Get this done up to this point, but him being home is the only thing that counts for success in this equation and wed like to see it done now. And now is really it was always now, i think, from the moment he was [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. Visit ncicap. Org] [captions Copyright National cable satellite corp. 2024] including the secretaries of state and defense to immediately notify the white house and congressional leaders of any personal medical emergencies that would effect their service. Votes are expected at 6 30 eastern this evening. Live coverage of the u. S. House here on cspan. The speaker pro tempore the house will be in order. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, the chair will postpone further proceedings on the motions to suspend the rules on which a recorded vote of the yeas and nays are ordered or the vote is objected to under the clause 6 of rule 20. The house will resume proceedings on postponed questions at a later time. For what purpose does the gentleman from kansas seek recognition . Mr. Speaker i move the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h. R. 6972 as amended. The speaker pro tempore the clerk will report the title of the bill. The clerk h. R. 6972, a bill to amend title 5 United States code to require an executive agency whose head is a member of the National Security council to notify the executive office of the president , the comptroller general of the United States, and congressional leadership of such head becoming medically incapacitated for 24 hours and for other purposes. The speaker pro tempore pursuan t to the rules, the gentleman from kansas, mr. Laturner and the gentleman from maryland, mr0 minutes. The chair recognizes the gentleman from kansas. Mr. Laturner i ask all members have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on this measure. The speaker pro tempore without objection. Mr. Laturner i yield myself as much time as i may consume. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized. Mr. Laturner thank you, mr. Speaker. Like many of you i was shocked when we learned lloyd austin was medically incapacitated for days before the congressional leaders or president was made aware. It set off alarm bells on both sides of the aisle and across the National Security community. Were experiencing crises across the world, crises that requires our defense leadership to be alert and ready. Unfortunately, our defense leadership was not ready earlier this year. Secretary austin was incapacitated and no one knew. In these times we cannot afford to be caught so unprepared. Thats why this bill is an important measure to ensure military reddiness. The act requires president ial notification when someone a member of the National Security council and is the head of an executive agency becomes medically incapacitated. Under the bill the person fill inning for the incapacitated official must send it in 24 hours after the official medical incapacitation. If the proper notice is not required a report why the rules were not followed must be sent to congress, the president and comptroller general within 72 hours. This is a measured and balanced solution to this National Security issue. I thank my colleagues, representative kiggans of virginia and representative davis of North Carolina for their bipartisan work on this important and timely legislation. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this bill and i reserve the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman reserves. The gentleman from maryland is recognized. Mr. Raskin thank you, mr. Speaker. I yield myself as much time as i may consume. Thank you, mr. Laturner, for your excellent introduction. I rise also in support of h. R. 6972 which would amend the federal vacancies reform act of 1988 to require any agency head who is a member of the National Security council to notify the executive office of the president , g. A. O. , and congressional leadership within 24 hours in the event of medical incame passity. This bill was brought forth after the hospitalization several months ago of lloyd austin to treat complications from cancer surgery. Mr. Austin has taken responsibility for the lack of notifying the president during this time and assures the American People there were no gaps in authority and no risk to the department in command and control. A report confirm as much and found no ill intent by the secretarys staff. I commend the Biden Administration for the swift action it took to construct a thorough review of protocols and ensure the office of the president receives all proper notifications. This bill aligns with the Biden Administrations efforts in the field. Consistent with the spirit of transparency embodied in the 25th amendment of the constitution that requires leadership to be notified if the president is unable to discharge the duties of his or her office, i agree congress should be notified if an agency head is similarly incapacitated. I support the legislation and congratulate secretary austin on his recovery, and i reserve the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman reserves. The gentleman from kansas is recognized. Mr. Laturner thank you, mr. Speaker, and mr. Raskin. Id like to recognize the gentlewoman from virginia, mrs. Kiggans, for five minutes. The speaker pro tempore the gentlewoman is recognized. Mrs. Kiggans thank you, mr. Speaker. Im proud to rise to speak in support of my legislation, securing the chain of command continuity act. At a time when our nation is facing threats around the world, we cannot afford for people critical to americas National Security to disappear without explanation and a clear delegation of their responsibilities. As someone who served in the armed forces for nearly 10 years, i was alarmed by reports back in january that those at the highest levels in the chain of command were not informed when secretary of defense austin required an unexpected leave of absence due to health challenges. For days essential members of the National Security council, including the president , were left in the dark regarding his status, causing a serious breach of command and control that is the bedroom of americas defense supremacy. Im concerned for secretary austins health and wish him well. However, the department of defenses lack of transparency surrounding his absence is concerning. Critical communication breakdowns like these could have disastrous results and put our men and women in uniform at risk. To ensure america remains capable of combating threats wherever and whenever they occur, we not only need an unparalleled fighting force but also a strong chain of command among our militarys leadership that cant be compromised and why i produced the securing the chain of command continuity act along with my colleague on the other side of the aisle, congressman davis of North Carolina, to prevent any similar chain of command in the future and preserve the integrity of our National Security. My Bipartisan Legislation would amend existing law to require all members of the National Security council to notify the executive office of the president , the comptroller general of the United States, and to each chamber of commerce within 24 hours of any emergency medical incapacitation. In the event this does not occur, a comprehensive report must be submitted surrounding incame passity and related notification failure within 30 days. At a time our Service Members are facing lethal attacks from our adversaries across the seas, it ensures continuous chain of command so our military and command systems can act seamlessly to achieve success. Its my goal in congress to advance legislation that protects our country, our citizens, and men and women in uniform. Thats why i drafted this National Security bill in a way that all commonsense members can support no matter which side of the aisle theyre on. I was pleased when securing the chain of command continuity act was passed out of the Oversight Committee in february proving how nonpartisan this effort it. I want to thank congressman davis for his partnership with me on this dangerous issue. The world is a dangerous place and we cant afford a lack of transparency from our senior military leaders. We must preserve the National Security and i urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this commonsense, Bipartisan Legislation that will keep our military men and women safe. Thank you, and i yield back. Mr. Laturner reserve. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from maryland is recognized. Mr. Raskin thank you, mr. Speaker. Id like to yield two minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized. Mr. Davis thank you, mr. Speaker, and Ranking Member raskin. I rise in support of h. R. 6972, the securing chain of command continuity act. As a proud United States air force veteran, i join my colleague, representative kiggans of virginia, who also served our country in uniform, to introduce this bipartisan bill. If weve learned anything from the past several months, its indeed we are in a more dangerous world. As tensions and threats rise across the globe, timely responses are vital to safeguarding the American People and saving lives. Congress must require National SecurityCouncil Agencies to provide a notice of the incapacitation of their agency heads within 24 hours. Thats reasonable. This requirement for our nations leaders is a minimum expectation to ensure transparency and accountability. The American People deserve nothing less. Thank you. I support the legislation, and i yield back the balance of my time. Mr. Raskin thank you. I want to thank the gentleman from North Carolina for his eloquent remarks and return. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman reserves. The gentleman from kansas is recognized. Mr. Laturner i yield five minutes to the gentleman from wisconsin, my friend, mr. Van orden. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized. Mr. Van orden i spent over 25 years in the United States military. Ive designed elements from as large as a seal team down to a small tactical unit. And the first thing you establish is something called ccirs, commanders critical information requirements and the first one is wheres the commander . Is the commander in place and able to make decisions . And unfortunately, the most powerful department of defense in the history of the world, led by lloyd austin, failed to do the most simple task that is required of any commander and that is to inform the commander in chief of your presence. This to me is another sign of an incredibly incompetent department of defense and the Biden Administrations inability to lead and protect this nation. Im so thankful that my colleagues across the aisle have identified this, also. And they know that the Biden Administration must be held accountable in later lack of their lack of leadership in protecting the United States of america. Its unquestionable the world is a more dangerous place under Biden Administrations and mr. Austins role as secretary of defense. I want to thank you for this bill to hold the Biden Administration accountable and make sure any member of the National Security council is incapable of performing their duties is informing the president in a timely manner. And with that i yield back. Mr. Laturner i reserve. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from maryland is recognized. Mr. Raskin i reserve. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman reserves. Mr. Laturner im prepared to close. Mr. Raskin im prepared to close as well. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from maryland is recognized. Mr. Raskin we had such a nice bipartisan spirit going. I almost want to bite my tongue. But i do have to respond to the last speaker who took a gratuitous shot at President Biden and the Biden Administration who moved very quickly to get behind this legislation and address this gap in the law. We do need to always establish the chain of command and we need to know, as the gentleman from wisconsin was saying, where is the commander in chief. Where is the leader . That was the question everybody was asking on january 6 when this institution, this body came under brutal merciless attack by a mob insighted by the former president. And nearly 150 of our Police Officers were wounded, brutalized and hospitalized in that attack and everybody was asking this very question the gentleman from wisconsin was asking, which is where is the commander in chief . Where is the leader . Where is the National Guard . So im sorry to have to make that refutation of the interjection from the gentleman, and i strongly support the legislation and yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields. The gentleman from kansas is recognized. Mr. Laturner we were so close, mr. Speaker, so close. Mr. Speaker, i encourage my house colleagues to support this Government Transparency bill to address a relevant National Security concern. I yield back the balance of my five. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yield. The question is bull the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h. R. 6972 as amended. Those in favor say aye. Those opposed, no. In the opinion of the chair, 2 3 being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed and without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid upon the table. For what purpose does the gentleman from kansas seek recognition . Mr. Laturner i move the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h. R. 7219 as amended. The speaker pro tempore the clerk will report the tight of the bill. The clerk h. R. 7219, a bill to ensure the federal agencies rely on the best reasonably accurate statistical facts to inform the department of rules and guidance and for other purposes. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from kansas, mr. Laturner, and the gentleman from maryland, mr. Raskin, each will control 20 minutes. The chair recognizes the gentleman from kansas. Mr. Laturner i ask unanimous consent all members have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on this measure. The speaker pro tempore without objection. Mr. Laturner i yield myself such time as i may consume. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized. Mr. Laturner thank you, mr. Speaker. I rise in support of this bill, the information Quality Assurance act. Each year thousands of regulations are imposed as an added burden on the american public. The code of federal regulations in this these rules are housed spans it 43 volumes that contain over 180,000 single spaced pages. Agency guidance explaining this guidance to the public spans millions more pages. If we must have rules imposed by federal regulatory agencies, we should, at the very least, ensure that regulatory agencies rely on the best available information. Unfortunately, they frequently do not rely on the best available information to make their regulations. Year after year, courts are clogged with regulations with lawsuits showing that agencies have act and flawd information. In 2000, congress enacted the information quality act which charged the office of management and budget and each federal agency to adopt guidelines to ensure agencies relied on high quality information. In 2015, congress enacted the foundations of evidencebased policymaking act, expanding on the information quality act to further ensure agencies use high quality information. Still, disputes continue to arise over whether regulators are basing decisions on the best quality information available. Every year, courts strike down agency rules that do not rely on adequate information. Every year, Agency Guidance that does not rely on the best information forces regulated parties down pathways that do not make sense. The information Quality Assurance act takes several major, but straightforward steps to solve that problem. For the first time, it requires the naftion on which agencies rest their rules and guidance be best reasonably available information. It includes several terms to ensure agencies are held to that standard. That will improve Agency Decision making, and avoid the need for many disputes over agencies use of information to go to court. I urge my colleagues to support this bill and i thank representative mcclain and representative porter for their work on this important Bipartisan Legislation. I reserve the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman reserves. The gentleman from maryland is recognized. Mr. Raskin thank you. I yield myself such time as i might consume. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized. Mr. Raskin i rise in support of this act. Technological advances have expanded access to rule making documents and made it easier for the public to comment on proposed rules and thats a good thing about transparency and deliberation. At the same time, in recent high profile rule makings