David Joyce

Mr. JOYCE of Ohio

Mr. JOYCE of Ohio. Mr. Chair, I certainly appreciate my distinguished colleague and am always there to work together in a bipartisan fashion to try to fashion something. She is right. It is long overdue for Congress to address this situation, but unfortunately, this is about appropriations and not authorizations. Therefore, Mr. Chair, I urge a ``no'' vote on this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. JOYCE of Ohio. Mr. Chair, we set out to make precise and calculated cuts in this bill due to CISA's rapid growth over the last few years. The top line serves effectively as a strategic pause and significant budget growth. It is $19 million above the fiscal 2023 enacted level, but $130 million below the President's requests. This provides CISA the opportunity to mature its operations commensurate with its historic budget growth. This amendment would cut CISA's operation and support budget by 25 percent on top of what we have already done. We had a debate on a cut of this magnitude during full committee consideration, and I said then, as I do again now, passing this amendment would make our homeland less secure. This mis-, dis-, and mal-information language is strong, and I want to commend the gentleman from Georgia for his valuable edits to those provisions during markup, which we made sure we addressed in a more holistic way. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. JOYCE of Ohio. Mr. Chair, it is with the utmost respect I speak to my colleague. We have had lengthy debates about this in full committee. I understand and appreciate the desire that he has to defund or at least severely reduce the budget of this agency. However, we are at a time in America where it serves as a clearinghouse for those rogue nations and bad actors that prey upon Americans on a daily basis. This is something that is not only important for everybody who works in the cyber communities and cyber systems, but also for the schools, hospitals, water and sewage facilities, the gas pipeline, and all those things throughout our country that don't have a safety net. They have to rely on CISA for their information in the hope and support because unfortunately the companies that provide the software do nothing when they are hacked by these outside influences and actors. All this agency could do and hope to do is promote that clearinghouse, if you will, that platform for which we can all come to an understanding. Bad actors exist and we must prevent it. I understand and appreciate and will work closely with my colleague to make sure the things he talks about as far as the attacks on First Amendment rights never occur in any agency of the United States. Mr. Chair, at this time I must urge a ``no'' vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. JOYCE of Ohio. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition.

Mr. JOYCE of Ohio. Mr. Chair, I understand and join in the outrage shared by my colleagues over the CISA mis-, dis-, and malinformation scandal. No administration and no government should ever be in the business of labeling or attempting to convince social media companies that First Amendment-protected speech is or is not disinformation. The government is not the arbiter of the truth, a position that even the ACLU agrees with. That is why we worked diligently to address government censorship concerns in this bill, and I stand by our language. However, this amendment is not targeted at the policies of the Biden administration that we disagree with. It is targeted at a person who wasn't in office when CISA engaged in mis-, dis-, and malinformation activities. While we might not agree with her policies, the CISA Director has a history of dutiful service to this country, including a long career in the military. Director Easterly is a West Point graduate, two-time recipient of the Bronze Star, retiring from the Army after more than 20 years in intelligence and cyber operations. While I empathize with the sponsor on the sentiment behind this amendment, I cannot support it, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.'' Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. JOYCE of Ohio. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Cuellar), the ranking member.

Mr. JOYCE of Ohio. Mr. Chair, in closing, I disagree. I understand and appreciate the concerns of my colleague and certainly feel that, again, they have been addressed in what we could do within the confines of an appropriations bill. I urge a ``no'' vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. JOYCE of Ohio. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition.

Mr. JOYCE of Ohio. Mr. Chair, I empathize with wanting to hold this administration accountable for its many failed border and immigration policies. I also join in the outrage shared by my colleagues over the CISA mis-, dis-, and malinformation scandal. Labelling Americans' First Amendment-protected speech as mis-, dis-, or malinformation is not a role for any government agency, whether there is a Democrat or Republican in the White House. However, this amendment targets a career civil servant who was not in charge of creating the policy on which we disagree. We worked diligently in our bill to address the security failures and censorship concerns associated with this administration. I stand by our language. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. JOYCE of Ohio. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Cuellar), the ranking member.

Mr. JOYCE of Ohio. Mr. Chair, I don't want to make any arguments other than to say that I urge a ``no'' vote on this, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. JOYCE of Ohio. Mr. Chair, Texans have every right to defend and secure their borders, particularly during a time when the White House has abandoned attempts to secure the border and enforce our immigration laws. Due to the Biden administration's failed policy, States along the border, including Texas, are seeing their resources being severely depleted. They are overrun. Therefore, Governor Abbott did what most responsible, reasonable public servants would do and launched Operation Lone Star. The goal of Operation Lone Star is to stop cartels and criminals from smuggling deadly drugs, weapons, and people into Texas. As of last week, the multiagency effort resulted in 457,500 apprehensions and more than 34,400 criminal arrests, with more than 31,300 felonies reported. In the fight against fentanyl, Texas law enforcement has seized over 429 million lethal doses of fentanyl. Due to the rapid and dangerous migrant street releases in Texas, the Governor has recently had to deploy additional buses to Eagle Pass and El Paso to assist those border communities overwhelmed by the influx of migrants. This is a constantly compounding issue that gets forgotten in the beltway because it is out of sight and out of mind. This administration is putting politics over people, and it has completely abandoned these areas along our southwest border. If this was happening in my backyard, I would want my State to step up, too. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. JOYCE of Ohio. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Pfluger), my friend.

Mr. JOYCE of Ohio. Mr. Chair, I ask unanimous consent that the request for a recorded vote on amendment No. 24 be vacated to the end that the amendment be withdrawn.

Mr. JOYCE of Ohio. Madam Chair, I claim the time in opposition.

Mr. JOYCE of Ohio. Madam Chair, I appreciate my colleague's concern about the rampant Federal spending by the Democrats and this administration. However, this amendment is not the way to address the larger problem we face. This bill makes targeted cuts to wasteful spending, eliminates funding for woke programs, and prohibits funding for policies and programs that encourage illegal immigration. In contrast, this amendment would indiscriminately cut the top-line spending of the Department of Homeland Security by $8.7 billion, which is a 14 percent reduction to the discretionary funding in this bill. These cuts would not be targeted to specific programs or activities. Instead, it would be left to the Biden administration to decide how and where to apply these reductions. Unfortunately, this administration would likely align such reductions into its proposals in the President's budget request. The first cut the administration will make is to eliminate the $2.1 billion for the border wall, followed by the 16,500 additional detention beds that were funded in this bill. Funding for Border Patrol staffing would be slashed, as would funding for additional ICE deportation officers. All the critical border security investments and immigration priorities we have included in this bill will be stripped out in favor of continuing the status quo. Let's ensure that this bill we pass on the floor does what the Biden administration has failed to do--act to address the border security crisis, which has been raging for the last 2\1/2\ years. Let's remember that true border security comes with a price tag, and I think we should all be willing to pay. Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. JOYCE of Ohio. Madam Chair, I appreciate the concerns of the gentleman from Montana, but I maintain that I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. JOYCE of Ohio. Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. JOYCE of Ohio. Madam Chair, I move that the Committee do now rise.

Mr. JOYCE of Ohio

Mr. JOYCE of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. JOYCE of Ohio

Mr. JOYCE of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 9 a.m. today.

Mr. JOYCE of Ohio

Mr. JOYCE of Ohio. Madam Chair, I am proud to join my colleagues in leading this commonsense effort to help our country's veterans access medical treatment. Research has shown that medical cannabis can be a safe and effective treatment in targeted pain management for PTSD which, unfortunately, impacts many of our veterans. Despite their efficiency, bureaucratic red tape continues to deny veterans these life-altering treatments. In States like Ohio and 37 others where it is legal, the Federal Government should not prevent a VA doctor from recommending medical cannabis as a viable treatment option if they believe it will help their patient. As the son of a WWII veteran who was wounded and left for dead on the battlefield, I have seen firsthand the many challenges our Nation's heroes face when they return home. We should all resolve to help expand access to treatments for the medical challenges, both mental and physical, our veterans experience. That is why I ask my colleagues to support this amendment to help eliminate barriers for alternative treatments and provide our veterans with the care they need to overcome the wounds of war.

Mr. JOYCE of Ohio

Mr. JOYCE of Ohio. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. JOYCE of Ohio. Madam Chair, I rise today to offer an amendment to H.R. 277, the REINS Act. My amendment would insert a key provision included in my legislation, the LIBERTY Act, to ensure that economically significant guidance documents are subject to public notice and comment periods and much-needed congressional oversight. While agency rules and regulations are subject to congressional oversight, guidance documents are not. As a result, the President can use guidance documents to sidestep congressional review and prevent Americans from weighing in on decisions made by their government. Guidance documents were never intended to be used by Presidents to unilaterally enact their agenda, but today, that is precisely what we are seeing. For example, President Biden has attempted to use guidance documents to implement his $450 billion student loan bailout, Medicaid expansion, and to make it easier to deny future natural gas pipelines. As a result, it has become clear that Congress must exert its authority to ensure that guidance documents cannot be used without any review or accountability. My amendment would guarantee just that. The principle underpinning this amendment is simple: our government was founded by the people and for the people, and duly elected Representatives must be able to hold the executive branch to account. No matter which party holds the White House, no President Republican or Democrat should be able to implement their agenda without first giving the American people the opportunity to weigh in on that agenda. Madam Chair, that is why I ask that you support this amendment to strengthen the REINS Act and to provide Washington with a much-needed dose of transparency and accountability to the American people. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. JOYCE of Ohio. Madam Chairman, I thank the ranking member for his reply, and I appreciate his concern. I would simply say this: all of us regardless of our political affiliation should be invested in reining in the power of the executive and holding the President accountable to the people. That is not happening in the status quo, which is why my amendment and the underlying bill is so important. Guidance documents were never intended to allow bureaucrats to make sweeping decisions without any oversight, but that is what they have become. Economically, significant guidance documents, like President Biden's student loan bailout, will have major effects on our country and must be subjected to proper oversight. That is what my amendment aims to achieve: a commonsense, good governance reform that keeps the American people in control of their government. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.