Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024

Floor Speech

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Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

This bill perhaps will pass this House. It certainly will not pass the Senate, and it will not see the light of day on the President's desk.

We spend our time here arguing a bill that violates the agreement made by 314 of us in this body, 165 Democrats and 149 Republicans. A majority of both parties said that we are going to have a funding level, otherwise known in our jargon as a 302(a) number; we will mark to that number; the Senate will mark to that number; and we will be able to get a bill.

We have not done that, nor is there any intention to do that because compromise is out of the question and confrontation is the order of the day.

I do not rise solely to talk about this Labor-HHS bill. I rise because I just came from a rally. It was an American rally on behalf of Israel, on behalf of the people of Israel, and in opposition to terror, murder, genocide, and the willingness of some to claim the destruction of Israel and its people as their objective.

Yet, what do we do here in the House of Representatives? We sound an uncertain trumpet. If Speaker Johnson, who spoke at the rally today in support of Israel, would bring that bill to the floor to help fund that effort, it would pass with over 400 votes. Yet, it lies slumbering somewhere between the House and the Senate, and the Senate won't consider it.

In addition, we are here disagreeing but disagreeing peacefully. Unfortunately, the citizens of Ukraine do not have that luxury. They stand. They fight for freedom, for democracy, against a Russian criminal attack on a free and sovereign nation.

What do we do? We argue about a bill that is going nowhere, another uncertain trumpet of our conviction that the defense of democracy and freedom is worthy of our votes.

Mr. Chair, 400 votes for Israel, over 300 votes for Ukraine, and it does not come to the floor.

How strong a voice does America send to not only our enemies but to our allies as to our commitment to democracy, to freedom, and to international law? How muddled our voice seems to be on the international scene.

Mr. Chair, I hope you bring those two bills to the floor, not as a political deal, not as a tit for tat, but as a statement of America that we stand for those who fight for freedom and democracy and a world of law.

Bring those bills to the floor. We have already voted eight or nine times on Ukraine, 300 votes every vote, and Israel, over 400 votes.

Please do that, Mr. Chair. Please do it for our own ideals. Do it for the defense of democracy and freedom and survival in Israel and freedom and democracy and sovereignty in Ukraine. America ought to do no less.

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