Providing for Consideration of H.R. Protect America's Innovation and Economic Security From Ccp Act of Providing for Consideration of H.R. No Who Pandemic Preparedness Treaty Without Senate Approval Act; Providing for Consideration of H.R. Dhs Restrictions on Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities of Concern Act; Providing for Consideration of H.R. End Chinese Dominance of Electric Vehicles in America Act of Providing for Consideration of H.R. Protecting American Agriculture From Foreign Adversaries Act of and Providing for Consideration of H.R. Continuing Appropriations and Other Matters Act, 2025

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 1430 and ask for its immediate consideration.

The Clerk read the resolution, as follows: H. Res. 1430

Resolved, That at any time after adoption of this resolution the Speaker may, pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XVIII, declare the House resolved into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1398) to establish the CCP Initiative program, and for other purposes. The first reading of the bill shall be dispensed with. All points of order against consideration of the bill are waived. General debate shall be confined to the bill and shall not exceed one hour equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary or their respective designees. After general debate the bill shall be considered for amendment under the five-minute rule. In lieu of the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on the Judiciary now printed in the bill, an amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print 118-45 shall be considered as adopted in the House and in the Committee of the Whole. The bill, as amended, shall be considered as the original bill for the purpose of further amendment under the five-minute rule and shall be considered as read. All points of order against provisions in the bill, as amended, are waived. No further amendment to the bill, as amended, shall be in order except those printed in part A of the report of the Committee on Rules accompanying this resolution. Each such further amendment may be offered only in the order printed in the report, may be offered only by a Member designated in the report, shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for the time specified in the report equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent, shall not be subject to amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for division of the question in the House or in the Committee of the Whole. All points of order against such further amendments are waived. At the conclusion of consideration of the bill for amendment the Committee shall rise and report the bill, as amended, to the House with such further amendments as may have been adopted. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill, as amended, and on any further amendment thereto to final passage without intervening motion except one motion to recommit.

Sec. 2. At any time after adoption of this resolution the Speaker may, pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XVIII, declare the House resolved into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1425) to require any convention, agreement, or other international instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response reached by the World Health Assembly to be subject to Senate ratification. The first reading of the bill shall be dispensed with. All points of order against consideration of the bill are waived. General debate shall be confined to the bill and shall not exceed one hour equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs or their respective designees. After general debate the bill shall be considered for amendment under the five-minute rule. An amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print 118-44 shall be considered as adopted in the House and in the Committee of the Whole. The bill, as amended, shall be considered as the original bill for the purpose of further amendment under the five-minute rule and shall be considered as read. All points of order against provisions in the bill, as amended, are waived. No further amendment to the bill, as amended, shall be in order except those printed in part B of the report of the Committee on Rules accompanying this resolution. Each such further amendment may be offered only in the order printed in the report, may be offered only by a Member designated in the report, shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for the time specified in the report equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent, shall not be subject to amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for division of the question in the House or in the Committee of the Whole. All points of order against such further amendments are waived. At the conclusion of consideration of the bill for amendment the Committee shall rise and report the bill, as amended, to the House with such further amendments as may have been adopted. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill, as amended, and on any further amendment thereto to final passage without intervening motion except one motion to recommit.

Sec. 3. At any time after adoption of this resolution the Speaker may, pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XVIII, declare the House resolved into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1516) to establish Department of Homeland Security funding restrictions on institutions of higher education that have a relationship with Confucius Institutes, and for other purposes. The first reading of the bill shall be dispensed with. All points of order against consideration of the bill are waived. General debate shall be confined to the bill and shall not exceed one hour equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Homeland Security or their respective designees. After general debate the bill shall be considered for amendment under the five-minute rule. In lieu of the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Homeland Security now printed in the bill pursuant to Part II of House Report 118-319, an amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print 118-46 shall be considered as adopted in the House and in the Committee of the Whole. The bill, as amended, shall be considered as the original bill for the purpose of further amendment under the five-minute rule and shall be considered as read. All points of order against provisions in the bill, as amended, are waived. No further amendment to the bill, as amended, shall be in order except those printed in part C of the report of the Committee on Rules accompanying this resolution. Each such further amendment may be offered only in the order printed in the report, may be offered only by a Member designated in the report, shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for the time specified in the report equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent, shall not be subject to amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for division of the question in the House or in the Committee of the Whole. All points of order against such further amendments are waived. At the conclusion of consideration of the bill for amendment the Committee shall rise and report the bill, as amended, to the House with such further amendments as may have been adopted. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill, as amended, and on any further amendment thereto to final passage without intervening motion except one motion to recommit.

Sec. 4. Upon adoption of this resolution it shall be in order to consider in the House the bill (H.R. 7980) to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to exclude vehicles the batteries of which contain materials sourced from prohibited foreign entities from the clean vehicle credit. All points of order against consideration of the bill are waived. The amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Ways and Means now printed in the bill shall be considered as adopted. The bill, as amended, shall be considered as read. All points of order against provisions in the bill, as amended, are waived. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill, as amended, and on any further amendment thereto, to final passage without intervening motion except: (1) one hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Ways and Means or their respective designees; and (2) one motion to recommit.

Sec. 5. Upon adoption of this resolution it shall be in order to consider in the House the bill (H.R. 9456) to amend the Defense Production Act of 1950 with respect to foreign investments in United States agriculture, and for other purposes. All points of order against consideration of the bill are waived. The bill shall be considered as read. All points of order against provisions in the bill are waived. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill and on any amendment thereto to final passage without intervening motion except: (1) one hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Financial Services or their respective designees; and (2) one motion to recommit.

Sec. 6. Upon adoption of this resolution it shall be in order to consider in the House the bill (H.R. 9494) making continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2025, and for other purposes. All points of order against consideration of the bill are waived. The amendment printed in part D of the report of the Committee on Rules accompanying this resolution shall be considered as adopted. The bill, as amended, shall be considered as read. All points of order against provisions in the bill, as amended, are waived. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill, as amended, and on any further amendment thereto, to final passage without intervening motion except: (1) one hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations or their respective designees; and (2) one motion to recommit.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. General Leave

Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 1430 provides for consideration of six measures: H.R. 1398, H.R. 1425, H.R. 1516, H.R. 7980, H.R. 9456, and H.R. 9494.

The rule provides for H.R. 1398 to be considered under a structured rule, with 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and the ranking minority member of the Judiciary Committee or their designees, and provides for one motion to recommit.

The rule also provides for H.R. 1425 to be considered under a structured rule, with 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and the ranking minority member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs or their designees, and provides for one motion to recommit.

The rule also provides for H.R. 1516 to be considered under a structured rule, with 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and the ranking minority member of the Committee on Homeland Security, and provides for one motion to recommit.

The rule further provides for consideration of H.R. 7980 under a closed rule, with 1 hour of debate equally divided between the chair and the ranking minority member of the Committee on Ways and Means, and provides for one motion to recommit.

The rule further provides for consideration of H.R. 9456 under a closed rule, with 1 hour of debate equally divided between the chair and the ranking minority member of the Committee on Agriculture, and provides for one motion to recommit.

Finally, the rule provides for consideration of H.R. 9494 under a closed rule, with 1 hour of debate equally divided between the chair and the ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations, and provides for one motion to recommit.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this rule and in support of the underlying legislation. The rule before us provides for consideration of five measures aimed at protecting the American people from the greatest threat to our sovereignty, our national security, and our prosperity: the Chinese Communist Party.

Let's start with H.R. 1398, the Protect America's Innovation and Economic Security from CCP Act of 2024. This bill will reestablish the CCP Initiative at the Department of Justice, an effort that was originally established by President Trump which successfully combatted espionage, hacking, and theft of American trade secrets.

Do you know what? It worked. Under Trump's leadership, we saw 45 individuals convicted or plead guilty to espionage, but in yet another surrender to the woke mob, the Biden-Harris administration, with zero justification, shut it down. They shut it down cold. They claimed it stoked anti-Asian bias. That argument is not just wrong, but it is an insult to every American.

Shutting down the China Initiative proves that this administration cares more about appeasing the extreme left than it does our national security.

H.R. 1398 will get us back on track, despite President Biden's and Vice President Harris' refusal to do so.

Now, while the Biden-Harris administration is shutting down efforts to prosecute spies, they are bending over backward to negotiate a new pandemic accord with the WHO, an organization that sold out the United States and the world to the Chinese Communist Party during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As of now, the pandemic accord the Biden-Harris administration is negotiating with the World Health Assembly is intended to tie our country to responsibilities and obligations overseen by an organization that lied for and covered for the Chinese Communist Party as it deceived the world about the origins and the spread of COVID-19.

Now, let's not forget how, at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the WHO director general visited Beijing and praised China for setting a new standard for outbreak control.

Simultaneously, the CCP was busy arresting citizens for spreading rumors of a COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan. That was in the first months of 2020. The WHO went along with the CCP's propaganda, and millions died from a pandemic whose spread could have been contained far earlier.

H.R. 1425, the No WHO Pandemic Preparedness Treaty Without Senate Approval Act, would require that any pandemic-related convention of the WHO that purports to bind the United States must be considered and ratified by the Senate as a treaty subject to the requirements of Article II of the U.S. Constitution.

Mr. Speaker, hardworking American taxpayers should not be subjected to sweeping new international agreements that could tie them to organizations like the WHO and policies that run contrary to their own interests without any real say in the matter.

Additionally, under the rule, House Republicans have brought forward H.R. 1516, the DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities of Concern Act. Since 2005, the Chinese Government has sponsored Confucius Institutes at American universities, ostensibly to teach Chinese language and facilitate cultural exchanges. However, these institutes are a cover for the CCP's global influence and propaganda campaign. I have seen it in my own district. This bill will cut off homeland security funding for any university that maintains relationships with these entities.

Mr. Speaker, let's be clear: The Chinese Communist Party's ultimate goal is to build the most advanced military in the world by 2049, and they are stealing our intellectual property to do so. House Republicans simply will not stand by idly and let that happen at our higher- learning institutions.

Next under the rule, we are considering H.R. 7980, the End Chinese Dominance of Electric Vehicles in America Act of 2024, which would put an end to the Biden-Harris sellout to China in the name of a Green New Deal. The Inflation Reduction Act opened the door for Chinese companies to profit from electric vehicle tax subsidies, leaving American families to foot the bill for these policies while China laughs all the way to the bank.

We have seen the Biden administration's game. They claim to be tough on China, but behind closed doors, they are cutting deals that enrich the CCP.

In its rulemaking on the electric vehicle tax subsidy, the Biden- Harris administration decided that unofficial ties to the Chinese Communist Party were perfectly fine for the Chinese entity wishing to qualify.

Now, apparently my colleagues on the other side of the aisle and the Biden-Harris administration have little understanding of how Communist China works. Unofficial or official, for a company to operate and be successful, it must be subservient to the interests of the Chinese Communist Party.

H.R. 7980 will put an end to this asinine America-last policy and ensure that vehicles with batteries sourced from foreign prohibited entities, like those connected to the CCP, do not qualify for this tax credit.

Additionally, the rule provides for consideration of H.R. 9456, the Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act. There are 40 million acres of America's farmland in the hands of foreign entities. As a Representative of the hardworking, family farmers in western New York and the southern tier, I know firsthand the impact that foreign entities gobbling American farmland can have on the success of our domestic farmers. It is driving the entry costs of potential new farmers to be higher with each passing year.

The land where American farmers grow our food, fuel, and fiber is precious and should be treated as such. H.R. 9456 will ensure that the Secretary of Agriculture has a seat on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States and will require that the American people have a full understanding of just how much investment in our agricultural land is being pursued by China and entities connected to the Chinese Communist Party.

This legislation, of which I am a proud cosponsor, is an important first step in ensuring that the CCP, through its loyal entities, is not able to buy up our most precious commodity, our land, thereby threatening our national security, our sovereignty, and our ability to feed ourselves. Food is security and will always be national security.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, the rule before us includes consideration of H.R. 9494, a continuing resolution to extend government funding at current levels through March 28, 2025. To date, the House has passed legislation to fund more than 70 percent of our Federal Government operations for fiscal year 2025. Meanwhile, Senate Democrats have failed to bring a single fiscal year 2025 appropriations bill to the floor.

This continuing resolution avoids a government shutdown, but it also includes the SAVE Act, requiring proof of United States citizenship to vote in Federal elections.

Democrats' open-border policies have turned our country into a sanctuary for illegal aliens, and now my colleagues on the other side of the aisle want them to vote. The SAVE Act ensures that only American citizens decide America's future.

The Democrats' open-border policies have brought nothing but chaos and destruction to our communities as millions of illegal aliens have flooded into this country. The left's refusal to secure our borders is deliberate and a direct threat to our democratic institutions, as a growing number of noncitizens are registered to vote and have been found to vote in our local, State, and Federal elections.

By allowing noncitizens to vote, Democrats dilute the voice of every American citizen, undermining what should be a free and fair election.

Mr. Speaker, our country was built on the principles of freedom, fairness, and justice. This administration's policies are a slap in the face to every immigrant who has followed a legal path to citizenship, who has respected our laws, and who has earned their right to participate in our democracy. That is something we should all agree on, we should all support, and we should all fight for. It is simple common sense.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this rule, and I reserve the balance of my time.

In case my colleague on the other side of the aisle has a case of amnesia, earlier this year, 195 Democrats proudly voted ``no'' on the passage of H.R. 8580, the fiscal year 2025 Military Construction- Veterans Affairs appropriations bill.

This legislation includes $337.4 billion for the VA, $75.5 million above President Biden's own budget requests and $30.2 billion more than the fiscal year 2024 levels. It allocates $112.6 billion for medical care for our veterans.

Mr. Speaker, 195 House Democrats, including my colleague from Massachusetts, voted ``no'' on this bill, with Senate Democrats refusing to even bring up the bill on the floor.

Every day they delay is a day that veterans across America are left wondering if their healthcare, their benefits, and their essential services will be there next year. This is simply unacceptable.

Senator Chuck Schumer could bring this bill forward tomorrow. We could get this done for our veterans tomorrow, but, instead, Senate Democrats have decided to play politics with the lives of our Nation's heroes, labeling this vital funding as dead on arrival and offering no alternative while the clock ticks down.

Mr. Speaker, it is time that my Democratic colleagues across the aisle stop playing politics in this Chamber and in the upper Chamber prioritize what really matters. Veterans across this Nation depend on the services provided by the VA. Let's stop the hysteria and the political games.

Let's pass this continuing resolution, avoid a shutdown, and continue our work to fully fund the VA. Our veterans have given everything for us, and I am asking my colleagues to give them the support that they deserve.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, we heard a lot of fiction there. We have heard false and frankly ridiculous claims that the SAVE Act makes it harder for certain Americans, including our servicemembers, to vote.

If my Democratic colleagues took the time to actually read the bill, they would see that under the SAVE Act, servicemembers can show their passport, birth certificate, military ID, record of service, or any combination of these other options as proof of citizenship.

There is absolutely nothing in this legislation that restricts or complicates voting for our servicemen and -women. To suggest otherwise is just patently false, but it is also insulting. It implies that those who serve our country, those who risk their lives to defend our freedoms, are somehow less capable of meeting these simple and straightforward requirements.

Mr. Speaker, our servicemen and -women deserve better. They sacrifice for our Nation, and we owe it to them and to all Americans to uphold the integrity of our elections by enforcing the laws of our land. Instead, Democrats across the country are unwilling to do so.

Take my own State, New York. A noncitizen can register to vote without a Social Security number, without an ID. Before coming to Congress, I fought against New York City's outrageous attempts to allow noncitizens, including illegal aliens, to vote in local elections.

In the face of what States like New York are doing, what the District of Columbia has tried to do, and with millions of illegal aliens flooding into our country under the Biden-Harris administration, we need these safeguards in place today.

Just last month, the State of Texas announced it had removed 6,500 noncitizens from their voter rolls, with nearly 2,000 of those noncitizens recorded to have a voter history. Virginia also removed 6,000 noncitizens from their voter rolls.

Mr. Speaker, we cannot take the issue of voter fraud lightly. We cannot rely on the honor system, as much as the other side of the aisle thinks it is A-OK to not require a photo ID in this country to vote.

We can't take the honor system for our Federal elections, especially when we have millions and millions of illegal immigrants residing in this country and thousands of noncitizens registered to vote across this country.

Make no mistake, the flood at our southern border, the 10 million encounters at our southern border, isn't by accident. It was at the stroke of 94 separate executive actions with Joe Biden's pen, with Kamala Harris cackling in the background, that this has happened.

Bet your bottom dollar that if somehow, by some miraculous effort, they have the White House, the Senate, and the House next year, they are going to get to work lickety-split on the biggest amnesty plan this country has ever had. They will all be voters, mark my words.

Mr. Speaker, I am going to reiterate the fact. It is very simple. House Republicans have passed their Veterans appropriations bill. We passed it above the request of President Biden or whoever is drafting the President's requests at this hour.

The people who have had a lot to say in this Chamber today, they all decided to vote ``no.'' They voted ``no'' for our veterans' healthcare. They voted ``no'' for opportunities to expand veteran benefits.

They did it for politics. They did it because it wasn't their idea. This House Republican majority has funded the VA above and beyond President Biden's request for the last 2 fiscal years, and we are very proud of that fact, and we will continue to do so.

Mr. Speaker, my colleagues across the aisle have expressed outrage over the inclusion of the SAVE Act in today's continuing resolution, but let's be clear: The American people overwhelmingly disagree with their position.

According to a 2022 YouGov poll, nearly two-thirds of Americans support requiring proof of citizenship to vote in elections, and even more telling, 48 percent of Democrats--yes, Democrats--agree that proof of U.S. citizenship should be required.

In 2022, a Gallup poll further underscored that 79 percent of Americans favor photo identification requirements to vote, and that includes 53 percent of Democratic voters.

Just this year, the Pew Research Center found that 81 percent of Americans want all voters to show government-issued photo identification to cast a vote, and 69 percent of Democrats back this commonsense safeguard. Why won't they? That is the question. What are they afraid of to require someone to prove who they say that they are?

These aren't poison pills. This isn't partisanship. They are overwhelmingly bipartisan views shared by a vast majority of commonsense Americans.

Yet, my colleagues would rather cater to a fringe element in this country within their party than listen to the clear will of the American people. Instead of supporting reasonable safeguards to protect our elections and prevent foreign interference, they continue to block widely supported measures. They claim to be defenders against foreign interference in our election, yet today, they turn their back on protecting the sanctity of the vote.

The numbers don't lie, though. Under the Biden-Harris administration, at least 4.6 million illegal aliens have been released into our country, with 1.8 million got-aways. We don't know where they are. We don't know who they are. We don't know why they are here. Those are just the ones that we are aware of.

With millions of illegal immigrants, including violent criminals, now residing in the United States, we cannot afford to ignore the critical need to ensure that only American citizens decide the future of our Nation.

This isn't just about policy. It is a moral imperative to protect the foundational rights of American citizens.

It is time for our Democratic colleagues to put aside their partisanship and listen to 81 percent of the American people who support this and stop threatening a shutdown over commonsense election safeguards.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

These accusations, Mr. Speaker, are not just dishonest, they are a pathetic act of desperation. In their scramble to smear Republicans, they have dug up some obscure policy document that was never endorsed by President Trump, or any House Republican for that matter.

Now they have thrown everything they can against the wall, hoping to scare the American people with their usual tactics of lies, deception, and paranoia. This, Mr. Speaker, is the Democratic playbook for 2024. When you are failing, manufacture some more fear.

The reality is stark. Democrats are in complete disarray. They are heading into November on a runaway train. Mr. Speaker, it would be laughable if their policies didn't have such dire impact on the American people.

Now, in a desperate, flailing attempt to distract from their catastrophic record of the last 3\1/2\ years, they are trying to shift the focus away from the wreckage they have left in their wake. Their policies have bankrupted this country, emboldened our enemies, thrown our borders wide open, and crushed the American people under the weight of skyrocketing costs and economic insecurity.

Here is the thing, Mr. Speaker: Americans are just smarter than that. No matter how much they try to spread their undiagnosed cases of Trump derangement syndrome, no matter how many obscure documents they try to pin on House Republicans, they can't run from their abject record of failure. The American people see it. They feel it every day at the gas pump, at the grocery store, when they are paying their insurance bill, when they are trying to buy a new car, when a young family is trying to get into their first home. In their wallets, in their communities, in the safety of their communities, they feel it. Democrats can't hide from the disaster they have created, and no amount of finger-pointing is going to change that.

Mr. Speaker, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have made it clear that they would rather play political games as we work to fund the government and avoid a shutdown. They would rather hoot and holler about spending levels in one department than vote for a commonsense appropriations bill or to create a stopgap so that we can continue our work and make sure that we don't have a shutdown. They would rather stand in full-blown opposition to straightforward provisions that would deter voter fraud and ensure our elections are fair, free, and protected as a fundamental right of real American citizens.

My colleagues would also like to stand before us today and oppose commonsense legislation that ensures that we put America first in our dealings with our greatest adversary, China, and any entity or international organization that is connected or subservient to the Chinese Communist Party.

We must do what the Biden-Harris administration has time and time again refused to do in its policies toward China--put the interests and the needs and the security of the American people absolutely first.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly support the rule before us today.

The material previously referred to by Mr. McGovern is as follows: An Amendment to H. Res. 1430 Offered by Mr. McGovern of Massachusetts

In Section 6, after ``accompanying this resolution'' insert ``and the amendment specified in section 7 of this resolution''.

At the end of the resolution, add the following:

Sec. 7.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source