mr. waxman: mr. chairman, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the chair: the gentleman virginia tech. mr. waxman: over the past year, republicans have brought to the floor one bill after another to weaken the clean air act and eliminate e.p.a. authority to protect public health from dangerous air pollution. the house has passed bills that nullify e.p.a.'s rules on air pollution from incinerators, power plants, cement kilns and industrial boilers. but the bill before us today breaks new ground. it would block e.p.a. from taking an action that e.p.a. has no plan to take. this bill is called the farm dust regulation prevention act of 2011. well, that's a misleading title. e.p.a. currently does not regulate farm dust. they have no plans to regulate farm dust. e.p.a. administrator jackson told congress that she will propose no change to the current air quality standard for coarse particles which have been in place since the reagan administration. this bill belongs to the false advertising hall of f

mr. waxman: mr. speaker, i yield myself three minutes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. waxman: i strongly oppose this legislation as presently structured and urge its defeat. there's no question we must extend the payroll tax breaks which puts money in the hands of most americans so they can spend it and get our economy moving. we must make sure that unemployed people have the insurance so that they have a lifeline so they can pay their bills while they're looking for jobs. we have to keep our promises to those under medicare to allow physicians to be adequately reimbursed. but the price that the republicans are imposing through this legislation is simply unacceptable. it contains dangerous poison pills, series of riders and legislative provisions that can never pass the senate or be signed by the president. the republicans are trying to cram them through the back door by holding this bill hostage. now, doesn't that sound familiar? republicans holding things hostage. it's wh

mr. waxman: mr. chairman, the e.p.a. goes through an incredible analysis now, the cost and benefits, and all the other considerations. it's appropriate. to add another review of regulations at e.p.a. is to require paralysis by analysis and perhaps that's the objective of the amendment. the gentleman from illinois, mr. schock, has indicated he can't imagine any more expensive than what this regulation might do to farmers. well, i'll tell you something that's more expensive, tax breaks for stillaires and billionaires and millionaires is a lot more expensive than what requiring e.p.a. to do even more. . let's not burden the agency with reviews only for one sector that adds nothing to the analysis that they already achieve before they adopt any regulation. and these regulations that are already in effect now are not costing jobs. this whole bill is supposed to prevent regulations that isn't adopted. we're not losing jobs because of that. we're losing jobs because our economy is not functioning, because we don't have a willin

mr. waxman. >> thank you, mr. chairman. for those who may be viewing this hearing, i think they would be struck as i am that the only way republicans can deal with the fact that some people have some questions about the pipeline is it's a conspiracy. there's some hidden agenda. it's all politics. one of the republicans who asked questions, who president obama is going to choose, the environmentalists or the labor union? they only think of this in these terms and they want to make this a political issue. well, the question of the decision to go ahead with this pipeline is a serious one. and i think we need to fully understand the implications of approving energy structure that's going to last for decades. and i wouldn't make light of it just because the republicans want to use this hearing for their own political purposes. i think it's appropriate for the president of the united states to review this matter. i think it's appropriate for the government agencies and people in the state of nebraska to review this issue. the rep

mr. waxman: mr. speaker, i yield myself three minutes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. waxman: i strongly oppose this legislation as presently structured and urge its defeat. there's no question we must extend the payroll tax breaks which puts money in the hands of most americans so they can spend it and get our economy moving. we must make sure that unemployed people have the insurance so that they have a lifeline so they can pay their bills while they're looking for jobs. we have to keep our promises to those under medicare to allow physicians to be adequately reimbursed. but the price that the republicans are imposing through this legislation is simply unacceptable. it contains dangerous poison pills, series of riders and legislative provisions that can never pass the senate or be signed by the president. the republicans are trying to cram them through the back door by holding this bill hostage. now, doesn't that sound familiar? republicans holding things hostage. it's wh

mr. waxman. and then, of course, others who've helped on the senate side. this legislation is being done really the way congress is intended to work, to try to reach a bicam rell, bipartisan consen -- bicameral, bipartisan consensus. this is not an easy legislation to pass. this is a very important piece of legislation for the american people as far as our energy resources and transporting them safely across the land, as far as an industry that's so important to creating jobs and opportunity and keeping the cost of energy down for men and women, consumers and people who are hit by difficult times right now looking for reasonable energy costs and keeping the u.s. competitive and providing reasonably cost energy and transporting it safely. this is probably one of the four main jobs bills, too, that we will pass from our committee. we have today the pipeline safety legislation. our committee has also passed the coast guard authorization and hoping we can reach a consensus on that. we have finished and and pre-- with the senate the f.a.a. bill which is over 4 1

mr. waxman, for his opening statement. >> we all want more jobs. that is why i support the president's jobs program. it is being blocked by the republicans. they do not want it to be paid for by any increases on taxes on billionaires in this country. instead, they want to get jobs from areas that benefit some of their best friends, the oil companies particularly. my greatest concern is that the keystone xl would make as more reliable on the dirtiest source of fuel available. the tar sands emit more carbon pollution and conventional oil -- than conventional oil, almost 40%. this pipeline would carry a sludge through the middle of america on 80,000 mile pipeline. it takes huge amounts of energy to take something the consistency of tar from canada and turn it into synthetic oil. we should be reducing our oil dependence and using cleaner fuel. keystone is a big step in the opposite direction. by moving tar sands oil to the gulf coast refineries, the keystone xl pipeline would open world markets to tarzan's oil. the pipeline would remove the existing re

mr. waxman. mrs. kleeb, this committee passed a pipeline safety bill and the request for a study was part of that. i voted for that. mr. pourbaix, you are the representative from transcanada pipelines. the company build pipelines, right? >> yes. >> if a pipeline was not built, would oil sands from alberta still come into the united states to be refined and, if so, how would it be transported? >> there is some capacity left on existing pipelines that cross the border. those pipelines can get probably a few hundred thousand barrels of a criminal oil into the chicago area. the problem is there are no pipelines that are in place that can take that oil from chicago to where it is needed, which is the gulf coast. the answer is more pipeline capacity is needed. >> is that the safer mode of transportation as opposed to -- i have heard of real? >> it is interesting. a lot of people have mentioned the formation in north dakota and montana. it is rapidly growing in production. it is anticipated to be 800,000 bar

mr. waxman, mr. pallone, and their staffs have spent several months helping us develop a bipartisan bill that can be signed into law. i want to especially thank my friend, gene green, sue myrick and anna eshoo in their work to advance this legislation and appreciate your work and counsel along the way, mr. green. i hope we never have to e.s.a. use these countermeasures, mr. speaker, but they are critical to the assurance that the public will be protected from an attack and we must strengthen our national stockpile, simply put, we must always be prepared. i would urge the strong support of h.r. 2405 and i would reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from pennsylvania reserves. the gentleman from new jersey. mr. pallone: thank you, mr. speaker. i'd now like to yield to one of the authors of the bill, the gentleman from texas, mr. green, such time as he may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. green: thank you, mr. speaker. and i t

mr. waxman. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for four minutes. mr. waxman: mr. speaker, this has been a terrible year in could congress. the intransigence of the republican leadership and the tea party republicans has brought us to the brink of crisis again and again and now we're playing another game of chicken with the lives and well-being of millions of american families at stake. >> mr. speaker, the house is not in order. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is correct. the house will be in order. members at the back of the chamber, please take seats, move conversations from the floor. the gentleman from california. mr. waxman: did the republican leadership in the house just learn today that in the end of this month, in 10 or 11 days, these tax breaks, the unemployment insurance, the physician reimbursements were going to expire? no. they learned about it earlier so they packaged a bill and the only way they could figure to pay for it was to take it out of the federal employees, ask the elderly to pay more for their medicare, to cut back on spending, never

mr. waxman. mr. -- ms. kleeb this committee passed a pipeline safety bill and a request for a study was part of that. i voted for it. mr. pourbaix, on behalf -- you are the representative from transcanada pipeline and the company builds pipelines, right? >> yes. >> if they pipeline was not built, would oilsands from alberto still come into the united states to be refined and if so, how would it be transported? >> there is some capacity left on existing pipelines that cross the border and those pipelines can get probably a few hundred thousand barrels, incremental oil come into the chicago area. the problem is that there are no pipelines that are in place that can take that oil from chicago to where it is needed, which is the gulf coast. so, yeah, the answer is more pipeline capacity is needed. >> is that the saver mode of transportation as opposed to by rail? >> it's interesting right now and a lot of people have mentioned the formation in north dakota and montana, and it is rapidly growing in protection an

mr. waxman made an excellent point. i, for one, opposed the deal in alaska because i thought it was the wrong thing to do from an environmental point of view. but we can keep saying no to everything. gasoline is $4 per gallon. we are beholden to hugo chavis. i think we need to have a little bit of a balance. i was disappointed in the administration pushing back of this deadline. i think it is time to make a move one way or the other. we all know what the issues are and we can make a decision. i just think delaying it does not benefit anybody. i am for renewals. i think it is important to have clean energy and sustainable energy. but i frankly do not think we can move from step one to step 10 overnight. i do not think it is a matter of moving to sustainable energy, clean energy, and turning off hydrocarbons at the same time. there has to be a transition. it is one of the reasons i have fought for legislation to have a renewable fuel standard for all cars made in america. i think we should have them built so they can run

mr. waxman and mr. levin and others on the left who want a seat at the table, conference is the way you get a seat at the table. what we are asking for is common sense. something america has not seen from congress in the last several years. mr. speaker, i ask my colleagues to vote yes on the rule, yes on the underlying bill, and i yield back the balance of my time. and i move, mr. speaker, the previous question on the resolution. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the question is on ordering the previous question on the resolution. so many as are in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it. ms. slaughter: mr. speaker, i ask the yeas and nays. the speaker pro tempore: the yeas and nays are requested. those favoring a vote by the yeas and nays will rise. a sufficient number having arisen, the yeas and nays are ordered. members will record their votes by electronic device. pursuant to clause 9 of rule 20, the chair will reduce

mr. waxman of california for his opening statement. >> thank you, mr. chairman. we all want more jobs.at's why i support and i think probably all of our witnesses support the president a jobs program, which is being blocked by the republicans because they don't want it to be paid for by any increases on taxes for billionaires in this country. instead, they want to get jobs from areas that benefit some of their best friends. the oil companies particularly. my greatest concern is the keystone xl would make us more reliant on the dirtiest source of fuel currently available and a lifecycle basis tar sands, in it far more carbon pollution than conventional oil, almost 40% by some of, by some estimates. what this pipeline would do is carry a sledge made in canadian tar sands through the middle of america, 2000-mile pipeline. that's because they take huge amounts of energy to take something of a consistency of tar which they mine in canada and turn it into a synthetic oil. we should be reducing our oil dependency and choosing cleaner fuels, a keystone is a big step in the opposite direction.

waxman. from the committee on financial services for consideration of section 645 of the house bill and section 1245 of the senate amendment and modifications committed to the conference, mr. bachus, mrs. capito and mr. ackerman. from the committee on foreign affairs for consideration of sections 1013, 1014, 1055, 1056, 1086, 1092, 1202, 1204, 1205, 1211, 1214, 1216, 118, 1219, 1226, 1228 through 1230, 1237, 1301, 1303, 1532, 1533 and 3112 of the house bill and sections 159, 1012, 1031, -- 1033, 1201, 1203, 1204, 1206 through 1209, 1221 through 1225, 1228, 1230 and 1245 of title 13 and section 1609 of the senate amendment and modifications committed to the conference, ms. ros-lehtinen, messrs. chabot -- chabot and berman. for consideration of section 10 9-h of the house bill and section 1092 of the senate amendment and modifications committed to the conference, mr. daniel lungren of california, mrs. miller of michigan and mr. thompson of mississippi. from the committee on the judiciary for consideration of sections 531 of subtitle d of title 5, 573, 843 and 2804 of the house bill and sections 553 and 848 of the senate amendments and modifications committed to conference,