Blocking Resolutions of Inquiry

Floor Speech

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Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to condemn the decision of my colleagues to block the House from considering resolutions of inquiry, a procedure that is designed to get Members of Congress factual information from the executive branch.

Education Committee Ranking Member Scott and I introduced a resolution of inquiry that was scheduled to be considered yesterday during the Committee on Education and Workforce's reconciliation markup.

Unfortunately, while the markup was in recess, the Republicans adopted a rule that blocks resolutions of inquiry from being considered. It was especially frustrating because we could have debated the resolution yesterday morning, but apparently the majority delayed consideration so they could pass this language in fine print that blocks us from conducting important oversight of policies and programs that are in the committee's jurisdiction.

Our resolution is simple. It asks the President and the Department of Health and Human Services to tell Congress why they plan to eliminate the Administration for Community Living, an agency that administers programs designed to support older adults and people with disabilities and helps them stay in their homes. The public deserves to know what will happen if these programs are eliminated.

The Administration for Community Living, known as ACL, was founded around the fundamental principle that older adults and people of all ages with disabilities should, whenever possible, be able to live where they choose, with the people they choose, and with the ability to participate fully in their communities. Bringing programs that serve those two populations together and sharing expertise actually made the programs work better and more efficiently.

Unfortunately, at the end of March, the Trump administration announced a dramatic restructuring of the Department of Human Services that includes the elimination of the Administration for Community Living. Now is not the time to dismantle an agency that supports older adults and people with disabilities.

More than 11,000 people turn 65 every day. In 2022, the people who are age 65 and older represented at least 17 percent of the U.S. population, and more than one in four adults experience a disability, including most adults over 75.

The Administration for Community Living's programs improved the lives of millions of older adults and people with disabilities and also benefits their families and their caregivers. It is the only government entity that advocates across the Federal Government for these populations.

Because my colleagues blocked consideration of this resolution, I want to take this opportunity to tell you more about what is at risk.

Through the Older Americans Act, the Administration for Community Living runs senior centers and distributes more than 200 million meals every year to older adults and people with disabilities through the Meals on Wheels program.

Seniors need access to nutritious food so they can lead healthy lives. It is not just the food. The person delivering the meal is often the only social contact the client will have that day, which is especially important in addressing social isolation.

It is disheartening to see this administration advocating for policies that will put essential food assistance for older Americans at risk.

The ACL does more than food assistance. They support paid and unpaid caregivers, including family caregivers and Native American caregivers. They study better ways to support older adults living with HIV. They protect seniors from abuse through the Adult Protective Services Program. They provide programming to reduce social isolation and loneliness. They support protection and advocacy programs for people with disabilities. They conduct research into fall prevention, chronic disease management, and Alzheimer's disease. They safeguard vulnerable adults through the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, and they address elder justice issues like abuse, neglect, and exploitation. They provide legal assistance for disabled people and more.

These are just some of the reasons that we introduced the resolution of inquiry: to ask what will happen to these important programs with the administration's plan to eliminate ACL. We are a coequal branch of government, and we need this information to make prudent decisions on behalf of our constituents. Yet, as of yesterday, the majority blocked our ability to get those questions answered.

Unfortunately, the Republican majority is also using the same shady tactic to take away the authority of Congress to legislate tariff policy, likely because Republicans know their positions are wildly unpopular and proper oversight would highlight these failings.

This is yet another example of the erosion of separation of powers that we are seeing in this administration and this Congress.

I have heard many of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle talk about the importance of transparency and accountability. I hope my Republican colleagues live up to that and prove that by stopping the block on resolutions of inquiry.

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