Providing for Consideration of Senate Amendment to H. Con. Res. Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2025

Floor Speech

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Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, this is one of the most momentous votes of this Congress. The President unilaterally imposed one of the largest tax increases in American history. People's retirement accounts are now in shambles. We all know these tariffs are a disaster, and that is why Republicans are now trying to block a vote on whether to end these tariffs so they don't have to go on the record. It is why a few minutes before this speech, President Trump blinked, announcing a brief pause but we will be doing the same dance again in a couple of months.

It is time to simply end the chaos. That is why I introduced a resolution to end these tariffs, but Speaker Johnson and the majority don't want to go on record. They are trying to dodge a vote. But guess what. You can run, but you can't hide from the American people.

Speaker Johnson, again, ``is using Rules Committee Resolutions, consummated by majority vote of the whole House, to declare that `a day is not a day' in order to avoid the U.S. law that requires Congress to vote.''

By the way, those aren't my words. That is a tweet from a Republican House Member who just simply told the truth.

Let me be clear: A vote for this rule is a vote for tariffs. It is a vote for raising the costs on everyday Americans.

Now, many Republicans I have worked with over the years can attest that this should not be a partisan vote. I care about bipartisanship. We should be bipartisan. That is why, in this Congress, I introduced an AUMF repeal bill with Representative Roy. That is why this week, I co- led a bill to claw back tariff powers from the executive with Representative Bacon. That is why I did many bipartisan bills with Representative McCaul in the Foreign Affairs Committee.

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Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, Republicans who have complained about executive overreach and rules distortions for years, now is the chance to put their money where their mouth is. This is the time. The American people will hold them accountable if they don't.

Do you support the largest peacetime tax increase on American families? Do you support raising the cost of groceries for them? If you do not and you want to end America's largest economic self-sabotage ever, then vote against this rule and stand up for the American people.

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