Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2024

Floor Speech

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Mr. BURCHETT. Mr. Chair, this amendment is very simple. It deals with a man named Gary Gensler, who is the head of the Securities and Exchange Commission. He has been implementing woke policies and abusing the rulemaking process.

One of the Security and Exchange Commission's primary responsibilities is to protect investors. However, rather than implementing rules to protect and grow investments, which he is supposed to do, Mr. Chair, Gensler is focusing on catering to the leftwing mob. He is forcing companies to prioritize Green New Deal- style climate initiatives and diversity quotas over the interests of investors.

Additionally, Mr. Chair, Chairman Gensler abuses the rulemaking process, for which he has been called on the carpet by both parties. He continues to put forward many highly controversial rules with little time for public comments. During the last Congress, Republicans and Democrats both expressed their concerns, as I mentioned, regarding Gensler's habit of proposing rules without allowing adequate time for public comment.

Biden's Securities and Exchange Commission has proposed nearly twice as many rules as the Trump administration had proposed in the same timeframe. This drastic increase under Gensler's leadership demonstrates where his real priorities lie, Mr. Chair. He is more committed to pushing political agendas on publicly traded companies, which he has no business doing, than performing his official duties as Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Chairman Gensler's insistence on corrupting the rulemaking process to further the Biden administration's radical agenda at the expense of investors contradicts his duties as Chairman of the SEC.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support my amendment in the Financial Services and General Government appropriations bill that reduces Chairman Gensler's salary to $1.

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Mr. BURCHETT. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Womack), my friend and mentor.

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Mr. BURCHETT. Mr. Chair, I yield an additional 45 seconds to the gentleman from Arkansas.

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Mr. BURCHETT. Mr. Chair, I thank my friend and mentor, the gentleman from Arkansas, for his friendship. When I first got here, he was probably one of the most influential people in my life on this floor, so I thank him for that, and I thank him for his support of this amendment.

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

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