pamela bondi to serve as attorney general of the united states. i don't do it lightly. after evaluating her record as well as her testimony before the judiciary committee, it's sadly become clear to me that ms. bondi is either unwilling or unable to put her duty to the constitution of the united states and her duty to the american people above her loyalty to president trump. with the president now in who -- in office who has proven his disregard for the law on numerous occasions, pam bondi is simply unfit to serve as our nation's chief law enforcement officer. time and again we've seen ms. bondi more than willing to go on national television and

push president trump's lies about the results of a free and fair election. despite the facts, despite overwhelming evidence, she's chosen to lie to the american people in defense of donald trump. now, as i shared in committee during the confirmation hearing, this very issue, offered her an opportunity to withdraw those statements that she made back in 2020, reminding my colleagues, anybody watching, that the danger of her refusal isn't just that she is sea sticking to some political -- she's sticking to some political talking points, when it comes to to the integrity of our elections, lies have become threats to our democracy. threats to voters, and threats

to election workers who dedicate themselves to administering our free and fair elections. to this day, she refuses to state the simple truth that donald trump lost in 20. -- in 2020. colleagues, consider the fact that the same lies have led to her associate, rudy giuliani, being disbarred. think about that contrast -- rudy giuliani lied and he's being disbarred for those actions. pam bondi, same lies, refuses to take them back, and now you want her to be the top law enforcement officer for the united states of america? it's this very behavior that actually endears her to

president trump, and the same reason why we cannot trust her to hold him accountable. if confirmed, ms. bondi would no doubt face far mortgage daunting -- far more daunting challenges to shield the department of justice and its prevail civil servants from politics. i mean, just look at president trump's activity in the first couple weeks in office. from his first day on the job -- day one of his second term -- he issued around 1,500 pardons for january 6 insurrectionists and commuted the sentences of 14 of his supporters, including those convicted of violence against police officers. let me say it again. the first day in office, trump

freed convicted violent criminals who pepper sprayed and beat capitol police officers. so much for back the blue. president trump's appointees then proceeded to fire career department of justice lawyers involved in investigating and prosecuting him for his role in the january 6 insurrection and for his improper handling of classified documents. the acting u.s. attorney for the district of columbia has already promised to investigate the prosecutors who helped put violent insurrectionists behind bars. then this comes -- none of this comes as a surprise, though. before she was even selected, before the nomination was official, ms. bondi had already publicly promised to investigate

the investigators, to prosecute the prosecutors, and just this past sunday, president trump's department of justice demanded specific fbi staff fill out a questionnaire sharing what involvement they had in the january 6 cases. this is a tough environment for any attorney general to walk into and to act independently, let alone someone who's already shown blind loyalty to president trump over the rule of law. but these past few weeks i was struck most by the fact that despite her having practiced law for decades, despite the national debting she serve -- despite the fact that she served

once as the attorney general for the state of florida, ms. bondi was somehow unfamiliar with the 14th amendment of the constitution and specifically its citizenship clause. it shouldn't have come as a surprise. we talked about it in nigh office the day before the hearing. i let her know that i was going to be asking her about it during the hearing. and when i gave her an opportunity during the hearing to discuss it, she simply refused to answer my questions. and now we know why. in his very first day back in office, president trump issued a blatantly unconstitutional executive order seeking to strip birthright citizenship from american citizens. citizens born here in the united states. now, one who still needs to

study birthright citizenship surely won't be a champion in defending it. and i point to that because that's what ms. bondi said in response to my question, that she would study it. think about that, colleagues. top law enforcement officer in the united states needing to study the constitution? the american people need and deserve to be able to trust that the department of justice is the enacting the law fairly, neutrally, and free from political interference. we need and deserve an attorney general who will speak truth to power, push back against illegal, immoral, and unethical requests, someone who can be a credible messenger to the american people in a time of crisis and someone who will

defend not only the american people but the proud public servants who work within the department and who are being purged in a -- not a saturday night massacre, a monday massacre, but a january massacre by president trump. to my colleagues today, i ask this -- do you believe ms. bondi will fight against retttribution or enact it? do you believe she's stand up to the administration's chaos or further enable it? colleagues, i don't believe ms. bondi is up to the test. and for that reason, i will oppose her nomination and i urge all of you to join me. thank you, mr. president. i yield the floor.

a senator: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from california.

mr. schiff: just over eight years ago donald trump assumed the office of the president for the first time. he began that administration with at least a few people of independence and stature, people that had enough of a respect for themselves and the rule of law that when they were asked to do things that violated the larks their oath, or their own sense of decency, they said no. they resigned. people like defense secretary mattis who wrote in his resignation letter, my views on treating allies with respect and also being clear-eyed about both maligned actors and strategic competitors are strongly held and informed by over four decades of immersion in these issues. we must do everything possible to advance an international order that is most conducive to our security, prosperity, and values, and we are strengthened in this effort by the silt daughter of our alliances, because you have the right to have a secretary of defense whose views are better aligned with yours on these and other

subjects, i believe it is right for me to step down from my position. treating allies with respect, being clear-eyed about maligned actors, advancing an international order conducive to our national security, prosperity and values. the solidarity of alliances -- so thats these didn't used to be controversial ideas. what secretary mattis said about an international order that is most conducive to our security and values may also be applied to a domestic order that is respectful of our agencies and institutions, our norms and values. not everyone in trump's first administration was like secretary mattis. some took much longer to realize that the president's demand for loyalty to him be placed above all else was incompatible with their own oath of office. attorney general bill barr once so desperate for a job in thes

trump administration, that he wrote a lengthy job application cat city debating an investigation he knew little about found ultimately that there were lines even he could not corroboration like lying about the election. others still like kash patel seemed never to find demand by the president too taxing of their own motherly code to raise an objection but, rather, viewed any questionable order as a means of advancement. the question we face with the nomination of pam bondi is what will she do when inevitably she is pout the test by a president who feels unbound by law or provide pry. her testimony before the senate judiciary committee tells us that she will not pass the test. when asked about whether the president lost the 20 election, she could not answer. when asked whether she would preserve evidence gathered in the january 6 investigation, she could not agree to do so. when asked about potential pardons of violent criminals who

attacked police on january 6, she indignantly assured us that she would review all pardon cases on a case-by-case basis, a promised breached by the president so soon thereafter that her words seemed still to hang in the air. if she could not assert her independence now before congress, before taking office, what hope can we have that she will do so when put to test -- to the test by the president? when asked about this, too, she demurred. that's a hypothetical. but it wasn't then and it isn't nouchlt the president has already pardoned hundreds of violent criminals. would pam bondi have objected to the firing of inspectors general? do any of us believe that she would? the president has issued an executive order attempting to amend the constitution. a federal judge struck down this horde as presenting perhaps the simplest constitutional question he had ever heard -- could we

have expected pam bondi to defend it? sad did i, yes. -- sadly yes. the president issued an order impounding congressional l. appropriated funds. would she have you shall usher he had a word of protest? certainly not. dozen of top prosecutors have already been fired from the department of justice who did their lawful duty, investigating the rioters who attacked police. would she have resigned in protest? she has witnessed this saturday night massacre and wants the job so plainly, the answer is no. top fbi agents have been fired, questioners have gone out to identify the hundreds, perhaps thousands of the legitimate prosecution of these felons. would she have defended these fbi agents at the risk of her own job as one senior fbi leader has done? of course not.

and let us not pretend otherwise. donald trump only took the oath of office a mere two weeks ago with an oath to protect and defend the constitution of the united states, to faithfully execute the office of the president of the united states, to faithfully execute the laws of this country that congress passed and funded each day, it seems he has found new ways to bend and break those laws. to put in power unelected billionaires and political cronies to dismantle agencies, take control of payment systems and exact political retribution. each of his nominees, whether -- asked whether they would oppose such contact has claimed they will not engage in hypotheticals stated that what the president promised to do during the campaign simply wouldn't happen.

but it is happening. it has happened. his campaign of retribution is happening. his empowering of a shadow president is happening. his dismantling of congressionally approved departments is happening, and we cannot afford an attorney general who believes their role is to defend him rather than the american people and the democracy we have inherited from our founders, this big, bold, brave, and improbable experiment in self-governance. we need an attorney general with a backbone of steel, whose purpose is to enforce the laws against any law breaker, including the president of the united states. that person is not pam bondi. senator rufus who once walked these halls and served in this body recommended us 200 years ago that we have built no temple but the capitol, that we consult

no common oracle but the constitution. and what does that oracle tell us? i think maybe, simply this, we have been given the most brilliant constitution every devised to constrain the worse impulses of human nature, but even that brilliant document will not protect us if we do not inhabit positions of great responsibility with people worthy of them, with people who view our system of checks and balances not as a weakness to overcome or to overrun but as a source of strength, who view the domestic order who -- to take secretary mattis's words, conducive to our prosperity and values, we need an attorney general who will be strong when the president seeks to turn this institution a rubber stamp, when the president seeks to empower

elon musk, when the president ignores our allies and emboldens our enemies, when the president targets those in government who did their job to investigate crimes and malfeasance in order to exact vengeance, vengeance apart from self-enrichment, the president's only motivation, vengeance. donald trump is hoping that in the chaos of his executive orders, of oligarchs mar raweding through the -- marauding through the government agencies that we will get lost and in getting lost be lost, we must not be. his actions will get worse. they will. with the congressal majority that empowers him -- congressional majority that empowers him, with appointees that embolden him, he himself will be more emboldened in return. his unconstitutional actions will multiply, and when that

happens, will pam bondi take up her role, her duty as the people's lawyer or will she serve as the president's lawyer as she has done before? will pam boifrn said -- bondi say no to the president's unlawful actions, no to actions of perceived political enemies, no to investigations of career officials? because if she will not say no, if she cannot say know, it is up to us today to say no. no to this nomination, no to pam bondi. it is up to us. i yield back. the presiding officer: the

senator from connecticut. mr. blumenthal: as my colleague, senator schiff from california, has just powerfully stated, we are in the midst of a constitutional crisis. a crisis that would have been unimaginable just weeks ago, a crisis that involves a president disobeying the law. now presidents in the past have disobeyed the law, they sought to test the boundaries of their power, and the courts have blocked them, but never has a president violated so many significant laws and the constitution to rapidly, so repeatedly that we are, as senator schiff said, lost in the chaos. and it falls to the arbiors

of -- ashors of law, it is also encouple bent on the enforcers of the law. any of us who have served in the department of justice -- i was the united states attorney for connecticut for four and a half years -- knows that the most important decisions that any prosecutor, any law enforcer makes, is whether to uphold the rule of law and sometimes say no to an fbi agent who is too enthusiastic about a case and wants to indict someone, who could not be convicted, a public official who is close personally

or politically and has overstepped their powers or ethics. to be fair, independent, ob objective, to be completely impartial and to uphold the rule of law is the first duty of anyone in the united states department of justice. and i have more than respect, i have reverence for the department of justice, and that's why i am so deeply disappointed that we are here tonight for the nomination of pam bondi. the attorney general of the united states of america is supposed to be the people's lawyer, not the president's. donald trump has said he wants the attorney general to be his

roy coen, his fixer, his personal attorney. well, ms. bondi said she would be the people's lawyer but that claim is betrayed by almost everything else she said and most important what she would not say. here's what she would not say. she would not say that she would say no to the president when he asked her to do something illegal or immoral. she dodged that question. she would not say that she was wrong for spreading lies about fraud and cheating in pennsylvania during the 2020 election. she dodged that question too. she would not say that president biden won the 2020 election or that president trump lost.

she ducked it. now, the issue of whether president trump asked his attorney general to do -- asks his attorney general to do something illegal or immoral, it is not abstract, it is real. we know it's real because every one of his past attorneys general ran afoul of donald trump because they would not do something illegal or immoral. our colleague jeff sessions, bill barr, no matter how good their intention, nobody can talk donald trump out of what he wants to do and the law is no concern nor is the lawyer. he will get lawyers to do whatever he wants and pam bondi was reassuring, very reassuring

to one person, donald trump, when she dodged those questions because what he wants is a loyalist, a sycophant, and he wants a puppet to do his bidding. the american people need a lawyer at this moment in history at this point of constitutional crisis who will truly speak truth to power. we use that phrase all the time, speak truth to power, but in this instance it is the essence of what an attorney general has to do at this moment in our history. and donald trump doesn't want to hear the truth, as much power as he has, he wants to hear an attorney general tell him, fine to go ahead, you have the green light. if pam bondi thinks that she

won't face that same dilemma, that bill -- dilemma that bill barr and jeff sessions did and every other lawyer that has worked for donald trump has faced, she is either delusional or disingenuous, delusional and disin disingenuous, for me, both are disqualifying for this job. and she can't even pay or pass that low barf saying she could say no -- barf saying -- bar of saying no, she would say, oh, he would never do anything like that. he is my friend. as we are here tonight, the trump justice department is reported to be preparing to purge hundreds of even thousands of fbi agents or other personnel in the department of justice for

nothing more than doing their job. these agents were assigned to crennel cases -- cases -- criminal cases involving donald trump. they didn't volunteer. they were assigned. and like fbi agents do, they took the assignment. and now they will pay a price in their careers, unjustly, unfairly, and unwisely because it will deter other fbi agents from doing their job when it comes to drug cases or terrorism cases. we've heard also that assistant u.s. attorneys are being reassigned from drug cases and terrorism cases so that they can do immigration. we're hearing that career civil servants must be loyal to donald trump in this department of justice. well, to donald trump and to

them we all know something fundamental in this body. we swear an oath, the lowest private in the united states army in the navy, marine corps raise their right hand and takes an oath, anybody in the cabinet takes that oath and they swear alle allegiance, but it isn't to the president and it isn't to the government, it is to the constitution. that's what's at risk here. that's what pam bondi cannot do in god conscience if -- good conscience if she is confirmed because her allegiance will be to donald trump and the purge of agents, the reassignment and retribution of others, not only damages morale, the effectiveness of the department of justice, it undermines the

rule of law. the attorney general, perhaps chief among presidential appointees is responsible for making good on the constitutional promise that no man or no woman is above the law. that we have no king in the united states. we are no longer a monarchy. we can no longer ask a billionaire to rummage through the files of the department of tre treasury, that have information about the presiding officer and every one of us who serves in this body, and almost every american, because we all pay taxes, we all have social security, we get tax refunds, veterans get disability benefits. almost anything the united states government does creates a record in the treasury

department, and all that information is being read and scanned and now collected. that's the news of the day. more bad news about elon musk. who is going to stop elon musk? when he's doing something illegal and immoral. it won't being pam bondi, because she's donald trump's lawyer. that is a real and present d danger for every one of us in this country. after i was united states attorney in connecticut, i was the attorney general of my state for 20 years. in that job also, i took an oath to the constitution of the united states, as a state official, as well as to the constitution of the state of

connecticut. it isn't an abstract notion. it's what we all do. and if she's confirmed, maybe pam bondi will be able to raise her right hand and recite after whoever's administering the oath, but it will not be an oath she is capable of keeping. and so, on this critically important vote for our country, i don't think there is a cabinet officer more important at this moment in our history. i urge my colleagues to say no to this nomination. thank you, mr. president. i yield the floor.

the presiding officer: the democratic whip. mr. durbin: i suggest the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: the clerk: ms. alsobrooks.

it is not a real government agency. it has no authority to make spending decisions. "doge has no authority to shut programs under ignore federal law. doge conduct, i said cannot be allowed to stand. congress must take action to restore the rule of law.

his response, here's what mosque said quote hysterical reactions like this is how you know that doge is doing work that really matters and that quote this is the one shot american people have to defeat bureaucracy and restore democracy. give me a break. nothing screams democracy like having a secret squad of company men pull off a hostile takeover of america social security and tax information in the dead of night. that is democracy? no openness, no hearings, no discussion. no hearing the other side from a small group of limited people who have limited background don't know about the programs they're cutting and how they actually work. whatever doge is doing, it is certainly not, not what democracy looks like or has ever looked like in the grand history

of this country. because democracy does not work in the shadows. democracy does not skirt the rule of law. does not shun accountability and restraint. does not run away from transparency but welcomes it. that needs and even the ideas of a small group of ultra- wealthy people at the expense of working people. they are the only people who seem to be in the room to make the decisions. working-class americans are excluded. are excluded. it's a worthy cause to seek, and a question about up at everyone agrees everyone should agree that we should find ways to improve the effectiveness. we should find ways to improve the efficiency of government. but you know what history shows?

the dark of night by very limited group of people with limited experience, it never works. when ideas are not brought into conflict. when people have different views. when there is not debate, when the sun openness, when there's not transparency. things always get messed up it leads to very bad result yet that's just what doge is doing. they know better than everyone else. certainly they are entitled to have their viewpoints. certainly. but, to just do things in the dark of night comment to just fire people without even talking to them, what their needs are. again is going to lead from bad result. we should talk about reform. we should talk about it the way it's always been done in america in the halls of congress and the public forms of the peoples of

government. that's what the founding fathers wanted. if the founding fathers were to be like doge a small group of them would get together and dictate what should've been done in america. they didn't, they set up a congress. they set up debate. and the american people, mark my words the american people will not stand for an unelected secret group to run rampant through the executive branch. being innovative is good. but, mr. muscat, this is not a tech startup of these are public institutions that deal with things like social security, medicare, national defense and provide for the well-being of the american people and the american people have a right to be part of that debate. part of that debate.

the election has occurred one viewpoints got a view more votes than the other. that does not mean we throw out democracy. that does not mean what's been done for centuries in this country should just go out the window and should be substituted by a small group of people who think they know a lot more than the wisdom of the american people. so that is why this week leader jeffries and i will join together to push legislation to prevent unlawful meddling in the treasury department payment systems. to prevent everyone's records from being made available to a small group of people who look at them at will. when this has always been kept secret and always has been a protected your tax returns and your payment systems and things like that it affects average

americans. and who knows maybe next they'll say what/all of this stuff in there $2.5 trillion desire to cut government. we must protect people's social security payments, their medicare payments, their tax refunds from any possible tampering by doge at any other unauthorized and that's why leader jeffries and i will join together to push this legislation. i yield.

quorum call:

>> hopefully in a few short hours here, should be concerned of the next attorney general of the united states of america not what i think before i do that, leadership and hard work leader majority brass all, and the entire confirmation process, working at a cliff that i think is responsible, when the donors that mandate the president trump, that she thinks up here in washington dc read ai

think would you saw in november was, dynamic where people were particularly happy with what was going on in this town. in the voted for reforming president trump is putting better engine together a team of reformers. look no further than ideal place for that reform and that department of justice but before i get there, i do want to point out that a personal note, when president trump, announced that he was supporting pam bondi, i said this was a homerun to somebody and as many of us in this chamber often outdone by senator graham come he described as a grand slam touchdown hole-in-one base slamdunk to be gold-medal kick and he was right. and i have known pam bondi for years, from my job before and before had the this job is

attorney general missouri she was always known as a leader. and somebody that had is really rare combination of steel backbone and a part of gold. she's in it for the right reasons she hears about the rule of she started her career from humble beginnings in a small town in florida and she wanted to be a prosecutor and you heard in her testimony coming the judiciary committee that that was her goal to be a prosecutor and she spent hours and years and is courtrooms prosecuting the bad guys. and she later became the attorney general when the bigger states is a mention she was a leader, she defend the constitution, she took on the opioid epidemic it, and she was relentless in taking on human trafficking, and 70 think that everybody can look up two notches from a personal perspective interpersonal story, and also the way that she took

on her job had accolades from both sides of the aisles was actually summing the committee, who was on the other side of the island floor that ran for attorney general at the same time pam bondi testified to her character. it is just no question that she supremely qualified if and for this job. we really going to need somebody as the attorney general to leave the department of justice is a kind of integrity, who believes in the constitution leaves an individual rights. in getting that department back to fighting crime which is what it should've been sadly over the last four years, we have seen a department of justice gone astray. one that has made headlines of course for going after parents, who showed up to school board meetings, and the patriot act.

treating moms and dads as terrorists. we do school board, open for meeting and concerns about things like critical race theory forced masking and the full weight of the federal government, honing in on the peer rents predict and catholics. who were treated the same way because they were traditional catholics and literally, setting up and informative networks, an effort to style them because of the religious affiliations. under talking about the union of the 1980s, i'm talking about the united states of america in 2021. when merrick garland it did to the agency, he was a department of justice, is a tragedy. kash patel hopefully will be

here the committee soon move the fbi and restoring integrity to that agency as well but of course the department of justice pam bondi hopefully a few short hours will be confirmed as more into lead will restore integrity. in addition, the going after catholics, in addition to going after families showed up to school board meetings, the very coordinated effort affair, but that past administration to take out the chief political rival, under the moniker of show me the man and i will show you the crime. cannot be dismissed are not going to want to talk about that. but the effort to financially ruined president trump, to literally throw him in jail, for the rest of his life, deserves that this court of the history books. joe biden give a speech in fall

2022, calling half of america a threat to democracy and president trump in interbank back to the oval office and guess what happen a series of zombie cases with a best novel legal theories and theories were resurrected in new york, number three person at doj left the department of justice to join the das office in new york and why with the person want to do that will guess what, president trump was prosecuted in a manhattan courtroom not long after that. in state cases, number two person in the das office in atlanta, was coordinating with white house counsel's office on the prosecution of president trump in georgia. and then jack smith, was brought in who was notorious among legal circles for overzealous and over

prosecutions. overcharging, was brought and specifically to take out president trump and only the supreme court ultimately that prevented that but this was always scheme devised by the biden administration make sure president trump never got back into office and guess what, he steered it all down. and he one. we have a real opportunity now to have a level set and i don't think that is right to be have people pursued because of their power fix from equivalent perspective braided nothing was out of bounds the last four years by the biden amendment administration dornsife is just the conversion coming in restore integrity, and make sure that our department of justice is fighting on the half of the american people. not attempt ironically, to undermine our republic and of

the very accusations was level that joe biden political pundit and without mr. president i look forward to vote yes on p.m. bondi, and having real leader that we can look to repeat that's very important department of justice.

mr. thune: mr. president. the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. thune: i ask unanimous consent the quorum call be suspended. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. thune: mr. president, i know of no further debate on the bondi nomination. the presiding officer: is there further debate? if not, the question is on the nomination. mr. thune: mr. president, i ask for the yeas and nays. the presiding officer: is there a sufficient second? there appears to be. the clerk will call the roll. vote: the clerk: ms. alsobrooks. ms. baldwin. mr. banks. mr. barrasso. mr. bennet. mrs. blackburn. mr. blumenthal. ms. blunt rochester.

mr. booker. mr. boozman. mrs. britt. mr. budd. ms. cantwell. mrs. capito. mr. cassidy. ms. collins. mr. coons. mr. cornyn. ms. cortez masto. mr. cotton. mr. cramer. mr. crapo. mr. cruz. mr. curtis. the clerk: mr. daines.

thank you, i had the opportunity to meet with almost all of you and i greatly appreciate that pretty i'm grateful to president trump when it is committee for your consideration to be the any seventh attorney general of the united states. i would not be here without my family. in big bear with me, for just a moment, a lot of made a very long trip and around the mall down so i don't forget anyone predict my beautiful mother, retired kindergarten teacher would not be here without my month rest of the week ago it was 12 years since we lost my dad to leukemia for like 12 days. my amazing husband john, it is to incredible girls, colin infinitely pretty colin is a senior university of florida next month i think all of you in this committee will be very happy to know the family is in cybersecurity. there's a third who's traveling

abroad and we shouldn't be here in my amazing father-in-law, david and my sister, beth my brother-in-law home with my knees to my nephews and if you just raise your hand, evan j can seem to be niece savannah. my brother brad, a brilliant lawyer my sister-in-law candy and my nephew justin are just that a 4.0 that uva. and rex, great college tennis player, and brad, great tennis player, mnes my beautiful niece maria, the little guy is in school because he is ten years old. my friends is likely kathy dn tiffany and kim and paulette so many my former coworkers, and ranking member you want to get there to meet these women have known me since i was a child.

and seriously, most of them pretty so thank you and for indulging me in the development of very long trip, to be here and thank you for holding my hearing as well and not postponing it and i appreciate that and thank you all. from the moment i interned at the state attorney's office in tampa florida, holland wanted to do was be a prosecutor supreme court certified me and off school and lost most of them, but had to for jury trials did not want to do anything else and i continued my career there trying everything from duis, domestic violence cases, capitol murder cases. the whole gamut. medicament lead trial attorney courtroom in everyday trying career criminals with deputy chief of the division and ultimately with felony bureau chief and eventually best become

florida's 37th attorney general to the state of florida. nothing is impacted my career more than my experience as a state prosecutor. because i know this document is with many victims and families from when i was a prosecutor. and upon becoming attorney general in 2011, probably served for two terms that i was term limited and i was probably still be there right now had he not been kicked out of office by term limits. i love being attorney general. i did my best to keep florida safe to continue to stand up for victims of crime and fip opioid crisis in the drug crisis that was not only facing sort of this entire country. after that top 100 this one of the things i am the most proud of.

oxycodone dispenser in the entire country i believe that it was 98 of them are 90 rate 90 of them lived in florida. we fought for tough legislation kids were dropping dead every day. we fought for tough legislation and after that legislation, none of those opioid dealers practiced in florida as doctors we fought to eliminate human trafficking by raising awareness and prevention and talking the parents and talking to the children and we also provided critical resources including safehouses that my state was lacking in uncivil site come up we were protecting the consumers and we tackle everything including off label prescription marketing which in effect you know, many many people who cannot afford prescriptions as well. we partnered with state attorney

general, from both parties and federal agencies across the administrations and we went after price dodgers during hurricanes. and if confirmed become a as the next attorney general of the united states, my overriding objective will be to return to the department of justice to its core mission of keeping americans safe and vigorously prosecuting criminals and that includes getting back to basics gangs, drugs, terrorist about our kills in a border and our foreign adversaries. yes with the american people expect and that is what they deserve from the department of justice and if confirmed, i will do everything in my power, and will be my great responsibility to make america safe again.

making america safe again also requires reducing recidivism and we have to fix the bureau of prison reading looking both sides of the i/o read bureau suffered years of mismanagement and lack of funding and low morale. and i was proud to support president trump and i think that more can be implemented in more can be done on that front and president trump leadership on criminal justice reform, has demonstrated what is possible when the president is unafraid to do things that have been deemed to be too difficult. we have to reach across the aisle and get solutions for all of these problems. like the president, i believe that we are on the cusp of a new golden age with the department of justice can and will do better in confirmed.

lastly and most importantly, if confirmed about i will fight everyday to restore confidence and integrity to the department of justice and each of the components printed partisanship of the weaponization, will be on that america will have one here justice for all. in all of this work, collaborate closely with this committee, and i will work with all of you as i committed to do when i met with almost all of you. i will partner not only with the federal agencies, but with the state and local officials throughout our great country. i look forward to answering your questions today and working together. for this country and our constitution. thank you sends hers.

senators. >> i bless the first questions and senator durbin and then i will call in the democrat people in ways that the senator would say so on their arrival. by senior dorinda seniority the same way the house side. i will make sure that i don't abuse the seven minutes and i want to have your attention on this binder here and it gets to a factor of each senators role in oversight. and it 144 oversight letters that i sent to the biden harris justice department and it is component agencies with many of those letters and their to the fbi. adding letters to the inspector general, that would be about 165

letters predict so have sent more letters since you been in my office before christmas freighted to do printed could you be confirmed 144 letters will be your response ability and responses i received so far two categories in first not anst all thickly receipt of the response but it did not fully respond and the justice department nearly 70 birds on a piece of paper. so to be confirmed you have an obligation to respond to the minority and consider letter from them even if my signature is not on it. as they when information. we are committed to responding to my oversight request as well as request other members of the committee?

>> chairman, he dry my top staff will personally reveal the letters i do everything we can to respond to you. >> you tenure is florida attorney general was impressive. he fought against pill mills, human trafficking and you eliminated a backlog of rape cases and state labs and reporting its organized retail theft. your known to stand for law and order. with such achievements is easy to see whether people of florida reelected you in 2014. my president-elect trump dominated you deserve as the nation's chief law enforcement officer. so this gives you a chance to tell us in this and the people in this country, when you are proud of his record as attorney general of florida.

>> thank you chairman grassley. i truly honored to serve the people of state of florida for eight years as a team effort and i had great people around me many of them are in this room today. we did a lot, we will lot to fight crime been reminiscing a lot since i was asked to take this nomination opioids that i talked about our top priority when he took office and when i was running off is overthrew the entire state of florida parents were walking up to me handing me pictures of the children who were deceased. from opioid abuse. and after i was elected, i do this pictures and i framed them in my office. as a goal of stopping the fight we just talked about my opening statement. and if u.s. attorney general in

general, bring the pictures back out and they will be there to inspire me on the further drug abuse that we are facing throughout this country. we also learned that something else is happening, pregnant women having babies as a result of being opioid dependent dependent. he fought to educate the mothers and we find that issue as well. physical, with wreaking havoc in our country but was just getting started and i actually saw my own from my own party event to schedule for know because that the time people that it was something he merely got in the hospital on a patch after surgery apples and oranges going to be all know that now the difference. fentanyl is raging throughout the country and i will do everything i can to fight that with agencies that follow under the department of justice human trafficking become a top priority for me as attorney general pretty i had the opportunity to bipartisanship, to go to mexico on the one thing

that i found out there, they were doing better than we were, they had safe houses i saw thini never dreamed that i would seat and all of these things in my past have formed the person i am right now sitting here before you. i came back to florida and we started human trafficking counsel, we partnered with others and we expanded and added safe houses in the state of florida pretty i know how many in this country right now but i would like to partner with both sides if confirmed that to continue those efforts. >> i would like to interrupt you. >> yes. >> go to another question. it will have another round so you can finish that point. i would like to ask you about something the central to fighting government waste dump run the false claims act. i want to want you to know that

attorney general garland calls me once a year and he called me yesterday to tell me the success of the act and since 1986, when i got it past president reagan signed it. in about an $70 billion as of yesterday. and the year 2024 and most of that is because of patriotic snowblowers who found the fraud brought the cases forwarded at thorough risk. the supreme court as long help the law's constitutionality but i want you to know your view is the false claims act constitutional and before you answer that, when time the 1990s, one of the attorney general said that it wasn't constitutional and was not the same person by the name of bar,

was back five years ago to be attorney general and he said that it was constitutional and so if confirmed, will you commit an answer the first question, do you think it's constitutional and we defended punch into into constitutionality a. >> i would defend the constitutionality of the false claims act senator. >> last question if confirmed, would you commit to continuing the doj's defense on the constitutionality and leisure entire staff and funding levels to properly support prosecute all claim cases #. >> it is so important and especially but what you said with the whistleblowers as well the protections in the money and brings back to our country yes. >> think you for your question. ...

the clerk: mr. markey, no. the staff and funding levels to properly support and prosecute cases pickwick center to the false claims act is so important. especially by what you said with whistleblowers as well the protection and the money brings back to our country yes, sir. >> thank you for your answers. senator durbin? thank you. if you are successful in your nomination, this democrat would like to give you three words of advice. answer grassley's letters. [applause] you will never hear the end of

it if you don't. [laughter] an issue i believe this nomination hearing is not your competence or your experience. issue is your ability to say no. there is a peaceful transition of power. president trump was overwhelmingly elected in 2024. >> you have any doubts joe biden had the majority of votes, electoral votes necessary to be elected president 2020? collection of center i can size a prosecutor is from my first-hand experience. i accept the results. i except of course joe biden is president of the united states. but what i can tell you is what i saw firsthand when i went to pennsylvania as an advocate to the campaign. i was an advocate for the campaign i was on the ground in pennsylvania i saw many things

there. i do accept the results? of course i do print driver that happened i saw so much no one from either side of the aisle should went there to be any issues with election integrity in our country. we should all in our elections to be free and fair. and for the rules and the law to be followed. >> think that deserves a yes or no. i think the length of your answer is it indication you were not prepared to say yes. that recording and president trump on generally second, 2020 2020urges secretary state of gea to quote find 11780 votes and declare in the winter that steak? state? snow i've heard about through clips but no, center of not heard it because it was your reaction to president trump making that call? >> i would have to listen to the tapes, senator.

>> the quote i give you is exact. he said the charges secretary of state, find 11780 votes. >> do you have the entire context of that call? i feel like it was much longer than that amount may be taken out of context. >> it is, it's in our law you can certainly listen to and i hope you will. as every american should. as former prosecutor i do not concern the president of the united states call estate election official asked to change the results of the election? >> senator i have not listened to the hour-long conversation. but it is my understanding that is not what he asked them to do. >> you need to listen to it. let me ask the third question. do you believe generate six writers convicted of violent assault on police officers should be pardoned? >> senator, if confirmed as

attorney general of the united states the pardons of course follow to the president. but if asked to look at those cases, i will look at each case and advise on a case-by-case basis. just as i did my entire career as a prosecutor. >> you also advise the president of pardons as part of your responsibility as attorney general. and so i am asking you, do you believe those who would be convicted of the january at six and violent assault on our police officers should be pardoned? that is a simple question. >> center i have not seen any of those files of course but if confirmed and asked to advise the president i will look at each and every file but let me be very clear in speaking to you, i condemn any violence on a law enforcement officer. >> ask about your work as a lobbyist for ballard partners.

you did not list your current position as a partner of the lobbying firm or the work that you have done for ballard partner clients such as a lobbying for that country but one of $15000 corporate giants amazon when asked about conflict of interest. why do you believe your work as a lobbyist is not constitute potential conflict of interest? >> senator, first that's he met my firm received. multiple people represented the country within my firm. my role, i am very proud of the work i did. it was a short time i wish it would have been longer with antihuman trafficking efforts leading into the world cup which is something i like to talk about later to. i was registered along with many members of my firm. that's the sole portion of my representation. now if there are any conflicts with any when i represented in

private practice, i would consult with the career ethics official within the department and make the appropriate decision. i, would also like to point out to you i do not believe i would be the first attorney general he was represented and advocated for businesses in the past. >> of course not for the question is whether you would recuse yourself from any case involving ballard clients? one of those clients was a group. >> gol. >> a private prison company you lobbied for that managers correctional facilities that group has facing criticism for safety violations, and adequate healthcare import management for u.s. integrations custom enforcement largest source of revenue under the trump administration stands hundreds of dollars by detaining immigrants of mass deportation.

the sense any conflict of interest if you are asked to judge the performance of this government contract? >> senator i will consult with the career ethics official within the department of justice and make the appropriate decision. >> think it mr. chairman. >> senator graham question. >> thank you congratulations. i forgot to say jon's a family was south carolina pick. >> >> upstate i'm sorry. >> will give you a pass on that. so, listen president trump asked a bunch of us who would you pick for attorney general? i maybe got asked that on our side. i said pam bondi. it's an easy decision. i cannot think of anyone more qualified that he knew that he trusted. it's okay, you are his lawyer right? >> yes, sir. i represented him when they tried to impeach him the first time as part of white house counsel office of special counsel. >> then trumps lawyers prepares

you for many things. give a long-standing relationship with the president. he trust you. that's a good thing but that's probably why president kennedy picked his brother. [laughter] bobby kennedy. you can say no to her older brother, i'm sure he would. this idea that there something bad is ridiculous but who you pick? you pick the people you know, people you trust people who are qualified. glad he picked who knows you, he trust you are highly qualified. so, the edge of the something wrong with that is absolutely ridiculous. >> lists on what the job you're about too have here do you support making certain drug cartels and federal terrorist organizations? 's. >> senator, i personally went to mexico. i personally dealt with these cartels when i was a state prosecutor. they are a grave in violent threat to our country.

>> you consider advising the president? good. good. when it comes across fire or hurricane are those days over if you are attorney general? >> absolutely pick oxo kate lakin around and are you familiar with that case question. >> at the eye am, centigram. you know why the man who killed her was released from custody? he was paroled to detention capacity at central processing center in el paso, texas. that is not your call, you will be d.o.j. the statute regarding parole does not allow paroled to be based on we don't have detention beds? that's nothing that statute would authorize based on lack of capacity. are you familiar with the statute? >> yes sir and that is frightening. >> it is frightening i going to fix it? lex i'm going to do everything in my power to fix it if

confirmed as attorney general perk are you going to advise president trump we need more beds. tom hellman is the guy who's going to do this but you as attorney general say we need more bed space at lakin riley never happens again because you're quick senator my job if confirmed as attorney general will be to keep america safe. that includes having enough space for violent criminals for people should not be in this country, who have committed violent crimes. lakin riley is one of many perks 41000 beds in this country to detain people as like millions of pr people here relate let this dude go we didn't have any place to put him. i hope those days are over and tom, your listing hope you'll create an app detention space to make sure we do not find this dilemma ever again. do you think we are at war and if so who with? >> o, senator, we are at war on so many fronts. quick so it worth isis kuester.

>> of course we are at war with them. >> they are at war with us to greet that? >> absolutely. >> you think since our withdrawal gone up from isis? >> yes. march 7, 2024 isis kate retains the capability and interest abroad look or no warning that's march of 2024. general mckenzie isis-k has a strong desire to attack the united states after began to grow in afghanistan following u.s. exit in august 2021. he also stated the threat to isis-from isis-k is growing. target number one for isis kate do you agree that? >> on my secure clearance from everything they want to kill us.

i would like to have a strategy to deal with the isis threats does that make sense to you? the state and local officials too. better cooperation throughout our country and through our world. >> i totally agree do you support reauthorizing pfizer in 2025? quick senator, i believe 702 is up in 2026. i believe is 2026 we will closely be looking at that it's very important. books do you agree 702 provides important intel gathering capability to protect our nation? >> extremely important. >> okay. so pam, you are about to step into a job that's one of the

most important jobs in any democracy. let's go back to pardons. if i am a lawyer for somebody in jail would you promise to listen to the application and read it before he made a decision? >> yes bring about who you are? good. that's the way it works people want to bargain with you up at what you did this? we do that? all i ask you to do is call it as you see it higher good competent people give the president the best legal advice you can run the department of justice in a manner other people would want to join it one day. growing up i had a fondness for the fbi watch the show i think it was every sunday wanted to be an fbi agent. right now the fbi needs an image overhaul. so, you have a real task ahead of you in two areas. to restore trust of many americans whose lost trust in the department of justice and to make sure this country is safe from drug cartels that are

killing 3000 americans every two weeks for money. to go after these people and protect our homeland that is under siege. you are the perfect pick out one of the most dangerous times in american history and i look forward to supporting you. >> thank you, senator. >> senator whitehouse. >> thank you chairman. welcome ms. von d. >> think you sent it thank you for meeting with you. it was a pleasure. ms. bondi you were cold room courtroom prosecutor for great many years. did you ever have an enemies list? >> no senator. >> he went on to be florida's attorney general as florida's attorney general's edge of an enemies list? >> no senator. >> is florida's attorney general you're responsible for hiring into the florida department of attorney general, correct? center of the attorneys general office in florida is the third largest in the state approximate 1400 employees and approximately

400 lawyers. only california and texas are bigger offices. you're responsible for hiring into that office while you are attorney general? >> yes to paying what you have hired someone into the florida attorney general's office who you knew had an enemies list? quick senator, to cut to the chase you are clearly talking about cash per child. i do not believe he has an enemies list emit a quote on tv which i have not heard i saw your signer senator durbin's sign about cash. but i know kash patel has said 60 jury trials as a public defender, as a prosecutor. he has great experience in the intel department. the department of defense. i have known cash and i believe that he is the right person at this time for this job you will have the ability to question mr.

>> whether you will enforce an enemies list he announced publicly on television et cetera i'm sorry there will never be an enemies list within the department of justice. >> thank you. >> the fbi, what's the fbi's role in national security and counterterrorism and how is important is that role? >> you know senator i believe now more than ever counterterrorism is so important and vital in our country. we are facing such incredible threats here and abroad i am sure many of you sought fbi saw fbi formerfbi director raisn 60 minutes. he talked about the threats and i don't have my security clearance. threats from china that are so great. there are sleeper cells within our country. >> given that importance, is it

responsible to call for shutting down the fbi counterterrorism and national security work? and will you, as attorney general impede or shut down the fbi counterterrorism and national security work i believe i am so many fronts. on the fbi's played a vital role in counseling you will are not shut down? >> i will look at each agency and have no intention of shedding anything down right now, senator. i am not in that office yet. if confirmed i will look at each individual agency we have said that department of justice and prosecutors will be prosecuted. the will be prosecuted and why?

>> i said that on tv. i said prosecutors will be prosecuted to finish the quote investigators will be investigated. we all take an oath to uphold the law. none of us are above the law let me give you a good example of a bad lawyers in the justice department a guy named klein smith altered a pfizer warrant will everyone be held to an equal and equal fair system of justice to find the next attorney general what circumstances will you prosecute journalists. >> i believe in the freedom of speech. only if anyone commits a crime.

it's pretty basic, senator, with anything paired with any victim. this goes back to my entire career for 18 years as a prosecutor 18 years as florida's attorney general. we find the facts of the case. you apply the law in good faith and you treat everyone fairly. it would not be appropriate for prosecutor to start with the name and look for a crime. it's a prosecutor's job to start the crime and look for name, correct? confirmed. under the previous order, the motion to reconsider is considered made and laid upon the table, and the president will be immediately notified of the senate's action. mr. thune: mr. president. the presiding officer: mr. leader. mr. thune: i ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum call with respect to the turner nomination be waived.

the presiding officer: is there an objection? without objection. the clerk will report the motion to invoke cloture. the clerk: cloture motion, we, the undersigned senators, in accordance with the provisions of rule 22 of the standing rules of the senate, do hereby move to bring to a close debate on the nomination of eric turner, of texas, to be secretary of housing and urban development, signed by 17 senators. the presiding officer: by unanimous consent, the mandatory quorum call has been waived. the question is, is it the sense of the senate that debate on the nomination of eric turner, of texas, to be secretary of housing and urban development shall be brought to a close? the yeas and nays are mandatory under the rule. the clerk will call the roll. vote: the clerk: ms. alsobrooks. ms. baldwin. mr. banks. mr. barrasso. mr. bennet.

>> thank you, mr. chairman ranking member warren and the committee. i'm so happy and honored to be here with you all today. i think all of the members of the committee. thanks for your thoughtfulness. thank you for your engagement

and fear ideas on rebuilding the american dream of our nation's forgotten communities. it's a pleasure to visit with each and every one of you. and that was just a scheduling conflict. i'm so grateful to that time to meet with you. thank you for making that effort i hope our conversations will not be the end, but only the beginning of a great and true partnership to meet that mission and serve the american people i like to take a moment to thank my wife robin who is here with us for her unwavering support of over nearly three decades of being together at the college at the university of illinois, the nfl, that whitehouse, business, ministry and family foundation. robin has been a true partner and building god's kingdom and doing the work he's called us to do together. so robin, thank you for your support the friends and family

that are here. i want to thank president trump for his confidence in his support and nominated me for such a crucial position and even more so, purpose. i want to thank president-elect trump. i sit before you today as a nominee to lead the department of housing and urban development. deep down committee members this opportunity is personal to me. i grew up as a kid as was mentioned before in richardson, texas. and before that in plano, texas with my parents. i worked as a dishwasher at spring creek barbecue one of my claims to fame. early on in my childhood, my family was broken due to divorce later moved into a blended family for i love my mother, i love my father and all of my brothers and sisters. but when you go through a divorce many say the odds are now stacked against you. i overcame extreme adversity.

going against the status quo and graduating college despite beingll drafted in the seventh round of the nfl which is the last room for those who don't know i was a blast to go on and have a successful career in the national football league. went on to serve in a texas legislator which was a great honor for me and at work in the white house to advance the opportunity initiative. i sit before you today committee members humbled by the call to serve my country as a member of president trump's cabinet. my upbringing and my background is not totally unique to me. there are many in this country even those sitting in this room today who are one point or another have had to overcome adversity in their own lives. we have all been there one time or another. i recognize this and hope we can all work together as you comment ranking member warren, have said work together to better the american tree the american people.

i share my story because i think to know my heart of who i am. and also because of the challenges hud faces are cool vital to our nation as well as personal to me. these are not just things i heard about or read about these are things my family and i have experiencedn. through the yearsi believe that perspective will be verymr beneficial to hud if i become the leader if confirmed by this committee strong and sustainable communities and support quality affordable housing,ja serve the most vulnerable of our nation. yet as we sit here we have a housing crisis in our country. we have the american people and families struggling every day. we have a homelessness crisis in our country. hud is failing at its most basic admission that has to come to an end. the point in time report set out by hud on december the 27th of the seven earned 70000 americans

homeless one night in january 24.770000 plus people many of which families were homeless, this cannot continue. as a country were not building up housing we need millions of homes and all kinds of homes multifamily, single family, duplex, condo, manufacturing housing, you name itth we need housing in our country for individuals and families to have a roof over their head and to call home. the hud workforce the reports of our committee said hud is at the bottom when it comes to employees returning to work a bit on many teams in my career i believe we need to bring hud step back to work, back to the office to do the job and empower them to serve the american people. in this moment we are not just fixing what is broken. but about continuing and expanding the policies from the first trump administration. i'm talking about policies that work for the american people i

was fortunate enough to lead the opportunity zone initiative. i'm so grateful for your leadership on that. i saw firsthand the impact of this initiative has a gave americans living in underserved communities an opportunity, a foundation to start businesses. to live in better homes. to be self-sustaining. to be self-confident and to unleash that promise and potential the lord has given each of us in our country. when i played in the nfl we had film after every game. you could tell your coach one thing on the sidelines but when you turned on the film and told the story. it was not about your chatter, it wasn't about the noise with the film say it showed us our weaknesses. it showed us our mistakes and it thathelped us to get better. this is the same type of leadership if confirmed by the distinguished committee i want to bring as a leader of the hud because every day we have an opportunity to get better. every day we have an opportunity

to take inventory and make hud the best place. mr. chairman, my heart is ready. i am ready i thank god for this opportunity thank you and the committee members for the chance. >> thank you for your testimony. i'll tell our new members are meant those of us have been on this committee for a little while we do have a five minute and a hole is pretty tightly to the five-minute clock including myself. [laughter] so we will get started right now but thank you veryst much. one of the things i hope you realize the bipartisan committee we represent different communities around the country. i think government should never serve the party that is empower. government should serve all americans no matter whether we vote for you or not. your job is to stay out of the political laid and serve the american people. for me, or the most effective ways to serve people is to go

where they are. i asked him to come into the bubble but we have to get out of our offices so to speak and go into the community. one of my questions. frankly my first question will you submit to visiting communities as diverse as north charleston and as different as detroit in your first several months on the job? i think mr. tillis asked lap anyways,. [laughter] i will finish that. [laughter] anyways i hope that you will go to detroit, michigan see the devastation in the sense of hopelessness that can be turned very quickly into hope. come to my home town of north charleston take a tour of some of the impoverished areas. look at mix development and remind people we care about everybody, what you say question

works yes i am in agreement. i remember as i was appointed to the opportunity zone job as executive director after i think the president for the appointments of mr. president i'm not going to be here because i'm going to the streets were the people are i went over 70 cities in our country visited places like pennsylvania, visited places like birmingham, alabama, dallas, texas liberty city, miami and so yes that is a commitment from me too you and this committee i will go to the people of america, visit the neighborhoods, visit the leaders the servant leaders and see what is a problem you're having? how can we work together to come up with sustainable solutions and i think that is very important. >> thank you. one of the challenges we have in the housing needs of our citizens and we both agree is over 7 million needed units. part of my road to housing act

suggests the definition of what we need to use for manufacturing needs to be updated for going to meet the needs of the average person improving the definition of manufactured home in the hud code to remove the permanent chassis requirement is incredibly important. the use of updated the code to change the definition of manufactured homes for. >> think it mr. chairman. i know how important manufactured homes are when it comes to housing availability and housing affordability. such a look at those codes all of the codes and take inventory on how we can reduce the burden. >> the statement the homelessness has increased by 30% since 2020, devastating. do you have specific thoughts than 30 seconds or so on how you would address the homelessness issue?

>> yes, sir. so homelessness, i think we need to engage local communities. local communities and organizations that have real results in combating homelessness. i think the federal government can be a great partner but we do need to engage those on the local level that have great results and pertains to homelessness and work with them. >> i think the 50 laboratories of democracy gives us an opportunity to see was working and what's not working we should direct our attention toward those issues that are working for i had an opportunity to meet with so my democrat mayors in south carolina. one of the things they were celebrating was successful opportunities for the first time bring affordable housing back into their communities. i've seen that in south carolina. we were this across the country were our favorite mayors around the country many of whom are democrats celebrate opportunity

zones. my favorite governors on the country are often times republicans celebrate opportunity jones keating speak to the benefit of opportunity zones and creating opportunity for everyday americans? about 20 seconds. >> i'll do my very best opportunity zones are very impactful. if you look at the reports we did you will see a million people were lifted out of poverty. housing went up for minority families, salaries went up for minority families so to give people the opportunity to invest in places that have not seen investment in many decades is great for our nation as it pertains to housing, affordable housing and operated businesses. >> thank you very much. senator warner question. >> warren? think it mr. chairman. i want to ask you why housing costs are so high. he recently said there is quote an ever-growing need for high quality affordable housing in

our nation. experts have said, as he chairman said we need about 7 million new housing units in america. now, there are a lot of explanations for housing shortage. local zoning and land use restrictions can make harder to use homes the cost of capitol which has been made worse by the fed's decision to make interest rates high. makes it into to build and by housing. there are places where the federal government can help. take the home program. hud gives grants to states and localities to help build and preserve affordable housing. and it works in its history at home has supported the development of more than 1 million affordable units nationwide. including more than 100,000 homes in your home state of texas. mr. turner, in 2023 you said that quote it's more expensive than ever to build and

developers need access to more capitol. do you support additional federal investment so we can lower the cost of building affordable housing? >> thank you, senator warren. i appreciative visit together but thank you for your time in this as you said there are many factors to why housing is so expensive now. i believe first we have to get our fiscal house in order and our country. interest rates are at an all-time high. >> i would just like to focus it is a big problem. i'm sorry to interrupt the chairman's going to be tough on time. i just want to make sure i understand do you support additional federal investment in programs so that we can lower the cost of building affordable housing? >> thank you, senator warren. but i do support is in maximizing the budget that we do have. making sure. >> is that a note to additional

investments? >> it is aes to maximizing the investment that we have in making sure the programs that we do have our meeting the intended need and serving those it's intended to serve. >> i have to say that disney real pause. just established that we have a terrible gap of affordable housing. we have a program here that is help close that gap. state and local governments, i understand they are doing what they can but they do not have enough money to match the scale of the problem nationwide. what i am looking for is a commitment we are at least going to look to get more help to the state and local communities that are trying to build affordable housing. >> yes, ma'am, thank you. i do look forward to look at the home program and other programs. my point is there is record funding from hud it's nearly $7 billion at this point were still not meeting the need were response beneath. >> which might mean we need more

money. >> limit turn to another topic. unfortunately are some people trying to take advantage of the housing shortage instead of trying to fix it. private equity firm's corporate landlords have moved into local housing markets and they have driven up costs even higher for families. in 2011 no single investor anywhere in america own more than 1000 single-family homes. by 2022 justified in vectors investors collectively owned nearly 300,000 homes. in effect, in your home state of texas in 2021 big investors moved in they bought a whopping 28% of all homes that went on the market. so mr. turner the governor of texas, greg abbott recently said quote large-scale filing of residential homes seems to be

distorting the market and making it harder for the average texan to purchase a home. do you agree it's a problem if big corporate investors are beating out families to try to buy homes? >> think you senator. i have not seen that statement from governor abbott but i do look forward to looking at this issue even working with you and your staff on this issue. i believe we have a housing affordability crisis in our country. the more capitol we get into the market, the better and obviously we want the right people, qualified people to invest the steps i saw comment senator said about 2% of institutional investors own the single-family homes. if i am confirmed by this committee and look forward to digging into this more with you so that we can look at this issue together. >> i appreciate that. we have got to be laser focus on lowering the cost of housing for families. >> yes, ma'am thank you. >> thank you, thank you,

senator. >> think it mr. chairman and congratulations to both of you in your new positions. mr. turner, personal thanks for the opportunity to visit with you in my office. i really appreciated that we have the same focus the traditional market is available interest rates are low individuals can afford to literally get a mortgage. when the opportunities are available so the entry way to getting that mortgage rates is simplified and brought down. more people can do the traditional markets have the home ownership. i personally believe equity in that home should beat without home owner and not with the federal government. i really do like the idea of having the individual have that homeownership opportunity. i would just like your thoughts for just a minute. i do not need to push it too far.

isn't that really what this is all about is allowing individuals the ability to gain equity in their home? and for them to have that value rather than to be paying rent through federal program? wouldn't it be much better to have a private sector loaning the money and an individual actually getting equity in their home? >> senator thank you senator round is great to meet and visit with you. for most americans their home is their largest investment that they have and that's how they begin to build generational wealth i know what that was like for me and my family growing up and even now. so yes, i believe having equity in their home should be made available to that homeowner. that is help most families begin to grow wealth and achieve the american dream. quickset is one of the reasons why president trump was elected was to bring down that cost of interest on a home so that more people can get into that.

and i think another important part is once you get the equity in the home, now you have other opportunities. it's a whole lot easier if that individual has the opportunity in the first place. i think it's a step in the right direction. at the same time we have areas like hundred native american reservations in south dakota the tribal trust land. 15% of our population is native american. for them to be able to have a home in a rural area that we have got to have access to people that understand how you put a mortgage on a home that's located on tribal trust i would ask for your commitment to working with us to make that as simple as possible in those rural areas. >> absolutely. i really appreciate your care for your constituents in particular those in tribal lands. i do commit to working with you and also visiting so we can go visit the leaders of the tribal lands and see how we can make it

the most efficient and affordable for them and their families. >> thank you under really appreciate that i'm going to hold you to that. that would be really good. we want to take poverty out and some of the rural areas start with providing opportunity for homeownership on a reservation will make a huge difference. >> yes sir. >> we were comment our office talked about a number of items one of the items we talked about was trying to cut the red tape making federal programs work more effectively and efficiently. as a former state legislator you undoubtably understand the undoubtedly understand the challenges and the costs associated with excessive federal overreach. at a time when there's a growing demand for additional housing units, there's no question about that right federal regulation like davis-bacon environmental review, built america, by america and new energy standards or slowing the construction process and increasing cost nationwide including on tribal lands. breaking down some of the bureaucracy should be part of the discussion as we try to

incentivize housing development. my question for you is under your leadership will the department make it a priority to review and adjust program regulations to match the level of risk based on the type of activity, the location or the amount of federal funds involved? >> yes sir. once the goals confirmed as to look at all of the programs at hud intake and account, take inventory and ask is this helping the mission of hunter is it not? isn't helping to build more affordable housing or is it not? is it combating the homelessness crisis or is it not so yes, sir make that commitment. >> thank you. one last question during our meeting we also discussed the challenges with hud section 202 program in south dakota and i think this will eventually be a problem nationwide. so the need for greater flexibility to adapt to changes in housing markets, service industries in tenant populations particular the enrolled

communities we may have to make the modifications to existing programs. i would ask for your commitment to work with us to be able to resolve some of the issues which are front and center today? >> yes sir. >> thank you, mr. chairman. thank you. >> think it mr. chairman permits return it's great to see again, thank you for our meeting. i just want to add quickly in a bipartisan way we spent about $5 trillion out under both president trump and biden under covid edward one area we did nothing for it was housing. we'll them all into public/private i do think there needs to be additional resources if we spur this issue appreciate the conversation we had. i want to hit quickly two or three items i hope we can work together on. as members of a committee snow i'm a big advocate for community development financial situation cdfi that serve the underserved community. is actually an area i work for a close of the first trump administration. i work at my friend mike crapo

many on the other side $12 billion for cdf eyes turns a caucus which i'm proud to say bipartisan 24 members, 12d12 ri appreciate that we had to make a talked about cd5 in dallas that helped work to acquire of building working with the church is school building. can you speak for a moment about the value of cdfi how we can further expand the vital role they play? >> thank you senator warren it was great to visit with you and learn more about cdf i, how you are doing and your vision on that we do see the value in that and i will say that i look forward to working with you further in your home state and other areas around the country to see how we can utilize cdfi to help when it comes to housing and investments is our local communities. >> thank you.

when your earlier answers as well we all know homeownership is a pass of wealth creation is going to the reserve 10 -- one racial wealth gap black -- white the fill each of home ownership fairly represented across all communities in the program i have worked on with got interest in both sides of the alcohol that lift a program that would target first-generation, first-time homebuyers which by definition into being what two thirds folks of color is it if you qualify for 30 year mortgage what we would give you make those payments you get a 20 year mortgage you double the amount of equity you obtain in that first 10 years that's the wealth creation notion. again we talked briefly about it but i'd like to get you on the record of how we can increase homeownership for disadvantaged communities using the markets. i would love to get using some nice things about that. >> oh yes and thank you for this

program we talked about briefly in your office i didn't look to further going into that in learning more about it for as you said we do have a housing crisis in our country i heard one leaders say all ideas need to come to the table will pick the best one that impacts the people that we serve. i look forward. >> tomorrow went to get them very quickly. one is again another topic we talked about in my office. it's a challenge for every state in the country virginia it may be little more the cutting edge states look at both the challenges upside and downside of it bringing data centers to the community. they generate a lot of revenue it's also got challenges i talk about waco county outside of richmond 400,000 person community crosses the economic strata. this committee sent something very creative when they take in the tax revenue from the data centers dedicated to housing trust fund. where that housing trust fund helps acquire the land pretty build affordable housing there

you get a lot of regulations pretty do not have to pay your sewer permit fees your regulatory fees. this may be one tool in the toolkit that takes something ths otherwise controversial is still has controversy but might generate towards the public/private initiative. again i invite you to my office and want to invite you to look at this program should you be confirmed. >> i love to forward to coming. >> last one and i'm going to get all my points in. i'm down to 44 seconds.get done in time. that is has a lot of potential is one of his wingmen on this. they still need to be renewed but updated as well. i think opportunity zones particularly in terms of affordable housing ought to be an area we can put more focus as

well as small business development. the last 15 seconds and we talked about opportunity zones but i hope you will work with the chairman and many of us on how we can perform that program and work toward this outing housing shortage. >> absolute look forward to that public thank you sir. >> everyone should follow your lead on that one, senator warren. senator tillis question. >> i have muted my phone. [laughter] >> is good music though >> attacks or my wife by the way. [laughter] thank you for being here. i think probably one of your standout games was december 19 i forgot to interceptions against the arizona cardinals, is that right? >> i think that was a good game. [laughter] >> you better be ready to intercept a lot about ideas. [laughter] one bad idea is throwing money after something without trying to figure out how to fix the plumbing in hud. thank you for the time is spent in the office. going to support your

confirmation because in 30 or 40 minutes that we spent in my office, much more than i can do and the remaining four minutes and 20 seconds. i have said this to anyone that's come before this committee and your role. the trailer park i grew up in and nashville still stands. those people are hurting. they do not have affordable housing. one of the reasons they don't is because government keeps on trying to regulate themselves out of any path ownership. we keep on talking about throwing more money at it repeatedly discount. agreed to. the clerk will report the nomination. the clerk: department of housing and urban development, eric turner, of texas, to be secretary. mr. thune: madam president, i ask unanimous consent that the senate resume legislative session and be in a period of morning business with senators permitted to speak therein for up to ten minutes each.

the presiding officer: without objection. mr. thune: i ask that the senate proceed to s. 55 submitted earlier today. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: recognizing january 2025 as national mentoring month. the presiding officer: without objection, the senate will proceed. mr. thune: i ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or mr. thune: ski unanimous consent the senate proceed to s. r.56 submitted today. the clerk: congratulating the university of vermont's men's soccer team on winning the 2024 national collegiate athletic association division i men's soccer national championship. the presiding officer: without objection, the senate will proceed. mr. thune: all right, here's to

vermont. i ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. thune: i ask unanimous consent that when the senate completes its business today it stand adjourned until 10:30 a.m. on wednesday, february 5. that following the prayer and pledge, the journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, morning business be closed, and the senate proceed to executive session and resume executive calendar number 11, and that at 11:30 a.m. all time be expired on the turner nomination. finally, that if any nominations are confirmed during wednesday's session the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the president be immediately notified of the senate's action. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. thune: if there is no further business to come before the senate, ski that it stand adjourned under the previous order. the presiding officer: the the presiding officer: the

the senate has gaveled out today the chamber confirm former congressman doug collins of veterans affairs secretary by vote of 77 -- 23 lawmakers confirmed pam bondi as attorneyy general and advance the nomination of eric turner to be secretary of housing and urban development. watch live senate coverage here on cspan2. ♪ expands "washington journal" per alive a form involving you to discuss the latest issues of government, politics, and public policy. washington to across the country. coming up wednesday morning north carolina republican congressman pat harrigan afghan war veteran armed services committee member talks about his legislative priorities house republicans agenda. tennessee democrat congressman steve cohen member of the house judiciary committee discusses elon musk doge effort christian

science monitor washington bureau chief on present terms of meeting was really prime minister benjamin netanyahu also political economic correspondent reviews president trump's use of terrorists to achieve policy goals but as he spent "washington journal," join the conversation live at 7:00 a.m. eastern western morning c-span sees by now or in line at c-span.org. ♪ >> come up on cspan2 senate judiciary cmittee hearing testimony on proposal department classied functional as a schedule one drug under the controlled substances act. after that special envoy to the middle east steve witkoff talked about the situation in gaza but later we had to capitol hill f remarks by louisiana republican senator bill cassidy's support for the nomination of robert f kennedy jr. to head the department of health and human services. >> wednesday a look at ways to increase government efficiency

and reduce unnecessary spending with iowa governor kim runnels citizens against government waste president testified before the house oversight and government reform committee watch live 10:00 a.m. eastern to spend three comments he's been mobile app and online at c-span.org. ♪ c-span democracy unfiltered. we are funded by these television companies and more including comcast. >> are you thinking this is just a community center? it is way more than that. comcast is part of 1000 committee centers to create wi-fi enabled so students from low income families can get the tools they need to be ready for anything. comcast support c-span as a public service log these other television providers. if you get a front row seat to democracy. >> the senate judiciary committee considered whether to permit classify fentany