[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 186 (Thursday, November 9, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H5657-H5662]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   FINANCIAL SERVICES AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2024

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Burchett). Pursuant to House Resolution 
847 and rule XVIII, the Chair declares the House in the Committee of 
the Whole House on the state of the Union for the further consideration 
of the bill, H.R. 4664.
  Will the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost) kindly resume the chair.

                              {time}  0919


                     In the Committee of the Whole

  Accordingly, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the 
Whole House on the state of the Union for the further consideration of 
the bill (H.R. 4664) making appropriations for financial services and 
general government for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, and 
for other purposes, with Mr. Bost (Acting Chair) in the chair.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The Acting CHAIR. When the Committee of the Whole rose on Wednesday, 
November 8, 2023, amendment No. 95 printed in part B of House Report 
118-269 offered by the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Salazar) had been 
disposed of.


                Amendment No. 100 Offered by Ms. Tenney

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 100 
printed in part B of House Report 118-269.
  Ms. TENNEY. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of the bill (before the short title) insert the 
     following:
       Sec. __.  The salary of Karine Jean-Pierre, White House 
     Press Secretary, shall be reduced to $1.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 847, the gentlewoman 
from New York (Ms. Tenney) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from New York.
  Ms. TENNEY. Mr. Chair, I rise today to offer an amendment to reduce 
the salary of Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House Press Secretary, to 
$1.
  Mr. Chair, during Ms. Jean-Pierre's tenure as press secretary, she 
has repeatedly lied to the American people and acted in a condescending 
manner toward reporters, and she has also violated the Hatch Act.
  Just to name a few of her lies, Ms. Jean-Pierre has claimed that 
illegal immigration is down under the Biden administration. She also 
claimed that nobody is just walking in across the southern border.
  She also claimed that the 2016 election was stolen. She also claimed 
that Governor Brian Kemp stole the 2018 Governor race from Stacey 
Abrams. She also claimed that the Biden stimulus bill did not impact 
inflation. She also claimed critical race theory or its equivalent 
isn't being taught in our schools. She also claimed that nobody has 
done more for the southern border or our border in general than Joe 
Biden.
  Mr. Chair, how can somebody with such a history of deceit continue to 
serve as the liaison for the President and the American people?
  The American people should not be forced to pay the salary of an 
individual who dispenses bold-faced lies to the American people while 
they foot the bill.
  Ms. Jean-Pierre also has a history of anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist 
rhetoric.
  For example, she called AIPAC racist and Islamophobic for supporting 
Israel. She wrote an op-ed that pro-Israel policies and values are not 
progressive values, which I think many of my Democratic colleagues even 
would contest.
  Mr. Chair, I urge all my colleagues to support this commonsense 
amendment to use the Holman rule to reduce the White House Press 
Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre's salary to $1.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Maryland is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chair, this is another unserious amendment. We have 
had over 50 of these. Every one that has been put to a roll call vote 
has lost, and this one will, as well, I hope.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. TENNEY. Mr. Chairman, I respect the views of the gentleman in 
opposition. However, the American taxpayers are beleaguered now with 
inflation and with high energy costs, and dispensing lies from the 
White House--our own White House--from the press secretary knowingly is 
not something that the American people should tolerate or have to pay 
for, quite honestly.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, this seems to be the substance of the 
Republican response to all the issues that the gentlewoman raises.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. TENNEY. Mr. Chairman, inflammatory language comes out of Karine 
Jean-Pierre. In fact, she is an election denier. She claimed that the 
election of 2016 was stolen. She claimed that Stacey Abrams actually 
beat Governor Brian Kemp in the election of 2018. An election denier is 
standing at the podium of the White House actually dispensing even more 
misinformation to the American people at their expense.

[[Page H5658]]

  Mr. Chair, I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this 
amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chair, I don't want to prolong this debate, but to 
hear about election denial from the other side of the aisle is 
extraordinary, and it is extraordinarily inconsistent with the 
performance of the former President who lied regularly.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Tenney).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from New York 
will be postponed.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chair, I rise as the designee of the gentlewoman from 
Connecticut, and I move to strike the last word.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Maryland is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania 
(Mr. Cartwright), who is the distinguished ranking member of the 
Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee.
  Mr. CARTWRIGHT. Mr. Chairman, I thank the ranking member of the FS-GG 
Subcommittee.
  Mr. Chair, here in Congress we have a big opportunity to fight drug 
trafficking in this country.
  Congress originally authorized the High Intensity Drug Trafficking 
Area program, HIDTA, in 1988 and renewed it in 1993 and in 1998.
  The program provides significant financial assistance to State and 
local law enforcement and facilitates strong cooperation among those 
agencies and with Federal law enforcement.
  That cooperation has led to many successes in our efforts to disrupt 
the market for illegal drugs by interdicting and seizing drugs off of 
our shores and within our borders.
  This High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program removes the supply 
of illicit substances, making it harder for drug trafficking 
organizations to sell their products. For example, in 2021, the HIDTA 
program seized over 193 metric tons of cocaine products, 195 metric 
tons of methamphetamine, 2,900 metric tons of marijuana, 4 metric tons 
of heroin, and 9 metric tons of fentanyl.
  We all know the toll that the drug trafficking continues to take on 
communities across our country. Along our southern border, the Mexican 
cartels are using any means necessary to import precursor chemicals 
from China to produce synthetic opioids such as fentanyl. That is to 
meet a growing demand, a demand that has resulted in over 100,000 
deaths of Americans in just 1 year.
  The accessibility and the affordability of these drugs leave Federal, 
State, local, and Tribal partners in a continuous defensive posture to 
keep dangerous narcotics out of our communities and successfully to 
combat the drug trafficking networks that are responsible.
  Nevertheless, still today we continue to see draconian cuts by the 
majority to law enforcement efforts not only in this bill, the FS-GG 
bill, but also in the bill produced by the Commerce, Justice, Science, 
and Related Agencies Subcommittee where I am the ranking member.
  These cuts serve only to amplify the supply of illicit drugs. These 
cuts cause a proliferation in the violence associated with the drug 
trade. These cuts damage the important work of successful programs like 
HIDTA.
  Here in Congress we have the opportunity to build on the investments 
we have made in the war against drugs. We can provide the HIDTA program 
with the resources it needs to address its existing and emerging 
challenges in this war. We can send a clear signal to our adversaries 
on the global stage that we will not allow this attack on our 
communities without consequence. We can bring those responsible for 
this drug trafficking scum to justice.
  For these reasons, at the appropriate time, I will offer a motion to 
recommit this bill back to the committee. If the House rules permit, I 
would have offered the motion with an important amendment to the bill. 
My amendment would increase the Office of National Drug Control 
Policies High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program by $15 million.
  Mr. Chair, I include in the Record the text of this amendment.

       Mr. Cartwright moves to recommit the bill H.R. 4664 to the 
     Committee on Approriations with the following ammendment:
       Page 41, 1ine 23, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $15,000,000)''.

  Mr. CARTWRIGHT. Mr. Chair, I hope my colleagues join me in voting for 
this motion to recommit.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

                              {time}  0930


                Amendment No. 101 Offered by Ms. Tenney

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 101 
printed in part B of House Report 118-269.
  Ms. TENNEY. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the 
     following:
       Sec. __.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used finalize, implement, or enforce the proposed rule of 
     the Department of Defense, General Services Administration, 
     and National Aeronautics and Space Administration titled 
     ``Federal Acquisition Regulation: Disclosure of Greenhouse 
     Gas Emissions and Climate-Related Financial Risk'' (87 Fed. 
     Reg. 68312; published November 14, 2022).

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 847, the gentlewoman 
from New York (Ms. Tenney) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from New York.
  Ms. TENNEY. Mr. Chair, I rise today to offer my amendment to prohibit 
any funding to finalize, implement, or enforce the Federal Acquisition 
Regulation Council's proposed ``Federal Acquisition Regulation: 
Disclosure of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Climate-Related Financial 
Risk'' rule.
  Mr. Chair, this disastrous rule proposed by the Federal Acquisition 
Regulation Council has numerous constitutional, national security, and 
practical concerns, none of which have been adequately addressed by the 
Federal Acquisition Regulation Council, otherwise known as FAR, nor has 
the Council on Environmental Quality done its due diligence. Both 
agencies have pushed for this rule in spite of a lack of due diligence.
  First and foremost, this rule requires all Federal contractors that 
do business of more than $50 million with the Federal Government to 
disclose all scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions. This includes everything from 
emissions produced by the contractor to the emissions produced by mere 
office supplies that they buy for their employees.
  We debated the ridiculousness of scope 3 emissions earlier, but this 
is simply not practical or helpful to the American people. This rule 
also seeks to require major Federal contractors to comply with the 
Paris climate accords, a flawed deal that has never been ratified by 
the Senate. However, the most objectionable part concerning this rule 
is the requirement that companies set climate targets and then have 
them validated by a company called Science Based Targets initiative, or 
SBTi.
  SBTi is a foreign--and I emphasize ``foreign''--London-based company, 
which inherently has national security concerns. Under this rule, every 
major Federal contractor, including companies critical to our national 
security, is required to provide this foreign company with information 
about all of their scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions and then strategize with 
this foreign company about how to reduce them.
  Despite the existence of numerous American-based companies that could 
fill this same role, the FAR Council and CEQ chose a foreign company as 
the named sole-source provider. Why? Because SBTi is nothing but a 
front for Democratic donors and Democratic advocacy groups.
  SBTi is owned by the We Mean Business Coalition, which is a project 
of the New Venture Fund, which is managed by the famous Arabella 
Advisors.
  Arabella Advisors, for those who do not know, is the George Soros-
funded,

[[Page H5659]]

leftwing advocacy group that funnels dark money to leftwing causes and 
candidates.
  To summarize, the Biden administration has named this subsidiary, one 
of their top donor's leftwing dark money organizations, as the sole-
source provider for all climate target validating for all major Federal 
contractors.
  During a hearing in the Science, Space, and Technology Committee on 
this rule, even the Democrats' witness said that the SBTi was a poor 
choice for this role, yet the Biden administration continues to forge 
ahead with this rule anyway.
  I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues on the 
Science, Space, and Technology Committee to get to the bottom of this 
rule's suspicious creation, and I continue to urge the committee to 
subpoena CEQ Chair Brenda Mallory to answer these concerns so the 
American people know why this is continuing.
  Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition to the 
amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Maryland is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chair, the proposed rule promotes transparency by 
requiring Federal contractors to disclose their greenhouse gas 
emissions and climate-related financial risks. This transparency 
enhances accountability and helps the government and the American 
people make informed decisions regarding its contracts.
  By addressing climate-related financial risk, the rule encourages 
businesses to assess and mitigate their exposure to climate-related 
challenges. This proactive approach is critical in addressing the 
financial implications of climate change and fosters sustainability.
  Access to data on greenhouse gas emissions and climate risk enables 
the government to make more informed procurement decisions. This means 
selecting contractors that are actively addressing climate change and 
demonstrating environmental responsibility.
  Mr. Chair, for all those reasons, I strongly oppose the adoption of 
this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. TENNEY. Mr. Chair, I appreciate the concerns about making sure 
that we have a cleaner climate. However, the gentleman doesn't talk 
about this obvious issue with Arabella Advisors.
  Everyone knows this is a dark money group that funds entities that 
actually fund donors and is part of the donor class of the Democratic 
Party, which is put in a unique position to actually control how we 
manage climate and how we deal with these issues with Federal 
contractors.
  I cited in my initial remarks that this also includes security 
issues. These are companies that are now going to have to confer with 
suspect foreign entities to talk about these issues and share 
information. This is a dangerous precedent.
  Not only is it a Democratic donor issue, which is politically charged 
and shouldn't be allowed in our rulemaking process or in our 
governmental process, but it is also a threat to our security.
  Mr. Chair, for those reasons, I urge all of my colleagues to support 
this rule. It is a commonsense rule, and it is something that they 
would certainly object to if the Republicans had proposed their major 
donor base to be in this position on the Federal level and certainly as 
part of the Federal bureaucracy in such a critical role.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chair, I will not characterize it as rightwing or 
leftwing, but what the gentlewoman does not talk about, of course, is 
the donor base of the Republican Party and the interests that exist 
that do not want this transparency.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. TENNEY. Mr. Chair, with all due respect, this is a mandatory rule 
that requires every Federal contractor doing business over $50 million 
a year to use this company, a foreign-based company, not an American 
company, not a company where we can actually have oversight over it 
using our rules.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Tenney).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Ms. TENNEY. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from New York 
will be postponed.


                Amendment No. 102 Offered by Mrs. Wagner

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 102 
printed in part B of House Report 118-269.
  Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

         At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert 
     the following:
         Sec. __.  None of the funds made available by this Act 
     may be used to finalize or implement the proposed 
     interpretive guidance of the Financial Stability Oversight 
     Council titled ``Authority To Require Supervision and 
     Regulation of Certain Nonbank Financial Companies'' (88 Fed. 
     Reg. 26234; published April 28, 2023).

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 847, the gentlewoman 
from Missouri (Mrs. Wagner) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Missouri.
  Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Chair, I rise today to prevent the Financial 
Stability Oversight Council, FSOC, from making it easier to designate 
nonbank financial companies as a systemically important financial 
institution, or SIFI.
  The 2008 financial crisis was a result of Fannie Mae and Freddie 
Mac's poor government housing policy that bilked taxpayers out of 
billions of dollars and the inability of financial regulators to 
properly identify systemic risk and take action until it was too late.
  As a response to the crisis, Congress passed the Dodd-Frank Act of 
2010. The Democrats' law has dramatically reduced competition in the 
banking sector, imposed barriers to entry for new banks, and saddled 
financial institutions with a mountain of new requirements that hit 
small, midsize, and regional banks particularly hard.
  Under Dodd-Frank, FSOC has the power to designate companies as a SIFI 
and, therefore, subject to Federal Reserve supervision and enhanced 
prudential standards--in other words, too big to fail.
  Last week, FSOC finalized guidance that would allow it to apply these 
same ``too big to fail'' burdens to nonbank financial institutions, 
such as asset managers or broker-dealers, insurance companies, and 
private funds.
  It has been reported that the annual consumer cost of designating a 
nonbank financial institution as a SIFI could range from $5 billion to 
$8 billion, yet FSOC's new guidance fails to require any cost-benefit 
analysis when making such a designation. Let me repeat that one more 
time. These designations would cost consumers, American taxpayers, $5 
billion to $8 billion per year.
  This guidance put forth by the Biden administration rescinds the 2019 
changes that rightfully moved FSOC's authority from an entities-based 
approach to an activities-based approach in determining whether a 
nonbank entity should be deemed a SIFI. To grant such unfettered 
discretionary power to a government agency should concern every 
American, particularly when the body exercising that power, FSOC, is 
composed almost entirely of members of a single political party.
  Mr. Chair, I urge all of my colleagues to support this amendment that 
reins in our regulators, restores Congress' Article I powers, and saves 
Main Street investors billions of dollars.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition to the 
amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Maryland is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chair, I have great respect for my friend from 
Missouri, and it seems to me that this is a very serious matter that 
she has raised.

[[Page H5660]]

  It is also my belief that it ought to be considered in the context of 
the Financial Services Committee and legislation propounded and offered 
to this House for careful consideration of the serious assertions that 
the gentlewoman makes. We ought to have the time to debate and fully 
understand the ramifications of the actions that the gentlewoman speaks 
of. However, in the context of this bill, we don't have the opportunity 
to really make that kind of assertion or analysis.
  The authority granted to the Financial Stability Oversight Council, 
FSOC, to require supervision and regulation of certain nonbank 
financial companies helps mitigate systemic risks in the financial 
system. I was here in 2008, and we saw that. We saw it at great cost to 
the economy and to individuals. By identifying and regulating 
systemically important nonbank entities, FSOC can prevent potential 
destabilizing events that could harm the broader economy.
  The 2008 financial crisis highlighted, Mr. Chairman, the need to 
monitor and regulate nonbank financial firms that can pose very 
significant risks. The FSOC's authority fosters a coordinated 
regulatory approach, ensuring that nonbank financial companies are 
subject to appropriate oversight without duplicating efforts across 
different regulatory agencies.
  Mr. Chair, this may well be something that ought to be the subject of 
greater discussion by the committee of jurisdiction and expertise, but 
I strongly oppose the amendment and urge a ``no'' vote.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman for his consideration 
of the amendment. However, we have, in fact, held a hearing in the 
Financial Services Committee about this very issue and some of the 
costs that I am talking about. The $5 billion to $8 billion that this 
would cost our taxpayers to implement was a part of that discussion 
within the Financial Services Committee and came from testimony 
directly there.
  Again, these designations would cost consumers, American taxpayers, 
$5 billion to $8 billion per year, and I urge my colleagues to support 
this amendment that reins in our regulators, restores Congress' Article 
I powers, and saves our Main Street investors billions and billions of 
dollars.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  0945

  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chair, again, I thank the gentlewoman for her 
observations and concern because, obviously, the conclusion that she 
makes would be of concern to all of us. I simply suggest that this is 
not the proper place for us to give the analysis and assess the 
correctness of the assertion that has been made in terms of cost.
  We have experienced a time where a failure to deal with nonbanks cost 
this economy one of its deepest recessions since I have been in the 
Congress of the United States.
  I have no reason to believe one way or the other whether the 
gentlewoman's assertion is correct because I just don't know. She is a 
member of the Financial Services Committee, to my understanding, and if 
her assertion is correct, then I think a bipartisan bill ought to be 
brought to the floor and considered.
  However, I think at this juncture this amendment ought to be 
rejected.
  Mr. Chairman, I urge its defeat, and I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Chairman, I thank my friend across the aisle for his 
consideration and his kind words. I would just simply urge my 
colleagues to support this amendment that would rein in our regulators, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentlewoman from Missouri (Mrs. Wagner).
  The amendment was agreed to.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Chair understands that amendment No. 103 will 
not be offered.


           Amendment No. 104 Offered by Mr. Williams of Texas

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 104 
printed in part B of House Report 118-269.
  Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the 
     following:
       Sec. __.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used to establish a new pilot program (as such term is 
     defined in section 7(a)(25)(B) of the Small Business Act (15 
     U.S.C. 636(a)(25)(B))) of the Small Business Administration.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 847, the gentleman 
from Texas (Mr. Williams) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman.
  Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. Chair, I rise today in full support of my 
amendment to H.R. 4664.
  Congress alone has the ability to authorize new programs. 
Unfortunately, this past year we saw the SBA get around this basic fact 
and effectively made a pilot program permanent through the rulemaking 
process. This is unacceptable, and this amendment makes it clear that 
the agency must respect the rule of law and not skirt congressional 
authority.
  This amendment would prevent the SBA from creating any new lending 
programs. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the SBA took an outsized role 
in the economy. Unfortunately, the after-action reports show the SBA's 
track record was awful, horrible. SBA's inspector general estimates 
that between $200 billion and $600 billion of American taxpayer dollars 
from pandemic lending was lost to fraud.
  Think about how large that number is. The entire FSGG bill we are 
debating today has a top line appropriation number of $25 billion. This 
agency alone had almost 10 times this amount of fraud flow through the 
agency.
  Where did it go? Well, we know it went to people who phonied up their 
Social Security numbers. We know it went to people who said they were 
somebody when they weren't. We also know it went to foreign nationals.
  Now, in the private sector, where I come from, something with such a 
poor track record would be shut down, not given additional 
responsibilities. This amendment would stop any additional attempts for 
the SBA to simply decide they can take on more lending activities.
  In the Committee on Small Business we have worked to hold the SBA 
accountable for its shortcomings and to increase transparency. With 
many rule changes imposed by the SBA just this year, my amendment is a 
commonsense approach that continues to build on the committee's mission 
to restore and preserve the integrity of the agency.
  Mr. Chair, the SBA should focus on their core mission, which is 
helping entrepreneurs, Main Street America, capitalism, and what this 
economy is all about. Let's get them back on that mission to where we 
can get our economy going and small business can rely on what the SBA 
says and does. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Maryland is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, the gentleman indicates that he came from 
the private sector. I am sure he was very successful in the private 
sector, as he has been in public life. In the private sector, one of 
the things that we admire is the ability to innovate, adjust, and to 
make changes when those are demanded by the marketplace.
  This amendment undermines the ability of the Small Business 
Administration to do exactly that: to innovate and reach more small 
businesses by taking away the agency's pilot loan authority.
  The gentleman is the chairman of the committee and knows better than 
I, but pilot loan authority is the flexibility to assess the market, 
assess the need, and take action. If they don't have that authority, 
then, as some have argued in numerous amendments here, the Congress 
ought to take that responsibility. Congress has not taken 
responsibility very well, Mr. Chairman. We are not doing things we 
ought to do.
  If the private sector or the SBA were as inefficient and ineffective 
as the Congress of the United States, we would shut it down, but of 
course we can't shut down the Congress. We can just lament the fact 
that we can't do

[[Page H5661]]

our work, that we don't respond in a timely fashion.
  I am particularly concerned about Ukraine, under assault by a 
despotic power. They need resources from the United States. By the way, 
I read a report today that the United States is not the biggest 
contributor to Ukraine. We are certainly the major partner. The EU and 
others, including Japan, are the major partners because they want to 
defend freedom. I am concerned about the fact that we haven't acted to 
send a message to Putin, to Iran, to other despots that we will not 
shrink from the responsibility of defending freedom here and around the 
world.
  This authority, in a microcosm, is to try to give the SBA the 
opportunity to respond in a timely and effective fashion to 
opportunities that it sees on behalf of small businesses. Pilot 7(a) 
loans are provided by SBA to address the development of a specific 
sector or geographical region based on the agency's identified needs.
  We can shut everybody down in government, and unfortunately, frankly, 
government is very risk averse, not as nimble as the private sector.
  Why? It is because the administrators of all these agencies know that 
they have got us looking over their shoulder, and if they make a slight 
mistake, they have an amendment or they have a hearing or they have 
some Congressman or Congresswoman who says: A-ha, gotcha.
  If the private sector had that, it would be immobilized. It wouldn't 
help because in the private sector, we understand that mistakes happen 
because you are taking risks. By definition, risks sometimes result in 
not succeeding or they wouldn't be a risk.
  When we have an amendment like this--and we have had a number of 
amendments like this, and concerns expressed--I get that. However, it 
seems to me in this instance when my friend starts by saying he is in 
the private sector, I welcome his experience. It is critically 
important. We are the most successful economy on Earth because we allow 
people to take risks. By definition, some fail. Obviously, most fail, 
as a matter of fact. However, some are extraordinarily successful 
because they took that risk. Now, what needs to happen, of course, in 
the course of risking is when you find a failure, you stop it.
  Mr. Chair, I urge that we reject this amendment because it precludes 
the SBA from taking chances when they are available and can be 
successful.

  Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. Chair, I have a hard time relating this 
bill to Ukraine and Putin, which we just heard. Risk reward is a great 
thing. Taking a risk and getting a reward is what made America great. 
We find ourselves trying to fight for that all the time.
  The SBA is needed for Main Street America. It is needed for small 
business, but it needs to be fluid. It needs to be capitalized 
properly. The SBA has misplaced $200 billion, as the auditor has said. 
We need to find that. The SBA doesn't need to be getting bigger right 
now. It actually needs to be getting smaller. Let's get this $200 
billion and put it back in the economy so Main Street America can take 
advantage of it. That is why this bill is important.
  In closing, Mr. Chair, I think this bill is important. I think it is 
going to actually help the SBA. It needs to be passed. The SBA is a 
great agency when it is cooking on all cylinders, but it is not doing 
that right now. Let's get them back in line. Let's get them to a size 
that they can compete with and help Main Street America and get our 
economy going again.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Williams).
  The amendment was agreed to.


                    Announcement by the Acting Chair

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, proceedings 
will now resume on those amendments printed in part B of House Report 
118-269 on which further proceedings were postponed, in the following 
order:
  Amendment No. 100 by Ms. Tenney of New York.
  Amendment No. 101 by Ms. Tenney of New York.
  The Chair will reduce to 2 minutes the minimum time for any 
electronic vote after the first vote in this series.


                Amendment No. 100 Offered by Ms. Tenney

  The Acting CHAIR. The unfinished business is the demand for a 
recorded vote on amendment No. 100, printed in part B of House Report 
118-269 offered by the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Tenney), on which 
further proceedings were postponed and on which the ayes prevailed by 
voice vote.
  The Clerk will redesignate the amendment.
  The Clerk redesignated the amendment.


                             Recorded Vote

  The Acting CHAIR. A recorded vote has been demanded.
  A recorded vote was ordered.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 165, 
noes 257, answered ``present'' 1, not voting 16, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 641]

                               AYES--165

     Aderholt
     Alford
     Allen
     Amodei
     Arrington
     Babin
     Balderson
     Banks
     Barr
     Bean (FL)
     Bentz
     Bergman
     Biggs
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (NC)
     Boebert
     Bost
     Brecheen
     Buchanan
     Burchett
     Burgess
     Burlison
     Cammack
     Carl
     Carter (GA)
     Cline
     Cloud
     Clyde
     Collins
     Comer
     Crane
     Crawford
     Curtis
     De La Cruz
     DesJarlais
     Donalds
     Duarte
     Duncan
     Dunn (FL)
     Emmer
     Estes
     Ezell
     Fallon
     Feenstra
     Ferguson
     Finstad
     Fischbach
     Fitzgerald
     Fleischmann
     Foxx
     Franklin, Scott
     Fry
     Fulcher
     Gaetz
     Gallagher
     Garcia, Mike
     Gonzales, Tony
     Good (VA)
     Gooden (TX)
     Gosar
     Graves (LA)
     Graves (MO)
     Green (TN)
     Greene (GA)
     Grothman
     Guest
     Guthrie
     Hageman
     Harris
     Harshbarger
     Hern
     Higgins (LA)
     Houchin
     Huizenga
     Hunt
     Issa
     Jackson (TX)
     Johnson (LA)
     Johnson (OH)
     Johnson (SD)
     Jordan
     Joyce (PA)
     Kelly (MS)
     Kustoff
     LaHood
     LaMalfa
     Lamborn
     Langworthy
     Latta
     LaTurner
     Lesko
     Letlow
     Loudermilk
     Luetkemeyer
     Luna
     Luttrell
     Malliotakis
     Mann
     Massie
     Mast
     McCaul
     McClain
     McClintock
     McHenry
     Meuser
     Miller (IL)
     Miller (OH)
     Miller (WV)
     Miller-Meeks
     Mills
     Molinaro
     Moolenaar
     Mooney
     Moore (AL)
     Moore (UT)
     Murphy
     Nehls
     Norman
     Ogles
     Owens
     Palmer
     Perry
     Pfluger
     Posey
     Reschenthaler
     Rodgers (WA)
     Rogers (AL)
     Rose
     Rosendale
     Roy
     Rutherford
     Santos
     Scalise
     Schweikert
     Scott, Austin
     Self
     Sessions
     Smith (MO)
     Smith (NE)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smucker
     Stauber
     Steel
     Stefanik
     Steil
     Steube
     Strong
     Tenney
     Tiffany
     Timmons
     Van Drew
     Van Duyne
     Van Orden
     Walberg
     Waltz
     Weber (TX)
     Webster (FL)
     Wenstrup
     Westerman
     Williams (NY)
     Williams (TX)
     Wilson (SC)
     Wittman
     Yakym
     Zinke

                               NOES--257

     Adams
     Aguilar
     Allred
     Armstrong
     Auchincloss
     Bacon
     Baird
     Balint
     Barragan
     Beatty
     Bera
     Beyer
     Bice
     Bishop (GA)
     Blumenauer
     Blunt Rochester
     Bonamici
     Bowman
     Boyle (PA)
     Brown
     Brownley
     Buck
     Bucshon
     Budzinski
     Bush
     Calvert
     Caraveo
     Carbajal
     Cardenas
     Carey
     Carson
     Carter (LA)
     Carter (TX)
     Cartwright
     Casar
     Case
     Casten
     Castor (FL)
     Castro (TX)
     Chavez-DeRemer
     Cherfilus-McCormick
     Chu
     Clark (MA)
     Clarke (NY)
     Cleaver
     Clyburn
     Cohen
     Cole
     Connolly
     Correa
     Costa
     Courtney
     Craig
     Crockett
     Crow
     Cuellar
     D'Esposito
     Davids (KS)
     Davidson
     Davis (IL)
     Davis (NC)
     Dean (PA)
     DeGette
     DeLauro
     DelBene
     Deluzio
     DeSaulnier
     Diaz-Balart
     Doggett
     Edwards
     Ellzey
     Escobar
     Eshoo
     Espaillat
     Evans
     Fitzpatrick
     Fletcher
     Flood
     Foushee
     Frost
     Gallego
     Garamendi
     Garbarino
     Garcia (IL)
     Garcia (TX)
     Garcia, Robert
     Golden (ME)
     Goldman (NY)
     Gomez
     Gonzalez, Vicente
     Gonzalez-Colon
     Granger
     Green, Al (TX)
     Grijalva
     Harder (CA)
     Hayes
     Higgins (NY)
     Hill
     Himes
     Hinson
     Horsford
     Hoyer
     Hoyle (OR)
     Hudson
     Huffman
     Ivey
     Jackson (IL)
     Jackson (NC)
     Jacobs
     James
     Jayapal
     Jeffries
     Johnson (GA)
     Joyce (OH)
     Kamlager-Dove
     Kaptur
     Kean (NJ)
     Keating
     Kelly (IL)
     Kelly (PA)
     Khanna
     Kiggans (VA)
     Kildee
     Kiley
     Kilmer
     Kim (CA)
     Kim (NJ)
     Krishnamoorthi
     Kuster
     LaLota
     Landsman
     Larson (CT)
     Lawler
     Lee (CA)
     Lee (FL)
     Lee (NV)
     Lee (PA)
     Leger Fernandez
     Levin
     Lieu
     Lofgren
     Lucas
     Lynch
     Mace
     Magaziner
     Manning
     Matsui
     McBath
     McCarthy
     McClellan
     McCollum
     McCormick
     McGarvey
     McGovern
     Meeks
     Menendez
     Meng
     Mfume
     Moore (WI)
     Moran
     Morelle
     Moskowitz
     Moulton
     Moylan
     Mrvan
     Mullin
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal
     Neguse
     Newhouse
     Nickel
     Norcross
     Norton
     Nunn (IA)

[[Page H5662]]


     Obernolte
     Ocasio-Cortez
     Omar
     Pallone
     Panetta
     Pappas
     Pascrell
     Payne
     Peltola
     Pence
     Perez
     Peters
     Pettersen
     Plaskett
     Pocan
     Porter
     Pressley
     Quigley
     Ramirez
     Raskin
     Rogers (KY)
     Ross
     Rouzer
     Ruiz
     Ruppersberger
     Ryan
     Sablan
     Salazar
     Salinas
     Sanchez
     Sarbanes
     Scanlon
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schneider
     Scholten
     Schrier
     Scott (VA)
     Scott, David
     Sewell
     Sherman
     Sherrill
     Simpson
     Slotkin
     Smith (WA)
     Soto
     Spanberger
     Spartz
     Stansbury
     Stanton
     Stevens
     Strickland
     Swalwell
     Sykes
     Takano
     Thanedar
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Thompson (PA)
     Titus
     Tlaib
     Tokuda
     Tonko
     Torres (CA)
     Torres (NY)
     Trahan
     Trone
     Turner
     Underwood
     Valadao
     Vargas
     Vasquez
     Veasey
     Wagner
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters
     Watson Coleman
     Wexton
     Wild
     Williams (GA)
     Wilson (FL)
     Womack

                        ANSWERED ``PRESENT''--1

       
     Griffith
       

                             NOT VOTING--16

     Ciscomani
     Crenshaw
     Dingell
     Foster
     Frankel, Lois
     Gimenez
     Gottheimer
     Houlahan
     Jackson Lee
     Larsen (WA)
     Pelosi
     Phillips
     Pingree
     Radewagen
     Sorensen
     Velazquez

                              {time}  1036

  Messrs. HUDSON, VEASEY, LUCAS, BAIRD, and MOULTON changed their vote 
from ``aye'' to ``no.''
  Messrs. KELLY of Mississippi, POSEY, CURTIS, WESTERMAN, Mrs. RODGERS 
of Washington, and Mr. MOORE of Utah changed their vote from ``no'' to 
``aye.''
  Mr. GRIFFITH changed his vote from ``aye'' to ``present.''
  So the amendment was rejected.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.


                Amendment No. 101 Offered by Ms. Tenney

  The Acting CHAIR (Mr. Yakym). The unfinished business is the demand 
for a recorded vote on amendment No. 101, printed in part B of House 
Report 118-269 offered by the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Tenney), 
on which further proceedings were postponed and on which the ayes 
prevailed by voice vote.
  The Clerk will redesignate the amendment.
  The Clerk redesignated the amendment.


                             Recorded Vote

  The Acting CHAIR. A recorded vote has been demanded.
  A recorded vote was ordered.
  The Acting CHAIR. This is a 2-minute vote.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 220, 
noes 202, not voting 16, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 642]

                               AYES--220

     Aderholt
     Alford
     Allen
     Amodei
     Armstrong
     Arrington
     Babin
     Bacon
     Baird
     Balderson
     Banks
     Barr
     Bean (FL)
     Bentz
     Bergman
     Bice
     Biggs
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (NC)
     Boebert
     Bost
     Brecheen
     Buchanan
     Buck
     Bucshon
     Burchett
     Burgess
     Burlison
     Calvert
     Cammack
     Carl
     Carter (GA)
     Carter (TX)
     Chavez-DeRemer
     Cline
     Cloud
     Clyde
     Cole
     Collins
     Comer
     Crane
     Crawford
     Cuellar
     Curtis
     Davidson
     De La Cruz
     DesJarlais
     Diaz-Balart
     Donalds
     Duarte
     Duncan
     Dunn (FL)
     Edwards
     Ellzey
     Emmer
     Estes
     Ezell
     Fallon
     Feenstra
     Ferguson
     Finstad
     Fischbach
     Fitzgerald
     Fleischmann
     Flood
     Foxx
     Franklin, Scott
     Fry
     Fulcher
     Gaetz
     Gallagher
     Garbarino
     Garcia, Mike
     Golden (ME)
     Gonzales, Tony
     Gonzalez, Vicente
     Gonzalez-Colon
     Good (VA)
     Gooden (TX)
     Gosar
     Granger
     Graves (LA)
     Graves (MO)
     Green (TN)
     Greene (GA)
     Griffith
     Grothman
     Guest
     Guthrie
     Hageman
     Harris
     Harshbarger
     Hern
     Higgins (LA)
     Hill
     Hinson
     Houchin
     Hudson
     Huizenga
     Hunt
     Issa
     Jackson (TX)
     James
     Johnson (OH)
     Johnson (SD)
     Jordan
     Joyce (OH)
     Joyce (PA)
     Kean (NJ)
     Kelly (MS)
     Kelly (PA)
     Kiggans (VA)
     Kiley
     Kim (CA)
     Kustoff
     LaHood
     LaLota
     LaMalfa
     Lamborn
     Langworthy
     Latta
     LaTurner
     Lawler
     Lee (FL)
     Lesko
     Letlow
     Loudermilk
     Lucas
     Luetkemeyer
     Luna
     Luttrell
     Mace
     Malliotakis
     Mann
     Massie
     Mast
     McCarthy
     McCaul
     McClain
     McClintock
     McCormick
     McHenry
     Meuser
     Miller (IL)
     Miller (OH)
     Miller (WV)
     Miller-Meeks
     Mills
     Molinaro
     Moolenaar
     Mooney
     Moore (AL)
     Moore (UT)
     Moran
     Moylan
     Murphy
     Nehls
     Newhouse
     Norman
     Nunn (IA)
     Obernolte
     Ogles
     Owens
     Palmer
     Pence
     Perez
     Perry
     Pfluger
     Posey
     Reschenthaler
     Rodgers (WA)
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rose
     Rosendale
     Rouzer
     Roy
     Rutherford
     Salazar
     Santos
     Scalise
     Schweikert
     Scott, Austin
     Self
     Sessions
     Simpson
     Smith (MO)
     Smith (NE)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smucker
     Spartz
     Stauber
     Steel
     Stefanik
     Steil
     Steube
     Strong
     Tenney
     Thompson (PA)
     Tiffany
     Timmons
     Turner
     Valadao
     Van Drew
     Van Duyne
     Van Orden
     Wagner
     Walberg
     Waltz
     Weber (TX)
     Webster (FL)
     Wenstrup
     Westerman
     Williams (NY)
     Williams (TX)
     Wilson (SC)
     Wittman
     Womack
     Yakym
     Zinke

                               NOES--202

     Adams
     Aguilar
     Allred
     Auchincloss
     Balint
     Barragan
     Beatty
     Bera
     Beyer
     Bishop (GA)
     Blumenauer
     Blunt Rochester
     Bonamici
     Bowman
     Boyle (PA)
     Brown
     Brownley
     Budzinski
     Bush
     Caraveo
     Carbajal
     Cardenas
     Carey
     Carson
     Carter (LA)
     Cartwright
     Casar
     Case
     Casten
     Castor (FL)
     Castro (TX)
     Cherfilus-McCormick
     Chu
     Clark (MA)
     Clarke (NY)
     Cleaver
     Clyburn
     Cohen
     Connolly
     Correa
     Costa
     Courtney
     Craig
     Crockett
     Crow
     Davids (KS)
     Davis (IL)
     Davis (NC)
     Dean (PA)
     DeGette
     DeLauro
     DelBene
     Deluzio
     DeSaulnier
     Doggett
     Escobar
     Eshoo
     Espaillat
     Evans
     Fitzpatrick
     Fletcher
     Foushee
     Frost
     Gallego
     Garamendi
     Garcia (IL)
     Garcia (TX)
     Garcia, Robert
     Goldman (NY)
     Gomez
     Green, Al (TX)
     Grijalva
     Harder (CA)
     Hayes
     Higgins (NY)
     Himes
     Horsford
     Hoyer
     Hoyle (OR)
     Huffman
     Ivey
     Jackson (IL)
     Jackson (NC)
     Jacobs
     Jayapal
     Jeffries
     Johnson (GA)
     Kamlager-Dove
     Kaptur
     Keating
     Kelly (IL)
     Khanna
     Kildee
     Kilmer
     Kim (NJ)
     Krishnamoorthi
     Kuster
     Landsman
     Larson (CT)
     Lee (CA)
     Lee (NV)
     Lee (PA)
     Leger Fernandez
     Levin
     Lieu
     Lofgren
     Lynch
     Magaziner
     Manning
     Matsui
     McBath
     McClellan
     McCollum
     McGarvey
     McGovern
     Meeks
     Menendez
     Meng
     Mfume
     Moore (WI)
     Morelle
     Moskowitz
     Moulton
     Mrvan
     Mullin
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal
     Neguse
     Nickel
     Norcross
     Norton
     Ocasio-Cortez
     Omar
     Pallone
     Panetta
     Pappas
     Pascrell
     Payne
     Pelosi
     Peltola
     Peters
     Pettersen
     Plaskett
     Pocan
     Porter
     Pressley
     Quigley
     Ramirez
     Raskin
     Ross
     Ruiz
     Ruppersberger
     Ryan
     Sablan
     Salinas
     Sanchez
     Sarbanes
     Scanlon
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schneider
     Scholten
     Schrier
     Scott (VA)
     Scott, David
     Sewell
     Sherman
     Sherrill
     Slotkin
     Smith (WA)
     Soto
     Spanberger
     Stansbury
     Stanton
     Stevens
     Strickland
     Swalwell
     Sykes
     Takano
     Thanedar
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Titus
     Tlaib
     Tokuda
     Tonko
     Torres (CA)
     Torres (NY)
     Trahan
     Trone
     Underwood
     Vargas
     Vasquez
     Veasey
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters
     Watson Coleman
     Wexton
     Wild
     Williams (GA)
     Wilson (FL)

                             NOT VOTING--16

     Ciscomani
     Crenshaw
     D'Esposito
     Dingell
     Foster
     Frankel, Lois
     Gimenez
     Gottheimer
     Houlahan
     Jackson Lee
     Larsen (WA)
     Phillips
     Pingree
     Radewagen
     Sorensen
     Velazquez

                              {time}  1044

  So the amendment was agreed to.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.


                          PERSONAL EXPLANATION

  Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Mr. Chair, I missed the following votes, but had I 
been present, I would have voted ``no'' on rollcall No. 641 and ``no'' 
on rollcall No. 642.
  The Acting CHAIR. There being no further amendment, under the rule, 
the Committee rises.
  Accordingly, the Committee rose; and the Speaker pro tempore (Mr. 
Yakym) having assumed the chair, Mr. Rutherford, Acting Chair of the 
Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, reported that 
that Committee, has had under consideration the bill (H.R. 4664) making 
appropriations for financial services and general government for the 
fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, and for other purposes, and, 
pursuant to House Resolution 847, he reported the bill, as amended by 
that resolution, back to the House with sundry further amendments 
adopted in the Committee of the Whole.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the rule, the previous question is 
ordered.
  Pursuant to clause 1(c) of rule XIX, further consideration of H.R. 
4664 is postponed.

                          ____________________