Transcripts For CSPAN Public Affairs 20130717

The speaker pro tempore for what purpose does the gentleman from georgia seek recognition . Mr. Price i ask unanimous consent to withdraw my previous statement . The speaker pro tempore is there objection . Without objection, so ordered. Mr. Price im pleased to recognize the gentleman from virginia for one minute, mr. Hurt. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized for one minute. Mr. Hurt thank you, mr. Speaker. In response to the minority leaders statement, i would suggest that this is in fact a job jobs bill. This is about health care, the quality of health care and about preserving jobs in this country. I rise in support of the fairness for American Families act, that would suspend enforcement of the individual mandate. This bill would provide hardworking individuals and families with the same relief that the Obama Administration recently gave to american employers. As i traveled throughout our district i consistently hear about the laws devastating effect it has our families, work force. Whether its the Community College in danville thats cutting employee hours because it simply cannot afford to comply with the law or the family in charlottesville thats dealing with skyrocketing insurance premy yums premiums, we are dealing with this law. The American People are left with nothing but broken promises. At a time when too many people across this country are out of work, it only makes sense that we reduce the burden by suspending this mandate while continuing our efforts to repeal this flawed law and replace it with marketoriented policies. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentlemans time has expired. The gentleman from georgia reserves. The gentleman from washington is recognized. Mr. Mcdermott mr. Speaker, i ask unanimous consent to insert letters from consumer groups opposing the bill, easter seals, American Diabetes association, American Heart Association and others. I also the speaker pro tempore without objection. Mr. Mcdermott id also like to enter in the record the report on the fifth Congressional District of virginia and those who will benefit from the Affordable Care act. The speaker pro tempore without objection. Mr. Mcdermott and i now yield to the minority whip, mr. Hoyer, five minutes. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from maryland is recognized. Mr. Hoyer i thank the gentleman for yielding. I rise to speak the truth. This bill and the other bill are not real. They are purely partisan politics. They have nothing to do with reality. That, my friends and mr. Speaker, the American People ought to know that is the truth. Hese bills take time with no effect and everybody in this house, the majority leader and 434 of the rest of us know these bills are going nowhere. They are in fact the 38th and 39th effort to repeal the Affordable Care act. An attempt thats been made some 27 times already with no substantive alternative to assure quality, Affordable Health care for all americans. My friends, that is the truth. This is a game. This is political messaging. Nothing more. Nothing less. It is a gotcha game. The president has already taken action to make sure that businesses, some 4 of the businesses in america, by the way, are affected by what the president did and your purported bill. To make sure that they can do the aperwork properly, administration took the right action. Your first bill is not necessary. You know it. It is a setup so that your second bill, which takes away the individual mandate, which america ought to know, mr. Speaker, would undermine the very benefits that are today being enjoyed by seniors, by young people, by children with preexisting conditions and by so many millions of americans enjoying the benefits today but without the individual mandate, as the Heritage Foundation pointed out so many years ago a position they have now changed, of course was absolutely essential to make sure we could bring costs down. In the New York Times of course, today, ironically said on the front page, there is a possibility that premiums will be reduced 50 , 50 . So mr. Speaker, i would tell my friends in the press, in the media, dont take any of these votes for real. Theyre gotcha votes so maybe some people will vote yes to confirm the president s opinion and then say but we dont want to undermine the Affordable Care act as all of you who have voted so often have expressed your willingness and intent to do, but then theyll vote no on the individual mandate. And you will say, of course, my, my, my. There were four businesses but against all you individuals. They were for business but against all you individuals. Im sure its written already. Thats what this about. Gotcha politics. Isnt it a shame, isnt it a shame when millions of americans have no health care, when millions of americans have no jobs, when people are being furloughed in the defense sector, undermining the security of our country in virginia and in maryland, undermining our National Security that we spend our time here on this floor with gotcha politics, with no expectation hatsoever that either of these bills will ever become law . This is simply messaging. Saying for the people who have been for the last four years trying to repeal the Affordable Care act. And so many people were absolutely positive that president obama was going to go down to defeat on the horns of the dilemma of the Affordable Health care act. It didnt happen. The American People said no, we dont buy that argument. We believe providing americans with health care is an important objective. We believe that making sure that kids and individuals with preexisting conditions can get health care can get it, to make sure that seniors dont be driven into poverty by paying for expensive drugs to keep them alive, to make sure that people get Preventive Health re and are not disincentivized in doing that by additional costs. Mr. Speaker, i hear you tapping and can i get 30 seconds to conclude . Mr. Mcdermott i yield the gentleman 30 seconds. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized for 30 seconds. Mr. Hoyer i thank my friend. Ladies and gentlemen, we really need to come together and talk about how we reasonably move forward. Speaker boehner said when the president was reelected, well, the Affordable Care act is here. But you continue, you continue this very day to pretend youre going to repeal the Affordable Care act. Thats maybe what your constituents want. Thats maybe good politics for you, but its lousy substance. Thats the truth. This is a gotcha vote. The press ought to disregard and constituents ought to disregard anything other than this is a vote to end the Affordable Care act. Reject it. Reject it. Reject this politics. The speaker pro tempore the gentlemans time has expired. The chair would remind all members to direct their comments to the chair. The gentleman from georgia is recognized. Mr. Price thank you, mr. Speaker. Im pleased to yield one minute to the majority leader of the United States house of representatives, the gentleman from virginia, mr. Cantor. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from virginia is recognized for one minute. Mr. Cantor thank you, mr. Speaker. I thank the gentleman from georgia for his leadership. Mr. Speaker, i rise today in support of the fairness for American Families act. Mr. Speaker, its interesting to hear on the floor the minority to continue their cries of objection based on claims of politics and process. Now, were talking about substance here, and instead what we hear are objections about our position somehow insinuating that we dont care about Peoples Health care. Well, mr. Speaker, i will say it is exactly the opposite. Were talking about substance and were talking about ways that we can improve the prospects for Quality Health care for americans and for several years republicans have been warning the American People about the devastating impact obamacare will have on both jobs and health care. And it now appears that democrats and even the president himself are beginning to agree the decision by the administration earlier this month to delay the employer mandate until 2015 is a clear signal that even the administration doesnt believe the country is ready to sustain the painful impact this law will have. Fortunately others, including some of the laws most ardent supporters, are starting to realize the same. Just this week Democratic Leaders of the house and senate were sent a letter from the president s of three major unions warning if changes were not made to the Affordable Care act it would destroy the foundation of the 40hour workweek that is the backbone of the american middle class. Now, mr. Speaker, to me thats al, thats not just games, thats real. Now, continuing, these Union Leaders claim that if the Affordable Care act was enacted without being modified, it would destroy quote, destroy the very health and wellbeing of our members along with millions of other hardworking americans, unquote. These consequences resulting from employees having their hours cut and their Health Benefits jeopardized represent what these leaders described as, quote, nightmarish scenarios. Mr. Speaker, id submit thats real, thats not just games. It is now explicitly clear to people across political lines that promises were made and now broken and obamacare is not working. Now, this is the direction we need to take. This is the common ground. If we have bipartisan agreement that things just arent working under obamacare, thats work to improve the situation for americans. Why is it that working americans have to suffer the Financial Burdens of an overreaching governmentrun Health Care System while the same consequences for big business are delayed a year . The white house wont offer an answer to that because i believe theyve run out of excuses, theyve run out of ideas, and now theyre starting to back peddle. The fairness for American Families act will extend the delay of these mandates to all americans because no familys health, wellbeing or employment should suffer while businesses get a break. And i sincerely hope that my colleagues on the other in case living on another planet for the last few years, doesnt do all that much these days. So here we are, debating again for the 38th time a bill to repeal all or part of our Nations Health security law. We have heard this broken record 37 times before and it sounds the same and it goes no where. But there is more consequence to this partisan agenda than just wasting the americas people time and adding to the record of the least Productive Congress ever. Wasting the American Peoples time 38 times waste the american taxpayers money. According to news reports, this obsession to vote over and over and over, 38 times on these partisan bills has cost the american taxpayers more than 50 million. Thats an expensive ticket for political theater. So what are the facts on this legislation . The Congressional Budget Office, our countrys fiscal watchdog, says this about h. R. 2668. Health insurance premiums under this legislation, for individually purchased coverage would be higher under h. R. 2668. In addition, the number of people with Health Insurance coverage would be reduced. Translated, the cost for Health Insurance and health care for americans will go up. And the number of americans with Insurance Coverage will go down under this legislation. And heres todays New York Times and says it all on the front page. Many new yorkers will see big savings under the Current Health law. Individuals buying Health Insurance on their own will see their premiums tumble in new york state as changes under the federal Health Care Law take effect. The facts, Health Insurance costs are going down, but this bill would repeal all or part of the Health Care Security law. This congress is the least Productive Congress ever because instead of growing our economy, they are voting for the 38th time to do nothing. This house is out of touch with the American People. Its time this house caught up with the American People and work bipartisanly and provide more health security, not less. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. The gentleman from washington reserves. The gentleman from georgia. Mr. Price i ask unanimous consent that a letter of today from the National Federation of independent business in support of h. R. 2668 be inserted into the record. The speaker pro tempore without objection. Mr. Price i yield 1 1 2 minutes to kathy mcmo rogers. Mrs. Mcmorris rodgers i rise in strong support of the fairness for American Families act to protect families and individuals from a Health Care Law that is unworkable and is making it harder and work on our Health Care System. I support delaying the individual mandate because it protects every day hardworking American Families like my family at home and yours from all across the country, from higher premiums, fewer choices of doctors and lower quality of health care. We see the president picking winners and losers and ignoring his constitutional duty to uphold the law. And each time individuals lose, families lose, america loses. The administrations decision to delay the employer mandate is no different. How is it fair to delay an unworkable law for big businesses, but not for individuals and families . The very people that are going to have to pay the price because of this unworkable Health Care Law. The fact is, this is making it worse for the health care, economy and america. I urge my colleagues, republicans and democrats, support this bill. Do whats fair for the American People and their families. And i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady yields back. The gentleman from washington. Mr. Mcdermott i yield myself 30 seconds so i can inform the body of the effect on the 5th Congressional District of the state of washington. 7,000 young adults are on their insurance. 5,600 have had benefits surrounding their drug costs. 89,000 who lacked Health Insurance now have it. All because of the Affordable Care act. I now yield two minutes the gentleman from texas, mr. Green. The chair the gentleman from texas is recognized. Mr. Green i rise in strong opposition to the further republican attempts to undermine the Affordable Care act. The administration recently announced due to issues, they were delaying the employer mandate for a year. I do not support this measure, but its within their authority to do it. However, the decision of the department of treasury does not justify delaying the implementation of other portions of the law. Implementing this law is too important for americas wellbeing and Economic Security to delay it. Low cost, high Quality Health care is right around the corner and if we delay the individual mandate the risk pools will be skewed so that the coverage is less affordable for those who choose to purchase it. Delaying the employer mandate will have an higher impact on states like mine that are refusing to expand medicaid. If an employee makes between 100 and 133 of the federal poverty level, they will receive no medicaid, no subsidies, and now employers wont have to cover them for another year. Im told that this is a small number, but in districts like ours which has the highest rate of working uninsured in the country, this is a big problem. Up to 260,000 individuals in our district who lack Health Insurance will have access to quality, Affordable Care without fear of discrimination or higher rates because of the preexisting condition. Our country has waited too long for Real Health Care reform. Coverage by our industrial and competitive partners provide. I oppose both these bills and i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from texas yields back. The gentleman from washington reserves. The gentleman from georgia. Mr. Price i ask unanimous consent that a letter dated july 15 from the president and c. E. O. Of Freedom Works in support of h. R. 2668 be inserted into the record. The speaker pro tempore without objection. Mr. Price i yield two minutes to the gentlelady from michigan. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady is recognized. Mrs. Miller it appears that the Obama Administration that is come to the conclusion that the mandate is a job killer. Many have speculated that the Obamas Administration decision to delay the employer mandate until after the 2014 election was due to fears that job cuts and hour reductions that would result would negatively impact the president s party at the polls and it does seem those fears are justified because recently, the teams steers and other labor groups wrote to harry reid and nancy pelosi stating the implementation of the health care put at risk. I agree with the team steers that the employer mandate is a job killer. In eliminating the employer mandate would stop the individual mandate which requires every individual to purchase insurance that they may not want, that they cant afford and may not be provided by their employers or otherwise they have to pay a penalty. Is that fair . The legislation, mr. Speaker, that we are considering today would give every american, every american, the same one year reprieve that the president has offered to visit this and because we extend this help to all of the American People, the president has threatened to veto this bill. President is he not a king, he is the president. He doesnt have the authority to change the law and delay the mandate. Congress must give him that authority. We will delay the jobkilling employer mandate and we would also extend the same relief to all of the American People. The president and members of congress who vote against this bill will have to explain to the American People why they hurt the concerns of business and not the American People. We share their concerns and stand with them and urge my colleagues to stand with them as well and support this very vital legislation. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady yields back. The gentleman from georgia reserves. The chair remipeds all members to make remarks to the chair and improper references of the president. The gentleman from washington is recognized. Mr. Mcdermott i ask unanimous consent to enter into a record the report of the effects on the Affordable Care act on the 10th district of michigan. I yield two minutes to the the gentlewoman from illinois. Ms. Schakowsky i thank the gentleman for yielding, there is a word in yiddish that translates to nerve and it has been described that quality enshrined in a man who having killed his mother and father throws himself on the mercy of the court because he is an orphan. But thiedish word is a pretty accurate description of the Republican Party today, after throwing road block after road block, obstruction after obstruction to obamacare is now trying to delay access to care for millions of americans on the ground that were not ready. Despite republican obstructionism, we are going to be ready, we are ready. And not a day too soon for those who have been locked out of coverage, hit by annual benefit limits or face preexisting exclusions. Imagine the worry that is lifted off of the soldiers of americans that have preexisting conditions that wont exist once we pass this. This is just another republican attempted roadblock to progress, another obstructionism. It is time for the republicans to stop efforts that will prevent americans from getting the health care that he need. I yield back. Mr. Price how much time remains for each side . The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from georgia has 18 1 2 minutes. The gentleman from washington has nine. Mr. Price i yield one minute to the chairman of the judiciary committee, mr. Goodlatte. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized. Mr. Goodlatte i recognize the great work of the the gentleman from georgia. Americans are asking one question, why wasnt the mandate on them delayed . If the systems arent in place for businesses to abide by this law, why does the administration think the system will be in place for the individual mandate . If a delay is good for businesses, why is it good for the families in the 6th district in virginia. When members refer to obamacare as a train wreck, they quote one of its chief architects. This announcement proves that obamacare is headed towards devastation. Lets get businesses as well as americans off this train headed towards disaster. We need to delay the employer mandate and the individual mandate but most importantly, the American People need a full repeal of this train wreck legislation and i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. The gentleman from georgia reserves. The gentleman from washington is recognized. Mr. Mcdermott mr. Speaker, i yield three minutes to the gentleman from california, who helped write this bill four years ago and is here today to defend it, mr. Miller. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized. Mr. Miller ask unanimous consent to revise and extend. I rise in opposition to the latest republican attempt to sabotage our Nations Health reform law. If these bills pass today, fortunately, they will not become law. It is another waste of this bodys time. Americans are sick of it. 38th time will not be the charm, the 38th time we have tried to vote to repeal. These votes underscore the length that republicans will go to take away the basic Health Protections of the American People. For three years, many of the opponents of obamacare have invested heavily in its failure and tried to deny funding to agencies. They spread outright lies and misinformation to confuse the American People. They have obstructed education efforts to make sure the constituents dont understand the rights and benefits under the law. Investing in failure is dangerous and dangerous for the nations business and economy. The Affordable Care act is the law of the land and here to stay and early evidence suggests that the Health Care Law is having a positive impact on the millions of americans. Millions of young adults are getting insurance off their parents plans and now with the individual mandate, millions of individual americans will be able to afford the Health Insurance that they cant afford today without this legislation, without the law of the land, the Affordable Care act of the children with preexisting conditions can no longer be denied Health Coverage or lifesaving treatment. Billions more of taxpayer dollars are being recovered through medicare fraud. National Health Care Costs have slowed over the last several years. Health premiums as part of the state insurance exchanges are coming in lower than anyone had reported, most recently reported in new york state for individuals who would get their insurance because of the individual mandate. For the first time affordable to those individuals since they have been required to have it. In january, the preexisting conditions that determine Health Coverage or cost will be banned. No longer will you be able to rule people out because of their preexisting health condition. This is all good news and stands in stark contrast to the claims we have been hearing from the other side for three years. Why would any responsible elected official try to hide the rights and benefits from the American People. My friends on the other side of the aisle are preoccupied dismantling vulnerable and move to score political points. Its wrong and irresponsible. Playing politics with the Affordable Care act has become an olympic sport for the majority. These votes are nothing new and about sabotaging the law of the land to satisfy a narrow element in the Republican Party. Now is not time to go back to the days when Insurance Companies were in charge and the policies were taken in the middle of treatment and children were not allowed to participate and individuals could not afford the policy at that time and today they will be to. I yield back. Mr. Price i ask fleak that a notice from the american Taxpayer Association in support 2668 be. R. 2667 and inserted into the record. The speaker pro tempore without objection. Mr. Price mr. Speaker, im pleased to yield two minutes to the gentleman from illinois, mr. Schock, another member of the ways and means committee. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from illinois is recognized for two minutes. Mr. Schock thank you, mr. Speaker. I thank the gentleman from georgia. Wow. Im sure our listening audience at home wonders who to believe. Were hearing charges of politics. Were hearing claims of chutzpah. My friends on the other side of the aisle, this isnt politics. This is lawmaking. Has our republic stooped so low that you would go out and raise millions of dollars, waste thousands of hours of your time to be elected to a body only to see that power which is given by the constitution instead to an executive branch, to a president to do that which you are elected to do . If you believe as the president believes, which is that this law is not ready to be implemented, which is for various reasons h. H. S. And other agencies are not able to certify that the businesses are able to comply, then join us in doing what the president wants to do legally. Join us in giving the power to the president that which is already claiming unilaterally and do what your constituents have elected you to do which is lawmaking. Do mr. Speaker, we heard claims earlier today that women were being discriminated against. That womens premiums were rising at a faster rate than men. Let me tell what you this bill means to young people who are really getting discriminated because of obamacare. Young peoples premiums are going up over 400 because of a Community Rating provision in this bill, young people are paying a dispr portionate growing cost of disproportionate growing cost of health care. Young people whove gone to college who have busted their tail dont want to stay on their mom and dads insurance until the age of 26. They go to college to get a job. And this obamacare legislation and so many others of the president s policies are killing jobs in america. Its why half of the people who graduated in college last may are still unemployed or underemployed. This bill needs to be postponed which is what this legislation does. I urge passage and a yes vote. The speaker pro tempore the gentlemans time has expired. The gentleman from georgia reserves. The gentleman from washington is recognized. Mr. Mcdermott i reserve the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from washington reserves. The gentleman from georgia. Mr. Price thank you, mr. Speaker. How much time remains . The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from georgia has 15 1 2 minutes remaining. The gentleman from washington has six minutes remaining. Mr. Price thank you, mr. Speaker. Im pleased to yield one minute to a member of the energy and commerce committee, a fellow physician from the state of georgia, mr. Gingrey. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from georgia is recognized for one minute. Mr. Gingrey mr. Speaker, i thank the gentleman for yielding. I have in my hand a pocket constitution that says here article 1, section 1, all legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a congress of the United States which shall consist of a senate and a house of representatives. Doesnt say anything there about the president. Mr. Speaker, the if you notice, a lot of times the weaker ones argument, the louder the volume. Im hearing a lot of volume from the other side of the aisle, including from their leadership. They have a weak argument, mr. Speaker. Theres no question about it. Saying the bills already passed. Well, what if the bills already passed, what right does the president have to change the law without coming back to the congress . And were giving them the opportunity to do that. And of course were also giving the young people in this country the opportunity to get the same break that these large fortune 500 Companies May be getting in regard to delaying the employer mandate for one year. Lets do the same thing for these young people who are no longer 26. Theyre 26 1 2. They are not living in the basement any more. They have a job. Lets give them the same 12month break that were giving to employers. Pass this bill. Its a good bill, and we have the authority to do it, not the president. The speaker pro tempore the gentlemans time has expired. The gentleman from georgia reserves. The gentleman from washington is recognized. Mr. Mcdermott i ask unanimous consent i yield myself 30 seconds. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized. Mr. Mcdermott and i ask unanimous consent to enter into the record the Health Care Reform law as it effects the 11th Congressional District of georgia. 8,500 young adults are still getting insurance on their parents plan. 8,500 seniors are receiving Prescription Drug discounts. 86,000 seniors are now receiving Preventive Care without having to pay for it under the Medicare Program. 195,000 now have Health Insurance that covers Preventive Care with no copays and insurance and on and on and on it goes. I reserve the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. The gentleman from georgia is recognized. Mr. Price thank you, mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, im pleased to yield two minutes to the gentlelady from tennessee who prior to coming to congress was worked as a nurse, diane black, pivotal member of the ways and means committee. The speaker pro tempore the gentlewoman from tennessee is recognized for two minutes. Mrs. Black thank you, mr. Speaker. I thank the gentleman for yielding. The president has previously described his Health Care Law, and i quote, a new set of rules that treats everybody honestly and treats everybody fairly, end quote. But now, according to president obama, if youre a big Financial Institution or government contractor, you dont have to comply with obamacares mandate next year. But if youre a tennessee family trying to make ends meet, you do or you will get taxed. And to add insult to injury, this president now has the audacity to say that if that he will veto the house legislation delaying the employer mandate and the individual mandate that were considering today. First of all, the employer mandate delay was proposed by him, so why would he veto his own idea . Secondly, why would he turn his back on the American Families who are merely asking for the same relief that he said hes going to give to big business . President obamas veto threat is a pathetic excuse for leadership and i suggest that we call his bluff and pass this legislation to protect the American People and their livelihoods from obamacare. It is simply not there for president obama to give business an exemption from his costly Health Care Law without making the same allowance for individuals and families. I call on president obama and Congressional Democrats to do the right thing by supporting the authority for mandate delay act and the fairness for American Families act to protect the American People and ensures fairness for all. Thank you and i yield back the remainder of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady from tennessee yields back. The gentleman from georgia reserves. The gentleman from washington is recognized. Mr. Mcdermott i ask unanimous consent to put into the record the effect of the Affordable Care act on the sixth district of tennessee, and i now yield the speaker pro tempore without objection. Mr. Mcdermott a minute and a half to the gentlelady from texas, ms. Jackson lee. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady from texas is recognized for a minute and a half. Ms. Jackson lee thank you very much, mr. Speaker. And thank you to the manager and dr. Mcdermott, id like to call him. Hes been a main stay of Good Health Care in this congress for a very long time and hes managing as well with the gentleman from georgia who has practiced medicine. But we can have a disagreement, and the vigorous disagreement that we have i must say, mr. Speaker, the weight of truth falls on what we have done on behalf of obamacare, the Affordable Care act. You know, i enjoy sledding. I enjoy the snow. When you get on a sled it rolls down and you youre happy and you come to a successful end. We roll down and we keep on rolling because the Affordable Care act is allowing young people to have insurance. Its reducing the cost of Prescription Drugs for our seniors. Its allowing a state like texas that has the highest number of uninsured to have some 121,000plus in my district now having insurance. It allows about 10 Community Health facilities to be able to begin enrollment in this coming september and be able to outreach to those families who will now have coverage for them and their children. Let me be very clear. How many times do i have to say no, you cannot have your way . The Supreme Court has ruled. This is the law of the land. And there is no reason whatsoever to go back on a plan that has allowed the new york insurance rates to go down on health care. Theres nothing wrong with the president engaging business and these are Large Companies who have said we just need to look at it so we can streamline it. Thats to make it better. If they undermine the individual mandate, 13 million americans will not have insurance. How many times do i have to say no . The Affordable Care act is going well. People are insured and americans are healthier. Lets keep the Affordable Care act. Vote no on the underlying bills. When will you ever understand . Its over. Its over. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleladys time has expired. The gentleladys time has expired. The gentleman from washington reserves. The gentleman from georgia is recognized. Mr. Price thank you, mr. Speaker. Im pleased to yield a minute and a half to the gentleman from pennsylvania, mr. Rothfus. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from pennsylvania is recognized for a minute and a half. Mr. Rothfus i ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks. The speaker pro tempore without objection. Mr. Rothfus i thank dr. Price for his work on the fairness for American Families act, and i rise in support of the legislation. Mr. Speaker, president obama made many promises when promoting his Health Care Law. He promised that if you like your coverage you can keep it. He promised it would lower the cost of premiums. He promised that it would create new jobs and promote Economic Growth. Unfortunately western pennsylvania workers and families are experiencing just the opposite. A mom who works at a Food Service Company in beaver county, pennsylvania, called my office last week to talk for an hour about how the laws impacting her family. She just had her hours cut by almost half thanks to the employer mandate. Her husbands job security is also now at risk. The lost hours, income and job security have made it difficult for them to afford the necessary its of life and make it almost impossible to send their daughter to college next year. President obama recently proposed postponed the employer mandate. In so doing he conceded that the laws unworkable for businesses. If businesses deserve a break from obamacare, then why dont the rest of the American People . We need workable, commonsense and patientcentered reforms that increase access to care and reduce costs. Todays legislation is the necessary first step to achieve the kind of Health Care Reform that the American People deserve. I thank the speaker and i yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back. The chair would instruct that the gentleman from georgia has 11 1 2 minutes left and the gentleman from washington has four minutes left. The gentleman from washington. Mr. Mcdermott mr. Speaker, i reserve the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from washington reserves. The gentleman from georgia. Mr. Price mr. Speaker, if i may inquire as to my friend if he has any remaining speakers. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from washington. Mr. Price there are other individuals that have requested to speak. If they do not show then im repared to close. I will close. Im pleased to yield one minute to the gentleman from ohio, the , mr. An from ohio wenstrup. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized. Certain delaying provisions undermines the very rule of law. If president obama can pick and choose what to enforce, what prevents him from doing the same thing with other legislation. My concern. Say it is too complicated, the individual mandate still stands. Businesses get a break but individuals get no relief from the burdens of this law. Why do hardworking individuals do not deserve relief . If the president stands by his decision to delay one mandate. Realistically, a permanent delay to the full repeal of obamacare and its mandate is the only workable solution. Dont americans deserve equality under the law and fairness for all . I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. The gentleman from georgia reserves. The gentleman from washington. Prepared to close or reserve . Mr. Mcdermott is the gentleman from georgia mr. Price we are prepared to close. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from washington is recognized. Mr. Mcdermott i have in my hand here a letter signed by 30 economists from harvard, yale, m. I. T. , stanford, rice and university of chicago and everybody else. Need a hom say we mandate. If this mandate were not were taken out of the law, the Affordable Care act would be dead. Now, what they say is, individual mandate doesnt specify what care they receive but expect people to pay for a reasonable amount. No less a conservative than mitt romney, mitt romney, republican nominee for president noted when signing massachusetts equivalent of the individual mandate, quote, some of my friends balk at what looks like an individual mandate. But remember, someone has to pay for health care. That must, by law, be provided, either the individual pays or the taxpayers pay. Everyone in this body spends 1,000 a year beyond their own Health Care Costs, paying for the uninsured in this country. People walk into the emergency room, they get taken care of, because the hospital cannot refuse them and the doctor cannot refuse them and so they are taken care of and then its passed on to you and me. The individual mandate says everybody should pay according to their ability and going on, mr. Romney said, a free ride on the government is not libertarianism. Now everywhere they have tried this without subsidies and and they sayfailed in the five states that have tried comprehensive insurance, market reform without an individual mandate, Healthy People choose to stay out of insurance, sick people took it up and the premiums go up. Thats exactly what the c. B. O. Says. So what you are saying by repealing the individual mandate is, you want to drive up the costs on the people who now have insurance. Thats a very strange political position to be taking. I listen just say to all these people who dont like the individual mandate, if you spend two years ranting about the Affordable Care act and run a campaign and spend hundreds of millions of dollars and rant against the Affordable Care act, its not surprising that people may be a little confused. When i was in medical school in 1963, the American Medical Association spent three or four years ranting against medicare. And when the people went out to enroll people for medicare, they got the door slammed in their face. Old people said im not going to have that kind of Government Health care in my house. Well, let me tell you something, if you tried to take medicare out now, you will find you have taken on a really ugly junkyard dog. You arent going to take out medicare in this country. You can confuse people for a while, but as they see and as i reported on everybodys district, it is already affecting kids who didnt have insurance because of preexisting condition. Its affecting kids who didnt have insurance from their job and are now on their parents insurance. It took away lifetime limits on care. It took away all the things that people worry about when they want Health Care Security and they now have it. And youre saying, lets take the individual mandate out and have the whole house come down, because thats what these economists have said and i ask unanimous consent to enter the letter into the record. The speaker pro tempore without objection. The gentlemans time has expired. The gentleman from georgia is recognized. Mr. Price mr. Speaker, there are a lot of folks who have come to the floor on the other side of the aisle to speak about this legislation. There arent individuals who came from those states who have passed legislation to Implore Congress not to continue with the individual mandate. Alabama, arizona, missouri, ohio, individuals from the other side of the aisle who didnt come down to the floor. We get asked by folks on the other side about wheres the jobs bill. In addition to all the remarkable pieces of legislation passed and we have sent over to the senate and gains dust over there, this is a jobs bill. I dont know if our friends on the other side havent talked to their employers at home, employers large and small, all of them say, look, this is damaging job creation. We had one before the committee that my friend from washington and i sit on saying he wasnt able to expand his business, he couldnt because of this bill. This is a piece of jobs legislation. We have a number of folks on the other side who say, this is just about politics. Mr. Speaker, you talk about politics. You got the president saying that he is going to suspend, delay the reporting requirements for the employer mandate for a year and oh, by the way, that just happens to be after the 2014 election. You talk about politics. And then you talk about delay. Look, some of my friends on the other side, they act as if this is something that we have indeed supported in the pass. This isnt repeal. We appreciate that the administration has awakened, has awakened to the challenge of this piece of legislation. They recognize it doesnt work for business, for job creators because of the uncertainty and fewer jobs being created. So they have promoted a delay of one year for the employer mandate. But that uncertainty remains for those employers and they arent going to be able to hire significant individuals and that uncertainty and that oppression of governmentrun health care isnt just for business. Its also true for individuals. And so finally, mr. Speaker, i would say that i just encourage my friends to read the bill. Read the bill. This is the bill, h. R. 2668. Its very short. Easily read. It simply changes the year requirements for the individual mandate from one year, 2014, to a years delay 2015. Thats all it does. It equalizes the treatment for individuals as for businesses. I know that many of them havent read the bill because if they did, they would recognize that this bill has no change in it for preexisting illnesses or injuries and the rules thereon. It has no change for 26yearolds being covered on their parents Health Insurance. It has no change for lifetime limits. It has no change for medical loss ratio provision. It has no change for gender equity. It has no change for occupy limits and it has for out of pocket limits and has no change for insurance being taken away. All this bill does is simply say that individuals ought to be treated fairly and equally just like businesses and delay the individual mandate for a year. I call on my colleagues to support and vote for h. R. 2668 and i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. All time for debate on h. R. 2668 has expired. Pursuant to House Resolution 300, the previous question is ordered. The question is on engrossment and third reading of the bill. Those in favor say aye. Those opposed, no. The ayes have it. Third reading. The clerk a bill to delay the application of the individual Health Insurance mandate. The speaker pro tempore pursuant to clause 1c of rule 19, further consideration of. R. 2668 is postponed. Pursuant to clause 1c of rule 19, further consideration of h. R. 2667 will now resume. The clerk will report the title. The clerk h. R. 2667, a bill to delay the application of the employer Health Insurance andate and for other purposes. The speaker pro tempore for what purpose does the gentleman from new jersey seek recognition . Mr. Andrews i have a motion to recommit at the desk. The clerk mr. Andrews of new jersey moves to recommit the bill h. R. 2667 with instructions to report the same back to the house forth with with the following amendment. At the end, the following, add at the end the following, section 3, protecting employees fwr losing existing Health Insurance coverage. Nothing shall be construed to ensure insurance. Price price point of order against the motion to recommit. The speaker pro tempore point of order is reserved. The gentleman from new jersey is recognized for five minutes. Mr. Andrews the purpose of this final amendment which would not delay consideration of the bill, if passed, is to be sure that no one who is covered by their employer today suffers as a result of this bill. But make no mistake about it. The purpose of the underlying the s to unravel Affordable Care act thread by thread and make sure it collapses under its own weight. Further, our purpose is forgotten around here if thats what this congress does. We are not a debating society. We are not a perpetual political campaign. We are a legislative body that makes decisions that affects the real lives of real people in very significant ways. It is very important that all members understand the consequences of what is being done here today. There are a lot of americans whose lives are not being impacted here today. Among the 11 million unemployed in this country are hoping next week might be the first week they get a pay check in a long time. This house consistent with its practice, is doing nothing. For the members, for families of student loans, over five million of them, who have seen their student loan rates double on the first of july, this house consistent with its practice, is doing nothing for them today. For the millions of americans who are waiting for our economy to be lifted and their lives to be lifted out of the shadows of an old Immigration Law where the other body with 68 voting in favor of a change in that law consistent with its practice, this house is doing nothing once again for those americans today. Its this bill and unraveling attempt, this bill is doing a lot to affect a lot of americans, because if everyone doesnt participate in paying for the Health Care System, the woman who has Breast Cancer or the little boy who has asthma can be denied a Health Insurance their because of preexisting condition or has become so expensive and cant afford it. This bill feabts them. The person who overpaid for their Health Insurance policy, if they are one of the millions of americans who got a rebate since the Affordable Care act went into effect to stop Insurance Companies overcharging americans, this bill will certainly affect them because they will lose that rebate. If they are among the millions of Senior Citizens who have been able to go for an annual checkup for a Cancer Screening or General Health and not pay anything for it and find Rare Diseases before they take control of their lives and recover from those diseases, this bill will affect those americans, because it will repeal those benefits. For those seniors who have been caught in the doughnut hole created by the Medicare Program created by the then majority a few years ago who seen their drug coverage costs drop because of rebates that help them offset that coverage, they will be affected by this bill because the rebates will disappear and coverage will go back up and cost them more again. If they are one of the thousands or millions of young people, who are able to stay on their parents Health Insurance policies until 26 years of age, their lives will be affected by this bill because they will lose that benefit. This congress has a real responsibility to americans who want to see us move beyond this endless debate, this 38th attempted repeal of this law, who want to see us move beyond this and get to work on the real oblems that confront the country. Lets put americans back to work. Lets drop the cost of a college education. Lets fix our broken immigration system. Lets get to work on repairing the Voting Rights act that was vandalized by the United States Supreme Court just a few weeks ago. These are problems to which we should turn our attention. But here we are again, 38th consecutive attempt to repeal the Affordable Care act. The first 37 failed and so will the 38th. The right vote is to vote yes on this motion to recommit and no on this underlying bill. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. For what purpose does the gentleman from michigan rise . I repeal my motion. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized for five minutes. Thank you, mr. Speaker. Let me just say, obamacare is already forcing workers to lose coverage. C. B. O. Has said that employers will drop health care coverage. C. B. O. Has said that employers will lay off workers and reduce coverage. That is already happening. Mr. Camp and workers in this country are suffering. Even the Teamsters Union has said so in a letter to leader reid and leader pelosi. And let me just read from one paragraph of this letter, from the Teamsters Union and other unions. When you and the president sought our support for the Affordable Care act, you pledged that if we liked the health plans we have now, we could keep them. Sadly, that promise is under threat. Right now, unless you and the Obama Administration enact an equitable fix, the a. C. A. Will shatter not only our hardearned Health Benefits but destroy the foundation of the 40hour workweek that is the backbone of the american middle class. The only way to fix this is to reject this motion, delay the employer mandate and vote for this bill. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. Without objection, the previous question is ordered on the motion to recommit. The question is on the motion. Those in favor say aye. Those opposed, no. In the opinion of the chair, the noes have it. Mr. Andrews mr. Speaker. On that i demand the yeas and nays. The speaker pro tempore the yeas and nays are requested. All those in favor of taking this vote by the yeas and nays will rise and remain standing until counted. A sufficient number having arisen, the yeas and nays are ordered. Members will record their votes by electronic device. Pursuant to clause 9 of rule 20rks the chair will reduce to ive minutes the minimum time the house will come to order, please remove all conversations rom the house floor. Pursuant to clause 1c of rule 19, further consideration of House Resolution 2668 will now resume. The clerk will report the title. The clerk h. R. 2668, a bill to delay the application of the individual Health Insurance mandate. The speaker pro tempore for what purpose does the gentleman from new jersey seek recognition . Mr. Andrews i have a motion to recommit at the desk. The speaker pro tempore is the gentleman opposed to the bill . Mr. Andrews i am. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman qualifies. The clerk will report the motion. The clerk mr. Andrews of new jersey moves to recommit the bill 2668, to the committee on ways and means, with instructions to report the same back to the house for thewith with the following amendment. Following new the section, section 3, protecting consumers from premium increases and discrimination on the basis of preexisting conditions. Nothing in this act shall be construed to alter, impact, delay or weaken, one, section 1402 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care act that reduces outofpocket costs and costsharing for individuals and families. Two, sections 1001 and 1401 of such act, that provide tax credits and rebates for Health Insurance or the speaker pro tempore for what purpose does the gentleman from michigan rise . Mr. Camp i order against the motion to recommit. The speaker pro tempore point of order is reserved. The clerk will continue. The clerk discrimination on the basis of preexisting conditions and gender. The speaker pro tempore the house will come to order. The house will come to order, please take all conversations off the floor. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from new jersey is recognized for five minutes. Mr. Andrews thank you, mr. Speaker. The purpose of this amendment, which if passed would let us still proceed to final passage, is to provide protection for important Consumer Protections that i believe this bill puts in jeopardy. Theres probably not a member of this chamber who doesnt agree with the proposition mr. Speaker, the house is not in order. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is correct. The house is not in order. Please remove all the conversations off the floor of the house. The house will come to order. The gentleman will resume. Mr. Andrews thank you, mr. Speaker. If a woman with Breast Cancer or a child with asthma goes to buy an insurance policy, i dont think theres many people here who think they should be denied that policy because of their preexisting condition. Or charged to or three times as much money two or three times as much money because theyve had Breast Cancer or asthma or theyre a woman or theyve been pregnant. Almost everyone i hear talk about health care says, well, sure, im for getting rid of discrimination based on preexisting conditions. But i think we all know this, you cant accomplish that if you dont have the mechanism to keep costs from exploding for everybody else in the insurance marketplace. And, ladies and gentlemen, theres only two ways to do that. The first way is to have a public fund that buys down those premium costs for people and with all due respect, the majority tried to do that and couldnt pass their bill on the floor. The second way to do it is to give everyone the responsibility who can afford it beau to buy Health Insurance for themselves to buy Health Insurance for them selves. The way that we create a situation in which we can say to that woman with Breast Cancer, yes, you can have a Health Insurance policy and it doesnt have to be three times as much in price, or the way that we can say to that young boy with asthma, yes you can have a Health Insurance policy and it doesnt have to be three times atches in price, is to get times as much in price, is to get everyone covered. If you dont get everyone covered, then the whole thing unravels. And when it unravels, so do the other protections in the Affordable Care act. The preexisting condition discrimination we all say we want to prevent happens anyway. The family whose child has ads 1 million or 2 million chemotherapy bill runs up against a lifetime policy limit and theyre on their own again. That expires too. The protection the speaker pro tempore the house is not in order. He house will come to order. Please, those on the backside, please remove your conversations off the floor. The house will come to order. Mr. Andrews thank you, mr. Speaker. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman will resume. Mr. Andrews the protection for young men and young women who seek coverage on their parents policy, than you ralphs too. That unravels too. And we go back to a day when the health care of the American People was in the clutches of the Insurance Industry and not decided between patients and their families and their physicians. We have had this argument before , 38 times before on this floor. But this argument has taken place outside this floor as well. Last june the litigants went to the United States Supreme Court and said, this law was no good because it was unconstitutional. But the United States Supreme Court said yes it is and were not going backwards. Last year two president ial candidates traveled all over this country, one called for this laws repeal, the other stood by this laws enforcement. Last november the American People spoke and they said, ere not going backward. Well, here we are again and the choice is backward or forward. Make no mistake about it. If the underlying bill passes, the law unravels and all the protections people say they want unravel with it. And we go back to the day when American Health care was run by Insurance Companies and not by consumers and providers. The choice, ladies and gentlemen, is backward or forward. I say we do not go backward to a day when Insurance Companies ran everything, we go forward and when that woman with Breast Cancer goes to apply for that Health Insurance policy, the answer is no longer, madam chairman, im sorry youre not maam, im sorry, youre not eligible, you had cancer one day. The answer is, maam, heres your policy, heres your health security, heres your independence from losing everything you had because you got sick. The American People are better than this repeal. Vote yes on the motion to recommit, vote no on the underlying bill. Yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. For what purpose does the gentleman from michigan rise . Mr. Camp mr. Speaker, i withdraw my point of order and seek time in opposition to the motion. The speaker pro tempore point of order is withdrawn. The gentleman is recognize in opposition. Mr. Camp thank you, mr. Speaker. We know that obamacare increases premiums. And we know obamacare will force americans to pay more for their health care. C. B. O. The speaker pro tempore the house is not in order. The house is not in order. Please take all conversations off the floor. The gentleman will resume. Mr. Camp its not me that says this, although i do. Its c. B. O. , the Congressional Budget Office confirms that obamacare drives up costs of health care for working americans. The only way to control Health Care Costs and reduce Health Care Costs is to delay obamacare ntil we can repeal it. The only bill, the only legislation that the Congressional Budget Office scored as lowering premiums was the bill republicans offered during the health care debate. The president of the United States through a blog post delayed the employer mandate. This house just voted to delay the employer mandate. We owe it to the American People to give them the same treatment the president has given corporate america. Defeat this motion. Pass the fairness for families act. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. Without objection, the previous question is ordered on the motion to recommit. The question is on the motion. Those in favor say aye. Those opposed, no. And without objection a motion to reconsider s laid on the table. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, the Unfinished Business is the question on agreeing to the speakers approval of the journal which the chair will put de novo. The question is on agreeing to the speakers approval of the journal. Those in favor say aye. Those opposed, no. In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it. And the journal stands approved. The chair lays before the house a communication. The clerk the honorable the speaker, house of representatives, sir. Pursuant to section 4b of the world war i Centennial Commission act, public law 112272, i hereby appoint mr. Robert dell sandro of alexandria, virginia, to the world war i Centennial Commission. Thank you for your attention to this appointment. Signed, sincerely, nancy pelosi, democratic leader. The speaker pro tempore the chair lays before the house a message. The clerk to the congress of the United States, section 202d of the National Emergencies act provides for the automatic termination of a National Emergency unless, within 90 days prior to the anniversary date at its declaration, the president published in the federal register and transmates transmits to the congress a notice stating that the emergency is to continue in effect beyond the anniversary date. In accordance with this provision, i have senlt the enclosed notice to the federal register for publication, stating that the national ergency and related measures dealing with the former liberian regime of Charles Taylor are continue to to continue in effect. Although liberia has made advances to promote democracy and the special report for sierra leone convicted Charles Taylor for war crimes, the actions and policy of the former liberian president and other persons, in particular their unlawful decompletion of liberian resources and their removal from liberia, and secreting of liberian funds and property, could still challenge liberias efforts and strengthen its democracy in the development of its political, administrative and economic institutions and resources. These actions and policies continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the Foreign Policy of the United States. We have determined that it is necessary to continue the National Emergency with respect to the former liberian regime of Charles Taylor. Signed, barack obama, the white house, july 17, 2013. The speaker pro tempore referred to the committee on Foreign Affairs and ordered printed. He house will be in order. He house will be in order. The chair will now entertain requests for oneminute speeches. For what purpose does the gentleman from pennsylvania seek recognition . Madam speaker, the house is not in order. The speaker pro tempore the house will be in order. Please take your conversations off the floor. For what purpose does the gentleman from pennsylvania seek recognition . Mr. Thompson madam speaker, request unanimous consent to address the house for one minute, to revise and extend. The speaker pro tempore without objection, the gentleman from pennsylvania is recognized for one minute. Will be in order. Lease come to order. Lease come to order. Members, take your conversations off the floor, please. He house will come to order. The gentleman is recognized. Mr. Thompson madam speaker, last week the house passed the federal agricultural reform and Risk Management act or farrm act that will save 20 billion. This package of farm bill programs will create a more Cost Effective and marketoriented framework of agriculture policies. And ensure that americans continue to have a safe and affordable food supply. This bill does not did not include title 4 of the committeepassed legislation which contains significant reforms to the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program or food stamps, totaling an additional 20 billion in savings. Contrary to popular belief, the current snap program was not affected by passage of last weeks farrm act. The American People deserve a transparent and open debate over agriculture and nutrition programs. Both of which are in dire need of reform, which is why the house will be considering forms to snap in the coming weeks. We have an opportunity to achieve a better and more efficient farm bill here, madam speaker, and i look forward to working with colleagues in the house and senate on a final package so that we can enact those commonsense reforms into law. And i yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. For what purpose does the gentleman from maryland seek recognition . Without objection, the gentleman s recognized for one minute. Mr. Van hollen thank you, madam speaker. In april the International Energy agency concluded that despite some progress in deploying clean energy, that the average unit of Energy Produced in the world today is essentially polluting as it was 20 years ago. As president obama stated at Georgetown University last month, we cannot afford to slow walk our transition to a lowercarbon future. Climate change and its consequences are not waiting and neither can we. The good news is the transition to a cleaner Global Economy presents a great economic for t states. Bloomberg news Energy Finance estimates that private, Clean Energy Investment will more than triple by 2030. We should be fighting to attract that investment here in the United States. But we are at risk at missing out on that opportunity. China and other countries have made Firm National commitments to generate more electricity from Clean Energy Sources and that reality is reflected in their current levels of investment. 65 billion investment in china compared to 35 billion in the United States. Madam speaker, we should not lose this competition, we should not jeopardize our future and we should not jeopardize the climate. This is an opportunity for a winwin. And i yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. For what purpose does the gentleman from texas seek recognition . Mr. Poe i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. The speaker pro tempore without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. Mr. Poe madam speaker, in this Sizzling Summer of scandals, the evidence of no accountability continues to mount. Someone in the federal government commits wrong doing, the white house denies involvement or knowledge, blames lowlevel operatives or somebody else, no accountability. Exhibit one, fast and furious. The government smuggled guns to mexico, two americans and hundreds of mexicans were killed by those guns. White house blamed bush, an employee resigned, no accountability. Exhibit two, benghazi. Requests for increased security were denied both before and during the attack. Four americans were killed, investigation bungled. A Youtube Video was blamed, an employee was placed on leave, but still collects a paycheck. No accountability. Exhibit three, i. R. S. Admitted targeting conservative organizations. Employees in ohio were blamed. White house denied knowledge. No accountabil exhibit four, the d. O. J. Was caught wiretapping reporters to silence a leak. White house denied involvement, no accountability. As the summer of scandals continues, the most Transparent Administration in history keeps hiding information from citizens about the abuse of its government power and thats just wait it is. Just the way it is. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. For what purpose does the gentleman from massachusetts seek recognition . Mr. Mcgovern one minute to revise and extend my remarks. The speaker pro tempore without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. Mr. Mcgovern madam speaker, last week marked the third anniversary of when the International Criminal court issued an arrest warrant for omar albashir, the sitting president of sudan, on three counts of genocide related to darfur. Four years ago bashir was indicted on two counts of war crimes and five counts of crimes against humanity. On sunday, bashir traveled to nigeria to a red carpet welcome and full guard of honor despite demands from human rights activists that nigeria arrest him to face trial on genocide charges. This is an outrage, madam speaker. Congressman wolf, capuano and i have introduced h. R. 6092, the sudan peace and security accountability act. This strengthens sanctions against sudan and requires a comprehensive strategy to address the many conflicts and human rights crimes occurring in sudan, including an International Strategy to enforce the i. C. C. Arrest warrants against bashir and other sudanese officials. I ask my other colleagues to join us in this effort, to cosponsor h. R. 6092, and to move it to the house floor for approval in the 113th congress. I yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. For what purpose does the gentleman from indiana seek recognition . Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. Madam speaker, i rise today to recognize and absolute a remarkable salute a remarkable individual who passed away on july 15. I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for his leadership and service to our country. He had a servants heart. He served our nation as an officer in the u. S. Navy and as a special agent for the f. B. I. Mr. Rokita he said on nume he sat on numerous boards including the st. Francis hospital, the Chicago Public library, Chicago Public charities and one of my alma maters in indiana. He also developed real estate probablies across the country, including lake point tower in chicago, United Nations plaza in new york, William Center in tulsa, oklahoma, and the sentry city in los angeles. He was a family man who has s survived by his loving who is survived by his loving wife, four children, 17 grandchildren and six greatgrandchildren. He was a man truly committed to his family, his community, his catholic faith and his country. America is a better nation because of bill hartnet and im lucky to know his family, his best achievement. He will be truly missed, madam speaker. Thank you and rest in peace, mr. Hartnet. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. For what purpose does the gentleman from texas seek recognition . Without objection, the gentleman s recognized for one minute. Madam speaker, i rise to express my deel deep concern for former marine corporal Armando Torrez who is in this photograph here. He was kidnapped by members of the Mexican Cartel during a visit to mexico while visiting his father and uncle. On may 14, 2013, two months ago, mr. Torrez crossed the Rio Grande River into mexico and was to return the next day. Mr. Hinojosa family members in mexico report that mr. Torrez, along with his father and uncle, were forcibly taken by members of the Mexican Cartel. Corporal torrez is a combat veteran who served his country honorably in iraq. I have asked the f. B. I. And those in texas and mexico to help bring this marine and his relatives back safely to their loved ones. Each agency has been working on this case every day for the past two months. They report the Mexican Government is cooperating with him on their efforts to find the outrageous is crime. I commend the quick action taken by both the f. B. I. And the u. S. A. Department and i urge them to continue to do all they can to find and return our former marine, ar mandsow torrez , Armando Torrez, back safe to the United States and bring his relatives back home. The United States does not and must not give up and leave one of its own behind. I yield back my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. For what purpose does the gentleman from georgia seek recognition . Mr. Broun request to address the house for one minute, revise and extend my remarks. The speaker pro tempore without objection, the gentleman is now recognized for one minute. Mr. Broun i rise in support of corporal armando torres, a 25yearold marine, iraq war vet who finds himself in a desperate situation. More than two months ago, Corporal Torres was kidnapped along with his father and uncle from a mexican ranch. While the medias lack of attention has their kidnappers thinking weve just given up mitigating circumstance colleagues and my fellow marines in the house of representatives have a different message. Marines will not leave their brothers behind, and the u. S. Should not either. We will not rest until we bring Corporal Torres home. Now is the time to send a message to the torres kidnappers that their actions against a u. S. Citizen and marine veteran will not be tolerated. I urge my fellow marines to join me on the house floor and to demand action for Corporal Torres and his family. Thank you, madam speaker, an i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back. Frup does the gentlewoman from illinois seek recognition . I ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and revise and extend my remarks. The speaker pro tempore without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for ne minute. Ms. Duckworth last month, in adson, illinois, i held an , they tion round table all told me now is the time to act on comprehensive Immigration Reform my neighbors know that Immigration Reform done right can make our communities stronger, provide opportunity fours businesses by expanding our work force. Reform will make us safer by securing our borders. We can help balance our budget by letting millions of immigrant whors willing to make the necessary sacrifices become tax paying american citizens. We must Work Together to provide a pathway to citizenship as part of any comp rehence i Immigration Reform legislation. The senate has passed such a bipartisan proposal and members out e house should reach to make an agreement. Now is the time for congress to pass comprehensive immigration fair legislation that is and humane. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore for what purpose does the gentleman from texas seek recognition . I ask to address the house for one minute. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized for one minute. Mr. Gohmert this evening we had a difficult vote, not difficult for some but for some of us it is. Because on the one hand we had the president who had announced he was going to do the unconstitutional, even though hed push through the a vote without a single republican vote fur it, he push through the obecause hacare. And people are beginning to realize just how devastating this is. Theyve lost their doctor, theyve lost their insurance, theyre going to lose their insurance, people have been forced from fulltime to parttime and now theyre seek manager parttomb work, theyre being told theyre losing their benefits and this extra whammy for American Workers was going to be even more devastating if the individual mandate went through. Somebody making 14,000 was either going to buy snushes they couldnt afford or pay extra income tax and some of us knew if we would just let the whole thing go through, then people would be hurt, theyll demand repeal but i had to vote not to make people suffer. Lets put off the suffering as long as possible and then hopefully repeal it. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yield back. Pursuant to section 3b of House Resolution 300, h r. 266 s laid upon the table. The chair lays before the house the fol logue personal requests. The clerk leave of absence of sted for mr. Horseford nevada for today and mr. Lewis f georgia for today. The speaker pro tempore without objection, the requests are granted. Under the spiegers announced policy of january 6, 2013, the gentleman, mr. Cardenas is recognized as the designee of the minority leader. Mr. Cardenas i rise today to speak about comprehensive imdepration reform but from a different perspective than many of my colleagues. We know why we need to have comprehensive Immigration Reform, why we need to fix this system rather than depending on small, oneoff solutions. Our system is broken and we have to fix the entire immigration system now. Ur farms dont have stable work force, too Many Companies are short the work force they need, our schools atract the best and brightest from around the world but we cant keep sending them back after we educate them. We know what needs to be fixed and why. But what happens once we fix the problems . Very simply our economy will skyrocket. Report after report, study after study, says the same thing. Successful implementation of comprehensive Immigration Reform will cut the deficit, create manufacturing jobs and Job Opportunities nationwide and create more than 100,000 american jobs every year for the next 10 years. We will see 832 billion pumped into our economy over the next 10 years. As producers and consumers in this great nation, undocumented immigrants grow the economic pie by at least 30 billion as we speak. Legalization would trip that will number. With various studies pointing to a 1 trillion impact on our Gross Domestic Product here in the United States over the next 10 years. Madam speaker, im joined by much of my freshman class. This past election voters sent us to washington to solve problems like our broken immigration system and thats what we want to do its time to make Immigration Reform a reality and its absolutely time to let people know what that reality really means for their own pocketbooks, both american citizens and immigrants. Thats what were going to talk about tonight. Madam speaker, for those watching at home, they can get in one of the conversations by tweeting us at ht cirmeansjobs. If our constituents have questions, well answer them. With that, i look forward to an interesting and enlightening discussion tine. Id like to start by talking with my colleague from california, congressman swalwell. One thing i would like to ask this gentleman is whether he thinks that comprehensive Immigration Reform will help not only create more Job Opportunities but will also expand our nations work force, and i yield to the gentleman from california. Mr. Swalwell i want to thank the gentleman from california, congressman cardenas, for leading on this issue and bringing together the freshman class on an issue thats important not just in california but across the country. The question about comprehensive Immigration Reform and whether it means jobs, we know its the right thing to do, to welcome the 11 million undocumented imgrant into our country and put them but pathway to citizenship we also know its good for our economy. Im happy to be here today to talk about this. Everyone agrees right now that our immigration system is broken. It must be reformed. Not in a piecemeal manner but comprehensively, to meet the needs of the 21st century. I represent a very diverse area that includes the cities of heyward, union city, and free month in Castro Valley among other cities. In those cities are some of the 11 million undocumented individuals. These are hardworking folks who came here for the same reason our ancestors came, to make life better for themselves, their family, and their children. We should welcome that. We should embrace that theyre choosing to come here to america rather than other countries. Its a very good thing. But tragically right now these undocumented workers are in the shadows, putting them at risk for exploitation. Its time to bring them in the open prorkvide them legalized status and allow them to earn citizenship. We also need to reform our legalized and Legal Immigration process. For instance, we need to stop forcing people who come here to study in america in our classrooms and colleges and become skilled workers in the u. S. To leave the country just when they want to stay and contribute. Not only are making these change this is emorally right thing to do but as my colleagues have been saying and will say tonight it adds up for our demism nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office analyzed the Bipartisan Senate bill and found it would increase our g. D. P. By 5. 4 in 2033 or 1. Or 1. 4 trillion. Its not just the c. B. O. A paper published in 2012 by the Cato Institute found comprehensive Immigration Reform would raise wages, increase consumption, create jobs and increase revenue. It calculated a smaller benefit than c. B. O. But at least 1. 5 trillion over 10 years. Comprehensive Immigration Reform is not only morally right its the economically right thing to do. Im honored to stand with my colleagues today to push for these needed reforms. I yield back. Mr. Cardenas thank you, congressman swalwell. Ext we hear from congressman uiz of california. Mr. Ruiz thank you for recognizing me. This is an issue thats very important to our great nation. We recognize that this system is broke. The passage of the Bipartisan Senate immigration bill a few weeks ago sends a strong message that the time for comprehensive reform is now. Passing a commonsense comprehensive Immigration Reform bill will lead to an economic boob in our country. Economic boon in our country. Nonpartisan studies have shown that comprehensive immigration reforl will reduce the deficit by nearly 850 billion over the next 20 years and reduce our federal debt. Passing comprehensive Immigration Reform is being fiscally responsible. It will also increase Economic Growth and strengthen our economy by expanding our labor force, increasing investment, and increasing overall productivity. And it will provide a significant boost to our tourism and agriculture sectors, two of the Top Industries in my district in southern california. That is the 36th Congressional District and the in the valley and the palm springs area. Comprehensive Immigration Reform means more jobs and more opportunity for people in my district and across the country but only if we act there is too much at stake if we do not take action to fix our broken immigration system. Its time for congress to put partisanship aside and Work Together to pass a meaningful, comprehensive, immigration bill now. Thank you and i yield back my ime. Mr. Cardenas thank you, congressman ruiz from california. One thing i i would like to make sure we understand is that some people believe that the lowskilled jobs that some immigrants take in this country are jobs that are taking jobs away from americans. Ask any farmer around the country, especially the members of the biggest farms in the country, some crops have gone unpicked, which means that affects the pocketbooks of every american when those crops dont make it to our kitchen table. Its really important for us to understand that many of the jobs that are taken by some immigrants to this country are jobs that u. S. Workers just will not take. I think its very porn for us to understand that and theres a diversity of jobs that well cover over the next hour. I would like to yield time next to congressman gayay go of texas. Gal lembings go of texas. Gallego of texas. Mr. Gallego i, too, want to thank congressman cardenas of california as well as other members of the freshman class for this important time to talk about an issue that is critical to the border. The 23rd Congressional District which i have the privilege of representing in texas runs some 800 miles along the texasmexico border. It encompasses 29 county, bigger than 29 states, and 10 of the counties i represent are along the texasmexico border. Five ports of entry, eagle ss, del rio, presidio, and saragosa in el paso. No other Congressional District in the country shares a larger board we are mexico. The impact of the immigration debate is a tremendous impact, not only in the 23rd district but truly in all of texas. There are many, many reasons to pass comprehensive Immigration Reform. But one of the best reasons is simple, straightforward economics. Lets take a look at the numbers. According to a 2006 report by the comptroller of public accounts in texas, the absence f an estimated 1. 4 million undocumented workers in texas would have been a loss to the gross state product of 17. 7 billion. I asked our current comp petroleumer to update that study so we would have updated information on a very important policy debate. Sadly she denied my request. But a more recent study from the Immigration Policy Center noted that if all unauthorized immigrants were removed from texas, the state would lose 69. 3 billion, thats 69. 3 billion, with a b, in the economic activity. 30. 8 billion in gross state product and approximately 403 403,000 jobs. Even accounting for adequate market adjustment time. Economically, heres what comprehensive Immigration Reform means for texas. It means that deficits decrease while g. D. P. , productivity, investment and employment all increase. If the unauthorized ingrants in texas were allowed to immigrants in texas were allowed to earn a path toward citizenship, total wages in texas would go up by about 9. 7 billion. Tax revenue in texas would increase by 4. 1 billion. And nearly 200,000 jobs would be created. For every unauthorized person required to be legalized in texas, more than 1,000 would be added to the gross state product in 2014 and that number would by ease to more than 4,400 the year 2020. Lets talk about the c. B. O. Score. Because according to the nonpartisan c. B. O. Report, to which the controller of texas referred my office, that study notes that oury i will save almost 1 trillion over the next two decades, with comprehensive Immigration Reform. More than 10 Million People will now pay billions of dollars in income and payroll taxes during the first decade alone. And we reduce the federal deficit by 197 billion at the same time that we add 200 billion to the Social Security trust fund. In texas all of the key players are standing behind Immigration Reform. The chambers of commerce, the texas farm bureau, the labor communities, the faith communities, and frankly, public opinion, theyre all singing from the very same hymn book. Usually you hear the phrase that we should run government more like a business. A business doesnt make decisions on the basis of emotion. A business makes decision on the basis of economics. Economically, comprehensive Immigration Reform makes perfect sense. Our nation becomes stronger as more people pledge allegiance to our flag and commit fully to this nation and our economy. The time is now, the right thing to do, if you care about the texas economy and you want it to grow and grow and grow, you want to support comprehensive Immigration Reform. Thank you again. I want to thank my colleagues and with that i would yield back. Mr. Cardenas thank you very much. Its very important for us to understand that this is an issue of diversity, not just diversity of people from all over the country, but diversity of economics for the United States of america. Theres no secret that we are the Innovative Capital of the world, but more and more every single day, every single year we are depending more and more and more for technical people to come to our country and to fill those technical jobs that are fueling hundreds if not millions of jobs in this country and creating tremendous, tremendous economic benefits for our country. Its really important for us to understand that and with us i yield time to congresswoman titus from nevada to speak to those issues and others. Thank you. Ms. Titus i thank the gentleman from california for yielding me time. And i also thank him for organizing this special order. Weve heard a lot on this floor and in the press and from our constituents about the moral, the social, the political reasons for us to enact comprehensive Immigration Reform. But we havent done enough talking about the economic aspects. So this is a Good Opportunity to do that. Im very pleased to say that in this Senate Version of the comprehensive Immigration Reform bill, theres a provision that has to do with increasing h1b visas. Those visas will bring with them increased jobs, which of course support the economy. A second part of that provision was also something that ive been urging my colleagues on the house side, who are working on the comprehensive Immigration Reform bill, to include and that provision would use the revenue from these highskilled h1b visas to promote Stem Education at minorityserving colleges and universities. You can just look at this chart and see how many new jobs will be created both in 2013 and 2014 by the increase in the number of these visas that would be allowed. Now, if we increase the number of visas, were also going to increase the amount of funds that come from companies that are willing to pay to bring people from outside the country here for these stem jobs. I say, lets use those funds both to create scholarships for lowincome minority students who are pursuing stem degrees, and also to provide funding for american colleges and universities that serve those minority students. We want our new citizens to also be wellprepared citizens. There are colleges and universities all across the country, including several in the First District in nevada, excuse me, that are working hard to attract students to the stem field. Earlier this year the college of soren nevada hosted approximately of south earn nevada hosted students at their science and technology expo, to get local students from all brounleds, including our minority communities, commithe excited about stem fields before they enter college. Then in january the university of Nevadalas Vegas hosted a stem summit to feature Stem Research and to get students involved in presenting that research and their work in the stem fields. These are significant and important efforts to promote stem, but our colleges and universities need our help to stem and improve their outreach and training. By increasing access to Stem Education, we can help american and immigrant students gain the knowledge and skills they need in science, technology, math and engineering, so they can compete for the jobs of tomorrow. This is particularly critical for minority students who are significantly underrepresented in these fields. According to the u. S. Census bureau, in the 2009 American Community survey, only 12 of stem workers in this country are africanamerican or hispanic. We can and should be doing better because a strong stem work force is important to American Innovation and competitiveness. So science and Technology Companies that are paying our government through the h1b visa program to bring Foreign Workers to the United States to fill these stem jobs should be making a contribution. Why not use these funds that theyre paying to train americans to have the skills to fill these jobs in the future . Providing scholarships to stem students and granting funding to colleges and universities that serve minority communities to improve stem programs would strengthen our educational system, it would help our economy and also our position as a Global Leader in science and technology. So i would urge the Republican Leadership to immediately take itthe mantle of reform, make law and include these provisions for these hightech visas making the funding for the visas then to train our own students, many in minority communities, including the children of those immigrants that we are working to help, for the jobs of the future. Fixing our broken immigration system is not just a moral imperative but as we are all discussing tonight, its an economic necessity. So i yield back. Mr. Cardenas thank you very much, congresswoman titus. Its really important for us to understand and recognize diversity of people who are speaking on this issue today. But the one common theme is the fact that economically this is the right thing to do. There are many, many other reasons why we need to break fix our broken immigration system, but the number one benefit to every american citizen in this country is going to be Economic Growth for every corner of our country. So with that id like to invite to the podium congresswoman sinema from arizona. Ms. Sinema thank you for being a leader on this issue and for inviting me to speak today. Arizona is ground zero for the federal governments failure to address our Immigration Crisis with a comprehensive solution. Arizona has been waiting too long already. We deserve a solution now. Comprehensive Immigration Reform is the number one issue about which i receive constituent feedback. Over 70 of the feedback encourages us to get comprehensive reform done. In short, my district wants us to get to yes. In our state there is broad agreement among businesses and towns that conduct International Trade, amongst schools that recruit international talent, amongst local chambers of commerce, theres agreement that comprehensive reform is an economic imperative. For this reason, senators mccain and senator flake led a bipartisan effort in the senate to pass a comprehensive bill. Our senators worked across the aisle to get this done. Senators mccain and flake understand that securing the border is a critical component of comprehensive reform. Controlling our borders prevents dangerous criminal cartels who traffic guns, drugs and people from entering our country. It also creates an opportunity for those who want to do good to join us and contribute to our economy. Business leaders at home agree that comprehensive Immigration Reform will help us meet our labor demands. It will create opportunities for us to recruit and invelft in the worlds top talent invest in the worlds toll tal top talent. This will fortify our International Trade relationship with mexico, thats arizona and one of americas largest trading partners. Mayors in my community are unified. They believe a hyperunified a hyperpoliticized border is bad for business and its bad for our economy. Can no longer continue to educate young dreamers, cultivate their talent and then send them to a different country where theyre competing with us. Their pathway to citizenship is vital for our economy. When hardworking families are able to come out of the shadows and take part in the american dream, our Community Grows stronger. Arizonas families and our economy depend on the u. S. Houses commitment to a bipartisan solution. I call on my colleagues in both parties to put aside ideology and work to find a workable, practical and pragmatic solution. Arizona has been waiting too long already. We owe it to our state to pass Immigration Reform this year. Again, thank you, congressman, for yielding time to me to speak on this important issue. I yield back. Mr. Cardenas thank you, congresswoman sinema. And its really important for us to also recognize that there are many, Many Industries that you might not think of that have to do with benefiting the economy as a whole for your community. If you have any activity of tourism in your community, you need to understand that comprehensive Immigration Reform is going to benefit you as well. So with that i invite congresswoman gabbard to take the floor. Thank you. Ms. Gabbard thank you very much. I appreciate my colleague from california for leading and encouraging this conversation, to talk about the comprehensive Immigration Reform bill in a context thats much broader than has been talked about in many of the headlines. For all of us to understand and recognize the great economic benefits and impacts of this bill on our country, we have to recognize that our borders do not just consist of those on the southwest border. Our borders do not just consist of those along the northern part of our country with canada, but these borders exist in every single one of our International Airports all across the country. Anyone who talks to me doesnt take very long for them to figure out how much i love my state of hawaii and also that i enjoy hearing from other people how much they love hawaii as well. Travelers to hawaii spent 16. 9 billion in 2011 alone and generated 2. 5 billion which went to federal, state and local governments, dollars that helped fund and create local jobs and Public Programs such as funding our police, our firefighters, our teachers, our Infrastructure Projects and our Convention Centers where we host many, many gatherings of a Diverse Group of industries from all over the world. For every Million Dollars spent in hawaii by travelers, 10 jobs are created. Everyone knows that hawaii is a Tourist Destination but we have to realize its a Great Potential that exists for our country to be marketed as a Tourist Destination as well and what that impact will be. Unbeknownst to many people there are tourism provisions within the senate bill this comprehensive Immigration Reform bill that will allow us to create an additional 1. 3 million u. S. Jobs by 2020 and produce about 160 billion in economic output by that year of 2020. Its time for taos regain our share of the Global Travel market from 2000 to 2010 the United States went from hosting 17 of all Global Travelers to just 12 . This is moving us in the wrong direction. By taking these step that was been included in the comprehensive Immigration Reform bill, we can increase american exports cumulatively by 390 billion over the next 10 years. Id like to talk about just a couple of travel provisions included in this senate bill that will encourage tourism not only in my home state of hawaii but in states across the country where we have such great diversity of cultures and geography and communities that must be celebrate. This senate bill includes reforms to the highly successful Visa Waiver Program that allows additional countries like brazil and poland to apply for admission. Enhancing u. S. Security while also welcome manager visitors to the United States. This bill also expands the tested and proven Global Entry Program that allows preapproved travelers the ability to utilize an exppe dieted clearance process upon entry into the United States. This expedited entry for custom ravelers enables Border Patrol personnel to focus their time and resources on inspecting unknown or higher risk travelers. It also allows for expedited visa reviews for travelers who wish to visit the u. S. On short notice and also an porn provision which will help service the limit red sources of our embassies by including a Pilot Program that tests secure video programming which provides increased access to United States visas in this day and age. In this day and age of technology this is a commonsense approach to thisup dating of the Immigration Reform bill. There are many more provisions included in this bill. Its time for us to market the United States as a destination for our Global Traveler community and create the jobs for our hotel owners, for our airlines if the restaurants and all the Small Businesses that will benefit from this and create more jobs for our economy as a result. Thank you for the opportunity to talk about this growing industry. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore thank you very much, congresswoman gabbard. I think its important for all of taos understand that some people say that comprehensive Immigration Reform needs to happen because its a socially responsible thick to do but one thing our numbers show, and whether its a conservative group or the Congressional Budget Office staff, they basically are saying that should we, when we pass comprehensive Immigration Reform, were going to see places like Social Security go up in value and actually extend the life of Social Security with those additional payers. Its really important for us to understand that yes, its a social responsibility for us to improve our immigration system, yet at the same time once again, every american will benefit. And i yield time to congressman court wright from pennsylvania. Conditioningman cartwright from california. Mr. Cartwright i want to say im so proud of my fellow men and women, new members, who have spoken in this special order hour so far on comprehensive Immigration Reform. You know, it is obvious from the comments we have heard so far that the economic benefits of Immigration Reform are irrefutable. Sometimeus do have to follow the money and the money speaks very loudly and clearly in this case that comprehensive Immigration Reform cannot be ignored as the correct solution. But i also want to mention that each and every one of the speakers who has been up so far has also said generically,s the right thing to do. I want to touch on that if i may. In my own faith tradition, when we think about what the right thing to do is, we look to the bible. We look to the good book. In my mind, one of the most important passages in the bible describes what happens on the last judgment day. It goes Something Like this. When the son of man returns in all his glory,est courted by the angels, then he will take is seat on the throne of glory , all the nations will be assembled before him and he will separate the people one from another as the shepherd separates the sheep from goats. At his right hand he will place the sheep, at his left the goats, and to those on the right, he will say, come. Accept as your inheritance the kingdom that has been prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For when i was hungry, you fed me. Hen i was thirsty, you gave me drink. When i was a stranger, you welcomed me. This passage could not be more clear on the moral imperative on of the day when we talk about comp dosh comprehensive Immigration Reform. It isnt just that comprehensive Immigration Reform will reduce our deficit. It isnt just that comp rehence i have Immigration Reform will strengthen our Social Security and our medicare systems. It isnt just that comprehensive immigration refrm will increase our Gross Domestic Product and strengthen our American Economy. No. More than that, at the heart of our moral fiber, we know comprehensive Immigration Reform is the right thing to do. I yield back. Thank you, mr. Cardenas. Mr. Cardenas thank you, congressman cartwright. I think its very important for us to understand once again that tonight were covering many aspects of why comprehensive Immigration Reform is good for this country and its really important for us to understand and what i urge every viewer to do is to ask your local chamber of commerce how they feel about whether or not comprehensive Immigration Reform is overdue and whether or not we should pass such a bill. Also ask your local Law Enforcement agencies, for example, 37 out of the 50 states attorneys generals in this country have all signed a letter saying congress, please pass a comprehensive Immigration Reform bill and please ask anybody from whatever religion you may be closest to or be part of and ask that pastor, ask that individual that you look to for that spiritual guidance to answer the question as to whether or not comprehensive Immigration Reform is something they believe should happen in this country. I think the answers will overwhelmingly be yes, yes, yes. Next id like to ask congresswoman Michelle Lujan grisham from new mexico to speak and hopefully will cover the issue of deficit reduction ong with other issues as well. Ms. Lujan grisham thank you to the gentleman. I could stand here all night talking about the many reasons our country needs comprehensive Immigration Reform that keeps familiesing to, provides a tough but fair pathway to is the zenship, enhances Border Security and is in line with our core american values. But tonight oom going to focus on why Immigration Reform is good for the American Economy and good for the economy in new mexico. Nationally its estimated that Immigration Reform will create 121,000 jobs a year and boost american g. D. P. By 832 billion over the next decade. And nearly every day, we hear members of both parties talking about the need to reduce our debt and deficit. Well, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has determined that comprehensive Immigration Reform will reduce our National Deficit by nearly 50 billion over the next two decades. In new mexico, comprehensive Immigration Reform will crow ate 6,000 jobs over the next decade and increase our g. S. P. , gross state product by 3. 8 billion. These economic benefits and new jobs will have a Ripple Effect leading to more economic activity, higher productivity, more investment, better wages and more jobs for mexicans and americans. Simply put, we cannot afford not to pass comprehensive Immigration Reform. Our Economic Future demands it. Thats why im glad that so many of my colleagues are taking to the floor this evening to make the economic case for comprehensive Immigration Reform. Because the American People need to know that its good for the economy, good for business and good for job creation. The senate has done its job and acted in a bipartisan manner. Now its time for the house to do its job so we can send a comp rehence i have Immigration Reform bill to the president s desk and timely fix our broken immigration system. I yield back to the gentleman from california. Mr. Cardenas thank you very much, congressman lujan grisham. Next id like to ask, to yield some time to congressman murphy from florida. Weve heard from a congresswoman from haye and a congressman from florida is going to speak and let me tell you tourism is an important economic issue tip to tip in this country and florida is no exception. Mr. Murphy. Mr. Murphy i want to thank mr. Cardenas for putting this together, im proud to be here. Im here to call on the house of representatives to pass bipartisan comprehensive Immigration Reform to reduce the deficit and grow our economy. Now that the senate has passed comprehensive Immigration Reform with broad bipartisan support, it is time for the house to step up and do the same. Passing Immigration Reform will cut our federal deficit and grow the economy. The Congressional Budget Office reported that the Senate Immigration bill would reduce the federal budget deficit by 850 billion over the next 20 years. Comprehensive Immigration Reform will also grow our economy by expanding the u. S. Labor force and americas productivity, increasing the number of available high tech visas and increasing foreign investment, comprehensive Immigration Reform will increase our Gross Domestic Product. It is prompted this will increase g. D. P. By 1. 4 trillion by 20 3. While not perfect the Senate Immigration bill is an important bipartisan compromise to address what is currently a broken system. I came to washington to work across the aisle and find Commonsense Solutions just like this furthermore the fact that this bill would reduce the federal deficit and grow the economy should be something we can all agrow on. I urge my colleagues to support passing the senates bipartisan comprehensive Immigration Reform bill and yield the balance of my time. Mr. Cardenas thank you very much, congressman murphy. I think its important for us to understand every state has its unique difference but we are one nation and will benefit from comp rehinsive Immigration Reform. Id like to invite to peek and yield time congressman veasey veasey of texas. Mr. Veasey i would like to thank the gentleman from california for hosting this special hour on a very important topic, Immigration Reform. Recently i previewed the dream is now in fort worth, and representative castor came to fort worth to join me on that. The hundreds of constituents who attended the event represented the undocumented immigrants who need us to act now. The dream for 11 Million People to come out they have shadows and contribute economically to the only country theyve ever known rests in the hands of the United States house of representatives. Immigrants contribute to our economy as workers, as future entrepreneurs, as taxpayers. Latinos account for increasing in texas. He economy according to the u. S. Census bureau, texas, almost 450,000 texasowned businesses hat 62 billion and employed 95,000 people in 2007, the last year for which data is available. Over 61,000 foreign students in texas contributed 1. 4 billion to the economy and tuition in tuition fees and Living Expenses in the 20112012 academic year. These numbers cant be ignore nsmed dallas alone immigrants counted for 16 of the economic jut put of 2007 according to the fiscal policy institute. If all undocumented immigrant were removed from the state of texas, our state, the lone star state, would lose 693 billion in economic activity, 30 billion in gross state product and approximately 430,000 jobs according to a report by the perryman group, the perryman of p is run by mr. Perryman waco, texas and has worked closely with rick perry the face of the Republican Party in texas. Its time to highlight the benefits of Immigration Reform and further encourage those on the right to support Immigration Reform moving through the house. In a time of Economic Hardship its hard to imagine that my colleagues on both sides of the sle would be against expanding the economy. I want to thank the gentleman for allowing me to speak on this important issue and lets not make these families and our economy wait any longer. The time for comprehensive reform is now. Thank you. R. Cardenas thank you, every corner of this country is going to b