Earl Blumenauer

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Chair, I appreciate the gentlewoman's tenacity and her leadership on this issue. We have more than we need to have a credible deterrent; more than we need. This small but important amendment would allow the military leadership to evaluate how to evolve the needs. The land-based nuclear ICBMs are far in excess of what we need, and we have been seeing scandal in the papers in terms of the management of them, drug use, cheating on tests, and they are not necessary for our security. There is no security benefit in this sort of redundancy. We ought to at least be able to examine the path going forward. Locking into 400 permanently is lunacy, it is expensive, and it is dangerous, as anybody who has read, for example, Eric Schlosser's book, ``Command and Control,'' to see how close we have come to nuclear disaster with this stockpile. The record is not very rosy. We at least ought to allow our military leadership to evaluate what we need to do going forward.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the amazing life and, as The New York Times put it, the outsized career of Richard Ravitch, who passed away 2 weeks ago. A lawyer, a builder, a public servant extraordinaire, Lieutenant Governor of New York, he ran the subway system. The Times' obituary labeled Dick ``the rescuer of New York.'' As someone who had a chance to work with him, I can attest he was that and much, much more. He was a tireless student of government. He sought to understand its inner workings, and he would be quick to share his insights with others. His was a strong voice for thoughtful, sound, creative policy. Those skills are what enabled him to work to rescue the subway in a dire time in New York, to improve municipal finance in that city, unscramble New York State finances, and help Detroit and Puerto Rico navigate bankruptcy. He was a respected, successful businessman; pioneered integrated public housing. He was an adviser to organized labor, involved with Major League Baseball, and, along with his friend, Paul Volcker, an outspoken advocate for public finance and sound State and local budgeting. Well into his eighties, he was still teaching at Yale Law School. He seemed to know everyone and have a story or two that involved each. He displayed a vast memory and boundless energy. He was a practitioner of the political arts at the highest level. He spent his final months keenly focused on the upcoming election for Congress. He invested untold hours and significant resources helping men and women make their way politically. Dick was a proud member of the governing wing of the Democratic Party. He never ceased to amaze me with the breadth of his interest, expertise, and skill. He was a master woodworker, and his Central Park apartment was filled with amazing pieces that he had crafted. Dick took great pride in his family, his sons, Michael and Joey. His marriage to Kathy Doyle brought three stepdaughters into the family. There were 13 grandchildren, a tremendous source of pride and joy to Dick. I was lucky to call him a friend and mentor. His biography, ``So Much to Do'' should be required reading for everyone who would be a public servant, an elected official, indeed, anyone who takes their citizenship seriously. Even though it was written a decade ago, anyone who cares about government and the civic fabric has much to learn from Dick's life story and his many accomplishments. I, along with countless others, benefited immensely from Dick's friendship, mentorship, and wisdom. His passing is a significant loss to New York City, New York State, and, I would say, for the country. But his life, indeed, was a blessing. The lessons he left us and the leaders he helped shape will carry on his legacy for generations to come.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, 50 years ago this week, Oregon became the first State to decriminalize cannabis. I was honored to be a part of that process. It is time for the Federal Government to catch up. We owe it to the generations of Black Americans targeted by the failed war on drugs. We owe it to our veterans with their wounds, seen and unseen. We owe it to thousands of workers and their employers who fail drug tests every day because they used State-legal cannabis weeks before. We owe it to the large and growing cannabis industry, whose employees are targets for violent robbery because we deny them bank accounts. We owe it to the American public who are not waiting for the Federal Government. We need that framework to tax and regulate cannabis. On the anniversary of Oregon's historic step to decriminalize cannabis, it is past time for the Federal Government to be a real partner and not a roadblock on the path forward.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, we have heard claims from Republican leadership that they passed a bill to lift the debt ceiling. That is laughable. What they did was pass a wish list to reassure their most extreme Members. Make no mistake: They have no plan. I just consulted with the distinguished ranking member of the Appropriations Committee. They haven't even agreed on the top-line numbers for this year's appropriations process, let alone move forward to implement the extreme cuts that they imagine are going to happen. I just left a Trade Subcommittee hearing where a parade of witnesses from both parties said we need to invest more in Customs and Border Protection to protect Americans from fentanyl. Without a plan, they will continue to target the poor and protect the privileged and get nothing done. America deserves better. Let's pass a clean debt ceiling proposal and get back to work.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close. Mr. Speaker, there was a reference about false choices. Well, it is a false choice that we adhere to our interests and goals at the expense of throwing out of work thousands of American union workers and disrupting opportunities to smooth the supply chain. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a statement from 10 leading environmental organizations that says: ``While the Commerce Department investigation of tariff circumvention was being conducted, the administration sought to provide enough lead time for domestic solar panel manufacturing and supply chains to rapidly expand operations to meet demand, bring certainty on the prices of imported panels to solar companies deploying clean energy, and job stability for those workers installing panels.'' April 17, 2023. Dear Member of Congress: The undersigned groups write to express our opposition to the Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolutions of disapproval (H.J. Res 39 and S.J. Res 15) aimed at reversing President Biden's temporary suspension of tariffs on certain solar cells and panels from manufacturers in Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. Passage of these resolutions could destabilize solar supply chains, harm ongoing deployment of large scale solar projects, threaten high-quality solar construction jobs, and impede our nation's decarbonization goals. Proclamation 10414, issued by President Biden in June 2022, gave the U.S. Department of Commerce authority to issue regulations suspending new solar tariffs until June 2024 while the department proceeded with its investigation into claims that facilities in the Southeastern Asian countries were circumventing existing tariffs on Chinese solar companies. The Commerce Department subsequently issued rules implementing the delay, and H.J. Res 39 and S.J. Res 15 would nullify that rulemaking. Our organizations support both a shift to cleaner and fairer supply chains for clean energy, as well as the rapid deployment of clean energy in order to meet the urgency of the climate crisis. Thanks in part to the expansive investments in clean energy manufacturing and high quality job standards included in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), we are now well positioned to achieve both of these goals. The administration's strong implementation of the IRA's domestic content provisions is a critical piece to further drive manufacturing buildout in the U.S. However, passage of these CRA resolutions would undermine the ability of the U.S. solar industry to succeed in accelerating the shift to more clean energy on the power grid. The President's decision to pause tariffs for two years is providing U.S. businesses with much-needed certainty after several months of project cancellations and delays last year due to the Commerce Department's investigation, which caused solar deployment to decline by 30 percent--10 gigawatts below expectations. We have already seen more than $13 billion in domestic solar manufacturing announcements since the passage of the IRA. While more buildout is needed, this demonstrates that domestic investment is headed in the right direction. Additional panel shortages, as we saw during the Commerce Department investigation, would once again debilitate U.S. utility-scale solar projects and jobs. And if a CRA resolution rolls back the President's two-year tariff pause, then debilitating shortages and lost investment capital could begin this year. Beyond the harm to solar deployments across the U.S., there is the larger issue of the CRA being the wrong tool for Congressional oversight. Congress has always had the power to create, modify or eliminate rules using the regular legislative process. The CRA provides a more extreme path by repealing a rule in its entirety and preventing an agency from issuing a new rule that is ``substantially the same,'' an undefined phrase that can essentially freeze the regulatory process. In this instance, while the Commerce Department investigation of tariff circumvention was being conducted, the administration sought to provide enough lead time for domestic solar panel manufacturing and supply chains to rapidly expand operations to meet demand, bring certainty on the prices of imported panels to the solar companies deploying clean energy, and job stability for those workers installing panels. Passing these resolutions could prevent future administrations from being able to find appropriate solutions to other tariffs and trade challenges. For these reasons, the undersigned organizations urge you to vote NO on H.J. Res 39 and S.J. Res 15. Thank you for your attention to this matter and for considering our views. Sincerely, League of Conservation Voters, Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, Climate Action Campaign, Environmental Law and Policy Center, Clean Energy for America, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, Earthjustice, Environmental Defense Fund, Union of Concerned Scientists.

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this resolution. President Biden struck the right balance by instituting a temporary freeze on solar tariffs. The Inflation Reduction Act has already led to the announcement of more than 45 gigawatts of domestic solar manufacturing capacity, and work has already begun. In 2021, there were only 7 gigawatts of domestic manufacturing capacity, but it takes time to build out manufacturing capacities. It doesn't happen overnight. This 2-year bridge gives the solar industry the time needed to reorient supply chains away from China to produce panels domestically. That is why the President's position is supported by leaders who do the work: organized labor from IBEW, LIUNA, the carpenters, and the operating engineers, as well as a variety of other organizations in the environmental community and the National Taxpayers Union. The solar industry itself strongly supports the administration's position. Kenneth Cooper, president of IBEW, characterized the President's action as a carefully crafted compromise that would provide market certainty to allow American companies to continue deploying solar panels. H.J. Res. 39 is a backward-looking resolution, he said, looking to reopen a settled matter rather than create a solution. It is not just organized labor. Members of the environmental community say that this resolution could destabilize the solar supply chains, harm ongoing deployment, threaten high-quality solar construction jobs, and impede our Nation's decarbonization goals. The National Taxpayers Union opposes this proposal, saying that Congress should not, ``increase energy costs via the Congressional Review Act.'' Many of us in Congress have worked for years to achieve the policy victories contained in the Inflation Reduction Act. We share the goal of pushing back against China and have supported legislation to do precisely that. Now is not the time to undermine our efforts in producing a robust supply chain in solar. I encourage my colleagues to consider the overwhelming evidence and reject this legislation when it is called for a vote today. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I respectfully disagree with the gentlewoman from West Virginia. This would not help American industry. I include in the Record statements from nine American stakeholders in the industry who relied on Commerce's regulations to make significant business and economic decisions. Re. Please Oppose Retroactive Duties and Protect American Clean Energy Jobs and Investment with a ``No'' Vote on the Auxin CRA (H.J. Res. 39/S.J. Res. 15) We are writing to respectfully ask that you oppose H.J. Res. 39/S.J. Res. 15. Enactment of this resolution would impose over $1 billion in retroactive duty liability, increase energy costs for consumers, cost thousands of American jobs, and hamstring efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Last year, a single company filed anti-circumvention petitions with the Department of Commerce (Commerce). The threat of duties ranging from 50 percent-250 percent on solar panels and cells from Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia called for in the petitions abruptly froze solar supply chains. A significant number of domestic solar projects experienced cancellations or delays as a result. To address this disruption, after Commerce accepted the petitions and initiated a set of investigations, President Biden issued an emergency declaration that included a temporary 2-year pause on potential duties arising from the investigations. This pause allowed planned solar projects to move forward while the investigations proceeded. American stakeholders subsequently relied on Commerce's regulations to make significant business and economic decisions. Nullifying Commerce's rulemaking as provided for in H.J. Res. 39/S.J. Res. 15 woul1enalize companies, acting in accordance with the law, by imposing large (up to 254 percent), unanticipated retroactive duty liability for these stakeholders--back to April 1, 2022. Going back on this federal commitment would create a chilling effect on American business, setting a terrible precedent that undermines America's competitiveness in the global marketplace. Passing H.J. Res 39/S.J. Res 15 would also stall or cancel planned solar projects, eliminate 30,000 jobs, including 4,000 manufacturing jobs, and $4.2 billion of investment in domestic solar projects. 4GW of planned solar projects representing roughly 14 percent of the industry's anticipated deployment in 2023 would be cancelled. This in turn would increase CO2 emissions by 24 million metric tons. American businesses need certainty and a bridge to domestic manufacturing. Right now, only about one-third of U.S. demand for solar panels (including both crystalline silicon and thin film photovoltaic panels) can be met with domestic production, and domestic manufacturers are sold out for the next 2-3 years. It is our preference to source solar panels domestically, and we are heartened by the rapid expansion of domestic solar manufacturing that is currently occurring. However, ramping up this production capacity across the solar supply chain will take time, and the temporary 2-year duty pause provides a necessary bridge to the point where domestic production capacity is more capable of meeting demand. For these reasons, and to avoid needless disruption in the solar marketplace, we respectfully ask that you oppose H.J. Res. 39/S.J. Res. 15. Thank you in advance for your consideration. Sincerely, Solar Energy Industries Association American Clean Power American Council on Renewable Energy Edison Electric Institute

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, they say nullifying Commerce's rulemaking as provided for in H.J. Res. 39 would penalize companies acting in accordance with the law by imposing large, up to 254 percent, unanticipated retroactive duty liability for these stakeholders going back to April 1, 2022. Going back on this Federal commitment would create a chilling effect on American business, setting a terrible precedent that undermines our competitiveness in the marketplace. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas, (Mr. Doggett).

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a statement from Terry O'Sullivan, the general president of LIUNA, the Laborers' International Union of North America. His statement is on behalf of a half million members of the Laborers' International Union in strong opposition to this proposal: ``This CRA resolution comes at a time when our Nation is looking to bolster its wind and solar industry, steering away from more harmful energy sources. Our union has never seen this much solar construction work, and future construction already on the books, within the renewable energy industry, and it is now all at risk if the CRA is passed.'' LiUNA!, Washington, DC, April 19, 2023 Hon. Jason Smith, Chairman, House Committee on Ways and Means, Washington, DC. Hon. Richard Neal, Ranking Member, House Committee on Ways and Means, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Smith and Ranking Member Neal: On behalf of the 500,000 members of the Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA), I write in opposition to the Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution regarding solar panel manufacturing. This resolution will have a harmful and disruptive impact on our members' jobs within the solar industry. Our nation's energy industry directly employs tens of thousands of LIUNA members across the country. These jobs span across all sectors of energy production including, natural gas, nuclear, hydro, and renewables. By way of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), The Biden Administration has brought good-paying union construction jobs into the renewable industry. Because of this, our members have seen a significant and rapid growth within the renewables sector, in particular the solar industry. These jobs are finally good jobs, with family-supporting wages and benefits. Repealing President Biden's moratorium, however, will bring several solar construction sites to a halt, leaving our members without a paycheck. We recognize that the Department of Commerce's investigation found some solar panel producers committing trade violations. Of course, in time, this will need to be addressed. This CRA resolution comes at a time when our nation is looking to bolster its wind and solar industry, steering away from more harmful energy sources. Our union has never seen this much solar construction work, and future construction work already on the books, within the renewable energy industry, and it is now all at risk if the CRA is passed. I urge you to oppose the Congressional Review Act being marked up today in committee. With kind regards, I am, Sincerely yours, Terry O'Sullivan, General President.

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Thompson).

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a statement from James T. Callahan, general president of the International Union of Operating Engineers, and Douglas J. McCarron, general president of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America. The statement indicates, among other things: ``Repealing President Biden's proclamation will result in retroactive duties and tariffs that would jeopardize 30,000 construction and 4,000 manufacturing jobs. . . . We are not prepared to stand by and let some partisan dispute eliminate Operating Engineers' jobs and slow the deployment of clean energy.'' For immediate release: April 19, 2023. Carpenters and Operating Engineers Unions Oppose Legislation That Eliminates Thousands of Jobs Washington, DC.--The following statement was issued today by James T. Callahan, General President of the International Union of Operating Engineers, and Douglas J. McCarron, General President of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, regarding their unions' opposition to legislation that will eliminate thousands of American jobs: Last year, the Department of Commerce opened a circumvention inquiry, alleging that four Southeast Asian countries were circumventing tariffs and duties on solar cells and modules from the People's Republic of China. The inquiry generated massive uncertainty in the domestic solar market by suggesting possible retroactive tariffs as high as 250 percent. This threat resulted in a drop of 20 percent fewer solar construction and installation jobs across the United States. President Biden took action to preserve these jobs, issuing Emergency Proclamation 10414 to prevent tariffs on any solar module and cell imports from the four countries until June 2024. House Joint Resolution 39 will repeal the President's Proclamation and eliminate thousands of jobs in the American solar industry. ``Repealing President Biden's Proclamation will result in retroactive duties and tariffs that would jeopardize 30,000 construction and 4,000 manufacturing jobs;'' said James T. Callahan, General President of the International Union of Operating Engineers. ``We are not prepared to stand by and let some partisan dispute eliminate Operating Engineers' jobs and slow the deployment of clean energy:'' ``President Biden's Proclamation saves Carpenters' jobs and smooths the development of the domestic solar manufacturing industry. Today, we're seeing the American manufacturing sector respond to incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act and develop homegrown solar modules,'' said Carpenters Union General President Douglas J. McCarron. ``Now is not the time to disrupt the solar industry and layoff thousands of union workers just as we're getting a foothold in the burgeoning solar business.'' The International Union of Operating Engineers and United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners urge Congress and members of the Ways and Means Committee to vote against House Joint Resolution 39, which will repeal the administration's Proclamation and eliminate thousands of union jobs, slow the deployment of renewable energy, and generate unnecessary greenhouse gases.

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis).

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the gentlewoman from Staten Island has it backwards. The fact is that there is a process underway to review the challenges of the circumvention. There will be a report within the next year, but what the President did was put a pause on that to allow American industry to reorient and to catch up because otherwise they do not have the capacity. I quote a strong representative of working men and women, the general president of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, Douglas McCarron: ``President Biden's proclamation saves Carpenters' jobs and smooths the development of the domestic solar manufacturing industry. Today, we are seeing the American manufacturing sector respond to incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act and develop homegrown solar modules.'' According to this international union president, ``Now is not the time to disrupt the solar industry and lay off thousands of union workers just as we are getting a foothold in the burgeoning solar business.'' Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Flint, Michigan (Mr. Kildee), a strong and effective voice, for whatever he advocates.

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentleman from Michigan.

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, somebody listening from the sidelines would think that there is a great deal of disagreement between my honorable friend from Missouri and me. That is not the case. We share many of the same goals, as he knows, with legislation that I am proposing to try to rein in some of the egregious abuses of the Chinese. What we are disagreeing about today is to undercut a process that is working with the Department of Commerce for accountability. The goal here is for another year to be able to work the process through. I have no doubt that we are going to end up essentially in the same place but without compromising the ability of organized labor and workers to be able to have jobs without undercutting the opportunity for the businesses to be able to cope with these changed circumstances and to be able to develop a supply chain, which you cannot do overnight. But over the course of the next year or so, we can make significant progress. That is our goal. We don't think that we have to punish American companies and American workers to achieve that goal. I am convinced that over the course of the next year, we will be largely in the same place after that process is finished with the Department of Commerce. In the meantime, we are not going to have American workers and businesses pay the price for this, frankly, unfortunate demonstration of political messaging. We want to reach the same goal. We don't want to punish workers and industry while we get there. Having this additional year requested by the Biden administration that would be achieved by sustaining his veto is a reasonable outcome and I think gets us where we want to be. Mr. Speaker, I respectfully suggest that we reject this resolution, allow the process to work, do not penalize American workers, and strengthen supply chains so that a year and a half from now, we can, in fact, be in the same place, having a robust domestic industry and enforcing our goals and objectives. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate the extraordinary life of Kathryn Harrison, who walked on last Sunday at the age of 99. Kathryn was an extraordinary woman of vision, leadership, and determination. Kathryn was a key leader for her Grand Ronde tribe, and indeed for Native Americans everywhere. Her amazing life resulted in numerous honors and widespread recognition for her testimony before Congress that ultimately led to the restoration of Grand Ronde's federal recognition. After the restoration, Kathryn was instrumental in developing ways to capitalize on tribal resources for the lasting benefit of both the people of Grand Ronde, and indeed all Oregonians. She was patient, thoughtful, determined, and always had a great spirit and a terrific sense of humor. I am honored to have been able to work with Kathryn on tribal issues for over 20 years. She led with dignity and focus simply by being in the room. We are all better people for being touched by her life and her services of giving back. I count myself lucky that our paths crossed many times. She was a powerful symbol of determination--helping secure justice for tribal people and providing inspiration for Native Americans across the country.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, our Supreme Court is a symbol of corrupt and cruel judicial politics. Clarence Thomas is the poster child for the Supreme Court, the only Federal court with no ethical standards at all, let alone, enforce them. They empower extremists who would deny vital lifesaving care in their zeal to enforce their vision on the limits of women's health. It is not just about their opposition to abortion. They are forcing women to be pregnant, regardless of the consequences to real people. The harms are not theoretical as illustrated in today's Washington Post editorial. Real women and their families suffer serious injury being denied care they need. I am proud I come from one of the few States that has no limitations on families' access to reproductive healthcare, the most personal of decisions. Change is coming, make no mistake, as more and more recognize the impact of this cruel interference in the most personal of decisions. Despite hopelessly gerrymandered State legislatures, the people ultimately will win.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, today I introduced the Smarter Approaches to Nuclear Expenditures (SANE) Act. The United States will spend $494 billion on our nuclear arsenal through Fiscal Year 2028, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Even the Pentagon acknowledges that this level of spending--more than XXXX--is not necessary to secure the United States. The Defense Department's 2013 Report on Nuclear Employment Strategy of the United States declared we can ensure the security of the U.S. and our allies and maintain a strong and credible strategic deterrent, while pursuing up to a one-third reduction in deployed nuclear weapons from the level established in the New START Treaty. Other experts, including a commission chaired by former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General James Cartwright, said the U.S. could go even lower without jeopardizing security. The SANE Act aims to inject fiscal responsibility and strategic reality into the United States' nuclear weapons planning by reducing the purchase of replacement nuclear submarines, cutting the existing ICBM fleet, cancelling the development of new ICBMs, removing the nuclear mission from the F-35, eliminating the life extension program for the tactical B61 gravity bomb and cancelling the development of a new air-launched cruise missile, and terminating construction of new facilities for nuclear weapons processing and storage. By strategically sizing our nuclear weapons programs, the SANE Act will save at least $73 billion over 5 years and stay within the New START Treaty warhead levels. America must reconcile the facts: our Defense budget is already squeezed, a nuclear deterrent is irrelevant to current international security challenges, yet a nuclear deterrent is still a national security imperative. The SANE Act would secure our nuclear deterrent without undercutting critical investments in readiness and other essential programs.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, during Bike to Work Week and in advance of Bike to Work Day, today I am introducing the Bicycle Commuter Act of 2023. The bicycle's value on one's physical and mental health, to say nothing of the health of our communities, is more apparent than ever since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. For years, I've said that the bicycle is the most efficient form of urban transportation ever devised. Communities across the country are getting on board with this sentiment and substantially investing in building better, safer bike networks and improving facilities for biking to work. While rates of biking to work have increased by more than two-thirds since 2000, only 0.4 percent of workers biked to work in 2021. Congress has the opportunity to increase mode share and, critically, not penalize one mode of transportation over another. Unfortunately, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (P.L. 115-97), suspended the previously available bicycle commuting reimbursement benefit through 2025, taking away a valuable financial incentive for people who choose to bike to work. The Bicycle Commuter Act reverses the bicycle commuter benefit's suspension in Public Law 115-97 and changes the structure of the benefit by making the benefit a pre-tax benefit, allowing employees to receive a bicycle benefit of up to 30 percent of the parking benefit, allowing the bicycle benefit to be used in concert with the transit and parking benefits, and adding bikeshare and scootershare as eligible for the benefit and clarifying that electric bikes are eligible. I thank Senator Brown for his leadership on this legislation in the Senate. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House and Senate to advance this critical effort for the health and wellbeing of the American public, our communities, and our planet.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I am having flashbacks in terms of what we were facing in 2020. Every member of my office was working to try and deal with panicked people who couldn't get through to get their unemployment in a system that was bogged down, 600 percent increase. Now, we are taking up legislation that would cut fraud-fighting dollars and hold hardworking Americans liable for overpayments that were not necessarily their fault. Families would be forced to repay these funds up to 10 years later. Even the Congressional Budget Office has said there is uncertainty about how much would be recovered. I was in the middle of that. I saw the panic, the challenge, and despair. I think it would be far better to take advantage of extending the statute of limitations so we make sure we can claw it back. But don't punish people who may be caught up in this net that was not of their making. I strongly urge that we reject this, that we deal with ways to increase the statute of limitations and recover the money that needs to be recovered.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, today I am pleased to introduce the Travel for Care Act. On June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court upended decades of precedent set by overturning Roe v. Wade. In the months since, we've seen the horrific effects of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision including an increase in states implementing abortion bans. As a result, a third of women of reproductive age in the United States now live more than an hour from the closest abortion facility and the average travel time to get an abortion has more than tripled. After the Dobbs decision, President Biden signed an executive order to preserve abortion access, which included protecting people's ability to travel. Additionally, the House of Representatives passed the Ensuring Access to Abortion Act which prohibited states from interfering with people traveling for an abortion. Several major Fortune 500 corporations announced or reiterated that they would offer reimbursement for employees who needed to travel to receive abortion care. The unfortunate reality is that far too many Americans are now dependent on their health plan and employer benefits to access care that they deserve to have. The Travel for Care Act would remove additional barriers to implement or within these benefits by ensuring that any reimbursement is not taxable income, raising the dollar limit for related costs like meals and lodging, and allowing employees covered by high deductible health plan to access this reimbursement without having met their deductible. It's egregious that employers have stepped in where the federal government hasn't. Nobody should be forced to leave their state to seek medical care, but in a world where that's the case, they shouldn't face additional financial barriers. I will continue working to ensure that we are increasing access to abortion care in every way possible and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in opposition to this resolution. My Republican friends continue to be in a state of denial of the climate crisis, the real and urgent sense that we have now. Last month, in Houston, I had an opportunity to meet with two dozen leaders of the renewable energy sector. They weren't concerned about rolling back the things that we have done. They want to accelerate it. The chairman and my Republican colleagues have spoken at length about the importance of increasing accountability for China's unfair trade practices and maintaining protections for American workers. It is interesting, though, that these same individuals voted against Democratic provisions to strengthen our antidumping and circumvention laws and reauthorize the Trade Adjustment Assistance in the America COMPETES Act. They all voted against the Inflation Reduction Act's provision to incentivize clean energy domestic manufacturing. In fact, 2 days ago, they voted to repeal these provisions. This resolution would undermine America's hard-fought wins in the Inflation Reduction Act. There are problems. No doubt, the Chinese are likely cheating. President Biden struck the right balance by instituting a temporary freeze on these solar tariffs. This approach is how we fix the long- term problem. Importantly, he has said that he does not intend to extend the freeze beyond June 2024 and that he will veto this resolution if it gets to his desk. My friends on the other side of the aisle are concerned about working men and women. I would point out that the President's position is consistent with the leaders in organized labor from IBEW, from LIUNA, the Carpenters, and the Operating Engineers, people who represent these hardworking Americans, as well as organizations in the environmental community and the National Taxpayers Union. This is a 2-year bridge that gives the solar industry the time needed to reorient supply chains away from China and produce panels domestically. We can't do that overnight, but we are committed to making that change. For too long, the United States has lacked a cohesive renewable energy manufacturing policy. As a result, we have outsourced far too much of our production. In 2021, there were only 7 gigawatts of domestic manufacturing capacity. That is the reality. But the Inflation Reduction Act marks a significant departure from those flawed policies of the past. This legislation bakes in domestic content bonuses in clean energy credits to incentivize the industry to onshore production. But that takes time. It also revives the advanced manufacturing credit and creates a new manufacturing production tax credit. The Inflation Reduction Act has already led to the announcement of more than 45 gigawatts of domestic solar manufacturing capacity. Again, my Republican colleagues voted to repeal all of those incentives just 2 days ago. Ending the President's temporary initiative here would immediately institute high, retroactive tariffs in the hundreds of percent that would hurt solar development, increase energy costs, and lead to a supply reduction at exactly the moment when the climate crisis means that we need to ramp it up. Many of us in Congress worked for years to achieve the policy victories contained in the Inflation Reduction Act. The clean energy tax credits are projected to reduce carbon emissions 40 percent by 2030, giving us a legitimate chance to meet the goals contained in the Paris climate agreement. We should resist these efforts to undermine this hard-won victory for America. I would encourage my colleagues to take a hard look at the legislation and then reject it when it comes before us for a vote. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a statement from the carpenters union and operating engineers union, who oppose legislation that eliminates thousands of jobs; the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers; and LIUNA. IUOE Contact: Jeff Soth UBC Contact: Jen McKernan Carpenters and Operating Engineers Unions Oppose Legislation That Eliminates Thousands of Jobs Washington, DC.--The following statement was issued today by James T. Callahan, General President of the International Union of Operating Engineers, and Douglas J. McCarron, General President of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, regarding their unions' opposition to legislation that will eliminate thousands of American jobs: Last year, the Department of Commerce opened a circumvention inquiry, alleging that four Southeast Asian countries were circumventing tariffs and duties on solar cells and modules from the People's Republic of China. The inquiry generated massive uncertainty in the domestic solar market by suggesting possible retroactive tariffs as high as 250 percent. This threat resulted in a drop of 20 percent fewer solar construction and installation jobs across the United States. President Biden took action to preserve these jobs, issuing Emergency Proclamation 10414 to prevent tariffs on any solar module and cell imports from the four countries until June 2024. House Joint Resolution 39 will repeal the President's Proclamation and eliminate thousands of jobs in the American solar industry. ``Repealing President Biden's Proclamation will result in retroactive duties and tariffs that would jeopardize 30,000 construction and 4,000 manufacturing jobs,'' said James T. Callahan, General President of the International Union of Operating Engineers. ``We are not prepared to stand by and let some partisan dispute eliminate Operating Engineers' jobs and slow the deployment of clean energy.'' ``The President's Proclamation saves Carpenters' jobs and smooths the development of the domestic solar manufacturing industry. Today, we're seeing the American manufacturing sector respond to incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act and develop homegrown solar modules,'' said Carpenters Union General President Douglas J. McCarron. ``Now is not the time to disrupt the solar industry and layoff thousands of union workers just as we're getting a foothold in the burgeoning solar business.'' The International Union of Operating Engineers and United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners urge Congress and members of the Ways and Means Committee to vote against House Joint Resolution 39, which will repeal the administration's Proclamation and eliminate thousands of union jobs, slow the deployment of renewable energy, and generate unnecessary greenhouse gases.

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Doggett).