[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 148 (Thursday, September 29, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1401-E1402]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          PERSONAL EXPLANATION

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. SUZANNE BONAMICI

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 28, 2016

  Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained on September 
22, 2016, and I missed votes in the House. If I had been present, I 
would have voted against the motion ordering the previous question on 
H. Res. 879 (the rule providing for consideration of H.R. 5931, 
Prohibiting Future Ransom Payments to Iran Act), against the rule (H. 
Res. 879), and against final passage of the Empowering Employees 
through Stock Ownership Act (H.R. 5719). I would have supported H.R. 
5320, Social Security Must Avert Identity Loss (MAIL) Act, H.R. 5946, 
the United States Appreciation for Olympians and Paralympians Act, H.R. 
2285, the Preventing Trafficking in Cultural Property Act, and H.R. 
5523, Clyde-Hirsch-Sowers RESPECT Act.
   I would have voted against ordering the previous question on the 
rule providing for consideration of H.R. 5931 so that H.R. 4479, the 
Families of Flint Act, could have been made in order. I am a proud 
cosponsor of H.R. 4479, which would provide $765 million to improve 
water infrastructure and provide resources to the residents of Flint, 
Michigan. I was disappointed that the House moved the previous question 
and blocked H.R. 4479 from coming to the House floor.
   I would have opposed H. Res. 879, the rule providing for 
consideration of H.R. 5931, because the rule limited amendments and did 
not provide for an open floor debate.
   I would have opposed final passage of H.R. 5719, the Empowering 
Employees through Stock Ownership Act, because the bill did not include 
a critical amendment offered by Rep. Crowley that would have provided 
an offset to the $1 billion in lost revenue created by the policy. 
Although I support efforts to promote employee ownership and reward 
employee's commitment to their companies, I was disappointed that the 
bill did not include Rep. Crowley's amendment.
   H.R. 5320, the Social Security MAIL Act, provides an important 
privacy protection to anyone receiving Social Security documents 
through the mail. The bill restricts the Social Security Administration 
from sending documents that include an individual's complete Social 
Security number through the mail unless completely necessary. This 
commonsense policy will protect Americans from having their sensitive 
personal information compromised, and I would have supported this bill.
   H.R. 5946, the United States Appreciation for Olympians and 
Paralympians Act, updates a provision of the federal tax code that 
requires Olympians and Paralympians to declare their prize winnings and 
medals as income for tax purposes. Although I would have preferred that 
this provision had been part of a comprehensive tax reform package, I 
would have supported this bill.
   H.R 2285, the Prevent Trafficking in Cultural Property Act, would 
bolster the ability of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CPB) and 
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to protect against 
illegal trafficking of cultural property. The bill requires CPB and ICE 
to create a coordinated plan to update procedures and directive, and to 
train personnel in relevant laws and best practices for intercepting 
trafficked property. I support this bill and other efforts to ensure 
trafficked artifacts are not brought into the United States.
   H.R. 5523, the Clyde-Hirsch-Sowers RESPECT Act, would prohibit the 
IRS from engaging in civil asset forfeiture of more than $10,000 
without probable cause. Unfortunately, in recent years there have been 
many instances of small businesses having their money seized without 
probable cause, and

[[Page E1402]]

they have struggled to recoup their losses. This bill provides 
important protections to individuals and small businesses, and I 
support its passage.

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