[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 7754]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          PERSONAL EXPLANATION

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. NIKI TSONGAS

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 21, 2015

  Ms. TSONGAS. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to cast votes from May 18-May 
21st due to a family commitment.
  Had I been present, I would have voted against H.R. 2250, the 
Legislative Branch Appropriations Act. Republicans have chosen to fund 
the Department of Defense at higher funding levels at the expense of 
funding for other agencies already squeezed by strict sequestration 
rules. Although I support some of the provisions in this legislation, I 
oppose the manner with which Republicans have decided to prioritize 
spending for the country.
  I would have voted in favor of H.R. 2353, the Highway and 
Transportation Funding Act of 2015. The strength and vitality of our 
nation's infrastructure is critical to our economic competitiveness. 
The Highway Trust Fund provides federal support for transportation 
projects on the state level in order to maintain a modern, efficient, 
and reliable transportation infrastructure. These projects also support 
local job creation and economic development. However, I am extremely 
dismayed that H.R. 2353 only extends authorization for the Highway 
Trust Fund for two months and does not address long term funding 
challenges. Congress must pass a bipartisan, long-term funding solution 
for the Highway Trust Fund.
  I would have voted against H.R. 1806, the America COMPETES 
Reauthorization Act. Since its enactment, the America COMPETES Act has 
bolstered our nation's science and energy competitiveness through 
increased investment in research and development and STEM education. 
Unfortunately, instead of simply reauthorizing this bipartisan program, 
this bill undermines critical investments in science, technology, and 
research.
  I would have voted against H.R. 880, the American Research and 
Competitiveness Act. While I am a strong supporter of making the 
Research and Development tax credit permanent, I do not support this 
legislation because this unpaid-for tax measure would add an estimated 
$181.6 billion to the deficit over 10 years.
  I would have voted against H.R. 2262, the SPACE Act of 2015. While I 
support the development of the commercial space industry, this 
legislation does not strike the appropriate balance between the needs 
of the industry and overall safety of the programs for the general 
public and future customers.

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