[House Report 115-270]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


115th Congress }                                          { REPORT
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 1st Session   }                                          { 115-270

======================================================================
 
  RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY TO TRANSMIT 
     CERTAIN DOCUMENTS TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES RELATING TO 
  DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY POLICIES AND ACTIVITIES RELATING TO 
      BUSINESSES OWNED OR CONTROLLED BY PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP

                                _______
                                

   July 28, 2017.--Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be 
                                printed

                                _______
                                

  Mr. McCaul, from the Committee on Homeland Security, submitted the 
                               following

                             ADVERSE REPORT

                             together with

                            DISSENTING VIEWS

                       [To accompany H. Res. 447]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Homeland Security, to whom was referred 
the resolution (H. Res. 447) directing the Secretary of 
Homeland Security to transmit certain documents to the House of 
Representatives relating to Department of Homeland Security 
policies and activities relating to businesses owned or 
controlled by President Donald J. Trump, having considered the 
same, report unfavorably thereon without amendment and 
recommend that the resolution not be agreed to.

                                CONTENTS

                                                                   Page
      Purpose and Summary..............................................
      Background and Need for Legislation..............................
      Hearings.........................................................
      Committee Consideration..........................................
      Committee Votes..................................................
      Committee Oversight Findings.....................................
      New Budget Authority, Entitlement Authority, and Tax Expenditures
      Congressional Budget Office Estimate.............................
      Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives............
      Duplicative Federal Programs.....................................
      Congressional Earmarks, Limited Tax Benefits, and Limited Tariff 
      Benefits.........................................................
      Federal Mandates Statement.......................................
      Preemption Clarification.........................................
      Disclosure of Directed Rule Makings..............................
      Advisory Committee Statement.....................................
      Applicability to Legislative Branch..............................
      Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation...................
      Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported............
      Dissenting Views.................................................

                          Purpose and Summary

    On July 14, 2017, Representative Mrs. Watson Coleman 
introduced H. Res. 447, a non-binding resolution of inquiry 
requesting that the Secretary of Homeland Security provide 
documents relating to the businesses owned or controlled by the 
President of the United States.
    The Resolution further requests the documentation of 
expenses related to the protection of Donald J. Trump, Melania 
Trump, Donald J. Trump, Jr., Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, Eric 
Trump, or any other member of the Trump family or Trump 
Organization while on international travel that has not been 
documented by the Secretary as in furtherance of the United 
States Government. Documentation of the costs to the Department 
associated with the following trips: Eric Trump's trip to 
Uruguay in January 2017; Eric Trump's trip to the Dominican 
Republic in February 2017; Donald Trump, Jr. and Eric Trump's 
trip to the United Arab Emirates in February 2017; Donald 
Trump, Jr.'s and Eric Trump's trip to Canada in February 2017; 
and Eric Trump's trip to the United Kingdom and the Republic of 
Ireland in April 2017.

                  Background and Need for Legislation

    A resolution of inquiry is a House resolution directing the 
President or the head of an executive department to provide to 
the House specific information in the possession of the 
Administration.
    Clause 7 of House Rule XIII provides that, if properly 
drafted, a resolution of inquiry is provided special 
parliamentary status allowing the Committee to which the 
measure was referred to be discharged if the Committee has not 
reported the measure back to the House within 14 legislative 
days after its introduction.
    The Committee notes that the consideration of this 
resolution of inquiry is to have the Committee comply with Rule 
XIII, it does not affect the Committee's obligation or 
commitment to investigate and require documentation from the 
Administration on issues within the Committee's jurisdictional 
authorities.
    The Committee believes H. Res. 447 is an unfortunate 
departure from the important bipartisan security work the 
Committee undertakes every day. Aside from that, this 
Resolution of Inquiry is seeking an unnecessary and duplicative 
document production from the Department of Homeland Security 
(DHS). DHS Secretary John Kelly testified before the Committee 
in June that he would respond to information requests from 
Members of Congress, regardless of party. In that vein, the 
minority has made a very similar request for cost information 
to the Secret Service--a request that the Service is processing 
and is not, by any means, ignoring. Additionally, the Director 
of the Secret Service testified before the Subcommittee on 
Transportation and Protective Service in June and Members had 
every opportunity to question him on these matters. The 
Committee hopes we can return to building on our significant 
bipartisan achievements and focus on the priorities critical to 
our homeland security.
    The Committee will investigate any credible allegation of 
misconduct in the Executive Branch to the extent that such 
allegations fall within the Committee's jurisdiction.

                                Hearings

    No hearings were held on H. Res. 447 in the 115th Congress.

                        Committee Consideration

    The Committee met on July 26, 2017, to consider H. Res. 
447, and ordered the measure to be reported to the House with 
an unfavorable recommendation, without amendment by a recorded 
vote of 18 yeas and 11 nays (Roll Call Vote No. 15).

                            Committee Votes

    Clause 3(b) of Rule XIII of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives requires the Committee to list the recorded 
votes on the motion to report legislation and amendments 
thereto.
    The Committee on Homeland Security considered H. Res. 447 
on July 26, 2017, and took the following votes:


ROLL CALL NO. 15
H. Res. 447
 


On ordering H. Res. 447 to be reported to the House of Representatives with an unfavorable recommendation:
Agreed to: 18 yeas and 11 nays.
 


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Representative                  Yea    Nay               Representative              Yea    Nay
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mr. McCaul, Chair............................     X          Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Ranking             X
                                                              Member.
Mr. Smith of Texas...........................     X          Ms. Jackson Lee......................            X
Mr. King of New York.........................     X          Mr. Langevin.........................            X
Mr. Rogers of Alabama........................     X          Mr. Richmond.........................
Mr. Duncan of South Carolina.................     X          Mr. Keating..........................            X
Mr. Barletta.................................     X          Mr. Payne............................            X
Mr. Perry....................................     X          Mr. Vela.............................            X
Mr. Katko....................................     X          Mrs. Watson Coleman..................            X
Mr. Hurd.....................................     X          Miss Rice of New York................            X
Ms. McSally..................................     X          Mr. Correa...........................            X
Mr. Ratcliffe................................     X          Mrs. Demings.........................            X
Mr. Donovan..................................     X          Ms. Barragan.........................            X
Mr. Gallagher................................     X
Mr. Higgins of Louisiana.....................     X
Mr. Rutherford...............................     X
Mr. Garrett..................................     X
Mr. Fitzpatrick..............................     X
Mr. Estes....................................     X
                                                                                                   -------------
                                                             Vote Total:                              18     11
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                      Committee Oversight Findings

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(1) of Rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, the Committee has held oversight 
hearings and made findings that are reflected in this report.

   New Budget Authority, Entitlement Authority, and Tax Expenditures

    In compliance with clause 3(c)(2) of Rule XIII of the Rules 
of the House of Representatives, the Committee finds that H. 
Res. 447, would result in no new or increased budget authority, 
entitlement authority, or tax expenditures or revenues.

                  Congressional Budget Office Estimate

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(3) of Rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, a cost estimate provided by the 
Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 402 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 was not made available to the 
Committee in time for the filing of this report. The Committee 
estimates that this non-binding resolution would not result in 
any significant costs.

         Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(4) of Rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, H. Res. 447 requests that the 
Secretary of Homeland Security transmit any document, record, 
memo, correspondence, or other communication of the Department 
of Homeland Security to the U.S. House of Representatives.

                      Duplicative Federal Programs

    Pursuant to clause 3(c) of Rule XIII, the Committee finds 
that H. Res. 447 does not contain any provision that 
establishes or reauthorizes a program known to be duplicative 
of another Federal program.

   Congressional Earmarks, Limited Tax Benefits, and Limited Tariff 
                                Benefits

    In compliance with Rule XXI of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives, this resolution, as reported, contains no 
congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff 
benefits as defined in clause 9(e), 9(f), or 9(g) of the Rule 
XXI.

                       Federal Mandates Statement

    An estimate of Federal mandates prepared by the Director of 
the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 423 of the 
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act was not made available to the 
Committee in time for the filing of this report. The Committee 
believes that no Federal mandates are included in this 
resolution.

                        Preemption Clarification

    In compliance with section 423 of the Congressional Budget 
Act of 1974, requiring the report of any Committee on a bill or 
joint resolution to include a statement on the extent to which 
the bill or joint resolution is intended to preempt State, 
local, or Tribal law, the Committee finds that H. Res. 447 does 
not preempt any State, local, or Tribal law.

                  Disclosure of Directed Rule Makings

    The Committee estimates that H. Res. 447 would require no 
directed rule makings.

                      Advisory Committee Statement

    No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b) 
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act were created by this 
legislation.

                  Applicability to Legislative Branch

    The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to 
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public 
services or accommodations within the meaning of section 
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act.

             Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation


    This resolution, if adopted, would require the Secretary of 
Homeland Security provide to the House of Representatives 
copies of any document, record, memo, correspondence, or other 
communication or any portion of any such communication of the 
Department of Homeland Security, that refers or relates to the 
following:
    1.   Any documentation of a payment that, on its face, 
        refers to a business owned or controlled by Donald J. 
        Trump, the Trump Organization or any of its 
        subsidiaries, or any member of the Trump family in the 
        past three years.
    2.   Any documentation of an expenditure by the Department 
        that, on its face, is identified as being made for 
        services or goods from a business owned or controlled 
        by Donald J . Trump, the Trump Organization or any of 
        its subsidiaries, or any member of the Trump family.
    3.   Any documentation of costs to the Department 
        associated with the protection of Donald J . Trump, 
        Melania Trump, Donald J. Trump, Jr., Ivanka Trump, 
        Jared Kushner, Eric Trump, or any other member of the 
        Trump family or Trump Organization while on 
        international travel that has not been documented by 
        the Secretary as in furtherance of the United States 
        Government.
    4.   Any documentation of costs to the Department 
        associated with Eric Trump's trip to Uruguay in January 
        2017.
    5.   Any documentation of costs to the Department 
        associated with Eric Trump's trip to the Dominican 
        Republic in February 2017.
    6.   Any documentation of costs to the Department 
        associated with Donald Trump, Jr. and Eric Trump's trip 
        to the United Arab Emirates in February 2017.
    7.   Any documentation of costs to the Department 
        associated with Donald Trump, Jr.'s and Eric Trump's 
        trip to Canada in February 2017.
    8.   Any documentation of costs to the Department 
        associated with Eric Trump's trip to the United Kingdom 
        and the Republic of Ireland in April 2017.
    9.   Any documentation referencing guidance, directive, or 
        analysis of any expenditure described in paragraph (1).

         Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported

    H. Res. 447 makes no changes to existing law.



115th Congress }                                          { REPORT
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 1st Session   }                                          { 115-270


======================================================================
  RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY TO TRANSMIT 
     CERTAIN DOCUMENTS TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES RELATING TO 
  DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY POLICIES AND ACTIVITIES RELATING TO 
      BUSINESSES OWNED OR CONTROLLED BY PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP

                                _______
                                

   July 28, 2017.--Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be 
                                printed

                                _______
                                

  Mr. McCaul, from the Committee on Homeland Security, submitted the 
                               following

                             ADVERSE REPORT

                             together with

                            DISSENTING VIEWS

                       [To accompany H. Res. 447]

    The Committee on Homeland Security, to whom was referred 
the resolution (H. Res. 447) directing the Secretary of 
Homeland Security to transmit certain documents to the House of 
Representatives relating to Department of Homeland Security 
policies and activities relating to businesses owned or 
controlled by President Donald J. Trump, having considered the 
same, report unfavorably thereon without amendment and 
recommend that the resolution not be agreed to.

                                CONTENTS

                                                                   Page
Purpose and Summary..............................................     2
Background and Need for Legislation..............................     2
Hearings.........................................................     3
Committee Consideration..........................................     3
Committee Votes..................................................     3
Committee Oversight Findings.....................................     3
New Budget Authority, Entitlement Authority, and Tax Expenditures     4
Congressional Budget Office Estimate.............................     4
Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives............     4
Duplicative Federal Programs.....................................     4
Congressional Earmarks, Limited Tax Benefits, and Limited Tariff 
  Benefits.......................................................     4
Federal Mandates Statement.......................................     4
Preemption Clarification.........................................     4
Disclosure of Directed Rule Makings..............................     5
Advisory Committee Statement.....................................     5
Applicability to Legislative Branch..............................     5
Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation...................     5
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported............     6
Dissenting Views.................................................     7

                          Purpose and Summary

    On July 14, 2017, Representative Mrs. Watson Coleman 
introduced H. Res. 447, a non-binding resolution of inquiry 
requesting that the Secretary of Homeland Security provide 
documents relating to the businesses owned or controlled by the 
President of the United States.
    The Resolution further requests the documentation of 
expenses related to the protection of Donald J. Trump, Melania 
Trump, Donald J. Trump, Jr., Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, Eric 
Trump, or any other member of the Trump family or Trump 
Organization while on international travel that has not been 
documented by the Secretary as in furtherance of the United 
States Government. Documentation of the costs to the Department 
associated with the following trips: Eric Trump's trip to 
Uruguay in January 2017; Eric Trump's trip to the Dominican 
Republic in February 2017; Donald Trump, Jr. and Eric Trump's 
trip to the United Arab Emirates in February 2017; Donald 
Trump, Jr.'s and Eric Trump's trip to Canada in February 2017; 
and Eric Trump's trip to the United Kingdom and the Republic of 
Ireland in April 2017.

                  Background and Need for Legislation

    A resolution of inquiry is a House resolution directing the 
President or the head of an executive department to provide to 
the House specific information in the possession of the 
Administration.
    Clause 7 of House Rule XIII provides that, if properly 
drafted, a resolution of inquiry is provided special 
parliamentary status allowing the Committee to which the 
measure was referred to be discharged if the Committee has not 
reported the measure back to the House within 14 legislative 
days after its introduction.
    The Committee notes that the consideration of this 
resolution of inquiry is to have the Committee comply with Rule 
XIII, it does not affect the Committee's obligation or 
commitment to investigate and require documentation from the 
Administration on issues within the Committee's jurisdictional 
authorities.
    The Committee believes H. Res. 447 is an unfortunate 
departure from the important bipartisan security work the 
Committee undertakes every day. Aside from that, this 
Resolution of Inquiry is seeking an unnecessary and duplicative 
document production from the Department of Homeland Security 
(DHS). DHS Secretary John Kelly testified before the Committee 
in June that he would respond to information requests from 
Members of Congress, regardless of party. In that vein, the 
minority has made a very similar request for cost information 
to the Secret Service--a request that the Service is processing 
and is not, by any means, ignoring. Additionally, the Director 
of the Secret Service testified before the Subcommittee on 
Transportation and Protective Service in June and Members had 
every opportunity to question him on these matters. The 
Committee hopes we can return to building on our significant 
bipartisan achievements and focus on the priorities critical to 
our homeland security.
    The Committee will investigate any credible allegation of 
misconduct in the Executive Branch to the extent that such 
allegations fall within the Committee's jurisdiction.

                                Hearings

    No hearings were held on H. Res. 447 in the 115th Congress.

                        Committee Consideration

    The Committee met on July 26, 2017, to consider H. Res. 
447, and ordered the measure to be reported to the House with 
an unfavorable recommendation, without amendment by a recorded 
vote of 18 yeas and 11 nays (Roll Call Vote No. 15).

                            Committee Votes

    Clause 3(b) of Rule XIII of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives requires the Committee to list the recorded 
votes on the motion to report legislation and amendments 
thereto.
    The Committee on Homeland Security considered H. Res. 447 
on July 26, 2017, and took the following votes:


ROLL CALL NO. 15
H. Res. 447
 


On ordering H. Res. 447 to be reported to the House of Representatives with an unfavorable recommendation:
Agreed to: 18 yeas and 11 nays.
 


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Representative                  Yea    Nay               Representative              Yea    Nay
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mr. McCaul, Chair............................     X          Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Ranking             X
                                                              Member.
Mr. Smith of Texas...........................     X          Ms. Jackson Lee......................            X
Mr. King of New York.........................     X          Mr. Langevin.........................            X
Mr. Rogers of Alabama........................     X          Mr. Richmond.........................
Mr. Duncan of South Carolina.................     X          Mr. Keating..........................            X
Mr. Barletta.................................     X          Mr. Payne............................            X
Mr. Perry....................................     X          Mr. Vela.............................            X
Mr. Katko....................................     X          Mrs. Watson Coleman..................            X
Mr. Hurd.....................................     X          Miss Rice of New York................            X
Ms. McSally..................................     X          Mr. Correa...........................            X
Mr. Ratcliffe................................     X          Mrs. Demings.........................            X
Mr. Donovan..................................     X          Ms. Barragan.........................            X
Mr. Gallagher................................     X
Mr. Higgins of Louisiana.....................     X
Mr. Rutherford...............................     X
Mr. Garrett..................................     X
Mr. Fitzpatrick..............................     X
Mr. Estes....................................     X
                                                                                                   -------------
                                                             Vote Total:                              18     11
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                      Committee Oversight Findings

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(1) of Rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, the Committee has held oversight 
hearings and made findings that are reflected in this report.

   New Budget Authority, Entitlement Authority, and Tax Expenditures

    In compliance with clause 3(c)(2) of Rule XIII of the Rules 
of the House of Representatives, the Committee finds that H. 
Res. 447, would result in no new or increased budget authority, 
entitlement authority, or tax expenditures or revenues.

                  Congressional Budget Office Estimate

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(3) of Rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, a cost estimate provided by the 
Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 402 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 was not made available to the 
Committee in time for the filing of this report. The Committee 
estimates that this non-binding resolution would not result in 
any significant costs.

         Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(4) of Rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, H. Res. 447 requests that the 
Secretary of Homeland Security transmit any document, record, 
memo, correspondence, or other communication of the Department 
of Homeland Security to the U.S. House of Representatives.

                      Duplicative Federal Programs

    Pursuant to clause 3(c) of Rule XIII, the Committee finds 
that H. Res. 447 does not contain any provision that 
establishes or reauthorizes a program known to be duplicative 
of another Federal program.

   Congressional Earmarks, Limited Tax Benefits, and Limited Tariff 
                                Benefits

    In compliance with Rule XXI of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives, this resolution, as reported, contains no 
congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff 
benefits as defined in clause 9(e), 9(f), or 9(g) of the Rule 
XXI.

                       Federal Mandates Statement

    An estimate of Federal mandates prepared by the Director of 
the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 423 of the 
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act was not made available to the 
Committee in time for the filing of this report. The Committee 
believes that no Federal mandates are included in this 
resolution.

                        Preemption Clarification

    In compliance with section 423 of the Congressional Budget 
Act of 1974, requiring the report of any Committee on a bill or 
joint resolution to include a statement on the extent to which 
the bill or joint resolution is intended to preempt State, 
local, or Tribal law, the Committee finds that H. Res. 447 does 
not preempt any State, local, or Tribal law.

                  Disclosure of Directed Rule Makings

    The Committee estimates that H. Res. 447 would require no 
directed rule makings.

                      Advisory Committee Statement

    No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b) 
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act were created by this 
legislation.

                  Applicability to Legislative Branch

    The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to 
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public 
services or accommodations within the meaning of section 
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act.

             Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation


    This resolution, if adopted, would require the Secretary of 
Homeland Security provide to the House of Representatives 
copies of any document, record, memo, correspondence, or other 
communication or any portion of any such communication of the 
Department of Homeland Security, that refers or relates to the 
following:
    1.   Any documentation of a payment that, on its face, 
        refers to a business owned or controlled by Donald J. 
        Trump, the Trump Organization or any of its 
        subsidiaries, or any member of the Trump family in the 
        past three years.
    2.   Any documentation of an expenditure by the Department 
        that, on its face, is identified as being made for 
        services or goods from a business owned or controlled 
        by Donald J . Trump, the Trump Organization or any of 
        its subsidiaries, or any member of the Trump family.
    3.   Any documentation of costs to the Department 
        associated with the protection of Donald J . Trump, 
        Melania Trump, Donald J. Trump, Jr., Ivanka Trump, 
        Jared Kushner, Eric Trump, or any other member of the 
        Trump family or Trump Organization while on 
        international travel that has not been documented by 
        the Secretary as in furtherance of the United States 
        Government.
    4.   Any documentation of costs to the Department 
        associated with Eric Trump's trip to Uruguay in January 
        2017.
    5.   Any documentation of costs to the Department 
        associated with Eric Trump's trip to the Dominican 
        Republic in February 2017.
    6.   Any documentation of costs to the Department 
        associated with Donald Trump, Jr. and Eric Trump's trip 
        to the United Arab Emirates in February 2017.
    7.   Any documentation of costs to the Department 
        associated with Donald Trump, Jr.'s and Eric Trump's 
        trip to Canada in February 2017.
    8.   Any documentation of costs to the Department 
        associated with Eric Trump's trip to the United Kingdom 
        and the Republic of Ireland in April 2017.
    9.   Any documentation referencing guidance, directive, or 
        analysis of any expenditure described in paragraph (1).

         Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported

    H. Res. 447 makes no changes to existing law.

                            DISSENTING VIEWS

    On behalf of Committee Democrats, I submit the following 
dissenting view regarding the Committee's 18-11 vote to report 
H. Res. 447 disfavorably to the House of Representatives.
    Committee Democrats strongly support H. Res. 447, a bill to 
require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS or the 
Department) to provide documents related to payments to the 
Trump Organization or for costs associated with travel by 
President Donald Trump's family in furtherance of the Trump 
Organization. I strongly believe that our constituents deserve 
the truth about how much DHS expends to carry out its 
protective mission on business trips to bolster the Trump 
Organization, a company that President Trump, in a departure 
from prior Presidents who put their businesses in blind trusts, 
put in a revocable trust in January 2017 ``for the exclusive 
benefit of Donald J. Trump.''\1\ Additionally, our constituents 
have an interest in knowing the extent to which DHS is doing 
business with the Trump Organization.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\Trump International Hotel Liquor License Filings, January 27, 
2017.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Need for the legislation
    As introduced by Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), H. Res. 
447 seeks information regarding expenditures, acquisitions, and 
charges incurred by DHS as relates to President Donald J. 
Trump's company, the Trump Organization and its subsidiaries. 
To date, payments by the Department to the Trump Organization 
for acquisitions and hospitality as well as the costs to the 
Federal Treasury of U.S. Secret Service protection for Trump 
family members on international travel to promote the business 
interests of the Trump Organization has been shrouded in 
mystery. The American people deserve answers; they deserve to 
know if DHS' scarce resources are being expended to advance the 
President's business interests instead of in furtherance of the 
Department's mission to ``safeguard the American people, our 
homeland, and our values.''\2\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \2\Official Website of the Department of Homeland Security.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trump Family travel in furtherance of the Trump Organization
    During the 2016 presidential campaign, then-candidate Trump 
flew on planes owned by one of his companies, TAG Air. As a 
result, the Secret Service, whose standard practice is to 
reimburse campaigns for the costs of travel of its protective 
detail, reimbursed TAG Air to the tune of $2.74 million for 
traveling with the candidate and his family.\3\ Since President 
Trump's inauguration, the Trump children have traveled to 
Uruguay, the Dominican Republic, Ireland, the United Kingdom, 
Vancouver, and Dubai in furtherance of the President's business 
interests. It has been estimated that each trip has cost the 
Secret Service between $4,000-$98,000.\4\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \3\Justin Bachman, How Trump Can Make Money Off the Secret Service. 
Bloomberg. November 15, 2016.
    \4\Chris Riotta, Breaking Down All of the Trump Family's Travel 
Costs and Lavish Expenditures. Newsweek. April 14, 2017.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Had H. Res. 447 been approved, the Committee would be able 
to secure the information it needs to begin to understand the 
burden that such travel places on the Department.
Expenses incurred by the Department at the ``Winter White House''
    In President Trump's first six months in office--the 
President spent 12 weekends away from the White House at three 
commercial properties owned by the Trump Organization--his 
Bedminster, NJ Golf Club, his Jupiter, FL Golf Club, and the 
Mar-a-Lago resort.
    It has been reported that by April 2017, to protect the 
President at just Mar-A-Lago, the Secret Service paid the Trump 
Organization more than $35,000 on golf cart rentals alone.\5\ 
Additionally, President Trump's repeated visits to the Mar-a-
Lago resort--a Trump Organization holding that doubled its 
membership fees to $200,000 after President Trump's 
inauguration and that the President refers to as the ``Winter 
White House''--necessitated an enhanced U.S. Coast Guard 
presence in the waterway adjacent to the resort. The Washington 
Post estimated that it would cost the Coast Guard tens of 
millions of dollars to provide protection at the Mar-a-Lago 
resort over a four-year term.\6\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \5\Brooke Seipel, Secret Service has spent $35,000 on golf cart 
rentals since inauguration: report. The Hill, April 14, 2017.
    \6\Drew Harwell & Dan Lamothe, Coast Guard faces growing costs for 
protecting Trump's Mar-a-Lago. Washington Post. April 12, 2017.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The resource burdens placed on the Secret Service and Coast 
Guard are of particular concern to the Committee insofar as 
both agencies were, even prior to the inauguration, underfunded 
and understaffed.
Conflicts of interest
    This year, over $400 billion in Federal government 
contracts are set to expire across the 19 largest Federal 
agencies, including at the Department of Homeland Security.\7\ 
As introduced, H. Res. 447 seeks to collect information as to 
whether protections in place within the Department to ensure 
the integrity of the federal acquisitions process and guard 
against agency decision-makers improperly favoring the Trump 
Organization.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \7\Katherine McIntire Peter, The Agencies Where Trump Can Most 
Easily Shift Contracting Priorities, Government Executive, July 21, 
2017.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    For instance, without greater transparency into DHS' 
business transactions with the Trump Organization, what is to 
prevent contracts for the President's southern border wall 
going to the Trump Organization or one of its estimated 500 
subsidiaries?\8\ Given that the President's proposal to build a 
wall along the U.S.-Mexico border is estimated to cost roughly 
$70 billion to build and $150 million a year to maintain,\9\ 
the profit potential for participating in the acquisition is 
enormous.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \8\David Goldman, Donald Trump's 500 businesses would pose 
`unprecedented ethical dilemma'. CNN. March 17, 2017.
    \9\Ron Nixon, Border Wall Could Cost 3 Times Estimates, Senate 
Democrats' Report Says. NY Times. April 18, 2017.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    We also know little about whether protections exist to 
prevent DHS officials, in order to ingratiate themselves to the 
President, from improperly steering lodging, conferences, or 
other business to the Trump Organization, which is said to have 
an extensive number of properties around the world.
    Had the Majority joined us in our efforts to favorably 
report H. Res. 447, we could have, on a bipartisan basis, 
received baseline information to conduct oversight to ensure 
that acquisitions at DHS are fair and open and that the Trump 
Organization is not improperly favored.
Conclusion
    In debate over H. Res 447, Committee Chairman McCaul (R-TX) 
suggested that this resolution is inappropriate, saying that it 
is ``not really reflective of the important bipartisan work of 
this committee.''\10\ I strongly disagree with the Chairman's 
observation; I believe that conducting meaningful oversight of 
such payments directly aligns with our Constitutional 
responsibility to be a check on the Executive Branch on behalf 
of our constituents. This obligation is doubly important in 
circumstances where scant Federal resources that are 
appropriated for the purposes of protecting the Nation against 
terrorism and other threats are expended in a manner that 
enriches the sitting President.
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    \10\Full Committee Markup, House Committee on Homeland Security, 
July 26, 2017.
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    Chairman McCaul also asserted that this resolution ``seeks 
a duplicative document production from DHS already requested by 
the Minority''. In fact, DHS seems reluctant to provide such 
information. On May 22 of 2017, I sent a letter to Secret 
Service Director Randolph Alles requesting information about 
monthly costs of protecting the President and all protectees in 
the last five years, among other things.\11\ The deadline for 
this request was June 5, 2017. To date, no response has been 
provided.
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    \11\Letter from Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson, H. Comm. On 
Homeland Security, to Randolph D. Alles, Director, Secret Service. May 
22, 2017.
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    Approval of this resolution would have ensured that the 
Committee be furnished critical information to do necessary 
oversight of the Department of Homeland Security but, 
regrettably, the Majority refused to stand with Committee 
Democrats to seek the information. As a congressional oversight 
committee, our responsibility is to follow the facts, but first 
we must have those facts.

                                                Bennie G. Thompson.

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