Ted Yoho

Mr. YOHO

Mr. YOHO. Mr. Chairman, in 2010, this body passed the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act, the HIRE Act. Included in that measure was the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, or FATCA. FATCA requires U.S. citizens living abroad to prepare tax returns that include both non-U.S. income and non-U.S. financial accounts. Additionally, FATCA requires financial institutions in other countries to report on assets held by American clients to the IRS. If those institutions do not supply that information, they would be subject to a 30 percent withholding tax. In a recent report, nearly 77,000 institutions have agreed to hand over that information to the IRS. The unintended consequences of this law are affecting over 7 million Americans living overseas. Due to the additional reporting burden, many institutions are simply denying access to our citizens. Simply put, added regulations from the Federal Government are putting our citizens at a competitive disadvantage around the world, and foreign firms now view our citizens as too much of a hassle and a liability to hire, making America less competitive. One of the solutions to this would be to switch from a citizen-based taxation to a territorial or to simply repeal FATCA. The U.S. citizens who live and work abroad are our Nation's biggest spokesmen for our America and our way of life and what America stands for. They represent our country in areas of the world that typically see Americans in a skewed light. We, as those in government, should give them every opportunity to succeed throughout the world. However, we have so many stories like the American living in Australia, where her husband is an Australian citizen and they share a mutual bank account, but they have to comply with IRS rules, and she has no income; or the gentleman from Thailand who has retired. He worked for a U.S. company for the last 15 years, and he has to abide by U.S. tax laws, even though he has been over there and he resides outside of the U.S. What Fidelity Mutual told him is we can no longer accept your money and invest because you live outside of the U.S., but you are a U.S. citizen. Mr. Chairman, this is unacceptable. We in government should do everything possible to bring certainty to our citizens, regardless of where they live, and as a sign of a true great Nation, it is the ability for the Nation's citizens to travel and work wherever they choose in the world, without being disadvantaged by their own government. I look forward to working with my colleague from Florida.

Mr. YOHO

Mr. YOHO. Madam Chairman, I want to begin by congratulating my colleagues, Chairman Simpson and Ranking Member Kaptur, for crafting a strong bipartisan bill that enhances our Nation's energy infrastructure, strengthens our nuclear weapon security programs, and ensures investments are made to grow jobs here in America. Furthermore, I would like to thank the chairman and ranking member and the hardworking committee staff for accepting language into the base bill regarding navigable waters. This past April, 28 of my colleagues joined me in a letter to the Appropriations Committee suggesting language be included. I am pleased that it ended up in the final product, and I thank you, Chairman Simpson, as do our Nation's farmers and ranchers. The amendment I bring to the floor today would limit the administration's ability to create and enforce rules through the Department of Energy, rules that would increase our cost of electricity and decrease the reliability of our electric grid. This administration has made unprecedented rules and regulations when it comes to the sources of our electric generation. This President's ideological stance against fossil fuels, which supplies 80 percent of our domestic electricity, is crippling industry and increasing costs for all Americans. These policies injure low-income Americans the most. Those with the least amount of disposable income in my north central Florida region and district will have to choose between feeding their families or possibly turning on their air conditioner. This is America, and we have the means to produce inexpensive, reliable energy sources, and we need to do just that. We do it responsibly, and we have become great stewards of the environment. We, as the people of government, in government, should do what is best for the American people, for the American economy, increasing our security, energy security, and our competitiveness. With that, Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Simpson) for any remarks that he may have.

Mr. YOHO. Madam Chair, I understand that, and I appreciate that the chairman's concern is the broad nature of the amendment. Still, my hope is to work with Chairman Simpson and Chairman Upton to find a solution to this problem. I cannot and shall not sit idly while this administration singlehandedly destroys the most reliable and affordable energy source in the world. And with that, Madam Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time. Point of Order

Mr. YOHO. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. YOHO. Mr. Chairman, at a time of deep deficits and a mounting national debt, we cannot allow our taxpayers' dollars to be squandered away in order to upgrade cities in China and India. In 2012, a program was issued by the Department of Energy with the purpose of ``conducting international collaborative efforts that accelerate the development and deployment of clean energy technologies'' at the expense of the American taxpayer. While this appropriation bill does not explicitly include funding for these projects, I believe this amendment is essential to ensure the administration cannot misuse hard-earned taxpayer money. All in this Chamber have seen what the President is capable of, given the opportunity to invoke his ideological agenda. It is not America's job to help foreign nations upgrade their cities. Countries like China and India have their own taxpayers and are among the largest economic engines in the world. Our country was founded on the principle of self-determination. Enticing economic change in foreign countries with money borrowed from future generations is a gross departure of that principle, especially in these hard economic times. And with that, I would like to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from the State of Georgia (Mr. Collins), my colleague and good friend.

Mr. YOHO. Madam Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. YOHO. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Georgia. Mr. Chairman, we, again, as people in government that represent our constituents, we should do everything in our power to make America stronger, more economically sound, and more competitive across the world, not less. Again, this amendment will prevent future actions from the administration causing hardworking American taxpayers' money to be spent to subsidize clean energy in countries like China and India. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. YOHO

Mr. YOHO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in full support of H.R. 1528, the Veterinary Medicine Mobility Act. I want to thank my colleagues--Chairman Upton, Chairman Goodlatte, and Mr. Pitts--for helping to bring this important measure to the floor, and a special thank you to my friend and fellow vet, Kurt Schrader. I also want to thank the Senate for unanimously passing this important piece of legislation out of that Chamber. I spent over 30 years in the veterinary profession, and the passage of this bill will allow for the continued use of drugs necessary to perform the work we do for our four-legged patients. The animals I have helped on ranches and in the field have no voice of their own, and they require a certain degree of service that only veterinarians can provide. Vets must have the ability to treat animals on-site and in the field. Limit that ability and you hurt a profession, you cripple ranchers across the country, and, most of all, you unfairly restrict lifesaving treatments for the animals, the patients, who need them the most. Imagine what it would be if the cattle ranchers were required to bring their cattle in or the horse owners to bring their horse to the vet every time they needed services. It directly affects their patient and their livelihood. My friends, take it from me, I have practiced veterinary medicine in the field. If anything, we need more vets in the field, not less. This bill simply allows those in our profession to continue to do the lifesaving work that we were trained to do on the animals that so badly require it. Join me in voting for this commonsense measure.

Mr. YOHO

Mr. YOHO. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank my colleague for yielding. I rise today in support of the gentleman from Arkansas, Tom Cotton's amendment, which would prohibit any funds from being used to transfer or release any of the prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay. We are a Nation of laws, and we need to make sure we follow those laws. I support this amendment for a litany of reasons, chief among them is that it sends a clear message to the President that he cannot circumvent Congress and that he, the President, cannot override the law of the land. He should have notified Congress 30 days prior to releasing the five prisoners in exchange for Sergeant Bergdahl. The implications of this release will have a far-reaching impact on the national security of the United States. Just recently, as the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Cotton) pointed out, Spanish authorities arrested a former Guantanamo Bay detainee on suspicions of running a terrorist recruitment network. The Director of National Intelligence has said that, by January of 2014, about 29 percent of the 614 detainees released from the prison at Guantanamo Bay had returned to violence. Our brave men and women in uniform have fought too hard and have sacrificed too much to have the President release these detainees who will likely return straight to the battlefield. We understand this, and our constituents understand this. I support this amendment, and I urge my colleagues to support this strongly, too.

Mr. YOHO

Mr. YOHO. I thank the chairman, and I yield back the balance of my time. My amendment would prohibit any funds made available under this act to be used to implement any Administration mandate for GPS or event data recording devices in ``light-duty, non-commercial'' passenger motor vehicles. In the recent past, the Department of Transportation and the President have both indicated their support of a mandate, a mandate which would require every car to have a recording device installed. These recording devices are more commonly referred to as ``black boxes.'' Within the past year, our nation has been rocked by evidence of surveillance techniques that have been used, unconstitutionally, by government agencies to collect information on law-abiding Americans. It is understandable then, that the revelation that a black box installed in a vehicle, often times without consumer knowledge, is concerning. Additionally, there is a need to provide clarity to the confusion surrounding who is the owner of the data collected by these event data recorders. I believe that ownerships resides with the owner of the vehicle. However, until such time as this issue is resolved, I must defer to my constituents back home who are adamantly opposed to these black boxes. I ask that my colleagues join me in supporting my amendment to protect the personal liberties of a public that is increasingly weary of government surveillance and privacy intrusions.

Mr. YOHO. I yield to the gentleman from Iowa.

Mr. YOHO. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. YOHO

Mr. YOHO. I would like to thank my colleague, Mr. Miller. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4031, the Department of Veterans Affairs Management Accountability Act of 2014. For far too long, problems of patient neglect have persisted at the VA. These problems will continue to persist until the employees there can be held accountable for their poor performances. In recent weeks, the full extent of staff incompetence has begun to be made clear. Serious allegations have arisen that lengthy wait times and secret waiting lists at the three Phoenix VA medical centers have led to the deaths of 40 or more of our Nation's veterans. This is unacceptable. There are stories of secret waiting lists and of employee negligence at the VA that are popping up all over the news. As these reports are investigated, it is necessary that we give the Secretary of the VA the power to not only reprimand, but to remove the negligent employees. If we do not, then the problem will persist. For these reasons and more, I have cosponsored Chairman Miller's bill, which will authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to remove or demote any senior executive employee whose performance has been found lacking. Mr. Speaker, caring for our veterans is of paramount importance. I urge my colleagues to stand up for our veterans and vote to pass the Department of Veterans Affairs Management Accountability Act of 2014.

Mr. YOHO

Mr. YOHO. I would like to thank Mr. Goodlatte. Madam Speaker, I rise in complete support of erasing human trafficking from the face of the Earth. I am a proud cosponsor of all the bipartisan bills before us today, bills that will give us, the courts, and law enforcement the tools and resources we need to combat the plague that is human trafficking. It is unacceptable that today, in 2014, the 21st century, human beings are being sold, owned, and held against their will living a life that is, for lack of a better term, hell on Earth. Human trafficking is defined by the Department of Homeland Security as ``a modern-day form of slavery involving the illegal trade of people for exploitation or commercial gain.'' The victims of human trafficking are the most vulnerable among us: the poor, immigrants in search of a better life--a better life for their families--women, and even children. These exploited persons are victimized by the traffickers who lure them in with false promises of a better life and then are coerced into unspeakable acts, domestic servitude, or other types of forced labor. The traffickers only see the victims as a means to make a profit, no different from a commodity or livestock on a farm, and certainly not as the human beings that they are. Too often in our communities, there is a lack of pushback or even awareness that this terrible practice of modern-day servitude exists. It does, and it happens within our own neighborhoods, towns, and counties. Even when the problem of trafficking is realized, law enforcement does not have the tools it needs to go after the criminals or take care of the victims. Americans need to take a hard stance, lead on the issue, and let it be known that there is zero tolerance for this horrendous practice. The first step is educating entire communities, since a lack of awareness is our foremost threat. Second, we must provide the resources to law enforcement and make this a priority among the legal community. Finally, we need to recognize and treat the victims of trafficking not as criminals but as victims. My office in Florida's Third District has been taking steps and will continue to do so to make north central Florida a zero tolerance zone for human trafficking. We have brought together representatives from the Department of Homeland Security. I just want to say that we stand in support of all of these bills, and we urge all of our Members to.

Mr. YOHO

Mr. YOHO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Challenge Enterprises of north Florida and the AbilityOne program. Challenge Enterprises employs more than 300 citizens in my district alone, 179 of whom are disabled persons employed on projects acquired directly as a result of the AbilityOne program. This program has been of great assistance in helping our disabled citizens achieve meaningful employment. Challenge Enterprises' motto is ``The power of people and possibilities.'' I have visited their facilities to meet their staff, workers, and the wounded warriors to learn what they do and saw firsthand how the AbilityOne program enhances the quality of their lives. Therefore, Mr. Speaker, it is with pleasure that I thank the staff, the workers, and the volunteers of Challenge Enterprises and the AbilityOne program for helping disabled citizens of my district and of north central Florida become productive, self-reliant citizens of their community and of the Third Congressional District. With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. YOHO

Mr. YOHO. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. YOHO

Mr. YOHO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and celebrate Ed Van Buren, an American hero and Army veteran from back in my home district in Florida who recently passed away. Mr. Van Buren was a patriot and family man who constantly strove to help his fellow veterans. I have had the privilege and distinct honor of speaking with his wife and son, Vickie and Ben, and learned just how great of an American he was. I would like to share his story. Ed was proud not only to have served his country, but he was honored to have been both the son and father of a veteran. After Mr. Van Buren left the military, he continued to serve his nation in the General Services Administration as a computer specialist. These principles of service and education are ones that we must pass on to the next generation of Americans. After retirement, Mr. Van Buren never faltered from his sacred mission of assisting veterans any way he could. He commanded American Legion Post 16 and was a member of the American Legion honor society. As the Chairman of the Veteran's Advisory Board, Alachua County is indebted to the service of Mr. Van Buren. In all of his roles, he championed assisting and advocating for his fellow veterans and their families. About a year ago, Mr. Van Buren was diagnosed with lung cancer, but his commitment to improving the lives of others never wavered. Though Ed lost his battle with cancer, the impact he has made in the life of each and every veteran he helped will never be forgotten. Mr. Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to recognize the life of a distinguished citizen patriot, Ed Van Buren.

Mr. YOHO

Mr. YOHO. I appreciate the gentleman form Pennsylvania and your passion on that also. This is the time, like you brought up and we have talked about, $17.5 trillion roughly in debt, if we go back to when we first got here, all being freshman, one of the first things that we had to deal with--it was right before we came in, it was the fiscal cliff, then it was sequester, then it was the furloughing, and then the government shut down. Why? From a lack of money, right? It wasn't an excess of money; yet we have given over $5 billion since 1988 to the Palestinian Authority, which is not a country. It is a loosely-knit organization. We have to go back to our taxpayers and to our constituents back home and say: we need more money, we have got to do this. And they look at us, like they say to you: When are you guys going to start fixing it? This is the time. At this moment, I yield to the gentleman from the State of Iowa (Mr. King), my friend.

Mr. YOHO. I appreciate your participation in this and your leadership on so many other things that you have done. Thank you for being here. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. YOHO. It is a gift, and it is also not constitutional, and it doesn't say in there that we need to do that. So we need to look at all these things that we are doing, and that is why I say this is a time for a paradigm shift in foreign aid. What we are actually doing--we are doing this in the name of peace, trying to promote peace, but then we turn around with the other hand, and they are giving money to our enemies, so it makes no sense. At this moment, I yield to the great gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry).

Mr. YOHO. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas for your passion. I think it is so true, that we see this so many times. You said that foreign aid is not--it's a gift from the American taxpayers.

Mr. YOHO. Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleagues for joining me tonight to talk about foreign aid and saving hard-earned American taxpayers' dollars. With April 15 fast approaching, Americans will be filling out their tax returns and sending a portion of their hard-earned tax money to the Federal Treasury. It is up to us as Members of Congress to be good stewards of these funds, making sure that they are used to the best ability that we can to get the results desired. Time and again, we hear of wasteful spending in Washington, D.C., and it is long overdue that we commit ourselves to giving proper oversight to how we spend the people's money. I have made it a priority of mine since having the honor of joining the people's House to commit myself to doing the proper oversight of government. There are numerous examples of domestic programs that are a questionable use of taxpayers' dollars, and many of them should be eliminated. However, there is a United States foreign aid program that caught my eye and the eyes of my colleagues on the Foreign Affairs Committee. On March 5, 2014, the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade held a hearing: ``Threats to Israel: Terrorist Funding and Trade Boycotts.'' Through that hearing, it was brought to our attention that United States' foreign aid given to the Palestinian Authority has the potential to be funneled into a fund that pays monthly salaries to Israeli-convicted Palestinian terrorists. Back in April 2011, the Palestinian Authority Registry published the PA Government Resolution of 2010, resolution Nos. 21 and 23, which formalized the long-held practice of the PA's paying a monthly salary to all Palestinians imprisoned in Israel for security- and terror- related offenses. The salaries are paid from the PA's general budget to the prisoners on a sliding scale based on quality, which in this world means, the more vicious the act of terrorism, the more that is paid out. The payments can range from 2,400 to 12,000 shekels per month, roughly $680 to $3,400 per month. It doesn't take a genius to know that money is interchangeable and that, once out of the hands of the American foreign aid, the dollars can easily be used to pay these salaries. It is reported, as of December 2012, salaries have gone to more than 4,500 prisoners who have committed acts of terror, acts of terror that have killed at least 54 U.S. citizens since 1993 and have injured another 83 Americans. This is totally unacceptable. It is absurd that the United States remains one of the largest donors to the Palestinian Authority while these heinous practices remain on the books. It is for this reason that my colleagues and I introduced a resolution in Congress that simply says that, until the Palestinian Authority repeals the resolution supporting convicted terrorists, all U.S. foreign aid to the PA should be halted. Representatives Weber, Perry, Poe, Westmoreland, Collins, Johnson, King, and Franks all feel the same way I do--cut off the funding. I believe this is only fair and should have been done a long time ago. The American taxpayers should not be funding anyone who wishes death upon them or conspires to inflict harm on us or our allies. According to Palestinian definition, again, more than 4,500 Palestinian prisoners who are serving time for terror-related offenses are recipients of the PA salaries. This means that Palestinians convicted of crimes, such as theft, do not receive a salary, but Hamas and Fatah prisoners receive hefty payments for acts of terrorism. Madam Speaker, take a moment to think about this. Steal a loaf of bread, and you don't get a check. Blow up a building and commit murder, and you receive a nice stipend from the Palestinian Authority which is funded by the hardworking American taxpayers. The thought of this angers me, and I know it angers the American taxpayers. Since 2011, Palestinian Media Watch has been documenting international donors' aid money to the Palestinian Authority that is given for salaries and the general budget but that ends up paying the salaries of Palestinian terrorists imprisoned in Israel. These monthly payments to prisoners are paid from the Palestinian general budget fund. According to the language of the Palestinian regulation as well as Palestinian economic reports on government salaries, the monthly salaries to prisoners range, again, from 2,400 shekels to 12,000 shekels a month. That is $680 to $3,400 a month. The average income in that region is between $4,000 and $5,000 a year. The Palestinian Authority economic report listed the prisoners' salaries as part of the Palestinian general salary budget, which includes civil servants, military personnel, and others. It was not listed as a social service payment. Two national bodies exist to process those salaries and other benefits. The Palestinian Ministry of Prisoners' Affairs, established in 1998, is an official bureaucracy of the Palestinian Authority that commands as much priority as the Ministries of Health or Education but with far more gravitas. The Palestinian Ministry of Prisoners' Affairs works in tandem with the semi-official Prisoners' Club, established in 1994. The ministry dispenses the salary. The club functions as an advocate for the prisoners, and it is quite willing to publicly needle Palestinian leadership generally and the Ministry of Prisoners' Affairs specifically into providing ever-greater payments and benefits. The ministry channels certain payments and benefits through the Prisoners' Club. In May 2009, our own GAO issued a report on this very subject, entitled, ``Measures to Prevent Inadvertent Payments to Terrorists under Palestinian Aid Programs have been Strengthened but Some Weaknesses Remain.'' The report explained: The U.S. Government is one of the largest donors to the Palestinians. It provided nearly $575 million in assistance in fiscal year 2008. At least 54 U.S. citizens have been killed in Palestinian terror attacks since 1993, and another 83 have been wounded. The attacks have targeted American tourists, students, and expatriates living in Israel or in areas under Palestinian control. Ahlam Tamimi helped to mastermind the deadly 2001 bombing of the Sbarro pizzeria in Jerusalem, which killed 15 people. Among those murdered was New Jersey schoolteacher Shoshana Greenbaum. Tamimi, who was released in the Shalit deal, now lives in Jordan, and is unrepentant about her actions. It is terrorists like these who receive monthly salaries from the Palestinian Authority. Madam Speaker, at a time in the world that is becoming more dangerous, when there are individuals and organizations that wish the United States harm, when the administration is proposing cutting our military to pre-World War II levels, and when we as Americans are $17.6 trillion in debt, is it smart to be giving money to people in the name of peace who wish to do Americans and Israeli citizens harm? Our national security is paramount, and as a Member of Congress, I swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic. I intend to stay true to that oath and defend the country I love and all who call it home. It is time that we as Americans in government have a paradigm shift in our foreign policy. At this time, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Weber).

Mr. YOHO

Mr. YOHO. Madam 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 Special Order of Ms. Kaptur.

Mr. YOHO

Mr. YOHO. I thank the gentleman from Texas, along with the gentlewoman from Missouri, for starting this discussion. Mr. Speaker, I rise today--or tonight--not only in firm opposition to the Affordable Care Act, but also to the Affordable Care Act's religious mandate. I would like to take you back to March of 2009, when a one-sided government passed a bill, and they said that we have to pass it to see what is in it, we have to pass it to see how it is going to work. I think what we are seeing today is evidence of that, and we are just seeing the tip of the iceberg. In accordance to this terrible law, HHS issued rules that health care plans must include all FDA-approved contraceptives, including drugs that can terminate a human embryo and sterilization services. The HHS mandate only contains an exemption for churches, but not for religious nonprofits or businesses run by people of faith who are morally opposed to such practices. The HHS mandate puts jobs and the health care of millions of Americans at risk. It forces people who stand up for their conscience to choose between paying crippling fines and dropping health care coverage altogether for their employees, as you have seen expressed over and over again tonight; yet it excludes some people of certain faiths, the Muslim faith or the Amish faith, because participating in group health insurance is a form of gambling and that is against their religious beliefs, but yet it won't exclude people who are morally opposed against this. The First Amendment was put in place for a reason, to protect religions beliefs from being attacked by the Federal Government. The ACA, or ObamaCare, completely disregards this and attacks the freedom of America's conscience. We are a nation of free individuals who should not have to forsake our religious beliefs and rights of conscience in order to adhere to legislation that was quickly passed into law before all the disastrous effects could be considered. We, as Americans, must take this opportunity to stand up to the Federal Government and to protect our First Amendment. I would like to caution all of my colleagues and the American people that the more we allow the Federal Government to do for us, the less freedoms we, as Americans, enjoy. For me, I will stand with the First Amendment, the Constitution, and with the American people and stand for freedom and liberty.

Mr. YOHO

Mr. YOHO. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding. We talk about this country as a country of law, and transparency gets thrown around, as does accountability, all the time, yet we fail. We come up short time and time again. The current administration has made multiple attempts to bypass its article II duties and instead assumed the article I legislative powers reserved for Congress. The numerous changes to the Affordable Care Act and the implementation of a one-size-fits-all prosecutorial discretion policy are just a few examples of the Executive's failure to faithfully execute existing Federal laws. Under current law, the Attorney General must report to Congress whenever a Department of Justice official implements a policy to enforce a Federal law. H.R. 3973, the Faithful Execution of the Law Act, simply extends that requirement to apply to all Federal officials. This is a commonsense bill that will bring transparency to the current and future administrations' execution of the law. By requiring these reports to Congress, the American people will get clarity on which laws are not being executed and assurance that these decisions are correctly made. This will also bring healthy debate and an opportunity for the Executive to tell Congress why a law is changed, in what fashion it is changed, and why it is necessary. For that reason, I would think the administration would welcome this legislation. However, the administration has stated that this bill would overburden the Attorney General because he would have to know every law in every Federal agency. Madam Speaker, who else but the chief legal officer of the United States is better equipped to argue over whether or not to change existing law? My colleagues on the other side of the aisle may disagree with the motivation for bringing this bill forward, but they cannot deny that it sets precedent to help both Democrat and Republican Congresses to keep future administrations in check. I ask my colleagues to imagine a Republican President not enforcing the law that they support, and remind them that it is easy to overlook a violation of process when one agrees with the substance. There could come a day when you, like us today, will not be able to overlook a similar violation of the process. The beauty of our Constitution is that it has no subjective bias or political preference, but rather, it applies equally and without agenda. I thank my good friend from Florida (Mr. DeSantis) and the chairman for introducing this straightforward but necessary piece of legislation. I encourage all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this bill to keep the rule of law and to protect our constitutional Republic.