July 18, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4915 

trade with the ninth largest economy 

in the world. In 2011, last year, North 

Dakota had over $46 million worth of 

exports to Russia. This impacted 160 

jobs in our State directly. That number 

will grow significantly if we grant 

PNTR to Russia. On the other hand, 

failing to grant them PNTR will significantly impact North Dakota businesses as well as all American businesses. It will put us at a competitive 

disadvantage. 

This is why it is important for Congress to grant permanent normal trade 

relations with Russia and to do it as 

quickly as possible. 

Mr. REED. I thank the gentleman for 

his comments. 

I also thank the folks who came to 

the Chamber this morning, Madam 

Speaker, in a bipartisan fashion to recognize the need to grant PNTR status 

to Russia in order for us—American 

manufacturers, American job creators—to take advantage of that trade 

opportunity that is represented by the 

Russian accession to the WTO. 

If we go forward and grant PNTR status to Russia, United States exports 

could double or, perhaps, even triple as 

a result of the trade opportunity that 

Russia represents to our American job 

creators; and in the great State of New 

York, that means tremendous numbers 

of jobs will be created. 

As we all know, the number one issue 

facing us in this Chamber, in this city, 

is: How are we going to grow jobs 

across America? As I said in the beginning and as I will say again, American 

trade opportunity, such as represented 

by Russia, equals American job opportunity. 

f 

STOP SPENDING ON WEAPONS AND 

WARFARE; START INVESTING IN 

THE AMERICAN PEOPLE 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The 

Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 

California (Ms. WOOLSEY) for 5 minutes. 

Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, this 

week, the House is debating the Defense appropriations bill, which provides an excellent opportunity to point 

out something quite ironic about my 

colleagues in the majority because, 

Madam Speaker, for all of their talk 

about getting spending under control, 

that same rhetoric is surprisingly absent when we are talking about the 

Pentagon budget, which we are talking 

about this week. 

You see, they’re eager to slash and 

burn when it comes to programs that 

invest and support middle class working families, but somehow, when it is 

time for sacrifice to be shared, the 

military industrial complex is nowhere 

to be found. While we have to fight for 

every penny of domestic spending, the 

Pentagon simply fills in its amount on 

a blank check, it appears. So I think 

we ought to have a dollar-for-dollar 

match in spending cuts. 

I will be offering a series of amendments to the DOD appropriations bill 

that call for defense cuts in the exact 

amounts by which other important 

programs are being reduced. 

For example, the proposed LaborHHS-Education spending bill eliminates the title X program. Title X, the 

family planning program that historically has been passed with bipartisan 

support, has provided contraceptive 

and preventive health services to lowincome women for more than 40 years. 

The Republicans want the title X $294 

million investment gone. So let’s cut 

the defense budget by an identical $294 

million; 

The Ag appropriations bill provides 

$119 million less than the President requested for WIC—the Women, Infants, 

and Children’s program—which provides badly needed nutrition assistance 

for poor pregnant women, new mothers, and children up to the age of 5. So, 

if we are going to shortchange a pillar 

of our safety net by $119 million, then 

I believe the Department of Defense 

can do without that same $119 million. 

b 1040 

Here’s the big ticket item: the Republican budget. The budget that 

passed this body in March zeroed out 

all funding for the Social Services 

Block Grant, including $1.7 billion in 

cuts for next year. If my Republican 

friends believe that we can’t afford $1.7 

billion next year to provide daycare, 

housing, home health care, home meal 

delivery, and other social services, 

then I say we can also eliminate a corresponding $1.7 billion in defense spending. 

The fact is, Madam Speaker, defense 

cuts are not only fiscally responsible 

and morally defensible; they’re widely 

popular. USA Today reported yesterday on a new survey that shows that 

two-thirds of those living in Republican congressional districts believe 

that the defense budget is too large. 

It is no secret that military spending 

is widely out of control. Let’s remember that none of this takes into account the war in Afghanistan, which 

isn’t funded through the appropriations 

process. On top of the bloated defense 

budget, American taxpayers are shelling out another $10 billion a month— 

not a year—for a decade-long war that 

is failing to advance our national security objective. 

It’s time to reverse this course. It’s 

time to bring our troops home from Afghanistan. It’s time for the Pentagon 

to assume its share of the shared sacrifice. It’s time to do the right and the 

sensible thing: stop spending on weapons and warfare and start investing in 

the American people. 

f 

EXTENDING TAX RELIEF 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The 

Chair recognizes the gentleman from 

California (Mr. HERGER) for 5 minutes. 

Mr. HERGER. Madam Speaker, coming from a small business background, 

I originally ran for public office not because of what government was doing 

for me, but rather what it was doing to 

me. 

Many small business owners in my 

northern California district feel the 

same way, but apparently the President isn’t getting that message. The 

other day he said: 

If you’ve got a business, you didn’t 

build that. Somebody else made that 

happen. 

Madam Speaker, perhaps that is why 

he’s so determined to raise taxes on 

small businesses on January 1. Now 

Senate Democrats are saying that if 

they can’t get their small business tax 

hike, they’ll let taxes go up for everyone. That’s just wrong. Let’s stop the 

tax hike for all Americans. 

f 

RECESS 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 12(a) of rule I, the Chair 

declares the House in recess until noon 

today. 

Accordingly (at 10 o’clock and 43 

minutes a.m.), the House stood in recess. 

f 

b 1200 

AFTER RECESS 

The recess having expired, the House 

was called to order by the Speaker at 

noon. 

f 

PRAYER 

Reverend Dr. Stan Ballard, Nettleton 

Baptist Church, Jonesboro, Arkansas, 

offered the following prayer: 

Father in Heaven, thank You for this 

unique privilege You have given me 

today to pray and to ask Your blessings on the Congress of the United 

States. I pray for Your wisdom and 

guidance to be given to each Member of 

Congress. I pray for Your protection 

for them and their families. 

Please reveal to each of them that 

they have a great responsibility to vote 

and conduct themselves according to 

Your divine will and purpose. Show 

them that they are accountable not 

only to the voters, but to You, Almighty God. 

Thank You for the United States and 

the freedom and opportunities we enjoy 

as Americans. Thank You for allowing 

us to be blessed by Your omnipotent 

hand for over 236 years. Your purpose is 

for us to share Your blessings of love 

and grace to all people. We pray for a 

strong economy and for national unity. 

We are blessed because You are our 

God. 

In Jesus’ name, amen. 

f 

THE JOURNAL 

The SPEAKER. The Chair has examined the Journal of the last day’s proceedings and announces to the House 

his approval thereof. 

Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Journal stands approved. 


rfrederick on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with HOUSE