Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman-in-waiting for the opportunity to address this.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the STREAM Act. Over the last century, American companies have mined coal in at least 26 States across the country. Over that same period of time, thousands of these mines have ceased operation.

Abandoned mines produce acid drainage that, unfortunately, flows into our streams and is toxic. As a result, tens of thousands of miles of streams and waterways across America are being poisoned.

West Virginia alone, according to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, has indicated that we have 1,500 miles of streams that are toxic in West Virginia.

The STREAM Act ensures States have the flexibility to use these federally allocated funds for acid mine drainage cleanup and provides long-term maintenance of these cleanup projects. The bill preserves the use of important guidelines already in place, as you have heard, and simply extends them to recently approved new funding measures.

Making our streams safe is not a partisan issue. Mr. Speaker, as chairman of the Congressional Coal Caucus, I am proud to be leading the Republican effort, in conjunction with Representative Cartwright, to pass this bipartisan legislation.

For anyone who has never seen these orange, poisoned streams, they will never understand the gravity of the situation. But for those of us that have seen and lived with this devastation that will last for years, decades, into the future, the time to vote ``yes'' is now.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support of the STREAM Act, and I encourage a ``yes'' vote.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the legacy of Hershel ``Woody'' Williams. Williams was born the youngest of 11 children on a dairy farm in 1923 in Quiet Dell, West Virginia. In 1943, Williams enlisted in the Marine Corps and was sent to train at Camp Elliott in San Diego, California as a demolition man in the use or flamethrowers.

He served at the Battle of Iwo Jima with the 21st Marines, 3d Marine Division. During the battle, Chief Warrant Officer 4 (Ret.) Williams displayed a ``valiant devotion to duty'' and service above self as he ``enabled his company to reach its objective'' by charging enemy fortifications 5 separate times with his flamethrower.

On October 5, 1945, President Truman awarded Williams with the Medal of Honor for his actions, stating in his citation ``Cpl. Williams' aggressive fighting spirit and valiant devotion to duty throughout this fiercely contested action sustain and enhance the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.''

After World War II, he spent the rest of his life giving back to veterans and Gold Star Families, he worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for 33 years as a Veterans Service Representative, allowing him to continue serving veterans and their families.

Williams also established the Woody Williams Foundation to continue to serve Gold Star Families, and to date, the Woody Williams Foundation is responsible for establishing 104 Gold Star Families Memorial Monuments across the United States with more than 69 additional monuments underway in 50 states and 1 U.S. Territory.

Woody Williams' selfless sacrifice as a World War II veteran, champion of service to Gold Star families, and was the last surviving Marine from World War II to wear the Medal of Honor. The Nation mourns the passing of this proud son of West Virginia.

He is a true embodiment of ``The Greatest Generation.''

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of en bloc No. 2, which includes an amendment to report, track, and take action on suspicious orders.

While the COVID-19 pandemic raged through our population and dominated the headlines, the opioid epidemic exploded exponentially, silently claiming the lives of tens of thousands of Americans every year. Recent CDC data shows that the overdose death rate for last year was over 103,000 citizens.

In 2017, the Energy and Commerce Committee conducted a comprehensive bipartisan investigation into opioid dumping in West Virginia. Outrageous details came to light, exposing how drug shipments in rural West Virginia went unconstrained. For example, over 2 million opioids were sent to a little town of 3,000 people.

Another example: Even after a distributor found numerous red flags during his site visit, nearly 1.5 million doses of opioids were still shipped to a single pharmacy in Kermit, West Virginia, with a population of 406.

The report that was filed by the Energy and Commerce Committee details failures on the part of both DEA and the distributors to identify and halt suspicious orders. Distributors felt they didn't have the authority to halt suspicious orders and could have been subject to lawsuits.

As recommended in the report, this amendment not only requires the distributors to report suspicious orders but also to investigate the situation and decline to fill the order if it is warranted.

American communities deserve to be treated better. This influx of illegal drugs must be stopped, and this amendment is a step in the right direction.

Madam Speaker, I urge Members to adopt this amendment.

Madam Speaker, in West Virginia, the 340B Drug Pricing Program is essential to providing access to low-cost medicine for inividuals in rural and underserved areas.

Without it, many health care providers would not be able to deliver critical services to the communities they serve.

The benefits are clear and the need is obvious, not just in West Virginia, but for rural and underserved communities across the country.

Since coming to Congress more than a decade ago, I've been strong advocate for the 340B program.

It has been an honor to join Rep. Spanberger on numerous occasions in our ongoing effort to defend and protect 340B, because it is the right thing to do for the people we serve.

On the 30th anniversary of the program, we must recommit to holding pharmaceutical companies accountable and protect the program going forward. This means ensuring care for the uninsured, low-income and rural patients is not interrupted and our most vulnerable communities continue to have access to affordable medicine.

If 340B ended in West Virginia, for example, the State's hospitals would see losses of nearly $300 million, resulting in services being cut, and access to care and low-cost prescriptions severely limited, hurting the neediest people the most.

We need to stay engaged and keep up the charge. God Bless America.

Madam Speaker, my question is: Why hasn't Speaker Pelosi called for a vote on the HALT Fentanyl Act, which would make the dangerous fentanyl derivatives illegal permanently?

Drug overdoses from fentanyl and derivatives have skyrocketed, hitting a tragically high level. Madam Speaker, 100,000 people died in America last year.

Law enforcement officials in West Virginia are frustrated. From Clarksburg, Parkersburg, and Martinsburg, they are all saying the same thing, Madam Speaker: Enough is enough.

A slap on the wrist, and these fentanyl dealers are back on the street, pushing their deadly poison into the hands of our children.

What is Speaker Pelosi waiting for? Close the border. Put traffickers in jail. Increase sentences for dealers. Keep them out of our neighborhoods.

Madam Speaker, enough is enough. Children are losing their mothers; wives are losing their husbands; and parents are losing their children.

How many more people will lose their lives from fentanyl derivatives before Congress--the Democrats--take action on this legislation?

I will say it one last time: Enough is enough.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Florida.

Madam Speaker, today the Supreme Court will hear a case that could determine the future of unborn children. For nearly 50 years, the Federal decision of Roe v. Wade has threatened the lives of the unborn. This is a decision that should be left to the States.

In 1973 Justices were told that unborn babies could not live on their own until the 28th week. But since then, there have been major advances in medicine. We now know that as early as 5 weeks unborn babies have a heartbeat and their brains are beginning to develop; by 10 weeks the babies have legs and arms that can kick; and by 15 weeks babies can taste, yawn, suck their thumb, and, more importantly, they can feel pain. They are living, breathing, and feeling human beings who deserve a chance to live.

Jeremiah and Isaiah said in the Bible that the Lord spoke to them in the womb: ``Before you were born, I set you apart.''

Both these prophets were trying to tell us something: Every life is precious. Therefore, Congress has a moral obligation to protect the lives of our vulnerable, unborn children and to be their voice.

Today I hope the Supreme Court will agree.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his support on this, as well as the ranking member on our side.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an individual who represents the very best of West Virginia and recognize him as one of our country's most respected and thoughtful jurists, the Honorable Frederick P. Stamp, Jr.

Judge Stamp began his tenure as a Federal judge when he was confirmed in 1990 to the United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia, where he would preside as chief judge.

In West Virginia, Judge Stamp is known for his commitment to service above self. This is evident from his military service, his time spent in the West Virginia legislature, his work as a private attorney, and for his support of countless community organizations. He has been a steadfast and respected pillar of West Virginia, living there his entire life.

Having raised two adult children, Judge Stamp and his wife, Joan, are valued members of the Wheeling community. And Judge Stamp has already been honored by his selection to the Wheeling Hall of Fame.

Humble to the extreme, but humble by nature, it is a testament to his character that Judge Stamp would never personally seek this type of recognition. But he has earned it and his peers would like to see that recognition for him.

Mr. Speaker, I am so proud that Congress is taking this opportunity to honor such a great American by naming the building in which Judge Stamp has spent the majority of his professional service and public life, the Frederick P. Stamp, Jr. Federal Courthouse in Wheeling, West Virginia.

Mr. Speaker, I urge the adoption of this resolution and I thank the chairman for his support.

Madam Speaker, I rise to acknowledge the importance of robust funding for the Weatherization Assistance Program in the bipartisan infrastructure bill. The purpose of this program is to prepare the buildings that low-income Americans live in for the requirements of the 21st century.

The current limitations to the formula that provide funding for this program, however, will not cover the costs of ensuring that homes are cool enough in the hot weather, warm enough in the cold weather, or dry enough in any season. The formula for calculating the value of investments in homes must reflect the expected impact on the safety of participants and their homes under anticipated weather conditions, and the impact on their health and of adapting their energy system to meet future requirements. The current program cost limits mean that switching a home to a cleaner fuel mix is rarely possible. The same limits impede the integration of apprentice workers and other trainees into the program.

Therefore, the Secretary must ensure that the regulations for this Program achieve the statutory goals of permitting a combination of deep retrofit measures sufficient to keep participants safe from extreme weather conditions, minimize the greenhouse gas emissions from their homes, and ensure health conditions in weatherized homes.

The Secretary should establish the appropriate costs for an average package of retrofits that delivers retrofits of sufficient scale to produce safe, healthy, and efficient homes with the cleanest possible fuel mix, and to adjust applicable regulations to support this mission, particularly by ensuring the costs attributed to a home are no more than the costs of services provided directly to that home.

The Secretary should also simplify and streamline the procedures for delivering Weatherization investments, including the procedures for retrofitting entire multi-family buildings and the regulations regarding combination of Weatherization and funding available from other public or private sources for the same general purposes.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of my amendment to Division E of H.R. 4502, which provides funding for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, for fiscal year 2022. The purpose of this amendment is to highlight the need for additional financial resources for our rural water systems to address lead in drinking water.

It was recently reported that the drinking water at three locations in Clarksburg, West Virginia, contained lead levels above 15 parts per billion, which is EPA's action level for lead contamination. The Clarksburg Water Board, CWB has done everything in its power to address the issue at hand, yet they are still constrained and need assistance to address this issue. The $8,804,000 this amendment subtracts and adds back to the funding level for capitalization grants under the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund is the total amount the CWB would need to replace their water lines and improve their drinking water distribution system. By highlighting this needed funding, Congress will ensure that our rural water systems are given the assistance they deserve.

Madam Speaker, I voted No on H.R. 1629. Although I support the bill, I do not support the tactics by which it was brought to the floor. H.R. 1629 was once a bipartisan bill but now, like so many other good bills, it will fail due to the pettiness of partisanship.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of my friend, Mike Myer of Wheeling, who passed away earlier this year.

Besides being a loving husband and father, Mike was an incredibly gifted editor at the Ogden newspaper chain and was a personal friend. Over the years, Mike and I had lively discussions on politics, the fossil fuel industry, and what would make West Virginia better. He was both a pragmatic and authentic editor, and he cared deeply for the livelihoods of men and women in the coal and natural gas fields of our valley.

Out of frustration, Mike would repeatedly ask why Members of Congress would intentionally inflict harm on so many of these families. His passion was his community and the people who lived there.

Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Connie, and their two children and two grandchildren as we all mourn Mike's passing.

Mike, you made a difference. You are already missed.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to have Representative Brian Fitzpatrick's name removed from H.R. 2205 as a cosponsor. His name was added inadvertently.

Madam Speaker, as a member of the Congressional HIV/ AIDS Caucus, I rise today in support of provisions of the Labor-H Appropriations bill which would fund President Trump's initiative to end HIV/AIDS by the year 2030.

Our nation is facing a continuing HIV crisis which has made its way into all of our communities and has destroyed the lives of too many of our constituents. Significant progress has been made in the fight against HIV/AIDS over the past several decades, but the CDC reports that over one million Americans still struggle with this terrible disease. In 2019, this is simply unacceptable.

The Labor-H Appropriations bill being voted on today includes many controversial matters which are sure to guarantee it is dead on arrival in the Senate. Despite this fact, the HIV/AIDS provisions enjoy broad bipartisan support. It is my wish that we could come together as one body to pass beneficial, bipartisan provisions which would make all Americans better off.

We cannot set this issue to rest until HIV has been fully eradicated from the United States. The administration has made this issue a priority and it is about time Congress follows suit. Many of us have known family, friends, or constituents who suffer from this abominable disease. We owe it to all of them to put aside our partisan differences and fund the initiative to eradicate HIV/AIDS from the United States by 2030.

Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Madam Chair, I rise in support of this bipartisan amendment to H.R. 2740.

Last fall, President Trump signed into law the comprehensive opioid package. Included in that package was the POWER Act, which provides competitive grants to hospitals in high-overdose or rural areas. Sadly, Congress has not yet funded that program.

The grants included in the POWER Act will help provide emergency rooms the resources they need to offer overdose patients not only short-term care, but the long-term treatment that is proven to help prevent repeat overdoses.

This bipartisan amendment, introduced with my colleague from Pennsylvania (Mr. Michael F. Doyle), would fund the grant program with the $10 million Congress has already previously authorized.

Madam Chairman, if we believe this is a good program and we voted to authorize it, then let's vote for this amendment and fund it.

Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chairman, again, let's do something novel here. Let's do what we say we were going to do. Let's fund this program. I ask for support for this bipartisan amendment.

Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, let me be clear: I oppose discrimination in all forms, and agree that individuals should have protections against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender. Unfortunately, H.R. 5, the Equality Act, is a radical overreach that goes beyond the scope of discrimination and would harm doctors, families, women, religious groups, and many others.

The Equality Act fails to include conscience protections for doctors who have a moral or religious objection to the services they will be required to provide under the legislation. This bill would force doctors to forego their expertise and provide gender-affirming therapies, even if it goes against their best medical judgement. It could also force doctors and nurses to perform abortion-related services, regardless of their religious or moral objections.

This legislation also harms protections for women's sports provided by Title IX. Women are already beginning to lose sporting competitions and scholarships to their biologically male competitors who identify as females. These women have worked hard for their achievements and deserve the chance to compete on a level playing field.

Most importantly, the Equality Act would prevent parents from making health care choices that impact their own children and could even lead to parents losing custody of their children. In some states, like Ohio, this is already happening. A judge recently removed a biological girl from her parents custody after they did not allow her to take testosterone supplements to help her transition to a male. The federal government should not play a role in these important decisions.

This legislation does not serve as a constructive path forward to addressing the issue of discrimination in our country. That is why I voted against the Equality Act. It is yet another example of a messaging bill that will not be taken up in the Senate and therefore, will never be signed into law. Isn't it time that Congress finally put American families ahead of divisive, partisan politics?