[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 3]
[House]
[Pages 4512-4518]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF MOTIONS TO SUSPEND THE RULES

  Mr. ARCURI. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I 
call up House Resolution 161 and ask for its immediate consideration.
  The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:

                              H. Res. 161

       Resolved,  That it shall be in order at any time on the 
     legislative day of Friday, February 16, 2007, for the Speaker 
     to entertain motions that the House suspend the rules 
     relating to the bill (H.R. 976) to amend the Internal Revenue 
     Code of 1986 to provide tax relief for small businesses, and 
     for other purposes.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from New York (Mr. Arcuri) is 
recognized for 1 hour.
  Mr. ARCURI. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the 
customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Lincoln Diaz-
Balart). All time yielded during consideration of the rule is for 
debate purposes only.
  I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 161 is a rule to provide for 
consideration of H.R. 976, the Small Business Tax Relief Act, under 
suspension of rules at any time on the legislative day of Friday, 
February 16, 2007.
  This rule is necessary because under clause 1(a) of rule XV, the 
Speaker may entertain motions to suspend the rules only on Monday, 
Tuesday, or Wednesday of each week. In order for suspensions to be 
considered on other days, the Rules Committee must provide for 
consideration of these motions.
  Mr. Speaker, let me begin by saying how honored I am as a member of 
the distinguished Rules Committee to manage the rule for consideration 
of such an important piece of legislation that will provide $1.3 
billion of tax relief for our Nation's small business.
  This legislation, the Small Business Tax Relief Act, is strongly 
supported by a host of business organizations, including the U.S. 
Chamber of Commerce, the NFIB, the National Association of 
Manufacturers and the National Restaurant Association.
  Small businesses are the backbone of this Nation's economy. Every day 
we as Americans utilize the services of small business owners, whether 
it is dropping off our dry cleaning, grabbing a bite to eat at a local 
diner or pizzeria, or waiting in line to pick up a prescription at a 
local pharmacy. We depend on our small businesses.

                              {time}  1530

  It is a constant struggle for most small businesses just to keep the 
lights on. Utility costs continue to skyrocket, and larger companies 
continue to expand services, pushing out the mom-and-pop stores in 
cities and towns across the country. My constituents in Upstate New 
York have experienced this loss of economic activity firsthand, but 
that trend has continued.
  The Small Business Tax Relief Act would help small businesses grow 
and hire new workers by extending and expanding tax provisions that 
encourage investment in new equipment and promote the hiring of 
disadvantaged workers, and it does so in a fiscally responsible way 
that meets the pay-as-you-go requirements. Small business owners have 
to balance the books and stay on budget each month. It is only fitting 
that we do as well.

[[Page 4513]]

  Specifically, the bill would help small businesses invest in new 
equipment by extending and expanding expensing options for 1 year and 
increase both the amount small businesses can deduct from their taxes 
and the number of small businesses that can take these deductions.
  The bill would extend the work opportunity tax credit, which provides 
incentives to employers to hire individuals that frequently experience 
barriers to work for 1 year, and expand it to cover disabled veterans. 
In other words, it helps those who need jobs by giving employers tax 
credits for creating jobs.
  It would enhance the current tip credit for small businesses by 
maintaining the current tip credit that small businesses take for the 
Social Security taxes they pay on their employees' tips, instead of 
allowing it to drop with the long-overdue increase in the minimum wage 
this legislation will help achieve.
  The bill also contains a provision that would simplify tax-filing 
requirements for businesses owned jointly by a husband and wife, 
providing much-needed relief for the many small firms throughout this 
country.
  Right now, there is a glitch in the Social Security tax law which 
only allows one spouse, most often the husband, to get credit for 
paying into Social Security. This leaves women who work as equal 
partners in an unfair situation. The Small Business Tax Relief Act 
fixes this glaring inequality by ensuring that both partners, equal 
members of the team, receive their justly deserved entitlement 
benefits.
  Moreover, this legislation does not only help small businesses. It is 
a win-win, because passage of the Small Business Tax Relief Act is also 
a critical step in finalizing an increase in the Federal minimum wage 
for 13 million hardworking Americans.
  I made a promise to my constituents that I would go to Washington to 
fight for a long-overdue increase in the Federal minimum wage. Passage 
of this measure takes us one step closer to fulfilling that promise.
  I want to be clear. I support a stand-alone increase in the minimum 
wage, like the legislation we passed a few weeks ago with overwhelming 
bipartisan support. However, 10 years is too long for any hardworking 
Americans to wait for a wage increase. Let's not force them to wait any 
longer. The time to act is now.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I would like to 
thank my friend from New York for the time, and I yield myself such 
time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 161 provides that it will be in order 
at any time on the legislative day of today to consider H.R. 976, the 
Small Business Tax Relief Act of 2007, under a suspension of the rules.
  The passage of these tax cuts for small businesses across the country 
is very important. Small business, Mr. Speaker, is the engine that 
drives our economy. Small businesses employ over half of all private-
sector workers and pay approximately 45 percent of all United States 
private payroll.
  Over the last decade, small businesses have generated 60 to 80 
percent of net new jobs each year. Hispanic small businesses now number 
over 2 million, Mr. Speaker, and their number has been growing at three 
times the average of non-Hispanic businesses.
  But we must not take the extraordinary performance of small 
businesses for granted. They still face considerable hurdles, so it is 
appropriate that steps be taken to ensure that small businesses are 
able to continue to grow and employ more and more Americans.
  The Small Business Tax Relief Act will provide extraordinary savings 
to small businesses in the United States through targeted tax cuts. The 
bill increases the amount that small businesses will be able to deduct 
for equipment purchases and extends the deduction to the year 2010. It 
also extends the work opportunities tax credit for another year and 
expands three categories of the eligible workers to encourage employers 
to hire disabled veterans, high-risk youth, and individuals with 
disabilities.
  Under this legislation, Mr. Speaker, businesses will be able to use 
their FICA tax tip credit against their regular and AMT liability, 
saving small businesses over $500 million over 10 years.
  The Small Business Tax Relief Act also allows spouses who operate a 
business together to file as a sole proprietorship, without penalty. It 
allows both spouses to claim Medicare and Social Security taxes. This 
is an important piece of legislation, Mr. Speaker. It will help our 
small businesses continue their admirable growth and job creation.
  I would like to commend the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, 
Mr. Rangel, and the ranking member, Mr. McCrery, and all of those who, 
in a bipartisan manner, have worked to quickly bring this important 
bill to the floor for debate.
  I look forward to the debate on H.R. 976. However, Mr. Speaker, we 
could have done more. On Wednesday, at the hearing of the Rules 
Committee and the markup of this rule, Mr. Sessions, my dear colleague 
from Texas, the gentleman from Texas, offered an amendment to the rule 
that would have allowed us to consider H.R. 60 under suspension of the 
rules today.
  H.R. 60, authored by our colleague, Mr. Baird, a Democrat, would make 
the local and State sales tax deduction permanent. This sales tax 
deduction is set to expire at the end of this year. Without passage of 
this bipartisan legislation to extend the deduction, millions of 
individuals and States without an income tax, such as Texas, 
Washington, Nevada, Tennessee, South Dakota, Wyoming and Florida, will 
face an unnecessary and unfortunate tax increase. However, the majority 
in the Committee on Rules voted against allowing us to debate and pass 
this widely supported bipartisan piece of legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ARCURI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Illinois (Ms. Bean).
  Ms. BEAN. I thank the gentleman from New York for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 976, the Small Business 
Tax Relief Act.
  America's small and medium businesses are our Nation's stimulative 
engine, employing roughly 80 percent of our domestic workforce. Too 
often, our Tax Code is weighted in support of our large lobbying 
interests, without consideration of those small businesses who are the 
backbone of our communities and have vital economic impact there.
  I am proud to join Chairwoman Velazquez, Chairman Rangel and other 
colleagues in support of the Small Business Tax Relief Act, which 
provides needed tax relief to our Nation's small businesses in support 
of their growth and profitability. In particular, the Small Business 
Tax Relief Act will provide incentives to businesses in my district and 
around our country to continue to invest in the infrastructure 
important to their growth.
  In addition to extending deductions in plant material investments, 
this bill also extends the Work Opportunity Tax Credit. This credit has 
been successful in helping people move from welfare to work and gain 
on-the-job experience by incentivizing employers to hire disadvantaged 
workers, including returning veterans and the disabled.
  As Chair of the Small Business Tax and Finance Subcommittee, I will 
continue to champion initiatives that help our Nation's small 
businesses prosper.
  I urge my colleagues to support the Small Business Tax Relief Act as 
part of that effort. As our small businesses grow stronger, so do the 
communities in which they reside and the workers they employ.
  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I 
yield 4 minutes to my distinguished colleague from Florida, who has 
worked so hard to make the sales tax a deductible and who is obviously 
extremely concerned about the fact that we cannot vote on it today, Ms. 
Brown-Waite.

[[Page 4514]]


  Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. I thank the gentleman.
  Mr. Speaker, the deductibility of sales tax is so important to so 
many people. It makes a big difference.
  There are those of us, long of tooth, who remember when you used to 
be able to deduct both State and local sales tax on your Federal income 
tax. I remember when I lived in the chairman's State, in New York, and 
we could do that, where I would save up all those receipts. And I was 
darn sure that I spent more money on purchases than what the maximum 
amount deductible was.
  But in the mid 1980s, they eliminated the deductibility of sales tax 
on your Federal income tax. What did this do? What it meant was that 
States that did not have an income tax were at a very distinct 
disadvantage, citizens who lived in those States.
  So a few years ago we remedied that by saying you could deduct either 
the State and local sales tax on your Federal income tax or at the 
State income tax, whichever was higher. So you had that opportunity.
  It certainly doesn't put my colleague from New York and those people 
who are still left in New York at a disadvantage because they can still 
deduct the State income tax. States that don't have a State income tax 
have been put at a disadvantage.
  I know that the good gentleman from Florida did try to put this 
amendment on, and it would make a lot of sense. It expires this year. 
We need to continue to have the deductibility of the State and local 
sales tax for residents of States that do not have an income tax.
  Mr. ARCURI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to my good friend, the 
distinguished gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mahoney).
  Mr. MAHONEY of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of 
House Resolution 161 and the underlying bill, H.R. 976, the Small 
Business Tax Relief Act of 2007, which I am proud to have cosponsored.
  This important piece of legislation is much more than a tax cut for 
America's small businesses. It is an investment in our Nation's 
workers, especially those from economically disadvantaged areas, as 
well as our veterans.
  Specifically, the underlying bill extends the Work Opportunity Tax 
Credit for 1 year. This important tax credit, originally enacted in 
1996, has been an important component in an effort to move people from 
welfare to work, while gaining on-the-job experience.
  H.R. 976 also fosters entrepreneurship in our communities, an 
important variable in keeping Americans competitive in a global economy 
by making it more affordable to own and operate a small business. This 
Congress and the individuals who have brought this bill to passage 
today bring their ideas, ambitions and knowledge and support of 
entrepreneurs and small business.
  Finally, I applaud Chairman Rangel and the members of the Ways and 
Means Committee for working within the House PAYGO rules to produce a 
revenue-neutral tax bill. H.R. 976 is a bipartisan example of a 
fiscally responsible tax measure that takes into account America's 
values and priorities.
  I urge my colleagues to adopt the rule and the underlying bill.

                              {time}  1545

  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. ARCURI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Indiana (Mr. Ellsworth).
  Mr. ELLSWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  The Small Business Tax Relief Act of 2007 provides long overdue tax 
relief for small businesses and their employees.
  Small businesses form the backbone of the American economy. They 
create hundreds of millions of new jobs each year, and they drive the 
innovation that makes America great. The men and women whose blood, 
sweat, and sometimes tears go into building their small businesses are 
living examples of the American dream, and they deserve our support.
  There is no doubt that this bill is a win-win for Indiana. It is a 
win for Hoosier small business owners who work hard, play by the rules, 
and provide good jobs for thousands of hardworking people in south and 
west Indiana.
  It is also a win for Hoosier workers. Small businesses employ 1.2 
million workers in Indiana. And that is why we must make every effort 
to ensure that small businesses prosper in a progrowth economy. As 
Congress works towards increasing the minimum wage for the American 
workers, legislation like this is necessary to help small businesses 
across the country stay competitive.
  Mr. Speaker, the Small Business Tax Relief Act enjoys wide bipartisan 
support for a reason. We know it is the right thing to do for America's 
small businesses and for its workers. I am proud to be a cosponsor of 
this important legislation, and I urge my colleagues to give it their 
full support. Let us come together and show that the path toward fiscal 
responsibility can be both probusiness and proworker.
  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. ARCURI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to my friend from North 
Carolina (Mr. Shuler).
  Mr. SHULER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, as an entrepreneur myself, I am proud to stand strong in 
support of our Nation's small business owners. Western North Carolina 
is blessed with thousands of small manufacturers, technology 
entrepreneurs, shopkeepers, and restaurant owners. Small businesses are 
the backbone of our Nation's economy.
  Today's legislation will cut taxes and increase opportunities for our 
small business communities. This is what happens when Democrats and 
Republicans work together.
  I would like to thank the chairman and ranking member of the 
Committee on Ways and Means for their efforts on this bill. I look 
forward to working with them in further addressing the needs of small 
businesses and increasing opportunities for all Americans.
  Mr. ARCURI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Utah 
(Mr. Matheson).
  Mr. MATHESON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation.
  One of the great successes for our country's economy, and we all say 
it here as Members of Congress as we talk about the value of small 
business, but it is important for us in Congress to look at effecting 
public policy in a way that assists small business in making success, 
in being competitive relative to the rest of the world in terms of 
pursuing job creation.
  And I really want to applaud the leadership of our caucus for moving 
ahead this early in this Congress with the small business tax relief 
package. I think that is a real important statement. I hope everyone is 
paying attention to that. It is certainly something that a lot of us in 
this caucus have advocated for, and I think it is a great step to be 
taking today.
  I also want to acknowledge the fact that this is a bipartisan piece 
of legislation. I want to thank Chairman Rangel for doing such an 
excellent job in the Ways and Means Committee in working in this 
bipartisan fashion to come up with this very well-crafted bill. I think 
this is a great moment for this Congress to work in a bipartisan way to 
help our economy move forward. I encourage all of us to vote for this 
legislation.
  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I have the pleasure 
of yielding 5 minutes to my colleague, who, in the Rules Committee, 
made the motion for us to debate today the sales tax deduction to allow 
us to consider legislation by Mr. Baird, a Democrat. Unfortunately, the 
majority of the Rules Committee did not allow that motion to go 
forward, voted it down, that amendment.
  But it is my pleasure to recognize for 5 minutes not only a 
distinguished member of the Rules Committee, but a great leader in this 
House whom I am honored to serve with, Mr. Sessions.
  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman from the Rules 
Committee from Miami, Florida (Mr. Lincoln Diaz-Balart).

[[Page 4515]]

  Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday evening at the Rules Committee, we met to 
bypass regular order once again, which seems to be a new regular order 
for the 10th time under the new Democrat leadership. I brought forth 
the ability to discuss a small tax item with the germaneness to the tax 
bill that we are debating here today. I wish that we were considering 
this rule under regular order that the Democrat candidates, out on the 
campaign trails, promised voters this last election cycle. I believe 
that the tax bill will end up enjoying bipartisan support on the House 
floor today. So since we are already bypassing regular order to 
consider this legislation, I offered an amendment to bring another tax 
bill to the floor that would enjoy also broad bipartisan support, 
making the State and local sales tax deduction permanent for residents 
of non-income-tax States.
  This issue is a matter of fairness. It is quite simple in its 
honesty. It enjoys support from a huge number of Democrats and 
Republicans and would allow taxpayers a deduction for sales tax in lieu 
of income tax for taxpayers in States that do not have a State income 
tax.
  Nine States currently have no income tax: Texas, Florida, Washington, 
South Dakota, Tennessee, Nevada, Wyoming, New Hampshire, and Alaska. 
The 1986 Tax Reform Act eliminated the sales tax deduction from the 
Federal Tax Code but maintained the State income tax deduction. That 
change has a disproportionate impact on States that do not use a State 
income tax.
  A 2-year sales tax deductibility provision was signed into law as 
part of the American Jobs Creation Act. This law restored fairness to 
those in States with no State income tax for the first time in nearly 
20 years and kept an estimated $3.6 billion in the hands of taxpayers 
that choose to deduct State sales tax in all nine affected States. This 
critical tax relief is said to expire at the end of this year and must 
be extended, or my constituents in Texas and taxpayers from eight other 
States will see a massive, unavoidable tax increase.
  H.R. 60 would permanently restore fairness to taxpayers in the nine 
affected States. I am disappointed that the amendments did not include 
this one and it was defeated by the Rules Committee Democrats along a 
party-line vote.
  While I support the legislation for continued tax fairness for small 
businesses that we are about to consider, I am sorry that we were not 
allowed to have this amendment on the House floor today as a golden 
opportunity for taxpayers to finally find this tax disparity and this 
loophole closed for good.
  I appreciate the gentleman's extending the time to me. He also is 
from the State of Florida, which is hugely affected by this unwelcomed 
tax.
  Mr. ARCURI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the hardworking 
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Donnelly).
  Mr. DONNELLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 976, the 
Small Business Tax Relief Act of 2007, because small businesses play 
such a vital role in Indiana's economy and in our country's economy. 
Small businesses are the engine and account for half of all jobs in my 
State's economy.
  I want to thank Chairman Rangel for his leadership in introducing 
this fiscally responsible tax relief for America's small businesses.
  Mr. Speaker, I understand the challenges our entrepreneurs and small 
business owners face while training to remain competitive and 
profitable in today's global economy. I have seen firsthand the impact 
that rising costs of health care and new technologies and growing 
competitions from overseas can have on our local businesses.
  Today's legislation provides crucial, bipartisan tax relief so that 
our local small businesses can invest in the equipment and technology 
they need to remain successful. Perhaps more importantly, these tax 
cuts allow our local business leaders to reinvest in Indiana's economy, 
creating new jobs and sharing today and tomorrow's prosperity.
  Mr. Speaker, I would also like to take this opportunity to commend 
this Congress for passing important commonsense tax relief without 
contributing to our mounting national debt. This bill proves that we 
can provide tax relief to our business community without increasing the 
burden on our children and grandchildren.
  I urge all my colleagues to pass H.R. 976 and reduce the tax burden 
for our small business owners.
  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ARCURI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to my colleague from New 
York (Ms. Velazquez), the chairwoman of the Committee on Small 
Business.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this 
bipartisan legislation that will provide tax relief and simplification 
for this Nation's entrepreneurs.
  As the Chair of the House Small Business Committee, I believe 
economic policies in Washington must address the needs of our small 
businesses. Today's bill will not only provide tax relief but will also 
provide simplicity to the Tax Code for entrepreneurs.
  One of the most critical portions of this bill is the extension of 
section 179, expensing. This is a provision that encourages investment 
while simplifying recordkeeping requirements. This legislation will 
also make more entrepreneurs eligible to use section 179 expensing.
  For small businesses it can often be difficult to make expensive 
investments or purchases because of the upfront costs. Expensing helps 
them defray some of these costs while also reducing paperwork burdens 
associated with depreciation schedules. This proposal is a win for 
small businesses, the job creators, and our economy. After all, they 
are the ones who create 80 percent of all new jobs in this economy. And 
it is a win-win for our Nation's economy.
  There are many other good elements of this bill that will help small 
businesses, and I want to thank the chairman of the Ways and Means and 
the ranking member's efforts in moving this quickly.
  I urge my colleagues to support the rule and the underlying bill.
  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. ARCURI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished 
member of the Rules Committee for yielding.
  I rise to finally say we have relief. I thank the chairman of the 
Ways and Means Committee and the chairwoman of the Small Business 
Committee because without you, we wouldn't be here today being able to 
finally move forward not only tax relief for small businesses but 
getting a vote for the minimum wage. Thank you very much.
  And I thank you for working it out with the ranking members. Finally 
we will be able to move in the other body that would not give us an up-
or-down vote on the minimum wage. But we have good news because we 
extend the Work Opportunity Tax Credit. We help small businesses invest 
in new equipment, which is so very important. And, third, and what is 
certainly not least, we win the support, as I said, of the Senate to 
move forward on the minimum wage.
  But it is important to note that this WOTC will help veterans, ex-
felons, high-risk youth, and welfare recipients, individuals who create 
the engine of our economy who are trying for a second chance. So this 
is the right kind of mixture, giving relief to small businesses, which 
I have always said, are the backbone of the economy of America. I am 
grateful to say that the small businesses in the 18th Congressional 
District, which have created an economic engine in our community, will 
now have the right kind of tax relief to create opportunities for them 
to reinvest in their own businesses to buy more equipment, because 
every one of us go home to the churning of small businesses. Every day 
small businesses open their doors and create jobs for one and two and 
three and four and five and six and seven and eight and nine

[[Page 4516]]

and ten employees. So this will be the right message that we will send.
  Then, of course, we will give the opportunity for training for our 
welfare-to-work mothers. We will give training for our veterans. We 
will give training for high-risk youth. And, yes, we will help those 
who are trying to reenter to be able to create an opportunity for their 
families.
  Finally, of course, I am gratified that we will have the opportunity 
now in 10 years to provide the opportunity for those on minimum wage. 
And in the State of Texas this will create a $4,000 increase for our 
working families with a minimum wage increase.
  Let me thank the proponents of this bill. I ask for a vote in support 
of H.R. 976.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 976, the ``Small Business Tax 
Relief Act of 2007.'' I support the bill for several reasons. First, 
H.R. 976 extends the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC)--which provides 
incentives to employers to hire individuals from targeted groups that 
frequently experience barriers to work--for one year and expands it to 
cover disabled veterans.
  Second, H.R. 976 helps small businesses invest in new equipment and 
more easily afford large capital expenses. It extends small business 
expensing (Section 179) for one year--increasing both the amount small 
businesses can deduct from their taxes (from $112,000 to $125,000) and 
the number of small businesses that can take these deductions (by 
increasing the income limits for businesses taking the deduction from 
$450,000 to $500,000).
  Third, and not least important, passage of H.R. 976 is necessary to 
win the support of the Senate and signature of the President on the 
legislation passed earlier by this House to raise the minimum wage for 
millions of hard-working, low-wage workers by $2.10 per hour to $7.25. 
It has been more than nine years since the minimum wage was last 
increased, the longest period in the history of the law. In contrast, 
during this time period Indeed, Mr. Speaker, that it removes the last 
major hurdle between low-wage workers and the long-overdue pay raise 
they desperately need, is reason enough for me to support the bill 
before us.
  But evaluated on its merits, the Work Opportunity Tax Credit included 
in the bill before us is a good and useful measure. The Work 
Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) is a successful federal tax credit that 
encourages employers to hire eight persons belonging to one or more of 
eight targeted groups of job seekers by reducing employers' federal tax 
liability. The credit limit is $2,400, and the targeted groups include 
veterans, ex-felons, high-risk youth, and welfare recipients.
  Mr. Speaker, government data show that 7 out of 10 welfare recipients 
who obtain jobs in the private sector are using WOTC, and that placing 
workers in private employment is highly cost-effective compared to 
State-funded public service jobs. Under the WOTC, employers pay the 
bulk of job costs, so the average cost to the Government is about $900 
per job per quarter (with a ceiling of $1,560 annually) while the cost 
of a State-funded public service job at $7 per hour averages $3,700 per 
quarter with no ceiling. Thus, WOTC enables States to economize their 
welfare and training block grants and saves money that can be used for 
child care and transportation.
  And what are the benefits to the less-skilled and disabled workers 
WOTC is intended to help? Virtually every study of jobs credits by the 
Government Accountability Office and independent evaluations funded by 
the Department of Labor have shown that employment and skills of these 
workers are increased. In fact, in one study, GAO reported that WOTC 
workers achieve gains in real wages as a result of their jobs.
  Mr. Speaker, the WOTC provides a market incentlve to employers to 
hire and train less-skilled and disabled workers. To continue this 
human capital investment in workers who might otherwise be left out of 
the job market--some 20 million high school dropouts, less-skilled high 
school graduates, single parents on welfare, disabled workers, and 
returning combat veterans--we need to extend the WOTC. By extending the 
WOTC, many more employers, especially small businesses, will have an 
incentive to look for and offer jobs to people who at first glance may 
not appear to be good job prospects.
  Mr. Speaker, the job site is the place where the most effective 
learning occurs for a young worker or slow-starter. Because the growth 
of the nation's labor force is slowing, future economic growth will 
depend on raising productivity by upgrading skills and making every 
worker count. Extending the authorization for WOTC will advance this 
goal. That is why the legislation before us, H.R. 976 is worthy of our 
support.
  Finally, Mr. Speaker, let us also remember how important that the 
minimum wage be increased. Today's minimum wage of $5.15 today is the 
equivalent of only $4.23 in 1995, which is even lower than the $4.25 
minimum wage level before the 1996-97 increase. It is scandalous, Mr. 
Speaker, that a person can work full-time, 40 hours per week, for 52 
weeks, earning the minimum wage and would gross just $10,700, which is 
$5,888 below the $16,000 needed to lift a family of three out of 
poverty.
  Mr. Speaker, since 2000 the cost of college tuition has risen 57 
percent, which is only slightly less than the increase in the cost of 
gasoline. Health insurance premiums have skyrocketed by 73 percent and 
inflation is up 13.4 percent. But during that time, the minimum wage 
has not increased one cent. That is unconscionable and downright un-
American.
  Mr. Speaker, today more than ever America's hard-working families are 
feeling squeezed, living paycheck to paycheck. I can tell you Mr. 
Speaker that record prices at the pump, skyrocketing health care costs 
and the rising cost of college in the face of falling or flat wages, 
are squeezing hard-working Texans in my Houston-based Congressional 
District as they struggle to make ends meet. That is why ensuring that 
the minimum wage is increased to $7.25 per hour is one of the nation's 
highest priorities.
  For Texas workers the basic cost of living is rising; it is only fair 
that the pay for hard-working Texans does too. Nearly 890,000 hard-
working Texans would directly benefit from raising the federal minimum 
wage to $7.25 an hour, and 1,774,000 more Texans would likely benefit 
from the raise.
  Raising the minimum wage is vital for Texas families. At $5.15 an 
hour, a full-time minimum wage worker in Texas brings home $10,712 a 
year--nearly $6,000 below the poverty level for a family of three. An 
increase of $2.10 an hour would give these families a much needed 
additional $4,400 a year to meet critical needs such as rent, health 
care, food and child care. The increase in the minimum wage before us 
today will not allow workers to live as large as the typical CEO, who 
now earns 821 times more than a minimum wage worker, but at least it 
will allow these low-wage workers to make a little better life for 
themselves and their families.
  Mr. Speaker, 89 percent of Americans favor raising the minimum wage. 
Americans know that the minimum wage must be increased. They know low-
wage workers, many of whom live in your district and mine, badly need 
the money and have been waiting for it for too long. That is why I urge 
all members to support H.R. 976, which is inextricably linked to the 
minimum wage increase.

                              {time}  1600

  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I would like to 
thank everybody who participated in this debate and all of those who 
worked so hard to bring forth this legislation in a bipartisan fashion.
  I will be asking for a ``no'' vote, Mr. Speaker, on the previous 
question, so that we can amend this rule and allow the House to 
consider H.R. 60, a bill by our colleague, Mr. Baird, under suspension 
of the rules.
  As I stated before, Mr. Speaker, Congress passed last year the Tax 
Relief and Health Care Act of 2006, which included State and local 
sales tax deductions.
  Over the last 2 years, the sales tax deduction has resulted in 
billions of dollars in tax savings to millions of hardworking taxpayers 
throughout the United States. These tax savings have meant a boost to 
the economy of seven important States affected by the deduction: 
Washington, Texas, Florida, Nevada, Tennessee, South Dakota and 
Wyoming. However, that important tax deduction will expire at the end 
of this year. Failure to extend the sales tax deduction will mean that 
our constituents may face an unfortunate tax increase.
  By defeating the previous question, we will give Members the ability 
to vote on H.R. 60. Without passage of this important legislation that 
extends the sales tax deduction, millions in States without an income 
tax, Washington, Texas, Florida, Nevada, Tennessee, South Dakota and 
Wyoming, will face a tax increase.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of the 
amendment and extraneous materials immediately prior to the vote on the 
previous question.

[[Page 4517]]

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. ARCURI. Mr. Speaker, I first of all would like to thank my fellow 
New Yorker and the dean of our delegation, Chairman Rangel, for his 
very hard work in bringing this very important bipartisan bill to the 
floor. I think it shows the depth of his knowledge and understanding of 
the issues, and I think it is very critical that we address this bill 
today.
  Mr. Speaker, $1.3 billion in tax relief for our small business owners 
is the kind of sensible, responsible tax relief I am proud to support. 
Let's help small businesses do what they do best, and that is create 
jobs and strengthen our economy.
  During the debate at the Rules hearing, some of my colleagues were 
asking the question why we had to move so quickly on this bill, why we 
couldn't wait until Congress came back in session.
  I couldn't help but think of the old adage, why put off until 
tomorrow what you can do today. People who earn $5.15 who want the 
minimum wage raised have been waiting for 10 years. People in small 
business who pay more than they need to want tax breaks. It is the 
sensible thing to do, and it is the sensible thing to do right now.
  As I said earlier, this is a win-win scenario, because passage of 
this bipartisan fiscally responsible legislation will also clear the 
way for a much-needed and well-deserved increase in the minimum wage. 
America's workers have been waiting far too long for a pay raise. Let's 
not make them wait any longer.
  I urge a ``yes'' vote on this rule and on the previous question, 
because our small business owners need some relief and American workers 
deserve a raise.
  The material previously referred to by Mr. Lincoln Diaz-Balart of 
Florida is as follows:

Amendment to H. Res. 161 Offered by Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart of Florida

       On page 1, line 6, strike the period and insert ``, and the 
     bill (H.R. 60) to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to 
     make permanent the deduction of State and local general sales 
     taxes.''.
                                  ____

       (The information contained herein was provided by 
     Democratic Minority on multiple occasions throughout the 
     109th Congress.)


        The Vote on the Previous Question: What It Really Means

       This vote, the vote on whether to order the previous 
     question on a special rule, is not merely a procedural vote. 
     A vote against ordering the previous question is a vote 
     against the Democratic majority agenda and a vote to allow 
     the opposition, at least for the moment, to offer an 
     alternative plan. It is a vote about what the House should be 
     debating.
       Mr. Clarence Cannon's Precedents of the House of 
     Representatives, (VI, 308-311) describes the vote on the 
     previous question on the rule as ``a motion to direct or 
     control the consideration of the subject before the House 
     being made by the Member in charge.'' To defeat the previous 
     question is to give the opposition a chance to decide the 
     subject before the House. Cannon cites the Speaker's ruling 
     of January 13, 1920, to the effect that ``the refusal of the 
     House to sustain the demand for the previous question passes 
     the control of the resolution to the opposition'' in order to 
     offer an amendment. On March 15, 1909, a member of the 
     majority party offered a rule resolution. The House defeated 
     the previous question and a member of the opposition rose to 
     a parliamentary inquiry, asking who was entitled to 
     recognition. Speaker Joseph G. Cannon (R-Illinois) said: 
     ``The previous question having been refused, the gentleman 
     from New York, Mr. Fitzgerald, who had asked the gentleman to 
     yield to him for an amendment, is entitled to the first 
     recognition.''
       Because the vote today may look bad for the Democratic 
     majority they will say ``the vote on the previous question is 
     simply a vote on whether to proceed to an immediate vote on 
     adopting the resolution . . . [and] has no substantive 
     legislative or policy implications whatsoever.'' But that is 
     not what they have always said. Listen to the definition of 
     the previous question used in the Floor Procedures Manual 
     published by the Rules Committee in the 109th Congress, (page 
     56). Here's how the Rules Committee described the rule using 
     information from Congressional Quarterly's American 
     Congressional Dictionary: ``If the previous question is 
     defeated, control of debate shifts to the leading opposition 
     member (usually the minority Floor Manager) who then manages 
     an hour of debate and may offer a germane amendment to the 
     pending business.''
       Deschler's Procedure in the U.S. House of Representatives, 
     the subchapter titled Amending Special Rules states: ``a 
     refusal to order the previous question on such a rule [a 
     special rule reported from the Committee on Rules] opens the 
     resolution to amendment and further debate.'' (Chapter 21, 
     section 21.2) Section 21.3 continues: Upon rejection of the 
     motion for the previous question on a resolution reported 
     from the Committee on Rules, control shifts to the Member 
     leading the opposition to the previous question, who may 
     offer a proper amendment or motion and who controls the time 
     for debate thereon.''
       Clearly, the vote on the previous question on a rule does 
     have substantive policy implications. It is one of the only 
     available tools for those who oppose the Democratic 
     majority's agenda and allows those with alternative views the 
     opportunity to offer an alternative plan.

  Mr. ARCURI. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I 
move the previous question on the resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on ordering the previous 
question.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the ayes appeared to have it.
  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the 
yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 9 of rule XX, the Chair 
will reduce to 5 minutes the minimum time for any electronic vote on 
the question of adopting the resolution.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 218, 
nays 188, not voting 28, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 100]

                               YEAS--218

     Abercrombie
     Ackerman
     Allen
     Altmire
     Andrews
     Arcuri
     Baca
     Baldwin
     Barrow
     Bean
     Becerra
     Berkley
     Berry
     Bishop (GA)
     Bishop (NY)
     Blumenauer
     Boren
     Boswell
     Boucher
     Boyd (FL)
     Boyda (KS)
     Brady (PA)
     Braley (IA)
     Brown, Corrine
     Butterfield
     Capps
     Capuano
     Cardoza
     Carnahan
     Carney
     Carson
     Castor
     Chandler
     Clarke
     Clay
     Cleaver
     Clyburn
     Cohen
     Conyers
     Costa
     Courtney
     Cramer
     Crowley
     Cuellar
     Cummings
     Davis (AL)
     Davis (CA)
     Davis (IL)
     Davis, Lincoln
     DeGette
     Delahunt
     DeLauro
     Dicks
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Donnelly
     Doyle
     Ellison
     Ellsworth
     Emanuel
     Engel
     Eshoo
     Etheridge
     Farr
     Fattah
     Filner
     Frank (MA)
     Giffords
     Gillibrand
     Gonzalez
     Green, Al
     Grijalva
     Hall (NY)
     Hare
     Hastings (FL)
     Herseth
     Higgins
     Hill
     Hinchey
     Hinojosa
     Hirono
     Hodes
     Holden
     Holt
     Honda
     Hooley
     Hoyer
     Inslee
     Israel
     Jackson (IL)
     Jackson-Lee (TX)
     Jefferson
     Johnson (GA)
     Johnson, E. B.
     Jones (NC)
     Jones (OH)
     Kagen
     Kanjorski
     Kennedy
     Kildee
     Kilpatrick
     Kind
     Klein (FL)
     Kucinich
     Lampson
     Langevin
     Lantos
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     Lee
     Levin
     Lewis (GA)
     Lipinski
     Loebsack
     Lofgren, Zoe
     Lynch
     Maloney (NY)
     Markey
     Marshall
     Matheson
     Matsui
     McCarthy (NY)
     McCollum (MN)
     McDermott
     McGovern
     McIntyre
     McNerney
     McNulty
     Meehan
     Meek (FL)
     Meeks (NY)
     Melancon
     Michaud
     Millender-McDonald
     Miller (NC)
     Miller, George
     Mitchell
     Mollohan
     Moore (KS)
     Moore (WI)
     Moran (VA)
     Murphy (CT)
     Murphy, Patrick
     Murtha
     Napolitano
     Neal (MA)
     Oberstar
     Obey
     Olver
     Ortiz
     Pallone
     Pascrell
     Pastor
     Payne
     Pelosi
     Perlmutter
     Peterson (MN)
     Pomeroy
     Price (NC)
     Rahall
     Rangel
     Reyes
     Rodriguez
     Ross
     Rothman
     Roybal-Allard
     Ruppersberger
     Rush
     Ryan (OH)
     Salazar
     Sanchez, Linda T.
     Sanchez, Loretta
     Sarbanes
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schwartz
     Scott (GA)
     Scott (VA)
     Serrano
     Sestak
     Shea-Porter
     Sherman
     Shuler
     Sires
     Skelton
     Slaughter
     Smith (WA)
     Snyder
     Solis
     Space
     Spratt
     Stupak
     Sutton
     Tauscher
     Taylor
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Tierney
     Towns
     Udall (CO)
     Udall (NM)
     Van Hollen
     Velazquez
     Visclosky
     Walz (MN)
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters
     Watson
     Watt
     Waxman
     Weiner
     Welch (VT)
     Wexler
     Wilson (OH)
     Woolsey
     Wu
     Wynn
     Yarmuth

                               NAYS--188

     Aderholt
     Akin
     Alexander
     Bachmann
     Bachus
     Baker
     Barrett (SC)
     Bartlett (MD)
     Barton (TX)
     Biggert
     Bilbray
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (UT)
     Blackburn
     Blunt
     Boehner
     Bonner
     Bono
     Boozman
     Brady (TX)
     Brown (SC)
     Brown-Waite, Ginny
     Buchanan

[[Page 4518]]


     Burgess
     Burton (IN)
     Buyer
     Camp (MI)
     Campbell (CA)
     Cannon
     Cantor
     Capito
     Carter
     Castle
     Chabot
     Coble
     Cole (OK)
     Conaway
     Cooper
     Crenshaw
     Cubin
     Culberson
     Davis (KY)
     Davis, David
     Davis, Tom
     Deal (GA)
     Dent
     Diaz-Balart, L.
     Diaz-Balart, M.
     Doolittle
     Drake
     Dreier
     Duncan
     Edwards
     Ehlers
     Emerson
     English (PA)
     Fallin
     Feeney
     Ferguson
     Forbes
     Fortenberry
     Fossella
     Foxx
     Franks (AZ)
     Frelinghuysen
     Garrett (NJ)
     Gerlach
     Gilchrest
     Gillmor
     Gingrey
     Goodlatte
     Gordon
     Granger
     Graves
     Hall (TX)
     Hastings (WA)
     Hayes
     Heller
     Hensarling
     Herger
     Hobson
     Hoekstra
     Hunter
     Inglis (SC)
     Issa
     Jindal
     Johnson (IL)
     Johnson, Sam
     Jordan
     Keller
     King (IA)
     King (NY)
     Kingston
     Kirk
     Kline (MN)
     Knollenberg
     Kuhl (NY)
     Lamborn
     LaTourette
     Lewis (CA)
     Lewis (KY)
     Linder
     Lucas
     Lungren, Daniel E.
     Mack
     Mahoney (FL)
     Manzullo
     Marchant
     McCarthy (CA)
     McCaul (TX)
     McCotter
     McCrery
     McHenry
     McHugh
     McKeon
     McMorris Rodgers
     Mica
     Miller (FL)
     Miller (MI)
     Moran (KS)
     Musgrave
     Myrick
     Neugebauer
     Nunes
     Paul
     Pearce
     Pence
     Peterson (PA)
     Petri
     Pickering
     Pitts
     Platts
     Poe
     Porter
     Price (GA)
     Pryce (OH)
     Putnam
     Radanovich
     Ramstad
     Regula
     Rehberg
     Reichert
     Renzi
     Reynolds
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rogers (MI)
     Rohrabacher
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Roskam
     Royce
     Ryan (WI)
     Sali
     Saxton
     Schmidt
     Sensenbrenner
     Sessions
     Shadegg
     Shays
     Shimkus
     Shuster
     Simpson
     Smith (NE)
     Smith (NJ)
     Souder
     Stearns
     Sullivan
     Tancredo
     Tanner
     Terry
     Thornberry
     Tiahrt
     Tiberi
     Turner
     Upton
     Walberg
     Walden (OR)
     Walsh (NY)
     Wamp
     Weldon (FL)
     Weller
     Westmoreland
     Whitfield
     Wilson (NM)
     Wilson (SC)
     Wolf
     Young (AK)
     Young (FL)

                             NOT VOTING--28

     Baird
     Berman
     Boustany
     Calvert
     Costello
     Davis, Jo Ann
     DeFazio
     Everett
     Flake
     Gallegly
     Gohmert
     Goode
     Green, Gene
     Gutierrez
     Harman
     Hastert
     Hulshof
     Kaptur
     LaHood
     Latham
     LoBiondo
     Lowey
     Miller, Gary
     Murphy, Tim
     Nadler
     Smith (TX)
     Stark
     Wicker

                              {time}  1628

  Messrs. THORNBERRY, BILBRAY, HALL of Texas, COOPER, GORDON of 
Tennessee, EDWARDS, ENGLISH of Pennsylvania, TANNER and SHAYS changed 
their vote from ``yea'' to ``nay.''
  Mr. WYNN changed his vote from ``nay'' to ``yea.''
  So the previous question was ordered.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the resolution.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the ayes appeared to have it.


                             Recorded Vote

  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded 
vote.
  A recorded vote was ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. This will be a 5-minute vote.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 220, 
noes 184, not voting 29, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 101]

                               AYES--220

     Abercrombie
     Ackerman
     Allen
     Altmire
     Andrews
     Arcuri
     Baca
     Baldwin
     Barrow
     Bean
     Becerra
     Berkley
     Berry
     Bishop (GA)
     Bishop (NY)
     Blumenauer
     Boren
     Boswell
     Boucher
     Boyd (FL)
     Boyda (KS)
     Brady (PA)
     Braley (IA)
     Brown, Corrine
     Butterfield
     Capps
     Capuano
     Cardoza
     Carnahan
     Carney
     Carson
     Castor
     Chandler
     Clarke
     Clay
     Cleaver
     Clyburn
     Cohen
     Conyers
     Cooper
     Costa
     Courtney
     Cramer
     Crowley
     Cuellar
     Cummings
     Davis (AL)
     Davis (CA)
     Davis (IL)
     Davis, Lincoln
     DeGette
     Delahunt
     DeLauro
     Dicks
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Donnelly
     Doyle
     Edwards
     Ellison
     Ellsworth
     Emanuel
     Engel
     Eshoo
     Etheridge
     Farr
     Fattah
     Filner
     Frank (MA)
     Giffords
     Gillibrand
     Gonzalez
     Gordon
     Green, Al
     Grijalva
     Hall (NY)
     Hare
     Hastings (FL)
     Herseth
     Higgins
     Hill
     Hinchey
     Hinojosa
     Hirono
     Hodes
     Holden
     Holt
     Honda
     Hooley
     Hoyer
     Inslee
     Israel
     Jackson (IL)
     Jackson-Lee (TX)
     Jefferson
     Johnson (GA)
     Johnson, E. B.
     Jones (OH)
     Kagen
     Kanjorski
     Kaptur
     Kennedy
     Kildee
     Kilpatrick
     Kind
     Klein (FL)
     Kucinich
     Lampson
     Langevin
     Lantos
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     Lee
     Levin
     Lewis (GA)
     Lipinski
     Loebsack
     Lofgren, Zoe
     Lynch
     Mahoney (FL)
     Maloney (NY)
     Markey
     Marshall
     Matheson
     Matsui
     McCarthy (NY)
     McCollum (MN)
     McDermott
     McGovern
     McIntyre
     McNerney
     McNulty
     Meehan
     Meek (FL)
     Meeks (NY)
     Melancon
     Michaud
     Millender-McDonald
     Miller (NC)
     Miller, George
     Mitchell
     Mollohan
     Moore (KS)
     Moore (WI)
     Moran (VA)
     Murphy (CT)
     Murphy, Patrick
     Murtha
     Napolitano
     Neal (MA)
     Oberstar
     Obey
     Olver
     Ortiz
     Pallone
     Pascrell
     Pastor
     Payne
     Perlmutter
     Peterson (MN)
     Pomeroy
     Price (NC)
     Rahall
     Rangel
     Reyes
     Rodriguez
     Ross
     Rothman
     Ruppersberger
     Rush
     Ryan (OH)
     Salazar
     Sanchez, Linda T.
     Sanchez, Loretta
     Sarbanes
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schwartz
     Scott (GA)
     Scott (VA)
     Serrano
     Sestak
     Shea-Porter
     Sherman
     Shuler
     Sires
     Skelton
     Slaughter
     Smith (WA)
     Snyder
     Solis
     Space
     Spratt
     Stupak
     Sutton
     Tanner
     Tauscher
     Taylor
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Tierney
     Udall (CO)
     Udall (NM)
     Van Hollen
     Velazquez
     Visclosky
     Walz (MN)
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters
     Watson
     Watt
     Waxman
     Weiner
     Welch (VT)
     Wexler
     Wilson (OH)
     Woolsey
     Wu
     Wynn
     Yarmuth

                               NOES--184

     Aderholt
     Akin
     Alexander
     Bachmann
     Bachus
     Baker
     Barrett (SC)
     Bartlett (MD)
     Barton (TX)
     Biggert
     Bilbray
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (UT)
     Blackburn
     Blunt
     Boehner
     Bonner
     Bono
     Boozman
     Brady (TX)
     Brown (SC)
     Brown-Waite, Ginny
     Buchanan
     Burgess
     Burton (IN)
     Buyer
     Camp (MI)
     Campbell (CA)
     Cannon
     Cantor
     Capito
     Carter
     Castle
     Chabot
     Coble
     Cole (OK)
     Conaway
     Crenshaw
     Cubin
     Culberson
     Davis (KY)
     Davis, David
     Davis, Tom
     Deal (GA)
     Dent
     Diaz-Balart, L.
     Diaz-Balart, M.
     Doolittle
     Drake
     Dreier
     Duncan
     Ehlers
     Emerson
     English (PA)
     Fallin
     Feeney
     Ferguson
     Forbes
     Fortenberry
     Fossella
     Foxx
     Franks (AZ)
     Frelinghuysen
     Garrett (NJ)
     Gerlach
     Gilchrest
     Gillmor
     Gingrey
     Gohmert
     Goode
     Goodlatte
     Granger
     Graves
     Hall (TX)
     Hastings (WA)
     Hayes
     Heller
     Hensarling
     Herger
     Hobson
     Hoekstra
     Hunter
     Inglis (SC)
     Issa
     Jindal
     Johnson (IL)
     Johnson, Sam
     Jones (NC)
     Jordan
     Keller
     King (IA)
     King (NY)
     Kingston
     Kirk
     Kline (MN)
     Knollenberg
     Lamborn
     LaTourette
     Lewis (CA)
     Lewis (KY)
     Linder
     Lucas
     Lungren, Daniel E.
     Mack
     Manzullo
     Marchant
     McCarthy (CA)
     McCaul (TX)
     McCotter
     McCrery
     McHenry
     McHugh
     McKeon
     McMorris Rodgers
     Mica
     Miller (FL)
     Miller (MI)
     Moran (KS)
     Musgrave
     Myrick
     Neugebauer
     Nunes
     Paul
     Pearce
     Peterson (PA)
     Petri
     Pickering
     Pitts
     Platts
     Poe
     Porter
     Price (GA)
     Pryce (OH)
     Putnam
     Radanovich
     Ramstad
     Regula
     Rehberg
     Reichert
     Renzi
     Reynolds
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rogers (MI)
     Rohrabacher
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Roskam
     Royce
     Ryan (WI)
     Sali
     Saxton
     Schmidt
     Sensenbrenner
     Sessions
     Shadegg
     Shays
     Shimkus
     Shuster
     Simpson
     Smith (NE)
     Smith (NJ)
     Souder
     Stearns
     Sullivan
     Tancredo
     Terry
     Thornberry
     Tiahrt
     Tiberi
     Turner
     Upton
     Walberg
     Walden (OR)
     Walsh (NY)
     Wamp
     Weldon (FL)
     Weller
     Westmoreland
     Whitfield
     Wilson (NM)
     Wilson (SC)
     Wolf
     Young (AK)
     Young (FL)

                             NOT VOTING--29

     Baird
     Berman
     Boustany
     Calvert
     Costello
     Davis, Jo Ann
     DeFazio
     Everett
     Flake
     Gallegly
     Green, Gene
     Gutierrez
     Harman
     Hastert
     Hulshof
     Kuhl (NY)
     LaHood
     Latham
     LoBiondo
     Lowey
     Miller, Gary
     Murphy, Tim
     Nadler
     Pence
     Roybal-Allard
     Smith (TX)
     Stark
     Towns
     Wicker


                Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (during the vote). Members are advised 2 
minutes remain in this vote.

                              {time}  1636

  So the resolution was agreed to.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
  Stated against:
  Mr. KUHL of New York. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 101 I was 
unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

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