Called wafer thin evidence. This is where impeachment becomes the norm rather than the exception. Thats not how our Founding Fathers intended. They wanted impeachment to be rare. They set a high bar for impeachment. Alleged abuse of power, the first article is not a high crime or misdemeanor. In fact its not even a crime. Since there is no concise Legal Definition of abuse of power the Majority Party in the house can designate nearly any disagreement with the president are now in an Impeachable Offense. The second article produced a similarly dangerous precedent. Its a practice that began with George Washington and its not obstruction of congress. Rather its a function of the essential checks and balances contemplated under the constitution. It is what every Grade School Student in america knows but apparently House Democrats do
not. Let the third branch of government decide to come up they are the referees. The house has never, i repeat never, approved an abuse of Power Roi Obstruction of congresses article of impeachment but that will change today. Today House Democrats are pursuing a wacky constitutional theory under which all four president s could have been impeached. If all of this sounds absurd, Madame Speaker, its because it is absurd. The whole process is absurd and has been from the outset. Heres whats not absurd but rather frightening. House democrats today are setting a dangerous precedent under which no future president will be immune from impeachment and it will forever negatively tarnish the history of this house. I yelled back. Gentleman from new york. Madame speaker, the president has constituted the highest of
high crimes against our country and that was confirmed in president nixons case and again in president clintons. There is no higher crime then present using his office to commit corruptions. I now yield one minute to the gentleman. This july, President Trump blocked 400 million in congressionally approved aid that ukraine desperately needed to defend itself against russia. Because he needed the ukraine to do him a favor first. He asked the president of the ukraine to launch a public investigation into a political rival, military aid and other benefits would only come after. But this is not about a single call or a single transcript, this is about a perfect storm, months of activity directly ordered by the president to his senior cabinet and political appointees, and orchestrated plan demanding a foreign power
or interfere in our democracy. President trump betrayed his Oath Of Office. He has refused to cooperate with a coequal branch of government. That setting the stage for all of our future republicans. Donald trump must be held accountable for his actions and today we sent a clear signal to this president and all future president s, no one is Above The Law. I yield back. Gentleman from georgia. Thank you Madame Speaker. At this time i yield to them settlement from kansas. I write today in opposition to the impeachment of a legitimately elected president of the United States. Enough. Madame speaker, for the love of this country, enough. Enough of this Impeachment Circus and enough of these sham witch hunts. Im voting no because the president has done nothing wrong. The only thing that
President Trump is guilty of is doing the things he said he would do. If my democratic colleagues were honest they would tell us the only thing President Trump is guilty of is not being hillary clinton. The only party guilty of obstruction, abuse of power or whatever focus groups term they are using today is the party on the other side of this aisle. They are obstructing the will of the American People. They are obstructing the very foundations of our country by politically weaponizing impeachment, they have dangerously shattered president , and abuse our constitution. They alone will bear this responsibility. Madame speaker, they will fail. And its no wonder that the American People dont trust this body. Its past time to be done with the circus and get to the work that matters like securing our borders and passing trade deals. I will vote no and encourage this body to move on from this heartbreaking disgraceful day to things that actually matter. I yield back. Gentleman from new york. Madame speaker i now yield one minute to the gentleman from north carolina, mr. Price. Gentleman is recognized. The moment our founders anticipated in establishing the power of impeachment has arriv arrived. The evidence is clear. President trump abused his power by asking a vulnerable foreign leader to investigate both his political rival and a baseless russian conspiracy theory. While Withholding Congressionally appropriated defense aide and a coveted white house visit. He then blocked congressional investigation into these abuses. These abuses corrupted our integrity, our diplomacy and undermined it National Security. We somehow regard constitutional checks and balances is the under struck double underpinnings of our democracy. In fact they are not fixed, they are not indestructible. The president has demonstrated this beyond all doubt. Its up to the congress. The first branch of government, to apply the remedy that the constitution prescribes because the threats to our democracy are real and present. With this vote we are fertile that no one including the president is Above The Law. Gentleman from georgia. Thank you. I yield a minute and after the gentleman from kentucky. Since the beginning of this impeachment inquiry, its been extremely troubling to see the partisan divisive way in which democrats have carried out this entire process. I guess we shouldnt be surprised though. They promised they would unseat this president since the day he took his Oath Of Office. From the start, this has been a
baseless attempt to undo the will of 63 million americans voted for President Trump. I can tell you, the people i represent in kentucky, the very people who voted for this president to enact change and fight for this country are appalled at the mess the actions from House Democrats who have failed to even come close to proving their case. I hope all of my Congressional Colleagues carefully consider the president they are setting by voting in favor of the sham process in these illegitimate articles of impeachment. These articles were written and built on a report that was drafted with by his presumptions, cherry picked witnesses and vastly disputed facts. The president did not commit any Impeachable Offense and its clear for all of us to see
through the now very well known transcript. This rigged process in such a concerning precedent for Impeachable Offenses moving forward and i wholeheartedly oppose these baseless articles of impeachment. I yield back the balance of my time. Sentiment from new york. I now yield one minute from to the gentleman from californ california. Many have lamented that this effort is not bipartisan but that is on my colleagues. Comic they have not the truth, they sought to avoid the truth. Warriors, patriots, Career Diplomats who provided evidence against the president. No House Republican has joined us to demand the documents and witnesses that President Trump has refused to produce. Senate Republican Leaders this week have announced that President Trump himself can set the rules of his own trial and there will be no fact witnesses. Republicans refused to seek the truth and condemn the abuse of power, or to work with us to prevent this ongoing behavior in the future and thats the tragedy of todays event. In our nations history, thousands of americans have gone into battle without reservation to fight for our republic as they still do today. Many have been gravely injured and some have made the ultimate, today in contrast for fear of losing an election, my colleagues will not speak up for the rule of law and the voters made gave them a pass but history will judge them harshly. I yield back. Gentleman from georgia . I yield to the gentleman from georgia. I think my colleagues from georgia and my friend mr. Colleague collins. I rise today not only in it opposition of these articles of impeachment but strong opposition to the process that has brought us to this point. Our constitution and bill of rights are all about process. Our founders knew that a government without constraints could accuse anyone of any crime at any time even without compelling evidence. Thats why the fifth and 14th amendment establish a bedrock principle of innocent until Proven Guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. On November The 14 comments week or pelosi and for the president that the president should prove his innocence. She stated mr. President , if theres anything that could show your innocence you should make that known. That also guarantees that the accused can call witnesses on they behave, could be half of the president was continually denied that right. The 16th Amendment guarantees the right of the president from questioning the socalled whistleblower and his identity has been kept secret. Before you take this historic vote today, one week before christmas, i want you to keep in mind. When was falsely accused of
treason, Pontius Pilate gave the opportunity to face his accusers. During that sham trial, Pontius Pilate afforded more rights to than democrats have afforded this president in this process. Gentleman from new york. Of the president was given the opportunity to come and testify before the Judiciary Committee to send this counsel and question witnesses and he declined to do so. I now yield one minute to the gentleman from michigan. Thank you, Madame Speaker. This is a sad day for our country and for our democracy. The president has abused the powers of his office, Betrayed The Public Trust and undermined Americas National security by pressuring the Foreign Government to interfere in our elections in this moment, and
history of our constitution, its clear. Remedy for such misconduct by a president is impeachment. But sadly the president s misconduct leads us no choice but to follow the constitution. I have two grandchildren. My granddaughter kaitlyn is eight and my Grandson Colin is four. Someday, a long time from now they will ask me about this day. They will ask me about the time a president put himself Above The Law. And they will want to know what i did to stop him. And i will have an answer for them. Today, i vote to uphold the constitution. I will vote to impeach donald trump. I yield back. Gentleman from georgia. Thank you Madame Speaker. It is interesting that the president was supposedly given rights in the judiciary
committee, not a lot of the judgments recognized for a minute and a half. Madame speaker. We are here today because houston grads have spent upwards of 30 million in three years trying to overturn the 2016 election of President Trump and come up with nothing. Because of their radical leftwing democrats are willing to make all future president ial elections and valid until judged worthy by the majority of the House Of Representatives. The president of the United States does not serve at the pleasure of the House Of Representatives. Perhaps the greatest denial of reality regarding President Trump is acknowledging that, under his policies things are actually going much better than they have been decades for working americans. We are a democratic Constitutional Republic in which power throws in from We The People they believe that they
are entitled to rule us even if they have to change the rules to invalidate the real end of the votes of the people of america. That is why the absence of a case does not matter in this charade of impeachment. I believe that the American People recognize and share my urgency about what is at stake. Madame speaker, you and your majority may decide today that i have faith that the American People will decide otherwise next november. The gentleman from new york. I now yield one minute to the gentle lady from washington. Gentle lady is washed i can recognize one minute. Thank you Madame Speaker. I rise today in support of this resolution. After carefully reviewing all of the evidence in the articles of impeachment before us. It is clear that presidency
and Obstructing Congress. I did not come to this conclusion lightly. Its an extremely serious matter. But no president can be allowed to pressure our country with the personal and political gain. His behavior has jeopardized the integrity of our elections, put our National Security at risk and placed his personal interests above those of the American People. His obstruction has prevented the house from conducting its constitutional duty of oversight of the Executive Branch. By failing to upload his Oath Of OfficePresident Trump forces each of us as the members of the House Of Representatives uphold i urge our colleagues to do just that and defend our democracy. I yield back. At this time i yield a minute and after the gentleman from virginia. Gentleman is recognize for a
minute and a half. I oppose this Impeachment Effort and vote no on the articles of impeachment. I represent the Fifth District of virginia was home to so many Founding Fathers who shaped of this great country we live in out today. Thomas jefferson and James Madison are not around to see with their creation has become but i dont think they would be pleased to see congress separating the will of democracy by holding an Impeachment Vote because the democratic parties cannot accept the 2016 election. Instead of wasting the taxpayers time and money on specious investigations we could have legislation to surpass medical billing and saw the litany of other issues americans actually care about. Tomorrow we might have a vote on the usmca which we should have passed months ago would it not have been for the delay be clean democrats. Votes like the one we will take today, the nature and entire process of this proceeding reeks of careers, bureaucrats and
politicians up politics over people. I ran for office and serve my constituents and thats why we are here. To my colleagues who do that, i offer thomas paine. To argue with the person who has announced the voice of reason. Does gentleman yields back. Gentleman from new york. A reminder that the has passed. Prescription drugs, rebuilding infrastructure, taking on corruption and selfdealing in washington. 80 of these bills are languishing on senator mcconnells desk. And, we wish to place on the
record, thats a constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic. Thats defending liberty. The central figure testing americas resolve is not here in washington today but rather the Closeted Villain Sits in m moscw with the kremlin. And they put their own selfish interest over liberty. And as ukraine vends defense or eastern flank, 14,000 people have been killed a persons hand with over 2 million to this place. And we are withholding vital military aid from the ukraine to coerce his interference from mr. Trumps personal gain. Might i end by saying, vote for the articles of impeachment. Thank you Madame Speaker at this time, i yield a minute and after the gentleman from north carolina. Thats an unprecedented process that has been used in the effort. Its a mockery of american justice. In 17881 of our Founding FathersAlexander Hamilton wrote in The Federalist papers, in many cases impeachment will connect itself the preexisting faction. And in such cases there will always the greatest danger that the regulations are more
majority and minority then by real demonstrations of ignorance or guilt. What does this mean . It means that the majority can exert its influence regardless of injustice. In this state hamilton warned us about the danger of mob rule. Democrats had a criminal and have been searching for a crime for three years. But this president has not committed a crime. As a leader of foreign policy, and this is not an abuse of power, this is his job. The only thing thats been instructed is this president s right to due process. I dont blame the president for failing to participate in this, and that is american justice. We have individuals that hate this president more than they love this country. Thank you, i yield back. This is unprecedented and categorical. President trump claims that the house cannot investigate his misconduct outside of impeachment inquiry. He devised congressional subpoenas and then he sues to block third parties from complying fo in such subpoenas. When Executive Branch. Since when can the president being held accountable for his wrongdoing . In his mind, never. I now yield one minute to the Gentle Lea Lady from columbia. Madame speaker, my words are my only remedy today and the people of the District Of Columbia have no vote on impeachment or on any other matter on this for now. I spoke on this floor on the impeachment of president clinton 20 years ago. Trumps impeachment turns on sabotage of National Security to get themselves reelected. Clinton repented, trump insists that he did nothing wrong. Thats a promise to continue his long pattern of abuse of power and obstruction of congress. It is our only recourse. Gentle lady yields back. At this time i yield to the
gentleman from colorado. Thank you Madame Speaker. Today democrats lower the bar for impeachment. Under the standard o a president can be impeached in the absence of crime without due process or asserting a legally constitutionally recognized privilege. They have not been impeached. They use the irs to target his political and opponents. Son later admitted that they used irs as a weapon of political retribution. President john f. Kennedy used the fbi to wiretap and monitor political opponents. Part of president lyndon johns president lyndon johnson, and using the cia to obtain copies of Goldwater Strategies and speeches. President barack obama refused to provide documents to Congress Related to fast and furious. He used National Security agencies to lie about benghazi to win 2012 election and finally it was the Obama Administration that committed 17 violations before the fisa court to spy on Trump Campaign associates. Despite these clear abuses of power, and the framers did not want a low bar for impeachment. They want to congress and the president to work out their differences. When i asked Professor Turley in a Judiciary Committee hearing if any president could avoid impeachment with this low standard, he said no. I yield back. Madame speaker i remind the gentleman that president obama provided thousands of pages of information to congressional
requests that Attorney General Holder and others testified, unlike now. Now i yield one minute to the gentle lady from illinois. Madame speaker, today is a solemn day in america and its a day that none of us hope for. But the events of today are something that each of us were in defense of the execution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic. This is the oath that binds the men and women of the hundred 16th congress as our democracy employs we defend her. A clear and present threat to american democracy, the architect, this was our Founding Fathers greatest fear. I cast a solemn vote for the
many individuals in my district who entrusted me to be their voice in congress. I vote yes for sarah in chicago, doug and kankakee, diana foss more. Yes for kathy, catherine and crete and jimmy and park forest. The facts are simple, the path forward is clear. Impeachment is not an option. No one is Above The Law. Gentleman is recognized for 2 minutes. You know in the navy, we had a saying, bluff. Bottom line up front. Democrats are terrified. They cant beat him on the merits. They have thoughts and feelings and assumptions, rather than relying on facts and law to impeach a duly elected president. Let me be clear. This is nothing more than a political hit job. You know ive been on all sides of the court room. I was a prosecutor in the navy and a Defense Attorney in the navy in the District Judge my hometown. Let me tell you, as a lawyer, i would defend this case every day of the week. As a judge i would dismiss this on day one for lack of merit. There is no prima facie case here. I will tell you who i would prosecute. I would prosecute adam schiff for abuse of power. Why . How about the fact that he used his position of chairman to leak Phone Records of Ranking Member devin nunes . How about less than 48 hours before a hearing . That is the abuse of power. And obstruction. I would prosecute the democrats for obstruction. How about the fact that judiciary democrats voted down my request to subpoena the whistleblower. How about the fact that chairman nadler refused every single republican request, that is obstruction of congress. So let me be clear. Today is nothing more than a political hit job. Thank you, i yield back. Gentleman yields back. Gentleman from new york . Madame speaker, once again i hear a lot of attacks on democratic numbers of congress but not one single word of substantive defense of the president s conduct. I now yield one minute to the distinguished gentleman from virginia, mr. Connelly. Madame speaker, each of us here took an oath to to protect and defend the constitution of the United States. The president and not our political party. Today history will judge. Did we abide that oath to extort a foreign country or investigate a political opponent . To solicit foreign interference in an American Election is an unconstitutional abuse of power. They need to protect against just such abuses to grant the sole power of impeachment to this house. The delicate balance of power, and by obstructing Congress Power to cover up illegal behavior. And constance over complicity. To do the right thing. The gentleman from georgia. Speak out the speakers are not working on the majority side because many of our members have talked about the facts. Lets go over them quickly. No pressure, no conditionality, nothing was ever denied to them when they got through, they got the money and never did anything for it. But that mr. Speaker i yield a minute and a half to the gentleman from ohio, mr. Davis. Gentleman is recognized for a minute and a half. Madame speaker ive heard numerous colleagues say they didnt run for congress to impeach the president. Maybe not originally, in todays vote was inevitable. Many of them campaigned on it. I love this country with the soldiers passion. Not to deny due process to anyone. I came here to solve problems and change the broken status quo. Not to distract or disrupt those like President Donald Trump who deliver on promises to put america back on the path of
peace and prosperity that has made and kept their country free. For months now americans have heard speculation about the president s motives in the ukraine. Despite months of effort, dozens of americans have not seen proof that the president committed a high crime or misdemeanor. And keep it, its a disgraceful and dishonest process and i urge the house to drop these divisive articles of impeachment and get to work for the American People. I yield. Gentleman from new york. Madame speaker, could you tell me how much time both sides have left . Senator from new york has two hours to minutes. Gentleman from georgia has two hours and 3 minutes. Madame speaker i now yield
one minute to the gentle lady from new york. Gentle lady is recognized for one minute. Madame speaker come at the facts are clear. The president of the United States withheld 400 million to an ally of the United States and also held back a white house meeting to compel a foreign nation to investigate his political opponents. At the exact time the president was doing this, ukraine was engaged in the battle for its very existence was one of americas adversaries. Russia. The president abuses his power to pressure a foreign nation to dig up dirt on a political opponent and thats the truth. This was quite simply a geopolitical shakedown. The president then tried to Block Congress from exercising his constitutionally mandated duty to uncover the truth. Every single one of us to date
faces a stark choice. If we choose to turn a blind eye to put political then we are complicit in the subversion of democracy. If we do not hold this President Accountable we have failed the people who sent us here. And we have replicated our own oath to defend the constitution. Hi no one is Above The Law. Thank you. Its my pleasure to yield 2 minutes. Gentleman is recognized for. Madame speaker in three months weve gone from receiving an unsubstantiated to hear a sigh and discredited whistleblower complaint to the production of articles of impeachment against the president of the United States. Not since Andrew Johnson has a house engaged in a partisan political stunt. From the beginning this has been
a sham and the house has been nothing but a star chamber. The democrat majority literally locked themselves in the basement of this building, hiding from the American People. When my colleagues and i refused to stand for it, democrats moved to Public Hearings but denied us questions, denied us witnesses and denied the president any meaningful opportunity to defend himself. With this complete Abuse Of Process the democratic majority has produced the flimsiest and legally unsound articles of impeachment in the history of this nation. Never before has a house reported an article of impeachment that does not allow a legend and underlying crime. This majority will do so today. Read the transcripts, there was no quid pro quo, no bribery, no extortion, no crime and no abuse of power. They dont even allege a crime in her articles of impeachment. The president the president says
its not an Impeachable Offense. You would think the majority would be just fine looking into this matter. Yet they havent moved my resolution asking for an investigation and our subpoenas have all been denied. Hunter biden doesnt get a pass because his dads president. Im proud to have fought against this charade every step of the way and i will probably vote no today. And i yield back. Gentleman from new york. I now yield one minute to the lady from wisconsin. Madame speaker, the facts are uncontestable and the evidence is overwhelming. The president grossly misuse the office of president and obstructed congress and justice requires this impeachment. I feel compelled to respond to the false narrative that the democrats are using this process to overturn an election. You know, i agree. Elections are the appropriate venue for Public Policy disputes. However we are not talking about a Public Policy dispute, we are talking about a president who supported National Security by soliciting interference in our elections. The exact same our Founding Fathers feared. The exact circumstances from which they drafted the impeachment clause. Our democracy, our constitution deserves standing up for. Not donald john trump. And i will leave my colleagues with this last thought as they decide how to cast this historic vote. For what shall it profit a man to gain the whole world to lose his own soul. I yelled back. The gentleman has up and recognize for a minute and a half. This is the day the Founding Fathers feared. When you granted congress the power of impeachment when you have a political department, and and thats how come i cannot how this process is supposed to wo work. Nor is it meant to be used when an election is around the corn corner. That is someone you get have Great Respect for, impeachment is so divisive to the country that unless there is something so compelling and overwhelming, and bipartisan, i dont think we should go down that path because it divides the nation. When we walk out of there tonight we all know how this result is going to go. The democrats the American People are discussed with the United StatesHouse Of Representatives it, and we bring shame upon this body today by
moving forward this impeachment. I go back. Gentleman from new york. Madame speaker i yield one minute to the gentleman from california, mr. Leventhal. Gentleman is recognized for one minute. Thank you Madame Speaker. The facts in this case are as simple as they are tragic. Witness after witness attested to the facts, and no one has credibly refuted them. President trump tried to course the ukraine to interfere in the 2,028 elections. Using the power of his office for personal political gain. By Withholding Aid to the ukraine, the president has endangered our ally ukraine and undermined our own National Security. And when he got caught, the president attempted to cover up the crime and shut down any investigation. By Obstructing Congress. We have overwhelming evidence that this president poses an urgent threat to our elections, to our National Security, and to the rule of law. Congress must vote to impeach him. To protect our Constitutional Republic. There is no alternative. Thank you and i yelled back. Coming from georgia. The only urgent threat to this body is the clock and the calendar and the desire to impeach the president before christmas. With that, the gentleman from tennessee. Today is a sad day in the peoples house. Since donald trump was elected in 2016 the democrats have been on a crusade to stop him. I believe the American People, various people on this earth believe that everyone should be treated equally and under the law, no matter what station you occupy in life. Rich, poor, factory worker, and
this process has been anything but fair. For two years we were told that then candidate donald trump colluded the russians to interfere with the elections. Two years and millions of dollars spent on the mueller investigation, no collusion. He would think after being that wrong that democrats would finally decide to work on the problems. Then we were told that the president withheld money to the ukrainians in a quid pro quo no bribery no abuse of power. To gather information on the political rival. Here are some facts about what happened. The transcript of July 25th PhoneConversation Investigation occurred or was announced, and the money was released. Facts are stubborn things. Im concerned that if we dont impeach this president , he will
get reelected. That Madame Speaker says it all. I yelled back. The gentleman yields back. I yield one minute to the gentle lady from oregon. I take seriously my oath to uphold and defend the constitution and i do not take todays proceedings lightly. The Founding Fathers included the Impeachment Process and the constitution to uphold our values and maintain the checks and balances that are essential to the separation of powers and to the democracy. They knew way back in 1787 that president could abuse the power of the office. In fact they adopted the phrase high crimes and misdemeanors from a phrase that had been used in the English Parliament since 1386 intended to cover situations where an official abused his power and included and disobeying an order from the parliament. Donald trump has abused the power of his office, and he did
this not to help the United States but to benefit himself. Then when Congress Exercise Darkens Comic Constitutional Duties to investigate the wrongdoings, he obstructed the investigation every step of the way. Thats also wrong and also an Impeachable Offense. In our country no one is Above The Law and that includes a president of the United States. I yield back the balance of my time. Gentleman from georgia. Thank you Madame Speaker. I yield a minute and a half to gentleman kelly. December is a great month and there are so many great dates in december. It december 7th, 1941 a horrific act happened in the United States and thats one of President Roosevelt said this is a date which will live in infamy. Today december 18, 2019 is
another date that will live in infamy. Just because you hate the president of the United States, and you can find no other reason other than the fact that you are so blinded by your hate that you cant see straight that youve decided that the only way that we can make sure this president doesnt get elected again is to impeach him. On the floor of the peoples house. The bastian of democracy and liberty in the whole world, we have decided that political power is far more important than principle. I would urge all members of the house to vote no on impeachment, and to look at their voters in the eye and listen. The voters will remember next november what you are doing this december. Thank you mr. Speaker and i yield back. Of their members are reminded to address the remarks to the chair. Gentleman from you know that mike new york. Madame speaker i now yield one minute to the gentle lady from florida. Do we have a republic or monetary. He responded, a republic if you keep it. Madame speaker at the republic is a form of government in which the country is considered a republic matter, not the private concern or property of the rulers. In a Republic No Person is Above The Law. In a republic the president may not abuse his power by withholding critical foreign assistance for his own political gain nor may he stop witnesses from talking. I did not come to congress to impeach a president but i did take an oath to keep the republic for our children and our grandchildren, we should do nothing less. One day, i will tell my grandson that i stood up for our democracy. I will vote yes to impeach the president. And i yelled back. Gentle lady yields back. I yield a minute 40 seconds to the gentleman from wisconsin. The gentleman is recognized for a minute 40 seconds. Thank you. Id like to address why we are here. We are not here because of a misquoted phone call in july of 2019. The Washington Post read an article, the headline had begun the day he was sworn in. The gentleman from maryland earlier today called for impeachment two days before President Trump was sworn in. The gentleman from texas was introducing Impeachment Resolutions two years ago and said President Trump should be impeach so he can get reelected. This impeachment is not about anything that happened on the phone call, this impeachment is about what President Trump has done. The people in this country who are apprehended and dont have Legal Authority fell from
100,000 people and made to under 500,000 in november and you hate them for it. Ben carson thinks that lowincome housing should be used by american citizens and not people who are here illegally and you hate them for it. President trump doesnt want people coming here and going on welfare and you hate them for that. And President Trump at that ripoff trade agreement, and President Trump sides with Law Enforcement instead of terminals and murders dropped a thousand people last year and you hate him for siding with the police. President trump lets christian Adoption Agencies choose who they want to be parents and you dont like them for that. President trump wont let foreign aid go to agencies to perform abortions and you hate them for that. President trumps judges stick to the constitution and his dislike for that. President trump is keeping his Campaign Promises and you hate them for that. Members are once again reminded to keep their remarks to the chair. Gentleman from new york . Madame speaker, we do not hate President Trump but we do know that President Trump will continue to threaten the nation security, democracy and constitutional system. President trump has instead during the impeachment inquiry, and that threatens the next election as well as constitutional democracy. I now yield one minute to the gentle men from california. Gentleman is recognize for one minute. Madame speaker, the House Of Representatives, The Speakers House is vested in the constitution with the power of impeachment to balance the power
of a presidency. The president could exploit his secret Office Without any regard for the law. On January 3rd 2019 every member of the house were north to defend the constitution and this week we are being asked to do just that. When allegations arose that the president tried to coerce a Foreign Government to help undermine the 2020 election, the house carried out its duty to investigate a potential abuse of power. But the president refused to cooperate and forbade his administration from doing so, Obstructing Congress from carrying out our sworn responsibility. If these actions bear no consequence, future president s may act Without Constraint And American Democracy will be at an end. Therefore compelled by my sworn duty to defend the constitution i will vote to impeach the president. I yield back. Gentleman from georgia . Thank you Madame Speaker. I yield to my friend from florida a minute and a half. Gentleman is recognized for a minute and a half. Thank you Madame Speaker. Id like to address my colleagues on the other side of the aisle and reiterate president washingtons warning to the republic 223 years ago. The constitution rightly sets a high bar for impeachment but the integrity of the process also depends on the ability of the legislators to devote their minds, and they give too much latitude and high crimes and misdemeanors for it to be any other way. Simply because there president is a member of the opposite and the opposing party. They forewarned us as a nation at this moment in history. When Political Parties made now and then answer popular ends they are likely in the course of time and things to become potent engines, but cunning, ambitious and, how wise he was to the Republic The Gentleman yields back. John adams warned in a letter to Thomas Jefferson at these risks are unavoidable and might sometimes overlap. You are apprehensive of foreign interference, intrigue and influence. So am i. As often as elections happen, the danger of foreign influence occurs. I now yield one minute to the gentle lady from michigan. Gentle lady is recognize for one minute. Madame speaker, today history is being written and the facts are conclusive. The president attempted to use the power of the powerful office of president to influence our 2020 election. The process, President Trump jeopardize our National Security and our assistant attended to prevent further russian aggression to our region. However as our committees including Government Oversight which i sit on and obtain documents and documents were ordered from the power of his office that the Executive Branch nothing may not participate in the obstructed congressional oversight. Article one provides the House Of Representatives and what did
he have a high. When the framers meant over 200 years ago, they went to Great Lengths to ensure that the future president would be a force answer to their constitutional responsibility. The gentleman from georgia . I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from virginia. The gentle men is recognize for 2 minutes. Its a sad day of for this body. Benjamin franklin cautioned when asked what he had given us, a republic, if you can keep it. They take a step further to losing engaging in an opportunity that they specifically warned against. Thats one partys political game. Our constitution has been a
shining beacon that has charted his course of the last two separate comic centuries. Thats the greatest nation on earth. America has been powered over the years not by government, but by ingenuity, bravery and the faith of its people. Confident in their place as one nation under god, which is individual indivisible and liberty for all. Its We The People who determine our president , not we the Judiciary Committee work with the congress. We see clear proof of the Impeachable Offenses are outlined in article two, section four, treason, bribery or high crimes and misdemeanors that are to challenge the decision of the voters. Recto figurative glass, and we do not have that proof today. There is no safe depository of the powers of society but the people themselves. The remedy is not to take it from them but to inform their discretion by education. And when history looks back on the shameful. For the house it will judge it for what it truly is. The Ugly Hijacking For Constitution and the powers solemnly entrusted to us to engage in a blatantly political process designed to finally achieve what they could not achieve at the ballot box, the removal of the duly elected president. Compelled by my sworn duty to uphold the constitution and for the people, i vote no on impeachment today. I yelled back. Gentleman from new york. Madame speaker i now yield one minute to the gentleman from california. Mr. Hoffman. Madame speaker as we take this almost necessary step of impeaching President Trump my republican colleagues have made up their minds. We cant persuade them to do the right thing so i will address my
remarks to the future. Todays vote will be judged by future generations including my precious children abby and nathan, and may be granted, i could grandkids. Historians will study what members of this congress did when our democracy was tested like never before by a present to personal interest above country and they are not even calling the constitutional impeachment mechanism unconstitutional. Historians will marvel how some members of congress continue to stand by this man. How they put blind partisan loyalty or fear of donald trump about their duty to defend the constitution. How they made absurd partisan arguments to obstruct the proceedings and how pushing back when their party fell under the dark spell of Authority Autism and they embraced it as the
constitution, rule of law and our Oath Of Office me nothing. Madame speaker, for our future generations or children, and that i stand with our constitution with rule of law. I stand up to impeach donald j. Trump. Gentleman is recognize for a minute and a half. Todays vote to impeach the duly elected president of the United States, its truly historical. Every unique place in history is not for the reasons the Democratic Party and Mainstream Media overlords are so desperately trying to convey. Today we will be remembered as the day that the democrats claiming a false moral supremacy over the desire of the American People executed a deliberate and orchestrated plan to overturn a president ial election. It will be the first time in history that a party paraded out
their Ivy League Academics to explain 31 states and 63 Million People that their voice should not be heard it, and why their votes should be counted. I pray for our nation every day but today i pray for our colleagues across the aisle. Who arrived at this partisan and selfdirected work in the road and chose the road never before traveled and one that has a dead end. Donald j. Trump is our president , chosen by the American People. Fair and square. As we say in texas, its a done deal. The democrats attempt to change history will never undo that. So god bless the greatest country in the world, the United States of america. I yield back my time. Madame speaker, i would remind the gentleman that the impeachment causes placing the constitution to protect the make and people in our form of government against the president who would subvert our constitutional liberties in between elections. I now yield one minute to the
distinguished gentleman from texas, mr. Green. Gentleman is recognize for one minute. And still i rise, Madame Speaker. I rise because i love my country. And Madame Speaker, shall any man be beyond justice. This is the justice posed in 1787 by george mason at the constitutional convention. Shall any man be beyond justice . Madame speaker if this president is allowed to thwart the efforts of congress with a legitimate impeachment inquiry, the president will not only Above The Law, but he will be beyond justice. That is beyond justice in this country. In the name of the country and on behalf of the republic and for the sake of many that are
suffering, i vote to impeach and encourage me colleagues to do so as well. No one is beyond justice in this country. I yelled back the balance of my time. The balance i remind that who you think will be reelected. With that i yield one thank you, madam speaker. I will vote against both articles of impeachments. Were without Merit Setting the dangerous precedent for our country. This would subvert the votes of 63 million americans because the president s opponents are frayed that he will win reelection is no excuse for weaponizing impeachment. No president in history has been impeach ten months before an election. Elections are the heart of our