Earl Blumenauer

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, America's middle class is facing a crisis. Despite the fact that productivity has soared and profits have increased, these gains are not flowing to the vast majority of Americans. In 81 percent of America's counties, median income today is lower than it was 15 years ago. After adjusting for inflation, today's average hourly wage has the same purchasing power as it did in 1979, this despite the fact that American workers are producing far more. Productivity has increased 74 percent since 1973. There is a reason why the wealth is concentrated at the top. There are a myriad of tiny little changes that have a cumulative effect on the vast majority of American workers. Refusing to raise the minimum wage, attacking the right to unionize, special tax benefits for a few, and today's legislation are all examples. No doubt changing the definition of 40 hours for purposes of the Affordable Care Act will benefit a few businesses, but there are far more employees who work 40 hours a week or more than who work 30 to 40 hours, and as has been pointed out by the conservatives at the National Review and The Weekly Standard, it is easier to drop employees to 39 hours a week than to 29 hours a week. This meaning this proposal is going to reduce far more hours of work and wages for whom it matters the most. Wages aren't the only benefit at stake. As has been pointed out, according to the CBO, a million workers will lose health insurance through their employer, half of whom will lose it altogether. The other half will be shifted to the government through Medicaid, increasing spending by more than $50 billion over the next decade. Mr. Speaker, this would be one of the myriad of policies that further disadvantages America's middle class. This is another step by my Republican friends to deny more people the benefits of that work, widen the divide, and disadvantage not only families today but far into the future.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, there is always a great deal of excitement surrounding a new Congress and a new year. One area that has been very encouraging is the focus on rebuilding and renewing America. That was where we left off in the last Congress, frustrated by an inability to produce a 6-year reauthorization, largely because of an inability for Congress to address meaningfully how it would be funded. This continues a struggle of almost two decades, as we have not increased the gas tax or developed a viable, sustainable, adequate alternative. It is widely recognized that America is falling apart and falling behind. Our infrastructure, once the envy of the world, now has put us at a second-tier status, with America at risk of falling ever further behind. The deplorable state of our infrastructure is actually costing Americans far more to endure the damage to their cars and the delays to their lives through congestion than simply funding an alternative and fixing it. It is encouraging that the administration and people in both parties, in both Chambers, might be prepared to address the issue anew. There are some short-term stopgap solutions which would nowhere near solve the problem but nudge us in the right direction. In the Senate there is bipartisan interest in and openness to a comprehensive solution including the gas tax. Senators Bob Corker and his partner Chris Murphy have been champions. Senator Tom Carper continues his leadership and advocacy for the gas tax solution. Senator John Thune, a key Republican leader, has signaled his openness to the gas tax, which is the simplest, most logical, and most effective solution. Even the problematic proposal to use dynamic scoring to evaluate budget proposals could make a difference for the prospect of solving this huge problem for America if it would be applied in the spirit of dynamic scoring. The Standard & Poor's research report, ``U.S. Infrastructure Investment: A Chance to Reap More Than We Sow,'' pointed out the overwhelming economic impact in terms of jobs created, economic benefits that actually exceeded the direct amount invested, and long- term deficit reduction of $200 million for every $1.2 billion invested. This should be one of the easiest economic decisions we ever make. In an era of low interest rates, gasoline prices falling dramatically, when there are still hundreds of thousands of people ready to go to work at family wage jobs rebuilding this country, the economic case has never been stronger. By all means, let's evaluate all of the proposals. Let's expand the discussion. Let's look at the leadership of States around the country that are stepping up to do their part. State, local, and private investment all have a role to play, to be sure, but recognize that the 25 percent of infrastructure funding that comes from the Federal Government plays a critical role. Let this Congress give America a solution that is sustainable, not one that would put us back in the same fix in a year or two or even sooner. Let's have a revenue source that is dedicated so that we can begin on longer-term projects that demand multimodal, multistate, multiyear solutions and that is large enough to give us a long overdue 6-year comprehensive reauthorization. Stable, dedicated, big enough to do the job--this is a test that the new Congress and administration should meet to revitalize our economy and rebuild and renew this great country. At a time of dramatically falling oil and gas prices, when the public is suffering from Congress dithering on our transportation and other infrastructure needs, there will never be a better time to heed the advice of President Ronald Reagan 33 years ago in his Thanksgiving Day radio address to the country to raise the gas tax and put Americans to work fixing the problem that has only gotten worse. It was good advice then. It is good advice today.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, it is with some degree of frustration that I voted no on H.R. 5806. I strongly support some of the individual provisions; indeed, I am the leading Democratic cosponsor of the provisions relating to charitable contributions from individual retirement accounts. I have been a leading supporter of land trusts, working closely with them to fix challenges raised by application of the estate tax for instance, and broadly supporting their work across the country to protect and preserve our nation's heritage and open spaces. I have worked hard to improve resources for Oregon's food banks and to end hunger both at home and abroad. Today, we are abandoning any semblance that this Congress is going to work on major accomplishments before we adjourn. With this and similar tax extender votes, Congress appears to have given up on deficit reduction, despite my colleagues otherwise voracious appetite for it--an appetite that led to House Republicans attempting to cut nutrition assistance to poor Americans by $39 billion last year. Section five of this bill, in fact, specifically strikes the Republican's own PAY-GO rules. Budget-busting proposals are roaring through here with no semblance of honoring the Republicans' own budget rules or their budget resolution. With this and similar tax extender votes, Congress appears also to have given up on tax reform because we are not going to be able to have meaningful tax reform if we are just willy-nilly going to rush all these provisions through. My colleague, Chairman Camp, worked for years to produce a deficit- neutral tax reform, which had much to commend it, and I commend him for his hard work. All of these provisions of tax extenders were addressed in his tax reform, but they were dealt with differently. Not all were extended permanently. Some were modified and some were repealed, as part of a deliberative process to evaluate their impact and to not break the bank. This vote--like similar unpaid for permanent tax extender votes--abandons that effort. This bill is not going to be enacted into law as the President's veto threat makes clear, and Congress will pick up where it left off--and frankly, where Mr. Camp left off--as we work with our colleagues in the other body and our constituents to move forward on the things that we are all committed to in a way that is fiscally responsible, is bipartisan and thoughtful, to get the outcomes we all share.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, it's inexcusable that the least productive Congress in history has waited until the final hour to produce an appropriations package this flawed. The bill fails to take advantage of opportunities to save money, ranging from defense to agricultural reforms, and has instead chosen to make indefensible reductions across critical programs. In most areas, from health reform to education, the resources committed are insufficient to keep up with inflation let alone tackle the problems that confront America's families. I have deep concerns regarding a policy rider snuck into the bill that would allow wealthy campaign donors to contribute ten times as much money as the current individual caps allow, further flooding our political system with dark money. Campaign finance provisions are completely non-germane to this bill, and the last thing America needs is to make it easier to spend more money on campaigns. Instead of making difficult choices about how to fund the Department of Defense, and our sprawling nuclear arsenal, we've chosen an ``all of the above'' approach, providing the Pentagon with everything it wants, and then some. Managed to at once give it too much for wrong things and refuse to begin reforms the DOD knows it needs and wants to carry out. The bill commits the U.S. to rebuilding our nuclear triad of ground- based missiles, bombers, and submarines, an effort that could cost over $1 trillion dollars over the next 30 years and ensure nuclear weapons remain a foundation of U.S. defense planning. Nothing epitomizes this self-destructive urge than the dramatic cuts to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The $10.9 billion in funding for the IRS represents a cut of $350 million from last year. Since fiscal year 2010, Congress has cut IRS funding by almost $1.2 billion--10 percent--forcing the agency to slash its full-time, permanent workforce by 13,000 employees. This occurred even as the country added approximately 7 million new taxpayers. As a result, the IRS's current staffing level is 26 percent below the number of employees it had 18 years ago. Among these cuts, the IRS has lost 5,000 enforcement personnel, such as revenue agents and criminal investigators. This leaves billions of dollars in tax revenue uncollected. Every dollar that we invest in the IRS generates $7 in return. Compliance with our tax code is largely voluntary and these cuts make it much harder for taxpayers to navigate the system. The IRS was already predicting that only 53 percent of taxpayers who call for help would get through to an IRS agent during the 2015 tax season. Even then, the caller would have an average wait of 34 minutes--while the other half would be left to fend for themselves. This is no way to run a government. I've met with IRS employees reduced to tears by their frustration being unable to help taxpayers in a timely manner. If someone can get through, they then get a taxpayer who is frustrated, probably angry, as well as confused. The Homeland Security appropriations bill was one of the most bipartisan this year. Holding up full-year funding for this agency, and in turn national security, in an effort to undermine the Administration's executive order on immigration reform is a reckless, maybe even dangerous game. The bill includes a number of problematic environmental provisions. Moving away from the scientific consensus, it continues to bar the Department of Energy from enforcing important standards for light bulb efficiency. It prohibits the EPA from regulating lead ammunition. It prohibits the Fish and Wildlife Service from issuing any Endangered Species Act listing rules for sage grouse species. It cuts important farm bill conservation programs. It also maintains ever lower funding for the EPA, while environmental challenges mount. Since 2010, that agency's budget has been cut by more than $2 billion dollars, or 21 percent. The bill also includes a very problematic rider that interferes with the direct will of the voters in the District of Columbia. The language is ambiguous, and I share the sentiments of Representatives Norton and Serrano that this amendment should not be interpreted as halting the DC measure entirely. Regardless of the interpretation, it is very troubling that Congress interferes with the DC Council's ability to govern to make the city safer and reflect the wishes of its citizens. America cannot afford to roll the dice on financial reform. This bill rolls back Section 716 of Dodd-Frank, which attempts to deal with the dangerous liability stemming from derivatives trading in taxpayer- insured banks. America cannot afford to risk another taxpayer bailout for Wall Street, while we are still recovering from the last meltdown. These and many other provisions are deeply concerning and more bad provisions will emerge as people finally have time to read the bill. Nonetheless, in more than 1,000 pages and over a trillion dollars of spending, there are some bright spots. For more than a decade, I've worked to increase access to clean drinking water and sanitation for the world's poorest populations. The cornerstone of this effort has been through the implementation of my legislation, the Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2005. This is funded in this bill at its highest level ever. This demonstrates a significant commitment from the U.S. to prioritize this type of development assistance and is an example of what is possible with bipartisan cooperation. I am pleased the bill makes it clear that Congress believes the Department of Transportation should develop separate performance measures for non-motorized traffic injuries and fatalities. It's past time to put bicyclists and pedestrians on equal footing with motorists when it comes to distributing safety money. This bill also includes two amendments that I cosponsored and worked closely on to create a more rational drug policy. One amendment, led by Mr. Rohrabacher, would stop DOJ and DEA from interfering with state medical marijuana laws. This represents a historic shift by the federal government in marijuana policy. This suggests that Congress may finally catch up with how most Americans think and behave. Another amendment, led by Mr. Massie, would ensure that the DEA cannot intervene in legal hemp research by universities and state departments of agriculture. This is the final step in a process that we began almost two years ago, by first passing an amendment to the farm bill allowing the research. This additional language should finally protect those programs. As the Co-Chair of the Congressional Animal Protection Caucus, I am pleased to see a few key provisions in this legislation that set the stage for future productive efforts, such as animal welfare enforcement funding and language restricting funding for horse slaughter. These and other positive provisions, however, in no way offset the harm caused by the many destructive elements and the horrible precedent set for future action. A Republican House majority that campaigned on promises to reform and respect the process has instead abased it. A massive bill released too late to read, let alone understand, makes a mockery of their promises and I refuse to support it.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I applaud the unanimous passage today of H.R. 4926, which names a segment of Interstate 35 the ``James L. Oberstar Memorial Highway.'' Jim Oberstar was an infrastructure partisan, a transportation expert, and had more influence over the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee--a committee he served as staffer, member, ranking member, and chairman--than anyone in the last 50 years. And he was like an uncle to me. Jim was a man of remarkable memory and learning. He spoke a half- dozen languages. He never stopped fighting for what he believed in and what he knew was right for his district, his State, or for the American people. In his long career, he guided the passage of dozens of landmark laws and shaped the transportation policy of our country for the better, creating an infrastructure system that is more efficient, more sustainable, and safer than before Jim entered politics. He was an incredible cyclist, a skilled and passionate legislator, and a good friend. I pleased that H.R. 4926 will literally cement his legacy.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, just squeaking under the wire, and I am not going to do a George Miller imitation, talking over the Speaker and pounding the lectern, nor am I going to try and repeat what has come before us in terms of talking about the legendary accomplishments of the two gentlemen. I just want to mention one. When I first came here, I was privileged to be part of a small discussion group of faith and politics. It had Henry and George, and it opened a face to me of people who cared about their colleagues, an extraordinary kindness that both had given to me and my family, and had given a face to this institution that is too often missing now. And I think that may be their greatest contribution.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, nearly three-and-a-half years ago, Congressman Ted Poe and I set out on a joint effort to increase access to clean drinking water and sanitation for the world's poorest. His commitment to work together on this effort was for all of the right reasons. The most important, however, was his clear understanding that politics stops at water. And last night, our years of work and shared efforts were rewarded when the House passed the bipartisan Senator Paul Simon Water for the World Act. My efforts began over a decade ago, and were encouraged by the late Senator Paul Simon, the namesake of this bill and my 2005 Water for the Poor Act. It's fitting that on this day--the anniversary of his passing on December 9, 2003--Congress would honor his memory by considering a bill that aims to fulfill one of his greatest passions. This country owes him a great deal for his vision and foresight. Thank you, Senator Paul Simon, and to his wife, Patti, who continues to support his important work. The passage of the Water for the World Act is historic. Never before has the U.S. had a Global Water Strategy for how to effectively deal with growing water scarcity in all corners of the world. We now have a blueprint on how to help those in need, while at the same time planning for, and then implementing, efforts to prevent and mitigate water-related conflict. The U.S. can no longer afford to play a modest role, and instead must take up the mantle of leadership. This bill ensures that will happen. None of this would have been possible if it weren't for efforts of literally thousands of people all across the country that took action and urged Congress to pass the Water for the World Act. In October, I joined Charlie Dent and over 60,000 of our closest friends in Central Park for a rally calling on Congress to act on this critical legislation. It worked. The Water for the World Act was endorsed by over 80 NGOs, nearly half of whom are faith-based organizations. While all played a critical role, there are a few that deserve individual recognition. Going all the way back to 2005, we would have barely moved the needle if it weren't for Malcolm Morris and Mark Winter of Living Water International. David Douglas has been a constant source of encouragement and support. I also want to thank Lisa Schechtman of WaterAid, John Sparks of the Millennium Water Alliance, Lisa Bos of World Vision, John Oldfield of WASH Advocates, and Erin Rein (``Reen'') of InterAction. They have been on the front lines of this effort, ready to jump into action at a moment's notice. Others have been indispensible as well, including Habitat for Humanity, Water.org, and the Global Poverty Project. I also want to thank my House colleagues who personally invested a great deal of time into bringing this bill to the floor. Without Ted Poe, the issue of increasing access to clean drinking water and sanitation would not have the bipartisan support and appreciation it deserves. He made this happen. Thank you, Ted. I also want to thank Chairman Royce. The Chairman went out of his way to make Water for the World a priority and is the latest extension of his efforts to meaningfully reform our aid programs. Just as important to this effort have been our friends and allies at USAID and the Department of State. Starting with former Secretary of State Clinton, who made water a focal point of her time in Foggy Bottom, and her Special Advisor for Water Resources, Dr. Aaron Salzberg. And Christian Holmes at USAID, the first-ever Global Water Coordinator, with whom I look forward to continuing to work. Finally, as every Member of Congress knows, we wouldn't make much progress on anything if it weren't for the dedicated, hardworking staff that actually run the place. Without the tireless efforts and expertise from Joan Condon and her colleagues on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and from Luke Murry in Congressman Poe's office, it would have been nearly impossible to secure this important victory for water and sanitation. I want to conclude by thanking my staff. It seems like generations of Team Blumenauer have been involved in this effort at one point or another. From Judah Ariel to Steph Cappa, to Michael Harold, thank you! Let's hope this shining example of bipartisan cooperation is not only a source of holiday cheer, but also an example all of us in Congress can draw on in the New Year.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, by unanimous consent motion offered by my friend, and the bill's Republican lead, Ted Poe, the House passed H.R. 2901, our Paul Simon Water for the World Act. It was almost anticlimactic, considering all the ins and outs it has taken for years to be able to hammer out the details necessary to take the next step in reform. The hard work was all worth it, enhancing our efforts to have the United States embrace its responsibility to help the world deal with our water and sanitation crisis. Make no mistake about it; it is a crisis. Today 152 million hours will be spent by women and girls to get water--often dirty, polluted water--to meet the basic needs of their families. Almost three-quarter billion people still lack access to this fundamental necessity of life. There is an even greater crisis with inadequate sanitation. There are approximately 2.5 billion people who suffer from this lack of what most of us take for granted. It results in horrific disease, stunted growth, and malnutrition. In fact, the children under 5 who are malnourished in India are suffering less from a lack of food and more from the diseases produced by poor sanitation. The children who do survive are left with mental and physical burdens for their entire life. In a world where there are more cell phones than toilets, this is something that we can do something about. It is seriously out of kilter. The world knows what to do, and we can afford a solution. The enactment of the Water for the World legislation moves us in that direction by focusing the United States' efforts on things that will work, areas of the world most in need, and making sure our solutions are sustainable. I deeply appreciate the leadership of my friend, colleague, and principle cosponsor of the bill, Ted Poe, who has been tireless in his efforts; the work of Chairman Royce and the Foreign Affairs Committee; our partners in the other body, Senators Dick Durbin and Bob Corker; and, of course, dozens of nongovernmental organizations that have been at work around the globe making progress while they have been unrelenting advocates here at home. I must also acknowledge the tireless efforts of my legislative director, Michael Harold, who has done as much as any human alive to get this across the finish line. Mr. Speaker, this is an amazing and important accomplishment, but it makes me pause. What else could we do in the spirit of bipartisan cooperation and doing what is right? Might it be possible to take a small step, show a little courage, and embrace what Ronald Reagan and Tip O'Neill could do over 30 years ago? President Reagan used his radio address on Thanksgiving 1982 to provide leadership to more than double the gas tax, which he correctly pointed out was really a user fee and which had not increased in 23 years while roads were falling apart. Well, the current gas tax has not been increased in almost 22 years, and America is falling apart and falling behind. The highway trust fund is going bankrupt. Everyone acknowledges an increase is long overdue. With gasoline prices falling dramatically, seemingly every week, and expected to continue doing so well into the foreseeable future, a nickel a gallon per year is hardly going to be noticed. But as President Reagan pointed out, people will directly benefit. Today poor road maintenance costs the typical family $377 per year in damage to their cars, far more than they would pay in a small increase in the gas tax. Millions of hours and billions of dollars are wasted due to highway congestion. So let's square our shoulders. Let's show some backbone and vision and take another step forward. Let's raise the user fee we call the gas tax, put hundreds of thousands of people to work all across America at family wage jobs, and renew and rebuild this great country. This would be a nice Christmas present that Americans will enjoy for years to come.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following: H.R. 5759, the Preventing Executive Overreach on Immigration Act Today I voted against H.R. 5759, the ``Preventing Executive Overreach on Immigration Act.'' This year, House Republicans have stonewalled on immigration reform and refused to work with Democrats. Instead of allowing a vote on the bipartisan immigration reform bill that passed the Senate nearly a year and a half ago, the House voted on a resolution that is as unproductive as it is insulting to those harmed by our broken immigration system. Today's actions are another example of the loudest voices on Capitol Hill turning their backs on our businesses, our faith leaders, law enforcement, and hard-working immigrant families. The President's bold action is the right path forward, bringing millions out of the shadows, strengthening families, and growing our economy. The executive order is no substitute for comprehensive immigration reform, but, until then, this is a critical step in the right direction. The President's action is not without precedent. Over the years, there have been dozens of executive actions taken on immigration matters, including from five Republican presidents. We cannot afford to lose billions in economic growth, totaling $1 trillion over the next 20 years, that economists estimate the federal budget will lose as a result of our failed immigration policies. We must build on the President's action--and the advocacy that inspired it--to enact comprehensive immigration reform. There is no other solution. H.R. 3979, the National Defense Authorization Act of 2015 Today I voted against H.R. 3979, the National Defense Authorization Act of 2015. This is a critical time for the U.S. military, yet at the exact moment Congress should be having an in-depth debate over these difficult issues, we will be voting on a bill that's nearly 2,000 pages long and asked to take it or leave it, without amendment. Support for this bill sidesteps critical issues. Those include dealing with a far-reaching interpretation of the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) currently used to justify U.S. air strikes in Syria; the recent doubling of U.S. troops in Iraq and their role; and, the recent authorization of an expanded role for U.S. troops in Afghanistan next year, instead of ending that war this year, as planned. This Defense Authorization would also extend for a period of nearly two years the President's authority to train and equip highly vetted Syrian opposition fighters focused on combating ISIS and Syria's dictator, Bashar al-Assad. While not an authorization for U.S. boots on the ground in Syria, it does commit us to a long-term engagement in Syria. Congress should have taken this opportunity to debate the implications. But we did not. There are some bright spots in this bill that I worked very hard to secure and am pleased to see them included. One is a critical two-year extension and expansion of the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program. Without action in the NDAA, the U.S. would have left our Afghan allies in the lurch, without any path to safety in the U.S., as promised to them in exchange for their service to protect our men and women in uniform. Also included is an amendment I offered to the NDAA in March that will require the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office to issue a report, on a regular basis, that forecasts the long-term estimated cost of the United States' nuclear weapons arsenal. The initial report that my amendment codified found that the Pentagon underestimated projected costs by $150 billion. The United States is scheduled to spend at least one-half to two-thirds of a trillion dollars over the next 10 years on our nuclear forces and related programs. This spending, adjusting for inflation, is higher than at the height of the Cold War. Transparency and nonpartisan oversight strengthens our democracy and promotes greater efficiency and effectiveness in government, especially in monitoring government spending. It is unfortunate that this Defense Authorization is another missed opportunity to have the debate the American public deserves, and to set our military on a sustainable path.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following: H.R. 3572--To revise the boundaries of certain John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System units in North Carolina, as amended: On December 2, 2014, a conflict kept me from voting on H.R. 3572 under suspension of the rules. This bill revises the boundaries of certain John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System units in North Carolina. If I had been present, I would have voted for this legislation. H.R. 5769--Howard Coble Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2014: Today I voted for H.R. 5769, in part as a tribute our retiring colleague Howard Coble. While the legislation contained many good provisions, it also had some disturbing ones. Key among them were those could make it harder for the U.S. to deliver food aid in a more timely, cost effective and impactful way. Any provision that could lead to increased tonnage requirements for our food aid merits significant scrutiny because added delay directly threatens lives already at risk. The House, federal agencies, and NGO stakeholders were, unfortunately, given no such opportunity for oversight before the final bill was brought to the floor. Should this bill be enacted in its present form, I look forward to working with Secretary Fox to ensure this provision is implemented fairly. H.R. 5771--Tax Increase Prevention Act: During the debate on the House floor over H.R. 5771, the Tax Increase Prevention Act, it was clear I was torn. The reason I ultimately voted against this legislation is because it should have been the first order of business taken up by Congress, and not the last. This tax extenders package represents another failure to treat people right and fairly, and one more missed opportunity for reform. In addition, H.R. 5771 continues the harmful trend of adding the deficit while ignoring the low hanging fruit, where consensus is within reach and provisions are ripe for reform.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, 1 year ago today, I introduced the first gas tax increase in 21 years. The only thing that has changed in that year is that the need is greater and the path forward is even easier. Everyone knows that America is falling apart and falling behind while gas prices have dropped dramatically. I am joined this afternoon by Ronald Reagan who 32 years ago, on Thanksgiving, made a powerful radio address, explaining why he more than doubled the gas tax--actually, a user fee, he pointed out. The same speech could and should be made by President Obama tomorrow. I urge you, my colleagues, to join me and Ronald Reagan in fixing the bankrupt highway trust fund, increasing the gas tax so we can rebuild and renew America and put hundreds of thousands of people to work at family-wage jobs all across this great land. With the need getting worse and gas prices falling, there will never be a better time. All it takes is a little leadership and courage from the President and Congress.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, 1 year ago today, I introduced the first gas tax increase in over 20 years. I was joined by a broad coalition in announcing the bill, supported by the AFL-CIO, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, building and construction industries and their unions, local governments, AAA and the truckers, environmentalists, transit, and cyclists. It was gratifying to have that broad base of support. One year later, the only thing that has changed is that the need, if anything, is greater and the path forward is even easier. I just completed a press conference with my good friend Tom Petri and with President Ronald Reagan. President Reagan, in 1982, in his Thanksgiving Day radio address, explained why we needed to raise the gas tax. He said: ``One of our greatest material blessings is the outstanding network of roads and highways that spreads across this great continent. Freedom of travel and the romance of the road are vital parts of our heritage, and they help make America great. ``We simply cannot allow this magnificent system to deteriorate beyond repair. The time has come to preserve what Americans spent so much time and effort to create, and that means a nationwide conservation effort in the best sense of the word. ``So I am asking Congress when it reconvenes next week to approve a new highway program that will enable us to complete construction of the interstate system and at the same time get on with the job of renovating existing highways. The program will not increase the Federal deficit or add to the taxes that you and I pay on April 15. It will be paid for by those of us who use the system, and it will cost the average car owner only about $30 a year. That is less than the cost of a couple of shock absorbers. ``So what we are proposing is to add the equivalent of 5 cents a gallon to the existing highway user fee, the gas tax, which hasn't been increased in the last 23 years. The cost to the average motorist will be small, but the benefit to our transportation system will be immense. The program will stimulate 170,000 jobs, not make-work projects, but in real, worthwhile work in hard-hit construction industries, and an additional 150,000 jobs in related industries. ``Perhaps most important, we will be preserving for future generations of Americans a highway system that has long been the envy of the world and has truly made the average American driver king of the road. ``Thanks for listening, and until next time, God bless you.'' That is a speech that could be given by any of us or by President Obama--and should be. Congress did return after that holiday, and President Reagan and Tip O'Neill more than doubled the gas tax. What has not changed is that we haven't raised the gas tax in 22 years. It costs the average family $377 per year in damage to their cars. If we increase the gas tax according to my proposal, H.R. 3636, it won't create 300,000 jobs; it will create 1.5 million family-wage jobs across the country. Mr. Speaker, I understand people don't like the gas tax. I don't like the gas tax. I want to raise it, index it, and then abolish it and replace it with something that is sustainable. But in the meantime, raising the gas tax is the only viable approach, as verified by two Presidential commissions that reported to President Bush. We have been asleep at the switch. It is time for us to step up. At a time of dramatically falling gas prices--23 cents on average in the last month, and they are projected to continue going down--now is the perfect time to step up, to raise the gas tax slowly over the next 3 years, rebuild and renew America, put family-wage jobs across the spectrum, and make our communities more livable, our families safer, healthier, and more economically secure. All it takes is a little leadership and courage. Like Ronald Reagan and Tip O'Neill did 32 years ago, I think we can do that now, and we should.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I, too, would extend my congratulations to Mr. Camp. I have enjoyed being able to work with him for a lot of these 20 years. I enjoy his leadership, his dedication, and his friendship. In a sense, I feel that it was unfortunate that he had to navigate all these bizarre, choppy waters. It would have been fun to see what would have happened in a little more measured environment. The legislation we are dealing with here today is kind of a symbol of the difficulty he faces and the frustrations we all met. This should be the first legislation that we deal with in the next Congress, not the last legislation we deal with now. It has been referenced that this is only going to be in effect for a few days. Look at what has happened when we deal with areas that I care deeply about. I have worked for years with short-line railroad interests. They rely on a tax credit to be able to make a difference in rural and small town America. Some of them are plunging in and have taken the risk that will be extended, some have not. These are investments that can't be made in that fashion. I have enjoyed working with the wind energy industry and looking at what we have done over the course of 2005 to 2012. When we had the production tax credit in place and there was some certainty, we had the wind industry grow nine times over, over $100 billion in investment and helping us generate clean energy and drop the price per unit profoundly. Now who knows what they are facing. Looking at the transit benefit, I was pleased to have worked to be able to give transit parity to the millions of Americans who take buses and trains to work, to treat them the way we treat people who drive a car. For 3 years, they were treated that way. And then Congress, after the change in power had dropped to $125 a month, and then we kind of got it back when we dealt with the fiscal cliff, now it is back to $130. It is not fair to people in Chicago, in Detroit, in Metropolitan Washington, in New Jersey, in small town America where they take advantage of this. It is another example of where we are in this squirrel cage.

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman. I appreciate his courtesy. I am to the point where I don't actually know what is the right vote. I have no doubt that it will pass, but is it the right signal to send for so many industries that have a right to expect certainty, that have a right to expect the things that they have relied upon for years, built their business models around, are treated in the cavalier fashion by this Congress? I don't think that is right. I think there are many areas of reform. I appreciate my friend Mr. Camp diving in and dealing with some of these tough issues. We had a demonstration that it is not going to be easy to deal with tax reform. But it is not going to help anybody for the long term or short term to have businesses roll the dice on things in many cases that are critical to the national interest and that they rely upon. They deserve better, and so does the American public.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, one of our responsibilities in this Congress is to protect the men and women from Iraq and Afghanistan who put their lives on the line to assist the United States. Thousands of Afghans and Iraqis who helped us as guides, as interpreters, must not be left to the tender mercies of al Qaeda, the Taliban, and others with long memories who seek to punish those who helped us. Yesterday's Wall Street Journal had a front-page story about an Iraqi family that is caught in the bureaucratic pipeline for the families seeking safety after years of service and now facing intense threats against them. There was a recent HBO feature by comedian John Oliver on his program, ``Last Week Tonight,'' that, in graphic, satirical, somewhat profane terms, captured the essence of the bureaucratic nightmare faced by thousands in Iraq and Afghanistan. They and their family members are at risk of being assaulted, kidnapped, tortured, raped, or killed simply because they were there helping Americans. We are seeing some progress. I deeply appreciate the tireless efforts of Chairman Buck McKeon, Ranking Member Adam Smith, and their staff, the work on the National Defense Authorization Act, which will help us uphold commitments to our Afghan allies. However, all of us in Congress have a responsibility, and there is an opportunity for all of us to step up and help this desperate situation. Over the last 7 years, it has been a battle to have America honor its obligations by effectively implementing this Special Immigrant Visa program authorized by Congress to help those who helped us to escape. We are seeing the results of many on this floor who encourage the State Department to more aggressively implement this Special Immigration Visa program. The Afghan program went from an embarrassing 32 visas for all of 2012 to an average of 400 each month this year. This is due to enhanced oversight and pressure and cooperation from Congress. The program is now functioning at a level that almost allows us to keep our promises to our allies. One thing we all can do is to join me and my colleague, Adam Kinzinger, who has been a tireless champion for justice for these Afghan and Iraqi nationals, in directing a letter to our friends on the Appropriations Committee asking that they, like last year, authorize urgently needed Afghan SIVs in the end-of-the-year appropriations package that we will soon have here on the floor. We have stepped up before, but we need to avoid this Special Immigrant Visa roulette so that these people are not in limbo, or, worse, resigned to the hell inflicted on them by the Taliban in Afghanistan. Even with the leadership of the Armed Services Committee, we will still fall short of upholding our commitments for a need as great as 9,000 visas for Afghanistan alone. That is why our appropriators must help shoulder the responsibility, and they need to hear from us, every Member of Congress. It is our moral obligation to take action to protect, not just those people, but the security interests of the United States. It is not just their innocent lives that are at stake. Think about the trust that is going to be necessary when we need help in the future from foreign nationals for our soldiers, our diplomats, and our aid workers. Let's sign the letter. Let's all detail someone on every staff to pay attention to this issue. Add our voices. It is being done by the Armed Services Committee. Help the Appropriations Committee in this next critical step. It should not be left to a comedian like John Oliver, God bless him, to carry this banner alone. Sign the letter, speak out, take up the cause. We must not fail those who are at risk only because they believed our promises and they helped Americans in some of the most difficult circumstances we have ever asked our soldiers, diplomats, and aid workers to face. This is a failure we can avoid, and we can end this Congress on a positive note that can make everybody feel better as we approach the holiday season.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, today, I am introducing the bipartisan Veterans Equal Access Act along with my colleagues Dana Rohrabacher, Dina Titus, Justin Amash, Paul Broun, Walter Jones, Thomas Massie, Sam Farr, Jared Polis, Beto O'Rourke, Steve Stockman and Steve Cohen, which will allow Veterans Health Administration physicians to recommend medical marijuana to their patients in states where it is legal. Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia have passed laws that provide for legal access to medical marijuana. As a result, well over one million patients across the country, including many veterans, now use medical marijuana at the recommendation of their physician to treat conditions ranging from seizures, glaucoma, anxiety, chronic pain, and nausea. There are also nine states and the District of Columbia that now allow physicians to recommend medical marijuana for the symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS), due to a growing body of anecdotal evidence suggesting that marijuana offers relief when nothing else has. While outdated federal barriers often prevent the research necessary to develop marijuana into an FDA approved drug, states have heard from their citizens, including veterans suffering from PTS, that marijuana is helping them now, and have adjusted their laws. Despite this growing state availability of medical marijuana, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) prohibits VA medical providers from completing forms brought by their patients seeking recommendations or opinions regarding participation in a state marijuana program. The Veterans Equal Access Act would require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to authorize physicians and other health care workers employed by the VA to provide recommendations and opinions regarding the participation of a veteran in a state medical marijuana program. This includes authorizing them to fill out any forms involved in the process of recommending medical marijuana. Veterans should not be forced outside of the VA system to seek a treatment that is legal in their state. VA physicians should not be denied the ability to offer a recommendation they think may meet the needs of their patient. I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting this effort.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, today is World Toilet Day. The concept of a World Toilet Day can make children giggle, some adults blush, and others want to change the subject, but the title is designed to address this serious subject directly. No one can afford to be squeamish, to make jokes, or change the subject about the fundamental issue of adequate sanitation because 2 and a half billion people live without it, causing about 700,000 premature deaths each year, and it is getting worse. We have made some progress, but the number living without access has increased by 700 million people. There are now more people on Earth with a cell phone than a toilet. The consequences of insufficient access to sanitation facilities and poor hygiene are severe. Countries where open defecation is more prevalent have found its way to the United States media recently, reporting on the horrific murder and rape of two young girls that could have been prevented in India if they didn't need to sneak out into the night to relieve themselves in an open field, leaving them vulnerable to attack. A heartbreaking study linked the root cause of India's malnutrition crisis to a lack of adequate sanitation. It found that many of the 162 million children under the age of 5 who are malnourished in India are suffering less from a lack of food and more from poor sanitation. Those children who do survive are left with mental and physical burdens for their entire lives. The lack of adequate sanitation is a human economic drain. The total global economic loss associated with inadequate water supply and sanitation is estimated to be over a quarter trillion dollars every year. This crisis that leaves women vulnerable, needlessly ends lives early, and undermines economic growth does have solutions. Today, at noon, I will join my colleagues on implementation of the Water for the Poor Act we passed earlier to ensure that WASH programming helps leverage the impact of development assistance. It also ensures that our water, sanitation, and hygiene programs are targeted to help the world's poorest, that they are more effective with long-term sustainable impacts. This bipartisan legislation, with my friend Ted Poe, has well over 100 cosponsors and is scheduled for a markup in the House Foreign Affairs Committee tomorrow. This significant progress would not have even been possible without the leadership of Chairman Royce, and I thank him for it, along with the many advocates who have demonstrated why the United States must play a greater role to increase sustainable access to clean water and sanitation. If passed out of committee, which I certainly hope it will, I would urge the House leadership to bring this bill to the floor for a vote immediately when we come back in session in December. That is because we cannot wait, and it is one of those rare bills we can all unite to get water, often dirty water, for their families. That is enough work hours to build 28 Empire State Buildings every day. This is time not spent working on income-generating jobs, caring for family members, or securing an education. Ted Poe, a Republican, and I, a Democrat who represents Portlandia, don't often agree on a lot, but we are an example of how we can all come together because politics should stop at water.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, the front page of last Sunday's Washington Post had a poignant story about Army veteran Amy Rising, who uses medical marijuana to help her deal with her posttraumatic stress disorder. Now, we weren't told exactly where she lives, just that medical marijuana is legal where she uses it, so she could be in any one of 23 States and the District of Columbia. Fifty-seven percent of Floridians voted to legalize medical marijuana earlier this month, more votes for medical marijuana in Florida than any statewide politician on the ballot. This is part of a growing trend across the country. But Amy's predicament is that the Federal Government does not allow physicians in the Department of Veterans Affairs to be able to help their patients with medical marijuana, whether it is right for them; instead, people are forced away from their primary care physician and the veterans' benefits that they have earned. Why do they have to seek out someone else who doesn't know them as well, doesn't have the same relationship, and then bear that extra cost? This actually should be a terrible embarrassment. I had a proposal during the appropriations deliberations that would have clarified this policy, which actually isn't based on any law or regulation. It is simply what is termed ``guidance.'' My proposal would have enabled doctors to be able to work with their patients in the VA. Now, I am not suggesting by any stretch of the imagination the nature of those conversations and what the conclusion should be. Some physicians are strongly supportive of medical marijuana. Others have reservations. Others simply don't know. But it is outrageous that the people who know our veterans best are forbidden to work with them on this therapy. I will be introducing legislation that would put in law what we had for that budget amendment. This is one of several things that I hope this Congress does something about before we adjourn. While we are at it, shouldn't we want to stop the lunacy of making marijuana an all-cash business by denying them bank accounts? What about giving people tax justice by repealing an outmoded and unfair provision known as 280E, so that it will allow perfectly legal businesses, hundreds of them across the country, to deduct their legitimate business expenses? Otherwise, these hundreds of small legal businesses will continue to pay punitively high tax rates. Now, the Obama administration is slowly lurching in the right direction. The President famously said that he had bigger fish to fry than trying to prevent Washington and Colorado from implementing what their voters have approved. Just this last week, we had more approvals from the State of Alaska, the District of Columbia, and in my home State of Oregon. Marijuana got more votes in Oregon than anybody on the Oregon ballot. While States are still influencing the reform, we need to bring Federal policies out of the Dark Ages. We need to be able to harness the therapeutic power of marijuana. We shouldn't force, for example, families to have to move to another State to be able to get relief for their children who suffer from torturous, violent epileptic seizures, simply because they live in a nonmedical marijuana State when medical marijuana has proven to be one of the few areas of relief for these children. While the States are moving in this direction, the public is moving in this direction, it is not too late for Congress to move with these small steps that will make a difference. We should start with our veterans, to give them access to their doctors, to understand what this tool is, to see if it can provide relief for them as it has done for hundreds of thousands of other people, especially veterans with chronic pain and PTSD. Make no mistake, this is not a Republican issue or a Democratic issue; it is a veterans' issue. It is allowing the public to be able to take advantage of the proven therapeutic value, as over a million Americans are able to do today. It is past time the Federal Government makes its policies consistent in the States in which our veterans reside. Give them this right, allow them access to the therapy, give them access to their own doctors. Here is an opportunity for Congress to catch up with the voters, to catch up with the developments in therapy, catch up with veterans' advocates, and do something far less risky and more beneficial than what is too often inflicted upon them. States have been showing leadership on marijuana reform and hemp legislation. Now is the chance for Congress to make progress, especially for our veterans.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, this is the eighth time that the House has voted to approve Keystone and short circuit the review process, and I have opposed it each time. Continuing this pattern is not helpful or a good use of our time. My position has long been clear: there is a legal and regulatory process that the Administration is currently following to determine if this pipeline is in the interest of the American people. It is important to consider the environmental impact that this pipeline may have, including a potential direct increase in the energy- intensive extraction of tar sands oil. It is also important to consider the impacts to local communities where this pipeline would be built as well as threats to the water supply. Oil from the tar sands continues to reach American refineries. We should do the analysis of this pipeline right, and wait for it to finish. Most importantly, we should focus on long-term, sustainable solutions to meet our nation's future energy needs, lower our carbon emissions and make our communities more resilient to a changing climate. If I had been present for the vote, I would have voted no.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, there were many close elections across America last week, but there was one clear winner: ending our failed prohibition on marijuana and instead legalizing, regulating, and taxing adult use. Alaska and the District of Columbia voters joined Colorado and Washington from 2 years earlier with strong votes to legalize. Nowhere was that more emphatic than in my home State of Oregon. Marijuana legislation passed in Oregon by a greater margin than it did in Washington and Colorado. It got more votes than United States Senator Jeff Merkley, who was overwhelmingly reelected. And this was in a low- turnout, non-Presidential year, which experts predicted would depress the ``yes'' vote. In a few minutes, I will be joined in a press conference with Eleanor Holmes Norton, whose constituents resoundingly approved legalization, and will make the case that Congress needs to stay out of the way of its implementation. Jared Polis, who has been my partner on efforts at modernizing and reforming marijuana laws, will give a snapshot on the progress in Colorado 2 years after legalization. Congressman Dana Rohrabacher from southern California, the first State to legalize medical marijuana 18 years ago, has been a tireless champion of the Federal Government not interfering with decisions of local voters to modernize and reform local marijuana laws. He has helped dozens of his Republican colleagues understand and support marijuana and hemp reform. Perhaps just as important as those votes that passed was one that failed: the vote to legalize medical marijuana that failed in Florida. But it should be noted that it garnered 57 percent of statewide voters, again, in a low-turnout, non-Presidential election where many of the people, polls show, who were supporters did not bother to vote. It got more votes than any statewide candidate in Florida on the ballot this year. Because it was a constitutional amendment that requires a 60 percent voter approval level, it was not approved at this time. But there is no question that medical marijuana is in the immediate future for Floridians. If it were back on the ballot in a Presidential year, it would exceed the 60 percent threshold. In the meantime, we are going to work hard to implement the Oregon law and take advantage of the next 2 years to learn from the experience of others and refine our approach. We will raise new revenues to help education, addiction treatment, and law enforcement. And most important, we have already stopped prosecuting people for items that will be legal under the law, and we will be better able to protect our kids than the current vast underground black market. Now Congress needs to do its part. We need to act now in Congress to solve two serious problems, not just for those States that have legalized adult use but the 23 States and counting that have legalized medical marijuana. A narrow reading of Federal banking regulations requires that these perfectly legal marijuana businesses be on an all-cash basis. Restricting them from having bank accounts is absolutely insane, unfair, and unwise if you care about money laundering, tax evasion, or theft. Additionally, I have legislation that will permit legal marijuana businesses to be able to deduct their business expenses from their income tax. Because of the quirk in the law--the 280E provision--small and emerging businesses face punitive Federal taxation that is unfair, unwise, and certainly unjustified. Regardless of how people feel about legalizing marijuana, these businesses are here--and here to stay. Passing H.R. 2240 and H.R. 2652 will help treat this emerging sector of the economy fairly and further protect the public. I am hopeful that as the reality of these elections and future changes set in, we will be able to do a better job of permitting them to operate and allow this rapidly emerging area of commerce to serve the public and thrive.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, today I reluctantly voted for another Continuing Resolution to ensure funding for government programs in Fiscal Year 2015. It's a low bar and a sad metric when preventing another government shutdown is hailed as an accomplishment. What Congress needs to be doing--and what the American public deserves--is a return to regular order instead of governing on autopilot. We should pass all 12 of our appropriations bills because Congress needs to make thoughtful changes to our spending so they reflect the challenges and priorities of the day. There were some encouraging exceptions. Through this CR, Congress was able to provide a short-term reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank, which supports 1.2 million jobs in the U.S., and financing for over 3,400 of America's small-business exporters. While it's important that it not expire, a nine month extension restricts the ability to finance importance large and long-term projects. Oregon's businesses looking to reach new markets abroad deserve real help. Also included in the CR is critical funding for the Centers for Disease Control and HHS's Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority to respond to the Ebola outbreak. Close to home, it provides increased funding so that we can make further progress on the VA claims backlog. The final CR also includes an amendment that would provide the President with the limited and narrow authority he needs to address the atrocities perpetrated by ISIS in Iraq and Syria. My statement on the House floor and the Website explains why I felt it critical to support this amendment.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, this Saturday marks the 3rd annual ``American Graduate Day,'' a live, public broadcasting event highlighting those working to keep America's students on the path to graduation. Our local public broadcasting station's reporting is only the beginning of the work they do. The American Graduate initiative, made possible with seed money from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, is the perfect example of this. The initiative is a long-term effort by our public broadcasters to shed light on America's dropout crisis. But these efforts don't stop in the newsroom. It's followed by local stations joining forces with over 1,000 partners and at-risk schools in their communities to find ways of meeting the initiatives goal: A 90 percent high school graduation rate in the U.S. by the year 2020. This effort couldn't be more critical. Each year, nearly one million students fail to graduate on time. The U.S., which once had some of the highest graduation rates of any developed country, now ranks 22nd out of 27 developed countries. That means today's generation will not be prepared for the jobs of tomorrow. The initiative has made an impact. A study by Johns Hopkins found that American Graduate has successfully built local capacity to end the dropout crisis. As the founder and co-chair of the Public Broadcasting Caucus, it's an honor to highlight the success of this program and the broader issue it is meaningfully addressing.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing legislation to support the continued development of clean energy in the United States. The impacts of a changing climate are far-reaching, representing a threat not only to our ecosystems but to our national security as well. To help avoid the worst effects of carbon pollution, consumers must have a dependable supply of energy that is clean and renewable. That much of this energy--and many of the devices used to produce it--is American-made means that our country retains the innovation, export opportunities, and manufacturing jobs that are so important to a twenty-first century economy. The Bridge to a Clean Energy Future Act of 2014 would extend critical clean energy incentives to provide market certainty and to strengthen investment in that sector. For example, this extends the Production Tax Credit for wind energy through 2016, offering parity with the Investment Tax Credit enjoyed by solar energy investments, while also granting the solar industry access to credits at the start of a project's construction, as in the wind industry. The bill also provides a range of other important incentives, such as the Advanced Energy Project credit, which aids U.S. manufacturers across the clean energy industry. This bill supports thousands of jobs in clean energy industries, advances U.S. manufacturing, and supports our transition to clean, renewable energy. Most renewable energy investments are spent on materials and workmanship to build and maintain the facilities, rather than on costly energy imports. Renewable energy investments are usually spent within the United States, frequently in the same state, and often in the same town. Meanwhile, renewable energy technologies developed and built in the United States are being sold overseas, providing a boost to the U.S. trade deficit. It is in the national interest to cut pollution while growing our economy. Tax credits for clean energy and energy efficiency must be updated and extended. It is important to note that the fossil energy alternatives these industries are competing with have permanent tax incentives. We cannot continue to direct scarce tax dollars to industries that are a major contributor to climate change.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, as I get on my bike to ride home tonight I'll be smiling, thinking of Jim Oberstar. There has never been anyone in public life who was more committed to cycling. The joys of the exercise, the power to help people enjoy the freedom, health and advantages of cycling--no one more committed to making it safe for our families. And that's just the tiniest fraction of the Jim Oberstar story. We could spend the next two hours talking about his contributions to aviation, to a strong rail system, to making our roads and bridges safe, resources to expand infrastructure where we need, and the vision and money to maintain and improve where we need to. Jim dedicated his life to rebuilding and renewing America. Over the last half century, his fingerprints are on all the major advances, whether he was in a staff capacity, a Committee member, in a powerful leadership position, in the Minority or in the Majority, Jim Oberstar was there, his influence felt, his advice and guidance welcomed, and he made a difference. As rich and important were his many contributions to rebuilding and renewing America, he was far more than that. He was a kind and caring Member of this Chamber who listened to people regardless of their position in the legislative pecking order. Jim truly was interested in what they needed, what they thought, and if there was a way that he could help them, consistent with his vision and values. Because he was a consummate legislator, often, he could do both. Last, but by no means least, Jim Oberstar was a caring family man, driven by his principles, his faith, love for his family, and concern for everyone else's family. To his beloved wife Jean, thank you so much for sharing this unique human being with us and being his partner helping him do so much, bring so much joy and so much . . . not just progress . . . but joy . . . a man who truly loved his work as he loved his family and he loved his country. Yes, Jim Oberstar will be missed. But I for one will feel his presence, his commitment, his example, every day I serve in Congress and so it is for many others.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, for the last 6 years, I have been spending a significant amount of time making sure that the Federal Government is a better partner in helping families as they deal with some of the most difficult times they will ever encounter, as a loved one enters their last stage of life. This often involves an elderly spouse or relative, but not necessarily. This is a challenge that faces all of us, regardless of age, health, or family circumstance. The youngest, healthiest, most vital member of your office could suffer an accident or come down with a disease this afternoon. We all must at some point face this challenge that requires that we do a better job of meeting those needs, helping our families understand the circumstances and choices and that we make their wishes known, and that those wishes are respected. This afternoon there is an important landmark in this effort to protect families, as the Institute of Medicine releases key facts and recommendations on improving the quality and honoring individual preferences at the end of life. It is entitled ``Dying in America,'' sort of a jarring title, but it should be required reading for everyone in government, health care, insurance, anyone who is involved with this complex web that should be supportive of families in their time of need, but too often fails them. This report makes clear that most people nearing the end of life are not physically, mentally, or cognitively able to make their own decisions about care, and that the majority of those patients will receive acute care from physicians who don't even know them. The default is often for more hospital days, intensive care, and emergency care, which means that there are more transitions about care settings, which can be unnerving for patients and complicate their care. All this combines to jeopardize the quality of end of life care, while obviously adding to its cost and complexity. This panel of experts, after months of intense study, makes a compelling case that we all should be working to provide comprehensive care for individuals nearing end of life, how it should be seamless, high quality, integrated, patient-centered, family-oriented, and consistently accessible around the clock. It should be tailored to the needs and desires of the families, and the resources that we can save by doing it right can be redirected to enhance the quality of their last days. Often done right, it will enable them to live longer as well as more comfortably. This report is an opportunity for all of us to step back and make sure we are doing everything we can to play our part in meeting the critical responsibilities not just for our constituents, but for our family members. Dr. Phil Roe and I have introduced H.R. 1173, the Personalize Your Care Act. There are 60 bipartisan cosponsors focusing on the Federal Government placing value on this relationship, on these critical conversations, and empowering families and patients to control the circumstances that matter so much to them. We strongly urge that everyone looks at this Institute of Medicine report and that you cosponsor the Personalize Your Care Act. I congratulate the Institute for the careful research, the clear analysis, and the strong recommendations. It is an important step to make sure that critical assistance to support our families, that they deserve and demand, is available.