Ro Khanna

Mr. Speaker, today, I am calling to ban data centers in residential communities and to ban Federal funding for Flock cameras.

We can't have a surveillance state in America. We didn't fight a revolution to be ruled by tech billionaires.

Americans are for innovation but not for the extraction of natural resources. Americans are for safety but not for the abuse of their privacy. We need guardrails on this technology.

Communities should have the right to say ``no'' to a data center being shoved down their throats, and we should have the right for women not to be surveilled by Flock cameras by rogue police officers.

As a Representative of Silicon Valley, I am calling for democratic accountability of this technology revolution. We the people should call the shots.

Mr. Speaker, the progressive movement is winning across the country, from the heart of New York to Michigan to Maine.

The people are saying no to foreign wars, and they are saying no to genocide in Gaza. They are saying no to the unfair and lopsided economy that has allowed a few people to hoard extreme wealth and power, and they are saying yes to Medicare for All, to unions for all, to childcare for all, to making sure that we have a housing guarantee for kids by the time they are 35 if they work hard.

Now, some of the oligarchs don't like it. Elon Musk has been threatening to sue me or jail me, but I will tell you what: They should judge us by those who are attacking us.

We will not be intimidated. We stand for transforming this country for the working class over the billionaire class.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the House taking up the Government Audit and Accountability of Federally Funded State-Administered Programs Act. It is a long way of saying that this is a bill to go after fraud.

I thank Congressman Tim Burchett for his partnership on this bipartisan legislation. I also thank Chairman Comer; Ranking Member Garcia; Congressman Gill; Congressman Subramanyam; my staff lead, Selene Ceja; and Kevin Fox, my legislative director, for their help in advancing this effort.

The bill is straightforward. It directs the Government Accountability Office to conduct an independent review of Federal programs that States administer on behalf of working families.

Congress has a responsibility to ensure that every tax dollar reaches the people and communities these programs are intended to serve. To do that, we need facts, data, and evidence.

The legislation helps us better understand how these programs operate across States where vulnerabilities may exist, what practices are working, and what improvements Congress should consider to stop fraud.

At its core, the bill is about prevention, accountability, and good governance. By directing the GAO to identify effective tools, technical assistance, and proven practices, we can help States strengthen program administration before problems occur, and it applies to all 50 States, so there is no politics in it.

The families who rely on these programs deserve services that are efficient, reliable, accessible, and protected.

Tackling fraud is not a partisan issue. Congress needs to continue bipartisan, evidence-based efforts to better understand how Federal funds flow through State-administered programs and how we can strengthen those systems.

I recognize Congressman Tim Burchett for his extraordinary leadership and partnership here. This bill gives us the information we need to make informed decisions and strengthen the public trust.