WATCH: House Republicans Hold Heated News Conference on Key US Policy Issues in Washington DC | AC14

Added: 2026-05-27

[00:00:00]serve our veterans. $900 million going to uh to advance medical care. $2 billion going to uh improving our facilities in the VA. Second amendment rights for our veterans in there 4 to15.

[00:00:14]We do good work in here. Also, as Blake mentioned, we got a bill on Thursday and Friday addressing benefits for survivors and veterans second amendment rights.

[00:00:24]But since we are on a Memorial Day, I would be remiss if I didn't mention to you as we go about our business every day and we've got a weekend coming ahead of us that uh is is full of joy and and sales. I want to point out a couple of people. When I deployed with Morgan Latrell, my brother in Iraq in 2006, I was with team five as a J-Tech. This young man right here, Clark Schwedler, I'm reminded of him every day and I hope to honor his service, how I conduct myself up here. I wear him on my wrist.

[00:00:51]I chose this picture because Clark Schwedler didn't have anybody but that dog. He had his parents, but he lost his life, gave his life for both the Iraqis and the American people on April 6 of 2007. He didn't get to come home. I chose the dog picture because he brought that back. His teammates brought that back to him and his parents got to keep that dog. But I want you to say his name either loudly or quietly to yourself.

[00:01:13]Clark Clark Schwedler because that's what Memorial Day is is about. On the same operation on April 6th, Mike Day got shot 27 times. 27 times. 16 to the body, 11 in his plates. The plates fell off as they took him off. He got knocked out by a grenade. He came back, but he didn't come home. And in 2023, he took his own life. So, I just want to point out that when we're talking about what this week is about, a hund over a million Americans have given their lives. So you and I can go about life.

[00:01:48]So that I can watch my son play baseball and play catch with him. So I can take my daughter to go see her next school, next college, and so that I can come home from very difficult weeks here and hold my wife. Keep in your minds, say their names, keep them in your memories on this Memorial Day. I yield to Tom Emmery.

[00:02:13]>> Thank you, Jake. Uh too often we forget the price of freedom.

[00:02:18]It is thanks to the bravery and sacrifice of the men and women in our military that we get to wake up each day in the greatest country on the face of the planet. That's why House Republicans are committed to delivering for our nation's veterans, their families, and their surviving spouses uh who've made the ultimate sacrifice. Uh this week, as you've heard, we're going to vote on two bills that will do just that. American heroes and their families should not have to worry about making ends meet.

[00:02:47]Congressman Tom Barrett's HR6047 is a much needed, long overdue expansion of benefits for severely disabled veterans and veterans surviving spouses.

[00:03:00]Sadly, they have not seen an increase in benefits in over 20 years, even as the cost of living living has continued to go up. This is unacceptable. This week, House Republicans will write this wrong, ensuring that no veteran or veteran veterans family gets left behind. House Republicans will also vote on the Veterans Second Amendment Protection Act, led by VA Committee Chairman Mike Bost. It's simple. Veterans deserve the same constitutional rights as every other American. Right now, veterans who get help managing their benefits can be stripped of their Second Amendment rights by Washington bureaucrats.

[00:03:42]Washington bureaucrats. No judge, no due process, no court ruling. This isn't just insane. It's anti-American and it's an affront to the Constitution.

[00:03:53]Thankfully, Chairman Boss bill will protect the Second Amendment rights of our nation's veterans by restoring due process. It's common sense. It's constitutional and it's time to get it done. As we approach Memorial Day, a time for our nation to remember the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom, House Republicans are proud to stand with our veterans and their families because they so bravely stood for us. And with that, I turn it over to our leader, Steve Scaliz.

[00:04:25]Thank you, Web. And uh really want to thank my colleague and dear friend Jake Elie for those warm words and really kind of reminded everybody what Memorial Day is really all about. Uh why we pause to pay tribute to those men and women uh especially who gave their lives, who did not come home. And um and obviously you know some of them served with them and and and it wears even heavier on your heart, but it wears on all of us. and um and so we we remember them. We will say prayers for their family, but we're also taking action and uh the the bills, as the whip mentioned, that we're bringing to the floor chairman Boss's committee, the Veterans Affairs Committee is dedicated to making sure that we're properly taking care of our men and women in uniform, but especially those who don't make it back. And uh the fact that the survivor benefits have not been adjusted for decades uh is is an embarrassment and we correct that oversight that has gone on for way too long uh by bringing that up to where it needs to be to help those families who don't have their loved ones with them but still uh have bills to pay, have kids to raise. And uh that's an important bill, the Second Amendment Protections of all people. Who should have those? It surely should be those who fought to defend the rights that we have. Uh they surely should not have less rights than American citizens who did not participate in our military. Uh and so that bill uh at least gives them equity in parody to make sure that our veterans are not treated less than every other American citizen when it comes to Second Amendment rights. We're bringing a number of other bills, too. Of course, we're waiting on the Senate to finish the reconciliation bill. Uh they are going to go through the voter rama tonight. Hopefully they get it all wrapped up by tomorrow. We stand ready to move as soon as the Senate is finished. Uh and we adjusted our schedule to be here uh longer for that.

[00:06:28]The housing bill that we're going to be voting on today is really really important to lower housing costs for all American families. This is a bill that French Hill uh the financial services committee did incredible work on to make sure we got the policy right. Clearly, there were some differences between the House and Senate. You see, many of those problems were addressed in the changes in the amendments that Chairman Hill is bringing forward in the bill that is on the suspension calendar today. I think you're going to see a very strong vote, which shows that all of us want to see lower housing costs, but we need to change laws. We need to simplify some of the laws so that we can lower those housing costs. This is something that every American in this country is going to be happy to see to have lower housing costs. Uh and then one of the bills you're gonna be able to watch a really interesting vote on tomorrow is the women's museum. You know, we're bringing a national women's museum. Shouldn't be controversy at all except for the fact that the Democrat women's co caucus has now come out against a women's museum.

[00:07:33]And you would ask why. That doesn't make any sense. And it doesn't. But it shows you how crazy the other side is right now and how void of common sense the Democrats are. There is one condition that is in that bill that they took objection to. Now you think about it.

[00:07:50]Everybody for years had been asking for a women's museum to be created. And in the creation of it, they said the only people that can be honored in a women's museum are biological women. And because that word biological women is in there, every Democrat woman came out against the bill. Uh so let's see how they explain that to people back home who would say, "What world are you living in where you don't want to pay tribute to women?" Uh and we're going to have that vote anyway. But uh just shows you how far their party has strayed. Uh you saw that vote last week on law enforcement week. A week again pay tribute to our men and women in uniform who keep our communities safe. The police, a lot of them were up here from all over the country. We had a resolution by Zach Nun to pay tribute to our men and women in law enforcement.

[00:08:40]Unbelievable that 86% of Democrats voted against that resolution. So when people go back home and say they support the men and women in blue, you don't support them when you vote no on a resolution that pays tribute to our men and women in uniform.

[00:08:56]So the defund the police movement is alive and well in the Democrat party when 86% of Democrats last week voted against cops. It was disgusting to watch. Uh but I think police and anybody who supports men and women in uniform all across the country were watching that vote. One more example, the sharp contrast between Republicans moving common sense legislation and Democrats going off the deep end of crazy totally void of common sense. Uh with that, the speaker of the house, Mike Johnson.

[00:09:30]>> Thank you, Mr. Leader. U want to talk a little bit about uh what's ahead of us, but wanted to just take a moment to um reflect on something that just happened.

[00:09:38]It was on Sunday a few days ago. We had the rededicate uh 250 event on on the National Mall. It was a really an extraordinary thing. Many thousands of Americans came out to participate in that and a historic event. It was a uh welcome opportunity to recommmit ourselves to the cause that our founders fought and died for 250 years ago. And sadly, too many young Americans are no longer taught the moral and religious foundations of our extraordinary country. And that is the the source of our greatness, the reason we became the the most free, most successful, most powerful, most benevolent nation in the history of the world. But evidently, some in the mainstream media missed all that history lesson as well. And I just wanted to comment, it was brought to my attention yesterday that MS Now, formerly MSNBC, uh mocked me in a big segment they had.

[00:10:24]Um and and and the reason they mocked me was because in my uh remarks, I led the prayer of rededication on the mall. Um, I stated this self-evident truth that our rights do not derive from government, they derive from our creator.

[00:10:37]And they had this entire segment uh about how ridiculous that was and what a crazy notion and isn't Johnson such a crazy fundamentalist, etc. The best part is I was literally quoting from the Declaration of Independence. Um, so let me take this opportunity. I want to just direct my friends in the mainstream media to the second paragraph of our nation's birth certificate, the declaration, which remains the most foundational and consequential sentence in all of American history. We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal. They're endowed by their creator with certain and illiberal rights. Among others, the rights of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. Um, it shouldn't be too much to ask that the people who talk about politics on TV on a network that millions of Americans tune into have a basic understanding of America's political foundations. I hope this serves as a friendly reminder to every American that the best civic education is not from your favorite TV anchor or late night host. Okay? It comes from our founding documents. You ought to go read the Declaration and the Constitution and the Federalist Papers and the other foundational texts that shape and guide our country. And as we approach the 250th birthday of the greatest nation in history, I encourage all of us to revisit those founding documents. It's really important. It's really important.

[00:11:50]The founders believe that in order to keep a constitutional republic, to maintain the republic, you had to have an informed and engaged electorate. the people, a government of by and for the people ourselves. Uh the people have to have to be engaged. They have to know uh basic civics. They got to know their their foundations and um quite clearly we need that review. At least some of the media do. Okay. Um all right.

[00:12:10]Regarding this week uh on reconciliation on on housing on on women's museum, etc. Um we've got a very consequential week ahead of us here. There's a lot going on as you know, and the leadership teams covered it here. Republicans are still on track to complete the reconciliation process on time by the June 1 deadline that we set. Um and and leader Scaliz talked about that we're going to fully fund immigration enforcement and border security and a reconciliation bill.

[00:12:37]Again, it's worthy of note that is rather a shocking proposition. The Democrats don't want to have anything to do. Think of it. They don't want to give one dollar, one penny to border enforcement, border security and immigration enforcement. So sadly, we've got to do that ourselves. We don't yet know exactly what form that bill will take because it's still going through the parliamentary process there and and working through the uh committees and and the floor vote, but we'll process it as soon as we get it and we're anxiously awaiting it in the House. Um we expect that um that's going to happen here uh by by Thursday. That's the hope. House Republicans also voting this week on that bipartisan bill to lower the cost of housing for working families. And we worked really hard on that and and it has been bipartisan. Increased housing cost and lack of quality supply are two issues that impact nearly every American family. And the House will vote tomorrow in a strong bipartisan package that'll put more American families into homes.

[00:13:31]It's going to increase the supply and it's going to make it easier for local banks to deploy capital in their own communities. And all those things are going to help with the cost of living, help with affordability. That's going to be a big thing for the people. The House and Senate remain closely aligned on getting the best possible product to the president's desk. and we'll do that in very short order. Uh on the Women's History Museum, I'll just say uh we're going to take that up. Nicole Malotakus, representative from Staten Islands, worked very hard on this and and drawn a big coalition of people. I think it has almost maybe 270 280 co-sponsors at this point. Um the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum. Um she now Nicole and others have done a lot of good faith work for years on this. U 230 bipartisan co-sponsors is the actual number right now. But suddenly, in spite of that, uh, Democrats are all backing out. And you heard Leader Scaliz talk about this. It's it's it's just an incredible thing. Why are they backing out? Simply because the bill reinforces an objective truth that a museum for women, get ready, should showcase only women. Okay, that's that's that's the concept that got them all riled up.

[00:14:34]Here's the language of the common sense amendment that was added to the bill that made all the Democrats run for the hills. quote, "The museum shall be dedicated to preserving, researching, and presenting the history, achievements, and lived experiences of biological women in the United States."

[00:14:50]The addition of the word biological made them all run for the hills. I mean, if that's controversial in Democratic party, we're in serious trouble. Uh the the the party that purports to support women uh demanding that the museum include biological men. Democrats may be okay seeding control of their party to the most radical far-left uh people in the country, but Republicans are not going to be any part of that. We're not going to stand for it. And neither are the overwhelming majority of Americans who still believe in common sense. Um finally, Memorial Day. Um I I'm so grateful for Jake Elie, our our colleague. He was a top gun pilot. He looks the part, doesn't he? Straight out of Central casting. He's got the great voice and all that. But the fact that he comes up here and speaks from the heart and talks about uh all those who served and and paid the ultimate sacrifice is a a really serious thing. And I want to we give credit where credit's due. And I want to thank our Republican House Chairman Mike Bost and Representative Tom Barrett uh worked on these two bills that will safeguard the constitutional rights of American veterans and deliver meaningful relief to gold star families.

[00:15:53]At a time when the world faces grave threats, not the least of which include Iran, Iran, the largest state sponsor of terror, every one of us is keenly aware that American strength and freedom are not free, and they're paid for by the selfless service of military personnel uh who serve our nation every single day. And we're reminded of that fact.

[00:16:11]We're going to pause uh to remember those and their families, those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

[00:16:17]Uh we benefit from their heroic work every day, and we should never take that for granted. real quick word on the primary results last night. That's the big political news of course. Um last night I just in a nutshell I talked with the president late last night um after uh everything uh was all the dust was settling over all the elections and we talked about how his endorsement is the most powerful in the history of politics. I mean anywhere in the world I think it's just a phenomenon. I wasn't uh involved in the Kentucky primary.

[00:16:44]Thomas Massiey's primary. The leadership team wasn't because he's an incumbent.

[00:16:48]The president certainly made his opinion known and I'm not surprised by the results there. Um the president knows what's at stake in this fall's elections and he and I need conservative patriots here ready to help us continue saving America and that's why we're working handinand to defend and grow this House Republican majority. I'm convinced we're going to do that. Uh I'm thrilled about uh three more of our endorsed candidates who are going to do just that. They they advanced last night. Ralph Alvarado in Kentucky, Houston Gaines, and Jim Kingston in state of Georgia. All three of those are going to be great members next year as we defend and grow this majority. And at the same time, this is what's really important for everybody to be paying attention to. Uh there's an effect happening around the country, and you all have heard me summarize it this way. The best way to describe it in short summary is that there are many mamanis popping up all around the country running for Congress as Marxist, openly as socialist, Marxist. And um it's a it's a race to the far far far left. And as we say all the time, this is not our father's Democratic party.

[00:17:45]This is a this this group is uh been taken over. I mean, Democratic Party has been totally taken over by the far left and Hakee Jeff and the team here can't do anything about it. In fact, uh Republicans are the only ones that can stop them from destroying our country.

[00:17:58]And that's why we must and we will win.

[00:18:02]Uh but they continue to nominate some extremely radical candidates last night.

[00:18:07]Even even people, there's a candidate in Pennsylvania stolen from his own family and he he won the primary on Democrat side. um they're going to lose these swing districts. And and in summary, I'll just we'll go to questions, but in summary, this is what it boils down to.

[00:18:18]You heard the leader say it. You've heard all of us say this over and over and over. This is a contrast election.

[00:18:23]Okay? And at the end of the day, the American people have to just look at this. It's contrast between common sense and crazy. We're going to ask the the people, I mean, as all of our candidates and our incumbents are out in the field, they're just ask the questions. Do you want to keep the team in charge who secured the border, got dangerous, criminal illegal aliens out of your communities and brought down crime? That that got American energy dominance going again, that returned us to peace through strength? That that has put all the conditions in the economy to to make your life better and bring down the cost of living and higher paychecks and higher tax refunds and got men out of women's sports and little girls locker rooms and ended trans surgeries on minors. Do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do you want to keep that team that party in charge of Washington or do you want to turn it over to the people that want to do the opposite of all those things I just described. Um it's a serious contrast. It's a serious serious chasm a widening chasm between the two parties that didn't exist here even 20 30 years ago. But this is where we are and you got to keep America on track and that's what this election is about. Okay. Few questions. Yeah.

[00:19:24]>> Thank you Mr. Speaker. Thank you Congressman for your service and for highlighting um with Matthew's defeat yesterday over the weekend possibly John next week is the message for Republicans that you have to be in lock step with the president or you will face defeat and also given the amount of money that was spent in Kentucky that is likely going to be spent in Texas and elsewhere is a wise choice to use all that money Repans we have such a broad battle for the house.

[00:19:56]>> The message is that we're we're advancing America's first agenda, the America first agenda. It's about putting bringing the country back and America is back and that's because we've been running an agenda again based on common sense that achieves so many of those things I just said and more. Um, we need people here who understand that, who are not, um, you know, trying to carve out their own lane and do something that's that's destructive or uh, you know, um, counterproductive, I I think, to the agenda. And that's what's happened. I mean, um, that's the message. We we have gone out very carefully with candidate recruitment to recruit patriots, people who are selfless, many veterans uh who are coming in to serve uh uh people who have been accomplished in their community, done things selflessly, servant leadership in their community, they've been uh accomplished state legislators or or local legislators and um you know achieve accomplished business persons. Um we have an an incredible array of people. The one thing they all have in common, they're not monolithic. They don't agree on every issue. Um but they believe in the core principles of our party. What what is the Republican party? What is American conservatism? What is the Republican party? It's individual freedom, limited government, the rule of law, peace through strength, fiscal responsibility, free markets, and human dignity. I don't ask much more of anybody, but you got to hold the core principles that made us the great nation, greatest nation in the history of the world. Um it's um I I never ask anybody to violate a core principle, but they have to you have to um you have to give up on some of your personal preferences sometimes because you're in a deliberative body and you have 434 colleagues, okay, other people. So um that's the message. It's nothing more than that. The president has the strongest endorsement uh in the history of politics as I mentioned. U but but we don't we don't demand loyalty to the president. What I demand as speaker of the house is loyalty to our core principles, the principles of our party which are the principles of America. And that's what we're standing for. J understanding only a fraction of it to protect the stipulated endle for secret service they need money regardless of >> well look the uh funding for secret service is essential the president has now survived a third assassination attempt in just a few years. Um we're obviously in a heightened threat environment. This is a different time than it's ever been. And so we need we need all of our law enforcement adequately funded. Certainly homeland security and certainly uh Secret Service. So we'll look at that. I I don't yet know, as I said, I don't know u what will be included in the second reconciliation bill, the final details of it. We should know that in a few hours and we'll process what we get and then we'll look at the next issues. I mean, what they're asking for to harden the security at the White House and elsewhere to make sure that Secret Service can protect um the president, the vice president, the executive branch officers is a critical function. That's not a partisan thing at all. I mean, everybody has to acknowledge it's necessary and important and we'll figure out how to make it happen.

[00:22:57]>> Would you be okay if January 6 riers, the ones who were convicted, even some of the ones who attacked the police, had access to this taxpayer dollars, taxpayer dollars 1.8 billion dollars in settlement that the DOJ has created a settlement fund. Would you be okay if they had access to that?

[00:23:14]>> We we don't know any any any of the details of that settlement fund. Um the acting attorney general Todd Blanch uh testified yesterday and he gave a lot of detail and I'll just defer to what he said because he obviously knows a lot more about it than I do. He said, let me let me let me tell you what he said. He said they are setting up a a fund uh to compensate all Americans who have been the subject uh the target of lawfare or weaponization of the federal government.

[00:23:38]Again, that's not a partisan uh proposition either. Everybody should support that. He did not say who will be eligible that there's many details to be filled out on that and I'm not going to comment it on it until that I'm not going to comment on that until it comes out. Yes, ma'am. Mr. >> Speaker, Congressman Tom has not been seen by the public for months. does he owe his constituents transparency and for your purpose are you able to pass legislation like this?

[00:24:01]>> Yeah, I I look I I talked to Tom uh it's been few weeks ago now on the phone and he and uh he sounded good and optimistic and he we're expecting him back here soon. Uh he's had a medical issue and he's going to be fully transparent and disclose all that. I mean that's what he told me. Um but I I don't even know the details and I resp you know I have to um respect that it's members personal privacy on on whatever matters they're dealing with. But we expect to have him back soon. We've missed him. He's a great member of Congress. He'll get reelected because he comes from a a long uh history a legacy and his family of faithful public service. Um things happen to people individually in their health and otherwise and they deal with challenges and they get right back.

[00:24:38]That's what champions do. Tom Kaine is one of them. Proud to stand with him.

[00:24:42]He's going to get reelected and we look forward to welcoming him back here very soon. Thank you'all. Appreciate it.

[00:25:19]Your hand is freezing.