Providing for Consideration of Senate Amendments to H.R. Consolidated Appropriations Act, Providing for Consideration of H.J. Res. Disapproving the Action of the District of Columbia Council in Approving the D.C. Income and Franchise Tax Conformity and Revision Temporary Amendment Act of and Providing for Consideration of H.R. Critical Mineral Dominance Act

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mrs. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, in the nearly 2 weeks since the House last met, people across America witnessed the execution of another American citizen, Alex Pretti, by agents of the United States Government, Border Patrol agents operating far from the border in Minneapolis.

People across the country watched in horror as Federal agents executed him and then immediately tried to assassinate his character, lying about who he is and what he was doing.

The American people see through these lies, just as they see that this administration is taking action every single day against its own people that are unconstitutional, un-American, and unconscionable. People are talking about it everywhere. In our House Democratic Caucus, we are talking about what we can do about it.

The only place where we are not talking about it is here in this Chamber on the floor of the United States House of Representatives.

As Mr. McGovern just noted, once again, the Republicans, who control what comes to the floor, blocked any amendments to the bill, stopping not just the policy proposed but the policy debate about the potential solutions and the problems that they address altogether. Now they say we will address them in 2 weeks.

Mr. Speaker, we don't need 2 weeks. We don't have 2 weeks when Americans are being killed, detained, harassed, and silenced by their government. There should be no higher priority for the U.S. House of Representatives and for the entire Congress than protecting the people who we represent and protecting the Constitution that gives us all of our rights. It is being violated daily by this administration and by officials who have sworn an oath to protect it, just as we have, as Members of Congress.

Mr. Speaker, we are not doing that here today. That is why I am voting ``no'' on this rule, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source