Mark Meadows

Mr. MEADOWS

Mr. MEADOWS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2502, the Transparency in Federal Buildings Projects Act. As the chairman just mentioned, it is a commonsense piece of legislation. I would like to thank the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Palmer) for his leadership on this bill. I am pleased that I am actually a cosponsor of this particular legislation. H.R. 2502 does provide for greater transparency to the taxpayers on the public buildings projects and leases. It actually would require the General Services Administration, or what we refer to as GSA, to include on its websites all project proposals and associated information and submit that to Congress under the Public Buildings Act for approval. This is a simple action, but it can have a significant impact on improving the accountability and transparency that all American taxpayers yearn for. While GSA includes some information on its website, that information provided is somewhat limited. This bill would ensure that taxpayers know what projects have been proposed, how much they will cost, and which have been actually approved. In 2013 the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure began filling this void by posting this information on its website. Since that time the committee's website has become a critical resource not only for the public and private sector but also for Federal agencies. However, to ensure the continuity and that this information continues to be regularly updated and maintained, this bill would place that responsibility on GSA. As I mentioned, this is a commonsense, straightforward bill. I thank Chairman DeFazio and Ranking Member Graves for their willingness to address efficient and effective government agency. Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MEADOWS. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Palmer), the sponsor of this particular piece of legislation.

Mr. MEADOWS. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I am assuming that the gentleman opposite is. As we close, I thank the chairman once again for his support, and I thank the sponsor of this particular bill. We do believe that GSA, in posting this information in a searchable fashion, will provide for a more open and transparent government. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support that, and I yield back the balance of my time

Mr. MEADOWS

Mr. MEADOWS. Madam Speaker, in a SCIF in the basement of this very building is a secret process, a process that is designed to keep the truth from the American people. Now, it is not based on firsthand comments. It is based on secondhand gossip. And I can tell you, what I have heard for over 60 hours needs to be heard by the American people, because ultimately this President did nothing wrong. And we need to make sure that we send a clear message to the rest of America that we are a transparent body, not one that is held with secrets. And yet here we are with Adam Schiff providing leading questions, trying to actually get to a foregone conclusion in his mind. It is time that we hold him accountable and the rest of this body. Open it up. Let's be transparent. Let's send a message to the Senate, who ultimately is going to have to be the judge and jury of this. It is time that we put the facts on the table. The facts will exonerate our President.

Mr. MEADOWS

Mr. MEADOWS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Taiwan's National Day. On October 10th, Taiwan celebrated the 108th anniversary of the Republic of China. On the occasion of Taiwan's National Day, I congratulate the people of Taiwan on this important anniversary and express the sincere commitment of our nation and Congress to the bilateral relationship. As security, diplomatic, and economic challenges in the Pacific region grow, it is vital for our mutual security that the bond between the United States and Taiwan remains strong. I am proud to support our continued defense partnership, trading relationship, and a shared belief in democracy and human dignity that stands in stark contrast to the behavior of the government on the mainland. The United States and Taiwan have built an alliance that can withstand future threats, and to which I know President Trump and his administration is committed to preserving. I also want to commend the Americans serving in the American Institute in Taiwan for their patriotism and commitment to preserving this critical partnership. We cannot be complacent when the Chinese Communist Party in Beijing attempts to export authoritarianism and corruption and tries to weaken our democratic allies. I encourage my colleagues to support measures to stop Beijing's ongoing attempts to undermine Taiwan's participation in international fora and its increased disruption of Taiwan's diplomatic ties. From its beginning over a century ago to its embrace of a vibrant democracy today, the Republic of China (Taiwan) shares a bond with the United States founded on common principles. As Taiwan celebrates Double Ten Day, I extend my best wishes and congratulate the Taiwanese people for all they have achieved.

Mr. MEADOWS

Mr. MEADOWS. Mr. Speaker, I have a parliamentary inquiry.

Mr. MEADOWS. Mr. Speaker, as we well know, the rules of the House admonish speakers from including personalities. I would suggest that my colleague opposite crossed that line. I will remove my point of order if the Speaker cautions my colleague opposite that such violation will not be tolerated in the future.

Mr. MEADOWS

Mr. MEADOWS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this has nothing to do with the Coast Guard. This has everything to do with politics. Mr. Speaker, when they get up and have this faux outrage over this, it is about this President and their opposition to a secure border. Now, I would point out to the gentleman opposite, when President Barack Obama requested $3.7 billion in emergency funding, there was not a peep from the other side of the aisle, and all of a sudden, there is this outrage. The gentleman knows all too well, Mr. Speaker, that this is not even going to cut the funding. I see over there that we have the chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee. She knows that this President, under his leadership, is funding the military and our Coast Guard at levels that we have never seen. For my friend opposite to suggest that this is all about the Coast Guard, this is all about politics, making sure that there is an open border. When he had the chance, Mr. Speaker, to vote to make sure that we limit any of these funds going to this, what did he do? He looked the other way. He voted for a CR just the other day. He voted to allow this money to continue to flow. This is a show vote, Mr. Speaker. This has nothing to do with really legislating. If they want to legislate, let's figure out how we work on those separations at the border. Let's look at the Flores decision. Let's make sure that we are constructive. I have had, Mr. Speaker, conversations with some on the other side of the aisle. I am willing. But what we are seeing today is nothing more than political theater. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MEADOWS. Mr. Speaker, facts are a stubborn thing. I would like to point out to my good friend from New York that, indeed, we are backfilling that. These projects will get funded. She knows that; I know that; and soon, the American people will know that. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. LaMalfa).

Mr. MEADOWS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I would remind the gentleman opposite that there is not a single delay in the plan of building those facilities at Andrews, and the gentleman knows it. What happens is the hyperbole from the other side doesn't match the facts. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Spano).

Mr. MEADOWS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I need to clarify, once again, another fact. The gentleman opposite seems to think that all of the drugs and all of the bad things come in at the ports of entry, when the facts are, since 2014, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has actually seized more drugs between the ports of entry than at the ports of entry. So I would like to, and if the gentleman wants to review the facts with me, I will be glad to do it. We actually collected 6.4 million pounds of drugs between the ports of entry versus 3.1 million at the ports of entry. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from West Virginia (Mrs. Miller).

Mr. MEADOWS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman opposite was just talking about the fact that one particular person might have to use a clicker. What about the millions of Americans who go down to our border right now and they can't even go on U.S. territory because the cartel controls it. The gentleman knows all too well that the border on our southern border is controlled in areas by a cartel. But far be it from me to be the expert. We have the expert here on that particular subject. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Rogers), my good friend, the ranking member of the Homeland Security Committee.

Mr. MEADOWS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I would like to say that I have a solution for all of this. The gentlewoman was just talking about an emergency. The chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is talking about the Coast Guard. I will join both of them in making sure that we fund it, if they will join me in appropriating $3.7 billion to secure our southern border. If it is an emergency, then let's get together and work in a bipartisan fashion. But do you know what? This is not about an emergency. This is about talking points, this is about politics, and it is about wanting an open border; and they know it. But I am willing to work with them. I see the gentleman from California. I am willing to work with him on the Coast Guard. It is his passion. Let's fund the Coast Guard, and let's fund the border. We will get together. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. McClintock).

Mr. MEADOWS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Aderholt).

Mr. MEADOWS. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time each side has remaining.

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

Mr. MEADOWS. Mr. Speaker, it is interesting that the gentleman from California (Mr. Garamendi) would suggest that this President ripped this from Congress. We willingly gave it to him under section 2808. The gentleman knows all too well that if he didn't want the money going to the border, he could have done a limitation amendment when they passed the funding bill--not once, but twice. The same funding bill that the gentleman voted for, he could have put a limitation bill on it. This whole thing about the Constitution is actually about a section that has been exercised not just by President Trump, but by President Barack Obama. When President Barack Obama exercised it, there was not a peep from the other side, not a peep. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Bishop), my colleague from the Ninth Congressional District.

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

Mr. MEADOWS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman, before he exits--I want to make sure I am addressing you, Mr. Speaker, but I wanted to highlight one critical part. He is exactly right, that the President signed this. If the President had not given the other side the warning that he was going to declare a national emergency, then the gentleman would have had a valid point, Mr. Speaker. But I can tell you, before the President signed it, he said: If we do not get the money to secure our southern border and make sure that communities are safer, I am going to declare a national emergency. So, he put the Democrats on notice. That is why all this outrage is interesting. Go back and Google it. I promise you that they were on notice. He said: I am going to declare a national emergency. This is not about ripping constitutional power. This is about yielding the power. And my Democratic colleagues did exactly that. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Biggs), who probably knows more about the border than anyone who has spoken previously from our side because he has been down there over and over again.

Mr. MEADOWS. Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentleman from Arizona an additional 1 minute.

Mr. MEADOWS. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how much time remains on both sides.

Mr. MEADOWS. Mr. Speaker, only in Washington, D.C., is spending $160 billion more on defense a cut. The gentlewoman from Texas is talking like we have cut the defense. We are spending $160 billion more over a 2-year period. Ask the military men and women if they are better funded today than they were under the 8 years of the Barack Obama administration, and, almost to the person, they will say yes. This President is standing with the military men and women of this great country. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Jordan).

Mr. MEADOWS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Murphy), the gentleman from the Third Congressional District of North Carolina, one who has actually been a strong advocate for the hurricane relief that has hit his particular district, the new Member and my good friend.

Mr. MEADOWS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. If the gentleman opposite has no more speakers and is prepared to close, I will go ahead and give my final remarks. Mr. Speaker, I think it would be appropriate for me to recognize our fine staff that is here. All those who have prepared the work have done a great job, day in and day out. Many times, our staff is looked at and overlooked, and I didn't want this day to go by without recognizing their fine work on this particular subject. Mr. Speaker, it should come as no surprise to the American people or to this body why we are here today. Every single day, Mr. Speaker, it becomes clearer and clearer and clearer that the majority is just blindly objecting to anything that this President does, even if those efforts are to serve this Nation. The fact is that there is a real crisis at our southern border, something that even the Speaker, as recently as June, has recognized. So, Mr. Speaker, I think it is important that we come together and we do secure our communities, we do provide the funding. I am willing to work with my friends opposite. If we are looking at our Coast Guard, wanting to make sure that they have the proper funds, I am willing to work with them on that. I am also willing to look at what we need to do to make sure that we not only build a secure southern border, but that we apprehend those cartels and those human traffickers that my good friend from North Carolina talked about. There is a cost of not doing something each and every day. My friend opposite wanted to talk about how the President really says things and doesn't do it. I can tell you, this President is very serious about building a wall on our southern border to secure it. In fact, it is being built right now. This President was very serious about moving the Embassy to Jerusalem. In fact, the Embassy is in Jerusalem. This President was very serious about lowering taxes. In fact, we lowered taxes. This President was very serious about making sure that our economy hums so that unemployment would reach historic lows, and, indeed, he has done that. This is not about a campaign promise to build a wall. This is about a campaign promise to secure our communities. In fact, this President has done it. I am going to stand with him. I ask my friends opposite to work with us on giving the proper funding to make sure that we do exactly that. Mr. Speaker, it is high time that we put the interests of the American citizens first, and, with that, I yield back the balance of my time.

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