On the recordNovember 14, 2023
Mr. Chair, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. This bill perhaps will pass this House. It certainly will not pass the Senate, and it will not see the light of day on the President's desk. We spend our time here arguing a bill that violates the agreement made by 314 of us in this body, 165 Democrats and 149 Republicans. A majority of both parties said that we are going to have a funding level, otherwise known in our jargon as a 302(a) number; we will mark to that number; the Senate will mark to that number; and we will be able to get a bill. We have not done that, nor is there any intention to do that because compromise is out of the question and confrontation is the order of the day. I do not rise solely to talk about this Labor-HHS bill. I rise because I just came from a rally. It was an American rally on behalf of Israel, on behalf of the people of Israel, and in opposition to terror, murder, genocide, and the willingness of some to claim the destruction of Israel and its people as their objective. Yet, what do we do here in the House of Representatives? We sound an uncertain trumpet. If Speaker Johnson, who spoke at the rally today in support of Israel, would bring that bill to the floor to help fund that effort, it would pass with over 400 votes. Yet, it lies slumbering somewhere between the House and the Senate, and the Senate won't consider it. In addition, we are here disagreeing but disagreeing peacefully.…





