Disinterment of Remains of Fernando V. Cota From Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, Texas

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, I stand here a little bit confused. I want to support this bill, but at the same time, the work that we have put in on the Subcommittee on Readiness, dealing with the ability of the troops to have a clean barracks and to be ready to deal with the issues that are out there, there are many things going on that are troublesome. It may be time for all of us to just take a deep breath and go: Wait a minute. What is happening here?

There are extrajudicial killings going on in the middle of an ocean. Military aircraft are used for deportation. Secretary Hegseth and the President are eroding our military readiness while advancing their ambitions.

At a moment when this administration is dangerously close to dragging us into a disastrous and unauthorized war in Venezuela, this bill does not, unfortunately, push forward the appropriate role of the Congress to carry out its funding, as well as our oversight responsibility.

Many provisions of this bill they worked hard for on the Subcommittee on Readiness, such as child development, infrastructure, barracks, even in my own district, but it is not enough.

The administration has threatened war with our NATO allies and purged senior officers and career military lawyers without cause. They deployed the National Guard into U.S. cities over the objection of local city leaders, entered into a conflict with Iran without congressional authorization, and diverted resources from critical military needs to fund immigration enforcement.

All of this, and I haven't begun to talk about my favorite subject, the nuclear arsenal, and we could spend a lot of time on that.

I would like to vote for this bill, but I can't. I just can't. It is time for all of us to take a moment and say: Wait a minute. We are the Congress of the United States. This bill, while it does many things, does not assert congressional authority as it should.

Mr. Speaker, for years, the House Armed Services Committee has worked to craft a bipartisan bill that ensures strong congressional oversight of the Department of Defense and guarantees that our servicemembers and their families have the resources they need to accomplish their mission.

Each year, I have worked hard to help make this bill the best it can be, but this year's bill falls short at a moment when congressional oversight is more important than ever.

As the administration deploys American troops to our streets, carries out extrajudicial killings in the middle of the ocean, and uses military aircraft for deportations, Secretary Hegseth and President Trump are eroding our military's readiness while advancing their authoritarian ambitions. At a moment when this Administration is dangerously close to dragging us into a disastrous and unauthorized war, this bill does not do enough to reinforce Congress's role as a co- equal branch responsible for matters of war and peace.

To be clear, the bill contains many provisions I am proud of. As the Ranking Member of the Readiness Subcommittee, I fought for military construction projects that will improve quality-of-life infrastructure--barracks, housing, and Child Development Centers, including one at Travis Air Force Base. I am proud of our work pressing the Department to take sustainment costs seriously, and I commend the committee staff for their tireless efforts to strengthen this legislation.

Unfortunately, it is not enough. Let's remember what this administration has done this year: threatened war with our NATO allies; purged senior officers and career military lawyers without cause; deployed the National Guard to U.S. cities over the objections of local leaders; entered a conflict with Iran without congressional authorization; diverted resources from critical military needs to fund immigration enforcement operations--including in our district; and wasted countless taxpayer dollars on unnecessary nuclear capabilities while undermining other modernization priorities.

Meanwhile, Congress hasn't held a public hearing since July and most of us haven't even seen the videotape of the double-tap strike in Venezuela. And when we have demanded oversight, the Republican majority and Trump's Pentagon have delayed and obstructed it. This bill's solution, requiring DoD to report to Congress only after unlawful actions occur, is wholly inadequate.

Congress can fix this. Sadly, this bill does not rise to the moment. Asking for reports after wrongdoing is not accountability. Giving Hegseth and Trump even more authority and more resources will only embolden their dangerous behavior. It's time for Congress to do its job.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source