[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 1]
[House]
[Pages 582-583]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  MEETING THE THRESHOLD OF UN-AMERICAN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
New Jersey (Mrs. Watson Coleman) for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, what is more important than being 
the President of the United States? For all of us here, that is a no-
brainer; but, each day, I find myself asking that of the President-
elect.
  Last night, we watched President Obama say farewell to the country he

[[Page 583]]

served. For the past 8 years, parts of our country disparaged him, and 
some of our colleagues fought him tooth and nail at the expense of 
their constituents; but, each day, we were assured that our outgoing 
President put this country and our interests first.
  President-elect Trump seems to serve himself. Yesterday, several news 
sources reported the possibility of a continuing exchange of 
information between Russia and Trump campaign officials during the 
election; so, in the face of yet another troubling revelation that 
further sullies the ground on which his loyalty to America stands, I 
have questions:
  Is our President-elect willing to sacrifice his personal gain for the 
good of this great Nation?
  When will we find out if he has fulfilled his legal obligation to pay 
taxes like millions of Americans do?
  How can we be sure that our interests will take precedence if we 
don't even know that they ever have?
  Will this White House serve as ``Trump Tower South''?
  The actions and words of the President of the United States have a 
loud and reverberating effect through the world economy and the 
international political system.
  To date, President-elect Trump's promises to America have been hollow 
and his actions self-serving. President-elect Donald Trump does not 
merely offer an alternative direction for our Nation; he, it seems, 
offers to use the Presidency primarily for his personal benefit.
  When given an opportunity to set these concerns aside, he scoffs at 
his critics and embraces our Nation's enemies. Instead of making 
reasonable attempts to reassure the American public, whom he will soon 
swear to protect, he gaslights us with tweets, mockery, and lies.
  In the past, we have seen the term ``un-American'' used to indict 
members of the public executing their civil liberties. Antiwar 
advocates protesting for peace have been called un-American. Civil 
rights leaders standing against discrimination have been called un-
American--just ask Senator Jeff Sessions. Professional athletes taking 
a knee to acknowledge sordid realities within our justice system are 
deemed un-American, and comedians and pastors, alike, for using their 
microphones to criticize our Nation.
  But, quite frankly, dissent is American; protest is American; 
criticism is American. Healthy skepticism toward our national 
intelligence is American. Disparaging and discrediting it is not.
  Working with foreign powers to ensure peace is not only American, but 
also Presidential; inviting a foreign power to compromise the 
cybersecurity of private citizens is not.
  Empowering Americans to become involved in the political process, to 
take action, and to even be critical of you is American; attacking them 
when they call untruths and inciting your supporters to do the same is 
not.
  For these reasons and a host of others, I simply ask the question: At 
what point do the actions of our next President--President-elect Donald 
Trump--meet that threshold of un-American?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to refrain from 
engaging in personalities toward the President-elect.

                          ____________________