Mark Takano: “I thank Ranking Member McGovern for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I had hoped to rise today to offer an amendment which was a…”

“I thank Ranking Member McGovern for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I had hoped to rise today to offer an amendment which was a clarifying amendment, which would have clarified what the resolution before us today meant by the words ``socialist'' and ``socialism.'' None of us have any objection to, in fact, embrace the whereas clauses that we condemn egregious examples of totalitarian authoritarianism and the excesses thereof. But we are very concerned about what the resolved clause means and the way ``socialism'' is defined. There are many ways to look at socialism. My amendment simply was to clarify that the implementation of any opposition of socialist policy in the United States does not include Federal programs such as Medicare, Social Security, TRICARE, VA Healthcare, the VA Loan program, VA burial benefits, and VA homelessness programs. But you know what? Unfortunately, the Committee on Rules last night blocked my amendment. The rejection of my amendment sends a clear message to the American people under this Republican majority. Social Security and Medicare and veterans benefits are not safe because they construe those to be socialist programs. This resolution being considered today is really ridiculous. It dishonestly conflates any effort to improve the lives of Americans with the violence of totalitarian Communist regimes. Without my amendment, it could only be read as an attack on Social Security, Medicare, and veterans' benefits.…”