Sixth District Perspectives with Congressman Ben Cline – December 15, 2019

It was a sad state of affairs in the House of Representatives this week. After only three days of hearings and zero fact witnesses, Democrat Members of the Judiciary Committee approved Articles of Impeachment, sending them to the Floor for a vote by the full House. Nevertheless, I continue to fight for policies that would benefit Virginia’s Sixth District, our farmers, and those who wear our nation’s uniform.

Articles of Impeachment:

Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee have failed the American people this week by voting out two unproven Articles of Impeachment against the President after only 3 days of hearings and no fact witnesses. No matter how hard they try, they cannot prove that the President committed high crimes or misdemeanors as required by Article 2 Section 4 of the Constitution. Instead, the evidence shows four facts that will never change: both President Trump and Ukrainian President Zelensky have said there was no pressure on the July 25 call, there was no conditionality of aid in the call summary, the Ukrainians were not aware that aid was withheld when the presidents spoke, and Ukraine still received aid and a meeting with President Trump without taking any action. The claim that the President abused his power has not been proven. In fact, the only abuse of power I have seen is by Speaker Pelosi and her caucus as they try to remove the duly elected President from office and overturn the will of 60 million Americans.

The Articles also argue that the President has obstructed Congress. The Majority suggests that because President Trump has sought judicial review regarding his claims of executive privilege involving the possible testimony of his closest advisors, he has circumvented the law and Congress. We live in a country where the Rule of Law still exists, and to claim that availing himself of the courts is the equivalent of obstruction of Congress is ridiculous.

This partisan impeachment circus has been flawed from the very beginning. At every turn, both Congressional Republicans and President Trump have been denied fairness and due process. While transcripts of the testimony in the Intelligence Committee were eventually made public, most Judiciary Committee members were not able to watch the hidden proceedings, question witnesses, or ensure the accuracy of the transcripts we were provided. We learned that Chairman Schiff at times ordered witnesses not to answer Republican questions, lied about his contact with the whistleblower, and surreptitiously obtained phone records of Members of Congress and the press. Hearsay, speculation, and inferences are not enough to remove a sitting President, and for all of these reasons, I could not support these partisan Articles of Impeachment.

Agriculture Committee Member Day:

This week, I took the opportunity to appear before the House Agriculture Committee to promote policies that would help ensure the success of our nation’s farmers and address the needs of rural Americans. Agriculture is the largest industry in our District, employing thousands and producing more than $1 billion in goods annually. To remain competitive in this evolving world, it is crucial that Congress advance legislation that reduces the many regulatory burdens our farmers face so that they can continue to run their businesses without unnecessary red tape interfering in their operations. Further, as the Agriculture industry becomes more heavily reliant on cutting edge technology, I expressed to the Committee the critical importance of reliable and affordable high-speed internet in rural areas. Additionally, with the legalization of hemp production in the 2018 Farm Bill, producers in Virginia have started to grow and explore the market potential of this new commodity. I encouraged the Committee to continue its work to ensure farmers have every opportunity to take advantage of this new crop and have access to crop insurance.

NDAA:
Every year funding for the Department of Defense (excluding the Coast Guard) is authorized by the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Our men and women in uniform deserve the very best, and I was proud to have supported the passage of this bill. This year, the military maxim for this legislation was, “You recruit a service member but retain a family.” Below are just some of the important provisions that bring this maxim to fruition for those who defend our welfare:
• 3.1% pay raise for service members
• Ends the Widows Tax, which had penalized survivors of deceased military members through a loss of survivor benefit payments
• Maintains pro-life provisions
• No restrictions on the President’s ability to transfer money for the Border Wall.

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Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your Congressman. If my office can ever be of assistance, please contact my Washington office at (202) 225-5431.