Mary Bono Mack

Mrs. BONO MACK

Mrs. BONO MACK. As I have no further requests for time, in closing I just want to make one very important point here--and I think it's a great point to make right now--which is that Republicans and Democrats are united on this very important health and safety issue. ``Made in China'' is stamped on everything from kids' toys to consumer electronics, so let's just make sure it is stamped on our drywall, too. Let's also make sure that this is a safe product, that it's environmentally friendly, and that someone stands behind it. I applaud Mr. Rigell for his hard work, and I thank Mr. Deutch very much for bringing it to our attention and for working with our committee. I, too, thank the staffs of the subcommittee and the full committee for all of their hard work over these past many days. With that, Mr. Speaker, I am going to ask that my colleagues support H.R. 4212, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. BONO MACK. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Rigell), my colleague and the author of this bill, a very hard worker.

Mrs. BONO MACK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, as chairman of the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade, which has jurisdiction over the Consumer Product Safety Commission, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 4212, an important bipartisan bill to help the Federal Government fight the problem of defective and potentially hazardous Chinese drywall. I would like to thank my colleague, Mr. Rigell of Virginia, for all of his hard and thoughtful work on this important legislation. Today, if something smells rotten in your home or in your business, Chinese drywall may be to blame. Scientific laboratory tests have identified emissions from some of this drywall to include sulfurous gases such as hydrogen sulfide, which leaves a stench muck like rotten eggs. It's time to address this widespread problem, which exploded across our landscape after Hurricane Katrina. By some estimates, enough suspect Chinese drywall has entered the U.S. since 2006 to build more than 60,000 American homes, many of which are located in the southeastern U.S. But here's the problem. The emissions from contaminated drywall worsen as the temperature and the humidity rise, causing copper surfaces, including pipes, wiring, and air conditioning coils to become blackened and corroded. As a result, many people have complained about respiratory problems such as chronic coughing, asthma attacks, and difficulty in breathing, and that's in addition to headaches and sinus issues. Most of the companies which made this bad drywall are owned, at least in part, by the Chinese Government, and they have steadfastly refused to appear in American courts or to cooperate with the Federal Government's ongoing safety investigation. In some cases, U.S. builders, to their credit, have stepped up on their own to remediate the problem, but thousands of others have had to sue or simply eat the costs of replacing this drywall. H.R. 4212 is one way to help prevent this problem from happening again in the future. But, at the same time, we're also trying to help people who've already been impacted. This bill directs the Secretary of Commerce to work with the Chinese Government in coming up with a fair solution to settle outstanding claims. In addition, H.R. 4212 requires labeling of all drywall with the name of the manufacturer and the date of its manufacture. In the past, the lack of this critically important information has been a real problem because homeowners couldn't tell, in many cases, which company manufactured that bad drywall. And finally, this legislation requires the Consumer Product Safety Commission to promulgate an important new standard to limit the sulfur content of drywall, unless industry comes up with an acceptable voluntary standard first. Mr. Speaker, science has spoken. This isn't a case of we think we have a problem. Today, we know we have a problem. China chooses to ignore it, but America chooses to do something about it. I strongly urge the adoption of this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time. U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Washington, DC, October 5, 2011. Hon. Fred Upton, Chairman, Committee on Energy and Commerce, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Upton: Thank you for your consultation with the Foreign Affairs Committee on the amended text of H.R. 4212, the Drywall Safety Act of 2012, given the referral of that bill to our Committee. I am writing to confirm the agreement of the Foreign Affairs Committee to be discharged from consideration of H.R. 4214 in order to expedite its consideration on the House floor. In agreeing to waive consideration of that bill, this Committee does not waive any jurisdiction that it has over provisions in that bill or any other matter. This also does not constitute a waiver of the participation of the Committee of Foreign Affairs in any conference on this bill. I ask that you include a copy of this letter and your response in the Congressional Record during floor consideration of the bill. Thank you again for your consideration and collegiality in this matter. Cordially, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Chairman.

Mrs. BONO MACK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous materials in the Record on H.R. 4212.

Mrs. BONO MACK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4212) to designate drywall manufactured in China a banned hazardous product, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mrs. BONO MACK

Mrs. BONO MACK. Mr. Speaker, I'm just going to say that there's absolutely no magic bullet for putting Americans back to work again, but what we can do and what we should do is eliminate the endless roadblocks to job creation which are acting like a tire boot on the U.S. economy. Today we're simply going nowhere fast. This bill will help to get America moving again by removing many of those barriers and by developing a much-needed plan for attracting top- tier businesses from around the world. Today, with more than 23 million Americans who are unemployed or underemployed, it's time to cut that tire boot off of our economy and to develop a new roadmap for prosperity. The Global Investment in American Jobs Act of 2012 is one way for us to start on that journey. Mr. Speaker, again, I applaud my colleagues for their hard work, and I thank them very much for what they've done. I strongly urge all of my colleagues to adopt H.R. 5910. It is a bipartisan bill. It's supported by leading business groups. And when it comes to job creation, it's another piece to the puzzle that simply fits perfectly. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. BONO MACK. No, I do not have any further speakers. At this time, I'm prepared to close.

Mrs. BONO MACK. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 5 minutes to one of the very hardworking authors of this legislation, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Dold).

Mrs. BONO MACK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, as chairman of the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5910, the Global Investment in American Jobs Act of 2012. This legislation directs the Department of Commerce, in coordination with the heads of other relevant Federal departments, to produce an interagency report on enhancing the competitiveness of the United States in attracting foreign and direct investment. This is a commonsense, bipartisan approach to creating new jobs in America, and I would like to thank my colleagues--Mr. Dold, Mr. Peters, Mr. Roskam and Mr. Barrow--for their hard work on this important legislation. I would also like to thank Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Upton, Ranking Member Waxman, and subcommittee Ranking Member Butterfield for all agreeing to bring H.R. 5190 to the floor. It has the strong support of leading business groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Organization for International Investment, the Association of Global Automakers, and the National Association of Manufacturers. Today, with our economy stuck in a dangerous quagmire--and with unemployment still above 8 percent for a record 43 straight months--we need to take a long, hard look at U.S. laws and policies which serve as barriers to foreign direct investment in our Nation here at home. The goal of the Global Investment in American Jobs Act is to produce a much-needed ``competitiveness assessment report'' to Congress, along with a list of recommendations to make the U.S. more appealing to global companies seeking to expand beyond their borders. This legislation comes at a very critical time. The value of cross- border investment has grown dramatically around the world, but America simply isn't cashing in like it once did. Just a decade ago, the U.S. attracted more than 41 percent of all global foreign investment. Today, that number has fallen to 18 percent--a steep, costly, and unacceptable decline. In many ways, we're being out-recruited by other nations. In a recent global ranking of the world's most competitive economies, the U.S. slipped from fifth to seventh--marking the fourth straight year in which our Nation has shown a decline, despite having the world's largest economy. This constant chipping away at America's ability to compete for foreign investment is contributing to our unacceptably high unemployment rate and adding to our exploding national debt. This legislation is simply one way to fight back. International investment has long served as an engine for U.S. economic prosperity, and it can play an important role in our economic recovery in the years ahead. Today, the U.S. subsidiaries of international companies employ 5.3 million American workers, account for about 15 percent of the country's manufacturing workforce, produce more than 20 percent of all U.S. goods exported, and fund more than $40 billion of annual research and development activities. These companies also support a diverse supplier network throughout our country, purchasing roughly $2 trillion in annual goods and services that help to sustain thousands of small and medium-sized American companies. The Global Investment in American Jobs Act aims, for the very first time, to identify barriers to new investment and to produce a road map for attracting and retaining top-tier businesses from around the world. Strong investment promotion policy will not only spur international companies to create jobs here in the U.S., but it will also encourage other nations to open their markets to U.S. investment necessary to access foreign markets. Simply put, this legislation sends an important message to the world: today, America is not only open for business, but it's also a great place to do business. With that, Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. BONO MACK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous materials into the Record on H.R. 5910.

Mrs. BONO MACK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5910) to direct the Secretary of Commerce, in coordination with the heads of other relevant Federal departments and agencies, to produce a report on enhancing the competitiveness of the United States in attracting foreign direct investment, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mrs. BONO MACK

Mrs. BONO MACK. Mr. Speaker, I just want to begin by thanking Mr. Lipinski for crossing the center aisle and coming to our side to offer his legislation and to work with us early on in the year, to stress to us how important it was for him. And I thank him for his willingness to work with us to make sure we could move this bill. In closing, I just want to make one very important point, that this is not a top-down, government-knows-best approach to the problems facing manufacturing today. Instead, we're creating a public-private partnership that will help to develop a comprehensive, modern strategy--identifying impediments to manufacturing and providing much needed recommendations on how to create an environment that will once again allow American manufacturers to thrive. While our goal is to produce an important economic blueprint for the future of America, these recommendations are not binding on Congress. H.R. 5865 will expand upon previous studies and reports on manufacturing by requiring a comprehensive analysis of factors affecting manufacturing. Those would include: the identification of redundant or ineffective government programs related to manufacturing; trade policy; energy policy; taxation; and the impact of Federal regulations on manufacturing and job creation. This legislation appropriately gives the Manufacturing Board the flexibility it needs to do its job efficiently and expeditiously. The Board is not required to reinvent the wheel and restudy every single subject already examined by other government agencies and nongovernmental bodies, but the Board is specifically directed to consult with other Federal entities to avoid duplication of efforts. In the end, the Board will develop and publish for public comment a draft manufacturing strategy based on its analysis and any other information the Board determines is appropriate. This strategy will include both short-term and long-term goals for improving competitiveness of U.S. manufacturing, as well as recommendations for action. Mr. Speaker, considering the importance of manufacturing in the American economy and to the future of our Nation, I strongly urge the adoption of H.R. 5865, the American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. BONO MACK. I reserve the balance of my time at this point. I have no further speakers.

Mrs. BONO MACK. Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Manzullo).

Mrs. BONO MACK. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the coauthor of the legislation, a very hardworking member of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Kinzinger).

Mrs. BONO MACK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5865, the American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act. Throughout our Nation's long history, a growing and robust manufacturing sector has helped to make America great. It's been a driving force in our economy since the Industrial Revolution. But as our Nation has moved from the atomic age to the space age, the information age, manufacturing has not kept up, losing nearly 6 million American jobs since the beginning of the 21st century. Aging, rusting, and abandoned factories litter the U.S. landscape. Statistics show the manufacturing sector was the hardest hit in terms of job losses during the Great Recession. While manufacturing accounts for just one-tenth of our Nation's jobs, manufacturing has suffered a third of our Nation's job losses. We have a chance now to reverse this trend, and I applaud the hard work of Mr. Lipinski and Mr. Kinzinger in developing a bipartisan plan for improving manufacturing in the U.S. I would also like to thank Chairman Upton, Ranking Member Waxman, and subcommittee Ranking Member Butterfield for their hard work in bringing this important bill to the floor for a vote. The American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act calls for two Presidential reports to Congress outlining the strategy for promoting growth, sustainability, and competitiveness in the manufacturing sector. The reports are due in April of 2014 and again in 2018. Now, why is this so important? Well, for one thing, manufacturing has the highest job multiplier of any industry in our economy, producing $1.35 for every $1 in direct spending. Just as importantly, manufacturing is responsible for two-thirds of all private R&D spending in the U.S., and it drives technology innovation. But on the flip side, for every manufacturing job lost in America, another 2.3 jobs are also lost throughout our economy. Here's the bottom line: If America is going to continue to lead the world in innovation, we must foster a more conducive environment for manufacturing. H.R. 5865 establishes a manufacturing competitiveness board made up of 15 members. Five public sector members are appointed by the President, and the remaining 10 private sector members are appointed by House and Senate leaders. That gives both the executive branch and the legislative branch a shared role as well as a shared stake in making sure that this process is ultimately successful. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5865 is a sound, bipartisan approach to improving manufacturing in America, and I strongly urge its passage. With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. BONO MACK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous materials in the Record on H.R. 5865.

Mrs. BONO MACK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5865) to promote the growth and competitiveness of American manufacturing, as amended.

Mrs. BONO MACK

Mrs. BONO MACK. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I just would like to say that today, with nearly 1.5 billion credit cards now in use in the U.S., nearly everyone has a stake in making certain that the FTC has the powers that it needs to combat cross-border fraud, spam, and spyware. Rather than give the FTC more power, the U.S. SAFE WEB Act is simply giving the FTC the tools it needs to carry out its mission more effectively; and it's done so without increasing the cost to American taxpayers, without any new rulemaking, and without any new investigative authority. Reauthorizing the U.S. SAFE WEB Act as soon as possible will avoid disrupting ongoing investigations, allowing the FTC to continue to pursue cross-border fraud complaints and to continue important information-sharing agreements with foreign law enforcement agencies. Again, let me just emphasize that this is a critically important consumer protection bill, it enjoys broad bipartisan support, it doesn't cost any additional money, and the clock is ticking. The law needs to be reauthorized now. It's good for American consumers, and it's good for the future of e- commerce. It sends an important signal to the rest of the world that online crooks, no matter where they're located, will be tracked down and prosecuted. Mr. Speaker, I urge the adoption of H.R. 6131, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. BONO MACK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6131) to extend the Undertaking Spam, Spyware, And Fraud Enforcement With Enforcers beyond Borders Act of 2006, and for other purposes.

Mrs. BONO MACK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, as chairman of the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 6131, a bill to reauthorize the U.S. SAFE Web Act of 2006. I would like to thank Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Upton for his leadership on this important issue, as well as Ranking Member Waxman. But a special thank you also goes out to my good friend and lead coauthor of H.R. 6131, our subcommittee's ranking member, Mr. Butterfield of North Carolina, for his strong bipartisan support. When it comes to the future of electronic commerce, consumer trust and online privacy are trending topics that Americans care very deeply about. Today, the Internet serves billions of users worldwide with e- commerce in the U.S. topping $200 billion last year for the first time and up a remarkable 15 percent so far this year. But lurking online are hackers, cyberthieves, and even organized crime rings. As someone who is deeply involved in online privacy issues, as well as consumer protection, I'm very concerned that e-commerce will cease to grow and flourish if Americans lose faith in their ability to be protected from online predators, jeopardizing future innovation, as well as our Nation's fragile economic recovery. One important tool in combating crossborder fraud, spam, and spyware is this act, which is set to expire next year. H.R. 6131 reauthorizes important crime-fighting and consumer protection law for another 7 years. By any measure, the U.S. SAFE Web Act has been extremely effective, allowing the Federal Trade Commission to better protect U.S. consumers from fraud, deception, spam and spyware, and crossborder cases involving threats originating both domestically and abroad. And to give you an idea of just how well it's working, no opposition to reauthorizing the law has been expressed from either the business community or by advocacy groups. Most importantly, the U.S. SAFE Web Act enhances the FTC's investigative and enforcement functions by authorizing information sharing with foreign enforcement agencies, something the commission may not do without express authorization. The act only allows information sharing with countries whose law on data sharing is substantially similar to that governing the FTC, and the FTC may share data only under conditions where the information will be treated confidentially and a country will reciprocate information sharing with the FTC. Clearly, we would be fighting an uphill battle if these critically important consumer protections were not in place. About a decade ago, the Federal Trade Commission began to highlight the growing problems that it encountered in effectively combating Internet scams and fraud directed at American citizens by foreign operators, oftentimes involving organized crime rings. By 2005, an estimated 20 percent of consumer complaints the FTC received involved fraud originating outside of the U.S., costing American consumers hundreds of millions of dollars each year. In order to expand its ability to effectively fight online fraud, the FTC sent Congress legislative recommendations in 2005 seeking additional authorities. Without objection, Congress passed the U.S. SAFE Web Act on December 6, 2006, and it was signed into law 2 weeks later by President Bush. For American consumers, the U.S. SAFE Web Act has been a clear success to date, and it should be reauthorized before its expiration next year. Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge the passage of H.R. 6131, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. BONO MACK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous materials in the Record on H.R. 6131.

Mrs. BONO MACK

Mrs. BONO MACK. Mr. Speaker, I thank my dear colleague for yielding me the time. Today, if you browse the Internet and enter the search words ``Russia, China, human rights violations,'' you'll get back nearly 300 million hits. Think about it. Five simple words, 300 million hits. In the future, how many of these stories will you actually be able to read if Russian President Vladimir Putin and China's Communist Party are allowed to exert unprecedented control over Internet governance? Here are two words you should Google: ``Good luck.'' As the United States prepares to take part in the World Conference on International Telecommunications in Dubai, we need to provide the delegation with a clear and unmistakable mandate: Keep the Internet free of any and all government control. At the WCIT discussions, a new treaty on Internet governance will be debated. Most worrisome to me are efforts by some countries to provide the U.N. with extraordinary new authority over the management of the Internet. That's bad enough. But unlike the U.N. Security Council, the U.S. will not have veto power to prevent censorship or despotic actions which could threaten freedom everywhere. To prevent this from happening, I introduced House Concurrent Resolution 127. I want to thank my cosponsors, Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Upton, Ranking Member Waxman, Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Walden, and my good friend and the Ranking Subcommittee Member Eshoo for their strong bipartisan support in this effort. I also want to commend Senator Rubio for championing this critically important cause in the Senate. In many ways, this is a first-of-its-kind referendum on the future of the Internet. For nearly a decade, the United Nations has been angling quietly to become the epicenter of Internet governance. A vote for our resolution is a vote to keep the Internet free from government control, and to prevent Russia, China, India, and other nations from succeeding in giving the U.N. unprecedented control over Web content and infrastructure. Last year, e-commerce topped $200 billion in the U.S. for the first time and is up 15 percent so far this year. We also continue to lead the world in online innovation, creating millions of jobs and bolstering our economy at a time when we really need it. These proposed treaty changes, which have been going on in secret, could have a devastating impact worldwide on both freedom and economic prosperity. If this power grab is successful, I'm concerned that the next Arab Spring will instead become a Russian Winter where free speech is chilled, not encouraged, and the Internet becomes a wasteland of unfulfilled hopes, dreams, and opportunities. We cannot let this happen. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' for this resolution, and say ``no'' to online censorship by foreign governments.

Mrs. BONO MACK

Mrs. BONO MACK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the brave men and women who fought and served in World War II. Their courage, selflessness and remarkable contributions to our country must never be forgotten. They fought not for fame or recognition, and too often made the ultimate sacrifice, but because it was simply their duty. When Tom Brokaw declared them the ``greatest generation any society has ever produced,'' no one could have described them in more fitting terms. After suffering through the Great Depression as youths, they were summoned to war following the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. They didn't hesitate. They jumped at the chance to fight for their country in the heat of the South Pacific, the chill of Europe and other fronts around the globe. When they returned home, they humbly kept the horrors of war to themselves, not wanting to trouble their families with the terror of what they had faced. Women who had never held a job outside of the home before served as nurses, built tanks and planes, and those who stayed home immediately went to work to support the war effort. Truly, their unwavering patriotism is exemplary and serves as an inspiration to future generations. I am honored to pay tribute to this generation because I am the proud daughter of a World War II veteran who flew a B17 bomber in Europe during the war. My dad's unwavering courage, unimaginable sacrifices and tireless work ethic is typical of his generation. Because of my dad and others like him, we live in freedom in the greatest country on Earth. As this generation ages, it's up to us to keep their legacy strong and tell their story to generations to come. Together, we must ``keep the Spirit of '45 Alive.'' I commend the residents of the Coachella Valley for their efforts to do just that. The Palm Springs Air Museum, where old bombers like my dad's stand proudly on display, is hosting a ``Spirit of '45 Day'' next month to honor those who fought in World War II. Events like these serve as a worthy salute to this brave generation before we are left with only their memory. The Palm Springs Air Museum is a community treasure and labor of love for those dedicated to preserving and sharing the history of our nation's heroic aviators. It is well worth a visit for anyone who wants to learn more about the role our brave pilots and other service personnel played in many epic conflicts. I want to extend special thanks to the many volunteers and supporters who ensure the continued operation of this outstanding museum. In the early hours of June 6, 1944, General Dwight Eisenhower told his troops that the eyes of the world were upon them. Those words were powerful then, but still rings true today. Indeed, the eyes of the world will always be upon the Greatest Generation, and I hope you'll join me in making every effort to preserve their remarkable legacy, a legacy that will never be diminished as long as the Republic they fought so heroically to preserve endures.

Mrs. BONO MACK

Mrs. BONO MACK. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I rise in strong opposition to this amendment offered relating to privacy regulations, midnight privacy rules, and consent decrees. At a time when many of us are fighting attempts by the United Nations to regulate the Internet, lo and behold, some in Congress would have us do the exact opposite. The Conyers amendment would open the door for new, burdensome, and potentially job-killing regulations on the Internet. We don't need the United States stifling Internet freedom any more than Russia, China, or India. As chairman of the subcommittee with primary jurisdiction over this issue, I've convened multiple hearings on online privacy and had countless conversations with stakeholders. And there is one thing that absolutely everyone agrees on: don't mess up a great thing. E-commerce continues to flourish, creating jobs for millions of Americans and providing a tremendous boost to an otherwise stagnant economy. This amendment could put all of that success in jeopardy, stifling future innovation and growth. I'd like to remind my colleagues that an agency could still promulgate rules on privacy so long as they are not considered ``significant'' as defined in the bill. But what we don't need is a system where dueling bureaucrats, the FTC and the FCC, impose conflicting and confusing rules for consumers. While the amendment sounds as if it is narrowly tailored to exempt privacy regulations from the interim prohibitions on new regulations and midnight rules, the term ``privacy'' is nonetheless undefined. That's the very definition of ``loophole'' and opens the back door to government intervention and regulation. Soon, the House will consider my legislation telling the United Nations, Russia, China and others to keep their hands off the Internet. Today, let's tell the United States that very same thing.