ms. granger: mr.ise today in support of this six-bill appropriation package. i'm glad we are here to consider full-year bills and i want to thank everyone who participated in this process. with the odds stacked against us, house republicans made progress in how we fund the government. we drafted the bills in history. members submitted over 1,000 amendments, we considered house bills individually on the floor. and we avoided a massive omnibus measure. in total, we increased defense

funding and made targeted cuts.r legacy under my colleagues on the othere of the aisle -- want to remove. this bill strengthens our energy security, holds agencies farmeran ranchers and makes our transportation system safer. i urge my colleues to support this bill and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from texas reserves. the gentleman from california is recognized. mr. takano: thank you, mr.s regt rise in opposition to the measure before us. i'm anguished over it for one simple reason. veterans' lives are on the line. i have the greatest respect for my colleague, the ranking member of the appropriations committee,

and i know it was a difficult road to get to this point. and i also appreciate the work of our democratic leader to try and find consensus. there are many good things in this bill, things that will benefit everyday americans. but as ranking member of the house veterans' affairs committee, this bill comes at the expense of our most vulnerable veterans and therefore i cannot support it. however, i want to be cleot asko oppose the bill. mr. speaker, i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california reserves. the gentlelady from texas is recognized. ms. granger: i yield to the gentleman from kentucky, the chairman of the commerce, justice, science subcommittee, and dean of the house of representatives. the speaker pro tempore: for what amount of time? ms. granger: three minutes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for three minutes. >> i thank the chairlady for yielding. mr. speaker, as chairman of the subcommittee on commerce,

justice, science and related inf the appropriations act that we're considering today. mr. rogers: the situation facing the nation requires congress to make significant ree maintaining strong commitments to the safety, security and well-being of the american people. after tough but fair bipartisana strong bill that prioritizes everyday americans while bureau. make no mistake, mr. chairman, many agencies with impornt missions face reductions under this legislation.

we believe it's important out-ol growth of the federal government and that is reflected in this agreement. the c.j.s. bill scales back spending by holding most agencies to 2023 levels or lower. agencies must refocus on their core responsibilities. despite limited resources, we maintain robust funding that prioritizes the fight against fentanyl, support for local law enforcement, and effor to counter china by supporting innovation, space exploration and scientific research. we do this while also

utilizing the power of the purse to address the weaponization of the federal bureau of investigation and the overreach of the bureau of explosives. to that end, the f.b.i. and a.t.f. will be receiving less money than last year. in addition, the c.j.s. containw policy riders to protect the american people. of justice from targeting parents who exercise their right to free speech at lal meetings. the other prohibits the department of justice from investigating churches on the basis of their religious beliefs.

the bill supports local law enforcement by including funding for burn justice grants and cops hiring grants. i ask ms. granger: i yield. the speaker pro tempore: t he gentleman is recognized for an additional two minutes. mr. rogers: this will empower our local police departments to ensure they have the resources they need to safeguard our neighborhoods. law enforcement plays an importan the well-being of every american in every congressional district. passage of this bill today sends a strong message, we have their backs. in closing, i want to thank chairwoman granger. she's been a trooper in tough circumstances and has done a wonderful

job, and i congratulate her.f< to thank the subcommittee, ranking member mr. cartwright. he's been a valued partnenw and i also want to thank all the members of the subcommittee for their help and well as ranking member delauro. this legislation is a product of good faith, bipartisan negotiations. it's a win for the american people. so i urge my colleagues to s legislation, and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: t he gentleman from kentucky yields back. the gentlelady from texas reserves. the gentleman from california is recognized. >> mr. speaker, i yield three minutes to the gentlewoman from connecticut, the di the speaker pro tempore: t he gentlelady is recognized for three minutes.

ms. delauro: i rise in support of this legislation which prov domestic programs which curb the rising cost of living, that creates nts the climate crisis. it honors our commitments to the american veterans and protects women's rights. in a divided country, i'm■' pleased democrats and republicans in the house and senate united and produced legislation to make the government work for the people. theye following the -- they're putting people over the law. it fully funds w.i.c. and prevents five million people from losing their housing. it ireas investments and infrastructure and creates jobs. it restores funding for rail and transit

systems. these funding bills, the product of bipartisan negotiations help keep our community safe and healthy. we're keeping the government open and moving legislation forward. this legislation does not have everything either side may have wanted but i'm pleased many of the extreme cuts and policies proposed by house republicans were excluded. house democrats rejected outright women health care. these domestic programs empower and protect middle class families. it helps americans contend with an elevated cost of living. inflation and supports key lifelines such as food assistance and ensuring people in this great country of ours do

not go i urge swift passage of this package and look forward to finalizing and passing the remaining 2024 funding bills inue i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: t he gentlelady yields back. the gentleman from california reserves. from texas is recognized. ms. granger: i yield to the ranking member from idaho, mr. simpson, for four minutes. the speaker pro tempore: t he gentleman is recognized for four minutes. mr. simpson: i rise in support of the appropriations act for 2024. i'd like to commend chairwoman granger for her leadership of the appropriations committee and to getting the first six bills across the finish line. i'd like to thank the ranking member subcommittee member pingree for her part on

this bill. we reached a compromise to stop the government shutdown and maintains our lands and needs. provides ne top line resources totaling $38.9 billion, nearly 4% below the fy-2023 level. cutting funding is never easy but with the national debt in excess bill to rein in federal spending. last congress alone, $3 trillion was spent ouide the normal appropriation process. that's $3 trillion additional dollars. as i have said repeatedly, simply holding funding flat is not we must curb out-of-control spending and get our budget back on track. i'm pleased that this bill does that and heads we reduced funding across most agencies and bureaus and the environmental protection agency is cut by nearly

10%. reduced allocation, the bill provides for an additional $34 million for health care, law enforcement, and related programs across indian country. and for the indian health services, the bill continues advanced appropriations totaling $5.2 billion. that's a program, the advanced appropriation that was started by ranking member pingree when she was chairman of this committee, and we've continued that. the bill also fully funds payment in lieu of taxes program. that that program is vitally important to public land states because we can't collec t on federal lands within those states. this is supposed to make up for the taxes that would be -- wou from those lands if they were held in private lands. so this is vitally

import t public land states. it's not enough. but we've fully funded it in this program. it also provides an additional $260 mil land firefighter pay without irresponsible budget gimmicks. in terms of policy, the long-standing legacy riders to prevent the s.a. listing of sage grouse and prevent livestock producers from burdensome greenhouse gas permitting requirements. the bill bolsters our energy independence by encouraging domestic production of critical earth mis and rejects administration proposals to increase offshore energy inspection fees and authorize onshore inspection fees. and for my constituents in idaho, i'm especially pleased the bill blocks the lava ridge wind project until the interior secretary analyzes, in consultation with, in consultation with local officials and stakeholders.

and too alternative plans to reduce the harmful impacts of this project. in closing, i want to thank all on this bill. it is hard to reduce spending but yet we've been able to do that. and i'd like to the staff on both sides of the aisle. while we were home theyking on s bill all night long. i'd like to include the staff on the other side of the rotunda. these bills are hard to compromise but we were able to get it done. it represents a fair compromise that allows us to meet the spending levels agreed to in the fiscal responsibility act and manage our public lands. i urge my colleagues to vote yes on this piece of legislation and i yield back my time. the speaker pro tempore: t he gentleman yields back. man from california is recognized. mr. takano: i yield two minutes tohe

gentlewoman from ohio, the ranking member of the water and appropriations subcommittee, ms. kaptur. the speaker pro tempore: t he gentlelady is recognized for two minutes. ms. kaptur: thank you, mr. chair. i rise in support of this bill, the fiscal year 2024 energy and water bill that ushers in new horizons for jobs and progress for our region and nation. our bill assures investments in energy production vital water infrastructure, and ential for american independence inside our borders. this bipartisan energy and water bill funds the u.s. department of energy, corps ofen reclamation, and regional commissions and authorities impacting every corner of our nation, including the delta, denali, northern border, southeast crescent, southwest border, and the great lakes region. u.s. energy independence

in perpetuity is our consistent, paramount, strategic goal. each year our nation makes significant progress towards it. this bill ensures our nation's nuclear security assets, including the nuclear navy, are modern and ready as a deterrent and to safeguard our security. with vladimir putin's recent threats of launching nuclear weapons in europe andformer pred trump's appeasing reaction, this bill is needed as an affirmation of american will to protect and defend our people and ensure our nation's enemies. i urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bipartisan bill and thank our able chair, charles fleischmann, for his dutiful and responsible duty to our nation. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: t he gentlelady yields back. the gentleman from california reserves. the gentlelady from texas is recognized. ms. granger: i yield to the gentleman from oklahoma, the chairman of the transportation,

housing, urban development subcommittee and member of rules, mr. cole, . the speaker pro tempore: t he distinguished gentleman mr. cole: i thank you and thank the gentlewoman for yielding. i want to thank the speaker of this house. this deal would not have come together without his leadership and support. i want to thank chair granger and ranking member for their work and leadership for putting a package together that can get across this floor in a bipartisan manner. i would be remiss not thank my negotiating counterparts, ranking member quigley and senator shots and ranking member smith on the other side of the rotunda and were terrific to work with. and finally and always, we have outstanding is staff. we all know that and this wouldn't be here without their hard work. i want to focus my remarks on the portion of the bill i had the mo the

transportation, housing, and urban development portion. there are four areas in that bill that i'm especially proudf.bers of both parties and both sides of the aisle -- excuse me, both sides of the rotunda worked really hard on safety first,■d)yeople flying, safety for people that are traveling by rail, safety for men and women on the highways. and we the requirement there and fully funded all those agencies. second, this is probably the most robust funding the federal aeronautical agency has ever received. we have money in there for 1,800 new traffic controllers who are desperately needed. we have additional money for technology■p and for infrastructure programs and simulators to make sure they get the most up to date training we possibly can provide for them. so that was a real accomplishment a with the f.a.a. re-authorization bill that i hope we pass later this congress. maintainede

safety net for people in public housing. we all know what has happened to the cost of rents and housing, and frankly, we didn't want to put anybody out>of their home, and we avoided doing that. finally, and particularly important to me personally, we have historic gains for inousing programs and indian road programs in this bill. none of that could have happened without the people i thanked earlier, the speaker, ranking member of the subcommittee and my negotiating partners. i urge passage of this legislation, . spear. i'm very proud to be associated and very proud it will come to and move across this floor as it should in a bipartisan fashion. with that, mr. speaker, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: t he gentleman yields back. the gentlelady from texas reserves. the gentleman from california. mr. takano: i yield two minutes to the gentleman from georgia, the distinguished member of the agricultural subcommittee, mr. bishop. the speaker pro tempore: t he gentleman is recognized for two minute bishop: i support this b,

including the package on f.d.a. and related agencies. the ag bill effects the liv o every single american, rural, you cannerren and suburban -- urban and suburban, every single day, and ensures americans have access to abundant, safend sip and medical device -- medicine and medical devices. this bill helps prevent hunger, fully funds w.i.c. the bill is free from almost all of the extreme policy riders in the previous versions and it rejects interference with americans' health care and reproductive freedom, as well as attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion training. it protects the ag secreta's use the c.c.c. and cuts to agency borrowers who helped farmers who feed our country. it rejects severe cuts to rural electric coops and the program which helped rural businesses save on energy costs and helped make rural energy grids more■. it protects small, medium

poultry producers and promotes industry competition to reduce the cost of food. it makes crucial investments in ruralsing, rental assistance, as well as the food safety and inspection service. while the base not the best, it brings us closer -- while the bill's not the best, it bringsñ/ earlier versions to meeting the essential needs of the american people. i want to commend president biden, the bipartisan leadership and the staff of house and senate appropriations committees and i urge my colleagues to support the bill. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the gentleman from california reserves. mr. takano: mr. speaker, i yield -- the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves? mr. takano: i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlela from texas isnu recognized. ms. granger: before i yield to the gentleman from tennessee, i want to thank him for bill. he's been wonderful to work with and i appreciate that very much. i yield to the gentleman from tennessee, the chairman of the

energy and water subcommittee, mr. fleischmann, for three minutes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for three minutes. mr. fleischmann: thank you, mr. speaker. and i thank our wonderful chair for yielding time to me and i really appreciate your kind words. mr.■/ speaker, i rise in strong support of the consolidated appropriations act for fiscal year water development appropriations bill. as chairman of that subcommittee, i worked hard to ensure the bill includes many house republican priorities. out of a total of the money, the bill advances ourrity, our enery and our economic competitiveness in a fiscally responsible manner. to support our nuclear depermit, the bill funds the -- deterrent, the bill funds the national security nuclear administration and increes fiscal year 2023.

specifically, the bill fully funds all major weapons and infrastructure modernization activities, including the w-93 warhead, the nuclear c-launched cruise missile, which is a an b-61 gravity bomb, and the restart of plutonium pit production the noe nondefense side of the bill, i was very pleased to be able to secure increases for the funding for the department of energy office of science including fusion energy science. this funding will enhance america's role as the global leader of scientific discovery and lay the foundation for future scientific breakthroughs. the programs funded in the energy and water bill also help improve ourty. to reduce our reliance on foreign sources of critical materials, the bill provides strong full spectrum of production

technologies. remaining the leader in nuclear technologies will ensure reliable energy here at home and allies across the globe. the bill sentence the department of energy's nuclear energy base program and also redirects previously appropriated funds to higher priorities. specifically $2.8 billion to dep a domestic capability from producing low enriched uranium, including low enriched for upcoming advanced reactors and $910 million to support advanced modular reactor activi. there are many other important provisions in this energy and water bill, but before my time is up, i want chairwoman granger on bringing together this appropriation package. i'd also like to acknowledge the efforts of our the aisle, especially my ranking

member, ms. kaptur, and our colleagues across the capitol. finally, i'd like to thank t fok throughout this past year. our majority staff, angie, perry, nooera, ritchie, scott, angelina and janet. and my personal office, daniel and ian. and on the minority side, scott, jocelyne and adam. this is a strong bill for america, with many house republican priorities. i urge my colleagues to vote yes. mr. speaker, i yield back. tempe gentleman's time has expired. the gentlelady from texas reservings. the gentleman from california -- reserves. the gentleman from california. mr. takano: mr. speaker, i yield two minutes to the gentleman from florida, the ranking member of the military construction and veterans' affairs appropriations subcommittee, ms. wasserman schultz. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. was was thank you, mr. speaker -- ms. wasserman schu tr. speaker. i thank the gentleman for yielding. as the milcon v.a. subcommittee ranking member, i support this minibus not only because we blocked nearly all poison pill policy rers, but it includes major democratic priorities. we restored military

construction funding to $2 billion above the budget request. dedicated resiliency in pfas remediation funding. we held strong on our commitment to veterans by providing $121 billion for v.a.4í>.are, increased and protected funding for gender-specific care for women, and blocked republican attempts to further restrict women's abortion access and counseling. i'm so pleased my friend, chairman carter, and i joined forces to end harmful v.a. research on dogs, cats and nonhuman primates within two years. they built a in ins but that lowers costs, creates jobs and fortifies ameri'snergy independence with cutting edge climate research. in other parts of this bill, i'm proud we fully fund everglades restoration at the president's budget request of million. president biden has delivered time and time again for florida's environment and everglades restoration specifically. this funding allows restoration. reservoir to continue to move

forward so that we can save america's everglades. and finally, these bills provide millions of dollars back home. i secured more than $15 million in local projects headed toward broward county, and community as i cross america will see similar -- across americail see similar assistance. that means funding to house veterans and help raise local streets in hollywood to mitigate climate change, it means vitalao conduct more detailed investigations of human trafficking cases. i was able to secure support for local reef preservation, genetic disease research, water, sewer and drainage upgrades, as well as help fix nagging local infrastructure repairs that my constituents navigate every day. for all these reasons, i urge ms minibus and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back. the gentleman from california. mr. takano: i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: reserves. the gentlelady from texas is recognized.ózgranger: mr. speaki reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from texas reserves. the gentleman from california. reserves. the gentleman from california. mr. takano: mr. speaker, i yield

two minutes to the gentlewoman from maine, the distinguished ranking member of the interior and environment appropriations subcommittee, ms. pingree. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. ms. pingree: thank you very much. and i thank you to the gentleman for yielding the time. i too rise to support the fiscal year 2024 consolidated appropriations act. i particularly want to thank rankdeing member delauro for her leadership and perseverance in working on this. and i also want to thank my chair and the cman simpson, who is a pleasure to work with and i appreciate your collaboration and partnership through this process. thank you too to chairwoman granger for your work on this andave made all the difference in us being able to put this together. as my colleague chairman simpson said, this wasn't necessarily an easy bill. it's never easy to make cuts to programs that i consider vital and particularly important to what we do. but i am pleased that this billo care for our planet, to fight

the climate emergency, and meet our trust obligations to tribal nations. this bill rejects the $13 billion in devastating cuts imposed in the house republican bill originally and does not include more than 100 poin pill policy riders. the bill provides necessary resources to deal with the threat of wildfires in the west and provides additional funding to continue the infrastructure investment and jobs act pay supplement for wildland firefighters. the bill also protects arts ande enacted funding level for the national endowment for the arts, and the national endowment for the humanities, supportin commus country. and finally, this bill supports native american families by investing in a strong and resilient indian country. including through education and health care programs. these are important investments to all americans and i urge my colleagues to support this bill. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back. the gentleman from california.

mr. takano: i reserve, mr. speaker. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california reserves. the gentlelady from texas. ms. granger: mr. time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from texas reserves. the gentleman from california. mr. takano: mr. speaker, i yield three!u+0 gentleman from pennsylvania, the ranking member of the commerce, justice and science appropriations subcommittee, mr. cartwright. the ore: the gentleman is recognized for three minutes. kriet kriet i thank -- mr. cartwright: i thank the gentleman. i rise in support of this bill. the c justice and science division of this bill preserves solid funding for an array of important public investments. for example, partnership prograa level funded at $175 million, that's so important. the bill provides strong and continued level funding for noaa climate research at nasa earth science. but before i go on, i hav some thank yous to hand out. we have incredibly hardworking

staff. bob bonner, shannon mcculley, faye, nora spent countless sleepless nights working on thi. and we can't leave out chris bigelow, rakell spencer, adam wilson, jason gray. eople have been indispensable in putting together this monumental piece of legislation. i'm thankful for the very work of chair kay granger and chairman hallucinate rogers, -- commerce,usor the members of my subcommittee on the democratic side, grace meng of new york, dutch ruppersberger and david trone of mard, from new york. they've all worked hard on this, mr. speaker. and i'm thankful for the very, very hard work put in by ranking member delauro and especially for our leader, hakeem jeffries.

of nearly 70 bad policyrced the riders, covering environmental policy, immigration, women's health, culture war issues and more, including the removal of more than a dozen harmful gun riders. this bill provides robust funding for community policg, local justice assistance grants. it rejects the g.o.p.'s proposed cut of $400 million fromhe the f.b.i., which protects us from all sorts of murder and mayhem. the elite police force of our nation. we couldn't cut it like that and we wouldn't let itpen. this bill provides $13 million in increase for programs under the violence against women act, continued level funding for grants under the community violence intervention and prevention programs. the stop school violence act and the victims of child abuse actt. it's level funding for correctional officers and the bureau of prisons is so

important and it provides a solid increase of $8 million for the d.o.j. anti-trust division to help keep prices low in this country because they'll get away from us if we don't enforce our anti-trust laws. i'm ao proud that we secured continued level funding for the legal services corporation. in summary, the c.j.s. appropriations agreement represents a solid effort to preserve these priorities and i do urge our fellow members to ack.ort it. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from california. mr. takano: i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlelady from texas. ms. granger: mr. speer,rve the . the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady reserves. the gentleman from california. mr. takano: mr. speaker, i yield two minutes to my colleague and friend from the state of texas, chip roy. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. for two minutes. mr. roy: i thank the gentleman from california. i would note that we've only

really had now two people speak in opposition to the bill out of the 40 minutes it's been on the floor. and that's just the reality of what we dole with here -- deal with here. the fact of the matter is all of this is a shell game. republicae presented with a bill that was supposed to cap spending at $1.59 trillion. now we have legislation that will do no such thing. republicans will go around and they'll talk about how they scored major wins. how they somehow delivered for the american peo is, we did no such thing. we signed up for caps at $1.59 trillion. we could have had would have pa. this year that would have triggered the caps.7 trillion, t doing that. we're going to blow the lid off of caps at 1dz.66 trillion -- $1.66 trillion. that's what we're actually going to do. while myepublican colleagues are going to run around and say that they somehow delivered cuts by saying -- saying $24 billion

of cuts off of a c.r. that not one member of thisloor and explain. and i would take that if any member could explain to the american people in terms they could understand, explain it, exactly what the cuts look like. because what you'll get are things like oh, of the f.b.. but what they won't tell you is 95% of that cut is eliminating an richard shelby because richard shelby is no longer here to defend his pet project building in alabama. and they're going to say oh, look, we're cutting the department of justice and the f.b.i., but the truth of the matter is we didn't get any of the major wins that we worked all last year to get. all of these things like funding the sanctuary cities refusing to report criminal aliens, gone. all these measures are not in the bill. i rise in legislation. i hope my republican colleagues will oppose it.

we deserve to deliver for the american people the way we said we spending and secure the border of the united states. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: t he gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from california. mr. takano: i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: t he gentleman reserves. the gentlelady from texas. mr. granger: i reserve the speaker pro tempore: t he gentlelady from texas reserves. the gentleman from california. mr. takano: i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: t he gentleman is recognized. mr. takano: mr. speaker, i need touchup a light on an ugly truth buried deep in section 413 of this bill. what is this section all about? when a veteran alir benefits the earned, they're screened to make sure they're confident to use those benefits and n advantage of. if a veteran is determined to be medically incompetent they're appointed a fidu to the criminal background checks system

known as the nix list. medical incompetent tensey is based on schizophrenia and dementia and serious health conditions. and there are very serious reasons why people with those conditions should not be able to purchase a firearm. it's also the case that firearms are used 68% of veterans' deaths by suicide. suicide is a serious problem among veterans and since the honor to be on the veterans' affairs committee, i fought to stop the scourge of veteran congress cede one more important safeguard against a veteran's death. i cannot and cannot support this bill. republicans have pushed this type of provision for over a decade. i know because ioughand they hao with misinformation and fear mongering.

and democrats havly fought this legislation in committee which is why republicans did not have the courage to bring this to the floor in the light of da consider it through the normal process, the regular order. instead they crammed it into this must passr of a spending bill. they abandoned all their other so-called priorities because they wanted this so badly. they wanted to make sure that vulnerable veterans could access more firearms. this is wrong. lives are on the line. veterans lives are on the line. i will not agree to legislation that will cause more people's lives to be lost to gun violence. house democrats have been working to put people over politics, but it is clear that the republican majority is content to put politics including prioritizing politics over veterans lives. i ask unanimous consent that the statement of

administration policy on h.r. 4366 and a statement from the giffords organization, wh both spe the harm of this provision be entered into the record, mr. speaker. the speaker pro tempore: w ithout objection. mr. takano: i will not rest until this rider is m any future appropriations bill and urge my colleagues to join me in that effort. but for now i must oppose this bill. there are a lot of good reasons, there are a lot of good things in this bill, and i don't ask my colleagues to join me in opposing this bill. i have a great deal of respect for my good friend, the ranking member of the appropriations committee, ms. delauro, and the significant amount of work that went into this. but i must follow my conscience because of my responsibility to veterans. thank you, mr. speaker, and i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: t he gentlemaneserves. the gentlelady from texas. ms. granger: mr. speaker, i urge my colleagues to support this bill and i yield

back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: t he gentlelady from texas yields back her time. the gentleman from california. mr. takano: i have no spur speakers and am prepared to close. the speaker pro tempore: t he gentleman is recognized. mr. takano: i sadly must oppose the bill but■r■8 n■