Kevin McCarthy

Mr. McCARTHY

Mr. McCARTHY. I yield to the gentleman from Maryland.

Mr. McCARTHY. Mr. Chairman, we are in the middle of a healthy and bipartisan debate on the highway bill. This is an important process, and I am encouraged by the enthusiasm of all Members' participation. I am encouraged, all right. While we rarely schedule votes later than 7 p.m., Members are advised that due to the number of amendments expected to be considered, it is likely we will need to vote late tomorrow evening. Members should be prepared for both late and multiple votes series tomorrow night. Members are further advised to expect a full day on Thursday as we will not leave until the House completes its work for the week.

Mr. McCARTHY. Well, I do thank the gentleman from Maryland. We are into the process of regular order and giving feedback for everybody having an amendment. Tonight's work has gone very fast, faster than we expected. I did not want to keep people too late, but I do expect tomorrow night will very likely be a late night and a multiple series. Amendment No. 5 Offered by Mr. Gosar

Mr. McCARTHY

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

Mr. McCARTHY

Mr. McCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, I offer a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. McCARTHY

Mr. McCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, I offer a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. McCARTHY

Mr. McCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet on Monday, November 2, 2015, when it shall convene at noon for morning-hour debate and 2 p.m. for legislative business.

Mr. McCARTHY

Mr. McCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the chairman for yielding. We are having a debate, a healthy debate, but I don't think this is the structure or the forum in which we should have a debate about this because we don't have the option for amendments. I think there is a better way to do this. People have two views about the argument today. But the real question of the debate we are having comes down to this: Do we let government pick and choose who it gives special taxpayer loans to or not? I believe our constituents know very well what the right choice is. They don't want their tax dollars backing up loans for any businesses. That is not the government's job. The private sector can and should do that. Our economy does best when the government is left out. When government gets involved trying to centralize power and money in itself, corruption is inevitable. The Ex-Im Bank is a perfect example of this, and this is my concern. An inspector general is investigating at least 31 cases of fraud of the Ex-Im Bank, and this fraud has wasted millions of taxpayer dollars. But it doesn't stop there. A former Ex-Im Bank employee, Johnny Gutierrez, pleaded guilty this year to taking bribes on 19 different occasions to help applicants get loans from the Ex-Im. Another Ex-Im Bank employee was indicted for taking $100,000 in bribes to help a Nigerian businessman get loans from the Ex-Im. And we all remember a Congressman, William Jefferson, who was sentenced to 13 years in prison for taking bribes to help a company get loans from the Ex-Im. You see, there is a pattern, a pattern that won't be solved today, regardless of what side you are on. Since 2009, in fewer than 6 years, there have been 49 criminal judgments against Ex-Im Bank employees or people who benefited from the Ex-Im. Many of these people have gone to prison for it. In fact, if you add them all up, that is 75 years they are serving. Now, I wish I could tell you that was my only complaint and problem and it ended there, but it does get worse. A large number of loans of Ex-Im guarantees aren't even for American companies. The Bank actually uses taxpayer money to back up loans for companies owned by governments of China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and others. These loans to corporations outside of America don't always go well. Do you remember NewSat? That is an Australia company that lost $139 million in taxpayer-backed loans. NewSat's CEO allegedly diverted company funds to his yacht company. So the question, Mr. Speaker, is when does the corruption become too bad? When is it that too many people take bribes? How many taxpayer loans must be issued by fraud? So the question I have before this House is, if we are serious, if we want to really make a difference, let's have a process that can change things, let's have a process that can offer amendments, let's have a process that offers an honest debate, and let's not be shy about what the problems are because I think the American people expect more.

Mr. McCARTHY

Mr. McCARTHY. So what you heard from me--and let me say my own words once again, and I will be very clear about it. I said we will deal with this next week. I also said we are having bipartisan discussions. I also said, if you want to know the confidence of the world around us with how America deals with it, don't avoid the issue. Don't leave this debt for a future generation. It is hard for me to believe that the entire other side of this aisle wouldn't want to do something about the debt. It is hard for me to believe that we want to continue just to build it up, that somehow that is a positive experience. So don't play one against the other. Why don't we come together, find a way to raise it, but find a way that we don't continue to add to it. Because I will tell you, as I go across the country, it is not Republicans or Democrats who say that. It is all Americans who say that because they have to deal with that in their own house. I am not going to say you said something different than the words you used, and the only thing I would ask is that you do the same for me.

Mr. McCARTHY. I thank the gentleman for yielding. $154,161--$154,161--that is the responsibility of every single American based upon the debt that we have right now of $18 trillion. My friend on the other side of the aisle thinks it is un-American that we do anything about that, that the only road we should follow is just raise it and keep adding to it, that somehow that will build confidence in this country, somehow that will give more opportunity to future generations, by bringing a debt limit bill to the floor that raises the debt limit but starts changing the trajectory of where it is going is wrong. That is what is wrong with Congress because, I will tell you, I don't hear that anywhere across America. I don't have my phones lighting up, saying: ``Just keep raising the debt and do nothing about it.'' It is the complete opposite. And I don't think the gentleman gets any different calls than I do. My words were the House is expected to address this issue next week. Now, we play politics with a lot of stuff in here, but I am tired of that. I could play any amount of games that you want to play. I can sit here and I can quote Harry Reid on the other side of the aisle, and Schumer, a good deal, to make sure no appropriation bill went through and then blame the Republicans. They talk to the White House, and it is all in the papers. It is a whole strategy. They have a title for it. It is the ``Summer of Destruction.'' But do you know what, count me out of that. Put me in the column that I want to start talking about the ways we find solutions. I will be the first one who comes to the table and tells you I know I am not going to get everything I want. I want to lay one goal out for you. I want a debt limit that gets raised but does something about the debt, and I don't think that is wrong, and I don't think I am causing problems. I think I am giving more opportunity. I don't want to be in the category that sits and lays blame on everybody else. I haven't been here very long; but the short term I am here, I want to make a difference. I am not going to blame others for the past, but the one thing I can do is change the future. So put me in that column, and I will be at any table that other people across the aisle want to be with me.

Mr. McCARTHY. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I hear a lot of things on the floor, but I have never heard the things that you just said about me on this floor spoken.

Mr. McCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. It is one thing to pass the debt limit; it is another thing not to deal with the problem and not find a solution. That is why, in this House, we are very proud of the fact, when Republicans took the majority, we had always offered a budget that balances. We passed one. The balances were outraising new taxes within the decade. Unfortunately, the White House has never found a way to do that. As the gentleman mentioned, the Secretary has moved the date from reaching the debt limit up to November 3. As I mentioned in the schedule, the House is expected to address this issue next week. There are bipartisan discussions that are ongoing, and I will keep Members abreast and advise them as soon as a path forward is determined. I am hopeful that we stop kicking the can down the road. In our own budgets that balance, we know the debt limit will have to be raised. That is why you quote our Members saying that. We also acknowledge that it has to be solved. That is why we put a balanced budget up to pay for it going forward. That is why I am hopeful, in these bipartisan discussions, that we start the down payment where we don't have to worry about raising the debt limit, that we are actually paying off the debt and not leaving this to our children and grandchildren.

Mr. McCARTHY. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Before I get into next week's schedule, I do want to thank the gentleman for joining me in the Second Congressional Hackathon. Today's Hackathon is an opportunity to bring people together to envision a modernized Congress. Even as we speak, the congressional community, open government advocates, and code developers from the technology sector are gathered to explore how we can leverage technology to improve how Congress works for the American people. It is a good reminder that, even as we may disagree on many policy issues, we can work together to improve this institution. I want to thank the gentleman's staff as well as the Clerk's office for their work on today's Hackathon. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, the House will meet at noon for morning-hour and 2 p.m. for legislative business. Votes will be postponed until 6:30 p.m. On Tuesday and Wednesday, the House will meet at 10 a.m. for morning-hour and noon for legislative business. On Thursday, the House will meet at 9 a.m. for legislative business. Last votes of the week are expected no later than 3 p.m. On Friday, no votes are expected in the House. Mr. Speaker, the House will consider a number of suspensions next week, including a necessary short-term extension of the authorities under the highway trust fund. A complete list of suspensions will be announced by close of business today. In addition, the House will consider H.R. 1090, the Retail Investor Protection Act, sponsored by Representative Ann Wagner. This bill provides relief from the Department of Labor's proposed rule to redefine ``fiduciary.'' Once finalized, the Department's rule will shut out millions of low- and middle-income investors from getting retirement savings advice. Instead, our bill will ensure coordination between the Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission to determine whether it is even necessary to establish a uniform standard. Finally, Mr. Speaker, the House will also need to consider legislation relating to the Nation's debt limit. I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. McCARTHY. That I would hold anything hostage.

Mr. McCARTHY

Mr. McCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet on Monday, October 26, 2015, when it shall convene at noon for morning-hour debate and 2 p.m. for legislative business.

Mr. McCARTHY

Mr. McCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that, when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 1 p.m. tomorrow, and further, when the House adjourns on that day, it adjourn to meet on Tuesday, October 6, 2015, when it shall convene at noon for morning- hour debate and 2 p.m. for legislative business.

Mr. McCARTHY

Mr. McCARTHY. I thank the gentleman for yielding. As the gentleman knows, the hardest thing to do in this town is to find pay-fors. But Chairman Ryan continues to have bipartisan discussions on ways to pay for the long-term highway bill. I have had follow-up meetings with him today, and they are progressing over in the Senate. I have met with Chairman Shuster even today as well, and I expect an announcement very shortly on committee movement. We will advise Members as soon as action is taken to schedule it for the floor.

Mr. McCARTHY. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Knowing the rules of reconciliation, I do believe it will pass the Senate. The three committees that received reconciliation instructions from the Budget Committee have marked up their portions, as the gentleman has said. I do expect the Budget Committee to meet in the near future to complete their work, and we will notify Members as soon as that is scheduled for the floor.

Mr. McCARTHY. I thank the gentleman. In honor of the late Yogi Berra, ``It's like deja vu all over again.'' There is no action scheduled in the House on Ex-Im.

Mr. McCARTHY. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, no votes are expected in the House. On Tuesday, the House will meet at noon for morning-hour and 2 p.m. for legislative business. Votes will be postponed until 6:30. On Wednesday and Thursday, the House will meet at 10 a.m. for morning-hour and noon for legislative business. On Friday, the House will meet at 9 a.m. for legislative business. Last votes of the week are expected no later than 3 p.m. Mr. Speaker, the House will consider a number of suspensions next week, a complete list of which will be announced by close of business tomorrow. In addition, the House will consider H.R. 3192, the Homebuyers Assistance Act, sponsored by Representative French Hill of Arkansas. This bipartisan bill will provide relief to everyone who is doing their best to comply with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's mortgage loan disclosure rule. Mr. Speaker, the House will also consider H.R. 538, the Native American Energy Act, sponsored by Representative Don Young of Alaska, which is necessary to expedite energy production on tribal lands. And, finally, Mr. Speaker, the House will consider H.R. 702, sponsored by Representative Joe Barton of Texas. Oil exports are key to creating American jobs and furthering America's energy renaissance. Given the increased security threats facing the United States and its allies, the presence of more American oil in the global marketplace will offer more secure supply options. This will provide America with greater foreign policy influence as well as strengthening our economic and national security. I thank the gentleman.

Mr. McCARTHY

Mr. McCARTHY. Madam Speaker, last week, the Judiciary Committee heard testimony from people who had survived abortions. They spoke as part of the House's ongoing investigation into the practices depicted in the horrific videos that we have all seen. One of these people who spoke was Gianna Jessen. She told the committee that, when her biological mother was 7\1/2\ months pregnant, she went to Planned Parenthood, where they advised her mother to have an abortion. That is what her mother did. By a miracle--and despite the best efforts to end her life--Gianna was born alive; and because she was born before the abortionist had gotten into work, a nurse called an ambulance. Gianna was rushed to the hospital--and she lived--though she suffers from cerebral palsy because of the attempted abortion. There are so many others who aren't as lucky as Gianna. The Born- Alive Survivors Protection Act--that is what we are voting on today-- will help save the lives of those children. It would impose criminal penalties on any medical professional who fails to give the same medical attention to children born after an abortion as they would to any other premature newborn baby. The simple fact is that, when a baby is born alive, it doesn't matter how he or she was born. They are living human beings who deserve our care. We are also here today, Madam Speaker, to talk in particular about Planned Parenthood, the organization that tried to take Gianna's life. I think, for the purpose of this debate, it is very important to understand what this organization is. Many on the other side say that they are just devoted to women's health. The facts say something different. In the last year on record, they performed 327,653 abortions. That was in 1 year. Anyone who tells you that they are not in the abortion business doesn't know that number. Some defend them because they provide women's health services, but they don't have a monopoly on women's health. There are tens of thousands of alternatives all across the country for women, from community health centers to pregnancy health centers to maternity homes, medical clinics, and more. Community health clinics actually outnumber Planned Parenthood clinics by the thousands, and they offer the same health services to women, if not more. If we know that this organization performs hundreds of thousands of abortions per year and we know that women have access to other sources for care, the question is: Should we force taxpayers to fund a business that spends its money aborting 372,653 children per year? Should we force taxpayers to fund an organization whose barbaric practices, as vividly shown in those videos, disregard and devalue the sanctity of the most innocent human lives? The gruesome videos that we have seen opened the eyes of America. As we struggle to understand how something so barbaric could happen in this country, we need to get all the facts. Are patients giving sufficient informed consent? Were the body parts of babies sold for profit? These--and more--are the questions we need to answer. While we find those answers, we have a moral responsibility to put a moratorium on the funding. There is no reason the American people should be forced to give their money to such an organization. There is no reason-- absolutely no reason--that we must choose between funding women's health and compelling taxpayers to support abortion. As we approach this vote, I want every Member to ask themselves a simple question: In the face of these videos and with all the alternatives women have for health, why would you want to force your constituents to pay for something so evil?

Mr. McCARTHY

Mr. McCARTHY. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, on Monday and Tuesday, no votes are expected in the House. On Wednesday, the House will meet at noon for morning hour and 2 p.m. for legislative business. Votes will be postponed until 6:30 p.m. On Thursday, the House will meet at 10 a.m. for morning hour and noon for legislative business. On Friday, the House will meet at 9 a.m. for legislative business. Last votes of the week are expected no later than 3 p.m. Members are advised that, given the shortness of the week due to the Jewish holiday, Members should be prepared for a full legislative day on Friday. Mr. Speaker, the House will consider a number of suspensions next week, a complete list of which will be announced by close of business today. In addition, the House will consider H.R. 758, the Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2015, sponsored by Representative Lamar Smith. This bill will ensure that innocent Americans are protected against frivolous lawsuits. Mr. Speaker, the House will also consider two measures that respond to the horrific videos released throughout the summer on Planned Parenthood practices. The first is H.R. 3134, sponsored by Representative Diane Black, which places a 1-year moratorium on funding to Planned Parenthood while Congress investigates these videos. Three committees in the House are currently looking into Planned Parenthood activities, funding, and adherence to the law. The second will be a bill sponsored by Representative Trent Franks, which adds criminal penalties to people who violate the Born Alive Act, for medical providers who fail to provide medical care to a baby who survives the abortion procedure. Americans are rightfully outraged by what was depicted in these videos, and Congress and the American people have a right to know exactly what is happening. These two critical bills will ensure that we get all the facts and protect those who cannot protect themselves.

Mr. McCARTHY. I thank the gentleman for yielding. As the gentleman knows, the fiscal year does end on September 30. As the gentleman knows, we have had this discussion often because our intention was always to solve this problem very early. As history shows, this is the earliest we have ever started the appropriation process for Congress. I had grave concern during the summer, reading many of the headlines from some on your side of the aisle and over on your side of the aisle in the Senate, that it was a strategy to make sure the appropriation process would not work. When votes came to the floor, very strongly, you were able to hold many of your Members. Counterpart with the number two on the Senate side, Senator Schumer, his whole strategy for the summer, he was much more effective where none of them came up. We know the number of days we have left. We are continuing conversations on government funding, and we will inform Members when action is scheduled in the House.

Mr. McCARTHY. I thank my friend for yielding. I would not feel these colloquies were complete if I did not get this question. I admire the gentleman's consistency in asking it, but my answer remains just as consistent. There is no action scheduled in the House on Ex-Im.

Mr. McCARTHY

Mr. McCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I want to take a moment and thank the chairman for his work that has been done for the American public that they have been able to see directly through what this Iran agreement is about. An interesting thing is happening on this floor as I sit around and listen. I am hearing Republicans and Democrats on the same side. Those that are opposed to it are bipartisan. Those that support this all come from one place. You know, when I came to Congress, the one thing you are always told is find a committee and stick with that committee because what happens is you get expertise. If you care about banking, you go to Financial Services, and you get expertise year over year. Taxes, Ways and Means. When it comes to Foreign Affairs, you get the expertise of something like this. So you know what? I have listened to those who sit on those committees, and I look to the chairman and the ranking member on the Democratic side. You know what I heard from both of them? They are in the same position. They are opposed to this agreement. They took their years of expertise, they read through it, they did the hearings, and they came to the same conclusion. So I wonder, could that happen on the other side of this building, inside the Senate? Because they have committees as well. The same bipartisan conclusion came. It just didn't even come from the committees. The next Democratic leader in the Senate, the number two, is opposed to the Iran agreement. The American public always asks us for bipartisanship. This has brought us together. But it is not just in this House. It is almost in the majority of houses across America. You see, in the latest poll, only 21 percent of the American people actually approve the deal and 49 percent oppose. That is more than 2 to 1. Only 2 percent of Americans are confident that Iran will abide by the agreement. Why? Because they never have before. Iran has a history of not living up to their promises. It is clear today that, what the President said, he did not achieve. Mr. Speaker, just in April, President Obama said he will ``do what is necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.'' He said that he will implement this deal ``to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.'' He did the opposite. In 13 years, Iran can have a nuclear weapon not just because Iran wants it, but America will say then it is okay. Thirteen years is not that far away. That is not all that Iran gets in this deal. While we had sanctions on Iran, the only reason they wanted to come to the table--what did they do with their money, even though it was scarce, they didn't have much? They funded terrorism around the world. What does this deal do? It gives them as much or maybe even more than the bailout that Greece got. What will Iran become? They will become the central bank of terror in the world. That is what we are voting on today. If you want to know the truth about the deal, you go even further because there are side secret agreements we do not know. On this side of the aisle, we think we should keep with the law. We think when 400 people on this floor voted for the Corker-Cardin bill that said you had to have all agreements, we felt when there were 98 Senators and only one opposed that you would want to hold to the same agreement. Why would anybody want to vote on something without having all the facts, especially after you read the reports that maybe Iran can do self-inspection? If that is the case, why don't we bring to the floor and change the Olympic committee and those athletes should be able to test themselves? I look for the Education Committee. Maybe students should grade themselves. Maybe that is facetious, but this is probably the most important bill you will vote on in your term in Congress. Don't fall to political pressure, because you don't need to. The bipartisanship of the majority of Americans stands opposed. The expertise in this House that you respect, regardless of what party you are in because you selected those Members to lead those committees, are opposed. If that is not enough, study history. History always repeats itself. Have we not learned that peace without freedom is meaningless? The President said he would not agree to any bad deal. Well, I believe we can have a better deal. History has shown Chamberlain just wanted peace, but history has shown other times in America where Presidents have stood up and stepped back and got a better agreement. Ronald Reagan wanted to end the nuclear weapons when it came to the Soviet Union. In the end of Ronald Reagan's second term, he sat in Iceland with Gorbachev. He sat down across the table, and he got almost everything he had asked for, but Gorbachev asked for one more item. He asked that America would end their SDI investment. Ronald Reagan had a choice. Ronald Reagan said no, but he said: I will do something even better. I will provide you the technology as well, so everyone in the world could be safe. Gorbachev said no. That is a defining moment not for that man, but for this world, and Ronald Reagan got up and walked away. Some people criticized on a political basis, but I ask you this: Would the Soviet Union have collapsed, would the Berlin Wall have collapsed at the time it did, had Reagan not stood firm and asked and kept his word for a better deal? Peace without freedom is meaningless. This deal does not bring greater freedom to the world. It brings a nuclear missile race. This is not just about America, Iran, or a few other countries. No country in the Middle East will sit back after this action. The world will not be safer; we will not be freer, but there is still an opportunity. History has shown, if we are willing to stand up, take a step back, and get a better agreement, we can have peace and freedom.