Bill Huizenga

Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan

Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in support of H.R. 893, the Boys Town Centennial Commemorative Coin Act, introduced by the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Fortenberry), and I seek its immediate passage. Mr. Speaker, on December 12, 2017, Boys Town will celebrate 100 years of saving children and healing families. Boys Town was founded in 1917 by a young Irish priest, Father Edward Flanagan, who believed that every child could be a productive citizen if given love, a home, an education, and a trade. He accepted boys of every race, color, and creed--an amazing thing back in 1917. Boys Town first opened on December 12 of 1917 in a rundown Victorian mansion in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. In 1921, the home later moved to Overlook Farm on the outskirts of Omaha, where it remains located today. A number of years ago, I had the privilege of visiting Boys Town. By the 1930s, hundreds of boys lived at Boys Town, which grew to include dormitories and administrative buildings, and the boys even elected their own government, which included a mayor, a council, and commissioners. News of Father Flanagan's work spread worldwide, and even Hollywood took notice with the very famous 1938 movie ``Boys Town,'' with Spencer Tracy, who won an Academy Award for his portrayal of Father Flanagan. At the request of President Truman, he even traveled the world, visiting orphans and advising government leaders on how to care for displaced children after the war. Although Father Flanagan died in 1948, his work at Boys Town, which Flanagan called ``God's work''--and I think most of us would agree with that--continued. Today, although Boys Town is still headquartered in Nebraska, it continues to expand its care across America. It is one of the largest nonprofit child care agencies in the country, providing treatment for behavioral, emotional, and physical problems for children and their families, helping as many as 2 million people annually. Additionally, the Boys Town National Research Hospital is a global leader in the research of Usher syndrome. Mr. Speaker, I can't think of a better way to commemorate Father Flanagan and Boys Town than by creating this commemorative coin. The spirit of Boys Town truly embodies the best of America. This bill would help recognize and continue to nurture that spirit. I commend the gentleman from Nebraska for his hard work on this issue, and I ask for the immediate passage of the bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Committee on Ways and Means, House of Representatives, Washington, DC, June 19, 2015. Hon. Jeb Hensarling, Chairman, Committee on Financial Services, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Hensarling: I am writing with respect to H.R. 893, the Boys Town Centennial Commemorative Coin Act. I wanted to notify you that the Committee on Ways and Means will forgo action on H.R. 893 so that it may proceed expeditiously to the House floor for consideration. This is done with the understanding that the jurisdictional interests of the Committee on Ways and Means over this and similar legislation are in no way diminished or altered. In addition, the Committee reserves the right to seek conferees on H.R. 893 and requests your support when such a request is made. I would appreciate your response confirming this understanding with respect to H.R. 893 and ask that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be included in the Congressional Record during consideration of the bill on the House floor. Sincerely, Paul Ryan, Chairman.

Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on this bill.

Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan

Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Honorable Kurt D. Dykstra and his commendable service to the City of Holland as its 40th Mayor. Mayor Dykstra was the first of his family to attend college, and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree, Magna Cum Laude, at Northwestern College, in Orange City, Iowa, and his Juris Doctor at Marquette University Law School, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, graduating first in class, Summa Cum Laude. Mayor Dykstra has been a member of the City Council since 2005 and represented Holland's fifth ward until his election to Mayor. As Holland's mayor since 2009, he has provided strong leadership for this thriving and successful lakefront city. Today, Holland is a bright, vibrant city thanks to his vision and leadership. During his tenure, Holland was named the 2013 winner of Outstanding Achievement in Heritage Preservation, the 2012 winner of Environmental Efforts, named in Forbes list of America's Prettiest Towns, a Top Five Safest Cities in the U.S., and the 3rd Best Place for Families in the U.S. Mayor Dykstra's record of successful leadership has enabled the City of Holland to continue to be recognized as a place to live, work and play. Under Mayor Dykstra, the city has become a place where businesses are able to grow, strong and safe neighborhoods flourish, and visitors are warmly welcomed. The City of Holland has been well served by his tenure. I wish Mayor Dykstra the best of luck as he leaves West Michigan to become President of Trinity Christian College. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Mayor Kurt Dykstra for his service to the City of Holland.

Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan

Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan. Mr. Chairman, in closing, I do appreciate my colleague from Illinois and other members from the Small Business Committee who are committed to working at this. The concern, again, would be one of our capacity and our industrial base and being able to supply that most vital of needs for our men and women in uniform, which is their footwear. When we talk about large, we talk about small at the same time because 400 is the number of west Michigan jobs that are in the balance here; but we wouldn't be able to reach the full capacity if we needed to surge again in a very unstable world, as we have been dealing with a number of crises around the world. Mr. Chairman, I urge a ``yes'' vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today to offer this amendment that will ensure a fair and open bidding process to supply our men and women on the front lines with one of the most indispensable pieces of equipment that they use every day-- their boots. My amendment would prohibit the use of funds by the Defense Logistics Agency to implement the 2012 Small Business Administration's rule in regard to footwear preventing the Defense Logistics Agency from bidding the contract as a small business set-aside. When SBA released this rule, there was significant concern that they did not go through the normal rulemaking and public comment process, and more specifically did not perform due diligence on how the changes would actually affect the footwear industry and military supply base, which the SBA has acknowledged. This rule dramatically changed the competitive landscape amongst companies supplying very compliant footwear to the U.S. military. There are very few of these manufacturers here in the United States, and even fewer that manufacture Berry Compliant footwear. This amendment would ensure that all businesses capable of supplying high-quality footwear to our warfighters are able to compete for that contract. I might add, Mr. Chairman, that last year, we had been able to get language inserted in that would call for a study. I just wanted to have a quick quote from that on the impact of jobs. This is from the report that was issued: Although the overall impact on the industrial base is low, the abrupt and drastic change in the small business size standards is likely to have an impact. The DOD footwear industry is highly capable, but also very dependent on DOD orders. It's important to consider both the short-term and long-term health of the industrial base. The industry is also a critical element to the Nation's national security because of the enduring need to meet wartime footwear requirements. The emphasis here is mine. Given the industry's sensitive and critical position, such abrupt and drastic policy changes that impact the competitive landscape should be executed with greater moderation. I think, Mr. Chairman, that is the concern here today, and that is why I would urge my colleagues to support this vital amendment. I do appreciate the opportunity for dialogue that I have been having with my colleague from Illinois and also with the Small Business Committee on that. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan

Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Grand Haven VFW Post 2326 for their efforts to assist veterans and their families through their annual ``Rib Fest'' fundraiser event. Celebrating its 10th year, the Rib Fest event brings together West Michigan restaurants to compete in an event that raises funds for veterans and their families as well as maintaining the group's individual VFW post. The event's most significant community contribution is the Ward-Goff Scholarship Fund established by VFW members in honor of Elwin Ward and Richard Goff. The Ward-Goff Scholarship is awarded to a child, grandchild or great-grandchild of a good-standing member of the Grand Haven VFW post. Each year the award is given in remembrance of these two American patriots who gave their lives for their country during the Vietnam War. Through their events like the annual Rib Fest, or many other areas of community involvement, the Grand Haven VFW Post 2326 continues to prove to future generations the values that make America great. I wish the 2015 Rib Fest all of the best, and look forward to sharing a meal with our veterans.

Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan

Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Rouzer).

Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan. Mr. Chair, I, too, want to thank my colleague, Ms. Hahn, for her work on the Huizenga-Hahn amendment. It has been a pleasure to work with her over a few years as we have gone to battle over this issue and for this issue; and ultimately, as she pointed out, having a port system that is functional, that is usable, is critical to the economy of our Nation. I, too, want to thank Chairman Simpson for his work and willingness to sit down and work through some issues with us. I pledge to the chairman--and I know Representative Hahn does as well--that, as we are going through this process, we will continue to refine how the harbor maintenance trust fund works, and I look forward to having this amendment be passed. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan. Mr. Chairman, I rise this evening to offer an amendment, along with my friend, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Hahn), to ensure that the Federal Government meets its obligations to our ports, to our harbors, and, frankly, to the American people. Just last year, this body overwhelmingly passed the Water Resources Reform and Development Act, WRRDA, by a vote of 412-4. It was later then signed into law by President Obama. WRRDA includes a glide path to increase harbor maintenance funding to a level collected through the harbor maintenance tax, directing Congress this fiscal year to spend 69 percent of all of the funds collected from the user fee of that harbor maintenance. Now, that is just 69 percent this year with a 10-year glide path, and we are pleased that we are going to be able to use all of that funding for its intended purpose. While I was hoping to achieve full expenditure for the trust fund right away, I was willing to compromise on this glide path as a step in the right direction. Unfortunately, the current version of the Energy and Water bill falls short of the mark by just over $36 million. I would like thank the chairman for working with us on a bipartisan and, I should say, a bicoastal way with my coming from the west side of Michigan, the west coast of Michigan--and we have got the West Coast of the country with California--and for finding a bipartisan solution to hit the target and offset the cost by reducing spending elsewhere. We can hit this WRRDA target, and we believe that this will ensure that the 140 federally maintained commercial and recreational ports and harbors in the Great Lakes will be adequately maintained. These Federal harbor channels, like Pentwater, White Lake, Ludington, Muskegon, Holland, and Grand Haven, in my district, are the lifeblood of these very communities. Let's keep our promise to these communities and to the taxpayers who support this and allow their ports and harbors to be engines of economic growth and create jobs for American workers, farmers, and manufacturers. Again, thank you for working with us, Mr. Chairman. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan. Mr. Chair, at this time, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Abraham).

Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan

Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise today regarding a missed vote due to a funeral on Tuesday, April 14, 2015. Had I been present for roll call vote number 149, H. Res. 189, the combined rule providing for consideration of H.R. 650--Preserving Access to Manufactured Housing Act and H.R. 685--Mortgage Choice Act, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan

Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Dr. Jack Holmes and his commendable service to Hope College as a Professor of Political Science. After graduating cum laude from Knox College with honors in political science, Professor Holmes went on to earn his Ph.D. in political science from the University of Denver. As a Captain in the U.S. Army in the Politico-Military Division at the Pentagon, Dr. Holmes researched major international political decisions affecting the army. After his work in Washington, he moved to Holland, Michigan, to teach at Hope College. After four years, however, he returned to Colorado to work as the District Assistant for Congressman Don Brotzman. This position entailed constituent relations as well as advising on foreign policy, minority, education, and environmental matters. Ever a true Flying Dutchmen though, Professor Holmes returned to Hope in 1975. Professor Holmes' experiences in the public sector and his interest in American foreign policy and international relations were instrumental in creating his Mood/Interest Theory of American Foreign Policy. He has recently written a follow up to Mood/Interest Theory called Ambivalent America: Cyclical Interactions with Trends. Not only is Professor Holmes an excellent theorist, he has also co-authored a national government textbook American Government: Essentials & Perspectives as well as many other articles and journals. He has been heavily involved in the Hope College community, especially as faculty advisor to Model United Nations and to the Hope Republicans. Professor Holmes has also served as a political consultant and has been very involved with the Michigan Republican party. Professor Holmes grew up in Colorado and returns each summer. As an avid outdoorsman he spends the summer months on his mountain ranch researching, writing, backpacking, fishing, and even teaching a course on wilderness politics. Today, April 27, 2015, we recognize Professor Holmes for all of his tireless work and commitment to political science and to Hope College. I want to thank Professor Holmes for his service to Hope College, to Michigan, and to this country.

Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan

Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, it is a great honor to recognize Bishop Robert Earle Smith, Sr., for his commendable service to The White Cloud Empowerment Center Church of God and for his elevation to the Office of Auxiliary Bishop in the Church of God in Christ. It is fitting that we take a moment to recognize Bishop Smith's accomplishments and contributions to spreading the word of God all over Michigan and the United States. Throughout his life, Bishop Smith has been deeply committed to serving God and his people. He moved to Michigan at the age of 14 and began attending Saint James Church of God in Christ. After graduating from Flint Northern High School, Bishop Smith served his country in the United States Air Force. Next he took college courses at the University of Maryland, Mott Community College, and the University of Michigan, Flint, where he continued to wholeheartedly pursue his ministry ambitions. He went on to serve as the Dean of the Flint branch of the C.H. Mason Bible College where he integrated faith and education. Bishop Smith recalls sharing his faith with thousands of people in an arena in Memphis, Tennessee, when he served as the vice-president of the Sunday School Convention. Today, Bishop Smith serves as the pastor and preaches in two different Church of God in Christ locations in Michigan. For nearly fifty years, Bishop Smith has traveled 300 miles round-trip from his home in Flint to White Cloud in order to serve as the pastor of The White Cloud Empowerment Center Church of God in Christ. His devout dedication to the Lord is evident as he reaches out to pray for and assist the homeless, needy, youth, and the lost. His mission is to give love and compassion to anyone in need, which is reflective of the very walk of Jesus Christ. Throughout his life and ministry, Bishop Robert Earle Smith, Sr., has been a shining example of being a faithful follower of God. He has passionately dedicated his life to serving the Lord through ministry and evangelism. Bishop Smith, thank you for what you have done not only for the Church of God in Christ, but for all of Michigan and our country.

Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan

Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I appreciate the opportunity to come and to try to clarify some of the assertions and confused claims that have been thrown out here. My family has been involved in construction since the 1930s--the 1930s. I will never forget the day--it was a Thursday--when I pulled up right down the street from my home and I saw my cousin's business that they now own that my dad and uncle and grandfather had started. It is a ready-mix concrete company. Literally, all the guys' trucks were there, all their pickups. It is a small company. It is about 12 or 15 people that work there. Every single one of those cement trucks were parked in the yard, the exact place that they should not be. I found out later that we had trucks on the way to construction sites that were turned around and came back. That is seared into my memory. I have no interest in going back to where we had been. In fact, I was one of those warning about the practices before serving in this body. Frankly, if those who were serving in this body who wrote Dodd-Frank had actually talked to a few of the people involved in the industry, they might have understood what the interaction is between the buyer, the seller, the construction agent, the closer, the people that are providing title insurance. The simple fact is that there is not an understanding of how this system works. We may have a common goal of serving consumers. We have very different visions about how that needs to be done. As I said, there has been lots of assertions and sort of confused claims thrown around. Many of them, frankly, are problems completely unrelated to what this is, and I am not sure how the activity of the Transportation Committee relates exactly to what our work is on the Financial Services Committee, but I think it is an old adage: when you are losing, you keep talking. That is what has been happening here on the floor for those that have been watching. The assertion that weak and nonexistent State regulations are out there is just amazing to me, especially in California. I am betting the insurance commissioner in California would be surprised at this assertion, since California is one of the 47 States that regulates title insurance. RESPA laws, disclosure requirements written into law, transparency is a key element in this. I was a licensed Realtor when agency disclosure first came in. This was in the midnineties. You had to declare whether you were a buyer's agent, a seller's agent, a transactional coordinator. There have been real changes, positive changes, that have happened for the consumer in that industry over the last 20 to 25 years. The irony in this particular situation is that affiliated companies, those companies that may have been started by the same people--that is the definition, by the way. I might be a small-business owner who owns a real estate company, and I start another company dealing with title insurance. That now, because that is on my personal tax form, is an affiliated company. I can't do or charge what an unaffiliated company could do. Now, I might buy the argument that was made earlier that these companies can just charge whatever they want to charge, but I could only buy that if my friends on the other side of the aisle would be willing to apply equally the law. The law does not apply equally here. It does not do what they claim that they are trying to do. The other element that has been talked about a little bit--this is so ridiculous; it strikes me. It is like saying I can't shop at Walmart or at a Meijer store in our area or other places because they sell fresh produce and electronics and hardware. I need to go to a hardware store to go pick up my nails; I need to go to the corner grocer to go pick up my lettuce, and, by the way, if I want to get a flat screen TV, I have got to go somewhere else. This is about consumers having choices and abilities to utilize a streamline. Those costs need to be disclosed, first of all. Those costs oftentimes are regulated, the vast majority of the times are regulated by the States; yet it just is a clunky system that does not work in the design of Dodd-Frank. The assertion that any change of Dodd-Frank somehow benefits or is anticonsumer or benefits somebody on Wall Street, go and talk to those owners of those small companies in all of our States, go and talk to them about what their Wall Street affiliation is. This bill is, frankly, widely viewed as unrealistic and unworkable. It is time that we face that reality and we change some of the elements of this. This is a modest, modest change. In fact, it is so modest, frankly, Mr. Speaker, that our previous speaker had supported the bill, had supported it when it was in committee, had supported it when it was on the House floor, certainly did not object to it, and I guess maybe I could say supported it because, on August 1 of 2014, she, along with 12 of her colleagues-- including one who has gone on to the Senate--12 Democrats signed a letter to Senator Harry Reid requesting him to take my bill up. Mr. Speaker, I insert for the Record the letter. Congress of the United States, House of Representatives, Washington, DC, August 1, 2014. Dear Majority Leader Reid, Chairman Johnson and Members of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: On June 9, the House passed the Mortgage Choice Act (H.R. 3211), on the suspension calendar without objection. Senators Manchin and Johanns introduced a companion bill, S. 1577 in October, but it has not yet been considered. We support the Mortgage Choice Act because of our concern about lower-income consumers' access to credit and their ability to select the mortgage and title insurance providers of their choice. Passage of H.R. 3211 represents the fourth time that the House has approved virtually identical legislation without objection. In 2007 and 2009, a Democratic House majority passed essentially the same provision in the Miller-Watt- Frank anti-predatory lending legislation, and then a third time as part of the House's version of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act in 2010. The Mortgage Choice Act simply excludes the cost of title insurance from the definition of points and fees under the Truth in Lending Act regardless of whether a title insurance agent is affiliated with a mortgage lender or not. It also clarifies that funds held in escrow for the payment of property insurance do not count as ``points and fees.'' The legislation is needed to ensure that smaller loans to creditworthy low and moderate-income consumers can select the mortgage lender and title insurance provider of their choice and obtain a ``qualified mortgage,'' the gold standard for all mortgages. The bill authorizes the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to implement rules governing the exclusion of reasonable title insurance charges from ``points and fees.'' It preserves the Bureau's strong enforcement authority to require transparency and disclosure of affiliations and charges under the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA). In fact, the CFPB has been vigorous in its pursuit of RESPA violations, ranging from minor disclosure errors to kick-backs for referrals by an unaffiliated title company. We urge you and the entire Senate to quickly adopt the Mortgage Choice Act to improve access to credit, enhance competition among title insurance providers, and reinforce the CFPB's authority to define what title insurance costs qualify as excludable ``points and fees.'' Sincerely, David Scott, Maxine Waters, Emanuel Cleaver, Henry Cuellar, Daniel T. Kildee, Jim McDermott, Patrick Murphy, Gerald E. Connolly, Michael F. Doyle, Betty McCollum, Gregory W. Meeks, Gary C. Peters, Members of Congress.

Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan. My bill and Congressman Meek's bill was a good bill last Congress, and it is a good bill this Congress because it has not changed at all. It has not changed at all. To quote it, she urged the Senate to ``quickly adopt the Mortgage Choice Act,'' a bill that would ``improve access to credit'' and ``enhance competition among title insurance providers.'' Frankly, Mr. Speaker, my colleague was right last time, and she should be right in this Congress. Unfortunately, we are seeing that--I am afraid politics may have leaked in. The administration has issued a veto threat, and I think we may have seen why some of this change of heart has happened. I am, frankly, disheartened for the American people that Presidential politics have already leaked into what this body should be doing, which is representing people, which is making sure that they are getting the best end of the stick, not the sharp end of the stick. Frankly, Dodd-Frank has delivered the sharp end of the stick, intentionally or unintentionally, way too many times. It is our job to go and fix it and to make sure that the consumers, that our constituents, are getting the best service that they possibly can. With that, Mr. Speaker, I would like to urge all of my colleagues to join so many of us in a bipartisan fashion who support this bill, who believe that this is the right time and the right bill to rectify this problem, and to get on with it. I request all of my colleagues to support H.R. 685. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hensarling), the chairman of our committee.

Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. McHenry), the vice chairman of our committee.

Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. McCarthy).

Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 685, the Mortgage Choice Act. As someone who has worked in the housing industry, this is a very important issue to me and, more importantly, to all of our constituents across the country. Last year, the qualified mortgage--or QM--ability to repay rule as mandated by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act went into effect. Nobody has a problem with that, but the QM rule is the primary means for mortgage lenders to satisfy its ``ability to repay'' requirements. Additionally, Dodd-Frank provides that a QM, or qualified mortgage, may not have points and fees in excess of 3 percent of the total loan amount. As it is ambiguously defined currently, ``points and fees'' include, among other charges, fees paid to affiliated, but not unaffiliated, title companies, and amounts of insurance and taxes held in escrow. As a result of this confusing and problematic definition, many affiliated loans, particularly those made to low- and moderate-income borrowers would not qualify as QMs and would be unlikely to be made or would only be available at higher rates due to heightened liability risks. Consumers would lose the ability to take advantage of the convenience and market efficiencies and choice offered by one-stop shopping. I, along with my good friend Representative Gregory Meeks from New York, reintroduced H.R. 685, a strong, bipartisan bill that would modify and clarify the way that these points and fees are calculated. This legislation is very narrowly focused to promote access to affordable mortgage credit without overturning the important consumer protections and sound underwriting required under Dodd-Frank's ``ability to repay'' provisions. Having been a licensed Realtor and coming out of that industry, it didn't take those of us who had been in the industry long to see that there was significant problems with the structure of what had led to the housing crisis in the last number of years. I tell the story oftentimes of the first closing that I did, where a check was slid across the desk the table to the seller and then a check was slid across the table to the buyer. The closing agent really didn't even know what to say. It was the first time that they were starting to get into these zero down or even 120 percent loan to values, is what was happening. I thought to myself, this is not going to end well, and that is the case. We need to have that tightened-up system. But I think it is important to know that we have some issues with that Dodd-Frank provision. This is one of those. I do also believe, Mr. Speaker, that it is important to note that when we first introduced this bill in 2012, in the last Congress, it looked substantially different. However, working with my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, I made the decision to make the changes necessary to gain their support of the legislation. As a result, it has been a truly bipartisan effort at every step of the way in the legislative process. That is why this very legislation unanimously passed both the House Financial Services Committee and the House of Representatives last Congress. In fact, as we dealt with this bill again, the new bill, H.R. 685, it passed out of committee 43-12, after, I think, some had decided that they were going to be against it after they were for it. It seems that the White House and others on Capitol Hill have decided that, rather than taking care of consumers, and rather than trying to make the bill work, they have decided that it is a citadel that cannot be breached, and not a jot or a tittle of Dodd-Frank can be changed. Otherwise, they label it as bailouts and helping out Wall Street and all these other things. The real truth of the matter is, Mr. Speaker, we are trying to make sure that real Americans can obtain the American Dream and buy and own their own home. Specifically, our bill, H.R. 685, would provide equal treatment for affiliated title fees and title companies and clarify the treatment of insurance held in escrow. When things are held in escrow, they don't belong to the owner, they don't belong to the bank or the title company that is holding it. All they are doing is holding them to then pay for that insurance bill that is going to be coming due. They pay for the insurance or the property taxes that may be coming up. What happens, when someone writes that check every month, they are putting a twelfth of that total payment every month into that escrow. And it just begs to be clarified. These commonsense changes will promote access to affordable mortgage credit for low- and moderate-income families and first-time homeowners by ensuring that safer, properly underwritten mortgages pass the QM test. Whether or not you support Dodd-Frank overall, or specifically within this area, it is clear the law is going to require some tweaks to ensure qualified borrowers aren't locked out of homeownership and the beneficial features of a qualified mortgage. The QM represents the safest, best underwritten mortgage availability on the market. It is the gold standard, Mr. Speaker. We should want more people getting QMs, not fewer. Quite frankly, this is something that we should all agree on and, as I pointed out, we did last term. Our bill doesn't touch any of the CFPB's strict underwriting criteria. It doesn't in any way suspend a lender's legal requirement to determine that a borrower has the ability to repay that loan. Mr. Speaker, this body has the opportunity to help more Americans realize a portion of that American Dream, as we talked about. You know what the best part of it is, Mr. Speaker? We don't need to pass a grandiose law or decree. All we need to do is work in a bipartisan manner. I think the American people are begging for that, and here is an opportunity to do that. We have done it, and to reform a burdensome regulation that is negatively impacting our constituents is something that we should all strive for. So I would like to thank my colleague, Representative Meeks, along with many of the others on both my side of the aisle and the other side of the aisle who have worked tirelessly to help fix this flawed provision currently being implemented in Dodd-Frank. I urge my colleagues to vote in support of H.R. 658 and help make the dreams of their constituents come true and a reality by ensuring that all consumers have greater access to mortgage credit and more choices and credit providers. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and submit extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.

Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 189, I call up the bill (H.R. 685) to amend the Truth in Lending Act to improve upon the definitions provided for points and fees in connection with a mortgage transaction, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I would like to inquire as to the amount of time on both sides.

Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, with that, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Trott), a new colleague of ours.