santos is not 
     fit to serve his constituents as a United States 
     Representative: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That, pursuant to article I, section 5, clause 2 
     of the Constitution of the United States, Representative 
     George Santos, be, and he hereby is, expelled from the House 
     of Representatives.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The resolution qualifies.
  Pursuant to clause 2 of rule IX, the gentleman from New York (Mr. 
D'Esposito) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Santos) each will 
control 30 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York (Mr. D'Esposito).
  Mr. D'ESPOSITO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, like many of my colleagues on this floor, we were 
elected with a commitment to work on both sides of the aisle to 
represent our constituents and the American people.
  Unfortunately, we learned very early into Mr. Santos' term that he 
was elected under false pretenses, which made it clear that he cannot 
represent the great constituents of Nassau County and across this 
country.
  Since he was elected in November of 2022, we have learned about 
countless lies, deceptions, and 23 charges against Mr. Santos.
  It is in the best interest of the constituents of New York's 3rd and 
all Americans that he is expelled from the House of Representatives.
  The lies, the deceptions about September 11 terrorist attacks, his 
education, his work history, his faith, the fact that he was Jew-ish, 
claiming that his grandparents escaped the horrors of the Holocaust. We 
also saw that he pled to a crime in Brazil.
  I was one of the first Members of Congress to call for his 
resignation, doing so in January.
  In May, I motioned for an expulsion resolution to be referred to the 
Committee on Ethics, asking for a thorough and expedient investigation, 
as there were not yet two-thirds ``yes'' votes needed from this Chamber 
for him to be expelled.
  Despite my desire to see Mr. Santos no longer serving in Congress, I 
believed that this would be the quickest way to rid him from the 
institution, and I thanked that committee. They recently released a 
memo interviewing over 40 witnesses, reviewing over 170,000 pages of 
documents, doing their due diligence.
  Just weeks ago, Mr. Santos' former campaign treasurer pled guilty to 
falsifying campaign finance reports, including lying about a $500,000 
loan that Mr. Santos claimed to have donated to the campaign himself.
  Days later, Mr. Santos was charged with an additional 10 criminal 
counts. These charges included conspiracy to commit offenses against 
the United States of America, aggravated identity theft, and the 
indictment outlined a vast amount of evidence against Mr. Santos.
  All you have to do is look at the lies and deceptions in the 
resolution and details of the indictments--multiple indictments--to see 
that Mr. Santos is a stain on this institution and not fit to serve his 
constituents in the House of Representatives.
  Mr. Speaker, over the last days I have heard from many Members saying 
that there is due process, that there is precedent.
  Well, I stand before you today, Mr. Speaker, in saying that if we are 
going to set a new precedent today, that we are against lying 
fraudsters coming to the House of Representatives, then I am all for 
that precedent. I will add to that, Mr. Speaker, that many individuals 
have come to Washington, D.C., to rid us of the swamp.
  Well, today, we have an opportunity to set a new precedent and to 
remove someone from the House of Representatives that is not properly 
representing

[[Page H5215]]

the people of New York's Third Congressional District.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. D'ESPOSITO. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from New York (Mr. LaLota).
  Mr. LaLOTA. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend and fellow Long 
Islander, Mr. D'Esposito, for yielding me time to speak for my fellow 
New York colleagues who are joining us this afternoon.
  New Yorkers from Queens and Nassau Counties deserve better than 
George Santos--a total fraud and serial liar--representing them in 
Congress. Each day that Mr. Santos is allowed to remain a Member of 
Congress, my New York neighbors to the west are being denied real 
representation in these Halls. That is because their Representative is 
incapable of getting a bill passed, a project funded, or even sitting 
on a committee because he lacks the minimum amount of trust necessary 
of a Member of Congress.
  Today, the best way to support my fellow New Yorkers and overcome 
George Santos' fraud is to expel George Santos from the House of 
Representatives.
  Mr. Speaker, Mr. Santos has said expelling him before he is formally 
charged and found guilty would create new precedent in this body, one 
that could have negative consequences for generations.
  Respectfully, Mr. Speaker, I disagree. The consequences and 
precedents for not expelling him for his lies and fraud have the 
potential to do far more damage to this institution.
  I would submit today that we have an opportunity to set a new 
standard, a new precedent, that if a candidate for Congress makes his 
entire life up in order to defraud voters and donors and subsequently 
those voters reasonably rely on that candidate's lies to elect him or 
her, that we, the House of Representatives, will exercise the authority 
given to us in the Constitution to expel that Member.
  George Santos' lies are more widespread than even the most 
untrustworthy politicians, and these lies were necessary to get him 
elected.
  George Santos didn't just lie about his family's business dealings, 
like President Biden did, Santos lied about everything about his 
professional background, from his family's wealth to working for 
Goldman Sachs and Citigroup.
  Santos committed this fraud, this election fraud, to create an 
entirely new persona that voters and donors could support. Santos' 
treasurer, his conspirator, recently pled guilty to their criminal 
conspiracy, which included faking a six-figure loan to the campaign 
to induce more contributions.

  George Santos didn't just lie about attending a school on full 
scholarship or finishing in the top half of his class, like President 
Biden did, rather, Santos went much further.
  To defraud voters and to swindle donors out of millions, George 
Santos lied about his entire education; not that he graduated in a 
certain part of his class, not that he received a specific award. Those 
lies are reserved for other slimy politicians and are worthy of 
different kinds of rebuke, less than expulsion.
  George Santos lied about attending and graduating from Baruch 
College, meanwhile, he never attended Baruch. He never took one class. 
The fabulist even made up an entire fictional story about how he was a 
star on the school's volleyball team.
  George Santos thinks that we are fools, Mr. Speaker. George Santos 
didn't just lie about being at Ground Zero on the day after September 
11, like President Biden did, George Santos went much further, saying 
that his mother was in the south tower on 
9/11 and escaped only to later die from a 9/11-related illness.
  Santos lied about his association with 9/11 to win over Long Island 
families, families of cops and firefighters and other innocent people 
who died on 9/11, and whose hearts were ripped out that fateful day.
  He did it as part of a broader scheme to defraud voters and donors to 
get him elected to Congress.
  To further defraud voters and swindle donors out of millions, George 
Santos even lied about being Jewish. Like his lies about his 
association with 9/11, Santos lied about being Jewish as part of a 
calculated attempt to win over voters in the district that Santos is 
attempting to trick who has a strong Jewish population.
  George Santos says the decision of whether he should remain in 
Congress should be left up to the people of New York's Third District.
  I would argue that these New Yorkers were robbed of this opportunity 
when they were duped into voting for a fictitious candidate to 
represent them in Congress.
  George Santos has stated himself that he lied about several parts of 
his life, including his education, and his mother dying as a result of 
9/11. Today, 78 percent of his constituents support his expulsion from 
Congress.
  George Santos also falsely claims that his expulsion is barred by the 
Constitution's 5th and 14th Amendment's due process clauses. Yet, the 
due process clauses do not apply to House proceedings such as 
expulsions. Moreover, the Constitution more broadly affords the accused 
the knowledge of the accusation against him, the opportunity to be 
heard, the ability to confront his or her accuser, and to be afforded a 
speedy trial.
  Mr. Speaker, as of today, each of those conditions has been met. 
Nothing in the Constitution gives George Santos the right to endlessly 
stall and to abuse his office to seek a more preferable conviction or a 
plea deal.
  Mr. Speaker, Mr. Santos' behavior has shown a consistent disregard 
for the principles of bipartisanship, servant leadership, good 
governance, and civil discourse. He has shown no interest in being a 
serious Member of this Chamber or to do the people's work.
  A Member of Congress should be committed to the betterment of the 
Nation and willing to compromise for the greater good. His actions and 
statements have demonstrated a concerning lack of this commitment.
  Mr. Speaker, let's get the people of New York's Third District some 
decent representation. Let's raise the bar here in the House of 
Representatives. Let's hold one of our own accountable. Let's expel 
George Santos.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to refrain from 
engaging in personalities toward the President.

                              {time}  1715

  Mr. SANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Goldman).
  Mr. GOLDMAN of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this 
resolution to expel George Santos from Congress, as I did in May when I 
cosponsored a similar expulsion resolution that the sponsors of today's 
resolution, my Republican colleagues from New York, did not support.
  I agree with everything that my Republican colleagues have said here 
today, but everything they have said here today was also true in May 
when they voted to protect George Santos.
  Has there been anything that has changed? Nothing about the numerous 
lies that Mr. Santos admitted himself to making in order to deceive his 
voters into electing him, nothing about his status as an indicted 
criminal defendant. Yes, there has been a superseding indictment with 
more allegations of criminal conduct, but he is still presumed innocent 
until proven guilty, as my New York friends relied upon in May when 
they voted to protect George Santos from expulsion.
  Nothing has changed from the Ethics Committee, even though one of my 
colleagues from New York said that the Ethics Committee would expedite 
its investigation and release a report 60 days from the date of that 
May vote. Well, we are now 175 days since then and there is no ethics 
report that would prompt a change of heart.
  One thing that has changed is that Mr. Santos' campaign treasurer 
pled guilty to fraud and admitted under oath that she conspired with 
Mr. Santos to fabricate a nonexistent $500,000 loan to his campaign, 
but the resolution drafted by my friends from New York does not even 
mention that new fact.
  What really has changed since May? Is it because we are learning 
revelations of connections between Mr. Santos and our other Republican 
colleagues from New York serving in this body? Maybe. There is 
certainly one

[[Page H5216]]

thing we know that is motivating this change of heart: the 2024 
election.
  I know that the people of New York care about integrity. They care 
that one of their Republican Representatives is a liar and a fraud. 
They care about the fact that Mr. Santos has done nothing to serve his 
constituents yet still provides a loyal and vital vote to the 
Republican Party.
  George Santos hangs like an albatross around the necks of every 
single Republican from New York. They don't care any more today about 
integrity or morality or the reputation of this institution than they 
did in May when they voted to protect Mr. Santos. They just care about 
their reelection in 1 year, when they know that their support for 
George Santos is going to be a problem.
  Mr. Santos should be expelled from Congress today for the same 
reasons that he should have been expelled in May. He himself admitted 
to numerous lies that he made during the campaign to deceive the 
voters. He is only walking these Halls and voting on this floor because 
of those lies. Now, we have additional testimony that he conspired to 
commit fraud.
  Democrats will once again vote to expel someone who should never have 
had the honor of walking these Halls and voting on legislation 
affecting the American people. The only question is whether Republicans 
care more about honor and integrity than they do about political power.
  I hope the answer is yes, but I fear the answer is no.
  Mr. D'ESPOSITO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  First, I recognize some of the comments from my colleague, the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Goldman) when he asked what has changed.
  What has changed is that there are an additional 13 charges in an 
indictment with a campaign treasurer pleading guilty. What has changed 
is that when we had discussed this back in May, when he cosponsored 
that legislation, I made it very clear that I was in support of it, but 
I also know how to count and realized that we did not have two-thirds 
of the House. Perhaps we won't this evening.
  What I do know is that the Ethics Committee has been working hard, as 
they issued a memo, as I referred to a few minutes ago, reviewing over 
170,000 pages of documents, interviewing 40 witnesses, and issuing 
subpoenas. Things have changed.
  I find it very hard to take advice about serving constituents, Mr. 
Speaker, from a gentleman who has outright supported a rogue DA like 
Alvin Bragg in New York City, who has turned one of the greatest cities 
in this country into an outright disaster. Just ask your constituents.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from New York (Mr. Lawler).
  Mr. LAWLER. Mr. Speaker, I will say, listening to the 
sanctimoniousness of my colleague from New York is quite priceless, 
talking about politics. This is a gentleman who couldn't even condemn 
the New York City DSA in an op-ed and, in fact, was more upset that I 
introduced a resolution condemning them than the actions of those 
individuals within the New York City DSA that supported the Hamas 
terrorist attack on Israel. That is precisely because of politics, 
because his district is one of the most progressive districts in 
America. He couldn't muster the courage to even condemn the New York 
City DSA, so save us your sanctimoniousness sitting over there with 
your smug look.
  Mr. Speaker, nobody wants to be in a situation where they are 
expelling a Member of Congress. It is serious, and it comes with weight 
and gravity because that individual was elected by their constituents 
to serve and to represent their district. You don't expel a Member for 
being a jerk. You don't expel a Member for something they said. You 
expel a Member for their conduct.
  The conduct of Mr. Santos has been embarrassing and unbecoming and 
unfit for public office. Lying about your background, lying about your 
life experiences, making up events that didn't occur in an effort to 
bamboozle voters into believing that you are the right person to 
represent them, is wrong, fundamentally wrong. It is why all of us 
called for Mr. Santos to resign when this information came to light.

  The resolution that was brought about in May was referred to the 
Ethics Committee for two reasons. Number one, there was not two-thirds 
of the vote to expel; and, number two, you wanted to allow for a 
process to get more information that Members could hang their hat on in 
a vote. That process is ongoing. We all would have liked to have seen 
it resolved more expeditiously than it has been, but given the 
voluminous amount of lies, it has taken time.
  What has changed since May is that you have a guilty plea by the 
treasurer who was involved in this scam who has laid out precisely what 
happened, and you have a superseding indictment, 13 additional felony 
charges, outlining precisely what happened.
  Yes, Mr. Santos will get his day in court, but for the purposes of 
this body, we now have more than enough information from a court of 
law, with the guilty plea of his treasurer, to expel him from Congress.
  When you can sit with a straight face and say that you attended an 
institution like Baruch College or that you were a volleyball superstar 
and recite this on a nationally syndicated radio show, when you can 
make up the fact that your mother was in the Twin Towers on September 
11 with not even an ounce of shame or remorse, you are unfit to serve.
  All of us, being from New York, remember that day precisely. I was in 
my fifth day of freshman year of high school. The number of my 
classmates whose parents were in the building, whose parents didn't 
come home, the number of first responders in each of our districts who 
still today are dying from 9/11-related illnesses, this is not 
something you joke about or you lie about. It is unfit.
  We, as Members of this body, despite the political nonsense that just 
came out of my colleague's mouth from New York, we, as Members of this 
body, have tried to allow for a process to take place, allow for a 
process in which the Members of this body can be confident that Mr. 
Santos should be expelled from Congress.
  That process has been allowed to play out, both in the Ethics 
Committee and here today. Based on the conviction and guilty plea of 
his treasurer and the admission of the fraud that was perpetrated upon 
donors, upon the NRCC, upon former Speaker McCarthy's chief of staff, 
that is more than sufficient evidence and information to expel Mr. 
Santos from Congress.
  There is not enough time to go through the litany of lies that Mr. 
Santos has engaged in during his campaign and during his time in 
Congress, including just recently a claim that his 5-year-old niece was 
kidnapped by Chinese Communist Party spies.
  All of us take seriously the oath that we took. All of us want to 
uphold the integrity of this institution. We are willing to take on a 
member of our party not for political gain, not because we think this 
is fun, but because it is right.
  I would ask my colleague from New York, name me one time you ever 
stood up to your party. You couldn't even muster the courage to 
denounce the New York City DSA.
  We will do what is right. We have brought this resolution forward, 
and I encourage all of my colleagues to vote in favor of Mr. Santos' 
expulsion.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to direct their remarks 
to the Chair.
  Mr. SANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time for 
closing.
  Mr. Speaker, efforts taken by other Members in this body to act as 
judge, jury, and executioner are unconscionable and reckless to our 
Republican system of government and to the integrity of this body.
  I stand today to continue to prove my innocence of these allegations 
and charges leveled against me. I would like to say I understand the 
point of view of my colleagues, but I don't.

                              {time}  1730

  One can't say that they are pro-Constitution and at the same time act 
as judge, jury, and executioner.
  Where is the consistency, Mr. Speaker?
  The actions taken within this body are delicate, and consistency is 
essential. Now is not the time to set a dangerous precedent.

[[Page H5217]]

  Consider this: The last time a Member of Congress was expelled was in 
2002, following a criminal conviction. In fact, both expulsions in the 
last two centuries took place after the defendants had been convicted.
  To my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, I would like to 
remind you that many of you are supporting another Member of Congress 
who is under investigation--it is the second time he has been 
indicted--and even one who recently pleaded guilty to a crime. Rather 
than calling for their resignation, here we are.
  I must warn my colleagues that voting for expulsion at this point 
would circumvent the judicial system's right to due process that I am 
entitled to and desanctify the long-held premise that one is presumed 
innocent until proven guilty.
  It is unconscionable to think that this body, which is at war with 
the DOJ over their politically motivated practices, would blindly 
accept their accusation against a member of another branch of 
government.
  We were each elected to Congress because our constituents supported 
our pledge to uphold the Constitution, protect our liberties, and put 
their needs first. We swore with our palms to the Bible to do so.
  This expulsion, unfortunately, is politically motivated by some 
Members within this body. They believe that by attempting to expel me, 
they will garner political points, capitalize on political fundraising, 
and receive congratulations from those who do not approve of my voting 
record.
  During this Congress, we have seen the world set aflame, our allies 
attacked, recession looming, crime out of control, an unprecedented 
border crisis, and the diminishment of American power, prestige, and 
respect at home and around the globe. We should focus on solving these 
pressing issues that plague our Nation and that affect our citizens 
every single day. Instead, we are prioritizing petty politics and 
undermining the integrity of our system of government, all for 
political cheap gains.
  Pettifog all you want, but you can never say I am not committed to 
serving my constituents of New York's Third Congressional District. I 
have strived to build relationships and institutional acumen to 
represent and legislate for my people back home. Since I took office, 
over 1,100 cases for constituents have been solved, key relationships 
with stakeholders in the district have been built, and a fresh voice of 
common sense and servant leadership has returned to New York.
  My office has no strings attached to political parties and 
apparatuses back home, so I am free to represent them openly here 
without the overlords of the GOP over my head in New York and Nassau 
County.
  My office has done instrumental work regarding passports, 
collaborating with State and local agencies, working with the 
Department of State throughout this ongoing Israel crisis for 
constituents overseas, and countless other requests.
  In addition, I am proud to have two fully staffed district offices 
serving the constituents of New York's Third District, participating in 
the service academy nominations for dozens of exceptional candidates 
from Long Island and Northeast Queens, and being involved in the 
Congressional Art Competition.
  One of my highest honors of being in Congress was presenting a Purple 
Heart medal to a World War I hero's surviving family member after years 
of them attempting to garner this from my predecessor. I will never 
cease to honor those who have defended this Republic and our homeland.
  From my involvement in assisting residents of New York's Third 
District being held hostage by Hamas terrorists to my contributions in 
the effort to close the migrant shelter at the Creedmoor facility in 
Bellerose, being a champion for the Merchant Marine Academy in Kings 
Point, and my resolve to clamp down on China's growing influence 
against American interests, there is one thing consistent and 
unwavering, and that is dedication to selfless service. This motivates 
me to work day in and day out on behalf of them and to represent their 
interests and values.
  I am proud to have one of the most conservative voting records in the 
118th Congress and the most conservative voting record in New York's 
delegation. I will never apologize for voting in line with conservative 
principles and my district.
  Let us remember our commitment to justice ensures that the 
presumption of innocence is upheld in all cases.
  I requested that my evaluation be based on the work I do in this 
body, and you granted me a reprieve earlier this year on the advice of 
former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy. I am asking the Chamber to 
please uphold those same principles today.
  I hope that my colleagues come to their senses and recognize that the 
perilous consequences of a trial by media are damaging. The loss of the 
presumption of innocence establishes a dangerous precedent that 
threatens the very foundation of our legal system, and we risk losing 
the trust that the American people have placed in us by passing 
judgment without due process.
  If we work together, we can protect the integrity of our system and 
the rights of all citizens.
  I am fighting tooth and nail to clear my name in front of the entire 
world, Mr. Speaker. It hasn't been easy, but I am fighting by God's 
grace.
  On a final note, as we wear these pins and stand within these 
Chambers as elected Members of Congress, we cannot speak out of both 
sides of our mouths. Promising to uphold the principles of the 
Constitution while simultaneously trampling on the principles that 
underpin our fundamental rights granted by the Constitution is 
hypocrisy.
  I hope that the House will understand the scope of this vote and have 
the courage to do what is right, not what is politically expedient.

  I stand firmly in my innocence and my passion to represent the people 
of New York's Third District if the voters would continue to have me. 
It is their responsibility and their responsibility alone to elect or 
remove me from Congress.
  Mr. Speaker, thank you for allowing me to make my case directly to 
you.
  For God, for country, for liberty. God bless the United States of 
America, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. D'ESPOSITO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Mr. Speaker, I first would point out that constitutional due process 
doesn't apply here.
  We have the facts. They have been outlined over the last 10 months, 
and the facts are that Mr. Santos actually admitted to those lies and 
deceptions.
  He references the concern of this body and the fact that we may be 
losing trust. I want to let everyone in on a stark reminder. Coming 
from New York, New Yorkers don't agree on much of anything, but 78 
percent of the individuals who live in the Third Congressional District 
do not want George Santos as their Representative, so it seems to me 
that trust has already been lost.
  Like my colleagues mentioned, this is not something we want to do. In 
fact, I wasn't elected to Congress, nor were my colleagues here from 
New York, to entertain issues like this. While Mr. Santos referenced 
the work that needs to be done here in the 118th Congress, like 
fighting the out-of-control spending from the Biden administration, 
holding President Biden accountable for his lies and deception and 
failure to uphold the Constitution, securing our southern border, 
keeping our communities safe, making this country energy independent--
yes, that is the work that we want to do. That is the work that our 
neighbors sent us here to do. Each time we attempt to do that work, we 
are sidetracked by yet another story involving George Santos.
  So you see, we are here today because we have heard all the facts. We 
know what is at stake, and yes, we understand that there is a 
precedent. But, by God, if there is ever a time that the American 
people want to see a new standard, want to see a new precedent set on 
Capitol Hill, I think now is the time. They have watched over the last 
3 or 4 weeks while we tried to find our new Speaker of the House. This 
government was on hold, and we couldn't do the work of the American 
people.
  Do you know what? They are looking at us and want us to be held to a 
higher standard. That is why we are putting this resolution on the 
floor, not because we want to and not for political points.

[[Page H5218]]

  This resolution would have been put forth by me whether I represent a 
bright red district or the brightest of blue districts. This is about 
doing the right thing. It is about putting this institution first, and 
it is about giving the people of the Third Congressional District the 
opportunity to be represented.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the previous question is 
ordered on the resolution.
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the adoption of the 
resolution.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mr. D'ESPOSITO. 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 will be postponed.

                          ____________________