[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 56 (Wednesday, March 25, 2026)]
[House]
[Pages H2688-H2696]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 8029, PAY OUR HOMELAND DEFENDERS
ACT; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H. RES. 1128, EXPRESSING THE
SUPPORT OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 5103, MAKE THE DISTRICT
OF COLUMBIA SAFE AND BEAUTIFUL ACT OF 2026; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION
OF H.R. 7084, DEFENDING AMERICAN PROPERTY ABROAD ACT OF 2026; AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES
Mrs. HOUCHIN. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I
call up House Resolution 1131 and ask for its immediate consideration.
The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:
H. Res. 1131
Resolved, That upon adoption of this resolution it shall be
in order to consider in the House the bill (H.R. 8029) making
appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for
the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other
purposes. All points of order against consideration of the
bill are waived. The bill shall be considered as read. All
points of order against provisions in the bill are waived.
The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the
bill and on any 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 Appropriations or their respective
designees; and (2) one motion to recommit.
Sec. 2. Upon adoption of this resolution it shall be in
order without intervention of any point of order to consider
in the House the resolution (H. Res. 1128) expressing the
support of the House of Representatives for the Department of
Homeland Security. The amendments to the resolution and the
preamble printed in the report of the Committee on Rules
accompanying this resolution shall be considered as adopted.
The resolution, as amended, shall be considered as read. The
previous question shall be considered as ordered on the
resolution and preamble, as amended, to adoption without
intervening motion or demand for division of the question
except one hour of debate equally divided and controlled by
the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on
Homeland Security or their respective designees.
Sec. 3. Upon adoption of this resolution it shall be in
order to consider in the House the bill (H.R. 5103) to
establish a program to Beautify the District of Columbia and
establish the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful
Commission. All points of order against consideration of the
bill are waived. The amendment in the nature of a substitute
recommended by the Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform 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 Oversight and Government Reform or
their respective designees; and (2) one motion to recommit.
Sec. 4. Upon adoption of this resolution it shall be in
order to consider in the House the bill (H.R. 7084) to amend
title 46, United States Code, with respect to the types of
vessels that may enter or operate in navigable waters of the
United States or transfer cargo in any port or place under
the jurisdiction of the United States, 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 Transportation and
Infrastructure 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 Transportation and Infrastructure
or their respective designees; and (2) one motion to
recommit.
Sec. 5. Section 8 of House Resolution 707, agreed to
September 16, 2025, is amended by striking ``March 31, 2026''
and inserting ``the remainder of the One Hundred Nineteenth
Congress''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman from Indiana is recognized
for 1 hour.
Mrs. HOUCHIN. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield
the customary 30 minutes to the 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
Mrs. HOUCHIN. 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
gentlewoman from Indiana?
There was no objection.
{time} 1220
Mrs. HOUCHIN. Mr. Speaker, last night, the Rules Committee met and
produced a rule, House Resolution 1131, providing for the House's
consideration of four pieces of legislation.
First, the rule provides for H.R. 8029, the Pay Our Homeland
Defenders Act, to be considered under a closed rule. It provides 1 hour
of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking
minority member of the Committee on Appropriations or their respective
designees, and provides for one motion to recommit.
Second, the rule provides for H. Res. 1128, expressing support of the
House of Representatives for the Department of Homeland Security, to be
considered under a closed rule. It provides for 1 hour of debate
equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member
of the Committee on Homeland Security or their respective designees.
Third, the rule provides for H.R. 7084, the Defending American
Property Abroad Act to be considered under a closed rule. It also
provides for 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the
chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Transportation
and Infrastructure, or their designees, and provides for one motion to
recommit.
Last, the rule provides for consideration of H.R. 5103, the Make the
District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Act of 2026, under a closed
rule. It provides 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by
the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Oversight and
Government Reform, or their designees, and provides for one motion to
recommit.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this rule and in support of the
underlying legislation.
At a fundamental level, this rule addresses our core
responsibilities: maintaining public safety at home, defending American
interests abroad, and ensuring the continuity of essential national
security operations.
The underlying bills represent a consistent theme: America First.
This White House and Republicans in Congress have never wavered from
that ideal.
[[Page H2689]]
Let me begin with the Department of Homeland Security funding bill.
We are now more than 1 month into the Democrats' shutdown of one of the
most critical Departments in the Federal Government, the second longest
shutdown in history. The consequences are real, and they are growing.
During the State of the Union Address, President Trump challenged
Members of Congress to stand if they support the principle that the
first duty of American Government is to protect American citizens, not
illegal aliens. The majority of Democrats remained seated.
Let's be clear about what the Democrat shutdown means for the
American people. It means Democrats are putting the interests of
illegal aliens over our own citizens, and they, unbelievably, do this
again and again. It is clear their policies are wildly unpopular, with
not even 66 percent support from Democratic voters. It is no wonder
they want illegal aliens to count in the Census and vote.
House and Senate Democrats have voted seven times--seven times--
against funding DHS, and already the shutdown has resulted in $2.5
billion in economic losses.
Across the country, essential workers are continuing to report for
duty without pay. These individuals are responsible for airport
security, disaster response, cybersecurity, and a range of other
missions that affect public safety. At the same time, other employees
have been furloughed, delaying important work and placing additional
strain on those who remain on the job.
In total, over 100,000 DHS employees, including TSA officers at our
airports, Coast Guard personnel, and FEMA staff, have been directly
impacted by the Democrats' shutdown. That is roughly $1 billion in
unpaid wages every month, and thousands of DHS personnel who, thanks to
the Democrats, have worked with no pay for 49 percent of this fiscal
year.
The ripple effects extend far beyond the workforce itself. Travelers
are encountering longer and longer wait times, with some airports
reporting 4- to 6-hour lines to clear security. Staffing shortages are
becoming more and more pronounced. Experienced personnel are leaving,
including 450 TSA agents, and replacing them is neither quick nor easy.
Meanwhile, agencies tasked with responding to emergencies are being
forced to scale back planning and recovery efforts. All of this is
happening while uncertainty continues, with no clear resolution in
sight.
The burden of the Democrats' stunt continues to fall on Federal
employees and the American public. That is not how critical national
security functions should be managed.
Regardless of political differences, there should be a shared
understanding that maintaining the operations of agencies responsible
for protecting this country is essential. That includes our border
security and our ICE agents. Delays and disruptions of these functions
carry real risks--risks to efficiency, to morale, and, most
importantly, to safety.
It is irresponsible and easily reversed. Democrats should vote to
fully fund DHS when they have the opportunity to do so for the eighth
time this week.
This rule also provides for consideration of a resolution expressing
support for the Department of Homeland Security, led by my good friend
from Pennsylvania, Congressman Ryan Mackenzie.
Now more than ever, we need to stand with the men and women carrying
out the mission of DHS. While our military is engaged abroad, Democrats
have shut down the agency responsible for securing the homeland, and
Americans are less safe because of it. Ending this shutdown and passing
this resolution makes clear we stand with those who protect this
country, not the politics that undermine them.
I turn now to the Defending American Property Abroad Act. For
generations, the United States has stood for the principle based in
liberty that individuals and businesses should be able to invest,
operate, and compete under the protection of clear and predictable
rules. Respect for private property is essential to that system. It is
what allows markets to function, innovation to thrive, and economic
relationships to grow. However, those principles are not always honored
beyond our borders.
There have been repeated instances where American companies have seen
their assets seized or undermined in ways that are inconsistent with
international commitments. When that happens without consequence, it
doesn't just harm a single business. It sends a signal that these
agreements can be ignored. When there are no meaningful consequences,
the problem grows.
Existing agreements establish expectations, but expectations alone
are not enough. They must be backed by credible enforcement.
This legislation is designed to fill that gap, and I thank
Representative Pfluger for his work on it. It creates a more structured
and timely way for the United States to respond when American-owned
property is treated unfairly abroad. It strengthens our ability to
deter such actions before they happen and to respond more effectively
when they do.
It also reinforces the basic idea that access to the benefits of
economic engagement with the United States comes with responsibilities.
If foreign actors expect to participate in our markets, then they must
also respect the rules that govern fair treatment of American
businesses.
Failing to respond when these standards are violated doesn't preserve
stability. It undermines it. This bill represents a measured and
necessary step toward protecting American interests and reinforcing the
integrity of the global economic system.
Lastly, Mr. Speaker, I want to turn to the Make the District of
Columbia Safe and Beautiful Act. Washington, D.C., is where Americans
come to connect with their history, where visitors from around the
world come to understand our values, and where we, as elected
Representatives, carry out the work of the people.
Because of that, the condition and safety of our Capital matters, not
just to those who live there, but to the country as a whole. Yet, for
too long, too many people have experienced a different reality when
they visit Washington. Concerns about public safety, disorder in public
spaces, and the condition of key landmarks became more and more visible
and pressing.
When we take public safety seriously and stop being soft on crime, we
see results. After President Trump deployed the National Guard, crime
dropped significantly. In the first 30 days alone, total crime fell by
roughly 18 percent compared to the same period the year before. Violent
crime dropped by nearly 50 percent. Carjackings fell by more than 80
percent.
Those trends have continued. This year, thanks to President Trump,
violent crime is down more than 30 percent; robberies have been cut by
more than one-half; and homicides are down sharply compared to last
year. That is what happens when we support law enforcement and restore
order.
Addressing these challenges requires more than temporary measures. It
requires a sustained, coordinated effort that brings together relevant
agencies and ensures that responsibility doesn't fall through the
cracks.
That is what this bill is intended to do.
Public safety should not be a partisan issue. The majority of
Americans want safer streets, cleaner public spaces, and a Capital that
reflects the strength and beauty of this country, especially on her
250th birthday.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the rule and the
underlying bills, and I reserve the balance of my time.
{time} 1230
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Indiana for
yielding me the customary 30 minutes, and I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Oh, my God, Mr. Speaker, it is pretty unbelievable that this is what
House Republicans are spending time on right now. Wow. I mean, every
time I think they can't do any worse, my Republican friends always defy
expectations.
People are standing in long lines at airports. Flights are delayed.
Travelers are confused, and they are frustrated. TSA officers are
stretched thin, exhausted, being jerked around because Republicans
cannot govern responsibly even though they control everything.
Now, let me set the record straight from the outset. Democrats are
ready
[[Page H2690]]
to fund the people and agencies that actually protect the public: TSA,
FEMA, and the Coast Guard. We agree they need full funding, and I think
there are more than a few Republicans who would join with us in that.
Just last night in the Rules Committee, two Republican Members,
including the gentlewoman from Indiana, voted with Democrats on a
motion to fund the TSA. I thank her for doing that, but that vote
failed because Republicans voted against making it in order. Clearly,
there has to be some bipartisan appetite to try to get this thing
resolved.
I mean, take for instance Senate Majority Leader John Thune, the
Republican who offered a deal to fund the Department outside of ICE
which, by the way, already has years of funding due to the Republicans'
big, ugly bill. You know the big, ugly bill, the bill that gave
millionaires and billionaires tax cuts, that cut SNAP by $200 billion,
that cut Medicaid by a trillion dollars. They actually snuck in more
funding for ICE and CBP in that.
The Republican-manufactured crisis could have been over, but that
deal was shot down by Trump who said, in Republican Senator John
Kennedy's words: ``No deals with the Democrats.'' He continued: ``It
would have worked. We could have had TSA paid by the end of the week,
but the President said, `no deal'.''
What is wrong with him? What is going on here? Let's be clear about
what happened over the past few days. The Republican President tanked a
deal offered by the Republican Senate Majority Leader to get us out of
this crisis. This is the worst kind of politics, and it is why people
are sick and tired of this Republican Congress.
TSA agents continue to go unpaid, and FEMA and the Coast Guard
continue to go without funding, all because President Trump decided to
throw another temper tantrum. But Democrats are not in charge.
Republicans control the House. I wish they didn't, but they do.
Republicans control the Senate. I wish they didn't, but they do.
Republicans control the White House. It is a disaster for America that
a Republican controls the White House, but it is the reality.
If they wanted to solve this, they could solve it.
Now Trump is causing further chaos by sending ICE into airports. ICE
agents are not trained to do TSA's job. Sending immigration agents into
airports does not fix a staffing crisis. It makes things more chaotic,
more intimidating, more ridiculous.
Passing the same DHS bill today--for a third time--is a gigantic
waste of time. Now, there is a clear solution to this crisis, but it
means my Republican colleagues need to stand up to Trump for once in
their lives.
In addition to failing to fund the Department of Homeland Security,
this rule does a whole lot of nothing when it comes to helping regular
people. It includes a nonbinding resolution to say that Congress
supports DHS. Boy, that is just what TSA agents want, a nonbinding
resolution to say: Hi, how you doing? I mean, that will pay the bills.
Give me a break.
Also included are a bill about a single port in Mexico and another
bill about graffiti in D.C. I mean, are you kidding me? Are they
serious when they bring this stuff to the floor? I hate to tell you,
but costs are up and anxiety is up. The country is in trouble, and the
President's recklessness abroad is making an already difficult economic
picture even more dangerous for working families here at home.
Donald Trump has dragged this country into another stupid, illegal
war in the Middle East, and there is no doubt about it, working people
are going to pay the price. Gas prices are already up $1 a gallon
because of this nonsense. For what? For what?
Yesterday, Trump was bragging that we ``won.'' We won what? Reuters
reported at the same time that his administration was preparing to send
thousands more U.S. troops into the region. I mean, that is not a
strategy. That is not strength. That is a President pretending the war
is over while taking steps to drag us in deeper.
Let's not forget the dishonesty here. Last Friday, Trump acted like
further bombing might be held off because substantial talks were
happening. Talks with whom? Iran has denied there were direct
negotiations. They say talks hadn't even begun.
Once again, this administration says whatever it thinks the markets
want to hear, whatever it thinks the public wants to hear, and the
truth comes later, if it comes at all.
That is what is so infuriating about all of this. These guys, they
don't care that regular people are hurting. They don't care that
families are barely keeping their heads above water. They don't care
that parents are worried about prices or that military families are
worried about where their sons and daughters are being sent and why.
These guys don't care that TSA officers have been left hanging while
Republicans play games with basic funding.
Let me say this as clearly as I possibly can: Republicans own this.
They own this. They have the power of agenda-setting. They could fix
this in a nanosecond. If they put a bill on the floor today to fund TSA
or FEMA or any of the law-abiding agencies, it would pass the House and
it would pass the Senate. But that is not what the House leadership is
doing. It is a choice, and Republicans own it.
I do want to just say one other thing, Mr. Speaker. I mean, when the
gentlewoman and other Republicans talk about how much they care about
our Federal workforce, I have got to tell you, it rings hollow. Where
on Earth have Republicans been for the past year and a half when Donald
Trump has repeatedly gone after hardworking Federal employees? Where
have they been?
Trump has said Federal workers are ``destroying this country.'' He
called them ``crooked'' and ``dishonest.'' Russell Vought, Trump's own
Director of Management and Budget, said he wanted Federal workers ``to
be traumatically affected. When they wake up in the morning, we want
them to not want to go to work, because they are increasingly viewed as
the villains.'' That is this administration.
Where have my Republicans been defending Federal workers? These are
hardworking Americans, Mr. Speaker. They help ensure that we have clean
water. They help our veterans get healthcare. They help older adults
access the Social Security benefits that they have earned. They help
small businesses thrive. They have been treated like garbage by this
administration, and nobody on the other side bothers to stand up for
these Federal workers.
On day one of this administration, Trump and his DOGE goons laid out
their plan to tear apart our Federal workforce. They went on a witch
hunt, carrying out mass terminations across government and cruelly
forcing longtime, upstanding Federal employees out of their jobs.
Republicans in this Chamber cheered that on, even though it caused
harm to everyday Americans, people that they represented. Where was
everybody? Where the hell were they all?
Where were my Republican colleagues--and this is rich--when Kristi
Noem said she was going to get rid of FEMA, abolish FEMA? They are on
the floor today saying we have got to pay our FEMA workers. Where were
they when Kristi Noem was saying we should abolish the entire agency?
How about when Trump abruptly fired 400 DHS employees at the beginning
of 2025? Where were they all? Where have they been as Trump is tearing
apart the U.S. Department of Agriculture, shuttering offices, forcing
longtime staff out of their jobs to the detriment of our farmers,
hungry families, and food supply?
I mean, House Republicans are supporting this nonsense, this theater
that we are dealing with here today on the House floor.
{time} 1240
Let me be clear: I want TSA workers to get their paychecks. I want
FEMA fully operational. That is why I have been on record for weeks
trying to reopen these agencies. That is why Democrats have
continuously forced votes on reopening all of these lawful agencies and
departments.
Please, don't pretend that Republicans have always been on the side
of Federal workers. Trump has made their lives unbearable through the
chaos he has inflicted upon them, and Republicans in this Chamber
haven't done a damn thing to stop him.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
[[Page H2691]]
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Weber of Texas). Members are reminded to
refrain from engaging in personalities toward the President.
Mrs. HOUCHIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I will remind my colleague that they can stop all of
this pain at our airports by voting this week for our bill, the Pay Our
Homeland Defenders Act.
Let us remind the American people that the Democrats have voted seven
times against funding TSA. Seven times they have had an opportunity to
fund TSA, and seven times they have voted against funding TSA.
This causes the second longest shutdown in history. 100,000 DHS
workers are going without pay, 450 TSA agents have quit, and 49 percent
of the fiscal year 2026 TSA agents have worked without pay. Seven times
the Democrats have voted against funding TSA. They have an eighth
opportunity to fund it this week. I hope they will vote in favor of the
Pay Our Homeland Defenders Act.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr.
Haridopolos).
Mr. HARIDOPOLOS. Mr. Speaker, I like that recent quote I heard on the
floor just a few minutes ago: Let us not forget the dishonesty here.
That is a very rich comment. I see the ranking member of the
Appropriations Committee is here. They worked out a deal in order to
fund DHS, not part of it but all of it, and the one part they keep
leaving out is the idea about ICE.
ICE is somewhat important. Ten million people entered this country
illegally and so many of them--as we have seen on the website,
wow.dhs.gov, which has outlined clearly the crimes that were committed.
You need ICE agents to actually go after people who committed the
crime, not just of coming here, but crimes committed once here.
Many of these are violent crimes. We can go through name after name
of tragedies, destroyed lives. They want to play politics with this.
This idea of we are wasting time--we are wasting time for one simple
reason: They won't fully fund DHS, all of it. The reality is, right
now, not just 10 million people have entered this country, but we are
in a conflict overseas. We have seen twice in Michigan, once in Texas,
and once in Virginia that the homeland is under attack, and they play
politics. As a person who has been here since 1996, the rules are
pretty simple. We all know them. You need 60 votes in the Senate to
pass anything, and they play this game like we didn't take a history
class.
As a history teacher myself, let's go back and teach history the
right way instead of playing games. More importantly, let's actually
fund the homeland so that we can keep our people safe because there are
people in harm's way and we need ICE agents, not just playing whack-a-
mole with different agencies.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I feel like my head is about to explode with all this
nonsense that is being thrown out here.
Let's just state for the record that ICE has years of funding because
of the big, ugly bill, tens of billions of dollars that they put in
that bill, again, the bill that gave millionaires and billionaires tax
cuts and that screwed over poor people by cutting SNAP by $200 billion.
They cut Medicaid by a trillion dollars in that bill where they snuck
in tens of billions of dollars.
The gentleman doesn't respond. He left. That is fine. I get it, but
that is just the reality. I don't know what the hell he is talking
about.
To the extent that maybe there was an informal agreement on how to
proceed, there might have been, but that was before ICE murdered U.S.
citizens, before they murdered U.S. citizens.
I am sorry that people on the other side don't think that that is
outrageous or terrible or awful, but we do. We do, our constituents do,
and I know your constituents do.
Mr. Speaker, if we defeat the previous question, I will offer an
amendment to the rule to bring up H.R. 7481, the Department of Homeland
Security Appropriations Act of 2026, sponsored by Ranking Member
DeLauro, a bill which only funds law-abiding agencies under the
Department of Homeland Security and not the unlawful actions of ICE and
CBP.
Mr. Speaker, the entire mess at DHS is caused by one man, Donald
Trump, the guy they are all afraid of, who said that he would rather
leave TSA agents unpaid than negotiate with Democrats.
Democrats have repeatedly shown that we are ready to fund TSA, FEMA,
the agency that Kristi Noem, Trump's head of the DHS, wanted to
eliminate and Republicans didn't say anything about. But we want to
fund FEMA, the Coast Guard, CISA, and all the agencies acting lawfully.
Under this administration, ICE and CBP have not made it over that
bar. President Trump's ICE and CBP are out of control. According to the
Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court in Minnesota, ICE has violated
96 court orders in 74 different cases in 2026 alone, likely more
violations than ``some Federal agencies have violated in their entire
existence.''
American citizens have been murdered. This is the root of Democratic
opposition. These lawless agencies need to be reined in before they
receive any further funding. Yes, that is what Republicans want. They
want further funding.
Ranking Member DeLauro's bill does not defund ICE or CBP because,
again, these lawless agencies sadly were given plenty of money in the
big, ugly bill. Even the chairman of the Appropriations Committee, Tom
Cole, admitted last night in the Rules Committee that ICE and CBP are
``substantially funded.''
All Democrats are saying is that we should not shower these agencies
with even more money until real reforms, not BS reforms but real
reforms, are put into place to protect American citizens. These are
commonsense reforms.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of my
amendment into the Record, along with any 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, to discuss our proposal, I yield 2\1/2\
minutes to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), the ranking
member of the Appropriations Committee and the sponsor of this bill.
Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, the bill at issue in this rule today is not a serious
legislative effort. It is, once again, political theater. It is a bill
that has already been brought up several times and has gone nowhere.
This would be the third time, and the third time is not a charm. If I
take a look at the definition of insanity, it is doing the same thing
over and over again with the same outcome. This is madness, what we are
engaged in here, and, yes, a waste of time.
Unlike the bill the Republicans have put forward, I have a measure
that was introduced before the shutdown that actually has a good chance
of becoming law if only Republican leadership would stop blocking it
from receiving a vote.
They keep saying no to paying TSA employees. Understand this: 85
percent of ICE and CBP agents are already being paid, so what is the
administration doing? They are picking and choosing whom they want to
pay. They are holding these other employees hostage for political gain.
They view it as a political strategy. They want to continue to fund
lawless and rogue agencies.
What my bill would do is fund TSA, fund FEMA, fund the Coast Guard,
cybersecurity, Secret Service, and other parts of the Department of
Homeland Security, on which there was broad agreement.
Mr. Speaker, I have to just say, please, spare me your concern over
Federal employees. Where were my Republican colleagues when this
administration proposed eliminating FEMA entirely? Not a peep. Where
were they when the President proposed cutting cybersecurity by $500
million? Not a peep. Where were they when the President unilaterally
eliminated the collective bargaining rights for the TSA workers? They
were silent. Where were they when Kristi Noem spent $20,000 to rent a
horse so she could sit on the saddle of this horse for her political
ads that were sanctioned by the President
[[Page H2692]]
of the United States? Where were they when she spent $200 million of
Coast Guard money for two luxury airlines?
Give me a break. They care not a whit about what is happening to
Federal employees. Yes, they don't have a paycheck. Maybe if we didn't
have a paycheck, we would treat this differently.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the
gentlewoman from Connecticut.
{time} 1250
Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, they think our constituents are going to
forget that it has been 2 months removed since the murder of Alex
Pretti. This administration hopes we are going to forget about the
harassment, the violence, the chaos, simply because it is not much in
the news anymore. Wrong.
These are our constituents, our communities. These protections are
essential, but the Republican leadership is so opposed to any
protection that they refuse to pay Federal workers.
If we defeat the previous question, I will offer an amendment to the
rule to bring up my bill, H.R. 7481, so that Members can vote to fund
the parts of DHS we all agree on without any of the controversial
components we do not agree on.
I filed a discharge petition that would bring up my measure for a
vote. I encourage my Republican colleagues to sign on. I know some of
my Republican colleagues in the rank and file do not agree with what
their leadership is doing. They hear from Federal workers, TSA agents,
and constituents. They know there is no practical need to condition
funding for TSA on funding for ICE. They understand we can continue to
negotiate on immigration enforcement reform.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman's time has again expired.
Mr. McGOVERN. I yield 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from Connecticut
(Ms. DeLauro).
Ms. DeLAURO. I invite my colleagues to join me. We can fund TSA, we
can pay these workers, and we can do it today. We can end the long
lines at airport security. We can continue to negotiate on ICE and CBP
to find common ground on reforms that the vast majority of the American
people support.
Mrs. HOUCHIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I will remind my colleagues on the other side of the
aisle that they, too, can vote to fully fund DHS. They have an eighth
opportunity to do that today. They have declined funding DHS seven
previous times.
I remind my colleagues that there are real reforms in this bill that
were negotiated with the other side: reforms including mandates for
body cameras and de-escalation training for Immigration and Customs
Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection personnel. They are
asking us to not fund ICE and to not fund CBP. That is just not
something that we are going to do.
They are choosing, again and again, illegal aliens over American
citizens.
I understand that they have put forward this idea that we could
piecemeal funding for DHS, but we are just not going to do that. It is
a critical time and public safety is a factor, but also so is
protecting our American citizens from violent criminal aliens and
removing them from the country after Joe Biden and the Democrats let
them in with a wide-open southern border.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina
(Mr. Edwards).
Mr. EDWARDS. Mr. Speaker, western North Carolina is still recovering
from Hurricane Helene. Families are rebuilding homes, small businesses
are getting back on their feet, and our communities are repairing
critical infrastructure.
A Department of Homeland Security shutdown threatens critical
disaster recovery efforts in my district. Each day that the Department
of Homeland Security goes unfunded, funding in the Disaster Relief Fund
is drained, putting recovery efforts at risk. Once that money is gone,
recovery comes to a halt, leaving families and communities waiting even
longer just as they are trying to get back on their feet.
We can't let politics get in the way of disaster recovery. Every day
that DHS is shut down is another day that families, schools, and roads
in western North Carolina are left waiting.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues, please, fund DHS now. Let's help
ensure western North Carolina communities can continue to rebuild. We
simply cannot wait.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, as you know, we want disaster relief more than anybody.
We have been fighting for that. We have been fighting to protect FEMA.
Again, where were the Republicans when Kristi Noem and this
administration were leading the effort to actually eliminate FEMA and
get rid of everybody? I mean, where were you?
The gentlewoman says we need to fund unlawful agencies like ICE and
CBP to protect American citizens? I mean, are you kidding me? I mean,
was that real? I can't believe I heard that.
ICE has gassed schools. It has detained off-duty police officers. It
shot and murdered two American citizens. I mean, that is your idea of
protecting the American people?
ICE right now has more money in their bank account than most of the
world's militaries spend in a year. I will say that one more time: ICE
already has more money in their bank account than most of the world's
militaries spend in a year. Yet, they are asking that we give them
more.
The reforms that the gentlewoman talks about, give me a break. I
mean, we have raised issues about masks. We believe that you ought to
have judicial warrants before you break down somebody's door. We
believe that ICE agents ought to identify themselves and the agencies
that they are with. We don't believe you should be able to deport U.S.
citizens. We want those written into the law. I don't think any of
those ideas are radical.
Yet, the gentlewoman talks about reforms? I mean, come on.
Again, we have an opportunity right now to fund all of the lawful
agencies. Your beloved ICE and CBP unfortunately still have tens of
billions of dollars that you guys gave them in the big, ugly bill. They
still have money.
We can fund everything right now, and we can support our TSA agents
and FEMA, the Coast Guard, and everybody that we believe we all say we
want to help. We can do that right this second, and, yet, that is not
happening.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. HOUCHIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, apparently the only people the Democrats want to mandate
that they not wear masks is ICE and CBP.
These are very challenging times, but the gentleman from
Massachusetts said it himself: We have already funded ICE and CBP in
the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act, which makes their vote against fully
funding DHS as an entire Department entirely performative. They are not
standing on anything. This is political theater, and the American
people are suffering from it.
Mr. Speaker, I would remind my colleagues again they will have an
eighth opportunity to vote in favor of funding our TSA agents, FEMA,
Coast Guard, and cybersecurity. They will have an eighth opportunity to
do that this week. I hope they will vote in favor of the Pay Our
Homeland Defenders Act when it comes to the floor.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, the gentlewoman just admitted the sad reality that ICE
and CBP have billions of dollars already. I guess it doesn't bother her
that two Americans were killed and murdered or that we have seen the
excesses of ICE and CBP time and time again breaking into people's
homes without judicial warrants. I am sorry that the gentlewoman feels
that it is somehow a radical idea to ask somebody who may detain you
who they are and who they are with. I don't know why that is such a
radical idea.
What we are saying is: Why do you want to give them billions of
dollars more? ICE already has more money than most countries spend on
their militaries in a year, and you want to give them more money?
Here is the deal. What we are doing here in the House is a joke. I
mean, it is embarrassing. I am embarrassed for this House and for this
institution because my friends know full well that this is not going to
pass in the Senate.
[[Page H2693]]
They know how we get to ``yes,'' and that is to exempt ICE and CBP
from this bill. Everything else gets funded. If you want Democratic
votes, that is what you need to do.
{time} 1300
Mr. Speaker, Republicans control everything. They control the House,
the Senate, and the White House. I love it. They are in control of
everything, and they blame everything on Democrats, on somebody else.
They take no responsibility.
I am really surprised that the gentlewoman hasn't blamed Joe Biden
yet in her speech, which my Republican friends always do. I think they
will go back to Bill Clinton in the not-too-distant future because they
always find people to blame, but they take no responsibility.
If you are in charge, you have the responsibility not only to set the
agenda but also to lead. That is what the American people are asking
for: some leadership, some truth, and some honesty. We are not getting
any of that.
Mr. Speaker, I will talk about something different right now. I
realize that I may sound like a broken record talking each week about
the dysfunction of this Republican-led Congress, but, unfortunately,
for you and for my colleagues across the aisle and for the American
people, it just seems to be getting worse and worse as this Republican
majority keeps setting one terrible precedent after another.
Mr. Speaker, this rule that we are talking about right now blocks
privileged floor consideration of resolutions of inquiry for the rest
of the Congress. Why? It is because they don't want Democrats to have
any tools to shine the light on the corruption of this lawless
administration.
I know one thing. I don't want to hear any complaining from
Republicans the next time we are in charge if this privilege that they
are killing today never comes back.
Last fall, Republicans gave us the longest government funding lapse
in American history. This week, they have managed to give us the second
longest lapse, as well. What an accomplishment.
Last year, this Republican-led Congress held the fewest votes in the
first session of Congress in decades. Republicans wonder why nearly 70
percent of the American people don't trust Congress. Give me a break.
This place is not working for them.
Last night, I offered a motion to add a bill, cosponsored by the
gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. Houchin), to pay the TSA. While she
supported my motion, her Republican colleagues voted that motion down.
We can't even debate or vote on that on the floor today.
The gentlewoman's support of this rule, despite that embarrassment, I
think, is yet another piece of evidence that rank-and-file Republicans
have given up all of their power. This rule contains another four
closed rules, which means no amendments can be offered, bringing their
total to a new all-time record of 125 closed rules this Congress.
By the way, it is not just Democratic amendments that get rejected.
It is the majority of Republican amendments that get rejected.
Mr. Speaker, that is more than 85 percent of all rules brought to the
House floor: no amendments, no debate, no real democracy. In fact,
Rules Committee Republicans have not allowed a single amendment to be
debated on the House floor in more than 2 months, but rank-and-file
Republicans keep voting for the rules that block their own amendments.
I don't get that, but anyway.
Republicans have not allowed a single Democratic amendment in 3\1/2\
months, and it has been more than 6 months since the last bipartisan
amendment was debated on the floor.
Let's stop pretending that this is the people's House because it is
certainly not functioning like the people's House. Republicans are
ruining this Chamber, turning it into a rubberstamp for whatever Donald
Trump wants whenever he wants it. Their vision for this body is the
Russian Duma, a legislative body in name only. That is disgraceful.
That is dangerous. Frankly, it is a threat to our democracy.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to include in the Record an
article from MS NOW titled: ``It's already a record-setting Congress--
for all the wrong reasons.''
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Moore of North Carolina). Is there
objection to the request of the gentleman from Massachusetts?
There was no objection.
[From MS NOW, Mar. 23, 2026]
It's Already a Record-Setting Congress--for all the Wrong Reasons
(By Kevin Frey)
Congress already set one record last fall with a 43-day
government shutdown: the longest government funding lapse in
U.S. history. Now, with the ongoing shutdown at the
Department of Homeland Security surpassing the 35-day
shutdown of President Donald Trump's first term, lawmakers in
this Congress can claim another distinction: the second-
longest funding lapse in modern history.
By multiple measures, this Congress is breaking records--
largely for dysfunction.
For instance, in the first year of the 119th Congress, the
House held the fewest number of roll-call votes in the first
session in decades--362, according to congressional records.
The next two lowest on the list? The first year of the 102nd
Congress, which held 439 roll-call votes throughout 1991, and
the 117th Congress, which held 449 throughout 2021.
(Democrats controlled the chamber both of those years.)
By comparison, during the 118th Congress--when the GOP also
controlled the House--the chamber cast 724 roll-call votes in
the first year, ranking among the busier first sessions of
the past few decades.
Some of the roll-call disparity--undoubtedly--is driven by
the House GOP's strategy during last fall's shutdown, when
House Republican leaders opted to keep their caucus out of
Washington for weeks rather than work on other legislation or
cast additional votes, as Senate lawmakers worked to land a
shutdown-ending deal.
But congressional data also shows that in the first year of
the 119th Congress, the second-fewest number of bills became
law since at least the 1970s: 45. That is surpassed only by
the 29 in the 118th Congress, when the GOP led the House and
Democrats controlled the Senate and White House. (In the
1970s, some Congresses saw upwards of 200 bills become law in
the first year alone.)
Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., who serves as the top Democrat
on the House Rules Committee, argues that these data points
demonstrate the GOP's ``poor leadership'' of the chamber.
Of course, Republicans argue that this is not a fair
metric, noting the number of disparate measures they swept up
into their massive single reconciliation bill, which included
an extension of tax cuts, significant reductions to Medicaid
and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and
increased funding for immigration enforcement.
Republicans were proud of the legislation, arguing that its
passage would ``spark massive economic growth, wage
increases, and take-home pay.'' In the short term, though,
that has not happened. Less than two weeks ago, the Bureau of
Economic Analysis revised its estimate of economic growth in
the fourth quarter of 2025, calculating that the economy grew
at an anemic 0.7%--down from 4.4% in the third quarter, when
the bill was passed. Nominal wages also didn't go up much,
despite lawmakers and the president enacting a bill that will
cost $3.4 trillion over the next decade.
But lawmakers have also earned other ignominious merits
during this Congress--particularly when it comes to
legislating and not following the will of the majority.
The House has already set a record for the successful
deployment of a rarely used, last-ditch parliamentary
maneuver called a discharge petition--a tool that allows
House lawmakers to go around leaders to force votes on
legislation that has majority support.
So far in this Congress, four pieces of legislation have
clinched the 218 signatures needed to force floor action in
the House--more than any Congress going back decades.
Notably, because of the composition of the House, reaching
218 signatures meant that a handful of Republicans had to
buck their own party's leadership and join Democrats in
signing on to the petitions.
The bills that got sufficient support included legislation
by Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., to release the Epstein files
and a bill by House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New
York to extend expired enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies
for three years.
Jeffries--who aims to become speaker during the next
Congress--has touted this metric, arguing that it's proof
Republican leaders have lost control and that Democrats ``are
governing in the minority on behalf of the American people as
if we're in the majority.''
A spokesperson for House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.,
declined to comment for this article.
But Johnson's desire to avoid votes on proposals that have
the backing of the majority has also forced him to deploy a
more closed legislative process than ever before.
Although steeped in parliamentary procedure and largely
overlooked by the public, the House Rules Committee holds a
great deal of power on Capitol Hill--serving as a gatekeeper
for legislation before it is considered on the House floor by
the entire chamber.
[[Page H2694]]
The members of the panel determine what amendments get--or
don't get--a vote, thereby shaping the contours of the debate
on major pieces of legislation.
Democrats on the Rules Committee, however, argue that
Republicans have effectively stymied the opportunity for
amendments--breaking yet another record in the process.
A report compiled by committee Democrats shows that the GOP
made zero amendments in order for 95 separate pieces of
legislation throughout the first year of the 119th Congress--
setting, they argue, a record for so-called closed rules in
the first year of any Congress ever.
The report also finds that roughly 80% of amendments
offered have been blocked--``up from 61% in the 115th
Congress and nearly 70% in the 118th Congress during the
previous two Republican majorities.''
McGovern, the top Democrat on the panel, argued that these
records are the result of the GOP being afraid to cross the
president--and demonstrate that Congress has essentially
turned into a rubber stamp for the president's wishes.
``Speaker Johnson is scared of the White House,'' McGovern
told MS NOW. ``He's afraid that bills could be--might be--
amended in a way that gets broad bipartisan support.''
Of course, Johnson became speaker in part by promising to
return the chamber to ``regular order''--``member-driven''
and committee-led--rather than implementing a ``top-down''
approach.
So how does this reliance on ``closed rules'' comport with
those promises?
Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas--one of the most outspoken defenders
of ``regular order'' in the House--declined to directly
answer when asked if he believed the speaker was standing by
his promise. Instead, he defended the speaker, saying it's
``a tough circumstance with a two-seat majority.''
``It just is what it is,'' he added. ``I try to give a
whole lot of grace on how you manage through this process and
complex environment.''
Republicans on the Rules Committee, for their part, say the
Democratic data is at best lacking in nuance.
A spokesperson for the Republicans on the panel noted that
only a portion of the rules was reported out as ``closed'' at
the discretion of the committee itself.
For instance, the spokesperson said, of the 95 pieces of
legislation the Democrats invoke, 25 were Congressional
Review Act measures, which are not amendable. (The CRA allows
Congress to overturn federal agency regulations.)
Members also never offered amendments for 20 of the bills
in question.
``There's a lot of nuance here,'' Rules Committee
Chairwoman Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., told MS NOW.
As for McGovern's accusation that Republicans are merely
shutting down debate at the behest of the president, Foxx
said ``both parties do that.''
``Don't live in a glass house and throw stones,'' Foxx
said.
To be sure, the suggestion that Congress is not living up
to its Article 1 constitutional mandate is nothing new. For
years, observers have written about a branch that is
increasingly less interested in legislating and more
interested in partisan messaging.
Former Rep. Fred Upton, a Republican who represented
Michigan in the House for 36 years, recently bemoaned to The
Washington Post that, despite learning in ninth grade that
there are three branches of government, ``right now, the
Congress is not one of them.''
``It abdicated everything to the White House,'' Upton said.
In Congress' lawmaking absence, presidents have turned to
executive orders--and Trump's record-breaking 2025 only
serves to underscore the point. Throughout his first year
back in office, Trump signed 225 executive orders, according
to the Federal Register.
That towers over the 77 executive orders Joe Biden signed
in his first year and the 55 Trump signed back in 2017--the
first year of his first term.
But there are other, qualitative indications that the 119th
Congress is one that's less interested in legislating than
previous Congresses.
For the better part of a year, the House GOP used a
procedural trick to block any votes to renege the president's
global tariffs--despite the economic pressures back home.
And a majority of Republicans have repeatedly voted against
placing restrictions on Trump's military authority. That, in
particular, has been proof for at least one GOP lawmaker that
something has changed with the legislative branch.
``This is a Congress without ambition,'' Sen. Rand Paul, R-
Ky., told reporters as the Senate voted down a war powers
resolution on Iran. ``This is a Congress without a belief
structure in defending legislative prerogative. They just are
a rubber stamp for whatever a president tells them to do.''
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, the final thing I am going to say before I
reserve is that the amendment that Ms. DeLauro just talked about was
blocked in the Rules Committee last night, as well.
I just say to my Republican colleagues that if they don't want to
support a bill that funds only the lawful agencies within DHS, that is
fine. They can vote ``no'' on it, but they won't even allow it to be
brought up as an amendment. They won't even allow us to have a debate
and to deliberate on it. They blocked it.
If they are so right on all of this, then they shouldn't be afraid to
allow other points of view to be brought to the floor. That is what
this place is supposed to be about. We are supposed to be a
deliberative body, and my Republican colleagues are ruining that. They
are ruining that.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. HOUCHIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I will clarify a few things. The gentleman from
Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern) made a claim about ICE raids in schools.
Contrary to fear-mongering by the media and sanctuary politicians, ICE
does not target schools or children. Media is force-feeding the public
stories, causing people to be scared, but there are no raids occurring
at schools and no raids targeting schools.
My colleagues across the aisle also want to decry the tolling of days
for resolutions of inquiry, but when the roles were reversed, they
seemed completely content with then-Speaker Pelosi's iron grip on floor
procedure. For over 600 days in the 116th and 117th Congresses,
resolutions of inquiry were blocked from coming to the floor by the
Democratic majority.
In fact, every Democratic member of the Rules Committee voted to
extend such provisions, despite protests from Republicans. While they
may contend that this was during the COVID pandemic, the reality is
that committees were working and operating for quite some time. We have
operated this Congress without the use of resolutions of inquiry, and
it has had no impact on the minority's ability to conduct oversight of
the administration.
What is good for the goose is good for the gander. As was done under
the Democratic majority, we will utilize this tool as necessary.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I know that I have a little bit of a Massachusetts
accent, and so sometimes I may be hard to understand for the
gentlewoman. I didn't say that ICE agents raided schools. I said that
they gassed students. They gassed schools.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to include in the Record a news
story titled: ``Witnesses say agents arrest Minneapolis school staff,
tear gas students; DHS claims no tear gas was used.''
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Massachusetts?
There was no objection.
[From KARE 11, Jan. 8, 2026]
Witnesses say agents arrest Minneapolis school staff, tear gas
students; DHS claims no tear gas was used
(By Lydia Morrell, David Griswold)
Minneapolis--Federal agents descended on Roosevelt High
School in Minneapolis on Wednesday, just hours after an ICE
agent shot and killed a woman near Powderhorn Park.
The Department of Human Services (DHS) said Border Patrol
agents were in the school zone after a five-mile pursuit
while they were conducting an immigration enforcement
operation. In a statement, DHS said that a U.S. citizen was
``actively trying to impede operations'' and claimed that it
escalated to the individual ramming their vehicle into a
government vehicle.
A chase ensued until the driver stopped in the school zone.
DHS said a person who identified themself as a teacher
``proceeded to assault a border patrol agent,'' and a crowd
began to form. DHS said people began throwing objects and
spraying paint on officers and their vehicles.
DHS said no tear-gas was used, but witnesses told KARE 11
that tear gas was indeed used, and some staff and students
may have been taken into custody. Minneapolis Public Schools
canceled classes for Thursday and Friday, citing ``safety
concerns.''
A video shows agents spraying an individual with a backpack
who threw a snowball with a chemical irritant. KARE has
followed up to ask what irritant was used.
Daniel, who asked that his first name only be used, is a
senior at the school and captured a video that has been
shared widely online. He says the person in the video
throwing the snowball was a student.
``Sad, shocked, I don't know, scared for other students and
my whole family,'' said Daniel.
DHS shared on X on Thursday that more law enforcement would
be coming to Minnesota and ICE operations will be
``accelerating.''
[[Page H2695]]
Evan Johnson was walking his dog near the school around
3:30 p.m. when he heard sirens and what sounded like a car
crash. He said dozens of ICE agents gathered in front of the
school, and ``skirmishes'' between agents, students and staff
began to occur.
``All of a sudden, a few high school-age kids came running
and looking scared and maybe even tearful,'' Johnson said.
``And--there was a woman right next to me, who was going to
head over and start filming herself. And she told this little
boy to get into her car--she asked him first if he was afraid
of what's going on. And he just said, `ICE is here.' ''
``At no point was a school, students, or staff targeted,
and agents would not have been near this location if not for
the dangerous actions of this individual,'' DHS said in a
statement.
Minnesota Public Radio reported ICE agents handcuffed two
staff members.
One student, who asked to go by Braeden, identified the man
who seemed to be tackled by agents as a teacher of the
school.
Protestors gathered outside the school, blowing whistles
and raising signs, Johnson said. As for the sound of the car
crash, Johnson said he saw four ICE SUVs surrounding a car
that appeared as if it had been T-boned on the passenger
side. Johnson said the crashed car looked like a civilian
car, not like the SUVs that ICE agents were driving.
Minneapolis Public Schools provided this statement on
Wednesday's events:
``Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) is aware of an incident
that happened after school yesterday, outside of Roosevelt
High School. This incident involved federal law enforcement
agents and is currently under investigation. We are working
with our partners including the City of Minneapolis and
others to support the individuals directly impacted.
Minneapolis Public Schools is committed to maintaining a safe
and welcoming learning environment for all of our students.
All MPS schools are closed today, January 8 and tomorrow,
January 9 out of an abundance of caution.''
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time is
remaining.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Massachusetts has 2
minutes remaining.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, at the end of the day, this is what it
comes down to: The American people need help, and this Republican
majority has nothing to offer them.
People are worried about affording groceries. They are worried about
gas prices. They are worried about what this war means for their family
budgets, their jobs, their kids, and their future.
Military families are worried about their loved ones being sent into
danger with no clear mission and no clear plan.
TSA officers have been forced to live with uncertainty while doing
one of the toughest jobs in public service. Even Republican Senator
John Kennedy admitted on FOX News that we could have TSA paid by the
end of the week, but President Donald Trump has said no deal.
Instead of fixing problems, Republicans waste time. They recycle the
same old bills. They posture. They distract. They try to change the
subject, and, yes, cruelty is part of it, too. When people are hurting,
and leaders see the pain and still choose chaos and still choose stunts
like this, still choose political games over actually helping anybody,
that is not just incompetence. It is callousness, and it is cruelty.
One day, Trump says one thing. The next day, his administration does
the opposite--more troops, more escalation, more confusion--and regular
people are left to absorb the consequences.
They do not care that this war could send the cost of living even
higher. They don't care that supply chains are getting hit. They don't
care that their farmers are getting screwed over. They do not care that
working families are one more price spike away from disaster. The
American people want to stop being jerked around.
The reality is that Republicans do not care. If they cared, we would
be debating bills to lower costs; we would be demanding answers about
this war; we would make sure that we paid people who keep this country
safe; and they would be acting with urgency and seriousness.
That is not what we are getting. Instead, we are getting a Republican
majority that is deeply incompetent, deeply unserious, and far too
comfortable with making ordinary people pay the price for its failures.
The American people deserve better, and I think I understand why
Republicans are working overtime to make it harder for people to vote
before November. I understand the SAVE Act because the State
legislative district that includes Mar-a-Lago flipped blue last night.
The American people are sick of this. They are not going to put up
with this.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the previous
question and on this rule. I yield back the balance of my time.
{time} 1310
Mrs. HOUCHIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I note that the Department of Homeland Security is
composed of several agencies, not just TSA, not just FEMA, not just the
Coast Guard, and not just ICE and CBP.
When my colleagues on the left are defunding or not funding, refusing
to fund the Department of Homeland Security, they are refusing to fund
the agency in its entirety, which includes U.S. Customs and Border
Protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the
Transportation Security Administration, the Federal Emergency
Management Agency, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
protecting our critical infrastructure from cyber and physical threats,
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Secret Service, Federal
Law Enforcement Training Centers, and the Federal Protective Service to
protect our Federal buildings and our employees.
Those are just some of the things under the Department of Homeland
Security. Yes, Mr. Speaker, it is true, we don't want to partially fund
the Department of Homeland Security. We want to fully fund every part
of it. That is why we are not going to do this in piecemeal. The people
who are working at the Department of Homeland Security, whether they
are working for ICE to try to rid this country of criminal illegal
aliens, or they are working for TSA to protect our airports, or they
are engaging in protections for the cybersecurity of our homeland, they
deserve to be paid for their work.
I hope that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle will again,
this week, have the opportunity to vote an eighth time to fully fund
DHS, and I hope they will join us on behalf of all of the Federal
workers that work under that agency.
Mr. Speaker, these four bills that we are going to consider in the
rule have a common thread. They protect Americans at home and abroad.
They stand behind the personnel who keep this country safe. They
enforce agreements we have made and defend the values we have built.
They reflect a simple principle: the United States Government exists to
serve the American people.
I look forward to moving these bills out of the House this week, and
I ask my colleagues to join me in voting ``yes'' on the previous
question and ``yes'' on the rule.
The material previously referred to by Mr. McGovern is as follows:
An Amendment To H. Res. 1131 Offered By Mr. McGOVERN of Massachusetts
After the resolved clause strike the first section, insert
the following, and renumber the subsequent sections
accordingly:
That immediately upon adoption of this resolution, the
House shall proceed to the consideration in the House of the
bill (H.R. 8029) making appropriations for the Department of
Homeland Security for the fiscal year ending September 30,
2026, and for other purposes. All points of order against
consideration of the bill are waived. An amendment in the
nature of a substitute consisting of the text of H.R. 7481,
as introduced, 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 Appropriations or
their respective designees; and (2) one motion to recommit.
Sec. 2. Clause 1(c) of rule XIX and clause 8 of rule XX
shall not apply to the consideration of H.R. 8029.
Sec. 3. The Clerk shall transmit to the Senate a message
that the House has passed H.R. 8029 no later than three
calendar days passage.
Mrs. HOUCHIN. 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 on the resolution.
[[Page H2696]]
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.
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