Joe Crowley: “I thank the gentleman from Michigan for yielding me the time. I first want to recognize Congressman Erik Paulsen, my…”

“I thank the gentleman from Michigan for yielding me the time. I first want to recognize Congressman Erik Paulsen, my colead in drafting the Empowering Employees through Stock Ownership Act that we are debating today here on the floor. I appreciate his work in helping to draft this and our offices working together to do that. We have drafted up a bipartisan bill that, on the merits, should be able to pass the House with an overwhelming majority--overwhelming majority. But I must state my disappointment with the majority--and not necessarily with the sponsor of this bill, but the leadership of the majority--for refusing to allow a simple up-or-down vote on my amendment, joined by the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Eshoo), to offset the $1 billion cost of this bill over 10 years, so that we could empower workers without saddling our children and our grandchildren and our great-grandchildren with more debt. Now that, in and of itself, is problematic in terms of hoisting additional debt on our children, grandchildren, and great- grandchildren, if it weren't for the fact that we also have crises facing America, including the Zika virus.…”