Providing for Further Consideration of H.R. National Defense

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. BURCHETT. Mr. Speaker, I claim the time in opposition.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. BURCHETT. Mr. Speaker, for the record, it is really cold. I don't know what y'all are planning in here, if y'all are planning on cutting hogs or not, but it is that cold. I just want you to know, for the record, some of the folks have complained, and I am one of them.

Mr. Speaker, Brazil and the U.S. have enjoyed a long and successful security relationship. Both partners work together to address regional security challenges, like terrorist activity along the tri-border area, countering narcotics trafficking, including narcotics destined for the United States, and the Venezuelan regime's destabilizing activities.

In fact, Brazil's military was one of the only Latin American forces to join Allied operations during World War II; a conflict in which my father took part in which my uncle lost his life.

This shortsighted amendment fails to recognize our partnership in addressing our national interests and regional stability.

It unnecessarily denigrates the reputation of one of three major non- NATO allies in Latin America.

It also threatens to curtail our long history of security, cooperation, including implementation of the DOD's Women, Peace, and Security Initiative.

The U.S. military has long worked with their Brazilian counterparts to address regional defense matters, premised on respect for democracy and human rights.

We must look for ways of broadening the extensive bilateral agenda to reach mutually beneficial outcomes.

Of course, I serve on the Foreign Affairs Committee, and I wonder why on Earth we would not have considered that in that committee, Mr. Speaker, at this late hour, where it is very cold; very cold.

Mr. Speaker, in order to further bring the other party to its knees on this all-important issue, I yield back the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. BURCHETT. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. BURCHETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. BURCHETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this incredibly ridiculous amendment. There is a reason this is the last amendment. I feel like the opposing party is probably a little embarrassed that it is even being brought up, the fact that we are doing it so late.

It would repeal a provision that Democrats approved last year that simply requires the State Department to notify Congress before it spends thousands of dollars on art for United States embassies. Most of this art will never be seen except by the employees of the embassies.

Now, these same Democrats want to repeal this provision because they know there is absolutely no way they can justify spending millions of taxpayer dollars on art when inflation is at 9.1 percent, gas is nearly $5 a gallon, and our country is on the brink of a recession.

This isn't a new thing, though, Mr. Speaker. A few years ago, I found out the State Department spent 84,375 taxpayer dollars on a piece of artwork designed by Bob Dylan. That might have been a bargain if it was Hunter Biden's artwork, but it was Bob Dylan's.

During a government shutdown, while thousands of Federal employees were struggling to make ends meet, I thought that was sickening. I introduced a bill to prevent any tax dollars from being spent on art in United States embassies, but it still hasn't been passed.

Over the past year, the State Department notified us it wanted to spend over $400,000 on a sculpture of clouds in Montenegro, over $250,000 on a mural in Mexico City, $350,000 on a mosaic in Rio, and lots more. They should be spending zero, Mr. Speaker. Zero.

By the way, these purchasing decisions are made by an office that employs 15 people, and many of their salaries are over $100,000 a year, and that is a lot more than the average East Tennessean's salary, the people that I represent.

So the bill that my friend is presenting is sunsetting, is providing oversight in the spending of money, and you are denying Congress the oversight that we should have. We should have the purse strings, Mr. Speaker.

I am sick of hearing things like a million dollars here or there is not that much. Mr. Speaker, that is so elitist, and anyone who says that needs to check their privilege. A million dollars is a lot more than many of my hardworking constituents will see in a lifetime.

Our government cannot justify spending that much on art, and the Democrats know it. That is why we are trying to pass this amendment to get the State Department off the hook from reporting it.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. BURCHETT. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source