Michelle Fischbach

Mrs. FISCHBACH

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. The gentleman from Massachusetts continues talking about how this select committee has been modeled after the Select Committee on Benghazi, but ``modeled'' is a very loose term, given that this committee obviously has a far more skewed ratio than the Benghazi committee did. In addition to that, this committee can all be appointed by the Speaker. In her own words, she agreed that, yes, she could appoint them all. In the Select Committee on Benghazi, there were recommendations taken from the minority to the majority in order to appoint that membership. So to say that this has been modeled after Benghazi, maybe because they have the name ``select committee,'' and that is the model they use, but certainly the membership and the makeup of this is not the bipartisan issue that it was on the Select Committee on Benghazi. Madam Speaker, I have been listening to some of my colleagues on the other side, and you would think that nothing is being done to investigate the January 6 attack, and that is wrong. In addition to the bipartisan Senate investigation that has already been mentioned, numerous other investigations are under way by both law enforcement and congressional bodies. And as I have mentioned, we have already allocated $10 million for the Architect of the Capitol to investigate what went wrong that day, and law enforcement continues to conduct its investigation. The majority ignores the fact that more than 500 individuals--which has been mentioned several times--have been arrested or charged in connection with the January 6 attack, and that investigation will likely continue for some time. Instead of ignoring legitimate investigations and launching one of partisan politics, we ought to let the processes that are already underway continue. If we don't, we risk undermining the work that is already being done. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Madam Speaker, I will remind the gentleman from Mississippi that it was not this body that stopped the commission. It did not receive the required support from both sides of the aisle in the Senate to move forward. Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess).

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Van Duyne).

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Madam Speaker, I include in the Record the bipartisan Senate Homeland Security report. Examining the U.S. Capitol Attack: A Review of the Security, Planning, and Response Failures on January 6 Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs U.S. Senator Gary Peters, Chair, U.S. Senator Rob Portman, Ranking Member. Committee on Rules and Administration U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, Chair, U.S. Senator Roy Blunt, Ranking Member.

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I know we do live in a highly polarized time, but despite the partisanship that so often plagues the House of Representatives, there is no reason this select committee should not be wholly bipartisan. In fact, that is what the American people demand. Unfortunately, the resolution ensures that bipartisanship will not happen. The result will be a divided report focused more on a narrative than a solution, and that is why I asked that we submit that Senate report as part of the Record. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Wenstrup).

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Madam Speaker, that is it.

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close. Madam Speaker, I oppose H. Res. 503. The events of January 6 were tragic in so many ways and certainly demand a real investigation, but bipartisan investigations have already taken place in the Senate, and law enforcement also continues to investigate. We all share the concern for what happened here in Washington, D.C., on that day, and it can never happen again. But unless Democrats abandon their desires for a predetermined outcome, we are doing the American people a disservice. Moving forward and making sure that it never happens again requires a fully bipartisan solution, not a partisan committee rigged from the start. This resolution is rife with partisan politics at its worst. Madam Speaker, I urge Members to oppose H. Res. 503, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. General Leave

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, our country is facing enormous challenges, but instead of addressing those challenges, we are focused on duplicating work that has already been done. And I have to repeat that. These investigations have been done and are ongoing. And it appears as though this select committee is being done purely for political purposes. In early June, two Senate committees issued a joint report focusing on ``security, planning, and response failures related to the violence and unprecedented attack on January 6.'' That report was signed by Democrats and Republicans, and it included a comprehensive audit of the security, intelligence, and authority failures of that day. It also included substantive recommendations for moving forward, including tangible action items that can be addressed by this Congress. But instead of working in tandem with our Senate counterparts, Democrats want to politicize this issue even further. At a time when the American people have little trust in the government, we need to be working to restore that trust. Unfortunately, this kind of partisan move will not advance that shared goal. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. FISCHBACH

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Madam Speaker, in 1994, then-Senator Joe Biden said: ``Those of us who are opposed to abortion should not be compelled to pay for them.'' Well, Mr. President, I certainly agree. For more than four decades, the Hyde amendment has ensured the American people are not forced to fund abortion on-demand, a procedure at great odds with so many of our personal and religious beliefs, and an injustice that leaves an irreversible mark on so many lives. Since 1976, the Hyde amendment has had bipartisan support from Congress, has been signed into law by both Republican and Democrat Presidents, and has been supported by the majority of the American people. It has saved the lives of millions. But President Biden and the Democrats want to end those protections, forcing the American people to fund a procedure that is at such serious odds with our personal, religious, and moral beliefs. There is no more vulnerable person than a child in the womb. Do they not deserve our care and our protection? Does that life not also have value, just like the lives of you and me, Mr. Speaker? Mr. Speaker, I will say it again: We are treading in dangerous territory. Instead of working toward a government that builds all people up for the common good, we are choosing to subsidize the deaths of unborn babies. I believe that is appalling, and I urge my colleagues to reconsider their positions. We must pass H.R. 18 and respect the wishes of the American people: Tax dollars should not be used to fund abortions. Mr. Speaker, I urge ``no'' on the previous question.

Mrs. FISCHBACH

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Mr. Speaker, I would like to say simply that I am proud to support this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support S. 409. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 409. I want to second what my colleague, the gentleman from California, has said about the importance of the CFTC Whistleblower Office and the Office of Customer Education and Outreach, and, of course, the employees who work in those offices. These offices help the Commission meet its mission to promote integrity, resilience, and vibrancy of the U.S. derivatives markets. I am proud to support today's legislation to avoid unnecessary disruptions to these activities and needless staff furloughs. The work in these offices, particularly the Whistleblower Office, helps to root out violations of the law which harm individuals and undermine derivatives markets. Fraud and market manipulation can steal customer funds, distort prices, disrupt orderly trading and settlement, and sap confidence in the fairness of our markets. Whistleblowers are a critical source of information which helps the Commission protect the integrity of our commodity markets. I also want to emphasize that today's legislation does not spend any new money or create any new programs. Rather, it sets aside existing funds to meet existing obligations. S. 409 ensures that funds to support the functioning of the whistleblower and customer education offices are temporarily prioritized over the funds to pay whistleblower awards in order to keep the offices fully functional. In the end, both obligations will be fully met as Congress intended. As the ranking member of the Commodity Exchanges, Energy, and Credit Subcommittee, I feel a particular responsibility to make sure that the CFTC has the best tools at its disposal to meet its mission. As we move forward in the coming months, I am looking forward to digging deeper into the work of the Commission and coming together to craft a responsible CFTC reauthorization bill which makes permanent improvements to the Whistleblower Office funding mechanism and meets the needs of the 21st century financial regulator. I want to take a moment to thank Chairman Scott and Ranking Member Thompson for their willingness to involve the whole committee in this legislative effort. As a new member of the committee, I appreciated the opportunity to act as a body in support of this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. FISCHBACH

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Madam Speaker, since 1976, the Hyde Amendment has protected American taxpayers from being complicit in the atrocity that is abortion on demand. And since 1976, the Hyde Amendment has been reauthorized on a bipartisan basis, signed into law by both Republican and Democrat Presidents, and supported by most Americans, until now, as President Biden's proposed budget eliminates it altogether. Madam Speaker, we are treading in dangerous territory. Democrats have completely abandoned millions of pro-life Americans just like me, who vehemently oppose using taxpayer dollars to fund abortion. And even worse, they have done it for no other reason than to appease their own radical base. President Biden said it best in 1994: ``Those of us who are opposed to abortion should not be compelled to pay for them.'' And in 2006, he said: ``Won't support public funding of abortion.'' Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, and the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 18 and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mrs. FISCHBACH

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Louisiana for organizing the Special Order this evening. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight in solidarity with the State of Israel. As the only democracy in the Middle East, Israel is among our greatest allies and friends. Since the beginning, Israel has had two goals: to live as a Jewish state and to do so in peace. This was true at its founding, and it remains true today. But just as it has been throughout history, Israel again finds itself under attack, this time by Hamas terrorists, who, with the help of Iran, are bent on destroying the only Jewish state in the world. Does Israel not have a right to defend itself? Make no mistake, Hamas is not interested in peace. They want to destroy Israel and its people, and are willing to use women, children, and journalists as human shields to do so. Some, including Members of this body, have taken to propaganda to paint Israel as the aggressor, but that is nothing more than cheap gaslighting. Israel is not now, nor have they ever been, an aggressor state. Its only actions have been in its own defense. There is simply no moral equivalence between a nation defending itself and those who would use terrorism to annihilate the Jewish people. In fact, defeating this terrorism is a prerequisite for peace. Mr. Speaker, these ongoing attacks are exactly why the United States must stand with our Israeli allies, condemn Hamas terrorists, and sanction those who provide them support. I call on all Members of this distinguished body to continue our long history of support for our Israeli allies.

Mrs. FISCHBACH

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Madam Speaker, I thank the Representative from Pennsylvania for yielding me the customary 30 minutes, and I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, we are here today to debate the rule governing the consideration of the Fairness in Orphan Drug Exclusivity Act and the resolution to condemn the horrific shootings in Atlanta this past March. I want to say right away that it is not the substance of these two bills to which I take exception; it is the process the majority is following or not following to move legislation forward. The first bill in this rule is H. Res. 275, a resolution condemning the horrific shootings in Atlanta, Georgia, this past March. As Members of the House of Representatives, we unequivocally condemn violence and hate against any person or group of people. What happened in Atlanta is an unimaginable tragedy that must be denounced in no uncertain terms. I support the idea of the resolution, but not the way my colleagues in the majority are handling it. The majority chose to circumvent the prescribed process for a resolution of this nature, bypassing the usual committee markup altogether and sidestepping an opportunity for the majority to address concerns from the minority and allow the House to speak with one unified voice. That is not the way the people's House was intended to work, and it negatively affects both Members of this body and our constituents when we can't have the kind of discussion required on important pieces of legislation like this. The other underlying bill, H.R. 1629, the Fairness in Orphan Drug Exclusivity Act, came before the House last week and failed to garner the two-thirds majority needed to pass on suspension after one of our Republican colleagues was left off the bill that he had long championed, left off the bill for an issue unrelated to the bill. Again, I support H.R. 1629 and hope you will, too. But not only did the Democrats ignore the spirit of bipartisanship by which they claim to abide and block Republican Members from signing on to this bill, they did so by continuing to ram through bills without any respect for process, rules, or courtesy, which brings me to the extension of rule changes included in the resolution. It has been 1 year since this body instituted martial law, as my friend and colleague Ranking Member Cole said during the Rules Committee hearing yesterday. While at the time there was certainly a need for changes to the rules to rapidly move legislation at the onset of the pandemic, the landscape has dramatically shifted, and we are more than ready to get back to normal. Instead, more than 1 year later, we are still being governed by martial law in what has become the least transparent Congress ever. Democrats in the majority continue to chip away at the rights of the minority. Before we know it, those in the minority will have no rights left at all. The majority of us in this body are fully vaccinated. The science says that fully vaccinated individuals can and should resume prepandemic behavior. So why won't the Democratic majority follow the science and resume regular order in this body? It is the American people who are losing out, and it would behoove the Democratic majority to bring the time-tested processes and transparency back to this institution. Madam Speaker, I do support the underlying bills. However, I have serious concerns over the continuance of measures in this rule that limit transparency and strip the minority's rights in this body. It is for this reason that I oppose the rule, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I just want to reiterate that while I do support the idea of the underlying bills, I do not support the way the Democrats are running the House. The Democratic majority continues to move on bills with virtually no input from Republicans and continues to prioritize partisanship over the American people. We are making great progress with the pandemic and do not need to consider legislation in this manner. We have got this rule without a semblance of traditional process, and one of the resolutions contained in this rule was moved to the Rules Committee without any sort of markup, leaving the Members of this body without the means to make amendments or lodge their objections. That is not the way this body should function. I urge the majority to make the necessary changes to restore regular order to the House of Representatives. I do not believe that it is a healthy nor respectful way to govern. For this reason, I oppose this rule and urge my colleagues to oppose it as well. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. FISCHBACH. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.