Sander Levin

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Colleagues, this is an important moment for this House and for the people of our Nation. There is a real problem--China's persistent manipulation of its currency. That requires real action, and under our leadership, real action is now being taken in this House. China's practices represent, as the Secretary of the Treasury indicated in his testimony before us, ``a major distortion in the global economy.'' For our country, it is impacted on our trade deficit with China--in 2009, $226 billion--and it is impacted on our jobs. Their goods come to us, as a result of their manipulation, cheaper, and our goods to them, more expensive. There is a 15-35 or 40 percent imbalance, a tilted field of competition. The estimates mean 500,000 to 1.5 million jobs. This manipulation is one of the causes of the outsourcing of our jobs-- of manufacturing and other good jobs. Talk hasn't worked. Less than 2 percent appreciation has occurred since just before the last G-20 meeting when the Chinese said that they would make their currency more flexible. Additional steps are needed, and this bill is just such a step. So, after 2 days of hearings before our committee, I worked over the weekend with our majority staff to modify, to make sure this bill was fully compliant with our international WTO obligations. It is compliant. China has an economic strategy. For our businesses and workers, it is vital that our Nation has an active economic strategy, and this is one important piece of that strategy. I strongly urge support of this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LEVIN. I now yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Andrews). (Mr. ANDREWS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LEVIN. It is now my pleasure to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Maine (Mr. Michaud), an active participant in discussions of trade issues.

Mr. LEVIN. I yield myself 15 seconds. That statement really rewrites the history of this legislation. I suggest to everybody, go back and look at the opening statement of the ranking member. Also, we have urged support of the green 301 petition. Only three Republicans supported it. I regret the partisan inflection here. I won't engage in it. I hope we get bipartisan support. I now yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. McDermott), a gentleman who is so actively engaged on these issues. (Mr. McDERMOTT asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LEVIN. I yield myself 10 seconds. To the gentleman who just spoke, without a job, one can't buy goods at any price. This bill is about jobs. I now yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boccieri).

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I now yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Etheridge), a member of our Ways and Means Committee.

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I now yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky).

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio).

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1674, I call up the bill (H.R. 2378) to amend title VII of the Tariff Act of 1930 to clarify that fundamental exchange-rate misalignment by any foreign nation is actionable under United States countervailing and antidumping duty laws, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 3 minutes. (Mr. LEVIN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I now yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Sutton).

Mr. LEVIN. I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman and colleague from Michigan (Mr. Kildee).

Mr. LEVIN. So am I.

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, it is now my pleasure to yield 2 minutes to the very distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel). (Mr. RANGEL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. LEVIN. I yield now 1 minute to the gentleman from Vermont (Mr. Welch).

Mr. LEVIN. It is now my special privilege to yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Perriello).

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 2378.

Mr. LEVIN. Is the gentleman ready to close?

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, how much time remains on either side?

Mr. LEVIN. I yield 15 seconds to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ryan).

Mr. LEVIN. I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, international trade is here to stay. The question before us today is whether we shape its course or simply let it roll--whether there are rules of competition that allow us to compete or whether we look the other way. A 25-40 percent tilt against us is unacceptable. This bill says we cannot and will not look the other way. We are going to act. I say the more multilateral effort the better, but the lack of it should not leave us without a remedy. China's manipulation of its currency is a major unilateral act, and we need to act. The President of our country said to the Chinese Premier, ``Make your currency flexible or we have other means.'' This is just such a means. This is a real problem. No more excuses. Goodwill isn't enough. We need a real answer. This is a real answer. Support this legislation.

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, it is now my privilege, a deep privilege, to yield 1 minute to our distinguished Speaker, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi).

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to urge the passage of H.R. 2941, to renew and enhance ``Johanna's Law'' to increase public awareness and knowledge of gynecological cancers. I am pleased to have introduced this important bill with Representatives DeLauro, Issa, and Burton. Johanna's Law established a national public information campaign to educate women and health care providers about the risk factors and early warning signs of gynecologic cancers. This bill before the House carries on that important work by extending funding of Johanna's Law for 3 more years, from 2011 to 2014, and providing funds for demonstration projects to identify the most effective educational tools. The law was named after Michigan resident Johanna Silver Gordon, a loving mother and dedicated public school teacher, who, despite visiting her doctor regularly, was blindsided by a late stage diagnosis of ovarian cancer, learning only after her diagnosis that the symptoms she had been experiencing were common symptoms of that disease. Tragically, Johanna lost her life to ovarian cancer 3\1/2\ years after being diagnosed. Johanna's story is far too common. Although, it has been 10 years since Johanna Silver died of ovarian cancer, and 4 years since Congress passed this important legislation, each year over 71,000 women in U.S. are diagnosed with a gynecologic cancer and over 26,000 women are lost to one of these serious cancers. Many of those deaths could be prevented if more women knew and recognized the early symptoms of gynecologic cancers and received prompt treatment. For all gynecological cancers, early detection dramatically improves a woman's chance of survival. For instance, ovarian cancer causes more deaths in women than any other gynecological cancer; however, it has a 90 percent survival rate if detected in Stage One, but only a 20 percent survival rate if detected in Stage Three or Four. Right now, awareness, education, early diagnosis, and treatment are the most effective weapons we have in our war against gynecological cancers. I urge my colleagues to support Johanna's Law so we can prevail in our battle against these terrible cancers that cut short the lives of our mothers, daughters, sisters, wives, partners and friends. I urge the House to join me in voting for this vital legislation.