Adopting the Rules of the House of Representatives for the 118th Congress

Floor Speech

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Mrs. CAMMACK. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Resolution 5, adopting the rules for the 118th Congress.

First, this rules package is an incredible win not just for conservatives but for all Americans.

Americans deserve a House of Representatives that serves the people, not a political or a personal agenda. For decades we have heard a series of questions, things like: Why can't we simply pass bills that address a single issue?

Why do we have to Christmas tree these bills?

Why isn't there enough time to read the bills?

Heck, why don't Members have to show up to work to get paid?

I hear that all the time.

That, among other things, is what we have addressed in this rules package.

To be sure folks back home understand, this rules package is the document that dictates how we, as Members, conduct business up here, and that is why it is so important to get this right.

This is the most conservative and transparent rules package in recent history, and the thanks go to the Republican Conference at large for working on this and approving this and debating these proposals on three separate occasions since November.

Here is a sampling of just what is in this commonsense package:

First, every single Member of this body will have at least 72 hours to review each bill.

Second, Members will now be forced to vote in person rather than via proxy. Personally, I have never voted proxy, and for me it is pretty simple. If you collect a paycheck, you should show up. After nearly 3 years of abusing this historic voting change, we are finally putting an end to proxy voting.

If my husband as a first responder along with thousands of other first responders across this country showed up every single shift at the height of COVID without complaint, then Members of Congress should be able to do the same.

Now, on November 29 I testified before the Rules Committee that single-issue bills are one of the single most important things we can do to restore trust in this institution. I am proud to report that this package includes this new requirement, and that is for all Members to certify that bills introduced in the House address a single issue.

A huge thanks goes to my friend and colleague from Virginia, Representative Morgan Griffith, for his work on this issue.

Additionally, this rules package establishes a brand new select committee that will be tasked to investigate the weaponization of the Federal Government. No longer will the Department of Justice be allowed to target parents who show up for their kids. No longer will the FBI be able to collude with social media companies to censor Americans.

Finally, in the ultimate move to drain the swamp and one that I am particularly proud of, this rules package reinstates the Holman rule which allows Members of this body to offer amendments to appropriations bills to reduce the salary or to fire certain employees or cut Federal programs. These unelected bureaucrats--the true, real swamp creatures here in Washington, D.C.--have run roughshod over the American people without consequence, and today marks our first, but certainly not our last, move to hold them accountable.

Mr. Speaker, this package is a product that brings transparency and trust to a broken process. I thank all of my colleagues from the Republican Conference for their grit and grace in working to put this package together, and I urge its passage.

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