Lloyd Doggett

Mr. DOGGETT

Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Washington.

Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time is remaining.

Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Tlaib).

Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. Jayapal), the chair of the Progressive Caucus within our Democratic Party.

Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman is trying to turn the world upside down. We are the ones who accept election results. We are not the ones who stormed the Capitol. We are not the ones who still deny the results of the last election. We believe in democracy and the will of the people and the responsibility of the Members of this body to stand up and exercise effective checks and balances. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Takano), the distinguished ranking member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, who was here with me last week to oppose this very bad bill.

Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentleman from Maryland.

Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, I would reiterate that on October 1, the IRS, once again, extended for another year the protection that the gentleman says he wants. I am as opposed to Hamas as he is, but this has nothing to do with that. It has everything to do with what happens within this country. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Raskin) for further explanation of that and to tell us a little bit about what due process means.

Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Beyer), who serves on the Ways and Means Committee.

Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 15 seconds to respond before calling on my colleague to speak. The gentlewoman well knows that at that very hearing when we chose not to block her bill from coming to the floor, I raised the same concerns, as did Mr. Beyer, that we have today and asked them to amend it, to provide due process in this bill, the very thing they have refused to do. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Chu), who is in the same position from the Ways and Means Committee.

Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself an additional 1 minute. Mr. Speaker, through the Treasury Secretary, he would be given the power to have immediate revocation of the tax-exempt status, an effective death penalty for the nonprofits. An appeal after the tax-exempt status is taken away is no relief at all. The President would not be required to provide the reasons for the decision or the evidence upon which he relied. It is not just Trump imposing a death sentence that should concern us, but it is his power to intimidate, to threaten to eliminate a hospital, to eliminate a community nonprofit press entity, to eliminate those who give aid to immigrants. The fear of that death penalty, that intimidation, is what would do great damage to American civil society. Clearly, the bill would have a chilling effect on any group that has the audacity to criticize his dark vision. Surely, the first rule of confronting a wannabe tyrant is not to provide him more tools to achieve that tyranny.

Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 4 minutes. Mr. Speaker, this is a death penalty bill that we are considering today, a bill that empowers Donald Trump to extinguish the life of any nonprofit, of any civic society group, which happens to be on his enemies list. Authoritarianism is not born overnight. It creeps in. It erodes our freedoms. A tyrant tightens his grip, not just by seizing power, but when he demands new powers and those who can stop him willingly cede and bend to his will. Opposing terrorism and hostage taxation, truly those are not even issues this morning, but fascism is. Today we must show that we are more than a speed bump on the march to fascism. Of course, we oppose terrorism and all who support terrorists. That is why it is already a Federal criminal offense to provide material support for terrorism or foreign entities who are engaging in terrorism. Tax-exempt organizations are already prohibited from engaging in illegal activity. What current law does not prohibit, however, is the type of sweeping power advocated today to enact a revenge campaign and silence any nonprofit or public media outlet that may criticize Donald Trump, assist the many innocent people he demonizes, or those who simply don't offer enough support to satisfy him. There are so many groups in America, almost 300, that have expressed their concern about this bill and their opposition to it. Nor does anyone here today oppose protection of American hostages from tax penalties. The chairman is absolutely correct about one tiny thing: A part of this bill has been approved by unanimous consent in the United States Senate. That is the part that he won't let us consider today as a freestanding bill, which as late as Monday, we have tried again to have presented here because we could have unanimous consent here to protect those hostages. No. What he is doing is holding the hostages' tax provision hostage to provide more power to Donald Trump. Chairman Smith did not bother to disclose to this House that on October 1 of this year, the Internal Revenue Service renewed relief for taxpayers affected by terrorist attacks, postponing the hostages' tax filings and payment deadlines. Without our approving even the legislation we support, hostages would not face penalties or interest costs. As to the over 290 groups that are opposing this legislation and calling for a ``no'' vote, they recognize the danger that it poses. Today I urge my colleagues to believe more in Donald Trump. Believe what he says. Listen when he says the press is the ``enemy of the people.'' Listen to him when he declares ``I am your justice, I am your retribution.'' Listen to him when he says he will be a dictator ``on day one.'' Trump will not use this provision provided today as a shield to protect us from some foreign terrorism. He will use it as a sword against those he views as his political enemies. Today's vote is a chance for this House to take Trump at his word. A ``no'' vote signals that we will not be accomplices in turning threats into reality. If this bill were to become law, we would hand him a bludgeon for a crusade against those who he deems the greatest danger to America, what he called the enemy within. A unilateral designation by the President-elect through his Treasury Secretary would mean immediate-- The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.

Mr. DOGGETT

Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. DOGGETT

Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the gentlewoman from Texas, the Honorable Erica Lee Carter, be permitted to take the oath of office today. Her certificate of election has not arrived, but there is no contest and no question has been raised with regard to her election.

Mr. DOGGETT

Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to welcome to the House a new addition from Texas, Erica Lee Carter. This is a somewhat bittersweet moment for all of us because it was only a few months ago that we gathered here to commemorate the life and legacy of her mother, Sheila Jackson Lee. There is more than physical resemblance between the two. When I was elected in 1994 in the same small class of 13 that Sheila was a Member of, Erica was a teenager. She has been here a number of times over the three decades that Sheila served. Sheila was a fierce advocate for justice who fought relentlessly for her community. Erica, I know, has her mother's tenacity and her compassion. She carries on a legacy of helping those with the least. She has led initiatives on economic equality and voting rights in Harris County. She spearheaded a funding drive for after-school programs. She has also worked to end discriminatory practices in the workplace and uplift minority- and women-owned businesses. She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She earned a master's degree at Duke University's Terry Sanford School of Public Policy. She began her career as an elementary schoolteacher in Houston. Her expertise in the classroom and in making education more accessible for every child, regardless of ZIP Code, is a great example of why her strong voice will be valuable. While cancer cruelly cut Sheila's term short and Erica will be with us for a short time, I believe that we can count on her to continue carrying the torch for social justice in whatever role she may play, and we welcome her tonight. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Texas (Mrs. Lee Carter), our new colleague for her maiden speech.

Mr. DOGGETT

Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, the former Chief of Staff said he is certainly an authoritarian, admires people who are dictators, so he certainly falls into the general definition of fascism. Kelly also said that our President-elect has said that Hitler did some good things. I don't want those kinds of good things done here in America. I want people that disagree with me, as much as the chairman does tonight, from across this country to have the opportunity to have their say. I think that a vibrant, diverse, civil society and freedom of the press here is vital to the future of American democracy, and I don't want to see it snuffed out by one new figure. Let us not tonight give a wannabe tyrant the tool of tyranny. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, the ability to demand that no dollars flow from America to any terrorist organization has been long recognized in the law as it exists today. In fact, the chairman has conceded that when he says his complaint is that the IRS has not moved fast enough under existing law. This is not a question of inadequate law. It is against the law today to provide support to a terrorist organization, be it exempt or nonexempt. The question here is whether we should change the law to eliminate the right to know the evidence to that effect. Is it just the chairman's claim that something is a terrorist organization? If it is a terrorist organization, why not present the evidence? Why not provide an opportunity for a hearing for that evidence to be tested? Why not provide a meaningful right of appeal? None of these safeguards are there, and they are lacking for a reason. The desire is to be able to weaponize the Treasury with regard to these organizations and to do as has happened under one tyrant after another in another country to claim that the opponents are terrorists, a term that is expansive. Unchecked authority to revoke the nonprofit status of such groups without cause or due process risks Trump truly weaponizing the Treasury Department and destroying civil society organizations across this country. As David Thompson with the National Council of Nonprofits has said, by violating basic due process rights, this bill ``bodes ill . . . without input from the charitable sector.'' As civil society groups have stated, over 120 of them: ``The executive branch could use this authority to target its political opponents and use the fear of crippling legal fees, the stigma of designation, and donors fleeing controversy to stifle dissent and chill speech and advocacy.'' It is not just the denial of tax status; it is the threat of denial. It is the use of intimidation, at which our President-elect is an expert, to let this be an intimidation of one group after another--a church, a social organization that has nothing to do with terrorism but can be characterized as such by him. That is all it takes. Mr. Speaker, if Trump calls you a terrorist, just as he called me a traitor for not clapping long enough for him, that is all it takes under this bill. You have no hearing. You have no evidence. You have no true appeal rights. The supposed administrative provisions, administrative safeguards of this bill, are a total sham. Mr. Speaker, after you are found guilty and denied your taxpayer status, then you can complain about it. It is based on the principle that you are guilty before proven innocent. The process there provides no protection whatsoever. With regard to helping the hostages, let's be very clear about that. For 6 months, we have had in this House the opportunity to pass a Senate bill that is word for word a bill that is pending here in the House to help the hostages. Why has that not been done? The very fact that there is such great interest in the hostages today and such total insensitivity over the last 6 months to do anything about them tells you that there is an ulterior motive here, that the goal is not about helping perhaps a dozen hostage victims' families who have gone through hell. It is not about that. It is about placing one civil society group after another on the line under a new President to use unlimited discretion to attack his political foes. We have an opportunity tonight to either advance the cause of fascism or to push back against it. We have statements not from Democrats but from those who worked closest with President Trump raising concern, causing my concern about giving him any additional power. After he called the press the enemy of the people, there is concern about the impact on the press. So many of our journalist organizations now at the local level are nonprofit organizations. To lose their tax- exempt status is to destroy freedom of the press. We know with regard to President-elect Trump, that his appointee, General Mark Milley, the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a decorated hero and patriot, referred to Mr. Trump as fascist to the core, that his former Chief of Staff, the longest serving Chief of Staff, one of those best people in the world that he told us he would bring to Washington, said he is certainly an authoritarian, admires people who are dictators. He has said that. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire of the time remaining?

Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman from California.

Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Takano).

Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for responding, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, I have a question for Mr. Beyer. The bill the gentleman has is the same one that the Senate passed 6 months ago. Has the gentleman been given any reason why the Republicans, if they are so eager to help the hostages, have held that bill instead of bringing it up to us to consider and getting it on the President's desk right now, this week? Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Beyer) to answer my question.

Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 10 seconds to tell the chairman he is absolutely right. I stand corrected concerning the IRS Commissioner. That is the only thing I stand corrected on, and I would be glad to join him in a further appeal to the current Commissioner if the facts are as you say because none of us want to see a dollar, profit or nonprofit, going to terrorism. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Beyer).

Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, a shelter offering housing to LGBTQ youth could be targeted. A Vietnam Veterans of America group that previously declared Trump's attacks on Gold Star families disgraceful and un- American could be targeted. Other possible targets might be think tanks that don't happen to think the way Trump wanted, groups fighting Christian nationalism, or simply any tax-exempt group not viewed as sufficiently pro-MAGA. Now, let's talk about the two examples that the chairman just referred to. He thinks the IRS Commissioner has not acted swiftly enough, and it sounds like perhaps he is right. Well, who do you think appointed the IRS Commissioner? His name is Donald J. Trump. The defect is not in the law as it exists today, but on the question of whether or not there is being proper administration of the law that exists today that can deal with terrorism. If the real purpose of this bill, as well, were simply to postpone tax filing deadlines for the very small number of Americans who have been detained hostage, as wrong as that is, our approving right now the bill that has lingered here, as Republicans shelved it for 6 months, that the Senate approved to do that, to provide them that protection, we could put that bill on the President's desk right now. The very fact that the Republicans used this claim of helping hostages is a subterfuge because what it is really about is empowering Trump to do more harm. They are, in essence, holding the hostages hostage once again. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself an additional 2 minutes.