the speaker: the house will be in order. the prayer will be offered by our chaplain, father conroy. chaplain conroy: let us pray. loving god, we give you thanks for giving us another day. as we meditate on all the blessings of life, we especially pray for the blessing of peace in our lives and in our world. our fervent prayer, o god is that people will learn to live together in reconciliation and respect so that the terrors of war and violence will be no more. as you have created each person, we pray that you would guide our hearts and minds that every person of every place and background might focus on your great gift of life and so learn to live in unity. may your special blessings be upon the members of this

assembly and the important, sometimes difficult, work they do. give them wisdom and charity that they might work together for the common good. may all that is done this day in the people's house be for your greater honor and glory, 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 , the journal stands approved. for what purpose does the gentleman rise? mr. cicilline: i demand a vote on the people's -- on the speaker's approval of the journal. the speaker: those in favor of a vote by -- those in favor of the privelprufle asea. mr. cicilline: i request the yeas and nays. the speaker: pursuant to clause of rule 20, further proceedings

on this question are postponed. the pledge of allegiance will be led by the gentleman from texas, mr. johnson. mr. johnson: 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: the chair lays before the house a message. the clerk: to the congress of the united states. the so-called islamic state of iraq and the isil poses a threat to the people and stability of iraq, syria and the broader middle east and to u.s. national security and threatens american personnel and facilities facilities located in the region and is responsible for the killing of americans james --

and kayla mueller. i have determined a comprehensive strategy to defeat isil. u.s. forces are conducting a systematic air strike against the area. those i am provided with the permission to take this action i have repeatedly voiced my commitment to work with the congress. i am submitting a draft aumf that would authorize the continued use of military force to degrade and defeat isil. my administration's draft aumf would not authorize long-term, large-scale combat like those in

iraq and afghanistan. the authorization i propose would provide the flexibility to conduct ground combat operations in other, more limited circumstances, such as rescue operations involving u.s. or coalition personnel or the use of special operations forces to take military action against isil leadership. it would also authorize the use of u.s. forces in situations where ground combat operations are not expected or intended such as intelligence collection and sharing missions to enable kinetic strikes or the provision of operational planning and other forms of advice and assistance to partner force. although my proposed a pumbings mf does not address the 2001 aumf, i remain committed to working with the congress and the american people to refine and ultimately repeal the 2001 aumf. enacting an aumf specific to the threlt posed by isil could serve

as a model for how to work together to tailor the authorities granted by the 2001 aumf. i can think of no better way to think of congress to join me in protecting our nation's security than by enacting this legislation which would though show the world we are united and resolved to threaten the -- to remove the threat posed by isil. the speaker: referred to the house calendar and ordered print. the chair will entertain unto 15 one-minute requests from each side of the aisle. for what purpose does the gentleman from texas rise? without objection. mr. johnson spks mr. speaker, millions of americans who have paid into social security rely on the promise that it will be there for them when they -- mr. johnson: mr. speaker,

millions of americans who have paid into social security rely on the promise that it will be there for them when they need them. unfortunately, under law, some people can get social security benefits and work unemployment benefits. social security benefits are for those who not work unemployment benefit are for those who can work. i will be introducing legislation this week to help ensure social security disability benefits are only for those who truly cannot work. with the disability program going broke next year, we cannot afford to continue to allow individuals to double dip. my bill will stop double dipping and help ensure think disability program is there for those who truly need it. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas yield back. for what purpose does the gentleman from rhode island seek

recognition? mr. cicilline: 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. cicilline: each week the department of veterans' affairs declared a week in february national salute to veterans week. more than 90,000 veterans are cared for in the v.a. across america and this is one small way to say thank you to those veterans. i work with students across rhode island to deliver valentines to veterans to pay tribute for their service. i will visit the providence veterans home and other facilities to personally deliver handwritten cards. v.a. facilities will be holding many events to pay tribute to veterans. contact your nearest v.a. center and ask for volunteer service to get involved and salute america's hero this is week. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from south carolina 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. wilson: i am pleased that congress today will honor a great american patriot, barry goldwater work a statue in national statuary hall of the u.s. capitol. on july 4 1963, i visited washington by bus for the first time to participate in the national draft goldwater rally. senator goldwater's legacy of promoting limited government, a strong national defense leading to victory in the cold war and protecting personal free dooms is more vital than ever. as a teenage republican, i lived the republican revolution he inspired. he helped transform the south from nonexistent or insignificant membership in 1963, culminating in 2014 with republican legislative majorities in all states from virginia to texas and oklahoma to arkansas. i am great -- grateful the southern republican revolution

created an open process in south carolina work niki haley being the first female governor and allen wilson elected america's youngest attorney general. in concludes collusion, god bless our troops and may the president never forget september 11 and the global war on terrorism. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. for what purpose does the gentleman from new york seek recognition? without objection the gentleman from new york is recognized for one minute. >> mr. speaker, i rise today to honor those who in the face of violent opposition bravely stood for what was right. mr. high fwins: -- mr. higs -- >> in 2013 i had the honor of joining congressman lewis to visit these sites including the edmund pettus bridge where nearly ,000 foot soldiers

marched against the denial of the right to vote. mr. higgins: the selma foot soldiers inspire think nation. the voting rights act of 1965 was signed into law that august. i along with many of my colleagues am a proud original co-sponsor of h.r. 3 which would award the highest civilian honor the congressional gold medal to the foot soldiers of the voting right movement. the bravery of the civil rights activists a century ago was remarkable but we must not forget how much still needs to be done. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. for what purpose does the gentleman from arizona seek recognition? without objection the gentleman from arizona is recognized for one minute. >> mr. speaker, i rise today to talk about kayla mueller, one of my constituents, who was brutally kidnapped by the islamic state or isis. she was a young woman, still full of exuberance and optimism

about peace and human relations and willing to put her life on the line to hep others around the world. she was a beautiful should soul and i know she is with god now. i am not youthful and i see isis for what it is. our society cannot exist with barbaric and evil people who value death over life and chaos over order. mr. gosar: their leavell deeds are well known as they publicize them, mass murder, genocide. i am done. i hope you are too. the elimination of isis is long overdue. in order to defeat the terrorists we need a strategic and comprehensive military strategy. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from california seek recognition? without objection the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. ms. hahn: i rise today to warn the impending danger of shutting down the department of homeland security.

while terror attacks are occurring worldwide, it is unbelievable and would be unforgivable to stop funding the department that protects our nation's security. yet some in congress are willing to shut down this department and put our nation at risk unless we deport 5.3 million people. as co-chair of the ports caucus and representing the port -- representative of the port of los angeles, i can tell you that our ports are one of the most vulnerable entry ways into this country. though i believe we should do more to protect our nation's ports, closing the department of homeland security at this time would make our ports even more vulnerable to an attack. we must act now. time is running out to pass legislation to keep this department open. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back the balance of her time. for what purpose does the gentleman from pennsylvania seek recognition? >> i request unanimous consent to address the house for one

minute and revise and extend. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman from pennsylvania is recognize for one minute. mr. thompson: mr. speaker, in the administration's national security strategy unveil last week, they went as far as to identify climate change as a threat on par with terrorism and weapons of mass destruction. i agree we need to continue to be cognizant and attentive to the impacts of climate, that it is down right -- but it is down right dangerous to equate the issue to the very real and direct threats that terrorist organizations and networks around the world pose to the lives of american citizens. mr. speaker americans saw firsthand and will never forget the horror of september 11, someone 2001. mr. speaker, i also believe that thousands of u.s. troops who have fought in afghanistan and iraq and the families and friends of the thousands of american who was paid the ultimate price would respectfully disagree with the president. mr. speaker, just this morning, the white house circulated a proposal to congress authorizing military action to fight islamic state terrorists, a day after it was confirmed an american aid

worker had been killed by the terrorist group. s that clear indication that the threat of terrorism has and continues to pose a much more immediate challenge to our national security and the safety of every american in climate change. thank you and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from california seek recognition? without objection the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. . >> thank you, mr. speaker. it is irresponsible to hold homeland security funds hostage simply because some of my colleagues don't like the president's action on immigration. there is a time and place to have this debate, and this isn't it. mrs. torres: i spent my career working in public safety and emergency preparedness with the lapd. security is in my blood. i know how important it is to be able to plan prepare, and maintain the morale of those on

the frontlines. if we let the department of homeland security funding expire, it is nameless tsh-it isn't just nameless bureaucrats who will be suffering, we will shutter the domestic nuclear detection office, we will halt the r&d work to counter security threats, and we will end fema training activities with our local law enforcement. that said nothing of the 147,000 border patrols troll, i.c.e. and t.s.a. officers active duty coast guard and social security agents who will be forced to work without pay. these men and -- secret service agents who will be forced to work without pay. these men and women have our back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from tennessee seek recognition? mrs. black: unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentlewoman from tennessee is recognized for one minu. mitts black: -- mrs. black: mr. speaker, in the

president's state of the union address he declared the need for 21st century infrastructure. with today's legislation complete, the keystone pipeline we are offering him a infrastructure bill that would create jobs and promote energy security. in this study from the president's own state department says, keystone will create about 4 000 jobs and generate about $2 billion in earnings all while imposing a negligible environmental impact. this project has been waiting for approval for more than 2,300 days. the nebraska supreme court struck down the challenge against it. 58% of americans say they support it. and a bipartisan majority in both the chambers of the congress approved it. i urge the president to listen to the will of his constituents and if nothing else maybe read the reports from his own administration. the excuses have run out.

it's time to build. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman tennessee yields back the balance of her time. for what purpose does the gentleman from michigan seek recognition? >> mr. speaker, i seek unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from michigan is recognized for one minute. mr. kildee: thank you, mr. speaker. you heard there is only 17 days until the g.o.p. recklessly shuts down the department of homeland security. six legislative days before that happens. we have a bipartisan bill that we have already agreed to. bring it to the floor. we will be here. we can pass it today. and when the majority leader was asked why should we pass the d.h.s. funding bill? he says, well, why do we have to? seriously. this is about the safety of the american people. and rather than dealing with the safety of the american people, the republican leadership has decided to continue to pander to the extreme tea party voices within their party. look, we ought to be taking this up as just a matter of course

and get back to the business of dealing with the big questions that people want us to take on. like how can we create an economy that is not rigged for the people at the top with the rest of us paying the price? these are the questions that people want us to deal with. we ought to setaside the politics of this homeland security bill. bring the bill that we have already agreed to, that you have already agreed to we'll vote on it and get on with the business of the american people. with that i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from michigan time's expired. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from washington seek recognition? >> request permission to address the house for one minute. revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentlewoman from washington is recognized for one minute. mrs. mcmorris rodgers: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today to express my deep concern about the continued expansion of islamic terrorist groups and the threat they pose to the american people. today the president requested congressional authorization for his limited efforts against isis. but make to mistake, this

request is not p -- does not constitute a strategy nor does it substitute for resolve. in august, the president promised to degrade and destroy this terrorist army through air strikes and military assistance to our partners. since then, his efforts have remained lacking. while isis' sanctuary has grown to the size of maryland. the administration has instead courted the mullahs of iran and signaled a willingness to work with syria's brutal dictatorship the assad regime, even though they both continue to contribute to this crisis. history has shown us that the world pays a heavy price when we appease dictators and turn a blind eye to evil. the president has allowed the emergence of a global threat that will likely persist for years. the american people deserve stronger leadership from their commander in chief he and to hear directly from him how the action he is asking congress to authorize will destroy isil. the speaker pro tempore: the

gentlewoman from washington's time has expired. for what purpose does the gentleman from rhode island seek recognition? mr. langevin: unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman from rhode island is recognized for nu. mr. langevin: mr. speaker, in these challenging times as we work to protect the country from the security threats we face, i call on the republican leadership to bring a clean bill to fund the department of homeland security to the floor. as a senior member of the committee on homeland security, i know that d.h.s. plays a vital role in protecting us from threats like isil and i strongly support those who defend our nation, go to work every day to protect us, and thrick those who put their lives on the line. protecting the homeland exsends beyond conventional agents like terror to things like cybersecurity, an area i'm concerned about. d.h.s. partners with industry to tea fend us against attacks and works to protect and assist the federal agencies from cyberassault. mr. speaker, the attack on sony

and anthem's data breach underscore the need supported by d.h.s. for the majority to prevent d.h.s.'s hardworking employees from being paid or undertaking new projects it is politics trumping policy. i urge my republican colleagues to abandon their misguided strategy and bring a clean bill to the floor that will appropriately fund d.h.s. thank you mr. speaker. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from i rhode island -- the gentleman from rhode island time's expired. for what purpose does the gentleman seek recognition? without objection the gentleman from indiana is recognized for one minute. >> mr. speaker, i rise today to honor the memory and legacy of dr. miller who passed away yesterday. dane was born in 1946 and was nothing short of the classic american success story. along with his wife. there's also no shortage of professional accomplishments to fully describe this industry

titan. as the founder of biomed a medical device company in warsaw indiana, he started the company in true indiana form. in a converted barn. during his time as president and c.e.o., he managed to grow biomed into a company of over $2 billion in annual sales and 4,000 employees. mr. stutzman: he was a brilliant man. he was a ph.d. and biomedical engineer known for numerous innovations in the medical device industry. perhaps the only two things he didn't know how to do was to give up or -- on a problem or retire. he was tireless in his efforts. the only -- the only thing larger than his ability was his heart. his time and energy were fully dedicated to his wife, family and the greater community of warsaw and hometown. my heart goes out to his family today and the innumerable people whose lives he touched. for me and so many others, dane miller will be a shining example

of the value of hard work, charity to one's fellow man, and doing all this while maintaining a humble spirit. he enjoyed nothing more than spending time with his friends and family. dane has affected so many lives in wonderful ways it will long be missed. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from indiana yields back the balance of his time. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from illinois seek recognition? ms. schakowsky: unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentlewoman from illinois is recognized for one minute. ms. schakowsky: it's amazing to me to watch the republicans recklessly play politics with our national security. that's right. keeping america safe is why we have a department of homeland security. that is what it does. and funding for the department of homeland security expires february 22. we have only six legislative days between now and then to pass a clean funding bill. if we fail to pass a bill 30,000 workers will be furloughed, and the rest will work without getting paid.

really? these workers are border patrol agents, t.s.a. security screeners immigration officers members of the secret service, and coast guard. we rely on them to keep us safe. we reline -- and they rely on us to pay them. shame on the republican party for jeopardizing our national security in a misguided attempt to score political points with the extremist wing of their base. give us a clean bill and let us fund the department of homeland security. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from illinois yields back the balance of her time. for what purpose does the gentleman from maryland seek recognition? >> unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman from maryland is recognized for one minute. mr. harris: thank you, mr. speaker. this year house republicans have hit the ground running in addressing harmful and outdated policies that have hindered job growth and hurt the american economy over the last several years. one ever our first priorities has been to pass a bill to build

the keystone pipeline. which i hope will have final passage here later today. it's been six years since the original keystone pipeline application was submitted. six long years where we could have increased job creation, energy security lower energy costs, and build a stronger economy. it's time to take action or this administration -- where this administration has failed to and move forward with the keystone pipeline, an issue that has broad bipartisan support and will create jobs and positively impact hardworking families across the country. we plan on getting a lot done this congress, and our top priority will be kick starting our currently stalled economy. house republicans remain focused on creating good paying jobs, growing our economy, and ensuring that every hardworking american has the opportunity to succeed. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from maryland yields back the balance of her time. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from new hampshire seek recognition? ms. kuster: unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. revise and extend. the speaker pro tempore: without

objection, the gentlewoman from namhi iregnid for one minute. ms. kuster: thank you, mr. speaker. today i rise to recognize alex ray, a granite stater who has made significant contributions to our state's identity and our economy. when you ask most people in new hampshire what restaurant captures the essence of our state they will say, the common man. alex built the common man family of restaurants from the ground up. expanding from one location in ashland, new hampshire in 1971, to 16 eateries around the state now. he's also given back a great deal to communities across new hampshire and has been involved with a wide array of philanthropic endeavors over the years. alex's motto for the common man family is simply, do good. which he seeks to instill in his staff and to live by in his own life. he's currently in the process of completing two beautiful new rest areas off interstate 93. these new facilities are great

examples of the public-private partnerships that have been so successful in new hampshire. alex's created and community oriented approach to both business and philanthropy has led to an incredibly positive impact over the last four decades. i'm honored to count alex as a good friend and i would like to express my appreciation for all his wonderful work on behalf of the citizens of new hampshire. thank you. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from new hampshire yields back the balance of her time. for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition? the gentleman from california. for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition? >> unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. revise and extend. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman from california is recognized for one minute. mr. lowenthal: thank you mr. speaker. as the sign points out, today marks again 17 days until the department of homeland security shuts down. leaving our nation's national security at risk. why is d.h.s. closing down? it is closing down because it's

being held hostage, because it's being now riddled with immigration policy riders, which as we all know, have a zero chance of being signed by the president. if funding lapses, our nation's ports and our ports of entry will be severely impacted. for example, i represent the port of long beach and they will not be able to upgrade their communications and their surveillance systems unless d.h.s. continues and is able to put out grant funding. that is unacceptable and also very unwise. the senate has made clear that it will not accept the current bill and will not pass that bill in its chamber. it's now time for the republican leadership in this house to end their political grandstanding and bring up a clean d.h.s. bill immediately. thank you. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california time's expired. for what purpose does the gentleman from new york seek recognition? >> unanimous consent to address

the house for one minute. revise and extend my he remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman from new york is recognized for one minute. mr. crowley: i rise today because time is running out for my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to act responsibly when it comes to our nation's security. . we are sending a clear message to the republican majority don't shut down our security. it's as simple as that, don't shut down the agency that's entrusted to proteblingt the american people from threats of every kind. don't hold our homeland security programs hostage until you get your way in deporting parents and families. don't put politics before people. but that's exactly what they're doing. 17 days. there's no more time for these kinds of games. at that point thousands of idle workers will either be forced to

work without pay or sent home leaving their important jobs undone during a dangerous time in our world. they're putting politics before people, they're putting politics before the safety of our country. don't shut down our security. don't shut down our security. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from north carolina seek recognition? wooks, the gentlewoman from north carolina is -- without objection, the gentlewoman from north carolina is recognized. mrs. adams: i rise against keystone bill. keystone will create 35 permanent jobs. republicans say it will guarantee u.s. energy independence. false. there's no concrete assurance oil produced by the pipeline

will remain in the u.s. along with these economic shortcomings, u.s. taxpayers bear the risk if a catastrophic spill occurs. we need job growth and not hypotheticals. we must be focused on clean energy and infrastructure jobs to create jobs and boost our economy. with no real impact on energy creation or job -- on job creation or energy security, it benefits no one except transcanada. our people deserve better than to be collateral damage for this project. i stand opposed to the keystone pain pipeline act. i urge my colleagues to volt no. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back. pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, the chair will postpone further

proceedings today on motions 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 michigan seek recognition? >> mr. speaker, i move that the house suspend the rules and pass h.r. 431. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: h.r. 431, a bill to award a congressional gold medal to the foot soldiers who participated in bloody sunday turnaround tuesday or the final selma to montgomery voting rights march in march of 1965, which served as a catalyst for the voting rights act of 1965. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from michigan, mr. huizenga, and the gentlewoman from alabama, ms. sewell, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from michigan. mr. huizenga: i ask that all members have five legislative days to revise and extend their

remarks and insert extraneous materials into the record concerning h.r. 431, currently under consideration. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. huizenga: i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. high venga: i rise in -- mr. huizenga: i rise in support of this bill to recognize the foot soldiers who participated in days like bloody sunday, turnaround tuesday and the final march from selma to montgomery to ensure voting rights for african-americans. mr. speaker sometimes it's hard for people in today's society to realize the historical significance of the events that took place in the past or for younger people it may seem like a lifetime ago but for those who live through those experiences it may seem like it just happened yesterday. one series of events that we cannot and must not allow to fade away are the historic

marches that began in selma in the intring spring of 1965. on march , 1965 led by two fearless men, reverend jose williams -- hosea williams and a man many in this chamber know well marched for their right to vote. they were brutally assaulted and beaten by alabama state troopers as they attempted to cross the bridge seeking to assert their constitutional right to vote. that atrocity became known as bloody sunday. two days later, nearly 2,500 foot soldiers, led by dr. martin luther king jr., peacefully assembled and again attempted to cross the edmund pettus bridge. they marched to where the attacks occurred a few days before on bloody sunday and at dr. king's request they stopped and knelt in prayer.

following the prayer, the marchers turned around and returned to selma. finally, then on march 21, under the protection of the u.s. army federal marshals and the federalized alabama national guard at that point that group had swol ton 8,000 foot soldiers who were escorted safely for 54 miles from selma to montgomery. by the time the march reached the steps of the state capitol, that group had grown to approximately 25,000 people strong there on those steps in montgomery. mr. speaker, instead of bringing the campaign to search for voting rights to a halt, the photographs and blurry television images of that attack on bloody sunday galvanized the national attention. in fact the first march was a catalyst for action. just five short months after the first march congress had passed an president johnson had signed into law the voting rights act.

mr. speaker, we as a nation must do more to ensure voting rights are proteblingt for all americans and in doing so we must remember the sacrifice of those individuals who came before us and work sod tirelessly to make a difference and create voting rights equal. it is truly a privilege for me personally to stand before you as congress recognizes these brave men and women and the historical significance of those marches that forever changed the direction of our great nation. i thank the gentlelady, representative sewell of alabama, for highlighting these historic events and urge my colleagues to support h.r. 431. with that, i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlewoman from alabama is recognized. ms. sewell: i rise in strong support of h.r. 431 and yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. ms. sewell: thank you, mr. speaker. i want to thank the gentleman from michigan for joining me on the floor today to support h.r.

43 . i have enjoyed our bipartisan working relationship on the house financial services committee and i am pleased today to share this debate time with him. mr. speaker, i rise today in support of h.r. 431, a bill to award a congressional gold medal to the foot soldiers who participated in bloody soldier -- bloody sunday, turnaround tuesday or the final selma to montgomery voting rights march in march 1965. this will mark 45 years since that march. led by hosea williams they

marched to alabama state university. they pledged to keep on walking until they secured the fry doms promised them by the u.s. constitution. as they crass crossed the edmund pettus bridge a wall of state troopers were waiting at the foot of the bridge. news stations from across the country televised the brutality that followed as foot soldiers like hosea williams, john lewis, f.d. reese bob lance, and albert turner sr. of perry county and so many others were attacked on edmund pettus bridge on what has become known as bloody sunday. the journey of the foot soldiers we honor today was not an easy one. they were discriminated by whites and ostracized by blacks who were afraid to join them. but still they persevered because they could no longer bear the burdens of second class citizenship. the president of dallas county voter's league reverend f.d.

reese wasn't going to let nobody turn him around he, told me he feel said that, given the conditions that existed in selma and the south at the time, he wanted to make sure that things were different. he was willing to do whatever was necessary to ensure that people no matter their race, color, or creed, would have the right to vote. he said quote, the lord gave us determination to keep moving forward. we were determined to let the lord lead us and direct us so that all people, regardless of their color, would have access to the political process. we were not at all afraid, he went on, because we were determined that whatever it took, even if it meant our lives, we were going to move alabama and the state and this nation forward. amelia boynton robinson literally felt the blows of injustice as she was beaten on the bridge by alabama state troopers and left for dead.

her will and dignity suffered no damage but made her more resolved than tover continue the fight for voting rights. two days after bloody sunday over 2500 foot soldiers, heeding the call from martin luther king came to selma to join the marchers. on march 9 1965, led by dr. king, reverend abernathy and clergy from around the nation they once again left from the brown chapel a.m.e. church and walked to the bring. dr. king stopped at the top of the bridge while a sea of state troopers stepped aside. on bended knees, dr. king began to pray as the thousands of marchers joined him. as if moved by the spirit, dr. king turned around and walked back to the church. tuesday was not to be the day to complete the 54-mile journey. the second march attempt was known as turnaround tuesday. the fight for voting rights was

fought both in the streets and in the courtroom. attorney fred gray helped pave the way for the final selma to montgomery march. he was a member of the legal team that represented hosea williams john lewis and amelia bointon robinson in williams vs. robinson. federal judge frank johnson ruled the foot soldiers had a first amendment right to petition the government through peaceful protest and ordered federal agents to move full protection to provide full protection to the foot soldiers during the selma to montgomery march. under court order, the u.s. army, the federalized alabama national guard and countless federal agencies and marshals escorted more than ,000 foot soldiers on march 2 , 1965. as these brave men and women began their historic 5 -mile

journey from selma to the steps of the alabama state capitol in montgomery, alabama. the extraordinary bravery and sacrifices these foot soldiers displayed in pursuit of a peaceful march from selma to montgomery brought national attention to the struggle for equal voting rights and served as a catalyst for congress to pass the voting rights act of 1965 which president lyndon johnson signed into law on august 6 1965. mr. speaker as alabama's first black congresswoman, i know that the journey that i now take was only made possible because of the courage and bravery of the foot soldiers of the voting rights movement. as a native, a proud native of selma and the u.s. representative who now represents selma and parts of montgomery, i am the direct beneficiary of their sacrifice. during this 50th commemoration of the voting rights movement and the 50th anniversary of the

passage of the voting rights act of 1965, it is fitting that this august body would bestow on the foot soldiers of the voting right movement our highest civilian honor, a congressional gold medal for their valor and determination in relentlessly pursuing the promise of our great constitution. that all men and women were indeed created equal. i am proud to be joined by my colleague, martha roby, and the entire alabama congressional delegation representatives aderholt rogers, brooks, burn and palmer, as original co-sponsors of this congressional gold medal bill. i want to thank the more than 300 colleagues who also signed on to the bill. a special thanks to the leadership of both parties, speaker boehner, majority leader mccarthy and minority leader pelosi and whip hoyer for their support in getting this legislation on the floor today.

this would not have been possible without the help and support of chairman hensarling and ranking member waters of the house financial services committee. today gentleman from michigan, mr. huizenga, thank you. it is han an honor to stand with you today to pay tribute to the foot soldiers of the voting -- it is an honor to stand with you today to pay tribute to the foot soldiers of the voting rights movement. i urge my colleagues to vote yes to h.r. 431, a bill to honor the foot soldiers who participated in bloody sunday, turnaround tuesday, or the final selma to montgomery voting rights march the congressional gold medal, the highest honor we can bestow. ethe foot soldiers of the voting rights movement paid the ultimate price so this nation could live up to the ideals of equality and justice for all. this nation should thever never

forget those who marched, prayed and died in the pursuit to have civil rights, voting rights and social change. i urge my colleagues to join us in voting in favor of h.r. 431. mr. speaker, i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves the balance of her time. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. huizenga: i yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from alabama, mrs. roby, the lead co-sponsor of this legislation. . mrs. roby: i thank the gentleman. thapping you, mr. speaker. i i too, want to echo the septemberment of my colleague from alabama, ms. sewell, in thanking leadership and all the members on both sides of the aisle for their willingness to jump right on this so that we could achieve passage both here if the house and in the senate

in time for this most important anniversary, the 50th anniversary of bloody sunday. i'm so proud just standing here listening to my colleague speak i'm so proud to have the privilege and opportunity to co-sponsor this bill to award a congressional gold medal to the brave men and women who not only changed alabama and america, but they changed the world. and so as we look toward the 50th anniversary of bloody sunday, it is certainly fitting to honor the brave individuals who, against brutality and oppression, took a stand for their god-given rights and so thank you to my colleague terri sewell, for all your hard work on this very important, worthy legislation. i've also been honored, mr. speaker, to serve alongside my colleague from alabama, miss

sewell -- ms. sewell, in recruiting members of this body and the senate to join us in p the pilgrimage led by john lewis to alabama for the anniversary on the 6th 7th, and 8th of next month. i'm proud to say we have a record number of colleagues that are willing to participate because of the obvious significance of this important day. i look forward to -- alongside all my colleagues in the alabama delegation, who again i thank, as well as ms. sewell, for their willingness to host our colleagues from all over the country in birmingham and montgomery and selma and other places important, very important places to the civil rights movement. and to hear from those who lift it. -- lived it. one of the things that we did

alongside this congressional gold medal, mr. speaker, was to invite our colleagues to come to a screening of the movie "selma," and i have to say, from a girl growing up in montgomery alabama, that did not live through this very important time in our history, it was honestly one of the more moving moments in my time in congress to sit in the room with our colleague, mr. lewis, and experience through that visual on the screen what he lived in his life. it was a unique and special moment and one that i will personally treasure for a very long time. so, mr. speaker, it is to mr. lewis and all those that joined him in standing up for justice that we seek to honor with this congressional gold medal. and there is no higher honor

that we as members of congress can bestow, yet it seems such a small token of gratitude compared to the magnitude of the endeavors of those who lived through those days. my daughter margaret, mr. speaker who you often hear me talk about, margaret and george, but margaret is in fourth grade, and like in a lot of states, in fourth grade in alabama you learn about alabama history. this is such an important time in her life as she learns about our state and its history and the civil rights movement is certainly an integral part very important part of our history. so she's coming with me on the pilgrimage next month, and she'll be able to meet and know first hand the people that fought to change the world. it's difficult for those of us who weren't allowed during the civil rights movement to wrap

our minds around it, but i alongside my daughter and very much -- am very much looking forward to this special time as members of congress that we have to reflect on the importance of this history. i am, again, honored, mr. speaker, to be a part of this bill. and i just thank, again, all of my colleagues who very quickly joined with us so that we could get this done to honor those brave foot soldiers that changed not just our country but the world. i, too, ask that all of my colleagues join me in voting in favor of h.r. 431. thank you, mr. speaker. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from alabama yields back the balance of her time. the gentleman from michigan reserves. the gentlewoman from alabama is recognized. miss sewell: i yield one minute to the gentleman from tennessee. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from tennessee is recognized for one minute. mr. cohen: thank you, mr. speaker. i want to thank ms. sewell for

having the foresight to bring -- foresight to bring this proposal. this is fitting we honor the foot soldiers, they were americans, all races, who came together and saw injustice and wanted to right it. they risked their livesers some died in the efforts. ms. leos. so was killed after the march. thousands of people came to the south to see the people got the right to vote. it's hard to believe that people were denied the right to vote in this country but they were. and i was touched by the remarks of my colleague from alabama. it was historic, but you don't just have to see the movie and experience it to honor these people and give them a gold medal. you need to live it. and people are being denied voting rights today in this country, and the supreme court emasculated the voting rights act recently. it needs to be reinstated. there are civil rights that can be performed and enacted in america today, the movement isn't over. the movement continues. a medal is good.

but the spirit must continue on this floor to see that all people have their rights to vote, their right to participate, and their rights not to have federal judges, state judges with -- the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. mr. cohen: tell probate clerks not to enforce federal law. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from alabama reserves. gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. huizenga: with that i yield two minutes to the gentleman from florida mr. ross, a member of the financial services committee, which has been dealing with this issue. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from florida is recognized for two minutes. mr. ross: thank you, mr. speaker. today i rise in strong support of this bipartisan legislation that will award a congressional medal, gold medal to the civil rights leaders who he so bravely marched for voting rights and equality from selma, alabama to the state capital of montgomery in march of 1965. as an donted ston son of the great state of alabama, having been educated at both auburn it is an honor to wreck knees these

peace loving, god fearing patriots. these marchers led by civil rights leaders such as reverend martin luther king jr. and my colleague from georgia, representative john lewis, changed the course ever our nation's history. ultimately their fearless efforts led to the enactment of the voting rights act of 1965. the congressional gold medal is the highest civilian award presented by congress and i can think of no better time than the 50th anniversary of this moment in our nation's history to honor and recognize the civil rights leaders who sacrificed so greatly to bring equality to the voiceless across the united states. may their sacrifice diligence, and dedication to this cause stand as an example to all of us as we continue to serve in this chamber and in every aspect of our lives. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from florida yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from michigan reserves. the gentlewoman from alabama is recognized. ms. sewell: i yield one minute to mrs. adams, the gentlelady from north carolina. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from north carolina is recognized for one minute.

ms. adams:00 than -- ms. adams: thank you, mr. speaker. a bill to award a congressional gold medal to the foot soldiers and the final march from selma to montgomery which was a catalyst for the voting rights act of 1965. i'm proud to co-sponsor this bill and stand with congresswoman sewell and her delegation and one of the greatest leaders in the civil rights movement, congressman john lewis. it's important that we recognize the civil rights titans whose sacrifices and essential part of mesh history. as we honor yesterday's foot soldiers with a congressional gold medal, let us remember that we are still in the fight. in my hometown state of north carolina we are battling a new rollback on voters rights. one of the most regressive laws we have passed. toe fully honor the foot soldiers' sacrifice, we must keep fighting and restore the important protections that have been stripped from the voting

rights act. thank you for joining me in honoring these american heroes. mr. speaker, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from north carolina yields back the balance of her time. the gentlewoman from alabama reserves. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. huizenga: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield one minute to the gentleman from california, mr. mccarthy, the distinguished house majority leader. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california is recognized for one minute. mr. mccarthy: i thank the gentleman for yielding. mr. speaker i do want to thank the authors of this bill. congresswoman roby and congresswoman sewell for their work on this. i appreciate it. we are blessed in this nation to enjoy the privileges of democracy and to exercise our freedoms without fear. but sadly for millions of african-americans in our history, that has not been the case. james cooper author of the american workers like "the last of the mohicans" and "american democrat" once said. the man who can right himself by a vote will seldom resort to a

musket. the opposite is also true. people denied their rights might well resort to violence. it's not difficult to see why. with no established form of recourse, what choice do those denied their freedoms have? the people we honor today chose a different path. these nonviolent, civil rights activists did not take the road of hate. their generation's quest for freedom, they didn't corrupt themselves with the sins of those who worked against them. they fought for the rights due to every person, not with weapons, but with the force of rhetoric and virtue of peace. i remember just a few years ago i was walking with my friend, congressman john lewis, through selma, alabama. we walked on the same path of the selma to montgomery march

that john led 50 years ago. we crossed the edmund pettus bridge in peace that day, but when john led the march across the same bridge in 1965 he was beaten by a mob of state troopers and deputized citizens. john cannot remember who carried him, but wounded and bloodied as john told it to me, he was taken away to a church with a head injury. he did not know if he would even live. those marchers at selma demonstrated physical courage. but they also demonstrated the highest moral courage. under the onslaught of brutality and uncertainty, they did not match violence with violence. no, they nanded peace -- demanded peace in the face of war. solidarity in the face of division. and love in the face of hate. for all of america's

shortcomings, these brave men and women demanded that the promise of america not to be discarded. but instead realized by being purified in practice. they held america to its promise by doing so they put their lives at risk suffered ridicule, and bodily harm. and yet in history they were vindicated. we are gathered today in honor of those civil rights activists who suffered violence while standing for peace. we honor them for holding our nation to the highest ideals, ensuring the true existence of liberty and justice for all, and making this country keep to its promise. that all men and women are created equal. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from michigan reserves. the gentlewoman from alabama is recognized. ms. sewell: mr. speaker, i yield

two minutes to the honorable minority leader, nancy pelosi, the gentlelady from california. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from california is recognized for two minutes. ms. pelosi: thank you very much, mr. speaker. i thank the gentlewoman from alabama, congresswoman terri sewell, for her leadership in introducing and driving forth this legislation to award the congressional gold medal to the foot soldiers of selma who fought for african-americans right to vote. thank you for the recognition to speak. . it's very interesting and moving and inspiring to listen to the de-- to listen to the debate on this legislation. to hear the majority leader and others in congress to talk about how important what happened at selma was to our country and what promise it made for the future of our country. i would hope that the logical conclusion of that when we seem people who are beaten and at some instance at that time

killed fighting for the right to vote that we would truly honor them not only with a gold medal as wonderful as that is, but by passing the voting rights act on the floor of the house. today, listening to our colleagues i'm reminded of a day almost a year ago, around march of last year, when we dedicated the statue chew of rosa parks at the capitol of the united states. how exciting. an african-american woman to join the ranks of all those men out there, many more striving to bring diversity, recognizing the great leadership of rosa parks. while we were there that very day dedicating the statue of rosa parks across the street at the supreme court, there were -- they were hearing the arguments on the voting rights case. it seems to me it would have been so logical for us to be

supporting the spirit of the voting rights act. of course the court acted and the congressional black caucus took the lead, many of us stood on the steps while the oral arguments were going on later came here to dedicate the statue. but there seemed to be a total disconnect between those speaking in a bipartisan way about rosa parks and how important it was to our country and the fact that the court court was going to overturn a piece of the voting rights act and that we, one year later have done nothing to correct that. so while it's beautiful and lovely to hear all the good words and it's fabulous for us to be awarding this gelled medal frankly, i think the food foot soldiers of selma bring added luster to the gold medal as we honor them with it. as we all know this marks the 50th anniversary of two exceptional events in american

history, the march on selma and the passage of the voting rights act. 50 years ago, as we all know, thousands of peoplering students, scholarrings members of the cler judge greek orth gocks -- orthodox church very prominent there, marched across the edmund pettus bridge in selma, alabama. today the undaunted dignity and courage of the men and women who march continue to inspire our nation on the floor of the house today. hopefully that inspiration will rise to a place in this house where we vote the voting rights act. john lewis, who was there, has been acclaimed by all of us a national treasure and national hero. what an honor it is to serve with him in congress and to call him colleague. the journey from selma to montgomery is more than a 50 mill -- is more than 50 miles but fatigue did not stop the marchers.

those brave foot soldiers, propelled by their faith in our country to live up to its promise continued to march because they knew the power of they have ballot, how proud all of us are again to serve in the house alongside john lewis, the conscience of the congress who is one one of the young leaders toward justice and equality and the ballot box. the selma to montgomery march changed the future of this country. a week after the march, president johnson called on congress to pass the voting rights act he said at the time at times history and state meet at a single time and single place to shape a turning point in man's unending search for freedom. so it was at lexington and concord. so it was at appomattox. so it was in selma, alabama.

and so the courage of ,000 marchers transformed a bridge into a national sill symbol of how justice can conquer the status quo. today ta steel arched bridge of the alabama river elevates dr. king's quote we quote all the time, the arc of history long but it bends toward justice. we propose to honor the foot soldiers of the selma marches with a congressional gold gold medal and commit to keep bending and pulling that arc toward justice. one way to do that is to pass the voting rights act. just to recall, mr. speaker, the last time we brought up the voting rights act, in 2007 -- 2006, we put it together, 2006 2007. the senate passed it

unanimouslyle unanimously. and in the house the vote was 390-33. there is bipartisan legislation introduced which can be brought to the floor, passed and passed in time for the selma anniversary next month and certainly must be passed before the 50th anniversary the signing of the voting rights act on august 6. we must push back the same old stale efforts to hamper voting access and hinder progress. today as we celebrate the foot soldiers we pay homage, we reach deep inside us to say how inspired we all were by it, let's look to the now and say, right now, to honor these people, we must pass the voting rights act again. to correct what the court did. so as we pay tribute to the foot

soldiers who kept on marches, we move forward from a painful pace past and march into a brighter, fairer future for everyone. again thank you, congresswoman sewell for your leadership on this important issue. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from california yields back the balance of her time. the gentlewoman from alabama reserves. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. huizenga: i yield myself 30 seconds. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. huizenga: i have no interest in politicizing this great bipartisan medal act we currently have and let's not turn this important act into a debate that will be, frankly held in the judiciary committee rather than on the house floor and we know that that voter's rights act, being a man who represents a significant part of gerald gerald r. ford's congressional district, it was men like him that were hand in hand arm in arm with those in that movement that helped create

the original voters' rights act and i know that this body can rise again to do the right thick and move forward in a bipartisan effort manner. with that, recognizing that the other side has numerous speakers on this bill, particularly from the congressional black caucus, i ask unanimous consent that the remaining -- that seven minutes of the majority's time be transferred and placed under the control of my good friend and colleague ms. sewell who is the democratic manager. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. the gentleman reserves. the gentlewoman from alabama is recognized. ms. sewell: i want to thank the gentleman from michigan for yielding us the remainder of his time. i want to thank you for the opportunity for the members of the congressional black caucus to speak out on this important bill. right now we have the honor for two mins i will be yielding to the honorable whip, steny hoyer the gentleman from maryland. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for two

minutes. mr. hoyer: i say to my friend from michigan, today we are all members of the congressional black caucus, one people with one commitment and one idea. mr. speaker, i rise in strong support of this bill of which i am a co-sponsor, honoring the brave men and women who marched in selma. this will be my 0th year participating in the faith and politics pilgrimage to selma with my friend john lewis. i thank the gentlelady for selma -- from selma for leading this debate. those folks who marched across that bridge on march 7 known as bloody sunday, were met with the power of the state to prevent them from voting. this gold medal would be a tribute to john and all those who marched alongside him. and all those who marched along two weeks later, martin luther king jr.

those thousands who walked that five-day journey from selma to montgomery. we ought to pass it unanimously i hope we will. but martin luther king jr. would not be happy with us if we just looked back in awe and reverence. and did not look at today, i tell my friend from michigan for he would say that congress should go further than simply honoring those who fought for their rights a half century ago. we should pay tribute to their sacrifices and the scars they still carry by restoring the full protections of the voting rights act which the supreme court weakened in 2013. martin luther king jr. was about principle, but he was also about assuring that protections would be in place. i hope that this house will

allow bipartisan legislation to restore these protections which are co-sponsored by jim sensenbrenner, former chairman of the judiciary committee on the republican side, and john lewis, a hero of selma. these protections should move expeditiously through the house. once it's introduced. again i thank the gentlelady, may i have an additional minute? the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for an additional minute. mr. hoyer: i thank the gentleman for giving her a minute to yield me to -- yield to me. i thank the gentlewoman from alabama for her work to honor those who shook the conscience of our nation through their courageous actions in selma 50 years ago and in so many other places where many fought. some were badly injured. and yes, some died. to redeem the promises of

america that all of us are created equal endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights and certainly in a democracy one of the most important, if not the most important rights that we have is to vote. to select our representatives. to select the policies under which we will live. i thank the speaker and majority leader for getting behind this effort and again thank the 1kwr5e89 from selma -- the gentlelady from selma, how proud she must be of our hometown and of the history that was made there, not just for african-americans, but for all americans. and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has ex-tired. the gentlewoman from alabama reserves. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. huizenga: i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from alabama is recognized. ms. sewell: how many minutes do we have remaining? the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman has 12 1/2 minutes remaining. ms. sewell: at this time, i would like to yield to mrs.

beatty, the gentlelady from ohio. one minute. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized for one minute. mrs. beatty: thank you, congresswoman sewell. mr. speaker, i rise today to support and join congresswoman teri soil sewell my good -- terri sewell, hi good friend, and my good friend martha roby, on this bill to award a congressional gold medal to the foot soldiers who participated in the marches in 1965. these foot soldiers including our congressman john lewis and the men, women and children who marched on bloody sunday sunday turnaround tuesday, and the final march from selma to montgomery who were met with attack and dogs and beatings and deaths along the way. still they march as many of us will march in a if weeks to fight for equal rights and voting rights. let us honor the 1965 foot

soldiers fir their bravery and for their equality. marching for equality. mr. speaker, i urge all members to vote yes on h.r. 431 and i wreeled back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. huizenga: i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from alabama is recognized. ms. sewell: i yield three minutes to the gentlelady from texas ms. jackson lee. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady gentlelady from texas is recognized for three minutes. ms. jackson lee: i thank the gentlelady from alabama and i thank her particularly for her per persistent leadership and for her generosity inviting so many members to her district. we have enjoyed meeting her local officials and we have enjoyed meeting the leadership of this great city and its great history and we make a personal commitment to hear her that as he we travel through selma and it captures the essence of a

town of great history, that we recognize that there is a need to invest many dollars to preserve this great city and to preserve its history. we thank her for her leadership. to the manager, the gentleman from michigan, let me thank you so very much for your eloquent statements and as well isn't it important, mr. speaker, to see the number of leaders, of our leadership, the majority leader, the minority leader, the whip, minority whip, here on the floor of the house, joining us in this momentous occasion. i have the privilege of working for the southern christian leadership council obviously at a very, very young age. it was in that atmosphere out of their office office on auburn street in georgia, that i got the sense and feeling of the moment of the history of selma. as we're reminded in the fictional movie but yet truthful, the movie "selma,"

we're reminded of the song "glory." today is an example of glory. it is an example of the coming together of peoples around what is right. it is a recognition that foot soldiers, though unknown, even some 50 years later, are deserving of pulling them from the ashes of their last words to be able to say to them, thank you. that is what this congressional gold medal means to me and means to so many who were among the 600-plus that could be called the foot soldiers. obviously by working for the southern christian leadership conference and council i knew at that time ambassador an true young, hosea williams, james orange and a litany of others and certainly as our congresswoman from selma has cone we pay tribute to our leader john lewis, who himself was brutalized as he attempted

to exercise a simple right, protected by the bill of rights and that is the right to freedom of speech, freedom of access, freedom of movement. and so today mr. speaker, i join in the words of president johnson on march 15, 1965, looking back over bloody sunday. i speak tonight as he said for the dignity of man, the destiny of democracy. at times history and faith meet at a single time, in a single place to shape a turning point in man's unending search for freedom. so it was at lexington and concord, so it was a century ago at appapotix, and so it was last week in selma, alabama. yes it was simply just last week. in the thinking of so many of us as we stand on the floor of the house. might i -- ms. sewell: 15 seconds i yield. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized for

15 seconds. ms. jackson lee: thank you so very much. as we vote together we vote together and might i say as we do as we vote can we vote to re-authorize the voting rights act by restoring section 5, giving the supreme court it needs but recognizing the importance of protecting the right to vote. in the name of jimmy lee jackson who died trying to protect his mother and grandmother, in the name of reverend james reed, i ask we stand here today and vote for this legislation to honor them and vote for the re-authorization of the voting rights act. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady's time has expired. the gentlewoman from alabama reserves. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. the gentlewoman from alabama. ms. sewell: i yield to the gentlewoman from new jersey, ms. watson coleman. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. mrs. watson coleman: i want to thank for bringing up this

important issue. i am proud to take this opportunity to demonstrate our appreciation and our respect for the sacrifices that were made by the foot soldiers who marched in those three marches and it is my honor always to be part of this wonderful body that serves along with the -- with john lewis who happens to be one of my personal heroes. you know, this congressional gold medal is just not simply an award. it's embamatic of a selflessness of people who stood up and did the right thing and put their lives in jeopardy to ensure that we as a democracy had an opportunity to participate at the very highest level. and that is a level of voting. and so as i stand here and thank each and every one of our colleagues on both sides of the aisle for supporting this initiative, i rise also to remind us that we have work to be done, that the battle that was before us and we thought we won it's still there to be won and that we need to correct the

acts of the supreme court and follow through on the actions of giving people the right to vote. thank you so much mr. speaker. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman's time has expired. the gentlewoman from alabama reserves. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. huizenga: i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentlewoman from alabama is recognized. ms. sewell: mr. ser yield two minutes to the gentleman from pennsylvania, mr. fattah. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from pennsylvania is recognized for two minutes. mr. fattah: i thank the gentlelady from alabama and those others who co-sponsored this including congresswoman roby from alabama. this legislation is so vitally important. i take it as one of my life's greatest honors to have served for the last 20 years in the congress with john lewis. he literally changed our nation through his bravery. and on a day like today, this is the date that 25 years ago nelson mandela walked out of prison and into the presidency in south africa and as those

foot soldiers walked across this bridge on bloody sunday, they helped create a circumstance in which we would have, as the president of the united states barack obama. we cannot separate these issues. they're inextricably intertwined. and i want to say to my colleague from selma who represents so ably the new south that our nation is so much better for the struggle in selma for the sacrifice and not just those who are famous like dr. king or john lewis but i met at her side ms. boykin, 105-year-old woman who walked across that bridge that day just in this capitol less than 20 days ago and i want to thank her for her leadership on this issue and thank her as we celebrate and commemorate these 50 years and as we dedicate

ourselves to fight for the right to vote for every single american without equivocation or compromise. thank you and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from pennsylvania yields back the balance of his time. the gentlewoman from alabama reserves. the gentleman from michigan continues to reserve. the gentlewoman from alabama is recognized. ms. sewell: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from alabama is recognized. ms. sewell: mr. speaker, voting is the most fundamental right that we share as americans. the foot soldiers who dared to march across the edmund pettus in the face of extreme racial hostility did so in the spirit of equality. we should never forget the sacrifices they made so this nation could live up to the ideals of equality and justice for all. while we can never repay these foot soldiers for the sacrifices that they made, we can offer a down payment by continuing to fight against

injustice wherever it exists. for as dr. king so eloquently noted injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. may we be moved by the valor and determination of these foot soldiers to stomp out modern-day inequities in the name of justice. the foot soldiers of the voting rights movement set forth a powerful precedent for all of us to follow. whenever the rights of any one man has been denied the rights of all are in danger. the price of freedom, as said before, is not free. the foot soldiers paid the ultimate price to ensure equal voting rights for all americans. mr. speaker, i'm proud that over 300 of my colleagues in congress, both democrats and republicans, have agreed to co-sponsor this bill and i am proud that my colleague from

alabama senator sessions, and senator booker will introduce this bill in the senate today. i'm proud of the support of this bill and i'd like to thank representative martha roby and all of the members of the alabama delegation for standing with me in support of this bill. today i am especially proud to be from alabama. i invite my colleagues, republican and democrat, and all americans to come to selma during the first week of march to witness living history. you, too, can witness living history. the city of selma, the jubilee group will be doing a host of activities all week long and, of course the commemorative march itself will be on sunday, march 8 as well as our president will be speaking to us in approximate selma on

march 7. -- us in selma on march 7. i believe that bestowing the congressional gold medal to the foot soldiers of the movement is a strong reminder of the power of ordinary americans to collectively achieve extraordinary extraordinary social change. i want to again thank the gentleman from michigan for sharing with me this wonderful 40 minutes of debate. i want you to know that it is one of the highlights of my life to have the opportunity to bestow this congressional gold medal to the foot soldiers of the voting rights movement and as a proud daughter of selma and the representative of selma, montgomery and birmingham and tuscaloosa, i want you to know that those of us who are the direct beneficiaries of the movement, black and white, we owe a debt of gratitude that we can never

repay. but today goes a long way at acknowledging those unsung and noted heroes like john lewis, but there are so many, so many that are in our midst in our communities that gave that sacrifice. and today we honor them, the foot soldiers of the voting rights movement. i want to say again to all of my colleagues, i hope that you will take seriously this bill and what its significance is to america. i want to thank the gentleman from michigan for sharing this time with me and i want to thank the leadership of both parties for putting this bill on the floor in such a timely manner so we can get it on the president's desk before the march on march 7 and 8 again wonderful, wonderful celebrations. i ask my colleagues to vote yes on h.r. 431. i yield back the remainder of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from alabama yields back the balance of her time.

the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. huizenga: thank you mr. speaker. to my friend, it's amazing to me today the irony of -- as we talk about the edmund pettus bridge a man who served as the grand dragon of the ku klux klan in alabama who just 100 years ago was serving in the u.s. senate and to have that be a symbol and disgust in the same breath of john lewis and martin luther king and so many others and in that short 50 years, for us, even though we may be of a different political persuasion, for me to be here and witness the first african-american to be president of this united states, what an amazing journey this has been. gone are the poll taxes. gone are the reading and history classes or tests. gone are a number of those legal impediments and formal legal impediments that were there both in the north and in the south where it would be where someone could or couldn't

live. what is not gone -- i'm struck by this time and time again -- is sin and hatred in human's hearts and as c.s. lewis talks about in "mere christianity," law can attempt to change a man's actions but they will not succeed without a change to those men's hearts. and i think that is our legacy. i think that is our duty as americans. and i think that's part of what we are doing here today to honor, to recognize to celebrate, knowing that journey's not done necessarily, knowing that we have other areas where we need to work on this as a society but knowing that progress has been made and it's truly an honor to be a part of this with you as well, my friend, and with that, mr. speaker, i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from michigan yields back the balance of his time. the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 431. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no.

in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 having responded in the affirmative -- ms. sewell: i request the yeas and nays. the speaker pro tempore: the yeas and nays are requested. faverfiver -- all those in favor of taking this vote by the yeas and nays will rise and remain standing until counted. a sufficient number having arisen, the yeas and nays are ordered. pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20 further proceedings on this question will be postponed.

all points of order against consideration of the bill are waived. the bill shall be considered as read. all points of order against provisions in the bill are waived. the previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill and on any amendment thereto to final passage 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 energy and commerce and the chair and ranking minority member of the committee on transportation and infrastructure and two, one

motion to commit. section 2, on any legislative day during the period from february 16, 2015, through february 23, 2015 a, the journal of the proceedings of the previous day shall be considered as approved and b, the chair may at any time declare the house adjourned to meet at a date and time within the limits of clause 4, section 5, article 1 of the constitution to be announced by the chair in declaring the adjournment. section 3, the speaker may appoint members to perform the duties of the chair for the duration of the period addressed by section 2 of this resolution as though under clause 8-a of rule 1. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from georgia is recognized for one hour. mr. woodall: all time yielded is for purposes of debate only and i yield the customary 30 minutes to my friend from tpwhrea, mr.

hastings for debate only, pending which i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. woodall: we are here to talk about house resolution 100 which provides for consideration of s. 1, the keystone x.l. pipeline approval act. folks may signed that unusual we're here to talk about a bill that begins with s. 1. but there's a new day in washington, d.c. that excites me. the open for business sign is there on the senate side. it's in the a function of republicans doing this or democrats doing that. it's a function of the process working the way that it should. first vote i took on the keystone pipeline, mr. speaker, was back in 2011 when i was first elected to congress. passed the house by a wide bipartisan margin. never was given the time of day in the united states senate. as we come here today, mr. speaker, we're not just talking about an approval of the keystone x.l. pipeline in s. 1,

we're talking about the inclusion of another bill that's passed time and time again, the better buildings act. mr. mckinley of west virginia has language that would promote energy conservation across this land a bill that's passed time and time again in this house. but has never been passed by the senate. it's on an opportunity here today, mr. speaker. it is an opportunity to do those things that the american people sent us here to do. bipartisan votes commonsense legislation, for the first time in a long time, mr. speaker, and what i hope will be the beginning of a long trend here in the u.s. house of representatives. as you listen to the reading clerk read mr. speaker, you heard there were a lot of different points in this bill. it's not just a bill for consideration of s. 1. it is a bills -- also a bill so that when the house is not in session in d.c. next week, the speaker will have the ability to call the house back into session

to continue to conduct business because the business must continue to go on. i'm glad that the rules committee was able to include that provision as well. seven years ago is when the permit process started on the keystone x.l. pipeline. seven years ago. longer than it took to build the hoover dam, we've been trying to approval -- to approve a small section of pipeline. i say trying to approve somewhat loosely. i think if we'd been committed to getting it done, we could have gotten it done. commonsense piece of legislation 245 decides rather than building a pipeline across canada to carry oil to canadian refineries to provide jobs for canadians, if our partner to the north is willing, we'll build that pipeline through america to deliver that oil to american refineries to create american jobs.

this isn't a bill that mandates that. the marketplace will control this decision, the marketplace will control where the oil is refined. the marketplace is going to control whether or not the oil comes out of the ground to begin with. too often i think we've been treating the keystone x.l. pipeline approval process as if it was an environmental decision. there are those who wish the united states would reduce its reliance on fossil fuels. i'm one of those. i don't think there's any van advantage to be had by putting all your eggs in one energy basket. i'm in favor of an all of the above strategy that makes sure that north america's energy security is based on multiple avenues for energy production. but we do not get to decide in this chamber whether or not canadians bring oil out to have the ground. we only get to decide whether or not once that oil comes out of the ground it's moved with u.s.

jobs and u.s. construction to u.s. refineries, or whether or not those jobs go elsewhere. mr. speaker, time and time again, folks to the come to the floor and they say where is the jobs, where is the jobs legislation. -- where is the jobs, where is the the jobs legislation. i'm pleased to be carrying this rule for the rules committee, because this is one of those jobs bills. bipartisan, commonsense. if we pass it here in the house today, mr. speaker headed to the president's desk. that signature will change the lives of those hardworking americans looking for jobs today. with that, mr. speaker, i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from georgia reserves. the gentleman from florida is recognized. mr. hastings: thank you very much mr. speaker. i thank my friend from georgia for yielding me the customary 30 minutes. mr. speaker, you're not permitted to sing in the house

of representatives and i shall not do that but i will take this opportunity to do as my colleagues in the rules committee did yesterday a little bit in advantage of my friend's birthday, but today is the birthday of my friend mr. woodall and as one who has had many more birthdays than he, i hope he has as many as me and many, many more. happy birthday to you, rob. as my friends are well aware, the president has already said that he's going to veto this measure. we introduced last night the statement of the administration with reference thereto. that means that the likelihood that this bill will become law, is highly improbable at best. i wish i was standing here under

different circumstances. i wish that the house was about to vote on something it knows that the president will sign into law. i wish we were working on something that will actually help our economic recovery instead of hamstringing it. listen to my friend very attentively when he pointed out that the marketplace will dictate three different circumstances, one that he did not allude to that i will is that the marketplace will dictate where the oil once refined, if the keystone pipeline is approved, the marketplace will dictate out there in that neverland where we don't participate, where the oil will go. and therefore i want to make it very clear that i do not believe that it means that there will be

cheaper prices in the united states of america. i'm standing here because house leadership would rather pass purely symbolic measures than work with the president. and i recognize that as my friend has pointed out that a long time has passed with reference to this measure. i did a little added research to determine what would edgeland and other department companies up in canada do in case there was no pipeline. in addition to keystone

east west or north in canada are being and have been made as our debate has been ongoing here with reference to the keystone pipeline. the 113th congress is going to be remembered, and i believe everybody now understands as the least productive congress ever. that's the one we just came out of. however, it seems that current congress is going to take its best shot at accomplishing even less if we stay on the course that we're on. virtually every bill that has come before the rules committee the house already passed in the 113th congress.

most have no more hope of becoming law now than the last time around. we have yet to see one really new idea from the republican leadership of this body, which has shown zero interest in actually doing its job in my opinion. how many more times are we going to have to vote to repeal so-called obamacare? a program that now unquestionably is improving the lives of some hardworking americans. instead, we are voting on bills hand picked for their ability to demonstrate the republicans' message of the week. regardless of chance of enactment, regardless of whether it's a good idea regardless of

whether it's something that will help everyday americans. and because these bills are hand picked for specific purposes most have come to the floor under a closed rule. which means that members cannot change the measure in any way. not even to make it better. and not even with bipartisan solutions. a good example is so far this body has voted on 14 -- 15 rules. during this 114th congress. of which eight of those 15 have been closed. the closed rules we will pass this week will be numbers nine, 10, and 11. now listen, my friends. on this same measure last week

and before, the united states senate operating under regular order that is now majority led by republicans considers on this very same measure 18 amendments, six that were approved and some of them that were offered were bipartisan. among the reasons, i believe, that the senate majority leader determined that he he would operate differently than the previous majority leader is -- as far as how to give his membership, smaller than ours of course, an opportunity to participate in the process. all the more reason, i believe that we should have open rules. we have new members too, as do they. we have members that have ideas that may be bipartisan with

reference to support, and opposition, to the keystone pipeline. but no, we continue to operate under claused rule. you -- closed rule. you know how many rules were closed by the -- by this point of the last congress? the most closed rules ever. six. the gavel might as well be a brick wall. furthermore, much of the legislation this congress has voted on has evaded regular order, escaping the review hearings, and markups that ensure appropriate deliberation and consideration. those of us on the rules committee have a wonderful opportunity, we're becoming sort of like the place of first resort for legislation. it isn't coming from hearings. the american public doesn't get an opportunity to see the various committees. it just comes up to the rules

committee and we massage it and jaw back and forth about what our views are but it does not come under regular order. just like the original version of this bill the house is considering the senate version of this bill without a hearing or a markup. these are not just academic, procedural disagreements. it matters because members are not able to represent their constituents. it matters because good ideas are being deliberately kept hidden. i've been here a look time and i've seen some pretty great congresses under republican and democratic control and i've seen some pretty lousy ones. but the last few years, this body has been like a hamster on a wheel spinning and spinning but never getting anywhere, you don't have to look farther than a couple of amendments the senate made to this bill to see

my friends spinning their wheels. climate change is real. because a few senators decided to get in a few words it's in the bill and we're going to vote on it and then what? just yesterday, agriculture secretary tom vilsack announced that the united states department of agriculture is making more than $280 million available for rural agricultural producers and small business owners to apply for resources to purchase and install renewable energy systems or make energy efficiency improvements. what's more, those funds were made available in the 114th farm bill which shows what congress can accomplish when we work together, and i might add, because farmers in this country have experienced a 37%

reduction, and i, along with others represent many of those rural areas, am delighted that we were able to do that in the farm bill and i'm pleased that secretary vilsack made his announcement. the senate also included an amendment that finds that congress should, as opposed to shall require oil companies to pay an excise tax to fund oil spill cleanups. well i appreciate this expression, the amendment effectively does nothing to mandate contributions to the oil liability trust fund. and i would invite my colleagues on the other side to explain that, tell us why it is that these oil companies should not be required to contribute in a mandatory manner to the oil liability trust fund. instead, what is happening is

we create the illusion that oil companies will actually be accountable in the event of a spill. alternatively simply closing the loophole that allows oil and gas companies to deduct the cost of cleaning up oil spills would discourage oil spills and save hardworking american taxpayers an average of $1.3 billion per year. the american people were led to believe that changing control of the senate would lead to an end of this gridlock. but sadly, this has not been the case. my friends are not going to be able to, like the hamster, spin their wheels continuously. but even the hamster gets tired and sooner or later when that hamster gets tired of the nonsense of spinning, going

nowhere, he either gets off or he falls off. i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from florida reserves the balance of his time. the gentleman from georgia is recognized. mr. woodall: thank you mr. speaker. i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. woodall: to thank my friend for his well wishes and to tell him i'm sympathetic to the hamster wheel scenario that he describes. i don't particularly enjoy these opening weeks of a new congress mr. speaker, because committees haven't gotten organized, legislation hasn't started to flow and it puts the committee in a very unfortunate situation of having to act, as the legislator, as the authorizer to begin moving pieces of legislation to the floor. that's unfortunate but that's not the situation we're talking about today, mr. speaker. what we're talking about today is a bill that not only passed the floor of the house but went to the senate a bill that not just went to the senate but went through that wonderful, open debate process as my

friend from florida described and has now come back to us today. four years we've been trying to move this bill forward, mr. speaker. it is a closed rule here today so that we can act on the same legislation that the senate has passed, so we can send this bill to the president's desk so we can get off the hamster wheel of futility that my friend describes. i'm optimistic but it doesn't happen by itself. it happens with years and years of work. with that, mr. speaker, i'd like to yield five minutes to the gentleman from north dakota mr. cramer, whose advocacy and leadership has made having this bill on the floor today possible. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from north dakota is recognized for five minutes. cramecrame i thank the gentleman for -- mr. cramer: i thank the gentleman for yielding. i thank you mr. speaker, and thank my friends on the other side of the aisle on the rules committee. i have enjoyed this topic immensely. i might say as a word of encouragement with regard to

the hamster wheel because i share the same concerns, but i'm also encouraged by the fact we're passing the senate bill today. as many times as we tried to pass this, we've never been able to get it to the president's desk. that will happen soon. that's progress. i think we ought to celebrate the progress of that. with regard to being the least productive congress, veto threats before voting on important things sort of leads to gridlock, i suppose, but i don't think that should stop us from doing our job and forwarding the ideas that our constituents asked for and my constituents want the keystone x.l. pipeline passed. we were talking about a senate bill. we passed h.r. 3 when i introduced it the first week in the house, closed rule as the gentleman from florida said, simple bill. we passed similar bills in previous congresses. well vetted. and my colleague from north dakota, senator hoeven who's really the originator of this

whole concept introduced senate 1. the other reason i think we should be encouraged, not only did the senate have an open process, they voted on 47 -- at least 47 amendments. that's more than three times as many amendments on s. 1 as the senate voted on all of the bills last year. that's progress. that's not hamsters on the wheel. i want to take a few minutes to describe the amendments that came over from the senate and why i suggest to leadership and am pleased leadership accepted that we accept the senate amendments forward and go to conference although that would be a good exercise for us as well, but there were a couple of amendments that dealt with energy efficiency programs, as the gentleman from georgia pointed out. dealing with federally leased and owned property as well as schools. it sets up programs and processes gives authority to the department of energy to sort of coordinate energy efficiency issues and programs

which i think is a noble goal. there is that sense of the senate that climate change is real and not a hoax. we can throw that out as sort of meaningless but a reality is a statement like that passed 98-1 by the senate is a pretty strong statement. i think the president ought to view that as currency, as currency. you know, he argues because keystone, isle oil sands, is supposed to emit more greenhouse gas emissions than others. i point out that it's not true and i point out very specific facts on that, but in the spirit of compromise he has this statement that i think provides currency for him to go to paris next december and say this is the sense of the congress of the united states. i hope he views it as a positive. senator mikulski has that amendment and the gentleman from florida spoke to the sense of the senate that all forms of unrefined and unprocessed petroleum should be subject to the nominal per verbial excise

tax associated with the spill fund. it's a sense of the senate and it isn't put into law, i think it's important to note that we're talking about a tax. an excise tax that is placed on domestic crude, for sure, not placed -- if you imagine is bitamin. because it's not in the tax code it's not subject to the excise tax. that should be corrected. we should do that in the proper order probably through the ways and means committee. that said, it's important to note that transcanada is 100% responsible for spills and cleaning them up. i cited the first keystone pipeline through north dakota, 600 landowners. they had a concern at one of the pimp pumping stations. they did clean it up. it didn't contaminate the water. all of the tools worked properly. my point is they're responsible. that's as per each state's law. this line will be permitted in approximate each state and they have to be responsible for

cleanup. another one, senator cornyn had an amendment land or interest in land for the pipeline may only be acquired through constitutionally appropriate means. that only makes sense. maybe doesn't need to be stated but it's important to state. similar to the barrasso amendment that says clarifies the treaties with indian tribes must remain in effect. that should be obvious as well but doesn't hurt to restate those important points. so i think that these amendments are important amendments, they're good amendments they help broaden the appeal of the bill. i want to take this map down and i want to speak to a few of the merits of the keystone pipeline bill because i know them very well. there are extraordinary benefits of keystone x.l. employment opportunities. mr. speaker, according to the u.s. state department 42,000 jobs will be supported by the construction. and i can assure you having been on the construction site of the original keystone bill, it's true and these are real jobs. these are good jobs. some people refer to them as temporary jobs. referring to a pipeline project

as temporary is like referring to waned farm as only temporary. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. mr. woodall: i yield the leader, mr. cramer, five more minutes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from north dakota is recognized for an additional five minutes. mr. cramer: i appreciate the generosity of the gentleman from georgia. all construction jobs are temporary until you move on. there are thousands of miles of pipeline under the ground in the united states. the steelworkers the truck drivers, the back hoe operators, the local hotels and restaurants and retailers that benefit tremendously. this is the make or break in many cases for some of these smaller benefits from this dynamic economy. the energy security. we scant overstate energy security. we're talking about displacing venezuelan oil. we're talking about displacing middle eastern -- in fact the

180 million barrels is equal to about 50% what we import from the middle east. that's security. when we talk about energy independence, that's one thing. security means that we are -- we are -- we have our security in our own hands we're not subject to bad guys from other parts of the world that we in fact are part of the security shution and it relates directly to national security, i might add. it has -- enhance safety. i was a pipeline regulator for years. there is no safer way to move crude oil than by prine. it's most efficient and it's the safest by far. we've seen some of the things that happen when we cluttered our highways. in fact, the department of transportation in north dakota anticipates the saving of three to six fatalities on the roads in north dakota if this pipeline is built because, remember, it's not all canadian oil sands. there is about a quarter of this capacity is reserved for

crude oil as well. that removes a lot of trucks from our roads. that's much safer for the traveling public. trains another issue. we have a lot of trains. this would represent 10 trains a week that could be hauling food to hungry people rather than oil to the marketplace. environmental protection. we hear a lot about the environment and the issues pertaining to it and rightfully so. the good news is after 6 1/2 years of study, this is the most environmentally studied pipeline and the most sophisticated and highest tech pipeline in the history of the world. in fact, moving oil by rail actually emits 1.8 times more co-2 into the air than moving it by pipeline. moving it by truck emits 2.9 times more co-2 than does moving it by pipeline. moving it by barge to china where it will be refined with far lower environmental standards than the united

states, that's priceless. in exchange with canada, i don't think we need to understatement our importance. our number one trading partner. $2 billion a day of goods and services travels between our two countries. our top partner -- trading partner and best friend, canada. if we were doing this to canadians and to canadian companies or if they were doing this to us, i can't imagine how we would respond. and i have worked closely with the embassy. i've worked closely with the new premiere who won election last fall on a pro-environmental stewardship platform and exchange with canada is so important. we need to restore and care for that important relationship. i'd rather enhance that relationship, quite frankly, and it gets right back to this energy security issue, than to be fighting over oil or fighting to protect the transportation of oil in other places. so, mr. president, at the end

of the day with everything else that's gone on and all of these other important issues, to me the final thing is this. it's what i say to the president mr. speaker. you asked for bipartisan bills. you've asked for us to work together. here we have a bipartisan bicameral solution one that the american public supports in a big way one that would create jobs, one that would lift up the middle class, mr. president. would just beg, mr. speaker, that the president would reconsider his veto threat on this important bipartisan jobs bill and sign it, sign it when it comes to his desk so that we can get people back to work, that we can less dependent on foreign sources of oil from across the sea and become more interdependent with our neighbors in canada and with that i yield back and thank you for the generosity of your team. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from north dakota yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from georgia reserves. the gentleman from florida is recognized. .

mr. hastings: would you tell us the time remaining. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from georgia has 15 minutes. the gentleman from florida has 18 minutes. mr. hastings: thank you very much, mr. speaker. here we are only 17 days before the republican homeland security shutdown. six legislative days, just six. legislative days left until the department of homeland security shuts down on february 28 closing down many of the crucial department of homeland security operations that have kept our country safe from terrorist attacks. if we defeat the previous question, i'm going to offer an amendment to the rule to bring up a clean version of the department of homeland security

funding bill. with such serious consequences it's time to put politics aside in order to strengthen our homeland and protect american families. to discuss our proposal, i'm very pleased to yield five minutes to my good friend, the gentlewoman from new york, the ranking member of the appropriation committee, mrs. lowey. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from new york is recognized for five minutes. mrs. lowey: thank you, madam speaker. i rise today to urge this house to immediately take up and pass a clean funding bill for the department of homeland security. by defeating the previous question on the pending rule, we can immediately make in order a clean homeland security bill and stop the theatrics over the president's use of executive orders.

mr. speaker, madam speaker as of today we are 134 days into what should have been the start of this fiscal year. the situation this house has caused is completely unacceptable. we simply cannot wait one more day to do the right thing. the responsible thing, and fund these critical agencies tasked with protecting this nation. as the ranking minority member of the appropriations committee i was involved in the bipartisan, bicameral negotiations on the omnibus spending bill that passed the house and the senate and was signed by the president last december. that package could have contained all 12 annual spending bills because all 12 were negotiated in conference and

every one of them was ready to go. but an unfortunate decision was made by the leadership of this body to omit the homeland security bill not because there were outstanding issues of continued dispute. that bill negotiated by my good friend from north carolina, mr. price, was stripped from the omnibus because some in this body were upset by the president's executive order on immigration. they even admitted the president's actions has little to do with the homeland security appropriations bill, yet that was the choice that was made on how to proceed. so the homeland security appropriations bill was forced to operate under a continuing resolution instead of having a full year bill. ironically, it meant customs and border protection, and

immigration and customs enforcement two of the agencies tasked with defending our borders and enforcing our immigration laws had to do without the nearly $1 billion increase they would have gotten under the full year bill. delaying the full year bill, my colleagues, limits the department's ability to advance the secretary's unity of effort initiative designed to improve coordination if our security missions. limits the ability of the secretary to move ahead with the southern border and approaches campaign, creates uncertainty regarding isis capacity to detain and deport dangerous criminals. complicates the department's ability to deal with another influx of unaccompanied children at our border stations. delays implementation of the new

security upgrades at the white house, hiring increases of the u.s. secret service. delays, terrorism preparedness, and response grants for state and local public safety personnel. i understand that many of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle feel quite strongly about the president's use of executive orders on immigration policy. but i am compelled to remind those colleagues that they have every tool at their disposal to pass legislation changing the president's proposal. this stunt, my friends, has gone on too long. it's time to admit these immigration policy decisions have little to nothing to do with the appropriations process. the homeland security bill should never have been held

hostage in this fight. mr. speaker, just this week secretary of homeland security jeh johnson issued a sobering statement about the consequences of operating under a continuing resolution. quite simply border security is not free. i couldn't agree more. i ask unanimous consent to ender secretary johnson's statement in the record. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mrs. lowey: another 30 seconds. mr. hastings: i yield another 30 seconds. mrs. lowey: if my colleagues are finally serious about these programs and priorities i urge them join with me today, defeat the previous question, so that my colleague, mr. hastings, can offer an amendment to provide a clean, full year appropriations bill for the department of homeland security.

i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back. the gentleman from florida reserves. the gentleman from georgia is recognized. mr. woodall: thank you, madam speaker. just reading an article from the a.p. doing a fact check on whether or not conversation about the department of homeland security is a fair and honest conversation, and they say in reality most people see little change at the department's money flow is halted and some of the warnings of doom are as exaggerated as they are striking. they go on to list word after word of folks announcing those warnings. what's striking to me madam speaker, is that if we had the same open process going on in the senate right now that the gentleman from florida described, the great process that brought s. 1 to the floor, we would be bringing a department of homeland security bill to the floor in the senate as well. but as you know the senate

minority leader today is filibustering any effort to even bring this conversation to the floor. going back to the hamster wheel my friend from florida described earlier. how often to we hear that? how often do we hear about the procedural stunts that get in the way of doing the business that every single one of us knows our constituents sent us here to do. this bill, though, is one about which we can be proud. this bill, though, is one that gets to the heart of what our constituents have asked us to do. this bill, though, has been done right from the start in a bipartisan way, in an open way, and can make a difference for people tomorrow. if we pass it on the floor of the house today and send it on to the president. with that i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from georgia reserves. the gentleman from florida is recognized. mr. hastings: thank you very much. my colleague just said to me as

my friend was looking at associated press fact check that it would seem that the secretary of the department of homeland security would know a little bit more about what he's doing than a reporter. i would hope that that's the case. i'm very pleased to yield to my classmate and good friend at this time, the the gentlewoman from california, six minutes, to discuss further our patter before the body today. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized for six minutes. >> madam speaker, i rise to urge my colleagues to defeat the previous question on the rule to amend it and make it in order, house consideration of the clean bipartisan homeland security appropriations act for fiscal year 2015 negotiated in good faith last november. ms. roybal-allard: today is february 11 134 days into

fiscal year 2015. with only 17 days remaining until the current c.r. expires, the house is scheduled to be in session only six more days. yet this congress is no closer than it was last december to carrying out its basic responsibility to appropriately fund the department of homeland security whose primary mission is protecting us from terrorist attacks. secretary johnson has warned us over and over again that the republicans' leadership refusal to allow a vote on the clean bipartisan funding bill is threatening the national security of our country. he tells us that without a full year budget he is unable to move forward on key homeland security priorities. including new investments in border security technology more aggressive investigations by

i.c.e. related to drug smuggling, human smuggling, and trafficking. preparedness for responding to surges and illegal migration. security upgrades at the white house complex. and grants for state and local terrorism prevention and response capabilities. and the list goes on. i am truly perplexed as to what it will take to convince the republican leadership to do the right thing. surely before taking appropriate action we don't need to experience an attack like those in paris. if my colleagues on the other side of the aisle believe the president has overreached, the answer is not to jeopardize our national security by delaying the 2015 funding for homeland security, if republicans wish to circumscribe the president's discretion on immigration policy, the constitution

provides a clear path of action that runs through the authorizing committees not through an appropriations bill. last week the senate definitively demonstrated three times there are insufficient votes to bring up the d.h.s. funding bill with the house passed poison pill riders. even if the senate were to take up the bill it would be vulnerable to a budget point of order because the poison pill riders have been scored by the congressional budget office as having a net cost of $7.5 billion. republicans control majorities in both the house and the senate and they control the agenda. by allowing a vote on the clean full year bipartisan d.h.s. funding bill, the leadership today has the opportunity to

make clear that the nation's security takes priority over unrelated policy debate over immigration enforcement strategy. this bill addresses the most pressing needs of the department of homeland security to protect our country from harm. it would pass both houses and be signed by the president today and we should send it to him. i urge my colleagues to defeat the previous question to make in order consideration of a clean homeland security funding bill. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back. the gentleman from florida reserves. the gentleman from georgia is recognized. mr. woodall: madam speaker, at this time i'd like to take the gentleman from florida's advice and yield to an expert on the appropriations process, the gentleman from maryland, mr. hairis. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from maryland is recognized for three minutes. mr. hairis: thank you very much, madam speaker. i want to thank the floor leader

for yielding the time. madam speaker there is no amendment necessary to this rule . three weeks ago we passed a fully funded department of homeland security except for the president's illegal actions, the entire rest of the department is funded, the t.s.a., coast guard all these critical things. let's review how the congress really works. . and the senate took action what did they take, they blocked three efforts to even debate the bill. they know if they didn't take that action the senate could debate the bill and they could strike those amendments. the democrats are free to strike the amendments we put on the bill that would limit the p.m.'s illegal actions with regard to amnesty -- to the president's illegal actions with regard to amnesty. they know they can. why do the democrats want to force a shutdown of a small

part of the -- madam speaker, let's be honest. the last time the president shut down the government, 87% of the d.h.s. was fully funded. t.s.a. was there, coast guard was on the job. yeah, there were some administrators who didn't go to work for a few days. let me tell you after the unemployment problem we've had in this country, there are a lot of people outside the federal government who don't go to work for a lot more days. that's not what the american people expect from us. the fact is the bill is sitting over in the senate. the president said 22 times he didn't have the authority to do what he did on amnesty. all we did is we made it quite clear the house position is he doesn't have the authority. so we're not going to spend the money. we take article 1 seriously. we have the authority over spending. and if we think the president is taking illegal action, we have the authority to withhold that funding and that's what we did. fund the entire department except for that one illegal activity that president is doing in violation of section 1

of article 1 of the constitution. it gives us the authority over the laws. the president says he can't rewrite the law 22 times and he did. we're just going to keep him to his word. he can't rewrite the word. the previous speaker said, you can't do authorization on appropriations. that's nonsense. we do it all the time. we can correct the president's mistake in the bill and we did. that's the bottom line. the democrat leadership in the senate has blocked even debate on the bill. what kind of country are we when one party, the party that's really holding this bill hostage in the senate not the republicans, it's the democrats who refuse to even debate the bill. i'm shocked. americans expect the senate to debate. that's what we're asking them to do. that's what they're not doing. i don't understand that. why don't they want the homeland security bill to be funded? i don't get it. we need madam speaker, i'll close by saying we just need

to move the motion to recede on the previous question, pass the rule and build the keystone pipeline. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from georgia reserves. and the chair will remind members to refrain from engaging in personalities toward the president. the chair -- the chair recognizes the gentleman from florida, mr. hastings. mr. hastings: thank you very much, madam speaker. i'd also take the opportunity to encourage the previous speaker to read the jefferson manual because some of the things he talked about about rules are not at least my understanding. so i expect his expertise on certain matters but what we can do in the minority strike me as strange. madam speaker, i'm pleased to yield three minutes to the distinguished gentleman from texas, mr. veasey. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas is recognized for three minutes. mr. veasey: thank you, madam

speaker. and thank you -- i'd like to thank the gentleman from florida for giving me this time and i want to talk about the rule against keystone. i'm rising today against the rule and although i believe that a pipeline is absolutely the most safest and environmentally conscious way that we can transport natural resources in north america and natural resources, for that matter, that are going to be developed. it doesn't mayor what the carrier ultimately is, these are resources that will be developed, but the underlying rule, much like the prior rules we've seen on any of the keystone pipeline votes, does not allow for a member to debate. it doesn't allow for member debate and that is not how we can best move forward. only by having an open discussion can this body fully engage in creating sound public policy and i want to give you an example of what i'm talking about. i offered an amendment in the rules committee which said if the keystone pipeline is built that we would maximize the

amount of american jobs that are created or sustained in this process. my amendment would ensure that iron, the steel, the manufactured goods made in the construction of the keystone pipeline in those falts are made here in -- facilities are made here in america. if we're going to build the pipeline in america let's make the materials in america. that will create more jobs. that will give people more opportunity. there's been so much discussion about how we've lost so many manufacturing jobs in this country, about how we lost ground in that area, about how people can't take care of their families anymore because these opportunities are no longer here. if we're going to build this pipeline, let's give people the opportunity to go back to work, roll up their sleeves, let's build these materials in america. there's no reason to have materials made in china to build this pipeline. and so therefore i believe if republicans want to follow a

jobs-focused agenda, that the amendment that i'm offering up will make sure that we keep americans working and not workers in china. i'd yield back the balance of my time, and i thank the distinguished gentleman from florida. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back his time. the gentleman from florida reserves and the gentleman from georgia is recognized. mr. woodall: thank you, madam speaker. i'd yield myself such time as i may consume to say to the gentleman from texas, my heart sits where his heart sits with american workers and american products. we build the best products in the world. there's no reason not to purchase the best products in the world to build something as particularly important as our pipeline. the box we find ourselves in is candidly some of us, i dare say all of us are a little surprised the senate was even able to move through this bill. i've not seen the senate move like it has moved in this open process, in this expedient process in the entire four years i served in this institution. i've never seen it happen before.

if we don't take the senate bill, madam speaker, as the senate passed it -- i don't take issue what the senate did. it looked like what we passed here in the house. we may never get to send this bill to the desk. we are trying to move the appropriations process right now. can't move to debate because of filibusters in the senate. i say to my friend from texas, i am absolutely sympathetic to his amendment. i would like to have an opportunity to debate more amendments on the floor of this house. i think back to my early days here four years ago we had a 3 1/2-day -- well, i call it the festival of democracy. we came out here and worked night and day on h.r. 1 until we got every member a chance to be heard. that's the way it ought to be done. and i regret that in this situation we did not have a chance to make the gentleman's amendment in order because it was a good amendment and it would absolutely be worthy of debate and consideration here

on the floor of the house. madam speaker, with that reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from florida reserves. and the gentleman from florida is recognized. -- the gentleman from georgia reserves. and the gentleman from florida is recognized. mr. hastings: again, i'd ask if you tell both sides how much time remains. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from florida has 4 1/2 minutes. and the gentleman from georgia has nine. mr. hastings: thank you very much, madam speaker. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from florida is recognized. mr. hastings: i'd advise my friend from georgia and ask to speak to advise -- i have no further speakers. i don't know whether my friend from georgia does or not. mr. woodall: i also have no further speakers. mr. hastings: then i'll proceed to close at this point and yield myself the balance of the time. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. hastings: i earlier asked several questions. i believe mr. cramer addressed one of them, and i have yet

another that i did not ask and i'm not asking him to respond. i might add, i think those of us in the body -- and i said this to him when he was in the rules committee -- i do think mr. cramer from north dakota does have a comprehensive understanding of this matter. while i disagreed with him about many matters, i do believe that he points out something that we need to pay attention to and there are already without keystone there are a lot of pipelines in the united states of america and in the period of time of this recent debate there have been a lot of pipelines that have had spills and have caused major damage. without getting into them, three of them have really been substantial. shutoff valves become important. we haven't discussed many of the things regarding the technology that has improved over time. i keep hearing my colleagues

talk about this being a jobs measure and indisputeably, if there would be a pipeline bill, there would be jobs. i agree with my friends on the other side that most, if not all construction jobs are temporary jobs. and there are those in labor unions who are very supportive of this matter for the reason it would create jobs. but i have in mind something that many of us have advocated for years and the greatest reminder occurred night before last right here close to us in maryland when a piece of concrete from a big old bridge fell off and fortunately the lady that i saw on television, her car was damaged but she was frightened out of her wits but she is alive and was unharmed, but that's concrete of a bridge. and there are thousands of bridges in this country and all of us know that, that we

could be about the business of dealing with with reference to our infrastructure, which would create a whole lot of jobs and not leave us to these ideological debates. i might add, if we approve this matter, in order for people to litigate they have to come here to the federal circuit in the district of columbia. that does not make sense to me, and it precludes those who would want to bring actions from being able to do so. this legislation allows that as the only vehicle. i might add, the litigation isn't concluded yet in many of the places where there may continue to be concerns in south dakota where mr. cramer is close to, nebraska, wyoming, colorado, kansas, oklahoma new mexico, texas and certainly in nebraska. in the midst of trying to combat all of the problems that we have here in this country, attaching conditions and

ultimatums to fundamental legislation is not the way to go about addressing the policy that was earlier raised that i will raise in the previous question with reference to immigration. if my friends really want to debate immigration issues, they should work with all of us and the president to reach comprehensive and bipartisan consensus. perpetuating the department of homeland security's stalemate is as dangerous to our country's security as it is corrosive to our democratic process. please, let's stop the pointless politicking. let's end these games of chicken with our national security pass a clean d.h.s. funding bill and let's get back to the business of the american people. i didn't know this was in the drawer from front of me and it kind of looks like a hamster and the wheel just keeps on

spinning. but my little friend here is still with us and has in many respects like my friends, stopped by virtue of his being inanimate, has stopped his spinning and that's what the republicans need to do, stop spinning like the hamster on the wheel and get on with the business of the united states of america. thank you, madam speaker. i ask for unanimous consent to insert the text of the amendment in the record along with extraneous material immediately prior to the vote on the previous question. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. hastings: madam speaker, i urge my colleagues to vote no and defeat the previous question. i urge a no vote on the rule and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: thank you. the gentleman's time has expired. and the gentleman from georgia is recognized. mr. woodall: thank you, madam speaker. i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. woodall: follinth learsp of my friend from florida, i'd also like to ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and

extend their remarks include extraneous materials in the record. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. woodall: madam speaker, i may be an optimist ur but i believe the two -- optimist but i believe the two years will be the finest i've seen in my lifetime and the reason i believe this is exactly because we are responding to the plead of my friend from florida has made to go on about the business of the people. i tell you what, it's hard being in the minority around here. it's hard. my friends on the other side of the aisle may feel like they're in the minority today. i tell you for the last four years we had the speakership in this chamber but i sure felt like i was in the minority. senate held by the party of the other -- on the other side, the white house, the party on the other side and things got about party day in and day out and it wore on me. wore on me. it's not why i ran for congress, madam speaker. it's not why you ran for

congress. it's not why any of my colleagues ran for congress. they ran for congress to get about the business of the people. we are one month and a week into this new session of congress, and the senate has already managed to do what it hasn't been able to do for four years and that's hold an open debate and move legislation where members had a chance to have their voice heard. we have that measure in front of us today, and the only thing standing between us and considering that measure, madam speaker is passing this rule. i'm excited about it. i'm excited about it. . i'm proud of the process -- i'm proud of the leadership of folks like mr. cramer who moved it through the house first. this is the senate version, but this is a process that folks have worked in tandem. this is a process that folks back home can be proud of. now, that's not to say every

member of this chamber supports this legislation, madam speaker. they don't. they have myriad reasons for choosing not to support this legislation. but the majority's going to work its will. i don't mean the majority, republican majority. no, i mean the majority, let's have a show of hands, see where people stand, and republican and democrats are going to stand together and say, i support these american jobs. they are going to say i support our largest trading partner which is canada. they are going to say i support finality on a process that began seven years ago. i long for the debate we'll have on this house floor and i hope the gentleman from florida and i get to manage the rule when we get the surface transportation bill to the floor of this house. because america needs that surface transportation bill. we need to build america madam speaker. but what does it say when getting the approval for this pipeline consume more time than

the entire construction of the hoover dam? have we so hamstrung ourself with bureaucracy that we can no longer do those great pilleding -- building projects as a nation? i hope that the anti-is no -- answer is no, but if the answer is yes, we have the ability in this chamber to change it to no. we are a society that does great, great things. we do have responsibilities that are great, great responsibilities. and we cannot accomplish those in a partisan way. we cannot accomplish those without partnership and cooperation. for the next two years madam speaker, we have an opportunity to move bills out of a republican-led congress that gets signed by a democratic-led white house. kind of way the founding fathers envisioned it. i'm pleased to be a small part of it today. with that, madam speaker i yield back the balance of my time. i move the previous question. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the question is on ordering the previous question on the

resolution. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. mr. hastings: madam speaker -- the speaker pro tempore: in the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it. the gentleman from florida is recognized. mr. hastings: i ask for the yeas and nays. the speaker pro tempore: the yeas and nays are requested. those favoring a vote by the yeas and nays will rise. a sufficient number having arisen, the yeas and nays are ordered. members will record their votes by electronic device. pursuant to clause 8 and 9 of rule 20, this 15-minute vote on the previous question will be followed by a -- by five-minute votes on adoption of house resolution 100, if ordered, and approval of the journal. this is a 15-minute vote. [captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc., in cooperation with the united states house of representatis. any usef e os-ptioned coverage of the house proceedings for political or commercialurposes is expressly prohibited by the u.s. house of reesentatives.]

the speaker pro tempore: the yeas are 241, and the nays are 181.

the speaker pro tempore: on this vote, the yeas are 242 and the nays are 183. the previous question is ordered. the question is on the adoption of the resolution. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it. >> madam speaker. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from florida is recognized. mr. hastings: madam speaker, i ask for a vorded vote. the speaker pro tempore: a recorded vote is requested. those favoring a recorded vote will rise. a sufficient number having risen, a recorded vote is ordered. members will record their votes by electronic device. this is a five-minute vote. [captioning made possible by the national captioning institute,

inc., in cooperation with the united states house of representes any use t csecaptioned covera of the house proceedings for political or commercial purposes is expressly pribited by the u.s. house of representatives.] 6

the speaker pro tempore: on this vote, the yeas are 248, the nays are 177. the resolution is adopted. without objection a motion to reconsider is laid on the table. the house will come to order. members will take their seats. and take their conversations off

the floor. for what purpose does the gentleman from arizona seek recognition? >> madam speaker, i ask permission to speak out of order. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. gosar: madam speaker we the arizona delegation rise today to honor the life of one of our own, one of our young, one of our very best. kayla mueller of arizona was a young woman, full of youthful exuberance, optimism about peace and humanity and willing to put her life on the line to help others halfway around the world. kayla stood as a beacon of life

at a time of darkness. she was a beautiful soul and she is with god now. while our hearts are heavy with her passing, we stand here with strength to carry on her courage, strength and come passion that's touched millions. we must endeavor to remain strong in the face of those who wish to terrify just as kayla did. no parent should have to lose a child so early but let's look back on her life and the way she made our lives better and the words she spoke. i find god in the suffering eyes reflecting mine. if this is how you are revealed to me this is how i will seek you. i now acknowledge the gentlewoman from arizona. >> we are here today to honor kayla mueller and her undying spirit and here to offer our hearts and prayers to her

grieving family and friends. in arizona we are all neighbors and friends. mrs. kirkpatrick: she went to college in my district. everyone talks about her dedication to serving others. even if it meant to go -- meant going to faraway places that were dangerous she was driven by compassion to help the suffering. we know that her short life is proof that one dedicated soul can touch a thousand others. let us all keep kayla's family in our prayers and her legacy in our minds. mr. gosar: i ask my house colleagues to join me in a moment of silence for kayla mueller.

thank you, madam speaker. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the five-minute votes will continue. pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, the unfinished business is the question on agreeing to the speaker's approval of the journal on which the yeas and nays are ordered. the question is on agreeing to the speaker's approval of the journal. members will record their votes by electronic device. this is a five-minute vote. [captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc., in cooperation with the united states house of represent. any use tlosecaptioned covera of the house proceedings for political or commercial purposes is expressly pribited by the u.s. house of representatives.]

the speaker pro tempore: on this vote the yeas are 263 and the nays are 156. with one answering present.

the journal stands approved. the house will come to order.

the speaker pro tempore: the house will come to order. for what purpose does the gentleman from pennsylvania seek recognition? >> madam speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all members have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on s. 1. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the clerk -- for what purpose does the gentleman seek recognition? >> madam speaker, pursuant to house resolution 100, i call up the bill s. 1 to improve the -- to aprove the keystone x.l.

pipeline. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: senate 1, an act to approve the keystone x.l. pipeline. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to house resolution 100, the bill is considered read. the bill shall be debatable for one hour, equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the committee on energy and commerce, and the chair and ranking minority member of the committee on transportation and infrastructure. the gentleman from pennsylvania -- the gentleman from michigan, mr. upton, the gentleman from new jersey, mr. pallone, the gentleman from pennsylvania, mr. shuster, and the gentleman from oregon, mr. defazio, each will control 15 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from pennsylvania, mr. shuster. mr. shuster: thank you, madam speaker. i yield myself such time as i may consume. i rise today in support of s. 1 the keystone x.l. pipeline act. s. 1 passed the senate by a bipartisan vote of 62-36.

this bill is based on h.r. 3 which last month the house passed by a bipartisan vote of 266-153. s. 1 does not change any of the house provisions regarding the keystone x.l. pipeline. so here we are again on the floor with a bill that has been approved on a bipartisan basis three times in the last four months. it's time for the president to approve the keystone pipeline. his own administration found the pipeline would have minimal impact on the environment. congress has shown that there's republican and democratic support for the pipeline and the last remaining excuse for delay, pending litigation in nebraska, has been resolved. i hope the president reconsiders his veto threat on this bill. i think he should sign this bill because we all agree -- we need to invest in our nation's infrastructure and pipelines are critical to the economy. america's pipeline network is immense. 2.6 million miles of pipe, transporting natural gas oil and other hazardous materials. pipelines transport more energy

product than any other mode of transportation in this country. keystone will be a critical addition to the pipeline network, increasing our nation's supply of oil and enhancing our energy independence. this project will create good-paying american jobs. as the president has stated, first class infrastructure attracts first class jobs. indeed, six unions representing over three million workers support this project. including the united association of plumbers and pipe fitters, the international union of operatinging engineers the labors international union of north america, the international brotherhood of electrical workers, the building and construction trade and the teamsters. it's simply time to move forward on this probably. so i urge all my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote for s. 1 and i urge the president to sign this bill and allow infrastructure to be built in this country. with that, madam speaker, i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from pennsylvania reserves. the gentleman from oregon is recognized. mr. defazio: i yield myself

such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. defazio: for anyone watching this debate for the 11th time, who isn't familiar with the substantive reasons to oppose this legislation, i would refer them to my earlier remarks numerous times on the floor of the house. because in the interest of time i'm not going to repeat them. i am going to say that i am pleased that this is actually a big step forward for the other side of the aisle in the house. because there are two critical changes that the senate made which go to, you know, a raging debate on the republican side of the aisle here in the house. and that is whether or not climate change is real or a hoax. so by voting for this bill today, you are going to endorse language saying that climate change is real and not a hoax. i think that's tremendous progress for the republican side of the aisle, who i expect will be supporting this bill, to accept the reality of

climate change and i'm thrilled that that's in there and their votes will be reflected in the record as endorsing that language. secondly, the other -- one of the other substantive issues we've raised numerous times is that this foreign corporation will not, because of a bizarre ruling by the internal revenue service, will not be paying into the trust fund which goes to mitigate pipeline spills and breaks and cleanups. the oil spill liability trust fund. and we have offered that as a motion to recommit numerous times here on the floor thinking it would be a reasonable thing to level the playing field between u.s. producers shipping oil and canadian companies shipping oil, which is going to be exported from the united states perhaps after it's refined. and so, again, this will be a shift on the republican side of the aisle because you will be

voting for language that says congress should approve a bill to ensure that all forms of oil are subject to the per barrel excise tax associated with the oil spill liability trust fund. which would be i think the first time the republican side has endorsed any sort -- well, no, there was the tax increase for inland waterway users buried in that bill in deals. but this will be the second time ics he have voted to increase a tax and i'm really thrilled to see that and the fact that we will be writing that in equity and the republicans will be endorsing something we've offered numerous times on the floor. the third thing which really isn't an improvement, is some senators stuck in language saying that when this foreign corporation takes american citizens' private property against their will they have to follow the constitution. well, unfortunately because of the decision which we did try

nam of years ago to clarify -- try a number of years ago to clarify and overturn, the supreme court in its wisdom has ruled that you can yield the right for economic development purposes to a private entity to take people's private property. we are going one step or you are going one step further here by actually giving that authority to a foreign corporation. as far as i know the first time in the history of the united states that a foreign corporation will have the right to take private property from an american citizen against their will. so that isn't an improvement, just saying follow the constitution. but the other two are great. climate change ex exist -- exist, you're endorsing that by voting for this bill, and we should increase taxes and impose taxes on the tar stands oil, again i think a big breakthrow for the other -- tar sands oil, again, i think a big breakthrough for the other side. i will not be voting for the bill. these things will be, you know,

worthy of noting. with that i would -- am i reserving? i'm now asking unanimous consent that the gentleman from new jersey, mr. pallone, be allowed to control my time in addition to the time controlled by the committee on energy and commerce. good luck. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. the gentleman from new jersey reserves and the gentleman from pennsylvania is recognized. mr. shuster: madam speaker i now yield two minutes to the gentleman from california, the chairman of the subcommittee on railroads, pipelines and hazardous materials, mr. denham. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california is recognized for two minutes. mr. denham: thank you. i rise in support of senate bill 1 the keystone x.l. pipeline which passed bipartisan not only in the house -- it was 266 votes but also bipartisan in the senate with 62 votes. as chairman shuster noted, this is a jobs bill that will create jobs, enhance our energy innocence and strengthen our national -- independence and

strengthen our national economy. this pipeline will transport over 800,000 barrels of oil per day. that's according to the department of energy. it also will help create good-paying jobs, over 40,000 jobs according to the state department. we held a hearing in our subcommittee last week regarding the need for more transportation and -- transportation and infrastructure for energy projects. one witness testified we will need 12,000 to 15000 miles of new pipeline over the next five to 10 years. keystone x.l. is just one of those new projects. . this is the most studied pipeline in our history. there's no reason to continue to stall this project. this is a safe project. america has 2.6 million miles of pipeline, providing extremely safe way to transport energy products. the keystone pipeline will be built as the safest pipeline ever with 95 special mitigation

measures, including nearly 60 recommended by the department of transportation. the most extensively studied and vetted pipeline project in the history of our country and finally as amended in the senate this bill will make important strides toward greater energy efficiency. in conclusion, the keystone x.l. has been under review for over six years now. and debated and voted on in the house and senate numerous times. we need these jobs. we need this energy. we need it now. i yield back. the chair: the gentleman yields back. the gentleman from pennsylvania reserves, the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. >> i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. pallone: we're voting once again to grant approval to keystone x.l. this is the fifth time we're voting on helping this canadian

company since the republicans took control of the house. each energy related decision we make can have long-term consequencers in environment, our economy and national security. the president has made clear he'll veto this legislation so we should stop wasting our time on it. the senate added many provisions to this version of the keystone bill, some of the provisions on energy efficiency are provisions i and many of my colleagues can support and have supported in the past. those provisions should be considered separately preferly as stand-alone bills in the house and senate. they should not be held hots taj by another doomed key stobe approval bill and they in no way come close to offsetting the arm that would be caused by congress deeming the keystone pipeline approve wesmed don't need this canadian tar sands oil. oil prices are at their lowest level in five years and gas prices are down too. last week e.p.a. noted low oil

prices means aprufle of the keystone pipeline could be a critical factor in the economic viability of canadian tar sands expansion. tar sands are among dirtiest and p most carbon intensive of all fossil fuels. it will create a dependence on tar sands fuel, reducing the carbon pollution -- reduceing the fight against carbon pollution. if this pipeline spills like ambridge pipeline in michigan, the heavy tar sands that flow on the ground, into our groundwaters and surface waters will be harder to clean up than regular oil. unfortunately if there is such a spill, it will be cleaned up at u.s. taxpayer expense and the polluter won't have to pay. why is that? because tar sands are not considered crude oil for purposes of contributing to the oil spill liability trust fund. now we have repeatedly pointed out this egregious and unjustified loophole to the

majority and we've repeatedly received assurances it would be addressed. yet it has still not been addressed. in fact, three times in this chamber alone we have offered amendments to solve this problem. but the republican majority voted each one of them down. now there's a new sense of the senate language that was put into the bill by the senate that promises further action on this issue but it's no substitute for real legislation to protect the american taxpayer from the financial consequences of tar sands spills. make no mistake this language this sense of congress or sense of the senate, does nothing to change the equation and end the tar sands oil subsidy. recently, the president stood in this chamber and noted that 21st century businesses need 21st century infrastructure. he said that we should, and i quote, set our sights higher than a single oil pipeline. yet here we are again voting on that single oil pipeline. it's my hope, madam speaker that we're nearing the end of this

long cycle of futile votes to grant special treatment to this single pipeline and it's my hope that sooner rather than later we can get back to trying to find agreement on a modern energy policy, one that is sustainable one that helps the u.s. economy and one that moves us forward, not backward, in the fight against climate change. in the meantime, i urge my colleagues once again to vote no on this bill and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new jersey reserves. the gentleman from pennsylvania is recognized. >> it is my pleasure to yield one minute to the gentlelady from california, ms. walters. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized for one minute. ms. walters -- ms. walters: six years later, the keystone pipeline is still await ig aprufle. what does construction of the keystone pipeline mean for our nation? over 40,000 jobs, energy

security and increased economic growth. mrs. walters: furthermore the state department found that construction of the keystone pipeline would pose little environmental risk. in fact, there would be greater environmental and safety risk from not building the pipeline. despite the obvious benefits and bipartisan support, the president has continued to block keystone's approval. now he threatens to veto the bill effectively kill thinking entire keystone program. after six-plus years, the president has run out of excuses. it's clear that the construction of the keystone pipeline is in our nation's best interests and we cannot afford to delay any longer. madam speaker, i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back. the gentleman from pennsylvania reserves. the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. mr. pallone: thank you, madam speaker. i want -- i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the

gentleman is recognized. mr. pallone: i wanted to reference again this provision in the bill that the senate put in the senate bill contains a provision boldly stating that, quote, climate change is real and not a hoax. i couldn't agree more with that but let's be clear, the senate republican majority in the same breath rejected another amendment stating that climate change is caused by human activity. and the senators who voted against those amendments are out of step with the american people include manage republicans. in a recent poll an overwhelming majority of americans, including almost half of republicans, stated support for government action to fight climate change and disagreed with those who question that climate change is caused by human activity. many of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have become fond of saying they are not scientists and i think that we can generally agree that that's true, even though they admit they're not scientists, it doesn't stop them questioning

the science. i'm not a scientist either but when actual scientists speak and say there's an overwhelming body of evidence that manmade climate change is real and happening now, i listen to the actual scientists and saying that you are not a scientist in my opinion is just a way of dodging the facts. when i go home to new jersey, my district is probably more impacted by superstorm sandy than any other district, i don't see any disagreement between democrats and republicans in my district. it doesn't matter whether they're state legislators or county legislators mayors, i have almost as many republican mayors and councilmen and women as i do democrats but all of them agree that climate change is real and caused by human activity because they're listening to the scientists. and they understand that science is important and that we should pay attention to it system of in any event, the sense of the senate language affirming that

climate change is not a hoax does not fict any -- does not fix any of the problems with the bill before us and it doesn't mean that voting yes will help us in the vote against climate change. voting yes will move us backward in that fight because one of the major concerns i have and opponents have of keystone is because it will exploit tar sands, it will actually increase greenhouse gases significantly. and it's very possible that without the pipeline, that those tar sands will simply not be exploited. i will reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new jersey reserves, the gentleman from pennsylvania. >> i yield one minute to the gentleman from michigan mr. moolenaar. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. moolenaar: the keystone

pipeline will provide us with jobs and fuel. it will carry more than 30 million gallons of oil a day. it's been concluded the pipeline is the the safist way to transport it to market. keystone will support job creation by moving oil to american refineries where american workers will process it. thousands of products use regular fined oil -- oil are manufactured and purchased by americans every day. this pipeline has the potential to make those products less expensive. the hose has passed keystone policy time and again. 10 times in fact the house has stood with the american workers and consumers. today we stand with hardworking americans looking for good-paying jobs. today we stand with american consumers who will see more of their hard-herbed money go further at the gas pump. keystone helps secure our country's energy independence lowers costs for every american and supports jobs without

raising taxes or adding to our debt. it's time to pass this bill and i urge my colleagues to vote yes. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from pennsylvania reserves. the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. mr. pa loin: i yield myself sum -- mr. pallone: i yield myself such time as i may consume. i wanted to make this impact about -- this point about the impact of low oil prices on keystone and exploitation of tar sands. the price of oil has dropped precipitously in the last few months and is expected to say in the -- to stay in the $65 to $70 a barrel range for the foreseeable future. just last month it dipped below $50 per barrel. and gas prices have fallen below $2 a gallon in some areas. this is good news for the american consumers but bad news for tar sands productions who

face rising construction costs. at a time when tar sands are less profitable, the state department concluded the construction of keystone would play a pivotal role in tar sands development and last week e.p.a. made clear that the low oil prices means that the pipeline's impact on oil could be substantial. on the republican side when i was in rules, they said, if you don't build the pipeline this tar sands oil will be transported by royal or by some other means system of what's the difference if we build keystone? the bottom line is it's very likely that with low oil prices, it wouldn't be the investment in tar sands if it had to be transported by means other than the pipeline would not be there. and therefore the argument is made obviously, that without

keystone, you might not be exploiting these tar sands and wouldn't increase the greenhouse gases and force the major change in climate that would result from it. so you know again, the point that the e.p.a. is making with low oil prices the decision to approve the oil pipeline could be a factor in increased greenhouse gas emissions. the president and the congress need to look at this development carefully and assess its impact. one of the reasons, and there are others, like the impact of the pipeline if there was a spill on groundwater and other things, but this is one of the reasons why the president has said that you know, the decision of whether this is in the national interests still has to be weighed and it shouldn't be dictated to by congress and deemed approved because the canadian company or others think this is appropriate. this is something that the president needs to continue to review as he has said.

that's why he is vetoing the bill and that's again, madam speaker why we're wasting our time today. i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from pennsylvania is recognized. mr. dent: thank you, madam speaker. it's now my pleasure to yield one minute or longer to the gentleman from virginia, mr. mooney. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. mooney: on a variety of issues from the environmental protection agency's war on coal jobs in west virginia to the designation of anwr in alaska as permanent wilderness, the president has used unilateral executive action to stifle domestic energy production. it is time for the president to stop pandering to radical environmentalists and do what is right for hardworking american families. the business community organized labor, bipartisan majorities in congress, and a

clear majority of the american people support construction of the keystone x.l. pipeline. the president's own state department concluded that the project is in the best economic interests of our nation and that the project would have no impact on carbon emissions and no negative impact on the environment. mr. president, enough is enough. it is time mr. president, enough is enough. it's time to create jobs and reduce energy prices for hardworking families. sign this bill into law. it is time to build the keystone x.l. pipeline. i ask that you do this not only for the hardworking taxpayers i represent in west virginia, but for all americans struggling in this economy. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from pennsylvania reserves. the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. mr. pallone: thank you madam

speaker. i again yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. pallone: again i listened to the previous speaker on the republican side and i don't understand how he can say that the president is trying to, you know prevent domestic production. domestic oil production is at a 29-year high. whether it's oil or natural gas, we've never seen production of this magnitude. under this administration, there's been such an increase in both oil and natural gas production by comparison to any previous administration, as long as i've been here. to suggest otherwise it boggles the mind in my opinion. i wanted to go back to the -- another issue that we're concerned about in terms of the environment and why this -- why keystone needs to continue to be reviewed by the president and not just deemed approved. and that has to do with, again, with oil spills and impact on

aquifers. again, our first priority madam speaker, must be to ensure public safety. the proposed keystone pipeline is a massive project that would carry tar sands sludge throughout the middle of america. even supporters agree that it should not be built until we have some assurance that it will be safe. and keystone poses real risks. over the last few years a litany of tragedying failures have reinforced the need for pipeline safety standards. in 2011 another exxonmobil pipeline ruptured in montana spilling crude oil into the yellowstone river. the oil was carried hundreds of miles down the river threatening the livelihoods of ranchers. in july 2010, a pipeline carrying tar sands oil ruptured in michigan. over 800,000 of gallons flowed into the kalamazoo river. it has proven harder to clean up than conventional crude oil. transcanada and its supporters

have repeatedly assured the public and the congress that we shouldn't worry about this pipeline carrying tar sands sludge through the middle of america and across the aquifer. they say it will be ultrasafe state-of-the-art pipeline. the problem, though, is that we've heard this before. transcanada's first keystone pipeline, which brings canadian tar sands oil to refineries in illinois and oklahoma, shouldn't inspire confidence. this was a brand new supposedly state-of-the-art pipeline. it was predicted to spill no more than once every seven years. but in its first year of operation it reported 14 separate oil spills. the largest spill occurred on may 7 2011 when approximately 20000 gallons of oil erupted from the pipeline in north dakota. there was literally a 60-foot-high geyser of oil. this spill was not detected by transcanada but was reported by a local farmer. in response to this spill and others, the pipeline safety agency issued a corrective action order temporarily shutting down the original

keystone pipeline. the agency based this action on a finding that the continued operation of the pipeline without corrective action would be hazardous to life property and the environment. with this track record, we need a thorough review of whether the standards necessary to safely transport tar sands oil are in place. and the proposed route of this tar sands pipeline would cross the aquifer. millions of americans depend on this aquifer for their drinking water and for the livelihoods. if there's an oil spill, the consequences would be devastating to the americans who depend on this precious water resource. again this is another reason why we shouldn't be approving this and deeming this pipeline approved. i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new jersey reserves his time. the gentleman from pennsylvania is recognized. mr. shuster: thank you, madam speaker. it's now my pleasure to yield one minute to the gentleman from louisiana, mr. graves. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from louisiana is recognized for one minute. mr. graves: thank you madam

speaker. i want to thank my soon to be friend from new jersey for bringing up the oil spill issue. in my home state of louisiana, we have hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil that are unaccounted for as a result of the deepwater horizon oil spill. we have shore line that remain oiled as a result of an oil spill that happened over four years and this administration is doing absolutely nothing to hold the responsible parties accountable for moving that oil. to hide behind some of these issues such as the threat of oil spills is absolutely absurd when at the same time they're not doing anything to protect the environment and hold responsible parties accountable. secondly, there's nothing that this pipeline project's going to do to further threaten the environment. in fact, it's going to make it worse if we don't build it. because the oil will be transported by barge, by rail and other less safe means of transportation. we saw recently where the e.p.a. released a letter contrary to what the state department found stating that this was going to cause a greater impact to climate change. whenever the reality is this --

however, the reality is this pipeline does nothing to address the consumption of oil or increase consumption. it's an absurd approach. lastly, i'd say that -- the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for an additional minute. mr. graves: thank you. madam speaker, lastly i'll just say that this president for years has embraced an all-of-the-above energy strategy. all of the above. this pipeline fits that criteria. it's all of the above. perhaps i misunderstood and they were talking geographically above. it's coming from canada. it fits that one too. madam speaker, this project needs to move forward. it's been delayed far too long and all it's going to do by not building this project is cause us to rely upon venezuela and other nonallies for energy to power this nation's economy. thank you, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from pennsylvania reserves. the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. mr. pallone: thank you madam speaker. i yield now to the ranking member of the energy and power subcommittee, the gentleman from illinois, mr. rush, such time as he may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from illinois is recognized.

mr. rush: thank you madam speaker. madam speaker this is deja vu all over again. as for the umpteenth time, the majority party is trying to jam the keystone pipeline through this congress. despite the fact that president obama has made it pretty clear to all who will listen that this bill is headed to a veto if it ever reaches his desk. madam speaker, instead of going through the regular order and the committee process, and working on bipartisan legislation that will ultimately create hundreds of thousands of good-paying american jobs, such as building

up our infrastructure fixing our roads and bridges, and modernizing our energy grid instead of looking at the interest, the real interests of the american people and working to provide the american people much-needed jobs, my friends on the other side of the aisle are repeatedly spent -- have repeatedly spent valuable time, time that this congress would never, ever see again, trying to grant a regulatory earmark to the transcanada corporation by short circuiting the normal permitting process and forcing president obama's hand.

this is not a jobs bill. madam speaker, we need a jobs bill. but where are the jobs in this bill? every time we talk about jobs every time jobs is brought up on the floor of this house the republicans all run to one place, that all we need is to build the keystone x.l. pipeline and that will solve america's jobs problem. i beg to differ with my friends on the other side of the aisle. the state department our state department consulted with transcanada and found out that the construction of this pipeline would directly result

in about 4,000 jobs in the early stages just to build the pipeline. these jobs, madam speaker, would last no more than 12 months. 365 days of work provided to the american people. what kind of jobs bill are we trying to perpetrate on the american people? in addition mr. speaker, madam speaker, by building the pipeline 42101 jobs will be created indirectly across the united states. after the pipeline is completed the real operation

where the permanent jobs are, the real operation where the lasting jobs are, the jobs that will provide a future for the american family college education mortgages to pay for their homes put dinner on the table these jobs would only amount to about 35 permanent jobs in the nation. 35. a franchise burger joint on the corner will provide more permanent jobs than this whole keystone x.l. pipeline is purported to do. let's put these figures into perspective. in 2014 the u.s. economy created nearly 50,000 jobs per week. 50000 per week.

in 2014. 230,000 jobs per month. so even taking the most favorable estimates for all the indirect and direct jobs the keystone x.l. pipeline will produce fewer jobs than the economy is already creating on its own in just seven days, in just one week. taking the lowest estimate for the 35 permanent jobs again the keystone x.l. pipeline will produce even fewer jobs in all of its massiveness and all of the hyperbole that comes from the other side, the keystone pipeline will produce fewer

jobs than the economy is already creating in just one hour. in the next hour mr. speaker, the american economy will produce more jobs than the entire keystone x.l. pipeline in all of its duration. this is not a jobs bill. where are the priorities for the other side? why are we wasting time on this? let me remind my friends on the other side in just two weeks, just two weeks the homeland security department will run out of money. putting all of the american people, our entire nation, at risk in just two weeks.

where are your priorities? does that make more sense than wasting our time on creating 35 jobs, 35 permanent jobs? we're going to be out of this place at the end of the week. where's the priorities for american security? where's the priority for us to spend our time? what are the priorities of the majority, if we're going to waste our time, here we go again. valuable time. homeland security running out of money. folks being laid off. our borders are being compromiseed. terrorists are going to have or could have a field day because we have not funded homeland security. and yet we are here wasting

valuable time. let's use this time to fund the department of homeland security and get off some of this nonsense that makes no sense at all. i cannot believe, mr. speaker that the american people have sent us here to work on behalf of transcanada and to ignore the department of homeland security. i can't in my wildest imagination believe that they even know, that they could even imagine, that they could even think that we are here, homeland security, the department of homeland security on one side, keystone x.l. pipeline on the other side, go figure. where's the priorities? mr. speaker this bill is unnecessary, this bill will be vetoed by president obama sent

back here d.o.a., and we will have far more important work that we should be doing on behalf of the american people. . i urge all my colleagues to we should be spending valuable time on homeland security. and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from new jersey reserves. the gentleman from pennsylvania is recognized. mr. shuster: before i yield time to the gentleman from tech as, i would like to remind, all infrastructure jobs are temporary and based on that argument we shouldn't build roads, highways, bridges or

pipelines. all infrastructure construction jobs are temporary and i would like to remind my colleague, he voted against the appropriations bill to fund homeland security. with that, i yield two minutes to the gentleman from texas mr. weber. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. weber: i rise today in support of the keystone x.l. pipeline act. it comes into my district on the gulf coast of texas. over six years has past since the permit was applied for. the ipad wasn't introduced at that time. this congress is acting in less than two months to approve the nation's pipe loin. the president is creating all jobs, it is called studying pipelines. this pipeline will be safe and environmentally sound. that was the first amendment i got passed.

the pipeline strengthens our relationship with an important ally and creates thousands of jobs for the american people. you know, they say the other side is saying some funny things. they say drilling and oil production is at a 29-year high. great. let's continue this process. let's make it better and longer. energy independence is right around the corner. you're on to something here. let's continue that. the other side says there's danger from oil spills. the truth is, the pipeline industry has a 99% safety rating. you cannot say that about trucking or rail. you cannot say that about barge. they say this is the umpteenth time we passed this bill. i think they are sending a message that they want energy independence, they want a

change. they understand that the keystone pipeline means energy independence. this house will pass this will and will send it to the president. the president said if congress wouldn't act a little over year ago, he would. well, now congress is acting and now he is saying, i have a pen and going to veto. which way is it, mr. president. you can't get it both ways. maybe if the people on the other side of the aisle don't vote for it maybe the americans will vote for more republicans. it is time to get it done. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from pennsylvania reserves. the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. mr. pallone: how much time remains? the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new jersey has four minutes remaining and the gentleman from pennsylvania has 3 1/2 remaining and mr. up ton has 15 minutes remaining. mr. pallone: i yield two minutes

to the gentleman from texas, mr. green. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. green: i thank our ranking member to allow me to have two minutes to talk about how i support the keystone pipeline. we have a little diversity on our side and i rise in support of senate bill 1. i represent refining and chemical plant community in east harris, county texas, and we have five refineries in my area that will use that keystone crude oil. congressman weber has the eastern leg and i have the western leg and we have two big old huge tanks who are ready to get that oil and distribute it to our refineries. we have refineries from corpus cristy on the gulf coast who could use that crude oil. they are using heavier crude oil from other parts of the world. the development has taken six years to get this permit.

this is the longest study of any cross-board pipeline i have ever sign. because of the backlog, we have 11 other projects that have not moved through the process and some of these are just a simple name change and that's the problem. the president's permitting has broken down. congress needs to act. state department has studied this project four different times. each time they come back and said, the climate impacts will be negligible. the jobs issue, we will have a year of pipe fitters teamsters laborers electrical workers those are great jobs. construction jobs are temporary and now will go on to another job. in texas, we have no shortage of need for pipelines. and the bill is not aspect as i'd like, but we need to send this bill to the president. got out of the senate.

and i give the president a chance to do it but we need cross-border pipelines whether canada, united states texas to mecks as and i ask unanimous consent to place my full statement in the record. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. the gentleman from pennsylvania. mr. shuster: i rise once again to ask my colleagues to support this bill this pipeline, that has been said is the most studied -- it will be the safest pipeline and help out one of our great allies and keep energy costs down in this country and will create over 40,000 infrastructure jobs and yes, they are temporary, but those jobs will help families of construction workers and move on to other jobs and spin off other jobs to keep this pipeline viable for years to come. let me finish with the final quote, a well known american, an american respected by the other side of the aisle, an american

respected trusted and listened to by the other side of the aisle. let me quote that person. and he says, the pipeline increases the diversity available supplies in the united states. worldwide crude oil sources in a time of considerable political tension and other major oil producing countries and regions, shortens the pathways of crude oil supplies and increases supplies for a major nonorganization petroleum exporting producer. canada is a stable ally with the united states which augment the security of this energy supply. approval of the permits sends a positive economic signal in a difficult economic period and about the future reliability and vaket of the portion of the united states imports. this shovel-ready project will provide construction jobs for workers in the united states.

that was president obama and he said that in 2009 when he was talking about the alberta clipper. i don't know what has changed but this quote can go to this pipeline. has all the positive impacts that that pipeline does. so i urge my colleagues to support this bill and send it to the president and ask the president to reconsider his veto threat. i ask how much time do i have remaining? the speaker pro tempore: 1 1/2 minutes remaining. mr. shuster: i ask unanimous consent to yield time to the gentleman from michigan to control the remainder of my tim -- time. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. up up mr. speaker. the speaker pro tempore: -- mr. upton: mr. speaker, i yield myself three minutes.

the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. upton: here we are once again to debate legislation on the keystone x.l. pipeline. for the past six years, this project has been thoroughly vetted by the congress and the administration. and there is no question in my mind that the keystone x.l. is in the national interests. so let's look again at the facts. it's a jobs project. president's own state department has con filmed that keystone is going to support 42,000 jobs across the country. keystone is going to be safe. yes, it is. it remains one of the most efficient ways to transport energy. and keystone is going to rank at the top of the class when it comes to safety. the pipeline is going to incorporate 59 additional safety standards proposed by fimsa and adhere to the pipeline safety standards that i worked with john dingell to get signed into

law. keystone is better for the environment. yes, it is. we know that canada is going to develop to develop its rich oil sands regardless of whether we build the pipeline. we don't build it, that oil is going to continue to get to the marketplace through other more carbon-more-intensive means. it will enrich our energy prices and stay stable and affordable. we know this despite high gas prices. we know that high gas prices aren't going to last forever and prices have begun to tick back up. by bringing more energy to the market, it can help us protect us against price spikes and overseas' disruption. we want certainty. the president said last week that he was again another reason that he is against this is because gas prices are low. yesterday's "wall street journal," headline above the

fold, oil price rebound predicted. that's right. they are going to go up. americans understand supply and demand. this is a positive, the keystone pipeline is very positive for us and the united states. i would like to ask unanimous consent to put in a letter we received just an hour or so ago from the canadian embassy. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. upton: in that letter from the ambassador from canada, he makes a number of good points but concludes by saying this, there is no significant difference between the g.h.g. emissions from oil sand, crude oil and heavy crude oils that would be displaced at the u.s. gulf coast. as compared to rail k.x.l. represents lower emissions and lower environmental and public safety risks. the evidence is in.

the case ought to be closed. there is no good reason for president obama not to join with republicans and democrats to say yes, it's time to build. reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentleman from new jersey has two minutes remaining. mr. pallone: mr. speaker how much time is now on the republican side? the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from michigan has 13 1/2 minutes. mr. pallone: and i reserve. mr. upton: i yield two minutes to the gentleman from north dakota, mr. kramer. mr. cramer: i spent several minutes articulating the benefits of this bill. and i thank you for introducing it in the senate. there are legitimate concerns being raised by my friends on the other side. with regard to the price of oil

being about $50 and being low and therefore somehow that negates the need for the pipeline. 2,336 days ago, the price of oil was approaching $50. transcanada still applied for the pipeline. in fact, at low prices the cost of transportation is a more important consideration and oil transported by rail costs about $10 a barrel more than it does by pipeline. the pipeline is even more important. with regard to the pump station spill in north dakota on the original keystone pipeline. i cited that line. the good news was everything worninged. the alarms went off. the farmer called the company. there was a spill and it was corrected and no environmental impact. with regard to the types of jobs, i saw them firsthand. these are permanent jobs.

they are temporary on that particular job, but 88% of the steel used in the keystone x.l. pipeline has been sourced from north america. i want to read this quote from danny henddricks. danny says this with regard to the kind of jobs that will be created. quote they have health care for another year. they have a pension credit for when they retire. it means that those families have got health care, dental care, so it means a lot. it means they can make a house payment. it means they can send their kids to college. danny henddricks is a business manager for pipefitters in oklahoma. these are real jobs and to degrade them in any way is dishonest and disrespectful and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from new jersey reserves. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. upton: i yield two minutes to the gentleman from

pennsylvania mr. kelly. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. . mr. kelly: those jobs that you're talking about that will be part time, i know the department of lake will count those numbers. this is the most federally reviewed pipeline in history. six years. the thing about this that's most impressive, it doesn't cost the american taxpayer one single penny. it's privately funded. i would guarantee you, along that pipeline is -- that's constructed, all those communities are going to benefit. how many more times do we have to talk about this? this is not a republican issue, by the way. this is an american issue. the majority of the american people support this. democrats and republicans of both the house and the senate. it is bipartisan and bicameral. my goodness, how rare is that? business groups and labor unions. even president bill clinton and

president bush agree, this is something that needs to be done. news outlets from bloomberg to the "the washington post" to "u.s.a. today." they all say build it. "u.s.a. today" gets it right. they say, on the merits, the obama administration should long ago have said yes. but the white house seems to have been paralyzed by its fear of angering our ally, canada, or infuriating the democratic environmentalists if it says yes. it's way past time to say yes. president obama must say yes to new jobs, he must say yes to bipartisanship. he must say yes to good government. he must say yes to america. and he must say yes to the keystone x.l. pipeline. it's long past due, my friends. let's move america forward. let's become energy self-sustaining and let's be the leader in the world when it comes to energy. this debate is way past time and the thought that we shouldn't do it now because the oil market is down, my goodness. nothing could be further from the truth.

i thank you and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from new jersey reserves. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. upton: mr. speaker, i would yield two minutes to the gentlelady from wyoming mrs. lummis. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from wyoming is recognized for two minutes. mrs. lummis: thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, i'm having kind of a deja vu moment and a holy cow moment both at the same time. deja vu because we already passed a homeland security funding bill. so that debate has shifted to the senate. somebody apparently didn't get that memo. i'm having this holey cow moment because i can't believe i'm standing up here in support -- had, -- holy cow moment because i can't believe i'm standing up here in support of a senaten -- senate-passed keystone x.l. pipeline approval act. the broad bipartisan support for this is remarkable. this bill is bipartisan, it's bicameral. in fact, it commanded a super

majority in the senate. a majority of the american people want to see the pipeline constructed. the pipeline has been studied and studied and studied again. in fact, way up to the state department, which approved the pipeline more than a year ago. this kind of support for a piece of legislation is a rarity in washington. it doesn't get any better than this. that's because the pipeline has unquestionable merit. it directly creates jobs. it's a shot in the arm for our energy economy. it will make america more energy secure, ans a separation of presidents and congresses for -- an aspiration of presidents and congresses for decades. and it's now in our grass fp we choose to cease it. why the president would threaten to veto this bill is beyond rational explanation. its economic benefits could not be more evident. mr. chairman, i sincerely hope the president reconsiders his threat to veto this so american workers can finally start to

construct and reap the benefits for the american people. thank you, mr. speaker i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back the balance of her time. the gentleman from new jersey reserves. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. upton: mr. speaker i would yield two minutes to the gentleman from arkansas mr. hill. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from arkansas is recognized for two minutes. mr. hill: thank you, mr. chairman. mr. speaker i rise today in support of approving the keystone x.l. pipeline. the pipeline is widely supported by americans. by a bipartisan majority in this house and in the senate. in the more than six years since the application to build the pipeline, the president has refused to authorize it citing two reasons. number one, environmental challenges. but, mr. speaker the pipeline has undergone numerous environmental assessments. and the u.s. state department's final supplemental environmental impact statement confirms the minimal impact of the pipeline on the environment. number two, legal challenges. but, mr. speaker, on january 9,

2015 the nebraska supreme court approved the pathway to the pipeline. the president has no more excuses to deny the completion of the keystone x.l. and i urge him to rescind his veto threat of this critical energy and infrastructure bill. americans want a true all-of-the-above energy policy that boosts our goal of north american energy independence. benefits consumers creates jobs protects our environment and preserves our natural resources. this bill accomplishes all of those goals. however mr. speaker, the president continues to block this essential energy and infrastructure project and the jobs it would provide to our hardworking american families. further, due to the bureaucratic delays of the past six years, this project is now costing 50% more 50% more than its original announcement. in my district alone, the

pipeline has supported over 600 jobs atwells fund tubular where -- at wellsfunds tubular where pipe is ready to put into the ground. mr. speaker, if approved, this project will provide thousands of more jobs and over 3 -- $3.4 billion for our nation's economy. the president is out of excuses. it's time to approve this project. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from arkansas yields back. the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. mr. pallone: i would yield one minute, mr. speaker, to the gentleman from tennessee, mr. cohen. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from tennessee is recognized for one minute. mr. cohen: thank you, mr. speaker. thank you for the time. the gentleman said this is the time to pass it. it's not the time to pass it. the time to pass it is after all the reports and studies are in. and the state department hasn't completed its study. it's kind of like what we're doing in this congress. we're not going by our regular procedures. and not having bills in

committee and not having opportunities for amendments on the floor. because we bring things up here to make it the political issue du jour. this is not the time for the bill. just like it's not the time for the prime minister to come and speak from that well. it should be after his election and after the negotiations with iran are over. and this should be after the state department has told us what their opinion is and then let the president make his decision. we should go back to regular order. i yield back the balance of my time. and hope the house will return to regular order. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. upton: mr. speaker, i would yield one minute to the gentleman from georgia, mr. allen. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from georgia is recognized for one minute. mr. allen: i thank the gentleman for yielding. mr. speaker i rise today in strong support of this keystone x.l. pipeline approval act. you know i think on both sides, all we talk about is creating jobs. for six years this project has been studied, we hear that over

and over again. you know, every environmental report has been favorable and in fact the president's own state department says that the construction of this pipeline will create tens of thousands of jobs. at a time when millions of americans are struggling, this is a project that's ready to go. as we said, we have pipelines stacked up ready to put in the ground. this keystone pipeline is not just an important -- is not just important to growing our economy, this project is critical to securing north american energy independence and reducing our dependence on foreign oil. congress has taken action with bipartisan so -- support and finally we will put this priority on the president's desk. i urge the president to listen to the american people who support this project and reconsider his threat to veto this critical legislation. with that i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from new jersey

reserves. the gentleman from michigan's recognized. mr. upton: mr. speaker, i yield at this point one minute to the gentleman from georgia, mr. carter. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from georgia is recognized for one minute. mr. carter: thank you, mr. speaker. thank you, mr. chairman. for yielding to me and for the work that you've done on this bill. mr. speaker, i rise today in support of senate bill s. 1, to approve the keystone x.l. pipeline. after what has turned out to be an unacceptable six-year delay by the obama administration. many have stated that this bill is about creating jobs and guess what? they are right. the pipeline would create over 40,000 jobs without a dime of taxpayer funding. helping to put eager american workers out of the unemployment line. approval of the pipeline would also bring down energy costs here at home. lifting a huge burden on hardworking families, small businesses and farmers. moreover clearing the construction of the keystone pipeline puts us closer to north american energy independence to reduce our dependence on oil from foreign

sources that are all too often at odds with america's interests and our national security. so the bill we debate today is about jobs. it's about making energy more affordable. but it's also about making our country safer. this bill will help us stop funding both sides of the war on terror. mr. chairman, thank you, mr. speaker, i support this bill and yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. mr. upton: mr. speaker, may i ask how much time is remaining. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from michigan has four minutes remaining. the gentleman from new jersey has one minute. mr. upton: i'm not aware that we have any further speakers. so willing to close if the gentleman goes first. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new jersey is recognized for one minute. mr. pallone: mr. speaker if this bill grants a regulatory earmark to transcanada corporation, effectively exempting transcanada's keystone tar sands pipeline from all federal permitting requirements, including requirements that apply to every other construction

project in the country. keystone will increase carbon pollution and threaten critical water resources. tar sands are a dirty, high-polluting fuel. it produces up to 40% more carbon pollution than conventional oil. even with the current proposed route, leaks from the highly corrosive pipeline will threaten the aquifer, a critical resource for drinking water and irrigation. mr. speaker, we don't need this dirty oil. since keystone was proposed to cut u.s. oil demand week of dramatically boosted less polluting u.s. oil production. in fact, much of the tar sands oil will not got america but will go through america and be exported oversales. this leaves the united states with all the -- overseas. this leaves the united states with all the risk and no reward. i urge my colleagues once again to vote no on this legislation. it is not good for this country. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new jersey yields back his time. the gentleman from michigan is recognized for four minutes. mr. upton: mr. speaker, i yield myself the balance of my time. mr. speaker this is not new

science. we've got existing oil and gas pipelines across the border, we have a million miles of pipeline ourselves within the united states. safety standards rightly are are so are a lot higher than they used to be and will continue to oversee this. canada's our friend. we get oil and gas from canada today. we've expanded many of our refineries, in the billions billions of dollars trying to get prepared for new pipeline commodities coming from the north. it's time to build this. it has been six years. i remember well secretary of state hillary clinton a number of years ago saying that they would be ready before the end of that year to complete their studies to get this thing done. six years is now -- has now come. and it's time for us to act.

the courts have ruled, the nebraska supreme court has ruled the way that they did in support of this. we know that the carbon footprint is less by putting it in the pipeline and we know that it's safer than others of transportation and again we know that -- other means of transportation and again we know that canada is going to sell this oil somewhere. if they don't connect it in a pipeline here to the u.s., that pipeline is going to go 2000 miles to the east and get on a boat or a barge, higher carbon footprint. isn't it better to do it here? to build it, put it in a pipeline here in the u.s.? this bill, we were accepting the senate bill, yes, they finally passed this bill. let's pass this bill this afternoon. let's send it to the president. let's hope that he might reconsider a proposed veto on

this bill and let's deal with shoot and let's get it done. there's a reason why better than 65% of americans support this. they understand it. they understand supply and demand. we want gas prices to stay stable, we know that this oil that we get from canada will displace oil coming either from the middle east or from venezuela. why is that not a good thing? . please vote yes and i the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to house resolution 100, the previous question is ordered on the bill. the question is on third reading of the bill. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. the ayes have it. the clerk: an act to approve the keystone x.l. pipeline. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does gentlelady from california seek recognition? mrs. capps: i have a motion to recommit the bill.

the clerk: mrs. caps of california moves to commit the bill senate 1 to the committee on energy and commerce with instructions to report back to the house forth with. after section 2 insert the following and redesignate squept sections accordingly. section 3, requirement that transcanada -- mr. upton: may i reserve a point of order? the speaker pro tempore: point of order has been reserved. the clerk may continue. the clerk: pay for any oil spill cleanup on american soil. transcanada keystone pipeline l.p. shall certify to the president that materials derived from tar or oil sands that are transported through the pipeline will be treated as crude oil and fund the oil spill liket trust fund. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from california is recognized for five minutes in support of her motion.

mrs. capps: i rise today to offer the final amendment to this bill. passage of this amendment will not prevent passage of the underlying bill. if it's adopted, my amendment will be incorporated into the bill and the bill will be voted upon. mr. speaker, no matter if you support or oppose keystone x.l. we can agree, extracting and transporting oil has some serious risks. only takes one small crack, one small mistake to cause a major oil spill and a catastrophe. the damage to surrounding communities and the environment. history has shown us there is simply no such thing as a spill-proof well or pipeline. accidents happen. and they will continue to happen regardless of what we're told by the oil companies building and maintaining the pipeline. in fact accidents have already happened 14 times on the existing section of the keystone

pipeline. and these oil spills don't just devastate the surrounding environments, they harm lives and livelihoods as well. in 1969, my home district in california experienced one of the worst oil spills in american history. i saw firsthand the devastating damage on our local economy, to human health to property, to natural resources. and we have sadly seen this happen far too many times since then in communities all around this country. the deepwater horizon disaster cost 11 lives. billions of dollars in economic damages, and untold devastation to the delicate ecosystem of the gulf. that very same year, we saw a terrible spill in michigan. this bill was noteworthy because it involved tar sand oil, which is the same type of oil that would flow through the keystone

pipeline. tar sands spills are harder to clean up than crude which is why it took several years and billions of dollars to clean up. despite numerous assurances that keystone x.l. will be safer and risk of a spill will be minimal it does not equal safe. that's why we have the oil spill liket trust fund to ensure the oil companies that create these messes will pay for them to clean them up. the trust fund is financed by an eight cents per barrel fee. but transcanada is not even required to contribute to the trust fund for keystone because tar sands oil is not considered crude oil for purposes of this program, a loophole if i ever heard one. if there is a spill, taxpayers and local communities, not those responsible, could be stuck paying for this cleanup. i'm offering this

straightforward amendment. my amendment would require transcanada to certify that it will pay the same per barrel fee for its tar sands oil as it does for its regular crude and would ensure that transcanada and not taxpayers pay to clean up its own mess in the event of a spill. i have offered this amendment several times before both in committee and here on the floor. so the majority should be quite familiar with this issue. the majority has assured us on several occasions that they would work with us on ways and means committee as well, to resolve this issue. yet, the majority has failed to even propose a meaningful solution, yet alone bring one to the floor for a vote. mr. speaker, this is a straightforward issue that should have bipartisan support. we taxpayers, if we are going to bear 100% of the risk of an oil spill from this keystone pipeline, the least we can do is to ensure that those who are responsible for it also pay to

clean it up. i urge my colleagues to adopt this amendment to protect american taxpayers and hold oil companies accountable. and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back. the gentleman from michigan still reserves? mr. upton: i would withdraw my point of order and claim time in opposition. i might ask by asking my dear friend from california a quick question, if this motion was adopted, would she be voting for the bill yes or no? mrs. capps: i said in my opening remarks, i would not. as you know the bill would still pass. mr. upton: reclaiming my time. i appreciate the gentlelady's interest on this and i share her concern and i would note and i know that i also speak for my colleague chairman shuster, as we did write and chairman of the ways and means committee, dave

camp back in 2012, may 21, i sent a letter to the ways and means chair encouraging that this exemption be loophole be fixed. as you know, the meaningful tax reform did not emerge from the last congress. i remain absolutely committed to resolving this, as i know bill shuster has said so on the record. besides that, though, it's been years that we have been debating this and we finally have a bill out of the senate. they took a whole month on the other side. they considered lots of amendments. they adopted three. we are accepting those three amendments. when this bill passes today, as we did not go to conference. as we know this is a jurisdictional issue neither our committee or transportation has jurisdiction over tax issues and that's why we are not able to include that provision here and that's why the senate was not able to adopt it on the senate

side either because it would have been a blue slip issue. we view this on our side as a procedural issue. we don't want to send it back to the senate. who knows when we will get it back after the last month that they had. i would urge our colleagues on our side to vote no on the procedural vote and to the folks on your side that are voting, just know that we remain committed to closing this loophole and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the question is on the motion. without objection, the previous is ordered on the previous motion to commit. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. the ayes have it. the motion is not agreed to -- the nos have it. mrs. capps: could we have a recorded vote. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady request the yeas and nays? the yeas and nays are requested. those favoring a vote by the yeas and nays will rise. a sufficient number having arisen yeas and nays are ordered. members will record their votes by electronic device. pursuant to clause 8 and clause 9 of rule

20, this 15-minute vote on the motion to recommit will be followed bypassage and motion to pass h.r. 431. this is a 15-minute vote. [captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc., in cooperation with the united states house of representativ. any use t csecaptioned coverage of the house proceedings for political or commercialurposes is expressly prohibited by the u.s. house of representatives.]