Brad Sherman
Representative for California · Democratic · United States
“We have been rounding transactions for a long time in this country. Now, we will be rounding to the nearest nickel instead of rounding to the nearest penny. Further, by eliminating the penny, we create extra room in the cash register where the penny used to go. That room could be used for a dollar coin.”
House of Representatives14 September 2026Source ↗
“Speaker, we perhaps need this bill more than ever because Republicans in the White House have fired inspectors general across Federal agencies, especially at HUD. {time} 2010 Mr.”
House of Representatives14 September 2026Source ↗
“We saw that this abrupt decision resulted in major consequences across the country that led to penny shortages for banks, retailers, and consumers and created confusion in the economy. It is not enough to stop minting pennies.”
House of Representatives14 September 2026Source ↗
“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 10167, the Common Cents Act, sponsored by Representative McClain. Last year, the President announced on Truth Social--not the best way to make a government announcement--that Treasury would stop minting pennies.”
House of Representatives14 September 2026Source ↗
“The second is to make sure that our regulators are in a position to make sure the banks are able to prevent themselves from being hit by malicious actors who could imperil consumers or, even more, the prudential solvency of the bank. It is better for Congress to understand the technological vulnerabilities that bankers face.”
House of Representatives14 September 2026Source ↗
“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 8278, the Fostering the Use of Technology to Uphold Regulatory Effectiveness in Supervision Act, as amended, authored by Representative Stutzman.”
House of Representatives14 September 2026Source ↗
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“HUD may not have confirmed leadership in place, but that progress means little while this administration continues to sideline accountability elsewhere, leaving key agencies understaffed and underresourced. Let us pass this bill today, and let us then focus our efforts on the need for truly independent inspectors general, particularly at HUD and FHFA. I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.”
House of Representatives14 September 2026Source ↗
“We also need whistleblower protection. This bill will provide additional protection for whistleblowers. This bill is an important step, perhaps made more necessary by the President's outrageous firing of inspectors general. For that reason, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4646. Protecting whistleblowers is not a partisan issue. Doing all we can to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse is not a partisan issue. When employees can safely report waste, fraud, and abuse, government programs work better for everyone. H.R. 4646 strengthens those protections consistently across HUD and its contractors, and it deserves our support. We also need to turn our attention to the need for truly independent inspectors general.”
House of Representatives14 September 2026Source ↗
“Speaker, we perhaps need this bill more than ever because Republicans in the White House have fired inspectors general across Federal agencies, especially at HUD. {time} 2010 Mr. Trump has fired the HUD inspector general and the FHFA inspector general, including right after they said that they planned to investigate how Trump's administration was engaging in lawlessness. That is not oversight. That is obstruction of justice. You cannot claim to protect the effort to deal with waste, fraud, and abuse if you support gutting and firing inspectors general. Of course, when you fire inspectors general and either don't have them or install people carefully selected to turn a blind eye, you increase the likelihood of waste, fraud, and abuse. This bill, at least, deals with that second part of the effort. We need inspectors general.”
House of Representatives14 September 2026Source ↗
“At HUD, the administration rolled back fair housing enforcement, stonewalled Congress from receiving critical information, and gutted tenant protections. Whistleblowers are now the last line of defense against these harmful decisions made behind closed doors, and Congress needs to send a clear message: If you expose wrongdoing, you will be protected. You will not be punished. Whistleblowers are how we catch waste, fraud, and abuse before they spiral. They are how we make sure that Federal housing programs actually do what Congress intended. For that reason, I support H.R. 4646. It strengthens whistleblower protections and makes them consistent across HUD contractors without gaps and without guesswork. Mr.”
House of Representatives14 September 2026Source ↗
“Ultimately, Congress would use the reporting from this bill to ensure that our banking agencies are able to keep up with the challenges that they face, including rapidly developing AI capacities and the need to make sure that our bank regulators are appropriately using AI to enforce all of our banking laws, including those that prevent discrimination. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.”
House of Representatives14 September 2026Source ↗
“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 8278 is an important step to allowing Congress to better understand the technological vulnerabilities of our banking system and what is faced by our bank regulators. Requiring Federal banking agencies to assess and report to Congress on gaps and vulnerabilities in their supervisory tools and their procurement process would further efforts by our regulators to meet emerging risks. Additionally, this bill will allow Federal banking regulators to evaluate and report on the impact of the Trump administration's executive orders, which, unfortunately, ignore well-documented harms from algorithmic bias in housing and financial services.”
House of Representatives14 September 2026Source ↗
“It pains me that this Congress is leaving town at the end of this week, leaving town on Thursday, when we should be spending at least the next 2 weeks focused on what our national response is to being told that AI may not just be a tool in the hands of good and bad people, used well and perhaps not so well, but maybe something we haven't confronted before; and that is, in effect, a new and powerful self- directed intelligence. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to working on those issues. For now, we ought to pass this bill. I urge my colleagues to support it, and I reserve the balance of my time.”
House of Representatives14 September 2026Source ↗
“But let us remember, this bill is based on last decade's big issue--how AI could be used by human beings in a way that is harmful and how AI could be used by human beings in a way that promotes the enforcement of our law, but in any case, how AI is a tool in the hands of humans beings. Now, what has exploded into our consciousness is a second issue this bill doesn't and wasn't intended to deal with, and that should not be ignored by Congress. That is what happens if AI isn't being used by human beings to achieve a human purpose but instead develops its own self-awareness, its own goals?”
House of Representatives14 September 2026Source ↗
“Now, under the Trump administration, AI has been politicized, which has created challenges for consistent procurement practices. For example, on July 23, 2025, an executive order directed agencies not to procure AI models that contain AI outputs driven by ideologies like diversity, equality, and inclusion. This is a dangerous approach which ignores the well-documented harms from algorithmic bias in housing and financial services, the workforce, and criminal justice. It also appears to contradict our existing laws. When the government agencies do their enforcement, they need to enforce all of our laws. When they use AI, they need to enforce all of the laws that apply to banking institutions.”
House of Representatives14 September 2026Source ↗
“The second is to make sure that our regulators are in a position to make sure the banks are able to prevent themselves from being hit by malicious actors who could imperil consumers or, even more, the prudential solvency of the bank. It is better for Congress to understand the technological vulnerabilities that bankers face. This bill requires the Federal banking agencies to assess and to report to Congress on gaps and vulnerabilities in their supervisory tools and their procurement processes. As AI tools continue to be deployed by financial institutions, we have to be able to make sure that our regulators understand what the banks are doing. While malicious actors are beginning to use AI, it is important for our regulators to know the threats that that could pose to our banking system.”
House of Representatives14 September 2026Source ↗
“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 8278, the Fostering the Use of Technology to Uphold Regulatory Effectiveness in Supervision Act, as amended, authored by Representative Stutzman. I particularly note that this bill starts with the word ``fostering,'' and so it is appropriate that it is co-led by the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Foster). Who else could do a better job of fostering than Mr. Foster? This bill represents an important step in allowing Congress to better understand the technological vulnerabilities our banking regulators face. They come in at least two categories. One is to understand how banks are using AI and to make sure that banks are complying with all of our consumer protection and prudential standards.”
House of Representatives14 September 2026Source ↗
“Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.”
House of Representatives14 September 2026Source ↗
“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, the GUARD Act allows State, local, and Tribal law enforcement agencies to use certain Federal grant programs to investigate senior financial fraud, romance schemes, and general financial fraud. There are two points that I made in my earlier statement that I will reiterate. The first is that crypto has facilitated frauds and scams, and it is necessary that we give law enforcement the tools to react to that. The second is that while this is a very worthwhile bill, we do need to clarify that the GUARD Act overlaps and augments, doesn't steal from, the funds mentioned in the bill. It can help victims and survivors of domestic violence, among others, as they are targeted by fraudsters and scammers. Mr.”
House of Representatives14 September 2026Source ↗
“I believe that all Members and organizations supporting this bill have no intent to deny grants or reduce grants to address domestic violence and sexual assault. This bill is not meant to be a way for the President to raid those funds. Rather, the bill intends to augment the funds and to cover areas where GUARD Act activities overlap with the existing grant programs, such as where the victim of domestic violence is also the target of a romance scam. I stress again that when the bill says ``eligible Federal grant funds,'' no Member voting on this bill intends to ignore or change the purpose of existing Federal grant programs from which the GUARD Act draws.”
House of Representatives14 September 2026Source ↗
“Certainly, now that we are faced with crypto scams, we need to react, and this bill is part of that reaction. This is a sensible bill that will help Americans who are losing literally billions of dollars to fraudsters and scammers. I support this bill, but I must express a significant concern of the Democratic Caucus that should be addressed. That is the potential misinterpretation or misuse of this bill to allow agencies to siphon funds from defined grant programs for unrelated purposes. One of the grant programs, for example, is found in the Violence Against Women Act, VAWA, which allows grants to nonprofits and local governments to provide support for victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse.”
House of Representatives14 September 2026Source ↗
“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 2978, the GUARD Act, sponsored by Representatives Nunn and Gottheimer. The GUARD Act would allow State, local, and Tribal law enforcement agencies to tap into certain Federal grant programs to support investigations into senior fraud, romance scams, and general financial fraud. The bill would also permit Federal law enforcement to assist State and local law enforcement with tracing tools for blockchain technology. This bill is particularly important because blockchain technology, cryptocurrency, is so often used in scams, and it is the Federal Government that has the best chance--and it is only a chance--of using technology to defeat the scams and to hold those responsible accountable.”
House of Representatives14 September 2026Source ↗
“Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.”
House of Representatives14 September 2026Source ↗
“I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.”
House of Representatives14 September 2026Source ↗
“We have been rounding transactions for a long time in this country. Now, we will be rounding to the nearest nickel instead of rounding to the nearest penny. Further, by eliminating the penny, we create extra room in the cash register where the penny used to go. That room could be used for a dollar coin. We all know that it costs more than a dollar to print a dollar and that a paper dollar wears out. I look forward to popularizing the dollar coin. This will be a boon to our transit agencies, vending machines, and others when people use a dollar coin. Growing up, we had a dollar coin. We just called it a quarter. We had a quarter. We used it. It was worth about what a dollar is worth today. Mr. Speaker, while I am not a big fan of the inflation that has taken place in my lifetime, I do think it is time to popularize the dollar coin.”
House of Representatives14 September 2026Source ↗
“{time} 1920 The fact is, it is the consumer, not the retailer, who determines whether you buy two nail files at the same time and that happens to round down, and then buy another two nail files at the same time, and that transaction is rounded down. I can't imagine anybody doing that to save a nickel, but it is the consumer, not the retailer, that decides what goes into the basket. I can't imagine anybody looking at this. If somebody does care, it is the retailer in control. We have formal rules here on rounding down when it is 2 cents or 1 cent. That is important for commerce to go forward. Under this bill, the Federal Reserve would be required to issue a strategic plan for managing and limiting disruptions in the penny supply.”
House of Representatives14 September 2026Source ↗
“It also allows the Mint to test a lower-cost composition for the nickel, which chiefly would be zinc, and to make use of the zinc that is now going into pennies. Moreover, by using zinc for the nickel, not only will we save money, but it will be lighter, and that will be important for the cost of those who are transporting large quantities of coins, and it will be a little lighter in your pocket. This bill not only deals with the penny, but it also improves the nickel. The bill provides clarity on rounding cash transactions. When I proposed in committee 20 years ago, and I proposed it at townhalls, people were concerned that somehow this would lead to higher prices and that somehow retailers would benefit.”
House of Representatives14 September 2026Source ↗
“We saw that this abrupt decision resulted in major consequences across the country that led to penny shortages for banks, retailers, and consumers and created confusion in the economy. It is not enough to stop minting pennies. We need a bill that tells retailers and customers how much they are supposed to pay in nickels, dimes, and dollars. However, as written, this legislation addresses many of these issues and establishes much-needed standards and guidelines going forward. Since we marked up the Common Cents Act in our committee, this bill has continued to be meaningfully improved, thanks to the work of our ranking member, Maxine Waters, and other Financial Services Committee Democrats, including Representative Garcia. The Common Cents Act formally directs the Secretary of the Treasury to stop minting pennies.”
House of Representatives14 September 2026Source ↗
“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 10167, the Common Cents Act, sponsored by Representative McClain. Last year, the President announced on Truth Social--not the best way to make a government announcement--that Treasury would stop minting pennies. Frankly, I disagree with almost everything the President does, but this one makes sense. I have been advocating for the abolition of the penny for over 20 years in our committee, and it is time that we move forward on this. Following this announcement, the Treasury moved forward, and the Mint has stopped producing pennies. Unfortunately, the decision to stop minting pennies ignored the authority of Congress in regulating currency and overseeing a major transition away from producing pennies.”
House of Representatives14 September 2026Source ↗
“This bill requires us to ask the GAO to calculate for us how many have died in the last year and a half. A Harvard professor says hundreds of thousands of deaths have already occurred. Boston University calculates that we have lost 781,000 people in the world, most of them children. A peer-reviewed study led by UCLA says that we are looking at over 14 million who will die if we continue these policies through the end of this decade. Hundreds of thousands have died already, millions will die in this decade if we don't change course, and untold hundreds of thousands of Americans will die if we don't fight the disease over there and instead give that disease a chance to replicate, mutate, and migrate back here. {time} 1910”
House of Representatives2 September 2026Source ↗
“If we don't fight those diseases over there, they replicate, mutate, and migrate. Every one of these diseases replicates in every body that it infects. Then one out of a thousand times or one out of a million times it mutates into a new strain that is either more drug resistant or more communicable, and then those diseases migrate back to the United States. Every one of those diseases is found here and none of them started here. Mr. Speaker, I thank 120 Members of the House who joined with my letter urging the Appropriations Committee to fully fund foreign aid. I thank every member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee on the Democratic side for cosponsoring my Evan Anzoo Memorial Act. Who is Evan Anzoo? This was the first child killed by Elon Musk who took away his HIV-AIDS medicine in the first month of the Trump administration.”
House of Representatives2 September 2026Source ↗
“Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Beyer for bringing us together. Mr. Speaker, foreign aid has been a political whipping boy in this country for decades. The American people believe, if you poll them, that we spend 25 percent of our Nation's budget on foreign aid and they want it reduced to 10 percent. It is already less than 1 percent, less than a quarter percent of our GDP. Obviously, if you are moral, if you care about the world, these programs should be fully funded and that should increase. But what if you are only focused on America? What about our soft power that is dependent upon our image in the world? What about preventing enormous migration caused by desperation? But let's focus on public health because what USAID does more than anything else is fight malaria, Ebola, tuberculosis, and HIV-AIDS.”
House of Representatives2 September 2026Source ↗
“That does not mean that we will not try to change Israeli policy, but this amendment goes as far as it possibly can to put us on the side not of those who would shoot down the missiles that are aimed at civilian neighborhoods in Israel but on those who are cheering those missiles. Then we are told that the amount of money involved is the focus. It says $3.3 billion, but that is about an 80th of the aid that we have provided Ukraine and that we should have provided Ukraine. This is not an attempt to divert a large portion of our money from Israel. This is an attack on the Israeli people.”
House of Representatives15 July 2026Source ↗
“We will not fund the AMRAAM system that is provided for in a memorandum of understanding signed by President Obama. This amendment is a political stunt. Republican leadership has brought it to the floor--not for the purpose of having it become law, but for the purpose of driving a wedge through the middle of the Democratic Party, for the purpose of facilitating Republican advertisements that will put our party on the side of those who are screaming death to America and death to Israel, and to put our party on the side of those who say that Israel has no right to exist. {time} 1350 If you care about not only our Middle East policy but you care about the Democratic Party's position, with the American people, then you must vote ``no'' on this amendment. Now that does not mean that there will not be future reductions in our aid to Israel.”
House of Representatives15 July 2026Source ↗
“Madam Chair, President Obama signed a 10-year memorandum of understanding. We are now in the ninth year of that memorandum. Mr. Massie would have us repudiate that signature. That is as bad an idea as Donald Trump's repudiation of the JCPOA, the deal with Iran that limited its nuclear program. We are told that this is about offensive weapons. This $3.3 billion provides the AMRAAM system that defends Israeli apartment buildings and houses from incoming missiles that have as one purpose: to kill as many Israeli civilians as possible. How are we going to influence the people of Israel and the government of Israel? They need our influence. They need to change their policies. How are we going to influence them? As the missiles are coming in for the sole purpose of killing as many civilians as possible, we say we will not help shoot them down.”
House of Representatives15 July 2026Source ↗
“Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Madam Speaker, this legislation awards three Congressional Gold Medals to members of the 1980 U.S. Olympic men's hockey team, whose hard work and commitment inspired a country at the height of the Cold War. I hope that, in recognizing this victory, their legacy will continue to inspire us and to unify a country that faces significant divisions. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.”
House of Representatives28 April 2025Source ↗
“The events of the ``Miracle On Ice'' serve as a critical reminder of the importance of rising to meet the challenges of our time through steadfast commitment and grit. Madam Speaker, I applaud Mr. Stauber, who spoke with such passion and such knowledge, and the other sponsors of this bill. I urge my colleagues to support this measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.”
House of Representatives28 April 2025Source ↗
“hockey team historically defeated the Soviet Union 4-3 at the Lake Placid Winter Games. Prior to their victory, the talented, yet untested U.S. team was deemed an underdog. Many of them were college players. They were, on average, 22 years old. They had played together only a few months. Leading up to the game, the U.S. players took part in a 7-month training program designed to confront a Soviet team that many considered to be the best conditioned hockey team in the world. However, through steadfast commitment, grit, hope, and determination, the U.S. team emerged victorious and established a much-needed sense of national pride across this country. Even decades later, I hope that these themes can continue to inspire us to confront the difficult challenges that we face as a nation today.”
House of Representatives28 April 2025Source ↗
“Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I join in applauding the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Stauber). I thank the gentleman from Minnesota, and I rise in support of his bill. I can't possibly do justice to the passion and the eloquence that the gentleman brought to this floor just a minute ago. Madam Speaker, we vote today to honor the young men who reinspired a country at the height of the Cold War. The legislation awards three Congressional Gold Medals, as the gentleman from Minnesota outlined. They are going to three different locations. This is the highest civilian award, and it makes that award to the members of the 1980 U.S. Olympic men's ice hockey team, whose victory marked a pivotal moment in American sports history. On February 13, 1980, the U.S.”
House of Representatives28 April 2025Source ↗
“Mr. Speaker, do not vote to prohibit regulation of payment systems. Do not vote to prohibit limitations on overdraft protection. Do not vote to allow $6.1 billion to be transferred from constituents to the biggest banks in the country. Vote ``no,'' and then vote ``no'' again.”
House of Representatives9 April 2025Source ↗
“It requires disclosure of what these overdraft fees are going to be. It will save American consumers $6.1 billion every year. If we are concerned about inflation, why shouldn't we tell the banks that overdraft is not a profit center? They can recover their costs or maybe a little bit more, but they don't turn to the consumer and say: You were so dumb that you had an overdraft, so we are going to hit you with a wild fee.”
House of Representatives9 April 2025Source ↗
“If an entity in the transactions business is going to hold $7 billion of consumers' money, shouldn't we at least make sure that the money is still there, and shouldn't we make sure that they don't engage in Botswana currency swaps and others with the highest risk transactions they can find to perhaps make a lot of money or lose all of the consumers' money. Heads, I win. Tails, the consumers lose. Mr. Speaker, I will take 1 minute or 2 to talk about the other regulation because, after Members vote against the first of these resolutions, you are going to feel so good that you are going to want to vote against the second one. This is the one that limits overdraft fees to $5 for the big banks, the 175 biggest banks, or they can charge what their actual cost is if it is more than $5.”
House of Representatives9 April 2025Source ↗
“On the one hand, we have to create a new currency for drug dealers, and, on the other hand, the current system using the U.S. dollar shouldn't even be regulated because it is perfect. Why do we need to regulate here? First, to prevent excessive fees; second, to prevent deception; but, third--and this is obvious--to prevent the loss of consumer money. Venmo is holding $7 billion of consumers' money. If you have a tiny bank that is one-tenth or one-hundredth the size of Venmo, you have to make sure that you have reserves. You can't take the money to the horse races. Yet, Venmo can do anything with the money. If they lose the $7 billion, you as a consumer are out of luck, and Trump can say: It wasn't my fault because Congress prohibited us from having prudential regulations.”
House of Representatives9 April 2025Source ↗
“That is because my colleagues on the other side of the aisle want zero consumer protection and the Trump administration to have an excuse. The excuse is: Congress passed the CRA. We are prohibited from writing a regulation in that area. The Republican administration could rewrite these rules. Congress could overwrite these rules. Instead, we are erasing the rules and prohibiting other rules from being there. Mr. Speaker, I spent this morning being told that we need to have cryptocurrency because it is going to be this great payment system and, for some reason, the payment systems that use U.S. dollars aren't good. Now I am here on the floor being told that Venmo and its competitors are so wonderful that there should be absolutely no regulation.”
House of Representatives9 April 2025Source ↗
“Mr. Speaker, we are here to deal with two regulations, the first dealing with payment systems, and the second dealing with overdraft protection. In both cases, I came here for the entertainment value to watch Republican after Republican tell us how much the majority doesn't trust the Trump administration. It is as if Trump doesn't control the CFPB. Mr. Speaker, the regulation we are considering now is just a regulation that says that this is an area we are going to look at. Republicans are afraid the Trump administration will look at it. It doesn't do anything except begin a process. Mr. Speaker, as to both of these CRAs, the effect is not only to erase what was done under the Biden administration but prohibit the new administration from adopting any consumer protection.”
House of Representatives9 April 2025Source ↗
“Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn. The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 2 o'clock and 10 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until Monday, March 3, 2025, at noon for morning-hour debate. ____________________”
House of Representatives27 February 2025Source ↗
“I voted for aid for hurricane victims in Louisiana, and it never occurred to me to turn to a victim after a hurricane in Louisiana and tell them to stay on their cousin's couch and no Federal aid until their State changes its abortion laws. Now is not the time to take hostage fire victims or hurricane victims in an effort to try to force a State government to take an action that this or that Member of Congress or this or that President wants them to take. I want to assure the country we are going to build back better. We are going to make sure that the Palisades does not burn again. We have a very strict fire building code that is applicable to all new construction in the Palisades and other fire-prone areas. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time is remaining.”
House of Representatives27 February 2025Source ↗
“Mr. Speaker, he got his start on a TV show called, ``The Apprentice.'' We saw how entertaining it can be to fire people, but that is entertainment. That is not how you run an organization. We have seen a performative effort to try to convince us that they are saving money.”
House of Representatives27 February 2025Source ↗
“Speaker, I urge all Members to support both bills. They both have no score, so this doesn't cost the Federal Government any money.”
House of Representatives10 February 2025Source ↗