David Cicilline

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Madam Speaker, with the hope of a different response from my friend on the other side of the aisle, I ask one more time for unanimous consent to bring up H.R. 3824 to end the Republicans' refusal to extend unemployment benefits that protect 5,585 workers in my home State of Rhode Island.

Mr. CICILLINE. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Speaker, in the last 18 days, nearly 1.5 million Americans have been cut off from their emergency unemployment benefits, and tens of thousands more Americans will lose their benefits every week without congressional action. Yesterday, The Wall Street Journal reported that 2.3 million children live with a long-term unemployed parent, triple the number since the recession started in 2007; and losing unemployment benefits will be devastating to so many of these families. This is unconscionable. And what have my Republicans colleagues in the House done to address this issue? Nothing. Speaker Boehner's refusal to have a vote to extend emergency unemployment benefits is shortsighted, bad for our economy, and devastating for the 1.5 million Americans who have been cut off from this vital lifeline. Congress is set to adjourn in 24 hours; and instead of offering a solution to extend emergency unemployment benefits, this rule does not allow us to preserve this important assistance and ignores the serious needs of our constituents. It is outrageous that the House of Representatives would leave town again without taking action to renew this critical program to help struggling American families. I urge my colleagues to defeat the previous question so we can bring this important legislative fix to the floor without delay to resolve this problem for our constituents.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, I am here today to speak about legislation that will create jobs, grow our economy, and reduce our deficit. This legislation has already passed the Senate, and the American people are still waiting for the House to do its part. I am speaking about comprehensive immigration reform. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office predicts that over the next 10 years, fixing our broken immigration system will promote job creation and wage increases, cut the deficit by nearly $158 billion, and increase America's GDP by over $800 billion. This bill will be an economic benefit, and it is also the right thing to do for the 11 million immigrant families living in the shadows. Think about what this legislation means for those families who are facing many challenges, not unlike the difficulties earlier Irish, Italian, Portuguese and French immigrants faced when they arrived in this great country. Diversity is a great strength of this country. We are a nation of immigrants, and our laws should reflect our values that, if you work hard and contribute to society, you can provide a life for yourself and your family. It is time to enact comprehensive immigration reform so we can create jobs, grow our economy, secure our borders, and ensure that the American Dream remains a real opportunity for all future generations. The American people deserve a vote on this critical legislation, and I urge my colleagues and I urge the Speaker to bring this bill to the floor so we can fix our broken immigration system and enact comprehensive reform that will make a real difference, not only in our economy, but in the lives of millions and millions of people.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, here we go again, another week, another bill, another missed opportunity to extend emergency unemployment benefits for 1.4 million Americans. Today, the House will be voting on the 2014 omnibus spending bill, but one key part is missing: an extension of emergency unemployment benefits. To add insult to injury, on Friday, this body will adjourn for another week of recess without addressing this issue, leaving 1.4 million Americans without this critical lifeline, a number that grows every day. It is terrible for these families and for our economy. Just yesterday, I spoke with a constituent, Margaret, a mother of four who is suffering with Parkinson's disease whose benefits were cut. She has worked her whole life. This is the first time she has ever had to ask for help. She is among more than 4,900 Rhode Island families and 1.4 million Americans who are struggling to find work and need this insurance to help them survive. We should not adjourn before resolving this issue, and I urge my colleagues to press the Speaker to bring a bill to the floor to extend emergency unemployment insurance today.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. In the last 12 days, nearly 1.4 million Americans have been cut off from their emergency unemployment benefits. Thousands more Americans will lose their benefits every week without congressional action. It is unforgiveable that this Congress will adjourn tomorrow without addressing this crisis. Instead of offering a solution to extend emergency unemployment benefits, this rule does not allow us to address this critical issue of extending unemployment insurance immediately. The longer we wait to fix this problem, the more serious it becomes for the long-term unemployed and their families. Punishing unemployed Americans and their families who have been hit hard in this tough recession through no fault of their own is just plain wrong. My home State Senator, Senator Jack Reed, has offered a proposal in the Senate. It is a critical step in the right direction to preserve this critical lifeline while we work on a long-term solution, and we should do the same thing here. Surely my colleagues on the other side of the aisle want the opportunity to vote on extending unemployment insurance. So I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the previous question, to defeat the previous question, so we can take up the issue of extending unemployment insurance for many Rhode Islanders and Americans all across this country who desperately need these benefits.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, it has been 11 days now since 1.3 million Americans have been cut off from their unemployment benefits, an important safety net, and this House has yet to address this crisis. Instead of offering a solution to extend emergency unemployment benefits, House Republicans keep moving the goal posts and changing their position. What on Earth are we waiting for? Every week that goes by, more and more Rhode Islanders lose their emergency unemployment benefits. The longer we wait to fix this problem, the more serious it becomes for the long-term unemployed. Fifty years ago today, President Johnson announced his war on poverty. To commemorate that anniversary, this Congress is willing to write off and forget about 1.3 million Americans who are struggling to find work. What kind of public servants have we become when we take away the last safety net for struggling families 3 days before Christmas? This is shameful. Mr. Speaker, I urge you to bring a bill to the floor to extend emergency unemployment benefits; 1.3 million Americans can't wait another day, another week, or another month for this Congress to act. Let's do the right thing and end this nightmare for those we serve.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate Human Rights Day, an occasion to recognize the struggles of individuals all around the world who fight for their basic rights of life, liberty, and security of person. On March 2, 2011, Jean-Claude Roger Mbede of Cameroon was arrested for, ``homosexuality and attempted homosexuality'' and sentenced to 3 years' imprisonment. Jean-Claude is one of the individual cases of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission's Defending Freedoms Project, which seeks to have Members of Congress adopt the case of an individual like Jean-Claude and work for their rights and freedom. Sadly, cases such as these are far too common in areas of the world where people can be imprisoned for simply exercising their basic human rights. I call upon the Cameroonian authorities to live up to their obligation to respect and protect the rights of Jean-Claude Mbede and all Cameroonians. I pledge to continue to follow his story and do what I can to secure his safety. I hope my colleagues will join me in taking up cases from the Defending Freedoms Project, and that, together, we can ensure justice for wrongly imprisoned individuals all across the world.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. The budget deal that we are voting on today is a step in the right direction because it blunts some of the painful cuts caused by sequestration. But a critical piece is missing: extending unemployment benefits that are due to expire at the end of this year. It is an absolute disgrace that this body would even consider leaving town without finishing our work and ensuring that we address the needs of the long-term unemployed. Just 3 days after Christmas, 1.3 million Americans struggling to find work will immediately be thrown out into the cold and lose their unemployment assistance, including 4,900 Rhode Islanders who will lose their benefits on December 28. Much of the economic gain achieved in this budget deal will be nearly wiped out by failing to extend unemployment insurance. Mr. Speaker, how do you plan to explain to your constituents your 3- week vacation when you have constituents who won't be able to keep the heat on or put the next meal on their dinner table because Congress failed to do its job? We should, every day, but especially during this time of year, be thinking of others and taking care of one another, not walking away from our responsibilities and ignoring the challenges facing our fellow citizens. We have 15 days to figure this out. What is the rush to leave town? It won't take much time to resolve this problem because we already have the answer. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the House call up H.R. 3546 for immediate consideration. This will extend unemployment benefits for 1.3 million Americans.

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote against this rule and to stand up and fight for the 1.3 million Americans who will lose their benefits on December 28.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 250th anniversary of the Touro Synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island, the oldest synagogue in America. Dedicated in 1763, the Touro Synagogue has been a monument to the history of religious tolerance in Rhode Island and the legacy of religious freedom in America. Before construction even began, the design of the building was conceived as a balance between European architecture and traditional Jewish worship. This synagogue became a symbol of the freedom to worship in peace widely promoted across our new Nation in the 17th century and championed by Roger Williams. In 1790, in a letter reassuring the members of the Hebrew congregation of their right to the free exercise of religion, George Washington famously declared the values of our Nation at its start, pledging that the United States would give ``to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance.'' This weekend, it was my honor to attend the rededication of the Touro Synagogue, which remains a testament to the enduring freedoms of our Nation and the tradition of religious freedom that began in my home State and that is now deeply embedded in the American experience.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the centennial celebration of Saint Ephraim's Syriac Orthodox Church in Central Falls, Rhode Island. In the late 19th century, a small, close-knit group of Syriac families living in Turkey and Iraq arrived in America after fleeing the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. After coming to Rhode Island, this small faith community chartered Saint Ephraim's Syriac Orthodox Church--a parish center and chapel for worship that have remained strong symbols of the strength of Rhode Island's Syriac Orthodox residents. The church claims a wealth of theological, liturgical, and musical traditions. Indeed, to this day, every Sunday the parishioners in Central Falls, Rhode Island conduct liturgy in the original Aramaic that was spoken during the time of Jesus Christ. The parish of St. Ephraim's has contributed mightily to our community in northern Rhode Island. Whether newly arrived immigrants fleeing persecution or just yearning to live the American dream, or multi-generational and fully assimilated Americans, parishioners of St. Ephraim's church are patriotic Americans. Like anyone else, they work hard, value education and appreciate and enjoy the freedoms they are offered. In return, they have been industrious citizens and have served our country in numerous positions of distinction, including university educators, engineers, leaders in law, medicine, and commerce. Many have also served in the Armed Forces, dating back to the early 20th Century, and some have made the ultimate sacrifice for the defense of our country. Today, as we celebrate the centennial anniversary of Saint Ephraim's, we are also mindful of the ongoing persecution facing Christian Syriac families in the Middle East and especially in Syria where two Orthodox bishops were abducted earlier this year. And as we hope for the safe return of these and other victims of recent violence, all of us stand united in praying for peace in Syria and throughout the Middle East. I thank Father Mattias Alan Shaltan for his continued leadership of this parish and salute all the members of Saint Ephraim's on their centennial celebration this year.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, earlier this year I welcomed Rhode Island volunteers from the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network to the United States Capitol and discussed their concerns about our commitment to fighting this terrible disease. According to the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health, 45,000 new cases of pancreatic cancer will be diagnosed this year. About 38,000 men, women, and children across our Nation will die from this disease over this same period of time. While our scientific and medical communities have made enormous strides in the fight against other forms of disease, the fact is that more than 90 percent of pancreatic cancer patients will die within 5 years of diagnosis. We have to do more to make it easier for doctors to catch this disease early and develop treatments that will improve the prognosis for patients with pancreatic cancer. I applaud the men and women of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network today for their ongoing work in the fight against this disease, and I look forward to working with them to support continued research and the development of new forms of treatment that will benefit all those whose lives are touched by cancer.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank Chairman Royce, Ranking Member Engel, Leader Pelosi, and my colleague Congresswoman Lee for their strong leadership. Mr. Speaker, as a longtime advocate for a strong government response to the HIV/AIDS public health crisis in my home State of Rhode Island and now as a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, I rise today to strongly support the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief reauthorization. This year, we mark the 10th anniversary of PEPFAR, which has always enjoyed broad bipartisan support. First, in 2003, there was bipartisan support for addressing this public health emergency; then, in 2008, in response to some progress, PEPFAR transitioned into a more sustainable program with greater country ownership. Over the past decade, PEPFAR has significantly expanded access to antiretroviral therapy for those suffering from HIV and AIDS, which has led to a decrease in deaths from this devastating disease all around the world. We have made real progress because of PEPFAR, and we must remain vigilant and build upon this progress. The fight is not over. According to the World Health Organization, to date, almost 70 million people have been infected with the HIV virus, and about 35 million have died of AIDS. It is critical that the United States continue to be a leader in an increasingly international effort to eradicate this disease. Mr. Speaker, the role of the United States remains critical to combating the worldwide HIV/AIDS epidemic, and the PEPFAR Stewardship and Oversight Act is a necessary and commonsense piece of legislation. This bill extends vital authority and strengthens oversight of the PEPFAR program. Most importantly, the bill would also extend the expired 33 percent limitation on U.S. contributions to the Global Fund. This cap has proven to be an effective tool for leveraging funding from other donor countries. Just 30 years ago, we knew almost nothing about HIV and AIDS, and we were not able to treat those who were suffering from this disease. To have made such progress since then is remarkable, and it is a real testament to what we can achieve when we work together in a bipartisan way. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' and to continue our efforts toward an AIDS-free generation which, for the first time, may be within our reach.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the achievements of the Rhode Island Nurses Institute Middle College Charter High School, the first middle college established in Rhode Island, and the first American charter school that is dedicated to the nursing profession. My grandmother Lucy Cicilline was a proud nurse at St. Joseph's Hospital for many years. As a 4-year program, this institution helps to bridge the gap between high school and college, providing students who have graduated ninth grade with an innovative learning experience that allows them to graduate with a high school diploma and nursing credentials so they can enter the workforce successfully. The Rhode Island Nurses Institute Middle College Charter High School first opened its doors 2 years ago and today provides a quality education for 272 young people from my home State of Rhode Island. If we are serious about getting our economy back on the right track, we need to find new, innovative ways to make sure that young people have the opportunity to go to college or begin their careers equipped with the skills they need to compete in a global economy. The Nursing Institute Middle College is showing us one way to achieve this goal. I want to applaud the work of Chief Executive Officer Pamela McCue, their entire faculty, staff, and all of the students.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, it is beyond time for Congress to focus on getting Americans back to work. If we want to get things back on the right track, we have to start making things again in this country. Job creation should not be a Democratic issue or a Republican issue; it is an American issue. At some point, the gridlock in Washington needs to end and we need to take advantage of the opportunities we have to reinvigorate this critical sector of our economy. That is why I urge my colleagues to defeat the previous question today, so we can consider the Make It In America Manufacturing Act, legislation that I have introduced that would facilitate the creation of unique public-private partnerships, bringing together Federal, State, local, and regional stakeholders to develop comprehensive manufacturing enhancement strategies and deliver targeted resources to strengthen the manufacturing sector, which has proven vital to our country's economy. It will provide small- to medium-sized manufacturers with the resources they need to retool and retrofit their operations and train their workforce in order to transition to the manufacturing of clean energy, high technology, and advanced products. It would enhance the competitiveness of the industry, including through increased exports and domestic supply chain opportunities. Mr. Speaker, it is time for Congress to work together to make things again so that Americans can make it again; and this is about strengthening the manufacturing sector, which helped build the middle class of this country, which helped build one of the strongest economies in the world. This would allow manufacturers who are beginning to see a resurgence, a revival, because of some market conditions. Because of the great innovations and the great quality of our workforce, it would allow us to strengthen this sector and grow jobs at a critical time for my State and for our country. So I urge my colleagues to defeat the previous question so that we can consider the Make It In America Manufacturing Act, something we should be able to come together on that would create job growth in this critical sector of our Nation's economy.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, last week, Congress finally took action to end a painful, unnecessary government shutdown that cost our economy $24 billion, forced hundreds of thousands of Federal workers to stay home, and brought us to the brink of defaulting on the full faith and credit of the United States. While the hardworking men and women I serve in Rhode Island's First District are relieved that Congress finally did its job, they want all of us to get back to work on addressing the urgent challenges facing our Nation--creating jobs, strengthening the economy, fixing our broken immigration system, repairing our crumbling infrastructure, and finding responsible ways to reduce the Federal debt. Like all Americans, Rhode Islanders want their elected officials to get beyond the political battles of the moment and work together on implementing effective policies and innovative solutions that will put our country on the right track and get Americans back to work. Over the past several years, the House has voted over and over again on bills that would repeal ObamaCare, restrict reproductive freedom for women, weaken critical environmental standards, and limit collective bargaining rights for workers, even though there is no chance these divisive proposals would ever be signed into law. It is time now to get things done. Each of us should commit to abandoning the partisan rhetoric and working as colleagues to overcome the challenges facing our country and those we have the privilege to represent here in the Congress.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, I rise with a sense of cautious optimism that we are nearing the end of this financial crisis. Our colleagues in the Senate are showing all of us that we can have disagreements on the issues and still work together to find common ground to tackle the challenges facing our Nation. After so many weeks of this painful and unnecessary Federal Government shutdown, I urge all of my colleagues in the House to come together to support the commonsense, bipartisan Reid-McConnell proposal emerging from the Senate. The past few weeks have taken away valuable time and attention from the many challenges facing our country. Once we reopen the government and avoid default, I hope that all of us will redirect our energies toward building consensus on solutions for comprehensive immigration reform, rebuilding our roads, bridges and ports, growing our economy, reducing our debt in a responsible way, and, most urgently, promoting job creation. I hope every Member of this House will commit themselves to getting back to the work we were sent here to do and delivering real results for our constituents.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the House bring up the Senate amendment to House Joint Resolution 59, to open the government and go to conference on a budget so we can end this Republican shutdown now and get the American people back to work.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, today marks the ninth day of the Republican government shutdown. There are only 8 more days until we hit the debt ceiling. I was back home in Rhode Island this past weekend, and heard from many of my constituents who are disgusted with what they are seeing here in Washington. The American people expect their elected leaders to work together to get things done for our country, but there has been absolutely no cooperation since this shutdown began from our friends on the other side of the aisle who are committed to ending ObamaCare. If the House voted right now on a clean funding bill, it would pass with support from both parties, and the government would reopen immediately; but instead, we are spending another day trading political rhetoric instead of working on the serious challenges facing our country. Just yesterday, the U.S. Department of Education released a study of 23 industrialized nations that found Americans fall below international averages in basic problem-solving and reading and math skills. This problem demands a solution, but Congress can't work on this and so many other important issues until the partisan games end. Let's open the government, raise the debt ceiling, commit to addressing the long-term budget challenges facing our country, and get back to work for the men and women who sent us here.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. And you are making things that are sought by the rest of the world. I think one of the things we should never lose sight that those words ``Made in America'' still mean a lot. And people understand when a product is made in America, it's made by the best trained workers in the world; it has the best quality standards in the world. And so people all over the world want to buy stuff made in America. So I think given the opportunity to do that--and, certainly, I think all Americans want to do that--given that opportunity, we will see tremendous growth in our manufacturing sector. But I think it's very important that in this moment we understand the significance of changing some of the policies in Washington that undermine American manufacturing. I want to take a minute to applaud the President, who has really made the rebirth of American manufacturing an important priority. He talks about a lot of this in the State of the Union, I know, and addresses to the country. He established recently this Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership, a program to help strengthen manufacturing and to help States develop regional manufacturing strategies. I am particularly proud that Rhode Island received one of the first grants in the first phase of this program. That will really allow us to develop a strategy that will help to support and strengthen Rhode Island manufacturing and, obviously, recognize what that will mean for job growth. But it's been, I think, very valuable to have the President take a leadership role and continue to make the case that manufacturing and making things and rebuilding American manufacturing is a key part of our economic recovery. It's one of those issues where one would hope that there's bipartisan support. You have been a great leader of the Manufacturing Caucus with a bipartisan leadership there. You look at the Make It in America agenda and you think, Why hasn't every single bill on that agenda already become law? These are good, commonsense bills that support American manufacturing, which is so critical to our country. We're in a difficult period where there's not a lot of bipartisan support, but I'd love to hear the gentleman's thoughts on that because it seems so critical.

Mr. CICILLINE. I think you raise a very important point. Of the things I think we have seen, unfortunately, is the way that we have approached manufacturing in this country the last couple of decades where we have actually sent messages to young people that they should think of something other than manufacturing, that it's sort of a dead- end career and manufacturing doesn't exist here anymore. We're going to be a service economy. And you hear it in the language of guidance counselors and sometimes in parents. I would say if kids came home and said, Mom, Dad, I want be to a manufacturer, their parents would say, Really? That doesn't have a bright future. I think what we have to really do is support both in career and technical academies manufacturing tracks to be sure people see this as a career path and to remind people that manufacturing jobs pay, on average, above nonmanufacturing jobs. So these are good-paying jobs. And that it requires a different skill set today--a more advanced skill set. But when you look particularly at what's happening with innovation and design and 3-D printing and all the intersections of making things with this new technology, it's a career path that has tremendous opportunities. But I agree with you very much that we have to stop saying to young people, Your life is only a success if you go to college. When I was the mayor of Providence, I used to visit schools all the time and very often hear principals or teachers say, Everyone is going to go to college, right? And they would encourage everyone to raise their hands. The truth is, we have to send a message to young people that if you want to go to college, and you're interested in that, great. We want to be sure you have all the tools to be successful. But you can have a fulfilling, successful, wonderful life or you can support yourself with your family in other careers like advanced manufacturing and realize that's a valuable, important, valued part of our economy. And I think there needs to be a lot of language around that and a lot of support so that people see that as a career path.

Mr. CICILLINE. You're absolutely right. In my State, in the cities of Woonsocket and Pawtucket and Central Falls and Providence, which all have mill buildings that were filled during a different time, filled with good-paying jobs, and so we have to make adjustments to sort of what the demands are of the marketplace: What are the new technologies that are available, like 3-D printing? What are the skills that workers need? And what are the incentives we need to create to help those buildings be filled with manufacturing jobs of the 21st century? And you're right, it's going to require some public-private partnership--thoughtful, careful, efficient kinds of relationships, but a real public investment that will bring tremendous benefit not only to my State, but to our country. I, too, worry that there is a group of folks here in the Congress who believe we can't invest in anything that's important for our future. And as you mentioned, our competitors are doing it, and they're doing it at a much faster pace. So if we're going to be successful, we need to seize this moment and build on the rich and wonderful manufacturing history of our country. I think we will see tremendous opportunities in my State, and I know in Ohio and across this country.

Mr. CICILLINE. I thank the gentleman from Ohio for yielding and for your very powerful leadership of the Manufacturing Caucus here in the House. As you know, tomorrow, October 4, we celebrate National Manufacturing Day, which is an opportunity to underscore and reaffirm our commitment to manufacturing and to remember that manufacturing helped build this country. It made this country a great and powerful Nation. It helped build a thriving middle class and has created good-paying jobs for hardworking men and women all across our country. This is especially true in my home State of Rhode Island, which is, as you all know, the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution, and has a very long and important history in American manufacturing-- more than anyplace in the country--and I know the gentleman from Ohio will contest this a little. But Rhode Island understands the importance of a strong manufacturing sector; and if we want to get our economy back on the right track, it's critical that we start making things again here in this country and support those companies that are already manufacturing things in America. So I am really proud to stand with my colleagues today as we salute American manufacturing and to really underscore our commitment to helping rebuild and strengthen manufacturing in this country, and particularly to pay attention to the House Democratic Make It in America agenda, which is a very comprehensive set of bills that will help reinvigorate American manufacturing and put folks back to work in my home State of Rhode Island, and I think all across this country. As part of that package is the Make It in America Manufacturing Act, which is legislation I introduced to help manufacturers buy new equipment, retrofit their factories, retrain their workers, and increase their exports, but really, help to jump-start what we're already seeing in this manufacturing renaissance. As you know very well, market conditions are such that wages are starting to rise in Asia. Energy costs remain high, so the cost of transporting goods is expensive. So this is a real opportunity, a real moment to seize. And if we change some policies here in Washington and, instead of undermining American manufacturing, replace it with policies that support American manufacturing, we have a tremendous opportunity for additional job growth. Earlier this week, we saw even more evidence that our manufacturing sector is growing stronger, again. In the September report, the Institute for Supply Management found that manufacturing was growing at its fastest pace in almost 2\1/2\ years. And as has been said--and we all know--manufacturing is a jobs multiplier. For every new manufacturing job we create, it results in an additional 4.6 jobs being created. Support it. Of course, with high-tech manufacturing, it adds an additional 16 jobs. So this is very, very important in our ongoing effort to grow the economy and create jobs. I think it particularly is important to make note that in the area of manufacturing, we need to be very focused on job training and be sure our young people are prepared to compete for the kinds of jobs that are becoming available in advanced manufacturing. I visit manufacturers in my district all the time and hear from them the importance of skills development and job training for the new workers in the manufacturing sector. It's not the case anymore that you can walk down to your neighborhood manufacturer and get the job your father or grandfather or mother or grandmother got. It requires a different set of skills, and it requires additional training. So as part of our strategy, we have to focus on how do we ensure that young people and people entering the manufacturing sector have the skills necessary to compete successfully.

Mr. CICILLINE. Of course.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, we are now on our third day of the Republican shutdown of the Federal Government. My constituents and people all across this country are disgusted with what they're seeing, the absence of an agreement on a simple idea: the American people have a right to a government that is open to serve them, but our government is closed. Eight hundred thousand men and women across the country have been placed on furlough because Speaker Boehner and the House Republican leadership will not bring up a clean continuing resolution to fund the government and keep the government open. Now, I would like to talk a little bit about what that means for my constituents, and first to say that I have extended office hours in my district office from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. to make sure that my constituents have whatever help I can provide during this government shutdown to help navigate through the Federal Government, and that is staffed by my employees who have no guaranty they will even be paid. But I want to talk this morning about how we got here, not to assign blame to one side or the other but to suggest how we move forward, because we've heard from the Speaker these last few days and from many of the Republican leaders they just want to compromise; if the Democrats would just be willing to compromise and go to a conference committee, this would all work out, and that Republicans are interested in delaying health care reform and cutting spending and the Democrats refuse to negotiate on these issues. Well, this is actually completely false. In fact, look at this chart. We began with spending in the President's budget of $1.2 trillion. You can see how far there has already been compromise from the Democrats down from the enacted spending to the Ryan budget to the Senate budget and finally to the continuing resolution, which is very close to the Ryan budget--not a budget amount that we agree with but some people would be willing to compromise on. In fact, there was a budget that was passed by the House, a budget passed by the Senate, and we passed No Budget, No Pay, which I was a cosponsor of, to make sure this budget process proceeded; but the Speaker has refused, since that happened, to appoint conferees to a Budget Committee. That's the next step. That's how we get a budget, to appoint conferees who then have the responsibility of working out compromises. We wrote to the Speaker back in April, April 17. Here's a copy of the letter. Ranking Member Chris Van Hollen and I wrote to the Speaker urging him to appoint conferees so we could continue the budget process, but he's refused to do that. Then, just moments before the shutdown happened, Republicans said: Oh, let's go to conference on the funding bill, the continuing resolution, not on the budget. That, of course, was a vote to shut down the government, because that wasn't going to happen in 45 minutes. And so the government shut down, and this is now day three. You have to wonder: Why is it that the Republicans have refused to pass a clean funding bill that we are calling for? Well, one member of the House Republican caucus said: Now that we've jumped off the cliff and lit ourselves on fire, we've entered the valley of the shadow of death. We've got to keep running and hold together. Mr. Speaker, our country is facing very serious challenges today. Men and women in cities and towns all across our country don't know where to find work, don't know if they're going to be able to go to work. Seniors are nervous about whether they can rely on Social Security and Medicare, and young people are worried about whether they can afford to go to college. These issues are far too important for Republicans to refuse to negotiate simply as a matter of pride. Every Member of this House needs to put aside political posturing and act in the best interests of the people who sent us here. Rather than coming together to support commonsense solutions and policies that would strengthen our country, Speaker Boehner and the Republicans have decided to shut down the Federal Government until they're able to undermine the Affordable Care Act. For them, it has become an obsession. Earlier this week, one House Republican called the Affordable Care Act ``the most insidious law known to man.'' House Republicans compared this debate to the terrorist attacks of September 11. And when he held the floor for 21 hours, Senator Ted Cruz invoked the horrors of World War II and the Nazi regime when talking about health care reform. Mr. Speaker, this kind of hyperbole and this kind of plainly inflammatory rhetoric has no place in a serious discussion about the future of our country. For weeks, we've heard that the Republicans would refuse to fund the government until it dismantled or defunded the Affordable Care Act. This became their party's mantra until 2 days ago, because 2 days ago the Republicans stopped trying to defund ObamaCare for the first time and started to try to carve out programs to fund one by one. The very reason they brought this government to a screeching halt and closed it down was all of a sudden gone. So I ask my colleagues today: What's the problem now? What's the hold up on passing a clean funding bill to reopen government and then go to conference to work out all of the differences on many important policy issues? So, Mr. Speaker, I ask my Republican colleagues, my friends on the other side of the aisle, to do what's right for our country and demand that the Speaker bring a funding bill to the floor to open government and pass this resolution today.