Memorandum in Support re [36] Motion to Dismiss for Lack of Jurisdiction Motion to Dismiss for Failure to State a Claim Filed by the House Committee on Education and Workforce, Tim Walberg. (Attachments: (1) Declaration of Todd B. Tatelman)(Berry, Matthew)

v.

TECHNOLOGY, et al.,

Defendants. Case No. 1:26-cv-11488-ADB Leave to File Excess Pages Granted on May 7, 2026 MEMORANDUM OF POINTS AND AUTHORITIES IN SUPPORT OF CONGRESSIONAL DEFENDANTS’ MOTION TO DISMISS MATTHEW B. BERRY General Counsel TODD B. TATELMAN Deputy General Counsel ANDY T. WANG Associate General Counsel ALICIA GARTEN Assistant General Counsel OFFICE OF GENERAL COUNSEL U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 5140 O’Neill House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 (202) 225-9700 (telephone) [email protected] Counsel for Congressional Defendants

June 5, 2026

i TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF AUTHORITIES .......................................................................................................... ii INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 1 BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................................ 2 ARGUMENT .................................................................................................................................. 6

I.

The Court Lacks Subject Matter Jurisdiction Over Count I ............................................... 6 A.

The Speech or Debate Clause Bars Plaintiff’s Suit and Requested Relief ............. 6

1.

The Speech or Debate Clause ..................................................................... 6

2.

Information-Gathering and the Use of That Information Are Legislative Acts .......................................................................................... 7

3.

The Speech or Debate Clause Requires Dismissal of Count I .................. 10

4.

Plaintiff Cannot Overcome the Clause ..................................................... 12

B.

Plaintiff Lacks Standing ........................................................................................ 15 C.

Because Congressional Defendants Are Necessary Parties Under Rule 19, Count I Must Be Dismissed in Its Entirety ........................................................... 18 1.

Congressional Defendants Are Required Parties ...................................... 19

2.

Congressional Defendants Are Immune from Suit ................................... 19

3.

The Rule 19(b) Factors Favor Congressional Defendants ........................ 21

II.

Count I Fails To State a Claim Upon Which Relief Can Be Granted ............................... 22 A.

Plaintiff Does Not Plausibly Allege Coercion ...................................................... 22 B.

MIT Is Not a State Actor ...................................................................................... 24

Cases

Page(s)

Abany v. Fridovich,

862 F. Supp. 615 (D. Mass. 1994) ...........................................................................................16 Ashcroft v. Iqbal,

556 U.S. 662 (2009) .................................................................................................................22 Ass’n of Am. Physicians & Surgeons v. Schiff,

518 F. Supp. 3d 505 (D.D.C. 2021), aff’d, 23 F.4th 1028 (D.C. Cir. 2022) ............................................................................................8, 10 Back Beach Neighbors Comm. v. Town of Rockport,

535 F. Supp. 3d 57 (D. Mass. 2021), aff’d, 63 F.4th 126 (1st Cir. 2023) .....................................................................................................22 Barcelo v. Agosto,

876 F. Supp. 1332 (D.P.R. 1995), aff’d sub nom. Romero-Barcelo v. Hernandez-Agosto, 75 F.3d 23 (1st Cir. 1996) ........................................13 Barenblatt v. United States,

360 U.S. 109 (1959) ...................................................................................................................8 Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly,

550 U.S. 544 (2007) .................................................................................................................22 Blum v. Holder,

744 F.3d 790 (1st Cir. 2014) ....................................................................................................17 Blum v. Yaretsky,

457 U.S. 991 (1982) .................................................................................................................24 Bogan v. Scott-Harris,

523 U.S. 44 (1998) ...................................................................................................................13 Bragg v. Jordan,

669 F. Supp. 3d 257 (S.D.N.Y. 2023), appeal dismissed sub nom. Bragg v. Pomerantz, No. 23-615, 2023 WL 4612976 (2d Cir. Apr. 24, 2023) .................13, 15 Brentwood Acad. v. Tenn. Secondary Sch. Athletic Ass’n,

531 U.S. 288 (2001) .................................................................................................................24 Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp. v. Williams,

62 F.3d 408 (D.C. Cir. 1995) ...................................................................................................10

iii

Budowich v. Pelosi,

610 F. Supp. 3d 1 (D.D.C. 2022) .............................................................................................25 Colon Berrios v. Hernandez Agosto,

716 F.2d 85 (1st Cir. 1983) ....................................................................................................8, 9 Comm. on Ways & Means, U.S. House of Representatives v. U.S. Dep’t of Treasury,

575 F. Supp. 3d 53 (D.D.C. 2021) ...........................................................................................14 Dantzler, Inc. v. Empresas Berríos Inventory & Operations, Inc.,

958 F.3d 38 (1st Cir. 2020) ................................................................................................17, 18 De la Torre v. Cassidy,

800 F. Supp. 3d 54 (D.D.C. 2025) ...........................................................................................12 Deschutes River All. v. Portland Gen. Elec. Co.,

1 F.4th 1153 (9th Cir. 2021) ....................................................................................................20 Doe v. McMillan,

412 U.S. 306 (1973) .........................................................................................................7, 9, 12 Dombrowski v. Burbank,

358 F.2d 821 (D.C. Cir. 1966), rev’d in part on other grounds sub nom. Dombrowski v. Eastland, 387 U.S. 82 (1967) (per curiam) ..............................................11, 12 Dombrowski v. Eastland,

387 U.S. 82 (1967) (per curiam) ................................................................................................7 Downing v. Globe Direct LLC,

806 F. Supp. 2d 461 (D. Mass. 2011), aff’d, 682 F.3d 18 (1st Cir. 2012) ....................................................................................19, 20, 21, 22 Duggan v. Martorello,

596 F. Supp. 3d 195 (D. Mass. 2022) ......................................................................................19 Eastland v. U.S. Servicemen’s Fund,

421 U.S. 491 (1975) ...................................................................................................7, 8, 13, 14 Fakhreddine v. Univ. of Pennsylvania,

No. 24-cv-1034, 2025 WL 345089 (E.D. Pa. Jan. 30, 2025) ...................................................25 Gonzalez v. United States,

284 F.3d 281 (1st Cir. 2002) ....................................................................................................16 Gravel v. United States,

408 U.S. 606 (1972) ...........................................................................................................7, 8, 9

iv

Harris v. McRae,

448 U.S. 297 (1980) .................................................................................................................22 Hearst v. Black,

87 F.2d 68 (D.C. Cir. 1936) .................................................................................................9, 10 Helstoski v. Meanor,

442 U.S. 500 (1979) ...................................................................................................................7 Horne v. Flores,

557 U.S. 433 (2009) ...........................................................................................................15, 16 Hutchinson v. Proxmire,

443 U.S. 111 (1979) .................................................................................................................11 Jud. Watch, Inc. v. Schiff,

998 F.3d 989 (D.C. Cir. 2021) ...................................................................................................8 Kennedy v. Warren,

66 F.4th 1199 (9th Cir. 2023) ..................................................................................................23 Khalil v. Trs. of Columbia Univ. in N.Y.C.,

No. 25-cv-02079, 2026 WL 775813 (S.D.N.Y. March 19, 2026) ...................11, 14, 15, 21, 25 Kokkonen v. Guardian Life Ins. Co. of Am.,

511 U.S. 375 (1994) .................................................................................................................12 Lujan v. Defs. of Wildlife,

504 U.S. 555 (1992) .....................................................................................................16, 17, 18 Manhattan Cmty. Access Corp. v. Halleck,

587 U.S. 802 (2019) .................................................................................................................24 Martin v. Evans,

241 F. Supp. 3d 276 (D. Mass. 2017) ......................................................................................16 McGrain v. Daugherty,

273 U.S. 135 (1927) .................................................................................................................13 McGuire v. Reilly,

386 F.3d 45 (1st Cir. 2004) ......................................................................................................24 Meadows v. Pelosi,

639 F. Supp. 3d 62 (D.D.C. 2022) ...........................................................................................12 Miller v. Transamerican Press, Inc.,

709 F.2d 524 (9th Cir. 1983) ...................................................................................................11