Bennie Thompson

To say that I appreciate my colleague next door to me citing the section about Federal Labor Relations Authority because that is my reference. It says, ``or successor labor organization.'' And it says in the ``Sunset Provision--The…

Just for the record, nothing in H.R. 1140 restricts the workforce's ability to elect union representation. I want to be very clear on that. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

My constituents are looking to the Federal Government for leadership, guidance, and expertise, and I am sure my colleagues' constituents are, too.

I am concerned the Trump administration has downplayed the threat, overstated how close scientists are developing a vaccine, and silenced experts who disagree with him.

Instead, we must acknowledge the threat and allow doctors and scientists to offer candid assessments of the situation, and direct the Federal response.

The behavior of the Department gives the impression that it is seeking to evade oversight and has something to hide.

Now is certainly not the time to leave Federal agencies engaged in the response short of resources.

This is unacceptable.

Unfortunately, the President appears to prefer chaos to order and political expediency to good government.

This is not only an outrageous lie but also incredibly dangerous.

The President must not shirk his responsibility. The country needs him to step up in a time of crisis.

If we can't trust the Trump administration to be transparent with regular Congressional oversight, how can we trust it to be honest with the American people in a time of crisis?

Unfortunately, the Trump administration has not been equal to the task so far.

They are looking to their Government for leadership and guidance.

Americans are rightfully concerned about the coronavirus that spreads across the globe and claimed the lives of thousands.

A lack of diverse leadership can have a direct, adverse effect on hiring, retention, and promotion of diverse candidates.

It's simply not enough to hire diverse candidates at lower pay grades.

The homeland is best served by a workforce that is representative of our great country.

Just because you are the Government is no reason for me to say I can take your land because I want to build a wall.

I want us to--if we are going to talk about private property rights, let's keep it in the private property rights arena.

If we are the most technologically-advanced country in the world, but we are going to go back to the most primitive method of protection, which is a fence, that is saying that we need to change our modus of operation on a lot of things.

I think that is a fundamental principal of democracy in America that we should never take from anyone.

Worse still, hundreds of border residents will have their private land seized by the administration in order to build Trump's wall.

One of the most wasteful of these policies is his fixation on a boondoggle border wall.

The American public will not be fooled by this President's authoritarian action and word games intended to hide the bad behavior of his administration.