Providing for Consideration of H.R. Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, 16 days, that is how much time we have left until the government runs out of funding.

Six weeks ago, Mr. Speaker, I stood here on the floor of the House with my colleagues as House Republicans gaveled the House out of session for a 45-day recess.

Now, you may recall, Mr. Speaker, the priority that House Republicans were pursuing on that day, as we gaveled out of session. I can assure you it was not to fund the government. It was, instead, a bill targeting the lesser prairie chicken and the long-eared bat, literally. This came on the heels of a summer spent on Republican bills to protect gas stoves.

Six weeks later, we are back in Washington. Republicans have gaveled the Congress back into session. Here we are on the House floor yet again. What are we spending our time doing? Perhaps a bill to fund the government? No. A bill to ensure that members of our armed forces are paid, that the operations of our government remain up and running? No. Instead, House Republicans choose to spend the time of this body debating a bill attacking electric vehicles.

Electric vehicles, gas stoves, the long-eared bat, and the lesser prairie chicken. Those are the priorities of the House Republican caucus. Sixteen days away from a government shutdown, and this is how House Republicans choose to spend our time.

The priorities that House Republicans are pursuing are grossly out of step with the priorities of the American people.

You are in charge, Mr. Speaker. You could choose today to put bills on the floor to build safer communities or lower costs or grow the middle class. Instead, we are left with political games, and, oh, that is right, a baseless impeachment inquiry that the Speaker announced 48 hours ago. Maybe we can get back to the basic job of the U.S. House of governing, of passing a budget.

Mr. Speaker, there is a good place to start. The Fiscal Responsibility Act that this body passed a mere 4 months ago set out negotiated spending levels. I don't know if the Speaker voted for it, but 149 of your colleagues did in the Republican caucus. The ranking member, my friend from Texas, voted for it.

Now, months later, the Republican caucus, the Speaker, they have abandoned, they have revoked, reneged on that deal. Why? Because the far-right members of their caucus have demanded it. Here we are, 16 days away from a government shutdown that many members of the Republican Conference seem fixated on creating.

We had a Rules Committee hearing, which the distinguished gentlewoman joined me in, just a few days ago, where one of our colleagues on the other side of the aisle was unabashed, who said: Let's shut it down.

Of course, for those Americans watching, they know that we have been here before. They have seen this movie. They have seen how it ends.

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Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, they know that if Republicans are in control of the House, there is one thing they can count on, and that is that Republicans will shut the government down as they did in the 1990s under Speaker Newt Gingrich, as they did in 2013 under Speaker Boehner, as they did in 2018 under Speaker Ryan.

I implore my colleagues to get back to the basics of governing. Work with us in good faith. Honor the agreement that you all voted for 4 months ago. Let's fund the government, Mr. Speaker.

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