Bill Pascrell

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, nothing could be more of a threat to the integrity of this House than ignoring our duty to fully examine the personal financial entanglements any President, and this President, may have had with Russian entities and individuals. If and when such conflicts are revealed, I do not want to say to our constituents that we had the power to review these conflicts, but, instead, we sat on our hands and did nothing. I, for one, do not want my integrity or the integrity of my colleagues in this body on both sides of the aisle to be demeaned by such a shameful failure. To restore the dignity of the House, we must use our authority to request President Trump's tax returns to give the American people--the 75 percent who say ``give it up,''--75 percent of the American people, the transparency they deserve.

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

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, on a question of the privileges of the House under rule IX, clause 1, questions of the privileges of the House are those affecting the rights of the House collectively, its safety, dignity, and the integrity of its proceedings. Congressional oversight is a power granted by the Constitution in public law and in House rules. Mr. Speaker, just 2 days ago, FBI Director James Comey confirmed that there was an investigation of Donald Trump's campaign's ties to the Russian agents. We know that, following six bankruptcies, Donald Trump had trouble getting loans and financing for his real estate businesses. We know that German Bank Deutsche stepped in when Wall Street stopped lending, giving at least $300 million in loans for those properties and, more personally, to his daughter, Ivanka, and son-in-law. We know that Deutsche Bank has been fined for criminally transferring $10 billion out of Russia. We also know that Donald Trump, Jr. said that the Trump organization saw money ``pouring in from Russia'' and that ``Russians make up a pretty disproportionate cross-section of a lot of our assets.'' We know that Donald Trump repeatedly attempted to secure trademarks in Russia--the record is the record--to develop real estate in Russia-- the record is the record--and to sell products in Russia--the record is the record. We have seen how just two pages summarizing the President's 2005 tax returns, which many laughed off, showed that he paid a low rate of 25 percent. He has proposed tax changes that would significantly lower his own personal tax bill. We need to see how the President----

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I do.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. I am talking right to the resolution, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. PASCRELL. I want to thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley). Mr. Speaker, Mr. Crowley cited the very source of what our proposal is, and that is, section 6103, and, particularly section 6103(f), of the Tax Code of the United States of America, which has been part of the Tax Code since 1924. Mr. Speaker, this is a wonderful part of the Tax Code. Take my word for it. And it has been a wonderful part of the Tax Code since 1924. It is very clear the main argument against this proposal, this resolution, has been over the last several weeks that this is an administrative part of the Tax Code. I would submit to you, Mr. Speaker, that this is not simply arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. This has to do with all of us. This has to do with what we put in to our tax files when we submit them to the IRS. There is real authority when you read this section, Mr. Speaker. I can assure you I will not read it. That will be for another time. But I can assure you it is very specific and goes beyond administrative authority. We are talking about apparitional authority. We are talking about that three different committees in the House and the Senate can call on anybody with due cause to have them submit their tax returns. By the way, when you look at why section 6103 was put into the Tax Code in 1924, as a result of one of the greatest scandals in the 20th century, then you understand it was not just meant as an administrative situation. Now, Mr. Speaker, we believe that it is imperative for the public to know and understand how such tax reform that we are about to go into pretty soon will benefit the President of the United States.

Mr. PASCRELL. He said, when an allegation that he had paid no taxes, he said----

Mr. PASCRELL. We are talking about, as I said----

Mr. PASCRELL. Well, we are talking about the present President, our President of the United States.

Mr. PASCRELL. Yes, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. PASCRELL. I believe it is a privileged question and resolution that has been offered because it goes to the very integrity of the House of Representatives, and I am a part of the House of Representatives. Now, our President had an infamous response----

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, on March 1, 2017, I missed one roll call vote. Had I been present, I would have voted: NO on Roll Call Vote 116, H. Res. 156, Providing for consideration of H.R. 1004, the Regulatory Integrity Act of 2017; and H.R. 1009, the OIRA Insight, Reform, and Accountability Act. I would have cast my vote in opposition to this resolution because the Rules Committee rejected a motion by Ms. Slaughter of New York to consider both H.R. 1004 and H.R. 1009 under open Rules. The Rules Committee also rejected a motion by Mr. McGovern of Massachusetts to strike the waiver of all points of order against consideration of H.R. 1009 which includes waiver of CUTGO, statutory pay-go, and sections 303 and 311 of the Congressional Budget Act.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, on February 28, 2017, I missed one roll call vote. Had I been present, would have voted: NO on Roll Call Vote 104, H. Res. 150, On Agreeing to the Resolution--Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 998) SCRUB Act, and providing for consideration of (H.J. Res. 83) disapproving the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to Clarification of Employers Continuing Obligation to Make and Maintain an Accurate Record of Each Recordable Injury and Illness. I would have cast my vote in opposition to this resolution because the Rules Committee rejected a motion by Mr. Hastings of Florida to strike the waiver of section of 311 of the Congressional Budget Act for H.J. Res. 83.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Yes, Mr. Speaker, I offer my resolution.

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, under rule IX, clause 1, questions of the privileges of the House are ``those affecting the rights of the House collectively, its safety, dignity, and the integrity of its proceedings.'' There is nothing more of a threat to the integrity of this House than ignoring our duty to provide a check and balance to the executive branch. To restore the dignity of the House, we must use our authority to request President Trump's tax returns and give the American people the transparency they deserve. The American people demand, Mr. Speaker, to know the full scope of the President's financial background. Article I, Section 9 of the Constitution includes a clause prohibiting foreign emoluments to the President. The Office of Government Ethics--I can't stress this enough--has warned us about the President's decision not to divest or set up a blind trust. And there is a need to fully understand the President's ties to Russia. The resolution I am offering can provide the transparency to help ease the concerns of Americans across the Nation. The Internal Revenue Code includes language laying out a path for the Ways and Means Committee to obtain the tax returns and review them in a respectful manner, and there is the precedent of that provision being used. Mr. Speaker, that decision to put this into the code in 1924 was a result of the very famous scandal of 1923, the Teapot Dome, from Teapot Rock, Wyoming, under President Harding. He died, unfortunately, and never saw the end of this scandal. People committed murder in this scandal. People sold off American reserves in this scandal. So, they put it into the IRS Code for a very, very specific reason, so the people have a right to know. A growing number of Members and Senators from both parties have been saying we should have the President's tax returns. The House must demonstrate--and this is my deep feeling here, not as a Democrat, but as an American citizen, Mr. Speaker--we must demonstrate that its Members are listening to our constituents' concerns. The House must demonstrate that it cares about protecting the integrity of our government, of our Constitution, of our system of checks and balances. Let's shine a bright light on the President's conflicts together, together, as we, as a Congress, and the broader American public can judge whether his decisions are being made for himself, his business interests, or for the greater good of the American people. Mr. Speaker, I thank you for your indulgences, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PASCRELL. Yes, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I appeal the ruling of the Chair.

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 2(a)(1) of rule IX, I rise to give notice of my intent to raise a question of the privileges of the House. The form of the resolution is as follows: Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the President shall immediately disclose his tax return information to Congress and the American people. Whereas, in the United States' system of checks and balances, Congress has a responsibility to hold the executive branch of government to the highest standard of transparency to ensure the public interest is placed first; Whereas, according to the Tax History Project, every President since Gerald Ford has disclosed their tax return information to the public; Whereas, tax returns provide an important baseline disclosure because they contain highly instructive information including whether the candidate paid taxes, what they own, what they have borrowed and from whom, whether they have made any charitable donations, and whether they have taken advantage of tax loopholes; Whereas, disclosure of the President's tax returns could help those investigating Russian influence in the 2016 election understand the President's financial ties to the Russian Federation and Russian citizens, including debts owed and whether he shares any partnership interests, equity interests, joint ventures or licensing agreements with Russia or Russians; Whereas, The New York Times has reported that President Trump's close senior advisers, including Carter Page, Paul Manafort, Roger Stone, and General Michael Flynn, have been under investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their ties to the Russian Federation; Whereas, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told Interfax, a Russian media outlet, on November 10, 2016 that ``there were contacts'' with Donald Trump's 2016 campaign, and it has been reported that members of President Trump's inner circle were in contact with senior Russian officials throughout the 2016 campaign; Whereas, according to his 2016 candidate filing with the Federal Election Commission, the President has 564 financial positions in companies located in the United States and around the world; Whereas, against the advice of ethics attorneys and the Office of Government Ethics, the President has refused to divest his ownership stake in his businesses; Whereas, the director of the nonpartisan Office of Government Ethics said that the President's plan to transfer his business holdings to a trust managed by family members is ``meaningless'' and ``does not meet the standards that . . . every president in the past four decades has met''; Whereas, the Emoluments Clause was included in the U.S. Constitution for the express purpose of preventing federal officials from accepting any ``present, Emolument, Office, or Title . . . from any King, Prince, or foreign state''; Whereas, according to The Washington Post, the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C., has hired a ``director of diplomatic sales'' to generate high-priced business among foreign leaders and diplomatic delegations; Whereas, according to The New York Times, the President used a legally dubious tax maneuver in 1995 that could have allowed him to avoid paying federal taxes for 18 years; Whereas, the most signed petition on the White House website calls for the release of the President's tax return information to verify compliance with the Emoluments Clause, with 1,074,000 signatures as of date of this resolution; Whereas, the chairmen of the Ways and Means Committee, Joint Committee on Taxation, and Senate Finance Committee have the authority to request the President's tax returns under,Section 6103 of the tax code; Whereas, the Joint Committee on Taxation reviewed the tax returns of President Richard Nixon in 1974 and made the information public; Whereas, the Ways and Means Committee used IRC 6103 authority in 2014 to make public the confidential tax information of 51 taxpayers; Whereas, the American people have the right to know whether or not their President is operating under conflicts of interest related to international affairs, tax reform, government contracts, or otherwise: Now, therefore, be it resolved, that the House of Representatives shall, one, immediately request the tax return information of Donald J. Trump for tax years 2006 through 2015 for review in closed executive session by the Committee on Ways and Means, as provided under section 6103 of the Internal Revenue Code, and vote to report the information therein to the full House of Representatives; two, support transparency in government and the longstanding tradition of Presidents and Presidential candidates disclosing their tax returns.

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

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call to your attention the outstanding achievements of Gerardo Montone, a hardworking and dedicated member of the Roma Club of Woodland Park, NJ, who will be honored at the Roma Club Dinner Dance on Sunday. Gerardo was born and raised in a small town in Italy called Punta Licosa. He lived there with his parents, Valentino and Rosa Montone, brother Antonio and sister Antoinette, but at the age of eighteen Gerardo's family decided to make the big move to the United States. After months of living with his aunt and uncle in New York, Gerardo, with his mother Rosa and sister Antoinette, moved to my home town of Paterson, New Jersey, where he still lives today. Gerardo has been an extremely hard worker his entire life. After just one day of living in the United States he got a job working at Lembo Textile Shop. Gerardo worked making rollers for textile printers. After living in the United States for some time, Gerardo picked up a second job. He worked the night shift at Master Screens in Clifton, NJ. Gerardo quickly saw himself thriving at Master Screens, and eventually became the manager of the entire location, making it his primary job for seven years. Finally, after a year of being in the United States, Gerardo's brother Antonio and sister-in-law moved to Paterson, NJ and began working with Gerardo to build their own two-family home. Gerardo lived on one floor with his mother Rosa and sister Antoinette, while his brother Antonio and sister-in-law lived on the second floor with their two children. As you can tell, Gerardo is a self-made man who achieves everything he sets his mind to. Aside from building houses and managing a textile shop, he loves fishing and eating seafood. Whenever he has downtime he gets his rod and heads to go fishing. Because of his passion for fishing he decided to open his own seafood market. He named it San Marco's Fish Market, and it was located on 21st Avenue in Paterson, NJ. He kept the business in the family and employed his brother Antonio, sister Antoinette, and sister-in-law. His market became incredibly successful, and he eventually began supplying seafood to many local restaurants. Gerardo succeeded in the seafood industry for 12 years, when he decided to begin achieving some of his other dreams. After years of being out in the workforce, Gerardo decided to go back to school so that he could begin doing what he truly loved. In 2000, Gerardo opened up Montone Remodeling and Construction, Incorporation. Gerardo still runs and operates his company, and has had much success with his business. Asides from fishing and being at the company, Gerardo loves to spend time with his son Gerardo, Jr, and his wife of 14 years, Julia. Gerardo is an extremely hard working man, and I do not see him slowing down at any time in his future. Mr. Speaker, I ask that you join our colleagues, family and friends, all those whose lives he has touched, and me, in recognizing the work of Gerardo Montone and his hard work and dedication to the Roma Club of Woodland Park, NJ.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call to your attention the outstanding achievements of Rev. Patricia Bruger, her contributions to CUMAC and all those in need. Patricia has a Master of Divinity degree with over 25 years of experience in social and civic ministries. She is an ordained Elder of The United Methodist Church, a certified Mentor for the Board of Ordained Ministry, a certified counselor for the Clergy Partnership on Domestic Violence, and a member of the Bishop's Task Force on Urban Minorities. Prior to attending seminary and coming to CUMAC, Patricia worked for the Girl Scouts of America and was a public school teacher. She is a committed social servant dedicated to the eradication of hunger and poverty through direct source and broad advocacy efforts. She was a founding member of, and remains active in the Emergency Food Coalition of Passaic County (newly operating as a CUMAC program), the NJ statewide Anti-Hunger Coalition, and the Paterson Alliance. Pat has been a leading voice for her community, advocating for hunger to be addressed in the state budget, as well as rallying support for SNAP benefits and Breakfast after the Bell, to feed hungry students so that they can have a proper education. Patricia has been the Executive Director of CUMAC for over 26 years. She has led the organization through a tremendous period of growth from operating out of an abandoned church to purchasing its own 28,000 square foot facility and from a small food pantry to a multiservice agency serving over 40,000 people in need every year, providing food assistance, disaster relief, job training, supportive housing, and hope to a community facing pervasive poverty. Patricia's forward-thinking and leadership abilities has encouraged and inspired staff and volunteers to partake in CUMAC's mission of taking care of others. She has raised awareness about pervasive poverty through this organization, and strives to fulfill the needs of people who do not have the adequate resources to function in their daily lives. She has worked closely with other feeding programs throughout Passaic County and northern New Jersey to bring about change in the community, and to assist in eradicating poverty. Through a lifetime of service and leadership, she has aided, encouraged and inspired many. Her vision and strength have had a profound impact on the movement to fight hunger, poverty and injustice in Passaic County and beyond. Mr. Speaker, I ask that you join our colleagues, family and friends, all those whose lives she has touched, and me, in recognizing the work of Rev. Patricia Bruger and her strong desire to help those in need across the world.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Madam Speaker, there are stark similarities between what happened in the 1850s and now. You judge for yourself. In 1856, former President Millard Fillmore ran for President as part of the Know-Nothing group. A year after the failed attempt, most of the Know-Nothing supporters joined the newly formed Republican Party. You can't make this up. A primary concern of the Know-Nothing movement in the 1850s was the large number of Irish and German Catholics who were coming to the United States. A concern they repeatedly professed was a worry that the character of the country would be changed because they were coming here. Lincoln said this: ``As a nation, we begin by declaring that `all men are created equal.' We now practically read it `all men are created equal, except Negroes.' When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read `all men are created equal except Negroes, and foreigners, and Catholics.' '' When it comes to this, I should prefer immigrating to some country where they make no pretense of loving liberty. Russia--oh, the similarities are unbelievable--where despotism can be taken pure, and without the base alloy of hypocrisy. That is the difference. But there are a lot of similarities.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call to your attention the outstanding achievements of Chief William G. Fraher as he prepares for his retirement today as Chief of Police from the Paterson Police Department. Chief William Fraher is an Alumnus of Rutgers University, where he received his Bachelor's Degree in Political Science and Government. Chief Fraher then went on to receive his Master's Degree from Rutgers University in Public Policy Analysis. He is also a member of Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Police Honor Society. Chief Fraher was appointed to the Paterson Police Department in January of 1975. He has served my hometown of Paterson for over 42 years. It came with no surprise that on February 1, 2012 William G. Fraher was appointed Acting Chief of Police for the City of Paterson, where he has lead the men and women of the Paterson Police Department in the third largest city in the State of New Jersey. Chief Fraher makes it a point to work with the Police Director, Administration and community activists to make the City of Paterson more safe and secure. Under Chief Fraher, the Paterson Police Department became the largest accredited municipal agency. His dedication to the job and the city has resulted in numerous accomplishments, including being a founding partner in the development of CORESTAT, a law enforcement partnership within the Passaic River corridor, which includes police departments from Bergen County, Hudson County, Passaic County, Essex County, and the NJ State Police. His presentations at the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) have encompassed numerous affiliations with the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS), American Society of Criminology (ACS), and the Integrated Justice Information Systems Institute (IJIS). Currently, Chief Fraher is an adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City. Today, I take pride in recognizing and commemorating the achievements of an extraordinary individual. Chief William G. Fraher is a man of exceptional character and is truly deserving of this esteemed acknowledgement. Chief Fraher is very well respected by all law enforcement officials throughout the tri-state area and beyond. I am forever grateful for the service, dedication, and the security Chief Fraher has provided to my hometown of Paterson. Mr. Speaker, I ask that you join our colleagues, family and friends, all those whose lives he has touched, and me, in recognizing the work of Chief William G. Fraher's years of service, dedication, and excellence to the City of Paterson.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I remain committed to a two-state solution, where a Jewish state of Israel and a Palestinian state can co-exist in peace. The best path to ultimately achieving this peace is through direct, bilateral negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, not imposed solutions by international organizations. Instead of this Administration concluding its strong Israel record with the single largest pledge of military assistance in U.S. history, it chose to end on a perplexing note by choosing not to veto United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334. The expansion of settlements in occupied territory has been long recognized on a bipartisan basis and in U.S. policy for decades as doing little to improve the confidence of Arabs that a final outcome can be freely and fairly negotiated. United Nations action does not help advance the cause of peace, nor does it bring about direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians so they might resolve their complicated differences and find a much needed, lasting two-state solution, which I have supported my entire career. Any action, whether coming from the United Nations or the Congress, must provide a complete picture of the facts on the ground and full appreciation for the challenges confronting all sides. Like the one- sided resolution from the United Nations Security Council, H. Res. 11 too ignores the reality of the conditions on the ground. While I don't believe either resolution is balanced, I am voting in favor of H. Res. 11 to express my displeasure with the actions of the UN, which make direct negotiations all the more difficult to resume. I will continue to speak out in support of efforts that lay the foundation for peace in the Middle East and vigorously oppose those that undermine a lasting two state solution.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the work of Ban Ki- moon, the Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN). As we come to the end of Ban Ki-moon's second consecutive term as the Secretary-General, I want to recognize his hard work, dedication, and commitment to improving the lives of others around the world. As Secretary-General he successfully guided the UN as it worked to resolve conflicts and advance a wide range of development issues that have had a positive impact on vulnerable people across the globe. Secretary-General Ban has worked as an advocate for women's empowerment, successfully supporting the establishment of UN Women--the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. UN Women leverages resources to build on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system. UN Women works to empower women and girls by eliminating discrimination and advancing gender equality--goals consistent with the UN agenda Secretary-General Ban has championed. Mr. Ban has been a strong advocate for women's rights and gender equality, having spearheaded campaigns like ``Unite to End Violence against Women'', and increasing the number of women holding senior management positions by approximately 40 percent. During his time as Secretary-General Mr. Ban advocated for the advancement of sustainable development across the globe. One of his most prominent initiatives, the 2007 Climate Change Summit at the Bali International Conference Centre, brought together representatives from over 180 countries to adopt the Bali Road Map, which laid the foundation for the beginnings of a global climate agreement. Finally, Mr. Ban's tireless efforts to support nations in crisis or experiencing instability cannot be understated. He has worked to strengthen humanitarian efforts, especially after disasters in Myanmar in 2008 and Pakistan and Haiti in 2010. Mr. Ban has given a voice to the most poverty-struck and vulnerable populations in the world, including the over 65 million individuals displaced from their homes by conflict and persecution in 2015. I thank Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his service, spending his days advocating on behalf of the least among us. His tenure as Secretary-General of the United Nations has delivered significant advances in peace and human rights around the world.