Sander Levin

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, how much time is remaining?

Mr. LEVIN. I am glad the chairman spoke because this back-and-forth really illustrates what this is all about. The chairman made these three provisions permanent and paid for. This bill here doesn't pay one dime. We have voted to continue these programs on a short-term basis for a variety of reasons. For example, on bonus depreciation, the notion to make it permanent was contrary to its purpose. The chairman left it out of his reform and then comes here to vote to make it permanent. We need an honest debate about tax reform and what provisions should be made permanent. You have prevented any kind of an honest debate. You don't even allow us to bring up some way to pay for any of this. I previously pointed out the difference. It is so striking. If you extend these provisions, as the Senate does, for 2 years, the cost is $3.4 billion. These two bills are $75 billion. There could be no more dramatic example of irresponsibility and of recklessness, and the mystery is: Why in the world are you doing this? As you can see, there aren't huge numbers of Members here for the debate. You are going through the motions. These are rifle shots, and you are shooting yourselves in the foot. Don't bring up the number of times that someone has voted to continue these on a temporary basis as you argue to make them permanent. That is dishonesty. I want to emphasize the path that is being followed here is not only contrary to the tax reform proposal, contrary to the Ryan budget. It is also going to lead to the Republicans, as Mr. Van Hollen said so eloquently, raising this huge amount of deficit--$614 billion, going towards a trillion--and then the Republicans are going to come back here and say: wow, look at how much the deficit has increased. So you now need to cut these critical programs relating to the lifeline of all of the people in this country, the middle class and all who need some help. So I strongly urge a ``no'' vote on this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Small business can have full confidence that this provision will be extended--period. Indeed, the fact that I have voted for it many times in the past, as pointed out, is confidence that it will be continued. As to the suggestion that we have made to continue it for 2 years, we are already well into the first year, and if we don't act until the end of the year and extend it for 2 years, that would be another one not even for another full year, but there would be a 2-year extension. So small business can be fully confident this will be extended. There is no threat to it. There is zero threat to its extension. When it was said earlier by the chairman that small business can have no idea as to whether this will be extended next year, that simply is not correct. The Senate has before it a bill to extend it for 2 years. At some point, that will pass, and that is the bill that will be taken up in the House. The chairman did extend permanently this provision--not many others. He paid for that. The chairman extolled the fact that he paid for it, and now they have gone in reverse and now suggest that we proceed unpaid for permanently. The cost of this is far different than a 2-year extension, as I have mentioned--far different. We are talking about over $70 billion compared to a few billion dollars. Let me just say that everybody has to be mystified as to why in the world the Republicans are doing this when it violates their budget, when it violates the chairman's and the Republicans' Ways and Means tax proposal, and when, if this is done, it is going to be part of a ratcheting up of the deficit of $614 billion and will have major ramifications for so many programs. Essentially, what they are doing is, on the one hand, increasing this deficit dramatically--through the ceiling. Then they are going to come back on the other hand and say, ah, the deficit went through the ceiling, so we need to take away, with the other, education programs, health programs--all kinds of programs that are necessary-- transportation programs. They are going to say, well, we just don't have the money when, essentially, the reason is that they have tried to pass a bill that throws money out the window. We are going to extend the small business tax cut. We are going to do that--Democrats will stand together to make sure that that happens--but not in a way that is part of a reckless, irresponsible approach. That is a major, major reason we simply have to say: extend it for 2 years. Then let's sit down and talk about what we are going to do with these provisions as part of a tax reform effort that is serious and is bipartisan. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the very distinguished gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), our whip.

Mr. LEVIN. I yield an additional 2 minutes to the gentleman.

Mr. LEVIN. I yield myself 1 minute and yield to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the whip.

Mr. LEVIN. The whip is so correct. The gentleman from Indiana is very confused. He is using his voting card as a credit card. $73 billion on this bill. Our voting card is not a credit card, but the Republicans are turning this into a credit card, with calamitous results. I now yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Doggett), another distinguished member of our committee.

Mr. LEVIN. I yield the gentleman from Texas an additional 1 minute.

Mr. LEVIN. I yield the gentleman from Texas an additional 1 minute.

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, it is now my pleasure to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer), another distinguished member of our committee.

Mr. LEVIN. I yield the gentleman from Oregon an additional 1 minute.

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I now yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Kind), another distinguished gentleman of our committee.

Mr. LEVIN. I yield the gentleman an additional 2 minutes.

Mr. LEVIN. Is the gentleman ready to close?

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. The fact of the matter is that this provision is going to be extended. And you can vote for Mr. Neal's motion to recommit. I guess it is against your creed to vote for it, so you can vote ``no.'' But you will vote later. And it may be a few months from now, it may not be until after the election. I think it would be better to do it now, if not now then in the next month. So don't scare, Mr. Tiberi, the small business people in your district. Tell them what the reality is. We are going to extend this. But we are not going to make it permanent unpaid for. It hasn't been done before for good reason, including the need to review it now and then, and also to take into account the cost. I think what the Republicans are doing, to kind of use an old slogan, an old way of saying it, you are giving hypocrisy a bad name. This is contrary to your budget that you voted for. It is contrary to the Republican Ways and Means tax provisions put together under the leadership of Mr. Dave Camp. What is going to happen is, when you add all this together, you have an astronomical addition to the debt--$614 billion, climbing, if you follow this path, to $1 trillion. So, I think there is no choice here to avoid hypocrisy, or if you want to continue the hypocrisy on your side, vote for this. We are not going to do that. This is a bad idea to proceed this way. We support continuation of this provision, in a responsible, not an irresponsible way, and in a way that isn't reckless. So I strongly urge all the Democrats to look at the full picture here, the hypocrisy on their side and the ramifications, if we continue on this path, for the programs that we believe in, the programs that have helped to make the middle class of America and the programs that need to be continued and not snuffed out because the Republicans, on the one hand, essentially skyrocketed the debt, and then they come back to us and say, we are sorry that we are so in debt that we have to keep cutting the programs that middle America counts on for their livelihood, for their jobs, for their education, and their health. So I strongly urge a ``no'' vote, and I look forward to the motion to recommit by Mr. Neal. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. LEVIN

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

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark the distinguished career of Bob King as the United Auto Workers (UAW) assembles for their 36th Constitutional Convention next week. Bob King--as an individual, as a 44-year Member of the UAW and its President since 2010--vividly represents the proud and historic tradition of the UAW. Like his union, he has devoted his life to the rights to workers, to the fundamental belief in collective bargaining, to the strength of diversity, and to the cause of economic justice and civil and human rights for all. Bob King combines in his leadership a generous spirit--a kindness-- and a tenacious determination. At his core, he is an organizer in the finest tradition knowing that workers are stronger when their voices are united. He listens broadly, and acts decisively, always with the best interest of workers at the UAW and throughout the U.S. and around the world at the forefront of his efforts. Bob King started his career in his twenties at Ford Motor Co.'s Detroit Parts Depot and began his electrical apprenticeship in 1972. He joined Local 600 where he later served as President. He served three terms as Regional Director and three terms as a Vice President. He took the lead as the National Organizing Director and participated in many successful negotiations. He has also played a leading role on the international stage bringing together the efforts of workers around the globe in common cause. From serving his country in the U.S. Army, to serving the workers of the UAW, Bob King is a unique individual who is smart, thoughtful and results-oriented. It has been a privilege to work alongside of him on so many policy issues. Mr. Speaker, next week, Bob King will oversee the transition of leadership at the UAW, and while he no longer will serve as the President, I am confident that he will continue to serve-- and work on behalf of the rights of workers. I also know that he will continue to speak out on behalf of the economic and social justice issues that are vital to creating opportunity and ensuring fairness in our society. I offer my best wishes to Bob and his wife, Moe and look forward to the next chapter in advancing the causes they devote their lives to.

Mr. LEVIN

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

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Van Hollen), the ranking member on the Budget Committee.

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I now yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Danny K. Davis), another distinguished member of the Ways and Means Committee.

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I now yield such time as he may consume to the distinguished gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Kind), a member of our committee.

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Kind).

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, it is now my pleasure to yield 2 minutes to the gentlelady from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson).

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Becerra), the chairman of our Caucus.