Power like a weapon against his own people, erodes our decency, degrades our dignity. I dont yet know how they will tell the story of this era, but i want to tell you the 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. Ill be home soon. Gentlemans time has expired. Gentleman from oklahoma. Thank you, madam speaker. Im going to reserve my time for the moment. Gentleman reserves. Gentleman from massachusetts. Im proud to yield one minute to the gentle woman from california, ms. Lee. The gentle lady is recognized for one minute. First let me say i taught my children that there are consequences if they broke the
law. I am saddened but im not shocked that we are here today considering articles of impeachment against President Trump. Im saddened, but im not shocked because of the pattern of corruption we have seen from this president. Yes, i am saddened, but im not shocked because this president has routinely shown his disregard of congress and the rule of law. The facts are not in dispute. The president abused his power, defied the Publics Trust and betrayed his Oath Of Office. He undermined our elections by corruptly soliciting foreign interference in our elections to benefit his own future reelection efforts. Then he obstructed Congress Every step of the way in an effort to cover it all up. Donald trump remains a threat to our National Security, wholly unfit to serve as president of the United States. We have an obligation to act
today to uphold the constitution, but also to show our children and grandchildren that no one is above the law. That includes the president of the United States. The gentleman from oklahoma. Thank you, madam speaker. I continue to reserve my time. The gentleman from massachusetts. Im happy to yield one minute to the gentle woman from massachusetts, ms. Trahan. Madam speaker, today i rise to defend our democracy. In this chamber we debate the nations most pressing issues and often reasonable people can draw different conclusions, but not today. The facts are black and white. President trump abused the power of his office for personal and political gain and then he engaged in a coverup. It is up to us to confront those facts and vote to preserve and protect our democratic republic. This is not a fight i or my colleagues sought out when we ran for congress, but it is one
we pledged when we raised our right hand and swore an oath to defend our constitution. Anything other than a vote to impeach will be read as a vote endorsing a future president without rules or consequences, an anything goes, noholdsbarred that will leave us weaker and surely undermine what the framers pass down. We owe it to future generations to transcend personal interest and Party Loyalty and vote our conscience for whats really at sake today, the sanctity of our constitution and the sanctity of our democracy. Thank you and i yield back. Gentleman from oklahoma. Thank you, madam speaker, i continue to reserve. Gentleman from massachusetts. Madam speaker, id like to ask unanimous consent to insert into the record october 23rd New York Times article. That objection is so ordered. At this point id like to yield one minute to the
gentleman from maryland. The gentleman is recognized for one minute. Thank the gentleman for yielding. I rise today in support of the two articles of impeachment against President Trump for abuse of power and obstruction of congress. Voting to impeach the president is a weighty decision. Its not something you reach for. Its something you are brought to, reluctantly when the evidence presented, can no longer be denied. In this sober and historic moment members of congress are called upon to uphold our Oath Of Office and our duty to the constitution. Today we answer that call. The president s actions compromise the National Security of the United States, undermine the integrity of our democratic process and betray the trust of the American People. In soliciting foreign interference, President Trump took direct aim at the heart of our democracy. The American People should decide our elections, not a foreign country. As long as the president
continues to invite foreign interference into our democracy, the integrity of the 2020 election remains at risk. The question is will congress allow the president to place his personal interest above those of his country. I urge my colleagues in the house to join me in answering that question with a resounding no because no one, not even the president of the United States is above the law. I yield back. The gentleman from oklahoma. Thank you, madam speaker. I continue to reserve my time. Gentleman from massachusetts. I ask unanimous consent to insert into the record october 9 Politico Magazine article entitled this is what a legitimate Anti Corruption effort in ukraine would look like which explains legitimate requests are made through the dojs office of International Affairs and pursuant to the United States mutual Legal Assistance treaty. So ordered. Id like to yield one minute to the gentle woman from
florida, ms. Castro. The president abused his power. He violated his Oath Of Office. He sought to elevate himself as a dictator, a king. But were not a monarchy. We are the United States of america. We are a republic, a democracy where the executive does not have absolute power. America was founded on a system of checks and balances. When the president withheld military aid to vulnerable ukraine and pressed for a personal favor to manufacture dirt against a political opponent, he went too far. He undermined americas National Security. He sought to sabotage our elections. He elevated his personal interests over the interests of america. Then he tried to cover up his scandalous behavior and he obstructed the investigation. He violated his Oath Of Office, but i intend to uphold mine, to protect and defend the constitution of the United States of america. The president must be impeached today. I yield back. The gentleman from oklahoma. Thank you, madam speaker. I continue to reserve my time. The gentleman from massachusetts. I ask unanimous consent to insert into the record december 5th boston Globe Editorial entitled impeach the president. And December 11th usa today editorial entitled impeach President Trump, too serious for the house to ignore. Without objection. At this point ill yield one woman to the gentle woman from florida, ms. Wasserman schultz. Throughout this process i listened to Career Diplomats testify in depositions and found myself contemplating the gravity of this decision. One of my daughters asked then how id make my decision about impeachment. I told her that when her future children learn about president
trumps impeachment, they may ask, mommy, what did grandma do . I want my daughter to tell her children grandma did the right thing because in america no one is above the law. With his conduct around ukraine, President Trump corruptly abused his power for his own interests at direct odds with our National Welfare and our constitution. This president put his interests before those of this nation. Left unchecked hed do it again and has said so. The actions and on going schemes that led us to this moment are severe threats to our National Security and democracy that we cant defend or dismiss. I must fulfill my constitutional duty and vote to impeach this president. His corrupt conduct and assault on our constitution leave no other choice. I yield back. Gentleman from oklahoma. I continue to reserve my time. Gentleman from massachusetts. Madam speaker, i yield one min tout the gentleman from california. The gentleman is recognized for one minute. Thank you, madam speaker. Today the house is voting to conserve a principle, what makes america the most prosperous nation in the world is our reverence for the rule of law. Its our love of the law that protects our freedoms, private property, our families from the exercise of arbitrary power. The real threat to American Leadership in the 21st century is internal decline. We choose not to stand idly by while we see the corrupting of our body politic with an attitude that winners dont have to follow the rules. In voting to impeach, we remember lincolns address, let every american, every well wisher to its pos Sparity Swear by the blood of the revolution never to violate in the least particular the laws of this country and never to tolerate their violation by other. Let it be taught in schools and seminaries and in colleges, let it be written in primary
spelling books and almanac, preached from the pulpit, proclaimed in legislative halls and enforced in the courts of justice. In short, let it become the political religion of the nation. Gentleman from oklahoma. I continue to reserve. Just to advise through the chair, my friend, im waiting for an additional speaker. We reserve our time. The gentleman reserves. Gentleman from massachusetts. Madam speaker i ask june announce consent to insert December 17th Cnn article entitled fact collect, Trumps Wild Letter To Pelosi is full of false and miss lieding claims. Without objection. I yield to the gentleman from north carolina. I rise on this solemn occasion as we in the House Of Representatives exercise the power given to us by the United States constitution. The original constitution was flawed in some respects but with respect to president ial misconduct it was unmistakable. The framers knew that president s
could be corrupt or abusive with their power so impeachment was written into our organic law. Since taking office, President Trump has consistently and intentionally divided the country. Hes consistently encouraged foreign actors to interfere in our elections. Hes thumbed his nose, madam speaker, at the legislative branch. Enough is enough. We must protect our constitution, our democracy. Our vote today to prefer serious charges against President Trump and deliver the charges to the senate for trial, a place where President Trump can defend himself and attempt, if he chooses, to convince the senate and the American People that his conduct does not violate the constitution. I thank the gentleman. I yield back. Gentleman yields back. Gentleman from oklahoma. Thank you very much, madam speaker. I yield one minute to my good friend and distinguished combat veteran for our country, mr. Baird of indiana. The gentleman is recognized for one minute. Madam speaker, today marks a sad day for america. Instead of getting to work to solve the issues of our time, the House Democrats have decided to try to discredit President Trump and undo the results of the 2016 election. The facts are clear that the president did not commit any crimes, he did not break any laws and there was no quid pro quo. This has been a secretive misdirected process from the very beginning and the American People see right through it. I look forward to voting against this Impeachment Charade and getting back to work to support the efforts of President Trump to continue growing our economy, creating jobs and improving the lives of all americans. I yield back the balance of my time. The gentleman yields back. The gentleman from massachusetts. I yield one minute to the gentleman from pennsylvania, mr. Boyle. The gentleman is recognized for one minute. Thank you. Madam speaker, this is the
fourth impeachment proceeding against an american president and the most serious. The president committed numerous crimes threatening the National Security. Ultimately the matter before us today is not a question of fact, for the evidence is undisputed. Nor is it a question of law as the constitution is clear. The heart of the matter is this. Will members of this house have the courage to choose fidelity to the constitution over loyalty to their political party. For the sake of our constitution and our country, for americans today and tomorrow, i urge all members to summon the courage to uphold the rule of law and vote yes. I yield back. The gentleman yields back. Gentleman from oklahoma. Thank you, madam speaker. I continue to reserve my time. Gentleman from massachusetts. I yield one minute to the
distinguished gentleman from missouri, mr. Clay. I rise today to hold Donald John Trump accountable for his repeated abuse of power, his deliberate obstruction of the houses constitutionally mandated oversight responsibility and his unprecedented misuse of the presidency to weaken the separation of powers and subvert our constitution by dangling 391 million in congressional aid appropriated tax dollars over the head of an embattled ally in order to coerce a fraudulent investigation into a potential political opponent. Our founders feared a lawless, amoral president would willfully put National Security at risk for his own personal gain. In 1974 republicans made it
clear that their ultimate loyalty was not to one man but to upholding the constitution. Today the uncontested evidence shows donald trump violated his Oath Of Office. My friends on both sides of the aisle can either defend him or defend the constitution. Time has expired. I yield back. The gentleman from oklahoma continues to verve . I do, madam speaker. Gentleman from massachusetts. If i can acquire of the gentleman how many more speakers he has . Im prepared to close when my friend is. The gentleman from oklahoma is recognized to close. Thank you very much, madam speaker. I yield myself the balance of my time. Recognized. 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 im sure theyre voting their convictions. So when i vote mine, please dont imply im doing it for my political party. Im doing it because its what i believe is right. I do believe i can defend both the president and the constitution of the United States, and i think thats 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, an unfair process and a rushed process. It could only have ever had one logical predetermined ending. Throughout it all, the majority trampled on Minority Rights, they refused to call witnesses with relevant firsthand 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 it. In the end, what was the result . Articles of impeachment based on an event that never lapd. A purported quid pro quo that did not exist. Aid that was allegedly withheld that in reality was never withheld at all. A Narrative Intent based on nothing more than fantasy. 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 if the majority has pursued since the day it was elected. It cannot be based on nothing more than spin and hearsay. I oppose this rule, and i oppose the flawed and unfair process. Madam speaker, its a very solemn vote that owl 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 kmad 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. Gentleman from massachusetts. I yield myself the remaining time. The gentleman is recognized. Madam speaker, let me thank my friend, mr. Cole, for his kind words. I respect that fact that he respects this institution. Madam speaker, let me say again what happened here. The president withheld
congressionally approved military aid to a count