Cole: "The White House has only stonewalled and resisted this investigation"

Mr. Speaker,

Today is a sad day for myself, for the institution and most of all for the American people. My duty today is one I do not relish, and I am sure that every other member of this institution feels the same way.

Yesterday, the Rules Committee met and reported out a measure under our original jurisdiction. House Resolution 918 formalizes an inquiry into whether sufficient grounds exist for the House of Representatives to exercise its constitutional power to impeach the President of the United States. Three months ago, at the direction of then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, three committees, those of Oversight and Accountability, Ways and Means and Judiciary began this impeachment inquiry. Over the succeeding months, the committees have done their work and have done it well. But the inquiry is now at an inflection point. The three committees are nearing the end of their investigations, and the White House has chosen this moment to stonewall and resist the legitimate investigatory powers of the House.

Mr. Speaker, while I do not believe the House must hold a vote on the floor to initiate an impeachment inquiry, doing so may be said to be best practice. And so, we are taking up today's resolution, which will formalize an impeachment inquiry that has already begun. This will ensure not only that the inquiry has the full authority of the House, but also that the House can enforce its subpoenas and ensure that the Biden administration can no longer refuse to cooperate with the investigation.

I will briefly describe the procedures for this inquiry: the resolution tasked three committees, Oversight and Accountability, Ways and Means and the Judiciary, with continuing their current inquiries. It establishes procedures for conducting hearings and calling in questioning witnesses. It grants the minority equal time to question witnesses and the right to request their own witnesses.

At the conclusion of their proceedings, it provides for the Committees on Oversight and Accountability and Ways and Means to transmit their findings and supporting documents to the Committee on the Judiciary, which is the committee that traditionally considers impeachment matters. It gives the president the right to participate in the proceedings before the Committee on the Judiciary. Finally, the resolution authorizes the Judiciary Committee to transmit to the House resolutions, articles of impeachment or other recommendations.

The procedures we are adopting today closely parallel those the Democrats created in 2019. In fact, House Resolution 660, from the 116th Congress, was our guide. After all, those procedures are now a precedent of the House.

Mr. Speaker, impeachment, especially impeachment of a president, is a starkly serious matter. It is something that no member of the House should want to do. But the House has rights and obligations under the Constitution. We are charged with providing the oversight of the Executive Branch. And we are the sole institution in the country granted the power of impeachment. It is a power that must be used selectively and wisely and only after full deliberations.

With today's resolution, we're ensuring that the House will be able to complete its inquiry. We will secure the evidence we need and uncover the facts we need to make the full and fair determination. And only at the end of the road can we make a decision on how to proceed.

I take no joy in today's resolution, but I know the House will do its duty. We owe our committees, the institution and the Constitution no less. I urge all members to support the resolution, and I reserve the balance of my time.