Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024

Floor Speech

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Mr. SIMPSON. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition to the amendment.

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Mr. SIMPSON. Mr. Chair, I guess it is time I got off my rear-end here and talked a little bit.

I want to let people know why I have opposed all the Holman rule amendments that have come before us. I think I screwed up on one and voted the wrong way, but I have opposed all of them for a number of reasons.

The Holman rule was originally put in place and then it was kind of repealed over the last couple of Congresses and then put in place. If you look back at the history of it, through the whole appropriations process, I can only remember one or two times when the Holman rule was actually used. It was used because the individual had committed criminal activity. That is why they cut the salary. Obviously, it didn't pass, but that was the intent behind it.

The second reason is that I question the constitutionality of the Holman rule altogether. We don't have the authority to fire someone in the administration. We don't have the authority to fire them. This is a way to get around that by reducing someone's salary to a dollar. You have essentially fired them unless they can live on a dollar for a year. I don't know many people who can do that. This is a way to get around what our constitutional responsibility is, I believe.

Believe me, I don't always agree. In fact, I seldom agree with the Bureau of Land Management's decisions on a lot of things. Elections have consequences. If you disagree with them because of a policy, why do you think they were hired? They were hired to carry out the policies of this administration. Maybe you don't like those policies. I don't like some of those policies. That is a good reason to get off our rear- ends and make sure that we eliminate this administration about 12 months from now.

It is not a reason to reduce someone's salary because they are implementing a policy for the administration that hired them. That is why I haven't supported any of the Holman rules because nobody stood up here and said they believe they have engaged in criminal activity. I haven't heard it. Until I do, I will continue to oppose these amendments.

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Mr. SIMPSON. Mr. Chair, all I know is if you reduce my salary to a dollar, you effectively fired me.

Mr. Chair, I oppose this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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Mr. SIMPSON. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition.

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Mr. SIMPSON. Mr. Chair, I have listened very carefully so far. So far I haven't heard anything that is not a policy difference. Again, I will repeat: Elections have consequences. Again, I will tell you I don't think this is constitutional. I don't believe it has ever been litigated, but it is a way of getting around the fact that we don't have the ability to fire somebody within the administrative branch of government.

Now, if this had been someone like the EM director who was caught stealing suitcases at airports and that kind of stuff, I have got no problem with that. He needs to be fired, and he was fired.

Nevertheless, so far I haven't heard anything that would indicate that the Secretary is doing any more than carrying out the policies for which she was hired.

Again, elections have consequences.

Instead of doing these types of amendments, why don't we get busy and try to elect a new administration in about 14 months?

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Mr. SIMPSON. Mr. Chair, so far, I have heard accusations, but I haven't heard anything. Has she been convicted of any of this kind of stuff? I don't know. I haven't heard of any of that. Believe me, I disagree with the Secretary on a lot of issues. So far all I have heard is policy.

Mr. Chair, I yield to the gentlewoman from Maine (Ms. Pingree).

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Mr. SIMPSON. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

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Mr. SIMPSON. Mr. Chair, I move that the Committee do now rise.

The motion was agreed to.

Accordingly, the Committee rose; and the Speaker pro tempore (Mr. Rose) having assumed the chair, Mr. Moran, Acting Chair of the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, reported that that Committee, having had under consideration the bill (H.R. 4821) making appropriations for the Department of the Interior, environment, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, and for other purposes, had come to no resolution thereon.

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