Protect Medical Innovation Act of 2013

Mr. Speaker, we all know that the medical technology industry is one of America's leading manufacturing industries and has huge potential to continue being a vehicle for creating jobs.

This American success story employs more than 400,000 workers, pays salaries 40 percent higher than the average national wage, is one of our country's few industries that actually exports more than it imports; and it is an industry that is fueled by innovation and is made up of mostly small businesses. Eighty percent of these businesses have less than 50 employees; 98 percent of them have less than 500. Most importantly, however, this is an industry that saves and improves lives for patients.

Medical devices helped slash the death rate from heart disease by a stunning 50 percent and cut the death rate from stroke by 30 percent. But, Mr. Speaker, last January, a new $30 billion medical device tax was enacted as a part of ObamaCare. It's not a tax on profit; it's a tax on revenue. It's a tax on sales.

Nobody can explain why this industry was singled out, other than tens of billions of dollars needed to be brought in to pay for an over- trillion-dollar law. But you know what, the effects have been devastating--10,000 job losses across the country have been announced; companies are moving their operations overseas. And once these jobs move overseas, they don't just come back.

Countless small, privately held companies, they've cut jobs and investment in research and development to deal with this onerous policy; and research and development is the very lifeblood of this industry.

I have a letter, Mr. Speaker, from 975 organizations in support of repealing the device tax. The signers include the Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers, numerous doctors and physicians and health care groups, and others who are directly impacted by the tax. I will include it in the Record.

Mr. Speaker, we know this tax is bad policy. We know there is support in this Chamber and in the Senate to repeal this tax. Last year, the House passed my repeal legislation with overwhelming bipartisan support, but the Senate didn't act before the end of the year. But this year, we have 263 cosponsors of my legislation to repeal this tax--far more than last year and more than enough to pass it in the House.

Last April, when the Senate was debating their budget resolution, 79 Senators voted their intention to also repeal the device tax, and 33 of those Senators were Democrats. Mr. Speaker, how often do we have such an overwhelming bipartisan support on an issue? This is our opportunity.

Winston Churchill is to have said that people ``occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened.''

The truth that we all know about the medical device tax is that it has destroyed jobs, it's destroyed innovation, and it has hurt patient care. These are the very pillars that the health care reform was actually supposed to support.

Repealing this policy sends a very strong and commonsense message to the American people that Congress may not always agree on what is the right path forward, but we can absolutely recognize when a policy has set us on the wrong path; and today we have an opportunity to right this wrong.

This amendment repeals a tax that is threatening America's global leadership in innovation. This is about saving lives. It's important that we do act now--and today. Let's stop the job losses. Let's protect these high-wage jobs; and let's ensure that America continues to invent, continues to innovate, and continues to develop the very cutting-edge and lifesaving technologies for our patients.

Vote for the repeal of the medical device tax.

September 28, 2013.

Hon. Harry Reid,

Majority Leader, U.S. Senate.

Hon. John Boehner,

Speaker of the House, U.S. House of Representatives.

Hon. Mitch McConnell,

Republican Leader, U.S. Senate.

Hon. Nancy Pelosi,

Minority Leader, U.S. House of Representatives.

Dear Majority Leader Reid, Speaker Boehner, Minority Leader

McConnell and Minority Leader Pelosi: As Congress nears the

end of the calendar year, we respectfully request that repeal

of the medical device excise tax be addressed as a top

priority. Implementation of what was to be a $20 billion

excise tax and is now estimated to collect over $30 billion

in taxes--is adversely impacting patient care and innovation,

and will substantially increase the costs of health care. The

Senate and House have both passed repeal legislation with

strong bipartisan majorities. On behalf of the more than 975

undersigned organizations, associations, companies, patients,

providers and venture capital firms representing hundreds of

thousands medical technology jobs, we ask that you act to

repeal the medical device tax during this session of

Congress.

As you know, the medical device industry is a unique

American success story--both for patients and our economy.

The United States is the world leader in manufacturing life-

saving and life-enhancing treatments, and the industry is an

important engine for economic growth. The industry employs

more than 400,000 workers nationwide; generates approximately

$25 billion in payroll; pays out salaries that are 40 percent

more than the national average ($58,000 vs. $42,000); and

invests nearly $10 billion in research and development (R&D)

annually. The industry is fueled by innovative companies, the

majority of which are small businesses with 80 percent of

companies having fewer than 50 employees and 98 percent with

fewer than 500 employees.

Unfortunately, the health care law imposes over $30 billion

in new excise taxes on medical technology companies that are

stifling innovation and U.S. competitiveness. The tax is

already having an adverse impact on R&D investment and job

creation, jeopardizing the U.S. global leadership position in

medical device innovation. If this tax is not repealed, it

will continue to force affected companies to cut

manufacturing operations, research and development, and

employment levels to recoup the lost earnings due to the tax.

It will also adversely impact patient access to new and

innovative medical technologies.

In short, this tax on innovation should be repealed for the

following three important reasons:

The tax stifles innovation and has already costs thousands

of high-paying jobs. It has increased the effective tax rate

for medical technology companies, thereby reducing financial

resources that should be used for R&D, clinical trials and

investments in manufacturing. The impact is especially hard

on smaller companies whose innovations are not immediately

profitable.

The tax will increase health care costs as confirmed by a

report issued in April 2010 by the Office of the Actuary at

the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). In some

cases, the 2.3% tax will be passed on to

consumers, leading to higher health care costs.

The tax is not being offset by increased demand for medical

devices. In fact, it is important to note that there is no

evidence suggesting a device industry ``windfall'' from

healthcare reform. Unlike other industries that may benefit

from expanded coverage, the majority of device-intensive

medical procedures are performed on patients that are older

and already have private insurance or Medicare coverage.

Where states have dramatically extended health coverage, such

as in Massachusetts where they added 400,000 new covered

lives, there is no evidence of a device ``windfall.''

At a time when the federal government is working to promote

investment in U.S. industries of the future, it is

inconsistent that a tax of this magnitude is placed on the

medical device industry. We must do all we can to encourage

and promote research, development, investment and innovation.

Instead, increased taxes, such as this one on the medical

device industry, coupled with the increased regulatory

uncertainty the industry also faces, is leading to further

job losses, hindering the development of breakthrough

treatments and delaying patient access to medical technology.

We respectfully request timely action on legislation to

repeal this over $30 billion excise tax.

3C Spine, Inc., 3D Medical Manufacturing, Inc., 3M

Healthcare, A-dec, A.R. Hinkel Company, Abaxis, Abbey Moor

Medical, Abiomed, Inc., Acacia Research Corporation, Academy

of General Dentistry, AccessClosure, Accuitive Medical

Ventures, Accuray Incorporated, Acertara Acoustic

Laboratories, LLC, Aciont Inc., ActivaTek Inc., Active

Implants, Actus Medical, Acumen Healthcare Solutions, LLC.

Adagio Medical, Inc., Adept-Med International, Inc.,

Adhezion Biomedical, LLC, ADM Tronics, Adroit Medical,

Advanced BioHealing, A Shire Company, Advanced Bionics,

Advanced Circulatory Systems, Inc., Advanced Medical

Technology Association, Advanced Orthopaedic Solutions (AOS),

Advanced Surgical Instruments, Advanced Technology Ventures,

AdvanDx, Aerocrine, Inc., Aesculap, Inc., AestheTec, Inc,

Aethlon Medical, Inc., AFC Tool, Affinity Capital, Agamatrix,

Inc., Agendia, Inc., Alabama Dental Association,

Albright Technologies, Alcon, A Novartis Group Company,

Aleeva Medical Inc, Align Technology, Inc., Alkaline

Corporation, Allegro Diagnostics Corp., Allergan, Allvivo

Vascular, Inc., ALPCO Diagnostics, Alphatec Spine, Inc., Alta

Partners, ALung Technologies, Inc., AlvaMed Inc., Alverix,

Inc., Ambio Health, Ambu, Inc., Amedica Analogic Corp,

America's Blood Centers (ABC), American Academy of Facial

Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery.

American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, American Academy

of Periodontology, American Association of Endodontists,

American Association of Neurological Surgeons, American

Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, American

Association of Orthodontists, American College of

Prosthodontists, American College of Radiology, American

Dental Association, American Medical Systems, American

Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, American Society

of Dentist Anesthesiologists, American Society of Plastic

Surgeons, Andersen Products, Andover Healthcare, Andrew

Technologies, Angel Medical Systems, AngioDynamics.

AngioScore Inc., Anulex Technologies, Inc., AOTI Inc.,

Apnex Medical, Inc., Apollo Endosurgery, Applied Dexterity,

Inc., Applied Research & Photonics, Inc., Aptus

Endosystems, Inc., Aqueduct Neurosciences, Inc., Aqueous

Biomedical, Inc., AcrueSys, Inc., ARC Medical, Inc.,

Ardiem Medical, Inc., Argenta Advisors, ARIBEX, Inc.,

Arizona BioIndustry Association, ArKal Medical, Inc.,

ARKRAY Arteriocyte, ARTHROSURFACE, INCORPORATED.

Articulinx, Asante Solutions, Inc., Aso LLC, Aspen Medical

Products, Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM),

Associates of Cape Cod, Inc., Astute Medical, AtCor Medical

Holdings, Ltd., ATEK Medical, Ativa Medical, ATL Technology

Utah, Atlanta BioMedical Corporation (ABC), Atlas Spine,

Inc., Atos Medical Inc., AtriCure, Inc., Atrium Medical

Corporation, Aurident, Inc., Autonomic Technologies, Inc.,

Auxogyn, Inc., Avacen MOD Corporation.

Avantis Medical Systems, Inc., Avedro, Avinger, Axiom

Medical, Inc., AxioMed Spine Corporation, AxoGen, Inc., B.

Braun Medical, Inc., Balchem Corporation, Banyan Biomarkers,

BAROnova, Inc., BaroSense, Inc., BARRX Medical, Inc., Baxano

Surgical, Inc., Baxter Healthcare, BayBio, BD, BEACON

(Biomedical Engineering Alliance & Consortium), Beaver

Visitec, Beckman Coulter, Belmont Instrument Corporation.

BeneChill, Inc., Benvenue Medical, Inc., Berlin Heart,

Inc., Berman Medical BioBDx, Bioanalytical Systems, Inc.,

BioBDx, BioCardia, Inc., BioCare Systems, Inc., BIOCOM,

Bioconnect Systems, Inc., BioDerm, Inc., BioElectronics,

BioFlorida, BIOforward, BioHouston, BioMedical Life Systems,

BioMedix, bioMerieux, Inc., Biomerix Corporation, Biomet,

Inc., Biomimedica.

BioMimetic Therapeutics, Inc., Bionix Development

Corporation, BioOhio, Biophan Technologies, Inc., BIOSAFE,

Inc., Bioscale, Bioscience Association of Maine, BioSculpture

Technology, Inc., BioSET, Inc., Biotest Laboratories, Inc.,

BIOTRONIK, Inc., Bioventus LLC, Birchwood Labatories Inc.,

Boston Healthcare Associates, Inc., Boston Scientific

Corporation, Botanical Laboratories, BrainScope Company,

Inc., Breathe Technologies, Breg, BridgePoint Medical, BTE

Technologies, Inc., Busse Hospital Disposables.

C.R. Bard, Inc., Cabochon Aesthetics, Inc., Cadence, Inc.,

Caldera Medical, Inc., California Healthcare Institute (CHI),

Calypso Medical, Canaan Partners, Cannuflow Inc., Cantel

Medical Corp., Cantimer, Inc., Cape Cod, Inc., Carbylan

Biosurgery, Inc., Cardia Access, Cardiac Dimensions, Inc.,

Cardiac Science, CardiacAssist, Inc., CardiAQ Valve

Technologies, Inc., Cardinal Health, Cardinal Scale

Manufacturing Company.

CardioDx, Inc., CardioFocus, Inc., CardioKinetix Inc.,

CardioMEMS, Inc., CardioNexus Corporation, Cardiovascular

Systems, Inc., CareFusion Corporation, Carmell Therapeutics

Corporation, CarrierCOM, Carrot Medical, Carticept Medical,

Cartiva, Inc., Case Medical, Inc., Catheter Connections,

Inc., Cayenne Medical, CEA Medical Manufacturing, CEA

Technologies, Inc., Celleration, Cellestis Inc., Center for

Medical Device Innovations.

Cepheid, CeQur, Cerephex Corporation, Ceterix Orthopaedics,

Checkpoint Surgical, CHF Solutions, Inc., Christcot Medical

Company, Cianna medical, Circadiance, City Hill Ventures,

LLC, CivaTech Oncology, Claret Medical, Inc., Clarity Medical

Systems, Inc., Claro Scientific, LLC, Clarus Medical, LLC,

ClarVista Medical, Cleveland Medical Devices Inc., Clinical

Research Consultants, Inc., CoAlign Innovations, Inc.,

CoAxia, Inc., Cochlear.

Cohera Medical, Inc., Coherex Medical, Colorado Bioscience

Association (CBSA), Colorado Dental Association (CDA),

Columbus Chamber of Commerce, Command Medical Products, Inc.,

COMPASS International Innovations, Compression Therapy

Concepts, Concert Medical, Congress of Neurological Surgeons,

ConMed Linvatec, CONNECT, Consensus Orthopedics, Inc.,

ConvaTec Inc., Cook Medical, Core Medical Imaging, Corgenix

Medical Corporation, Corin USA Limited, Corindus Vascular

Robotics, Corinthian Ophthalmic, Inc., Cormatrix.

Corventis, Inc., COTERA, Inc., Council for Affordable

Health Coverage, Covalent Medical, Inc., Covidien, Creatv

MicroTech, Inc., Critech Research, Critical Diagnostics,

Crux Biomedical, Cryothermic Systems, CSA Medical, Inc.,

Curexo Technology Corporation, Curo Medical, Inc.,

CurveBeam, CV Ingenuity, CVRx Inc., CyberHeart,

Cyberonics, Cynosure, CytoMedical Design Group LLC.

Cytopherx, Cytori Therapeutics, Inc., CytoSorbents

Corporation, D&D Medical, Inc., D&R Products, Dallen Medical,

dataCon Inc., DataPhysics Research, Inc., DaVinci Biomedical

Research Prod., Inc., De Novo Ventures, DEKA R&D Corp,

Delcath Systems, Inc., Dental Trade Alliance (DTA),

Denterprise International, Inc., DERMA SCiENCES, INC., Design

Mentor, Devicix, DFine, Inc., DG Medical, Digirad, Direct

Flow Medical.

Disposable Instrument Co., Inc., DJO Global, Inc., Domain

Associates, L.L.C., Domain Surgical, Inc., Drexler Medical,

Dynatronics, E. Benson Hood Laboratories, Inc., EarlySense

Inc., eCardio Diagnostics, Echelon Biosciences, Inc., Echo

Therapeutics, Edwards Lifesciences, EKOS Corporation,

Electrical Geodesics, Inc., Electromed, Inc., Ellipse

Technologies, Inc., Ellman International, Emergence, Emergent

Medical Partners.

Emerson Consultants, Inc., Endo Health Solutions, Inc.,

Endo-Therapeutics, Inc., EndoChoice, Inc., EndOclear, LLC,

EndoGastric Solutions, EndoShape, Inc., eNeura Therapeutics,

Engineered Medical Systems/Pulmodyne, Entellus Medical,

EnteroMedics, Inc., EPIC Research & Diagnostics, Erchonia

Corp., Essex Woodlands, eVent Medical, Evergreen Medical

Technologies, Exactech, Experien Group, ExploraMed

Development, LLC, FAST Diagnostics.

FemCap Inc., Ferris Mfg. Corp., Fidia Pharma USA Inc.,

Figure 8 Surgical, Fisher Wallace Laboratories, Fjord

Ventures, Flexicath, Inc., Flexuspine, Inc., Flight Medical,

Flocel Inc., Florida Medical Manufacturers' Consortium, Inc.,

Fluidnet Corporation, ForSight Labs, Fortimedix USA, Inc.,

FOUNDRY NEWCO XI, Fresenius Medical Care NA, Freshmedx,

Frontier Scientific Inc., FTSI, FUJIFILM SonoSite Inc.,

Fujirebio Diagnostics, Inc., Galil Medical.

Galt Medical, Gambro, GE Healthcare, Genesis Plastics

Welding, GENICON, Gentis Inc., Georgia Bio, Georgia Dental

Association, GI Dynamics, Inc., Gilero, LLC, Glaukos

Corporation, Glenveigh Medical, Globe Composite Solutions,

Ltd., Globus Medical, GluMetrics, Gradient Technologies, LLC,

Great Lakes NeuroTechnologies Inc., Greatbatch Medical,

Ground Zero Pharmaceuticals, GT Urological, LLC, Gulden

Opthalmics,

Haemonetics Corp., Halo Healthcare Inc., HALT Medical,

Inc., Hausmann Industries, Inc., Health Industry Distributors

Association (HIDA), Health IT Now Coalition, HealthCare

Institute of New Jersey, HealthpointCapital, HeartFlow,

HeartWare International, Inc., Heidelberg Engineering,

HEMERUS, Hemosphere, Hill-Rom, Hispanic Dental Association

(HDA), HITACHI MEDICAL SYSTEMS AMERICA, INC., Holaira,

Hologic/Gen-Probe, Home Dialysis Plus, Hospira Inc., Hotspur-

Cardiac Care.

Hotspur Technologies, Inc., HoverTech International, Hull

Associates, Hycor Biomedical, Inc., Hydrocision, ibiliti-

iCAD, Inc., ICAP Patent Brokerage, Ichor Medical Systems,

ICONACY Orthopedic Implants, LLC,

ICU Medical, Inc., IKARIA, Illinois Biotechnology Industry

Organization--iBIO, Illinois State Dental Society, IlluminOss

Medical, Inc., ImaCor, Imalux Corporation, IMARC Research,

ImpediMed.

Impliant, Inc., ImThera Medical, Inc., InaVein, LLC, Incept

LLC, Incline Therapeutics, Indiana Chamber of Commerce,

Indiana Dental Association, Indiana Health Industry Forum,

Indiana Manufacturers Association, Indiana Medical Device

Manufacturers Council, InfoBionic, Infraredx, Inc.,

InfraScan, Inc., InjectiMed, Inc., Innovative Pulmonary

Solutions, Inc., Innovative Surgical Designs, Inc.,

Innovative Trauma Care Inc, Innovent Medical Solutions, Ltd.,

Inogen, Insight Medical, inSite Medical Technologies.

Instratek, Inc., Insulet Corporation, Insurgical LLC,

Intact Vascular, Inc., Integra LifeSciences, International

Franchise Association, International Medical Industries,

Inc., International Sterilization Laboratory LLC,

Intersect ENT, InterValve, Inc., Interventional Autonomics

Corporation, IntraPace, IntriCon, IntriMed Technologies,

Intrinsic Therapeutics, Intuitive Marketing Strategists,

Intuity Medical, Inc., Ionix Medical, Inc., Iowa Dental

Association, iRhythm Technologies, Inc., Irvine Chamber of

Commerce.

iSonea, Limited, ISTO Technologies, Inc., Ivantis, Inc.,

Ivera Medical Corporation, Ivivi Health Sciences LLC, iWalk,

J.H. Garver Consulting, LLC, Jabil, Jack Saladow &

Associates, Kalypto Medical, KCI, Kensey Nash Corporation,

KFx Medical Corporation, Kimberly-Clark Health Care, Kinamed

Inc., Knee Creations, LLC, KRONUS, Inc., Kspine, Inc., LAAx,

Inc., Laser Peripherals, LLC, LeukoDx Ltd., LFI Medical.

Life Core Technologies, Life Science Tennessee, Life Spine,

Inc., Life Technologies, Lifecore Biomedical, LLC,

LifeScience Alley, LifeScience Plus, Inc., LifeWave,

Lightstone Ventures, Linde Healthcare, LipoScience, Inc.,

LogicMark, LLC, Logikos, Inc., Lonestar Heart, Inc.,

Louisiana Dental Association, Luminex Corporation, Lutonix,

Inc., Mack Medical, MacuCLEAR, Inc., Magellan Technologies,

Inc., Magnolia Medical Technologies, Inc., Maine Standards

Company, LLC.

Mammotome, Manufacturers Association of Maine, Mardil

Medical, Inc., MarketLab, Masimo, Massachusetts Dental

Society, Massachusetts Medical Device Industry Council MedIC,

MassBio, Materna Medical, Mauna Kea Technologies, MB Venture

Partners, LLC, MBio Diagnostics, Inc., MBL International

Corporation, Mectra Labs Inc., MED-EL Corporation, Medafor,

Inc., MedDx Capital Advisors, Medenovo, LLC, Medical Device

Consultants, Inc., Medical Device Manufacturers Association,

Medical Engineering Innovations, Inc., Medical Imaging &

Technology Alliance.

Medical innovations Intl. Inc., Medical Polymers, Inc.,

Mediclever, Medigroup, Inc.-, MediStim USA, Inc., MedOne

Surgical, Inc., Medrobiotics Corporation, MedShape, MedTech

Association of New York, Med Waves, Inc., Megadyne, Mercury

Medical, Merit Medical Systems, Inc., Metric Medical Devices,

Inc., Metronom Health, Inc., Mettler Electronics Corp.,

Mevion Medical Systems, Inc., MGC Diagnostics, Micardia

Corporation, Micell Technologies, MichBio, Michigan Dental

Association.

MicroCube, Microline Surgical, Inc., Micronics, Inc.,

MicroTransponder Inc., Midmark Corporation, Mighty Oak

Medical, Millar Instruments, Inc., MIM Software Inc., Minerva

Medical, Minnesota Dental Association, Minnetronix, Mirabilis

Medica, Inc., Mirador Biomedical, Miramar Labs, Mississippi

Dental Association, Missouri Biotechnology Association,

MitraGen, Mitralign, Inc., Molecular Detection, Inc., Monebo

TEchnologies, Inc., Moog Medical Devices.

Morgenthaler Ventures, Morris Innovative, Mound Laser &

Photonics Center, MOXI Enterprises, LLC, Moximed, MPM

Capital, MPR Product Development, Mustang Medical, Mustang

Vacuum Systems, MyoCardioCare, Inc., Myomo, Inc., Myo

Science, nanoMAG LLC, nanoMR, Nanostim, Nasiff Associates

Inc., National Association for the Support of Long Term Care

(NASL), National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), National

Federation of Independent Business, National Venture Capital

Association (NVCA), Natus Medical Incorporated, NaviMed

Capital.

Naviscan, Inc., NDH Medical, Nebraska Dental Association,

Nelson Laboratories, Inc., Neocure, Neodyne Biosciences,

Neograft Technologies, Inc., Neomend, Inc., NeoMetrics, Inc.,

NeoTract, Inc., Neovista Inc., Neuro Kinetics, Inc., Neuro

Resource Group, Inc., Neuro-Fitness LLC, Neuronetics, Inc.,

NeuroPace, NeuroTherm, NeuroTronik, NeuroVista Corportation,

NeuroWave Systems Inc., Neuvomedica Ltd., NeuWave Medical.

Nevada Dental Association, Nevro, New Enterprise

Associates, New Hampshire Dental Society, New Jersey Life

Sciences Vendors Alliance, New Leaf Venture Partners, NexDx,

Inc., NinePoint Medical, Niveus Medical, Nocimed, LLC, Non-

Invasive Medical Systems, Nonin Medical, Norris Capital,

Inc., North Carolina Biosciences Organization, North

Carolina Dental Society, Nova Biomedical, NovaSom, Novasys

Medical, NRG, NuMED, Inc., NuOrtho Surgical, Inc.,

NuVasive.

Nuvimedix LLC, NxStage Medical, Inc., NxThera, Inc, O.E.

Meyer Co., Obalon Therapeutics, OBMedical Company, OCTANe,

Ohio Chamber of Commerce, Ohio Manufacturers' Association,

OmniGuide Surgical, OmniGuide, Inc., OMNIlife science, Inc.,

On-X Life Technologies, Inc., Onciomed, Inc., OncoHealth,

ONSET Ventures, OPHTEC USA, Inc., OptiMedica, OptiScan

Biomedical, Inc., Orange County Business Council.

OraSure Technologies, Inc., Oraya Therapeutics, Orbital

Research Inc., Orchid Orthopedic Solutions, Oregon Bioscience

Association, Orlucent, Ortho Kinematics, OrthoCor Medical,

Orthodontic Manufacturers Association, Orthofix International

N.V., OrthogenRx, Inc., Orthopaedic Implant Company (OIC),

OrthoSensor, OrthoWorx, OsteoMed, Ostial Corporation,

Ottobock U.S. HealthCare, Owens & Minor, Palo Alto Health

Sciences, Inc., Paracor Medical, Inc., Paradigm Spine, LLC,

PasticsOne.

Pathfinder Therapeutics, Inc., Pathway Medical

Technologoes, Patient Pocket, LLC, Penn-Century, Inc.,

Pennsylvania Bio, Pennsylvania Dental Association, Penumbra,

Inc., PercSys, Percutaneous Systems, Philips Electronics

North America, Phillips Consulting Group, LLC, Phlebotics,

Inc., PhotoMed Technologies, Inc., PhotoThera, Inc., Pioneer

Surgical, Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse, Pittsburgh

Technology Council Pivot Medical Inc., Plasma Technologies,

Inc., Plexus Corp., Pluromed, Inc., Poilgrim Software, Inc.,

Portaero.

Preceptis Medical, Inc., Precise-Pak Inc., Pressure

Biosciences, Inc. (PBIO), Presymtec Medical, Prism

VentureWorks, Prizm Medical, Inc., Pro2Med Inc., ProMedTek,

Prosolia, Inc., Prospect Venture Partners, Prospex Medical,

Proteus Bimedical, Inc., PuriCore, QHeart Medical Inc.,

Qualcomm Life, Inc., QualPro Consulting, Quasar Bio-Tech

Inc., Quidel Corporation, RBC Capital Markets, Redpoint

Corporation.

Regenesis Bomedical, Inc., Regulatory & Quality Solutions

LLC, Reichert Technologies, Reimbursement Strategies, LLC,

Relievant Medsystems, Inc., ReShape Medical Inc., ResMed,

Respicardia, Inc., Respira Therapeutics, Inc., Respiratory

Motion, Inc., Respiratory Research, Inc., Respiratory

Technologies Inc., Response Biomedical Corporation, ReVent

Medical, Inc., Reverse Medical, ReVision Optics, Inc.,

RhinoSystems, Inc., Rhythmlink International, LLC, Richmond

Products Inc., Rinovum Women's Health, Inc., RITM America.

Robomedica, Inc., Roche Diagnostics, Rochester Electro-

Medical, Inc., Rodman Media Corp, RODO Medical, Inc.,

RoundTable Healthcare Partners, ROX Medical, Royal Oak

Medical Devices, LLC, RxFunction, Inc., s2a molecular, inc.,

Safeguard Scientifics, Inc., Sakura Finetek USA, Inc.,

Saladax Biomedical, Inc., Salix Pharmaceuticals, Inc.,

SandBox Medical LLC, Sanofi, SCBIO, Scientific Imaginetics,

SDRS LLC, Sebacia Inc., Second Sight Medical Products, Inc.,

Sekisui Diagnostics.

Sensable, Sequent Medical Inc., SI-BONE, Inc., Siemens

Healthcare, Sight Sciences Inc., SightLine Partners, SIGNUS

Medical, LLC, Silere Medical Technology, Inc, Silicon Valley

Leadership Group, Silver Bullet Therapeutics, Inc., Sirtex

Medical Inc, Skyline Ventures, Small Bone Innovations, Inc.,

Smart Perfusion, LLC, Smith & Nephew, Inc., Smiths Medical,

Soft Tissue Regeneration, Inc., Solace Therapeutics, Solta

Medical, Inc., Solvonics Medical.

Sonendo, Inc., Sonitus Medical Inc., Sonoma Orthopedics,

SonoSite Inc., Sorin Group USA, Inc., Soteira, Inc., Sotera

Wireless, South Carolina Dental Association (SCDA),

Southeastern Medical Device Association, Southern California

Biomedical Council (SoCalBio), SP Surgical, SPE Medical,

SpectraScience, Inc, Spherlngenics, Inc., Spinal Kinetics,

Spinal Modulation, Inc., Spinal Ventures, LLC, SpinalMotion,

Inc., Spine Wave, Inc., SpineAlign Medical Inc., SpineGuard.

Spineology Inc., Spinofix, Inc., Spiracur Inc., Spiration,

Inc., SPIWay, LLC Split Rock Partners, St. Jude Medical,

STAAR Surgical Company, STD Med, Inc., SteriPack USA, Ltd,

Steris Corporation, Stimwave, Stout Medical Group, Strada

Consulting, Streamline, Inc., Streck, Inc., Strohl

Medical, Stryker, Sunshine Heart, SunShine Medical LLC.

superDimension, Ltd., Surface Solutions Labs, Inc.,

SurgeOptix, SurModics, Inc., Svelte Medical Systems, Inc.,

Swan Valley Medical, Incorporated, Sylvan Fiberoptics,

Synapse Biomedical, Inc., Synarc, Inc., SynCardia Systems,

Inc., Synecor, LLC, Synergy Life Science Partners, Syntermed,

Inc., Sysdyne Corporation, Tactile Systems Technology, Inc.,

Tandem Diabetes, Targeson, Inc.,-Target Discovery, Inc.,

Tarsus Medical Inc., TearScience, Inc., TEI Biosciences Inc.,

TEKNA Manufacturing, LLC.

Teleflex Incorporated, Temptime, Tenaxis Medical, Inc.,

Teratech Corporation, Terumo BCT, Inc., Terumo Medical,

Tethys Bioscience, Inc.,Texas Healthcare and Bioscience

Institute, The Eclipse Group, The Foundry, The Innovation

Factory, The Plastics Industry Trade Association (SPI), The

Spectranetics Corporation, The Tech Council of Maryland, The

Vertical Group, Therapeutic Resources, Inc., TheraTogs, Inc.,

ThermalTherapeutic Systems, Inc.

Thermo Fisher Scientific, ThermoGenesis Corp., Therox, THI,

Inc., Thoratec Corporation, Three Arch Partners, ThreeWire,

Thubrikar Aortic Valve, Inc., TIDI Products, Tissue Regenix

USA Inc., Titan Spine, LLC, Toshiba America Medical Systems,

Inc., Tosoh Bioscience Inc., Trademark Medical, Transcend

Medical, Transcorp Spine,TransEnterix, TransMedics, Inc.,

Transonic Systems, Inc., Trillium Diagnostics, LLC, Trillium

Engineering.

TriReme Medical, Inc., TriVascular, Inc., Twin Star

Medical, TYRX, Inc., U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Ulthera,

UltiMed, Unilife medical solutions, Uresil, Urologix, Inc.,

Uromedica, Inc., Uroplasty, Inc., Urovalve, Inc., USGI

Medical, Inc., USHIFU, LLC, Utah Dental Association, Utah

Technology Council, Valeritas, Inc., Valley Ventures,

ValveXchange, Inc., Vapotherm.

Vascular Solutions, Inc., Vector Resources, Vector

Surgical, LLC, VectraCor, Inc., Velico Medical, Inc.,

Velomedix, Inc., Ven-Tel Plastics Corporation, VENITI, Inc.,

Venous Health, Ventus Medical, Inc., Veracyte, Verax

Biomedical Incorporated, Veritomyx, Inc., Versant Ventures,

VertiFlex' Inc., Vertos Medical Inc., Vibrynt,

Inc., VIDA Diagnostics, Vidacare, Viking Systems, Inc.,

Virginia Bio.

Virginia Biotechnology Association, Virginia Dental

Association, VirtualScopics, Inc., Viscogliosi Bros., LLC,

Vision-Sciences, Inc., VisionCare Ophthalmic Technologies,

VisionQuest Industries, Inc., Vital Images, Inc., Vital

Therapies, Inc., Vital/Med Systems Corporation, Vitalcor,

Viveve, Volcano Corporation, VueTek Scientific, LLC, W. L.

Gore & Associates, Warsaw-Kosciusko County Chamber of

Commerce, Washington Biotechnology. & Biomedical Association,

Water Street Healthcare Partners, Waters Corporation,

WaterStreet.

WaveTec Vision, Welch Allyn, Wenzel Spine, Inc., Wescor,

White Pine Medical, Inc., Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati,

Wisconsin Dental Association, Woolfson Eye Institute, Wright

Medical, Wyoming Dental Association, X-Spine, Xlumena, Yukon

Medical, ZELTIQ, Zilico Limited, Zimmer, Inc., Zoe Medical,

Inc., ZOLL Medical, Zyga Technologies, Zynex.

I thank the gentlelady from New York.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to announce breaking news. Texas happens to be a very diverse State, and my good friend from Texas just stood up and made an absurd proclamation--absolutely absurd.

In coming from a State where there are 6 million-plus uninsured individuals, he knows full well that tonight, when we vote to shut down the government, he will, in fact, also eliminate the Affordable Care Act, not delay it. What he will do is he will then tell those who have a preexisting disease that the law is delayed. He will tell children who need preventative care that the law is delayed. Further, he will tell our creditors that we are irresponsible as a country, and he will tell the American people, whose jobs depend upon the government operating, that you don't count.

I don't want to live in a Nation where someone can say to the Nation and say to the people that you don't count.

I have said it before, and I am saying it again: When we vote tonight, we will be voting to shut down the government. You will be voting to ignore the States and the responsibilities of this country in paying its debt.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the amendment, which is another attempt to veer away from the responsibilities of running the country and into the ditch of selfishness and bitterness which is truly the realm of the un-Patriotic!

I oppose this amendment because it puts an anchor on a clean continuing resolution which unnecessarily and perniciously weighs down the hopes and dreams of my constituents in Houston and the American people. It conditions the funding needed to avoid a government shutdown on a repeal of the excise tax on certain medical devices that helps defray the cost of the affordable, quality healthcare made available for the first time to millions of Americans by the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

I oppose this rule because the amendment it makes ``in order'' to the ``clean'' continuing resolution passed yesterday by the Senate will, if approved, result in a shutdown of the government. Both President Obama and Senate Majority Leader Reid have it crystal clear that they will not accept any continuing resolution containing any provision to delay, defund, or weaken the Affordable Care Act.

The ACA was carefully crafted so that it will not add to the budget deficit. To help pay for the expansion of health coverage to 27 million uninsured Americans, the ACA either reduces Medicare payments or increases taxes for a wide range of industries that will benefit from health reform, including hospitals, home health agencies, clinical laboratories, health insurance providers, drug companies, and manufacturers of medical devices.

The concept of ``shared sacrifice'' is something that every American should embrace; and the medical device tax is part of that sacrifice in which we all share--a true embodiment of this sacred notion.

A 2.3-percent excise tax is imposed on the sale of any taxable medical device by the

manufacturer or importer of the device starting in 2013. Eyeglasses, contact lenses, hearing aids, or any other medical device that the public generally buys at retail for individual use are exempted. Sales for further manufacture or for export are also tax-exempt.

Last year the House passed H.R. 436, which would have repealed the tax, and bills to repeal the tax have been introduced in both the House and Senate this year. Nobody likes higher taxes but--this tax was thoroughly debated--and let us be clear--it is not as if the medical device industry did not have its voice heard--and it is clear that they still have some influence since bills have been introduced to repeal.

As the end of the fiscal year quickly approaches, the sad truth remains unchanged: the Speaker has surrendered the gavel to the tea party's desperate attempts to force a Republican government shutdown to put insurance companies back in charge of Americans' health care.

Democrats have an alternative, introduced by my colleague, Mr. Van Hollen, to fund the government and end the devastating, across-the- board cuts of the sequester with a mix of spending cuts and revenue increases in order to reduce the deficit in a responsible way.

I agree with President Obama that the full faith and credit of the United States is non-negotiable. The United States has been the worldwide standard bearer for many years and many other nations have been comfortable holding our paper, but now our preeminent financial status is in jeopardy.

Mr. Speaker, you may recall that two years ago the Nation's credit rating was downgraded for the first time ever because of politicized negotiations and the initial failure to reach an agreement--and now we risk that and more because an odd lot of Members in this body and one, perhaps two in our bicameral twin, wish ill on the American people out of some misguided principle.

Refusing to raise the debt ceiling poses a cataclysmic danger to the stability of our markets and the economic security of our middle class and complete devastation for the poor.

As Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke stated last week: ``A government shutdown, and perhaps even more so a failure to raise the debt limit, could have very serious consequences for the financial markets and for the economy . . .''

Here are some of those consequences:

Higher interest rates for mortgages, auto loans, student loans, and credit cards. Higher interest rates and less access to business loans needed to finance payrolls, build inventories, or invest in equipment & construction.

Families' retirement savings in 401(k)s dropping as the stock market plummets.

3.4 million veterans not receiving disability benefits.

10 million Americans not receiving their Social Security check on time in just the first week.

Drug reimbursements under Medicare stopping, and doctors and hospitals not getting paid.

Mr. Speaker, let's get to work on behalf of the American people and pass a clean CR and raise the debt limit--now! The people expect nothing less, and time is of the essence.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the Blackburn Amendment, which delays for one year any provision of the ACA that takes effect between October 1, 2013 and December 31, 2014.

I oppose this amendment for several reasons. First, the amendment will lead to a government shutdown because it imposes a condition that House Republicans know the Senate and the President will not accept.

Second, I oppose the amendment because it is bad for America and Americans. The proponents of the Blackburn Amendment claim the amendment only delays the imposition of the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate for one year. They are wrong.

In fact, the amendment delays the effectiveness of any provision that takes effect between October 1, 2013 and December 31, 2014. Thus, the amendment operates directly on the following benefits of the Affordable Care Act:

1. The ban on pre-existing condition discrimination for adults;

2. The ban on gender rating (charging women more than men for the same policy);

3. The 3:1 age rating, which limits the amount charged to older people for insurance;

4. The elimination of annual limits on healthcare costs; and

5. The availability of health insurance premium tax credits and other provisions that would save millions of middle class families hundreds of billions of dollars.

Mr. Speaker, this marks the the 43rd time House Republicans have tried to repeal, defund, or delay the Affordable Care Act. To date the record is: ObamaCare--42, House Republicans--zero.

Mr. Speaker, the Blackburn Amendment is misguided, ill-considered, and harmful to America, and especially my constituents in the 18th Congressional District of Texas. Specifically, the Blackburn Amendment would allow insurers to continue denying coverage to those with pre- existing conditions. Were this amendment to become law, up to 17 million children nationally, and 46,000 in my congressional district, could again be denied coverage by insurers due to a pre-existing conditions and it would allow insurers to continue discriminating against women and those with medical conditions in setting premiums.

Were the Blackburn Amendment to become law, employers would be permitted to refuse to offer insurance that covers preventive services, including contraception for 50,000 women in my district, that they object to on any religious or moral grounds.

Were the Blackburn Amendment to become law, it would take away tax credits and subsidies to help Americans purchase insurance which would adversely affect 446,800 persons in Harris County and more than 2.5 million persons in my home State of Texas.

Were the Blackburn Amendment to become law, it would take away tax credits and subsidies to help Americans purchase insurance. This would adversely affect 153,000 persons in my district and 105 million Americans nationally.

Were the Blackburn Amendment to become law, it would delay an increase in tax credits to help small businesses buy insurance for their employees. This provision has already helped 360,000 small businesses provide insurance to more than 2 million persons.

Mr. Speaker, instead of debating amendments that have no chance of becoming law and will hurt Americans and our economy, let us work together on behalf of the American people and pass a clean CR and keep the government open to do the people's business.

I urge all my colleagues to join me in voting against the Blackburn Amendment.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 366, I call up the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 59) making continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2014, and for other purposes, with a Senate amendment thereto, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I have a motion at the desk.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the further consideration of H.J. Res. 59.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to move forward with H.J. Res. 59, the continuing resolution that will keep the doors of the government open after the end of the fiscal year on Monday.

It's unfortunate that yet again we are in this situation facing yet another shutdown showdown with no solution to our many fiscal problems in sight. Funding the government with a continuing resolution should not be plan A, plan B, or even plan Z. But our challenges are many, our timeline is short, so passing this CR today is absolutely essential.

The House passed a version of this bill last Friday. The Senate amended it and sent it back to us to consider once again. The motion before us agrees to the Senate amendments with two further amendments: one delaying ObamaCare for a year, and one repealing the medical device tax.

Included in each amendment are three changes that I've requested. The first changes the date back to the House-passed end date of the CR of December 15 to give us more time to pass the fiscal year 2014 appropriations bills. I've been flexible on this issue from the very beginning, but this longer timeframe will help us avoid the potential need for another CR in the interim.

The second change would make a technical change to an anomaly for the Eisenhower Commission added by the Senate. This change will simply continue the status quo of a hold on that project.

Finally, the third will add a new anomaly to extend the authority for the United States to issue special immigrant visas for the length of this CR. This authority is necessary to ensure that the visas continue for Iraqis who assisted the U.S. during the war, many of whom put their lives on the line to do so. It's become clear that since this CR was first introduced that this new provision has wide bipartisan support.

Mr. Speaker, one of our primary jobs as Members of Congress is to provide our people with important programs and services only the Federal Government can provide and to ensure that these services are available. This bill does that. However, it's also our responsibility to address the Nation's fiscal challenges head-on with a realistic and pragmatic approach that will allow for attainable solutions.

With the debt ceiling looming, a fragile economy in recovery, and the threat of additional, draconian sequestration cuts that will gut our national defense, it's essential that we come together to find common ground. One side cannot do it alone, and inaction or failure on these crucial issues could lead to disastrous results for our people and our Nation for years to come.

Let me take a moment now to remind us all of just a few of the consequences if the government were to shut down: our troops will not be paid and national security will be put at risk; our borders will weaken; our most vulnerable citizens, the elderly and our veterans, may not get the assistance they rely upon; our businesses, facing great uncertainty, will take a hit; our economy will suffer.

We must act responsibly to keep our government open and our country on stable economic footing. Now and in the near future, we must also act as productive partners to keep the Nation safe, provide our people with essential services, rein in unsustainable entitlement programs, and secure a responsible and realistic Federal budget.

And we must remember that we do this not just for ourselves and our districts, but we do it for the Nation as a whole. I hope that today-- with the countdown to shutdown clocks ticking away--my colleagues will understand that funding the government is one of those essential duties, and I ask you to vote ``yes'' on this continuing resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn), vice chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Stutzman).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Kingston), the distinguished chairman of the Labor-HHS Subcommittee on Appropriations.

I yield 1 minute to the gentleman.

Mr. Speaker, may I inquire of the time remaining.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Paulsen), a very important member of the Ways and Means Committee of the House.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Dent), who is the vice chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlelady from Indiana (Mrs. Brooks).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Meadows).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Coffman).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Rothfus).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Culberson), who is the chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on the MilCon and VA.

Might I inquire of the time remaining, Mr. Speaker.

I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Pittenger).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

We've heard time and again tonight from the other side that this debate and vote is about shutting down the government. Pardon me. I thought we were voting on a continuing resolution. What do you think a continuing resolution is? It's to continue the government.

Those on the other side also want to say that we're defunding ObamaCare. We're not. We did that in the first bill we sent over to the Senate. The Senate rejected that and sent it back. Now this side of the aisle is offering a peaceable offer.

People all over this country are telling all of us how much they are worried about this ObamaCare that they're having to contend with starting this Monday. They're saying, Please, give us a break. Give us some time to adjust to this. Even the President admitted that the law was not for prime time for the business community, and he gave businesses an extra year. He's excused so many other people that we don't even know about, and yet the individual mandate, the requirement of the law that individuals must comply with, he will not yield on.

That's what this bill does. It says let's take a year off and let's work this thing, let's get the computers which are not working to work. Let's get the computers working right. Let's get the staff in the field. Let's get people out there who can sign people up. That takes time, Mr. Speaker. That's what this bill is all about. It says delay for just 1 year the individual mandate, which is really all that's left that's still in force. Let's take a year and perfect, if you can, this bill for the individual.

To say that what we're after tonight is to shut down the government is just not so. This is a continuing resolution. This continues the government. Like it or not, that's what it does. So I urge a ``yes'' vote.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to discuss the majority's intransigence.

The bill the House is considering tonight takes yet another step towards total dysfunction. Instead of working with Democrats to prevent a shutdown, the majority has gotten even more extreme by writing a bill that has no chance of becoming law and will be the 43rd vote on repealing or undermining the Affordable Care Act.

While the old saying goes, if at first you don't succeed, try and try again, I say to my colleagues across the aisle tonight: stop trying. You will not succeed in giving our medical choices back to the insurance companies and keeping health insurance costs too high for too many families, and it continues the Republican war on women by allowing a woman's employer to determine what safe and legal health services she can access.

The bill the Senate returned to the House would not increase spending, but one provision within the jurisdiction of Ways and Means would cost $30 billion. The majority is wasting time as we get closer and closer to a shutdown, because we all know this bill will be dead on arrival in the Senate.

Here's a sample of what the House majority shutdown will do: small business owners will stop receiving Federal loans to hire and expand their businesses; the National Institutes of Health will stop receiving new patients; veterans' benefits will be disrupted; and housing loans for middle class families will be put on hold.

These are the painful results of the Republicans' refusal to act responsibly.

They walked out of negotiations with the President last year. They ignored the President's deficit reduction plan in his budget. They refused to go to conference on a budget resolution. And they repeatedly voted down Democrat amendments to replace sequestration.

And now, when it's time to fulfill our most basic task of funding government operations, Republicans push us further to the brink of a shutdown. Anyone who votes to amend the Senate bill is voting for a shutdown.

Vote ``no'' on the Republican shutdown proposal, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), a distinguished ranking member on the Appropriations Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee).

I just want to thank my friend, the gentleman, Mr. Kingston, for making a good case for the Affordable Care Act. You want to turn it back over to the insurance companies who are raising these rates in your district and my district.

I'm very pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz).

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fattah), the distinguished ranking member of the Appropriations Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 3 minutes to the distinguished whip from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer).

I yield an additional minute to the gentleman from Maryland.

I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman from Maryland.

Mr. Speaker, I'm very pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Levin), the distinguished ranking member of the Ways and Means Committee.

(Mr. LEVIN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Andrews), the distinguished leader of the Steering and Policy Committee of the House of Representatives.

(Mr. ANDREWS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Ellison).

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Scott).

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman).

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Neal).

(Mr. NEAL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Israel).

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky).

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the gentlelady from Wisconsin (Ms. Moore).

Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Sherman).

Mr. Speaker, how much time do I have remaining?

Mr. Speaker, my friend, Mr. Rogers, and I have been trying to pass a bill that would reflect the needs of the people of the United States of America.

My friends know that this bill is delusionary. It just reflects the dysfunction of my friends on the other side of the aisle. To allow the extreme wing of the Republican Party to control this debate does not make sense at all.

The truth is we are 2 days away from a shutdown. My friends know that this bill is not going to be accepted by the Senate. They sent over a bill that we could have all passed, sit down and work together, and keep this government from shutting down.

The dysfunction that is occurring because of the Republican wing of the party does not make sense to me at all. You're bowing to the extremists, the Tea Party, who really don't want to see this process move forward.

We know that the Affordable Care Act is the law of the land. We know it's been affirmed by the Supreme Court of the United States. Let's move on. Let's not waste time. People are out of work. Children are not getting what they need in school. The National Institutes of Health are not getting the resources that they need. Let's stop this game. Let's stop the dysfunction. Let's stop playing games.

This is the reality. Let's work together and pass a bill, a continuing resolution, and then I'm sure Chairman Rogers and I could pass an omnibus bill with the Senate to move forward with the work that we are elected to accomplish.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the Continuing Resolution and its delay and defunding of Obamacare for one year and all of the taxes assessed to pay for Obamacare. The President's health care law has already produced a significant drag on our economy, making it harder for employers to hire workers and those in need of work to find employment.

We must defund Obamacare before it can do additional damage to our economy and health care system. Health insurance premiums across the country are skyrocketing, and employers are shifting workers from full time status to part time. Employers have been given an extension in complying with the law, but individuals are still subject to the mandate. This double standard is not fair and must be changed.

This resolution also repeals the medical device tax, a very unpopular tax created by Obamacare that is stifling future medical research and development. I encourage my colleague to join me in defunding Obamacare and support this resolution.

Ms. Kaptur. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the bill before us.

The United States has been the world's shining example in how democracy can work.

Our history shows that the nation is stronger when we come together to govern and solve the serious issues that face our country.

Yet, tonight we find ourselves on the precipice of a government shutdown. Make no mistake, the bill we considering at this late hour essentially ensures that the government will shut down.

We cannot continue to ``govern'' by staggering from manufactured crisis to manufactured crisis. The madness must stop.

It seems we have learned nothing from recent history. To use just one example, during the fiscal cliff in December of 2012, the Dow fell more than 400 points or 3.1 percent.

These sudden drops in the stock market have real impacts, particularly for individuals who have substantial amounts of their family's hard earned savings in the market for retirement.

Our economy is still in the process of recovering from the Great Recession. We should be debating ways to spur economic growth, not debating a shutdown that will slow economic growth.

For the entire country, the Republican shutdown proposal will have real immediate negative consequences.

The impacts will be felt in our economy and in the services that the Federal Government provides, which the taxpayers pay for.

According to the Administration:

Nearly 1.4 million active duty military personnel deployed at home and overseas defending our nation's interests would not be paid for their work until after the shutdown ends.

Hundreds of thousands of Federal employees would be immediately and indefinitely furloughed, and many Federal employees and contractors that continue to work would not be paid during the shutdown.

Housing loans to low and middle-income families in rural communities would be put on hold, as would start-up business loans for farmers and ranchers.

SBA would stop approving applications for small businesses to obtain loans and loan guarantees. In a typical month, SBA approves over $1 billion in loan assistance to small businesses.

All facilities and services in our national parks would be closed, as would the Smithsonian, impacting the hundreds of thousands of people that visit these sites daily.

This would have severely negative impacts on the surrounding local communities that rely on the revenue generated by travel and tourism to these destinations.

Important government research into life-threatening diseases, environmental protection, and other areas would be halted.

The government would stop issuing permits to conduct drilling operations on Federal lands, and would stop or delay environmental reviews of planned transportation and energy-related projects, keeping companies from working on these projects.

If this CR were to become law, defunding the Affordable Care Act, not only would it put health insurance companies back in charge of our health care, it would end free preventive services that 105 million Americans including 71 million Americans in private plans and 34 million seniors in Medicare have received.

The list of those who would lose under this bill is too long to enumerate. The Affordable Care Act is law. Elections have consequences.

We all know this bill is dead on arrival in the Senate and the President has said he would veto it should it reach his desk. We are wasting our time. Instead we should pass a clean CR and get on with the business of the American people.

In closing, I urge my colleagues to vote against this measure and urge my Republican colleagues to accept reality and not shut the government down.