[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 166 (Friday, November 18, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1520-E1521]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          PERSONAL EXPLANATION

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EARL BLUMENAUER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, November 18, 2016

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, had I been present for today's votes on 
the amendments to H.R. 5982, I would have voted ``yea'' on the Conyers 
Amendment (Roll no. 581), ``yea'' on the Jackson-Lee Amendment (Roll 
no. 582), and ``yea'' on the Connolly En Bloc Amendment (Roll no. 583). 
I would have also voted ``yea'' on the Democratic Motion to Recommit 
(Roll no. 584), which would add an exemption to the underlying bill for 
any rule that pertains to improving employment, job retention, or the 
quality of the workforce.
  I would have voted ``nay'' on the final passage of H.R. 5982 (Roll 
no. 585). Should it become law, H.R. 5982 would amend the Congressional 
Review Act (CRA) to allow for the en bloc disapproval of all 
regulations finalized near the end of presidential terms, jeopardizing 
important public protections affecting public health, safety, and the 
environment.

[[Page E1521]]

  Had I been present for the vote on the Democratic Motion to Recommit 
H.R. 5711 (Roll no. 586), which would have prohibited the Secretary of 
the Treasury from authorizing a transaction by any U.S. financial 
institution engaged in business with a foreign entity that has been 
found to have engaged in or authorized cyber-attacks targeting any 
election held in the United States, I would have voted ``yea''.
  Additionally, had I been present for the vote on Final Passage of 
H.R. 5711 (Roll no. 587), a bill to prohibit the Secretary of the 
Treasury from authorizing certain transactions by a U.S. financial 
institution in connection with the export or re-export of a commercial 
passenger aircraft to the Islamic Republic of Iran, I would have voted 
``nay.'' I oppose H.R. 5711, which would undermine the Joint 
Comprehensive Plan of Action, the agreement reached between Iran, the 
United States and five other countries designed to force Iran to back 
away from the nuclear threshold. I celebrate the agreement--that Iran 
is complying, that the U.S. can benefit, and that we have an 
opportunity to strengthen ties with a former enemy.

                          ____________________