Bennie Thompson

And if the committee would like, I can provide you with several other examples of what we are talking about.

Well, that authority is not a Homeland authority, per se, it is vested in another committee.

Oh, absolutely. And it is a matter of function.

I was criticized severely by many of the people in this district, because that to them was wasted Federal dollars.

I thank the gentleman from New Jersey for his cooperation and clarifying these three pieces of legislation.

I thank Mr. Pallone for addressing my questions. While I still have concerns over these measures, I appreciate his willingness to put into the Record these statements and look forward to working with him to clarify expectations going…

Would you agree to work with me to communicate to the Senate and the administration that the intention behind these measures is to have the Secretary of Energy coordinate activities with DHS consistent with the existing cybersecurity…

I thank my friend from New Jersey for that information. To be clear, it is your intention that these measures do not affect DHS' authority under PPD-21, PPD-41, Executive Order 13691, and Executive Order 13636?

I am glad to hear that, without any equivocation, Mr. Pallone fully expects DOE to coordinate with DHS, but that only addresses one of my concerns. My other concern is that these bills do not, in any way, shape, or form, detract from or…

It is never improper for this committee to ask questions of the Department.

Let me be clear: We don't accept.

I'm grateful to Congress for coming together to appropriate funds we States could use to run our elections in a difficult time.

I would rather you give us no funding at all if it means you're going to tell us how to run our elections.

During this time of crisis, Americans are depending on the Postal Service to deliver life-saving prescriptions, essential goods, and importantly, their election ballots.

A key lesson from Hurricane Katrina is that the initial response was hampered by the inept leadership of an inexperienced, unqualified Presidential campaign donor.

No one should be disenfranchised because it is too hard to get to a polling place or because the line is too long.

This must stop. We cannot allow disinformation to divide Americans and destroy our democracy.

One of the things that I am concerned about is all of what we do for November, given the COVID-19 environment, is predicated on our Postal Service being functional.

I don't know any system that can't be improved upon. But, by and large, the Democrats on this committee have supported more funding.

Democracy is not a state. It's an act.

We are less than 100 days away from the election, and House Democrats are working hard to persuade Senate leadership to provide additional election assistance.

We must defend our democracy against adversaries who will use our differences of opinion to sow irreparable division among us.

Democracy is not a state. It is an act.

Reclaiming my time. I look forward to working with the gentleman from Georgia. There is no question that Piney Woods Country Life School is a model for helping shape minds for the future. Their record speaks for itself. The kids who are…

I would like to enter into a colloquy with the agriculture chair, Mr. Bishop of Georgia. Mr. Bishop, I have a concern about the eligibility of Piney Woods School and Farm in Piney Woods, Mississippi, which is the only African- American…