January 12, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H133 Thompson (MS) Underwood Watson Coleman Bishop (GA) Grijalva (Garcı´a Ocasio-Cortez President pro tempore of the Senate, the Titus Vargas Welch (Butterfield) (IL)) (Tlaib) first three individuals in the line of succes- Tlaib Veasey Wexton Blumenauer Hastings Pascrell sion to the presidency, as the rioters were re- Tonko Vela (Wasserman (Pallone) Wild (Beyer) corded chanting ‘‘Hang Mike Pence’’ and Torres (CA) Vela´ zquez Bonamici (Clark Schultz) Payne Williams (GA) ‘‘Where’s Nancy’’ when President Donald J. Torres (NY) Wasserman Wilson (FL) (MA)) Jayapal (Raskin) (Wasserman Trahan Schultz Yarmuth Boyle, Brendan Johnson (TX) Schultz) Trump tweeted to his supporters that ‘‘Mike Trone Waters F. (Jeffries) (Jeffries) Peters (Beyer) Pence didn’t have the courage to do what Jones (Jacobs Porter (Wexton) NAYS—204 Buchanan should have been done to protect our coun- (Cammack) (CA)) Pressley (Garcı´a try’’ after the Capitol had been overrun and Kaptur (Stevens) (IL)) Aderholt Gonzalez (OH) Mooney Ca´ rdenas the Vice President was in hiding; Allen Good (VA) Kirkpatrick Richmond Moore (AL) (Gallego) Whereas the insurrectionary mob attacked Amodei Gooden (TX) Moore (UT) (Gallego) (Butterfield) Carson law enforcement officers, unleashed chaos Armstrong Gosar Mullin (Underwood) Kuster (Pingree) Rush Arrington Graves (LA) Nehls Costa (Correa) Lamborn (Underwood) and terror among Members and staffers and (Walberg) Schneider Babin Graves (MO) Newhouse DeSaulnier their families, occupied the Senate Chamber Langevin (Sherrill) Bacon Green (TN) Norman (Matsui) and Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office along with (Lynch) Sires (Pallone) Baird Greene (GA) Nunes DesJarlais other leadership offices, vandalized and pil- LaTurner (Mann) Smith (WA) Balderson Griffith Obernolte (Kustoff) fered government property, and succeeded in Banks Grothman Lawson (FL) (Courtney) Owens Deutch (Rice Barr Guest (Evans) Strickland interfering with the counting of electoral Palazzo (NY)) Bentz Guthrie Lee (NV) (Kilmer) votes in the joint session of Congress; Palmer Dingell (Stevens) Bergman Hagedorn (Stevens) Thompson (MS) Whereas the insurrectionary mob’s violent Pence Doyle, Michael Bice (OK) Harris Leger Fernandez (Butterfield) Perry F. (Cartwright) attacks on law enforcement and invasion of Biggs Harshbarger (Davids (KS)) Titus (Connolly) Pfluger the Capitol complex caused the unprece- Bilirakis Hartzler Eshoo Lieu (Beyer) Tonko (Pallone) Posey dented disruption of the Electoral College Bishop (NC) Hern (Thompson Lowenthal Vela (Gomez) Boebert Herrell Reed (CA)) (Beyer) Walorski (Banks) count process for a 4-hour period in both the Brady Herrera Beutler Reschenthaler Fleischmann McEachin Watson Coleman House and the Senate, a dangerous and de- Brooks Hice (GA) Rice (SC) (Kustoff) (Wexton) (Pallone) stabilizing impairment of the peaceful trans- Buchanan Higgins (LA) Rodgers (WA) Fletcher (Allred) McNerney Wild (Scanlon) fer of power that these insurrectionary riots Buck Hill Rogers (AL) Frankel, Lois (Huffman) Wilson (FL) were explicitly designed to cause; Rogers (KY) Bucshon Hinson (Clark (MA)) Nadler (Jeffries) (Hayes) Whereas 5 Americans have died as a result Rose Gonzalez (OH) Napolitano Young Budd Hollingsworth of injuries or traumas suffered during this Burchett Hudson Rosendale (Joyce (OH)) (Correa) (Malliotakis) Rouzer violent attack on Congress and the Capitol, Burgess Huizenga f Calvert Issa Roy including Capitol Police Officer Brian D. Cammack Jackson Rutherford CALLING ON VICE PRESIDENT Sicknick and Ashli Babbitt, Rosanne Salazar Carl Jacobs (NY) PENCE TO CONVENE AND MOBI- Boyland, Kevin Greeson, and Benjamin Phil- Carter (GA) Johnson (LA) Scalise lips, and more than 50 police officers were se- Carter (TX) Johnson (OH) Schweikert LIZE THE CABINET TO ACTIVATE riously injured, including 15 officers who had Cawthorn Johnson (SD) Scott, Austin SECTION 4 OF THE 25TH AMEND- to be hospitalized, by violent assaults, and Chabot Jordan Sessions MENT TO DECLARE PRESIDENT there could easily have been dozens or hun- Cheney Joyce (OH) Simpson Cline Joyce (PA) Smith (MO) DONALD J. TRUMP INCAPABLE dreds more wounded and killed, a sentiment Cloud Katko Smith (NE) OF EXECUTING THE DUTIES OF captured by Senator Lindsey Graham, who Cole Keller Smith (NJ) HIS OFFICE observed that ‘‘the mob could have blown the Comer Kelly (MS) Smucker building up. They could have killed us all’’; Crawford Kelly (PA) Spartz Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, pursuant Whereas these insurrectionary protests Curtis Kim (CA) Stauber to House Resolution 38, I call up the were widely advertised and broadly encour- Davidson Kinzinger Stefanik Davis, Rodney Kustoff resolution (H. Res. 21) calling on Vice aged by President Donald J. Trump, who re- Steil peatedly urged his millions of followers on DesJarlais LaHood Steube President MICHAEL R. PENCE to con- Twitter and other social media outlets to Diaz-Balart LaMalfa Stewart vene and mobilize the principal officers Donalds Lamborn Stivers of the executive departments of the come to Washington on January 6 to ‘‘Stop Duncan Latta Taylor Cabinet to activate section 4 of the the Steal’’ of the 2020 Presidential election Dunn LaTurner Thompson (PA) and promised his activist followers that the Emmer Lesko Tiffany 25th Amendment to declare President protest on the Electoral College counting Estes Long Timmons Donald J. Trump incapable of exe- Fallon Loudermilk day would be ‘‘wild’’; Turner Feenstra Lucas cuting the duties of his office and to Whereas President-elect Joseph R. Biden Upton Ferguson Luetkemeyer immediately exercise powers as acting won the 2020 Presidential election with more Valadao Fischbach Mace than 81 million votes and defeated President Van Drew President, and ask for its immediate Fitzgerald Malliotakis consideration in the House. Trump 306–232 in the Electoral College, a Fitzpatrick Mann Van Duyne Wagner The Clerk read the title of the resolu- margin pronounced to be a ‘‘landslide’’ by Fleischmann Massie President Trump when he won by the same Fortenberry Mast Walberg tion. Electoral College numbers in 2016, but Presi- Foxx McCarthy Walorski The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Franklin, C. McCaul Waltz dent Trump never accepted these election re- Scott McClain Weber (TX) BUTTERFIELD). Pursuant to House Res- sults as legitimate and waged a protracted Fulcher McClintock Wenstrup olution 38, the amendment to the pre- campaign of propaganda and coercive pres- Gaetz McHenry Westerman amble, printed in House Report 117–1, is sure in the Federal and State courts, in the Gallagher McKinley Williams (TX) state legislatures, with Secretaries of State, Wilson (SC) adopted, and the resolution, as amend- Garbarino Meijer and in Congress to nullify and overturn these Garcia (CA) Meuser Wittman ed, is considered read. Gibbs Miller (IL) Womack The text of the resolution, as amend- results and replace them with fraudulent and Gimenez Miller (WV) Wright ed, is as follows: fabricated numbers; Gohmert Miller-Meeks Young Whereas President Trump made at least 3 Gonzales, Tony Moolenaar Zeldin H. RES. 21 attempts to intervene in the lawful vote Whereas on Wednesday, January 6, 2021, counting and certification process in Georgia NOT VOTING—7 the day prescribed under section 15 of title 3, and to coerce officials there into fraudu- Bost Granger Webster (FL) United States Code, for the counting of elec- lently declaring him the winner of the Clyde Murphy (NC) toral votes, Congress experienced a massive State’s electoral votes, including calls to Crenshaw Steel violent invasion of the United States Capitol Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and a State and its complex by a dangerous insurrec- elections investigator, and an hour-long con- b 2112 tionary mob which smashed windows and versation with Secretary of State Brad So the resolution was agreed to. used violent physical force and weapons to Raffensperger badgering him to ‘‘find 11,780 The result of the vote was announced overpower and outmaneuver the United votes’’ and warning of a ‘‘big risk’’ to as above recorded. States Capitol Police and facilitated the ille- Raffensperger if he did not intervene favor- gal entry into the Capitol of hundreds, if not ably to guarantee the reelection of President A motion to reconsider was laid on thousands, of unauthorized persons (all of Trump; the table. whom entered the Capitol complex without Whereas President Trump appeared with MEMBERS RECORDED PURSUANT TO HOUSE going through metal detectors and other se- members of his staff and family at a RESOLUTION 8, 117TH CONGRESS curity screening devices); celebratory kickoff rally to encourage and Adams (Brown) Bergman Bilirakis Whereas, the insurrectionary mob threat- charge up the rioters and insurrectionists to Axne (Stevens) (Walberg) (Fortenberry) ened the safety and lives of the Vice Presi- ‘‘walk down to the Capitol’’ and ‘‘if you don’t Baird (Bucshon) dent, the Speaker of the House, and the fight like hell, you’re not going to have a

VerDate Sep 11 2014 07:02 Jan 13, 2021 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A12JA7.009 H12JAPT1 dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with HOUSE H134 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE January 12, 2021 country anymore’’ on Wednesday, January 6, marks and insert extraneous material process of electing the President. He is 2021; on H. Res. 21. not respecting the peaceful transfer of Whereas while violent insurrectionists oc- The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there power. He is not taking care that the cupied parts of the Capitol, President Trump objection to the request of the gen- laws are faithfully executed. He is not ignored or rejected repeated real-time en- treaties from Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Sen- tleman from Maryland? protecting the Republic against mob ate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to ap- There was no objection. insurrection, invasion, and hostility. peal to his followers to exit the Capitol, and Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield He is not protecting the republican also ignored a tweet from Alyssa Farah, his myself 3 minutes to begin. form of government for the people of former communications director, saying: Mr. Speaker, we have experienced the the United States when he allowed this ‘‘Condemn this now, @realDonaldTrump— trauma of a violent attack on this to happen. you are the only one they will listen to. For House of Representatives, on this The SPEAKER pro tempore. The our country!’’; Chamber, and on all of the people who time of the gentleman has expired. Whereas photographs, cell phone videos, work here. Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield social media posts, and on-the-ground re- An armed, lawless, and enraged mob porting show that numerous violent insur- myself an additional 30 seconds. rectionists who invaded the Capitol were smashed windows, beat up and crushed Mr. Speaker, this resolution is sim- armed, were carrying police grade flex cuffs Capitol Hill Police officers who cried ply asking Vice President PENCE to ex- to detain and handcuff people, used mace, out in agony; overcame and subdued ercise his powers under the 25th pepper spray, and bear spray against United law enforcement; killed or caused the Amendment of the Constitution, sec- States Capitol Police officers, erected a gal- deaths of at least five American citi- tion 4, to convene the Cabinet and to lows on Capitol grounds to hang ‘‘traitors,’’ zens, including a heroic Capitol Hill mobilize the Cabinet to state and ar- vehemently chanted ‘‘Hang Mike Pence!’’ Police officer, Brian Sicknick, and four ticulate what is obvious to the Amer- while surrounding and roving the Capitol, other Americans; inflicted serious inju- emphasized that storming the Capitol was ‘‘a ican people—this President is not revolution,’’ brandished the Confederate bat- ries on dozens of our police officers and meeting the duties of office and is tle flag inside the Capitol, and were found to other people, including 15 officers who clearly not capable of it—and to trans- be in possession of Napalm B, while still un- had to be hospitalized. fer the powers to the Vice President identified culprits planted multiple pipe Chanting ‘‘stop the steal’’ and ‘‘hang under the 25th Amendment. bombs at buildings near the Capitol complex, Mike Pence,’’ they threatened the lives Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of another lethally dangerous criminal action and safety of the three individuals in my time. that succeeded in diverting law enforcement the line of succession to the President Mr. JORDAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 21⁄2 from the Capitol; and of the United States. They built a gal- minutes to the gentleman from the Whereas Donald Trump has demonstrated repeatedly, continuously, and spectacularly lows right outside the Capitol. great State of California (Mr. MCCLIN- his absolute inability to discharge the most They screamed, ‘‘Where is Nancy?’’ TOCK). basic and fundamental powers and duties of They stormed the Speaker’s office, and Mr. MCCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, his office, including most recently the duty they occupied it. They stole govern- what a sad and ominous way to begin to respect the legitimate results of the Presi- ment property. They trashed the place. the 117th Congress. Hasn’t this body dential election, the duty to respect the They terrorized officers, staff, and done enough in the last session to di- peaceful transfer of democratic power under Members. They brandished the Confed- vide our country and abuse our Con- the Constitution, the duty to participate in erate battle flag in the Capitol of the stitution without carrying that dam- legally defined transition activities, the United States, something that didn’t duty to protect and uphold the Constitution age into the new session? of the United States, including the counting even happen during the Civil War. The 25th Amendment specifically ad- of Electoral College votes by Congress, the They allowed hundreds or thousands dresses the incapacity of the President duty to protect the people of the United of people to enter the Capitol without to discharge the duties of his office. It States and their elected representatives metal detectors or any kind of security was never intended as a political weap- against domestic insurrection, mob rule, and screening at all, not only to desecrate on when Congress doesn’t like the way seditious violence, and generally the duty to the temple of democracy and to spit in he discharges those duties. take care that the laws be faithfully exe- the face of Congress but actually to Now, I have read that speech. He cuted: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representa- interfere with the counting of electoral never suggested rampaging the Capitol tives calls upon Vice President Michael R. college votes in the 2020 Presidential and disrupting the Congress. He urged Pence— election. them to—and this is an exact quote— (1) to immediately use his powers under They may have been looking for Vice ‘‘peacefully and patriotically make section 4 of the 25th Amendment to convene President PENCE and Speaker PELOSI, your voices heard.’’ and mobilize the principal officers of the ex- but every person in this room could Now, many of us Republicans joined ecutive departments in the Cabinet to de- have died. As a shaken Senator a bipartisan vote to respect the elec- clare what is obvious to a horrified Nation: LINDSEY GRAHAM said, ‘‘The mob could toral college votes despite our sus- That the President is unable to successfully have blown the building up. They could discharge the duties and powers of his office; picions, our misgivings, and our de- and have killed us all.’’ sires. We did this because the Constitu- (2) to transmit to the President pro tem- Mr. Speaker, whether or not you be- tion commanded it and our institutions pore of the Senate and the Speaker of the lieve the President’s course of conduct depend on it. Now, today, those same House of Representatives notice that he will in encouraging, building, summoning, principles should compel a bipartisan be immediately assuming the powers and du- assembling, and inflaming the mob— vote to oppose this grotesque abuse of ties of the office as Acting President. lighting the flame, as Congresswoman the 25th Amendment. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The res- LIZ CHENEY put it in a very powerful Last week, the majority argued that olution, as amended, shall be debatable and cogent statement this evening— the President tried to misuse the Con- for 1 hour, equally divided and con- whether you believe that that was a stitution to overturn the votes of the trolled by the chair and ranking minor- high crime and misdemeanor, an of- electoral college. Well, he asserted no ity member of the Committee on the fense against the Republic, that is a direct power. Rather, he urged the Vice Judiciary or their respective designees. question for another time. And to put President and Congress to do so. Many The gentleman from Maryland (Mr. my cards on the table, I think it was a of us declined his bad advice. RASKIN) and the gentleman from Ohio crime against the Republic. Yet, this week, the majority directly (Mr. JORDAN) each will control 30 min- But leaving that aside, I think every is asserting power to misuse the 25th utes. Member in this body should be able to Amendment in a manner that does The Chair recognizes the gentleman agree that this President is not meet- overturn the votes of the previous elec- from Maryland. ing the most minimal duties of office. toral college. Don’t they see that they GENERAL LEAVE He is not meeting the oath that he are committing directly the same of- Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I ask swore, to uphold and defend the Con- fense they accuse the President of com- unanimous consent that all Members stitution against all enemies, foreign mitting indirectly? may have 5 legislative days within and domestic. He is not protecting and Every act we take builds a precedent which to revise and extend their re- defending the democracy itself, the for future acts. Once Congress asserts

VerDate Sep 11 2014 07:02 Jan 13, 2021 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A12JA7.010 H12JAPT1 dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with HOUSE January 12, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H135 this new role as armchair psychiatrists ment to violence was totally appro- Vice President PENCE to invoke section and a new power to equate intemperate priate. 4 of the 25th Amendment. speech with functional disability, the The President’s actions demonstrate Like all of us, I condemn, in the most important pillars of our govern- his absolute inability to discharge the strongest possible terms, the violence ment—stability, the rule of law, and most basic and fundamental powers that occurred here in our Nation’s Cap- the separation of powers—will fracture. and duties of his office. Therefore, the ital last week. Political violence is It won’t affect this President, but it President must be removed from office never the answer, regardless of which will stalk future Presidents from this immediately. side of the political spectrum it occurs. day forward. For their sake, please This is a decision we make with the And that is a strongly held position on don’t do this. utmost solemnity and prayerfulness which I have been clear since well be- Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 which this crisis requires. Removal of fore my time in Congress. minute to the gentlewoman from Cali- the President is an unprecedented ac- Let’s be clear about a few things. The fornia (Ms. PELOSI). tion, but it is required because it is an adoption of this political resolution Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank unprecedented moment in history be- would be divisive rather than unifying. the gentleman for yielding and applaud cause of the danger that he poses. The Vice President has said he has no him and salute him as a constitutional I heard the previous speaker say that intention of taking action under the scholar, an intellectual resource, and we are objecting to the President be- amendment. So, this process is pure po- the force of justice that he has been as cause we don’t like the way he exe- litical theater on the part of the major- he has crafted and advanced this reso- cutes his duties. No, we don’t like it at ity. lution. all: acts of sedition, incitement to in- I thank the entire House Democratic surrection, treasonous activity. If you In addition, no due process has been Caucus for their love of country, deter- are associating yourself with that as provided. As a former prosecutor, if law mination to protect our democracy, the proper execution of the President’s enforcement brought evidence of a and the loyalty to our oath that had duties, then you are associating your- crime to me and said take this to the been so beautifully manifested in this self with sedition and treason. jury tomorrow for a jury trial, there dark past week. Yesterday, in a pro forma session, we would be no chance for the defendant Mr. Speaker, a dark week it has been introduced a unanimous consent re- to prepare any defense. I would be vio- indeed. On Wednesday, the President of quest to take up Congressman RASKIN’s lating half the Constitution, the code the United States incited a deadly in- legislation, which calls on the Vice of Virginia, and over 100 different rules surrection against America that tar- President to mobilize the Cabinet to of procedure. geted the very heart of our democracy, activate the 25th Amendment to re- In the more than 50 years since the this temple of democracy, the United move the President from office, again, 25th Amendment was ratified, section 4 States Capitol, defiling the genius of to prevent him from causing more has never been invoked. As such, there the Constitution—separate but equal— damage to our country. Who knows are no judicial or authoritative opin- attacking the first branch of govern- what he might do next? ions that would evaluate its implemen- ment, trying to prevent us from car- But House Republicans rejected this tation. Absent this, we must look to rying out our constitutional duty to legislation. So the President’s un- the legislative intent of the Congress ascertain that Joe Biden and KAMALA hinged, unstable, deranged acts of sedi- that passed its language, and nowhere HARRIS will be President and Vice tion may continue, endangering Amer- in the legislative intent is the current President of the United States. ica and undermining our democracy. situation envisioned. It is meant to be The gleeful desecration of the Capitol Now we are taking up this legislation used for incapacity, not for political and the violence against Congress, our in regular session. After passage, we ends with 8 days remaining in a Presi- staff, and our workers are horrors that are calling on the Vice President to re- dent’s term. will forever stain our Nation’s history. spond within 24 hours of passage. This Last week, Vice President PENCE was Five Americans have died following the resolution gives House Republicans the lauded by the majority for not yielding violent attack. More than 50 police of- clear choice to honor the oath of office, to pressure to exert power beyond his ficers were seriously injured, including to defend our democracy, and to uphold constitutional authority to determine 15 officers who were hospitalized. the sacred trust given to us by the Con- the outcome of the election. Yet, the On behalf of the House, I salute and stitution and by those whom we rep- majority today is attempting to pres- express deepest gratitude to the U.S. resent. sure him to exert power beyond the in- Capitol Police for the valor that they Mr. Speaker, during the Trump Pres- tention of his constitutional role in showed in protecting the lives of Mem- idency, these 4 years, and especially section 4 of the 25th Amendment. bers, especially protecting our staff during this sad time, I recall the words This action will only further fuel the and those who make Congress function. of the great Israeli poet Ehud Manor political divide among our citizens and Mr. Speaker, this is a sad day for our when he said: will be detrimental to the long-term ef- country, that we have to come to the I can’t keep silent in light of forts to unify our country. floor in a way to defend the Constitu- How my country’s changed her face Mr. Speaker, both President Trump tion of the United States at this time. Won’t quit trying to remind her and President-elect Biden have called The facts are very clear: The Presi- In her ears, I’ll sing my cries for a peaceful transition of power. I dent called for this seditious attack. Until she opens her eyes. would encourage members of both par- For days, he urged supporters to come ‘‘I can’t keep silent in light of how my coun- ties to work toward this end and vote to Washington for the insurrection. try’s changed her face.’’ I urge my Re- Wednesday morning, he participated in publican colleagues to open their eyes against this rushed, misguided, politi- a rally to encourage the rioters to and to finally hold this President ac- cally motivated resolution. march on the Capitol and fight. countable. The security of our country Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 Not only did he urge people to march and the future of our very democracy minute to the gentlewoman from Cali- are at stake. fornia (Ms. LOFGREN). on the Capitol and fight, he further When we pray for God to bless Amer- fanned the flames, and he and his fam- Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, last ica, let us hope that that blessing week, as we counted electoral college ily cheered and celebrated the desecra- comes down strongly on us in the next tion of the Capitol. votes, I said this day marks a cross- few days. roads for our American democracy. We Later that day, as the dangers esca- Again, Mr. Speaker, I applaud the lated, he ignored and then flat-out re- didn’t know then what an ominous great leadership of Mr. RASKIN. jected the pleas of Congress, including statement that was. We do now. those of his own party, to call off his b 2130 Congress was attacked by a violent supporters—the rioters, the terror- Mr. JORDAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 mob, incited by the President, to stop ists—as they engaged in vandalism and minutes to the gentleman from Vir- us from doing our constitutional job. violence. ginia (Mr. CLINE). The President not only encouraged the Now, the President is saying that he Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today mob; he said he loved them and made is not responsible and that his incite- in opposition to H. Res. 21, calling on no serious effort to stop them.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 07:02 Jan 13, 2021 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K12JA7.023 H12JAPT1 dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with HOUSE H136 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE January 12, 2021 Lives were lost and put in danger. is to ask the Vice President to invoke like hell, you are not going to have a Constitutional government was ur- this 25th Amendment, if this is what country anymore.’’ And that is the at- gently threatened. The President’s ac- the purpose of this is, to ask the Vice tack that the domestic terrorists made tions were not only wrong; they were President, then the purpose is now on this place. dangerous. null. All we are asking of the Vice Presi- He lives in an alternate reality. He is But I suggest to you it looks like, it dent, through this resolution, is to re- a continuing threat to America. would appear like, if we are going to flect on that and to call upon the 25th Vice President PENCE should invoke proceed on, even after you received the Amendment to convene the Cabinet, to the 25th Amendment, assume Presi- answer that you are seeking, and it is begin the healing, because the Presi- dential duties until the inauguration disapprobation of your idea, that the dent of the United States is dangerous next week, and save us from a Presi- only thing that could be left is to pour to the American people. dent who is unable to function, unable gas on the fire. That is why we are on the floor to protect our country. I am asking that cooler heads prevail today. We hope that he will have an op- I urge all, including my Republican here. This is not necessary. Don’t let portunity to reflect because the Con- colleagues, to put politics aside. Act to this get in the way. Just to parrot the stitution says in many places that the secure the safety of our country. We last speaker, I am asking friends across actions of this President are dan- truly are at a crossroads for our Amer- the aisle: Don’t do this. gerous. ican democracy. Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, the gen- People have died. We have lost two Mr. JORDAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 tleman reasonably poses the question: police officers. Others are in the hos- minutes the gentleman from Arizona Why are we doing this? pital. And yes, it was an insurrection. (Mr. BIGGS). We think that the President of the It is time to pass H. Res. 21. Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Speaker, the vio- United States constitutes a clear and Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the lence at the Capitol last week has been present danger to the Republic and to Committees on the Judiciary and on Home- condemned by Republicans, Democrats, our people. land Security, I rise in strong support of H. and President Trump. So, I wonder: For example, on the white suprema- Res. 21, a resolution calling on Vice President Why are the Democrats stoking the cist websites that helped to build the MICHAEL R. PENCE to convene and mobilize fire instead of dousing the flames? President’s mob, they are now calling the principal officers of the executive depart- This 25th Amendment resolution is for a return engagement on the days of ments of the Cabinet to activate Section 4 of actually similar, with some dif- January 19 and 20. They are calling the 25th Amendment to declare President ferences, to the proposal filed in Octo- again for an attack on the Capitol, and Donald J. Trump incapable of executing the ber of this year by the same Represent- they are calling again for the State duties of his office and to immediately exer- ative and joined by 42 Democrats. The legislatures, now in 50 States, to be cise powers as acting President. As a person who was in the House cham- problem at that time is they were try- surrounded. ber, that day and witnessed the terror, may- ing to get this commission together. What will the attitude be of the hem, and horror unleashed by the President’s This time, they want the Vice Presi- President of the United States? Will he incitement of insurrection and utter betrayal of dent to invoke the other portion of ar- give them aid and comfort? Will he his sacred oath, it is manifestly evident that ticle 4. But the problem, of course, is wink at them? Will he send them posi- the President is clearly incapable, and cer- that the Vice President sent a very tive tweets and messages, calling them tainly unwilling, of exercising the duties of his lovely letter to them, saying he is not patriots? office, which makes it essential for Vice-Presi- going to do that. Also, on extreme rightwing websites, dent PENCE to convene the principal officers of Our Nation is divided. While folks on they are calling for the President to the Executive Branch to invoke the 25th the left are trying to lay this all on pardon the organizers of the armed vio- Amendment to the Constitution. President Trump, you should consider lent insurrection that took place in Mr. Speaker, the resolution recites a tale of a few statements from colleagues this body not even a week ago. What if abdication and dereliction of duty by a Presi- across the aisle. the President decides to pardon them? dent of the United States unseen in the history One of our colleagues at one point We know this President is not living of our country. said: ‘‘If you see anybody from that up to the most minimal duties of his On Wednesday, January 6, 2021, the day Cabinet,’’ meaning Mr. Trump’s Cabi- office. That is why we are doing this, prescribed by section 15 of title 3, United net, ‘‘in a restaurant, in a department to protect the public. States Code, for the counting of electoral store, at a gasoline station, you get out By the way, we are not telling the votes, Congress experienced a massive, vio- and you create a crowd. And you push Vice President what he must do. We lent invasion of the United States Capitol and back on them, and you tell them they have no authority to do that. We are its complex by a dangerous insurrectionary are not welcome anymore, anywhere.’’ telling him what we think he should do mob, which smashed windows and used vio- Senator BOOKER called for his sup- and that the Congress will be with him lent, physical force and weapons to overpower porters to: ‘‘Go to the Hill today. Get because we know that he has come and outmaneuver the United States Capitol up and please get up in the face of some under extreme rightwing pressure on Police and facilitated the illegal entry into the Congresspeople.’’ everything from the counting of the Capitol of hundreds, if not thousands, of unau- I have dozens more similar state- electoral college votes to his positions thorized persons (all of whom entered the ments. But what we are talking about on a whole range of things to go along Capitol complex without going through metal here today is a resolution, asking the with Donald Trump. So, we are trying detectors and other security screening de- Vice President to invoke the 25th to counterbalance that attack on him vices). Amendment and get the Cabinet to- from the right to say the people want This insurrectionary mob threatened the gether to remove this President. to see a peaceful way through this. safety and lives of the Vice President, the What that does, it is basically doing I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman Speaker of the House, and the President pro what Democrats wrongfully claimed from Texas (Ms. JACKSON LEE). tempore of the Senate, the first three individ- President Trump did on January 6. It Ms. JACKSON LEE. Accountability uals in the line of succession to the presi- pours gas on the smoldering embers, comes before healing, but healing dency, as the rioters were recorded chanting which consist of tens of millions who should come. ‘‘Hang Mike Pence’’ and ‘‘Where’s Nancy’’ believe the integrity of the election If we look at the Constitution, we when President Donald J. Trump tweeted to was questionable. They feel disenfran- will clearly see that Mr. RASKIN’s reso- his supporters that ‘‘Mike Pence didn’t have chised. And quite frankly, they are lution fits the language: an inability to the courage to do what should have been more angry than aggrieved. be able to discharge your duties, to ex- done to protect our country.’ Some believe that by doing this, it is ercise the laws carefully. The marauders attacked law enforcement going to be healing. I heard this gen- Do you consider these words from the officers, unleashed chaos and terror among tleman say this in the Rules Com- President of the United States to in- Members and staffers and their families, occu- mittee, that doing this would be heal- surrectionists and terrorists to ‘‘walk pied the Senate Chamber and Speaker NANCY ing. Yet, the Vice President said he is down to the Capitol,’’ says the Presi- PELOSI’s office along with other leadership of- not going to do that. If this resolution dent, telling them: ‘‘If you don’t fight fices, vandalized and pilfered government

VerDate Sep 11 2014 07:02 Jan 13, 2021 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00012 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\K12JA7.024 H12JAPT1 dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with HOUSE January 12, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H137 property, and succeeded in causing the un- Capitol was ‘‘a revolution,’’ and committed the were looted repeatedly over consecutive precedented disruption of the Electoral Col- unspeakable offense of brandishing the Con- nights. lege count process for a 4–hour period in both federate battle flag inside the Capitol. Other property—like gas stations, res- taurants and even parked cars—was set on the House and the Senate, a dangerous and In all of this, Donald John Trump has dem- fire, with much of it completely destroyed. destabilizing impairment of the peaceful trans- onstrated repeatedly, continuously, and spec- The full extent of damage to Twin Cities fer of power that these insurrectionary riots tacularly his absolute inability to discharge the buildings—including residences, churches, were explicitly designed to cause. most basic and fundamental powers and du- nonprofits and minority-owned businesses— At least five Americans have died as a re- ties of his office, including most recently the could take weeks or months to calculate. Al- sult of injuries or traumas suffered during this duty to respect the legitimate results of the ready on the ropes from months of lost rev- violent attack on Congress, including Capitol Presidential election and the duty to respect enue during a global pandemic, some busi- Police Officer Brian D. Sicknick, and more the peaceful transfer of democratic power nesses may never reopen as others are still temporarily or indefinitely closed. than 50 police officers were seriously injured, under the Constitution. Buildings along a 5–mile stretch of Lake including 15 officers who had to be hospital- Mr. Speaker, Donald John Trump has acted Street in Minneapolis and a 3.5–mile stretch ized by these violent assaults. in a manner contrary to his trust as President of University Avenue in St. Paul’s Midway There could easily have been hundreds and subversive of constitutional government, area experienced some of the heaviest dam- more wounded and killed, a sentiment cap- to the great prejudice of the cause of law and age. While this is an incomplete list, here’s a tured by Senator LINDSEY GRAHAM, one of the justice, and to the manifest injury of the peo- look at some of those hardest-hit areas. President’s fiercest enablers, who observed ple of the United States. HEAVY DAMAGE NEAR MINNEAPOLIS POLICE that ‘‘the mob could have blown the building For the safety and security of the people of PRECINCTS up. They could have killed us all.’’ the United States and the survival of our de- For three consecutive nights starting on Mr. Speaker, these insurrectionary protests mocracy, he must be removed from office. Wednesday, May 27, rioters pummeled blocks worth of buildings near the Minneapolis’ were widely advertised and broadly encour- For these reasons, I urge all Members to aged by the current President, who repeatedly Third and Fifth police precincts, inflicting join me in voting for H. Res. 21, calling upon heavy damage. disgraced his high office by exhorting his mil- the Vice-President to convene the Cabinet and On Thursday night, protesters torched and lions of followers on Twitter and other social to invoke the 25th Amendment to the Constitu- heavily vandalized the Third Precinct, and media outlets to come to Washington on Janu- tion and assume the powers and duties of the destroyed at least 20 nearby buildings, in- ary 6 to ‘‘Stop the Steal’’ of the 2020 Presi- office as Acting President. cluding several restaurants, an Auto Zone, dential election, promising that the protest on Mr. JORDAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 Minnehaha Lake Wine & Spirits, a U.S. Post the Electoral College counting day would be minute to the gentlewoman from Geor- Office, a cellphone store and the building that housed Talk Town Diner, El Nuevo ‘‘wild.’’ gia (Mrs. GREENE). Although President-elect Joseph R. Biden Rodeo and others. Midtown Corner, a multi- Mrs. GREENE of Georgia. Mr. Speak- story affordable housing project that was decisively won the 2020 Presidential election er, I would like to quote the President still under construction, erupted into a tow- with more than 81 million votes and defeated of the United States: ‘‘I know that ev- ering inferno, burning so hot that it melted President Trump 306–232 in the Electoral Col- eryone here will soon be marching over siding off a nearby house. lege, a margin pronounced to be a ‘‘landslide’ to the Capitol Building to peacefully The following night, about three miles by the current President Trump when he won and patriotically make your voices west of the Third Precinct, protesters by the same Electoral College numbers in heard.’’ blanketed the area near the Fifth Precinct, 2016, the current and temporary occupant of heavily damaging at least seven buildings— ‘‘Go home with love and in peace. Re- including a U.S. Post Office, a Wells Fargo the White House never accepted these elec- member this day forever.’’—President branch, a staffing agency and a Subway in a tion results as legitimate and waged a pro- Donald Trump. nearby strip mall. Authorities also reported tracted campaign of propaganda and coercive I condemn this violence. Republicans that shots had been fired at officers in the pressure in the Federal and State courts, in have condemned this violence. Presi- Fifth Precinct area, but there were no re- the state legislatures, with Secretaries of dent Trump has condemned this vio- ports of injuries. State, and in Congress to nullify and overturn lence. But elected Democrats over the FIRES NEAR MIDTOWN GLOBAL MARKET, HEAVY these results and replace them with imaginary past year have promoted violence, have LOOTING IN UPTOWN and fabricated numbers to maintain his con- supported it. They fund it on their The Midtown Global Market area experi- tinuance in office. ActBlue fundraising platform. enced one of the most concentrated tolls dur- This culminated in the current President tak- There has been billions in damage ing the Floyd riots. More than a dozen busi- ing the stage at the insurrection rally he held caused over this past year, riots all nesses near E. Lake Street and Chicago Ave- on the Ellipse Grounds on January 6, 2021 to nue were destroyed by fire, and a few dozen over this country. Do you know how more reported fire damage with many being exhort the rioters and insurrectionists to ‘‘walk many companies have endured violence burned severely. down to the Capitol,’’ telling them ‘‘if you don’t and destruction? I have 83 pages here of Less than two miles to the west near Hen- fight like hell, you’re not going to have a coun- businesses that had property damage, nepin Avenue and W. Lake Street, nearly 40 try anymore.’ were burned, through the Minnesota businesses were broken into or heavily The President’s putative lawyer, Rudy riots. looted, including large retailers like H&M, Timberland, an Apple store, Kitchen Window Giuliani, who possesses the uncanny knack of Mr. Speaker, I include in the RECORD and Urban Outfitters. Just a few blocks away surfacing to make things worse whenever the an article about the Minnesota riots. President is acting to undermine American de- near Lyndale Avenue and W. Lake Street, a [From the Star Tribune, July 31, 2020] cluster of nearly 30 businesses sustained mocracy, warned the mob to expect ‘‘trial by BUILDINGS DAMAGED IN MINNEAPOLIS, ST. property damage, including several res- combat.’’ PAUL AFTER RIOTS taurants and bars. There was almost no fire While domestic terrorists occupied parts of (By Josh Penrod, C.J. Sinner and Mary Jo damage in this area, a stark contrast to the Capitol, the person currently occupying the Webster) other clusters along Lake Street. office of President of the United States, ig- TWIN CITIES RESTAURANTS AND RETAIL STORES MILES OF DAMAGE ALONG UNIVERSITY AVENUE nored or rejected repeated real-time entreaties WERE HIT THE HARDEST IN THE RIOTING FOL- Across the river in St. Paul, the hardest- from the Speaker of the House and the Demo- LOWING GEORGE FLOYD’S KILLING hit area was a 1–mile stretch of the Midway cratic Leader of the U.S. Senate to appeal to In the first few days after George Floyd along University Avenue between Snelling his followers to exit the Capitol. was killed by Minneapolis police, rioters tore and Lexington Avenues, although damage Mr. Speaker, photographs, cell phone vid- through dense stretches of Minneapolis, St. extended a few miles, stopping just short of eos, social media posts, and on-the-ground re- Paul and other metro communities in retal- the State Capitol. In all, more than 70 busi- porting show that numerous violent insurrec- iation, causing millions in property damage nesses were hit, with more than a dozen sus- taining serious fire damage. tionists who invaded the Capitol were armed, to more than 1,500 locations. carrying police grade flex cuffs to detain and In their wake, vandals left a trail of TWIN CITIES SURROUNDING AREA handcuff people, used mace, pepper spray, smashed doors and windows, covered hun- Rioters hit buildings well beyond Min- dreds of boarded-up businesses with graffiti neapolis and St. Paul, with damage reported and bear spray against United States Capitol and set fire to nearly 150 buildings, with doz- as far north as Blaine and as far south as Police officers, erected gallows on Capitol ens burned to the ground. Pharmacies, gro- Apple Valley. Meanwhile, clusters of at- grounds to hang ‘‘traitors,’’ vehemently ceries, liquor stores, tobacco shops and cell tacked storefronts sprang up in places like chanted ‘‘Hang Mike Pence’’ while roaming phone stores were ransacked, losing thou- Richfield, North St. Paul, Maplewood, the Capitol, emphasizing that storming the sands of dollars in stolen merchandise. Many Brooklyn Center and Roseville:

VerDate Sep 11 2014 07:02 Jan 13, 2021 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00013 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A12JA7.012 H12JAPT1 dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with HOUSE H138 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE January 12, 2021 Mrs. GREENE of Georgia. Our Vice- member that our faith, race, or polit- marks in debate must be addressed to President-elect, KAMALA HARRIS, post- ical party is not what unites us. What the Chair and not to others in the sec- ed the Minnesota Freedom Fund bail unites us is that we are Americans. I ond person. link, encouraging people to donate would encourage members of this body, Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 money to bail criminals out of jail. and everyone at home, to remember minute to the gentleman from Ten- Mr. Speaker, I include in the RECORD that simple truth. nessee (Mr. COHEN). Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Vice-President-elect Harris’ tweet b 2145 about the Minnesota Freedom Fund. gentleman for yielding. Mr. JORDAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 21⁄2 Kamala Harris Last Wednesday, I came to these hal- @KamalaHarris minutes to the gentleman from North lowed Halls where I serve to watch the Carolina (Mr. BISHOP). electoral college ratify and certify the If you’re able to, chip in now to the Mr. BISHOP of North Carolina. Mr. @MNFreedomFund to help post bail for election of Joe Biden in what was a those protesting on the ground in Minnesota. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for fair, transparent election, which 61 4:34 p.m. 6/1/20 Sprout Social yielding. courts had looked into, and all said it Mrs. GREENE of Georgia. Mr. Speak- Two questions, as we begin another was fine. I was sitting right up there in er, we should not be hypocrites. 24 hours that will deepen the wounds of the gallery when a Capitol Policeman Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I am hon- the country and the disaffection among came in and said: We are locking the ored to yield 2 minutes to the gen- Americans: doors. We are locking the doors. tleman from New York (Mr. KATKO). First, will you stop at nothing? And within only minutes of that, I Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I rise as a Second, is there any hypocrisy too heard the rabble knocking on the door, proud American who has the distinct far? trying to knock it down. We were then Let’s call this what it is: An ulti- honor of serving this great body. told to put on our gas masks and to matum, an attempt to intimidate and As a Member of Congress, we take an evacuate, and we all did it. bully Vice President PENCE. They are oath to defend the Constitution be- This was an assault on the Constitu- not seeking just the same ends as the cause at times it needs defending. tion, an assault on Congress. It was a gentleman from California (Mr. On January 6, the Nation watched as felonious assault. It was an attempt to MCCLINTOCK) said, they employ the insurrectionists stormed the Capitol, murder the Congress and our processes same means. They seek to bully the threatened the safety of countless indi- to elect our President of the United Vice President to abuse power under viduals, and successfully, albeit it tem- States. It is the political equivalent of the 25th Amendment, intended to pro- porarily, disrupted our process. shooting somebody on Fifth Avenue vide for temporary or sudden inca- In the midst of the attack, hundreds and getting away with it. pacity of the President while they of Capitol Police officers heroically Somebody needs to stand up to that, claim to be scandalized about the upheld their duty to defend the United and the 25th Amendment is one way to President bullying the Vice President States and protect those who work do it, whether Republicans can purge one week ago to abuse power under the here. Many officers were severely in- themselves of their own creation who 12th Amendment. jured and beaten, including one of my has damaged this country. With all due respect for the gen- former interns. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The tleman from Maryland, he has not an- Tragically, one officer, Officer Brian time of the gentleman has expired. swered: Why are you doing this now? Mr. COHEN. I ask us to pass this res- Sicknick, succumbed to the injuries he Tonight, the Vice President has olution, bring this country together, sustained. clarified in a letter sent to all of us at To Officer Sicknick’s family, I ex- and get rid of this cancer. 7:34 p.m. that this resolution has abso- Mr. JORDAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 tend my deepest condolences. Know lutely no other purpose. Here are three minute to the gentleman from Wis- that we are praying for you. key things he said: ‘‘I urge you and consin (Mr. GROTHMAN). To all Capitol Police officers, we are every Member of Congress to avoid ac- Mr. GROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, this deeply thankful for your bravery. Be- tions that would further divide and in- is an absurd resolution callously politi- cause of you, thousands of lives were flame the passions of the moment. cizing an unpredictable tragedy last protected, and the people’s work was Work with us to lower the temperature week. We all know that President able to resume. and unite our country. . . . ‘’ Trump called for a peaceful and patri- Now, just as the Capitol Police pro- Quote: ‘‘As you know full well, the otic march. I must have attended a half tected us, Congress must match that 25th Amendment was designed to ad- dozen Trump rallies in the past year, courage and protect the Constitution, dress Presidential incapacity or dis- and they have always been peaceful, our democratic processes, and this Na- ability.’’ wholesome events, typical of the thou- tion. Quote: ‘‘Under our Constitution, the sands of peaceful protesters who re- The President’s role in the insurrec- 25th Amendment is not a means of pun- mained away from the Capitol last tion is undeniable. Both on social ishment or usurpation.’’ week. I never would have expected this media ahead of January 6 and in his And listen to this one carefully: in a million years. speech that day, he deliberately pro- ‘‘Last week, I did not yield to pressure This is a horrible event, but not like moted baseless theories, creating a to exert power beyond my constitu- the Black Lives Matter, antifa events combustible environment of misin- tional authority . . . , and I will not that went on day after day in city after formation and division. now yield to efforts in the House of city, with prominent Democrats fan- To allow the President of the United Representatives to play political ning the flames by mischaracterizing States to incite this attack without games at a time so serious in the life of police shootings or apparently encour- consequences is a direct threat to the our Nation.’’ aging bail for lawbreakers. future of this democracy. For this rea- The Vice President has given you Less than 2 years ago, a Member of son, I will vote to impeach this Presi- your answer before you ask the ques- this body encouraged harassment of dent tomorrow. tion. No legitimate purpose to this res- Trump officers at restaurants, gas sta- The bill before us tonight is a non- olution remains. Your ultimatum does tions, or department stores. And what binding resolution, which requests the violence to a core feature of the archi- happened? She was rewarded with the Vice President to invoke the 25th tecture of the Constitution. The Fram- chairmanship of an ‘‘A’’ committee. Amendment, a step he has already said ers were emphatic about their purpose Even in last week’s riots, the Speak- he will not take. It is merely a sym- to avoid making the President a crea- er tried to preposterously racialize bolic gesture, and I will oppose that ture of Congress. The 25th Amendment them, which can only lead to trouble, resolution. was not ratified to change that, as you maybe violence. Everybody back home After last week’s attack on the Cap- well know. Please do not pervert this says we ought to get along. itol, it is clear our Nation is more di- important protection to undermine the Is this the way to start things? vided than ever in recent history. We Constitution. It is time to get back to dealing with began this great experiment over 240 The SPEAKER pro tempore. The the people’s business, dealing with the years ago. To preserve it, we must re- Chair will remind Members that re- cancel culture.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 07:02 Jan 13, 2021 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00014 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K12JA7.027 H12JAPT1 dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with HOUSE January 12, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H139 Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 the American people. It is time for us The plain language of the 25th minute to the distinguished gentleman to tone down the political rhetoric, to Amendment is abundantly clear. Al- from Georgia (Mr. JOHNSON). work together, to solve the problems though I am an attorney, you don’t Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speak- that face our Nation. It is time for us have to be an attorney to understand er, for 244 years, America has stood as to put aside our differences and find that the Vice President is the principal the world’s bellwether of democracy. common ground. After all, we are all required to invoke the amendment. Last week, the world saw America at Americans. The beginning of Section 4 states: perhaps her lowest moment. It was Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 ‘‘Whenever the Vice President and a crazy. We all took the same oath when minute to the gentleman from Cali- majority of either principal officers of we swore to protect this country from fornia (Mr. SWALWELL). the executive departments or of such enemies, both foreign and domestic; Mr. SWALWELL. On January 6th, other body as Congress may by law and now with a domestic enemy having Donald Trump incited radicalized ter- provide . . . declare that the President arisen that is crazy, only the Vice rorists to attack the Capitol to stop is unable to discharge. . . . ’’ President has the power to invoke the the counting of electoral ballots. Don- You must have the Vice President in- 25th Amendment and protect this coun- ald Trump won’t protect life and can- voking this, and you don’t. The Vice try from this domestic enemy. not uphold our Constitution, so we President has been clear, he is unwill- The 25th Amendment was written for must do so today. ing to invoke the 25th Amendment. It this moment. If not now, when would It is time for our country to unite, is not Congress’ role to override him. It its use ever be appropriate? but unity in a national crisis starts doesn’t state in the amendment that Vice President PENCE, you have an with accountability, and that starts Congress makes that determination. opportunity to put country before self here in the people’s House. So let’s The Vice President does. by implementing the 25th Amendment. unite against the violence incited by But my Democratic colleagues will Please muster the courage to protect Donald Trump to stop a peaceful tran- stop at nothing to remove this Presi- America from maniacal behavior that sition of power, and unite for the safe- dent, even a week before his term ex- threatens the very foundations of our ty of all Americans. Let’s unite against pires. The plain reading of the 25th democracy. Stop the violence, Mr. Vice a President whose hate speech led to Amendment demonstrates that this is President. the death of a law enforcement officer, the wrong approach. An understanding Mr. JORDAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 and unite for the cops, the military of last week’s events demonstrates this minutes to the gentleman from Ohio who bravely defended the Capitol. Let’s is the wrong approach. And a consider- (Mr. CHABOT). unite against Donald Trump, who in- ation of the political tactics that we Mr. CHABOT. Mr. Speaker, what hap- spired terrorists to carry a Confederate have seen in recent days, months, and pened last Wednesday at the Capitol flag into this Capitol, display a noose, years tells you that this is a disingen- never should have happened. The ac- and desecrate the people’s House. And uous approach at best and 100 percent tions of those who attempted to breach let’s unite for the custodial staff, large- politically motivated. the Capitol Building, and then ulti- ly people of color, who cleaned up after I was elected in 2018. My entire con- mately did, are inexcusable. Lawless- those White supremacists, because gressional career has been consumed by ness and violence are never acceptable, they still believe in this democracy, as impeaching or removing President whichever side of the political divide imperfect as it was that day. Trump. After the Russia collusion hoax one may fall. Those who broke the law The most essential function of a and a phone call to the Ukrainian should be and will be identified and President is to protect life and defend President, and then a failed impeach- prosecuted. liberty. Donald Trump has failed to do ment attempt that resulted in an ac- In the aftermath of last week’s tragic that and is failing to do that. So Vice quittal, here we are, a little more than events, most Americans continue to be President PENCE must invoke the 25th a week away from a new President saddened, angry, and wanting answers, Amendment. being sworn in, attempting this trav- and they are looking to us to provide a Mr. JORDAN. Mr. Speaker, may I in- esty both to the Constitution and to positive example of how to bring our quire how much time each side has re- America as a whole. Nation back together. Unfortunately, maining? This is dangerous, unconstitutional, if what we are doing this evening is The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gen- and does nothing to heal this country any indication, Congress might not be tleman from Ohio has 161⁄2 minutes re- and move this country forward. up to the task. maining. The gentleman from Mary- Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 The Democrats’ attempt to invoke land has 163⁄4 minutes remaining. minute to the gentlewoman from Texas the 25th Amendment and to once again Mr. JORDAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 (Ms. GARCIA). impeach President Trump a week be- minutes to the gentleman from Florida Ms. GARCIA of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I fore he will be leaving office anyway (Mr. STEUBE). stand before the House floor today are, in my opinion, misguided. The Mr. STEUBE. Mr. Speaker, I would alarmed—alarmed that just days ago a push to encourage the Vice President be remiss if I didn’t address the atroc- sitting President stirred up a deadly to invoke the 25th Amendment is espe- ities occurring right here on the House attack on our U.S. Capitol. I join my cially ill advised. floor today. A week ago, this building colleagues in calling on Vice President The Constitution is clear that the was attacked; and instead of working PENCE to activate Section 4 of the 25th role for Congress to play under the 25th with Republicans to attempt to pre- Amendment. Amendment is to decide if the powers vent that from ever happening again, It has become abundantly clear that provided thereunder have been properly the Speaker and her Democratic col- this President has threatened our invoked in the event of a dispute be- leagues think an appropriate response democratic system, has interfered with tween the President and Vice President is to prevent Members from exercising the peaceful transition of power, and or the majority of the Cabinet. In other their Second Amendment constitu- has endangered an equal branch of gov- words, we are to serve as judges under tional rights in the very place that ernment. The President of the United the 25th Amendment, not instigators. wasn’t secure a week ago. States is unhinged, unfit, and unstable, By encouraging the Vice President to This attack didn’t come from the in- or as we say in my district, ‘‘esta loco take action, supporters of this resolu- side. It came from the outside. And to el hombre,’’ to the point where he is tion are abandoning our constitutional respond by restricting Members’ Sec- willing to tear our democracy down un- role, which could have a significant ond Amendment rights in the very in- less he prevails in his quest to overturn legal consequence down the road. And stitution that is supposed to uphold the election that he clearly lost. even more importantly, rather than those rights is appalling. The actions taken by this President help to heal a divided nation, the Take note, America. This is what you and those who enable him show that he Democrats’ effort will likely drive us have to look forward to in a Joe Biden is unfit to uphold the duties of his of- even further apart. administration. If they can do it right fice. For the sake of our Nation’s secu- Instead, Mr. Speaker, we should be here in the people’s House, they will rity, this President must be swiftly re- turning our attention toward uniting attempt to do it across the country. moved.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 07:02 Jan 13, 2021 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00015 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K12JA7.029 H12JAPT1 dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with HOUSE H140 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE January 12, 2021 The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Last Wednesday, Members of this breach of this hallowed building, the time of the gentlewoman has expired. body hid from insurrectionists behind citadel of liberty, since the War of 1812. Ms. GARCIA of Texas. Mr. Speaker, barricades and locked doors. Staffers of Congress must respond. Our under- democracy is a gift that one generation this hallowed institution texted to taking here is not about politics. It is gives to the next. their loved ones, ‘‘They are banging on a matter of conscience. I support the Mr. JORDAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 11⁄2 the doors outside. I love you.’’ distinguished gentleman from Mary- minutes to the gentlewoman from Col- And citizens of this Nation watched land’s resolution. I pray the Vice Presi- orado (Mrs. BOEBERT). in real time as rioters stormed the Cap- dent will honor his oath and reconsider Mrs. BOEBERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise itol through shattered windows and and invoke the provisions of the 25th today to oppose yet another Democrat broken glass. The result of the Presi- Amendment. witch hunt. We should take Democrats dent’s rhetoric has left five Americans Mr. JORDAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 at their word when they say: Never let dead. minutes to the gentleman from Florida a good crisis go to waste. Our response to anyone who seeks to (Mr. GAETZ). While section 4 of the 25th Amend- overthrow the will of the people must Mr. GAETZ. Mr. Speaker, well, they ment has never been used, a plain read- be unwavering and resolute. I didn’t may be calling on the Vice President, ing of the text, coupled with the con- come to Congress to do this. But Presi- but based on his letter, he is not an- text of its ratification, contemplates a dent Trump’s actions warrant his im- swering. very different scenario from the one we mediate removal from office. Everybody in this country knows that they wanted to impeach President are currently in. Mr. JORDAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 11⁄2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas Trump on his first day in office. And it b 2200 looks like they are going to want to It envisions a President’s disability (Mr. FALLON). Mr. FALLON. Mr. Speaker, I rise impeach him on his last day too. But resulting from serious illness or injury. all he did in the middle was rescue our To suggest it should be used in a dif- today to speak against this resolution. I am at a loss. economy, rebuild our military, reform ferent context violates the very intent the VA, and reduce America’s involve- of the 25th Amendment. I can’t believe the very first time that I have the honor and privilege to ment in foreign wars. To be clear, this resolution is a divi- Now, I join the bipartisan caucus address this august Chamber is to talk sive political stunt which would have condemning the violence that we saw about removing the President of the no force of law and is a waste of our at our Capitol, but the hypocrisy is United States because he held a per- time. just downright disorienting. Mr. Speaker, this resolution is a mitted, legal, and peaceful rally. President Trump called for protests clear overreach, as invoking the 25th It is nothing but a wasteful political that would be peaceful and patriotic. Amendment is not something Congress grandstand. Let’s make no mistake: He got labeled a national security can initiate, and this must be initiated January 6 was a dark day in our es- threat. Yet the gentlewoman from by the executive branch. teemed Nation’s history. It was a dark California can call on her supporters to Democrats talk about unity, but and sad day. get physical and in the faces of Repub- clearly that is just talk, as their ac- On the afternoon of January 6, a mob licans, and she gets the chairmanship tions only further divide us. Their hy- breached our sacred Capitol. Donald of the Financial Services Committee. pocrisy is on full display this week Trump didn’t. A mob destroyed prop- Republican Members of Congress uti- with this 25th Amendment stunt, Arti- erty and vandalized historic treasures lized a process contemplated in the cles of Impeachment, censure bills, and and ran amuck on these grounds, but Constitution to offer an objection, and other efforts to try to punish Repub- Donald Trump didn’t. we were labeled seditionists. licans for false accusations of inciting A mob committed despicable, evil ac- Democrat Members of Congress the type of violence they have so fre- tions of violence against fellow Ameri- raised funds for groups attacking our quently and transparently supported in cans, but Donald Trump didn’t. In fact, police, burning our cities, destroying the past. Donald Trump urged and, in fact, he our businesses, establishing autono- Throughout 2020, we witnessed Demo- demanded peaceful dissent and nothing mous zones, and they were celebrated crats welcome, encourage, and even more. Our colleagues on the other side as justice warriors. normalize violence. For them, violent of the aisle want us to unnecessarily Wednesday, they called for unity, de- riots were effective in advancing their remove a President when we are meas- mocracy, and healing. Now, just days agenda. uring the time he has left, not in years, later, seeking power and political ad- Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield months, weeks, or days—he has got 182 vantage, the Democrats have reverted myself such time as I may consume. hours left in office. to the mean. They have gone back to Very quickly, the gentlewoman, You don’t achieve unity by simply their natural state: the party of im- whom I have not had the pleasure to saying it. You achieve unity through peachment, removal, and division. meet yet, confuses disability and inca- actions. This resolution accomplishes They are about to have unified con- pacity. Franklin D. Roosevelt was in a not unity but, rather, is a waste of trol of the government. Maybe they wheelchair. He had a disability, and he time, and fosters further divisiveness. I would use this time to preview an was one of our greatest Presidents. am going to vote ‘‘no’’ on this resolu- agenda for the American people. President Lincoln, according to histo- tion. The last two times the 25th Amend- rians, suffered from depression, but he Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 ment was invoked, it was to facilitate was one of our greatest Presidents. minute to the gentleman from Colo- a colonoscopy. Now they are using it to Incapacity is different. Incapacity is rado (Mr. NEGUSE). facilitate a transition to Joe Biden. demonstrated by President Trump’s Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, I had How weird. Why? complete, total inability to conform planned remarks here, but I have to re- I would call it virtue signaling, but his conduct to the rule of law and the spond to my colleague. His words are there is no virtue in it. This removal Constitution. simply too much to bear. effort isn’t for America. It is for them I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman The gentleman talks a lot about the for their ability to showcase and wield from Georgia (Mrs. MCBATH). mob and culpability. Who summoned power, and we see the power of can- Mrs. MCBATH. Mr. Speaker, I came the mob? Who encouraged the mob? cellation and removal on full display in to Congress to make sure that no par- Who incited the mob? You know as America today. Forbes Magazine has ent ever experienced the pain that I well as I do that the President did. I called for White House officials to be have. I came to Congress to fight for stood here 6 days ago in this exact shamed and unemployable. children who have practiced active same spot, and I quoted Lincoln’s ad- ABC News has called for the cleans- shooter drills at the same time that monition that ‘‘we shall nobly save, or ing of the Trump movement. I don’t they are simply learning how to read, meanly lose, the last best hope of know what that means, but talking for families who have lost loved ones to Earth.’’ about cleansing our fellow human gun violence, and for communities that Less than 10 minutes later, a violent beings sure is scary. Big Tech has driv- will never ever be the same. mob breached the Capitol, the first en consumers and conservatives off of

VerDate Sep 11 2014 07:02 Jan 13, 2021 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00016 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K12JA7.031 H12JAPT1 dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with HOUSE January 12, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H141 monopolistic platforms, and when we and blatantly lied, spouting baseless Mr. SOTO. Mr. Speaker, I was in the created our own platform, Parler, it claims of a stolen election and fraud. gallery right behind us when the Cap- was nuked from the internet alto- He called on his supporters to come itol was breached. Then domestic ter- gether. to D.C. on January 6, a day which he rorists breached the Rotunda. I heard The gentlewoman from New York said ‘‘will be wild,’’ and willfully in- the loud sounds of gunshots through was booted from a Harvard advisory cited an armed and deadly insurrection this sacred Chamber. My last images board because she took an adverse posi- against another branch of our govern- were brave Capitol Police, guns drawn, tion on electors that had been taken by ment. to protect us. every single member of the Congres- President Trump must be held ac- This was the first armed insurrection sional Black Caucus in 2001. countable, and we must return to the in over 200 years. Who incited this vio- Cancellations for some, celebrations peaceful transfer of power. I urge a lent insurrection? Donald J. Trump. for others for doing the exact same ‘‘yes’’ vote. Our resolution states these protests thing. Mr. JORDAN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve were encouraged by him. He urged mil- The President of the United States the balance of my time. lions of his followers to come and ‘‘stop can’t tweet or post on Facebook, but Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the steal,’’ which is a lie. we know from Project Veritas that the the gentleman from South Carolina And let’s say this now for the RECORD principal counsel for PBS can call for (Mr. CLYBURN). and for the ages: Joe Biden won. Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in the government to steal children from And for this high crime nearly rip- support of this resolution. In recent Republicans and throw Molotov cock- ping our country apart, we should be days, it has become indisputable that tails at the White House. We should removing him by the 25th Amendment this President is unable to uphold his allow America to heal before America or he should be impeached. oath to preserve, protect, and defend is lost, but that is not what is hap- Mr. JORDAN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the Constitution. pening today. the balance of my time. On the contrary, he seems only capa- Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 The SPEAKER pro tempore. The ble of attacking the Constitution. time of the gentleman has expired. minute to the distinguished gentle- Never before has a President sought to woman from California (Ms. WATERS). Mr. JORDAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield overturn a fair and secure election, the gentleman from Florida an addi- Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, on Janu- threatening State officials to manufac- ary 6, 2021, domestic terrorists the tional 30 seconds. ture fraudulent votes. Mr. GAETZ. Mr. Speaker, the pur- President has empowered for years Never before has a President incited stormed the Capitol, desecrated the pose of the resolution today, they want mob violence to block certification of to show you that they can still tear people’s House, and threatened the his opponent’s victory. lives of the Speaker, Vice President, things down. I guess, over the next 2 Never before has a President refused years, we will see if they are capable of and countless other Members and staff. to condemn and demand the cessation None of us will ever forget that day. building anything or anyone up. of an attack on our country. This is a deeply unpopular impeach- The invasion of the Capitol was not The devastating bruises on our Na- only foreseeable, it was inevitable be- ment. The public wishes we were here tion’s soul can only begin to heal by re- cause of the many years the President dealing with coronavirus, not the virus moving the weapon used to bludgeon has spent fanning the flames of hatred of Trump hatred that you seem to have us. found no vaccine for. The Vice President must invoke the and racism in our country. The facts are clear: The President Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 25th Amendment to immediately re- rallied his supporters at the White myself such time as I may consume. move power from this dangerous Presi- House and then sent them to the Cap- I heard one of our colleagues say it dent. And if he doesn’t, we must vote itol to disrupt our democracy and over- was the fault of the mob, not Donald to impeach. Trump. But who summoned the mob? Mr. JORDAN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve turn an election. I won’t spend another second explain- Who created the mob? Who assembled the balance of my time. ing why Donald Trump should have it? Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 long ago been removed from office. You don’t have to trust us if you minute to the gentleman from Illinois Donald Trump showed us who he was don’t like what you call ‘‘Democrat (Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI). from the very beginning. Too many Members.’’ We do prefer Democratic Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI. Mr. Speak- people turned a blind eye, and, last Members for the new ones, but how er, I am so glad our friends have Wednesday, our country paid the price. about this? Listen to the chair of your changed their mantra from ‘‘stop the Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, may I in- own conference. steal’’ to ‘‘start to heal.’’ quire how much time both sides have The chair of the Republican Con- But in order to heal, you have to take strong medicine, and that medi- remaining? ference, LIZ CHENEY, said, ‘‘The Presi- The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gen- dent of the United States summoned cine happens to be the truth. My friends, the truth is, unfortunately, tleman from Maryland has 73⁄4 minutes this mob, assembled the mob, and lit remaining. The gentleman from Ohio the flame of this attack. Everything this President is no longer fit to serve. We cannot trust this President to has 8 minutes remaining. that followed was his doing. None of Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve this would have happened without the protect American democracy after he encouraged his supporters ‘‘fight like the balance of my time. President.’’ Mr. JORDAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield So you can hate the Democrat Mem- hell’’ in storming the Capitol. We cannot trust him to protect myself such time as I may consume. bers all you want. That is the chair of Mr. Speaker, this past year, govern- the Republican Conference. American safety after he told these violent seditionists, ‘‘We love you. You ment told Americans: You can’t go to Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the church, you can’t go to work, you can’t gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. are very special.’’ We cannot trust this President to tell go to school. CAROLYN B. MALONEY). right from wrong even today when he One hour ago, Democrats told Repub- Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New said that his remarks on January 6 licans, new rules—new rules for the York. Mr. Speaker, like all of us in this were ‘‘totally appropriate.’’ House. Chamber, the Vice President and the Mr. Speaker, we cannot trust this Today, you can say anything you Cabinet swore in their oaths of office President to protect us when he insti- want about the President, no rule on to protect and defend the Constitution gated a mob that tried to kill us. decorum, no rule about attacking per- from enemies foreign and domestic. sonality. They can say anything they Now they must fulfill that oath by b 2215 want, and we see we have done that. invoking the 25th Amendment. Donald Mr. JORDAN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve Today, on the floor, you have to wear Trump’s reckless actions on and lead- the balance of my time. a mask. If your masks comes below ing to January 6 underscore that he is Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 45 your nose, you are going to get fined. a clear and present danger to our seconds to the gentleman from Florida And in order to come in here and de- democratic traditions. He repeatedly (Mr. SOTO). bate and constitutionally represent

VerDate Sep 11 2014 07:02 Jan 13, 2021 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00017 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K12JA7.033 H12JAPT1 dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with HOUSE H142 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE January 12, 2021 your constituents, the 750,000 people we the President is not just unable but, dent. That is our duty. That is what we all get the privilege of serving, you had clearly, he is unwilling and unworthy have to do. Let’s uphold our oath. to walk through a metal detector. to discharge his duties. Mr. JORDAN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve And they did all those changes with So, through this legislation, I ask my the balance of my time. less than 40 minutes of debate. colleagues to call on the Vice Presi- Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 45 And, tomorrow, they are going to im- dent to invoke the 25th Amendment, seconds to the gentleman from Cali- peach a President, a President who is yes, to keep us safe and keep this Na- fornia (Mr. GOMEZ). leaving office in 8 days—8 days before tion secure. Mr. GOMEZ. Mr. Speaker, we are there will be a peaceful transfer of Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve here tonight because a violent mob, in- power, just like there has been every the balance of my time. cited by the President of the United other time in American history. But Mr. JORDAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 States based on a lie, laid siege to Con- they are going to do impeachment. minute to the gentlewoman from New gress to overturn a Presidential elec- They are going to do it, again. Mexico (Ms. HERRELL). tion. They have been obsessed with it. It is Ms. HERRELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in We have to ask ourselves, what would truly an obsession. People on the Dem- opposition to the misuse of the 25th have happened if that mob succeeded? ocrat side started calling for impeach- Amendment. Why stop at one election? Why not ment the day President Trump was in- To preserve separation of powers, the two? Why not make Donald Trump augurated. They attacked him before authors of the 25th Amendment cor- President for life? he even won the first election, before rectly intended section 4 to be initiated Thank God that did not happen and he won in 2016. They attacked him that by the Vice President, not by the re- they did not succeed. summer when they started their inves- quest of Congress. However, even after that terrible day tigation. Process concerns aside, the fact is, of January 6, 2021, Donald Trump is This is scary, where this goes, be- removing the President from office will still using the lie of a stolen election to cause this is more than about impeach- not heal our Nation. It will not bridge turn American against American for ing the President of the United States; our partisan divides, give Americans his own selfish ends. this is about canceling the President hope, or bring us together. It will only I believe even with only a few days and canceling all the people you guys make things worse. left in office that Donald Trump is still disagree with. That is what scares me With just days away until President a danger to our Republic and must be more than anything. Trump leaves the White House and just removed immediately. We have seen it play out over the days into our new Congress, we have The SPEAKER pro tempore. The past several days. I never thought I more important things to do. We time of the gentleman has expired. would see the things that we are now should be working to hold Big Tech ac- Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield an witnessing. I don’t know where it ends, countable. We should be working to additional 10 seconds to the gentleman. but I will tell you what: It should scare help families and small businesses get Mr. GOMEZ. Mr. Speaker, as an ex- us all. through the pandemic. We should be ample, today, the Joint Chiefs of Staff And I said this in the Committee on working on jobs, on infrastructure, on issued a statement reaffirming their the Judiciary—and the gentleman from energy, and all the other issues our devotion to the rule of law and affirm- Maryland will remember this—the can- constituents sent us here to address. ing that Joe Biden will be the 46th cel culture doesn’t just go after con- I am appalled by the violence that President of the United States. servatives and Republicans. It won’t took place here last week. Those who Mr. JORDAN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve just stop there. It will come for us all. assaulted police officers and forced the balance of my time. That is what is frightening. their way into these hallowed halls are Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 And I hope you all recognize that and responsible for their criminal acts and minute to the gentlewoman from New that at some point we can unite and must be brought to justice. York (Ms. VELA´ ZQUEZ). actually do things that help those folks I cannot support the 25th Amend- Ms. VELA´ ZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise back home that we all get the privilege ment, but I am also tired of the double in strong support of this resolution. of representing. standard, the double talk, and the dou- ‘‘Impressionable children are watch- Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of ble trouble that we have brought upon ing all of this, and they are learning my time. the American people. We have to stand from us. I believe we each have a moral Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, the cancel for our Constitution. This is our Nehe- obligation to exercise good judgment culture of violent white supremacy miah moment, and we better take ad- and model the behavior we hope they tried to cancel out all of our lives last vantage. will emulate.’’ That was Betsy DeVos. Wednesday. Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 45 ‘‘As I am sure is the case with many Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the seconds to the gentleman from Cali- of you, it has deeply troubled me in a gentleman from California (Mr. PA- fornia (Mr. BERA). way that I simply cannot set aside.’’ NETTA). Mr. BERA. Mr. Speaker, just over a That was Elaine Chao. Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, on Jan- week ago, we all took the oath of of- Mr. Speaker, these were members of uary 7 at 4 a.m., I was right outside fice, all of us, Democrats and Repub- the President’s own Cabinet who bore those doors where, 14 hours earlier, a licans, and part of that oath was to the sacred responsibility of taking ac- rioter was shot as she violently tried to support and defend the Constitution tion when the President is clearly unfit enter this Chamber. against all enemies, both foreign and for office. But their words are all talk, It was in that early morning and at domestic. and if they will not act, then Congress that location that I had a brief con- It is quite clear what happened last will. versation with Vice President MIKE Wednesday: a domestic attack on our So, today, we are giving the Vice PENCE right after we finished certi- government, a domestic attack on this President 24 hours to do right by the fying the electoral college. body. Republicans have already ac- American people. Remove this Presi- I was proud that we did our job that knowledged who instigated the attack. dent from office, and if you do not, the morning despite the violence we expe- The lead instigator was the President House will impeach. rienced earlier that day, but I knew of the United States. Mr. JORDAN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve that was not enough because of the se- Now it is our solemn duty to uphold the balance of my time. ditious actions by President Trump be- that oath, to defend our Constitution Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 fore that riot and his inaction during against all enemies, foreign and domes- minute to the distinguished gentleman that riot. So I said to the Vice Presi- tic. There is nothing more solemn than from California (Mr. SCHIFF). dent, ‘‘It’s up to you to keep us safe.’’ what we have to do. Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, 6 days Tonight, with the President still in If my colleagues don’t want to in- ago, I was standing right here, ful- office, I am beyond asking; I am legis- voke the 25th Amendment—that is one filling my constitutional duties to cer- lating to compel the Vice President to mechanism—we will give you an oppor- tify the election. And, 6 days ago, Don- convene the Cabinet, to conclude that tunity tomorrow to impeach the Presi- ald Trump was on the Mall, whipping a

VerDate Sep 11 2014 07:02 Jan 13, 2021 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00018 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K12JA7.035 H12JAPT1 dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with HOUSE January 12, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H143 mob into a frenzy with false claims of the 25th Amendment is not a means of pun- the complex’s tunnels, and possible rally stolen elections and unconstitutional ishment or usurpation. Invoking the 25th points for would-be conspirators to meet in schemes. It was a big lie, the same big Amendment in such a manner would set a Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and lie he had been telling for weeks. terrible precedent. South Carolina and head in groups to Wash- After the horrific events of this last week, ington. He told the mob, ‘‘We are going to our Administration’s energy is directed to ‘‘As of 5 January 2021, FBI Norfolk re- the Capitol’’ and ‘‘to fight like hell,’’ ensuring an orderly transition. The Bible ceived information indicating calls for vio- and they did. Five died. Many more says that ‘‘for everything there is a season, lence in response to ‘unlawful lockdowns’ to were hurt. And we were seconds away and a time for every purpose under heaven begin on 6 January 2021 in Washington, from something much worse. . . . a time to heal . . . and a time to build D.C.,’’ the document says. ‘‘An online thread My colleagues, upholding our oath, up.’’ That time is now. In the midst of a discussed specific calls for violence to in- global pandemic, economic hardship for mil- clude stating ‘Be ready to fight. Congress the Constitution, and our democracy needs to hear glass breaking, doors being means recognizing that every second lions of Americans, and the tragic events of January 6th, now is the time for us to come kicked in, and blood from their BLM and that Donald Trump is President the together, now is the time to heal. Pantifa slave soldiers being spilled. Get vio- Nation is at risk. We have the power to I urge you and every member of Congress lent. Stop calling this a march, or rally, or do something about it. MIKE PENCE to avoid actions that would further divide a protest. Go there ready for war. We get our must do his duty, invoke the 25th. If he and inflame the passions of the moment. President or we die. NOTHING else will won’t, we will move with urgency to do Work with us to lower the temperature and achieve this goal.’’ BLM is probably a reference to the Black ours and impeach Donald Trump again. unite our country as we prepare to inaugu- rate President-elect Joe Biden as the next Lives Matter movement for racial justice. Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, may I in- Pantifa is a derogatory term for antifa, a President of the United States. I pledge to quire how much time is remaining on far-left anti-fascist movement whose adher- you that I will continue to do my part to ents sometimes engage in violent clashes both sides? work in good faith with the incoming admin- The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gen- with right-wing extremists. istration to ensure an orderly transition of Yet even with that information in hand, tleman from Maryland has 23⁄4 minutes power. So help me God. the report’s unidentified author expressed remaining. The gentleman from Ohio Sincerely, concern that the FBI might be encroaching 3 has 4 ⁄4 minutes remaining. MICHAEL R. PENCE, on free-speech rights. Mr. JORDAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 Vice President of the United States. The warning is the starkest evidence yet of minutes to the gentleman from Ohio f the sizable intelligence failure that preceded (Mr. DAVIDSON). the mayhem, which claimed the lives of five b 2230 Mr. DAVIDSON. Mr. Speaker, I people, although one law enforcement offi- thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. DAVIDSON. Mr. Speaker, I cial, speaking on the condition of anonymity thank the Vice President for his excel- to avoid disciplinary action, said the failure Mr. Speaker, I can’t say it better was not one of intelligence but of acting on than the Vice President said it himself. lent leadership, for his professionalism, the intelligence. Vice President MIKE PENCE said, ‘‘Last and, frankly, for his faithfulness to our At the FBI office in Norfolk, the report week, I did not yield to pressure to Constitution. was written within 45 minutes of receiving exert power beyond my constitutional Not only would it be an abuse of the the information, officials said, and shared authority to determine the outcome of 25th Amendment for MIKE PENCE to in- with counterparts in Washington. voke it to make a political statement, The head of the FBI’s Washington Field Of- the election, and I will not now yield to fice, Steven D’Antuono, told reporters on efforts in the House of Representatives it is clearly not our role in Congress to Friday that the agency did not have intel- to play political games at a time so se- do what we are doing here tonight or ligence suggesting the pro-Trump rally rious in the life of our Nation.’’ what is proposed to be done by the ma- would be anything more than a lawful dem- Mr. Speaker, I include this letter in jority. onstration. During a news conference Tues- the RECORD. Speaker PELOSI claims that Presi- day, held after The Post’s initial publication of this report, he said the alarming Jan. 5 in- THE VICE PRESIDENT, dent Trump incited the mob that at- Washington, DC, January 12, 2021. tacked the Capitol at a rally. As Mr. telligence document was shared ‘‘with all our law enforcement partners’’ through the Hon. NANCY PELOSI, MCCLINTOCK spoke earlier, he read the joint terrorism task force, which includes Speaker, House of Representatives, President’s statement. He encouraged Washington, DC. the U.S. Capitol Police, the U.S. Park Police, people to come peaceably and patrioti- D.C. police, and other federal and local agen- DEAR MADAM SPEAKER: Every American cally. was shocked and saddened by the attack on cies. He suggested there was not a great deal for our Nation’s Capitol last week, and I am The Washington Post is reporting law enforcement to do with the information grateful for the leadership that you and something that I would hope that our because the FBI at that time did not know other congressional leaders provided in re- chairman of the Permanent Select who made the comments. ‘‘That was a thread convening Congress to complete the people’s Committee on Intelligence would know on a message board that was not attrib- business on the very same day. It was a mo- about. The FBI report warned of war at utable to an individual person,’’ D’Antuono ment that demonstrated to the American the Capitol the day before the attack said Tuesday. people the unity that is still possible in Con- on our Capitol. I am curious how some- D’Antuono did not say what, if anything, gress when it is needed most. one proposes that the President incited the FBI or other agencies did differently as But now, with just eight days left in the a result of that information. Nor did he ex- President’s term, you and the Democratic the mob at a rally the day before the rally. plain why he told reporters on Friday that Caucus are demanding that the Cabinet and there had been no such intelligence. I invoke the 25th Amendment. I do not be- Mr. Speaker, I include in the RECORD Steven Sund, who resigned as Capitol Po- lieve that such a course of action is in the the article. lice chief, said in an interview Tuesday that best interest of our Nation or consistent [From The Washington Post, Jan. 12, 2021] he never received nor was made aware of the with our Constitution. Last week, I did not FBI REPORT WARNED OF ‘WAR’ AT CAPITOL, FBI’s field bulletin, insisting he and others yield to pressure to exert power beyond my CONTRADICTING CLAIMS THERE WAS NO INDI- would have taken the warning seriously had constitutional authority to determine the CATION OF LOOMING VIOLENCE it been shared. outcome of the election, and I will not now ‘‘I did not have that information, nor was (By Devlin Barrett and Matt Zapotosky) yield to efforts in the House of Representa- that information taken into consideration in tives to play political games at a time so se- A day before rioters stormed Congress, an our security planning,’’ Sund said. rious in the life of our Nation. FBI office in Virginia issued an explicit Since the riot, agents and prosecutors have As you know full well, the 25th Amend- warning that extremists were preparing to been intent on tracking down and arresting ment was designed to address Presidential travel to Washington to commit violence the most violent participants in the mob, in incapacity or disability. Just a few months and ‘‘war,’’ according to an internal docu- part because there is already significant on- ago, when you introduced legislation to cre- ment reviewed by The Washington Post that line discussion of new potential clashes for ate a 25th Amendment Commission, you contradicts a senior official’s declaration the Sunday and again on Jan. 20, when Presi- said, ‘‘[a] President’s fitness for office must bureau had no intelligence indicating anyone dent-elect Joe Biden is set to take the oath be determined by science and facts.’’ You at last week’s demonstrations in support of of office. said then that we must be ‘‘[v]ery respectful President Trump planned to do harm. Michael R. Sherwin, the acting U.S. attor- of not making a judgment on the basis of a A situational information report approved ney for D.C., said there would be a strike comment or behavior that we don’t like, but for release the day before the U.S. Capitol force of prosecutors looking to file charges based on a medical decision.’’ Madam Speak- riot painted a dire portrait of dangerous of seditious conspiracy where the evidence er, you were right. Under our Constitution, plans, including individuals sharing a map of merited it.

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