Trump Impeachment Vote Debate Transcript – House Debates Impeachment

House Clerks Read Rules of Impeachment Vote & Articles of Impeachment

Susan Cole: (00:08)
House calendar number 63, House Resolution 767, resolved that immediately upon adoption of this resolution without intervention of any point of order, the House shall proceed to the consideration of the House in the House of the resolution House Resolution 755 impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States for high crimes and misdemeanors. The amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the committee on the judiciary now printed in the resolution shall be considered as adopted. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the resolution as amended to adoption without intervening motion or demand for division of the question except as follows: A, the resolution as amended shall be debatable for six hours equally divided and controlled by the Chair and ranking minority member of the committee on the judiciary or their respective designees. B, the question of adoption of the resolution as amended shall be divided between the two articles.

Susan Cole: (01:07)
Section two. During consideration of House Resolution 755 only the following persons shall be admitted to the hall of the House or rooms leading there to: A, members of Congress. B, the delegates and the resident commissioner. C, the President and Vice President of the United States. D, other persons as designated by the speaker.

Susan Cole: (01:30)
Section three. After adoption of House Resolution 755 it shall be in order without intervention of any point of order to consider in the House a resolution of pointing and authorizing managers for the impeachment trial of Donald John Trump, President of the United States if offered by the chair of the committee on the judiciary or his designee. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the resolution to adoption without intervening motion or demand for division of the question except 10 minutes of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the committee on the judiciary. No other resolution incidental to impeachment relating to House Resolution 755 shall be privileged during the remainder of the 116th Congress.

Susan Cole: (02:18)
Section four. The chair of the committee on the judiciary may insert in the congressional record such material as he may deem explanatory of: A, House Resolution 755 not later than the date that is five legislative days after adoption thereof. And B, the resolution specified in section three of this resolution, not later than the date that is five legislative days after adoption thereof.

Speaker 1: (00:00)
Pursuant to House Resolution 767, the House will proceed to the immediate consideration of House Resolution 755. The clerk will report the resolution.

House Clerk: (00:10)
House calendar number 61. House Resolution 755 resolved that Donald John Trump, President of the United States is impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors, and that the following articles of impeachment be exhibited to the United States Senate. Articles of impeachment exhibited by the House of Representatives of the United States of America, in the name of itself and of the people of the United States of America, against Donald John Trump, President of the United States of America, in maintenance and support of its impeachment against him for high crimes and misdemeanors.

Article one, abuse of power. The Constitution provides that the House of Representatives shall have the sole power of impeachment and that the President shall be removed from office on impeachment for and conviction of treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors in his conduct of the Office of President of the United States and in violation of his constitutional oath faithfully to execute the office of President of the United States, and to the best of his ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States, and in violation of his constitutional duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, Donald J. Trump has abused the powers of the presidency in that using the powers of his high office, President Trump solicited the interference of a foreign government, Ukraine, in the 2020 United States presidential election. He did so through a scheme or a course of conduct that included soliciting the government of Ukraine to publicly announce investigations that would benefit his reelection, harm the election prospects of a political opponent, and influence the 2020 United States presidential election to his advantage.

President Trump also sought to pressure the government of Ukraine to take these steps by conditioning official United States government acts of significant value to Ukraine on its public announcement of the investigations. President Trump engaged in this scheme or course of conduct for corrupt purposes in pursuit of personal political benefit. In so doing, President Trump used the powers of the presidency in a manner that a compromise the national security of the United States and undermine the integrity of the United States democratic process. He thus ignored and injured the interests of the nation.

President Trump engaged in this scheme or course of conduct through the following means. One: President Trump, acting both directly and through his agents within and outside the United States government, corruptly solicited the government of Ukraine to publicly announce investigations into, A) a political opponent, former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., and B) a discredited theory promoted by Russia alleging that Ukraine, rather than Russia, interfered in the 2016 United States presidential election.

Two: with the same corrupt motives, President Trump, acting both directly and through his agents within and outside the United States government, conditioned two official acts on the public announcements that he had requested, A) the release of $391 million of United States tax payer funds that Congress had appropriated on a bipartisan basis for the purpose of providing vital military and security assistance to Ukraine to oppose Russian aggression in which President Trump had ordered suspended, and B) a head of state meeting at the White House, which the President of Ukraine sought to demonstrate continued United States support for the government of Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression.

Three: faced with the public revelation of his actions, President Trump ultimately released the military and security assistance to the government of Ukraine, but has persisted in openly and corruptly urging and soliciting Ukraine to undertake investigations for his personal political benefit.

These actions were consistent with president Trump’s previous invitations of foreign interference in United States elections. In all of this, President Trump abused the powers of the presidency by ignoring and injuring national security and other vital national interests to obtain an improper personal political benefit. He has also betrayed the nation by abusing his high office to enlist a foreign power in corrupting democratic elections. Wherefore, President Trump by such conduct, has demonstrated that he will remain a threat to national security and the Constitution if allowed to remain in office, and has acted in a manner grossly incompatible with self-governance and the rule of law. President Trump thus warrants impeachment and trial removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States.

Article two, obstruction of Congress. The Constitution provides that the House of Representatives shall have the sole power of impeachment and that the President shall be removed from office on impeachment for and conviction of treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors. In his conduct of the Office of President of the United States and in violation of his constitutional oath faithfully to execute the Office of President of the United States, and to the best of his ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States, and in violation of his constitutional duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, Donald J. Trump has directed the unprecedented categorical and indiscriminate defiance of subpoenas issued by the House of Representatives pursuant to its sole power of impeachment. President Trump has abused the powers of the presidency in a manner offensive to and subversive of the Constitution in that the House of Representatives has engaged in an impeachment inquiry focused on President Trump’s corrupt solicitation of the government of Ukraine to interfere in the 2020 United States presidential election.

As part of this impeachment inquiry, the committees undertaking the investigation served subpoena seeking documents and testimony deemed vital to the inquiry from various executive branch agencies and offices and current and former officials. In response, without lawful cause or excuse, President Trump directed executive branch agencies, offices, and officials not to comply with those subpoenas. President Trump thus interposed the powers of the presidency against the lawful subpoenas of the House of Representatives, and assumed to himself functions and judgments necessary to the exercise of the sole power of impeachment vested by the Constitution in the House of Representatives.

President Trump abused the powers of his high office through the following means. One: directing the White House to defy a lawful subpoena by withholding the production of documents sought therein by the committees. Two: directing other executive branch agencies and offices to defy lawful subpoenas and withhold the production of documents and records from the committees in response to which the Department of State, Office of Management and Budget, Department of Energy, and Department of Defense refuse to produce a single document or record. Three: directing current and former executive branch officials not to cooperate with the committees in response to which nine administration officials defied subpoenas for testimony. Namely, John Michael Mick Mulvaney, Robert B. Blair, John A. Eisenberg, Michael Ellis, Preston Wells Griffith, Russell T. Vote, Michael Duffy, Brian McCormick, and T. Ulrich Brechbuhl.

These actions were consistent with President Trump’s previous efforts to undermine United States government investigations into foreign interference in United States elections. Through these actions, President Trump sought to arrogate to himself the right to determine the propriety of scope and nature of an impeachment inquiry into his own conduct, as well as the unilateral prerogative to deny any and all information to the House of Representatives and the exercise of its sole power of impeachment. In the history of the Republic, no president has ever ordered the complete defiance of an impeachment inquiry or sought to obstruct and impede so comprehensively the ability of the House of Representatives to investigate high crimes and misdemeanors. This abuse of office served to cover up the President’s own repeated misconduct, and to seize and control the power of impeachment, and thus to nullify a vital constitutional safeguard vested solely in the House of Representatives.

In all of this, President Trump has acted in a manner contrary to his trust as President, and subversive of constitutional government to the great prejudice of the cause of law and justice, and to the manifest injury of the people of the United States. Wherefore, President Trump, by such conduct, has demonstrated that he will remain a threat to the Constitution if allowed to remain in office, and has acted in a manner grossly incompatible with self-governance and the rule of law. President Trump thus warrants impeachment and trial removal from office and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States.

Nancy Pelosi’s Statement

Nancy Pelosi: (00:00)
Colleagues, this morning and every morning when we come together, members rise and pledge allegiance to the flag. Every day, all across America, children in school, members of the military, officials and those civically engaged also pledge allegiance to the flag. Let us recall what that pledge says.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic, to the Republic, for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

The Republic for which it stands is what we are here to talk about today. A Republic if we can keep it. We gather today under the dome of this temple of democracy to exercise one of the most solemn powers that this body can take, the impeachment of the President of the United States.

No member, regardless of party or politics, comes to Congress to impeach a president, but every one of us as our first act as a member of Congress stood on this historic house floor before our beautiful American flag and raised our hands in this sacred oath.

I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic. So help me God.

For 230 years, members have taken that sacred oath, which makes us custodians of the Constitution. When our founders declared independence and established a new nation, they crafted a system of government unlike anyone ever seen before. A Republic starting with the sacred words, we the people. For centuries Americans have fought and died to defend democracy for the people, but very sadly now our founder’s vision of a Republic is under threat from actions from the White House. That is why today, as Speaker of the House, I solemnly and sadly opened the debate on the impeachment of the President of the United States.

If we do not act now, we would be derelict in our duty. It is tragic that the president’s reckless actions make impeachment necessary. He gave us no choice. What we are discussing today is the established fact that the president violated the Constitution. It is a matter of fact that the president is an ongoing threat to our national security and the integrity of our elections, the basis of our democracy. Hundreds of historians, legal scholars, and formal prosecutors regardless of party had stated that the president committed impeachable offenses.

Since today is a national civics lesson, though a sad one, I submit these documents for the record and commend them for students to study.

Madam speaker: (03:10)
Add objection. So order.

Thank you, Madam speaker.

What we are discussing today is the established fact that the president again violated the Constitution. It is a matter of fact that the president is again, an ongoing threat to our national security and the testimony of decorated war heroes, distinguished diplomats and patriotic career public servants, some of the president’s own appointees over the past weeks have told us this.

The president used the power of his public office to obtain an improper personal political benefit at the expense of America’s national security. When a president weakens a democratic ally that is advancing American security interest by fighting an American adversary, the president weakens America. This abuse of power also jeopardizes the integrity of our elections. All Americans agree that American voters should choose our president, not some foreign government.

The founders understood that it is profoundly corrosive for our democracy, for a president to invite interference in our elections. As George Washington, our nation’s patriot under whose gaze, we stand today, warned, “History and experience prove that foreign influence is one of the most painful foes of Republican government,” George Washington.

Sadly, the American people have witnessed further wrongs of the president, which necessitate the Second Article of Impeachment, Obstruction of Congress. When the president’s wrongdoing was revealed, he launched an unprecedented, indiscriminate and categorical campaign of defiance and obstruction.

Never before in the history of our nation have we seen a president declare and act if he is above the law. The president goes even so far as to say and act on this absurdity. When he says, Article Two says, “I can do whatever I want.” No, it doesn’t. That recklessness is a profound violation of the Constitution and our Republic, which endure because of our system of separation of power, three co-equal branches, each a check and balance on the other. A Republic. Again, if we can keep it.

The founder’s great fear of a rogue or corrupt president is the very reason why they enshrined impeachment in the Constitution. As one founder William Davy of North Carolina warned, “Unless the Constitution contained an impeachment provision, a president might spare no efforts or means whatever to get himself reelected.” Another founder, George Mason, insisted that the president who procured his appointment in the first instance through improper and corrupt acts might repeat his guilt and return to power.

We in Congress, Article One the legislative branch, must stand up and make clear to the American people and to all people, that this body still stands by the principles enshrined in the Constitution and defended by generations of Americans.

Last week and observance of the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge, members travel to that hallowed ground to express our gratitude to the heroes of freedom, who sacrificed everything to secure victory of freedom over tyranny, not just for America but for the world. The veterans of that battle who were there in their nineties told us how after the war was won, the Europeans to whom they liberated would ask, “Why did you risk us? You don’t know us and give your lives to save us. We’re not Americans.” And our men would say, “We came here to fight for you, not because you are Americans, because we are Americans.”

As our beloved chairman, Elijah Cummings and oversight committee chair, our North star said, when announcing his support for this action, “When the history books are written about this tumultuous error, I want them to show that I was among those in the House of Representatives who stood up to lawlessness and tyranny.” He also said almost prophetically, “When we are dancing with the angels, the question will be, what did we do to make sure we kept our democracy intact.” Elijah, as you know, has since passed on. Now he is dancing with the angels and I know that he and all of us here are very proud of the moral courage of members, want to honor the vision of our founders for a Republic, the sacrifice of our men and women in uniform to defend it, and the aspirations of our children to live freely within it.

Today, we are here to defend democracy for the people. May God bless America. I yield back the balance of my time.

Jerry Nadler’s Statement

Jerry Nadler: (00:01)
Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Speaker 2: (00:04)
Gentleman’s recognized.

Madam Speaker, the house of representatives must now consider two articles of impeachment against President Trump. The first article charges that the president use his public office to coerce a foreign government into attacking his political rival. The second article charges that the president took extreme and unprecedented steps to obstruct our investigation into his conduct. Taken together the two articles charge that President Trump placed his private political interests above our national security, above our elections, and above our system of checks and balances. After months of series of investigation, there can be no serious debate about the evidence at hand. On July 25th when he spoke to President Zelensky of Ukraine, President Trump had the upper hand. The president through his agents had already demanded that Ukraine announce an investigation of his political opponents. Ukraine needed our help, both military aid, which had been appropriated by Congress because of our security interests and an oval office meeting to show the world that the United States continues to stand with Ukraine against Russian aggression.

President Trump should have been focused on the interests of the American people on that call. Instead, he prioritized his private political interests. President Trump asked President Zelensky for a favor. He wanted Ukraine to announce two bogus investigations, wanting to form a vice president Biden, then his leading opponent in the 2020 election, and another to advance a conspiracy theory that Ukraine not Russia attacked our elections in 2016. Neither requests was premised on any legitimate national security or foreign policy interest. One was intended to help President Trump conceal the truth about the 2016 election. The other was intended to help him gain an advantage in the 2020 election. After the call, President Trump ratcheted up the pressure. He deployed his private attorney and other agents, some acting far outside the regular channels of diplomacy to make his desires clear. There would be no aid and no meeting until Ukraine announced the sham investigations.

To our founding generation, abusive power was a specific, well-defined offense. A president may not misuse the powers of the presidency to obtain an improper personal benefit. The evidence shows that President Trump did exactly that. For this alone, he should be impeached, but the first article also identifies two aggravating factors. When President Trump conditioned military aid on a personal favor, he harmed America’s national security, and when he demanded that a foreign government target his domestic political rival, he took steps to corrupt our next election. To the founders these offenses clearly merited removal from office. The president faces a second article of impeachment for his efforts to obstruct our investigation of his misconduct. The constitution grants the sole power of impeachment to the house of representatives. Within our system of checks and balances, the president may not decide for himself what constitutes a valid impeachment inquiry, nor may he ignore lawful subpoenas or direct others to do so.

Many presidents, including President Trump, have asserted privileges and other objections to specific subpoenas, but only President Trump has ordered the categorical defiance of a congressional investigation. The automatic rejection of all subpoenas. The president is not above the law and he should be impeached for this, as well. Congress cannot wait for the next election to address this misconduct. President Trump has demonstrated a clear pattern of wrongdoing. This is not the first time he has solicited foreign interference in an election, has been exposed, and has attempted to obstruct the resulting investigation. We cannot rely on the next election as a remedy for presidential misconduct when the president threatens the very integrity of that election. He has shown us he will continue to put his selfish interests above the good of the country. We must act without delay. By his actions, President Trump has broken his oath of office. His conduct continues to undermine our constitution and threaten our next election. His actions warrant his impeachment and demand his removal from office. I urge my colleagues to support these articles and I reserve the balance of my time.

Statements from Other Representatives

Doug Collins: (00:00)
Thank you, Madame Speaker. We are here today to enter into a debate that should surprise no one. This has not been a surprise and it’s not even something that we would have not thought about. From the very moment that the majority party in this House won, the inevitability that we would be here today was only a matter of what date they would schedule it, nothing else. In fact, how it even began to look even further was on September 24th. The Speaker announced an impeachment inquiry before even seeing the call transcript that we’re going to hear so much about today. It’s not about what this body can do and its constitutional oath, and there’s been a lot of constitutional and founders thrown around and will be all day to day. But there’s one thing that I will mention all along and that is also the founders were very concerned about a partisan impeachment in which politics of the majority who had their strength can do what they want to do, irregardless of any facts.

In fact, I’ve said it before and I will say it again. I do not believe, no matter what will be said today and even what has been said, this is not a solemn occasion. When you go looking for something for three years, and especially this year since January, you ought to be excited when you found it. But they can’t, because I know what is now happening. It took me last night, but I was thinking about it. Why do we keep calling this a solemn occasion when you’ve been wanting to do this ever since the gentleman was elected. The President came forward and did what he saw fit for the American people, but yet they wanted to impeach him.

It hit me. Now I know. The reason they wanted to is now they’re realizing what I told them and have been telling them for the last few weeks, that the clock and the calendar are terrible masters. The clock and the calendar are terrible masters. They do not care about anything except getting the time done and the calendar fixed. They do not care about facts. They do not care about time and one day the clock and the calendar will hang along this body in a very detrimental way. How do I know this? Because one of our members, [Mr. Lieb 00:02:00], said on the night she was sworn in, “We’re going to impeach.”

Well, you know the rest. In May of 2019 Al Green said, “I’m concerned if we don’t impeach this president he will get reelected.” That is probably the most prescient thing said by the majority in the last year, is they said, “We can’t beat him if we don’t impeach him.” There’s a reason behind this impeachment. Even Speaker Pelosi said it will be dangerous to leave it to voters to determine whether President Trump stays in office.

Really? After we just said the Pledge of Allegiance, we go back to the Speaker’s own words and said it would be dangerous to leave it to the voters. I will tell you right now, Madame Speaker, we on the Republican side have no problem taking our case to the majority and to the people of this country because they elected Donald Trump and it is a matter for the voters, not this house, not in this way, not in the way this is being done. It has trampled everything this House believes in.

I said it yesterday and I believe it to be this true today. I will fight this on process which has been “deplorable,” to use a word of the majority. It has been awful. The calendar and the clock make it impressive that we actually do it quickly. We don’t care about rules. We don’t care about minority hearing days. We don’t care about giving the opportunity for witnesses to be called because the chairman gets to determine what is relevant. Wow, that’s pretty good. Let the accuser determine what is relevant to the one being accused.

The people of America see-through this. The people of America understand due process and they understand when it is being trampled in the people’s House. You see it’s also not a matter of process which will be discussed today. It’s a matter of actual facts. I will fight the facts all day long because what we found here today is a President who did not do as being charged. In fact, they had to go to abuse of power, this amorphous term that you’re going to hear many, many arguments about, how that abuse of power, except for one thing. The call itself, the two parties say, “No pressure. Nothing was ever done to get the money.” In fact, they didn’t even know the money was held.

But there is something that very much bothers me about the facts. There were five meetings, we’ll hear about those today, in which there was never a linkage made. There was one witness that is depended on over 600 times in the majority’s report. That in the end after questioned had to say, “Well, that was my presumption of what was happening.” You see, this is an impeachment based on presumption. This is an impeachment basically also a poll-tested impeachment on what actually sells to the American people.

Today’s going to be a lot of things. What it is not is fair. What it is not is about the truth. What is true today, and I just heard it just a moment ago in the articles themselves where it said, and the Speaker, I believe actually talked about this, is that the president weakened a foreign leader.

You know what the truth of the matter is? That has to be the most interesting and deplorable thing that I’ve heard over the last few weeks, is the actual attack by the majority on President Zelensky because they realize their whole crux of their case is that if he was not pressured, their house of cards falls. And by the way, it already fell. But if we can’t show pressure, then we either have to call him a liar, a world leader, or we have to make up names to call him. And that’s exactly what happened in judiciary committee when a member of the majority actually said he’s acting or they’re comparing him to a battered wife. That is below the dignity of this body, to take a world leader and when he doesn’t make your case for you, to belittle him, especially as it’s going to be often said by the majority, that they’re in the middle of a hot war with Russia.

You see, President Trump actually did give them offensive weapons. President Trump did nothing wrong. We’re going to talk about that all day long today. We went on process and we went on facts. Why? Because the American people will see through this.

But before I close this first part, I will have to recognize that even the Senate, the minority leader in the Senate recognized that the House did not do their job because he can’t make the case to his own members. So he’s having to ask for witnesses, ask for more time. And even yesterday it was sort of funny. I thought it hilarious that minority leader in the Senate went out and did a press conference and said, “They denied my witnesses. They denied my requests.” Well, welcome to the club, Mr Schumer. That’s exactly what’s happened over here for the last three months.

So today we’re going to talk a lot about impeachment. We’re going to talk a lot about our President, and we’re going to talk about two articles of impeachment: abuse of power, because they can’t actually pin anything of factual basis on him. The President did nothing wrong in this issue. And then they’re going to talk about obstruction of Congress. You know obstruction of Congress, as I’ve said before, is like petulant children saying we didn’t get our way when we didn’t ask the right way and we didn’t actually go after and try to make a case. You know why, Madame Speaker? The clock and the calendar are terrible masters and the majority will own that problem today because to the clock and the calendar, facts don’t matter. The promises to the base matter. And today is a promise kept for the majority, not a surprise of fact. And with that, I reserve.

James P. McGovern: (00:00)
Let me, let me thank my friend Mr. Cole for his kind words and I appreciate his leadership in the Rules Committee and the fact that he respects this institution, but Madame Speaker. Let me say again what happened here. The president withheld congressionally approved military aid to a country under siege to extract a personal political favor. That’s a cold hard fact. The question before us comes down to this, should a president be allowed to ask a foreign nation to interfere in an American election?

I remember my first political experience as a middle schooler in 1972 leaving leaflets at the homes of a potential voters, urging them to support George McGovern for president. No relation by the way. I remember what an honor it was to ask people to support him even though I was too young to vote myself. And what a privilege it was later in life to ask voters for their support in my own campaigns. I’ve been part of winning campaigns and I’ve been proud of losing ones too. People I thought would be great presidents like Senator McGovern were never given that chance. Make no mistake. I was disappointed, but I accepted it. I would take losing an election any day of the week when the American people render that verdict, but I will never be okay if other nations decide our leaders for us. And the President of the United States is rolling out the welcome mat for that kind of foreign interference.

To my Republican friends. Imagine any democratic president sitting in the oval office, President Obama, President Clinton, any of them. Would your answer here still be the same? No one should be allowed to use the powers of the presidency to undermine our elections, period. This isn’t about siding with your team. I didn’t swear an oath to defend a political party. I took an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States of America. And when I vote yes on this rule and the underlying articles, my conscience will be clear.

I ask all of my colleagues to search their souls before casting their votes. I ask them all to stand up for our democracy, to stand up for our Constitution. Mrs Madame Speaker, I urge a yes vote on the rule in the previous question. You’ll back the balance of my time and I move the previous question under resolution.

Katherine Clark: (00:01)
Madam Speaker, to paraphrase one of our founding mothers, Abigail Adams. People may let a president fall yet still remain a people, but if a president lets his people slip from him, he is no longer a president. Just as Abigail Adams warned, Donald Trump has let the people slip from him. He works for himself, not us. He tried to extort a foreign government into investigating a political rival, and he has unlawfully withheld witnesses and evidence. If we want a democracy, today, we must stand for the rule of law. A vote to impeach is a vote to remain a government that is of, for, and by the people. It is a vote born of great fear for our future, but also rooted in optimism that if we stand for the truth, for our constitution, we can continue to create a country of liberty, justice, and equality for all. I yield the remainder of my time.

Gentleman from Oklahoma is recognized to close.

Tom Cole: (00:02)
Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. I yield myself the balance of my time.

Recognized.

Tom Cole: (00:08)
Madam Speaker, before I begin my formal remarks, in closing, I want to say one thing for the record. I have great respect for all my friends on the other side of the aisle, and I am sure they’re voting their convictions. So when I vote mine, please don’t imply I’m doing it for my political party. I’m doing it because it’s what I believe is right. And I do believe I can defend both the president and the constitution of the United States, and I think that’s exactly what I am doing. Madam Speaker, I cannot oppose this rule strongly enough. The process we saw leading up to it today was a complete charade. It was a closed process and unfair process and a rushed process, and it could only have ever had one logical, predetermined ending.

Tom Cole: (00:54)
Throughout it all, the majority trampled on minority rights. They refused to call witnesses with relevant first-hand knowledge. They relied on hearsay news reports to make their case. They denied Republicans the right to hold a minority hearing day. And they refused the president of the United States his due process rights in the committee that was actually conducting the impeachment process and investigating him. And in the end, what was the result? Articles of impeachment based on an event that never happened. A purported quid pro quo that did not exist. Aid that was allegedly withheld that in reality was never withheld at all. And a narrative of intent based on nothing more than fantasy.

Tom Cole: (01:42)
Madam Speaker, we deserve better than this. Impeachment is the most consequential act the House of Representatives can undertake. It must not and cannot be based on a flawed process. It cannot come at the expense of minority rights or due process to the accused. It cannot be based on a vendetta against the president that the majority has pursued since the day it was elected. And it cannot be based on nothing more than spin and hearsay. I oppose this rule and I oppose the flawed and unfair process.

Tom Cole: (02:23)
Madam Speaker, it’s a very solemn vote that all of us will cast. I want to end by number one thanking my good friend, the chairman of the Rules Committee for conducting the kind of hearing he conducted yesterday. But I also want to underscore again, we are very violently opposed to the process, very strongly opposed to the rule, think this is a charade and been very unfair. So Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote no on the previous question, no on the rule, no on the underlying measure, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Tom Cole: (00:00)
Madam speaker. I thank my good friend, the gentleman from Massachusetts, Chairman McGovern for yielding me the customary 30 minutes. I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker: (00:10)
Gentlemen is recognized.

Tom Cole: (00:11)
Thank you, Madam speaker. Well, Madam speaker today is a very sad day for all of us. For me personally, for the Rules Committee, the entire House of Representatives, and most importantly for the American people. For the second time in my life, the House of Representatives will be voting to impeach a President of the United States. But unlike in 1998, the decision to have this vote is not the result of a bipartisan process, nor an open or fair process. Instead, it’s going to be a deeply partisan vote coming at the end of an unfair and rushed process prescribed solely by Democrats to ensure a predetermined result. Impeachment of a president is one of the most consequential acts the House of Representatives can undertake, and it should only be done after the fullest and most careful consideration.

Tom Cole: (01:03)
Yet today, after a truncated investigation that denied the president due process, cherry-picked evidence and witness testimony to fit their narrative and trampled on Republican’s minority rights. Democrats in the House are pressing forward with a partisan impeachment vote. Doing so contradicts Speaker Pelosi’s own words back in March of this year when she said that, “An impeachment is so divisive to the country that unless there’s something so compelling and overwhelming and bi-partisan, I don’t think we should go down that path because it divides the country.” But if we’re really being honest, Democrats have been searching for a reason to impeach President Trump since the day he was elected. In December of 2017, a current member of the majority forced to vote to impeach the President. And even then, long before there was an even an impeachment investigation, 58 Democrats voted to impeach the President. And those members have only grown since then, to the point where the majority is now pushing forward with a final vote on impeachment, heedless of where it takes the country, and regardless of whether or not they’ve proven their case.

Tom Cole: (02:20)
And if my colleagues in the majority believe they have proven their case, let me be clear, they have not. The entire premise of these articles of impeachment rests on a pause placed on Ukrainian security assistant. A pause of 55 days. The majority has spun creative narratives as to the meaning and the motive of this pause, alleging the President demanded a, “quid pro quo.” But with no factual evidence to back it up. Security aid to the Ukraine was released. The administration did so without the Ukraine ever initiating an investigation into anyone or anything. It’s even more startling to me that the majority wants to move forward with this resolution, given how substantially flawed and procedurally defective the entire process has been. The Judiciary Committee, which drafted these articles of impeachment engaged in an abbreviated process, hearing from no witnesses with first-hand knowledge of the events in question.

Tom Cole: (03:28)
They did not conduct their own investigation, and only held two hearings on this topic before drafting the articles. One was staff and one with constitutional law scholars. That’s hardly the type of lengthy and serious consideration a topic as grave as impeachment demands. The committee actually charged with an impeachment investigation was the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, not the Judiciary Committee. But that committee, too, follow a primarily closed process. Republicans were denied the right to call witnesses or subpoena documents, and the President was denied the right to representation in the committee’s hearings. Without respecting minority rights and without respecting due process rights of the President, how can anyone consider this a fair process? Madam speaker, it gets worse. The articles of impeachment we are considering today are based on the Shift Report, the final document produced by the Intelligence Committee and transmitted to the Judiciary Committee.

Tom Cole: (04:34)
But the shift report includes unsubstantiated allegations. It includes, in some cases, news reports as the only evidence supporting so-called factual assertions, and it includes at least 54 different hearsay statements as assertions of evidence without any first-hand information from witnesses to corroborate those statements. The author of the report, Chairman Schiff, was never questioned by the Judiciary Committee, and he refused to sit for questions, or to explain how his committee conducted its investigation. In fact, during the staff presentation of evidence that the Judiciary Committee, ranking member Collins asked how the investigation was conducted that resulted in the drafting of the Shift Report. But he never received an answer. During the Rules Committee, consideration of House Resolution 755, there were numerous times when the members on both sides of the aisle posed questions to our witnesses. Questions they could not answer because they sit on the Judiciary Committee, and were not the author of the report that brought about H Res 755.

Tom Cole: (05:44)
The author has never appeared before members of the minority to explain a single thing in the report, or to provide factual information supporting the many assertions it contains. Madam Speaker, this is no way to go about impeaching the President of the United States. The articles before us are based on very limited information. They are based on hearsay, on news reports, and on other unsupported allegations. They’re based on a report written by a member of Congress who refused to answer questions about it. And I do not believe the allegations, which are subject to interpretation, actually rise to the level of an impeachable offense. To make matters worse, when Republicans attempted to exercise one of their rights under House rules, they were shut down by Chairman Nadler under clause 2-J-1 of Rule 11, the minority is allowed to demand a minority hearing day. On December 4th, the Republicans on the Judiciary Committee properly exercised that right, and transmitted a demand to Chairman Nadler for a hearing day, at which the minority could call their own witnesses.

Tom Cole: (06:59)
And to be clear, Madam Speaker, a minority hearing day is not subject to the Chair’s discretion. It is a right, and Republicans on the Judiciary Committee properly demanded the exercise of that right. And yet, Chairman Nadler declined to allow a minority hearing day to be held before the voting of these articles. I think we can all agree that it would have been better for the institution and for the American people to allow all voices to be heard, and all witnesses to be questioned. Before 60, the resolution setting up the official impeachment inquiry, less than two months ago, I warned that house that what the majority was doing was setting up a closed, unfair process that could only have one outcome. And today, we’re seeing the end result of this closed and unfair process. A quick rush to judgment forced through, not one, but two committees in short order with minority rights trampled, witnesses left unquestioned, and due process ignored.

Tom Cole: (08:04)
It is also disappointing that members are not being given more time to debate this issue on the floor. Last night at Rules Committee, I offered an amendment to double the amount of floor time debate, from six to 12 hours. This would have allowed for roughly the same amount of debate time used in the Clinton impeachment, and it would have ensured that all members could have the opportunity to speak on the floor.

Tom Cole: (08:29)
Unfortunately, that amendment was not accepted. While I know my friend Chairman McGovern did the best he could. I do think it’s ironic that when all is said and done, the 13 members of the Rules Committee spent more time discussing H Res 755 in committee yesterday, then we will spend debating it on the House floor for every member today. I think that’s a disservice to the members of this body, and to the American people.

Tom Cole: (08:59)
Madam Speaker, we deserve better than a flawed process that led to this flawed outcome. The House of Representatives deserves better than that. The President certainly deserves better than that. More importantly, the American people deserve better than what we’re doing here today. I oppose proceeding any further. I oppose the rule. I oppose this limited and unfair process, and I certainly oppose impeaching the President of the United States. With that, I urge opposition to the rule, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ben Ray Lujan: (00:00)
Madame Speaker. No one came to Congress to impeach a president. We came here to solve the mighty issues that impact the lives of the constituents we pledge to serve. I’m here because too many families in my district still rely on water trucked in from dozens of miles away. I’m here because too many New Mexican children still go to school hungry. I’m here because too many women in New Mexico drive for hours to find a doctor able to care for them. But this moment has found us. We have reached a point in time where our love of country compels action, where our duty to this Republic mandates that we do what’s right. The president’s behavior is so blatantly wrong that ignoring his abuses of power would be abdicating the oath we made to protect this country and uphold our constitution. Thank you. And I yield back.

Rep. Kennedy: (00:01)
Dear Ellie and James, this is a moment that you will read about in your history books. Today, I will vote to impeach the President of the United States, and I want you to know why. He broke our laws. He threatened our security. He abused the highest, most sacred office in our land. I want you to know that it does not feel good. I can’t stop thinking about the cost to our country, not just the impeachable offenses, but the collateral damage of a president who uses power like a weapon against his own people, our roads, our decency, degrades our dignity.

I don’t yet know how they will tell the story of this era, but I want to tell you this story of this day. Let the record show that today, justice won, that we did our job, that we kept our word, that we stood our sacred ground. Let the record show that we did not let you down. I love you. Listen to mom-

Speaker 3: (01:17)
Gentleman’s time has expired.

I’ll be home soon.

Chris Stewart: (00:01)
I discovered something recently. It’s shocking, I know. But it turns out that some people don’t like President Trump. They think he’s loud. They think he can be arrogant. They think sometimes he says bad words and sometimes he’s rude to people. And to their sensitive natures, they’ve been offended. I get that. I really do. But let’s be clear. This vote, this day has nothing to do with Ukraine. It has nothing to do with abuse of power. It has nothing to do with obstruction of Congress. This vote, this day is about one thing and one thing only. They hate this president. They hate those of us who voted for him. They think we’re stupid. They think we made a mistake. They think Hillary Clinton should be the president and they want to fix that. That’s what this vote is about. They want to take away my vote and throw it in the trash. They want to take away my president and delegitimized him so that he can not be reelected. That’s what this vote is about.

And for those who think this started with this investigation, what nonsense. You’ve been trying to impeach this president since before he was sworn into office. Some of you introduced articles of impeachment before he was sworn into office. This isn’t something you’re approaching prayerfully and mournfully and sadly. “Oh, the chaos. Oh, the sadness.” This is something you’re gleeful about, and you’ve been trying to do it for three years, and it’s very clear. You don’t have to go back and Google very much to find out that is the absolute truth. I could give you pages of examples of things you have said for three years about this president. That’s what this is about.

And if you think … if this impeachment is successful, the next president, I promise you, is going to be impeached and the next president after that. If you set this bar as being impeachable, every president in our future will be impeached. It erodes our republic in ways that our founding fathers recognize. They got it right. High crimes and misdemeanors, other than that, settle it at the ballot box. I look forward to that day.

Speaker 2: (02:16)
Gentleman’s time’s expired.

Let the American people decide.

Speaker 2: (02:19)
Members are reminded to direct their comments to the chair. Gentlemen from New York.

Reserve. Madam Speaker, I would remind the gentlemen that if President Trump is impeached and removed, the new president will be Mike Pence, not Hillary Clinton.

Sheila J.L. : (00:00)
I hate no woman or man. Today, the American people should receive clarity and truth. The Constitution is the highest law of the land. The president breached and violated the Constitution of the United States of America. The president committed constitutional crimes. The president’s crimes are impeachable.

Sheila J.L. : (00:25)
John F. Kennedy said, “If this country should ever reach the point where any man or group of men, by force or threat of force, could defy the commands of our court and Constitution, then no law would stand free from doubt, and no citizen would be safe from his neighbors.”

Sheila J.L. : (00:43)
The facts are undisputed. First, President Trump violated his oath of office by placing his personal political interests above the national interest by scheming to coerce Ukraine into investigating a potential election opponent. Second, President Trump betrayed the nation by interest, by withholding the congressionally-agreed $391 million to a fragile ally against a very strong foe, Russia. Third, the essential purpose of the scheme concocted by the president was to enlist a foreign country to help in the 2020 election. These acts are constitutional crimes and abuse of power. The truth is the president did ask for a favor. Those were his own words.

Sheila J.L. : (01:26)
In the July 25th call, no mention of corruption, only the mention of the Bidens. The president was engaged in wrongdoing, and it’s a clear and present danger. He has a pattern, and his behavior remains a continuing threat to America’s national security. The truth is that abusive power does violate the Constitution. While both corrupting and cheating our American democracy, his acts betray the nation.

Sheila J.L. : (01:51)
He must take care to execute laws faithfully. This is the truth. Why does the truth matter? Because it matters to the farmer at his or her plow. It matters to the waitress on an early-morning shift. It matters to the steel worker building America. It matters to the teacher in a fifth-grade class. It matters to a mother kissing off her military recruit going off to war.

Sheila J.L. : (02:12)
The Constitution must be preserved. Our laws must be honored and respected. The bloodshed and sacrifice of fellow Americans cannot be ignored, trampled on, or ejected. Today, our actions on the vote taken today must be for no personal gain or grandeur. The bright light of this constitutional democracy has been dimmed because of his acts. The truth is no longer for all. It is for one man, Donald J. Trump, his truth, his way. We must reject that abuse of power because this is not America. No one is above the law. Alexander Hamilton said impeachment was designed to deal with-

Speaker 2: (02:49)
Gentlelady’s time’s expired.

Sheila J.L. : (02:49)
… the misconduct of public men and violation of public trust.

Speaker 2: (02:52)

Sheila J.L. : (02:52)
The president has violated the trust. We must impeach-

Sheila J.L. : (02:56)
… Donald J. Trump.

Rep. Loudermilk: (00:01)
I think my colleague from Georgia and friend, Mr. Collins. Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition not only to these articles of impeachment, but in 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. That’s why the 5th and the 14th Amendments established a bedrock principle of innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. But on November the 14th Speaker Pelosi informed the press that the president should prove his innocence when she stated, “Mr. President, if you have anything that shows your innocence, then he should make that known.”

Rep. Loudermilk: (00:42)
The Constitution also guarantees that the accused can call witnesses to testify on their behalf, but the Republicans and the president were continually denied that right throughout this process. The 6th Amendment guarantees the right of the defendant to face their accuser, but not only have the Democrats prohibited Republicans and the president from questioning the so-called whistleblower, his identity has been kept secret. Before you take this historic vote today, one week before Christmas, I want you to keep this in mind. When Jesus was falsely accused of treason, Pontius Pilate gave Jesus the opportunity to face His accusers. During that sham trial, Pontius Pilate afforded more rights to Jesus than the Democrats have afforded this president in this process. I yield back.

Jim S.: (00:01)
… Including the president may be impeached for treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors. Unlike the Nixon and Clinton cases, there are no allegations that the president has committed a crime. We’ve had almost three years of nonstop investigations. We’ve had the Mueller report, we’ve had the Schiff investigation, we’ve had the Nadler investigation, and at no time is there any evidence that indicates that Donald J. Trump violated any criminal statute of the United States.

Jim S.: (00:37)
So why are we here? We’re here because the majority caucus, the Democratic caucus, has been hijacked by the radical left. They have wanted to reverse the course of the 2016 election ever since Donald J. Trump won that election. So let’s look at these two phony articles of impeachment. First of all, abuse of power. The phone call in question had the presidents say, “Our country has been through a lot. I want you to do us a favor.” Not me a favor, us a favor. And there he was referring to our country, the United States of America, not a personal, political gain. He was not afraid to let this transcript go public. And he released a transcript almost immediately after the call.

Jim S.: (01:36)
Now the second article impeachment obstruction of Congress basically says that unless the president gives us everything we want and when we want it, then he’s committed an impeachable offense. That’s a bunch of bunk. The president has certain individual and privileges by virtue of his office. Whenever there’s been a dispute between the executive and legislative branches here bere, they’ve gone to court. And the Supreme court a couple of weeks ago said they would take jurisdiction over deciding whether the president had to comply with one subpoena relating to his tax returns.

Jim S.: (02:17)
Now here the Democrats have been bent to impeach the president of the United States before the court decides this. And this means that there is a rush job to do this. And why is there because they want to influence the 2020 elections. And they spent three years doing it. They spent millions of taxpayers dollars, including the Mueller report, putting together this impeachment. And they also have had this Congress wrapped around the impeachment and not doing their jobs until the dam broke this week. Stop this charade. Vote no, and I yield back.

Speaker 2: (03:05)
Yields back, the gentleman from New York.

Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from the speaker, the gentleman from Wisconsin knows full well the president asserted no privileges here, he simply ordered complete defiance of the impeachment inquiry. I now yield two minutes to the gentlelady from Pennsylvania. Ms. Scanlan.

Speaker 2: (03:21)
The gentlelady is recognized,

Mary Scanlon: (03:24)
Thank you Speaker and thank you Chairman Nadler for your leadership. As we navigate this challenging time, not just for our committee in Congress but for our country. It’s with profound sadness that I stand here today in support of these articles of impeachment. President Trump’s behavior is exactly what our Founders feared most. They knew that with the awesome power of the presidency came the risk of a president abusing that power for personal gain. They were particularly concerned about an executive who became entangled with foreign governments, corrupted our elections, or sought to avoid consequences for his own misconduct in office. That is why they included impeachment in the Constitution to protect our Republic. Our colleagues across the aisle have claimed that we’re impeaching the president because we don’t like him, but this moment is about more than disagreement with the president’s policies or personality. Those issues belong in the voting booth.

Mary Scanlon: (04:23)
Our task here is not to judge the president himself. Instead, we must judge his conduct and whether his actions have undermined our constitution. The president has committed the highest of high crimes under our Constitution. He used the highest office in our government and taxpayer dollars to pressure a foreign country to interfere in our elections. He undermined our national security. And when he got caught, he tried to cover it up, obstructing our investigation and refusing to produce subpoenaed documents and witnesses. A government where the president abuses his power is not of the people. A government where the president pressure’s a foreign country to undermine our elections is not by the people. And the government where the president puts his own interests before the country is not for the people. This isn’t complicated. You know it. I know it. The American people know it. President Trump’s wrongdoing and the urgent threat that his actions present to our next election and our democracy leaves us no principled alternative, but to support these articles of impeachment, our Constitution, our country, and our children depend upon it. I yield back.

Speaker 2: (05:41)
The gentlelady yields back. The gentleman from Georgia.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish as the gentlelady just said, I wish they would examine the factual conduct, but I guess that’s not going to happen. So at this point, I yield two minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana, Mr. Johnson.

Speaker 2: (05:54)
The gentleman is recognized.

Mike Johnson: (05:55)
Thank the gentleman from Georgia. Mr. Speaker, the founders of this country warned us against the single party impeachment because they feared it would bitterly and perhaps irreparably divide our nation. The truth is, in the 243 years of this Republic, there has never been a single party, fraudulent impeachment process like the one being used today. Our Democrat colleagues have weaponized the impeachment provision of the Constitution to nullify the votes of 63 million Americans who elected President Donald J. Trump.

This is not about a phone call, or Ukraine, or even his use of the executive privilege. You have to remember that 95 of the Democrats on this floor today voted to impeach Donald Trump before the July 25th phone call ever happened between President Trump and President Zelensky. And not only is this a single party impeachment, it’s also evidence free. After all their Herculean efforts, they could only come up with two short articles of impeachment.

On the first the Democrats know there is zero direct evidence in this record of these proceedings to show that President Trump engaged in any abuse of power. As you’ll hear today, their entire case is based on hearsay, speculation and conjecture and there’s not a single fact witness that can provide testimony to support their baseless allegations.

The Democrat’s second claim is that President Trump obstructed Congress by simply doing what virtually every other president in the modern era has also done and that is to assert, Mr. Chairman, a legitimate executive privilege, which protects the separation of powers. And you know what, if they disagreed with that, the Democrats could and should have just simply gone a few blocks away to a federal court to get an expedited court order compelling the extra documents and information they requested. That’s what’s always been done in the past, but they didn’t do that here because these Democrats don’t have time for it.

They are trying to meet their own arbitrary, completely reckless and Machiavellian timeline to take down a president that they loath. The real abuse of power here is on the part of the House Democrats. If they has feverishly produced and pursued this impeachment 20 times faster than the impeachment investigation of Bill Clinton. They’ve tried to reach their predetermined political outcome and along the way they steamrolled over constitutionally guaranteed due process-

Speaker 2: (08:10)
[crosstalk 00:08:10] The gentleman’s time has expired.

… House rules and the federal rules of civil procedure. This must fail-

Speaker 2: (08:13)
[crosstalk 00:08:13] The gentleman’s time has expired.

… for the country. I yield back.

Speaker 2: (08:17)
Gentleman from New York is recognized.

Mr. Speaker, the gentleman knows that impeachment was put into the Constitution as a defense of the republic in between elections. I now yield two minutes to the distinguished gentlelady from Washington, Ms. Jaya Paul.

Speaker 2: (08:30)
The gentlelady is recognized.

Pramila Jayapal: (08:35)
Mr. Speaker, this is a day of accountability and defending our democracy. The facts in front of us are clear. This President, Donald J. Trump, coerced a fragile, foreign ally to investigate his political opponent and interfere in our elections. And he leveraged critically needed, congressionally approved military aid to Ukraine. The president’s allies want to claim that he did this because he cared about corruption, but if President Trump truly cared about corruption, then he would have listened to the talking points that were prepared by the National Security Council on anti-corruption. He did not. In fact on those two calls with President Zelensky, he never mentioned the word corruption. He did not abide by the Department of Defense’s own recommendation that Ukraine had passed all the anti-corruption benchmarks. And he didn’t listen to the unanimous conclusion of all of his top advisors that he must release that aid to Ukraine.

He did release the aid in 2017 and 2018 but not in 2019. Why? Because in 2019 Vice-President Joe Biden was running for president. Because this is not hearsay, we have a responsibility. The president told us himself on national television exactly what he wanted from the phone call with President Zelensky. He came onto the White House lawn and he said, “I wanted President Zelensky to open an investigation into the Bidens.” He solicited foreign interference before, he is doing it now and he will do it again. The President is the smoking gun.

Our founders, Mr. Speaker, entrusted us with the awesome responsibility of protecting our democracy, which gets its power, not from the bloodlines of monarchs, but from the votes of we the people. Without that, we are no longer a democracy. We are a monarchy or a dictatorship and so today to uphold my oath to Constitution and country, I will vote to impeach Donald J. Trump. I yield back.

Speaker 2: (10:52)
Gentlelady yields back. The gentleman from Georgia.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ll also remind my chairman that impeachable has never been as a political weapon in between elections when you can’t win the next one. And with that I yield two minutes to the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Conaway.

Speaker 2: (11:05)

Mike Conaway: (11:05)
Thank you Mr. Speaker. Other than authorizing an act of war, impeachment is the gravest item that we as Congress can consider. The decision to move forward with impeachment of the United States President is so consequential that it’s only been done three times previously in our nation’s history all based on legitimate evidence of criminal behavior. Unfortunately, many of my colleagues have diminished what should be a solemn and gray proceeding into an absolute political circus simply because they don’t like the man occupying the White House. And the Democrats had been intent on oppressing the President since the day he took office.

Their actions are clearly motivated by hatred for President Trump. This impeachment vote today is the next step in their long-held plan to remove him from office. The partisan impeachment investigation run by the House Intelligence Committee was unnecessarily held behind closed doors in a room designed to share classified information. Nothing classified was shared during these meetings, but the result of this decision was that most members of Congress and all Americans were blocked from hearing the facts for themselves. Chairman Schiff repeatedly withheld crucial information from the Republicans, including the ability for anyone but himself and his staff to speak with a whistleblower at the center of the investigation. He was even called out by liberal media outlets for spreading misinformation and falsehoods throughout the impeachment process. The public hearings were complete disregard for the House rules and the decades of precedent.

Republicans were not allowed to call witnesses or to make basic parliamentary motions. In fact, the only witnesses allowed to testify publicly were those who fit neatly within the Democrats’ predetermined narrative. Most importantly, we have not been presented any real evidence that proves a president is guilty of high crimes and misdemeanors as required by the Constitution to remove a duly elected president. If there were criminal activity, as many of my Democrat colleagues claim, then why are there no crimes listed in the articles of impeachment? We are forever weakened this body by turning impeachment into a political weapon. This impeachment scheme is nothing more than an attempt to conduct a taxpayer funded opposition research and damage the President’s electability heading into 2020. The American people rush see right through this charade and are fed up. It is time for this madness to stop and for us to get back to the important work the American people sent us here to do. And I yield back.

Speaker 2: (13:05)
The gentleman yields back. Gentleman reserves, gentleman from New York.

Mr. Speaker, I now yield three minutes to the distinguished gentleman from California, Mr. Lieu.

Speaker 2: (13:13)
The gentlemen is recognized.

Ted Lieu: (13:17)
Thank you Chairman Nadler for your leadership. Let’s start by making this very simple. No one in America could do what Donald Trump did and get away with it. No American elected official can call up a foreign government and ask for an investigation of a political opponent. No member of Congress can call up a foreign official and ask for help in a reelection campaign. If we did that, we would likely get indicted. No one is above the law, and the Constitution is the supreme law of the land. I first sworn an oath to the Constitution on active duty when I joined the United States Air Force on active duty. And the oath I took was not to a political party or to a president or to a king. It was to a document that has made America the greatest nation on earth and that document contains a safeguard for when the president’s abuse of power is so extreme that it warrants impeachment.

Ted Lieu: (14:12)
We are not here because of policy disputes. While I disagree with the President, I acknowledge he has a right to restrict the number of refugees entering our country. He has a right to eliminate environmental executive orders. He has a right to sign a bill that has given tax breaks to the wealthy, but the President does not have the right to cheat and to solicit foreign interference in our elections. That is illegal. It is not what the voters elected him to do and we will not stand for it. The President’s actions in this case were particularly insidious because he also used our government for his private gain. He conditioned taxpayer funded military aid and a critical White House meeting with the Ukrainian president on the requirement that Ukraine publicly announce an investigation into his opponent. And by harming Ukrainian national security, the President also harmed U.S. national security.

Ted Lieu: (15:02)
And then the President solicited foreign interference again on the south lawn of the White House, when he again asked Ukraine to investigate his political opponent and then he asked China, our peer competitor, to do the same. That abuse of power is not acceptable. Whether or not the Senate convicts, the House has an independent duty to do the right thing. That’s why we’ve passed over 275 bipartisan bills that are stuck in the Senate. Whether impeaching or legislating, we will continue to be faithful to the Constitution regardless of what the Senate may or may not do.

Ted Lieu: (15:37)
Moreover, impeachment is a form of deterrence. Our children are watching. No president ever wants to be impeached, and whether Donald Trump leaves in one month, one year or five years, this impeachment is permanent. It will follow him around for the rest of his life and history books will record it. And if people know why we impeached, it’s all very simple. No one’s above the law. Not our commander in chief, not our president. I yield back.

Speaker 2: (16:08)
Gentlemen, yields back. The gentleman from Georgia.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At this time, it is my pleasure to yield a minute and a half to the gentleman from North Carolina, Mr. McHenry.

Speaker 2: (16:16)

Patrick McHenry: (16:17)
I thank my colleague. In 2016, 63 million Americans went to the polls and elected Donald Trump President of the United States. House. Democrats have been trying to overturn the election ever since. In fact, they’ve tried five additional times to the one where that’s before us to impeach the president, including the vote in May of 2017, just five months into his term. In January of this year, House Democrats took control of this chamber and they’re faced with a choice. They could use the tools of the majority to pursue legitimate priorities of the American people, policies that can impact their lives or they can use the tools to undo the 2016 election. They made their choice.

Patrick McHenry: (16:59)
Since then, House Democrats have issued more subpoenas than bills have been signed into law. That tells us all we need to know about this Congress and that party. Rather than launch a legitimate investigation, Democrats turned to focus groups to workshop their language to see if they could sell this to the American people and American people have rejected it. Instead of negotiating with the executive branch, for instance, and allowing the courts to resolve any legitimate disputes, House Democrats rushed an impeachment vote. So here we are, 12 weeks later, voting whether to impeach the president based off the thinnest record in modern history. It’s no surprise that the Senate is all already asking for additional witnesses and more documents and real evidence. The body of evidence is weak and woefully insufficient for impeachment. And with that, I yield back on this sad day for this institution.

Speaker 2: (17:52)
Gentleman yields back. The gentleman from New York, Mr. Nadler.

Mr. Speaker, I now yield two minutes to the gentleman from Maryland, Mr. Raskin.

Speaker 2: (17:52)
Mr. Raskin is recognized.

Jamie Raskin: (17:52)
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. American elections belong to the American people, not the American president and not foreign powers. No president may cheat the people by working with foreign governments to steal from us a free and fair election. And no president who attempts it may cover up that cheating by systematically obstructing Congress in our work. Article Two of the Constitution does not authorize a president to do whatever he wants. The reason we have a constitution is to keep government officials from doing whatever they want. If we the people lose the certainty of free and fair elections to presidential corruption and foreign manipulation, then we lose our democracy itself.

Jamie Raskin: (17:52)
The most precious inheritance we have received from prior generations that pledged their sacred honor and gave everything they had to defend it. The struggle for democracy is the meaning of America. That is why we remain the last, best hope of a world ravaged by authoritarianism, violence and corruption. We must act now to protect our elections and safeguard constitutional democracy for the enormous and unprecedented challenges that still lie ahead of us. I yield back. Mr. Chairman.

Speaker 2: (17:52)
Gentleman yields back. The gentleman from Georgia.

Thank you Mr. Speaker at this time it my pleasure to yield a minute and a half to the gentlewoman from West Virginia, Ms. [crosstalk 00:19:35].

Speaker 2: (17:52)
The gentlelady is recognized.

Carol Miller: (17:52)
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in opposition of HR 755. Today is a disappointing day. It is the day my colleagues from across the aisle cast the vote that they have spent the last three years obsessing over. The vote to impeach our duly elected president. There are two charges claimed by House Democrats and there is zero cause for either. While President Trump has led, our country has thrived and Washington liberals have failed. Despite the commitment of many of our colleagues to obstruct the Trump administration’s agenda at every turn, our country continues to succeed.

Carol Miller: (17:52)
In this body. However, we have not been able to deliver on what Americans want and need. We still have not finished securing our border. The opioid epidemic still rages in our communities. Our infrastructure is still in dire need of an overhaul. And we still have not reached a bipartisan resolution on drug pricing. If Congress hadn’t spent the last year stuck in a divisive, ugly, partisan impeachment debacle, think of what we could have done, the lives that could have been saved, the communities that could have been improved, the crisis on our southern border ended, and the positive work that we should do for our country, but we didn’t. All because of divisive, political theatrics. Congress can do better than this and America deserves better. I yield back my time.

Reserve.

Speaker 2: (17:52)
The gentlelady yields back and the gentleman from Georgia reserves. The gentleman from New York.

Mr. Speaker, I now yield two minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Rhode Island, Mr. Cicilline.

Speaker 2: (21:22)

David Cicilline: (21:24)
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the articles of impeachment against Donald J. Trump, the 45th President of the United States. Mr. Speaker, no one runs for Congress to impeach a president, but this President has left us no choice. President Trump abused the enormous powers of his office when he solicited foreign interference for the purpose of helping him in his reelection campaign in 2020. The president betrayed our national security and undermined the security of our elections when he put his own personal political interests ahead of the interests of our country. He tried to cheat to win reelection. And this wasn’t an attack on Vice-President Biden, this was an attack on our democracy. And if we do not hold the President accountable today, we will no longer live in a democracy. We will live in a dictatorship where any future president will be free to abuse their office in order to get reelected.

So today, every member of this chamber faces a choice whether to do what the Constitution demands and the evidence requires or to turn a blind eye to the President’s grave misconduct. Blind eye to the overwhelming evidence of high crimes and misdemeanors. To my friends on the other side of the aisle, I say this, this is not about making history. This is about holding a lawless president accountable and the way our framers intended. This is the time to put our country over your political party. Do not seek safety in the high grass of a vote against these articles. We are all Americans. Show the American people your devotion to your country is more powerful than your loyalty to a political party.

United we can defend our democracy from all enemies, foreign and domestic. Divided, we risk losing our democracy. All you have to do is look at the evidence because it will leave you with only one answer. The President of the United States must be impeached. Remember these facts. He tried to cheat, he got caught, he confessed, and then he obstructed the investigation into his misconduct for our democracy, for our Constitution, for the people you represent and for all will who will inherit our country from us. I pray you will do the right thing and I yield back.

Speaker 2: (23:23)
The gentleman yields back. The gentleman from Georgia.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At this point, it gives me pleasure to yield a minute and a half to the gentleman from Alabama, Mr. Rogers.

Speaker 2: (23:31)
Gentlemen is recognized, Mr. Rogers.

Mike Rogers: (23:33)
Thank you Mr. Speaker. I rise today in complete and total support of President Trump. The matter before the House today is based solely on a fundamental hatred of our president. It’s a sham, a witch hunt and is tantamount to a coup against the duly elected president of the United States. This is a sad day for our nation. When one political party, along with their cohorts, and the deep state and the mainstream media, try to hijack our Constitution. The Democrat majority has irresponsibly turned the impeachment process into a political weapon, something that Republicans refuse to do. When our base was calling for the impeachment of President Obama. It is well past time for the House to move beyond this hoax and put our nation first.

Mike Rogers: (24:14)
That’s exactly what President Trump is doing. The United States has record low unemployment, historic performance in the stock market. President Trump is re-writing failed trade deals of the past to put America first. He’s rebuilding our military. He helped create the space force and the list goes on. I implore my colleagues to end the spectacle now. I yield back.

Speaker 2: (24:38)
Gentleman yields back. The gentleman reserves, the gentleman from New York, Mr. Nadler.

Mr. Speaker, I’m hearing a lot from my colleagues on the other side of the aisle except a defense of president Trump’s conduct, which is indefensible. I now yield two minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Florida, Mr. Deutch.

Speaker 2: (24:55)
The gentleman from Florida is recognized.

Ted Deutch: (24:59)
Some say this impeachment is about eight lines in a call transcript, but there is so much more. This was about a scheme that lasted months and involve dozens of Trump Administration officials. Look at the evidence, look at the direct evidence. Text messages, emails, calls and meetings. Way back in May, the President told his team, “Talk to Rudy Giuliani.” The President’s message, no White House meeting unless Ukraine helped him in the 2020 election.

Ted Deutch: (25:32)
Ambassador Sondland said there was a prerequisite of investigations into the Bidens and announcement of investigations was a deliverable. Ambassador Volker said, “The most important thing for the Ukrainian President to do was to commit to an investigation of the Bidens.” Just before the July 25th call, Volcker told the Ukrainians, “Assuming President Z convinces Trump he will investigate, we will nail down a date for a visit to Washington.” The direct evidence kept coming after the call. More text, more emails, more calls, all with the same message, if Ukraine didn’t announce an investigation into the President’s political rival, then they wouldn’t get the White House meeting that they had been promised and they wouldn’t get the aid that they needed in their war against Russia.

Ted Deutch: (26:17)
American presidential power comes from the people through elections. And the Constitution requires that we protect those elections. But when the President abused his power to solicit foreign interference, he was cheating American voters before they even had a chance to vote. President Trump’s actions force us to protect our elections and the Constitution. I urge my colleague to defend the Constitution, support these articles of impeachment and remind the world that in America, no one is above the law. I yield back.

Speaker 2: (26:52)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and I would remind this whole body that it is more than eight lines. In fact, there’s four facts, there’s no pressure, there’s no conditionality, they did nothing to get it and they got the money. With that, I yield a minute and a half to the gentleman from Florida, Mr. Spano.

Speaker 2: (27:04)
The gentlemen is recognized.

Ross Spano: (27:06)
I rise in opposition to this political effort to remove President Trump from office. I’m not surprised this day has come, but I am disappointed. Disappointed because impeachment is one of the most consequential decisions that we can make in this body. And this impeachment is based purely on partisan motives. Speaker Polosi said, “We shouldn’t go down this path unless there was something compelling, overwhelming, and bipartisan because of how divisive it would be.” Unfortunately, it’s clear the majority has had laser focus on one thing for three years, impeaching the president. The majority’s failed to deliver for the American people. They failed to pass a budget on time, failed to pass the spending bills on time, and failed to deliver bipartisan solutions that will actually help improve the lives of Americans. But the American people see through this sad charade for what it is, an attempt to undo the 2016 election based on hearsay and opinion, not fact. The transcript of the call showed no conditions were placed on the aid.

Ross Spano: (28:07)
President Trump and Zelensky have said there was no pressure and Ukraine received the aid without taking any actions. The constitution is clear. The president may only be impeached for committing treason, bribery, or high crimes and misdemeanors. Nowhere in the two articles of impeachment brought today, does it argue that the President has committed treason, bribery, or any crime under the law. This is not overwhelming. It is not compelling. It is not bipartisan, but the Speaker was right in one way. This is incredibly divisive and has lowered the bar for what future presidents will face. I strongly oppose the articles before us today, and I hope that we will finally move past this nightmare and get to work to deliver results for the American people. I yield back.

Speaker 2: (28:49)
The gentleman yields back.

Reserve.

Speaker 2: (28:50)
Gentlemen reserves, the gentleman from New York is again recognized.

Mr. Speaker the evidence is clear that President Trump took advantage of Ukraine’s vulnerability and abused the powers of his office to pressure Ukraine to help his reelection campaign. This is the highest-

Nadler: (29:03)
To pressure Ukraine to help his reelection campaign. This is the highest of high crimes and president Trump must be held to account. Now I now yield two minutes to the distinguished gentleman from California, Mr. Correa.

Speaker 3: (29:11)

Lou Correa: (29:13)
And I thank the gentleman for yielding. As a member of Homeland security committee, I know firsthand the dangers that foreign interference in our elections present to our democracy and as a member of Congress, it is my sworn duty to ensure that our nation is secure from all threats: foreign and domestic. And Congress has a constitutional job to investigate allegations of misconduct by the executive branch, including the United States president.

Lou Correa: (29:43)
The constitution is the highest law of the land, created a system of checks and balances to prevent the creation of a King. And Congress is a co-equal branch of our nation’s government equal with the presidency, with duties that are given to us by the framers.

Lou Correa: (30:02)
This is a very sad day and I do not take impeachment lightly. Yet I’m here to do my job is a member of Congress.

Lou Correa: (30:14)
Mi pueblo me llamando a Washington para trabajar con todos democratas y republicanos para mejorar nuestra vida en nuestras communidades. Y tristamente, estamos presentes considerando las acciones de nuestro presidente de los Estados Unidos. Y mi voto hoy sera para asegurar que sigueremos haciendo una democracia y no una dictadura. Muchos de nuestoro hijos y hijas han [inaudible] nuestra libertad con su sangre. Nuestra democracia tiene que ser la rencilla de nuestros hijos. Y una democracia existe cuando nadie esta sobre la constitucion y todos somos sujetos a las leyes. Y hoy tambien le pido a Dios que nos de sabiduria y que nos ayude a unir a nuestra patria: los Estados Unidos Americanos. And Today I pray for God for his guidance in uniting our great nation. And with that, Mr… the gentleman from New York, I yield.

Speaker 3: (31:23)
The gentleman will be required to provide a translation of your remarks. The gentleman from New York, do you reserve as to [crosstalk] general reserves? Mr…

Speaker 4: (31:35)
Collins.

Speaker 3: (31:36)
Collins is recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would just have to disagree with my chairman. I’m not sure what he’s been watching, but facts are not undisputed. They’re fact. They’re very much disputed, not only by the minority but by the witnesses who actually testified. With that, I yield a minute and a half to the gentleman from Georgia, Mr. Carter.

Speaker 3: (31:49)

Buddy Carter: (31:50)
I thank you gentlemen for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the Democrats’ sham process, which makes a mockery of the rules of the House and is frankly dangerous to this country. Since day one, the Democrats have made it clear that they wanted to move towards impeachment well before any of the accusations took place. What Democrats unfortunately don’t recognize is the damage that this will cause for our political institutions and America’s trust for years to come.

Every American should be concerned that Speaker Polosi doesn’t trust our citizens to let them decide who should lead our great country. This impeachment process isn’t focused on strengthening and protecting our political foundations, but rather shaping public opinion. I ask you, is it worth that?

Not only is the process alarming, but it’s wasting taxpayers’ dollars and valuable time that elected officials could be using to move our country forward. That includes securing our borders, addressing student loan debt, our bringing down the cost of healthcare and prescription drugs.

I urge all of my colleagues while considering these articles to ask themselves whether this is truly being done for the good of the country. Thank you Madam… Mr. Speaker and I yield back.

Speaker 3: (33:15)
The gentleman yields back. The gentleman from New York, Mr. Nadler.

Nadler: (33:21)
I would remind the gentleman that after recovering millions of dollars in ill-gotten gains, the Mueller investigation was actually a net plus for the taxpayers. I now recognize the gentleman from Colorado, Mr. Neguse, for two minutes.

Speaker 3: (33:34)
The gentleman from Colorado is recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and I want to thank Chairman Nadler and Speaker Pelosi for their leadership and their moral courage. Today, the House of Representatives is debating whether to take the rare step of voting to impeach a president for only the third time in our country’s history. Unfortunately, President Trump has left us no choice. The fact of the matter is that the president abused the power of his office and invited a foreign country to interfere in our elections. In so doing, he undermined the sanctity of the free and fair elections upon which our republic rests. Making matters worse, over the past several months, President Trump and his administration have done everything they can to prevent Congress from uncovering the truth. Let us be clear, in the history of our republic, no president has ever obstructed Congress like this before. During the Watergate investigation, as my colleagues well know, President Nixon’s chief of staff testified before Congress. President Trump’s chief of staff refused. President Nixon’s council testified. President Trump’s refused. White House aids close to President Nixon testified. President Trump refused to allow any aid who may have knowledge relevant to this investigation to testify.

Simply put, his administration has engaged in a wholesale obstruction of Congress and that is exactly why we’re considering not just one, but two articles of impeachment before the House today. Every member of this body has a responsibility to uphold our constitution, to defend our republic, and when necessary to hold the executive branch accountable. And we are exercising that responsibility today. So with that, and therefore, I will vote yes on both articles because it is what the constitution requires, demands, and with that I yield back.

Speaker 3: (35:51)
Gentleman yields back. The gentleman from Georgia.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Wow, I’d never thought that a Department of Justice investigation was used as a money… A revenue plot. But I guess one thing is true, it was a loser for the minority in a net profit situation. With that, I yield to Mr. Newhouse a minute and a half.

Speaker 3: (36:06)
Gentleman is recognized.

Dan Newhouse: (36:08)
Mr. Speaker, the people’s House should be better than this. We should be better than this. During the member’s remarks in the judiciary committee, the committee’s impeachment proceedings, he stated, and I quote, “To my Republican colleagues, how do you want to be remembered during this watershed moment in our nation’s history?” Well, Mr. Speaker, it won’t be watching sports on a laptop during official judiciary committee proceedings to impeach a sitting president. It won’t be using expletives to refer to our president calling for his impeachment just hours after being sworn into Congress. It won’t be using the chairmanship of the once-respected intelligence committee to distort the president’s words in order to mislead the American people. And it certainly won’t be using the most serious and solemn powers of Congress to overturn a legitimate national election for political expediency.

Dan Newhouse: (37:05)
No, Mr. Speaker, my fellow Republican colleagues and I won’t be remembered in history for doing any of those things because we know this is far too great a matter for subversion such as these of our democratic republic. We should all be better than this. I yield back.

Speaker 3: (37:23)
Gentleman yields back. Gentlemen reserves. Mr. Nadler?

Nadler: (37:27)
Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how much time remains on both sides?

Speaker 3: (37:48)
Mr. Nadler, you’re advised that you have 156 and three quarter minutes remaining. The gentleman from Georgia is… has 157 minutes remaining. Divide that by 60.

Nadler: (38:03)
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I now yield two minutes to the distinguished lady from Texas, Ms. Escobar.

Speaker 3: (38:10)
Gentlelady’s recognized.

VeronicaEscobar: (38:12)
Our country faces a great tragedy and moment of truth. We have witnessed the president of the United States abuse his public office for personal political gain and invite foreign governments to interfere in our elections, putting the integrity of a government of, for, and by the people at great risk. The evidence is overwhelming and clearly shows that President Trump will continue to abuse his office and obstruct Congress if left unchecked.

The intelligence committee conducted a robust investigation into the president’s misconduct. Members interviewed 12 witnesses in public hearings, totalling over 30 hours, conducted 17 depositions, totaling over 100 hours, examined text messages and emails, reviewed the president’s own words and actions, and published a 300 page report detailing their findings. All of this, despite the fact that under the president’s direction, 12 current and former administration officials refuse to testify, even ignoring subpoenas and 71 document requests, were denied.

The judiciary committee then reviewed the evidence and concluded the two articles of impeachment, which I support, were warranted. The evidence shows that President Trump is a clear and present danger to our free and fair elections and our national security. The most powerful evidence of this pattern has come from the president himself. In 2016, we heard him when he called on Russia to interfere in our elections. He said, “Russia, if you’re listening.” He then repeated this call for election interference on the July 25th call with the Ukrainian president and we heard him again on the White House lawn further adding China to that mix.

I stand ready to protect our sacred republic, support these articles of impeachment, and I pray that my colleagues have the courage to do the same. We must uphold our oath of office, defend the constitution and our fragile democracy because no one is above the law. I yield back.

Speaker 3: (40:24)
Gentlelady yields back. The gentleman from Georgia.

Thank you Ms. Speaker. I yield a minute and a half to the gentleman from Florida, Mr. Rutherford.

Speaker 3: (40:30)

John Rutherford: (40:31)
Thank you, gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, in 2016, Vladimir Putin and his cronies waged a war on our elections with the goal of… The goal of sowing discord and division in America. Do you think he’s been successful?

John Rutherford: (40:48)
Somewhere in Russia right now Putin is laughing at us today. The majority has given him exactly what he wants: a divided America with a pure partisan politics, with nasty political rhetoric at an all time high, and some already across the aisle are discrediting the results of future elections. Already! Seems to many Americans that for the past three years, the House majority has been carrying out the wishes of the Kremlin. And the sad part is the Democrats have vowed to continue their sham investigations even after today’s vote. Impeaching a duly elected president in a purely partisan manner, with no crimes to show for it, not one element of a crime defined, disgraces the integrity of our democracy. Now is the time to end the partisan politics come together and put America first. I urge this body to vote “no” to partisan impeachment.

Speaker 3: (41:56)
The gentleman yields back to gentleman reserves. Mr Nadler?

Nadler: (42:00)
Mr. Speaker, I now yield to the distinguished gentlemen from New York. Mr Jeffries.

Speaker 3: (42:05)
Mr. Jeffries is recognized for two minutes.

Hakeem Jeffries: (42:07)
George Washington, in his farewell address to the nation, councilled America that the constitution is sacredly obligatory upon all. It is in that spirit that we proceed today.

Donald Trump pressured a foreign government to target an American citizen for political gain and at the same time, withheld, without justification, $391 million in military aid to a vulnerable Ukraine as part of a scheme to solicit foreign interference in an American election. That is unacceptable. That is unconscionable, that is unconstitutional.

There are some who cynically argue that the impeachment of this president will further divide an already fractured union. But there is a difference between division and clarification. Slavery once divided the nation, but emancipators rose up to clarify that all men are created equally. Suffrage once divided the nation, but women rose up to clarify that all voices must be heard in our democracy. Jim Crow once divided the nation, but civil rights champions rose up to clarify that all are entitled to equal protection under the law. There is a difference between division and clarification.

We will hold this president accountable for his stunning abuse of power. We will hold this president accountable for undermining our national security. We will hold this president accountable for corrupting our democracy. We will impeach Donald John Trump. We will clarify that in America no one is above the law.

Speaker 3: (44:03)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Right now I yield two minutes from the general from California, Mr. McClintock.

Speaker 3: (44:10)

Tom McClintock: (44:12)
Mr. Speaker, nullifying a national election requires an overwhelming case of high crimes supported by indisputable evidence that the vast majority of the nation finds compelling. Now, article one’s a made up crime called “abuse of office.” It does not charge that the president broke any law, but that Congress doesn’t like the way he lawfully discharged his constitutional duties. This would reduce the presidency to that of a minister serving at the pleasure of Congress, destroying the separation of powers at the heart of our constitution.

Article two is another made up crime called obstruction of Congress. It means the president sought to defend his constitutional rights and those of his office. It removes the judiciary from our constitution and places Congress alone in the position of defining the limits of its own powers relative to the president.

Our Bill of Rights guarantees every American the right to confront their accuser, to call witnesses in their defense, to be protected from hearsay and to defend these rights in court. The Democrats have trampled them all in their stampede to impeach. Even in this kangaroo court, the Democrats handpicked witnesses, provided no firsthand knowledge the president leaked aid to action. In fact, two witnesses provided firsthand knowledge that he specifically ordered no quid pro quo.

Any case, the charge, no actual crime, and offered no legally admissible evidence would be laughed out of court in a heartbeat. That’s the case before us today. It would redefine the grounds for impeachment in such a way that assures that it will become a constant presence in our national life. Now we know just how reckless is the Democrats’ chant of “resist by any means necessary.” This is a stunning abuse of power and a shameless travesty of justice that will stay in the reputations of those responsible for generations to come. I yield back.

Speaker 3: (46:14)
Gentleman yields back. Gentleman reserves. Mr. Nadler?

Nadler: (46:17)
Mr. Speaker, abuse of power was no vague or weak notion to the framers, it had a very specific meaning: the use of official power to obtain an improper personal benefit while ignoring or injuring the national interest. President Trump has abused his office and must be removed. I now yield two minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Tennessee, Mr. Cohen.

Speaker 3: (46:39)

Steve Cohen: (46:40)
Thank you. Mr. Speaker, from our founding, the United States has been a special nation, a city upon a hill. Our values are enshrined in our constitution: liberty, equality, and opportunity. We are a self-governing people where every person is equal before the law. In the United States, we don’t have a king. We choose our leaders. We vote. Generations of Americans have fought and some have died to secure these inalienable rights. The constitution begins “We, the people of the United States.” That’s us. It is not “we, the leaders of Russia, Ukraine or China” or “we, the Democrats” or “we, the Republicans.” It’s we, the people of the United States. And all Americans and only Americans get to have a say in our elections. Donald Trump used the high power of the presidency to pressure a foreign nation to besmirch his perceived primary political opponent. He corrupted our elections and compromised our national security so that he could keep power, not power for the people, power for himself. In 2016, candidate Trump called for foreign interference when he said “Russia, if you are listening.” In 2019, President Trump sought foreign interference when he needed a favor from Ukraine to intervene in the 2020 elections. President Trump attacked and is a continuing threat to our system of free and fair elections.

Steve Cohen: (48:09)
Like all of you, I took an oath to support and defend the constitution. I urge my colleagues to abide by that oath and stand up to president Trump’s abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. To my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, I appeal to your patriotism and implore you to defend free and fair elections and preserve the constitution. God save the United States of America. I yield back the balance of my time.

Speaker 3: (48:36)
The gentleman yields back and the gentleman and our members are reminded to address their comments to the chair. Gentleman from Georgia.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I do believe, Mr. Speaker, that our elections should be free and fair, I do believe that with all my heart. Except it seems like in this case, this impeachment is based on the fact that the speaker who said in this month or last month, it would be dangerous to leave it to the voters to determine if Mr. Trump stays in office. With that, I yield a minute and a half to the gentleman from Louisiana, Mr. Higgins.

Speaker 3: (49:03)

Clay Higgins: (49:11)
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have descended into the belly of the beast. I’ve witnessed a terror within and I rise committed to oppose the insidious forces which threaten our republic. America’s being severely injured by this betrayal, by this unjust and weaponized impeachment brought upon us by the same socialist who threatened unborn life in the womb, who threatened first amendment rights of conservatives, who threatened second amendment protections of every American patriot, and who have long ago determined that they would organize and conspire to overthrow President Trump.

We don’t face this horror because the Democrats have all of a sudden become constitutionalist. We’re not being devoured from within because of some surreal assertion of the socialists’ newfound love for the very flag that they trod upon. We face this horror because of this map. This is what the Democrats fear. They fear the true will of we, the people. They are deep establishment DC. They fear. They call this Republican map, fly over country. They call us deplorables. They fear our faith, they fear our strength, they fear our unity, they fear our vote, and they fear our president.

We will never surrender our nation to a career establishment, DC politicians and bureaucrats. Our Republic shall survive this threat from within. American Patriots shall prevail. Mr. Speaker, I yield.

Speaker 3: (50:51)
Gentleman yields. Gentleman from New York, Mr. Nadler.

Nadler: (50:57)
Mr. Speaker, I now yield two minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Georgia, Mr. Johnson.

Speaker 3: (51:02)
The gentleman from Georgia, Mr. Johnson is recognized.

Hank Johnson: (51:08)
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was not among those who supported impeachment before Ukraine, but I call for impeachment today because our president is, as we speak, abusing his power and placing himself above the law. President Trump’s attempt to sabotage the 2020 election is a clear and present danger on our democracy. We the people know this, and more Americans support impeachment today than at any time since Richard Nixon’s final weeks in office. We know that it’s wrong to enlist the help of foreigners in interfering in our elections. We know it’s wrong to cheat and we know what’s at stake. It’s not just that our elections were attacked, our elections are under attack right now. The very day the judiciary committee voted out articles of impeachment, President Trump welcomed Rudy Giuliani back to the White House. President Trump is still at it. He’s doubling down. He doesn’t think he can win an election fair and square, so he’s trying to cheat. To ignore these crimes is not just giving the president a pass, it’s giving him a green light. Those who vote against impeachment are not just endorsing president Trump’s past actions, but his future ones as well. If you think I exaggerate in warning that our elections can be undermined, I’d urge you to come down to Georgia, find a black man or woman of a certain age and they’ll tell you the danger is real. And they’ll tell you of brave Americans patriots willing to risk far more than a political career, who marched and struggled and sometimes died so that we could have fair and free elections. We’re not asked to possess even a fraction of their courage, we’re simply called upon today to do what’s right and I’m proud to vote yes on impeachment and with that I yield back.

Speaker 4: (53:12)
The gentleman from Georgia.

Thank you Madam Speaker. I would… I’m glad that my colleague, Ms. Madam Speaker, just mentioned Georgia because in the last… Since 2014, the actual voter participation among minorities, African American female, African American male, Hispanic male, and Hispanic female have risen double digits. I’m very proud of what Georgia is doing to get everybody to the poll. I’m glad he chose to highlight it, unfortunately he just highlighted it in the wrong way and I will not yield. Ms. Madam Speaker, I yield a minute and a half to the gentleman from Pennsylvania, Mr. Muser.

Speaker 4: (53:42)
Gentleman recognized for a minute and a half.

Dan Meuser: (53:44)
Madam speaker, back home, people refer to Capitol Hill as a bubble. They are right. It’s as if we are completely detached from what’s going on in communities across America. Many here don’t hear or listen to what people are saying and many here as well think they know better than the people we serve.

Dan Meuser: (54:01)
Our communities are benefiting greatly from president Trump’s agenda, a booming economy, secure border, better trade deals, and a stronger military. Unfortunately, inside the halls of Congress, Democrats’ obsession with impeachment is all-consuming. Is this how Democrat leadership chooses to represent the people of America? By nullifying the results of the 2016 election, disregarding the will of the American people, and doing everything in their power to prevent the president and this Congress from doing the job we were elected to do? After three years of trying, months of unfair, politically motivated impeachment proceedings, Democrats have delivered two weak articles of impeachment. Abuse of power? Not according to the Ukraine. President Zelensky confirmed many times that there was no quid pro quo, no action taken, and significant military aid was delivered without anything in return. Of course, his words have been conveniently dismissed. Obstruction of Congress? Is this the new standard? If this is the new standard, then every president since Jimmy Carter and every president moving forward would and will be impeached.

Dan Meuser: (55:06)
Let me be clear, it is an honor to serve in the United States House of Representatives, but today I am distraught. Today, Democrats will disregard the will of the American people and vote to impeach the duly elected president of the United States. Which should be equally troubling is that this has eroded if not wiped out the trust the American people have in the 116th Congress, I yield back.

Nadler: (55:33)
Madam Speaker, President Trump said no quid pro quo only after the White House learned of the whistleblower complaint and after the Washington Post had published an article about president’s pressure campaign on Ukraine. I now yield two minutes to distinguishws gentlelady from California, Ms. Bass.

Nadler: (55:51)
Gentlelady’s recognized for two minutes.

Karen Bass: (55:52)
Madam Speaker, this is a sad day in U.S. history when we have to vote on articles of impeachment because Donald Trump has abused the power of the office of the presidency in his attempt to cheat his way to reelection.

Karen Bass: (56:05)
The facts are uncontested. Fact one, the president abused the power of his office by attempting to shake down the president of a country that has been our ally. Trump wanted President Zelensky of the Ukraine to dig up, to make up dirt on Vice President Biden because he sees him as the biggest threat to his reelection. Fact two, Trump wanted Zelensky to go to before the press and announced an investigation of Biden hoping the mere announcement would create doubt about Biden and strengthen Trump’s hand in the 2020 election. Fact three, Trump obstructed Congress by engaging in a coverup. Trump has refused to comply with congressional subpoenas and has blocked current and past employees from testifying before congressional committees. Congress has a coequal branch of government and one of our central responsibilities is to provide oversight and investigation of the administration; the very checks and balances the framers built into the constitution so no one branch would have unchecked power.

Karen Bass: (57:05)
The House of Representatives has no choice but to vote and pass articles of impeachment because President Trump has abused his power and obstructed the ability of Congress from performing our constitutional duty. The urgency to move forward with articles of impeachment is because there is no reason to believe President Trump won’t continue to abuse the power of his office. No reason to believe he won’t continue to put a split on the scale of his reelection. And in fact, his attorney just returned from the Ukraine and in an article just released in the New Yorker magazine confesses to continuing the effort to interfere in the election.

Karen Bass: (57:42)
In many of our congressional districts, we worry about voter suppression and schemes that purge legitimate voters from participating in the election, or we worry about Russian interference in our election. It is a sad day in America when we have to worry about the Commander in Chief interfering in the election in order to be reelected. Election should be decided by the American.

Speaker 5: (58:03)
… election in order to be reelected. Election should be decided by the American people. I will vote for both articles of impeachment. It is my constitutional duty that fulfill my ultimate office.

The lady’s time has expired.

Speaker 5: (58:11)
No one is above the law.

Gentlemen from Georgia.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I yield two minutes to the gentleman from Utah, Mr. Stewart.

Gentleman’s recognized for two minutes.

I discovered something recently. It’s shocking. I know, but it turns out that some people don’t like President Trump. They think he’s loud. They think he can be arrogant. They think sometimes he says bad words and sometimes he’s rude to people and to their sensitive natures, they’ve been offended. I get that. I really do.

But let’s be clear. This vote, this day has nothing to do with Ukraine. It has nothing to do with abuse of power. It has nothing to do with obstruction of Congress. And this vote, this day is about one thing and one thing only, they hate this president. They hate those of us who voted for him. They think we’re stupid. They think we made a mistake. They think Hillary Clinton should be the president and they want to fix that. That’s what this about is about. They want to take away my vote and throw it in the trash. They want to take away my president and delegitimize him so that he can not be reelected. That’s what this vote is about.

And for those who think this started with this investigation, what nonsense. You’ve been tried to impeach this president since before he was sworn into office. Some of you introduced articles of impeachment before he was sworn into office. This isn’t something you’re approaching prayerfully and mournfully and sadly. Oh, the chaos. Oh, the sadness. This is something you’re gleeful about and you’ve been trying to do it for three years and it’s very clear. You don’t have to go back and Google very much to find out that is the absolute truth. I could give you pages of examples of things you have said for three years about this president. That’s what this is about.

Chris Stewart: (01:00:13)
And if you think if this impeachment is successful, the next president, I promise you is going to be impeached and the next president after that. If you set this bar as being impeachable, every president in our future will be impeached. It erodes our Republic in ways that our founding fathers recognized they got it right. High crimes and misdemeanors. Other than that, settle it at the ballot box. I look forward to that day.

Nancy Pelosi: (01:00:37)
Gentleman’s time is expired.

Chris Stewart: (01:00:38)
Let the American people decide.

Members are reminded to direct their comments to the chair. Gentlemen from New York.

Speaker 6: (01:00:44)
Reserve.

Nadler: (01:00:45)
Madam Speaker, I would remind the gentlemen that if President Trump is impeached and removed, the new president will be Mike Pence, not Hillary Clinton. I now yield two minutes to the distinguished gentlelady from Florida, Miss Mucarsel-Powell.

I’m sorry, the gentleman yields two minutes?

Nadler: (01:01:05)
Two minutes.

Two, gentlelady is recognized for two minutes.

Debbie M.: (01:01:08)
Madam Speaker, I did not have the privilege of being born into this country. My mother brought me from Ecuador looking for freedom and opportunity, but that’s not my story alone. This is a story that I share with so many people that live in Florida’s 26 District and all over the country. We’ve left and experienced corruption in our countries of birth where brutal dictatorships have choked their potential to benefit those in power.

Debbie M.: (01:01:37)
This president elected by the American people has violated his oath of office and violated the rule of law. The evidence is overwhelming that he withheld military aid approved by Congress and leveraged a White House meeting to extract a political favor from a foreign government. The president actively sought foreign election interference to benefit himself. It is undeniable that he has abused his power and obstructed Congress. He presents a clear and present danger to our democracy.

Debbie M.: (01:02:15)
As an immigrant, I still get chills because I feel so fortunate to live in this extraordinary country. The genius of American democracy lies in our constitution and the dedication to the rule of law. I want my children and all of our children to feel the same way when they grow up. However, if we sit idly by as cracks begin to appear in our democratic institutions, our children will be in the same situation, like so many of us experienced when we left countries whose leaders destroyed democracy. We in Congress must abide by our oath to defend our constitution. That is my duty as a member of this body. That is my duty as a mother. I yield back.


Doug Collins: (01:03:09)
Thank you Madam Speaker. At this time I yield a minute and a half to the gentleman from New York, Mr. King.

Gentleman is recognized for a minute and a half.

Peter King: (01:03:14)
Thank you Gentleman for yielding. Madame Speaker, I rise today is strong opposition to the articles of impeachment against President Trump. As Chairman Nadler must recall exactly 21 years ago today, I spoke on this floor in opposition, the impeachment of President Clinton. And 21 years ago tomorrow I voted against all four articles of impeachment against President Clinton.

Peter King: (01:03:37)
Today’s articles of impeachment against President Trump own assault on our constitution and the American people to impeach a president for a phone call, which no crime is charged, nevermind a high crime, and asserting his constitutional prerogatives as president is a clear abuse of power by the Congress. It sets a dangerous precedent of weaponizing impeachment to undo the solid decision of the American people. Madame Speaker, President Trump and I grew up in the same borough of New York City and today I am proud to stand with President Trump and urge a no vote on these horrible acts of impeachment, these articles of impeachment. I yield back to balance my time and strongly urge a no vote.

Gentleman yells back.

I’ll reserve.

Gentleman from New York.

Nadler: (01:04:21)
Madam Speaker, I now yield two and a half minutes to the gentlelady from California. Miss Lofgren.

Gentlelady’s recognized for two and a half.

Zoe Lofgren: (01:04:29)
Madam Speaker, the president and members of Congress each take an oath to uphold the constitution. When the president abuses his presidential power to upend the constitutional order, we have an obligation to live up to our oath of office.

We’ve been presented with direct evidence about the president’s actions. They threaten our national security and undermine the integrity of the next election. We now vote on articles of impeachment for abuse of power and contempt of Congress. As a result of that evidence, I’ve worked on presidential impeachments as part of the judiciary committee twice before. This third time brings me no joy.

President Nixon attempted to corrupt elections. His agents broke into the Democratic Party Headquarters to get a leg up on the election and then, just like President Trump, he tried to cover it up. Then he resigned.

This is even worse. President Trump not only abused his power to help his reelection, he used a foreign government to do it. He used military aid provided to fight the Russians as leverage solely to benefit his own political campaign. George Washington would be astonished since he warned against the insidious wiles of foreign influence.

The direct evidence is damning. The president hasn’t offered any evidence to the contrary. These actions constitute grounds for presidential impeachment. What is before us is a serious abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. These abuses strike at the heart of our constitution. The president’s unconstitutional abuse of power, a high crime and misdemeanor, is ongoing. He totally refused to provide any information to Congress related to the impeachment inquiry. It’s our responsibility to use the tool our founders gave us in the constitution to preserve the constitutional order. We must impeach and I yield back.

Gentleman from Georgia.

Thank you Madam Speaker. At this time I yield a minute and a half to the gentleman from North Carolina, Mr. Rouzer.

Gentleman’s recognized for a minute and a half.

David Rouzer: (01:06:37)
Madam Speaker of the Washington Post headlined the story immediately following President Trump taking the oath of office stating the campaign to impeach President Trump has begun. How accurate they were. Here we are almost three years later and what we are witnessing today is unprecedented in American history, a very partisan based impeachment with no facts that warrant it. This is an impeachment based on hearsay and speculation, rooted in a deep seated hatred for a man for whom many of my colleagues on the other side detest, not all, but many. Nowhere in the constitution does it say that personal disdain is grounds for impeachment.

At every turn, the claims made by my Democrat colleagues have turned out to be false. Early on it was claimed there was evidence of Russian collusion. There was none. We were told the FBI didn’t abuse the FISA process in its investigation of the Trump campaign. That too has now been proven completely false. Then when the Russian collusion hopes collapsed, we were told that we would hear from a whistleblower that had details of a nefarious call between the president and the president of Ukraine. Then we find out they weren’t even on the call. And we still don’t even know who the whistle blower is. We were told there was clear evidence of a quid pro quo for personal gain. After reading the transcript, it is obvious that you have to make assumptions that wouldn’t even stand up in traffic court to come to that conclusion.

Instead, the indisputable facts of record destroy their case and though they alleged treason and robbery by the president, the articles we are considering today only make vague accusations of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, because they found no evidence of treason or bribery-


… or anything else for that matter.

Mr. Speaker today is a very sad day-


… for a Republic.


The country is now divided.

Speaker 6: (01:08:33)
[inaudible 00:10:33].


The country is now more divided than it ever has been in my lifetime. The truth has been trampled by this House of Representatives and because of the abuses at the FBI and the Department of Justice. More Americans have an even dimmer view of very important American institutions. Thankfully, the lens of history will ensure that the truth is told and will endure.


Nadler: (01:09:00)
Madam Speaker, one specific concern of the framers was a president who would corrupt our elections, who would abuse the great powers of his office to ensure his own reelection. The impeachment inquiry is not an effort to overturn an election. It is a reaffirmation of the simple truth that in the United States of America, no person, not even the president is above the law, and our democracy cannot allow a duly elected president to abuse the power of his office for personal and political gain. And I now yield two and a half minutes to the gentlelady from Texas Miss Jackson Lee.

Gentlelady’s recognized for two and a half minutes.

Sheila J.: (01:09:48)
I hate no woman or man. Today the American people should receive clarity and truth. The constitution is the highest law of the land. The president breached and violated the constitution of the United States of America. The president committed constitutional crimes. The president’s crimes are impeachable. John F. Kennedy said, “If this country should ever reach the point where any man or group of men by force or threat of force could defy the commands of our court and constitution, then no law would stand free from doubt and no citizen would be safe from his neighbors.”

Sheila J.: (01:10:31)
The facts are undisputed. First, President Trump violated his oath of office by placing his personal political interests above the national interest by scheming to coerce Ukraine into investigating a potential election opponent. Second, President Trump betrayed the nation by interest, by withholding the congressionally agreed $391 million to a fragile ally against a very strong foe, Russia. Third, the essential purpose of the scheme concocted by the president was to enlist a foreign country to help in the 2020 election. These acts are constitutional crimes and abuse of power. The truth is the president did ask for a favor. Those were his own words.

Sheila J.: (01:11:13)
In the July 25th call, no mention of corruption, only the mention of the Bidens. The president was engaged in wrongdoing and is a clear and present danger. He has a pattern and his behavior remains a continuing threat to America’s national security. The truth is that abuse of power does violate the constitution, while both corrupting and cheating our American democracy. His acts betrayed the nation. He must take care to execute laws faithfully. This is the truth.

Sheila J.: (01:11:43)
Why does the truth matter? Because it matters to the farmer at his or her plow. It matters to the waitress on an early morning shift. It matters to the steel worker building America. It matters to the teacher in a fifth grade class. It matters to a mother kissing off her military recruit going off to war. The constitution must be preserved. Our laws must be honored and respected. The bloodshed and sacrifice of fellow Americans cannot be ignored, trampled on or rejected. And today all actions on the vote taken today must be for no personal gain or grandeur. The bright light of this constitutional democracy has been dimmed because of his acts. The truth is no longer for all. It is for one man, Donald J. Trump. His truth. His way. We must reject that abuse of power, because this is not America. No one is above the law. Alexander Hamilton said, “Impeachment was designed to deal with-


Sheila J.: (01:12:36)
… misconduct of public men and violation of public trust.” The president-


Sheila J.: (01:12:40)
… has violated the trust. We must impeach-

Who seeks recognition?

Sheila J.: (01:12:45)
… Donald J. Trump.


Thank you Madam Speaker. At this time, it is my pleasure to yield a minute and a half to the gentleman from Michigan, Mr. Mitchell.


Paul Mitchell: (01:12:56)
Today, the House of Representatives votes on two articles of impeachment of President Trump. Members and all Americans must recognize that impeachment was intended to be a safety valve, rarely used only when a president acts in such an immoral and blatantly unlawful manner as it threatened the very basis of our Republic.

As we cast votes on these articles, the future tone of this House and politics in this nation must be carefully considered. The issue is not whether we agree with or like the president’s rhetoric, political tactics, use of Twitter, policy choices or his political rallies.

One of our founders, Alexander Hamilton, warned at the risks of impeachment becoming a solely partisan act in The Federalist Papers. This impeachment inquiry and these articles clearly do not heed that warning. These proceedings are weaponizing impeachment, making it another election tool.

I’ve carefully examined the evidence presented throughout the inquiry and contrary to some considered our history, our founding documents, and our future. It is clear President Trump’s actions as described in these articles do not constitute treason, bribery, or high crimes and misdemeanors. You simply don’t like him. I’ll be voting no on these articles and will hope someday we returned to serving the needs of the American people. With that, I yield back.

Gentleman yields back.

I reserve.


Nadler: (01:14:30)
Madam Speaker, I now yield two minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana, Mr. Richmond.


Cedric Richmond: (01:14:37)
Madam Speaker, President Trump on January 20th, 2017 raised his hand and swore to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution. Now we must preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution from him.

Madam Speaker, I rise today not to disparage and embarrass the President of the United States, but to defend our precious democracy. I speak today, not because I hate this president, but because I love this body, the people’s House.

I have heard Republicans say, “Why are we rushing to judgment?” This is not a rush to judgment. It’s a rush to justice and we must not delay. Corruption is corrosive. It eats away like acid, and the longer we wait, the more time we allow for this president to do irreparable harm to our country and our democracy. Just last week, Rudy Giuliani was back at it in Ukraine, so please don’t tell us to wait because the corruption continues.

There’s a famous quote that says, “Politicians worry about the next election. Statesmen worry about the next generation.” Today calls upon us to be statesmen and stateswomen, Democrat, Republican, and Independent. Our election is under attack from within.

So to my Republican colleagues, many of whom spent a lifetime trying to build a reputation of honesty and courage. I beg you, don’t throw that away for President Trump. He doesn’t deserve it, nor will he appreciate it past the next tweet or next week. My fear, my prediction is that his actions will continue. Madame Speaker. Donald Trump recently said, “I can do anything I want.” He also bragged that he could shoot someone on 5th Avenue and get away with it. Well, he’s shooting holes in our Constitution on Pennsylvania Avenue and our House, the people’s House must defend the Constitution from a domestic enemy to the rule of law, Donald Trump. Because I don’t want generations to come to blame me for letting our democracy die, I therefore rise in favor of impeaching Donald Trump. With that, Madam Speaker, I yield back.


Thank you. Madam Speaker, at this point I yield a minute and a half to the gentleman from Missouri, Mr. Luetkemeyer.


Blaine L.: (01:17:02)
Thank you Madam Speaker. I rise today in strong opposition to this political charade that has tormented our country for nearly three years. If there was ever any doubt that this entire illegitimate investigation is 100% politically motivated, earlier this month, Speaker Pelosi actually admitted the impeachment process began two and a half years ago. Let me say that again. The Speaker of the House said publicly that the Democrats had been trying to remove our president from office since the day he got elected simply because it was not the outcome they wanted. Another of my Democrat colleagues publicly admitted in May that the driving force behind their actions was, and I quote, “If we don’t impeach the president, he’ll get reelected.” This wasn’t an investigation, Madam Speaker. This was a political crusade.

Blaine L.: (01:17:44)
In order to arrive at their Stalinistic, predetermined conclusion, House Democrats spent the last several months staging well-rehearsed hearings where the charges were drawn up by their own focus groups. Democrat donors served as witnesses and Democrat staff served as judge and jury. Even with the odds so bluntly stacked against the president, Democrats still came up with absolutely nothing.

Blaine L.: (01:18:05)
A while ago, the speaker spoke of the Pledge of Allegiance. The last phrase of the pledge is, “Justice for all.” Justice is not something afforded the president during the investigation. He was denied due process. Something Supreme Court said should be afforded in all congressional investigations. That makes this process illegal and illegitimate. What a shame. What a sham. With that I yield back.

Reserve.


Nadler: (01:18:33)
Madam Speaker, I now yield two minutes to do the gentlelady from Texas, Miss Garcia.


Sylvia Garcia: (01:18:39)
Madam Speaker. I didn’t come to Congress to impeach the president. Even when he separated babies from their at the border, even when he took money from our troops to build his wall, no, I didn’t call for impeachment because I’m here to make a difference in the lives of my constituents. Yet here we are in the middle of a constitutional crisis.

As a former judge, I took my responsibility seriously to weigh the evidence and determine if the president’s actions were impeachable. Unfortunately, the evidence and the intelligence and judiciary reports leaves us with no choice but to impeach the president. So I stand on my oath that I have sworn to the Constitution and to the American people. And today I urge my colleagues to stand by their oath too.

The framers of the Constitution included impeachment as a safeguard against a corrupt president whose misconduct could destroy the very foundations of our country. Donald J. Trump abused his power when he obstructed Congress and ordered government officials not to appear before us. Donald J. Trump corrupted our election when he asked a foreign government to interfere for his personal and political gain. Today, sadly, I ask my colleagues, will you put your party over our country or will you help save our democracy and vote yes on the articles of impeachment before you. I urge you to vote yes. I yield back. Thank you Madam Speaker.

Gentlelady yields back. Gentlemen from Georgia.

Thank you Madam Speaker. I do have an inquiry as to the time remaining for both sides.

Gentleman from Georgia has 2 hours, 22.5 minutes. Gentleman from New York has 2 hours and 27.5 minutes left.

Pulled ahead. Okay. Thank you Madam Speaker. At this point it is my… I yield now to a minute and a half to the gentleman from Iowa, Mr. King.

Gentleman’s recognized for 90… or for a minute and a half.

Steve King: (01:20:55)
Thank you Madam Speaker. Thank you gentlemen for yielding. I start out first that this is the largest and most massive cover up of a such a list of crimes against our country and it goes so far as to bring impeachment hearings to try to cover all of this up.

And I would take you back to October of 2015 when Barack Obama said Hillary Clinton would never intend to jeopardize our national security. Again. the following April, the next month, Peter Strzok wrote the statement that was delivered by James Comey and they spent Democrat money and Hillary Clinton money in Russia to pick up dirt on Donald Trump.

And then Joe Biden goes to Ukraine and makes a statement, here’s $1 billion, but you must do what I tell you to do. You’re accusing Donald Trump of doing that, which Joe Biden has confessed to.

And by the way, Joe Biden was not the opponent of Donald Trump. He’s in a 21 way primary for… and he’s running third in that race. His opponents are the other 20 Democrats. How would anybody dig into that mess of 21 people in decide he’s going to go overseas and pull some maneuver like this. You have to assign him a motive. You assign him emotive, then you create the dots, then you go dot to dot.

But the reality is that it was Biden that was doing the extortion of the power play in order to protect his own son. And it was Donald Trump that was following the law that said you have to ensure that there’s not corruption here before this money is handed over. And by the way, there was a violent war going on in Ukraine, and that’s when we sent blankets and MREs over there under Barack Obama. But when I hear this from the gentleman from Georgia, Mr. Johnson, he doesn’t think he can win the election fair and square. So he would cheat. And I’ve heard that here on this floor. No, it’s the other way around. Your number one proponent of impeachment as Al Green of Texas. And he said those very same things and they brought this case November 9th the day after Trump was elected. I yield back.

I yield, I mean reserve.


Nadler: (01:22:58)
Madam Speaker, I now yield two minutes to the gentlelady from Pennsylvania, Miss Dean.


Madeleine Dean: (01:23:12)
Madam Speaker, words matter. We’ve heard many words over the course of these last weeks. Still, what strikes me are the words that are missing from my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, a gaping hole in this conversation, the words they cannot or will not mouth defending a president’s conduct, conduct that threatens our constitutional order.

And so Speaker, I ask, when is it ever right for a president to coerce a foreign power to interfere in our elections? When is it ever right for a president to intimidate a foreign leader into announcing false investigations into a political rival? When is it ever right for that president to withhold, congressionally appropriated aid to that country at the expense of its national security and our very own? And when is it ever right for a president to block a coequal branch of government from investigating this scheme to cheat an election?

The answer, of course is never. But that word does not come trippingly from the tongues of those who are making the choice to stand behind a man whose behavior is not worthy of your tortured words.

By our vote today we are speaking to future presidents and to future generations. We are declaring that we will not tolerate foreign interference in our presidential elections. Americans alone will determine the outcome and we will not permit a president to order the complete defiance of a coequal branch of government. And in the end, regardless of the outcome of this impeachment, the president’s tenure will end and this body and our grandchildren will be left with what we did here today. Ours is a somber generational duty about love of country and lifting a constitution to its gravest protections, but its highest aspirations. Our democracy is a matter of conscience and by voting to safeguard our constitution mine is clear. I thank you Madam Speaker and yield back.

Gentlelady yells back. Gentleman from Georgia.

Thank you Madam speaker. As I have reminded many times we have fallen on the sham process that we’ve had to deal with and we fallen on the facts and won both. And I will remind that if you want to talk about elections, remember it was the Speaker of the House that said we can’t trust the voters to… it’s too dangerous to leave it with the voters for President Trump next year. With that, I yield two minutes to the gentlelady from Arizona, Miss Lesko.


Debbie Lesko: (01:25:39)
Thank you Madam Speaker. As you all know, I serve on both the Judiciary Committee and Rules Committee. And I have literally spent hours, hours pouring over testimony, looking at documents, sitting in hearings. And you know the conclusion I got from all of that? This impeachment is a total joke and a total sham.

And let me tell you one of the reasons why I think that all of those witnesses, the 17 witnesses that the Democrats brought forward, not one single one of them was able to establish that President Trump committed bribery, treason, high crimes or misdemeanors, which is required in the US Constitution. And again, 17 out of 24 Democrat members on Judiciary Committee voted on this floor to move forward articles of impeachment before the phone call. And five out of nine Rule Committee, Democrat members did the same thing. So if the main part of your impeachment is the call, why did you vote for impeachment prior to the call? I also want to remind the American public and others.

I also want to remind the American public and others that for two years, Adam Schiff claimed he had proof, proof! That president Trump had colluded with Russia. That turned out to be false and then overnight it was obstruction of justice, then quid pro quo, then bribery, then extortion. And the list goes on, but yet not one of those is listed in the articles of impeachment. To my Democrat colleagues, Madam Chair, I say, please stop tearing the country apart. Stop this sham. And I yield back.

Diana DeGette: (01:27:41)

Nadler: (01:27:44)
The gentlelady is correct. President Trump’s behavior is not new. He has a pattern of engaging in misconduct and then obstructing any investigation into his misconduct to cover up his actions and hide the truth from the American people. I now yield to the gentlelady from California, Ms. Roybal-Allard for the purpose of unanimous consent request.


Roybal-Allard: (01:28:05)
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of today’s impeachment proceedings and ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks.

Without objection.

Nadler: (01:28:12)
I now yield one minute to the distinguished gentleman from Rhode Island, Mr. Langevin.

James Langevin: (01:28:23)
I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Speaker. Our nation was founded on certain principles: that government should be of, by, and for the people, that a system of three co-equal branches of government would provide the checks and balances necessary to ensure the people’s voices are heard and that no one is above the law. Today, sadly, we are voting to impeach President Donald John Trump because he has fundamentally broken his covenant with the American people.

In doing so, we are using the powers the Founding Fathers enshrined in the Constitution. Do we address a president who has violated his oath of office? The evidence is clear and the facts are not in question. President Trump has consistently engaged in a pattern of behavior inconsistent with the rule of law. He has refused to take responsibility for his actions. He has undermined the checks and balances we rely on by instructing Congress at every turn. And most importantly, he has abused his power by using his office to solicit foreign interference in our elections, undermining the will of the people.

So on this sad day for our nation, I will do what the president has so often failed to do and I will fulfill my oath to support and defend the Constitution and I will vote in favor of impeachment. I yield back the balance of my time back.

Gentleman yields back. Gentleman from Georgia.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. This time it is my pleasure to yield two minutes to the gentleman from Ohio, Mr. Chabot.


Steve Chabot: (01:29:45)
Thank you Madam Speaker. Today is a sad day in our nation’s history as House Democrats are poised to approve on a strictly party line vote articles of impeachment based on what constitutional scholar Jonathan Turley called wafer-thin evidence. This will set a dangerous precedent where impeachment becomes the norm rather than the exception. That’s not what our Founding Fathers intended. They wanted impeachment to be rare. They set a high bar for impeachment: treason, bribery, high crimes, and misdemeanors, alleged abuse of power.

The first article is not a high crime and misdemeanor. In fact, it’s not even a crime, and 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 from now on an impeachable offense. The second article, alleged obstruction of Congress, would produce a similarly dangerous precedent. Asserting executive privilege, a practice that began with George Washington, is not obstruction of Congress. Rather, it’s a function of the essential checks and balances contemplated under the constitution. Here’s what nearly every grade school student in America knows, but apparently House Democrats do not. If Congress disagrees with the president, if they don’t agree with the president, take it to court. Let the third branch of government decide. They’re the refs.

The House has never, I repeat, never, approved either abuse of power or obstruction of Congress as an article of impeachment, but that’s going to change today. Today, House Democrats are pursuing a wacky Constitutional theory under which all four presidents on Mount Rushmore could have been impeached. If all of this sounds absurd, Madam Speaker, it’s because it is absurd. In fact, this whole process is absurd and has been from the outset. But here’s what’s not absurd, but rather frightening. House Democrats today are setting a dangerous precedent under which no future president will be immune from impeachment and that will forever negatively tarnish the history of this House. I yield back.

Gentleman yields back. Gentleman from New York.

Nadler: (01:31:59)
Madam Speaker, the president’s conduct constituted the highest of high crimes against our country. An offense does not have to violate a criminal statute to be impeachable. That was confirmed in President Nixon’s case, and again in President Clinton’s. There is no higher crime than for the President to use the power of his office to corrupt our elections. I now yield one minute to the gentleman from Wisconsin, Mr. Pocan.

Gentleman’s recognized for one minute.

Mark Pocan: (01:32:25)
Thank you, Madam Speaker. This July, President Trump blocked $400 million in congressionally approved aid that Ukraine desperately needed to defend itself against Russia because he needed Ukraine to do him a favor first. He asked the president of 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 senior cabinet and political appointees, an orchestrated plan demanding a foreign power interfere in our democracy.

Mark Pocan: (01:33:04)
President Trump betrayed his oath of office. He abused the power of his office for personal and political gain and has refused to cooperate with a coequal branch of government. This is a vote for our Constitution setting the precedent for all future presidents, Democrat or Republican. Donald Trump must be held accountable for his actions. Today we send a clear signal to this president and all future presidents. No one is above the law. I yield back.


Thank you Madam Speaker. At this time, I yield a minute and a half to the gentleman from Kansas, Mr. Marshall.


Roger Marshall: (01:33:41)
I rise today in opposition to the impeachment of the legitimately elected President of the United States. Enough. Madam Speaker, for the love of this country, enough. Enough of this impeachment circus. Enough of these sham witch hunts. I’m 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. And if my Democrat colleagues were honest, they’d 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’re using today, is the party on the other side of this aisle. They’re obstructing the will of the American people. They’re obstructing the very foundations of our country by politically weaponizing impeachment. They have dangerously shattered precedent and abused our Constitution. They alone will bear this responsibility.

Madam Speaker, they’ll fail. And it’s no wonder the American people don’t trust this body. It’s past time be done with this 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.


Nadler: (01:35:07)
Madam Speaker, I now yield one minute to the gentleman from North Carolina, Mr. Price.


David Price: (01:35:17)
Madam Speaker. The moment our founders anticipated in establishing the power of impeachment has 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 aid and a coveted White House visit, he then blocked congressional investigation into these abuses. These abuses threatened the integrity of our elections, they corrupt our diplomacy, and they undermine national security. We sometimes regard Constitutional checks and balances as the indestructible underpinnings of our democracy. In fact, they’re not fixed. They’re not indestructible. The president has demonstrated this beyond all doubt. It’s 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 affirm that no one, including the president is above the law.


Thank you, Madam Speaker. I yield a minute and a half to the gentleman from Kentucky, Mr. Comer.

Roybal-Allard: (01:36:38)

Comer: (01:36:41)
Since the beginning of this impeachment inquiry, it’s been extremely troubling to see the partisan, divisive way in which Democrats have carried out this entire process. I guess we shouldn’t be surprised though. They promised they’d 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 who voted for President Trump.

Comer: (01:37:10)
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 charade they’ve seen in the House in recent months. They are appalled at 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 precedent they are setting by voting in favor of this sham process and these illegitimate articles of impeachment. These articles were written and built on a report that was drafted with biased presumptions, cherry-picked witnesses and vastly disputed facts.

Comer: (01:37:55)
The president did not commit any impeachable offense and it’s clear for all of us to see, through the now very well-known transcript. This rigged process sets a concerning precedent for impeachable offenses moving forward. And I wholeheartedly oppose these baseless articles of impeachment. And I yield back the balance of my time.


Nadler: (01:38:24)
Madam Speaker, I now yield one minute to the gentleman from California, Mr. Peters.


Scott Peters: (01:38:30)
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Many have lamented that this effort is not bipartisan, but that’s on my Republican colleagues. Republicans have not sought the truth. They have sought to avoid the truth. They have demeaned and insulted witnesses, patriots, warriors, 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. Instead of 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 refuse to seek the truth and condemn the abuse of power, or to work with us to prevent this ongoing behavior in the future. And that’s the tragedy of today’s events.

Scott Peters: (01:39:12)
In our nation’s 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 sacrifice, but today, in contrast for fear of losing an election, my colleagues will not speak up for the rule of law or against presidential abuse of power. Voters may give them a pass, but history will judge them harshly. I will vote for the articles of impeachment. I yield back.


Thank you Madam Speaker. It is my privilege now to yield a minute and a half to the gentleman from Georgia. Mr Loudermilk.


Loudermilk: (01:39:51)
I thank my colleague from Georgia and friend, Mr. Collins. Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition not only to these articles of impeachment, but in 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. That’s why the Fifth and the Fourteenth Amendments established a bedrock principle of “innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.” But on November the 14th, Speaker Pelosi informed the press that the president should prove his innocence when she stated, “Mr. President, if you have anything that shows your innocence,” then he should make that known.

The constitution also guarantees that the accused can call witnesses to testify on their behalf, but the Republicans and the president were continually denied that right throughout this process. The Sixth Amendment guarantees the right of the defendant to face their accuser, but not only have the Democrats prohibited Republicans and the president from questioning the so-called whistleblower, his identity has been kept secret.

Before you take this historic vote today, one week before Christmas, I want you to keep this in mind. When Jesus was falsely accused of treason, Pontius Pilate gave Jesus the opportunity to face his accusers. During that sham trial, Pontius Pilate afforded more rights to Jesus than the Democrats have afforded this president and this process. I yield back.


Nadler: (01:41:20)
The president was given the opportunity to come and testify before the Judiciary Committee to send this counsel, to question witnesses. He declined to do so. I now yield one minute to the gentleman from Michigan, Mr. Kildee.

Recognized for one minute.

Kildee: (01:41:38)
Thank you, Madam 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 America’s national security by pressuring a foreign government to interfere in our elections for his own political gain. In this moment in our history, the Constitution is clear. The remedy for such misconduct by a president is impeachment. I didn’t come here to Congress to impeach a president of the United States, but sadly the president’s misconduct leaves us no choice but to follow the Constitution.

Kildee: (01:42:20)
I have two grandchildren. My granddaughter Kaitlyn is eight and my grandson Colin is four. Someday, a long time from now, they’ll ask me about this day. They’ll ask about the time a president put himself above the law and they’ll 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.


Thank you, Madam speaker. It is interesting that the president was supposedly given [inaudible 01:43:00] to the Judiciary Committee, but maybe who would he have asked questions of? Three law school professors and a staff member? Not a lot of due process there. With this, I yield a minute and a half to the gentleman from Texas.


Brian Babin: (01:43:12)
Madam Speaker, we are here today because House Democrats 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 left wing, Democrats are willing to make all future presidential elections invalid until judged worthy by the majority in 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 in decades for working Americans.

We are a democratic, constitutional republic in which power flows from we the people to our president and elected officials. The Democrat majority thinks otherwise. They believe that they’re entitled to rule us even if they have to change the rules to invalidate the will and the votes of the people of America and 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 here.

Madam Speaker, you and your majority may decide today, but I have faith that the American people will decide otherwise, next November. Thank you and I yield back.


Nadler: (01:44:36)
Madam Speaker, I now yield one minute to the gentlelady from Washington, Ms. DelBene.

Gentlelady’s recognized for one minute.

Suzan DelBene: (01:44:47)
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise today in support of this resolution. After carefully reviewing all of the evidence and the articles of impeachment before us, it is clear that President Trump abused the power of the presidency and obstructed Congress. I did not come to this conclusion lightly. Impeachment is an extremely serious matter, but no president can be allowed to pressure a foreign country for personal and political gain. No president is above the law. 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.

Suzan DelBene: (01:45:37)
By failing to uphold his oath of office, President Trump forces each of us as members of the House of Representatives to uphold ours. I urge my colleagues to do just that and defend our democracy. I yield back.


Thank you, Madam Speaker. At this time I yield a minute and a half to the gentleman from Virginia, Mr. Riggleman.


DenverRiggleman: (01:46:01)
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I oppose this impeachment effort and will vote no on the articles of impeachment. I represent the fifth district of Virginia, which is home to so many Founding Fathers whose vision shaped the great country we are living in today. Thomas Jefferson and James Madison are not around to see what their creation has become, but I don’t think they would be pleased to see Congress subverting the will of democracy by holding an impeachment vote because the majority party simply cannot accept the 2016 election.

Instead of wasting the taxpayers’ time and money on specious investigations, we could have passed legislation to address surprise medical billing, secure the border, address the opioid epidemic, reduce student debt, and solve a litany of other issues that Americans actually care about. Tomorrow we might have a vote on the USMCA, which we should have passed months ago had it not been for the obstruction and delays from Democrats, delays that have made farmers in my district and other districts suffer, votes like the one we will take today.

The decisions that have led up to today’s vote, the nature and entire process of this proceeding reeks of careers, bureaucrats, and politicians that put politics over people. I was not elected to take political votes that attempt to overturn the will of the American people. I ran for office to serve my constituents. Let’s remember that’s why we are here. Weaponizing emotion is not the way to serve the United States of America and to my colleagues who do just that, I offer a quote Thomas Paine wrote in the crisis: “To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.” Thank you and I yield back the balance of my time.


Nadler: (01:47:33)
Madam Speaker, I would remind the gentlemen that the House has passed over 400 bills, 275 bipartisan bills, driving down costs of healthcare and prescription drugs, raising wages, rebuilding infrastructure, taking on corruption and self-dealing in Washington. 80% of these bills are languishing on Senator McConnell’s desk. I now yield one minute to the gentlelady from Ohio, Ms. Kaptur.


Marcy Kaptur: (01:47:58)
Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding, I wish to place on the record that members of Congress swear a solemn oath to protect and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. And today we fulfill our oath by defending liberty.

The central figure testing America’s resolve is not here in Washington today. Rather, the closeted villain sits in Moscow at the Kremlin. Vladimir Putin has coordinated murders, election hacking, propaganda, the entrapment of willing fools, and greedy underlings who put their own selfish interests over liberty.

Putin seeks to sow disarray and destabilize democracies and the NATO Alliance. At Putin’s direction, Russia illegally invaded Ukraine in 2014, and as Ukraine defends Europe’s eastern flank, 14,000 people have been killed at Putin’s hand with over 2 million displaced. Rather than stand up to Putin, President Trump and his minions aided Putin, first in hastening Russian interference in our 2016 elections and then more recently, withholding vital military aid from Ukraine to coerce its interference in our 2020 elections for Mr. Trump’s personal gain.


Might I end by saying onward liberty, vote for the articles of impeachment.


Thank you Madam Speaker. This time I yield a minute and a half to the gentleman from North Carolina, Dr. Murphy.

Greg Murphy: (01:49:29)
Madam Speaker, I rise- [crosstalk 01:49:30].


… In opposition to these baseless articles of impeachment and the unprecedented process that’s been used in this effort to impeach the duly elected President of the United States. It is a mockery of American justice. In 1788 one of our Founding Fathers, Alexander Hamilton, wrote in the Federalist Papers, “In many cases, impeachment will connect itself with the pre-existing factions, and in such cases, there will always be the greatest danger that the decision will be regulated more by the comparable strength of parties, majority and minority, than by real demonstrations of innocence or guilt.”

What does this mean? It means that the majority can exert its influence regardless of justice. In this statement, Hamilton warned us about the danger of mob rule. Democrats have a criminal and have been searching for a crime for three years, but this president has not committed a crime. As a leader of American foreign policy, the president has a constitutional obligation to root out corruption in countries to which we provide aid. This is not an abuse of power. It is his job.

One of the articles is obstruction of Congress. The only thing that’s been instructed is this president’s right to due process. I don’t blame the president for refusing to fully participate in “this guilty until proven innocent” circus. This is not how our Founding Fathers framed American justice. This is a tragic day in our nation’s history. We have individuals that hate this president more than they love this country. Our country needs prayer and not this destructive partisanship. Thank you. I yield back.

[crosstalk 01:51:09] Gentleman from New York.

Nadler: (01:51:12)
Madam Speaker. The president’s obstruction is unprecedented and categorical. President Trump claims that the House cannot investigate his misconduct outside of an impeachment inquiry. He defies lawful Congressional subpoenas then and then he sues to block third parties from complying with such subpoenas. Even as he pursues his own interest in court, his administration simultaneously argues that Congress is barred from obtaining judicial enforcement when executive branch officials disregarded subpoenas. So when can the president be held accountable for his wrongdoing? In his mind, never. The Constitution, however, disagrees. I now yield one minute to the gentlelady from the District of Columbia, Ms. Holmes Norton.

the gentlelady’s recognized for one minute.

Holmes Norton: (01:52:05)
Madam Speaker, my words are my only remedy today. In spite of the upcoming D.C. statehood vote, we expect to be successful. The people of the District of Columbia have no vote on impeachment or on any other matter on this floor now.

Holmes Norton: (01:52:22)
I spoke on this floor on the impeachment of President Clinton 20 years ago. Unlike the Clinton impeachment, on perjury concerning an affair with an intern Trump’s impeachment turns on sabotage of national security to get himself reelected. Clinton repented. Trump insists that he did nothing wrong. That’s a promise to continue his long pattern of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Impeachment is our only recourse. I yield back.

Gentlelady yields back. Gentleman from Georgia.

Thank you, Madam Speaker, at this time, I yield two minutes to the gentleman from Colorado, a member the judiciary committee, Mr. Buck.


Ken Buck: (01:53:05)
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I thank the gentleman from Georgia. Today, Democrats lower the bar for impeachment. Under the standard, a president can be impeached in the absence of a crime, without due process and for asserting a legally, constitutionally recognized privilege.

Ken Buck: (01:53:21)
History shows Democrat presidents have abused power, undermined democracy, and win elections, and yet they have not been impeached. President Franklin Roosevelt used the IRS to target his political opponents. His son later admitted FDR used “the IRS as a weapon of political retribution.” President John F. Kennedy used the FBI to wiretap and monitor political opponents, including Congressional staff. He deported one of his mistresses to avoid scandal. President Lyndon Johnson spied on Goldwater’s campaign, signing off on wiretapping his opponent and Goldwater’s airplane and using a CIA spy to obtain advanced copies of Goldwater’s strategies and speeches. President Barack Obama refused to provide documents to Congress related to fast and furious. His unconstitutional recess appointments were unanimously struck down by the Supreme Court. He used national security agencies to lie to the American people about Benghazi to win the 2012 election. He spied on reporters. Finally, it was the Obama administration that committed 17 serious violations before the FISA court to spy on Trump campaign associates.

Ken Buck: (01:54:28)
Despite these clear abuses of power by FDR, JFK, LBJ, and Obama, Republicans did not impeach. Why? Because the framers did not want a low bar for impeachment. They wanted 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 those low standard, he said no. I yield back.


Nadler: (01:54:55)
Madam Speaker, I would remind the gentlemen that President Obama provided thousands of pages of information to Congressional requests that Attorney General Holder and others testified. Unlike now. I now yield one minute to the gentlelady from Illinois, Ms. Kelly.


Robin Kelly: (01:55:19)
Madam Speaker, today is a solemn day in America, a day that none of us hoped for when we came to Congress, but the events of today are something that each of us swore that we were prepared to execute in defense of the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. This is the oath that binds the men and women of the 116th Congress. As our democracy implores, we defend her. A clear and present threat to American democracy is what brings us here. The architect, a president who asked that a foreign nation interfere in our election. This was our Founding Fathers’ greatest fear. I cast this solemn vote for the many individuals in my district

Jerry Nadler: (01:56:03)
I cast this solemn vote for the many individuals in my district who entrusted me to be their voice in Congress. They entrusted me to uphold our constitution for them. I vote yes for Sarah in Chicago, Doug in Kankakee, Diane and Flossmoor. Yes, for Kathy and Momence, Katherine in Crete and Jimmy in Park Forest. The facts as simple, the path forward is clear, impeachment is not an option. It is an obligation because no one is above the law. I yield back.

Madam Speaker: (01:56:31)

Thank you, Madam Speaker. At this time, it is my privilege to yield two minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania, another member of the Judiciary Committee, Mr. Reschenthaler.


Rep. Reschentha: (01:56:41)
Thank you, Madam Speaker and thank you ranking member Collins. You know in the Navy we had a saying, bluff bottom line up front. Well, I’ll give you the bottom line. Democrats are terrified that President Trump is going to win reelection. They can’t beat him on the merits. So Democrats are caving to their far latch radical base and they’re using the thoughts and the feelings and the assumptions of some unnamed bureaucrats 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.

I’ve been on all sides of the courtroom. I was a prosecutor in the Navy. I was a defense attorney in the Navy. I was a district judge in my hometown. And 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 was no primae facia case here. I’ll tell you who I’d prosecute though. I would prosecute Adam Schiff for abuse of power. Why? How about the fact that he used his position as chairman to leak phone records of ranking member Devin Nunez? How about the fact that he’d dumped over 8,000 pages of documents on Republicans less than 48 hours before a hearing?

That is the abuse of power. And obstruction, I’d prosecute the Democrats for obstruction. How about the fact that judiciary Democrats voted down my request to subpoena the whistle blower? How about the fact that Chairman Adler refused every single Republican request for a fact witness? That is obstruction of Congress. So again, let me be clear. Today is nothing more than a political hit job. Thank you. And I yield back.


Nadler: (01:58:32)
Madam Speaker, once again, I hear a lot of attacks on Democratic members 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. Connolly.

Gentleman’s recognize for one minute.

Rep. Connolly: (01:58:49)
Madam Speaker, each of us here took an oath to protect and defend The Constitution of the United States, not the president and not our political party. Today, history will judge did we abide that oath. To extort a foreign country, to investigate your political opponent is an unconstitutional abuse of power. To solicit foreign interference in an American election is an unconstitutional abuse of power. The need to protect against just such abuses prompted our founders to grant the sole power of impeachment to this House. The delicate balance of power that underpins our democracy is threatened when a president disregards the constitution by obstructing Congress’ power to cover up illegal behavior.

Rep. Connolly: (01:59:39)
In doing that, President Trump violated his oath. Today, we must put country of a party, conscience over complicity. Today, we must assert no one’s above the law. Today, we are summoned by history to do the right thing. I yield back.


Thank you, Madam Speaker. I know this is probably not true, but I think the speakers are not working on the majority side because I have talked about it. Many of our members have talked about the facts. Let’s just go over them real quickly. No pressure, no conditionality, nothing was ever denied them and when they got through, they actually got the money and they never did anything for it. We have talked about the facts. That’s a distraction that doesn’t need to happen. With that, Madam Speaker, I yield a minute and a half to the gentleman from Ohio, Mr. Davidson.

[inaudible 02:00:24] for a minute and a half.

Rep. Davidson: (02:00:26)
Madam Speaker, I’ve heard numerous colleagues say they didn’t run for Congress to impeach the president. Well, maybe not originally, but unfortunately from the moment proceedings began after the fourth vote to launch an impeachment inquiry, today’s vote was inevitable. Many of them campaigned on it. I love this country with a soldier’s passion. I came here to defend freedom, 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 our country free.

Rep. Davidson: (02:01:07)
For months now, Americans have heard speculation about the president’s motives in Ukraine. Despite months of effort, dozens of hearings, and countless documents, Americans have not seen proof that the president committed a high crime or a misdemeanor. We have a republic if we can keep it. This is disgraceful, dishonest process. It’s a discredit to this body and to our nation. I urge the House to drop these divisive articles of impeachment and get to work for the American people. I yield.

Gentleman yields back. Gentlemen from New York.

Nadler: (02:01:41)
Madam Speaker, would you tell me how much time both sides have left please?

Gentleman from New York has two hours and two minutes. Gentleman from Georgia has two hours and three minutes.

Nadler: (02:02:00)
Madam Speaker, I now yield one minute to the gentlelady from New York, Ms. Velazquez.

Gentlelady is recognized for one minute.

Rep. Velazquez: (02:02:07)
Madam Speaker, the facts are clear. The president of the United States with held $400 million in military aid to an ally of the United States and also held back a White House meeting to compel a foreign nation to investigate his political opponent. At the exact time the president was doing this, Ukraine was engaged in a battle for its very existence with one of America’s adversaries, Russia. The president abused his power to persuade a foreign nation to dig up dirt on a political opponent, and that’s the truth. This was quite simply a geopolitical shakedown.

The president then tried to block Congress from exercising its constitutionally mandated duty to uncover the truth. Every single one of us today faces a stark choice. If we choose to turn a blind eye to put political expediency before The Constitution, then we are complicit in this subversion of democracy. If we do not hold this president accountable, we have failed the people who sent us here …

Gentlelady’s time has expired.

… And we have advocated our own oath to defend The Constitution. In the United States of America …

Gentlelady’s time has expired.

… No one is above the law, not even the president.


Thank you, Madam Speaker. At this time, it is my pleasure to yield two minutes from the gentleman from Alabama, Mr. Byrne.


Rep. Byrne: (02:03:42)
Madam Speaker, in three months, we’ve gone from receiving an unsubstantiated hearsay and discredit to 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 such a partisan political stunt. From the beginning, this has been a sham and this 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.

Rep. Byrne: (02:04:28)
With this complete abusive process, the Democratic majority has produced the flimsiest and most legally unsound articles of impeachment in the history of this nation. Never before has the House reported an article of impeachment that does not allege an underlying crime yet this majority will do so today. Read the transcripts. There was no quid pro quo, no bribery, no extortion, no crime, and no abusive power and they don’t even allege a crime in their articles of impeachment. The president raising Ukrainian corruption is not an impeachable offense.

Rep. Byrne: (02:05:06)
If the dealings of Hunter Biden were so above board, you would think the majority would be just fine looking into this matter, yet they haven’t moved my resolution asking for an investigation and our subpoenas for Hunter Biden have all been denied. Hunter Biden doesn’t get a pass because his dad was vice president. I am proud to have fought against a charade every step of the way and I will proudly vote no today. And I yield back.

Gentlemen yields back. Gentlemen from New York.

Nadler: (02:05:35)
Madam Speaker, right now I yield one minute to the gentlelady from Wisconsin, Ms. Moore.


Rep. Moore: (02:05:42)
Madam Speaker, the facts are uncontestable. The evidence is overwhelming. The president grossly misused the office of president and obstructed Congress and justice requires this impeachment. I feel compelled to respond to the false narrative that Democrats are using this process to overturn an election. You know, I agree. Elections are the appropriate venue for public policy disputes. However, we’re not talking about a public policy dispute. We’re talking about a president who subverted national security by soliciting foreign interference in our elections.

Rep. Moore: (02:06:16)
The exact thing our founding fathers feared and the exact circumstance for 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 only to lose his own soul. I yield back.


Thank you, Madam Speaker. At this time, I yield a minute and a half to the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Gooden.


Rep. Gooden: (02:06:57)
Thank you, Madam Speaker. This is the day the founding fathers feared when they granted Congress the power of impeachment where we have a political party so dead set against the president that they will do anything to impeach him and they’re about to get away with it simply because they have the votes. But that’s not how this process is supposed to work. It’s not meant to be dictated by a thin, partisan majority, nor is it meant to be used when an election is just around the corner and no one understands that better than our speaker who I have great respect for.

Rep. Gooden: (02:07:29)
And I agree with the comments she made on March the sixth of just this year. Impeachment is so divisive to the country that unless there’s something so compelling and overwhelming and bipartisan, I don’t think we should go down that path because it divides the nation. And that’s exactly what’s happened. And when we walk out of here tonight, we all know how this result’s going to go. The Democrats are voting for this. Not one Republican is breaking. This is not bipartisan. The American people are disgusted with the United States House of Representatives and we bring shame upon this body today by moving forward with this impeachment. I yield back.


Nadler: (02:08:07)
Madam Speaker, right now I yield one minute to the gentleman from California, Mr. Lowenthal.


Rep. Lowenthal: (02:08:14)
Thank you, Madam Speaker. The facts in this case are as simple as they are tragic. Witness after witness attested to these facts. No one has credibly refuted them. President Trump tried to coerce Ukraine to interfere in the 2020 elections. He used the power of his office for personal political gain. By withholding aid to 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.

Rep. Lowenthal: (02:09:03)
We have overwhelming evidence that this precedent 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 yield back.


Thank you, Madam Speaker. The only urgent threat to this body is the clock and the calendar and the desire to impeach the president before we go home for Christmas. With that, a minute and a half to the gentleman from Tennessee, Mr. Roe.


Rep. Roe: (02:09:38)
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Today’s a sad day in the people’s House. Since Donald Trump was elected in 2016, Democrats have been on a crusade to stop him by any means. I believe the American people, the fairest people on this earth, they believe that everyone should be treated equally under the law no matter what your station you occupy in life. Rich, poor, president, factory worker, fair. This process has been anything but fair. For two years, we’ve been told that then candidate Donald Trump colluded with Russians to interfere with our elections.

Rep. Roe: (02:10:09)
Two years, millions of dollars spent in a Mueller investigation, no collusion. You’d think after being that wrong, Democrats would finally decide to work on the problems that the American people send us here to do. You’d be wrong again. Then we were told that the president withheld money to the Ukrainians in a quid pro quo. No, no, a bribery, no abusive power. I guess, whatever polls best to gather information on a political rival, potential rival. Well, here’s some facts about what happened. Fact number one, the transcript of July 25th phone conversation that president released shows no pressure.

Rep. Roe: (02:10:43)
Fact number two, President Zelensky did not know the money was withheld. Fact number three, no investigation occurred or was announced. Fact number four, the money was released September 11, 2019. Facts are stubborn things. One member on the other side of the aisle said “I’m concerned that if we don’t impeach this president, he will get reelected.” That, Madam Speaker, says it all. I yield back.


Nadler: (02:11:11)
Madam Speaker, I now yield one minute to the gentlelady from Oregon, Ms. Bonamici.


Rep. Bonamici: (02:11:17)
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I take seriously my oath to uphold and defend The Constitution and I do not take today’s proceedings lightly. The founding fathers included the impeachment process in The Constitution to uphold our values and to maintain the checks and balances that are essential to separation of powers and to democracy. They knew way back in 1787 that a 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.

Rep. Bonamici: (02:11:58)
Donald Trump has abused the power of his office by inviting a foreign government to interfere in the US election. And he did this not to help the United States, but to benefit himself. That’s wrong. And it’s an impeachable offense. And then when Congress exercised our constitutional duty to investigate these wrongdoings, he obstructed the investigation every step of the way. That is also wrong. And it’s also an impeachable offense. In our country, no one is above the law, that includes the president of the United States. And I yield back the balance of my time.


Thank you, Madam Speaker. At this point, I yield a minute and a half to the gentleman from Pennsylvania, Mr. Kelly.


I thank the gentleman. You know, December is such a great month and there’s so many great dates in December and we talk about the wonderful things that have happened in Decembers of the past. There’s also in addition to Christmas being something we celebrate, the Boston Tea Party took place in December. But also on December 7, 1941 a horrific act happened in the United States and this one that President Roosevelt said, this is a date that will live in infamy. Today, December the 18th 2019 is another date that will live in infamy. When just because you hate the president of the United States and you can find no other reason other than the fact that you’re so blinded by your hate that you can’t see straight that you’ve decided the only way we can make sure this president doesn’t get elected again is to impeach him.

On the floor of the people’s House, the bastion 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 their voters in the eye and remit. Listen, let me tell you, the voters are will remember next November what you’re doing this December. This is a terrible time. This is a date that will live in infamy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker and I yield back.

The members are reminded to address their remarks to the chair. Gentlemen from New York.

Nadler: (02:14:00)
Madam Speaker, I now yield one minute to the gentlelady from Florida, Ms. Frankel.


Rep. Frankel: (02:14:07)
In 1787 at the conclusion of the constitutional convention, Benjamin Franklin was asked, do we have a republic or a monarchy? He responded, a republic, if you keep it. Madam Speaker, a republic is a form of government in which the country is considered a public 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 personal political gain, nor may he stopped 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.

Rep. Frankel: (02:14:54)
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 yield back.


Thank you, Madam Speaker. At this time, I yield a minute 40 seconds to the gentleman from Wisconsin, Mr. Grothman.

Gentleman is recognized for a minute and 40 seconds.

Rep. Grothman: (02:15:17)
Thank you. I’d like to address why we’re here. We’re certainly not here because of a misquoted phone call in July of 2019. The Washington Post ran an article headlined The Campaign to Impeach President Trump has Begun the Day he was Sworn in. The gentleman from Maryland who spoke earlier today called for impeachment two days before President Trump was in, before he was sworn in. The gentleman from Texas was introducing impeachment resolutions two years ago and said, President Trump should be impeached so he can’t get reelected.

This impeachment is not about anything that happened on a phone call. This impeachment is about what President Trump has done. The people in this country who are let in, who are inadmissible, are apprehended and don’t have legal authority, fell from 100,000 people in May to under 5,000 people in November and you hate him for it. Ben Carson thinks that low income housing should be used by American citizens and not people who are here illegally and you hate him for it. President Trump doesn’t want people coming here and going on welfare and you hate him for it.

President Trump wants able bodied people on food stamps to try to work and he’s hated for it. President Trump renegotiated that rip off trade agreement with Mexico and Canada, and that was led in place by President Bush and President Obama, and you hate him for it. President Trump sides with law enforcement instead of criminals 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 don’t like them for that.

President Trump won’t let foreign aid go to agencies that perform abortions, you hate him for that. President Trump’s judges stick to The Constitution. He’s disliked for that. President Trump is keeping his campaign promises and you hate him for that. I yield the remainder of my time.

Members are once again reminded to keep their remarks to the chair. Gentleman from New York.

Nadler: (02:17:12)
Madam Speaker, we do not hate President Trump, but we do know that President Trump will continue to threaten the nation’s security, democracy, and constitutional system if he is allowed to remain in office. That threat is not hypothetical. President Trump has persisted during this impeachment inquiry in soliciting foreign powers to investigate his political opponents. The president steadfastly insists that he did nothing wrong and is free to do it all again. That threatens our next election as well as our constitutional democracy. I now yield one minute to the gentleman from California, Mr. McNerney.

Gentleman is recognize for one minute.

Rep. McNerney: (02:17:53)
Madam Speaker, the House of Representatives, the people’s House is vested by The constitution with the power of impeachment to balance the power of the presidency. Without this essential duty, the president could exploit his sacred office without any regard for the law. On January 3, 2019, every member of the house swore North to defend The Constitution, and this week we’re 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.

Rep. McNerney: (02:18:32)
But the president refused to cooperate and forbade his administration for doing so obstructing Congress from carrying out our sworn responsibility. If these actions bear no consequence, future presidents 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 this president. I yield back.


Thank you, Madam Speaker. At this time, I yield to my friend from Florida a minute and a half.


Rep. Yoho: (02:19:11)
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I’d like to address my colleagues on the other side of the aisle and reiterate President Washington’s 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 vote their minds independent of party politics. Removing a president is too important and lawmakers are given too much latitude to define high crimes and misdemeanors for it to be any other way. Otherwise, excessively partisan politicians could overturn an election simply because the president is a member of the opposite and opposing party.

Rep. Yoho: (02:19:54)
It is in regard to this impeachment process that George Washington forewarned us as a nation at this moment in history when political parties may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things to become potent engines by which cunning, ambitious and unprincipled men and women will be enabled to subvert the power of the people to use usurp for themselves the reins of government. How wise he was. Vote no on this assault to our republic, The Constitution and against President Trump.

Gentleman yields back. Gentleman from New York

Nadler: (02:20:36)
Madam Speaker, John Adams warned in a letter to Thomas Jefferson that these risks are unavoidable and might sometimes overlap. “You are apprehensive of foreign interference, intrigue, influence, so am I. As long as often as elections happen, the danger of foreign influence recurs.” I now yield one minute to the gentlelady from Michigan, Ms. Lawrence.


Rep. Lawrence: (02:21:02)
Madam Speaker, today, history is being written. The facts are conclusive. The president attempted to use the power of the powerful office of president to force Ukraine to influence our 2020 election. In the process, President Trump jeopardized our national security and withheld vital military assistant attended to prevent further Russian aggression to our region. However, as our committees, including government oversight, which I sit on and which I’m a member sought to interview additional witnesses and obtain documents the president ordered from the power of his office that the executive branch to not participate in obstructed the congressional oversight.

Rep. Lawrence: (02:21:53)
Article one provides the house of representatives with the sole power of impeachment as well as the authority to conduct oversight of the executive branch. What did he have to hide? When the framers met over 200 years ago, they went to great lengths to ensure future presidents would be forced to answer to their constitutional responsibility. I stand today in support of the two articles of impeachment.


Thank you, Madam Speaker. At this time, I yield two minutes to the gentleman from Virginia, Mr. Cline, a member of the judiciary.

Gentleman is recognized for two minutes.

Rep. Cline: (02:22:34)
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Today’s a sad day for this body, for the voters who sent me here last November and for our nation. Benjamin Franklin cautioned when asked what he had given us, a republic, if you can keep it. Today, we take a step further toward losing the republic that our founding fathers envisioned by engaging in activity that they specifically warned against, the misuse of the constitutional power of impeachment for one party’s political gain. Our constitution is the very foundation of our republic. Its assurance of self determination has been the shining beacon by which our nation has chartered its course of the last two centuries.

Rep. Cline: (02:23:10)
From a new democratic experiment struggling to survive to the greatest nation on earth, America has been powered over the years, not by government, but by the ingenuity, the bravery, and the faith of its people.

Ms. Speaker. I now yield one minute to the gentleman from California, Mr. Huffman.

Speaker 1: (00:03)
Chairman’s recognized for one minute.

Jared Huffman: (00:05)
Madam speaker, as we take this solemn necessary step of impeaching President Trump, my Republican colleagues have made up their minds. We can’t persuade them to do the right thing. So I’ll address my remarks to the future. Today’s vote will be judged by future generations, including my precious children, Abby and Nathan, maybe grandkids. Historians will study what members of this Congress did when our democracy was tested like never before by a president who put personal interests above country, who compromised national security to cheat his way to reelection and when caught not only lied and refused to admit wrongdoing, but flouted Congress’s authority. He even called the constitutional impeachment mechanism, “unconstitutional”. Historians will marvel how some members of Congress continued to stand by this man, how they put blind partisan loyalty or fear of Donald Trump above their duty to defend the constitution. How they made absurd partisan arguments and tried to obstruct these proceedings and how instead of pushing back when their party fell under the dark spell of authoritarianism, they embraced it as if the constitution, the rule of law, and our oath of office mean nothing. So, Madame speaker, for our future generations, our children, the judgment of history, let me be clear, I stand with our constitution, with the rule of law and our democracy. I’ll be voting yes to impeach Donald J. Trump.

Speaker 1: (01:35)

Roger Williams: (01:37)
Thank you, gentleman, for yielding me time. Today’s vote to impeach the duly elected President of the United States is truly historical. However, its unique place in history is not for the reasons the Democratic party and their 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 presidential election. It will be the first time in history that a party paraded out their Ivy League academics to explain to 31 States and almost 63 million people that their voice should not be heard and why their votes should be counted. I pray for our nation every day but today I’m praying for my colleagues across the aisle who arrived at this partisan and self-directed fork in the road and chose the road never before traveled and one that has a dead end.

Roger Williams: (02:40)
Donald J. Trump is our president chosen by the American people fair and square. As we say in Texas, it’s a done deal. Democrats attempt to change history will never undo that but God bless the greatest country in the world, the United States of America. I yield back my time.

Speaker 1: (02:56)

Madam Speaker, I would remind the gentlemen that the impeachment clause is placed in the constitution to protect the American people and our form of government against a president who would subvert our constitutional liberties in between elections. I now yield one minute to the distinguished gentleman from Texas, Mr. Green.

Speaker 1: (03:18)
Gentleman is recognized for one minute.

Al Green: (03:24)
And still I rise, Madam Speaker, I rise because I love my country and Madam speaker shall any man be beyond justice. This is the question posed in 1787 by George Mason at the constitutional convention. Shall any man be beyond justice? Madam Speaker, if this president is allowed to throat the efforts of Congress with a legitimate impeachment inquiry, the president will not only be above the law, he will be beyond justice. We cannot allow any person to be beyond justice in this country. In the name of democracy, on behalf of the Republic, and for the sake of the many who are suffering, I will vote to impeach and I encourage my colleagues to do so as well. No one is beyond justice in this country. I yield back the balance of my time.

Speaker 1: (04:29)

Thank you, Madam Speaker. And I’d also remind my chairman that the impeachment is not to be used in the between election cycles to defeat a sitting president who you think will be reelected. With that, I yield one minute to the gentleman from Florida, Mr. Buchanan.

Speaker 1: (04:42)
Chairman’s recognized for one minute.

Vern Buchanan: (04:44)
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I will vote today against both articles of impeachment because we are without merit and setting a dangerous precedent for our country. This political vendetta is an abuse of the impeachment process and would subvert the votes of 63 million Americans just because the president’s opponents are afraid that he’ll win reelection is no excuse for weaponizing impeachment. No president in history has ever been impeached 10 months before an election. Elections are the heart of our democracy. Our founding fathers devised a simple way to remove a president if you disagree with them. It’s called an election and we have one coming up in less than a year. Let’s let the people decide this next November and I yield back.

Speaker 1: (05:32)

Madam Speaker I now yield one minute to the gentle lady from Michigan, Mrs. Tlaib.

Speaker 1: (05:40)
Gentle lady is recognized for one minute.

Rashida Tlaib: (05:43)
Thank you. I rise today in support of impeachment. I learned so much every single day from my residents at home. Their common sense and understanding of what is right and wrong is centered on why they oppose any person using the most powerful position in the world for personal gain. We honor our veterans in this chamber almost on a daily basis, but do we ever follow their lead where we serve the people of the United States and uphold the constitution? Not as Republicans or Democrats, but as Americans. We should learn from their sense of duty and responsibility to country and democracy, not political party. Doing nothing here, Madam Speaker, is not an option. Looking away from these crimes against our country is not an option. This is about protecting the future of our nation and our democracy from corruption, abuse of power, criminal coverups, and bribery. And this, Madam Speaker, this vote is also for my sons in the future, of so many generations. So, I urge my colleagues to please vote yes on these articles of impeachment. With that, Madam Speaker, I yield.

Speaker 1: (06:55)

Thank you, Madam Speaker. At this time, I yield a minute and a half to the gentleman from Pennsylvania, Mr. Joyce.

Speaker 1: (07:01)

John Joyce: (07:03)
Madam Speaker, I rise today on this dark day in the United States House of Representatives to voice my opposition to the shameful impeachment process that has occurred in the people’s house. Some of my colleagues on the other side of the isle do not like President Trump. We know this because they proudly boasted about their intention to impeach our president before he was even sworn into office. Out of disdain for the president, and for those of us who elected him, the House of Representatives is considering two articles of impeachment that are so very weak that they even fail to include specific crimes. The people that I represent in South Central and Southwestern Pennsylvania know the truth. The American people know the truth. This impeachment circus has never been about the facts. This process has always been about seeking revenge for the president’s election in 2016 and attempting to prevent him from winning again in 2020. Madam Speaker, I wholeheartedly oppose this partisan and shameful effort to impeach our democratically and duly elected president. For the sake of our nation, I urge my colleagues to join with me and vote no on the articles of impeachment. Thank you. I yield back.

Speaker 1: (08:26)

Madam Speaker, all we keep hearing from the other side are tax on the process and questions of our motives. We do not here because we cannot hear because they cannot articulate a real defense of the president’s actions. I now yield one minute to the Gentle Lady from Massachusetts, Ms. Presley.

Speaker 1: (08:51)
One minute.

Ayanna Pressley: (08:52)
Madam Speaker, I rise today to protect our democracy. Today we take a stand against corruption and abuses of power. What we are doing here today is not only patriotic, it is uniquely American. America is a story of ordinary people confronting abuses of power with the steadfast pursuit of justice. Throughout our history, the oppressed had been relegated to the margins by the powerful and each time we have fought back. Deliberate in our approach, clear eyed. Each generation has fought for the preservation of our democracy and that is what brings us to the house floor today, efficient and effective in the pursuit of our truth. Congress has done its due diligence. Today we send a clear message, we will not tolerate abuses of power from the President of the United States of America. The future of this nation rests in our hands. It is with a heavy heart but a resolved one and because I believe our democracy is worth fighting for, I will vote to impeach Donald J. Trump, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Speaker 1: (09:59)
[inaudible 00:09:59] back. Gentleman from Georgia.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. And you know, again, my chairman, again, I think hears us, he just doesn’t want acknowledgement. When you have nothing but a process that it was completely amuck, you talk about process, but you also, I’ve already debunked the facts many times. Let’s do it one more time. No pressure by Mr. Trump or Mr. Zelensky. In fact, what really just horrifies me as a continuation to say that Mr. Zelensky, who is the posed victim here, had said many times there was no pressure. The majority of Democrats are calling him a liar or weakening him in his own country. That’s deplorable. He has no conditionality in the transcript or conditionality after that. Five meetings proved that, all high level meetings, no conditionality. Two of those meetings were after the Ukrainians actually knew or the possibility of their aid being held.

They’ve not ever addressed the four truths and the five facts. Also after there was nothing done to get the money, guess what? They got the money. That’s the facts. That’s what they don’t want to deal with. That’s where we’re at today, so let’s continue to see how the sham was perpetrated. That’s what many of our members are talking about. With that, I yield a minute and a half from the gentleman from Michigan, Mr. Bergman.

Speaker 1: (10:59)
Gentleman’s recognize for a minute and a half.

Jack Bergman: (11:04)
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I arise today in opposition to the articles of impeachment against President Trump. I believe all American people need to be looked in the eye by all our representatives. Today is the culmination of the Democrats’ three year long quest to delegitimize the president. This has been in the works since November, 2016 and it was all but promised when the Democrats took the majority. This sham process began without a formal vote in the House and was continued over these past several months, willfully trampling on decades of bipartisan precedent. No due process, closed-door depositions, even though nothing in the investigation was classified and leaking only details that fit their narrative.

Jack Bergman: (11:53)
If this isn’t partisan politics, I don’t know what is. Holding our elected officials accountable is a job I take extremely seriously but the impeachment votes today represent the worst of Washington DC. Yet another reason my constituents are so disillusioned with the process and disappointed by the 116th Congress. Michigan’s first district sent me to Washington to get things done, to get the government off their backs, and to help rural Michiganders and other people around the country keep more of their hard earned currency, not to impeach our duly elected president. With that, I urge my colleagues to vote against the articles of impeachment. I yield back.

Speaker 1: (12:37)
Gentlemen yields back. Gentlemen from New York.

Scott Perry: (12:40)
Madam Speaker, I now yield one minute to the Gentle Lady from California, Ms. Barragan.

Speaker 1: (12:44)
Gentle Lady is recognized for one minute.

Nanette B.: (12:47)
Madam Speaker, it is with a solid sense of duty that I rise today in support of impeachment. As this chamber debates two articles of impeachment against the president for his abusive power and obstruction of Congress, I want history to know that I stood up to say that I stand for the constitution and our democracy. When my immigrant mom became a United States citizen, she took a note and an allegiance to our country and constitution. When I stood on this floor as a new member of Congress, I took a note to uphold and defend our constitution. The president abused his power when he used his official office and power to ask a foreign government to interfere in our elections. When he asked a foreign government for a personal favor to dig up dirt on his political opponent so he could cheat, the president got caught, and then he tried to cover it up. Today we say, “No more.” Today we say we will not allow this president to abuse his power and endanger our national security. I stand to say no one is above the law, not even this president. I yell back.

Speaker 1: (13:49)

Thank you, Madam Speaker, I yield a minute and a half to the gentleman from Pennsylvania, Mr. Perry.


I thank the gentleman. Since before inauguration, the press and members of this Congress had been for impeachment. Members refused to attend the inauguration. They called for impeachment. They voted for impeachment without any evidence. They voted for impeachment creating and manufacturing evidence. Recall and votes of no confidence are not included in our constitution for a reason. Our system demands evidence of high crimes and misdemeanors. If such evidence existed, there would be an agreement in this chamber but there is not. There is not an agreement because there is not evidence. Madison and Hamilton warned us that this might happen, that impeachment would veer toward political factions and that’s exactly what this is. This is bitterly and nakedly partisan. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle have made a mockery of this process and this government. They despise the president and are themselves abusing the power of their office.

All to settle the political score they were unable to resolve at the ballot box. Madame Speaker, they hope that if they repeat them over and over and stay on message, you will believe their charges. Repeating things that aren’t true does not make them true. The call record between the two presidents is clear. President Trump was interested in getting to the bottom of what happened in the 2016 election. He asked the Ukrainians to work with our attorney general. The Ukrainians were already getting the military hardware and they got the assistance money and the meeting they desired. These are not crimes. These are disagreements over foreign policy and the fact that this president is conducting it. If it weren’t so sad, it would be laughable. Madam Speaker, my colleagues are not driven by a quest for facts or truth. They are driven by their partisan animus and a timetable. These are the reckless and irresponsible act of the elitist in the swamp and they underline the fabric of our Republic. I urge a no vote and I yield.

Speaker 1: (15:44)

Madam Speaker. I would remind the Gentlemen that there is in fact extensive direct evidence including the president’s own words and actions, which is corroborated and supported by indirect and circumstantial evidence. The record leaves the following key facts indisputable. President Trump’s personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, pushed Ukraine to investigate Vice President Biden and a debunked conspiracy theory about the 2016 elections. President Trump directed US officials and Presidents Zelenskyi himself to work with Mr. Giuliani to fulfill his demands. President Trump withheld critical military aid for Ukraine and President Trump stonewalled Congress’ investigation to cover up his misconduct. I now yield one minute to the gentleman from Illinois, Mr. Casten.

Speaker 1: (16:32)

Sean Casten: (16:34)
Madam Speaker, this should not be a partisan vote. This is a vote about America. It’s a vote about our democracy and our oath to the constitution. We all took an oath to protect the constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and we all know that what President Trump did was wrong. We all know it’s wrong to withhold foreign aid for a political favor. We know it’s wrong to ignore congressional subpoenas and we know it’s wrong to default to silly partisan process arguments rather than to rise and defend this beautiful but all too fragile democracy. And when those in elected power abused their position for personal advantage, it’s on us to somberly uphold and defend the responsibility that the founders bestowed on us. So when you talk about partisanship, I’d remind you of those great words of Lincoln and paraphrasing him slightly, when one party would inflame partisanship rather than let the nation survive, I’m proud to be the party that would accept partisanship rather than let the nation perish. So, in this moment, the answer’s clear, not because we want to impeach, but because we must. So, when you vote in a few hours, don’t vote your party. Vote your character. That’s how you’re going to be judged. And that’s how we’re all going to be judged. Thank you. And I yield back.

Speaker 1: (17:46)

Madam, if I can ask for a time check for both.

Speaker 1: (17:52)
Gentleman from Georgia has an hour and 44 and a half minutes. Gentleman from New York has an hour and 47 and a half minutes.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. At this time, I yield a minute and a half to the gentleman from Colorado, Mr Tipton.

Speaker 1: (18:08)

Scott Tipton: (18:10)
Madam Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this partisan impeachment process. Make no mistake, this process did not begin with a whistle blower report. In fact, impeachment efforts began shortly after the president was elected. The theatrics, political posturing have ensured that this body is not actually pursuing to preserve checks and balances. Rather, this process echoes the calls by some that refuse to accept the 2016 election results. None of the articles receiving a vote justify the removal of the president from office. The first article suggests that the president pressured a foreign government to be able to assist in an upcoming election. Ukraine received its aid without a prearranged agreement. This is unsubstantiated. Second article is premised on the obstruction occurred when the white house ignored subpoena’s issued by the House. Our federal courts are the ultimate arbitrators of these decisions. In fact, previous administrations, Republican and Democrat, both have dealt with these issues and claimed executive privilege. Mr. Speaker, Madam Speaker, the articles that are before this House are unsubstantiated. I intend to vote no on these articles and I would encourage my colleagues to be able to do the same.

Speaker 1: (19:28)

Madam Speaker, I now yield one minute to the gentleman from Arizona, Mr Gallego.

Speaker 1: (19:35)

Ruben Gallego: (19:37)
Madam Speaker, today I will vote to impeach president Donald Trump for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Those still defending the president’s actions are desperately grasping at straws while living in an alternate universe where facts don’t exist. To those still unwilling should search their souls, ask yourself, would you support a Democratic president using taxpayer dollars to pressure a foreign government to investigate a Republican political opponent based on false Russian conspiracy theories? Of course not. That’s absurd. Any president who does that has abused the power of the presidency for personal gain and undermined our most sacred tradition, our elections. In a few hours, every member will make a choice. Will you fall into the age old political trap of thinking blind partisanship is all that matters? Will you vote to defend the constitution and our democracy so that the President Trump and every future president will know that they are not above the law and will be held accountable for their actions? I have made my choice. I hope every member puts the defense of our nation first and joins me. I yield back.

Speaker 1: (20:42)

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I need to yield a minute and a half to the gentleman from Nebraska, Mr. Smith.

Speaker 1: (20:48)

Adrian Smith: (20:50)
Madam speaker, I rise today to speak out against this attempt to remove the duly elected President of the United States. Impeachment is importantly established in our constitution. The impeachment of a president has only happened twice in our country’s 243 year history. Yet today for highly political purposes, the House majority is trying to remove President Trump from office based on second hand indirect accounts. The articles of impeachment we are voting on today offer no evidence of a crime but instead are purposely broad to fit the majority’s narrative. Less than one year until the next presidential election, we are being asked to override the choice of the American people. This lopsided and hyper-partisan biased impeachment process has been predetermined as an outcome from the very beginning. This is an unfortunate day in the history of our great country. We must hope this political game does not set a precedent of which to follow in the future. Surely there will be disagreements between the President and Congress for many years to come. Instead of unnecessarily dividing our country, as we are seeing today, we should be looking at ways to bring our country together. Thank you. I yield back.

Speaker 1: (22:04)
Gentleman yields back. Gentlemen from New York.

Madam Speaker, President Trump’s actions are both impeachable and criminal. Although the violation of the federal criminal statute is neither necessary nor sufficient to justify impeachment, President Trump’s conduct violated the federal anti-bribery statute very clearly. Madam Speaker, I now yield one minute to the gentleman from Virginia, Mr. Buyer.

Speaker 1: (22:30)

Don Beyer: (22:32)
I thank the chairman. Madam Speaker, today I vote to impeach President Donald Trump for the abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. I don’t hate the President, but I love my country and I have no other choice. Voting for these articles of impeachment is the only moral course of action. The only way to honor our oath of office. I have no doubt that the votes I cast today will stand the test of time. This has nothing to do with the 2016 elections. I’m so disappointed though that Republican friends approve of the president’s abuses of power and solicitation of foreign interference in our elections. This is the very definition of the willful suspension of disbelief. They know in their hearts that what the president’s done is deeply wrong. They know that they would vote without hesitation to impeach a Democratic president who had done these things. I remind all Americans, the president did not rebut the facts, the many, many facts which have led to the articles of impeachment today. For the sake of our democracy, our constitution, and our country, we must do the right thing and vote to impeach President Trump. I yield back.

Speaker 1: (23:33)

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I was just amazed by what the chairman just said. If it was obviously that he violated the bribery statute, clearly, then why didn’t we add it as an article impeachment? The reason why? It didn’t. With that I yield a minute and a half to the gentleman from Mississippi, Mr. Guest.

Speaker 1: (23:47)

Michael Guest: (23:49)
Thank you, ma’am. Article two section four, The United States constitution states that the President of the United States may be removed from office for treason, bribery, high crimes, and misdemeanors. As a former prosecutor, I am confident that no court would accept these articles of impeachment as having met the standards set forth by our founding fathers. The impeachment articles rely almost exclusively on hearsay and opinion testimony, and they present no direct evidence of wrongdoing. As a former district attorney, I’m dismayed that the Democrats have submitted articles of impeachment against a sitting president using circumstantial evidence that fails to offer proof of an impeachable offense. Additionally, the charges levied against the president of the articles of impeachment lack historical precedent and are motivated by pure political reason. If the House of Representatives passes the articles of impeachment, the Democrats will have set a dangerous precedent by undoing America’s votes for president because a single party disagreed with the 2016 presidential election results. I urge my colleagues to vote no on the articles of impeachment and I yield back.

Speaker 1: (25:09)

Madam Speaker, I now yield one minute to the distinguished gentleman from California, Mr. Thompson.

Speaker 1: (25:14)

Mike Thompson: (25:16)
Madam Speaker, I find no pleasure coming to the floor today to consider impeachment. I ran for Congress to represent my community and to serve the country I love. As a combat veteran and having served eight years on the intelligence committee, I understand the threat that foreign actors can play in our elections. Every elected official must dedicate themselves to protecting our democracy. No one should invite a foreign country to interfere with our most sacred act of voting. It was abusive power by the president to ask a foreign nation to interfere in our election to benefit his personal and political interest and to condition bi-partisan congressionally approved aid on that interference. Unchecked, these actions could lead us down a path that will unravel the fabric of our nation. I’m saddened we’re here today, but in the interest of defending our nation, I will vote for the articles of impeachment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Speaker 1: (26:13)

Thank you, Madam Speaker. This time I yield a minute and a half to the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Roy.

Speaker 1: (26:19)

Chip Roy: (26:20)
Thank the gentlemen from Georgia. Mr. Speaker, our founders intentionally did not embrace recalls or votes of no confidence. Rather, we demand from Congress evidence of high crimes and misdemeanors. While my colleagues are free to dislike the president and while they may reasonably view the infamous phone call and negotiations with Ukrainians as something less than perfect, they are not free to impeach something less than a high crime and misdemeanor. In over 10 months, though, the people are free to decide and we should let them. The eyes of the world are upon us, Madam Speaker, the press galleries are full. Our floor is filled with members. When will we give the world something better than this? My colleagues speak eloquent about the constitutions they found under mothballs. Where’s respect for the constitution when the people’s House daily refuses to do its actual job while shredding federalism and limited government? Today in Mexico, a young girl will be abused while being trafficked toward our open borders. While some here yell kids in cages and play race politics in the false name of compassion.

Chip Roy: (27:17)
Today in New York, a young mother will be coerced into abortion by taxpayer funded Planned Parenthood, while we allow the genocide of the unborn in the false name of choice. Today across America, diabetics will struggle to afford insulin due to a healthcare system ravaged by government and insurance bureaucrats empowered in the false name of coverage. And today our children inherit a hundred million dollars of debt an hour, borrowed in the false name of what government can provide. In this conduct by Congress failing to do its jobs, that should be impeached. And one might ask if America would be better off taking the first 435 names out of the phone book to represent us in the United States House than what is on display here today. Today is not a dark day because the American people know this. America is great. Washington is broken. And we’re taking our country back. I yield back.

Speaker 1: (28:05)

Madam Speaker, I now yield one minute to the distinguished gentle lady from California, Mrs. Matsui.

Speaker 1: (28:14)
Gentle lady is recognized for one minute.

Doris Matsui: (28:17)
Madam Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart. I came to Congress to serve the great people of Sacramento and to build a better future for our children and grandchildren, including my grandkids and on Ravi. The facts before us are crystal clear. We heard testimony from 17 brave Patriots who value our democracy and the constitution. They testified that President Trump threatened to withhold congressionally approved money in exchange for dirt on a political rival and worse that he continues to invite foreign powers to violate our sovereignty, even today. Honest face, these are impeachable offenses that represent a clear and present danger to our country. That’s why the only answer is to act now. We need to stand together and stop President Trump immediately so that he cannot violate the next election. For the sake of our country and our democracy, I will vote yes to impeach the president and I yield back.

Speaker 1: (29:16)

Thank you, Madam Speaker, I yield a minute and a half to the gentleman from Pennsylvania, Mr. Smucker.

Speaker 1: (29:21)

Lloyd Smucher: (29:23)
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise today to ask my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, how much is the trust of the American people worth? When the American people are dissatisfied with their government, the primary tool that the constitution gives them to make a change is their vote. And on November 8th, 2016, Americans from every part of this nation packed the polls to elect Donald J. Trump to be the President of the United States. The country wanted a disruptor, a fighter, a deal maker, a president that would put America first. But sadly, on that very same day, Democrats had no plan or interest in honoring the vote of the American people. They were going to attempt from day one to de-legitimize this president and ultimately remove him from office. Right after the president was sworn in, the Washington Post wrote, “The campaign to impeach President Trump has begun.”

Even before he took office, a Politico article headline read, “Could Trump be impeached shortly after he takes office?” So, House Democrats have been planning for this day since January, 2017. It’s clear that facts have never mattered to the House Democrats. They never planned to work with the president. Instead, they intended only to fulfill their divisive partisan agenda. Again, I ask, how much is the trust of the American people worth? Because after the vote today for what you think is a short term partisan gain, you can be sure that the American people will have lost their trust in our institutions.

Speaker 1: (31:09)

They will have lost their trust in Congress, and most importantly-

Speaker 1: (31:13)

They will have lost trust that their vote counts.

Speaker 1: (31:16)

Madam Speaker, I now yield one minute to the gentleman from California, Mr. Garamendi.

Speaker 1: (31:23)

John Garamendi: (31:30)
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Impeaching a president is one of the most solemn and consequential decisions in the United States Congress can make. It’s not an action that I, or my fellow House colleagues take lightly. Investigations and hearings conducted by the House prove overwhelming evidence that President Trump abused his power and endangered our national security. President Trump also issued a blanket order prohibiting all executive office personnel from testifying, responding to subpoenas.

John Garamendi: (32:03)
Those from testifying, responding to subpoenas or turning over documents. Therefore, he has obstructed the legitimate constitutional obligation of Congress. The President and his actions leave me no choice. President Trump violated his oath of office. Now I will uphold my oath of office to preserve and protect our constitution and my promise to my constituents to carefully analyze all issues before me. I will vote in favor of both articles of impeachment against President Donald John Trump. I yield back.

Madame Speaker: (32:38)

Speaker 2: (32:40)
Thank you, Madame Speaker. I yield a minute and a half to the gentleman from [inaudible 00:32:44].


Neal Dunn: (32:45)
Madam Speaker, I stand before you today a disappointed man. I am disappointed in a broken and partisan process that has consumed the House Democrats. We were told this investigation was going to be bipartisan and transparent. Instead, the proceedings were held in secret behind closed doors with no attempt at a fair hearing. All this was done deliberately in an effort to undo the results of the 2016 election. Madam Speaker, my constituents in Florida want to see us get to work. They want us … they’re counting on us to actually fix the surprise medical billing, to lower the cost of prescription drugs. Instead, we’re here a week before Christmas voting to impeach the legitimate president Donald J. Trump on the strength of nothing but rumors. We’ve wasted almost a year on this process while House Democrats chose political theater over serving the American people. This shameful vote to impeach our President will be a lasting stain on our House and I urge all of my colleagues to vote no. I yield back.


Madame Speaker, I now yield one minute to the distinguished gentlemen from Oregon, Mr. DeFazio.


Peter DeFazio: (34:04)
Thank the gentleman. It’s clear cut. The President of the United States has violated his oath of office and betrayed the constitution and the American people. He admitted to soliciting assistance from a foreign leader to interfere in the US election and aid his political reelection campaign. That’s a violation of law, a violation of the constitution, and a betrayal of the American people and an impeachable offense. Overwhelming evidence also demonstrates the President withheld congressionally approved tax payer dollars to blackmail the young new president of Ukraine under attack from Russia. Now the gentleman from Georgia says Ukraine didn’t feel any pressure. They’re being invaded by Russia. Vladimir Putin, you know, Trump’s friend. And he withheld that aid until the whistleblower report came out. Then the aid was released. It wasn’t released for any good purpose. Congress voted for that aid. The President signed the bill. That is another impeachable offense and the judiciary committee has put together an extensive document which shows that there is evidence of numerous other federal crimes including bribery and wire fraud. The President’s actions threatened the continuation of our representative democracy. I’m proudly voting for impeachment today.


Speaker 2: (35:25)
Thank you, Madame Speaker. I am glad to know that Mr. Trump was giving them lethal aid, actually something to fight back with, not what was previously given to them and there was again, from the President himself, no pressure put on him. Your whole case sort of destroys if you’re coercing somebody if there was no pressure felt. But yet we don’t seem to get that part on this floor debate today. So with that, I yield a minute and a half of the gentleman from Montana, Mr. Gianforte.


Greg Gianforte: (35:48)
Today this chamber is pushing through the most partisan, baseless articles of impeachment in our history. House Democrats’ hyper-partisan impeachment has been a sham since day one, driven by those whose bitter rage against President Trump has blinded their better judgment. The fact is they resolved to overturn the results of the 2016 election the day President Trump won. Earlier this year, Speaker Pelosi said, “Impeachment is so divisive to the country that unless there’s something so compelling and overwhelming and bi-partisan, I don’t think we should go down that path.” None of those standards have been met. None. The committee hearings were a scripted, substance free, made for TV show. They would be comedy if impeachment weren’t so serious and grave. Witnesses denied awareness of an impeachable offense and because the majority has failed to make the case for impeachment, there is no bipartisanship. Compelling, overwhelming bipartisan. Speaker Pelosi has not met her own criteria for impeachment, but here we are. Despite Democrats testing and tweaking their impeachment message, the American people have rejected it. I will vote against this partisan impeachment sham. Let’s get back to the work that the American people sent us here and on this sad day of an impeachment charade, I yield back the balance of my time.


Madame Speaker, right now I yield one minute to the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Gonzalez.


V Gonzalez: (37:39)
Madame Speaker, I arise on a sad day for America, a sad day for Texas, and a very sad day for the people I represent. I’m not gleeful for today. I came to Congress to lower the cost of prescription drugs, fight for a debt free education, improve the cost of special needs children, our seniors, and our veterans. I did not come to Congress to impeach a sitting president, but we’ve been given no choice.

V Gonzalez: (38:03)
He has eroded the foundations of our democracy and used the office of the presidency for personal and political gain. Our founding fathers feared that one day the power of the presidency would stretch beyond its limits. Thus they enshrined in the Constitution a system of checks and balances. We cannot and will not lower the ethical standards of our presidency. We cannot afford to wither like a cheap flower in bad weather, watching our democracy crumble and rot from within. That is not the America the world knows and loves and it’s certainly not the America we would be proud to have our future generations inherit. And that is why today I must vote to impeach the President of the United States and fulfill my oath to the Constitution. And I yield back.

Gentleman from North Dakota.

Speaker 3: (38:49)
Madam speaker, I yield one and a half minutes to my friend from Texas, Mr. Hurd.

Gentleman is recognized for one and a half minutes.

Will Hurd: (38:57)
Throughout this process, the American people have learned of bungling foreign policy decisions, but we have not heard evidence beyond a reasonable doubt of bribery or extortion. Allegations of these two crimes aren’t even mentioned in the articles of impeachment being debated today. But today we have seen a rushed process divide our country. Today accusations have been hurled at each other, questioning one another’s integrity. Today a dangerous precedent will be set, impeachment becoming a weaponized political tool. We know how this partisan process will end this evening, but what happens tomorrow? Can this chamber put down our swords and get back to work for the American people? This institution has a fabled history of passing legislation that has not only changed our country, but has inspired the world. This feat has been possible because this experiment we call America has one perpetual goal, make a more perfect union. We can contribute to this history if we recognize the simple fact that way more unites our country than divides us. Tomorrow can we start focusing on that?


Madame Speaker, I now yield one minute to the gentleman from Illinois, Mr. Davis.


Danny Davis: (40:26)
Thank you, Madame Speaker. This is indeed a sad day for our country. This is indeed a sad day for America. But it’s a good day for our Constitution. It is a sad day for our country because President Trump has defined our Constitution, our rules, our requirements, and our expectations. It is clear that President Trump places himself above the law, above our Constitution and above the expectations of the American people. At my last town hall meeting, which was held Saturday, December 15th in Malcolm X College in Chicago, someone asked a question. What is our position on impeachment? Madam Speaker, every person there rose and said, “Impeach.” When I speak, I speak for the people of the seventh district of Illinois and my vote would be impeach, impeach, impeach. And I yield back to balance of my time.


Speaker 3: (41:33)
Madame Speaker, I yield to two minutes to my friend from Texas, Mr. Gohmert.


Louie Gohmert: (41:40)
Thank you. In 1998, Senator Schumer said, and I quote, “This impeachment will be used as a routine tool to fight political battles.” We thought it was a prediction. It was a promise and now it’s playing out. It’s exactly what’s being done here. And for those that say we don’t address the defenses of fact, here you go. The impeachment serves two purposes. Number one, stop the investigation by the US Department of Justice and Ukraine into the corruption of Ukraine interference into the US election in 2016. You said this was about, ” Oh, this terrible Russia collusion.” Oh, then that fell through. It’s about emoluments. It’s about bribery. It’s about extortion. It’s changed, but one thing hasn’t changed and that is the intent to impeach this president. It’s always been there.

But let’s be honest, the President turning his back on Ukraine, that happened in 2009 because in 2008, Ukraine invaded Georgia. What happened? Bush put sanctions on Russia to teach them a lesson. What happened after that? Well, in March of 2009, Hillary Clinton was sent over to Russia with the reset button to say, “Bush overreacted. We’re okay with that you invaded Georgia.” It was a green light to Russia to invade Ukraine. And what do you do? Oh yeah. You send blankets and MREs they can eat and be warm while the Russians are killing them. That is what the Obama administration did.

This is a travesty and we’re in big trouble because Schumer was right. Now it’s lowered even farther, the bar. It will be used for political battles and this country’s end is now in sight. I hope I don’t leave live to see it. This is an outrage. I yield back.


Madame Speaker, I am deeply concerned that any member of the House would spout Russian propaganda on the floor of the House. I now yield one minute to the gentleman from New York, Mr. Higgins.

The gentleman from New York is recognized for … The House will come to order. The gentleman from New York is recognized for one minute.

[crosstalk 00:44:11] Russian propaganda.

The House will come to order. The House will come to order. The gentleman from New York is recognized for one minute.

Brian Higgins: (44:23)
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Madame Speaker. The United States Constitution is explicit. Bribery is an impeachable offense. Bribery involves the abuse of power and the President of United States abused the power of his office by soliciting a bribe of a foreign leader to interfere in an election that he was afraid he could not win honorably, fairly or freely. “You, President of Ukraine, open and announce an investigation of my political rival and I, President of the United States, will release $391 million in military aid and give you the stature amplifying White House meeting that you need.” This is a this for that, something for something transaction. Soliciting a bride from a foreign leader is an abuse of power and a federal crime. I yield back.

Gentleman yields back. Gentleman from North Dakota.

Speaker 3: (45:18)
Madame Speaker, I yield one and a half minutes to the gentleman from Florida, Mr. Bilirakis.


Bilirakis: (45:24)
Thank you, Madame Speaker. I want to thank my Republican colleagues who have toiled honorably in defense of the Constitution and the rule of law under difficult circumstances, Madame Speaker. You know, Madame Speaker, it’s a darn shame that we have found ourselves in this position today. Every time I step into this chamber, I’m humbled to be serving in the greatest legislative body in the history of the world. However, it’s deeply disappointing that the hyper partisanship that has gripped this country has made its way into this chamber.

Bilirakis: (46:02)
I pride myself on being a consensus builder who works across the aisle to get things done for the American people, but when it comes to the matter of impeachment, I have no doubt that the entire process has been politically motivated. There’s absolutely no evidence that President Trump committed an impeachable offense, which is why I will vote no. This whole process has been a ploy to circumvent the will of the people by removing a duly elected President of the United States. It is a national disgrace and sets a dangerous precedent. But we are a great nation and we will survive this indignity. Let’s put this ugly chapter behind us, Madame Speaker, and get to work. I yield back.


Ms. Speaker, I now yield one minute to the gentleman from Mississippi, Mr. Thompson.


Bennie Thompson: (47:01)
Thank you very much, Madame Speaker. Madame Speaker, the question that will be answered today is, will members honor their oath to uphold the Constitution? Democrats are not supporting impeachment based on a policy disagreement or the election results of 2016. No one is above the law. The President must be held accountable. A constitutional process is not a hoax or witch hunt. President Trump just opposes it. No one is above the law, not even President Donald J. Trump, the President abused his power by pressuring Ukraine to help his reelection campaign. Impeachment is a constitutional remedy for these actions. Trump betrayed his oath, betrayed the Constitution, and undermined the integrity of our elections. Those who are against impeachment inquiry are willing to turn a blind eye to constitutional violations by the President. As a nation, we have no other alternative. We must protect our Constitution and the United States of America. In his own words, no intelligent person believes what he is saying.


Bennie Thompson: (48:26)
I yield back.


Speaker 3: (48:29)
Madame Speaker, I yield one and a half minutes to the gentleman from Indiana, Mr. Barry.

Gentleman’s recognized for one and a half minutes.

Jim Baird: (48:44)
Madame Speaker, the totality of this process is just another reminder that my colleagues across the aisle are more focused on politics than policy. The American people deserve better. Our republic deserves better. The brave men and women of our military, myself included, have fought for the freedom and democracy all around the world. Yet today, my colleagues are eroding those freedoms through a process that ignored facts, abused power, and was shrouded in secrecy. Those facts could not be more clear. The President committed no crime, broke no laws, and there was no quid pro quo. I look forward to doing the right thing, representing the Hoosiers in my district and voting against this impeachment charade. I stand with President Trump and look forward to passing policies that continue to move our country forward. I yield back the balance of my time.


Madame Speaker, I now yield one minute to the gentleman from Oregon, Mr. Blumenauer.


Earl Blumenauer: (49:58)
Thank you. Thanks to the hard work of our committees, the leadership of the Speaker, we found overwhelming evidence Trump invited foreign interests to interfere in our elections for his personal gain and he then took unprecedented efforts to cover it up, obstructing Congress. I’m proud of the courage of new members to do their duty so that for the first time in his privileged life, Donald Trump will be finally held accountable for his reckless personal behavior and business practices. I vote proudly for these two articles of impeachment and then I hope the House retains control of the articles until the Speaker and Leader Schumer can negotiate agreement on process and witnesses from McConnell so that the next stage will be open and fair so that Donald Trump will ultimately be held accountable.

Gentleman yields back. Gentleman from North Dakota.

Speaker 3: (50:52)
Madame Speaker, I yield one and a half minutes to my friend from Oklahoma, Mr. Hern.


Kevin Hern: (51:04)
Public hearings began November 13th. Less than a month later, Speaker Pelosi announced articles of impeachment on December 5th, saying that the investigation had revealed enough information to move forward with impeachment. Let’s think about that. 22 day investigation. Six of those days were weekends where hearings weren’t happening and the House was not in session. Seven of those days were weekends that the House was in recess, including the week of Thanksgiving. Two of those days were in flying days where Congress doesn’t hold hearings. So out of the 22 days, just seven days, seven days were used to investigate, debate and vote on the impeachment of the duly elected leader of our country. No wonder my constituents are upset. Seven days to impeach the President of the United States. Not to mention that this seven day investigation uncovered zero facts in support of impeachment. I spent every minute I had in there as an observer of these hearings and all I learned is that if you hate someone so strongly and enough people agree with you, that’s grounds enough to be impeached.

Kevin Hern: (52:01)
We asked for 12 hours of debate, the same amount of time allotted to President Clinton’s impeachment. 12 hours of debate for possibly the biggest vote I will cast in my tenure as representative isn’t asking too much, but no, they want to get out of here before Christmas, so it’s okay to rush through the process. I’m ashamed to be a part of this today even as I vote against the impeachment. My constituents are calling every day, mad as hell, saying we should be ashamed that this historic chamber has fallen so low to allow something like this to happen. I yield back back.


Madame Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.


Madame Speaker, my friend, the gentleman from Georgia, has a tagline about the clock and the calendar. Madame Speaker, this is not about the clock and the calendar. It is about corruption and the Constitution. It is about a president who abuses power to coerce an ally to intervene in our election and poses a continuing threat to the integrity of our next election. The President’s defense is built on three pillars and when those three pillars fall, the entire defense of the President collapses.

First, they claim there was no quid pro quo. Well, the evidence is undisputed. President Trump conditioned a White House visit and military aid on President Zelensky’s public announcement of the investigations. Ambassador William Taylor wrote at the time, “I think it’s crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign.” A reporter asked White House Chief of Staff, Mick Mulvaney, if there had been a quid pro quo here, and he replied, “We do that all the time. Get over it.” The President refused to help our ally until he got a personal political favor. And so the first defense falls.

Second, the minority claims that the Ukrainians didn’t know about the hold. The evidence again is undisputed. Ukraine knew about the hold on the military assistance within hours of the President’s July 25th call. Laura Cooper of the Department of Defense testified under oath that on July 25th, the State Department sent two emails to the Department of Defense notifying them that Ukrainian officials were asking where is the aid. The Ukrainians understood exactly what President Trump was asking. He wanted a personal political favor before the aid was released. And so the second defense falls.

Third and finally, my Republican friends say the aid was released. But the aid was released only after the President got caught. This House launched its investigation on September 9th. The hold on the aid was lifted on September 11th. This is not evidence of innocence. It is evidence of culpability. The evidence is overwhelming. And when he got caught, he did everything in his power to prevent the American people from learning the truth about his actions. By defying the congressional investigation, by ordering that all requests and demands for information be denied.

With our national security and the integrity of our election at risk, we must act, not because of the clock and the calendar, but to fight against corruption and for continued self-government by the American people. I yield back. I reserve the balance of my time.


Speaker 3: (55:31)
Madame Speaker, I would just point out that to believe everything that was just said, you have to also believe that President Zelensky is a pathological liar. And with that, I yield one and a half minutes to my friend from South Carolina, Mr. Duncan.


Jeff Duncan: (55:45)
Thank you, Madame Speaker. You know we’re not debating impeachment of an American President today. Your minds are already made up. The Democrat majority has had a verdict, impeachment, looking for a crime since the inauguration. The Washington Post ran the headline, “The campaign to impeach President Trump has begun,” just 19 minutes after President Trump took the oath of office. 19 minutes. Freshman Congresswoman from Michigan told a group of supporters, “We’re going to impeach the mother blank,” shortly after she was sworn in. Even Speaker Pelosi admitted last week that the impeachment effort has been going on for two and a half years, long before any phone call between two world leaders. In fact, 71% of the Democrats on the judiciary committee supported impeachment before the phone call. The impeachment sham is based on hearsay, conjecture and opinion. And you know what? You can’t even get a speeding ticket in this country based on hearsay, but yet we’re going to impeach an American president based on just that.

Where are the crimes of treason, high crimes or misdemeanors committed here? Those are things that constitute impeachable offenses, not hatred or policy disagreements. If memory serves me right, Congress told the administration to withhold aid to Ukraine until they got their act together. Addressed corruption, straightened out … That was in multiple NDAAs voted on by both parties in this chamber. So in the simplest terms, we’re impeaching the President for doing something we told him to do? Give me a break.

We have wasted precious time we are given to serve the American people while you held secret hearings and depositions behind closed doors in Chairman Schiff’s chamber of secrets, but the American people have a great sense of fairness. I promise you, they see President Trump has not been treated fairly in this process, impeachment based on hearsay and opinion, not facts. It’s a sad day in this chamber, the people’s House. I yield back.

Members are again reminded to address their remarks to the chair. Gentleman from New York.

Madame Speaker, I would now inform you that the gentleman from California, Mr. Schiff, the chair of the intelligence committee, will now serve as my designee and will control the remainder of the time on the majority side.

Does the gentleman yield to the gentleman from California?

He’s my designee.

Does the gentleman from California yield to himself?

Adam Schiff: (57:59)
Yes, Madame Speaker. I yield to myself as much time as I may consume.


I thank my colleague, Chairman Nadler. I thank him for the extraordinary job that he has done as chairman of the judiciary committee and throughout these difficult proceedings. Madame Speaker, my colleagues, my fellow Americans, I rise to support the impeachment of President Donald J. Trump.

When a man unprincipled in private life, desperate in his fortune, bold in his temper, possessive considerable talents, having the advantage of military habits, despotic in his ordinary demeanor, known to have scoffed and private at the principles of liberty, when such a man is seen to mount the hobby horse of popularity, to join in the cry of danger to liberty, to take every opportunity of embarrassing the government, the general government, and bringing it under suspicion, to flatter and fall in with all the nonsense of the zealots of the day, it may justly be suspected that his object is to throw things into confusion that he may ride the storm and direct the whirlwind.

These are the words of Alexander Hamilton written in 1792. Could we find a more perfect description of the present danger emanating from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue? The framers crafted a Constitution that contemplated free and fair elections for the highest office in the land, but also afforded the Congress with the power to remove a president who abused the powers of his office for personal gain, who compromised the public trust by betraying our nation security, or who sought to undermine our democratic system by seeking foreign intervention in the conduct of our elections.

I would say that the founders could have little imagined that a single president might have done all of these things except that the evidence has sadly proved this is exactly what this president has done. Hamilton, among others, seems to have predicted the rise of Donald Trump with a staggering prescience. Having won freedom from a King, the drafters of our Constitution designed a government in which ambition was made to check ambition, in which no branch of government would predominate over another, and no man would be allowed to be above the law, including the president, especially the president, since with whom would the danger be greater than with the officer charged with being our commander in chief.

Adam Schiff: (01:00:43)
Over the course of the last three months, we have found incontrovertible evidence that President Trump abused his power by pressuring the newly elected President of Ukraine to announce an investigation into President Trump’s political rival, Joe Biden, with the hopes of defeating Mr. Biden in the 2020 presidential election and enhancing his own prospects for reelection. He didn’t even need the investigation to be undertaken, just simply announced to the public. The smear of his opponent, the smear of his opponent would be enough.

To effectuate this scheme, President Trump withheld two official acts of vital importance to a nation at war with our adversary, Vladimir Putin’s Russia. The President withheld a White House meeting that Ukraine desperately sought to bolster its standing on the world’s stage and even more perniciously, President Trump suspended hundreds of millions of dollars of military aid approved by this Congress to coerce Ukraine into doing his electoral dirty work. The President of the United States was willing to sacrifice our national security by withholding support for a critical strategic partner at war in order to improve his reelection prospects. But for the courage of someone willing to blow the whistle, he would’ve gotten away with it. Instead, he got caught. He tried to cheat and he got caught.

Now, this wasn’t the first time. As a candidate in 2016, Donald Trump invited Russian interference in his presidential campaign saying at a campaign rally, “Russia, if you’re listening, I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing,” a clear invitation to hack Hillary Clinton’s emails. Just five hours later, Russian government hackers tried to do exactly that. What followed was an immense Russian hacking and dumping operation and a social media disinformation campaign designed to help elect Donald Trump. Not only did candidate Trump welcome that effort, but he made full use of it, building it into his campaign plan, his messaging strategy, and then he sought to cover it up.

This Russian effort to interfere in our elections didn’t deter Donald Trump. It empowered him. The day after special counsel Bob Mueller testified before Congress about Russia’s sweeping and systemic effort to influence the outcome of our last election, the day after President Trump believed that the investigation into his first electoral misconduct had come to an end, the President was back on the phone urging yet another country, this time Ukraine, to help him cheat in another election. Three consecutive days in July-

Three consecutive days in July tell so much of the story. Three consecutive days in July of 2019. July 24th, the day that special counsel Mueller testified before Congress and President Trump thought he was finally in the clear.

July 25th the day that President Trump got on the phone with the Ukrainian president and in the context of a discussion about military support for that embattled nation that the president had recently frozen said, “I would like you to do us a favor though,” and asked Ukraine to do two investigations to help his reelection efforts in 2020. That was July 25th.

And then we come to July 26th, the day Gordon Sondland called President Trump on his cell phone from a restaurant in Ukraine. Gordon Sondland, not some anonymous, never Trumper, but a million dollar donor to the president’s inauguration and his hand picked ambassador to the European Union. What does President Trump ask Sondland that day after this call? What does President Trump ask? What does the president want to know? Did he ask about Ukraine’s efforts to battle corruption? Of course not. Did he ask how the war with Russia was going? Not a chance. On the phone, his voice loud enough for others to hear, President Trump asks Sondland, “So he’s going to do the investigation?” And the answer was clear. Sondland assured Trump that the Ukrainian president was going to do it and that he would do anything he asked him to.

If that wasn’t telling enough, my colleagues, in a conversation that followed an American diplomat dining with Sondland asked if it was true that President Trump didn’t give a blank about Ukraine. Sondland agreed saying the president cared only about big stuff. The diplomat noted that there was big stuff in Ukraine, like a war with Russia and Sondland replied that the president cared only about big stuff that benefits him personally, like the Biden investigation that Mr. Giuliani was pushing.

In that short conversation, we learned everything we need to know about the 45th President of the United States. He doesn’t care about Ukraine or the impact on our national security caused by withholding military aid to that country fighting for its democratic life. All that matters to this president is what affects him personally, an investigation into his political rival and a chance to cheat in the next election.

As Professor Gerhardt testified before the Judiciary Committee two weeks ago, if what we’re talking about is not impeachable, then nothing is impeachable. Even as this body uncovered the facts of this Ukraine scheme, even as we opened an impeachment inquiry, even as we gathered evidence, President Trump continued his efforts to seek foreign help in the next election. “Well, I would think,” he said from the White House lawn on October 3rd. “That if they’re being honest about it, they’d start a major investigation into the Bidens. It’s a very simple answer,” he said. And he made it clear it’s an open invitation to other nations as well saying China should start an investigation into the Bidens too.

President Trump sent his Chief of Staff to the White House podium and he told the world that of course they had linked aid to investigations and that we should just get over it.

And even as these articles have made their way to this house floor, the president’s personal attorney has continued pursuing these sham investigations on behalf of his client, the president. The president and his men plot on. The danger persists. The risk is real. Our democracy is at peril.

But we are not without a remedy prescribed by the founders for just these circumstances, impeachment. The only question is will we use it or have we fallen prey to another evil that the founders for warned the excess of factionalism the elevation of party over country.

Many of my colleagues appeared to have made their choice to protect the president, to enable him to be above the law, to empower this president to cheat again as long as it is in the service of their party and their power. They’ve made their choice, despite this president in the White House, stonewalling every subpoena, every request for witnesses and testimony from this co-equal, coequal branch of government. They have made their choice knowing that to allow this present to obstruct Congress will empower him and any other president that follows to be as corrupt, as negligent, or as abusive of the power of the presidency as they choose. They have made their choice and I believe they will rue the day that they did.

When Donald J. Trump was sworn in on January 20th, 2017, he repeated these words, “I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of the President of the United States and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.” Has he lived up to that sacred obligation? Has he honored his oath of office? Has he preserved, protected, and defended the Constitution of the United States? The uncontested evidence provides the simple yet tragic answer. He has not.

In America, no one is above the law. Donald J. Trump sacrificed our national security in an effort to cheat in the next election, and for that and his continued efforts to seek for an interference in our elections, he must be impeached. I reserve the balance of my time.


Kelly Armstrong: (01:11:20)
Madam Chair, it’s nice to see you here, Chairman Schiff. It would have been nice to have either you are the whistleblower present in either the judiciary or the oversight hearings. And I think we’re continuing to neglect the four key facts of this. The transcript is out. Everybody can read it. The American people can read it. There’s no conditionality our aid discussed on that call. The two-

[inaudible 01:11:41].

The two… Yes ma’am?

Go ahead.

The two principals on that call, President Trump and President Zelensky have said there is no pressure. President Zelensky has basically screamed from the rooftops on numerous occasions that there was no pressure, no bribery, no quid pro quo. The Ukrainian government got the money and didn’t know the aid was being paused and no investigation was announced and meeting with the president took place and the it was released. And with that I would yield.

[inaudible 01:12:07] ended to address the remarks to the Chair.

And with that I would yield a minute and a half of my time from my friend from Missouri, Mr. Smith.


Jason Smith: (01:12:17)
Thank you Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I come from a state that raises corn and cotton cockleburs and Democrats. You’re frothy eloquence neither convinces nor satisfies me. I’m from the show me state. You have to show me. The only thing that you all have shown so far is that you’re about to impeach a duly elected president who has done nothing wrong.

Democrats are not impeaching the president because they are scared of our Republic or that he has committed a crime. They are impeaching him because they fear the president’s policies and how well they are working for the American people. Most of all, they fear the election because they know they can’t beat them. In fact, one of my Democrat colleagues is quoted stating, “I’m concerned if we don’t impeach him, he will get reelected.” This kind of rhetoric is disgusting. Impeachment is not a political weapon and any member who votes for impeachment should be ashamed today. You cannot undo the results of the 2016 election simply because your flawed candidate did not win and thank God she didn’t.

Over the last three years, unemployment has dropped to the lowest point in generations. We are seeing better trade agreements with our trading partners and record numbers of taxes and regulations that stifle economic growth have been rolled back all thanks to President Trump’s leadership and commitment. But we shouldn’t be surprised. Democrats have introduced articles of impeachment… can I have one 30 seconds?

Speaker 4: (01:14:07)
15 seconds.

Will yield him 15 seconds.


This is very important. We shouldn’t be surprised. Democrats have introduced articles of impeachment in five out of our last six Republican presidents. They are the party of impeachment. The Democrats are the party of impeachment.

Gentleman yields back. And once again, members are admonished to address the remarks to the Chair. Gentleman from California.

Thank you Madam Speaker. It is my pleasure to yield two minutes to the gentleman from California, Mr. Swalwell.

Mr. Swalwell’s recognized for two minutes.

Eric Swalwell: (01:14:45)
Donald Trump is using the presidency to put his own personal gain above our national interests. He is using our taxpayer dollars and foreign interference to cheat the next election and it jeopardizes our national security and integrity at the ballot box.

And not a single fact in this case is seriously in dispute. I asked my colleagues who sent his personal lawyer to Ukraine to investigate his political rival? Who fired an ambassador, who stood in his way? Who conditioned a White House meeting on investigations that only personally benefited him and not the national interest? Who cut off military aid to an ally that desperately needed it? Who pressured President Zelensky to conduct those investigations? Who stood on the White House lawn and asked not only Ukraine to investigate his rival, but also China? Who has buried evidence and blocked witnesses from testifying? And who is still today sending his personal lawyer to Ukraine to dig up dirt and rig an election? The answer to all of these questions is President Donald Trump.

This is a crime spree in progress, but we know how to stop it. Courage. Yes, this investigation has shown us how corrupt President Trump is, but it’s also shown us the courage of some of our fellow patriotic civil servants who have used their courage to not only stand up around the world to extinguish corruption, but also to extinguish it at the White House. How? Well my colleagues argue, no harm, no foul, Ukraine got the aid. Wrong. Trump cheated. Patriots caught him. Then Ukraine got the aide. Standing up, turns out, works.

Now is the time to summon the courage of those patriots and to summon the courage that they showed against Donald Trump. If they can risk their careers, even their lives to do the right thing, can my colleagues also do the same? After all more is on the line than just military aid to an ally. Our national security is at stake. Stand up for that. Our election integrity is at stake. Stand up for that and our constitution’s at stake. Stand up for that. I yield back.


Madam Speaker, may I inquire as to the time remaining on each side?

The gentleman has 1 hour and 23-1/4 minutes remaining, and the gentleman from California has 1 hour and 18 minutes remaining.

I appreciate the detail and with that I yield one and a half minutes to the gentleman from Ohio, Mr. Johnson.

Gentleman is recognized from one and a half minutes.

Bill Johnson: (01:17:36)
Madam Speaker, this is a sad day for America. This partisan impeachment sham seeks to disenfranchise 63 million American voters. So I want to use my time to call on this chamber, for members to rise and observe a moment of silent reflection, to give every member here the chance to pause for a moment and remember the voices of the 63 million American voters the Democrats today are wanting to silence. Madam Speaker, disenfranchising 63 million voters gives me 63 million reasons to vote no. And I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Gentleman yields back. Gentlemen from California.

Madam Speaker. It’s my pleasure to yield two minutes to Miss Sewell, the gentlewoman from Alabama.


Terri Sewell: (01:19:18)
Madam Speaker, it is with a heavy heart and a profound sense of the gravity of this moment that I rise today in support of the impeachment of President Donald J. Trump. To be clear, I did not run for Congress to impeach a president. I came to work every day on behalf of the hardworking people of Alabama Seventh Congressional District. But the facts are uncontested. The truth is clear and I have been left no other choice.

As a member of the Intelligence Committee, I sat in shock, in awe as witness after witness came forward, their stories painting a clear picture of the president’s abuse of power. They testified that the president had direct orders to withhold vital military aid for Ukraine and a White House visit in exchange for investigation into the Bidens. Today, all the military aid has not been released and there still has been no White House meeting.

The bottom line is clear. President Trump endangered our national security and the very essence of our democracy for his own personal political gain. Then President Trump sought to cover it up by subverting the oversight authority of Congress. If presidential abuse of power is left unchecked, we all become accomplices when he does it again. This cannot become the new normal, not on our watch. While President Trump’s indefensible action set in motion this event, my vote for impeachment today is not about the president. It is about my oath to defend and protect the Constitution of this United States of America and to make sure that I uphold and honor the sacred trust that my constituents gave me. President Trump has betrayed his oath of office. Let us not betray ours. I yield back the balance of my time.


North Dakota. I’m from-

Oh, you’re back.

I’m back.

From Georgia.

Thank you Madam speaker. I’m back. Also noticed some changes around here since we left and I noticed I have a new manager on the other side who as I came back in from getting a quick bite notice, gave an eloquent defense of his side of this story that we’re telling. I just wished we could’ve had that same eloquent defense before the Judiciary Committee where he could have been asked questions instead of just giving one side. With that I yield a minute and a half to gentleman from Pennsylvania, Mr. Keller.

Gentlemen is recognized for a minute and a half.

Fred Keller: (01:21:54)
Thank you. Madam Speaker today will forever be remembered as a stain on our Republic. These impeachment proceedings are not based upon facts, evidence, reason, or any inappropriate or impeachable actions by our president. Instead, the actions being taken by those favoring impeachment are a product of their disdain for President Trump, his America first agenda, and particularly a disdain by the other party for the 63 million Americans that elected him as president.

Fred Keller: (01:22:28)
Again, these articles of impeachment are not based on any facts, but rather on hearsay, presumptions, innuendo and feelings, feelings by Democrats and career bureaucrats who have wanted President Trump removed from office since the day he was elected. In defense of the Constitution, I urge all members to oppose both articles of impeachment. It is unclear who will judge those voting for impeachment today more harshly history or voters. So I want Democrats voting for impeachment today to know that I’ll be praying for them from the gospel of Luke the 23rd chapter, verse 34 and Jesus said, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” Thank you. And I yield back.

Gentlemen yields back. Gentlemen from California.

Madam Speaker, my colleagues have referred to patriotic Americans who testified before the Intelligence Committee as career bureaucrats. I want to remind people just who those career bureaucrats are. There are people like Ambassador Bill Taylor, who has served this country for decades, graduated top of his class at West Point, served during Vietnam in combat, earned a Bronze Star. They are are people like Colonel Veneman, served in Iraq, earned a Purple Heart. There are people like Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch, served in dangerous places all over the world, one of the most respected of all of our foreign service officers. These are the people that my colleagues would pejoratively label as career bureaucrats.

And why? Because they have the courage to do their lawful duty to answer a subpoena, to come and testify. And for this, they’re called career bureaucrats. Well, we should have more career bureaucrats of that caliber. I’m pleased to yield one minute to the gentleman from California, Mr. Costa.


Jim Costa: (01:24:33)
Madam Speaker, I arise with a heavy heart. The two most difficult votes any member of Congress ever has to cast a vote to go to war or to impeach. Today, I will vote for the articles of impeachment.

Jim Costa: (01:24:46)
Over the last few months listened carefully to my constituents. I’ve weighed all the available information to determine whether or not the president committed any wrongdoing. There are disturbing facts from this administration that informed my decision, including the president’s own words. His ambassador to the European Union testified there was a quid pro quo to withhold aid to Ukraine for an investigation of former Vice President Biden and that everyone was in the loop. His own National Security Advisor, John Bolton, said he wanted nothing to do with this drug deal as he called it. And then the president openly acknowledged that China and Ukraine should investigate Mr. Biden. There’s much more evidence pointing to the president violating his own oath of office.

Jim Costa: (01:25:28)
I have not made this decision lightly, but I must uphold my own out of office because I believe the president has failed to uphold his oath of office. The weight of history and my belief in the Constitution of the United States and our own national security interests have led me to this vote and I yield back the balance of my time.


Thank you Madam Speaker. It is interesting to say, and I appreciate anybody who would come and give testimony, but it is interesting to see that the same chairman who just spoke eloquently about those who testified without to actually dismiss completely almost anything by Mr. Volker or Mr. Morrison. But again, I will say at least they had the ability and the willingness to come and testify, unlike the chairman who wrote a report, sent it to judiciary and didn’t. With that I yield minute and a half to gentlewoman from Texas, Miss Granger.

Gentlelady’s recognized for a minute and a half.

Jackie Speier: (01:26:18)
Madam Speaker, I arise today in strong opposition to the politically driven articles of impeachment that had been brought before the House of Representatives today. For the past three years, Democrats have been unable to accept the voters choice to elect President Trump. They’ve used any and all undemocratic and unfair means necessary to try and remove him from office. My vote today is not only against illegitimate impeachment of our president, which began not with facts, but with a foregone conclusion. It is against House Democrats making a mockery of due process and the rule of law.

This will not go anywhere in the Senate. So all Democrats have accomplished is postponing the important work of the American people sent their elected officials to Washington to do. This endless crusade of Democrats to remove the duly elected President of the United States has put partisan politics above the issues that Americans face today. It’s time Democrats stop playing partisan games that hurt hardworking taxpayers. It’s time for the American people to be Congress priority again. I urge my colleagues to join me in voting no and I yield back the balance of my time.

Gentlemen from California.

Thank you Madam Speaker. I am more than delighted to refer to the testimony Ambassador Volker and Mr. Morrison. Ambassador Volker who acknowledged that in retrospect he should have recognized that when they were calling for investigations of Burisma, it really meant the Bidens, and that to ask a foreign leader to investigate a political rival was wrong. Happy to refer to his testimony, as well as Mr. Morrison who went to the National Security Council lawyer immediately after he listened to that telephone call and who also testified that he was informed by Ambassador Sondland that the president wanted Zelensky in a public box, that he wanted him to be forced to go to the mic and announce these sham investigations. Happy to refer to their testimony as well. I’m now happy to recognize the gentlewoman from California for two minutes, Representative Speier.


Thank you Madam Speaker. My father fled Nazi Germany for America because he saw what happened when the despot became untethered. He fled because he believed in democracy and the rule of law and the right to vote. Before he died, he asked to be buried in a simple pine box with an American flag to symbolize his love of this country.

Today we are called upon to do our duty out of love of country. The president stands accused. We must judge him as we judge any of our fellow citizens, on the facts and on the law. The facts show that the president’s North Star is Russia, not the Constitution. There is no question that President Trump delayed military aid to Ukraine, our ally, as they were under attack by Russia, our adversary. There is no question the president withheld a meeting with President Zelensky at the White House, giving Russia the upper hand in peace negotiations with Ukraine. There’s no question that President Trump promoted the Russian hoax, that Ukraine attacked our election in 2016, a canard that has been proven to be a lie, a Russian lie.

The only question is his motive. The fact is his conduct and crimes are reprehensible and unquestionably impeachable. When I vote today, my father’s legacy is deep, very deep within me. My father loved America and I love America, and that is why I will vote to impeach. The President of the United States. I yield back.


Thank you Madam Speaker. I’ll see how this is playing out. Instead of coming in to testify for seven or eight hours and answering all questions, we’re going to do it in pot shots as we go and taking this.

But again, let’s talk about Mr. Volker again. He never testified that anyone wanted to investigate Vice President Biden. What he did testify to, which was left out, was that they wanted to… that he if the Ukrainians, doing bad things, placed Hunter Biden on the board of Burisma to avoid anything that needed to be investigated and found out. Let’s at least tell the story. Again, had plenty of time to do this in an actual hearing, not here. This is what they want. This is you’ve been wanting. The majority has played this the whole time. So we’ll play this out as long as they want to. It would have been better though if they actually had a case to a made it in the proper setting instead of not coming and not testifying. With that, I yield a minute and a half to the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Weber.


Randy Weber: (01:30:58)
Thank you Madam Speaker. It’s very interesting to hear the socialistic left Democrats that have a newfound appreciation for the Constitution and our founders’ principles. With it those same socialists, Madame Speaker, would afford unborn babies the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as well.

Madam Speaker history tells us the first three impeachments in this country crimes were involved. Johnson violated a law that Congress had just passed over his veto. Nixon was involved in a coverup from Watergate. Clinton lied to a federal grand jury and instructed Monica Lewinsky to falsify an affidavit. Crimes, all instances of crimes. Now comes the socialistic leaning D’s in my opinion, Madam Speaker, essentially reading the president’s mind, knowing what his intent was and dictating to us and the witnesses that were in the hearings, what his mindset was and that quite frankly, they didn’t believe that he had the right to be in charge of foreign policy.

We heard ambassadors and yes, we heard career bureaucrats, career diplomats, whatever you want to call them. They get to ride the bus. They don’t get to drive the bus. The president is in charge of foreign policy. They said that the president had the audacity to use his judgment on foreign policy instead of there’s. Opinions, opinions. Suppositions, indeed. The very swamp he is draining is objecting. Who knew, who knew.

Today now, during the earlier rule debate comes to floor manager of the other side from Massachusetts citing not facts, not facts witnesses, but newspaper articles, CNN, USA opinions, editorials. Unbelievable, Madam Speaker. Americans are watching. The D’s are delusional, deleterious, delirious and in deep yogurt. I yield back.


I’d just remind my colleagues that Ambassador Volker said that the attacks on Joe Biden were meritless and he tried to persuade Mr. Giuliani that there was no factual support for them. Proud to recognize the gentleman from Georgia, Mr. Lewis for two minutes.

Gentlemen recognized for two minutes.

John Lewis: (01:33:11)
Madam Speaker, I want to thank the gentlemen for yielding. Madam Speaker I rise with a heavy heart to support this resolution.

When we came to Washington in 1961 to go on a freedom rise, we chose that day. When we came here on August 28, 1963 for the March on Washington, it would draw us full. We met with a young president, President John Fitzgerald Kennedy. When we came here on August 6, 1965 for the signing of the Voting Rights Act, we were excited, hopeful. We met with President Lyndon Johnson.

But today, this day we didn’t ask for this. This was a sad day. It is not a day of joy. Our nation is founded on the principle that we do not have kings, we have presidents. And the Constitution is our compasses. When you see something that is not right, not just not fair, you have a moral obligation to say something, to do something. Our children and their children will ask us, “What did you do? What did you say?” For some, this vote may be hard, but we have a mission and a mandate to be on the right side of history. I yield back the balance of my time.


Thank you, Madam speaker. I always like to be polite and I do appreciate the gentleman from California confirming everything I just said in my statement just a moment ago. With that, I yield two minutes from the gentleman from Ohio, Mr. Wenstrup.


Brad Wenstrup: (01:35:09)
Thank you. Madam Speaker, since 2016 America seen a pattern of failed and disproven attacks and allegations against President Trump. Today is the fourth impeachment related vote since President Trump took office. It’s yet another attempt to reach their predetermined conclusion of impeachment, a conclusion built on political bias, accusations and innuendo. These repetitive and false allegations reveal a political obsession disguised as some kind of righteous over say. When they didn’t win at the ballot box, they pursued a Russian collusion narrative that Special Counsel, Robert Muller had to waste time and taxpayer dollars to prove false. When the Russia collusion, malicious deception didn’t work, Madam Speaker, Democrats sought a new path forward to impeach President Trump. They created a made for TV, set of hearings, complete with witness auditions held in the basement.

Doug Lamborn: (01:36:03)
… at hearings complete with witness auditions held in the basement of the Capitol. Despite all their efforts, the charges the House considers today lack evidence to support them. There wasn’t one witness that said a crime or impeachable offense was committed. Madam Speaker, I remind my colleagues, no crime, no impeachable offense. That’s a pretty good defense if you ask me. I will work diligently to further reveal the truths and further reveal the abuses of power, Madam Speaker, the Democrats paid for and enacted during the last three years.

Abuses of power from the other side of the aisle within this body and within our FBI. Americans deserve the truth. All in all, history will remember today as the political impeachment that set the precedent for presidents to be impeached every time there’s a divided government. I oppose the articles before us today, and I yield back to the other side and their superior imaginations.

Gentleman from California.

Proud to recognize the gentleman from Illinois, Mr. Quigley, for two minutes.


Mike Quigley: (01:37:13)
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Indeed, we are here today because the president of the United States abused his power and betrayed his oath of office. He laid siege to the foundation of our democracy, the electorial process. These actions have posed a direct threat to the freedom and fairness of the upcoming 2020 election. The very day after Robert Mueller testify that Russia had systematically and relentless attacked the 2016 election, the president picked up the phone and made his now infamous July 25th call to Ukrainian President Zelensky. Asking the President, “Zelensky,” on that call, “Do us a favor though,” and announced investigations into his political rival, Joe Biden.

We have since learned from numerous National Security Council and State Department officials, the president did not even expect Ukraine to open these investigations, rather he just wanted them announced so he could smear his rival. Rather than trusting the voters to decide who should hold the White House, he again sought the aid of a foreign country to tip the scales in favor again.

After Russia’s unprecedented interference, a dark cloud hung over the 2016 election and instead of leading the American people out from under the cloud, the president instead emboldened by a perceived lack of consequence, attempted to pressure Zelensky to interfere in the 2020 election. After a courageous whistleblower came forward and warned Congress and the public about the president’s game, the president stood on the White House lawn in front of TV cameras, broadcasting around the world and called for China to interfere too.

Some of my colleagues have asked, “Why not wait. Why are we proceeding?” That’s very simple. Because nothing could be more urgent. We are on the precipice of the 2020 election and Congress has ultimate responsibility to protect the sacred equalizer, our right to vote. To defend the integrity of our elections and to fulfill our duty to the constitution, I will be voting in favor of impeachment today, and I yield back.


Thank you, Madam Speaker. At this point, I yield one minute to the gentleman from Colorado. Mr. Lamborn.


Madam Speaker, anyone watching this impeachment sound and fury signifying nothing should look out for three misrepresentations the Democrats are making. One Trump endangered national security. No, the 55 day delay did not stop the Ukrainians from defending themselves. Trump actually gave them lethal aid which Obama never did. During Obama’s negligence, Democrats said nothing. Two, Trump is not above the law. No one is, but why don’t the Democrats tell us what law he broke? They can’t because he didn’t break any.

Democrats have resorted to two vague and subjective articles, abuse of power and obstruction of justice. And three, the evidence is not in dispute. No, the evidence is very much in dispute. In fact, for every statement Democrats cherry pick to indict Trump, many more statements back up the president. In reality, this is nothing but a partisan ploy by Democrats to overturn an election. But this charade will fail and the Senate will exonerate Trump, and everyone knows it.

Gentleman yields back. Gentleman from California.

Madam Speaker, I’m proud to recognize the gentleman from Texas. Mr. Castro, for two minutes.


Joaquin Castro: (01:40:39)
Thank you. As my colleagues have said, the evidence of the president’s abuse of power and obstruction of Congress is uncontested. But let’s outline a few key events involving the nearly $400 million in military aid that was held up by President Trump, and for President Trump, despite congressional mandate.

The summer of 2019 was the summer of shame at the White House. On July 3rd, the White House first blocks security assistance money for Ukraine with no explanation. On July 10th, Gordon Sondland, states during a White House meeting with Ukrainian officials that they will get a White House meeting only after announcing an investigation into President Trump’s political rival.

On July 18th, a White House staffer announces the freeze on Ukrainian aid per direct presidential order. And just one day after Robert Mueller’s testimony before Congress, President Trump makes the now infamous phone call with Zelensky, asking him to investigate the Bidens. Then things start to fall apart.

See, the White House learns that a whistleblower has reported President Trump’s phone call with President Zelensky, in a complaint. And on September 9th, Congress starts to investigate the president’s actions. And then the jig is up. On September 11th, the aide is suddenly released without explanation over two months later. When you read the call transcript and follow the timeline I’ve laid out, guilty is guilty. Nothing changed during that time regarding the president’s supposed concerns over corruption.

Let’s be clear, the military aid was released because the president got caught, but getting caught doesn’t get you off the hook. And I ask my colleagues, “Is attempted murder a crime? Is attempted robbery a crime? Is attempted extortion and bribery by a president a crime?” Yes it is. And the only question now is whether we will find the moral courage to stand up for our country and impeach the president of the United States. I yield back.


Thank you, Madam Speaker. This time I yield a minute and a half to the gentleman from Alabama, Mr. Palmer.


Gary Palmer: (01:42:57)
Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the impeachment of President Trump. Today is a day that diminishes the reputation and statute of the United States House of Representatives, a day I never dreamed I’d see. Today my Democratic colleagues seek to overturn an election by forcing a vote that will forever be a stain on this Congress. They are not just voting to impeach President Trump, my colleagues are voting to impeach the judgment of every person who voted for him and the process by which we elect a president, and by which we will govern our nation.

My Democrat colleagues claimed the Russians influenced the outcome of the 2016 election, but based on their corrupt impeachment proceedings, it appears my colleagues have been influenced by how Russia conducts political trials. No real evidence, no real crime, no due process, and no justice. The Democrats have failed to show any legitimate justification for the impeachment of President Trump. When they could not find real evidence, they made it up, called it a parody. They conducted most of the hearings in secret, they instructed witnesses not to answer Republican members questions and they denied Republicans our right to call witnesses, making it absolutely clear their objective was from the beginning pathetically political.

We all understand that elections have consequences. To all my colleagues, Democrat and Republicans alike, this day will surely have consequences as well. As we descend into more disrespect, distrust, and even contempt, that will eventually be destructive of this chamber and I fear, eventually our Republic. I urge all members to vote no on impeachment. I yield back.


I thank the Speaker. Very quickly my colleagues have made repeated reference to some secret proceedings in some secret stark chamber. This is apparently what they call depositions. I remind my colleagues that when they were the majority, they conducted depositions, but they were different in this respect. In the depositions we conduct in the Intelligence Committee, over a 100 members were able to participate, that’s how secret they were. We revealed all of the transcripts of those depositions. The repetition of this falsehood does not make it true, it only makes the falsehood that much more deliberate. With that, I am pleased to recognize the gentleman from Michigan, Mr. Amash, for two minutes.


Justin Amash: (01:45:15)
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise today in support of these articles of impeachment. I come to this floor not as a Democrat, not as a Republican, but as an American who cares deeply about the constitution, the rule of law and the rights of the people. Under our system of government, impeachment is not about policy disagreements or ineffective governance, nor is it about criminality based on statutes that did not exist at the time our constitution was written. Impeachment is about maintaining the integrity of the Office of the Presidency, and ensuring that executive power is directed toward proper ends in accordance with the law.

The constitution grants the House the sole power of impeachment, and the Senate, the sole power to try all impeachments. We in the House are empowered to charge impeachable conduct. The constitution describes such conduct as high crimes and misdemeanors, because it pertains to high office and relates to the misuse of that office. We need not rely on any other branch or body to endorse our determinations. We have the sole power of impeachment.

In Federalist No. 65, Alexander Hamilton, wrote that high crimes and misdemeanors, “Are those offenses which proceed for the misconduct of public men, or in other words, from the abuse or violation of some public trust. They are of a nature which may with peculiar propriety be denominated political as they relate cheaply to injuries done immediately to the society itself.”

President Donald J. Trump, has abused and violated the public trust by using his high office to solicit the aid of a foreign power, not for the benefit of the United States of America, but instead for his personal and political game. His actions reflect precisely the type of conduct the framers of the constitution intended to remedy through the power of impeachment, and it is our duty to impeach him. I yield back.


Thank you Madam Speaker. Entirely, the H.Res.660 does not matter to the majority and particularly the management of this bill, because the Inspector General, I see his transcript has not been released. There’s not been documents transferred, they were supposed to be transferred to the White House and we’re still not sure we got everything we were supposed to get in Judiciary Committee. I guess when you want to be transparent and open, you hold it in a skiff and do whatever you want. With that, I yield two minutes to the gentleman from Florida, Mr. Steube.


Greg Steube: (01:47:51)
Thank you, Madam Speaker. This impeachment charade did not start with a whistleblower complaint. That campaign to impeach a duly elected president and overturn the will of 63 million Americans started 19 minutes after the president took the oath of office. 19 minutes after the inauguration, the Washington Post published a story headlined, The Campaign to Impeach President Trump Has Begun.

The first day of this Congress on day one, Democratic member of my class called for the impeachment of the president long before the call to the Ukraine. Then it was the Russia collusion hoax, then obstruction of justice, then bribery, then quid pro quo, none of which are included in these articles before us today. The first article of impeachment crafted as a fiction is not an enumerated basis in the constitution for impeachment. The Democratic majority would have you believe that abusive power is a high crime or misdemeanor. It’s not, it’s an opinion. It’s not even a crime that can be charged in a court of law. Unlike presidents, Nixon and Clinton who were tried for actual crimes, this president is being impeached on vague phrases that appear nowhere in our constitution. The second article, obstruction of Congress again, doesn’t exist in the constitution as a basis for impeachment and is attempting to impeach a duly elected president for asserting constitutionally based privileges that have been asserted on a bipartisan basis by administrations of both political parties throughout our nation’s history.

This house is impeaching a president over a phone call to another world leader, a few lines in a phone transcript that have been completely and utterly misrepresented by the majority. The process that ensued was anything but open, transparent, bipartisan or equitable. Abandoning all past historical due process afforded to the minority and the president, the Democrats ran a partisan investigation refusing the rights of the minority, refusing the ability for the president’s counsel to call witnesses, refusing to allow the president’s counsel to cross examine fact witnesses, and refusing a minority a hearing day, just to name a few.

The majority waves around a report drafted that the Democratic staff concocted as a matter of fact. When they needed backup for their approach, they paraded out liberal professors with animus against the president who gave them license to impeach the president for any reason they wish. House Democrats are making themselves kings in a manner far worse and more obvious than what they are accusing the president of doing. The only abuse of power here is the Democratic-led Congress. I yield back.


Madam Speaker, I’m proud to yield one minute to Mr. Cisneros, the gentleman from California.


Gil Cisneros: (01:50:11)
Thank you Madam Speaker. When I was 18 years old, I joined the United States Navy and took the oath to support and defend the constitution for the first time. I took that oath again earlier this year as a member of Congress. And every day I work hard to live by that oath and give the 39th District the representation it deserves. I’ve always maintained that impeachment is a serious undertaking and it must be done with incredible care.

When the unprecedented allegations against the president and his interactions with Ukraine were first reported, I felt it was Congress’s duty to investigate and find out the truth. And now the facts are before Congress and the American people. The president betrayed his oath to support and defend the constitution by attempting to undermine the integrity of our election for his own personal benefit. He asked a foreign government to investigate a political rival and endangered our national security by withholding military aid to an ally.

For me, it’s not about personal politics or party affiliation, it’s about upholding my oath to put our country and our constitution first and protect our national security. This is why I will vote to move forward with the impeachment of the president. I hope all my colleagues will join me in recognizing this grave threat and stand up to this administration in defense of our country and our constitution. With that, I yield back the balance of my time-


Thank you Madam Speaker. I yield a minute and a half to the gentleman from Tennessee, Mr. Kustoff.


David Kustoff: (01:51:30)
Madam Speaker, going back almost three years to when the president was sworn into office, we’ve seen some members on the other side of the aisle pledging and promising to impeach President Trump. Prior to the start of this inquiry, Speaker Pelosi, claimed that the impeachment must be compelling, overwhelming, and bipartisan. The impeachment inquiry was announced less than three months ago, and what we know is that the process has been fast, faulty, and flawed.

David Kustoff: (01:51:58)
What we’ve witnessed since September 24th when the inquiry was announced is that the evidence we’ve seen is not compelling, it’s not overwhelming, and the process is undoubtedly and unquestionably not bipartisan. I’m viewing this through the lens of a former United States Attorney, and as we take this vote, here’s the bottom line for the American people. There was no bribery, there was no extortion, there was no quid pro quo. There were no high crimes and misdemeanors committed by the president, and I yield back.


Madam Speaker, I now recognize the gentlewoman from California, Ms. Chu, for one minute.

Gentlewoman’s recognized for one minute.

Judy Chu: (01:52:43)
Madam Speaker, we know that President Trump, withheld needed military aid to Ukraine. We know that he used it to demand Ukraine interfere in the 2020 election for his own benefit, and we know that Ukraine new. None of these facts have been disputed. Instead, the White House has tried to hide the truth, but the president is not above the law, nobody is. Corruption and obstruction. The president is guilty of both. The blatant abuse of power was made clear from over 100 hours of testimony before three committees and was clear in the call summary released by the White House. The obstruction has been made clear by the president’s refusal to cooperate at every turn, even when ordered by a court. Setting a precedent that any president can abuse their power to interfere in our elections is an existential threat to our democracy. It’s also a betrayal of the oath of office and the constitution. Therefore, in fulfillment of my own oath of office, it’s with solemn purpose today that I vote to impeach, President Donald Trump.


Madam Speaker, at this time I yield a minute and a half to the gentleman from Ohio, Mr. Gibbs.


Bob Gibbs: (01:54:15)
Thank you. Madam Speaker, Democrats started with quid pro quo, that didn’t work so well. Then it was bribery, extortion. Then they brought their witnesses in and not one can answer if they saw any evidence of bribery, extortion, or any crime when questioned, there was just silence. Then the witnesses, they always testified, “I heard this, I heard this, from so and so and so.” When the Democrats brought their star witness in Ambassador Sondland, when asked, he said, “I presume the aid was held up.” I presumed?

Bob Gibbs: (01:54:44)
Testimony was all hearsay, conjecture and assumptions. Now, it’s abuse of power with no underlying crime, which is opinion. Abusive of power to the Democrats is, they don’t like his policies or he treated a reporter harshly. Obstruction of Congress. There are three co-equal branches of government. When the Executive branch and the Legislative branch have an impasse, that’s when the judicial branch intervenes. They didn’t do that. The Democrats sopped up that route.

Bob Gibbs: (01:55:13)
Every president, including George Washington, could have been impeached based on these factless articles. There is no crime, there’s no victim as Ukraine received their aid before September 30th deadline and no witnesses that witnessed anything. This isn’t about the rule of law, it’s politics at it’s worse. It’s disgraceful. It’s time to end this charade and scam on the American people. I urge everybody to vote no on these articles of impeachment, I yield back.


Madam Speaker, I have to remind my colleagues of Ambassador Sondland’s testimony. He posed the question, “Was there a quid pro quo?” The answer is yes. When he was asked about a quid pro quo involving the military aid, he said it was as clear as two plus two equals four. I’m pleased to yield one minute to Ms. Schakowsky, the gentlewoman from Illinois.

Gentlewoman’s recognized for one minute.

Jan S: (01:56:06)
It is my adult son, Ian Schakowsky, whom I will always credit for my decision last June to support an impeachment inquiry. It had never been my goal to impeach a president, but Ian, made such a compelling case. He reminded me of the oath I have taken 11 times now to support and defend the constitution of the United States.

Jan S: (01:56:32)
He said, “Mom, this is not about politics, this is not about party.” And pushing back against my arguments he said, “This has nothing to do with the final outcome. It’s about doing the right thing even if others don’t.” He made me see that it was about my legacy, my modest place in history. I want to thank you, my son, for helping me do the right thing today. To vote to impeach the president of the United States, Donald Trump, because no American is above the law, and I yield back.


Thank you, Madam Speaker. I also would love to remind the gentleman from California, Mr. Steube, and I also said he had no direction, he presumed that that was going on. I guess we’re back to presumption again. With that, I yield a minute and a half to the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Flores.


Bill Flores: (01:57:29)
Madam Speaker, on March 11th of this year, the Speaker of the House said the following in an interview in the Washington Post. “Impeachment is so divisive to the country that unless there’s something so compelling and overwhelming and bipartisan, I don’t think that we should go down that path because it divides the country.” I think most Americans would agree with that statement because it sounds thoughtful and reasonable.

Here we are today to vote on the articles of impeachment. How did the majority party doing in meeting the objectives set forth by the Speaker? Here are the answers. First, the only compelling attribute about this sham is the lengths the majority has gone to appease the radical socialist wing of their party. Second, the only overwhelming feature about this sham is the abuse of power by the majority and the reckless disregard for fairness by the majority throughout this entire circus.

And finally, the only bipartisan activity related to this sham will be the votes against these flimsy articles of impeachment. I ask my colleagues to join me in opposing these deplorable articles of impeachment and to demand that the House get back to working on the priorities that hardworking families care about the most. I yield back.


Madam Speaker, proud to recognize Mr. Ruppersberger, for one minute. The gentleman from Maryland.


Dutch R: (01:58:43)
Yes. Madam Speaker, I spent 12 years on the House Intelligence Committee including four as ranking member. My bipartisan cooperation with the Republican Chairman was widely recognized. When it comes to national security, there’s no room for bipartisan politics. All 17 witnesses, mostly Trump appointees, told the same story during the Intelligence Committee hearings, each testifying that our Commander in Chief jeopardized American national security for the sake of his re-election. The president held hostage military aid for the fight against a common enemy, Russia.

Dutch R: (01:59:18)
He willfully obstructed Congress’s constitutionally prescribed impeachment powers. Over the last two years, I resisted calls to begin impeachment proceedings and I resent those who say, ” This is about reversing the election.” This isn’t about whether or not you like Trump, it’s about upholding our constitution. Allowing this contact to go unquestioned sets a dangerous precedent and permanently damages our system of checks and balances. No is above the law. President Trump’s actions are a clear threat to our national security and democracy. We must uphold our oath of office and support these articles. I yield back the balance of my time.


Thank you, Madam Speaker. I yield a minute and a half to the gentleman from Michigan, Mr Walberg.


Tim Walberg: (02:00:05)
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise today in strong opposition to these baseless articles of impeachment. Our founding fathers never intended impeachment to be a one-sided political weapon. Sadly, the majority has reduced this serious constitutional action to a purely partisan tactic to take down President Trump. History will not be kind to the vote today. It will be remembered as a rushed process that lacks credibility or transparency with a predetermined outcome that puts a premium on political theater instead of facts.

Tim Walberg: (02:00:46)
By any objective standard, the Democrats impeachment case is the thinnest imaginable. There’s no impeachable offense before us today. It’s a complete and total sham. I close not by quoting a president from the past, but rather from the duly elected President Donald Trump. “To my Democrat colleagues through you,” Madam Speaker, “You are the ones interfering in America’s election. You are the ones subverting America’s democracy, you are the ones obstructing justice. You are the ones bringing pain and suffering to our Republic for your own selfish, personal, political and partisan gain.” These are hard words, I know. But that is the sad reality of this entire process. I will proudly vote no today. A vote that upholds our constitution, defends our president, and preserves the pillars of our nation’s democracy. And now I yield back.


Madam Speaker, I recognize the gentleman from Arizona, Mr. Grijalva, for one minute.


Raul Grijalva: (02:02:03)
I will vote in favor of impeachment today. The facts are irrefutable and the ongoing obstruction and cover up is shameful. My parents came here as immigrants and I’m proud to live in a nation that rewarded their hard work by providing a better future for my sisters and I. And as a first generation American and now a member of Congress, a story like mine is only made possible by a nation that upholds the rule of law and truly lives out the values enshrined in our constitution.

Mona, and I are blessed with three wonderful daughters and five grandkids. Because of this living legacy and the legacy I intend to pass onto my grandchildren, my vote today is rooted in protecting their future. The underpinnings for impeachment are real and historic. Trump has perverted the rule of law, abused his power and engaged in the coverup. No amount of misdirection, lies, disinformation, tantrums and cries of victimization by Trump and others can undo the abuse of power and obstruction of Congress that remain clear and present.

The president leaves us no choice but to vote to impeach, so that we can protect our democracy and correct the damage it’s already done. I will vote in favor of impeachment of Donald J. Trump, not as a partisan act, but as a serious, urgent and necessary one, and I yield back.


Thank you, Madam Speaker. I yield one minute to the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Brady.


Kevin Brady: (02:03:28)
21 years ago this week I spoke here on impeachment. In this, sadly, history will not treat Democrats well. They’ll be forever remembered as the Senator Joe McCarthy’s of our time, so blinded by their hatred of President Trump, they abandoned American rights of due process and fairness and just decency. Reminiscent of Joe McCarthy, they assaulted the constitution, took glee in secret hearings, blocked evidence, and switched charges like rogue prosecutors.

Kevin Brady: (02:03:59)
Ultimately, they chose abuse of power because they practice it so well. President Trump committed no crime or impeachable offense, none. His legacy won’t be stained, Democrats will. We’ll look back at these days in shame because Trump haters in Congress, like red haters of the past are willing to plunge America into darkness for raw political gain. This impeachment betrays the nation, the constitution, and the American people. I vote no.


Madam Speaker, I recognize the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Doggett, for one minute.

Gentlemen is recognized for one minute.

Lloyd Doggett: (02:04:47)
Tyranny rarely appears full born. It arises, it encroaches as freedom ebbs. Our nation’s great founders sought to protect us from tyranny with a carefully crafted system of checks and balances. But now along comes a president who actually says he’s constitutionally empowered to do whatever he wants. That he can neither be prosecuted nor even investigated for any crime, and that he can totally ignore any impeachment proceeding of which he disapproves. These are the claims of a wannabe tyrant who has extolled the virtues of tyrants and autocrats from Manila to Moscow.

To advance tyranny, he adopts an open border policy, inviting foreigners to come in to our country and intrude in our elections. Foreign nations have their own agendas, especially adversaries like Russia and China. American citizens should be the only ones determining the fate of America. If the president continues demanding more foreign interference, we will never have truly free elections and we will not be free. We act today recognizing the solemn responsibility to safeguard our security and constitution. We pledge allegiance to the-

Gentleman, your time has expired-

… flag and the Republic for which it stands not to one man who would be king.


Thank you, Madam Speaker. Before I call my next speaker can I get a time check from the Speaker?

The gentleman from Georgia has one hour, three and a quarter minutes remaining. The gentleman from California has 57 and a quarter minutes remaining.

That was one hour and…

Three minutes. Three and a quarter minutes.

Three and a quarter-

One hour, and three and a quarter minutes.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I couldn’t hear, I apologize. Thank you. For that I now yield one minute to the gentleman from… one minute and a half to the gentleman from Georgia, Mr. Allen.


Rick Allen: (02:06:48)
Thank you to my friend from Georgia, and thank you for your great work in dealing with this very sad day in our country. Today for the third time in our nation’s history, a president will be impeached. This will be however, the first time impeachment has been entirely partisan and without merit. This charade is not because president Trump is guilty of a high crime or misdemeanor, but because one political party doesn’t like him or his policies of, America First.

The facts are we have a divided government and House Democrats are at war with the Executive branch. Fact two, they have been planning for this day since President Trump took office. Fact three, they accused the president first, and then they spent months looking for a crime. Fact four, but no evidence has been presented of an impeachable offense.

During one of the past hearings, a member of this body asked if President Trump had evidence of his innocence. Why didn’t he bring it forward? The Democrats want Americans to believe that our president is guilty until he proves himself innocent. This whole process is unconstitutional. Today we’ve heard both-

Rep. R. Allen: (02:08:03)
This whole process is unconstitutional. Today we’ve heard both sides, but we need to get the truth and the truth is that the decision of who should be our President should be made by the American people, not speaker Pelosi, Adam Schiff and House Democrats. Thank you and I yield back.


Rep. A. Schiff: (02:08:20)
Madam Speaker, I recognize the gentleman from New York, Mr. Engle, Chairman Engle, for three minutes.

Gentleman’s recognized for three minutes.

Rep. E. Engle: (02:08:35)
I thank my friend, Mr. Speaker. As Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, I have to say that this is a sad day. No one is gleeful that the President’s actions have brought us to this point, but when you boil it down, we’re here today because the President abused the power of his office to help his chances at reelection. He used the enormous weight of the Presidency in American foreign policy to push a foreign government to smear a political rival and he got caught. Why is this conduct so serious? Why has the President’s behavior pushed the House of Representatives to exercise one of its most consequential constitutional responsibilities? Because corrupting an American election, particularly in cahoots with a foreign power, means corrupting American democracy.

Rep. E. Engle: (02:09:25)
Our elections are at the heart of our democracy, the foundation of what makes our system of government great, our Republic, if we can keep it. As Benjamin Franklin once said, if our elections are unfair, then our Republic cannot stand. Anyone who tries to fix an election is taking away the power of the American people to choose their leaders. If it happens at any level of government, it’s toxic to our democracy and this came from the highest level. In this case, it’s even more serious because what was the President willing to give up for this advantage? What price was he willing to pay? The price was our national security.

Rep. E. Engle: (02:10:05)
When the President devised a shadow foreign policy that undermined our diplomacy and diplomats. When he held back assistance for Ukraine who was embroiled in a war against Russia. When he pressured a foreign government to interfere in our elections, again, he sacrificed our security. He shook the faith of a loyal ally. He played right into the hands of Vladimir Putin. He weakened our country all because he thought it might help his reelection bid.

Rep. E. Engle: (02:10:34)
Only the President has that power to corrupt our foreign policy for political gain. And the moment he chose to do so, the moment he undermined our security in a scheme to undermine our democracy, whether he succeeded or not and thank God he did not, at that moment it became an abuse of power. And a President who abuses his power for personal gain is exactly what the framers feared. It’s why impeachment is in the Constitution. So we need to pass these articles, the President’s actions have left us no choice. He cannot be allowed to undermine our democracy and tear apart the fabric that holds our country together. So I will vote for impeachment and I yield back.


Rep. D. Collins: (02:11:18)
Thank you, Madam Speaker. This time I yield two minutes to the gentleman from Florida, Mr. Gaetz, a member of the judiciary committee.

Two minutes?

Two minutes.


Rep. M. Gaetz: (02:11:26)
This is not about the Ukraine, it’s about power. Donald Trump has it and house Democrats want it. And so with no crime, no victim, no evidence, no proof, no agenda for America, this impeachment charade marches on following no rules and adhering to no sense of honor. The American people aren’t fooled by dirty tricks. Voters will never forget that Democrats have been triggered into impeaching the President because they don’t like him and they don’t like us. Those who vote yes on today’s articles of impeachment must carry the heavy burden of shame and guilt for as long as they serve in Congress, which won’t be long because the American people will remember in November.

Rep. M. Gaetz: (02:12:07)
Democrats would rather trip the President just to see him stumble then see America succeed. They’d rather impeach the President and work together for the common good of our country and our citizens. Democrats may have won the House in 2018 but they haven’t forgiven Donald Trump for having the audacity to win the Presidency and they haven’t forgiven you, the American people, for voting for him. The day before she was sworn into Congress, one member of the body said she promised to impeach the mother effer. She’s not alone. Trump’s impeachment was plotted and planned before the ink was even dry on his election certificate and possibly before some Democrats could even point to the Ukraine on a map.

Rep. M. Gaetz: (02:12:48)
In seeking the chairmanship of the judiciary committee, the gentleman from New York said that he was the strongest member to lead a potential impeachment. Democrats may not have known why they were going to impeach the President, but they knew it was an inevitability, facts be damned. This impeachment is a slap in the face to the millions of Americans who voted for President Trump. The same Americans that Democrats in Washington have mocked as smelly Walmart shoppers and deplorables. This impeachment isn’t legitimate, it’s the radical left’s insurance policy, but we have an insurance policy to it’s the next election and we intend to win it. I yield back.


Rep. A. Schiff: (02:13:29)
Madam Speaker, I recognize the gentleman from Vermont, Mr. Welch, for two minutes.


Rep. P Welch: (02:13:34)
Madam Speaker, we the people have a common tie that binds us together now as it has since the founding of our country, and it’s our shared respect for the Constitution of The United States. Let us all step back from the maelstrom of the moment to recall that our country’s inception 243 years ago, the concept of a democratic, self-governing rule was a breathtaking and idealistic aspiration. And when the 13 American colonies boldly rejected the rule of a British Monarch, our founders were determined to form a government that would rule instead with the consent of the governed. Ensuring that this noble experiment endured through the ages was an enormous existential challenge. It was met with the adoption of the Constitution in 1788 and at its heart are two bedrock principles that have served as touchstones for our country ever since.

Rep. P Welch: (02:14:36)
First, it established America as a nation of laws where no person is above the law. Second, it established the concept of a separation of powers where three co-equal branches of government would check each other, less power be concentrated in one at the expense of Liberty to all. Madam Speaker, when President Trump abused the power of his office by soliciting foreign interference in the upcoming election for his personal benefit, he willfully infringed upon the right of citizens to decide who will lead our nation and in doing so, he placed himself above the law and in violation of his oath. And when he denounced, denied and defied the clear authority of Congress to investigate his conduct, he repudiated our constitutional system of checks and balances ind further violated his oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution. In it is for these reasons I will cast my vote in favor of impeaching president Donald John Trump. I yield back.


Thank you Madam Speaker. I yield two minutes to the gentleman from Arizona, Mr. Biggs.


Rep. A. Biggs: (02:15:48)
Thank you, Madam Chair. Some of my colleagues across the aisle have said, “Hey, where are the facts,” as if we have the burden of proof. It’s your burden of proof, Madam Chair, it’s the Democrats burden of proof. But the facts are unchanged, the Ukraine received aid that they were promised and appropriated for. The aid was lawfully disbursed, in fact it was dispersed within the time limits set by this Congress. If you wanted it sent to them before September 30th, 2019 you should have put that in the legislation. You did not. The Ukrainians gave nothing in return. Ukraine’s President said he felt no pressure, no coercion, no duress, no conditionality. But what changed on the day that the aid was released? Two anti-corruption measures was signed into law by the Ukrainian President, President Zelensky.

Rep. A. Biggs: (02:16:43)
Democrats have manufactured this sham and then argue that refusing to cooperate is impeachable. The Supreme Court is currently considering the extent of executive privilege when fighting dubious subpoenas. But instead of taking their process to court or waiting for the court to rule on the pending case, the Democrats chose to press forward because simply they said, “We don’t want to wait. We don’t have time,” they say. But failing to do so is an abuse of power of this institution that will have grave consequences for our Republic.

Rep. A. Biggs: (02:17:19)
Now, when the other side claims they proceed with soberness, I’m bemused by media reports that indicate they have been admonished not to do a jig today when they win the vote, which we know they will. I am struck that solemnity of process shouldn’t need to have an admonition against levity. This process has been partisan, vindictive, dishonest. In this impeachment Democrats have lied about the conduct of the July 25th call, met secretly with the whistleblower, held Soviet style hearings behind closed doors where the judiciary committee, the committee of jurisdiction, could not attend. Blocked the president’s council from participating in the fact finding portion of the inquisition. It has been a sham from start to finish and I yield back.


Rep. A. Schiff: (02:18:07)
Madam Speaker, I recognize Mr. Scott for a unanimous consent request.


Rep. B. Scott: (02:18:12)
Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to revise and extend remarks in favor of both articles of impeachment.

That objection. Gentleman-

Rep. A. Schiff: (02:18:20)
Madam Speaker, I recognize Mr. Carson, the Congressman from Indiana, for two minutes.


Rep. A. Carson: (02:18:29)
Thank you, Chair and thank you, Madam Speaker. You know Madam Speaker, as we continue and consider this historic impeachment vote, let’s be clear that the President’s actions seriously jeopardized, not only America’s national security, but the security of our closest allies. His actions threatened the goals of the US led NATO Alliance. You see, Ukraine is a nation working hard to make its democracy stronger and make no mistake, Ukraine is on the front lines of Russian aggression. Thankfully, US military aid helps Ukraine defend itself against Russia and integrate itself into the European community.

Rep. A. Carson: (02:19:12)
When our European allies are stronger, America is stronger. We are better equipped to promote democracy and put a stop to tyranny. But to President Trump, strengthening this valuable national security objective, Madam Speaker, was not as important as smearing a political rival. Madam Speaker, we know that he held nearly $400 million of aid to Ukraine until President Zelensky agreed to help him dig up dirt on his potential 2020 opponent. This aid was approved by Congress with strong bipartisan support.

Rep. A. Carson: (02:19:52)
President Trump’s actions hurt American diplomacy and undermine the integrity of our nation’s promises to our allies. We will not allow our leaders to trade away our national security. We cannot allow Russia’s continued threats to democracy go unanswered. And we must not allow our own President of these United States to get away with breaking his own oath of office. Madam Speaker, that is why we take the solemn but necessary vote to impeach. Thank you and I yield back the balance of my time.


Thank you Madam Speaker. I yelled a minute and a half to the gentleman from Ohio, Mr. Latta.

For what period?

A minute and a half.


Rep. B. Latta: (02:20:44)
Thank you, Madam Speaker. This is a sad day for our country, one that our forefathers warned us against. We’ve watched this illegitimate impeachment process unfold while making a mockery of our constitutional duties. House Democrats have conducted the most polarizing impeachment process in our nation’s history, and the men and women I represent are tired of this Democrat run house putting political games above our national interest. House Democrats held secret meetings, withheld important documents, deliberately misrepresented information to the public and did not give due process to the President.

Rep. B. Latta: (02:21:22)
This investigation was unfair and the American people expect more out of Congress. The articles of impeachment are not based on facts, but instead are entirely politically motivated. The truth is there was no pressure put on President Zelensky and the transcripts confirm that there was no conditionality. This inquiry has been rigged from the start lacking fairness, transparency and truth. It has been a waste of taxpayer’s dollars and is based off the opinion of an unnamed whistleblower and hearsay. The accusations in today’s proceedings do not align with the facts. This impeachment process is out of step with existing precedent for presidential impeachment proceedings and is not a process I will support. I urge my colleagues to put country first and vote in opposition to the articles of impeachment. Thank you. Madam Speaker, I yield back.

Mr. Speaker: (02:22:18)
Gentleman yields. The gentleman from California is recognized.

Rep. A. Schiff: (02:22:23)
I thank the gentleman. It is now my pleasure to recognize the gentlelady from New York, Chairwoman Maloney is recognized for three minutes.

Mr. Speaker: (02:22:30)
Gentlewoman from New York is recognized.

Rep. C. Maloney: (02:22:36)
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the impeachment of President Donald J. Trump. President Trump abused the power of his office for his own personal and political gain at the expense of our national security. President Trump’s wholesale obstruction of Congress is unprecedented, indisputable and impeachable. President Trump is the first President in history to openly and completely defy all aspects of the constitutional impeachment process. In an attempt to cover up his abuse of power, he ordered the entire executive branch not to participate in the inquiry and directed it to defy lawful subpoenas from Congress. As Chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, I find this obstruction particularly offensive. Even President Nixon accepted Congress’s impeachment authority and allowed his aides and advisors to produce the documents to Congress. And President Nixon allowed current and former staff to testify in both the House impeachment and the Senate Watergate investigations, including his Chief of Staff and White House counsel. By contrast, President Trump without any legal basis directed current and former officials not to cooperate with the House’s inquiry, which resulted in nine administration officials defying subpoenas for testimony. And in response to the House’s inquiry, President Trump refused to turn over even one single, not one single document to Congress in response to lawful subpoenas.

Put simply, President Trump’s actions are even worse than Nixon’s. Let me repeat, President Trump’s actions are even worse than Nixon’s. Our founding fathers established a system of checks and balances that spread out power between the branches of government. They decided that no one would be a king, that no one is above the law, including the President, and they gave the responsibility of impeachment solely to the people’s house.

When President Trump defies our subpoenas and obstructs our impeachment inquiry, he seeks to place himself above the constitution and above the law. We cannot let that stand and if we do, then that’s the end of Congress as a coequal branch of government, and we’ve allowed President Trump to elevate himself above the law. It is our solemn duty under the Constitution to impeach President Trump for his blatant abuse of power and his obstruction of Congress. I yield back.

Mr. Speaker: (02:25:46)
Gentlewoman from New York yields. Gentlemen from California reserves. Gentleman from George’s recognized.

Thank you Mr. Speaker. I yield one minute to the gentleman from Arkansas, Mr. Womack.

Mr. Speaker: (02:25:55)
Gentlemen from Arkansas is recognized.

Rep. S. Womack: (02:25:56)
I thank the gentleman for giving me this moment. Madam or Mr. Speaker, years from now history books will tell of this day. It will tell of a purely partisan effort to remove the President of the United States. An effort not built on a high crime or misdemeanor, not on a process in keeping with the high American standard of due process and equal treatment, this effort is rooted only in the governing party’s hatred of a man elected President of the United States. Members on the other side of the aisle have been in pursuit of this moment since 2016. They are consumed by it.

Rep. S. Womack: (02:26:37)
Earlier in this debate, one of our colleagues referred to our President as a domestic enemy. Our founders warned us about this day that is why our nation has entrusted the future of the country with the outcome of elections, not the will of a party filled with contempt for a duly elected President. My hope is that when the historians write about this day, it is not written in the context of a nation that lost its way because its elected members chose hateful partisanship over the sacred oath that has protected this great Republic since its founding. And I yield back.

Mr. Speaker: (02:27:14)
Gentlemen from Arkansas yields. Gentlemen from Georgia reserved. Gentleman from California is recognized.

Rep. A. Schiff: (02:27:23)
Speaker, I’m proud to recognize the gentleman from New Jersey, Mr. Malinowski for one minute.

Mr. Speaker: (02:27:27)
Gentlemen from New Jersey is recognized.

Rep. Malinowski: (02:27:31)
Mr. Speaker, in America when we call the fire department or enroll our children in school, we do not expect a government official to say to us, “I need you to do us a favor though.” Why would we tolerate a President using his awesome power to make foreign policy when the safety of our country is at stake, not for the people, but for himself? I will vote to impeach today because President Trump did just that when he shook down a foreign country to criminally investigate his political rival.

Rep. Malinowski: (02:28:05)
If we fail to say that this was wrong then any President will be free to ask a foreign power, be it Russia, China, or Iran, to help him hurt his political enemies at home. And every foreign tyrant and kleptocrat will know that America’s foreign policy can be bought by doing our President a political favor. If you believe that our highest duty is to protect America, then search your conscience and ask, do you want our future presidents to behave as this one has done? Do not whisper in the shadows of the Capitol that you disapprove and then defend that conduct here today. Do your duty, keep your oath, defend your country as will I.

Mr. Speaker: (02:28:49)
The gentleman’s time has expired. Gentlemen from California reserved. Gentleman from Georgia is recognized.

Thank you Mr. Speaker. At this time, I yield one minute to the gentleman from South Carolina, Mr. Wilson.

Mr. Speaker: (02:29:01)
Gentleman from South Carolina is recognized.

Rep. J. Wilson: (02:29:05)
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Over a month ago on November the 14th, I spoke on the impeachment hoax with points true then and still true today. After over a month of secret investigations into the administration, Democrats have now decided to open these controlled hearings to the public. This continues the deception by Democrats to mislead the American people. It’s insulting. No Republican witnesses, no counsel by the President to participate in full exoneration by courageous President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine.

Rep. J. Wilson: (02:29:37)
It is sad that instead of focusing on funding our military through the National Defense Authorization Act passed only last week or passing the United States Mexico Canada Agreement to create jobs, the Democrats continue. Having wasted $30 million of taxpayer’s money on the Russian hoax now proceeding with a Ukrainian hoax. This partisan witch-hunt diverts attention from the President’s successes. The unemployment rate remains at a record low, there was record job creation and the stock market, again today, is thriving, showing that President Trump keeps his promises. In conclusion, God bless our troops and we will never forget September 11th and the global war on terrorism.

Mr. Speaker: (02:30:16)
Gentleman from Georgia reserved. General from California is recognized.

Rep. A. Schiff: (02:30:20)
Speaker, I’m proud to recognize the gentleman from California, Mr. Gomez, for one minute.

Mr. Speaker: (02:30:24)
Gentlemen from California is recognized.

Rep. J. Gomez: (02:30:27)
Mr. Speaker, we are here at this moment in our nation’s history because the President abused the power of his office, bribed a foreign government to intrude into our democracy and engaged in an unprecedented campaign of obstruction of Congress to cover it up. Our credibility in the global community has been compromised, our character and motivations are questioned. We know where the President’s true loyalties lie, not with our constituents, not with our allies, but with our adversaries and himself. Abraham Lincoln once said, “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” Donald Trump has failed this test and now our test is whether we will be a check on that power. Therefore, we must hold anyone to account regardless of party or politics, who sets fire to the very institutions that define our nation and our values. And with this in mind, I will vote yes to impeach Donald J. Trump. I yield back.

Mr. Speaker: (02:31:32)
Gentleman from California yields. Gentlemen from California reserved. Gentleman from Georgia is recognized.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I yield a minute and a half of the gentlewoman from North Carolina, Mrs. Fox.

Mr. Speaker: (02:31:40)
Gentlewoman from North Carolina is recognized.

Rep. V. Foxx: (02:31:41)
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in opposition to the process and to the resolution. When Congress sees fit to examine its solemn power of impeachment, it is imperative that it does so in genuine pursuit of justice fairly, transparently and objectively. Anything less is unacceptable. This partisan impeachment has fallen far short of that. Sadly, Alexander Hamilton’s prediction in Federalist Number 65 has come true, where he warned that in many cases it will connect itself with the preexisting factions and will enlist all their animosities, partialities, influence and interest on one side or on the other. And in such cases there will always be the greatest danger that the decision will be regulated more by the comparative strength of parties than by the real demonstrations of innocence or guilt.

Rep. V. Foxx: (02:32:44)
After years of investigations, hearings and millions of taxpayer dollars, Democrats found no proof that the President committed a crime. No proof that the vague accusations in these articles clearly reflect a basic prerequisite for impeachment. Impeaching for high crimes and misdemeanors is a charge that an actual crime was committed. These empty baseless articles expose for the American people what this is, a desperate partisan attempt to avenge the loss of the Democrats preferred candidate in 2016. We must respect American voters and reject these articles.

Mr. Speaker: (02:33:26)
Gentleman from Georgia reserves, gentleman from California is recognized.

Rep. A. Schiff: (02:33:30)
Thank you Mr. Speaker. Just a quick fact check before I yield to the gentleman from Massachusetts. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle claim that no Republican witnesses were allowed to testify, that is of course not correct. In the intelligence committee, three of the Republican requested witnesses testified. That is one out of every four of the witnesses were Republican requested witnesses. That they incriminated the President did not make them any less requested by the minority. I’m now proud to recognize the gentleman from Massachusetts, Mr. Keating, for one minute.

Mr. Speaker: (02:33:59)
Gentleman from Massachusetts recognized.

Rep. B. Keating: (02:34:01)
Today I reflect on the imperatives of two sons of Massachusetts. John Adams, who in one sentence captured the very foundation of our country saying, “We are a government of laws, not men.” Translation, no one is above the law. And John F. Kennedy, who in his iconic City Upon a Hill Address caution that any one of us holding public office would be judged by the high court of history on whether we were truly men and women of courage with the courage to stand up to one’s enemies and the courage to stand up as well to one’s associates. The courage to resist public pressure as well as private greed. And on whether we are truly men and women of integrity who never run out of the principles in which we believe and who neither financial gain or political ambition could ever divert from the fulfillment of our sacred trust. President Donald Trump indifferent and disdainful of this sacred trust, conspired to extract personal benefit from his office. He dishonored his oath, I refuse to abandon mine. I yield back.


Kelly Armstrong: (00:01)
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would just like to point out very quickly that the only Republican witnesses allowed in the intelligence hearings were on a Democrats pre-approved list. With that, I would yield one and a half minutes to the gentleman from South Carolina, Mr. Rice.

Gentleman’s recognized from one and a half minutes.

Tom Rice: (00:17)
Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to this partisan sham of an impeachment resolution that is ripping our country apart. Beginning even before he took office, President Trump has been attacked by a never-ending barrage of lies and corruption and deceit by the liberal political elite, including James Comey, Peter Strzok, Lisa Page, Hillary Clinton, and the impeachment zealots in this Congress.

Tom Rice: (00:47)
Democrats colluded with Russia and Ukraine to interfere in our 2016 election by producing the now famous fake dossier. Now they accuse President Trump of colluding with a foreign power. What a joke. They abused their office to illegally wiretap and spy on President Trump’s campaign. Now they accused him of abusing his office. What a joke. They structure these proceedings to deny the President and Republicans in Congress a fair hearing, then they accuse the President of obstructing Congress. Look in the mirror folks.

Tom Rice: (01:25)
The reaction of the American people that this is contrived and corrupt was entirely predictable and is entirely correct. The polls have turned against them and the Democrats are desperate to stop the bleeding. That’s why we’re cramming this vote in today just before leaving for Congress to dispose of impeachment as quickly and painlessly as possible.

Tom Rice: (01:48)
The actions of the Democrats are a stain on this chamber. I urge my colleagues to join me in fighting against this shameful abuse of power and vote “No” on this sham of an impeachment resolution. Thank you, Madam speaker. I yield back.


Hi, Madam Speaker. Didn’t think I’d have to do another fact check so quickly, but of course there was no pre-approved witness list. I’m now proud to recognize a gentleman from New York, Mr. Meeks, for one minute.


Gregory Meeks: (02:26)
The decision to impeach a President of the United States is of enormous magnitude and utmost significance. There are a few issues that so deeply reflect upon the constitution and the American system of governance. As a senior member of the United States House Foreign Affairs Committee, I’ve spent years trying to promote American values of democracy and the rule of law in other parts of the world, including Eastern Europe.

Because I have been so steeped in Ukrainian issues for so long, I know how damaging President Trump’s actions were. But the President’s damages does not end there. He has consistently obstructed at every turn of this investigation. This nation’s founding fathers fought to end unaccountable rule. We did not free ourselves from a king to turn the President into a monarch.

But the camera of history is rolling and I will cast my vote consistent with the principle of democracy, the rule of law, and our constitution for the impeachment of President Donald J. Trump. I do so because I could not look my granddaughter or any member of future generations in the eye having condoned actions that undermine our democratic system. I urge all of my colleagues to do the same. May God bless the United States of America.


Thank you, Madam Speaker. One minute to the gentleman from Nebraska, Mr. Bacon.


Don Bacon: (03:53)
Madam Speaker, I am strongly opposed to this impeachment. No law was broken, no high crimes or misdemeanors, no impeachable offenses. Ukrainians received aid one week prior to the law’s requirement, aid that was previously rejected by the administration before it. There was no investigation and President Zelensky said he received no pressure from the Trump administration ever. Simply put, there was no quid pro quo and no crime. There’s only the majority’s disdain for the President. That is not an impeachable offense.

Don Bacon: (04:24)
The elections are in 10 months, but the majority doesn’t trust the American people. Too many have said that the impeachment is necessary so the President is not reelected in 2020. That is shameful. Today’s vote sets a new precedent for America. In the future, the majority will use impeachment as a tactic to remove a President simply based on partisanship. Our founders feared this. I strongly oppose it. I want my statement to be in the record for the end of time to show I was on the side of the constitution. That I opposed a majority taking down a duly-elected President who committed no crime and I defended the truth. Madam Speaker, I yield.


Madam Speaker, my colleagues continue to make the argument that the Ukrainians got the money. Yes, the President got caught, but they got the money. No harm, no foul. It is the equivalent of saying if you’re pulled over by a cop and you attempt to bribe the cop and the cop doesn’t take the money, but arrests you, where’s the crime in that? They didn’t get the money.

This is what my colleagues would have you accept, that because the President got caught in the act, we must look the other way. But of course, that’s not the way the law works, that’s not the way the constitution works, that’s not the way our oath of office works. Our oath of office requires us to impeach a President that abuses his power, whether he gets away with it or he gets caught. In this case he got caught.

I’m now proud to recognize the gentleman from New Jersey, Mr. Norcross, for one minute.

The gentleman’s recognized for one minute.

Donald Norcross: (06:07)
Madam Speaker, arrives today a time of grave concern for all Americans. This past weekend, I joined a bipartisan delegation traveling to Belgium, to Luxembourg for the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Bulge, a battle that over 19,000 Americans gave their lives. Today, we’re called to preserve that democracy that they so bravely defended.

Over two years ago, I was one of the first members in Congress to vote to advance the inquiry. Since then, I had withheld final judgment as I review the facts and heard the testimony. I believe there’s overwhelming evidence, well beyond reasonable doubt that President Donald Trump is guilty in both articles of impeachment, abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Therefore, I will uphold my oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States in favor of impeachment.

It is our solemn responsibility to honor all those who have fought and given their lives, to uphold the truth. In America, no one, no one is above the law.

Gentleman’s time is expired. Gentlemen from Georgia.

Wow, I just love this. Again, pot shot him when you can. Remember quid pro quo, didn’t work out real well for him because that was supposedly we had pressure on Mr. Zelensky. In fact it didn’t work out so well you had to go poll test it. The majority didn’t work out because focus groups didn’t like it.

What do we do? We throw it in here, a bribe. Ooh, it’s all in their report. But if they had a bribe or if they actually had a crime, it’d be in the articles. Guess what? He doesn’t have it. He can’t put it in there. This is all fluff and circumstance because they can’t get to the President and that’s what’s killing them. A minute and a half to the gentleman from Indiana, Mr. Bucshon.


Larry Bucshon: (07:53)
Madam Speaker, House Democrats have been obsessed with impeaching President Trump since he was elected. He wasn’t supposed to win. ” How could the voters support him,” they asked. The American people were told the only way the Speaker would move forward with impeachment was if the case was compelling, overwhelming and bipartisan. Yet the case for impeachment that has been rushed forward by House Democrats is anything but that.

To be clear, neither of these articles of impeachment prove any wrongdoing or impeachable offense has actually taken place. Instead House Democrats’ case rests solely on hearsay testimony and presumptions from cherry-picked witnesses. The framers of the Constitution never intended impeachment to be used as a tool to settle political and policy differences. That’s what elections are for.

This is a sad and dangerous moment in our history as impeachment is being used to undo the will of the American people and silence the voices of millions of Americans in the process. Alexander Hamilton would be ashamed. I urge my college to vote no on this partisan impeachment sham and I yield back.


Madam Speaker, I now yield one minute to Mr. Crow, the gentleman from Colorado.


Jason Crow: (09:13)
Thank you, Madam speaker. Years ago, I took my first oath to the country, went to war and fought alongside our nation’s finest men and women. Some of them gave their lives for our nation. Not a day has passed that I don’t reflect on those sacrifices. I learned during that time that our nation is built on sacrifice. We have overcome challenging times because people have decided to put aside their personal interests, their livelihoods, and yes, even give their lives to do what is best for our nation.

Jason Crow: (09:45)
Our founders created a system to ensure we would have no kings or dictators, a system that vested power in the people to ensure that no man or woman is above the law. Generation after generation this system has survived because people have fought for it. Today it is our turn. The President’s abuse of power and scorn for our constitutional checks and balances is unprecedented. Unless we stand up against these abuses, we will set the country on a dangerous new course.

Jason Crow: (10:13)
My oath, my love of our country, and my duty to honor the sacrifices who came before us require me to act. To my colleagues, it is time to put aside our personal and political interests and honor those who have come before us. Thank you, Madam Speaker. I yield back.


Thank you, Madam Speaker. At this point, I yield 35 seconds to the gentleman from Georgia, Mr. Hice.

Gentleman’s recognized for 35 seconds.

Jody Hice: (10:42)
The Democrats’ new definition for evidence is allegations, allegations based on hearsay I might add. They hurl allegations against the President, and then they say to him that it’s not their responsibility to prove guilt, but the President’s responsibility to prove his innocence. This has been a sham and an act of injustice against the President and against 93 million Americans who voted for him. Although this process was rigged from the beginning, Democrats never produced a single true piece of evidence. It’s time for us to stop this hoax and vote against these articles of impeachment.


Madam Speaker I’m proud to recognize the gentlewoman from Virginia, Ms. Luria.

For what period of time?

I’m sorry, for one minute.

Thank you. The gentlelady is recognized for one minute.

Elaine Luria: (11:35)
Madam speaker, I rise today in support of our constitution, in support of the military members in harm’s way who defend our constitution, in support of Gold Star Families who keep faith that their loved one’s sacrifice was justified. I rise today in support of the oath I first took at 17 upon entering the Naval Academy and took five more times in my 20-year Navy career. An oath that comforted me in the years I spent away from my family deployed around the globe.

Elaine Luria: (12:08)
An oath that encouraged me to remain vigilant on the bridge of the ship at night. An oath that strengthened me when in command as I sent my fellow sailors into harm’s way. Today an oath that gives me resolve, resolve to do what is right and not what is politically expedient. Resolve to stand with the President at the White House last week and resolve to stand up to the President in this House today. I ask my colleagues to have the same strength and the same resolve. I yield back.


Thank you, Madam Speaker. I give 35 seconds to the gentleman from North Carolina, Mr. Walker.


Mark Walker: (12:52)
When emotion supersedes the facts, the conclusion is cataclysmic. Today we are wrapping up not a three-month process, but rather a three-year process with Democrats disdained so much that it’s led to the abuse of this very House. These are the same Democrats who promised America they saw evidence of Russian collusion. Do the American people trust them? Hell no, they don’t.

Mark Walker: (13:11)
A growing number of American people have condemned this impeachment process and that’s what House Democrats setting the rules and then even bending and breaking the rules to fit their narrative. The majority of Americans see this circus for what it is. I wonder how many more will join them? I yield back.


Madam Speaker, I recognize the gentlewoman from California, Ms. Eshoo for one minute.


Anna Eshoo: (13:36)
Madam Speaker, I rise today to defend our constitution and our democracy by voting for the two articles of impeachment. The words of our sacred oath define our duty and those words must be kept. Our founder’s primal fear was that powerful members of our government would become, in Hamilton’s words, ” mercenary instruments of foreign corruption.” President Trump abused the powers of the presidency by ignoring and injuring national security and other vital national interests to obtain an improper personal benefit.

Anna Eshoo: (14:16)
He also betrayed our nation by abusing his high office to enlist a foreign power in corrupting democratic elections. Article II I agree with because it details the obstruction of Congress by the President by directing unprecedented, categorical, and indiscriminate defiance of subpoenas issued by this House of Representatives and abused the powers of the presidency in a manner subversive to the constitution. I believe the constitution-

The gentlelady’s time is expired.

Anna Eshoo: (14:52)
… is the soul of our nation and by defending it we are saying we will not be soulless.


Thank you, Madam Speaker. I yield 35 seconds to the gentleman from Kentucky. Mr. Barr.


Andy Barr: (15:07)
Don’t be fooled. Democrats are not impeaching the President to protect national security. Democrats are impeaching the President for following a law that they themselves voted for. No less than five times in the last six years bipartisan congresses imposed on the executive branch an affirmative duty to ensure that the government of Ukraine was countering corruption and for good reason.

Andy Barr: (15:29)
Ukraine is the third most corrupt nation on earth. The President not only had the legal authority to temporarily pause security assistance to Ukraine, he had a mandate from Congress to do it. As a result, President Zelensky’s government made historic anti-corruption reforms making Ukraine a more reliable ally, countering Russian aggression. Far from compromising national security, the President’s actions-


Andy Barr: (15:53)
… advanced national security. Oppose this impeachment.

Madam Speaker, my colleagues would have the country believe that the President held up the aid to Ukraine because he was concerned about corruption. Of course, there is not a shred of evidence for that. All of the national security experts across all the departments testified that Ukraine met the criteria to receive the aid.

What was the real motivation here? Well, one thing is telling. In 2017, the President had no problem with aid to Ukraine, raised no issue of corruption. In 2018, he had no problem with the military aid for Ukraine. What changed in 2019? Joe Biden announced he was running for president and all of the sudden Donald Trump held up the aid for Ukraine.

As Ambassador Sondland testified, the President didn’t care about Ukraine. All he cared about was the big stuff that affected him personally. The investigation of the Bidens that Giuliani was pushing.

It’s my pleasure to recognize the gentle lady from Virginia, Ms. Spanberger for one minute.


Abigail Spanber: (17:06)
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise today in support of House Resolution 755. As a CIA case officer, I used to meet with foreign nationals who were providing vital intelligence to help inform our hardest national security decisions and keep our country safe. These individuals from countries where leaders abused their power and defied the rule of law risked imprisonment and often their very lives in order to provide the United States with information to help us, to inform us.

But why? It was their belief in the United States, their belief in our country, the longest standing democracy in the world, our country, a beacon of hope in the world, a democratic republic founded a document and the belief in the rule of law and a belief in its people. Today, I am proud to serve in the people’s House representing my hometown and again serving our country that beacon of hope in the world. Today, especially today, I reflect on the founding documents that have set us apart in the world leading people across generations and across the world to risk everything because of their belief in our great nation.


Today, especially today. I affirm my commitment to upholding and protecting the Constitution, the rule of law-

The gentlelady’s time’s expired.

… it defines and the people it governs. I yield back.


Thank you, Madam Speaker. I yield 35 seconds to the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Arrington.


Jodey Arrington: (18:33)
Today, many of my Democratic colleagues will be making history, unfortunately for supporting the first ever completely partisan impeachment of a President of the United States. Mr. Speaker, I am deeply disturbed that history will indeed be made today in this hallowed chamber, but for all the wrong reasons. Not for love of country, but hatred for a political foe. Not to pursue justice, but to punish a political adversary. Not to seek truth, but to seize political power. For the love of country, I urge my colleagues to oppose this disastrous political ruse. I yield back.


Madam Speaker, we recognize the gentlewoman from California, Chairwoman Waters for three minutes.

Gentlelady’s recognized for three minutes.

Maxine Waters: (19:32)
Ladies and gentlemen, unfortunately the rules of debate won’t allow me to cite all of the reasons why this President should be impeached. There are many, however, Madam Speaker and members of this House, to quote the late Maya Angelou, “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.” This day was not inevitable, but it was predictable because this President has shown himself time and time again to believe that he is above the law. He has no respect for our constitution or our democracy.

Based on all that we know about Donald Trump, we could have predicted he would have abused the power of the president by corruptly soliciting the government of Ukraine and the Ukrainian President Zelensky to publicly announce investigations into his political opponent, former Vice President, Joseph R. Biden. This impeachment resolution includes evidence that this President withheld $391 million of taxpayer funds that Congress appropriated for the purpose of providing vital military and security assistance to Ukraine to oppose Russian aggression. Another blatant abuse of power.

Our investigations revealed that this President advanced a discredited theory promoted by Russia alleging that Ukraine, rather than Russia, interfered in the 2016 United States presidential election for corrupt purposes in pursuit of personal political benefit. Never before in our history have we experienced a President who has so clearly conducted himself in a manner offensive to and subversive of the constitution and directed his cabinet members, executive branch agencies, and other White House officials to defy lawful subpoenas from Congress.

Was he attempting to hide wrongdoing? It is without question that this President has demonstrated that he will remain a threat to national security and the Constitution if allowed to remain in office and has acted in a manner grossly incompatible with self-governance and the rule of law. Because at every turn, he has shown us who he is.

It is no secret that this President could have been impeached a long time ago. Today we stand here with an irrefutable case and an indisputable set of facts that this President absolutely abused his power and obstructed Congress. Any other individual who would have been caught conducting themselves in the way this President has would have been prosecuted to the full extent of the law. It is shameful that any members of this house are willing to disregard the Constitution, turn a blind eye to hard facts and ignore a confession from the President himself.

History will remember those who were willing to speak truth to power. Yes, I called for Trump’s impeachment early. This is our country. Our foremothers and forefathers shed their blood to build and defend this democracy. I refused to have it undermined. I wholeheartedly support this resolution. I’m proud that in the final analysis, justice will have been served in America and Donald Trump will have been impeached.

Gentlewoman’s time’s expired. Gentleman from Georgia.

Madam speaker-


The House is not in order.


Reclaiming my time that the gentlelady did not have, I yield 35 seconds to the gentleman from Louisiana. Mr. Abraham.


Ralph Abraham: (23:18)
Madam Speaker, what is shameful is that Speaker Pelosi has allowed this democratic witch hunt to move forward. She’s the one who has abused her power. We should be debating her removal from the House. Reagan said that, “The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they’re ignorant, it’s just that they know so much that isn’t so.” Democrat extreme partisanship will set a dangerous precedent for this nation and mark my words, Madam Speaker, this sinister attempt to remove this lawful President will not go unnoticed. I yield back.


Madam Speaker, I recognize the gentle lady from Nevada, Ms. Titus for a unanimous consent request.


Dina Titus: (24:04)
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I ask unanimous consent to enter my statement into the record supporting the impeachment of Donald Trump.

Order.

I now recognize the gentleman from Connecticut, Mr. Himes for two minutes.


Jim Himes: (24:20)
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise today in anger and hope. I’m angry that President Donald Trump has treated his oath in office so disrespectfully that now we must hold him to account. The truth is clear to anyone not deliberately looking away. The President withheld military aid at a White House meeting unless and until a vulnerable Ukrainian president announced a nakedly political investigation.

Jim Himes: (24:48)
It didn’t matter if the Ukrainians uncovered any wrongdoing. The mere announcement of an investigation would damage his political opponent. Mr. Trump didn’t care about stopping corruption in Ukraine, never mentioned the word corruption once in the infamous July 25th call. This was not an attempt to reduce Ukrainian corruption. It was an attempt by Donald J. Trump to aim Ukrainian corruption straight at the heart of the presidential election of 2020. The President knows this, which is why he has not given this Congress a single email, phone record or document. That is not the behavior of a man with nothing to hide. It is simply and undeniably a contempt of this Congress.

Jim Himes: (25:40)
But what makes this impeachment essential is that the President’s abuse of power has not stopped. As we speak, he continues to urge foreign interference in our democracy, beseeching China to investigate the Bidens, sending Rudy Giuliani overseas to chase Russian conspiracy theories. This morning, the President tweeted, “I did nothing wrong,” all caps. He believes it too. He sees nothing wrong with inviting Russian, Ukrainian, or Chinese interference into our election. He did it. He continues to do it and he sees nothing wrong with it. He’ll wake up tomorrow and do it again if we don’t stop him today. Therein lies our hope. I’m proud today to answer the call to defend our democracy and the United States Constitution and urge my colleagues to do the same.

Jim Himes: (26:30)
I yield back the balance of my time.


Thank you, Madam Speaker. For things that I really don’t understand, I’m having to deal 30 seconds to the gentleman from Mississippi, Mr. Kelly.

The gentleman’s recognized for 30 seconds.

Trent Kelly: (26:44)
Madam Speaker, I’m sad today that I spent two Christmases defending our country overseas and I get a measly 30 seconds to speak in this laughable process. Our President made a campaign promise to drain the swamp. There are those today relying on swamp creatures’ words to preserve swamp. How do you suppress the votes of 63 million people, an electoral landslide? You keep repeating the same lies absent any factual basis.

Trent Kelly: (27:09)
I’ve heard some of the greatest fiction ever spoken here today. If you don’t like the facts, just rewrite them in a parody and repeat. If the facts are so clear and indisputable, why is the minority leader begging for more witnesses? You can’t disprove something that never happened. I asked my colleagues to vote no to this sham. Thank you and I yield back.


Madam Speaker, I’m proud to recognize the gentleman from Illinois, Mr. Krishnamoorthi for two minutes.


Raja Krishnamoo: (27:37)
Madam Speaker, like many of my colleagues, I never ran for Congress wanting or expecting to impeach anybody, let alone the President of the United States. However given the facts, here we are. While some questions remain unanswered, two key facts are clear and compel me to support the articles of impeachment. First, President Trump attempted to pressure a foreign government to help his reelection campaign. Second, the President used the powers of his office again to obstruct a congressional investigation into that wrongdoing.

The President has falsely claimed he has been denied the chance to defend himself, but at the same time he is preventing the testimony of witnesses with direct knowledge of the events under investigation. If the President were innocent, as he claims, surely these witnesses would be able to testify to that. If there had been no quid pro quo, these witnesses could say that. If aid to Ukraine were not intentionally delayed for improper purposes, they could surely testify to that also. But rather than giving these witnesses the chance to speak, the President has silenced them.

The President has silenced witnesses at the Defense Department. The President has silenced witnesses at the State Department. The President has silenced witnesses at the White House. He even silenced the loquacious Mick Mulvaney who uttered at a press conference that, “There was a quid pro quo, and get over it.” By choosing to block this testimony, the President is not proving his innocence. He’s just proving he’s afraid of what they have to say. As a wise man once said, “The truth will come to light,” and it has. It is our duty to act on it. I yield back.


Thank you, Madam Speaker. Is a shame on the floor of this House when you accuse somebody and then make them prove they’re not guilty of what you’re accusing of. That’s a bad [inaudible 00:29:41] look. 30 seconds to the gentleman from Tennessee, Mr. Rose.


John Rose: (29:45)
Madam Speaker, today I rise in strong opposition to this partisan impeachment spectacle that just seeks to accomplish what President Trump’s opponents failed to do at the ballot box in 2016. Our votes today are merely formalizing the decision my colleagues on the other side of the aisle reached three years ago.

John Rose: (30:06)
This process has been an embarrassment to our country, an insult to our Constitution, and a distraction from the real work we should be accomplishing for the American people. I stand with the people of Tennessee sixth district in strongly supporting President Trump. I will vote against the articles-


John Rose: (30:25)
… of impeachment before us today.


Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Gentleman reserves. Gentleman from Georgia.

Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Michigan, Mr. Huizenga.


Bill Huizenga: (30:44)
In her own words, Speaker Pelosi said, “Impeachment must be compelling, overwhelming and bipartisan.” These articles of impeachment being considered today by the House failed to meet Speaker Pelosi’s own standards. Process matters, folks.

Representing a good chunk of Gerald Ford’s old district and being a staffer during the Clinton administration, I have a an intimate understanding of the effects of impeachment on this nation. I’m stunned to see my Democrat colleagues whitewash, or maybe I should say Whitewater, Bill Clinton’s cooperation with the House of Representatives. That is not exactly what was going on.


This is the most partisan impeachment that we have seen in our nation’s history. I yield back.


Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve.


Thank you, Madam Speaker. I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Cloud.


Michael Cloud: (31:35)
It’s been very clear from the beginning that this impeachment proceeding has never been about an honest search for the truth. If it were, our Democratic friends would not have polled to see what to charge the President with. Calling an opinion a fact does not make it so, and repeating it over and over does not make it more true.

When one produces a committee report with fabricated findings based on no-fact witnesses and then quote from it like it’s authoritative, it’s no more valid than having a campaign pay for a foreign entity to create a fraudulent dossier and then …

Pay for a foreign entity to create a fraudulent dossier and then selling it to a FISA court in order to spy on a campaign. This has always been a verdict in search of a crime and impeachment birthed out of resistance movement-

Gentleman’s times expired.

It’s time to in the charade-


… And get back to doing the work we were elected to do.



Thank you Madam Speaker. I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Indiana, Mr. Fultcher.


Russ Fulcher: (32:26)
Thank you Madam Speaker. In a day heavy and verbal debate, I choose to use my time to enumerate in detail every high crime and misdemeanor committed by the President of United States. I will do so now.

Gentleman’s time is expired.

Russ Fulcher: (33:02)
Yield back.

Gentleman from California. Gentleman reserve?

Madam Speaker I continued to reserve.

Thank you.


Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Tennessee, Mr. Fleischmann.


C. Fleischmann: (33:19)
Madam Speaker, in my 30 seconds, my heart aches for our great Republic today. I implore my democratic colleagues in this house, we’re not Republicans or Democrats, we are Americans. This is not the right place. This is not the right procedure. Settle our political differences politically. We owe the American people a great duty to come together. Don’t give the Senate the victory lap. Give the house the victory lap. Vote no to impeach. We owe it to the American people. They want so dearly for us to come together for our great Republic and thank our great President.


C. Fleischmann: (33:58)
Thank you I yield back.

And members are reminded to address their remarks to the chair. Gentleman from California?



Thank you Madam Speaker. Why don’t we go to catch our breath, can you give us the time for both the majority of the minority?

You bet. He has 43 minutes. Gentlemen from California has 29 minutes. Gentlemen from Georgia.

Thank you Madam Speaker, I appreciate that. I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Florida, Mr. Waltz.

Gentleman is recognized for 30 seconds.

Michael Waltz: (34:27)
Madam Speaker, I’m a Green Beret and a proud veteran, but this process does not make me proud. I’ve fought all over the world from Africa to Afghanistan and seen fair and more transparent processes than this. Since the Democrats lost the election in 2016 they’ve been focused on impeaching this president. Meanwhile, we have not solved the problems America and trusted us to solve, immigration, healthcare, infrastructure. Nothing in president Trump’s call rises to the level of high crimes and misdemeanors worthy of impeachment-


Michael Waltz: (35:02)
… For that reason, I’ll be voting against impeachment today.

Gentleman from California. Continues to reserve?

Yes Madam Speaker.


Thank you, Madam Speaker. I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Kentucky, Mr. Guthrie.


Brett Guthrie: (35:16)
Thank you Madam Speaker. I rise today in opposition or the articles of impeachment on President Trump. My democratic colleagues had been planning to impeach President Trump since he took office. After months of wasting House time on partisan investigations, they’ve been unable to produce evidence that president Trump committed a crime. I will vote no in today’s articles of impeachment. I look forward to getting back to the business on behalf of Kentuckians. I yield back.


Madam Speaker, I’m proud to recognize a gentleman from New York, Mr Maloney for two minutes.

Gentlemen is recognized for two minutes.

Sean Maloney: (35:49)
Madam Speaker, the facts and the evidence establish beyond peradventure, that the president abused the power of his office for personal gain and sought to cover up his misconduct by obstructing the Congress. What we do today goes to the heart of the oath we take to support and defend the constitution. These actions are as necessary as they are heartbreaking. It is the President, not any member of this house who has brought us to this sad place. His actions echo in this chamber and like a tin can tied to his leg, will rattle behind him through the pages of history. For in the final analysis, none of us will escape the truth. It will come for us all in this world or the next.

What is the truth? The President used taxpayer money and official acts to pressure a foreign government to help him win reelection by slandering a fellow American. How do we know this truth? We know because brave Americans, soldiers and public servants came forward to reveal the President’s misconduct. And the President, he continues to undertake an unprecedented cover up, to stonewall the public and obstruct their representatives in Congress. He withholds access to documents and records belonging to the public, that would further establish his mendacity.

He blocks his advisors and associates from testifying before the public to conceal the wrongs they witnessed. His actions are unworthy of the presidency. Today is about right and wrong and whether we still know the difference. Today we hold the President accountable. If we failed to do so, future Presidents would see corruption as without consequence and there our democracy goes to die. We inherit this Republic from our ancestors and we borrow it from our children. With humility we pray that the history of this day will guide us to a better future for our nation. I yield back.


Thank you Madam Speaker. I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Missouri, Mr. Long.


William Long: (38:03)
Thank you Madam Speaker. And we have never ever in the history of this country seen a presidency like this one. Once the president was sworn in 19 minutes later, the Washington Post said impeachment begins today. A million women March the next day on Washington. Bank of America, Starbucks, both had supported Hillary Clinton had their windows broken out here in Washington because people were so upset that this man was elected President of the United States. He’s had his head held underwater for almost three years now, never coming up for breath of air, you keep pushing him down. Lowest black unemployment ever, lowest Hispanic unemployment ever. Highest stock market ever-


Lowest unemployment in years-


Reserve the balance of my time.

I yield back.

Reserves?

Yes.


Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Nebraska, Mr. Fortenberry.


J. Fortenberry: (39:02)
Thank you Madam Speaker. I have been concerned since the beginning of this impeachment process, that has been driven by a predetermined guilty verdict. It’s unfair, it’s wrong, and now every future President, Democrat or Republican will have to worry that the impeachment process will be driven as a blunt force political instrument. It’s been said that this day is sad. It’s not sad, it’s regrettable. But this day will end shortly, the house has had its cathartic moment. Tomorrow we will begin a new day. Let’s get back to work. I yield back.

Gentleman yields back. Gentlemen from California.

Madam Speaker, we continue to reserve.


Thank you Madam Speaker. I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from California, Mr. LaMalfa.

Gentleman’s recognized for 30 seconds

Doug LaMalfa: (39:45)
Ready, fire, aim, what we’re hearing today are made up articles to fit an ever shrinking impeachment foothold. George Washington could be impeached under this criteria. Democrats believe they are saving our democracy with these hysterical made up charges, which is odd because we are a Republic, not a democracy, as they keep insisting. No one came to Congress to impeach, we hear. Several new and returning members have come specifically to impeach the President Trump. I hear a lot of day about sadness and solemnity from impeachment? No, because their candidate lost in 2016. The American people chose Donald J. Trump to lead us into prosperity, not a socialist government. We will survive this day, but I call upon the American people-

Gentleman’s times expires.

… To sees through this sham-


And live to hear speaking the truth.

Madam Speaker we reserve the balance of our time.

Gentleman reserves. Gentlemen from Georgia.

Thank you Madam Speaker. I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Alabama, Mr. Aderholt.


[crosstalk 00:40:34] Mr. Johnson, from South Dakota, I yield 30 seconds.

Mr. Johnson’s recognized for 30 seconds.

Dusty Johnson: (40:44)
Madam Speaker, I’m voting no. Impeachment is not in the best interests of this country and in fact it has only deepened the partisan divide that truly plagues this country. When the sun comes up tomorrow, I pray with all my heart that the anger and the division in this chamber will give way to an honorableness and a productivity and a time of working together. I yield back.


Madam Speaker, I reserve.


Thank you Madam Speakers. As this air traffic controller is getting in line for a landing, let’s go back to Mr. Aderholt. 30 seconds from the gentleman from Alabama, Mr. Aderholt.


R. Aderholt: (41:31)
Thank you Madam chair. True, today a duly elected president has been impeached by the House of Representatives by the Democrats compelled by partisanship and not by the facts. I’m proud to stand here with President Donald Trump and I plan to cast my vote against both articles of impeachment. This is not, it’s not that the president abused his power. It is my colleagues on the other side of the aisle who are abusing one of the most powerful tools that’s been entrusted the Congress, in the constitution, by our founding fathers. Twisting the constitution to impeach a president-


R. Aderholt: (42:08)
You figure we’ll be-




Madam speaker, this time I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Texas. Mr. Olson.


Pete Olson: (42:23)
Madam speaker, Webster’s dictionary defines a star-chamber as, “Characterized by secrecy and often being irresponsibly arbitrary and oppressive.” Sad that my Democrat friends have turned this chamber, the people’s chamber into the star-chamber of the people. One great example, the most important thing we can do as members is declare war, next one is to impeach a president. We’re hoping Republicans can have every member stand up and vote. Like for speaker, say their vote loudly-


Pete Olson: (43:01)
That’s denied. CNN has been denied-


Madam Speaker, we reserve the balance of our time.

Pete Olson: (43:04)
I yield back. This is a sham.


Thank you Madam Speaker. I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Pennsylvania, Mr. Thompson.


Glenn Thompson: (43:20)
Thank you. Thank you, ranking members. Thank you Madam Speaker. Now while this institution should rightfully insure that the law’s faithfully executed by the administrative branch, this exercise has shown itself to be the ultimate manipulation of the legislative branches oversight powers in order to achieve political gain. I caution my colleagues, who have placed political expediency ahead of moderation, their votes later day will forever change this institution. Imagine a future where this body utilizes the most severe of its constitutional tolls to continually put the oppositional party on trial. And with that, I yield back.

California.

Madam Speaker, it’s my pleasure to yield one minute to the gentleman from Maryland, Mr. Brown.


Speaker 1: (44:00)
Finally, some diversity.

Anthony Brown: (44:06)
Madam Speaker, when I was commissioned as Second Lieutenant in the United States army, I swore an oath to support and defend the constitution. And I’ve done so 13 times in my 35 years of public service, that oath means everything. To serve and fight for our country to protect and promote our values, yet President Trump betrayed his oath. He abused his power, the immense power of the presidency. He threatened our elections by inviting foreign interference. He chose investigating a political rival over defending our national security.

So today we must use our power, the extraordinary power endowed by our constitution and entrusted by the people, the power to impeach. We must hold President Trump accountable or else we will be complicit in undermining our democracy, our security, and our dignity. His conduct demonstrates his unfitness to serve as commander-in-chief and warrants removal from office. The oath I took as a member of Congress is the same I took as a soldier, an oath that reminds me values matter, duty, honor, and the rule of law matter. To keep my oath to the people-


… I serve in the country I love. Today I will vote to impeach the President of the United States-


I yield back.

Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Illinois, Nr. LaHood.


Darin LaHood: (45:27)
Thank you Madam Speaker. I’ve said from the beginning of this process, impeachment is and should be the nuclear option reserved for the most treasonous activity and the most serious activity. Clearly that has been not met here. As I’ve reviewed the facts and evidence as a former federal prosecutor, I’ve read the transcripts, I’ve watched the hearings, I’ve read the whistleblower report, that has not been met here. In addition, this process has lacked fairness, due process and transparency. We shouldn’t be here tonight doing this, this is a travesty.

Gentleman yields back. Gentleman from California?

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of our time.


Thank you Madam Speaker. I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Maryland, Mr. Harris.


Andrew Harris: (46:09)
Thank you Madam Speaker. You know it’s unbelievable, the few Americans that are going to be watching this because they know what the outcome is. We all know what the outcome is. They’re wondering why are we trying to negate the vote of 63 million Americans? Instead of talking about the things that Americans care about, prescription drug coverage, the high cost of prescription drugs, the high cost of healthcare, securing our borders, keeping our economy going. These are the things we should be talking about. No. Instead, we’re going to pass this resolution tonight and then go home for Christmas vacation. Instead of doing the job of America. I yield back.




Thank you, Madam Speaker. I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Kansas, Mr. Watkins.

Steven Watkins: (46:52)
Madam-


Steven Watkins: (46:55)
Madam Speaker, I was a political newcomer before this and just like President Trump perhaps like me, he was naive to think that this house that in the people’s house, everybody was true and just, it’s not the case. Democrats weren’t saddened by this solemn day, they weren’t waiting for all the evidence. This was always about politics because they loathe the President because he doesn’t play by their beltway rules. I should have known, but the fact is, Kansas is better. The US is better and the world is better because of Donald Trump.

Gentleman’s time is expired. Gentleman from California.



Thank you, Madam Speaker. I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from California, Mr. Calvert.


Kenneth Calvert: (47:42)
Thank you Madam Speaker. My friends on the other side of the aisle have been clamoring for this day since President Trump was elected. Their refusal to accept the election results and later the findings of the Muller investigation have brought forth articles of impeachment that are negated by two simple facts. Namely, the military aid to Ukraine was provided and no investigation was ever started. The real offense is that the President won the election and their fear is that he’ll win again, despite all their efforts. I will vote against the partisan attempt overturn an election. Thank you and I yield back.


Madam Speaker, continue to reserve the balance of our time.


Thank you Madam Speaker. I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Tennessee, Mr. Burchett.


T. Burchett: (48:28)
Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition to impeachment against President Donald Trump. This is based on hearsay that were made by partisan witness behind closed doors. This impeachment is a sham Madam Speaker, and it’s divided this country. Congress’ wasted time on this impeachment would have been better used on addressing issues that are facing Americans, like securing our Southern border, the opioid epidemic, or establishing a constitutionally mandated budget. And now American workers have to wait until the Senate trial to pass the USMCA that the President and the House Republicans have been working on for over a year. I’m disappointed in the path Congress chose to go down Madam Speaker-


T. Burchett: (49:05)
And for the record, Madam Speaker, I think you’re doing a wonderful job.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of our time.


Thank you, Madam Speaker. I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Arizona, Mr. Gosar.


Paul Gosar: (49:16)
Thank you Madam Speaker. It’s obvious today that there’s an intense hatred from the Democrats of President Donald Trump. Why do they hate the man so much? Maybe it’s because of the out of control government gone wild. The abuses of FISA, the abuses by the FBI, the abuses in the State Department. Many of these, maybe it’s just the previous administration, they’re trying to cover up. It’s sad. This is a shameful act in what we’re doing today, shame on the Democrats, shame on pursuing this. I ask every one of you to vote no, and to take notice of who votes for articles of impeachment.


Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance.


Thank you Madam Speaker. I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Florida, Mr. Posey.


William Posey: (50:01)
Thank you, Madam Speaker. This is a sad day for America. We know this impeachment is a sham. They know this impeachment is a sham. They know, we know this impeachment is a sham. And they know that most of the American people know that this impeachment is a shameful sham. We know that it began the moment the President was elected, long before he ever had a telephone call with any foreign leaders. We’ve heard the numerous quotations from them that validate those very points, and yet they persist in trying to overturn the duly elected President of the United States from America’s election-


William Posey: (50:39)
When the president calls for-


Madam Speaker, I’ve heard several of my colleagues in a row now, and it’s interesting to see how very few of them want to address any of the facts of the president’s misconduct, nor do they wish to defend… Nor do they wish… Apparently Madam Speaker, I’ve struck a nerve. Nor do they wish to defend a President who would extort an ally, withhold military aid to help him cheat in an election. They don’t want to defend that conduct, so instead they say, “Oh, Democrats really want to impeach the president, or Democrats don’t like the President.”

But what they can’t say is that this President’s conduct was ethical. What they can’t say was that this President’s conduct was legal. What they can say was this President’s conduct was constitutional. What they can’t say is this President has upheld his oath of office. No, they can’t say that. All they can say is, we don’t like the process or our colleagues are just too happy to impeach or it’s overturning the will of the public when it’s a Republican president.

Interestingly, my colleagues who supported the impeachment of Bull Clinton did not think it was overturning the will of the people. Apparently this impeachment provision only overturns the will of the people if it’s a Republican president. I would like to give them more credit than that. What is the distinction? Here is the seriousness of the conduct. This remedy was put in the constitution for a reason. It’s not an unconstitutional remedy, it is part of the constitution.

The only way you can conceive of this remedy as being unconstitutional is if you believe, as the president does, that he is the State, that anything that opposes him opposes the State, is by definition anti-constitutional. But that of course is nonsense. But it is more than nonsense, it is dangerous nonsense. Madam Speaker, I’m proud to recognize the gentlewoman from Washington, Ms. Schrier for one minute.

[Gentele 00:52:45] is recognized for one minute.

Kim Schrier: (52:51)
Madam Speaker, the people of Washington’s eighth district sent me to Congress to fight for their families and make thoughtful, evidence- based decisions. I did not come to Congress to impeach a president. But evidence is evidence and a balance of powers is fundamental to our democracy. On my first day in office, like everybody else here, I took an oath to uphold the constitution and protect our country. History will judge this moment. Given all the facts before us, impeachment is the only remedy. I yield back.


Thank you Madam Speaker. I’m sure it did strike a chord with the chairman since he showed up a little late, hadn’t heard all the arguments. We’ve beat the facts back all the time. It is the majority side, that had to run through this, that clock and that calendar are killing him and it’s killing him because his arguments are falling flat. And to speak of evidence, yeah, we looked at the evidence, the evidence doesn’t fit anything.

And by the way, if he had extortion put it in the articles, he can’t because he can’t make the case. He can only put it in his notes and then come to the mic when he can’t be questioned and talk about it. That’s the problem and that’s the cord has been struck. With that, I yield two minutes to the gentleman from North Dakota, Mr. Armstrong.


Thank you Madam Speaker. Once President Trump was sworn in, articles of impeachment were introduced almost immediately. In three years, House Democrats have introduced 10 resolutions getting supportive over a hundred of their members and all of that before July 25th phone call. But also during that time the Russia conspiracy hoax was exposed. Obstruction of justice charges were abandoned after the Mueller hearings fell flat. So after two years, 19 lawyers, 40 agents, 2,800 subpoenas, 500 warrants and 17 lies in a FISA warrant application, they had nothing to show for it.

Undeterred by the facts and uninterested in governing the beat marched on. So here we are today. We have no quid pro quo, no bribery, no extortion, no crimes alleged in the articles at all. But don’t worry because we have a brand new 632 page report alleging all kinds of things, some for the very first time. This is in a somber solemn process, this is a political drive-by. They just want President Trump gone. But this never ending march towards overturning the 2016 election has consequences because you’re telling 63 million voters that you don’t respect their vote.

Voters in States like mine, who not that long ago used to send Democrats to this [inaudible 00:55:20] chamber, but recently have found no home in the democratic party Who feel that their values have been replaced by a liberal, elitist agenda who feel that partisan points are more important than practical solutions. You’re never ending impeachment quest is a constant reminder to them that you don’t trust their judgment, you don’t understand their way of life, and you couldn’t care less about the issues that are important to them.

As chairman Nadler is so ominously stated, if you’re serious about removing a President from office, what you’re really doing is overturning the results of the last election. Well they were serious, they spent the last three years talking about it, unwilling to accept the results of 2016. I wonder if my colleagues recognize the irony that their impeachment vendetta is the greatest election interference of all and it was home grown right here in the halls of Congress. And with that I yield back.

Members are reminded to address their remarks to the chair. Gentleman from California.

Madam Speaker, we reserve the balance of our time.

Gentleman reserves. Gentlemen from Georgia.

Thank you Madam Speaker. At this time I yield three minutes to the gentleman from New York, Mr. Zeldin.


Lee Zeldin: (56:32)
This impeachment is an embarrassment for House Democrats. On the substance Dems claim that their case is uncontested, relying on presumptions hearsay and 3% of the story, trying to connect dots that aren’t actually connected. Some inconvenient truths, President Zelensky didn’t know that there was a hold on aid until August 29th, the aid gets released shortly thereafter and Ukraine didn’t have to do anything in order to get that aid released. Now, President Zelensky says, “No demand, no quid pro quo, no pressure.” But Democrats want the public to ignore the other 97% of this story. See, it doesn’t work like that.

Lee Zeldin: (57:10)
Senate Democrats want new witnesses to show why there was a hold on aid. Odd request, if you think you’ve already proven your case. Now at the heart of this debate, two investigations are being discussed between countries. Democrats and media allies want the public to believe it’s all just debunked, that Ukrainians interfered in the 2016 election. They want you to ignore [Ivica 00:57:35] and Chaly comments that Chalupa worked with the Ukrainian embassy, origins of the Steele dossier, the black ledger and more.

Lee Zeldin: (57:45)
The problem with all of this is that the American public are smarter than Democrats are giving them credit for. Next, the Democrats claim Republicans are arguing that it was Ukraine and not Russia that wanted to interfere and was interfering in the 2016 election. No, that is not what Republicans are saying. And of course we have the Burisma Biden issue, of a corrupt Ukrainian energy company run by a corrupt Ukrainian oligarch, hiring Hunter Biden at least $50,000 per month with no energy experience and no Ukraine experience, solely because he is VP Biden son.

Lee Zeldin: (58:23)
Now the company wanted to hire Hunter Biden because they wanted to curry favor. There was this ongoing corruption investigation. Enter Joe Biden, he gets that prosecutor fired. Threatening the loss of $1 billion, if it didn’t happen immediately, which it was. Now, Democrats believe Burisma and Biden should be immune from scrutiny. I disagree. Never again should that conflict of interest ever happen and our governments should be working together to get to the bottom of all of this.

Lee Zeldin: (58:53)
This has also been a total disaster on the process, from getting a federal worker to file a whistleblower complaint. To Schiff’s version, made up, of the July 25th call, in closed door interview, Schiff was prosecutor, judge, jury, and witness coach. Every day he loved getting America drunk on his favorite cocktail. Three ingredients, cherry picking leaks, withholding key facts and misstating evidence. In the depositions and in the public hearings, the President council was not invited to attend, present evidence or cross examine witnesses.

Lee Zeldin: (59:24)
And Republicans weren’t allowed to call witnesses like Hunter Biden, Joe Biden, and many others. Then there was the house judiciary debacle. Where Schiff couldn’t even show up to present his reports, he had to have one of his staffers presented for him. This impeachment is ripping our country in half. It’s fatally flawed on the process, the substance, the intentions, and the consequences-


Lee Zeldin: (59:44)
… It’s a total Schiff show. I encourage all my colleagues to vote no.


I thank the speaker, we continue to reserve the balance of our time.

Gentleman reserves. Gentlemen, from Georgia.

Madam Speaker, I yield three minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina. Mr. Meadows.


Mark Meadows: (01:00:05)
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Today as we sit here debating impeachment, they all want to talk about, it’s the constitution, it’s Alexander Hamilton. The last 30 days I’ve heard more about Hamilton from my Democrat colleagues and until then, the closest they ever came to Hamilton, was a $10 bill. I mean, all of a sudden what we have is these strict constitutionalists on the other side of the aisle. Listen, this has nothing to do with the constitution. It has nothing to do with anything but raw politics. There’s only one person on the other side of the aisle that got seven Pinocchios for not telling the truth. No one on this side of the aisle got that, during this impeachment process, Madam Speaker. And the American people need to understand two key facts. The Democrats in control, set their own rules of evidence.

They said what we need to do for impeachment is to have compelling evidence and bipartisan support. Well, they don’t have either of those two things. They failed the rules that they made up themselves. We’ve got president Zelensky of Ukraine saying there was no pressure. We’ve got the number two guy in Ukraine saying there was no pressure. We’ve got the number three guy in Ukraine, no pressure. These are the supposed victims of this alleged crime and yet here we are, supposedly having this compelling evidence and facts, when the best witness they have, the very best witness they had, had to change his testimony twice.

They mentioned him 611 times and ultimately, he said, “I presumed that that’s what the President meant.” I can tell you that there are not facts here to support it, but what is more important than that, Madam Speaker, is this, because here we are today, we have bipartisan opposition to impeachment, not bipartisan support. My colleagues opposite want the American people to think that this is a sad and somber day. Well, this is a sad day. It’s a sad day for this institution because we’ve lowered the bar to impeach a president that continues to give us an economy that not only is growing, but growing at levels that we have never seen in the history of our country.

When we look at unemployment at a level that is truly remarkable, they want to impeach. But it’s another sad day because now what they’re doing is they’re telling the American people that 233 Democrats deserve to decide who the President of the United States should be and disenfranchise 63 million voters. When all is said and done, when the history of this impeachment is written, it will be said that my Washington Democrat friends couldn’t bring themselves to work with Donald Trump, so they consoled themselves instead by silencing the will of those who did, the American people. And I yield back.


Madam Speaker, I’m proud to recognize the gentleman from California, Mr. Sherman, for one minute.


B. Sherman: (01:03:26)
Robert Mueller lays out facts from 2017, that constitute obstruction of justice, but says the president cannot be indicted, only Congress can apply the law to those facts. Many of us have been talking about impeachment since those facts emerged in 2017. Of course today, we focus on more recent crimes. So why did we talk of impeachment back when a Republican led Congress would not act? Why do we impeach today when a Republican led Senate is unlikely to act? First, because it is our constitutional duty no matter what the political consequences. Second…

B. Sherman: (01:04:03)
… no matter what the political consequences. Second, because it is the most effective tool to chasten and restrain a president who is not naturally feel constrained by the rule of law. I would note that the president’s attempt to extort Ukraine was secretive and furtive, far different from his modus operandi of blazoned threats that we saw in 2017.

B. Sherman: (01:04:23)
We can only imagine what high crimes and misdemeanors this president would have boldly committed had no one been talking about impeachment then, had he felt immune from impeachment. Today we will demonstrate that the president is not above the law.


Thank you, Madam Speaker. It’d been nice if they actually thought those crimes were bad enough to put in the Articles. They didn’t. I yield three minutes to the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Ratcliffe.


John Ratcliffe: (01:04:48)
Madam Speaker, do you know who doesn’t think the Democrats have presented enough testimony or evidence to impeach President Trump today? It’s the Democrats. Sure, here in the House, Democrats running this inquiry have declared they’ve done everything needed. They have all the testimony and evidence necessary to impeach right now.

But right now, down the hall, Democrats in the Senate are saying the exact opposite. They’re complaining. They need more evidence and more testimony because Senate Democrats know that House Democrats have built them a house of cards impeachment. An impeachment built by the same Democrats who told America, “Trust us. President Trump committed treason. He’s a Russian agent. We’ve got evidence,” which of course proved to be totally false and took quote, their favorite catchphrase of one member of this House, “they got caught.”

Along the way, those same Democrats said, “Trust us. The FISA law and court weren’t abused by the Obama Administration using democratic opposition research dossier against the Trump campaign and President Trump.” Again, totally false. And again, they got caught.

When Democrats started this latest impeachment inquiry, they said, “Trust us. We have not yet spoken to the whistleblower.” Again, totally false, and they got caught.

Sadly, my democratic colleagues have placed their own credibility in the hands of members of this body that have no credibility left. Members that nobody trusts because they keep getting caught betraying America.

But unless a bolt of courage and integrity strikes that side of the room in the next hour, history will reflect that Donald Trump is the third president to be impeached. History may also shortly reflect that he’ll be the first president to be reelected after being wrongfully impeached. If that happens, Democrats won’t be able to hide behind a pretend veneer of caring about the Constitution. History will record the Democrats’ legacy as a betrayal of the Constitution because the Founders meant for impeachment to be used for actions so extraordinary, so rare that it’s happened three times in two and a half centuries. It wasn’t meant for congratulatory phone calls where there is no crime alleged, where there’s no victim, and where the Democrats themselves couldn’t even decide what to accuse the president of doing wrong before ending up with this embarrassment of a grab bag of abuse of power article. And obstruction of Congress? To even allege it is an admission of constitutional illiteracy.

The Founders had a term for what the Democrats call obstruction of Congress. The Founders called it the separation of powers. The funny thing about obstruction, every time Democrats get caught trying to frame this president for some crime he didn’t commit, they follow up by accusing him of obstructing their efforts to frame him for the things he never did in the first place. The Founders warned and feared today might come when impeachment was used politically by the party that had the most votes. Today, Democrats are the Founders’ worst nightmare come true. I think most Americans are probably wishing they could impeach the Democrats. To them I say, “You can next November.” I yield back.


Madam Speaker, I think when the history of this time is written, it will record that when my colleagues found that they lacked the courage to stand up to this unethical president, they consoled themselves by attacking those who did. I now recognize the gentleman from California, Mr. Takano, for unanimous consent request.


Mark Takano: (01:08:22)
Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to enter into the record my remarks supporting the impeachment of President Donald Trump.

Without objections to order.

Madam Speaker, I request unanimous consent for the gentlelady from New York, Ms. Clarke, for her request.


Yvette Clarke: (01:08:40)
Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to enter into the record my remarks supporting my vote for the impeachment of Donald J. Trump.

Without objection.

Madam Speaker, I recognize the gentlelady from California, Ms. Napolitano for unanimous consent request.


Grace N.: (01:08:58)
Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to enter into the record my remarks supporting the articles of impeachment against Donald Trump.


Madam Speaker, the gentlelady from Ohio, Ms. Beatty for unanimous consent request.


Joyce Beatty: (01:09:14)


Speaker, I recognize the gentlelady from Virginia, Ms. Wexton for unanimous consent request.


Jennifer Wexton: (01:09:33)


Madam Speaker, I’m now proud to recognize the gentleman from New Jersey, Mr. Pascrell, for one minute.


Bill Pascrell: (01:09:52)
Madam Speaker, we’re here today because of the failure of so many to cast aside narrow ambition to confront the threat standing before us. Offered the chance to investigate this government together, the president and his party stonewalled and obstructed. We’re here today because they choose comfort over courage and avarice over the republic. This is the ongoing tragedy of our age and it is ongoing.

Bill Pascrell: (01:10:19)
The matter is now solely in our hands and belongs to us and us alone. The buck has stopped. Many have evoked the judgment of history as an anecdote to this threat, but the threat to democracy is here today, not tomorrow. We need not, we must not await the verdict of time for Donald Trump’s abuse of power and obstruction. We can offer that verdict right now, and we are.

Gentleman yields back. Gentlemen from Georgia.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I yield three minutes to the gentleman from Ohio, Mr. Jordan.


Jim Jordan: (01:10:55)
I thank the gentleman. Madam Speaker, the Democrats forgot two key things. They forgot about the facts and they forgot about fairness. Four facts will never change. We have the call transcript. No quid pro quo. We have the two guys on the call, excuse me, who have repeatedly said there was no pressure, there was no pushing. We have the fact Ukraine didn’t know aid was held up at the time of the phone call. And most importantly, Ukraine took no action, no announcement of investigation to get the aid released.

But Democrats don’t care. They don’t care about the facts and they sure don’t care about the process. No subpoena powerful Republicans, no Republican witnesses. During the depositions, Republicans were prevented from getting all their questions answered, but Democrats got every one of their questions. The witness responded every one of theirs, but not Republicans’. The chairman wouldn’t let them in.

Of course, the whistleblower. The anonymous whistleblower with no firsthand knowledge, bias against the president, who worked for Joe Biden, was never compelled to testify. The guy who started it all.

This is really about the president’s been driving these guys crazy because he’s getting things done. He’s doing what he said he was going to do. He’s having results. Taxes have been cut, regulations reduced, unemployment at its lowest level in 50 years, the economy growing, Gorsuch and Kavanaugh on the court, out of the Iran deal, embassy in Jerusalem, hostages home from North Korea, and a new NAFTA agreement coming tomorrow.

But guess what? When you drain the swamp, the swamp fights back. And they started attacking the president before the election even. July 31st, 2016 they opened the Russia investigation. The FBI spied on four American citizens associated with the Trump campaign. The FBI took the dossier to the FISA court. The dossier they already knew was false, they took it to the court and they lied to the court 17 times.

Guess what? Three days ago on national television, even Jim Comey had to admit the FBI was wrong. And yesterday, one day ago, the FISA court sends the FBI a letter and says, “Straighten up, get your act together when it comes to the FISA application process.”

Think about this. Think about this. The attack started then and they’ve continued right up till today. But I want you to think about something. The individual who said the FISA process was fine, the dossier was fine, the Russian investigation was fine, that same individual ran the impeachment process. That same individual staff met with the whistleblower. That same individual is the only guy in Congress who knows who the whistleblower is for sure. And that same individual released the phone records of the president’s personal attorney, released the phone records of a member of the press, and released the phone records of a Republican member of the United States Congress.

This process has been unfair, it’s been dangerous, and it has been harmful to our country. Democrats have never accepted the will of the American people. Nancy Pelosi made that clear four weeks ago when she called the president of the United States an imposter. The will of we, the people, the 63 million folks who voted for this guy and made him president in an Electoral College landslide. They’ve never accepted that fact.

We are less than 11 months away from the election. Let the American people decide who should be president. Let the American people decide. I yield back.


Madam Speaker, I’m proud to recognize a gentleman from Illinois, Mr. Schneider, for one minute.


Brad Schneider: (01:14:17)
Madam Speaker, I rise to defend the Constitution and support these articles of impeachment. The president abused the power of his office by corruptly putting his own political interests ahead of our nation’s security. He blocked congressionally authorized military aid to coerce Ukraine to launch a phony investigation into his political rival. In the months since, he has waged a campaign of absolute obstruction against Congress’s constitutional authority ordering all federal officials to defy subpoenas, and refusing to produce even a single document.

Madam Speaker, I take no joy in today’s impeachment vote, or that the president’s actions demand this response. This is a sad moment for our nation. Only twice before has the House voted to impeach a president. And never before on accusations of compromising our nation’s security.

I hope in the Senate, prosecution and defense can call and cross-examine witnesses, and the senators will hear the evidence and make their decisions without prejudice or prejudgment.

This is a solemn moment, but our system of checks and balances was designed for times like these. I have faith that our Constitution will guide us on the path ahead. I yield back.


Thank you, Madam Speaker. I yield three minutes to the gentleman from California, Mr. Nunes.


Devin Nunes: (01:15:36)
Thank you, gentleman. Madam Speaker, as the Democrats now admit, their attempt to remove the president began on Trump’s inauguration day when the Democrats semi-official mouthpiece, the Washington Post, declared, “The campaign to impeach President Trump has begun.”

For years the Democrats tried to expel the president with the preposterous accusation that he was a Russian agent. As detailed by IG Horowitz, dishonest intelligence officials used fake allegations spread by the Democrats to gain approval of a spying operation against the Trump campaign.

As they falsely accused the Trump campaign of colluding with Russians, the Democrats themselves colluded with Russians to manufacture these allegations in the infamous Steele dossier. They even tried to get nude pictures of Trump from Russian pranksters.

With the Russian collusion hoax, the Democrats had everything going for them. Federal investigations run by Trump haters, an endless supply of media cheerleaders, and a galaxy of left wing interest groups amplifying their ridiculous message. And yet even with all those weapons at their disposal, the Russia conspiracy theory collapsed. So they quickly concocted plan B. The Ukraine hoax was based on a supposed whistleblower who colluded beforehand with the Democrats. The Democrats then prevented Congress from interviewing the whistleblower while conducting bizarre secret depositions and selectively leaking testimony to discredit media hacks.

The Democrats showcased the most useful witnesses in public hearings that somehow reduced support for impeachment. It’s not easy to make a coup attempt boring, but the Democrats found a way. As it turns out, the American people don’t think a routine phone call with a foreign leader is a good basis for ousting a US president.

The Democrats also put forth ever-changing accusations against the president, including campaign finance violations, quid pro quos, election interference, bribery, extortion. Eventually they ended up with the ridiculous charges we consider today, abuse of power, an utterly meaningless term, and obstruction of Congress. One Democrat has pronounced the president guilty simply because he won’t cooperate with their plan to railroad him. But the only thing President Trump is guilty of is beating Hillary Clinton. The Democrats refuse to accept that loss and now they’re indicating they’ll continue their impeachment efforts even after this one fails in the US Senate.

Madam Speaker, after all their deceit, phony investigations, ginned up crises, and manufactured outrage, the Democrats need a long period of rehabilitation. They must learn how to do something productive for the American people instead of ripping the country apart, and their lust for power. With that, I yield back the balance of my time.


Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his remarks and it’s now my pleasure to recognize the gentleman from Massachusetts, Chairman Neal, for three minutes.


Richard Neal: (01:19:01)
Thank you, Madam Speaker. It is deeply unfortunate that we have to undertake this impeachment proceeding that unfolds this evening, but the part we play in this process is not optional. Among other things, as the intelligence and judiciary committees have painstakingly documented, the president has indeed abused his authority and he has indeed obstructed justice.

He threatened to withhold congressionally appropriated US taxpayer dollars from an ally under attack from Russia unless they agree to interfere in our election on his behalf. He has expressed no remorse and he continues to maintain that his behavior was quote, “perfect.” While simultaneously obstructing legitimate congressional oversight and subpoenas and blocking members of his administration from providing truthful testimony to investigators.

His actions are so far beyond the pale that they have left us with no remaining recourse except impeachment, and so we shall impeach. Because as drastic and as unwelcome as this step is, our country faces even greater long-term risk if we fail to respond. We cannot excuse a president who feels entitled to disregard or break the law with impunity. We are a nation built upon the rule of law, not the law of rulers.

The Framers gave us their best effort in 1787, and indeed it was an extraordinary one. The Constitution they set down wasn’t perfect, but it founded a republic that has endured and thrived with exceptional stability. As the late Senator Moynihan pointed out, only two countries in the world both existed in 1800 and have never had their governments changed by violence since then. The United States and Britain. Only eight governments have existed since 1914 and have not had their form of government change by force since then. The United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Sweden, and Switzerland. The innovative system of checks and balances that they constructed with the separation of powers brought about and successfully negotiated a generation of challenges that we have sustained.

In the very first week that the Framers began crafting this blueprint for America’s freedom and stability, and negotiations indeed immediately started on impeachment. No government in the world at that time exposed the head of government to impeachment, but America was to be different. In the view of the Framers, impeachment is in no way a constitutional crisis, it is a process that the Framers wisely judged that we would sometimes need. This evening is one of those rare moments.

Madison worried that one day the country would elect a president who quote, “might pervert his administration to a scheme of peculation or oppression. He might betray his trust to foreign powers,” end of quote. George Mason asked the delegates quote, “Shall we see any man to be above justice? And above all, shall that man be above it, then who can commit the most extensive injustice?” end of quote. Of course not, because having just thrown off one king, they would never consent to anoint another one. America firmly rejected the notion of divine right.

Speaker Rayburn summed it up… But I have 30 extra seconds, mister? 30 extra seconds?

Without objection.

Thank the gentleman.


Article I of the Constitution prescribes Congress as the first branch of government. And just as importantly, let me quote Speaker Rayburn, who was asked, how many presidents did you serve under? And Speaker Rayburn answered, “None. I served with seven presidents of the United States.”

Impeachment is reserved for moments of grave danger when the constitutional order becomes dangerously out of balance. Moments like this one. That’s why I will vote to impeach.


Thank you, Madam Speaker. I yield a minute 45 to the gentleman from Georgia, Mr. Ferguson. A minute 45 seconds.

Gentleman’s recognized for one minute 45 seconds.

Drew Ferguson: (01:23:03)
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Well, here we are, on the verge of doing exactly what America doesn’t want us to do and what they feared that you would do. In 2016, I along with 63 million American voters, representing 304 electoral college votes, went to the polls and we raised our collective political middle finger to DC and voted for Donald Trump. Folks like my father who watched this place destroy his profession of community banking, my friends and family in the textile industry that saw their way of life destroyed following NAFTA, or Americans in rural areas whose opportunity in life and voice had been drowned out by the screams of socialist Democrats. Our friends and neighbors living in poverty and crime, broken down, project-based public housing, who for generations have been told by this place, “This is the best that we think that you can do. Here’s your check. God bless you. Now move along.” Those voters.

And now you want to remove our voice from office. Well, our voice will be heard, and I stand here determined to make sure that it will be, because we will fight back against this corrupt and unfair impeachment process. How dare you, the liberal elites, the condescending bureaucrats, and every other kind of swamp critter in this godforsaken place, tell the American public who the president should be. That’s the job of the American voter, not yours. This whole flipping goat rodeo is a sham and a shame, and it will not be forgotten.

Ms. Speaker, I yield back.


Madam Speaker, I am proud to recognize the gentleman from Washington, Mr. Heck, for two minutes.


Denny Heck: (01:25:00)
Madam Speaker, this week, Americans are busy finishing up their Christmas shopping mostly for their children, or if they’re lucky enough to have them, their grandchildren. And high school and college students are taking final exams and sweating out the results. That got me to thinking about those who follow and what our obligation is to them. That got me thinking about those who came before and how they might have seen their obligation to us. People like my grandfather, whom our family believes literally was born on the boat on the way over here from Germany. Or my father who fought in World War II against the very people that his grandfather had left.

We are all here today, all of us, because someone before us sacrificed so that they could journey here and build a new life in this unique land. And we are here today because those immigrants and their children were dedicated not just to the land of America, but to the idea. Freedom and opportunity secured by self-government, choosing our own leaders in free and fair elections, and the rule of law under the Constitution.


Two minutes?

Madam Speaker, I’m happy to yield another 30 seconds to the gentleman from Washington.


This idea of America is in peril, brought about so by this president who sought to cheat in an election. A president who puts himself above the law and attacks the bedrock constitutional precept of checks and balances. Yet the question is, can America survive this behavior? What idea will we hand down to those who follow us? And finally, what is our obligation to those who would follow? It is simply this, to do our duty, to defend the Constitution and the values underpinning it by voting yes on the articles of impeachment. I yield back the balance of my time.


I reserve, Madam Chair.

Gentleman reserves. Gentleman from California.

Madam Speaker, I’m proud to yield to the gentlelady from Florida, Ms. Demings, for two minutes.


Val Demings: (01:27:28)
Madam Speaker, we live in the greatest democracy in the world. I am convinced that the overwhelming majority of Americans are good, decent people who work hard and play by the rules.

But then we have people who have no respect for the law. People who have little regard for the rules. People who spend a lot of their time trying to figure out how to game the system. Law enforcement officers call them habitual offenders. And the more they get away with, the more likely they are to engage in misconduct.

Some say it takes courage to hold powerful people accountable, but I see it differently. I see it as a sense of duty, a regular part of my job as a member of Congress. However, habitual offenders usually don’t sneak up on you. They usually telegraph their intentions time and time again.

On July 27th of 2016 in my home state of Florida, then candidate Trump said, “Russia, if you’re listening, I hope you will be able to find the 30,000 emails,” thereby inviting foreign interference into US elections.

But then the day after the Special Counsel testified before Congress, the president feeling undeterred and emboldened said, “Call President Zelensky,” and pressured him to help him rig the elections. And chose to hold much needed military aid over our ally’s head until the president’s demands were met.

Now I served 12 years on the hostage negotiations team, and I know that pressure and demands come in many forms. In this scheme, we had both. I’ve enforced the laws and now I write the laws, but the laws mean nothing if the accused can destroy evidence, stop witnesses from testifying, and blatantly refuse to cooperate. I ask you to name somebody in your community or your family who can do that. I know the president said that he can get away with anything he wants to. I come today to tell you that no he cannot, because no one is above the law, and he shall be held accountable.


Thank you, Madam Speaker. At this moment I yield for a unanimous consent request, the gentleman from Arkansas, Mr. Crawford.


Rick Crawford: (01:29:59)
Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to enter my remarks into the record in opposition to this sham impeachment.

Without objections to order. Gentleman’s recognized.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. At this time I yield four minutes to the gentlewoman from Wyoming, Ms. Cheney.

Gentlelady’s recognized for four minutes.

Liz Cheney: (01:30:16)
Thank you very much, Mr. Collins. Madam Speaker, I rise today on the floor of this magnificent chamber, the very heart of our democratic republic, and I would imagine, Madam Speaker, that every one of us in this chamber, regardless of party, understands, shares a common view that being citizens of this great republic is among life’s most tremendous blessings. We all know that no force on earth is more powerful than the force of freedom. It is our miraculous constitutional system, Madam Speaker, defended by our men and women in uniform, that has safeguarded that freedom for 230 years. Each one of us in this chamber bears a sacred duty passed down to us through generations and affirmed in our oath of office to preserve and protect our Constitution.

Madam Speaker, our nation’s framers recognized that this republic is fragile and that extreme partisanship can be among the most severe threats to its survival. That is why in Federalist 65, Alexander Hamilton wrote quote, “There will always be the greatest danger that impeachment, the impeachment decision will be regulated more by the comparative strength of parties than by real demonstrations of innocence or guilt.”

Here, Madam Speaker, our democratic colleagues have been working to remove this president since the day he was elected, searching for an offense on which they could impeach. Failing to find one, Madam Speaker, they have decided to assume one. Rather than attempting to enforce their subpoenas in court, they have also decided to declare it a high crime and misdemeanor when the president of the United States asserts his constitutional privileges.

The Democrats are asking members of this body to impeach despite the fact that they had presented no direct evidence of any impeachable offense. Let me say it one more time, Madam Speaker. They had presented no direct evidence of any impeachable offense. If anyone in this chamber still believes the Democrats have proven their case, I would urge those members to ask the chairman of the Intelligence Committee, Mr. Schiff, why he failed to appear to answer questions about his report before members vote for impeachment. They might want to know why the author of the impeachment report will not defend it under questioning.

If the House impeaches here, Madam Speaker, it will create exactly the type of risk the framers cautioned us to avoid. It will mean that divided government can imperil a democratically elected president based on unproven allegations and innuendo in the absence of direct testimony.

Despite all the rhetoric you’ve heard today, Madam Speaker, passage of these articles of impeachment may permanently damage our republic. From this day forward, a hyperpartisan bare majority can cite this precedent to try to remove a future commander in chief. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, Madam Speaker, think of our republic, think of the Constitution, think of the oath that we all swore to protect and defend that Constitution, and vote against these partisan, reckless, and dangerous articles of impeachment. I yield back.


Madam Speaker, I’m proud to recognize the gentleman from Michigan, Mr. Levin, for one minute.


Andy Levin: (01:34:24)
Madam Speaker, today we proclaim that no person is above the law, not even the president of the United States. Donald J. Trump abused the power of his office and violated his oath of office by extorting a new and inexperienced president of a vulnerable foreign ally to dig up dirt on Mr. Trump’s domestic political opponents. He then obstructed the Congress, this equal branch of our government, from undertaking our duty outlined in the Constitution itself to investigate and check these violations. Today, we do nothing more and nothing less than fulfill our duty to our country and to our Constitution.

Andy Levin: (01:35:20)
Mr. Trump has allowed foreign powers to interfere in our domestic affairs. He has endangered our national security and our democracy itself. For those reasons, we must impeach this president. Thank you, Madam Speaker. I yield back.


Madam Speaker, at this point I yield for a unanimous consent request to the gentleman from Oregon.


Greg Walden: (01:35:49)
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I oppose this resolution on impeachment and ask that my words be put in the record.


Madam Speaker, I have unanimous consent request of the gentleman from South Carolina.


Speaker 2: (01:36:02)
Madam Speaker, I ask-

… for South Carolina.


Ralph Norman: (01:36:03)
Madam Speaker, I ask … I pose these resolutions. I ask for my comments to be admitted into the record.

That objection’s so ordered.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I ask for unanimous consent for the gentleman from Mississippi.


Steven Palazzo: (01:36:18)
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I oppose the articles of impeachment and like my comments be entered into the record.


I reserve.

Gentleman reserves. Gentleman from California.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Who seeks recognition?

Madam Speaker, I ask of the gentleman, is he ready to close?

No, we have a few more speakers.

Then I reserve.

Madam Speaker, I recognize the gentleman from New York, Mister Espaillat, for one minute.


Adriano Espaill: (01:36:56)
Madam Speaker, if you live in Lenox Avenue in the village of Harlem in my district, you are not above the law. If you live on Webster Avenue in the Bronx part of my district, you are not above the law. If you live in Washington Heights, the immigrant neighborhood in my district, you are not above the law. So, I submit to you that if you live on 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, you are not above the law and you will be held accountable. President Donald Trump asked Ukrainian President to do us a favor and look into the Bidens. That’s abuse of power. President Trump used the official White House meeting to extort a Ukrainian President. That’s abuse of power. President Trump ordered White House staff to withhold $400 million in aid to the Ukraine. That’s abuse of power. President Trump and his staff denied the five multiple subpoenas from Congress. That’s obstruction of Congress. He blocked witnesses from testifying before this body. That’s obstruction of Congress. [foreign language 01:38:07] No one is above the law. I cast my vote for this impeachment-

Gentleman’s time’s expire.

Adriano Espaill: (01:38:14)
… in articles of impeachment. I ask my colleagues to do the same.


Madam Speaker, I yield for you now to submit a request from the gentleman from Virginia.


Rob Wittman: (01:38:25)
Madam Speaker, I ask for unanimous consent to enter my statement into the record recording that I am opposed to this articles of impeachment on the basis that they do not measure-


Rob Wittman: (01:38:36)
… to Article 2, Section 4.

I reserve.


Madam Speaker, I’m proud to recognize the gentle lady from California, Miss Brownley, for one minute.

Gentle lady’s recognized for one minute.

Julia Brownley: (01:38:50)
Madam Speaker, as the Chair of the Women’s Veterans Task Force, I see every single day the immense sacrifice our women veterans and all of our nation’s veterans have made in service to our country, in service to our Commander in Chief, our Constitution, to protect our democracy and for every single man, woman and child in our country. When the President of the United States used $400 million meant to protect our national security in order to cheat in our elections, he not only abused his power, he turned his back on the sacrifices of our veterans and their families have made for all that we hold so dear.

Julia Brownley: (01:39:40)
That abuse of power is reprehensible, and it is exactly what impeachment was designed to prevent. We have a solemn duty to protect our Constitution, to protect our democracy and to honor all those who have laid their lives on the line for these United States of America. I yield back.


Thank you, Madam Speaker. At this time I yield for unanimous consent request to the gentle lady from Indiana.

Gentle lady’s recognized.

Jackie Walorski: (01:40:11)
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I ask unanimous consent to enter into the record my opposition to these articles of impeachment.

Without objection.

I reserve.


Madam Speaker, I’m proud to recognize the gentlewoman from California, Miss Davis, for 30 seconds.


Susan Davis: (01:40:35)
Madam Speaker, Madam Speaker, make no mistake, we are not impeaching this President. He is impeaching himself. If you are the President and you obstruct justice, try to bribe a foreign leader and threaten national security, you’re going to get impeached. End of story.

The yield’s back. Gentleman from Georgia.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. At this time, I do recognize the gentleman from North Carolina for a unanimous consent request.


Ted Budd: (01:41:19)
Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to enter into the record my opposition to these articles of impeachment.

Without objection.

I reserve.


Madam Speaker, I’m proud to recognize the gentlewoman from New Mexico, Miss Haaland, for one minute.

Gentle lady’s recognized for one minute.

Debra Haaland: (01:41:41)
Madam Speaker, I stand before you as a representative of New Mexico, a place where we believe in dignity and respect for all. In Congress, I’ve been fighting for them. We’ve been working to make healthcare more affordable, education accessible and move our country forward for the people. But today, this President had forced us into a serious debate. We’re talking about a President who used the power of the presidency for his own political gain, risking our national security and putting the integrity of the next election at risk.

Debra Haaland: (01:42:15)
It’s a sad day when a President shows complete disrespect for Congress as a co-equal branch of government and for the American people who elected us. We collected the evidence, and the facts are indisputable. We all took an oath to protect and defend our Constitution. We have the solemn responsibility to hold this President accountable because it’s our job. I urge my colleagues to live up to our responsibility and show our fellow Americans that no one, not even the President is above the law. I yield.

Gentle lady yields back. Gentleman from Georgia.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. At this moment, I yield to the gentleman from Oklahoma for a unanimous consent request.


Markwayne Mulli: (01:42:54)
I ask unanimous consent to enter into the record my opposition of these articles of impeachment.

Without objection.

I reserve.


Madam Speaker, I recognize the gentle lady from North Carolina, Miss Adams, for a unanimous consent request.


Alma Adams: (01:43:12)
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I ask unanimous consent to enter into the record my statement in support of the articles of impeachment against President Donald J. Trump.

Without objection. So ordered.

I reserve the balance of our time.

Gentleman, reserved. Gentleman from Georgia.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. At this time, I give five minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana, the Minority Whip, Mister Scalise.

Gentleman’s recognized for five minutes.

Steve Scalise: (01:43:40)
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Impeaching a President of the United States, this isn’t about some solemn duty tonight. Let’s talk about what this is really about. This has been about a political vendetta, a political vendetta that didn’t just start with the Zelensky call. It started long before that. Just listen to some of the quotes from Democrats in this chamber. Speaker Pelosi, “It’s been going on for 22 months, two and a half years actually. We cannot accept a second term for Donald Trump. What’s more serious is that he can’t win.”

This isn’t about some crime that was committed. It’s about fear that he might win reelection. That’s not why you impeach a president. Al Green, “I’m concerned that if we don’t impeach this President, he will get reelected.” The list goes on, Madam Speaker. In fact, there are some quotes that I can’t even read on this House floor that some of our colleagues made. Keep in mind, more than a hundred Democrats on this House floor voted to impeach this President before the Zelensky phone call.

Just look at some of these articles of impeachment that they voted for two years ago. 58 Democrats voted to impeach the President over comments he made about NFL players kneeling for the pledge of allegiance. Impeaching the President, over 50 Democrats voted to impeach him for that. Just this summer, over 90 Democrats voted to impeach the President for comments he made about the squad. So, he makes comments about some other members of Congress who make a lot of comments about him, and 95 members vote to impeach the President of the United States.

This is a political vendetta. It has nothing to do with the crime committed. There was no crime. Why don’t we listen to some of the witnesses? Obviously we weren’t able to call all the witnesses we wanted, but there were witnesses. In fact, Gordon Sondland, US Ambassador to European Union, he’s mentioned over 600 times in the Schiff Report. He was their star witness. What did he say when asked? “Did President Trump ever tell you personally about any preconditions for anything?” His answer, “No.” ” Any preconditions for the aid to be released?” “No.” “Any preconditions for a White House meeting?” Under oath he testified, “No.”

Abuse of power, let’s talk about that article of impeachment, Madam Speaker. George Washington Law Professor Turley, who admitted under oath that he voted against Donald Trump, spoke to this claim of abuse of power. In fact he said, “If you make a high crime and misdemeanor out of going to the courts, it is an abuse of power. It’s your abuse of power. You are doing precisely what you are criticizing the President of doing.”

Abuse of power, there’s a House rule, Madam Speaker, that requires, not allows, but requires that the minority get a day of hearing, which we asked for multiple times. They broke this rule. They didn’t allow us to have a minority day of hearing. They didn’t want to hear the facts about this case, because it was never about the facts because there was no crime. It is about a personal political vendetta.

Now let’s talk about obstruction of Congress, as they make up these terms to impeach a president because they didn’t find a crime and they were looking. It’s been an impeachment in search of a crime. They talk about obstruction of Congress and saying the President defied subpoenas. Subpoena after subpoena. Let’s go through the departments. The Department of State they subpoenaed. Do you know that literally just four days after the subpoena, the Secretary of State himself responded to your subpoena? The Department of Defense a week later responded to the subpoena. The Department of Energy responded to the subpoena. We can go on and on with all of these agencies. That’s an abuse of power? That’s an obstruction of Congress, responding to your subpoena?

That’s what they did. They responded. You might not have liked the answer, but that’s not the way this works. You don’t impeach a President because you don’t like his foreign policy, as so many of those foreign policy experts came and testified. This isn’t just about Donald Trump. They don’t just hate Donald Trump, Madam Speaker. They hate the 63 million Americans who voted for this President, the forgotten men and women of this country who have been left behind, Madam Speaker.

House will be in order. Gentleman may proceed.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. It’s those forgotten men and women of this country that Washington had left behind. What’s this President doing for them? He’s delivering for them 600 jobs in Pennsylvania, a thousand jobs, workers in Mingo Junction, Ohio, $ 750 million investment for 600 new jobs across this country. Detroit News, “Chrysler, 6,500 new jobs.” That’s what this President is doing to deliver for those men and women of this country who had been left behind. It’s about time somebody stands up for them, and President Trump is. So, it is a political grudge. It is a political vendetta. But if they’re going to go through with this, Madam Speaker, impeachment will not just be a stain on this Democrat majority. Impeachment will be their legacy.

Comments time’s expired.

I yield back.

Members are reminded to address their remarks to the Chair. Gentleman from California.

Madam Speaker, I recognize Miss Kuster from New Hampshire for a unanimous consent request.


Annie Kuster: (01:49:23)
Madam Speaker, I request the unanimous consent for enter in my statement into the record regarding the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge in favor of articles of impeachment. Thank you.

Without objection.

Madam Speaker, it is now my pleasure to recognize the gentleman from Maryland, the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Mister Hoyer, for one minute.


Steny Hoyer: (01:50:02)
My colleagues-

The gentleman will suspend. The House will come to order. Gentleman’s recognized.

Madam Speaker, I have the honor of serving in this House for over 38 years. I’ve served during six presidencies. I’ve been here through moments of tremendous progress and terrible tragedy. I have seen periods of rank partisanship and patriotic bipartisanship. I’ve seen our two party system work, and I’ve seen it break down. Never in all my years of serving in this great institution that I love and the people of my district did I ever expect to encounter such an obvious wrongdoing by a President of the United States.

Nor did I expect to witness such a craven rationalization of presidential actions, which have put our national security at risk, undermined the integrity of our elections and defied the constitutional authority of the Congress to conduct oversight. We’ve heard from Republicans that this impeachment really has to do with policy differences or how we feel personally about the President, about his temperament, or that we simply dislike him. Throughout the Trump Presidency, Democrats have resisted pursuing impeachment even as we watched with dismay and disgust out a pattern of wrongdoing. That pattern included ordering federal agencies to lie to the public, firing the FBI director for refusing to end investigations of his campaign, siding with Vladimir Putin against our intelligence agencies, taking funding away from the military to put towards an ineffective border wall and setting policies that have lead the separation of families and caging of children.

We have to be sure deep disagreements with the policies and actions taken by this President. There’s been a lot of talk about the 63 million people who voted for Mister Trump, little talk about the 65 million people who voted for Hillary Clinton. The policy difference or those votes, this President was elected legitimately.

[inaudible 01:53:40] The House will stay in order. The gentleman deserves to be heard. Gentleman’s recognized.

Because we have an electoral college. None of these are reasons to pursue what Chairman Schiff has called a wrenching process for the nation. In fact, Democrats rejected that process emphatically in three specific votes. In December of 2017, Democrats overwhelmingly voted against pursuing articles of impeachment, including the Speaker and myself.

We did so again in 2018 with over 60% of the Democrats rejecting pursuing articles of impeachment. And again just months ago in July of 2019, 60% of the Democrats said no to pursuing articles of impeachment. Just days before the infamous July 25 telephone call, we did the same with 60% of Democrats voting not to proceed. Credible witnesses, many of whom were appointed to office by President Trump, have corroborated the details and timeline of his abuse of presidential power, which forms the basis of the first article of impeachment in this resolution.

Instead, I will not recount all of the witnesses or abuses that have occurred. I congratulate my colleagues and Mister Nadler and his committee and Mister Schiff and his committee for setting forth a compelling case. They’ve been laid out fully in the articles before us and by colleagues in their remarks. What I will do is remind Americans that the House provided President Trump every opportunity to prove his innocence, but the witnesses were precluded from coming forth. The witnesses who have personal knowledge did not come either at the President’s request, in which he refused to show up because he thought it was a sham as so many of you have said, or to the committees.

Instead, he ignored Congressional subpoenas for documents and for testimony by White House officials and ordered subordinates not to cooperate. Perhaps they could have exonerated him. This itself I suggest to you is unprecedented. When President Nixon and Clinton were asked to hand over documents and allow officials to testify, ultimately both complied because it is the law. Such actions of the President can be taken as further evidence of his obstruction and abuse of power. It is in and of itself impeachable conduct, the subject of the second article of impeachment.

These two articles forced concern two very profound constitutional issues about the abuse of power in our republic. First, whether it is acceptable for the President of the United States, any president, the solicit foreign interference in our elections. There is a difference as to whether he’s done that, and the place to try that is in the United States Senate. We believe strongly there is probable cause to conclude that, to undermine our national security, the integrity of our elections and the integrity of our democracy. Secondly, whether it is permissible for the President to obstruct Congress and act as if he is above the law and immune from constitutional oversight.

On December 4, the judiciary committee heard the testimony of constitutional law experts who weighed in on these points. Some 1,500 historians have said the same thing. As Professor Noah Feldman said, “If we cannot impeach a president who abuses his office for personal advantage, we no longer live in a democracy. We live in a monarchy or we live under a dictatorship.”

The votes we are about to take concern the rule of law and our democracy itself. Let us not forget the words of John Locke, so influential to the founders of our republic. John Locke millennia ago said this, “Wherever law ends tyranny begins.” This impeachment asks whether we are still a republic of laws as our founders intended or whether we will accept that one person can be above the law.

In America, as we have said over and over again, no one is above the law. Only as long as we hold every person accountable for breaking the law, even a president, will that be true. If the House does not act, if we wait and delay, we run the risk of allowing the President’s misconduct. If we believe it to be so to be repeated at the expense of the integrity of our elections, our national security, and our constitutional system of separation of powers.

Democrats did not choose this impeachment. We did not wish for it. We voted against it. We voted against it once. We voted against it twice. We voted against it three times as recently as July. We did not want this. However, President Trump’s misconduct has forced our constitutional republic to protect itself.

These votes that we are about to take and the process that will follow in the Senate are not only an assessment of the President’s commitment to the Constitution or to his oath of office, it is as well a test of our own. Damning evidence of the President’s high crimes has emerged. Nevertheless, Republican members of this House and of the Senate have continued to defend the President whose actions seem to many of us to be indefensible.

All of us feel a sense of loyalty to party. It’s what makes our two party system function. It’s what helps hold presidents and majorities accountable. But party loyalty must have its limits. As evidence of the President’s impeachable offenses have mounted daily, as the witnesses testified, it has become increasingly clear that the limits of partisanship have been reached and passed. Now Democrats and Republicans together face a test before our constituents, our countrymen and our creator.

The New York Times on October 18 summarized the question now posed to House and Senate, Republicans and Democrats, “Compromise by compromise, Donald Trump has hammered away at what Republicans once saw as foundational virtues, decency, honesty, responsibility, and yes, even civility.” It went on to say, “Will they commit themselves and their party wholly to Mister Trump, embracing even his most anti-democratic actions, or will they take the first step towards separating themselves from him and restoring confidence in the rule of law?”

Madam Speaker, we have seen Republican courage throughout our history from the Civil War to the Cold War. In 1950, Margaret Chase Smith, the Senator from Maine, a Republican, spoke bravely against the cancer of McCarthyism in her party leading six of her Republican colleagues in a declaration of conscience against their own leadership. “We are Republicans,” they declared, “But we are Americans first.”

In 1974, one congressman took the brave and principled step of becoming the first Republican on the judiciary committee to support impeaching President Nixon. He said to his colleagues and to the country, and I quote, “It isn’t easy for me to align myself against the President to whom I gave my enthusiastic support, on whose side I’ve stood in many legislative battles, whose accomplishments in foreign and domestic affairs I’ve consistently applauded. But it is impossible,” he went on to say, “for me to condone or ignore the long train of abuses to which he has subjected the presidency and the people of this country. The Constitution and my own oath of office,” he said, “demand that I bear true faith and allegiance to the principles of law and justice upon which this nation was founded.” And he concluded, “And I cannot in good conscience turn away from the evidence of evil that is to me so clear and compelling.”

My colleagues, that congressman’s name was Larry Hogan Sr. He represented the Fifth District of Maryland, which I now represent. His son is presently the second term Republican Governor of our state. When Larry Hogan Sr. died in 2017, every obituary lead with praise for his act of political courage. Who among us many years from now will receive such praise as a man or woman of courage? Who will regret not having earned it?

We’ve talked a lot about partisan differences. There is one person who has spoken today who is neither a member of the Republican Party nor the Democratic Party. His name is Justin Amash, who represents a Republican district. He left the Republican Party, and in doing so, he admonished to his colleagues that, “This President will only be in power for a short time, but excusing his behavior will forever tarnish your name.” He spoke on this floor in support of the two articles that we will consider this evening. Neither a Democrat nor a Republican. Representative Amash of course is the only member of this House who has no allegiance to either party but to his country. He is supporting …

… party, but to his country. He is supporting, as I’ve said, both articles. We need not ask who will be the first to show courage by standing up to President Trump. The question we must now ask is, “Who will be the last to find it?” The pages of our history are filled with Americans who have the courage to choose country over party or personality, but as President Kennedy wrote, “The stories of past courage can teach. They can offer hope, they can provide inspiration, but they cannot supply courage itself.” “For this,” President Kennedy said, “each man, each woman must look into their own soul.” I urge my fellow colleagues in the House, and yes, in the Senate, to look into your soul, summons the courage to vote for our Constitution and our democracy. I understand we will all not see the same conclusion, but to do less betrays our oath and that of our founders who pledged their lives, their fortune, and their sacred honor. Let us neither turn away from the evidence, which to me seems so clear, nor from our good conscience, which compels us to do what in our hearts we know to be right. Let us not allow the rule of law to end, or for tyranny to find its toehold. With our votes today, we can bear true faith and allegiance to the vision of our founders, and we can show future generations what it truly means to be Americans first. Vote yes.


Madam Speaker, a few weeks ago just off of this floor, I said that a dark cloud was descending upon this body, and today because of the clock and the calendar, it is closing. It is amazing to me what I just heard from the Majority Leader, that Mr. Schiff and Mr. Nadler presented a compelling case for impeachment. If this is a compelling case for impeachment, I’m not sure why we’re here right now. It is not anywhere close to compelling. But you know what is interesting, is what I have heard today.

The Majority Leader just spoke and said that if the President was given every opportunity to come prove his innocence. I’ll tell you what, Madam Speaker, let me have just a few minutes, stop the clock, and let me go around to the Press Corps and everybody here, and I’m going to accuse you of something. You did it. You did it. You did it. You did it. Now prove us wrong. You did it. Guess what? You don’t want to, because deep down, you know that that’s turning the entire jurisprudence of this country upside down. You’re not guilty until you’re proven. You’re innocent. And today from this floor, we have heard the Majority Leader say, “This President is guilty,” and not the other way around. He is innocent, and these come nowhere close to proving it.

But what is left of this body? Let’s have an honest conversation, Madam Speaker. What we have found over the past few weeks is it is okay for the majority to tear down a foreign leader because they can’t make their case. They’ve called him a liar, or weak, or worse, or is it was called in the committee, even looked like a battered wife. It is below the dignity of this body and this majority to tear down a foreign leader because they can’t make their case against this one. We have broken rules in this House. Even to this moment, Chairman Schiff and the others have broken House Resolution 660 by not turning over the things that they should be turning over. I still have not got a transcript. We still don’t know what we got, and the White House still has not got their stuff. I guess minority hearing rule days don’t matter either. You see, there is a problem here, because we’re going to vote this tonight while breaking the rules. What a shameful incident. But we also found a creative interpretation of minority rights, we saw the rise of partisanship because of things that have been done even further, and we’ve even seen members smeared in reports by drive by political hacks when they match numbers of the ranking member and the members of the press. That ought to concern every one of you as much as it concerns every one of us. Nothing but a drive by hit.

But you know something? This Majority Leader also just said, “Wherever law ends, tyranny begins,” but I will say this. In this House, wherever the rules are disregarded, chaos and mob rule actually begin, and the majority has taken that to a new level. It has been said today, “Where’s bravery?” I’ll tell you where bravery is found and courage is found. It’s found in this minority who has lived through the last year of nothing but rules being broken, people being put down, questions not being answered, and this majority say, “Be damned with anything else. We’re going to impeach and do whatever we want to do. Why? Because we won an election.” I guarantee you one day you’ll be back in the minority and it ain’t going to be that fun, because when you look at it, when you actually trash the rules of this House, you ought to really look at, “What did you gain at the end by trashing the institution you claim to love?”

That’s the things we’ve found out so far, but you know, they’re really careful saying, “Oh, you want to deal in process and process.” As I said last night in the Rules Committee where they didn’t want to listen, I’ll win all process and I will win on facts because we have the truth on our side. Let me remind you that here’s what the process actually says. There was no pressure. Look at the call. President Zelensky, President Trump. No pressure. There was no conditionality. There was nothing done to get the aid, and the aid actually came. There were five meetings, but when you look at it right now, none of which matter, because right now the dark cloud is descending upon this house, and I am fearful, Madam Speaker.

When I look out in that abyss, I don’t know what I see, but I’ll tell you what I do see. I see coming up, a President who will put his head down even through this sham impeachment and he will do his job. He will put the American people first. He will tell them that, “I care about you.” He will still put the economy first and he will make sure this country stands strong. That’s what I see in this abyss. That’s where we’re going. And Madam Speaker, it is with that hope in the future that I recognize right now that I yield one minute to the Republican leader of this house, the Republican from California, Mr. McCarthy.


Kevin McCarthy: (02:15:30)
Madam Speaker, I must warn you, I’m about to say something my Democratic colleagues hate to hear. Donald J. Trump is President of the United States. He is President today. He’ll be President tomorrow, and he will be President when this impeachment is over. Madam Speaker, when they accept that, maybe this House can get back to work for the American people. Tonight I rise not as the leader of the opposition to this impeachment, or as the elected representative from the Central Valley of California. I rise as Kevin McCarthy, citizen. No better, no worse than the 4,435 Representatives that are in this chamber, or the 330 million Americans watching this institution make what I believe to be one of the worst decisions we have ever made.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a Democrat or Republican, whether you’re liberal or you’re conservative, whether you’re the first generation or the 10th. At our core, we are all American. All of us. We choose our future. We choose what kind of nation we want to be. Here’s our choice tonight: Will we let impeachment become an exercise of raw political power regardless if it damages our country, or will we protect the proper grounds and process for impeachment now and in the future? For months, Democrats and many in the media have attempted to normalize the impeachment process that would remove a duly elected president from office. After three years of breathless and baseless outrage, this is their last attempt to stop the Trump presidency. Madam Speaker, Speaker Pelosi even recently admitted that Democrats had been working on this impeachment for two and a half years. Those were her words, they were not mine. Because they lost to him in 2016, they’ll do anything or say anything to stop them in 2020. That’s not America. That’s not how Democratic Republics behave. Elections matter, voters matter, and in 11 months, the people’s voice will be heard again.

Impeachment is the most consequential decision Congress can make other than sending our men and women into war. Yet 85 days ago, Speaker Pelosi chose to impeach the President of the United States. She wrote the script and created an artificial timeline to make the details fit. Why else are we doing this just hours before Christmas? If that’s all it was, a rush to judgment, she could be forgiven. But before the Speaker saw one word or one shred of evidence, she moved to impeach.

In the past, in this body, such a step demanded a vote from all of us from the start, but not only did she move to impeach before she gave this House and the hundreds of millions of people we represent a say in whether to pursue an impeachment inquiry, she threw out the bipartisan standards this House gave President Nixon and Clinton. That is why I immediately sent Speaker Polosi a letter asking her to follow the rules of history, of tradition, and follow those standards that have served America well. What did she say? She rejected it. She rejected it, because Democrats knew a fair process would crumble their case. A fair process would have exposed to the American public what many already knew: Democrats have wanted to impeach President Trump since the day he was elected, and nothing was going to get in their way, certainly not the truth.

Madam Speaker, Chairman Schiff said he had evidence, more than circumstantial, of collusion. That was false. In January, where we all stood in this body, we stood up, we raised our hands, we swore that we’d uphold the Constitution. And a few mere hours after that, Congress woman Tlaib said she was going to “impeach the mother effer.” Those are not my words.

A year before taking the majority, Chairman Nadler campaigned to the Democrats that he wanted to be chairman of the Judiciary Committee, where impeachment is, New York Times writes, Madam Speaker, “Because he is the strongest member to lead a potential impeachment.” And Congressman Raskin, a leading Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, one that the Democrats had representing the Rules Committee for these articles just yesterday, told a crowd he would impeach President Trump two days before he was ever sworn into office.

What we’ve seen is a rigged process that has led to the most partisan and least credible impeachment in the history of America. That is this legacy. Any prosecutor in this country would be disbarred for such blatant bias, especially if that prosecutor was the fact witness, the judge and the jury.

Madam Speaker, Democrats haven’t just failed on process. They’ve also failed on evidence. I’ve heard a lot of debate on this floor today, but I haven’t heard one member of this body dispute this simple fact: President Trump provided lethal aid to Ukraine. It came before the call, it came after the call, and it continues to this day. President Trump provided Ukraine tank busting bombs. The previous administration, they gave blankets. This is the truth. Meanwhile, the Democrats’ case is based on second hand opinions and hearsay.

“Simply put, there are no grounds for impeachment.” That’s Constitutional scholar Jonathan Turley. And I would challenge to say he’s probably the most respected, and we all know it. A Democrat who did not vote for the president said under oath there was no bribery, there was no extortion, no obstruction of justice, and no abuse of power. Based on the facts, based on the truth, based on the lack of evidence, Turley called this the fastest, thinnest, and weakest impeachment in the US history.

Such a definitive answer should be the end of all of this, but Speaker Pelosi is still moving forward with this impeachment without evidence of facts, or truth, or public support. The Speaker says it is out of allegiance to our founders. On this I agree. I agree with the Speaker. We should listen to the founders, and if one does, it’s very clear that this impeachment is unfounded and improper.

In the Federalist Papers, Alexander Hamilton wrote there would always be the greatest danger that impeachment would be driven by partisan animosity instead of real demonstrations of innocent or guilt. That impeachment would be driven by partisan animosity instead of real demonstrations of innocence or guilt. James Madison, another author of the Federalist Papers wrote, “The danger of legislative abuse must lead to the same tyranny as is threatened by executive abuse.” The founders did not want impeachment to be used for political or partisan battles. If my colleagues do not want to follow the Constitutional high standards for undoing a national election, perhaps you could have followed Speaker Pelosi’s standard, at least the one she promised to follow back in March. It was a sensible standard. She says, “Impeachment is so divisive that the evidence must be overwhelming, compelling, and bipartisan.” Not one of those criterias have been met today. Based on the facts, based on the evidence, based on the truth, this impeachment even fails that Pelosi test.

Those now who say removing President Trump would protect the integrity of our democracy have it backwards. By removing a duly elected president on empty Articles of Impeachment, Congress will inroad the public trust in our system of government. I understand you dislike the President, his beliefs, the way he governs, and even the people who voted for him. How do I know this? Because you say so day in and day out. In 2016, they even dismissed his supporters, remember, calling us deplorables? Now they are trying to disqualify our voice before the 2020 election. They want to undo the results of the last election to influence the next one.

As I said, President Trump will still be president when this is all over, but Congress will have wasted months of time and taxpayers’ dollars on impeachment rather than doing what America’s people want us to do. It didn’t have to be this way. Is this why we came here to serve, to trample on due process rights, to issue more subpoenas than laws, to appease the new Democrat Socialist base? That is not leadership. That is raw political politics, and you know it. By refusing to acknowledge the truth or follow the facts, by substituting partisan animosity for real demonstration of innocence or guilt, and by continuing a three-year effort to undermine the President, this impeachment has divided this nation without any concern for the repercussions. Moreover, politicizing these processes discredit the United States House of Representatives and could forever weaken the remedy of impeachment. To again quote Professor Turley, “It is the Democrats’ rush to impeachment on these grounds with unfair procedures that is an abuse of power.” History will write that.

Madam Speaker, as I said at the beginning, we face a choice. Do you trust the wisdom of the people, or do you deny them a say in their government? Fortunately, the people will have the opportunity to speak up and render their verdict in 11 months to my fellow Americans. To my fellow Americans, if you approve of the way this House has conducted their business, if you want to see your tax dollars, go forward to endless investigations, support this impeachment. But if you want to restore a working Congress like the previous Congress that listened to you and worked to bring the best economy in this country has ever seen, and one that once again will work with the President to get things done for you and your family, then join with us in rejecting this baseless impeachment.

That’s what’s wonderful about this system of ours. We are a government of, by, and for the people. Always remember, we work for you, not the other way around. Now, I will say this stronger and with more conviction than I have ever said it before. In this time of great trial and tribulation, may God bless America. I yield back.

Speaker, I yield back.

Gentleman from California is recognized. House will be in order. Gentleman from California.

Madam Speaker, I recognize myself for the remainder of our time.


Madam Speaker, my colleagues, after eight hours, let us return to where we began, with the Articles themselves. Article one charges the President of the United States with abusing the power of his office by coercing an ally into cheating in a US election on his behalf. It charges the President of the United States. It charges the-

The House will be in order. The gentleman has a right to be heard.

It charges the President of the United States-

The gentleman shall suspend. The gentleman may resume.

It charges the President of the United States with abusing his power by withholding official acts, by withholding a White House meeting that the President of Ukraine desperately sought to establish the support of his most important benefactor, the United States, by withholding hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid to a nation at war in order to get that nation to intervene in our election by smearing his opponent. That is the gravamen of the charge in Article One, and what is the defense from my colleagues? Now, I’ve listened carefully to my colleagues for the last eight hours and I have to say it’s been hard for me to follow. But it amounts, I think, when you cut through it all, when you cut through all the sound and the fury signifying nothing, what it really amounts to is this: “Why should we care? Why should we care about what the President did to Ukraine?”

Well, first of all, we should care about our allies. We should care about Ukraine. We should care about a country struggling to be free and a Democracy. We used to care about Democracy. We used to care about our allies. We used to stand up to Putin and Russia. We used to. I know the party of Ronald Reagan used to. “Why should we care about Ukraine?” But of course it’s about more than Ukraine. It’s about us. It’s about our national security. Their fight is our fight. Their defense is our defense. When Russia remakes the map of Europe for the first time since World War II by dent of military force and Ukraine fights back, it is our fight too. And when the President sacrifices our interests, our national security for his election, he is sacrificing our country for his personal gain. That is the gravamen of Article One.

Article Two, Article Two charges the President of the United States with obstructing the Congress, with denying the Congress any witness, any document, by telling all of his administration people, “You will not appear. You will ignore a coequal branch of government.” And what is the defense to this from my colleagues? Again, it is, “Why should we care? He is the President of our party. Why should we care if he ignores this Congress?” Well, I remind my friends that he will not be the last President. There will be another President, and you maybe one day, although you do not act like it, you may one day be in the majority, and you will want to hold a President accountable. And what will you say when that President says, “You are a paper tiger. You have no oversight. I can ignore your subpoenas.” What will you say? What will you argue? “Well, no, no. That was different. Then we were in the minority. Then it was a Republican President.” Will that be your argument? Is that how little faith you have in our Democracy and our Constitution? Is that how poorly you defend and uphold that Constitution?

But finally, let me ask this question that overrides it all: Why should we care about any of this? And I will bring you to one conversation that came to light, because it’s not the most important conversation, but in many ways it is the most revealing. It took place on September 14, in Ukraine, when Ambassador Volker sat down with Andrey Yermak, the top advisor to Zelensky, and he did what he should do. He supported the rule of law and he said, “You, President, you, Andrey Yermak, should not investigate the last President, President Poroshenko, for political reasons. You should not engage in political investigations.” And you know what Yermak said?” “Oh, you mean like you want us to do with the Bidens and the Clintons?” And in that abrupt, brutal retort, we see why we should care. Because what he was saying is, “You, America, have forgotten what it means to uphold the rule of law. You have forgotten what it means to say that no one is above the law. We are a struggling democracy, but even we know better than that.”

What is at risk here, what is at risk here is the very idea of America. That idea holds that we are a nation of laws, not of men. We are a nation that believes in a rule of law. When we say we uphold the Constitution, we are not talking about a piece of parchment. We’re talking about a beautiful architecture in which ambition is set against ambition, in which no branch of government can dominate another. That is what it means to uphold the Constitution. If you ignore it, if you say, “The President may refuse to comply, may refuse lawful process, may coerce an ally, may cheat in an election because he’s the President of our party,” you do not uphold our Constitution. You do not uphold your oath of office. Well, I will tell you this. I will uphold mine. I will vote to impeach Donald Trump. I yield back.

Our time for general debate has expired.

Trump Impeachment Vote Debate Transcript – House Debates Impeachment

House Clerks Read Rules of Impeachment Vote & Articles of Impeachment

Nancy Pelosi’s Statement

Jerry Nadler’s Statement

Statements from Other Representatives

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