Tom Cole

Mr. COLE

Mr. COLE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.

Mr. COLE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today to offer H.R. 8036, the Indo-Pacific Security Supplemental Act of 2024. The bill provides $8.12 billion in emergency supplemental appropriations to continue efforts to counter Communist China and ensure a strong deterrence in the region. It includes $3.3 billion to develop submarine infrastructure; $2 billion for the foreign military financing program for Taiwan and other key partners in the region; $1.9 billion for replenished defense articles and defense services provided to Taiwan and regional partners; $542 million to strengthen U.S. military capabilities in the region, and $133 million to enhance the production and development of artillery and critical minerals. Today's bill should not be viewed in isolation. It is part of a series of three security supplemental bills and a related national security measure, all of which are being considered as part of a comprehensive funding package. This measure and the other two supplemental bills will provide needed military assistance to Israel and Ukraine during their time of crisis; will provide support for Taiwan as it confronts aggression from the Chinese Communist Party; and will provide support for the U.S. military forces operating in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, including the critical replenishment of American stocks of ammunition. American's greatest writer, Mark Twain, is reputed to have said: ``History does not repeat itself, but it does sometimes rhyme.'' Tragically, the past 2 years have produced echoes of a dark time in world history, the 1930s. In the 1930s, evil regimes bent on aggression, domination, and even genocide, took their first steps down a dark road that would eventually lead to world war. Tragically, the democratic West turned inward then, standing idly by while fascist regimes began to take aggressive actions against their weaker neighbors. There was time then to put a stop to aggression, if only we had had the fortitude and the wherewithal to stand firmly on the side of freedom. Today, we are seeing uncomfortable parallels to that dark time. In Europe, Vladimir Putin launched an unjust and illegal invasion of his democratic neighbor, Ukraine. In Asia and the Pacific, the Chinese Communist Party encroaches on its neighbors and openly threatens the continued self-determination of Taiwan, a nation which continues to show the world what a free and democratic China could look like. In the Middle East, Israel faces attacks on multiple fronts, beginning with the horrible terror attack launched by Hamas on October 7, and continuing with an unprecedented direct aerial assault launched by the Iran regime over the weekend. These events do not take place in a vacuum, Madam Speaker. They take place in regions around the world critical to American national security. They threaten our friends and partners around the globe and threaten the continued safety of democracy. The security of our fellow democratic states is our security, and protecting their security is undoubtedly in America's national interests. Some of America's greatest leaders of the 20th century recognize this fundamental reality. I think of Franklin Roosevelt calling on America to become the great arsenal of democracy to defeat Nazi Germany. I think of Ronald Reagan reminding us that the preservation of a peaceful, free, and democratic Europe is essential to the preservation of a peaceful, free, and democratic United States. Madam Speaker, peace through strength cannot be delivered through appeasement. We cannot wish our way to national security, and we cannot thrust our heads into the sand while aggressive nations threaten their neighbors. Today's measure is not only about safeguarding the ideals of democracy and peace, but it is also central to our own national security. The actions we take today will be seen and heard around the world. Vladimir Putin is watching. Xi Jinping is watching. The Iranian mullahs are watching. What will we show them? Will we show them that our commitment to security does not stop at the water's edge? Will we show them that we know that the security of our friends and our partners around the globe is our security? Or will we fail to take action and, in doing so, give these powers the same gift we gave to the fascist powers in the 1930s? I know which I would choose. I know what I would show our adversaries, these tyrants and dictators, that just in Ronald Reagan's time, the United States stands committed to the common defense, that our commitment to our friends and partners stands both now and into the future. Madam Speaker, I urge all Members to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COLE. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Wilson), my very good friend.

Mr. COLE. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn), my very good friend.

Mr. COLE. Madam Speaker, may I inquire how much time I have remaining.

Mr. COLE. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COLE. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COLE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time for closing. I begin by thanking the Speaker and the Rules Committee, particularly my good friends Chairman Burgess and Ranking Member McGovern, for structuring this debate so every Member in this Chamber would have an opportunity to express their opinion on every issue. This is really a very welcome gift. Nobody is being jammed. Everybody can voice their own opinion. I thank my good friend, the ranking member of the full Appropriations Committee, for working with me. We have had a long friendship and a long professional relationship, and I look forward to the years ahead working with her. Finally, Madam Speaker, I urge all our colleagues to support all four of these bills. We are, as speaker after speaker has said, at a critical moment in our history. We need to stand firm. We need to send a clear signal to the rest of the world, so please pass the bills. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COLE

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I thank my very good friend from Texas, my classmate, my colleague when I served on the Rules Committee, and now I am very proud to say our very distinguished chairman of the Rules Committee for yielding. Today's rule makes in order a series of three critical security supplemental bills, Mr. Speaker, paired with a fourth bill covering other high-priority national security matters. Collectively, these bills represent the commitment to move much-needed security assistance funding for America's friends and partners. Mr. Speaker, the members of the Rules Committee faced a serious challenge in putting together today's resolution, but they met that challenge in admirable, bipartisan fashion. I can't tell you how proud I am of both sides of the aisle, including my friend, the distinguished ranking member, for the manner in which they responded to this particular difficulty. Today's rule creates a full and fair process for floor consideration of these measures. It grants ample debate time on these bills and makes in order a series of amendments ensuring that the entire body has the opportunity to work its will and make our voices heard. It ensures that Members have a full 72 hours to review these bills before the vote. After all, taking up a matter as important as this, both Members of Congress and the American people deserve no less. Finally, it provides an up-or-down vote on each of these bills. Importantly, this rule allows every Member to vote his or her conscience on every issue. Thanks to this process, the House will be able to work its will. That is the way the Founders intended this institution to work. Speaker Johnson's work in setting this process in motion has been admirable, and we all owe him our thanks for ensuring both that the House takes up these critical funding measures and that each Member can vote his or her conscience on every single issue. Mr. Speaker, the need for this funding is not hypothetical. Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan are on the front lines of the struggle to preserve democracy and freedom around the world. In the case of Ukraine and Israel, these two nations are, quite literally, in harm's way. Ukraine is entering the third year of their struggle against Vladimir Putin's unjust and illegal invasion. Its continued ability to resist hangs in the balance dependent on foreign aid. Its people need the weapons and ammunition provided in this bill to keep them in the fight. Israel, meanwhile, is involved in a life-and-death struggle against the perpetrators of the October 7 terror attack, Hamas. Over the weekend, Hamas' backer, the Iranian regime, launched an unprecedented and direct aerial assault on Israel. That attack has been thwarted, and an appropriate response is underway. Taiwan faces ongoing threats from the Chinese Communist Party which continue to threaten Taiwan's right of self-determination. Around the world, the United States and our partners are confronting a tinderbox of uninvited aggression on multiple fronts. America must stand firmly on the side of freedom. Peace through strength cannot be delivered through appeasement. Taken together, these measures protect our friends and partners and replenish American stockpiles of ammunition, weapons, and supplies. This is not only about safeguarding our ideals of democracy and peace but is central to our own national security. Mr. Speaker, I encourage all Members to vote to support the rule and the underlying legislation.

Mr. COLE

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 87, and YEA on Roll Call No. 88.

Mr. COLE

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I begin with some much-deserved thank yous. I thank the Speaker of the House. This deal would not have come together without his leadership and support. I particularly thank Chair Granger and Ranking Member DeLauro for their work and their leadership in putting a package together they can get across this floor in a bipartisan manner. I would be remiss not to thank my negotiating counterparts, Ranking Member Quigley and Senator Schatz and Ranking Member Hyde-Smith on the Senate side of the rotunda. They were just terrific to work with in every way. Finally and always, we have outstanding staff. We all know that. This bill wouldn't be here without their hard work. Obviously, I focus my remarks, Mr. Speaker, very quickly on the portion of the bill that I had the most to do with, and that is the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development portion. There are four areas in that bill I am especially proud of. First, Members of both parties on both sides of the rotunda worked really hard on safety first: safety for people who are flying, safety for people who are traveling by rail, and safety for men and women on the highways. We met the requirement there and fully funded all those agencies. Second, this is probably the most robust funding that the Federal Aviation Administration has ever received. We have money in there for 1,800 new air traffic controllers who are desperately needed. We have additional money for technology and infrastructure programs and simulators to make sure they get the most up-to-date training we can possibly provide for them. That was a real accomplishment, and it marries up very nicely with the FAA reauthorization bill that I hope we pass later this Congress. Third, we maintained the safety net for people in public housing. We all know what has happened to the cost of rents and housing; and, frankly, we didn't want to put anybody out of their home, and we avoided doing that. Finally, and particularly important to me personally, we have historic gains for Indian housing programs and Indian road programs in this bill. Again, none of that could have happened without the people I thanked earlier: the Speaker and particularly the chairwoman and ranking member of the subcommittee and my negotiating partners. I urge passage of this legislation, Mr. Speaker. I am very proud to be associated and very proud that it will come to and move across this floor, as it should, in a bipartisan fashion.

Mr. COLE

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Section 5(a) of House Resolution 918. 118th Congress, I hereby submit the following impeachment inquiry procedures in the Committee on the Judiciary for printing in the Congressional Record. Impeachment Inquiry Procedures in the Committee on the Judiciary Pursuant to H. Res. 918

Mr. COLE

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up H. Res. 918 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. COLE. 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. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Res. 918.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, today is a sad day for myself, for the institution, and most of all for the American people. My duty today is one I do not relish. I am sure that every other Member of this institution feels the same way. Yesterday, the Rules Committee met and reported out a measure under our original jurisdiction. H. Res. 918 formalizes an inquiry into whether sufficient grounds exist for the House of Representatives to exercise its constitutional power to impeach the President of the United States. Three months ago, at the direction of then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, three committees--those of Oversight and Accountability, Ways and Means, and the Judiciary--began this impeachment inquiry. Over the succeeding months, the committees have done their work and have done it well. The inquiry is now at an inflection point. The three committees are nearing the end of their investigations. The White House has chosen this moment to stonewall and resist the legitimate investigative powers of the House. Mr. Speaker, while I do not believe the House must hold a vote on the floor to initiate an impeachment inquiry, doing so may be said to be best practice. We are taking up today's resolution that will formalize the impeachment inquiry that has already begun. This will ensure not only that the inquiry has the full authority of the House but also that the House can enforce its subpoenas and ensure that the Biden administration can no longer refuse to cooperate with the investigation. I will briefly describe the procedures for this inquiry. The resolution tasks three committees--Oversight and Accountability, Ways and Means, and the Judiciary--with continuing their current inquiries. It establishes procedures for conducting hearings and calling and questioning witnesses. It grants the minority equal time to question witnesses and the right to request their own witnesses. At the conclusion of their proceedings, it provides for the Committees on Oversight and Accountability and Ways and Means to transmit their findings and supporting documents to the Committee on the Judiciary, which is the committee that traditionally considers impeachment matters. It gives the President the right to participate in the proceedings before the Committee on the Judiciary. Finally, the resolution authorizes the Committee on the Judiciary to transmit to the House resolutions, Articles of Impeachment, or other recommendations. The procedures we are adopting today closely parallel those the Democrats created in 2019. In fact, H. Res. 660 from the 116th Congress was our guide. After all, those procedures are now a precedent of the House. Mr. Speaker, impeachment, especially impeachment of a President, is a starkly serious matter. It is something that no Member of the House should want to do. The House has rights and obligations under the Constitution. We are charged with providing the oversight of the executive branch, and we are the sole institution in the country granted the awesome power of impeachment. It is a power that must be used selectively and wisely, and only after full deliberation. With today's resolution, we are ensuring that the House will be able to complete its inquiry. We will secure the evidence we need and uncover the facts we need to make that full and fair determination. Only at the end of the road can we make a decision on how to proceed. I take no joy in today's resolution, but I know the House will do its duty. We owe our committees, the institution, and the Constitution no less. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the resolution, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Comer), who is the chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Accountability.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Jordan), who is the chairman of the Judiciary Committee.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. Houchin), my very good friend and distinguished member of the Rules Committee.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Just for the Record, all these amendments are on the website of the Rules Committee. It is not like they are mysteriously hidden someplace. They are in plain view on the website of the Rules Committee. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Norman), my good friend and also a distinguished member of the Rules Committee.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Roy), my good friend and distinguished member of the Rules Committee.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Smith), my very good friend and distinguished Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman from Missouri.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. McClintock), my very good friend.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Timmons), my good friend.