[House Hearing, 119 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


              MARKUP OF H. RES. 198, COMMITTEE RESOLU-
               TION 119-10, COMMITTEE  RESOLUTION 119-
               11, RESOLUTION DISMISSING THE ELECTION
               CONTEST IN THE FOLLOWING STATES:
               FL-14 (1), FL-14 (2), TX-30, TX-28, AND RESO-
               LUTION DISMISSING THE ELECTION CONTEST
               IN THE AT-LARGE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
               OF ALASKA

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                                 MARKUP

                               BEFORE THE
                               
                           COMMITTEE ON HOUSE
                             ADMINISTRATION

                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                    ONE HUNDRED NINETEENTH CONGRESS

                             FIRST SESSION

                               __________

                             MARCH 11, 2025

                               __________

      Printed for the use of the Committee on House Administration
      

[GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]      

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                           www.cha.house.gov                           
                                __________

                   U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE                    
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                   COMMITTEE ON HOUSE ADMINISTRATION

                    BRYAN STEIL, Wisconsin, Chairman

LAUREL LEE, Florida, Vice Chair      JOSEPH MORELLE, New York,
BARRY LOUDERMILK, Georgia                 Ranking Member
H. MORGAN GRIFFITH, Virginia         TERRI A. SEWELL, Alabama
GREG MURPHY, North Carolina          NORMA TORRES, California
STEPHANIE BICE, Oklahoma             JULIE JOHNSON, Texas
MARY MILLER, Illinois
MIKE CAREY, Ohio

                      Mike Platt,  Staff Director 
                 Jamie Fleet,  Minority Staff Director 
                        
                        
                        C  O  N  T  E  N  T  S

                              ----------                              
                                                                   Page

                           Opening Statements

Chairman Bryan Steil, Representative from the State of Wisconsin.     1
Ranking Member Joseph Morelle, Representative from the State of 
  New York.......................................................     2

                       Submissions for the Record

House Resolution 198.............................................     4
Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H. Res. 198...........    10
Committee Resolution 119-10......................................    17
Committee Resolution 119-11......................................    18
Resolution dismissing the election contest in FL-14 (1)..........    22
Resolution dismissing the election contest in FL-14 (2)..........    23
Resolution dismissing the election contest in TX-30..............    25
Resolution dismissing the election contest in TX-28..............    26
Resolution dismissing the election contest in the at-large 
  Congressional District of Alaska...............................    27

 
     MARKUP OF H. RES. 198, COMMITTEE RESOLUTION 119-10, COMMITTEE 
 RESOLUTION 119-11, RESOLUTION DISMISSING THE ELECTION CONTEST IN THE 
 FOLLOWING STATES: FL-14 (1), FL-14 (2), TX-30, TX-28, AND RESOLUTION 
DISMISSING THE ELECTION CONTEST IN THE AT-LARGE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 
                               OF ALASKA

                              ----------                              


                             March 11, 2025

                 Committee on House Administration,
                                  House of Representatives,
                                                   Washington, D.C.
    The Committee met, pursuant to notice, at 3 p.m., in room 
1310, Longworth House Office Building, Hon. Bryan Steil 
[Chairman of the Committee] presiding.
    Present: Representatives Steil, Lee, Loudermilk, Griffith, 
Miller, Morelle, Sewell, and Torres.
    Staff present: Mike Platt, Staff Director; Janet Schwalb, 
Deputy Staff Director; Rachel Collins, General Counsel; Kristen 
Monterroso, Director of Operations and Legislative Clerk; Abby 
Salter, Deputy General Counsel; Marissa Mullen, Deputy Director 
of Member Services; Annemarie Cake, Deputy Clerk and 
Professional Staff; Jamie Fleet, Minority Staff Director; 
Khalil Abboud, Minority Deputy Staff Director; Sean Wright, 
Minority Chief Counsel; and Matt Schlesinger, Minority Senior 
Counsel.

    OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. BRYAN STEIL, CHAIRMAN OF THE 
 COMMITTEE ON HOUSE ADMINISTRATION, A U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM 
                           WISCONSIN

    Chairman Steil. The Committee on House Administration will 
come to order. I note that a quorum is present.
    Without objection, the chair is authorized to declare a 
recess at any time.
    I would like to start by thanking Ranking Member Morelle 
and Members for participating in the two-part Committee funding 
hearing in recent weeks. The hearing with the chairs and 
Ranking Members of each House Committee took great effort and 
coordination. I am grateful to all the Members for your 
participation.
    In the end, we heard from pretty much every chair and 
Ranking Member of the House Committees on their requested 
budgets for the 119th Congress.
    Holding these hearings is one of the Committee's core 
responsibilities, and I believe these hearings advance our 
efforts to be more transparent and accountable to the American 
people.
    In reviewing each of the budget requests, we wanted to 
ensure that every Committee has the necessary resources to 
execute their mission without wasting taxpayer dollars, which I 
believe we achieved with my Chairman's mark.
    The amendment in the nature of a substitute provides 
Committees with the funding they need to conduct their 
important work in the 119th Congress. I am hopeful we can pass 
this resolution today to allow the Committees to get to work.
    Today we will also be considering a Committee resolution 
setting the intern allocation for the standing and select 
committees, excluding the Appropriations Committee.
    Internship opportunities on the Hill provide students and 
young adults an opportunity to see Government in action.
    We will also be considering a resolution to establish an 
allocation for Committees' franked mail.
    Finally, as our Committee oversees Federal elections, we 
will be considering five resolutions to dismiss election 
challenges from across the country.
    I thank my colleagues for being here today, and I am 
hopeful we will pass all of these resolutions in a nonpartisan 
fashion.
    I will now recognize the Ranking Member, Mr. Morelle, for 5 
minutes for the purpose of offering an opening statement.

OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. JOSEPH MORELLE, RANKING MEMBER OF THE 
 COMMITTEE ON HOUSE ADMINISTRATION, A U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM 
                            NEW YORK

    Mr. Morelle. Good afternoon. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    Thank you for calling this meeting to consider, as you 
indicated, a number of important pieces of institutional 
legislation that enhance Committee capacity and protect one of 
the core constitutional responsibilities of the House.
    As we recently established during our series of funding 
hearings, we must make sufficient investments in our Committees 
which allows them to hire and retain smart, dedicated staff and 
enables the execution of their respective missions under House 
rules.
    This investment is particularly important as we enter a 
post-Chevron deference world of legislating and the burden of 
drafting and enacting technical and complicated regulations 
shifts from the executive branch to Congress and to our staffs 
from what I would charitably describe as a chaotic start to 
this administration.
    We also have to ensure Committees are able to exercise 
rigorous and comprehensive oversight as we endeavor to maintain 
the separation of powers that our Federal Government is 
predicated upon. The omnibus Committee expense resolution we 
are considering today I believe accomplishes that.
    While we are on the topic of Committee capacity building, 
we will also determine allocations for funding for Committee 
interns, as the chair just indicated, an important tool that 
provides personnel flexibility to Committees as we recruit and 
train the next generation of public servants.
    Additionally, we will authorize financial allocations for 
official communications--or, as we refer to it here, franked 
mail--from Committees.
    I do want to thank the chair for also docketing the 
dismissal of the five deficient and, in my view, frivolous 
election contests.
    The Constitution vests the House with the ultimate 
determinative authority of who can be seated as a Member, and 
that responsibility is further bequeathed to this Committee by 
the Federal Contested Elections Act.
    It is vitally important to the health of our democracy that 
we do not entertain contests that fall short of the 
requirements of the statute and dismiss them expeditiously.
    With that, I do support the pieces of legislation on the 
agenda today. I urge my colleagues to do the same.
    I want to thank the chair and the staffs on both sides for 
all their work.
    With that, I yield back.
    Chairman Steil. The gentleman yields back.
    I will now call up H. Res 198, providing for the expenses 
of certain Committees of the House of Representatives in the 
119th Congress.
    I want to thank again my colleagues for their cooperation 
on this important issue. By passing the resolution today, we 
will allow the Committees to begin their critical work in the 
119th. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the resolution.
    I again recognize the Ranking Member, Mr. Morelle, if you 
have an opening statement.
    Mr. Morelle. I am fine.
    Chairman Steil. The clerk will please report H. Res 198.
    The Clerk. H. Res. 198----
    Chairman Steil. Without objection, the first reading of the 
resolution is dispensed with.
    Also, without objection, the resolution shall be considered 
as read and open to amendment at any point.
    [The resolution follows:]

                      HOUSE RESOLUTION 198
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    Chairman Steil. I have an amendment in the nature of a 
substitute at the desk. The clerk will please report the 
amendment.
    The Clerk. Amendment in the nature of----
    Chairman Steil. Without objection, the Amendment in the 
Nature of a Substitute is considered as read and will be 
considered as original text for the purpose of further 
amendment.
    [The Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute follows:]

                    AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE

                 OF A SUBSTITUTE TO H. RES. 198
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    Chairman Steil. Do any Members seek recognition for 
amendment or debate?
    There being no further amendment or debate, the question 
now occurs on the amendment in the nature of a substitute.
    All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
    Opposed, no.
    In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it, and the 
amendment is adopted.
    The question now occurs on H. Res. 198, as amended, 
reported favorably to the House.
    All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
    Opposed, no.
    In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it, and H. Res. 
198, as amended, is agreed to.
    Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid upon 
the table.
    I now call up the following resolutions en bloc.
    Committee Resolution 119-10, a resolution to approve 
allocation from the Paid House Committee Internship Program to 
Committees for 2025; and then Committee Resolution 119-11, a 
resolution to approve franked mail allowances for Committees in 
the 119th Congress.
    Committee Resolution 119-10 allocates the 2025 legislative 
year allowance among each standing and select committee in the 
House, excluding the Appropriations Committee, for the 
compensation of interns.
    Committee Resolution 119-11 will set the allocation of 
official mail allowance for each standing and select committee 
of the House, excluding Appropriations.
    I urge my colleagues to support these resolutions.
    I will recognize the Ranking Member, Mr. Morelle, if he 
would like to give a statement on these resolutions.
    Mr. Morelle. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
    Simply that I support these resolutions as they are 
capacity-increasing measures for our fellow Committees, who I 
think will need every available tool at their disposal as we 
continue to work through this Congress. I urge my colleagues to 
support the same.
    I yield back.
    Chairman Steil. The gentleman yields back.
    The clerk will please report Committee Resolutions 119-10 
and 119-11.
    The Clerk. Resolution----
    Chairman Steil. Without objection, the reading of the 
resolutions is dispensed with and will be considered en bloc.
    Also, without objection, the resolutions shall be 
considered as read and open to amendment at any point.
    [The resolutions follow:]

                  COMMITTEE RESOLUTION 119-10
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    Chairman Steil. Do any other Members seek recognition for 
amendment or debate.
    There being no further amendment or debate, the question 
now occurs on the resolution.
    All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
    Opposed, no.
    In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it.
    Without objection, the resolutions are agreed to.
    Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid upon 
the table.
    I now call up the following resolutions en bloc.
    The first resolution, dismissing the election contest 
related to the office of Representative from the 14th 
Congressional District of Florida, which was filed on January 
9, 2025.
    The second resolution, dismissing the election contest 
related to the office of Representative from the 14th 
Congressional District of Florida, which was filed on November 
17, 2024.
    Third, the resolution dismissing the election contest 
related to the office of Representative from the 30th 
Congressional District of Texas.
    Fourth, the resolution dismissing the election contest 
related to the office of Representative from the 28th 
Congressional District of Texas.
    Fifth, the resolution dismissing the election contest 
related to the office of Representative for the at-large 
Congressional District of Alaska.
    As the Committee with oversight of our elections, we 
receive election contests for congressional races. In each of 
these cases, the candidates either missed the deadline to file 
challenges or challenged primaries, which the Committee does 
not have jurisdiction over.
    For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to support the 
resolutions to dismiss the election contests.
    I will now recognize Ranking Member Morelle if you would 
like to offer an opening statement.
    Mr. Morelle. Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Very briefly.
    The House is vested with the broad and comprehensive 
authority to establish the procedures and render final 
decisions relating to the election of its Members. The House 
has consistently and regularly exercised its authority from the 
very first Congress through the 118th Congress.
    House Rule X and the Federal Contested Elections Act 
generally assign the Committee jurisdiction over contested 
elections. Today, the Committee acts pursuant to this authority 
to consider five resolutions and accompanying reports 
recommending the House dismiss various election contests before 
it.
    Each of the contests is procedurally deficient in one form 
or another, and none provides evidence that the contestant has 
demonstrated a right to the seat.
    I appreciate, Mr. Chairman, your work and your staff and 
their collaboration with our staff.
    It is critical the House continue to play this role in a 
professional and bipartisan manner so the American people can 
be assured that their elective representatives are truly chosen 
by and for the people.
    Accordingly, I support the resolutions and urge my 
colleagues to join me in voting yes.
    With that, I thank you and yield back.
    Chairman Steil. The gentleman yields back.
    The clerk will please report the resolutions.
    The Clerk. Dismissing the election contest----
    Chairman Steil. Without objection, the first reading of the 
resolution is dispensed with.
    Without objection, the five resolutions will be considered 
en bloc.
    Also, without objection, the resolutions shall be 
considered as read and open to amendment at any point.
    [The resolutions follow:]

               RESOLUTION DISMISSING THE ELECTION

                      CONTEST IN FL-14 (1)
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               RESOLUTION DISMISSING THE ELECTION

                      CONTEST IN FL-14 (2)
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      RESOLUTION DISMISSING THE ELECTION CONTEST IN TX-30
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      RESOLUTION DISMISSING THE ELECTION CONTEST IN TX-28
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  RESOLUTION DISMISSING THE ELECTION CONTEST IN THE AT-LARGE 
                CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT OF ALASKA
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    Chairman Steil. Do any other Members seek recognition for 
amendment or debate?
    There being no further amendment or debate, the question 
now occurs on the resolutions.
    All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
    All those opposed, no.
    In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it, and the 
resolutions are agreed to.
    Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid upon 
the table.
    This concludes all matters before the Committee unless any 
other Members have comments.
    Without objection, the staff is authorized to make 
necessary technical and conforming changes.
    If there is no further business, I want to thank the 
Members for their participation.
    Without objection, the Committee on House Administration 
stands adjourned.
    [Whereupon, at 3:11 p.m., the Committee was adjourned.]

                                 [all]