On the recordMay 24, 2017
I must say, the gentleman from Florida, who is an honorable man and a friend, and we have collaborated, but his own words transformed what this really was. They persuaded us that by voting for this, we are not voting for a reporting bill. That is just the beginning. My friend from Florida is the one who characterized criminal activity on official time, and unsavory things going on on official time, and allows that to dangle out there as if that characterizes Federal employees generally. I say to any friend--and I thank him for yielding--that has transformed our perception of this bill. This is no longer a simple reporting bill--although technically that is what it is. It is a precursor, apparently, to an assault of Federal employees--and on official time, specifically--and we cannot be partners to that. We cannot be enablers to that. Mr. Speaker, therefore, we must oppose this bill, in light of the context my friend from Florida himself said.
