During a House Appropriation Committee markup meeting held before the Congressional recess, Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-IL) and Rep. Steve Womack (R-AR) spoke about TOPIC.
00:00Gentle lady from Florida, Ms. Wasserman Schultz is recognized for an amendment.
00:04Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have an amendment at the desk and I ask unanimous consent that it be considered as read.
00:09Without objection, the reading of the amendment is dispensed with and gentle lady is recognized for remarks on her amendment.
00:15Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I rise today to offer an amendment that is about much more than a single grant program.
00:24It's about the rightful power of Congress to decide how taxpayer dollars are spent and about keeping our promise to the communities we serve.
00:31My amendment would unfreeze the federal dollars awarded in round two of the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program
00:38by directing the Secretary of Transportation to obligate any remaining balances within 90 days.
00:43I'm offering this amendment because the administration is currently blocking funds that Congress appropriated
00:48and that DOT already awarded, including nearly $5 million for the city of Hollywood, Florida and my district.
00:55Hollywood's residents were thrilled to receive this investment.
00:58Our city has already started planning and preparing to install badly needed EV charging stations.
01:03But today they're in limbo with their funding frozen by an executive order that paused IIJA disbursements without any approval from Congress.
01:13This isn't just happening in Hollywood.
01:15In Duval County, which includes part of Congressman Rutherford's district, the city of Jacksonville was awarded nearly $2.8 million for its own EV charging initiative.
01:25And in Tennessee, represented by E&W Chairman Fleischman, the state was awarded more than $35 million for a statewide EV corridor project.
01:33These are real dollars for real communities appropriated by this committee, voted on by this Congress, and awarded through a competitive process.
01:41When the executive branch freezes these funds unilaterally, it doesn't just hurt Democratic constituents.
01:47It hurts all of our constituents, too.
01:50The executive order freezing those funds is not just bad policy.
01:53It is a direct affront to our power of the purse under Article I, Section 9 of the Constitution.
02:00Every appropriator in this room takes that responsibility seriously, I hope.
02:04That's what we signed up for when joining this committee, despite what the OMB director says.
02:09We debate, we deliberate, and when we are actually able to come together in a bipartisan fashion, which I think we've all witnessed, we do all the time within these walls, then that decision should stand.
02:22That plaque that was thankfully restored and returned to its rightful place is our constitutional authority.
02:30But when the administration ignores our decisions and impounds funds, it is stealing our power and undermining the institutions of this Congress.
02:38We cannot and must not let that stand.
02:42So I urge you to stand with your constituents, with our constituents, stand by the decisions we already made.
02:49Stand up for this committee and our authority and support this amendment.
02:53Thank you, and I yield back the balance of my time.
02:57Thank you, gentlelady.
02:58The gentleman from Arkansas, Mr. Womack, is recognized to respond to the amendment.
03:03Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
03:05Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
03:07I rise in opposition to the amendment.
03:10The Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program is a competitive grant program funded by the IIJA through the Highway Trust Fund portion of the bill.
03:19It's not part of the Appropriations Division of the bill.
03:23Now, I recognize that the OMB request included a proposal to CHIMP, Change of Mandatory Spending, contract authority dollars through the competitive EV program to achieve a billion and a half dollars in savings.
03:36Our bill rejects this request.
03:37So I ask members to join me in opposing this amendment.
03:40I yield back.
03:42Thanks, the gentleman.
03:43The gentleman from South Carolina, Mr. Clyburn, is recognized to address the amendment.
03:48Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
03:51I'm here for the amendment in my home state of South Carolina.
04:01In my home state of South Carolina, we are participating mildly in this area going forward.
04:09I have talked about the changes taking place in our environment, so much so until I'm having a real struggle.
04:18These days participate in my favorite pastime because of the weather.
04:24And so I believe this is not just a new need, but this is a new economy in many of our states, and I would hope that we would approve this amendment.
04:36How are you back?
04:38Thank the gentleman.
04:39The gentleman lady from Illinois is recognized to address the amendment.
04:43Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
04:44I had a question for Mr. Romack.
04:46If you could, you know, clarify what your comments were.
04:49We didn't really understand what you were saying about the request and how it relates to Ms. Wasserman Schultz's amendment.
04:57And so I would be happy to yield to the gentleman to clarify.
05:00I'll be happy to also call on some of my team, some of my staff members in the event that I can't articulate an adequate answer to your question.
05:12But let's just look at the background of this issue.
05:16The Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program is a $2.5 billion program funded through the Highway Trust Funds Contract Authority, and our bill exceeds the limitation of obligation of these funds.
05:33The OMB request requested a cancellation of prior year balances and a rescission of the FY26 amounts in this program, resulting in a total change in the mandatory program or the CHIMP, as it's referred to, of over a billion and a half dollars.
05:51Our bill doesn't carry any CHIMPs.
05:53And we would not want to cancel Highway Trust Fund amounts because that would be a breach of the T&I jurisdiction.
06:02So now, if there is additional information you need, I've got a professional staff here that can probably dig down a little bit further in the weeds on it.
06:12But in answer to your question, I yield.
06:14So to summarize, are you saying that we don't have, you don't have rescissions in this bill, but the rescissions are happening someplace else?
06:22Or are you saying that we're trying to add to the top line?
06:30We rescinded the NEVI program, and this particular program we're talking about is, what's the correct terminology?
06:43Contract Authority.
06:44Contract Authority.
06:45So that's the difference.
06:48And so this is contract authority, and we don't do that.
06:53We don't change the contract authority.
06:55So are you saying then that the $2 billion for these EV charging stations remain in your base bill?
07:04Precisely.
07:04Okay.
07:08And so the money is in the base bill that would be funded for fiscal 26, even though you know that the Trump administration is refusing to spend those funds.
07:16We're getting into some technical terms here, but we don't have a request from the administration on that.
07:33Oh, I understand that part.
07:35I'm just talking about our appropriations bill, right?
07:37We can appropriate funding that they don't request.
07:39And so I'm just trying to clear.
07:40We are voting on rescissions either today or tomorrow.
07:43I understand that part.
07:44I am not clear on what you are saying is in this base bill and why that is a justification for not supporting Ms. Wasserman-Schultz's amendment.
07:51That is correct.
07:52I just don't understand.
07:53Well, I'm not asking the gentlelady to understand.
07:58Oh, okay.
07:59Okay.
07:59Okay, so.
08:00There's a lot of things that I do or propose or put in this bill that, as evidenced by a lot of votes today, that you probably don't understand as well.
08:12Oh, Mr. Chairman, I don't think there's necessary to be.
08:16To be fair.
08:18Sure, sir.
08:18I'm just asking for clarification.
08:20You know, we talked about a rescission.
08:22We talked about the base bill.
08:24We talked about a couple billion dollars being in the base bill.
08:27We talked about there not being a funding request.
08:30I just don't understand then why there is an opposition.
08:34That's the part that's not clear.
08:39Yeah, to requiring the funds to be spent or to clarify the congressional intent for the funds to be spent.
08:45I've stated the opposition.
08:46Okay.
08:47I yield back.
08:50Thank you, gentlelady.
08:51And gentlemen, are there other members wishing to address the amendment?
08:56There is no further debate.
09:01The gentleman is, or gentlelady, excuse me, is recognized to close.
09:06Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
09:10The chairman has clearly stated that these funds are not removed from this bill.
09:16This program is still a part of the jurisdiction of this bill.
09:20We have appropriated these funds.
09:22They are lawful.
09:25And the administration does not have the authority to decide not to spend them.
09:30They've frozen all the funds for a program that is inbounds in this bill.
09:35And respectfully, the chairman's explanation does not prohibit or prevent us.
09:41And there's no addition to the top line here.
09:44There's nothing in this bill barring us from adopting my amendment.
09:48Except political will.
09:51And the political will we need to have is to stand up for our co-equal branch of government
09:56and for our own constituents who are being denied funds that were already approved,
10:02that were about to be distributed, and that they froze and still haven't unfrozen.
10:08Even if you buy the argument that they are trying to align program funding with the administration's policy,
10:16it's been months already, and they had plenty of time.
10:20This is good old-fashioned impoundment and refusal to abide by federal law and also by our Constitution.
10:28Let's make sure we have spines here and stand up for our constituents.
10:32I've specifically enumerated numerous, several members here are and there are countless across the Congress
10:39whose constituents' funds are frozen.
10:41I urge you to vote for the adoption of this amendment so we can make sure that our constitutional authority
10:46and our lawful right to appropriate these funds is respected
10:52and our constituents get the resources we've provided to them.
10:54And I yield back.
10:55The question is now on the amendment offered by the gentlelady from Florida.
11:03All those in favor say aye.
11:05Aye.
11:06All those opposed say no.
11:08No.
11:09The opinion of the chair, the no's have it.
11:12Roll call for the vote.
11:13The recorded vote has been requested.
11:15A sufficient number of hands have been raised.
11:20You can put your hands down now.
11:22We've got enough.
11:23So the clerk will call the roll.
11:27Mr. Adderholt.
11:28Mr. Adderholt, no.
11:29Mr. Aguilar.
11:30Mr. Aguilar, aye.
11:32Mr. Alford.
11:34Mr. Alford, no.
11:35Mr. Amaday.
11:37Mrs. Bice.
11:39Mrs. Bice, no.
11:40Mr. Bishop.
11:41Aye.
11:42Mr. Bishop, aye.
11:42Mr. Calvert.
11:44Mr. Carter.
11:45Mr. Carter, no.
11:46Mr. Case.
11:47Mr. Case, aye.
11:48Mr. Siskamani.
11:51Mr. Siskamani, no.
11:52Mr. Klein.
11:53Mr. Klein.
11:54No.
11:54Mr. Cloud.
11:56Mr. Clyburn.
11:57Aye.
11:58Mr. Clyburn, aye.
11:59Mr. Clyde.
12:00Mr. Clyde, no.
12:01Mr. Kohl.
12:02No.
12:02Mr. Kohl, no.
12:03Mr. Quayar.
12:04Mr. Quayar, aye.
12:05Miss Dean.
12:07Miss Dean, aye.
12:08Mr. DeLorell.
12:09Aye.
12:09Mr. DeLorell, aye.
12:10Mr. Diaz-Balart.
12:12Mr. Diaz-Balart, no.
12:13Mr. Edwards.
12:14Mr. Edwards, no.
12:16Mr. Elsie.
12:17Mr. Elsie.
12:18No.
12:18Ms. Escobar.
12:19Mr. Escobar, aye.
12:20Mr. Espaillat. Mr. Espaillat, aye. Mr. Fleischman. Ms. Frankel. Ms. Frankel, aye. Mr. Franklin.
12:28Mr. Franklin, no. Mr. Gonzalez. Mr. Gonzalez, no. Mr. Guest. Mr. Guest, no. Mr. Harder.
12:34Mr. Harder, aye. Dr. Harris. Dr. Harris, no. Mrs. Henson. Mrs. Henson, no. Mr. Hoyer.
12:43Mr. Hoyer, aye. Mr. Ivy, aye. Mr. Ivy, aye. Mr. Joyce.
12:47Ms. Kaptor. Ms. Kaptor, no. Mr. Lalota.
12:57Off, no, and aye. Ms. Kaptor. Mr. Lalota. Mr. Lalota, no. Ms. Lee.
13:04Ms. Letlow. Ms. Letlow, no. Mr. Levin.
13:09Ms. Malloy. Ms. Malloy, no. Ms. McCollum.
13:13Ms. Ming. Ms. Ming, aye. Mr. Molinar.
13:18Mr. Molinar, no. Mr. Moore. Mr. Moore, no. Mr. Morelli.
