[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 145 (Wednesday, September 18, 2024)]
[House]
[Page H5432]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
REPUBLICANS' ANTI-ESG AGENDA
(Ms. HOULAHAN asked and was given permission to address the House for
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
Ms. HOULAHAN. Mr. Speaker, what happened to the Republican Party that
once stood for free market capitalism, for for-profit businesses to be
allowed to run their companies as they wanted, to be able to have
people not be fettered by people like us here in Congress? Seriously,
what happened to them?
I rise in opposition to my Republican colleagues and their efforts to
strip Americans of their freedom to build, invest in, and do what is
right for them, themselves, and their businesses. These bills that
these Republican Members are passing and advancing this week will take
away these rights from these businesses, investors, and consumers
alike.
What does this mean? It means businesses can't account for record
storms that impact their bottom line, retirees' hard-earned savings
will suffer under limited investment options, or company policies that
elevate women and minorities will be ignored.
Simply put, Republicans are trying to cancel freedoms that have been
studied and proven to increase profits long term. It is absurd, and
dare I say, it is pretty weird.
As co-chair of the Stakeholder Capitalism Caucus and a proud
Pennsylvanian business leader, I urge my colleagues to reject this
anticapitalist agenda.
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