Daniel Kildee

Mr. KILDEE

Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, this final amendment to the bill will not kill the bill or send it back to committee. If adopted, the bill will immediately proceed to final passage as amended. The bill is yet another attempt to delay the issuance of new and updated regulations to protect our streams, our rivers, and our communities from mountaintop coal mining. These safeguards are important for protecting the health and safety of the drinking water in communities and of children living near mountaintop removal coal mining. Mr. Speaker, my motion would prevent the stream protection rule from being delayed if there is an increase in the incidence or prevalence of lung cancer, heart or kidney disease, birth defects, or heavy metal contamination in these communities. We cannot allow the underlying bill to further delay important protections of public health. I know, firsthand, what happens when protections are not strong enough to prevent heavy metals, mainly lead, from contaminating drinking water. I have seen thousands of kids in my hometown of Flint, Michigan, poisoned by lead-contaminated water. Let me repeat: Today, in the 21st century, thousands of children being poisoned by lead in their drinking water due to the lack of effective enforcement. For 14 months, in my hometown of Flint, children, citizens have been exposed to drinking water with very high levels of lead. These kids, especially, will face consequences. This is not a problem without victims. Children will face cognitive difficulties, developmental problems, behavioral issues, all because in Michigan our Governor appointed an emergency financial manager to take over the city of Flint, and without any concern for health or the welfare of the people who live there, simply to save a few dollars, switched the city of Flint, not by the city itself, but the State of Michigan switched the city of Flint from Lake Huron to the Flint River as its primary drinking water source. That highly corrosive river water led to lead leaching into the water system and, for 14 months, going into the bodies of people in my hometown, into children, all because of ineffective, lackluster enforcement of protections built into the law. These kids in my hometown have a right to expect that the water coming through the faucet is safe for them to drink, and the Department of Environmental Quality in Michigan was warned--warned--by the EPA, warned by a researcher from Virginia Tech who came to Flint to study the water, and warned by a local pediatrician who saw elevated lead levels in the children's blood in Flint, Michigan. What was the State's response? To try to discredit those claims that there were elevated lead levels, to actually--believe it or not--tell the people of the city of Flint that those researchers are wrong and they should just relax. That is what they were told. Relax. This is the 21st century. We ought to have in place adequate protections to make sure that drinking water is safe. What has been the response, even now in my own hometown in the State of Michigan? There have been some news conferences, but from July, when the State was first made aware of this, until today, the State has yet to step in to even supply bottled water, relying on the generosity of corporations, of labor unions, and of citizens, neighbors helping neighbors. Unfortunately, I think they see this more as a public relations problem than as a public health emergency. This is what happens when we don't recognize the importance of regulation to protect public health. This is what happens when we weaken protections for drinking water for our environment and for our land. Is this really what we want to do? Or don't we have an obligation to do everything in our power to protect the people back home, to protect children from this terrible, terrible kind of contamination? The steps that we are taking today that are on the floor of the House will simply be one more step to weaken those sorts of protections. My motion to recommit would correct that. Mr. Speaker, I ask all my colleagues to please join me. Protect our people, protect our land, and protect our kids. Join me in supporting this motion. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KILDEE. I am opposed.

Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. KILDEE

Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to talk to this Congress about my hometown of Flint, Michigan. This morning I wrote to the President and wrote a letter to our Governor, asking for help for my hometown. Almost beyond belief, for a year and a half, the city of Flint has had water running through the pipes and into the homes of the people in Flint. The water has extraordinarily high levels of lead, which can affect the trajectory of a child's life permanently. This was a decision made by the State government when it took over the city of Flint because of its financial situation. To save a few dollars, it switched from Lake Huron as its primary water source to the Flint River, without even any science or thought as to how the river might be treated. As a result, that corrosive river has put lead into the water source and into the bodies of young children. Today, finally, after months and months and months, apparently, our Governor is going to announce some sort of response at the State level. I can assure you this: There is no confidence of the people of the city of Flint and of the people of Michigan--I have, certainly, no confidence myself--that the State's response will be adequate. I am asking the Federal Government to step in and help correct this manmade disaster in Flint, Michigan.

Mr. KILDEE

Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Chairman, my main concern with this bill is the provision that would prevent a new regulation from taking effect until it has been available online for at least 6 months after the already exhaustive public notice and comment period that is required of new regulations. This may be a well-intended procedure, but it could potentially harm the very people that are in need of protection under some of the rules being promulgated. I know there is an exemption that may relate to health and safety that could include a Presidential action, but it requires us to know of an impending threat in order for that procedure to be utilized. I am thinking about what happened in my own hometown of Flint, Michigan, where people cannot wait 6 months for the Lead and Copper Rule, for example, which is under review right now, to be modified. Due to mismanagement by the State government and the weakness in the Safe Drinking Water Act's Lead and Copper Rule, thousands of children in Flint, Michigan, have been exposed to dangerous lead. Lead exposure is not good for anyone, but it is particularly dangerous for young children. According to the CDC, lead exposure is one of the most dangerous neurotoxins. It has wide-ranging impacts affecting IQ. There are behavioral implications. There are developmental implications for the central nervous system. It is heartbreaking, then, to see, as a result of the failure to adequately supply support in regulation to drinking water programs, that levels of lead in my own hometown have poisoned children. Changes to the Lead and Copper Rule, which I have participated in and are underway right now, could have prevented this. Right now, as a matter of fact, those changes are pending. If this legislation is passed, basically what we are saying to the people of Flint and other potential communities that could have lead exposure is that we have to wait another 6 months for that protection, 6 more months potentially of dangerous lead leaching into the pipes, going into the bodies of young children. This notion that regulation is always wrong and always bad--I know that is not the position that is taken--but the effect of this legislation would be to slow down the regulatory process, very often regulations that need to be changed, need to be adjusted to provide essential protections to public health. The notion that we are supposed to somehow know that an imminent threat is present and allow this expedited process that is anticipated in this legislation belies logic. They didn't know, until after blood levels showed increased lead levels in children, that such a problem existed. When we know that there are necessary changes, when the EPA, through its process, as they have done with the Lead and Copper Rule, know that there are ways to improve the protection to kids, we ought to implement those regulations as soon as we possibly can.

Mr. KILDEE

Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, well, it may be a new year, but the Republicans are celebrating with the same old extreme attacks on women's health care and trying to take away health insurance from hardworking American families. It is a shame that the House Republican leadership has chosen to spend the first week of 2016 attacking Planned Parenthood and dismantling those important benefits to 22 million Americans. The bill that we will vote on today will defund Planned Parenthood and the important family planning services that they provide, including lifesaving cancer screenings for millions of women across this country. This bill would dismantle affordable health care for millions of more workers, for families, for students. Instead of wasting time on a radical bill which, quite frankly, some on the other side have acknowledged will not become law, we ought to be focusing on the questions that the American people sent us here to work on--on getting our economy moving, putting Americans back to work, and rebuilding our infrastructure. That is the challenge that we face, and we ought not politicize women's health care in order to pander to the extreme voices on the right.

Mr. KILDEE

Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her work on this. Tonight, I want to share the story of a young man from my district, James Brendan Bye. His mother, Barbara, a good friend of mine, shared her story with me and asked that I share it tonight with this Congress and with the country. Brendan was born on August 3, 1989, followed by his sister, Megan Elizabeth. Their father left early on, leaving Barbara as a single working parent. Another sibling, Preston, blessed them in 1999. Brendan was a wonderful kid, a respectful young man, an honor student. His love of playing sports was never realized because of asthma. In his senior year of high school, things changed. He became paralyzed with fear, couldn't go to school, dropped out, and spent a year looking for help. He met friends that turned out to be bad influences, made experimental choices. His mother was aware of this sudden change and saw the signs of anxiety and depression. Brendan, though, got his GED, started a job at 18, grateful for work in a city with high unemployment. He struggled through his early twenties. His mother did everything in her power to help him. As a single mom, she worked and raised a family of three on one paycheck, often finding herself needing to look for help, including Medicaid. For Brendan, because his symptoms of mental illness were not so easily recognizable, help was harder to get. He was not properly diagnosed or treated. His treatment plan did not work. It was not successful. As he sunk further into depression, prescription drugs led to illegal drug use. He self-medicated. His mother, Barbara, did not share her home life with others. For her, it was an element of confusion and shame which became the norm. Unfortunately, in their community of Grand Blanc, heroin was readily available. Like many other communities, lots of kids from all backgrounds were using and dying from heroin. Brendan first overdosed when he was 24. He was saved by his grandfather, Al, who helped him get into rehab. He was able to get ongoing treatment at Sacred Heart in Flint, where he had a great counselor who helped him. Things were looking up. Last year, Barbara was happy. All three of her kids were employed for the first time. Their future looked bright. Heroin, it seemed, was out of Brendan's life. He started taking medication prescribed by a doctor to reverse the effects of heroin, volunteered at a food bank, loved nature, loved his pets, loved his brother and sister. His relationships flourished, especially with his Aunt Amy, Aunt Carla, and his cousins. As Barbara told me, ``he was a beautiful person inside and out.'' At the end of August this last year, things changed again. He was taken off prescription medication, and a short time later his mother and sister found him collapsed in his bedroom. Brendan, at the age of 26, on September 8 of last year, died. For Brendan, he is now in heaven. His struggles with mental illness and addiction are gone. For his family and friends, they continue to grieve. Barbara has become an advocate. She wants to make sure we honor Brendan and his life by making sure that those who need health care can get health care, those who need mental health services can get mental health services. Her message, and really Brendan's message, is that we have to do more as a society and as a nation to deal with this incredible problem. It is the way we honor those that we have lost. It is the way we honor Brendan.

Mr. KILDEE

Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, I ask the United States House of Representatives to join me in recognizing Flint City Councilman Scott Kincaid for his commitment to the city and for the years he has served as a public servant. Born in Flint, MI in 1952, Councilman Kincaid has been committed to his hometown most of his life. In 1970, he graduated from Flint Southwestern. After graduation, Councilman Kincaid's strong sense of civic duty led him to serve in the United States Army. Following his time in the service, Councilman Kincaid worked for GM Fisher and was heavily involved with the UAW. He served on the Executive Board, was the Education Director, and was appointed the Joint Activity Representative for Local 581. By 2003, he was working as the Government Liaison to assist with new plant investments. He is currently the Health Initiatives Coordinator for Region 1C Flint. In 1985, Councilman Kincaid was first elected to the Flint City Council. He has from that day forward served the City of Flint to the best of his abilities. Councilman Kincaid served as Council President more than once over his tenure with the city. Mr. Speaker, I applaud the work and commitment of Councilman Kincaid. It is the dedication of people like him that keeps this city strong.

Mr. KILDEE

Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, last week, House Republicans voted three times to block debate on Republican Congressman Peter King's Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act, which would close the outrageous loophole that allows suspects who are on the FBI's terrorist watch list to purchase weapons. Mr. Speaker, 2,000 suspects on the FBI's watch list tried to buy weapons in the U.S. in the last 11 years, and 91 percent of them walked away with a weapon. Democrats remain committed to blocking dangerous people from having guns. Eighty percent of gun owners support this. It is a bipartisan effort. Peter King from the Republican Conference wrote this legislation, yet Republicans and the leadership blocked a chance for us to have a simple yes-or-no vote on what most Americans think would be logical, commonsense ways to keep us safe. Seriously? Terrorist watch list? Buy a gun of your choice whenever you want? We are better than that. This Congress needs to act. I urge my colleagues to join me in stopping this nonsense.

Mr. KILDEE

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

Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. KILDEE

Mr. KILDEE. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, this legislation is a Homeland Security bill. We have a number of these bills coming to the floor today. But it is hard to ignore the fact that there is a glaring weakness in what is being brought here to the floor when it comes to protecting the American people. Right now at this very moment an individual who is on the FBI terrorist watch list could walk into any gun store and purchase the weapon of their choice. The American people understand this makes absolutely no sense. In the last 11 years, 2,000 people who are on the terrorist watch list have gone in to purchase weapons and 91 percent of them have walked away with the weapon of their choice. Inexplicably, a piece of legislation authorized by Republican Congressman Peter King is ready for this House to act. It would close this ridiculous loophole. When I have talked to people back home about this, they expect that this is already law. They almost have to have it pointed out to them that, no, this is actually not the case. A person on the terrorist watch list can go to a gun store and purchase a weapon. If we are serious about protecting the safety of the American people, it would seem that the commonsense thing to do would be to take up Representative King's legislation and close this dangerous loophole. So we are coming to the floor with important bills. I don't deny that. Right now we have in our hands the ability to act to take guns out of the hands of people who are on the terrorist watch list. If you can't be trusted to fly, you certainly shouldn't be trusted to walk in and just get a weapon of your choice. Because of this body's failure to bring up this important legislation, I as a Member of Congress can't sit idly by.

Mr. KILDEE

Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, as a Member of Congress, I take seriously my responsibility to protect and defend the American people. That is why it is so troubling to me that Republicans in Congress last week voted three times to block debate on a bill, offered by Republican Congressman Peter King, that would close a loophole that allows suspects on the FBI's terrorist watch list to buy assault weapons. The shocking truth is that, according to the GAO, more than 2,000 suspects on the FBI's terrorist watch list tried to buy weapons in the U.S. over the last 11 years; 91 percent of them walked away with a weapon. With all of the threats and dangers that we face, this loophole should be closed. We should make it harder for suspected terrorists to buy assault weapons, not easier. Mr. Speaker, 80 percent of gun owners support keeping guns away from people on the terror watch list. Yet Republicans in Congress and the NRA continue to block commonsense bills to do what? To allow suspected terrorists to purchase weapons? Congress needs to act to protect the American people and close this dangerous loophole.

Mr. KILDEE

Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, the bipartisan budget agreement signed into law last month helped to avert another manufactured political crisis here in Washington. But our work is not done. If we don't pass a spending bill before December 11, working Americans and seniors will face another dangerous government shutdown. Sadly, Mr. Speaker, Republican leadership continues to threaten this process over radical policy riders like defunding Planned Parenthood. Unfortunately, in his first press conference, the new Speaker could not rule out another Republican government shutdown. As we face tremendous threats to our national security, we need to set politics aside. Some things in this House have to be exempt from political gamesmanship, and we would certainly think that keeping government open and functioning would be one of the things that we take out of the political conversation. Mr. Speaker, the American people want us to do our job. Our job is to make sure that this government runs, and we can't do that if we continue to use politics and the threat of a government shutdown to achieve what can't be achieved through the normal legislative process. Mr. Speaker, we need to do our job.

Mr. KILDEE

Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Chair, the National Response Center is a joint operation between the U.S. Coast Guard, the EPA, and other agencies. It is the sole Federal point of contact for reporting hazardous substance releases and oil spills. Essentially, it is our Nation's 911 for dangerous spills, staffed by the Coast Guard 24 hours a day, passing on reports to relevant national response teams. Those teams then go to the site of a spill, assess the situation, determine the best way to mitigate exposure, and quickly clean up the spill. Often it is the Coast Guard being called upon to clean up a spill when it involves surface water. Back in March I visited a Coast Guard station in my district to learn more about their operations. While I was there, we talked quite a bit about a serious deficiency in their capabilities, a deficiency that came to light during one of the greatest environmental disasters that our State has faced, and the chairman is quite aware of this. In 2010, there was a large spill on the Kalamazoo River. It was the largest inland oil spill in the history of the U.S., in fact. The Coast Guard was called upon to help with those cleanup efforts. When they arrived, however, they learned that the equipment that they had brought to the spill was for one type of oil--the oil that they believed to have been involved in this particular incident--but the oil in the Kalamazoo River was an entirely different type and consistency than what they had expected, and it required a different cleanup method. Valuable time was lost as the Coast Guard actually had to return back to their station, hours away, to get the right equipment. Meanwhile, this spill continued into this river. The terrible scope of the spill could have been much more easily mitigated had the National Response Center possessed the basic information regarding the contents of that particular pipeline so they could pass the information on to the Coast Guard to address the spill when it occurred. Currently, these response teams are often flying blind as they head out to spills. Without this important information, the likelihood of much more serious damage, such as what we saw in 2010 in the Kalamazoo River, is much higher. So I have been talking with lots of folks, including the people within the Coast Guard, about ways to improve their ability to address and respond to this type of spill. The amendment that I have offered would simply require the GAO to conduct a study of ways in which the capabilities of the National Response Center could be improved, including providing additional information on the contents of these pipelines. It would be an independent study that could then guide policymakers in improving the National Response Center, providing them the tools they need in the 21st century. The National Response Center receives over 6,000 calls per year across the country on all different sorts of spills. Giving the National Response Center the tools they need in order to respond to these incidents as quickly as possible with the right information is critical not only to protecting public health, but in preventing long- term damage to the environment. Of course, coming from Michigan--in the district that I represent, the Great Lakes, I have 77 miles of shoreline--we are particularly concerned about surface water spills, and this information is absolutely critical. Forty million people depend on the Great Lakes for drinking water. We want to ensure that those who are charged with responding to accidents, such as the one we saw in Michigan, have all the information and tools available to them. I ask my colleagues to support this amendment. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Chairman, I just want to thank the chairman for his good work on this. I look forward to working with him again on additional pipeline safety measures as they come to the floor. I appreciate his support for my amendment. I believe in quitting while I am ahead. With that, unless the ranking member would like time, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KILDEE

Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the efforts of my colleague and classmate Mr. Barr in attempting to address this issue. I appreciate the impact that the qualified mortgage rule has had in terms of mortgage lending for consumers and access to credit. It is especially true for our local and community bankers who have longtime personal relationships with individuals and families. It is these types of relationships that we need to encourage: the personal knowledge of people that banks and financial institutions lend to. I also appreciate the aspects of the bill intended to increase access for consumers that are just shy of the strict qualified mortgage standards, and I support the policy of allowing otherwise non-QM- compliant individuals having access to qualified mortgage products if lenders are willing to keep the loans on their books. My concern with this legislation, among others, is that it does not explicitly disallow the exotic mortgage products that were so much a part of the housing crisis. There are consumer protections that could improve this legislation in terms of how we allow safe borrower protections for banks and mortgage originators. I do think we should focus on consumer protection and allow non-QM loans to be non-QM only in terms of the borrower--those individuals that fall just outside QM standards--and not open up to non-QM products, particularly because this is not applicable only to those small community banks or credit unions that we are so familiar with, but to all institutions. Portfolio lending is an important opportunity to find bipartisan agreement. I hope we can continue to work on this. One other issue that I raise--and it was included in the amendment that I offered that the Rules Committee did not make in order--is that I would have preferred that the legislation require that the institutions making loans under this title collect data on how these loans are being made and how they are performing, and get us the information to determine whether or not the effect that we are trying to create with this sort of approach is actually being met or if, in fact, it is not. I appreciate the efforts of my friend and colleague. I wish I could work with him if, in fact, this moves forward in a way that it is open to suggestion.

Mr. KILDEE

Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, I ask the United States House of Representatives to join me in recognizing World War II Veteran Leo Bates of the 93rd Bombardment Group. Mr. Bates joined the United States Army Air Corps in 1942, shortly after his graduation from high school. He served valiantly for three years as a radio operator, where he flew 30 missions across Europe. It is my honor to recognize the veterans of World War II and their families for their patriotism and sacrifice. While this Veterans Day presents a clear opportunity to remember the sacrifices of our veterans, I want to make sure our nation does not forget their exemplary commitment to service and democracy. Mr. Bates shares this passion, which he incorporates by crafting and selling beautiful walking sticks to support fellow veterans. Along with his walking sticks come some incredible war stories, which he plans to share at Bay Area nursing homes this Veterans Day. It is my honor to represent many of the fine men and women who served our country, such as Leo Bates, and my duty to respectfully preserve their memories with the same dedication with which these veterans defended our freedoms. Mr. Speaker, I applaud all American veterans, and particularly Leo Bates and extend my deepest appreciation to them for their years of service to our great country.

Mr. KILDEE

Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, like many Members, I was pleased that Congress last month passed a bipartisan budget agreement that avoids yet another manufactured political crisis from hanging over the heads of America's hardworking families. But Congress must still act to pass legislation to fund the government before December 11. Especially now, with very real national security threats, Congress must take the politics as usual out of the question, pass a clean bill without poison pill riders, and fund our government. When I go home, I hear from my constituents every day that they just want Congress to do their job. They say it is time for responsible, bipartisan governing. I couldn't agree more. I am ready--I know other Democrats are, and I know Republicans are as well--to continue to work together to avoid a government shutdown. But, without action, that won't happen. Passing a budget and a funding bill that will keep the government open means we can work on the priorities of the American people, helping them send their kids to school, afford to buy a house, and, of course, protect national security. We have to act together, and we have to do it soon.

Mr. KILDEE

Mr. KILDEE. Madam Speaker, right now in my hometown of Flint, Michigan, there is a public health crisis. In the 21st century, in a city of 100,000 people, they cannot deliver safe drinking water. They can't guarantee safe drinking water because of high lead levels. As a result of a decision by a State-appointed financial receiver, the city now has water that is undrinkable. I continue to pursue all avenues to provide relief to my hometown as they struggle with this crisis, to provide relief to the victims and support to that community as it now has to rebuild its water infrastructure. The State of Michigan could act to forgive the city of its current debt to the Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund, and it should do that immediately. I am pushing for action to do that, and that requires not only the support of the State government but the Federal Government as well. The State also must act to provide a health fund to provide monitoring, education in the short term, and assistance in the long term to individuals, especially children, who have been exposed to high levels of lead. What is happening in Flint is a failure of government. It cannot be allowed, and the State and Federal Government need to act to help this poor city.

Mr. KILDEE

Mr. KILDEE. I thank the ranking member. Mr. Chairman, this is actually a pretty simple question, and I know my friend from Iowa tends to see this question through the lens of his own personal experience and his own company, but, frankly, this is a bigger question than that. I think it is right that the Federal Government has a stake in how it spends its money and that the Federal Government ought to be able to say that when we fund construction projects, we don't want contractors to simply pick the cheapest labor they can. Sure, we may want to build more roads, but we want to make sure those roads last. It is not just a matter of how many miles you build, but whether or not they are going to be done in a way that makes sure that the quality of the work matches the investment that this country is making. So, Mr. Chairman, I understand the gentleman's point. I can just tell you about my own experience having done development and construction in one of the toughest markets in America, big construction and small jobs. I always knew when we paid a prevailing wage that the work was going to be done on time and it was going to be done with quality. When it comes to the Federal dollar, doesn't it seem to me and all of us here that cheap is not always better, and that we owe it to the American people to deliver to them a product that is consistent with the quality that they would like to see in their own home? When you go to buy material or when you go to hire a contractor yourself for your own home, you don't say to yourself, ``Who is the lowest cost provider I can get?'' You want to make sure the job is done right. Secondly, the American people need a raise. We don't need the Federal Government to participate in this race to the bottom in undercutting local economies by paying people less than they are worth. We have lost enough in this country. It is time to end this.

Mr. KILDEE

Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, during his first speech, our new Speaker made a commitment to return the U.S. House of Representatives to regular order. What does that mean? Think ``Schoolhouse Rock,'' an orderly process where bills are introduced, debated in a bipartisan committee process, amendments are allowed, and legislation is actually brought up for a vote. I could not agree with the Speaker more. This Congress, this country would benefit from a more open debate, where voices from both parties are heard, where every Member is empowered to fully be a part of the legislative process, to do the work that they were sent here to do on behalf of the people they work for. I know I have introduced many bills that have not been brought up in committee, have never seen the light of day on the floor, and I know other Members share that frustration. That needs to end. We need to have a more open process. Just last week, 313 Members of this body voted to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank. Almost every Democrat and a majority of Republicans came together, and the legislative process worked. Mr. Speaker, I do call on you to continue to keep that promise. Keep this an open process. This is what the Framers imagined, and it is what the American people expect.

Mr. KILDEE

Mr. KILDEE. I thank the ranking member for yielding and for her leadership on this issue, along with thanking Mr. Heck, Ms. Moore, Mr. Fincher, and Mr. Lucas. Mr. Speaker, the Ex-Im Bank used to be bipartisan legislation. It is so interesting to hear the outrage expressed by Members on the other side for a program that was supported repeatedly by President Ronald Reagan. Where was your outrage then? I don't recall the outrage back then because then it was fine. I also have heard that this is not the appropriate venue for this debate. This is the Congress of the United States of America, and I suspect that the American people think this is a perfectly appropriate venue. The rule that we have utilized to bring this issue to the floor of the House is a rule that you wrote that allows Members of this body, by discharge petition, to bring legislation to the floor, supported by Republicans and Democrats. We are using the rules of the House that you wrote. This is not an inappropriate venue. This is an argument about jobs for the American people, and I will use every venue available to me to fight for jobs for the American people.