[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 56 (Thursday, March 27, 2025)]
[House]
[Page H1318]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
PURE BAIT AND SWITCH
(Mr. MIN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. MIN. Mr. Speaker, Elon Musk spent $277 million supporting Donald
Trump's campaign last year. In return, Trump has done all he can to
support Musk's business ventures, awarding billions in potential
contracts to Tesla and SpaceX. Trump even turned the White House lawn
into a Tesla showroom to try to boost Tesla sales.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, whose investment firm owns
hundreds of millions in Tesla stock, went on national TV to try to
increase Tesla's sagging stock price.
Our own colleague, Ms. Marjorie Taylor Greene, spent thousands of
dollars buying Tesla stock this year and then tried to weaponize the
DOJ to help increase Tesla sales. This is all blatantly unethical, and
much of it is illegal.
At the same time, Ms. Greene's DOGE subcommittee, following the
example of Elon Musk in February, is calling for the defunding of NPR
and PBS. Yes, Elon and Marjorie Taylor Greene are trying to kill Elmo.
However, here is the thing: Public broadcasting receives just a tiny
fraction of funding compared to the government contracts Elon stands to
gain. In fact, if you take away the new military contract for
cybertrucks alone, you will pay for all of PBS and NPR. Unlike
cybertrucks, PBS and NPR won't get recalled because they are falling
apart.
What is happening right now is pure bait and switch. Republicans are
trying to slash Medicaid, public schools, and programs like PBS so they
can give billions to Elon Musk and his fellow oligarchs. The corruption
we are seeing right now is outrageous, unprecedented, and cannot stand.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to refrain from
engaging in personalities toward the President.
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