Joe Mathieu

There's, of course, a law in the books around furloughed workers getting back pay today.

And I know that you have been speaking to the letter of the law.

The president yesterday said, though, that there are some federal workers

who do not deserve, the quote was, to be taken care of.

Is this issue the purview of Congress?

Do you plan to follow this law, or is this somehow up to Russ' vote now?

Do you worry about mass layoffs coming as early as next week and that actually poisoning the well even more between Republicans and Democrats?

What would be the impact of a move like that?

I know that you've said to House Republicans, at least reportedly, that you would give them 48 hours notice if they had to come back into town when folks left following the vote on the CR in the House.

If they're talking next door in the Senate, if some sort of deal is brokered that might alter the CR as it stands now, do you plan to call your members back?

I know you had a couple of visitors at your office today, Mr. Speaker.

A couple of Democratic senators, I believe Kelly and Gallego, had a lot of things to say about the swearing in of a new member of Congress from Arizona.

I also saw Congressman Mike Lawler from New York get into an altercation with Hakeem Jeffries as he was coming out of his office here.

I know that elbows can be sharp on Capitol Hill, but Mr. Speaker, what's happened to decorum?

Is this a new low?

I want to ask you about that new member, Grijalva, the congresswoman-elect from Arizona.

The senators were asking you to swear her in, or I guess they were urging you to swear her in, which I know you've done a couple of times for Republican members in pro forma sessions.

These two senators were yelling about Jeffrey Epstein, I think, to make a point here, and they did get some coverage on that.

Mr. Speaker, is this an Epstein issue or is this a process issue?

Well, I appreciate your answering that for us, Mr. Speaker.