Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 4719) to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to permanently extend and expand the charitable deduction for contributions for food inventory.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 670, I call up the bill (H.R. 4719) to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to permanently extend and expand the charitable deduction for contributions of food inventory, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 4719.

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

The American people are the most charitable people in the world, donating money, food, and clothing in times of need. Their donations ensure that charities and foundations can help individuals and communities across the country.

There are numerous provisions in the Tax Code that encourage giving, and the bill we have before us today, H.R. 4719, the America Gives More Act, ensures that some of these provisions are made permanent so individuals, businesses, and farmers can donate and give back more. The first provision will make permanent and expand the charitable deduction for contributions of food inventory by businesses, regardless of how they are organized.

Food banks are a vital part of communities, helping Americans put food on the table and provide for their families when they have come across hard times or suffered through a natural disaster.

The Food Donation Connection has estimated that since this tax deduction was expanded in 2006, donations have increased 127 percent. Unfortunately, a provision in current law that encouraged passthrough businesses to contribute food inventory expired at the end of last year, and charities and foundations across the country are urging that it be restored and made permanent.

According to Feeding America, 3.6 billion pounds of food is distributed by food bank members each year. This legislation would significantly increase food bank access to the 70 billion pounds of nutritious food wasted each year.

Today, we have the opportunity to continue this important credit, allowing all businesses, farmers, and ranchers to take advantage and donate more nutritious food to the millions of Americans who need it most.

This bill also ensures that seniors who donate to charities from their Individual Retirement Accounts can do so without a tax penalty. According to the Independent Sector, this provision has ``prompted more than $140 million in gifts to the work of nonprofits since enactment, assisting social service providers, religious organizations, cultural institutions and schools, and other nonprofits.'' Making this provision permanent can only serve to increase the generous donations that charities rely on.

In addition, the bill will make permanent the deduction for contributions of conservation easements. This provision will also increase the amount of land or property donated for charitable use. Witnesses before the Ways and Means Committee have testified that in the first 2 years of the enactment of conservation easements, the number of donations doubled compared to the previous 2 years, resulting in a 32 percent increase of acreage conserved.

This is one area, especially, where long-term planning is essential. To allow this to expire makes it much more difficult for the often multigenerational planning necessary to take place. In Michigan, I have seen the benefits of conservation easements firsthand. This is a tremendous legacy for future generations.

The tax reform draft the committee produced earlier in the year would encourage charitable giving in several important ways and, by creating a stronger economy, analysis found that it would increase charitable giving by an estimated $2.2 billion each year.

Two important charitable provisions from the draft--lowering the excise tax on private foundations and extending the tax deadline for charitable contributions from December 31 to April 15--are included in the America Gives More Act.

At the end of the year, many taxpayers have no idea what their tax liability will be, and it is only after struggling through the daunting process of preparing their tax return that they know with certainty. If taxpayers were permitted to make and deduct contributions prior to filing their tax return, I believe many Americans will be even more generous in supporting religious and charitable causes. Testimony before the Ways and Means Committee found that allowing donors to deduct gifts until April 15 would result in significantly more charitable giving.

Another provision from the draft would lower and simplify the excise tax on private foundations, making compliance easy, especially for smaller foundations. As a result, foundations will have more of their resources available to support charities and exempt organizations across the country.

All of these provisions are bipartisan and have the support of over 850 charities and foundations across the country, who wrote to Congress stating:

Without an incentive in place and assured, many of the

gifts the charitable incentives were intended to promote will

simply not take place.

I will insert in the Record the letter from Independent Sector, supported by 850 charities and foundations across the United States.

Independent Sector,

July 15, 2014.

Open Letter to the House of Representatives: Millions of

individuals and families are served by the essential work of

America's public charities, which is made possible in part by

incentives for charitable giving in our tax code. The House

may soon have an opportunity to address tax legislation that

would renew and make permanent three key incentives for

donations to America's public charities. We strongly urge you

to approve legislation that would renew the IRA charitable

rollover and the enhanced incentives for donations of food

inventory and land conservation easements, each of which

expired as of January 1, 2014.

Originally enacted in the Pension Protection Act of 2006 as

a way to encourage increased charitable giving, these three

provisions have demonstrated a significant impact on the

nonprofit community. The IRA charitable rollover increases

the ability of older Americans to make gifts to charities by

allowing individuals age 70\1/2\ or older to donate up to

$100,000 to a qualifying public charity directly from their

IRAs without incurring tax on the withdrawal. The provision

has prompted more than $140 million in gifts to the work of

nonprofits since enactment, assisting social service

providers, religious organizations, cultural institutions and

schools, and other nonprofits.

The enhanced deduction for donations of food allows

individuals and organizations to reduce their taxable income

by providing qualifying food inventory to certain charitable

organizations. According to Feeding America, 3.6 billion

pounds of food is distributed by food bank members each year.

This legislation would significantly increase food bank

access to the 70 billion pounds of nutritious food wasted

each year, particularly the 6 billion pounds of produce that

does not make it to market.

The enhanced deduction for donations of land conservation

easements allows land owners to get a meaningful deduction

for permanently retiring development rights to their property

to protect and preserve significant natural resources. A

survey by the Land Trust Alliance showed that this incentive

helped 1,700 land trusts increase the pace of conservation by

a third--to over a million acres a year.

Unfortunately, these charitable tax provisions were allowed

to expire on January 1 for the fourth time in recent years.

On each of the three previous occasions, an entire package of

tax extenders was reinstated retroactively at the end of the

following year. While this may be an adequate solution for

many provisions in the extenders package, these charitable

provisions are different. Without an incentive in place and

assured, many of the gifts the incentives were intended to

promote will simply not take place. The time to plan and

execute the gifts will have already passed by.

For all these reasons, we urge you to support legislation

to permanently reinstate these critical giving incentives,

namely: H.R. 4619 (to make permanent the IRA charitable

rollover); HR 4719 (to permanently extend the charitable

deduction for donation of food inventory); and H.R. 2807 (the

Conservation Easement Incentive Act). We hope to see them

combined and passed as a package as soon as possible in order

to continue sustaining the vital work of charitable

organizations in our communities.

Thank you for your consideration,

Independent Sector; 92nd Street Y; Achievement Centers for

Children; Ackland Art Museum; Acton Conservation Trust;

Adults with Developmental Disabilities; Advonance;

Agricutural Stewardship Association; Agudath Israel of

America; Agudath Israel of the Five Towns; Air Force

Museum Foundation; Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank; Alabama

Dance Council; Alachua Conservation Trust; Alexander Haas;

All Saints Church; All Stars Project (ASP); Alliance for

Children and Families; Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits; The

ALS Association; Amador Livermore Valley Historical

Society & Museum on Main; American Alliance of Museums;

American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association; American

Behcet's Disease Association; American Cancer Society

Cancer Action Network; American Chemical Society.

American Clock & Watch Museum; American Folk Art Museum;

American Friends Service Committee; American Heart

Association; American Jewish Committee (AJC); American

Library Association; American Lung Association; American Red

Cross; Americans for the Arts; Americans for the Arts Action

Fund; America's Charities; Amon Carter Museum of American

Art; The Ananda Center for the Arts; Anderson County Museum;

Andy Warhol Museum; AngelCare/Americans Care & Share; Angus

Nazarene Food Pantry; Ann Arrundell County Historical

Society, Inc.; Annette Strawder Here to Help Pantry; Antique

Boat Museum; Apache Creek Deaf and Youth Ranch, Inc.;

Appalachia Ohio Alliance; Argus Museum; Arkansas Nonprofit

Alliance; Armstrong County Museum; Arthurdale Heritage, Inc.;

Association for Healthcare Philanthropy.

Association of Art Museum Directors; Association of Direct

Response Fundraising Counsel; Association of Fundraising

Professionals; Atlantic Coast Conservancy; Auburn Automotive

Heritage, Inc. & Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum;

Bainbridge Island Land Trust; Baltimore Heritage Area

Association; Baltimore Museum of Art; Bass Museum of Art; Bay

Area Food Bank; Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management at

Robert Morris University; Bayou Land Conservancy; Bayshore

Baptist Church Food Pantry; Bedford Historical Society;

Believer's Sanctuary; Bellville Christian Food Pantry;

BethanyKids; Bishop Hill Heritage Association; Black Swamp

Conservancy; Blair County Historical Society; Blue Ridge

Conservancy; Blue Ridge Land Conservancy; BoardSource.

Boise Art Museum; Boston Baroque; Boston Children's Museum;

Bowers Museum;

Boys & Girls Clubs of Austin County, TX; Boys & Girls Clubs

of Southeastern Michigan; Branford Land Trust, Inc.; Brazoria

County Alcoholic Recovery Center; Briar Bush Nature Center;

The Bridge Ministries; The Bridge Over Troubled Waters;

Bridging for Tomorrow; BrightFocus Foundation; Buckner

Children & Family Services; Burchfield Penney Art Center; The

Burd Group; Califomia Association of Food Banks; Califomia

Association of Museums; Califomia Museum of Ancient Art;

Califomia Science Center Foundation; Califomia State Parks;

Calyx Sustainable Tourism; Capital Area Food Bank of Texas;

Carbon County Museum; Care and Share, Inc.; Carolina Mountain

Land Conservancy; CASA Program for the Ogeechee Circuit; Casa

Rosa Food Pantry.

Catawba Lands Conservancy; Cathedral Arts Project, Inc.;

Catholic Foundation of Eastern Montana; Cedar Rapids Museum

of Art; Cedarhurst Center for the Arts; Celiac Disease

Foundation; Center for History; Center for Nonprofit

Excellence; Center for Non-Profits; Center for Success and

Independence; Central Co-op; Central Pennsylvania Food Bank;

Champlain Area Trails; Cheyenne Center, Inc.; Chicago

Humanities Festival; Children's Discovery Museum; Christian

Tabernacle; Civil War Trust; Clay Center for the Arts &

Sciences of West Virginia; Clear Lake Food Pantry; ClearWater

Conservancy; Cleveland Zoological Society; Clinton Symphony

Orchestra; Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis; Colby College

Museum of Art; Cole Art Center at Stephen F. Austin State

University.

Collins Group, A Division of Donald A. Campbell & Company;

Colorado Nonprofit Association; Colorado-Wyoming Association

of Museums; Columbia College (MO); Columbia Land Trust (OR &

WA); Columbia Museum of Art (SC); Columbia Pacific Heritage

Museum; Columbus Museum of Art; Community Action Committee of

the Lehigh Valley; Community Care Center, Inc.; Community

Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma; Community Food Pantry in Tool

(TX); Community Food Pantry of Franklin County, Texas;

Community Foodbank of New Jersey; The Community Foundation

for Crawford County; Community Foundation for Muskegon

County; Community Foundation for Southwest Washington;

Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut; Community

Foundation of Northern Colorado; The Community Foundation of

South Puget Sound; Community Foundation of the Great River

Bend; Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area;

Congaree Land Trust; Connecticut Electric Railway Association

dba Connecticut Trolley Museum; Connecticut Farmland Trust.

Connecticut Food Bank; Connecticut Land Conservation

Council; Connecticut Nonprofit Human Services Cabinet;

Connemara Conservancy Foundation; Conservation Foundation of

the Gulf Coast; The Conservation Fund; Conservation Tax

Credit Transfer, LLC; Conservation Trust for North Carolina;

The Contemporary Austin; COPD Foundation; CoreStrategies for

Nonprofits, Inc.; Cornerstone Outreach Center of Amarillo,

Inc.; Council for Christian Colleges & Universities; Council

of Michigan Foundations; Council on Foundations; Cow Marsh

Creek Consultants, LLC; Cradle of Texas Conservancy, Inc.;

Crawford County Historical Society; Crested Butte Land Trust;

Crisis Center of the Plains; Crocker Art Museum; Crossroads

at Park Place, Inc.; Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County;

Cultural Assets Consulting; Cumberland Land Trust.

Currier Museum of Art; Cystic Fibrosis Foundation; Da Vinci

Science Center; Dallas Museum of Art; Dance/USA; Dare to

Believe Ministries Outreach Center; Dare to Care Food Bank;

Datil Educators Club; Deke Slayton Memorial Space & Bicycle

Museum; Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts; Delaware

Highlands Conservancy; Denver Art Museum; Des Moines Art

Center; Desert Foothills Land Trust; Dixon Gallery and

Gardens; DMA Nonprofit Federation; Donors Forum; Douglas

County Historical Society; The Drawing Center; Duck Hollow;

DuPage County Historical Museums; Dutchess Land Conservancy;

Earl Scruggs Center; East End Baptist Church; East

Hillsborough Historical Society, Inc.; East Texas Food Bank;

Eastern Sierra Land Trust; Ecology Project International.

EcoTrust; Edisto Island Open Land Trust; Eightmile River

Wild & Scenic Coordinating Committee; Ellis County Museum,

Inc.; Eno River Association; Epilepsy Foundation; Epiphany

Lutheran Church; Equestrian Partners in Conservation (EPIC);

Erie Art Museum; Essex County Greenbelt Association;

Exploration Place; Family Abuse Shelter of Miami; Family

League of Baltimore; Family Worship Center Food Pantry; Faye

Gehl Conservation Foundation; Fayette CARE Clinic; Federation

of Protestant Welfare Agencies; Feeding America; Feeding

America San Diego; Feeding America Southwest Virginia;

Feeding America Tampa Bay; Feeding Indiana's Hungry; Feeding

Pennsylvania; Field Museum; First Baptist Church (Atlanta,

TX); First Baptist Church (Bovina, TX); First Christian

Church Food Pantry.

First Christian Church Outreach (Conroe, TX); First

Resource Center; Fishtown Preservation Society, Inc.;

Flathead Land Trust; Florida Holocaust Museum; The Florida

Orchestra; Florida Philanthropic Network; Food Bank of

Central New York; Food Bank of Delaware; Food Bank of

Northeast Arkansas; Food Bank of the Albemarle; Food Bank of

the Rockies; Food Bank of the Southern Tier; The Food Bank of

Western Massachusetts; FOOD for Lane County; Food Industry

Alliance of New York State; Foodbank of Southeastern

Virginia; The Foodbank, Inc.; Foodshare; Foothills

Conservancy of North Carolina; Forgotten Harvest; Fort

Ticonderoga; Foundation Layers; Fox Valley Family YMCA;

Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center; Franklin Area Community

Services.

Franklin County (KS) Historical Society; Franklin

Institute; Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens;

Freshwater Future; Freshwater Land Trust; Frick Art and

Historical Center; Friends Committee on National Legislation;

Friends of Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge;

Friends of Lopez Island Pool; Friends of the Mitchell Gallery

of Flight; Friends of Tualatin River National Wildlife

Refuge; Frist Center for the Visual Arts; Galveston Bay

Foundation; Gates Mills Land Conservancy; Gateway Science

Museum; Gathering Waters Conservancy; Geist Fall Creek

Watershed Alliance; The General Society of Mayflower

Descendants; Genesee Valley Conservancy, Inc.; George Eastman

House; Georgia Center for Nonprofits; Georgia Charitable Care

Network; Gilroy Historical Society; Girl Scouts of San

Gorgonio; Girl Scouts of the USA; Girls Inc.

Glen Ellyn Historical Society; Glencairn Museum; Global

Orphan Assistance Foundation; God's Pantry Food Bank; Gold

Coast Railroad Museum; Golden Gate National Parks

Conservancy; Golden State Bonsai Federation and Bonsai Garden

at Lake Merritt; Goldstein Museum of Design; Good Neighbor

Community Builders; Good Samaritan Health & Wellness Center;

Goshen Land Trust; Grand Encampment Museum; Grand Haven Area

Community Foundation; Grand Rapids Art Museum; Grand Traverse

Regional Land Conservancy; Grantmakers Forum of New York;

Grassroots International; The Graue Mill & Museum; Great

Peninsula Conservancy; Great Plains Food Bank; Great Plains

Welsh Heritage Project; The Greater Boston Food Bank; Greater

Chicago Food Depository; Greater Grace Outreach; Greater

Hudson Heritage Network; Greenbelt Land Trust of Mid-

Missouri.

Greensboro Land Trust; Grosse Ile Nature and Land

Conservancy; Grounds For Sculpture; Gulf Coast Community

Foundation; Gulf Coast Symphony; Hammer Museum; Harmony

House; Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida; Harry S.

Truman Little White House; The Hartt School; Harvard Art

Museums; Harvest Assembly, House of Blessing; Harvest House;

Harvest Texarkana Regional Food Bank; Harvesters--The

Community Food Network (KS); Harvesters--The Community Food

Network (MO); Hawaiian Islands Land Trust; Heart of the Lakes

Center for Land Conservation Policy; Heaven's Windows; Hedley

Senior Citizens; Heifer Foundation; Heifer International;

Helping Hands Outreach Center of Gasconade County; Henderson

Food Pantry; The Henry Ford; Herbert F. Johnson Museum of

Art.

Heritage Museum (OR); Heritage Museum of Orange County;

Hidalgo Medical Services; High Museum of Art; High Plains

Food Bank; Higher Heights Church of God Food Pantry;

Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust; Hill Country Land Trust;

Hillsboro Independent School District Education Foundation;

Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens; Historic Flat Rock, Inc.;

The History Center in Tompkins County; Holy Family Home and

Shelter, Inc.; Holy Family St. Vincent de Paul; Holy Ghost St

Vincent de Paul; HomeAid Atlanta; Honolulu Museum of Art;

Hope Food Pantry; HOPE Outreach; House of Help Hempstead; The

House of the Seven Gables Settlement Association; Houston

Food Bank; The Humanity Institute for Children & Families

(HICF); Hunger-Free Pennsylvania; Hyde Hall; IBB Local 684

Labor Participation.

Idaho Coalition of Land Trusts; The Idaho Foodbank; Iglesia

Trinidad (TX); Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence;

Illinois Collaboration on Youth; Illinois Network of Charter

Schools; Illinois Valley Symphony Orchestra; Immune

Deficiency Foundation; Indian Hill Music; Indiana

Philanthropy Alliance; Indianapolis Museum of Art; Informal

Learning Experiences; Inner Wisdom, Inc.; Interfaith Caring

Ministries; International Primate Protection League; Iowa

Natural Heritage Foundation; IRIS Orchestra; Iron and Steel

Museum of Alabama; Irving S. Gilmore International Keyboard

Festival; Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum; The Isamu Noguchi

Foundation; Islamic Society of North America; Jack Hadley

Black History Museum; Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens; Jacob and

Terese Hershey Foundation; Jefferson Land Trust.

Jemez Helping Hands; Jeremiah Call Christ Ministry/

Jeremiah's Food Pantry; Jesus Outreach Ministries; Jewish

Federations of North America; The Jewish Museum; Jordan

Schnitzer Museum of Art; Joseph's House; Julian Pathways;

Kansas City Symphony; Kansas Land Trust; Kenton Conservancy;

The Kingdom Zone Before & After Community Center; Kings Local

Food Pantry; The King's Palace Food Pantry; Kohl Children's

Museum of Greater Chicago; The Kreeger Museum; Kress United

Methodist Church; Ku'ikahi Mediation Center; K-VA-T Food

Stores/Food City (TN); K-VA-T Food Stores/Food City (VA);

Ladies In Action; Lafayette Symphony; Lancaster Community

Library; Lancaster Farmland Trust; The Land Conservancy for

Southern Chester County; Land Conservancy of Adams County;

Land Trust Alliance.

The Land Trust for Tennessee; Laredo Crime Stoppers, Inc.;

LeadingAge; League of American Orchestras; Leander

Independent

School District Educational Excellence Foundation; Lebanon

Food Pantry; Leelanau Conservancy; Lehigh Valley Abundant

Life Ministries; Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum; The Leighty

Foundation; Life Challenge; Light of Christ Food Pantry;

Literary Arts; Little Miami Food Service; Littleton

Conservation Trust; LIVESTRONG Foundation; Living Faith Food

Pantry; Living Water I.A.M; Livingston County Historical

Society; LJC Mercy Ministries; Local Infant Formula for

Emergencies, Inc. (LIFE-Houston); Lorraine Street Church of

God in Christ; Los Angeles Regional Food Bank; Louisiana Food

Bank Association; Louisiana Landmarks Society.

Louisville Zoological Garden; Lowe Art Museum; Lupus and

Allied Diseases Association, Inc.; Lutheran Services in

America; Magdalena Samaritan Center; Maiden Alley Cinema;

Maine Appalachian Trail Land Trust; Maine Association of

Nonprofits; Maine Coast Heritage Trust; March of Dimes; Marin

Agricultural Land Trust; Martin Luther King Jr. Center; Mary

Reynolds Babcock Foundation; Mason Food Pantry; Massachusetts

Land Trust Coalition; Massillon Museum; Matthew 25 Ecumenical

Food Pantry; Maxwell Museum of Anthropology; McCary's Chapel

United Methodist Church; McHenry County Historical Society &

Museum; Mead Art Museum; Meadowlark Methodist Food Pantry;

Meals On Wheels Association of America; Memorial Baptist Food

Pantry; Menil Collection; Mental Health Association of Rhode

Island; Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation.

Miami Springs Historical Museum; Michigan Historic

Preservation Network; Michigan Nonprofit Association; Mid-

South Food Bank; The Miller Art Museum; Milwaukee Art Museum;

Mims Chapel Drydock Food Pantry; The Minneapolis Foundation;

Minneapolis Institute of Arts; Minnesota Historical Society;

Minnesota Land Trust; Mission Aviation Fellowship; Mission

Northeast, Inc.; Mississippi Food Network; Mississippi Valley

Conservancy; Missouri Association for Museums and Archives;

Missouri Street Church of Christ Pantry Program; Mitchell

Prehistoric Indian Village Preservation Society; Mobile

Medical Museum; Mojave Desert Land Trust; Molly Brown House

Museum; Mon General Foundation; Monadnock Conservancy;

Montana Association of Land Trusts; Montana Food Bank

Network; Montclair Art Museum.

Montgomery County Emergency Assistance; Montgomery County

Food Bank (TX); Montgomery County Lands Trust (PA);

Montgomery County Youth Services (TX); Montgomery Museum of

Fine Arts; Morton County Historical Society Museum; Mountain-

Plains Museums Association; Mt. Canaan Missionary Baptist;

Mt. Manna; Murphysboro Food Pantry, Inc.; Muscarelle Museum

of Art; Museo de Arte de Ponce; Museum Association of New

York; Museum at FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology); Museum

of Arts and Design; Museum of Contemporary Art; Museum of

Contemporary Art Denver; Museum of Contemporary Art San

Diego; Museum of Cultural and Natural History; Museum of

Danish America; Museum of Fine Arts Boston; The Museum of

Fine Arts Houston; Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg, FL;

The Museum of Flight; Museum of Glass; Museum of Latin

American Art; Museum of Science, Boston.

Museum of Zavkhan Province; My Brother's Keeper Outreach

Center; Mystic Art Association, dba Mystic Arts Center; N.C.

Center for Nonprofits; Nacogdoches HOPE; Nantucket Historical

Association; Naperville Heritage Society; Naples Historical

Society; National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Omaha;

National Association for Interpretation; National Association

of Area Agencies on Aging; National Association of Clock and

Watch Collectors; National Atomic Testing Museum; National

Audubon Society; National Bottle Museum; National Civil

Rights Museum; National Council of Nonprofits; National Czech

& Slovak Museum & Library; National Multiple Sclerosis

Society; National Museum of American Jewish History; National

Museum of Wildlife Art; National Parks Conservation

Association; National Soaring Museum; National Veterans Art

Museum; National Watch and Clock Museum.

National Wildlife Federation; National Woodland Owners

Association; National Youth Leadership Council; Native

American Rights Fund; Natural Land Institute; Natural Lands

Trust; Natural Resources Defense Council; The Nature

Conservancy; Nebraska Land Trust; Needy Basket of Southern

Miami County, Inc.; Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art; Nevada Land

Trust; New Canaan Historical Society; New Covenant Christian

Fellowship; New England Museum Association; New Hampshire

Boat Museum; New Hampshire Charitable Foundation; New Hope

Seventh Day Adventist Church; New Jersey Conservation

Foundation; New Museum; New Path, Inc. aka New Path Outreach;

New River Conservancy; New River Land Trust; New York

Botanical Garden; New York Live Arts; NGO Foundation;

Nisqually Land Trust; Nonprofit Association of Oregon.

Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York; Nonprofit

Institute at College of Southern Maryland; Norman Rockwell

Museum; North Carolina Museum of Art; North Carolina

Symphony; North Creek Baptist Church; North Creek Baptist

Church Food Pantry; North Group Consultants; North Olympic

Land Trust; North Salem Open Land Foundation; North Shore

Land Alliance; Northeast Iowa Food Bank; Northwest Montana

Historical Society; Northwest Railway Museum; Norwich

University; NPO Accounting Solutions; Nunda Historical

Society; NY Textile Conservation, LLC; Oblong Land

Conservancy; Ohio League of Conservation Voters; Okanogan

County Community Action Council; Okanogan Land Trust;

Oklahoma City Museum of Art; Old Pine Farm Natural Lands

Trust; Old Stone Fort Museum.

One Powerful Movement Community Development Center;

Onondaga Historical Association; Open Door Pantry; OPERA

America; Orlando Museum of Art; Orlando Science Center;

Ouabache Land Conservancy; The Our House Tavern; Ozark

Regional Land Trust; Pacific Battleship Center; Pacific Grove

Museum of Natural History; Pacific Science Center; Paducah

Area Food Pantry; Paducah Symphony Orchestra; Pajarito

Environmental Education Center; Palm Springs Art Museum;

Parkdale Valley Land Trust; Parks & Trails New York; Passages

Alternative Living Programs, Inc.; Pathways Food Pantry;

Patsy's Place Transitional Home; Peabody Essex Museum;

Pelican Coast Conservancy; Pennsbury Land Trust; Pennsylvania

Academy of the Fine Arts; People Attempting To Help ``PATH'';

People Helping People.

Peoria Riverfront Museum; Peralta Memorial United Methodist

Church; Petersen Automotive Museum Foundation; Philabundance;

The Phillips Collection; Phoenix Art Museum; PhotoArts

Imaging Professionals, LLC; Pines and Prairies Land Trust;

Pinnacle Community Church; The Pittsburgh Foundation; Places

of New Beginnings; Plant City Photo Archives & History

Center; Point Blue Conservation Science; Portland Art Museum

(OR); Portland Museum of Art (ME); Pound Ridge Land

Conservancy, Inc.; Prairie Public Broadcasting; Primary Care

Development Corporation (PCDC); Project Restoration Outreach;

Project Sister Family Services; Prospect House Museum; Puerto

Seguro, Inc. (PSI) Safe Harbor; Pulitzer Arts Foundation;

Ralphs Grocery Company; Redwood Empire Food Bank.

Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland, African American

History and Culture; Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New

York; Renaissance Charitable Foundation, Inc.; Renaissance

Entrepreneurship Center; Rensselaer County Historical

Society; Rescue Rehome Resource; Restoration Care Ministry;

Restore & Enlightenment Ministries; Riverside Baptist Church

Crisis Closet; Rochester Area Community Foundation; Roger

Williams Park Zoo; Rooted In; Roxbury Land Trust; Sacramento

Mountains Senior Services, Inc.; Sagebrush Steppe Land Trust;

The Salvation Army; San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts; San

Antonio Food Bank; San Antonio Museum of Art; San Diego

Natural History Museum; San Diego Youth Symphony and

Conservatory; San Diego Zoo Global; San Francisco Heritage/

Haas Lilienthal House; San Isabel Land Protection Trust; San

Jacinto County Historical Commission; San Jose Museum of Art;

San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles.

Santa Fe Texas Education Foundation; Save The Prairie

Society; Scenic Hudson; Schingoethe Museum, Aurora

University; Science Factory Children's Museum & Exploration

Dome; Scleroderma Foundation; Sealy Christian Pantry; Seattle

Art Museum; Second Harvest Food Bank Mahoning Valley; Second

Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida; Second Harvest Food

Bank of East Central Indiana; Second Harvest Food Bank of

Northeast Tennessee; Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast

Tennessee; Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North

Carolina; Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San

Mateo Counties; Second Harvest North Central Food Bank;

Sedoan Historical Society; Senior Connections; Sequoia

Riverlands Trust; Seventh-Day Adventist Church (Tulia, TX);

Shared Harvest Foodbank; Sharlot Hall Museum; Shepherd Senior

Citizens, Inc.; Sheridan Community Land Trust.

Shiloh Museum of Ozark History; Sierra Foothill

Conservancy; Silver City Gospel Mission; Six Rivers Land

Conservancy; Skagit Land Trust; Society for Experimental

Graphic Design (SEGD); Society for Preservation of Long

Island Antiquities; Society of St. Stephen Outreach Ministry

(SOSS); Society of St. Vincent de Paul in Houston, TX;

Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum; South Carolina Conservation

Exchange; South Texas Food Bank; South Union Church of Christ

Food Pantry; Southbury Land Trust; Southeast Area Ministries;

Southeast Missouri Food Bank; Southeast Texas Arts Council;

Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy; Southside Church

of Christ Food Pantry; Spearman Ministerial Alliance; Spinal

Cord Injury Network International; Springfield Museum of Art;

Squam Lake Natural Science Center; St Vladimir's Orthodox

Theological Seminary; St. Andrews United Methodist Church

Food Pantry; St. Anne de Beaupre Food Pantry; St. Anthony's

Bread Food Pantry; St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum.

St. James Episcopal Church Food Pantry; St. John of the

Cross Food Pantry; St. Joseph Museums, Inc.; St. Leo the

Great St. Vincent de Paul; St. Louis Area Foodbank; St. Louis

Art Museum; St. Mary's Food Bank Affiance; St. Mary's United

Methodist Church (TX); St. Monica Food Pantry; St. Monica

Knights of Peter Claver, Ladies Auxiliary, Court # 151; St.

Monica's Altar Society; St. Paul's Lutheran Food Pantry; St.

Stephen Presbyterian Food Pantry; St. Stephen's of St.

Andrews United Methodist Church (TX); St. Vincent de Paul in

Los Lunas, NM; St. Vincent de Paul in Artesia,

NM; St. Vincent de Paul Society (St. Philip Neri Catholic

Church); Stax Museum of American Soul Music; Sterling and

Francine Clark Art Institute; Stockton Symphony Association;

Sts. Joachim and Ann Care Service.

Stuart Pimsler Dance & Theater; Studebaker National Museum;

Sullivan Museum and History Center; Summit Land Conservancy;

Tacoma Art Museum; Tall Timbers Research Station & Land

Conservancy; Tampa Museum of Art; Telfair Museums; Temenos

CDC/Bread of Life, Inc.; Temple University Anthropology

Laboratory; Tennessee Parks and Greenways Foundation; Texas

Land Conservancy; Texas Land Trust Council; Texas Quilt

Museum; THE PROGRAM for Offenders, Inc.; Theatre

Communications Group; Three Angels Seventh Day Adventist

Church; Three Village Community Trust; The Time IN Children's

Arts Initiative; Timken Museum of Art; Toledo Museum of Art;

Toledo Northwestern Ohio Food Bank; Towne Learning Center;

Travis Audubon; Tread of Pioneers Museum; The Treehouse

Center, Inc.; Tri County Assembly Choice Food Pantry;

Triangle Land Conservancy; Tri-county Meals.

Trinity Garden First Food Pantry; The Trust for Public

Land; U.S. Military Combat Camera History & Stories Museum;

U.S. Pain Foundation, Inc.; UJA-Federation of New York, Inc.;

The Ukrainian Museum; Ukrainian National Women's League of

America; Union Symphony Society, Inc.; United Assembly

(Plainview, TX); United Food Bank; United Way Fox Cities;

United Way of Buffalo and Erie County; United Way of Greater

Cincinnati; United Way of Portage County; United Way

Worldwide; University Christian Church; University of

Michigan--Dearborn; University of Michigan Law School; Upper

Savannah Land Trust; Upscale CDC; Upshur County Shares Food

Pantry; Urban Gateways; Utah Food Bank.

Utah Museum of Fine Arts; Uvalde Baptist Church Food

Pantry; Venice Community Housing Corporation; The Vermont

River Conservancy; Vermont Symphony Orchestra; Vero Beach

Museum of Art; Vesterheim Museum; Vietnamese American

Community Center; Virginia Museum of Fine Arts; The Viscardi

Center; Vision Weavers Consulting, LLC; VisionServe Alliance;

Voices of Victory; Walker Art Center; Wallowa Land Trust;

Wartburg Community Symphony; Washington Association of Land

Trusts; Washington Nonprofits; Washington State Historical

Society; Washington Street Family Service Center; Way Food

Pantry; Wee Care Child Center, Inc.; Wellsprings Village,

Inc.; West Central Ohio Land Conservancy; West Side Baptist

Early Education Center; West Wisconsin Land Trust; Western

New York Land Conservancy; Western Reserve Land Conservancy;

Western Rhode Island Civic Historical Society; Westmoreland

County Agricultural Land Preservation.

Westmoreland Museum of American Art; Westport Arts Center;

Whidbey Camano Land Trust; White Deer-Skellytown Lighthouse

Food Pantry; Whitney Museum of American Art; Wilbarger Creek

Conservation Alliance; The Wilderness Society; Wildling

Museum; Wildwood United Methodist Church; Williams Temple

Church of God In Christ; Wilmette Historical Museum; Wings

for L.I.F.E. (Life skills Imparted to Families through

Education); Winston-Salem Symphony; Wisconsin Youth Symphony

Orchestras; Wood County Senior Citizens Association; Woods

and Waters Land Trust; Wyoming Symphony Orchestra;

Yellowstone Art Museum; YMCA of the USA; York County Heritage

Trust; Zimmerli Art Museum.

The goodwill of the American people is unmatched, and we should do everything we can to encourage Americans to do more, enabling charities, nonprofits, foundations, and schools across the country to expand their reach and serve those most in need.

A ``yes'' vote on this bill is a vote for hardworking Americans who selflessly lend a hand every day to their neighbors, communities, and others in need.

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

Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Reed), a distinguished member of the Ways and Means Committee.

Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Gerlach), a distinguished member of the Ways and Means Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Schock), a distinguished member of the Ways and Means Committee.

Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Paulsen), a distinguished member of the Ways and Means Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Kelly), a distinguished member of the Ways and Means Committee.

I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

At this time, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young).

(Mr. YOUNG of Alaska asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Montana (Mr. Daines).

At this time, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fitzpatrick).

Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from Wyoming (Mrs. Lummis).

Mr. Speaker, how much time is remaining?

At this time, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Roskam), the distinguished member of the Ways and Means Committee.

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

Mr. Speaker, the provisions we are talking about today, the policies, whether it is donations to food inventory or IRA contributions, excess dollars from an IRA, or whether it is a conservation easement, these are all items that have been extended unpaid for, if you will, time and time again.

We have heard a lot about the cost from the other side. But if charities, religious groups, foundations, food banks, if we can make these permanent--because, right now, these three are expired. They can't be used. But if we can make these permanent, we will see an increase in charitable giving--850 organizations have written us and said that would happen, all of them who serve the poor, who serve the needy, who serve Americans in trouble.

Also, it doesn't go through the government. What these charities do, what these religious groups do, and what these foundations do is beyond the power of government to give. Let's make these permanent. Let's extends these provisions. Let's increase charitable giving in the United States, and let's help people help themselves.

I urge a ``yes'' vote on the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

I object, Mr. Speaker, and I reserve a point of order against the motion to recommit.

Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my point of order and seek time in opposition to the motion.

Mr. Speaker, this motion would create chaos for the charitable community. Americans are more generous than any other nation in the world. What we need is certainty in our Tax Code--certainty for those who want to donate food to food banks, certainty for those who want to make excess contributions to IRAs, and certainty for those who want to preserve fragile land for future generations.

This motion makes it much harder to help those in need, and God knows, we have a lot of Americans in need with a contracting economy and the worst recovery since the Great Depression.

We are the only nation in the world with temporary tax policies. Some of these provisions have expired and have been renewed time and time again, and we need to admit it and make them permanent.

Let me just say, when it comes to inversions, the administration agrees with me that the best way to address this issue is through lower rates and through comprehensive tax reform, and we should be doing that, but this motion actually creates a perverse incentive for American companies to pack up and move overseas. That is the worst thing we can do for American workers.

I urge a ``no'' vote on this motion to recommit and a ``yes'' vote on the underlying legislation.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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

(Mr. HASTINGS of Florida asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

I thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess) for yielding me the customary 30 minutes.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to this rule. The legislation consists of a package of five bills previously reported by the Ways and Means Committee, which would add an estimated $16 billion to the deficit over the next 10 years.

Like every Member of this body, I strongly support charitable giving. I tout the fact in the Rules Committee frequently that I am proud of the fact that I work directly with three food pantries--one that I am extremely proud of that works with grandmothers and grandfathers who are taking care of their children's children and who find great needs. I might add that that

particular charity has seen a diminution, a diminishing, of charitable giving. I might add additionally to that, when I look across the board in my community, I find that charitable giving is down, and I think that is commensurate with the kind of economy that we are in.

I applaud Americans who donate what they can to the causes they care about. I would go as far as to say that I support many of the measures that are in this bill. However, in its present form, I cannot support it. The Republican majority has divided what used to be a complete extenders package into smaller parts, some of which will be debated here today and some of which, I predict, will never reach the floor for debate, certainly not a vote. My friends have managed to make a traditionally nonpartisan and noncontroversial issue both partisan and controversial. The provisions we are debating are not paid for and, yet, are made permanent.

I am afraid that this bill is part and parcel in a pattern of what I perceive as reckless, irresponsible behavior on the part of the majority. Republican inconsistency on fiscal responsibility and the deficit is stunning. Whenever we are considering a bill they like, they are happy to ignore the deficit and waive all of the rules that enforce fiscal discipline; but whenever Republicans don't like a proposal, they hide behind budget rules to block it. On the one hand, they have blocked or delayed everything from extending unemployment insurance, to an SGR doc fix, to emergency hurricane relief, demanding that they are fully offset. Yet, when it comes to tax credits, they waive their own budgeting rules, as they are doing here, and run up the deficit as they are doing here. This bill alone will add an additional $16 billion to the deficit over 10 years. These are the people who continuously decry the fact that we have deficits, and these are the people who continue to say that they are spendthrifts in the sense that they are taking care of the budget. That is just the beginning.

Today, the Ways and Means Committee has reported 12 unpaid-for tax extenders at a cost of $614 billion over 10 years. The House has passed five at a cost of $518 billion over 10 years. I might add this is budget hocus-pocus. It was referred to as ``voodoo economics'' at another point in time. For example, you take something like we did with the highway trust bill earlier, and you pay for it. You spend the money in 6 months, and then you pay for it over a 10-year period of time, which substantially mitigates against what their intent is rather than to do what is needed, and that is a highway infrastructure bill that will give our Nation reassurance with reference to construction measures and make sure our bridges are not falling down and that our roads are safe to drive on.

Look at the bill that we were dealing with last week. My friends threw away another $287 billion, or at least they proposed to. Much of this stuff isn't going anywhere, but they proposed to throw away another $287 billion on an extenders package just like this one. Let me repeat: $287 billion. Now we are going to add another $16 billion to that number. It is as if we are looking for new ways to be dysfunctional.

Instead of creating a stable economy, they are picking and choosing their favorite provisions and are extending them piece by piece. Rather than reforming our Tax Code, they are making it up as they go along. Assuredly, all of us have great respect for our colleagues on both sides of the aisle who have that awesome responsibility of finding the ways and the means to fund this government, and I for one--and I am sure I speak for many--have great respect for Dave Camp, the chairman of that committee.

At the beginning of this session, Chairman Camp proposed tax reform. I might have agreed or disagreed with an awful lot of it, but inside his own Conference, he could not get people who would support meaningful tax reform. Instead, now, in refutation to much of what he had put forward by denying some of these 60-plus extensions--he had said that many of them should not be in the measure--they come and cherry-pick and get the ones that they want and put them here rather than reform this Tax Code.

Is there anybody in this country, in this Congress, in the House, or in the Senate who believes that the Tax Code is fair and simple for everybody--business and/or Americans? No. They are making it up as they go along--a tax extender here, a tax extender there, something I like here, and I don't like that over there.

Let me tell you what we should be doing. We should be passing bills that create jobs in this country.

We should be repairing our infrastructure, and all of us know this.

When I came to Congress in 1992, then-President Bill Clinton identified--and we agreed--that there were 14,000 bridges in America that were in need of repair, but now, what we find is that there are substantially more bridges, and some have fallen down in that period of time, and yet, we are piecemealing the transportation issue, kicking the can down the road.

I commented in the Rules Committee some time back, this kicking the can down the road concept, if it were an Olympic sport, then Congress would not only get gold and bronze and silver, they would also get aluminum because they are real good at kicking the can.

We should be passing bills that tackle comprehensive immigration reform. Is there anybody, including all of the don't come here people that are out there shouting at children--in many instances--and mothers and people who don't speak our language, that have undertaken the most unreasonable, for any of us, journey to try to get to a better life for themselves--and people standing there, shouting at them, rather than collecting ourselves as a sensible country--of immigrants, I might add--and allow, among other things that we try to do, not just comprehensive immigration reform, indeed, we should do border security.

We have to have clarity, not only for those who may seek to come here, but for all of us. We need clarity as it pertains to immigration.

Will they put it on the floor just for a vote? No. It will not happen, and yet, we will see this piecemeal, and we will see this back and forth some time next week.

The President proposes $3.7 billion. Someone on the other side said that is too much money. The President says we need more judges and more lawyers, and we need lawyers on both sides I maintain, and yet, we find ourselves in the position of not being able to do anything and not doing it hurriedly enough.

We have this crisis on our border, which doesn't even come close to rivaling the many issues that are developing in the world, from Ukraine to Israel to Yemen, back across the board to Syria, and countless other places, our relationships are in jeopardy, and all of it is placed at the hands, if you let these people tell it, of Barack Obama.

Many of the issues that are developing developed over periods of time, and they largely did so because this Congress does not have the courage to stand up and do the things that are vitally necessary for all of America, Republican and Democrat, conservative and liberal. The needs are great, and we are doing very little of anything at all.

We have 10 more days until we go on recess to campaign, and when we do go on recess to campaign, that will be for the whole month of August. Then we will come back here a few weeks in September, and we will be gone the whole month of October.

What in the world would stop us then from having the time and the necessity to sit down together in a bipartisan way and come up with what is needed for immigration reform in this country?

We have 3.3 million people--after the expiration of the unemployment insurance measures in this country in the month of December, we now number 3.3 million people out of work, in the cold, and that has cost the economy more than $10 billion.

Of those 3.3 million people, I remind my friends who stand up here with their patriotic notions that they espouse, and I believe they believe in our troops. We are fond of saying that around here.

I believe they believe that we should be secure, as do I, with reference to our military, but 300,000 of those people that are unemployed are veterans, not to mention all of the problems at the veterans hospitals that we need to attend to, rather than finger- pointing

and trying to find measures to beat each other down, rather than try to lift America up.

House Republicans have found time to sue President Obama for doing his job, but we haven't found time to pass these important bills.

I said humorously, before I began to hear it often, that if President Obama is going to be sued by the Speaker for doing something, then I want to participate in the lawsuit against the Speaker for doing nothing.

We can try to appease the most extreme end of the Republican Party, but we can't pass the laws that address the challenges facing Americans all across this Nation, and for this dereliction of duty, maybe somebody should consider when we are talking about a lawsuit--what I said humorously--really considering suing this institution and its Speaker for not doing those things that are a few that I have identified.

In yesterday's hearing in the Rules Committee, I ended my remarks-- and we had outstanding witnesses, experts in this area, ranging from Elizabeth Foley, from Florida International University; to Jonathan Turley, from George Washington University; Simon Lazarus, from the Constitutional group; and Walter Dellinger--all of them--at least three of them being extremely experienced in the subject matter and each of them addressing the subject of standing, as I did, in asking them questions at different times.

Most of us know that this lawsuit is not likely to go anywhere, and at some point, all of the witnesses agreed that there are challenges ahead with reference to this lawsuit, and all of them knew and know that there is absolutely no precedent for this action, none.

There is a case, McClure v. Carter, that has some similarities, but even that one did not cross the threshold that is needed. I did end my comments by saying that I was being partisan, and I will end this portion of my comments by saying I am being partisan.

These are the people that for the 52 years, nearly, that I am a lawyer, that have argued against frivolous lawsuits. If there was ever a frivolous lawsuit, then the one that is proposed to be filed by the Speaker of this House gives frivolous new meaning. It is indeed just that.

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

Mr. Speaker, on this matter, the administration, as it is wont to do, filed administration policy. We refer to them in our committees and around the House as a SAP.

What the administration said is the following:

The administration supports measures that enhance

nonprofits, philanthropic organizations, and faith-based and

other community organizations in their many roles, including

as a safety net for those most in need, an economic engine

for job creation, a tool for environmental conservation that

encourages land protections for current and future

generations, and an incubator of innovation to foster

solutions to some of the Nation's toughest challenges. The

President's budget includes a number of proposals that would

enhance and simplify charitable giving incentives for many

individuals.

I am going to come back to this, but before we go forward, if we defeat the previous question, I will offer an amendment to the rule that would give Members a second opportunity this week to consider reversing the damage done by the recent Hobby Lobby Supreme Court decision.

No employer should have the right to limit the health choices of its employees, male or female. It is pure discrimination when 99 percent of women in this country have used some form of birth control during their lifetime, but to now have to literally go through unreasonable measures to simply secure the fundamental health care they need.

To discuss our proposal, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Ms. Clark).

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased at this time to yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Bera), a good friend who serves on the Foreign Affairs Committee.

I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased at this time to yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Nadler), my classmate and good friend.

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

I am a proud cosponsor of the measure that was just spoken to, and I am very pleased that my colleague came here to speak on it.

Rather than read the entirety of the Statement of Administration Policy at this time, I will submit that statement for the Record.

Statement of Administration Policy

H.R. 4719--America Gives More Act of 2014

(Rep. Reed, R-New York, and 9 cosponsors, July 17, 2014)

The Administration supports measures that enhance non-

profits, philanthropic organizations, and faith-based and

other community organizations in their many roles, including

as a safety net for those most in need, an economic engine

for job creation, a tool for environmental conservation that

encourages land protections for current and future

generations, and an incubator of innovation to foster

solutions to some of the Nation's toughest challenges. The

President's Budget includes a number of proposals that would

enhance and simplify charitable giving incentives for many

individuals.

However, the Administration strongly opposes House passage

of H.R. 4719, which would permanently extend three current

provisions that offer enhanced tax breaks for certain

donations and add another two similar provisions without

offsetting the cost. If this same, unprecedented approach of

making certain traditional tax extenders permanent without

offsets were followed for the other traditional tax

extenders, it would add $500 billion or more to deficits over

the next ten years, wiping out most of the deficit reduction

achieved through the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2013.

Just two months ago, House Republicans themselves passed a

budget resolution that required offsetting any tax extenders

that were made permanent with other revenue measures.

As with other similar proposals, Republicans are imposing a

double standard by adding to the deficit to continue and

create tax breaks that primarily benefit higher-income

individuals, while insisting on offsetting the proposed

extension of emergency unemployment benefits and the

discretionary funding increases for defense and non-defense

priorities such as research and development in the Bipartisan

Budget Act of 2013. House Republicans also are making clear

their priorities by rushing to make these tax cuts permanent

without offsets even as the House Republican budget

resolution calls for raising taxes on 26 million working

families and students by letting important improvements to

the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, and education

tax credits expire.

The Administration wants to work with Congress to make

progress on measures that strengthen America's social sector.

However, H.R. 4719 represents the wrong approach.

If the President were presented with H.R. 4719, his senior

advisors would recommend that he veto the bill.

Now, there is something else we need to discuss about this rule. Once again, we are debating a closed rule.

When I came to Congress, I was listening on the radio. I didn't know very much about rules. And a part of why Democrats in the majority lost, in my opinion, was the harangue that was going on on the radio about closed rules.

Well, I came here, and I wound up on the Rules Committee, and now I know a little bit about closed rules. I also know that we have set an all-time record in the history of the United States Congress, for now, in this particular rule that is before the House of Representatives, the 65th time this session, we are going to have a closed rule. What that means, America, is that your Representative on either side will not have an opportunity to offer an amendment to this measure with reference to tax extenders. This is the most closed rules that this Congress has considered ever, and I expect we are not finished yet and that the number of closed rules will continue to grow.

We started the 113th session with a pledge of transparency and openness from the Speaker of the House, but that has fallen by the wayside, and it has done so in historic proportion. Enough already. The majority should do the responsible thing and bring up bills that actually matter, bills that will address the many challenges facing this country, challenges, as I have pointed out before, about our crumbling infrastructure and, most importantly, creating jobs, even as it pertains to immigration reform.

Everyone who looks at that measure that says, if we had clear immigration policy, whether it was dealing with H-1B visas, whether it was dealing with farmworkers, whatever the measure, that it would increase our revenue in this country and enhance our overall economic circumstances.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of the amendment in the Record along with extraneous material immediately prior to the vote on the previous question.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' to defeat the previous question. I urge a ``no'' vote on this 65th closed rule, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 670 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.

General Leave

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.

Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 670 provides for the consideration of a package of tax deductions for charitable contributions to organizations in the form of excess food inventory and conservation easements, as well as authorizing tax-free distributions from individual retirement accounts, lowering the excise tax on private foundations, and extending the date by which taxpayers can make charitable contributions to be considered for a tax deduction. This is a package of policies, each of which has been supported by the overwhelming majorities of both parties.

The rule before us today provides for a closed rule for H.R. 4719, which is the standard rule for tax bills. Of course, the minority will have its customary motion to recommit. This is a straightforward rule.

H.R. 4719, the America Gives More Act of 2014, will benefit the countless numbers of Americans who rely on and utilize charitable organizations in communities throughout the country. A great incentive for many Americans to contribute to those organizations or to contribute in a greater capacity than they otherwise might are the tax deductions that have been made available by the Federal Government. Congress, long ago, decided it was sound public policy to incentivize charitable giving, encouraging citizens to open their pocketbooks and lend a hand to those less fortunate--and Americans are a generous people. Moreover and importantly, today's bill makes these tax provisions permanent so that Americans will not have to worry from year to year whether the tax deductions on which they have come to rely will be available to them that year.

Recently, the House passed a permanent tax credit for corporate research and development. There were 62 Democrats who voted against the measure. Their reasoning, as far as I can tell, was not against the policy but of maintaining that the measure was not paid for. However, pay-fors are something in Congress that we need when we are creating new programs or are allocating money not previously appropriated, essentially making the American people pay more in taxes. The offsets are unnecessary and not needed when we are actually shielding the American people from having their money taken in the first place in the form of a tax.

Moreover, we heard on Tuesday night while in the Rules Committee markup of today's rule--and I suspect we will hear some about it today--the fact that the two tax-related bills before us today in the rule are not paid for. Congress only needs to pay for a tax credit if one subscribes to the belief that all money in our country belongs first to the government, then to the people. I reject this mindset. Congress does not need to justify or pay for not taking more money from the American people. Congress needs to justify and, thus, pay for policies that take money from the American people.

Mr. Speaker, even if you did subscribe to the notion that all money in this country, first and foremost, belongs to the government and that the government has to pay for allowing Americans to keep their money, the exact provisions contained in the America Gives More Act have traditionally not been offset, and Democrats on the Ways and Means Committee, on the Rules Committee, and Democratic leadership have often voted in favor of these same provisions in un-offset legislation in previous years.

In the absence of a larger, comprehensive tax reform package, permanent extenders like these make sense. They bring back stability and certainty to businesses that are constantly having to wait to see if Congress will, in fact, act. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the rule and ``yes'' on the underlying bill.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, let me try to take some of these points in order that we have heard over the last 45 minutes.

The gentleman talks about tax reform. I hope that means that he is prepared to join me on H.R. 1040, a measure that would provide a flat tax to the citizens of the United States. There is no more egregious function that most of us have to deal with every year than dealing with the IRS.

Unfortunately, because of the actions of the administration, the IRS now stands in ill favor with a majority of Americans. The President, himself, promised in 2013 that he would get to the bottom of the problems in the IRS and that he would get them corrected. I believe that he should. This is the agency with which we all have to deal every year. No one likes the taxman, but it is imperative that the American people have the confidence in the agency that is tasked with collecting their taxes.

On the issue of the VA, it is in conference. We will hear from them. Is the VA going to require a higher appropriation than we gave a few weeks ago? Perhaps. But I would also like to see the new administrator, the new Secretary of the VA be able to discharge people from his employment if they have, in fact, acted in bad faith.

I must have missed the firings that have occurred at the VA amongst the Senior Executive Service. I am not even talking about political appointees. I am talking about people who are lifers within the VA who seem perfectly content to continue business as usual. You are not going to fix that problem if you just pump more taxpayer money into the system. I wouldn't disagree that more money may be necessary at the VA, but we do have to fix the problem that is endemic in the agency if we don't expect the same result to be clearly evident in 2 or 3 years' time.

Let me just talk briefly about the issue that came up about the Supreme Court decision. Unlike Mr. Nadler, I was not here in 1993 and 1994. I was not part of the Congress that passed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, but many of the same people who wrote and voted for and defended the Affordable Care Act, the cast of characters is remarkably similar. In fact, the gentleman from New York, Senator Schumer, when he was a Member of the House, was, I believe, the lead sponsor of that, and he is now in the Senate. The majority leader in the Senate was a ``yes'' vote on the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

So this is a law that was written by Democratic sponsors in a Democratic-controlled House, signed by a Democratic President. How could they not know? How could they not know of its existence when they were writing the Affordable Care Act?

Let me continue with this thought, and if there is time, I will consider yielding to the gentlewoman from Texas.

Now, while they were crafting the Affordable Care Act, they were fully cognizant of the same restrictions they had written into law in the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The Supreme Court simply looked at the facts and said that a Federal agency--in this case, the Department of Health and Human Services--in a rulemaking activity cannot negate a law that was passed by the people's representatives in the Congress. I think that is as it should be.

If there was anything, there were drafting errors in the Affordable Care Act. I have spoken about that time and again. But why weren't the same people who were tasked with writing the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, why weren't they watchful while they were writing their own health care law?

Now, let's talk for just a minute about the Hobby Lobby decision. The first thing--and it is important to stress this--no FDA-approved contraceptive that was available to women before the decision is unavailable after the decision. The Court simply said that the government cannot force a citizen to violate his or her religious beliefs paying for medicine that a citizen believes takes a life. No employer before or after Hobby Lobby can prevent a woman from purchasing any contraceptive that is currently available.

We also heard criticism from the minority that the House was doing other things than doing its work. I would just point out that the House is doing its work. Forty jobs bills have passed this House and are sitting, waiting for activity over in the Senate. And we saw how quickly the SKILLS Act, after the Senate renamed it and it came back to the House, how quickly it got to the President's desk. So the fact that the bills are over there waiting is a problem of the other body. It is not a problem of the House. The House has been doing its work.

Yesterday we passed the Financial Services Appropriations bill. Mr. Speaker, I would ask rhetorically: When was the last time that the House passed the Financial Services Appropriations bill? It was 2007, the first year that the Democrats had taken over the majority. We haven't seen an appropriations bill for Financial Services in--what?--5 years' time. This was a landmark achievement yesterday.

Let's look for just a moment at the number of amendments that have been heard under open rules. On appropriations bills this year, we are through seven appropriations bills as we sit here in the middle of July. That is a significant achievement in and of itself. There have been 395 amendments heard to appropriations bills. That hardly sounds like a closed process. There have been 210 Republican amendments, 185 Democratic amendments, and that was exclusive of yesterday's passed appropriations bill.

So I don't think you can rationally make the argument that the House is not doing its work and that, as we go through the appropriations process, it is not open.

I have some other things that I want to say about the deficit, but I will be happy to yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Mr. Speaker, I need to reclaim my time. Mr. Speaker, slippery slopes work both ways, and those people who are worried about laws that would require the ending of life are worried about that slippery slope as well.

I would just reiterate the point: no contraceptive that was previously available is now unavailable because of the Hobby Lobby decision. If there are problems in the way the law was written, I would remind people it was a Democratic Congress and a Democratic

President who signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, and it was a Democratic Congress and a Democratic President that signed the Affordable Care Act. They perhaps should have taken better care in writing their law.

We had the hearing yesterday in the Rules Committee about the President taking care that the laws are faithfully executed. Perhaps we ought to have a faithful writing of the laws, as well.

Mr. Speaker, today's rule provides for consideration of the America Gives More Act of 2014, making permanent the tax deductions for charitable contributions to food banks and conservation easements, and allowing for tax-free IRA deductions. It is a sound public policy, and I am certainly grateful to my colleague from New York (Mr. Reed) for writing this legislation, which will have a positive impact on the countless charities in this country which provide such critical services to our neighbors in need.

The material previously referred to by Mr. Hastings of Florida is as follows:

An Amendment to H. Res. 670 Offered by Mr. Hastings of Florida

At the end of the resolution, add the following new

sections:

Sec. 2. Immediately upon adoption of this resolution the

Speaker shall, pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XVIII, declare

the House resolved into the Committee of the Whole House on

the state of the Union for consideration of the bill (H.R.

5051) to ensure that employers cannot interfere in their

employees' birth control and other health care decisions. All

points of order against consideration of the bill are waived.

General debate shall be confined to the bill and shall not

exceed one hour equally divided among and controlled by the

chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on

Education and the Workforce, the chair and ranking minority

member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and the chair

and ranking minority member of the Committee on Ways and

Means. After general debate the bill shall be considered for

amendment under the five-minute rule. All points of order

against provisions in the bill are waived. At the conclusion

of consideration of the bill for amendment the Committee

shall rise and report the bill to the House with such

amendments as may have been adopted. The previous question

shall be considered as ordered on the bill and amendments

thereto to final passage without intervening motion except

one motion to recommit with or without instructions. If the

Committee of the Whole rises and reports that it has come to

no resolution on the bill, then on the next legislative day

the House shall, immediately after the third daily order of

business under clause 1 of rule XIV, resolve into the

Committee of the Whole for further consideration of the bill.

Sec. 3. Clause 1(c) of rule XIX shall not apply to the

consideration of H.R. 5051.

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

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

I want to be clear what this debate is about and what it is not about. It is not a debate about the merits of public charities and private foundations.

All of us support the good works of the charitable community and strive to provide charities and foundations with the resources they need to carry out their mission. Indeed, along with Congressman Gerlach, I am the lead sponsor of the food donation deduction.

I think that highlights that this is a debate not about charities, not about foundations. It is about fiscal responsibility and fiscal priorities.

Today, Republicans have selected to make permanent 10 of the approximately 60 expired tax provisions without a single dime of offset--not a single dime. After today, if this bill passes, the House will have approved $534 billion worth of tax provisions without a single offset, wiping out more than half of the total deficit reduction enacted last year during the bipartisan fiscal deal.

Indeed, this bill is totally inconsistent with the Republican tax reform draft they unveiled in February. And, I might add, if you add up the 14 bills that came out of the Ways and Means Committee, entirely unoffset, it is $825 billion.

I was reading, this morning, the debate which I heard yesterday on a motion to recommit. I was reading this language from Mr. Crenshaw in opposition to the motion to recommit.

This is what he said about how Republicans proceed with budget issues:

We do it just like every American business does, like every

American family. They sit down. They take the money that they

have, and they set priorities. Then they make some tough

choices. That is what we have done.

There is not a single tough choice in what the Republicans are doing. It is, essentially, throwing discretion and tough choices to the wind.

Also let me say that their approach is inconsistent with their own tax reform draft of some months ago. The enhanced deduction for food contributions that the chairman has spoken so eloquently about was expressly repealed in the Republican reform draft, and the rollover provision was allowed to expire. So you have irresponsibility, you have inconsistency, and you also have a violation of priorities, because left to an uncertain fate are important provisions, like the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, the New Markets Tax Credit, and the renewable energy credits, as well as the long-term status of expansions to the EITC and the Child Tax Credit.

This is the Statement of Administration Policy just issued:

The administration supports measures that enhance

nonprofits, philanthropic organizations and faith-based and

other community organizations in their many roles, including

as a safety net for those most in need, an economic engine

for job creation, a tool for environmental conservation that

encourages land protections for current and future

generations, and an incubator of innovation to foster

solutions to some of the Nation's toughest challenges.

The President's budget includes a number of these proposals

that would enhance and simplify charitable giving incentives

for many individuals. However, the administration strongly

opposes the House passage of H.R. 4719, which would

permanently extend three current provisions that offer

enhanced tax breaks for certain donations and add another two

similar provisions without offsetting the cost. If this same

unprecedented approach of making certain traditional tax

extenders permanent without offsets were followed for the

other traditional tax extenders, it would add $500 billion or

more to deficits over the next 10 years, wiping out most of

the deficit reduction achieved through the American Taxpayer

Relief Act of 2013.

Just 2 months ago, House Republicans, themselves, passed a

budget resolution that required offsetting any tax extenders

that were made permanent with other revenue measures. As with

other similar proposals, Republicans are imposing a double

standard by adding to the deficit to continue and create tax

breaks that primarily benefit higher income individuals while

insisting on offsetting the proposed extension of emergency

unemployment benefits and the discretionary funding increases

for defense and non-defense priorities such as research and

development in the bipartisan Budget Act of 2013.

House Republicans are also making clear their priorities by

rushing to make these tax cuts permanent without offsets,

even as the House Republican budget resolution calls for

raising taxes on 26 million working families and students by

letting important improvements to the EITC, to the Child Tax

Credit, and to education tax credits expire.

The administration wants to work with Congress to make

progress on measures that strengthen America's social sector.

However, H.R. 4719 represents the wrong approach. If the

President were presented with H.R. 4719, his senior advisors

would recommend that he veto the bill.

So what in the world are we doing here today? What in the world are we doing? We are passing another bill that deepens the deficit, that is contrary to the rhetoric of the Republicans and is going nowhere in the Senate--zero. It is hard to figure this out, Mr. Speaker. What is motivating Republicans to be so totally inconsistent and irresponsible?

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 30 seconds.

Mr. Reed, do I care? It is my bill, with Mr. Gerlach, that you have taken and put your name on--my bill. To make it permanent without any offset, with over $500 billion already done, is the wrong way to do the right thing. I care.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Thompson), another member of the committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Doggett), another distinguished member of our committee.

I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer), another distinguished member of our committee.

I yield the gentleman an additional minute.

I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Danny K. Davis), a distinguished member of our committee.

Mr. Speaker, could you tell us how much time remains on each side, please.

I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Kind), a member of our committee.

I yield the gentleman an additional 1 minute.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 45 seconds.

Mr. Speaker, I just wonder where the gentleman from Alaska was. I mean PAYGO existed under Democrats. We tried to pay for things, and we did not dismiss out of hand the tax proposal.

The ones who are throwing it to the winds are Republicans. It is the Republicans. You are throwing fiscal responsibility to the winds. You are throwing any kind of prioritization to the winds. You are coming here and just saying, do anything and pay nothing.

Mr. Speaker, how much time is there now on both sides, please?

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

Mr. Speaker, this is a severe case of losing the forest for the trees. This is not about the benefits of charity. This is not about the benefits of foundations. It is not about the benefit of conservation easements. This is a dramatic challenge to Republicans in terms of fiscal responsibility and fiscal priorities.

They passed a budget that cuts severely into needed programs, and then they come here and say, let's pass provisions that would add up to close to $1 trillion and not pay one dime.

I don't think anything can be more fiscally irresponsible and hurt the priorities of this country. Maybe they do this because they know it is a dead end in the Senate. So they think somehow they can use this to their political advantage. But it is reckless, and it is to the harm of the Nation, and I think the process is on a bipartisan basis of this institution.

I urge everybody to vote ``no''. There is so much a better path than this reckless one.

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

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to clarify my position on rollcall votes cast between July 9, 2014 and July 17, 2014.

On rollcall vote No. 371, on consideration of an amendment offered to H.R. 4923 by Mr. McAllister I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``no.''

On rollcall vote No. 372, on consideration of an amendment offered to H.R. 4923 by Ms. Hahn I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``aye.''

On rollcall vote No. 373, on consideration of an amendment offered to H.R. 4923 by Mr. Gosar I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``no.''

On rollcall vote No. 374, on consideration of an amendment offered to H.R. 4923 by Mr. Wenstrup I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``no.''

On rollcall vote No. 375, on consideration of an amendment offered to H.R. 4923 by Mr. Swalwell I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``aye.''

On rollcall vote No. 376, on consideration of an amendment offered to H.R. 4923 by Mr. Byrne I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``no.''

On rollcall vote No. 377, on consideration of an amendment offered to H.R. 4923 by Mr. McClintock I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``no.''

On rollcall vote No. 378, on consideration of H.R. 803 I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``yea.''

On rollcall vote No. 379, on consideration of an amendment offered to H.R. 4923 by Mr. McClintock I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``no.''

On rollcall vote No. 380, on consideration of an amendment offered to H.R. 4923 by Ms. Bonamici I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``aye.''

On rollcall vote No. 381, on consideration of an amendment offered to H.R. 4923 by Ms. Speier I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``aye.''

On rollcall vote No. 382, on consideration of an amendment offered to H.R. 4923 by Ms. Titus I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``no.''

On rollcall vote No. 383, on consideration of an amendment offered to H.R. 4923 by Mr. Schiff I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``aye.''

On rollcall vote No. 384, on consideration of an amendment offered to H.R. 4923 by Mr. Quigley I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``aye.''

On rollcall vote No. 385, on consideration of an amendment offered to H.R. 4923 by Mr. Chabot I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``no.''

On rollcall vote No. 386, on consideration of an amendment offered to H.R. 4923 by Ms. Titus I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``no.''

On rollcall vote No. 387, on consideration of an amendment offered to H.R. 4923 by Ms. DeLauro I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``aye.''

On rollcall vote No. 388, on consideration of an amendment offered to H.R. 4923 by Mr. King I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``no.''

On rollcall vote No. 389, on consideration of an amendment offered to H.R. 4923 by Mr. Lankford I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``no.''

On rollcall vote No. 390, on consideration of an amendment offered to H.R. 4923 by Mr. Cassidy I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``no.''

On rollcall vote No. 391, on ordering the previous question for H. Res. 661 I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``nay.''

On rollcall vote No. 392, on consideration of H. Res. 661 I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``nay.''

On rollcall vote No. 393, on consideration of an amendment offered to H.R. 4923 by Mr. Burgess I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``no.''

On rollcall vote No. 394, on consideration of an amendment offered to H.R. 4923 by Mr. LaMalfa I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``no.''

On rollcall vote No. 395, on consideration of an amendment offered to H.R. 4923 by Mr. Stockman I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``no.''

On rollcall vote No. 396, on consideration of an amendment offered to H.R. 4923 by Mr. Stockman I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``no.''

On rollcall vote No. 397, on consideration of an amendment offered to H.R. 4923 by Mr. McKinley I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``no.''

On rollcall vote No. 398, on consideration of an amendment offered to H.R. 4923 by Ms. Blackburn I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``no.''

On rollcall vote No. 399, on consideration of an amendment offered to H.R. 4923 by Mr. Gosar I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``no.''

On rollcall vote No. 400, on consideration of an amendment offered to H.R. 4923 by Mr. Hudson I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``no.''

On rollcall vote No. 401, on the motion to recommit for H.R. 4923 I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``yea.''

On rollcall vote No. 402, on final passage of H.R. 4923 I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``nay.''

On rollcall vote No. 403, on the motion to recommit to H.R. 4718 I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``yea.''

On rollcall vote No. 404, on final passage of H.R. 4718 I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``nay.''

On rollcall vote No. 405, on consideration of H.R. 4195 I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``yea.''

On rollcall vote No. 406, on consideration of H.R. 5029 I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``yea.''

On rollcall vote No. 407, on ordering the previous question to H. Res. 669 I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``yea.''

On rollcall vote No. 408, on passage of H. Res. 669 I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``yea.''

On rollcall vote No. 409, on consideration of an amendment offered to H.R. 5016 by Ms. Jackson Lee I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``aye.''

On rollcall vote No. 410, on consideration of an amendment offered to H.R. 5016 by Ms. Moore I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``aye.''

On rollcall vote No. 412, on consideration of an amendment offered to H.R. 5016 by Ms. Waters I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``aye.''

On rollcall vote No. 413, on consideration of the motion to recommit with instructions H.R. 5021 I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``yea.''

On rollcall vote No. 414, on passage of H.R. 5021 I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``yea.''

On rollcall vote No. 428, on ordering the previous question to H. Res. 670 I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``nay.''

On rollcall vote No. 429, on passage of H. Res. 670 I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``yea.''

On rollcall vote No. 430, on the motion to instruct for H.R. 3230 I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``yea.''

On rollcall vote No. 431, on the motion to recommit for H.R. 4719 I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``yea.''

On rollcall vote No. 432, on passage of H.R. 4719 I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``nay.''

I would also like to take this opportunity to clarify my vote on final passage of H.R. 4923 and H.R. 5021.

On H.R. 4923 I would have voted for the bill despite concerns about the increase in funding for fossil fuel research at the expense of decreases in funding for renewable energy technologies. Furthermore, I was concerned by a policy rider that would prevent the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers from moving forward with rulemaking to clarify the definition of Waters of the U.S. under the Clean Water Act.

On H.R. 5021 I voted yes because it is critically important that we keep our Highway Trust Fund solvent and transportation projects moving forward. However, I am frustrated that we have not yet been able to achieve a longer-term fix for the Highway Trust Fund. In crafting a new highway reauthorization I urge my colleagues to work on a bipartisan basis to ensure a reliable, dedicated funding source for our highway projects.