Bryan Steil

Mr. STEIL

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7764) to establish a commission to study the potential transfer of the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History to the Smithsonian Institution, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and submit extraneous material on bill H.R. 7746.

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, pervasive anti-Israel bias has infected our country. Anti-Semitism is on the rise and threatens the safety of all communities and institutions. Let me be clear. Anti-Semitism has no place in America. Israel is in a fight for its very existence from the terrorist threat of Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran. I strongly support our ally Israel and our Jewish friends. In the Middle East, our friends in Israel need our support. The Anti- Defamation League has cited nearly 8,900 anti-Semitic incidents in the United States that occurred last year. Now more than ever, we must ensure that as many Americans as possible are informed about the many contributions of Jewish Americans and their history. Today, the House must pass H.R. 7764, the commission to study the potential transfer of the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History to the Smithsonian Institution. The legislation creates a commission to study the transferring of the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History to the Smithsonian Institution. This legislation establishes logistical details to make this transfer a reality, including a fundraising plan. The bill could not be more important than right now. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 7764, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I thank my colleague, the ranking member, for his work on the bill, as well as the sponsors of this legislation. This is an opportunity for us to come together to address the rise that we have seen in anti-Semitism and to stand with the Jewish people in this particular period of time of peril that we see in the country of Israel. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this measure, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. STEIL

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill, which will protect retirement savings from political interference by activists and their proxy adviser allies. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for including my legislation in this comprehensive package. My bill, the Protecting Americans' Retirement Savings from Politics Act, reins in proxy advisers and puts a stop to the political takeover of retirement investments. Names like ISS and Glass Lewis may not make the headlines every day, but these two firms constitute a powerful proxy adviser duopoly. They are fueling a movement to weaponize Americans' retirement funds to push their political agenda. This hurts workers, our economy, and the returns on Americans' hard-earned retirement savings. Under Chairman Gensler, the Biden SEC gutted safeguards that were meant to provide proxy advisers with accountability and transparency. The SEC has also given a green light to activists to inject politics into the boardroom by changing the rules and empowering unaccountable SEC staff. This has predictably led to a huge spike in politically motivated shareholder proposals. ISS and Glass Lewis control 97 percent of the proxy adviser market, advising virtually all professional investors. ISS offers companies consulting services to address the same activist proposals they make recommendations on, which is an obvious conflict of interest. My bill prevents this conflict and enforces the disclosure of other potential conflicts of interest. On top of that, the proxy adviser firms don't bear any costs or responsibility or accountability for their misguided recommendations. Some of these proposals clearly harm shareholders' value. In some cases, they have even directed companies to do things that are against the law. Hardworking Americans saving for retirement shouldn't bear these costs. Many, I think, would be shocked to learn that their investments aren't always being maximized to provide a secure retirement. Instead, they are being hijacked for political impact. Congress needs to rein that in and prevent that abuse. My bill addresses this in several key ways. First, it reforms the proxy process to reduce the number of duplicative, repetitive, and politically motivated shareholder proposals. Second, it establishes a registration process for proxy advisory firms, requiring them to disclose their conflicts of interest and methodologies, and restricting their ability to offer consulting services. It also reimposes liability on proxy advisers for getting things wrong. It ends robovoting, the process that autofills proxy advisers' recommendations. This practice can magnify proxy advisers' errors and biases. Third, the bill places requirements on institutional investors to ensure they are voting with Americans' best economic interests in mind. They can't just outsource judgment to conflicted proxy advisers. Retirement security is far too important. The Protecting Americans' Retirement Savings from Politics Act is an essential part of this comprehensive and commonsense legislation. We need to step up to empower investors, restore transparency and accountability, and enhance competition. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. STEIL

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6513) to amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to confirm the requirement that States allow access to designated congressional election observers to observe the election administration procedures in congressional elections.

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 6513, the COCOA Act of 2023.

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I further encourage the strong support of H.R. 6513, the Confirmation of Congressional Observer Access Act. I encourage my colleagues to vote ``yes,'' and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in strong support of H.R. 6513, the Confirmation of Congressional Observer Access Act, or the COCOA Act. Ensuring the fairness and accuracy of our elections is of utmost importance for me as chairman of the Committee on House Administration. The Election Observer Program is one of the key ways my committee has worked to strengthen election administration practices. Since 1933, there have been 110 contested election cases considered in the House. This averages to over two contests per Congress. During the 2020 election cycle, House election observers were deployed to Iowa's Second District to oversee the administration of the election of our now-colleague, Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks. She went on to win that contested race by only six votes, and trained House election observers were instrumental in collecting on-the-ground, factual information for Congress. The Constitution grants Congress the authority to be the ``judge of the elections, returns, and qualifications of its own Members.'' It is under this constitutional authority that the House established the nonpartisan Election Observer Program. In the 2022 election cycle, observers were deployed to roughly 25 sites across the country. This long-running program has deployed trained congressional staff as election observers to sites nationwide with close congressional contests. Deploying election observers is much needed. Strong election integrity increases confidence and participation in our elections, which is a good thing. Providing a statutory citation for these election observers to monitor election administration practices will achieve this goal. Elections are partisan, but the administration of elections should never be partisan. I strongly urge my colleagues to support this bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Carey) to speak on the bill.

Mr. STEIL

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I again thank the Modernization Subcommittee chairwoman, Stephanie Bice, for her leadership on this measure. I also thank Ranking Member Kilmer, as well as Representatives Carey and Morelle. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 7593, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 7593, the Modernizing the Congressional Research Service's Access to Data Act.

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7593) to enhance the authority of the Director of the Congressional Research Service to obtain information directly from agencies of the Federal government.

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 7593, the Modernizing the Congressional Research Service's Access to Data Act. Congress is a dynamic institution. The way it operates today is different from how it operated 50 years ago. It is probably safe to say that 50 years from now, Congress will look quite different than it does once again today. The Committee on House Administration is working to modernize Congress. The Subcommittee on Modernization's mandate is to improve and update how Congress works on behalf of the American people. There is no expiration date on this work. Because society evolves, Congress must do the same. Congress must be capable of continually adapting to address both the issues of the day and Americans' needs. As Congress evolves, its support agencies must do the same. They must be capable of working in a way that reflects how Congress works. It has been over 50 years since Congress updated CRS' authorizing statute, and much has changed since then in terms of how Congress operates. The Federal policy landscape has grown more and more complex, and back home Americans are confronting a vast range of challenges and are increasingly seeking our help. As a result, Members are relying on CRS more than ever for supporting their legislative and representational duties. In order for CRS to meet the growing demand, it needs quick access to current and reliable data and information. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 7593 fulfills this need. It updates CRS' statute to ensure that the agency can request data and information from Federal agencies to support its work on behalf of Congress. To be clear, we are talking about information and data that Congress and its support agencies have an established right to access. This change to the statute reflects how Congress has changed over the past five decades and will greatly improve CRS' ability to support how we work today. I have advocated for a more modern CRS, and this measure fits into those efforts. I thank the Modernization Subcommittee chairwoman Stephanie Bice for her leadership in bringing H.R. 7593 forward and more generally for her efforts to improve and modernize CRS. I also thank the Modernization Subcommittee ranking member, Derek Kilmer, as well as Representatives Carey and Morelle for their bipartisan support of this measure. I urge my colleagues to join me in strengthening CRS by supporting H.R. 7593, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Oklahoma (Mrs. Bice) to speak on this bill.

Mr. STEIL

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7592) to direct the Librarian of Congress to promote the more cost-effective, efficient, and expanded availability of the Annotated Constitution and pocket-part supplements by replacing the hardbound versions with digital versions.

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill, H.R. 7592.

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 7592. Today, Congress will save taxpayers $5 million. Yes, you heard me correctly: Congress will save taxpayer dollars today. While our Nation is running $32 trillion in debt, and we have a long way to go to get our country back on track, this is a good policy. It will save taxpayers money. We do this by getting rid of the statutory requirement to print hardbound copies of the Constitution Annotated, or CONAN, as it is better known today. An easily accessible and up-to-date online version of it already exists and is already used by millions of Americans. Continuing to print hardbound copies not only wastes taxpayer dollars, but it also wastes the time of CRS staff, who could better support the more pressing work of Congress. It is a positive step in modernizing Congress. At the beginning of the 118th Congress, the Committee on House Administration took the important step of working to modernize how Congress works. The Modernization Subcommittee is led by Chairwoman Stephanie Bice and Ranking Member Derek Kilmer. The subcommittee is bringing good ideas to life by focusing on what we can do to make Congress a more effective and efficient institution. I have argued that the work of modernizing Congress extends to Congress' support agencies. They need to work in a way that reflects how today's Congress works. The CONAN print requirement reflects how Congress worked 50 years ago, before the internet even existed. Today, the rules don't make much sense. We do ourselves a disservice when we require CRS to do work that is no longer necessary, no longer meets our needs. The more Congress can do to optimize tremendous resources like CRS, the better off Congress is, and H.R. 7592 moves us toward that goal. I recognize Modernization Subcommittee Chairwoman Stephanie Bice, who, along with subcommittee Ranking Member Derek Kilmer, Representative Carey, and Representative Morelle, introduced this measure and worked on a bipartisan basis to bring it to the floor today. I also recognize Chairwoman Bice for demonstrating that subcommittees have an important role to play in the legislative process. This was the first time in 31 years that a subcommittee of the House Administration Committee held a markup. Mr. Speaker, I am grateful for the hard work that went into this important measure, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 7592. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Oklahoma (Mrs. Bice) to speak on the bill.

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I again thank the gentlewoman from Oklahoma (Mrs. Bice), the Modernization Subcommittee chairwoman, for her leadership on this measure that will save taxpayer dollars. I also recognize, once again, the subcommittee ranking member Mr. Kilmer as well as Mr. Carey and Mr. Morelle. I urge all of my colleagues who want to save taxpayers $5 million to vote in support of H.R. 7592. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. STEIL

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on House Administration be discharged from further consideration of H. Con. Res. 120, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. STEIL

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of William Kennedy. When Bill Kennedy passed away on June 28th at the age of 74, Janesville lost one of its true leaders. Bill drove our community forward as a successful business leader, philanthropist, and coach. Bill and his two brothers, Steve and Bob, owned and operated Rock Road Companies, a family-owned road-building construction company that has been active in the Wisconsin transportation industry since 1912. Bill put his time, talents, and experience to the benefit of organizations including the Wisconsin Transportation Builders Association, the Wisconsin Transportation Development Association, and Forward Janesville. Bill was also a philanthropist who served in numerous leadership positions. He helped support the Boys and Girls Club of Janesville, serving most recently as the Chair of the Capital and Endowment Campaign. Bill also helped support the Ronald McDonald charities as well as numerous other charitable causes through the Kennedy Family Foundation, established by Bill and his brothers in 2013. An avid golfer, Bill's love of sports also led him to become a founding partner of the Janesville Jets hockey team and support youth sports as a coach and fundraiser. Bill is survived by his wife Diane, his mother Delores, his siblings Connie, Colleen, Steve, Bob, and Carrie, five children, and 16 grandchildren. Bill leaves a lasting legacy as a devoted father, grandfather, husband, mentor, and community leader. My thoughts and prayers are with his family.

Mr. STEIL

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and service of Jonathan Delagrave. Jonathan served as the County Executive of Racine County from April 2015 until his sudden passing on June 28th. Jonathan, a lifelong resident of Racine County, was a beloved figure in his community. He served Racine County both as an elected official and a civil servant. He began as the Town Chairman and later Village President of Caledonia. Jonathan then worked in the Racine County Human Services Department, becoming Director in 2010. He was first elected as Racine County Executive in 2015. His popularity was reflected in his reelections as County Executive in 2019 and 2023, a testament to his leadership and the community's trust in him. Jonathan constantly worked to make Racine County the best it could be. He focused on spurring economic growth and workforce development by forging partnerships between local, state, and private entities to benefit all residents. He championed mental health and fought to expand access to these critical services in Racine County. Jonathan's dedication to improving the lives of people in Racine County was evident. I was honored to work together with Jonathan on efforts to preserve our Great Lakes community harbors. As many of us in Racine County know, Jonathan was a true Wisconsinite at heart. He was an avid fan of Wisconsin Badgers football and encouraged those who attended his funeral to wear their favorite Badgers attire. He also established a scholarship in his memory to provide student-athletes with mental health care. Most importantly, Jonathan was deeply devoted to his family, and a great friend to me and many others. Jonathan is survived by his son Maguire and daughter Makenzy. I offer my condolences to his family during this difficult time. Jonathan will be missed.