H.R. 4593 – SHOWER Act; H.R. 5184 – Affordable HOMES Act; H.R. 6938 – Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, 2026
2026-01-06
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Source: Congress.gov
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Good evening, everyone. Welcome back and Happy New Year. Everyone. The committee will come to order without objection. The chair is authorized to declare recess at any time. I acknowledge that my remarks will be a little longer than usual this evening. First, I want to recognize Eric Shepard, a long serving professional staff member of the majority staff on the committee. whose last day is this Friday. Eric started on the committee in the summer of 2016 as a staff assistant and then worked his way to become deputy clerk and then a professional staff member. He's made a very positive impact every step of the way. Eric, it's been a pleasure to work alongside you. And I wish you well as you turn the page and enter a new and exciting chapter in your career.
Now there's one more item to address before I get to the substance of our meeting. I can imagine some will want to harp ad nauseum for most of today's meeting about the decisive action by U.S. forces in Venezuela. Any despot, especially one indicted by the Biden administration, any known enemy of the United States, or anyone who wishes to profit off the lives of U.S. citizens should know that American laws are not to be trifled with. American sovereignty matters. American lives matter. For those bad actors who ignore those facts, you can do so at your own detriment. Guising oneself under the flag of a foreign nation or as head of state does not absolve a person from consequences when American lives are on the line. Inevitably, people will scrutinize this action, and they already have online and within the media landscape. They'll say there's no precedent for it and that this action was far from routine. Here's the bottom line. A government internationally recognized as illegitimate, carrying active indictments by the U.S. government that enmeshed itself with forces intent on profiting off the lives of Americans, now knows the full force of America's response. Again, there'll be ample scrutiny to go around, but I do believe it's important to place executive branch actions from past administrations, Democrat and Republican alike, alongside the events of the weekend.
Today, the Rules Committee is convening to consider three separate measures, H.R. 6938, HR 4593, and HR 5184. After the House and Senate pass HR 6938, the Commerce, Justice, Science, Energy and Water Development, and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act 2026, we will have enacted into law six out of 12 appropriations bills. This legislation updates funding for 2026 with the purposes of reinforcing American energy independence, strengthening law enforcement, supporting responsible land management and expanding access to critical minerals. This bipartisan bicameral package of bills meets the priorities of the American people head on while strengthening our nation's capabilities, resilience and innovation right here at home. And this package reflects serious progress in completing FY26 funding in a responsible and forward looking manner. I look forward to the testimony of Chairman Cole. As always, he'll lay out the facts that the American people deserve to know.
4593 would codify President Trump's executive order to slash the bureaucratic and inflation inducing zealotry of the previous administration that drove up costs for American families and consumers. When Democrats are in power, the only thing they know how to do is regulate the hell out of everything. They don't care about who it may affect and the ballooning costs of doing so. They churn out multi-thousand word alphabet soup regulations and slap them on every single consumer product known to man. It's just the truth. Americans categorically reject this nanny state mentality that Democrats embrace so warmly as if it were an old friend. Nobody wins when a higher premium is placed upon regulating than exercising common sense and respecting consumer choice. Absolutely nobody wins. Republicans are placing choice back in the hands of American families and consumers where it rightfully belongs.
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