[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 10]
[House]
[Pages 14762-14763]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       THE CONTINUING RESOLUTION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Oregon (Ms. Bonamici) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, as we prepare to debate and vote on the 
continuing resolution to fund the government through December, I rise 
to urge that the House stay in session until we can also take up 
several issues that are not resolved in the legislation we will be 
voting on, things our constituents are struggling with every day: 
unemployment, adequate support for our seniors, college affordability, 
and climate change.

                              {time}  1015

  These issues deserve our attention, and the toll they take on 
Americans is very real, both in Oregon and in districts across the 
country.
  For the millions of men and women who are still struggling to find a 
job, emergency unemployment insurance was their lifeline. After 
numerous pleas to call for a vote went unanswered, millions of 
Americans are now unable to fill up their gas tank or pay their rent. 
For some on the precipice of homelessness, this is the tipping point. 
These people can't move on without the support provided by unemployment 
insurance. So let's send a signal that we haven't abandoned them and 
take up a bill to extend these critical benefits.
  And let's not forget how many people could get back to work if we 
would set aside our differences and pass a long-term transportation 
bill and a comprehensive overhaul of our Tax Code. Enough of these 
policies that incentivize businesses to go overseas; we need policies 
that keep them bringing jobs back home.
  We should also think of our seniors. The Older Americans Act changed 
the way our seniors age in this country. It contains social and 
nutritional programs that help them live full, independent lives, but 
the act expired more than 3 years ago. Meanwhile, the number of 
Americans turning 60 continues to grow.
  I introduced a bill to reauthorize and update the Older Americans Act 
so seniors can age with dignity and not in

[[Page 14763]]

poverty. However, the House has yet to consider this important bill to 
renew critical safety net programs like Meals on Wheels, home health 
care, and protection from elder abuse. My bill is closely aligned with 
a bipartisan compromise introduced in the Senate, and it deserves 
consideration.
  And let's not forget the millions of students who are returning to 
college campuses across the country this fall. The cost of college is 
leaving too many of them with massive debt and decades-long repayment 
plans. That is a drag on our economy. We need legislation that allows 
students to refinance their current loans--just like people can 
refinance a mortgage to get lower rates--and, ultimately, we must 
address the rising cost of college. Higher education needs to be 
accessible for everyone. We should not create barriers by maintaining a 
system in which higher education involves exorbitant student loan debt.
  Finally, the threat of climate change continues to loom. This too is 
a concern across the country and around the world, but it is 
particularly alarming to my coastal and agricultural portions of my 
district. Greenhouse gas emissions are at record highs, leading to a 
warming planet, melting glaciers, and rising sea levels. Farmers, 
fishers, and others who rely on our natural resources are already 
feeling the stress.
  We must have a serious discussion about how we can curb increasing 
carbon emissions. Let's make this an opportunity to develop new and 
innovative technologies that can reduce carbon emissions while growing 
and advancing our economy through the creation of clean energy jobs. 
Let's do it for our children and our grandchildren. Let's not wait.
  Yes, this continuing resolution will continue to fund the government 
for a short time. It will prevent another disastrous government 
shutdown. But it is a short-term fix that leaves numerous immediate 
problems unaddressed. We must do better for our constituents. They will 
bear the ramifications of our inaction.
  I urge my colleagues to set aside our differences. Let's work 
together to find the solutions our constituents deserve.

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