At Wednesday's House DOGE Committee hearing, Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) read a pro-LGBTQ past quote of Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), then called out her social media postings.
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00:00Thank you, Chairwoman. I want to just start, of course, by thanking all of our witnesses for being here today.
00:06I appreciate your time. I've said from the beginning and from our first Doge subcommittee meeting
00:12that we've really not talked about government efficiency or any real serious legislative work.
00:17But even I am surprised that this subcommittee is now apparently in charge of policing women's sports.
00:23Now, this has nothing to do with our committee's jurisdiction, as said earlier,
00:27and nothing to do with helping the American people.
00:29Now, Republicans in Congress are trying to destroy our health care and social safety net,
00:34as we've seen them do over and over again.
00:36Elon Musk is destroying critical medical research programs.
00:39We have a measles outbreak. We have an anti-vax health secretary.
00:44But apparently this committee wants to spend its time bullying trans kids and athletes
00:49and arguing about fencing tournaments.
00:51This is not only outrageous, it's also dangerous.
00:55Now, this committee is supposed to be about saving taxpayer dollars.
00:59And let's be really clear, Mr. Leifeld, USA fencing doesn't receive large taxpayer-funded grants
01:07and doesn't really receive federal funding. Is that correct?
01:10Sir, we do not receive a penny in federal funding.
01:12So you do not receive a penny of federal funding,
01:15and we're spending our time in a government efficiency committee debating a fencing tournament
01:20and your association, that of you which receive no federal dollars.
01:24Let's be clear. All kids and people deserve to be able to participate in sports.
01:30And USA fencing and other sports have the right to lay out rules to make sure their sport is fair and safe.
01:36And we know that transgender youth and athletes experience all kinds of mistreatment because of their gender identity.
01:43This includes bullying in schools, family rejection, threats of violence, even by some in Congress, and other discrimination.
01:52Now, sports participation can actually help overcome some of this vulnerability.
01:57Now, we have a wide range of views on this committee, but I want to make sure that people are aware there is some bipartisan consensus.
02:03Here's a quote from one of my Republican colleagues, who's actually on this committee today, which I want to read.
02:09I find it encouraging. It says,
02:10I strongly support LGBTQ rights and equality. No one should be discriminated against.
02:17I have friends and family that identify as LGBTQ.
02:20Understanding how they feel and how they've been treated is important.
02:24Having been around gay, lesbian, and transgender people has informed my opinion over my lifetime.
02:31Now, Ms. Gosgraves, do you know who said this by any chance?
02:36I don't know.
02:38This was actually Congresswoman Nancy Mace, who's, I know, waved on to our committee today.
02:42Now, Madam Chair, I'd like to insert into the record this article on CNN that says,
02:47titled, Nancy Mace, Now Targeting Transgender Lawmaker, Calls Herself Pro-Transgender Rights in 2023.
02:54Madam Chairwoman.
02:57Without objection.
03:00Now, Congresswoman Mace, of course, is here today.
03:02Now, in November of just last year, Congresswoman Mace posted 326 times on social media about trans people
03:11and their access to bathrooms in just one 72-hour period.
03:15That's a fact.
03:16So I'd like to introduce another article from Newsweek, and it's entitled, this is the title,
03:21Nancy Mace has posted 326 times in the last 72 hours about bathrooms.
03:27Madam Chair, can I introduce this into the record?
03:29Without objection.
03:31I point this out because it's actually important context.
03:34Republicans accuse Democrats of focusing too much on LGBTQ plus issues or trans issues.
03:40But we want to talk about protecting Social Security.
03:42We want to talk about protecting the cost of living.
03:44We want to talk about lowering prices.
03:46We want to make sure that all people have health care.
03:49But Republicans are so obsessed with demonizing trans people that we are wasting time in our government efficiency committee talking about trans people that like fencing.
04:00Now, let's remember, according to Congressional testimony from the head of the NCAA, there are less than 10 trans college athletes in 2024.
04:09That's less than 10 out of half a million total NCAA athletes.
04:14Less than 10 out of half a million.
04:16Now, Congresswoman Mace has posted about this issue hundreds and hundreds of times.
04:21That's equal to hundreds of individual posts per athlete.
04:25All the while, we're ignoring the real issues.
04:29I want to remind everyone that we've seen 935 confirmed cases of the measles as of May 1st, according to the CDC.
04:38Nearly 1,000 children are getting sick while a country is hit by crisis after crisis.
04:42Let's focus on the 930 adults and kids with measles versus the 10 trans athletes that are participating in college sports.
04:50It is obvious to the American public that this issue is being exploited by extremists to divide the American public.
04:57It's shameful.
04:57It's been clear that Doge is not about government efficiency.
05:01It's an attack on vulnerable people.
05:03And with that, I yield back.
05:04The gentleman yields.
05:05I now recognize.