Jim McGovern

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, the ACA polls at 65 percent. Donald Trump is at 37 percent. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Ms. Pressley).

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Pocan).

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Olszewski).

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I don't have enough time to rebut all the absurd claims made by the other side. Suddenly, they all have an opinion on healthcare. They had a decade to come up with a plan, and they came up with nothing. I am glad they finally acknowledged that this is a dirty CR that shovels millions of dollars into the pockets of Republican politicians. They hate this bill so much that they are all going to vote for it. They say that we shut the government down. Really, Mr. Speaker? The last time I checked, Republicans are in charge around here. We heard for months about their mandate. They control the House, the Senate, and the White House. They have a duty to keep the government open, and they failed. They did not have the votes. They refused to negotiate with us because we wanted to help regular people instead of billionaires, and now they want to blame us for the consequences of their own actions. What the hell is wrong with them? Give me a frigging break. America is the richest country in the history of the world. We are blessed with an abundance of so much. There should not be an affordability crisis. Every single person in this country should be able to have a good job, a living wage, affordable food and healthcare, and have a shot at a better future. That is what I am fighting for. That is what we are fighting for. That is how I want to make America great. That is the Democratic vision for what this country could be. From a moral perspective and from a set of values, we believe it is immoral to have a system that gives so much to just a few billionaires by depriving so many of the basic things they need to live a good life. It is clear to me after this debate that Republicans do not share those same values. I am going to fight like hell, and we are going to fight like hell because I believe in America. We believe in America, and we believe that the hopes and the dreams of the American people will prevail. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the lifelong contributions of Reverend Joseph Eldridge, who celebrated his 80th birthday earlier this year. I have had the honor of knowing Joe for his selfless devotion to the causes of human rights and social justice over many decades, particularly with respect to Central and South America. Joe has been called a ``servant-leader'', which I think is a perfect way of describing the way he has offered his knowledge, his integrity, his hard work and his faith to lift up the poor, the sick and the oppressed, often at great risk to his own safety and security. Throughout his life, Joe Eldridge has demonstrated his love of humanity and his respect for every person's dignity. He listened deeply and given wholeheartedly. From his earliest beginnings, growing up in Tennessee and inspired by his father, who was a Methodist minister, Joe has stood up for what is right. In a social environment that was filled with racism and fear, he believed in a God who is fundamentally loving and accepting. He became active in the civil rights and anti-war movements of the 1960's and 1970's, and after attending seminary decided to expand his knowledge of the world by working as a missionary. He soon ended up in Santiago, Chile, where he endured the 1973 coup that deposed President Salvador Allende. As he began witnessing the abuses of the Pinochet regime and guiding foreign journalists to document them, his friends started disappearing. He returned to the United States to pursue a master's degree at American University's School of International Service. Over the next two decades he piled up an impressive record of leadership by founding the Washington D.C. Office on Latin America, with which I have worked closely on so many issues, and directing the D.C. office of Lawyers Committee for Human Rights (now Human Rights First). He also worked on Latin American rights for the United Methodist Church and got himself thrown out of Honduras for investigating abuses by its military junta. In the 1990's and 2000's, Joe continued his passionate advocacy for human rights and justice through his service as a School of International Service professor and as American University's longest serving chaplain. He is known for transforming the Kay Spiritual Life Center into ``a hub for social justice and courageous conversation on campus,'' and for bringing human rights and racial equity into the forefront of campus engagement. And it was not only in the university community that he performed his pastoral role--as a minister, he married legions of social activists and christened hundreds of their children. Whether it was weddings, funerals, or baptisms, Joe was always there for his community. In recent years, he has also served as an active and generous member and officer of various boards and advisory committees, including those of the Center for International Policy, the Area Foundation, and the U.S. Institute of Peace. In each of these roles, Joe has brought not only his kind and gentle demeanor and his thirst for truth and fairness, but also a wealth of experience, wisdom and good judgment. His influence has been legendary and welcomed. Joe is also a devoted husband and father who delights in spending time with his family. He has traveled widely with his loving wife, Maria Otero, and takes great pride in his three children, Justin, David and Ana, who lead their lives according to the values they learned from him. As Joe retires from his boards and other formal duties, I hope my colleagues will join me in offering him thanks for a lifetime of service that has made the world a better place. I wish him many years ahead of good health and what our late, great colleague, John Lewis, called ``good trouble''.

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, food is medicine, and medically tailored meals provide people living with chronic illness essential nutrition to improve their health and keep them out of the hospital. Incredible providers like Community Servings in my home State of Massachusetts, God's Love We Deliver in New York City, and dozens of agencies across the country have proven these meals work. Among individuals with complex health conditions, MTMs have led to a 70 percent drop in emergency room visits and cut hospital admissions in half. If all eligible patients received MTMs, studies show that we could save over $32 billion in the first year alone. Today, I am reintroducing bipartisan, bicameral legislation with Representatives Malliotakis, Pingree, Fitzpatrick, and Evans and Senators Booker, Marshall, Smith, and Cassidy to pilot the coverage of MTMs in traditional Medicare. Our bill, which expands access to these lifesaving meals, will lead to billions of dollars in savings without adding one dime to the deficit. I urge my colleagues to join the growing bipartisan Food is Medicine movement and pass our medically tailored meals bill. Let's work together to end hunger now.

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Indiana for yielding me the customary 30 minutes, and I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, first, I think it is important to say that we all condemn the murder that occurred last week in Utah, and I know that some of my colleagues knew Mr. Kirk and are experiencing a personal loss as well. His family is certainly in our prayers, and violence is never ever the answer. Now, Mr. Speaker, to the CR that is before us today, here is the deal. Republicans have three choices. One is to work with Democrats on a bipartisan CR that ensures millions of Americans don't lose health insurance or see their premiums skyrocket; two is for Republicans to do what Donald Trump said and pass the CR themselves--Republicans are in charge after all; or, three, Republicans can shut down the government. If they choose door number two or door number three, make no mistake about what will happen. ACA tax credits will expire, and nearly 24 million people will see their premiums skyrocket by 93 percent, on average. Let me paint a picture. A mom and a dad in their early sixties both have jobs and make $80,000 a year combined. Right now, they can afford their healthcare--barely. If these ACA credits expire, their bill jumps more than $17,000 a year. That is like a house mortgage. That is $1,400 a month, every month, just for the privilege of not going bankrupt if they get sick. Or, take a family of four making $64,000. Their premiums rise by $2,600 a year. That is groceries. That is car payments. It might not sound like a lot of money to my friends on the other side. Maybe the billionaires don't think $2,600 a year is a lot, but my constituents do, Mr. Speaker. My guess is that millions of Americans will think that is a high cost to pay. Mr. Speaker, if these tax credits disappear, it is a five-alarm fire, and Republicans are acting like they don't even smell the smoke. Should we be surprised? Of course not. The American people are already drowning in a cost-of-living crisis, one fueled by Donald Trump and the Republican economic policies. Their big, ugly bill didn't just raise costs for housing, groceries, and utilities. Its cruelest blow was to healthcare. They made the largest cut to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act in American history, kicking millions of working people off their coverage. That means hospitals closing, nursing homes shuttering, preventative care denied, and, by the way, families going hungry because food assistance was ripped away, too. While families are trying to stay afloat, while farmers are struggling with tariffs, and while regular people suffer, Donald Trump decided to take an ax to medical research. He slashed the NIH, shut down cancer research, stopped clinical trials, and torpedoed vaccine programs. I mean, what the hell is wrong with him? What is he thinking? But don't worry about healthcare. Don't worry about ACA tax credits. We will deal with this later. That is what the Speaker said. Kick the can down the road. Well, guess what. We have reached the end of the road. Later is too late. The Congressional Budget Office says that if we don't act now and instead wait until December, an additional 1.5 million people will lose their coverage. That is a lot of people. That is a lot of people, I say to my colleagues. That is people in every single city and town in America. Premiums will climb even higher. Families will start getting cancellation notices in weeks, and open enrollment starts November 1. This is something we need to deal with now. Here is the message to Republicans: Work with us. Fund the government. Protect healthcare. Stop writing bills for the rich and powerful. Start working on solutions to the everyday problems that people have. The choice is yours. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I want to take a few minutes to talk about what will happen if we defeat the previous question. If we defeat the previous question, I will offer an amendment to the rule to strike the sections of yesterday's and today's rules, which together block privileged considerations of measures ending the administration's global tariffs and tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and Brazil. Speaker Johnson and this Republican majority are hell-bent on blocking us from even debating Trump's reckless trade policy, which is driving up costs for consumers, for businesses, and for farmers. Let's just take this week. On Monday, Republicans voted to block debate on the tariffs that Trump slapped on Brazilian coffee, beef, and other goods. These are the tariffs that are forcing everyday people to spend more on a cup of coffee in the morning. I think most Republicans in Congress were too scared of Trump to actually stand up and fight to protect everyday consumers. Then yesterday, Republicans barely passed a rule that blocked votes on all of Trump's illegal tariffs until March 31, 2026. I say ``barely'' because there were a few Republican holdouts threatening to vote against their party because they know how reckless Trump's trade policies are. Mr. Speaker, it took only 45 minutes for them to fold. Here is what they reportedly got in return. They got an agreement to create a new trade working group. Really? They got a new working group, I mean, to get a meeting? Are my Republican colleagues aware that the House of Representatives already has a working group on trade? It is called the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade. These brave rebels also apparently want a provision tucked into today's rule that says votes on tariffs will only be blocked until the end of January instead of March. I mean, wow, what a victory. If my colleagues object to Donald Trump's trade policy, which is raising costs on everyday Americans right now, I can't for the life of me figure out how they were won over by an agreement to keep his policies in place for at least 4 more months. President Trump promised to lower prices ``on day one,'' but his disastrous trade war is increasing the prices that Americans are paying for food, gas, and everyday goods. According to independent estimates, Trump's tariffs are resulting in a $2,300 tax increase in 2025 for the average American household. The August inflation report, put out by Trump's own Bureau of Labor Statistics, said inflation is increasing at the highest rate since January. Mr. Speaker, I serve on the House Committee on Agriculture, and we are hearing day in and day out from farmers who are being crushed by Trump's erratic trade policies. They are losing markets abroad. Input prices are going up. Farm bankruptcies are up 95 percent this year compared to last. Back when I was on a farm tour in my own district, a coffee roaster told me tariffs are hurting his business. He and countless others in his position can't wait while House Republicans hide their heads in the sand for another 4 months. Give us up-or-down votes on Trump's reckless tariffs. Stop hiding. This body, this House of Representatives has a responsibility to do oversight and to vote on whether or not we should have tariffs. It really is disappointing to me that so many of my friends on the other side of the aisle have not chosen to step up to the plate. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to include in the Record the text of my amendment, along with any extraneous material, immediately prior to the vote on the previous question.

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

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman just said that these tariffs are harmful to our economy and to working families in this country. He could work with us right now to do something about it. We could bring a bill to the floor. We could bring an amendment to the floor. We can block them. We can stop them. The gentleman said that he is working in a bipartisan way to try to deal with this issue. It is funny, but this working group that they have all agreed on is just a Republican working group. Democrats are not part of it. It is kind of a crazy way to be bipartisan. Then he says that he gets this great deal in terms of when we will next be able to have a vote on this stuff. They moved the deadline from the end of March to the end of January. That is 4 months from now. What will happen in 4 months? I will tell my colleagues what will happen in 4 months. We will get a rule that comes to the floor that will extend the prohibition on us being able to debate any kind of tariff legislation, to be able to have a debate or an up-or-down vote. All I can say is: Where I come from in Massachusetts, we call that being a cheap date because I don't think we get very much, to be honest. Meanwhile, the American consumer, the American people, will suffer with higher prices as a result of these tariffs. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Panetta), who will speak on this topic.

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

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I would just say to the gentlewoman that that is a lot of words to justify the biggest tax increase on the American people, an average of $2,300 a year more because of these tariffs. However, I would just say to the gentlewoman, as well, that if she thinks that these policies are great, if she wants these tariffs to continue, then she shouldn't be afraid to vote for them. Have the debate on the floor and let people vote up or down on them. I don't understand why that is such a controversial thing to want to advocate for, especially in the House of Representatives where we are supposed to be able to debate important issues. If the majority has the votes, if everybody thinks this is a great policy, then they will all vote ``yes,'' and they continue. I am glad the gentlewoman brought up the economy because I want to speak about the economy just for a couple of minutes here. Mr. Speaker, the consequences of Trump's economic policy are being felt in communities across the country. Prices on fruits and vegetables, meat and poultry, and dairy are all up. They are likely to climb even higher as Trump's tariffs ripple through the supply chain. President Trump and Republicans promised to reduce grocery prices. Instead, grocery prices spiked at the fastest pace in 3 years last month. They have promised to cut electricity prices in half. Instead, August electricity prices were over 6 percent higher than they were 1 year ago. They promised to reduce inflation. Instead, we saw the largest monthly increase in inflation since January. They promised to create jobs, and instead for the first time in nearly 4 years, the economy lost jobs in June. We lost jobs in June, and job growth has been stagnant for months. Mr. Speaker, the Trump economy is not working for the American people. Do you know whom it is working for, Mr. Speaker? It is working for the millionaires and billionaires who contributed to his campaign. Hardworking Americans deserve a hell of a lot better than a rigged economy that only works for the ultra-wealthy. People are hurting. Do townhalls, I would say to my Republican friends, and they can hear it firsthand. Go to the grocery store and watch as people are putting items back because the prices have gone up so much. This is not sustainable. At a minimum, the Republican leadership here should not be afraid of debate and votes. We ought to bring these important items to the floor. We have a constitutional responsibility when it comes to trade and tariffs and to debate and to vote on these items. We ought to bring them to the floor. Let's have a thoughtful debate. Then people can vote accordingly, and then they can defend that vote when they go back to their districts. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I don't know what the gentlewoman is talking about, but the Yale Budget Lab finds American households could pay $2,300 more, on average, as a result of the current tariff policy, nearly three times the average roughly $800 benefit from the OBBBA's new tax provisions in the big, beautiful bill, or whatever they call it. We call it the big, ugly bill, which, by the way, is the most unpopular piece of legislation I think in history. Do you know what, Mr. Speaker? Don't take my word for it. Talk to regular people. Go to a grocery store. Go to a coffee shop. Do a townhall and talk to people about how they are feeling. They are not feeling good. They are not feeling good, Mr. Speaker. They are going to feel even worse if you don't address the healthcare cliff that we are about to confront. Mr. Speaker, across the country, children, families, grandparents, small business owners, teachers, and veterans are about to receive the unwelcome news that their healthcare premiums are skyrocketing to record highs. Millions of Americans face an awful decision on the horizon as they sort through their bills and are forced to decide which ones to pay. Republicans could have spent the summer working with Democrats to reach a bipartisan agreement. Instead, they spent it slashing Medicaid and the ACA by a trillion dollars. Make no mistake: Republicans are kicking 15 million off their healthcare coverage. Republicans are jeopardizing access to prenatal care. They are cutting NIH's budget and taking food benefits away from families, all basically to help pay for tax cuts to the ultrarich. Mr. Speaker, nearly 24 million people in this country have health insurance through the Affordable Care Act. With Republican inaction, their premiums will increase by an average of 93 percent. A 60-year-old couple making $80,000 per year would see their premiums increase by over $17,000 per year. That is like over $1,400 per month. A family of four earning $64,000 will owe an extra $2,600 in healthcare premiums every year. Where on Earth are families supposed to find this kind of extra money? Five million Americans, including 2 million with chronic conditions, will lose their healthcare coverage due to the Affordable Care Act cuts alone, not to mention the 10 million more who will lose coverage due to the already enacted Medicaid cuts in the Republicans' big, ugly bill. In each of the districts we represent, Americans will have to choose between paying rent, buying groceries, or affording healthcare. Mr. Speaker, 26,000 Americans in the gentlewoman's district in Indiana will face higher premiums or lose their healthcare altogether. That is a lot of people. We live in the richest country in the world, and Republicans have no problem forcing families to go without food because healthcare premiums are sky-high. This is crazy. Healthcare ought to be a right in this country. It ought not to be a privilege. When people lose their healthcare, what do they do? They get their healthcare at emergency rooms. That is the most costly and inefficient form of healthcare. Honest to God, Mr. Speaker, I don't know how my Republicans friends can talk to people back home in their districts and somehow justify what they are doing. Do Republicans actually think that denying healthcare coverage is good for someone? Seriously, is that popular in Indiana? Is it popular in any State in this country? This is shameful, Mr. Speaker. The American people deserve better. Congress must address this healthcare cliff now. When the Speaker of the House says: Oh, well, we will deal with it in December; we will talk about this in December--first, we have no guarantees that they will want to deal with it--but let's push this discussion out to December. December is too late. The crisis is about to occur. We have an opportunity to do something, and we are doing nothing. We are doing nothing. This is so wrong. This is immoral, Mr. Speaker. This cannot be justified. There is no way to be able to explain this back home. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. The central issue right now is healthcare. Let me repeat: Healthcare, healthcare, healthcare. I love it. I don't know how--I am surprised they didn't blame Bill Clinton. Now we are going back to Obama to blame him for the current crisis in healthcare. Give me a break. Look at the polling. The ACA is pretty popular. What is not popular is the big, ugly bill that the Republicans passed just a few months ago. People are outraged over the fact that Republicans are cutting Medicaid by a trillion dollars and cutting moneys for NIH. The National Institutes of Health is where we fund research to find cures to diseases and to sicknesses. You want to save money? Let's find a cure to Alzheimer's. Let's find a cure to Parkinson's disease. Let's find more cures to cancer. That is a way you can save money. I think what the Republicans are doing right now is they want to say that the Affordable Care Act is not working by defunding it, by dismantling it. My Republicans friends are doing nothing to address the central issue at hand right now, which is healthcare. People are going to lose their healthcare. People are going to see their premiums skyrocket. All the while, we are trying to help here. We are saying we will work with them and let's address this so people don't suffer. I mean, the whole point of what we are doing here should be about improving the lives for people we represent, improving the lives of people in this country. An all-out assault against their healthcare is coming down the road, and we can do something about it. We want to work with them to do something about it, and my Republican friends keep on saying: No, we are not interested. What are my Republican friends interested in? If you look at the big, ugly bill, it is tax cuts for the multimillionaires, tax cuts for multibillionaires, and all these giveaways to the fossil fuel industry. It is like the Republican prescription for healthcare is take two tax cuts and call me in the morning. The bottom line is a crisis is about to happen in this country. We are right at the cliff, and we can do something about it. We can help our constituents. We are urging them, and we are begging them to work with us so we can address these concerns in healthcare, and we are being told no way, no consultation, no cooperation, no collaboration, no negotiation, no nothing. Remember, it was Democrats who capped the price of insulin for Medicare. It is Republicans who cut Medicaid by a trillion dollars. That is the difference here. Again, we ought to be addressing this crisis now before our constituents are hurt in a way that, quite frankly, they are not prepared for. They don't even know this is coming. We all know it is coming. There is no excuse to not know what is about to happen. Every major organization--CBO, everybody, the insurance industry--has already told us what is about to happen. My Republican friends are like: No, business as usual. Let's just kick the can down the road. We will fund the government for 7 weeks and no promise of anything. This is not the way this Congress should be run. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time for closing. Mr. Speaker, here is the bottom line. Congress must act now to prevent one of the most staggering healthcare premium hikes in history--not in November, not in December, but now. Let's be honest. Donald Trump and his billionaires he has surrounded himself with won't feel an ounce of this pain. They have got the best doctors on speed dial, concierge care, and private chefs. They don't worry about grocery bills. They don't sit at the kitchen table with a stack of medical bills and wonder which one of them they can afford to pay this month. Regular people, working families, and seniors on fixed incomes do. That is who Democrats are fighting for: regular people who buy their own food, who worry about the rent, and who pray that the car doesn't break down because they can't handle another bill. If Members want to stand with the billionaires, by all means, vote for the CR. Let a million people get kicked off of healthcare. It won't impact Members of Congress. We all have great healthcare. Republicans don't have to worry about that. Guess what. Democrats are not going to stand by and watch while Republicans make healthcare more expensive and less accessible for millions of our friends and neighbors. Stop the cuts and fund the government, or own the shutdown that is coming. Protect people's healthcare, or own the consequences when millions lose their coverage. That is what the choice is for this Republican-controlled government. Right now, Mr. Speaker, it sure as hell looks like Republicans are choosing to shut it down instead of working to keep people insured. Again, we live in the richest country in the world. Healthcare ought to be viewed as a fundamental right for people in this country. People shouldn't have to worry about going bankrupt if they get sick. Mr. Speaker, this is one of the top issues on the minds of people all throughout this country right now. The price of groceries and the price of healthcare are what they are worried about. People are deeply concerned that they are not going to be able to afford both, and they are in for a rude awakening when they start to see their premiums go up this November. Here is the kicker: This Congress can do something about it. All we need is for our Republican friends to work with us. Let us make the necessary adjustments, and let us protect millions of people from losing their healthcare. Let us protect countless people from seeing their premiums go sky-high. We can do this. This is solvable. We can do it, but for whatever reason, Republicans are not interested. That is what is particularly sad at this particular point, Mr. Speaker. Prohibiting health insurance companies from denying coverage because of a person's medical history, that is what Democrats did. We have prohibited health insurance companies from denying coverage because of a person's medical history. We prohibited health insurance companies from charging sick people more. We prohibited private health insurance companies from denying coverage because of preexisting medical conditions. We prohibited health insurance companies from denying coverage to pregnant women. We prohibited private health insurance companies from charging sick people higher premiums than healthy people. We required health insurance companies to cover the cost of most preventative services. We prohibited health insurance companies from setting a lifetime limit. We gave States the option of expanding their Medicaid programs. We provided financial help to low- and moderate-income Americans to help them purchase coverage. We prohibited private health insurance companies from setting an annual limit. We also allowed young adults to stay on their parents' insurance plans until they were 26. When we think of helping people with healthcare, that is the kind of stuff that we think of. I mentioned before the capping of the cost of insulin in Medicare. We ought to be making it easier for people to get good, quality healthcare. We ought to make sure that it is more affordable and more accessible, and we are going in the opposite direction under this Republican leadership. Mr. Speaker, again, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this rule for a whole bunch of reasons, but mostly because healthcare is important to people in this country, and they are about to get screwed. We have an opportunity to do something, and I regret that under this rule, nothing will be done. Mr. Speaker, let's defeat this rule. Let's go back to the drawing board. Let's sit down in a bipartisan way. Let's figure out ways to avert this crisis. Let's do what is right for the American people, not what is right for the big contributors in this country and for the well-off and the well-connected. Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``no'' vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York for yielding me the customary 30 minutes, and I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, we just heard a whole lot of words from the gentleman from New York, but the bills before us today are yet another example of how backward Republican priorities are and how they are hurting this country, hurting the economic well-being of the people I represent, and hurting the economic well-being of working people all over this country. People are stressed about their budgets. They are worried about prices going up. They are scared they might lose their jobs. People are struggling to pay the bills and make ends meet, worried about saving for college for their kids and how they are going to deal with the exploding costs of healthcare. Instead of addressing any of that, we are dealing with this. When we are not dealing with this, Republicans are obsessed with fighting culture wars. That is what they want 24/7: culture wars, culture wars, culture wars. Some of them are now proposing a new committee to investigate their political opponents, a new House un-American activities committee that would make Joe McCarthy blush. That is all this place is to Republicans: a venue for culture wars, a venue for legislation to further divide people and divide this country. Meanwhile, they do nothing, absolutely nothing for everyday people, nothing at all. Actually, it is worse than nothing. They are actively trying to screw over regular people. Look no further than yesterday. Democrats tried to force a vote on Trump's tariffs, and nearly every Republican blocked it. Every one of them is now on record as supporting Trump's disastrous tariffs. They are not just ignoring the economy. They are making it worse. For the other side, this is all about genuflecting to Donald Trump. It is all about power for the sake of power. It is not about the American people. It has never been about the American people for Republicans. It is about power, and they use that power to help the rich, the well-connected, and the well-off. Four of these bills that we are going to be dealing with are about local issues in Washington, D.C., something none of my constituents have ever asked me about. For the record, 0.2 percent of the U.S. population lives in Washington, D.C., and Republicans want to get into the weeds about their local policing policies. Do you know what my constituents ask me about? They don't ask me about local issues that affect Washington, D.C. They ask me about why their healthcare insurance premiums are going up. They ask me about prices going up because of Donald Trump's tariffs. They tell me they need more money in their pockets to make ends meet. Yet, week after week, Republicans do nothing about healthcare and nothing about inflation. It is constant culture wars. It is constant giveaways to the rich and powerful. It is constant distractions. One of the Republican bills that we are considering today reestablishes a coal council--not even establishes, reestablishes. Wow, that is really important, a coal council. Who the hell asked for that? A coal lobbyist? Mr. Speaker, the Department of Energy already reestablished this stupid council months ago. It is apparently so important that President Trump hasn't even bothered to appoint anyone to it yet. If you look up their website, he still hasn't appointed anybody to the council. Go to the website. This is stupid. We are wasting time by doing this. Energy prices are going up in this country, and this is the majority's response: reestablishing a coal council. You can't make this stuff up. This is laughable. The other bills that Republicans are bringing forward today are giveaways to polluters who dump toxic chemicals into our air and water. Why? Follow the money. Did the CEO of ExxonMobil call Donald Trump and ask for a favor? Mr. Speaker, all of these bills are a disgrace. The people we represent want us to address the real issues that we face every day. They want us to talk about the cost of living, healthcare, and fixing what is broken with this country's economic system. Meanwhile, as we are gathering here to do this stuff, the clock is ticking toward a shutdown. Republicans control the House. They control the Senate. They control the White House. They should be able to fund the government, but they won't. They won't. Let me be clear: Democrats are not going to stand by and do nothing while my Republican colleagues try to kick millions of people off their healthcare. I hear that the Speaker of the House is saying that it is no big deal, that we will just kick the can down the road, deal with it sometime, maybe in December, and talk about it then. Let me be clear. I will speak in ``See Spot Run'' language so that my Republican colleagues can understand. Mr. Speaker, the CBO, the Congressional Budget Office, says that 1.5 million people--that is a lot of people--will lose their healthcare if we wait. People's premiums--that is, their monthly payments--will go way, way up because the insurance companies are making important decisions right now about how much to charge. We do not have time to wait. Mr. Speaker, now that that is clear, Republicans have three choices: First, they can work with us in a bipartisan way to make sure it doesn't happen. Second, they could do what Trump said and pass the CR alone since they control government. Third, they can choose to shut the government down. Those are the three options. Democrats are for keeping the government open, but we are not for passing legislation that tells millions of people who we represent, including sick people: Good luck. You are on your own. Best wishes. We are not for that. If there is a shutdown, I say that Republicans own this. It is their shutdown. If Republicans would rather shut down the government than protect people's healthcare, then we do not share the same values. I want to keep people on healthcare, not kick them off. I go home and ask people what they care about. I go to coffee shops and county fairs. I hold townhalls--something Republicans should try to do, by the way. Do you know what I hear from my constituents? They are sick and tired of those at the top getting ahead while they struggle to pay their bills. They are sick and tired of Republicans in Congress passing bills to help the rich while everyone else has to breathe in dirty air and drink dirty water. They are sick and tired of this culture war garbage and this weird obsession that Republicans have with micromanaging Washington, D.C. They want Republicans to leave Washington, D.C., the hell alone and focus on their own damned communities. They are sick and tired of Republicans trying to kick people off of their healthcare to pay for taxes for multimillionaires and billionaires. These are rotten bills. To top it all off, we have seven more completely closed rules with no amendments allowed. Take it or leave it from this Republican majority. I think we ought to leave it. These are terrible bills that are going to hurt the people we represent. Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``no'' vote, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, Republicans are protecting American families, my foot. You just passed this big, ugly bill that throws millions of people off of healthcare, that gives tax breaks to multimillionaires and billionaires, and then you accuse us of playing class warfare because we are trying to stick up for the middle class in this country, for working families. You can't call it class warfare when you are giving tax breaks to multimillionaires and billionaires while cutting people's healthcare benefits. Let me just say for the record that in the gentleman's district, New York District 23, as of 2024, 6,000 people in his district received tax credits to help lower their monthly premium payments to make quality comprehensive health insurance coverage more affordable, and these tax credits are due to expire. These people are going to lose their healthcare or they are going to see their premiums go through the roof. For a 60-year-old couple earning $82,800 a year in the gentleman's district, annual premiums would increase by $7,349. That is a 110 percent increase. For a family of four earning $129,800 a year, ages 45 and up, the annual premium would increase by $17,741. That is a 172 percent increase. For a family of four earning $64,000 a year, the annual premiums would increase by $2,571. That is a 369 percent increase. Mr. Speaker, I don't know. I guess in his district his constituents don't care about that. According to him, they care more about micromanaging D.C. In my district and in other districts that I know of in this country, people are worried about their healthcare costs, and we ought to do something about it. We shouldn't kick the can down the road so more and more people end up feeling the pain. Mr. Speaker, if we defeat the previous question, I will offer an amendment to the rule to strike sections 9, 10, and 11, which together block privileged consideration of measures ending the administration's global tariffs and tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and Brazil until March 31, 2026. Mr. Speaker, President Trump made a campaign promise that he would lower prices ``on day one,'' yet Trump's disastrous trade war continues to increase the prices Americans are paying for food, for gas, and for other everyday goods. According to independent estimates, Trump's current tariff regime is resulting in a $2,300 tax increase in 2025 alone for the average American household. Fruits, vegetables, beef, and coffee are just some of the products experiencing the highest price increases. Go to a supermarket for heaven's sake in your district and you will know what I am talking about. This is not what the American people voted for. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit recently held that Trump's tariffs that he imposed under the guise of bogus emergencies are unlawful and that Congress, not the President, must make the calls when it comes to imposing new tariffs. As we await the Supreme Court's decision, Congress should be voting on these tariffs and whether they should remain in place, but in the Republican rule, they are, again, blocking the Congress from taking a vote on whether we should keep or remove these emergency tariffs. The President imposed huge tariffs on Canada and Mexico in February, global tariffs in April, and most recently, a 50 percent tariff on Brazil because he didn't like that his friend, Brazil's disgraced former President, was just tried and convicted of trying to overthrow a democratic election to stay in power. Mr. Speaker, does that remind you of anyone, by the way? The American people paid $30 billion in new tariff taxes in August alone, and Republicans are continuing to hide their heads in the sand. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of my amendment into the Record, along with extraneous material, immediately prior to the vote on the previous question.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, for God's sake, we ought to do our work. We ought to live up to our constitutional responsibility and debate and vote on these things. I am sorry that the President has instructed you to do nothing, but we ought to do something. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Meeks), the distinguished ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, to discuss our proposal.

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

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I am confused by what the gentleman said. I don't know whether he supports the ACA tax credits or not. If he doesn't, then 6,000 of his constituents will be adversely impacted. If he does, then we should just fix it right now. By the way, Republicans all opposed the ACA when it came up, so I don't want to hear that garbage. Don't blame the Senate. Donald Trump just said to Republicans over in the Senate: Do it on your own. I think what he is referring to was just last week Republicans nuked the filibuster when it comes to nominations. Republicans control the House, the Senate, and the White House. Basically what they are telling us is that they don't give a damn about working families in this country, and that is what is at stake here. I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Doggett.)