12 February 2025, Washington DC, USA
Thank you Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member, Governor, welcome to our witnesses.
Thank you for being here today.
I've really appreciated your commentary. It's been real, it's been substantive, and I support much of the efficiency work that's being done at the states.
But I have to say, once again, welcome to the latest episode of the GOP Oversight Committee, where my colleagues at the beginning of this hearing once again voted to block a good government motion to carry out our most basic constitutional duty.
They voted against a motion this morning, just a few moments ago, to bring Elon Musk in front of this committee to discuss what he is doing to supposedly right-size the government as they are claiming in this hearing.
And I have to say to my colleagues, with all due respect, why are you shielding Elon Musk from coming in front of this committee - if that is what your intent is - with this hearing and the work that you want to do?
Why is the GOP and the White House shielding an unelected, unvetted, unqualified private citizen and billionaire who is literally dismantling our agencies while we sit here - and is literally breaking the law?
Maybe it's because while we're sitting here, he and his team are working across town here in Washington DC, entering federal agencies and federal buildings, hacking their data systems, firing federal employees, intimidating them, trying to force them to leave, shutting down vital programs, closing the Department of Education, the CIA, the DOJ, and threatening our domestic and international security and downloading the private and sensitive data of Americans at the Department of Treasury.
So what the hell is going on?
How can you sit here and defend this?
They are literally breaking the law, the Constitution, appropriations law, federal labor laws, and dozens of statutory laws that Congress has passed.
And meanwhile, my friends across the aisle are sitting here today are saying that we're hyperventilating, that we're just clutching our pearls.
Are you serious?
Are you that out of touch with the American people?
I mean, I guess that's what happens when you elect billionaires and put billionaires in charge of the federal government.
Just let them eat cake? Is that your message to the American people?
Because last week, while you were at Trump’s private resort in Florida and partying it up after the inauguration, telling the media that funding freezes wouldn't hurt real Americans, well, millions of real Americans were sent into total chaos and our states had to go to the courts to shut down your federal funding freeze.
While Trump was golfing, the Medicaid systems were shut down and locked out.
Hospitals and clinics were wondering if they were gonna be able to keep their doors open.
Food assistance and homeless programs across New Mexico were shut out of their grant programs that keep families literally fed and off the streets.
Head Starts, preschools, and children's programs were wondering if they were gonna be able to make payroll the next day or by the end of the week.
And while Elon Musk and a group of teenage software engineers were hacking your personal data at the Treasury Department, shutting down DOJ, the CIA, USAID, and ending diversity initiatives in the military, saying that the United States military could not honor Dr Martin Luther King.
Our proud military personnel and veterans who put their lives on the line every day for this country were wondering if they were gonna get their paychecks and veterans benefits.
So colleagues, we are not clutching our pearls or hyperventilating.
We are defending the millions of Americans who are under attack, the federal employees, the mothers, the fathers, the grandfathers being put out on leave, advocating for the people of color, the women, the members of our LGBTQ+, and yes,our trans community who are under fire right now, under the guise of canceling DEI programs.
Under the guise of so-called ‘undoing social engineering’ after years of progress in this country.
We are defending the proud federal service members who defend our national security, who serve our communities and keep our economy running.
Because I want to tell you something.
The American people are terrified, and you are that out of touch with your people, then you should talk to your constituents.
We had a town hall two days ago and 12,000 New Mexicans got on our call because the people are terrified in this county.
And that is why we are fighting back.
That is why we are trying to bring Elon Musk to this committee.
And that is why we are fighting against this agenda.
And with that, I yield back the floor.