Dave Camp

Mr. CAMP

Mr. CAMP. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on the subject of the bill under consideration.

Mr. CAMP. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6655, the Protect Our Kids Act of 2012. As we are too painfully reminded this week by the horrific tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, for all the good this Nation has done to lift up children, we still have much more work to do. So, Mr. Speaker, before I get into the remarks about the bill I want to extend my heartfelt condolences to the victims and their loved ones struggling, as we all are, to understand this senseless assault on children and their educators. While Newtown is rightly receiving the Nation's attention, what goes unnoticed far too often is the number of children that die each year in this country as a result of abuse and neglect. Sadly, their deaths often come at the hands of those who should be caring for them the most. State reports indicate that more than 1,500 children in the U.S. died from abuse or neglect in fiscal year 2010, and research shows that these reports may significantly understate the actual number of these fatalities. Congress should do what it can to prevent these tragedies, which is why this legislation is before us today. This legislation is the result of careful bipartisan work over the past couple of years. In 2010, I requested that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) review what is known about the circumstances of child deaths and near deaths resulting from abuse and neglect, State approaches to gathering and reporting this information, and what steps the Department of Health and Human Services has taken to support the collection and accurate reporting of this information. GAO completed its review in July of last year and presented its findings at a Ways and Means Subcommittee on Human Resources hearing that same month. In their report, GAO said many more children die from abuse and neglect than are currently reported. They also reported that government agencies have different definitions of abuse and neglect, and that administrative barriers hinder the sharing of this information across agencies. Following that hearing, I worked with Congressman Doggett--and I thank him for his bipartisan support--the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Human Resources, to develop a legislative proposal to address these issues. Last week, the subcommittee held another hearing to review this proposal. Finally, after almost 2 years of work, we are here on the House floor today to consider and pass this important bill. This bipartisan legislation will establish a commission charged with developing recommendations to reduce child deaths caused by abuse and neglect. The commission will study a variety of issues, including data on fatalities, prevention methods, and the adequacy of current programs before making their recommendations. Any Federal agency affected by a recommendation of the commission will be required to report within 6 months on how it plans to address the recommendation. Importantly, this legislation is paid for and will not add to our deficit. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote in favor of this bipartisan bill and, in doing so, take an important step toward preventing the tragic deaths of so many of our Nation's children from abuse and neglect. Mr. Speaker, I yield the remainder of my time to Mr. Paulsen, the acting chair of the Human Resources Subcommittee, and ask unanimous consent that he be allowed to control the time.

Mr. CAMP

Mr. CAMP. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to State Representative Paul E. Opsommer in recognition of his faithful service as a member of the Michigan House of Representatives. His fulfillment of three terms as State Representative concludes the most recent phase of what has been a remarkable career in public service, and he leaves behind a dedicated legacy in Lansing. Before being elected to the 93rd district of Michigan in 2006, Paul had a career in business and local government. He served as Director and later Vice President of Action Management Corporation in Flint, and prior to that as a City Councilman and Mayor of DeWitt. His extensive experience serving on local government agencies and boards, including the DeWitt Schools Strategic Planning Board and the DeWitt Downtown Development Association, among others, also gave him a wide-ranging knowledge of issues important to the region. In the Michigan House, Paul served on the Energy and Technology, Regulatory Reform, Insurance, and Health Policy Committees, and most recently as Chairman of the Transportation Committee and Associate Speaker Pro Tempore. As a legislator, Paul was dedicated to the passage of sound public policy, and his insights and experience brought a fresh perspective to the House. Paul is an esteemed Michigan citizen and it is with great pride that I dedicate these remarks to his life and career. I wish him and his family the best as he closes this chapter of his life and begins his next endeavor.

Mr. CAMP

Mr. CAMP. Mr. Speaker, I offer a resolution constituting a question of the privileges of the House.

Mr. CAMP

Mr. CAMP. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 9 a.m. tomorrow.

Mr. CAMP

Mr. CAMP. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my colleague Ranking Member Levin to honor Raymond J. Ahearn, Specialist in International Trade and Finance in the Foreign Affairs, Defense and Trade Division of the Congressional Research Service (CRS). After a distinguished career of more than 37 years of service to Congress on international trade and economic policy issues, Ray will retire on December 28. During Ray's years of direct support for Congress, he achieved a remarkable record of accomplishment. His authoritative, non-partisan and objective expertise and analysis, as exemplified in his many reports, confidential memoranda, committee prints, and confidential consultative work for Members and congressional staff, have addressed just about all major international trade and economic policy issues before Congress. His institutional knowledge of U.S. trade policy and the policy-making process has been invaluable, especially to the Ways and Means Committee and its Members. Ray's deep institutional knowledge of U.S. trade policies and laws, the global trading system and architecture, multilateral and bilateral trade negotiations, regional economic groupings, and the fundamental trends in the global economy have played a critical role in Congress' consideration of these issues. He has also provided intellectual leadership to the overall research agenda of the CRS Trade and Finance Section, working closely with the Ways and Means Committee, as well as many other congressional offices and committees, in ensuring that the CRS international trade and finance work was closely aligned with policy issues of core congressional interest in an authoritative, objective and timely manner. We congratulate and thank Ray for his years of excellent service to Congress. We wish him the very best in his retirement.

Mr. CAMP

Mr. CAMP. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I urge passage of this bipartisan legislation to ensure that American companies, workers, farmers, and ranchers benefit from Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization. Almost three months ago, Russia became the 156th member of the WTO. Since then, exporters from every WTO member but one--the United States--have been guaranteed the benefit from the concessions that Russia made to join the WTO. These benefits include increased access to Russia's growing market in goods and services, improved protection of intellectual property rights in Russia, Russian animal and plant health rules based on international standards and science, and binding dispute resolution if Russia does not live up to its WTO obligations. If U.S. exporters want to be guaranteed these benefits as well, we must pass this bipartisan legislation and establish permanent normal trade relations with Russia. This bill would allow us to gain important rights and powerful new enforcement tools with respect to one of the world's largest economies without giving up a single tariff or other concession. We could double or even triple U.S. exports to Russia within 5 years. But until we do, these benefits will go to our foreign competitors while our exporters fall further behind. With our high unemployment, we cannot afford to pass up any opportunity to increase our exports and create jobs. And the longer we delay in passing this legislation, the more ground our exporters will lose. I don't dispute that our relationship with Russia has many challenges. On the commercial front, we face weak enforcement and protection of intellectual property rights, as well as discriminatory standards for U.S. agricultural products. Russia's recent adoption of the WTO's rules should address many of these issues, but this bill goes farther by requiring the administration to stay focused on Russia by making sure that it lives up to its WTO obligations, resolves outstanding trade issues with Russia, and improves the rule of law in Russia. Many of us also have significant concerns with Russia's foreign policy. Much as I believe that Russia does not always act responsibly, I also believe that this legislation cannot be seen as rewarding Russia. Instead, any benefit that is conferred is on U.S. job creators. I also fully share the concerns of many of my colleagues on Russia's abysmal human rights record, and that's why I support adding the Magnitsky legislation to this bill, on the third anniversary of the murder of Sergei Magnitsky while imprisoned. For all of these reasons, we urgently need to pass this important bipartisan legislation. I urge all of my colleagues to support it. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CAMP. I thank the gentleman for his comments. Also, I would yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Brady), the distinguished chairman of the Trade Subcommittee.

Mr. CAMP. At this time, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Nunes), a distinguished member of the Ways and Means Committee.

Mr. CAMP. I yield 2 minutes to a distinguished member of the Ways and Means Committee, the gentleman from California (Mr. Herger).

Mr. CAMP. Madam Speaker, how much time remains?

Mr. CAMP. Thank you. I yield 2 minutes to a distinguished member of the Ways and Means Committee, the gentleman from Washington State (Mr. Reichert).

Mr. CAMP. At this time I yield 2 minutes to a distinguished member of the Ways and Means Committee, the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Paulsen).

Mr. CAMP. At this time I yield 2 minutes to a distinguished member of the Ways and Means Committee, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Roskam).

Mr. CAMP. Madam Speaker, at this time I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Grimm).

Mr. CAMP. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Kelly).

Mr. CAMP. I yield 2 minutes to a distinguished gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Long).

Mr. CAMP. I yield 2 minutes to a distinguished member of the Ways and Means Committee, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Reed).

Mr. CAMP. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CAMP. At this time, I have no further speakers, and I am prepared to close.

Mr. CAMP. Yes, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Michigan.

Mr. CAMP. I yield myself the balance of my time. I too want to thank Mr. Levin for his work on this legislation and for his long-time work on Jackson-Vanik. Those were very different times. His leadership there, I think, has paved the way for the effort that we're going to see today--I think a very large bipartisan vote. I appreciate the bipartisanship on this bill. I also want to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier), who will be retiring at the end of this Congress, who is the chairman of the Rules Committee, who has been a leader on trade, trade issues, and has really been a mentor to me on these issues since I came to Congress. His leadership will be missed both in the Rules Committee and his intelligent contribution to debate on the floor, as well as his leadership on trade issues. This truly is, as Mr. Levin said earlier, a bipartisan effort, and many brought it forward: Mr. McGovern, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, Mr. Cardin, a former member of the Ways and Means Committee now in the Senate. This is the seventh bipartisan trade bill we've had this Congress. Also, not to be forgotten, this moves Moldovan PNTR. Moldova joined the WTO 11 years ago. Finally, we're seeing a resolution and some movement there. As others have said, Russia is and will be a member of the WTO, regardless of whether or not the United States grants Russia PNTR. The commercial benefits, the jobs that will be created here in the United States because of Russia's accession, are significant if we do grant PNTR. As a WTO member, Russia will be subject to rules and regulations that the WTO creates that they're not subject to now. They must comply with all of their rules and regulations. It helps level the playing field for our workers, our employers, our exporters, and particularly in the areas of discriminatory practices, intellectual property rights, more transparency, implementing uniform rules and customs, all the things that are needed to have a viable economic--a dynamic and equal relationship are important there. Also, it's important to note that our employers, workers, farmers, ranchers, and employees will not get any benefits of having Russia into the WTO unless we grant this. This is an important step. It will bring us big gains. As has been said, this establishes tools that will help us ensure Russia's enforcement. And I think particularly also in the area of human rights, it's important that the Magnitsky legislation is a part of this legislation. I urge support for this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CAMP. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. CAMP

Mr. CAMP. Mr. Speaker, fifty years ago this October, Congress directed the President to appoint a Special Representative for Trade Negotiations to lead the Administration's efforts to expand global trade. As a result, for the past 50 years, the U.S. Trade Representative has led the Executive Branch in aggressively opening markets to American-made goods and services and promoting economic growth and job creation through trade. USTR's leadership has contributed in significant ways to the tremendous economic growth that the United States enjoyed over the past 50 years and firmly established our global economic leadership. Across Administrations, USTR has maintained an admirable bipartisan and close working relationship with Congress. I've always said that the very best people become the U.S. Trade Representative. The 50-year history of USTR demonstrates that the men and women who have served as the U.S. Trade Representative are strategic thinkers and tough negotiators--the kind of intelligent, can-do people who have demonstrated their ability to advance our trade agenda. And the dedicated USTR employees who serve with them also exhibit that intellectual rigor and high caliber. I'm proud of all that they have accomplished in opening markets and enforcing our rights under our trade agreements. USTR is uniquely nimble, lean, and effective. In a world that has changed dramatically over the past 50 years, USTR's small size, independence, and direct access to the President have been critical to its success. With these attributes intact, I am confident that USTR will continue to fulfill its mission effectively and commendably for the next 50 years. Today, I honor USTR on its 50th anniversary, the 16 men and women who have served as the U.S. Trade Representative, and the thousands who have proudly served under them. I wish USTR the best for another 50 years.

Mr. CAMP

Mr. CAMP. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Chairman Paul F. Oreffice of The Dow Chemical Company for his distinguished life and career as he nears his 85th birthday. Mr. Oreffice is a true American success story, having immigrated to the United States from Venice when he was 12 years old to later becoming the CEO of one of the world's largest and most recognized corporations. Paul joined The Dow Chemical Company in 1953, after graduating from Purdue University and serving two years in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He maintained a variety of international assignments early in his career before being named President and Chief Executive Officer in 1978. His adept business skills while head of the company helped him become the first person to receive both the Palladium medal and the Chemical Industry medal in the late 1980s. He was named Chairman of the Board in 1986, and served in that position until his retirement in 1992. Throughout his tenure, The Dow Chemical Company remained one of the largest and most well-respected manufacturing companies in the world. It is because of the determination and success of individuals like Paul that America remains the land of opportunity for folks wishing to achieve great things through hard work and ingenuity. On behalf of the Fourth Congressional District, I congratulate Paul for his remarkable life and career.