Gene Green

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of American families whose jobs and livelihoods are being undermined by China and other countries which purposely undervalue their currency. For the past several years, the best economic research has shown that China manipulates the value of its currency by at least 25 to 30 percent against the dollar. This blatantly unfair trading practice has contributed to our trade deficit with China, growing it from $68 billion to $273 billion in just 11 years. Worst of all, the American people have become the ultimate victims. Last month, the Economic Policy Institute found that 2.8 million U.S. jobs have been eliminated or displaced since 2001 due to the growing U.S.-China trade deficit. Last year, the Currency Reform for Fair Trade Act passed this Chamber with strong bipartisan support. Yesterday, unfortunately, the new House majority voted nearly identical legislation down. The Currency Reform for Fair Trade Act has been supported by Members on both sides of the aisle and would give this and any administration the authority to take countervailing measures against currency manipulators, like China, in support of hardworking Americans. We need to change that, Madam Speaker.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, I would like to insert into the Record a letter from the International Brotherhood of Teamsters in opposition to the Korea, Panama, and Colombia Free Trade Agreements. International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Washington, DC, June 15, 2011. House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Representative: On behalf of the 1.4 million men and women of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, I am writing to urge you to oppose the three pending so-called free trade agreements (FTAs)--South Korea, Colombia, and Panama--when they reach the floor of the House for a vote. All three agreements are modeled after the job-killing North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Trade agreements based on the NAFTA model have resulted in nearly two million job losses in the U.S. The three pending FTAs continue this trend. With the unemployment rate at a record high of more than nine percent, we must focus on job creation and growth in the U.S. Not only will these trade agreements result in job losses, they will further exploit workers and deny basic human rights. The South Korea FTA is projected by the Economic Policy Institute to cause job losses of 159,000 in the U.S. and the International Trade Commission estimates the trade deficit will increase in seven high-paying sectors. In addition, the South Korea HA forbids reference to the International Labor Organization (ILO) conventions. The South Korea FTA's investment chapter would give South Korean investors rights to challenge U.S. laws, regulations, and even court decisions in international tribunals that circumvent the U.S. judicial system. Any potential benefit from reduced tariffs would be mitigated, as South Korea is one of the three countries that the U.S. Department of Treasury lists as a currency manipulator. Even more troubling is that the South Korea FTA lacks assurances that products assembled in South Korea will not contain parts from North Korea's Kaesong Industrial Complex. These three pending agreements insult basic human rights. The country of Colombia remains the global capital for violence against workers; more unionists are killed every year in this country than any other country. Most recently, a lawyer representing sugarcane workers was gunned down in May--only five weeks after a so-called U.S.-Colombia Labor Action Plan was released. Nearly 2,680 unionists have been murdered in the country. Only six percent of the murders have been prosecuted. Most are never even investigated. In June, a Colombian rights leader campaigning for the return of land snatched by illegal militias was gunned down. While the Action Plan is a step in the right direction, it does not go far enough to ensure enforcement and compliance. We must see real improvement in labor laws and a stop to the killing of unionists in Colombia, before any trade agreement is approved. Simple public relations gimmicks and laws that go unenforced are not enough. The Colombia FTA will result in the further displacement of the country's Afro-Colombian population. The country has the highest population of displaced people, an estimated 5.2 million. The agreement will only accelerate the displacement of impoverished Afro-Colombians and farmers. Panama remains one of the world's top tax havens. The country is home to approximately 400,000 corporations, including U.S. firms, which incorporate in the country to avoid paying taxes. The pending Panama FTA does not require U.S. construction and other firm's equal access to work on the Panama Canal improvement project. In addition, Panama continues to be a main site for drug money laundering by Mexican and Colombian drug kingpins. Each of these three pending trade agreements remains flawed. None will further U.S. job growth, which should be our nation's top priority. Ensuring basic human rights and dignity is a moral imperative. For economic and moral reasons, we urge you to vote against these agreements. If you have any questions, please contact Lisa P. Kinard, Director, Department of Federal Legislation and Regulation, International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Sincerely, James P. Hoffa, General President.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2832, legislation that will extend the Trade Adjustment Assistance program and the 2009 TAA reforms for workers, firms, and farmers through December 31, 2013. Since its creation nearly half a century ago, TAA has helped millions of Americans whose jobs were lost to outsourcing, off-shoring, and increased foreign competition. For many, TAA is a critical lifeline that provides retraining and education, health insurance assistance, and other crucial support initiatives to workers affected by international trade. TAA also helps small businesses and farmers become more competitive through the TAA for firms and TAA for farmers program. This legislation will also extend important reforms made to TAA in 2009, but were allowed to expire in February of this year. These improvements include guaranteeing access to training for American service and manufacturing workers, as well as allow workers to qualify for TAA benefits if their firms shifted production to any country, including China and India, not just countries with which the United States has entered into a free trade agreement. More than 185,000 additional trade-impacted workers have become eligible for training opportunities and benefits under the 2009 reforms. In my state alone, over 20,000 workers have benefited from TAA's services and support since May 2009. Nationwide, nearly half a million Americans have benefited from TAA over the past two years. TAA has historically received bipartisan support in this chamber. I hope my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will join me and support this legislation. Unfortunately, programs like TAA would not be necessary if this Congress and this Administration would push for trade deals that would focus on job creation here at home. The history of free trade agreements shows that the promised benefits of FTAs, be with Mexico and NAFTA, or with China and Most-Favored-Trade Status, have not materialized. In fact, it has been the opposite. Soon after the enactment of NAFTA in 1994, six factories in my district in Houston were shut down. The thousands of Houstonians who were laid-off were able to get assistance through TAA, but would have much rather have kept their jobs than seen their livelihoods moved to Mexico. Before NAFTA came into effect, the United States had an annual trade surplus of over $1 billion with Mexico. Last year, our nation's trade deficit with our southern neighbor reached $66 billion. The story is similar with China. In 1999, the year before permanent MFT status was granted on China, our trade deficit was $68 billion. Today, that deficit has exploded to $273 billion, and with it, millions of American jobs. A recent study by the Economic Policy Institute found that the trade deficit with China eliminated or displaced 2.8 million jobs between 2001 and 2010. I fear that enactment of the trade agreements debated in this chamber today will further exacerbate job losses in our country. EPI found in a study last year that the Korea FTA alone would displace 159,000 jobs in the United States. The same study found that the Colombia FTA would cost the American people 55,000 jobs. It is time for this chamber to ask why our nation gives open access to our markets to foreign competitors--as is the case with South Korea, Colombia, and Panama--and only, years later, look to gain similar access into their markets. History has shown me that genuine free trade comes when all parties receive equal access to each others' markets. All three of these agreements fail to do so. I close by calling on my colleagues today to vote in favor of working Americans by voting against these trade agreements and voting in favor of TAA.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 771, had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. I thank my colleague from Illinois for yielding to me. The EPA is currently developing a tier 3 rulemaking that would further reduce sulfur levels in gasoline to an average of 10 parts per million, a 70 percent change from today's already low standards, while reducing the gasoline volatility. The EPA is expected to issue a proposed rule by the end of this year. The problem we have is that in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, section 209 required the EPA to conduct a study 18 months after the enactment to determine whether the renewable fuels required by the section would adversely impact air quality and not later than 3 years after that enactment. The problem is EPA has not finished that study we require them to conduct even before these new regulations. Now they're moving forward with a rule with a half-baked study, and that's why I support this amendment to the TRAIN Act, Mr. Chairman. This is not a delay amendment. This is just to make sure we don't get the cart in front of the horse, and we need to have that study finished before the EPA moves forward with that sulfur criteria. That's why I support my colleague from Illinois' and my colleague from Texas' amendment, and I encourage my colleagues to support it.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my strong support for the artificial pancreas, which will transform the way we treat diabetes in our country. Millions of Americans have diabetes. Diabetes accounts for approximately $174 billion in health care costs in the U.S. each year, 32 percent of our Medicare expenditures. Studies show that tight control of blood glucose levels significantly reduces or delays the development of diabetic complications. Most patients with diabetes cannot achieve tight glucose control with traditional diabetes tools. Erratic blood glucose levels can cause devastating complications, including kidney failure, blindness, nerve damage, amputations, heart attack, and stroke. The artificial pancreas can allow individuals suffering from diabetes to regulate their blood glucose levels using an insulin pump and a sensor. The system can prevent low and high glucose levels and help individuals with diabetes avoid the worst and most costly complications while allowing them to remain healthy until a cure is found. In April of this year, 250 Members of the House, myself included, and 60 Senators sent a letter to the FDA urging them to approve the artificial pancreas. I am encouraged by FDA's response to have a decision by December.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 2587, the misleadingly named ``Protecting Jobs From Government Interference Act.'' This legislation, if enacted, would gut key provisions of the National Labor Relations Act, a law which has ensured the right of working Americans to fight for better working conditions, a better salary, and better benefits for themselves and their families for more than 75 years. H.R. 2587 would strip from the National Labor Relations Board the ability to take action against any employer that has been found to violate the law by closing an office, relocating a plant or firing workers in retaliation for exercising their rights to organize or petition for fairer benefits. Even worse, passage of this legislation would open the door for companies to engage in the practice of illegally moving jobs overseas. In the past, the NLRB has been able to take action against companies that have attempted to move their operations overseas who do so with the clear goal of punishing employees for exercising their fundamental organizing rights. This legislation would open the door to wholesale off-shoring of U.S. jobs at a time when this Congress should be discouraging such behavior. A bill of this magnitude, which would set back decades of established labor law and precedent, should be considered in a much more deliberative manner. I call on my colleagues on both sides of the aisles to vote in favor of working Americans and to oppose this legislation.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker and Members, jobs are the issue, and the American Jobs Act is the solution that this House should consider on the floor immediately. This bill will help reverse the flow of jobs overseas and will help rebuild the manufacturing base in America, providing good jobs for hardworking Americans. Make It In America creates jobs in America. This bill builds America. The long-term FAA reauthorization will create 150,000 jobs, and reauthorizing the surface transportation bill will support 134,000 projects around the country, 5,000 mass transit projects, and nearly 1 million jobs over the next year. The national infrastructure bank proposal would combine public and private resources to build, rebuild, and repair the country's key infrastructure. This bill also helps create jobs through the Tax Code. The proposal cuts the payroll tax in half for 98 percent of businesses on their first $5 million in payroll; it offers a $4,000 tax credit to employers for hiring long-term unemployed workers--get them on the tax rolls and not on the unemployment rolls--and it starts a ``Returning Heroes'' hiring tax credit, between $5,600 and $9,600 for firms that hire unemployed veterans. We have the responsibility to help our country climb out of this tough economy, and this bill is a proposal that deserves bipartisan support to help accomplish that.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall Nos. 693 and 694, had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I was absent earlier today due to a prior commitment scheduled before we knew the House would be in session. On the votes I missed, on H.R. 2715, to provide greater authority and discretion to the CPSC in enforcement of product safety laws, had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.'' On H.R. 398, to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to toll during national and active duty service abroad in the Armed Forces, I would have voted ``yes.'' On H.R. 1933, to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to modify requirements, I would have voted ``yes.'' While I do recognize the shortage of nurses in our country, I would hope that we should focus on providing more incentives to students here to become nurses. On the motion on ordering the previous question on the rule for S. 365, I would have voted ``no.'' On H. Res. 384, the rule providing for consideration of S. 365, I would have voted ``no.'' On the Journal vote, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, members of the House leadership have walked away from the negotiating table three times and continue to push their plan to cut Medicare, Social Security, and Medicaid benefits, protect the top 2 percent of Americans at the expense of 98 percent of our families, pass a short-term deal that would lead to credit downgrade, higher interest rates, and a tax hike on every American and repeat this crisis next year. Let me read you some emails that I've received: ``I'm a disabled 57-year-old gentleman who is restricted in a wheelchair. I thank God I live in a country where I am able to receive disability income like millions of other disabled Americans and Social Security recipients. I'm afraid if the Republican leadership gets their way, I'll soon be living on the street. ``I'm very concerned that the default would cause even more dire straits for the average homeowner/worker than even currently exists. That does not even count the repercussions that would result from higher interest rates, falling dollar in the global economy, and lower earnings on annuities and other investments, such as decreasing principles.'' What we need is not a Republican plan or a Democratic plan; we need an American plan to deal with our debt that will take care of it so we don't have all of these dire consequences next Tuesday.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to explain my absence from votes cast on the afternoon of July 25, 2011. My voting percentage is 98 percent for the 112th Congress, and I rarely miss votes, but yesterday, I was absent due to a prior commitment scheduled before we knew the House would be in session on Monday. On the votes I missed: on the rule providing for consideration of H.R. 2584--Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2012, had I been present, I would have voted ``no''; and on the Journal vote, had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Madam Chair, I thank the gentleman, the ranking member of Energy and Commerce, for yielding me this time. I rise in strong support of H.R. 1938. I represent a district at the end of this proposed pipeline in southeast Texas. I have five refineries in my district, and this will give them an alternative for crude oil to keep those refineries running. North American oil sands are a vital source of energy for the U.S., and with skyrocketing fuel prices, I believe it's imperative for the U.S. to diversify our energy sources by exploring alternatives such as the oil sands in Canada. As the largest single exporter of oil to the U.S. and a stable energy partner, Canada has helped to reduce our dependence on energy supplies from unfriendly nations, and this partnership should continue and be encouraged. The pipeline owner, TransCanada, has agreed to comply with 57 additional special conditions developed by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration for the Keystone XL project. The supplemental environmental impact statement on the project has gone so far as to state that the incorporation of these conditions will result in a project that has a larger degree of safety over any other typically constructed domestic oil pipeline under the current code or law, and a larger degree of safety along the entire length of the pipeline similar to what we have in high consequence areas. Additionally, an independent study showed that the $7 billion Keystone XL pipeline is expected to directly create 20,000 high-wage manufacturing and construction jobs in the U.S. So not only will this project help our energy security, but it will help our recovering economy by creating thousands of jobs. I am constantly hearing from building trades in the Houston area about their support for this pipeline and the bill. And yet none of this even matters because the bill very fairly doesn't say what the administration's determination should be. Instead, it says expedite the decision. It has been too long once the environmental review is complete. I appreciate the Department of State's recent announcement that they are on track to make a final decision by December 31. Maybe that wouldn't have been announced last week if we hadn't had this bill moving in the House. But I do appreciate the effort. I support the bill and appreciate my colleagues' support.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to extend my deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Jesus ``Jesse'' Thomas Campos, who died July 22, 2011 in Houston, two weeks shy of his 90th birthday. Jesse is survived by his wife of 57 years, Esther, his son, Adrian, and his daughters, Olga and Edna, as well as numerous grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Jesse served his Nation with distinction during the Second World War, as a member of the U.S. Army from 1941-46. During the war he was assigned to the 672nd Amphibious Tank Battalion and made numerous first assault landings in the Pacific, was wounded twice, and was awarded the Purple Heart and three Bronze Stars. He was also a Pearl Harbor survivor. Jesse was a close friend, a constituent, and an important member of our community. He was very active in our local American Legion post and with the Disabled American Veterans. He also received numerous awards for his dedication and service to our community. His loss will be felt by family, friends, and the Greater Houston community, and I ask that you remember the family in your thoughts and prayers. I would like to submit for the Record a copy of Jesse's obituary that appeared in the Houston Chronicle on July 25. [From the Houston Chronicle, July 25, 2011] Jesus Campos Jesus Thomas Campos, Husband, Father, Brother, Veteran and Community Leader, Jesus Thomas Campos of Houston died peacefully at home Friday, July 22, 2011. He was two weeks shy of his 90th birthday. He was born on August 6, 1921 in Goose Creek (now known as Baytown) to Maria Ramos and Jose Campos. He graduated from Robert E. Lee High School in 1941 and enlisted in the Army and served from 1941-46. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Maria Esther Estrada Campos. He is preceded in death by his parents and several siblings, as well as by his daughter, Leah Aguirre of Houston. Jesus is survived by his son, Adrian, and daughters Olga (Kevin Benz of Austin), Edna (Eldon Thomas of Houston and Asheville, NC), as well as numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Jesus was proud of his involvement in Houston's Hispanic community especially his work on behalf of various political candidates, Get-Out-the Vote efforts and improving educational opportunities for Hispanic students. He was also proud of his distinguished military record. During World War II, he was assigned to the 672nd Amphibious Tank Battalion Attached to the 15th Division. He made numerous first assault landings in the Pacific, was wounded twice and was awarded the Purple Heart, 3 Bronze Stars, an Arrowhead in the Asiatic-Pacific and World War II Campaigns and a Good Conduct Medal. Jesus retired from Exxon after 20 years and was an active member of the American Legion and the Disabled American Veterans. His recent awards and honors include the Distinguished Hispanic Volunteer from Houston Mayor Bill White in 2007; Eagles Award in 2005 from the San Jacinto Chapter of DAV; Participant in Honor Flight #2 to visit the WWII Memorial in 2009; Fiestas Patrias Distinguished Hispanic Award 2006, recognition by numerous members of the U.S. Congress, the Texas Senate and House; the Houston City Council, the American GI Forum, and the League of United Latin American Citizens. He will be respected, loved and missed by everyone who knew him. The family will be receiving visitors Tuesday, July 26 from 5-9 pm with a Rosary at 7 p.m. at Forest Park Lawndale, 6900 Lawndale Ave, Houston TX 77023. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, July 27 at 11 a.m. at Forest Park Lawndale. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the American GI Forum of Texas, 2626 South Loop West #320, 77054-2649, Houston, TX 77086; (713) 666-4796; www.agiftx.org. Donations will go to the Community in Housing Development which assists with housing for American Veterans.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. I rise in opposition to the drastic cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and other crucial Federal programs that this Cut, Cap, and Balance Act would force on the American people. The Cut, Cap, and Balance Act takes our Nation closer to default by holding the debt ceiling hostage until Congress passes a constitutional amendment to limit Federal spending to 18 percent of GDP. The last time Federal spending was below 18 percent of GDP was 1966. Even under Ronald Reagan, the Federal spending averaged over 22 percent of GDP. There's almost no conceivable way to revert spending back to the 1960s levels without sharp cuts in every program, including Medicare and Social Security. In order to reduce Federal spending to 18 percent of GDP, every Federal program, including Social Security and Medicare, would need to be cut by 25 percent. Faced with the need to increase the debt ceiling in 1987, President Reagan called on Congress to raise the ceiling and said failure to do so would threaten those who rely on Social Security and veterans benefits, create instability in the financial markets, and cause the Federal deficit to soar. It's funny, I agree with President Reagan. Our last balanced budget was in 1999 and 2000, the last years of the Democratic President Bill Clinton. Since 2001 we had 9/11, federalizing airport security, war in Iraq, Afghanistan, war on terror, a prescription drug plan for seniors, and 2001 and 2003 tax cuts--none of these were paid for--all went to the National debt. We had a balanced annual budget without cutting Medicare or Social Security in 1999 and 2000. It is time for this chamber to end the political theater, to take the necessary steps to avoid default, and I urge my colleagues to oppose this dangerous legislation.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the drastic cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and other crucial Federal programs that passage of the Cut, Cap, and Balance Act would force upon the American people. The Cut, Cap, and Balance Act takes our Nation closer to default by holding the debt ceiling hostage until Congress passes a constitutional amendment to limit total Federal spending to 18 percent of our gross domestic product. The last time Federal spending was below 18 percent of the gross domestic product was 1966, when the median age was nearly 8 years younger and the average cost of health care was one-fifth of what it is today. Even under President Ronald Reagan, Federal spending averaged over 22 percent of gross national product. Though this legislation may claim to exempt many Federal programs from its spending limitations, there is almost no possible way to revert Federal spending back to 1960s levels without sharp cuts to every program, including Social Security and Medicare. Even the FY 2012 budget that the House Republican majority passed in April, which would dismantle Medicare as we know it, allowed for Federal spending to be above 20 percent of the gross domestic product. I urge my colleagues on both sides to vote to support America's retirees, veterans, and children and oppose this dangerous legislation.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chair, on rollcall No. 579, had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' Amendment No. 48 Offered by Mr. Broun of Georgia

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Madam Chair, I rise today in support of the Flood Insurance Reform Act, H.R. 1309. Flood insurance is critical for homeowners in our area who rely on this program to protect their hard-earned investments in their homes. The National Flood Insurance Program is the primary source of flood insurance for Americans and people in our district. About 5.6 million homes and businesses nationwide rely on NFIP. In our district, in Houston and East Harris County, Texas, flood insurance is a top priority. The Harris County Flood Control District does an impressive job of implementing new flood control measures in the way of maintaining bayous, building retention basins, and implementing drainage features, but even the best flood control will be defeated by a particularly bad storm. While I support the underlying bill, I am especially supportive of measures that I first advocated for in 2007. During Floor Debate of the 2007 bill, I offered an amendment that was adopted, and it is also included in the bill we are debating today. Our language provides for a limited, five-year phase-in of flood insurance premiums for low-income homeowners or renters whose primary residence is placed within a flood plain through an updating of flood insurance program maps. These homes can be valued at no more than 75 percent of the median home value for the state in which the property is located. This is important to residents of our district, who need the stability and stability that this provision allows. I want to thank Chairman Bachus and Ranking Member Frank for their leadership on this issue and for including this important provision.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chair, I am opposed to the Energy and Water Appropriations bill for several reasons. One of these reasons is that while this bill increases funding for the Army Corps of Engineers over the President's request, it is not enough. The Army Corps completes critical flood control projects and also, through dredging at our port, fuels a major economic engine in Harris County, Texas and has been underfunded for years. The Port of Houston is the largest foreign tonnage port and the largest petrochemical port in the country. In fact, it moves the second largest amount of cargo in the country, as 8.5 percent of our nation's cargo moves through the Port of Houston. The commerce that occurs at our port is critical to our nation's energy and chemical sectors and to our country's ability to trade and move goods throughout our country. It is a port of national significance, but has not received the attention that is necessary to answer the challenges we face in the near future. Despite the national importance of our port, it is facing a dredging crisis. Currently, the Houston Ship Channel is dredged to a depth of 43 feet, but it should be as deep as 45 feet. The Panama Canal is expanding and when it is completed, the Port of Houston should be able to accept ships that take full advantage of the larger Panama Canal, and for this, they would need a depth of 50 feet. However, under both the President's plan and the Republicans' plan, dredging at the Port of Houston will be left behind. For instance, under the President's budget, dredging at the Port is funded at about $23 million, that is $60 million lower than the amount necessary to just get the port to a depth of 45 feet, let alone 50 feet, which would be millions more. As we confront the dual challenges of adopting policies that create jobs and reduce the debt, funding for dredging projects is an item that, while costly, will have more of a positive impact on our economy than a negative impact on our deficit. The Texas Transportation Institute performed a study and determined that a direct economic impact of the loss of 1 foot of draft is $373 million. The majority of this impact is lost business opportunities due to light loading of non- containerized vessels. As the dredging crisis at the port continues to worsen, this opportunity cost will quickly accelerate.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. I thank my colleague, the ranking member on the Foreign Affairs Committee, for allowing me to speak. I rise in strong support of H. Res. 268, a resolution reaffirming our Nation's commitment to a negotiated settlement of the Israeli- Palestinian conflict. As cochair of the Democratic Israel Working Group, I would like to thank my colleagues, both Republican Leader Eric Cantor and our Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, for bringing this important bipartisan resolution to the floor. I have been to Israel and the West Bank on numerous occasions. I can personally vouch for the desire of the people of Israel and the Palestinian territories to come to a peaceful settlement that will end decades of discord and violence. A negotiated two-state settlement between the Israelis and Palestinians is the keystone of the peace process. It is the official policy of the U.S. government, the Israeli government, and, until recently, the Palestinian Authority. Only through direct negotiations can difficult compromises be reached on core issues like borders, water, refugees, the status of Jerusalem, and security. Attempts to bypass direct negotiations and seek recognition of a unilaterally declared Palestinian state by the U.N. General Assembly will not help the Palestinian people. Instead, such a declaration will undermine the peace process and endanger the security and well-being of the very people it claims to support. A unilaterally declared Palestinian state will lead to a greater height in tensions, turn the region into a powder keg, and invite terrorist groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah to take advantage. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Thank you, Madam Chair, and I rise today to support H.R. 2021, the Jobs and Energy Permitting Act; and I want to thank our Energy and Commerce ranking member for providing time. Representing a heavily industrialized area that's naturally sensitive to air quality issues, I appreciate how the EPA's enactment of Clean Air Act provisions has positively attributed to our goal of cleaner air. For that reason, I have remained hopeful that EPA's administrative air permitting barriers to exploring Alaska's Outer Continental Shelf would be addressed, but they haven't. As such, we continue to see air permits for offshore exploration wells perpetually go back and forth between the producer, the EPA, the Environmental Appeals Board, with no movement towards a final decision. That's why I am an original cosponsor of the Jobs and Energy Permitting Act, which would rectify several of those process questions so that we can safely and responsibly produce our natural resources in the Arctic Ocean. The EPA needs to have a permit approval system in place that is predictable, workable, and understandable. When I hear that in the last 5 years Shell has drilled over 400 exploration wells worldwide while waiting for one single permit for Alaska, something's definitely wrong with the process. While the opponents of this legislation are saying that this bill guts the Clean Air Act, that's just not true, because all this bill does is match EPA's Outer Continental Shelf permitting process with the air permitting process employed by the Department of the Interior in the Gulf of Mexico, a Clean Air Act air permitting process that has been successfully used for decades. By doing so, we can rest assured that we have a strong, offshore air permitting process, but that these projects are not left in limbo like we have seen with the Environmental Appeals Board in recent years. I also want to remind my colleagues that this bill just addresses permits for exploration wells where activity typically only lasts for a few days, not production wells where activities last for months. I have long been a supporter of safe and responsible drilling on the Outer Continental Shelf as these resources are a vital source of energy for the United States. With skyrocketing fuel costs, it is imperative for the U.S. to diversify our energy sources by exploring this area, and this bill is the first step in that process. I strongly encourage my colleagues to support the bill.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chair, on rollcall No. 437, I missed the vote due to a hearing on Pipeline Safety in Energy & Commerce Subcommittee. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' Stated against:

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of the LaTourette amendment and of the thousands of American workers, contractors and small businesses that benefit from the use of Project Labor Agreements. Created by the National Labor Relations Act of 1935, Project Labor Agreements, or PLAs, allow construction workers to enter into a collective bargaining agreement that establishes the terms and conditions of employment for all workers on a construction project. Project Labor Agreements are cost effective and pro-business. They are used in every State on private- and public-sector construction projects. Fortune 500 companies such as Wal-Mart, Toyota, and Boeing praise and use PLAs because they provide contractors with a reliable and uninterrupted supply of trained workers at predictable costs for wages and benefits. PLAs provide uniform working conditions and rules on construction sites, thereby making the work site safer while businesses benefit by paying less in worker compensation and avoid project delays due to the lessened risk of job site accidents. PLAs encourage the employment of local residents, ensuring that these workers' paychecks will be spent in the local community. PLAs can also be used as a way to enhance the work opportunities of military veterans and underrepresented communities. PLAs have been used for the construction of some of our Nation's most iconic building projects, including the Coulee Dam in Washington State, the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, and the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. PLAs represent the best of what can happen when labor and business come together. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support American workers and businesses and vote in favor of the LaTourette amendment.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to explain my absence from votes cast on the evening of May 25, 2011. My voting percentage is 97.5 percent for the 112th Congress, and I rarely miss votes, but due to a prior commitment scheduled before we knew the House would be in session late tonight, I was required to fly back to Houston and miss the vote to concur with Senate amendments to the PATRIOT Act. On the vote I missed: To approve and concur with the Senate amendments on the PATRIOT Act, had I been present, I would have voted ``no.'' And on final passage of the PATRIOT Act, had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 376, Consideration of PATRIOT Act Extension, had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''