Congressional Record/Volume 167/Issue 4/House/Counting Electoral Votes/Arizona Objection Debate
The Vice President. The two Houses will withdraw from joint session. Each House will deliberate separately on the pending objection and report its decision back to the joint session. The Senate will now retire to its Chamber.
The Senate retired to its Chamber.
□ 1315
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER
The Speaker. The Chair will remind Members of the need to adhere to the decorum requirements of the Chamber as laid out in the Speaker’s announced policies of January 4, 2021, in accordance with the guidance of the Attending Physician.
Members are advised to remain in the Chamber only if they are participating in debate and must wear a mask at all times, even when under recognition for debate.
Members must also practice proper social distancing while present in the Chamber.
Please, in the interests of your own health and as an example to the American people, abide by the numbers, now up to 25 on each side of the aisle, to participate in this stage of the debate.
Pursuant to Senate Concurrent Resolution 1 and 3 U.S.C. 17 governing the procedure for counting the electoral votes, when the two Houses withdraw from the joint session to count the electoral vote for separate consideration of objection, a Representative may speak to the objection for 5 minutes, and not more than once. Debate shall not exceed 2 hours, after which the Chair will put the question, Shall the objection be agreed to?
The Clerk will report the objection made in the joint session.
The Clerk read the objection as follows:
Objection to Counting the Electoral Votes of the State of Arizona
We, a Member of the House of Representatives and a United States Senator, object to the counting of the electoral votes of the State of Arizona on the ground that they were not, under all of the known circumstances, regularly given.
Paul Gosar,
Ted Cruz,
SENATORS
Mike Braun, John Kennedy, Ron Johnson, Steve Daines, James Lankford, Bill Hagerty, Marsha Blackburn.
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
Mo Brooks AL–5, Andy Biggs AZ–5, Jim Jordan OH–4, Madison Cawthorn NC–11, Scott Perry PA–10, Mike Kelly PA–16, Clay Higgins LA–3, John W. Rose TN–6, Bill Posey FL–8, Jeff Duncan SC–3, Brian Babin TX–36, Louie Gohmert TX–1, Brian J. Mast FL–18, Warren Davidson OH–8, Andy Harris MD–1, Steven Palazzo MS–4, Doug Lamborn CO–5, Kat Cammack FL–3.
Tracey Mann KS–1, Bob Good VA–5, Adrian Smith NE–3, Billy Long MO–7, Jack Bergman MI–1, Michael Cloud TX–27, Rick Crawford AR–1, Roger Williams TX–25, Bob Gibbs OH–7, Russ Fulcher ID–1, Ted Budd NC–13, Barry Moore AL–2, Lee Zeldin NY–1, Jake LaTurner KS–2, David Rouzer NC–7, Jason Smith MO–8, Lauren Boebert CO–3, Chuck Fleischmann TN–3, Tim Burchett TN–2, Chris Jacobs NY–27.
Andrew S. Clyde GA–9, Lance Gooden TX–5, Diana Harshbarger TN–1, Mary E. Miller IL–15, Mark E. Green TN–7, Ron Estes KS–4, Neal Dunn FL–2, Ronny Jackson TX–13, Ralph Norman SC–5, Joe Wilson SC–2, Vicky Hartzler MO–4, Scott DesJarlais TN–4, Marjorie Taylor Greene GA–14, Doug LaMalfa CA–1, Jeff Van Drew NJ–2, Ben Cline VA–6, Michael D. Rogers AL–3, Markwayne Mullin OK–2, Pat Fallon TX–4, Randy K. Weber TX–14.
The Speaker. The Chair will endeavor to alternate recognition between Members speaking in support of the objection and Members speaking in opposition to the objection.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Scalise) for 5 minutes.
The Speaker. For what purpose does the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lofgren) seek recognition?
Ms. Lofgren. Madam Speaker, I rise to strike the last word.
The Speaker. The gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lofgren) is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. Jordan. Madam Speaker, I rise to support the objection.
The Speaker. The gentleman from Ohio is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. Schiff. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the objection.
The Speaker. The gentleman from California is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. Biggs. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the objection.
The Speaker. The gentleman from Arizona is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. Raskin. Madam Speaker, I claim the time in opposition to the objection.
The Speaker. The gentleman from Maryland is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mrs. Boebert. Madam Speaker, I rise to support the objection.
The Speaker. The gentlewoman from Colorado is recognized for 5 minutes.
Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mast).
The Speaker. The time of the gentleman has expired.
□ 1400
Mr. Neguse. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the objection.
The Speaker. The gentleman from Colorado is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. Johnson of Louisiana. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the objection.
The Speaker. The gentleman from Louisiana is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. Grijalva. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the objection.
The Speaker. The gentleman from Arizona is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. Gosar. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of my objection.
The Speaker. The gentleman from Arizona is recognized for 5 minutes.
RECESS
The Speaker pro tempore (Mr. McGovern). Without objection, pursuant to clause 12(b) of rule I, the Chair declares the House in recess subject to the call of the Chair.
There was no objection.
Accordingly (at 2 o’clock and 18 minutes p.m.), the House stood in recess.
□ 1426
AFTER RECESS
The recess having expired, the House was called to order by the Speaker pro tempore (Mr. McGovern) at 2 o’clock and 29 minutes p.m.
The Speaker pro tempore. The gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Gosar) has 2¾ minutes remaining.
The gentleman may proceed.
RECESS
The Speaker pro tempore. Without objection, pursuant to clause 12(b) of rule I, the Chair declares the House in recess subject to the call of the Chair.
There was no objection.
Accordingly (at 2 o’clock and 29 minutes p.m.), the House stood in recess.
□ 2102
AFTER RECESS
The recess having expired, the House was called to order by the Speaker at 9 o’clock and 2 minutes p.m.
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER
The Speaker. The Chair will address the Chamber.
Mr. Hoyer. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the objection.
The Speaker. The gentleman from Maryland is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. McCarthy. Madam Speaker, I rise for a point of personal privilege to address the House for 5 minutes.
The Speaker. The gentleman from California is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. Stanton. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the objection.
The Speaker. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
Ms. Stefanik. Madam Speaker, I rise to support the objection.
The Speaker. The gentlewoman is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. Roy. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the objection.
The Speaker. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. Brooks of Alabama. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the objection.
The Speaker. The gentleman from Alabama is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. Reed. Madam Speaker, as a proud Republican, I rise in opposition to the objection to the electorate.
The Speaker. The gentleman from New York is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. Gottheimer. Will the gentleman yield?
Mr. Reed. I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey.
Mr. Zeldin. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the objection.
The Speaker. The gentleman from New York is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. Gallego. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the objection.
The Speaker. The gentleman from Arizona is recognized for 5 minutes.
The Speaker. Members are reminded to address their remarks to the Chair.
Mr. Bishop of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I rise to speak in favor of the objection.
The Speaker. The gentleman from North Carolina is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. O’Halleran. Madam Speaker, I rise tonight in opposition to the objection.
The Speaker. The gentleman from Arizona is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. Gaetz. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the objection.
The Speaker. The gentleman from Florida is recognized for 5 minutes.
Ms. DeGette. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the objection.
The Speaker. The gentlewoman from Colorado is recognized for 5 minutes.
Ms. DeGette. Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to yield my time to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Grijalva), the dean of the Arizona delegation.