[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 103 (Thursday, June 25, 2015)]
[House]
[Page H4761]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
PROVIDING FOR A CONDITIONAL ADJOURNMENT OR RECESS OF THE SENATE AND AN
ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
The SPEAKER pro tempore laid before the House the following
privileged concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 19) providing for recess
of the Senate from June 25, 2015, until July 7, 2015, and adjournment
of the House from June 25, 2015, until July 7, 2015.
The Clerk read the concurrent resolution, as follows:
S. Con. Res. 19
Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives
concurring), That when the Senate recesses or adjourns on any
day from Thursday, June 25, 2015, through Friday, July 3,
2015, on a motion offered pursuant to this concurrent
resolution by its Majority Leader or his designee, it stand
recessed or adjourned until 12:00 noon on Tuesday, July 7,
2015, or such other time on that day as may be specified by
its Majority Leader or his designee in the motion to recess
or adjourn, or until the time of any reassembly pursuant to
section 2 of this concurrent resolution, whichever occurs
first; and that when the House adjourns on any legislative
day from Thursday, June 25, 2015, through Friday, July 3,
2015, on a motion offered pursuant to this concurrent
resolution by its Majority Leader or his designee, it stand
adjourned until 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 7, 2015, or until
the time of any reassembly pursuant to section 3 of this
concurrent resolution, whichever occurs first.
Sec. 2. (a) The Majority Leader of the Senate or his
designee, after concurrence with the Minority Leader of the
Senate, shall notify the Members of the Senate to reassemble
at such place and time as he may designate if, in his
opinion, the public interest shall warrant it.
(b) After reassembling pursuant to subsection (a), when
the Senate adjourns on a motion offered pursuant to this
subsection by its Majority Leader or his designee, the Senate
shall again stand adjourned pursuant to the first section of
this concurrent resolution.
Sec. 3. (a) The Speaker or his designee, after
consultation with the Minority Leader of the House, shall
notify the Members of the House to reassemble at such place
and time as he may designate if, in his opinion, the public
interest shall warrant it.
(b) After reassembling pursuant to subsection (a), when
the House adjourns on a motion offered pursuant to this
subsection by its Majority Leader or his designee, the House
shall again stand adjourned pursuant to the first section of
this concurrent resolution.
Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, reserving my right to object.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Maryland is recognized.
Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I express my deep disappointment that the
House will adjourn without having concluded its business.
Charter authority for the Export-Import Bank is set to expire this
coming Tuesday should Congress fail to reauthorize it, which apparently
we are going to fail to do. Shutting down the Bank puts at risk tens of
thousands of jobs at American businesses whose exports are supported by
the Bank's financing mechanisms.
Everybody knows that a bill to reauthorize the Bank has the votes to
pass in this House. Everybody has known that the charter authority to
back up loans by those who would buy goods from American workers
expires at the end of this month. The Speaker of this House has said
that jobs will be lost shortly after we fail to do this act, which we
apparently are going to fail to do.
It is the will of the House and ought to be reflected by a vote of
the House that this charter be renewed. And once we send it down the
hall, such a bill will pass the Senate. Who said so? Senator Roy Blunt,
who used to be the majority whip and majority leader and minority whip
in this House.
Before leaving to go home to our districts, we ought to reauthorize
the Bank and provide certainty, Mr. Speaker, to businesses and their
workers who depend on it to level the playing field against foreign
competitors.
There are 85 such banks located in 60 countries with whom we compete.
This will diminish, at least for a short time, our ability to compete
in international markets. That will cost, as Speaker Boehner has said,
jobs in the short term.
At the same time, I want to say that my friend from Mississippi,
Representative Thompson, noticed a resolution that was referred to the
Committee on House Administration today. Mr. Speaker, I believe that
that resolution deserves to be considered in the committee without
delay, and I hope it will be.
In the aftermath of the horrific and racially motivated murders of
nine innocent people in Charleston last week, Americans across the
country are taking a long overdue, critical look at the practice of
allowing confederate symbols of hatred, slavery, and segregation to
remain on prominent display in our public places. There is no public
space more visible and more important than this United States Capitol
Building.
Mr. Thompson's resolution would authorize the Speaker to remove
Mississippi's flag--the only one to include the battle flag of the
Confederacy--from the Capitol complex until such time as the State of
Mississippi selects a new flag, free from a legacy of bigotry,
exclusion, and racism.
I hope that Mississippians will move swiftly to design a new flag
that more accurately reflects their pride in diversity, tolerance, and
equality.
There is no reason why any Member or staffer, especially those whose
ancestors suffered the horrors of slavery and segregation, should have
to see that symbol in the temple to liberty that is our Capitol.
So, Mr. Speaker, I am disappointed that the House is adjourning
without having completed its task for the June work period and without
having shown the American people that Congress can do what it has been
sent to do: support job growth, promote justice, and achieve results
for those it serves.
Mr. Speaker, if I thought continuing my objection would lead to the
swift enactment today or tomorrow of the Export-Import Bank, I would
object. I do not believe that that would be the result; and, therefore,
I will shortly withdraw my objection, but with a plea to the majority
party that they bring to the floor very shortly after we return the
reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank and that the Committee on
House Administration give prompt consideration to the resolution of the
gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson).
I withdraw my reservation.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The reservation is withdrawn.
Without objection, the concurrent resolution is concurred in.
There was no objection.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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