During debate on the House floor on Wednesday, REp. Ralph Norman (R-SC) introduced an amendment to block funding for the purchase of electric vehicles at the Department of Homeland Security.
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NewsTranscript
00:00Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My amendment is pretty simple. It prohibits funding for the purchase
00:06of electric vehicles. We have a member here in Congress who owns a dealership who is burying
00:14his electric vehicle, which doesn't work, as a testament to how useless these vehicles are.
00:20I rise in support of my amendment that prohibits funds for the purchase of electric vehicles.
00:25As part of the Department of Homeland Security's Climate Action Plan, whatever that is,
00:30the agency responsible for the safety and security of our nation is wasting your hard-earned taxpayer
00:37dollars on EVs. DHS has set a goal of transitioning 50 percent of its vehicle fleet to zero-emissions
00:46vehicles by 2030 in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Where is DSS's
00:52goal to reduce the number of illegal immigrants entering this country? DHS is proud to become
00:58the first federal agency to debut the electric vehicles for law enforcement. How does an electric
01:03vehicle help a law enforcement officer do his or her job better? How does an electric vehicle
01:10protect our nation? DHS's website says it is implementing a new approach to meet climate
01:16crisis, whatever that is, which includes reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Mr. Speaker, this is a
01:23joke. What about the real crisis that is threatening our nation? The crisis at the border.
01:29The crisis that has resulted in many, many deaths that are reported daily. Mr. Speaker, I reserve
01:35the balance of my time. The gentleman reserves. For what purpose does the gentlewoman from Illinois
01:40seek recognition? I claim time in opposition. The gentlewoman is recognized for five minutes.
01:45Thank you, Mr. Chair. First, we should all support sensible steps to reduce the government's
01:50greenhouse gas emissions. Electric vehicles have the potential to significantly improve
01:54federal fleet efficiency and reduce vehicle operation and maintenance costs. Prohibiting
02:00the department from buying one type of cutting-edge technology just because some of my colleagues want
02:05to score political points and continue to deny the existence of climate change is shameful and
02:12impractical. Transitioning our federal fleet to electric vehicles where possible is not part of
02:17some woke agenda. It's a matter of practicality, risk mitigation, efficiency, and safety. I support
02:26these efforts, and I believe the American people support the cost savings, cleaner air, new jobs,
02:32and healthy environmental future that will come with working to achieve our climate goals.
02:37This amendment is just another partisan policy rider that gets us no closer to a final enacted
02:44bill for the department before the close of the fiscal year. I oppose this amendment, and I urge
02:49my colleagues to vote no. I yield back. The gentlewoman yields back. The gentleman from
02:55South Carolina is recognized. The real crisis at the border is the invasion that's now taking place.
03:02Over 9.6 million illegal immigrants encounters since the Biden administration took office three
03:08and a half years ago. Over 1.8 million gotaways who evaded border patrol since the Biden administration
03:14took office three and a half years ago. Over 50 illegal immigrants with ties to ISIS infiltrating
03:22our nation. Over 27,000 Chinese communist nationals encountered in fiscal year 2024.
03:31I don't know how much longer we're going to have to put up with the killings that are taking place
03:38one, two days ago of a 13-year-old girl who was dragged under a bridge, tortured for two hours,
03:44raped, and then killed. How long will my friends on the opposite side of the aisle put up with this
03:49kind of insanity? Since the Biden administration took office, it has opened the borders to anybody,
03:55anywhere, any country, without any vetting. I urge my colleagues to support my amendment to
04:00ensure DHS is focused on their true mission to secure the nation from the many threats that
04:06we face and to keep America safe. Mr. Speaker, I yield back to balance my time.