Ruben Gallego

Mr. GALLEGO

Mr. GALLEGO. Speaker Ryan's response: Trump ``acted and that's what a President should do.'' Real profile in courage there.

Mr. GALLEGO. The Speaker's response: Trump's ``new to government, and so he probably wasn't steeped in the long-running protocols that establish the relationships between DOJ, FBI, and the White Houses. He's just new to this.''

Mr. GALLEGO. Mr. Speaker, this year marks the 60th anniversary of the publication of ``Profiles in Courage.'' John F. Kennedy's famous volume tells the stories of eight American leaders who put country before party and patriotism before politics, men for whom personal integrity was more important than personal popularity or power. Unfortunately, the kind of political and moral courage that is described in Kennedy's book is in tragically short supply within the modern Republican Party. Faced by a President intent on undermining the values and norms that sustain our democracy, frighteningly few Republicans have been willing to do more than wring their hands and roll their eyes. While Senator Corker and Senator Flake have been boldly denouncing Donald Trump, they are exceptions to a well-established rule. Indeed, when a new ``Profiles in Courage'' is written for the 21st century, we can be certain that no one from the current House Republican leadership is going to be featured in its pages. When questioned about Trump's attacks on women, minorities, the disabled, and Gold Star families, Speaker Ryan has been equivocal and evasive. When called upon to condemn Trump's outrageous embrace of the White nationalists, Speaker Ryan has deferred and deflected. When asked to defend Trump's reckless rhetoric on North Korea, Speaker Ryan has done so enthusiastically. Earlier this week, on the Senate floor, Senator Flake complained that ``reckless, outrageous, and undignified behavior has become excused and countenanced.'' Mr. Speaker, Paul Ryan and the GOP leadership are the very people who are doing that excusing. They are normalizing and condoning actions that should shock us as Americans and shame us as a body. But don't take my word for it, Mr. Speaker. With the help of my good friend, Congressman Lieu of California, we will now read for you, in chronological order, Speaker Ryan's responses to Donald Trump's most outrageous and abusive behavior. Congressman Lieu, let's get started.

Mr. GALLEGO. The response from Ryan's office is, ``The Speaker hopes for a full explanation of the facts from the administration,'' an explanation that the American people are still waiting for, by the way, 5 months later. There has been no explanation, and I am pretty sure there was no follow-up.

Mr. GALLEGO. Speaker Ryan was then asked whether he would have taken a meeting with a Russian official who offered opposition research on a political opponent. His evasive answer, of course, is: ``I am not going into hypotheticals.''

Mr. GALLEGO. And to respond, and I will riff a little, the cost is minimal in terms of the medical costs. It is just an excuse for the President to be homophobic. But Speaker Ryan's condemnation of this, or renouncement, did not exist. He responded by pleading for more time, and said: ``The DOD is reviewing this with the White House. I want to see what it is that they actually produce.'' And, of course, that is another nonanswer.

Mr. GALLEGO. Speaker Ryan's response, in regard to a potential nuclear war: ``I think the President, in my own view of it, he likes the unpredictability side of this.'' That is right. Speaker Ryan thinks our Commander-in-Chief enjoys the unpredictability of bringing the world to the brink of a nuclear war.

Mr. GALLEGO. Speaker Ryan's response: ``I do believe that he messed up in his comments on Tuesday . . . he has since then cleared that up.'' But Trump never clears up anything. He certainly did not in this case.

Mr. GALLEGO. Before that decision was made, Ryan had said: ``Actually, I don't think he should do that.'' However, after the announcement was said, Ryan pulled an embarrassing U-turn so fast it would cause whiplash, saying: ``President Obama was wrong to do it in the first place. . . . So President Trump was right in his decision. He made the right call.'' Shameless.

Mr. GALLEGO. Speaker Ryan's response: President Trump ``has tremendous compassion.'' You can see the compassion. ``He is flying to these emergencies as soon as he can . . . it shows me that the people who are suffering from these tragedies are in his mind, front and center.'' I am pretty sure the millions in Puerto Rico who still lack electricity and running water do not feel that way. They don't feel that way about Trump, and they don't feel that he has any compassion for them. And they definitely aren't ``front and center'' for this President or his incompetent administration.

Mr. GALLEGO. So what was Speaker Ryan's response? Actually, we are still waiting to hear from him. He hasn't commented or issued a statement. When Trump repeatedly denigrates the personal integrity of a Member of this body, Speaker Ryan says nothing. When Trump demeans a grieving widow whose husband has made the ultimate sacrifice for our Nation, Speaker Ryan stays silent. Frankly, it is embarrassing. Congressman Lieu, what do you think these responses from Speaker Ryan say about the House Republican leadership and the state of the Republican Party?

Mr. GALLEGO. Our Founding Fathers knew that there was danger in putting so much power in one person. They knew that giving too much power to one person, an irresponsible and immature leader, could use that to both effect democracy or enrich themselves. There is a reason why we have what we call the checks and balances. But one of those checks needs to be the U.S. House of Representatives. Under that, the person who is in charge of the U.S. House of Representatives is Speaker Ryan. He is not providing that check. He is only helping this administration carry on with their abuse and with the destruction of what we understand are the norms of this democracy. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GALLEGO

Mr. GALLEGO. Mr. Speaker, this weekend, as millions in Puerto Rico trudged through squalor and sewage in search of food, as hospitals ran low on power and medicine, as homes lay in ruins and businesses remained swamped under feet of water, our Commander in Chief went golfing. As our brothers and sisters on the island suffered, our President sank putts and hit drives. As the gross inadequacy of his administration's response was revealed to a worldwide audience, the leader of the free world patted himself on the back. ``We have done a great job with an almost impossible situation,'' Trump tweeted. Mr. Speaker, Donald Trump has it backwards. He is not doing a great job despite an impossible situation; the Puerto Rican people are. Yesterday, on a belated visit to the island, Trump could have apologized. He could have promised a vast expansion of the Federal relief effort to match the vast and growing needs of the Puerto Rican people. Instead, he offered only blame and condescension. ``I hate to tell you, Puerto Rico,'' he says, ``but you are throwing our budget out of whack,'' said Trump. I am sorry, Mr. Speaker, but our President is dead wrong. He is the one who is throwing our budget out of whack with his tax cuts for the rich. He is the one who is throwing our government out of whack with his early-morning tweets and his childish temper tantrums. He is the one who is throwing our country out of whack with attacks on immigrants and people of color and the disabled and veterans and Gold Star parents, and on and on, and now, most recently, on the courageous leaders of Puerto Rico and the people of Puerto Rico. Such poor leadership, he says, of the ability of the mayor of San Juan and others in Puerto Rico. Mr. Speaker, I am not sure Donald Trump understands the meaning of the word ``leadership,'' especially in the wake of a natural disaster. Real leadership is about having the courage to do what is right and the compassion to do what is necessary to help others. It is about self- sacrifice, not self-promotion. It is about putting our country first and your own ego second. Instead, yesterday we were treated to the bizarre spectacle of the President of the United States throwing rolls of paper towels into a crowd. Despite the millions in Puerto Rico wanting for electricity or basic necessities, he called his administration's response ``unbelievable'' and ``incredible.'' Donald Trump even had the gall to congratulate Puerto Rico on not losing hundreds of lives like in a real catastrophe like Hurricane Katrina. Frankly, it is hard to recall a more callous statement from an American leader in my lifetime. Mr. Speaker, the outrageously poor response to the devastation in Puerto Rico is the best illustration yet that President Trump only cares about people who look like him or vote for him or make the kind of money that he makes. The American people, especially the 3.5 million U.S. citizens in Puerto Rico, deserve a President who is capable of common human decency, a President more concerned about his conduct in office than his coverage in the media, a President who understands that his base is every single one of us. Mr. Speaker, I would like to close with a few words in Spanish for the brave people of Puerto Rico. (English translation of the statement made in Spanish is as follows:) The Puerto Rican people are stronger than Donald Trump thinks. And they will come out of this crisis and prosper again. We can't wait any longer. We are with you. Los puertorriquenos son mas fuertes de lo que Donald Trump cree. Y ellos saldran de esta crisis y prosperaran de nuevo. No podemos esperar mas. Le debemos a la gente de la isla nuestro apoyo completo. Estamos con ustedes.

Mr. GALLEGO

Mr. GALLEGO. How long is your flight?

Mr. GALLEGO. You and I have been Members of Congress since 2015. At any point in any of your flights to and from your work--I am sorry-- from here to your home, have you ever used a charter plane?

Mr. GALLEGO. Would you even be able to, by law, use a charter plane according to the funds we are allowed to expense?

Mr. GALLEGO. So what makes Mr. Price think that he is somehow above the law, that he is allowed to do this, considering that he knew, as a Member of Congress, that was not allowed and that somehow he can just take advantage of the situation now that he has suddenly moved up after only just a few months of being in Congress, to be the Secretary of Health and Human Services?

Mr. GALLEGO. Mr. Speaker, is Donald Trump running a Cabinet or a country club? Because every day it is getting harder to tell. Not only is the President spending vast sums to ferry himself to and from his various golf courses, but now it turns out that top leaders in his administration have developed a special fondness for traveling by private jet. The Treasury Secretary used a taxpayer-funded plane to hop down to Fort Knox to see the eclipse, for example, and he has also asked to use one for his honeymoon in Europe. Trump's EPA Administrator, Scott Pruitt, spent another $58,000 on private jets. But the worst offender is HHS Secretary Price, who, in his brief time in office, has already chalked up an astonishing 400 grand in flights on private aircraft. He flew down to Tennessee for all of 6 hours, much of which was spent having lunch with his son. That is nice. He also jetted off to an island off the coast of Georgia for a trip that apparently featured far more recreation than government business. Clearly, when it comes to travel on the taxpayers' dime, the price does not matter to Tom Price. Ethics and personal responsibility doesn't matter to Tom Price. Doing what is right doesn't matter to Tom Price, and that is why he needs to resign immediately. Now, don't take my word for it. Here is what President George W. Bush's top ethics official, Richard Painter, said about Price's travel habits: ``To use a charter flight on something that combines personal and government business, I think, is highly unprofessional and really inappropriate.'' Those are strong words. But, Mr. Speaker, you know who summed up best how terrible it is for someone to use private jets? Tom Price, himself. Let's see what Tom Price said. In 2009, he described government officials taking private planes as ``just another example of fiscal irresponsibility run amok.'' I couldn't agree more, Mr. Speaker. Price spent nearly $25,000 to fly from D.C. to Philadelphia and back for one single day. He could have spent, at last minute, $725 to get there on United Airlines, or $133 to get there on Amtrak. Mr. Speaker, I just checked, on my phone, that an Uber to Philly right now, back and forth, would have cost Mr. Price about $450 round trip. That means that, for the price of his private jet, he could have ordered individual cars for himself and his 54 staff members. Every American who works and pays taxes should find this totally appalling. Amtrak was good enough for the Vice President of the United States, Joe Biden, but, somehow, it is beneath the Treasury Secretary and HHS Secretary to ride the train. Riding the train is apparently even beneath the EPA Administrator. Here is a good rule of thumb, Mr. Speaker: If you are spending more on private jets than most American families make in 1 year, you are spending too much on private jets. Tom Price has plenty of time to go jetting around the country, but not enough time, for example, to ensure that millions of kids won't lose their coverage when CHIP expires soon. There is apparently plenty of money at HHS for private jets, but very little to help people sign up for health insurance. That is completely unacceptable. Secretary Price says he needs to fly around on his jet to connect with ordinary citizens. I am not kidding. His press secretary told reporters that these outrageous junkets were about ``getting outside of D.C., making sure he is connected with the real American people.'' Mr. Speaker, here is how you really connect with your fellow Americans: don't take a private plane; fly a middle seat in coach. Of course, we should have seen this coming. News reports earlier this year revealed that, when he was a Member of Congress, Price was guilty of introducing legislation to benefit his own personal investments. Even more egregious, he traded more than $300,000 in healthcare industry stocks based on insider information. There is no question Secretary Price needs to resign right now, and, if he doesn't, President Trump needs to fire him. Donald Trump claims that he loves firing people. He once said: I love doing it if someone really, really, really deserves it. Mr. Speaker, Secretary Price really, really, really deserves it. Then again, we all know Trump won't actually do anything. We are all familiar with the Trump way of doing business with its bad deals and bankruptcies. Here's the Trump way of doing government. Number one, hire people proven to be corrupt. Number two, create an environment in which corruption and bad behavior are encouraged. Number three, do absolutely nothing when the corruption and bad behavior is exposed. This administration talks about putting America first. This administration talks about draining the swamp, but its Cabinet officials are more interested in traveling first class. This administration talks about making America great again, but they are really only concerned about never ever having to wait at another airport gate again. This administration talks about fighting for working families, but its top leaders are only concerned about lining their own pockets with taxpayers' hard-earned money. I am fed up, and so are the American people. Let's bring back government to the people, for the people, instead of government for the powerful friends of Donald Trump. Mr. Speaker, I yield to my friend from California (Mr. Ted Lieu).

Mr. GALLEGO. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the good gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Raskin).

Mr. GALLEGO. Mr. Speaker, how much time is remaining?

Mr. GALLEGO. Representative Lieu, how often do you fly back, and where do you fly back to?

Mr. GALLEGO. While you were talking about that actual regulation, and to see how well and easy it is not to violate the regulation, I literally just typed into Google, ``flights to Philadelphia.'' And there is a flight leaving in 46 minutes. And the cheapest I found right now--well, no, I found one for $441. I found another one for $447. If you want to connect to Philadelphia--which I don't know why you would-- but if you want to do that, JetBlue will take you there for $264. So in Secretary Price's effort to live an extravagant lifestyle and basically void himself of all commonsense, he also violated ethics violations. And this is something that we consistently see within this Trump administration. On the other flip of that, we consistently see a Republican-led Congress that is not doing their duty by the Constitution of oversight on the executive. Not one, not one movement has been done by any Republican, especially Republican leadership, to push back on this egregious waste of taxpayer money. Mr. Speaker, I yield to Representative Lieu.

Mr. GALLEGO. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GALLEGO

Mr. GALLEGO. Mr. Speaker, President Trump's decision to end DACA was one of the most callous and cruel acts of his Presidency so far--and that is saying something. Mr. Speaker, ending the DACA program means betraying our Nation's promise to protect 800,000 young people who are in America right now and American in every way except on paper, including many thousands who have served in the military. It means exposing them to deportation from the only home they have ever known and robbing our Nation of their exceptional talent, work ethic, and patriotism. We cannot allow this President to play politics with so many young lives. Congress must pass the Dream Act now and as soon as possible to protect these outstanding young people, offer them the chance to become citizens, and empower them to give back to the country they know and love. Vote ``no'' on the previous question so that we can end this Republican obstructionism and bring this critical bill to the floor.

Mr. GALLEGO

Mr. GALLEGO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to bring up H.R. 3440, the DREAM Act, to protect DREAMers like Vasthy, who attends Arizona State University and aspires to become a science teacher.