November 7, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H8583 minute and to revise and extend her re- for 1 minute and to revise and extend ing patriotism and willingness to serve marks.) his remarks.) and sacrifice above self. How noble for Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, what Mr. SCHRADER. Mr. Speaker, I rise liberty’s cause, yet too many veterans, happens if Congress goes nuts on tax today to share the story of Marco, a upon their return from service, endure cuts without paying for them? DREAMer in Portland, Oregon, and to long wait-times at VA health facilities. Kansas, which did just that, has now continue to urge Speaker RYAN to put That is why I have developed a bill had to raise State taxes back to where forth a clean Dream Act bill. that would reduce the VA physician they were, providing a valuable object In 1995, Marco was brought to the shortage, which is estimated to be lesson for Congress right now: tax cuts United States when he was only 3 years about 5,000. about ideology, not economics, do not old. As a teenager with dreams of going Our VET MD Act would address this work. to college, Marco realized he didn’t by allowing pre-med students to par- Yet Republicans seem to be taking a qualify for financial aid because of his ticipate in organized clinical observa- page out of the Kansas tax cuts, au- immigration status, but he did not tions at VA medical centers. Future thored by Governor Sam Brownback, allow this to deter him. Instead, Marco physicians will have exposure to the that crushed that State’s economy. worked hard in various minimum wage VA healthcare system, and the VA will He promised tens of thousands of jobs jobs, allowing him the ability to attend create potential medical professionals. to fund the State’s schools. He guaran- college part-time. This is just one solution Congress teed a progrowth economy that would In 2012, after applying for DACA, should implement to address the VA pay for the tax cuts and then some. Marco was granted a work permit, physician shortage. It will help lead to Kansas did grow initially, but then making it possible for him to earn a decreased wait-times, better care, and lagged behind all the rest of the States. job with a law firm in Portland, where healthier outcomes. Now Brownback’s tax cuts have pro- he worked his way up from the mail- Our veterans dedicated their lives for duced new taxes for Kansas. room to be a legal assistant. His salary our country. We owe these honorable Let’s learn from Kansas, not become from the law firm enabled him to en- men and women better basic Kansas 2.0. roll in more classes and finally com- healthcare. f plete his bachelor’s degree in account- Mr. Speaker, on this Veterans Day, I GOP TAX SCAM ing. urge my colleagues to please join me. Marco now works as an accountant (Mr. NADLER asked and was given Let us affirm a commitment to action for an Oregon nonprofit that helps ben- permission to address the House for 1 for the men and women who have de- efit youth. minute and to revise and extend his re- fended our liberty and have lived the This President claims to want only words duty, honor, and country. marks.) the best. I have news for him: we al- Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, the Re- f ready have the best and brightest, and publicans are scamming America. They it is time we stopped treating them WE NEED FAIR AND STRONG are offering a facade of lowered taxes like second class citizens. HURRICANE RELIEF PACKAGES that you probably will never see in ex- Mr. Speaker, we need to pass a clean (Ms. MOORE asked and was given change for massive and permanent tax Dream Act bill. cuts for the wealthiest Americans and permission to address the House for 1 corporations. f minute and to revise and extend her re- And for what? VETERANS marks.) Ms. MOORE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to We are told the corporate and upper (Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Penn- highlight the continuing urgency of income tax cuts will result in more in- sylvania asked and was given permis- providing relief and recovery aid for vestment and greater economic sion to address the House for 1 minute Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, growth, which will yield more jobs and and to revise and extend his remarks.) more revenue for the country and high- Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsyl- which were devastated by Hurricanes er wages for the middle class. vania. Mr. Speaker, this week we honor Irma and Maria. While U.S. efforts But this is bunk. They have run this America’s veterans, a group of men and have ramped up after a failed initial re- scam twice before. Reagan passed simi- women with unparalleled courage and sponse, we can and must do more. lar upper class tax cuts and told us the love of country. In Puerto Rico, some 70 shelters re- tax cuts would generate such economic We owe our veterans an eternal debt main open, access to safe drinking growth that they would pay for them- of gratitude. We made a promise to water is a problem, and there are doz- selves. look out for them in exchange for their ens of waterborne disease deaths. Near- What happened? promise to defend our freedom, but ly a third of hospitals are still running The national debt—accumulated gratitude is not enough. That is why I off generators, bridges remain de- from George Washington through am fighting to maximize the care stroyed, and many roads remain im- Jimmy Carter—went from $800 billion homeless veterans receive with my bill passable. Nearly 60 percent of the is- in 1980 to $4.3 trillion 12 years later, to improve reporting from our VA hos- land is without power. and growth was less than under Presi- pitals, to make sure no veteran, at any The news is not better for the Virgin dent Clinton. stage in life, falls through the cracks. Islands, where many still lack access George Bush’s tax cut turned an an- I also helped introduce the Patriot to cell service, power, and clean water. ticipated 10-year $5.65 trillion surplus Employer Act, which would give tax in- Officials estimate $5.5 billion is needed into a $10.63 trillion debt in 8 years. centives to American businessowners for the most essential needs there. And 3 or 4 years from now, Repub- who employ veterans. Mr. Speaker, there are less than 20 licans will use the $1.5 trillion to $2 Mr. Speaker, on behalf of Pennsylva- legislative days left on the House cal- trillion deficit this scam will create to nia’s 13th Congressional District, I endar. How can we be prioritizing tax say: Look at this massive deficit. We would like to thank all of our Nation’s cuts for the wealthy? Let’s put to- have to make savage cuts to Social Se- veterans for their service on this Vet- gether fair and strong hurricane relief curity, Medicare, education, and infra- erans Day and every day. packages for communities ravaged by structure. f these hurricanes, including those in That is what they are building in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. now. The Republicans are scamming VETERANS DAY f America, and we must reject this bill. (Ms. KAPTUR asked and was given CONFLICTS OF INTEREST OF SPE- f permission to address the House for 1 CIAL COUNSEL MUELLER AND b 1845 minute.) Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in OTHERS IN THE PREVIOUS AD- WE NEED TO PASS A CLEAN honor of Veterans Day, which we will MINISTRATION DREAM ACT NOW observe this Saturday, November 11. The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. (Mr. SCHRADER asked and was Each Veterans Day, we celebrate RUTHERFORD). Under the Speaker’s an- given permission to address the House America’s veterans for their unwaver- nounced policy of January 3, 2017, the

VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:25 Nov 08, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00059 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K07NO7.112 H07NOPT1 H8584 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE November 7, 2017 gentleman from Arizona (Mr. BIGGS) is putable conflicts of interest that are malfeasance or active negligence. And recognized for 60 minutes as the des- present with Mr. Mueller and others at in those circumstances, we need fresh ignee of the majority leader. the Department of Justice. eyes and clear eyes to give the Amer- GENERAL LEAVE I join my colleague, the gentleman ican people confidence that our justice Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unani- from Arizona, in calling for Mr. system is, in fact, working for them. mous consent that all Members have 5 Mueller’s resignation or his firing. It is not only the Uranium One deal legislative days in which to revise and Moreover, we absolutely have to see that gives us a great deal to question. extend their remarks and include ex- the Department of Justice appoint a We also have this Fusion GPS dossier, traneous material on the topic of this special counsel to look into the Clinton which we have now learned that the Special Order. Foundation, the Uranium One deal, and Democratic Party was paying for. The The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there the Fusion GPS dossier that I will now Democratic Party was out paying peo- objection to the request of the gen- have the opportunity to discuss. ple to stir up this salacious and inac- tleman from Arizona? I really don’t know who is inves- curate dirt on President Trump both There was no objection. tigating the Uranium One deal right before and after he was elected. Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Speaker, I stand to- now. I know that, in July, the chair- In his own testimony before the Con- night with a number of my colleagues man of the Judiciary Committee, along gress, Mr. Comey said that these alle- to shed light and ask questions and dis- with 20 members of the Judiciary Com- gations were salacious and could not be cuss the conflicts of interest of Mr. mittee, sent a letter to Attorney Gen- relied upon. So it begs the question, Mueller and several others in the pre- eral Sessions asking who would be what was the Fusion GPS dossier relied vious administration. looking into these critical questions, upon for? Was it relied upon so that As I recall the events of the past 2 demanding that a special counsel be there would be FISA warrants issued to years, it becomes clearer than ever appointed to conduct a thorough re- go and spy on the President and mem- that Mr. Mueller should resign. If he view. It is extremely disappointing bers of his team? We don’t know, but does not resign, then he should be that the chairman of the Judiciary until we have a special counsel, we will fired. Committee and my fellow members never get those answers, because I believe he has conflicts of interest have received no response from the De- Mueller and Rosenstein are conflicted. that do not allow him to proceed with partment of Justice as to that letter. Why did Congress never hear from I don’t know whether the Attorney his investigation in an unbiased, inde- these informants? Well, it is no sur- General’s recusal on matters related to pendent manner. Further, he has prise to me. You actually have Mr. Russia impacts, influences, or, in any broadened the scope of his investiga- Rosenstein’s name on the signature way, covers the Fusion GPS challenge tion far beyond his charge to examine block of the pleadings that sealed the and the incredible threat to national Russian interference in the 2016 Presi- information that could have shed light security raised by the Uranium One dential election. In the process, he is on this entire scandal, but we didn’t deal. helping to attack the integrity, percep- have that opportunity. tion, and credibility of the American I do know that there is no world in which Mr. Mueller could potentially in- Now, it may very well be that these justice and electoral system. were simply acts of negligence, acts of Mr. Speaker, my constituents want vestigate these matters. It is Federal law that even the appearance of a con- omission or oversight. If that is the answers. Congress has sought answers case, let’s get someone in who can give from the previous administration for flict of interest means that someone cannot engage in prosecutorial duties us the answers, because certainly the many years. Without exception, the people who are there now cannot give Obama administration stonewalled regarding allegations and investiga- tions. That conflict of interest is abso- us answers, and they have these tragic these attempts. conflicts of interest. Hillary Clinton and the Clinton lutely present. The American people are well aware Foundation are the subject of many of As early as 2009, the FBI knew that that the Clinton Foundation func- these questions and subsequent inves- we had informants alleging corruption tioned largely as a money laundering tigations. into United States uranium assets. Ms. Clinton did not become Presi- There were allegations of bribery, organization to influence the State De- dent. Some say that, because of this, kickbacks, extortion. Even in 2010, partment and to ensure that there were we should not complete our investiga- Members of Congress were raising special people with special access and tions into multiple allegations of mis- these questions and asking the Obama special relationships to the Clintons conduct, but this is misguided. administration to provide answers that who got special treatment. That is not No American is above the law. Losing were never given. an America that abides to the rule of an election does not grant immunity I don’t think it is a coincidence that law. for misconduct. Whether Ms. Clinton is at the same time we were hearing from As a member of the Judiciary Com- Secretary of State, President of the sources that there was bribery to influ- mittee, we have to see the rule of law United States, or a citizen of ence our uranium assets, you had held up and cherished. We are a model Chappaqua, New York, she should be former President Bill Clinton getting for the world, but if we have cir- held to the same standard as everyone paid $500,000 by a bunch of Russians to cumstances where our President, who else. go give a speech. It must have been one was elected, is undermined as a con- I am pleased that the House Judici- hell of a speech. It is deeply troubling sequence of these things, if we do not ary and Oversight Committees share to me that these circumstances seem replace Bob Mueller with someone who this sentiment. Our committees will to be ripe for corruption and seem to can come in absent of association with soon be launching a joint investigation demonstrate an ecosystem of corrup- the individuals who may be implicated, into the unanswered questions sur- tion that must be thoroughly inves- then I fear this great, special place rounding the allegations that we have tigated. that we hold in the world may be di- mentioned. We intend to get truthful Now, why can’t Mr. Mueller and Mr. minished. answers to these questions. Rosenstein conduct this investigation? So I have introduced legislation. I am Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman First of all, Mr. Mueller was the head very pleased that my colleagues have from Florida (Mr. GAETZ). of the FBI in 2009. He potentially had a joined me in sponsoring that legisla- Mr. GAETZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the role to play in these questions. At the tion, calling for Mr. Mueller to resign. gentleman for yielding. very least, the fact that the FBI never I have also called for a special counsel Mr. Speaker, we are at risk of a coup prosecuted any case, never raised ob- to be appointed. d’etat in this country if we allow an jections, never allowed Congress to be To my colleagues on the other side unaccountable person with no over- able to look into these matters, that who say, well, hey, you know, there sight to undermine the duly-elected would be an act of omission. were a variety of agencies that were in- President of the United States, and I So at best, there is an omission that volved in approving the Uranium One would offer that is precisely what is creates a conflict for Mr. Mueller; at deal, there were eight or nine groups happening right now with the indis- worst, there might have been actual that could have said no.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:25 Nov 08, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00060 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K07NO7.114 H07NOPT1 November 7, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H8585 b 1900 When James Comey is fired, he then Mr. MEADOWS. Mr. Speaker, I thank Are Members of Congress really tak- leaks a government document, through the gentleman from Arizona for his ing the position that the Clintons don’t a friend, to The New York Times. And leadership; and, obviously, for the elo- have their tentacles in just about every what was his objective? What did he quent words of my colleagues from agency of government? tell us? Florida and from Ohio. How ludicrous. You are talking about Under oath, he told us this: Trying to Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my the former President of the United create momentum for a special coun- colleagues in, really, addressing a seri- States and, at the time, the lady who sel. ous matter of transparency that has was serving as our Secretary of State. Of course, it can’t just be any special left the American people with ques- The fact that this was a multiagency counsel. Who is that special counsel tions that deserve honest answers. process only underscores the conflicts going to be? You know, for the past year, as our of interest that lie with Rosenstein and Bob Mueller, his friend, his prede- government has been mired in a fruit- Mueller. cessor, his mentor and, maybe most less, aimless, and sometimes laborious I am calling on the Attorney General importantly, as my good friend from investigation on accusations of collu- to appoint a special counsel to preserve Florida just pointed out, the guy who sion between the Russian Government the rule of law and to help us save this was running the FBI when the whole and the 2016 Presidential campaign, my great country from those who are try- Uranium One deal was going down. colleagues on the other side of the aisle ing to undermine us and undermine our I mean, this is amazing. All we are have insisted that Congress follow President. asking for is for the Attorney General where the evidence leads in this inves- Mr. BIGGS. I thank the gentleman to name a special counsel to look into tigation. from Florida and I appreciate his re- all these questions. Mr. Speaker, I am here to tell you marks. Why was it so critical that James today that I agree wholeheartedly. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman Comey call the matter not an inves- Congress should follow the facts where from Ohio (Mr. JORDAN). tigation? they lead. However, they are leading in Mr. JORDAN. Mr. Speaker, why, in Why was it so important that Loret- a very different direction than many of 2016, would James Comey call the Clin- ta Lynch not use her real name when the mainstream media narratives ton investigation a matter, not an in- she is talking about the meeting she might suggest. vestigation? had with Bill Clinton on the tarmac? You see, in the process of this inves- Last time I checked, he wasn’t direc- Why was it so important that we get tigation, we have learned a fact pat- tor of the Federal bureau of matters. a special counsel, and that special tern surrounding the Clinton campaign Why, in 2016, would then-Attorney counsel be Bob Mueller; so important and potentially the Obama administra- General Loretta Lynch, one day before that James Comey can leak a docu- tion’s involvement in a targeted cam- the Benghazi report is due to come out, ment, through a friend, to The New paign using information from foreign 5 days before Secretary Clinton is York Times, a government document? intelligence officials against then-can- scheduled to be interviewed by the FBI, Why was all this so important? didate Donald Trump. meet with former President Bill Clin- All we are asking for is to name a Now, as we know from the recent ton on a tarmac in Phoenix? Why special counsel to look into this; and New York Times report, the Presi- would that happen in 2016? we first asked for this 31⁄2 months ago. dential campaign of Hillary Clinton Why, in the days just following that Twenty members of the Judiciary Com- and the Democratic National Com- meeting with the former President, mittee sent the Attorney General a let- mittee paid for research that was in- would Attorney General Loretta ter on July 27, laying out all these cluded in the now infamous Russian Lynch, when corresponding with the questions and saying: Name a special dossier that was made public in Janu- public relations people at the Justice counsel to look into it. ary of this year by Buzzfeed and re- Department via email, not use her real After all, the taxpayers, the Amer- ported on by CNN. name and, instead, use the name Eliza- ican people, would like the answers. I Now we know that the Clinton cam- beth Carlisle? know the ones in the Fourth District of paign and the DNC paid an ex-British Again, it seems to me if you are just Ohio would. I talk to them all the intelligence officer, Christopher Steele, talking about grandkids and golf, you time. to compile this dossier with the re- could probably use your real name. For 2 months we heard nothing. So search provided from Russian intel- Why, as we have learned recently, re- five of us went and met with the Attor- ligence officials. ported in The Federalist, why would ney General asking about the July 27 Now, much of this dossier contains the FBI be reimbursing Christopher letter, and would they appoint a spe- claims that have either not been Steele, the author of the dossier? Why cial counsel. To date, we have got no verified or have been directly refuted. would that be happening all in 2016? answer, no response. So, Mr. Speaker, it is suspicious You know, as the previous speakers So I appreciate the gentleman from enough that the Clinton campaign and have talked about, we have had this Arizona for organizing this Special the DNC paid intelligence officials in focus the last several months on poten- Order. I appreciate my good friend Russia for this type of material and tial Russia, Trump campaign collusion from Florida, the gentleman from false information on President Trump. and influence, Russian influence on the North Carolina, the gentleman from But we were also beginning to see election. Pennsylvania, and the gentleman from evidence that raises questions about It seems to me we know something Arizona who are going to join us as the very way that the Obama Justice pretty clearly. The Obama administra- well this evening. Department may have inappropriately tion Justice Department certainly It is time for a special counsel to be involved themselves into this project, tried to influence the election. I mean, named to get the answers for the both before and after the 2016 Presi- I think we can see that without a American people on these fundamental dential campaign. doubt. questions. We haven’t said them all. Mr. Speaker, now, if you would, con- What did we learn today? The gen- There are lots of other questions, but sider the timeline that we are working tleman from Florida was talking about these are the fundamental ones. It is with here. In April of 2016, the Clinton the dossier. What did we learn today? time we had a special counsel get to campaign used the law firm of Perkins It was reported today that the co- the bottom of this. That is what we Coie to retain Fusion GPS, the firm be- founder of Fusion GPS, Glenn Simpson, have called for. That is what we want hind the Russian dossier. was meeting with the now famous Rus- to see happen. We hope it does, and the Now, that very same month, in April sian lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, sooner the better. of 2016, President Obama’s campaign both before the meeting that she had Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the began paying more than $900,000 to with Donald Trump, Jr., and after the gentleman from Ohio for his eloquent what law firm? meeting she had with Donald Trump, comments. Perkins Coie, the very same firm Jr. I find that interesting. The story Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman used by the Clinton campaign in the keeps getting better. from North Carolina (Mr. MEADOWS). creation of the dossier.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:25 Nov 08, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00061 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K07NO7.116 H07NOPT1 H8586 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE November 7, 2017 Now, we also know that in the weeks The American people deserve an an- Papadopoulos didn’t even have to do prior to the 2016 election, President swer to those questions. They demand with his work on the campaign. He was Obama’s FBI tried to reach an agree- answers to those questions, and it is indicted because he had lied to the ment with Christopher Steele to pay our government’s responsibility to find FBI—again, no collusion with the for the Russian dossier, and the FBI ac- them. Trump campaign found whatsoever. tually ended up reimbursing some of Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the But that didn’t stop the media from the dossier expenses. gentleman from North Carolina for his sensationalizing the news. After all, Now, to be clear, the FBI attempted remarks, and I am grateful to have him they have a job to do. But the Amer- to pay, and then reimbursed, the costs here tonight. ican people didn’t fall for it, Mr. of the Russian dossier that was being Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman Speaker. The New Yorker’s legal writ- orchestrated by Hillary Clinton’s Pres- from Arizona (Mr. FRANKS). er, Jeffrey Toobin, and the liberal idential campaign. Now, the FBI has Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. Mr. Speak- vox.com have suggested Mueller seems refused to answer questions and re- er, I thank the gentleman from Ari- to be conducting his investigation like sisted any transparency on this issue. zona. He and I hold a deep, common he is going after a mafia mob boss. So going a step further, we now know conviction that Arizona is the most The problem with treating the that on January 6, President Obama’s important and best State in the Union, Trump campaign as an organized crime intelligence officials, led by then-Di- and I don’t think anyone here would organization, clearly, is it presumes rector of the FBI, James Comey, debate that. Trump’s guilt. No matter how well-in- briefed President-elect Trump on the Mr. Speaker, last Monday, October tentioned and full of integrity Mr. contents of the dossier. 30, we were delivered the over-hyped Mueller might be, if he is treating Now, following that January 6 brief- ‘‘bombshell’’ story that Special Coun- Trump like Al Capone, his tactics are ing, there are reports that the Obama sel Robert Mueller would introduce wrong. administration’s intelligence officials some damning evidence about Presi- When trying to pursue charges on a leaked to CNN the fact that the Presi- dent Trump’s collusion with Russia via mafia boss, the FBI pulls in the street dent-elect was briefed on the dossier. indictments. guys, threatens them with life in jail Four days later, on January 10, the On Friday, October 27, someone in- or some other steep charge, unless they dossier ended up being published by volved in the grand jury investiga- spill the beans on their superior. Once Buzzfeed. tion—now, don’t forget, Mr. Speaker, they crack, they bring in the next Now, keep in mind, several media that the purpose of a grand jury is se- level, all the way to the top. This is a outlets had the dossier in hand prior to crecy, but someone in that organiza- well-known tactic, and it incentivizes January 10, but none of them had tion leaked information to the press, those arrested to invent some spurious printed it since the claims could not be specifically CNN, with no reasonable testimony against their superiors. verified. person being able to count as a friend Could Mr. Mueller be acting with Now, this timeline leaves us with a to the President of the United States; vengeance or to vindicate his good myriad of extremely concerning ques- and it caused every political pundit in friend and colleague, James Comey, tions, Mr. Speaker, but they can be the country to begin surmising who who had a very public feud with the boiled down into a few specifics: Why would be the first to fall. President? Well, we don’t know, Mr. did President Obama’s campaign begin Reporters were assigned the story, Speaker, but it is hard to take any paying almost $1 million to the very revisiting campaign notes and combing charges with this investigation seri- same firm that the Clinton campaign through stacks of research and fact ously when they are going about it in used to fund the dossier in the very sheets about so-called evidence of Rus- this fashion. same month that the Clinton campaign sia collusion. The main point is this, Mr. Speaker: began paying for the dossier? Then the big reveal: Paul Manafort at least James Comey, the media, and The second question: Why did Presi- and Rick Gates were indicted for the Democrats desperately want collu- dent Obama’s FBI attempt to pay crimes related to their business deal- sion to exist between Trump and Rus- Christopher Steele for the Russian dos- ings with a Ukrainian politician sia. And when you want something sier? Why was President Obama’s FBI clinging to power in a country under- that bad, you might even begin to be- involved in paying for a project that going a revolution, back in 2014. The lieve it is true, even if it is not. the Clinton campaign started and was FBI had been trying to indict them But there is good news. Anyone sin- orchestrating? ever since. There was no mention of cerely looking for the drama of Amer- Again, the FBI has refused to answer the Trump campaign, not any whatso- ican officials actually colluding with these questions and has resisted trans- ever in the 12-count indictment. the Kremlin, need look no further now parency on this issue. In other words, Mr. Speaker the an- than the emerging scandal concerning And why brief the President at all on nouncement amounted to what many the sale of American uranium reserves the dossier if much of the dossier could have called a ‘‘nothing burger.’’ to Russia during Hillary Clinton’s time not be verified? Mainstream media members, who had at the State Department. Or, I would suggest, if President spent all weekend promising the view- The FBI, in 2009, under the Obama Obama’s intelligence officials had rea- ers and their readers some new damn- administration, began investigating son to treat the dossier seriously, then ing evidence about Trump, were Russia’s use of bribery, kickbacks, and why did they wait 2 months after the aghast. extortion to gain a bigger foothold in election to disclose the information on the American atomic energy industry. January 6? Why wait? b 1915 They knew this was happening. The And why was the President’s meeting Mueller had let them down. How record is clear. Of course, Mr. Speaker, with President-elect Trump leaked to could they face their audience now American nuclear resources are a crit- CNN 4 days after the briefing, if, again, with nothing to show? But wait, an- ical component of America’s national the dossier could not be verified? other indictment snuck in in the last security. So any detail between Rus- Mr. Speaker, the intention of all of few hours, only a few hours later, right sian companies and U.S. atomic energy this is not to spread theories or to in the nick of time. George resources would require a signoff from speculate as to what might have hap- Papadopoulos—now, here is our guy. the State Department. pened. The point is to recognize that This is the guy. He actually went to After all, Russia is a hostile foreign there are legitimate, unanswered ques- Russia, and he proposed Trump meet government. Correct? Democrats cer- tions about whether the Obama Justice with Putin. We have got him now. tainly seem to believe so now, even Department involved themselves in a Well, no. It turns out Papadopoulos though, in past years, most of them political project targeting then-can- was an unpaid intern who possessed a couldn’t find Russia on a map. didate Donald Trump, a suggestion background in researching Russia. So when Rosatom, a Russian energy that has far more evidence behind it When he suggested Trump meet with group, took control of the Canadian than the directionless investigation the Russians, he was shot down quickly Uranium One, which had control of into the Trump-Russian collusion. and firmly. The indictment against mining and uranium stakes stretching

VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:25 Nov 08, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00062 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K07NO7.117 H07NOPT1 November 7, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H8587 from Central Asia to the American international assets included 20 per- the United States to Canada through a West, that deal needed U.S. State De- cent of the United States’ uranium re- third party. Additional shipments of partment approval. After all, this serves. the uranium were made to Europe, and meant that Russia, a hostile foreign Now, due to uranium status as a stra- they were authorized as well by the power, would control 20 percent of tegic commodity, the $1.3 billion deal NRC. And where they went from Eu- America’s uranium industry. And, of was subject to the approval of the Com- rope, who knows. The NRC doesn’t course, as Obama’s FBI was inves- mittee on Foreign Investment in the know. At least if they know, they tigating Russia for bribes and extor- United States, known as CFIUS; aren’t telling us. We have asked. We tion related to atomic energy, this deal CFIUS, the Committee on Foreign In- certainly don’t know. Maybe Rosatom should have raised a red flag for the vestment in the United States. And knows. State Department. they care because uranium is impor- The question you should have is: Vladimir Putin really wanted the tant. Do you know why? We make nu- Why? Why would the United States do deal to go through because, per The clear bombs out of it—that is why it is this? What was in our interest to sell 20 New York Times, it would allow him to important—and so do other countries. percent of our uranium? Was it that we realize his goal of becoming one of the And maybe so do terrorists if they get needed $1.3 billion? I suspect not. world’s major atomic energy players. their hands on it. So we care. In an attempt to avoid congressional The only thing standing in his way was Now, the CFIUS panel is made up of scrutiny, the NRC did not provide a di- Hillary Clinton’s State Department. nine department heads and agencies, rect export license to Uranium One, The month the deal was approved by including, at that time, Secretary of but, instead, it amended an existing li- Hillary Clinton’s State Department, State Hillary Clinton. Okay, fair cense for a logistics company to allow Bill Clinton received $500,000 from a enough. Now, CFIUS went through the it to export Uranium One’s uranium, Russian investment bank with ties to approval process at what we would con- which was, in effect, the United States’ the Kremlin for a ‘‘speaking engage- sider an unusually rapid pace, approv- uranium, our uranium. ment’’ in Moscow. Then, Mr. Speaker, ing the sale of one-fifth of our uranium The NRC was able to amend this ex- Uranium One’s chairman used his fam- reserves, the United States’ reserves, port license because of two policy ily foundation to make a series of do- to a Russian, Vladimir Putin, state- changes resulting from the Russian nations to the Clinton Foundation, to- owned enterprise in less than 5 months. reset orchestrated by Secretary Clin- taling $2.35 million. Five months. I mean, they did that in ton. Again, look, it might be innocent. Now, being under agreement to dis- 5 months. We have been investigating It might be completely innocent, but it close all of their foundation contribu- allegations of President Trump and deserves more scrutiny, certainly. tions publicly, the Clintons neglected Russia for about 12 months now. In ear- The two things—the two policy still to reveal the Uranium One dona- nest, less than 12 months, but, cer- changes were: the Obama administra- tions. That is pretty convenient, Mr. tainly, the claims have been made tion reinstated the U.S.-Russian civil- Speaker. Are we paying attention here? since the night of the election, yet ian nuclear energy cooperation agree- Now, since the media seems to have they got this done in 5 months. Okay, ment in May of 2010. Shortly there- an insatiable appetite for Russian col- that is good. after, in 2011, the Commerce Depart- lusion, let’s take a look at the Ura- CFIUS proceeded at this pace despite ment removed Rosatom from a list of nium One deal. That is a story worth national security concerns raised by restricted companies that could not ex- looking into, Mr. Speaker. And I would Congress—people right here said: Hey, port nuclear or other sensitive mate- bet the biggest stake in Washington, 20 percent of our uranium shouldn’t go rials or technologies. They still didn’t with anyone in this place, that if a spe- to Vladimir Putin. That doesn’t make have a license, but they were removed cial counsel was appointed to look into sense to us. from the list. it, that investigation would bring some The FBI had extensive concerns, Nine months after the Commerce De- truly legitimate results. tying Rosatom’s main executive to a partment did that, the removal of Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the U.S. racketeering scheme. My col- Rosatom from the list, the NRC issued gentleman from Arizona for his re- league has already talked about brib- the license amendment to the third marks. It is my pleasure now to yield ery, extortion, racketeering. Right. party allowing for uranium of the to the gentleman from Pennsylvania Both Secretary of State Clinton and United States to be exported from Ura- (Mr. PERRY). Attorney General Eric Holder—whose nium One mines through Canada, and Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, I thank FBI, by the way, produced the evi- eventually on to Europe, and who the gentleman from Arizona. dence—voted in favor of the deal. Inter- knows where from there. The license Mr. Speaker, we have been entreated estingly enough, who was in charge of amendment stipulated that the ex- to claims of collusion with our govern- the FBI at the time? Our friend, Robert ported uranium must be returned to ment, people high in our government Mueller. It just is a little too coinci- the U.S. Now, this did not occur. In- with Russia for over a year now; since dental for me. I am sorry, it is just a stead, the Department of Energy ap- the last election happening this very little too coincidental. proved the movement of uranium from day a year ago, we have been entreated After the sale, the Nuclear Regu- Canada to Europe, and that was it. It is to this. latory Commission, the United States gone, folks. It is just gone. So I thought I would bring some Nuclear Regulatory Commission, as- It is now clear that the previous ad- sense to this confusion about what we sured both Congress and the public ministration took every conceivable know as the Uranium One deal. Even I that the uranium sold could not be ex- action to clear the path for Rosatom to didn’t know a whole lot about it, so I ported because neither Uranium One purchase Uranium One and to enable did a little research to understand the nor Rosatom, Vladimir Putin’s organi- the export of that uranium. The Rus- timeline and what exactly happened zation, had an NRC export license. So sians got it. Vladimir Putin got the here. I want to talk to you about that even though we had control of 20 per- uranium. this evening. cent, he could never do anything with In taking these extraordinary meas- On June 8 of 2010, the Russian State the 20 percent except leave it in the ures in support of Russian state-owned Atomic Energy Corporation, also United States. enterprise, the Obama administration, known as Rosatom—the Russian state, And, by the way, the Nuclear Regu- with the aid of former Secretary of not some private organization. It be- latory Commission still hasn’t granted State Hillary Clinton and former At- longs to Vladimir Putin. Make no mis- a license to export any of that material torney General Eric Holder, put our na- take about it—announced plans to pur- to Rosatom or to Uranium One to this tional security at risk. chase a 51.4 percent stake in the Cana- day. Mr. Speaker, it is far past time to dian company Uranium One. But despite the public statements, thoroughly—marginally, how about to Now, why do we care? Well, we care somehow it got exported because an marginally investigate this deal—the because this announcement had signifi- NRC memo showed the agency ap- Obama administration’s actions and cant strategic implications for the proved the shipment of yellowcake ura- the Clinton family’s role and their United States since Uranium One’s nium from the Uranium One mines in foundation’s role. You only need to ask

VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:25 Nov 08, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00063 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K07NO7.119 H07NOPT1 H8588 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE November 7, 2017 one question about all this: Why? Why makes sense why Director Comey would stand beside him through thick would we do this? Why would the would not want to make Cheryl Mills’ and thin, Bob Mueller. This brought United States agree to this? Why did interview recorded, and would make an memories of when Mr. Comey urged his this deal happen the way it did happen? agreement with Cheryl Mills and the boss, John Ashcroft, to recuse himself No other deals happened that way. Why other potential defendants in the case and let them appoint a special counsel. did this one happen this way? Why is that, gee, if they just got a look at So Ashcroft trusted Comey. He prob- there no independent investigation their laptops, they promised they ably shouldn’t have, but he did. into these matters at this point? Why? wouldn’t use anything in the laptop to Then Comey saw to it that his child’s And why is there no special counsel? prosecute them, and the FBI would godfather, Patrick Fitzgerald, would be We are here tonight to call for a spe- then, under Comey’s direction, would the prosecutor. Much like Mueller, he cial counsel so that we know the truth, actually participate in the obstruction got massive amounts of money and a so if there is Russian involvement in and destruction of evidence so that no- great powerful staff so they could go the United States’ national security, body could ever use it against any of after Karl Rove and Vice President whether it is our election, or whether them. Cheney. They were embarrassed there it is our uranium that they could use Now, originally, we thought that was no case there, so they made up one to make an atomic bomb, the Amer- might only be Hillary Clinton. But as on Scooter Libby, and he became the ican people need to know. They should we find out, gee, Mr. Mueller, Mr. fall guy. know. They should have all of the evi- Comey, and Mr. Rosenstein were in But we know from the leak that dence. this up to their eyeballs when it came Comey admitted that he used an ex- Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman to the Russian investigation regarding U.S. Attorney, identified as Columbia for yielding. uranium. If they were doing their jobs, University professor Daniel Richman, Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the they should never, ever have allowed to leak to The New York Times the gentleman from Pennsylvania for his that sale of American uranium to go to contents of the memo Comey wrote. If you look at the FBI contract with remarks, and I yield to the gentleman a company that they knew would end agents and with people employed by from Texas (Mr. GOHMERT). up in Russian hands. Mr. GOHMERT. Mr. Speaker, I thank So if you look at Cheryl Mills, Heath- the FBI, it makes it very clear that memo that Comey prepared about his my friend, Mr. BIGGS. I appreciate your er Samuelson, John Bentel, Bryan conversation with the President was hosting this hour because this is crit- Pagliano, and Paul Combetta, these are not supposed to ever be provided to the ical stuff here. This is the kind of thing people who were potential targets. And press. That is FBI property, and he vio- that makes or breaks an experiment in what does Director Comey do? He makes sure that they walk. Be- lated the law in leaking it. self-government because there is an at- But if you look, then-professor Dan- cause if they were properly inter- tempted coup taking place. iel Richman got that to The New York viewed, like good prosecutors or good We have heard over and over about, Times author Michael Schmidt, who oh, gee, Mr. Mueller will come to a fair investigators normally do, you start later wrote the Comey memo story in and just conclusion. Well, the only fair there and you say: You help us with which Comey told Congress he directed and just conclusion that Bob Mueller what happened and what you were told Richman to leak. could come to would be that he should by the person above you, and then we Well, if you go back through and you never have accepted the position of won’t prosecute you to the full extent start looking for this common thread, special counsel, that he had conflicts of the law. Michael Schmidt writing stories for so deep that accepting the role of spe- That is how deals are made. That is The New York Times about leaks, then cial counsel could not be ethical and how you get to a Mr. Big in a racketeer you find a number of cases where it ap- appropriate. You wonder, why would he organized confederation. pears likely. Whether it is March 1, take it? Mr. Comey and the FBI apparently March 4, March 5, March 6, it appears Well, when you find out that, as FBI relied on the Fusion GPS investigation likely that this was James Comey Director, he and U.S. Attorney Rod knowing where it came from and know- leaking again. Rosenstein were involved in the deep ing who paid for it. This is incredible. The only question is: Did he commit cover investigation into Russia’s effort If you go back to the Washingtonian a crime in one or all of those events? to corner the market using American article of 2013, it makes pretty clear The answer is: We will never know as uranium, and that Hillary Clinton and that Comey and Mueller were basically long as Bob Mueller is special counsel. Eric Holder and others in the adminis- joined at the hip. He needs to have the decency to say tration approved the sale to a group, In fact, a quote back in 2013 says: that it was a mistake for me to take the stockholders of which donated, as I ‘‘The stressed Comey had few people he this on, it was a mistake when Comey understand, $145 million or so to the could turn to for advice; almost no one testified there was no evidence of any Clinton Foundation, in effect, the Clin- was allowed to know the program ex- collusion between Donald Trump and tons hit the Russian megalottery—the isted, and disclosing the program’s ex- the Russians, it was a mistake for him megamillions lottery from Russia. istence to someone outside that circle to leak out that night that now he is could send him to prison. In fact, there b 1930 investigating the President for ob- was only one person in government struction of justice. As I understand, $145 million or so to whom he could confide in and trust: Why would he do that? the Clinton Foundation, in effect, the Bob Mueller.’’ So he wouldn’t get fired, because Clintons hit the Russian mega lottery; ‘‘Comey thought, ‘A freight train is there was no purpose in his investiga- the megamillions lottery from Russia, heading down the tracks, about to de- tion. and just a little tease was the half-a- rail me, my family, and my career.’ He Why would he indict people when he million-dollar fee for just giving one glanced to his left at his fellow pas- did? little, short speech by Bill Clinton. senger, thinking, ‘At least Bob Mueller Because even The Wall Street Jour- But if we look back at what has gone will be standing on the tracks with nal and others around this town began on, just look at some of the facts, it me.’ ’’ to say: Do you know what? Mueller was shocking that FBI Director Comey ‘‘The crisis over, Comey and Mueller really should resign. did not have Cheryl Mills interviewed. shared a dark laugh.’’ He had to get those indictments out She was Clinton’s former Chief of Staff Well, it is not quite so amusing when quick so people would not keep calling at the State Department. Now we are you look at the stakes and whether or for his resignation. Well, some of us finding out, well, I guess, gee, if Comey not this little experiment in self-gov- are. We have got to clean this town up, was going to draft a statement saying ernment will continue. For example, and it will start with the resignation of that there was not sufficient evidence we know that Comey admitted in testi- Mr. Mueller and a proper investigation to prosecute Hillary Clinton before he mony before Congress before the Sen- of all of this underlying case involving ever talked to Cheryl Mills or talked to ate that he had leaked information in Comey, Lynch, the Clintons, Russia, Hillary Clinton or followed up on the order to get a special counsel ap- and Rod Rosenstein who oversaw the most critical evidence, then clearly it pointed. That was his dear friend who Russia case before he decided to seal it.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:25 Nov 08, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00064 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K07NO7.120 H07NOPT1 November 7, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H8589 Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the high speaking fees. He kind of brushed and it suddenly changed from being gentleman from Texas, my friend, for it off with a laugh and said: Well, there friendly to the United States to trying his leadership on this issue. I appre- are people who like to hear me speak. to cause us harm. ciate his giving his remarks tonight. Fordham University professor Zephyr The fact is the United States did not Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how Teachout, a highly regarded law pro- remain vigilant. Our foreign policy suf- much time is remaining. fessor who has written extensively fered. We ignored the fact that Russian The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. about political corruption—and she is a interests and goals are not our inter- SMUCKER). The gentleman from Ari- Democrat—said: ests and goals. Nothing demonstrates zona has 13 minutes remaining. As a Democrat, I am concerned about Hil- this more than the Uranium One case. Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield to lary Clinton as a general election candidate. In 2010, the Committee on Foreign In- the gentleman from Florida (Mr. These questions aren’t going away. There is vestments of the United States ap- YOHO). a pattern of foreign donations and speaking proved a partial sale, as you have heard Mr. YOHO. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. fees that the Clinton Foundation and her this evening, of a Canadian company to husband have found their ways to the Clin- BIGGS for putting this very important the Russian-owned nuclear giant ton Foundation. hearing together. I am going to cut Bill Clinton made 13 speeches between 2001 Rosatom. We have heard about all of mine a little bit shorter. and 2012 in which he was paid $500,000 or this. One-fifth of our uranium capacity After the previous election, a lot of more. The interesting part is 11 of those gone. people were angry. They came to our speeches were made after Hillary Clinton be- In the United States, we have been office demanding special investigations came Secretary of State—pay to play. long aware of the fact that the Russian into the Trump campaign and the Rus- Why did the Clinton Foundation change its Government’s request is, among other sia probe. I forewarned them then, and name to the Bill, Hillary, and Chelsea Clin- things, to control the production of en- I will make this prediction now: that if ton Foundation? It is surmised that it was because the pub- ergy, both at home and in other na- it goes there and it leads to the pre- lic and large corporation donors backed tions, and then use that energy as a vious administration or Hillary Clin- away from the questionable, if not unethical, source of leverage during conflicts. ton, are you willing to go down that and possibly illegal activities. Furthermore, striking information rabbit hole? I just want to speak as an American. has been uncovered that Federal agents Here we are today. I think we need to We come up here from different back- used a confidential U.S. witness work- follow this because it has led to that. grounds. I see people who are here to- ing inside the Russian nuclear industry Without going too much into all the night who spoke tonight all from dif- to gather extensive evidence that stuff that has already been said, we can ferent backgrounds. The thing we hear showed Moscow had compromised an talk about how the Obama administra- about over and over again is that we American uranium trucking firm with tion approved the sale of the Canadian want transparency and accountability. bribes and kickbacks, all, of course, in mining company with significant U.S. We demand that, but we never see it. violation of the law. uranium reserves to a firm owned by a So as these investigations go forward, Rather than bringing these charges Russian Government. The NRC, the my hope is that there is a conclusion up, however, the FBI kept this secret. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, as- to an investigation and that the people They didn’t tell anyone about it for 4 sured Congress and the public the new who broke the law are held accountable years. That is unacceptable. We need to owners could not export any raw nu- so that we don’t have to talk about an- know why the FBI didn’t share this in- clear material from the American other investigation that spends the formation. Why was this crucial infor- shores. No uranium produced at either American taxpayers’ money without mation about Russia’s actions in our facility may be exported, the NRC de- somebody paying the price for mis- nuclear energy sector not shared? This clared November 2010 in a press release. representing the American people and is absolutely unacceptable. We found out that is not true. turning over strategic products of this Then, as we have been hearing to- As has been brought up, over 20 per- country—uranium in this case—to a night, we have the cases where Russian cent of our uranium is going into the foreign entity that doesn’t want the officials spent millions of dollars to hands of Russia. Beyond the mines in best for America. benefit former President Bill Clinton’s Kazakhstan, which are among the most Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gen- charitable family foundation while Hil- lucrative in the world, the sale gave tleman from Arizona for putting this lary was Secretary of State. Russia control of one-fifth of all ura- on and leading this. These are all extremely serious alle- nium production capacity in the U.S. Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate gations, and it is absolutely our re- Since uranium is considered a stra- the gentleman being here and speaking sponsibility to investigate them. There tegic asset with implications for na- tonight. was a fundamental conflict of interest tional security, the deal had to be ap- Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman here, and I think you would have to be proved by a committee composed of from Georgia (Mr. JODY B. HICE), my blind not to recognize that. Our Sec- representatives from a number of good friend who has been waiting like retary of State was making decisions United States Government agencies. patience on a monument. that impacted the entire world while, Among those agencies that eventually Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. at the same time, receiving massive signed off was the State Department, Speaker, I would like to thank my amounts of money from foreign dona- then headed by Mrs. Clinton. Frank good friend from Arizona for holding tions. Giustra, a mining financier, has do- this Special Order. What an incredibly As the Russians assumed control of nated $31.3 million to the foundation important issue. Uranium One, the company’s chairman run by former President Bill Clinton. Over the past year, we have heard was giving tons of money to the Clin- As the Russians gradually assumed nearly on a daily basis accusations of ton Foundation. Of course, none of this control of the Uranium One in three what Russia tries to do to undermine was disclosed as it was supposed to be. separate transactions from 2009 to 2013, the United States. I think most of my So from what we know, the decision Canadian records show how a flow of colleagues would agree that Russia’s to allow the Clinton Foundation to cash made its way into the Clinton actions over the past 2 years, which in- continue soliciting foreign donations Foundation. We could go on and on clude everything from cyber attacks to was, at best, naive, if not criminal. about this. supporting Assad’s bloody regime in This seems to be a pattern of the pre- Shortly after the Russians an- Syria, all of it demonstrates that their vious administration. It is absolute nounced their intention to acquire the intention is to disrupt the stability cluelessness and self-interest, at best, majority stake in Uranium One, Mr. both of the United States and the en- perhaps even worse than that. It is Clinton received $500,000 from a Mos- tire world. hardly surprising that Russia believed cow speech from a Russian investment it could pull the wool over our eyes bank with links to the Kremlin that b 1945 with impunity and increased its mali- was promoting Uranium One stock. But here is the deal: none of this hap- cious behavior. Very interesting. I remember when pened overnight. No one in Russia I look forward to this investigation President Clinton was asked about his flipped a switch on their foreign policy going forward, and I thank my friend

VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:25 Nov 08, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00065 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K07NO7.123 H07NOPT1 H8590 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE November 7, 2017 from Arizona for having this Special lican colleagues are so adamant in pur- The President, Mr. ROSS, the Treas- Order. suing Russian influence and, perhaps, ury Secretary, maybe the Education Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my controversial influence in the United Secretary, maybe others. friend from Georgia. States. I am pleased that they are So who is going to benefit from this? Mr. Speaker, how much time is re- doing that. The superwealthy, to the tune of mil- maining? I am also pleased that Mr. Mueller is lions upon millions or hundreds of mil- The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gen- continuing his investigations. I will lions of dollars of the estate tax itself. tleman has 4 minutes remaining. note that there have been two indict- There is much more to that. Amer- Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Speaker, I will do my ments and one guilty plea that have al- ican corporations would see their top best to sum up. ready come forth from his investiga- rating from 39 down to 20. Who is going What you have heard tonight, those tion having to do with people that are to benefit from that? who have been listening, are the out- very, very close to President Trump’s Well, we heard the Treasury Sec- lines of the scandal of our lifetime—the administration. retary say the American workers will. scandal of our lifetime that began in More will come of that, and I cer- Where is the evidence for that? 2009 and proceeded forth even to revela- tainly hope our Republican friends will There is no evidence for that, none at tions in the last 36 hours of Mr. Comey continue to focus on the fact that Rus- all; in fact, quite the contrary. The changing the wording in his draft from sia is playing very serious and, quite Treasury Department’s own tax anal- the statutory culpable mental state re- possibly, illegal games or activities ysis section says that 70 percent of the quirement of gross negligence to mere- here in the United States. after-profit taxes now go to, guess who. ly carelessness. We will carry on. I firmly believe Stockholders and executives, not to That is a huge change as he prepared that Mr. Mueller is not about to resign the workers. his draft report on Mrs. Clinton and or be fired. If he were to be fired, I It used to be that way back in the the misuse of her email server giving would suspect that there would be far sixties and seventies. Maybe 70 percent access—which we don’t even know. We more serious consequences than the went to the workers, went to increas- don’t have access to that. But you take kind of yapping we just heard for the ing plants and equipment, investments this back from the Uranium One situa- last hour here on the floor. in the United States. It is not that way tion, the transaction that should never Let me go back to my original point, anymore. Quite the contrary. The have happened, the money that which has to do with tax policy. As in- American workers will be left behind changed hands, and you look at the teresting as Russia might be, tax pol- once again by those tax reductions. common thread throughout. icy is going to be far, far more con- That is not to say we shouldn’t re- Well, oddly enough, it is Robert sequential in the long term. Whatever duce the nominal tax rate for corpora- Mueller. Robert Mueller sits today as comes of the Russian situation in the tions. Yes, we should, but we should do the investigator of the supposed collu- election and conspiracies or other it in a way that actually helps Amer- sion between the Trump administra- kinds of conflicts will bear themselves ican workers. It keeps investments in tion and the Russians to influence the out over the next several years or the United States. But, no, not this tax election. months. Tax policy, however, is some- proposal. This one actually creates Oddly enough, it has turned on its thing that America is going to live what is called territorial accounting head. We have found out now that it is with for a long, long time, were it to for international corporations. the DNC and the Hillary Clinton cam- pass. Let’s suppose that you have an inter- paign that was funding Fusion GPS, There are many things we could say national corporation located in Silicon trying to influence the American elec- about it. One is that, yes, the top 1 per- Valley. We have some really big ones torate. It is upside down. cent of America’s wealthiest people— there. Territorial taxes would be that Yet the person who is tied through- you take 360 million of us Americans all of the earnings that that corpora- out all of this is Robert Mueller. He is and take the top 1 percent—are going tion has outside of the United States the guy conducting the investigation. to get 50 percent of all of the tax cuts would be beyond being taxed by the Is there any clearer conflict of interest that are in this multitrillion-dollar tax United States, even though it is an than what we see in this special inves- cut legislation. American corporation that can manip- tigator? So a trillion and a half dollars over ulate the price of its goods and services Again, with my colleagues—I thank the next 10 years to the top 1 percent to actually push, overseas, its profits. all of them who have spoken tonight— ought to really drive up that problem Brilliant. I renew my call for his resignation, that we call income disparity in the You want to bring jobs back to short of that, his termination of em- United States, you know, what we used America? Don’t do territorial tax re- ployment. to talk about: the rich get richer and form. It doesn’t work for the American This is the scandal of our time. It af- the poor get poorer, or that America worker. It works for the stockholders. fects our national security, the views has a real problem with the super- Their stocks and stock prices will go of the American people for justice, and wealthy controlling most of the wealth up. They will be able to receive even our elections. and the rest of Americans really left more benefits. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance behind. That is only $3 trillion over 10 years of my time. So this tax bill is going to make it of reduction for corporation taxes. f even worse. Now, that is really good. Who benefits? How does it do that? Wall Street corporate executives. TAX POLICY Well, let’s see. By eliminating the es- Who loses? The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under tate tax. Yes, five members of Presi- The American worker loses. the Speaker’s announced policy of Jan- dent Trump’s Cabinet, including the One more thing that is on my mind is uary 3, 2017, the gentleman from Cali- President, would benefit in the billions. that I used to hear last year, the year fornia (Mr. GARAMENDI) is recognized You see, the estate tax would be elimi- before last, the year before that—in for 60 minutes as the designee of the nated in just 4 years, about the same fact, for the last two decades—a lot of minority leader. time they would be leaving the admin- talk from about more than half of the Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, I istration. Members of this House of Representa- came here to talk about tax policy, and What does that mean? tives who would talk about the hor- I will; however, having listened for the Well, if you have a billion-dollar es- rible impact of the American deficit last 60 minutes to the most remarkable tate and there is a tax on that, you can and that it would lead to ruin for the admission that Russia is meddling in eliminate the first $10 million, $11 mil- American economy, our grandchildren America in many, many ways, even an lion of that, but you have a 40 percent would be left to pay it off, and all the admission that Russia somehow wants tax on the remainder. Well, that is horrible things that the deficit would to influence America’s elections—in about $400 million in estate tax. bring to the United States, ultimately this case, America’s elections for the Who would have a billion-dollar es- leading to the collapse of the American last year—I am pleased that my Repub- tate? economy.

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