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US CONGRESS · SITTING

James P. McGovern

Representative for Massachusetts · Democratic · United States

IN THEIR OWN WORDS

“The cost of everything is up, thanks to Republicans' awful economic policies. We have technology moving faster than our government's ability to protect people. We have an illegal war that is escalating overseas.”

House of Representatives15 September 2026Source ↗

“A few weeks ago, I visited with Jeni and her incredible team at their kitchen, where they prepare meals from scratch each week using recovered surplus food that is perfectly good to eat but would otherwise have gone to waste. These nourishing meals go directly to people in need and are customized to meet specific dietary needs.”

House of Representatives15 September 2026Source ↗

“Trump's trade war with Canada is killing tourism. It is killing our farmers and our small businesses, including in the gentlewoman's district in Minnesota right now. Why isn't she worried about that? Where is the Republican bill to lower costs?”

House of Representatives15 September 2026Source ↗

“10032, the No Payoffs for Pardons Act, which would prevent President Trump, or any future President, from giving out pardons in exchange for money, bribes, or political favors. Mr.”

House of Representatives15 September 2026Source ↗

“Anthropic's CEO, OpenAI's CEO, and even Grok's CEO, Elon Musk, agree that the government must step up to increase oversight of their companies. I don't necessarily trust these guys as far as I can throw them. Maybe they are calling our bluff. Either way, we clearly need to act.”

House of Representatives15 September 2026Source ↗

“Nearly 50 million people don't know where their next meal will come from in this country, and inflation is running at 3.4 percent, though I personally believe the rate is probably higher than this administration is willing to admit. That is what people are dealing with right now. Americans know that this economy is lousy.”

House of Representatives15 September 2026Source ↗

The complete record

431 held · 243 searchable for James P. McGovern. The searchable lines are below in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 4 of 5.

This is not an official version of US Congress proceedings. It reproduces the published record and links to it; the official version is the one US Congress publishes.

  1. “It is simply not possible mathematically to cut Medicaid by almost a trillion dollars and not hurt people. By the way, for the record, that is not fear-mongering. It is what is in the text of this resolution. I just want to say that this budget directs the Committee on Energy and Commerce to come up with at least $880 billion in cuts within their jurisdiction. Republicans want to be able to claim that there is no way to know at this point in the process where those cuts will come from, and they are saying that they are not going to cut any benefits in Medicaid or Medicare. Guess what, Mr. Speaker. If you don't cut Medicaid, if you don't cut Medicare or CHIP, there is only $381 billion left to cut in E&C's jurisdiction.”

    House of Representatives9 April 2025Source ↗

  2. “Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from North Carolina for yielding me the customary 30 minutes, and I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this is a lousy budget. It is a budget that will hurt working families. It is a budget that will especially hurt families who are struggling in poverty. Republicans have succeeded in putting together a Marie Antoinette budget, helping the richest of the rich while hurting the poorest of the poor. Let them eat cake. That is the Republican motto. I have never seen such cruelty contained in a budget in all my years here. This budget would force the biggest cut to Medicaid in American history. The idea and the audacity of somehow pretending like it isn't going to hurt people is just insane.”

    House of Representatives9 April 2025Source ↗

  3. “Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote. A recorded vote was ordered.”

    House of Representatives8 April 2025Source ↗

  4. “Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays. The yeas and nays were ordered.”

    House of Representatives8 April 2025Source ↗

  5. “Our adversaries are laughing at us. The cherry on top is that Trump can't even explain the goal. He is slapping tariffs on everyone, including uninhabited islands but not on Russia, no tariffs on Russia. There are tariffs on Ukraine, but not on Russia. I am sure Putin is thrilled. This is a gut punch to middle America. This is a tax on every single family in America. This is a disaster for our future. Congress needs to do its job. It is time for every Republican to put their name on this mess or finally stand up and stop it. Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``no'' vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.”

    House of Representatives8 April 2025Source ↗

  6. “Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. It is unbelievable, Mr. Speaker. The entire world is watching in astonishment as Donald Trump lights the American economy on fire. Our voters deserve to know where their Members of Congress stand on these tariffs. I just tried to force a vote. I was shut down because the truth is they know this will be a disaster, and that is why they are blocking Democrats from demanding a vote. Republicans don't want to lower costs anymore. They want to lower the standard of living, and that is exactly what these tariffs will do. Now, let's be clear. Foreign countries don't pay the tariffs. We do. American businesses, American farmers, American families, that is who pays the tariffs, and unfortunately, the damage has been done. Our trading partners are abandoning us. Our allies don't trust us.”

    House of Representatives8 April 2025Source ↗

  7. “Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time is remaining.”

    House of Representatives8 April 2025Source ↗

  8. “Mr. Speaker, gee, I wonder why this administration more than any other administration has so many injunctions against it. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Green).”

    House of Representatives8 April 2025Source ↗

  9. “Mr. Speaker, with all due respect, I talked about all these issues last week. I talked about how I was opposed to the bill that raises bank fees on regular people. I talked about how their bill to make it more difficult for women to vote was a bad idea. I talked about the importance of helping new parents be able to vote by proxy. Forgive me if I am not following your made-up rules, but we already discussed all this stuff last week. When is the time that we are going to actually talk about the tariffs and about the fact that Donald Trump is raising prices on average people in this country? When are we going to have time to do that? Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Stansbury).”

    House of Representatives8 April 2025Source ↗

  10. “91 to put Republicans on record, to let Congress do our jobs, and to keep our constituents' hard-earned money in their pockets. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of my amendment into the Record, along with any extraneous material, immediately prior to the vote on the previous question.”

    House of Representatives8 April 2025Source ↗

  11. “These tariffs are the largest middle-class tax increase in the last 50 years. Consumers are worried because their prices are skyrocketing and iPhone prices could go up as much as $350. Every American with a retirement account is worried because they are seeing their savings evaporate. The S&P 500 registered its worst week since March 2020 when Donald Trump, by the way, was also President. Farmers are worried because the tariffs might put them out of business. Some of them are already renting out their land since they know they likely won't be able to make anything in 2025. The result of all this needless chaos: less money in consumers' pockets, less confidence in our country, and less certainty about our future. That is why we must bring up H.J. Res.”

    House of Representatives8 April 2025Source ↗

  12. “Right now, if you talk to anybody in your district, if you did townhalls, which I know Republicans don't want to do anymore--but if you did townhalls, people are really nervous about not only the stock market and the uncertainty there, but they are really nervous about rising prices. People are trying to make ends meet and they are really concerned about what is happening. Yet, Republicans are just too busy to talk about the impact of these tariffs on their constituents here in the House of Representatives? Let that sink in, Mr. Speaker. This is ludicrous. Mr. Speaker, I ask that we defeat the previous question. If we do, I will offer an amendment to the rule to bring up H.J. Res. 91, a joint resolution to terminate the reckless tariffs that President Trump has put in place.”

    House of Representatives8 April 2025Source ↗

  13. “These tariffs are going to be a disaster and the fact that Republicans are too scared to stand up and vote for or against them just proves my point. This is a disgrace. This is the people's House. We are supposed to debate serious issues on this floor, and the Republican leadership of this House is rigging the rules so we can't do that. That is absurd and that is a national disgrace. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.”

    House of Representatives8 April 2025Source ↗

  14. “Mr. Speaker, you might not want to answer and you might not like that I am pointing it out, but that is exactly what is happening here. Republicans have rigged the rules by literally redefining the definition of a day to prevent us from voting on Trump's tariffs, and the Speaker of the House is locking the Senate resolution in his desk. These are the types of procedural tricks that Republicans try to bury in the rules and hope that no one ever notices because they are too confusing or too in the weeds. Not only did we notice, Mr. Speaker, but we are going to make sure that the American people notice, too. One way or the other, the American people are going to render a verdict on what is happening here in this Chamber, and if it doesn't happen on this floor, you can be damn sure it is going to happen at the ballot box.”

    House of Representatives8 April 2025Source ↗

  15. “Mr. Speaker, I just want to make sure I understand this. Why are Republicans rigging the rules to prevent a vote on Trump's tariffs?”

    House of Representatives8 April 2025Source ↗

  16. “Well, it is not relevant to the discussion because Republicans won't let us discuss the tariffs, but that is certainly how I read ``shall,'' Mr. Speaker. Senator Kaine's resolution to force a vote on Trump's tariffs has been sitting on Speaker Johnson's desk since last week. Mr. Speaker, if a measure is held at the Speaker's desk, it is not subject to a discharge petition and we can't have an up-or-down vote on these tariffs. The Speaker of the House right now is singlehandedly preventing Members from forcing a vote on these tariffs, again, a right that is in the law. Further parliamentary inquiry, Mr. Speaker.”

    House of Representatives8 April 2025Source ↗

  17. “Mr. Speaker, the National Emergencies Act states that a joint resolution to terminate a national emergency passed by one House shall be referred to the appropriate committees of the other House at which point the 15-day clock would start if Republicans hadn't magically stopped time. According to that provision in law, Senator Kaine of Virginia's resolution terminating the national emergency to impose tariffs on Canada which was adopted by the Senate last week in a bipartisan vote, but according to that, that bill must be referred to committee. Is that correct, Mr. Speaker?”

    House of Representatives8 April 2025Source ↗

  18. “In fact, that is right, Mr. Speaker. You may not want to opine on it, but the truth is, Republicans rigged the rules to prevent a vote on these tariffs, a vote that Members of this body would have been able to demand if we were following the law. I want to get to the bottom of why we can't vote on these tariffs. Mr. Speaker, further parliamentary inquiry.”

    House of Representatives8 April 2025Source ↗

  19. “A motion to discharge Ranking Member Meeks' resolution is not allowed because Republicans literally changed the definition of what a day is to protect themselves from voting on tariffs. {time} 1245 Now, we should have been able to call it up after 15 days, but Republicans are pretending 34 days is less than 15 days. Republicans rigged the rules to protect Donald Trump, Mr. Speaker, and to protect themselves from voting on his tariffs. H. Res. 211, which the Republican majority adopted in March, changed the operation of the calendar. Mr. Speaker, further parliamentary inquiry.”

    House of Representatives8 April 2025Source ↗

  20. “Mr. Speaker, the House Rules and Manual says here: ``A privileged motion to discharge a committee from further consideration of a joint resolution terminating an emergency is available after the measure has been referred to committee for 15 calendar days.'' A Member of this House, Ranking Member Meeks, introduced H.J. Res. 72, terminating the national emergency imposing tariffs on Canada, 34 days ago. Earlier, I offered a motion to discharge his joint resolution from committee and bring it to the floor. Mr. Speaker, why wasn't it allowed?”

    House of Representatives8 April 2025Source ↗

  21. “Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, a few minutes ago, I laid out how Donald Trump's tariffs are causing chaos and hurting families. I will explain why we are unable to force a vote to block them here in the House, even though the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and the National Emergencies Act provide a process to terminate national emergencies through a privileged joint resolution. Parliamentary Inquiries”

    House of Representatives8 April 2025Source ↗

  22. “It is just a stupid, ridiculous way to try to deal with the issue at hand, which is that new moms and dads actually should be able to be good moms and dads, stay with their kids at home, and be able to still represent their constituents. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Colorado (Ms. Pettersen) for any additional comments.”

    House of Representatives8 April 2025Source ↗

  23. “Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, first of all, let me correct the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx). We are not voting on any kind of compromise here. It is being deemed. Republicans have it tucked into the rule so that we don't have a separate vote on it. We are not going to have a separate debate on it. Yet, that is one of the tactics used so that we can't actually talk about it on the House floor. Secondly, paired voting, if it was such a good idea, why did we get rid of it 25 years ago? Basically, it is a glorified way to highlight to people that Members are absent and not here voting. Ms. Pettersen's vote won't count if she is not here.”

    House of Representatives8 April 2025Source ↗

  24. “Speaker, not to mention what I was saying at the very beginning that Republicans have basically shut off any attempts to bring legislation to the floor to deal with President Trump's tariffs, which, by the way, are going to result in enormous cost increases for consumers. Mr. Speaker, this whole House is being mismanaged. This whole House is being run in a way that, quite frankly, would impress Vladimir Putin. Yet, then again, maybe that is who they want to impress. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Colorado (Ms. Pettersen), who led the effort, along with Ms. Jacobs of California, to grant new parents the ability to be able to be good parents, to be able to be with their newborns and still be able to represent their constituents.”

    House of Representatives8 April 2025Source ↗

  25. “The gentleman who was just screaming on the floor helped lead the effort to get the Speaker of the House basically to go against the will of the majority in this House who wanted very much to have an up or down vote on whether or not we could allow new parents to be able to vote by proxy, so that they could actually stay home with their new baby for a brief period of time and be able to represent their constituents at the same time. What is in this rule is a fake compromise, they call it. It is a nothing burger. It doesn't change anything. It doesn't help anybody. Basically, we can't debate or vote up or down on that. It is deemed passed. Magically, it is deemed passed in this rule if this rule gets a majority vote. Mr.”

    House of Representatives8 April 2025Source ↗

  26. “Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I think the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Roy) will be happy to learn that it already is the law that only American citizens can vote in Federal elections. I am happy to send him the law so that he can understand that. Our problem with the SAVE Act is that it is an attempt to make it more difficult for women who are U.S. citizens to be able to vote. Talking about rigging the rules, again, there are four closed rules in this rule. For those who are tuning in, that means that we can't offer any amendments, we can't change anything, and we just have to take it or leave it. That is called rigging the rules so that Democrats and Republicans can't participate in the process. Then there is a fifth measure in here.”

    House of Representatives8 April 2025Source ↗

  27. “They know prices will go up, retirement plans will go down, and businesses are going to stop investing. They don't want to have to go home and explain it. They don't want to have to put their names on that. They are rigging the rules so we don't have a vote. Guess what. They can run from accountability, but they can't hide from the consequences. You guys own this. You own the tariffs. You own the fallout. There is no plan here, no strategy, just economic self-sabotage. Regular Americans are going to pay the price for these tariffs. This is a disaster for our country, and you guys are too chicken to even vote ``yes'' or ``no'' on whether you support the tariffs. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.”

    House of Representatives8 April 2025Source ↗

  28. “We aren't talking about the tariffs, not a peep about the tariffs, not a peep about the chaos in the markets, not a peep about the uncertainty this is causing, not a peep about how this is going to screw over middle America. Never in my life have I seen anything like this. The President promised lower prices and a booming economy, and we are going to get higher prices and a recession. This is nuts. Trump isn't using tariffs strategically. He is launching an economic nuclear war, and we are all in the blast zone. This is a disaster. Even if you agree with these tariffs, which is nuts, put that aside. Even if you are a fan, can just one Republican admit that it is insane that one guy is making this call alone?”

    House of Representatives8 April 2025Source ↗

  29. “It took the Speaker a week--it took the Speaker a whole week--to buy off a few votes by offering a pretend deal. Now, Republicans are ready to move forward on the important legislative business of--wait for it-- passing the same bills they rejected last week, not that these bills are any better the second time around. These bills include a bill that will make it harder for women to vote, a bill to let the Trump administration break the law, and two resolutions that stick it to consumers. Honest to God, Mr. Speaker, who asked for these? Which Trump donor wrote these measures? Meanwhile, what aren't we talking about on the floor right now?”

    House of Representatives8 April 2025Source ↗

  30. “Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from North Carolina for yielding me the customary 30 minutes, and I yield myself such time as I may consume. I have to ask, Mr. Speaker: What the hell is the Republican majority doing? I mean, last week, these guys canceled Congress and went home all because they don't want new moms or dads to be able to vote. So much for being the party of family values. The gentlewoman just said that the Speaker is very much in support of family values, yet he has a problem with allowing new moms and dads to be able to vote by proxy. He seems to have no problem with Republican Members flying to the West Coast, filming comedy shows in Hollywood, and voting by proxy. I mean, I don't get it. That is what family values mean to my Republican friends?”

    House of Representatives8 April 2025Source ↗

  31. “Speaker, pursuant to the National Emergencies Act and the Emergency Economic Powers Act, I move to discharge the Committee on Foreign Affairs from further consideration of H.J. Res. 72, relating to a national emergency by the President on February 1, 2025.”

    House of Representatives8 April 2025Source ↗

  32. “The bottom line is this program is good for kids, good for families, and good for farmers. That is why last week I led a letter to Agriculture Secretary Rollins, along with Congresswomen Suzanne Bonamici, Stacey Plaskett, Chellie Pingree, and 34 other Democrats, demanding answers on why the administration suddenly canceled this congressionally authorized and funded program with no notice to Congress. Mr. Speaker, despite promising to support farmers and promote health, this is just another of many recent examples of the Trump administration callously undercutting our farmers, schools, and the well-being of our communities. We should be expanding wonderful programs like Patrick Leahy Farm to School grants, not gutting them, to end hunger now.”

    House of Representatives8 April 2025Source ↗

  33. “Mr. Speaker, on March 24, the Trump administration abruptly terminated the highly successful Patrick Leahy Farm to School grant program which helps schools incorporate healthy, locally grown foods into their school meal programs. USDA's own findings report that 61 percent of schools using the program saw increased fruit and vegetable consumption among students.”

    House of Representatives8 April 2025Source ↗

  34. “Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote. A recorded vote was ordered.”

    House of Representatives11 March 2025Source ↗

  35. “Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays. The yeas and nays were ordered.”

    House of Representatives11 March 2025Source ↗

  36. “Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how much time is remaining.”

    House of Representatives11 March 2025Source ↗

  37. “Mr. Speaker, the gentleman wants to talk about grocery prices? Read the room, man, or better yet, visit a grocery store. Give me a break. Mr. Speaker, if we defeat the previous question, I will offer an amendment to the rule to bring up H.R. 1974, a short-term continuing resolution that keeps the government funded through April 11. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of my amendment into the Record, along with any extraneous material, immediately prior to the vote on the previous question.”

    House of Representatives11 March 2025Source ↗

  38. “Mr. Speaker, on January 25, I had the honor of joining Worcester Mayor Joe Petty, former State Senate President Harriette Chandler, and other community leaders to present Richard ``Richy'' Perlman with the Key to the city of Worcester. It was a moving ceremony for a man who has spent his life quietly serving others.”

    House of Representatives11 March 2025Source ↗

  39. “Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays. The yeas and nays were ordered.”

    House of Representatives5 March 2025Source ↗

  40. “Republicans moved heaven and earth to come down here and defend the honor of their boss, Donald Trump, but they won't lift a finger for their own constituents. Look in the mirror and censure yourselves. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.”

    House of Representatives5 March 2025Source ↗

  41. “Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to the time remaining.”

    House of Representatives5 March 2025Source ↗

  42. “Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Do you know what has never happened in my career? The President of the United States coming before a joint session of Congress and insulting Members by name individually, shouting slurs at people. I have never seen that before. Would the gentleman agree with me that Trump deserves a censure for calling my Senator from Massachusetts a slur? Would that be appropriate? Again, this was not business as usual yesterday. To make believe that somehow it was or that the person who was giving the speech yesterday was acting within the structures of decorum is laughable. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Jackson).”

    House of Representatives5 March 2025Source ↗

  43. “Al Green is not the one cozying up to dictators and screwing over our allies; Trump is. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.”

    House of Representatives5 March 2025Source ↗

  44. “Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote. A recorded vote was ordered.”

    House of Representatives25 February 2025Source ↗

  45. “Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays. The yeas and nays were ordered.”

    House of Representatives25 February 2025Source ↗

  46. “Madam Speaker, you can shut me up but you can't silence the voice of the American people.”

    House of Representatives25 February 2025Source ↗

  47. “They are betraying the people who voted for them. This is the betrayal on a scale I don't think we have ever seen before. Madam Speaker, I am going to fight to expose it and to stop it. I have said this over and over again. We need tax relief for workers, not the ultrarich. We need to preserve Social Security and Medicare, not gut them to pay for corporate handouts. We should protect Medicaid and food benefits for working families because we know these are programs that people rely on and need when times get tough.”

    House of Representatives25 February 2025Source ↗

  48. “Madam Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time is remaining.”

    House of Representatives25 February 2025Source ↗

  49. “I offered that amendment last night in the Rules Committee and, to my shock, every single one of my Republican colleagues voted against it, standing with billionaires over Medicaid recipients. I am now giving every House Republican a chance to go on the record. Voting ``yes'' on the previous question means my colleagues want to cut taxes for billionaires, even at the expense of vital Medicaid coverage. Voting ``no'' gives my colleagues an opportunity to ensure that Medicaid is protected. It is that simple. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of my amendment into the Record, along with any extraneous material immediately prior to the vote on the previous question.”

    House of Representatives25 February 2025Source ↗

  50. “Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to include in the Record a letter to Speaker Johnson, signed by eight Republicans, titled: ``Protecting American Communities in the Budget Reconciliation Process.''”

    House of Representatives25 February 2025Source ↗

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