for texas residents, (202) 748-8003. dan, you are a first. caller: i'm a vietnam veteran. i served in our military and security specialist. in smithfield, when they had this town meeting with people, they said the commander used the excuse they are using this for terrain. italy problem is, -- the only problem is, we have bases all over the united states and most of the time we do these exercises, they fly us to these areas we need to practice in. they are lying to the people that they need to use the terrain for these training exercises. we were always flown to where we needed to be trained for whatever area we were going to. this is not true what they are saying to the public.

host: the house will be in order. puffer sunt to clause 8 of rule 20 the unfinished business is the volt on the motion of the gentleman from washington, mr. reichert on h.r. 606. the clerning will report the title of the bill. the clerk: h.r. 606 a bill to amend the internal revenue code to remove public safety officers and their dependents from gross income. the speaker pro tempore: the question is, will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill? members will record their votes by electronic device. this is a 15-minute vote. [captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc., in cooperation with the united states house of representatives. any use of the closed-captioned coverage of the house proceedings for political or commercial purposes is expressly prohibited by the u.s. house of representatives.]

the speaker pro tempore: the yeas are 410.

the speaker: on this vote 413 yeas, no nays. 2/3 being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended the bill is passed and without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. the house will be in order. members will please take their seats. the chair lays before the house a communication. the clerk: the honorable, the speaker, house of representatives, sir, i have the honor to transmit herewith a

copy of a letter received from mr. robert a. breahm, new york state board of elections indicating that according to the preliminary results of the special election held may 5 2015, the honorable dan donovan was elected representative to congress congress for the 11th congressional district for the state of new york. karen l. haas, clerk. the speaker: for what purpose does the gentleman from new york seek recognition? mr. rangel: i ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from that the gentleman from new york -- the speaker: without objection. the speaker: will the members of the new york delegation present

themselves in the well of the house. and will all members rise. and will the representative-elect raise his right hand. do you solemnly swear or affirm that you will support and defend the constitution of the united states against all enemies and bear true faith and alegionages to the same and you take this obligation freely without any mental reservation and you will well and discharge the duties about which you are about to defend. congratulations. you are now a member of the 114th congress. .

without objection, the gentleman from new york, mr. rangel is recognized for one minute. mr. rangel: my dear friends, the good people of the staten island and brooklyn state of new york has sent to us to represent the 22nd seat of the empire state of new york, the open door for immigrants that have come here historically from all over the world, we welcome him on behalf of this delegation as well as the good democrat and republican members of this house of representatives. i welcome him to the house look forward to the great contribution we hill -- he will make to our city, our state, the congress and our great country. i'd like to introduce also a good democratic -- of good democratic stock if the great state of new york, peter king, who will join with me in welcoming our friend from richmond county. peter king. mr. king: thank you, charlie.

thank you, congressman rangel. it is my privilege to introduce a man who has been a friend for many years he's been a career prosecutor, 12 years he was district attorney in staten island, he was overwhelmingly elected a true public servant, universally respected, it is my privilege to introduce the congressman from brooklyn and staten island, the honorable dan donovan. mr. donovan: thank you very much. thank you. thank you so very much. thank you. mr. speaker thank you so very much. i am honored to join you and i'm humbled by the confidence that the people of the 11th congressional district have placed in me. i want to thank all of my volunteers, all my supporters for helping me get here. i want to thank my family for everything they have done for me and i promise to make all of

them proud through my representation of them down here as a member of the greatest legislative body in the world. thank you so very much. the speaker: under clause 5-d of rule 20, the chair announces to the house that in light of the administration of the oath to the gentleman from new york, the whole numb of the house is now 433. pursuant to house resolution 231 and rule 18, the chair declares the house in the committee of the whole house on the state of the union for further consideration of h.r. 1732. will the gentleman from iowa, mr. young, please resume the

chair. the chair: the house is in the committee of the whole house on the state of the union for the further consideration of h.r. 1732 which the clerk will report by title. the clerk: a bill to preserve existing rights and responsibilities with respect to waters of the united states and for other purposes. the chair: when the committee of the whole rose earlier today, amendment number printed in part b of house report 114-98 offered by the gentleman from michigan, mr. kildee, had been disposed of. pursuant to clause 6 of rule 18 the unfinished business is the request for a recorded vote on amendment number one printed in house report 114-98 by the gentlewoman from maryland, ms. edwards, on which further proceedings were postponed and on which the ayes prevailed by voice vote. the clerk will redesignate the

amendment. the clerk: amendment number 1 printed in house report 114-9 , offered by ms. edwards of maryland. the chair: a recorded vote has been requested. those in support of the request for a recorded vote will rise and be counted. a sufficient number having risen a recorded vote is ordered. members will record their votes by electronic device. this will be a two-minute vote. [captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc., in cooperation with the united states house of representatives. any use of the closed-captioned coverage of the house proceedings for political or commercial purposes is expressly prohibited by the u.s. house of representatives.]

the speaker pro tempore: -- the chair: on this vote the quaze -- -- the yeas --

the chair: on this vote the yeas are 167 the nays are 248. the amendment is not adopted. the question is -- the question is on the amendment in the nature of a substitute. as amended. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. the ayes have it. the amendment is adopted. acourtingly, under the rule, the committee rises. the chair: madam speaker, the

committee of the whole house on the state of the union has had under consideration h.r. 117 and has reported it become to the house with an amendment adopted in the committee of the whole. the speaker pro tempore: the chair of the committee of the whole house on the state of the union reports that the committee has had under consideration the bill h.r. 1732 and pursuant to house resolution 231 reports the bill back to the house with an amendment adopted in the committee of the whole. under the rule, the previous question is ordered. is a separate vote demanded on the amendment to the amendment reported from the committee of the whole? if not the question is on the adoption of the amendment in the nature of a substitute as amended. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. the ayes have it. the amendment is agreed to.

the question is on the engrossment and third reading of the bill. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. the ayes have it. third reading. the clerk: a bill to preserve existing rights and responsibilities with respect to the waters of the united states and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: the house will be in order. the house will be in order. members are advised to take their conversations off the floor. for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition? >> i have a motion to recommit

at the desk. the speaker pro tempore: is the gentleman opposed to the bill? >> i am in its current form. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman qualifies. the clerk will report the motion. the clerk: mr. aguilar of california moves to recommit the bill h.r. 1732 to the committee on transportation and infrastructure with instructions to report the same back to the house forthwith with the following amendment. mr.ing a -- mr. aguilar: i ask unanimous condition sent to dispense with the reading. >> i rise in opposition to the recommit. the speaker pro tempore: without objection the gentleman is recognized for five minutes members will take their -- phi minutes. members will take their conversations off the floor. the gentleman is recognized. mr. aguilar: thank you, madam speaker speaker. this is the final amendment to the bill which will not kill the bill or send it become to committee. if adopted it will proceed to final passage as amended.

this is simple, it thrires army corps and e.p.a. to ensure that certain surface waters and wetlands are protected in the new rule making process this bill starts. it requires the -- the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is correct. the house is not in order. the gentleman will suspend. the gentleman from california is recognized. mr. aguilar: thank you. this motion requires that the quality of public water supplies be protected. around the country, we have seen drinking water sources polluted that forced toledo ohio to use boat tled water. in california, they are experiencing a drought. we need to make sure these drinking water sources are protected to keep families and

communities healthy. the drought in california has reached emergency levels and water and wetlands that helped mitigate the waters in the west are protected. these waters need protection under this rule because if they are con tame nailted, we have few other options to ensure that communities in southern california have access. california's implementing water use restrictions to deal with the drought but doesn't make sense to take these steps if we don't make sure that the wetlands that are recharging them are protected. water use for agriculture, including for agriculture are safeguarded. it depends on clean water and this motion reserves the exemptions. in short, this is the commonsense amendment to the bill to guarantee protections for water use for the public and

lessening the drought in the west and california. i yield back. hifment the gentleman from california yields back. the gentleman from pennsylvania is recognized for five minutes in opposition to the bill. mr. shuster: i strongly opposed this motion to recommit. it has nothing to do with drought. second, it's a back-door attempt to allow the e.p.a. to take control of all the waters in america. in addition to that my colleagues from california have tried time and time again to work with their colleagues to solve this drought problem in california but my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have refused to work together. again, this has nothing to do with drought. the purpose of h.r. 1732 is to uphold the federal-state partnership in regulating the nation's water by maintaining the balance between the states and the federal government. h.r. 173 restricts the add

administration's efforts to expand federal jurisdiction and requires the agency to implement the clean water act. this motion is designed to undermine the legislation by giving the e.p.a. unfetted discretion in making state water quality determinations to allow the e.p.a. to implement this flawed rule. the amendment says the underlying bill will not be anywhere. this amendment would further erode the federal and state partnership that h.r. 1732 seeks to preserve. it's 32 states have said revise or eliminate this rule. and my colleagues have talked about, we haven't seen the final rule, but have seen the proposed rule and the proposed rule is going to be similar to the final rule and seen it happen time and time again. we have to stop this rule.

i urge all my colleagues 435 members to take notice, this is another attempt by the executive branch to take congressional authority away from us. for too long this body has allowed the executive branch to take out authority granted to us by the constitution. whether it's a democrat or republican administration, we have to stop that. the bill h.r. 1732 is a step in the right dwrecks. it's a good bill and maintains the balance of regulation of our nation's water and maintain the federal-state partnership that exists. until this administration's is attempting to overbear. i urge a yes vote. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. without objection, the previous question is ordered. the question is on the motion to recommit. those in favor say aye.

those opposed no. the noes have it. the motion is not adopted. >> 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 clause of rule 20, this five-minute vote will be followed by a five-minute vote on passage of the bill if ordered and pass h.r. 2146. this is a five-minute vote. [captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc., in cooperation with the united states house of representatives. any use of the closed-captioned coverage of the house proceedings for political or commercial purposes is expressly prohibited by the u.s. house of representatives.]

the speaker pro tempore: the yeas are 175 and the nays are 241. the motion is not adopted. the question is on passage of the bill. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. the ayes have it. the bill is passed -- the gentlewoman from california. mrs. napolitano: i request a recorded vote. the speaker pro tempore: a recorded vote is requested. those favoring a recorded vote will rise. a sufficient number having arisen, a recorded vote is ordered. members will record their votes by electronic device. [captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc., in cooperation with the united states house of representatives. any use of the closed-captioned coverage of the house proceedings for political or commercial purposes is expressly prohibited by the u.s. house of representatives.]

the speaker pro tempore: on this vote, the yeas are 261 and the nays are 155. the bill is passed. without objection the motion to reconsider is laid upon the table.

pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20 the unfinished business is the vote on the motion of the gentleman from washington, mr. reichert suspend the rules and pass h.r. 2146 as amended on which the yeas and nays are ordered. the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: h.r. 2146, a bill to amend the internal revenue code of 1986 to allow federal law enforcement officers firefighters and air traffic controlers to make penalty free withdrawals from governmental plans after age 50 and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: the question is, will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill as amended? 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 representatives. any use of the closed-captioned coverage of the house proceedings for political or commercial purposes is expressly prohibited by the u.s. house of representatives.]

the speaker pro tempore: on this vote the yeas are 407, the nays are 5. 2/3 fwg -- 2/3 being in the affirmative the bill is passed and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. the gentleman from mississippi. without objection the gentleman from mississippi is recognized for one minute. >> mr. speaker, i rise today to honor the lives of the two police officers who were killed in the line of duty in hattiesburg mississippi, on may 9, 2015. mr. palazzo: officer benjamin dean and officer lacorey tate. i'm joined by my fellow mississippians congressman

gregg harper and congressman bennie thompson. we would like to lend our prayers to these two young men, to the hattiesburg police department and for the community for their loss. we recognize the bravery, fortitude and sacrifice demonstrated by police officers nationwide. they put their lives on the line to defend our communities and our citizens against criminals and thugs. so i ask the house to join us tonight in honoring the lives of lacorey tate and benjamin dean by joining me in a moment of silence. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from texas seek recognition? >> i ask that the committee on

armed services be authorized to file a supplemental report on the bill h.r. 1735. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, so ordered. for what purpose dez the -- does the gentlewoman from north carolina seek recognition? ms. foxx: i ask unanimous consent that the committee on education and the work force be discharged from further consideration of s. 1124 and ask for its immediate consideration in the house. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: senate 1124, an act to permit a work force innovation and opportunity act to improve the act. the speaker pro tempore: is there objection to the consideration of the bill? objection the bill is read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. for what purpose does the gentleman from texas seek recognition? >> i move the house suspend the rules and pass h.r. 723. the speaker pro tempore: for

what purpose does the gentleman from texas, mr. burgess seek recognition. mr. burgess: i offer a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the resolution. the clerk: house resolution 254 resolved that the house has learned with profound sorrow of the death of the honorable james cloud wright jr., former member of the house for 18 terms and speaker of the house of representatives for the 100th and 101st congresses. resolved that the in the death of the honorable james claude wright jr. that the united states and the state of texas have lost an imminent public servant and citizen. resolved that the clerk communicate these to the senate and provide a copy of this to the family of the deceased. resolved that when the house adjourn today it adjourn as a further mark of respect to the deceased. the speaker pro tempore: without objection the resolution is agreed to and the motion to

reconsider is laid on the table. the speaker pro tempore: the chair will postponefurther proceedings to suspend the rules on which a recorded vote on which the the yeas and nays are ordered or which the vote incurs and any record vote on the proposed question will be taken later. for what purpose does the gentleman from florida seek recognition? >> mr. speaker, this time i move the house suspend the ruse and pass h.r. 723. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report. the clerk: h.r. 723, a immediate families to law enforcement officers, members of rescue squads or public safety officers who are killed in the line of duty. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from florida mr.

nugent and the gentleman from pennsylvania mr. boyle each will control 20 minutes. mr. neugebauer: i ask -- mr. nugent: i ask that members have five days to include matters on this bill. i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. nugent: today i rise in support of h.r. 723 the fallen heroes lag act. the bill before us would allow members of congress to honor law enforcement or firefighters or public safety officers who die in the line of duty by providing their family of the deceased individual at their request that the united states flag be flown over our capitol. it would would contain the expression of sympathy of the family of the individual who

passed away signed by the speaker of the house and the individual representatives here in congress. this measure authored allows our house to express its gratitude in recognition for an individual who made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of public service. many in our country put their lives on the line every day to serve others. they are the firefighters who charge into burning buildings in order to save a life or property police officers and other law enforcement officers who respond to incidents through their actions and shield others from harm. they are the memmings of rescue squads and ambulance crews who spent hours perfecting life-saving skills and the public safety officers, and dispatch the communication lines

to accomplish other safety services for our community. our nation is blessed to have individuals who answer the call to dedicate their lives serving others. we are grateful to be surrounded by individuals to save and protect lives. each swore an oath to uphold our lives and each are daily heroes. the rescue workers and law enforcement fierce, sons and daughters, mothers and fathers and sisters and brothers who rise up and stand up in defense of others. in some cases, they pay the ultimate sacrifice and killed in the line of duty, just as we heard earlier. tragedy in the truest sense when one of these fine individuals lose their life, most especially

in the act of saving the life of another. i stand here not just as a member representing my congressional district, but also someone who knows firsthand the sacrifices that these men and women put forward. before i came to congress, i served my community as a police officer as a deputy sheriff and eventually as a sheriff in a county in florida. i know what it means for so many men and women to come to work every day, not knowing you can never predict the events of the day and what those events may hold for you, but one thing is certain. you will answer the call for help with everything you've got. when you kiss your wife or husband good-bye or children good-bye, they want to know you are going to come home and they know that the realities of life

is possible that you may make the ultimate sacrifice for your community. it is appropriate to offer this meaningful token as an expression of our nation's gratitude and i support of this legislation each member of congress should recognize these brave individuals for hero ism in gratitude to their immediate families. i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentleman from pennsylvania is recognized. mr. brady: i yield myself such time as i may consume. mr. speaker, i join in support of h.r. 723, the fallen heroes flag act. this bill provides for flags flown in memories of firefighters police and emergency personnel that are

killed in the line of duty. mr. boyle: the -- they risk their lives every day, it is my hope that it brings some level of comfort to the family of those who have given the sacrifice in the line of duty. we recknies their sacrifice. we are eternally grateful. as members of congress, we often have the sad duty and solemn duty to express condolences. at no expense to these families this is one small way to express our condolences and gratitude. i urge our members to support h.r. 723 and i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentleman from florida is recognized.

>> mr. nugent: i yield to the gentleman from new york. mr. king: i thank the gentleman. mr. speaker, i rise in strong support of this legislation. i think it is appropriate that this bill be passed during police week, at a time when we honor those who put their lives on the line every day. as we saw tonight the delegation from mississippi, acknowledging their two police officers that were murdered on saturday night. in new york brian moore a member of the nypd was murdered in queens, new york, a young man, 25 years old. 150 arrests and member of an elite unit. his father was a retired police sergeant. his cousins on the nypd and

nassau police department. these are real leaves and real families that suffer. that is why it is so important that we in congress acknowledge that and a flag signed by the speaker and a member of congress. we had a new member of congress sworn in, dan donovan. dan was with me on friday at the funeral of brian moore. also we had two tragic deaths in december, ramos and liu that were murdered in brooklyn along with thousands and thousands, tens of thousands of officers. it is important we stand in solidarity with the men and women in blue. they come under attack.

so much carried on. these men and women are out there every day and doing their job and it is important we stand them. and support them and pay them tribute with their families with the flag. so with that, i thank the gentleman for his leadership and thank the gentleman from pennsylvania and i urge strong support of this legislation and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. boil from him pennsylvania. mr. boyle: i just want to say how proud i am to stand with mr. nugent and mr. king in the backing this very sensible and decent piece of legislation and

i would also say as he was mentioning the unfortunate tragedies that happened to nypd, i have only been a member of congress for a few months but in elective office for six years and during that time, we unfortunately lost more philadelphia police officers killed in the line of duty as well as three philadelphia firefighters killed in the line of duty, more than any five, six year period of history that dates before the founding of our country. it is a reminder of the sacrifice that they are willing to make. i believe it is affording this legislation is a proper gesture we can make in this house and happy to support it. and with that, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from florida is recognized.

mr. nugent: it is a proud day and appreciate your comments, those that serve us and mr. king, your reputation precedes itself in those caring for those. it is a thal thankless job. those folks go to work because they want to help people, they don't go to work because they want to hurt someone. they are driven to do right and do good every day and real easy sometimes that we forget that these are men and women, they wear the badge of a law enforcement officer or firefighter or e.m.t. or any other public safety officer, they do their job because they are committed to their community. they do it because they love their community. and so when some folks want to rush to judgment, i would just

suggest that until you walk in their shoes, until you know what it's like to serve in that capacity, i would ask that people use a little restraint and maybe until the investigation is complete before we start making decisions in regards to guilt or innocence. i had to do that as sheriffs. i had depp physician that were involved where other folks were killed. we want to know the facts, we want to know the truth. if a police officer does something that is wrong, he should be dealt with. not all police officers do things wrong. you know, they are human beings and sometimes they do make mistakes but this particular bill talks to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice, whether it

is in the fire service or law enforcement service or public safety in any manner, this is about recognizing them and their families for their service. these public safety officers they stand side by side with each other, whether you are a fireman or police officer it is a common goal to do the right thing. they and their families lives with these risks. they know what the job brings, but they do itselflessly, every time they put on that uniform to go to work. it could change the lives of their children and families for forever. but this bill allows us to offer a simple, yet meaningful expression, i believe of sympathy. we can't make up the family's loss to them but we can remember

that these fallen heroes and offer their families our gratitude as we honor those loved once' memories as i think this body should do every day. because there are folks that stand the line for us, whether fighting the fire rescuing us from a trapped vehicle whether it is tornados or earthquakes and law enforcement officers have to go in places we don't want to go. i thank mr. king for bringing this bill forward and i thank mr. boyle for standing for what's right and i appreciate that. with that, mr. speaker, i yield back. . the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. will the house pass h.r. 723. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair,

2/3 of those voting having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed. without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. the chair will now entertain requests for one-minute speeches. for what purpose does the gentleman from pennsylvania seek recognition? mr. thompson: mr. speaker, request 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. mr. thompson: mr. speaker, last week was national small business week and while back in pennsylvania's fifth congressional district i attended a ceremony honoring jim and coleen small for receiving the 2015 western pennsylvania district small business persons of the year awards. for jim and coleen, pursuing a crecked career as business owners trumped an early retirement. so they decided to open u.p.s.

store number 5642. like many small business owners starting out, jim and coleen faced challenges. but through community outreach and dedicated staff and lots of hard work, the smalls now run a very successful small business. mr. speaker, small businesses are the backbone of our economy and i couldn't think of a better way to celebrate national small business week than by recognizing two outstanding local small business leaders. i ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating mr. and mrs. small on receiving this well deserved award. i thank for our community. thank you mr. speaker, i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition? without objection the gentleman is recognized. >> mr. speaker, i rise today to commemorate the 25th

anniversary of the university of california riverside's college of engineering. in 1990 u.c.r. opened its new public engineering college to educate the next generation of engineering leaders. since then the college has produced over 5,600 engineering graduates and is ranked first among public universities of the same size. not only does the college of engineering offer a quality engineering education, it is committed to recruiting stublets who are a true reflection of the ethnic and cultural diversity of the world in which we live. tack tack the college is also -- "attack of the show" the college is also home to -- mr. at that canow: the college is also -- mr. takano: the college is also home to technology. i want to applaud u.c.r.'s chancellor and dean of engineering. i know they will lead the

college of engineering down an even more successful path over the next 25 years. thank you and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. for what purpose does the gentleman from texas seek recognition? mr. burgess: i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute, revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. burgess: thank you, mr. speaker. this is national police week and i did want to rise in recognition of the brave law enforcement officers of the police department in garland, texas. mr. speaker, just a little over a week ago may 3, two heavily armed assailants opened fire outside an event at the curts i caldwell center in garland, tick. thankfully some of text texas' finest police officers were on hand. traffic police and swat officers from the garland police department did their job. they subdued these two would-be mass murderers before they were able to take a life. to date these heroes remain unnamed. we cannot overlook their

bravery, their willingness to put their lives on the line to protect ours. they kept this crisis from becoming a tragedy and they averted what likely could have been the largest mass casualty situation north texas has ever seen. mr. speaker, i extend to the garland police department my sincerest appreciation for their service and their bravery. these heroes deserve our deepest appreciation for their selfless preservation of human life. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from ohio seek recognition? ms. kaptur: i rise to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentlelady is recognized. ms. kaptur: mr. speaker, i rise tonight to bring light to the secretive job-killing global trade pact called the trans-pacific partnership, the t.p.p. supporters want to rush it through congress using a procedure called fast track authority, which forces a vote with no opportunity to amend the deal. this should alarm all americans. in its current form, this deal

would outsource even more of america's good jobs out from under our working families, degrade global environmental and working standards and cause investor rights to override worker rights. it propels a global race to the bottom. the trade ambassador and the administration assert that the t.p.p. has strong and enforceable labor standards and environmental commitments. well, the t.p.p. includes four nations mexico, ber nye vietnam and militia, that are notorious labor and human rights violators. they're already out of compliance with the standards supposedly in t.p.p. and frankly our u.s. trade representative has had a bad habit of sweeping trade violations right under the rug. our history of trade agreements in guatemala, hob dures colombia -- honduras, colombia, show the need for stronger regulations and a rigorous plan for implementing and overseeing them. including commitments in the final agreement is not enough. these nations have to change their laws and practices and we have to enforce them. mr. speaker, we should vote

against t.p.p. because what's going to happen is more american workers will be cashed out and exploited workers around the world will find life gets harder. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from illinois is recognized. without objection, the gentlelady is recognized. mrs. bustos: thank you mr. speaker. i rise today to urge my colleagues to act swiftly to prevent the highway transit trust fund from expiring. if we do not act this critical program will expire in just seven legislative days. i'm proud to be a member of the house transportation and infrastructure committee. in my district in illinois is a central heb four the shipment of goods and people over road, rail, water and air. i truly believe that by investing in our infrastructure we are making a down payment on our nation's long-term economic well-being.

these investments not only create jobs but they create jobs that cannot be outsourced. and by investing in our infrastructure now, as opposed to punting the ball down the field, we are saving money in the long-term. over a half a million good paying construction jobs hang in the balance and construction on 6,000 critical projects across the country could be put on hold. this is unacceptable and why we must act now to provide certainty that our local communities business and hardworking families deserve. thank you, mr. speaker, i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back the balance of her time. the chair lays before the house the following personal requests. the clerk: leave of absence requested for mr. barletta of pennsylvania for today and the balance of the week. mr. ruiz of california for today. and ms. sewell of alabama for today. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the requests are granted. under the speaker's announced policy of january 6, 2015, the

gentleman from california, mr. garamendi, is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader. mr. garamendi: thank you, mr. speaker. hello, america. do you know what's going to happen in just a few days? in seven legislative days the united states highway trust fund runs out of money. it's over. a fund established by president eisenhower in the 1950's out of money. so, what's the house of representatives doing? what did your representative and your -- what is your representative and your senator doing think? suspect debating the trans-pacific partnership, the t.p.p., when in fact this is the big jobs issue. the trade negotiations, you can debate it forever.

but if you really want to create jobs in america, pay attention to this, america. pay attention to the fact that the federal highway trust fund expires in seven legislative days. we've got work to do here. we've got a lot of work to do and it's not happening. i'm a californian. i represent the state of california. we have a pretty high opinion of ourselves in california. maybe deserved or not. but what it means to us, when the highway trust fund shuts down, what it means is a lot of jobs. 73,572 jobs will be jeopardized at the end of this month of may. we're looking at 5,692 active highway and transit projects that will stop, red light, stop don't go forward. for california, in just seven

legislative days, a very, very important thing happens. actually, far, far more important than the trans-pacific partnership or the trade promotion act. this is where the big jobs are in america. building the infrastructure of america is how you create jobs today and on into the future because you lay the foundation for economic growth. and if you couple those transportation programs with another long, longstanding american law, which is buy america, make it in america, you're not only creating the foundation, but you also create immediate manufacturing jobs of all kinds. from the bulldozers to the tractors and the back hose -- hoes to the steel and the concrete. you buy it in america, you build the infrastructure in america and you create immediate jobs. how many? well i think we all know duke university, it's more than a

basketball school, it also happens to be one of the more thoughtful research institutions in the united states. they produced a little book about 535 of the representatives of the american people ought to be reading. this ought to be the bed time reading for the senators and the members of congress. infrastructure investment creates american jobs. duke university, center on globalization, governance and competitiveness. i'm going to read just a few things here, just to drive this point home. old and broken transportation infrastructure makes the united states less competitive than 15 of our major trading partners. makes manufacturing less efficient in getting good to market. ok you want to get goods to market build the infrastructure. underinvestment costs the

nights over 900,000 jobs annually. including more than 97,000 american manufacturing jobs. you want to make it in america? build the infrastructure. point number three. maximizing american-made materials when rebuilding infrastructure has the potential to create even more jobs. relying on american-made inputs can also mitigate safety concerns related to large scale projects. and large scale outsourcing. it's our make it in america policy. it's the agenda that we've been driving for the last five years here. build the infrastructure, buy america, make it in america. competitiveness. a lot of talk, everybody wants to talk about the trans-pacific partnership. or the t.p.p. you want to be competitive? you build the american infrastructure. again, duke university.

point number four, united states boasts the world's largest stock in transportation infrastructure. measured by combined bridges, airports, seaport, miles of road and pipeline. very good start. foundation. however the united states is not well positioned compared to its major trading partners in terms of the quality of the transportation infrastructure, global assessment of transportation infrastructure places the united states 16th out of 144 nations. so, you want to improve our competitiveness? you want to create jobs? build the infrastructure. the quality of transportation infrastructure affects the united states' competitiveness. point number six. this is what we can do about it. here's what we can do about it. the administration, while spending all of its energy and

all of its time talking about how we are going to deal with international trade, that in all likelihood will create less jobs in america, so much so that they have to put into that trans-pacific partnership a provision that would actually pay american workers that have lost their jobs, instead of doing that, why don't they talk about their own grow america act? this is the department of transportation this is the president's program. the grow america act. . this is a good piece of legislation but calls for $7.6 billion for annual highway to fix our highway system. this is all annual. $6.8 billion to improve public transportation, $3.4 billion to improve amtrak, and $1 billion

to accelerate our rail support system. if you want to do international trade you have to build the freight system in this country. you can't do it with the trade systems that we have in the united states. this is $476 billion over a four-year period of time. it's a good project. it's fully paid for. but we aren't even talking about it here. we've got work to do. the purpose of this one hour, which will be significantly less than an hour, which is to say hello, america. wake up. ask your members of congress, what are you doing about transportation. what are you doing to fix the transportation system? are you paying attention? are you paying attention to your state, your community that you

represent, the jobs that you are going to see end? the highway projects, the transit projects and paying attention at the end of this month, the federal highway trust fund terminates along with the projects that are supported by it. it's a problem. it's our problem. we need the courage to act and we need to pay attention to what's really important and what happens to be the transportation infrastructure of this great nation. joining me this hour is the ranking member of the surface transportation subcommittee of the transportation infrastructure committee delegate eleanor holmes norton representing washington, d.c. delegate norton, thanks for joipping us tonight and look

forward to your presentation. ms. norton: i thank my good friend from california, because it is you who has done the great service to our nation's transportation and infrastructure. sometimes it's a lonely hour but some of us notice -- mr. garamendi: glad you joined us. ms. norton: the way you have persisted is really a model for how members get things done in this house. and so i come down to thank and honor you for what you have done. indeed, i have to say in listening to you, i can't figure out, you are a one-man show alone should have been enough to get this bill re-authorized. it's a very unusual way for one member to take on one issue and

not let it rest. this committee and this congress owes you a great debt of thanks particularly when you consider when you are talking about a bill that has strong bipartisan support in a congress that is not known for bipartisanship. so i thank you from the bottom of my heart. mr. garamendi: thank you for your leadership on the transportation subcommittee. ms. norton: we aren't getting anywhere, but if we keep trying keep following your leadership the leadership of mr. shuster, mr. defazio, mr. defazio on this side of the aisle couldn't have a better partnership and this congress. i can't believe we won't be able to get something done. but may 31 looms in seven days.

but the fact we are counting down. we are coming on the floor to count down. i was here on a one-minute earlier today and members are understanding the obligation they have to take on the obligation you have taken on as a lonely member. mr. garamendi: we have to do this. and i know your leadership on the subcommittee trying to find a path trying to find a path to build the infrastructure and pay for it and foreign -- the earnings of american corporations, bring those back, tax them and we would have enough money together with the existing excise tax enough money to build it. ms. norton: that would give us a bill, a long-term bill and the

administration admits that it, too, is not the answer because after that, we still have to come up with a way to transportation and infrastructure. you talked about the eisenhower administration. we got to be prepared tore really think through our entirely new way of funding transportation and infrastructure. you mentioned the grow america act. i will be introducing that act soon. mr. garamendi: good. ms. norton: the administration does want it introduced. mr. garamendi we need it, if for nothing else a marker. what are we talking about. if nothing has been introduced, i'm not sure the american people will recognize. mr. garamendi: you have to lay down the marker. you lay down the first proposal,

and it's really good. it's a six-year, $478 billion and it covers all of the elements rnings all of the elements are there. and somebody has on better idea we haven't heard it. count me as one of the co-ought thors of it. ms. norton: you would be the very first one. and i'm glad you mentioned some parts of the bill and its cost. it costs money. it costs something to do transportation and infrastructure. but this way that the administration and thanks to many members, of bringing back untaxed funds that want to come back and using it for something that everybody is for would seem to be -- something you

wouldn't have to speak about. and i understand that our ranking member, mr. defazio has written to the ways and means to ask for a joint hearing with our committee to the ways and means committee so we can work together. there are rumors that there may be one in june. that happens after may 31. mr. garamendi: a major concern, it seems as though the most common thing that happens here in congress is a game we used to play as children, it's called kick the can. number 16 can. you kick it around the yard. and we kicked the can down the road here so often instead of gripping the issue and saying,

ok let's do something that lays out a long-term six-year plan where the states, cities and counties can actually project projects and know that the funding is going to be there so they can be efficient and effective and prioritize. instead of doing that, we kind of kick the can down the road with the same level of funding. we are going to lose a lot of jobs. and to build the systems that we have to have to grow our economy isn't going to happen. why would we do that? we have a good model. i'm looking forward to the grow america act. tell us what's wrong with us, tell us where it doesn't meet the needs. what is missing?

what improvements should there be. tell us what it is, we'll deal with it. the funding sources, it makes sense. apple and others, have trillion dollars of profits overseas that is not here. bring the capital home and put labor and capital together starting with infrastructure. mr. delaney, our colleague has a good bipartisan proposal that does that. run with it, congress. run with it, senate. let's do something. ms. norton: you have made an important point if not this, what. our democrats are willing to sit down with you to compromise. the reason i'm going to introduce the act we can begin that. let's bargain down from there.

we can't go home and say we did nothing and we certainly can't wait for our friends on the other side of the aisle. now, i want my friend from california to know that over here today, i weren't to say a few words in one of our committee rooms we had groups that call themselves the big seven. you know who these were? these were the leaders in the states. the governors the national conference of state legislatures rnings national leagues of cities, national conference of mayors, they were begging for this bill. so they had their own little meeting here. and i think it be hoofs us to ramp up the pressure. those who are on the inside when we see who represents the infrastructure we are on the hill pleading without an answer

from either side. and because there is so much bipartisanship there isn't a reason we shouldn't be sitting down and figure this out. mr. garamendi: yesterday, i was in the central valley in modesto and i had to drive to san francisco for a speech over the interstate 580 and it is so broken up. the fast lane on the pass as you go up over the mount has a six-inch crack in the fast lane. as you drive down. you are driving down on one side of the crack, one side on one side and you say i hope i can make it through here. that is a major transportation route with tens of thousands of cars traveling on it. the state of good repair, not in california. what does it mean?

if we take the grow america act that you are going to introduce, it would compare that to 2015, we would have $7.6 billion more across the nation to repair the highways in our nation. the pass, it's downright dangerous. i was shocked. and don't have any money to fix it. and for the buses, i was parked in san francisco waiting for a stop light and the transit agency in san francisco, a bus pulls up and had to be a 1950 bus. it was rusted out. i'm sure the seats were torn apart. but across the nation, it's the same way. here in washington, d.c.,, the transit agencies, amtrak.

by the way amtrak came to congress, they wanted money and actually passed and this was some good news, passed an amtrak bill out of the house a couple of months ago. they wanted to get a waiver on the buy america provisions. they would have to build 28 high-speed and didn't want to buy it in america. and i'm going no way. if we are going to spend that spend it on american jobs, make it in america. no way are you going to get out of that. i want to talk about that. you have a bridge behind you. ms. norton: we can talk about projects in your district and that project with the crack in the road is emblem attic of what is happening in the united

states. and mr. garamendi, they can't even start on tharm repair because that is a major project. so another patch, as we call it, or short-term funding means that the backlog of major projects remains. you can't start what america needs what are major projects that are piling up to the ceiling if we can put them in this chamber, have to sit there with a six-month patch. that is a major federal highway. i went to such a highway in my own city and that's why i brought this poster. "washington post" picked it up and says norton loses bridge to make a point. and it has real defects.

every form of transportation depends upon this bridge. the interstate bridges the metro, all of it comes to a head there. and a point that you touched upon which is seldom made here, is a point i try to make when i went to the h street or hop scotch bridge. and that is that the failure to rebuild that bridge is keeping a complete overhaul of union station from occurring, not to mention a whole new community that would be built over it, because they can't move on that major economic development project until the road is done and it will take five years to

do that bridge. so you see, mr. garamendi, we're not just holding up obvious infrastructure projects, we're holding up major economic development projects that simply can't get started until the roads and bridges are fixed. mr. garamendi: you couldn't be more accurate. you certainly didn't make the point, i was looking at the picture there, you've got the northeast corridor, the entire amtrak system underneath that bridge into union station, which i think is probably just -- i would say a stage left. and the rail system goes through there and then the highway system. i didn't realize that this is holding up the reconstruction of union station. ms. norton: so that we can get high speed rail. so you can't get high speed rail unless you dig down. you can't do the do that unless people can get over this bridge. you talked about billions of

dollars of highway bridge and trans-- highway, bridge and transit that's being held up, i don't even want to begin to try to calculate how much economic development that depends upon our fixing those major road projects is not getting done. mr. garamendi: also the lives of our citizens. i'm recalling, i don't have the placards with me, but in previous presentations i've shown pictures of the interstate five bridge that collapsed in washington state. near the canadian border. it's shut down commerce. going north, you are not going north, on that bridge. because it collapsed. and then there was the bridge over the mississippi river in the twin cities, minneapolis. that bridge collapsed. i think five people lost their lives there. this is a ongoing issue one that we need to deal with. and the solution's at hand. the solution is at hand. every community in this nation

has a transportation issue of one sort. it might be a transit, a bus, a train or a bridge or a highway buwe all have it. i'm going to make one more point, and this will be my last and then i'll let you wrap it up, i'm going to go back to what is the, i don't know, the discussion of the day here in washington. the trans-pacific partnership. the t.p.p., the authorization or the fast track legislation. 99% of our trade goes through the ports. and this is part of the gro america act. it's part of the freight system. and so if we're going to -- if this trade bill, which i don't think shouldass, but should it become law, you have to have the infrastructure that goes with it. and you cannot have a robust trade program unless you have a well built port system. and by the way, one of the things that's being discussed -- that's going to happen is

the united states because of our energy boom, we're create an enormous amount of -- creating an enormous amount of natural gas. that natural gas is in the process of being transported shipped overseas, in what's known as liquefied natural gas. you super cool, you super compress the natural gas, you put it into a tanker, a big ship and you transport it. a new facility will go online in texas, excuse me in louisiana, and it's called the shineer facility and it will take 100 tankers ships, to handle the volume of that one export facility and there are five others that are in the permitting process. i'm going, wait a minute that's a strategic national asset. that's part of our infrastructure. why don't we ship that strategic asset on american-built ships with

american sailers? we could, if we passed a simple -- sailors. we could, if we passed a simple law here, which actually replicates the north slope oil law in the 1960's replicate that and say, if we're going to export liquefied natural gas do it on american-built ships with american sailors, we would build over the next two decades more than a hundred ships in america's shipyards with american-built equipment and americans doing the welding and building those ship, probably well over 100,000 jobs and the seamen, the merchant marines, they would be american. it all fits together. it's part of our transportation infrastructure, it's using our great national assets improving them. the transportation system. and then using those assets to create american jobs. buy america, make it in america, transport that natural gas on american-built ships with american mariners and take

what will be your legislation the grow america act, and build the infrastructure. i'm looking forward to the introduction of your legislation. i'm looking forward to your leadership in making this happen. and if we have to talk about this every single day until we wake up until america wakes up and says, wait a minute guys, do something for our nation, build the foundation of economic growth. thank you so very much for joining us, and i'll let you close. ms. norton: again, mr. garamendi, you have my thanks and you should have the thanks of this entire house. i'm glad you closed with the program you did. you talked about ports. because in the grow america act is a multimodele, this is the first time it's ever been in the transportation bill, multi module freight program. you gave an example.

multimodele, because we're trying to make sure that rail and highway and port projects are coordinated together, that's the efficient use of transportation, here on the east coast, panama canal. now you have every single port trying to get that business. and you have the private sector investing like mad in railroads because they want that business. and the buses want that business. the private sector, mr. garamendi, is doing its job. you can't in fact in the states do the ports and the freight all by yourself. or with the private sector alone. so this bill growth america act brings it all -- the grow america act, brings it all the together, gives us for the first time something that we've

had in ground transportation multimodele, but we've not had it in freight transportation, so that those supports you're focusing on would grow and we grow them here just as you said, buying america buying american. i thank you once again. mr. garamendi: i thank you so much. i thank you for your leadership. i'm looking forward to the introduction of the bill and to push that through, whether we can do it in seven days or not, we could it's possible. all of the language is written. you'll introduce it, the way you're paying for it is known, we just got work to do. i'm just thinking about the greatness of this nation and the enormous potential that we have and how we -- just let that slip away. for lack of solid programs that really build this nation.

i think about eisenhower and what he did with the great highway system that we have, the interstate highway system. much to be done. look forward to your leadership. mr. speaker, i notice that our republican colleagues have been listening to our debate and have decided to come and take the next hour and carry forth to make it in america, build the infrastructure and the foundation for economic growth. i look forward to hearing our gentlemen. mr. speaker i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. mr. garamendi: i guess i'm not yielding back quite yet. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. ms. norton: again, i thank the gentleman for the leadership he has taken on not only this bill but on infrastructure around our country. i did want to say a few more words. because in these last six days we can't leave words unsaid. i want to say that what my

chief frustration, is there's really no serious thinking going on on -- in house about ways to replace the highway trust fund, except what's in the grow america act and that of course would be for a period. the reason i bring this up is because i want the american people to help us think about what's happened to the highway trust fund. we have to bring it together with -- and grow america, with repay the rated taxes that would -- repatriated taxes that would otherwise not be there. but let's think about why we have to do that. the efficiency that we now have, and we ought to be proud of means that that 1950's something approach, which works so magically is now entirely out of date. and they've got -- there have got to be other ways to do it. i was very frustrated that in the last bill, we call it map it 21, there were not even

pilots to tell us things like so the called miles per hour, that all of us, even those who don't contribute as much on the present structure of the highway fund. would play our part. we need to sit around a kitchen table right here in the house and figure out what to do in the long run, because we didn't do that last july, when this bill was extended there are even some people talking about, well it can go until july because it runs out in july. yeah, it runs out in july and then look what happens. treasury funds will have to be transferred. in order just to make sure that we keep level funding going and that level funding meaning just base funding, will mean that no new major projects will

be started in the states because of what has come to be called certainty. the uncertainty means that unless you've got a project, and i know of no such major project that can be finished in six months, if it takes you two or three years, leave alone the five years it will take the project i spoke about, then you don't start it at all. so the money just lies falow. it goes to no good use. so who's to blame? they're going to look to us and say, what are you doing? that's why we're coming on this floor. and they're going to look to us to stop doing the same thing over and over again and think of something that you didn't do the last time. and these patches are what we did the last time. mr. garamendi: we've done it over and over again. the general talk around this building is that we're going to kick the can down the road yet again. probably for another six months, just like we extended the last one for nine months.

it's not the way to do it. and the result is bad public policy and an inability to really build the foundation for our economic future. you mentioned the funding, the notion of a joint committee hearing between the transportation infrastructure and the ways and means committee to discuss the funding options that you just described. so we should talk about what the options are. and then select the one that makes the most sense for this nation's well-being. we can do that. that's what we were hired to do. what the voters put us here for. ms. norton: meanwhile, as you indicated with grow america, there would be a way to do it for at least six years. i've noticed, when i went to speak with the various organizations representing the states that were here today i had my staff look up what the

states are doing and frankly i find the states in a desperate position. there are states that have already done gas tax increases or reforms of their own. you got to be pretty desperate to raise your own tax and leave ours where it was 20 years ago. iowa wyoming, maryland, massachusetts, new hampshire pennsylvania, rhode island, virginia vermont, the district of columbia, south dakota. these states have nothing in common. except they couldn't continue to go on this way. there are six states that are making progress on trying to raise their own gas tax in the absence of our doing nothing. . when i say making progress, it means one house has done it and trying to get the other house georgia, michigan, north

carolina utah, washington state and another seven states which are considering changes because they can't wait any longer idaho, kentucky, missouri, nebraska new jersey, south carolina, vermont. when i came into the meeting, there was someone from the south dakota from their department of transportation and it was so interesting because they had the gas tax -- raised the gas tax in south dakota and it included an amendment to raise the speed limit by five miles an hour. that would make it like 80 miles an hour and he said and he just laughed at this, that although they have raised the gas bill on the residents and in the

legislature, nobody talks about anything about increasing the speed limit. that's how little the notion that you shouldn't raise your gas tax has become in a state like south dakota. i mean the states are way ahead of us. and looking to us for leadership. these six-month implements are the exact opposite of leadership. delaying as i indicated before, mr. garamendi billions of dollars of other infrastructure that the federal government wouldn't have to pay for that can't get done because of a road or a bridge and i went to an example of that in my own district and i would like to ask unanimous consent a list of the top five critical infrastructure projects in my own district and

the national capital regional transportation planning board has written to this region, bipartisan delegation and i would like to have their resolution also included in the record. i thank you mr. speaker. i want to emphasize as we approach the end, how little of a partisan problem we are talking about this evening. republican governors vr signed the laws that i have referred to . we had some governors -- remember i'm in the minority, so the committee, mr. garamendi will remember this, the committee had republican

governors, state department of transportation executives, cities, counties, regional councils and the rest before us. and this notion of devolution. this means and some in this house has said. mr. garamendi: can i interrupt? you put in the record a series of documents and i fleed to request unanimous consent that your material be placed into the record. ms. norton: i thank you for doing that. tifment just one moment.

mr. garamendi: why don't we continue as we work out the details. ms. norton: this hearing was interesting because this notion of devolution and this means that we see these states are raising their gas tax. let's stop doing a federal highway or surface transportation bill. these states are raising their gas tax and waiting for us to do ours so that the partnership that is represented by state gas taxes and federal gas textes will remain whole until we find some other way to do this. what frustrates me -- would the gentleman have anything further? mr. garamendi: we have worked out the details so your material can be entered into the record. i request unanimous consent.

the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. garamendi: i would also -- i have an appointment that i must get to and yield the remaining time to delegate norton. ms. norton: yielded the remaining time to me. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady will suspend for one moment. under the speaker's announced policy of january 6 2015 the gentlewoman from district columbia is now recognized for the remainder of the hour as the

designee of the minority leader. ms. norton: i thank mr. garamendi. mr. speaker, may i ask how much time remains in the hour? the speaker pro tempore: 16 minutes. ms. norton: i thank you. mr. garamendi spoke about the eisenhower years that gave us the highway trust bill and its lasting effect and makes it a monumental contribution to american law. our generation has the obligation to move on now that we have become so efficient that the highway trust fund has set up 50 years ago is obsolete. i remind the house that abraham

lincoln, during the civil war, essentially built the railroad system, now how can you do this and we can't figure out how to get a highway surface transportation bill passed? i looked up the latest figures, 2015 of how our country ranks today. we ought to compare that to what lincoln did going on 200 years ago, 150 years ago and what eisenhower did 50 years ago. we rank 25th in the world. we are behind every one of our allies and they are creeping forward. and watch out for china. they are not in the top 30 now but going to get there soon and

i remind this house the wray this country became the heavy weight it is in the world was through the development of its infrastructure. you had to somehow create a seamless infrastructure that would go from the -- croogs the continental united states from east to west and north to south. with that everything else became possible. without that we are simply going to be overtaken by nations that are far behind us now but as i indicated already, caught up. i wanted to say a word about at least one other -- one other section of the grow america act, because it relates to transit

systems, which are under special strain and which interestingly enough embraceed by people from big cities to the smallest towns. i say transit systems, i'm talking about everything from light rail and street cars that we have here in a big city like the nation's capital, rapid transit and buses that rural america depends upon and that are becoming -- that are simply breaking down and unable to handle the traffic that is there. there is a very special provision $115 billion to invest in these transit systems. and the reasons that these investments would seem to be so acceptable is that there is no

part of america that it does not touch. i'm not here talking about for example, subway systems of the kind that we have in the district of columbia and new york. i'm talking about light rail and street cars and buses and rapid transit buses that small-town america uses and depends pob and is in the grow america act. mr. speaker, tomorrow the democrats are having a round table the democrats in the committee are having a round table with respect each member is going to discuss a project that is stuck because we have not passed any surface transportation bill. what we're trying to do at around 2:00 tomorrow is put a

face on what infrastructure means, what infrastructure means is for example, in the district of columbia, the 8th street or hopscotch bridge i didn't take on one of the bridges simply falling down. there are 31 projects in the district of columbia are affected. i asked that the projects be put into the record. it doesn't matter. you all have projects like this in your district. unless we raise the ante and make this an over the house cannot refuse we are going to keep patching this bill until there is nothing left to patch. this is a house that does not move even in a crisis we saw

it with the department of homeland security appropriations. that they would not give up. and when the administration wouldn't change its immigration bill, we had to let it pass. truly, there is a more rational way to figure out a surface transportation bill. i'm working at least on my side of the aisle with one-minutes this week and this hour that mr. garamendi has taken out, with social media, with our work, with the many organizations that have come here because it is national highway and transportation week. we are trying our best. we aren't trying to reach a compromise but to get to a bill. if you don't want to talk about

the grow-america bill. but don't insult the american people. i appreciate that at least in my own committee, there is an effort to find a solution to this crisis. i commend chairman shuster, ranking member defazio for working together to find a solution. i call upon the ways and means committee with whom the funds must come to do their job together, we can do this. we aren't going to let this house rest. we aren't going to let drop this issue, even as may 31, when the funds are set to run out and we have to find a patch. we are going to keep coming to this floor so the american

people know that there are members of this house who are struggling to get a surface transportation bill and won't give up. i thank you mr. speaker. and i yield the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back. under the speaker's policy of january 6 2015, the gentleman from louisiana, mr. graves, is recognized as the designee of the majority leader. mr. graves: thank you, mr. speaker. i appreciate the opportunity to talk for a little while about some challenges we are facing as a nation. mr. speaker, i've never run for office before and i'll tell you i never had intentions of running for office. after sitting home, watching from our home state of louisiana watching