committee and then we can go forward with our colleagues in the senate and hopefully have, you know, a bill on the president's desk, you know, early next year if not by the end of this year, although december promises to be pratches a bit chaotic around -- promises to be perhaps a bit chaotic around here. six months should be ample time. i do not anticipate multiple short-term extensions. don't want them, nor does the chairman, nor do i believe any other thoughtful members of the committee, i see the gentleman from new jersey shaking his head, we've been down that road before, down that runway before. we don't want to go down that runway again. i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves this gentleman from new jersey. mr. lobiondo: i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from oregon. mr. defazio: i yield to the gentleman from washington.

the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from washington. >> mr. speaker, i rise in support of the temporary measure to extend the authorization of the f.a.a. today, but do i so with great disappointment. we could be on the floor today to enact a longer term re-authorization bill. mr. smith: the aviation subcommittee, blid mr. lobiondo, held 16 hearings. we heard from stakeholders that there is a long list of things we can do to stay competitive with our economic rivals and keep our airspace safest and sufficient in the world. we need to reform aircraft certification so that manufacturers can get the newest, safest equipment to market. we need to set clear rules for unmanned aerial vehicles and accelerate efforts for their safe use. mr. larsen we are reneed to advance next gen programs to move air traffic faster and more efficiently. chairman shuster and chairman lobiondo, ranking member defazio and i achieved a bipartisan agreement on post most of these major key issues that we need to address.

that bill is ready to go. we didn't hear during these hearings that we needed to privatize air traffic control. some people want to privatize air traffic control, and i'm -- i know they want to do this in good faith, but we don't need to do it. it's preventing the things we need to do from getting done. an entire bipartisan bill is being held up because we can't agree yet on the details of what would be a very complex proposal. so i fail to understand why this juncture such a proposal is necessary, particularly when it prevents significant and much-needed reform from taking place. there's no dispute that today we safely operate the most complex and congested airspace in the world. last year the government accountability office asked 76 aviation stakeholders whether are the f.a.a. is capable of operating an efficient air traffic control system. the overwhelming majority, 64 of those said the f.a.a. is in fact capable of doing so. privatizing the current system is clearly not a pressing need.

it is a want. and i wish i could say today i'm surprised that we find ourselves here today, but many people have been saying for a long time that this was the situation that we would be facing on september 30. in fact, when we held a hearing on air traffic privatization back in march, i predicted we were headed down this road of multiple short-term re-authorizations. the bipartisan portions of the bill that chairman shuster, chairman lobiondo, ranking member defazio and i have agreed to would have immediate benefits all over the country and in my home state of washington. it would protect and create american jobs through airport construction and aerospace manufacturing. it would improve aviation safety it would improve the way aircraft and parts are certified to get newer and safer technology to market it would build on the safety improvements this body has made following the tragic logan flight 347 in 2009 it would improve the development of unmanned aerial systems which continue to proliferate in our airspace. we need a strong regulatory

system in place to safely grow the unmanned aircraft industry and until we act, that system cannot be in place. for every day this -- for every day this extension, travelers in the aerospace industry will not receive the improvements and protections we've crafted in the bipartisan portions of the bill that we're close to agreeing on. we'll continue to fall behind other countries that are continuing to make similar improvements. as many lawmakers and aviation stakeholders recall the last f.a.a. re-authorization bill came after a period of five years and 23 short-term extensions. i had hoped we would avoid serial extensions this time around but today we start down that path. so, yes, it is with disappointment that i'm here to support a temporary extension. i strongly urge all my colleagues to make sure this is the only temporary extension before enactment of a long-term bill. we have a long list of things that we need to do today to improve our airspace. we should focus on those things instead of the things only that we want to do.

thank you and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new jersey. mr. lobiondo: i now would like to yield such time as chairman shuster may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from pennsylvania is recognized. mr. shuster: i thank the gentleman. here we are, a short-term extension for six months. i believe it's critical we do this. obviously it expires, but there are things that not only do we want to do, we need to do to make sure we have the safest airspace in the world. we also need to make sure it is the most efficient airspace in the world, and wick do that if we deploy the technology. and the things we've been talking about for almost two years now to transform the f.a.a. into something that can move quicker, that can deploy the technology that's available to us, and when we look around the world, there are over 50 countries that have taken the air traffic control organization out of government, have been able to maintain the highest levels of safety but deploy technology that makes

aerospace more efficient and that's the kind of thing we're looking at. i think we're at a critical time. what we've been talking about is not anything new. it's something we've been talking about for 20 years. in fact, the clinton administration had a similar proposal. the bush administration had a similar proposal. and here we are today talking about it, but i think that we have different groups that are looking positively at this and we're very close to putting something together that, as i said, will transform the air traffic control system while keeping back in government the safety and regulatory oversight to this agency, to make sure that we are streamlining the certification process for our aviation industry that is manufacturing everything from boeing to gulf streams to the avionics to the parts that go into these systems, these flying systems. we've got to maintain our lead in the world and the way we do that is streamline this certification process. i know the gentleman from washington, who has boeing in his district, agrees with me on

that issue. but there's a lot more in this that we need to do to move forward, and i think as we get through this -- through september and into october, we're going to be able to see the bill we put forth that will have, i believe, bipartisan support, not only from in congress but around the country, around washington, d.c., and as i said, here in the house and in talking to the senate, i'm encouraged by what they've said by us talking to them when we're looking at proposing. so, again, i encourage all members to support this six-month extension to give us the time to get our bill on and off the floor and get the -- let the senate work on it so we can truly do something that's bold, truly do something that's transformational and do something that's positive for aviation, not only travel, but for the industry that manufacturers in this country. with that i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the gentleman from oregon. mr. defazio: i have request from people who aren't here. so with that i would yield back

the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from new jersey. mr. lobiondo: thank you, mr. speaker. again, i'd like to thank mr. shuster, mr. defazio, mr. larsen. i urge all my colleagues to support the legislation, and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 3614. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed, and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. for what purpose does the gentleman from wisconsin seek recognition? mr. ryan: mr. speaker, i move to suspend the rules and pass h.r. 2061, the equitable access to care and health act, as

amended. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: union calendar number 204, h.r. 2061, a bill to amend section 5000-a of the internal revenue code of 1986 to provide an additional religious exemption from the individual health coverage andate, and for other purposes the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from wisconsin, mr. ryan, and the gentleman from michigan, mr. levin, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from wisconsin. mr. ryan: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on h.r. 2061, currently under consideration. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. ryan: mr. speaker, at this time i'd like to yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. ryan: i rise to speak in favor of the each act. this bill would expand the religious liberty extension to the individual mandate. right now the exemption is minuscule. to qualify you have to believe, as a matter of faith, in giving up any private or public insurance, including social security.

that includes the amish, the order of mennonites and that's about it. that's way too strict. let's remember the reason for this mandate in the first place. the other side said if you get sick and you don't have insurance, the rest of us will have to pay for your health care. well, we're talking about people who do not use health care. so why should they have to be forced to buy insurance for health care that they don't use? i don't think we should force anybody to buy health insurance against their will, for that matter, but i think it's especially wrong to force people to buy insurance against their faith. so this bill simply says if you, as a matter of faith, don't use health care then you are exempt from the individual mandate. i'm glad we're working on this long overdue change today. i would note that this came out of committee on a voice vote, and i encourage members to support it and i, with that, reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentleman from michigan. mr. levin: thank you. i yield myself such time as i may consume.

the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. levin: the current religious exemption from a.c.a. mirrors other religious exemptions used in the internal revenue code. the each act provides that anyone who, as i quote, is a member of a religious sect that relies solely on religious methods of healing and for whom medical care is inconsistent with religious beliefs, end of quotes, can claim a religious exemption from the individual mandate requirement. as a step to maintain a narrowly defined religious exemption and meet concerns, this legislation is written more precisely than the previous bill that passed unanimously in this house. i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentleman from wisconsin. mr. ryan: at this time, mr. speaker, i'd like to yield five minutes to the author of the each act, the gentleman from

illinois, mr. davis. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from illinois is recognized for five minutes. mr. davis: thank you, mr. speaker. and thank you to chairman ryan for your leadership on this issue. really appreciate the ways and means committee allowing me, a noncommittee member, to be able to take this important piece of legislation to the floor today. today, this congress has an opportunity to work in a bipartisan way to promote religious liberty and, frankly, mr. speaker, fairness. h.r. 2061, the each act, does this by modestly expanding the religious conscious exemption under the affordable care act to include individuals, like christian scientists, who rely solely on religious methods of healing. the existing religious conscience exemption under the affordable care act exclusively applies, as chairman ryan said, to a few certain sects of faith. as a result, many americans, like i mentioned before, the christian scientists, are required to purchase medical health insurance that does not

cover their health care of the -- of their religious practice or choice. alternativively they're forced to pay -- alternatively they're forced to pay tax penalties for not having insurance. a similar bill passed unanimously under suspension of the rules during the last congress. in order to improve the bill, as mr. levin, my colleague, stated, modest changes to this bill's language were made with input from the department of treasury, the department of health and human services and other key stakeholders. under this bill's new language, applicants must annually attest to the exchange that they are a member of a religious group, that they rely solely on a religious method of healing and that they have not received medical health services during the preceding taxable year. additionally, with the help of input from the american academy of pediatrics, the bill now makes it clear that the legislation does not preempt any state laws requiring the provision of medical treatment

for children. further, if a parent needs to provide necessary medical services to a child, doing so would not invalidate the individual's exemption. the each act is truly an example of bipartisan legislation with input from stakeholders to make it better. as of today, it has more than 100 republican and more than 60 democratic co-sponsors. i am particularly proud to have worked with my friend and colleague, mr. keating, on moving this legislation forward. he knows this issue well. his home state of massachusetts established a similar religious conscience exemption in state law and it is working just as planned. mr. speaker, i also represent a college in elsa, illinois. it's a college for christian scientists, and i'm proud to stand up and promote their religious liberty and that of many others in this great nation. i urge a yes vote, and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the

balance of his time. the gentleman from michigan. mr. levin: mr. speaker, we have no further speakers. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from wisconsin. mr. ryan: mr. speaker, we have no further speakers as well. i think mr. davis captured it quite well, so we yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass h.r. 2061, as amended. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. . chair, inion of the 2/3 of those voting having responded in the affirmative, the bill is suspended, the rule is passed and the motion to reconsider is laid upon the table. for what purpose does the gentleman from wisconsin seek recognition? mr. ryan: mr. speaker, i move to suspend the rules and pass s. 139, the ensuring ac a sess to clinical trials act. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: senate 139, an act to permanently allow an exclusion for compensation, provided to individuals who participate in clinical trials for rare diseases or conditions.

the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from wisconsin, mr. ryan, and the gentleman from texas, mr. doggett, each will control 20 minutes. chair recognizes the gentleman from wisconsin. mr. ryan: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all a members may have five legislate of days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on s. 139 currently under consideration. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. ryan: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. ryan: i rise in support of s. 139, the ensuring ac a sess to clinical trials act. the national institute of health says that there are 7,000 rare diseases affecting people in the united states. and if we're going to find curious for those diseases, the first thing we need to do is to get people to participate in clinical trials. well, all too often researchers cannot find enough participants because so few people have these diseases in the first place. now, no surprise here, government has used to make it more difficult for researchers to find people. say you had a rare disease and

you were on public assistance. like s.s.i. or medicaid. if you got compensated for participating in one of these trials, you got smaller benefits. that's why in 2010 we passed the improving access to clinical trials act. so for the past five years this law allowed people to collect up to $2,000 per year by participating in rare disease clinical trials without threat of losing their s.s.i. or medicaid benefits. the g.a.o., they say that the law is working. ever since we passed this law, more people on s.s.i. have been participating in clinical trials as a result of it. so the problem is, this law expires next week, on october 5, so this bill would simply extend current law. that way, the more people can participate in clinical trials without reason to worry or threat of loss of to their benefits.

-- threat of loss to their benefits. c.b.o. tells us this bill will cost virtually nothing. senator hatch and senator widen introduced this bill in the senate and it passed the senate by unanimous consent. in the house, my colleagues, mr. doggett and mr. marino from pennsylvania, have introduced it along with 50 other co-sponsors. i also ask unanimous consent to put into the record a letter listing the many supporters of this legislation. over 70 organizations, including the cystic fibrosis foundation, the muscular dystrophy association and the huntingtons disease society of america just to name a few. this is commonsense and i urge my colleagues to adopt it. there's one more point i would like to make. w -- gwynn nick gy is retiring. i'd like to take a minute to recognize nick gwynn for his work on this issue. he's leading the staff in ways

and means, after serving on the committee since 1998. this should be the last of many bills that he has helped our colleagues manage on the floor. during his time staffing the committee, nick has worked on numerous laws related to welfare, disability and unemployment policy. he also worked closely with our staff to craft bipartisan child welfare laws that found more loving families for children in need. we wish nick well in the next stages of his career and we thank him for his service to the committee and to the house and to the country. with that, mr. speaker, i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentleman from texas. mr. doggett: i will yield, mr. chairman, mr. speaker, such time as he may want to consume to the ranking democrat on the committee. i had also wanted to honor mr. gwynn. this is a good opportunity to do that. mr. levin. mr. levin: thank you for yielding. so mr. doggett and i will say a

few words when many, many are in order. nick has been, as our chairman said, more than valuable member of this staff and more than a dedicated member of this staff. he's been invaluable and his dedication has really been endless. he's leaving to pursue family needs and other needs. he knows he's going to leave us in need in terms of his immense talents. his dedication to the subject matter that is by definition so directly involved with people is really beyond even estimation. the subcommittee, its work deals, as i said, with the everyday challenges that so many of the citizens in this

country face day in and day out. it was only a few days ago when we heard from pope francis how important it is for this institution to focus on the individual needs of people, including those who are poor, some with handicaps, but everybody who's in need of a hand up, really, as much, if not more than a helping hand. and nick has devoted over a dozen years to this very purpose. so, if i might say so, as i give back the time and thank you for yielding, mr. doggett, we've worked together with nick and we just want to say to him, more than a job well done. we have been proud in a sense to serve with you.

thank you very much. mr. doggett: i thank the gentleman and will just add, nick, that i know you have spent some 25 years here on the hill. 17 with our committee. though i benefit interested your good counsel before becoming the ranking democrat on the human resources subcommittee, i particularly appreciated your good counsel during the last three years. whether it was working on child abuse in our -- in our successful work with former chair dave camp and getting our national commission on that, in dealing with problems of the unemployed, and just overall the jurisdiction of our subcommittee is about children. about children in need. whether they are under this s.s.i. program or with child abuse or child care, our children who should be able to rely on the temporary assistance for needy family program, for their needs, nick

has been there. an able advocate for children and someone who did work well, as chairman ryan said, with all members of our committee to advance these purposes. we wish you well in your new endeavors and thank you for your service. now, mr. chairman, if i might, or, mr. speaker, if i might talk just a little bit about the ensuring ac a sess to clinical -- access to clinical trials act. it is about getting new treatments quickly into the lives of patients that are suffering from dreaded diseases across america. re-authorizing existing law. senator widen led this effort successfully over in the senate, with senator hatch. and here my colleague, mr. marino, and mr. jim mcgovern, who are co-chairs of the cystic fibrosis caucus, joined we me in the introduction of this legislation in the house. the national organization for rare disorders, which covers

over 75 other organizations, has been a strong supporter of this legislation and i thank them for their work on behalf of the legislation. this bill makes permanent a law that is due to expire, that will allow for individuals with certain debilitating conditions to exempt a small amount of their income gained from participating in medical trials from the supplemental security income or s.s.i. and from medicaid eligibility determination. this exemption removes an important barrier to participating in clinical trials. if it's allowed to expire, patients contributing to vital research could face the difficult decision of either dropping out of the trials always altogether or losing their benefits. if you have ever met with someone with cystic fibrosis or your family, you recognize how small the daily challenges that

you face are compared to theirs. i think of nicole flores, who has two children battling in austin with rare diseases. she explained that patients shouldn't have to worry about losing assistance when when they're just working hard -- when they're just working hard to stay alive. over the past several months i've heard from a number of families affected by rare diseases. these are parents who shared with me how far reaching the modest relief this bill provides can provide for a number of people. one couple recently sent me a picture of their 15-year-old son who was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at birth. every morning and every evening mack undergoes chest therapy in order to clear his lungs and to avoid serious damage to help him get through the day. he takes medications with every meal to help him absorb his food and gain weight. he's battling a disease that

many americans have never heard of and at an age where he shouldn't have to -- at an age where he shouldn't have to worry about anything other than school. because this disease is progressive, they're really working against the clock. because of the approval of two new drugs, they told me that they never have had as much hope for mack and his future as they do today. and while they are not a family that themselves rely on the law that we have today before us, the bill we have today before us, as chairman ryan indicated, they and anyone with these rare diseases stand to benefit if we have widespread participation in clinical trials on the approval of other new promising drugs like the ones that are already helping mack. financially penalizing vulnerable people for participating in research does nothing to advance that research. the national institutes of health, n.i.h. as we know it, estimates that 25 million

americans are suffering because of rare diseases. i hope now that today the house will join the senate in approving ensuring access to clinical trials act and we continue this important effort to support patients across the country. and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. mr. doggett: i'll reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. mr. doggett: i think that probably -- the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from wisconsin. mr. ryan: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent that the statement from mr. boustany be inserted into the record. at this time, mr. speaker, i'd like to yield one minute to the gentleman from pennsylvania, mr. costello. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from pennsylvania is recognized for one minute. mr. costello: thank you, mr. chairman. mr. speaker, i rise today in support of h.r. 209, the ensuring access to clinical trials act, legislation that i have co-sponsored. we must continue to ensure barriers do not stall patients from participating in rare disease, clinical trials. and -- disease clinical trials. this will continue to encourage rare disease patients, even

those receiving social security income or medicaid benefits, to participate in clinical trials without jeopardizing their eligibility for those benefits. all patients should have access to these important and often life saving trials that will advance medical research and work towards improving their health. the senate has taken the important step to pass this legislation and i encourage my colleagues to advance this commonsense bipartisan initiative and send it to the president's desk for his signature. i thank the chairman and all those involved in the house for their work on this and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from texas. mr. doggett: thank you, mr. speaker. i would be prepared to yield back, thanking chairman ryan as well as chairman upton and ranking member frank pallone who marked up this bill, and urge our bipartisan approval of it. thank you. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentlem from wisconsin. mr. ryan: at this time i'd like to also urge our colleagues to support this bill and i would

yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the question is, will the house suspend the rules and pass senate 139. 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 and, without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid upon the able. for what purpose does the gentleman from michigan seek recognition? >> mr. speaker, i move that the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 359 4.

the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: h.r. 3594, a bill to amend title 49, united states code, to extend authorizations for the airport improvement program, to amend the internal revenue code of 1986 to extend the funding and expenditure authority of the airport and airway trust fund, and for other purposes -- a bill to extend temporarily the federal perkins loan programs, and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from michigan, mr. bishop, and the gentleman from wisconsin, mr. pocan, will each control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from michigan. mr. bishop: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, so ordered. mr. bishop: on h.r. 3594. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. bishop: mr. speaker, i rise in support of the higher education act of 2015, and i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. bishop: mr. speaker, this week several provisions of the higher education act are set to expire, including the perkins loan program. for several decades, the perkins loan program has provided low interest rate loans to college students with severe financial need. if we allow this program to expire, it would be at a time when our nation's higher

education system is feeling many students trying to -- failing many students trying to get a lifetime of success. college costs continue to soar. new rules and regulation discourage innovation and deny access and students are struggling to compete -- complete their education, not to mention find good-paying jobs. this is a very bleak reality facing students from my home state of michigan and across the country. the american people deserve better. students and families in my district and across the country deserve better. in my three -- and my three children who will one day in he not-so-distant future begin their college careers deserve better. the re-authorization of the higher education act presents congress an opportunity to strengthen higher education for students, families and taxpayers. my colleagues and i have already proposed a number of responsible reforms that promise to promote innovation,

strengthen transparency and help students complete their education. members are also working to streamline the confusing maze of financial programs so that students can get the support they need. as we continue our efforts to re-authorize the law, now is not the time to turn our backs on the students who rely on the perkins loan program for their college education. now is the time to help meet the immediate need of students in michigan and across our country in the higher education act -- and the higher education act of 2015 will do just exactly that. this bipartisan proposal will extend for one year the perkins loan program, allowing participating colleges and universities continue to -- to continue to service their borrowers. it will also allow current perkins recipients whoemain in the same academic program to be eligible to receive those

funds through march, 2018. the legislation will also extend our provisions in the higher education act that aimed to support students, institutions and policymakers. finally, let me note for my colleagues and the american people, by reforming the perkins loan program, we ensure that this legislation is fully paid for at no additional cost to taxpayers. i am proud to lead this bipartisan effort with the gentleman from wisconsin, congressman pocan, who shares my commitment to helping other students achieve their dream of a college education. with that, mr. speaker, i urge my colleagues to vote yes on the higher education act of 2015, and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from wisconsin is recognized. mr. pocan: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield myself such time as i may consume. i rise today in support of h.r. 3594, the higher education extension act. i'd like to thank my colleague, mr. bishop, as well as my

colleagues, ms. slaughter, mr. messer and ranking member scott for their leadership on this issue. this bill would extend the perkins loan program for one year. perkins loans are need-based loans which foster access to higher education for low-income students by providing low interest loans to students in need. colleges and universities tailor the program to best fit borrowers and educational institutions' situations. perkins is a rk-sharing programith institutions contributing one-third of their students' awards. this ownership interest also contributes to the successful management of this vital program. we have only two days before the perkins loan program is set to expire, so we must act immediately. since its inception in 1958, over $28 billion in loans have been made to students through almost 26 million aid awards.

perkins loan borrowers are predominantly from lower-income families and are often the first in their family to atten college. perkins loans have a set interest of 5%, which begins to accrue nine months after the borrwer creases to be a student. -- ceas to be a stunt. however, this program has not been re-authorized since 2009 fiscal year. besides making higher education accessible for low-income students, this program serves as an incentive for people who wish to go into public service by offerg targeted loan cancellations for specific progressions in areas of national need,ncluding teaching, nursing and law enforcement. earlier this year, i introduced a bipartisan resolution in support of the perkins loan with congressman merc of indiana, r. -- h. resolution 294 with 56 co-sponsors. my colleague, representative louise slaughter, a leadership on this issue, authored a letter with more than 90 bipartisan signatures for

suort of this important program, and over 33 groups in higher institutional programs have supported this bill's re-authorization. bottom line, the perkins a lot program has helped millions of -- loan program has helped millions struggling to pay for college. i applaud my colleagues across the aisle, a specific thank you to mr. bishop, for helping to ensure students have access to federal financialid that they need to make clege affordable and accessible. and i urge support of this bill. and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker p tempore: the gentlemaneserves. the gentleman from michigan is recognize mr. bishop: i continue to reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from wcoin is recognized. mr. pocan: thank you, mr. speaker. 'd like to yield to the gentlewoman from oregon, ms. bonamici, two minute the speaker pro tempore the gentlewoman is recognized for twoinutes. ms. bonamici: thank you. i thank the gentleman for yielding. i thank congressman bishop and congressman pocan for introducing h.r. 3594, the higher education extension act. i would also like to thank

chairman kline and ranking member scott for supporting a bipartisan effort to avoid the expiration of the federal perkins loan program, a program that helps make college affordable for low-incom students across the country. in my district in oregon d acro the state and across the country, colleges and universities use the perkins loan progr to expand access to higher education. for example, linfield college and pacific univesity in my district award perkins loan to hundreds of students, and the universy of oregon and oregon state university distribute perkins loans to thousands, providing a clear benefit to studentwho have significant financial need. as congress works to re-authorize the higher education act, it's important that we continue to increase access to affordable higher educaon. i commend my colleagues for

introducing the higher education extsion act, and i ask l of my colleagues to join me in supporting this bipartisan bill. thank you, mr. speaker, and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. bishop: mr. speaker, i continue to reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from wisconsin is recogniz. mr. pocan: thank you, mr. speaker. i'd like to yld to the gentleman from california, mr. desaler in, two minutes. the speaker pro tempor the gentleman from california is recognized for two minutes. mr. desauliner: thank you, mr. speaker. i'd like to thank my colleagues on this bipartisan effortand i want to thk the gentleman for yielding. i rise today also in support of the higher education extension act. the perkins loan program provides low interest loans to economically disadvantaged students to help finance their postsecondary educations. theerkins loan program assisted nearly 540,000 american students nationwide in 2013 and 2014 academic year by

providing $1.2 billion in loans. more than 1,500 coleges and universitiescrss the cntry participate in this popular program. while the perns loan program is benefiting students predominantly inhe northeast, california is the cond largest recipient. in california more than 46,000 students received these loans last year. these loans resulted in more than $105 million in the last year to california students. students fromcross the country whottend california schools, le st. mary's colle in my district, are able to receive a topnotch education through assistance programs like the perkins loan program. increasing access and improving affordability translates to increased opportunities for students and improves the nation's economy by ensuring that today's students are tomorrow's highly trained work force. this bill is a necessary step to ensuring that our students continue to receive the assistance they need and

deserve. i urge my colleagues to support this bill, and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. bishop: mr. speaker, i continue to reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from wisconsin is recognized. mr. pocan: thank you, mr. speaker. i'd like to -- please to yield time to the gentlewoman from new york who has been a leader on this issue, ms. slaughter, three minutes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized for three minutes. ms. slaughter: thank you very much, mr. speaker. and i thank the gentleman for yielding. i'm very grateful to mr. bishop and to mr. messer, mr. pocan and all others who worked on this really important issue. mr. speaker, the perkins loan is 57 years old. it's the nation's longest running federal student loan program. it is unlike any other federal student aid program. because this critical program is specifically directed at helping low-income students afford the cost of higher education. it helps the deserving students who would not be able to afford

a college education otherwise. students that save up and work hard for every credit that they earn. without perkins, 500,000 low-income students across the country, nearly 50,000 from the state of new york and over 6,000 in my district alone, would not have access to a critical safety net. the perkins loan fills the gaps in student aid and acts as a lifeline when unforeseen disruption jeopardizes a student's ability to pay for college. they offer an affordable alternative to private student loans, and furthermore, they are self-sustaining. meaning that as graduated students pay back their loans, they fund the current student's loans. this summer, 94 bipartisan colleagues joined me on a letter urging chairman kline and ranking member scott to ensure that the parkins program was not allowed to ex-- perkins program was not allowed to expire, and i'm grateful for

their help on this today. i stood with students and the presidents of colleges and universities in my district, two of whom had received perkins loans themselves, to voice support for the continuation of the program. among the people attending were three medical students from the university of rochester and heaven knows we cannot afford to lose the services of three medical students. i was also privileged to stand with my good friend, congressman pocan, and to hear from the advocates and students who see and experience the benefits of the perkins loan every day. and while i strongly prefer a long-term re-authorization and look forward to working with my colleagues in the coming months to secure one, i'm pleased that the higher education extension act succeeds in keeping the program alive. it ensures that next year's incoming class will be able to access perkins loans and buys us some time to secure a lasting extension. so i urge passage of this bill for all those students whose

education dreams depends on having the perkins loans. i thank you and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. bishop: mr. speaker, i continue to reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from wisconsin is recognized. mr. pocan: i have no other speakers, so i'd reserve my time and i am prepared to close. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. bishop: mr. speaker, i continue to reserve as well. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from wisconsin is recognized to close. mr. pocan: well, thank you very much. i'm prepared to close here. i just want to thank representative bishop for all your work on this. thank you very much. and to chairman kline and ranking member scott, this is i think a good example of how we can work together in the committee to make sure that higher educational needs are met. i represent about 75,000 higher educational students with u.w.-madison as the flagship, but 45,000 students. we have other campuses for the u.w. system. beloit college, another small and -- and other private

colleges and madison college and others. this is a really important program, not just back in wisconsin, but across the country, and the fact that we're able to get this done in a bipartisan manner shows how i think congress can work its very best. so i urge my colleagues to support this and i yield back our remaining time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. bishop: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield myself the remainder of the time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. bishop: mr. speaker, first of all, i'd like to thank mr. pocan as well and all those that have come to support the bill. helping more individuals access and complete higher education is a goal we all share. research shows that students who earn a degree or credential are more likely to succeed in today's global economy. for example, those with an associate's degree are expected to earn 27% more than those with a higher -- with a high school diploma over the course of a lifetime. underscoring the value of higher education. unfortunately, less than 60% of

students complete their studies within six years, often because they can't afford to. failing to pass the higher education extension act of 2015 will only make it more difficult for more students to access and complete their education. . students across the country, including in my home state of michigan, count on the perkins loan program to help afford a college education. by supporting this responsible, bipartisan legislation, we will deliver certainty to students and institutions as we continue to work on the re-authorization of the higher education act. i urge my colleagues to vote yes on h.r. 3594 and yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the question is, will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill, h.r. 3594. 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 and, without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. for what purpose does the gentleman from michigan seek recognition? >> mr. speaker, i move that the house suspend the rules and pass the bill, h.r. 2617, as amended. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: h.r. 2617, a bill to aa mend the fair minimum wage act of 2010, to postpone a scheduled increase in the minimum wage applicable to american samoa. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from michigan, mr. bishop, and the gentleman from the northern mariana islands, mr. sablan, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from michigan. mr. bishop: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous

material on h.r. 2617. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. bishop: mr. speaker, i rise today in support of h.r. 2617 and yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. bishop: thank you, mr. speaker. this legislation is simple and straightforward. it would delay for 15 months a minimum wage increase that will take effect in american samoa in just two days. if this increase takes effect, it will harm the very people it was intended to help. the hardworking men and women of american samoa. the reason we're here today is also quite simple. we are here because the local government in american samoa is urging us to do this. we're here because the employers in american samoa, who are far and few -- are few and far between, are urging us to do this. and, most importantly, we're here because the workers in american samoa are urging us to do this.

you don't have to take my word for it. those are the facts that have been reported by the nonpartisan government accountability office. for years the territory has been plagued by a weak economy, fewer jobs and higher inflation. the tuna industry, a central part of the american samoa economy, has been hit especially hard. according to our independent government watchdog, previous wage increases have forced employers to delay expansion, limit overtime and cut labor costs, which means that they have ultimately had to lay off workers. many fear these tough challenges will only get worse if we fail to act now. it should be noted that this isn't the first time we've had to take this step. when our democratic colleagues were in the control a few years back, they passed legislation delaying the arbitrary wage increase they set in motion. that effort passed with strong bipartisan support and i expect today's legislation will as well. i also want to note the legislation will help us end

the dangerous pattern of uncertainty and last-minute delays. under the bill the government accountability office is required to report on alternatives to setting the minimum wage in american samoa. no doubt there are a number of alternatives congress could consider. for example, local leaders have proposed bestowing upon them the responsibility for setting wages in their local communities. while this is certainly not -- certainly is an interesting idea, it is a debate for another day. today let's do the right thing by passing this important legislation. in closing, i wish to thank our colleague delegate for authorizing -- for authoring this legislative proposal. and for her tireless leadership on behalf of her constituents. i urge all my colleagues to stand with the people of american samoa and support this legislation. i reserve the balance of my ime.

the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady reserves the balance of her time. the gentleman from the northern mariana islands is recognized. mr. sablan: i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. sablan: mr. speaker, ducing the income inequality in the people of the northern mariana islands and the rest of america is my key goal. household median income was just $20,000 in the last census compared to $53,000 nationwide. for that reason i've always supported the decision made in the 110th congress to raise the as mum wage in the marianne to the u.s. level in a series of graduated -- marianas in a series of graduated steps. with that decision was enacted in public law 110-28, the locally set minimum wage in the mariana islands was just $3.05 per hour. and a minimum wage had been level since the

1990's. today the minimum wage has effectively doubled to $6.05 and will increase to $6.55 a year from now. that doubling of the minimum wage has occurred during a period of economic difficulty for the mariana islands, gross domestic product was dropping by 8%, 12%, 19% in the first three years of minimum wage increase. i should say, however, that these drops have nothing to do with the wage and everything to do with the loss of manufacturing because of the general agreement of tariffs and trade and because of a loss of tourism. in the most recent year for which g.d.p. data is available for our islands, we had economic growth of 4.4%. even as the minimum wage continued to rise. the u.s. bureau of economic analysis says that this economic growth reflects a growth in tourism, especially an increasing tourism -- an increase in tourism from china it. also affects a growth in --

china. it also affects a growth in consumption because workers who make more can spend more and that's good for the economy. so i look forward to next year's increase of another 50 cents in the minimum wage in the mariana as. i look forward to -- mariana as. i look forward to reach -- mariana islands. i look forward to reaching the national minimum wage and i support this because i have seen in my district than creasing wages can have a -- that increasing wages can have a positive in -- impact on productivity and improve people's lives. at the same time i recognize there is such a thing as economic reality. raising the minimum wage too quickly could have a detrimental effect, could cause employment to shrink. for that reason, over the last years that i have been in congress, i worked with members on both sides of the aisle to tailor the minimum wage increases to the specific economic realities in my district. instead of raising by 50 cents every year as the regional law required, we skip increases in 2011, 2013 and this year, 2015.

nd we are listening to employers on the island. and to workers. because workers also understand that increasing wages too quickly could jeopardize their jobs. we also listened carefully to the government accountability office experts who looked at the minimum wage increases and report back to congress. i think that so far at least we have successfully walked the fine line. we have kept the minimum wage increasing faffletter than prices g.a.o. -- faster than prices g.a.o. tells us without disrupting the economy. and i'm very grateful to both democrats here in congress who agreed to slow down the increases and to republicans who agreed to let the minimum wage keep going up. they do, i think, because of -- they did so, i think, because of a recognition that a relatively isolated island economy might need special consideration.

and because when it comes to a decision that only affects this is a very long way around to saying that the -- t a h.r. 2617, support h.r. 2617. the delegate from american samoa has made the determination that what is best for her constituents is to delay further increases in the minimum wage. she too represents a relatively isolated island economy. her constituents do have incomes much below the u.s. average. the specific economic factors in american samoa are not the same as in the northern marianas. so while a delay for someone may be appropriate, i would not want to imply the further delay for the northern marianas is called for at this time. but i do think that the same courtesy that the house provided to me when it comes to making adjustments about the well-being of the people i represent should be given to

the gentlewoman, the delegate from american samoa, with respect to her own district. and for that reason i urge members to support passage of h.r. 2617. thank you, mr. speaker, and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. bishop: mr. speaker, i yield 10 minutes to the gentlewoman from american samoa. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized for 10 minutes. mrs. radewagen: thank you, mr. speaker. it's an honor and a privilege for me to serve the people of american samoa in the u.s. house of representatives. my home district of american samoa, an isolated group of islands, is six hours by plane south of hawaii. sometimes we jokingly refer to our three main exports as canned tuna, military personnel and nfl players. talk about e to

the canned tuna, though. due to an oversight, the fair minimum wage standards act, which became law in 2010, contained language that -- 2007, contained language which stipulated that american samoa must raise its minimum wage by 50 cents every three years starting in 2009 until it meets the federal standard. since that time, congress has graciously granted two waivers to american samoa, which prevents them from having to institute the increase and wisely so. had congress not granted the waivers, the effects would have been absolutely devastating to our local economy. of which the tuna canries comprise 80%. when the fair mup minimum wage standards act -- minimum wage standards act was passed in 2007, american samoa a had two canaries on the island. as a direct result of the law and concerned with future wage increases, in 2009 the day after a deadly tsunami struck

our island, the canary operated by chicken of the sea relocated to thailand, causing thousands to instantly lose their jobs and hundreds shortly followed. in thailand, chicken of the sea now pays their workers a mere $1.25 an hour and are rumored to be cutting wages further in 2016. while the workers in american amoa are paid $4.76 an hour. while $4.76 may not seem like a large amount here in the states , one must realize that in american samoa, the cost of living is drastically different. due to how the lands are owned and managed in american samoa, there's actually no such thing as rent or mortgage items that often comprise up to 1/2 of a person's monthly expenses.

because our people do not have an expense for housing, $4.76 an hour goes much further than it would here in the states. while well intended, the fair minimum wage standards act has placed the economic well-being of american samoa in great jeopardy. no one would like to see the people of american samoa prosper and have their wages increased more than i. however, this is neither the time nor mechanism for such a drastic increase, as it would surely be the proverbial nail in the coffin for the local economy. as the two canaries that are currently operating out of american samoa a have stated the strong possibility -- samoa have stated the strong possibility of having to leave our island, because they simple uniwould not be able to compete financially against their

foreign competitors. one of these just opened this year and is trying to establish a toe hold in the region, without the extension this will be very difficult for them. currently, due to many factors, he long term continuity of a canary is now threatened by reduced tuna deliveries and supply which will negatively effect canry production, impact canary employment and support services and could possibly destroy american samoa's economy altogether. past decisions by the united states government have led to the current dire situation. in 2005 the u.s. government agreed to reduce fishing opportunities by u.s. vessels on the high seas and within the

u.s. e.e.z. at the same time the u.s. fleet contracted from 49 vessels in 1994 to 11 in 2007. this major shift in the management of the fishery should have been recognized by the united states government as significant in terms of fleet operations and the impact it would have on american samoa. unfortunately it seems that the territory was not considered. he same year, the u.s. allowed taiwanese vessels to receive the same benefits afforded under the south pacific tuna treaty. these new vessels fish farther away from american samoa and predominantly offload their catch in thailand. in 2013, the u.s. government agreed to pay a combined amount

from both government and industry of approximately $90 million while agreeing to further reduce the united states' fishing effort on the high seas. after that in 2014, the united states agreed to an inexcusable deal to the detriment of american samoa, reducing the amount of fishing days available in waters to the united states fleet from 4,313 o just 300 days in one year. keer bass waters are tippably the most productive fishing grounds in close proximity to pago pago. however, american samoa-based vessels are now forced to travel great distances, making pago pago canneries less desirable and increasing

transshipping to foreign ports. in addition, the expansion of the pacific remote islands marine national monument and the high seas effort limit have further reduced the fishing grounds available to the american samoa based fleet, lending to the dire situation facing american samoa's local canneries. these are the waters that have been fished by our people for many centuries. like other small island developing states and territories in the pacific, american samoa and the fishing industry it supports should be afforded special recognition, not crushed by the worst aspects of capitalism, and i say this as a devote -- rer devout capitalist. until we begin to safeguard our region, nterest in the

american samoa tuna fisheries will continue to wither creating american ruin in american samoa, the other pacific territories and even hawaii. leaving the united states as a passive observer in the world's largest tuna fishery, leaving other nations such as china to run roughshod over the fisheries to the detriment of not only our people but the environment as well. we must reverse some of the missteps the united states has taken over the years which have left the american samoa economy in this highly vulnerable position. the closing off of large swaths of the ocean under the guise of national monuments which cover thousands of square miles of traditional fishing grounds that our people have used for centuries to the reduction in allotted fishing days that have gone from over 4,000 to just

under 500 in one year. this is certainly not the time to put further pressure on an industry industry that is seemingly under attack from all sides. a local industry that operates at a loss in comparison to its competitors when it comes to labor, due to their long-standing relationship with the people of american samoa for which we are very grateful. i have heard some concern about congress continuing to kick the can down the road on this issue . to those, i extend willing and eager hands for cooperation and assistance in fixing the mechanism by which wages are set in american samoa. the playing fields between the united states and american samoa are two drastically different to place on the same

wage scale, and to keep american samoa tied to the current standard is dangerous and irresponsible. it is my plan to use the time granted in the extension to work on a new mechanism for setting the minimum wage rate in american samoa, and i happily encourage fellow members to join me in this mission. if there is ever any bill that i introduce that i wish i could vote against, this would be it. however, while it's difficult, i also know it must be done. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman's time has expired. mrs. radewagen: oftentimes, the things that are the most difficult are also the most important. and currently there's no issue more important to the economic well-being of american samoa than this. i respectfully and wholeheartedly ask my colleagues in both the house and senate to support this

legislation that is so absolutely critical to the economic -- the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is yielded three minutes. mrs. radewagen: of american samoa. without it i'm afraid we'll be back here in just a few months trying to figure out a way to subsidize what is already the most economically challenged territory or state in our nation. the tuna canning industry is all we have. there's no coca-cola or i.b.m. we have no silicon valley there to provide massive revenue and employment opportunity to the territory. there aren't numerous military and government facilities that provide sources of economic growth. we are not surrounded by fellow states that enable us to expand to other markets. all we have is the tuna

industry and we are grateful. so, again, i graciously ask my fellow colleagues to support this unfortunate yet essential piece of legislation. if you cannot support it, all i ask is that you do not block it because it would be absolutely devastating to our people. want to thank chairman kline, ranking member scott and the committee staff for their assistance in getting this measure to the floor as well as the numerous other staff and members who put in many hours of hard work to get us here today. thank you, mr. speaker. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back. the gentleman from northern mariana islands is recognized. mr. sablan: mr. speaker, i have no further speakers but i ask my colleagues to support h.r. 2617, and i yield back the balance of my time.

the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. bishop: mr. speaker, i yield myself the remainder of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. bishop: thank you, mr. speaker. as i noted earlier, this effort is supported by local leaders in american samoa. it is supported by employers in american samoa and most importantly it's supported by the working men and women of american samoa. i urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 2617, as amended. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed, and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid on the table.

for what purpose does the gentlewoman from arizona seek recognition recognition? mr. salmon: mr. speaker, i ask -- mr. mcsally: i ask unanimous consent that the house suspend the rules and pass h.r. 2786. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: h.r. 2786, a bill to require the commissioner of u.s. customs and border protection to submit a report on cross-border rail security, and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from arizona, ms. mcsally, and the gentleman from texas, mr. vela, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from arizona. ms. mcsally: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include any extraneous material on the bill under consideration? the speaker pro tempore: without objection. ms. mcsally: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may

consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. ms. mcsally: mr. speaker, i rise in strong support of h.r. 2786, the cross-border rail security act of 2015. first, i would like to thank the gentleman from texas, mr. vela, the ranking member of the subcommittee on border and maritime security, for introducing this thoughtful bill and working in a collaborative manner as this legislation moved through the committee process. mr. speaker, this legislation requires that the commissioner of customs and border protection submit a report to congress that outlines how and when high-risk rail shipments entering the united states are scanned for potential risks. the impetus for this legislation was a recent inspector general report that found c.d.b. was targeting high-risk rail shipments arriving in the u.s. from canada and mexico. this bill will help congress better understand the frequency and location of such high-risk shipments and detail the current state of radiation detection equipment on our international railways. as many of my colleagues who also live along the border

know, each year approximately 2.7 million containers enter the united states by rail. while most of the commodities transferred by rail do not pose significant homeland security threats, we must ensure that we are properly identifying and targeting those shipments which are high risk and conduct physical scanning when necessary. to ensure proper oversight, it is very important to understand the capabilities of c.b.p., including the number, location and type of detection equipment used at each crossing for border rail. we also need to understand what additional equipment and training is necessary to ensure our rail cargo system is secure. as we know, proper training is an important force multiplier which will help maximize effectiveness of our customs and border protection officers, reducing wait time and increasing security. finally, h.r. 2786 requires that government accountability office perform a series of audits over c.b.p.'s targeting

of cross-border rail shipments. rail cargo is expected to increase over the next 10 years. this bill will ensure c.b.p. adequately addresses this velarde nerblet and implements proper -- vulnerability and implements proper scanning and screening of cargo. i ask colleagues to support h.r. 2786 and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. vela: i rise in strong support of h.r. 2786, the cross-border rail security act and i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. vela: thank you, mr. speaker. in march of this year, the department of homeland security's inspector general released a report on high-risk cross-border rail cargo. the report concluded that u.s. customs and border protection, or c.b.p., did not always use the required radiation equipment to examine shipments it determined to be high risk. additionally, some ports of entry lacked the appropriate equipment to conduct these screenings and training and oversight of targeting and examining such shipments was

lacking. in response to these troubling findings, my bill would require the c.b.p. commissioner to submit to the relevant congressional committees within 180 days of enactment a report regarding high-risk cross-border rail cargo shipments entering the united states. my bill would require the report to include information on the number of high risk shipments crossing the border by rail, details on the radiation detection units at rail crossings, an assessment of whether additional equipment is necessary and a plan for ensuring that all relevant c.b.p. personnel receive appropriate training to appropriately target, examine and record the disposition of such shipments. the bill requires the government accountability office to audit periodically c.b.p. operations at rail crossings, to ensure rail shipments are being appropriately targeted, examined and documented. the community i represent has a vested interest in securing cross-border rail cargo. this past august i was proud to be part of the opening of the

west rail international bridge located in brownsville, texas, the first international new rail crossing between the u.s. and mexico in over a century. both of our land borders are dotted with these crossings and in fact the majority of them are located on the northern border. the cargo that crosses by rail is destined for locations all over the united states, making the effective targeting and high risk shipments a national concern. mr. speaker, my committee colleagues unanimously supported this bill, and i urge all of my colleagues to support h.r. 2786, and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlewoman from arizona is recognized. ms. mcsally: mr. speaker, i have no more speakers. if the gentleman from texas has no further speakers, i'm prepared to close once the gentleman does. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. vela: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. vela: thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, i urge my colleagues to help strengthen cross-border rail security by supporting h.r. 2786, and i

yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. the gentlewoman from arizona is recognized. ms. mcsally: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. ms. mcsally: mr. speaker, i once again urge my colleagues to support h.r. 2786, and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back. the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 2786. 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 and, without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. have mr. vela: mr. speaker, on that i request a recorded vote. the speaker pro tempore: does the gentleman ask for the yeas and nays? mr. vela: yes. the speaker pro tempore: the yeas and nays are requested. all those in favor of taking this vote by the yeas and nays will rise and remain standing until counted. a sufficient number having arisen, the yeas and nays are ordered. pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, further proceedings on this uestion will be postponed.

for what purpose does the gentlewoman from arizona seek recognition? ms. mcsally: mr. speaker, i move that the house suspend the rules and pass h.r. 2835 as amended. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: h.r. 2835. a bill to actively recruit members of the armed forces who are separating from military service to serve as customs and border protection officers. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from arizona a, ms. mcsally, and the gentleman from texas, mr. vela, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from arizona. ms. mcsally: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all members have five legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include any extraneous material on the bill under consideration. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. ms. mcsally: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. ms. mcsally: mr. speaker, i rise today to support h.r. 2835, the border jobs for veterans act of 2015. this bill, which i introduced

in june, seeks to increase the hiring of military veterans for customs and border protection officer positions vital to our security here at home. the border jobs for veterans act addresses two critical priorities, ensuring full staffing at our ports of entry, and helping separating service members transition to civilian life. my district includes over 80 miles of the u.s. border, as well as several ports of entry. i visited our ports numerous times to hear about their operations firsthand and have seen the critical law enforcement duties carried out by officers at these ports. such as screening visitors, returning u.s. citizens and cargo entering the united states. in june the port authority chair for the mar posea port of entry just outside my district reported that while staffing numbers have grown nationally, staffing numbers at the tucson sector have remained essentially stagnant in recent memory while demands continue to grow.

the port also estimates that the field office is currently operating at 20% staffing deficit. while new hires have occurred since then, they estimate the tucson field office still needs to fill roughly 200 officer positions. in my conversations with the officers, they have repeatedly told me that inadequate staffing levels hamper their ability to do their jobs. they cite problems with recruiting and retention of new officers as well as lengthy and cumbersome hiring processes, including delays due to backlogs of the necessary background checks. after a recent reduction in a process by roughly 50%, it still takes 180 days to hire a new officer at ports where there is a strong need now. these hurdles to hire act as impediments across border trade that powers both arizona and the nation's economy. according to the arizona-mexico commission, more than 41 -- $41.6 billion worth of trade flows through arizona's ports

of entry, $16 billion which is bilateral trade with mexico. inadequate staffing at these ports of entry slows the flow of trade coming across the border, costing businesses millions of dollars and hurts our attractiveness as a transportation and trade hub, something we simply cannot afford. each year approximately 250,000 to 300,000 members of the armed forces separate from military service. i recently visited a veterans one stop center in my district which helps veterans find employment after they leave the military and i listened to their challenges and stories firsthand. who better to address this short fall and help to secure our ports than the highly trained patriotic americans who just recently separated from the armed forces? that is why h.r. 2835 requires the secretary of homeland security to work with the department of defense, to enhance our efforts to recruit members of the military who are separating to serve as customs

and border protection officers. these efforts must include participation in relevant job fares, transition programs, partnerships between c.b.p. field offices and local military bases, and identification of ways to streamline the transfer of background checks and security clearances. this bill offer as the men and women of our military another opportunity to serve the nation, all d.h.s. has to do is make sure that they are aware of the opportunities available at our nation's 329 ports of entry. i want to thank my colleague, senators -- colleagues, senators flake, mccain, johnson and schumer, and their staffs for working on the senate companion legislation and their help on the text of this bill. i also want to thank chairman thornberry and his staff for working with us to move this bill forward. i ask unanimous consent to include in the record a letter exchange between chairman mccaul and chairman thornberry on h.r. 2835. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. ms. mcsally: thank you, mr.

speaker. i urge all members to join me in supporting the border jobs for veterans act of 2015, and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves the balance of her time. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. vela: mr. speaker, i rise in strong support of h.r. 2835, the border jobs for veterans act of 2015. and yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. vela: thank you, mr. speaker. first of all, i would like to thank my colleague, congresswoman mcsally, for introducing this wonderful piece of legislation. it not only helps us expedite the flee of traffic and trade at our borders, but it also helps and assists with our veterans and we -- whom we all represent. so i thank you for that. h.r. 235rks the border jobs for veterans act of 2015, would require the secretary of homeland security to consider expediting the hiring of qualified veterans to serve as u.s. customs and border protection officers. the bill also authorizes d.h.s. to enhance its earth efforts to recruit member -- efforts to recruit members of the armed

forces who are separating from military service to serve as c.b.p. officers and requires d.h.s. to report to congress on its efforts. through their service our nation's veterans have demonstrated their unwavering commitment to our country and its security. c.b.p. would greatly -- would benefit greatly from their service within the agency's ranks. at the same time, expediting the hiring of qualified veterans could help alleviate the shortage of c.b.p. officers at our ports of entry, helping to secure our borders while facilitating trade and travel. i urge my colleagues to support this important bill and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentlewoman from arizona is recognized. ms. mcsally: i have no more speakers. if the gentleman from texas has no more speakers, i'm prepared to close once the gentleman does. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. vela: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. vela: thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, i urge my colleagues to join me in supporting h.r. 2835, to

facilitate the recruitment of hiring of america's military veterans for new careers serving our country as u.s. customs and border protection officers with that, mr. speaker, i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentlewoman from arizona is recognized. ms. mcsally: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. ms. mcsally: i once again urge my colleagues to support h.r. 2835. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back the balance of her time. the question is, will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill, h.r. 2835 as amended. 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 -- ms. mcsally: mr. speaker, i request the yeas and nays. the speaker pro tempore: the yeas and nays are requested. all those in favor of taking this vote by the yeas and nays will rise and remain standing until counted. a sufficient number having arisen, the yeas and nays are ordered. pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, further proceedings on this uestion will be postponed.

for what purpose does the gentleman from texas seek recognition? mr. vela: i move the house suspend the rules and concur to senate amendment 2051. the speaker pro tempore: h.r. 2051, an act to amend the agriculture marketing act of 1946, and for other purposes. senate amendment. pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from texas, mr. conaway, and the gentleman from minnesota, mr. peterson, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from texas. mr. conaway: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. conaway: thank you, mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all members have five legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. conaway: mr. speaker, i also ask my extend statement be

entered into the record with unanimous consent. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. conaway: mr. speaker, i rise in support of h.r. 2051, the agricultural re-authorization act of 2015, and yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. conaway: the house passed three individual bills, the mandatory price reporting act of 2015, the united states green standards act re-authorization act of 2015, and the national forest foundation re-authorization act of 2015. for each of these the committee on agriculture held hearings, business meetings and the house acted in a timely manner to ensure the continuation of these critical programs. i am proud of the fact that the house worked its will in a bipartisan manner following regular order throughout. just last week the other body worked its will, combining these three bills into a single bill before us. though modifications were made that i do not agree with, it is imperative that the house pass this elle legislation that advance of the authority -- this legislation in advance of the authority expiring on wednesday evening. failure to enact this legislation today will have devastating impacts on our nation's meat industries and

grain exporters. i urge the house to adopt this legislation and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentleman from minnesota is recognized. mr. peters: i thank the gentleman and -- mr. peters: i thank the gentleman and yield -- mr. petri: i thank the gentleman and yield -- mr. peterson: i thank the gentleman and yield myself as much time as i may consume. this re-authorizes mandatory price reporting act, the national forest foundation act and the u.s. marine standards act. this bill continues tradition of bipartisan, bicameral work done by the agriculture committees. important livestock price reporting programs will be continued under the bill's mandatory price reporting provisions, producers rely on access to transparent, accurate and timely market information and h.r. 2051 will employ that certainty. -- provide that certainty. this is the type of public-private collaboration we should all be able to support, given private groups and stakeholders a chance to help and stewardship and management of our national forests and grasslands.

h.r. 2051 len sure that that -- that this partnership can continue. finally, the u.s. grain standards re-authorization act will allow the federal grain inspection service to continue official weighing and inspection services. both grain buyers and sellers rely on the gold standard quality assurance backed by the federal government when conducting business. again, this is good, commonsense legislation, a bipartisan bill and urge my colleagues to vote yes. i reserve the balance of my time. or i -- do you have any more speakers? i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. conaway: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield myself as much time as i may cufmente the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. conaway: thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, i also want to thank my colleagues, my ranking member, throughout this work. he and all of the members on both sides of the aisle, of the committee, worked well together and it's a tribute to the way bipartisan work ought to be done in the house. i'm proud of the work the agriculture committee has done.

i urge members to join me in support of this bill and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the question is, will the house suspend the rules and concur in the senate amendment to h.r. 2051. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. en in president of -- in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 of those voting having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the senate amendment is agreed to and, without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. pursuant to clause 12-a of rule 1, the house de-- the chair declares the news to recess until approximately cr630 p.m. today. -- 6:30 p.m. today.

the disorder we see is not driven solely by competition between nations.

r any single ideology. if we cannot work together, we will suffer the consequences. that is true for the united states as well. no matter how powerful or military, how strong our economy, we understand, the united states cannot solve the orld's problems alone. in iraq, the united states learned the hard lesson, that even hundreds of thousands of brave, effective troops, trillions of dollars from our treasury, cannot by itself impose stability on a foreign land. unless we work with other nations, under the mantle of international norms and principles and law that offer legitimacy to our efforts, we

will not succeed. and unless we work together to defeat the ideas that drive different communities in a country like iraq into conflict, any order that our militaries can impose will be temporary. just as force alone cannot impose order internationally, i believe at my core that repression cannot forge the social key hetion for nations to -- social cohesion for nations to succeed. >> that was just a part of what president obama had to say earlier today at the u.n. general assembly. coming up tonight after the house gavels out, we will show you the president's entire remarks along with those of russian president vladimir putin. tonight on the communicators, we'll talk with the internet corporation for assigned names and numbers president and c.e.o. about how the internet

is governed. >> governments today have an advisory role in icann. they do not directly make policy. they cannot have a seat on our board of directors. this is very much in fact a triumph of showing how a private sector led institution that has the government as an important advisory body, but that has a broader base of decision making that is private sector led, including input from the technical community and civil society and academics, etc., but that's advice that informs the policy and the board activities are anchored in the fact that governments are continuing to play an advisory role to what we do. >> tonight at 8:00 eastern and pacific on the communicators on

c-span2. >> and following the communicators, c-span's road to the white house coverage continues with republican presidential candidate donald trump. he unveiled his tax plan earlier this morning to reporters at trump tower in new york city. you can see that announcement starting at 8:30 eastern onight on c-span2. >> tomorrow on "washington journal," california congressman tom mcclintock will join us to discuss the future of house republican leadership. this in the wake of the resignation announcement last week of house speaker john boehner. then wisconsin respective -- representative mark pocan talks about the possibility of a government shutdown this week. more about government spending and the speaker's retirement announcement with nancy of bloomberg. we'll also take your phone calls, facebook comments and tweets. "washington journal" is live tomorrow starting at 7:00 a.m. eastern on c-span.

>> when you look at the role that the supreme court is playing in our society now, our history series have to have relevance. and so as we thought about what can we do to get relevance to our current programming, a series on the court made all the sense in the world. >> the court is an equal branch of government. it's the third branch of government. it still has fundamental impact on americans' lives. >> inside this elegant building is a courtroom where cases are heard and decisions are made that impact all of our lives. there are so many incredibly interesting cases in the court's history. heard about roe vs. wade, brown vs. board of education. but for so many people they're just names in a textbook. what we want to do is really talk about, not only the legal side of the cases but the people involved in these cases.

they're human beings who felt so passionately that they were being wronged or their rights were being abridged that they brought their cases to the court. >> i think what people will find most fascinate being these cases are the personal stories. one of my personal favorites is mapp vermont ohio and the story mapp. when they hear the story of this woman and the situation, they will fall in love with these cases. that they will feel passionate about what happened in the courts and why they matter and why you should care. >> picking the 12 cases was really difficult and arduous but it was a fun task because we learned a lot. but those 12 cases represent really our evolving understanding of rights in america. when you take a look from dred scott to the korematsu case to roe vermont wade, you learn about the history of the country and the evolving rights in america. >> landmark cases, historic supreme court decisions,

produced in cooperation with the national constitution center, delving into 12 supreme court cases that significantly influenced our nation's story and in our evolving understanding of rights in america. live, monday nights at 9:00 p.m. eastern beginning october 5 on c-span and c-span3. and as a companion to our new series, land mark cases, the book. it features the 12 cases we've selected for the series, with a brief introduction into the background, highlights and impact of each case. written by veteran supreme court journalist and published by c-span in cooperation with congressional quarterly press. an imprint of sage publications incorporated, landmark cases is available for $8. 9/11 5 plus shipping and handle -- $.95 plus ship and happenedling -- $8.95 plus shipping and handling. >> "washington journal" continues. host: good morning. guest: thank you for having me. host: what is the likelihood

that the government will be shut down by the end of the week? guest: pretty little, i think. it seems that with the departure of mr. boehner on friday, the pressure has relieved for the shutdown vote. we anticipate a vote in the senate today to move that process forward, it's actually find the government. we expect of oh in the house by wednesday. this thing, we believe, we believe, we believe that by wednesday evening they will come solution.short term this is called a clean continuing resolution, basically extending the current budget through december 11 with no policy changes. importantly, not including the language that conservatives are looking for. this was a sticking point. a look slick they will have a different approach to this problem. host: on the senate side, what

happens to folks like ted cruz, who said they would rise up in opposition, and senator rand paul? is that likely to happen? yeah.t: the votes are going forward. rand paul and ted cruz do not have enough votes to push the on the senate floor. the center operates in this weird world where minority of senators can complain a lot, but at some point, you have to get decide to move the bill to the floor. if they cannot get the vote, it dies. it looks like that is what is happening in the senate. host: that brings us to december. what happens in december? guest: i canceled my holiday travel plans. i recommend you do the same. we really don't know.

in december, we will face a number of things all at once. government funding will again be expiring, they will have to figure out what to do. we will also hit the debt ceiling, and they have to figure out whether or not to raise the debt ceiling once again. this becomes an issue that for conservatives, it is really a fundamental argument about going into more debt. the whole argument about how we are mortgaging our future to china. and yet, the democrats argue frequently, and usually with success recently, that you cannot default on all promissory notes by failing to take the debt and spend the money. that will be a december battle. we have a highway funding bill that has to come up sometime between now and then. there's a whole bunch of stuff that is going to have to be hammered out over the next few months, and keep in mind, we

don't know who the speaker is going to be and who the rest of the republican leaders will be. significantend some quality time arguing over that first, before they get to the substantive issues. as december, is the possibility that they can pass another short-term extension of they want to? guest: sure. the way congress operates is they are best when they kick things down the road for later. unt onould certainly p a funding bill for another week, to lease, three weeks. lester, it was the middle of january before they got the bill passed. they can do whatever they want to do. the debt ceiling is a bigger issue. they have less flexibility there. the treasury department always has some emergency tools at their disposal to stretch this deadline out as far as possible. sooner or later, they will need to vote on that with a little less flexibility.

possible government shutdown scheduled for october 1. paul singer talking about that and other issues. he is a washington correspondent. if you want to ask them questions, (202) 748-8000 for democrats. (202) 748-8001 for republicans. .202) 745-8002 for independents go ahead and call us, and we will take those calls in just a moment. talk about leaving planned parenthood out of this equation as far as the shutdown vote. guest: this you have -- the issue you have in any of these battles, if you want to defund planned parenthood, and we will talk about is in the short term that would be meaningful. the democrats that say that the money planned parenthood gets from the government has largely been issued anyway until february or march next year when next year's grant are up. you can make an argument that any bill you past until december has no real planned parenthood

money and it anyway -- in it anyway. it would have to get through the senate, and they're probably not enough votes on the floor to get it to the senate. it would have to give the president of the united states, who would likely veto it. they're certainly not enough votes in the senate to override a presidential veto. while the very conservative of house republicans want to force president obama into the argument, they want to force them to make that decision and announce, yes, i want to accept shutting down the government plannedi want to defund parenthood. it is not clear if there is a path to get back to his desk. host: the first call for you comes from rick, democrats line. caller: good morning. i question for your guest is the republicans want to shut down wal while in ourd

foreign aid package, like to israel, they have the most lacks abortion policies in the world. a teenager in israel can get an thetion at any term during presidency. the kicker is the government spends 100% for those abortions. i would like to hear the republicans explain why they are against it here, yet supported around the world. guest: i do not know anything about the policy, yet i will tell you that in the number of bills, the united states congress has limited the use of any u.s. money for abortions overseas. there has been a whole series of orders on whether or not you can

use foreign aid money to counsel known't abortion whether there is any direct u.s. funding to israel that can then be used for abortion services. i honestly don't know. hi.: francis from oklahoma, who is going to suffer with all the stuff going on? we are the ones that will suffer if they shut down the government. good: it is a very question on the impact. if the government shuts down -- we have been down this road a couple of times now -- there are a number of emergency provisions

in place to prevent disaster , which is to say the defense department is still working, the folks doing security at the airports. anybody serving an emergency function still comes to work and get stuff done. there is always this question of will it affect the social security checks going out. again, my recollection of how this works is they will actually slow down over time. , sooner orets paid later, even the government workers like it laid off was suspended during this time, they get paid sooner or later also. in fact, it ends up costing the government more to do that because they have to back pay the employees. the question is exactly who is

infected first. the most direct impact is if you are waiting for a less urgent government service -- a national park permit, or some sort of museum, to get into an event. that sort of low impact stuff is what they will close first. i believe you will find the administration has the flexibility to take those services that have the best pr. it is great to put "closed" signs on the museums because all the reporters go and take pictures. it is excellent not like a light switch. ,ost: you said social security what about safety net programs, are they affected as well? guest: the mandatory program still get paid.

you still get food stamps, or whatever it is. you may not be able to reach someone on the phone for a customer call it mind. that is where you get into issues of who is considered an essential employee and who is not. host: tony doing us from sioux falls, -- joining us from sioux falls, go ahead. caller: i was going to see how it will affect play social security, section eight, medicaid, vocational rehab, different things like that. is it going to affect that? guest: my understanding is that when thedon't change government shutdown takes place. again, if you are receiving a government benefit that is one of these entitlement programs, you continue to receive that.

the trouble comes if you are receiving secondary services. if you have a difficulty with your check and need to make a phone call to somebody either line, -- at a one 800 that is where i think you will see an immediate problem. again, first of all, i don't think we will have a shut down this week. second of all, one of the reasons that it becomes harder to shut down the government in december is that they do not want to get into these kinds of issues at christmas. it is terrible pr. host: one of the people who says it will be a shut down is house speaker john boehner. he was asked specifically about this question. here is some of his reasoning. [video clip] the senate is expected to pass the continuing resolution next week. the house will take up the senate bill.

we will also take up a select committee to investigate these horrific videos that we have seen from abortion clinics in several states that really raise questions about the use of federal funds, and raises questions about the abortive ed fetuses. >> the continuing resolution, will that require democratic votes? , i'm sure it will, but i believe my colleagues want to keep that government open as much as i do. guest: one of the issues that is out of drove mr. boehner office really is the conservatives in his party want planneda way to defund parenthood. these videos they came out over the summer that suggests that people in the organization tissue fromlling

abortions for profit. they say these were heavily edited videos, taken out of context, it is not what they do -- whatever, i don't get into that debate. the political issue is conservative specifically want to defund planned parenthood. how do you do that? they tried to do it on a short-term spending bill, but could not get the votes to get it through the senate and to the president's desk. meanwhile, there are several investigations going on in the , several committees investigating planned parenthood to see whether or not some criminal activity has taken place, whether they have done what is alleged, and if so, what are the ramifications. my impression is what mr. weiner is trying to do is find other to give republicans opportunity to investigate this

matter, vote on this matter, and raise their concern, which i ahink is legitimate -- legitimate concern. our things being done with taxpayer money that we do not approve of? they will pursue that. they will also try budget reconciliation, which is a whole nother process that would take away the planned parenthood money. host: you had said initially that the act of john boehner residing could possibly help the government from shutting down. how do you figure that? guest: part of the argument about the shutdown was the argument about john boehner's leadership. the conservatives feeling they were basically elbowed out. they were not given a vote. boehner's departure basically gives them -- it sort of takes

away a point of argument. we will fightch the speaker, we will push for a shutdown. said,eaker has basically see you later, and what we are at it, we will pass the bill and move the government forward. the conservatives clearly don't have the vote to stop this bill. they will probably argue against it vehemently. host: jerry from georgia, democrats line. caller: hi. i just wanted to make a comment really. i am retired from the government. the rest of my family are either retired from state or federal government jobs. i respect what the government has given me through my life. i appreciate it. they have this tea party mentality where they would love to see the government shutdown. they hate the government.

from they are, retired government jobs, on medicare, getting all the services that government can provide them, and they hate the government. can you explain that disconnect to me? irony there has been this that we have talked about for years about people saying they did not want the affordable care act, and keep your hands off my medical care, basically, and yet, they were receiving a great deal of government care. all of us, in fairness, would say, we do not want yet,nment assistance, and there are government assistance programs that we take advantage of all the time. i think you do not see how pervasive it is in your life until you stop and have this conversation about what exactly does the government do for me on a given day. benefit,t is my tax

the security guards thou me get in and out of the capital building, whatever it is. in your daily life, you do not think about how much you interact with the government on a regular basis. , since thehing is early 1990's, there has been this drumbeat of conservative thought that the government is too big, it controls too much of our lives. it is not only no longer helping us grow, but in fact is impeding our development as a civilization. it is a philosophical point. there is a worthwhile conversation about that philosophy. i think it comes to your question -- where does the philosophy of the government has gone too big interact with, yes, but there is still stuff i want the government to do for me. host: paul singer with "usa today" joining us to talk about a possible government shutdown, and other topics. (202) 748-8000 for democrats.

(202) 748-8001 for republicans. (202) 745-8002 for independents. from indiana, here is dave. caller: good morning. problem with how this network is talking about the shutdown. every time you talk about the shutdown, you blink it like -- like a gop shutdown. that is not the way it is. only person holding up them doing their job is harry reid. if they were to do the nuclear option, blow him up, pass it, and put it on obama's desk, the congress would have still done its job, and then it would be the president who would sign it or not. if he does not find it, the government which it down because of -- would shut down because of his action. you notice, it is never a shutdown where any of the people they get the money to the democrats -- they never suffer.

it is always some poor little better that cannot get into a monument somewhere. tango.it takes two to you're exactly right. if the president wants to over this shut down, he could say, ok, i will is that all of the policy amendments that republicans want to make an order to fund the government. that is true. it is also true that republicans are pushing policy provisions that they know the president will not accept. i think the caller at his point. i think he is exactly right. this is not a one-party government shutdown. or shutdown, which are don't think there will be. dance.s a delicate the whole point of the way government works is the various branches have to agree on a forward.ward -- a path

if neither side is willing to compromise, we reach this screeching halt. i do not assign blame to who is the responsible party, but the fact of the matter is the republicans passing for this particular piece of legislation, no from the outside that the only way to get that done is force a showdown with the president over shutting down the government. they want tohat take his force it into a shutdown conversation. host: on the idea of a path forward, let's talk of the path housed for the leadership your lips are with kevin mccarthy. what does he bring to the table? guest: he is the majority leader, the second in command in the republican party. he has not have that job very long. he took it over about one year cantor lost ac

primary to a tea party challenger. mccarthy has only been in congress about one decade. he is fairly new for that role. i think he is very likely to get the speaker's job at this point. one of his strengths is he's a very personable fellow. he has a habit of posting members in his office all the time to chat about stuff, even conservatives who are unhappy with john boehner say they feel like he has skills of listening to them that they appreciate. a challenge. there will be a tea party candidate, but even the house freedom caucus -- the leading vanguard of this tea party movement in the house now -- the freedom caucus members have said they do not think they have enough votes to elect the speaker, but they have enough votes to affect the process.

i think part of the process will be these vaunted discussions of sitting down with mr. mccarthy and say, we want to be included in some of these dialogues. host: i know daniel webster has expressed interest. have they propose a candidate of their own? guest: they want to meet the candidates and talk to the candidates. keep in mind, we're not talking just the speaker's job, but if kevin mccarthy leads up to speaker, someone has to become majority leader, and there are about a half dozen leadership positions that will be open for discussion, debate, and bot a v. the freedom caucus, what they have asked for is a little bit of time. they don't want to rush. they want to have time to discuss the various confidence -- candidates and where the party is going.