Morelle’s Testimony Before Rules Committee Opposing SAVE America Act

WASHINGTON  – Today, Rep. Joe Morelle (NY-25), the top Democrat on the Committee on House Administration, delivered opening remarks as he testified in opposition to House Republicans’ resolution that calls for enacting the SAVE America Act during a Rules Committee hearing.

The following remarks were prepared for delivery during today’s hearing:

“Thank you, Chairwoman Foxx, Ranking Member McGovern, and Members of the Committee.

“Colleagues, I’ll be honest – I find it puzzling we are here today debating this resolution.

“After zero floor activity for the last five weeks, House Republicans are now bringing to the floor a non-binding resolution calling for enactment of the SAVE America Act.

“And in an ironic twist that would be comical if it weren’t so sinister, this legislation stokes fears of a repressive, totalitarian dictatorship while in the same breath affirms House Republicans’ obsession with destroying Americans’ right to vote.  The same House Republicans that have ceded the entirety of Congress’ constitutional authority to one man.

“Absurd.

“This resolution asks the House to condemn government ownership of private industry. Yet, under Donald Trump, the federal government has spent almost $28 billion acquiring stakes in dozens of private companies. I am a proud capitalist. If my Republican colleagues want to debate socialism, they should start with the shareholder-in-chief in the Oval Office.

“Madame Chair, after hearing from their own constituents about the affordability crisis in America and the corruption in this Administration for the past five weeks, House Republicans are bringing a non-binding resolution to the floor calling for enactment of a bill that has already passed this body.

“A bill that would make it harder for married women and veterans to vote.

“A bill that would essentially gut mail and online voter registration.

“A bill that would force states to hand over voter rolls to President Trump’s Department of Homeland Security.

“Perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised we are here today. Because one thing is clear. As costs skyrocket, Republicans are afraid to face their constituents at the ballot box.

“The White House and Congressional Republicans have failed the American people and the only remaining option is to try to keep Americans from voting at all.

“They want bills like the SAVE America Act to disrupt election administration and keep millions of eligible voters away from the polls.

“The President has issued illegal executive orders to block ballot access for millions of Americans, including an unlawful attempt to weaponize the U.S. Postal Service and eviscerate vote-by-mail regimes in states across the country.

“This Administration has defunded and gutted the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and its support for election administrators.

“And of course, the President and his allies continue to actively spread mis and disinformation about the integrity of our elections.

“But House Democrats will continue to fight back. Because despite these continued efforts by the President and his allies, our elections are safe and secure.

“State and local election administrators, not the President, will continue to run elections across the country.

“The courts will continue to reject unlawful attempts by the Department of Justice to force states to turnover their voter rolls. As of earlier this month, the Department’s record in those cases is now 0-23.

“House Democrats’ objectives are straightforward: every eligible American must have a meaningful opportunity to cast a ballot and those ballots must be counted fairly and accurately.
“There is nothing more important in this moment than our collective efforts to ensure Americans are given every opportunity to render their verdict in November. And despite the best efforts of House Republicans, we are going to make sure that happens.

“Madame Chair, in a recent poll, Congress’ was found to have a 15% approval rating. 15% of the American people approve of the job Congress is doing today. Some might understandably think that number is low, but after participating in this absurd exercise today, I’m surprised it’s that high.

“Because, with due respect to my colleagues on the other side of the aisle—would the symbolic resolution Committee Republicans are seeking to advance today do anything to lower gas prices?

“Would this pure messaging bill do anything to make your groceries cheaper?

“Would this resolution do anything to hold the crooks in the White House accountable?

“The answer is simple—it would not.

“Promises were made to the American people.

“But they have not been kept. The American people deserve better than this.

“I have offered an amendment to this bill that would immediately prohibit Members, officers, and employees of the House from trading stocks and participating in prediction markets – a measure that would actually stop members of this body from profiting off their position in government. I hope the Committee will make this amendment in order.

“And with that, I urge my colleagues to reject this resolution and I yield back.”