the border but yet nobody -- "washington journal" live every day. we leave this recorded portion now has the house is about to return for a legislatestive business. work this afternoon on this short-term extension of the highway trust fund which expires next month. house law makers also taking up a bill that would permanently ban states from applying a sales tax on internet access. live coverage of the house on c-span. [captioning performed by the national captioning institute] t house will be in order. the prayer will be offered by our guest chaplain, reverend

steven walker, eagleville, pennsylvania. the chaplain: heavenly father, i pray for each member of this body to be blessed with your will. you have given them each responsibilities and with these responsibilities come great chams. bless our representatives. may every man and woman have the courage to speak their mind, the stamina to stay the course and the determination to stand their ground. for conviction is not bendable, progress is not made when men are not bound on principle. lord, i ask that this body be not just a group of representatives, but rather a collection of free men and free women with the desire to guide a free nation. may they be strong in faith, abounding in wisdom, righteous in nature. lord, grant the home of each member peace.

i pray in the name of my lord and savior, christ jesus, amen. the speaker: the chair has examined the journal of the last day's proceedings and announces to the house his approval thereof. pursuant to clause 1 of rule 1, the journal stands approved. the speaker pro tempore: the pledge of allegiance will be led by the gentlewoman from california, ms. hahn. ms. hahn: if the members will join me, as well as the visitors in the house chamebever in pledging our allegiance. i pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

the speaker pro tempore: this is the tai for the call of the private calendar. the clerk will call the bill on the calendar. the clerk: h.r. 306 a bill for karina de-- of the chair: the -- the speaker pro tempore: the bill is engrossed, read a third me, passed and laid on the table. this concludes the call for the rivate calendar. without objection the gentleman from pennsylvania, mr. gerlach s recognized for one minute. mr. gerlach: thank you, madam speaker. madam speaker, i rise today to recognize pastor steve walker, the family ministry pastor for

the fair view village church in eagle view, pennsylvania which serves thousands of area residents in southeastern pennsylvania. a native of the state of washington, pastor walker received his undergraduate degree from the university of washington and then proudly served the united states military. in 1991, pastor walker began working full time in the ministry and since then has served as a children's pastor in tacoma, washington, an associate pastor in topeka, kansas, and the lead pastor in carson city, nevada, all before starting his current position in eagleville. on a more personal note, pastor walker and his wife of over 30 years, sherry have raised two terrific daughters, ashley and stephanie, and pastor walker demonstrated courage and unshakeable faith as he battled cancer in 2003. he has emerged from that battle with a renewed passion for serving the church, his congress gants and the community. it is therefore my privilege to welcome pastor walker, his wife

sherry and his daughter to the house of representatives today and thank him for serving as our guest chaplain. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the chair will entertain up to 15 further requests for one-minute speeches on each side of the aisle. for what purpose does the gentleman from texas 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 gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. poe: the hamas terrorists in gaza keep shooting their rockets into israel. israel has used defensive weapons to intercept some. however, iranian backed hamas keeps reloading its six shooters and fire into civilian areas. the israeli government is shooting back. our government wants a cease fire. cease fires in the past have just given hamas time to obtain more ammo rockets from iran. also hamas shields its command centers underneath schools and hops in gaza so it cowers behind women, children, the

elderly, and the sick. hamas wants israel annihilated. israel is fol throwing first natural right of a nation, it is protecting its people. now it has taken the fight to the terrorists as it has a right and obligation to do. the united states should be helping israel eliminate this terrorist group instead of criticizing israel for protecting its citizens from murder. the only way to stop this war against israel is for hamas to be defeated. and that's just the way it is. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. for what purpose does the gentleman from oregon seek recognition? >> address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one inute. mr. defazio: you've heard the term inventing the wheel, we have some people who want to uninvent the wheel. the tea parties conservists

have a new idea, devolution. we'll devolve the funding of the national transportation system to the 50 states. what a great idea. no, we tried it in the last century, it failed miserably. 1956,s the brand spanking new kansas turnpike. oklahoma said they'd build, but money.n out of but kansas built theirs. for years cars would crash through the end of the highway and into a fampler's field. we want to go back to that era? we want to compete with the world by spending less on transportation by havingless federal coordination? and passing a pathetic band-aid bill today with pretend money that will limp us through the next nine months.

we need substantial investment in our national transportation system, putting millions oback to work, making us first class again and competing with the rest of the world. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expire. for what purpose does the gentleman from south carolina seek recognition? >> madam speaker, i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman from south carolina is recognized for one minute. mr. wilson: madam speaker, the american people know the i.r.s. cannot be trusted. the i.r.s. has been corrupted by this administration, undermining the integ i have to its longtime employees. former i.r.s. employee lois lerner arrogantly refuses to answer questions and now the i.r.s. is claiming to have lost hard drives containing emails that could lead to the truth. house republicans know if the i.r.s. implements obamacare the american people's security will be placed at risk. the house will vote on a bill that reforms the internal revenue service, keeps them in check and restores accountability this piece of

legislation prohibits i.r.s. from targeting people based on their political beliefs and restricts the agency from enforcing obamacare. the president's broken promises have caused pain for hardworking american families, destroying jobs. we must do all we can to prevent future injustices. in conclusion, god bless our troops and we will never forget september 11 and the global war on terrorism. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from new york seek recognition? >> to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. >> today the house will consider legislation to prevent the highway trust fund from going broke. this sachs critical because a broke highway trust fund will result in no highway trust fund and result in the loss of hundreds of thousands of job this is construction season. to effectively address america's crumbling infrastructure, the american society of civil engineers

estimates the need for $3.6 trillion by 2020. mr. higgins: isest -- historically this type of bold investment has created jobs and helped the economy. when the american recovery and reinvestment act was signed into law only 7 noveget funds dealt with infrastructure projects. these accounted for nearly 2/3 of job crease ated under the act. congress is failing the american people by not making the investments we need to stay globally competitive. let's invest in american workers and american manufacturers and make a commitment to nation building here at home. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from pennsylvania seek recognition? >> i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and revise and extend. the speaker pro tempore: without objection the gentleman is recognized. --ity decades now, the bet has ruled harshly. the current governmentity bet is open to all visitors but actual access to highly

restricted and subject to arbitrary closures. mr. pitts: it's difficult for tourists to access the region, almost impossible for journalists or diplomats to get in or report on conditions. en chinese diplomats get a video is a to the u.s., they're not kept out of any states. it is time that the chinese government lives up to its word, allows access to tibet, not only for american but many religious pilgrims from nations around the world. i'm a proud co-sponsor of congressman mcgovern's bill, h.r. 4851, the access toity bet act of 2014. the bill restricts access to america for those chinese government officials responsible for blocking travel toity bet. s that matter of basic fairness, critical tone schauering -- ensuring human rights are protected inity bet. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman

from connecticut seek reck thigs? >> request permission to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. larson: this is a government program which has een around for 80 years, since -- last week, we joined the largest chamber of commerce pleading with speaker bayner to bring up a bill to extend the life of the export-import bank which has happened routinely on a bipartisan by sis over the last 0 years. mr. courtney: this program does not cost taxpayers money. last year it returned billions to the treasury. secondly our largest competition, china and germany are doubling the size of their export-import programs because they understand that's a way to grow their economy and take away jobs and customers from

our country, from america. please, mr. speaker, listen to the 850 business groups all across the country, led by the u.s. chamber of commerce, bring up the export-import bank re-authorization for a vote and let's get this economy growing again. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. for what purpose does the gentlelady from north carolina seek recognition? ms. foxx: i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute, madam speaker. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. ms. foxx: thank you, madam speaker. i rise today to recognize mr. michael t. mcculloch, a social studies teach for the winston-salem north carolina. every year a teacher from north carolina's fifth district spends a week accompanying me as i go about my legislative duties. the teach for the congress program includes attending committee hearings and floor debates as well as researching at the library of congress and learning how this institution works. mr. mcculloch has taught for 19 years and hopes to use thecks

appearance to learn about the inner workings about the legislative branch and how our country's governmental structure was form. i commend him for his commitment to teaching the next generation about the revolutionary ideas on which the nation was founded. i hope this week proves fruitful for him and his students. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from oregon seek recognition? without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. >> thank you, madam speaker. recent news has been filled with stories about india's sanitation crisis. the -- mr. blumenauer: the horrific murder and rape of two young girls that could have been prevented if they didn't need to sneak out into the night to relieve themselves. today's paper has a link between the nutrition crisis to lack of adequate sanitation. many of the children under 5 who are malnourished suffer

less from a lack of food and more from poor sanitation. even those children lucky enough to survive are left with mental and physical deficits that will haunt them their entire lives this crisis that leaves women vulnerable, needlessly ends lives early and undermines economic growth has solutions. i strongly urge my colleagues join me and judge poe in sponsoring the water for the world act to make american efforts more effective, preventing the needless los of a child's life every minute and the threat to young women and girls. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. for what purpose does the gentleman from north carolina seek recognition? >> i seek unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. >> i rise today to alfred settle the third who passed away last week. he was a kind hearted man.

he grew up in rockingham, district of columbia, and graduated from the school of design. he was a member of the 1967 football team, the highest ranked team in school history at number 3 in the nation. he scored a touchdown in the first n.c. state win at carter finley stadium. mr. holding: after college he began his career as a landscape architect. he was a member of the original raleigh greenway commission and a member of the raleigh hall of fame board of directors. he was a well-known man who took pride in his work and manlted -- manted to make raleigh a better place to live. he was a loving father, husband, grandfather, and he'll be deeply missed by all that knew him. madam speaker, thank you. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from illinois seek recognition? without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. >> thank you, madam speaker. this summer we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the civil rights act.

passage of this law was the culmination of years of courageous work by a diverse group of men and women who banded together to fight against racism and inequality. one group, the freedom riders, deserve our sincere applause, starting with a handful of participants, they grew into a national movement, transversing the south, challenging segregation laws. ms. kelly: she's brave souls included many courageous students. notable among them was our colleague, the honorable john lewis, as well as many brothers of phi beta sigma fraternity, which he is a member. as we honor the 50th anniversary of freedom summer as well as phi beta sigma's anniversary, we are rear minded that the voices and actions -- we are reminded that the voices and actions of a few can make us better tomorrow. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from texas seek recognition?

the gentleman is recognized for one minute. >> madam speaker, i was recently contacted by a constituent of mine, lois doyle, she shared with me the tragic maffing of her daughter, amanda. mr. marchant: at the hands of a drunk driver. words cannot 234ri ex-- fully express my sim -- sympathy for her family and loved ones. this is a tragedy that could have and should have been prevented. no driver should have ever got behind the wheel after drinking, but this drunk driver was in texas illegally. he should not have been in the country. he should not have been driving. to make things even worse, the illegal driver released on bail and has fled the country and will never stand trial. this tragedy would have been avoided had our border been secure. this was a preventable and

avoidable tragedy. mr. president, please secure our borders now. thank you. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from california seek recognition? >> permission to address the house for one minute. revise and extend. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. ms. hahn: thank you, madam speaker. i have been horrified as many have to see the increased violence in israel against israel. the bombings in jerusalem, tel aviv, and specifically targeting of the airport are unbelievable to me. and my heart goes out to the millions of people who are suffering on both sides. this senseless violence has to stop. hamas has been using human shields to protect its terrorist infrastructure and despite claims to the contrary, hamas does not have palestinian interests at heart. the united states stands with israel people and has invested in the iron dome missile defense

system that has saved thousands of lives of men, women, and children all over the country. thousands of rockets from gaza were fired. thank god the iron dome intercepted at least 90% of the rockets that would have fallen on schools, homes, synagogues, and mosques. frightened parents are sending their children away from home to safety amid these attacks. i believe that israel has of course a right to defend herself and her people from these senseless terrorist attacks. israel agreed to a recent call for cease-fire. hamas did not. i hope we have a cease-fire, but until then israel has the right to defend herself and her people the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady's time has expired. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from florida seek recognition? without objection, the gentlewoman -- without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. ms. ros-lehtinen: madam speaker, i rise today because sunday, july 20, marks the 40th anniversary of the division of the republic of cyprus.

i fully support the reinefication of cyprus and it is encouraging that the government of cyprus remains fully committed to the u.n.-sponsored process to reach an enduring settlement that would reunify cyprus based on a bizonal, bicommunal federation in accordance with relevant u.n. security council resolutions. the occupation of cyprus has left thousands of greek cypriots being denied the right to return to their homes. freedom of worship continues to be restricted and access to religious sites blocked. cyprus is an important ally of the united states and this newest discovery of offshore gas reserves in the eastern mediterranean will strengthen cooperation with the united states and with our ally israel, and offer an alternative source of energy supply to europe. as a strategic partner of the united states, madam speaker, cyprus can help promote security

and stability in this volatile region. thank you, madam speaker. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from new jersey seek recognition? without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. pascrell: madam speaker, i rise today with the sad news that former congressman robert roe passed away today at the age of 90. a native of new jersey, he served in the army during the second world war. he was elected to represent the eighth district in 1969. some of our longer tenured colleagues will remember bob for his noted ability to reach across the aisle. during his time in congress, he rose to the chairmanship of the committee on science, space, and technology. he also chaired the committee on public works and transportation from 1991 until his retirement in 1993. a true public servant, he wasn't in it for power. when he became chairman of

public works, he lasted only one term. because he exhausted himself writing the greatest highway bill in the history of the country. however, that highway bill, through it he achieved changes to the transportation policy to focus on connecting different modes, his favorite term was intermodal transportation. redefining how we invest in our infrastructure. with this emphasis on safety and planning, its ironic that today, this day, we are going to vote on a transportation bill, the day he went to his maker. bob is truly a legend in our area. he left big shoes to fill for all of us in congress, myself included. -- building i'm in in patter paterson, new jersey, is named for him. we love him. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired.

for what purpose does the gentleman from virginia seek recognition? >> i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. >> thank you, madam speaker. last month my wife, kerrry, and i had the pleasure of attending a joint church service which brought together black water baptist church which occurred in the second congressional district of virginia which i serve. they were celebrating the 240th anniversary of black water baptist. what a certificateries and celebration it was. what was particularly nnoible and noteworthy, one has a largely white congregation and the other a black congregation. that's relevant. black water baptist church which stood at the american civil war once had a slave balcony in its sanctuary. mr. wittman: the pastors of the two churches, the remarkable men, they bring their two congregations together once a year for a joint church service.

they are close friends, and they talk often about their christian faith which binds them together. they also have the courage to talk about race. to celebrate the progress that we have made and to take on responsibly the challenges that remain in our country. madam speaker, this is what we need more of in america, and i commend them both and their congregation. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from new york seek recognition? without objection, the gentlelady is recognized for one minute. mrs. maloney: madam speaker, i rise once again to highlight the harmful, hypocritical influence of the gun lobby in america. just last week "the new york times" columnist relayed the story of andy raymond, a maryland gun dealer, who faced death threats and hate mail from pro-gun radicals. all for trying to sell a gun that could save lives, the smart

gun. smart gun technology is a breakthrough. one that could prevent thousands of accidental deaths and keep criminals from using stolen guns. yet intimidation and threats keep these products from the market. while the gun lobby stands idle. last month, senator markey and i called on the n.r.a. to denounce these so-called activists and their threats. they are all that stands between consumers and safer gun technology. and we cannot allow harassment and threats to continue while 45 americans are shot on average in a gun accident every single day. -- day in america. smart guns can stop this. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman's time has expired. for what purpose does the gentleman from texas seek recognition? >> permission to address the house. revise and extend. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. smith: madam speaker, a new gallup poll found by a 2-1 margin americans want to

decrease immigration levels not increase them. the recent survey shows that 41% of americans support a decrease in immigration, just 22% want it to go up. only a minority, approximately 1/4 of independents and democrats expressed a desire to increase immigration. and a rasmussen poll found people earning under $30,000 support a reduction in immigration by a three to one margin. when is the president going to listen to the american people? they know that when a country has lost control of its borders, it has lost control of its future. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from nevada seek recognition? ms. titus: i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. ms. titus: thank you. later today the house will move forward on an extension of the current transportation authorization, map 21. this will ensure that federal

funding is available to meet our infrastructure needs through spring of next year. for some 700,000 construction workers, including roughly 6,000 in nevada, this is welcome news. nonetheless, the short-term fix is only a band-aid on a soar that -- sore that continues to fester. for businesses, state departments of transportation, local governments, and transit authority, this kind of unpredictibility, which has gotten fairly common in congress, hurts our economy and the ability for the public and private sectors to plan to meet our nation's needs. the clock is ticking, but there is still time to avoid a manufactured crisis again next year. if we work together, put all funding options on the table, and consult with stakeholders, we can get serious about building needed infrastructure, creating jobs, and investing in our future. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady's time has expired. for what purpose does the gentleman from pennsylvania seek

recognition? without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. fitzpatrick: madam speaker, raymond piedmont jr. was a businessman, public servant, and united states army veteran of the korean war, passed away on july , four days after his 2nd birthday. he dedicated and voted many years of service to his community, veterans organization, and church. ray was a leader in the effort to preserve middle towntownships quality of life and served for 24 years as a member of its board of supervisors. he was instrumental in saving stires farm and/or charred from future development. aiming for the best outlook, he said, the main thing is preserving it. we like to keep it going in its present form as a farm store with pumpkins and hey rides. so it is and stands as a monument to his hard work. he leaves behind his wife of 61 years, marching get. five chirned, grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and

nephews, and many friends. he's left a space that will be hard to fill. thank you, madam chairman. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from vermont seek recognition? without objection, the gentleman is recognized for. mr. welch: thank you, madam speaker. s we kuwait the -- i'd like to draw your attention to another bipartisan effort. the marketplace fairness act. over a year ago the senate passed that act with strong bipartisan support from 69 senators, and as you know, essentially what it says, this will treat retailers the same, whether they are brick and mortar retailers in our downtown, or internet retailers. if the state has passed a sales tax, it would apply to all transactions. this is important. when i talk to vermont's small business owners they talk to me about the incredible unlevel

playing field they face. folks come in, browse, shop, and go online and buy. these brick and mortar businesses are essential to the vitalities of communities in vermont and in your state. this is hurting our small businesses which make up about 60% of our state's private sector work force. madam speaker, i urge that we act on the marketplace fairness act. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. for what purpose guzz -- for what purpose does the gentleman from virginia seek recognition? without objection the gentleman s recognized for one minute. >> madam speaker, the people of virginia's sixth district are hardworking, busy running small businesses, earning a liveling . d trying to make ends meet it is congress' life to -- job

to make their lives as easy as possible. mr. goodlatte: hourly employees are seeing cutbacks in their workweeks, employers are cutting health coverage to their plose. i have heard from countless individuals whose insurance was canceled or their premiums increased. white ot right for the house to dismiss these stories as anecdotal. delays and exemptions have proved this law is unworkable and flawed. obamacare has got to go and be replaced by patient-centered health care reform. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman 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 gentleman is recognized. >> the current surge of

children coming into the united states cannot be ignored. the surge comes from a misunderstanding of the law signed by president obama to discourage human trafficking. any person in this country is assure dude process and the protection of our laws. shortcutting these protections would be a tragedy and a crime. each case must be decided on an individual basis, taking the child's best interest into account. mr. mcnerney: sending children back to be likely victims of murder or other crimes would be morally unacceptable and would cause new waves of refugees. as in the aftermath of world war ii, when the united states help red build europe, taking the moral and humanitarian road will benefit us in the long run, whether this means finding homes for these children in the united states or helping their countries of origin develop the

infrastructure to receive them back. this will create safe, friendly, and stable neighbors and i urge americans to support the humanitarian road that will benefit the children and our country. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from rhode island seek recognition? >> 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. langevin: mr. speaker, for a decade the united states and the international community and the iraqi people sacrificed immeasurably in support of the iraqi people and their future. generations of americans and iraqis are and will bear the indelible marks of this conflict. unfortunately, the gains brought at such cost are now jeopardized by the shortsightedness and malfeasance of iraq's political leaders. to survive, iraq needs a government that's inclusive and

representative. if we are to support iraq militarily or in any other way, our nation must know that we are supporting such a government. a condition i do not believe the current regime meets. moreover if the sust to assist iraq beyond current effort the president must seek a new authorization for the use of military force from congress. i believe that authorization and that debate is absolutely essential and i'm concerned about the slippery slope we're going down. we must not become further embroiled in another iraq conflict without debate and a legitimate partner in the iraqi government. thank you and i yield back my time. the speaker: the gentleman's time has expired. for what purpose does the gentleman from kentucky seek recognition? >> i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one inute. >> republicans talk about the need to plan for the future. i agree. so why do they continue to

block a plan to fix our crumbling roads and businesses. mr. yarmuth: across the country, one in every nine bridges is structurally deficient and our national infrastructure was rated a d plus. my district alone, 20 bridges have been deemed obs sleet and 65 are deficient. every american who drive askar, rides a train or crosses a bridge knows we need to fix that. our infrastructure was once the envy of the world, today it's n embarrassment. funding this would help keep america safe and help commerce move more efficiently and put tens of thousands of workers back on the job. wshed take this opportunity to create jobs and certainty for a change and enact a multiyear transportation bill. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, the chair will postpone further proceedings today on the motion to suspend the rules on which a recorded vote or the

yeas and nays are ordered or on which the vote incurs objection under clause 6 of rule 20. any record vote on the postponed question will be taken later. for what purpose does the gentleman from virginia seek recognition?

>> i move that the house suspend the rules and pass h.r. 30 6, the permanent internet tax freedom act. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: union calendar number 382, h.r. 3086 a bill to permanently extend the internet tax freedom act. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from virginia, mr. goodlatte, and the gentleman from michigan, mr. conyers, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from virginia. mr. goodlatte: i ask unanimous consent that all members have five legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on h.r. 3086 currently under consideration. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. goodlatte: i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. goodlatte: the clock is ticking down on a key law that protects internet freedom. on november 1, 2014, a temporary moratorium on state

taxation of internet access will expire. in 1998, congress temporarily banned state and local governments from newly taxing internet access or placing multiple or discriminatory taxes on internet commerce. with minor modifications, this ban was extended three times, with enormous bipartisan support. the most recent extension passed in 2007. if the moratorium is not renewed, the potential tax burden on consumers will be substantial. the average tax rate on communication services in 2007 was 13.5%, more than twice the arch rate on all other goods and services. to make matters worse, this tax is regressive. low income households pay 10 times as much in communications taxes as high income households as a share of income. permanent internet tax freedom act converts the moratorium on

permanent pan on which consumers, innovators, and investors can permanently rely by simply striking the 2014 end date. this prevents a surprise tax hike on american's critical service this is fall and maintains unfete everyday access to one of the most unique gateways to knowledge and engine soft self-improvement in all of human history. this is not an exaggeration. during the 2007 renewal of the moratorium the judiciary committee heard testimony that more than 75% of the remarkable productivity growth that increased jobs and income between 1995 and 2007 was due to investment in telecommunications networked technology and the information transported across them. everyone in silicon valley knows max lebshin's story he, came to america from the soviet union at age 16 of.

his family had $300 in its pocket he, learned english by watching an old tv set he hauled out of a dumpster and repaired. 10 years later, the sold paypal, the well-known internet payments platform he co-founded, for $1.5 million. that's the good thing about the internet. it's a vast meritocracy. it doesn't care how you look or where you come from it offers opportunity to anyone willing to invest time and effort. that's why congress has worked assiduously for 16 years to keep internet access tax free. now we must act again once and for all. the permanent internet tax freedom act has 228 co-sponsors. the judiciary committee reported it favorably by a vote of 30-4. nevertheless, small pockets of resistance remain. they argue the internet is no long aerofledgling technology in plead of protection but it

is precise think -- precisely the ubiquity of the internet that counsel farce permanent extension. it's become an indispensable gateway to scientific, educational and economic opportunities. it is the platform that turned max lebshin from an impoverished immigrant into a billionaire. the argument for permanent access to this gateway technology is stronger today than it ever has been. opponents also claim that this legislation will lower state revenues. seven states currently enjoy an exemption from the moratorium this legislation left these grandfather clause -- let these grandfather clauses expire. but these grandfathered states had no reasonable expectation of maintaining their status. the original moratorium included a grandfather clause to give states that were then taxing internet access some time to transition to other sources of revenue. some discontinued taxing

internet access in support of a national broadband policy. for those that still haven't, it's been 16 years. time enough to change their tax codes. if the revenue grandfathered states now reap is truly essential, it should be straightforward for the states to recoup it through a different form of taxation. it's important to note that the permanent internet tax freedom act does not address the issue of state taxes on remote sales made over the internet. it merely prevents internet access taxes and unfair multiple or discriminatory taxes on e-commerce whether inside the taxing state or without. i would like to specifically thank mr. chabot and ms. eshoo shoo, subcommittee chairman bachus and subcommittee ranking chair cohen for their work on and support of this legislation. this bipartisan legislation is about giving every american

unfettered access to the internet, which is the modern gateway to the american dream. i urge all my colleagues to support it. i restemb the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for ive minutes. mr. conyers: i thank you for yielding, madam speaker. i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. conyers: ladies and gentlemen, the internet tax freedom act enacted in 1998 established a temporary ratorium on multiple and discriminatory taxation of the internet as well as new taxes on internet access. this moratorium is due to expire on november 1 of this year. since 1998, congress has extended the moratorium on three occasions. fortunately, however, h.r.

3086, the permanent internet tax freedom act, responds to the impending expiration of the moratorium by making it permanent and ending the act's grandfather protections for states that impose such taxes prior to the act's enactment date. 3086 proach taken in h.r. is problematic for a number of reasons. . first congress instead of supporting this seriously flawed legislation should be foe using on meaningful ways to help state and local governments, taxpayers, and local retailers. the house can do that by a-- addressing the remote sales tax issue. in addition to the expiring moratorium on a temporary basis,

the house should take up and send to the senate legislation such as the market -- marketplace fairness act which was mentioned earlier today on the floor of the house by the distinguished gentleman from vermont, mr. welch. that bill incentivizes remote sellers to collect and remitt sales tax -- taxes as well as require states to simplify several procedures that would benefit retailers. such legislation would enable states and local governments to collect the over $23 billion in estimated uncollected sales tax each year. the measure would also help level the playing field for local retailers who must collect sales taxes when they compete

with out-of-state businesses that do not collect these taxes. retail competitors should be able to compete fairly with their internet counterparts at least with respect to sales tax policy. the house should do its part and adjust the remote sales tax disparate -- disparity before the end of this congress. in addition, this legislation will severely impact the immediate revenues for the grandfather protected states and all states progressively in the long term. the congressional budget office, for example, estimates that this bill will cost certain states, quote, several hundred million dollars annually, end quotation, in lost revenues. indeed, the federation of tax

add mrltors -- administrators estimates that the bill will cause the grandfather protected states to lose at least $500 million in lost revenue annually. these states include texas, which would lose $350 million a year in revenue, wisconsin, which would lose about $127 million per year. ohio, which would lose about $65 million per year. and south dakota which would lose about $13 million per year. further, this bill would become effective during the mid cycle for the grandfather protected states. because these states have no -- have to balance their state budgets, they will need to cut spending or raise taxes. to balance their budgets.

should this become law, state and local governments will have to choose whether they will cut essential government services such as educating our children, maintaining needed transportation infrastructure, and providing essential public health and safety services. or shift the tax burden on to other taxpayers through increased property, income, and/or sales taxes. meanwhile, the center on budget and policy priorities estimates that the permanent moratorium will deny the nongrandfathered intes of almost $6.5 billion potential state and local sales each year in perfect twoity. tsh-perpetuity.

-- perpetuity. it will burden taxpayers and services while excluding an entire industry of paying their fair share of taxes. finally, the bill ignores the fundamental nature of the internet. the original moratorium was intentionally made temporary to ensure that congress, industry, and state and local governments would be able to monitor the issue and make adjustments where necessary to accommodate new technology and market realities. the act was intended as a temporary measure to assist and rture the fledgling internet that back in 1998 was still in its commercial infancy. yet this bill is oblivious to the significantly changed

environment of today's internet. the bill's supporters continue to believe that the internet still is in need of extraordinary protection in the form of exemption from all state taxation. ut the internet of 2014 is not the same as it's 1998 predecessor. today's internet is considerably different in terms of the types of accessibility and the accompanying technology. the internet then was accessed primarily a slow, unreliable dial up service. but now technology has provided many types of methods to access the internet. and we can anticipate that the internet and its attendant technology will continue to

evolve. by permanently extending the tax moratorium, however, congress severely limits its ability to revisitted it and to make any necessary adjustments. simply put, a permanent moratorium is unwise. so i urge my colleagues to think about this carefully and oppose h.r. 3086. and, madam speaker, i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from virginia is recognized. mr. goodlatte: madam speaker, at this time it's my pleasure to yield two minutes to the gentleman from ohio, mr. chabot, a member of the judiciary committee. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from ohio is recognized for two minutes. mr. chabot: thank you, madam speaker. i'd like to thank the gentleman from virginia, mr. goodlatte, for his leadership on this bill. i rise today in support of h.r. 308 , a bill that would make permanent the -- 3086, a bill

that would make permanent the internet tax freedom act passed a number years ago. around the time i came to congress the first time. internet is an essential part of our everyday lives. americans use it to run small businesses, to do research, apply for jobs, listen to music, communicate with friends and family, check the weather and traffic. a whole bunch of things that's really a part of virtually every americans' lives nowadays. since 1998 congress has made sure that access to the internet remains tax free. unfortunately, this protection expires in november, as has been mentioned, at which point taxes will go up on every american who wants to get onlynn. -- online. now is the time to make this policy having the access to the internet free of taxes permanent. now is the time to protect internet access. the internet is an essential component of our economy. it drives innovation, job

creation, and has resulted in higher standard of living for virtually every american. the bill before us today provides certainty to americans by making the current law of the land permanent and protecting access to the internet from new taxes. madam speaker, there is common ground in this chamber today. we all agree that the internet is an essential part of our lives and incredibly powerful tool for communication, education, and job creation. let's not make accessing the internet more costly and more difficult. the permanent internet tax freedom act protects all americans' access to the internet from new taxes. i urge my colleagues to support this important bill. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the gentleman from virginia reserves. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. conyers: madam speaker, i'm pleased now to yield to a senior member of the judiciary lofgren, for zoe one minute.

ms. lofgren: thank you. after nearly two decades it does make sense to make this moratorium permanent. the moratorium is one of the reasons for the huge growth in the digital economy. the internet wouldn't be what it is today without affordable internet access. by the way, this tax relief is not to companies, it's to individuals who access the internet. i applaud the judiciary committee for ensuring that the moratorium is made permanent efore it expires, but the work on discriminatory taxes is not done. wireless access to the internet is still vulnerable to discriminatory taxation. the average tax is 17.2%. it goes as high as 25% in some states. and a disproportionate number of low-income americans access the internet only through our wireless devices. we have the wireless tax fairness act that i introduced. it has 220 co-sponsors. so in addition to voting for this moratorium on inter--

internet taxation, i would encourage my colleagues to ask for a vote on the wireless tax fairness act that, after all, is sponsored by a majority of this house. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back. the gentleman from michigan reserves. the gentleman from virginia is recognized. mr. goodlatte: madam speaker, i want to thank the gentlewoman from california and the gentleman from ohio, mr. chabot, for their leadership on this issue. now i'd like to yield one minute to the gentleman from indiana, mr. bucshon, for his statement and thank him for his leadership on this issue as well. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from indiana is recognized for one minute. mr. bucshon: thank you. i rise in strong support of h.r. 3086, the permanent internet tax freedom act. i believe that this permanent extension is necessary to ensure the internet remains accessible for all americans. the internet economy is growing and changing every day, and this pro-growth legislation will

support the vibrant online marketplace of goods and ideas by preventing state and local tax policies from creating barriers to access. americans use the internet every day to communicate, to work, and to get an education. they shouldn't have to pay an unnecessary, unfair tax to do so. i thank chairman goodlatte for his work on this important bipartisan bill. i urge all my colleagues to vote yes. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the gentleman from virginia reserves. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. conyers: thank you, madam speaker. it's my pleasure now to recognize a distinguished member of the house judiciary committee, the gentlelady from california, miss judy chu -- ms. judy chu, for three minutes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from california is recognized for three minutes. ms. chu: i rise to speak in opposition to h.r. 3086 in its current form. as a former member of the board of equalization, which is california's elected statewide

tax board, and as a member of the judiciary committee, i support a temporary not a permanent extension of the current pore tore yum. when the inter-- moratorium. when the internet was in its infancy, congress put the moratorium in place to outlaw any burdensome tax regulations on internet access. the internet has gone tremendously since then and it will evolve over time. as it evolves congress should be called upon to revisit these issues, but i believe a permanent moratorium would make re-examination of technology and market realities very difficult in the future. a permanent moratorium would impede on the state or local government's ability to make taxes decision that is are right for them. this is a message -- taxing decisions that are right for them. this is a message i have heard, take the city of pasadena. pasadena does not have any plans to impose taxes and fees on internet access, however, it has

concerns with a permanent extension that could shut the doors years down the line. in fact, the national league of cities, the league of california cities, and the california state association of counties all oppose this bill. they are opposing because they see a dramatic decline of sales tax revenue due to the increase of online sales that are not taxed. and that's why i also support the marketplace fairness act. it would require large businesses to collect online sales tax. i can tell you that this makes a dramatic difference in whether local government has the funds to fill all the potholes and clean the streets. since enacting its remote seller's sales tax law, my home state of california brought in $260 million in its first year of collection. this is an improvement, but the potential for future growth is even greater.

ith a little of $1 billion tax still to be collected from remote sales in california alone. with this act, we can stop the closing of businesses on main street and have a fighting chance to keep the jobs that they provide our communities. keeping the internet tax moratorium temporary helps in this fight. a short-term moratorium strikes the right balance between respecting the rights of local taxing authority and the ability for the internet to grow. congress must reserve the right to examine the internet tax freedom act from time to time. that's why i urge a no vote on this bill and i yield back my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back. the gentleman from virginia is recognized. mr. goodlatte: it's my pleasure to yield two minutes to the gentleman from georgia, mr. collins a member of the judiciary committee and a leader on technology issues.

the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for two minutes. mr. collins: i'm pleased to rise in support of h.r. 3086, the permanent internet tax freedom act because i support i uring the tax freedom, think we just saw why this bill is needed because there's two different clausesness, especially where we support the legislation, we want to continue to have the internet free, especially as the gentlelady from california, ms. lofgren, said this goes to the user. that's one thing we need to understand here. this legislation ensures that no person is discouraged from accessing the internet and experiencing its transforming power. it's an outlook for free expression and a mega phone for those previously ignored. it connects individuals and it's a means of creative ntrepreneurship.

i want to applaud the work of power rman in ensuring to promote an open internet. this is about, as i've come to this well many times to say before, this is about the people we represent, the moms and dads, not being imposed on by those looking to fill their coffers at the expense ofres. tents. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from virginia reserves. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. conyers: i thank the speaker. i'm pleased now to yield to my friend from california, the eshoo, for two minutes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized for two minutes. ms. eshoo: i thank the distinguished ranking member of

the judiciary committee and my friend for yielding two minutes to me. madam speaker, i rise in strong support today of this legislation, the permanent internet tax freedom act. , as stated l that before, will permanently eliminate any barriers created by the tax case of -- taxation of internet access. the current tax moratorium is going to inspire -- is going to expire shortly on november 1 which would open the doors to taxation on internet access. and i think it's very important to make this very clear. this really protects consumers because the taxation would fall to them. and that this issue should not be confused with the issue of sales taxes collected by

others. ions and this is clearly, i think, a consumer issue. whether for commerce, business, education, research, the internet is an integral part of our everyday lives of the american people and around the world as well. so we need to encourage its usage, we need to protect that usage and i think we need to do everything we can to ensure that that -- that the access to the internet is universal. this legislation has widespread support in the house. it's been my pleasure to work with chairman goodlatte as the .emocratic lead

we have bipartisan co-sponsors in the house and 51 bipartisan co-sponsors in the senate. a strong support of the internet and e-commerce communities. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady's time has expired. ms. eshoo: this is a -- an affordability issue, a consumer issue, it's bipartisan, and i believe it deserves the full support of the house. with that i yield back the lans of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from virginia is recognized. mr. goodlatte: i thank the gentlewoman from california, ms. eshoo, for her leadership on this issue, i'd like to recognize another leader on the issue, the gentleman from texas, mr. farenthold, for two minutes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for two minutes. mr. farenthold: thank you, madam speaker. i'm here today to speak in strong support of internet tax

freedom. i'm a believer in the power of the internet. it means a lot for america, it means a lot from the world. because of our commitment to keeping internet access largely unencumbered by taxes and government control, we've created something really cool -- a dynamic market for goods and services, and most importantly a marketplace for ideas. our rights to freedom of speech and freedom of association have grown as the web opens new outlets for expression and advocacy, whether it's a group of citizens petitioning for a redress of grievances or somebody looking for the love of their life on an internet dating site, the internet is there. we cannot get comfortable. we cannot forget that the power to tax, and might i add, the power to overregulate, is the power to destroy. that's why i'm up here supporting the permanent internet tax freedom act and i'd like to thank chairman goodlatte and our numerous co-sponsors on both aisles. this is good for america, this

is good for the world. please join me in voting aye. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from virginia reserves. the gentleman from michigan. mr. conyers: i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from michigan continues to reserve. the gentleman from virginia is recognized. mr. goodlatte: at this time, it's my pleasure to yield one minute to the gentleman from texas, mr. barson -- barton. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. barton: i thank the gentleman from virginia, the full committee chairman, i'd like to enter into a little bit of a colloquy. i'm an original co-sponsor, i want to prevent taxation of the internet, but as you know, i represent one they have 36 districts in texas and in my district my largest city is the city of arlington, and they currently collect approximately $1 million a year in revenue from connection fees to the internet in their city limits and under this bill, that would

be prohibited. i had been led to believe that that we were going to have the same grandfather provision we've had for the last 16 years, apparently that's not the case. could the chairman enlighten me why we are not grandfathering the existing local collection fees and what might be done in conjunction with the other body if and when this goes to conference? mr. goodlatte: first of all, i thank the gentleman for his question and i and others have been clear that we think these groufer clauses should expire. when they first were adopted, 16 years ago, it was with the intention that they be phased out and of course they've had 16 years, we'd like to have had them do that. however -- the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. mr. good will the lat: i yield myself -- mr. goodlatte: i yield myself an additional 30 seconds. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. goodlatte: my goal is to

have a clean, permanent moratorium signed into law as promptly as possible so the gentleman in texas can engineer a phase out consistent with that goal. i'm willing to work with him in that objective. mr. barton: if the gentleman will allow me to be part of the process and inform me at such time that it would be possible to offer an amendment or work with you and the other body, i would be more than willing to do that. mr. goodlatte: as this measure is considered in the senate and then conference between the house and senate we look forward toyota. mr. barton: i thank the gentleman from virginia. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from virginia reserves. the gentleman from michigan. mr. conyers: i yield to the distinguished and able gentlelady from texas, ms. sheila jackson lee, three minutes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized for three minutes. ms. jackson lee: let me thank the ranking member and the chairman of the full committee.

we seek opportunities on judiciary to compromise and work together this legislation would have been an excellent opportunity to be able to work together. and i appreciate the position of my chairman but i know that mr. conyers and myself worked on a compromise that i think and hope that as we ultimately watch this bill make its way through the process that we will be table draw upon the conyers-jackson lee comp midse that makes this internet tax freedom act extended for a certain period of time. we understand that there are frustrations on all sides. this bill would make permanent the internet tax freedom act which imposes a moratorium on taxing internet services but as written would delete the

existing grandfather clause that's been in place since the original passage of the bill in 1998 that allowed a number of states with unique circumstances at the state and local level to impose tax on internet access services. now we can suggest that the present bill is a laissez-faire bill. let me say that there is another principle, states' rights, and i've heard it by my friends on the other side of the aisle. when it is for good we should look at it as a reasoned answer to the uniqueness of 50 states. the conyers-jackson lee amendment preserves the grandfather clause so texas and other states can raise this very valuable revenue but more importantly retain the moratorium for four year for us to be able to address this question in a fair manner. we offered this in the full committee and there are many who north compromise beyond the

states that would be impacted. a letter that i've received from the director of citizens for tax justice writes in opposition to making permanent the federal law, i ask unanimous consent, madam chairwoman, to put this statement into the record. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. ms. jackson lee: and by banning state and local governments from subjecting internet taxes to the same taxes they impose on other good and service this ban, this letter goes on to say that it was decided that this infant industry needed special protection from taxes. now we'll be -- now we're beyond that but we're harming states. i want to use as an example the state of texas will lose $280 million. the city will lose $51 million. transit, $18 million, county $5 million, special district $4s million. when we're putting more burdens on states, we need to not put an opportunity that they can raise revenue innocently and in

good -- ms. conyers: 30 additional seconds for the gentlelady. ms. jackson lee: why are we barring our states from doing their good due diligence. providing resources, needed resources for schools and infrastructure and health care? so i am well aware of the arguments on the other side but listen to our arguments. we're not stopping the taxation issue, we're putting a moratorium for four years so we can reassess it. and i ask my colleagues to consider that as we consider this. i rise in opposition to the legislation. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady's time has expired. the gentleman from virginia is recognized. mr. goodlatte: it's my pleasure to yield three minutes to the gentleman from utah, mr. chaffetz, who has been a steadfast proponent of internet tax prix dom. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for three minutes. mr. chaffetz: i thank chairman goodlatte for bringing this piece of legislation forward. i appreciate the bipartisan man

for the which it's done. the internet is working. it's working. it's one of the great things about our economy, it's one of the great things that's happening in our couldn't rhythm it's creating excitement and the younger general -- in the younger generation, we're leading the world in what we're doing. but access is not necessarily available to everybody. we have people in inner cities, indian rereservations, rural communities, those just seeking to be part of this community and have access tond -- and get information and be informed and be educated and allowed to engage in commerce. since 1998 this has been the position of the united states of america and if you look at the internet, it truly is interstate commerce. we can be standing side by side, right next to each other, and you can send a tweet or a facebook message or email or whatever sort of electronic communication and it can literal si zoom around the country, hopefully through utah, and back to the person

standing right next to you. but in order for all that to work, the magic of the internet and all that to work, it needs to be unimpeded. it needs to keep those costs as low as possible to ensure the maximum amount of access. so those in our communities who are still trying to get in there, from our seniors to the rural communities, to the inner cities, the wisdom that happened in 1998 has been reaffirmed multiple times. only two people in the history of this piece of legislation have ever voted against this piece of legislation. the majority of the house of representatives are co-sponsors on this piece of legislation that's before us today. soy urge its passage. there's some other pieces of legislation that i'd like the body to look at. i think we do have to deal with the remote sales tax issues. i think there are transactions that happen remotely. i'd like to see parity in that. but another topic for another day. but something that needs to be addressed sooner rather than later. but the issue before us today

is, are we going to allow the freedom for internet access to happen at the lowest cost possible without government coming in and thinking, oh, this is another bucket of funds that we can just tax on, the consequences we would have -- the consequence is we'll have less people involved. companies are going to take care of this, but individuals trying to access the internet, we need to keep the costs as low as possible. think about your telephone by that's lit up with all these different taxes. we don't want the internet to be lit up like a christmas tree with all these different taxes. it is interstate commerce. s the per view of the united states congress. that's why this bill is so needed. it's why i proudly joined as a co-sponsor and urge its passage today and i thank chairman goodlatte and members on both sides for bridging this bill forward and i urge its passage and yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the

gentleman from virginia reserves. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. conyers: i want to conclude by pointing out that we might be going in the wrong direction with this misguided legislation . it will devastate state revenues, especially those states currently protected by the grandfather clause. and force state governments to eliminate essential governmental programs, service and burden -- governmental service and burden taxpayers. furthermore, 11 national organizations, state and local governments, the governors' association, the national association of counties, the national league of cities, the u.s. conference of mayors, the -- and 15 other labor organizations, the afl-cio, the american federation, the

american federation of teachers, the u.a.w., service 15 national u, labor organizations, 11 national, local, and state government organizations, all join with us who are urging my colleagues to reject this seriously flawed legislation. please join us in making sure that we the people prevail on this measure in the house of representatives. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the gentleman from virginia is recognized. mr. goodlatte: i yield myself the balance of my time. madam speaker, passing the permanent internet tax freedom act would increase access all across america for millions of americans, especially lower

income americans. increase growth and increase opportunity, increase jobs in this country. now is the time to act. a permanent ban on taxation of internet access is crucial for protecting the future of our digital economy. if the ban on internet access taxes is not renewed by november 1, the potential tax purd on americans will be substantial. it is estimated that internet access tax rates could be more than twice the average rate of all other goods and services. low income households could pay 10 times as much as high income households as a share of income. the last thing that americans need is another bill on their doorstep, a tax on internet access would burden millions of americans who rely on the internet to conduct business, communication, educate, and live. over the past 14 years, congress has extended ban after

ban on tax -- on states taxing internet access. the measures have been met with enormous bipartisan support. only five no votes were cast in the history of these renewals in the house and the senate. as the prices -- as the price rises, demand falls. if the ban lapses, state telecommunications taxes could take effect and those rates are already too high. former white house chief economist austin goulsby estimated that a tax that increased the price of internet access by 1% would reduce demand for internet access by 2.75%. the permanent internet tax freedom act merely prevents internet access taxes and unfair multiple and discriminatory taxes on e commerce. it does not tackle the issue of internet sales taxes. madam speaker, this is a great issue for the congress to move forward on in a bipartisan

fashion that will help to create jobs and economic growth and foster continued greater access to the internet. after all, isn't that what we want? we want every american to have opportunity to access this in the most affordable way so that they can have the educational opportunities, the employment opportunity the recreational opportunities, the social opportunities that are created by the internet. i urge my colleagues to support this legislation and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the question is, will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 3086. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid on the table.

for what purpose does the gentleman from florida seek recognition? >> madam speaker, by direction of the committee on rules, i call up house resolution 669 and ask for its immediate consideration. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the resolution. the clerk: house calendar number 119, house resolution 669, resolved, that upon adoption of this resolution, it shall be in order to consider in the house the bill h.r. 5021. to provide an extension of federal aid highway safety, motor carrier safety, transit and other programs, funded out of the highway trust fund and for other purposes. all points of order against consideration of the bill are waived. the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the committee on ways and means, modified by the amendments printed in the report of the committee on rules accompanying this resolution shall be

considered as adopted. the bill as amended shall be considered as read. all poiferts of order against provisions in the bill are waved. the previous question will be ordered on the bill as amended and any amendment thereto without intervening motion except, one, one hour of debate equally divided among and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the committee on transportation and infrastructure and the chair and ranking minority member of the committee on ways and means, and two, one motion to recommit with or without nstructions. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from florida is recognized for one hour. >> for purposes of debate only, i yield the customary 30 minutes to mr. polis, pending which, i yield myself such times i may consume. during consideration, the -- consideration of the resolution

all time yielded is for purposes of debate only. madam speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all members have revise islative days to and extend their remarks. mr. webster: i rise in support of this rule and the underlying bill. house resolution 669 provides a closed rule as is customary for bills that are reported by the committee on ways and means for h.r. 5021, the highway and transportation funding act of 2014. on july 10, the ways and means committee marked up h.r. 5021, the committee ordered the bill favorably and reported it by voice vote. the bill is simple. it extends our transportation programs and our reforms acted by map 21, it pays for the extension without raising taxes on hardworking american taxpayers. this extension is crucial. prior to the expiration of map

21, late they are fall, the highway trust fund is expected to encounter a funding shortfall. the secretary of transportation has warned that as early as august, payments from the trust fund to the states began to be delayed. to be clear this bill is not -- is just an interim remedy for a current 1it67uation. it is not -- situation. it is not a solution for our transportation funding problem. as to a member of the committee on transportation and infrastruck churk i can testify to the work of chairman shuster and the committee and the work they're doing to provide a multiyear authorization bill. this is a -- it is a deliberative, thoughtful process, the underlying bill advances that process. the underlying bill proposes policies that have previously received bipartisan support. further these policies have previously been also embraced by the senate. the bill extends the surface transportation programs and

funding through may 20, i'm sorry, may, 2015. it provides stability and certainty for states. it continues our investments and infrastructure. it staves off job losses at the height of the construction season. and it allows the process to move forward in a -- for a long-term solution. some have suggested or proposed a short-term patch for just a few months. there are some who would like to see this provide just enough time to get through the election. a short-term extension would guarantee a crisis, even worse that manufactured crisis is easily avoidable. central floridians are trying to dig their way out of years of economic downturn. we are focusing on improving our families and financial situation and certainly we don't need a downturn in construction and especially infrastructure construction in the state of florida and in our -- in my particular area,

central florida. a short-term extension is at best feeble and at worst irresponsible. washington should not do less when it can do better. washington should not add to the list of crises of its own doing by passing a short-term patch when a long-term -- a longer term answer is within reach. the task at hand remains avoiding the expiration of the existing transportation authorization, the existing authorization is actually a good bill. it included significant reforms to cut out federal red tape and bureaucracy, it streamlined the project delivery process, it reformed and consolidated programs, it improved safety and it ended the process of earmarks in transportation bills. it set deadlines for slow moving projects, it set a new funding threshold and expedited

projects that were destroyed by dast. it consolidated more than 100 programs by nearly 2/3. it eliminated dozens of ineffective programs and provide more resources and flexibility to states. it also incentivized states to seek partners in the private sector, to finance and operate infrastructure projects. further, it passed the house by a strong bipartisan vote of 373-52, including the support of the gentleman from colorado and it passed the senate by an equally strong bipartisan vote of 74-19. the white house issued a statement that said they were pleased with the bill. we will -- while we continue with the process that will lead to a multiyear authorization bill, there is no reason why we should not support an extension of map 21. extending it through next summer is simply an extension of another year of good transportation policy.

once again, i rise in support of the rule and the potentially -- potential this extension holds for pr deucing a thoughtful process that results in a quality, long-term authorization bill. i encourage my colleagues to vote yes on the rule and reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from florida reserves. the gentleman from colorado is recognized. mr. polis: i thank the gentleman for yielding me time and i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. polis: today we are considering the rule for h.r. 5021 and while this bill provides an extension of federal highway programs, frankly our nation deserves a long-term solution to support our transportation infrastructure needs that will allow for more effective and efficient use of resources through public-private partnerships and long-term contracts. in effect by engaging in short-term legislating, we're raising the cost of infrastructure projects across the country and making it less

efficient rather than more efficient. unfortunately this bill is a closed rule, which i do not support. it limits the -- limits debate. it doesn't allow democrats or republicans to come up with ideas or amendments to improve the bill. that should be with what this legislative body is all about. i have friends on both sides of the aisle who have ideas to make this more efficient, to save taxpayer money, to get more infrastructure bang for their buck, ideas like national infrastructure bank a bipartisan bill by my colleague, mr. delaney, that at no taxpayer cost would allow for lower cost financing with locally driven infrastructure projects. but none of us are even allowed to discuss, not for 10 minutes, not one minute, not a single moment, any amendments under this closed rule and i encourage my colleagues on both sides of the tile vote no on this closed rule. in 2012, congress passed the moving ahead for progress program, which my colleague, mr. webster, mentioned which re-authorized federal programs

and mained -- maintained the solvency of the highway trust fund through the end of 2014. that seemed a little ways off at the time but here we are in yull of 2014, fast approaching insol -- insol venn sthoif trust fund in 2014. how inconvenient to members of the republican party that this might occur of before the election. so suddenly there's an impetus to do something about it, at least to kick the can down the road a few months until after the election when we have a national discussion about how to meet our infrastructure needs and to pay for them. this bill is simply a very short-term highway trust fund patch, it only extends the highway programs through may 31 of 2015 and transfers $10.8 billion to the highway trust pund fund. now as transportation secretary fox said, without a patch, tens of thousands of critical projects a and 700,000 jobs will be jeopardized. states are preparing to delay or halt ongoing projects if the

funding runs out in september. my own state of colorado alone has nearly 50 active construction projects that could be at risk if edon't pass some kind of patch. but this approach is just another kick the can down the road approach. to have a national discussion about infrastructure, encourage efficiency of our federal dollars, rather than forcing contractors to bid out higher amounts because of uncertainty about whether their contracts will be long-term or short-term. there are several easy way we can pay for a long-term transportation fix. the simplest would be immigration reform, h.r. 15 would generate over $200 billion in the first 10 years and close to $1 trillion over 20 years. that could be used to invest in infrastructure across our country. others have talked about using some kind of user fee, traditionally the gas tax has been used as a proxy for people who use our highways. i'm disappointed that not only

are we not considering any long-term solutions to re-authorize map-21 but we're not allowed to improve the bill before us. not just to make it longer term but to offer simple, efficient ideas to make it work better and get more bang for our buck. our nation relies on congress to pass measures that ensure that our roadways, bridges and transit systems are the best in the world and this bill falls short on that account. the american society of civil engineers has given our country's infrastructure a d-plus grade on its 2013 report. in this increasingly competitive global economy a d-plus is not enough to get us by as a nation, to create jobs and grow our economy. my home state of colorado has increasing transportation needs as to many other states. mt. wake of floods last september, rock slides, landslides and mud slides caused damage to roads in colorado. 500 miles of roadway were affected at the peak of the flood. over $500 million of additional

repairs to our already beleaguered transportation infrastructure. while the colorado department of transportation did an excellent job completing short-term fixes to -- fixes to get traffic move, there remain many long-term projects along our roadways where we need permanent repairs to our roads. there simply isn't enough of a -- an investment in this highway infrastructure bill to address our infrastructure needs. again, we don't necessarily need to spend more money, we can simply pass the partnership to build america act which if it was aloud to be introduced as an amendment under this bill, i would be happy to. a bipartisan bill by representative delaney with bipartisan sponsfrors both sides of the aisle that would help finance locally driven projects at a low interest rate by allowing u.s. multinational companies to bring back their enearnings to the united states to invest them in glow grohing employment and infrastructure here. it's a win-win scenario yet

under this closed amendment process, we're not even allowed to bring up this bill. this measure falls short on a number of accounts. its short-term nature makes the growing importance of public-private partnerships more difficult and yet if we could amend this bill and improve it or make it longer term, we could have an a discussion about our national infrastructure. the house majority continues to have a closed process where bills are constructed and not allowed to be improved upon by republicans or democrats here in the house. i know that we can do better and i encourage my colleagues to oppose this rule, bring down this rule so we can have an open process regarding transportation funding and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from colorado reserves. the gentleman from florida is ecognized. mr. webster: i think it's important to note that the authorization is not ending in -- next month. it's just the funds are running

out. and we've got to extend the funds. the authorization continues on through the end of the year. and that authorization was a good bill, as i explained in my opening remarks. it was an excellent piece of legislation that consolidated a lot of programs, allowed states more flexability, gave them a pathway to create many of the infrastructure projects we need this just is the money and then we go a little bit further so we're not creating a crisis right before we recess. or adjourn. so i think in the end, this is a very good piece of legislation. it puts forth what's needed and that is we need money to finish the authorization we already have. that's what this does. the administration policy from the executive office of the president, office of management and budget, says this, with surface transportation funding running out, he's only talking about fund, he knows the policy still is in place, and hundreds of thousands of jobs at risk late they are summer, the administration supports house

passage of h.r. 5021, legislation would provide for continuity of funding for the highway trust fund during the height of the summer construction season. and keep americans at work repairing the nation's crumbling roads, bridges and transportation systems. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from colorado is recognized. mr. polis: thank you, madam speaker. i'd like to yield two minutes to the gentleman from vermont, mr. welch. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for two minutes. mr. welch: thank you. i thank the gentleman. this country in its infancy built interstate canals that helped commerce and life became strong and our economy vigorous. at the height of the civil war, president abraham lincoln met with justin morrell a senator from the state of vermont, and con stheaved ambition of an intercontinental railroad. in the 1950's, president dwight

d. eisenhower said we need an interstate highway system this bill this temporary bill where our only responsibility is to make sure we can preserve what we have, by having the funds necessary to repair roads and bridges, is an abdication of our responsibility. congress can do better and america needs better. our bridges and our roads are falling apart. i recently visited two projects in vermont in desperate need of repair but this bill provides temporary funding for eight months. not only that, instead of basing it on user fees, which have always been the way we funded infrastructure projects we all benefit by, it raids pension funds. it essentially creates a pothole in future pensions to fill potholes in our highways. now some folks are saying we need time in order to put

together a long-term bill. mr. speaker, or madam speaker, we've had time. what we need is a decision. there are options out there. as the gentleman from colorado said, what it lacks is not options. what we are lacking is will. this is traditionally -- this has traditionally been an area of common agreement between republicans and democrats where, yes, it's always difficult to figure out what that revenue source is. but you know what, that difficulty is not an excuse for congress to fail to do its job and give this highway trust fund a sustainable and long-term revenue source so that folks in montpelier, folks in austin, texas, can put together those plans to repair our roads and bridges, put america back to work and get this economy going. i urge us to defeat this rule and to defeat this bill and for job. ss finally to do its

i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from florida is recognized. mr. webster: i would like to yield two minutes to the gentleman from new jersey, mr. garrett. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for two minutes. mr. garrett: i rise today to discuss the future of our transportation system in this country. back at home in new jersey, they are only asking the same thing across america, that have a safe and efficient transportation system of roads and bridges. the highway trust fund is bankrupt. past highway bills have been filled with excessive federal regulation and pork-laden projects meaning that the maintenance of roads an bridges has not been getting done. we're here today because we don't have the money now to fix them. going forward we have two clear choices. either we can continue down the same path, the current path, passing a bill to bail out the trust fund to the tune of some $50 billion, or we can find a better way.

personally, i am tired of every year going and speaking to the secretary of transportation, doesn't matter the party, i ask him, can you tell me exactly what our needs are on route 17 of bergen county or route 519 in sussex county and again and again athey, where is route 17? where is 519? we're here say, we cannot allow -- continue to allow washington who doesn't know our needs or our roads to tell us thousand run things. the solution to our current quagmire is to return power back to the people who know better, the states. states, counties, local officials, they use these roads, they're in the best position to decide how to use these transportation dollars. there's not one single federal official here in one person that knows your community or my county with specific detail as well as the people who actually live there, who have to maintain those

roads. so it's about time after all these years that we re-empower the states, re-empower the counties, the local officials, the people that use these roads to make the transportation decisions instead of people here in washington who have no clue what the needs are, who have no had idea what the problems are, who have no idea as to provide what i said at the very beginning what the people in my counties of the fifth district, one that's a safe and efficient transportation system and with that i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from florida reserves. the gentleman from colorado is recognized. mr. polis: thank you, madam speaker. i'd like to yield two minutes to the gentleman from north carolina, mr. butterfield. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from north carolina is recognized for two minutes. madam speaker, i rise today in opposition to the rule for h.r. 5021. this closed rule prevents, it prevents an opportunity for us

to address the larger issues related to passing a long-term surface transportation re-authorization. and that's what mr. polis is talking about and that's what mr. welch was talking about and i agree. the constituents that i represent in north carolina field that it is critical to extend the highway trust fund, but this bill is only one piece, one piece of what must be done to strengthen our nation's infrastructure and economy. the need to pass surface transportation re-authorization is extremely critical. m.a.p.-21 expires at the beginning of october. each day it brings us closer to a highway trust fund shortfall and risk putting major transportation projects on hold and stalling our economy. the north carolina d.o.t. has independent cailted that the highway trust fund -- indicated that the highway trust fund insolvency would jeopardize 108 projects. eastern north carolina remains one of the poorest districts in

the country. despite the economic resurgence, many other areas of the country have seen. strengthening infrastructure encourages economic development, increase commerce and improve tourism. we cannot afford to halt construction and progress. we must find a way to find robust transportation funding. we need a fwicks to the re-authorization -- fix to the re-authorization act. i ask my colleagues to oppose this closed rule so we can have a larger conversation about the long-term surface transportation re-authorization. i thank you, mr. polis. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the gentleman from florida. >> reserve my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from colorado is recognized. mr. polis: i'd like to yield three minutes to the gentleman from oregon, a leader on transportation issues, mr. blumenauer. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from oregon is recognized for three minutes. mr. blumenauer: thank you, madam speaker. thank you, mr. polis. i listened carefully what you said and you're right. this closed role is a disservice. respected friend from

florida i think is wrong. it's not a solution and not a deliberate, thoughtful process. have not had a single hearing on transportation finance in the ways and means committee all year. we didn't have one a year before that. we have not had a hearing in the 43 months the republicans have been in charge. this is a perfectly predictable problem that was created by the halfhearted bill they passed last congress. where he knew this was coming for months. now we're here. with all due respect i, too, am disappointed we don't have a rule that brings broad debate. and we need to -- the gentleman is on the transportation committee. he doesn't have a bill. we're almost through this congress. we don't have a bill. america's falling apart. america is falling behind. we failed to give america's

communities the resources and a robust six-year re-authorization plan. now, we've done it before. under the chairmanship of bud shuster and ranking member jim oberstar, i was happy to play a small role. a difference. if we approve this rule and this underlying bill, this congress is giving itself a ticket out of town to adjourn and pass not onto the next congress but the congress after that. make no mistake, may, 2015, you're not going to be in any different place. it will be may, 2017. congress has legitimate policy differences. i appreciate my friend from new jersey. some people think that -- that the federal government should get out of the partnership that we had and reduce or eliminate the federal gas tax. they're willing to give up on

the successful partnership and let each state decide what to do, when it wants to do or what they're able or not and abandon all sense of a national vision and the ability to shape transportation policies. that is rejected by the mayors, rejected by county commissioners, rejected by state transportation officials. they want that partnership. frankly there are some people who feel the gas tax ought to be adjusted to deal with inflation and increased fuel economy as well as the demands of a growing nation with an aging infrastructure. some people are comfortable with the republican budget that have no new projects for 15 nths and do with a 30% reduction in the next 10 years. those are legitimate policy differences, but we're not dealing with them here on the floor. we're shrugging our shoulders, passing them onto the next

congress. an i have additional -- an additional minute? mr. polis: i yield 30 seconds. mr. blumenauer: we should address this infrastructure subject head-on. our infrastructure used to be the best in the world and bringing -- a source of pride. it's now a deep concern as we fall further and further behind global leaders. we ought to reject this rule. we ought to allow full debate and by all means resolve the funding question now so we can go forward. america deserves no less. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from colorado reserves. the gentleman from florida is recognized. mr. webster: thank you, madam speaker. i just want to make sure we remind everybody that there were 373 members that voted for that half-hearted bill, including the gentleman who spoke against that bill voted for it just two years ago. why? because it was good policy. it set forth some policy moving

forward that map-21 allowed for more flexibility for the local communities to determine what they needed. t took 100 projects -- solos and so forth and reduced them down by a major amount. it gave flexibility for states. in my state, we have the largest transportation program this we had ever, $10 billion, $2 billion than it was the year before. why? because this program and this project and this bill and the re-authorization worked. and all we're doing is extending that good policy. the policy already extends all the way through the end of the year. we're funding it. that's the real need is to finish funding it and then we extend it another five months. to me it's a great piece of legislation that can be improved. it gives us the time as we come along and begin working on the re-authorization bill that we're getting ready to propose at some point in time in the future. but the staff is already working, the members are giving

ideas. i've met with the staff and given them ideas that i think would work. that's happening right now. nothing precludes us. this does not preclude us from continuing on. we don't have to have really -- even within the current time frame a new re-authorization bill until the end of the year. however, we do need funding. that's what this bill does. it provides the funding necessary to complete what i think was a very good piece of public policy. yield back. reserve, sorry. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from florida reserves. the gentleman from colorado is recognized. mr. polis: point of parliamentary inquiry. did i hear the gentleman yield back? mr. webster: no. took it back. mr. polis: madam speaker, i would like to yield two minutes to the gentleman from rhode island, mr. cicilline. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from rhode island is recognized for two minutes. mr. cicilline: our country's roads and highways are a vital asset to our economic competitiveness. strengthening our infrastructure transportation will of course make our roads and transportation safer but

support commerce, strengthen our nation's economy. in rhode island, 20% of our bridges are in poor conditions. without any changes, 40% of the state's bridges will be instruct urelly deficient by 2024. according to a report released yesterday by the white house, if congress fails to act, over 3,500 jobs in rhode island will be jeopardized. this should not be allowed to happen. and congress has a responsibility to provide funding for these important transportation projects. the highway trust fund is a critical resource for supporting our roads and bridges and hundreds of thousands of jobs all across our country. although i support acting quickly to replenish the highway trust fund, i'm very disappointed that this bill is being brought up on a closed rule, ensuring we cannot consider alternatives and robust funding mechanisms. although this will extend surface transportation until next may and ensure the highway trust fund does not become insolvent next month, a short-term solution is not enough.

we need to find a long-term solution to this issue when it comes to rebuilding america. due to the nature of construction, states, localities, contractors need long-term financing to allow for proper planning of infrastructure projects. the uncertainty has already put important transportation projects at risk, and this governing by crisis must end. i welcomed transportation secretary anthony fox to rhode island and we discussed the urgent need to replenish the highway trust fund to help maintain rhode island's highway transportation system, an absolute necessity for a long-term and sustainable funding model. we met with local, state and federal leaders and stakeholders to discuss a path forward. this closed rule does not allow us to offer any solution to this problem. so i urge my colleagues to reject this closed rule so we can address this serious issue in a real way. with that i thank the gentleman for yielding and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from colorado reserves. the gentleman from florida is

recognized. mr. webster: reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from florida reserves. the gentleman from colorado is recognized. mr. polis: thank you, madam speaker. if or i should say when i'll offer a lull that will bring unlegislation that will prevent employers of denying common birth control coverage to women and fix the damage that's been done to the -- by the recent hobby lobby supreme court decision. now than ever, it's -- more now than ever it's critical to protect everyone's right to health services, including basic contraception. to discuss our proposal, i yield two minutes to the gentleman from massachusetts, mr. kennedy. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from massachusetts is recognized for two minutes. mr. kennedy: thank you, madam speaker. i thank the gentleman from colorado for yielding. madam speaker, in january of this year, i joined over 90 of my house colleagues in filing an apple cuss brief in advance of the arguments in hobby lobby vs. sebelius. the free exercise of religion is one of our nation's founding

principles and greatest strengths but so, too, is the fundamental commitment to equality and fairness. the core idea that the rights and privileges of one american never snuff out the rights and privileges of their neighbor. we're disappointing in the court's ruling that closely held corporations can now place themselves between a patient and their doctor. we're disappointed that it is yet another blow to women's health, disappointed in another threat to the economic security of women and families and disappointed that for the first time our supreme court gave a religious exemption to a generally applicable law to a for-profit corporation. for-profit corporations do not exist to advance the interests of individuals with the shared religious faith and in fact they're prohibited by law from hiring, firing or structuring their membership based on ream lidgeon. i'm proud to stand with my colleagues to keep private medical decisions between

patients and their doctors and i look forward to the day that our laws acknowledge that corporations are not people and that the constitutional rights of an individual are what this country was formed to enshrine and protect. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from florida is recognized. mr. webster: i want to remind the audience or anyone that's listening, we're talking about a rule dealing with transportation funding and extending that so we can continue the jobs necessary to finish the projects that are started in states and start new ones, that's what we're talking about here and not necessarily the issue that was just presented and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from florida reserves. the gentleman from colorado is recognized. mr. polis: well, with due respect to my colleague from florida, the gentleman is incorrect. we have stated and will offer the language on a previous question. as long as we can have the votes to defeat the previous question, we will be able to bring to the floor under the procedures of this body a bill that will ensure that women have access to contraception as part of basic health care.

that's under the rules of this house by defeating the previous question now being discussed that i will offer, we'll be able to move forward to make sure that women have access to comprehensive birth control. i'd like to yield two minutes to the gentlewoman from florida, ms. frankel. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from florida is recognized for two minutes. ms. frankel: thank you, mr. polis. madam speaker, i rise, like my colleague, mr. kennedy, to urge a no vote on the previous question so that we can discuss a matter that is very urgent to the women of this country. madam speaker, the most blessed moment of my life was the birth of my son, ben. his life brought me great joy as well as great responsibilities. the decision to bring ben into the world was a private decision made by his father and myself. we didn't call our congressman

and we didn't call my employer. and now it appears that the hobby lobby case that the supreme court of the united states seems to think that life begins at incorporation. well, i vehemently disagree. employers belong in the workplace and not in the doctor's office or in our bedroom, and that's why i'm a proud co-sponsor of the not my boss's business act, which will ban corporations from using its owners' religious beliefs to deny health care coverage for contraception. madam speaker, because no one should lose access to birth control because her company doesn't approve of it, a woman's family planning decision is none of her boss's decision and none of their

business. i thank you, madam speaker, and i yield the rest of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back. the gentleman from florida is recognized. mr. webster: reserve my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from florida reserves. the gentleman from colorado is recognized. mr. polis: thank you, madam speaker. i'd like to yield two minutes to the gentlewoman from texas, a leader on the issue, ms. jackson lee. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from texas is recognized for two minutes. let me thank e: the gentleman from colorado and as well the manager of this rule and i, too, rise to be able to push for voting no on the previous question dealing with making sure that we fix the taking away of women's my ts and pass the it's not boss's business legislation that gets us back right-side up, taking care of women and their rights.

in particular, as it relates to their own body and their family choices as well, to make sure they have the rights to take care of their own family. let me also say that i would wish and had hoped that the present underlying bill, the highway and transportation funding act, was truly a bill that committed to the american people that we believe in the investment of infrastructure and creating jobs. this is not what this bill is. this is a temporary fix, saying to the american cities and transit centers, transit facilities and buses and highways and freeways that you are only a side thought here in the united states congress, we'll give you a small amount of money, transferring $9.8 billion from the general fund and $1 billion from the leaking underground storage tank trust fund just to give you a temporary fix. we're going to put a finger in the dam. we're not going to have a concerted, concentrated, responsible assessment of america's transportation needs so that we can fund it. we're not going to as