▶ 0:00:45the 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 I'd like to start uh by thanking ranking member melli members uh for participating uh in the two-part committee funding hearing uh in recent weeks the hearing uh with the chairs and ranking members of each house committee took uh great effort and coordination I'm grateful to all the members uh for your participation uh in the end we heard from pretty much every uh chair and ranking member of
▶ 0:01:15the House committees uh on their requested budgets for the 119th Congress holding these hearings is one of the committee's core responsibilities and I believe these hearings Advance our efforts to be more transparent uh and accountable to the American people in reviewing each of the budget requ request we wanted to ensure that every committee has the necessary resources to execute their mission without wasting taxpayer dollars which I believe which I believe we achieved uh with my Chairman's Mark uh the amendment and a nature of a substitute provides committees with
▶ 0:01:45the funding they need to conduct their important work on the 119th Congress I'm hopeful we can pass this resolution today to allow the Committees uh to get to work today we will also be considering a committee resolution setting uh the intern allocation for the standing and select committees excluding the Appropriations Committee uh internship opportunities on the hill provide students and young adults with an opportunity to see government in action uh we'll also be considering a resolution to establish an allocation for the for committees franked mail
▶ 0:02:16finally uh as our committee oversees Federal elections we'll be considering five resolutions to dismiss election challenges from across the country I thank my colleagues for being here today and I'm hopeful we'll pass all of these resolutions in a nonpartisan passion and I'll now recognize the ranking member Mr Melly for 5 minutes for the person offering an opening statement uh good afternoon uh thank you Mr chairman and thank you for calling this meeting to consider as you indicated a number of important pieces of institutional legislation that enhance committee
▶ 0:02:46capacity and protect one of the core constitutional responsibilities of the house um as we recently established during our series of funding hearings we must make sufficient investments in our committees which allows them to hire and retain smart dedicated staff and uh enables the execution of the respective missions under house rules this investment is particularly important as we enter a post Chevron deference world of legislating in the burden of drafting and enacting Technical and complicated regulations
▶ 0:03:17shifts from the executive branch uh to Congress and to our staffs um and what I would chibly describe as a chaotic start to this Administration we also have to ensure committees are able to exercise rigorous um and comprehensive oversight as we Endeavor to maintain the separation of powers uh that our federal government is predicated upon the Omnibus committee expense resolution we're considering today I believe accomplishes that and while we're on the topic of committee capacity
▶ 0:03:47building will also determine allocations for funding for committee interns as the chair just indicated an important tool that provides personel Personnel excuse me flexibility to committees at as we recruit and train the next generation of public servants and additionally we will authorize Financial allocations for official Communications or uh as we refer to it here uh franked mail from committees so I do want to thank the chair uh for also docketing the uh dismissal of
▶ 0:04:17the five deficient and in my view uh frivolous election contests The Constitution vests the house with the ultimate determin of authority of who can be seated as a member and that responsibility is further bequ to this committee by the federal contested elections act so it is vitally important to the health of our democracy that we do not entertain contests that fall short of the requirements of the statute and um and dismiss them expeditiously and with that uh I do support the pieces of legislation on the agenda today I urge my
▶ 0:04:47colleagues to do the same uh want to thank the chair and the staffs on both sides for all their work and with that a yield back gent y's back I'll Now call up hres 198 providing for the expenses of certain committees uh of the House of Representatives in the 119th Congress I want to thank again my colleagues for their cooperation on this important issue uh by passing The Resolution today will Al we will allow the Committees to begin their critical work uh in the 119th I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the resolution and can recognize the ranking member
▶ 0:05:17Mr Mell if you have an opening statement yeah I'm fine the clerk the clerk will please report HR 198 P without objection the first reading of the resolution is dispensed with also without objection the resolution shall be considered as read and open to Amendment at any point I have an amendment I have an amendment in the nature of a substitute at the desk the clerk will please report the amendment amendment in the without objection the amendment in the nature of a substitute consider is read and will be considered
▶ 0:05:47as original text for the purpose of further Amendment do any members seek recognition for Amendment or debate there being no further Amendment or debate the question now occurs in the amendment in the nature of a substitute all those in favor signify by saying I I oppose no opinion chairs the eyes have it and the amendment is adopt the question now occurs on hres 198 as amended reported favorably to the house all those in favor signify by saying I I oppose no any opinion of the chair the eyes have it and H res 198 as amended as agreed to without
▶ 0:06:17objection a motion to reconsider is laid upon the table I now call up resol the the following resolutions in Block committee resolution 11910 a resolution to approve allocation from the paid house committee internship program to committees for 2025 and the committee resolution 11911 a resolution to approve franked male allowances for committees in the 119th Congress committee resolution 11910 allocates the 2025 legislative year allowance among each standing and select committee
▶ 0:06:48in the house excluding the Appropriations Committee for the compensation of intern committee resolution 11911 will set the allocation of official mail allowance for each standing and select committee of the house excluding a Appropriations I urge my colleagues to support these resolutions and I'll recognize the ranking member Mr melli if he'd like to give a statement on these resolutions uh thank you uh Mr chair simply that I support these resolutions as um they are capacity increasing uh measures
▶ 0:07:18for our fellow committees who I think will need every available tool at their disposal as we continue to work uh through this Congress and I urge my colleagues to support the same and yield back Jen yields back the clerk will please report committee resolutions 11910 and 11 1911 resolution to appr without objection the reading of the resolutions is dispensed with and will be considered in Block also without objection the resolution shall be considered as read and open to Amendment at any point do any other members seek recognition
▶ 0:07:48for Amendment or debate there being no further Amendment or debate the resolution now occurs on the the the question now occurs on the resolution all those in favor signified by saying I I oppose no opinion of the chair the eyes have it without objection the resolutions are agreed to without objection a motion to reconsider is laid upon the table I now call up the following resolutions in Block the first resolution dismissing dismissing the election contest related to the office of representative from the 14th
▶ 0:08:18congressional district of Florida which was filed on January 9 2025 the second resolution dismissing the election contest related to the office of representative from the 4 14th congressional district of Florida which was filed on November 17 2024 third the resolution dismissing the election contest related to the office of representative from the 30th congressional district of Texas fourth the resolution dismissing the election contest related to the office of representative from the 28th
▶ 0:08:49congressional district of Texas and fifth a resolution dismissing the election contest related to the office of Representative for the atlarge con congressional district of Alaska is it a committee with oversight of our elections we receive uh election contest for Congressional races uh each of these cases the candidates either missed uh the deadline to file challenges or challenge primaries which the committee does not have uh jurisdiction over uh for these reasons I urge my colleagues to support the resolutions to dismiss the election
▶ 0:09:19contest I'll now recognize ranking member Mell if you'd like to offer an opening statement yes uh thank you Mr chairman very briefly uh the house is vested with the broad and comprehensive authority to establish the procedures and render final decisions relating to the election of its members the house has consistently and regularly exercised its Authority from the very first Congress uh through the 118th Congress uh house rule 10 and the federal contested elections act generally
▶ 0:09:49assign the committee jurisdiction over contested elections and today uh the committee acts pursuant to this authority to consider five resolutions and accompanying report recommending the house dismiss various election contests before it each of the contests is procedurally deficient in one form or another and none provides evidence that the contestant has demonstrated a right to the seat and I appreciate Mr chairman your work and your staff and their collaboration uh with our staff uh it is critical the house
▶ 0:10:19continue to play this role in a professional and bipartisan manner so the American people can be assured that their elected representatives are truly chosen by and for the people accordingly I support the resolutions and urge my colleagues to join me in voting yes with that I thank you and yield back gentleman yelds back the clerk will please report the resolutions dismissing the election without objection the first reading of the resolution is dispensed with without objection uh the five resolutions will be considered in Block also without objection
▶ 0:10:50the resolution shall be considered as read and open to Amendment at any point do any other members seek recognition for Amendment debate there being no further mment or debate the question now occurs on the resolutions all those in favor signify by saying I I all those oppose no the opinion of the chair the eyes have it and the resolutions are agreed to without objection a motion to reconsider is laid upon the table uh this concludes all matters before the committee unless any other members have comments without objection the staff is authorized to make necessary
▶ 0:11:20Technical and conforming changes uh if there's no further business I want to thank the members for their participation without objection the committee and house administration stands adjourned
▶ 0:12:28e e