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▶ 0:05:52yes all right the committee on house administration will come to order I note that a quorum is present without objection the chair is authorized to declare recess at any time today I want to welcome all of you to the committee on house administration's organizational meeting for the 119th Congress uh I'd like to welcome back my friend and colleague uh ranking member Mr melli uh and my Democratic colleagues I'm excited to continue to work uh with all of you uh also welcome back uh our Republican colleagues uh Mr Barry laudermilk uh Mr Morgan Griffith uh Congressman
▶ 0:06:23Greg Murphy uh congresswoman Stephanie Bice Congressman Mike KY and congresswoman Laura Lee uh thank thank you for all your hard work uh the past Congress and look forward to the hard work that is coming ahead during the next two years in the 119th I would also like to welcome uh our new members congresswoman Mary Miller of Illinois and congresswoman Julie Johnson uh from Texas uh Ms Miller uh from Illinois has been a friend and a strong supporter of Common Sense election Integrity measures uh that'll strengthen our election laws and increase confidence
▶ 0:06:54uh in our elections and we're excited uh Miss Miller that you're able uh and willing to join our committee uh look forward to your work in particular as it relates uh to an election Integrity uh during this Congress um Miss Julie Johnson uh from Texas um we just had a conversation about the Rivalry between the uh Texas uh and Dallas Cowboys and the Green Bay Packers and with the today's weather I'm reminded of course of the 1967 Ice Bowl uh which we both might be reminded that the Green Bay Packers defeated the Dallas
▶ 0:07:24Cowboys 217 on a on a frigid day but we we look forward to uh your participation in the hearing as well uh we welcome both of you uh to the committee the committee on house administration was incredibly productive last Congress during the 118th Congress we held 39 full committee and subcommittee hearings last Congress on issues including legislative oversight election Integrity legislative branch modernization artificial intelligent capabilities and other topics we passed the Coco
▶ 0:07:54act in a nonpartisan fashion got it signed into law ensuring congressional election observers are able to fairly and accurately observe elections across the country I'm proud of what we've been able to accomplish as a committee however our work is far from over we still have more we can do to strengthen our election integrity and increase Americans confidence in our elections we'll continue working to make the legislative branch more costeffective and efficient most importantly we'll continue to enhance we'll continue to enhance our
▶ 0:08:24campus security to ensure the capital is safe and accessible for all Americans I look forward to working alongside my colleagues to ensure a successful and productive 119th Congress as I said our work is just beginning I'll now recognize the ranking member Mr melli for five minutes for the purpose of offering an opening statement thank you uh Mr chairman uh first congratulations on your uh reappointment as chair of the house administration committee we're grateful to you
▶ 0:08:54for all your work and thanks for calling uh this meeting so we can formally begin the process uh uh and the important work of this committee so today we'll consider uh a um I'm not sure if it's a number of or if we compile them all into a single resolution but uh I know that are critical to the operation of the house I guess we're going to take them all up perhaps as one vote all the resolutions but uh before we get to that I want to uh officially thank um and welcome all of my colleagues back to the committee uh Miss Miller welcome um and
▶ 0:09:24it's great to have you join us and I do want to uh also acknowledge represent Terry Su and representative Norma Torres are two members who have um served in the past um Miss Su of course from Alabama and Miss Torres from California who's sadly I think as Miss Bice is at the Appropriations Committee but um is excited to continue and I want to make sure that we particularly keep our thoughts and prayers for uh the people in California where M Torres represents um as subcommittee
▶ 0:09:55Leaders on our side uh both Miss suul and Torres serve this committee uh with integrity and distinction last Congress and I look forward to working with both of them I also want to uh welcome uh on our side a a u fellow former state legislator um Miss Johnson who served in the uh state house in in Texas and uh welcome her both to the House of Representatives and certainly to to our committee I think it's it's rare on our side
▶ 0:10:25that a first-term member gets appointed to a leadership uh committee but I think it speaks to Julie's experience and judgment uh that leader Jeff has asked her to serve with us so early in her tenure uh the 118th Congress was productive for this committee and I thank you Mr chairman um for that while we had our disagreements uh some more entrenched perhaps than others uh we also delivered bipartisan wins for the house and for the American people uh and I'm eager to continue that fruitful relationship in the 119th Congress as we tackle
▶ 0:10:55the diverse range of issues uh we are charged with overseeing um through the committee's jurisdiction over the administration of all federal elections we have a solemn duty to preserve protect and defend the sanctity of American democracy and we must ensure that every American is able to cast a free and fair ballot our nation does well only when everyone participates but uh we falter if we Elevate the wealthy the well-off and the well-connected above our friends neighbors and the countless working Americans that have made this country a shining
▶ 0:11:25City on the hill it's also incumbent upon all of us to ensure the house is a safe and inclusive place uh to work for members and staff and while we have made considerable strides to this end in recent congresses is evident in the workplace rights resolution we will consider today we must still actively work to preserve and to expand on those uh achievements the sanctity of this institution is among our most critical missions and I know we all take that uh very very seriously uh to that end uh I again invite
▶ 0:11:55the majority to work with us on bipartisan oversight of the Capitol Police Capital complex security and the safety of members and staff and to a certain extent we were certainly able to do that at the full committee level during the 118th Congress and I'm grateful to Chairman style uh and the full committee staff for uh their partnership in these efforts this is especially important given president Trump's most recent actions freeing violent felons who assaulted police officers in our Capital allowing them into these Halls back and sending them back
▶ 0:12:26into their districts and I urge the committee uh in the strongest term take immediate action to address uh this new threat uhu as it uh as it is happening it is my hope that the 119th Congress we can spend meaningful time ensuring the mental health wellness and morale of the Capitol Police including continued development of the Howe leing good Center for wellness and addressing systemic deficiencies in the force such as officer training and recruitment which I know they continue to struggle with uh we are also not
▶ 0:12:56just responsible for the physical security uh but also cyber defenses as well and as the use and advancement of artificial intelligence expands dramatically uh we must be prudent and thoughtful um in its use in the legislative branch and throughout the 118th Congress this committee again thank you Mr chairman for that we worked in a bipartisan manner to advance the implementation of AI uh technology so I'm committed to continuing this effort striving for a more efficient and effective house expanding uh the renewed
▶ 0:13:26focus on responsibly expanding the use of AI across member offices committees and institutional Partners our policies must adequately protect sensitive data fortify the House Network and ensure staff are trained on the potential dangers of AI and we also serve as Guardians of the historical record so we have much work to do it's my hope that we can build on the bipartisan groundwork we laid last Congress and keep the best interest of our constituents and institution at the Forefront of our efforts again let me thank you uh Mr chairman and your great staff for the
▶ 0:13:56uh uh the bipartisan work and the cooperation we look forward to that again I just note as a historical note uh I was actually alive in 1967 and watched the game on television so I don't believe you were actually on the planet yet we we're certainly anticipating we were anticipating your arrival but I actually watched the game I remember it well so with that I'll yield back the the G the gentleman yields back uh I have uh I I I've watch the game but I did not watch it live that is an
▶ 0:14:27accurate I I'm I'm I'm willing to yield to the the the G Miss Johnson um Mr chairman just let the record reflect that I would hope that ranking member morale would be on the cowboy side of this I am the Democrat on side I'm a brown fan that's the worst of all things so I'm just put I would like to just put that out there thank you so much for welcoming me so nicely to the committee thank you um Mr chairman if I I I will yield to my colleague Mr gri it's about the Ice Bowl Mr chairman um I happen to represent Carol
▶ 0:14:57Dale uh who who was from Wise County was on the 1967 Packers team was there and is it came home to coach football at UVA wise he's now retired but uh the football stadium at his high school is name for him and he was a big part of the Packers organization in the 60s the the chair will yield to anyone else who would like to say a positive statement about the Green Bay Packers I'm not sure miss Miller can do that being from Illinois uh but we'll put you on the spot no in a in a in a serious sense
▶ 0:15:28um back to our business I'll Now call up committee resolution 1191 through 1198 to be considered in Block uh committee resolution 1191 is the rules of the committee on house administration for the 119th Congress committee resolution 1192 appoints the majority members to the subcommittees uh rep Laurel Lee will serve as chair of the subcommittee on elections rep Stephanie Bice will serve as the chair of the subcommittee on modernization and Innovation
▶ 0:15:58committee resolution 1193 appoints the minority members to the subcommittee uh rep Terry Su will serve as the ranking member of the subcommittee on elections and rep Norma Torres will serve as the ranking member on the subcommittee on modernization and Innovation committee resolution 1194 adopts the parking policy for the 119th Congress committee resolution 1195 promulgates regulations regarding mandatory anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policies for house offices
▶ 0:16:29committee resolution 1196 promulgates regulations regarding displaying a statement of rights and protections provided to house employees committee resolution 1197 implements the house retention through education advancement program known as reap committee resolution 1198 amends the eligible Congressional member organizational handbook I'll now recognize the ranking member Miss melli if he'd like to give a statement on these resolutions uh thank you Mr chairman I
▶ 0:16:59um largely support the resolutions contained within the on block package as drafted and I'll urge uh my colleagues on our side to do the same but I would like to spend just a few moments talking about some procedural protections I would like the committee to consider as we move forward in the 119th Congress protection of the rights of the minority regardless of which party holds the gavl has been a fundamental principle of the house since its Inception robust informed debate not only makes for good policy but it makes for a better overall committee to that end would
▶ 0:17:29um respectfully ask that the committee Endeavor to enforce requirements for the advanced submission of a majority witness testimony to allow for better development of member questions um too often last Congress uh Witnesses failed to submit their written testimony in a timely manner sometimes not submitting at all uh which really hindered our preparation uh and making for uh a less informed hearing and thus a deficient committee record so I would just encourage that our staff's uh on both sides
▶ 0:17:59work tirelessly on these proceedings and delayed testimon makes it harder uh for them to do their jobs secondly it's long been the tradition of the committee to require a majority vote of the committee's members to authorize the issuance of a subpoena reasons for that are simple congress's power to compel is mighty and must be used judiciously in after debate uh requiring bipartisan consideration achieves that end so I ask you to use your discretion as chair to consult uh with me as the ranking member prior to issuing any
▶ 0:18:29subpoenas as much uh as much as possible obviously it's not always possible but uh and it provid us some reasonable amount of notice uh for the Committees um uh to the committee's minority prior to the issu of any of those subpoenas um there moded suggestions uh consistent with I think uh not only the committee's precedent U but also uh the manner in which you've conducted this which isn't a bipartisan fashion so I think they would serve as well as we begin our work uh here with that I support the resolutions welcome our
▶ 0:19:00ranking uh members on the subcommittee Miss Su uh Miss Johnson will serve on that subcommittee as well on elections and Miss Torres uh and I will serve as members on modernization Innovation and I uh do again support these resolutions considered in block and I urge my colleagues to do the same and with that I yield back the gentleman yields back I appreciate the comments and we'll continue to work uh to improve uh operations uh on the committee um the clerk will please report the resolutions
▶ 0:19:30committee resolution 11 without objection the reading of the resolutions is dispensed with also without objection the resolution shall be considered as read and open to Amendment at any point does any member recognition I ask unanimous consent I now ask unanimous consent that these resolutions be considered in Block Hearing no objection the committee will consider the resolution in block and the question now occurs on the resolution all those in favor signify by saying I I all those oppos no in the opinion of the chairs the eyes have it and the resolutions
▶ 0:20:01are agreed to without objection a motion reconsider is laid upon the table according to rule 1 p i appoint rep Laurel Lee as Vice chair of the full Committee in accordance with rule 14b of the rules of the committee I now appoint Kristen monteroso as the clerk I request unanimous consent that the two letters stating the appointments of the clerk and vice chair be entered into the record a copy of these letters will be made available to all committee members this concludes all the matters before the committee unless any of other have any comments without objection
▶ 0:20:31the staff is authorized to make Tech necessary Technical and conforming changes if there's no further business I want to thank the members for their participation without that objection the committee on house administration stands adjourned for