Mark Meadows

I acknowledge the, really, unbelievable work of the staff. Many times, as you well know, Mr. Speaker, we will get up and work very hard, but it is the countless hours on behalf of our staff that really allows us to move legislation…

I thank the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings) for his insightful, well-thought-out words on behalf of this bill. Indeed, Mr. Issa and Mr. Cummings have been a moving force and, really, one of the primary forces as to why we are here…

I would like to thank the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney) for her support on this bill. I yield 6 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Issa), who has spent a considerable amount of time not only on the House…

I want to make sure that we are clear that I want you to focus and have your priority on fraud versus on what goes on a shelf.

If you will get your folks to get with us, we will work in a bipartisan way.

But going after fraud is legal.

If we gave you that, you believe that we would be able to not only make a more focused approach on those that are fraudulently trying to game the system.

I do think it would be a deterrent to folks who don't want it traded because their picture is on it.

I want to give them the tools coming out of Oversight and from GAO and the others to say here is how we define the argument.

The farm bill was very specific. It said for you to set up pilots to do that. I voted for the farm bill, and so I know that it's there.

Let me tell you, it is harder to go after the recipient and it is very easy for you to make statements about recipients

Could we get a report like this for every single State where we see the benefits that are being used in other States?

How about you at USDA, Mr. Concannon? Can you get us that?

So as we look at that, Ms. Brown, from a GAO perspective, that type of tool that allows us to track those benefits and where they are being used and perhaps allow for better fraud prevention, is that a tool that you have or is that a tool…

This will not be the last hearing then, and we will have you back.

You have 30 days to address that issue and make a compelling case on why you're not paying it to them to this committee.

But the bad actors, I want to make sure they go home and they go home for good.

Can you in the next 120 days get me an updated report on the trafficking?

And that is precisely why we are having this hearing because it shouldn't be a stigma that everybody is cheating the system.

I mean, if we put forth that any saving from fraud actually went to increase the benefits for some of the others that are receiving it, we would find some real uniform bipartisan support for that.

I want your first priority to be fraud.

I will be brief. The night is getting long, and the committee has done some great work on the underlying bill. This amendment is a commonsense amendment, one meant to provide transparency as it relates to the Army Corps of Engineers and…

I have an amendment at the desk. The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment. The Clerk read as follows: At the end of the bill, before the short title, insert the following: Sec. ___. None of the funds made available by this Act…

My friend opposite--and I say that in the most authentic and complete terms because, indeed, the gentleman is my friend--raises a point of debate about the Constitution and the fact that explicitly in the Constitution, our Founding Fathers…

I would like to thank the gentleman from Utah, Chairman Chaffetz, for his strong statement in support of H.R. 5233, the Clarifying Congressional Intent in Providing for DC Home Rule Act of 2016. As we begin debate on this important bill, I…