Gene Green

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Senate amendments to H.R. 4007, the Protecting and Securing Chemical Facilities from Terrorist Attacks Act. I am an original co-sponsor of this important legislation which will finally authorize the CFATS program in federal code and not through the appropriations process. Last October, during the government shutdown, the American people saw that without authorization of the CFATS program, there were no legally binding regulations in place to protect our nation's chemical facilities from criminal and terrorist attacks once appropriations expired. I have the honor of representing north and east Harris County and the Houston Ship Channel, at the heart of our nation's petro-chemical industry. The expiration of the CFATS program puts the safety my constituents who work in and live in the communities that surround these facilities in danger and it is obligation, as the people's elected representatives, to do everything we can to protect them from harm's way. This measure passed the House in July by voice vote. I backed the House-version of this measure because the bill will solve the personnel surety issue by allowing workers who have TWIC or HME cards to have access to chemical facilities without having to get another federal credential. This is important to my constituents who already have TWIC cards and work in our petrochemical plants and drive the trucks to deliver raw materials and products they produce. I am supportive of some of the changes the Senate made to this legislation. In particular, I am supportive of measures that will add greater worker participation into plant security plans and provide greater whistleblower protections for plant employees who want to report unsafe conditions at a plant. I do have some concerns with allowing smaller facilities to self- certify, as added in by the Senate, because even smaller facilities, as we have unfortunately seen in Texas in recent years, can be dangerous and the American people deserve full assurance that facilities near them are safe. Nonetheless, the underlining legislation is still sound and needs to be enacted. I urge my colleagues to join DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson, and impacted stakeholders and vote in support of the Senate amendments to H.R. 4007.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to one of the great legislators of our time, Congressman Henry Waxman. I have had the honor of working with Henry on the Energy and Commerce Committee for many years. In that time, we have worked together on children's health coverage, affordable prescription drugs, environmental protection, and universal health care coverage, the Affordable Care Act. In Congress, Henry has served as the Chairman and currently serves as the Ranking Democrat on Energy and Commerce and previously served as the Ranking Democrat for the Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Henry and I both currently serve as co-chairs of the Democratic Israel Working Group where we have worked together in supporting our nation's partner in peace in the Middle East, Israel. Henry, along with fellow Californian, Rep. George Miller, are the last two House Members of the ``Watergate'' Class of 1974 and have left an indelible mark on our chamber. Their leadership will be sorely missed. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Henry for his years of public service on behalf of millions of Americans who have benefitted from his work from tobacco regulation and reproductive rights to air and water quality standards and ensuring that all Americans have access to health care coverage.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to one of the legislative giants of our era. A man who I am proud to call my colleague and my friend, Congressman George Miller. George first came to Congress as part of the legendary ``Watergate Class'' of 1974. In the four decades that George has been a member of this chamber, he has played a key role in the passage of some of our nation's most import education, labor, and health statutes. George has served as chairman of three committees: the Select Committee on Children, Youth and Families, the Committee on Natural Resources, and the Committee on Education and Labor. He continues his legacy of leadership to this day as co-chair of the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee. George has been a tenacious fighter in support of workers' rights, students and teachers, workplace safety, the environment, and a livable wage for all working Americans. As a card carrying member of the Communications Workers of America and someone who shares George's commitment for working Americans, Congressman Miller has been a colleague I have continued to look to on issues important to the labor community. Before I close, I would like to thank George for his decades of public service on behave of our nation's working families. Our chamber will be losing one of the true lions of our generation and I wish him and his family all the best.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I am not so sure about a noted Texas landmark, but I want to thank you for scheduling a Special Order for our good friend, Ralph Hall. I rise to pay tribute to a great American who has dedicated his life to protecting and serving our Nation and the great State of Texas, Representative Ralph Hall, a true gentleman. Ralph began his commitment to service seven decades ago when he joined the United States Navy and served as an aircraft carrier pilot during World War II. Returning to Texas after the war, Ralph began private law practice in Rockwall, Texas, where he served as county judge in the 1950s and represented that area in the Texas State Senate from 1962 to 1972. That is when I first met Ralph Hall, because in 1972 he ran for Lieutenant Governor in Texas in the Democratic primary. There were a few other folks in that race, so Ralph didn't make it into the runoff. But Ralph was elected to Congress in 1980 as a conservative Democrat, where he served our State honorably on the Energy and Commerce Committee and the Science Committee, where he was chairman from 2011 to 2013. In 2003, Ralph became a Republican. His votes were always conservative, though. My job in the 1990s as a deputy whip on the Democratic side was to whip Texas Members. So I would go to Ralph, and he was the distinguished gentleman. And that is just not a title; he really was. He would tell me, he said: Well, Gene, what do you want me to do? I said: Well, Ralph, I want you to vote thisaway. He said: You know, Gene, I can't really do that. I said: Well, Ralph, can you vote late? Ralph was always a conservative, no matter what Republican or Democratic label he had. I had the honor of serving with Ralph in Congress since 1993 and on the Energy and Commerce Committee since 1997, and Ralph has always been, like I said, a true gentleman to me and to all I have ever seen him work with. I will best remember Ralph as a true hero of Texas who was a committed public servant, either in uniform or elected official, and always stayed true to his beliefs and did everything he could for his constituents. Mr. Speaker, Congressman Hall will be sorely missed by all of us, and I want to thank him for both his hard work and dedication for years, but more importantly for his friendship to a lot of Members--not just Texans, but a lot of Members in Congress. Ralph will be very fondly remembered.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to our colleague from Florida, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the Democratic sponsor of this legislation.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5185, the EARLY Act Reauthorization of 2014. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 220,000 women and 2,000 men were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011, making breast cancer the most common cancer among women. Approximately 11 percent of the new breast cancer cases occur in women under 45 years of age. Young women who have close relatives diagnosed with breast cancer before age 45, have changes in certain breast cancer genes, were treated with radiation therapy to the breast or the chest as a child or a young adult, or possess certain other risk factors may be at higher risk for getting breast cancer at a young age. The EARLY Act was first signed into law in 2010 to improve young women's breast health awareness and assist young women diagnosed with breast cancer. The act has supported public health research on breast cancer in young women, communication and education initiatives, and support services to young breast cancer survivors and their families. Mr. Speaker, today's legislation reauthorizes the EARLY Act at currently appropriated funding levels and requires a study to identify any activities under the act that are duplicative of other Federal breast cancer education efforts. I want to acknowledge Representatives Wasserman Schultz and Ellmers for their work on this issue and also thank leaders and staff on the Energy and Commerce Committee for helping to bring H.R. 5185 to the floor today. I urge colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation. Breast cancer is an issue that has touched almost every family I know, and this is one way Congress can react to it. Mr. Speaker, we are ready to close, and we have no other speakers. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. I thank my colleague and our new ranking member of the Energy and Commerce Committee. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to one of the great lawmakers of our era, who has dedicated his life to fighting for civil rights, to strengthening our Nation's safety net for the vulnerable and elderly, and in pushing for workers' rights and protecting American jobs. I am honored to call this man a mentor and a friend--the dean of the House, Congressman John Dingell. Mr. Speaker, I ask that my full statement be placed in the Record. John's illustrious career speaks for itself: the longest-serving Member in the history of the House of Representatives; the author of dozens of Federal laws, including the Endangered Species Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, and the Affordable Care Act; the chairman or ranking member of the Energy and Commerce Committee for 28 years; a veteran of the Second World War. What the history books will never be able to fully share is the respect and kindness John has given to all who have been fortunate enough to work with him. John has always been generous with his time and with sharing his unparalleled institutional knowledge of the people's House. In 2005, John was a vital voice, and he supported efforts to pass the Energy Policy Act, which became one of the key Federal supports for the current energy renaissance that is providing jobs and lower energy prices for the American people today. Outside of Washington, I was fortunate to spend time with John on hunting trips, where I had the opportunity to get to know him better as a man, as a father, as a husband, and as an avid sportsman. Mr. Speaker, before I conclude, I would like to personally thank John for his decades of public service in fighting for America's working families. Our Chamber will not be the same without him. God bless John Dingell and the United States of America. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to one of the great lawmakers of our era, who has dedicated his life fighting for civil rights, strengthening our nation's safety net for the vulnerable and elderly, and pushing for workers' rights and protecting American jobs. I am honored to call this man a mentor and a friend, the Dean of the House, Congressman John Dingell. John's illustrious career speaks for itself: longest-serving member in the history of the House of Representatives; author of dozens of federal laws, including the Endangered Species Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, and the Affordable Care Act; Chairman or Ranking Member of the Energy and Commerce Committee for 28 years; a veteran of the Second World War. What the history books will never be able to fully share is the respect and kindness John gave to all who have been fortunate enough to work with him. John has always been generous with his time and sharing his unparalleled institutional knowledge of the People's House. In 2003, during the DeLay redistricting fiasco in Texas, which gerrymandered out many longtime House Members, John advised me on what avenues were available to Members to voice disapproval. In 2005, John was a vital voice and supported efforts to pass the Energy Policy Act, which has become one of the key federal supports for the current energy renaissance that's providing jobs and lower energy prices for the American people today. Outside of Washington, I have been fortunate to spend time with John on hunting trips, where I had the opportunity of getting to know him better as a man, a father and husband, and as an avid outdoorsman. Mr. Speaker, before I conclude, I would like to personal thank John for his decades of public service in fighting for America's working families. Our chamber will not be the same without him. God Bless John Dingell and the United States of America.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 5705, the Propane Education and Research Act. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support H.R. 5705, the Propane Education and Research Enhancement Act. Today, tens of millions of Americans rely on propane and heating oil. Propane and propane accessories are used in everyday life from cooking to commercial agricultural uses are vital to farmers in the Midwest that use propane to dry corn and feed the world. Heating oil is used throughout the Northeast to heat homes and water during the long New England winter. Personally, in years past, I've relied on propane when I didn't have access to the vast network of pipelines that supply natural gas. Unfortunately, like many important commodities, unless you've run out of propane or heating oil, most people probably don't know or understand the vast importance of this product. In the early 2000s, the Energy and Commerce Committee passed legislation that authorized the Propane Education and Research Council and the National Oilheat Research Alliance. These two national entities implement consumer education, research and development, and safety and training programs related to the use of propane and heating oil. While PERC and NORA are federally-authorized, these two organizations cost the federal government absolutely nothing. But they play an important role in the communities they serve. H.R. 5705 amends the Propane Education and Research Act of 1996, the original legislation, and expands the ability of PERC to educate distributors and consumers in strategies to deal with future propane price spikes. Last winter, the United States faced a propane emergency. The industry has stepped up to ensure that we don't face another crisis like that. But we always need to be prepared and armed with knowledge of how to better deal with any situation. With preparation legislation like H.R. 5705, we can assist Americans, all over the country, by sharing the best information possible. I lend my support to H.R. 5705 and I am pleased my colleagues do the same. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Walz), the sponsor of this bill.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 551, had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.'' Personal Explanation

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support S. 2673, the U.S.-Israel Strategic Partnership Act of 2014. I rise to reiterate my support of our strategic ally, and the only true democracy in the Middle East, Israel. I want to applaud my colleagues in the House and Senate for passing this legislation. It is vital that Israel and the U.S. continue to protect our shared values including our commitment to liberty, equality and religious freedom. I am pleased to offer my support to the legislation that shares technology, prioritizes trade, exchanges information and intelligence and expands the Iron Dome. Israel's security should be our first priority but this includes more than just weapons funding. It requires joint-cooperation with the Israeli government and the Israeli people. When Israel's national interests are protected, the United States' national security is enhanced. Mr. Speaker, I have visited Israel almost a dozen times and each time I visit I am reminded of the challenges faced by Israelis every day. The Israeli people face these challenges with confidence and self- assurance because they know they are an ally of the United States.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to appropriate an additional $200 million to the National Institutes of Health for research on Alzheimer's disease. More than five million Americans currently have Alzheimer's disease. Today, someone develops Alzheimer's every 67 seconds and by 2050, it will be every 33 seconds. Alzheimer's is the most expensive disease in America. Unless action is taken, the cost of Alzheimer's will total $1.2 trillion in 2050, and Medicare and Medicaid spending on Alzheimer's will increase 500 percent. My mother-in-law battled this disease, so I appreciate how devastating it can be to patients and their loved ones. The bipartisan National Alzheimer's Project Act (NAPA) was passed by Congress unanimously. NAPA called for the creation of a National Alzheimer's Plan, which has resulted in some notable accomplishments. However, scientists and researchers must have the necessary funds to carry out the blueprint set forth in the Plan. Congress provided an additional $100 million in Alzheimer's research for fiscal year 2014, yet we continue to underinvest. To address a disease of this magnitude, we must further our commitment by increasing funding for Alzheimer's research by $200 million in fiscal year 2015.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. I thank my colleague from Kentucky for yielding to me. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to H.R. 4795. It was my hope to resolve the issues of this bill during the committee. Unfortunately, that was not the case. H.R. 4795, the Promoting New Manufacturing Act, could be a solution to a longstanding problem. The problem relates to Federal permitting, in this case, New Source Review permits. While the majority of permitting takes place at the State level, the EPA plays a critical role in the permitting process. When EPA promulgates a final National Ambient Air Quality Standard, called NAAQS, States and industry must respond through implementation and application, respectively. EPA should work as quickly as possible to offer States guidance on how to implement these new standards. Lack of guidance can lead to significant permitting delays as industry is forced to submit incomplete New Source Review applications. While I will support the intent of the bill, I can't support the bill itself. H.R. 4795 is ultimately a lengthy delay in the National Ambient Air Quality Standards implementation; and then a NAAQS standard cannot be implemented, and this bill does not reflect current negotiations over that NAAQS implementation. Until this point, the administration and the EPA have indicated a willingness to work on this issue. Further, EPA has not proposed these new National Ambient Air Quality Standards, so I see this bill as a solution to a problem that doesn't yet exist. I want EPA to be transparent and work with the industry, and H.R. 4795 does not support a collaborative working relationship. Additionally, the New Source Review permitting and the construction of new facilities are important to the economy, but we must also have a balance between economic growth and the protection of public health. The bill, unfortunately, does not strike that balance effectively, and, for that reason, I am unable to vote in favor of it.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about the Affordable Care Act. Over 8 million Americans have signed up for private health insurance plans for 2014, almost 20,000 in the district I represent. Overall, the number of uninsured residents in our district has declined by 8 percent. 33,000 people in the district purchased quality, affordable care through the new health insurance marketplace. 11,000 young adults were able to continue coverage through their parents' plans. For 84 percent of those enrolled in the health insurance marketplace, the cost of the average plan was reduced to $72 a month. Unfortunately, 52,000 individuals who would otherwise have health insurance remain uninsured in our district because Texas did not expand Medicaid. The open enrollment period for 2015 through the marketplace began Saturday, November 15. I encourage all Americans to take advantage of the opportunity to access quality, affordable coverage and enroll. Please, for your family and for our community, we need more people insured so they have that certainty.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5728, the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act Reauthorization. This is the continuation of our bipartisan efforts this year to ensure that 1.5 million satellite subscribers don't lose access to broadcast programming when the current satellite television law expires at the end of this year and to make some targeted reforms to the video marketplace. The bill before us today represents a compromise with our colleagues from the Senate, and I look forward to working with them to quickly see it passed into law. In July, the House passed H.R. 4572, to reauthorize the expiring communications and copyright law that allows households across America, but especially those in rural areas, access to broadcast content. In addition, the Energy and Commerce Committee on which I serve was able to come to agreement on several key reforms to our video laws to benefit the TV-watching public. H.R. 5728 maintains these bipartisan provisions from the bill we adopted in July, in particular addressing the abuses in the retransmission consent process. The bill prevents two non-commonly owned broadcasters from colluding to jointly negotiate for retransmission consent. The Energy and Commerce Committee heard extensive testimony about how this practice drives up prices for consumers and potentially threatens access to local broadcast content. I also want to emphasize that this language does not permit broadcast stations that are deemed ``commonly owned'' as a result of the joint sales agreement to negotiate jointly for retransmission consent. Our colleagues on the Senate Commerce Committee proposed additional pro-consumer reforms, and I am pleased that we were able to include those in H.R. 5728. Mr. Speaker, these provisions include an FCC rulemaking to assess the standard for determining whether parties are negotiating in good faith for retransmission consent, a prohibition on broadcasters preventing significantly viewed signals from being carried in local markets, and greater transparency for consumers by including retransmission consent payments in the FCC's report on cable rates. H.R. 5728 also makes further changes to the provisions that were heavily debated in the House during consideration of H.R. 4572. The bill now extends by 6 months the deadline for broadcasters to unwind certain joint sales agreements, a rule which the FCC tightened earlier this year to address concerns that broadcaster coordination in local markets were undermining localism, competition, and diversity. Finally, H.R. 5728 reflects further compromise on the FCC's cable set-top box rules. The FCC's integration ban--the rule written to promote competition in the cable set-top box market--will sunset in 1 year. This well-intentioned rule has not resulted in the kind of competition Congress envisioned and has actually caused significant energy inefficiencies in cable set-top boxes. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that we are including an idea from our Senate colleagues to create a working group that is charged with identifying a successor solution. I support further efforts to promote competition in the set-top box market and look forward to engaging with the working group and the FCC on this issue. I want to thank Chairman Upton and Chairman Walden, and on the Senate side, Chairman Rockefeller and Ranking Member Thune, also our ranking members on our side of the aisle, Ranking Members Waxman and Eshoo, and other Democrats on our committee. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. I continue to reserve the balance of my time, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I continue to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman), the ranking member on the Energy and Commerce Committee. (Mr. WAXMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise on behalf of the millions of Astros fans in Houston and Texas and throughout the world to recognize the historic performance of our all-star second baseman and Venezuelan native, Jose Altuve, during the 2014 Major League Baseball season. Jose finished the 2014 season with 225 hits and a .341 batting average, the best in all of baseball, along with 56 stolen bases, tops in the American League. Jose is just the second player since 1945 to lead the AL in all three categories. Baseball writers at the season's end noted that Jose's 2014 season will go down as one of the greatest performances by a second baseman in baseball history. Most notably, Jose had more hits than any second baseman since Charlie Gehringer's 227 hits in 1936 and became only one of two players since the turn of the 20th century to record 220-plus hits, 55-plus extra-base hits, and 55-plus stolen bases in one season. The other is Ty Cobb. But beyond the numbers, Jose shows baseball fans, young and old, that with tenacity and a commitment to be the best, anyone, no matter their background or size, can achieve greatness. On the last day of the season, the Astros planned to keep Jose out of the line-up in order to secure his batting championship, a first for any player in an Astros uniform. Instead, Altuve convinced Coach Lawless to put him back in the line-up just minutes before the game started. Jose proved to all that he was the true batting champion, going 2-for-4 with a double. I had the opportunity to meet Jose last April, when he, fellow Astro Jason Castro, and baseball great Nolan Ryan, came to Denver Harbor, a working class neighborhood in our congressional district in Houston, to celebrate the opening of the revitalized baseball fields at Denver Harbor Park and spend the morning with little leaguers from the area. It was a pleasure to see Jose, Jason, and Nolan spend time with these wide-eyed little leaguers and inspire them to work hard and achieve their dreams. On behalf of the Astros faithful, I would like to say ``thank you'' and anticipate that with Jose and our squad of talented young players, Houston will continue to be competitive in the American League.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5682, a bill to approve the northern portion of Keystone XL pipeline. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill because I support North American energy development. But I also rise in support of the bill because the Keystone XL pipeline has become an obstacle created by indecision and inaction. Keystone XL is not the first cross-border pipeline project built in North America. But if some opponents had their way, Keystone XL pipeline would be the last pipeline we built in North America. Today, the United States, Canada and Mexico are revolutionizing the world and the world of energy. These three North American partners are reshaping the geo-political balance of the entire world. Between the three countries, we can satisfy our own energy needs for the first time in memory. But to accomplish this feat, we must be able to move products to market. My colleagues who oppose Keystone XL have forgotten that just because there isn't a-pipeline doesn't mean the products aren't moving. In fact, they are moving just as rapidly as ever. Unfortunately, the products are moving to market at the expense of other commodities and even at the expense of people's schedules. Opponents cannot deny that pipelines are the safest, most effective way to move products to market. Opponents cannot say the State Department has failed to consider the environmental consequences of the pipeline. Opponents cannot say this project hasn't been reviewed by the proper authorities. If they do, they are incorrect. The Keystone XL pipeline is the most scrutinized project in as long as I can remember. If we built railroads, the way we built KXL, we wouldn't have a rail system. If we built roads, the way we built KXL, we wouldn't have a highway system. As we face the 114th Congress, we have real problems we need to address. Keystone XL pipeline is good for the United States, it's good for North America and we should support this bill.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the hardworking men and women of Houston and Harris County, who go to work every day without complaint and the failure of this Congress to do its job and pass pressing legislation that the good people of the 29th District of Texas and Americans throughout our country are relying on. The 113th Congress, which is scheduled to end in less than 4 months, has passed only 142 laws to date. And 34 of those were ceremonial. Last Congress had passed 151 laws by the same date. The ``Do-Nothing Congress'' of 1947 and 1948 that President Harry Truman famously campaigned against passed 906 public laws. That is not even including the 458 private laws that were passed or the modern conveniences that we have today that should enable us to do more for the American people. Over the past 20 months, our chamber has failed to bring to the floor critical legislation that would extend emergency unemployment insurance, cutting off benefits for 4 million Americans, raise the minimum wage for the 10 million-plus Americans who work full-time and live below the poverty line, or ensure equal pay for equal work for working men and women in our country. Mr. Speaker, if this Congress ends without this chamber even bringing these bills for a floor vote, historians will have no choice but to rewrite the textbook and name us the true ``Do-Nothing Congress.''