Thomas Reynolds

Mr. REYNOLDS

Mr. REYNOLDS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. In listening to my colleague from Florida, I looked at the number of families and kids who could potentially benefit from the education tax deduction in 2000. The State of Florida, the number of families is 722,518. The number of children is 1,283,971. I would also say, and I cannot speak for the Committee on Rules, but I can talk about our precedent in the Committee on Rules, and I can speak for me as an individual. I want to remind the gentlewoman that there was no substitute brought before the Committee on Rules that could have been considered and would have been routinely added as a substitute consideration to come to the floor. Then I will also point out that I have not seen any motion that has referred to school construction that has been made available to me as a member of the Committee on Rules or to anyone else that I have asked. So I want to make sure that my colleagues both on the floor and throughout the buildings clearly understand that the rule before us today says that it is a legislation, I will ask the gentleman from Colorado to speak on again, of a deduction, of $3,000 above the line for K through 12. School construction may be a worthy subject. It is one that we know there are sponsors on both sides of the aisle. The Parliamentarian ruled that school construction would not be part of this as it was presented in the Committee on Ways and Means and was defeated on a party-line vote. There will be a future bill on construction, I am sure, because I have not seen it go away, but this does not address that. parliamentary inquiry

Mr. REYNOLDS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I would just point out as I am managing this rule that the discussion is on tax deductions, and my understanding, looking at Committee on Ways and Means, is that even the parliamentarian ruled that the school construction portion was not germane to the legislation that was brought forth out of the Committee on Ways and Means and to the Committee on Rules. So while there may be great merit on school construction, and some of my colleagues here are saying that we cannot afford and should not do the tax deductions and yet have advocated school construction, there ought to be another place and time in the Committee on Ways and Means or some other vehicle in the body to bring forth the discussion on school construction. This legislation before us is a rule bringing forth consideration by the entire body of the legislation introduced by the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Schaffer) which deals with a tax deduction for K through 12. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Schaffer), the sponsor of the legislation.

Mr. REYNOLDS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution. The previous question was ordered.

Mr. REYNOLDS. Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 521 is a standard closed rule providing for the consideration of H.R. 5193, the Back to School Tax Relief Act of 2002. The rule waives all points of order against consideration of the bill and provides one motion to recommit, with or without instructions. Mr. Speaker, one of the great successes of this Congress and this administration was the enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act, legislation to extend and amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Containing some of the most sweeping education reforms in decades, the act incorporates four key principles: Stronger accountability to ensure results; increased flexibility and local control that sends dollars and decisions directly to the classroom; expanded options for parents; and an emphasis on teaching methods that have been proven to work. It is one of these principles, expanded options for parents, that brings us here today. The Back to School Tax Relief Act of 2002 will give parents the opportunity to take advantage of the Tax Code and take control over financing their child's education. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, student enrollment at public and private elementary and secondary schools peaked to a record level of 53.2 million in the fall of 2000, a 14 percent increase since 1990. In my home State of New York, enrollment in grades K through 12 increased more than 4 percent from 1994 to 2000, and in many parts of the country, enrollments are expected to continue increasing through at least 2005. As more and more students hit the books, more and more parents are straining the family finances trying to make ends meet as they put their kids through school. Under present law, above-the-line deductions are allowed for qualified tuition and related expenses for higher education only. The legislation before us today simply extends that deduction of up to $3,000 to qualified elementary and secondary education expenses paid in connection with eligible K through 12 students. This includes expenses at public, private, religious or home schools. Not every school district is the same nor is every family. By incorporating this tax deduction we can provide parents the flexibility to tailor their education expenses to best suit the needs of their families and their children. Quality education should be available and affordable to all parents. Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleagues on the Committee on Ways and Means, especially the gentleman from California (Chairman Thomas), for advancing this legislation through committee and bringing it to the House floor. With our children now back in school, there is no better time for this body to consider and pass legislation that will help families offset the cost of education. Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to support this rule and the underlying legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. REYNOLDS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, listening to my colleague's remarks, I just must say in our research of the bill that 90 percent of the families that would benefit have children in public schools, and $3 out of every $4 of the tax benefits would be spent on public school education. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier), the distinguished chairman of the Committee on Rules. (Mr. DREIER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. REYNOLDS. Number one, it is my understanding the substitute was not germane. Number two, we usually do not waive the rules on germaneness.

Mr. REYNOLDS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Diaz-Balart), my colleague on the Committee on Rules.

Mr. REYNOLDS. Mr. Speaker, our last speaker is the bill's sponsor. I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Schaffer) to help us clearly see the intent of what he has sponsored in his legislation, because the debate on education has taken us in varied directions.

Mr. REYNOLDS. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 521 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. REYNOLDS. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Slaughter), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. Mr. REYNOLDS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. REYNOLDS. We waived points of order for technical reasons.

Mr. REYNOLDS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Tancredo).

Mr. REYNOLDS

Mr. REYNOLDS. Mr. Speaker, the Committee on Rules may meet the week of September 16 to grant a rule which could limit the amendment process for floor consideration of H.R. 1701, the Consumer Rental Purchase Agreement Act. Any Member wishing to offer an amendment should submit 55 copies and a brief explanation to the Committee on Rules in room H-312 of the Capitol by 12 noon on Tuesday, September 17. Members should draft their amendments to the bill as reported by the Committee on Financial Services and the Committee on the Judiciary. Members should use the Office of Legislative Counsel to ensure that their amendments are properly drafted and should check with the Office of the Parliamentarian to be certain their amendments comply with the rules of the House.

Mr. REYNOLDS

Mr. REYNOLDS. Mr. Speaker, during his State of the Union Address, President George W. Bush said, ``none of us would ever wish the evil that was done on September the 11th. Yet after America was attacked, it was as if our entire country looked into a mirror and saw our better selves. We were reminded that we are citizens, with obligations to each other, to our country, and to history. We began to think less of the goods we can accumulate, and more about the good we can do.'' In Western New York, as in communities across this great nation, we witnessed first hand our better selves: as Americans from all backgrounds and walks of life came together to show their love of country and of their neighbor. We saw it in countless acts of selflessness and heroism; from those brave patriots aboard United Airlines Flight 93 to our police and firefighters, medical and emergency crews, and countless volunteers--who showed us and the world the true strength of America's heart and America's character. One such group of volunteers will be honored for their work at Ground Zero during a Liberty Day Awards Ceremony on Thursday, August 1, 2002. These dedicated and courageous men and women left their jobs, their homes, and their families to give of themselves in relief and recovery efforts, and I ask that this Congress join me in saluting their hard work, their commitment, and their patriotism. They are: Mr. Wesley Rehwaldt, Mr. Woody Seufert, Mr. David Albone, Ms. Karen Russo, Ms. Ann Riegle, Mr. Scott Schmidt, Mr. Jesse Babcock, Mr. Harold Suitor; Mr. Marc Lussier, Ms. Ann Riester, Mr. James Riester, Mr. William Drexler, Mr. Russell Genco, Mr. H.T. Braunscheidel, Mr. Fred Drahms, Ms. Connie Kearns, Mr. Darren Burdick, Ms. Margaret Blake, Mr. Scott Blake, Mr. Chad Shepherd, Ms. Wendi Walker, Ms. Amanda Sparks, Ms. Sherri Reichel, Mr. Michael Owens, Mr. Chris Lane, Mr. Anthony Kostyo, Mr. Thomas FitzRandolph, Mr. Kevin Dilliot, Mr. Charles Huntington, Mr. Mark Gilson, and Mr. Mark Gerstung. Also, Mr. Mark Maefs, Mr. Ray Catanesi, Mr. Kevin Baker, Mr. Ross Johnson, Jr., Mr. James Carbin, Jr., Mr. Dan Hosie, Mr. Scott Then, Mr. Robert Jasper, Jr., Mr. Robert Jasper, Sr., Mr. Wayne N. Seguin, Mr. Wayne E. Seguin, Mr. Samuel Ricotta, Mr. Richard Bilson, Mr. Richard Silvaroll, Mr. Michael Kiff, Mr. Herbert Meyer, Mr. Chris Hillman, Ms. Victoria Baker, Mr. Ralph Salvagni, Mr. Richard Wayner, Mr. Robert Conn, Mr. James Volkosh and Mr. Barry Kobrin.

Mr. REYNOLDS

Mr. REYNOLDS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution. The previous question was ordered.

Mr. REYNOLDS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier), the distinguished chairman of the Committee on Rules.

Mr. REYNOLDS. That is correct.

Mr. REYNOLDS. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. REYNOLDS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Brady).

Mr. REYNOLDS. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. REYNOLDS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, if this rule passes, we will have great debate by sponsors of the legislation. As I have said many times, managing this rule in what is now hopefully the final legs of an opportunity to pass this conference report that is not a partisan matter on trade, it is a bipartisan matter in both Houses as we look to the debate, and then to move forward with the will of the House. In my home State, international trade is a primary generator of business and growth. In the Buffalo area, the highest manufacturing and employment sectors are also among the State's top merchandise export industries, including electronics, fabricated metals, industrial machinery, transportation equipment, and food and food products. Consequently, as exports increase, employment in these sectors will increase. In the Rochester area, companies like IBM and Kodak play a significant impact on the local economy. In employment they will benefit directly from increased exports and international sales that will result from new trade agreements and open markets that are negotiated under the trade promotion authority. For example, about one in every five Kodak jobs in the United States depends on exports. New trade agreements are needed to break down foreign barriers and keep American-made goods competitive overseas, as well as open up foreign markets on domestic companies. This body and the other body will have the final say on those trade agreements. There are 28 bilateral agreements by Mexico and countries throughout the world. There are 27 by the European Union. Mr. Speaker, this country only has two. The trade promotion authority gives us an opportunity to move forward and an opportunity to see more jobs.

Mr. REYNOLDS. Mr. Speaker, I would say to the gentleman from Florida, I have some speakers left, but I was under the impression the gentleman had many, so I was looking to continue moving through the flow. We will not use the entire time.

Mr. REYNOLDS. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. REYNOLDS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Diaz-Balart).

Mr. REYNOLDS. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.