Pete Sessions

If you are in business and are not involved in politics, then politics will run your business.

What I am going to promise you is I am going to dive, not back into that issue, but to see where we are going on that progress.

I think that if I were going to be forthright with you, I should accept the challenge to say, how about in just the major bills that come out of committee.

Louise had the opportunity, when she served as chairman, to sit through and try and make wise determinations.

And I want to first thank each of you for being here. I also want to thank Louise Slaughter.

May I inquire as to the time I have remaining. The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Hultgren). The gentleman from Texas has 7\1/4\ minutes remaining.

I would expect at this time that I have no further speakers and will close when given that opportunity.

In fact, in this colloquy, I do have an additional speaker, and then I would choose to close.

We have been talking about thoughtful young members of the Financial Services Committee, who work with people all across the United States who are engaged in financial services to bring more capital to bear, not only for small business…

You just heard from one of our brightest new members of the Committee on Financial Services. This committee is full, on a bipartisan basis, of men and women who care very much about growing our economy. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to…

I appreciate the gentleman from Colorado's not only observations as a business leader from Colorado, but as a member of the Rules Committee. He recognizes the need for ideas to flow up from the industry to Members of Congress, for us to…

The people of the United States want and need a government that works properly, that takes every dollar that it needs but not a penny more, and ensures that its services are second to none.

I must say, I was delighted to hear Mr. Connolly speak very clearly about how important government efficiency and the people's money is.

I would ask an indulgence. It had nothing to do with discrimination. It had to do with a new policy. And it is true that I did rule and put a self-executing rule in that did answer the question about the desire of the committee to handle…

I will concur that I, in fact, did offer in the bill a self-executed portion. Not trying to take advantage of the gentleman, it had nothing to do with the draft. So I will agree that I did take a piece. And to save this body, because a…

I would not stand up here if I were for fear of one second of not being able to understand you and you understand me. I understand you.

Reclaiming my time, that issue was handled--and the gentleman knows this--in committee. I yield to the gentleman.

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 6, after line 25, insert the following (and redesignate the subsequent subsections accordingly): (e)…

If this were at the Department of Justice, would we allow that to happen? Why is this not a bipartisan issue? Why can't we get together and say: Mr. Koskinen, you are the Commissioner of the IRS. We respectfully would like to see you…

This morning, the Rules Committee issued an announcement outlining the amendment process for H.R. 4498, the HALOS Act. The amendment deadline has been set for Monday, April 25, at 3 p.m. For the text of the bill as reported by the…

Well, I agree with that. Once again, I don't ask the question, but the IRS should.

The gentleman makes a very important point. I would respond back by saying it is probably my fault and Members' fault. We do not ask that question. I do not have a determination. I generally do not do a full background check. I do not have…

Yes, sir. In fact, I do. But I also recognize--and the gentleman knows this. You are making a very, very good point. They did not use it for something they were not authorized to do. My point is that I think what we are trying to say is we…

I appreciate the gentleman engaging me in a colloquy. In fact, on a bipartisan basis, that was achieved, and the President of the United States signed the legislation. That was because of the gross examples of the IRS' conduct as it was…

At this time you will see that our Republican Members that will come and speak are men and women not only with extensive legal experience, grounded in the law and the Constitution of the United States but will make their arguments from a…