[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 185 (Friday, December 18, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1842-E1843]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           SUPPORT FOR OMNIBUS AND TAX EXTENDERS LEGISLATION

                                  _____
                                 

                          HON. EARL BLUMENAUER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, December 18, 2015

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I voted for both the omnibus and tax 
extender bills that came before the House this week. They represented 
hard work and compromises by many on both sides of the aisle and across 
the advocacy community. I commend so many of my colleagues for 
reminding us of what we can accomplish when we work together on behalf 
of the American people.
  These bills don't just do the bare minimum to keep the government 
open and continue the policy status quo as we have done many times in 
recent years. Instead, they actually invest in important programs, many 
that I have supported for years and that are priorities for Oregonians.
  I am pleased to see the extenders legislation support research and 
development, and provide important tools--such as an extension of the 
New Markets program--to invest in our communities. The tax package 
increases the benefit for transit riders to the same level as the 
parking tax benefit, providing much-needed tax fairness, strengthening 
options for commuters, and eliminating an incentive to drive to work. 
This provision will ease congestion and road wear and make our 
transportation system more sustainable.
  The omnibus also contains robust funding for public broadcasting, 
animal welfare enforcement, and health and scientific research. It 
includes the highest-ever levels of funding for the implementation of 
the Water for the Poor and Water for the World Acts, for which I have 
fought for years. I am pleased that the bill contains many provisions 
that I helped champion, including language to ensure the Department of 
Justice stay out of the way of state medical marijuana laws, language 
that supports industrial hemp research programs, and increased funding 
for brain research.
  There are also many positive provisions for the environment in these 
bills. I am delighted that the Land and Water Conservation Fund has 
been reauthorized and funded at a significant increase of $144 million. 
This program is one of the most important tools we have to protect land 
and habitat, construct parks and purchase other outdoor spaces that are 
cherished in communities.
  Both bills take important steps to help us transition away from 
fossil fuels and allow us to meaningfully contribute in the global 
fight against climate change. In particular, the long-term extension of 
tax credits for wind and solar energy development will significantly 
expand the development of clean renewable energy across the country at 
a critical time in our struggle to reduce carbon emissions. With this 
support, the solar industry estimates that by 2020, it will deploy more 
than 20 GW of solar electricity annually.
  The provisions supporting wind energy will free that industry from a 
repeated boom-and-bust cycle caused by inaction in Congress, and will 
strengthen the build out of low-cost, emission-free renewable energy 
from coast to coast.
  The elimination of many of the damaging environmental riders that 
were proposed during the appropriations process was a major victory, 
measures that would have defunded the Clean Power Plan, or reduced 
protections for endangered species among many others.
  There are certainly provisions in both of these bills that I do not 
support. It is troubling that we are drifting away from discipline in 
terms of dealing with the deficit. There were many missed opportunities 
to reduce wasteful spending and redirect those resources to where it is 
more needed. We will continue to spend billions of dollars every year 
on a nuclear arsenal we can't afford and will not use. Through tax 
breaks and direct subsidies, we will also continue to directly support 
wildly profitable industries that do not need this support--such as 
agribusiness and the petroleum industry.
  The bills also fail to address the need for new and different 
revenues, such as a carbon tax and a gas tax increase to rebuild 
crumbling infrastructure, to protect our environment and to properly 
invest in social safety net programs over the long run.
  Both bills include provisions that on their own, I would not support. 
I remain unpersuaded that we need to lift the crude oil export ban. I 
have voted against such legislation in the past since it will not help 
us transition to a cleaner energy future. The inclusion of the 
Cybersecurity Information and Sharing Act is troubling because it fails 
to strike the right balance between privacy and security, or between 
the responsibility of the private sector and the government. The 
omnibus also continues an irresponsible policy rider that interferes 
with the District of Columbia's ability to manage the sale of marijuana 
to ensure safety and appropriate regulations. Finally, the extenders 
legislation imposes new rules and responsibilities on the overburdened 
staff at the Internal Revenue Service. We currently have the most 
efficient tax collection system in the world among developed nations, 
but we have been systematically destroying its ability to serve 
taxpayers by doing its job.

[[Page E1843]]

  I also am disappointed that the omnibus did not include a number of 
key spending priorities that should command support from everyone. The 
bill does not include an important change to wildfire spending. We 
should treat wildfires like other major disasters and eliminate the 
practice of ``fire borrowing,'' which drains agency non-fire budgets to 
pay for firefighting. The bill also fails to reauthorize the Historic 
Preservation Fund, the main source of federal support for preservation 
projects that celebrate the heritage and history of communities across 
America. Finally, the omnibus continues a decades long ban on federal 
research on the causes and factors behind gun violence. Everyone should 
allow researchers to study and share information about gun violence in 
order to promote evidence-based policies to reduce horrific incidents.
  Despite these shortcomings, however, I support the overall package. 
On the whole, it's balanced and includes meaningful provisions that 
will support priorities important to Oregonians and across the country. 
I'm hopeful this is an indication that going forward, Congress can work 
across the aisle and compromise, so that we can do our jobs for the 
American people.

                          ____________________