[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 119 (Wednesday, September 21, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H8182-H8189]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 250, MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY
COMPETITIVENESS ACT OF 2005
Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I
call up House Resolution 451 and ask for its immediate consideration.
The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:
H. Res. 451
Resolved, That at any time after the adoption of this
resolution the Speaker may, 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. 250) to establish an interagency committee to
coordinate Federal manufacturing research and development
efforts in manufacturing, strengthen existing programs to
assist manufacturing innovation and education, and expand
outreach programs for small and medium-sized manufacturers,
and for other purposes. The first reading of the bill shall
be dispensed with. 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 and
controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the
Committee on Science. After general debate the bill shall be
considered for amendment under the five-minute rule. It shall
be in order to consider as an original bill for the purpose
of amendment under the five-minute rule the amendment in the
nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on
Science now printed in the bill. The committee amendment in
the nature of a substitute shall be considered as read. All
points of order against the committee amendment in the nature
of a substitute are waived. Notwithstanding clause 11 of rule
XVIII, no amendment to the committee amendment in the nature
of a substitute shall be in order except those printed in the
report of the Committee on Rules accompanying this
resolution. Each such amendment may be offered only in the
order printed in the report, may be offered only by a Member
designated in the report, shall be considered as read, shall
be debatable for the time specified in the report equally
divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent,
shall not be subject to amendment, and shall not be subject
to a demand for division of the question in the House or in
the Committee of the Whole. All points of order against such
amendments 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. Any Member may demand a separate vote in the House
on any amendment adopted in the Committee of the Whole to the
bill or to the committee amendment in the nature of a
substitute. 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.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Gingrey) is
recognized for 1 hour.
Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the
customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr.
McGovern), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume.
During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the
purpose of debate only.
Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 451 is a structured rule. It provides 1
hour of general debate, equally divided and controlled by the chairman
and ranking minority member of the Committee on Science. The rule
waives all points of order against consideration of the bill. It
provides that the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended
by the Committee on Science and now printed in the bill shall be
considered as an original bill for the purpose of amendment, and shall
be considered as read.
It waives all points of order against the committee amendment in the
nature of a substitute. It makes in order only those amendments printed
in the Committee on Rules report accompanying the resolution. It
provides that the amendments printed in the report may be offered only
in the order printed in the report, may be offered only by the Member
designated in the report, shall be considered as read, shall be
debatable for the time specified in the report equally divided and
controlled by the proponent and an opponent, shall not be subject to
amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for a division of the
question in the House or in the Committee of the Whole.
It waives all points of order against the amendments printed in the
report, and it provides one motion to recommit, with or without
instructions.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 451 and its
underlying bill, H.R. 250, the Manufacturing Technology Competitiveness
Act of 2005.
Mr. Speaker, I first want to recognize the contributions of the
Committee on Science chairman, the gentleman from New York (Mr.
Boehlert); the gentleman from Tennessee (Ranking Member Gordon); the
gentleman from Oregon (Ranking Member Wu); and the gentleman from
Michigan (Subcommittee Chairman Ehlers), of course, the author of H.R.
250. I thank all of them for this timely piece of legislation.
Today, the House has an opportunity to consider legislation that will
make the United States even more competitive in the global economy.
Through the establishment of an interagency committee to coordinate
Federal manufacturing research and development efforts, H.R. 250
provides many useful tools to keep the United States on the cutting
edge of technological and manufacturing innovation.
H.R. 250 would direct the President to establish or designate an
interagency committee on manufacturing, research, and development. And
in order to ensure sufficient review and diverse input, the committee
would also receive assistance from an advisory committee representing
nongovernmental interests. This essential component ensures that
government efforts are as relevant and responsive as possible to the
needs of our manufacturing base.
Without question, Mr. Speaker, some of this country's greatest
intellectual and innovative resources rest in the halls of our
educational institutions and in the research and development
departments of our businesses across the country. Therefore, this bill
establishes a pilot grant program within the Department of Commerce's
National Institute of Standards and Technology to fund research
partnerships between firms, community colleges, universities, research
institutions, State agencies, and nonprofits to develop new, cutting-
edge manufacturing technologies.
Additionally, through the Manufacturing Extensive Partnerships, the
MEP program, there are regional centers across the country that provide
States with grants to allow the successful transfer of technology from
the Federal Government to the private sector.
Obviously, there is no sense in developing new and innovative
technology if it cannot be successfully passed on to the manufacturing
sector of our economy, the true engine of economic growth.
[[Page H8183]]
{time} 1145
H.R. 250 would refine the guidelines and the requirements established
through the Manufacturing Extension Program to ensure that these
regional centers are fulfilling their duty to keep innovative
manufacturing technology flowing.
Mr. Speaker, I can personally speak to the successes of the
Manufacturing Extension Program. The Georgia Manufacturing Extension
Partnership is led by my alma mater, the Georgia Institute of
Technology, Georgia Tech.
Georgia Tech's Economic Development Institute, along with the
University of Georgia, Georgia Power, and others coordinate and deploy
experts to advise and work with manufacturers throughout the State of
Georgia, so they can be more innovative, more productive, and maximize
their efficiency.
Mr. Speaker, on a couple of occasions I have had the opportunity to
tour facilities in my district that have been assisted through
Georgia's MEP program. Specifically, I toured A&L Shielding, Inc., in
Rome, Georgia; and I was able to see concrete improvements made to
their facility. These improvements enhanced their efficiency, increased
their productivity, making A&L Shielding much more competitive.
So, Mr. Speaker, I do not think there is any Member of this House who
does not realize the importance of education and fostering new and more
efficient technology. Therefore, this act would establish a standards
education program at the National Institute of Standards and Technology
to award grants on a cost-shared basis to institutions of higher
education.
These grants will go a long way to develop top-notch curricula
related to engineering, business, science, and economic standards. This
investment in educational standards is not only an investment in future
development, but it also is an insurance policy for American
competitives.
In closing, Mr. Speaker, H.R. 250 marks an excellent opportunity for
the House to improve this country's manufacturing and technological
potential for many years to come. Again, I would like to encourage each
of my colleagues to support not only this rule but also the underlying
bill.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Georgia (Mr.
Gingrey) for yielding me the customary 30 minutes, and I yield myself
such time as I may consume.
(Mr. McGOVERN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, the Bush administration's record on
manufacturing is abysmal: 2.8 million manufacturing jobs have been lost
since 2001, including 24,000 this year alone. It is clear that they
either do not know or do not care about the disappearing manufacturing
sector of our economy.
For example, last year the administration requested $39 million for
the Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program, a severe reduction
over the previous year. Fortunately, the Congress provided $106 million
for this important program.
However, the administration was not done in their attempts to kill
this program. They opposed efforts to extend the MEP in last year's
version of the Manufacturing Technology Competitiveness Act. As if that
were not bad enough, Mr. Speaker, this year's $46.8 million budget
request would again have decimated the MEP and punished the small
business manufacturers the Republican leadership claims they want to
help.
Fortunately, the bill before us today fully authorizes the MEP. Mr.
Speaker, let me give you just one MEP success story. In my district,
Chase Leather Products of Fall River, Massachusetts, has been
manufacturing high-quality leather and synthetic fabric products for
nearly a century.
Faced with a 25 percent reduction in business over the past several
years, Chase turned to the Massachusetts MEP for help. After training
Chase's personnel in lean manufacturing techniques, such as value
stream mapping and revising the plant layout, Chase was able to deliver
100 percent on-time delivery to their customers. This improved
performance has caused one of Chase's customers, Motorola, to move a $2
million-plus contract back from India to Massachusetts.
Small improvements in technology helped this company not only make a
better product but a better economy for the Fall River community.
Like other State MEPs, the Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension
Partnership Program is supported by the National Institute of Standards
and Technology and the U.S. Department of Commerce and the State of
Massachusetts to help small and medium-sized manufacturers identify and
implement advanced manufacturing and management technologies.
Through a network of resources, the MEP links client firms with local
and national sources of expertise to address specific problems. By
2004, the MEP program in Massachusetts had created or retained 2,224
jobs that paid a total of $116.4 million of wages and benefits,
increased economic output worth $365.1 million, and generated or
retained over $46.8 million in additional tax and nontax revenues at
the Federal, State and local levels.
There are success stories like this all over the country. But the
Bush administration and the Republican leadership refuse to recognize
them. Simply, Mr. Speaker, we are not doing what it takes to keep
manufacturing jobs in the United States, and part of the problem is
that the Bush administration continually drags its feet.
Earlier investments in technology, manufacturing, and education have
made the United States economy the strongest in the world. We must
continue investing in these important efforts. With 87,200
manufacturing jobs lost in Massachusetts, 349,000 lost in California,
67,000 lost in Georgia, we cannot continue to sit on our hands. We must
make the necessary investments.
Fortunately, Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from New York (Chairman
Boehlert) and the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Gordon) have come
together to produce the Manufacturing Technology Competitiveness Act.
It includes the reauthorization of the MEP as well as other important
job creation programs.
They have fashioned, mostly, a good bill. However, I am extremely
disappointed that this bill does not include the reauthorization of the
Advanced Technology Program, a program that is widely supported. And I
am disappointed that this rule does not make the Honda amendment in
order.
The Honda amendment would reauthorize the Advanced Technology
Program, and it deserves an up-or-down vote in this House. If it were
allowed, I believe it would pass. Therefore, Mr. Speaker, because we
have been denied an up-or-down vote on this important issue, and we
have not been given a good reason why we cannot have an up-or-down vote
on this important issue, I would urge all of my colleagues, Democrats
and Republicans, to vote ``no'' on this rule.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out that in response to some of
the remarks made by my friend, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr.
McGovern), in regard to the funding of this bill, I want to point out
to my colleagues that it does create additional competitive grant
programs from which the MEP centers can obtain supplemental funding for
manufacturing-related projects.
H.R. 250 would also allow MEPs to accept and distribute funds from
other Federal agencies without requiring matching funds, and the MEP
funding would be authorized at $110 million in fiscal year 2006,
including funds for a competitive grant program. The authorization
would actually increase by $5 million per year to $120 million in
fiscal year 2008.
I want to also, Mr. Speaker, highlight again an outstanding MEP
program in my State of Georgia, as I mentioned in my opening remarks,
my alma mater, Georgia Tech, and the Economic Development Initiative.
Let me just highlight Georgia's MEP partnership. It is led by Georgia
Tech's Economic Development Institute, and it provides technical
assistance, management training and other types of assistance intended
to increase productivity and help companies become more competitive in
the global market.
[[Page H8184]]
We know how important that is. This program comprises a team of more
than 125 professionals located both at Georgia Tech and throughout
regional offices across the State of Georgia. This incredible staff
offers a number of vital services and programs to business and
industry.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to name a few of
these services and programs to demonstrate the extensive range of
assistance that is available: Quality and International Standards, Lean
Enterprise, Energy Management, Environmental Management, Information
Technology, Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms, Government
Procurement Assistance, B2B Marketing For Manufacturers, Strategic
Planning, Economic Development Research, Community Services, Economic
Development Training, Tourism, Facilitec, Georgia State-Wide Minority
Business Development Center.
While this is not an exhaustive list, it is a long one, and I believe
it clearly attests to the important impact MEPs have had on and
continue to have on business and industry in Georgia.
The criticism that this administration or this leadership is not
doing enough and is not concerned enough about manufacturing job losses
is certainly not true. This is a good bill. As I say, I commend the
chairman and the ranking member.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, let me just again say to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr.
Gingrey), whom I have great respect for, I repeat my claim that this
administration has an abysmal record when it comes to protecting
manufacturing jobs: 2.8 million manufacturing jobs have been lost since
2001. And that number continues to grow. So they do have an abysmal
record.
The gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Gingrey) mentioned all of these
wonderful new programs that are going to be authorized in this bill.
And it is nice to be able to say all of those things, because we all
like to talk about all of these great new programs.
But it is important to note that all of these new programs you talk
about, none of them are appropriated. So if they are not appropriated,
they are not real. And I would also say to the gentleman from Georgia
(Mr. Gingrey) that, again, I was hoping that he would answer the
question as to why the advanced technology program was cut out of this
bill or why the gentleman from California (Mr. Honda) cannot have his
amendment.
This is about taking our manufacturing base and bringing it from
20th-century technology to 21st-century technology. It is incredibly
important, and yet we do not even have the right to be able to vote up
or down on it.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 8 minutes to the gentlemen from Tennessee (Mr.
Gordon).
Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the rule for
H.R. 250, the Manufacturing Technology Competitiveness Act.
I had requested the Rules Committee to allow the bill to come to the
floor under an open rule. As we continue to lose manufacturing jobs,
which used to be the bulk of middle-class jobs, all Members should be
allowed to offer their best ideas on the floor to reverse this trend.
I am especially disappointed that the Rules Committee did not allow
the gentleman from California's amendment authorizing funding for the
Advanced Technology Program.
H.R. 250 is essentially a complete authorization of the programs of
the National Institute of Standards and Technology except ATP. We keep
saying that we need to maintain our innovative edge to remain
competitive in the ever-increasing global market. The ATP is designed
to do just that, to bring research results to proof of concept so they
can be commercialized by industry.
The ATP program is not some experimental program or a gamble. First
funded during the first Bush administration, ATP is a successful
program with a proven track record. It has the stamp of approval of the
National Academy of Science, it has the strong support of the business
community, including the National Association of Manufacturers, the
Industrial Research Institute, the Information Technology Association
of America, and the National Governors Association.
All of these groups believe ATP plays an important role in
maintaining our lead in innovation. Even the administration's own
analysis of the program shows that it is highly successful and has
generated millions of dollars and the creation of new technologies.
During the past 3 years, the Science Committee has held numerous
committees on nanotechnology, innovation and technology development.
The one recurring theme of the witnesses has become clear: fund the
advanced technology program.
There were other amendments not allowed by this rule, which would
have also improved H.R. 250. Frankly, I just do not know why we cannot
openly debate the merits of any good idea that is going to help us
create more jobs and be more competitive.
{time} 1200
As China, India, and other countries increase not only the amount of
scientists and engineers they graduate, but also their research and
technology and development funding, we need to support proven programs
and effective programs like the ATP.
Now, I would like to ask my friend from Georgia who also sits on the
Committee on Science, who sits through all of these hearings, heard
witness after witness, the Governors Association and others, said the
ATP program is important.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to my friend to explain why the ATP amendment
was not allowed in this rule.
Mr. GINGREY. I thank the gentleman from Tennessee for yielding to me.
I want to point out to him that of the amendments that were made in
order, other than the manager's amendment, these were all, all four
amendments made in order were Democratic amendments.
Mr. GORDON. Were all the amendments that were left out also
Democratic amendments?
Mr. GINGREY. No, I think there were probably some Republican
amendments that were left out as well.
If the gentleman will continue to yield, the Udall amendment is the
one I particularly wanted to reference. The gentleman from Colorado
(Mr. Udall) has an amendment that will be thoroughly discussed here
this morning, which actually increases the authorization level of the
National Science Foundation's Advanced Technology Education Program.
Mr. GORDON. Reclaiming my time, I will sort of refocus the question.
The question was after sitting through all the hearings, with everyone
saying that the ATP program was good, and with job losses in Georgia
and Tennessee and all across the country, when we could have improved
this bill with a program that President Bush's father started, I would
just like to ask why were we not allowed an amendment to continue this
program?
Mr. GINGREY. Let me again say the gentleman, as ranking member of the
Committee on Science, knows that I was not there for subcommittee
markup or whole committee markup to debate these amendments that came
through committee. I am not a member of that committee, as the
gentleman knows.
All I can say is in this rule we are giving the minority side an
opportunity to bring this issue in the form of an amendment to the
floor so we can have a fair and open debate and we can have an up-or-
down vote on it. And I am not going to discuss the merits of the
amendment. We will let the Member presenting the amendment, the
gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Udall), do that, and then we will vote on
it.
Mr. GORDON. Reclaiming my time, I do not want to discuss the merits
right now. I want to know why the ATP program, started by the Bush
administration, supported by a bipartisan group of Governors, every
other manufacturing group that came before our committee, I assume
these same arguments were made. As the gentleman sat through the
Committee on Rules, I am sure you did not hear anyone say that the ATP
program would not create jobs and be good for this country. I just want
to know why we are not allowed to do that.
The gentleman said we were going to have an open debate. We do not
have an open debate. This is not an open rule.
[[Page H8185]]
It would seem to me, and we are appreciative of three or four
Democratic amendments, but I do not care if they are Democratic or
Republican amendments, I want good ideas from anybody that has got
them, how to create jobs in this country and be more competitive.
We ought to have an open rule. I am sure Republicans have good ideas.
Let them come in here. Let us have an open rule on having more and
better jobs in this country. We do not have that, obviously, which is a
shame. But I would be happy to yield once again to my friend to explain
to me why the ATP program, which was endorsed by all these folks, why
we are not allowed to let that go forward, a program that President
Bush started himself. Also, the other question is why should we not get
all the good ideas possible?
Mr. GINGREY. Again, in response to the gentleman from Tennessee, I am
not going to stand here in presenting the rule and try to discuss the
merits of the amendments that were made in order.
I would just say to the gentleman that the Committee on Rules, I
think in an abundance of fairness, looked at these amendments. There
were other amendments submitted, probably on both sides of the aisle,
that were not made in order; but these four amendments submitted by
Members of the gentleman from Tennessee's party, and that means that we
felt these should be discussed and that these are reasonable
amendments. They are germane to the issue. And the gentleman will have
an opportunity to do that.
Mr. GORDON. Reclaiming my time, I come from a part of Tennessee
where, and I do not think it is unique, that we are losing jobs every
day. They are going overseas. They are going to Mexico. My
constituents, and I would assume most everyone's here constituents, are
saying we need more ideas, we do not like what is going on, bring us
some ideas, let us have some changes.
So we are limiting ourselves now to four amendments? Four ways to try
to bring jobs back into this country?
Why in the world do we not have an open rule and find all the ideas,
Democrats, Republicans? We have an independent in this body. If he has
some ideas, bring it on. If they are bad ones, vote them down. If they
are not, then let us vote for them. We need more and better jobs in
this country. This is the way to do it.
I am really shocked and, I would have to say, offended that we are
not given the opportunity to try to find more and better ways to bring
jobs to this country.
Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers), the subcommittee chairman and
author of the bill.
Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the rule
to bring up H.R. 250, the Manufacturing Technology Competitiveness Act.
I believe this rule is fair and balanced. The main goal of H.R. 250
is to authorize manufacturing programs at the National Institute of
Standards and Technology that help small- and medium-sized
manufacturers innovate so that they can remain competitive in the
global marketplace. One of these programs is a highly successful
manufacturing extension partnership program, better known as the MEP
program. This program has roughly 60 centers and 350 satellite offices
throughout the country. These centers provide small manufacturers with
tools and assistance on how to increase productivity and efficiency.
They do many things. For example, they might help to redesign a factory
floor or help to train workers on how to use the latest technology or
equipment.
This legislation also creates a collaborative grant pilot program to
support research partnerships between academia, industry, nonprofits,
and other entities to develop innovative technologies and solutions to
scientific problems in manufacturing.
To truly help the manufacturers, we must have a bill that can be
passed into law. Therefore, I want to keep this legislation focused on
these specific programs that have strong bipartisan support. However,
others have wanted to add extraneous provisions that, while well
intentioned, take away from the focus of the bill. This is why I oppose
some of the amendments made in order, because I believe they will
detract from the bill.
This rule largely helps ensure the debate will remain on the
manufacturing programs at NIST. I think that is fair and is in the best
interest of our manufacturing community.
I urge my colleagues to support this fair and balanced rule.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Tennessee (Mr. Gordon).
Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, my friend from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers), who
does a wonderful job on our Committee on Science, I think did a very
good job there in talking about a lot of good things in this bill. And
there are a lot of good things in this bill. But I want to yield some
additional time to him so he can explain why the ATP program, another
good idea, why we cannot even have a vote on putting it in this bill
today?
Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. GORDON. I yield to the gentleman from Michigan.
Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Tennessee raises a valid
question.
I understand the gentleman's concern about the actions of the
Committee on Rules; I have served in the minority at the State and
Federal level myself. But I also want to tell the gentleman that
members in the majority upon occasion are also disappointed by the
decisions of the Committee on Rules. I recently jested, during the
famous annual ice cream socials that committee has, that my ice cream
was the first thing I had received from the Committee on Rules. But I
must add that they have been very kind to me.
In response to the gentleman's question, the ATP program is, by and
large, a good program. But it needs improvement. And I am willing to
put in the time and energy to try to improve that program and to have
it be accepted by all.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman for
acknowledging the unfairness of the Committee on Rules.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina
(Mr. Miller).
Mr. MILLER of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I also rise to oppose this
rule because it does not allow this Congress to consider the amendments
offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Honda) to authorize or
reauthorize the advanced technology program.
Mr. Speaker, in the almost 3 years that I have served in the House of
Representatives, I am not sure that I have heard any words spoken on
this floor with which I have disagreed more strongly than with the
statement of the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Gingrey) just a few
minutes ago that we were doing enough already to address the problem of
manufacturing job loss. I think his exact words were it is simply not
true that we are not doing enough, that Congress and the President are
not doing enough to address manufacturing job loss.
If the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Gingrey) thinks this, if any
Member of Congress thinks that, I invite them to come and visit my
district. I want to introduce them to some of the people who have lost
their jobs. My State has lost almost 200,000 manufacturing jobs in the
last 4 years. They are in industries that have been the backbone of my
State's economy: tobacco, textiles, furniture. And those were jobs that
people depended upon to build their lives around, to support themselves
and to support their families, and they are gone.
It is not that they have laid off a shift until the economy turns
around. The plants are closed. The equipment is sold. The jobs are gone
forever.
What to do about that was part of the debate about CAFTA, about any
kind of trade agreement that we have. And I voted against CAFTA, but I
also agree that that is not the entire answer because it cannot
possibly be our Nation's economic future to build our economy around
low-skilled jobs and labor-intensive industries.
We have got to be the most innovative economy in the world. When I
meet with the workers who have lost their jobs, they do not say, What
are you going to do to make the plant reopen? They do ask, Where are
the new jobs going to come from and what is Congress doing about it?
I certainly do not tell them what the gentleman from Georgia said. I
do not
[[Page H8186]]
say we are already doing everything that can be done. I say we are
doing not nearly enough, but I am working hard to do more.
We have got to be the most innovative economy in the world. We have
got to be where every new research, where all the new research happens
first, and where we turn that research into a commercial application to
create jobs.
Mr. Speaker, the advanced technology program, ATP, works with
industry in this very, very competitive world market, to work with
industry to create new technologies, to get them up, to get them
running, to get patents, to do a proof of concept. It is about the only
source of patient capital for many high-tech small companies in areas
like nanotechnology where we really need to be at the forefront.
Most of the debate about jobs, Mr. Speaker, is what are we going to
do about jobs between now and the next election. The ATP should be a
debate about what are we going to do about jobs for the next
generation.
Mr. Speaker, I oppose this rule without the Honda amendment.
Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Ohio (Mr. Gillmor), a member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time.
I rise in support of the rule and in support of H.R. 250. I would
like to commend the gentleman from New York (Mr. Boehlert) and also my
colleague, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers), for their
leadership on this very important issue.
On August 1, I had the opportunity to host the Manufacturing
Roundtable in my district with assistant secretaries from the
Departments of Commerce and Labor, Al Frink and Emily DeRocco. During
this event we listened to the concerns of a wide variety of
manufacturers, large and small, about the future of their industry.
Among their main interests was the role that technology will play in
keeping America competitive in the global marketplace.
This industry remains vital to our standing in the world and
necessitates a continued and sincere investment in the future of
manufacturing. Through H.R. 250, we begin to manage a problem facing
manufacturers of all sizes: the use of emerging technologies.
Mr. Speaker, the government does not create jobs or grow the economy.
Instead, the government can produce an environment conducive to
economic growth and job creation.
{time} 1215
Thanks to sound public policy decisions such as H.R. 250, we are now
able to effectively address the problems facing the manufacturing
community and create the environment in which manufacturers can grow
and flourish.
By passing H.R. 250, Congress is producing a climate in the
manufacturing industry that can yield more jobs, improve productivity,
and increase our competitive advantage in the global economy.
I would urge all our colleagues to support this positive and pro-
growth legislation. Let us support our country's manufacturers and pass
this important legislation.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 additional minute to the
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Gordon).
Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, I have asked a member of the Committee on
Rules to explain why we did not have an opportunity to vote on the ATP
program to bring more jobs to this country, and I did not get a
satisfactory answer.
I asked a very informed member of the Committee on Science to explain
why we could not get a vote on the ATP program, which is so important.
Now we have a member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, the
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Gillmor) here. Before the gentleman leaves,
let us give the Committee on Energy and Commerce an opportunity to
explain why we should not have a vote on the ATP program to bring more
and better jobs to this country.
I yield to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Gillmor).
Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, I yield back.
Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, it is beyond me why we do not bring the best
of ideas, Democrat, Republican, Independent, in here to try and create
more and better jobs. I am really startled and shocked.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
California (Mr. Honda).
(Mr. HONDA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the rule for
consideration of H.R. 250, the Manufacturing Technology Competitiveness
Act.
I oppose this rule because it does not make in order a very
reasonable amendment which would have added a 1-year authorization for
the Advanced Technology Program at the National Institute of Standards
and Technology.
There is no real logical reason for not allowing me to offer the
amendment, and I think the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Gordon) has
proven that over and over again when we provide opportunities for the
other side to respond to the question. I think I have the answer.
In our subcommittee meeting, we had a conversation when we were
dealing with ATP, my amendment; and when I asked the question, why has
this not been supported, the chairman said a little bit hesitantly, and
I think he was a little embarrassed, he said that the President does
not want to see this in the bill, and I will be just straightforward;
that is what he said.
It seems to me that the President proposes, as the saying goes, and
Congress disposes. It is our job to put things into the bill. It is his
job to either sign the bill or not sign the bill. If he does not like
this, he should veto it; but at least we should have the opportunity to
debate this on the floor, because we did not have that opportunity in
subcommittee.
It seems to me that if we understand that small business is 70
percent of the economic machine of this country, and if the President
himself has said that he adores and he embraces small business in this
country, his words seem to ring very hollow if he is not willing to
fund ATP.
There are no problems with ATP. It is a program that has been going
for years, since the first Bush administration. It has been supported
bipartisanly. What is happening is the funding is being cut slowly over
and over and over again, so that what we do is end up starving the
beast.
Mr. Speaker, I urge that we allow this to be heard. It is an
egregious abuse of power.
Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my
time.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman
from Ohio (Mr. Brown).
Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Massachusetts
for the time.
H.R. 250 should have been a good idea. It makes sense to encourage
ties between manufacturers and academic institutions; but as the
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Gordon) and the gentleman from California
(Mr. Honda) said, the restrictive rule prevented consideration of a
number of amendments that would have improved the bill, especially
amendments to strengthen the Advanced Technology Program, which is
especially important in manufacturing-intensive States like the
gentleman from Ohio's (Mr. Gillmor) and mine, which struggles with
ever-increasing energy costs.
We also missed an opportunity today to dramatically increase funding
for MEP and to target increased Federal assistance to States that have
suffered especially high manufacturing job-loss rates.
The story of this bill is a story of missed opportunity. This
Congress has no manufacturing policy. We pass trade bill after trade
bill. Our trade deficit has gone from $38 billion my first year when I
ran for Congress 12 years, 13 years ago, to $617 billion, from $38
billion to $617 billion in a dozen years. Job loss has become more and
more prevalent.
Whether it is Tennessee or Michigan or California or Massachusetts or
my State of Ohio, we have lost almost a quarter million manufacturing
jobs in the last 5 years; and as the gentleman from New York (Mr.
Rangel) and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Levin) know, we continue
passing tax legislation that gives incentives to companies, the large
manufacturers that
[[Page H8187]]
outsource to India and China, rather than giving incentives to
companies that manufacture in this country.
Mr. Speaker, we need a manufacturing policy. What the gentleman from
California (Mr. Honda) and the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Gordon)
have advocated will move us in that direction. We should defeat the
rule. We should start again and do it right.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman
from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank).
(Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts asked and was given permission to revise
and extend his remarks, and include extraneous material.)
Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, the senior Democrat on the
committee, the gentleman from Tennessee, has tried very hard to get an
answer as to why a very straightforward amendment could not be voted
on, and he could not get an answer.
I will tell him he could not get an answer because the real answer is
embarrassing. We have got now increasing unhappiness on the
conservative wing of the Republican Party, its dominant wing, about the
notion that we should have democracy on the floor of the House of
Representatives.
We had a bill that was voted out of the Committee on Financial
Services 65 to 5. It is being held off the floor despite the urgings of
the chairman of the committee and the two relevant subcommittee
chairmen because the conservatives think the House might vote wrong,
and they have now acknowledged this.
In the September 19 Washington Times, talking about the hate crimes
amendment which was adopted because we had an open rule, here is what
the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Pence), the chairman of the Republican
Study Committee, says: ``Our side lets this hate-crimes amendment get
into a children's protection bill because we let it come to the floor
on an open rule, a vehicle made for liberals to use.''
So that is the problem. Apparently the right wing has gotten so
little confidence in its ability to win votes on the floor that they
now consider openness a liberal plot.
The gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. McHenry), according to the
article, says he does not know how or why the House leadership allowed
the children's safety bill to come to the floor under an open rule,
meaning unlimited amendments could be proposed and voted on.
To quote the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. McHenry): ``As
members of the majority party, we're asking: How could we allow this to
happen? Why did we give the opposition an easy route to victory?''
Well, it used to be called democracy and open procedures. So what we
have is an acknowledgment by this very conservative wing that their
position could not sustain itself in open debate and vote on the floor
of the House, and so they are insisting that the House Committee on
Rules not let things come up.
That is the answer to the gentleman from Tennessee. His amendment was
not allowed in order because it would have won. I guarantee him, if
they were convinced they could have beat it, they would have let it
come in.
I have to repeat, with this now open repudiation of the notion that
the House should be allowed to work its will, and I know we do not
address people watching on television, I will say this to my
colleagues, Mr. Speaker, if there are people in the newly elected
parliament of Afghanistan or the constituent assembly in Iraq are
watching, as we preach to them democracy, as we tell them as members of
a legislative body they should express the will of the people, if they
understand this new opposition on the part of the conservatives who
dominate the Republican Party, the openness on the floor of the House,
please do not try this at home.
[From the Washington Times, Sept. 19, 2005]
Hate-Crime Add-On to Child Safety Bill Irks House GOP
(By Ralph Z. Hallow)
The chairman of the 100-member House Republican Study
Committee says conservative lawmakers, already angry about
what they see as out-of-control spending, are furious over
passage last week of a bill that included an amendment
expanding federal hate-crimes protections.
``House conservatives barraged me with their frustration
and concern over this bill,'' said Indiana Rep. Mike Pence,
the RSC chairman. ``Our guys are starting to spoil for a
fight after this bill.''
The bill, which passed 223-199, would federalize local
crimes if the suspected motive is animosity toward
homosexuals or ``transgender'' persons. Existing federal
hate-crimes laws already cover women and minorities.
With the help of 30 mostly liberal Republicans, Democrats
succeeded in making the measure part of a children's safety
bill in a move that took conservatives by surprise.
``First, we have $50 billion in new spending for Hurricane
Katrina relief, with no offsets in other spending,'' Mr.
Pence said, ``Next thing, our side lets this hate-crimes
amendment get into a children's protection bill because we
let it come to the floor on an open rule--a vehicle made for
liberals to use.''
North Carolina Rep. Patrick T. McHenry, another
conservative Republican, says he doesn't know how or why the
House Republican leadership allowed the children's safety
bill to come to the floor under an open rule, meaning
unlimited amendments could be proposed and voted on.
``We gave the far left a ripe opportunity for success,''
Mr. McHenry said. ``As members of the majority party, we're
asking: How could we allow this to happen? Why did we give
the opposition an easy route to victory?''
Conservatives in Congress have fought hate-crimes measures,
saying such legislation bestows on government the power to
presume to know and to punish criminal motives, rather than
the crimes themselves.
Rep. John Conyers Jr., Michigan Democrat, presented the
hate-crimes legislation in the form of an amendment to House
Judiciary Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner Jr.'s children's
safety bill, which strengthens the monitoring of child sex
offenders and increases penalties for molestation.
Co-sponsors of the hate-crimes amendment included
Massachusetts Rep. Barney Frank and Wisconsin Rep. Tammy
Baldwin, both Democrats, and Connecticut Rep. Christopher
Shays and Florida Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, both Republicans.
Mr. Pence says House Republicans voted to pass the child-
safety bill--it sailed through on a 371-52 vote--with the
Conyers hate-crimes amendment attached because they wanted
the children's protection portion and thought the Conyers
amendment would not survive joint House-Senate conference
reworking of the bill.
``I voted for [the measure] thinking it would be fixed in
conference,'' Mr. Pence said. ``I hope it will, but there are
rumblings that the Senate may take the bill as is and pass it
and send it to the president, which would be very frustrating
to a lot of us.''
``But I have enough confidence in Chairman Sensenbrenner
that he will clean this bill up.''
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Michigan (Mr. Levin).
Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I simply want to say, listening to this
debate, to the gentleman from Georgia; to my friend from Michigan; to
the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier), the chairman of the
Committee on Rules; and to the Speaker of the House; and to the
gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay), this is outrageous. You have no
excuse. Three million manufacturing jobs lost in the last 4 years or
so, another 110,000 the first 8 months, and you will not allow a debate
on an amendment that relates to manufacturing, the ATP amendment of Mr.
Honda's.
This shows two things: number one, an abuse of power. This is no
longer the House of the people. This is the House of people who mistake
autocracy for democracy. Secondly, do not stand up with your platitudes
about caring about manufacturing when you will not even allow us to
debate a bill that relates to an instrumentality. What has ATP done?
Oh, not industrial policy. It has funded path-finding research in
composites, high temperature superconductors, next-generation liquid
crystal displays, and low-cost manufacturing for digital mammography
which is in the news every day now. And you will not even debate it. It
is a shame.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Ohio (Mr. Kucinich).
Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I come from the State of Ohio where any
debate over manufacturing technology is taken to heart because Ohio is
one of those States which has had heavy job losses in manufacturing;
but I look at this bill and this restrictive rule, and it really does
not address some of the underlying issues.
How can we advance manufacturing technology competitiveness in this
country if we really do not have a national strategy to do so? We are
legislating piecemeal here and often missing the mark. We cannot have a
manufacturing strategy if it does not take into account manufacturing
job losses that come because of our trade practices.
[[Page H8188]]
So what has happened here is that Congress is called upon to take
action in areas that are only piecemeal; that are not going to protect
existing industries; that will not surely provide opportunities for the
future. We are already being overtaken by China and other countries.
This bill falls short. The rule is restrictive, and I join my
colleagues in raising objections.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from
Tennessee (Mr. Gordon).
Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, let me just first say I do not want to
offend anyone personally here today, and this is not a personal
argument. It is just that because I know the Republicans here just like
myself work hard, they care about their country and they go home most
every weekend like I do. I want to go home again this weekend. I will
meet somebody else with tears in their eyes saying I have lost my job,
help me.
We have a chance to help them today. Why in the world can we not have
an open rule, bring every idea, Democrat, Republican, Independent,
before us and try to create more and better jobs?
I am going to vote against this rule so that we can have an open
debate and bring more and better jobs to this country.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the remaining time.
Let me close by again urging all my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this
rule. The Committee on Rules used to be a tool to manage debate. It is
now used as a weapon to stifle debate.
There is no excuse whatsoever why the gentleman from California's
(Mr. Honda) amendment was not made in order, and no one on the other
side has been able to even defend the omission of the gentleman from
California's (Mr. Honda) amendment.
Yesterday, when Democrats balked at an amendment to the Head Start
reauthorization bill that would allow religious institutions to
discriminate, the other side, the Republicans, said, no, well, let the
House work its will; that is what the House of Representatives is there
for. Why is it okay for the House to work its will on that amendment,
but not on the gentleman from California's (Mr. Honda) amendment?
The fact of the matter is this economy under Bush has performed
abysmally when it has come to manufacturing. We have lost millions and
millions and millions of jobs. We need to do more. The administration
needs to do more, but Congress needs to do more as well.
Another 7,000 manufacturing jobs were lost in May. The manufacturing
sector in this country continues to suffer. They do not want
reauthorization bills with new programs that are not funded. They want
us to actually put our money where our rhetoric is.
Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``no'' vote on the rule.
{time} 1230
Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. I
rise again in support of House Resolution 451 and the underlying bill.
I want to thank my colleagues for a very productive discussion on
this very important piece of legislation. Additionally, I would again
like to recognize the chairman of the Committee on Science, the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Boehlert), and the subcommittee chairman,
the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers), for all of their work on the
committee and the final result, H.R. 250.
Mr. Speaker, despite the fact that this economy has added over 4
million jobs in less than 2 years, we should not limit our potential
growth or fail to protect against any future threats to our economic
base. For this reason, H.R. 250 epitomizes innovative thinking in an
ever-competitive global marketplace. From the establishment of an
Interagency Committee on Manufacturing Research and Development, to the
reauthorization of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership program,
this bill goes a long way to ensure that our manufacturers are
partnered with the resources they need to retool for more efficient
production and to be innovative in the future.
I want to point out to my colleagues on the other side that this bill
in the last Congress was killed in the Senate over disagreement
regarding ATP, the Advanced Technology Program. One of Abraham
Lincoln's famous quotes was this: ``When it is not possible to achieve
the best, it is best to achieve the possible.'' And these manufacturers
need this MEP program and they need this bill, and that is what we are
doing here today.
Mr. Speaker, I wholeheartedly believe American manufacturers should
be allowed to compete openly and fairly in this global marketplace.
This Congress must ensure that our manufacturers have every tool
available to grow and to sell in any and all markets. Therefore, let us
pass this bill and make sure that we are untying the hands of our
manufacturers so they can fight and win in a global market. Mr.
Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support the rule and the
underlying bill.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I am disappointed that despite
the fact that the Manufacturing Technology Competitiveness Act of 2005
represents an important piece of legislation for this Congress as it
did previously in the Science Committee and it is because of that I
hoped this body would have taken into account all points of view.
Unfortunately, four key Democratic amendments were rejected by the
Rules Committee.
Mr. Honda's amendment would have authorized $140 million for the
vitally important Advanced Technology Program for Fiscal Year 2006. Mr.
Stupak's amendment would have also authorized $20 million for the
Advanced Technology Program to hold a competition and issue awards for
research to improve energy efficient and reduce domestic dependence on
gasoline and heating oil. Clearly, this kind of amendment is
desperately needed at a time when people can barely afford to heat
their homes and still have money left over to buy food. Mr. Costello's
amendment would have required the Department of Commerce to release all
staff reports done by Technology Administration staff relating to the
off-shoring of American jobs, an issue that has never been fully
addressed. Finally, Mr. Carnahan's amendment would have struck the
current language creating an Advisory Committee and established a
Presidential Council on Manufacturing. It would have directed the
Council to issue reports on selected topic areas and within 18 months
issue a National Manufacturing Strategy. Clearly, these four amendments
would have provided a more comprehensive approach to solving our
manufacturing crisis.
In essence H.R. 250 is simply an authorization bill for all of the
programs at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, NIST,
except for the NIST's Advanced Technology Program, ATP. H.R. 250 does
authorize full funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership,
MEP, which is also a NIST program. With the exception of ATP funding,
H.R. 250 is an acceptable NIST authorization bill. However, it purports
to be a manufacturing competitiveness and innovation bill--in these
goals it falls far short.
Clearly, some of the provisions of this bill are positive in their
intent, but they can be expanded without interfering with the core of
the legislation. My Democratic colleagues have offered a number of good
Amendments which should have been allowed through the Rules Committee
in order to take in all points of view. Together this body could have
truly enhanced the Manufacturing Technology Competitiveness Act of
2005.
Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition of this
rule, though there are some positive aspects to highlight.
I am pleased that the Rules Committee made several amendments in
order, specifically my own amendment increasing funding to the Advance
Technological Education program and Mr. Gordon's amendment requesting a
three-year programmatic and operational plan for the Manufacturing
Extension Partnership.
However, I feel this rule would have been improved by making in order
Mr. Honda's amendment authorizing the Advanced Technology Program. This
legislation has been described as a means to create jobs and support
manufacturing. ATP does just this. This program has proven results and
is an effective investment for our manufacturing and technological
industries. The Committee's decisions seem short-sighted, especially
since the manufacturing sector is still suffering. Mr. Honda's
amendment deserves debate on the floor and I feel the Rules Committee
has missed an opportunity to improve this bill.
In the end I did not feel that the good outweighed the bad in this
rule. So I will be voting against the rule and I urge members to do the
same.
Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I
move the previous question on the resolution.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Shimkus). The question is on ordering
the previous question.
[[Page H8189]]
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that
the noes appeared to have it.
Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not
present.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this question will be postponed.
The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.
____________________