Press Releases

(As prepared for delivery)

Thank you, Mr. Chairman for your kind words about our dear friend. This room certainly doesn’t feel the same without the inimitable Bill Pascrell. He was one of a kind, with a spirit that they just don’t make anymore. He will be remembered for his courageous fights and his ability to check politics on the dais. Billy could go after anyone and still share a laugh (and maybe a glass of wine) with them later in the day. He was the heart of us, and he is already so deeply missed.

Additionally, Mr. Chairman, Bill Pascrell cared deeply about his hometown of Paterson, and his home state of New Jersey, which 23 years ago today was changed forever. In honor of the 2,977 lives that were stolen from us, including 750 from New Jersey, I ask for a moment of silence as a reminder that we will: Never Forget.

I yield back.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

It’s been 21 months of this Congress, and the American people are left wondering, what have House Republicans done for me?

The answer is nothing. It’s been all chaos, conspiracies, and cuts.

Even in this Committee, months were wasted on a baseless, witch-hunt of a political enemy. Many markups of partisan, extreme legislation that have ended up in a wasteland instead of on the floor.

It’s a simple contrast—the other side can’t string a sentence together on the American people’s biggest pain points while Democrats do something about them. Yesterday, we found out that 50 million Americans have enrolled in health coverage through the ACA marketplaces since 2014. Tangible progress made possible by Democrats with a dream. Yet, in that same decade, all my colleagues can muster are “concepts of a plan”?

When Democrats were in the majority, we acted. The American Rescue Plan, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, CHIPs and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act all stand as beacons of progress, with the results to prove it.

We didn’t get everything done that we wanted to, but we passed more affordable child care and universal paid leave not only out of Committee but also through the House. We hear their pain and we have a plan.

That’s not what’s before us today though. Rather, we have another smorgasbord of bills that I can assure you won’t be making it into law, but may end up as political props meant to distract from a record of inaction. We even have a major plank of Project 2025, proving yet again that it is a blueprint for what they hope to do and a dangerous one at that.

Starting with H.R. 3269, it seems to me that just a week after another horrific school shooting, we cannot be altering the definition of a “firearm.” There are many ways to better support our law enforcement. This bill doesn’t even help state and local police departments’ procurement because they can already purchase these devices free of tax. Altering the definition of firearms, however, opens up even more dangers with ghost guns and 3D printed weapons. It’s also notable that Giffords, Brady and Everytown—the leading gun violence prevention organizations—staunchly oppose this legislation.

There’s also a bill that amends a very commonsense change we made in the American Rescue Plan. I think we can all agree that commerce looks very different today than it did in 2007. The gig economy has boomed, and our laws needed updating. We’ve consistently signaled that we are open to a serious discussion about modifying what we did in that law, but reverting to 2007 law will expand the tax gap even further. It’s irresponsible to let that happen.

Finally, you all know I’m the biggest proponent of “everything has a tax angle” and Mr. Chairman, I welcome any jurisdiction that other committees want to put up for grabs. Today, we get to play the role of Education & Labor and Project 2025, because now we are running school funding through the tax code, and this is a major plank of the extremist manifesto. I staunchly oppose diverting funds from the public school system, by creating a Byzantine system where the Federal government funds private schools, using the tax code as a conduit. We have a responsibility to invest in a public education that serves all and is held accountable for student well-being and success. With this bill, our Majority abandons this responsibility, instead allowing so-called “donors” to profit off the checks they are cutting to private schools.

This Committee should be doing the work of the American people, not for the benefit of taser manufacturers, and private schools.  I’m disappointed that this is how our majority has chosen to prioritize the limited time we have left in this session.

With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

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