[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 151 (Tuesday, September 16, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H4321-H4328]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 4922, DC CRIMINAL REFORMS TO
IMMEDIATELY MAKE EVERYONE SAFE ACT; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R.
5143, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA POLICING PROTECTION ACT; PROVIDING FOR
CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 5140, LOWERING AGE AT WHICH A MINOR MAY BE TRIED
AS ADULT FOR CERTAIN CRIMINAL OFFENSES IN DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA;
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 5125, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA JUDICIAL
NOMINATIONS REFORM ACT; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 1047,
GUARANTEEING RELIABILITY THROUGH THE INTERCONNECTION OF DISPATCHABLE
POWER ACT; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 3015, NATIONAL COAL
COUNCIL REESTABLISHMENT ACT; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 3062,
PROMOTING CROSS-BORDER ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE ACT; AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES
Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules,
I call up House Resolution 707 and ask for its immediate consideration.
The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:
H. Res. 707
Resolved, That upon adoption of this resolution it shall be
in order to consider in the House any bill specified in
section 2 of this resolution. All points of order against
consideration of each such bill are waived. Respective
amendments in the nature of a substitute consisting of the
text of the Rules Committee Print specified in section 3 of
this resolution shall be considered as adopted. Each such
bill, as amended, shall be considered as read. All points of
order against provisions in each such bill, as amended, are
waived. The previous question shall be considered as ordered
on each such bill, as amended, and on any further amendment
thereto, to final passage without intervening motion except:
(1) one hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the
chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on
Oversight and Government Reform or their respective
designees; and (2) one motion to recommit.
Sec. 2. The bills referred to in the first section of this
resolution are as follows:
(a) The bill (H.R. 4922) to limit youth offender status in
the District of Columbia to individuals 18 years of age or
younger, to direct the Attorney General of the District of
Columbia to establish and operate a publicly accessible
website containing updated statistics on juvenile crime in
the District of Columbia, to amend the District of Columbia
Home Rule Act to prohibit the Council of the District of
Columbia from enacting changes to existing criminal liability
sentences, and for other purposes.
(b) The bill (H.R. 5143) to establish standards for law
enforcement officers in the District of Columbia to engage in
vehicular pursuits of suspects, and for other purposes.
(c) The bill (H.R. 5140) to lower the age at which a minor
may be tried as an adult for certain criminal offenses in the
District of Columbia to 14 years of age.
(d) The bill (H.R. 5125) to amend the District of Columbia
Home Rule Act to terminate the District of Columbia Judicial
Nomination Commission, and for other purposes.
Sec. 3. The Rules Committee Prints referred to in the
first section of this resolution are as follows:
(a) With respect to H.R. 4922, Rules Committee Print 119-
10.
(b) With respect to H.R. 5143, Rules Committee Print 119-
11.
(c) With respect to H.R. 5140, Rules Committee Print 119-
12.
(d) With respect to H.R. 5125, Rules Committee Print 119-
13.
Sec. 4. Upon adoption of this resolution it shall be in
order to consider in the House the bill (H.R. 1047) to
require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to reform
the interconnection queue process for the prioritization and
approval of certain projects, and for other purposes. All
points of order against consideration of the bill are waived.
In lieu of the amendment in the nature of a substitute
recommended by the Committee on Energy and Commerce now
printed in the bill, an amendment in the nature of a
substitute consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print
119-9 shall be considered as adopted. The bill, as amended,
shall be considered as read. All points of order against
provisions in the bill, as amended, are waived. The previous
question shall be considered as ordered on the bill, as
amended, and on any further amendment thereto, to final
passage without intervening motion except: (1) one hour of
debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and
ranking minority member of the Committee on Energy and
Commerce or their respective designees; and (2) one motion to
recommit.
Sec. 5. Upon adoption of this resolution it shall be in
order to consider in the House the bill (H.R. 3015) to
reestablish the National Coal Council in the Department of
Energy to provide advice and recommendations to the Secretary
of Energy on matters related to coal and the coal industry,
and for other purposes. All points of order against
consideration of the bill are waived. The amendment in the
nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Energy
and Commerce now printed in the bill shall be considered as
adopted. The bill, as amended, shall be considered as read.
All points of order against provisions in the bill, as
amended, are waived. The previous question shall be
considered as ordered on the bill, as amended, and on any
further amendment thereto, to final passage without
intervening motion except: (1) one hour of debate equally
divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority
member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce or their
respective designees; and (2) one motion to recommit.
Sec. 6. Upon adoption of this resolution it shall be in
order to consider in the House the bill (H.R. 3062) to
establish a more uniform, transparent, and modern process to
authorize the construction, connection, operation, and
maintenance of international border-crossing facilities for
the import and export of oil and natural gas and the
transmission of electricity. All points of order against
consideration of the bill are waived. The amendment in the
nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Energy
and Commerce now printed in the bill shall be considered as
adopted. The bill, as amended, shall be considered as read.
All points of order against provisions in the bill, as
amended, are waived. The previous question shall be
considered as ordered on the bill, as amended, and on any
further amendment thereto, to final passage without
intervening motion except: (1) one hour of debate equally
divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority
member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce or their
respective designees; and (2) one motion to recommit.
Sec. 7. In the engrossment of the bill (H.R. 3633) to
provide for a system of regulation of the offer and sale of
digital commodities by the Securities and Exchange Commission
and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and for other
purposes, the Clerk shall--
(a) add the text of the bill (H.R. 1919) to amend the
Federal Reserve Act to prohibit the Federal reserve banks
from offering certain products or services directly to an
individual, to prohibit the use of central bank digital
currency for monetary policy, and for other purposes, as
passed by the House, as new matter at the end of H.R. 3633;
(b) conform the title of H.R. 3633 to reflect the addition
of H.R. 1919, as passed by the House, to the engrossment;
(c) assign appropriate designations to provisions within
the engrossment;
(d) conform cross-references and provisions for short
titles within the engrossment; and
(e) be authorized to make technical corrections, to include
corrections in spelling, punctuation, page and line
numbering, section numbering, and insertion of appropriate
headings.
Sec. 8. Section 5 of House Resolution 354, agreed to April
29, 2025, is amended by striking ``September 30, 2025'' and
inserting ``March 31, 2026''.
Sec. 9. Section 2 of House Resolution 313, agreed to April
9, 2025, is amended by striking ``September 30, 2025'' and
inserting ``March 31, 2026''.
Sec. 10. Section 4 of House Resolution 211, agreed to
March 11, 2025, is amended by striking ``for the remainder of
the first session of the 119th Congress'' and inserting
``during the period from March 11, 2025, through March 31,
2026''.
[[Page H4322]]
Sec. 11. The provisions of section 202 of the National
Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622) shall not apply during the
period from September 16, 2025, through March 31, 2026, to a
joint resolution terminating the national emergency declared
by the President on July 30, 2025.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from New York is recognized
for 1 hour.
{time} 1220
Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield
the customary 30 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from
Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), pending which I yield myself such time as
I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time
yielded is for the purpose of debate only.
General Leave
Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New York?
There was no objection.
Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 707 provides for
consideration of seven measures. The rule provides for consideration of
H.R. 4922, H.R. 5140, H.R. 5143, and H.R. 5125 under a closed rule with
1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and the
ranking member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform or
their respective designees.
The rule provides each bill with one motion to recommit.
The rule also provides for consideration of H.R. 3015, H.R. 3062, and
H.R. 1047 under a closed rule with 1 hour of debate each equally
divided and controlled by the chair and the ranking minority member of
the Committee on Energy and Commerce or their designees.
The rule provides each bill with one motion to recommit.
The rule also provides that in the engrossment of H.R. 3633, the
Clerk shall add the text of H.R. 1919 as passed by the House as a new
matter at the end of H.R. 3633.
Further, the rule tolls the day counts regarding resolutions of
inquiry until March 31, 2026.
Finally, the rule tolls the day counts until March 31, 2026,
regarding joint resolutions terminating the national emergencies
declared by the President on February 1, 2025; April 2, 2025; and July
30, 2025.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this rule and in support of the
underlying legislation. The rule before us provides an opportunity for
Congress to reverse the disastrous energy and crime policies left
behind by the previous administration and restore accountability where
needed the most.
For far too long, the American people have been forced to live under
a regulatory agenda that drove up costs, weakened our grid, and made
our communities less safe. These measures begin to roll back that
damage and put us on a stronger and safer trajectory.
To restore accountability in our energy policies, this rule provides
for consideration of H.R. 3015, the National Coal Council
Reestablishment Act. This legislation permanently restores the National
Coal Council, an advisory body for nearly four decades, providing
expert recommendations on matters affecting the American coal sector.
Established in 1984, the council delivered 40 reports to the
Secretary of Energy on coal markets, research and development into
clean coal technologies, and regulatory barriers that affect the coal
industry.
However, in 2021, at the behest of leftwing organizations, the Biden
administration disregarded this history and disbanded the council,
replacing it with an advisory body charged with fulfilling the left's
Green New Deal agenda. Make no mistake. This was not about policy, it
was about shutting coal out of the conversation, an essential piece of
our Nation's energy matrix.
The United States is home to the world's largest coal reserves, with
approximately 440 years' worth of supply at current production levels.
Today, our fleet of over 400 coal-fired power plants provide 16 percent
of America's electricity, and in five States, coal provides more than
one-half. In 17 States it provides more than 20 percent. Together, the
coal industry supports hundreds of thousands of jobs, lifts up small
communities across the country, and provides affordable and reliable
baseload power that helps keep prices stable.
Premature retirements of coal plants are being driven by Federal and
State policies that intentionally attack their financial viability, yet
the demand for electricity is only going up.
Since 2022, the retirement of 29,000 megawatts of coal capacity has
been delayed because of rising demand and insufficient replacement
resources. To put it bluntly, removing coal from the grid at this
moment in time would lead to higher costs and greater instability for
families and businesses. This is a reality that my colleagues on the
other side of the aisle refuse to acknowledge.
In New York we are already seeing what these anti-energy radical
policies have done: shutting down production of reliable baseload power
in favor of pursuing unrealistic and dangerous green agenda items.
Now, despite widespread public opposition, Governor Kathy Hochul and
Albany Democrats are moving forward with a ban on natural gas and
propane hookups in new construction starting in 2026. That means
families in western New York, where winters are long, snow is great,
and it is cold and oftentimes dangerous in these terrible winter
storms, they will be denied the ability to choose the energy source
that best keeps them safe and warm in their homes. Taking affordable
and reliable options off the table is not sound policy.
It is assaults like this on consumer choice and on the freedom to use
reliable, affordable energy like coal and natural gas that leave people
more vulnerable when the power goes out. That is why it matters who is
at the table. When it comes to energy policy, this measure makes the
National Coal Council permanent, so future administrations can't simply
shut it down for political reasons.
H.R. 3015 also reinforces President Trump's April 8, 2025, executive
order to reinvigorate America's clean coal industry recognizing that
coal must remain part of our future if we want to ensure future
prosperity, meet rising electricity demands, and lower costs for
families.
By reestablishing the National Coal Council, Congress will ensure
that reliable, affordable baseload power remains a cornerstone of our
energy policy while supporting family-sustaining jobs and fueling next-
generation industries like artificial intelligence.
The rule also provides for consideration of H.R. 3062, the Promoting
Cross-Border Energy Infrastructure Act. This measure creates a
transparent and permanent framework for permitting pipelines and other
cross-border energy projects.
For years, developers have been subject to political gamesmanship,
destroyed investments, and stranded jobs. The cancellation of the
Keystone XL pipeline was not based on science; it was simply based on
politics. The Biden administration sided with radical activists over
American workers in energy security for our country.
We have seen the same story play out in my own State of New York. The
Northern Access pipeline was a major natural gas infrastructure project
that promised thousands of good-paying jobs, more affordable energy for
families across the northeastern United States, and new tax revenue for
rural communities like mine in the southern tier.
However, instead of moving forward, that project was tied up with
endless red tape and obstructed by regulators. Western New York and the
southern tier lost jobs and investment in energy security that would
have come from it. A project that should have supported a large
construction workforce and strengthened our region was derailed again
because of politics.
This is exactly why permitting reform is needed and is needed now.
Without certainty, projects like this will continue to slip away,
taking good jobs and economic growth with them.
Energy developers, workers, and communities all deserve better. Yet
when it comes to the permitting reforms that would actually allow
critical energy projects to move forward, Democrats have consistently
acquiesced to the demands of radical environmental groups instead of
the needs
[[Page H4323]]
of American workers and their families.
The result is higher costs and fewer options for American families.
This legislation cuts through that red tape, gives developers
certainty, and ensures critical projects can move forward.
{time} 1230
In addition, the rule includes H.R. 1047, the Guaranteeing
Reliability Through the Interconnection of Dispatchable Power Act.
Year after year, projects that would keep the lights on and lower
bills are stuck in the interconnection queues and regulatory wait
lists. Sometimes as long as 7 years they are stuck there. That is
simply unacceptable. Families do not care about bureaucratic excuses.
They care about whether their homes are heated in the winter and cooled
in the summer. This legislation cuts through that backlog. It empowers
grid operators to prioritize projects that actually enhance
reliability.
Let us be clear about how we got here. Democrats have spent years
forcing premature retirements of coal, nuclear, and natural gas through
excessive regulation, while shoveling subsidies to wind and solar. The
result is interconnection queues flooded with projects that only have a
5 percent completion rate.
Meanwhile, Democrat policies have left ratepayers footing the bill
for two grids. One grid props up wind and solar with massive
transmission costs. The other is the backup power we all rely on when
the Sun is not shining and the wind is not blowing.
This measure puts reliability first. It follows the lead of major
grid operators who know the danger of relying too heavily on
intermittent sources, and it makes sure that the grid is strong enough
not only to keep the lights on at home but also to power next-
generation industries like AI and manufacturing so America, not China,
leads the future.
Mr. Speaker, energy security is, simply put, national security. The
rule before us takes important steps to keep power reliable and
affordable and American made.
But security is not just about the strength of our grid. It is also
about the safety of our communities. Nowhere is that failure of safety
more visible than right here in our Nation's capital.
While Washington should be a place that is showcased as what is the
very best of America, it has instead become a city struggling with
violent crime, juvenile offenses, and weakened law enforcement. The
next measures in this rule take direct aim at those failures and
restore accountability where the D.C. council has refused to act.
The rule also provides for consideration of H.R. 4922, the D.C.
Crimes Act of 2025. This legislation reasserts congressional oversight
over the District by prohibiting the D.C. council from further pursuing
its progressive, soft-on-crime sentencing guidelines.
The council has failed to keep residents and visitors from our
country and from around the world safe. Even as violent crime has
soared, police staffing has dropped to a 50-year low. This measure
takes direct aim at the council's reckless decisions. It lowers the
definition of a youth offender from under 25 to under 18 where it
belongs so that adults are simply treated as adults.
It ends judicial discretion that allows juvenile, violent offenders
to escape mandatory minimums, and it prohibits the council from
weakening mandatory minimums on sentencing guidelines any further.
Make no mistake, carjackings and robberies by juveniles are out of
control. More than 500 minors were arrested for robbery in 2023, and
more carjackings were committed by juveniles. Every American should be
able to visit their Nation's capital without fear of being the next
victim.
We know all too well what happens when local leaders choose leniency
over accountability. In my home State of New York, cashless bail has
unleashed a wave of tragic and entirely preventable outcomes. Governor
Hochul and Democrats have doubled down on procriminal policies that put
violent offenders back on our streets, leaving families and communities
to suffer the consequences. The American people deserve better. New
Yorkers deserve better. People in Washington, D.C., deserve better, and
President Trump has already stepped in to end cashless bail here in
Washington. It is long past time for New York to follow that lead.
The rule also provides for consideration of H.R. 5140, the District
of Columbia juvenile sentencing reform act. Since the pandemic,
juvenile crime has surged. More than 2,000 juveniles were arrested in
both 2023 and 2024. According to the Metropolitan Police Department,
over half of robbery arrests last year were juveniles. This year,
juveniles account for more than half of carjacking arrests. This
legislation responds to that reality.
Current law allows juveniles 16 and older to be tried as adults for
violent crimes. This measure lowers that age to 14. These are not
youthful mistakes. They are violent, life-altering crimes.
Consider the tragic example of Mohammad Anwar, a hardworking
immigrant killed in 2021 by two teenage girls during a carjacking. Both
will be back on the streets by the age of 21.
In July of 2023, another Lyft driver, who previously served as an
interpreter for the U.S. military in Afghanistan, was fatally shot
while driving. The teen responsible was just 14 years old. They were
sentenced to only 3 years of secure detention. Old enough to commit
horrific and senseless murder, yet he will be back on the streets in
just 3 years.
Let me be clear. This legislation applies only to violent crimes:
murder, first degree sexual abuse, burglary in the first degree, and
robbery while armed. These are serious offenses that endanger residents
and visitors to our Nation's capital every day. They demand serious
consequences to truly restore law and order.
The rule further provides for consideration of H.R. 5143, the
District of Columbia Policing Protection Act. In 2023, the council
imposed a set of restrictions that require officers to evaluate a
checklist of 14 factors to decide whether to pursue a fleeing suspect.
One of those factors even requires an officer to determine whether
anyone in the suspect's car had a chance to surrender a weapon. That is
absurd. Officers rarely have time or information to work through such a
checklist when a suspect takes off.
This legislation repeals those restrictions. It restores discretion
to trained officers. It allows pursuit when an officer or supervisor
determines it is necessary, the most effective means of apprehension,
and does not present an unreasonable risk to bystanders. Officers must
be able to act quickly to protect lives, and this measure restores that
authority.
Finally, the rule provides for consideration of H.R. 5125, the
District of Columbia Judicial Nominations Reform Act. The Judicial
Nomination Commission currently limits President Trump's choices for
D.C. judges to a very narrow list of names. That process is slow, it is
politicized, and it is very likely unconstitutional under the
appointments clause. The result has been persistent vacancies, clogged
courts, and criminals slipping through the cracks.
This legislation abolishes the commission and restores normal
constitutional processes. The President nominates; the Senate confirms.
That is how it works everywhere else in America, and that is how it
should work right here in D.C. A duly elected President should not be
bound by a bureaucratic commission when choosing judges. By ending this
broken system, we can fill vacancies faster, strengthen courts, and
ensure justice is delivered without delay.
Mr. Speaker, Democrats' soft-on-crime policies have failed in D.C.
just as they have failed in States like New York. These bills hold the
line, restore accountability, and put public safety ahead of politics.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this rule, and I reserve
the balance of my time.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York for
yielding me the customary 30 minutes, and I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Mr. Speaker, we just heard a whole lot of words from the gentleman
from New York, but the bills before us today are yet another example of
how backward Republican priorities are and how they are hurting this
country, hurting the economic well-being of the people I represent, and
hurting the economic
[[Page H4324]]
well-being of working people all over this country.
People are stressed about their budgets. They are worried about
prices going up. They are scared they might lose their jobs. People are
struggling to pay the bills and make ends meet, worried about saving
for college for their kids and how they are going to deal with the
exploding costs of healthcare.
Instead of addressing any of that, we are dealing with this. When we
are not dealing with this, Republicans are obsessed with fighting
culture wars. That is what they want 24/7: culture wars, culture wars,
culture wars. Some of them are now proposing a new committee to
investigate their political opponents, a new House un-American
activities committee that would make Joe McCarthy blush. That is all
this place is to Republicans: a venue for culture wars, a venue for
legislation to further divide people and divide this country.
Meanwhile, they do nothing, absolutely nothing for everyday people,
nothing at all.
{time} 1240
Actually, it is worse than nothing. They are actively trying to screw
over regular people. Look no further than yesterday. Democrats tried to
force a vote on Trump's tariffs, and nearly every Republican blocked
it. Every one of them is now on record as supporting Trump's disastrous
tariffs. They are not just ignoring the economy. They are making it
worse.
For the other side, this is all about genuflecting to Donald Trump.
It is all about power for the sake of power. It is not about the
American people. It has never been about the American people for
Republicans. It is about power, and they use that power to help the
rich, the well-connected, and the well-off.
Four of these bills that we are going to be dealing with are about
local issues in Washington, D.C., something none of my constituents
have ever asked me about. For the record, 0.2 percent of the U.S.
population lives in Washington, D.C., and Republicans want to get into
the weeds about their local policing policies.
Do you know what my constituents ask me about? They don't ask me
about local issues that affect Washington, D.C. They ask me about why
their healthcare insurance premiums are going up. They ask me about
prices going up because of Donald Trump's tariffs. They tell me they
need more money in their pockets to make ends meet.
Yet, week after week, Republicans do nothing about healthcare and
nothing about inflation. It is constant culture wars. It is constant
giveaways to the rich and powerful. It is constant distractions.
One of the Republican bills that we are considering today
reestablishes a coal council--not even establishes, reestablishes. Wow,
that is really important, a coal council. Who the hell asked for that?
A coal lobbyist?
Mr. Speaker, the Department of Energy already reestablished this
stupid council months ago. It is apparently so important that President
Trump hasn't even bothered to appoint anyone to it yet. If you look up
their website, he still hasn't appointed anybody to the council. Go to
the website.
This is stupid. We are wasting time by doing this. Energy prices are
going up in this country, and this is the majority's response:
reestablishing a coal council. You can't make this stuff up. This is
laughable.
The other bills that Republicans are bringing forward today are
giveaways to polluters who dump toxic chemicals into our air and water.
Why? Follow the money. Did the CEO of ExxonMobil call Donald Trump and
ask for a favor?
Mr. Speaker, all of these bills are a disgrace. The people we
represent want us to address the real issues that we face every day.
They want us to talk about the cost of living, healthcare, and fixing
what is broken with this country's economic system.
Meanwhile, as we are gathering here to do this stuff, the clock is
ticking toward a shutdown. Republicans control the House. They control
the Senate. They control the White House. They should be able to fund
the government, but they won't. They won't.
Let me be clear: Democrats are not going to stand by and do nothing
while my Republican colleagues try to kick millions of people off their
healthcare.
I hear that the Speaker of the House is saying that it is no big
deal, that we will just kick the can down the road, deal with it
sometime, maybe in December, and talk about it then.
Let me be clear. I will speak in ``See Spot Run'' language so that my
Republican colleagues can understand. Mr. Speaker, the CBO, the
Congressional Budget Office, says that 1.5 million people--that is a
lot of people--will lose their healthcare if we wait. People's
premiums--that is, their monthly payments--will go way, way up because
the insurance companies are making important decisions right now about
how much to charge. We do not have time to wait.
Mr. Speaker, now that that is clear, Republicans have three choices:
First, they can work with us in a bipartisan way to make sure it
doesn't happen. Second, they could do what Trump said and pass the CR
alone since they control government. Third, they can choose to shut the
government down.
Those are the three options. Democrats are for keeping the government
open, but we are not for passing legislation that tells millions of
people who we represent, including sick people: Good luck. You are on
your own. Best wishes.
We are not for that. If there is a shutdown, I say that Republicans
own this. It is their shutdown. If Republicans would rather shut down
the government than protect people's healthcare, then we do not share
the same values.
I want to keep people on healthcare, not kick them off. I go home and
ask people what they care about. I go to coffee shops and county fairs.
I hold townhalls--something Republicans should try to do, by the way.
Do you know what I hear from my constituents? They are sick and tired
of those at the top getting ahead while they struggle to pay their
bills.
They are sick and tired of Republicans in Congress passing bills to
help the rich while everyone else has to breathe in dirty air and drink
dirty water.
They are sick and tired of this culture war garbage and this weird
obsession that Republicans have with micromanaging Washington, D.C.
They want Republicans to leave Washington, D.C., the hell alone and
focus on their own damned communities.
They are sick and tired of Republicans trying to kick people off of
their healthcare to pay for taxes for multimillionaires and
billionaires.
These are rotten bills. To top it all off, we have seven more
completely closed rules with no amendments allowed. Take it or leave it
from this Republican majority. I think we ought to leave it. These are
terrible bills that are going to hurt the people we represent.
Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``no'' vote, and I reserve the balance of my
time.
Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
My colleagues on the other side of the aisle love to talk about
affordability. They love to play class warfare, but if Democrats were
serious about lowering costs for working families, then they wouldn't
have spent the last 4 years driving energy prices higher with more
regulations, higher taxes, and subsidies that pick winners and losers.
Families have felt the pain every time they fill up their gas tank,
pay their rising utility bills, or try to keep their lights on in their
small businesses.
Republicans, working with President Trump, are focused on real
solutions: Restoring energy policy that unleashes production here at
home secures our grid, delivers reliable, affordable power that
families and businesses can count on, and creates jobs in the process.
That is exactly what this rule is about.
The three energy bills before us are straightforward. They support
family-sustaining energy jobs. They streamline approvals for cross-
border infrastructure and ensure reliable and dispatchable generation
for the grid. Together, they mean lower bills for families, stronger
supply chains, and a more competitive America.
When Democrats talk about affordability, they don't have a leg to
stand on in this fight because it is their assault on the American
energy industry that led to so much of the inflation that this country
suffered under for the last 5 years.
The answer is right here in the rule, and we need to support this
legislation.
[[Page H4325]]
I strongly support the legislation and encourage my colleagues to do
the same.
Mr. Speaker, I want to touch on the gentleman's comments on tariffs.
Republicans are doing what Democrats promised the American people for
generations that they would do but utterly failed at: ensuring fair
trade, protecting American workers, and bringing countries to the
negotiating table in the process. For years, Democrats sold a bill of
goods to working-class Americans while they turned a blind eye as their
factories closed and their jobs were shipped overseas.
Today, Democrats claim to be the party of working families, and we
know that is not the case. Yet, it is President Trump, over the
Democrats' loud objections, who is fighting for fair trade deals for
our working families, like the working families in New York's 23rd
Congressional District.
Access to the American economy is a privilege, not a right. President
Trump is using tariffs as leverage to reduce reciprocal barriers,
safeguard our national security, and level the global playing field for
American producers and manufacturers, and it is working.
Treasury has already collected more than $29 billion in tariff
revenue this year, while countries like India, China, and South Korea
are at the table negotiating new deals as we speak.
This is the same decisive leadership that secured stronger trade
agreements with the EU, Japan, the U.K., and partners across Asia.
These aren't trade wars. They are trade wins that deliver more jobs,
higher wages, and greater opportunities for American families and
American products around the world.
Mr. Speaker, the same focus on protecting working families is exactly
what we are doing with the bills before us today. This rule advances
commonsense legislation to strengthen our grid, unleash American
energy, and restore coal's role in the mix.
Also, let's not underplay what it means to protect the people of
Washington, D.C., which we do have a Federal oversight responsibility
for. Having a crime-ridden Nation's Capital is unacceptable by any
metric.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
{time} 1250
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, Republicans are protecting American
families, my foot. You just passed this big, ugly bill that throws
millions of people off of healthcare, that gives tax breaks to
multimillionaires and billionaires, and then you accuse us of playing
class warfare because we are trying to stick up for the middle class in
this country, for working families. You can't call it class warfare
when you are giving tax breaks to multimillionaires and billionaires
while cutting people's healthcare benefits.
Let me just say for the record that in the gentleman's district, New
York District 23, as of 2024, 6,000 people in his district received tax
credits to help lower their monthly premium payments to make quality
comprehensive health insurance coverage more affordable, and these tax
credits are due to expire. These people are going to lose their
healthcare or they are going to see their premiums go through the roof.
For a 60-year-old couple earning $82,800 a year in the gentleman's
district, annual premiums would increase by $7,349. That is a 110
percent increase.
For a family of four earning $129,800 a year, ages 45 and up, the
annual premium would increase by $17,741. That is a 172 percent
increase.
For a family of four earning $64,000 a year, the annual premiums
would increase by $2,571. That is a 369 percent increase.
Mr. Speaker, I don't know. I guess in his district his constituents
don't care about that. According to him, they care more about
micromanaging D.C.
In my district and in other districts that I know of in this country,
people are worried about their healthcare costs, and we ought to do
something about it. We shouldn't kick the can down the road so more and
more people end up feeling the pain.
Mr. Speaker, if we defeat the previous question, I will offer an
amendment to the rule to strike sections 9, 10, and 11, which together
block privileged consideration of measures ending the administration's
global tariffs and tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and Brazil until March
31, 2026.
Mr. Speaker, President Trump made a campaign promise that he would
lower prices ``on day one,'' yet Trump's disastrous trade war continues
to increase the prices Americans are paying for food, for gas, and for
other everyday goods.
According to independent estimates, Trump's current tariff regime is
resulting in a $2,300 tax increase in 2025 alone for the average
American household. Fruits, vegetables, beef, and coffee are just some
of the products experiencing the highest price increases. Go to a
supermarket for heaven's sake in your district and you will know what I
am talking about.
This is not what the American people voted for. The U.S. Court of
Appeals for the Federal Circuit recently held that Trump's tariffs that
he imposed under the guise of bogus emergencies are unlawful and that
Congress, not the President, must make the calls when it comes to
imposing new tariffs.
As we await the Supreme Court's decision, Congress should be voting
on these tariffs and whether they should remain in place, but in the
Republican rule, they are, again, blocking the Congress from taking a
vote on whether we should keep or remove these emergency tariffs.
The President imposed huge tariffs on Canada and Mexico in February,
global tariffs in April, and most recently, a 50 percent tariff on
Brazil because he didn't like that his friend, Brazil's disgraced
former President, was just tried and convicted of trying to overthrow a
democratic election to stay in power.
Mr. Speaker, does that remind you of anyone, by the way?
The American people paid $30 billion in new tariff taxes in August
alone, and Republicans are continuing to hide their heads in the sand.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of my
amendment into the Record, along with extraneous material, immediately
prior to the vote on the previous question.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Massachusetts?
There was no objection.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, for God's sake, we ought to do our work.
We ought to live up to our constitutional responsibility and debate and
vote on these things. I am sorry that the President has instructed you
to do nothing, but we ought to do something.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr.
Meeks), the distinguished ranking member of the Foreign Affairs
Committee, to discuss our proposal.
Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. McGovern for his continued
leadership on the Rules Committee. I thank him for his leadership in
the people's House and for him always putting the working American
first.
Mr. Speaker, I heard my colleague say he is proud of the tariffs. We
need to do one thing: let's vote on it. Let's vote. That is how you
will see where we are. Let's vote on it. Let it go to the floor. Let's
review the tape from the past year.
President Trump has declared bogus international emergencies as a
pretext to tax imports from Canada, Mexico, and then the whole world,
passing these costs right to the hardworking American people. He wanted
to protect his friend, as Mr. McGovern said, former President
Bolsonaro, so he then announced another pseudo emergency to impose yet
more tariffs on Brazil.
The law that Donald Trump is using for tariffs on everyday consumer
goods was, in fact, meant to respond to actual global emergencies, not
personal vendettas. That is why Congress reserved power under the law
to author privileged resolutions to end any fake emergencies used to
grab Congress' power to tax.
Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleague from New York: Let's vote on it. Why
block a vote on the floor to see where Members of the House stand?
Just as multiple courts have now found, Trump's tariffs are illegal.
The House is also acting in contravention of the spirit of the law by
avoiding votes instead of having votes like the vote on my privileged
resolution to end these unjustified tariffs that harm Americans. We can
vote on it.
Speaker Johnson is doing this by literally declaring, again, that a
day is
[[Page H4326]]
not a day for the purpose of the international emergency law. A day is
not a day, but he is just doing what the other Speaker--the President,
but he is acting as Speaker--is doing what he is told.
This gameplaying is not the norm. Actually, just across the Capitol,
the Republican Senate, they are taking votes on similar resolutions
that have been offered. The Senate voted in a bipartisan way to end the
Canada emergency, but Speaker Johnson is refusing to allow that to
happen.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the
gentleman from New York.
Mr. MEEKS. The House should have a say. Even last Congress, the
Republican majority had votes on privileged resolutions under the
emergency law.
I can understand why some of my colleagues across the aisle might
wish to avoid such a vote. They don't want to be seen raising taxes and
increasing costs on everyday families in this country, but their
inaction is doing just that, by letting Donald Trump's fake emergencies
and tariffs continue unchecked.
Let me propose a solution: Do your job. The American people elected
us to take those tough votes. It is our time. The cameras of history
are rolling and what they are going to see is the Republican majority
shying away from the spotlight. Vote ``no'' on this rule.
Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, let's set the record straight. There is a lot to unpack
there and a lot of talk about playing games, but what my colleagues on
the other side of the aisle refuse to admit is how during the COVID-19
pandemic they had intentionally passed premium tax credits with a
sunset allowing them to expire and, in the process, playing politics
with the healthcare of millions of Americans.
If Democrats truly supported these credits, as they claim they now
do, being made permanent, they would have made them permanent when they
controlled both Chambers of Congress and the White House. It would have
been suggested by President Biden when he was in the White House that
it should have been a priority of the Congress. They refused to do so.
They never brought that up.
{time} 1300
Mr. Speaker, this is a pattern with Democrats. They would rather use
working families for their political means and ends than genuinely work
to make their lives better. The American people see that for what it
is. Mr. Speaker, you are hearing: The sky is falling. Everyone is going
to lose their healthcare if this is not attached to a CR at this
moment.
Yes, we do have the majority. I am confident we will pass the CR in
the House. However, Mr. Speaker, you know darn well that in the Senate,
Leader Schumer will hold the majority hostage using the filibuster to
force us into a shutdown, just like they threatened to do in March. I
mean, that is the tactic that is being played. All these expectations
are being set by the other side, knowing that they have a trap door,
and they intend to try to leverage the American people to get more of
their political will accomplished.
Republicans already voted to deliver lower premiums for patients by
passing H.R. 1, which targeted waste, fraud, and abuse across the ACA
marketplace. Democrats unanimously opposed this bill, showing once
again they are not serious about solving affordability problems for
everyday Americans, just like they are not serious about trying to keep
the government open. If they were, they would have supported these
commonsense policies. Instead, they would rather play politics.
Mr. Speaker, what we are actually debating today are commonsense
measures in this rule to strengthen American energy policy, to keep
violent crime off our streets here in our Capital City. These bills are
about lowering costs for working families, keeping our communities safe
and restoring accountability. We are getting the job done with or
without their support.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I am confused by what the gentleman said.
I don't know whether he supports the ACA tax credits or not. If he
doesn't, then 6,000 of his constituents will be adversely impacted. If
he does, then we should just fix it right now. By the way, Republicans
all opposed the ACA when it came up, so I don't want to hear that
garbage.
Don't blame the Senate. Donald Trump just said to Republicans over in
the Senate: Do it on your own. I think what he is referring to was just
last week Republicans nuked the filibuster when it comes to
nominations. Republicans control the House, the Senate, and the White
House. Basically what they are telling us is that they don't give a
damn about working families in this country, and that is what is at
stake here.
I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Doggett.)
Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, this rule further erodes the system of
checks and balances that has served our democracy so well. Republicans,
through it, are surrendering more and more unrestrained power to
President Trump. This rule is but another step on the march to tyranny.
Trump is seeking to create a master file of information on every
single American, a digital ID tracking your movements, where you live,
where you work, when you see a doctor, how much money you have, even
child support agreements, and much more. Today, Republicans are simply
rubberstamping that plan, the very kind of surveillance and intrusion
that Libertarians have always opposed.
Today, these Republicans are blocking us from presenting any
resolution of inquiry concerning the Trump administration, like the one
that I introduced on June 11 to demand the facts from the
administration about all of its wrongdoing, including what confidential
information it has accumulated on each American. Your data becomes
fully public and available to President Trump even as the Epstein files
remain fully buried.
Republicans are keeping the American people ignorant of what Trump is
doing with their private data: Ignorant of how he may use it against
his political enemies or his business competitors, ignorant of what he
may do if you have ever expressed any criticism of him, his family, his
policies, or maybe you just expressed support for someone that with his
latest whim he is opposed to. Now he will have a master file that
includes you to persecute and even prosecute.
Too intimidated by this self-proclaimed king, Republicans are
empowering what could become a police state. To shed light on this
descent into authoritarian darkness, to let the American people know
how their own government is centralizing their personal data, I
introduced a resolution of inquiry demanding that the administration
produce all the information related to the creation of this vast
searchable database with its handpicked contractor, Palantir, a company
that one Silicon Valley executive accused of building the
infrastructure of the police state.
I do agree with one Republican, Representative Warren Davidson, who
does believe in freedom and has described Trump's deal with Palantir as
dangerous and has said when you start combining all these data points
on individuals into one database, it really essentially creates a
digital ID, and it is a power that history says will eventually be
abused. With this administration, ``eventually'' will be very soon.
A vote for this rule is a vote to bury the truth and allow the
Federal Government to track Americans and invade their privacy with no
restraint. I strongly urge my colleagues to stand up for freedom and
reject this rule.
Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, my colleagues across the aisle want to
pretend Republicans are manufacturing a crime crisis in our Nation's
Capital, but the facts tell a completely different story. Under
President Biden and Democratic leadership, Washington, D.C., became one
of the most dangerous cities in America.
In 2023, D.C. had the fourth highest homicide rate in the Nation,
trailing only New Orleans, St. Louis, and Detroit. If D.C. were a
State, it would have had the highest homicide rate in America. That
number could be even higher because, as we know, D.C. officials may
have manipulated the crime
[[Page H4327]]
data to hide the true extent of the problem.
Democrats would rather fudge the numbers to justify their radical
policy experiments in places like D.C. than actually protect
communities from violent crime. The same thing is happening in my home
State of New York. They would rather quibble over process arguments and
gaslighting using false statistics than acknowledge how many lives have
been saved since President Trump took action to enforce law and order
in the streets of Washington.
This is how unserious and radical today's Democratic Party has
become. Contrast this with what has happened since President Trump
stepped in. In the 20 days following the Federal surge, carjackings
dropped 87 percent compared to the same period last year. Across the
board, violent crime fell 39 percent, burglaries dropped 45 percent,
and carjackings fell 75. More than 2,700 arrests were made and 323
firearms were recovered. These aren't talking points. They are results.
They are real safety improvements felt by families here in the District
of Columbia.
While Democrats scramble to defend their failed policies and liberal
experiments in America's major cities, and they downplay the true cost
in lives that come from policies that have long been supported in these
cities, Republicans are restoring accountability, enforcing the law,
and delivering real results to make our communities safer. That is
exactly what this rule is about.
The legislation before us strengthens accountability here in
Washington, D.C., our Nation's Capital. It should be the gem of the
country, and it will be again. If Democrats are truly serious about
protecting families, they should support this rule and all of the
underlying legislation, which is common sense to support law and order
and protect the lives of the residents and the visitors to this great
city.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, you have got to love these Republicans.
They spend more time talking about micromanaging 0.2 percent of the
American population in D.C. and more worried about that than they are
worried about the fact that over 99 percent of the American people are
about to see their premiums go up. Millions of people are going to lose
their healthcare. We just have a different set of priorities. We have a
different set of priorities.
By the way, when we talk about national security, healthcare is part
of it. If you don't have healthcare, you don't have security.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New Mexico
(Ms. Leger Fernandez), a distinguished member of the Rules Committee.
Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, when Republicans vote in favor of
today's rule, they will be voting in favor of higher coffee prices,
higher car prices, and higher prices for car seats and strollers.
Republicans will be voting for inflation.
They buried a provision in today's rule which prevents the House from
voting or even debating Trump's tariffs. Trump imposed a 50 percent
tariff on Brazil because he didn't like the fact that that sovereign
country was prosecuting a former President for staging a violent coup.
Now Republicans are making people pay for Trump's protection of that
convicted President in Brazil every time they buy coffee. That tariff
doesn't serve any economic purpose. Thanks to Trump's tariffs,
Americans across the country are already paying more for their coffee,
whether they drink Folgers or the New Mexico Pinon Coffee that we love
at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
{time} 1310
The Constitution says Congress should levy taxes and tariffs, but
Republicans don't have the courage to stand up to Trump, to stand up
for their constituents, the constituents who are taking food out of
their grocery carts because grocery inflation is back.
Remember, consumers pay for the tariffs, not foreign countries. Don't
brag about how much has been collected for tariffs because that is
money that has essentially been taken away from American families.
I hope my Republican colleagues realize what they are doing to
American working families and stop this madness. They can't hide behind
this rule and say they didn't vote on the tariffs.
Republicans have been warned. They should know what they are doing
when they vote for this rule. When they vote for this rule, they are
voting to continue Trump's tarifflation.
Vote against tarifflation. Vote against this rule.
Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, the authors of inflation, the creators of inflation on
the other side of this Chamber, the people who hypercharged an economy
and drove down the value of our dollar, are now going to lecture us on
why groceries cost so much. Where the hell have they been for the last
4 years? Where were they when Americans were struggling with the cost
of their groceries because gas was up near $4 a gallon?
Their policies determined that when they ran all facets of the
government. Now, they have this revisionist history, and they want to
talk about a cup of coffee.
The tariff negotiations that President Trump has used have created
new deals and new markets for our products around the globe. It is
making a more competitive America, and we are not going to be taken
advantage of by other countries anymore.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned just a few moments ago, Republicans are
blocking a vote on Trump's tariffs in this rule. I think it is pretty
obvious why. The consequences of his economic policy are being felt in
communities across this country, and Republicans know they can't defend
it. That is why they are not doing townhalls.
Moms and dads are coming home with pink slips because their employers
don't know if they can keep the doors open. Small businesses are
shuttering. Farmers are struggling under higher input costs and
shrinking markets.
Food, gas, electricity, basic goods and services--the prices are all
up. They are likely to climb even higher as Trump's tariffs ripple
through the supply chain. It is clear that the Trump economy is not
working for average Americans.
President Trump and Republicans promised to reduce inflation.
Instead, last month, we saw the largest monthly increase in inflation
since January.
They promised to reduce grocery prices. Instead, last month, grocery
prices spiked at the fastest pace in 3 years, driven in part by tariff-
fueled costs.
They promised to cut electricity prices in half. Instead, August
electricity prices were 6 percent higher than they were a year ago, and
Americans are having to navigate a weakening job market and rising
costs.
Fruits and vegetables are up nearly 2 percent. Dairy products are up
1.3 percent. Cereal and bread are up 1.1 percent. Meat, poultry, fish,
and eggs are all up a whopping 5.6 percent. Give me a break.
Mr. Speaker, let's be frank. The only winners in Trump's economy are
millionaires and billionaires. He packed his Cabinet with the rich and
well-connected. Republicans' reconciliation bill hands out nearly
$100,000 in tax cuts for those making over a million dollars a year in
2027 alone.
Just last week, the Trump administration started rolling back efforts
to crack down on offshore tax shelters that billionaires and giant
corporations use to avoid paying their fair share of taxes. Who does
that?
Mr. Speaker, Trump promised an economy for the American people, but
time and time again, his tariffs and policies have only delivered for
the ultrarich, while families, farmers, and small businesses pay the
price. We ought to be voting on this stuff.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Again, more and more class warfare, Mr. Speaker. We hear the term
``millionaires and billionaires'' thrown around. Yet, every single one
of them voted against all the tax benefits that would have helped the
middle class and will continue to help the middle class.
The minority voted against no tax on tips, against no tax on
overtime,
[[Page H4328]]
against doubling the child tax credit, and against doubling the
standard deduction, all things that put serious money back into the
pockets of my constituents.
Now, to my colleague, $1,800, $2,000, $2,500 might not seem like a
lot to him, but it might be two mortgage payments to my constituents.
Yet, every single one of them voted no.
I will not be lectured, and none of us should be lectured by people
who stood in the way of getting that tax code made permanent.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, is the gentleman talking about the reconciliation bill
that the Republicans brought to the floor that resulted in trillions
and trillions of dollars and more debt, all to give multimillionaires
and multibillionaires a tax cut? I mean, I am sorry. If there is class
warfare going on here, I know which side my Republican friends are on.
Mr. Speaker, millions of everyday Americans all across the country
are about to get notice that their healthcare premiums are going to
skyrocket, including in the gentleman's district. Moms, dads, and
grandparents, people working two jobs just to get by, are going to be
at their kitchen tables, facing the awful decision of which bills to
pay.
For nearly 24 million people in this country who have ACA marketplace
health insurance, premiums will increase, on average, by 93 percent. A
60-year-old couple making $80,000 per year will see their premiums
increase by over $17,000 per year. That is like $1,400 per month. A
family of four earning $64,000 will owe an extra $2,600 in healthcare
premiums every year.
Where on Earth are families supposed to find this kind of extra
money, Mr. Speaker? We are talking hundreds and hundreds, if not
thousands, of dollars. That is not extra change that you can find in
your couch cushion.
It will mean 5 million people, including 2 million with chronic
conditions, lose their healthcare coverage altogether.
It will mean older adults have to choose between paying their high
energy bills and affording their healthcare.
It will mean families going without food because their healthcare
premiums are unaffordable.
It will mean people fall behind on their rent just so they can afford
basic healthcare in the United States of America, the richest country
in the history of the world.
This is a crisis, Mr. Speaker. It is a crisis of the Republicans' own
making. Instead of spending the summer working with Democrats to
address this looming healthcare cliff, Republicans spent it instead
slashing Medicaid by a trillion dollars, kicking 15 million people off
their coverage altogether, blocking access to cancer screening and
prenatal care by defunding Planned Parenthood, cutting NIH's budget,
and taking food away from families with teenagers, veterans, and older
adults, which will make them less healthy, all to give tax breaks to
Elon Musk and Trump's billionaire friends.
Honest to God, Mr. Speaker, I have no idea what to say to the working
families who visit my office scared to death that their healthcare
costs are going to force them to go broke.
I don't know how my Republican friends can talk to people back home
in their districts, regular people, hardworking people, and somehow
justify what they are doing. I guess many of them don't because they
don't do townhalls.
With all due respect to the Speaker of the House, no, this actually
cannot wait. I understand why they are trying to minimize the crisis
that they created, I really do, but hardworking people back home are
counting on us, Mr. Speaker.
Congress must address this looming healthcare crisis now, including
one of the most significant healthcare premium hikes in history, and
the historic cuts to Medicaid that are closing hospitals and nursing
homes on a daily basis, to give families peace of mind that they won't
go bankrupt trying to afford their healthcare.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to the time I have
remaining.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Fine). The gentleman from Massachusetts
has 1 minute remaining.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I am losing my voice but not my passion.
Mr. Speaker, the truth is simple. Families are being crushed by high
prices. Rent, groceries, gas, and healthcare are all going up.
What are Republicans doing? They are obsessed with micromanaging
Washington, D.C., with not one, not two, not three, but four different
bills today about Washington, D.C.
I hate to break it to Republicans, but none of the people whom I
represent, and I think none of the people from the gentleman's
district, live in Washington, D.C., which leads me to wonder why the
hell Republicans are wasting time on this nonsense.
{time} 1320
Mr. Speaker, the other bills that we are dealing with hand out favors
to Big Coal and Big Oil. Again, there is nothing for regular families
from these guys. There is nothing for average Americans. They have no
vision and no plan for economic growth.
The bottom line is that healthcare premiums are about to go through
the roof. People will see their healthcare bills explode because these
guys refuse to act.
Republicans are putting ideology over everyday people. They are
putting headlines over solutions. They are playing games instead of
governing.
All of this--micromanaging D.C. and the coal commission garbage--is
what the Republicans are focused on while the government teeters on the
edge of a shutdown, while Trump's tariffs drive up prices, and while
millions of people are about to get kicked off their health insurance.
Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``no'' vote, and I yield back the balance of my
time.
Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, for far too long, Americans have been forced to endure
higher costs, weaker energy security, and rising crime because of
policies pushed by the left.
The American people rejected that approach last November, and they
elected a President and a Congress committed to restoring
accountability, protecting families, and ensuring our future is built
on reliable and affordable American energy.
The measures in this rule fulfill that promise. They strengthen our
grid, cut through bureaucratic red tape, and make sure America, not
China, leads in powering the next generation.
They also hold the line on public safety by rolling back soft-on-
crime policies here in our Nation's Capital in Washington, D.C., and
they restore the accountability that local leaders have refused to
enforce.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly support the rule before us today and the
underlying legislation.
The material previously referred to by Mr. McGovern is as follows:
An Amendment To H. Res. 707 Offered By Mr. McGovern of Massachusetts
Strike sections 9, 10, and 11.
Mr. LANGWORTHY. 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 will be postponed.
____________________