Tom Cole

Mr. COLE

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

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this is a great debate. It is nice to have the discussion, but we are here to consider a specific piece of legislation. This keeps the government open. What my friends want to do by voting ``no'' is effectively to shut it down. This provides relief to people in need. What my friends want to do by voting ``no'' is to keep that from happening. This provides aid to farmers and ranchers. What my friends want to do--and they actually favor the amounts and what have you. There has been no change in that regard--ends that. This extends important protections for the American people. If a bill has got something in it and you support everything that is in it and we continue the debt ceiling that we have had the last 2 years, then I am mystified as to how you can go home and explain that as I wanted to keep the government open, so I voted to shut it down. It is amazing to me. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Jordan), my very good friend and distinguished chairman of the Judiciary Committee.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Lawler), my good friend.

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

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

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time for the purpose of closing. It has been an interesting debate. It has been a good debate. There have been a lot of interesting points made, but the fact is, there is nothing in this legislation that Democrats oppose. They don't oppose keeping the government open. This keeps it open until March 14. We will be voting for that in overwhelming numbers. Democrats support aid to people in distress. This bill does that. Democrats are going to be voting ``no.'' We will be voting ``yes.'' We think the rural economy is in crisis. There is important aid in here for it, aid Democrats supported. We are going to be voting for it. Democrats are going to be voting against it. Those are just the facts. You consider legislation one piece at a time. There is not a single thing in here that the other side opposes except maybe the debt limit extension, which is the same debt limit extension they supported 2 years ago. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' and keep the government open, help people in need, help the rural economy, and let us move forward with our work. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of the bill and yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COLE

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I vote in favor of S. 4199, the Judicial Understaffing Delays Getting Emergencies Solved Act of 2024, to allow for the creation of additional judgeships in under resourced district courts across the country. However, this is not the version of the bill I would have preferred due to the temporary nature of the additional judgeships slated for the State of Oklahoma. As the only state to receive additional temporary judgeships in this legislation, I believe this not only ignores the ongoing need for more longstanding, dependable resources across the state but also jeopardizes the longevity of these essential positions and creates uncertainty in the judicial system. Temporary judgeships will not satisfy the long-term need for judicial resources following the permanent jurisdictional shifts in criminal and civil proceedings in the state and subsequent backlog of cases pending in the justice system. Any new judgeships should be made permanent to reflect the drastic expansion of federal jurisdiction and to enact swift justice on behalf of the people of Oklahoma.

Mr. COLE

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Sara Peters, an exceptional staff member of the House Committee on Appropriations, whose decade-long service in the federal government exemplifies the hard work and dedication of an esteemed public servant. Sara's career in government began in 2010 as Legislative Counsel to Senator Thad Cochran. In that role, she advised the Senator on budget, banking, finance, trade, justice, and ethics issues. Her contributions were particularly significant in the vetting of judicial nominees and the development of landmark legislation such as the Dodd-Frank Act and the Budget Control Act of 2011. Additionally, Sara managed all justice- related appropriations issues for the influential Senator. In 2011, Sara brought her talents to the House Committee on Appropriations as a Professional Staff Member for the Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development. Her portfolio included the Federal Highway Administration and transportation safety agencies, such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the United States Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. She also managed vital programs supporting Native American housing, homeless assistance, and community development. Following her initial tenure with the House Committee on Appropriations, Sara expanded her expertise in the private sector as a Senior Associate at the King & Spalding law firm. Sara specialized in environmental, energy, transportation, and consumer product safety law. She then served as Assistant General Counsel at the Volkswagen Group of America, with a specific focus on emissions, regulatory, and settlement oversight. After five years in the private sector, Sara's commitment to public service led her back to government as the Deputy Director of Government Affairs, Policy, and Strategic Planning for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Focusing on transportation safety initiatives and technologies, Sara bridged the gap between the agency and Congress, managing key policy initiatives and preparing agency leadership for congressional hearings, budget rollouts, and briefings. In November 2020, Sara returned to Congress where her extensive expertise and knowledge earned her the position of Counsel and Senior Advisor on the House Committee on Appropriations under then Ranking Member Kay Granger. It was in this role that Sara successfully advanced House Republican funding priorities in the Minority. When Republicans took control of the House in 2023, she was rightly promoted to Deputy Staff Director of the full committee. Her understanding of the complexities of the federal budget has fostered crucially important reforms in the appropriations process. She has demonstrated remarkable skill in managing complex budget data, coordinating between the twelve Appropriations subcommittees, and facilitating communication with leadership offices, authorizing committees, external stakeholders, and support agencies such as the Congressional Budget Office and the Government Accountability Office. Sara played an invaluable role in crafting and negotiating full-year, supplemental, and continuing appropriations legislation. Throughout her career, Sara has consistently demonstrated an extraordinary ability to navigate complex political landscapes and achieve meaningful results on challenging policy issues. Her deep understanding of government processes and her strategic approach have been instrumental in securing important policy victories, even in times of a divided government. After countless early mornings and late nights of devoted work to our country, I know Sara is looking forward to a change of pace that allows her to spend more time with her family. Sara will be greatly missed, and I extend my deepest gratitude for her exemplary service to the United States of America.

Mr. COLE

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, everyone knows the saying ``nobody messes with Texas.'' Well, the same could be said of Chairwoman Kay Granger. She's as ``Texas Tough'' as it comes, an unwavering force evident in her nearly three decades of faithful service to our Nation. As someone who has sat at the leadership table alongside her and worked hand-in-glove with her on the Appropriations Committee, I can attest that she is one of the best legislators I have ever had the honor and privilege of working with. Throughout her career, she has fiercely fought for the people of Texas' 12th district. She is the definition of a defense hawk--steadfast in her commitment to ensuring our Nation remains the number one military power in the world. And she is a conservative stalwart that masterfully negotiated Republican priorities in a gridlocked government. Her trailblazing career was characterized by historic firsts. She was the first woman mayor of Fort Worth, the first Republican woman to serve in Congress in the Texas delegation, the first woman to serve on and chair the Defense Subcommittee, and the first Republican woman to chair the full Appropriations Committee. More importantly than her impressive list of accomplishments and superb leadership abilities, she has been a dear friend to me, who showed me the ropes and whose invaluable wisdom I will dearly miss here in Congress. Texas was lucky. America was luckier. Chairwoman Granger leaves behind a towering legacy of grit and grace that will continue to inspire this institution for decades to come and it is a privilege to honor her on the House Floor.

Mr. COLE

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 478.

Mr. COLE

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 9747) making continuing appropriations and extensions for fiscal year 2025, and for other purposes.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to yield one-half of my time to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), the distinguished ranking member of the Appropriations Committee, and ask that the gentlewoman be allowed to control that time.

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.R. 9747.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in support of H.R. 9747, the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act of 2025. In a matter of days, funding for the fiscal year 2024 will run out, and it is Congress' responsibility to ensure that the government remains open and serving the American people. We are here to avert harmful disruptions to our national security and vital programs our constituents rely on. Before I discuss the underlying bill, I would like to note the progress this body has made so far on the appropriations process. After a late start due to the delay of the fiscal year 2024 process and a late Presidential budget request, the Appropriations Committee succeeded in passing all 12 of our fiscal 2025 bills out of committee, all of which were within the bounds of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, which is enshrined in law. The House then passed five of those bills across the floor, representing nearly 71 percent of overall discretionary spending. Despite House Republicans' strong momentum, time is drawing short, and our colleagues in the Senate--who have yet to pass all of their bills out of committee or to pass a single fiscal year 2025 bill across the floor--have not kept pace with the House. It is clear we are unable to complete the full appropriations process by September 30. That means that a continuing resolution is needed. The bill before us is narrow in scope and continues government operations through December 20. It includes extensions for critical programs that must remain in place, such as WIC, TANF, and the National Flood Insurance Program. It also includes additional resources for the Secret Service to ensure candidates and government leaders are protected while also guaranteeing the full cooperation of the Secret Service with congressional investigations. Mr. Speaker, governance by continuing resolution is not ideal. Like most, my preference would be to pass full-year individual appropriations bills through regular order, but we are out of time. We cannot afford a shutdown, which would be greatly damaging to our national security, to critical government programs, and to the American people, not to mention the enormous cost of government shutdowns. I commend the Speaker for his efforts to find a path forward. He was dealt a very difficult hand and has delivered once again for the good of the country. This path ensures Americans aren't needlessly punished with a costly shutdown and allows the people, and, importantly, the next President, to have a say in the appropriations process. Mr. Speaker, for these reasons, I urge all of my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 9747 today. I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

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

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. I would like to begin just with a quick personal reflection and tell both my colleagues what an honor it is to share this floor with them today, and I mean that quite sincerely. These are two of the most principled people that we have in Congress. They don't always agree with one another. We don't always agree with one another, but I have had the privilege of serving with my good friend, Ms. DeLauro, the distinguished ranking member on the Appropriations Committee for many years. There is nobody that I like to debate with, bargain with, and eventually come to an agreement with more than my friend. I have had the great privilege of serving with Mr. Roy on the Rules Committee in this Congress, and I have enjoyed every minute of it, quite frankly, because like my friend on the other side of the aisle, he approaches things with a great deal of passion and a great deal of care and always enriches the debate. It is true that my friend, Mr. Roy, and I have worked on a lot of stuff together. We are on the same side more times than not. I was very proud to work with him last week when we tried to submit a little bit longer CR and tried to get the SAVE Act done. I liked the short one, but I could accept the compromise that the Speaker offered to get the SAVE Act. We didn't quite get that done. Frankly, I have often worked with my friend, and I think he is right on the spending issues. I am proud of this Congress because we have pulled that back. There is no American Rescue Plan coming out of this Congress thanks to the Republicans. There is no Inflation Reduction Act coming out of this Congress because we are in the majority in the House. Frankly, even this year we did have the Fiscal Responsibility Act overall governing our spending, but as my friend from Texas knows, there were ``side deals.'' Those are not the law of the land. We literally were operating by things that honestly many of our Members didn't know about. My Democratic friends like to still talk about that, why aren't we honoring that deal. Maybe we should have kept the guy that made the deal, Speaker McCarthy, but the reality was it was not in law. We appropriated to what was in the law. We lived that way, and I am proud that we did that. I am proud of the progress we made on the Appropriations Committee: the fact that we got all the bills out of the committee when the Senate has not, the fact that we got five of them constituting the great majority of spending across the floor when the Senate has yet to do a single bill. This committee, and frankly, this institution, is not the reason why we face the challenge we face today. Let's be honest, too, about the challenge we do face. It is a binary choice. We are either going to shut the government down without achieving anything by shutting it down or we are going to keep it open and keep working on our problems, and frankly, give the American people an opportunity in the election through their votes and their voice to decide who is coming back here and who the President-elect is going to be, and I suspect that will clarify a lot of the decisions in front of us. I agree with my friend from Connecticut. I am not for shutting down the government. It is a disservice to the American people. We inconvenience them. We endanger them. Our responsibility, if we can't come to an agreement, is to still keep the country safe, still keep it operating, and frankly, continue to work on and allow the American people to intervene and tell us what they want us to do. Mr. Speaker, it is pretty clear to me the right thing to do is to join together in a bipartisan sense, and later we hope in a bicameral sense, and pass this bill. Let us keep the government open and functioning, let the American people make a decision a few weeks from today, and in return--and I agree with my friend from Connecticut, I would like to finish our business before the end of the year. I don't know if that is possible, but I agree very much the next President and the next Congress should not be forced to do the work of this administration and this Congress. They should be able to start--they are going to have plenty of problems. They are going to come here in a dangerous world. The President-elect is going to create a budget, get their people in place, and rewrite the tax code. Let's not throw a potential government shutdown in front of them as well. That is more than enough to deal with. Mr. Speaker, I sincerely urge the passage of this legislation, H.R. 9747, and I urge my colleagues to support the bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COLE

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Roy), a distinguished member of the Rules Committee.

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

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1430, I call up the bill (H.R. 9494) making continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2025, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

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 the measure under consideration.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 9494, the Continuing Appropriations and Other Matters Act of 2025. Today's bill arises at a particularly challenging time for our country. For 4 years, President Biden and Vice President Harris' self- inflicted border crisis has caused chaos in communities across our country. Our national debt has risen to over $35 trillion, threatening the future financial stability of our country. Across the world, America's adversaries continue to march forward, threatening our friends and democratic partners, and now we are facing a looming deadline to fund the government and keep it serving the American people. Given the state of the world and our approaching election, this is no time to shut the government down. That means Congress needs to act, and we need to do so today. The appropriations process is one that is never easy. It requires time and hard work to complete. Frankly, I am proud of what this body has accomplished this year. Even after a late start due to the delay of the fiscal year 2024 process and the President's late budget request, the Appropriations Committee succeeded in passing all 12 of our fiscal year 2025 bills out of committee. The House also passed five of those bills across the floor, representing nearly 71 percent of overall discretionary spending. Unfortunately, time is drawing short, and our colleagues in the Senate, who have yet to pass a single fiscal year 2025 bill across the floor, have not kept pace with the House. It is clear that we are unable to complete the full appropriations process by September 30. That means that a continuing resolution is needed. The bill before us extends government funding through March 28, 2025, ensuring that the government remains open and providing critical services to our constituents. This extension will not only give us the time we need to complete our appropriations process for 2025 but also will allow the American people to have a say in the appropriations process. The bill includes certain key extensions, including essential programs like flood insurance, WIC, and TANF. It also provides needed funding for disaster relief, helping communities across the country that have faced natural disasters this year or that will face them in the coming months. Lastly, Mr. Speaker, in just 2 short months, Americans will go to the polls to elect a new President of the United States. This is a critical time for American democracy, and it is more important than ever that our elections are secure. That is why H.R. 9494 includes the text of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, or SAVE Act, which will ensure that only American citizens may vote in Federal elections. This commonsense legislation is necessary to protect the sanctity and security of our elections, making sure that it is American citizens alone who will choose the future direction of our country. This is as the Founding Fathers intended and as it should be. Mr. Speaker, governance by continuing resolution is not ideal. It is always better to pass full-year appropriations bills through regular order, but we are out of time and we cannot afford a government shutdown, which would be greatly damaging to our national security, to critical government programs, and to the American people. The stakes could not be higher. That is why I urge all of my colleagues to vote in support of H.R. 9494 today. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I would quickly make a point to my very good friend, who knows quite well I hold her in very high regard. On the veterans issue, I just point out that we actually appropriated more to the VA than the administration asked for. We are certainly willing to sit down and have a discussion over any additional needs. Nobody wants veterans to be shortchanged. Approaching Congress at the last minute, when it gave you more money than you asked for, suggests a high level of incompetence in this administration's management of the Veterans Affairs Department. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Aderholt), my very good friend and the chairman of the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee.