On the recordMarch 9, 2017
Mr. Speaker, this is the final amendment to the bill, which will not kill the bill or send it back to committee. If adopted, the bill will immediately proceed to final passage, as amended. Today, our country is in an era where appropriate ethics and conduct by elected officials is of the utmost importance. I think we can agree that many representatives and others in government have failed to live up to the expectations of the American people. We all have immense responsibility to advocate for our constituents, and it is so important that our work and the work of those in this administration reflect our genuine desire to do well on the part of those we represent. I have heard from literally thousands of my constituents in New Hampshire who are concerned about the President's reluctance to fully give up control of his businesses, his refusal to publicly disclose his tax returns, and the connections between Russia and those in his campaign and the administration. This pattern of nondisclosure and hidden interests in the administration could put our public welfare and, indeed, our national security at stake. Citizens must have all the legal tools at their disposal to push back against improper ethics and crony capitalism at all levels of government, including the highest levels of the Federal Government. This also includes instances in which a business could face unfair competition because conflicts of interest in government provide unfair support to their competitors.…





