'I Asked Him Again And Again...': Kiley Hammers Cardona For Answers To Questions About Antisemitism
In House floor remarks last night, Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-CA) decried the rise of antisemitism on college campuses, and slammed Education Secretary Miguel Cardona's testimony before a House Committee.
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00:002023, the chair recognized a gentleman from California, Mr. Kiley, for 30 minutes.
00:18Mr. Speaker, I rise to present a resolution that I am introducing in this house and that
00:22I hope will receive prompt passage and bipartisan support.
00:28The resolution reads as follows.
00:31Whereas in recent weeks, tent encampments have spread at universities across the country.
00:38These encampments are illegal and in violation of university policies.
00:43They have become rife with anti-Semitic threats and acts of violence, harassment, and other
00:49disruptive behavior.
00:51Some universities have responded by even-handedly enforcing the law and clearing the encampments.
00:58They have emphasized the right of students to protest and express their opinions in innumerable
01:03ways while making it clear that acts in violation of the law or university rules will not be
01:10tolerated.
01:12Other universities have decided to ignore the law and ignore their own policies, allowing
01:18encampments and other illegal activity associated with them to grow unchecked for weeks.
01:26Encampments have made demands of universities, such as divesting from companies tied to Israel,
01:31cutting ties with Hillel campus programs, and ending study abroad programs to Israel.
01:38Some of these universities have even negotiated with those in the encampments and agreed to
01:43their demands around changes in university policy, including Northwestern University,
01:50UC Riverside, Brown, Rutgers, Johns Hopkins, and the University of Minnesota.
01:56Several others have canceled classes, moved to online meetings, or canceled graduation
02:02ceremonies, including Columbia, UCLA, UC San Diego, and Emory University.
02:09These encampments and the criminal behavior connected to them, such as threats or acts
02:14of violence, blocking or occupying buildings, genuine harassment, or other disruptive behavior,
02:20are not protected by the First Amendment.
02:22To the contrary, they disrupt the operation of the university and the academic freedom
02:27and speech rights of other students.
02:30Free speech on campus means universities should encourage free and open expression in speech,
02:35writing, listening, challenging, and learning, while never shielding students from ideas
02:40the university disagrees with or limiting expression on the basis of content.
02:46It does not mean universities should tolerate the promotion of violence, the destruction
02:50of property, the obstruction of students' freedom of movement, harassment, vandalism,
02:56or other unlawful acts.
02:59Resolved, the House finds canceling classes and commencement in response to unlawful encampments
03:06is unacceptable and unfair to the majority of students.
03:10The House condemns any negotiation where a university changes its policy in response
03:15to the demands of those engaged in unlawful activity on campus.
03:20The House condemns any concessions made by universities based on demands from those participating
03:27in unlawful encampments, including ending study abroad programs to Israel, cutting ties
03:33with Hillel, and divesting from companies associated with Israel.
03:38The House calls on universities across the country to work with local law enforcement
03:43to immediately clear tent encampments from university property and restore safe learning
03:48environments on their campuses, and further resolves that noncompliant student, faculty,
03:54or staff be subject to appropriate consequences.
04:00Mr. Speaker, I am hopeful that we can come together and pass this resolution and it can
04:05set the right tone for universities across the country.
04:10Because by this point, it is clear as day that the wrong approach is to allow illegal
04:17encampments to exist on campus and then to keep growing and growing.
04:22As we've seen at UCLA, USC, and Columbia, that only makes the problem more unmanageable
04:29and only causes things to spiral out of control.
04:34The universities that have taken the right approach have said you as a student are fully
04:41protected under the First Amendment to express yourself on any topic with any opinion you'd
04:47like in countless different ways.
04:51You are free to do that on our campus.
04:54But what you are not free to do is to set up structures on campus to impede other students,
04:59to engage in threats or acts of violence and other unlawful, disruptive conduct that
05:06we've been seeing on these campuses.
05:10So I'm hoping that this resolution will point in the right direction those universities
05:16who have been approaching this problem in the wrong way to the detriment of their students.
05:22Now perhaps the only thing more disgraceful than these illegal pro-Hamas encampments is
05:32the way that these universities have catered to them.
05:36But perhaps even more disgraceful than that is the way that some politicians have.
05:42The way that some political leaders have remained silent or have refused to condemn things that
05:49are so morally clear, have equivocated on the clearest of moral questions.
05:56While President Biden did come out and make a strong statement today, up to this point
06:01his response has been manifestly inadequate.
06:05The governor of my state, Governor Newsom in California, has had next to nothing to
06:11say about it, even though some of the worst situations are on California campuses.
06:19And just today, the Secretary of Education, Miguel Cardona, testified before our committee,
06:25the Education and the Workforce Committee.
06:28Now Mr. Cardona came into this hearing with a troubling record.
06:33For example, he recently refused to say whether chants of from the river to the sea are anti-Semitic.
06:42Now at today's hearing I asked him some basic questions.
06:46I asked him if he would condemn the illegal tent encampments on university campuses.
06:53Secretary Cardona refused to do so.
06:56I asked him if he would condemn faculty members who interfere with the attempts of law enforcement
07:03to clear out these encampments and enforce the law.
07:07Secretary Cardona refused to condemn them.
07:10I asked him if he would condemn calls to divest from Israel.
07:17Secretary Cardona refused to do so.
07:20Perhaps most incredibly, I asked the Secretary several times, Secretary Cardona, will you
07:28condemn calls for universities to cut ties with Hillel?
07:35As for example, the organization Students for Justice in Palestine recently did at UC
07:42Santa Cruz.
07:43I asked him again and again, Secretary Cardona, will you condemn calls to cut ties with Hillel?
07:50And Secretary Cardona refused to do so.
07:55Why is this so hard?
07:57Hillel is a center for Jewish community and campus life on campuses all across the country.
08:06And Secretary Cardona is unwilling to condemn those who say universities should cut ties
08:10with these organizations?
08:12Secretary Cardona is unwilling to condemn these overtly anti-Semitic statements?
08:19So given what the President said today, if we are to take seriously his statements condemning
08:28what is happening on our university campuses, we need to ask the question whether we can
08:34take that commitment seriously so long as Miguel Cardona remains his Secretary of Education.
08:49Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to this administration's proposal to cut funding
08:57for the charter school program.
09:01This is an incredibly important program for many charter schools across the country in
09:07allowing them to start up and offer an option to students in communities across the United
09:14States.
09:15Now, prior to this year, this administration's support for charter schools has been tepid
09:22at best.
09:24Funding for the charter school program has remained flat as funding for various other
09:29parts of the education budget have increased substantially.
09:33And yet this year, the administration went a step further.
09:37Its proposed budget for the Department of Education proposes a $40 million cut to the
09:43charter school program from $440 million to $400 million.
09:49Now, Secretary Cardona was asked about this at today's hearing.
09:54And he explained, well, the Fiscal Responsibility Act requires us to make budget cuts.
09:59And so he decided to go after charter schools.
10:00Mr. Speaker, that makes no sense whatsoever.
10:05The department is asking for a significant increase in its budget this year.
10:11A $3.7 billion increase so that its overall discretionary budget is $82.5 billion.
10:22So they're asking for a $3.7 billion funding increase, well, cutting funding for the charter
10:29school program by $40 million.
10:33Mr. Speaker, I am in strong opposition to these cuts.
10:37And I hope that this House will push back on them in a bipartisan manner.
10:43Because the reality is that charter schools across the country have made tremendous progress
10:50in closing achievement gaps and expanding the options that are available to parents.
10:57In fact, a recent study out of Stanford validated the work that charter schools have done, the
11:03results that they have gotten, in closing achievement gaps that have persisted in other
11:07parts of our public education system.
11:11The reality is that there are far too many communities in this country, particularly
11:15in my state of California, where schools simply are not getting the job done.
11:20Where the neighborhood school that young people, that kids are assigned to, does not teach
11:26them to read in the way that it should, does not teach them math in the way that it should,
11:30leaving them ill-prepared for success in life.
11:33But in many of these communities, you've had charters like KIPP Academy, many others, that
11:38have started up, that have done things differently, that have had high expectations, and that
11:42have made significant gains, that have gotten kids reading above grade level, outperforming
11:49their peers in other schools in math, and putting them on a path to future opportunity
11:55and success in life.
11:56But that is exactly what this proposal from this administration is going to cut funding
12:02for.
12:04It should also be noted that even in communities that have good public schools, like in my
12:10district, we have a number of truly outstanding traditional public schools, charter schools
12:16are still of value.
12:17We have a number of terrific charter schools as well.
12:21And they might be right for some families, but not for others.
12:24But that's the entire point, is that not every student is the same, not every family is the
12:30same, and allowing a variety of options, some of which might have different focuses or a
12:36different approach to pedagogy, or might offer immersion education, or a focus on career
12:42technical education.
12:44This empowers parents to make the choice that is right for their child and their family.
12:50So I find it completely unacceptable that this administration is withdrawing support
12:57for charter schools.
12:59I also find it unacceptable that my state of California has taken a number of steps
13:04in recent years to make it more difficult to start up, to operate, to renew charter schools.
13:10And what we need to do is look to the success that many charters have had to draw lessons
13:17that we can then use to improve public education across this country, so that every child in
13:23America has access to a quality education as they deserve.
13:33Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to a forthcoming increase in the gas tax in California.
13:42It almost defies belief, but California's gas tax is about to increase yet again, reaching
13:49$0.60 per gallon.
13:52Now the state already has the highest gas tax in the country, and by far the highest
13:56gas prices.
13:58As of today, Californians pay $1.70 more per gallon for gas than the national average,
14:06and $0.53 more per gallon than the next closest state.
14:11I'll say that again, we pay $0.53 more per gallon than the state with the second highest
14:17gas prices.
14:20Even if you were actually to eliminate the entire gas tax in California, $0.60 per gallon,
14:26you would still have the second highest gas prices in the entire country.
14:31So I am calling on Governor Newsom and the legislature to act to make sure that this
14:39gas tax increase does not go into effect.
14:44Californians are already suffering under inflation, and the price of groceries, and the price
14:49of electricity as well, which is second highest of any state in the country.
14:53The last thing they need is another increase to the gas tax.
14:57So I am calling on state lawmakers to stop this gas tax increase, and as a matter of
15:03fact, what they should really do is suspend the gas tax entirely.
15:08It wouldn't bring prices down to a reasonable level, but would provide folks throughout
15:13our state with relief that they very much need.
15:20Mr. Speaker, I'd like to now recognize a few outstanding individuals and organizations
15:25within my district.
15:40Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize retiring Sergeant Major Douglas Power for his distinguished
15:46service with the United States Marine Corps.
15:49Most recently as the government and external affairs officer for the Marine Corps Mountain
15:54Warfare Training Center in Bridgeport, California.
15:57Doug entered the Marine Corps Reserve in August of 1980, and went on to graduate from boot
16:02camp and transfer to active duty in 1985.
16:06After first transferring overseas in 1987, his deployments to various locations, including
16:10Korea, Kuwait, and Iraq, underscored his commitment to defending our country.
16:16Throughout his more than three decades of military service, Sergeant Major Power displayed
16:21an unwavering dedication to service and leadership.
16:25Deservingly, he was awarded multiple decorations and medals, demonstrating the legacy of honor
16:31and sacrifice that he established.
16:33He retired from military service in 2012, at which time he began his new career as the
16:38government and external affairs officer at the training center.
16:42After 12 years of faithful dedication to civic service and community engagement, he
16:47retired from that role on April 30th of this year, 2024.
16:51I am proud to represent outstanding service members like Sergeant Major Power in Congress.
16:57I thank him for his service to our district and our country.
17:01Therefore, on behalf of the United States House of Representatives, I am honored to
17:06recognize Sergeant Major Douglas Power for his heroic and invaluable service to our country
17:11and community, and wish him the best in his retirement.
17:31Mr. Speaker, I wish to recognize retiring County Counsel Stacey Simon for her 25 years
17:36of service to Mono County.
17:39Stacey has served the people of Mono County for more than two decades, most recently as
17:43County Counsel, and never wavered from her goal of making the county a better place.
17:48Throughout Stacey's tenure, she not only skillfully handled the routine business of the county,
17:53but also guided Mono through various complex problems and challenges, including the uncertainties
17:59of COVID-19.
18:00Additionally, she played an instrumental role in many local projects, most notably the construction
18:07of the Lee Vining Community Center and Preschool Program, the county's solid waste franchise
18:12system, implementation of HIPAA housing developments, and much more.
18:20Looks like we had an issue with our graphics, so I think I'm going to start over, Mr. Speaker.
18:24Mr. Speaker, I wish to recognize retiring County Counsel Stacey Simon for her 25 years
18:30of service to Mono County.
18:32Stacey has served the people of Mono County for more than two decades, most recently as
18:37County Counsel, and never wavered from her goal of making the county a better place.
18:42Throughout Stacey's tenure, she not only skillfully handled the routine business of the county,
18:47but also guided the county through various complex problems and challenges, including
18:52the uncertainties of COVID-19.
18:54Additionally, she played an instrumental role in many local projects, most notably the construction
19:00of the Lee Vining Community Center and Preschool Program, the county's solid waste franchise
19:05system, implementation of HIPAA housing developments, and much more.
19:10No matter the obstacle, Stacey has been a model of positive leadership as she's helped
19:15the county weather every crisis, hardship, or transition it faced.
19:20Stacey is known for her incredible depth of knowledge, curiosity, and tenacity, as well
19:25as for demonstrating the utmost care and concern for her clients and county staff.
19:30Therefore, on behalf of the United States House of Representatives, I am honored to
19:34recognize Stacey Simon for the dedicated leadership and years of service she provided to the people
19:40of Mono County, and I proudly join Mono County in wishing her the very best in her retirement.
20:05Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a moment to recognize the Alpine Watershed Group for
20:10receiving the 2022 Forest Service Volunteers Program Citizen Stewardship and Partnerships
20:17Award.
20:18The Alpine Watershed Group is a community-based nonprofit organization in my district that
20:22is dedicated to conducting essential water quality monitoring, habitat restoration, and
20:27education programs throughout Alpine County.
20:30Over the span of more than two decades, the Alpine Watershed Group has been an instrumental
20:35to the Humboldt-Toyobi National Forest and the United States Forest Service.
20:39In 2022 alone, the Alpine Watershed Group planned and recruited for multiple volunteer
20:43events in the forest, including large watershed and forest restoration projects, trash and
20:48roadside cleanups, tree planting, and watershed monitoring.
20:53Due to the help of their volunteers at the annual Creek Day event, 72 bags of trash were
20:57removed, amounting to more than 500 pounds, 25 bags of invasive weeds were removed, 102
21:04willow stakes were installed, 600 feet of fence in Hope Valley were removed, and a beaver
21:08dam analog in Faith Valley was constructed.
21:11In addition to these efforts, the group provides continual outreach and environmental education
21:16programs that support the United States Forest Service's mission to care for the land and
21:21serve the people.
21:23Their devoted efforts have made an indelible impact on our national forests, local watersheds,
21:29and on the Alpine County community.
21:30Therefore, on behalf of the United States House of Representatives, I am honored to
21:34recognize the Alpine Watershed Group for this outstanding accomplishment and commend them
21:39for their significant contributions and dedication to promoting the sustainability of our nation's
21:44natural resources.
21:53And now, Mr. Speaker, I wish to mark and celebrate the 50-year anniversary of the Sir Optimus
22:06International of Loomis Basin Club.
22:08Over the span of five decades, they have made a significant contribution in the Loomis community
22:13and Sacramento region by investing in the development of women of all ages and fostering
22:18a passion to make both our local and international communities a better place.
22:23The Loomis Chapter of Sir Optimus International was founded in 1974 with the mission to provide
22:28women and girls with the access to education and training they need to achieve economic
22:33empowerment.
22:34In addition to hosting and participating in many local events, they provide scholarships
22:39and grants for women to improve their economic status while honing valuable skills to further
22:44their education and help with employment opportunities.
22:48Their dedicated efforts have made a meaningful difference in the lives of women and girls,
22:52and it is an honor to represent exemplary organizations like the Sir Optimus International
22:57of Loomis Basin here in Congress.
22:59Therefore, on behalf of the United States House of Representatives, I am honored to
23:04recognize the Loomis Basin Sir Optimus and their 50 years of dedication to the women
23:09of our community.
23:12Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
23:21We're going to go ahead and recognize Sergeant Douglas Power again so we have the appropriate
23:28accompanying graphic.
23:31Mr. Speaker, I wish to recognize retiring Sergeant Major Douglas Power for his distinguished
23:36service to the United States Marine Corps, most recently as the government and external
23:41affairs officer for the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center in Bridgeport, California.
23:47Douglas entered the Marine Corps Reserve in August of 1980 and went on to graduate
23:50from boot camp and transfer to active duty in 1985.
23:55After first transferring overseas in 1987, his deployments to various locations, including
24:00Korea, Kuwait, and Iraq, underscored his commitment to defending our country.
24:05Throughout his more than three decades of military service, Sergeant Major Power displayed
24:09an unwavering dedication to service and leadership.
24:13Preservingly, he was awarded multiple decorations and medals, demonstrating the legacy of honor
24:18and sacrifice he established.
24:21He retired from military service in 2012, at which time he began his new career as the
24:26government and external affairs officer at the training center.
24:30After 12 years of faithful dedication to civic service and community engagement, he retired
24:35from that role on April 30th of this year, 2024.
24:38I am proud to represent outstanding service members like Sergeant Major Power here in
24:44Congress, and on behalf of the United States House of Representatives, it is my honor to
24:49recognize him for his distinguished service to our community and our country.
24:55Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I yield back.
24:59Would the gentleman care to make a motion to adjourn?
25:03Mr. Speaker, yes.
25:04I move that the House do now adjourn.
25:07The question is now on the motion to adjourn.
25:09Those in favor say aye.
25:11Those opposed, no.
25:12The ayes have it.
25:13The motion is adopted.
25:14Accordingly, the House stands adjourned until 10 a.m. tomorrow for morning hour debate.