Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, each year the White House recognizes outstanding teachers for their contributions to the teaching and learning of mathematics and science through the prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science. On April 28, President Obama named 85 teachers as recipients of the 2010 award, one of which was from the Fifth District of Pennsylvania, Mifflin County resident Ms. Gail Romig, a teacher at State College Area School District.

Today, I want to thank Ms. Romig for her dedication to her students and commitment to the field of mathematics. We live in a global economy that is ever-changing and where America is forced to continually adapt, innovate, and find new ways to remain competitive in the global marketplace. Our competitiveness relies on the excellence of individuals in technical fields such as math and science. We rely on dedicated individuals like Ms. Romig to help create our next generation of technical minds.

From coast to coast, from urban enclaves to rural towns, teachers across the country are utilizing their expertise and creativity to equip the next generation of Americans to succeed and to lead.

Thank you to Ms. Romig and others like her all across the country that are working to ensure America is competitive for generations to come.

Madam Speaker, yesterday, I joined members of the Pennsylvania State legislature, gun owners, and the president of the NRA at the Pennsylvania State capital in support of our Second Amendment rights. I appreciate their deep belief in freedom and protecting the Second Amendment that guarantees our citizens the right to own and bear arms. Our Second Amendment is this country's original homeland security. Where this right is freely exercised without government infringement, our citizens live in freedom with a deterrent and defense to violent crimes.

Sadly, Second Amendment rights are under attack from within, most recently, the fast and furious scandal perpetrated by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that approved felonious gun sales, directing thousands of illegally purchased firearms to be smuggled into Mexico as part of a sting operation. These actions contributed to the death of a U.S. border agent and perpetuate the lie that U.S. gun dealers supply the bulk of guns to criminal elements in Mexico.

As elected Representatives, it is our duty to respect and defend the freedoms that our Constitution guarantees. Those in the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that engineered this dangerous strategy that took a life and threatens our freedoms must be held accountable.

I thank my good friend from Hobbs, New Mexico, for yielding. Representing part of Pennsylvania, it is an honor to be part of the Western Caucus. I represent western Pennsylvania and central Pennsylvania and a little bit of eastern Pennsylvania. My district is so large, so rural.

It has many of the same issues, Mr. Speaker, that fit very well within the Western Caucus. We have public lands. All of these issues you are hearing about tonight in terms of what government does as a huge barrier and to kill the jobs, they are the same things that we certainly experience in western Pennsylvania.

Now, I am proud. I chair the largest subcommittee of Agriculture, Conservation, Energy, and Forestry, so I want to go down another road in which how government kills jobs, western jobs, whether it is the West or western Pennsylvania or, frankly, throughout the United States.

We recently had a hearing reviewing the proposed United States Forest Service plan. Our National Forests, it is very clear they are not National Parks. Our National Forests were created to provide sustainable resources, predominantly timber, but timber is not the only thing. Our forests were created to provide us energy, access to oil, to natural gas, to coal, to minerals. So that is why they were put in existence.

As we look around the Nation, certainly in my congressional district, my National Forest is relatively small compared to I think some in the West, 513,000 acres, but it is profitable and home to the world's best hardwood cherry. It has a management plan that says in a sustainable way, to keep the forest healthy they are supposed to harvest over 90 million board feet a year. But yet for over a decade they have been doing 20 million. One of the members of my subcommittee, Mr. Southerland, talked about his National Forest, they harvest zero board feet out of his National Forest.

Now, there are a lot of problems with that. First of all, if you don't harvest timber, if you don't manage that forest in a healthy way, you subject yourself to wildfires, to invasive species. It creates an unhealthy forest. But it also kills jobs, and that is what we have seen. We have seen that all across the Nation, in the West, frankly, all parts of the country with our National Forests where the Forest Service has failed to do its job in terms of managing the forests I think in a productive way. That point came out very clearly in the first of what will be I think a number of hearings that we are going to do on this issue.

Frankly, timber production is down. I am proud to say that it is up to 40 million board feet in the Allegheny National Forest, but that is only with the persistence of kind of being with the Forest Service almost on a constant basis. But it is still a long ways from 90.

The production of timber is down. That means timber jobs, first of all. Our sawmills, our timber industry, those jobs, in many parts of the country those jobs have gone away. They are extinct today. And the forest products jobs that come as a result of having that timber supply are going away.

And the economies. Our rural communities were taken in order to create these national forests by the Federal Government. And the economies of our rural communities that make up those forests depended on the promise that was made when the forests were formed that the timber industry, minerals, oil, gas, coal, all those sustainable resources would be provided, would be produced, and that would maintain the economies of those rural communities. Well, that's been a lie by the Federal Government. They haven't done that. They haven't met their responsibilities. And that has killed jobs and killed our economies in rural communities.

In terms of energy, in my district I was sworn in for the first time in Congress in January 2009. Within a week of when I was sworn in, the Forest Service chose to place a moratorium on any new drilling permits in my national forest.

Now, you have to understand, 93 of the subsurface rights are privately owned. So these are owned by private individuals. And they came in and imposed this moratorium because of some lawsuit, as my good friend talked about, and the taxpayers paid their lawyers and paid the organizations to file, basically, and we went over a year with people losing their jobs, families suffering for just that reason.

Thankfully, a Federal judge overturned that decision. Of course, the Forest Service appealed and the Federal judge threw it out again. And now the Forest Service has appealed again. They've taken it down to a different court, down to the Philadelphia court, and we'll see what turns out there. But that's just another example of just bad government.

My good friend Mrs. Lummis from Wyoming talked about the Marcellus natural gas. Let me just say that's all private sector. The government is not involved in it. Natural gas is mostly private lands. And it works. It has created over 88,000 jobs in Pennsylvania. I have counties that, for the first time in history, their unemployment rates are below both State and national averages.

Prosperity is a good thing, and everybody benefits--not just the people that are getting the royalties or the leases, but, frankly, the churches, the Boy Scouts, the Girl Scouts, the little leagues, the fire departments, the hospitals, because rural folks are generous and they support good causes.

And so the communities are growing. The annual average earnings are going up. Frankly, government is benefiting because local, State, and even the Federal Government is getting a little more tax revenue by all that economic activity. And unemployment is down and energy security is there, and it's lower energy costs for everyone, and it's private sector.

If the government owned that land, we'd never be experiencing those benefits. Though, despite that fact, despite these are private lands-- and I'll end my comments with these, because I know we've got other Members that want to speak tonight--this administration is going after that natural gas production. They are. There are some in this body that are proposing Federal Government overreach.

We're accessing that energy as a good steward. We've got regulations. The Department of Environmental Protection in Pennsylvania is a tough agency, but they do a fair job. They're always looking at their regulations. But we've got this administration who wants the Federal Government to employ the EPA and to send them into Pennsylvania and other parts of our country where we're producing domestic energy, which will essentially shut down our energy production and will shut down this prosperity, will shut down these jobs that are being created, will shut down the movement that we're making towards energy security.

I want to thank my good friend from New Mexico for hosting this hour tonight. I'm proud to be a part of the Western Caucus and proud to be with you this evening.

Thank you.

I thank my good friend from Texas for hosting this hour.

I actually do think this administration has an energy policy, and it's all about shutting down all of the domestic use of the resources we've been blessed with in this country. It's about cutting our supply, eliminating our domestic supply.

When I looked at your chart you had in terms of gas prices reflecting 2009 and 2011, I know at the White House the President is asking the Attorney General to put together a task force and is trying to find the bad guys of who's causing gas prices to be so high right now, which are pushing over $4 a gallon. There's only really one thing that impacts gas prices, and that's supply and demand, and demand around the world is going up. As you really captured nicely in the documentation, Congressman, the problem is that this administration has shut down access to domestic supply, and we're making us more and more foreign- dependent. Right now, with what's happening in Libya, we only get 2 percent of our oil resources from them. Just that 2 percent with what's happening in that country, we're seeing gas prices now push over $4 a gallon.

I'd like to contrast that with the shale gas that you talked about because, in Pennsylvania, we are blessed with it. Also, let me claim my heritage. I have the privilege of representing Titusville, Pennsylvania, where Edwin Drake drilled that first well 151 years ago, and we're very proud of that. Also, the 17 counties I represent in Pennsylvania are right in the heart of the Marcellus natural gas shale, and in the middle of one of the worst recessions we've had since the Great Depression, gas prices--and you captured them--are spiking at just record heights. If we had a chart there that showed natural gas prices, it actually is a record low. It's a little over $4 a cubic foot. Normally, in importing our domestic gas from other countries, natural gas would probably be somewhere around $11 or $12 a cubic foot, but today, it's $4-something a cubic foot in the middle of the worst recession. This winter was a tough winter in Pennsylvania, and the folks all over the State, including those in center city Philadelphia, are paying some of the lowest gas rates, which is only because natural gas is domestically produced.

It just speaks to the importance of a strong domestic supply program, but the policies of this administration make that almost impossible for our oil. They're going after natural gas, trying to stop that as well, and that is driving up costs. I find that it's not only so terribly damaging on our economy and jobs but that it's just immoral when we've been blessed with these resources. They were provided to us for a purpose, which was to be able to use them and go after them and do it as good stewards, and we know how to do that today.

The unemployment rate is lower than the national average is. I have a couple counties in particular. Tioga County is one of them, which is in the heart of the Marcellus natural gas. It is probably the first time in history that that county's unemployment is below both State and national averages, and it's because of the natural gas industry.

It is, and all the related jobs. Absolutely. You're right.

It's not the drilling jobs, but it's the hotel jobs and it's the restaurant jobs. I've got manufacturers right now that are sitting with jobs that they can't fill. We hear a lot about unemployment, but these are good jobs. They pay a significant amount of money per hour with good benefits. It's a great employer, and they're sitting there with these job openings, looking for folks to fill them. Now, some of the people they've had working for them have moved on into the gas field, and they've created new opportunities. So producing domestic energy produces domestic jobs, and it's so important.

Well, you're right. The demand side impacts gas prices as well, and it has been very well documented that two countries in particular are increasing their thirst for oil, and it's going to drive up the demand for oil worldwide, and that is China and India. It's expected just

within the next few years the demand for oil is going to go up 10 to 12 million barrels a day. That's in addition to what the world is using today; and if that occurs and we don't increase our domestic supply, we don't have a board big enough to show where that red line is going to climb to in terms of gas prices.

It is absolutely critical. That's why I'm so proud. I'm on the Natural Resources Committee. We passed out of there a matter of a number of weeks ago not one but three pieces of legislation. Last week, the House passed out of the House of Representatives H.R. 1229, Putting the Gulf Back to Work Act. This week we're going to be working on H.R. 1230, Restoring American Offshore Leasing Act, and that will make a difference.

Now, critics will say, oh, well, it would be a year or more until you produce one barrel of oil once we pass that act, and that is true because it takes awhile to get that rig set up and get it produced, but we only have to look back to 2008 when President Bush and this Congress finally lifted the Outer Continental Shelf ban moratorium, and on the day that that was lifted and Congress lifted that and we gave the approval to go ahead with issuing permits again, on the day they voted on it, the price of gas in 2008 was four-something a gallon. The very next day it was two-something a gallon.

It makes a difference. It communicates that America is willing to use its own resources, that America is not going to be dependent on the Middle East, on Libya, and on Saudi Arabia, on places that are so volatile today that we don't know if there's a revolution or demonstrations or riots or terrorism that we're not going to have access to that 30 percent of our energy resources that we use today.

The best predictor of future performance is past performance. So we know if the Senate does the right thing and passes these acts that we're going to have and will pass out of the House of Representatives and the President signs it, gas prices will come down; but, unfortunately, the best predictor of future performance is past performance, and under this administration, they're going to continue to limit and eliminate our Americans' access to the domestic resources that we have right here in this country.

Right.

I thank the gentleman from Texas.

I think a point in terms of the profits that oil companies make, it really is what most industries, whether it's a manufacturer or service industry, make right around 6 to 8 percent; but yet you have to answer who is benefiting from that. I would find it hard to believe that there's not a lot of Americans that benefit from that because their pension programs are investing in the portfolios they may have. Their pensions are investing in those types of companies and benefiting from that 6 to 8 percent margin that these companies are delivering.

Those who will speak against using oil, they say, well, we don't have enough. We use so much, but we only have 2 percent of the proven reserves. Here's the facts. Frankly, when they define proven reserves, they just look at conventional. They don't look at unconventional. They don't consider shale gas. They don't consider shale oil. They just look at conventional reserves. Then they really don't look at probable.

For probable, there is 10 to 20 times that much available in terms of probable. And then when you get the estimate, there is enough oil out there to really, I think, meet the needs of this country for as long as we need to. Now, I'm not saying forever because I think at some point, there will be a new energy source that comes along. It may be generations until we get that. It may be hydrogen-fueled cars. I don't know what it is, but we are going to have that kind of new science in the future. But we have plenty of oil to meet our needs right now.

In terms of natural gas, what we know now from all the reserves in Texas and Pennsylvania and the Outer Continental Shelf and, frankly, throughout the West, we have at least 200 years of natural gas, and that's just what we know about. And the unknown is--but it's pretty consistent--is that the technology gets better and better

and better. It's only with the advent about 60 years ago of the development of horizontal drilling that we have been able to really access the full potential that we are getting now on natural gas. I know that the engineers and the scientists out there are looking at new and better ways to get out more of this resource that God has really blessed us with as a country.

I think we really do need an energy policy in this country, and it ought to be one that is centered around the full use of and access to domestic energy resources. We ought to be doing the research too, obviously, for new development. And energy efficiency is important as well, whether it's transportation or heating or electricity or appliances being more energy efficient with it. But those three things alone, all centered on domestic use of energy resources, that's the kind of energy policy this country needs.

I just want to come back to the point you talked about in terms of ethanol, wind, solar. It could be anything. Anytime that you take a new energy to commercial level, commercialize it, but you do it artificially, you do it with subsidies, you use taxpayer dollars to sustain it in the market, that's just wrong. And it's not real. If something is ready for prime time, if it is ready to be commercialized, it will stand on its own. It will create a market that people want to come and buy it and use it. So as we look forward to an energy policy, I think we need to be very careful about what we artificially commercialize, what we subsidize.

Natural gas is real. Oil is real. Both of them will stand on their own. It doesn't need subsidies in order to provide energy for folks. It will do it in a way that is market proven. But there are other markets out there--and you've named a couple of them--that if we take away those subsidies today, they would collapse. They wouldn't exist. So, frankly, I think that's a disservice to the American taxpayers.

Why are we commercializing energy resources? You know, I do believe in research; and that's where our focus should be, as opposed to prematurely commercializing something that doesn't stand on its own. I have a lot of appreciation for the national energy labs in this country. They are scientists. They don't have an agenda. They are just looking for that new energy source, and they are very credible in what they do. And that's where our emphasis should be, not prematurely commercializing energies that are unsustainable. We really should make sure we invest in research and development.

Mr. Speaker, Apollo 14 launched on January 31, 1971, on its third trip to the Moon. Alan Shepard, Stuart Roosa, and Edgar Mitchell composed the Apollo's eighth manned mission to the lunar surface.

Also on board were seeds from several common varieties of trees, part of a joint project with NASA and the U.S. Forest Service, known as the ``Moon trees,'' to see whether spaceflight affected seeds' ability to sprout. The resulting seedlings were planted throughout the United States as a tribute to the Apollo program.

One of the surviving trees is in Pennsylvania's Fifth District, in Coudersport, Potter County. The Coudersport Moon tree, a sycamore, is among dozens reported as missing by NASA, until a local resident became

aware of NASA's attempts to track down the remaining national treasures.

Today, Potter County's Moon tree is alive and well, and members of the Coudersport Area Lions Club have agreed to partner with the local government for a dedication ceremony that will bring long-overdue attention to our Moon tree.

We collectively should recognize the importance of NASA's Apollo program, and I want to thank my constituents in Coudersport for working to ensure the Moon trees continue to serve as a living monument to our Nation's first visit to the Moon.

I thank my friend and colleague from the great State of New York, where our congressional districts adjoin at that New York-Pennsylvania border. I am really proud to be with you on the floor today to talk about this game changer, as you referred to.

Mr. Speaker, we are facing critical times--record debt, $14 trillion; skyrocketing gas prices, in some places over $4 a gallon and climbing; energy dependence and addiction to Middle Eastern oil; and a volatile Middle East. All those things tie together. And, frankly, we're here to talk about something that is a part of the solution on how to get out from underneath each one of those critical issues that is just piling on this Nation, the United States of America, and that is the Marcellus shale natural gas. We are proud to also have Marcellus shale underneath much of Pennsylvania. We have New York and Pennsylvania, West Virginia, parts of Ohio, parts of Virginia.

The Marcellus is just a tremendous natural gas play. It's something that we have known has been there for a very, very long time, but the technology to access it is more of a recent advent, and it is just so exciting. I'm glad we are here to talk about all aspects of this tonight.

Over the last month, the development of the Marcellus shale natural gas play has been given national attention, in particular, a technical industry term known as ``hydraulic fracturing,'' or ``fracking,'' a process utilized in oil and gas production for almost a century and regulated now for decades. Oil and gas workers have completed nearly 1 million fracking jobs nationally, safely and without adverse environmental impact. Over the years, these technologies have been refined and improved for more efficient and environmentally safe use. In fact, Mr. Speaker, I find that the rapid increase of technology as it comes from the natural gas industry right now is just incredible. This is an industry that is literally very solid but is always looking for that new opportunity on how to do things even better.

Recently, the New York Times attempted to discredit the wealth and experience employed by the industry over the years and the successful work of government officials to properly regulate natural gas development. Through half-truths and, frankly, calculated quote shopping, the New York Times made unsubstantiated claims regarding fracking and its impact on water quality and the environment. They repackaged old stories with sensational new headlines, and they rehashed allegations against development of natural resources vital for our country's energy future.

Now immediately following these stories, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection--which has, frankly, jurisdiction over the drilling of natural gas in the Keystone State--responded, releasing tests that show that water supplies downstream of Marcellus shale gas drilling are safe. This testing has addressed misinformation related to water quality in the Commonwealth and validated with scientific data that municipal drinking water is safe.

Mr. Speaker, each day in my district there is news regarding the Marcellus shale worthy of a national headline. Through this resource and these technologies, 70 million homes and thousands of small businesses are paying the lowest gas prices in years to heat their homes. The lowest. Let me repeat that. When you have gas prices, petroleum gas prices that are at record highs, volatile highs for our vehicles, natural gas prices at the same time are at a record low. That's where they have a national headline. That is all because of one thing. Natural gas in this country is largely domestically produced. It is produced by American workers, and it doesn't have that volatility that you see when you become reliant on countries such as in the Middle East.

Thousands of jobs are being created. I have two counties in particular at the epicenter. Actually, one of them adjoins your congressional district. The lowest unemployment numbers probably in history, much lower than national and State averages. There's nothing better that you can do for a person than create an environment that provides them a good-paying job, and that is happening as a result of the natural gas industry.

Each day, the local economy in my district gets a little better, and every moment the notion of an energy secure America is easier to grasp. For me, I define ``energy security'' as shutting off the pipeline from the Middle East.

I recognize that the largest amount of our oil that we import is from Canada, and Canada is a good ally. I don't see any threats from Canadians other than maybe when we get around to hockey season between the teams. But when it comes to the Middle East, I think when we look at the volatility in the Middle East today, in Egypt and obviously Libya and Yemen, I mean, we should end that addiction immediately to Middle Eastern oil, and that achieves energy security.

Now, when it comes to safety, there can be no shortcuts, no loopholes, and no exceptions, but sensationalism fails to serve any good for anyone. Scare tactics are dangerous when dealing with such complicated and technical matters as this. And that is what we see with many of the headlines that we have been reading, articles written with half-truths.

I am so very pleased that you are hosting this hour today because we can talk about facts and put the facts out there. The same goes for dealing with our Nation's energy security. We need to talk about facts. So I am pleased to be with you, and I yield back at this time.

I want to thank my good friend from New York. It's an honor to be joined by Congressman Altmire from Pennsylvania as well.

Because this Marcellus natural gas is certainly a game changer for Pennsylvania. I think it's a game changer for the United States of America. And it is important that we educate. We're here to do that. And I know that's a--I think that's a vision of this caucus to make sure that we put out--get the science and the data out to people. Because there's a debate. And on most important things, most game changers you should have a debate, but it should be a debate that's based on facts and science and not on emotion and myth.

Let me share some more economic information, a couple facts relayed today.

You've heard some of this before. Certainly Marcellus contains upwards of 500 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. That is an amazing amount of natural gas. My colleague from Pennsylvania described it as it's more energy than the oil in Saudi Arabia. And it's clean energy. There's enough gas to meet this Nation's current gas demands for at least 100 years because we have the Marcellus formation, and then under that is, frankly, the Utica formation. And so there are tremendous vast resources.

According to Penn State University, a university I'm proud to not only be a graduate of but to represent within my congressional district, in 2008 natural gas production had a 2.3--I'm just saying in 2008--1 year--a $2.3 billion direct impact on the Pennsylvania economy, adding more than 29,000 new jobs and $240 million in State and local tax revenue. Frankly, the budget in Pennsylvania is hurting right now, the State budget. It's like here in Washington.

But in Pennsylvania, there's a blessing there with this revenue that's coming in by all of the companies and the individuals that are doing business in this natural gas industry of what they pay in taxes. Again, in just 2008, they paid $240 million in taxes to the State and local government.

Another report also suggested in 2009: In slightly more than 10 years, the Marcellus industry could be generating nearly 175,000 jobs annually and more than $13 billion in value added. And more recently in 2011, more recent data, facts, planned spending by Marcellus producers could generate more than $10 billion in value added, nearly $1 billion in State and local revenues. Now, this is just Pennsylvania.

I know that New York could use that type of tax revenue as well as West Virginia and Virginia and Ohio. The figures I'm sharing with you are really just about Pennsylvania. And more than 100,000 jobs.

This is not a short-term development. This is not a fly-by-night. This is not going to come in and leave in a matter of years, frankly. This resource means development for at least 50 years and beyond. When you start to take into account the Utica shale, it really multiplies out. The economic benefit is tremendous.

According to Penn State, the Marcellus could make Pennsylvania the second largest producer of natural gas in the United States by 2020. You know, there were pipelines that were installed decades ago and from the ports of the northeast coast because we were preparing to import natural gas from Russia, from overseas. Today, there's work to convert those pipelines so that we can export natural gas and that we, Pennsylvania in particular, can be an exporter. That's good news.

Certainly.

Thank you. I thank my friend for yielding back.

You had mentioned the history of drilling. I very proudly represent Titusville, Pennsylvania. It's where one of my district offices is. It's the Drake well. It was 151 years ago that Colonel Drake used a wooden drill bit, drilled down 37 feet and hit oil. So drilling is not new to Pennsylvania. As you said, the first natural gas is just within or just outside of your congressional district, natural gas well.

And in terms of Marcellus wells, I think it's important we talk about that. I think you have a great chart there that demonstrates exactly what we're talking about when we're talking about the Marcellus geological formation, which is not a shallow formation.

This is a deep well. This is 8,000 to 9,000 feet, well below when you think the water table in our area is normally maybe 1,000 feet. This is 8,000 to 9,000 feet below that. And the horizontal drilling that was developed, directional drilling, there has been 1,900 of those wells already on the ground put in. So I think it may be good to take the opportunity to talk at some point about exactly how these wells work.

Will the gentleman yield?

Those fractures, folks will sometimes be scared by that. They envision these huge caverns that are opened up under the ground. And in fact, these fractures, or fissures I think they are best described, and you have probably seen

them portrayed as spider webs. In fact, they are so small that they are held open by a grain of sand. That's the proppant that is put down into with water, and put in there to hold those fractures open. Just a grain of sand. So I think that, as we are talking about facts, so the people have a vision of what exactly we're talking about when this takes place.

Sure. Absolutely. I think that if my good friend would go ahead and put that other board that's up, because when you are talking about the fluid, there is a lot of discussion sometimes about hydrofracking fluid. And this is I think a great poster that really captures what exactly is in that hydrofracking fluid. That sometimes is called brine, sometimes it's called slick water.

Certainly.

Yes. If the gentleman would yield, absolutely. It's 99.5 percent is water and sand. The other half a percent is made up of basically ingredients that you would find in many household items as referenced from the chart. You know, there are some things there such as sodium, there is things that are used to reduce friction going down into the pipeline. It's the same things that you can find in water treatment or candy.

There is a gelling agent, also used in toothpaste, and other types of things, things that we use. The most important thing, though, this is all public record.

In Pennsylvania, the Department of Environmental Protection, which is the agency that oversees this drilling activity, requires that this list of ingredients is made available publicly; on the drilling sites they are available, standard, like any industry that uses materials. I would trust in our congressional offices somewhere we have a manual, an MSDS manual, material safety data sheets.

Because whether it's whiteout or it's some other cleaning fluid or Windex, you have to list all those things. You have to have an MSDS for them in any type of business or industry.

And so through MSDS, frankly, and requirements through agencies, oversight agencies as the Department of Environmental Protection, the ingredients that are required are available publicly. That is a great myth that has this is such a secret and people don't know what's going down into the wells.

Not all of this water comes out; that's important to recognize. Just a percentage of the waters that do come out, a lot of it actually is left 8,000-9,000 feet down. And the water that does come back, in my experience, being, observing these operations, much of it is recycled.

It just stays with the geology down there, and this is like it's a mile below the aquifer. It's actually encased in layers of limestone, especially in Pennsylvania and in New York. That's our geology. We have this Marcellus shale, but it's really encased with what could be hundreds of yards of thick limestone on top, and certainly limestone in the bottom. And so the water stays down. The most important thing, though, is what happens to the water that comes up and especially when it passes through that area, 5, 6, 700 feet where the aquifer is, frankly, our water, fresh water comes from.

The casing that is on your poster is incredibly important to where it's encased through that area. The wells are encased multiple times with both steel and with concrete, multiple layers. The safeguards are just tremendous so that you absolutely cannot get any cross- contamination with our aquifer.

I think the gentleman is very accurate, and it's multiple, multiple piping with cement in between each one.

A lot of redundancy built into it because it's extremely important not to get that cross-contamination.

That is my understanding, my observations, where on one site, where this drilling activity goes on, takes up to perhaps 90 days to drill and to frack one of these wells, you can put multiple, at least up to six, on one site. So in terms of not disturbing, minimizing disturbing the surface area, it's a great technology for the maximal production of a very clean and very affordable energy source for us.

I think as we are talking, the environmental record is certainly an area of concern that folks have raised.

As you have noted, or as my other colleague across the aisle from Pennsylvania noted, hydraulic fracturing was first used 60 years ago, actually in Oklahoma. Fracking has been common practice and successfully used in over a million wells across the United States.

When performed correctly, the process of hydrofracturing has not once contaminated any aquifer or drinking-water supply. In Pennsylvania, there are 11 State laws that govern oil and gas development. In Pennsylvania, drilling companies have to disclose the names of all the chemicals to be stored and used at a drilling site in the Pollution Prevention and Contingency Plan that must be submitted to the State Department of Environmental Protection as a part of the permit application process.

In addition to regulations used in Pennsylvania and at the State level, oil and gas production is subject to eight Federal laws. More specifically, there are five Federal laws that regulate hydrofracturing, hydraulic fracturing. This includes the Clean Water Act in various stages of the process; the Safe Drinking Water Act when discharging frac fluids; the EPCRA, Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act, which mandates that operators maintain material safety data sheets at every well site in America where a minimum amount of chemicals were present, which, in part, is maintained by the State.

Now, these plans contain original copies of the material safety data sheets for all chemicals, and DEP recommends to operators that a copy be kept on each well site. So that comes back to the question of: What are the ingredients? What's going into this frac fluid?

Frankly, most companies exceed the State requirements in the Pennsylvania operations, not to say that, like any other industry, there aren't some outliers, some folks who don't follow the standards. I'm proud to say that in Pennsylvania, the Department of Environmental Protection, when they find those folks, they not only have to correct their problems, but if they're chronically doing this, they are put out of business. This is something that we have the technology. We are blessed with not just this resource from God, but we are blessed with the technology to do it right, and that should be a standard that we subscribe to.

There are some here in Washington that want the Federal Government to come in to Pennsylvania to regulate this. I don't have confidence in Washington. I have confidence in Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection. They've been doing a great job, and they continue to look at their standards, their regulations, and I think they do a great job of making sure that we are protecting our environment and producing a great resource which is adding jobs, growing the economy and, frankly, providing us a very affordable energy resource.

I have heard those same concerns. But when you look at the geology in where

this drilling is done and you have the layers of Marcellus, and I think you only fracture maybe 18 inches, perhaps, from that horizontal pipeline, so you haven't permeated the entire Marcellus shale, and that is encased with a layer of perhaps hundreds of yards thick, hundreds of feet thick, at a minimum, of limestone. The geology is very, very--it's almost--you never say ``never,'' but it's impossible in order to get that what would be called migration for that fluid to move outside.

Mr. Speaker, despite the heated rhetoric over the fiscal year 2011 budget and the failure to responsibly address our Nation's $14 trillion debt, there is one simple truth that we should all take away from this current budget standoff: Washington can no longer fail to deal with America's looming debt crisis as Americans continue to tighten their belts and make ends meet.

Constitutionally, all spending bills must originate in the House. In February, the House performed its duty and passed a long-term spending bill that represents tough but necessary choices we must take. Even if we all agree a program is efficient and needed, we can't spend money we don't have. At a time when the Federal Government is borrowing 40 cents of every dollar, we must be responsible stewards of the taxpayers' dollars in a manner that ensures the long-term promises and commitments the government has made to the American people are met and fulfilled.

It's time the Senate leadership do what's right. We still have a government to run and cannot adequately deal with a 2012 budget if last year's business is left hanging in the wind.

Essential Air Service assists over 140 communities throughout the United States. EAS, Essential Air Service, works.

Let me talk about two airports, real quick. Williamsport, Pennsylvania. It was on EAS. It needed it to get their deployments up, and frankly, what's happened, it's been successful. It's now off of EAS. The program works. These folks are now operating without that.

Dubois, Pennsylvania. Their deployments are growing at this point, and they are on the right track. The EAS is serving the correct purpose of what it has. If EAS stops and ends, here is what ends in Dubois, Pennsylvania: private sector jobs totaling $9 million in payroll and $28.8 million in economic activity.

I just do my best to encourage the support of the Essential Air Service. I do think it's very important for rural America.

Mr. Chair, the Essential Air Service Program (EAS) assists 140 rural communities across the country that otherwise would not have scheduled air service.

As a long-time proponent of the program, I believe Congress has an obligation to provide a level playing field for rural Americans when it comes to transportation and the economic opportunities that the national transportation system provides.

Opponents of the program claim that it is wasteful or that it does not work. Well, I disagree with them on several accounts.

Pennsylvania along with the rest of the country had suffered from severe downsizing of connecting airports, followed by the unfortunate impacts of the current recession. Despite these factors, the Commonwealth is beginning to see increased economic output as a result of the Marcellus Shale natural gas play. The Marcellus has the potential to revitalize industry and ancillary businesses throughout the region, resulting in amplified air service. In other regions of the country the economic climate is also beginning to pick up.

A prime success story of the EAS program has been the Williamsport- Lycoming County Airport, which first entered into the program in 2008. Today, the airport is no longer participating in the program because of increased economic output in the region and the availability of flights that make sense for business travelers. This is largely a direct result in the community investment in the EAS program, which has lifted them out of the program. Today, their direct flight to Houston, Texas lends ancillary support to the emerging natural gas industry in Pennsylvania.

Another pending success story in Pennsylvania's 5th congressional district is the Dubois Regional Airport. Dubois Regional has greatly benefitted from the EAS program and as a direct result of the air service, the airport is responsible for contributing to the local workforce with 132 jobs and a payroll of over $9 million, which creates a total economic benefit of over $28 million to the region and state.

Mr. Chair, these stories are not unusual. These stories are replicated throughout the communities the EAS Program serves.

Let me put it this way; there is not an airport in America that does not receive some sort of federal assistance for operations or capital improvements. Why should this be any different for our rural communities?

The program is not perfect. I believe we need to insert into the law incentives which allow for more community involvement. But, Mr. Chair, I cannot in good faith support a sunset of the program as included in

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Penn State University on the 20th anniversary of the Undergraduate Exhibition.

Last year the House passed House Resolution 1654, a measure expressing support for designation of the week of April 11, 2011, as Undergraduate Research Week. This week recognizes the importance of undergraduate research and encourages colleges and universities, businesses, and other organizations to recognize the occasion.

It is fitting that this week coincides with Penn State's 20th annual Undergraduate Exhibition, scheduled April 12 and 13. Penn State's annual Undergraduate Exhibition communicates and celebrates these same priorities: that research and development of critical thinking are fundamental to American competitiveness and our success as a Nation. Penn State continues to thrive as one of the top research universities in the country through programs such as the Undergraduate Exhibition which encourage participation of undergraduate students in research and creative endeavors.

I congratulate the students, teachers, and staff at Penn State for their tireless pursuit of knowledge and creativity.

My constituents are perplexed with Washington, Mr. Speaker. Economists have warned and the public demands Washington tighten its belt. Despite this year's $1.6 trillion deficit, the President still refuses to change course and reduce spending.

President Obama created the bipartisan National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform by executive order. The commission's mission, according to the executive order was, quote, to identify policies to improve the fiscal situation in the medium term and to achieve fiscal sustainability over the long run.

Unfortunately, the President's FY 2012 budget ignores every essential observation and proposal advanced by the commission and doubles debt held by the public by the end of his term while adding on $13 trillion in new debt.

Erskine Bowles, the Democratic chairman of the fiscal commission stated: the White House budget request goes ``nowhere near where they will have to go to resolve our fiscal nightmare.''

Mr. Speaker, my constituents and I agree. Despite the need to rein in our runaway debt, the President's budget is more of the same. It's time we take the economists and our constituents seriously and get serious on the debt. I ask

my colleagues to join me in heeding their call.

Madam Speaker, the Penn State IFC/ Panhellenic Dance Marathon, referred to as THON, is a yearlong effort to raise funds and awareness for the fight against pediatric cancer. THON is the largest student-run philanthropy in the world, with 700 dancers, more than 300 supporting organizations, and more than 15,000 volunteers involved in the annual event.

Since 1977, THON has raised more than $78 million for The Four Diamonds Fund at the Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital. This year, THON 2012 took place from February 17-19. At this year's event, Penn State York broke its own record, raising $17,160.71, the largest amount that has ever been raised for THON, and it made it to the top 10 in fundraisers among the Penn State campuses.

THON has helped so many families through The Four Diamonds Fund, and this critical support for pediatric cancer research has enabled some pediatric cancer survival rates to increase to nearly 90 percent.

I want to congratulate the Penn State University IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon on its continued success in support of The Four Diamonds Fund and for their amazing, record-breaking total for this year's event.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a man who has served the youth of America in the professional service of the Boy Scouts of America. Ronald Brown currently serves as the Area 6 Director of the Northeast Region Boy Scouts of America. Ron retires on April 1 after an astounding 48 years of service.

Ron's BSA career started in 1963 as a District Executive in Birmingham, Alabama. He has served as a Field Director, Camping Director, Director of Support Services, Director of Field Services, Scout Executive, and Area Director. Ron's service has led him from Alabama to posts in Texas, Illinois, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and even Germany.

Ron received his bachelor of arts degree in mathematics from Miles College in Birmingham, Alabama. He has been a frequent staff member or instructor at jamborees, camp schools and numerous other BSA training events. Ron Brown has served the youth of this Nation through the Boy Scouts of America with great distinction. I wish Ron and his wife Ann all the best in retirement.

Well done, Scouter.

I thank the gentleman from Virginia for yielding.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the gentleman from Virginia's amendment.

The Total Maximum Daily Load is a mandatory diet to restrict nutrient and sediment runoff from point and nonpoint sources in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. EPA's proposed regulations will have a devastating economic impact on my constituents and throughout Pennsylvania. Unquestionably, the bay is in need and is truly worthy of our support, but this is just one more example of how EPA is trying to bypass congressional authority through backdoor regulations and unfunded mandates.

EPA has based the Chesapeake Bay TMDLs on its own model even though it is inconsistent with the models prepared by the Department of Agriculture. The head of USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service has recently gone so far as to say EPA's data on conservation practice is erroneous. Agriculture is not receiving the credit it deserves towards reducing nutrient and sediment runoff; yet EPA is forcing the bay States to move forward on unreasonable mandates, using the agency's flawed bay model. EPA will not even perform an economic analysis of the TMDL when the proposed unquestionability will have severe economic impacts on our Nation's farmers and rural communities.

I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and to vote in its favor.

Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. Chairman, the President has promoted a policy to have 5 million new college graduates by 2020, and I commend the President for that goal. However, I have to stop and wonder, how are we going to achieve that mission if the Department of Education is going to put up roadblocks such as the proposed rules for gainful employment?

In reality, career college also serves many purposes for many different people from all walks of life. This is not an issue of black or white, rural or urban, young or old, or Republican or Democrat. This is an issue of access to opportunity.

I represent a very rural district in Pennsylvania. Many of my constituents don't have access to a community college, and they live a significant distance from any university. Many proprietary schools have sprung up out of necessity. Many students in Pennsylvania choose these schools because of their convenience. They realize that career colleges offer course work of all types and work to accommodate the busy schedules that we all have. They realize that life does not just stop for 4 years so that you can go to a school. And they realize these institutions will give them the skills they need to enter the workforce and earn a decent living.

Mr. Chairman, I have concerns that the Department of Education has stepped way beyond its authority and begun determination of an arbitrary ruling on gainful employment. I ask my colleagues to support this bipartisan amendment.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Offered By: Mr. Thompson of Pennsylvania

Amendment No. 405: At the end of [the bill (before the