For 35 years, the United States' relationship with Iran has been frozen in amber, locked in a series of proxy wars and covert struggles. Circumstances have occasionally thrust us together, like our shared actions against the Taliban after…

This is a big day on Capitol Hill. The Iranian agreement has been signed. Hopefully, we will all have a chance to study it and think through the implications of this historic event, but the legislative clock is ticking down on another…

This weekend, we will gather in Portland to mourn the passing and celebrate the life of Don Frisbee, who died June 26 at the age 91. Don led an extraordinary life, rising through the company ranks to become the chairman and CEO of…

One of the most difficult and challenging situations any family faces is dealing with circumstances surrounding the end of life. Earlier this week, NPR ran a fascinating story on a little-known fact that physicians die differently than the…

Last month Congress dealt with a trade package that centered on trade promotion authority; and those actions, while important, were really just the beginning of a very long process. Many important provisions of the Trans-Pacific…

Coming from the Pacific Northwest, waterproof matters. To be able to end this outmoded tariff code charging extremely high tariffs for no reason at all, I think, is an important step forward. I look forward to continuing work to fine-tune…

I appreciate the gentleman's courtesy. I rise in support of the effort today, and I would first acknowledge what my friend, the chairman of the committee, said a moment ago. At times, trust is in short supply in this institution for a…

We just heard from the gentlewoman from California, a State that has proven to be an international leader. Its economy is going great guns. It is reducing its carbon footprint, its carbon use. People confuse the price of energy with the…

There has been a flurry of activity regarding infrastructure funding in recent days. We had the first hearing in the Ways and Means Committee in the 55 months since my Republican friends took over to deal with transportation finance. There…

I find this whole conversation somewhat surreal because, in my community in Portland, Oregon, the city is unveiling a new climate action plan to reduce local carbon emissions even more. We are already below 1999 levels on a per capita…

There are those who float repatriation as sort of a Holy Grail, that it is a painless way to somehow weave our way through the minefield.

Congressman Early Blumenauer has introduced legislation (H.R. 680) that would increase the gas tax by 15 cents over 3 years.

There is a tremendous crisis facing America, but it is not one you hear much about on Capitol Hill. It is killing hundreds of people a year, injuring thousands more. It is crippling America's global standing, as we have fallen in the world…

The vast coalition that is ready for us to step up and take action we could hear from during that period.

The American public is right now paying the price. They are paying hundreds of dollars a year in damage to vehicles.

The strange kaleidoscope of this congressional session began with the proposed shutdown of Homeland Security but moved on to the bipartisan action to fix the vexing SGR- Medicare funding formula, the so-called ``doc fix'' to prevent…

Democrats just left a very powerful presentation from the President of the United States to our Members, who simply ask that our Members play it straight: vote for things they believe in. For instance, 125 Democrats voted for Trade…

I am frustrated to be on the floor today unable to vote for H.R. 644. This bill should be about helping American businesses export more, with greater efficiency, cutting red tape at the border, and enhancing our ability to hold foreign tax…

I appreciate the chairman's courtesy, as I have appreciated the opportunity to be working with you on the package that is coming forward. I know we are not quite there yet. I look forward to continuing this effort. But I would like to…

I appreciate the gentleman's courtesy and his leadership. It was my intention to engage in a colloquy with the chairman in a few minutes, but I wanted to make a couple of observations, if I could, about the subject at hand. As Mr. Rangel…

I appreciate that very much. And I hope that there is one area that we might be able to engage in some activity in the future. According to a 2007 report by the ITC, there is no commercially viable production of recreational performance…

I am pleased that after 55 months in control, my Republican friends have scheduled their first hearing on transportation and finance. This is a very important, very welcome development, as welcome as it is long overdue. I appreciate my…

I appreciate the gentleman's courtesy. Mr. Chairman, this is where reality comes into play. We talked about this earlier. Having a fund that is set up does not evade the responsibility of providing the long-term funding. All of these…

I appreciate the gentleman's courtesy. We have been involved with a long struggle in this Congress and Congresses before, dating back some 13 years, and even before that, about country of origin labeling. Do people have the right to know…

House action is expected on trade provisions this week. A vote on a package that establishes the rules for how the next major trade agreement will be handled, the trade promotion authority, may be voted on, this Friday. It has been…