the speaker pro tempore: on this vote the yeas are 237. the noes are 170. the previous question is ordered. the question is on adoption of the resolution. so many as are in favor say aye. those opposed, no. the ayes have it.

ms. slaughter: mr. speaker, i request the yeas and nays. the speaker pro tempore: the yeas and nays are requested. those favoring a vote by the yeas and nays will rise. a sufficient number having arisen, the yeas and nays are ordered. members will record their votes by electronic device. this is a five-minute vote. [captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc., in cooperation with the united states house of representatives. any use of the closed-captioned coverage of the house proceedings for political or commercial purposes is expressly prohibited by the u.s. house of representatives.]

the speaker pro tempore: on this vote the yeas are 241. the nays are 161. the resolution is adopted. correction, the nays are 169. the resolution is adopted.

without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid upon the table. the unfinished business is the vote on ordering the previous question on house resolution 858, on which the yeas and nays are ordered. the clerk will report the title of the resolution. the clerk: house calendar number 141, house resolution 858, resolution providing for consideration of the bill h.r. 3590 to amend the internal revenue code of 1986 to repeal the increase in the income threshold used in determining the deduction for medical care. the speaker pro tempore: the question is on ordering the previous question. members will record their votes by electronic device. this is a five-minute vote. [captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc., in cooperation with the united states house of representatives. any use of the closed-captioned coverage of the house proceedings for political or commercial purposes is expressly prohibited by the u.s. house of representatives.]

the speaker pro tempore: on this vote the yeas are 237. the nays are 171. the previous question is ordered. the question is on adoption of the resolution. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it. ms. slaughter: i ask for a recorded vote. the speaker pro tempore: a recorded vote has been requested. those in favor of a recorded vote will rise. a sufficient number having arisen, a recorded vote is ordered. members will record their votes by electronic device. this is a five-minute vote. [captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc., in cooperation with the united states house of representatives. any use of the closed-captioned coverage of the house proceedings for political or commercial purposes is

expressly prohibited by the u.s. house of representatives.]

the speaker pro tempore: on this vote the yeas are 239. the nays are 169. is adopted.on without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. is adopted.

the chair lays before the house the following communication. the clerk: the honorable the speaker, house of presentatives, sir, i, matthew a. cartwright, am submitting my resignation from government reform immediately. it is a privilege and honor to be on this committee. it has made the house more transparent and worked to protect our natural resources. i look forward to shape spending that will have a tremendous effect on the lives of seniors, veterans, students, commuters, federal workers, federal contractors and military serviceperson ell with my new assignment on the house committee of appropriations. i will be a powerful voice for a budget that invests in america, creates more good-paying jobs and strengthens hardworking families. signed sincerely, matt cartwright, member of congress. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the resignations are accepted.

the house will come to order. take your conversations off the floor. for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition? >> mr. speaker, by direction of the democratic caucus i offer a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the resolution. the clerk: house resolution 862, resolved, that the following named member be and is hereby elected to the following standing committee of the house of representatives, one, committee on appropriations, mr. cartwright. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the resolution is agreed to and the motion to reconsidered is laid n the table.

pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, the chair will postpone further proceedings today on -- pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, the chair will postpone further proceedings today on motions to suspend the rules on which a recorded vote or the yeas and nays are ordered or on which the vote incurs objection under clause 6 of rule 20. recorded votes on postponed questions will be taken later. for what purpose does the gentleman from pennsylvania seek recognition? mr. thompson: i move the house suspend the rules and pass h.r. 5587, as amended. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. h.r. 5587, a bill to re-authorize the carl d. perkins career and technical education act of 2006. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from pennsylvania, mr. thompson, and the gentlewoman from massachusetts,

-- ms. e, will each clark, will each control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from pennsylvania. mr. thompson: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on h.r. 5587. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, so ordered. mr. thompson: mr. speaker, i rise today in support of h.r. 5587 and i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: if the and the will suspend. gentleman is recognized for as much time as he wishes to use. mr. thompson: thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, a weak economy and advances in technology have dramatically changed today's job market, creating both challenges and opportunities for men and women entering the work force. this is why equipping today's students with tools they need to remain competitive is

essential. one way we can achieve that goal is by strengthening career and technical education programs for those eager to pursue pathways to success. s co-chair of career and technical education caucus, i helped those. for some students a four-year student is the best path forward. for others, a c.t.e. program is the best way to shape a fulfilling and successful future, mr. speaker. these state and local programs help people the knowledge they need in a number of occupations and fields. fields like health care, technology, agriculture and engineering. however, the law that provides federal support for these programs has not been updated in more than a decade. simply put, it does not address the new challenges today's students, workers and employers face. that's why, along with my colleague, representative katherine clark, sprow deuced h.r. 5587, a bill to improve

the current law to better reflect those challenges and provide more opportunity for , dents to pursue successful rewarding careers. recognizing the importance of engagement with community leaders and local businesses, this bill empowers state and local leaders by providing them with the flexibility they need to best prepare their students for the work force. they respond to the changing needs of their communities. h.r. 5587 also promotes work-based learning and encourage students' partnership with employers to help students obtain jobs. now and throughout their lifetimes. i'm also proud to say h.r. 5587 takes steps to reduce the federal role in career and technical education while ensuring transparency and accountability among c.t.e. programs. . by stream lining the measures, it provides them with the tools they need to hold these programs accountable. these are just some of the important reforms this bill

makes to provide americans with clear pathways to success. mr. speaker, i would be remiss not to thank a few people who made this bill possible, certainly chairman kleine and his staff and ranking member scott, and his staff, sam morgan with mr. langevin's office, and katie brown of my staff. both sam and katie have been the lead staffing career and technical education caucus, each providing tireless advocacy for the policies included in this bill. they have my deep appreciation for their hard work. i urge my colleagues to support h.r. 5587 and help us take a positive step towards reforming and strengthening career and technical education training in america. thank you, mr. speaker. i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from pennsylvania reserves his time of the the chair recognizes the gentlelady from massachusetts. ms. clarke: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today in strong support f h.r. 5587, the strengthening

career and technical education for the 21st century act. legislation that i am proud to interdues with the gentleman from pennsylvania, mr. thompson, as well as representatives langevin, nolan, curbelo, and byrne and with the support of the house education and work force committee ranking member, mr. scott, and our chairman, mr. kline. the bill before us is proof that democrats and republicans can come together and do the right thing for america's students, workers, and employers. the perkins career and technical education program reaches over 11 million american students across the country each year. and for the first time in 10 years this legislation will comprehensively update the program, overhauling how government invests in our work force and strengthens american competitiveness through job

skills training. this bill will help families by preparing them with the skills they need to thrive in high demand fields as diverse as childcare, advanced manufacturing, carpentry, computer science, automotive technology, culinary arts, and more. this legislation is supported by over 200 leading national organizations, including educators, trade groups, and major employers across the country. it was reported by the house education and work force committee without a single dissenting vote, which i think reflects the bipartisan, good faith process by which we came together to draft and interdues this bill. specifically, i'm pleased this legislation takes steps to help policymakers measure what does and does not work in career technical education, allowing us to build on our past

successes. ensures our career and technical education programs are aligned with the needs of high demand growth industries in order to make sure that america is competitive globally. t also supports our work space learning and apprenticeships. it directly supports our early education and childcare work force, and brings the perkins program into the modern 21st century global economy. i'm very pleased to have this bill today. i urge its passage. and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from massachusetts reserves her time. the chair recognizes the gentleman from pennsylvania. mr. thompson: thank you, mr. speaker. i'm pleased to recognize the gentleman from michigan, chairman of the work force protection subcommittee, mr. walberg, for two minutes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from michigan is recognized for two minutes. mr. walberg: thank you, mr. speaker, thank you, mr.

chairman. i rise in support of h.r. 5587 which will help people in michigan and across the country find meaningful careers in the 21st century work force by updating our career and technical education programs. as i met with students, with teachers, and employers in my district, i heard consistent support for improving c.t.e. i know how important it is to modernize this program for today's jobs from touring places like southern michigan center for science and industry, and hudson michigan, the jackson area career center in jackson, michigan, monroe county community college, and many more. we know that not everyone's path to success in the workplace is the same. and while many students pursue degrees in colleges an universities, many others know their sweet spot lies somewhere else. career and technical education provides those individuals that

opportunity and ensures our aspiring work force is getting the hands on training they need and they want. i'm particularly pleased that this bill includes my provisions to address outdated and burdensome occupational license sure requirements which can come at the expense of lower income workers. young people and entrepreneurs who lack the resources to overcome regulatory obstacles. according to the national bureau of economic research, nearly one in three jobs now require a state approved license or certification. in 1950, it was one in 20. this bill will help create pathways to careers by encouraging states to review their regulatory climate and ensure it does not create unnecessary barriers for job growth. i commend the authors of this bill and i'm proud that it emerged from our committee on a unanimous 37-0 vote. i hope my colleagues will vote in support of this bipartisan

legislation and work together to help every american pursue their personal paths to the american dream. thank you. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from michigan yields back. the gentleman from pennsylvania reserves. and the gentlelady from massachusetts is recognized. ms. clark: at this time i would like to yield two minutes to the distinguished ranking member of our committee, representative scott of virginia. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from virginia, mr. scott, is recognized for two minutes. mr. scott: thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, i rise in support of h.r. 5587, the strengthening c.t.e. for the 21st century act, which will re-authorize the perkins career and technical education program. research is clear the united states work force is suffering from a skills gap. according to one study, 65% of all jobs in the united states in the near future will require some education training past the high school level, not necessarily a four-year degree, but some education and training past the high school level.

in virginia alone, we have thousands of jobs in the tech sector that go unfilled because of the lack of qualified applicants. some of those jobs have salaries of $88,000. today's c.t.e. program is not the vocational education of the past where students pursued a reer rather than an academic study. now the current programs integrate the academic curriculum which will assist in preparing participants for post secondary education and credentials. mr. speaker, people in the future will have to learn a new job. if they don't have the academic background, we'll be doing them a great disservice. this bill will allow students to pursue a career track, and if they change their mind later on, they are still getting the academics, they can go to a college ready program. we need to make sure that we have the greater accountability for program quality.

we want to ensure that we have more inclusive collaboration between educational institutions, industries, employers, community partners, and we need to make sure that those programs are aligned with our recent k through 12 education and work force systems. i'd like to thank all of the people who have been involved in this, particularly the gentlelady from massachusetts, ms. clark and the gentleman from pennsylvania, mr. thompson, along with mr. langevin from rhode island who is the chair of the c.t.e. caucus. and all of the others who have worked across the aisle to bring us together today. this bill as has been pointed out has been reported unanimously from the education and work force committee, has strong support across the aisle, and i trust we'll pass it and hope the senate will take it up as soon as possible. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the gentlelady from massachusetts reserves. the gentleman from pennsylvania is recognized. mr. thompson: thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, i'm pleased to recognize my good friend from

alabama, mr. burnes, for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from alabama is recognized for one minute. mr. burnes: i thank the gentleman for yielding. earlier this summer i had the opportunity to visit the new career and technical education classrooms at saraland high school. from welding to engineering to i.t., these programs are going to make a real difference. i was so impressed to see c.t.e. getting the attention it deserves. you see, for too long we devalued the importance of career and technical education here in america. the programs were seen as a second rate option for students who couldn't make it otherwise. that simply isn't the case. instead, c.t.e. programs offer real opportunities to students of all ages and from all backgrounds. and with this bill we are making it clear that career and technical education is a critical educational option that leads to good-paying jobs. this bill makes important lee forms -- reforms to our c.t.e. programs with a special emphasis on ensuring the programs focus on in demand skill in order to close the skills gap and boost economic

growth. this is a truly bipartisan orented bill that deserves our strongest support and i urge all my colleagues to join me in voting in favor of this legislation. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from pennsylvania reserves. the gentlelady from massachusetts is recognized. ms. clark: thank you, mr. speaker. at this time i would like to yield two minutes mr. langevin from rhode island. without whose leadership and expertise this legislation wouldn't be in the wonderful form that it is today. we are very grateful for his role. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from rhode island is recognized for two minutes. mr. langevin: thank you, mr. speaker. i thank the gentlelady for yielding. i want to thank the gentlelady from massachusetts for her outstanding leadership on re-authorizing the carl d. perkins career and technical education act. i'm pleased to join with five other bipartisan colleagues as original co-sponsors of this bill. i would also like to thank my friend and colleague,

representative g.t. thompson, from pennsylvania for his unwavering commitment to expanding c.t.e. as co-chairs of the career and technical education caucus, representative thompson and i have been made perkins re-authorization a top priority. today is the culmination of over four years of our work on the caucus together. i want to thank him and both his staff and my staff for their extraordinary efforts. he we should also recognize everything that chairman kline and ranking member scott and their staff did to get this bill to the floor today. perkins has historically been a bipartisan bill and we are all very happy to ten this tradition. h.r. 5587 was passed unanimously by the education and work force committee. and is the product of an inclusive and thoughtful process. again, passed unanimously. when does that happen ever it seems these days in this congress? this is extraordinary. so it makes many necessary updates to perkins with an emphasis on training students

with the skills they'll need in high-growth sectors in the 21st century economy. i'm particularly pleased that it emphasizes the role of school counselors in helping students choose their career path incorporating careers in choices act. by equipping them with local labor market information, they can better help students choose the field that best fits their skills and interests and will ultimately lead to a good-paying job. the bill also expands student access to work base learning opportunities. this will help students to bridge the gap between classroom theory and workplace practice and allowing schools with training with employer needs. providing workers with the skills necessary to thrive in the modern economy is essential to our economic prosperity. and i urge all of my colleagues to support this bill and the senate to quickly take up this bipartisan legislation. with that i thank all of my colleagues who were involved in this effort and the staff for

bringing it to the floor today. i urge my colleagues to support the bill. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from rhode island yields back. the gentlelady from massachusetts reserves. the gentleman from pennsylvania is recognized. mr. thompson: thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, it's my pleasure to take a point of personal privilege just as a chance to yield here to the chairman of the education and work force committee. to thank chairman kline for his leadership in education, truly making a difference in the lives of of -- of our youth and quite frankly people with this piece of legislation, people of all ages. we are very much appreciate his leadership. so it's my honor to yield to the chairman of the education and work foes committee, the gentleman from minnesota, mr. kline, for two minutes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from minnesota is recognized for two minutes. mr. kline: thank you, mr. speaker. i thank the gentleman from pennsylvania for his leadership on this issue and for yielding the time. mr. speaker, i rise today in strong support of the strengthening career and technical education for the

21st century act. quality education is vital to succeeding in today's work force. however, it's important to know that a quality education doesn't have to mean a four-year college degree. career and technical education can be just as valuable and for many individuals it's the path that's best for them. earlier this year members of the education and work force committee heafered from paul, who struggled in school but his life changed when he enrolled in a technical program. he now has a fulfilling career and not a time of student loan debt. there are countless other success stories just like aul's. the hands on experience alex wolf received at the santa barbara county regional

occupational clinic led to a rewarding career in electrical engineering and jasmine morgan from the atlanta area found her passion through c.t.e. course work and landed a job as a sports marketing specialist. the goal is to help more individuals writer that own success stories this bipartisan legislation will empower state and local leaders to tailor c.t.e. programs to tailor the program to the students in their community as well as ensuring federal resources are aligned with the needs of the local work force and help students obtain high skilled jobs. this is part of our agenda of helping more men and women achieve a lifetime of success. i want to thank representative glenn thompson and calvin clark -- and katherine clark for their help. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from pennsylvania continues to reserve. the gentlelady from -- the

gentlelady is recognized. ms. clark: i'm pleased to yield two minutes to mr. nolan, and i thank him for his work on c.t.e. and his work on behalf of his district and our country. mr. nolan: thank you for that introduction. i'd like to begin by recognizing my distinguished colleague from minnesota, mr. kline, for the great leadership you have provided as chairman of the education committee. make no mistake about it, our educational opportunities and future are brighter for you having chaired that committee and served in this chamber and we all owe you a great debt of fwrattude and wish you well in your future going forward. the greatest tribute that i think any of us can receive is that we served well and made a tinches. you have den done that. we thank you for that. i would be remiss if i didn't

also thank our ranking member, mr. scott, for hi great work in this area. and mr. thompson and ms. clarke and the other original co-sponsors. mr. speaker, i rise in support of this critically important bipartisan re-authorization of the perkins career and technical education act. time and again, when i visit with owners and managers of manufacturing utilities throughout my northern minnesota district, i'm told two things. first, is that the employees they've hired who have participated in career and technical education programs are the very best that they have. in their employment. employers can't say enough good things about them and their skills in the work -- and the work that they do. the second point is that they need more c.t.e.-trained people. all down the line, from health care to construction to

information technology, to transportation, aviation. the list goes on and good paying jobs with living wages are waiting for these people. so this bill adds important new provisions to expand and update .t.e. so jobs can be filled. states get more flexibility to focus on the jobs -- jobs and careers in high demand within their region. employers and communities get the tools they need to develop stronger partnerships to engage students and grow our local economies and students get the tools that they need to compete and succeed in the 21st century. that's what this bill is all about. thank you, mr. speaker. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady reserves. the gentleman from pennsylvania is recognized. mr. thompson: thank you, mr. speaker. it's my honor now to recognize the chairman of the k through 12

subcommittee that has jurisdiction on this bill, the early childhood, elementary, and secondary subcommittee. i yield two minutes to mr. rokita of indiana. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. rokita: i thank the speakers and thank the gentleman for those kind wordsing he's a tear friend, and i look forward to our work together so far and in the future. you know, mr. speaker, i've been to probably 100 schools in my time in publicer is vess. i've seen the best of schools, i've seen the worst of schools. and the one thing that i'm seeing more and more not only in our k through 12 schools but in others after that is the need for career and technical education. and the need for reform in that area. mr. speaker, i'm not talking about the shop class of old or anything like that. in fact, what we're seeing now is a completely different model. as indiana's governor, governor

pence, cited in a hearing, congressional hearing last year, today's c.t.e., today's career and technical education, is not about if not plan a, then plan b. it's about having two plan a's. and that's exactly what today's c.t.e. courses are bringing to the forefront. technical -- technological advances are constantly changing the kinds of jobs available as well as the skills needed to succeed in those careers. that's why career and technical education is so important. it provides opportunities for students to gain those specific skills and prepare them to navigate a specific work force. through a number of common sense measures, mr. speaker, this bill is delivering the reforms that will provide the flexibility to state and local leaders to meet those unique local needs, to build stronger engagement with employers and ensure that c.t.e. programs are delivering results.

i'd like to thank representatives thompson and clark for working together to move this bill forward. and i urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan bill and help more people gain the skills and hands on experience that are critical to competing in today's work force. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. the gentleman reserve. the gentlelady from massachusetts is recognized. ms. clark: thank you, mr. speaker. i'm pleased to yield to the gentleman and my good friend from connecticut, mr. courtney, for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. courtney: thank you, mr. chairman. i rise in strong support of h.r. 5587, which addresses the most urgent work force challenge in r nation by updating and strengthening career and technical education programs at the secondary education level. first the good news. there's a growing need for technical skills to fill jobs young people can build a career and life around. advanced opportunity in

aerospace, maritime and health care are happening from coast to coast and the question of the day for many employers is whether education and job training systems are ready to fill the need. recent updates to k through 12 and job training programs brought into law by president obama in 2014 and 2015 built a platform to address the challenge and it protects school programs will add to that capability. in southeastern connecticut where i hail from, the u.s. navy need for a new submarine is projected to require 14,000 new hires in trades, designing and engineering over the next 10 years. for my region, passage of this bill isn't just feel-good registration legislation, but a critical requirement. i urge adoption of this bill. thank you and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady reserves. the gentleman from pennsylvania is recognized. mr. thompson: it is now my pleasure to yield to a classmate

of mine, and also another leader in the education and work force committee, chairman of the health, employment, labor and pension subcommittee, dr. phil roe, for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. roe: i rise today to encourage my colleagues to support h.r. 55 7, the strengthening career and technical version the 21st century act. c.t.e. programs are designed to prepare high school students and community college students for the work force. however, laws supporting these efforts have not been updated in over a decade. in my district, i often hear from business owners, employers, administrators and students who all tell me the need for quality education and training necessary for tissue in today's workplace. just as one size fits all approach doesn't work for health care, it will not work for education and fork force -- and work force training. each state and student is different. local administrate orrs, teachers and employers, not the

federal government, should have these decision making powers. congress has worked to improve k through 12 education and modernize the nation's work force development system and this bill continues to build on that progress. for the session -- the session may have ended in 2009 but too many people are still struggling to make ends meet. we can do better. i want to again encourage my colleagues to support h.r. 5587. with that, i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from pennsylvania reserves. the gentleman from -- the gentlelady from massachusetts is ecognized. ms. clark: thank you, mr. speaker. i'm pleased to yield to the gentleman from colorado, mr. polis, for one and a half minutes. mr. polis: thank you. i rise in support of h.r. 5587. a few weeks ago i got to visit the new pathways to early college program at skyline high school in colorado. it's a partnership between the

school district, front range community college, i.b.m. and other employers and allows students to earn a high school diploma and associate's degree in four or five years. i spoke with a number of students participating in the very first petac class and they shared how it will equip them with the skills they need to got good, reliable jobs after graduation. that's the kind of bill the house should be supporting and that this bill is. it also allows funds to be used for open act education resources, these textbooks are openly licensed, free to use and come with more flexibility. open eagsle resources are gaining population. save resources. and maintain high quality standards. last year, congress recognized the cost savings potential at the k-12 level and i'm very excited that support for open education continues in this bill. i urge this bill's final

passenger as today and call on my colleagues in the senate to take up this bipartisan legislation as soon as possible. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. the gentlelady from massachusetts reserves. the gentleman from pennsylvania is recognized. mr. thompson: i'm pleased to recognize the gentleman from georgia, mr. carter, for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. carter: i thank the gentleman for yielding. i rise today in support of h.r. 5587. the strengthening career and technical education for the 21st century act. and the benefit and opportunities it will provide for those looking to enter the job market. we have an opportunity to get rid of the stigma of this vocation path and bring to light the benefits of career and technical education. this bill overhauls the system to bring the decision making down to the state and local leaders. it more closely accounts for changes in the job market and increases the input from groups such as students and business leaders this legislation empowers leaders from our states and communities by reducing the paperwork in local education

providers and streamlines the requirements process. it supports closer partnerships with employers, who know the needs of the workplace and it puts in place accountability benchmarks and ensures these programs at the secondary level are delivering the training and results that are supposed to be providing to students. this bill also allows states and local authorities to develop a curriculum they know works for the students and their communities. i applaud my good friend, mr. thompson, and the education an work force committee for their hard work and diligence in addressing this matter and urge my colleagues to support this bill. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. mr. thompson: i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from pennsylvania reserves. the gentlelady from massachusetts is recognized. ms. clark: thank you, mr. speaker. i'm pleased to yield to the gentlewoman from oregon, ms. bonamici, for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized for one minute. ms. bonamici: i enthusiastically support the education -- the

strengthening career and technical education for the 21st century. i hear from educators and students about hands on career and technical education programs that engage them and prepare them for success after high school, regardless of what path they take. this c.t.e. legislation authorizes needed increases in funding for c.t.e. programs, and takes important steps to help more students excel in school and in the work force. the bill will improve participation among historically underserved students -- students, bring needed input from key stake holders, including parents and industry groups, an help students learn employability skills as well as technical skills. i want to thank my friend and colleague from new york, congresswoman ste pa neck, for working with me to promote arts and design education, increasingly in high demand in numerous sectors that value innovation. i want to thank chairman cline and ranking member scott --

kline an ranking member scott for their work on improving c.t.e. programs. i ask my colleagues to join me in approving this legislation and call on the senate to quickly take action. i yield back. ms. clark: thank you, i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from massachusetts reserves. the gentleman from pennsylvania is recognized. mr. thompson: thank you, mr. speaker. i'm pleased to yield -- to recognize the gentlelady from north carolina, also a leader in -- on work force and education, serves as our chair of the higher education and work force training subcommittee, ms. foxx, for one minute. . the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. ms. foxx: thank you, mr. speaker, and i thank my colleague from pennsylvania for recognizing me and the work he's done on this important bill. mr. speaker, the carl d. perkins career and technical education act has provided federal support to state and local career and technical education programs for more than 30 years. but for far too long there's

been a discrepancy in what students are learning in the classroom and what employers in the workplace. h.r. 5587 updates the law to reflect today's economic in the and the challenges that students and workers currently face. this bipartisan bill goes a long way toward ensuring that individuals who pursue a technical education have the knowledge and skills they need to is succeed. educational success is about more than just a degree. it's about preparing students for a satisfying life and teaching them the quantifiable skills that employers need in their employees. the strengthening career and technical education for the 21st century act will help students reach those goals and i encourage my colleagues to support this important legislation. and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back the balance of her time. the gentlewoman from massachusetts is recognized.

ms. clark: thank you, mr. speaker. i am pleased to yield to the gentlewoman from california, mrs. davis, for 1 1/2 minutes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from california is recognized for 1 1/2 minutes. mrs. davis: great, thank you. career technical education answers the call that we hear from industry and from students alike. train students in fields where high-quality jobs are available. we know that that means both equity and quality. equity, of course, we know because every individual, every man, every woman, people of color, women, the disabled, all of the groups need to have equal access to a promising education and successful career. and the reality is that we can't fix a problem that we can't see. so we have to have the data, we have to have the ability to know what we're looking at. but it's equally important to make sure that c.t.e. programs deliver in terms of quality. so how do we do that? i'm excited that this bill places an emphasis on teachers getting opportunities to advance their knowledge and

skills. teachers need support in training, from industry leaders, so that they can take their knowledge back to students. the flow of relevant information between industry, between teachers and students, has got to be highlighted and strengthened. when teachers have direct field experience, they're better able to enthusiastically relay accurate and timely industry practices to their students and that makes for stronger professional development for teachers and that will trickle down to our students. successful c.t.e. programs will close the skills gap that undermines our productivity today. i urge my colleagues in the senate to take up and pass this overwhelmingly bipartisan legislation. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back the balance of her time. the gentleman from pennsylvania is recognized. mr. thompson: thank you, mr. speaker. i now recognize the gentleman from south carolina, mr. wilson, for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from south carolina is recognized for one minute. mr. wilson: thank you, chairman

thompson, for yielding. i'm grateful to support the strengthening career and technical education for 21st century act. whether i'm visiting one of the remarkable schools in south carolina's technical education system, a visa -- or local manufacturing facility, the message is the same. the job market is changing rapidly. quality education is vital to competing, which is why apprenticeship programs that are so important leading to success in my state of b.m.w., h.t.y., s.r.s., boeing and soon volvo in south carolina, while existing technical education, which was established by stallings played a role, the progress has not been updated for the last 10 years. this bill serves as a first step to reforming technical education programs, by helping all americans enter the work force for high-skill, in demand jobs. some reforms include empowering state and community local leaders, limiting federal

mandates, encouraging employment engagement, increasing accountability. i'm grateful to co-sponsor the strengthening career and technical education for the 21st century, i appreciate the leadership of chairman glenn thompson for sponsoring this leadership and urge my colleagues to support. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentlelady from massachusetts is recognized. ms. clark: thank you, mr. speaker. i am pleased to yield to the gentlewoman from north carolina, ms. adams, for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from north carolina is recognized for one minute. ms. adams: i want to thank the gentlelady for yielding. as a member of the house education and work force committee, i'm proud to stand here today in support of the strengthening career and technical education for the 21st century act. this is commonsense, bipartisan legislation. and it will strengthen our economy, put hardworking americans back to work. as elected leaders, promoting the welfare of the american people, it's our most sacred responsibility. this is why we must continue to

work together, to ensure that american workers have the skills and the training needed to compete in this modern work force. in august i traveled throughout my district, meeting with local employers and workers and they all shared one major concern. the desperate need to close the skills gap. there are good paying jobs right here at home but our people aren't age to fill them and that's unacceptable. the skills gap is weakening our national and local economies and we can no longer afford the price of an underprepared work force. that's why i call on my colleagues to vote yes and to re-authorize c.t.e. voting yes will not only strengthen our economy, but will help make the american dream a reality for millions of americans. voting yes will absolutely make the difference in the lives of those you serve. today we have an opportunity to get it right. an opportunity to level the playing field. and to put the needs of the american people first. let's make america stronger by passing this commonsense, bipartisan legislation. i urge my colleagues to vote yes, i hope the senate will move swiftly and also pass this

crucial piece of legislation. thank you, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady's time has expired. the gentleman from pennsylvania is recognized. mr. thompson: mr. speaker, pleased to yield one minute to my friend from georgia, mr. allen. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from georgia is recognized for one minute. mr. allen: i thank the gentleman for yielding. career technical education is critical to the development of a growing work force. as i go into schools today, i often ask the students, why are you getting an education? these are questions that i ask students, you know, why is education important? the answer is, to get a good job. to build a career. our schools teach children all the necessary and important subjects. but it's important that we offer programs that prepare students for the work force. we have got to work to bridge the existing gap between the business community and education. that means encouraging students to find their passions early on and choosing programs that will build their resumes and get

them up for their chosen occupation. as a member of the house education and work force committee, a member of the career and technical education caucus, and with over 40 years in the business world, i am a strong supporter of this bill. growing in this economy starts with jobs and getting people back to work. so why not start by preparing americans' future work force early? i urge support of strengthening career and technical education for the 21st century act, and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentlelady from massachusetts is recognized. ms. clark: thank you, mr. speaker. i'm pleased to yield to the gentleman from massachusetts, mr. kennedy, for one minute. and i'd like to thank him for all his leadership and work on promoting american manufacturing, stem and steam education, and c.t.e. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from massachusetts is recognized for one minute. mr. kennedy: thank you, mr. speaker. i want to thank my colleague, congresswoman clark, and congressman thompson, for their

extraordinary leadership as they always seek ways to advance career and technical education training. according to a recent report in my home state of massachusetts, three out of five job openings in our commonwealth, six years from now, will require less than a college degree. that means that students who are just starting their second week of middle school this week can walk straight out of their high school graduation and into a job on their -- in their own backyard. they'll only be prepared for those jobs, though, if we ensure that their curriculum is informed by the needs of companies in their communities. businesses and tech schools in my district are creating innovative partnerships that allow students to learn in classrooms and gain hand-on experience on factory floors. guided by their example, i introduced the perkins modernization act to align the curriculum that our students are learning today with the needs of the employers that will hire them tomorrow. i'm grateful that the sponsors of this legislation included that language and hope that the senate will follow their lead by quickly taking up and passing this legislation.

thank you, mr. speaker, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from pennsylvania is recognized. mr. thompson: mr. speaker, i'm pleased to recognize another very effective member of the house education and work force committee, mr. curbelo from florida, for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from florida is recognized for one minute. curb curb i thank mr. tomp -- mr. curbelo: i thank mr. thompson for yielding and i thank him for his leadership on this bill and i'd also like to thank ms. clark, our chairman, and the ranking member for making this possible. i think all of my colleagues have explained all the details in this bill, the important reforms that are in it, but what i want to focus on is the critical message that it sends young people and really all aspiring people all over this country, mr. speaker. for a long time, and i was a school board member, so i know this, young people were told that there was only one path to success. a traditional four-year degree. and anyone who didn't do that was looked down upon. and we stigma titesed a lot of young people -- stigmatized a lot of young people in this

country. what this congress is doing today, together, republicans and democrats, is sending a strong message to students in high school tonight, -- today, and students in middle school, people who are adults but acquiring adult skills so they can get a good job, is that there are many pathways to success. i think that is equally as important as the reforms, as the changes, as the updating of this important bill that we're advancing, the strong, wonderful message that we're sending to the young people of this country, i thank everyone for their leadership and urge all my colleagues to vote for this legislation. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentlewoman from massachusetts is recognized. ms. clark: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield to the gentleman from new jersey, mr. norcross, for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new jersey is recognized for one minute. mr. norcross: thank you, mr. speaker. i thank the gentlelady for yielding. i rise in support of 5587. first i want to thank the members for coming together and certainly their staff for

recognizing the important piece of this legislation, where we're going. as we heard before, a four-year college is a great pathway for some. but certainly it isn't for ever -- everyone. i myself am a product of the other four-year school. an apprenticeship that allowed me for many, many years to support my family, being an electrician. in new jersey, my home state, seven out of 10 jobs that are coming up in the next few years will require less than that four-year degree. that re-emphasizes why we're here today. this important bill will go a long way to provide students with alternative pathways to earn a fair day's pay for a fair day's work. i, along with representative mckinley, formed the building trades caucus, to work on these issues, and we'll be meeting later this week to discuss these important items. apprenticeships, it is a partnership.

between employers and employees. they come together and will increase the outcomes. once again, i want to thank all those involved for their hard work and i urge the senate to take this up quickly and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from pennsylvania. mr. thompson: mr. speaker, i have no other speakers so i will reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentlewoman from massachusetts is recognized. ms. clark: thank you, mr. speaker. today we've heard from democrats and republicans from across the united states speak in support of h.r. 5587. this legislation builds upon the investments this chamber has made in the education system and updates c.t.e. to allow our students to be competitive in a global economy. i want to give special thanks to the education and work force committee staff who work so hard to support members in drafting this bill that has received such broad bipartisan support. i urge my colleagues --

colleagues on both sides of the aisle, as well as our senate colleagues, to quickly take up and approve this commonsense legislation and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back the balance of her time. the gentleman from pennsylvania is recognized to close debate on this bill. mr. thompson: thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, i yield myself the remainder of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. thompson: thank you, mr. speaker. career and technical education helps men and women across the country achieve the american dream of finding and seizing opportunities to work hard and to succeed within the work force. the strengthening career and technical education for the 21st century act makes a positive reform -- makes positive reforms necessary to ensure more americans are able to access life-changing education and experience that will allow them to do just that. to achieve the american dream. i'm pleased that we have been able to work across the aisle

in a bipartisan manner, my hope is we'll be able to work in a bicameral manner with the senate, and i encourage swift action in the senate, to ensure that this generation is equipped with the tools needed to remain competitive in today's work force. i believe this is an effort that we can all support. mr. speaker, the title of this bill is the strengthening career and technical education for the 21st century act. normally we usually find some kind of an acronym, something short and catchy to call this. those initials don't lend that to that process, but i would have to say, what i like to refer to this legislation is the opportunity bill. it's the opportunity for those young people that are looking to enter the work force and want to go into a path to be able to earn a family-establishing wage -- family-sustaining wage to be successful through career and technical education training.

it's an opportunity bill for those families who today find themselves depressed -- depressed and caught in unemployment and looking for -- to get back into the work force and greater opportunity. it's an opportunity bill for those families who have found themselves trapped in poverty. and without an exit strategy, mr. speaker. this bill is an opportunity bill. it's an exit ramp from poverty for those families, those americans. for business -- for those who are job creators who can't grow or maybe even start their business or sustain the business because they can't find qualified, trained workers, this is an opportunities bill, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, i urge my colleagues to vote yes on h.r. 5587, and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. all time having now expired, the question is, will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 5587 as amended.

hose in favor say aye. those opposed, no in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed and without objection -- ms. clark: i ask for a recorded vote. the speaker pro tempore: does the gentlelady ask for the yeas and nays. ms. clark: yes. the speaker pro tempore: the yeas and nays are requested. those in favor of taking this vote by the yeas and nays will rise and remain standing until counted. a sufficient number having risen, the yeas and nays are ordered. pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, further proceedings on this uestion will be postponed.

for what purpose does the gentleman from texas, mr. brady, seek recognition? mr. brady: pursuant to house resolution 858, i call the bill h.r. 590, the halt tax increases on the middle class and seniors act, and ask for its immediate consideration. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the titlele of the bill. the clerk: union calendar number 508, h.r. 3590, a bill to amend the internal revenue code of 1986 to repeal the increase in the income threshold used in determining the deduction for medical care. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to house resolution 858, the moment in the nature of

a substitute recommended by the committee on ways and means printed in the bill is adopted and the bill as amended is considered read. the gentleman from texas, mr. brady, and the gentleman from michigan, mr. levin, each will control 30 minutes. the chair now recognizes the gentleman from texas, mr. brady. mr. brady: i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on h.r. 3590 currently under consideration. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, ordered. mr. brady: over the last few months, american people have witnessed one obamacare failure after another. major insurers are fleeing the exchanges, health care premiums are continuing to just skyrocket, and only seven of obamacare's 23 public option co-ops remain. after new jersey's announcement yesterday that it will close its

co-op, we will be down to only six at the end of the year. that means nearly three quarters of a million americans have been or will soon be kicked off their current insurance. every week, the news about this law gets worse. that's why house republicans are taking action right now to protect seniors across our country from another looming negative consequence of the president's health care law. i'm honored to speak in support of congresswoman martha mcsally to prevent tax increases on the middle class and seniors act. before the affordable care act, americans could find some relief in their ability to deduct high cost, out of pocket medical expenses from their taxes. but this important source of relief is about to get further out of reach for seniors, thanks to obamacare. for americans under 65 years age a provision of the affordable care act has already raised the previous 7.5% income threshold up to 10%.

starting january 1, just three months from now, the provision will go into effect for america's seniors and elderly as well. in fact, american association of retired persons, aarp, as many know them , in their letter endorsing this legislation, stated that 56% of all returns claiming this deduction had at least one member of the household age 65 or older. in other words, this is hitting seniors in retirement years where every dollar matters. this obamacare provision is a tax hike, plain and simple. it makes paying for care even more difficult for individuals, families and seniors who may already be struggling to afford the care they need. mr. speaker, this law gets more unaffordable and burdensome every day and it's the middle class an seniors who are being hurt most. with the halt tax increases on the middle class and seniors act, we can repeal this provision and stop another

painful obamacare tax hike in its tracks. i'm grateful for representative mcsally's leadership on this important, bipartisan legislation, and i would note that as aarp said, more than half of those impacted are seniors, nearly half are the middle class and make between $40,000 and $70,000 a year. every dollar in their family budget matters as well. this solution targeted obamacare repeal is another example of how house republicans are delivering the patient-focused solutions americans deserve this repeal faces meaningful steps to make health care more affordable and accessible for the american people. with that, i'm proud of the leadership of congresswoman mcsally on behalf of our seniors and our middle class. i reserve also the balance of my time and i ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from ohio, mr. tiberi, chairman of the health subcommittee, be

permitted to control the remainder of the time. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, ordered. the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. levin: i yield myself such time as i shall consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for such time. mr. levin: mr. speaker, this bill is going nowhere. but there are lessons to be learned from it being voted on today. it's an exercise republicans hope will help them politically. and it's yet another one of their attempts to undermine the affordable care act. the joint committee on taxation estimates that this bill would increase the deficit, would increase the deficit by nearly $33 billion over the next 10 years. and this bill does not include any offsets to address this

cost. this is a vivid contradiction of worn out republican rhetoric claiming time and time again the concerns about the deficit of this country. earlier this year, the president requested $1.9 billion to address the gring threat of the zika virus in this country. republicans ignored this request. disregarded our nation's top public health officials. and instead, combined lower funding levels with poison pill policy riders. 12,000,2,000 americans, including nearly 1,400 pregnant women have confirmed cases of zika in this country. the centers for disease control

and prevention has stated it is running out of resources to fight the virus. so far, no action. this is an emergency, zika is. the republicans say, pay for it. oh, but not a dime for this $35 billion tax cut. how can we afford to provide for an enormous tax cut like the one before us today, but we can't afford to spend just one 15th of that amount to protect americans from a devastating disease impacting families and children. and the opioid epidemic. we passed some important legislation to address it. but no money.

no action to make sure that it would really be meaningful. but today we can pass an unpaid ? r tax cut of $35 billion and flint, michigan. kids poisoned. thousands of them. drinking water still cannot be consumed and water can't be otherwise used in flint, but no action today. no action. $35 billionass this bill unpaid for. let's be clear about the a.c.a. which once again the republicans are trying to repeal in part. the a.c.a. was fully paid for, fully, and since the a.c.a.

passed six years ago, the majority has failed to offer any meaningful alternatives to the a.c.a. to reduce the ranks of he uninsured and provide affordable coverage to american families. their response has been nata in terms of anything meaningful. according to the j.c.t. data, approximately 2/3 of the tax benefits from 3590 will accrue to taxpayers earning $100,000 and more over the next 0 years. n 2013, only 6.1% of all returns claimed a medical expense deduction and only 11% of seniors did so. we know that the higher households -- high aerohousehold's income, the more

ikely it is to deduct with itemization. so low income seniors who receive little or no benefits from this bill, since much of their income comes from social security. for these reasons, the administration has issued a statement of administrate -- administration policy. and i want to read it because it underlines how, as i said at the beginning, the republicans here once again are going through the motion. this isn't going to become law. but it says something important. don't pay for it. be reckless. claim you care. and also take another step to undo a.c.a. i quote from the administration -- the statement of administration policy. the administration strongly

opposes house passage of h.r. 3590. it will repeal a provision of the affordable care act that limits a repressive, poorly targeted tax break for health care spending. this repeal would disproportionately benefit higher income americans. while increasing national health care spending. additionally, it would increase e federal deficit by $32.7 billion over 10 years, corkt the congressional budget office. the administration is always willing to work with the congress on fiscally responsible ways to further improve health care affordability and the affordable care act. the president's budget offers a number of proposals to do so. however, h.r. 3590 would be a step in the wrong direction

because it would increase health care spending and increase the federal deficit while doing little to improve the affordability of health care for middle class families. if the president will present -- were present with h.r. 3590, his senior advisors would recommend that he veto the bill. end of quote. i reserve the balance of our time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from michigan reserves. the gentleman from ohio is recognized. . >> thank you, mr. speaker. this is a commonsense bill that 3.8 ls an onerous tax on million households in america. mr. tiberi: 3.8 million households in america. in 2016 alone.

we should encourage patients to seek the care they need, not to create more burdens and restrict access to medical care , as this obamacare tax does. now, if americans out there watching listen to the -- listened to the previous speaker say things like, politically motivated bill, undermine affordable care act, a contradiction, ladies and gentlemen, here's the crick -- this bill -- contradiction -- this bill was introduced over a year ago by congresswoman martha mcsally from arizona. this isn't the first time this bill's been introduced. it was introduced in the last session of congress. by a gentleman whose name is ron barber, former congressman rom arizona, and a democrat. how interesting. what a contradiction that is. so, ladies and gentlemen, this politically -- so-called politically motivated bill, according to the aarp, this is

the aarp saying this, which supports the legislation, that 56% of all returns claiming this deduction had at least one mber of their household aged 65 years or older. my mom and dad, over 65, on a fixed income. yet some are opposed to this bill. let me tell you who's for it. aarp. americans for prosperity. national taxpayer union. americans for tax reform. 60-plus, association of mature american citizens. campaign for liberty. small business and entrepreneurial council. mr. speaker, i'm a proud co-sponsor of this bill and i'd like to thank congresswoman martha mcsally from arizona for her passion for this legislation, her tireless work for this legislation, testifying before the ways and means subcommittee on this legislation, and trying to help

those 3.8 million households in america, many low income and middle income households in america, in bringing this important issue to light today and i'd like to recognize congresswoman mcsally for four minutes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from arizona is recognized for four minute. mr. sali: i want to thank chair -- ms. mcsally: i want to thank chairman tiberi, as well as chairman brady. i truly appreciate your willingen to work with me on this legislation -- willingness to work with me on this legislation will -- that will peel back this lesser known tax increase buried in the affordable care act, that is already hurting middle class families, and will begin to hurt seniors early next year. h.r. 3590, the -- it will halt -- the halt taxes on middle income americans and seniors. it will protect seniors from this tax hike and will roll it back for middle class families. with the cost of health care rising, and becoming significantly harder for families and seniors to find,

this legislation is necessary to provide relief to americans with expensive medical bills. since 2005, health care costs have steadily risen faster than inflation in every year except one. additionally, the trenleds toward rising health insurance deductibles and premiums are leaving people exposed to increased out of pocket costs. we should be working to reduce this burden, not making it worse. but that's not what this hidden tax hike in the affordable care act would do. currently the i.r.s. allows americans with high health care costs to deduct certain out-of-pocket expenses from their taxes. prior to 2013, individuals could deduct out-of-pocket costs that exceed 7.5% of one's adjusted gross income or a.g.i. the affordable care act changed this for americans under the age of 65, already, by moving that threshold to 10%. effectively raising taxes on midsle class americans. and to make matters worse, that same tax increase is scheduled

to hit americans 65 and older starting january 1, 2017. this is particularly concerning to me because according to the census bureau's 2014 american community survey, approximately 140,000 individuals, roughly 1/5, of my constituents are over the age of 65. so the not received much attention, the medical expense deduction means a great deal to some of the most vulnerable americans. according to recent data from the i.r.s., more than eight million people use this deduction, with more than 80% earning less than 100 -- $100,000 a year. and 49% earning less than $50,000 a year. this deduction is extremely important for low and middle income americans who have already spent thousands in out-of-pocket costs and cannot afford another shock to their wallets and pocketbooks. the same goes for seniors. many who already live on fixed incomes and struggle to make ends meet. according to the aarp, seniors make up 56% of all claim

abilities of the medical expense deduction. if the threshold is raised, many seniors who have saved for their whole lives and have carefully planned for retirement will suddenly be faced with hundreds of dollars in extra taxes. on top of the out-of-pocket medical costs they already pay. that's why i introduced this bill. it is a bipartisan bill to stop this tax increase for seniors and roll it back for those under 65. the impetus for this legislation came from one of my constituents. in green valley, arizona. his name is lauren. tragically lauren passed away earlier this year. but he knew the importance of raising awareness of this tax hike and he was committed and passionate to doing what he could do to stop it. i'm honored to be standing here today in order to advance this effort. lauren's effort. one step further. in closing, i want to say thanks to the 17 co-sponsors, including chairman tiberi, congresswoman lynn jenkins,

congressman bob dold, and congressman jason smith, all members of the ways and means subcommittee, as well as my colleague from arizona, krysten sinema. i would also like to thank the various supporting groups, including the aarp, americans for pros pert, 60-plus, americans for tax reform, the associated and mature american citizens, and the national taxpayer union. i would urge all members to join me in supporting this bill in order to ensure reprotect the american people from another harmful health care tax increase that they simply cannot afford. thank you and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back the balance of her time. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. levin: i yield four minutes to a member of our our committee, mr. blumenauer from oregon. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from oregon is recognized for four minutes. mr. blumenauer: thank you, mr. speaker. i appreciate the gentleman's courtesy for permitting me to add my voice to this

discussion. i think we're all deeply concerned about impacts that we have on our constituents, whether it's in terms of tax expenses, in terms of health care, or challenges in their day to day life. what is deeply concerning to me is an inability for us to step back and look at these things in a broader context, to be able to prioritize and deal with these items in a way that actually provides some sense of balance. i'll be the first to admit that i had some reservations about some of the funding elements that were part of the affordable care act. i would not have used exactly the same structure. but bear in mind that the investment in the affordable care act has provided significant health care subsidies for millions of americans. which my friend and colleague,

congressman levin, can go through in great detail. but what we're looking at here, three problems. one, if this bill were to move forward, it would invest $33 billion either added to the deficit or cutting other programs. i think it's important to bear in mind that this congress has been tied in nots, unable to come up with a billion or two to deal with the zika crisis. the infections that are taking place, the potential of an epidemic, starting in places like florida, and puerto rico. but putting at risk people around the country. this is an immediate health care crisis. congress is paralyzed. and we can't come up with a billion or two, let alone $33 billion. over the next 10 years. we have watched on an ongoing

basis people picking away at items of the affordable care act, which was developed as a comprehensive package, that had things that some people supported, some people were opposed, but collectively was able to provide these benefits that resulted in having the lowest eninsured rate in american history. we're watching people starting to try and pick away at element here that either add to the deficit or undermine the integrity of the affordable care act. one of the things that's been frustrating for me is that we had a complete collapse of the legislative process. there were many things that we could have done to refine and improve the affordable care act. nobody would have designed the bill exactly like it went through, but that's what happened when the senate republicans stopped legislating and we used the reconciliation

package to take what we had, enable it to go forward. with the expectation over the course of the last six years, we would be working together to refine. it like we have done with every -- refine it. like we have done with every single major piece of social legislation in our history. we work on it. none of these things are perfect. we refine it. we look at the changes that can come forward and try and improve it for the american people. that has not been what has happened in the six years that my republican friends have been in charge of the house of representatives. i have deep affection and respect for my friend, mr. tiberi. we work on lots of things together. one thing we haven't been able to work on in six years is an opportunity to refine the affordable care act. to be able to work together cooperatively to build on it. we've had an agenda -- i've lost track at 659 number of

times the votes were -- 65 the number times the votes were to repeal it. not to work together to -- thank you. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for an additional two minutes. mr. blumenauer: to repeal it, to get rid of it. to try and -- in fact, there were a number of votes that is have taken place to actually make it worse. to have a bigger impact on low and modern income families, have a bigger cliff for people who have changes in their economic circumstances. to have a larger penalty, rather than smoothing, refining and making it better. we have an opportunity to be able to deal meaningfully with things that will improve the health of the american people. if we don't agree on the refinement of the affordable care act, i'm hoping that we might have a more responsible and slightly better congress next time, but there are things we could do right now in areas of medical research. i mentioned zika. we have opportunities to move

forward. this takes off the top, something that's been in the legislation for some time, that focuses one element, but doesn't improve the quality of health care, that doesn't deal with refining and strengthening the affordable care act, that doesn't deal with the crisis of zika, doesn't beef up medical research. we have many priorities, we have many opportunities. the easiest thing in the world to do is come in to try and cut taxes, add more deductions, make changes, particularly if we're not going to pay for those changes. if we're just going to add to the deficit greater borrowing for the future. this is cotton candy. this is not serious legislation. there are no tradeoffs involved here. it's just making it out of whole cloth, moving forward and letting somebody else bear the consequences. i don't think that's what we

should be doing. i do think there are people who are serious about reducing the deficit. i think there are people that are serious about improving health care for the american people. there are people who are deadly serious about dealing with the zika crisis. there are things that we could be doing cooperatively to make things better and focus on priorities. this bill is not that. this bill is cotton candy. unpaid for. cut tacks. and let the consequences fall to somebody else. i think we can do better. i hope we do better. i hope this -- people get this out of their system, make their point. i understand it. in a perfect world, there are things that we would have done differently. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from ohio is recognizeed.

mr. tiberi: thank you, mr. speaker. today we are making this piece of legislation better. this thing called the affordable care act better. in fact, j.c.t. says that in 10 years nearly 10 million households in america will be paying this new tax, again, moderate and low income households, for them, those 10 million people, we are making it better. . i recognize the gentleman from illinois, suburban chicago, a member of the ways and means committee, who has been active in supporting this legislation and helping getting it passed out of committee, mr. bob dold, for three minutes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. dold: i thank the chairman for yielding the time and i want to join him in saying to my colleague and good friend from oregon, i welcome the opportunity to