Support of the measure. Here is the house debate read. To House Resolution 1372, i call up the bill h. R. 8873 and ask for its immediate consideration in the house. The speaker pro tempore the clerk will report the title of the bill. The clerk h. R. 8873, a bill to amend title 3, United States code, to reform the process for the counting of electoral votes and for other purposes. The speaker pro tempore pursuant to House Resolution 1372, the bill is considered as read. The bill shall be debatable for one hour equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the committee on House Administration or their respective designees. The gentlewoman from california, ms. Lofgren, and the gentleman from illinois, mr. Davis, will each control 30 minutes. The chair recognizes the gentlewoman from california, ms. Lofgren. Ms. Lofgren thank you, madam speaker. The speaker pro tempore the house is not in order. The gentlewoman may proceed. Ms. Lofgren thank you, madam speaker. I ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous material on h. R. 8873 into the record. The speaker pro tempore without objection. Ms. Lofgren thank you. I yield myself such time as i may consume. Madam speaker, i rise today in strong support of h. R. 8873, the president ial election reform act. This bipartisan bill is a product of over two years of work. The first on the committee of House Administration and subsequently on the january 6 select committee, working in partnership with representative liz cheney, this has included we had extensive consultation with bipartisan law professors, former judges, and other experts. We have engaged in a fullsome, thoughtful, nonpartisan process, and where ms. Cheney and i didnt always agree, we compromised, in the great tradition of the legislative process. I want to thank my friend, colleague, and the vice chair of the january 6 subcommittee, liz cheney. Her partnership, leadership, intelligence, and frankly, her courage, had been invaluable to the select committees work and to the development of this bill. I want to be very clear. In revising the electoral count act and related laws, that no way condones the actions of the expresident and his allies. John eastman openly admitted that his plan violated the electoral count act. President trump was told the same. But this bill will make it harder to convince people that they have the right to overthrow the election. Heres a few things the bill does. First, this bill reaffirms the Vice President s authority at the electoral count is minute steerial. The Vice President s authority has always been minute stirrial ministerial but as we sought to unlawfully exploit it. The bill will have new electoral counting rules for congress. Previously, just a few members of each house were able to derail the proceedings with frivolous objections. That will no longer be the case. Under this bill, no objection will be heard unless 1 3 of each house supports it, and the only objections that will be permitted are those that are rooted in the constitution itself, a narrow set of issues. The bill also prevents state and local election subversion. For example, governors will be required to submit their states lawful certificate of appointment and federal courts will be empowered to force them to do so if they refuse. Ultimately, this bill is about protecting the will of the American Voters, which is a principle that is beyond partisanship. The bottom line is this if you want to object to the vote, you better have your colleagues and the constitution on your side. Dont try to overturn our democracy. And i reserve the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentlewoman reserves. The gentleman from illinois is recognized. Mr. Davis thank you, madam speaker. I yield myself such time as i may consume. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman may proceed. Mr. Davis i think its important today to begin by taking a step back, provide some important context about the bill were considering today and reestablish some important facts. Election administration and the way elections work is a complicated process. For most of us, this experience typically consists of showing up, casting a ballot, and then digesting new coverage of results. Very few people realize what goes on behind the scenes. But recently, as Election Administration has come into the forefront, theres a lot of people who all of a sudden seem to think that they are an expert on the subject. This includes many people in these buildings and in the press. Many of those folks have never been on the ground in election offices across the country and couldnt tell the difference between an epoll book and a highspeed ballot scanner. Yet, they know their right. This has led to all sorts of rumors, narratives, and misinformation across the political spectrum to percolate within our society. And that has caused people to lose faith in our elections. This is a huge problem. I spent the past few years traveling the country to learn about the to learn about different state election processes and have met with countless republican and democrat election administers. Weve learned about the checks and balances in place. Free and Fair Elections are the bedrock of our democracy, and we must ensure people can have faith in elections, in election processes and outcomes in order for our democracy to continue to thrive. Unfortunately, one false narrative thats been pushed by my colleagues on the other side is that republican members of congress are election subverters or deniers trying to overthrow because of an electoral slate on january 6. This has been fueled by members of the media who dont understand the subject. Theyre claiming this particular action was unprecedented and an affront to democracy. However, so many of them, including powerful Committee Chairs that are in power today have objected in the past. In fact, democrats have objected to every single republican president ial win in the 21st century. Another false narrative is that somehow the legal actions taken by the trump campaign, the rhetoric of former President Trump, republican members of Congress Voting to object to a states electors, and the illegal actions of many people who attacked the capitol on january 6 were all connected in some kind of mass conspiracy by republicans to stage a coup. These two narratives are now presented on a daily basis as though they are fact, but that is quite simply not true. The fact of the matter is there are long standing legal frameworks in place to adjudicate disputes in Election Outcomes that have been used regularly, regardless of party. Theres not enough time to go through all of them but the point is these processes have existed for a long time and they are used frequently and often by candidates of all political stripes. There are checks, balances, and safeguards woven in throughout the system. The goal of every election framework is to ensure the person who takes the oath of office is the one who actually won. Thats true in the states, in the courts, and here in congress. The best news of all is these systems have worked. At the end of the day, the out outcomes were exactly as they should have been. Its why people can and should have faith in our election system. This isnt to say that our system is perfect. Theres always room for improvement. Unfortunately, thats not what is happening here today. The electoral count act has been in place for over a century and directly implements constitutional provisions. Members of all Political Parties have exercised their rights under the law to raise disputes if they determine something may be improper. This is not an affront to democracy. Frankly, its democracy in action. In fact, democrats have quite an extensive history of objecting to the electoral count. Id like to insert into the record a list of over 80 democrats denying Election Results, including many chairs. The speaker pro tempore without objection. Mr. Davis thank you. Including people like chairperson maxine waters, chairman bennie thompson, representative jamie raskin, and many others here today. And again, the result in all of these cases was that our system worked. The house and senate did what they were supposed to do, heard the objections, dispose of them properly, and ultimately certify the lks as originally presented. Objecting does not make you an election subverter or denier. Each member of congress has a constitutional duty to do what they think is best for their constituents. At the same time, democrats were accusing republicans of undermining democracy they themselves were attempting to overturn the results of a duly certified election in is second district. The challenger said she brought the contest to a partisan committee in d. C. Instead of iowa courts, quote, in order to get the result we need, end quote. This was after the state of iowa followed their normal process throughout the election of iowa two. It was recounted. Multiple bipartisan recount boards and duly certified. Yet, this majority orchestrated having their candidate bypass state courts and instead attempted to utilize the house itself to steal a congressional seat to boost their slim majority. This was the single biggest act of election subversion that occurred in the 2020 election cycle and it was carried out by the same people here today claiming that republicans are a threat to democracy. Fast forward to today, democrats are once again attempting to move a major piece of legislation that overhauls a key piece of our election system in a partisan manner behind closed doors. They didnt hold a hearing or a ma markup on this bill. They didnt release legislative text until 24 hours before it was considered in the rules committee. They didnt consult republicans on the committee of jurisdiction despite repeated overtures to work on this important issue. All rebuffed. Why rush such a significant piece of legislation when the next president ial certification wont happen for over two years . Its pretty simple, madam speaker. The midterm elections are just weeks away. The democrats are desperately trying to talk about their favorite topic former President Trump. As someone who voted to certify joe biden as president and who recently lost a primary race to a candidate endorsed by the former candidate, i believe what House Democrats and the 1 6 committee is doing is irresponsible and wrong. They allowed a dislike for one man, donald trump, to cloud their actions no matter the constitution they claim they want to uphold. We need to start being honest with ourselves and the American People and the facts are the president and his Campaign Filing legal challenges in states and federal courts around the country was not improper nor unprecedented. Everyone is entitled to their day in court. Those suits were considered by judges and ultimately rejected. The process worked. The rhetoric of former President Trump following the 2020 election was highly inappropriate. Republican members of congress objecting to a states slate of electors is not election subversion or unprecedented. The actions of the individuals who attacked the capitol on january 6 was wrong. Those individuals should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Democrats have just as long of a history as republicans of challenging and questioning elections, including attempting to overturn a duly certified Congressional Election in iowa. This is not a partisan issue and the process is in place processes in place have worked. In closing, i would just reiterate the peoples faith in our elections is critical to the longterm success of our democracy. Its time for House Democrats to quit playing partisan political games and pushing false narratives just to preserve their own power. It is incumbent upon all of us to be honest and work in good faith and serve the American People, restore faith in our elections, protect our democracy. And i reserve the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from illinois reserves. The gentlewoman from california is recognized. Ms. Lofgren madam speaker, on january 6, the president had whipped up a mob, told them that the Vice President could overturn the election, and a majority of the republicans in this house voted to reject the decision made by American Voters as reflected in the Electoral College for no reason whatsoever other than sham fraud claims. I would now like to yield to the vice chair of the january 6 select committee, ms. Cheney, five minutes. The speaker pro tempore the gentlewoman may proceed. Ms. Cheney thank you very much, madam speaker. I want to begin by thanking the gentlewoman from california, chairwoman lofgren. The chairwoman and i certainly have our disagreements on issues but theres no one i respect more in this body for their diligence, for their commitment, for their expertise, for their commitment to our constitution, to our constituents and to this country. And it has been a real pleasure working with her, as well as the staff of the House Admin Committee and particularly want to mention my counsel on the selects committee, mr. Joe maher, for their tremendous work on this bill. This bill has benefited from a wide range of input from constitution alex pelters, including constitutional experts, including many constitutional conservative experts, jurists and scommers who have work scholars who have worked with us on this bill. Their input has been invaluable. I also want to praise those in the senate who have been working hard on their version of electoral count act reform. Our bill builds on what they have already put forth. Commentary from conservatives on our bill has been exceptionally positive. Here are a few examples. Judge ludig, a widely respected conservative legal expert, wrote that our bill was, quote, masterfully drafted to ensure we never have another day anything like january 6 and to avert future efforts to overturn our nations democratic elections. The wall street Journal Editorial Board offered a range of positive comments, including explaining that the house bill would make it harder, quote, for partisans in congress who want to get cspan famous to lodge phony Electoral College objections. Or for them to raise objections on the house floor because, quote, somebody had a funny feeling about the vote totals in westsoutheastern pennsylvania. The conservative Cato Institute said this, quote in some respects this bill is more conservative and originalist than the existing senate bill. Conservative commentator Quinn Hillier said in the washington examiner, the house bill adds to the work already done by the senate and fills in almost all gaps with admirable and sensible specificity. There are many other examples from conservative commentators as well. I urge my republican colleagues to read those articles and editorials in full. If your aim is to prevent future efforts to steal elections, i would respectfully suggest that conservatives should support this bill. If instead your aim is to leave open the door for elections to be stolen in the future, you might decide not to support this or any other bill to address the electoral count act. January 6, contrary to what my colleague from illinois just said, was not, quote, democracy in action. And our oath of office is to support and defend the constitution, which provides the method by which we elect our president. Legal challenges are not improper. But Donald Trumps refusal to abide by the rulings of the courts certainly was. In our system of government, elections in the states determine who is the president. Our bill does not change that. But this bill will prevent congress from illegally choosing the president itself. As we detailed in our january 6 hearings, a federal judge has reviewed evidence submitted by the january 6 committee and concluded that former President Trump likely violated two criminal statutes when he pressured Vice President pence to reject legitimate state electoral votes in our joint session. Thats what Vice President pence called, quote, unamerican. In our hearings, we have demonstrated that President Trump knew specifically, knew specifically that what he was doing was illegal, but he did it anyway. President trumps conduct was illegal under the existing electoral count act, and it would be illegal under this new bill as well. Our bill reaffirms what the constitution and existing law make plain. The Vice President has no authority or discretion to reject official state electric thunderstorm slates. It electric electoral slates. Those grownltds are limited to the ex glownlds grounds are limited to electric torrell jibility in the 12th amendments requirements for electricker to balloting. Under our system of elections, governors must transmit lawful Election Results to congress. If they fail to fulfill that duty, our bill provides that candidates for presidency should be able to sue in federal court to ensure that states receive congress certification. Finally, our bill makes clear that the rules governing an election cannot be changed retroactively. The constitution assigns an important duty to state legislatures to determine the manner in which the states appoint their electricker toes. But this electors, but this must not be read to allow state legislators to change the rules retroactively to alter the outcome. This bill will preserve the rule of law. The speaker pro tempore the gentlewomans time has expired. Ms. Lofgren i yield the gentlelady an additional minute. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady is recognized for an additional minute. Clayne chain thank you. Our bill will ms. Cheney thank you. Our bill will preserve the rule of law by ensuring that selfinterested politicians cannot steal from the people the gearchlt that our government de guarantee that our government derives the power from the consent of the governed. I urge passage of this bill, madam speaker, and i yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentlewoman yields back the balance of her time. The gentleman from california reserves. The gentleman from illinois is recognized. Mr. Davis madam speaker, at this time id like to yield four minutes to the gentleman from georgia, representative loudermilk. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized for four minutes. Mr. Loudermilk thank you, madam speaker. I do thank my friend, Ranking Member davis, for yielding this time. And i want to address something that i heard just a few moments ago from my colleague from wyoming. Listing off a number of conservative commentators about how great this bill is, and thats why we should vote on it. Well, see, thats the problem of why were here right now. None of those conservative commentators are responsible for cant krafting a vote for casting a vote for something that will affect the future of this country. You see, were here now making a decision now on this issue when we should have been included in this process all along. And im not calling into question whether this bill is good or whether this bill is bad. What im saying is we have not been involved in this process and were being told to just take the word of someone because they call themselves a conservative commentator. But its those of us here that have been elected by the people of this nation that are given the responsibility to analyze these things, to Work Together in a bipartisan manner to come up with what is the best solution for this nation. But that is not where we are. A partisanrun committee is the one who has rushed this bill to the floor and were being told that we need to work on it and its imperative that we as it it now. Now, dont get me wrong. I agree that we all the to take a closer that we ought to take a closer look at the Electoral College act. I agree that we should clarify some of the mechanisms of the act and i certainly agree that we should be working to prevent another breach of security of this capitol as we saw on january 6. With all that said, we cant afford a onesided, nocompromises discussion crafted by a partisan select committee which is what were being presented with this bill. At least from the perception that we have at this moment. So my question is, why now . Why is the january 6 committee chosen this moment to pursue this legislation instead of working together in a true bipartisan manner, engaging republicans and democrats together in a broader perspective . We see the American People are smart enough and they know the answer to this question. The january 6 committee has really wasted more than a year. Instead of looking into how the security of this building was breached, theyve been looking for a year for evidence of some vast conspiracy on january 6, 2021, with nothing to show for it. They spent days falsely accusing myself and some of my other colleagues of wrongdoing in the days prior to the january 6 incident, without producing any substantial evidence to back up their claims. Why . Because it doesnt exist. Now, with midterm elections looming and the prospect of a new majority in the house and the senate, they feel they need to justify the time theyve wasted by inserting themselves into what was once a bipartisan, bicameral discussion of electoral count reform act. In the meantime, House Republicans have taken concrete steps to promote confidence in elections at every level of government. Weve introduced legislation that would reaffirm states constitutional sovereignty over elections rather than trampling it. Weve done this because the American People are tired of hearing about january 6. The American People care about the growing cost of living, the declining economy and the uncontrolled spending which has caused mass inflation. The American People want to be confident that their vote counts in every election, that they can trust the ballot box and their concerns wont be ignored by law makers in washington. Ill close with this. The American People dont need the january 6 committee to tell them whats broken in this country. They look at their declining paycheck, the rising colsaerts of groceries cost of groceries and they see this body focused on the past instead of correcting the future. The speaker pro tempore the gentlemans time has expired. Mr. Loudermilk 30 seconds . Mr. Davis i yield an additional 30 seconds. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized for 30 seconds. Mr. Loudermilk and they see that this body and its reckless spend something why we have record inflation at this moment spending is why we have record inflation at this moment. For that reason i encourage my colleagues, vote no on the president ial election reform act and then lets Work Together on something that will work for the American People. Thank you, madam speaker. And i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. The gentleman from illinois reserves. The gentlewoman from california is recognized. Ms. Lofgren madam speaker, the january 6 committee has as its obligation to recommend legislative changes that would make the country safer. Weve done that. I will say that the partisan split in the House Administration committee has always been six majority three, minority on the select committee. Its not that far off. Seven majority, two minority. We have worked together and i hear. Mr. Davis concern that he didnt participate. It wasnt me. It was leader mccarthy that withdrew his name. Had his name been left in, he would have been a member of the committee and he would have been able to participate in the obligation our committee has underdaiken. With that undertaken. With that, i yield one minute to our majority leader, mr. Steny hoyer. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized for one minute. Mr. Hoyer i thank the gentlelady for yielding. Madam speaker, congress has a sacred duty to uphold our elections and to safeguard our democratic process. I rise in strong support of that mission. I am not surprised that we hear on this floor the rationalization of insurrection. The rationalization of what i believe was treason. And i rise with extraordinary respect for the gentlelady from wyoming, as republican as any member of that side of the aisle, save a willingness to stand and speak truth to power. To honor facts, to honor the constitution. And i applaud her for it. And have deep respect for her willingness to stand up today and for history. The gentleman from georgia called january 6 an the gentleman earlier called january 6 an incident. The Republican National committee passed a resolution almost overwhelmingly that referred to january 6 as a legitimate as legitimate political discourse. See no evil. Speak no evil. Hear no evil. I hear my friend, mr. Davis, speaking about this being a partisan issue. This is an american issue. This is a democracy issue. This is a values issue. And those who come to this well or speak if the floor to try to rationalize the invitation given by President Trump, the incitement stated by President Trump, and the deployment of a mob to fight like hell and stop the steal. I advise my colleagues, i urge my colleagues, look at Vice President gores comments when he lost the election 54. He honored the courts decision. Not because he agreed with it. But because he said it was good for america and our democracy. I call attention to the remarks of Hillary Clinton when she lost to President Trump. That night, knowing that she had gotten three million more votes, conceded because the law is the Electoral College makes that decision. In 1864, despite the turmoil of civil war, president lincoln, president lincoln, president lincoln would be standing with liz cheney if he were on this floor. President lincoln went to Great Lengths to ensure that americans had the opportunity to make their voices heard in a National Election. He argued that, and i quote, free government cannot exist without elections. And that if rebellion could force us to forego or postpone a National Election it might fairly claim to have already conquered and ruined us. Liz cheney has said that. Not exactly those words but exactly the same substance. Of what Abraham Lincoln said over a century and a half ago. We came facetoface with a similar danger on january 6 last year. It was rationalized then. And sadly its being rationalized now. History will judge. The insurrection revealed how a willful and false refusal to accept the certified and judicially confirmed, the gentleman from illinois said wed gone to the court, not we, but the trump administration, went to the courts, and lost time after time after time after time. And to this day, they do not accept what al gore accepted, that we are a nation of laws. Not of one man. There are ambiguities in our electoral system and they can jeopardize our democracy. Thats what this bill is about. Upholding our democracy. Questions surrounding the Vice President s role in counting electoral votes served as a pretense for the ince electionists assault on the capitol. Fortunately, their conspiracy, their plot, failed. In that incident that the gentleman from georgia talked about, Police Officers died. Civilians died. Hundreds were injured severely in that incident. What a polite word for treason and insurrection. That tragic and dangerous episode, however, underscored the importance of clarifying any uncertainties that future malevolent actors could exploit to undermine the will of the American People as expressed through their votes. I went to the Charles County fair last weekend. Went to the democratic booth. And as i always do, i went to the republican booth. And the biggest sign was trump won. We are a nation of laws. Try to respect a nation of laws. The Bipartisan Legislation the president ial election reform act provides the clarity necessary. It reaffirms, as former Vice President mike pence correctly concluded, which is why those incidents were calling for the death of the Vice President with a noose hanging out in front of the capitol and why they were calling for the life of the speaker of the house in that incident. That Vice President concluded he did not have and does not have the authority to delay or reject the counting of electoral votes. Why . Because were a nation of laws. A nation of the constitution. That principle was established in both the constitution and the electoral count act of 1887. Not only would this legislation raise the threshold required to object to a states slate of electors from the ridiculously low one of one house member and one senator, to one third of the membership. At least 152 Million People ought to be given that respect who voted in that election. That at least a third of us would have to rise to overturn their judgment. This bill also restricts the grounds on which objections could be made limiting the ability of members to lodge frivolous and partisan objections. The bill also contains important provisions to restrict the ability of state and local elected officials to undermine or overturn the process of tabulating and certifying results in their jurisdictions. People elect the president. Not state legislatures, not this congress, the American People elect the president. Not only do these measures aline with the overwhelming consensus, not just conservative commentator, but commentators of all stripes, whether ideological or not, they believe this is a good piece of legislation. I share their view. Knowing the individual or group of conspirators no individual or group of conspirators ought to have the power to subvert the will of the American People. I want to thank House Administration chair zoe lofgren and i share the remarks of the gentlelady from wyoming about her integrity and her intellect and her conscientious carrying out of her duties as a member of congress. Indeed, vice chair cheneys work on this bill and the committee will go down as one of the greatest examples of political courage and integrity. Thank you. Similarly, i want to thank chairwoman Carolyn Maloney and her colleagues on the House Oversight and Reform Committee on their work investigating vulnerabilities in our democratic process. We must now come together, not as republicans, not as democrats, not as partisans, but as protectors. We raised our hands and said we would protect the constitution and laws of this nation. This is one of those days that we get to meet that oath. Let me conclude, because not only did lincoln argue that elections were essential to free government, he made clear his belief, quote, elections belong to the people, its their choice, that is what this legislation is about. Stand up for your country. Stand up for the people. Vote for this bill. And i yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back. The gentlewoman from california reserves. The gentleman from illinois is recognized. Mr. Davis may i inquire how much time is remaining . The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from illinois has 17 minutes remaining. The gentlewoman from california has 19 minutes remaining. Mr. Davis thank you. Its always good to follow my good friend, leader hoyer. I appreciate his time here in this institution, hes seen a lot of things happen in the governing of this country. I respect him and his viewpoint. Its frustrating when we also hear comments from my colleague like leader hoyer, january 15 of this year he was quoted in a politico story that he said that President Biden is correct that the mid term elections will be illegitimate if the house doesnt pass the democrats election bills. We have to got to stop. This isnt an american issue. Its not a partisan issue. The processes have worked. I want to know if its an american issue, not a partisan issue, madam speaker, why then were we not even consulted as the committee of jurisdiction minority members . I would have love to have had been able to sit down and come up with, i think, a bipartisan solution. No republican, no republican that i know or that i respect thinks that the violence on january 6, and we all witnessed, is ok. I think it was a terrible day. I think again, anyone who committed those acts, those crimes, should be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. Lets be clear. They broke the law. It doesnt matter what your protesting what youre protesting. If you break the law if you are rioting in the streets, Looting Stores and businesses and committing crimes across this country, that weve seen exacerbated because of the biden administrations lack of effort in enforcing these activities to be adjudicated, you know what, they should be held accountable. Arrest them. Prosecute them. Put them in jail. Leader hoyer also said this bill, this process, should not be about one man. I agree. I agree. But unfortunately, this bill is nothing short of only about that one man. This is too important of an issue to make this about an individual that you may or may not like. That you may or may not want to run for president ever again. This bill, this process, is too important for the future of america. And with that, id also like to insert into the record, since my good friend mr. Hoyer brought up Hillary Clinton, she actually denied the results of the 2016 and 2000 president ial elections and thought there were questions about the integrity of the 2004 president ial elections and said Stacey Abrams would have won the 2018 Gubernatorial Election against brian kemp if it had been fair. So without objection. The speaker pro tempore without objection. Mr. Davis id like to yield three minutes to my colleague from wisconsin, mr. Style. When i saw there was going to be a bill rushed to the house floor with five days left in the house calendar, without a committee hear, i thought maybe the democratic majority would be rushing to the floor a bill to address inflation thats clobbering the American People. No. I thought maybe they would be rushing to the floor a bill to address the crime crisis thats plaguing cities across the United States, but no. I thought maybe thered be a bill rushed to the house floor without a Committee Hearing, 51 hours after the text was introduced, to address the crisis taking place at our border. Millions of immigrants coming into the United States illegally, the fentanyl coming across our u. S. Mexico border and killing thousands of americans. Mr. Steil but no. So whats so important that a bill needs to be rushed to the house floor without a Committee Hearing to review and analyze the bill . Its the president ial reform act. As the Ranking Member on the subcommittee on elections and House Administration i have to admit im disappointed we didnt have the opportunity to thoughtfully review the legislation before us. In fact we havent had a hearing in the subcommittee on elections since july. So i think now is our moment, unfortunately, with only 30 minutes on the minority side, to actually dive in and analyze the legislation before us. With any important piece of legislation, in particular one like this, that impact ours National Elections and the elections of our president , the first question i ask myself is will the bill before us boost peoples confidence in our election process . And the bill fails the test. I highlight in particular section 4 of this bill that gives kanldz dates a loophole candidates a loophole to define what a catastrophic event is which might include a Natural Disaster or a National Health emergency like covid. Why is this so important . The candidate for president could, up to a full day following the election, request an extension for the election by up to five days if they feel there is a, quote, catastrophic event, end quote, that was sufficient to prevent a substantial portion of a states electorate from casting a ballot on election day. The bill doesnt properly define catastrophic event. Often in this body, we take the time in committee and regular order to understand what the terms of the bill mean. To give an opportunity to improve the text, to provide certainty and clarity to the American People going forward. Were let down by the fact that were not following regular process in this case. Instead of continuing to undermine faith in the elections process, we should instead pursue commonsense legislation that supports Election Integrity, respects the constitution, the speaker pro tempore the gentlemans time has expired. Mr. Davis i yield an additional minute to the gentleman from wisconsin. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized for an additional minute. Mr. Steil that respects the constitution and federallyism federalism. Legislation like the american confidence in elections act that Ranking Member davis introduced back in july would be perfect to bring to the floor to enhance the integrity in our elections. We heard earlier the majority leader mention that theres ambiguity in our election system and thats what this is about. Well, if thats what this is about, if we are trying to actually remove the ambiguity in our election system, which is a very worthy cause, why not have a hearing on this bill . I havent yet heard one person from the majority side explain why this bill is being rushed to the floor 51 hours after the text was introduced without using the consideration of the senate bill as the basis of this legislative text. I think that question needs to be answered today. We need to actually dive into what this bill does to actually allow the American People to have confidence in our election system. So i remain disappointed the house did not take the thoughtful approach that the senate takes and i urge my colleagues to vote against the bill. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. The gentleman from illinois reserves. The gentlewoman from california is recognized. Ms. Lofgren madam speaker, just a quick correction. Right now and in the 2020 election, we had states that, gosh, theres fraud, it was completely bogus, but they tried to monkey with the system. This bill prevents that. It defines a Major National disaster as means any natural can at that time if i, including catastrophe, including hurricane, tornado, snowstorm, historically significant widespread flooding, historically significant destructive fire, tidal wave, tsunami, earthquake or volcanic eruption that prevents a large sector of a state from voting enough that it could impact the election. Then it limits how long you could accommodate that disaster and the decision is made by partisans isnt made by partisans, its made by a threejudge federal judges would make that determination. At this point i would like to yield to an esteemed member of the january 6 select committee and that is the gentleman from california, mr. Aguilar. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from california is recognized for how long . Ms. Lofgren pardon me . The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from california is recognized for how long . Ms. Lofgren one minute. Im sorry. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from california is recognized for one minute. Mr. Aguilar thank you, madam speaker. I want to thank chair lofgren and vice chair of the january 6 committee, my colleague from wyoming, liz chaney, for their leadership chaney, for their leadership cheney, for their leadership in bringing this bill to us. I rise today in support of this bill. This bill makes important changes to the laws that govern the cornerstone of our democracy. A peaceful transfer of power. These changes benefit no political party, they do not give political advantage to any particular candidate. This bill simply protects the rule of law from those who would seek to upend it. Our republican colleagues who are opposed to this legislation once again find themselves on the side of violent extremists. Madam speaker, after what we saw on january 6, and what the select committee has demonstrated, that those seeking to overturn the election were exploiting the vulnerabilities in the law, this bill remedies, im not sure how anyone could oppose this piece of legislation. The choice before this body is clear. Protect the rule of law, strengthen the constitution and vote against insurrection. I urge an aye vote and i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. The gentlewoman from california reserves. The gentleman from illinois is recognized. Mr. Davis thank you, madam speaker. I thought the esteemed member from california was going to speak a little longer. Caught me a little bit offguard. I apologize. Im not used to him being that succinct. In pretty much anything he does. But thank you. Id like to take this time to yield two minutes to my good friend, another esteemed member of the institution from the great state of california, mr. Mcclintock. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman has yielded how much time . Mr. Davis two minutes. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from california is recognized for two minutes. Mr. Mcclintock thank you. Madam speaker, the electric thunderstorm electoral count act of 1887 says congress may vote to disqualify electoral votes. It was misused by the democrats in 2016 and by republicans in 2020. Attempting to interfere with the constitutionally required tally of electoral votes. I believe both sides were wrong. Congress has no such power, period. Think about it. Under our constitution if no candidate receives a majority of electoral votes, the election immediately passes to the house and senate. If congress had the power to pass judgment on the validity of electoral votes, it could simply invalidate enough to place the election in its own hands, an obvious conflict of interest. Thats why the constitution clearly mandates that the vote shall be counted in the prenls of the congress presence of the congress. Disputes arising from the conduct of elections are the sole provinls of the courts province of the courts. Does anyone seriously believe that a congress of 535 intenlsly partisan poll intensely partisan politicians is a safe repository for the power to adjudicate the integrity of the vote . Well, neither did the founders. This measure does narrow the grounds upon which the count can be interfered with by the congress, but it still allows congress to invalidate electoral votes. So it does not solve the problem. And it creates new problems by allowing a state to delay its election for up to five days after the rest of the nations vote is already known. Can you imagine the chaos and six withs that would create suspicions that would create . How sad that such an important issue as the electoral count should be handled in so clumsy and a partisan bill as this. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. The gentleman from illinois reserves. The gentlewoman from california is recognized. Ms. Lofgren madam speaker, i am honored to yield one minute to the gentlelady from massachusetts, ms. Clark. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady is recognized for one minute. Ms. Clark thank you, madam speaker, and thank you, madam chair, for yielding. January 6 is one of the darkest days in american history. We now know in great detail how the former president and his cronies were attempting to use the electoral certification process to undermine our democracy. To take away the peoples vote. They tried to delegitimatize a free and Fair Election with their lies, subvert the results certified and sent by the states and pressure a Vice President into rejecting his constitutional responsibilities, all of which erupted in violence, hate and bloodshed right here in hour capitol. We walked through the blood and broken glass right outside of this chamber to cast our votes to uphold our democracy. And today we must vote for the electoral count act to assure that the rule of law and the will of the people will always prevail in this chamber and in this country. Thank you and i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentlewoman yields back. The gentlewoman from california reserves. The gentleman from illinois is recognized. Mr. Davis madam speaker, id like to reserve. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from illinois reserves. The gentlewoman from california is recognized. Ms. Lofgren madam speaker, i yield to the speaker of the house, one minute. The speaker pro tempore the speakers recognized. The speaker thank you, madam speaker. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Madam chair, thank you for your patriotic leadership on the on behalf of the Administration Committee and your Invaluable Service and leader as a member of the select committee on january 6. I thank you for yielding, but i more importantly thank you for bringing this important legislation to the floor. I salute your leadership and that of congresswoman liz cheney, vice chair of the january 6 committee, a principled and courageous voice for people are in our country in our country freedom there our country. This is a manifestation of their courage, patriotism, dperm nation and our Mission Determination and our mission to save american democracy. Thank you, chair lofgren, thank you, vice chair cheney. Is madam speaker, madam speaker, we are really the beneficiaries of such greatness in our countrys history. Our founders, thomas payne said that times had found them to declare independence, to fight a war for independence against the greatest naval power that existed at the time. To win that war under the leadership of our great patriarch seen there, george washington, and then to write our founding documents. Thank god they made them amendable so we could have everexpanding freedom in our country. And one of their documents, early documents, the declaration of independence, has been called by some the greatest document of the millennium, of 1,000 years. Some years later, the unity of the union was under threat. Abraham lincoln, this is long before he was president , Abraham Lincoln delivered a stark warning about the state of our union. Speaking in springfield in 1839, more than two decades before the civil war, he diagnosed a dangerous erosion of our democracy set. Said this. There were pillars of the temple of liberty, lincoln said, referring to the generations of americans who fought for independence and served as living proof of the importance of democracy. He continued, now that they have crumbled away, that temple must fall. Unless we, their desent denlts, descendents, apply their places with other p pillars. His words ring true today as we have a duty to supply new pillars to preserve our democracy. On january 6, 2021, an insurrection erupted at the capitol, seeking to nullify the results of a free and Fair Election. This was a direct assault not only on the capitol but on our constitution, on the rule of law, and on democracy itself. Is the constitution the constitution said that day that the congress would, again, sertsify the election of certify the election of joe biden and Kamala Harris per the constitution. By presenting the Electoral College vote. And so that was an assault on the constitution. That was that day. It wasnt just any day. It was the day that the constitution was supposed to be honored. Now we have a solemn duty to ensure that future efforts to undermine elections cannot succeed. Thats why the house established the select committee on january 6, to find the truth of the attack and ensure that it could never happen again. And since then there have been attempts across the country to nullify future elections. That is why today we are taking an historic and bipartisan lelgtive action legislative action to safeguard the integrity of future president ial elections. The president ial election reform act takes four necessary steps. First, the bill reaffirms, reaffirms that under the constitution the Vice President has no authority to reject a slate of electors or delay the count in any way. This was the heart of the former president s illegal false electoral scheme. Secondly, our bill direct the bill directly limits the type of objections to only those outlined in the constitution, which can be raised during certification. Just cant raise fle and all those that are allowed in the constitution. And all objections would require 1 3 of each chamber to be entertained in a majority and a majority to be sustained. Third, our bill requires governors to transmit lawful Election Results to congress. Lawful Election Resultses to congress results to congress. Or be compelled to by a federal court. Or be compelled to by a federal court. No rogue governor can unlawfully subvert the will of the people. The will of the people, the heart of the democracy. Expressed in the Democratic Electoral process. Fourth, our bill makes Crystal Clear that states cannot change the rules governing an election after the election has occurred. Did you hear that . Cannot change the rules governing an election after the election has occurred. Preventing radical state legislators from attempting to nullify the election. I keep using that word, nullify. These changes are imperative right now, emboldened bijan 6, maga politicians are waging a sinister Campaign Across the country to subvert our future elections. Peddling the big lie, the 2020 election was stolen, assembling an army of operatives to intimidate voters a at the polls and poll workers as well, and even threatening to reverse results for which they disagree. Wait a minute. Were talking about a democracy. Threatening to reverse results for which they disagree. Let me be clear. That is a Kitchen Table issue for families. We must ensure that this antidemocratic plot cannot succeed. Its a Kitchen Table issue because denying the American People their fundamental freedom to choose their own leaders denies them their voice in the policies we pursue and those policies can make a tremendous difference in their everyday lives. On top of which we have a responsibility, we taken a oath to protect and defend the constitution of the United States. This legislation is in furtherance of honoring that oath of office. So that our children, our grandchildren, future generations know that they live in a great democracy that cannot be undermined for political reasons. Madam speaker, every member knows that the january 6 was an aterpt to subvert knock an attempt to subvert democracy. But many across the aisle refuse to admit the truth. They refused to admit the truth that very night with blood on the floor, glass on the floor, all the rest. We came in to honor our constitutional responsibility, overwhelmingly others on the other side of the aisle voted not to accept the results of the people. In the election. Now House Republican leaders are whipping against this necessary measure. To all those who oppose this legislation, i ask you. How could anyone vote against free and Fair Elections . A cornerstone of our constitution. How could anyone vote against our founders vision, placing power in the hands of the people. How could anyone vote against their own constituents, allowing radical politicians to rip away their say in our democracy. Decades after lincolns stark warning, the future he foretold, a crumbling of the pill losers democracy, came to pass with a civil war. And one year into the horror and devastation, president lincoln called on the congress to come together to save the union. In his message, he wrote, this is now, hes president , we shall nobly save or merely lose the last, best hope on earth. We hold the power and bear the responsibility. Lincoln. We shall nobly save or merely lose the last, best hope of earth. We hold the power and bear the responsibility. Today, american democracy, the last, best hope of earth, is again in grave danger and its state is in our hands. I implore every member to heed lincolns words, to stand up for the rule of law and our constitution. And in doing so, we pass on a vibrant democracy for generations to come. America. The beacon of hope in the world. This building, a symbol, a temple of democracy, synonymous with freedom and democracy through the world. Which was assaulted but we must correct. And with that, i urge a resound, bipartisan aye vote on the president ial election reform act, in gratitude to zoe lofgren, chair of the House Administration committee, member of the january 6 committee, and our very distinguished vice chair of the january 6 committee. Thank you for your patriotism, thank you for your leadership, thank you for your courage. I urge an aye vote and yield back the balance of my time. Thank you. The speaker pro tempore the gentlewoman yields back. The gentlewoman from california reserves. The gentleman from illinois is recognized. Mr. Davis madam speaker, can i check how much time i have ag again. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman has 7 1 2 minutes remaining. The gentlewoman from california has 15 minutes remaining. Mr. Davis id like to ask unanimous consent to insert into the record a tweet from Speaker Pelosi on may 16, 2017, that says, our election was hijacked, there is no question. Congress has a duty to protectourdemocracy and physical lowthefacts. Couldnt agree more. We need to follow the facts. And the facts are how can the the speaker asked how can one vote against this bill . How can we vote for a bill that was completely done without any consultation . Heres what i hope, madam speaker. I was actually i was actually comforted somewhat during the rules testimony yesterday when my colleague, chairperson lofgren, mentioned that the goal of the majority is to watch this bill pass, that i have many concerns with, laid those out yesterday, ill lay them out again. But hope the Senate Passes the version that we could have used as the basis and the starting point here in the house, and then we can go to conference committee. Ok. I hope it happens. Im not going to hold my breath. But i certainly hope it happens. And i want to reiterate my desire for that to be a process where we can finally come together in a bipartisan way and again, im cautiously optimistic. With that, i reserve. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman reserves. The gentlewoman from california is recognized. Ms. Lofgren thank you, madam speaker. Just a correction. What i actually said in the rules committee, is i hope we pass this bill, the senate will pass a bill, theyre doing a markup in the rules committee next week. And if they are different theres generally a conference committee. At this point, im honored to yield one minute to the gentleman from new york, mr. Jeffries. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized for one minute. Mr. Jeffries thank you, chairwoman lofgren and vice chair cheney, for their distinguished leadership on this incredibly important issue. I rise in strong support of the president ial election reform act. Our democracy is fragile. Democracy is not a spectator sport. Democracy is not a selfexecuting proposition. Democracy does not simply run on autopilot. It requires all of us to remain engaged, particularly because we are confronting a diabolical adversary who is determined to undermine the principle of free and Fair Elections. Undermine the rule of law. And undermine the peaceful transfer of power. Certainly our democracy is not perfect. But it is worth saving. And that is why its so critically important that we act with the fierce urgency of now to defend the republic against tyranny, protect the principle of free and Fair Elections, and continue americas long, necessary, and majestic march toward a more perfect union. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back. The gentlewoman from california reserves. The gentleman from illinois is recognized. Mr. Davis may i inquire how much speakers the majority has left . Ms. Love again we have several but its ms. Lofgren we have several but its not clear everyone will show up. Were waiting. The spe mr. Davis ok, well reserve. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady from california. Ms. Lofgren im honored to yield a minute and a half to the gentlelady from new mexico, ms. Leger fernandez. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady is recognized for a minute and a half. Ms. Leger fernandez thank you, madam speaker. Thank you so much chair lofgren for the hard work that you and your cosponsor, representative cheney, have done on this bill. I rise today to safeguard a simple yet sacred pillar of our democracy, the candidate who wins the election takes office. Only the voters votes counts and will not be overturned by the Vice President or any state officer or any threats of political violence, threats, intimidation and lies. We cannot let violence undermine over 200 years of a peaceful transfer of power in this country. I rise today to safeguard the rights of every american to have their will reflected in those Public Servants lucky enough to serve them. We must not forget january 6. Our republican colleagues fighting this bill seem to forget that january 6 was a violent day of action. We must pass this bill so that we do not have a repetition of that. Today, i will vote for the president ial election reform act to fulfill a hopeful future for our country. American democracy is the best answer to fulfilling our constitutions promise of inclusion for everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, creed or economic circumstance. A truly inclusive democracy that helps everyone thrive is a constitutional promise we can and must make a reality. Thank you and i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentlewoman yields back. The gentlewoman from california reserves. The gentleman from illinois is recognized. Mr. Davis reserve. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman reserves. The gentlewoman from california is recognized. Ms. Lofgren im pleased to yield one minute to the gentleman from rhode island, mr. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized for one minute. Mr. Langevin madam speaker, i rise today in support of the president ial election reform act. January 6, 2021, will forever be known as one of the darkest days in our nations history, which threatened the very survival of our democracy. Incited by a former president a violent mob stormed the capitol, intent on preventing the peaceful transfer of power on which our democracy depends. Thankfully they failed and Vice President mike pence fulfilled his constitutional couth to oversee the counting of the electoral votes. No matter what President Trump and his cronies claim, the Vice President of the United States has no Legal Authority to reject, delay or otherwise obstruct the counting of electoral votes. Yet there are those who continue to spew the big lie, and undermine the he yit macy of future elections. Today we must reject these dangerous voices and pass the president ial election reform act so we can safeguard our democracy from any attempt to overturn the will of the people. We cam perilously close to losing our democracy on january 6, 2021. Let us come together to protect the rule of law and prevent similar assault on assault on our democracy from ever happening again. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back. The gentlewoman from california reserves. The gentleman from illinois is recognized. Mr. Davis i reserve. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from illinois reserves. The gentlewoman from california is recognized. Ms. Lofgren madam speaker, im pleased to yield two minutes to the gentlelady from wyoming, msf the january 6 committee. The speaker pro tempore the gentlewoman is recognized for two minutes. Ms. Cheney thank you very much, madam speaker. Madam speaker, im struck listening to my colleagues today on both sides of the aisle. And the concept that i think weve got to make sure we never lose sight of is, some things have to matter, and we as individuals determine whether or not our institutions survive. Weve heard consistently since january 6, actually in the weeks just after january 6 we were in agreement. But shortly after that, we began to hear excuses of what happened. We began to hear people defending the indefensible. And i urge my colleagues to recognize that when you defend the indefensible, slowly you chip away at the great foundations of this republic. You chip away at those very things that were sworn to protect. This bill is an excellent bill. This bill is a bill that will help to protect the rule of law. This bill is a bill that will help ensure future elections cannot be stolen this bill will ensure that in the future, the United States congress is very clear that we have a very limited number of objections that can be made if any can be made at all and those are strictly limited to those outlined in the constitution. This bill is a very important and crucial bill to ensure that what happened on january 6 never happens again. It saddens me, madam speaker, that my colleagues on this side of the aisle continue to play politics. I can tell you thats not what were doing on the january 6 committee. My colleagues ought to watch the hearings of the january my collo watch the hearings on the january 6 committee. Were very clear on putting forth what happened and former President Trumps responsibility and role in every aspect of the attack that happened that day. And contrary, again, to the assertions my friend and colleague from illinois made previously, what happened on january 6 was not the normal functioning of our democracy. And President Trump had every right to bring those cases in court, but he did not have the right and it was a fundamental violation of his oath of office to refuse to abide by the rulings of the court. Madam speaker, were a nation of laws, not of men. I urge my colleagues to pass this bill. Its a very good bill. And i yield back. Thank you. The speaker pro tempore the gentlewoman from california reserves. Ms. Lofgren i reserve. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from illinois is recognized. Mr. Davis i reserve. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from illinois chooses to reserve. Ms. Lofgren were prepared to close. So,. Mr. Davis, you can proceed. Mr. Davis i reserve so,. Mr. Davis, you can proceed so,. Mr. Davis, you can proceed. Mr. Davis i would have welcomed an opportunity to work on the electoral count act reforms in a bipartisan way. Just like the senate did. Theres one quote from Ranking Member tom cole that i want to share. Given the majoritys talk about how democracy itself is in peril, dont you think we would be better served to have operated through regular order . With real member buyin on a topic as important to the American People as this one . Thats how the senate handled this task. In a bipartisan manner driven toward finding consensus. While the constitution gives states authority to make and interpret their own state laws, this bill would grant congress Unprecedented Authority to determine what state law. Is second, theres a provision in this bill that gives candidates the ability to broadly define catastrophic events which include major Natural Disasters or acts of terrorism and then use that event to extent balloting after the polls close for up to five days. Think about it. A candidate could pull a pelosi and request a change in the rules supposedly because of the covid19 pandemic. Despite the fact that the majority of the country has moved on, including President Biden, whody claireed the pandemic is who declared the pandemic is over, just to extends voting for five more days for their political benefit. Or remember just last year when President Bidens f. B. I. Labeled concerned parents attending their Childrens School p. T. A. Meetings domestic terrorists. With many polling locations at schools, a candidate could try to claim the parents meeting is a catastrophic event. We also cant forget that Many Democrats have claimed that republicanled states with newly enacted Election Integrity laws like florida are suppressing voters. Could a candidate then try to claim Voter Suppression because they dont like their states laws and then request polls stay open once they see Election Results that arent going their way . Third, this bill would create a new private right of action for all president ial candidates or their electors and significantly expand the scope of the right to tabulate. This creates a big question as to how and if congress has the authority to require candidates to go to federal court to force them to follow state law. I mean, i can just picture the field day election lawyers would have with these provisions. All while creating mass confusion for voters who will question if their vote was even counted. Voters dont need congress to come in and overcomplicate the e. C. A. Process that has worked for the past 135 years. As a reminder, we came back the night of january 6 after the tragic events that we all witnessed here in this capitol, and we certified joe biden as president and Kamala Harris as Vice President. What voters want is to show up on election day, easily cast their ballot, know that their ballot is counted in accord ands with the law and for Election Results to accordance with the law and for Election Results to come in later that night. This bill could very well do the opposite of that. This bill does nothing to prevent another mob from attacking the capitol. Neeghtser mike pence neither mike pence doing what every Vice President in the history has done nor lawful constitutional objections being filed caused a mob to attack. And clarifying those responsibilities wont prevent another mob. Thats why this bill wont even see the light of day over in the senate. And why we should have used the Bipartisan Senate version as a starting point. Maybe then we could actually enact some necessary updates to improve and clarify the certification process and focus on the big unanswered problem. The security of the capitol. Bad actors by definition dont follow the law. So any changes made to the electoral count act arent a silver bullet. As ive been saying this entire congress, we need to be focused on why the capitol was left so unprotected on that day in january. Why was a mob able to breach one of the most significant buildings on our planet . I invite all of my democratic colleagues to work with me to improve the security of this building and the people it holds. That thats how we prevent another attack. I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill because its both bad process and bad policy. The American People deserve better. They deserve to have full confidence in the election process and the outkummels. I yield back outkummels. I yield back outcomes. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentlewoman from california is recognized. Ms. Lofgren may i inquire how much time replains . The speaker pro tempore the gentlewoman has replains . The speaker pro tempore the gentlewoman remains . The speaker pro tempore the gentlewoman has 9 1 4 minutes remaining. Ms. Lofgren thank you. I think its important to talk about the january 6 select committee. Since its creation more that be a Indiana Fever more than a year ago, the select committee has given substantial attention to the issues related to the electoral count act and its need for reform. Lets recall that in addition to finding about all the facts about the events leading up to january 6, the select committee is tasked with recommending changes in the law or in procedures that will prevent such an occurrence in the future. The select committee has devoted multiple public hearings over more than 4 1 2 hours to issues related to the electoral count act and the former president s efforts to overturn the election on january 6. During theres hearings, the Committee Heard from at least four witnesses regarding the Electoral College votes and other issues related to the act. Importantly, conservative judge michael ludig, who was a legal expert, and served in the Reagan Administration and appointed by president george h. W. Bush to the United States court of appeals for the fourth circuit, testified before the select committee that the electoral count act, quote, is not only a work in progress as a country, but at this moment in history an important work in progress that needs to take place. He testified with reference to the electoral count act that, quote, donald trump and his allies and supporters are a clear and present danger to american democracy. Now, why is that . Because even though the presiding officer of the senate, the Vice President , has never had more than a ministerial role to play in the counting of the votes, the former president told people that he could change the outcome. He said so in his speech. He said so in tweets. He threatened the Vice President. And we saw that that armed mob that came here to attack us believed what the former president said. In fact, they read allowed the tweets aloud the tweets as he delivered them and how mike pence had disappointed him. You know, judge ludig said this about the bill that ms. Cheney and i have introduced. Had this bill, the president ial election reform act, been the law during the 2020 president ial election, there never would have been the fateful january 6 that the country witnessed and experienced that day. He also went on to say, this bill is masterfully drafted. Now, why would he say that . Well, it is. But we also sawts his considered judgment and expertise as we crafted this bill. Id like to ask unanimous consent to put in the record his statements on this. The speaker pro tempore without objection. Ms. Lofgren you know, this is a bill that has been well received across the political spectrum. We got a wall street journal report saying the good news is that the house now has a bill to update the 1887 electoral count act and they go on to say theres no excuse for Congress Delay in fixing this invitation to political trouble. I was very happy to get that support from that organization, from the wall street journal. But we also got kudos from cato, that wellknown conservative institution, that they say this bill is actually more conservative and originalist as compared to other measures. Its not every day that the center for American Progress and the Cato Institute see it the same way. But they do in this case. Both organizations right to left agree that this is an appropriate step to take and that it will help make our country safer. I just want to address a couple of other issues before closing. First, its unfortunate that she my friend,. Mmr. Davis, has saidsomething ty inaccurate. In the bill itself, it defines what is a disaster. Its not somebody saying, gosh, theres covid. It is a tightly defined set of catastrophes that will be decided by a federal threejudge panel and would be limited just in time and scope so that people could have their votes cast and counted. I also wanted to address something i think is very unfortunate. The suggestion that somehow i had a role in trying to overturn the election in iowa. Nothing could be further from the truth. The federal contested election act says this, a candidate challenging an election is required within 30 days after the result of their election to file with the clerk and serve upon the contestee written notice of the intention to contest the election. Once thats done, its assigned to the House Administration committee. It wasnt my idea. Thats what our rules say. And theres a process that has to be undertaken. Now, we didnt finish that process because the contestee withdrew, which was her right and, frankly, i was glad that the matter was terminated. But thats just what the law requires. I want to just make a final comment about the objections under this proposed law. Its true that members of both sides of the aisle have randomly obilitied objected to certification of the Electoral College. I think honestly thats unfortunate. But we never saw a majority of one party vote to overturn the election as we did in january 6, 2020. What this bill would do would be to make sure you could never have those kind of objections in the future. We did some research. We believe that under our bill not a single objection in the last 100 years would have been allowed under this bill. The last example was a disagreement in 1873 about whether a candidate who had passed away after the election still qualified as a person for article 2 purposes. That would be covered under the limited set. But this would put an end to using frivolous challenges to the electoral count and thats another good reason why we should pass this bill today. You know, 234 years ago the authors of the federalist paper asked this. Who are to be the electors of the federal representatives, not the rich more than the poor, not the learned more than the ignorant, not the haughty heirs of distinguished names more than the humble sons of obscurity. The electors are to be the great body of the people of the United States. That is the message that resonates to this day. This bill will ensure that the voice of the American People can the final word on the future of our republican. All told, the reforms in this bill confine congress to its true, narrow role in president ial elections under the 12th amendment. I hope and trust that my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will join us in this critical effort to protect american democracy. And to ensure, in president lincolns words at gettysburg, that the government of the people, by the people and for the people long endures. I urge all my colleagues to support this bill the january 6 committee returns wednesday for its ninth hearing, you can watch the hearing live beginning at 1 00 p. M. Eastern on cspan three, cspan now, or anytime on demand at cspan. Org. Cspan is your unfiltered view of government funded by these Television Companies and more, including sparklight. The greatest town on earth is the place you call home. Right now we are all facing our greatest challenge. That his wife sparklight is working around the clock to keep you protected. Sparklight supports cspan as a Public Service along with these other Television Providers giving you a front row seat to democracy. Hazard is a small coal mining town located in the Appalachian Mountains of eastern kentucky. Tonight on q a alan maimon, former reporter with the louisville courier journal. Discusses the opioid academic and recent flooding. Appalachia lags behind the rest of the country and it comes to almost every economic measurement. Eastern kentucky lags behind the rest of appalachia so we are talking about the region of appalachia from a socioeconomic standpoint has struggled the most. Alan maimon tonight at 8 00 p. M. Eastern on cspans q a. You can listen to q a and all podcasts on our free cspan now app. Cspans washington journal, everyday we take your calls live on the air on the days news and we talk about policy issues that impact you. Coming up monday morning, Natalie Andrews congressional reporter for the wall street journal discusses the week ahead for congress. Then American Psychological association ceo talks about recommendations by a Government Task force on anxiety screenings or adults under the age of 65. Watch washington journal live at 7 00 eastern monday morning on cspan or on cspan now, our free mobile video app. During the conversation with your phone calls, Text Messages and tweets. Announcer up next, Justice Elena kagan on threats to democracy and the role of the Judiciary Branch in preserving it during a discussion at Regina University in rhode island