mr. mcclintock: mr. chairman, i have an amendment at the desk. the clerk: the -- the chair: the clerk will designate the amendment. the clerk: amendment number 25 printed in house report 115-295 offered by mr. mcclintock of california. the chair: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from california and a member opposed will each control five minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from california. mr. mcclintock: thank you, mr. chairman. this amendment eliminates the $15 0 million of dis-- $150 million of discretionary spending wasted on one of the least essential programs in the entire united states government. the so-called essential air service. that's the program that subsidizes empty and near-empty planes to fly from small airports to regional hubs that are usually just a few hours away or less by car. this was supposed to be a temporary program to allow local communities and airports to readjust to airline deregulation back in 1978. last year the essential air service cost a total of nearly $300 million between direct taxpayer subsidies

mr. mcclintock, for five minutes. mr. mcclintock: thank you, mr. speaker. two weeks after the 2016 election, i spoke on the house that the warned greatest single obstacle to meeting the expectations of the american people was the cloture rule in the senate. i said voters elected republican majorities in both houses of congress and they expect action. they'll get it from the president and from the house. but in order for the senate to rise to this occasion t. must reform its cloture rule. it didn't. now, cloture is the senate motion to conclude debate. it's based on a sound parliamentary principle that as long as a significant minority, currently 40 members of the senate, want to continue to debate, that debate should continue. but this principle assumes it's an actual debate between real people regarding the merits of the subject directly at hand. that's not what cloture has become. today any senator can block virtually any bill simply by filing a protest and until 60 of the 100 senators agree to take up the bill, it cannot be heard. thus, a motion designed

mr. mcclintock of california. amendment number 32 by mr. budd of north carolina. amendment number 33 by mr. brooks of alabama. amendment number 38 by ms. rosen of nevada. amendment number 39 by mr. grothman of wisconsin. amendment number 46 by mr. grothman of wisconsin. amendment number 51 by mr. king of iowa. amendment number 54 by mr. grothman of wisconsin. amendment number 56 by mr. smith of missouri. and amendment number 58 by mr. babin of texas. the chair will reduce to two minutes the minimum time for any electronic vote after the first vote series. the chair: the unfinished business is request for a recorded vote on amendment number 15 printed in part b of the report 115-295 by gentleman from iowa, mr. king and the ayes prevailed by voice vote. the clerk: amendment number 15 printed in part b of house 115-295 by mr. king of iowa. the chair: a sufficient number having arisen, a recorded vote is ordered. members will record their votes by electronic device. this is a 15-minute vote. [captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc., in coop

mr. mcclintock, i have a amendment that would prohibit the federal government from spending taxpayer money to interfere with state marijuana laws. also to the increasing number of states that have a regulated system for selling marijuana. and at this point, by the way, 95% of the country in 46 states have some form of legalized cannabis. as you know, colorado was one of the first test cases for creating a regulatory system around recreational sale of marijuana. so far, indications are positive. it's decreased teen usage. it's helped bankrupt drug cartels, reduce violent crime, increase taxes. regardless of the personal opinions of members of congress about this issue, isn't it the business of the states to decide? and wouldn't in fact the amendment reassert that it's none of the attorney general, department of justice' business with regards to the state regulatory system for marijuana. it's not a partisan issue. 18 members of congress, nine of each party, sponsored the mcclintock polis amendment. i feel confident it would pass if we get a vote on the floor. you don't even have to support m

mr. mcclintock, kindly take the chair. the chair: the house is in the committee of the whole house on the state of the union for the further consideration of h.r. 3354 which the clerk will report bit title. the clerk: a bill making appropriations for the department of the interior, environment and related agencies for the fiscal year ending september 30, 2018, and for other purposes. the chair: when the committee of the whole rose on friday, september 8, 2017, a request for a recorded vote on amendment number 77 printed in house report 115-297 offered by the gentleman from south carolina, mr. norman, had been postponed. the chair: for what purpose does the gentleman from texas seek recognition? >> mr. speaker, pursuant to section 3 as the designee of chairman frelinghuysen, i rise to offer en bloc number 3 as part of consideration of division c of h.r. 3354. the list of amendments included in the en bloc, mr. chairman, is at the desk and has been agreed to by both sides. the chair: the clerk will designate the amendments e