Analysis · Speech on a bill · beta

Steve Womack

Republican on Continuing Appropriations Act, 2027 2026-07-21

697 words · 37 sentences · 45 clauses

Statement grade

Average 78 / 100

A score under 50 is red. Choose a measurement to see where it lost points and why; choose it again to clear.

Thanks 2%Procedure 7%Reasoning 10%Positioning 21%Claims 55%Anecdote 2%The ask 3%

This view breaks the statement into its steps and names what each one does.

Mr. Speaker, Thanks · 11 wordsI thank my friend, Mr. Cole, for giving me this time.Thanks Mr. Speaker, Procedure · 19 wordsI rise to support H.R. 9770, the Continuing Appropriations Act of 2027, in hopes that it is not necessary.Procedure Reasoning · 22 wordsIf we were to complete our work as the Framers had intended and outlined for us, we wouldn’t be standing here today. Positioning · 5 wordsThis is an insurance policy.Positioning Claims · 27 wordsThis ensures that, assuming we don’t finish our work by the end of September, by the end of this fiscal year, our government will be held harmless. Positioning · 18 wordsWho could argue an insurance policy that holds a government harmless when we begin a new fiscal year?Positioning Claims · 54 wordsUnder the leadership of Mr. Cole, the House Appropriations Committee, as you just heard, has advanced all 12 bills out of committee.¹ We have done our job well before the end of the fiscal year. Three of these full-year funding bills have already cleared the floor and are ready for action in the Senate.² Positioning · 40 wordsThat is sizeable progress toward our goal of restoring regular order in this appropriations process. I am exceedingly proud of the work my colleagues and I have done in crafting responsible bills that rightsize the discretionary side of our budget, PositioningProcedure · 5 wordsbut I am also pragmatic.Procedure Positioning · 67 wordsI am aware of the political realities that lie before us right now, and the very fact is that we have a job to do, Unearned certaintyand time is running out on us. Too often, Mr. Speaker, we wait until the eleventh hour to create some kind of a process by which we can avoid a real catastrophe, gambling with the functions of government that people depend on.Positioning Procedure · 1 wordsH.R.Procedure Claims · 37 words9770 is a clean solution to extend government funding until December 4, ensuring zero disruptions to the operations of programs like SNAP, like WIC, the National Flood Insurance Program, disaster relief fund, ³and scores of other programs. Anecdote · 12 wordsIt is no secret that I am not a fan of CRs.Anecdote Positioning · 8 wordsNo self-respecting appropriator would ever embrace a CR.Positioning Reasoning · 50 wordsMy preference has always been to fulfill our Article I responsibility before the deadline, following through on the job that the American people sent us to Washington to do. Passing this CR is a much better alternative than to threaten the government shutdown at the expense of the American people. Claims · 46 wordsThis CR does not prevent us from continuing our work on full-year fiscal year 2027 appropriations. Instead, it provides a runway to work with our Senate counterparts and iron out a final agreement, all while preventing the abyss of uncertainty created by a lapse in appropriations. Mr. Speaker, Claims · 47 wordsfor 43 days, a stalemate in Congress caused an unnecessary and costly government shutdown as political games took priority over our constitutional responsibility.⁴ The shutdown impacted many services and programs that our constituents count on. It crippled biomedical research, upended infrastructure projects, and risked our national security. Procedure · 27 wordsAs chairman of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, I can speak directly to the impact it had on agencies within our jurisdiction.Procedure Claims · 172 wordsPrior to the shutdown, the FAA was already falling short of its controller staffing targets.⁵ The shutdown exacerbated that problem. Without the promise of a paycheck, many of these air traffic controllers opted to take other employment opportunities instead of doing the job that the American people needed them to do. The results were canceled or delayed flights and ground stops at airports across the Nation. By the end of the shutdown, Mr. Speaker, 6 million people had been affected, not to mention the estimated costs incurred by the U.S. travel sector of $150 million a day.⁶⁷ This is just one of many examples of the catastrophic consequences of a government shutdown.Off point What we are doing today is offering this insurance policy to see that that doesn’t happen again. We have a binary choice later today on this bill. You are either going to vote for continuing the appropriations that fund the discretionary side of government till December 4, or you will be in the column voting to shut the government down. Positioning · 11 wordsI think it is a pretty simple, no-brainer kind of vote.Positioning The ask · 18 wordsI encourage my colleagues--including my friend, the ranking member, Ms. DeLauro from Connecticut--to vote ``yes’’ on this bill.

At a glance

Lost points for

Switch Claims on to list the checkable claims here.

What the tags mean

Signal · 64

18 of 31 deductions are Signal

Signal checks whether every part makes a point, gives a reason, or asks for action. A low score means the speaker filled time with fluff, pleasantries, or attacks.

Thanks and tributes.What the tags mean “I thank my friend, Mr. Cole, for giving me this time.”Thanks: no claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “I rise to support H.R.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “9770, the Continuing Appropriations Act of 2027, in hopes that it is not necessary.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “This is an insurance policy.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “Who could argue an insurance policy that holds a government harmless when we begin a new fiscal year?”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “That is sizeable progress toward our goal of restoring regular order in this appropriations process.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “I am exceedingly proud of the work my colleagues and I have done in crafting responsible bills that rightsize the discretionary side of our budget,”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “but I am also pragmatic.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “I am aware of the political realities that lie before us right now,”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “and the very fact is that we have a job to do,”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “and time is running out on us.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “Too often, Mr. Speaker, we wait until the eleventh hour to create some kind of a process by which we can avoid a real catastrophe, gambling with the functions of government that people depend on.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “H.R.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
A story that illustrates instead of making a point.What the tags mean “It is no secret that I am not a fan of CRs.”An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “No self-respecting appropriator would ever embrace a CR.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “As chairman of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development,”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “and Related Agencies Subcommittee, I can speak directly to the impact it had on agencies within our jurisdiction.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “I think it is a pretty simple, no-brainer kind of vote.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.

Relevance · 71

12 of 31 deductions are Relevance

Relevance checks whether the speaker stays on topic and answers the question asked. A low score means the speaker dodged the issue. Measured against the bill under debate.

Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “for 43 days, a stalemate in Congress caused an unnecessary and costly government shutdown as political games took priority over our constitutional responsibility.”Recounts a past shutdown rather than addressing the bill under debate.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “The shutdown impacted many services and programs that our constituents count on.”Describes effects of the past shutdown, not the provisions of the CR before the House.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “It crippled biomedical research, upended infrastructure projects,”Continues the account of the previous shutdown, not the bill’s content.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “and risked our national security.”Still about the prior shutdown’s consequences, not the measure being debated.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “As chairman of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development,”Self-identification and committee jurisdiction, not a point on the bill.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “and Related Agencies Subcommittee, I can speak directly to the impact it had on agencies within our jurisdiction.”Introduces the speaker’s authority rather than addressing the CR.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “Prior to the shutdown, the FAA was already falling short of its controller staffing targets.”Discusses FAA staffing levels before the shutdown, unrelated to the bill’s terms.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “The shutdown exacerbated that problem.”Continues the FAA staffing history rather than the CR itself.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “Without the promise of a paycheck, many of these air traffic controllers opted to take other employment opportunities instead of doing the job that the American people needed them to do.”More shutdown backstory about controllers, not a point about the bill.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “The results were canceled or delayed flights and ground stops at airports across the Nation.”Describes flight disruptions from the past shutdown, not the pending legislation.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “By the end of the shutdown, Mr. Speaker, 6 million people had been affected, not to mention the estimated costs incurred by the U.S. travel sector of $150 million a day.”Cites figures about the prior shutdown’s costs, not the CR under debate.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “This is just one of many examples of the catastrophic consequences of a government shutdown.”Summarizes the shutdown’s consequences again rather than speaking to the bill’s provisions.

Respect · no score

Not checked: graded before this measurement existed. Excluded from the average.

Respect checks whether the speaker argued with people’s positions and records rather than attacking the people: insults, mockery, or bad motives assigned to them. Criticism of what someone did, however strong, is not marked.

Clarity · 98

1 of 31 deductions are Clarity

Clarity checks for plain speaking, clear ownership of actions, and honest limits on certainty. A low score means vague promises or evasive language.

Something stated as certain with nothing to back it.What the tags mean “the very fact is”A certainty formula that asserts the claim rather than citing anything for it.

Claims · 7

This list shows the factual statements you can check for yourself: the words as said, and the claim restated to stand on its own.

1“has advanced all 12 bills out of committee”The House Appropriations Committee, under Chairman Cole, advanced all 12 FY2027 appropriations bills out of committee.search
2“Three of these full-year funding bills have already cleared the floor”Three of the full-year FY2027 appropriations bills had passed the House floor and were awaiting Senate action.search
3“extend government funding until December 4”H.R. 9770 extends government funding until December 4, 2026.search
4“for 43 days, a stalemate in Congress caused an unnecessary and costly government shutdown”A stalemate in Congress caused a 43-day government shutdown.search
5“Prior to the shutdown, the FAA was already falling short of its controller staffing targets”Before the shutdown, the FAA was falling short of its air traffic controller staffing targets.search
6“6 million people had been affected”By the end of the shutdown, 6 million people had been affected.search
7“the estimated costs incurred by the U.S. travel sector of $150 million a day”The U.S. travel sector incurred estimated costs of $150 million per day during the shutdown.search

Analyzed on 2026-09-15