Blake Farenthold

I claim the time in opposition. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Texas is recognized for 5 minutes.

This amendment should be roundly opposed for the simple reason it doesn't protect any victims, but it also victimizes local parties in the types of cases covered by the amendment. The purpose of the underlying bill is to allow judges…

This amendment continues to victimize innocent local parties just because they happen to be in an insurance case. The underlying bill is designed to protect folks from being dragged into a lawsuit just to facilitate forum shopping by…

I want to address the fact that there have been numerous hearings on the FACT Act and the problems associated with it. There was one hearing before the Judiciary Committee on the Constitution on September 9, 2011. There were three…

Today I am here to congratulate Calallen High School baseball coach Steve Chapman on his recent induction into the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame. Coach Chapman was born and raised in Hallettsville, Texas. After graduating…

This amendment is unnecessary and confusing. As I am sure my colleague from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee) knows, the Constitution is the supreme law of the land. The First Amendment applies to everybody in this country. We couldn't write a law…

In closing, the purpose of the underlying legislation here is to make sure we have a fair process and the Federal Government isn't pushing a point of view, it is listening to all sides. This amendment takes that away. For that reason, I…

At the risk of sounding repetitious, the First Amendment applies to all we do in this body. This amendment is unnecessary. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time. The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the…

I think my colleague across the aisle actually makes the case for me. The executive branch already requires that this work be done by the agencies. Leaving behind the constitutional authority of this body to direct that happen in the…

I claim the time in opposition. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Texas is recognized for 5 minutes. =========================== NOTE =========================== March 2, 2017, on page H1482, the following appeared: Mr…

I come back to the purpose of this bill: we want our regulatory agencies to be neutral. They propose a rule, they have done the research, and they have done the science. They wouldn't be proposing it if they didn't believe that it needed…

We are simply codifying an executive order here, as the gentleman pointed out, but we are adding one more thing. We are adding transparency to it so the American people know what these alphabet soups of government agencies are up to and…

As the designee of the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Messer), I have an amendment at the desk. The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment. The text of the amendment is as follows: Page 4, line 24, strike ``; and'' and insert a…

As a great supporter of transparency, this bill is designed to promote transparency in executive branch agencies. Unfortunately, I think the motion to recommit would actually be violative of the Constitution. The President and the…

I think the utmost clarity is in the First Amendment. I am going to read it here. ``Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the…

This is a simple transparency measure that adds a disclosure requirement under the underlying bill. Understanding which regulations are duplicative or overlapping allows the public to be better informed as they participate in the…

I would just like to point out that Commissioner Pai's release of that information would not be prohibited under this bill. It is not advocacy. It is releasing facts. So it would not be prohibited. Again, the First Amendment already…

I withdraw my point of order. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The point of order is withdrawn.

I reserve a point of order against the motion. The SPEAKER pro tempore. A point of order is reserved. The gentlewoman from Washington is recognized for 5 minutes.

I appreciate my colleague from Texas seeking to make this better, but I am going to have to oppose this amendment. It is confusing, unnecessary, and overly restrictive on agencies. This amendment would create a single definition of three…

You know what? We have got over 1 million pages of regulations. We have got so many laws nobody could possibly know them. I would venture to say there are very few people today who can't go a day without violating some law or some…

There has been 11 years and 1.5 billion spent on an IT system for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and you're still using a paper system there.

As the father of two daughters, I understand the importance of giving a high-quality education to our children. That is why I am here today to bring awareness to National School Choice Week. School choice is a straightforward concept in…

January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month, and I would like to highlight a great organization that is fighting to end this modern day slavery. The New Life Refuge Ministries is working to bring an end to the domestic sex trafficking of…

I congratulate President Donald Trump on his inauguration last week. I look forward to working with him to accomplish many of our shared goals. One of the first goals we must accomplish is the repeal and replacement of ObamaCare, which has…